BACKGROUND: The renin angiotensin syaimstem plays an important role in hypertension. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the comparison of responsiveness to angiotensin II (ANG II) in isolated renal proximal convoluted tubules of spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. METHODS: Intracellualr calcium concentration ([Ca2+i) was measured using Fura- 2/AM, inositol trisphosphate (IP3) accumulation was determined by radioimmuno assay and cellular ATP content measured using the microchemilunescene method in renal proximal tubule suspension or isolated renal proximal tubules. RESULTS: When measured the ANG II-induced [Ca2+i, the young rats showed a greater response to ANG II than adult rats in both strains. The ANG II (10-7 M)-induced [Ca2+i transient in the cortical tubule suspension from adult SHR was significantly lower than that in age-matched WKY. In isolated proximal tubule segments, ANG II-induced [Ca2+i increment was only observed in S1 segments. Comparing responsiveness to ANG II in SHR and WKY, similar phenomenon was observed as experiment using tubule suspension. IP3 accumulation by ANG II also attenuated in adult SHR. The 20-minutes incubation without any exogenous substrate in proximal convoluted tubule (S1) significantly decreased cellular ATP content and ANG II (10-7 M) inhibited decrement of cellular ATP level. The effect of ANG II on cellular ATP restoration was disappeared by the treatment with losartan. CONCLUSION: From these results, the responsiveness of ANG II to AT1A receptor is attenuated in the proximal convoluted tubules of adult SHR comparing the age- mached WKY.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Adult* ; Angiotensin II ; Angiotensins ; Animals ; Calcium ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Inositol ; Losartan ; Rats ; Renin

No abstract available.
Humans ; Keratoderma, Palmoplantar ; Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris ; Pityriasis ; Siblings

BACKGROUND: Neuropsychological Differentiation between Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia has been controversial. The aim of this study was to detect neuropsychological differences between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VD). METHODS: Twenty one patients who met the criteria for probable AD according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) and 22 patients who met criteria for probable VD according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Association Internationale pour la Recherche et l'Enseignement en Neurosciences (NINDS-AIREN), were included in this study. These two dementia groups were matched for age, sex, education, Mini-Mental State Examination score, and severities of dementia. All patients underwent the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery (SNSB). RESULTS: Patients with VD showed greater deficits in verbal fluency (P<.05) than AD patients. However, AD patients, compared with VD patients, showed greater deficits in verbal memory functions including the 3 words recall task. Otherwise, no significant between-group differences were found in task results. CONCLUSIONS: Neuropsychologically, patients with VD differ from patients with AD only in a few cognitive domains. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(2):143~148, 2001)
Alzheimer Disease* ; Dementia ; Dementia, Vascular* ; Education ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Memory ; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Neurosciences ; Seoul

BACKGROUND: Neuropsychological Differentiation between Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia has been controversial. The aim of this study was to detect neuropsychological differences between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VD). METHODS: Twenty one patients who met the criteria for probable AD according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) and 22 patients who met criteria for probable VD according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Association Internationale pour la Recherche et l'Enseignement en Neurosciences (NINDS-AIREN), were included in this study. These two dementia groups were matched for age, sex, education, Mini-Mental State Examination score, and severities of dementia. All patients underwent the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery (SNSB). RESULTS: Patients with VD showed greater deficits in verbal fluency (P<.05) than AD patients. However, AD patients, compared with VD patients, showed greater deficits in verbal memory functions including the 3 words recall task. Otherwise, no significant between-group differences were found in task results. CONCLUSIONS: Neuropsychologically, patients with VD differ from patients with AD only in a few cognitive domains. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(2):143~148, 2001)
Alzheimer Disease* ; Dementia ; Dementia, Vascular* ; Education ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Memory ; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Neurosciences ; Seoul

No abstract available.
Herpes Zoster* ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction*

The optimal treatment and appropriate follow-up period for an unruptured vertebral artery (VA) and/or posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) dissection have not been established. Decisions regarding treatment of these vascular lesions are usually based on the manifesting symptoms and changes in radiologic findings during the follow-up period. We experienced a patient who had a simultaneous unruptured VA dissection and a contralateral PICA dissecting aneurysm. We did not find such a case in other literature.
Aneurysm, Dissecting ; Arteries ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Pica ; Vertebral Artery ; Vertebral Artery Dissection

BACKGROUND: The conventional electroencephalography (EEG) is commonly used as an aid in the diagnosis of Alzhiemer's disease (AD). Recently developed quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) provides data that are not achievable by conventional EEG. Nevertheless, the clinical reliability and usefulness of spectral analysis and topographic mapping is still a matter of controversy in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this study was to compare the topographical quantitative EEG (qEEG) changes between elderly controls and AD patients. METHODS: We analyzed the absolute, relative spectra power and occipital peak frequency taken from 16 derivations by averaging twenty-2-sec epoch in elderly controls and AD patients. After logarithmic transformations of absolute and relative power, a statistical test was done and occipital peak frequency was compared with each other. RESULTS: (1) Compared with normal controls, AD patients had a significantly lower alpha and beta spectra power as well as a significant higher delta spectra power. (2) In AD patients, the peak frequency in occipital lead had a significantly lower frequency than that of elderly controls. (3) Korean Mini-Mental State Examination(K-MMSE) scores were closely related in delta and alpha band power in nearly all electric leads. (4) Compared to absolute power, relative power was a more sensitive tools in detecting changes of EEG in AD patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that qEEG is a useful tool for detecting the electroencephalographic changes of AD, and correlated with the severity of cognitive dysfunction. Moreover, absolute and relative spectra power is complementary in the clinical utility of qEEG.
Aged ; Alzheimer Disease* ; Diagnosis ; Electroencephalography ; Humans

No abstract available.
Breast Neoplasms, Male* ; Humans ; Male ; Male* ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

No abstract available.
Nevus, Blue*

No abstract available.
Foot ; Hand