No abstract available.
Occupations*

No abstract available.
Tongue*

Skin exposure to low-dose ultraviolet B (UVB) light up-regulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), thus contributing to premature skin aging (photo-aging). Although cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and its product, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), have been associated with UVB-induced signaling to MMP expression, very little are known about the roles of lipoxygenases and their products, especially leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and 12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12(S)-HETE), in MMP-1 expression in skin keratinocytes. In the present study, we demonstrate that BLT2, a cell surface receptor for LTB4 and 12(S)-HETE, plays a critical role in UVB-mediated MMP-1 upregulation in human HaCaT keratinocytes. Moreover, our results demonstrated that BLT2-mediated MMP-1 upregulation occurs through a signaling pathway dependent on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the subsequent stimulation of ERK. Blockage of BLT2 via siRNA knockdown or with the BLT2-antagonist LY255283 completely abolished the up-regulated expression of MMP-1 induced by low-dose UVB irradiation. Finally, when HaCaT cells were transiently transfected with a BLT2 expression plasmid, MMP-1 expression was significantly enhanced, along with ERK phosphorylation, suggesting that BLT2 overexpression alone is sufficient for MMP-1 up-regulation. Together, our results suggest that the BLT2-ROS-ERK-linked cascade is a novel signaling mechanism for MMP-1 upregulation in low-dose UVB-irradiated keratinocytes and thus potentially contributes to photo-aging.
12-Hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic Acid/biosynthesis ; Cell Line ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases/metabolism ; Humans ; Keratinocytes/metabolism/*radiation effects ; Leukotriene B4/biosynthesis ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1/*biosynthesis ; Phosphorylation ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism ; Receptors, Leukotriene B4/*physiology ; Signal Transduction ; Ultraviolet Rays/*adverse effects

BACKGROUND: Studies in animals suggest that pipecuronium dose not induce hemodynamic chan-ges related to histamine release or to an effect on the autonomic nervous system. Therefore the effects of bolus administration of large doses of pipecuronium, up to 0.20 mg/kg, on the intubation condition, onset and duration of neuromuscular blockade, heart rate and blood pressure were studied during fentanyl- nitrous oxide anesthesia. METHOD: Forty adults were randomly assigned to receive a bolus injection of either 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20 mg/kg of pipecuronium. Neuromuscular blockade was measured using mechanomyographic activity of the adductor pollicis muscle after supramaximal stimulation of the ulnar nerve. Four subgroups of 10 patients received pipecuronium doses of 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20 mg/kg, respectively, as an intubating dose. RESULTS: The times of onset and clinical duration (mean sem) after each dose were as follows: 0.05 mg/kg, 2.98 0.42 and 41.5 2.42 min; 0.10 mg/kg, 1.54 0.06 and 82.9 7.48 min; 0.15 mg/kg, 1.41 0.14 and 124.8 13.1 min; 0.20 mg/kg, 1.12 0.05 and 187.1 12.8 min. The intubation condition, time of onset and duration after doses of 0.05 mg/kg were significantly different from values after the higer doses. The duration was increased with dose-increments. No dose-related changes in heart rate or blood pressure were observed. CONCLUSION: The authors conclude that dose of 0.10 mg/kg and over has good intubation condition clinically and large bolus dose of pipecuronium can be safely used with a significantly prolonged duration of action without hemodynamic change.
Adult* ; Anesthesia ; Animals ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Blood Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Histamine Release ; Humans ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal* ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Nitrous Oxide ; Pipecuronium* ; Ulnar Nerve

The effects of NMDA-receptor antagonist (MK-801) were assessed for the oxygen free radical mediated brain (hippocampus) injury with eighty rats which were exposed to carbon monoxide (CO) followed by hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were used as parameters of the oxygen free radical reaction. Experimental groups consisted of (1) control group (=breathing with air), (2) CO group (=exposed to CO after air breath), (3) CO-air group(exposed to CO after air breath followed by air breath), and (4) CO-HBO group (=exposed to CO after air breath followed by 3 ATA HBO). Each group was divided two subgroup according to the pretreatment (normal saline or MK-801). CO, CO-air and HBO groups increased in SOD activity as compared with control group. And CO-air and HBO groups increased in MDA as compared with control and CO group. Pretreatment of MK-801 decreased SOD activities significantly (p-value<.05) , but MDA amount not significantly (p-value=.107). These results suggest a useful protective effect of NMDA-receptor antagonist (MK-801) in CO induced hippocampal injury mediated by oxygen free radicals.
Animals ; Brain Injuries* ; Brain* ; Carbon Monoxide ; Dizocilpine Maleate ; Free Radicals ; Malondialdehyde ; Oxygen* ; Rats* ; Superoxide Dismutase

To evaluate the effects of reflected glare on eyes, authors assessed the periodic health examination(1991-1996) and self-administered questionnaire data of a semiconductor producing company. The 13 lead frame(LF) department workers have been exposed to high reflected glare in the process for examining the silver plating products. We compared the data of connector(14) and clerical(12) workers as the non-exposed ones. Among LF department workers, 100% felt their visual acuity worsened(connector:81.8%, clerical:85.7%), and 70% had worn the glasses or contact lenses(connector :14.3 %, clerical :40%) since working at the company. Major ophthalmic symptoms of the LF workers are asthenopia, tearing, decreased visual acuity, congestion and glare. Decrease of visual acuity by Hahn's line change of the LF workers is significantly high during a 5-year follow-up(p<0.05 by simple regression) compared with connector, clerical workers.
Asthenopia ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Eyeglasses ; Female* ; Glare ; Glass ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Semiconductors ; Silver* ; Tears ; Visual Acuity*

No abstract available.

To evaluate the efficacy of single stage repair of hypospadias, the results of 76 patients were compared to those of 45 patients who had staged repair during the period of the last 22 years. Cases of single stage repair were tremendously increased in recent years (13 patients before 1987, 63 patients after 1987). The success rate was much better than that of staged repair (single stage: 63.1 %, staged: 28.9 %). Among 45 patients who had staged repair. 17 patients (53.1 %) underwent multiple surgical corrections due to troublesome stricture, fistula and remnant chordee, and 9 patients (20 %) required additional meatal advancement due to coronal or subcoronal neomeatus. In conclusion, single stage hypospadias repair could be applicable in most cases of hypospadias and the results were superior to those of staged repair. The complications and morbidity were minimal.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Fistula ; Humans ; Hypospadias* ; Male

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effects of home-based exercise intensity on the aerobic capacity and 1 year re-hospitalization rate in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). METHODS: Forty seven patients with CHF (males 33, females 14, age 61.3±9.8 years) participated in this study. The patients were allocated randomly to 3 groups in accordance with home-based exercise intensity: no home based exercise (NHE, 40%, n=19), moderate intensity home-based exercise (MIHE, 43%, n=20), and high intensity home based exercise (HIHE, 17%, n=8). All patients completed the symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise (CPX) test safely at the cardiac rehabilitation hospital. RESULTS: The NHE group significantly showed lower peak VO2 and a higher VE/VCO2 slope than the MIHE (p < 0.05) and HIHE (p < 0.01) groups. On the other hand, the NHE group did not show significant differences in the other hemodynamic responses, such as heart rate (HR) max, HR reserve, maximal systolic blood pressure (SBP), and SBP reserve. Nine out of 19 NHE patients (47%) were re-hospitalized related to heart disease and two out of 20 MIHE (10%) patients were re-hospitalized, but nobody in the HIHE group were re-hospitalized within 1 year from the CPX test. CONCLUSION: In patients with CHF, home-based self-exercise is one of the important factors for reducing the re-hospitalization rate. In addition, improved aerobic capacity is strongly associated with a lower re-hospitalization rate. In particular, re-hospitalized CHF patients showed significant differences in respiratory parameters and hemodynamic parameters compared to the non-re-hospitalized patients.
Blood Pressure ; Female ; Hand ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Failure* ; Heart Rate ; Heart* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Rehabilitation ; Self Care

Six cases of nasal septum perforation were found among welders during periodic physical checkup in 1997. Considering the size, shape and margin, the perforations were assumed to have been occurred several years before of which the diameter were 8~15 mm. To investigate the cause of perforation, we reviewed the past history of preemployment, the results of annual working environment survey and the material safety data sheets of welding rods and steels with which they have dealt, and analyzed the concentration of several metals of welding fume and the concentration of blood and urinary chromium. In the result, we presupposed that the nasal septum perforations of welders were due to chronic exposure to low level hexavalent chromium and/or nickel, and report these cases with literatures review.
Chromium ; Material Safety Data Sheets ; Metals ; Nasal Septal Perforation* ; Nasal Septum* ; Nickel ; Steel ; Welding