No abstract available.
Family Practice* ; Humans

Oxybutynin chloride was administered intravesically in 7 spinal cord injury patients with persistent incontinence and frequent side effects on oral medication. Five mg tablets were dissolved in 20 ml normal saline, and the solution was instilled twice daily and retained for 30 minutes. All patients reported subjective improvement following treatment and all became totally continent. No side effects were observed. In urodynamic study mean bladder capacity increased from 250 to 400ml(P = 0.005) and mean maximum filling pressure decreased from 25 to 18cmH2O (P = 0.283). In conclusion treatment with intravesical oxybutynin chloride can be effective in spinal cord injury patients who either are unresponsive to or have intolerable side effects on oral medication.
Administration, Intravesical ; Humans ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Tablets ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic ; Urodynamics

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate and approximate the prevalence of paranasal sinusitis in the Korean general population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The initial sample group included 586 patients referred for cranial computed tomography (CT) for the evaluation of head injuries and post-traumatic headache. Of 586 subjects, 73 patients showing cranial fracture lines on CT were excluded from the statistics. The subject population was made up of 316 (61.6%) men and 197 (38.4%) women. The sample group had the age range of 1-83years (median age: 27years). Any mucosal thickening of sinuses on CT was regarded as radiologic sinus abnormality. The degree of opacification in each sinus group was classified either as mild (the opacification of less than a third of a sinus cavity), moderate (a third to two thirds), or severe (more than two thirds). RESULTS: Radiologic abnormality in one or more sinuses were found in 186 (36.3%) of the 513 subjects. The male predominence was noted since 43.4% was the male population as opposed to 24.9% (p<0.001) of the female population. Children (40.9%) were more frequently involved than adults (34.6%); however, the difference was not statistically significant. Sample groups were identified according to three different degrees of abnormality, such as mild (15.4%), moderate (11.3%) and severe (9.6%). Ethmoid sinus (26.7%) was most commonly involved, followed by the maxillary sinus (22.8%), sphenoid sinus (9.0%), and frontal sinus (6.9%). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that there is a high prevalence (36.3%) of radiologic abnormalities of the paranasal sinus in the general Korean population. The authors suggest to correlate the radiologic findings with the clinical symptoms and signs when deciding on the final diagnosis and treatment of sinusitis.
Adult ; Child ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Diagnosis ; Ethmoid Sinus ; Female ; Frontal Sinus ; Head* ; Humans ; Male ; Maxillary Sinus ; Post-Traumatic Headache ; Prevalence* ; Sinusitis ; Sphenoid Sinus

BACKGROUND: Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) play key roles during T cell-dependent humoral immune responses by allowing antigen-specific B cells to survive, proliferate, and differentiate within the FDC networks of secondary follicles, i.e., germinal centers (GC). METHODS: A novel monoclonal antibody, 3C8, was generated by immunizing with an FDC line HK, in order to understand the molecular signals involved in the FDC-B cell interactions in the microenvironment of the GC. RESULTS: The 3C8 antibody did not bind to mononuclear cells, including T cells, B cells, and monocytes. Murine L929 and human skin fibroblasts exhibited no or little reactivity to 3C8. However, 3C8 specifically recognized HK cells by flowcytometry. Furthermore, the antigen recognized by 3C8 was restricted to the GC of the human tonsil. Dendritic networks of the GC were intensely stained by 3C8, but cells out side the GC were not. CONCLUSION: Our result s suggest that the antigen 3C8 may play some unique role on FDCs during the GC reactions.
B-Lymphocytes ; Cell Communication ; Dendritic Cells, Follicular* ; Fibroblasts ; Germinal Center ; Humans ; Immunity, Humoral ; Monocytes ; Palatine Tonsil ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes

Cortical dysplasia(CD) represents a spectrum of neuropathologic changes reflecting a derangement of the normal process of neocortical development. We have presented 32 patients who underwent cortical recectiom for intractable seizures and demonstrated the neuropathologic features, which could be explained by a disturbance in the process of neural development in the farm. It could be characterized by light microscopic features: cortical laminar disorganization, neurons in the molecular layer, subpial re=ants of granule calls, remnants of marginal glioneuronal heterotopia, neuronal heterotopia in the white matter, polymicrogyria, neuronal cytomegaly and balloon cell change. Even though cortical dyslamimtion was the consistent finding of all the cases, the neuronal cytomegaly and balloon cell change were diagnostic hallmarks in the study. The cytomegatic neurons were strongly reactive to silver impregration and to immunohistochemical marrkers of neurons, such as neurofilament protein (NF, 68 and 200 kDa) and neuron-specific enolase(NSE). They showed hypertrophic endoplmmic reticul= and increased number of mitochondria in their cytoplasm and incomplete synapses in electron microscopic study. The balloon cells were positively stained by glial fibrillary acidic protein, NSE and vimentin and were filled with intermediate filaments in their cytoplasm. These results indicated that both cytomegalic neurons and balloon cells are produced by faulty cell differentiation involving neuroblast in the former, and both neuronal and glial stem cell lines in the latter.
Cell Differentiation ; Cytoplasm ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; Humans ; Intermediate Filaments ; Malformations of Cortical Development* ; Mitochondria ; Neurons ; Seizures ; Silver ; Stem Cells ; Synapses ; Vimentin

Parricide, the crime of murdering a parent, accounts for about 5% of all homicides. Filicide is the crime of murdering one's own child. This study aimed to review demographic features and criminal characteristics of individuals who committed parricide and filicide in Republic of Korea (ROK). This study is based on data from the Korea Police Crime Analysis System, from 2006~2013. We assessed the diverse characteristics of both victims and perpetrators. Over the selected period, 381 parents were killed by their children and 230 children were killed by parents in the ROK. Parricides caused by schizophrenic murders accounted for 39.6% of all cases. Moreover, approximately 44.4% of the perpetrators attempted suicide following the maternal filicide. In our findings, psychiatric illness was a very important predictor in parricide, and these further suggest that young mothers with severe mental illness require careful monitoring by mental health support service.
Child ; Crime ; Criminals ; Homicide ; Humans ; Korea ; Mental Health ; Mothers ; Parents ; Police ; Republic of Korea ; Schizophrenia ; Suicide, Attempted

Cosmetic lateral canthoplasty, in which the size of the eye is increased by extending the palpebral fissure and decreasing the degree of the eye slant, has become a prevalent procedure for East Asians. However, it is not uncommon for there to be complications or unfavorable results after the surgery. With this in mind, the authors have designed a surgical method to reduce complications in cosmetic lateral canthoplasty by preserving the lateral canthal angle. We discuss here the anatomy required for surgery, the surgical methods, and methods for reducing complications during cosmetic lateral canthoplasty.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus ; Methods

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate aging and smoking effects on acoustic characteristics of voice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty men and sixty women representing two chronological age Groups(young and elderly, i.e. 20-35 and over 60). A computerized acoustic analysis program(CSL-MDVP) was used to measure mean fundamental frequency(Fo), jitter, shimmer, and noise to harmonics ratio(NHR) from voice samples of sustained phonation of vowel /a/. RESULTS: The elderly females showed lower Fo than young females, but produced similar jitter, shimmer and NHR. In male groups, the elderly had about 10Hz higher voice than young males and produced more jitter and shimmer. And multiple regression analysis showed both aging and smoking had significant correlation with increase of jitter and shimmer. The values of NHR showed no significant difference between any groups. Intersubject difference was larger in elderly groups, and was most apparent in the elderly-smoking group. CONCLUSION: While chronological aging is undoubtedly a contributor to such changes in the characteristics of voice, these results suggest that the onset of vocal aging could be different between the subjects of same age and the effect of smoking must be considered in the acoustic analysis of voice.
Acoustics* ; Aged ; Aging* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Noise ; Phonation ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Voice*

OBJECTIVE: Although MRSA has been considered as a nosocomial pathogen, it is the most prevalent causative agent in COM (chronic otitis media) patients recently, even community-acquired cases in Korea. To evaluate the effect of MRSA infection on the surgical outcome of COM, we compared the surgical outcome of MRSA-isolated patients with those of patients infected by other bacterial agents. Subjects and Methods: Two hundred and ninty-eight COM patients operated by same surgeon from January 1997 to December 1998 were reviewed for the bacterial cultures and their operation procedures. Among them, we analyzed the patients operated by using canal wall-up (CWU) procedures retrospectively, including 78 patients of MRSA group and 132 patients with other bacterial agents, to study the incidence of post-operative otorrhea and re-perforation, the duration of dressing period, and the degree of hearing improvement according to tympanoplasty types. The mean follow-up period was 9.1 months (5-26 months). RESULTS: MRSA was most frequently isolated, in 88 (29%) of 298 patients, followed by MSSA (Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus) in 42 (14%), Pseudomonas sp. 31 (10%). Post-operative otorrhea and re-perforation were significantly more frequent in MRSA-group as 9 (11.5%) vs. 10 (7.6%) and 4 (5.1%) vs. 2 (1.5%). There was no significant difference of the duration of post-operative dressing and the degree of hearing improvement. CONCLUSION: The MRSA-group showed higher incidence of post-operative otorrhea and re-perforation compared to the control-group, even though there was no difference in the results of hearing improvement and the duration of dressing period.
Bandages ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hearing ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Otitis Media* ; Otitis* ; Pseudomonas ; Retrospective Studies ; Tympanoplasty

Thirteen patients were operated for cubital tunnel syndrome and followed for an average of 26 months postoperatively. Ten patients had a history of relevant trauma and three patients had degenerative osteoarthritis of the elbow. The average duration of symptoms was 18 months (range, 2 to 96 months). Diagnosis was made by physical examination, electromyography and nerve conduction study. Among these, nerve conduction study was found to be the most valuable diagnostic method for the patients with atypical clinical findings. Most of the operations were performed by anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve. At the most recent follow-up, the result was excellent in two patients, good in eight, and fair in three; thus ten patients(77%) showed satisfactory results. The rating system for ulnar neuropathy based on sensory, motor dysfunction and pain was useful for evaluating the operative results. The postoperative gain of score for pain and sensory function were larger than that of motor function. Factors known to influence the result of the operation (age, duration of symptom, history of trauma, method of operation) did not effect the outcome in this study. For successful operation, the ulnar nerve must be thoroughly examined, all possible levels of compression must be released and new foci of compression must be created.
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome ; Diagnosis ; Elbow ; Electromyography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Methods ; Neural Conduction ; Osteoarthritis ; Physical Examination ; Sensation ; Ulnar Nerve ; Ulnar Neuropathies