BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Primary intervention by stent implantation during acute myocardial infarction is a novel strategy to provide better myocardial perfusion compared to thrombolysis or baloon angioplasty. We aimed to assess the reperfusion achieved by primary stenting, employing TIMI frame count for more objective and quantitative measurement. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Measurements for number of frames required to opacify standardized angiographic landmark branch(TIMI frame count) were determined for the coronary arteries of 77 normal controls and 65 patients with acute myocardial infarction who underwent primary stenting within 12 hours of symptom onset. RESULTS: In normal subjects, TIMI frame count for left anterior descending artery(LAD) was 1.3 times of mean count of right coronary artery(RCA) and left circumflex artery(LCx), and significant less than that of TIMI study(22.3+/-4.9 vs 36.2+/-2.6, p<0.05). TIMI frame count for RCA and LCx was similar to results of TIMI study. In infarct related arteries(IRA), corrected TIMI frame count(CTFC) after primary stenting was similar to those of normal control. Frame counts of RCA was larger compared to that of normal control, but statistically insignificant(23.0+/-7.5 vs 17.6+/-3.5, p>0.05). There was no difference of CTFC of non-infarct related arteries between patients and normal controls. CONCLUSION: The TIMI frame count of LAD artery in normal Korean subjects was significantly less than that of American counterpart. In patients with acute myocardial infarction, primary stenting appeared to provide improved coronary flow similar to that observed in normal subjects, as measured by TIMI frame counting.
Angioplasty ; Arteries ; Coronary Vessels ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Perfusion ; Reperfusion ; Stents*

A histological and electron microscopic study were conducted in order to observe a morphological changing pattern of patellar ligament autograft after endoscopic ACL reconstruction. Seventeen patients among 117 consecutive series which underwent endoscopic ACL reconstruction from January 1990 to March 1995, were involved in this study according to the various follow-up periods. In second-look arthroscopic finding at 6 months follow-up after ACL reconstruction, reconstructed ACL was covered with synovium and round-shaped, and after the biopsy active bleeding could be seen. In histological study, 6 months follow-up, spindle or ovoid shaped fibroblast with hypercellularity, high crmp patterns of collagen fiber, and parallel arrangement of fibroblast to collagen fiber were noted. The cellularity of fibroblast decreased in according to periods of follow up. At 12 months follow up, spindle or ovoid fibroblast, its cellularity and arrangement pattern and crimp pattern of collagen fiber seemed to be almost similar to those of normal ACL. This similaryity continued up to 2 years and 2 months after reconstruction. In EM study, until 6 months follow-up after reconstruction, the graft showed randomly arranged fibroblasts with hypercellularity, which had abundant cytoplasm with marked irregular cytoplasmic borders and prominent nuclear indentation, Collagen fibrils were immature and showed a unimodel distribution with small diameter. At 12 months follow-up, elongated fibroblasts appeared, but these cells contained folded nuclei and abundant cytoplasm. Collagen fibrils had parallel arrangement and sparse cross striation, and comprised of mainly small fibrils and scattered large fibrils. After 24 months follow-up, the cellularity decreased more. The regular arrangement of collagen fibrils with wavy pattern similar to normal anterior cruciate ligament was noted. Two distinctive population of the small and large diameter of fibrils was also observed (bimodal distribution). At 26 months, the large and small collagen fibrils compresed a characteric bimodal pattern with parallel arrangement, but the majority of fibroblasts had irregular cytoplasmic contour, and abundant cytoplasm with increased organelles, which indicated the active function. These findings suggest that the graft are still immature even at 26 months in postoperative follow up despite considerable maturation of collagen fibril.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Autografts ; Biopsy ; Collagen ; Cytoplasm ; Fibroblasts ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Organelles ; Patellar Ligament ; Synovial Membrane ; Transplants

This study was conducted to find out an appropriate means for preventing the juvenile delinquency (JD), which is supposed to be greatly realted to family environment. The data were collected through a questionnaire survey with a means of writing by themself, to 257 middle and high school students and 309 juvenile delinquents who were in confinement. The questionnaire was consisted of 27 items of juvenile delinquencies, 15 questions about personal environment in their period of childhood, 36 questions on their home atmosphere, 25 items with regard to their parental behavior to their children in the rearing of them. The extent of delinquency was calculated by summing the numbers of experienced delinquencies of the listed items. The study subjects were divided into two groups; student group (SG) and juvenile delinquent group (JDG) and the collected data were analyzed with the extent of delinquency in each group by SPSS/PC+statistical package. The extent of JD was increased as the study subjects grew older, defective families were more common, total family income was more poor, parents' educational level was lower, personal expenses were higher and the conflicts between parents were more high in JDG as compared with of SG. The differences were statistically significant. As long as the extent of delinquency is concerned, delimquent points of JDG were significantly higher as compared with that of SG in all items except one item, below the primary school item in fathers' educational level. (In order to prevent JD in our country, it is recommended that educational level and the living standared of the lower class people should be raised, the sound families which do have less conflictsshould be established as much as possible, the present educational system which is making much conflicts between parents and their offsprings should be changed so that their given temperament would be brought up to the highest level, defective families should be reduced as much as possible and adults should not do actions that are considered not to be done by youngsters and must set a good example.)
Adult ; Atmosphere ; Child ; Humans ; Juvenile Delinquency* ; Parents ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Temperament ; Writing

Higenamine is known to possess stimulatory activity on beta-receptor of the heart. Chronotropic actions of higenamic were studied in spontaneously beating right atrial muscle isolated from rabbits. The frequency of spontaneous beating and the relative threshold voltage of the right atrium were examined. The relative threshold voltage was defined as the minimal voltage of the given impulse above which the right atrium could be paced at the frequency of 20% of higenamine was also observed. Higenamine caused the postive chronotropic effect. This response became prominent as the ca2+ concentration in the bathing solution lowered. When tetrodotoxin was added to the bathing solution, the effect of higenemine altered and became similar to that of epinephrine. Higenamine reduced the relative threshold voltage of the right atrium in the bathing solution with [ca2+] of 0.5mM. Such effect was abolished by tetrodotoxin. The effects of verapamill on the spontaneous rate and the relativel threshold voltage were inhibited by higenemine. The above results suggest that, aithough the main action og higenamine is on the Ca channel, higenamine also have a minor effect of augmenting the Na channel.
Baths ; Epinephrine ; Heart ; Heart Atria* ; Heart Rate ; Rabbits ; Tetrodotoxin ; Verapamil

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to compare the characteristics of psychiatric inpatients in mental health related facilities and community mental health services-utilizing patients by diverse factors in Korea. METHODS: Questionnaires were sent via mail to 140 standard mental health centers from October to December of 2008. 64 facilities responded and data of 461 mentally disabled who are registered at and utilize the services of these mental health centers were analyzed. T-test and cross-analysis were performed to determine the differences in the averages of the variables and the discrepancy in ratios, respectively. RESULTS: Differences between long-term psychiatric inpatients and community mental health services-utilizing patients were seen in characteristics such as gender, age, type of medical coverage, family support systems, diagnosis, age of onset, duration of hospitalization, community-dwelling period, and clinical symptoms and functions. It was significantly short in length of stay in facilities in users of community mental health services with comparison to institutionalized patients. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that invigoration of community mental health services is an alternative that can help deter long-term hospitalization.
Age of Onset ; Community Mental Health Services* ; Diagnosis ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Korea* ; Length of Stay ; Mental Health* ; Mentally Disabled Persons ; Postal Service ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out to evaluate hearing impairment judgement and to investigate the differences in various diagnostic criteria for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among workers who required for close observation (C). METHODS: Out of 731,029 workers who had taken the specific periodic health examination in 1994, we used the audiometric data on 37,999 workers (C) eliminating the employees who had previous otologic problems. Many investigators have being using different criteria for the evaluation of hearing impairment. In this study, we used the criteria of early (1989-1994), current, compensation for NIHL in Korea, 2-, 3-, 4-divided classification and hearing loss at 4,000 Hz and compared the evaluation results. RESULTS: The prevalences of C and workers who had occupational disease (D1) diagnosed for NIHL were 11.1 % and 0.44 %. There were significant difference in the prevalences of C and D1 depending on different province of Korea. Pure tone averages (PTAs) were not appropriately applied in their evaluation. 97% of workers whom we studied on were below the level of mild hearing loss judged by ISO standard. However, there were wide variations in the prevalence rate of mild hearing loss by diagnostic criteria. Thus, there were different judgements in determining the degree of NIHL depending on which diagnostic criteria were utilized. PTAs were found 20.54 (Rt) and 20.74 (Lt) when the method of 3-divided classification was applied for audiometric data. The degree of hearing impairment of the left ear was more severe than that of right ear. The prevalence of normal hearing threshold below 20 dB was 75.4% and the range of difference in both ear was below 10 dB. Right sided hearing threshold levels were 21.08 dB (500 Hz), 18.44 dB (1,000 Hz), 22.09 (2,000 Hz) and 52.36 dB (4,000 Hz). There was typical high frequency loss (C5-dip at 4,000 Hz) above 30 - 40 dB in normal hearing level. The increasing trend in hearing threshold level was gradually decreased by the increase of PTAs. The difference between PTAs and threshold at 4,000 Hz was about 10 dB. CONCLUSIONS: We could found that PTAs in the previous examination were not appropriately evaluated. This study revealed that they did not use unique criteria for managing the workers of NIHL. For the prevention of NIHL, it was found that the quality control on diagnosis and comprehensive management program were required, especially for those of hearing loss (C).
Classification ; Compensation and Redress ; Diagnosis ; Ear ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; Humans ; Korea* ; Occupational Diseases ; Prevalence ; Quality Control ; Research Personnel

BACKGROUND: Several studies have been performed to evaluate the efficacy of dietary n-3 fatty acid for patients with renal dysfunction. While about 40% to 80% of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) complain about pruritus and xerosis, there are few reports on the effects of topical n-3 fatty acid on these symptoms. OBJECTIVE: In order to investigate the possible beneficial effects of topical n-3 fatty acid, oils extracted from chia (Salvia hispanica) seed were formulated into topical products, the effects of which were measured. METHODS: Five healthy volunteers having xerotic pruritus symptoms and 5 patients with pruritus caused by either ESRD or diabetes were involved in this study. A topical formulation containing 4% chia seed oils were applied for an 8-week duration. Subjective itching symptoms were assessed on a 6-point scale, as were other skin functions, namely transepidermal water loss and skin capacitance. RESULTS: After the 8 weeks of application, significant improvements in skin hydration, lichen simplex chronicus, and prurigo nodularis were observed in all patients. A similar improvement was also observed among healthy volunteers with xerotic pruritus. Improvement of epidermal permeability barrier function and skin hydration, represented by trans-epidermal water loss and skin capacitance, respectively, were also observed. No adverse effects were observed in all the tested patients and volunteers. CONCLUSION: Chia seed oil can be used as an adjuvant moisturizing agent for pruritic skin, including that of ESRD patients.
alpha-Linolenic Acid ; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Methylmethacrylates ; Neurodermatitis ; Oils ; Permeability ; Polystyrenes ; Prurigo ; Pruritus ; Seeds ; Skin ; Water Loss, Insensible

In order to evaluate the distribution of the immunoglobulins and complement in the normal conjunctiva, the limbal conjunctiva was incubated with fluorescein-conjugated antisera to IgG, IgM, IgA, C3, C1 and fibrin. The predominant distribution of IgG, IgM, IgA, and C3 within the stroma of the conjunctiva was shown with the presence of IgA within the conjunctival epithelium.
Complement System Proteins ; Conjunctiva* ; Epithelium ; Fibrin ; Immune Sera ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Immunoglobulins*

PURPOSE: Leptin is a hormone, encoded by ob gene in adipocytes and regulates food intake and energy expenditure. The serum concentration of leptin is known to be proportional to the amount of body fat but the regulation of leptin for growth and development in childhood is not clear. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the correlation of serum leptin levels to gender, pubertal development and sex steroid in children. METHODS: Serum leptin levels were measured by RIA in 145 Korean children of both sexes, age 8-16yr, and were compared according to body mass index, gender and pubertal stage. The correlations of leptin with testosterone and estradiol were also analized. RESULTS: A positive relationship was observed for leptin levels with body mass index(in male:r=0.63, P<0.001, in female:r=0.80, P<0.001). The mean leptin level of girls was higher than that of boys(7.50+/-.83ng/mL vs 4.11+/-.72ng/mL, P<0.05) in lean children but there was no significant difference in obese group. An analysis according to the pubertal development showed an increase of leptin level in girls while leptin decreased in boys at overt puberty. Serum leptin levels of boys in puberty correlated inversely with testosterone(r=-0.52, P<0.001) but leptin of girls did not have significant correlation with estradiol. CONCLUSION: Serum leptin level increases in girls and decreases in boys as the pubertal development proceeds. The relationships between leptin level and pubertal developement show gender difference and it might be explained in part by suppressive effects of androgen in male.
Adipocytes ; Adipose Tissue ; Adolescent ; Body Mass Index ; Child* ; Eating ; Energy Metabolism ; Estradiol ; Female ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Leptin* ; Male ; Puberty ; Testosterone

We have experienced one case of lymphangioma and one case of lymphangiectasia which was diagnosed with the histopathologic studies, including immunofluorescent and electron microscopic methods. The distribution of Ig G and Ig A within the stroma was shown, particularly in the inflammatory cells. The endothelial lined lymphatic vessel consisted of interrupted basal lamina and absence of pericyte on electron microscope.
Basement Membrane ; Conjunctiva* ; Lymphangioma ; Lymphatic Vessels ; Pericytes