No abstract available.

In order to assess the difference of healing of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of the knee according to the treatment methods, in vivo animal experiment using a rabbit model was perfoimed. Thirty six MCLs in eighteen rabbits were surgically transected at the mid-portion and treatm nt was done with two different methods, e.g. immobilization wiih plaster cast in right knees (Group I ), and non-immohilization in left knees (Group 2 ). Five rabhits were used as normal controis. To evaluate the biomechanical property of the femur-MCL-tibia complex (FMTC) in time progression, tensile stress tests using material testing machine (Model 8511, Instron company, 1993) were done at 6, 10, l2 weeks postoperatively and the results were as follows. 1. The ultimate load and stiffness (structural property) of the FMTC increased with time in both groups, but group ][ showed significantly higher values than group I . 2. The material property of the MCL checked by stress-strain curve showed higher Young s modulus in group ][ than in group ] . As a results, joint motion seems to improve the biomechanical propeity of the healed MCL.
Animal Experimentation ; Casts, Surgical ; Collateral Ligaments* ; Exercise Test ; Immobilization* ; Joints ; Knee ; Ligaments* ; Rabbits*

Tetanus is a neurologic disease which features the muscle spasm as the hallmark. It is an infectious disease with high mortality rate triggered by tetanospasmin produced by Clostridium tetani. This report concerns incidence of tetanus consequent to oriental medical care such as acupuncture and moxibustion. Although the tetanus occurrence has shown a remarkable decline since nationwide vaccinations in some of the developed countries, including Korea, it still remains to be an important issue, to be dealt within Korea, as the majority of the patients are old aged and Korean population is rapidly becoming an aging society. Furthermore, since more elders are coming to rely on Oriental medicine in Korea, the Korean elders are at a higher risk than elsewhere. The lack of medical experiences, including those in oriental medical field, has been hindering early diagnosis of Tetanus. This study aims to encourage rapid and accurate decisions in diagnosis and treatment through reviewing symptoms particularly specific to tetanus, and also to arouse attention to the riskiness of invasive procedures involving skin puncture.
Acupuncture ; Aged ; Aging ; Clostridium tetani ; Communicable Diseases ; Developed Countries ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Metalloendopeptidases ; Moxibustion ; Punctures ; Skin ; Spasm ; Tetanus ; Tetanus Toxin ; Vaccination

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the clinical implications of serum ECP and peripheral blood eosinophil counts as indices of airway inflammation during the follow-up of asthmatics (BA). METHODS: We repeatedly measured the serum ECP, peripheral blood eosinophil counts and peak expiratory low rate (PFR) during the follow up of 24 symptomatic BA. RESULTS: Mean serum ECP level of BA at uncontrolled status of airflow limitation was significantly higher than that of controlled state (24.5i3.7 ng/ml rs. 16.2+1.9 ng/ml, p<0.05) and the ECP levels of controlled and uncontrolled status were significantly higher than that of health control subjects (n=10, 10.1+/-2.0 ng/ml, p<0.01 respectively). Pe ripheral blood eosinophils were also significantly increased in uncontrolled status than in controlled status of BA (535.7+/-81.0/1tL vs. 300.4+33.4/micro liter, p < 0.05). In controlled status, 8 BA had higher circulating ECP levels than in uncontrolled status, but with peripheral blood eosinophil counts, only 3 BA had higher levels in controlled status than in uncontrolled status. Variations of PFR correlated with the variations of serum ECP level (r=-0.5370, p<0.01) and variations of peripheral blood eosinophil count (r=-0.6215, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Measurement of serum ECP and peripheral blood eosinophil count would be useful tools for monitoring the disease activity of asthma, but we could not obtain any more informations from the measureinert of serum ECP levels than from the peripheral blood eosinophil counts.
Asthma* ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophils* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inflammation

A 42-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has had wide-spread erythemas with some purpuric patches on her trunk and upper extremities during exacerbation of her disease. Biopsy findings from erythematous lesions and purpuric areas revealed the pathology of lupus erythematosus and leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) with immune deposits, respectively. A feature of wide-spread symmetrical erythemas with foci of LCV occurring in this patient is considered to be an unusual presentation.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Erythema* ; Female ; Glycogen Storage Disease Type VI ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Pathology ; Upper Extremity ; Vasculitis*

PURPOSE: Delirium in the elderly is common in the postoperative period but there are only few reports on detailed studies of this condition. Number of urologic patients with postoperative delirium was increas ed in our hospital for recent 24 months. The clinical characteristics of patients with postoperative delirium was analyzed retrospectively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected the patients with postoperative delirium from 1010 patients who had undergone urological surgery under general or spinal anesthesia in the period from Jan. 1997 to Dec. 1999. Diagnosis of postoperative delirium was established with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DAM-III-R) by psychiatric clinicians. Onset and recovery of symptoms, risk factors, previous psychiatric clinicians. Onset and recovery of symptoms, risk factors, previous psychiatric disorder, relationship with anesthesia, drugs, and surgical procedures, concomittant medical conditions, and complications were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Postoperative delirium was observed in 13 patients (1.3%). All patients were male and mean age was 70.4 years (46-86 years). Surgical procedures included TURP(8 patients), cystectomy (3 patients), nephroureterectomy (1 patient), and bladder rupture repair (1 patient). Delirium became apparent between one day and two days after the operation (mean 32.2 hours) and lasted for up to 7 days (mean 53 hours). Several factors such as older age (>65 years), male patient, longterm medication, past history of CVA, memory impairment, hearing difficulty, traumatic brain contusion, and obsessive personality were thought to be risk factors of postoperative delirium. Treatment with Haloperidol(R) intramuscular injection (2.5-5mg, every 30 minutes, 2-4 times until symptom resolution was achieved) with or without Ativan(R) intravenous injection (2mg) were effective. Complete symptom recovery was seen in 92.3% (12/13) of patients. One patient (7.7%) with previous history of dementia had persistent memory disturbance and disorientation during follow-up periods. CONCLUSIONS: Generally, postoperative delirium is an acute transient confusional state without considerable sequeles. Treatment is sedation and prevention of inadvertent accident associated with confusional state. Urologic surgeon must be attentive to the development of this illness especially when high risk factors were present.
Aged ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Brain Injuries ; Cystectomy ; Delirium* ; Dementia ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hearing ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Memory ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Rupture ; Urinary Bladder

Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Prospective Studies* ; Stents*

OBJECTIVE: Several water channels (aquapoins; AQP) that belong to the MIP (major intrinsic protein) family have identified. In the selected tissues including red blood cells or renal tubules, water movements are abundant and/or physiologically important. Unexpectedly, a high water permeability of human and ram sperm has been reported. Recent studies showed that AQP7 and AQP8 are present in testes so that the high water permeability of human sperm suggested to be mediated by AQPs. METHOD: To identify the identity of aquaporins expressed in testes, RT-PCR was performed using degenerative primers, which were designed to correspond to highly conserved sequences surrounding the Asn-Pro-Ala (NPA) motifs in the aquaporins. New expressed AQP series were reconfirmed by immunohistochemical study using rabbit polyclonal antibodies. RESULTS: DNA sequencing of PCR products revealed that AQP2 and AQP3 mRNA as well as AQP7 and AQP8 are expressed in human and rat testes, AQP2 are expressed in spermatozoa, interstitial cells and myofibroblasts and AQP3 are expressed in myofibroblasts of semineferous tubules on immunocytochemical stain. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that multiple aquaporins are expressed in testes, and that they may have important roles in the spermatogenesis and the germ cell function of testis.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Aquaporins* ; Conserved Sequence ; Erythrocytes ; Germ Cells ; Humans* ; Myofibroblasts ; Permeability ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa ; Testis* ; Water Movements

No abstract available.
Humans ; Lymphocytes* ; Radiotherapy*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: House dust mites have been known as the most important allergens in respiratory allergic disease. Since environmental factors may have influences on the pathogenesis of allergic disease, the study using Korean house dust mites for immune and biologic reactions in house dust mite-sensitive allergic disease is considered as significant. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We made two in-house allergenic extracts of Korean house dust mites (D. farinae and D. pteronpsssinus) and performed this study for the allergen standardization by in vivo methods and for the evaluation of the reliabilities for clinical applications. RESULT: As a results of biologic standardization using skin prick test teachnique, the activity of 1: 1,500w/v of D. farinae extract was estimated 1,000 biology unit(BU), concentration that elicits a wheal of the same size as that of histamine dihydrochloride 1mg/ml. The activity of 1: 1,000w/v of D. pteronyssinus was condiered as 1,000BU. The activity of 1:100w/v of both D. farinae and D. pteronpssiuns extracts were considered as 100,000 Allergy Unit(AU), based on intradermal skin testing of 30 subjects with strong sensitive reaction. The concordant rates between results of skin prick test done with 5,000BU/ml concentration of in-house allergenic extracts and thoae with the commercially available allergen(Bencard Co., UK) were 84.6% and 81.0% for D. farinae and D. pteronpssinus, respectively. The wheal erythema size and A/H ratios induced by in-house extracts were significantly correlated with those induced by Bencard allergen. CONCLUSION: This results suggest that in-house extracts of the whole bodies of two house dust mites have good allergenic activities in vivo. It is considered to be clinically useful and reliable allergenic extracts.
Allergens ; Biology ; Dust* ; Erythema ; Histamine ; Hypersensitivity ; Pyroglyphidae* ; Skin ; Skin Tests