PURPOSE: Neuroendocrine (NE) cells of the prostate are considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). By a comparative analysis of NE cell density in BPH tissue of men who were either exposed to or not exposed to 5alpha-reductase inhibitor, we investigated the relationship between NE cells and BPH, and the effect of androgen deprivation on NE cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prostate tissue specimens, obtained from 30 men by transurethral resection of the prostate or radical cystoprostatectomy, were used. Of the 30 patients, 10 had a prostate smaller than 25 ml (normal control), the other 20 had a prostate larger than 40ml, 10 of who had taken 5alpha-reductase inhibitor (finasteride) for 3 months before surgery (androgen blockade group), and 10 who had not (BPH group). The distribution of NE cells in the prostate was examined using the anti-chromogranin A (CgA) antibody, and the density of the CgA-positive cells was compared by an optical dissector method. Immunoblotting was performed using the neuron specific enolase (NSE) antibody. A Mann-Whitney U test was used in a statistical analysis. RESULTS: Most of the CgA-positive NE cells were localized between the acinar epithelial cells. The mean numbers of CgA-positive NE cells per acinus in the normal controls and the BPH groups were 1.67+/-0.78 and 4.45+/-2.54, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). However, the mean number of CgA-positive NE cells in the androgen blockade group, was 4.93+/-2.17, which was similar to the BPH group. In a NSE immunoblotting study, a distinct band was observed in the BPH and androgen blockade groups, but the density of the band was higher in the androgen blockade group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that NE cells may be involved in the hyperplastic process of BPH. Inhibition of dihydrotestosterone, caused by the oral administration of the 5alpha-reductase inhibitor, failed to induce any significant change in the NE cells, probably due to the incomplete androgen blockade.
Administration, Oral ; Cell Count ; Dihydrotestosterone* ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Immunoblotting ; Male ; Neuroendocrine Cells* ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia*

Thoracic radiculopathy (TR) is one of various neurologic complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), which can cause pain and motor weakness of chest or abdomen. Electromyographic study is well known to be useful for accurate diagnosis of TR. This study is conducted in order to answer following questions: To what extent does paraspinal EMG study show denervation potentials in neurologically asymptomatic DM patients? ; Is there any correlation between EMG abnormality and severity of diabetes mellitus? We performed thorough neurologic examination and review of medical records in 74 DM patients who were referred for neurologic evaluation and rountine nerve conduction studies. Among those patients, 16 were selected for EMG on lower thoracic paraspinal muscles, who had no clinical symptoms of thoracic radiculopathy and no evidence of peripheral neuropathy on routine nerve conduction studies. The EMG findings were evaluated with relation to serum fructosamine level and duration of DM. On EMG examination, ten of sixteen patients exhibited positive sharp wave in lower thoracic paraspinal muscle. Nine of those ten patients with denervation potential in thoracic paraspinal muscle showed high fructosamine level and eight had been exposed to DM for more than 5 years. It is suggested that subclinical diabetic thoracic radiculopathy is more frequent than expected arid that there is positive correlation between abnormal paraspinal EMG findings and the level of fructosamine and duration of DM. And it is also suggested that there could be selective involvement of posterior primary ramus in diabetic patients, although it needs further studies to be confirmed.
Abdomen ; Denervation ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Electromyography ; Fructosamine ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Neural Conduction ; Neurologic Examination ; Paraspinal Muscles ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Radiculopathy* ; Thorax

The measurement of gastric emptying time is useful in differentiation of the hypochondriacal neurosis from the functional gastrointestinal disturbance, and also useful in searching the hidden gastro-intestinal disease in patients who are believed as the functional gastrointestinal disturbance. We confirmed in this study that the more delayed gastric emptying time was measured in functional gastrointestinal disturbance compared to normal group, and more shortened gastric emptying time was found after treatment with dopamine antagonist (cleboril) in this group.
Dopamine ; Gastric Emptying* ; Gastrointestinal Diseases* ; Humans ; Hypochondriasis

No abstract available.
Ankle Fractures* ; Ankle*

This study presents data on the externally received doses for radiation workers who used the Korea Radioisotope Association's personal monitoring and dose record keeping service from 1984. Distributions of annual dose by age of worker and occupational category were given. The number of radiation workers registered was 23,257 in 1997. The trend of the number of radiation workers and their annual doses increased since 1984. The measured radiation dose were generally low. The collective annual dose and the mean annual dose were 33.45 Sv and 1.44 mSv, respectively. Very few workers(0.5%) exceeded 20 mSv(2 rem) and only 1 exceeded 50 mSv, the legal limit for dose.
Humans ; Korea*

Belt injury is an increasingly serious injury and one that frequently results in undesirable disabilities. We reviewed 20 cases of belt injury which had been treated in Kyungpook National University Hospital during the five and a half year period from Auguat, 1972 to January, 1978. 1. This injury is more prevalent in males (M:F = 4:1) with the peak incidence between the second and fourth decades (85%). 2. Upper extremities are involved in almost all cases (95%). 3. Some injury patterns were more frequently seen and were classified arbitarily as follows: Type I
Clinical Study ; Forearm ; Fractures, Bone ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Humerus ; Incidence ; Male ; Paralysis ; Prognosis ; Upper Extremity

Tuberculous tenosynovitis affecting flexor tendon sheaths of the hand is a rare condition and quite disabling to the patient like tuberculosis elsewhere. It should be attacked by operation and antituberculous chemotherapy, but has a tendency to recur after surgery. The authors have encountered a case of tuberculous tenosynovitis affecting flexor tendon sheaths in the palmar area of the left hand, and treated the case with surgery and anti-tuberculous chemotherapy.
Drug Therapy ; Hand ; Humans ; Tendons ; Tenosynovitis ; Tuberculosis

Two patients with flexor paralysis of the elbow due to brachial plexus injury and three patients with flexor paralysis of the wrist and fingers due to Volkmann's contracture were treated by transplantation of the gracilis muscle which was detached at both ends and transferred to replace the biceps and long finger flexors, preserving its long and lax neurovascular pedicle. At eleven to fifteen months after operation, the strength and flexion of the elbow were satisfactory and the additional cosmetic effect was obtained. This method should be performed only after a complete study of the patient's general functional needs and the condition of the affected arm, forearm and hand.
Arm ; Brachial Plexus ; Contracture ; Elbow ; Fingers ; Forearm ; Hand ; Humans ; Methods ; Paralysis ; Wrist

Forearm has a unique function of supination and pronation and for the performance of such movements, normal relationship between radius and ulna is indispensable. In ulnar shaft fracture, injuries are resulted mostly from .the external forces such as direct blows or indirect forces in some cases. There are many procedures for treatment of isolated ulnar fracture, but there are still controversies concerning the best management of these fractures. The authors treated fifteen cases surgically of ulnar shaft fracture from January 1982 to December 1986 in the Deparment of Orthopedic Surgery, National-Police Hospital. The results were as follows: 1. The most common age group was twenties with twelve cases(80.0%). 2. The most common cause of injuries were direct blow(80.0%). 3, Location of fracture were middle one third with nine cases(60.6%), while proximal one third accounts for four cases (26.7%) and distal ond third for two cases(13.3%). 4. Transverse fracture were the most common type (53.3%). 5. Displacement of fractures, out of fifteen cases, were witnessed in twelve cases (80.0%) and angulation were in eleven cases(73.3%). 6. In all cases we used operative method and had good functional results.
Forearm ; Humans ; Methods ; Orthopedics ; Pronation ; Radius ; Supination ; Ulna

Moving on the femoral srticular surface, the patella is doing a significant role in the patellofemoral mechanism as one of the most important components of the knee. The knowledge of patellar movement would be very helpful to understand the functional mechanism of the knee We studied the distance of patellar movement during the knee motion on the lateral X-ray view of 100 normal adult knees. The results were as follows :1. The average distance of patellar movement from full extension to full flexion of the knee was 8.4cm. 2. Patella moves average 1.7cm(20.2%) form 0° to 30° flexion, 2.6cm(31.0%) from 30° to 60° flexion, 1.7cm(20.2%) from 60° to 90° flexion, 1.3cm(15.5%) from 90° to 120° flexion and l.lcm(13.1%) from 120° to full flexion.
Adult ; Humans ; Knee ; Patella