PURPOSE: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis designed to investigate the effects of stimulation-oriented interventions for behavioral problems among people with dementia. METHODS: Based on the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA), a literature search was conducted using seven electronic databases, gray literature, and other sources. Methodological quality was assessed using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Data were analyzed using R with the 'meta' package and the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA 2.0) program. RESULTS: Sixteen studies were included for meta-analysis to investigate the effect of stimulation-oriented interventions. The quality of individual studies was rated as '++' for eight studies and '+' for the rest. The effect sizes were analyzed according to three subgroups of interventions (light, music, and others); Hedges' g=0.04 (95% CI: -0.38~0.46), -0.23 (95% CI: -0.56~0.10), -0.34 (95% CI: -0.34~0.00), respectively. To explore the possible causes of heterogeneity (I²=62.8%), meta-regression was conducted with covariates of sample size, number of sessions, and length of session (time). No moderating effects were found for sample size or number of sessions, but session time showed a significant effect (Z=1.96, 95% CI: 0.00~0.01). Finally, a funnel plot along with Egger's regression test was performed to check for publication bias, but no significant bias was detected. CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, stimulation-oriented interventions seem to have a small effect for behavioral problems among people with dementia. Further research is needed to identify optimum time of the interventions for behavioral problems among dementia pateints.
Acoustic Stimulation ; Behavioral Symptoms ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Dementia* ; Music ; Population Characteristics ; Problem Behavior* ; Publication Bias ; Sample Size ; Sensory Art Therapies

In this study, the performance of a hematology analyzer, DxH 800 (Beckman Coulter, USA) was evaluated. The precision, carry-over, linearity, and comparison studies were performed according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. The test items were white blood cell, red blood cell, hemoglobin, red blood cell index, platelet, and reticulocyte counts. The 6C control and Retic-X cell control (Beckman Coulter) were used for precision evaluation. For the correlation study, the test results were compared with those obtained from the ADVIA 2120i (Siemens, USA) using 120 blood samples. The results of precision and carry-over evaluations were within acceptable range. The coefficient of determination (R 2) for linearity was good, being more than 0.99. The correlation coefficient (R) ranged from 0.945 to 0.996. DxH 800 was evaluated as an acceptable hematology analyzer for the automation of large volume of laboratory samples.
Automation ; Blood Platelets ; Erythrocytes ; Hematology* ; Leukocytes ; Reticulocyte Count ; Statistics as Topic

BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary bypass during open heart surgery causes systemic inflammatory respose. IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine that inhibits inflammatory process and protects organ function by down regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine release and maintenance of blood level balance with pro-inflammatory cytokines. MATERIAL ateial and Method: Plasma IL-10 levels were measured and analyzed in 22 patients who underwent open heart surgery (11 cases of coronary artery bypass graft, 11 cases of valve replacement) under cardiopulmonary bypass since 1988 January to July at Department of Thoracic and Czardiovascular surgery, Yeungnam University Hospital. 1g of methylprednisolone was administrated to thirteen patients randomly. Blood samp.es were taken and collected at the time of induction of anesthesia, 10 min before cardiopulmonary bypass, 10 min after starting of CPB, 10 min aftr aortic cross clamping, 10 min after ACC release, and 10 min, 2 hours, and 5 hours after CPB respectively. The plasma levels of IL-10 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Wilcoxon-Raule Sum test was used for statistical analysis. In all 22 patients, cardiopulmonary bypass time was used for statistical analysis. In all 22 patients, cardiopulmonary bypass time was 171+/-41.4 min and aortic cross clamp time was 118+/-36.5 min. Peak IL-10 level was achieved at 10 min after ACC (361.0+/-52.81pg/ml) and was decreased sharply at 2 hours after CPB. Peak IL-10 level was correlated positively with aortic cross clamp time (p=0.011); however, it did not correlated with bypass time (p=0.181). In valve replacement group, mean IL-10 level at peak point was 567.89+/-107.69 pg/ml and was significantly higher than that of coronary artery bypass group (205.67+/-192.70 pg/ml) (p<0.001). ACC time in valve replacement group was significantly longer than that of coronary artery bypass group (p<0.01), however, bypass time was not (p=0.212). Thirteen patients with steroid pretreatment before starting of CPB showed relatively higher plasma IL-10 level than in control group, however, no statistical significance was noted (p=0.19). CONCLUSION: plasma level of IL-10 was increased in association with cardiopulmonary bypass and revealed peak at 10 min after ACC release. IL-10 level was correlated positively with ACC time. Therefore, systemic inflammatory respeonse in association with cardiopulmonary bypass could be decreased by reducing ACC time during cardiac surgery.
Anesthesia ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass* ; Constriction ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Cytokines ; Down-Regulation ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-10* ; Methylprednisolone ; Plasma ; Thoracic Surgery ; Transplants

Human assisted reproductive technology programs have been being developed marvelously during this decade. However, implantation rates following embryo replacement remain low, regardless of increased fertilization rates by ICSI. One proposed possibility limiting the successful implantation is an impaired hatching caused by suboptimal culture conditions. As to improve the hatching potential of blastocysts, assisted hatching by an artificial alteration of zona pellucida(ZP) have been done in many laboratories using the various methods. We tried to investigate whether the supplementation of proteases into culture media has any effect on development, zona structure, and/or hatching of mouse embryos. Supplementation of either pronase E(PE) or proteinase K(PK) in culture media did not affect development up to blastocyst but significantly increased hatching rate. And we observed the alteration of ultrastructure and casein binding properties of ZP in mouse embryos. Also we investigated the effects of protease on development of human embryos and pregnancy rates in human ART program. From July 1994 to December 1996, 792 cycles(for study I) and 1095 cycles(for study II) undergoing the IVF-ET program in MizMedi Hospital were randomly selected for BAH. The concentrations of proteases used in this study were 1microgram/ml PE, 0.1microgram/ml PK and 1microgram/mlPE+0.1microgram/ml PK in HTF with 0.5% human serum albumin(HSA), and in vitro fertilized embryos were cultured for 24 hours. We analyzed the efficiency and stability of biochemical assisted hatching(BAH) according to the clinical profiles of patients and fertilization methods. After cultured in HTF with proteases for 24 hours of human embryos, the thinning in zona pellucida of embryos was observed but its development was not disturbed. Also, clinical pregnancy rates were higher in the PE, PK and PE+PK groups than the control group without proteases(36.0%(32/89), 35.3%(36/102), 35.1%(39/111) vs. 25.5%(125/490), p<0.05). The live birth rate in the PE, PK and PE+PK groups were increased than control, and the abortion rate were not different. They were showed a effect and safety of proteases treatment in human embryos. We selected PE as BAH for study II because of slightly better embryonic morphology and pregnancy rate. In patients over 35 years old, clinical pregnancy rates of the BAH group was higher than that of the control group(31.4%(58/185) vs. 22.2%(51/230); p<0.05). And in the cases with few oocytes retrieval, or less than 3 cycles of IVF-ET, clinical pregnancy rates of the BAH group was significantly higher than that of the control group(36.8%(86/234) vs. 27.2%(93/342), p<0.05; 36.8%(148/402) vs. 29.9%(168/562), p<0.05). In BAH groups, the clinical pregnancy rate was similar between conventional IVF and ICSI group. From above results, it is suggested that improved hatching by protease treatment is due to physiological alteration of ZP structure, giving rise to the similar hatching process to that in vivo. We suggest that BAH using protease is a simple, safe and economic technique compared to the other known assisted hatching techniques in human ART program.
Abortion, Induced ; Adult ; Animals ; Blastocyst ; Caseins ; Culture Media ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Fertilization ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans* ; Live Birth ; Mice ; Oocytes ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pronase ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Zona Pellucida

Serological prenatal screening tests are widely used to detect fetal chromosomal abnormalities such as Down and Edward syndromes. Amniocentesis is conducted as a confirmatory test in the screening-positive case. After discovering of presence of fetal cell-free DNA in maternal blood, non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) coupled with next generation sequencing are performed in abroad. Results of genomics-based NIPT results supplied to Labgenomics laborotory from June, 2013 to August, 2014 were analyzed. Maternal blood samples were collected into specific Cell-Free DNA BCT tube and were transported. The samples were then delivered to Ariosa Diagnostics by FEDEX. Fetal cell-free DNA samples were analyzed using the Harmony test with sequencing of relevant chromosomes and by using the FORTE (fetal-fraction optimized risk of trisomy evaluation) algorism at Ariosa Diagnostics. In all, 149 cases from 28 medical clinics were analyzed. Six subjects were required recollection of samples because of a low fetal DNA fraction in the initially obtained samples. Of these 6 subjects, no sample could be collected from one. Of the remaining 148 cases, 144 had a low risk of trisomy, and 4 had a high risk for Down syndrome, thus providing a positivity percentage of 2.7%. Fetal DNA fraction in the maternal blood samples ranged from 4.2% to 23.7% with a mean value of 12.0%. We have experienced cases with a high risk for Down syndrome with genomics-based NIPT referred to abroad.
Amniocentesis ; Chromosome Aberrations ; DNA ; Down Syndrome ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Trisomy

In this paper, acknowledgments section was omitted unintentionally.

OBJECTIVES: Psychosocial treatment combined with pharmacological treatment has been established as one of the most important interventions for schizophrenia. However, it still does not show Editor's note: I was not certain whether you intended the highlighted text to convey "psychosocial treatment + pharmacological treatment is an important treatment" or "psychosocial treatment is an important treatment, and pharmacological treatment is also an important treatment." My edit reflects the former. If you actually intended the latter meaning, please change this sentence to read, "Psychosocial treatment has been established alongside pharmacological treatment as one of the most important interventions for schizophrenia." satisfactory results with regard to patients' social adjustment and independent living abilities. For this study, we reviewed the psychosocial treatment of schizophrenia: its therapeutic concepts, methods, effects of clinical application, and therapeutic limitations. METHODS: We searched four areas of the English website Pubmed: family therapy, social skills training, cognitive remediation, and vocational rehabilitation, which are the main psychosocial treatment areas for schizophrenia. RESULTS: Family therapy can reduce the relapse rate through psychoeducation, stress management, and behavioral intervention for family members when the therapy lasts longer than 9 months. This effect seems to last longer than 2 years. Social skills training allows patients to acquire specific skills but shows a relatively small effect on symptom improvement and relapse prevention. However, it is possible that social skills training has a lasting or generalized effect on the obtained skills if practiced long term (longer than 1 year). Basic neurocognitive function training shows a relatively small effect on social functioning, while additive and comprehensive social interventions, such as social cognition, social skill training, and context appraisal show a moderate effect on patients' social functioning. The success of vocational adjustment is related to premorbid functioning, negative symptoms, and cognitive functioning, and direct expert support can help patients' vocational functioning in the workplace. CONCLUSION: The psychosocial treatment of schizophrenia has many important achievements during the past 30 years. However, several limitations of each type of psychosocial therapy have been ascertained during this same period. Researchers in the field of psychosocial treatment for schizophrenia have recently been trying to find more efficient treatments, by correcting distortions of social cognition, combining various treatment modules, and attempting new therapeutic approaches to psychosocial treatment.
Achievement ; Cognition ; Family Therapy ; Humans ; Independent Living ; Recurrence ; Rehabilitation, Vocational ; Schizophrenia ; Social Adjustment

A giant hydronephrosis caused by ureteropelvic junction stricture in a 16-month-old male infant was presented. After the size and volume of giant hydronephrosis were estimated by retrograde pyelography, nephrectomy was performed. We report this case with review of literatures.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis* ; Infant ; Male ; Nephrectomy ; Urography

Renal agenesis is a relatively rare congenital anomaly. The frequent difficulty in establishing a definite diagnosis of renal agenesis is emphasized. Recently we experienced 2 cases of renal agenesis in 24-year-old male patients, so we report these 2 cases of renal agenesis with review of literatures.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Angiotensin II* ; Angiotensins* ; Animals ; Endocrine System* ; Rats*