Although patellofemoral arthritis is a common and debilitating orthopedic disorder, its treatment varies and remains controversial. This review aims to provide an overview of the current understanding of the pathophysiology of patellofemoral arthritis, as well as its various diagnostic and treatment options.Current Concepts: The pathophysiology of patellofemoral arthritis includes lower limb malalignment, trochlear and/or patellar dysplasia, patellar instability, trauma, and obesity. The disorder is characterized by chronic anterior knee pain aggravated by flexion of the knee joint. A critical imaging study of the Merchant and lateral knee radiographs may show the progression of patellofemoral arthritis and dysplasia of the patellofemoral joints. Non-pharmacologic treatment options for patellofemoral arthritis include patient education, self-management, exercise, weight loss, taping, bracing, and orthotics. Pharmacologic agents (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, oral narcotics, and duloxetine) and intra-articular injection therapies (glucocorticoids, hyaluronic acid, platelet-rich plasma, and other regenerative therapies) can be helpful for symptom relief in patients with patellofemoral arthritis. The surgical treatment can begin with lateral retinacular release to realign and decompress the patellofemoral joint. If failure in the improvement of symptoms is noted, a tibial tubercle osteotomy can be considered in young and active patients. While the early design and technique of patellofemoral arthroplasty were less than encouraging, more recent implant design and surgical techniques have demonstrated robust results.Discussion and Conclusion: Patellofemoral arthritis is a unique entity compared with tibiofemoral arthritis marked by distinct epidemiology, biomechanics, and risk factors and treatment options. It is essential to understand its pathophysiology and ensure proper treatment options.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that proceeds with the age-dependent neuronal loss, an irreversible event which causes severe cognitive and psychiatric devastations. In the present study, we investigated whether the compound, AAD-2004 [2-hydroxy-5-[2-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-ethylaminobenzoic acid] which has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, is beneficial for the brain of Tg-betaCTF99/B6 mice, a murine AD model that was recently developed to display age-dependent neuronal loss and neuritic atrophy in the brain. Administration of AAD-2004 in Tg-betaCTF99/B6 mice from 10 months to 18 months of age completely repressed the accumulation of lipid peroxidation in the brain. AAD-2004 markedly suppressed neuronal loss and neuritic atrophy, and partially reversed depleted expression of calbindin in the brain of Tg-beta-CTF99/B6. These results suggest that AAD-2004 affords neurodegeneration in the brain of AD mouse model.
Alzheimer Disease ; Animals ; Aspirin ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Calcium-Binding Protein, Vitamin D-Dependent ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Mice ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neurons

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic gastric wedge resection (LWR) is being increasingly performed as a safe and effective treatment for gastric submucosal tumors (SMTs). However, there are few studies on the factors associated with operation time of LWR for gastric SMTs. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with the operation time of LWR for gastric SMTs. METHODS: Between June 2001 and December 2008, 58 patients with gastric SMTs underwent LWR. We analyzed the clinicopathologic data, perioperative parameters and outcomes, and surgeon's experience retrospectively. We also analyzed the factors associated with the operation time of LWR for gastric SMTs. RESULTS: Among 58 patients that underwent LWR, exogastric wedge resection (n=48) was mainly performed. Transgastric wedge resection (n=8) took the longest amount of time. Intraoperative GFS (n=7) was frequently performed for smaller tumors. When the tumor was located at the cardia and fundus, more time was needed for LWR of the SMTs. There was no correlation of the operation time with the clinicopathologic data and surgeon's experience; however, the tumor location (axis) and the approach used for the resection of the stomach were statistically correlated with the operation time. CONCLUSION: The operation time of LWR for gastric SMTs was related to the tumor location (according to gastric axis) and the approach used for the resection of the stomach. If the tumor location was identified precisely and the proper approach for resection of the stomach was determined preoperatively, the operation time of LWR for gastric SMTs might be reduced.
Cardia ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, clinical and laboratory findings of hereditary hemolytic anemia (HHA) in Korea from 1997 to 2006 and to develop the appropriate diagnostic approach for HHA. METHODS: By the use of questionnaires, information on the clinical and laboratory findings ofHHA diagnosed from 1997 to 2006 in Korea was collected and analyzed retrospectively. A total of 431 cases were enrolled in this study from 46 departments of 35 hospitals. RESULTS: The overall frequency of HHA did not change through the 10-year period for pediatrics but did show an increasing tendency for internal medicine. The overall male to female sex ratio did not show sex predominance (1.17:1), but a significant male predominance with a ratio of 1.49:1 was seen for pediatrics while a significant female predominance with a ratio of 1:1.97 was seen forinternal medicine. Of the total cases, 74.2% (282/431) were diagnosed before the age of 15 years. The etiologies of HHA were classified as red cell membrane defects, hemoglobinopathies, red cell enzyme deficiencies and unknown causes. There were 382 cases (88.6%) of red cell membrane defects with 376 cases (87.2%) of hereditary spherocytosis and 6 cases (1.4%) of hereditary elliptocytosis, 20 cases (4.6%) of hemoglobinopathies with 18 cases (4.2%) of beta-thalassemia, a case (0.2%) of alpha-thalassemia and a case (0.2%) of Hemoglobin Madrid, 7 cases (1.6%) of red cell enzyme deficiencies with 5 cases (1.2%) of glucose-6- phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency, a case (0.2%) of pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency and a case (0.2%) of enolase deficiency, and 22 cases (5.1%) of unknown causes. The most common chief complaint in pediatric patients was pallor and that in adult patients was jaundice. In the red cell membrane defect group of patients, the level of hemoglobin was significantly higher than in adult patients. The mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, corrected reticulocyte count, total and indirect bilirubin level and lactate dehydrogenase levels in the hemoglobinopathy group of patients were significantly lower than the values in the red cell membrane defect group of patients. The mean concentration of G-6-PD was 0.8+/-0.7U/1012RBC in the G-6-PD deficient patients, PK was 1.7U/1010 RBC in the PK deficient patient, and the level of enolase was 0.04U/g of Hb in the enolase deficient patient. CONCLUSION: The most prevalent cause of HHA in Korea during 1997 to 2006 was hereditary spherocytosis, but HHA by other causes such as hemoglobinopathy and red cell enzyme deficiency gradually increased with the development of molecular diagnostic methods and increasing general interest. However, the etiologies of HHA need to be pursued further in 5.1% of the patients. An systematic standard diagnostic approach is needed in a nationwide prospective study for correct diagnoses and appropriate management of HHA.
Adult ; alpha-Thalassemia ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Congenital* ; beta-Thalassemia ; Bilirubin ; Cell Membrane ; Diagnosis ; Elliptocytosis, Hereditary ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Female ; Hemoglobinopathies ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Jaundice ; Korea* ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Male ; Oxidoreductases ; Pallor ; Pathology, Molecular ; Pediatrics ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Prevalence ; Pyruvate Kinase ; Reticulocyte Count ; Retrospective Studies* ; Sex Ratio ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Biomedical products such as viral vaccines can be contaminated with hazardous viruses during manufacturing processes and storage, thus causing harmful side effects. To assure the safety of biomedical products, highly effective and sensitive methods should be available to detect contaminating viruses. In this study, we performed recovery tests to determine the limit of detection of HIV-1. METHODS: An HIV-1 plasmid preparation was serially diluted and spiked into various culture media (DMEM, RPMI-1640, IMDM, GICM, and SDM) containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). The HIV-1 plasmid was detected by PCR alone or a combination of PCR and ELISA (PCR/ELISA). RESULTS: When spiked into DMEM, RPMI, and IMDM, less than 4x10(-2) ng of HIV-1 plasmid was not detectable as HIV-1 PCR products in agarose gel. Intra- and inter-assays (n=6) showed that the PCR-ELISA system could detect PCR products diluted as much as 1, 875 times from HIV-1 plasmid serially spiked in various media. CONCLUSIONS: The PCR/ELISA system can be useful for the detection of trace amounts of hazardous viruses which may be present as contaminants in biological products.
Biological Products ; Culture Media ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; HIV-1* ; Limit of Detection ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sepharose ; Viral Vaccines

PURPOSE: This study was designed to verify preemptive effects of intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) infusion on postoperative pain in women having a total abdominal hysterectomy. METHOD: The research design was a nonequivalent control group post test only design. The participants in this study were 50 women who were scheduled for a total abdominal hysterectomy at a University affiliated Hospital in Suwon, Korea. The subjects were divided into two groups. For the experimental group, IV-PCA infusion was started before the skin incision and for the control group, IV-PCA infusion was started after the skin was closed. Each group was evaluated in terms of pain score by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the number of times they pushed the button for IV-PCA at postoperative hours 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 24. The data were collected from July 1 to December 10, 2001. Collected data was analyzed by SPSS/PC+ program. RESULT: 1. There was no difference between the two groups, over six points for the number of times the control button for IV-PCA was used. Group differences and interaction effect were not significant. 2. There was no significant difference in pain scores between the two groups, over seven time points. A significant interaction effect was observed between groups and measurement points in time. 3. There was a significant difference in the requirements for additional analgesia between the two groups, 32% of the control group received additional analgesia. CONCLUSION: Preemptive analgesics administration may have a better effect in relieving postoperative pain than the usual analgesic treatment which is started after surgery.
Analgesia ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Analgesics ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Korea ; Pain, Postoperative ; Research Design ; Skin

The diagnosis of peripheral T cell lymphoma is difficult due to the varying size and shape of the neoplastic lymphoid cells and the frequent admixture of nonneoplastic mature lymphyocytes, histiocytes, eosinophils, and plasma cells. We report a case of peripheral T cell lymphoma, lymphoepithelioid cell type, which was difficult to differentiate from tuberculous lymphadenitis due to the aggregates of epithelioid histiocytes mimicking granuloma and the past history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Fine needle aspiration cytology of the inguinal lymph node in a 63-year-old male was characterized by hypercellular aspirates composed of a mixture of small and intermediate-size lymphoid cells and large lymphoid cells with background of confluent epithelioid histiocytes. The neoplastic lymphocytes demonstrated significant nuclear irregularity with protrusion and indentations of the nuclear membrane, prominent nucleoli, and frequent mitotic figures. The diagnosis of peripheral T cell lymphoma was confirmed by histological and immunohistochemical studies.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma, Acinar Cell ; Diagnosis ; Eosinophils ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Granuloma ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Nuclear Envelope ; Parotid Gland ; Plasma Cells ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

No abstract available.
Diffusion* ; Teicoplanin*

A 4 day old male neonate with severe dehydration, uremia, and hyperbilirubinemia presented with bilateral renal vein thrombosis. Following exchange transfusion and peritoneal dialysis renal function returned to normal without nephrectomy. The importance of adequate and prompt management of renal failure to expect the spontaneous recanalization is stressed. Because of the high mortality rate associated with the nephrectomy in neonates, adequate and prompt medical management including peritoneal dialysis or exchange transfusion, if indicated, with expectation of spontaneous recovery is considered the treatment of choice in this age group.
Dehydration ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Infant, Newborn* ; Male ; Mortality ; Nephrectomy ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency ; Renal Veins* ; Thrombosis* ; Uremia

Serum immunoglobulin concenatrations were measured in 156 patients with various types of glomerulonephritis such as acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, minimal lesion nephrotic syndrome and Henoch-Sch?lein purpura nephritis. 1) Serum IgG level was above normal mean in acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, and normal range in Henoch-Scholein purpura nephritis. Serum IgG concentrations were significantly reduced in minimal lesion nephrotic syndrome. 2) Serum IgA concentrations were normal limit in minimal lesion nephrotic syndrome. In one-forth of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis and one-half of Henoch-Sch?lein purpura nephritis, serum IgA concentrations were elevated. 3) Serum IgM concentrations were normal in acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, minimal lesion nephrotic syndrome and Henoch-Sch?lein purpura nephritis. We concluded that serum immunoglobulin concentrations were not useful as an aid in diagnosing glomerulonephritis.
Glomerulonephritis* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunoglobulins* ; Nephritis ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Purpura ; Reference Values