BACKGROUND: Routine renal function tests are not sensitive enough to detect early renal complication of diabetes. To detect the complication as soon as possible, we measured urine N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase(NAG) and evaluated in comparison with microalbumin and beta2-microglobulin(beta2-MG). METHODS: 87 patients with type II diabetes visited Catholic University Hospital of Taegu Hyosung during the period October 1995 to March 1996. We collected 24 hour urine samples and measured NAG, albumin excretion rate (AER), beta2-MG. urinalysis, BUN, creatinine(Cr) Cr clearance(CrCl), fasting and 2 hour postprandial blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 53+/-15 years old and their average disease duration was 5.8+/-5.0 years. Abnormal rates of each renal function tests were as follows : NAG/gCr 52.1%, AER 51.7%, CrCl 42.5%, BUN 18.4%, beta2-MG 13.8% and creatinine 6.9% in order. From 36 patients whose AER was within normal limit, 13 of them(36.1%) showed increased level of NAG/gCr. Of 38 patients with increased NAG/gCr results, the 31 patients (81.6%) recorded abnormal results of renal function tests. Among 87 patients studied 60 patients(68.5%) showed increased level of NAG/gCr or AER results. Compared with AER test alone. the combined tests with NAG/gCr increased 16.8% of detection rates of renal complication in type II diabetes. CONCLUSION: Urine NAG/gCr and AER tests were very useful for detecting the early renal complication of type n diabetes. As increase of NAG/gCr suggest the proximal tubule damage, it is necessary to have further evaluation about the proximal tubule damage of renal complication in type II diabetes.
Acetylglucosaminidase* ; Blood Glucose ; Creatinine ; Daegu ; Fasting ; Humans ; Urinalysis

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the Incentive Spirometry (IS) and Deep Breathing Exercises (DBE) to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications after abdominal surgery in patients over 60 years of age. METHODS: We prospectively randomized 90 patients into 1 of 3 groups: the control group (30 patients) received no respiratory treatment, the IS group (30 patients) was treated with incentive spirometry 4 times daily and DBE group (30 patients) carried out deep breathing exercises under supervision for 15 min 4 times daily. ABGA was taken at ward, PR (preop.room), RR (recovery room), POD1 day and POD2 day. Roentgenographic changes observed at 24 h. and 48 h. after surgery. Pulmonary complications were defined as the development of 3 or more of 6 new findings: cough, sputum, dyspnea, chest discomfort, temperature greater than 38oC, pulse rate more than 100 beats/min. RESULTS: PaO2 in the DBE group and IS group at PR were significantly increased than the values at ward, and the values of the PaO2 in the DBE group at RR and POD1 day, and those of IS group at PR and POD2 day were significant higher than those of the control group (p<0.05). The frequency of development of pulmonary complications (43.3% in the control group, 20% in the DBE group, 20% in the IS group) and roentgenographic changes were comparable in the 3 groups (26.7%, 16.7%, 20% respectively). The DBE group showed the different incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications between upper and lower abdominal surgery (upper: lower= 35.7: 6.3%). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that DBE and IS were effective in preventing postoperative pulmonary complications after abdominal surgery and lower abdominal surgery causes lesser postoperative pulmonary complications than upper abdominal surgery.
Breathing Exercises ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Motivation* ; Organization and Administration ; Prospective Studies ; Respiration* ; Spirometry* ; Sputum ; Thorax

No abstract available.
Femur* ; Phlebography* ; Prognosis*

Carcinoma of the breast can produce cutaneous metastases which sbow highly diversified clinical pictures. The cutaneous metastases produce four definite clinical types: inflammatory carcinoma, telangiectatic carcinoma, nodular carcinoma, and carcinoma, en cuirasse. We present a case of 78-year-old nulliparous woman who had several painful dark purplish colored zosteriform papulovesicular eruptions, suggestive of herpes zoster, on the right breast, right axilla, scapular area, and upper arm for three month. Two month later, well dermacated linearly arranged erysipeloid eruptions appeared around the previous skin lesions and the right chest wall. Histopathological findings showed metastatic ductal carcinoma with massive vascular permeation but the primary focus was undetermined.
Female ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis

BACKGROUND: Nasal polyps were developed from eosinophil infiltrations and activation by chronic inflammatory reactions. Eotaxin and RANTES have been postulated to be involved in the recruitment and activation of eosinophils to the inflamed tissues. The aim of this study is to estimate the mRNA expression of eotaxin and RNATES in the nasal polyps and it's effect on tissue eosinophils. METHODS: At first, we evaluated the linearity and precision of GeneAmp 5700R(PE Applied Biosystems, Foster, U.S.A) with M. tuberculosis DNA. We collected 17 allergic, 30 non-allergic nasal polyps and 15 normal inferior turbinates from the patients visiting Catholic University Hospital of Taegu Hyosung. We performed the quantitative polymerase chain reaction(PCR) for the eotaxin and RNATES, and the tissue immunohistochemical stain for the major basic protein. RESULTS: GeneAmp 5700R disclosed good linearity and precision. Compared with the normal inferior turbinates, eotaxin mRNA levels were increased in the allergic and non-allergic polyps, and showed significant correlation with eosinophils infiltration and activation. But the RANTES didn't revealed any significant differences among these groups, and no correlation with tissue eosinophils. The patients with allergic polyps showed increased eosinophils infiltration and activation in the tissue, while those with non allergic polyps disclosed increased eosinophils activation. CONCLUSIONS: Since eotaxin expression were increased in the tissue of the patients with nasal polyps and showed good correlation with eosinophils infiltration and activation in the tissue, it had been considered that eotaxin played an important role in the pathogenesis of allergic polyps and tissue eosinophilia.
Chemokine CCL5* ; Daegu ; DNA ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Nasal Polyps* ; Polyps ; RNA, Messenger* ; Tuberculosis ; Turbinates

No abstract available.
Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Vertebroplasty*

Perioperative surgical stress makes various metabolic and endocrinologic changes that may influence the postoperative outcome. These changes, so-called, "surgical stress responses" ar hyperglycemia, lipolysis, negative nitrogen balance due to proteolysis, and changes in the hormonal secretion, e.g. increased release of ACTH, prolactin, cortisol, catecholamine, and so on. To prevent these stress responses, many studies reported some kinds of effective methods. In these study we used general anesthesia combined with epidural blockade with local anesthetic(bupivacaine) and narcotic(fentanyl) mixture via epidural catheter for the total abdominal hysterectomy and the postoperative pain control(group II). We measured serum prolactin and cortisol concentrations by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay and glucose concentrations by routine glucose oxidase method and scored the degree of postoperative pain and compared the results with those of group I, given general anesthesia during surgery and nalbuphine intramuscular injection for postoperative pain control. The results were as follows. 1) Serum prolactin concentrations were increased during the operation in both groups. 2) Serum cortisol concentrations were increased during and after the operation in both groups but were normalized sooner in group II. 3) Serum glucose concentrations were increased during and after the operation but were normalized sooner in group IL 4) The three measurements showed significant differences between the two groups during and on the first postoperative day. 5) The pain scores were significantly lower in group II untill the third postoperative day. According to the results, we concluded that serum prolactin concentration could be as much valuable index to surgical stress response as serum cortisol concentration and that the method of epidural blockade combined with general anesthesia for the surgery and postoperative pain control via epidural route could prevent or alleviate the stress response more effectively.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Anesthesia, Epidural* ; Anesthesia, General* ; Blood Glucose* ; Catheters ; Fentanyl* ; Fluoroimmunoassay ; Glucose ; Glucose Oxidase ; Hydrocortisone* ; Hyperglycemia ; Hysterectomy ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Lipolysis ; Nalbuphine ; Nitrogen ; Pain, Postoperative ; Prolactin* ; Proteolysis

In a series of 20 young rats, three cortical lesions were made in each hemisphere. Two of these lesions were filled with avitene and gelfoam, while the third was left empty as a control. The animals were killed successively on weeks 1, 2, 4 and 8 after the operation. The results were as follows : 1) Although there was no difference in the type of tissue reactions, avitene was more rapid and profound than gelfoam in the process and degree of inflammatory reaction at the same periods. 2) Avitene biodegradaded more rapidly than gelfoam. 3) The extent of fibrosis and adhesion to the surrounding brain tissues were not grossly different between these two agents but more profound histopathologically in avitene at the same periods. With these results, we could conclude that the avitene was superior to the gelfoam as the hemostatic agent in neurosurgical area.
Animals ; Brain* ; Collagen ; Fibrosis ; Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable ; Rats

No abstract available.
HLA-DR Antigens*

Dental restorative materials must have the physical properties to withstand wear and corrosion. Base metal alloys possess better mechanical properties and lower price than the gold alloys. For these reason such alloys have largely replaced the precious metal alloys. One aspect to consider is the release of metal substances to oral environment. The release of elements from dental alloys is a continuing concern because the elements may have the potentially harmful biological effects on local tissue. The purpose of this study was to minimize metal release on the nonprecious metal surfaces by ion bea assisted deposition(IBAD) of titanium nitride (TiN). Ni-Cr-Be alloys with and without TiN coatings were secured in an wear test machine opposing ruby ball to determine their relative resistance to wear with 100m, 200m, 300m and 400m sliding distance. And the corrosion behavior of the Ni-Cr-Be alloys with and without TiN coating and 3 dental noble alloys have been studied. Potentiodynamic curves were used to analyse the corrosion characteristics of the alloys. The measurement of the released Ni and Ci ions was conducted by analysis of the electrolyte solution with atomic absorption spectroscopy. The results were as follows : 1. The critical sliding distance that wore down TiN coating of 2.5micrometer thickness in this study condition was 300m. 2. Ion beam assisted deposition of TiN showed a good surface modification with respect to the properties of wear and corrosion resistance. 3. X-ray diffraction showed that the strongest peak of TiN(111) in the coatings. 4. The release of Ni and Cr ions from alloys measured by means of atomic absorption spectroscopy was reduced by ion beam assisted deposition of TiN.
Absorption ; Alloys* ; Corrosion ; Dental Alloys ; Gold Alloys ; Ions ; Spectrum Analysis ; Tin* ; Titanium ; X-Ray Diffraction