OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of different recording electrodes on motor nerve conduction latencies. METHOD: Median motor conduction study was performed in 10 healthy subjects. Motor conduction latency was determined by placing different recording electrodes (surface disc, monopolar needle and concentric needle) at the motor point of the left abductor pollicis brevis muscle, and reference electrodes on the proximal interphalangeal joint of the thumb. Motor nerve conduction recording was performed by using a surface disc, monopolar needle, and concentric needle. For the intramuscular recordings, needles were inserted both superficially and deep. The stimulus electrodes were secured 8 cm proximal to the recording electrodes, and the same intensity was applied throughout the tests. RESULTS: Deep intramuscular monopolar and concentric needle electrodes recorded the shorter latencies, 3.0+/-0.4 ms and 3.0+/-0.3 ms, respectively. Superficial concentric needle electrode recorded the longest latency of 3.4+/-0.3 ms. Motor nerve conduction latencies using a surface disc and superficial monopolar electrode were 3.2+/-0.3 ms and 3.2+/-0.3 ms, respectively. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the distal motor nerve conduction latency is variable depending on the type of recording electrodes.
Electrodes* ; Joints ; Needles ; Neural Conduction* ; Thumb

PURPOSE: Dopamine plays a critical role in promoting sexual drive and penile erection through dopamine receptors. This study was performed to investigate whether the cavernousal nerve controls the expression of peripheral dopamine D1 receptors in rat penile tissues after cavernousal nerve injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male rats (n=20) were divided into two groups: a control group consisting of sham-operated rats (n=10) and an experimental group consisting of rats that underwent incision of the bilateral cavernous nerve (n=10). Three months later, the intracavernous pressure response was monitored using an intracavernous papaverine injection of 300 microgram. The expression of dopamine D1 receptor mRNA were studied using an RT-PCR method, and dopamine D1 receptor protein expression by Western blot analysis and immuno-histochemical staining in each group. The expressed band density of the RT-PCR and Western blot were measured by a densitometer. RESULTS: Erectile functions, as studied by intracavernosal papaverine injection at three months, were similar in both groups. The dopamine D1 receptor mRNA and protein expressions were significantly lower in the neurotomy group. The immuno-histochemical staining also showed a reduction in the dopamine D1 receptor expression in the neurotomy group compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that dopamine D1 receptors in penile tissues were down-regulated following cavernousal nerve injury. These findings suggest that cavernousal nerve injury affects directly the reduction of dopamine D1 receptor expression, and that the action of dopamine on the cavernousal dopamine receptor will be affected in cavernousal nerve injured rats.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Dopamine* ; Down-Regulation* ; Humans ; Male ; Papaverine ; Penile Erection ; Penis ; Rats* ; Receptors, Dopamine ; Receptors, Dopamine D1* ; RNA, Messenger ; Wounds and Injuries

INTRODUCTION: In traditional society, the roles of housewives were to do housework, to look after her children and to give her family emotional stability. With rapid social and economic change, the traditional sense of value changes and the concepts of sexual roles, too. However, they are in a transition period yet. These discord and tension followed by role change appeared as the form of psychological instability or social pathological problem in modern family. Thus, this study aimed to avaluate the effect of employment on depression of housewives who play importent roles in family and their commumity. METHODS: From May to July 1996, the questonnaires were distributed to 179 housewives who have university education background(including community college), and have one or more children and live in Bundang-Ku of Sungnam city, making a distinction between working housewives and nonworking housewives. Regarding the subjects of this study, the non-working housewives are restricted to full-time housewives who have no job, and working housewives who have full-time job. As tools of measurement, we used BDI questionnaires consisted of 15 items in Korean. We performed statistical analysis among the data by means of SPSS/PC+. We analyzed statistical data for significance using one-way ANOVA and analyzed categorical data for significance using S-test. RESULTS: The average score on BDI for working housewives was 12.22(standard deviation 7.42) and this is rather higher than that of non-working housewives(10.80, standard deviation : 7.42). But the number of children increased, the BDI score were higher significantly in both groups. And the BDI score was high in working Housewives groups whose husbands had professional job or dommerce job, whose family system is a multi-generation family, and who feel a lot of fatigue after work. In case of non-working housewives, the BDI score was high with age(especially between 50-59), duration of marriage, lower income and Duvalls family life cycle 6, 7. CONCLUSIONS: There is no difference in depression tendency between working housewives and nonworking housewives. But in case of working housewives, some factors have influence on their depression tendency, the number of children, husbands job, family type, degree of fatigue after work. And in case of non-working housewives, the factors are the number of children, age, duration of marriage, income, family life cycle.
Child ; Depression* ; Education ; Employment ; Fatigue ; Gyeonggi-do ; Housekeeping ; Humans ; Marriage ; Seoul* ; Spouses ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: To compare abductor digiti minimi (ADM) recording with first dorsal interosseous (FDI) recording for the localization of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow. METHOD: The subjects were consisted of 28 patients of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow. The subjects were divided into 3 groups: focal demyelination; focal demyelination and axonal degeneration; axonal degeneration. Compound muscle action potentials were recorded from both ADM and FDI muscles and ulnar nerve was stimulated at the wrist, 2 cm distal and 8 cm proximal to the medial epicondyle. Focal demyelination were analyzed into conduction block and/or conduction slowing. RESULTS: Conduction block was observed in 13 out of 28 patients (46%) with FDI recording and 11 out of the 28 patients (39%) with ADM recording. Conduction block was found solely with FDI recording in 3 patients, whereas 1 patient showed conduction block with ADM recording only. Concomitant segmental motor conduction slowing was observed in 11 out of 13 patients with FDI recording and in 6 out of 11 patients with ADM recording. CONCLUSION: Measurements to the FDI had a higher yield of abnormality than the ADM. In some patients, only one recording muscle showed abnormal findings. Therefore, it may be useful to record from both muscles to localize ulnar neuropathy at the elbow.
Action Potentials ; Axons ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Elbow* ; Electromyography ; Humans ; Muscles ; Ulnar Nerve ; Ulnar Neuropathies* ; Wrist

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare endogenous plasma lithium concentrations among schizophrenic patients classified by DSM-IV subtype and control groups and to investigate the correlation of endogenous plasma lithium concentration and psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia. METHODS: Schizophrenic patients were selected among psychiatric inpatients without lithium medication and then classified by DSM-IV schizophrenia subtype. Schizophrenic patient groups were composed of 15 disorganized type, 15 paranoid type and 15 undifferentiated type schizophrenic patients. The control group was composed of 15 healthy subjects without any psychiatric disease. Endogenous plasma lithium concentrations were estimated by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer. The psychotic symptoms in schizophrenic patients were classified as positive symptoms, negative symptoms and disorganized symptoms according to andreasen classification1 about SANS and SAPS items. Endogenous plasma lithium concentration among three subtypes of schizophrenia and control group was compared, and correlation between endogenous plasma lithium concentrations and psychotic symptoms was examined. RESULTS: 1) Schizoprenic patients showed higher endogenous plasma lithium concentration than control groups (p=0.033). Endogenous plasma lithium concentrations were significantly different among three subtypes of schizophrenia (p=0.001). Compared with the control group, disorganized type showed higher endogenous plasma lithium concentration, but paranoid type and undifferentiated type were not significantly different. 2) Disorganized symptoms correlated with endogenous plasma lithium concentration (r=0.416, p=0.004), but negative symptom and positive symptom did not significantly correlate with endogenous plasma lithium concentration (r=0.202, p=0.184. r=-0.216, p=0.155). CONCLUSION: These results suggested that schizophrenic patients with disorganized symptom show the differences in utilization or distribution of endogenous lithium.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Lithium* ; Plasma* ; Schizophrenia*

Nocardiosis is a rare infection seen most commonly in immunocompromized patients. Most patients have pulmonary involvement, but some develop disseminated infection. A 52-year-old man, treated with immunosuppressive drugs for 3 months after kidney transplantation, developed pulmonary nocardiosis and disseminated infection involving brain, skin, and both uvea. The diagnosis was made by open lung biopsy specimens showing characteristic weak acid fastness with modified Ziel-Neelsen stainig and histologic examination. Immunosuppressive therapy was continued and combination of surgical drainage of brain abscess and chemotherapy with Minocycline were successful. With the increasing number of allograft recipients and concomitant immunosuppression, the possibility of an increase in Nocardia opportunistic infections exists.
Allografts ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Brain Abscess ; Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Minocycline ; Nocardia ; Nocardia Infections* ; Opportunistic Infections ; Skin ; Transplantation* ; Uvea

BACKGROUND: We performed a prospective, randomized, controlled trial to compare the quality, hemodynamic response, and recovery index of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion after either propofol alone or co-administration of alfentanil-propofol anesthesia. METHODS: Sixty patients (ASA 1 or 2, 17-63 years) were randomly allocated to control and experimental group. Control group(Group I) was received placebo (saline), experimental groups were received alfentanil 10microgram/kg (Group II), 20microgram/kg (Group III), 30microgram/kg (Group IV). RESULTS: Loss of consciousness and LMA insertion were more rapid in patients with alfentanil 30 microgram/kg group than control group (P<0.05). In alfentanil 20microgram/kg group, loss of consciousness was more rapid than control group. Also, there were significant differences in propofol induction dose, effect site concentration on induction, and propofol maintenance dose between control and experimental group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that co-adminstration of alfentanil-propofol, especially 30microgram/kg group, compares favorably with propofol alone, although LMA removal time is prolonged.
Alfentanil ; Anesthesia ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Laryngeal Masks* ; Propofol* ; Prospective Studies ; Unconsciousness

Osteonecrosis of the humeral head is an uncommon and slow progressive condition. This condition is difficult to be recognized because its initial symptoms are nonspecific. Simple radiography is the standard tool to stage disease progression. However, plain radiographic findings of osteonecrosis are nearly normal in the initial stage. We report a case of 74 years old female patient who have suffered from painful limitation of the shoulder joint. She had no trauma history and no specific predisposing factors for osteonecrosis of the humeral head. To confirm, follow up radiography and shoulder magnetic resonance imaging were performed.
Causality ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Humeral Head* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Osteonecrosis* ; Radiography ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Joint

PURPOSE: The distal clavicle has a biomechanical structure different from that of the proximal or middle 1/3 clavicle, and delayed union or nonunion occurs frequently in a distal clavicle fracture. The authors obtained favorable results from an open reduction and bone grafting of the distal clavicle nonunion. We report the results together with review of the relevant literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were 8 patients (average age, 38.9) who had undergone surgery for distal clavicle nonunion from August 2003 to May 2006. Nonunion occurred after surgical treatment in 4 cases, and after conservative treatment in the other 4. In all cases, the patients complained of pain. RESULTS: The mean follow-up duration was 14 months, and radiological union was observed in 8 weeks on average. In all cases, the range of shoulder joint motion was normal at the end of the follow-up observation. In the functional evaluation, 7 cases showed excellent results and 1 case showed good results. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment is a safe and reliable treatment for distal clavicle fracture nonunion because it can achieve early rehabilitation and union.
Bone Transplantation ; Clavicle* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Rehabilitation ; Shoulder Joint

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of tramadol for the reduction of pain in panretinal photocoagulation (PRP). METHODS: A double-masked randomized controlled study was performed. Fifty-eight eyes in 29 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy were enrolled. The eyes of the patients were randomized into two groups. Group A received an empty capsule. Group B received an oral intake of 100 mg tramadol. The capsule used in Group A had the same appearance as that used in Group B. Pain during PRP was assessed using a visual analog scale. Vital signs, including blood pressure and heart rate, were measured. RESULTS: The mean pain scores for groups A and B were 4.80+/-2.10 and 3.83+/-1.82 (p=0.09). There were no significant differences in the mean pain scores between the two groups. More patients in group A complained of greater pain than moderate intensity (visual analogue scale=4). Systemic blood pressure increased significantly in group A after laser treatment. However, there were no significant differences in the diastolic blood pressure changes between the two groups. We found no statistical correlation in the heart rate changes. CONCLUSIONS: We failed to prove that tramadol is effective for pain relief because of the small sample size. However, tramadol was effective for the relief of more severe pain. It was also found to stabilize vital sign changes, such as systolic blood pressure during PRP.
Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Aged ; Analgesia/*methods ; Analgesics, Opioid/*administration & dosage ; Case-Control Studies ; Diabetic Retinopathy/*surgery ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Double-Blind Method ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laser Coagulation/*methods ; Middle Aged ; Pain/*drug therapy/physiopathology ; Pain Measurement ; Prospective Studies ; Tramadol/*administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome ; Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative/*surgery