We investigated the occurrence of color vision loss in 70 organic solvent mixtures exposed workers and in 47 controls. Color Vision was assessed with a color arrangement test designed to identify the defective color sense, the Han Double 15-Hue Test. The results of the test were no significant difference between exposed workers and controls in the proportion of subjects who committed one or two errors. Quantitative analysis, using color confusion index(CCI), showed no signifiant difference between exposed workers and controls. A significant linear correlation was present between age and CCI in both exposed workers(CCi=0.0056age + 0.94; r=0.23; p<0.05) and controls(CCI=0.0066age + 0.86; r=0.33; p<0.05). Qualitative analysis of the patterns on the hue circle showed that the prevalence of acquired dyschromatopsia was 21% in both and no significant difference. Multiple regression analyses showed that age was significantly related to color vision loss. These results did not provide evidence of a relationship between organic solvents exposure and incidence of color vision loss. In field studies for monitor the people at risk of the acquired color vision loss involving low-dose organic solvents exposed workers, both quantitative and qualitative information should be considered.
Color Vision ; Incidence ; Prevalence ; Solvents

Acrodermatitis enteropathica(AE) which starts in early infancy after weaning is a rare hereditary chronic disorder of zinc absorption. AE is characterized by alopecia, diarrhea and skin lesions localized to periorificial areas and acrally on the extremities. However, recent reports presented Transient Symptomatic Zinc Deficiency(TSZD) in preterm infants. TSZD is clinically similar to AE and skin lesions rapidly heals after zinc supplementation. When the treatment was withheld, no recurrence was seen. We experienced a TSZD case in a cow's milk fed, preterm infant, so We report it with a brief review of literature.
Absorption ; Acrodermatitis ; Alopecia ; Diarrhea ; Extremities ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Milk* ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Weaning ; Zinc*

No abstract available.
Arthritis, Juvenile*

The muscle glycogen is an important energy source for muscle contraction especially in prolonged exercise. One of the important factors for improvement of physical performance in athletes is the storage of extra-amount of glycogen (supercompensation) in liver and muscles. During 120 minutes treadmill exercise (intensity of exercise was approximatly 80% VO2max), the glycogen concentration was significantly decreased to 36% in liver and 46% in muscles after 60 minutes exercise. At 90 and 120 minutes of exercise, the level of glycogen concentration of liver and muscles statistically were not different from the levels of the 60 minutes exercise. The repletions of glycogen in the liver and muscles in overnight fasted control(C) and 120 minutes treadmill exercise(E) groups during l80minutes after glucose ingestion were investigatect. ln the liver, the concentration of glycogen in C and E groups were markdly increased till 120 minutes after zlucose ingestion, hut the levels of concentration at 180 minutes were decreased comparing to the levels of 120 minutes in both groups. In the muscles, the repletion of glycogen at 60, 120 and 180 minutes of C and E groups were significantly increased comparing to 0 minute of respective groups in the soleus and plantaris muscles. In soleus(SOL), the repletion of glycogen in all of the E groups was significantly higher than that of the respective C groups. However, the repletion of glycogen in all of the E groups of plantaris was revealed higher tendency comparing to respective C groups. Mean repletion rates of glycogen in liver and muscles after glucose ingestion were highest during the first 60 minutes in all groups and the rates of E groups were 2-3 times than those of respective C groups. These results suggest that the glycogen supercompensation in the muscle be provided with decrement of glycogen concentration by exercise, increment of glucose uptake by muscuiar contraction itself and increased insuJin level, and the activation of glycogen synthetase by insulin.
Animals ; Athletes ; Eating* ; Glucose* ; Glycogen Synthase ; Glycogen* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Liver* ; Muscle Contraction ; Muscles ; Rats*

No abstract available.

The present study was aimed at investigating the role of type II 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (IIbeta- HSD II) in the development of hypertension. Two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C), deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)/salt, or NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) hypertension was induced in male Sprague- Dawley rats. Four weeks later, the expression of 11beta-HSD II mRNA was determined in the kidney by Northern blot analysis. The plasma level of aldosterone was measured by radioimmunoassay. In 2K1C hypertension, the expression of 11beta-HSD II was decreased in the clipped kidney and increased in the non-clipped kidney. The expression was increased in the remnant kidney of DOCA/salt hypertension, while decreased in the kidneys of L-NAME hypertension. The plasma level of aldosterone was increased, decreased, and remained unchanged in 2K1C, DOCA/salt, and L-NAME hypertension, respectively. The down-regulation of 11beta-HSD II may contribute to the sodium retention, thereby increasing the blood pressure in 2K1C and L-NAME hypertension. On the contrary, the up-regulation in DOCA/salt hypertension may play a compensatory role to dissipate the sodium retention.
11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases* ; Aldosterone ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Blotting, Northern ; Desoxycorticosterone ; Down-Regulation ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Kidney* ; Male ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Plasma ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Sodium ; Up-Regulation

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to analyze various clinical characteristics of gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors including their symptoms, diagnoses and treatment strategies. METHODS: Medical records of 36 cases of gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors diagnosed at Bundang CHA Hospital from March 2000 to February 2008 were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean age of patients at diagnosis was 50 years old. Frequent location of the tumors was as follows- rectum, duodenum, appendix, stomach, colon, and small bowel. The size of tumor varied and the mean size was measured 9.0 mm. Any specific symptoms did not arise nor were they detected among most of the patients at the time of diagnosis. Endoscopic resection of gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor was undergone in 27 cases, while 13 cases were resected with surgical procedures. Surgical procedures performed were appendectomy in 4 cases, transanal resection in 3 cases, low anterior resection in 3 cases, pancreaticoduodenectomy in 1 case, duodenotomy with mass excision in 1 case, ileotomy with mass excision in 1 case. One case of recurrence was reported during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors have various clinical presentations and the results are highly variable and also individualized according to the site of the primary tumor. It leads to a multiplicity of treatment options for the patients. The expertise of surgeons and endoscopic physicians should be combined for proper management strategies and effective results of carcinoid tumors of gastrointestinal tract treatment.
Appendectomy ; Appendix ; Carcinoid Tumor ; Colon ; Duodenum ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Rectum ; Recurrence ; Stomach

PURPOSE: TRAM flap surgery has settled down as a common method for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. We investigated how TRAM flap surgery influences on the patients' physical movement capability by observing their capability of sit-ups as well as exercises they usually enjoy. METHODS: A total of consecutive 375 patients were investigated who had breast reconstruction with unilateral pedicled TRAM flap surgery at Asan Medical Center from July 2001 to August 2005. The patients were asked to sit up right before the surgery and do it again 6 months later and 1 year later. 221 patients were followed up 6 month after the surgery. And 132 patients were followed up 1 year after the surgery. In addition, 155 patients who used to exercise before the surgery were also asked to show us the change in their physical movement capability one year after their surgery. RESULTS: 139 patients showed decrease in the counted number of sit-ups, 48 increase, and 34 showed no change between 6 months in the first group of 221 patients. Among the second group of 132 patients, 64 showed decrease, 39 increase, and 29 no change a year later. There was a statistical significant decrease in the number of sit-ups between pre-operation and six months later and between pre-operation and one year later. According to the research on the exercise that 155 patients participated, 3 of them showed improvement in athletic ability, 7 showed decrease, while the rest, 145 patients, showed no change at all. CONCLUSION: Considering no difference in usual exercise ability, some patients' increase in the number of sit-ups and the effect of anticancer treatment, we found that the loss of abdominal wall function on this research is not too serious to exclude TRAM flap surgery in the field of breast reconstruction
Abdominal Wall* ; Breast* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Exercise ; Female ; Humans ; Mammaplasty* ; Mastectomy ; Prospective Studies* ; Sports

Intrathecal morphine can provide goad analgesia for the first stage of labor. However, a long latency, high incidence of side effects, and lack of perineal anesthesia limit its usefulness. We wished to make a short the latency and reduce the dose of morphine, administered morphine 0.2 mg, 0.3 mg, combined with fentanyl 25 micrograms intrathecally. Forty-five laboring patients were studied and randomly divided into two groups' group I (n=24) received intrathecal morphine 0.2 mg with fentanyl 25 ug; group II (n=21) received intrathecal morphine 0.3 mg with fentanyl 25 ug; We compared the analgesia and side effects of group I to those of group II. Analgesia was assessed using the 100 mm visual linear analog(VLA) as the time elapsed from the drug administration to the delivery. The onset of analgesia was rapid(within 5 minutes) in both groups and VLA scores did not differ at any observation point between the groups. The effect of analgesia was lasted until the perineum was distended by the fetus. The incidence of nausea or vomiting was 41.7%(10/24) in group I, and 33.3%(7/21) in group II. Pruritus occured 87.5%(21/24)) in group I and 90.5%(19/21) in group II. The majority of pruritus occured soon after administration of study drug. There were more instances of urinary retention in group II (61.9%) than in group I(37.5%). No patient developed postdural puncture headache, vital sign alteration or respiratory depression. Most of all the patients in this study said that they were satisfied with this analgesic technique and would like to receive intrathecal narcotic analgesia for future labor. With the above results we conclude that intrathecal morphine 0.2 mg with fentanyl 25 ug for labor pain provides rapid and effective analgesia as 0.3 mg intrathecal morphine with fentanyl 25 ug.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia ; Female ; Fentanyl* ; Fetus ; Humans ; Incidence ; Injections, Spinal* ; Labor Pain ; Morphine* ; Nausea ; Perineum ; Post-Dural Puncture Headache ; Pregnancy ; Pruritus ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Urinary Retention ; Vital Signs ; Vomiting

OBJECTIVE: Patients with poor grade aneurysm usually present with increased intracranial pressure(ICP), even those without an intracranial clot. Based on this fact, the present study investigated a significance of intracranial pressure monitoring in those patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS:A total of 60 patients with Hunt and Hess Grade IV(50 patients) or V(10 patients) were treated for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH) during a 3-year-period, and intraparenchymal ICP was measured in the majority, immediately after arrival to the emergency room. Early surgery including intraoperative ventriculostomy was undertaken within 3 days after SAH. An ultraearly surgery was performed without preceding angiogram or ICP monitoring in patients with large sylvian hematomas, highly suggestive of middle cerebral artery aneurysm. Outcomes were assessed by the Glasgow Outcome Scale(GOS) at 6 months. RESULTS: In overall, favorable outcome(GOS scores 1-2) was seen in 27(54.0%) of admission Grade IV and 1(10.0%) of admission Grade V patients. Of the 38 surgical patients with preoperative ICP monitorings, 25 patients (80.6%) exhibiting ICP values of less than 40mmHg showed favorable outcome, however, no patients with ICP values above 40mmHg recovered(Fisher's exact test, p=0.0001). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that a preoperative ICP above 40mmHg before ventriculostomy indicate significant vital brain destruction as intractable intracranial hypertension, and Grade IV patients at admission with an ICP below 40mmHg can be of benefit from early surgical intervention while Grade V patients still remains unfavorable.
Aneurysm* ; Brain ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Intracranial Hypertension ; Intracranial Pressure* ; Ventriculostomy