• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.419-425
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• 2012

The coordinated action of the detrusor muscle cells in the urinary bladder is governed by cell-cell communication through gap junction, consisted of connexin (Cx) molecules. Even though a number of researches have been mostly focused on expressional changes of a few Cx isoforms in clinically dysfunctional condition of the bladder, less attention has been paid for investigation of Cx isoforms present in the bladder. Using real-time PCR analysis, the present study examined Cx isoforms expressing in the male rat bladder during postnatal period. Also, expressional patterns of Cx isoforms were evaluated in the bladder at different postnatal ages. Of a total of 13 Cx isoforms tested in the present study, we were able to detect mRNAs of 6 Cx isoforms in the rat urinary bladder, including Cxs 31, 31.1, 32, 37, 40, and 45. The transcript levels of Cxs 31, 31.1, 37, 40, and 45 were gradually increased from 1 week of age until 25 days of age, followed by transient decreases at 45 days of age. However, abundance of Cx32 transcript was drastically increased at 15 days of age, followed by a sharp drop at 45 days of age. These results indicate that differential expression of Cx isoforms in the bladder during postnatal development would be necessary for maintaining proper function of the bladder. A question remains to be answered if significant decreases of transcript levels of some Cx isoforms at the elderly are associated with age-dependent dysfunction of the bladder.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.58-62
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• 1995

We investigated whether nitric oxide (NO) may serve a role in bladder function by immunohistochemical analysis of the distribution of intrinsic NADPH-diaphorase and functional study of isometric tension recordings via a photo-induced adequate nitric oxide (PIANO) generating system using rat bladder. Results suggest that a small number of NADPH-diaphorase-positive perikarya are present within the bladder wall and within adjacent small ganglia. Furthermore, NADPH-diaphorase-positive nerve fibers were observed in the adventitial and muscular layers, subjacent to the urothelium and perivascular fibers. Rat bladder strips precontracted with 3$\mu$M carbachol were reversibly relaxed upon NO generation by UV irradiation. PIANO-mediated relaxation was sensitive to oxygen free radicals. In addition, tissue cGMP levels were increased by the PIANO generating system and elevated cGMP levels were decreased by pretreatment of guanylate cyclase inhibitor, methylene blue. These results indicate that NO may serve a role in modulating bladder tone in the rat.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.294-303
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• 2011

Purpose: This study aimed to describe bladder dysfunction in elderly women such as frequency, nocturia, and residual urine. Methods: One hundred elderly women aged 60 and over. The Bristol Female Lower Urinary Symptoms (BFLUT) was used to evaluate the bladder function and to measure the residual urine amount by using a bladder scanner. Data was analyzed with the differences between voiding dysfunction by age group and life habits by t-test, ANOVA and correlation by Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: the mean daytime frequency was 6.8 times and night-time frequency 2.7 times. Sixty three percent of subjects had urgency and 41% had urgent incontinence. Over half of subjects had problem in voiding function. There were significant differences in frequency by age groups and constipation, but not in daytime frequency and residual urine. Lastly, there were significant positive relations between daytime frequency and night-time frequency. Also results indicate that more frequency in daytime equaled to a less residual urine amount. Conclusion: We know many elderly women have lower urinary tract symptoms. Specially women over 75 years have more daytime frequency and night-time frequency. This suggests further research needed in order to understand the relation of voiding patterns and life habits and its influence on quality of life.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.97-100
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• 1997

Rupture or contrast extravasation of urinary bladder after voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) was a very rare complication which occurred in neurogenic or unused bladder. Only one case of bladder extravasation was reported in a girl with normal bladder function. Case: A 18 month-old boy presented with recurrent E. Coli urinary tract infection and was evaluated with isotope VCUG, which was failed to catheter insertion. Two days later, isotope VCUG was repeated with difficult catheter insertion. Two hours after isotope VCUG, gross hematuria and anuria developed, and abdominal distension was followed. Bladder rupture was diagnosed by abdominal sonography and computerized tomography. He was treated with simple closure and suprapubic catheter drainage.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.11
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• pp.1136-1139
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• 2008

The genitourinary tract and gastrointestinal system are interdependent but share the same embryological origin, pelvic region, and sacral innervation. Although children with voiding disturbances often present with bowel dysfunction, this coexistence was considered coincidental until recently. However, it is now accepted that dysfunction in emptying of both systems is interrelated. Afferent impulses carrying sensory information are transmitted through the spinal cord and brainstem toward several cortical and subcortical areas, resulting in conscious control of the bladder and bowel. Alteration in these afferent pathways can result in dysfunction, including urinary and fecal incontinence. Distal gastrointestinal tract problems such as constipation might induce an inhibitory rectovesical reflex that interferes with normal voiding. Therefore, lower urinary tract function seems to be closely associated with distal gastrointestinal tract function.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.237-251
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• 2013

Objective : Min fire(民火) is mentioned as a kind of fire that exists in human body, which rarely appears in traditional medical books. It was mainly mentioned as a fire in urinary bladder, and was referred to have some function in the process of qi transformation(氣化) in urinary bladder. As the concept of min fire was originated from the Taoist internal alchemy, this study will make a comparative research between the examples of min fire in medical theory and Taoist internal alchemy, and will find out the conceptual significance of min fire in medical theory. Method : Among traditional medical books, min fire appears in such books as Yixuerumen(醫學入門), Youyoujicheng(幼幼集成), Fengshijinnangmilu(馮氏錦囊秘錄), and also in some books of Taoist internal alchemy. Though rather brief and informal, they show us some information about the performance of min fire in human body. So based on the information about min fire that was acquired from those books, this study will apply the concept of min fire to the traditional dispute on the problem of qi transformation in urinary bladder. Result & Conclusion : The concept of min fire that is related to the problem of qi transformation in urinary bladder, shows well that qi transformation in urinary bladder produces not only urine but also the ascent of shuijing(水精). And it also shows well that min fire acts as a power for the qi transformation in urinary bladder, which would perform well in the cooperation with sovereign fire(君火). This can be presented as a theoretical basis that the power for the qi transformation in urinary bladder is basically prepared in urinary bladder itself.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.119-125
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• 2003

Objective : The purpose of this study is to show that there was a significant result in prescribing Herb remedy and Korean-Bee-Venom acupuncture and acupuncture & moxibustion therapy to Urinary incontinence patients due to Neurologic Bladder caused by Cauda equina syndrome after having an vertebrae lumbale operation. Method : The methods used in this study was observe the patient's subjective improvement, valuation of the bladder function and the change of the sensibility drop when Herb remedy and Korean-Bee-Venom acupuncture and acupuncture was applied. Results : When acupuncture and Korean-Bee-Venom acupuncture was both applied the function of Bladder changed from score 10 to 0 and the Grade of Urinary Incontinence changed from Grade III to 0 also with the sensibility drop. Conclusion : The results show that when using Umnungchon(SP9), Yangnungchon (GB34), Taedon(LR1), Kokkol(CV2) there was an effect to some degree to the Urinary incontinence patients but when Korean-Bee-Venom was acupunctured to Kwanwon(CV4) and Kihae(CV6) the effect increased. Further studies and examples for evidence are required.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.1685-1688
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• 2005

We treated a 51 year-old female patient of neurogenic bladder. The patient complained of urinary incontinence, lack of urine sense, loss of right leg sense etc. The symptoms developed right after spinal stenosis surgery. The symptoms didn't show any improvement continually. But after admission and treatment in our hospital, symptoms were improved from severe to mild and the score of Assesment of Bladder function got better. We continued to prescribe the herbal medicine over 8 weeks and could observe that symptoms were improved. This result suggests that oriental medical therapy is useful enough to treat the neurogenic bladder. Therefore further study of the approach and application of this treatment for neurogenic bladder would be necessary.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.805-817
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• 2009

This study was to investigate central localization of neurons projecting to the urinary bladder and urinary bladder-related acupoints(Wijung, $BL_{40}$) and neurons of immunoreactive to hormones and hormone receptors regulating urinary bladder function by using peudorabies virus(PRV). In this experiment, Bartha's strain of pseudorabies virus was used in rats to trace central localization of urinary bladder-related neurons and urinary bladder-related acupoints($BL_{40}$) which can regulate urinary system. PRV was injected into the urinary bladder and acupoints($BL_{40}$) related urinary system. After six days survival of rats, mainly common labeled neurons projecting to the urinary bladder and urinary bladder-related acupoints were identified in spinal cord, medulla, pons and diencephalon by PRV immunohistochemical staining method. First-order PRV labeled neurons projecting to urinary bladder and urinary bladder-related acupoints were found in the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral spinal cord. Commonly labeled preganglionic neurons were labeled in the lumbosacral spinal cord and thoracic spinal cord. They were found in the lateral horn area(sacral parasympathetic nucleus and intermediolateral nucleus), lamina V-X, intermediomedial nucleus and dorsal column area. The area of sensory neurons projecting to urinary bladder and Wijung($BL_{40}$) was L5-S2 spinal ganglia and T12-L1 spinal ganglia, respectively. In the brainstem, the neurons were labeled most evidently and consistently in the nucleus of tractus solitarius, area postrema, dorsal motor nucleus of vagus nerve, reticular nucleus, raphe nuclei(obscurus, magnus and pallidus), C3 adrenalin cells, parapyramidal area(lateral paragigantocellular nucleus), locus coeruleus, subcoeruleus nucleus, A5 cell group, Barrington's nucleus and periaqueductal gray matter. In the diencephalon, PRV labeled neurons were marked mostly in the paraventricular nucleus and a few ones were in the lateral hypothalamic nucleus, posterior hypothalamic nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, arcuate nucleus, median eminence, perifornical nucleus, periventricular nucleus and suprachiasmatic nucleus. In cerebral cortex, PRV labeled neurons were marked mostly in the frontal cortex, 1,2 area, hind limb area, agranular insular cortex. Immunoreactive neurons to Corticotropin releasiing factor(CRF), Corticotropin releasiing factor-receptor(CRF-R), c-fos and serotonin were a part of labeled areas among the virus-labeled neurons of urinary bladder and Wijung($BL_{40}$). The commonly labeled areas were nucleus tractus solitarius, area postrema, reticular nucleus, raphe nuclei(obscurus, magnus and pallidus), locus coeruleus, A5 cell group, Barrington,s nucleus, arcuate nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, frontal cortex 1, 2 area, hind limb, and perirhinal(agranular insular) cortex. These results suggest that overlapped CNS locations are related with autonomic nuclei which regulate the functions of urinary bladder-relate organs and it was revealed by tracing PRV labeled neurons projecting urinary bladder and urinary bladder-related acupoints. These commonly labeled areas often overlap with the neurons connected with hormones and hormone receptors related to urination.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.972-978
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to identify correlations among the continence function, cognitive function, and activities of daily living(ADL) in elderly male patients with dementia in geriatric hospitals. The subjects were 64 patients aged 65 or above who were diagnosed with dementia among the hospitalized male patients in a geriatric hospital. For the subjects' cognitive function, a questionnaire developed for the Korean Mini Mental Status Examination(K-MMSE) was used. For the continence function and ADL, data were collected using a patient evaluation table. As a result, a lower level of cognitive function resulted in corresponding higher levels of dependence in all items of ADL except bathing(p<.05), and a lower level of cognitive function led to corresponding declines in the continence function(bowel control, bladder control)(p<.01). In addition, a higher level of dependence in ADL resulted in corresponding higher levels of difficulty in bowel and bladder control(p<.01). This study showed correlations among the cognitive function, ADL, and continence function of elderly men with dementia. The results of this study may be used as basic data for the management and treatment of hospitalized elderly male patients with dementia in geriatric hospitals.