No abstract available.
Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory* ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation*

PURPOSE: To describe the MR features of intraspinal cysticercosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records and MR images of four cases of intraspinal cysticercosis were retrospectively reviewed. The MR findings were described with regard to the location and signal intensity of the lesions, contrast enhancement, presence or absence of associated intracranial cysticerci, and other findings. RESULTS: There were three cases of subarachnoidal form and one case of intramedullary form. Cysticerci of subarachnoidal form in three cases were located in retromedullary space at C2 level, anterior to cord at C1 -C6 levels, and lumbosacral area, respectively. The signal intensities of the lesions were same as those of CSF. Localized arachnoidal enhancement was found in all three cases. In one case there was a large area of high signal intensity within the spinal cord on T2 weighted image suggesting either ischemia secondary to vascular compromise or inflammatory edema. All of these three cases accompanied intracranial cysticercosis. Intramedullary cysticercosis in one case was shown as a single I cm cystic lesion at C2 level, which showed hypointense signal on T1 weighted image, hyperintense signal on T2-weighted image, and signet-ring-like enhancement. This lesion did not accompany intracranial cysticerci. CONCLUSION: lntraspinal cysticercosis manifested as single or multiple cysts within either spinal cord or subarachnoid space, and were frequently associated with arachnoiditis.
Arachnoid ; Arachnoiditis ; Cysticercosis* ; Edema ; Ischemia ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord ; Subarachnoid Space

No abstract available.
Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Risk Factors*

Ovarian carcinoma is a serious disease in women. Some reports revealed all-trans-retinoic acid (tRA) inhibited the proliferation of ovarian carcinoma cell lines and induced apoptosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anticancer and apoptotic effects of tRA and the expression of the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) alpha, beta, gamma, p53, bcl-2, and c-myc genes on the ovarian carcinoma cell lines, NIH OVCAR3 and SKOV3. In both cell lines, the proliferation of tumor cells was inhibited and characteristic morphologic patterns of apoptosis were shown after treatment of tRA. The number of apoptotic cells and the percentage of apoptosis were increased after treatment of tRA. The gel electrophoresis revealed the DNA ladder pattern in the NIH OVCAR3. Gene expressions were observed using northern blotting. There was no RARalpha expression in both cell lines. In NIH OVCAR3, there was no changes in the expression of RARbeta and bcl-2 gene. The RARgamma gene expression of tRA treated group was slightly increased, but p53 gene expression was decreased, and c-myc gene was not expressed. In SKOV3, the expressions of RARbeta, gamma, and p53 genes were increased and that of bcl-2 was decreased in the tRA treated group. There was no change in c-myc gene expression. These results suggest tRA has anticancer and apoptotic effect on both ovarian carcinoma cell lines. RARbeta, RARgamma, bcl-2, and p53 gene expressions were correlated with these effects of tRA on SKOV3 but not on NIH OVCAR3.
Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Northern ; Cell Line* ; DNA ; Electrophoresis ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Genes, bcl-2 ; Genes, myc ; Genes, p53 ; Humans* ; Receptors, Retinoic Acid ; Tretinoin*

No abstract available.
Ambulances* ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation*

Fifty-one consecutive 186 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage were treated from the day of admission with nimodipine which was given first as an IV infusion at 30ug/kg/hr for 1 week and then orally in a dose of 360mg/day for 2 weeks and compared with 135 patients which were treated without nimodipine for the past 2 years. A comparision based on clinical and radiological variables influencing both the coruse and the outcome of the disease showed no significant difference between the nimodipine treated group and the control group except the delayed timing of surgery in the control group. There was no significant difference in the outcome between the nimodipine treated patients and the patients treated without nimodipine, however in Hung & Hess grade IV patients nimodipine treatment was associated with a significantly better outcome. Nimodipine treatment reduced the occurrence of delayed ischemic deficts(DID) in grade III, IV patients. Significant improvement in the outcome occurred in the nimodipine treated patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage of large amount(Fisher classification III).
Aneurysm* ; Classification ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Nimodipine* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage*

Effects of several cytokines(IL -1beta, TNFalpha, and IFNgamma) have been examined on fetal rat osteoblast-like cells. To investigate whether cytokines play direct causal roles in production of lysosomal enzyme, fetal rat osteoblast-like cells were treated with IL-1beta, TNFalpha, and IFNgamma, respectively or combined. And acid phosphatase was determined by biochemical method. Alkaline phosphatase was assayed to determine the effects of IL-1beta, TNFalpha, and IFNgamma on the expression of this enzyme. And also experiment of calcified nodule formation was performed to assess the effects of cytokines on the bone-forming activity of osteoblast-like cells in vitro. Acid phosphatase activity was significantly increased by the addition of IL-1beta and TNFalpha, whereas decreased by IFNgamma, However, no significant changes in alkaline phosphatase activity was observed when the osteoblast-like cells were treated with IL-1beta and TNFalpha. Interestingly, IFNalpha showed stimulatory effect on alkaline phosphatase activity. The number of calcified nodules was decreased by treatment of cultures with 1ng/ml IL -lbeta, 20ng/ml TNFalpha, and 500 u/ml IFNgamma continuously for 21 days, while considerable number of calcified nodules were formed in control group of osteoblast-like cell in culture for 21 days. These results seem to suggest that cytokines may play crucial roles in bone remodeling through the direct action on the osteoblast-like cell.
Acid Phosphatase ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Bone Remodeling ; Cytokines* ; Interleukin-1beta ; Rats* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

No abstract available.
Peroneal Nerve*

No abstract available.
Rehabilitation* ; Stroke*

Myositis ossificans progressiva is a rare disease characterized by the formation of areas of calcification in the interstitial connective tissue of muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and aponeuroses. There may be exacerbations and remissions of the disease, but the general course is an insidious loss of body motion, affecting especially the neck, spine and upper extremities and, rarely, the hips and lower extremities. It is commonly associated with various congenital anomalies. The cause is unknown and there is no known effective treatment. Myositis ossificans progressiva associated with brachydactyly of both great toes, in a 34 year old femaIe, is presented with a review of the literature. Chief complaints were ankylosis of the left knee and hip of 9 years duration. We performed biopsy of tubular bone which is placed antero-lateral side of the left knee.
Ankylosis ; Biopsy ; Brachydactyly ; Connective Tissue ; Fascia ; Hip ; Knee ; Ligaments ; Lower Extremity ; Muscles ; Myositis Ossificans ; Myositis ; Neck ; Rare Diseases ; Spine ; Tendons ; Toes ; Upper Extremity