BACKGROUND: No association between schizophrenia and dopamine D4 receptor polymorphisms have been reported. Despite these results, it is premature to exclude the association. It has been suggested that the susceptibility to develop schizophrenia could result from variation at a number loci which may interact or co-act with each other. Therefore, we investigated a possible assoication of combinations of exon III 48bp polymorphism [D4E3] and exon I 12bp polymorphism of the DRD4 gene [D4E1] with schizophrenia. METHOD: 207 unrelated Korean schizophrenic patients and 191 healthy controls wee recruited. DRD4 genotype was established using the polymerase chain reaction. Statistical analysis consisted of chi2 tests for Hardy-Weinberg proportions and genotypic and allelic frequencies in the patients and control groups. RESULT: There were no statistically significant differences in the each polymorphisms between schizophrenics and controls. And all genotype frequencies were within Hardy-Weinberg expectations. When the combinations of the polymorphism in schizophrenia and controls were compared, however, there were significant differences at A1A2*2/4 in the distributions of the combinations of D4E1 and D4E3(p<0.01). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the certain combination of D4E1 and D4E3 (A1A2*2/4) has the protective role to a susceptibility for schizophrenia.
Dopamine* ; Exons ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Dopamine D4 ; Schizophrenia

No abstract available.
Temporomandibular Joint*

No abstract available.
Temporomandibular Joint*

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the role of free fatty acids on the ischemic myocardium, influences of various free fatty acids upon transmembrane action potential and ATP-sensitive K+(KATP) channel activity were examined in the ventricular myocardium and single cardiac myocytes. METHODS: KATP channel activities were measured in the enzymatically (collagenase) isolated single rat ventricular cardiac myocytes by the method of the excised inside-out and the cell-attached patch clamp, and transmembrane action potentials were recorded using the conventional 3M-KCl microelectode techniques in the rat ventricular myocardium. RESULTS: Free fatty acids [FFAs; arachidonic acid (AA), linoleic acid (LA) and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC)] reduced the KATP channel activity in a dose-dependent manner in the inside-out patch, and 50%-inhibition concentrations (IC50) were 88 +/- 11.2, 49 +/- 12.5, and 188 +/- 17.4 M respectively. Both frequency of channel opening and the mean open-burst duration were markedly decreased, but the amplitude of single channel currents were not changed by the FFAs. AA (50 micrometer) and LPC (50 micrometer) did not affect the dinitrophenol (DNP, 50 micrometer)-induced KATP channel activity, whereas LA (50 micrometer) had a tendency to reduce the activity. The channel inhibition effects by 10 micrometer AA in the inside-out patch were significantly augmented by diclofenac (10 micrometer), but was not changed by nordihydroguaiaretic acid. FFAs never stimulated KATP channel activity, even in the inside-out patch where KATP channel activity reduced in the presence of internal ATP (100 micrometer). Time for 90% repolarization (APD90) significantly increased during superfusion of the FFAs, to 22 (50 micrometer AA), 24 (50 micrometer LA), and 18 (50 micrometer LPC) % from those of the contol at the time of 10 min superfusion, but the other action potential characteristics were not changed by the FFAs. AA (10 micrometer) attenuated cromakalim (10 micrometer)-induced APD90 shortening effects. CONCLUSION: It was inferred that FFAs inhibit the KATP channel activity directly by themselves and/or indirectly by their metabolites in the rat ventricular cardiomyocytes, and therefore, duration of action potential lengthens to be a burden over the ischemic myocardium accounting for the injury of myocardium at the late stage of ischemia.
Action Potentials* ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Arachidonic Acid ; Cromakalim ; Diclofenac ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified* ; Ischemia ; Linoleic Acid ; Lysophosphatidylcholines ; Masoprocol ; Myocardium* ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; Potassium Channels* ; Potassium* ; Rats*

The tear film break-up time test is a useful diagnostic test for dry eye syndrome,but it shows a wide range of results in normal subjects according to many factors, especially the methods of measuring it. We studied the factors having some influences on B.U.T. and tried to find out a standard method of measuring B.U.T. in normal subjects. The results were as follows: 1. The subjects were healthy without any ocular disease or symptoms. Total subjects were 200 persons, 400 eyes. 2. The standard method of measuring B.U.T. was as follows: a drop of 0.125% sodium fluorescein was applied into the conjunctival sac and the patient was allowed to blink for at least 1-2 minutes. The tear film was then scanned without holding the lids, using the slit lamp beam, 4-5mm in width. 3. The mean B.U.T. measured by the standard method was 20.35 +/- 6.45 sec in normal subjects. 4. The mean B.U.T. was 18.17 +/- 8.02'sec in the group using fluorescein paper, 9.68 +/- 6.19 sec in the group blinking just 4-5 times,16.54 +/- 8.32 sec in the group measured holding the lids with the fingers, and 18.36 +/- 7.95 sec in the group using a broad beam. 5. There were statistically significant decreases of B.U.T. in the group blinking just 4-5 times and in the group measured holding the lids with the fingers.
Blinking ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Fingers ; Fluorescein ; Humans ; Tears*

PURPOSE: There are few reports about the natural history of patients with pseudoprecocious puberty due to autonomous ovarian cyst. We reviewed the clinical course of 7 patients who had autonomous ovarian cysts and signs of precocious puberty. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 7 children, aged 2.8 to 7.9 years, who were diagnosed with pseudoprecocious puberty due to autonomous ovarian cysts from November 2005 to May 2011. The follow-up durations ranged from 0.5 to 6.3 years. RESULTS: Four out of 7 patients showed elevated serum estrogen levels and all revealed prepubertal response of gonadotropin to GnRH stimulation at diagnosis. The size of the cysts was from 1.7 to 4.6 cm on pelvic ultrasound examination. After 1 to 3 months, the ovarian cysts disappeared in all patients. Three of the girls developed relapsing signs of precocious puberty (vaginal bleeding and breast budding). Two of them showed an increase in growth velocity and bone age due to recurrent ovarian cysts, and one of them was converted to true precocious puberty. CONCLUSION: In our cases, all patients with autonomous ovarian cysts resolved spontaneously. However, some showed frequent recurrence of ovarian cysts, and needed a longer follow up because of the possibility of conversion to true precocious puberty and signs of McCune-Albright syndrome.
Aged ; Breast ; Child ; Estrogens ; Female ; Fibrous Dysplasia, Polyostotic ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Gonadotropins ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Natural History ; Ovarian Cysts ; Puberty ; Puberty, Precocious ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detection of the pathogenic Yersinia pestis from other Yersinia spp. was developed. Five Y. pestis strains, ninety-two other Yersinia species and twenty-four Enterobacteriaceae strains were collected in Korea and from other countries. Oligonucleotide primers were designed from pathogenic gene of antiphagocytic protein capsule gene (fra 1) and plasminogen activator gene (pla). The 428 bp DNA fragment was amplified from five Y. pestis which contained the fra I gene. No product was amplified from other Yersinia species and other strains of the Enterobacteriaceae. The 439 bp DNA fragment was amplified from three K pestis which contained the pla gene. No product was amplified from two Y. pestis, other Yersinia species and other strains of the Enterobacteriaceae. These showed that the designed primers were specific for detection of Y. pestis among other Yersinia species and Enterobacteriaceae strains. Amplification was successful whether the template was derived from purified DNA or from aliquots of boiled bacterial suspension. The detection limits were 100 pg of DNA and 100 colony forming units (CFU) for fra I and 100 pg DNA and 10 CFU for pla, respectively. Our results prove that the PCR method using specific primers for Y. pestis is a rapid and convenient procedure for routine clinical detection and identification of Y. pestis.
DNA ; DNA Primers ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Korea ; Limit of Detection ; Plasminogen Activators ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Stem Cells ; Yersinia pestis* ; Yersinia*

OBJECTIVES: Developing mental health services and systems to identify children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and providing early therapeutic interventions for them are important to prevent further impairments or disturbances associated with the disorder. The purpose of this study is to examine the clinical validities and efficiencies of Korean Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL) and Korean ADHD Rating Scale (K-ARS) for screening and identifying children with ADHD in community. METHODS: Randomly selected 1st to 3rd graders of the two elementary schools (n=1668) in the City of Gunsan participated in the study. K-CBCL and K-ARS were used as screening instruments. Diagnoses were determined by clinical psychiatric interviews and confirmed by Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version-Korean Version (K-SADS-PL-K) using DSM-IV criteria. RESULTS: The rate of inclusion above the T score of 60 with regard to the attention problems profile of K-CBCL was 4.5%. There was a significant correlation (p<.01) between parent and teacher reports of K-ARS, and the rate of inclusion was 2.5% when 90th percentile cut-off points were applied for both of the reports. Of the 46 subjects who underwent clinical psychiatric interviews, 33 (71.7%) were diagnosed as ADHD. The T score of 60 with regard to the attention problems profile of K-CBCL resulted in a reasonable level of sensitivity or positive predictive value in the diagnosis of ADHD. 90th percentile cut-off scores in both parent and teacher reports of K-ARS resulted in a high level of predictive value. The highest level of specificity and positive predictive value were computed when K-CBCL (T> or =60 in attention problems) and K-ARS (parent/teacher total> or =90th percentile) reports were combined. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the K-CBCL and K-ARS together could serve as a rapid and useful screening instrument to identify children with ADHD in epidemiologic case definitions.
Checklist ; Child Behavior ; Child* ; Community Mental Health Services* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Mass Screening* ; Mental Health ; Mental Health Services ; Mood Disorders ; Parents ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The most common adverse effect of intravenous heparin is hemorrhage. Of the these, retroperitoneal hemorrhage and femoral neuropathy secondary to heparin anticoagulation has reported in 1966 for the first time by DeBolt and Jordan. We experienced a case of spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage due to iliopsoas muscle hematoma in patient with myocardial infarction receiving intravenous heparin for a 3 days in therapeutic doses. The pathophysiology of iliopsoas muscle hematoma has not yet been cleared. But because of the possibility of large amount in volume, retroperitoneal hemorrhage has been known as a serious adverse effect that leads to the hypovolemic shock and death. In this article, we described the clinical manifestation, the importance of the early diagnosis and diagnostic clues and associated factors of the retroperitoneal hemorrhage in patient receiving intravenous heparin.
Early Diagnosis ; Femoral Neuropathy ; Hematoma* ; Hemorrhage* ; Heparin* ; Humans ; Jordan ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Shock

As the productive activities have vastly increased following industrialization and urbanization in the modem society, the resulting high mobility of people and goods have caused a sharp increase in the accidents in the work places as well as traffic accidents. In particular, deaths caused by injuries are generally concentrated in the economically active young peoples, producing incalculable losses to the society and nation as a whole. Advanced nations with superior medical care systems have succeeded in reducing incidents of such deaths by operating trauma centers. Especially noteworthy is the case of the United States where such specialized trauma centers have greatly contributed to reducing deaths from injuries in the non-urban areas with less access to medical facilities. At present Korea has no medical centers specializing in injuries. In large cities, the injuries are being treated tertiary medical facilities while in the provinces they are referred to small and medium-sized hospitals that constitute secondary medical facilities. Currently in Korea the Trauma patients are treated at general hospitals that consist of 726 secondary medical facilities and 40 tertiary medical centers nationwide. The secondary medical facilities which tend to take most responsibility for the treatment of trauma are generally deficient in medical staff and facilities (including operating and intensive care facilities). Despite such deficiency and limitations, no regulations exist regarding treatment or transportation of trauma patients. This article reports the outcome of a comparative analysis of the results of trauma treatments among different types of medical facilities based on objective data in the hope that such study would facilitate a comparison with the treatment systems of advanced countries and thereby contribute to a precise formulation of problems that must be addressed in this area.
Accidents, Traffic ; Hope ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Critical Care ; Korea ; Medical Staff ; Modems ; Social Control, Formal ; Transportation ; Trauma Centers ; United States ; Urbanization ; Workplace ; Industrial Development