The objective of this study was to establish a good methodology to isolate single smooth muscle cells that are alive and respond properly to pharmacological agents. Canine urinary bladders were employed as the source of single cells, and acetylcholine, atropine and imipramine were used as indicators of pharmacological responsiveness. Imipramine, an antidepressant drug exhibited the anticholinergic and calcium antagonizing properties on rat detrusor muscle. To establish a control value for a further experiment to elucidate the mechanism of action of imipramine on detrusor muscle, we measured the concentration-response of single cells to acetylcholine in the presesnce of imipramine by length of the cells and compared the result with the response in the presence of atropine. Tiny chops of smooth muscle taken from anesthetized canine urinary bladder were incubated in collagenase solution at 36℃ for 17-20 minutes. The collagenase solution included collagenase 1.2 mg/ml, soybean tryspin inhibitory 0.08 mg/ml, bovine serum albumin 2% in 10 ml Krebs-Henseleit buffer solution aerated with a consistent breeze of 95/5% O2/CO2 to maintain the pH at 7.4. After washing with plain K-H solution on 450 mesh, cells were dissociated from the digested tissue for 12-15 minutes. Cell suspension was transfered in 5 ml test tubes and acetylcholine was added for the final concentration to be 10⁻¹⁴~10⁻⁹M. To find the optimal time to fix the cells to determine the contractile responses, 1% acrolein was added 5, 10, 20, 30, 60 and 120 seconds after the administration of ACh. The length of cells fixed by acrolein were measured by microscaler vis CCTV camers on phaes-contrast microscope. The average length of 50 cells from a slide glass was taken as the value of a sample at the very concentration point. Single cells were isolated from canine detrusor. The length of untreated cells varied from 82 µm to 94 µm. The maximal response to actylcholine 10E-9M was accomplished within 5 seconds of exposure, and the shortening was 19±3%. Atropine reduced the contraction of the cells concentration-dependently. Lmipramine which exerts a cholinergic blocking action on some smooth muscles also reduced the contraction concentration-dependently and by a similar pattern as atropine. These findings document that imipramine may exerts a cholinergic blocking activity in the single smooth muscle cells isolated from canine urinary bladder.
Acetylcholine ; Acrolein ; Animals ; Atropine ; Calcium ; Collagenases ; Glass ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Imipramine* ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Rats ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; Soybeans ; Urinary Bladder

No abstract available.
Colon* ; Rectum*

No abstract available.
Graves Disease* ; Pregnancy*

OBJECT: In order to compare several Obstetric characteristics and outmmes of teenage pregnancy. METHODS: The 10 year clinical records of 11,583 women undergoing Cesarean section and delivery were reviewed in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Incheon Christian Hospital from July 1, 1989 to June 30, 1999. There were seventy-eight pregnancies under age 20 and we compared them with two hundred pregnancies aged 20-29 who were randomly chosen during the same periods as the control group. RESULT: The following results were obtained. The proportion of birth by teenagers increased from 0.5% of all birth in 1989 to 2.61% in 1999. The most of cases were in high teen group, age 14- 19.The majority(50.5%) were in the age of 19. Seventy two cases(92.3%) had no previous pregnant history. Six cases had one previous pregnant history. The frequencies of prenatal care were significantly lower than that of the control group(p<0.05). The mean gestational period was 36+4weeks, and showed significant difference between the study group and the control group(39+3 weeks). The incidence of preterm labor was significantly different between the two proups(p<0.05). But the incidence of postterm delivery were not significantly different between the two groups. The mean weight gain of pregnant teenagers revealed 10.64kg, significantly less profound than the control group. The matemal weight gain of control group revealed 12.95kg, respectively. The mean birth weight(2.54kg) of infant was significantly less profound than the control group. The incidence of birth of small for gestational age(birth weight 1,500-2,499gm ; 14.5%) was significantly increased among study group than the control group(1%). The rate of abdominal delivery(21.8%) were not significantly decreased than the control group(47%). The incidence of cephalopelvic disproportion and malpresentation for cesarean section were somewhat higher than the control group, and were statistically significant(p<0.05). During the antepartun period, anemia, pyelonephritis, and preterm labor occurred more frequently in the teenage pregnancy than the control group, but not statistically significant. Among postpartum complications, incidence of anemia(51.3%) increased significantly. The perinatal mortality, intrauterine growth retardation, congenital anomaly occurred more frequently than the control group. CONCLUSION: These results show that pregnancy of teenage will be comeout high risk and complications. And then we will be more concern and study about teenage pregnancy.
Adolescent ; Anemia ; Cephalopelvic Disproportion ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Incheon ; Incidence ; Infant ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Obstetrics ; Parturition ; Perinatal Mortality ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy in Adolescence* ; Prenatal Care ; Pyelonephritis ; Weight Gain

Acral persistent papular mucinosis is a subtype of the localized papular mucinosis. Clinically, ivory to flesh-colored papules develop exclusively on the back of the hands, the extensor surface of the wrists, and occasionally the distal forearms. Histologically, mucin accumulates in the upper reticular dermis, typically sparing a subepidermal zone and fibroblasts are not increased in number. On experiencing a case of numerous papules on both hands and forearms of a fifty year-old woman, we present it as acral persistent papular mucinosis.
Dermis ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; Forearm ; Hand ; Humans ; Mucins ; Scleromyxedema* ; Wrist

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

We experienced a case of unilasteral vocal cord paralysis following cuffed endotracheal intubation for abdominal surgery. The patient had have no laryngotracheal symptoms prior to the operation and anesthesia was uneventful. He complained of hoarseness post-operatively but no visible evidence of trauma secondary to the intubation was mainfested on the indirect laryngoscopic examination, except left vocal cord paralysis. There were no obvious causes for the vocal cord paralysis and possible etiologic factors. Therefore, no specific treatment was done except for the bed rest, humidification and gurgling. Vocal cord function returned nearly normal after six months.

A multitude of methods for correction of the residual cleft lip nose deformity have been developed. Inspite of the development it appears that no one procedure has achieved satisfactory results. In addition, the appropriate timing for surgical correction still remains unsettled. The philtrum plays a keyhole in the appearance of the upper lip and nostril sill. But the formation of philtrum with muscle flap or conchal cartilage have been resulted in a unsatisfactory aesthetic outcome. We performed 26 cases of the correction of unilateral cleft lip nose deformity between May 1993 and September 1996, and we always used autogenous palmaris longus tendon for reconstruction of philtral column and nostril sill augmentation. Palmaris longus tendon creates a more definite philtral unit comparing to other materials which have been used and it is easy to harvest and transfer and it does not affect normal function of the hand. And we followed up all patients and confirmed that disappearance of newly formed philtrum is rare. In conclusion, this study shows that autogenous palmaris longus tendon is a useful material for reconstruction of philtral column.
Cartilage ; Cleft Lip* ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Hand ; Humans ; Lip ; Nose* ; Tendons*

No abstract available.
Accidents, Traffic*

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive, treatment-resistant, and generally fatal disease. A 68-year-old male who was diagnosed with MPM at another hospital came to our hospital with dyspnea. We advised him to take combination chemotherapy but he refused to take the treatment. That was because he had already received chemotherapy with supportive care at another hospital but his condition worsened. Thus, we recommended photodynamic therapy (PDT) to deal with the dyspnea and MPM. After PDT, the dyspnea improved and the patient then decided to take the combination chemotherapy. Our patient received chemotherapy using pemetrexed/cisplatin. Afterwards, he received a single PDT treatment and then later took chemotherapy using gemcitabine/cisplatin. The patient showed a survival time of 27 months, which is longer than median survival time in advanced MPM patients. Further research and clinical trials are needed to demonstrate any synergistic effect between the combination chemotherapy and PDT.
Aged ; Drug Therapy* ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Male ; Mesothelioma* ; Photochemotherapy* ; Pleura