BACKGROUND: The aging process may be induced, at least in part, by reactive oxygen species(ROS). It has been though that the lung could be a good source of ROS because it has a high oxygen tension. In the present study, we invetigated the inducibility of the first and last lines against oxidative stress, superoxide dismutases (Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD) as a scavenger of O2- and metallothionein(MT) as a scavenger of OH·, respectively, in mouse lungs with age. METHODS: Oxidative stress was induced by paraquat, an intracellular superoxide generator, at 1, 4, 8, and 12 months of age and then SODs and MT mRNAs were determined by RT-PCR method. RESULTS: The steady-state level of Mn-SOD mRNA increased from 1 to 8 months but decreased thereafter. However, Mn-SOD mRNA was not induced by paraquat after 1 month. On the other hand, there was no change in the steady-state level of Cu/Zn/-SOD mRNA, which decrease abruptly at 12 months of age. Additionally, Cu/Zn/-SOD mRNA was not induced by paraquat at any age. There was no change in the steady-state level of MT mRNA with age whereas its inducibility by paraquat was intact at all ages. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that lack of induction of SODs with age may be one of the causative factors in the aging process while induction of MT may play an important role in the defense against oxidative stress. It is therefore implicated that the tissue antioxidant/proxidant balance could be one determinants of meal life span.
Aging* ; Animals ; Hand ; Lung* ; Meals ; Metallothionein* ; Mice* ; Oxidative Stress ; Oxygen ; Paraquat* ; RNA, Messenger ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Superoxides*

BACKGROUND: Overt hypothyroidism is a well-known cause of secondary hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. However, there have been some dissenting report of abnormalities and in serum lipid concentration in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. We have attempted to analyze serum lipid concentrations to investigate whether they are increased in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and to see if there is a correlation between serum LDL-C and TSH concentrations. METHODS: Serum lipid profiles(total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, HDL-C) of patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (M/F=7/119) compared with age, sex and body mass index matched control subjects(M/F=14/239) from Jan. 1 . 1996. to Dec. 30. 1997. RESULTS: There were no significant differences of serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, TG, and HDL concentrations in 126 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and 253 control subjects(178.47+/-35.76mg/dL vs. 173.05+/-35.93mg/dL ; 113.33+/-52.89mg/dL vs 117.64+/-68.70mg/dL ; 112.89+/-33.26mg.dL vs 109.65+/-29.02mg/dL ; 48.60+/-11.34mg/dL vs 46.51+/-11.73mg/dL). There was no correlation between LDL cholesterol and TSH concentrations in subclinical hypothyroidism(r=0.29, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum lipid concentration (total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and TG, HDL) was not increased in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. There was no correltion between serum LDL and TSH levels in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.
Atherosclerosis ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Dissent and Disputes ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypothyroidism* ; Lipoproteins* ; Triglycerides

No Abstract Available.
Mass Screening*

To examine the usefulness of cardiac MRI in assessing patients (pt) with congenital heart diseases(CHD), informations obtained from MRI and echocardiogrphy (echo) were compared in 91 consecutive pt with CHD and was correlated with findigs at cardiac catheterization (53pt) and at surgery (71pt). Pt were studied with 1.5 Tesla MRI unit and multiplanar images of the heart and great vessels were obtained using ECG-gated multislice spin-echo technique. Age ranged from newborn to 22 years. We obtained the following results. MRI was vary useful in providing important diagnostic informations in 19pt, provided informations which was not crucial to the clinical decision in 28pt, and did not provide additional informations in 44pt. MRI was very useful in assessing complex lesions, particularly in identifying atrial situs, rudimentary ventricular chamber, criss-cross atrioventricular connection, total anomalous pulmonary venous connection, anatomy of ventricular septal defect in double outlet right ventricle, anomalous ventricular muscles, aortopulmonary collateral artery and distal pulmonary artery anatomy. En face view of the ventricular septum was very useful in clearly outlining the ventricular septal defect. MRI gave false information in 17pt. Diagnostic accuracy of MRI was poor for coarctation of the aorta in neonates and small infants, patent ductus arteriosus and pulmonary stenosis. Cardiac MRI is recommended for preoperative planning in selected pt with CHD, particularly with complex lesions.
Aortic Coarctation ; Arteries ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Double Outlet Right Ventricle ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Echocardiography* ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Heart* ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Muscles ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis ; Ventricular Septum

BACKGROUND: Congenital aortic stenosis in children is characterized by "excessive" left ventricular hypertrophy with reduced left ventricular systolic wall stress that allows for supernormal ejection performance. We hypothesized that left ventricular wall stress was decreased immediately after surgical correction of pure congenital aortic stenosis. Also measuring postoperative left ventricular wall stress was a useful noninvasive measurement that allowed direct assessment for oxygen consumption of myocardium than measuring the peak systolic pressure gradient between ascending aorta and left ventricle for the assessment of surgical results. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between September 1993 and August 1999, 8 patients with isolated congenital aortic stenosis who underwent surgical correction at Yonsei cardiovascular center were evaluated. There were 6 male and 2 female patients ranging in age from 2 to 11 years(mean age, 10 years). Combined Hemodynamic-Ultrasonic method was used for studying left ventricular wall stress. We compared the wall stress peak systolic pressure gradient and ejection fraction preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULT: After surgical correction peak aortic gradient fell from 58.4+/-17.6, to 23.7+/-17.7 mmHg(p=0.018) and left ventricular ejection fraction decreased but it is not statistically significant. In the consideration of some factors that influence left ventricular end-systolic wall stress excluding one patient who underwent reoperation for restenosis of left ventricular outflow tract left ventricular end-systolic pressure and left ventricular end-systolic dimension were fell from 170.6+/-24.3 to 143.7+/-27.1 mmHg and from 1.78+/-0.4 to 1.76+/-0.4 cm respectively and left ventricular posterior wall thickness was increased from 1.10+/-0.2, to 1.27+/-0.3cm but it was not statistically singificant whereas left ventricular end-systolic wall stress fell from 79.2+/-24.9 to 57.1+/-27.6 kdynes/cm2(p=0.018) in 7 patients. For one patient who underwent reoperation peak aortic gradient fell from 83.0 to 59.7 mmHg whereas left ventricular end-systolic wall stress increased from 67.2 to 97.0 kdynes/cm2 The intervals did not change significnatly. CONCLUSION: We believe that probably some factors that are related to left ventricular geometry influenced the decreased left ventricular wall stress immediately after surgical correction of isolated congenital aortic stenosis. Left ventricular wall stress is a noninvasive measurement and can allow for more direct assesment than measuring peak aortic gradient particularly in consideration of the stress and oxygen consumption of the myocardium therefore we can conclude it is a useful measurement for postoperative assessment of congenital aortic stenosis.
Aorta ; Aortic Valve Stenosis* ; Blood Pressure ; Child ; Equidae ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Male ; Myocardium ; Oxygen Consumption ; Reoperation ; Stroke Volume

The frequency of HLA-B27 antigen in 24 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 11 patients with psoriatic arthritis were examined using the standard micro-lympho- cytotoxicity technique. There was a high frequency of HLA-B27 in psoriatic spondylitis with or without peripheral arthritis (83.3%) compared to controls (4.7%) and the relative risk of HLA-B27 for developing psoriatic spondylitis was 82.5% which indicates a strong association between HLA-B27 and psoriatic spondylitis in Korean populations. However, there was no stastical significance observed in the groups of patients with peripheral arthritis alone or psoriasis vulgaris in regard to the frequency of HLA-B27.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Psoriatic ; HLA-B27 Antigen ; Humans ; Psoriasis* ; Spondylitis

Atypical laryngeal carcinoid is a rare tumor with a poor prognosis, mostly occurring in the supraglottic larynx. It is a subtype of neuroendocrine carcinoma which should be separated from typical carcinoid and small cell carcinoma. The histogenesis and standardized classification of laryngeal neuroendocrine carcinoma have not been clearly defined. In this report, we present two cases of atypical laryngeal carcinoid, one occurring in a 67 year old male and the other in a 54 year old female. Indirect laryngoscopy revealed a polypoid supraglottic mass, approximately 3 cm in diameter. Microscopically, each case showed a moderate degree of pleomorphism, tumor necrosis and frequent mitoses. The immunohistochemistry revealed a strong positive reaction for chromogranin, neuron specific enolase and cytokeratin. Each patient had distant metastasis, noted within 4 months after resection (liver and stomach), and died postoperatively at 5 and 20 months, respectively. A brief review of the literature concerning the biological behavior, histogenesis and pathology of atypical laryngeal carcinoid was performed.
Female ; Male ; Humans

No abstract available.
Telephone*

Schonlein-Henoch purpura is a generalized small vessel vasculitis characterized by nonthrombocytopenic purpura, arthritis, abdominal pain and nephritis. In 1914 Osler described an allergic purpura associated with hemiplegia. After then Lewis et al. reported the cases of Schonlein-Henoch purpura associated with convulsion, coma, confusion, intracranial hemorrhage, and chorea, CNS complication has been reported in 1-8% of children and subsided spontaneously in most cases. Headache is a remarkable sympton and appears nonspecific nature. In 1991 Ostergaard and Storm reported that headache occured during the first week following skin rash and frequently showed abnormal EEG findings. We investigated prospectively the presence of a possible cerebral and renal involvement in the case of Schonlein-Henoch purpura. EEG abnormality demonstrated in 52.6% of all cases, and headache or irritability in 47.4% of all cases. A significant association was found between abnormal EEG finding and presence of headache, but was not found between EEG findings and presence of renal involvement and hypertension. Patients with abnormal EEG had no Past or famity history of febrile convulsion or ididopathic epilepsy.
Abdominal Pain ; Arthritis ; Child ; Chorea ; Coma ; Electroencephalography* ; Epilepsy ; Exanthema ; Headache ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Nephritis ; Prospective Studies ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch* ; Seizures ; Seizures, Febrile ; Vasculitis

No abstract available.
Nursing Homes* ; Nursing* ; Nutritional Status*