No abstract available.
Aorta, Thoracic* ; Child* ; Echocardiography, Doppler* ; Humans

Although measurement of cerebral blood flow by radioactive - isotope method became popular, there is still no report of study on the cerebral blood flow in Korea. Auther studied the regional cerebral blood flow in 28 normal Korean adults and and 76 patients including 14 cases of essential hypertension, 11 cases of heart diseases (coronary artery disease, valvular diseases and A-V block), 14 cases of brain diseases(cerebral thrombosis and cerebral insufficiency), 22 cases of head trauma and 15 cases of miscellaneous medical diseases. The regional cerebral blood flow was measured by intravenous in jection of (99m)Tc-DTPA 15-20Ci and by taking serial cerebral angiograms with CGR Gamma Tome 7000 and was analized by computer Imac 7310. The results were as follows: 1) The average regional cerebral blood flow of normal Korean adult was 50.0+/-5.89mg/100g /min. with range of 41-60ml/100g/min. 2) In most cases of essential hypertension the regional cerebral blood flow was within normal limit except rare case which was considered to have impaired autoregulation of cerebral blood flow. 3) In patients with myocardial infarction, valvular heart diseases with congestive heart failure and complete A-V block, there was markedly reduced cerebral blood flow. The reduced cerebral blood flow increased after the improvement of congestive heart failure and after the implantation of pacemaker. 4) In patients with cerebral thrombosis with infarction and cerebral insufficiency with symptoms of dizziness, headache or blurred vision, the cerebral blood flow was considerably reduced. However in acute encephalits the cerebral blood flow was increased. The measurement of cerebral blood flow by radioactiveisotope method is considered to be accurate, easy and useful clinical test to evaluate brain diseases and function.
Adult* ; Arteries ; Brain ; Brain Diseases ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Dizziness ; Headache ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Failure ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Infarction ; Intracranial Thrombosis ; Korea ; Myocardial Infarction ; Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: Although hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPC) and hypoxic coronary vasodilatation (HCD) have been recognized by many researchers, the precise mechanism remains unknown. As isolated arteries will constrict or relax in vitro in response to hypoxia, the oxygen sensor/transduction mechanism must reside in the arterial smooth muscle, the endothelium, or both. Unfortunately, much of the current evidence is conflicting, especially concerning to the dependency of HPC and HCD on the endothelium and the role of the K+ channel. Therefore, this experiment was attempted to clarify the dependency of HPC and HCD on the endothelium and the role of the K+ channel on HPC and HCD. METHODS: HPC was investigated in isolated main pulmonary arteries precontracted with norepinephrine (NE). HCD was investigated in isolated left circumflex coronary artery precontracted with prostaglandin F2 alpha. Vascular rings were suspended for isometric tension recording in an organ chamber filled with Krebs-Henseleit solution. Hypoxia was induced by gassing the chamber with 95% N2 +5% CO2, which was maintained for 15 - 25 min. RESULTS: 1)Hypoxia elicited a vasoconstriction in NE-precontracted pulmonary arteries with endothelium, but a vasodilatation in PGF 2 alpha-precontracted coronary arteries with and without endothelium. There was no difference between the amplitude of the HPC and HCD induced by two consecutive hypoxic challenges and the effect of normoxic and hyperoxic control Krebs-Henseleit solution on subsequent response to hypoxia. 2)Inhibition of NO synthesis by the treatment with Nw-nitro-L-arginine reduced HPC in pulmonary arteries, but inhibition of the cyclooxygenase pathway by treatment with indomethacin had no effect on HPC and HCD, respectively. 3)Blockades of the TEA-sensitive K+ channel abolished HPC and HCD. 4)Apamin, a small conductance Ca2+/-activated K+ (KCa) channel blocker, and iberiotoxin, a large conductance KCa channel blocker, had no effect on the HCD. 5)Glibenclamide, an ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channel blocker, reduced HCD. 6)Cromakalim, an K(ATP) channel opener, relaxed the coronary artery precontracted with prostaglandin F2 alpha. The degree of relaxation by cromakalim was similar to that by hypoxia and glibenclamide reduced both hypoxia- and cromakalim-induced vasodilations. 7)Verapamil, a Ca2+ entry blocker, caffeine, a Ca2+ emptying drug; and ryanodine, an inhibitor of Ca2+ release from SR, reduced HPC, respectively. CONCLUSION: HPC is dependent on the endothelium and is considered to be induced by inhibition of the mechanisms of NO-dependent vasodilation while HCD is independent of the endothelium and is considered to be induced by activation of the K(ATP) channel.
Anoxia ; Arteries ; Caffeine ; Coronary Vessels ; Cromakalim ; Dinoprost ; Endothelium ; Glyburide ; Indomethacin ; Muscle, Smooth ; Norepinephrine ; Oxygen ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Prostaglandins F ; Pulmonary Artery ; Relaxation ; Ryanodine ; Vasoconstriction* ; Vasodilation*

Although the conclusion is controversial, there has long been an appealing notion that catecholamines may be involved in some way in the pathogenesis of primary hypertension and almost invariably most of hypotensive drugs involve at various sites of the neuron and produce their effect by depletion of norepinephrine in the sympathetic nerve ending. The authors undertook the comparative study on catecholamine depleting action of 3 most effective drugs available for the treatment of hypertension, reserpine, guanethidine and alpha-methyldopa, measuring the plasma catecholamine levels and urinary exceretion of caecholamine by the modified fluorometric method of Weil-Malherbe and Bone during the treatment of hypertension. The results are as follows: 1) Before the administration of hypotensive drugs, mean blood pressure was 180/110mmH, mean psalma epinephrine level was 0.36+/-0.23gamma%, mean plasma norepinephrine level was 0.48+/-0.35gamma%, 24 hours urinary excretion of epinephrine was 3.6+/-0.12gamma/day and 24 hours urinary excretion of norepinephrine was 68.9+/-0.34gamma/day. 2) In group 1 (reserpin administered group), the mean blood pressure was 190/110mmHg before the treatment and which was declined to 155/89mmHg on the last day of 4th week, in group 2 (guanethidine administered group), the mean blood pressure measured before the treatment was 185/110mmHg and which was declined to 150/85mmHg on the last day of 4th week, and in group 3 (alpha-methylodpa administered group), the mean blood measured pressure measured before the treatment was 182/110mmHg and which was declined to 153/88mmHg on the last day of 4th week. 3) After the treatment for 4 weeks with reserpin guanethidine and alpha-methyldopa, the mean plasma epinephrine levels were declined from 0.37+/-0.12gamma% to 0.11+/-0.08gamma% in group 1, from 0.38+/-0.16gamma% to 0.14+/-0.10gamma% in group 2 and from 0.33+/-0.23gamma% to 0.10+/-0.09gamma% in group 3. 4) The mean plasma norepinephrine levels were declined from 0.05+/-0.21gamma% to 0.22+/-0.12gamma% in group 1, from 0.51+/-0.25gamma% to 0.20+/-0.10gamma% in group 2 and from 0.51+/-0.21gamma% to 0.20+/-0.11gamma% in group 3 after the treatment of 4 weeks respectively. 5) Urinary exceretion of epinephine was declined from 32.3+/-0.16gamma/day to 10.4+/-0.10gamma/day in group 1, from 34.5+/-0.34gamma/day to 17.2+/-0.16gamma/day in group 2, and from 28.2+/-0.14gamma/day to 10.3+/-0.11gamma/day in group in group 3 after the treatment of 4weeks duration. 6) The mean value of 24 hours urinary excretion of norepinephrine was declined to from 72.2+/-0.35gamma/day to 28.5+/-0.14gamma/day in group1, from 69.2+/-0.34gamma/day to 22.6+/-0.21gamma/day in group 2 and from 68.6+/-0.34gamma/day to 18.2+/-0.10gamma/day in group 3 after the treatment of 4 weeks duration. 7) From the above result we can summarized as follows: Antihypertensive effect of each drugs was; guanethidine>alpha-methylodopa>reserpin in order but depressing action plasma norepinephrine levels was; alpha-methyldopa>guanethidine>reserpin and depressing effect of urinary norepinephrine excretion was; alpha-methyldopa>guanethidine>reserpin, in order.
Antihypertensive Agents* ; Blood Pressure ; Catecholamines ; Epinephrine ; Guanethidine ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Methyldopa ; Nerve Endings ; Neurons ; Norepinephrine ; Plasma* ; Reserpine

OBJECTIVE: p16INK4 and p15INK4B genes are known to be tumor suppressor genes which reside in p21 region of chromosome 9 and are related to cell cycle control as an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent-kinase. We designed this study to search for deletion and decreased expression of p16INK4 and p15INK4B genes in advanced ovarian carcinomas. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based analysis was performed to search for deletion of p16INK4 and p15INK4B using DNA extracted from frozen tissue in liquid nitrogen of thirty-one advanced ovarian carcinoma patients. The intensities of PCR bands were analyzed using an imaging densitometer to determine gene dosage in tumor samples and the relative gene dosage was calculated by comparing band intesity of p16INK4 or p15INK4B with that of beta-globin gene. Homozygous deletions were assigned to tumors in which the ratio was reduced to less than 25% in any one of exons of p16INK4 and p15INK4B. Immunohistochemical techniques were used to study the expression of p16INK4. p16-negative cells were characterized by the absence of nuclear staining, whereas cytoplasmic staining was variable. Clinico-pathologic features, complete remission rates and survivals were analyzed according to the status of p16INK4 and p15INK4B genes. RESULTS: Homozygous deletion of p16INK4 was detected in 12.9% of advanced ovarian carcinoma patients and that of p15INK4B in 35.5%. Clinico-pathologic features such as FIGO stage, histological grade, serum CA-125 levels were not different from groups with homozygously deleted p16INK4 and p15INK4B to those with normal genes. The survival of patients (13 [6-20] months) with homozygously deleted p16INK4 was significantly shorter than that (30 [8-52] months) of patients with normal p16INK4 (p=0.046; Log-rank test). CONCLUSION: These observations indicate that deletions of p16INK4 and p15INK4B gene might be involved in tumorigenesis of ovarian carcinoma and could be useful as a prognostic factor. A prospective, controlled study with more patients will be mandatory in the future.
beta-Globins ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9 ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Exons ; Gene Dosage ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Nitrogen ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Experimental, epidemiological and clinical studies indicate and important relationship between abnormalities in serum lipoproteins and atherosclerosis. With the introduction in 1965 by Fredrickson and Lees of a system for phenotyping hyperlipoproteinemias, quantitation of pre-and beta-lipoproteins gained much significance, and hence, the development of simple method for studying serum lipids and lipoproteins is needed. In the past, several methods have been proposed for the estimation of serum lipoproteins by electrophoresis. Authors observed serum total lipoprotein, beta-lipoprotein, pre-beta-lipoprotein and alpha-lipoprotein fractions in 80 (male:40, female;40)normal individuals with electrophoesis using cellulose acetate membrane instead of filter paper and concluded as follow: 1) Total lipoprotein and beta-lipoprotein levels had increasing tendency according to aging on both sexes. 2) Serum pre-beta-lipoprotein level also had increasing tendency according to age on both sexes and these features are more conspicious after fifth decade. 3) Electrophoresis using cellulose acetate membrance seem to be convinient method for analysis of serum lipoproteins especially pre-beta-lipoprotein fraction. 4) This method can be likely applied as routine screening test of hyperlipemia.
Aging ; Atherosclerosis ; Cellulose* ; Electrophoresis* ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hyperlipoproteinemias ; Lipoproteins ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; Mass Screening ; Membranes*

The author has studied the 111 cases of salivary gland epithelial tumors which confirmed clinically and pathologically during the period of 11 years and 7 months from 1973 to 1984 at Pusan National University Hospital. The results of the study were summarized as follows: 1) Among 111 cases of salivary gland epithelial tumors, benign tumors were 72 cases (64.9%) and malignant tumors 39 cases (35.1%). The male to female ratio of overall salivary gland epithelial tumors was 1 to 1.6. Mean age of benign tumors was 39.6 years old and that of malignant tumors 44.6. 2) The analysis of the salivary gland epithelial tumors in histologic type revealed 63 cases (56.8%) of pleomorphic adenoma, 14 cases (12.6%) of the mucoepidermoid carcinoma, 11 cases (9.9%) of adenoid cystic carcinoma, 4 cases (3.6%) of adenolymphoma and adenocarcinoma, respectively. 3) The incidence of salivary gland epithelial tumors was found to be in the major salivary gland in 62 cases (56.9%), in the major salivary gland in 47 cases (43.1%), preferably involving parotid gland in 38 cases (34.9%), palate in 29 cases (26.6%), submandibular gland in 20 cases (18.3%) in order of frequency. 4) The mean size of benign salivary gland epithelial tumors was 3.5 cm in diameter and that of malignant 3.6 cm. Therefore, that size of both benign and malignant tumors was not significantly different. The mean duration of chief complaints of salivary gland epithelial tumors was 5 years and 3 months in benign type, 2 years and 4 months in malignant type, approximately half of the benign tumors. 5) The most frequent manifestation in malignant tumors was palpable mass 89.7%(benign : 97.2%), pain 23.1%, ulcer and hemorrhage 15.4%, respectively, et al., whereas, that of benign tumors was exophthalmos 5.6%, ulcer 4.2%, et al. In order of frequency. 6) Among the 67 cases of pleomorphic adenoma, 4 cases (6.0%) of them were malignant type.
Female ; Male ; Humans ; Incidence

BACKGROUND: Health care workers (HCWs) are exposed to patients' blood occupationally by needlesticks or sharps injuries and by direct contact to mucous membranes or skins. This study was performed to investigate actively the descriptive epidemiology of HCWs' blood exposures in a University Hospital in Korea. METHODS: Over a 5 year period (from Jan, 1996 to Dec. 31, 2000), in a acute, educational, tertiary and about 1,500 beds university hospital, blood exposure episodes were reported by HCWs. The reported cases of 532 were analysed epidemiologically and statistically using PC SAS 6.12. RESULTS: The proportions of male and female were 44.0% (234), 56.0% (298) respectively the mean age was 29.2 years and the mode of career was 12 months. Distributions by job titles were 44.9% (239/532) in doctors' 29.5% (157/532) in registered nurses' 9.0% (48/532) in aid nurses, 6.4%(34/532) in housekeepers and 4.3%(23/532) in technicians. The proportions per 100 HCWs by job category were 4.4%(239/5,489) in doctors, 3.7%(157/4,262) in registered nurses and 1.3%(23/ 1,786) in technicians. and that per 100 beds was 6.8% (529/7,730). Distribution of reported cases were 13.0% (69/532), 11.5% (61/532), 9.2%(49/532) in March, April and May respectively. The major type of exposure was percutaneous injuries (96.3%, 513/533), and the most of them was needlesticks (91.4%, 469/513). The largest number of blood exposures occurred in inpatient ward(48.4%, 257/532) and the most injured body part was fingers (782%, 412/527), especially 1st finger (25%, 84/332). Blood exposure accidents were occurred during invasive procedures(66.3%, 341/514) and most of them were blood sampling(22.9%, 78/341) and recapping(20.8%, 71/341). Hepatitis B virus was the major bloodborne pathogens of reported cases (55.8%. 293/525). Post exposure prophylaxis and follow up were done for susceptible person but the seroposive conversions in them were not found. The association between job categories and exposure types and that between job titles and occurrence places were significant statistically(CMH chi-square p=0.001). The reporting cases of HBV exposures were decreased but those of HIV exposures were increased annually during the study period. CONCLUSION: We could find the descriptive epidemiology of Hews' occupational exposures to blood in a university hospital in Korea. And we can support the data in order to establish the policy or act for HCWs' safety and health from the boodborne hazards. In addition, to confirm the preventive effects of infection control activities for Hews from the risk of bloodborne diseases.
Blood-Borne Pathogens ; Cross Infection ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Fingers ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B virus ; HIV ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Needlestick Injuries ; Occupational Exposure ; Occupations ; Post-Exposure Prophylaxis ; Skin

No abstract available.
Humans ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of upper extremity exercise training on the motor activity, the ADL and the health related quality of life. METHOD: A non-equivalent pretest-posttest design was used. Study subjects were conveniently selected 40 hemiplegic patients(20 experimental subjects, 20 control subjects) who had been enrolled in two community health centers. After biofeedback training the subjects of experimental group were given constraint-induced movement, involving restraint of unaffected U/E in a sling for about 6 hours over a period of two weeks, while at the same time intensively training the affected U/E. Outcomes were evaluated on the basis of motor activity(amount, quality) of plegic side, DL(ADL, IADL) and health related QOL(SF-36). RESULTS: 1. After 2 weeks of treatment, the amount of use and the quality of motor activity of affected U/E were significantly higher in subjects who participated in exercise training than in subjects in the control group. 2. There were no significant differences in ADL and IADL between experimental and control groups. 3. After 2 weeks of treatment. the health related QOL was significantly higher in subjects who participated in exercise training than in subjects in the control group. CONCLUSION: The above results state that the U/E exercise training could be an effective intervention for improving the motor activity and the health related QOL of chronic hemiplegic patients. Long-term studies are needed to determine the lasting effects of constraint-induced movement.
Activities of Daily Living* ; Biofeedback, Psychology ; Community Health Centers ; Humans ; Motor Activity* ; Quality of Life ; Upper Extremity*