No abstract available.
Stroke*

Cognitive deficit is frequently observed in patients with schizophrenia. It is significantly associated with functional outcome. In the past 20 years, due to significant advances on the concept of schizophrenia, cognitive deficit has been accepted as a core feature. In the DSM-5, cognitive deficit does not introduce diagnostic criteria of schizophrenia, but did one dimension of diagnosis of psychosis. Existing schizophrenia drugs are effective in treatment of positive symptoms of schizophrenia, but lack of effectiveness on improving cognitive function. Led by NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health), the MATRICS (Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia) meeting was conducted in order to achieve consensus on measuring tools and neuropharmacological targets for clinical trials for development of new drugs for improvement of cognitive function in schizophrenia. At the MATRICS consensus meeting, glutamatergic modulators and nicotinic and muscarinic agonists are expected to be promising, but should be proven by a double-blind placebo-controlled multicenter study for patients.
Cognition ; Consensus ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Muscarinic Agonists ; National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.) ; Psychotic Disorders ; Schizophrenia*

No abstract available.
Brain Abscess* ; Brain* ; Catheters*

Immunological effect of the extract (KM-110) from Korean mistletoe (Viscum album coloratum) was examined. Lymphocytes obtained from KM-110-administrated mice showed increased responsiveness to mitogens, concanavalin-A (Con.A) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In order to study cytokine induct ability of the KM-110, macrophages from the Balb/c mice were cultivated in the medium containing the extract. the macrophages were shown to induce secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 1 and 6 (IL-1, IL-6) and interferon-gamma (INF-gamma). We then tested antitumor activity of the macrophages activated by the KM-110. Peritoneal macrophages harvested from the KM110-treated Balb/c mice exhibited cytotoxicity against the syngeneic 3LL carcinoma cells. ...continue...
Animals ; Interferon-gamma ; Interleukin-1 ; Lymphocytes ; Macrophages ; Macrophages, Peritoneal ; Mice ; Mistletoe* ; Mitogens ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Viscum album* ; Viscum*

PURPOSE: We describe our successful experience using a capsular tension ring (CTR) and iris repair during cataract surgery in a patient with bilateral coloboma. METHODS: A 67-year-old woman had no history of trauma, but had zonular deficiency and inferonasal iris defects in both eyes. An extracapsular cataract extraction and intraocular lens (IOL) scleral fixation was performed in the left eye. A CTR was implanted in the right eye through a sclerocorneal incision. After the IOL was placed centrally in the capsular bag, two paracenteses were made at the limbus (5 o'clock and 7 o'clock). A long, straight needle was passed through the 7 o'clock paracentesis site into a angled, blunt tipped 27 gauge needle inserted from the 5 o'clock paracentesis. The two needles were pulled out at 5 o'clock. After inserting the long needle into the blunt tipped needle at 7 o'clock, both were passed back through the 7 o'clock paracentesis site. The needles were pulled out again at the 5 o'clock paracentesis site tied. Equal tension was used to tie both sides. RESULTS: Visual acuity improved to 20/20 in the right eye. CONCLUSIONS: Both capsular tension ring implantation and iris repair was successfully performed at the time of cataract surgery in a coloboma patient, which resulted in improvements in visual function and cosmesis.
Prosthesis Implantation/*methods ; *Prostheses and Implants ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular ; Iris/*surgery ; Humans ; Follow-Up Studies ; Female ; Coloboma/complications/*surgery ; Cataract Extraction ; Cataract/*complications ; Aged

Diffuse telangiectatic type of pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is an uncommon disease entity in which numerous small arteriovenous connections occur throughout the lungs. It has rarely been confirmed by pulmonary angiography. We report a case of diffuse telangiectatic pulmonary AVM occurring in a patient with dyspnea and confirmed by CT using the slab maximum intensity projection (MIP) technique and conventional direct pulmonary angiography.
Angiography ; Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Lung ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

OBJECTIVE: Mind-body training (MBT) may control reactions to stress and regulate the nervous and immune systems. The present study was designed to assess the effects of MBT on plasma cytokines and their interactions with catecholamines. METHODS: The study group consisted of 80 subjects who practice MBT and a control group of 62 healthy subjects. Plasma catecholamine (norepinephrine, NE; epinephrine, E; and dopamine, DA) and cytokine (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IFN-gamma, and IL-10) levels were measured, and the differences between the MBT and control groups and the interactions of cytokines with catecholamines were investigated. RESULTS: A significant increase in IL-10+IFN-gamma was found in females of the MBT group compared with controls. Also, a significant increase of IL-10 (anti-inflammatory cytokine) in the MBT group was shown in a specific condition in which TNF-alpha and IL-6 (pro-inflammatory cytokines) are almost absent (≤1 ng/L) compared with controls. In the MBT group, significant positive correlations were found between IL-10 and the NE/E ratio and between IL-10 and the DA/E ratio, whereas the control group did not show any such correlations. CONCLUSION: MBT may increase IL-10, under specific conditions such as a decrease of pro-inflammatory cytokines or E, which may regulate the stress response and possibly contribute to effective and beneficial interactions between the nervous and immune systems.
Catecholamines* ; Cytokines* ; Dopamine ; Epinephrine ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Immune System ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-6 ; Plasma ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

OBJECTIVE: Measurement of intracranial pressure(ICP) is important in patients at risk of raised ICP. To evaluate the usefulness of measuring epidural pressure measurements for the estimation of intracranial pressure, we studied the relationship between epidural pressure and ventricular pressure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From Nov. '97 to Jul. '98, 10 patients of extraventricular drainage(Group A) and 12 patients of decompressive craniectomy(Group B) are included in this study. Simultaneous recording of intracranial pressure (ICP) from an air-pouch epidural pressure monitoring system and a ventricular catheter was compared. RESULTS: The epidural pressure group(Group A) showed marked high epidural pressure(32.6+/-13.4mmHg) compared with those of intraventricular pressure, but in decompressive craniectomy group(Group B) shows nearly the same values(2.1+/-6.9mmHg). CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the available comparison between these two methods of measuring intracranial pressure, in the light of the data we had established and the importance of ICP monitoring in neurosurgical critical care, intradural monitoring technique appears to be our measuring method of choice.
Catheters ; Critical Care ; Decompressive Craniectomy ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure ; Ventricular Pressure*

OBJECTIVE: It has been known that mind-body training (MBT) can affect personality and behavior system as well as emotional well-being, but different effects of MBT on them has not been reported according to BDNF genetic polymorphism. METHODS: Healthy subjects consisted of 64 subjects and the MBT group who practiced meditation regularly consisted of 72 practitioners. Participants completed neuroticism-extraversion-openness (NEO) Five-Factor Inventory and Behavioral Activation System/Behavioral Inhibition System (BAS/BIS) scales. All subjects were genotyped for the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism. RESULTS: In the same genotypes of the BDNF Val/Val+Val/Met group, MBT group showed the increased Extraversion (p=0.033) and the increased Openness to Experience (p=0.004) compared to the control group. Also, in the same Met/Met carriers, MBT group exhibited the increase of Extraversion (p=0.008), the reduction of Neuroticism (p=0.002), and the increase of Openness to Experience (p=0.008) compared to the control group. In the same genotypes of the BDNF Val/Val+Val/Met group, MBT group showed the decreased BAS-Reward Responsiveness (p=0.016) and the decrease of BIS (p=0.004) compared to the control group. In the BDNF Met/Met group, MBT group increased BAS-Fun Seeking (p=0.045) and decreased BIS (p=0.013) compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: MBT would differently contribute to NEO personality and BAS/BIS according to BDNF genetic polymorphism, compensating for different vulnerable traits based on each genotype.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor* ; Extraversion (Psychology) ; Genotype ; Meditation ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is appropriate for detecting early changes in the mandibular bone marrow and pulp tissue of rats after high-dose irradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The right mandibles of Sprague-Dawley rats were irradiated with 10 Gy (Group 1, n=5) and 20 Gy (Group 2, n=5). Five non-irradiated animals were used as controls. The MR images of rat mandibles were obtained before irradiation and once a week until week 4 after irradiation. From the MR images, the signal intensity (SI) of the mandibular bone marrow and pulp tissue of the incisor was interpreted. The MR images were compared with the histopathologic findings. RESULTS: The SI of the mandibular bone marrow had decreased on T2-weighted MR images. There was little difference between Groups 1 and 2. The SI of the irradiated groups appeared to be lower than that of the control group. The histopathologic findings showed that the trabecular bone in the irradiated group had increased. The SI of the irradiated pulp tissue had decreased on T2-weighted MR images. However, the SI of the MR images in Group 2 was high in the atrophic pulp of the incisor apex at week 2 after irradiation. CONCLUSION: These patterns seen on MRI in rat bone marrow and pulp tissue were consistent with histopathologic findings. They may be useful to assess radiogenic sclerotic changes in rat mandibular bone marrow.
Animals ; Bone Marrow* ; Incisor ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Mandible ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley