This study was performed to investigate the heavy metal contents of freshwater fishes. The samples of 24 species were collected at 7 areas located on the Mankyung River during September in 1987. And then the contents of lead, cadmium, copper and zine were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results were summarized as follows ; 1. The mean value of lead, cadmium, and copper contents of fishes collected in the downstream were significantly higher than those of upstream. 2. The mean lead content of C. auratus was the highest 1.50+/-0.98 microgram/g in viscera and statistically significant difference from muscle content. 3. The mean cadmium content of C. auratus was the highest 0.087+/-0.054 microgram/g and significantly higher than that of muscle, skeleton and gill. 4. In the copper contents, the viscera of C. auratus was the highest 5.25+/-0.94 microgram/g and significantly higher than that of muscle, skeleton and gill. 5. The mean value of zinc content of C. auratus was shown the order of gill, skeleton, viscera and muscle.
Absorption ; Animals ; Cadmium ; Copper ; Fishes* ; Fresh Water* ; Gills ; Rivers* ; Skeleton ; Viscera ; Zinc

PURPOSE:Obesity is associated with complications such as unfavorable lipid profiles, hyperinsulinemia, and hypertension. We investigated the degree of obesity, especially defined as BMI and the percentage of overweight for the standard weight (%Wt) on plasma lipid levels and insulin resistance in the pediatric age group. METHODS:In this cross sectional study, 64 children and adolescents were included. Anthropometric data including body weight, height, BMI, %Wt, fat percentage of body weight (Fat%), and waist to hip ratio (WHR) were collected. For metabolic data, 14 hour fasting serum glucose, insulin and lipid profiles were measured and index for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR, FGIR) were calculated. We analyzed if there exist relationship between each anthropometric data and metabolic data. Gender differences were also assessed. RESULTS:Hyperinsulinemia showed high prevalence in obese children (total=21.9%, male=22.5%, female= 20.8%). HOMA-IR correlated with BMI and %Wt (BMI:r=0.308, P<0.05; %Wt:r=0.414, P<0.05). FGIR also correlated with BMI and %Wt (BMI:r=-0.406, P<0.05; %Wt:r=-0.437, P<0.05). Fasting serum triglyceride levels showed statistically significant correlation with BMI and %Wt [Boys (BMI:r=0.334, P<0.05; %Wt: r=0.487, P<0.05), Girls (BMI:r=0.482, P<0.05; %Wt:0.406, P<0.05)]. CONCLUSION: BMI and %Wt were valuable for predicting insulin resistance and triglyceride level. Sexual dimorphism related to insulin resistance and dyslipidemia in obese children was not certain in this study.
Adolescent ; Blood Glucose ; Body Weight ; Child* ; Dyslipidemias ; Fasting ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperinsulinism ; Hypertension ; Insulin Resistance* ; Insulin* ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Plasma ; Prevalence ; Triglycerides ; Waist-Hip Ratio

We reviewed twelve cases of congenital dislocation of the knee(CDK) which treated at Keimyung University from January 1992 to January 1997. All case were type II dislocation according to classification suggested by Ferris and reduced with minimal treatment. Dislocation were reduced within 4 days in minimum after treatment and 3 weeks in maximum. The period of follow up ranged from 6 months to 5 years. Clinical results were good. Early diagnosis followed by conservative treatment is important and enough to treatment of the type II congenital dislocation of the knee.
Classification ; Dislocations* ; Early Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Knee*

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies demonstrated that genistein induced the decrease of proliferation and apoptosis in a variety of cells. However, there is no report about the effect of genistein on proliferation and demise of mast cells. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate genistein-induced aoptosis of mast cells as it pertains to both its basic drug mechanism and the potential therapeutics of the pathologic conditions accompanying mast cell proliferation. METHODS: p815 murine mastcytoma cell line was used to assess the effects of genistein treatment including viability and proliferation, morphlolgic study, DNA electrophoresis, the effect of caspase inhibitor, western blotting, and mitochondrial event. RESULTS: Genistein indeced many apoptotic manifestations as evidenced by changes in cell morphology, generation of DNA fragmentation, activation of caspase 3, and DNA hypoploidy. The reduction of mitochondrial membrae potential and the release of cytochrome c to cytosol were also demonstrated. However, reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release were not prevented by caspase inhibitors zVAD-fmk and BocD.fmk, or PTP(permeability transition pore) blockers such as bongkrekic acid and cyclosporin A. CONCLUSIONS: This in vitro study suggests that pathologic increases in mast cell number possibly be regulated in vivo by therapeutic strategy enhancing apoptosis by treatment of genistein.
Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Bongkrekic Acid ; Caspase 3 ; Caspase Inhibitors ; Cell Line ; Cyclosporine ; Cytochromes c ; Cytosol ; DNA ; DNA Fragmentation ; Electrophoresis ; Genistein ; Mast Cells ; Mastocytoma* ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial

No abstract available.

Primary leiomyosarcomas are extremely rare. Its clinical configuration is a round to oval, more or less hemispherical elevation of the skin, but the appearance of these lesion is not distinctive so that the diagnosis is established by the histopathologic findings. Microscopically the cutaneous leiornyosarcomas consist of a poorly delineated proliferation of spindle shaped atypical myomatous cells arranged in interlacing fascicles which merge into collagenous stroma. We experienced a case of primary cutaneous leiornyosarcoma which developed as a hen egg sized tumor on the left shin in a 71-year-old woman and present this case with the review of literatures.
Aged ; Collagen ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma* ; Ovum ; Skin

No abstract available.
Keratosis, Seborrheic ; Skin Diseases ; Skin Diseases, Papulosquamous

For the more practical and convenient application of the Tzanck test, we evaluated several staining methods and cytological findings 98 cases of vesicobullous skin diseases. Fixation by air-drying of specimen aad modified Giemsa staining method were thought to be the most appropriate procedure in clinical use. The disease studied were chickenpox, herpes zoster & simplex, contact dermatitis, Id reaction, tinea pedis, urticaria pigmentosa, incontinentia pigmenti, farnilial benign pemphigus, hand-foot-mouth disease, erytherna multiforme, toxic epiderrzal necrolysis, fixed drug eruption, and septic vesicle. Among these, herpes and chickenpox vesicles shawed the most characteristic and specific findings. And degenerating giant cell could be added as an useful diagnostic marker for these diseases in relatively old lesions. In the other diseases, cytological findings were neither charcteristic nor specific. But these findings suggested the possibility of picking up useful findings by more elaborated study including more large number of cases.
Azure Stains ; Chickenpox ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Drug Eruptions ; Giant Cells ; Herpes Zoster ; Incontinentia Pigmenti ; Pemphigus ; Skin Diseases* ; Skin* ; Tinea Pedis ; Urticaria Pigmentosa

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of sympathetic block in management of reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD); renamed complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) Type I, according to the duration of RSD, and to evaluate predictable factors responding to sympathetic block in patients suffering from RSD. METHODS: Prospectively designed this study was divided thirty patients with upper extremity RSD into three groups according to the duration of RSD; Group I (< or = 3 months), Group II (4 to 6 months) and Group III (>or = 7 months). All patients were received repeated stellate ganglion blocks (SGB) with 12 ml of 0.2% bupivacaine by paratracheal approach. We compared the therapeutic effects of SGB between the groups and the clinical signs on initial examination to receive the first SGB at pain clinic. RESULTS: Response rates to SGB were 84.6% in Group I, 62.5% in Group II and 44.4% in Group III. The early treatment less than 6 months was better prognosis (p<0.05). Presence of edema (p<0.001), temperature differences between both hands (hot>cold>no difference, p<0.001), and allodynia (p<0.05) were favorable prognostic factors responding to sympathetic block. Especially, warm skin and edema in RSD were near-perfect predictors of sympathetic blocks. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that SGB is effective in management of upper extremity RSD, and the duration and the clinical signs of RSD are important to the prognosis and responsibility to sympathetic block. If patients suffering from RSD visit pain clinic before 6 months, and they have edematous warm hands with allodynia, majority of them will be improved from their pain after sympathetic block.
Bupivacaine ; Edema ; Hand ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia ; Pain Clinics ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy* ; Reflex* ; Skin ; Stellate Ganglion* ; Upper Extremity*

We studied the contents of referral sheets of the patients transferred to DMC Emergency Center from Jan 1, 1999 to Jan 31, 1999. The study far the completion and chief complaints in the referral sheets shows the followings. 1. Examining the referral sheets status of disease, name and age record of 5 major items grade 0.92, the highest point, examining item and laboratorial record grade 0.72, dignosis record grades 0.38, and patients condition and diagnosis opinion record grade 0.10. 2, Name and age item had high completion score in referral sheets from local clinic and hospital for secondary referral level. For address item, however, local clinic scored 0.63 and hospital for secondary referral level scored 0.28, which showed statistically significant difference(P<0.001). 3. In the aspect of severity, name and age record leveled 0.94 to the non emergency patient, 0.92 to the emergency patient, 0.91 urgent patient, showed and no statistic significant difference. 4. The major 10 symptoms of the complaints were these the pain of abdomen and pelvis(25.2%), somnolence and stupor, coma(13.6%), headache(10.9%), and open wound of head(4.0%), ranked 10th common symptom level.
Abdomen ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Referral and Consultation* ; Stupor ; Wounds and Injuries