No abstract available.
Thoracic Nerves*

No abstract available.
Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory* ; Spinal Stenosis* ; Spine*

No abstract available.
H-Reflex*

No abstract available.
Spinal Stenosis*

OBJECTIVE: This study was done to evaluate the risk factors and prevalence of symptom-giving pelvic girdle relaxation in pregnant women. METHODS: Three hundreds thirty-two postpartum women were asked to fill out a questionnaire within one week after their parturition. The diagnostic criteria of this lesion were adopted from the Norwegian Medical Association's and Larsen's criteria. The questionnaire were included age, parity, BMI(kg/cm2), weight gain during the pregnancy, history of symptom giving pelvic girdle relaxation in previous pregnancy, level of exercise and vocational status during and before the pregnancy and baby's birth weight. The answers were evaluated to determine the risk factors. The correlation was tested by student t-test and logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of symptom-giving pelvic girdle relaxation during pregnancy was 18.9%. The history of symptom-giving pelvic girdle relaxation in previous pregnancy, multiparity and the absence of regular exercise before and during pregnancy showed correlation with symptom-giving pelvic girdle relaxation in pregnancy (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: It is suggested that women who experienced symptom-giving pelvic girdle relaxation in previous pregnancy should be checked for this lesion before pregnancy. Regular exercise is required to lower the incidence and lessen the severity of this lesion in pregnancy.
Birth Weight ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Logistic Models ; Parity ; Parturition ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence* ; Surveys and Questionnaire ; Relaxation* ; Risk Factors* ; Weight Gain

The anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) is one of the major stabilizers of knee motion. The ACL does not heal once torn, unlike many other biological tissues. Its absence can lead to severe joint instability which can lead to disruptions of secondary restraints around the knee and then progress to degenerative joint disease. Thus many authors advocate surgical intervention for a torn ACL in order to restore stability to the joint. Yet, there is still controversy as to best treatment for the ACL injuries. It is desirable to be considered for the patients age, the severity of the injury, and the future activity level of the patient to decide treatment. We analyzed thirty ACL acute injuries of twenty seven patients who had an ACL injury and treated surgically between Apr. 1986 and Dec. 1991 at St. Pauls Hospital. The results were as follows: 1. There were twenty five males and two females. The mean age was 33.4 years ranged, 15 to 52 years. 2. The anterior cruciate ligaments were torn at proximal portion in twenty two cases, at midportion and distal portion in four, respectively. 3. Two knees had isolated ACL injuries and twenty eight had combined injuries. 4. Twenty one out of twenty six cases treated with primary repair, and three out of four cases treated with reconstruction had good-excellent results.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Diseases ; Joint Instability ; Joints ; Knee ; Male

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a skeletal condition that is characterized by reduction in bone volume and an increased vulnerability to fracture, practically of the proximal femur and vertebrae. But the etiology of osteoporosis in most men without history of alcohol abuse, or glucocorticoid excess is unknown. Several studies revealed that bone density in aged men was associated with serum sex steroids or sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). METHODS: We have analyzed bone density and sex steroids, and SHBG of healthy 100 middle aged men who visited one university hospital located in Taejon city from Jan. 1997 to Nov. 1997. Aim of this study was to determine whether bone density in middle aged men was associated with serum sex steroids or SHBG. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Body mass index was significantly associated with serum FEI. BMI also associated negatively with SHBG. Bone density at lumbar spine was significantly positively associated with FEI (Free Estradiol Index) (r=0.359, P<0.001). SHBG was negatively associated (r=-0.273, P<0.01) with lumbar bone mineral density. After controlling for age, FEI and SHBG were still associated with BMD of lumbar spine. Because of these associations, multiple stepwise regression models were constructed, and accounted for 12-17% of the variability in bone density. Also, these results showed consistent, significant positive associations between bone density and FEI, BMI in middle aged men. Therefore, our data suggest that FEI and BMI may play an important role in the maintenance of the male skeleton.
Alcoholism ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density* ; Daejeon ; Estradiol ; Femur ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged* ; Osteoporosis ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin ; Skeleton ; Spine ; Steroids*

Leukotrienes (LTs) are known to act as a mediator provoking tissue response in inflammation. LTs, particularly type B4 (LTB4) as chemotactic factor of neutrophil are released from neutrophils and gastric mucosal cells when these cells are stimulated by Helicobacter pylori. The present study was performed to test a possibility that eupatilin may prevent the H. pylori-induced gastric cell damage by observing whether this chemical inhibit the release of LTB4 from H. pylori-stimulated gastric cells (Kato III) and neutrophils. As observed in the previous study, H. pylori induced the release of LTB4 from these cells and at the same influx of Ca2+ into the cells. In the presence of eupatilin, the release of LTB4 was inhibited whereas Ca2+ influx was not affected. Probably eupatilin may inhibit the release of LTB4 by preventing the synthesis of LTs. These results suggest that eupatilin can has a therapeutic effect on H. pylori-induced gasric cell damage.
Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Inflammation ; Leukotriene B4* ; Leukotrienes ; Neutrophils*

It has been implicated that leukotrienes play roles in the pathogenesis of gastritis and gastric ulceration associated with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Rebamipide is being used as an antiulcer drug but it's mechanism of action has not been understood well. One possible mechanism of action of this drug is to inhibit the cellular release of leukotrienes by various stimuli, particularly H. pylori. In the present study, attempts were made to test this possibility and the results are as follows. When Kato III cells (gastric adenoma cells) were stimulated by H. pylori, leukotriene D4 (LTD4) was released and rebamipide inhibited this release dose-dependently. Similar experiment was performed on neutrophils because the infilteration of neutrophils is a common phenomenon in H. pylori-infected gasrtric tissues. Neutrophils released LTD4 when these cells were stimulated by H. pylori and rebamipide also inhibited this release. Furthermore, rebamipide inhibited the release of LTD from neutrophils induced by calcium ionophore A23187 and arachidonic acid. The results suggest that rebamipide has the action to inhibit the release of LTD4 from various cells and this action may contribute in part to prevent the ulcerogenesis induced by H. pylori.
Adenoma ; Arachidonic Acid ; Calcimycin ; Calcium ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Leukotriene D4* ; Leukotrienes ; Neutrophils ; Stomach Ulcer

No abstract available.
Rectal Fistula*