No abstract available.
Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C Antibodies* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Prevalence*

No abstract available.
Pleural Effusion*

No abstract available.
Rabbits*

BACKGROUND: The role of aging in damage to DNA have been of increasing in recent years. DNA damage correlated with biochemical and physiologic changes that are characteristic of cellular impairment in aging and disease. Reduction of oxygen in tissue produces a number of oxygen free radicals which may induce cellular damage and even cell death. Glutathione, its function in reductive processes that are essential for the synthesis (and the degradation) of proteins, formation of deoxyribonucleotide precursors of DNA, regulation of enzymes, and protection of the cell against reactive oxygen compounds and free radicals. The aim of this study was, 1) to measure the glutathione concentration and glutathione proxidase activity of erythroyte, plasma, human gastric mucosa in elderly and liver cirrhosis patient 2) to investigate a role of glutathione mediated cellular defense mechanism against oxidative stress between in liver cirrhosis patient and in elderly. METHODS: We measured glutathione concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity in the plasma, erythrocytes, gastric mucosa of human in 4 group (Group A: 10 patients of liver cirrhosis and portal hypertensive gastropathy in age 40~55 years, Group B: same number and disease of patients in age over 65 years, group C: healthy person of age over 65 years, Group D: control). Glutathione concentration of erythocyte, plasma and human gastric mucosa was measured by spectrophotometer using Bioxytech GSH-400. Glutathione peroxidase activity of plasma was measured by Paglia & Valentine method using Bioxytech pl. Gpx and of erythocyte and human gastric mucosa was measured by using Bioxytech Gpx.340. Statistical significance of the different group was determined by ANOVA. A p<0.05 was considered significant. RESULT: Glutathione concentration of erythrocytes and gastric mucosa was decreased in Group A, B, C compared to group D. plasma concentration of glutathione was decreased in group A, B compared to group C, D. Activity of glutathione peroxidase was not different in any group (ANOVA, p<0.005). CONCLUSION: Even though glutathione concentration of erythrocyte and human gastric mucosa was decreased in elderly and in liver cirrhosis patient, our study shows decreased glutathione related defense mechanism against oxidative stress is different in view of plasma concentration of glutathione.
Aged ; Aging ; Cell Death ; DNA ; DNA Damage ; Erythrocytes* ; Free Radicals ; Gastric Mucosa* ; Glutathione Peroxidase* ; Glutathione* ; Humans* ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Oxidative Stress ; Oxygen ; Oxygen Compounds ; Plasma*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the distribution of normal intracranial artery diameter according to sex and age, using three-dimensional reconstruction rotational angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty-five adults with normal intracranial arteries who underwent 3D rotational angiography (n=177) were included in this study. The arterial diameter was measured at four sites of the internal carotid artery (cavernous, paraophthalmic, supraclinoid, and distal), that of the middle cerebral artery at two (proximal and distal), and that of the anterior cerebral artery at one (middle). For each sex and age group (<30, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, > or = 60 years), the mean diameter of the artery at these seven sites was calculated, and differences analysed. In addition, the middle cerebral artery diameter was compared between a younger group (<50 years) and an older group (> or = 50 years). RESULTS: The mean diameter at each site for each sex was as follows: male (mean+/-SD): 4.61+/-0.69, 3.96+/- 0.60, 3.48+/-0.45, 3.61+/-0.50, 2.44+/-0.32, 2.44+/-0.37, 1.81+/-0.32; female: 4.29+/-0.57, 3.83+/-0.56, 3.37+/-0.56, 3.52+/-0.48, 2.32+/-0.37, 2.30+/-0.36, 1.76+/-0.34. For those in their 40s, the diameter at five sites (all four sites of the internal cerebral artery and a distal middle cerebral artery) was significantly greater in males than in females. For other age groups, however, the difference between the sexes was absent, or was significant at only one (cavernous internal cerebral artery for those in their 30s) or two (proximal and distal middle cerebral artery for those in their 50s) of the seven sites. In the older age group, the diameter of the proximal middle cerbral artery was 2.59+/-0.35 mm in males and 2.38+/-0.37 mm in females. For the distal middle cerebral artery, the corresponding figures were 2.63+/-0.43 and 2.39+/-0.35 mm, respectively. For both sexes, the differences between the two age groups were significant. CONCLUSION: For those in their 40s, the normal diameter of the intracranial artery at most arterial sites was significantly greater in males than in females. The normal diameter of the middle cerebral artery was significantly greater or tended to be greater among the older group than the younger group (for males and females, respectively, 2.59+/-0.35 mm and 2.38+/-0.37 mm at the proxinal site, and 2.63+/-0.43 mm and 2.39+/-0.35 mm at the distal site).
Adult ; Angiography ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cerebral Angiography ; Cerebral Arteries ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Cerebral Artery

BACKGROUND: Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus has been reported to be increasing in incidence in a number of regions throughout the world, while the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA) of the esophagus is mostly stable or decreasing. To evaluate the increasing tendency of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. METHODS: we studied retrospectively the records of patients with histologically proven esophageal cancer between 1970 and 1999 at the Yonsei Medical Center. RESULTS: Total cases of esophageal cancer were 969 patients of which the cases of adenocarcinoma and SCCA were 27 patients and 918 patients, respectively. The ratio of esophageal adenocarcinoma to SCCA was 0.0375 in the 1970s, 0.0241 in the 1980s and 0.0292 in the 1990s. There was no statistical difference (p=0.811) in the ratios of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus between the three consecutive 10-year groups. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, unlike the US and other western countries, it seems that the ratio of esophageal adenocarcinoma compared to SCCA has not increased among patients with esophageal carcinoma at the Yonsei Medical Center.
Adenocarcinoma/*epidemiology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/*epidemiology ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Esophageal Neoplasms/*epidemiology ; Human ; Korea/epidemiology ; Middle Age ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies

Pulmonary tuberculosis is still endemic in Korea, but esophageal tuberculosis, especially primary esophageal tuberculosis, is very rarely seen. A 76-year-old male is presented dysphagia. The clinical presentation, barium swallow study, and chest CT were suggestive of carcinoma of the esophagus. Findings that can suggest the diagnosis are enlarged lymph nodes, ulceration, and luminal narrowing. The major differential diagnosis was primary esophageal tuberculosis. This was not excluded on biopsy obtained at endoscopy. Operation was done for severe dysphagia and exclusion of malignancy. The patient was finally diagnosed as primary esophageal tuberculosis.
Aged ; Barium ; Biopsy ; Deglutition Disorders ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endoscopy ; Esophagus ; Humans ; Korea ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Phenobarbital ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; Ulcer

It has been well known that long-term immune suppression in renal transplant patients increases the possibility of complications. Infectious disease is one of the representative complications. We experienced a case of nocardiosis with cytomegalovirus infection after third renal transplantation in China. Nocardiosis is an important opportunistic infection in immunosuppressed patients, lymphoma, sarcoidosis, and organ transplant patients. CMV can cause severe hepatitis, pneumonitis, enteritis, endometritis, and encephalitis. It can depress bone marrow, and impair the immune system so as to increase other bacterial infection and trigger rejections. Third renal transplantation causes long-term immune suppression or over-immune suppression on transplant patients. Very few cases of third renal transplantation have been reported in Korea. We reduced the dose of immune- suppressants, and treated it successfully with ganciclovir and Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim(R)).
Bacterial Infections ; Bone Marrow ; China* ; Communicable Diseases ; Cytomegalovirus ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; Encephalitis ; Endometritis ; Enteritis ; Female ; Ganciclovir ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Immune System ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Korea ; Lymphoma ; Nocardia Infections* ; Opportunistic Infections ; Pneumonia ; Sarcoidosis ; Transplants

This research was aimed at developing a model for school mental health service. Subjects were students at two elementary schools located in an urban community. The goals of the study included, 1) early detection and intervation in children with mental health problems, 2) developing educational programs for parents and teachers ; 3) developing programs linking mental health resources in the community with the school system(school consultation, telephone counselling, and group activities for high risk-students). Subjects wars 1,732 students at 2 primary schools in a community of Seoul. Problem children were selected through screening with CBCL and were examined by psychiatrists. The results were as follows: 1) Of 1,732 students, nearly 8% had mental health problems. The parents of the students with mental health problems were urged to seek psychiatric care. However, only 8% of them had a positive response. On the other hand, telephone counselling was preferred and 40% of them said they had visited a psychiatric clinic. 2) Regarding the education of parents, they preferred telephone counselling and written information to direct counselling or participating in education programs. In most cases, they avoided talking about their children's problems. 3) Teachers showed a good sense for ducting children's mental health problems, but they suffered from a fueling of helplessness because of lack of knowledge and skills. 4) Special education programs were needed f)r students with serious behavior problems. Group activities, which were directed by college student volunteers, had been proved to be effective in helping children with high risks. 5) This suggests that the stigma for mental disorder is still an obstacle in mental health service and that fechers need on-going systemic education on children's mental health since college period. Based on these study results, the authors suggest a model of school mental health service linking the school system, family(parents) and professional mental health resources in the community.
Child ; Education ; Education, Special ; Hand ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Mental Disorders ; Mental Health Services* ; Mental Health* ; Parents ; Psychiatry ; Seoul ; Telephone ; Volunteers

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to identify application motives and to explore the impact of motives on school adjustment in medical school students. METHODS: Fifty-one third-year medical students were individually interviewed by two independent interviewers to evaluate application motives and school adjustment. Fisher's exact test and two-way analysis of variance were used to examine group differences in school adjustment and academic performance according to application motives and personal characteristics. RESULTS: On the basis of Marcia's identity status model, four types of application motives were identified including "objective orientation", "achievement orientation", "heteronomy" and "objective diffusion." Students who were classified into either objective orientation or achievement orientation did not have any adjustment problem. However, half the students classified into either heteronomy or objective diffusion had academic or social problems. The students in the first two classifications achieved higher grades in basic science courses than those of the later two. Conclusions: These results suggest that application motives tend to impact school adjustment and academic performance. Motive-based admission policies and student guidance should be considered as alternative measure for improving school adjustment and academic performance in medical school students.
Classification ; Diffusion ; Humans ; Schools, Medical* ; Social Problems ; Students, Medical