Leukotriene B₄(LTB4) is lipid mediator derived from membrane phospholipids during the process of inflammation, having many roles(ie; inducer of chemotaxis, the production of nitric oxide, transepithelial migration of neutrophil). The major activities of LTB4 include the recruitment and activation of leukocytes, suggesting that it may involve the process for transendothelial migration of nuclear cells in bone marrow environment. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) have a cell signaling roles that are involved in signal transduction cascades of numerous growth factor-, cytokine-, and hormone-mediated pathways, and regulate many biological systems. In this present study, we focused on the role of LTB4 and ROS on transmigration of bone marrow nuclear cells across endothelial or stromal cell monolayer.

MS-5, murine stromal cell line cells, or bEnd.3, murine microvascular cell line cells, were grown to confluence on microporous transwell membrane. Murine marrow cells were placed on top of the prepared transwell membrane. The transwells were then seated in wells containing media and LTB4 with or without pretreatment of N-acetylcysteine(NAC), an oxygen free radical scavenger, or diphenylene iodonium(DPI), an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase-like flavoproteins. Cells that migrated through the stromal or endothelial layer into the wells were assayed for transendothelial migration.

The numbers of migrated bone marrow nuclear cells through the bEnd.3 were increased by treatment of LTB4(control, 12.5±0.2%; 50nM, 22.7±0.9%; 100nM, 44.3±1.4%; 200 nM, 36.3±0.9%; p<0.05). The numbers of migrated bone marrow nuclear cells through the MS-5 were also increased by treatment of LTB4(control, 11.0±0.9%; 50nM, 25.7±0.9%; 100nM, 35.8±1.8%; 200nM, 32.1±0.9%; p<0.05). However, increasing effect of LTB4 to the transmigration of bone marrow nuclear cells through the MS-5 or bEnd.3 were inhibited by pretreatment of NAC or DPI.

Through our data, it is suggested that LTB4 could induce the transmigration of bone marrow nuclear cells and ROS might be involved on the transendothelial migration of bone marrow nuclear cells by LTB4. It would be very interesting to test the effects of LTB4 and ROS on stem cell mobilization and homing in the future.

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease(GERD) is increasing in Asian countries, but the majority of patients does not present with endoscopic abnormalities, the assessment of the symptom severity and quality of life, and their response to treatment, have become increasingly important. Our objectives were to develop and evaluate a questionnaire about Health-related quality of lif (HRQOL) related with gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with GERD.

Eighty eight, consecutive patients with GERD and 174 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. GERD was defined by the presence of reflux symptom that are heartburn and acid reflux with occurring more than once per week with/without endoscopic reflux esophagitis. All subjects were examined with endoscopy and performed self-reported questionnaires that were modified Korean form of gastrointestinal symptom rating scale(KGSRS), newly developed instrument, and KSF-36(Korean version of Medical Outcomes Study Short Form), a conventional one. We compared the score of KGSRS between response group and non-response group after 2-weeks omeprazole trial for evaluation of discriminative validity of KGSRS.

Internal consistency for the KGSRS scales range from 0.58-0.84. The repeatability was confirmed by test-retest results(Pearson's correlation coefficients=0.62-0.80, p<0.01). The KGSRS scale scores were significantly correlated with those of KSF-36. It revealed construct validity. The total score of KGSRS in patients with GERD was significantly lower than control(376.1±51.3 vs. 433.5±42.0, p=0.000). There were significant differences for 4 symptom complex except diarrhea between response group and non-response group.

The KGSRS has good reliability and construct validity and discriminates symptom severity and frequency of patients with GERD.

Recently, motion preservation has come to the forefront of emerging technologies in spine surgery. This is the important background information of the emergence of cervical arthroplasty as an alternative to arthrodesis that offers the promise of restoring normal spinal movement and reduces a kinematic strain on adjacent segments. The study was designed to evaluate early surgical outcome and radiological effects of Bryan cervical disc prosthesis.

The authors retrospectively reviewed radiographic and clinical outcomes in 49 patients who received the Bryan Cervical Disc prosthesis, for whom follow-up data were available. Static and dynamic radiographs were measured by computer to determine the angles formed by the endplates of the natural disc preoperatively, those formed by the shells of the implanted prosthesis, the angle of the FSU, and the C2-7 Cobb angle. The range of motion(ROM) was also determined radiographically, whereas clinical outcomes were assessed using Odom's criteria.

A total of 66 Bryan disc were placed in 49 patients. A single-level procedure was performed in 35 patients, a two-level procedure in 14 patients, and a three-level procedure in 3. Radiographic and clinical assessments were made preoperatively. Mean follow-up duration was 29.2 months, ranging from 6 to 36 months. All of the patients were satisfied with the surgical results by Odom's criteria. The postoperative ROM of the implanted level was preserved without significant difference from preoperative ROM of the operated level. 90% of patients with a preoperative lordotic sagittal orientation of the FSU were able to maintain lordosis. The overall sagittal alignment of the cervical spine was preserved in 89.4% of cases at the final follow up. Interestingly, preoperatively kyphotic FSU resulted in lordotic FSU in 57.7% of patients during the late follow up, and preoperatively kyphotic overall cervical alignment resulted in lordosis in 62.5% of the patients postoperatively.

Arthroplasty using the Bryan disc seemed to be safe and provided encouraging clinical and radiologic outcome in our study. Although early and intermediate results are promising, this is also a relatively new approach, long-term follow up studies are required to prove its efficacy and its ability to prevent adjacent segment disease.

Increasing interest and use of arterial conduits is based on the better patency of left internal thoracic artery(LITA) than that of saphenous vein(SV) graft. We compared the early result of coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG) using LITA and radial artery(RA group) with CABG using LITA and SV only(SV group).

We compared the early operative results of 6 cases in RA group with 18 cases in SV group selected from 24 cases that had CABG between January 2006 and December 2006. We analyzed each group on the preoperative risk factors and operative results.

We can't find significant differences in clinical and hemodynamic characteristics before surgery. There were no statically significant difference between two groups in operative mortality and each morbidities(postoperative intraaortic balloon pump insertion, bleeding, stroke, perioperative myocardial infarction, wound dehiscence), respectively. However, the overall incidence of conventional CABG using cardiopulmonary bypass was higher in RA group compared to SV group(p=0.016). Accordingly, RA group had longer duration of ventilation time(p=0.004) and ICU stay(p=0.003) than SV group with statically significant difference between two groups in hospital stay. The graft patency on postoperative coronary angiography or computerized tomographic angiography at 7-14 days after operation in both group patients were 100%(includeing LITA, RA and SV).

We had early good operative results in RA group and SV group.

The pathogenesis of fungus ball has been unclear yet. This study was performed to find a clue to the pathogenesis of fungus ball and to clarify the role of ostiomeatal unit(OMU) obstruction in the fungus ball through the comparative study of fungus ball and chronic bacterial sinusitis.

35 patients with fungus ball(fungus group) and 42 patients with chronic unilateral bacterial sinusitis(bacteria group) were analyzed in terms of radiologic findings and endoscopic findings.

Fungus ball was observed in older patients than chronic bacterial sinusitis(59.7 vs. 41.1). The total Lund scores of bacteria group were higher than those of fungus group(6.0 vs. 4.6)(p=0.009). Lund scores of frontal and anterior ethmoid sinuses and OMU were 0 in fungus group with partial opacity of maxillary sinus. Lund scores of frontal and anterior ethmoid sinuses and OMU in bacteria group were higher than in fungus group regardless of disease severity of maxillary sinus. There was no difference of anatomical variants between lesion side and healthy side in both groups. There was no statistical difference in the scores of endoscopic findings of two groups.

This study may suggest that fungus ball is not associated with the obstruction of OMU comparing with chronic bacterial sinusitis and that fungus ball has another pathogenic mechanism different from that of bacterial sinusitis.

To evaluate the efficacy of dual phase MDCT findings to differentiate gallbladder cancer from chronic cholecystitis.

Dual phase MDCT findings in 45 patients(GB cancer, n=18, chronic cholecystitis, n=27) were retrospectively reviewed. The thickness, contour, involved extent, single or double layered pattern of wall thickening, enhancement degree of wall, degree of intrahepatic(IHD) and extrahepatic duct(EHD) dilatation, and other associated findings were evaluated.

Mean wall thickness was 14.7mm in cancer, and 5.5mm in cholecystitis(p=0.00). Irregular wall thickening(p=0.00), high enhancement of single layer of wall on arterial phase (p=0.00), associated mass(p=0.00), dilatation of IHD(p=0.00) and EHD(p=0.00), invasion to liver(p=0.01), larger diameter of GB(p=0.03), and pericholecystic fat infiltration(p=0.05) were significant to cancer. Associated stone(p=0.00), diffuse wall thickening(p=0.03), iso or low enhancement of outer layer of wall on venous phase(p=0.05) were significant to cholecystitis.

High enhancement of single layer of wall on arterial phase was significant to differentiate GB cancer from chronic cholecystitis with ancillary findings on dual phase MDCT.