OBJECTIVE: There have been several evidences that the central nervous system deflect is one of the etiologic factor in schizophrenia and minor physical anomalies can reflect these deflects indirectly. These central nervous deflects are particularly related to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. In this study, we examined the relationship between minor physical anomalies and psychopathology in schizophrenia. METHODS: Forty-four patients(22 males, 22 females) satisfying the DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia were measured for minor physical anomalies by using Waldrop Anomaly Scale(WS) and we used Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS), Ulmann-Giovannoni Process-Reactive Questionnaire(PRQ), and Phillips Premorbid Adjustment Scale(PAS) for evaluating psychopathology and clinical variables. RESULTS: Schizophrenic patients had a higher group mean WS score than that found in the control group. Score of WS was correlated with PANSS and PAS score positively, and with PRQ score negatively. CONCLUSION: This study shows minor physical anomalies are associated with clinical variables with regard to symptom severity, poor premorbid adjustment and process of illness in at least some schizophrenics.
Adult* ; Central Nervous System ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Humans ; Male ; Psychopathology ; Schizophrenia

PURPOSE: Infrared thermometers are increasingly used as a convenient, non-invasive assessment method for febrile children. However, the diagnostic accuracy of the infrared thermometer for children has been questioned, particularly in relation to sensitivity and specificity. The aim of this study was to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of infrared thermometers in febrile children. METHODS: Articles published between 1966 and 2012 from periodicals indexed in the Ovid Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane, KoreaMed, NDSL, KERIS and other databases were selected, using the following keywords: 'infrared thermometer'. The QUADAS-II was applied to assess the internal validity of the diagnostic studies. Selected studies were analyzed using meta-analysis with MetaDisc 1.4. RESULTS: Nineteen diagnostic studies with high methodological quality, involving 4,304 children, were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that the pooled sensitivity, specificity and AUC (Area Under the Curve) of infrared tympanic thermometers in children over 1 year were 0.80 (95% CI 0.78, 0.81), 0.94 (95% CI 0.93, 0.95) and 0.95 respectively. However the diagnostic accuracy of infrared tympanic thermometers in children with hyperthermia was low. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic accuracy of infrared tympanic thermometer was similar to axillary and rectal thermometers indicating a need for further research to substantiate these findings in children with hyperthermia.
Adolescent ; Area Under Curve ; Body Temperature ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Databases, Factual ; Fever/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infrared Rays ; Odds Ratio ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thermometers/*standards

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a connective tissue disease which can affect every organ system. Neurologic abnormalities are common, occuring in approximately half of all patients at some time during the course of their illness. But symptoms of nervous system as the sole presenting symptoms occur in less than 1% of lupus patients. In patients initially presenting with neurologic symptoms and signs, differential diagnosis is difficult and sometimes it may be misdiagnosed. Therefore extensive laboratory investigations should be carried out in all patients with unusual neurological symptoms, since early diagnosis of lupus can help in providing effective treatment. We report a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus who presented with dysarthria and dysphagia resembling multiple sclerosis.
Connective Tissue Diseases ; Deglutition Disorders ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dysarthria ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Multiple Sclerosis* ; Nervous System ; Neurologic Manifestations

Measurements of mitral flow velocity by pulsed Doppler echocardiography are very useful in evaluating left ventricular diastolic filling properties. In hypertensive patients, abnormalities of diastolic function may precede systolic abnormalities and may serve as a more sensitive marker of end organ damage. We estimated left ventricular nass by 2-D echo short axis area-length method and compared with peak mitral flow velocity in early diastole(PFVE)and during atrial systolic(PFVA). There was a significant increase of LV mass and LV mass indices in the hypertensive patients and PFVE/PFVA ratio was decreased in them. Aithough there was no relationship between blood pressure and PFVE/PFVA ratio, a significant relationship was demonstrated between LV mass index and PFVE/PFVA ratio in the hypertensive patients.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Blood Pressure ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed ; Humans

No abstract available.
Female ; Obstetric Labor, Premature* ; Pregnancy ; Ritodrine* ; Tocolytic Agents*

Twenty-nail dystrophy is an idiopathic nail dystrophy in which all twenty nails are uniformly and simultaneously affected with excess longitudinal ridging and loss of lustre. The pathogenesis is controversial, and the treatment is unsuccessful. It is thought to have a self-limiting and reversible nature when it develops in childhood, but in adults, it is unusual and exists persistently. We re-port here two cases of adult patients with dystrophy of all twenty nails, whose ages were 58 and 55. The disease had been present for one year and may be associated with alopecia areata in the 58 year old and an idiopathic condition in the 55 year old. Negative results were obtained on mycological studies. Biopsies taken from the nail bed revealed marked hyperkeratosis consistent with nail dystrophy.
Adult ; Alopecia ; Alopecia Areata ; Biopsy ; Humans

BACKGROUND: The keratinocyte growth factor(KGF) is a recently identified mitogen for epithelial cells produced by nomal stromal fibroblasts. ln the skin, KGF has been shown to stimulate keratinocyte proliferation and differentiatian. Dendritic epidermal T cells(DETC) are skin-specific members of the epithelial y 8 T-cell family that reside normally in the murine epidermis. The DETCs recognize antigen expressed by damaged or diseased neighboring keratinoctyes and consequently secrete cytokines sueh as IFN- y, lL-2, IL-4, GM-CSF. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to observe the expression of KGF mRNA in keratinocyte and DETC as well as to investigate the cytokine-mediated intercellular communication between kerati- nocyte and DETC. METHODS: Using a RT-PCR(reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction), we examined the expression of KGF mRNA in keratinocyte and DETC, and compared the level of KGF mRNA between resting and activated DETC with Con-A (concanavalin A).
Cytokines ; Epidermis ; Epithelial Cells ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 7* ; Fibroblasts ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Humans ; Interleukin-4 ; Keratinocytes* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes

BACKGROUND: This study was carried out to examine the trends of government-supported health promotion research projects conducted in Korea over the past 12 years. METHODS: Research type, area of interest, organization, and expense of 726 research projects conducted from 1998 to 2009 were examined and the health promotion content analyzed. RESULTS: In Korea, 361 health policy researches (HPR) and 365 general health researches (GHR) were supported by the government during the defined time period. A total of 60.5 health promotion research were conducted annually with a total amount of 27.1 billion won provided (2.26 billion won per year). With the average research project lasting 8.5 months, HPR (7.7 months) projects were completed sooner than GHR (9.2 months). Those who majored in preventive medicine completed 177 research (24.4%), the most number of research projects, followed by public health (22.5%), and family medicine (15.6%). There were 641 health promotion research projects done mostly on policies, legal systems, and grasping current conditions, and only 85 (11.7%) clinical test research on the development or effects of health promotion programs. CONCLUSIONS: HPR have been increasing annually. However, our study could not be certain of how close the studies were to the government's health promotion policies. Furthermore, the main health promotion area, 'healthy living', was not researched as often as should be. Additionally, to improve applicability of the research projects, interdisciplinary cooperation should be promoted.
Hand Strength ; Health Policy ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Korea ; Preventive Medicine ; Public Health

A case of a 21-year old female with Maffucci's syndrome is presented where the patient developed multiple cutaneous spindle-cell hemangioendotheliomas. She had multiple pea to walnut sized, non-tender, normal skin colored or slight bluish nodules and bony mass-like lesions on the left upper extremity and hand. A histological examination of the lesions showed that they were composed of irregularly dilated, thin walled cavernous blood spaces containing phleboliths and collapsed vascular spaces separated by spindled fibroblastic cells. Radiologically, the bony lesions showed radiolucent densities with calcified spots within the second proximal phalanx and metacarpal bone of the left hand, which were consistent with enchondromas.
Chondroma ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; Hand ; Hemangioendothelioma* ; Humans ; Juglans ; Peas ; Skin Pigmentation ; Upper Extremity

We report a case of infantile digital fibromatosis in a 34 month-old boy, who presented with a painless subcutaneous tumor on the medial aspect of the left third toe. A histological examination showed scattered small, round eosinophilic inclusion bodies in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells, which was consistent with infantile digital fibromatosis. A'immunohistochemical study revealed that desmin, a-smooth muscle actin, and vimentin were clearly positive in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells, but the inclusions themselves showed negative staining, thus indicating a hollow-like staining pattern. Electron microscopy showed either well-defined or ill-demarcated dense bodies in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells. In some areas, small vesicles and intracellular organells were observed' in the inclusions. In the course of conservative treatment, a new lesion developed on the lateral aspect of the left third toe, seven months after the appearance of the initial lesion.
Actins ; Cytoplasm ; Desmin ; Eosinophils ; Fibroma* ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Negative Staining ; Toes ; Vimentin