Recently, in most medical schools of Korea, the educational method of gross anatomy, the first subject in medical education, has changed in several directions such as integrated lecture or problem-based learning (PBL). Therefore, the time of the lecture was constrained to reduce. The name of the gross anatomy integrated with embryology changed to 'human body and development' in Konkuk university since 2006. In addition to the classical dissection practice, the 'dissection seminar' was introduced since 2006. It was a method of dissection practice that one group demonstrate the procedure of dissection and explains the structures of the predissected cadaver to other students about the assigned subject. The questionnaire about dissection seminar was performed after the anatomy course. The most common opinion about dissection seminar was 'interesting and helpful for studying anatomy'. The common answers about the attitude were 'very positive' and 'positive'. The affirmatives during dissection seminar were in depth study and improve in collaboration. The inconveniences or lacks were insufficient time to prepare, unfairness in difficulty between the subjects, and discord among group members. The propositions for development were requirement of sufficient preparation time, request of guideline, and consideration of other schedule. As a result of self-estimation about dissection seminar, the direction of the dissection seminar have been advancing with time, and students became more interested in studying anatomy. The most important thing for maintaining the dissection seminar is making proper plan such as avoidance of examination of another subject.
Appointments and Schedules ; Cadaver ; Cooperative Behavior ; Education, Medical ; Humans ; Korea ; Problem-Based Learning ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Schools, Medical

The aim of the present study is to analyze the generation of osteoporotic vertebral bone induced by malnutrition during growth period and analyze its effects for disc degeneration, based on biomechanical and histomorphometrical study. Mechanical and histomorphological characteristics of lumbar vertebral bones and discs of rats with calcium free diet (CFD) were detected and tracked by using high resolution in-vivo micro-computed tomography (in-vivo micro-CT), finite element (FE) and histological analysis. Twenty female Sprague-Dawley rats (6 weeks old, approximate weight 170g) were randomly divided into two groups (CFD group: 10, NOR group: 10). The CFD group was maintained on a refined calcium-controlled semisynthetic diet without added calcium, to induce osteoporosis. All lumbars (L1~L6) were scanned by using in vivo micro-CT with 35 micrometer resolution at 0, 4, 8 weeks to track the effects of CFD on the generation of osteoporosis. The results of morphological characteristics showed that BV/TV, Tb.Th, Tb.N in CFD group were significantly decreased over time (p<0.05), while those in NOR group were statistically increased over time (p<0.05) in the most lumbars (L1~L6). We also investigated the contrary tendency in Tb.Sp and SMI, compared to the above results in each group. In the simulated compression test using FE models, the structural effective modulus of CFD group significantly decreased (p<0.05), whereas that of NOR group was statistically increased, depending on the measuring time (p<0.05). The present study observed remarkable histological changes of nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrous by water loss in CFD group, compared with NOR group. These findings indicated that calcium insufficiency was the main factor in the generation of osteoporosis and it induced lumbar vertebral disc degeneration. This study is a valuable experiment to firstly evaluate osteoporotic vertebral bone and disc degeneration induced by malnutrition during growth period from a biomechanical and histomorphometrical point of view.
Animals ; Calcium ; Diet ; Female ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; Malnutrition ; Osteoporosis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Track and Field

There were few studies about anatomic characteristics in Korean humerus recently. In addition, there was no comparison between Westerner (European and American) and Korean in anatomic characteristics of humerus. The aims of this paper are therefore to investigate anatomic characteristics in Korean humerus and to compare them with those of Westerner humerus. The seventy-two humerus (male : 66, female : 6) were scanned by computed tomography and three dimensional (3D) models of humerus were then reconstructed from acquired cross-section images. The twenty-one anatomic characteristics of the humerus were analyzed and were measured for each humerus. From the results, humeral head vertical diameter in the present study was generally bigger than that in the previous study (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the anatomic characteristics of the right and left humerus in the present Korean (p>0.05). Humeral head inclination angle, greater tuberosity lateral offset distance, humeral head height in Korean were generally bigger than those in Westerner (p<0.05). This study may contribute to develop an optimal implants and prostheses for the treatment of humerus fractures of Koran.
Female ; Humans ; Humeral Head ; Humerus ; Prostheses and Implants

Previous studies showed that whole body vibration could prevent bone resorption and stimulate new bone formation. The aim of this study is to detect and track effect of whole body vibration for osteoporotic bone of OVX rats. 12 Female rats were used and allocated into 5 group, CON, SHAM, WBV 17, WBV 30 and WBV 45. Rats except SHAM group were ovariectomised to induce osteoporosis. Rats in WBV groups were stimulated whole body vibration at magnitude of 1 mm(peak-peak) and frequency 17 Hz, 30 Hz and 45 Hz, repectively, for 8 weeks (20 min, 5 days/week). The 4th lumbar in rats were scanned at a resolution of 35 micrometer at baseline, before stimulation, and 8 weeks by In-vivo Micro-CT. To detect and track changes of morphological characteristics in lumbar trabecuar bone of rats, structural parameters were measured and calculated from acquiring images. In the results, changes of structural characteristics of WBV group were smaller than those of CON group. Loss of quantity of trabecular bone in WBV 45 was the least. In contrast, that in WBV 17 was the biggest. These results showed that reasonable whole body vibration beneficially affected osteoporotic bones. In addition to, whole body vibration was likely to be substituted partly for drug treatment.
Animals ; Bone Resorption ; Female ; Humans ; Osteogenesis ; Osteoporosis ; Rats* ; Vibration*

Osteoporosis is a major health-care problem for aging communities. And postmenopausal osteoporosis is a common disorder characterized by an increase in bone resorption relative to bone formation, generally in conjunction with an increased rate of bone turnover. Twenty female rats were used as rat model of osteoporosis. They randomly were divided into two groups: a normal control group, and calcium-free diet groups treated with bilateral ovariectomy. The animals were sacrified at 12 weeks after treatment. In the rats with osteoporosis, there was significant thining and loss of trabeculae, accompanied by a disconnection of trabeculae. And acid mucopolysaccharides were decreased in osteoporotic animals. In order to setup conditions of invivo micro-CT, proper anesthetic is ketamine (50 mg/kg) /xylazine (6 mg/kg). And proper breathing rate of experimental animals is 1.3~1.6/sec. Our finding suggest that bilateral ovariectomy and calcium-free diet induce decrease in thickeness of trabecular bone and decrease in acid mucopolysaccharide, therefore cause weakness of bone. And micro-CT imaging system is useful to evaluate trabecular bone. Anesthetic time, anesthetics and respiration rate also signify much in micro-CT imaging system.
Aging ; Anesthetics ; Animals ; Bone Resorption ; Diet ; Female ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Ketamine ; Models, Animal ; Osteogenesis ; Osteoporosis* ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Ovariectomy ; Rats ; Respiration ; Respiratory Rate

The purpose of this study is to measure the standard volume of the ventricle of normal Koreans in their 20s and 40s and find out difference in the volume of the ventricle according to age and gender. We collected MR brain images from 118 people in their 20s (male 58, female 60)and 100 people in their 40s (male 41, female 59), so a total of 218 people.For each of sagittal, coronal and axial sections, the ventricular part was segmented using automatic and manual methods, and the volume was measured. In order to observe difference according to age and gender and to observe the interactive effect between age and gender, two-way ANOVA was carried out using age (2 levels)and gender (2 levels)as independent variables. The average volume of the ventricle of Koreans in their 20 s was 16.2 [cm3]and that of Koreans in their 40s was 23.1 [cm3].The average volume of the ventricle of male Koreans in their 20s and 40s was 21.9 [cm3]and that of female Koreans was 17.5 [cm3].The volume of the ventricle was significantly larger in Koreans in their 40s than those in their 20s, and in male Koreans than n female ones. Moreover, the increase of the volume of the ventricle with age was significantly larger in male Koreans than in female ones. According to the results of measuring the volume of the ventricle of normal Koreans in their 20s and 40s, the volume was significantly different according to age and gender, and the increase of the volume of the ventricle with age was significantly larger in men than in women.
Brain ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male

PURPOSE: This study purposed to measure the standard volume of the cerebellum of normal Koreans who were in their 20s and 40s, and we also wished to find out the difference in the volume of the cerebellum according to gender and age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study collected MR brain images from 118 people in their 20s (males: 58, females: 60) and 100 people in their 40s (males: 41, females: 59), for a total of 218 people. For each of sagittal, coronal and axial sections, the cerebellar part of the images was segmented using automatic and manual methods, and the volume was then measured. In order to observe differences according to gender and age and also to observe the interactive effect between gender and age, a two-way ANOVA test was performed using gender (2 levels) and age (2 levels) as independent variables. RESULTS:The average volume of the cerebellum of Koreans in their 20s was 133.74 (cm3) and that of Koreans in their 40s was 121.83 (cm3). The average volume of the cerebellum of male Koreans in their 20s and 40s was 134.55 (cm3) and that of female Koreans was 123.06 (cm3). The volume of the cerebellum was significantly larger in Koreans in their 20s than those volumes of the cerebellum of Koreans in their 40s, and the cerebellum volumes in male Koreans were larger than those of the Korean females. Moreover, the reduction of the volume of the cerebellum with age was significantly larger in male Koreans than in the Korean females. CONCLUSION: According to the results of measuring the volume of the cerebellum for normal Koreans in their 20s and 40s, the volume was significantly different according to gender and age, and the reduction of the volume of the cerebellum with age was significantly larger in men than in women.
Brain ; Cerebellum ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Male

Researches on brain functions using MRI or PET generally involve the process that normalizes spatially the results of functional images into a standard brain template in order to find out a common activation area of multiple subjects. So far MNI305, which is Western people's standard brain template, has been commonly used. However, the brain may be different morphologically and structurally among human races, so the use of MNI305 may produce inaccurate results. Furthermore, because the size and shape of the brain vary according to gender and age, if brain temperatures are developed considering these factors, brain activation areas may be identified more precisely. This study collected MR brain images from 121 men and women in their 20s (23.0 +/-2.6 years on the average) and 99 men and women in their 40s (47.5 +/-3.7 years on the average). After eight reference points were defined using the method proposed by Nowinski, the image that had the least error from the mean distances among the reference points was selected as the representative brain image. All images were affine-transformed into the representative brain image, and average brain templates were created by age and gender through averaging the brightness of images. The results of this study may be utilized in Korean brain probability maps to be developed in the future for more precise research on the functions of Koreans' brain.
Brain* ; Continental Population Groups ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male

A variation of the brachial plexus, characterized by the absence of the musculocutaneous nerve on the left arm, was found during the dissection of a 28-year old male cadaver. The whole lateral cord was joined to the median nerve, which it met in two points. One was a typical junction of both roots of the median nerve at the level of the coracoid process. The other was a junction of the remaining lateral cord and the median nerve, which was 92 mm away from the typical junction. This case provided some evidence about the absence of the musculocutaneous nerve, rather than a complete fusion of the median and musculocutaneous nerves. As the nerves are named due to their course or innervation, and not from their origin, it is reasonable to assume that the combined nerve was actually the median nerve, and that the musculocutaneous nerve did not exist.
Adult ; Brachial Plexus/abnormalities/pathology ; Cadaver ; Human ; Male ; Musculocutaneous Nerve/*abnormalities/pathology

A variation of the brachial plexus, characterized by the absence of the musculocutaneous nerve on the left arm, was found during the dissection of a 28-year old male cadaver. The whole lateral cord was joined to the median nerve, which it met in two points. One was a typical junction of both roots of the median nerve at the level of the coracoid process. The other was a junction of the remaining lateral cord and the median nerve, which was 92 mm away from the typical junction. This case provided some evidence about the absence of the musculocutaneous nerve, rather than a complete fusion of the median and musculocutaneous nerves. As the nerves are named due to their course or innervation, and not from their origin, it is reasonable to assume that the combined nerve was actually the median nerve, and that the musculocutaneous nerve did not exist.
Adult ; Brachial Plexus/abnormalities/pathology ; Cadaver ; Human ; Male ; Musculocutaneous Nerve/*abnormalities/pathology