No abstract available.

Objective: The present study aimed to explore how the patterns of interaction between stress and positive resources differ according to the severity of depression and which resources play the most important role among the various positive resources. Methods: The study included 1,806 people who had visited a health screening center for a mental health check-up to evaluate the levels of perceived stress, positive resources, and depressive symptoms. The participants were divided into a depressive group (n=1,642, mean age 50.60, female 68%) and a non-depressive group (n=164, mean age 48.42, female 66.6%). We conducted hierarchical regression analyses and simple slope analyses to examine the interaction between perceived stress and positive resources. Results: The interaction between perceived stress and optimism was significantly associated with depression in non-depressive groups. In depressive groups, the interactions between five types of positive resources (optimism, purpose in life, self-control, social support and care) and perceived stress were all significantly related to depression. Conclusion Interventions that promote optimism can be helpful for preventing inevitable stress from leading to depression. A deficiency in positive resources may be a factor in aggravating depression in stressful situations for people reporting moderate to severe depressive symptoms.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Exercise is recommended for every patient with Parkinson's disease (PD). The effectiveness of two different forms of exercise for PD, Tai Chi and combined stretching-strengthening exercise, was compared. METHODS: Patients with mild-to-moderate PD were recruited to join either the combined stretching-strengthening exercise group (n=7), the Tai Chi group (n=9), or the control (nonintervention) group (n=7). Exercise was performed three times a week over a period of 8 weeks. The Tai Chi exercise was led by certified instructors based on a Tai-Chi-for-arthritis program. The combined stretching-strengthening exercise comprised folk dancing, stepping, and elastic-band exercises. The subjects' functional fitness, parkinsonian symptoms, quality of life (QoL), and depression were evaluated. RESULTS: Both exercise groups yielded better results in their overall functional fitness after the intervention. However, no improvement with exercise was found for parkinsonian symptoms, as evaluated using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. With respect to the domains of QoL, the combined stretching-strengthening exercise group fared better in the social domain of QoL, and the Tai Chi group fared better in the emotional domain, while QoL and depression worsened in the control group. The postintervention QoL was improved relative to the control condition only for the Tai Chi group. Although the exercise interventions did not have any effect on depression, the control group was associated with a significant deterioration. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise improved the functional fitness and QoL of PD patients, with Tai Chi yielding better results in QoL and favorable results in functional fitness. These findings suggest that Tai Chi could be a good exercise strategy for patients with PD.
Dancing ; Depression ; Exercise ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease* ; Quality of Life ; Tai Ji*

PURPOSE: Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy is a useful technique to diagnose and to predict prognosis in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the prognostic value of normal exercise (99m)Tc-MIRI myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) an(l to analyze results with regard to those of exercise. electrocardiography or coronary angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 30) patients (mean age S2+/-10 years, 166 males and 135 females) with normal exercise (99m)Tc-MIBI myocardial perfusion SPECT performed for suspected coronary artery disease. Subjects were evaluated for cardiac events and followed for 8-55 months (mean 19+/-10 months) after imaging. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, there was no cardiac death but only one non-fatal myocardial infarction (event rate 0,21%: per year). In addition, only one patient underwent coronary revascularization. There was no significant difference in cardiac event rate between patients with positive (n=27) and negative (n-235) exercise electrocardiography (p:NS), There was no cardiac event in ]7 patients who underwent coronary angiography (4 patients with >50% luminal narrowing, 2 patients with vasospasm and 11 patients with no significant lesion). CONCLUSION: Patients with normal exercise (99m)Tc-MIBI myocardial perfusion SPECT has a very low risk for cardiac events regardless of exercise electrocardiographic and coronary angiographic findings.
Coronary Angiography* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Death ; Electrocardiography* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; Perfusion Imaging ; Perfusion* ; Phenobarbital ; Prognosis ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

3-Deazaadenosine (DZA), a cellular methylation blocker was reported to induce the caspase-3-like activities-dependent apoptosis in U-937 cells. In this study, we analyzed the activation pathway of the caspase cascade involved in the DZA-induced apoptosis using specific inhibitors of caspases. In the U-937 cells treated with DZA, cytochrome c release from mitochondria and subsequent activation of caspase-9, -8 and -3 were observed before the induction of apoptosis. zDEVD-Fmk, a specific inhibitor of caspase-3, and zLEHD-Fmk, a specific inhibitor of caspase-9, prevented the activation of caspase-8 but neither caspase-3 nor caspase-9, indicating that caspase-8 is downstream of both caspase-3 and caspase-9, which are activated by independent pathways. zVAD-Fmk, a universal inhibitor of caspases, kept the caspase-3 from being activated but not caspase-9. Moreover, ZB4, an antagonistic Fas-antibody, exerted no effect on the activation of caspase-8 and induction of apoptosis by DZA. In addition, zVAD-Fmk and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) inhibitors such as cyclosporin A (CsA) and bongkrekic acid (BA) did not block the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. Taken together, these results suggest that in the DZA-induced apoptosis, caspase-8 may serve as an executioner caspase and be activated downstream of both caspase-3 and caspase-9, independently of Fas receptor-ligand interaction. And caspase-3 seems to be activated by other caspses including IETDase-like enzyme and caspse-9 seems to be activated by cytochrome c released from mitochondria without the involvement of caspases and CsA- and BA- inhibitory MPTP.
Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones/pharmacology ; Apoptosis/*drug effects ; Bongkrekic Acid/pharmacology ; Caspases/*metabolism ; Cell Line ; Cyclosporine/pharmacology ; Cytochrome c/drug effects/metabolism ; Enzyme Activation ; Human ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear/cytology ; Ligands ; Membrane Glycoproteins/metabolism ; Tubercidin/*pharmacology ; U937 Cells

3-Deazaadenosine (DZA), a cellular methylation blocker was reported to induce the caspase-3-like activities-dependent apoptosis in U-937 cells. In this study, we analyzed the activation pathway of the caspase cascade involved in the DZA-induced apoptosis using specific inhibitors of caspases. In the U-937 cells treated with DZA, cytochrome c release from mitochondria and subsequent activation of caspase-9, -8 and -3 were observed before the induction of apoptosis. zDEVD-Fmk, a specific inhibitor of caspase-3, and zLEHD-Fmk, a specific inhibitor of caspase-9, prevented the activation of caspase-8 but neither caspase-3 nor caspase-9, indicating that caspase-8 is downstream of both caspase-3 and caspase-9, which are activated by independent pathways. zVAD-Fmk, a universal inhibitor of caspases, kept the caspase-3 from being activated but not caspase-9. Moreover, ZB4, an antagonistic Fas-antibody, exerted no effect on the activation of caspase-8 and induction of apoptosis by DZA. In addition, zVAD-Fmk and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) inhibitors such as cyclosporin A (CsA) and bongkrekic acid (BA) did not block the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. Taken together, these results suggest that in the DZA-induced apoptosis, caspase-8 may serve as an executioner caspase and be activated downstream of both caspase-3 and caspase-9, independently of Fas receptor-ligand interaction. And caspase-3 seems to be activated by other caspses including IETDase-like enzyme and caspse-9 seems to be activated by cytochrome c released from mitochondria without the involvement of caspases and CsA- and BA- inhibitory MPTP.
Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones/pharmacology ; Apoptosis/*drug effects ; Bongkrekic Acid/pharmacology ; Caspases/*metabolism ; Cell Line ; Cyclosporine/pharmacology ; Cytochrome c/drug effects/metabolism ; Enzyme Activation ; Human ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear/cytology ; Ligands ; Membrane Glycoproteins/metabolism ; Tubercidin/*pharmacology ; U937 Cells

A 20-year-old male patient was admitted to this hospital because of headache and high fever on October 10, 1974. He has insidiously develope frontal headache and high fever for these 10 days, followed by vomiting, convulsions, aphasia and motor weakness on the left extremities and subsequently fell into semicomatose state. Hemogram showed marked leukocytosis, 22500/mm3, and cerebrospinal fluid cell count revealed increased leukocyte, 1210/mm3. Simple skull Roentgenograms showed no significant abnormalities except for suspicious haziness on the left frontal sinus. Carotid angiogram showed distal shift of the anterior cerebral artery, medial displacement of the middle cerebral artery and small avascular area on the left temporo-parietal area. Brain scan showed high activities on the entire left cereral hemisphere. On October 12, 1974 a large fronto-temporo-parietal osteoplastic craniotomy was done. Yellowith green, foul odored pus gushed out from the subdural space of the entire operating fields. Preteus mirabilis was isolated in pus culture. He was discharged with good recovery two months later.
Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Aphasia ; Brain ; Cell Count ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Craniotomy ; Empyema, Subdural* ; Extremities ; Fever ; Frontal Sinus ; Headache ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Mirabilis ; Odors ; Seizures ; Skull ; Subdural Space ; Suppuration ; Vomiting ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Both carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and global risk score of cardiovascular disease were independent risk factors of stroke and heart disease. We assessed the correlation between the 10-year risk of Korean Stroke Risk Prediction model (KSRP) and carotid intima-media thickness. Additionally, from a perspective of carotid IMT measurement following KSRP risk stratification, we analyzed the difference of carotid IMT and plaque according to the KSRP risk strata. METHODS: Subjects were 282 persons who visited one hospital for the screening of stroke. The 10-year risk was calculated automatically based on the equation of KSRP model. The maximal carotid IMT and the plaque were adopted as the study variables. The sensitivity and the positive predictive value of the KSRP risk categories were calculated. RESULTS: The correlation coefficient between the KSRP risk and the maximal carotid IMT was 0.29 (p<0.01). The mean (+/-standard deviation) of KSRP risk of the group with carotid plaque was statistically significantly higher, 5.3 (+/-4.1), than that of the group without plaque, 3.3 (+/-3.1) (p< or =0.01). The sensitivity of the risk stratum with more than 6% of KSRP risk for the plaque was 28.2%. The positive predictive value of the above cut-point was 48.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The 6% of KSRP risk may be considered as the beginning point of intermediate risk stratum to recommend the carotid ultrasonography. However, generalization needs further studies for various populations.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Generalization (Psychology) ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Risk Factors ; Stroke

The purpose of this report is to evaluate the validity of the differential diagnosis of epidural and subdural hematomas on the basis of the varied angiographic findings and also to determine the correlation between hematoma shape and the injury-angiogram time interval in subdural hematomas. Conventional cerebral angiograms in 27 cases of epidural and 53 cases of subdural hematoma among surgically proven 155 intracranial hematoma patients, observed at the Department of (Neurosurgery) Seoul National University Hospital, during the past 5 years from August, 1968 to July 1973, were reviewed. 53 subdural hematomas were subdivided into three groups upon the injury-angiogram time interval as follows: acute; within 48 hours ---------- 28 cases, subacute; 3 days to 2 weeks ---------- 14 cases, chronic; over 2 weeks ---------- 11 cases. The results were as follows: 1. In epidural hematoma, the A-P view of angiogram showed typical lentiform (biconvex) avascular zone in 11 cases and crescent-shaped avascular zone in 3 cases among total 27 cases, whereas in acute to subacute subdural hematoma it showed crescent-shaped avascular zone in 15 cases but only 2 cases showed the lentiform appearance. 2. Lentiform avascular zone was also typically seen in 5 cases of chronic subdural hematoma, but it might be differentiated from that of epidural hematoma with more clear inner margin in the former. 3. In epidural hematoma, the following characteristic findings providing excellent diagnostic aids were also noted. 1) medial or inward displacement of middle meningeal artery ---------- 3 cases, 2) extravasation from middle meningeal artery into arterio-venous sheath-4 cases into hematoma ---------- 2 cases, 3) amputation of middle meningeal artery ---------- 2 cases, 4) extravasation from dural sinus ---------- 4 cases, 5) displacement of dural sinus from the inner table of skull ---------- 4 cases, 6) lentiform avascular zone only ---------- 4 cases. In 20 cases of epidural hematoma, one or more of the above findings could be found. Among them, extravasation from middle meningeal artery and dural sinus, amputation of middle meningeal artery and displacement of dural sinus were thought as pathognomonic. In subdural hematoma, none of the above findings was seen. 4. In subdural hematoma, hematoma shape (avascular zone) showed some tendency to change its from according to the injury-angiogram time interval: in the group ranging from 1 to 7 days and over a month, the crescent-shaped hematoma was predominant and in the group between these periods, lentiform hematoma and hematoma with flat inner margin were somewhat predominant. But there was no valid basis for predicting the age of subdural hematoma from its configuration at angiography. 5. There was no direct correlation between the shape of the hematoma and the patients' age. 6. Simple skull roentgenogram provided some aids in the differential diagnosis between epidural and chronic subdural hematoma. 20 cases out of 27 epidural hematomas showed linear or depressed skull fracture, whereas only 1 out of 11 cases of chronic subdural hematoma showed linear skull fracture.
Amputation ; Angiography ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Subdural* ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic ; Humans ; Meningeal Arteries ; Seoul ; Skull ; Skull Fracture, Depressed ; Skull Fractures

In the past many authors have contributed most of the fundamental observations of alteration in the sella turcica resulting from raised intracranial pressure and hydrocephalus, and some authors have attempted to distinguish different types of sella change specific to particular pathology. The author has observed upon the change of sella with proved hydrocephalus in 57 patients(45 cases of obstructive hydrocephalus and 12 cases of communicating hydrocephalus) during the period from Jan. 1967 to July 1973 at the Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Hospital. Results are as follows: 1. Among 57 cases in total; no evident abnormalities were seen in 18 cases(32%); erosion and circular expansion at the posterior portion of sella turcica in 36 cases(63%); erosion of the posterior clinoid processes in 31 cases(53%). These changes were more often observed in the cases over 15 years of age than under 15 years of age as well as in the cases of obstructive hydrocephalus than communicating one. 2. The changes of sella related to the site of lesion in obstructive hydrocephalus were as follows; radiologically normal sella were more often observed in the 3rd ventricular lesion than posterior fossa lesion, erosion and circular expansion of the posterior portion of sella in the posterior fossa lesion, and thinning and pointing of dorsum sella in the 3rd ventricular lesion. These changes of sella were not relevant to the age. 3. The changes of sella related to the duration of symptoms of raised intracranial pressure in the obstructive pattern were that the severity of changes was relatively proportionate to the duration; most of the changes were observed around the 6 months of duration regardless of the age. 4. The evident sellar enlargement was observed in 19 out of 36 cases with erosion and circular expansion of the posterior portion of sella, and sellar elongation in 4 cases. 5. Among 27 cases of the obstructive pattern being studied by ventriculogram, cases with anterior end of 3rd ventricle apart from the dorsum showed sellar changes in 40%, those touching the dorsum in 58%, and those extending into sella in 100%. The main findings in the latter two groups were the erosion and circular expansion of the posterior portion of the sella turcica. 6. The raised intracranial pressure did not produce the sellar changes without the change of vault in those cases below 15 years of age.
Hydrocephalus* ; Intracranial Pressure ; Neurosurgery ; Pathology ; Sella Turcica* ; Seoul