Quantification of the effect of Lipo-PGE1 on angiogenesis.

Fifteen rabbits were used to assess the effect of Lipo-PGE1 on neovascularization. Merocel(®) and Alloderm(®) of the same size were implanted separately under the back skin to act as matrices for vessel growth. Lipo-PGE1 was injected intravenously for 2 weeks in an experimental group of eight rabbits, and they were compared with a control group of seven untreated animals. Blood flow was measured using the (99m)TcO4(-) clearance technique. The mean blood clearance halftime (T1/2) and washout radioactivity were measured. Newly formed vessels were counted by CD31. The mean clearance halftime was 4005 ± 2161.3 and 13840 ± 4644.6 s in the experimental and control group, respectively, in the 1 × 2 × 1.5-cm-sized implants (p = 0.0125), and 1560 ± 1174.7 and 3405 ± 807.03 s, respectively, in the 2 × 2 × 1.5-cm-sized implants (p = 0.0413). Histological examinations revealed that the mean numbers of newly formed vessels in the experimental and control groups were 11 ± 1.58 and 7.8 ± 1.71, respectively, in the 1 × 2 × 1.5-cm-sized implants (p = 0.0501), and 20.19 ± 12.47 and 12.33 ± 3.25, respectively, in the 2 × 2 × 1.5-cm-sized implants (p = 0.02679). Lipo-PGE1 was found to be effective in promoting angiogenesis in a rabbit matrix model.

First Korean family with a mutation in TPM2 associated with Sheldon-Hall syndrome.

Sheldon-Hall syndrome (SHS) is a rare autosomal dominant, inherited arthrogryposis syndrome characterized by multiple congenital contractures of the distal limbs. To date, four genes that encode the skeletal muscle fiber complex have been confirmed as the causative genes. Mutations in MYH3 have been identified most frequently and few cases of SHS caused by TPM2 mutations have been reported worldwide. This report describes, for the first time, a Korean family with two generations of SHS resulting from a rare TPM2 mutation, p.R133W. The affected mother and daughter manifested typical facial features of SHS including a triangular face with downslanting palpebral fissures, small mouth, high arched palate, and prominent nasolabial folds, and showed camptodactyly of fingers and deformities of feet with congenital vertical tali. Generalized myopathy with relative sparing of the slow-twitch muscle fibers was also revealed by electromyography in the affected mother.

Detection and identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in joint biopsy specimens by rpoB PCR cloning and sequencing.

Osteoarticular tuberculosis (OAT) is an extrapulmonary tuberculosis and accounts for 1 to 3% of all tuberculosis cases. We used an rpoB PCR-plasmid TA cloning-sequencing method to detect and identify tubercle bacilli in surgical specimens from patients suspected of having OAT. By comparing the similarities of the rpoB sequences determined with those in GenBank, Mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected in 23 of 43 samples. Three of the 23 positive samples had mutations at codon 531, which are commonly observed in rifampin-resistant M. tuberculosis strains. Our results suggest that the rpoB PCR-TA cloning-sequencing method developed, which detects M. tuberculosis and which simultaneously determines its rifampin susceptibility, can also be used efficiently for the diagnosis of OAT.