Antioxidants oppose the toxic actions of lipid peroxides and oxygen radicals, and they limit the amount of lipid peroxides formed. Women with normal pregnancies have an increase in oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation when compared with nonpregnant women. The antioxidants also increase progressively with advancing gestation, and the antioxidants in the fetus also increase with advancing gestation, especially during late gestation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the diefference of antioxidant status in maternal and neonatal plasma according to the delivery type. So, we investigated the status of antioxidant in the maternal and neonatal plasma when compared normal vaginal delivery with Cesarian section without labor. This study was done under the hypothesis that labor pain is originated from the hypoxic state of myometrium during uterine contraction. The number of women who were studied was total 56, 24 women were delivered by normal vaginal delivery and 32 women were done by Cesarean section without labor. The blood was sampled during active labor and postpartum 24 hour in the case of normal vaginal delivery, the women who were done Cesarean section being sampled before operation and 24 hours after operation. The neonatal blood was sampled from cord, birth 1 day and 3 day. The antioxidant levels were measured by Total Antioxidant Status (Randox Laboratory Ltd., UK) kit. The results were as follows. 1. The mean maternal plasma antioxidant status was not significantly different according to delivery types and not significantly different when compared antepartum with postpartum (vaginal delivery; antepartum: 1.54+/-0.31 mM/L, postpartum: 1.58+/-0.32 mM/L, Cesarean section; antepartum: 1.55+/-0.29 mM/L, postpartum: 1.56+/-0.33 mM/L). 2. The neonatal antioxidant status was not significantly different between the neonates who were born by vaginal delivery and the neonates who were born by Cesarean section. The neonatal plasma antioxidant status was increased progressively after birth (cord: birth 1 day: birth 3 day=1.46+/-0.25 mM/L: 1.59+/-0.25 mM/L: 1.79+/-0.37 mM/L). Therefore, labor pain was not seems to be significantly affect the maternal and neonatal plasma antioxidant status. And the neonatal antioxidant status was increased for adaptation to the external environment after birth.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Labor Pain ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Lipid Peroxides ; Mice ; Myometrium ; Oxidative Stress ; Parturition ; Plasma* ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Toxic Actions ; Uterine Contraction

30 cases of methemoglobinemia who had been admitted in pediatric department of Busan National University Hospital from Jan. 1970 to Jun. 1976 were clinically studied, and the results were summerized as followings: 1. The incidence of methemoglobinemia was corresponding to 0.5% of all pediatric in patients, and 16.7% of all acute poisoning during same period. 2. The sex ratio of male to female was 2:1 and the peak age group was 1 to 3 years of age. 3. The prevalent incidence in a year was shown in August and in Summer season. 4. The most frequent causative substances of methemoglobinemia was D.D.S(26 cases) and then phenacetine( 2 cases). The motive of poisoning was mianly accidental causes(23 cases) 5. Clinical features of methemoglobinemia was relatively good and this patient was treated with methylene blue and ascorbic acid.
Ascorbic Acid ; Busan ; Child* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Methemoglobinemia* ; Methylene Blue ; Poisoning ; Seasons ; Sex Ratio

The cannabinoid (CB2) receptor type 2 has been proposed to prevent the degeneration of dopamine neurons in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated mice. However, the mechanisms underlying CB2 receptor-mediated neuroprotection in MPTP mice have not been elucidated. The mechanisms underlying CB2 receptor-mediated neuroprotection of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) were evaluated in the MPTP mouse model of Parkinson's disease (PD) by immunohistochemical staining (tyrosine hydroxylase, macrophage Ag complex-1, glial fibrillary acidic protein, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and CD3 and CD68), real-time PCR and a fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled albumin assay. Treatment with the selective CB2 receptor agonist JWH-133 (10 μg kg⁻¹, intraperitoneal (i.p.)) prevented MPTP-induced degeneration of dopamine neurons in the SN and of their fibers in the striatum. This JWH-133-mediated neuroprotection was associated with the suppression of blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage, astroglial MPO expression, infiltration of peripheral immune cells and production of inducible nitric oxide synthase, proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines by activated microglia. The effects of JWH-133 were mimicked by the non-selective cannabinoid receptor WIN55,212 (10 μg kg⁻¹, i.p.). The observed neuroprotection and inhibition of glial-mediated neurotoxic events were reversed upon treatment with the selective CB2 receptor antagonist AM630, confirming the involvement of the CB2 receptor. Our results suggest that targeting the cannabinoid system may be beneficial for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as PD, that are associated with glial activation, BBB disruption and peripheral immune cell infiltration.
1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine* ; Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Chemokines ; Cytokines ; Dopamine* ; Dopaminergic Neurons* ; Fluorescein ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Microglia ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neuroprotection ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; Parkinson Disease* ; Peroxidase ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2* ; Receptors, Cannabinoid ; Substantia Nigra

PURPOSE: Several risk factors for development of reexpansion pulmonary edema (REPE) after drainage of pneumothoraces have been reported, but the association between the method of thoracostomy and the development of REPE is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of REPE after treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax with trocar or hemostat assisted closed thoracostomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective, observational study including 173 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax who visited the emergency department from January 2007 to December 2008. In 2007, patients were treated with hemostat-assisted drainage, whereas patients in 2008 were treated with trocar-assisted drainage. The main outcome was the development of REPE, determined by computed tomography of the chest 8 hours after closed thoracostomy. Outcomes in both groups were compared using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Ninety-two patients were included, 48 (42 males) of which underwent hemostat-assisted drainage and 44 (41 males) underwent trocar-assisted drainage. The groups were similar in mean age (24+/-10 vs. 26+/-14 respectively). The frequencies of REPE after hemostat- and trocar-assisted drainage were 63% (30 patients) and 86% (38 patients) respectively (p=0.009). In multivariate analysis, trocar-assisted drainage was the major contributing factor for developing REPE (odds ratio=5.7, 95% confidence interval, 1.5-21). Age, gender, size of pneumothorax, symptom duration and laboratory results were similar between the groups. CONCLUSION: Closed thoracostomy using a trocar is associated with an increased risk of REPE compared with hemostat-assisted drainage in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax.
Adult ; Female ; Hemostatic Techniques ; Humans ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pneumothorax/*complications/*surgery ; Prospective Studies ; Pulmonary Edema/*diagnosis/etiology/*surgery ; Risk Factors ; Surgical Instruments ; Thoracostomy/*adverse effects/*methods ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

We developed an institutional protocol mandating emergency physicians to contact the interventional cardiologist directly in all cases of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and hypothesized that this would reduce door-to-balloontimes (DTBT). From January 2004 to July 2006, 208 patients with STEMI were treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 144 patients were treated before implementing the new protocol ("before") and 64 patients were treated after the implementation ("after"). The DTBT was significantly reduced from 148+/-101 min to 108+/-56 min (p<0.05). While only 25% of the "before'' patients received PCI within 90 min after arrival, 50% of the "after'' patients received PCI within 90 min (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between two groups in other outcomes (postprocedural TIMI flow, mortality, subsequent stroke, heart failure, shock, reinfarction, length of stay in intensive care unit, and the total hospital length of stay). In conclusion, mandating emergency physicians to directly notify interventional cardiologists of all STEMI patients reduces DTBT.
Aged ; *Angioplasty, Transluminal, Percutaneous Coronary ; Communication ; Electrocardiography ; Emergency Service, Hospital/*organization & administration ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/*therapy ; Patient Care Team/*organization & administration ; Physicians ; Time Factors