OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: To determine correlations among ambulatory renin activity, ambulatory blood pressure and microalbumin excretion rate, 66 Korean essential hypertensives were studied after 4 week wash-out period. The ambulatory blood pressure was monitored every 30 minutes and mean BP were calculated automatically. Urinary microalbumin excretion rate(UAER) and ambulatory plasma renin activity(aPRA) collected at mid-day were measured by radioimmunoassays. Subjectives were divided into 2 groups by aPRA value(2ng/ml/hr). RESULT: 14 cases were high renin group and 52 cases low renin group. The mean BP were 148.83/94.69mmHg in low renin group, and 146.57/98.07mmHg in high-renin group without difference. UAER were not different also between both groups. 23.07%(4/14) of non-dippers were included in high renin group and 25.58%(12/52) in low renin group without statistical difference. The aPRA was significantly related to UAER and systolic and diastolic mean blood pressure. Also UAER was related significantly to day mean blood pressures. CONCLUSION: Thus aPRA is thought to be a meaningful indicator to predict hypertensive renal target organ damage as well as blood pressure measured with 24-hr ABPM.
Blood Pressure* ; Hypertension* ; Plasma* ; Radioimmunoassay ; Renin*

Vaginal clear cell adenocarcinoma is a very rare malignant disease and it has been known to be associated with in utero exposure to DES. We expreienced a case of clear cell adenocarcinoma of the cagina in 40 years ole woman, and present the case with a brief review of related literatures.
Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell* ; Female ; Humans ; Vagina*

Vaginal clear cell adenocarcinoma is a very rare malignant disease and it has been known to be associated with in utero exposure to DES. We expreienced a case of clear cell adenocarcinoma of the cagina in 40 years ole woman, and present the case with a brief review of related literatures.
Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell* ; Female ; Humans ; Vagina*

This study is based on 155 patients of congenital me colon. For the diagnosis, 93 cases were histologically proven and the remaining 63 cases were diagnosed on clinical basis including barium enema or surgical gross findings. On histologic examination, 80 cases(86%) showed typical features of absence of ganglion cell in the myenteric plexus and the 13 cases(14%) had atypical features which were segmental absence Of ganglion cell in one case. There we 127 males(82%) and 28 females(18%). The age at diagnosis was younger than 30 days in 87 cases(56%), I month to 1 year in 39 cases(25%) and older than I year in 29 cases(18%). The levels of aganglionosis were variable: short segment (rectosigmoid) in 134 cases(86%), intermediate segment (more proximal colon) in 14 cases(100%). and 6 cases(4%) had total aganglionosis. Common clinical presentations were abdominal distention, delayed meconium passage or bilious vomiting in neonate, and chronic constipation in infancy or childhood. Following initial colostomy or ileostomy, a definitive procedure was performed in 151 cases(Duhamel type in 150 cases; Soave type in 2 cases; Swenson type in 3 cases). Frequently associated problems after definitive procedure were persistent constipation(ll%) due to septum formation, fecaloma, remnant aganglionic segment and rectal stenosis. Overall mortality rate was 4%, and increased mortality was associated with enterocolitis(14%) which was the most frequent cause of death. The follow-up study longer than 3 months was available in 138 patients who underwent a definitive procedure(mean 2 year 11 months). Seventy-three cases(53%) had normal bowel function, 38cases(27.5%) had occasionally used enema or stool softners, and 27 cases(19.5%) had severe constipation or soiling. The bowel habit improved with time, and were considered normal in 60% of patients after follow-up more than 3 years. The results of definitive procedures for congenital megacolon including Duhamel operation was satisfactory, and long-term follow-up appeared an important and critical component of patients'care.
Child ; Male ; Female ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Mortality ; Follow-Up Studies

Dental maturity is one of the index of physiological maturity indicators. To investigate the relationship between dental maturity and chronological age, the author took the orthopantomograms of 984 students, aged 7 through 17 years, having normal occlusion. The orthopantomograms were examined and calcification degree of each tooth on the left side was rated according to the method described by Demirjian. On the basis of findings of this study, the following results were obtained. 1. The root completion periods of mandibular permanent teeth were as follows; Central Incisor M 8.32 +/- 1.03years F 7.96 +/- 1.04 years Lateral Incisor M 9.40 +/- 1.30years F 9.01 +/- 0.90years Canine M 12.81 +/- 1.24 years F 11.42 +/- 0.94 years 1st Premolar M 12.76 +/- 1.74years F 12.19 +/- 1.33years 2nd Premolar M 13.31 +/- 1.88 years F 12.88 +/- 1.49 years 1st Molar M 9.60 +/- 1.69 years F 9.30 +/- 1.16 years 2nd Molar M 14.38 +/- 1.73 years F 13.96 +/- 1.63 years 2. Sexual differences in same age group at given calcification stage were not significant statistically. 3. The developmental order in mandibular permanent teeth was as follows; a) central incisor, b) lateral incisor, c) 1st molar, d) canine and 1st premolar, e) 2nd premolar, f) 2nd molar.
Bicuspid ; Humans ; Incisor ; Molar ; Tooth

This phase II study aimed to assess the clinical activity and toxicity of ifosfamide based regimen in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, relapsed or refractory to cisplatin-containing combination chemotherapy. From July 1991 to June 1993, 18 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, relapsed or refractory to cisplatin were treated as follows. Relapsed cases were treated with IP(ifosfamide 4,0g/m2 intravenously and cisplatin 60mg/m2 intravenously on day 1) regimen every 3-4 weeks. The regimen used in refractory cases was Et-I(etoposide 100mg/m2 intravenously on days 1 to 3 and ifosfamide 1.0g/m2 intravenously on days 1 to 5) regimen every 3 or 4 weeks. The uroprotectant mesna was concomitantly used. Responses and toxicities were evaluated according to the WHO Criteria. The overall response rate was 27.8%(5/18), including 2 complete response and 3 partial response. There were four episodes(22.2%) of grade 3, 4 myelosuppression, but no other grade 3, 4 non-hematologic toxicity. Salvage therapy with ifosfamide based regimen is a useful and well tolerated treatment strategy in selected patients with relapsed ovarian cancer.
Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Ifosfamide ; Mesna ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Recurrence ; Salvage Therapy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experience of Highly active Antiretroviral therapy (HAART) adherence in Korean patients with HIV. METHODS: A phenomenological methodology was used for the study. Data were collected from March to December, 2013 using open-ended questions during in-depth interviews. Participants were taking HAART for HIV, and were contacted through purposive techniques. RESULTS: Four men and 4 women whose average treatment period was 5.9 years participated in this study. Seven themes emerged from the analysis using Colazzi's method: (a) Seizing life in a deep sense of despair, (b) Struggling with medication, (c) Facing harsh treatment from health care providers, (d) Spoiling healthy pattern, (e) Hungering for communication and emotional support, (f) Turning to accepting HIV, (g) Becoming adherent to HIV treatment. CONCLUSION: Prejudice from health care providers and lack of emotional support were barriers to HAART in Korea. Intervention strategies are needed to decrease prejudices from health care providers and to increase family support.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Adult ; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active ; Antiviral Agents/*therapeutic use ; Attitude to Health ; Communication ; Female ; HIV Infections/*drug therapy/*psychology ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; *Medication Adherence ; Middle Aged ; Prejudice ; Republic of Korea

Radioimmunoassay for the measurenment of plasma renin activity (PRA) was performed in 43 normal Koreans and 67 patients with essential hypertension. Urinary sodium excretion rates were measured in the concurrently collected 24 hour urine samples as an index of their sodium balance. The results were as follows: 1. There was an inverse correlation between 24 hour sodium excretion and PRA. The normal values of PRA in supine position ranged from 1.0 to 7.0 ng/ml/hr. When 24 hour sodium excretion were between 50 to 150 mEq. PRA in elderly persons tended to be low. 2. Of the 67 patients with essential hypertension, PRA was low in 20 cases (29.9%), normal in 36 (53.7%), and high in 11 cases (16.4%). 3. In the normal and high renin groups, who tended to be younger in ages, blood urea nitrogen was slightly higher than in low renin group, and hypertensive retinopathy was more prevalent in normal and high renin groups. 4. There were 17 cases with cardiovascular complications(12 with cerebrovascular accidents, 5 with heart failure): 6 in low renin group (30%), 9 in normal (25%) and 2 in high renin group (18.2%). There was no evidence that more frequent complications developed in higher renin groups.
Aged ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Hypertensive Retinopathy ; Plasma* ; Radioimmunoassay ; Reference Values ; Renin* ; Sodium ; Stroke ; Supine Position

The purpose of this study was to compare the eating habit, food intake frequency and preferred food and taste of juvenile delinquents (100 numbers) and male high school students (100 numbers), using questionnaires from August to October 2004. 1) It was shown that the juvenile delinquents took more unbalanced diet (p <0.05), smoking (p <0.001) and drinking (p <0.001) than general students, while general students had more eating between meals (p <0.01). 2) The intake of food was a significant difference in white rices (p <0.01), bibimbab (p <0.001), kimbab (p <0.001), fried rice (p <0.001), ramen (p <0.001), jajangmyun (p <0.001), jambong (p <0.001), hamburger (p <0.001), pizza (p <0.001) and breads (p <0.05). The juvenile delinquents took more major food than that of general students in all the items except for white rice. It was observed, then, that the juvenile delinquents showed more intake of such subsidiary foods as bulgoki (p <0.001), roasted thin pork chops (p <0.001), grilled pork belly (p <0.001), pork cutlet (p <0.01), sweet and sour pork (p <0.001), chicken with ginseng (p <0.001), fried chicken (p <0.001), kimchi pot stew (p <0.01) and zucchini (p <0.05) than general students, with general students taking more kimchi (p <0.01) and fried or boiled soybean curd (p <0.01). The intake of dessert was a significant difference in yogurt (p <0.01), orange juice (p <0.001), cola (p <0.001), soft drinks (p <0.001), ion drinks (p <0.001), coffee (p <0.001), apple (p <0.01), banana (p <0.001), orange (p <0.001), cake (p <0.001), hot dog (p <0.001), ddokbokgi (p <0.01), mandu (p <0.001), fried fish paste (p <0.05), steamed korean sausage (p <0.001), fried foods (p <0.05), hem & sausage (p <0.001), cheese (p <0.001), ice-cream (p <0.001), candy (p <0.01), chocolate (p <0.001), mayonnaise (p <0.05), jam (p <0.01) and butter & margarine (p <0.01). Then, the juvenile delinquents were shown to entirely have more intake of all the desserts than those of general students. 3) Regarding preference of foods, it was shown that the juvenile delinquents preferred cereals (p <0.05), grilled pork belly (p <0.001), chicken with ginseng (p <0.01), anchovies and small fish (p <0.05), chicken with ginseng (p <0.05), seasoned spinach (p <0.001), seasoned zucchini (p <0.001), milk (p <0.05), coffee (p <0.001) and butter & margarine (p <0.05) while general students did egg (p <0.01), soybean sprout soup (p <0.001), boiled or fried potato (p <0.05), seasoned soybean sprout (p <0.05), boiled or fried soybean curd (p <0.01), fried foods (p <0.01) and snack (p <0.05). For their preference of tastes, hot taste (p <0.01) was higher in the juvenile delinquents. 4) Under general environments there was a change of the difference in their behaviour of pork cutlet (p <0.01) intake in accordance with other family and of milk (p <0.001) and butter & margarine (p <0.05) preference in accordance with growth in a big city between the two groups.
Animals ; Bread ; Butter ; Cacao ; Candy ; Carbonated Beverages ; Edible Grain ; Cheese ; Chickens ; Citrus sinensis ; Coffee ; Cola ; Diet ; Dogs ; Drinking ; Eating* ; Food Habits* ; Food Preferences ; Humans ; Male* ; Margarine ; Meals ; Milk ; Musa ; Ovum ; Panax ; Seasons ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Snacks ; Solanum tuberosum ; Soybeans ; Spinacia oleracea ; Steam ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Yogurt

PURPOSE: Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is the most common cause of preventable mental retardation. Recently, the detection of CH cases with eutopic thyroid gland has increased due to neonatal screening programs. In this study, we aimed to identify and evaluate predictive factors that could distinguish between permanent and transient CH in patients with eutopic thyroid gland. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 100 children diagnosed with CH and with eutopic thyroid gland. All subjects were treated with levothyroxine and underwent re-evaluation after 3 years of age. RESULTS: Of the 100 CH patients, 35 (35.0%) were diagnosed with permanent CH (PCH) and 65 (65.0%) were diagnosed with transient CH (TCH). The initial thyroid stimulating hormone levels were significantly lower in the TCH subjects than in PCH subjects. In addition, the mean doses of levothyroxine (µg/kg/day) at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year of treatment were significantly lower in subjects with TCH than in PCH subjects with eutopic thyroid gland. Based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the optimal cutoff dose of levothyroxine at 3 years of 2.76 µg/kg/day could predict TCH, and was associated with 87.3% sensitivity and 67.6% specificity, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.769. CONCLUSION: The levothyroxine dose requirement during treatment period has a predictive role in differentiating TCH from PCH in CH patients with eutopic thyroid gland.
Child* ; Congenital Hypothyroidism* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intellectual Disability ; Neonatal Screening ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyrotropin ; Thyroxine