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The effects were studied of 4-tert-octylphenol (OP) on hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes in rats. Rats were treated intraperitoneally with OP twice, at doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg. Among the cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase activities, testosterone 2α-hydroxylase activity, which is associated with CYP2C11, was significantly decreased by OP at all doses. The level relative to control activity was 67–22%. CYP3A2-dependent monooxygenase, testosterone 6β-hydroxylase activity was also decreased by 51% by OP at 20 mg/kg. Furthermore, immunoblotting showed that OP (10 or 20 mg/kg) significantly decreased CYP2C11/6 and CYP3A2/1 protein levels. However, the reduction ratio of CYP2C11/6 and CYP3A2/1 protein levels by OP treatment was lower than that of testosterone 2α-hydroxylase and testosterone 6β-hydroxylase activities. The Cl int (V max/K m) value for testosterone 2α-hydroxylase was significantly decreased by OP at all doses, whereas the Cl int value for testosterone 6β-hydroxylase was only decreased by OP at 20 mg/kg. In addition, 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activity was significantly decreased by 32% by the highest dose of OP. By contrast, CYP1A1-, CYP1A2-, CYP2A1-, CYP2B1/2-, CYP2D1-, CYP2E1- and CYP4A1/2/3- dependent monooxygenase activities were not affected by OP at any dose. These results suggest that OP changes the male-specific cytochrome P450 isoforms in rat liver, and that these changes closely relate to the toxicity of OP.

Foreign bodies in the colon are encountered with increasing frequency, but only sporadic reports concerning their management have appeared in the literature. While most ingested foreign bodies usually pass through the gastrointestinal tract uneventfully, sharp foreign bodies such as toothpicks infrequently cause intestinal perforation and may even result in death. We report our experience with a patient with a sigmoid colon pseudodiverticulum formation, a complication of accidental ingestion of a toothpick that was diagnosed and successfully managed colonoscopically.

To determine the genotoxicity of river water towards mammalian cells, we applied Micronucleus in vitro test using mammalian cells to the samples taken from river Tamagawa located between Tokyo and Kanagawa prefecture. Water samples were condensed by Sep-pak cartridges and extracted by dichloromethane and methanol. Positive genotoxicity was observed in methanol extracts from sampling stations of Hinobashi and Marukobashi, while no dichloromethane extracts showed genotoxicity, suggesting that polar genotoxic micropollutants may be contained in the water of Tamagawa, at least in its down-stream. Significantly high mutagenicity also detected from Hinobashi and Marukobashi by Ames mutagenicity test using Salmonella Typhimurium, and some difference was obtained in sensitivity between the two methods. This may arise from the difference in species used, that is, mammalian cells in micronucleus test and bacteria in Ames mutagenicity test.

Background and Objectives:Atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD) has been used for evaluating systolic function. However, its relations with other echocardiographic variables reflecting diastolic function are not well documented. This study was designed to assess the relations between AVPD and those echocardiographic variables known to reflect diastolic function, especially using mitral annulus velocity. Subjects and Methods: Eighty-seven patients with normal left ventricular (LV) systolic function (normal echocardiography group (Group I, n=44), concentric left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) group (Group II, n=43)) and 51 patients with LV dysfunction (Group III) were studied. To evaluate the correlation with echocardiographic variables reflecting LV systolic and diastolic function, we measured mitral inflow velocity and mitral annulus Doppler tissue velocity. Results:AVPD was correlated negatively with age, the ratio of early diastolic mitral inflow velocity and early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (E/E’), isovolumic relaxation time, and E/A ratio. AVPD was correlated positively with deceleration time, ejection fraction, and systolic mitral annulus velocity (S’). By multivariate analysis, AVPD was independently correlated with S’ (β=0.4, p

연구배경 : 고열과 유독가스에 의한 흡입 폐 손상은 화상 환자에서 화재와 관련한 주된 사망원인이다. 따라서 조기진단과 적절한 치료가 중요한데, 본 연구는 초기 COHb 농도가 증가한 화상 환자의 임상 특성 및 경과를 관찰하고 흡입 폐 손상에 대한 예후인자를 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 : 2001년 8월부터 2002년 7월까지 응급실 통해 내원한 1,416명 환자 중 동맥혈 가스검사에서 COHb 농도가 5% 이상인 39명을 사망군(12명)과 생존군(27명)으로 나누어, 임상특성, 임상적 흡입 손상 정도, 흉부 X-선 소견, 화상 체표 면적, APACHE II 점수, SAPS II 점수 등을 후향적으로 비교하였다. 결 과 : 생존군과 사망군 사이에 COHb 농도는 각각 $10.3{\pm}8.8%$ , $9.7{\pm}5.7%$ , 화상 체표면적은 $16.6{\pm}17.8%$ , $60.7{\pm}28.8%$ 였다. 임상적 흡입 폐 손상 정도 및 초기 흉부 X-선 소견은 생존군과 사망군 사이에 유의한 차이점을 관찰할 수 없었다. 두 군사이의 사망관련 인자로는 화상 체표면적, APACHE II 점수, SAPS II 점수, 기계 호흡 및 총 입원기간이 관여하고 있었으나 다변량 분석에서 화상 체표 면적이 가장 중요한 사망관련 인자였다. 결 론 : 초기 동맥혈 COHb 농도가 증가되어 있는 화상환자의 예후는 불량할 것으로 기대되기 때문에 치료에 많은 관심을 기울여야 할 것으로 사료된다. 하지만, COHb이 흡입 폐 손상을 동반한 화상 환자의 예후에 미치는 효과에 대해서는 향후 전향적 연구를 통해서 검토되어져야 할 것으로 생각된다. 【Background : Smoke inhalation injury is an important determinant of mortality in burn patients. The early detection of inhalation injury in burn patients is important because the incidence of respiratory failure after inhalation injury was known to be high, with hypoxemia, pneumonia, and prolonged ventilatory support being commonplace. Acute carbon monoxide poisoning was one feature of smoke inhalation. The purpose of our study were to investigate the clinical characteristics of burn patients whose initial arterial carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level had been elevated, to assess the clinical impact of COHb for smoke inhalation injury. Methods : Among 1,416 burn patients had been admitted at our institution from August 1, 2001 to July 31, 2002, 39 patients whose initial arterial COHb level have been more than 5% were included. We compared clinical scoring system for inhalation injury, percent total body surface area (%TBSA) burn, initial chest X-ray findings, APACHE II scores and SAPS II scores between survivors (n=27) and non-survivors (n=12) retrospectively. Results : COHb level were 9.7(5.71% and 10.3(8.81% in survivors and in non-survivors (p>0.05). Mean %TBSA burn of survivors and non-survivors were $16.6{\pm}17.8%$ and $60.7{\pm}28.8%$ (p】