In order to investigate the cumulative incidence and risk factors for diabetic retinopathy among non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, 116 patients which given diagnosis of diabetes at age 30 years or older who had been followed-up for more than 10 years and were initially free from retinopathy were analysed retrospectively. Several risk factors for retinopathy were analysed at the initial examinations: sex, age at the onset, age at the initial examination, duration, fasting plasma glucose(FPG), two-hour postpradial plasma glucose(pp2), blood pressure, hypertension status, therapeutic regimen, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, body mass index. After a mean follow-up time of 11.7 years. The cumulative incidence was 31.0%. By univariate analysis. Significant risk factors of retinopathy were age at the onset, age at the initial examination. FPG, PP2, therapeutic regimen. However, By using multivariate analysis. Independent risk factors were not found.
Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Retinopathy* ; Diagnosis ; Fasting ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Plasma ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Triglycerides

BACKGROUND: Malignant skin tumor cells derived from epidemal keratinocyte penetrate the basement membrane to proliferate in dermal interstitial strozirarnd invade surrounding tissue and finally metastasize to distant organs. In this stage of invaiac a and metastsis, the existence of proteolytic enzymes, which are capable of degrading the tissue barrier composed primarily of collagen, elastin, glycoproteins and proteoglycans, is imagnant. One of theses enzymes, cathepsin B, a lysosomal thiol protease, has been reported to ie ound in association with plasma membrane in animal and human tumors and to be releasec b tumor cells. OBJECT: We assayed the cathepsin B activities of squamo is cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma in order to investigate the correlation between the degree of cathepsin B activities and invasiveness or metastatic potential of skin tumors. METHODS: Cathepsin B-like protease activity was measurec by the method of Hirao using a synthetic substrate, Z-Phe-Arg-MCA. The skin tissues (penie Koreskin for control, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma tumor masses) were homogenized and their subcellular organelles were fractionated by centrifugation. Each of the fractionated preparations were used as enzyme solution. RESULTS: Cathepsin B-lilke activities were found mainly in the membrane fractions in all the samples. The activities of squamous cell carcinoma (12.484+1.904) and basal cell carcinoma (10.598+1.926) were higber than those of the control skin (9.115+0.815). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that membrane-bound conrt epsin B-like protease participates in local dissolution of the extracellular matrices and were ar endothelial cells to be able to make metastasis to other remote organ during the invasivest ges of malignant skin tumors.
Animals ; Basement Membrane ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cathepsin B* ; Cathepsins* ; Cell Membrane ; Centrifugation ; Collagen ; Elastin ; Endothelial Cells ; Extracellular Matrix ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratinocytes ; Membranes* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oncogenes ; Organelles ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Proteoglycans ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome* ; Pregnancy*

No abstract available.
Amniotic Fluid* ; Female ; Humans*

OBJECTIVE: Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), a novel hypothalamic neuropeptide, has been suggested to play a role in ovarian folliculogenesis. The present study evaluated the effect of PACAP on the growth of preantral follicles. METHODS: Preantral follicles were mechanically isolated from ovaries of 21-day-old rats and cultured in groups for 3 days in serum-free medium in the absence or presence of PACAP-38 (10-6 M). RESULTS: Treatment with PACAP-38 resulted in an increase in follicle diameter by 75% whereas treatment with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) increased follicle diameter by 65%. PACAP-38 treatment enhanced the granulosa cell proliferation as measured by thymidine incorporation analysis. Furthermore, the production of progesterone by cultured granulosa cells and GFSHR-17 cell line was stimulated by PACAP-38. Interestingly, PACAP enhanced FSH action on stimulation of SF-1 and aromatase gene expression. CONCLUSION: The present results demonstrate that PACAP stimulated preantral follicle growth by potentiating proliferation and by stimulating steroidogenesis.
Animals ; Aromatase ; Cell Line ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone* ; Gene Expression ; Granulosa Cells ; Neuropeptides ; Ovarian Follicle* ; Ovary ; Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide* ; Progesterone ; Rats ; Thymidine

Cribriform-morular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma is an unusual and peculiar subtype of papillary thyroid carcinomas. It occurs both sporadically and in association with familial adenomatous polyposis. We report here on two cases of cribriform-morular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma in a 33-year-old woman and in a 21-year-old woman. On gross examination, both cases were multicentric. The first case showed two well-encapsulated yellow solid masses in the right (2.0 cm) and the left lobes of the thyroid gland (0.5 cm). The second case showed four well-encapsulated gray-white solid lobulating masses and nodules in the right (4.5 and 1.2 cm) and the left lobes (1.1 and 0.8 cm) of the thyroid gland. Microscopically, both cases exhibited an intricate blending of papillary, cribriform, trabecular, spindle, and solid patterns of growth with morular areas. Typical nuclear features of papillary carcinomas were focally seen. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for thyroglobulin, thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1), and beta-catenin, but were negative for calcitonin.
Adenomatous Polyposis Coli ; Adult ; beta Catenin ; Calcitonin ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Female ; Humans ; Thyroglobulin ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Young Adult

The purpose of this study was to provide fundamental data for nursing intervention by assessing self-esteem and quality of life(QL) in patients on hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. The subjects of this study were 60 patients on hemodialysis at H university medical center in Seoul and 56 patients on peritoneal dialysis at B company. The analysis was done by using t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe and Stepwise multiple regression. The results were as follows: 1. The average self-esteem score was signifi-cantly higher in patients on hemodialysis (27.98) than in patients on peritoneal dialysis (25.64). And there were no statistically significant differences between patients on hemodialysis(128.45) and patients on peritoneal dialysis(122.83) in the scores on QL. Among four factors of QL, hemodiaysis patients showed higher score than peritoneal dialysis patients in all factors. But, only family had statiscally significant differences. Also family showed the highest score in both groups, but psychomental showed the lowest score. 2. In patients on hemodialysis, self-esteem was significantly different by occupation(t=3.122, p=.003) and in patients on peritoneal dialysis by age(F=4.450, p=.007), education level(F=7.458, p=.001) and occupation (t=2.491, p=.017). Also in patients on hemodialysis, QL was significantly different by occupation(t=2.223, p=.033) and in patients on peritoneal dialysis by education level(F=4.007, p=.024), and occupation (t=2.806, p=.007).3. Self-esteem accounted for 36.3% of variance in QL and monthly income accounted for an additional 6.1% of QL in hemodialysis patients by means of stepwise multiple regression analysis. In peritoneal patients, self-esteem accounted for 65.1% and monthly income accounted for an additional 2.7% in QL.
Academic Medical Centers ; Education ; Humans ; Nursing ; Occupations ; Peritoneal Dialysis* ; Quality of Life* ; Renal Dialysis* ; Seoul

Midtrimester genetic amniocentesis has been a gold standard for prenatal diagnosis in antenatal care since last 25 years. After the triple serum marker test was introduced as a prenatal screening method for Down syndrome, the frequency of genetic amniocentesis was increased. OBJECTIVE: To determine the complication, risk of amniocentesis and detection rate of chromosomal abnormality. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective clinical analysis of 1,064 midtrimester genetic amnicentesis in IL Sin Christian Hospital antenatal clinic from Jan 1995 to Dec 1997. Chi square test was used for the statistical analysis and p value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Amnicentesis were significantly increased in the age of 35-39 yrs and 40yrs over. And also the incidence of chromosomal abnormality was higher than younger age group. The indications of amnicentesis were screen positive of triple marker test(43%), advanced maternal age(20.8%), abnormal beta-hCG level, past history of chromosome abnormality or malformed baby and abnormal alpha-FP level in order. Total number of chromosomal abnormalities was 30 and the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities was 2.8%(30/1,064). The complications were developed in 13 cases and fetal loss rate was 0.78%(9/1,064). CONCLUSION: The detection rate of chromosomal abnormality in midtrimester amnicentesis for prenatal diagnosis was high and relatively safe procedure but, we should be attention to more careful manipulation.
Amniocentesis ; Biomarkers ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Retrospective Studies

The subjects of the present study was 300 out-patients and 304 people living in similar condition. The SCL-90(symptom check list-90) questionare was used and the two groups were compared by many factors. The rcsults were as follows. 1. All dimensional values of the dermographism group were much higher than the normal group except obsessive-compulsive dimension. The order of significance: Paranoid ideation, interpersonal sensitivity somatization, depression, anxiety, hostility and phobic anxiety(p<0. 01), The result indicates a significantly high incidence of psychological problems among dermographism patients. 2. In the dermographism group, the patients over 30 years old had significantly higher. scores in depression, anxiety, hostility and psychoticism. 3. Male patents showed significantly higher scores than female in paranoid ideation. 4. The unmarried patients had significantly higher scores in dcpression, para noid ideation and psychoticism. 5. Thc longer the duration of the disease was the higher the scores were. 6, There were no significant differences in educational status, family history, the job at onset of the disease, and the accuracy of understanding about the disease.
Adult ; Anxiety ; Depression ; Dronabinol ; Educational Status ; Female ; Hostility ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Outpatients ; Single Person