In this paper, a heart rate variability analysis system is presented for short-term (5 min) applications, which is composed of an electrocardiogram signal acquisition unit and a heart rate variability analysis unit. The electrocardiogram signal acquisition unit adopts various digital technologies, including the low-gain amplifier, the high-resolution analog-digital converter, the real-time digital filter and wireless transmission etc. Meanwhile, it has the advantages of strong anti-interference capacity, small size, light weight, and good portability. The heart rate variability analysis unit is used to complete the R-wave detection and the analyses of time domain, frequency domain and nonlinear indexes, based on the Matlab Toolbox. The preliminary experiments demonstrated that the system was reliable, and could be applied to the heart rate variability analysis at resting, motion states etc.
Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

A new handheld fast ECG detector based on low gain amplifier, the high resolution analog to digital converter, the real-time digital filter, fast P-QRS-T wave detection and abstraction algorithm was designed. The results showed that the ECG detector can meet the requirements of fast detecting heart rate and ECG P-QRS-T waveforms.
Electrocardiography, Ambulatory ; instrumentation ; Equipment Design

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy, radiological findings, clinical outcomes and complications in patients with lumbar stenosis and osteoporosis after the use of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) augmentation of a cannulated pedicle screw. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with degenerative spinal stenosis and osteoporosis (T-score < -2.5) underwent lumbar fusion using the Dream Technology Pedicle Screw (DTPS(TM), Dream Spine Total Solutions, Dream STS, Seoul, Korea) between 2005 and 2007. The clinical outcomes were evaluated by using the visual analog scale (VAS) and the Prolo scale. Radiologic findings were documented through computed tomography (CT) and plain films. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were evaluated and included, 2 males and 35 females with an average bone mineral density (BMD) of 0.47g/cm2. The average age of the patients was 68.7 (range, 57-88). The preoperative VAS for low back and leg pain (7.87 +/- 0.95 and 8.82 +/- 0.83) were higher as compared with postoperative VAS (2.30 +/- 1.61 and 1.42 +/- 0.73) with statistical significance (p = 0.006, p = 0.003). According to the Prolo scale, 11, 22, one and three patients were in excellent, good, fair and poor conditions, respectively. The average amount of the injected cement per one cannulated screw was 1.83 +/- 0.11 mL. CONCLUSION: The results show favorable outcome both clinically and radiographically for 37 patients who underwent lumbar fusion using DTPS(TM) and PMMA. Based on the results, the use of this surgical method can be a safe and effective option for the operation on the osteoporotic spine.
Bone Density ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leg ; Male ; Osteoporosis ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine

PURPOSE: Genistein, a natural isoflavonoid phyto-oestrogen present in plant foods including citrus fruits and soybean, is a specific inhibitor of tyrosine kinase and topoisomerase II. In this paper we examined the effect of genistein on cell cycle progression and programmed cell death in the human prostate carcinoma PC-3 and Ewing's sarcoma CHP-100 cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Effect of genistein on cell cycle was measured by DNA flow cytometric analysis. In order to understand anticancer effect of genistein on cell cycle, Western blot analysis, immune complex kinase assay, DAPI staining and DNA fragmentation analysis were conducted. RESULTS: DNA flow cytometric analysis indicated that genistein induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M transition phase. Western blot analyses showed that genistein selectively reduced expression of cyclin B1 and cdk2-dependent kinase activity in both cell lines. Genistein also induced apoptosis that was demonstrated by direct visualization of morphological nuclear changes and confirmed by the production of characteristic ladder patterns of genomic DNA fragmentation. CONCLUSION: The chemopreventive activity of genistein is proven to be related with the induction of cell cycle arrest at the G2/M transition phase by reducing the expression of cyclin B1 and cdk2-dependent kinase activity, and also with the induction of apoptosis in the tested cancer cells.
Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Death* ; Cell Line* ; Cell Proliferation* ; Citrus ; Cyclin B1 ; DNA ; DNA Fragmentation ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type II ; Genistein* ; Humans* ; Phosphotransferases ; Plants ; Prostate ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Sarcoma, Ewing ; Soybeans

OBJECTIVES & METHODS: To compare a drinking culture between Korean and Chinese University students, an appropriate questionnaire was developed and surveyed to 244 Korean students and 220 Chinese students with a co-administration of NAST to rule out problem drinkers from November 1997 to April 1998. RESULTS: 1) The numbers of problem drinker detected by NAST were 39 for Korean students and 20 for Chinese students. They were all excluded in the analysis. 2) Drinking rate for Korean students was 94.1% , much higher than that of Chinese, 62.6% and drinking frequency was also higher in Koreans The most preferred alcoholic liquor was beer for both countries and the most preferred place for drinking was beer house for Korean and home for Chinese. SuJack(passing one's own glass to other people) was also found to be practiced among small percentage of Chinese students, 18.7%. 3) As for the drinking motivations, emotional one and expectation for the alcoholic effect itself were negative for both countries. However, social one was strong for Koreans and neutral for Chinese. 4) As for the drinking behaviors, both countries showed autonomous and abstinent behavior: drinking manner and group solidarity were counted more importantly by Koreans while objectives of drinking was considered more importantly by Chinese. 5) As for the drinking perceptions, both countries showed a negative attitude toward admiration of alcoholic usefulness but positive attitude toward the need for social regulation of alcohol and generosity toward a drunken behavior. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that drinking culture of Korean and Chinese University students is the same in terms of autonomous and abstinent behavior but quite different in terms of certain other drinking behavior and perception which might be related to their economical and cultural differences.
Alcoholics ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Beer ; Drinking Behavior* ; Drinking* ; Glass ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Congenital dermal sinus (CDS) is a rare entity widely known to occur as a result of the of the failure of the neuroectoderm to separate from the cutaneous ectoderm during the process of neurulation at the third to fifth week of gestation. The lesion can occur at any level of the craniospinal axis, but are located predominantly at the lumbosacral and occipital region. CDS of thoracic region and cervical region are rare. The patient with CDS presents with meningitis and/or mass effect from the associated inclusion tumor. They are usually dermoid or epidermoid cyst. Teratoma is rarely associated with CDS. We report our experience of CDS an 11-month old boy associated with an intramedullary dermoid tumor at the thoracic region, and together we report a review of the literature.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Dermoid Cyst ; Ectoderm ; Epidermal Cyst ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Meningitis ; Neural Plate ; Neurulation ; Pregnancy ; Spina Bifida Occulta* ; Teratoma

Thermography shows the skin temperature changes in various conditions of the body. The skin temperature varies according to subcutaneous blood flow under the control of autonomic nervous system. Lumbar radiculopathy due to disc hernation makes difference in the temperature of lower extremities caused by the changes in general functions and autonomic functions of the nerve root. Digital infrared thermographic imaging(DITI) system has been used to diagnose radiculopathy without any hazards or discomforts and shows the pain due to LDH by objective change of temperature. This study has used DITIs of 55 control cases and 217 cases of LDH patients and analysed it statistically. In the room the temperature stable at 20 degrees C, the temperature distribution of the lower extremities of the control cases ranged from 24.9 degrees C to 29.9 degrees C. The significant minimal temperature difference between right and left lower extremities range from 0.1 degrees C to 0.4 degrees C. The more distal, the greater the temperature difference was. The thermatome of L4, L5 and S1 was drawn in radiating type and spot type. The thermatome showed larger area than the sensory dermatome and sympathetic dermatome. There was significant increase or decrease of temperature in thermatome in LDH patients. In conclusion, preoperative DITI of the LDH patient can be helpful for diagnosing the level of LDH and the areas of pain.
Autonomic Nervous System ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Radiculopathy ; Skin Temperature ; Thermography

OBJECTIVE: In the management of degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine, spinal fusion is a popular management option and posterior interbody fusion is gaining wide acceptance for the treatment of segmental instability, spondylolisthesis, and discogenic pain. Many methods have been described, including use of autograft or allograft bone, in either structural or nonstructural form, with or without additional fixation. METHOD: The authors retrospectively analyzed 102 cases of posterior lumbar interbody fusion with BAK cage from March 1993 to April 1998. All patients have been followed for 24 to 56 months. Postoperative clinical and radiological changes are evaluated by Mcnab criteria and dynamic lumbar spine lateral measurement. RESULTS: Stable bony fusion was accomplished in 81.9% of patients at 12 months, in 87.4% of patients at 24months, and in 91.2% of patients at 3 years after surgery and their overall outcome was also remarkable(excellent: 42.2%, good: 49.1%). Postoperative correction of slipping was average 3.1mm in spondylolisthesis group. Seventy-eight percent of the previously employed patients returned to work by 24 months after surgery, and 94% were working at 3 years after surgery. CONCLUSION: The results of this study strongly imply that the BAK cage is safe and effective in the management of certain forms of degenerative conditions of lumbar spine. However proper patient selection is critical and experienced and properly trained spinal surgeons should perform this procedure.
Allografts ; Autografts ; Humans ; Patient Selection ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fusion ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis

Localization of the specific symptomatic level in multiple lumbar disc herniations is very important in the decision of surgical levels and operative method and is also one of the rate limiting factor for the successful postoperative results. Until now pain provocation test with discography is known as the unique functional and physiological method to localize the symptomatic level of disc herniation. But it is an invasive study and there is still an ongoing argument about discography for their diagnostic accuracy and specificity. Digital infrared thermographic imaging technique is a non-invasive technique to detect the discogenic pain with high accuracy. Authors evaluated the diagnostic efficacy of digital infrared thermographic imaging in 202 cases of multiple lumbar disc herniations by analysis of symptom correlation and the accuracy with operative findings. And also the correlation of digital infrared thermographic imaging technique with discography was analyzed. The digital infrared thermographic imaging technique showed high sensitivity(86.4%) to the clinical symptom and good correlation with the operative findings. It also revealed high correlation rate(81.4%) with discography. As a conclusion, digital infrared thermographic imaging technique is a highly effective diagnostic tool in the localization of the symptomatic level in multiple disc herniations.
Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis and spasm. We investigated whether the polymorphisms in two oxidative stress-related genes, paraoxonase and p22phox, are associated with risks of coronary artery spasm and stenosis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study comprised of 116 patients with variant angina, 118 patients with coronary artery stenosis and 117 control subjects, who were all classified by coronary angiography. In all three groups, the genotype frequencies of the Q192R polymorphism of the paraoxonase gene and C242T polymorphism of the p22phox gene were analyzed, and the serum thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance concentrations measured. RESULTS: The frequency of the RR genotype of the paraoxonase Q192R polymorphism was significantly higher in patients with variant angina and coronary artery stenosis than in the control subjects (40.4% in variant angina and 37.8% in coronary artery stenosis vs. 24.7% in control, p=0.020 and 0.048, respectively). From the multivariate analysis, the odds ratio of the RR genotype was 2.240 for variant angina (95% confidence interval ; 1.012-4.956), and 2.333 for coronary artery stenosis (95% confidence interval ; 1.140-4.777), in relation to the control subjects. The thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance level was significantly higher in the RR type than in the QQ+QR types (RR vs. QQ+QR : 1.106+/-0.420 nmol/mL vs. 0.949+/-0.311 nmol/mL, p=0.028). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of the C242T polymorphism of the p22phox gene between the three groups. CONCLUSION: The RR genotype of the paraoxonase gene Q192R polymorphism was found to be an independent risk factor for both coronary spasm and stenosis.
Angina Pectoris ; Aryldialkylphosphatase* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Stenosis* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Genotype ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Oxidative Stress* ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Spasm