OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to assess the possible involvement of the dopamine D5 receptor gene(DRD5) in the etiology of schizophrenia. METHODS: We identified the distribution of the T978C varient of the dopamine D5 receptor gene in 100 schizophrenics and 100 normal controls in Korean population, and evaluated the association between two groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in genotype frequency of T978C variation and genotype prevalence of homozygotes between schizophrenic and control groups. There was no significant difference in T978C allele frequencies between schizophrenic and control groups. CONCLUSION: We present evidence of a lack of allelic association between the exonic common polymorphism of the dopamine D5 receptor gene and Korean schizophrenic patients. The assumption that the T978C varient of the dopamine D5 receptor gene has a genetic role in the development of schizophrenia was not examined by this case-control study. However, because it is considered that DRD5 may act as the expression factor for the symptoms of schizophrenia or affect the difference in an individual's susceptibility to the disease, future studies to investigate the influence of other variations of DRD5 are needed.
Case-Control Studies ; Dopamine* ; Exons ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Receptors, Dopamine D5* ; Schizophrenia

Kimura's disease is an uncommon, chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. It is an important category of reactive lymphadenopathy in the oriental population. The most common sites are the subcutis of the head and neck, and parotid gland. It's clinical course is benign nature. The treatment modalities for this disease are steroid therapy, radiation therapy and surgical excision. We experienced a case of soft tissue mass in the left arm. It was slightly tender and relatively movable. We excised the mass, which was turned out to be Kimura's disease on microscopic examination.
Arm ; Head ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Neck ; Parotid Gland

BACKGROUND: The Korean HHBES, conducted in July 1995, was a nationwide population-based survey of the health and health-seeking behavior of Koreans. Prevalence of significant depressive symptomatology was measured by the Korean version of CES-D. METHOD: The Korean HHBES used a complex, multistage, stratified, clustered sampling scheme as a national probability sample. Using 1990 National Census data, 110 Primary Sampling Units were selected out of 185,149 sampling units in whole country after stratification by region. Of the 1,258 elderly aged 55 to 69 years who were sampled, 628 persons completed the CES-D. The response rate was 50%. RESULT: The caseness rates of cutoff score 16 (probable depression) and cutoff score 25 (definite depression), were 25.28 (male 19.10, female 29.32) and 10.81 (male 7.20, female 13.42). And mean CES-D score was 11.03. Women had significantly higher CES-D caseness rates than men (odds ration (O.R.)=1.227,95% confidence interval (C.I.) 0.793-1.901). Respondents without education also had higher rates than did respondents experienced any educational level (O.R.=1.442,95% C.I. 0.941-2.21). Respondents in disrupted marital status also had higher rates than did respondents with spouses (O.R.=1.362, 95% C.I. 0.885-2.168). Current employment seemed not to be a risk of depressive symptomatology in the elderly (O.R.=1.01,95% C.I. 0.624-1.636). Persons earning less than one million won a month had rates more than 6 times as high as any of the other income categories (O.R.=6.138, 95% C.I. 1.545-27.668). There were no clear trends in the area and age. CONCLUSION: Poverty was the only statistically significant risk factor of depression in Korean elderlys. One possible hypothesis is that poor health, physical disability, and social isolation are the major factors responsible for the observed inverse relationship between income and symptoms of depression in economically disadvantaged older populations. Much attention has to be paid to poor elderlys from the standpoint of mental health for the elderly.
Aged* ; Censuses ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Depression ; Education ; Employment ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Marital Status ; Mental Health ; Odds Ratio ; Poverty ; Prevalence* ; Risk Factors* ; Sampling Studies ; Social Isolation ; Spouses ; Vulnerable Populations

PURPOSE: Sequence variants in the cell cycle checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2 1100delC) are associated with an increased risk for breast cancer in women carrying this mutation. It is a lowpenetrance breast cancer susceptibility allele, frequently observed in patients with a family history of breast cancer and/or young age, with the frequency varying according to race or ethnicity. In this study, we evaluated the significance of CHEK2 1100delC in predisposition to breast cancer by assessing its frequency in material from 101 Korean women patients with early-onset breast cancer. METHODS: One hundred and one Korean patients with earlyonset breast cancer (40 yr old or younger) were selected for this study. All the patients had been screened for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and 14 patients had deleterious mutations. Of the 101 patients entered for this study, 14 had family history of breast cancer and 7 had bilateral breast cancers. Mutation detection of CHEK2 1100delC was based on analysis of primer extension products generated from previously-amplified genomic DNA using a chip based MALDI-TOP mass spectrometry platform (Sequenom, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA). RESULTS: None of the 101 Korean patients with a family history of breast cancer and early-onset breast cancer who were candidates for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 test carried the 1100 delC mutation, which is observed in Caucasians with limited frequency. CONCLUSION: We previously observed higher or comparable prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in Korean patients with breast cancer compared to Caucasians. However, the CHEK2 1100delC mutation is absent or infrequent in Korean patients with breast cancer who have a high risk of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, making its screening irrelevant.
Alleles ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Continental Population Groups ; DNA ; Female ; Humans ; Lifting ; Mass Screening ; Mass Spectrometry ; Phosphotransferases ; Prevalence ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases

PURPOSE: To study inter- and intra-observer reliabilities of computerized measurements of the angular parameters of hallux valgus deformity, using two different kinds of software tools for angle measurement on the digital radiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: On 35 digital radiographies of standing foot anteroposterior view of hallux valgus, two observers (A, B) independently measured hallux valgus angle (HVA) and 1-2 intermetatarsal angle (IMA1-2) twice, using two methods. In method I, an angle was determined from duplicated lines to longitudinal axes made for bisecting line on the target bones with software tool. In method II, an angle was calculated automatically and directly from bisecting lines (longitudinal axes) made on the target bones. We compared two methods using paired t-test to determine significance of differences. Inter- and intra-observer reliabilities were evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between measurements of method I and II for each observer (p>0.05) and intraobserver reliability were good. (ICC>0.9) Inter-observer reliability for method I and II was good of the HVA (ICCs, 0.912 and 0.905) and moderate of the IMA1-2 (ICCs, 0.505 and 0.537). There were interobserver differences in HVA of method I and II. CONCLUSION: No significant difference was found statistically between measurements of method I and II. Both methods I and II would be acceptable to measure angular parameters of hallux valgus deformity.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Foot ; Hallux ; Hallux Valgus ; Software

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to define the genetic relationship between the micro-satellite (CT/GT/GA)n polymorphism for the dopamine D5 receptor gene and schizophrenia. An association study in 100 schizophrenic patients and 100 normal controls of Korea was made by means of using polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The microsatellite(D5(CT/GT/GA)n) had 11 alleles. There was a significant difference in the allele distribution between schizophrenia and normal controls(p<0.05). In schizophrenic patients, the frequency of allele A10 was decreased. As to the genotype distribution, there was no difference in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: This finding suggests that dopamine D5 gene is likely to be related to the development of schizophrenia in Korea but with only this result, we cannot come to the conclusion that this genetic locus is the genetic determinant of schizophrenia. Further studies of dopamine D5 receptor genetic locus that can confirm this result should be made.
Alleles ; Dopamine* ; Genetic Loci ; Genotype ; Humans ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Dopamine D5* ; Schizophrenia*

PURPOSE: Endourological management of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) has gained increased acceptance with high procedural success rates and low morbidity being reported. It has been suggested that Acucise endopyelotomy should be the procedure of choice for patients with UPJO. The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of the Acucise balloon for the treatment of ureteral strictures and UPJO. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 2004 and June 2005, 13 consecutive patients (8 primary and 5 secondary cases of UPJO) underwent Acucise endopyelotomy at our institution. The preoperative evaluation included ultrasound and/or intravenous urogram with diuretic renography. The success of the procedure was based on objective radiologic improvement and the subjective resolution of symptoms. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 6.77+/-3.83 months (range: 3-14). The mean operating time was 64.23+/-34.87 min and the mean hospital stay was 4.15+/-2.44 days. The objective success rate was 61.5% and the subjective success rate was 69.2%. There were no major complications such as vascular injury requiring transfusion. Yet a small urinoma developed in one patient. Of the 5 objective failures, 3 patients have since successfully undergone open pyeloplasty. CONCLUSIONS: In this small series, Acucise endopyelotomy is a safe and minimally invasive procedure that offered effective first-line treatment for UPJO, although multicenter randomized trials are needed to make a better comparison with the other techniques.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Radioisotope Renography ; Ultrasonography ; Ureter* ; Ureteral Obstruction ; Urinoma ; Urologic Surgical Procedures ; Vascular System Injuries

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is related with energy expenditure, in contrary to fat-storing white adipose tissue. Recent studies have shown that cold exposure could be related with the expression of BAT in adult subjects assessed by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET). In addition, the application in previous clinical trials showed positive effect of xanthigen containing fucoxanthin and punicic acid on body weight and liver fat content. In this short-term intervention study, we evaluated the effect of xanthigen on the expression of BAT by 18F-FDG PET. Two healthy obese premenopausal women were enrolled and xanthigen 600 mg (2 capsules including fucoxanthin 3 mg, punicic acid 174 mg) was given for 3 months without dietary and exercise intervention. Body composition and dietary intake were assessed monthly. Laboratory test and 18F-FDG PET were performed before and after intervention. After intervention, there was neither weight reduction nor remarkable laboratory change. However, BAT, assessed by 18F-FDG PET, was detected in both cervical, supraclavicular and paravertebral space in one subject, even though her body weight showed mild increase. This result suggested that xanthigen can induce BAT in a healthy adult. However, a further large well-controlled study is needed.

Encephalomalacia is a spongiform white matter change, which consists of rarefaction, vacuoles, larger cavities, and sometimes coalesces into cysts. We experienced a 14-year-old male with cystic encephalomalacia developed after cerebral infarction associated with hypertensive encephalopathy. Hypertensive encephalopathy is related to edema within the cerebral white matter. He visited another hospital because of generalized seizure, and his blood pressure was 180/100 mmHg. Nifedipine was given immediately, but seizure couldn't be controlled, so he was transferred to our hospital for further evaluation. When he arrived, his BP was 130/80mmHg. Initial laboratory findings were hematuria, proteinuria, decreased C3, and increased ASO. We diagnosed the encephalopathy as a complication of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis. On the first day, hypodense lesion in white matter of left parietal lobe showed on the brain CT, suggesting cerebral edema. On the 20th day, there was strong enhancement in the same site, suggesting cerebral infarction on Gd-DTPA enhanced T1WI. After 7 months, on follow-up MRI scan, we found the encephalomalatic change. The cause of encephalomalacia was presumed to be a rapid lowering of BP in the initial treatment. We report this very rare case with a brief review of some related literatures.
Adolescent ; Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Brain Edema ; Cerebral Infarction ; Edema ; Encephalomalacia* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Glomerulonephritis ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hypertensive Encephalopathy* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Nifedipine ; Parietal Lobe ; Proteinuria ; Seizures ; Vacuoles

Encephalomalacia is a spongiform white matter change, which consists of rarefaction, vacuoles, larger cavities, and sometimes coalesces into cysts. We experienced a 14-year-old male with cystic encephalomalacia developed after cerebral infarction associated with hypertensive encephalopathy. Hypertensive encephalopathy is related to edema within the cerebral white matter. He visited another hospital because of generalized seizure, and his blood pressure was 180/100 mmHg. Nifedipine was given immediately, but seizure couldn't be controlled, so he was transferred to our hospital for further evaluation. When he arrived, his BP was 130/80mmHg. Initial laboratory findings were hematuria, proteinuria, decreased C3, and increased ASO. We diagnosed the encephalopathy as a complication of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis. On the first day, hypodense lesion in white matter of left parietal lobe showed on the brain CT, suggesting cerebral edema. On the 20th day, there was strong enhancement in the same site, suggesting cerebral infarction on Gd-DTPA enhanced T1WI. After 7 months, on follow-up MRI scan, we found the encephalomalatic change. The cause of encephalomalacia was presumed to be a rapid lowering of BP in the initial treatment. We report this very rare case with a brief review of some related literatures.
Adolescent ; Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Brain Edema ; Cerebral Infarction ; Edema ; Encephalomalacia* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Glomerulonephritis ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hypertensive Encephalopathy* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Nifedipine ; Parietal Lobe ; Proteinuria ; Seizures ; Vacuoles