Caffeine has been known to induce the contraction of rabbit aortic ring resulting from Ca2+ release from the intracellular stores. But in contrast, contraction of aortic ring induced by depolarizing agents or agonist was reported to be suppressed by caffeine. The present study was intended to examine the effect of caffeine on Ca2+ movement across the plasma membrane and actomyosin ATPase activity of vascular smooth muscle to elucidate the modes of action of caffeine on the vascular smooth muscle. Aortic ring preparation were made from the rabbit thoracic aorta and the endothelial cells were removed from the ring by gentle rubbing. The contractilty of the aortic ring was measured under varying conditions, and Ca2+ influx across the membranes of the aortic ring was measured with Ca2+ sensitive electrode with and without caffeine and the effect of caffeine on actomyosin ATPase activity were measured by modified Hartshrone's method. 45Ca wash out curves with and without caffeine were studied by Richard's method. The results were summarized as follows: 1) Caffeine inhibited the contractilty induced by norepinephrine. high K+, and histamine. but caffeine alone induced a transient contraction of vascular smooth muscle. The caffeine induced contraction was demonstrable even in the absence of external Ca2+. 2) Caffeine increased 45Ca efflux from vascular smooth muscle. 3) In the presence of propranolol, the inhibitory effect of caffeine on epinephrine induced contraction still persisted. 4) Caffeine decreased norepinephrine induced Ca2+ influx through the plasma membranes of aortic ring. 5) Caffeine decreased the actomyosin ATPase activity of vascular smooth muscle. From the above results, it is suggested that caffeine induces the contraction of vascular smooth muscle by release of Ca2+ from intracellular Ca2+ stone, but inhibits drug-induced contraction by decrease of Ca2+ influx across the plasma membranes and a decreased Ca2+ sensitivity of contractile protein in vascular smooth muscle.
Actomyosin* ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Caffeine* ; Cell Membrane ; Electrodes ; Endothelial Cells ; Epinephrine ; Histamine ; Membranes ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Myosins* ; Norepinephrine ; Propranolol

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Insemination* ; Pregnancy*

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: To directly examine the function of the endothelial cell(EC) and smooth muscle cell in umbilical arteries acquired from preeclampsia patients between June 1998 to November 1999, using a conventional tension measurement and bioassay experiment. RESULTS: Relaxation responses to EC-dependent relaxing agents including bradykinin and A23187 in human umbilical artery rings were significantly decreased in preeclampsia(p<0.01). Relaxation responses to EC-independent agents(SNP and SNAP) were also inhibited in umbilical artery rings acquired from preeclampsia patients(p<0.01). To test the change of endothelial cell function in preeclampsia without involvement of smooth muscle dysfunction, we used human umbilical artery and rabbit femoral artery as a donor and detector, respectively, in bioassay experiment. Relaxation responses to EC-dependent agents(A23187 and bradykinin) showed similar results to conventional tension measurement (p<0.01). Relaxation responses to 8-bromo-cGMP in human umbilical artery rings were also significantly decreased in preeclampsia(p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that increased vascular resistance in preeclampsia is not only due to the disturbance of endothelial function, but also to smooth muscle dysfunction.
Biological Assay ; Bradykinin ; Calcimycin ; Endothelial Cells ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Relaxation* ; Tissue Donors ; Umbilical Arteries* ; Vascular Resistance

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the associations between enterprise-scale levels, the information supplied regarding workplace safety and health, and occupational injury and disease using a nationally representative sample of Korean workers. METHODS: We used data from the '2006 Working Condition Survey' performed by the Korean Occupational Safety & Health Agency. Demographic variables, employment characteristics, workplace hazards, enterprise-scale levels, information supplied regarding workplace safety and health, and occupational injury and disease were included for the study. RESULTS: Subjects who had high incomes, or who were male, full-time workers, or shift workers were more likely to provide safety and health information at work, compared to other workers' groups. The larger the enterprise-scale level, the more likely they would offer information on safety and health at work. Workers who worked in small companies, especially those with less than 10 employees, were the most likely respondents to provide safety and health information. In the corresponding logistic regression, the presence of occupational injuries and disease was significantly associated with the provision of health and safety information, the enterprise-scale level had little correlation. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the provision of health and safety information is a critical factor regarding occupational injuries and disease. Proper safety and health education, even in small companies, may contribute to a decrease in occupational disease and injury.
Data Collection ; Employment ; Health Education ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; Occupational Health ; Occupational Injuries

OBJECTIVE: SELDI-ToF-MS is an affinity-based mass spectrometric method. This study was performed to determine feasibility of serum proteomic pattern analysis using SELDI-ToF-MS for the detection of ovarian cancer. METHODS: Forty-three epithelial ovarian cancer patients and seventy-seven controls were included in the study from October 2003 to March 2005 in Sanggye Paik Hospital. Potential tumor biomarkers in sixty serum samples were screened, including twenty-one ovarian cancers and thirty-nine controls. Proteomic pattern was analyzed by SELDI-ToF-MS and optimal discriminating m/z value with proper cutoff of log-normalized intensity was determined by decision tree analysis (Phase I). Another sixty serum samples were obtained from twenty-two ovarian cancers and thirty-eight controls. Through analysis using SELDI-ToF-MS, the performance of diagnosing ovarian cancer was determined by applying previously adopted cutoff log-normalized intensity of m/z value determined in Phase I experiment (Phase II). RESULTS: A biomarker of 3501.23 kDa was selected based on the collective contribution to the optimal separation between ovarian cancers and controls. Sensitivity of 90.9% and specificity of 84.2% was achieved by SELDI-ToF-MS in Phase II experiment. Age, stage, and histologic type did not affect performance of SELDI-ToF-MS for diagnosing ovarian cancer. CONCLUSION: Serum proteomic analysis by biochip and mass spectrometry is a feasible method in diagnosing ovarian cancer.
Biomarkers ; Computational Biology ; Decision Trees ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Proteomics ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization*

OBJECTIVE: SELDI-ToF-MS is an affinity-based mass spectrometric method. This study was performed to determine feasibility of serum proteomic pattern analysis using SELDI-ToF-MS for the detection of ovarian cancer. METHODS: Forty-three epithelial ovarian cancer patients and seventy-seven controls were included in the study from October 2003 to March 2005 in Sanggye Paik Hospital. Potential tumor biomarkers in sixty serum samples were screened, including twenty-one ovarian cancers and thirty-nine controls. Proteomic pattern was analyzed by SELDI-ToF-MS and optimal discriminating m/z value with proper cutoff of log-normalized intensity was determined by decision tree analysis (Phase I). Another sixty serum samples were obtained from twenty-two ovarian cancers and thirty-eight controls. Through analysis using SELDI-ToF-MS, the performance of diagnosing ovarian cancer was determined by applying previously adopted cutoff log-normalized intensity of m/z value determined in Phase I experiment (Phase II). RESULTS: A biomarker of 3501.23 kDa was selected based on the collective contribution to the optimal separation between ovarian cancers and controls. Sensitivity of 90.9% and specificity of 84.2% was achieved by SELDI-ToF-MS in Phase II experiment. Age, stage, and histologic type did not affect performance of SELDI-ToF-MS for diagnosing ovarian cancer. CONCLUSION: Serum proteomic analysis by biochip and mass spectrometry is a feasible method in diagnosing ovarian cancer.
Biomarkers ; Computational Biology ; Decision Trees ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Proteomics ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare differences in the time when bowel sounds were heard and gas was passed in women who had an abdominal hysterectomy and were treated for 5 minutes (experimental group A) or 10 minutes (experimental group B) with San-Yin-Jiao (SP-6) acupressure. METHOD: The design of this study was a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized post test only design. The participants included 142 women, 39 in experimental group A, 30 in experimental group B, and 73 in the control group. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire which included items on general characteristics and a self report of time when gas was passed. Differences for the three groups as to time when bowel sounds were heard and gas was passed were analyzed using ANOVA. RESULT: The time when bowel sounds were heard was statistically significantly shorter in both experimental groups compared to the control group(F=10.29, p=.000). The time when gas was passed was statistically significantly shorter in experimental group B(10 min) compared to the control group(F=4.68, p=.011). CONCLUSION: It could be concluded that SP-6 acupressure of 10 minutes was effective in shortening the time until bowel sounds were heard and gas was passed for women who had had an abdominal hysterectomy. Replication of the study with a larger number of participants is necessary in order to be able to generalize the results.
*Acupressure ; Adult ; *Auscultation ; Female ; *Flatulence ; *Gastrointestinal Motility ; Humans ; *Hysterectomy ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications/*therapy

Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) was mainly applied to acute respiratory failure in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to intrinsic lung disease such as neuromuscular disorders. It has been reported that this maneuver reduces morbidity, mortality and hospital stay in patients in the intensive care unit. We observed a 32-year-old female renal transplantation patient who developed pulmonary edema during the perioperative state. The mainteance of an endotracheal tube in intubated patients who were on immunosuppresive therapy might increase nosocomial pneumonia significantly. In this case, the mortality increase was expected, therefore we considered that early extubation and mask continuous positive airway pressure (mask CPAP) could help. By using mask CPAP, the patient showed a good response and the pulmonary edema was improved. We report a case about the benefits of NIPPV in the treatment of pulmonary edema in an immunosuppressed patient of which the result was very satisfactory.
Adult ; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ; Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Length of Stay ; Lung Diseases ; Masks ; Mortality ; Pneumonia ; Positive-Pressure Respiration* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Pulmonary Edema* ; Respiratory Insufficiency

Calcinosis cutis-calcification in soft tissue-is a rare benign disease that is separated into the following subtypes: dystrophic, iatrogenic, metastatic, calciphylaxis, and idiopathic. One of common site of calcinosis cutis is the scrotum. The nodules slowly grow for years or decades. The characteristic of calcinosis cutis of the scrotum is generally asymptomatic, yellowish marble-like, hard, polypoidal, solitary, or multiple. However, the pathogenesis of this nodule remains ambiguous and controversial. Thus, we reviewed possible causes and therapeutic consideration of calcinosis cutis of the scrotum.
Calcinosis* ; Calciphylaxis ; Scrotum* ; Skin

Adenoid cystic carcinoma arising from the submucosal glands of the trachea and bronchial tree is rare. The histopathology and natural history of bronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma have been well documented, but detailed descriptions of its cytomor- phology are few. We report a case of primary bronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma in a 20-year-old female, diagnosed by bronchial brushing cytology. The cytologic specimens showed large clusters of small cells arranged around cystlike spaces containing globular basophilic material.
Adenoids* ; Basophils ; Bronchi* ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic* ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Natural History ; Trachea ; Young Adult