Urinary growth hormone (GH) excretion was quantitated in 12-hr overnight urine collections obtained from 13 children with complete growth hormone deficiency (CGHD). 6 children with partial growth hormone deficiency (PGHD), 5 children with short stature and normal GH provocation tests (NSC), and 5 normal control children (NC) to investigate whether the measurement of urinary GH can clearly separate the PGHD and CGHD groups from the NSC and NC groups. In addition, the urinary excretion of GH was measured in CGHD after sc injections of 0.1 IU/kg GH three times a week and daily in an attempt to determine the optimal replacement dose. The results were as follows. 1) The 12-hr urinary GH excretion cleary separated the CGHD (1.2+/-1.1 ng/12 hr; range, 0.3-3.1, n=13) and PGHD (3.7+/-2.4 ng/12 hr; range, 0.9-6.8 n=6) groups from the NSC (14.0+/-3.6 ng/12 hr; range, 8.5-18.2 n=5) and NC (12.7+/-5.8 ng/12 hr; range, 6.9-20.8, n=5) groups without any overlap. 2) There were significant difference in 12-hr urinary GH excretion between CGHD and PGHD, but the higher values in CGHD groups overlapped some of the lower values in PGHD group. 3) There were no differencies in 12-hr urinary GH excretion between NC and NSC. 4) A 12-hr urinary GH values less than 6.9 ng/12 hr suggested GH deficiency. 5) The CGHD patients who received o.1 IU/kg GH. sc. daily GH levels within the range of the mean +/-SD in NC. but those who received theree times a week had daily variable urinary GH levels. These results suggest that the measurement of 12-hr nocturnal urinary GH excretion monitering of GH therapy response.
Child ; Growth Hormone* ; Humans ; Urine Specimen Collection

In this study of 64 cases of breast cancer with a clinical follow-up period of more than 5 years, several prognostic factors were evaluated. The purpose of this study was to determine whether any one parameter or group of parameters serves as adequate predictors of tumor behavior and patient's prognosis. Several prognostic factors included clinicopathological variables (patient's age, histologic grade, status of lymph node (LN) metastasis, and tumor size), expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), p53, bcl-2 and CD44 by immunohistochemistry, and DNA ploidy pattern. The results showed that the expression of ER and PR had a significant inverse correlation with the histologic grade (ER, p=0.05; PR, p<0.05). The expression of p53 protein showed a significant relationship with high histologic grade of tumor (p<0.05). The expression of bcl-2 protein was preferably seen in low histologic grade of tumor (p<0.05) and significantly associated with ER positive or PR positive tumors (ER, p<0.05; PR, p<0.05). This results suggest that bcl-2 protein might play significant roles in ER and PR. The CD44 expression showed a significant relationship with tumor size (p<0.05). The large size and aneuploidy pattern of tumor had a tendency to be associated with shorter patient survival. Cox's multivariate analysis showed that overall survival was affected by LN metastasis because of the shorter survival in patients with LN metastasis. In conclusion, tumor size, DNA ploidy pattern, and LN metastasis were themselves significant predictors of breast cancer survival rate.
Aneuploidy ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; DNA* ; Estrogens ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ploidies* ; Prognosis ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Survival Rate

The retinoblastoma (Rb)/cyclin D1/p16 pathway is an important constituent of cell cycle regulation. Perturbations in this pathway due to a variety of genetic aberrations have been reported in many human cancers including breast cancer. We examined the significance of immunoexpression of p16 protein, cyclin D1 protein, Rb protein (pRb), and p53 protein in 128 cases of invasive breast carcinoma. The results were correlated with survival rate and clinicopathological variables, including age, histologic grade, lymph node status, tumor size, estrogen receptor (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR) content. Abnormal expressions of p16 and pRb which were defined as negative staining were seen in 21% and 43% of tumors, respectively. There was a significant inverse relationship between p16 and pRb expression. There was no correlation between p16 staining and any other parameters, including survival rate, cyclin D1, p53, and clinicopathologic variables. Surprisingly, there was a trend for tumors which were positive for pRb to be grade III ductal carcinomas. Cyclin D1 positivity was noted in 46% of cases. The expression of cyclin D1 protein was significantly higher in lower histologic grade, higher ER and PR expression. The expression of p53 protein showed a significant correlation with high tumor grade. In a Cox multivariate analysis, neither p16, pRb, cyclin D1 nor p53 was an independent predictor, but tumor size and lymph node status were independent predictors of patient outcome.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Cell Cycle ; Cyclin D1* ; Cyclins* ; Estrogens ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Negative Staining ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Retinoblastoma ; Retinoblastoma Protein ; Survival Rate

The alcoholic neuropathies developed in approximately 34% of chronic alcoholics and the sexual dysfunction had been experienced in 8-54% of male alcoholics(Schiavi 1990). The aims of this study were to identify the prevalence of subclinical polyneuropathies and sexual disorders in alcohol dependence, and to evaluate the association between them. The nerve conduction velocity(NCY), electromyography(EMG), and pudendal somatosensory evoked potentials(SEPs were tested for the male alcoholics(N=34) and controls(N=17 for NCV & EMG, N=25 for pudendal SEPs). The pudendal SEPs were measured by the following procedures, in which we simulated the dorsal nerve of penis attached by the ring electrode(stimulus intensity, three times of threshold ; stimulus rate, 1-4.7Hz: stimulus duration, 0.1 or 0.2msec), and recorded at the scalp(active electrode, 2cm behind Cz ; reference electrode, Fz. The NCV and EMG detected signs of peripheral neuropathies in 79.4% of alcoholics. Among the alcoholics, 64.7% were abnormal on the pudendal SEPs. Among the alcoholics who revealed abnormality on EMG and NCV, 81.4% were abnormal on the pudendal SEPs, in which 51.9% were not responded. The P1 latencies between peripheral neuropathies and sexual disorders in the alcoholic. The prevalence of subclinical neuropathies and sexual disorders seemed to be much higher in alcohol dependence that expectation, and these two problems were relatively correlated, and our results suggested that the peripheral polyneuropathies were one of the prerequisites of sexual disorders.
Alcoholic Neuropathy ; Alcoholics ; Alcoholism* ; Electrodes ; Humans ; Male ; Neural Conduction ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* ; Polyneuropathies ; Prevalence ; Pudendal Nerve

Reviewing the results of the blood cultures performed at Yeungnam University Hospital during 4-year-period through January, 1, 1984 to December 31, 1987, the following results were obtained. 1) Out of 8083 blood specimens cultured microorganisms grew in 582 specimens with positivity rate of 7.20%. Polymicrobial bacteremia was found in 16 patients. 2) Among 582 positive specimens, Gram-positive cocci grew in 189 specimens, and Gram-negative bacilli, in 393 specimens. Clinically significant microorganisms consisted of 82 Staphylococcus aureus, and 20 Streptococcus species in Gram-positive cocci group, 80 Salmonella typhi, 72 Escherichia coli, 72 Salmonella paratyphi A in Enterobacteriaceae, and 46 Pseudomonas cepacia, and 16 Pseudomonas aeruginosa in glucose non-fermenting microorganisms. 3) Increasing incidence of Serratia, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas species as major nosocomial infection source is noteworthy. They showed increased tendency from 6.3% of 1984 to 17.7% of 1987 of total positive blood cultures. 4) High isolation rate of Pseudomonas species and Aeromonas hydrophila was noted in summer, while Salmonella typhi showed high prevalence from May to September and in January. 5) In susceptibility tests of isolated organisms, staphylococcus aureus was sensitive to basic antimicrobial agents except for ampicillin. The glucose non-fermenting microorganisms showed high resistance to basic antimicrobial agents in 32.2%. In conclusion, considering the relatively higher incidence of growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis than ideal level indicates that sampling technique should be improved. Secondly, all the hospital staffs in cooperation with Hospital Infection Committee are desirable to pay efforts to decrease the nosocomial infection.
Acinetobacter ; Aeromonas hydrophila ; Ampicillin ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Bacteremia ; Burkholderia cepacia ; Cross Infection ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Escherichia coli ; Glucose ; Gram-Positive Cocci ; Humans ; Incidence ; Prevalence ; Pseudomonas ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Salmonella paratyphi A ; Salmonella typhi ; Serratia ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Staphylococcus epidermidis ; Streptococcus

Association of the hepatoid and choriocarcinomatous components in adenocarcinoma of the stomach is extremely unusual and raises a possibility of new approach understand the histogenesis of gastric hepatoid adenocarcinoma. This paper describes a Borrmann type III adenocarcinoma of the stomach with both choriocarcinomatous and hepatoid components in composite tumor pattern in a 50-year-old man. Tubular arrangement of differentiated embryonalcarcinoma was encountered in choricarcinomatous and hepatoid areas, which showed strong immunoreactivity to beta-HCG and AFP, respectively. The findings suggest that gastric adenocarcinoma may have a potential of differentiation toward embryonal carcinoma. from which both choriocarcinoma and hepatoid variant of gastric adenocarcinoma may develop by retrodifferentiation.
Adenocarcinoma

We investigated the effect of alpha-adrenergic and cholinergic receptor agonists on Ca2+ current in adult rat trigeminal ganglion neurons using whole-cell patch clamp methods. The application of acetylcholine, carbachol, and oxotremorine (50 muM each) produced a rapid and reversible reduction of the Ca2+ current by 17+/-6%, 19+/-3% and 18+/-4%, respectively. Atropine, a muscarinic antagonist, blocked carbachol-induced Ca2+ current inhibition to 3 +/- 1%. Norepinephrine (50 muM) reduced Ca2+ current by 18 +/- 2%, while clonidine (50 muM), an alpha2-adrenergic receptor agonist, inhibited Ca2+ current by only 4 +/- 1%. Yohimbine, an alpha2-adrenergic receptor antagonist, did not block the inhibitory effect of norepinephrine on Ca2+ current, whereas prazosin, an alpha1-adrenergic receptor antagonist, attenuated the inhibitory effect of norepinephrine on Ca2+ current to 6 +/- 1%. This pharmacology contrasts with alpha2-adrenergic receptor modulation of Ca2+ channels in rat sympathetic neurons, which is sensitive to clonidine and blocked by yohimbine. Our data suggest that the modulation of voltage dependent Ca2+ channel by norepinephrine is mediated via an alpha1-adrenergic receptor. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin (250 ng/ml) for 16 h greatly reduced norepinephrine- and carbachol-induced Ca2+ current inhibition from 17 +/- 3% and 18 +/- 3% to 2 +/- 1% and 2 +/- 1%, respectively. These results demonstrate that norepinephrine, through an alpha1-adrenergic receptor, and carbachol, through a muscarinic receptor, inhibit Ca2+ currents in adult rat trigeminal ganglion neurons via pertussis toxin sensitive GTP-binding proteins.
Acetylcholine ; Adult ; Animals ; Atropine ; Carbachol ; Clonidine ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; Humans ; Neurons ; Norepinephrine ; Oxotremorine ; Pertussis Toxin ; Pharmacology ; Prazosin ; Rats ; Receptors, Muscarinic ; Trigeminal Ganglion ; Yohimbine

During the rehabilitation period, traumatic fracture of the lower extremity in chronic spinal cord injured patients may be occur frequently. In the past, conservative treatment with pillow or plaster splinting was advocated by many clinician, but its treatment is still controversial. This paper presents our experience with fracture of 20 patients(5.7%) of total 350 patients who had spinal cord injuries from Jan. 1980 to Mar. 1987 at Korea Veterans Hospital. The results were as follow. 1. The incidence of fracture was not related to age, sex, type and duration of spinal cord injury. 2. The most common cause of fracture was insignificant trauma(94%). 3. The distribution of fracture was in the following order of frequency;supracondyle of femur (20%), shaft of femur (20%), shaft of tibis (16%). 4. The methods of treatment-Twenty cases were treated by conservative treatment and eleven cases were treated by operative treatment in following order; paster splint with well padded; 9 cases (20%), pillow splint; 4 eases (13%), plate and screw; 3 cases (10%). 5. Total 11 cases of complications were 8 cases in conservative treatment and 3 cases in operative treatment. 6. The duration of bone union was average 10 weeks in nonoperative treatment and average 10.2 weeks in operative treatment. Treatment should strive to achieve fracture healing with minimal danger to the patient and should cause little or no interfrence with patient's daily routine.
Femur ; Fracture Healing ; Fractures, Bone ; Hospitals, Veterans ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lower Extremity ; Rehabilitation ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spinal Cord ; Splints

Voglibose, an α-glucosidase inhibitor, inhibits breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simple sugar units in intestine. Studies showed that voglibose metabolism in the liver might be negligible due to its poor intestinal absorption. Numerous microorganisms live in intestine and have several roles in metabolism and detoxification of various xenobiotics. Due to the limited information, the possible metabolism of voglibose by intestinal microbiota was investigated in vitro and in vivo.

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Small Cell* ; Female ; Ovary*