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*

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

Child protective services, or the child protection system (CPS), forms the most front line safety net for abused and neglected children. The prerequisite for its activities lies in the awareness of promoting child's rights, which are well described in the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), and of the significant impact of child abuse and neglect as the origins to other social problems. Child protective services in Korea are carried on by 17 Centers for the Prevention of Child Abuse which have been opened since Octorber 2000 based on the amended Child Welfare Law which came into effect as of July 2000. The 24-hour telephone hotlines, numbered "1391", have been installed within the Centers. The counselors quickly respond to the reports, investigate the alleged cases of children and families with necessary services. This paper aims at the improvement of the understanding of child's rights and how the safety net, as the advocator for abused and neglected children, is functioning in Korea.
Child ; Child Abuse* ; Child Protective Services ; Child Welfare ; Child* ; Counseling ; Hotlines ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Korea* ; Social Problems

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Delivery of Health Care* ; France* ; Health Care Reform*

No abstract available.
Delivery of Health Care* ; France* ; Health Care Reform*

No abstract available.
Aged* ; Female ; Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention*

BACKGROUND: Large-fiber peripheral neuropathy is prevalent in the elderly and risk of falling is higher in patients with it. This study`s aim is to see if, using computerized dynamic posturography(CDP), sway patterns differ between patients with large-fiber peripheral neuropathy and normal control subjects and, if it did, to compare CDP with conventional electromyography(EMG) as screening tools for large-fiber perip- heral neuropathy. METHODS: Thirty patients who came to the neurophysiology laboratory with a preliminary diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy(made by their referring physicians) were compared with 30 nonmatched control subjects. All subjects received a neurologic examination and underwent CDP and conventional EMG. RESULTS: CDP showed abnormal sway patterns only in patients who had EMG abnormalities consistent with large fiber peripheral neuropathy. These sway patterns differed significantly from those of the control subjects. Center of gravity(COG) wandered farther and faster per unit of time in the patients with polyneu- ropathy than in control subjects. It means that the control mechanism provided by peripheral nerves limi- ting total displacement and the speed of COG wandering is defective in the patients with large-fiber peri- pheral neuropathy. CONCLUSION: CDP seems to be a useful and well-tolerated screening test for patients with a history suggestive of peripheral neuropathy, and results of CDP agree with those of conventional EMG. Moreover, posturography directly measures increased sway in these patients and may be used as a screening test for risk of falls in this population of old age.
Aged ; Cytidine Diphosphate ; Diagnosis ; Electromyography ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Neurologic Examination ; Neurophysiology ; Peripheral Nerves ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* ; Tolnaftate

BACKGROUND: Large-fiber peripheral neuropathy is prevalent in the elderly and risk of falling is higher in patients with it. This study`s aim is to see if, using computerized dynamic posturography(CDP), sway patterns differ between patients with large-fiber peripheral neuropathy and normal control subjects and, if it did, to compare CDP with conventional electromyography(EMG) as screening tools for large-fiber perip- heral neuropathy. METHODS: Thirty patients who came to the neurophysiology laboratory with a preliminary diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy(made by their referring physicians) were compared with 30 nonmatched control subjects. All subjects received a neurologic examination and underwent CDP and conventional EMG. RESULTS: CDP showed abnormal sway patterns only in patients who had EMG abnormalities consistent with large fiber peripheral neuropathy. These sway patterns differed significantly from those of the control subjects. Center of gravity(COG) wandered farther and faster per unit of time in the patients with polyneu- ropathy than in control subjects. It means that the control mechanism provided by peripheral nerves limi- ting total displacement and the speed of COG wandering is defective in the patients with large-fiber peri- pheral neuropathy. CONCLUSION: CDP seems to be a useful and well-tolerated screening test for patients with a history suggestive of peripheral neuropathy, and results of CDP agree with those of conventional EMG. Moreover, posturography directly measures increased sway in these patients and may be used as a screening test for risk of falls in this population of old age.
Aged ; Cytidine Diphosphate ; Diagnosis ; Electromyography ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Neurologic Examination ; Neurophysiology ; Peripheral Nerves ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* ; Tolnaftate