Plasma renin activity (PRA) and aldosterone were measured to evaluate various status of clinical conditions in normal controls and patients with essential hypertension. Fourteen controls and 45 essential hypertensive patients for PRA, and 10 controls and 28 patients with essential hypertension for plasma aldosterone were studied. The results obtained are summarizing as follows. 1. Mean value of PRA of normal subjects was 2.9+/-1.4ng/ml/hr at rest, and 5.9+/-2.3ng/ml/hr by double stimulation, respectively, the latter elevated up to twice the former. 2. Mean value of PRA in the patients with essential hypertension was 3.37+/-3.0ng/ml/hr at rest, and 5.99+/-4.9ng/ml/hr by double stimulation. The latter have increased to 1.8 times the former. 3. The patients with low PRA observed in 33.3%, the normal in 42.2%, and the high in 22.5%, at rest. After double stimulation, the low group was observed in 22.2%, the normal in 60.0%, and the high in 17.8%. 4. Mean age of the patietns with low PRA was 57.2+/-2.6 years. Though it was higher than those of normal and high PRA groups(52.0+/-10.1 years), statistical significances were observed (0.05 Aldosterone* ; Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Electrocardiography ; Furosemide ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Motor Activity ; Plasma* ; Potassium ; Proteinuria ; Renin* ; Sodium ; Triglycerides

This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of theileriosis and to compare the prevalence of this disease in Korean native cattle reared under different environmental conditions, namely, in a grazing area and a non-grazing area by polymerase chain reaction. Three hundred and one Korean native cattle (276 cows and 25 bulls) that had not received prior treatment or been vaccinated to prevent theileriosis were examined by PCR for Theileria sergenti infection from 2001 to 2002. In our study, the parasitemia range in T. sergenti-positive cattle by microscopy were from 0.1 to 3% (mean 0.8%). In terms of mean prevalence, 204 of the 301 Korean native cattle (67.8%) were positive reaction by PCR. Our results also revealed that the infection rate among cows (70.3%) was significantly higher than that among bulls (40.0%) (p < 0.01). T. sergenti infection among the over 3 year-old-group (75%) had a significant higher prevalence than that among the less than 3 year-old-group (61.8%) (p < 0.05). Our data also showed that grazing areas (76.1%) had the significant higher prevalence than non-grazing areas (51%) (p < 0.001). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the prevalence of T. sergenti infection is high and that its prevalence in grazing cattle is higher than that in non-grazing cattle. Therefore, life-long treatment and the development of an optimal vaccine are needed to reduce the numbers of bovine theileriosis in both grazing and non-grazing areas.
Animals ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/diagnosis/*epidemiology/parasitology ; DNA, Protozoan/*analysis ; Female ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Poaceae ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods/veterinary ; Prevalence ; Sex Factors ; Theileria/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Theileriasis/diagnosis/*epidemiology/parasitology

No abstract available.
Amniotic Fluid* ; Arteries* ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Rheology*

There are ethnic differences in the timing of sexual maturation. However, averages of sexual maturity rating (SMR) for Korean adolescents were not available until recently. The purpose of this study was to determine averages for the SMR of adolescent girls and boys in Korea. The study population included 3,249 boys and 3,337 girls. The sample comprised 2,406 from the Seoul area, 2,441 from a medium-sized city and 1,739 from rural areas. Data were obtained through questionnaires and physical examinations for SMR given by pediatricians from 1991 to 1992. Sexual maturity was graded using the Tanner scales. This was a cross-sectional study. In boys, the first growth of the testes (SMR 2) was observed at a mean age 12.7 years (from 10.4 to 15.1 years of age for 95% of them). SMR 3 and SMR 4 of genitalia were 14.2+/-1.4, 15.4+/-1.3 years of age, respectively. Adult genitalia (SMR 5) was observed from 14 to 18.2 with a mean age of 16.1 years. SMR 2 of pubic hair was at a mean age of 13.2 years, and SMR 3,4, and 5 were 14.4+/-1.4, 15.6+/-1.2, 16.0+/-1.0 years of age, respectively. In girls, the mean age for breast budding (SMR 2) was 11.0 years with a range of 8.9 years to 13.1 years for 95% of them. SMR 3,4, and 5 for breast were 12.6+/-1.4, 14.2+/-1.5, 15.7+/-1.1 years of age, respectively. SMR 2,3,4, and 5 for pubic hair were 12.9+/-1.8, 14.5+/-1.5, 15.1+/-1.3, 16.0+/-1.0 years of age, respectively. Tanner stages for breast and pubic hair in girls, and genitalia and pubic in boys did not agree well within one ordinal rank. Average length of time from SMR 2 to 5 was 3.3 years for boys and 5.0 years for girls. Mean age of menarche was 12.8 years (from 10.8 to 14.8 years of age for 95% of them). Mean of menarcheal age was significantly different, geographically (12.6 years Seoul, 12.9 medium-sized city, and 12.9 rural area) (P<.0001). Menarche occurred 1.7% on breast SMR 2, 41.5% on SMR 3, 85.9% on SMR 4, 99.3% on SMR 5. In conclusion, this findings might be interpreted as providing averages of SMR for Korean girls and boys in adolescence.
Adolescent* ; Adult ; Breast ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female* ; Genitalia ; Hair ; Humans ; Korea* ; Menarche ; Physical Examination ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seoul ; Sexual Maturation ; Testis ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND: A low level of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) is well known as an important cardiovascular risk factor which is closely associated with physical activity levels. However, there is a very few studies conducted on relationship between physical activity and HDL-C status among Korean adults. METHODS: We selected total 22,294 people aged 19 to 69 years old who had not taken lipid lowering agents from the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. The population was classified into three groups using the criteria for HDL-C of Adult Treatment Panel III. The relationship between the physical activity and HDL-C was investigated and the amount of physical activity levels of the three HDL-C groups were obtained with analysis of covariance with adjustments for various factors influencing the physical activity levels. RESULTS: After adjusted for various factors influencing HDL-C, physical activity is significantly associated with HDL-C. As physical activity is increased, HDL-C is much higher (P<0.001).The physical activity levels were significantly different among the three HDL-C groups. The amount of physical activity in low HDL-C group was significantly low compared to high HDL-C group (1653.08+/-65.31 MET-min/wk vs. 1916.70+/-102.86 MET-min/wk, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed that the amount of physical activity level in low HDL-C group was significantly lower compared with that of high HDL-C group in Korean adults.
Adult ; Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Humans ; Korea ; Lipoproteins ; Motor Activity ; Nutrition Surveys ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: Epilepsy is generally defined as a chronic condition characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizure. It is still controversial whether the long-term antiepileptic drugs(AED) treatment will be necessary in children with first unprovoked seizure. Cognitive and behavioral side effects of AEDs are especially important in developing children. Therefore the rationale of AED treatment in the children with first unprovoked seizure depends upon the seizure recurrence rate and presence of risk factors related with seizure recurrence. We are going to evaluate the risk of seizure recurrence and risk factors after a first unprovoked seizure in children. METHODS: One hundred fifty eight patients presented with a first unprovoked seizure from July, 1994 to June, 1999 were prospectively followed by regular epilepsy clinic visit or telephone interview for a mean of 27 months. We analyzed overall recurrence risk and risk factors of seizure recurrence(EEG finding, etiology of seizure, seizure type, history of prior febrile convulsions, neurodevelopmental status prior to first seizure, presence of a Todd's paresis, family history of seizures, a seizure occuring while asleep, and duration of seizure) by Cox's proportional hazards model and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS: In 158 patients with first unprovoked seizure, 61 (39%) patients experienced subsequent seizure. The cumulative risk of seizure recurrence was 28.5, 37.6, and 42.3% at 6, 12, and 18 months. The median time to recurrence was 3 months, with 72% of recurrence occurring within 6 months, 92% within 1 year, and 100% within 2 years. On univariate analysis, risk factors for seizure recurrence included an etiology of seizure and abnormal EEG. In idiopathic cases, the risk factor was an EEG abnormality. CONCLUSION: Many of the children with a first unprovoked seizure will not have recurrences. The recurrence risk of a first unprovoked seizure in children have statistically correlated with the etiology of seizure(cryptogenic and symptomatic) and abnormal EEG. Children with an idiopathic first seizure and a normal EEG have a particularly favorable prognosis.
Ambulatory Care ; Child ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Paresis ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prospective Studies* ; Recurrence* ; Risk Factors ; Seizures* ; Seizures, Febrile

Sparganosis is a tissue-invading disease caused hy plerocercoid of Spirometra mansoni91. Usually, uncooked snakes or flogs and infected water are primary sources of sparganosis. Sparganosis found in the lower extremities, abdominal wall, breast, inguinal region and scrotum. Simple radiographs show linear or elongated calcification. Serodiagnostic tests have also heen used widely. Confirmative diagnosis of sparganosis is made by surgical removal of the worm. We experienced a case of sparganosis in a 48-year old male in the calf. We report a case and review related articles hriefly.
Abdominal Wall ; Breast ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Scrotum ; Snakes ; Sparganosis* ; Spirometra

Case histories of isolated and complete volar dislocation of the carpal scaphoid have rarely been reported .We report here another such case. On examination, the wrist was moderately swollen and tender over its volar aspect. Radiographs showed isolated, complete volar dislocation of the scaphoid. We used open reduction with K-wire fixation as treatment. After four weeks of operative reduction the patient had undertaken neurolysis due to median nerve compression symptom (carpal tunnel syndrome). At six weeks, the K-wires were removed and the patient was allowed to do a range of motion exercise. Twenty months after injury, the wrist was asymptomatic and had a mid-range of active motion without instability. There was no roentgenographic evidences of scapholunate dissociation or avascular necrosis
Dislocations* ; Humans ; Median Nerve ; Necrosis ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Wrist

Post-menopausal osteoporosis is known to be related to estrogen deficiency. The purpose of this experimental study is to investigate whether or not estrogen administration can prevent or retard the process of osteoporosis induced by oophorectomy in rats. Fifty-two Sprague-Dawley rats, aged five months, were separated into three groups. Group 1 (4 rats) was control group that had sham operation without oophorectomy. Goup 2 (32 rats) was another control group that had bilateral oophorectomy alone. Group 3 (16 rats) was experimental group that had estradiol administration from the fourth week through the eighth week after bilateral oophorectomy. In group 1, all the rats were killed at the fourth week after sham operation. In group 2 and group 3, four rats in each group were killed weekly until the eighth week after oophorectomy. All the animals were subjected to radiological, histological studies on the tibia, ilium, skull, and the sixth lumbar vertebra. Also, histomorphometric measurements were 1. Osteoporotic changes were evident from the fifth week after oophorectomy and increased with time on the radiologic examination in group 2. In contrast, osteoporotic changes were evident from the second week after oophorectomy and progressed with time on the histological and histomorphometric studies in group 2. 2. After administration of estradiol, osteoporotic changes which include thinning of the cortex, decrease of the amount of trabeculae were partially restored on the radiological, histological studies in group 3. 3. Histomorphometric study revealed that the trabecular area percent (the proportion of total area of the trabeculae from the whole metaphyseal area), decreased progressively through the eight week after oophorectomy in gorup 2. Whereas the trabecular area percents of group 3 were higher than those of group 2, but still lower than initial value before oophorectomy. Based on the above observations, estradiol administration appeared to delay the progression of the osteoporotic changes induced by oophorectomy in rats.
Animals ; Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Ilium ; Osteoporosis ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Ovariectomy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skull ; Spine ; Tibia

PURPOSE: To investigate the prognosis, survival rate and curve on the eyes for corneal dystrophy and corneal degeneration, we performed statistical analysis. METHODS: Forty-one recipients (62 eyes) have received penetrating keratoplasty for corneal dystrophy and corneal degeneration for about 14 years from April 1984 to October 1997. We analyzed survival rate and curve on sex, age and type of corneal dystrophy and corneal degeneration. RESULTS: Mean age was 35 years and sex distribution of recipient was predominant in female patients (M: 16 recipients, 19 eyes, F: 25 recipients, 43 eyes). In the causative disease of first keratoplasty, corneal dystrophy and corneal degeneration were 46 eyes and 16 eyes. Granular type was the most common type of keratoplasty. In 62 grafts, graft rejection was developed in 19 eyes (30.6%). Graft rejection periods ranged from 53 days to 10 years and 3 months. Mean graft rejection time was 2 years and 8 months. In this study, 5 years survival rate developed in 75% of corneal dystrophy and developed in 31% of corneal degeneration. The statistical analysis showed significant relationship between survival rate and disease type (p=0.0032, p<0.05). But age and sex were not maintained with association with survival rate (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This result suggests that corneal dystrophy was higher than corneal degeneration in survival rate with statistically significant difference. But sex and age did not have influence on survival rate.
Corneal Transplantation ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; Humans ; Keratoplasty, Penetrating* ; Prognosis* ; Sex Distribution ; Survival Rate* ; Transplants