The author investigated the zinc concentrations in sera of 110 methamphetaimine abusers (male 87, female 23) and of 41 healthy official workers(male 29, female 12) using inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer. The serum zinc concentrations were analysed according to hepatitis C virus antibody(Anti HCV), hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) value in both groups. The analytical results were obtained as follows; 1. The mean zinc concentration of MAP abuser group(298.5+/-246.9 microgram/100 microliter) was 2.5 times higher than that of control group(118.8+/-25.4 microgram/100 microliter). 2. The distribution of zinc concentration in both groups were skewed pattern. 3. The zinc concentration were higher in Anti HCV-positive group and abnormal ALT value group than Anti HCV-negative group and normal ALT value group. But HBs-Ag positive group had lower zinc concentration than HBs-Ag negative group. 4. The number of anti HCV-positive subjects was increased and the zinc concentration were decreased in proportion to the abusing duration of MAP.
Alanine Transaminase ; Female ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Humans ; Methamphetamine* ; Plasma ; Zinc*

We report a case of toxic shock syndrome in 17-year-old female patient with skin abscess. She had a skin abscess on left inner thigh about 6th days ago, but no treatment was done. And then she presented with the features of high fever, hypotension, generalized rash, myalgia and diarrhea. After the treatment with anti-shock measures, skin wound dressing and systemic antibiotics adminstration, she was completely recovered with generalized desquamation on 10th hospital day.
Abscess ; Adolescent ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bandages ; Diarrhea ; Exanthema ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Myalgia ; Shock, Septic* ; Skin ; Thigh ; Wounds and Injuries

No abstract available.
Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Cytogenetics* ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy

In the rat brain, global hypoxia cause a delayed neuronal degeneration that occurs hours to days after reoxygenation. It is generally thought that the ischemic damage is initiated by neurotoxicity mediated through glutamate receptors, particulary NMDA subtypes. Calcium entry through the NMDA receptor is responsible for the synaptic plasiticity and neuronal pathology. Degradation of MAP-2 and NF200, a major components of neuronal cytoskeleton, by Ca2+-dependent protease after NMDA receptor activation has been postulated in delayed neuronal damage. Changes of NR subunit 2B, MAP2 and NF200 in rat brain postsynaptic density[PSD] after hypoxic injury were investigated through immunoblot analyses. To understand the effect of Ca2+ influx through NMDA receptors on neuronal damage which is manifested by cytoskeletal disruption, morphological change was examined through immunohistochemistry and H & E staining. We found that immunoreactivity to NR2B antibody in the cerebral cortex PSD was up-regulated while MAP2 and NF200 was down-regulated at 30 hours after initial hypoxic insult. At this time, morphological changes of neuronal cells in hypoxic conditions were manifested as down-regulation of MAP2 and NF200 immunoreactivities, hyperchromatic condensation of cytoplasm and nucleus, homogenizing cell change, expansion of perineuronal space and dispersion of chromatin. From 3 days, NR2B, MAP2, NF200 were up-regulated simultaneously. On the other hand, morphological alterations in hypoxic neurons were progress further. Our present results suggests that Calcium influx through NR1/NR2B receptor channel is effective whithin 30 hours but ineffective from 30 hours. Delayed neuronal cell death triggered by Ca2+ influx through NR1/NR2B receptor channel within 30 hours, which may activate intracellular profeases. Proteolysis of cytoskeleton by activated protease leads to its abnormal reorganization and eventually damages normal function of cell membrane which causes neuronal cell death.
Animals ; Anoxia ; Brain ; Calcium ; Cell Death ; Cell Membrane ; Cerebral Cortex* ; Chromatin ; Cytoplasm ; Cytoskeleton* ; Down-Regulation ; Hand ; Immunohistochemistry ; N-Methylaspartate* ; Neurons ; Pathology ; Proteolysis ; Rats* ; Receptors, Glutamate ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; Up-Regulation*

Transient cerebral ischemia was induced by bilateral common carotid artery ligation with reperfusion to understand its effect on the expression of NMDA receptor subunits 2A (NR2A), 2B (NR2B), and NF200 The changes of the expressions of NR2A, NR2B, and NF200 in cerebral postsynaptic density (PSD) were evaluated through immunoblot analyses. The expressions of NR2A and NF200 were markedly decreased until 18 hours after reperfusion, while that of NR2B was increased. The immunohistochemistry with NFIGO antibody showed that NF200 protein, which is a marker for neuronal damage, was also significantly decreased at this time point indicating neuronal damages, and the morphological damages of neuronal cells were evident by hyperchromatic condensation of nucleus, irregular cell membrane, displacement of nucleus, and chromatolysis of Nissl substances in toluidine blue stain. However, from 18 hours to 3 day after reperfusion, immunoblot analyses showed that NF200 was increased significantly, while the expression of NR2A were recovered to the control level and that of NR2B was returned to somewhat higher level than control. The NR1/NR2B-type receptor is known to have a longer offset decay time than NR1/NR2A-type ones, and to be more potent in Ca2 influxing. Therefore, our results suggest that, until 18 hours, neurons are damaged by overinflux of Ca2 through NR1/NR2B receptors which helps to degrade NF200 by Ca2 sensitive professes resulting in damages to intracellular transport. The fact that the expression of NF200 was increased even though the NR2A and NR2B are control level during 18 hours to 3 days after damage suggests that NMDA receptor subunits expressed at this time may not form functional receptors. The worsening of some neuronal damages after 3 days may indicate that an abnormal reorganization of elevated NF200 between 18 hours to 3 days further disturb intracellular transport and functions of cell membrane which cause cell death.
Animals ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Cell Death ; Cell Membrane ; Cerebral Cortex* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ischemic Attack, Transient* ; Ligation ; N-Methylaspartate* ; Neurons ; Post-Synaptic Density ; Rats* ; Reperfusion ; Tolonium Chloride

In the rat brain, partial ischemia causes a delayed neuronal degeneration that occurs hours to days after reoxygenation. It is generally thought that the ischemic damage is initiated by neurotoxicity mediated through glutamate receptors, particulaly NMDA subtypes. Calcium entry through the NMDA receptor is responsible for the synaptic plasiticity and neuronal pathology. Degradation of MAP-2 and NF200, a major components of neuronal cytoskeleton, by Ca2+-dependent protease after NMDA receptor activation has been postulated in delayed neuronal damage. Calcium-activated protease calpain, excessive degradation of MAP-2, together with the calpain-sensitive microtubule and neurofilaments, would be expected to disrupt intracellular transport- and membrane-related functions that is vital to neurons. Changed of NR subunit 2A, 2B, MAP2 and NF200 in rat hippncampal postsynaptic density[PSD] after partial ischemic injury were investigated though immunoblot analyses. To understand the effect of Ca2+, influx through NMDA receptors on neuronal damage which is manifested by cytoskeletal disruption, morphological change was examined through immunohistochemistry and routine staining method. We found that immunoreactivity to NR2B receptor subuit in the hippocampal formation PSD was upregulated while MAP2 and NF200 was down-regulted at 18 hours after initial partial ischemic insult. On the other hand, morphological changes of neuronal cell in partial ischemic conditions were manifested as eosinophilic inclusion bodies in the cytoplasm which is progression of neuronal damage after 6 days. Calcium influx through NR1/NR2B receptor channel may activate intracellular proteases which would degrade cytoskeleton. Proteolysis of cytoskeleton leads to its reorganization and eventually damages normal function of cell membrane which cause neuronal cell death.
Animals ; Brain ; Calcium ; Calpain ; Cell Death ; Cell Membrane ; Cytoplasm ; Cytoskeleton ; Eosinophils ; Hand ; Hippocampus* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inclusion Bodies ; Ischemia ; Microtubules ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neurons ; Pathology ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Proteolysis* ; Rats* ; Receptors, Glutamate ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate

We report a case of dilated pare of Winer occuring in a 33-year-oid female patient. Dilated pore belongs to adenoma or organoid group of benign hair differentiation tumors. The patient has had a giant comedone on the right submandibular area for 1 month. Histopathologic features revealed rnarkedly dilated pilar infundibulum lined by epidermis that is atrophic near the ostium but hypertrophic deeper in the cystic cavity. Three months after excisional biopsy, there was no recurrence.
Adenoma ; Biopsy ; Epidermis ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Organoids ; Recurrence

We Reviewed 10 hypertensive children with pheochromocytoma retrospectively and the following results were obtained. 1) Out of 10 patients, 7 were male and 3 female. Age ranged from 5.5 years to 13.8 years and their median age was 9.9 years. 2) They complained of sweating, lethargy, headache. or chest pain and so on. Hypertension were noticed in all patients. Heart murmurs were detected in 7 patients and hypertensive retinopathy in 70%. 3) The three cases arised at extraadrenal gland and bilaterality was seen in 3 patients. In the view of diagnosis, abdominal sonography, computerized tomography and urine VMA test revealed the sensitivity of 100%. But MIBG scan showed 60% in sensitivity. 4) Waiting for operation, their hypertension were controlled by adrenergic blockers or calcium channel blockers. They received tumorectomy successfully except one who was in hypertensive state after operation and followed up through OPD. In conclusion high suspicion for the existence of pheochromocytoma from the clinical manifestations should be entertained in any pediatric patients and biochemical and imaging studies were mandatory. Furthermore, for the accurate localization of tumors, several imaging studies should be collaborated.
3-Iodobenzylguanidine ; Adrenergic Antagonists ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; Chest Pain ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Headache ; Heart Murmurs ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertensive Retinopathy ; Lethargy ; Male ; Pheochromocytoma* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sweat ; Sweating

Monitoring fetal movement serves as an indirect rneasure of fetal well-being, especially for central nervous system integrity and function. Methods to monitor fetal movement vary from the simple approach of having the mother chart perceived movement to highly specialized methods. However there were no reliable objective monitoring methods in Korea. For development of objective method for evaluating fetal movement, during pregnancy, one-hundred and two pregnant patients were entered to this study. All patients were divided into following 3 groups and each type of monitoring methods were applied. Group 1(N=20): Type I using portable FHR Doppler unit(IFD-100 model, Intermed, Korea). Group 2(N=20): Type II using FHR Microphone(Prenatal Listening Kit, Model FS002, Unisar Inc., US). Group 3(N=62): Type III using conventional ultrasound transducer(Corometric 115 Model, US). In this study, accurate counting of the fetal movementutus were best performed using Type III, because of monitoring fetal movements has its greatest efficiency when using conventional ultrasound transducer of fetal monitor. It was also attractive to doctors and nurses as a convenient methods because it needed only single transducer when compared to Type I and II. Although monitoring fetal body movement permits a general assessment of well-being, no perfect technique is still reliable. Futher techniques would be developed using the results of this study for improvement of several factors such as accuracy and objectiveness
Central Nervous System ; Fetal Monitoring ; Fetal Movement* ; Humans ; Korea ; Mothers ; Pregnancy* ; Transducers ; Ultrasonography

This review-article is aimed at shedding a light upon the nature of age-associated changes in the human skeletal system. When the anatomical, physiological and biochemical consequences of bone aging are considered together with the hardening, drying and the diminished repair capabilities of the elderly, it can be seen that fractures assume greater importance as a clinical problem in the geriatric population. Older people start out with a deficit of cortical bone, making them more fracture prone and once fractures occur, the necessary treatments (immobilization, use of casts, etc.) accelerate the rate of bone loss. In addition, aged individuals stand a higher risk for complications of the hospital and enforced bed rest that may ensue. The problems resulting from bone loss in the elderly may be partially alleviated by providing adequate health service support which should include consideration of the following points : 1. Age, sex and general health status ; 2. Habits and inclinations towards physical activities ; 3. Nutritional and endocrine background ; 4. Presence of any specific bone diseases, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, osteomalacia and ankylosis ; 5. Psychosocial adaptability and other behavioral elements.
Aged ; Aging ; Ankylosis ; Bed Rest ; Biology* ; Bone Diseases ; Health Services ; Humans* ; Motor Activity ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteomalacia ; Osteoporosis