BACKGROUND: Psychiatric disorders have been known to occur by the interaction of biologic, psychologic and social factors. A family can affect the occurrence of psychiatric disorders as a primary social factor. On the other hand, psychiatric disorders can affect family function. There fore, we studied to compare family function between the families of psychiatric inpatients and those of normal persons, using Family APGAR and FACES III. METHODS: Between July 1, 1999 and August 31, 1999, we examined the subject group as 40 relatives to visit psychiatric inpatient and the control group as 40 persons whose family members did not have chronic diseases or psychiatric disorders, using questionnaire of socio-demographic factors and family function. RESULTS: Family APGAR scores in subject group were lower than those of control group, but not statistically different. But the degrees of 'Partnership' of the Family APGAR in subject group were significantly lower than those of control group.(P<0.05) Adaptability scores of FACES III in two groups were not different. Cohesion scores of FACES III in subject group were lower than those of control group but not statistically different. The Family APGAR scores in the families of the schizophrenics were significantly lower than those of control group. The duration of psychiatric disorders did not affect family function. CONCLUSION: The family function of subject group was worsened but not statistically different. But in the families of the schizophrenics, the Family APGAR scores were significantly lower than those of control group. Therefore, we should consider serious family dysfunction in the families of schizophrenics.
Chronic Disease ; Hand ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: To report two cases of neuropathy due to methyl bromide intoxication. METHODS: Workers, engaged in the fumigating process, complained fatigue, general weakness, ataxia, and hypersomnia. We evaluated them with blood tests, neurophysiologic studies and MRI and investigated their occupational history. RESULTS: Increased signal intensities were found in the medulla oblongata and paraver mian of cerebellum in MRI and after 11 days, high signal intensities were reduced in the following MRI. In the other case, polyneuropathy and rlght lower brainstem lesion were observed In the NCV and BAEP studies. CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed that worker's symptoms were related to methyl bromide exposure in the fumigation. It is necessary that we should evaluate present condition of fumigating process and prepare appropriate methods to protect workers engaged in the fumigation.
Ataxia ; Brain Stem ; Cerebellum ; Disorders of Excessive Somnolence ; Fatigue ; Fumigation* ; Hematologic Tests ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Medulla Oblongata ; Polyneuropathies

PURPOSE: There are many cases of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) presenting to the emergency department (ED) with palpitation as the presenting symptom. Adenosine is usually administered for conversion to normal sinus rhythm, with a possible second dose in the case of no response. As adenosine has a short acting time, administration of the drug at a vessel as close to the heart as possible is recommended, followed by an extra normal saline bolus infusion. In this study, we hypothesized a better outcome when adenosine was administered after proper injection method instruction was given to the medical staff. METHODS: We retrospectively studied the population of PSVT patients treated with adenosine. The cases were divided into two groups: one group consisted of cases a year before instruction for adenosine use became routine practice, and the second was comprised of cases a year after instruction protocols had been put into place. We further analyzed the proportion of patients who converted to normal sinus rhythm after a single dose of adenosine. RESULTS: All 306 patients were included. Before instruction, 46 patients (40.0% of 115) converted to normal sinus rhythm after the first dose. After instruction, 108 patients (56.5% of 191) converted to normal sinus rhythm after the first dose, which was statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: After receiving proper education, more patients converted to normal sinus rhythm after the first dose. Instruction for proper adenosine injection technique for PSVT cases can increase the success rate of rhythm conversion on the first attempt.
Adenosine* ; Education ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Heart ; Humans ; Medical Staff ; Retrospective Studies ; Tachycardia, Supraventricular*

OBJECTIVES: Urinary hippuric acid levels have been usually determined to ' evaluate workers exposed to toluene. Food and drink intake could affect urinary hippuric acid excretion and this study was carried out to investigate what kinds of food and drink would affect urinary hippuric acid excretion. METHODS: The subjects were 136 medical school students. Authors measured urinary hippuric acid levels three times from 10 a. m. to noon; before, one hour after and two hours after food or drink-intake, and they were asked not to eat from the previous night (9 p. m) of testing. We selected six diets (bread and coffee, brown sauce noodle, Korean style meal, noodle, pork'galbi and rice and soybean stew and rice), six fruits (apple, grape, orange, pear, persimmon and plum) and five beverages (Alps-D(R), Demisoda(R), Orange juice(R), Pear juice(R) and Pocari sweat(R)). Analysis of urinary hippuric acid was performed by high performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Intake of popular Korean diets, fruits and some drinks didn' t affect urinary hippuric acid excretion. But intake of sodium benzoate-contained Alps-D(R) increased urinary hippuric acid excretion. CONCLUSIONS: For the health examination on workers exposed to toluene, the history of diet and fruit intake can be negligible, but that of beverage intake should be included.
Beverages ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Citrus sinensis ; Coffee ; Diet ; Diospyros ; Fruit ; Humans ; Meals ; Pyrus ; Schools, Medical ; Sodium ; Soybeans ; Toluene ; Vitis

Hamartoma is a very rare congenital tumor. A few cases of hamartomatous pol yps in the stomach were reported. Most of harrurtomatous polyps in the stomach occur in patients of polyposis coli. We have experienced four cases of gastric hamartomatous polyps without polyposis coli. There are some differences between previously reported cases and ours. In our casee, the distribution of age is from fourth to ninth decade, men and women ratio is 1: 1. The number of polyps are one in three cases and two in one case. The size of polyps is from 5mm to 12 mm. The location of polyps are various, but most common in antrum. We have experienced four cases which were different from previously reported ones and report them with a brief review of literatures.
Adenomatous Polyposis Coli* ; Female ; Hamartoma ; Humans ; Male ; Polyps* ; Stomach

Hamartoma is a very rare congenital tumor. A few cases of hamartomatous pol yps in the stomach were reported. Most of harrurtomatous polyps in the stomach occur in patients of polyposis coli. We have experienced four cases of gastric hamartomatous polyps without polyposis coli. There are some differences between previously reported cases and ours. In our casee, the distribution of age is from fourth to ninth decade, men and women ratio is 1: 1. The number of polyps are one in three cases and two in one case. The size of polyps is from 5mm to 12 mm. The location of polyps are various, but most common in antrum. We have experienced four cases which were different from previously reported ones and report them with a brief review of literatures.
Adenomatous Polyposis Coli* ; Female ; Hamartoma ; Humans ; Male ; Polyps* ; Stomach

PURPOSE: Porous hydroxyapatite is resorbable and osteoconductive, so it is slowly replaced by ingrowing new bone. Optimal pore geometry for osteoconduction, however, has not been determined yet. The objective of this investigation was to assess both the histological response and the reinforcing effects of bone ingrowth within the porous hydroxyapatite implants depending on pore size. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four kinds of cylindrical types (50, 100, 300, 500 micrometer) of porous hydrox-yapatite were prepared. Fifty-six white rabbits were divided into 4 groups and porous hydroxyapatite block was inserted through the medial cortical window of a proximal tibia. Histomorphological changes were examined using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Biomechanical compression test was performed using a material test machine. RESULTS: Hydroxyapatite implants appeared to have no early adverse effects, such as inflammation and foreign body reaction. Osteoconduction through the pores was found in all four implants and new bone was found on the surface of pores with no histologically demonstrable intervening nonosseous tissue. At four weeks after implantation, new bone was arranged in a concentric pattern around the vessel, similar to osteon. New bone formation through pores was most evident at 300 micrometer-sized type. At 8 weeks, active osteoconduction was also found at 50 micrometer-sized type. Evidence of bone marrow formation within porous hydroxyapatite was found. In a biomechanical study, ultimate compression strength significantly increased in the 300 micrometer-sized type, after 8 weeks implantation compared to preimplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Porous hydroxyapatite implanted into rabbit tibia showed biological fixation and osteointegration. A pore size of 300 micrometer was most effective for bone ingrowth. Osteoconduction also took place in 50 micrometer-sized cylindrical pores.
Bone Marrow ; Bone Regeneration* ; Durapatite* ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Haversian System ; Inflammation ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Osteogenesis ; Rabbits ; Tibia

The purpose of this experimental study was to determine appropriate magnitude of the Gable bends to produce maximum retraction of the anterior teeth. The Calorific Machine was used to illustrate the tooth movement in three dimension. The experimental teeth except the first premolar were embedded in the artificial alveolar bone part. In a series of experiments, the extraction space was closed using arch wires with bull loops into which the gable bends of 10degrees, 20degrees, 30degrees degrees were incorporated. The experiments were repeated three times for each degree of the gable bend. Before and after the space closure, radiographs were taken in the sagittal and occlusal directions using occlusal films. Analysis of variance and Scheffe post hoc test were used to determine significant differences among the three groups. The following results were obtained. 1. As magnitudes of the gable bends increased, more bodily anterior tooth movement was seen and the distance of retraction also increased. 2. As magnitudes of the gable bends increase, the amount of posterior tooth protraction decreased while intrusive and buccal movement increased. 3. The arch was coordinated by distal-in rotation of the canine and mesial-in rotation of the second premolar adjacent to the extraction space.
Bicuspid ; Decompression Sickness* ; Dentition* ; Tooth Movement* ; Tooth*

The change of conditions of hydroxyapatite synthesis can affect not oniy the material properties, but also the body reaction to the hydroxyapatite implants. To find out conditions for preparing more biocompatible hydroxyapatite implants as bone graft substitute. we evaluated the biologic response to the dense synthetic hydroxyapatite implants, made with various synthetic conditions, placed in corticocancellous defects of rabbits' long bone. The hydroxyapatites were synthesized with coprecipitation technique using Ca(NO3) 4H2O and (NH4)2HPO4, made with various Ca/P ratio and aging temperatures. Four kinds of hydroxyapatites were selected to use as implants(HA I: Ca/P ratio 1.5, aging temperature 90degrees C; HA V :1.5 , 30degrees C; HA VI: 1.83, 30degrees C; and HA lX: 1.67, 30degrees C). These hydroxyapatites were pressed and sintered at l300degrees C to fabricate dense plates. Biomechanical test and rnorphological examination were performed using Instron, light microscope and electron microscope. The characteristics of hydroxyapatite powder and sintered body were more significantly affected by siarting Ca/P ratios. The bonding strength of HA IX(1.67, 30degrees C) with bone was grcatest at 4 or 8 weeks after implantation with statistically significant difference(p<0.05). Bonding behavior betweeb HA IX and bone was most excellent in terms of new bone formation and new bone ingrowth into resorbed surface of hydroxyapatite plate.
Aging ; Durapatite* ; Hydroxyapatites ; Osteogenesis ; Transplants

OBJECTIVES: We developed the Korean version of Severe Mini-Mental Status Examination (SMMSE-K) which is a brief cognitive test for the severely demented patients. METHODS: The translation was carried out keeping the basic structure of the English version Severe Mini-Mental Status Examination (SMMSE). The SMMSE-K, Korean version of Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE-KC), and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) were administered to 84 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and 36 cognitively normal elderly subjects. For evaluating the reliability of the SMMSE-K, Cronbach alpha coefficient, inter-rater reliability, and test-retest reliability were examined. For confirming the validity of the SMMSE-K, the correlations of the SMMSE-K with MMSE-KC and CDR were examined, and factor analysis was performed using principal component analysis with Varimax rotation. RESULTS: SMMSE-K was found to have a high internal consistency (Cronbach alpha coefficient=0.906, p<0.01), inter-rater reliability (Pearson correlation coefficient=0.980, p<0.01) and test-retest reliability (Pearson correlation coefficient=0.940, p<0.01). Performances on the SMMSE-K and MMSE-KC were found to correlate significantly in the subjects with CDR of 2 (Pearson correlation coefficient=0.827, p<0.001) and 3 (Pearson correlation coefficient=0.929, p<0.001). In the subjects with CDR of 3, the MMSE-KC showed a floor effect (2.93+/-3.21), whereas the SMMSE-K did not (11.00+/-8.48). Exploratory factor analysis yielded two factors (automatic informational processing, controlled informational processing) accounting for 76.1% of the total variance. CONCLUSION: The SMMSE-K was found to be a reliable and valid test for assessing the cognition of severely demented patients.
Accounting ; Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; Cognition ; Dementia ; Deoxycytidine ; Floors and Floorcoverings ; Humans ; Principal Component Analysis ; Reproducibility of Results