Serum Immunoglobulin (Ig)A, IgG, IgM, levels were measured in 99 coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) patients and 12 healthy coal workers and 9 non-miners to compare with each group by the radiological categories, its complications and working period in coal mine. Serum were measured by nephelometry. The findings were as follows: 1) Serum IgA levels were significantly different between three groups of CWP patient, healthy coal worker and non-miner (mean+/-standard deviation: 226.4+/-87.7, 221.3+/-45.1, 170.1+/-65.7 respectively). 2) There were no significant differences of Ig levels among radiological categories of CWP. 3) There were no significant differences of Ig levels among simple pneumoconiosis and its complicated disorders. 4) The three Ig levels were slightly increased in the group of mining years less than 20 years (IgA: r=0.1869, p<0.10 IgG: r=0.2902, p<0.05 IgM: r=0.2889, p<0.05).
Coal* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunoglobulins* ; Mining ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Pneumoconiosis*

No abstract available.
Rectal Neoplasms*

No abstract available.
Breast* ; Tuberculosis*

The purpose of this study is to analyze occupational history of coal miners with pnemoconiosis. In this study, occupational chracteristics of 49 coal miners with pneumoconiosis were compared with those of 45 coal miners without pneumoconiosis but in similar age category (43-52 years of age) based on interview survey. Various indices on occupational characteristics were developed for the following areas: duration of employment, perception of working condition, working density, dust concentration, temperature, humidity, and experience of respirator wearings. Perception of working condition were measured in 5 points scales but experiences of respirator wearing was measured in 3 points scale. Each index was multiplied by duration of employment. From the analysis, only the experience of respirator wearing showed statistically significant difference between the two groups. Therefore, respirator wearing seemed to be effective in reducing occurrence of pneumoconiosis.
Coal* ; Dust ; Employment ; Humidity ; Pneumoconiosis* ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Weights and Measures

No abstract available.
Mortality*

Amylase-producing multiple myeloma is a rare disorder and has poor prognosis. Its characteristics are elevation of salivary type amylase, extensive extramedullary spread, extensive bone destruction, shorter survival time, and abnormal karyotype. Recently, we have experienced a case of amylase-producing IgG kappa type multiple myeloma in a 63-year-old woman. On admission, serum and urine amylase was 8,450U/L and 169,710U/L, 85% and 86% of which was determined to be the salivary type, respectively. The other cause of hyperamylasemia had not been detected. The presence of immunoglobulin and amylase in the myeloma cells was demonstrated immunohistochemically. Bone marrow aspiration smear revealed 59.1% plasma cells. The cytogenetic study of bone marrow cell showed normal karyotype. The patient died 3 months after chemotherapy with melphalan and prednisolone.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Amylases ; Bone Marrow ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Cytogenetics ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperamylasemia ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Immunoglobulins ; Karyotype ; Melphalan ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Plasma Cells ; Prednisolone ; Prognosis

No abstract available.
Anesthesia, Spinal*

No abstract available.
Anesthesia, Spinal*

BACKGROUND: To prevent sudden unexpected movement of patients during surgery, muscle relaxants are used to maintain intense neuromuscular blockade.They are administered by intermittent bolus or continuous infusion.Rocuronium is often used for continuous infusion because it is known to lack cumulative effects. The purpose of this study was to compare recovery times from intense neuromuscular block to reappearance of muscle twitches after 0.1 Hz single twitch stimulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy five patients were randomized to one of 3 groups.Patients in group 1 were administered a single bolus of rocuronium; groups 2 and 3 were given continuous infusion of rocuronium for 1 and 2 h, respectively.During anesthesia, neuromuscular blockade was monitored by TOF-watch(R) and regulated so as not to exceed more than 5 (PTC) during the infusion. After infusion, PTC was counted every 5 min until single twitch heights had reappeared and the time till the twitch reappeared was calculated. RESULTS: There was a good correlation between the time it took to observe a PTC and the first response of TOF time in each group.In a parallelism test, there were no significant differences. There were also no significant differences in recovery times from PTC to the reappearance of a single twitch between groups. CONCLUSIONS: There are no significant differences in recovery times-from deep neuromuscular blockade to reappearance of single twitch-regardless of the infusion time.When a PTC occurs during deep neuromuscular blockade, it may predict the remaining time of reappearance of a single twitch response.
Androstanols ; Anesthesia ; Factor IX ; Humans ; Muscles ; Neuromuscular Blockade

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether frozen-thawed testicular sperm obtained from men with azoospermia could serve as an efficacious sperm source for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) by comparing to the results of ICSI using fresh testicular sperm. METHODS: From January 1997 to March 1999, 41 patients with azoospermia who underwent ICSIs using fresh and/or frozen-thawed testicular sperm were included in the study. In 23 patients of 41, fresh testicular sperm was left after ICSI and therefore remaining testicular sperm was frozen and frozen testicular sperm was used in next ICSI cycles. The results of ICSI were compared in frozen-thawed testicular sperm (frozen-thawed group, 30 cycles) versus fresh testicular sperm (fresh group, 39 cycles). RESULTS: The number of fertilized oocytes, grade I/II embryos, fertilization rate, clinical pregnancy rate were comparable in the frozen-thawed and fresh groups. There were also no differences in the miscarriage rate and multiple pregnancy rate between the two groups. In patient group with obstructive azoospermia, there were no significant differences in the number of fertilized oocytes, grade I/II embryos, fertilization rate, clinical pregnancy rate between the two groups. In patient group with non-obstructive azoospermia, all parameters of results of ICSI were comparable in both groups. In each non-obstructive azoospermic patient group with mixed motile/immotile sperm and patient group with only immotile sperm, there were also no significant differences in the number of fertilized oocytes, grade I/II embryos, fertilization rate, clinical pregnancy rate between the frozen-thawed and fresh groups. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that using frozen-thawed and fresh testicular sperm gives rise to comparable results after ICSI irrespective of the status of sperm in patients with obstructive or non-obstructive azoospermia.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Azoospermia* ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Fertilization ; Humans ; Male ; Oocytes ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pregnancy, Multiple ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic* ; Spermatozoa*