Evaluation of Osteoporotic Vertebral Bone and Disc Degeneration Induced by Malnutrition during Growth Period: Biomechanical and Histomorphometrical Study / 체질인류학회지

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.

The Application of the Dissection Seminar in Anatomical Practice / 체질인류학회지

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.

An Anthropometric Study in Korean Humerus / 체질인류학회지

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 (p0.05). 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.

Effect of Whole Body Vibration on Trabecular Bone in OVX Rats / 체질인류학회지

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.

Micro-CT Evaluation in Osteoporosis Model / 체질인류학회지

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.

The Volumetric Study of the Ventricle in Korean according to Age and Gender / 대한해부학회지

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.

Development of Korean Standard Brain Templates According to Gender and Age / 대한해부학회지

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.

Measuring of the Cerebellar Volume of Normal Koreans in Their 20s and 40s Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

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.

A Variation of the Musculocutaneous Nerve Absent

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.

A Variation of the Musculocutaneous Nerve Absent

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.

Histopathology of the Inferior Turbinate Showing Compensatory Hypertrophy in Patients with Deviated Nasal Septum / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Deviation of the nasal septum toward one side is often associated with an outgrowth of the inferior turbinate, which occupies the expansive space of the contralateral nasal cavity. It is assumed that this contrabalanced mechanism characterized by compensatory hypertrophy has originated to protect the more patent nasal side from excessive airflow with its drying and crusting effect. We tried to investigate histologic differences of inferior turbinate mucosa of both sides in patients with nasal septal deviation. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Specimens were taken from the anterior portion of inferior turbinates of 15 patients with deviated nasal septum and compensatory hypertrophy of the inferior turbinate. After staining by hematoxylin-eosin, the histologic differences of bilateral turbinate mucosa were examined under light microscope. RESULTS: Epithelia of both sides showed normal or epithelial exfoliation. The number of submucosal glands was significantly higher in the opposite side than in the hypertrophied side. Inflammatory cell infiltration was more severe in the hypertrophied side than in the opposite side. CONCLUSION: Above results suggest that heavy infiltration of inflammatory cells and decreased number of glands in the hypertrophied side might result from aerodynamic change originated from difference of area of airway.

An Anatomical Study of the Superior and Inferior Gluteal Arteries Supplying Gluteus Maximus for Musculocutaneous Flaps / 체질인류학회지

The tissues of gluteal region including skin and underlying gluteus maximus muscle are used for reconstructions of head and neck deformities caused by trauma and lumbosacral defects caused by bed sores, and for reconstruction of breast. Moreover, gluteus maximus flaps were used for reconstruction of anal -and vaginal -sphincter dysfunctions after radical resection for treatment of cancer in anorectal or vaginal region. Because the knowledge on the precise course and branching patterns of the arteries supplying the gluteus maximus muscle enables the prediction of the safety of surgery, the perforating branches supplying skin and subcutaneous tissues which exited from the gluteus maximus muscle, the positions of the superior and inferior gluteal arteries exited from pelvic cavity under the gluteus maximus muscle, and the course of these arteries under surface of the muscle were investigated. Total ninety -one dissected gluteus maximus from 47 Korean cadavers (44 bilateral specimens and 3 unilateral specimens) were observed. The perforating branches exited from the gluteus maximus were divided into upper and lower parts. The superior gluteal artery supplied upper two fifth of gluteal region and the inferior gluteal artery supplied the rest of gluteal region. The positions of superior and inferior gluteal arteries exited from pelvic cavity were in 1 cm medial to upper one third point on connecting line from posterior superior iliac spine to greater trochanter of femur, and middle point on connecting line from posterior superior iliac spine to ischial spine, respectively. The courses of the superior and the inferior gluteal arteries were classified into four types by distribution patterns. The most common incidence (46.5%) was observed in the typical type (Type I) that the superior and inferior gluteal artery supplied the upper or lower part of gluteus maximus muscle, respectively. The incidence of type II that some branches of inferior gluteal artery run up to the area supplied by superior gluteal artery was 16.3%. In contrast to type II, the incidence of type III that some branches of superior gluteal artery run down to the area supplied by inferior gluteal artery was 18.6%. The incidence of Type IV that only superior gluteal artery supplied the muscle was 18.6%.

Morphological Changes of Cochlear Structures after Cisplatin Administration / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cisplatin is frequently used in the treatment of various forms of malignancies. It's therapeutic efficacy, however, is limited due to the occurrence of sensorineural hearing loss. Little is known about the course of hearing loss after cessation of cisplatin administration. We observed the cochlear duct morphology with normal and cisplatin treated animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Healthy rats (strain Sprague-Dawly, weighting 80-100 mg) were used for all experiments. Total 15 rats were selected. They were divided into two groups, a treated group and a control. Four survival groups (n=3, respectively) were assigned as the treated group. After treatment with cisplatin, each survival group was sacrificed 1, 4, 10, 20 days. Except for the normal control (n=3), twelve animals were treated with cisplatin by daily I.P. injection of 1.5 mg/kg for 8 consecutive days. RESULTS: One day after cessation of cisplatin administration, outer hair cells (OHCs) loss and stria vascularis were degenerated especially in the basal turn. At 4, 10, 20 days, the OHCs and stria vascularis morphology of the survival group were similar to those of the survival group at one day. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest cisplatin ototoxicity is predominantly involved in the basal turn of cochlear duct. This finding was significantly correlated with high frequency hearing loss of cisplatin ototoxicity.

Influence of Incudomalleolar joint and Hearing in rats dosed with Ciprofloxacin / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Quinolone-induced arthropathy is an unusual toxic effect observed in juvenile animals of multiple species. Such toxic effects are usually found in joint cartilages. The reports of chondrotoxic potential of quinolones in juvenile animals were mainly performed in weight bearing joints such as hips and knees. The purpose of this study was to investigate the morphological changes in the incudomalleolar joint of immature rats dosed with ciprofloxacin, and to draw relationship between the incudomalleolar joint pathology and hearing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An experimental group of 21-day-old rats were administrated intraperitoneally with 200 mg ciprofloxacin/kg for 10 days. The hearing threshs of the control and experimental animals were determined with auditory brainstem response (ABR). Their ossicles were obtained and fixed, and we observed them with light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). RESULTS: The ABR threshs were increased in the ciprofloxacin administrated group, and the increased latency of the first waves were identified in the ciprofloxacin administrated group, but there were no differences in the interval of wave I-III. The LM findings of incudomalleolar joint in the ciprofloxacin administrated group showed cartilage lesions such as disrupted articilar surface, irregular cellularity of the chondrocytes, matrix swelling, cleft formation, decreased matrix staining. The TEM findings of the incudomalleolar joint cartilage in the ciprofloxacin administrated group showed decreased bundle-like matrix and cell process, condensed nucleus, and vacuolated cytoplasm. CONCLUSION: From the results of recent works and the present study, we suggest that ciprofloxacin may induce morphological changes in the incudomalleolar joint, and that such morphological changes may induce conductive hearing loss.

Effect of Cephalosporins on Growth Plates of Femoral Heads of Rats / 대한정형외과학회잡지

PURPOSE: To study the effect of ceftezole Na on the matrix of femoral epiphyseal plates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats were intraperitoneally injected with ceftezole Na (1500 mg/kg B.W) was every day for a week. The specimens obtained from the femoral head were stained with alcian blue (pH 2.5)-P.A.S. to detect the distribution of acid and neutral mucopolysaccharides, and ultrastructural studies for growth plates were also performed. RESULTS: We found that interterritorial and territorial matrices of treatment groups were weakly stained than that of control groups and dilatation and sacculation were observed in rough endoplasmic reticulums in the chondrocyte of the treated group. CONCLUSIONS: According to the histochemical and ultrastructural research, ceftezole Na induces a decrease in mucosubstances in the chondrocytes of growth plate.

Histopathologic Changes of Cochlea and Hearing Threshold Changes according to Duration of Noise-Exposure in the Rat / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The degree of noise induced hearing loss was determined principally according to the level and duration of noise and patient's state. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cochlear histopathology and hearing threshold immediately after noise exposure according to duration of noise exposure, and finally to draw relationship between the cochlear pathology and hearing threshold. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Each group of animals (6 ears) has been exposed for 10 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours to an octave band of noise with a center frequency of 4000 Hz and a sound pressure level of 110 dB. After noise exposure, the hearing thresholds of the subjects were determined with auditory brainstem response (ABR) and immediately their inner ear were fixed and observed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). RESULTS: ABR thresholds were increased according to lengthening of duration of noise exposure. TEM findings of outer hair cells, Deiters' cells and ganglion cells showed more severe degeneration according to lengthening of duration of noise exposure. Damages of all kinds of cells appeared almost at the same time. CONCLUSION: Through the foregone study, cochlear pathology was proportioned to increased hearing threshold, and the damages of outer hair cells and ganglion cells appeared almost at the same time. It seems that not only damages of outer hair cells, but also damages of ganglion cells contribute to early hearing threshold shift during continuous intense noise exposure.

Analysis on the First Fundamental Medical Sciences Examination at Kon-Kuk University College of Medicine / 한국의학교육

To provide the information about overall test reliability and test improvement, we analyzed the first fundamental medical sciences examination at the Kon-Kuk University College of Medicine on August 23, 1997. The results are as follows: 1. The number of the items in the test is 230. The range of the scores is from 32.5 to 61.3(average percentage score: 50.0+/-6.1). Among the 39 students, three(7.7%) passed the examination with percentage scores of higher than 60. 2. The correlation coefficients between the fundamental medical sciences examination and academic records are 0.4682(the first semester in 1st grade), 0.5933(the second semester in 1st grade), and 0.6538(the first semester of 2nd grade), respectively. 3. Among the 230 items, 47(20.4%) are too difficult or too easy. Therefore these items are recommended to be discarded. 4. Among the 230 items, 115(50%) have lower discriminative indices(lower than 0.14) and 55(23.9%) have higher discriminative indices(higher than 0.23). 5. Among the 230 items, overall acceptable items are 101; the range of difficulty is 0.15~0.84 and discriminative indices are higher than 0.15. Good acceptance is shows in pharmacology and microbiology.

The Effects of Nerve Growth Factor on Satellite Cell of the Dorsal Rott Ganglia in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats / 대한해부학회지

Diabetic neuropathy is an axonal degenerative disease characterized by progressive axonal atrophy and reduced axonal transport. We were interested in the potential neuroprotective effects of nerve growth factor against diabetic neuropathies. To this aim we studied the effect of nerve growth factor on satellite cells, which might play a trophic role toward the related neuron, of the dorsal root ganglion in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by electron in microscope . Diabetes was induced in rats by the streptozotocin. And recombinant human NGF was administrated everyday for 10 consecutive weeks. The results obtained are as follows : 1.In the diabetic induced group, the satellite cells revealed irregular nuclei.The neuron-satellite cell interface was more irregular and plicated than that of control. Large vacuoles and dense bodies were observed and no defects were in the ribosomes and rough endoplasmic reticulum. In the vacuoles, medium electron dense, fiber -like materials were occasionally observed. 2. In the experimental group of diabetic rats treated with NGF for 10 weeks, nucleus was round and the neuron-satellite interface was more regular. Vacuoles and dense bodies were less seen than diabetic rats. In the cytoplasm, many microtubules were observed. In these studies, we considered that streptozotocin induces changes of the satellite cell structure and NGF might improve cellular changes of the satellite cell exposed with streptozotocin.