Thirty five male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with cadmium chloride solution ranging from 0.2 to 3.2mg CdCl2/kg by intravenous single injection. At 48 hours after administration of cadmium, total cadmium, MT bound cadmium and histopathologic finding in liver, kidney, lung, heart, testis, metallothionein in liver, kidney and total cadmium in blood were examined. Tissue cadmium concentration was highest in liver, followed by in kidney, heart, lung and testis. Cadmium bound to metallothionein(MT-Cd) and ratio of MT-Cd to total cadmium were increased in liver and kidney dependently of cadmium exposure dose, but not significantly changed in other organs. On histopathologic finding, the most susceptible organ was heart in considering cadmium exposed dose, but testis in considering cadmium concentration. Blood cadmium concentration was increased with dose-dependent pattern, and significantly correlated with tissue cadmium concentration, so that we may estimate tissue cadmium concentration by measurement of blood cadmium concentration. Metallothionein in liver and kidney was increased with dose-dependent pattern, higher in liver than in kidney, and was significantly correlated with tissue cadmium concentration. However, metallothionein induction efficiency of tissue cadmium(microgram MT/microgram Cd) was greater in liver than in kidney, and reverse to tissue concentration or exposed dose of cadmium.
Animals ; Cadmium Chloride ; Cadmium* ; Heart ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Male ; Metallothionein* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testis

Hypertension is a well known causative factor of congestive heart failure and other cardiovascular disease, and usually induce myocardial hypertrophy. Recent study shows that some antihypertensive drugs may reduce the hypertrophied cardiac mass reversibly. And over the past some decades, increasing attention was focused on these drugs. These drugs include methyldopa, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, calcium channel inhibitor, beta-adrenergic blocker, but diuretics and vasodilators were known not to reduce the hypertrophied ventricular mass. In this study, 46 hypertensive patients were managed by captopril, atenolol, or hydrochlorothiazide monotherapy. And wer estimated and follow up LV mass by echocardiography during 3 months. Captopril and atenolol group showed LV mass reduced, but hydrochlorothiazide group did not. LV mass was reduced more in captopril group than in atenolo group. In conclusion, we have been impressed by this study that diuretics monotherapy for hypertension shoud be reconsidered. And we concluded that drugs which can reduce myocardial mass shoud be chosen to control hypertension as a monotherapeutic drug or a additive drug.
Antihypertensive Agents ; Atenolol ; Calcium Channels ; Captopril ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diuretics ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hydrochlorothiazide ; Hypertension* ; Hypertrophy ; Methyldopa ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; Vasodilator Agents

No abstract available.
Erythrocyte Membrane* ; Erythrocytes* ; Hydroxyl Radical* ; Lipid Peroxidation* ; Macrophages, Alveolar* ; Mineral Fibers*

Purpose: Preliminary data suggest that muscle precursor cells (MPCs) play a role in the repair of injured tissues by responding to the release of unknown growth factors, which subsequently induce their differentiation toward a given lineage, such as a nerve cell. The author explored the potential use of these cells for facilitating the regeneration of the peripheral pelvic autonomic nerve. Materials and Methods: MPCs were isolated from the gastrocnemius muscle of normal rats, which were purified via the preplate technique. In this study, 15 male Sprague-Dawley rats weighting 250 to 300 grams were used. Three experimental groups were included: a control group (C, n=5), a unilateral pelvic nerve transected group, with a sham (Hank's balanced salt Solution) injection (S, n=5), and a unilateral pelvic nerve transected group, with MPCs injections (3x10(5)cells) at the site of transection (M, n=5). Two weeks after surgery, a polyethylene tube-50 connected to a pressure transducer was inserted into the dome of the bladder, and the intravesical pressures measured during electrical stimulation (20Hz, 0.05ms, 10v) of the proximal part of the transection of preganglionic pelvic nerve. Then, the rats were sacrificed, and the major pelvic ganglia (MPG) removed for immunohistochemistry of enkephalin. Results: The maximal intravesical pressures for the C, M and S groups were 28.5cmH2O, 13.5cmH2O and 8.6cmH2O, respectively (p<0.001). The pressure difference between the maximal pressure after electrical stimulation and the basal pressure before electrical stimulation for the C, M and S groups were 23.8cmH2O, 8.9cmH2O and 4.6cmH2O, respectively (p< 0.001). The intensity of pericellular immunoreactivity for enkephalin from the removed MPG was more markedly decreased in the S than C group, but was more markedly increased in the M than S group. Conclusions: MPCs can promote peripheral autonomic nerve regeneration, with good correlations between the functional and immunohistochemical results of neurorecovery effect of MPCs.
Animals ; Autonomic Pathways ; Electric Stimulation ; Enkephalins ; Ganglia ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Male ; Muscle Cells ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Nerve Regeneration* ; Neurons ; Polyethylene ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regeneration ; Transducers, Pressure ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic

It is not common that formation of retrobulbar abscess by inflammatory spreading of chronic frontal sinusitis and even rare that the abscess cause acute exophthalmos and ocular pain. But, if the acute exophthalmos with ocular pain arise from the patient associated with chronic rhinitis or paranasal sinusitis, it should be suspected that peri bulbar abscess was formed by spreading of these disease and otorhinologic examination should be taken. The authors experienced a case of acute exophthalmos with ocular pain in a 27-years old woman and founded that abscess arising from the chronic frontal sinusitis disrupted the superomedial wall of orbit and spread to the retrobulbar area by computed tomography and other radiologic evaluation. We had good result by performing incision and drainage and some otorhinologic therapy.
Abscess ; Adult ; Drainage ; Exophthalmos* ; Female ; Frontal Sinus* ; Frontal Sinusitis* ; Humans ; Orbit ; Rhinitis ; Sinusitis

PURPOSE: A decline in the circulating levels of estrogen impairs vaginal engorgement, which leads to histopathological changes in the vaginal tissues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of delayed estrogen replacement on the vagina structure in castrated rabbits. Materials and Methods: New Zealand White female rabbits were randomly divided into three groups; two groups (the castration and castration estrogen replacement groups) were castrated: the control group underwent sham operations. Nine weeks after surgery, the estrogen replacement group received subcutaneous injections of estrogen (50microgram/kg/day) for 4 weeks. Vaginal tissue was processed for histology with Masson's trichome stain. The expressions of e-NOS and n-NOS were examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. RESULTS: From the histology, marked thinning of the vaginal epithelial layers, and decreased smooth muscle content and submucosal microvasculatures were evident, but with no increase in the collagen fibers in the castrated group was noted. The vaginal tissue of the estrogen replaced animal showed similar morphological features to those in the control rabbits. From the histomorphometry, the percentage of vaginal smooth muscle in the castrated group was significantly decreased compared to those in the control and estrogen replaced groups. The expression and signal intensity of e-NOS were decreased in the vagina of the castrated animals compare to those in the control group. In the estrogen replaced group, the expression of e-NOS was normalized. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed estrogen replacement showed structural restoration of vaginal tissues. These results suggest that delayed estrogen replacement therapy could improve the sexual function in menopausal women.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Castration ; Collagen ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy* ; Estrogens* ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Menopause ; Muscle, Smooth ; New Zealand ; Rabbits ; Trichomes ; Vagina

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were 1) to evaluate the effectiveness of follow-up urologic evaluation of neurogenic bladder in patients with spinal cord injury, 2) to define risk factors causing upper urinary tract complications, and 3) to evaluate changes of the vesicoureteral reflux grade on follow-up study. METHOD: Urodynamic studys, ultrasonographys, and voiding cystourethrographys of 90 patients with spinal cord injury who admitted to the bladder clinic of National Rehabilitation Hostpital were evaluated. Of the 90 patients, twenty four patients (27%) had upper urinary tract complication (vesicoureteral reflux or hydronephrosis). The risk factors of upper urinary tract complication were compared. The patients who had vesicoureteral reflux were devided into two main groups: conservative medical treatment group (oxybutynin, atropine intravesical instillation and intermittent catheterization) and primary surgical treatment group, and then the changes of the vesicoureteral reflux grade on follow-up study were evlauated. RESULTS: 1) The incidence of upper urinary tract complication was 27% for all patients. After bladder clinic evaluation, the patients who were recommended the change of the voiding mothods were 24%, and 58% of the patients were need management to decrease maximal detrusor pressure. 2) Maximal bladder capacity by clinical voiding chart recording (< or =250 ml), bladder wall deformity (> or =trabeculation grade 2), leak point pressure (> or =40 cmH20), and maximal detrusor pressure (> or =90 cmH2O) were significantly different between patients with upper urinary tract complication and patients without that. 3) In the eight vesicoureteral reflux patients, five of six patients were cured or improved with conservative treatment and two patients were cured with surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: The periodic follow-up evaluation of neurogenic bladder of spinal cord injuredpatients was important to prevent upper urinary tract deterioration. The factors related upper urinary tract complication were clinical bladder capacity, leak point pressure, bladder wall deformity (trabeculation) and maximal detrusor pressure.
Administration, Intravesical ; Atropine ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Rehabilitation ; Risk Factors ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic* ; Urinary Tract ; Urodynamics ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

OBJECTIVE: To devise a new method to measure the amount of soft tissue in pulmonary ground-glass opacity nodules, and to compare the use of this method with a previous volumetric measurement method by use of a phantom study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Phantom nodules were prepared with material from fixed normal swine lung. Forty nodules, each with a diameter of 10 mm, were made with a variable mean attenuation. The reference-standard amount of soft tissue in the nodules was obtained by dividing the weight by the specific gravity. The imaging data on the phantom nodules were acquired with the use of a 16-channel multidetector CT scanner. The CT-measured amount of soft tissue of the nodules was calculated as follows: soft tissue amount = volume x (1 + mean attenuation value / 1,000). The relative percentage error (RPE) between the CT-measured amount of the soft tissue and the reference-standard amount of the soft tissue was also measured. The RPEs determined with use of the new method were compared with the RPEs determined with the current volumetric measurement method by the use of the paired t test. RESULTS: The CT-measured amount of soft tissue showed a strong correlation with the reference-standard amount of soft tissue (R(2) = 0.996, p < 0.01). The mean RPE of the CT-measured amount of soft tissue in the nodules was -7.79 +/- 1.88%. The mean RPE of the CT-measured volume was 114.78 +/- 51.02%, which was significantly greater than the RPE of the CT-measured amount of soft tissue (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The amount of soft tissue measured by the use of CT reflects the reference-standard amount of soft tissue in the ground-glass opacity nodules much more accurately than does the use of the CT-measured volume.
Animals ; Lung Neoplasms/*radiography ; Phantoms, Imaging ; Reference Standards ; Swine ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The well-known prognostic factors for breast cancer, such as axillary lymph node status, do not always account for the exact outcome. The development of other accurate prognostic factors would help in assessing high risk for the disease recurrence and death. Recently, there are reports that peritumoral lymphatic vessel invasion is a good prognostic factors to solid tumors in animal studies and clinical trials. This study was performed to estimate the significance of peritumoral lymphatic vessel invasion (PLVI) as a prognostic factor in breast cancer. Also, PLVI was compared withb establishwd established clinicopathological prognostic factors and hormone receptors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A group of patient was selected from the Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Hallym University, which consists of 43 out of 96 patients who received curative operation from 1985 to 1993. Peritumoral lymphatic vessel invasion by tumor cells on H&E stain was considered PLVI positive. We classified 43 breast-cancer patients into 32 with negative PLVI and 11 with positive PLVI. We estimated the correlation between the PLVI and other established prognostic factors. We also calculated survivals based on PLVI. RESULT: The 4-year disease-free survival rate was 61.8+/-.7%, and the 4-year overall survival rate was 73.0+/-.0%. The receptor status of estrogen and of progesterone had significant impacts on survival (ER: p=0.0001, PR: p=0.0001). Also, metastasis status of lymph node had significant impacts on overall survival (p=0.0148). We found a significant correlation between PLVI and tumor size (p=0.004), estrogen receptor (p=0.002), progesterone receptor(p=0.006), but could not find any significant correlation between PLVI and menopausal status, histologic grade, unclear grade, lymph node metastasis. PLVI status was correlated with disease free survival rate (p=0.01) and overall survival rate(p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The determination of PLVI in breast cancer tissue may be useful as a prognostic factor, but it is necessary to investigate the PLVI in a large number of patients before this conclusion can be stated with certainty.
Animals ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Estrogens ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Vessels* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Progesterone ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: This study examined breast cancer screening practice and health promoting behaviors and the predicting factors of breast cancer screening practice in Chinese women. METHODS: A correlational research design was used to recruit a convenience sample of 770 women living in four cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Xi'an) in China. Participants completed self-report questionnaire consisting of general characteristics, breast cancer screening, health promoting behaviors, perceived benefits and perceived barriers. RESULTS: The participants were mostly 36-55 years old (51.3%), married (86.8%), premenopause (77.7%), had children (83.4%), and breastfed (73%). About 60% of Chinese women participated in some type of breast cancer screening practices, among them only 60 (7.8%) women used mammography, ultrasonogram and breast self-examination. The main reason for doing breast cancer screening was "feeling necessary for the screening". About 36% of the participants reported they did not perform any of screening practices, because they "don't feel it necessary". The women who had breast cancer screening regularly reported better health promoting behavior and perceived benefits and less perceived barriers than those who did not (F = 10.45, p < .001). Logistic regression showed that model 1 (age, higher education, being employed) and model 2 (perceived benefits and health behaviors) were the significant predicting factors (p < .05), explaining 10-13.8% of variance in breast cancer screening practice. CONCLUSION: On the basis of these results, public education about importance of breast cancer screening and health promoting behavior should be strongly advocated by health professionals and mass media in China.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast Self-Examination ; Child ; China ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Health Occupations ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mammography ; Mass Media ; Mass Screening ; Premenopause ; Research Design ; Surveys and Questionnaires