BACKGROUND: It has been known that arteries of hypertensive animals and patients are generally thicker and more rigid than those of normal subjects, resulting from the morphological changes induced by an increased stress on the vessel wall. Factors proposed to be responsible for these changes are smooth muscle hypertrophy, increased amount of collagen, hyperplasia of smooth muscle cell and changes in cross-linkages of the fibrous proteins. The present study was conducted to define whether enalapril, a converting enzyme inhibitor of angiotensin II generation from angiotensin I, can restore the structural alterations of aortic media in spontaneously hypertensive rat(SHR). METHODS: For this purpose, SHR were treated for 22 weeks with 2mg/kg/day enalapril and morphologic changes were compared between enalapril-treated SHR and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. RESULTS: The increased thickness of the aortic media in SHR was reduced and intervening elastic laminae were narrowed by enalapril treatment. Subcellular analysis of cytoplasmic composition and nucleus in the aorta of hypertensive rats revealed some modification with enalapril. Some irregularly arranged collagen fibrils in aortic media of SHR were regularly distributed and the periodic bands of the fibrils which were the fragmented were clearly apparent by enalapril treatmed SHR group. CONCLUSIONS: From the above experimental results, it is concluded that subcellular changes of smooth muscle cells and collage fibrils of aortic media in SHR could be repaired by long-term treatment with enalapril.
Angiotensin I ; Angiotensin II ; Animals ; Aorta ; Arteries ; Collagen ; Cytoplasm ; Enalapril* ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Hypertrophy ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR* ; Scleroproteins

Tow patients with severe glomerulonephitis and their serum creatinine clearance of 6.0ml/min/1.73m2 in case 2 were treated with high dosage intravenous methylprednisolone, 30mg/kg given over one hour period on each of six slternate days. Follwing the ?ulse therapy, both patients with rapidly deteriorathin renal funtion began to inprove and theit serum creatinine clearance levels showed over douvble by sixdays In both patients treated early in the curse of their disease, creatinine clearance increased to 80ml/min/1.73m2 in case 2 after one year follow-up and in recent study, clinical and laboratory findings are within normal limit.
Creatinine ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Methylprednisolone*

PURPOSE: To evaluate tlne significance of vaginal air seen on CT scan in preoperative staging of uterine cervical carcinoma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A comparison was made between CT findings of vaginal air and true vaginal involvement status in 85 patients with uterine cervical carcinoma. CT findings were analyzed in terms of the presence or absence of vaginal air, number of CT slices in which vaginal air was seen, shape of vaginal air, and relation of vaginal airto cervical mass. RESULTS: Vaginal air was present in 35 patients and was absent in 50. Although the mere presence of vaginal air or multiplicity of CT slices showing vaginal air did not signify the presence of vaginal involvement, vaginal air with irregular margin or vaginal air adjacent to uterine cervical mass was suggestive of vaginal involvement. CONCELUSION: These observation of vaginal air in interpreting CT may be helpful in the preoperative staging of uterine cervical carcinoma.
Humans ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vagina*

The UGI studies had been performed to 238 patients below the age of 15 years during the period from Jan. 1979to Jul. 1983 in SCH hospital. The results are as follows; 1. Among 238 cases, 48 cases revealed peptic ulcers ofstomach or duodenum (20.2%). The ulcer was in 31/37 cases of male patients(22.6%), and in 17/101 cases of female(16.8). Below the age of 5 years, ulcer was noted in 9 cases among 61 cases (14.8%), whereas above 5 years, in 39cases among 177 patients (22.0%). 2. In the age group below 5 years, mostly the objective symptoms were discovered(8/9), but above 5 years, complained of subjective symtoms (30/39). 3. The predominant site of peptic ulcer wasgastric antrum in the age group below 5 years (7/9), whereas duodenal bulb above 5 years(33/43). 4. Gastric antrumor duodenal bulb deformity was revealed in 13 cases and most of them were in the age group above 5 years. 5. Alllesion so peptic ulcers in this study were benign in nature. 6. In follow up study after 1 or 2 months, ulcer wasdecreased in size strikingly(9/11).
Congenital Abnormalities ; Duodenum ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Peptic Ulcer ; Ulcer

The undescended testis is more liable to develop malignant disease than one in its normal anatomical position. This was recognized in 1918 by Gordon-Taylor, who saw two patients with malignant growths in an undescended right testis, regarded by others as having an appendix abscess. The tumor arising from seminiferous epithelium was given the name seminoma by Chevassu of Paris in 1906. He also sponsored the radical operation for malignant tumors of the testis. Subsequent therapeutic experience has shown such tumors to be usually radio-sensitive. Testicular tumors are rare. Figures for the incidence of such tumors are variable. Patton, Seitzman and Hewitt in a review 672 cases of testicular tumors found the incidence to present about 1 per cent of all malignant conditions in the male. It is well recognized that ectopic testis has a malignant potentiality greater than a normally placed testis. In a review of 7.000 recorded cases of testicular tumors by Gilbert and Hamilton (1940), 840 cases were found in undescended testes. They were observed that neoplasms are for more common in ectopic testes than in scrotal testes. Of patients with unilateral cryptorchidism and one testis tumor, 96. 8 per cent, had the tumor in the undescended testis. There is some suggestion of higher incidence of tumor in the testis retained in the inguinal canal than in the abdomen. Seminoma is the most common tumor to occur in abdominal ectopic testes. Intra-abdominal seminoma usually presents with secondary signs and symptoms, due to the anatomical position of the tumor. A case of seminoma in bilateral undescended testes, found in 29 years old Korean male is reported and added to the literature.
Abdomen ; Abscess ; Adult ; Appendix ; Cryptorchidism* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inguinal Canal ; Male ; Seminiferous Epithelium ; Seminoma* ; Testicular Neoplasms ; Testis

BACKGROUND: Color Doppler echocardiography is sensitive in detecting mitral regurgitation and useful in quantitating its severity. The presence of an eccentric regurgitant jet suggests that regurgitation is caused by prolapsing or flail leaflet of mitral valve. Until recently the direction of regurgitant jet in mitral valve prolapse has been examined in a single(parasternal short axis view) or orthogonal plane using color Doppler echocardiography, and few in the apical rotation method of a transducer. The purpose of this study was to clarify the usefullness of the apical rotation method of a transducer in detection of the direction of mitral regurgitant jet and diagnosis of the sites of mitral valve prolapse. METHODS: Twenty four patients(8 men and 16 women, mean age:47.3+/-18.8 years) with mitral valve prolapse with eccentric regurgitant jet were examined by two-dimensional and color Doppler echocardiograply using conventional parasternal long and short axis views, and four apical longitudinal planes(four chamber, vertical, two chamber and transverse views) obtained by the apical retation method of a transducer. RESULTS: Thirty one regurgitant jets were detected in twenty four patients, eighteen patients had anterior, nine patints posterior, and three patients bi-leaflet(anterior and posterior) prolapse. In eighteen patients with anterior leaflet prolapse, ten had medial, eight had middle, three had lateral, and three had two portions(two, medial and middle; one, middle and lateral) prolapse. In nine patients with posterior leaflet prolapse, five had medial, three had middle, two had lateral, and one had two(medial and middle) scallop prolapse. CONCLUSION: Color Doppler echocardiography by the apical rotation method of transducer is useful in assessment of the site of prolapse in patients with mitral valve prolapse with eccentric regurgitation.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Color ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mitral Valve Prolapse* ; Mitral Valve* ; Pectinidae ; Prolapse* ; Transducers*

The authors observed thirty two cases of nephrotic syndrome admitted at Pediatric Department of St. Benedict Hospital, Busan, Korea. No specific cause for nephrotic syndrome was found in all patients. Respnse to the initial continuous steroid therapy, relapsing patterns and onset of diuresis between steroid only and steroid combined with furosemide especially in severely illed patients were evaluated in this study. The mean period of observation was 3.2 years. 1) The mean age of onset was 7.1 years. Most of them(97%) showed under the 10 years of age at onset. The ratio of male and female was 4.3 to 1. The seasonal incidence showed prevalence from September to October (31%). 2) Upper respiratory infection (21.9%) was the most common associated infection at onset. 3) Complete remission was showed in 23 children (71.8%) after initial continuous steroid therapy. Partial remission in which mild biochemical abnormalities and residual proteinuria wer still present after initial continuous steroid therapy was showed in 6 patients (18.8%), but biochemical abnormalities and residual proteinuria returned to normal within subsequent several months. Three patients (9.4%) were restant to initial steroid therapy. 4) Proteinuria abolished in most of them (87.4%) after 3 weeks of prednisolone therapy in complete remitted patient group, and also abolished after not more than 6 months treatment and their subsequent course in partial remitted patient group. 5) 10 patients (45.4%) had an episode of relapses more than one time, though most of them once or twice, 7 patients (31.8%) relapsed at first year and 2 patients (9%) at second year of follow up period. 6) Steriod responsiveness in relapsing cases was the same as first attack except one. 7) Hematuria, hypertension and transient azotemia were observed in 18.7%, 18.7% and 21.8% of he 32 patiets respectively. These findings at onset of illness were present more frequently in patients with poor steroid response and partial remitted patients than with complete remitted patients, and these episodes were also obtained to correlation with a less favorable initial steroid response and outcome. 8) Duration of illness before institution of steroid therapy had no influences on the steroid response. 9) Diruesis was achieved by 5.2 days in group steroid only and by 4.8 days in group of steroid combined with furosemide, 1~2mg/kg/day, p.o. 10) Two cases were remitted after combined therapy with cyclophosphamide (2mg/kg/day for 4~8 weeks) and prednisolone (60mg/m(2)/day as a single dose on alternate days). One of them was early steroid resistant patient and the other frequent relapsing patient. 11) In one patient, chronic renal insufficiency developed progressively during the follow up period. The other one, whohad no responsiveness to initial steroid therapy and youngest at onset, expired with itercurrent infection.
Age of Onset ; Azotemia ; Busan ; Child* ; Cyclophosphamide ; Diuresis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Furosemide ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Prednisolone ; Prevalence ; Proteinuria ; Recurrence ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Seasons

No abstract available.

Bone scan using 99m Tc-MDP is the most accurate and reliable method for the early detection of fracture, andgive the most accurate in formation about the healing process of fractured bone. Recent days, the medicolegalproblem about the injured time is frequently provoked in vertebral fracture patient by trauma. The authorsanalyzed the bone scan of vertebral fracture patients from March to Dec. 1983. The authors obtained results asfollows: 1. The minimum time for a fracture to return to normal on a bone scan was 4 month in cervical spine. 2.It was 12 month in thoracic spine. 3. It was 6 month in lumbar spine. 4. Surrounding soft tissue injury was healedwithin 10 days after trauma in our cases. 5. Focal hot uptake is persisted in case of callus deposition on plainfilm, although very small in amount. 6. Healing time is delayed in case of severely compressed vertebral body,belowed the half than normal height. 7. With bone scan it is possible to differentiate the fresh fracture from oldhealed, impossible by plain film. 8. Healing time is delayed in old age.
Bony Callus ; Humans ; Methods ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; Spine

OBJECTIVE: We report a retrospective investigation of the prognostic value of bcl-2 and bax expression, and Ki-67 proliferative index in 42 astrocytic tumors. METHODS: We classified the astrocytic tumors and reviewed the clinical information and survival time. The sections were taken from surgically resected paraffin-embedded tissue and performed immunohistochemical stains for bcl-2, bax and Ki-67. RESULTS: The immunohistochemical stain for bcl-2 revealed a positivity in only two(4.76%) among forty-two cases. The immunostain for bax was positive in 35 cases(83.3%). However, the correlation between bcl-2 & bax expression and age, sex, tumor location, size, and histologic grade was not found. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, bcl-2 & bax expression and survival time in astrocytic tumors was no significance in log rank test(p>0.05). There were prognostic values between Ki-67 LI and histologic grade and between Ki-67 LI and survival time, respectively(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Bcl-2 and bax are not significant, whereas Ki-67 LI is suggested as a significant prognostic factor, associated with histologic grade and survival time of astrocytic tumors.
Coloring Agents ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Prognosis* ; Retrospective Studies