No abstract available.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic*

OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence and degree of the cervical instability in the cerebral palsied patients and to investigate the cause of the high incidence of cervical myelopathy in these patients. METHOD: The static and dynamic radiography of the cervical spine in the sagittal plane was performed in seventy-two patients with athetoid and spastic cerebral palsy and the incidence of spondylolisthesis, range of motion(by the Penning Method), sagittal diameter of the cervical canal, and posture of the cervical spine were evaluated. RESULTS: The incidence of the cervical spondylolisthesis was fifty percent with athetoid cerebral palsy and twenty-seven percents with spastic cerebral palsy. The incidence of spondylolisthesis was especially high at the level of C3/4 and C4/5. The excessive range of motion in flexion/extension by the sagittal plane was observed in 66.7% of athetoid patients and 53.3% of spastic patients, especially at the C2/3 and C3/4 levels. The abnormal curvature was noted in 66.6% of athetoid and spastic patients. C-curve and S-curve were more common in athetoid patients and straightening of the C-spine was more common in spastic type. A sagittal diameter of the cervical spinal canal was significantly decreased in patients with athetoid patients with C3/4 spondylolisthesis and/or abnormal curvature such as a C-curve or S-curve(P<0.05). Height of the vertebral body was decreased in both athetoid and spastic patients. CONCLUSION: The combination of a cervical instability and a narrow spinal canal predisposes the neurological progression to a cervical myelopathy in cerebral palsied patients.
Adolescent* ; Cerebral Palsy* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Muscle Spasticity ; Posture ; Radiography ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis

Cholinesterase (ChE) is one of the most ubiquitous enzymes and in addition to its well characterized catalytic function, the morphogenetic involvement of ChE has also been demonstrated in neuronal tissues and in non-neuronal tissues such as bone and cartilage. We have previously reported that during mouse tooth development, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity is dynamically localized in the dental epithelium and its derivatives whereas butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activity is localized in the dental follicles. To test the functional conservation of ChE in tooth morphogenesis among different species, we performed cholinesterase histochemistry following the use of specific inhibitors of developing molar and incisors in the hamster from embryonic day 11 (E11) to postnatal day 1 (P1). In the developing molar in hamster, the localization of ChE activity was found to be very similar to that of the mouse. At the bud stage, no ChE activity was found in the tooth buds, but was first detectable in the dental epithelium and dental follicles at the cap and bell stages. AChE activity was found to be principally localized in the dental epithelium whereas BuChE activity was observed in the dental follicle. In contrast to the ChE activity in the molars, BuChE activity was specifically observed in the secretory ameloblasts of the incisors, whilst no AChE activity was found in the dental epithelium of incisors. The subtype and localization of ChE activity in the dental epithelium of the incisor thus differed from those of the molar in hamster. In addition, these patterns also differed from the ChE activity in the mouse incisor. These results strongly suggest that ChE may play roles in the differentiation of the dental epithelium and dental follicle in hamster, and that morphogenetic subtypes of ChE may be variable among species and tooth types.
Acetylcholinesterase ; Ameloblasts ; Animals ; Butyrylcholinesterase ; Cartilage ; Cholinesterases ; Cricetinae ; Dental Sac ; Epithelium ; Incisor ; Mice ; Molar ; Morphogenesis ; Neurons ; Tooth ; Tooth Germ

Diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis is a disease often with a fatal outcome, characterized by widespread capillary hemangiomias of the skin and visceral organs. A 6-month-old-girl was diagnosed to have diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis by her multiple hemangiomas on the skin, liver, brain, lung and oral mucosa. She was treated with prednisolone 1.5-2mg/kg/day for 9 months and combined interferon alfa-2a 3 million unit/m2/day for 5months. During the treatment the number and size of hemangiomas were markedly reduced
Brain ; Capillaries ; Fatal Outcome ; Hemangioma ; Interferon-alpha* ; Interferons* ; Liver ; Lung ; Mouth Mucosa ; Prednisolone* ; Skin

Tooth is formed by the reciprocal interactions between the ectoderm and ectomesenchyme derived from neural crest. It has not been clear that neuronal factors involved in the morphogenesis and differentiation of tooth. To identify the roles of neuronal factors during the tooth development, the expression patterns and localization of Uchl1 were investigated in the developing mouse tooth germ by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Uchl1 transcripts were weakly expressed in the oral epithelium and dental lamina at bud stage. However, expression of Uchl1 was not found in the oral epithelium from cap stage and observed in the inner enamel epithelium, stellate reticulum and dental papilla. From the bell stage, Uchl1 was expressed in the inner enamel epithelium and ameloblasts. Uchl1, was appeared to be localized in the inner enamel epithelium and differentiating ameloblasts of molar and incisors at neonates. Uchl1 was localized strongly in the fully differentiated ameloblasts and adjacent papillary layer whereas localized weakly in the odontoblasts of the molar at postnatal day 5. From these results, Uchl1 was expressed and localized in the differentiating dental epithelium and ameloblasts during tooth development. The results suggest that neuronal protein, Uchl1 may play roles in the histo- and cyto-differentiation of non-neuronal dental epithelium.
Ameloblasts ; Animals ; Dental Enamel ; Dental Papilla ; Ectoderm ; Epithelium* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Incisor ; Infant, Newborn ; Mice* ; Molar ; Morphogenesis ; Neural Crest ; Neurons ; Odontoblasts ; Reticulum ; Tooth Germ ; Tooth*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Of all fusion techniques in the lumbar spines, posterior lumbar interbody fusion(PLIF) has the best theoretical opportunity to achieve fusion by way of compression loading of the bone graft between the well vascularized vertebral bodies. Even though the rationale for the PLIF is quite reasonable, it has been a very technically demanding procedure and frequent problems have been reported which include protrusion of bone grafts, settling of the interspace and pseudoarthrosis. A new deice, Threaded Fusion Cage(TFC) seems to be an ideal solution for the various technical problems which hindered greater success of PLIF in the past. Maintenance of stability and absence of loss of disc height are assured due to the threaded metal tube concept. We have operated PLIF with TFC in 60 patients since last December. The preoperative diagnoses were 27 degenerative disc diseases, 25 degenerative spondylolisthesis, 7 spondyloysis & listhesis and 1 FBSS. Our initial experience with the clinical results show that the most of the patient have marked improvement of low back pain and reduction is possible in almost cases of the spondylolisthesis. Long term follow up is needed as to the future of the threaded cage, but it would appear that once they have been in a stable position and fusion with the patients' own bone has occurred. In our opinion, the use of TFC in the future will be widely spread and represents an ideal method for the treatment of chronic low back pain and spinal instability.
Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Pseudarthrosis ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis ; Transplants

Of all fusion techniques in the lumbar spines, posterior lumbar interbody fusion(PLIF) has the best theoretical opportunity to achieve fusion by way of compression loading of the bone graft between the well vascularized vertebral bodies. Even though the rationale for the PLIF is quite reasonable, it has been a very technically demanding procedure and frequent problems have been reported which include protrusion of bone grafts, settling of the interspace and pseudoarthrosis. A new deice, Threaded Fusion Cage(TFC) seems to be an ideal solution for the various technical problems which hindered greater success of PLIF in the past. Maintenance of stability and absence of loss of disc height are assured due to the threaded metal tube concept. We have operated PLIF with TFC in 60 patients since last December. The preoperative diagnoses were 27 degenerative disc diseases, 25 degenerative spondylolisthesis, 7 spondyloysis & listhesis and 1 FBSS. Our initial experience with the clinical results show that the most of the patient have marked improvement of low back pain and reduction is possible in almost cases of the spondylolisthesis. Long term follow up is needed as to the future of the threaded cage, but it would appear that once they have been in a stable position and fusion with the patients' own bone has occurred. In our opinion, the use of TFC in the future will be widely spread and represents an ideal method for the treatment of chronic low back pain and spinal instability.
Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Pseudarthrosis ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis ; Transplants

PURPOSE: Hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus are common metabolic disorders associated with transplantation and also are risk factors of cardiovascular disease which is leading cause of patient death in kidney transplant recipients. We compared blood lipid and glucose levels of patients receiving tacrolimus (Tac) with those of patients receiving cyclosporine (CyA). METHODS: Patients were grouped as Tac (n=124) or CyA (n=77). Minimal follow up duration was 18 months. Both groups have no difference in age, sex, HLA match, numbers of transplantation and proportion of the patients with pretransplant hypercholesterolemia (>220 mg/dL) or diabetes. Prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and diabetes in Tac and CyA groups were compared at posttransplant 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: Prevalence of diabetes in CyA versus Tac group were 18.9 vs. 13.8% (P=0.348), 8.6% vs. 18.8% (P=0.060), 5.9% vs. 18.6% (P=0.016), and 10.4% vs. 21.1% (P=0.067) at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after transplantation respectively. Prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in CyA versus Tac group were 52.5% vs. 16.9% (P=0.000), 37.7% vs. 8.3% (P=0.000), 30.3% vs. 7.4% (P= 0.000) and 22.6% vs. 8.3% (P=0.001) at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after transplantation. CONCLUSION: CyA group was more prone to develop hypercholesterolemia than Tac group, whereas incidence of diabetes in Tac group was not different from CyA group. In terms of cardiovascular risk, there was no significant difference between CyA treated group and Tac treated group in renal allograft recipients.
Allografts* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cyclosporine* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hyperlipidemias ; Incidence ; Kidney ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Tacrolimus* ; Transplantation

PURPOSE: Although influenza is one of the most important causes of acute respiratory tract infections in children, effective antiviral therapies are not common and there are only a few clinical studies on treatment of influenza in children. We evaluated the efficacy of oseltamivir in the treatment of naturally aquired influenza in children during the first half of 2004 in Busan. METHODS: From January 2004 to June 2004, throat swabs and nasal washes were performed and cultured for the isolation of influenza virus and tested by rapid antigen detection test (QuickVue influenza test) in children with suspected influenza infections. The children who responded positively to the QuickVue influenza test, we divided into two groups: an oseltamivir treatment group and a control group. We compared their clinical symptoms (including fever duration) and diagnosis. The medical records of patients with influenza virus infection were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 621 individuals were suspected of influenza infection. Influenza viruses were isolated in 79 (17.2 percent) out of 621 patients examined. QuickVue influenza tests were positive in 181 cases. The treatment group (83 individuals) received oseltamivir twice daily for 5 days, and the control group (99 individuals) were administered only symptom relief medicine. There was no differences between the two groups in clinical diagnosis and symptoms. Oseltamivir treatment reduced the fever duration and other respiratory symptoms. There were no adverse events associated with oseltamivir treatment. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that oral oseltamivir treatment reduces the fever duration and other respiratory symptoms of acute influenza without side effects in children.
Busan* ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Fever ; Humans ; Influenza, Human* ; Medical Records ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Oseltamivir* ; Pharynx ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Retrospective Studies