OBJECTS: Sanjoin, the seeds of Zizyphus vulgaris var. spinosus has been used as the most important hypnotic agent in chinese medicine to treat insomnia. This research was performed in order to examine the effect of betulinic acid and sanjoinine-A which are components of Sanjoin. METHOD: Sleeping time, sleep recordings of EEG, serum serotonin level, and locomotor activity were measured in rats which received betulinic acid and sanjoinine-A as sleep induction material extracted from Sanjoin. RESULTS: 1) Groups received betulinic acid, sanjoinine-A, and lorazepam showed increased sleep time than control group with saline. 2) Groups with betulinic acid, sanjoinine-A, lorazepam and saline recorded beta-wave in sleep recording of EEG. In there was no significant difference among all groups. 3) No significant difference in serum serotonin level among all groups was found. 4) In autonomic activity testing, groups of betulinic acid, sanjoinine-A, and lorazepam showed significantly more decreased in activity than saline group. In comparison of groups of betulinic acid and sanjoinine-A with a group of lorazepam, there was no significant difference. CONCLUSION: These results suggests that betulinic acid and sanjoinine-A have the sedative effect like lorazepam rather than sleep effect.
Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Brain* ; Electroencephalography* ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Lorazepam ; Motor Activity ; Rats* ; Serotonin* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Ziziphus

No abstract available.
Fournier Gangrene* ; Scrotum* ; Sparganosis*

Priapism is a relatively rare condition of prolonged painful penile erection, unrelated to sexual activity. It is caused by idiopathic, leukemia, sickle cell disease, oral medication, intracavernosal injection therapy, spinal cord injury and malignant cell infiltration. Malignant lymphoma involving the genitourinary system is uncommon and when it occurs the testes is the most common site. However malignant lymphoma involving the penis is even more rare, with only 20 cases reported in literature. To our knowledge, priapism caused by penile lymphoma has not been reported previously in literature. We report a case with a brief review of literature.
Anemia, Sickle Cell ; Leukemia ; Lymphoma* ; Male ; Penile Erection ; Penis ; Priapism* ; Sexual Behavior ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Testis ; Urogenital System

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia that is a potent independent risk factor for stroke. The incidence of AF increase with age and most affected people have underlying cardiac disease. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of and risk factors for AF in Korean. In this study, 14,540 adults (male 6,573/female 7,967) > or =40 yr old received screening test for general health between April 2000 and December 2000. Participants answered questionnaires and underwent examinations that included blood pressure, electrocardiogram (ECG), total cholesterol, and fasting glucose. Data analysis was done by SPSS 10.0 for Windows. The prevalence of AF was 0.7% in people older than 40 yr and 2.1% in those older than 65 yr. The prevalence in men was 1.2% and women was 0.4% in people older than 40 yr. The prevalence in men was 3.3% and women was 1.1% in people older than 65 yr. Approximately 56.6% of individuals with AF are older than 65 yr. The prevalence of AF was higher at all age group in men than in women. Also, the prevalence of AF was highest in people older than 80 yr. In univariate analysis, male sex, old age (> or =65 yr), hypertension, diabetes mellitus, left ventricular hypertrophy in ECG, stroke, and cardiac disease were associated with an increased risk of AF. In multivariate analysis, however, risk factors of AF were male (odds ratio, OR 4.1; 95% confidence interval [CI] : 2.6 to 6.5; p=0.000), old age (OR 5.3; 95% CI:3.5 to 7.9; p=0.000), and cardiac disease (OR 19.8; 95% CI:12.3 to 31.8; p=0.000). In this study, the most potent risk factors of AF was cardiac disease.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Atrial Fibrillation/*epidemiology/*pathology ; Cholesterol/metabolism ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Glucose/metabolism ; Heart Diseases/pathology ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Incidence ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Risk ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
B-Lymphocytes* ; Immunoglobulin G*

No abstract available.
Cleft Lip* ; Diagnosis* ; Ultrasonography*

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare inflammatory disorder affecting the cartilaginous structures throughout the body. Although there is no pathognomonic laboratory tests, clinical features, when coupled with histopathologic findings, enable one to make a diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis. A 26-year-old man presented with purplish, swollen, and tender auricles and injected eyes. His symptoms had developed eight months ago and fluctuated irrespective of various medications such as corticosteroids and antibiotics. Histopathologic examination revealed loss of basophilic staining of the cartilage with some dissolution of its structures. Treatment was initiated with dapsone, However, the remission was too immediate to be considered as a effect of dapsone.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Basophils ; Cartilage ; Dapsone ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Polychondritis, Relapsing*

BACKGROUND: In the general population, the incidence of bundle branch block (BBB) is relatively low, and its effects on long-term prognosis have not been established. Previous studies of incidence and correlation to clinical factors have produced conflicting results. But, the incidence of BBB was strongly related to age. This study aimed to describe the incidence of and risk factors for BBB in Korean. METHODS: In this study, 14,540 adults (M/F=6,573/7,967) >or=40 years old were received screening test for general health between April 2000 and December 2000. Participants answered questionnaires and underwent examinations that included blood pressure, electrocardiogram (ECG), total cholesterol, and fasting glucose. Data analysis was done by database statistics (dBSTAT) for windows program. RESULTS: The incidence of complete right bundle branch block (CRBBB) was 1.5% in people older than 40 years and 2.9% in those older than 65 years. Approximately 38.0% of individuals with CRBBB were older than 65 years. The incidence of CRBBB is higher at all age group in men than in women. Also, the incidence of CRBBB is most highest in aged 75~79 years. Male, advancing age ( >or=65 years), hypertension, and diabetes mellitus (DM) were associated with an increased risk of CRBBB. The incidence of complete left bundle branch block (LBBB) and bifascicular bundle branch block (BBBB) were 0.1%, 0.08% in people older than 40 years and 0.3%, 0.2% in those older than 65 years, respectively. Approximately 71.4%, 58.3% of individuals with LBBB and BBBB were older than 65 years, respectively. Advancing age ( >or=65 years) and myocardial infarction (MI) were associated with an increased risk of LBBB and BBBB. The most potent risk factor of BBB was advancing age in this study. CONCLUSION: The incidence of BBB was 1.7% in those older than 40 years and 3.4% in those older than 65 years. Approximately 89.3% of individuals with BBB were CRBBB. The incidence of CRBBB is 1.5-fold in men than in women. The most potent risk factor of BBB was advancing age.
Adult* ; Blood Pressure ; Bundle-Branch Block* ; Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Electrocardiography ; Fasting ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence* ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Myocardial Infarction ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors* ; Statistics as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Oocytes* ; Pregnancy* ; Spermatozoa*

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia that is a potent independent risk factor for stroke. The incidence of AF increases with age and most affected people have underlying cardiac disease. This study aimed to describe the incidence of and risk factors for AF in Korean. METHODS: In this study, 14,540 adults (M/F=6,573/7,967) > or = 40 years old were received screening test for general health between April 2000 and December 2000. Participants answered questionnaires and underwent examinations that included blood pressure, electrocardiogram (ECG), total cholesterol and fasting glucose. Data analysis was done by database statistics (dBSTAT) for windows program. RESULTS: The incidence of AF is 0.7% (106/14,540) in people older than 40 years and 2.1% (60/2,876) in those older than 65 years. Approximately 56.6% (60/106) of individuals with AF are older than 65 years. The incidence of AF is higher at all age group in men than in women. Also, the incidence of AF is most highest in people older than 80 years. Male sex, old age (> or = 65 years), hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), stroke, and cardiac disease were associated with an increased risk of AF. Hypercholesterolemia, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, and hyperthyroidism were not associated with an increased risk of AF. The most potent risk factor of AF is electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy (ECG-LVH) in this study. CONCLUSION: The incidence of AF is 0.7% in those older than 40 years and 2.1% in those older than 65 years. The incidence of AF is 3-fold in men (1.2%) than in women (0.4%). Reversible risk factors of AF are hypertension, DM, LVH, stroke, and cardiac disease in this study. So, control of blood pressure and glucose may be important in preventing the development of AF.
Adult* ; Alcohol Drinking ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Electrocardiography ; Fasting ; Female ; Glucose ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Hyperthyroidism ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Incidence* ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Risk Factors* ; Smoking ; Statistics as Topic ; Stroke ; Surveys and Questionnaires