In order to investigate the level of lead exposure of workers in litharge making industry and to evaluate how lead exposure, personal habit such as smoking and drinking affect the prevalence of lead related symptoms and other study variables, we investigate 114 workers(24 office workers and 90 lead exposed workers) in a litharge making industry. Study variables chosen were blood lead(PbB), zinc protoporphyrin in whole blood(ZPP), Hemoglobin(Hb), hematocrit (Hct), SGOT and SGPT. symptom questionnaires which had 15 lead exposure related symptoms were provided to all workers and filled up by themselves and reconfirmed by physician. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The mean value of PbB, ZPP and SGOT in lead exposed group were higher than those of non-exposed group, and there were no differences of means in other study variables. 2. The smoking and drinking rate of study subjects were 65.8% and 71.0% as a whole. Smoking rates were lower in non-exposed group than exposed group, but drinking rate were not. 3. There were no differences of mean values of study variables between smoker and non-smoker in non-exposed and exposed group, but there was a difference of mean value of SGOT between drinker and non-drinker in lead exposed group. 4. while the symptom prevalence of lead exposed group were higher in neuromuscular category than non-exposed group, those of non-exposed group were higher or same with exposed group in gastrointestinal and general symptom category. 5. The symptom prevalence of smoker were higher than non-smoker regardless of exposure. 6. The symptom prevalence of drinker were only higher in gastrointestinal symptom category than non-drinker. 7. In multiple stepwise regression analysis of lead related symptoms as dependent variable and blood lead, smoking habit, drinking habit and work duration as independent variables, drinking habit contributed to the gastrointestinal symptom category, whereas blood lead and smoking contributed to the neuromuscular symptom category. For the total symptoms work duration and smoking habit contributed significantly.
Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Drinking ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Zinc

BACKGROUND: Histamine, released from mast cells in atheromatous plaque, has been known to cause cardiac ischemia or sudden cardiac death in atherosclerosis patient. Previous reports have suggested that histamine induced coronary vasoconstriction was due to increase in IP(3) and DAG, which induce release of Ca2+ from SR and increase the Ca2+ sensitivity of contractile element via activation of PKC. Recently, it was reported that application of histamine cause depolarization of intestinal smooth muscle, which may contribute to histamine-induced contraction via augmenting Ca2+ influx through activation of Ca2+ channels. However, the underyling mechanism of histamine-induced depolarization and its contribution to the magnitude of coronary vasoconstriction are still uncertain. METHOD: To elucidate the underlying mechanism of Ca2+ influx change during histamine-induced vasoconstriction, we examined the effect of Ca2+ channel antagonist and PKC blocker on histamine-induced contractions, and then measured the effect of PKC antagonist on whole cell K+ current using patch clamping method in rabbit coronary smooth muscle cells. RESULTS: Application of histamine induced phasic and tonic constraction of coronary rings via activation of H(1) receptors. Pretreatment of Ca2+ channel antagonist (nifedipine, 1 microM) or PKC blockers (10 nM staurosporine and 10 microM Go6976) markedly inhibited histamine-induced tonic contraction, which suggest that the magnitude of tonic contraction depend on the Ca2+ influx. Application of 4-AP, a blocker of voltage-dependent K+ channels, increased resting tone of coronary rings, and combined treatment of nifedipine blocked this 4-AP induced increase of resting tone. Application of active analoge of DAG (1,2-DiC(8)) significantly inhibited the activity of voltage-dependent K+ current in single smooth muscle cell, meanwhile the inactive analogue of DAG (1,3-DiC(8)) has no apparent effect on the activity of voltage-dependent K+ current. Furthermore, pretreatment of calphostin C (1 microM), a blocker of PKC, diminished the 1,2-DiC(8)-induced inhibition of K+ current. CONCLUSION: PKC dependent inhibition of voltage-dependent K+ current may be responsible for the maintaining of histamine-induced tonic contraction in rabbit coronary artery.
Atherosclerosis ; Constriction ; Coronary Vessels* ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Histamine ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Mast Cells ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Nifedipine ; Protein Kinase C ; Staurosporine ; Vasoconstriction

No abstract available.
Free Tissue Flaps* ; Humans ; Leriche Syndrome* ; Lower Extremity*

The main trend moves towards early excision and skin grafting as treatment for the deep second degree burns and the third degree burns. The ability to excision & skin grafting. This study prospectively evaluated the ability of laser doppler flow measurements obtained within 72 hours after burn injury to predict the depth of burn wounds. A Periflux system 4001 laser doppler flowmetry had been used to measure cutaneous microflow circulation of 100 selected points of burn wounds in 44 admitted patients from March 1993 to February 1994. The mean value of superficial second degree burn checked by laser doppler was 194.6 perfusion unit(PU). The deep second degree burn was 59.7 PU and third degree burn was 5.1 PU. The blood flow of more than 100 PU reliably predicted the superficial second degree burn with 90.2 percents accuracy. The blood flow between 100 PU and 10 PU predict the deep second degree dermal burn with 96.2 percents accuracy. That of less than 10 PU predict the third degree burn with 100 percents accuracy. There was also a significant correlation between initial flow measurements and the depth of burn wounds. We conclude that laser doppler flow measurements performed early after burn injury are useful in predicting the depth of burn wounds. The laser doppler flowmetry has the advantage of being easy to use, noninvasive, provide immediate result for early determination of burn depth. The laser doppler flowmetry is useful in selecting patients for early excision and grafting of burn wounds.
Burns* ; Humans ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry* ; Perfusion ; Prospective Studies ; Skin Transplantation ; Transplants ; Wounds and Injuries

Parkinsonism is a clinical syndrome with constellation of resting tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and a variety of gait disturbances. Gait disturbances in parkinsonism include short-stepped festination, loss of postural reflexes, and freezing. In certain parkinsonian states such as progressive supranuclear palsy, gait disturbances are very prominent over other clinical signs of parkinsonism in the early stage. However, freezing is usually seen in the late course of parkinsonism. Recently, it has been recognized that some patients have prominent freezing in their early course of the disease, and not much of other parkinsonian signs. The pathologies need to be confirmed, but must be divers based on clinical description of the cases. We report two elderly men who presented with pure freezing. There was minimal short-term memory impairment in the second case, but no other signs of parkinsonism were present. Brief trial of L-dopa did not offer much benefit. Detailed clinical features and laboratory findings will be presented with discussion of the literatures.
Aged ; Freezing ; Gait ; Humans ; Hypokinesia ; Levodopa ; Male ; Memory, Short-Term ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; Pathology ; Reflex ; Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive ; Tremor

PURPOSE: To investigate whether the extended-core (eight- or ten-core) biopsy incorporating far lateral peripheral zone can increase the rate of prostate cancer detection compared to traditional sextant biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the results of prostate needle biopsies of 770 men with elevated serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) ranging from 4.1 to 20ng/ml. Ten-core, eight-core, and sextant biopsies were performed in 584, 111, and 75 men, respectively. There were no significant differences in age, mean level of serum PSA, prostate volume, and PSA density between extended biopsy group and sextant biopsy group. The cancer detection rate was compared between the two groups according to the range of PSA and finding of digital rectal examination (DRE). RESULTS: Overall cancer detection rate was 12.0% in sextant biopsy group and 18.3% in extended-core biopsy group (p>0.05). In men with abnormal DRE, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the cancer detection rate (35.0% in sextant biopsy group versus 30.2% in extended biopsy group). However, significantly higher cancer detection rate was noted in extended-core biopsy group with normal findings of DRE (3.6% versus 12.7%). No significant difference of the cancer detection rate was observed between eight-core and ten-core biopsy groups. CONCLUSIONS: In men with an elevated PSA and a normal DRE, extended- core biopsy appears to enhance cancer detection compared to the traditional sextant biopsy, whereas sextant biopsy may be sufficient to detect the cancer in men with abnormal findings of DRE.
Biopsy* ; Biopsy, Needle ; Digital Rectal Examination ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies

Eleven cases of juvenile diabetes mellitus who were admitted Seoul National University Hospital from Jan., 1969 to Aug., 1978 were aha1yzed. The mean age of onset was 7 and female to male ratio was 8 to 3 with female preponderance. Four had family history of diabetes, although none had diabetic sibling. Polyuria and polydipsia were noted in all cases as initial symptoms, and symptoms of weight loss (6 cases), disturbances in consciousness (5), generalized weakness (5), anorexia (4) and enuresis (3) were noted in the order of frequency. Leucocytosis was noted in 5 cases, but only 2 among the 4 who had infection revealed leucocytosis, The mean blood glucose level was 320 mg% and serum osmolality was 293 mOsm/L. There was no significant difference in the level of blood sugar and serum osmolality according to the consciousness status. Eight episodes of ketoacidosis occured in 5 cases. Three episodes developed due to discontinuance of insulin and three episodes accompanied infection. The mean blood glucose level was 495 mg% and serum osmolality was 300 mOsm/L in ketoacidosis. The consciousness cleared in average 20 hours and ketonuria disappeared in average 26 hours after the administration of insulin (average 5 units/kg of body weight). At discharge, the average dose of insulin needed was 1.2 U/kg/d. Six patients were followed from 6 months to 6 years. Two developed pulmomary tuberculosis during the period of follow up.
Age of Onset ; Anorexia ; Blood Glucose ; Consciousness ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Enuresis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Insulin ; Ketosis ; Male ; Osmolar Concentration ; Polydipsia ; Polyuria ; Seoul ; Siblings ; Tuberculosis ; Weight Loss

It is important to investigate the incidence of congenital color deficiency and to determine the type and degree because the color deficiency can effect as a handicap to certain occupations. The incidence of congenital color deficiency is remarkably constant among Caucasians but other races show considerable variations. We investigated the incidence of congenital color deficiency among Koreans by the use of H-R-R pseudoisochromatic plates. The present study revealed that the incidence of congenital color deficiency among Koreans was 31.5% (5.90% in men, 0.44% in women).
Color Vision Defects/classification/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male

Isolated rabbit aortic ring with intact endothelial cell preparations precontracted with NE (10(-7) M) were relaxed by vanadate in a dose dependent manner (from 0.2 to 2 mM). Application of vanadate and ACh during the tonic phase of high K+(100 mM)-induced contraction showed a slight relaxation in contrast to that in NE-induced contraction, but sodium nitroprusside (10 microM) more effectively relaxed the aortic ring preparations in high K+ contraction than that of vanadate. Vanadate-induced relaxation in NE-contracted aortic rings was reversed by application of BaCl2 (50 microM) or glibenclamide (10 microM). Furthermore, Vanadate hyperpolarized membrane potential of smooth muscle cells in endothelium-intact aortic strips and this effect was abolished by application of glibenclamide. The above results suggest that vanadate release EDHF (Endothelium-Derived Hyperpolarizing Factor), in addition to EDRF (Endothelium-Derived Relaxing Factor) from endothelial cell. This EDHF hyperpolarize the smooth muscle cell membrane potential via opening of the ATP-sensitive K+ channel and close a voltage dependent Ca++ channel. So it is suggested that the vanadate-induced relaxation of rabbit thoracic aortic rings may be due to the combined effects of EDRF and EDHF.
Animal ; Aorta/drug effects/physiology ; In Vitro ; Membrane Potentials/drug effects ; Potassium/pharmacology ; Potassium Channels/physiology ; Rabbits ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Tetraethylammonium Compounds/pharmacology ; Vanadates/*pharmacology ; Vasodilation/*drug effects

PURPOSE: Chemotherapeutic agents are known to induce cell death in cancer cells by apoptotic mechanisms. This study was to investigate the influence of the differentiation on the apoptotic potential of chemotherapeutic agents. METHODS: Etoposide and cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) were chosen as chemotherapeutic agents, and human promyelocytic leukemia cell line, HL-60, was used as target cells. RESULTS: Etoposide or Ara-C treated HL-60 cells showed cytoplasmic blebbing and nuclear condensation and fragmentation under fluorescence microscope when stained with acridine orange/ethidium bromide. In addition, the cellular DNA of HL-60 cells was found to cleave into internucleosomal fragments after treatment with chemotherapeutic agents. These findings were the characteristics of apoptosis and suggested the induction of apoptotic cell death of HL-60 cells by etoposide or Ara-C treatment. HL-60 cells are known to differentiate into myeloid or monocytic lineage by retinoic acid, phorbol 12-myristate acetate (PMA) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and this differentiation itself can activate apoptosis program, so-called 'apoptosis by terminal differentiation'. The effect of terminal differentiation by PMA or DMSO on the apoptosis induced by etoposide or Ara-C was also investigated, utilizing qualitative and quantitative DNA fragmentation assay. HL-60 cells treated with PMA (100 nM) were adherent to culture dish and formed cellular processes. DMSO (1.25%) treated HL-60 cells instead recovered the ability to reduce nitroblue tetrazolium to blue-to-purple formazan, indicating its differentiation. After induction of differentiation by PMA or DMSO, differentiated HL-60 cells were treated with etoposide (10 muM) and Ara-C (50 muM) to compare its apoptotic potential with that of undifferentiated HL-60 cells. The ladder DNA induced by etoposide and Ara-C was decreased in differentiated HL-60 cells. On quantitative analysis of DNA fragmentation, PMA reduced DNA fragmentation induced by etoposide and Ara-C to 73% and 69%, respectively, and DMSO reduced it to 74% and 56%, respectively. In western blot analysis, the expression of Bcl-2, which is known to inhibit etoposide and Ara-C induced apoptosis, decreased significantly in HL-60 cells differentiated by PMA or DMSO. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the differentiation of HL-60 cells by PMA or DMSO prevents apoptosis by etoposide and Ara-C, but bcl-2 proto-oncogene may have only minor role in inhibiting apoptosis by chemotherapeutic agents in differentiated HL-60 cell.
Apoptosis* ; Blister ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Death ; Cell Line* ; Cytarabine ; Cytoplasm ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; DNA ; DNA Fragmentation ; Etoposide ; Fluorescence ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans* ; Leukemia ; Nitroblue Tetrazolium ; Proto-Oncogenes ; Tretinoin