BACKGROUND: Superoxide disrnutase(SOD) provides a protective defease mechanism against potential cytotoxicity of superoxide radical in the aerobic organism. Although human skin is constantly at risk for developing acute and chronic changes by ultraviolet radiation and phototoxic reactions with exogenous and endogenously procluced photosensitizing molecules, studies in SOD in the human skin are rare. OBJECTIVE: We measured the level of SOD activities in the scar tissues and the normal human skin specimens. This study was to investigate changes of SOD activity by age, sex, and regional differences of SOD activities in the scar issues and the normal skin. METHODS: Aut,hors assayed the level of SOD activit,ies in 32 scar tissues(male 8, female 24) and 11 normal human skin specimens(male 8, female 3), which were obtaine 3 from face/neck(17 and 3 specimens), forearm(only 4 scar tissues), trunk(10 and 8 specimens), and lower extremity(only 1 scar tissue). RESULTS: First, activities of total SOD, Cu, Zn-SOD, and Mn-SOL ere 18.93+5.49, 16.97+55.31, and 1.96+0.90 units/mg proteiii respectively in the scar tissues. Second activities of total SOD, Cu, Zn-SOD, and Mn-SOD were 17.27+7.09, 13.82+6.44, and 3.45+1.07 units/mg protein respectively in the normal skin. Third, the changes of total SOD, Cu, Zn-SOD, and Mn-SOD activities by age and sex were similar each other and three were no significant, differneces between age groups in total, Cu, Zn- SOD, and Mn-SOD activities. Fourth, in sun exposed area and unexposed area there were no significant differences in the scar tissues in SOD activities. But, SOD activite.(total, Cu, Zn, and Mn-SOD) in face/neck were higher than those in trunk and lower extremity in tae normal skin(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that there are no differences in the intrinsic SOD activities by age and sex in the mature scar tissues and the normal skin. Differences between exposed and unexposed area in the normal skin are due to the induction of exogenous SOD activity by sun-light generation of superoxide radicals. In wound, increased production of leukocyte derived superoxide radicals is the main factor of increased level of SOD activity.
Cicatrix* ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Lower Extremity ; Skin ; Solar System ; Superoxide Dismutase* ; Superoxides* ; Wounds and Injuries

No abstract available.
Elbow*

We evaluated retrospectively the clinical characteristics of 16 consecutive exotropia patients over 10PD following surgery for esotropia, the patients were differentiated into nonoperative and operative group. The nonoperative group comprised of 11 patients with exodeviation 10PD through 20PD(mean 12.9PD) and the orthphoria through 15PD(mean 10.5PD) at final visit. The operative group of 5 patients with exodeviation of 10PD through 30PD(mean 21PD) at postoperatively 2 weeks and 20PD through 35PD(mean 24PD) before operation of consecutive exotropia. In the second operatio, 3 patients with adduction limitation were operated with advancement of medial rectus or recession of lateral rectus of same eye. Four patients showed orthotropia at postoperatively 2 weeks, and 2 patients revealed orthotropia at the final visit. The results suggest that the degree of deviation and adduction limitation will influence the choice of therapy and second operation method.
Esotropia ; Exotropia ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies

We evaluated retrospectively the clinical characteristics of 16 consecutive exotropia patients over 10PD following surgery for esotropia, the patients were differentiated into nonoperative and operative group. The nonoperative group comprised of 11 patients with exodeviation 10PD through 20PD(mean 12.9PD) and the orthphoria through 15PD(mean 10.5PD) at final visit. The operative group of 5 patients with exodeviation of 10PD through 30PD(mean 21PD) at postoperatively 2 weeks and 20PD through 35PD(mean 24PD) before operation of consecutive exotropia. In the second operatio, 3 patients with adduction limitation were operated with advancement of medial rectus or recession of lateral rectus of same eye. Four patients showed orthotropia at postoperatively 2 weeks, and 2 patients revealed orthotropia at the final visit. The results suggest that the degree of deviation and adduction limitation will influence the choice of therapy and second operation method.
Esotropia ; Exotropia ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies

We present a case of 15 months old male with Multilocular cystic nephroma (MLCN) which contains fibroblast, smooth muscles, skeletal muscles and well differentiated tubular structure in the septa without evidence of blastemal or embryonal elements. There is no evidence of metastasis and local recurrence after post-op 2 years.
Child* ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

From January 1988 to January 1996, 42 infants and children (44 renal units) had undergone surgical management to correct ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Median patient age was 8.5 years (range from 2 months to 17 years) and 11 patients were less than 1 year old at operation. Of 44 renal units surgically managed, 30 were on the left side and 10 were right side. 2 patients had undergone bilateral surgical management. Presenting symptoms were febrile urinary tract infection in 14 cases, abdominal pain in 14 cases, abdominal mass in 5 cases, gross hematuria in 3 cases and 3 cases were detected prenatally. We used imaging antegrade pyelography (AGP) in 15 cases, additional retrograde pyelography (RGP) in 12 cases and both AGP and RGP were performed in 1 case. To correct ureteropelvic junction obstruction, we performed dismembered pyeloplasty in 33 renal units, ureterolysis in 2 renal units, ureterocalycostomy in 1 renal unit, endopyelotomy in 1 renal unit and nephrectomy in 7 renal units. To diverge the urinary flow, we used nephrostomy in 19 renal units, ureteral stenting in 6 renal units and both nephrostomy and ureteral stenting were used in 10 renal units. As postoperative complications, restenosis was developed in 5 renal units, delayed open in 5 renal units, urinary tract infection in 2 renal units and wound infection, prolonged urine leakage, ureteral stone in each 1 renal unit. Postoperative success rate in followed-up patients, who had undergone pyeloplasty, was 91.6%. The success rate in children, who was less than 1 year old, was 100% and in children, who was more than 1 year old, was 88.4%. Finally we suggest that the surgical correction is safe and proper method for ureteropelvic junction obstruction in children. Additionally early operation of ureteropelvic junction obstruction is recommendable.
Abdominal Pain ; Child* ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Infant ; Nephrectomy ; Postoperative Complications ; Stents ; Ureter ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Urography ; Wound Infection

Painful nociceptive informations are well known to be transferred from nociceptors through spinal dorsal horn not only in different pathways but also in diverse nature depending on the type of noxious stimuli. There have been some controversies about the role of neuropeptide somatostatin in the transmission of the nociceptive information to the dorsal horn cells of the spinal cord. We performed the study in order to elucidate the effects of somatostatin on transmission of noxious stimuli in the spinal dorsal horn, comparing with those of morphine. Using carbon-filamented microelectrode, the single cell activities of wide dynamic range(WDR) neuron were recorded extracellularly at the lumbosacral enlargement of the spinal cord in cats after noxious mechanical(squeeze), thermal(heat lamp), and cold(dry ice) stimulation to the receptive field. The sciatic nerve was stimulated electrically to evoke, A4-fiber and C-fiber each other. Data were compiled into single pass time histograms or postsimulus time histograms. Twenty micro-gram of somatostatin was injected intravenously to study the changes of single cell activities in 20 minutes, which were compared with the effects of morphine(2m/kg). Then naloxone was administrated(0.1mg/kg) to know whether it antagonized the effects of somatostatin and morphine And those finding were also observed in inverted WDR cells. In WDR cell, somatostain decreased the cellular responses to noxious heat stimuli in 6cell(n=9), but increased those to cold stimuli in 4 cells(n=6). And the responses to noxious mechanical stimuli were so diverse that they were slightly increased in 7 cells(164%), decreased in 5 cells, and were not changed in 6 cells(n=18). A-response, the response to peripheral Ad-afferent activation, showed a tendency to be facilitated(n=6/9), while C-response had a slightly depressed tendency(n=4/9). Morphine strongly suppressed the responses of dorsal horn neurons to noxious heat(n=9/13), cold(n=2/2), mechanical stimuli(n=16/19) and electrical A-response(n=7/10), C-response(n=6/7). Following subsequent injection of naloxone, the effects of morphine on noxious stimuli evoked response were fully reversed but those of somatostatin were not antagonized. There was significant difference between the reversal effects of naloxone on morphine and somatostatin(p<0.05). From the above results it is concluded that somatostatin suppresses the transmission of nociceptive heat stimuli, especially via C-fiber, while facilitates that of nociceptive mechanical and cold stimuli via Adelta-fiber in spinal dorsal horn cells. Also the somatostatin appears to have different nociceptive mechanism from morphine.
Animals ; Cats* ; Horns ; Hot Temperature ; Microelectrodes ; Morphine* ; Naloxone ; Neurons ; Neuropeptides ; Nociceptors ; Peripheral Nerves* ; Posterior Horn Cells* ; Sciatic Nerve ; Somatostatin* ; Spinal Cord

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most important chronic diseases in public health, thus optimal management of this condition is crucial. For this purpose, oral hypoglycemic agents (OHA) are commonly prescribed with their consistent use being mandatory to maintain adequate blood glucose levels. We aimed to evaluate the compliance with OHA in patients with DM, and to determine the factors associated with compliance. METHODS: From March 2006 to December 2007, we enrolled patients with type 2 DM who were newly diagnosed or had discontinued OHAs for more than four weeks. For OHA, diamicron was prescribed to the participants and response to medication was evaluated by physicians after 12 weeks. Compliance was defined as patients taking diamicron continuously or stopping the medication due to well-controlled blood sugar levels. Demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, fasting glucose, and lipid profiles were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of our 326 subjects was 56.0+/-9.9 years and 74.5% was defined to be compliant. Logistic regression analysis adjusting for age and sex revealed that combined medication use (odd ratio [OR], 2.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-3.97) and diabetes-related nutritional education (OR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.08-4.03) (P<0.05) were factors associated with compliance with OHA. CONCLUSIONS: About three quarters of the DM patients in our study, using diamicron for the first time, showed compliance after 12 weeks of treatment. Concomitant medications and diabetes-related nutrition education were associated with compliance.
Blood Glucose ; Chronic Disease ; Compliance* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Education ; Fasting ; Gliclazide* ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Logistic Models ; Patient Education as Topic ; Public Health

Clavicular fractures commonly occur in adults and children. The usual site of these fractures is the mid clavicle with lateral end and medial end clavicular fractures being less common. Bipolar segmental clavicular injuries involving medial and lateral ends are rare but almost always occur in adults. This paper reports a very rare case of segmental clavicular fracture involving the medial and lateral end in an adolescent caused by direct trauma. The surgical management of a segmental fracture clavicle in an adolescent is reported with a discussion of the relevant literature.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Clavicle ; Humans

PURPOSE: To evaluate the hemodynamic status of varicocele, 99m Tc-RBC venography was performed in 29 varicocele patients and 10 normal controls from January to July 1996. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mean age of varicocele patients was 23 years old and of normal controls was 27 years old. Among 29 varicocele patients, 26 had varicocele in left side and 3 had in both side. In unilateral varicocele group. 2 cases had grade I, 8 cases had grade II and 16 cases had grade III varicocele. In bilateral varicocele group, all had grade III in le% side and grade II varicocele in right side. RESULTS: The mean+/-SD of left to right radionuclide uptake ratio in pampiniform plexus during resting and Valsalva maneuver state was 1.01 +/-0.04:1 and 1.05+/-0.05:1 in normal control, 1.05+/-0.02:1 and 1.10:1 in varicocle grade I, 1.21+/-0.19:1 and 1.21 +/-0.12:1 in varicocele glade II, 1.60+/-0.63:1 and 1.27+/-0.18:1 in varicocele grade III, 1 18+/-0.06:1 and 1.26 in bilateral varicocele. As varicocele grade be higher, the mean left to right radionuclide uptake ratio be larger during resting and Valsalva maneuver state. CONCLUSIONS: 99mTc-RBC venography can quantify the hemodynamic state of varicocele so we suggest that it is useful as a method of diagnosis and follow up in varicocele patient.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Phlebography* ; Valsalva Maneuver ; Varicocele* ; Young Adult