Acetylcholine is one of the major neurotransmitters in visual system of rats. Cholinergic, serotonergic and gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA) ergic projections are known as modulators of visual processing. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of unilateral orbital enucleation on the amount of acetylcholine and its receptor bindings in dorsolateral geniculate body, superior colliculus and visual cortex of rats, and on motor activites. The amount of acetylcholine was measured by gas chromatography; whereas [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate(QNB) bindings to muscarinic receptors were examined by autoradiography. Motor activity was measured by activity meter for 24 hours. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The amount of acetylcholine in superior colliculus significantly increased at 1 week after enucleation, but it decreased at 2 and 4 weeks after enucleation. In visual cortex, the amount of acetylcholine did not change at 1 week after enucleation, but it significantly decreased at 2 and 4 weeks after enucleation. 2. After enucleation, [3H]-QNB binding to muscarinic receptors gradually decreased over the 4 weeks in dorsolateral geniculate body, superior colliculus and visual cortex. 3. Locomotor activity of rats did not show any change at 1 week after enucleat ion, but it decreased at 2 and 4 weeks after enucleation. In conclusion, unilateral orbital enucleation resulted in a reduction in the amount of acetylcholine and muscarinic receptors in rat visual system, which was speculated to be a major cause of a decrease in physical activity.
Acetylcholine* ; Animals ; Autoradiography ; Chromatography, Gas ; Motor Activity* ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Orbit* ; Rats* ; Receptors, Muscarinic* ; Superior Colliculi ; Visual Cortex ; Visual Pathways*

This is the first study to investigate the influence of depression, anxiety and somatization on the treatment response for lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH). The LUTS/BPH patients were evaluated with the Korean versions of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and the PHQ-15. The primary endpoint was a responder rate defined by the total score of IPSS (< or = 7) at the end of treatment. The LUTS/BPH severity was significantly higher in patients with depression (whole symptoms P = 0.024; storage sub-symptom P = 0.021) or somatization (P = 0.024) than in those without, while the quality of life (QOL) was significantly higher in patients with anxiety (P = 0.038) than in those without. Anxious patients showed significantly higher proportion of non-response (odds ratio [OR], 3.294, P = 0.022) than those without, while somatic patients had a trend toward having more non-responders (OR, 2.552, P = 0.067). Our exploratory results suggest that depression, anxiety and somatization may have some influences on the clinical manifestation of LUTS/BPH. Further, anxious patients had a lower response to treatment in patients with LUTS/BPH. Despite of limitations, the present study demonstrates that clinicians may need careful evaluation of psychiatric symptoms for proper management of patients with LUTS/BPH.
Anxiety/epidemiology/*psychology ; Causality ; Comorbidity ; Depression/epidemiology/*psychology ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms/epidemiology/prevention & control/*psychology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care)/methods ; Prostatic Hyperplasia/epidemiology/*psychology/*therapy ; Psychometrics/methods ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Severity of Illness Index ; Somatoform Disorders/epidemiology/*psychology ; Treatment Outcome

This is the first study to investigate the influence of depression, anxiety and somatization on the treatment response for lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH). The LUTS/BPH patients were evaluated with the Korean versions of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and the PHQ-15. The primary endpoint was a responder rate defined by the total score of IPSS (< or = 7) at the end of treatment. The LUTS/BPH severity was significantly higher in patients with depression (whole symptoms P = 0.024; storage sub-symptom P = 0.021) or somatization (P = 0.024) than in those without, while the quality of life (QOL) was significantly higher in patients with anxiety (P = 0.038) than in those without. Anxious patients showed significantly higher proportion of non-response (odds ratio [OR], 3.294, P = 0.022) than those without, while somatic patients had a trend toward having more non-responders (OR, 2.552, P = 0.067). Our exploratory results suggest that depression, anxiety and somatization may have some influences on the clinical manifestation of LUTS/BPH. Further, anxious patients had a lower response to treatment in patients with LUTS/BPH. Despite of limitations, the present study demonstrates that clinicians may need careful evaluation of psychiatric symptoms for proper management of patients with LUTS/BPH.
Anxiety/epidemiology/*psychology ; Causality ; Comorbidity ; Depression/epidemiology/*psychology ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms/epidemiology/prevention & control/*psychology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care)/methods ; Prostatic Hyperplasia/epidemiology/*psychology/*therapy ; Psychometrics/methods ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Severity of Illness Index ; Somatoform Disorders/epidemiology/*psychology ; Treatment Outcome

Objective: The response to antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia is still unsatisfactory. Therefore, augmentation with other antipsychotics is common in clinical situations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the improvement of psychiatric symptoms and side effects after amisulpride add-on therapy. Methods: Forty patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder without treatment response to second-generation antipsychotics were included in this study. Psychotic symptoms were evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Korean version of Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after the addition of amisulpride. Results: Among the 29 subjects who completed the 8-week study, 34.5% were responders according to PANSS total score. At week 8, the mean positive (p ＜ 0.001), negative (p ＜ 0.001), general (p ＜ 0.001), and total (p ＜ 0.001) PANSS scores and CDSS scores (p = 0.002) showed significant improvement compared to baseline. There was no increase in extrapyramidal side effects according to Simpson Angus Scale (p = 0.379) and Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale (p = 0.070) and no weight gain (p = 0.308) after the add-on treatment. Conclusion The addition of amisulpride for schizophrenia patients without therapeutic response to second-generation antipsychotics is considered an effective and safe treatment. This study's results suggested that augmentation of second-generation antipsychotics with amisulpride could be a useful option for patients with schizophrenia unresponsive to second-generation antipsychotics. Further studies investigating the efficacy of amisulpride add-on therapy using placebo control are necessary to confirm these results.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of psoriasis may involve the interleukin (IL)-23 and Th17-mediated immune responses. Th17 cells secret IL-17 and IL-22, which mediates dermal inflammation and acanthosis. OBJECTIVE: As inhibitor of nuclear factor kappaB kinase-alpha (IKKalpha) has been previously identified as a primary regulator of keratinocyte differentiation and proliferation, we proposed that IL-17 and IL-22 might affect keratinocyte differentiation by changing the expression of IKKalpha. METHODS: We employed HaCaT cells maintained culture medium at a low calcium concentration (0.06 mM) and induced differentiation by switching to the high concentration (2.8 mM) media with IL-17 or IL-22, then compared the IKKalpha expression and the cell cycle. We employed reconstituted human epidermal skin (Neoderm) and mice ears for the in vivo studies. RESULTS: Elevated calcium concentration induced IKKalpha expression and terminal differentiation with cell cycle arrest in HaCaT cell cultures. Moreover, IL-17 and IL-22 treatment also induced IKKalpha in HaCaT cells and reconstituted human epidermis. IKKalpha induction was also noted, following the injection of IL-17 and IL-22 into mice ears. CONCLUSION: Although the induction of IKKalpha was accompanied by keratinocyte differentiation, IL-17 and IL-22 did not affect calcium-mediated differentiation or the cell cycle. Rather, IL-17 and IL-22 appear to contribute to the inflammation occurring via the induction of IKKalpha from keratinocytes or skin layers.
Animals ; Calcium ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Differentiation ; Ear ; Epidermis ; Humans ; I-kappa B Kinase ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-17 ; Interleukins ; Keratinocytes ; Mice ; Psoriasis ; Skin ; Th17 Cells

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine, by reviewing the literature, whether treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia affects symptoms. METHODS: We retrieved the literature using MEDLINE search, with nonulcer dyspepsia and Hericobacter pylori and treatment as key words, which were reported from 1984 to 1998, and manual literature search. The criteria for inclusion was as follows; 1) The paper should have confirmed nonulcer dyspepsia as case definition. 2) The paper should have performed a randomized, blind trial. 3) Confirmation of Helicobacter pylori eradication should be done 4 weeks after treatment. 4) studies with no information on measurement of symptoms after treatment were not accepted. The percentage of patients with symptom improvement after eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection was calculated. Cumulative odds ratio was compared by fixed effect model and random effect model as sensitivity and funnel plot was used to evaluate publication bias. RESULTS: The overall effect size of symptom improvement was calculated by cumulative odds ratio. Cumulative odds ratio of random effect model was 4.16(95% CI: 1.55-11.19). Before integrating each effect sizes into common effect size, the homogeneity test was conducted and random effect model was selected(Cochran's Q=41.08 (d.f=10, p<0.001)). The heterogeneity across studies was evaluated and the different methodological aspects of studies led to differences between study results. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the eradication of Helicobacter pylori in patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia results more symptom improvement. In studies that shows the opposite results there are methodological aspects explaining the heterogeneity.
Dyspepsia* ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Odds Ratio ; Population Characteristics ; Publication Bias

PURPOSE: It is the general conception that chronic prostatitis is initiated by urethritis. However, in the actual clinical situations, many male patients without histories of urethritis. To evaluate the possible relationship, a review of patients with chronic prostatitis was carried out. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred consecutive patients with prostatitis were reviewed retrospectively concerning the duration of prostatits, any history of urethritis, and the history of intercourse, including that with a high-risk partner(e.g., prostitute). RESULT: A history of urethritis was found in 216 of the patients(72%),but 30 patients(10%) denied both high-risk sexual intercourse and urethritis. In 54 patients (18%), there was no history of urethritis but a recognized sexual encounter with a high-risk partner. CONCLUSIONS: Having urethritis may not be an important factor in chronic prostatitis. This information could be most comforting to those who are afflicted with chronic prostatitis and concerned about the nature of their disease. Chronic prostatitis can be explained simply as an inflammation of prostate, not a dreadful end result of sexually transmitted disease.
Coitus ; Fertilization ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Male ; Prostate ; Prostatitis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Urethritis*

PURPOSE: It is the general conception that chronic prostatitis is initiated by urethritis. However, in the actual clinical situations, many male patients without histories of urethritis. To evaluate the possible relationship, a review of patients with chronic prostatitis was carried out. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred consecutive patients with prostatitis were reviewed retrospectively concerning the duration of prostatits, any history of urethritis, and the history of intercourse, including that with a high-risk partner(e.g., prostitute). RESULT: A history of urethritis was found in 216 of the patients(72%),but 30 patients(10%) denied both high-risk sexual intercourse and urethritis. In 54 patients (18%), there was no history of urethritis but a recognized sexual encounter with a high-risk partner. CONCLUSIONS: Having urethritis may not be an important factor in chronic prostatitis. This information could be most comforting to those who are afflicted with chronic prostatitis and concerned about the nature of their disease. Chronic prostatitis can be explained simply as an inflammation of prostate, not a dreadful end result of sexually transmitted disease.
Coitus ; Fertilization ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Male ; Prostate ; Prostatitis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Urethritis*

We report a case of retiform hemangioendothelioma (RH) located in the infratemporal fossa and buccal area in a 13-year-old Korean boy. The tumor originated from the sphenoid bone of the infratemporal fossa area and spread into the cavernous sinus, orbital apex, and retro-nasal area with bone destruction of the pterygoid process. Tumor resection was conducted via Le Fort I osteotomy and partial maxillectomy to approach the infratemporal fossa and retro-nasal area. The diagnosis of RH was confirmed after surgery. In the presented patient, surgical excision was incomplete, and close follow-up was performed. There was no evidence of expansion or metastasis of the residual tumor in the 8 years after surgery. In cases of residual RH with low likelihood of expansion and metastasis, even though RH is an intermediate malignancy, close follow-up can be the appropriate treatment choice over additional aggressive therapy. To date, 29 papers and 48 RH cases have been reported, including this case. This case is the second reported RH case presenting as primary bone tumor and the first case originating in the oromaxillofacial area.
Adolescent ; Cavernous Sinus ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemangioendothelioma* ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Orbit ; Osteotomy ; Osteotomy, Le Fort ; Sphenoid Bone

OBJECTIVES: The posterior maxillary region often provides a limited bone volume for dental implants. Maxillary sinus elevation via inserting a bone graft through a window opened in the lateral sinus wall has become the most common surgical procedure for increasing the alveolar bone height in place of dental implants in the posterior maxillary region. The purpose of this article is to assess the change of bone volume and the clinical effects of dental implant placement in sites with maxillary sinus floor elevation and autogenous bone graft through the lateral window approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this article, the analysis data were collected from 64 dental implants that were placed in 24 patients with 29 lacks of the bone volume posterior maxillary region from June 2004 to April 2011, at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Inha University Hospital. Panoramic views were taken before the surgery, after the surgery, 6 months after the surgery, and at the time of the final follow-up. The influence of the factors on the grafted bone material resorption rate was evaluated according to the patient characteristics (age and gender), graft material, implant installation stage, implant size, implant placement region, local infection, surgical complication, and residual alveolar bone height. RESULTS: The bone graft resorption rate of male patients at the final follow-up was significantly higher than the rate of female patients. The single autogenous bone-grafted site was significantly more resorbed than the autogenous bone combined with the Bio-Oss grafted site. The implant installation stage and residual alveolar height showed a significant correlation with the resorption rate of maxillary sinus bone graft material. The success rate and survival rate of the implant were 92.2% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Maxillary sinus elevation procedure with autogenous bone graft or autogenous bone in combination with Bio-Oss is a predictable treatment method for implant rehabilitation.
Alveolar Bone Grafting ; Bone Resorption ; Dental Implants ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Maxillary Sinus ; Rehabilitation ; Sinus Floor Augmentation ; Surgery, Oral ; Survival Rate ; Transplants* ; Transverse Sinuses