No abstract available.
Muscle, Smooth* ; Relaxation*

The relationship between lead related subject symptoms and lead exposure indices was studied in 435 male lead workers in thirteen lead using industries. 212 male office workers who were not exposed to lead occupationally were also studied as a control group. Fourteen lead related symptoms were selected. They were further subdivided into 4 sub-symptom groups such as 1) gastrointestinal, 2) neuromuscular and joint 3) constitutional, and 4) psychological symptoms. Symptom questionnaires were provided to the workers and filled up by themselves and reconfirmed by interviewer(doctor). The test used for the evaluation of lead exposure were blood lead (PbB), zinc protoporphyrin in whole blood(ZPP), hemoglobin(Hb), hematocrit(Hct), delta-aminolevulinic acid in urine(DALA). The results obtained were as follows; 1. The higher prevalence rate in the sub-group of neuromuscular and joint symptoms was observed in occupationally lead exposed subjects than non-exposed subjects. Among the sub-groups, the most frequent symptom was "numbness of finger, hands of feet", and the prevalence of the symptom of "arthralgia", "weakness of fingers, hands or feet" and "myalgia" were higher in order. 2. While the symptom which showed the biggest difference of prevalence rate among the 14 symptoms between exposed and non-exposed subjects was "numbness of fingers, hands or feet" , the symptom which showed the highest prevalence rate was "feeling tired generally" in exposed and non-exposed subjects, but no statistical difference of symptom prevalence were observed. 3. In total study population, PbB and ZPP had dose-response relationship with 4 symptoms of neuromuscular and joint symptoms ("numbness of finger, hands or feet", "arthralgia", "weakness of fingers, hands or feet" and "myalgia") and one symptom of gastrointestinal group("intermittent pains in lower abdomen"). 4. In lead exposed workers, only neuromuscular and joint symptoms group showed dose-response relationship with PbB and ZPP. 5. In lead exposed workers, the prevalence rate of overall symptoms of lead workers with age below 39 years was higher than that of lead workers with age above 40. While neuromuscular and joint symptoms group had a dose-response relationship with PbB in former group, it had a dose-response relationship with ZPP in latter group. 6. Age adjusted odds ratios of symptoms of non-exposed with exposed and odds ratios of low exposed with high exposed workers showed the dose-response relationship of lead exposure with neuromuscular and joint symptoms group("numbness of fingers, hands or feet", "arthralgia", "weakness of fingers, hands or feet" and "myalgia") and gastrointestinal symptoms group("intermittent pains in lower abdoman").
Aminolevulinic Acid ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Male ; Occupations ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Zinc

No abstract available.
Molecular Biology

PURPOSE: The widespread use of intracorporeal prostaglandin E1 (PGE 1) injection for the treatment of erectile dysfunction has focused interest on the physiological functions of prostanoids with the mechanism of action. We investigated in vivo feline penile erectile and contractile responses to prostanoids. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Under the general anesthesia, 26 mature male cats were conditioned normoxia and hypoventilated hypoxia with ventilator in room air(PH: 7.14+/- 0.47, PO2: 25.52+/-5.89mmHg, PCO2: 74.27+/-10.86mmHg). Vasoactive substances were infused via internal pudendal artery and the changes of intracavernous pressure to vasoactive substances were monitored with physiograph under normoxia and hypoxia with acidosis. RESULTS: Under normoxia, PGE1 induced dose-dependent cavernous relaxation and PGE1 was more potent than papaverine but less than acetylcholine. PGE1- induced cavernous relaxation was blocked by the K+-channel blockers, tetraethylammonium(TEA) and 4-aminopyridine, in dose-dependent manner but was completely reversed by the K+-channel opener, pinacidil. Calcium ionophore, ionomycin(10-3M/0.2ml) prevented the cavernous relaxation by PGE1 under hypoxia(n=6, p<0.01). PGI2 showed minimal cavernous relaxation with tumescence. Thromboxane A2(TXA2) attenuated the acetylcholine-induced relaxation CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that PGE2 relax feline cavernous smooth muscle. But the mechanism of PGE2 on feline cavernosum should be elucidated by the receptor binding study. These results suggest that PGE2 induced smooth muscle relaxation by the opening of Maxi-K+ (Kca) channel and subsequent hyperpolarization. It would be followed by a reduced opening of voltage-dependent Ca2+-channel and subsequent decrease of intracellular Ca2+concentration.
4-Aminopyridine ; Acetylcholine ; Acidosis ; Alprostadil ; Anesthesia, General ; Animals ; Anoxia ; Arteries ; Calcium ; Cats ; Dinoprostone ; Epoprostenol ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth ; Papaverine ; Penile Erection* ; Pinacidil ; Prostaglandins* ; Relaxation ; Ventilators, Mechanical

A 2.5-year-old female patient who has a prior history of partial seizures was admitted by generalized tonic-clonic status epilepticus secondary to tapering of phenobarbital. Tonic-clonic status epilepticus was refractory to phenytoin, phenobarbital, valproic acid, diazepam, and pentobarbital. After 4 days of unsatisfactory control of seizure activity, isoflurane was administered for 4 hours. Inspired isoflurane concentration of 1.3% were required to control seizures. Heart rate and blood pressure were supported with infusions of dopamine and fluid. After discontinuation of isoflurane, the patient developed partial seizures but seizure activity was controlled with anticonvulsants. She was discharged alive from the hospital after weaning of the ventilator.
Anesthesia, General* ; Anticonvulsants ; Blood Pressure ; Diazepam ; Dopamine ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Isoflurane ; Pentobarbital ; Phenobarbital ; Phenytoin ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus* ; Valproic Acid ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Weaning

No abstract available.
Bone Marrow* ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma*

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of malaria is increasing in recent years and also multidrug resistant malaria is increasing around the world and there is an increasing concern about imported malaria in nonendemic areas. Now many drugs are tried to find out effect on multidrug resistant malaria. We performed this study to investigate the thrapeutic effect of halofantrine in the treatment of chloroquine resistant imported malaria. METHODS: From Feb. 1992 to May 1995, we experienced 35 patients infected with malaria and treated 14 patients among 35 patients with halofantrine. RESULTS: 1) All 14 patients were sailor with a mean age of 39.4 years and infected with malaria. 2) The majority of patients were infected with malaria at Africa. 3) 10 patients were infected with Plasmodium falciparum and the remainder were undetermined. 4) In the 11 cases of chloroquine resistant malaria treated with quinine plus tetracycline combination therapy or Fansidar, 4 cases could not be tolerable due to side effects and resistance to the therapy, we substituted halofantrine for above regimens. 5) In the 10 cases, treated after May 1994, halofantrine was the first choice of treatment because they were the cases of malaria infected in the mid-Africa where the prevalence of chloroquine resistant malaria is high. 6) With halofantrine, all 14 cases were treated with minimal side effects suc4 as nausea, vomiting, anorexia, abdominal pain and fatigue. CONCLUSION: We think halofantrine is a simple and effective regimen against chloroquine resistant malaria and consider this agent as an alternative therapeutic regimen on chloroquine resistant malaria.
Abdominal Pain ; Africa ; Anorexia ; Chloroquine* ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Malaria* ; Military Personnel ; Nausea ; Plasmodium falciparum ; Prevalence ; Quinine ; Tetracycline ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: Currently available K+-channel openers are exclusively KATP channel openers. Among the KATP channel openers, minoxidil and diazoxide have been already used as antihypertensive agents clinically but their erectogenic activities have not been demonstrated. We performed this study to identify the effects of intracavernosal minoxidil and diazoxide on feline penile erection and also to compare that of pinacidil, relatively well-demonstrated K+-channel opener. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a feline model, the magnitude of penile erection caused by pinacidil was compared with that caused by minoxidil and diazoxide. With control erectile responses of intracavernosal PGE1 and papaverine, synergistic effects of erectogenic agents with KATP channel openers were also investigated in twenty-eight male cats in vivo. RESULTS: Intracavernosal injection of pinacidil increased intracavernosal pressure (ICP) in a dose-dependent fashion but minoxidil and diazoxide did not affect ICP significantly. Furthermore, pinacidil (10-5M/ml) enhanced the increase of ICP by PGE1 or papaverine but minoxidil and diazoxide did not. Noteworthy, pinacidil induced cavernous relaxation to the following erectogenic agents even in refractory cases to higher concentration (10-1M/ml) of erectogenic agent alone (n=7, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These result suggests that minoxidil and diazoxide, which have been used as antihypertensive agents clinically, do not affect intracavernosal pressure. Among the KATP channel openers, pinacidil seems to be promising in producing penile erection as an alternate component of previous intracavernous injection. Also, pinacidil may be useful clinically because of the potential therapeutic effects as an intracavernosal agents in combination with PGE1 or papaverine.
Alprostadil ; Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; Cats ; Diazoxide* ; Humans ; Male ; Minoxidil* ; Papaverine ; Penile Erection* ; Pinacidil* ; Relaxation

No abstract available.
Humans ; Inpatients*

Germ cell tumors in children are rare but the predominent pathologic type is the yolk sac carcinoma. And there are no specific guidelines for the treatment of the young child with a testis tumor of the yolk sac or endodermal sinus type. Initial treatment of radical orchiectomy is not in question. However, because of its presumed less virulent character, especially in children less 2 years old, confusion remains As to adjunctive treatment for yolk sac carcinoma. Although chemotherapy is so effective its toxicity cannot be minimized. Therefore, adjunctive chemotherapy should be reserved for those patients who have lymphatic spread. Young children with yolk sac tumors are not immune to metastatic disease and, regardless of age, should be treated with retroperitoneal Iymphadenectomy for staging and appropriate treatment regimens. Herein we report two cases of yolk sac carcinomas in children treated with adjunctive chemotherapy and nerve sparing retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Drug Therapy ; Endoderm ; Endodermal Sinus Tumor* ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; Orchiectomy ; Testis* ; Yolk Sac*