No abstract available.
Animals ; Macrophages, Peritoneal* ; Mice*

PURPOSE: Corneal transplantation is ultimately required in progressed keratoconus, although initial treatment involves a non-surgical method. We attempted to explore the time point at which corneal transplantation becomes necessary by comparing of postoperative astigmatism and corneal endothelial cells between hydrop and non-hydrop groups. METHODS: Among keratoconus patients who received corneal transplantation between January 2000 and January 2003 from one surgeon, postoperative Sim K, astigmatism, endothelial cells and visual acuity were checked and compared with preoperative data in 20 hydrops eyes and 16 non-hydrops eyes. Finally we evaluated the correlation of postoperative astigmatism with preoperative astigmatism and decreased corneal thickness. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in postoperative Sim K, astigmatism, visual acuity, or endothelial cell reduction rate between the two groups, and the correlation of postoperative astigmatism with large preoperative astigmatism and thin cornea was also not significant. CONCLUSIONS: There is no prognostic difference between eyes undergoing penetrating keratoplasty prior to and after the development of hydrops. Based on our results, keratoconus should be treated conservatively until corneal transplantation becomes inevitable.
Astigmatism* ; Cornea ; Corneal Transplantation ; Edema ; Endothelial Cells* ; Humans ; Keratoconus* ; Keratoplasty, Penetrating* ; Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVE: The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) was developed as a measure of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA). The aim here is to examine the factor structure and concurrent validity of the Korean version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (K-PANAS) in a clinical sample in Korea. METHODS: K-PANAS was administered to a clinical sample in Korea. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were undertaken to examine the factorial structure and reliability of the K-PANAS. RESULTS: The reliability of K-PANAS is satisfactory. CFA showed that several of the models commonly used in Western populations provided an insufficient fit. The modified model provided a more adequate fit to the data. CONCLUSION: The authors demonstrate that the K-PANAS has adequate psychometric properties, and that findings obtained in the West using PANAS were partially replicated.
Appointments and Schedules ; Korea ; Psychometrics

BACKGROUND: Menopause is an independent risk factor in metabolic syndrome which induced an alteration of the lipid metabolism by hormonal changes. Apolipoprotein A5 gene (APOA5) was related to the regulation of triglyceride and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level with biosynthesis and decomposition. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between APOA5 polymorphism and metabolic syndrome in Korean postmenopausal women. METHODS: This study included 307 postmenopausal women with anthropometric and biochemical measurement in 2010-2011. The polymorphism of APOA5 was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method with MseI restriction enzyme. RESULTS: The metabolic syndrome prevalence with TT genotype was significantly lower than the frequency in those with TC/CC (27.09%, 38.46%, and 45.71% for TT, TC, and CC, respectively; P < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis of metabolic syndrome risk factors indicated that postmenopausal women with CC genotype had a higher risk with 3 times than that in TT genotype (P < 0.05). APOA5 C carriers showed an increased risk of triglyceride level (odd ratio, 2.93 and 1.85 for CC and TC+CC, respectively; P < 0.05). Interestingly, HDL-C was related to triglyceride directly in comparison to APOA5. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that APOA5 has an influence on serum triglyceride and HDL-C, which contribute to metabolic syndrome in Korean postmenopausal women.
Apolipoproteins ; Apolipoproteins A ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; Lipoproteins ; Menopause ; Metabolic Syndrome X ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Triglycerides

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate differences in the quality of life(QOL) according to insight in patients with schizophrenia. The author speculated that insight might have an effect on individual's QOL, especially subjective QOL. METHOD: The study group consisted of patients with schizophrenia(N=55). Subjects were divided into two groups, patients with insight(N=22)and without insight(N=15), based on Scale of Unawareness of Mental Disorders(SUMD). All of the patients were administered the Quality of Life Interview (QOLI)by Lehman and compared in objective and subjective QOL between two groups. Additionally, they completed BDI and F scale on MMPI. RESULTS: The patients with insight showed a tendency of lower scores in total subjective QOLI scores and the safety issues compared to the patients without insight although not significant statistically. And they showed significantly less satisfaction with social relations. In objective QOL, there are no statistically significant differences between two groups. CONCLUSION: Such differences support the notion that schizophrenic patients with insight are less satisfied with their lives, especially in the aspect of interpersonal relations. It reflects the awareness of functional decline due to lifetime disability, disconnection from social relations, poor resources and supports, social stigma, and also depressive or anxiety symptoms. The authors propose that the treatment strategies for schizophrenia must include concern and support for domains of life with which patients feel themselves least satisfied, to increase effectiveness and efficacy of treatment and improve QOL.
Anxiety ; Humans ; Interpersonal Relations ; MMPI ; Quality of Life* ; Schizophrenia* ; Social Stigma

BACKGROUND: The correlation between the high resolution computed tomography(HRCT) emphysema score and the physiologic parameters including resting and exercise pulmonary function test was investingated in 14 patients(60.6±10.3 years) with pulmonary emphysema. METHODS: The patients underwent a HRCT, a resting pulmonary function test, and incremental exercise testing(cycle ergometer, 10 W/min). Computed tomography scans were obtained on a GE highlight at 10 mm intervals using 10 mm collimation, from the apex to the base after a full inspiration. The emphysema scores wer determined by a CT program 'Density mask' outlining the areas with attenuation values less than -900 HU, indicating the emphysema areas, and providing an overall percentage of lung involvement by emphysema. RESULTS: Among the resing PFT parameters, only the diffusing capacity(r=-0.75) and PaO2 (r=-0.66) correlated with the emphysema score(p<0.05). Among the exercise test parameers, the emphysema score correlated significantly with the maximum power(r=-0.74), maximum oxygen consumption(r=-0.68), anaerobic threshold(V-slope method : r=-0.69), maximal O2-pulse(r=-0.73), and the physiologic dead space ratio at the maximum workload(r=-0.80)(p<0.01). CONCLUSION: We could find that exercise testing parameters showed a much better correlation with the HRCT emphysema score, which is known to have a good correlation with the pathologic severity than the resting PFT parameters. Therefore it is suggested that exercise testing is superior to resting PFT for estimating in the estimation of the physiologic disturbance in emphysema patients.
Emphysema* ; Exercise Test ; Humans ; Lung ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Emphysema ; Respiratory Function Tests

BACKGROUND: North Korea's economic and public health problems began in the early 1990s as a result of the gradual loss of economic support from its communist allies, combined with an inordinate number of natural disasters. The decline in public health has increased the incidence of tuberculosis in North Koreans and refugees. This study investigated tuberculosis situation in North Korean refugees in order to prepare for the future impact of tuberculosis control in Korea. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From 2001 to 2005, tuberculosis patients among North Korean refugees who were diagnosed before or after arriving in South Korea, based on the official records of OO hospital, were enrolled in this study. The demographic and clinical data of the cases were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 42 TB cases were reviewed during the study period. Of these, 37 (88.1%) cases were pulmonary TB. based on the cases identified among the number of North Korean refugees' arriving each year, the annual incidence of pulmonary TB were 900 per 100,000 in 2004, 700 in 2003, The number of smear-positive patients was 20 (47.6%) and the number of culture-positive patients was 18 (42.9%). Of the M. tuberculosis isolates, 2 cases were found to be susceptible to all anti-TB drugs available, 4 were resistant to isoniazid, and 3 were multi-drug resistant. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of pulmonary TB in North Korean Refugees is high. In addition, North Korean refugees suffer from more severe tuberculosis in bacteriological and radiological aspects.
Disasters ; Humans ; Incidence ; Isoniazid ; Korea ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Refugees* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberculosis*

Amyloidosis is a disorder of protein metabolism characterized by the extracellular deposition of abnormal protein fibrils. We report a case of macular amyloidosis due to nylon towel on his back. A 61-year-old male presented with asymptomatic hyperpigmented macules on the scapulae for 6 years. He had a habit of scrubbing his back for many years with a rough nylon towel while taking a bath. The histologic examination revealed liquefaction degeneration and homogenous eosinophilic deposition in the papillary dermis. In Congo red, amyloid material stained positively and in anti-keratin antibody staining. He had neither clinical nor laboratory evidence of systemic amyloidosis. A diagnosis of friction amyloidosis was made on histological and immunohistopathological findings.
Male ; Humans

Kikuchi's disease(Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis) is an idiopathic, self-limiting disease typically affecting cervical lymph nodes in young adults. Cutaneous involvement has been reported in 16-40%. We report a case of Kikuchi's disease in 10-year-old female that showed asymptomatic erythematous papules on the face accompanied by cervical lymphadenopathy. The histopathologic examination of the skin revealed diffuse dermal lymphohistiocytic infiltrate, a large amount of nuclear dust with absence of neutrophils, which is characteristic of Kikuchi's disease. In general, histopathologic findings of skin biopsy show a mirror image of that of lymph nodes involved in Kikuchi's disease. Therefore, it is important to recognize cutaneous manifestations of this entity, because we can avoid invasive lymph node biopsy. if skin lesions involved show typical histopathologic findings of Kikuchi's disease.
Biopsy ; Child ; Dust ; Female ; Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Neutrophils ; Skin ; Young Adult

Inadvertent vaginal insertion of barium sulfate is an uncommon complication of a barium enema examination. In the few reported cases, venous embolizaton of barium occurred and this usually resulted in death. We present here a case of vaginal insertion of the enema catheter in a young woman, resulting in barium in the uterus, fallopian tubes and abdominal cavity, but not in the veins. After an emergency laparoscopic operation, the patient had been doing well for 6 months without evidence of complication.
Abdominal Cavity ; Barium ; Barium Sulfate ; Catheters ; Colon ; Emergencies ; Enema ; Fallopian Tubes ; Female ; Humans ; Peritonitis ; Uterus ; Veins