The effects of testosterone on the pituitary growth hormone (GH) response directly and to hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) were evaluated in vitro using a male pituitary cell monolayer culture system. Wistar male rats were gonadectomized at 22 days of age, and 21 days later their anterior pituitaries were removed and trypsinized for cell dispersion. Testosterone 0, 0.1, 1.0, 10.0 nM was added to the medium for 1 day and GH amounts in media were measured. In another experiment, testosterone 1, 0.1, 1.0, 5.0, 10,0 nM was added to the medioum for 3 days, and subsequently 5 nM GHRH was added for 1 day, thereafter GH amounts in media were measured. The results were as follows: 1) The increase of GH response after testosterone administration to the cultured rat pituitary cell was not significant. 2) The rat pituitary cell response to GHRH was augmented after pretreatment with testosterone. These results are suggested that testosterone has no direct effect on GH secretion, but by increasing the pituitary cell response to GHRH, contributes to the regulation of GH secretion in vitro.
Animals ; Growth Hormone* ; Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Male ; Rats* ; Testosterone* ; Trypsin

No abstract available.
Erythropoietin* ; Humans* ; Renal Dialysis*

No abstract available.
Ankle*

We reviewed & analyzed 440 cases of surgically treated cerebral aneurysm to search for the prognostic factors affecting their outcomes between Jan., 1984 to May., 1995. Among the various factors, age over 60, systolic blood pressure over 140mmHg, distolic blood pressure over 90mmHg, preoperative neurological grade, thick blood clot in the basal cistern on brain CT scan, hydrocephalus, intracranial hematoma, intraventricular hemorrhage, poor preoperative angiographic vasospasm, multiple aneurysm and posterior circulation aneurysm are all factors that determines the final outcome, they interact as complex factor by additive action, rather than as one specific factor.
Age Factors ; Aneurysm ; Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Hydrocephalus ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Animals ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Rats* ; Reperfusion*

OBJECTIVE: We present an evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of anterior reduction and stabilization of unilateral locked facet of the cervical spine. METHODS: Nine patients with unilateral locked facet of the cervical spine were treated with anterior decompression, reduction and stabilization from January 1997 through December 2000. There were six male and three female patients who ranged in age from 22 to 59 years (average 37.4 years). The level of facet dislocation was C4-5 in one, C5-6 in four, and C6-7 in four patients. One patient presented with complete spinal cord injury, two patients with incomplete spinal cord injury, four patients with radioculopathy, and two patients were neurologically intact. All patients underwent plain radiogram, computed tomogram scan, and magnetic resonance imaging. All patients underwent surgery for anterior open reduction, decompression and stabilization using bone graft and anterior cervical plate fixation systems. The mean follow-up periods was 11.9 months. RESULTS: All patients showed good decompression, reduction and stabilization without postoperative complications. Two patients showed vertebral artery thrombosis at facet locked side, but no cerebral ischemic symptoms. Follow-up neurological status was unchanged in two patients and improved in 7 patients. No patient experienced neurological deterioration or complications after this procedure. All patients showed good bony fusion without instability at follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Our results show that anterior decompression, reduction and stabilization procedure are safe and effective method in unilateral locked facet of the cervical spine without significant complications.
Decompression ; Dislocations ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spine* ; Thrombosis ; Transplants ; Vertebral Artery

BACKGROUND: Primary hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is the second cause of cancer death in our country. Hepatitis B virus(HBV) and hepatitis C virus(HCV) are important risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma. The mechanism of HCC development and the epidemiology in HCV infected individuals are still unclear. In this study, we investigated the epidemiolgical and clinical features of HCC in relation to viral infection. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 160 HCC patients retrspectively who had been admitted to one University Hospital located in Seoul between January 1991 and December 1995. Among these patients, 113 patients were positive for HBsAg(B group), 24 for anti-HCV(C group). We compared epidemiological and clinical data between B group and C guoup. RESULTS: Anti-HCV positivity was significantly higher in HBsAg negative patients than in HBsAg positive patients(53.3:1.7%, p<0.01). The mean age of patients in B group was significantly lower than that in C group(52:62yr, p<0.01). In C group, the proportion of Child-Pugh class B and C was significantly larger than that of B group(35.4: 75.0%, p<0.01). In C group, the proportion of transfusion history was significantly larger than that in B group(4.4: 16.7%, p<0.05), and the proportion of drug abuse hestory was significantly larger than that in B group (31.0:62.5%, p<0.01). In C group, the albumin, cholesterol, Gamma-glutamyl transferase leves were significantly lower than those in B group. In B group, the proportion of metastasis was significantly larger than that in C group(31.9:4.2%, p<0.01). Alpha fetoprotein levels greater than 400ng/ml are much more prevalent in group B significantly(67:39.1%, p<0.05). No significant differences in cumulative survival rate(1yr, 2yr) and median survival time were observed between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: We ascertain that the HBV and HCV are inportant factors in HCC. In epidemiology and clinical features of HCC, there were some difference between the HBsAg and anti HCV positive group. Therefore, on primary health care settings, it is necessary to test for hepatitis C as well as hepatitis B in order to prevent and manage HCC and chronic liver desease.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Cholesterol ; Epidemiology* ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Hepatitis C ; Humans ; Liver ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Primary Health Care ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Substance-Related Disorders ; Transferases

No abstract available.
Growth Hormone* ; Testosterone*

No abstract available.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome* ; Pregnancy*