Pathological laughing and crying(PLC) is a condition that is characterized by episodic, brief, contextually inappropriate, uncontrollable outbursts of laughing and/or crying. It can be observed in patients with various neurological disorders. PLC often causes distress in interpersonal functioning and activities for patients and their families. PLC can be recognized easily with proper understanding of the condition and its nature. Also it generally shows good response to various pharmacological treatments. This review aims to encourage the diagnosis and treatment of PLC by providing definition and clinical presentation of PLC, analysis of its pathophysiology and various current treatment options.
Crying* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Nervous System Diseases

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is well recognized as a disability category with high incidence and prevalence as well as considerable impact on survivors and their families. Neuropsychiatric symptoms such as cognitive deficit, psychosis, depression, mania, anxiety are common after TBI. Treatment of the neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with TBI should result in decreased handicap, improved quality of life, and decreased societal impact. This article discusses the clinical approach to treating patients with neuropsychiatric complications following TBI.
Anxiety ; Bipolar Disorder ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Depression ; Humans ; Incidence ; Prevalence ; Psychotic Disorders ; Quality of Life ; Survivors

No abstract available.
Trophoblastic Neoplasms* ; Trophoblasts*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of performance of TB control manpower in Korea and to identify the affecting factors associated with it. METHODS: This study employed a quantitative observational with cross-sectional design and the subjects were consisted of 189 TB (Tuberculosis) control manpower who were working in both community health centers and private hospitals. Variables included in this study were demographic, social, work-related characteristics, aqhnd self-efficacy. A reliability of the instrument for the performance was Cronbach's alpha=.91. Data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression using SPSS (19th version). RESULTS: The mean value of the degree of work-related performance of TB control manpower was 4.4+/-0.49 and it was higher than those of general nurses working in any other health care departments. The mean differences in the degree of work-related performance were in self-efficacy, workplace, the number of full charge manpower in TB, the number of participation in in-depth education, and the willingness to job maintenance. In multiple regression analysis, factors associated with TB control manpower' work-related performance were self-efficacy (beta =.164, p=.025), workplace (beta=-.186, p=.023), the number of participation in in-depth education(beta=.339, p<.002), and the willingness to job maintenance (beta=-.157, p=.036). CONCLUSION: Results of this study showed that work-related performances of manpower working in private hospital were higher than those of manpower in public health centers. So, it is necessary to enhance nation's active intervention to improve effectiveness and reduction of risk factors in TB policy.
Community Health Centers ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education ; Hospitals, Private ; Korea ; Public Health ; Risk Factors ; Self Efficacy ; Tuberculosis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of performance of TB control manpower in Korea and to identify the affecting factors associated with it. METHODS: This study employed a quantitative observational with cross-sectional design and the subjects were consisted of 189 TB (Tuberculosis) control manpower who were working in both community health centers and private hospitals. Variables included in this study were demographic, social, work-related characteristics, aqhnd self-efficacy. A reliability of the instrument for the performance was Cronbach's alpha=.91. Data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression using SPSS (19th version). RESULTS: The mean value of the degree of work-related performance of TB control manpower was 4.4+/-0.49 and it was higher than those of general nurses working in any other health care departments. The mean differences in the degree of work-related performance were in self-efficacy, workplace, the number of full charge manpower in TB, the number of participation in in-depth education, and the willingness to job maintenance. In multiple regression analysis, factors associated with TB control manpower' work-related performance were self-efficacy (beta =.164, p=.025), workplace (beta=-.186, p=.023), the number of participation in in-depth education(beta=.339, p<.002), and the willingness to job maintenance (beta=-.157, p=.036). CONCLUSION: Results of this study showed that work-related performances of manpower working in private hospital were higher than those of manpower in public health centers. So, it is necessary to enhance nation's active intervention to improve effectiveness and reduction of risk factors in TB policy.
Community Health Centers ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education ; Hospitals, Private ; Korea ; Public Health ; Risk Factors ; Self Efficacy ; Tuberculosis

PURPOSE: Interleukin-17-producing T cell (Th17 cell) is a newly discovered subtype of helper T cell. Its function and importance in the pathogenesis of a broad range of immune diseases are under active investigation. However, little is currently known about the role of Th17 cells in ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury of the kidney, a common pathophysiologic occurrence in various renal disease processes. METHODS: We measured the number of infiltrated T lymphocytes and Th17 cells in C57Bl/6 mouse kidneys in sham-operated controls and following varying degrees of renal IR injury induced by renal pedicle clamping and reperfusion. The cell count results were compared to accompanying histologic damage and serum creatinine levels after 35 min and 45 min of ischemia, and following reperfusion of 48, 72, 96, and 168 hrs. RESULTS: The number of T lymphocytes increased as ischemia time increased. However, the number of Th17 cells was not significantly affected by prolonged ischemia and reperfusion. Furthermore, the degree of histologic damage and serum creatinine levels did not correlate with the T lymphocyte and Th17 cell count numbers. CONCLUSION: We did not observe any evidence that Th17 cells are directly linked to renal tissue damage caused by IR injury. The role and importance of helper T cells in renal IR injury need to be evaluated further in the light of the interaction with Th1, Th2, and regulatory T cells rather than Th17 alone.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Animals ; Cell Count ; Constriction ; Creatinine ; Immune System Diseases ; Ischemia ; Kidney ; Light ; Lymphocytes ; Mice ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury ; T-Lymphocytes ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; Th17 Cells

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of preoperative keratometric value on corneal flap dimensions, records of 81 eyes of 45 patients who had LASIK were analyzed retrospectively. METHOD: Corneal thickness and diameter , and keratometric value were measured preoperatively. RESULTS: In this study, SCMD Turbokeratome was set for making a corneal flap with 150 micron thickness and 8.25 mm diameter. In reality, however, the mean corneal flap thickness was 110.7+/-15.7 micron and the mean corneal flap diameter was 7.89+/-0.33 mm. The lower mean preoperative keratometric value, the thicker(r=-0.325, p=0.003) and the smaller(r=0.460, p=0.009) diameter flap was made. When we divided eyes into three groups according to their keratometric values, eyes with keratometric values lower than 42.5 D resulted in corneal flap with 116.70+/-12.6 micron thickness and 7.65(0.28mm diameter as opposed to 102.16+/-13.41 micron thickness and 8.05+/-0.37 mm diameter flap in corneas having keratometric values above 44.5 D(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: When a LASIK flap was made using SCMD manual keratome, steeper corneas tend to have larger and thinner corneal flaps. In conclusion, for making the corneal flap according to the intended thickness and diameter in LASIK, preoperative keratometric value should be considered carefully.
Cornea ; Humans ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ* ; Retrospective Studies

Beals-Hecht syndrome, also known as congenital contractural arachnodactyly, is a rare autosomal dominant, connective tissue disorder characterized by congenital joint contractures, arachnodactyly, dolichostenomelia, crumpled ear, and kyphoscoliosis. We report a case of Beals-Hecht syndrome in a 4 days old female newborn baby, associated with congenital knee and elbow joint contractures, arachnodactyly, dolichostenomelia, crumpled ear, and 4 umbilical arteries, with brief review of the related literatures.
Arachnodactyly ; Connective Tissue ; Contracture ; Ear ; Elbow Joint ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Joints ; Knee ; Umbilical Arteries

Torsion of the gallbladder is a rare condition that is difficult to diagnose preoperatively, but prompt surgical intervention is necessary to avoid possible sepsis and death. A 36-year-old pregnant woman presented to Emergency Department with a constant epigastric pain at 17 weeks of gestation. Abdominal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a distended gallbladder that contained no stones but had mild wall thickening. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy using three ports was performed under the impression of an acalculous cholecystitis. The gallbladder was found to be rotated 180 degrees clockwise on gallbladder mesentery and to be gangrenous. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged on the 4th day after surgery. It is important to keep in mind gallbladder torsion in the differential diagnosis from acute cholecystitis when the patient has an acute onset of abdominal pain and a severely distended gallbldder. Prompt cholecystectomy via a laparoscopic approach should be performed.
Abdominal Pain ; Acalculous Cholecystitis ; Adult ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Cholecystitis, Acute ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Emergencies ; Female ; Gallbladder* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mesentery ; Morphinans ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Sepsis ; Torsion Abnormality ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: Air bubbles developed during phcoemulsification procedure are known to be harmful to corneal endothelial cells and balanced salt solution(BSS) contained within plastic bag(Bag BSS) has been thought to be more prone to the air bubble formation than the one encased within bottle(Bottle BSS). For the above reason, we tried to see whether there is any difference in corneal endothelial cell changes between two groups of patients who underwent phacoemulsification using Bag BSS and Bottle BSS respectively. METHODS: 85 cataract eyes of 60 patients were randomly assigned to two groups of Bag BSS(43 eyes) and Bottle BSS(42 eyes), on which phacoemulsification was performed through scleral tunnel incision followed by silicone PCL placement. Corneal endothelial cells were examined using specular microscopy postoperatively at 1 month and compared with preoperative specular microscopic data. RESULTS: The percent loss of corneal endothelial cell density at postoperative 1 month for the Bag BSS group(13.02+/-0.7%) was not significantly different from the Bottle BSS group(12.8+/-8.1%)(p>0.05). Coeffcient of variation in cell size(p>0.05) and mean endothelial cell size(p>0.05) also showed no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, Bag BSS and Bottle BSS have similiar protective effect on the corneal endothelial cell damage during phocoemulsification.
Cataract ; Corneal Endothelial Cell Loss ; Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Microscopy ; Phacoemulsification ; Plastics* ; Silicones