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

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

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

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

The authors report two cases of recurrent transitional cell carcinoma at the anastomotic site of the ileal conduit and ureter after total cystectomy. In one patient, a recurrent tumor was also found in the distal ureter which had not been removed during previous nephrectomy. At follow up, the patients presented with gross hematuria or hydronephrosis, and the presence of mass lesions was demonstrated by intravenous urography,antegrade pyelography, and/or loopography. Transitional cell carcinoma was diagnosed by surgery and pathologic examination.
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* ; Cystectomy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Nephrectomy ; Ureter* ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Urinary Diversion* ; Urography

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

Characterizations of the VP4 (P type) and VP7 (G type) genes of Korean isolates of bovine rotavirus were performed using RT-PCR/RFLP and nucleotide sequencing analysis. After RT-PCR amplification of partial length (1094bp) of the VP4 and full length (1062bp) of the VP7 genes, amplified PCR products were digested with restriction endonucleases and digestion patterns were compared with those of reference rotaviruses. With the VP4 genes, four RFLP (AD) profiles were observed; three (A, B and C) were the same as those of bovine rotavirus NCDV (P[1]), IND (P[5]) and B223 (P[11]), respectively, Profile D was the same as that of porcine rotavirus OSU (p[7]). With the VP7 genes, five RFLP profiles (I-V) were observed; three of them (1, II and III) were the same as those of bovine rotavirus NCDV (G6), Cody I-801 (G8), and B223 (G10), respectively, Profile IV and V were atypical to those of reference bovine rotaviruses used in this study. These two profiles were identified as G6 and G5, respectively, after analyzing and comparing the nucleotide sequences. The G typing analysis revealed that 61.9% (26/42) were G6, which included G6 subtype; 28.6% (12/42) were G5; 7.1% (3/42) were G10; 2.4% (1/42) were G8. The P typing analysis revealed that 54.8% (23/42) were P(5); 28.6% (12/42) were P(7); 11.8% (5/42) were P(11); 4.8% (2/42) were P(1). Our results showed that G6/P(5) were the most prevalent rotaviruses in diarrheic calves in Korea. Also, this is the first report that G5P(7) rotaviruses were identified from cattle with diarrhea.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cattle ; Diarrhea ; Digestion ; DNA Restriction Enzymes ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length* ; Rotavirus*

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

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