OBJECTIVE: Rebamipide is a propionic acid derivative that has an action of the inhibition of superoxide production and removal of hydroxyl radical with the sperm incubation and cryopreservation. In the present study, to investigate whether rebamipide is useful to treat male infertility and sterility, the author observed the antioxidative effects in patient with male infertility and also examined its absorption and distribution in rat genital organ. METHODS: To measure the distribution of rebamipide in reproductive organ in the rat, carbon indicated rebamipide, 14C-OPC-12759, was orally administered to 10 Spraque-Dawley rats and its organ concentration in serum, liver, kidney, stomach, duodenum, colon, urinary bladder, seminal vesicle, epididymis and testicle were measured each time after 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 24 hours by using HPLC fluorescent method. The concentrations in semen were measured by HPLC fluorescent method in a sample of 50 infertile males who took 900 mg of rebamipide daily for 3 months. To measure the antioxidative effect and fertility rate for 3 months, each month before and after the treatment, sperm motility, vitality, the oxygen free radical formation, level of peroxidation, fetilizing capacity of semen sample which were obtained from infertile male patients by masturbation after at least 48 hours abstinence were analyzed by computer assisted semen analyzer, eosin-nigrosin stain, chemiluminescence, thiobarbituric acid method and hypo-osmotic swelling test. Simultaneously in a sample that wanted baby, both pregnancy and delivery were researched. RESULTS: The 14C-OPC-12759 concentration in the body of white rats was highest in gastrointestinal organ like stomach, smal intestine and duodenum and followed by genital organ like seminal vesicle, testis and epididymis. The rebamipide concentration in semen of infertile males was 220.77+/-327.84 ng/mL (SD) which showed a large deviation but it was higher than serum which was 126+/-76 ng/mL (SD). In the infertile males, after the treatment with rebamipide, the level of seminal reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation have significantly decreased in duration of the treatment (p<0.05) and sperm vitality and fertilizing capacity except sperm motility significantly improved on post treatment of 2~3 months (p<0.05). Out of the 41 cases who hoped for pregnancy, 15 cases (36.6%) became pregnant and 12 cases had childbrith, 2 cases had miscarriage and one case is ongoing. The side effect was observed in 1 case (2%) which experienced diarrhea but it was lost spontaneously. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude from this study that rebamipide showed relatively high tendancy of absorption and excretion in the genital organ. In infertile males who had elevated ROS in semen, by specifically inhibiting the cell damage from the antioxidation, a way to preserve sperm motility, vitality and fertilizing capacity was confirmed.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Absorption* ; Animals ; Birth Rate ; Carbon ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Colon ; Cryopreservation ; Diarrhea ; Diethylpropion ; Duodenum ; Epididymis ; Female ; Genitalia ; Hope ; Humans ; Hydroxyl Radical ; Infertility ; Infertility, Male ; Intestines ; Kidney ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Liver ; Luminescence ; Male ; Masturbation ; Oxygen ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Semen ; Seminal Vesicles ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; Stomach ; Superoxides ; Testis ; Urinary Bladder

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to determine the renal function by radioisotope renography and to compare the findings of radioisotope renography in the spinal cord injured patients to the clinical presentations and findings of other conventional urologic examinations. METHOD: Intravenous pyelogram(IVP), voiding cystourethrogram(VCUG) and urodynamic study were performed in twenty-five spinal cord injured patients along with serum BUN/Creatinine levels and 24 hour creatinine clearance tests. Technetium-99 m mercaptoacetyltriglycine was used for the radioisotope renography. RESULTS: One abnormal radioisotope renography finding was noted among 22 normal findings by IVP and VCUG studies, while no abnormal finding by IVP and VCUG studies was noted among the subjects with a normal radioisotope renography. Effective renal plasma flow(ERPF) was significantly lower in patients with lower creatinine clearance. ERPF, cortical retention and creatinine clearance values for hyperreflexic bladders were significantly different from areflexic bladders. ERPF was significantly higher in a clean intermittent catheterization group than in a percussion and Cred method group for the hyperreflexic bladders. CONCLUSION: The study proves that the radioisotope renography is a sensitive and valuable study to evaluate the renal dysfunction in the spinal cord injured patients.
Creatinine ; Humans ; Intermittent Urethral Catheterization ; Percussion ; Plasma ; Radioisotope Renography* ; Renal Plasma Flow, Effective ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Urinary Bladder ; Urodynamics

No abstract available.
Daegu* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Sex Ratio*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Biomarkers, Tumor* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

No Abstract Available.
Tinea Capitis* ; Trichophyton*

PURPOSE: Smooth muscle of the corpus cavernosum and elastic fiber of the tunica albuginea play an important role in erection and the maintenance of the erection. A morphometric analysis of smooth muscle of the corpus cavernosum and elastic fiber of the tunica albuginea was made on a .group of the rats to evaluate the effect of three major causes of impotence - neurogenic, vasculogenic, and endocrinologic - on the structure of corpus cavernosum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The male adult Sprague Dawley rats (weight 200 - 250 g) that were included in this study were divided into 4 groups: control group, sham operation (n= 10); group I, bilateral block of major pelvic plexus (n=20); group II, bilateral ligation of hypogastric artery (n=20); group III, bilateral orchiectomy (n=20). Biopsy specimens of the corpus cavernosum and the tunica albuginea were collected at postoperative 4th week. Using a computerized image analyzer (VIDAS, Kontron Electronics, Munich, Germany), morphometric analysis was performed on the immunohistochemical stained specimens using anti-smooth muscle actin to measure percentage of smooth muscle per standard square area and on the Verhoffer stained specimens to determine the number of elastic fiber of the tunica albuginea per high power field (x 400). RESULTS: The percentage of the intracavernosal smooth muscle was significantly decreased in group I (10,14+-1.22%), group II (10.55+-1.09%), and group III (10.60+-1.21%), in comparison with control group (18.44+1.30%) (p< 0.0001). The number of the intratunical elastic fiber was significantly decreased in group I (38.81+-4.07%), group II (39.11+-1.03%), and group III (37.27+-2.70%), in comparison with control group (79.66+-2.38%) (.p< 0.0001). In group I, II, and III, the reduction rates of elastic fiber were higher than those of smooth muscle, but with no correlation (r=0.03). CONCLUSION: We conclude from this study that the intracavernosal smooth muscle and the intratunical elastic fiber were quantitatively affected by all three factors including neurogenic, vasculogenic, and endocrinologic.
Actins ; Adult ; Animals ; Arteries ; Biopsy ; Elastic Tissue* ; Erectile Dysfunction* ; Humans ; Hypogastric Plexus ; Ligation ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Orchiectomy ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

To clarify the mechanism of the protective effect of hemodialysis on lipid peroxidation in RBC membrane structures, the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) which is the lipid peroxidation product, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were determined before and after hemodialysis in the RBCs from 20 patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD), and from 14 healthy subjects. Before dialysis, MDA levels in the RBCs from the patients with ESRD were higher than those from healthy controls. SOD and catalase activities in the RBCs were lower. After hemodialysis, MDA, SOD, and catalase in the RBCs from the patients with ESRD were normalized. These results indicate that hemodialysis treatment is helpful to protect the peroxidative darnage through normalizing the activities of antioxidant enzymes.
Catalase ; Dialysis ; Erythrocytes* ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Malondialdehyde* ; Membranes ; Renal Dialysis* ; Superoxide Dismutase

Contact urticaria refers to a wheal-and-flare response after cutaneous exposure to certain chemicals. If contact urticaria is accompanied by systemic symptoms, it is referred to as contact urticaria syndrome. Herein we report two cases of contact urticaria syndrome occur-ring in nurses due to occupational exposure to cefotiam.
Cefotiam ; Occupational Exposure ; Urticaria*

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to assess the clinical and radiological results of isolated acetabular revision and the differences in the results between monoblock and modular femoral stems. Materials and Methods: Between October 1991 and June 2002, 39 patients (39 hips) underwent isolated acetabular revisions with use of uncemented cups and bone grafts. The mean period of follow-up was 5 years 3 months (range, 2 years 1 month to 9 years 8 months). The mean age of the patients at the time of the surgery was 51 years old (range, 26 to 75 years old). The monoblock femoral stems were used in 19 hips and the modular femoral stems were used in 20 hips. The monoblock stems were retained without exchange provided that there was no gross scratch on the femoral head and the femoral stem was confirmed to be stable and fixed intraoperatively. In the modular stems, the femoral heads were always exchanged with new ones. Results: The mean Harris hip score improved from 57 to 87 points. Radiologically, all the stems retained at surgery remained well osseointegrated without osteolysis. Re-revisions of the acetabular components were performed in 5 hips using monoblock stems due to periacetabular osteolysis caused by excessive wear of polyethylene and subsequent loosening of the cups in 3 hips and mechanically unstable acetabular cups without osteolysis in 2 hips. The mean wear rate of polyethylene coupled with the monoblock stem was 0.27 mm/year which was greater than the 0.11 mm/year in the cases with modular stems. Conclusion: To prevent failure of acetabular cups that may occur later by excessive wear of polyethylene, we recommend revision of the well-fixed monoblock femoral stems even though there is no gross scratch on the femoral heads of the monoblock stems.
Acetabulum* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Osteolysis ; Polyethylene ; Transplants

We reviewed the post-reconstructive results and complications of arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconsbuction using the patellar bone-tendon-bone autograft in 91 patients who underwent the index surgery at least one year ago. The changes of Lysholm knee score, limitation of motion, instability of the reconstructed ACL, musc)e strength, presence of anterior knee pain and other complications were evaluated at final fol- low-up(mean, 2.6 year). The results were as follows. 1. The mean Lysholm knee score was 65.5+-15.5 preoperatively and improved to 88.5+-7.4 postoperatively(p<0.05), 2. Of all, nine(9.9%) complained anterior knee pain. 3. Three patients(3.3%) showed limited range of motion. 4. Five(3.5%) showed instability of reconstructed ACL during the followup. Two were caused by trauma. Ln other three, no definite causes were found. 5. In 23 patients, cybex isokinetic thigh muscle strength test was perfornied preoperatively and at post-up. One year. The strength of quadriceps of the operated side at the angular velocity of 60 degrees per second showed mean 41.7% deficit of the normal side at postoperative one year. 6. Other complications were one case of chronic click sound in motion, and one case of the fracture which occurred at the autograft donor site of the proximal tibia.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction* ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament* ; Autografts* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Muscle Strength ; Postoperative Complications ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Thigh ; Tibia ; Tissue Donors