No abstract available.
Nicotine* ; Tobacco Use Cessation Products*

No abstract available.
Nicotine* ; Tobacco Use Cessation Products*

No abstract available.
Fertilization in Vitro* ; Fertilization*

BACKGROUND: The aging process may be induced, at least in part, by reactive oxygen species(ROS). It has been though that the lung could be a good source of ROS because it has a high oxygen tension. In the present study, we invetigated the inducibility of the first and last lines against oxidative stress, superoxide dismutases (Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD) as a scavenger of O2- and metallothionein(MT) as a scavenger of OH·, respectively, in mouse lungs with age. METHODS: Oxidative stress was induced by paraquat, an intracellular superoxide generator, at 1, 4, 8, and 12 months of age and then SODs and MT mRNAs were determined by RT-PCR method. RESULTS: The steady-state level of Mn-SOD mRNA increased from 1 to 8 months but decreased thereafter. However, Mn-SOD mRNA was not induced by paraquat after 1 month. On the other hand, there was no change in the steady-state level of Cu/Zn/-SOD mRNA, which decrease abruptly at 12 months of age. Additionally, Cu/Zn/-SOD mRNA was not induced by paraquat at any age. There was no change in the steady-state level of MT mRNA with age whereas its inducibility by paraquat was intact at all ages. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that lack of induction of SODs with age may be one of the causative factors in the aging process while induction of MT may play an important role in the defense against oxidative stress. It is therefore implicated that the tissue antioxidant/proxidant balance could be one determinants of meal life span.
Aging* ; Animals ; Hand ; Lung* ; Meals ; Metallothionein* ; Mice* ; Oxidative Stress ; Oxygen ; Paraquat* ; RNA, Messenger ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Superoxides*

BACKGROUND: Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was developed to diagnose viral infections such as herpes simplex virus(HSV) more rapidly and accurately than the culture technique. Nested PCR, with knowingly higher sensitivity and specificity than the conventional PCR, has been recently applied to determine HSV isotyping. OBJECTIVE: We conducted this study to compare the prevalence of each HSV isotype among patients with HSV infections by nested PCR in relation to different age groups and body sites. METHODS: Specimens were collected with cotton-swabs from the lesions, and then snap frozen, and stored at -70 degrees C in a deep freezer until processed. They were innoculated into the monolayer of Vero(African green monkey kidney) cells, and later examined for cytopathic effects. DNAs were extracted from each specimen and were amplified by using nested PCR with the primers against the genes encoding gpD of HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively. RESULTS: Of 127 patients, who had been diagnosed as HSV infections by the culture technique, all cases were positive in the nested PCR method. The positive cases of each isotype for HSV-1, HSV-2 and mixed infections (HSV-1 & HSV-2) were 77 (61%), 36 (28%) and 14 (11%), respectively. The prevalence of infections with HSV-1 in the age group under 19 years old was significantly higher than that in the age group over 20 years old (p<0.05). The prevalence of infections with HSV-2 in the age group over 20 years old was significantly higher than that in the age group under 19 years old (p<0.05). There was a close correlation between the HSV isotypes and their predilection sites of the body, showing HSV-1 for area above the waist including lips, oral cavity, eyes, face, fingers and chest, otherwise HSV-2 and mixed infections for area below the waist including genital organs and buttocks (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: It was suggested that the prevalence of each HSV isotype in certain age groups of the patients might be somewhat different from those reported in other studies. The affinity of HSV isotypes to the specific sites of the body was reconfirmed. This study indicated that nested PCR might be a relatively rapid and cost-efficient test with very high sensitivity and specificity for HSV isotyping.
Buttocks ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Coinfection ; Culture Techniques ; DNA ; Fingers ; Genitalia ; Herpes Simplex* ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; Herpesvirus 2, Human ; Humans ; Lip ; Mouth ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Simplexvirus* ; Thorax ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Humans ; Pneumothorax*

This study was conducted to identify the major dietary patterns of Korean adult men and to examine the relationship between subjective stress perception and these dietary patterns using data from the 2014∼2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Of the 23,080 total subjects, adult men between the ages of 19 and 64 who did not take the questionnaire or answer the questions relating to depression, and cases where the daily energy intake was less than 500 kcal or more than 5,000 kcal in the Food Frequency Questionnaire were excluded. This left a total of 3,464 subjects who were included in the final analysis. We performed a factor analysis based on the yearly mean intake frequency of 41 food groups to identify the major dietary patterns. Three major dietary patterns were identified (factor loading ＞0.3), including the ‘Healthy pattern’, ‘Processed meat pattern’, and the ‘Alcohol pattern’. The ‘Healthy pattern’ was characterized by higher intake of beans, tofu, vegetable, fish, and fruits. The ‘Processed meat pattern’ was characterized by high consumption of processed meats and instant foods. The ‘Alcohol pattern’ was characterized by a higher intake of alcohol. As a response to the subject's subjective perception of stress, the most answered 'a little' according to age, marital status, occupation, income, residential area, smoking status, drinking status, and exercise status. People whose diets followed the ‘Processed meat’ and ‘Alcohol’ patterns had significantly higher scores on subjective stress perception compared to people following the ’Healthy pattern’.To manage subjective stress, it is more effective to maintain health by relieving stress through a healthy method that combines healthy eating and exercise rather than following an unhealthy diet as characterized by the ‘processed meat’ and ‘alcohol’ dietary patterns.

PURPOSE: To analyze contrast-enhancement pattern of stomach cancer on dynamic MRI and to verify the efficacy of intravenous contrast agent in the evaluation of stomach cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients with proven stomach cancer underwent dynamic MRI, By using 1.0T scanner, we obtained precontrast FLASH images, and 30, 60, 90 second delay FLASH images after intravenous contrast injection. All patients ingested on liter of water and had intramuscluar injection of Buscopan just before MR study. For quantitative analysis we measured signal to noise ratio (S/N) of stomach cancer on each image, and signal difference to noise ratio (SD/N) between cancer and intraluminal fluid, cancer and the pancreas. For qualitative analysis two radiologists evaluated lesion conspicuity on each image by grading system(grade 0, 1, 2, 3: poor, fair, good, excellent). RESULTS: S/N of stomach cancer increased gradually by time(precontrast, 30, 60, 90 second delay:38.7, 42.5, 57.4, 65.7). SD/N between cancer and intraluminal fluid significantly increased after contrast enhancement(1.24, 25.01, 39.30, 45.89). SD/Ns between cancer and the pancreas were 10.5, 9.33, 9.99, 10.66 respectively. In qualitative analysis, precontrast images were better than postcontrast images for delineation of stomach cancer, Postcontrast images showed clear endo-luminal side of stomach cancer, but outer margin of stomach cancer was more distinct on precontrast images. CONCLUSION: Precontrast MR images are better than postcontrast MR images in the depiction of stomach cancer. Intravenous contrast agent is not imperative in the evaluation of stomach cancer.
Butylscopolammonium Bromide ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Noise ; Pancreas ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Water

Macrostomia is a relatively rare malformation. There have been many surgical methods for the correction of macrostomia. The old method, a simple straight line closure , did not include reconstruction of the orbicularis oris muscle. Postoperatively, a depressed scar and severe contraction on the cheek were found, especially with animation. As a result, many authors have known that reconstruction of the orbicularis oris muscle was very important to avoid a depressed scar for the correction of macrostomia. The tendency toward lateral displacement of the reconstructed commissure has been attributed to linear scar contraction, and Z-plasty is advocated to prevent this deformity. However, we found that the Z-plasty scar may be conspicuous when the patient smiles. So we performed reconstruction of the orbicularis oris muscle to avoid a depressed scar, and straight line closure to avoid a conspicuous scar. In order to prevent linear scar contracture due to straight line closure, we overcorrected the new commissure. We treated 6 cases of macrostomia form May 1, 1996 to April 30, 1999 using straight line closure and reconstruction of the orbicularis oris muscle. Periods of follow-up were from 12 months to 35 months, with an average of 20,2 months. Every patient was analyzed clinically by ordinary scale method and anthropometrically by the ratio of abnormal distances to normal distances between cheilion and crista philtri. In 3 clinical assessments : symmetry of the commissure was excellent: degree of the scar at rest was good: and degree of depression with animation was excellent. The anthropometrical ratio was 1:1.05. Despite the fact that the linear scars were perpendicular to the minimal skin tension lines, the scars were inconspicuous. The muscle repair provided reconstruction to the modiolus and gave a natural appearance to the commissure, however it did not seem to provide sufficient bulkiness around the commissure. The straight line skin closure and repair of the orbicularis oris muscle provide effective functional and aesthetic reconstruction.
Cheek ; Cicatrix ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Contracture ; Depression ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Macrostomia* ; Skin

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma is a rare entity. Various definitions for spontaneous epidural hematoma have been reported in the literature. The expression of nontraumatic spinal epidural hematoma seems to be less ambiguous and includes idiopathic hematomas and hematomas secondary to coagulopathy, vascular malformations, and tumors. We report three cases of nontraumatic spinal epidural hematomas observed from 1991 to 2000. The causes of the spinal epidural hematomas were not clear in two cases among them, but in the another one case, the cause was determined to be an acquired coagulopathy. We reviewed 24 cases reported in the Korean Journal of Neurosurgery and our three cases with particular emphasis on the various causes such as coagulopathy, vascular malformations and tumors. Among the 27 cases, numerous causes were detected such as three cases of vascular malformation, one case of anticoagulant treatment, five cases of combined lumbar disc herniation, two cases associated with pregnancy and postpartum, one case associated with hypertension, and one case associated with ossification of ligamentum flavum. No causes were detected in the ten cases. The authors reviewed the literature.
Hematoma ; Hematoma, Epidural, Spinal* ; Hypertension ; Ligamentum Flavum ; Neurosurgery ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Vascular Malformations