No abstract available.
Animals ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide* ; Calcitonin* ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger*

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the incidence of obesity increased in Koreans. The main cause suggested is the diet style of Korean changed to that of Western. It has been proved that obesity is a risk factor or an aggravating factor of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, etc. Primary physician has been interested in the correlation of blood pressure with relative body weight and aging. The purpose of this study was to focus on the influence of age and relative body weight on blood pressure. METHODS: Subjects were collected from 2,068 adults who had received Adult Health Examination. That subjects were divided according to age, relative body weight and then the relation of blood pressure with age according to relative body weight and relation with relative body weight according to age were investigated. RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure increased significantly according to age in all male and female three weight groups and then increased significantly according to relative body weight in all male and female three age groups except male seventh decade group. Diastolic blood pressure increased significantly according to age in all male and female three weight groups except male obesity group and then increased significantly according to the relative body weight in all male and female three age groups except male and female seventh decade groups. Systolic blood pressure has higher correlation with age than relative body weight and diastolic blood pressure has higher correlation with relative body weight in male. In female, systolic and diastolic blood pressure have higher correlations with age. CONCLUSIONS: It can be suggested that blood pressure increase significantly according to aging process and relative body weight. These two factors have a little different effects to systolic and diastolic blood pressure according to sex. Relative body weight has more effect to diastolic blood pressure than systolic blood pressure in male.
Adult ; Aging ; Blood Pressure* ; Body Weight ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Male ; Obesity* ; Risk Factors

The migration of intra-uterine devices into the bladder with the formation of stone occurs rarely. We report a case of bladder stone developed on Lippes loop migrated from the uterus.
Foreign Bodies ; Intrauterine Devices* ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Calculi ; Uterus

PURPOSE: To evaluate the influence of a silicone tube on tear drainage in patients with a healed rhinostomy site after dacryocystorhinostomy. METHODS: The subjects of the present study included the patients for whom the removal of a silicone tube was performed after dacryocystorhinostomy for acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction. The silicone tube was removed after the rhinostomy site was completely healed. The tear drainage function was evaluated using the fluorescein dye disappearance test at the following 3 time points: immediately before, immediately after, and 1 month after silicone tube removal. In addition, a Schirmer test was performed and tear break-up time was measured at each time point. To study the correlation between the measured values and subjective tearing symptoms, self-report questionnaires were given to each patient at his/her last visit. RESULTS: The 3 measured values showed no statistical difference between the 3 time points, immediately before, immediately after, and 1 month after silicone tube removal. When the patients were divided into groups according to their subjective symptomatic changes after silicone tube removal, no group showed statistically significant difference in the 3 measured values before, between, and after silicone tube removal. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with a healed rhinostomy site after dacryocystorhinostomy, the removal of the silicone tube did not induce a change of tear drainage function. Therefore, based on the results from the present study, a silicone tube may not have influence on tear drainage functions.
Dacryocystorhinostomy ; Drainage ; Fluorescein ; Humans ; Nasolacrimal Duct ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Silicones ; Tears

In order to investigate the efficacy and safety of oral fosinopril, a new phosphorus containing angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, a single dose of 10 to 20mg was administered in 23 hypertensive patients with diastotic blood pressure above 95mmHg and all other anti-hypertensive agents were not administered during 4 weeks of study. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured on the 2nd and 4th week of therapy. The complete blood count with platelet count, blood chemistry by SMA-12 and serum electrolytes were performed at the begining and 4th week of therapy. The urinalysis and electrocardiography were performed at the beginning and 4th week of therapy. Any kinds of side effects were actively questioned by the examining physicians. The following results were obtained : 1) At the beginning and 4th weeks of therapy, the average systolic and diastolic pressure were 170.0+/-17.6/101.6+/-6.1mmHg, 142.7+/-15.1/87.3+/-6.7mmHg respectively. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure were declined statistically significantly(p<0.05) throughout the period of treatment and diastolic blood pressure of all subjects except 3 patients(86%) was maintained below 90mmHg after 4th week of treatment. 2) There was no significant change in the pulse rate before and after therapy. 3) There were no significant changes in blood chemistry, serum electrolytes, hematologic findings, urinalysis and electrocardiographic findigns. 4) side effect were developed in 5 patients(23%) with dry cough, 3 patients(13%) with headache and 2 patients with facial edema but side effects were mostly mild in nature without potenitally serious episodes. These results suggested that antihypertensive therapy with onec-daily fosinopril was effective and well tolerated in essential hypertensive patients.
Antihypertensive Agents ; Blood Cell Count ; Blood Pressure ; Chemistry ; Cough ; Edema ; Electrocardiography ; Electrolytes ; Fosinopril* ; Headache ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; Phosphorus ; Platelet Count ; Urinalysis

PURPOSE: We attempted to investigate whether calcitonin gene-related peptide binding to receptors in the gubernaculum is different between normal and flutamide-treated rats or pups and whether calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP) binding is androgen dependent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Timed pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were injected with flutamide or vehicle alone once daily on gestational days 15-19. Weight, anogenital distance and distance from testicle to symphisis pubis of pups of gestational day 20 and rats of neonatal day 1 and 7 were measured. Gubernacular sections from rats of neonatal day 7 were incubated with [125I]human CGRP with various concentrations of unlabeled hCGRP, and those from pups of gestational day 20 and rats of neonatal day 1 were incubated only with [125I]human CGRP. After exposure of gubernacular sections to imaging plate (BAS 2500), the images from the plate were quantified by computerized densitometry (TINA). RESULTS: Weight and anogenital distance of flutamide-treated pups or neonatal rats were significantly smaller and shorter than those of normal pups or neonatal rats (P< 0.01). Though the distance from testicle to symphisis pubis was not significantly different between normal and flutamide-treated pups or neonatal 1 day rats, that of flutamide-treated neonatal 7 day rats was significantly longer than that of normal neonatal 7 day rats (P< 0.01). The total binding counts of [125I]human CGRP on gubernacular sections of normal pups, neonatal 1 day rats and neonatal 7 day rats were 56.3 +/- 24.74, 68.2 +/- 24.90, 78.4 +/- 17.25 (dpm/mg polymer), respectively, and those of flutamide- treated pups, neonatal 1 day rats and neonatal 7 day rats were 43.7 +/- 12.54, 35.1 +/- 8.25, 57.5 +/- 16.27, respectively. There were significant differences between normal and flutamide-treated neonatal 1 day and 7 day rats (P< 0.01). The binding in normal rats was consistently increased from gestational day 20 to neonatal day 7, and it showed weak correlation (r = 0.398, P< 0.05). The binding analysis showed that concentrations of CGRP receptors were 20.0+/- 4.78 amol/mg polymer, 13.3 +/- 3.87 amol/mg polymer for normal and flutamide treated neonatal 7 day rats, respectively, and there was significant difference between normal and flutamide-treated rats (P< 0.01). However there was no significant difference in the dissociation constant between 2 models. The images from the plate in flutamide-treated neonatal 7 day rats looked smaller than those in normal 7 day rats. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the inguinoscrotal descent of testicle occurs after the gubernacular eversion, CGRP binding in the gubernaculum is androgen dependent, and androgen may not influence CGRP release from genitofemoral nerve because of down regulation of CGRP receptor by antiandrogen. However, the role of CGRP in testicular descent is still obscure and the mechanism of down regulation of CGRP receptor by antiandrogen needs further investigation
Animals ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide* ; Calcitonin* ; Cryptorchidism ; Densitometry ; Down-Regulation ; Flutamide ; Male ; Polymers ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Testis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the self-care agency and quality of life (QOL) among patients with brain tumors after craniotomy. METHODS: A sample of 96 patients was recruited from a university hospital in Seoul. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire from August 2017 to December 2018. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses with SPSS 24.0, IBM. RESULTS: The mean scores of the 1st and 2nd stages in the self-care agency increased from 4.75 to 5.15, and in the quality of life rose from 67.94 to 78.60. The score of the second stage was higher than the first in all sub-scales of the self-care agency and the quality. Physical function was the only sub-scale of the self-care agency that affected quality of life in both stages (1st: β=.71, p<.001, 2nd : β=.77, p<.001). CONCLUSION: Based on the result, to improve QOL with brain tumor after craniotomy, it is important to assess physical function of patients and provide appropriate interventions.
Brain Neoplasms ; Brain ; Craniotomy ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Self Care ; Seoul

PURPOSE: A variety of biodegradable polymers have been utilized to fabricate matrices for engineering genitourinary tissues, Chitosan is a biosynthetic polysaccharide that is the deacetylated derivative of chitin. The aims were to investigate the characteristics of the newly developed porous chitosan-based biodegradable scaffolds and to reconstruct cavernosal smooth muscle structure in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To study the cytotoxicity of the newly developed scaffolds, cultured L929 murine fibroblasts were stained with PKH-26 and then cultured on culture plate or loaded in chitosan/hyaluronic acid polymers. For in vivo study, human corpus cavernosal smooth muscle cells were seeded on the scaffolds at concentration of 20*106 cells per cm3 .A total of 24 polymer scaffolds were implanted subcutaneously with cells in one side and without cells in the other side, respectively, in 12 athymic mice, Mice were scarificed 7, 14, 28 days after implantation, respectively. H-E stain and monoclonal anti-alpha smooth muscle actin stain were performed. RESULTS: Scanning electron micrographs of chitosan and 0.03% hyaluronic acid based scaffolds showed sheet-like porous structure. The cell division numbers of L929 murine fibroblasts sere significantly increased in scaffolds by chitosan/hyaluronic acid compared with chitosan alone, Histologically the retrieved polymers seeded with cavernosal smooth muscle cells showed organized smooth muscle structure 28 days after implantation. immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the smooth muscle phenotype. CONCLUSION: These results show that porous chitosan-based biodegradable scaffolds are new biomaterials for the reconstruction of cavernosal smooth muscle structure. However, further studies are needed to make cavernosal sinusoidal structure using this new scaffolds.
Actins ; Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Cell Division ; Chitin ; Chitosan ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Penis ; Phenotype ; Polymers ; Tissue Engineering

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the clinical outcome of revision of primary shoulder replacement by using reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA). METHODS: Seven patients underwent revision RTSA with a mean follow-up of 22.1 months (range, 12 to 54 months). Their mean age at the time of operation was 75.5 years (range, 70 to 80 years). Assessments were performed on the preoperative and postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score, muscle strength, range of motion, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) score, Constant score, subjective satisfaction and the anteroposterior and axillary views of the glenohumeral joint. The primary operation was hemiarthroplasty in 5 patients, total shoulder replacement in 1 patient, and reverse shoulder arthroplasty in 1 patient. The cause of revision surgery was infection in 2 patients, humeral stem loosening in 2 patients, glenoid arthropathy in 2 patients, and glenoid loosening in 1 patient. The mean duration from primary operation to revision surgery was 52 months (range, 27 to 120 months). RESULTS: The VAS score for pain during motion was improved from 7.3 preoperatively to 2.1 postoperatively (p = 0.03). There were increases in the mean active forward flexion (from 62.1° to 92.8°), abduction (from 70° to 87.1°), external rotation (from 44.2° to 47.4°), and internal rotation (from L5 to L4; p > 0.05) postoperatively. Performance in activities of daily living improved (p > 0.05), except for lifting 10 lb above the shoulder (from 1.2 to 1.1; p = 0.434). Overall, 5 of 7 patients were satisfied with the results of revision surgery. The mean Constant score improved from 44.8 preoperatively to 57.1 postoperatively (p = 0.018). The mean UCLA score improved from 12.8 preoperatively to 22.8 postoperatively (p = 0.027). In the postoperative radiological evaluation, no radiolucency was observed around the base plate or humeral stem. CONCLUSIONS: Pain could be reduced after revision RTSA, but improvements in range of motion and function were difficult to achieve. We think that the patients' satisfaction was relatively high despite the low function score due to the preoperative severe pain and marked limitation of range of motion.
Activities of Daily Living ; Arthroplasty* ; California ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemiarthroplasty ; Humans ; Lifting ; Muscle Strength ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Shoulder Joint ; Shoulder*

PURPOSE: We conducted a pilot study to investigate the effects of sleep patterns on wellness in interns working in the emergency department (ED). We also looked at various factors interns considered in deciding specialties and aspects of the ED they dislike, to collect the basic data necessary for quality improvement. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study of interns who worked a 25 h shifts every other day by evaluating various aspects of their ellness (stress, fatigue, burnout), using questionnaires and vital signs. The questionnaires were completed four times by each subject at each shift. In total, 62 interns were assigned to teams comprised of three interns each. Each team participated in the study four times each day, once every week for 4 weeks, yielding a total of 992 questionnaires to be analyzed. RESULTS: The participating interns were 26 years of age on average. Thirty-six (58%) were male, and twenty-six (41%) were female. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) both tended to fall as time passed, as demonstrated by relatively higher BP at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., as compared to BP measured at 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. (systolic BP p=0.003, diastolic BP p<0.0001). Similarly, pulse rate was in the normal range at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. but tended to fall from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. (p<0.0001). Sleep at night-time after duty was positively correlated to the degree of stress, fatigue, and burnout, with longer night-time sleep resulting in higher scores for each. Four hours or more of daytime sleep also resulted in a statistically significant increase in stress and fatigue scores. CONCLUSION: More than 4 hours daytime sleep after duty resulted in more stress and fatigue the next day. An increase in night-time sleep as well as total sleeping hours positively correlated with and resulted in increased stress, fatigue, and burnout scores.
Blood Pressure ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medicine ; Fatigue ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Pilot Projects ; Prospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reference Values ; Sleep Deprivation ; Vital Signs