Beneficial Effects of Appropriate Sleep Duration on Depressive Symptoms and Perceived Stress Severity in a Healthy Population in Korea / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Recently, several institutions, including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the Sleep Research Society, and the National Sleep Foundation, have made consensus recommendations concerning appropriate sleep duration for adults. Although numerous studies conducted in Western populations have provided evidence of the harmful effects of short or long sleep duration on mental health, it is still unclear whether these consensus recommendations are appropriate in Korean culture. METHODS: Data from 1,892 subjects with no history of medical or psychiatric diagnoses were selected from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 2014. Subjects were divided into seven groups based on their sleep duration (≤4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and ≥10 hours). Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and perceived stress severity was evaluated using a Likert-type scale. Group differences in depressive symptoms and severity of stress were analyzed using an analysis of covariance. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms in subjects with sleep duration of ≤4 hours (5.7±5.9) or 5 hours (3.4±3.9) were higher than in subjects with a sleep duration of 7 (2.2±2.9) or 8 hours (2.2±2.9) (corrected P < 0.05). Furthermore, subjects with a short sleep duration (5 hours or below) had greater perceived stress severity than subjects with a sleep duration of 7 or 8 hours (corrected P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that maintaining an appropriate sleep duration as found in the recent consensus recommendation is important for mental health, even in healthy subjects without any medical or psychiatric illnesses, in Korea.

The Relationship between the Blood Level of Persistent Organic Pollutants and Common Gastrointestinal Symptoms / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic materials that cannot be broken down naturally and that easily accumulate in the body. Although several studies have attempted to uncover the effects of POPs on the endocrine and nervous systems and on cancer, few focus on the relationship between low-dose POPs and public health. Here, we attempt to determine the relationship between the level of POPs and common gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and constipation. METHODS: We recruited 121 subjects who visited Kyungpook National University Medical Center for health screening. Plasma concentrations were evaluated for 40 kinds of POPs including 17 types of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 23 types of organochlorine pesticides (OCP). Furthermore, the Korean version of the Rome III criteria was used to identify gastrointestinal symptoms. RESULTS: Based on our results, abdominal discomfort showed an inverse relationship with several PCBs and an inverted U-shaped relationship with several other OCPs including pp-DDD and pp-DDT. The effects of pp-DDD and pp-DDT on abdominal discomfort were similar to those of OCPs on obesity and metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that mild and unspecified gastrointestinal symptoms with no clear causes could be related to POP levels.

The Relationship between the Blood Level of Persistent Organic Pollutants and Common Gastrointestinal Symptoms / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic materials that cannot be broken down naturally and that easily accumulate in the body. Although several studies have attempted to uncover the effects of POPs on the endocrine and nervous systems and on cancer, few focus on the relationship between low-dose POPs and public health. Here, we attempt to determine the relationship between the level of POPs and common gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and constipation. METHODS: We recruited 121 subjects who visited Kyungpook National University Medical Center for health screening. Plasma concentrations were evaluated for 40 kinds of POPs including 17 types of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 23 types of organochlorine pesticides (OCP). Furthermore, the Korean version of the Rome III criteria was used to identify gastrointestinal symptoms. RESULTS: Based on our results, abdominal discomfort showed an inverse relationship with several PCBs and an inverted U-shaped relationship with several other OCPs including pp-DDD and pp-DDT. The effects of pp-DDD and pp-DDT on abdominal discomfort were similar to those of OCPs on obesity and metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that mild and unspecified gastrointestinal symptoms with no clear causes could be related to POP levels.

Associations between Body Mass Index and Chronic Atrophic Gastritis and Intestinal Metaplasia / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Chronic atrophic gastritis (AG) and intestinal metaplasia (IM) of the stomach are premalignant lesions. The present study aimed to examine the associations between obesity and these lesions. METHODS: A total of 2,997 patients, who underwent gastroscopy, participated in this study, excluding those who had been diagnosed with gastric cancer. Participants were divided into four groups based on their body mass index (BMI). The risk of AG and IM with increasing BMI was analyzed in men and women, separately. RESULTS: The association between BMI and AG was not significant. After adjusting for age, smoking, alcohol, and AG, the odds ratios for IM in the overweight, obesity, and severe obesity groups were 2.25 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.50-3.37), 2.32 (95% CI, 1.58-3.42), and 4.86 (95% CI, 2.04-11.5) in men, and 2.66 (95% CI, 1.29-5.47), 4.46 (95% CI, 2.28-8.75), and 9.57 (95% CI, 3.26-28.12) in women, compared with the normal BMI group. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric IM was significantly associated with increased BMI.

Symptom Features of Terminally Ill Cancer Patients and Depression of Family Caregivers / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

PURPOSE: There has been very little study on the associations between patient's symptoms themselves and family caregiver (FC)'s depression in the palliative phase. This cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between symptom features of terminally ill cancer patients and their FC's depression. METHODS: We performed a multicenter survey using the MD Anderson symptom inventory and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A total of 293 patient-FC pairs were recruited from seven tertiary medical centers. A multivariate regression analysis was applied for identifying the relevant factors associated with FC depression and for estimating adjusted depression score of FCs. RESULTS: Among various psychosocial factors, low FC quality of life, low social support, spouse, and more caregiving time were significantly associated with FCs' depression. According to the presence of FCs' depression, there were significant differences in some symptom characteristics of patients. Even after adjusting for the relevant confounders, depression scores were lower in FCs caring for patients who had negative symptoms (loss of appetite, P=0.005; drowsiness, P=0.024; and dry mouth, P=0.043) than in FCs caring for patients who had not. FCs caring for patients with severe appetite loss had lower depression scores than those with not severe one (P=0.039). CONCLUSION: Our result suggests that patient's symptom characteristics might be helpful when evaluating a FC's depression.

The Relationship of Caffeine Intake with Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Sleep in Korean Adolescents / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: In various studies in adults, caffeine may increase wakefulness and relieve pain, but caffeine overdose can cause many adverse serious effects on health. Caffeine intake has recently been increasing in adolescents. In spite of importance of caffeine effects on Korean adolescents, there are lack of scientific and systematic studies. The purpose of our study was to identify the relationship between caffeine consumption and effects on adolescents. METHODS: We performed study on 234 middle school students at one middle school in Daegu using a self-report questionnaire. We divided students to quartiles according to amount of caffeine intake. We used Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to evaluate the degree of depression and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) to evaluate the degree of anxiety. We also used Insomnia Severity Scale (ISI) to evaluate the degree of insomnia and Global Assessment of Recent Stress (GARS) to evaluate the stress in students. We used logistic regression analysis to identify the relationship between caffeine consumption and effects. RESULTS: Higher caffeine intake was associated with higher weight, height, lower academic achievement, and higher score in BDI, BAI, ISI, and GARS (P for trend <0.005). Higher caffeine intake quartile was associated with greater odds of having significant depression (BDI ≥10, P for trend=0.011), and insomnia (ISI ≥8, P for trend=0.015) after adjustment for factors that can affect the psychological status. CONCLUSION: We found that caffeine intake is associated weight, height, academic achievement, and higher score in BDI, BAI, ISI, and GARS. Caffeine intake was positively associated with the severity of depression and the severity of insomnia among adolescents in Korean.

Factors Affecting Research Participation of Bereaved Families of Terminal Cancer Patients: A Prospective Preliminary Study / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

PURPOSE: Little is known regarding the factors associated with the willingness of family caregivers of terminal cancer patients to participate in a bereaved survey. This study aimed to ascertain the pre-loss factors that predict actual participation in a bereaved survey. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study using data from two multi-center surveys at the end-of-life and after loss. In order to identify the pre-loss factors associated with participating in the bereaved survey, we used a step-wise multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Among 185 bereaved individuals, 30 responded to the survey (response rate: 16.2%). There were differences between the participation group and the non-participation group regarding religion, economic status, and perceived quality of care as assessed by the Quality Care Questionnaire-End of Life. A final multivariate model revealed that bereaved individuals who professed a religion (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=5.01; P=0.008), had a high income (aOR=4.86, P=0.003), and satisfied with the care for familial relationship (aOR=4.49, P=0.003) were more likely to engage in the bereaved survey. CONCLUSION: Our finding suggests that improving the quality of end-of-life care may promote actual participation in a bereaved survey through easing post-loss distress. More attention should also be paid to those bereaved individuals who are hesitant to participate in a bereaved survey.

The Relationship between the Blood Level of Persistent Organic Pollutants and Common Gastrointestinal Symptoms / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic materials that cannot be broken down naturally and that easily accumulate in the body. Although several studies have attempted to reveal the effects of POPs on the endocrine and nervous system and on cancer, few studies focus on the relationship between low-dose POPs and public health. We attempted to find a relationship between the level of POPs and common gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and constipation. METHODS: We recruited 121 subjects who visited Kyungpook National University Hospital for a health screening. Plasma concentrations were evaluated for 40 kinds of POPs including 17 types of polychlorinated biphenyls and 23 types of organochlorine pesticides. Furthermore, the Korean version of the Rome III criteria was used to identify gastrointestinal symptoms. RESULTS: Our results showed that abdominal discomfort had an inverse relationship with several polychlorinated biphenyls. Moreover, an inverted U-shaped relationship was observed between abdominal discomfort and several other organochlorine pesticides including p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, and the effects of these pesticides on abdominal discomfort were similar to that of organochlorine pesticides on obesity and metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that mild and unspecified gastrointestinal symptoms with no clear cause could be related to POPs levels.

Factors Associated with Care Burden among Family Caregivers of Terminally Ill Cancer Patients / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

PURPOSE: It is important to alleviate care burden for terminal cancer patients and their families. This study investigated the factors associated with care burden among family caregivers (FCs) of terminally ill cancer patients. METHODS: We analyzed data from 289 FCs of terminal cancer patients who were admitted to palliative care units of seven medical centers in Korea. Care burden was assessed using the Korean version of Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA) scale which comprises five domains. A multivariate logistic regression model with stepwise variable selection was used to identify factors associated with care burden. RESULTS: Diverse associating factors were identified in each CRA domain. Emotional factors had broad influence on care burden. FCs with emotional distress were more likely to experience changes to their daily routine (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 2.54; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.29~5.02), lack of family support (aOR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.04~4.97) and health issues (aOR, 5.44; 2.50~11.88). Family functionality clearly reflected a lack of support, and severe family dysfunction was linked to financial issues as well. FCs without religion or comorbid conditions felt more burdened. The caregiving duration and daily caregiving hours significantly predicted FCs' lifestyle changes and physical burden. FCs who were employed, had weak social support or could not visit frequently, had a low self-esteem. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that it is helpful to understand FCs' emotional status and family functions to assess their care burden. Thus, efforts are needed to lessen their financial burden through social support systems.

Therapeutic Efficacy of Angiocatheter Insertion Surgery in the Bony Orifice of Patulous Eustachian Tube / 대한이비인후과학회지

Patulous Eustachian tube is a benign, but bothersome condition, which can cause severe physical and psychological problems. We investigated the clinical features and the therapeutic result of the surgery in three patients, whose patulous Eustachian tube symptom were treated by the surgical insertion of a specially designed, tripod-tipped-bone wax-filled angiocatheter into the bony orifice of the Eustachian tube. Immediate disappearance of the troublesome symptoms was observed in all six patients. No serious complications were observed during the follow-up period. Factors considered for this surgical therapy and the method of designing our specific angiocatheter are introduced in detail. Surgical therapy for patients with serious patulous Eustachian tube symptoms by inserting the tripod-tipped-bone wax-filled angiocatheter seemed promising. Further studies on its long-term therapeutic effects might be necessary using a large number of the patients.

Risk Factors Related to Development of Delirium in Hospice Patients / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

PURPOSE: Delirium is a common and serious neuropsychiatric complication among terminally ill cancer patients. We investigated risk factors related to the development of delirium among hospice care patients. METHODS: Between May 2011 and September 2012, we included patients who were mentally alert and had no psychiatric disease or drug addiction at the hospice ward of two local hospitals. Among them, participants who had been diagnosed with delirium by two doctors according to the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-4th edition) criteria were grouped as Delirium Group. We analyzed results of psychometric and other laboratory tests performed at the time of patient's admission - psychometric tests included cognitive function (mini-mental status examination, MMSE), depression (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI), anxiety, and insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index, ISI). Logistic regression analysis was used to compare delirium and the related factors. Cox's proportional hazard model was performed using significant factors of logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 96 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 41 (42.7%) developed delirium. According to the logistic regression analysis, primary cancer site, cognitive impairment (MMSE or =16), and insomnia (ISI> or =15) were significant factors related to delirium. Among the four factors, depression (OR 5.130; 95% CI, 2.009~13.097) and cognitive impairment (OR 5.130; 95% CI, 2.009~13.097) were found significant using Cox's proportional hazard model. CONCLUSION: The development of delirium was significantly related to depression and cognitive impairment among patients receiving hospice care. It is necessary to carefully monitor depression and cognitive function in hospice care.

A Case of Cartilaginous Choristoma of External Auditory Canal / 대한이비인후과학회지

Cartilaginous choristoma of bony external auditory canal is very rare. Appearing as a horny sha-ped hard mass, cartilaginous choristoma can be found in the medial portion of anterior wall of external auditory canal. Histologically, it consists of adult-type hyaline cartilage without neoplastic features. If cartilaginous choristoma shows growing tendency or ear symptoms, surgical excision would be the treatment of choice. Here, we report a case of cartilaginous choristoma that occurred in the external auditory canal in an 8-year-old boy.

The Association between Pain and Depression, Anxiety, and Cognitive Function among Advanced Cancer Patients in the Hospice Ward / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Pain is the most common but severe physical symptom among cancer patients. This study aimed to identify correlation between pain and psychological symptoms for terminal cancer patients. METHODS: The total sample consisted of 69 subjects who were recruited through two hospice wards, limited to patients who were mentally alert and had no psychiatric diseases. The subjects were divided into two groups according to the numerical rating scale: the pain-free group, 0 to 3 points; and the pain group, 4 to 10 points. We used the Beck depression inventory (BDI), Beck anxiety inventory (BAI), mini-mental status examination-Korea (MMSE-K), and short form 36 health survey (SF-36). Logistic regression analysis was performed to verify the correlation between pain and other psychosocial disorders. RESULTS: The mean scores of BDI in the pain-free and pain groups were 25.7 and 31.5; mean BAI scores were 23.4 and 34.7; mean MMSE-K scores were 25.7 and 21.8, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups in SF-36 score except scores of body pain. The results of logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, marital status, types of cancer, history of chemotherapy, or radiotherapy showed significant correlation between pain and depression (BDI > or = 24; odds ratio [OR], 4.199; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.171 to 15.060), and pain and cognitive impairment (MMSE or = 22; OR, 3.011; 95% CI, 0.907 to 9.997). CONCLUSION: Pain significantly affects depression and cognitive impairment among advanced cancer patients in the hospice ward. Accordingly, more aggressive treatment of pain is required to reduce not only physical suffering but also physiological distress.

Neural Differentiation of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Applicability for Inner Ear Therapy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Regeneration or replacement of damaged hair cells and neurons in the cochlea might be an ideal treatment for sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), derived from the bone marrow of rats, could differentiate into auditory hair cells and neurons. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The centrifuge gradient method was used to isolate MSCs from the bone marrow of rats. To confirm whether bone marrow-derived MSCs can differentiate into neuronal cells, culture medium with glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 for 14 days. In addition, immunofluorescence staining and RT-PCR were performed for characterization of the neurospheres and differentiated cells from 7 and 14 day cultures. RESULTS: The results showed that MSCs could differentiate into neuron-positive and hair cell-positive cells, using different compositions of growth factors. And RT-PCR result was identified high or low of gene expression all these differentiated cells. CONCLUSIONS: Rat bone marrow-derived MSCs differentiated into neuronal progenitor cells. These cells might be useful for the treatment of SNHL.

Relationship between Changes in Body Mass Index and Pulmonary Function in Adults

BACKGROUND: Obesity is linked to a wide range of respiratory diseases. Several studies have shown that body weight at baseline and weight change were related to pulmonary function. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between change in body mass index (BMI) and pulmonary function in adults. METHODS: Of those aged 40-64 years at baseline who had initially visited the health promotion center at one university-level hospital from January 2000 to December 2002, 499 (men: 309, women: 190) patients revisited the center over a 5-year period up to December 2009 and were enrolled in the study. Subjects were classified into 4 groups- group 1: normal-normal, group 2: normal-obese, group 3: obese-normal, and group 4: obese-obese, based on their BMI at baseline and follow-up. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC were measured by spirometry. RESULTS: Change in FEV1/FVC was significantly associated with change in BMI for men in all 4 groups. Change in FEV1/FVC was significantly different between group 1 and 3 and between group 1 and 4. Changes in FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC were significantly associated with change in BMI for women in all 4 groups. Change in FEV1 was significantly different between group 3 and 4, and change in FVC was significantly different between group 1 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a change in BMI is negatively associated with change in pulmonary function. Obesity itself can be a risk factor for pulmonary dysfunction, and a decrease in BMI through weight reduction could reduce pulmonary dysfunction or improve pulmonary function in adults.

Quality Indicators of End-of-Life Cancer Care from the Family Members' Perspective in Korea / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

PURPOSE: The Assessing Care Of Vulnerable Elders project has developed indicators for the quality of the end-of-life (EOL) care. However, family members of cancer patients may have a different view on the quality indicators (QIs) established by health care experts. We evaluated the QIs from the family members' perspective. METHODS: The information used in this study was gathered by surveying family members of cancer patients who were admitted to the inpatient hospice ward in Korea. A cross-sectional anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 120 potential respondents from July to October 2009. We included 69 responses in this study (effective response rate, 57.5%). Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS for Win ver. 14.0, with independent t-test and Pearson's chi-square test. RESULTS: Among QIs for good hospice care, families agreed the most on "Medical examination by the palliative care team or specialist" (88.4%) and "Dying in the family's presence" (88.4%). They agreed the least on "Discussing cardiopulmonary resuscitation with patients" (15.9%). Among QIs for bad hospice care, "Occurrence of fall or pressure ulcer are undesirable" showed the highest agreement rate (94.2%). The lowest agreement rate was 11.6% on "Dying in the hospital is undesirable." In addition, women, patients who were aware of their prognoses, and people with a high socioeconomic status tended to agree more on the QIs. CONCLUSION: Patients' families did not agree on some of the QIs recommended by previous studies. Family members' characteristics were related to their opinions on QIs.

Blue Nevus in Uterine Cervix: A case report

Blue nevi commonly occur on the skin of head, neck, and arms, and in occasional instances they have been observed in the mucosa of oral cavity, vagina, hard palate, and even breast, and in very rarity observed in the uterine cervix. We have experienced a case of blue nevi on the uterine cervix of a 45 year old famale who was operated under the diagnosis of uterine myoma. In gross findings, besides two well circumscribed uterine myomas measuring 3.5 cm and 0.6 cm in diameter in the anterior myometrium, multiple pin-point sized grayish blue pigments measuring 2-3 mm in diameter aggregated in the submucosa of the uterine cervix. Microscopically the blue nevi showed greatly elongated, slender often slightly wavy melanocytes with long, occasionally branching dendritic processes lie grouped in irregular bundles in the submucosa of the uterine endocervix. The pigments showed positive response to the Fontana-Masson stain in the cytoplasm and the extracellular area.

A Case of Gaucher's Disease

No abstract available.

Lectin Binding Activities in Ewing's Sarcoma of the Bone

The binding activities of 6 plant lectins were studied in a total of 6 cases of Ewing's sarcoma of the bone, using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) method on paraffin embedded material. The lectins used in this study were Ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCA I), Concanavalin A (Con-A), Peanut agglutinin (PNA), Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Ulex europeus I (UEA I), and Soybean agglutinin (SBA). However, no specific lectin, which showed consistent binding activity in the majority of Ewing's sarcoma cells was identified, in 5 of 6 cases, intracytoplasmic RCA I binding cells were occasionally observed, at somewhat regular intervals, among the neoplastic cell nests. Con-A stains were also positive in 4 cases, but the numbers of Cona-A binding cell were fewer than that of positive cell with RCA I, With PNA, WGA, UEA I, and SBA virtually no tumor cells were stained. These findings suggest that all Con-A positive cells and a part of RCA I binding cells are probably stromal macrophage-histiocytes, which are incorperated in neoplastic cells. And remaining RCA I positive cells seem to be either a kind of differentiating neoplastic cells or supporting cells having close correlation with the neoplastic cells.

Effects of Ethanol on the Motility of Isolated Strips of Antrum and Duodenum of the Rabbit / 대한마취과학회지

Alcohol beverages have been used since the dawm of history and the pharmacology of alcohol has been studied extensively and the question whether alcohol is a stimulant has long been debated. now there seems little couble that alcohol is a primarys and continuous depressant of the CNS, and the general pharmacologic action of alcohol on the body is one of depression. The effects of various concentrations and type of alcoholic beverages on the gastrointestinal motor and secretory functions are influenced by a number of factors such as the state by the digestive processes, the presence or absence or gastrointestinal diseases, the amount and type of food present, the degree of tolerance for alcohol, accompanying psychological factiors, and so forth. it is generally accepted that gastirc secretion is stimulated by ehanol, but effects of ethanol on the motility of the gastrointestinal tract has not been clarified yet. Hence the present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of ethanol on gastrointestinal motility. The rabbits of either sex, weighting about 2kg, were killed by air embolism after 72 hours deprivation of food except water. The stomach and duodenum were isolated and cut into two parts, i.e. antrum and duodenum. Each strip of antrum and duodenum, sized 0.5X2.0cm, was placed in temperature controlled uscle chamber(37 degrees C) Containing Tyrode's solution and its contractile movement was recorded on Grass Polygraph(Model 7) via force displacement transducer(FT.03). The results are summarized as follows: 1) The strips of gastric antrum and duodenum showed spontaneous regular movement through the experimental period. Administration of ethanol from 0.1 to 1.0% inhibited the amplitude and frequency of both strips with dose-dependent manner. Most strips of the duodenum and 6 strips of the antrum showed relaxations of tone by ethanol and 4 strips of the antrum showed increased tone. 2) Tonic contraction of antral strips by ethanol was abolished only by the combined pretreatment of atropine and chlorpheniramine, or atropine and cimetidine, not by the phentolamine, proproanolol, atropine, hexamethonium, chlorpheniramine or cimetidine alone. 3) Inhibition of antral and duodenal motility by ethanol was not abolished by anyy one of the receptor blocking agents such as adrenergic alpha and beta, buscarinic, or histaminergic H-1 and H-2 receptor blocking agents. By the above resutls, it may be concluded that ethanol inhibits the motility of the duodenum, but excites or inhibits the motility of the gastric antrum. It is likely that the inhibitory effect of ethanol is it derect action on the smooth muscle, and the excitatory effect is mediated by a mechanism related with histamine and acetylcholine.