It is still not well documented what the basic roles for the regulation of renin secretion from the kidney take place. Since the early study on the renal ischemia for the production of hypertension was introduced, the renin-angiotensin system has been regarded as the possible pathogenetic mechanism for the renovascular hypertension. The renin-angiotensin system, however, could be activated by various stimuli, such as, the changes of intrarenal perfusion pressure, the load or concentriation of sodium at the sites of macular densa, the changes of the sympathetic nervous activity and the changes of potassium balance. To investigate the renin-angiotensin system and the influence of sympathetic nervous system on the regulation of renin secretion, the renovascular hypertension was induced in the dogs by constriction of unilateral renal artery, and the plasma renin activity was measured. The sodium load at the sites of macula densa was attained by furosemide, and then the activity of sympathetic nervous system was depressed by reserpine. The plasma renin activity was assayed by the method of Helmer and Cohn. By this bio-assay method, the plasma renin activity equivalent to 1 nanogram angiotensin-II can be measurable and the prepared plasma was found to have still vasopressor activity. The results observed in this experimental work are summarized as follows. 1. The blood pressure reached maximum on the 3rd postoperative day, and declined gradually to the level of preoperative day on the day of from the 6th to 12th day following constriction of renal artery. 3. The plasma renin activity was found to be well correlated with the increase of blood pressure, and then declined to its preoperative level with the reduction of blood pressure. It appears, therefore, that the renin-angiotensin system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of renovascular hypertension. 4. The urine flow rate in normal and reserpinized dogs was the same before administration of furosemide, but its rate was significantly increased in both groups after furosemide. The urine flow rate of reserpinized dogs, however, was significantly lower than that of the normal dogs during the first 5 minutes. 5. The urinary sodium excretion in normal and reserpinized dogs was significantly increased in both groups after administration of furosemide and there were no difference between the two groups. 6. The plasma renin activity of renal venous blood was significantly higher than that of femoral arterial blood in both groups before and after administration of furosemide. 7. The plasma renin activity of reserpinized dogs was significantly lower than that of normal dogs before administration of furosemide. After furosemide, however, the plasma renin activity was significantly increased in 30 minutes in both groups. This increase of plasma renin activity was less prominent in resepinized dogs than in normal. This results would suggest that the intrarenal mechanism regulating renin secretion also requires an intact sympathetic nervous system.
Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Constriction ; Dogs ; Furosemide ; Hypertension ; Hypertension, Renovascular ; Ischemia ; Kidney ; Perfusion ; Plasma ; Potassium ; Renal Artery ; Renin* ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; Reserpine ; Sodium ; Sympathetic Nervous System

No abstract available.
Dentures* ; Mucous Membrane*

Recent studies clearly demonstrated that the novel expression of LH gene in the rat testis, and suggested the local action of the LH-like molecule. The present study was performed to analyze the expression of the LH genes in the rat accessory reproductive organs. Expression of LH subunit genes in the rat uterus and epididymis was demonstrated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and specific LH radioimmunoassay (RIA). The LHbeta transcripts in these organs contained the published cDNA structure, the pituitary type exons 1-3, which encoded the entire LHbeta/ polypeptide. Presence of the transcripts for the alpha-subunit in the rat reproductive tissues were also confirmed by RT-PCR. In the LH RIA, significant levels of LH were detected in crude extracts from the rat ovary, uterus and epididymis. The competition cuties with increasing amount of tissue extracts were parallel with those of standard peptide, indicating that the immunoreactive LH-like materials in these tissues are similar to authentic pituitary LH molecule. In rat epididymis, the highest amount of immunoreactive LH was detected in corpus area. Our findings demonstrated that the genes for LH subunits are expressed in the rat accessory reproductive organs, and suggested that these extrapituitary LH may act as a local regulator with auto and/or paracrine manner.
Animals ; Complex Mixtures ; DNA, Complementary ; Epididymis* ; Exons ; Female ; Lutein* ; Luteinizing Hormone* ; Male ; Ovary ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rats* ; Testis ; Tissue Extracts ; Uterus*

No abstract available.
Eating*

No abstract available.
HLA-D Antigens* ; Humans*

BACKGROUNDS: The cause of the postural instability of Parkinson`s disease is unknown. METHODS: We have investigated postural control in thirty ambulatory idiopathic parkinsonian patients. Body sway, torque, and force exerted by each foot, and electromyographic activity of anterior tibial, gastrocnemius, quadriceps, hamstring, rectus abdominis, and paraspinal muscles were recorded following forward and backward perturbations on a moveable platform. RESULTS: Normal subjects of old age responded to platform perturbations by either of two strategies: activation of muscles in a distal to proximal sequence to correct body sway by movement at the ankle(ankle strategy), or activation of muscles proximal to distally to maintain balance by hip movement(hip strategy). In the parkinsonian patients, platform perturbations elicited simultaneous activation of the mu scles in the ankle and hip strategies, in effect, counteracting the corrective response that would be- produced by either strategy in isolation. The latencies and magnitudes of the reponses were normal. CONCLUSION: The postural instability of these patients with Parkinson`s disease did not result from slow or weak postural responses of leg muscles, but rather, from an inappropriate pattern of activation of leg and truncal muscles.
Ankle ; Foot ; Hip ; Humans ; Leg ; Muscles ; Paraspinal Muscles ; Rectus Abdominis ; Torque

The objective of the study is to measure the changes in measles infection and measles vaccination rates for the past 10 years in a rural area, Kang Wha. The study population were the entire children who were born between 1971 and 1980 in three townships (Sunwon, Naegae, Buleun) in Kangwha Country. Two interview surveys were carried out during the 10 years of period, one in 1977 and the other in 1981. The data were collected by Family Health Workers through interview with structured questionnaires. The diagnosis of measles was mainly based on histories, symptoms and sign of the disease. If a mother had reported measles history of her child, a public physician reviewed and decided the final diagnosis of the reported case. A retrospective cohort observation was done in order to see the trends of measles infections and measles vaccinations. The major findings were as follows; 1. The 5 year prevalence rate of measles vaccinations was 51.3% between 1971 and 1975 and 71.9% between 1976 and 1980 respectively. The difference between two periods was statistically significant (P<0.05). The secular trend of measles vaccinations showed increasing tendency from 1971 to 1978 and since then kept maintained. 2. In the birth cohort analysis of measles vaccinations, the vaccination rate, in general, were higher in the later cohort groups than that of earlier cohort groups. 3. The 5-year experience rates for measles infections were 24.3% between 1971 and 1975 and 17.2% between 1976 and 1980 respectively. This difference was statistically significant(p<0.05). The secular trend of experience rates for measles infections showed decreasing tendency from 1971 to 1980 except an outbreak in 1976. 4. The birth cohort analysis of experience rates for measles infections showed that the rate was higher in the later cohort groups than that of the earlier cohort groups. This decreasing tendency was prominent between 1973-1974 and 1976-1977. 5. The distribution of age specific incidence rates for measles inflections showed unimodal curve with the peak at the age of 12 to 18 months. This finding were same in both two surveys. 6. Seasonal variations of the measles inflections showed two peaks, one major peak in March through May and the another minor peak in September through December. 7. The 5-year reduction rate for measles inflections among those vaccinated was 90.4% between 1971 and 1975 and 88% and between 1976 and 1980.
Child ; Cohort Studies* ; Diagnosis ; Family Health ; Humans ; Incidence ; Measles* ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons ; Vaccination*

BACKGROUNDS: Most of vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia(VBD) patients are in old age. Cranial nerve dysfunction including vestibular dysfunction such as vertigo is frequent complications of VBD. But little is known about the vestibular function test(VFT) profile of the disease. METHODS: Auditory testing and VFT(electronysta-gmography with caloric test, rotaional test and computerized dynamic posturography) were performed in 25 elderly patients with auditory-vestibular symptoms or cranial nerve impairment associated with VBD. RESULTS: postive test results were observed in 22 cases(88%). 11 cases had evidence of peripheral involvement, 4 cases evidence of central impairment, and 7 cases had evidence of both peripheral and central dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Relatively high prevalence of central dysfunction means that mechanism such as ischemia or impaired blood supply to the vestibular system is as important as compression of the cranial nerves to generate vestibular dysfunction in elderly patients with VBD.
Aged ; Caloric Tests ; Cranial Nerves ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Prevalence ; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency* ; Vertigo ; Vestibular Function Tests*

BACKGROUND: Many studies have reported that high intraocular pressure (IOP), a well-known risk factor for glaucoma and especially primary open angle glaucoma, is associated with age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity. We investigated the association between IOP and metabolic syndrome (MS). METHODS: We measured IOP and MS components according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III and the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute with modified guideline for waist circumference. High IOP was defined as > or =21 mmHg in one or both eyes. RESULTS: Looking at the components of MS in men, those with high blood pressure (BP) had significantly higher IOP. In regression analysis, fasting glucose, triglyceride, systolic BP and diastolic BP were positively, and age was negatively associated with IOP. In women, those with high fasting glucose and BP had significantly higher IOP. In regression analysis, diastolic BP, systolic BP, fasting glucose, body mass index and triglyceride were positively associated with left IOP while diastolic BP, fasting glucose and triglyceride were positively associated with right IOP. There were significantly increasing odds ratios for high IOP according to the number of components of MS. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that MS and its components are significantly associated with IOP.
Adult ; American Heart Association ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fasting ; Female ; Glaucoma ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Intraocular Pressure ; Male ; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S.) ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Risk Factors ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUNDS: Postural instability and vertigo arc not uncommon complaint from Parkinson`s disease (PD) patients. But little is known about the underlying cause of the symptoms. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with over 55 year of age, having Parkinson`s disease are studied with using a recently developed computerized dynamic posturography(CDP) and rotating chair testing(ROT) RESULTS: Vestibular dysfunction pat tent is found in 21 patients and improper use of vision was found in 10 patients. Delayed motor latency was noted in 5 patients. Saccadie dysmetria and prolonged saccadic reaction times were common features in all patients. 6 patients(18.8%) had absent responses in cold( 17degrees C) water caloric resting bilaterally and decreased responses in the lower frequencies(0.01~0.16 Hz) by ROT. Their vestibulo-ocular reflex could be suppressed during the ROT with visual fixation. MRI showed the presence of an infarction of the caudal cerebellum in one patient, the pons in another, and narrowed vertebral arteries in two patients. CONCLUSION: Relatively high incidence of vestibular dysfunction is associated with postural instability and increasing severity of symptoms. The main site of dysfunction in postural control is likely to be at a central motor level.
Cerebellar Ataxia ; Cerebellum ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Parkinson Disease* ; Pons ; Reaction Time ; Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular ; Vertebral Artery ; Vertigo ; Water