The sense of smell is one of the essential tools for all living things to survive. With recent increase in diseases associated with olfactory dysfunction, the evaluation of olfactory function aims to shed light on the understanding and assessment of the human olfactory system. The methods for assessing the olfactory function are largely divided into electrophysiological and psychophysical methods. The psychophysical inspections such as University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), The Sniffin' Stick, and T & T Olfactometer are methods mostly based on questionnaires or simple apparatus. Those have been generally used in clinical and research field due to their relatively short examination time and low cost. The electrophysiological tests evaluate olfactory function based on objective measurements like biosignals and medical imaging. Compared to the psychophysical methods, they comparably have higher reliability and are possible to assess more specific diagnosis. However, the system configuration seems to be more complicated. In this paper, we review the overall evaluation methods of olfactory functions and suggest complementary points to improve conventional technologies.
Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Humans ; Olfaction Disorders ; Olfactometry ; Pennsylvania ; Smell* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Exercise testing with Thallium imaging is widely used for the noninvasive evaluation of patients suspected of having coronary artery disease. However, many patients referred for stress testing connot exercise adequately for either physical or psychological reasons, and as a result may have nondiagnostic or suboptimal test results. Intravenous dipyridamole in conjunction with Thallium imaging is as effective alternative method without exercise. But, myocardial imaging using the standard scintillation camera technique(planner view) is hampered by superposition of proximal & distal cardial walls and by the segmental nature of myocardial ischemia. For this reason, Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography(SPECT) reslut in high specificity & sensitivity rates for the detection of coronar artery disease compared with conventional technique. So we performed dipyridamole Th-201 myocardial scintigraphy on 25 subjects who have suspicious angina or myocardial infarction instead of exercise Th-201 myocardial scintigraphy, and compared SPECT view with conventional plannar view. The results obtained are as follows : 1) T1-201 scintigraphic findings in 17 patients with suspicious angina were as follows ; redistribution defect was seen in 4 cases in plannar view and 13 cases in SPECT view. 2) T1-201 scintigraphic findings in 8 patients with myocardial infarction were as follows ; in planner view, perfusion defect was seen in all cases and 1 cases of them, redistribution defect was accompained, and in SPECT view, perfusion defect was seen in all cases and 6 cases of them, redistribution defect was accompained. 3) During dipyridamole infusion, the mean systolic & diatolic pressure decreased from 133+/-22.7/86+/-13.5 to 121+/-23.9/78+/-13.1mmHg and the heart rate increased from 68+/-12.4 to 84+/-12.4beats/min. 4) Adverse effects of dipyridamole were noted in 14(56%) of the subjects, but in 12 of these, the symptoms were mild in severity and subsided spontanously. To summarize, Dipyridamole-201 myocardial imaging is a useful and test for coronary artery disease, and the new tomographic technique, SPECT view, is more useful than the conventional plannar view.
Arteries ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Dipyridamole* ; Exercise Test ; Gamma Cameras ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Myocardial Perfusion Imaging ; Perfusion Imaging* ; Perfusion* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thallium* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

OBJECTIVE: The goal of study is the evaluation of clinicofunctional outcomes and fusion success rates of unilateral posterior lumbar interbody fusion(PLIF) using cages. METHODS: The authors conducted retrospective study of 81 patients who underwent unilateral PLIF using cages. The outpatient notes, standard hospital charts, and pre-and postoperative imaging studies were analyzed. In this study pre-and postoperative back pain, radiating pain, fusion success rates, pseudoarthrosis, clinicofunctional outcome, and complications were evaluated. Follow-up duration ranged from 3 to 8 years. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients underwent unilateral PLIF using 98 cages(TFC:37, CH cage:25, Novus cage 36). Two-level fusion was performed in 17 patients. There were 48 men(59%) and 33 women(41%). Seventh decade was most common(47%). The most common site of PLIF was at L4-5 space(69.4%) and left side(58%) was prevalent. Fusion was successful in 91 out of 98 levels(92.8%) and pseudoarthrosis was observed in five patients(7 level, 7%). The clinicofunctional results by Prolo scale were as follows:good(score 8-10):80.3%, moderate(score 6-7):14.8%, poor(score 5 or less 5):4.9%. Device migration was observed in six cases:5(20%) of 25 CH cages and 1(2.8%) of 36 Novus cages. CONCLUSION: Unilateral PLIF using cage is one of method to decrease the rates of iatrogenic complications in patient of unilateral symptomatic spinal instability while preserving normal anatomic structures with good fusion success rates and clinicofunctional results after surgery.
Back Pain ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Pseudarthrosis ; Retrospective Studies

The mucus secretion of airway glands is known to be controlled by the various autonomic neurotransmitters such as noradrenalin and acetylcholine. However, a recent study suggests that non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) nerves may contribute to the secretory activity of glands. Substance P (SP) has been proposed as a neurotransmitter of the NANC nervous system. SP is present within nerve fibers innervating the airway mucosa and is known to be released from sensory nerves via an axonal reflex. SP activity is controlled by neutral endopeptidase (NEP) which degrades SP. In this study, we evaluated the effects of NEP inhibitor (thiorphan) and substance P on nasal mucosa and histamine on the nasal mucosa in healthy males. In the thiorphan-substance P experimental group, the nasal volume decreased after nebulization of substance P in proportion to the concentration of histamine. In the thiorphan-substance P experimental group, the frequency of sneezing increased in proportion to the concentration of histamine, but there was no increased frequency of sneezing from thiorphan, SP and normal saline. The results of this study suggest that axonal reflexes can play a role in the pathogenesis of nasal mucosal hypersensitivity and neurogenic inflammation.
Acetylcholine ; Axons* ; Histamine ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Mucus ; Nasal Mucosa ; Neprilysin ; Nerve Fibers ; Nervous System ; Neurogenic Inflammation ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Reflex* ; Sneezing ; Substance P* ; Thiorphan

OBJECTIVES: In an effort to improve hearing aid users’ satisfaction, recent studies on trainable hearing aids have attempted to implement one or two environmental factors into training. However, it would be more beneficial to train the device based on the owner’s personal preferences in a more expanded environmental acoustic conditions. Our study aimed at developing a trainable hearing aid algorithm that can reflect the user’s individual preferences in a more extensive environmental acoustic conditions (ambient sound level, listening situation, and degree of noise suppression) and evaluated the perceptual benefit of the proposed algorithm. METHODS: Ten normal hearing subjects participated in this study. Each subjects trained the algorithm to their personal preference and the trained data was used to record test sounds in three different settings to be utilized to evaluate the perceptual benefit of the proposed algorithm by performing the Comparison Mean Opinion Score test. RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed that of the 10 subjects, four showed significant differences in amplification constant settings between the noise-only and speech-in-noise situation (P<0.05) and one subject also showed significant difference between the speech-only and speech-in-noise situation (P<0.05). Additionally, every subject preferred different β settings for beamforming in all different input sound levels. CONCLUSION: The positive findings from this study suggested that the proposed algorithm has potential to improve hearing aid users’ personal satisfaction under various ambient situations.
Acoustics ; Classification ; Hearing Aids* ; Hearing* ; Humans ; Noise ; Patient Preference ; Personal Satisfaction ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

In order to obtain more accurate pathological diagosis of the angiographically occult vascular malformations(AOVM) of the brain in the future and to examine the clinical, and radiological characteristics and management outcome of the AOVM, the authors retrospectively reviewed the 30 cases of AOVM in which patients were treated at our instituition during the past 11-year period. The pathological specimens were reexamined, and the lesions were reclassified according to the strict histopathological criteria. The clinical characteristics, radiological features, the difference between the clinical and pathological diagnosis and the management results were studied. There were 15 males and 15 females. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 31 years, ranging from 3 months to 74 years. The clinical diagnosis were arteriovenous malformation(AVM) in 18 cases, cavernous angioma in 11 and mixed lesion in 1. The pathologic diagnosis was AVM in 14 cases, cavernous angioma in 2, and unclassified lesion in 12. The common presenting symptoms were hemorrhage(53.3%), seizure(20.0%) and mass lesions(20.0%). Twenty four lesions were located at the supratentorial region, 4 at cerebellum and 2 at pons. Most of the lesions were revealed as high density masses with minimal or no contrast enhancement on CT and a core of mixed signal intensity with a peripheral low signal intensity rim on T2-weight MRI. Preoperative clinically significant recurrent hemorrhages were noted in 8 cases and one of them showed marked deterioration of the neurological functions a result of recurrent hemorrhage. Twenty-eight patients underwent surgery and all except one improved neurologically. Six patients initially presented with seizure showed improvement in seizure frequency after operation. One patient who had the lesion at the pons was managed by a radiosurgery and one patient who refused surgery was managed by a conservative method. The conservatively managed patient and another patient who was not found AVM at the hematoma cavity during initial operation rebled about 2 years later following diagnosis and surgery. Thse findings suggest that the complete microsurgical excision, which prevents rebleeding and suppresses seizure activity, represents the treatment of choice for patients with clinically symptomatic AOVM. Avoiding the injury of the vascular mass, obtaining sufficient biopsy specimen during surgery, together with careful histopathological observation of operative specimens through complete clinical-radiological-pathological context are necessary to obtain more accurate pathological diagnosis.
Arteriovenous Malformations ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Cerebellum ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Pathology ; Pons ; Radiosurgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures ; Vascular Malformations*

OBJECTIVE: Most cases of syringomyelia with arachnoid scarring were related to spinal trauma or inflammatory reaction. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of arachnoid scarring on the altered dynamics of cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) and determine the proper treatment. METHODS: Between Jan 1991 and Dec 2001, We have operated on 15 patients with progressive neurological deficits associated with syringomyelia. We analyze the clinical presentations, radiographic and magnetic resonance images. RESULTS: As to cause of syringomyelia, 11 patients were related with trauma and 4 patients were tuberculous meningitis. Shunting procedures underwent in 11 patients and 5 showed clinical improvement. Subarachnoid adhesiolysis and expansile duraplasty were performed in 4 patients and 3 experienced clinical improvement. The 6 patients with shunting procedures were neurologically deteriorated and 4 were reoperated. CONCLUSION: The arachnoid scarring interferes with CSF flow and causes syringomyelia. Successful long-term outcome in the surgical treatment of syringomyelia caused by focal arachnoid scar appeared to require microsurgical dissection of scar and expansile duroplasty. For extensive arachnoid scarring over multiple spinal levels or after previous surgery, shunting procedure may be indicated only.
Arachnoid* ; Arachnoiditis* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Cicatrix ; Humans ; Syringomyelia* ; Tuberculosis, Meningeal

The effect of Pheniramine(Avil), a histaminergic-1 receptor blocking agent presently employed in treating various allergic diseases on pressor actions of norepinephring(NE) and tyramine (TR) was studied in the rabbit. Pheniramine, when given into a femoral vein with a dose(3mg/kg) enough to block H1-receptor, potentiated markedly the pressor responses of NE and TR. The pressor action of NE augmented by pheniramine was not affected by additional adminstration of debrisoquin (Drenergic neuron blocker) or phenelzine(monoamine oxidase inhibitor) or desipramine(U1-uptake blocker), or while potentiated by additional treatment with chlorisondamine(ganglionic blocker)or reserpine(catecholamine depleter). The hypertensive response of NE to phenelzine or desipramine was reinforced significantly by addition of pheniramine, but the response of NE in rabbits treated with reserpine or chlorisondamine or debrisoquin was not influenced by pheniramine-addition. Elevation of blood pressure to TR potentiated by pheniramine was attenuated significantly by reserpine treatment with chlorisondamine made the significant augmentation of pressor action to TR after pheniramine. Tyramine-induced response of blood pressure after pheniramine, but the response of blood pressure to TR caused by phenelzine or desipramine was enhanced markedly by pheniramine-treatment. From the above experimental results, it is thought that the pressor effect of NE and TR potentiated by pheniramine is similar to that of debrisoquin, i.e. the sensitization of effector cell, and that central action of pheniramine can not ruled out.
Blood Pressure ; Chlorisondamine ; Debrisoquin ; Desipramine ; Femoral Vein ; Neurons ; Norepinephrine* ; Oxidoreductases ; Phenelzine ; Pheniramine ; Rabbits ; Reserpine ; Tyramine*

A case of plasma cell granuloma in the right lateral ventricle simulating a meningioma of a 24-year-old man which was totally removed is presented. Plasma cell granuloma is a rare nonneoplastic lesion of unknown etiology which exclusively occurs in the lung. However on review of the English literature, only four prior cases of extrapulmonary plasma cell granulomas in the central nervous system have been reported.
Central Nervous System ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell* ; Humans ; Lateral Ventricles ; Lung ; Meningioma ; Plasma Cells* ; Plasma* ; Young Adult

In this study, we investigated where the sex differences of object-location binding memory performance were influenced by the cognitive load. We used the fractal objects version of the ‘What was where?’ task to measure object memory, location memory and objection-location binding memory. Cognitive load was controlled by task difficulty presented two sessions: one session randomly displayed three or four fractal objects (Session 34) and the other session four or five objects (Session 45). The results showed that females outperformed males on object-location binding memory. Interestingly, even when the four object trials were compared between Session 34 and Session 45, in which we believed that the level of difficulty was similar while cognitive load varied, the swap error of males was significantly increased in Session 45 compared to females. In conclusion, there may be sex differences in object-location binding memory and the males could be more sensitive about the cognitive load than females.
Female ; Fractals ; Humans ; Male ; Memory* ; Sex Characteristics*