No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: The aging process may be induced, at least in part, by reactive oxygen species(ROS). It has been though that the lung could be a good source of ROS because it has a high oxygen tension. In the present study, we invetigated the inducibility of the first and last lines against oxidative stress, superoxide dismutases (Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD) as a scavenger of O2- and metallothionein(MT) as a scavenger of OH·, respectively, in mouse lungs with age. METHODS: Oxidative stress was induced by paraquat, an intracellular superoxide generator, at 1, 4, 8, and 12 months of age and then SODs and MT mRNAs were determined by RT-PCR method. RESULTS: The steady-state level of Mn-SOD mRNA increased from 1 to 8 months but decreased thereafter. However, Mn-SOD mRNA was not induced by paraquat after 1 month. On the other hand, there was no change in the steady-state level of Cu/Zn/-SOD mRNA, which decrease abruptly at 12 months of age. Additionally, Cu/Zn/-SOD mRNA was not induced by paraquat at any age. There was no change in the steady-state level of MT mRNA with age whereas its inducibility by paraquat was intact at all ages. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that lack of induction of SODs with age may be one of the causative factors in the aging process while induction of MT may play an important role in the defense against oxidative stress. It is therefore implicated that the tissue antioxidant/proxidant balance could be one determinants of meal life span.
Aging* ; Animals ; Hand ; Lung* ; Meals ; Metallothionein* ; Mice* ; Oxidative Stress ; Oxygen ; Paraquat* ; RNA, Messenger ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Superoxides*

There are several factors to be considered while performing reduction mammoplasty in patients having giant breast with severe breast ptosis. These are degrees of breast ptosis, location of newly created nipple areolar complex, preservation of sensation, symmetry of both breasts, amount of breast tissues to be resected, and finally the postoperative scar. Among the above factors, postoperative scar seems to be the major problem that patients complain about. So several methods have been investigated in time to minimize the scar. Authors have performed 3cases of reduction mammoplasty in patients with severe ptotic large breast by applying the method of umbilicus creation in abdominoplasty, so that only periareolar and submammary scars remained without a vertical scar. The age were between 33 and 43 years old. Mean follow up period was about 6.5 months. Amount of the resected mammary tissues was about 750-1350g. Periareolar deepithelialization was made about 8cm diameter for better cirulation to the nipple areolar complex and wider contact area thus enhancing the stabilization and survival of the nipple areolar complex. Only 1 case with partial deepithelialization of the areola occurred but completely healed within 1 month. Patients were pleased with natural shape and size of the breast and the sensation of the nipple areolar complex was restored completely in all cases after surgery. Authors have performed reduction mammoplasty without leaving the vertical scar which considered to be the major problems of the classical methods. Other problems such as insufficient reduction, flattening of the breast and severe wrinkles around the nipple were also solved. This method not only improve the aesthetic importance but also minimize the functional complications such as sensory loss and difficulty in lactation.
Abdominoplasty ; Adult ; Breast ; Cicatrix* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lactation ; Mammaplasty* ; Nipples ; Sensation ; Umbilicus

Horizontal Mattress Suture Technique on Microvascular Anastomosis of rat (body weight: 200-250 gm) femoral artery was evaluated. The present study was conducted to compare the horizontal mattress suture with simple interrupted suture on the suture time, patency rate of the sutured vessels, and the histological changes of surgical site of the vessel wall during wound healing period. The mean suture time of the vessel wall with horizontal mattress suture technique was 15 min 49 sec ± 2.14, which is significantly shorter than that of simple interrupted suture technique. The patency rate of the sutured vessel in both groups was statistically not different each other till post-operative 3rd day but patency rate of horizontal mattress suture was higher than that of simple interrupted suture at post-operative 3rd week. The histological findings such as intimal noss, medial degeneration and intimal regeneration were similar in both groups.
Animals ; Femoral Artery ; Rats ; Regeneration ; Suture Techniques* ; Sutures* ; Wound Healing

Oxybutynin chloride was administered intravesically in 7 spinal cord injury patients with persistent incontinence and frequent side effects on oral medication. Five mg tablets were dissolved in 20 ml normal saline, and the solution was instilled twice daily and retained for 30 minutes. All patients reported subjective improvement following treatment and all became totally continent. No side effects were observed. In urodynamic study mean bladder capacity increased from 250 to 400ml(P = 0.005) and mean maximum filling pressure decreased from 25 to 18cmH2O (P = 0.283). In conclusion treatment with intravesical oxybutynin chloride can be effective in spinal cord injury patients who either are unresponsive to or have intolerable side effects on oral medication.
Administration, Intravesical ; Humans ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Tablets ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic ; Urodynamics

No abstract available.
Cryptococcosis*

No abstract available.
Bone Regeneration* ; Bone Substitutes*

About 85-97% of patients get to lose an ejaculatory function with a little difference according to the level of spinal cord injury. Fifty eight trials of electroejaculation stimulation were performed in total 17 patients that failed in chemoejaculation with physostigmine. Mean age was 36.9 years. Of the 17 spinal cord injured patients, 1 had cervical, 13 thoracic 3 lumbar paraplegia; 7 had complete and 10 had incomplete lesions. Semens could be obtained in 14 patients ( 82.4%) among total 17 patients and in 51 of total 58 trials( 87.9%). Average total sperm counts and motile sperm numbers were 35.98 x 106 and 6.09 x 106 respectively in the obtained semen. However, motility was very poor. We performed more than 4 trials in 6 patients, but there results were not predictable. Two pregnancies were achieved in their spouse after an artificial insemination. Side effects were trivial. and there were lower abdominal discomforts or pains in 7 patients among incomplete paraplegics. In conclusion we could expect high successful rates of ejaculation in anejaculatory spinal cord injured patients by electroejaculation stimulation in case of the failure in chemoejaculation. However, we suggest that in vitro fertilization with advanced recent technology should be tried with adequate preparation after an experimental electroejaculation, because a quality of sperm motility was very poor and sperm motility was not improved after several trials.
Ejaculation ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Insemination, Artificial ; Male ; Paraplegia ; Physostigmine* ; Pregnancy ; Semen ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spinal Cord* ; Spouses

No abstract available.
Iron*

BACKGROUND: Scuba diving has become increasingly popular in Korea. Medical problems are common with dives, especially decompression sickness(DCS). This study was performed to obtain an useful information of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in DCS in Korea. METHOD: We reviewed the 62 cases of Korean divers, who were diagnosed as DCS and received recompression therapy according to U.S. Navy Standard Recompression Treatment Table at Ocean and Underwater Medical Research and Training Center of ROK Navy, for 6 years from Jan. 1993 to Nov. 1998. RESULT: 1) the mean no-decompression limit excess time between type I DCS group(72.7 min.) and type II DCS group(92.8min.) showed significant difference. 2) The rate of symptoms appeared on surfacing and within 10min. after surfacing of type I and type II DCS were 41.4%and 72.7% respectively. 3) The cure late of type I and type II were 75.9%and 42.4% respectively. In type II DCS group, the cure rate of the group within 12 hour-delayed recompression treatment and the group above 12 hour-delayed treatment were 64.3%and time 26.3% respectively, and in type I DCS group, 100% and 66.7% respectively. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the education of safety, the strict observance of the standard decompression table, and the avoidance of excessive repeated diving are important for reducing the risk of diving related disease. And to offer proper management of DCS, there should be more multiplace hyperbaric oxygen chambers, the suitable transport system, and the specialist of diving medicine or hyperbaric medicine in Korea.
Decompression Sickness* ; Decompression* ; Diving ; Education ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation* ; Korea ; Oxygen ; Specialization