No abstract available.
Ossicular Prosthesis*

No abstract available.
Dacryocystorhinostomy*

No abstract available.
Sinusitis*

No abstract available.
Dust* ; Mastoid*

No abstract available.
Dust* ; Mastoid*

BACKGROUND: Skin contact with metalworking fluid(MWF) remains a frequent cause of occupational dermatitis. However, no precise data is available about sensitization in metalworkers exposed to MWF in Korea. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of contact sensitivity among metalwokers who handle MWFs and to investigate the suitability of a screening test with MWFs being actually used in metalworkers. METHODS: An epidemiological study was performed using a'questionnaire in 771 workers in 9 derpartments of a motor company. 278 out of 771 workers had actual contact with MWF. Patch tests were performed in 73 metalworkers who had suspected dermatits in relation to exposure of MWF, which was selected via interviews and dermatologic examinations. Patch tests were included with a routine series of common components of MWF(materials obtained from Chemotechnique, Sweden), a solvent series and several dilutions of various crude MWFs(8 species) RESULTS: Contact sensitization was established in 14 metalworkers(5% of 278). Sensitising substances were biocide(6 cases), corrosion inhibitors(2 cases), emulsifiers(2 cases), biostatic substances(1 cses) and others(4 cases). Therefore 10 out of 14 metalworkers had true occupational allergic contact dermatitis. 10 out of 73 screening patch tests showed positive reactions to MWF elements, and 9 people who were positive to MWF elements showed positive reactions to crude MWF, but 1 person did not. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of occupational allergic contact dermatitis(3.5% of 278) was low. The screening patch test by crude MWFs actually used in metalworkers may give false negatives. Therefore for the purpose of diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis, we need a process of patch tests with MWF elements.
Corrosion ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermatitis, Occupational ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Patch Tests ; Prevalence ; Skin ; Skin Diseases*

The estrogen receptor (ER) is present in a wide variety of mammalian tissues and is required for the physiological responses of estrogen, including estrogen-induced tissue-specific changes in gene expression. But most of our knowledge on the regulation of ER mRNA levels comes from in vivo steroid replacement experiments or cancer cell lines that express the ER. Thus the present study was attempted to determine 1) the anterior pituitary ER mRNA levels during rat estrous cycle 2) if estradiol itself directly modulates the ER mRNA levels in cultured rat anterior pituitary using RT-PCR method. In rats with 4 day estrous cycle, the ER mRNA levels in anterior pituitary gland reached to maximum at proestrus 11:00h just before serum estradiol concentration showed the highest. From then, the ER mRNA levels gradually declined during the rest of the proestrus. On the other hands, in cultured rat anterior pituitary cells, the ER mRNA levels were significantly decreased by the treatment of estradiol. These results indicate that the surge of estradiol was proceeded by the increase in pituitary ER mRNA levels during the proestrus and in cultured anterior pituitary cells, estrogen might be involved in the down-regulation of the ER mRNA levels.
Animals ; Cell Line ; Down-Regulation ; Estradiol ; Estrogens* ; Estrous Cycle ; Gene Expression ; Hand ; Pituitary Gland, Anterior* ; Proestrus ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger*

This study was carried out in order to estimate the residual amount of mercury in soy-bean sprouts in each steps of cooking. Samples were taken at markets and also cultured at home without applying the mercury containing pesticides as control. Mercury was determined by dithizone method. It was disclosed that soy-bean sprouts purchased at markets contained 1.32+/-0.274 ppm, 13 times as high as the maximal allowable concentration of mercury in food recommended by Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. Mercury contents, however, dropped off steadily by steps of cooking: rinsed with distilled water and boiled in distilled water showing concentrations of 0.11+/-0.025 ppm in boiled sprouts and 0.03+/-0.022 ppm in sprout-soup. These values were not statistically different from those in control samples, and not exceeded the maximal allowabled levels of mercury in food. It can be concluded that the use of mercury containing pesticides in the cultivation of soy-bean sprouts is not so serious problem as it has been suspected in respect of food contamination, but careful attention must be paid to indiscriminate use of mercury containing pesticides as they may contaminate air, water and soil and secondarily bring harm to human health through food chains.
Cooking* ; Dithizone ; Food Chain ; Food Contamination ; Humans ; Pesticides ; Soil ; Water

The brain computerized tomography, an epoch-making diagnostic procedure has caused a revolutionary change in the neurosurgical field;the correct localization of small space occupying lesion wherever it is in the brain without pain and harm to the patients. The brain CT findings of 3035 patients which were examined in this hospital during past 29 months from Oct. 1981 to March 1984 were analysed and the literature review was made. The results of analysis are as follows: 37.1% of total 3035 cases were observed abnormal, including 29% of head injured patients, 42.4% of non-trauma cases, 57.6% of emergency cases and 15.2% of non-emergency cases. 2) The rates of abnormal findings were proportional to the degree of consciousness disturbance in the head injured patients and severity of the neurological deficits in the other neurosurgical patients. 3) The follow up studies were performed for 287 patients among 1127 patients having abnormal findings in the first check and we found the improving process of various lesion and the resolving process of hematoma after operation. The follow up studies were performed for 138 patients having normal findings in the first check and 26% of these cases were observed abnormal, including 21.5% of head injured cases and 55% of the non-trauma cases. 4) 94% of patients with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage showed bleedings chiefly in the basal cistern.
Brain* ; Consciousness ; Emergencies ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: To directly examine the function of the endothelial cell(EC) and smooth muscle cell in umbilical arteries acquired from preeclampsia patients between June 1998 to November 1999, using a conventional tension measurement and bioassay experiment. RESULTS: Relaxation responses to EC-dependent relaxing agents including bradykinin and A23187 in human umbilical artery rings were significantly decreased in preeclampsia(p<0.01). Relaxation responses to EC-independent agents(SNP and SNAP) were also inhibited in umbilical artery rings acquired from preeclampsia patients(p<0.01). To test the change of endothelial cell function in preeclampsia without involvement of smooth muscle dysfunction, we used human umbilical artery and rabbit femoral artery as a donor and detector, respectively, in bioassay experiment. Relaxation responses to EC-dependent agents(A23187 and bradykinin) showed similar results to conventional tension measurement (p<0.01). Relaxation responses to 8-bromo-cGMP in human umbilical artery rings were also significantly decreased in preeclampsia(p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that increased vascular resistance in preeclampsia is not only due to the disturbance of endothelial function, but also to smooth muscle dysfunction.
Biological Assay ; Bradykinin ; Calcimycin ; Endothelial Cells ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Relaxation* ; Tissue Donors ; Umbilical Arteries* ; Vascular Resistance