BACKGROUND:Acute seizures that increase neuronal activity cause a rapid and transient induction of the immmediate early c-fos in specific brain regions. C-fos gene may mediate long-term changes in cell function, such as growth, differeniation, and development, in response to acute extracellular stimulation. This study is designed to compare the expression of Fos protein in hippocampus after single and repeated injections of kainic acid (KA). METHODS:In KA-single injection model, twelve adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with single intraperitoneal injection of convulsive dose(20-30 mg/kg) of KA, and. in KA-multiple injections model, seven rats received KA by repeated daily intraperitoneal injections for 15 days. Eight control rats received normal saline. Expression of Fos protein was tested in hippocampus by immunohistochemical staining, and was scored by the degree of staining intensity and the ratio of stained cells to tested ones. RESULTS:The scores tended to increase in CA3 and dentate gyrus were significantly higher in KA-single injection model than in control (p<0.05). In comparison with scores in KA-model. CONCLUSION:These results show that repeated seizure produces some blockade of c-fos induction in CA2, CA3 and dentate gyrus. This may be a long-term adaptive response by the nervous system to repated neuronal activation
Adult ; Animals ; Brain ; Dentate Gyrus ; Genes, fos ; Hippocampus* ; Humans ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Kainic Acid* ; Male ; Nervous System ; Neurons ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seizures

BACKGROUND: Exercise testing is an importnat diagnostic and prognostic procedure in the assessment of patients with ischemic heart disease. But standard ST-segment depression criteria was not high enough to estimate coronary srtery disease. Recently, the heart rate adjustment of ST segment depression, ST segment/heart rate slope and index, have been proposed as a more accurate criteria for diagnosing significant coronary artery disease. The objective of this study was to compare the discriminating power of proposed ST segment/heart rate slope and index with that of a standard method of assessing exercise-induced ST segment depression for estimating coronary artery disease. METHODS: Sixty nine patients with ischemic heart disease were studied with exercise treadmill testing and coronary angiography. Computer-measured ST-segment amplitudes were obtained and analysis of the heart rate-adjusted ST segment depression(ST/HR slope and big up tri, Delta ST/HR index) was done. The sensitivity, specificity, and extent of coronary artery disease on each criteria were compared. RESULTS: 1) The sensitivity of big up tri, Delta ST/HR index partition of 1.6uV/beats/min was slightly higher(83%) and the specificity of ST/HR slope partition of 2.4uV/beats/min was higher(87%) than the standard exercise electrocardiographic criteria. 2) Early onset of ischemic ST-segment depression, profound ST-segment depression(> or =2mm), and downsloping ST-segment were associated with more extensive coronary artery disease. 3) On ST/HR slope, no CAD was 1.7+/-0.26uV/beats/min, one vessel disease was 2.6+/-0.34 uV/beats/min, two vessel disease was 2.7+/-1.36uV/beats/min, one vessel disease was 2.8+/-0.35uV/beats/min, and on big up tri, Delta ST/HR index, no CAD was 1.8+/-0.38uV/beats/min, one vessel disease was 2.8+/-1.36uV/beats/min, two vessel disease 3.4+/-1.44uV/beats/min, and three vessel disease was 3.7+/-2.95uV/beats/min. The increment of ST/HR slope and big up tri, Delta ST/HR index were associated with the coronary artery disease and its severity, but the correlations were not high enough. CONCLUSION: The heart rate adjustment of ST segment depression was not high enough for improved detection of coronary artery disease, compared with standard ST-segment depression criteria. But these indexes can be improved the clinical usefulness of the treadmill exercise test for coronary aretry disease.
Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Depression* ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise Test ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Thromboembolism is the most common serious complication following total hip arthroplasty and most common cause of death after total hip arthroplasty. A prospective randomized study in 170 cases of elective cementless total hip arthroplasty was carried out to examine the incidence of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism after cementless total hip arthroplasty from Aug. 1993 to May 1995. Laboratory study, clinical symptoms and signs, chest roentgenograph and precipitating factors were analysed. Venography and lung perfusion scan using radionuclide scan were used for this study. The weight, height, sex, habitus of alcohol and smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, previous operation history of ipsilateral lower extremity, etiology of hip joint disease, and transfusion of blood were not precipitating factors, but the age over 40 and previous history of pulmonary embolism had a significant effect on the incidence of deep vein thrombosis. There was no significant relationship between the incidence of deep vein thrombosis and the laboratory assay, clinical symptoms and signs. Deep vein thrombosis was detected in 29 cases(17.0%), pulmonary embolism in 22 cases(12.9%), and fatal pulmonary embolism in 1 case(0.6%). The most common location of deep vein thrombosis was the popliteal area.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Cause of Death ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Hip Joint ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Lower Extremity ; Lung ; Perfusion ; Phlebography ; Precipitating Factors ; Prospective Studies ; Pulmonary Embolism* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Thorax ; Thromboembolism ; Venous Thrombosis*

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to analyse sleep habits and sleep disorders in the elderly population ased 65-84 years. METHODS: Epidemiological survey was performed at home by means of semistructured interviews in the city of Pusan, Korea. Subjects were randomly selected. The questionnaire consisted of 128 items including demographic findings, sleep habits, sleep disorders, somatic illnesses, and psychological distresses. RESULTS: (1) The mean retiring time was 10.28 h (SD1.30 h) and the mean wake-up time was 5.24 h (SD 1.33 h). The mean duration of sleep was 5.63 h (SD 1.80 h ). The subjects reported they woke up an average of 2.05 (SD 1.59) times per night. All of the above results were not related to age or gender. However, the mean frequency of difficulty in initiating/maintaining sleep was 2.2 times for men and 3.2 times for women (p<0.05). (2) The prevalence of insomnia was 57.7% and was not related to age or gender. Difficulty in initiating sleep was the most commonly reported insomnia complaint(52.4%). Early morning awakening was reported by 50.0% of patients and difficulty in maintaining sleep was reported by 45.1% of them. Worrying in bed and physical pain were strong contributing factor to insomnia. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study showed several characteristics of sleep habits in the elderly. Sleep disorder in old age is not inevitable or trivial. Since sleep disturbance in older adults is common and distressing, it has implications for general health and well-being. Active concern and therapeutic intervention for the sleep habits and sleep disorders in the elderly are needed.
Adult ; Aged* ; Busan* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sleep Wake Disorders* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders

No abstract available.
Cor Triatriatum

PURPOSE: The aim was to investigate the effect of low dose doxycycline (20 mg) therapy in patients with chronic meibomian gland dysfunction that were refractory to conventional therapy. METHODS: The randomized prospective study enrolled 150 patients (300 eyes) who have chronic meibomian gland dysfunction and who didn't respond to lid hygiene and topical therapy for more than 2 months. All topical therapy was stopped for at least 2 weeks prior to beginning the study. After conducting the tear break up time test (TBUT) and Schirmer test, the authors randomly divided the patients into three groups a high dose group (doxycycline, 200 mg, twice a day), a low dose group (doxycycline, 20 mg, twice a day) and a control group (placebo). After one month, the author repeated the TBUT and Schirmer tests, and analyzed the degree of symptomatic improvement. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, both the high and low dose group showed statistically significant differences after treatment in TBUT, Schirmer test, the number of symptoms reported and the degree of improvement of subjective symptoms. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the high and low dose group after treatment in TBUT (9.42+/-2.87 sec, 9.54+/-1.58 sec, p=0.726), Schirmer test (19.98+/-4.05 mm, 19.65+/-5.02 mm, p=0.624), the number of symptoms reported (1.45+/-0.62, 1.53+/-0.52, p=0.304), as well as the degree of improvement of subjective symptoms (p=0.288). The high dose group (18 patients, 39.13%) reported side effects more frequently than did the low dose group (8 patients, 17.39%) (P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Low dose doxycycline (20 mg twice a day) therapy was effective in patients with chronic meibomian gland dysfunction that were refractory to conventional therapy.
Treatment Outcome ; Tears/drug effects/secretion ; Prospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Meibomian Glands/*drug effects ; Male ; Humans ; Follow-Up Studies ; Female ; Eyelid Diseases/*drug therapy/metabolism ; Doxycycline/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Chronic Disease ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use ; Administration, Oral

The physiological activity of osteoblasts is known to be closely related to increased intracellular Ca2+ activity ([Ca2+]i) in osteoblasts. The cellular regulation of [Ca2+]i in osteoblasts is mediated by Ca2+ movements associated with Ca2+ release from intracellular Ca2+ stores, and transmembrane Ca2+ influx via Na+-Ca2+ exchanger, and Ca2+ ATPase. Reactive oxygen species, such as H2O2, play an important role in the regulation of cellular functions, and act as signaling molecules or toxins in cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of H2O2 on cellular Ca2+ regulation in osteoblasts by measuring intracellular Ca2+ activities using cellular calcium imaging techniques. Osteoblasts were isolated from the femurs and tibias of neonatal rats, and cultured for 7 days. The cultured osteoblasts were loaded with a Ca2+-sensitive fluorescent dye, Fura-2, and fluorescence images were monitored using a cooled CCD camera, and subsequently analyzed using image analyzing software. The results obtained are as follows: (1) The osteoblasts with lower basal Ca2+ activities yielded a transient Ca2+ increase, a Ca2+ spike, while osteoblasts with higher basal Ca2+ activities showed a continuous increase in [Ca2+]i leading to cell death. (2) Ca2+ spikes, generated after removing Na+ from superfusing solutions, were blocked by H2O2 and this was followed by a sustained increase in Ca2+ activity. (3) ATP- induced Ca2+ spikes were inhibited by pretreating with H2O2 and this was followed by a continuous increase of [Ca2+]i. When cells were pretreated with the exogenous nitric oxide (NO) donor S-Nitroso-N-acetylpenicilance (SNAP, 50 microM), treatments of ATP (1 mM) induced a Ca2+ spike-like increase, but [Ca2+]i did not return to the basal level. (4) The expression of inositol- 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (IP3R) was enhanced by H2O2. Our results suggest that H2O2 modulates intracellular Ca2+ activity in osteoblasts by increasing Ca2+ release from the intracellular Ca2+ stores.
Animal ; Calcium/*metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Hydrogen Peroxide/*pharmacology ; Osteoblasts/*drug effects/*metabolism ; Oxidants/*pharmacology ; Rats

Apexcardiograms were evaluated in 24 normal adults (14 males and 10 females) aged 23 to 56 (mean 39) years and 42 patients with ischemic heart disease (29 males and 13 females) aged 40 to 81 (mean 57) years. The ratio of the duration of slow and rapid filling periods (SFP/RFP) and the height of the a wave in realtion to the total apexcardiographic deflection (a/H) were measured in each case and the results obtained from the IHD group were compared with data from the control group. The results obtained were as follows. 1. The was significant difference (p<0.001) between mean SFP/RFP ratio in control group (2.1+/-0.6) and in IHD group (3.4+/-1.5). Setting the upper SEP/RFP ratio at 2.7(mean+1 S.D.), 57.15 of IHD group and 20.8% of control group were above, and at 3.3(mean+2 S.D.), 40.5% of IHD group and none of control group were above this value. 2. There was no difference between the mean a/H ratio in control group (0.08+/-0.07) and in IHD group (0.09+/-0.11). The a/H ratio exceeding 0.15 (15%) was noted in 11.9% of IHD group. 3. The significance of SFP/RFP ratio in the apexcardiogram in the diagnosis of IHD was discussed. The SFP/RFP ratio is a more useful noninvasive adjunctive measurement for detecting IHD than a/H ratio.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia*

Gastric stump cancer is defined as cancers that develop in the gastric remnant after the gastric resection of nonmalignant lesions or malignant lesions. The interval between gastrectomy and the detection of gastric stump cancer must be over 5 years in nonmaligant lesions and 10 years in malignant lesions. Symptoms of gastric stump cancer are not specific, so, diagnosis is often delayed. Early detection and curative operation is very important in gasric stump cancer and follow-up endoscopic examination is the most importaint diagnostic tool to detect gastric stump cancer. Recently we experienced a case of early gastric stump cancer. We report review of the literature to remind the important of gastric stump cancer and the important of follow-up endoscopic examination.
Diagnosis ; Esophagus* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrectomy* ; Gastric Stump* ; Intestines* ; Stomach*