BACKGROUND: This study was performed in order to investigate the changes of Na+ transport system in the red blood cells of patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: Na(+)-Li(+) countertransport and Na(+)-K(+) pump activity were measured in 30 cases of essential hypertension and 20 healthy normal controls. And these measurements were analyzed in terms of some important clinical parameters in the patients, i.e., body mass index(BMI), status of hypertension and plasma lipids. RESULTS: Na(+) and K(+) contents of red cells in hypertensive patients were 16.9+/-1.4 and 77.8+/-2.1mmol/L cells, respectively, and no significant difference was found compared with respective value of normal control(14.2+/-0.9 and 82.2+/-2.8mmol/L cells). Na(+)-Li(+) countertransport in the patients group was significantly ancreased compared with control group(62.5+/-4.5 and 46.8+/-3.0umol/L cells.hr), and Na(+)-K(+) pump activity was also showed a significant depression(8.72+/-0.80 and 12.79+/-0.52umol Pi/mg.hr). In the analysis regarding the relationship between Na(+) transport system and some important clinical parameters of the patients with essential hypertension, Na(+)-Li(+) countertransport was related to BMI, and the level of triglyceride. On the other hand, Na(+)-K(+) pump activity was related to the WHO stage and the levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride. But level of blood pressure did not show a significant correlation with either are of the two Na(+) transport system. CONCLUSION: These resluts suggest that Na(+)-Li(+) countertransport and Na(+)-K(+) pump activity in patients with essential hypertension were significantly altered compared with heathy normal controls, and these Na(+) transport system were also influenced by BMI, WHO stage, and the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride. And the individual variation in Na(+) transport system were also suggested by the findings being overlapped between hypertensive patients and controls.
Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Erythrocytes* ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Plasma ; Triglycerides

No abstract available.
HLA-DR Antigens*

Mitral valvular orifice area is important for the evaluation of prognosis and treatment of patients with mitral valvular stenosis. Until recently, Gorlin's formula using cardiac catheterization has been utilized in the measurement of mitral valve area, but it is invasive and impractical to examine repeatedly. Recently 2-Dimensional echocardiography appeared to be a practical and useful substitute in measurement of valve area and also it is economical and has no risk to patients. In 31 patients with mitral valvular stenosis examined at the echocardiography room of Busan national University Hospital from March 1982 to March 1983, we measured the mitral valve area with 2-Dimensional echocardiography and evaluated its relationship with the left ventricular functions measured on M-mode echocardiogram. Among many parameters on M-mode measurements EF slope, excursion amplitude and the ratio of left atrial dimension to aortic root dimension were rather helpful for the assessment of severity of mitral valvular stenosis than other parameters. And each relationship with the valve area showed correlation coefficient of 0.60, 0.05 and -0.58, respectively.
Busan ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Echocardiography* ; Humans ; Mitral Valve* ; Prognosis ; Ventricular Function, Left

No abstract available.
Abortion, Habitual* ; Female ; Immunization* ; Lymphocytes* ; Pregnancy

BACKGREOUND: The sympathetic investigations during thoracic sympathectomy are essential to an adequate sympathectomy that will lead to sufficient and lasting relief of palmar hyperhidrosis. The measurement of palmar skin temperature has been used as an indicator of success of transcutaneous chemical thoracic sympathectomy. We measured intraoperative palmar skin temperature to know whether it can be used as a same purpose in the endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy under general anesthsia. METHODS: Fifteen patients (18 to 25 years old) with palmar hyperhidrosis underwent endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy under general anesthesia. The palmar skin temperature was measured with a skin probe of a thermometer applied on the both index finger tips. The palmar skin temperature was monitored continuously from the beginning of anesthesia to the complete arousal. RESULTS: The palmar skin temperature increased significantly by about 3 degrees C just after induction. There was no significant difference in the palmar skin temperature between just before sympathectomy and soon after sympathectomy during the endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative measurement of palmar skin temperature can not indicate a definite sympathectic denervation during the endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy under general anesthesia.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Arousal ; Denervation ; Fingers ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis* ; Skin Temperature* ; Skin* ; Sympathectomy* ; Thermometers

BACKGROUND: From a clinical perspective, the regurgitation of the gastric contents above the upper esophageal sphincter has greater clinical relevance than gastroesophageal reflux. The authors investigated the incidence of regurgitation of gastric contents above the upper esophageal sphincter associated with the laryngeal mask airway(LMA) and the endotracheal tube(ETT) by methylene blue(50mg) gelatine capsule and pH probe in positive pressure ventilated patients during long surgical procedures . METHODS: Sixty patients scheduled for elective orthopedic surgery with a standardized general anesthetic technique were randomly allocated to receive either a LMA(n=34) or a ETT(n=26) for airway management. For the detection of regurgitation episodes during anesthesia, a pH monitoring probe was positioned in the hypopharynx 30 minutes before induction and a methylene blue capsule was swallowed just before induction. At the end of anesthesia, the episodes of regurgitation of gastric contents above upper esophageal sphincter were analyzed according to the pharyngeal blue staining or pH< or =4. RESULTS: There were no episodes of regurgitation of gastric contents(pH< or =4 or/and methylene blue staining) above the upper esophageal sphincter detected during the course of measurement. There was no clinical evidence of aspiration in either group. CONCLUSIONS: In comparison with ETT, the use of LMA does not appear to result in increased incidence of regurgitation of gastric contents above upper esophageal sphincter in positive pressure ventilated patients during long surgical procedures.
Airway Management ; Anesthesia ; Esophageal Sphincter, Upper* ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Gelatin ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hypopharynx ; Incidence* ; Laryngeal Masks* ; Methylene Blue ; Orthopedics

Antihypertensive effect and side effect of Tripamide(Normonal(R)) was studied in 22 cases of essential hypertension using 15mg once daily regimen for average period of 9 weeks. 1) Antihypertensive effect Average reduction of 25mmHg in systolic and 19mmHg in systolic and 19 mmHg in diastolic pressure was observed and reduction rate was 15.7% and 17.6% respectively. The overall effect rate was 86%. The blood pressure lowered significantly in 1 week of treatment both in systolic and diastolic pressure and the extent of fall in systolic pressure approached near the level of maximum reduction in 2 weeks of administration and that of diastolic after 5 weeks of treatment. 2) Laboratory tests and side effect There was no significant changes in individual and mean value of Na, K, Cl, BUN, creatinine, uric acid, fasting blood sugar, cholesterol, GOT, GPT studied before and after treatment except one case showing elevation of uric acid. No significant side effect was observed during trial except of 2 cases of transient diuretic effect.
Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Creatinine ; Diuretics ; Fasting ; Hypertension ; Uric Acid

Temporal lobe epilepsy is characterized by complex partial seizures with either primary intracranial neoplasms or other non-neoplastic lesions. We reviewed 64 cases of surgically resected temporal lobes and amygdalo-hippocampal regions for temporal lobe epilepsy ansed by non-neoplastic lesions to elucidate the incidence and histologic features of each histologic group for a period of 2 years. The patient's age ranged from 12 to 49 years and the ratio of male to female was 42:22. There were 37 cases(57.8%) with single pathology and an additional 20 cases(31.3%) with dual pathology. The emaining 7 cases(10.9%) had no structural alternations. The most common temporal lobe pathology was hippocampal sclerosis in 41 cases(64.1%), diagnosed alone in 21 cases and as dual lesions in 20 cases. The hippocampal neuron loss was most pro,omemt in CA1, followed by CA4, CA3, and CA2. Amygdaloid sclerosis was present in 28 cases(43.8%), lases had 13 dual lesions, 25 cases also had hippocampal sclerosis. The 20 dual lesions showed that 6 cortical dysplasia, 10 microdysgenesis, 1 chronic non-specific inflammatory lesion, and 3 cysticercosis were associated with the various degree of mesial temporal sclerosis. Neuronoglial malformative lesions were identified in 21 cases(32.8%) including 16 dual lesion cases, which composed of 15 microdysgenesis and 6 cortical dysplasia. Neurofilament immunostain for cortical dysplasia revealed abnormally beaded disarray of axons in dysplastic pyramidal cells. The remaining pathologic lesions observed were 1 cysticercosis, 1 chronic non-specific inflammatory lesion, 3 arteriovenous malformation, 2 fibrous nodule, and 1 fibrous adhesions of the arachnoid.
Female ; Male ; Humans ; Incidence

BACKGROUND: In the present study, we examined the effect of morphine on NO- and peroxynitrite-induced cell death using a human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line which abundantly expresses micro, delta and K-opioid receptors. METHODS: The cultured cells were pretreated with morphine (100 micrometer) and exposed to 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1, 1mM). Agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA was done with the extracts from SH-SY5Y cells. The cells were treated with selective ligands for opioid receptor subtypes and with PI3-kinase inhibitors. Cell damage was assessed by using an MTT assay. Spectrophotometric absorption spectra were measured from the mixture of morphine (100 micrometer) plus peroxynitrite (1 mM) at room temperature. RESULTS: SIN-1 treated cells showed the occurrence of a specific form of chromosomal DNA fragmentation which pretreatment with morphine inhibited. The selective ligands for opioid receptor subtypes, [D-Ala2, N-Me-Phe4, Gly-ol5]enkephalin (DAMGO, micro-opioid receptor agonist), [D-Pen2,5] enkephalin (DPDPE, delta-opioid receptor agonist) and U-69593 (K-opioid receptor agonist) at a concentration of 10 micrometer did not prevent the cell death induced by SIN-1. Naloxone (20 micrometer) hardly antagonized the effect of morphine in SIN-1-induced cell death. The PI3-kinase inhibitors Wortmannin and LY294002 did not inhibit the action of morphine on apoptotic cell death. In the measurements of spectrophotometric absorption spectra, the peak of the absorbance of the mixture of morphine plus peroxynitrite at 295 300 nm disappeared three minutes after mixing. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed that morphine protected the human neuroblastoma cell line,SH-SY5Y, from peroxynitrite-induced apoptotic cell death. However, it is suggested that the protective action of morphine is not via the activation of opioid receptors and/or the PI3-kinase pathway but possibly via direct chemical reaction.
Absorption ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA ; DNA Fragmentation ; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel ; Enkephalins ; Humans* ; Ligands ; Morphine* ; Naloxone ; Neuroblastoma* ; Peroxynitrous Acid ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Receptors, Opioid

PURPOSE: This study aims to examine how inequalities in suicide by education changed during and after macroeconomic restructuring following the economic crisis of 1997 in South Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using Korea's 1995, 2000, and 2005 census data aggregately linked to mortality data (1993 - 2006), relative and absolute differentials in suicide mortality by education were calculated by gender and age among Korean population aged 35 and over. RESULTS: Average annual suicide mortality rates have steadily increased from 1993 - 1997 to 2003 - 2006 in almost all sociodemographic groups stratified by gender, age, and education. Based on the relative index of inequality (RII) and slope index of inequality (SII), educational differentials in suicide mortality generally increased over time in men and women aged 45 years +. Although RII did not increase with year among men and women aged 35 - 44 years, SII showed a significantly increasing trend in this age group. CONCLUSION: These worsening absolute inequalities in suicide mortality indicate that the governmental suicide prevention policy should be directed toward socially disadvantaged groups of the Korean population.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Educational Status ; Female ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Mortality/*trends ; Sex Distribution ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Suicide/*statistics & numerical data