Habitual snoring is common among males, especially among those who are overweight, and gets worse with the age. Snoring Is related to physical obstruction of breathing during sleep. This obstruction occurs when the palatal muscles, uvula muscles, and sometimes tonsiles relax during deep sleep and acts as vibrators. We have treated, with laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty(LAUP), twenty patients who suffer from snoring. CO2 laser was used and approximately I5-30 minutes of operation time was required. There were no singnificant complications, such as bleeding and asphyxia, in the 20 patients treated with LAUP. Results observed in the short term showed that 90% of the patients treated with LAUP considered thems to be essentially improved. Two patients developed scars at the posterior pillars. LAUP is a relatively simple and safe method which is performed at the hospital on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia.
Anesthesia, Local ; Asphyxia ; Cicatrix ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lasers, Gas ; Male ; Muscles ; Outpatients ; Overweight ; Palatal Muscles ; Palatine Tonsil ; Respiration ; Snoring* ; Uvula

The Purpose of this study was to obtain the basic data to identify effective nursing methods for intravenous therapy patients by means of investigating the incidence of phlebitis and identifying the risk factors for intravenous-related phlebitis which cared by the IV team nurses. The data collected from August, 30, 1995 to October, 2, 1995. The subjects of this study were 495 IV catheters of 270 patients hospitalized to the 3 internal medicine and the 3 surgical wards of large general hospital who received the continuous IV therapy. In order to investigate the incidence of phlebitis, investigator developed the criteria for judging phlebitis and assessment records concerning the phlebitis. Catheter sites was inspected on a daily basis by IV team nurses, and development of phlebitis was graded and documented. The data were analyzed using the PC-SAS program : Percentages and Chi-Square test were used. The results were summarized as follows ; 1. Over-all rate of incidence of intravenous-related phlebitis was 8.7%(Grade III 8.5%, Grade IV 0.2%). 2. There was significant difference in the incidence of phlebitis by sex. It was 12.00% in female as compared to 6.44% in male. 3. There was no significant difference in the incidence of phlebitis by age. 4. There was significant difference in the incidence of phlebitis according to duration of catheter placement. The incidence of phlebitis was the highest within 24 hour after insertion. 5. There was significant difference in the incidence of phlebitis according to the location of the insertion site. Lower extremities were 22.22% as compared to 8.18% in upper extremities. But, there was no difference in the incidence of phlebitis according to the location of the insertion site among upper extremities catheters. 6. There was significant difference in the incidence of phlebitis by the size of cannula 22G was 11.08% as compared to 4.14% in 18G. 7. There was no significant difference in the incidence of phlebitis between surgical and medical wards. It was 10.96% in surgical wards as compared to 6.88% in medical wards. In conclusion, the following risk factors can be attributed to the incidence of phlebitis : sex, the duration of catheter placement, the location of the insertion site and the size of cannula inserted. Consequently, in order to prevent and detect the intravenous-related phlebitis early, a consistent, organized assessment and evaluation of the above factors during the intravenous therapy.
Catheters ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Incidence ; Internal Medicine ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Nursing ; Phlebitis ; Research Personnel ; Risk Factors ; Upper Extremity

The paraoxonase (E. C. 3.1.1.2.) is a major enzyme to detoxicate the organophosphorus and carbamate which are the most widely used as the agricultural spraying insecticides. To investigate the distributions of plasma paraoxonase activity and the fators affecting the enzyme activity, the plasmas of 945 Korean rural population were analyzed with the modified Krisch's direct sphectro;hotometry method. Three indices of the enzyme activity-basal activity, stimulated activity (by NaCl), % stimulation -were obtained from the analysis. Three indicies suggested unimodal distributions, so we couldn't identify the low activity group; risk group to organophosphorus & carbamate insecticides poisoning. There is no significant relation between 3 activity and the stimulated activity have significant relationship and high coefficient of determination with the activities of their parents (r2=0.30, 0.24; p<0.05), but the % stimulation does not (r2=0.02; p<0.05). These results suggest that the activity of paraoxonase is determined mainly by the genetic factor.
Aryldialkylphosphatase* ; Humans ; Insecticides ; Parents ; Plasma ; Poisoning ; Rural Population

In order to understand the pathogenesis and progression of some synaptic loss related neuropsychiatric diseases. We attempted to develop a computer model in this study. We made a simple autoassociative memory network remembering numbers, transformed it into a disease model by pruning synapses, and measured its memory performance as a function of synaptic deletion. Decline in performance was measured as amount of synaptic loss increases and its mode of declines is sudden or gradual according to the mode of synaptic pruning. The developed computer model demonstrated how synaptic loss could cause memory impairment through a series of computer simulations, and suggested a new way of research in neuropsychiatry.
Computer Simulation* ; Dementia ; Memory ; Neuropsychiatry ; Schizophrenia ; Synapses

We have reviewed 22 cases of acute rupture of the achilles tenden seen at Naticnal Seoul Ho pital during a seven-year peiod (1974.1 to 1980. 12), 17 treated surgically, and 5 treared cons ervatively, The results of a follow-up review are as follows: 1. Males predominated by a ratio of 21: 1. The mean age for the 22 patients was 29.8 years. Fourteen cases (63.6%.) were in the third decade. 2. The sites of rupture were 13 cases(58.4%.) on the left side and the level of rupture was at the tendon itself on 15 Cases (68.2%). 3. The cause of injury was indirect trauma in 14 cases (63.6%) and the most ccmmon mechanim of injury was a sudden push-off of the foot from the plantar flexed position: seven (50%) of 14 cases. 4. Positive Thompson test was noted in 19(86.3%) of 22 cases. 5. The average period of cast immobilization was 6 weeks in surgically treated cases and 10 weeks in conservatively treated cases. 6. The most common complication was wound infection, which developed in three cases(17.6%) postoperatively. One case of re-rupture (20%) developed after conservative treatment.
Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Male ; Rupture ; Seoul ; Tendons ; Wound Infection

No abstract available.
Animals ; Rats* ; Regeneration*

No abstract available.
Pregnancy* ; Rheology* ; Uterine Artery*

Angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE) is a ipeptidyl carboxypeptidase that is a membrane bound mainly on the luminal surface of pulmonary endothelial capillary cells. It functions to inactivate bradykinin, and also converts angiotensin 1 to angiotensin Activity of ACE was first identified in plasma by Skeggs and co-workers in ]956 In 1974 Lieberman discovered that elevated levels of serum ACE were associated with active sarcoidosis and that this assay would be usei to assist a diagnosis of sarcoidosis. The association of sarcoidosis and enhanced ACE activity was subsequently supported by data from other investigators. Increased serum ACE levels have also been observed in patients with nongranulomatous diseases and granulomatous diseases including leprosy. The author studied the serum ACE levels in leprosy patients(fourty-three with tuberculoid type and eighty-nine with lepromatous type) and twenty normal healthy controls by the spectrophotometric method described by Lieberman. Comparative studies of ACE levels in these two types of leprosy with normal healthy controls and relationship among the duration of treatment, age, and sex were also conducted. The results were summarized as follows: Ages of the selected patients were between 3Q to 77 years in tuberculoid leprosy (average 54 1), 23 to 75 years in lepromatous leprosy(average 53. 8) and 14 to 49 years in the control group(average 28 4) The duration of treatment in tuberculoid leprosy was between 1 and 39 years and average was 2p 7 years. Of lepromatous leprosy, duration of treatment was between 2 and 50 years and the average was 25. 4 years.
Angiotensins* ; Bradykinin ; Capillaries ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Leprosy* ; Leprosy, Lepromatous ; Leprosy, Tuberculoid ; Membranes ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A* ; Phenobarbital ; Plasma ; Research Personnel ; Sarcoidosis

A case of 49 year-old male with dermatomyositis associated with stomach cancer and Sjogren's syndrome is reported. The skin changes were characterized by the presence of Gottron's sign and dusky erythematous and finely scaling macular eruptions with telangiectasias on the scalp, forehead, butterfly area of the face, both elbows and knees. Dryness of eyes and mouth, nuchaI rigidity, numbness on extremities and epigastric hunger pain were also noted. The family history and past history were not contributory. After that weakness on proximal muscles, nuchal rigidity, dysphagia and walking difficulty were more aggravated. On dental and ophthalmologic examinations, shiny appearance of tongue and oral mucosa, burning and dry sensation in the mouth was noted and diminished tear and saliva production was also discovered. On laboratory findings, ESR, serum enzymes, especially CPK 3 and LDH, urinary creatine excretion were increased. LE cell was not found and RA test was also negative. Electromyographic and nerve conduction studies revealed myopathic EMG and normal nerve conduetion in both motor and sensory. There are gastric ulcer, positive vallecular sign on esophagus and thread like narrowing on almost all main and minor ducts of parotid gland. Histologic findings revealed ulcerative adenocarcinoma of stomach, a mild focal infiltration of lymphocytes and degenerative changes in left deltoid muscle and diffuse and extensive dermal edema associated with inflammatory infiltrates and hydropic degeneration and atrophy on the facial skin. He was treated with prednisolone, aspirin and intravenous methotraxate but no favorable effect was noted. Authors reviewed relevant literature.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aspirin ; Atrophy ; Burns ; Butterflies ; Creatine ; Deglutition Disorders ; Deltoid Muscle ; Dermatomyositis* ; Edema ; Elbow ; Esophagus ; Extremities ; Forehead ; Humans ; Hunger ; Hypesthesia ; Knee ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth ; Mouth Mucosa ; Muscle Rigidity ; Muscles ; Neural Conduction ; Neutrophils ; Parotid Gland ; Prednisolone ; Saliva ; Scalp ; Sensation ; Sjogren's Syndrome* ; Skin ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach Ulcer ; Stomach* ; Tears ; Telangiectasis ; Tongue ; Ulcer ; Walking

BACKGROUND: Epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) have been reported to be absent in melanomas. But recently, the presence of EGFR on melanocytic cells was reported to be a marker of malignant transformation. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the presence of EGFF in melanocytic lesions and to determine whether EGFR presence correlates with the potential or malignant transformation of melanocytic cells. METHODS: We performed the immunohistochemical studies to reveal immunoreactivity of EGFR in 7 compound nevi, 10 intradermal nevi, and four melanomas using the Vectastain ABC immunoperoxidase stain system. RESULTS: Although the intensity of staining was slightly variable, all melanocytic cell types in the studied lesions of compound nevi, intradermal nevi, and melanoms had immunoreactive EGFR. Intense staining far EGFR of all nucleated layers of keratinocytes overlying a melanocytic lesion was also seen. But in the melanoma cells, the staining intensity was modarately deereased. CONCLUSION: Although we found no correlation of EGFR with the potential for malignancy in melanocytic lesions, the high level of expression within nevocytes and lesional keratinocytes suggests EGFR or transforming growth factor a, by acting through the EGFR, plays a role in the pathogenesis, maintenance, or evolution or these lesions.
Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Keratinocytes ; Melanoma ; Nevus ; Nevus, Intradermal ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Transforming Growth Factors