We evaluated the effect of the pregnane X receptor agonist, pregnenolone 16 alpha-carbonitrile (PCN) on the expression levels of plasma monoamine transporter (PMAT) in the intestine. Male C57/BL6 mice were divided into two 2 groups: mice in the PCN group (n=3) were administered PCN once a day for 4 days, while those in the control group (n=3) received the same volume of vehicle once a day for 4 days. After the mice were killed 24 h after administration of the last dose of PCN or vehicle, and the expression levels of PMAT in the intestine tissues were isolated and measured the expression level of PMAT using immunohistochemical and western blotting analyses. The expression level of PMAT expression levels in the small intestine increased after PCN treatment. These results suggest that the induction of PMAT may play a clinically significant role by increasing intestinal absorption of PMAT substrates such as metformin.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Membrane* ; Humans ; Intestinal Absorption ; Intestine, Small ; Intestines ; Male ; Metformin ; Mice ; Plasma ; Pregnenolone Carbonitrile

Two cases of acute digitalis poisoning were presented. The first patient was 20-year-old male with asymptomatic ventricular septal defect (maladie de Roger) who attempted suicide by ingestion of degitalis leaf about 6.0 g (60 tablets). He developed severe epigastric pain and vomiting one hour after ingestion. Syncopal attack was developed once for a few minutes and recovered. Electrocardiogram revealed 2:1 A-V block. By conservative management he was recovered. The second patient was 2-year-old, healthy baby who ingested digoxin about 2.5 mg(10 tablets) by accident. He developed severe vomiting and electrocardiogram revealed 1degrees, 2degreesand 3degrees A-V block in series. He was recovered by conservative management without sequele.
Child, Preschool ; Digitalis* ; Digoxin ; Eating ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Male ; Poisoning* ; Suicide, Attempted ; Vomiting ; Young Adult

The double eyelid operation is one of the most common cosmetic surgery performed in orientals, and there are numerous studies about surgical procedures of that. In the case of appropriate candidates, the non-incision technique makes excellent cosmetic results, with the advantages of shorter operating time, less morbidity, less pain, no scarring and easy revision of shape. But, usually the non-incision technique is recommended in the cases with thin upper eyelid, small amount of orbital fat, less redundant skin of upper eyelid and in whom a wide fold is not desired so on. Therefore, the disadvantages of this method are that it cannot be applied to all patients. The postoperative complications are disappearance or faded fold, formation of cyst or lumps, asymmetry etc. and the incidence of these complications is slightly higher than those of the incisional method. In this study, the double eyelid operation using the continuous buried suture method was performed in 210 patients for formation of double eyelid from Jan. 1993 to Dec. 1995. In conclusion very good results can be obtained by the continuous buried suture method even in the cases of puffy upper eyelid. This method can make a double eyelid shape in the fashion the patient wants and can be a new indication for correction of unilateral double eyelid. This method is safe, satisfactory and take shorter postoperative recovery time and it can reduce the incidence of postoperative complications.
Cicatrix ; Eyelids* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Orbit ; Postoperative Complications ; Skin ; Surgery, Plastic ; Sutures*

The proximal tibial osteotomy is a procedure usually employed for osteoarthritis of the knee with a predominant single compartment involvement accompanied by pain and angular deformity. It has as its objective the shift of the gravitational line of weight from an involved to a relatively uninvolved side of knee. We studied the results of proximal tibial osteotomy in 30 patients (33knees). The mean age was 55.7 years, degenerative osteoarthritis was 31 cases (93.9%) and posttraumatic osteoarthritis was 2 cases (6.1%). The results were as follows; The average distance of osteotomy between the proximal plane and distal plane was 10.3mm. The average preoperative tibiofemoral angle was varus 3.8degrees and average postoperative tibiofemoral angle was valgus 7.6 degrees. The amount of upward displacement of fibular head after proximal tibial osteotomy was from 3mm to 16mm (mean 7.5mm). The preoperative knee rating scale was 52.9 and the postoperative knee rating scale was 78. The complications of proximal tibial osteotomy were 3 cases of transient peroneal nerve palsy and 2cases of Coventry staple loosening, but the nerve palsy was completely recovered and there were no need of staple removal.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Head ; Humans ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteotomy ; Paralysis ; Peroneal Nerve

Branchio-oto-renal(BOR) syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder. The pathophysiology of this syndrome is unknown. BOR syndrome has a wide range of clinical manifestations affecting the branchial, auditory and renal systerns. Associated abnormalities of the face, lacrimal duct, palate and ureters have also been described. However, the major clinical findings associated and/ or ear pits, and renal anormaly. We experienced a case of a 15-day-old rnale newborn who had visited our hospital for deformed auricle and atresia of external auditory canal found at birth. We report this case with a review of the related literatures.
Branchial Region ; Branchio-Oto-Renal Syndrome* ; Ear ; Ear Canal ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Palate ; Parturition ; Ureter

May–Thurner syndrome (MTS), also known as iliac vein compression syndrome, is a condition, in which compression of the commonvenous outflow tract of the left lower extremity can cause discomfort, swelling, pain or blood clots in the iliofemoral veins. The problemis due to left common iliac vein compression by the overlying right common iliac artery. This paper describes the case of a 75-year-oldfemale with MTS after performing right total knee replacement arthroplasty. The authors diagnosed MTS through intravenous angiographyand angiographic computed tomography on swelling and pain of the left lower extremities after performing right total knee replacementarthroplasty. The thrombus was removed using a thrombolytic agent and mechanical thrombectomy, and an intravenous stent then insertedafter angioplasty. No case of MTS after performing total knee replacement arthroplasty has been reported in Korea. Therefore, this case isreported along with review of the relevant literature.

No abstract available.
Neural Tube Defects* ; Neural Tube* ; Prenatal Diagnosis*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate luteinizing hormone(LH) in patients with infertility and recurrent spontaneous abortion. MATERIAL AND METHOD: LH was tested by solid phase immunoradiometric assay based on monoclonal and polyclonal anti-LH antibodies. RESULTS: Of 100 infertile patients, the number of less than 5 mIU/ml, 5~10 mIU/ml, greater than 10 mIU/ml in LH level was 67(67%), 22(22%), 11(11%), respectively. Of 100 patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion, the number of less than 5 mIU/ml, 5~10 mIU/ml, greater than 10 mIU/ml in LH level was 79(79%), 18(18%), 3(3%), respectively. There was a significant difference between patients with infertility and recurrent spontaneous abortion only in the group with LH level greater than 10 mIU/ml(p=0.325). CONCLUSIONS: High LH in the follicular phase is known to decrease pregnancy rate and increase abortion rate. But in this study the incidence of high LH in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion was low. On the contrary, there was a significant increase of LH in infertile patients. So recurrent spontaneous abortion does not seem to be related to high LH level.
Abortion, Induced ; Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Antibodies ; Female ; Follicular Phase ; Humans ; Immunoradiometric Assay ; Incidence ; Infertility* ; Lutein* ; Luteinizing Hormone* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate

No abstract available.
Diabetes Mellitus* ; Humans ; Neutrophils* ; Superoxides*

There are several methods available to check bone masses. One of them is Singhs index which is singlest way with grading trabecular pattern of the proximal femur on anteroposterior X-ray film and the other is recently developed Dual Photon X-ray Absorptiometry which measures bone mineral contents. Some authors proclaim that Singh's index has low accuracy, objectiveness and reproducibility. So we studied for reliability of Singh's index and correlation between Singh's index and bone mineral contents measured by Dual Photon X-ray Absorptiometry in 65 patients. There are significant differences between 3 orthopedic surgeons in interpreting Singh's index (interpersonal difference). There are significant differences between first and second interpretation out of same surgeons (intrapersonal difference). There are significant differences interpretating among interpreted Singh's indices from films of different radiological exposures in the same radiograph. There are fair correlations(0.60-0.66) between Singhs index and bone mineral density. The Singh's index was overestimated in low bone mineral density with under-exposed radiograph, but Singh's index was under-estimated in high bone mineral density with over-exposed radiograph. Singh's index can be useful in clinical application by some modification.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Bone Density ; Femur ; Humans ; Orthopedics ; Surgeons ; X-Ray Film