No abstract available.
Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver*

OBJECTIVE: Under the hypothesis that activated brain regions of patients with schizophrenia differ from those of normal subjects during memory task performance, this study was aimed to investigate topographic changes related to memory functions in schizophrenia. METHOD: Subjects of this study consisted of 20 unmedicated patients with schizophrenia and 19 normal controls who were matched for age, sex, and handedness. Quantitative EEG(QEEG) with 32 channels was recorded with eyes closed(EEG0) and open(EEG1) in a resting condition and during computerized verbal encoding(EEG2) and recognition(EEG3) tasks. RESULTS: During EEG1, 2, and 3, there was a decrease in alpha activity in both groups compared to EEG0 and the change in alpha activity of patients was significantly lesser than normal controls in the occipital region. Pairwise comparison showed that the alpha activity of normal controls significantly increased from EEG1 to EEG2 in the parietal region and from EEG1 to EEG3 in all regions except both frontal regions while those of patients did not change. The beta activity of normal controls significantly increased from EEG1 to EEG2 in both temporal regions and from EEG1 to EEG3 in the frontal, temporal, and parietal regions while those of patients significantly increased only in the parieto-occipital region. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and thalamus are not appropriately activated during memory tasks in schizophrenia. It may be proposed that the learing of visually presented words in patients with schizophrenia depends on distinct memory process such as priming.
Brain ; Electroencephalography* ; Frontal Lobe ; Functional Laterality ; Humans ; Memory Disorders ; Memory* ; Rabeprazole ; Schizophrenia* ; Task Performance and Analysis* ; Temporal Lobe ; Thalamus

No abstract available.
Genes, ras* ; Humans*

Apert syndrome is an uncommon congenital disorder characterized by malformation of the skull, most often acrocephaly or oxycephaly, in association with symmetrical syndactyly of both hands and feet. It is due to a disturbance in the growth of bone and soft tissue, affecting principally the head, hands, and feet. Recently we experienced a typical Apert syndrome expressed only in one neonate of dizygotic twin.
Acrocephalosyndactylia* ; Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities ; Craniosynostoses ; Foot ; Hand ; Head ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Skull ; Syndactyly ; Twins, Dizygotic*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of functional MR imaging(fMRI) for language mapping and determination of language lateralization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Functional maps of the language area were obtained during word generation tasks and decision task in ten volunteers(7 right handed, 3 left-handed). MR examination were performed at 1.5T scanner with EPI BOLD technique. Each task consisted of three resting periods and two activation periods with each period of 30 seconds. Total acquisition time was 162sec. SPM program was used for the postprocessing of images. Statistical comparisons were performed by using t-statistics on a pixel-by-pixel basis after global normalization by ANCOVA. Activation areas were topographically analyzed(p<0.001) and activated pixels in each hemisphere were compared quantitatively by lateralization index. RESULTS: Significant activation signals were demonstrated in 9 of 10 volunteers. Activation signals were found in the premotor and motor cortices, the inferior frontal, inferior parietal, and mid-temporal lobes during stimulation tasks. In the right handed seven volunteers, activation of language areas was lateralized to the left side. Verb generation task produced stronger activation in the language areas and higher value of lateralization index than noun generation task or decision task. CONCLUSION: fMRI could be a useful non-invasive method for language mapping and determination of language dominance.
Brain ; Hand ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Rabeprazole ; Volunteers

OBJECTIVES: The attentional deficit is a core symptom in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The major brain areas related to attention are frontal and parietal lobes. Abnormalities of frontal and parietal lobes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have been reported in previous researches. But, most of the researches are based on comparing patients and controls while they are in resting condition. Further research on funtional changes related to performance of attentional task is needed to understand the attentional dysfuntion in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In this study, the localized functional changes of the brains related to attentional task in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the differences of them between patients and normal controls were examined. Also the effect of the methylphenidate on functional changes related to attentional task in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was examined. METHOD: Quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) was applied to examine the fuctional changes related to attentional task. Subjects of this study consisted of 20 patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and 20 controls who were matched age, sex, handedness, intelligence. QEEG was recorded on eye open resting condition, and on performing computerized attentional task. In cases of patients, after taking of methylphenidate, QEEG was recorded on both conditions. RESULTS: 1)In attention test, normal controls had better scores in response time and variabilities of response time than those of patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder without taking methylphenidate. After taking medication, scores of omission, response time and variabilities of response time were significantly improved, comparing to scores without taking medication. No differences were recognized between the controls and patients with taking medication in scores of attention test. 2)In resting condition, spectral EEG revealed baseline activity levels of patients were significantly increased comparing to those of controls. 3)Analysis of delta wave revealed that amplitudes of controls were significantly elevated in parieto-occipital area during performance of attentional task. But in patients, localized activated area related to attentional task was not remarkable. 4)Theta activity of controls were significantly elevated in right frontal, right temporal, and both parieto-occipital areas during performance of attentional task. But in patients without taking medication, localized activated area related to attentional work was not remarkable. After taking medication, right frontal, right temporal, and both parieto-occipital areas were significantly activated. 5)Alpha activities of controls were significantly increased in parieto-occipital area during performance of attentional task, but those of patients without taking medication were increased in broad area. 6)Beta activities of controls were significantly increased in frontal area during attentional performance, but those of patients without taking medication were significantly increased in most of the brain areas. After taking medication, significantly increased activities related to attentional task were recognized in left frontal, and both temporal areas. Localized activated patterns similar to those of controls were recognized. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this research, it is suggested that patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have increased baseline brain activity. In controls, brains showed localized response to a attentional stimuli, and functional changes related to attentional stimuli were recognized in frontal, and parieto-occipital areas. But, patients failed in showing appropriate localized activated response to attentional stimuli. It is concluded that frontal and parieto-occipital areas have some deficit responsible for the attentional dysfunction of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ; Brain ; Electroencephalography ; Frontal Lobe ; Functional Laterality ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Methylphenidate ; Parietal Lobe ; Reaction Time

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify differences in thinking between schizophrenic patients and healthy subjects with linguistic-philosophical approach and to develop a tool to measure pathological thinking. METHODS: Approximately 50 cards(pictures of either representational or abstract sculptures and paintings) from the previous experiment(1997) were carefully examined and 10 cards were selected based on their variety and promptness of the response. Twenty-four schizophrenic patients and 19 healthy subjects participated in this experiment. Participants were required to give a title to each picture. Their responses were analysed based on the forms of thinking, abstractness(or concreteness) and the category of the title. Each response was also coded either direct or indirect. RESULTS: 1) Schizophrenic patients emitted more direct and simple descriptive responses whereas healthy subjects showed projection-related direct traits, indirect traits, indirect association and generalization. 2) Both groups tended to utilize the whole rather than parts. Schizophrenic group depended more on the whole pictures than healthy group. Healthy subjects showed more generalization tendency with parts. 3) Both groups preferred concrete titles to abstract ones. Schizophrenic group(95.3%) used more concrete titles than healthy group(71.4%) and healthy group(28.65%) used more abstract titles than schizophrenic group(4.7%). 4) Schizophrenic patients(73.5%) showed more directness in thinking than healthy subjects, whereas healthy subjects(58.7%) more indirectness. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Schizophrenic patients clearly showed direct and simple forms of thinking and expressive language, lacking reasoning, and systematic processing. Additionally, schizophrenic patients simply responded to the whole and used concrete and direct expression. 2) Replication study is warranted to improve reliability and validity of the tool we developed. Research on individual differences needs to be conducted to measure differences among individuals and change over time in an individual. 3) Further study on the factors which might be related to forms of thinking and language expressions, such as intelligence is warranted.
Generalization (Psychology) ; Humans ; Individuality ; Intelligence ; Reproducibility of Results ; Schizophrenia ; Sculpture ; Thinking

PURPOSE: The water exchange rate between bulk water and bound water is an important parameter in deciding the efficiency of paramagnetic contrast agents. In this study, we evaluated the water exchange rates of various Gd-chelates using oxygen-17 NMR technique. MATERIAL AND MEHTODS: The samples (Gd-DTPA, Gd-DTPA-BMA, Gd-DOTA, Gd-EOB-DTPA) were prepared by mixing 5% (17)O-enriched water (Isotech, USA). The pH of the samples was adjusted to physiological value (pH=7.0) by buffer solution. The variable temperature (17)O-NMR measurements were performed using Bruker-600 (14.1 T, 81.3 MHz) spectrometer. Bruker VT-1000 temperature control units were used to stabilize the temperature. The (17)O spin-spin relaxation times (T2) were measured using Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) pulse sequence with 24 echo trains. The variable temperature T2 relaxation data were then fitted into Solomon-Bloembergen equations using least square fit algorithm to estimate the water exchange times. RESULTS: From the measured (17)O-NMR relaxation rates, the determined water exchange rates at 300K are : 0.42 microsecond for Gd-DTPA, 1.99 microsecond for Gd-DTPA-BMA, 0.27 microsecond for Gd-DOTA, and 0.11 microsecond for Gd-EOB-DTPA. The Gd-DTPA-BMA showed slowest exchange whereas Gd-EOB-DTPA had fastest water exchange rate. In addition, it was found that the water exchange rates of all samples had exponential temperature dependence with different decay constant. CONCLUSION: (17)O-NMR relaxation rate measurements, when combined with variable temperature technique, provide a solid tool for studying water exchange rate, which is very important in investigating the detailed mechanism of relaxation enhancement effect of the paramagnetic contrast agents.
Contrast Media* ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Relaxation

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia is one of a recently described idiopathic eosinophilic lung disease, which differs from chronic eosinophilic pneumonia. Patients with acute eosinophilic pneumonia develop acute onset of dyspnea, hypoxemia, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates and pleural effusion on chest radiograph, and show an increase in number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid or lung biopsy specimen. Prompt and complete response to corticosteroid therapy without any recurrence is characteristically seen in patient with this disease. Although the etiology of acute eosinophilic pneumonia is not known, it has been suggested to be related to a hypersensitivity phenomenon to an unidentified inhaled antigen. We report four cases of acute eosinophilic pneumonia presented with acute onset of dyspnea, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates on chest radiograph, and eosinophilia in bronchoalveolar lavage.'luid in previously healthy adults.
Adult ; Anoxia ; Biopsy ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Dyspnea ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Pleural Effusion ; Pulmonary Eosinophilia* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Recurrence

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia is one of a recently described idiopathic eosinophilic lung disease, which differs from chronic eosinophilic pneumonia. Patients with acute eosinophilic pneumonia develop acute onset of dyspnea, hypoxemia, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates and pleural effusion on chest radiograph, and show an increase in number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid or lung biopsy specimen. Prompt and complete response to corticosteroid therapy without any recurrence is characteristically seen in patient with this disease. Although the etiology of acute eosinophilic pneumonia is not known, it has been suggested to be related to a hypersensitivity phenomenon to an unidentified inhaled antigen. We report four cases of acute eosinophilic pneumonia presented with acute onset of dyspnea, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates on chest radiograph, and eosinophilia in bronchoalveolar lavage.'luid in previously healthy adults.
Adult ; Anoxia ; Biopsy ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Dyspnea ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Pleural Effusion ; Pulmonary Eosinophilia* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Recurrence