No abstract available.
Cadherins* ; Carcinogenesis* ; Urinary Bladder*

OBJECTIVES: Face-to-face interviews were conducted to investigate the relationship between blood pressure and the impairment of cognitive function in rural elderly (N=932) aged 60-64 in Dalsung County, April to September in 1996 METHODS: Impairment of cognitive function was defined as a score of less than 23 by the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSEK). Blood pressure was measured once in each subject using a portable automatic sphygmomanometer. RESULTS: By univariate logistic regression on males, no category of systolic blood pressure bore statistical significance. Groups with diastolic blood pressures of, less than 80 mmHg, 90-94 mmHg, and more than 95mmHg had odds ratios of more than one compared with the reference group (80-89 mmHg). This was most significant in the group with blood pressures lower than 80 mmHg, which had a statistically significant odds ratio of 1.68 (95 % confidence interval Cl; 1.02-2.75). No category of blood pressure was statistically significant in females. Multivariate logistic regression for males, with adjustment for age, educational attainment, smoking, alcoholic drinking, body mass index, atherosclerotic disease, and antihypertensive medication use, did not alter the odds ratios significantly in terms of systolic blood pressure. However, the group with diastolic blood pressure of less than 80 mmHg had an increased odds ratio of 2.01 (95 % Cl; 1.15-3.52) compared with the reference group. In females, systolic blood pressure did not alter the odds ratio, but the group with a diastolic blood pressure of less than 80 mmHg had a statistically significant odds ratio of 0.57 (95% Cl; 0.37-0.89). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the relationship between blood pressure and cognitive function status is stronger diastolic than systolic blood pressure and that there is a complex relationship between blood pressure and cognitive function by sex.
Aged ; Alcoholics ; Blood Pressure* ; Body Mass Index ; Drinking ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sphygmomanometers

BACKGROUND: Preservation of antigen determinants while retaining morphological detail is prerequisite for high quality immunohistochemistry. Conventional formalin fixation and paraffin embedding procedures are useful in preserving tissue architecture and cytologic detail. However, they destroy the antigenicity of many proteins is tissue samples. On the other hand, fresh frozen section preserve the antigenicity of most proteins, but vield poor morphological preservation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the AMeX method as to the ability to preserve both antigenicity and morphologic details of the skin basement membrane zone so that precise localization of antigens can be attained in immunohistochemistry. METHODS: Tissues were fixed in acetone at -20degrees C over night, then cleared in methyl benzoate and xylene, consecutively, and embedded in ordinary paraffin at 58-60degrees C. Sections made from this paraffinembedded tissue were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for a morphologic study and immunolabelled with antibodies against major basement membrane antigens to evaluate antigenic preservation. The staining intensity and preservation of the morphology by the AMeX method were compared with conventional formalin processed tissues and frozen tissues. RESULTS: Morphological preservation of the AMeX method-processed sections was good throughout the epidermis, basement membrane, and dermis, and as good as that of routinely formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections. Frozen sections usually revealed revealed various degrees of damage by ice crystal formation throughout the epidermis to the dermis. The AMeX method-processed sections showed better or same antigenic preservation comparing the frozen sections when the sections were immunolabelled with specific monoclonal antibodies. But, when the sections were immunolabelled with patient's sera, the AMex method showed less antigenic preservation than the frozed sections. The anti-type IV collagen monoclonal antibody exhibited immunoreactivity only conventional formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded skin sections, but the intensity of the staining was weaker than the AMeX processed sections and the frozen sections. CONCLUSION: The AMeX method can be utilized for the demonstration of skin basement membrane antigens and is superior to the fresh-frozen method in that the histologic figures are more distinct and antigencity can be preserved for a long time.
Acetone* ; Antibodies ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Basement Membrane* ; Benzoates* ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Epidermis ; Formaldehyde ; Frozen Sections ; Hand ; Hematoxylin ; Ice ; Immunohistochemistry ; Paraffin ; Paraffin Embedding ; Skin* ; Xylenes*

No abstract available.
Lasers, Gas* ; Lasers, Solid-State*

No abstract available.
Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Vena Cava, Inferior*

Two hundred sixty two patients of the essential blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm were treated with Botulinum toxin A (Oculinum(R)). A total of 620 treatments was given injections over a 3-year period. A reduction in spasm intensity was noted in most patients, and the mean response time of the essential blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm were 144.2 days and 172.3 days, respectively, There was no clear relationship between age, sex, toxin dose or preinjected spasm intensity, the amount of spasm reduction, and the mean response time. The mean respone time had no difference from the first through the fourth treatments; but in hemifacial spasm, the mean response time of the second treatment was longer than that of first, third and fourth treatments. The lagophthalmos and superficial punctate keratitis were the most frequent complications. As a result of the injection to avoid the center of the upper and lower eyelids, the frequency of complications could be minimized. There was no clear difference in the beneficial effect and the mcidence of complication (lagophthalmos) between toxin stored in the vaccum and in the non-vaccum state. Patients who were treated with lidocaine mixed toxin had a less effective result than those with saline-mixed toxin.
Blepharospasm* ; Botulinum Toxins* ; Eyelids ; Hemifacial Spasm* ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Lidocaine ; Reaction Time ; Spasm

PURPOSE: A clinical trial cannot be adequately interpreted without information about the methods used in the design of the study and the analysis of the results. We would like to evaluate trends in statistical methods and describe the frequency with which various statistical techniques are reported in the Journal of Korean Child Neurology Society. METHODS: We reviewed 288 original articles published in the Journal of Korean Child Neurology Society from 1993 to 2003 to assess the statistical methods. RESULTS: The number of cross-sectional study was 232(80.6%) articles and that of animal study was 45(15.6%) articles but Cohort study was only eleven(3.8%) articles. One hundred twenty seven(44.1%) articles used no statistical methods or descriptive statistics only, frequency of which decreased yearly and 84 articles(29.2%) used T-test, frequency of which increased yearly. Seventy two(25%) articles used contigency tables and twenty three(8.0%) articles used ANOVA. Orphan P where no statistical methods had been specified and only the P value given was presented in 19 articles(6.6%) which decreased yearly. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that medical articles published in the Journal of Korean Child Neurology Society, 1993-2003, were short of their expected quality and the validity of statistical methods used appears to be seriously compromised in this period and has much to be done to improved the current situation. It is concluded that a basic training in biostatistical methods, more consultation of medical investigators with statistician or other experts, careful review by someone in biostatistics or research design before accepting a manuscript are needed.
Animals ; Biostatistics ; Child* ; Child, Orphaned ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Neurology* ; Research Design ; Research Personnel

OBJECTIVE: Uterine sarcomas are rare and characterized by rapid clinical progression and poor prognosis. The manegement of uterine sarcoma has been challenged. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinicopathologic findings and outcome of patients with uterine sarcoma METHODS: From Sep. 1990 to July. 1999, 8 patients with histologically proven uterine sarcoma at department of obstetrics and gynecology of Chonbuk University Hospital were evaluated for their clinical profiles and survival retrospectively RESULTS: The age of patients with uterine sarcoma ranged 31 to 60, and the mean age was 46 years. The most common pathologic type of uterine sarcoma was leiomyosarcoma. The common presenting symptom were irregular uterine bleeding, hypermenorrhea and lower abdominal palpable mass. The patients with uterine sarcoma were treated by surgery, post-operative radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy. The mean follow up duration was 34.1 months. The 2 year survival rate was 50%. Distant metastasis were reveled at two patients, and the sites are lung and brain. CONCLUSIONS: Uterine sarcomas are aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis. The Major treatment is surgery and the effect of chemotherapy and radiotherapy were undetermined.
Brain ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Leiomyosarcoma ; Lung ; Menorrhagia ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Obstetrics ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Sarcoma* ; Survival Rate ; Uterine Hemorrhage

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer incidence and death worldwide. CRCs develop from morphologic transformation of normal colon epithelium to neoplasia thorough a sequential accumulation of genetic or epigenetic events. This slow carcinogenic process enables the diagnosis of CRC at earlier stages if the adequate screening strategies are feasible. In practice, recent researches have provided a technical tool for the detection of an early disease by a selective combination of noninvasive biomarkers using stool DNA, which may lead to cure the disease effectively. However, these noninvasive biomarkers for CRC screening should have acceptable sensitivity with high specificity in order to prevent unnecessary colonoscopies and consequent risks. Stool based DNA biomarkers can be used with ease and lead to greatly enhance screening acceptance. Identification of noble genetic and epigenetic DNA molecules selectively derived from colorectal neoplasia in stool can be in the forefront of CRC screening by becoming an optimal and affordable means of early detection as well as prevention of CRC in the general population.
Biomarkers ; Calcium Hydroxide ; Colon ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; DNA ; Epigenomics ; Epithelium ; Incidence ; Mass Screening ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Zinc Oxide

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rarely identified entity whose exact incidence, etiology, pathogenesis, medium-term evolution and optimal treatment have not yet been firmly estabilished. The cause of spontaneous disection remains unclear but theories of etiology include a medial eosinophilic angiitis, pregnancy induced degeneration of collagen and rupture of the vasovasoum. Most paients die suddenly, but a clinical spectrum is seen including and unstable angina, myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. We experienced 4 cases with spontaneous coronary artery dissection found angiographically which caused myocardial infarction and unstable angina. Our patients were treated medically.
Angina, Unstable ; Collagen ; Coronary Vessels ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Incidence ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Pregnancy ; Rupture ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Vasculitis