No abstract available.
Mass Screening*

No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder*

To evaluate the structural characteristics that might be related to the clinical features noted in preeclamptic patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis(FSGS), we analyzed post-partum renal biopsies of 8 preeclamptic patients with FSGS (group 1) by morphometry and glomerular studied the structural-functional relationships. These findings were also compared with those from three postpartum cases with minimal change lesion(group 2) and normal age-matched women(group 3). Mean glomerular volume (MGV) in group 1 and group 2 was (2.64 +/- 0.49) x 10(6) micrometer3 and (2.56+/-0.25)x 10(6) micrometer3, respectively. MGV in both groups was significantly increased compared with that of the control group [(1.11+/-0.22)x10(6) micrometer3](p<0.0005). The volume density of the mesangium/glomerulus [Vv(mes/glom)] in the group 1 patients was significantly increased (p<0.0001) when compared with that of the group 2 and the control group patients. The increment of Vv(mes/glom) was related to both the mesangial cell proliferation and expansion of mesangial matrix. The volume density of the capillary lumen/glomerulus [Vv(cap/glom)] in group I was significantly decreased(p<0.0001) when compared with that of group 2 and the control group. Vv(cap/glom) was directly related to Ccr in group l(r=0.70, p=0.05). These results suggest that reduced capillary luminal area caused by mesangial interposition is related to the decreased glomerular filtration rate in preeclamptic FSGS.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans ; Biopsy

The molecular mechanisms that regulate glossal muscle cell cycle and terminal differentiation remain largely unknown. To determine which cyclins, cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs), cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) are important for glossal cell proliferation, we have examined expression of cyclins CDKs, CKIs during normal glossal muscle development in the rat. All cyclins, CDKs, and KIP/CIP family of CKIs were highly expressed during fetal glossal muscle development, then they decreased at different rates after birth. While the mRNAs of cyclin Dl, D3, E , A, and B decreased gradually in glossal muscle during all stages of development, the protein levels of these cyclins decreased differently in tongue during pre- and postnatal development. While the functionally active formed of cyclin Dl, cyclin D3 and E proteins were observed until 7 days after birth, cyclin A and B proteins were decreased more slowly. While the CDK4, CDK6, CDK2, cdc2, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) proteins were higllly present during fetal glossal muscle development and gradually decreased during postnatal development. Particularly, cdc2 levels decreased markedly after birth. Immunohistochemical data for PCNA was consistent with Western blotting data for PCNA temporally and spatially. The mRNA and protein levels of p21, p27, and p57 were high, then their levels changed differently during glossal development. While the mRNA levels of p21 and p57 decreased gradually, the mRNA level of p27 did not change during glossal development. While the protein levels of p21 and p57 in tongue decreased markedly after birth, the protein levels of p27 increased slightly after birth, then decreased at adulthood. These findings suggest that the all cyclins and CDKs observed are involved in glossal muscle cell cycle, and reduction of cyclins and CDKs and induction of p21 are associated with the withdrawal of glossal muscle cell cycle after birth.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Proliferation ; Cyclin A ; Cyclin D3 ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinases* ; Cyclins* ; Humans ; Muscle Cells ; Muscle Development ; Parturition ; Phosphotransferases* ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Tongue

OBJECTIVES: Mild cognitive impairment(MCI) and dementia of Alzheimer's type(AD) are characterized by progressive decline of cognitive abilities and a wide range of neuropsychiatric symptoms like depression. Among various diagnostic tools of AD, many studies showed that elevated levels of serum total homocysteine are associated with increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders. We investigated whether elevated homocysteine concentrations are associated with depressive symptoms in MCI and AD. METHODS: A total of 86 patients diagnosed with MCI or AD participated. Total serum homocysteine levels in fasting blood samples were measured. We examined cognitive symptoms by MMSE-KC, Global Deterioration Scale(GDS), Clinical dementia rating(CDR) and depressive symptoms by Korean version of Geriatric Depression Scale(K-GDS). RESULTS: The total serum homocysteine levels were significantly higher in MCI with depression than in MCI without depression. There was no significant difference in the mean homocysteine levels between AD patients with depression and AD patients without depression. The total homocysteine levels showed a negative correlation with MMSE-KC and a positive correlation with CDR, GDS. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that elevated homocysteine level is a risk factor for the decline of cognitive function and depression. We found a significant relationship between elevated serum homocysteine level and depressive symptoms in MCI. But our study had several limitations, thus more research is needed to confirm this finding.
Alzheimer Disease ; Dementia* ; Depression* ; Fasting ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Mild Cognitive Impairment* ; Neurobehavioral Manifestations ; Risk Factors

A 'circadian rhythm' is a self-sustained biological rhythm (cycle) that repeats itself approximately every 24 hours. Circadian rhythms are generated by an internal clock, or pacemaker, and persist even in the absence of environmental time cues, collectively termed 'zeitgebers.' Although organisms generate circadian rhythms internally, they are entrained by environmental stimuli, particularly the light-dark cycle. Measurement of the endogenous melatonin rhythm provides relatively reliable surrogate way of assessing the timing of the internal circadian clock. Also, core body temperature and cortisol can be used as markers of circadian rhythms. The sleep-wake cycle, body temperature, and melatonin rhythm have a stable internal phase relationship in humans and other diurnal species. They play an important role in controlling daily behavioral rhythms including task performance, blood pressure, and synthesis and secretion of several hormones. In this review, we address not only the properties, methods of measurement, and markers of circadian rhythms, but also the physiological and psychological importance of human circadian rhythms.
Blood Pressure ; Body Temperature ; Circadian Clocks ; Circadian Rhythm* ; Cues ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Melatonin ; Photoperiod ; Task Performance and Analysis

No abstract available.
Malacoplakia* ; Urinary Bladder*

A pregnancy is considered postterm if it is beyond 294 days (42 complete weeks). Several investigators have demonstrated that postterm pregnancy may be accompanied by a rise in perinatal morbidity and/or mortality. Abnormalities such as meconium staining, cringenital anomalies, intrauterine growth retardation, postmaturity syndrome, fetal asphyxia have been reported in some cases of reduced amniotic fluid volume (oligohyramnios) which is commonly observed in postterm pregnancies. Amniotic fluid volume has been shown to decrease significantly as gestational age advances beyond term. Oligohydramnios has particular relevance to postterm pregnancies. Poor perinatal outcomes of oligohydramnios on postterm pregnancy have been reported by several authors. To date, however, the relationship between oligohydramnios in pastterm pregnancy and fetal outcome is debatable. The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the relationship between oligohydr- amnios and perinatal outcome in 64 cases of postterm pregnancies. Amniotic fluid index(AFI) values were measured semiweekly in 64 good dated, uncomplicated singleton pregnancies. AFI values were categorized into 2 groups. The group 1; patients whose final AFI value was above 5.0 cm; Group 2, patients whose AFI value fell below 5.0 cm. Adverse fetal outcome was defined by the presence of meconium staining, fetal heart rate decelerations, cesarean delivery for fetal distress, low Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and perinatal mortality. The fetal outcome was compared group 1 with group 2 and results obtained were as follows: 1. The incidence of oligohydramnios in postterm pregnancy was 54.7 %. The average diminution of amniotic fluid index was from 8.2 1.8 cm to 5.6+2.2 cm/week. 2. The incidence of meconium-staining in amniotic fluid was 40.6 % (Group 1: 20.7 %, Group 2: 57.1 %) and showed statistically significant difference between the two groups(p= 0.003). 3. The incidence of Apgar score less than 7 was 23.4% in 1 minute (Group 1: 13.8 %, Group 2: 31.4 %) and 4.7 % in 5 minutes(Group 1: 3.4%, Group 2: 5.7 %), respectively and showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p=0.140, p=1.000). 4. I'he incidence of cesarean delivery due to fetal distress was 12.5 % (Group 1: 6.9%, Group 2: 17.1 %) and showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p=0.275). 5. The incidence of admission to NICU was 12.5 % (Group 1: 6.9%, Group 2: 17.1 %) and showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p=0.275). Adverse fetal outcome was not uniformly observed in postterm pregnancies with oligohydramnios. Amniotic fluid index in oligohydramnios group as a single independent guide was not enough to predict fetal outcomes in postterm pregnancy without specific pathologic condition of fetus.
Amniotic Fluid* ; Apgar Score ; Asphyxia ; Deceleration ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Heart Rate, Fetal ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Meconium ; Mortality ; Oligohydramnios ; Perinatal Mortality ; Pregnancy* ; Research Personnel

The pathogenetic mechanism of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is not known. Some authors suggest glomerular hypertrophy may precede the development of FSGS in patients with minimal lesion. It was recently reported that the size of nonsclerotic glomeruli in adults with FSGS is significantly larger than that of cases with minimal lesion. It is not clear whether glomerular hypertrophy observed in adults with FSGS is also seen in children with FSGS. Thus, we have analyzed 37 renal biopsies from children with FSGS by morphometry and the data were compared with 37 renal biopsies from age- and sex-matched patients with minimal lesion. The number of glomeruli submitted for morphometric analysis was 22.6+/-14.2 in cases with FSGS and 30.9+/-11.4 in cases with minimal lesion. Mean glomerular volume (MGV) in FSGS group was significantly larger than that of minimal lesion [(13.1+/-3.9) x10(5) microm3 vs. (10.1+/-1.9) x10(5) microm3, p<0.001]. The relative interstitial volume of renal cortex in patients with FSGS was significantly larger than that of minimal lesion [(0.106+/-0.051) microm3/microm3 vs. (0.029+/-0.012) microm3/microm3, p<0.0001]. In FSGS, the percentage of glomeruli with FSGS was significantly correlated with relative interstitial volume of renal cortex (r=0.79, p<0.0001). As is the case for adult FSGS, MGV of children with FSGS is significantly larger than that of minimal lesion. Thus, the presence of glomerular hypertrophy observed in biopsies with minimal lesion nephropathy seems to be an indication that the coexistent FSGS lesions are undetected due to sampling problems.
Child ; Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Biopsy

Recently it has been stated that animals without ischemic arrhythmia would be at almost no risk for reperfusion ventricular fibrillation(VF) in contrast to animals with ischemic arrhythmias. In order to observe the differences of ararrhythmias characteristics between ischemic and reperfusion period, and correlationship between occlusion and reperfusion arrhythmias, the left anterior descending(LAD) coronary artery was occluded for 20 minutes and reperfused for 10 minutes in 24 anesthetized cats. The results were as follows; 1) After ligation of LAD coronary artery, the R wave, S-T segment and T wave of epicardial EKG were elevated to reach maximum level at 5-10 minutes. 2) During reperfusion, the changes of R wave, S-T segment, and T wave of epicardial EKG were not significant. 3) The incidence of arrhythmias at early phase and late phase of occlusion period were 41.6% and 100% respectively. The ischemic arrhythmia score was 2.38+/-1.61 and incidence of ventricular tachycardia(VT) was 66% 4) The incidence of VT and VF during reperfusion was 100% and 62.5% respectively. The reperfusion arrhythmia score was 5.88+/-1.72. 5) The two morphologies of ventricular arrhythmias were observed at occluson and reperfusion period. 6) The disparities between occlusion and reperfusion arrhythmias were observed. 7) The cats with shorter R-R internal and/or lower systolic left ventricualr pressure had the higher incidence of VF. In summary, although the morphology of occlusion ventricular arrhythmias was similar to that of reperfusion ventricular arrhythmias, the lack of correlation between reperfusion VF and ischemic arrhythmias was observed. So we suggest that further studies which provide the different mechanisms involved in occlusion and reperfusion arrhythmias were needed.
Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Cats* ; Coronary Vessels ; Electrocardiography ; Incidence ; Ligation ; Reperfusion*