The complement system is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of the skin lesions in pernphigus vulgaris, bullous pemphigoid, dermatitis herpetiformis, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Authors examined the skin specimens of each disease cases, who did not show any evidence of complement deficiency, to determine the deposition of complement components(C4, C3, Chb-9) and their inhibitors(C4bp, Factor H, S-protein) by modified direct immunofluorescence. We also looked at the staining pattern and localization, for further insights of their pathobiologic contributions in each disease. The findings of deposits of complement components up to C9, as well as inhibitor proteins at the primary histopathologic sites, in the majority of those cases, may indicate that the complement system, to certain extent, involves the inflamrnatory reactions in these diseases. The co-localization of C5b-9 and S-protein could be regarded as the consequence of in situ formation of SC5b-9 complexs or as the result of non-lytic adsorbed complexes of fluid phase SC5b-9. The pathologic role of the complement seems to depend mostly on the complement-fixing biologic property and the amount of the tissue bound immune complexes, which are often heterogeneous to different diseases and among different patients.
Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Complement Factor H ; Complement Membrane Attack Complex ; Complement System Proteins* ; Dermatitis Herpetiformis ; Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Pemphigoid, Bullous ; Skin ; Skin Diseases*

Pathological laughing and crying(PLC) is a condition that is characterized by episodic, brief, contextually inappropriate, uncontrollable outbursts of laughing and/or crying. It can be observed in patients with various neurological disorders. PLC often causes distress in interpersonal functioning and activities for patients and their families. PLC can be recognized easily with proper understanding of the condition and its nature. Also it generally shows good response to various pharmacological treatments. This review aims to encourage the diagnosis and treatment of PLC by providing definition and clinical presentation of PLC, analysis of its pathophysiology and various current treatment options.
Crying* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Nervous System Diseases

Background: Plastic changes to brain structure and function have been reported in elite athletes of various sports. Interestingly, different regions of the brain were engaged according to the type of sports analyzed. Our laboratory reported no difference in total cerebellar volume of basketball players compared to that in the control group using the manual segmentation method. Further detailed analyses showed that elite basketball players had increased volume of the striatum and vermian lobules VI–VII of the cerebellum. We analyzed the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of basketball players to understand their cerebral cortical plasticity through automatic analysis tools for MRI. Methods: Brain MRI data were collected from 19 male university basketball players and 20 age-, sex-, and height-matched control groups. In order to understand the changes in the cerebral cortices of basketball players, we employed automated MRI brain analysis techniques, including voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and surface-based morphometry (SBM). Results: VBM showed increased gray and white matter volume in both precentral gyri, paracentral lobules and increased gray matter volume in the right anterior superior temporal gyrus. SBM revealed a left dominant increase in both pericentral gyri. Fractal dimensional analysis showed an increase in the area of both precentral gyri, the left subcallosal gyrus, and the right posterior cingulate gyrus. These results suggest a significant role not only for the primary motor cortex, but also for the cingulate gyrus during basketball. Conclusion Plastic changes of both precentral gyri, the pericentral area, paracentral lobules, and the right superior temporal gyrus were observed in elite basketball players. There was a strong increase of fractal complexity in both precentral gyri and a weak increase in the right posterior cingulate gyrus and left collateral gyrus. In this study, plastic regions linked to functional neuroanatomy were related to the competence required to play basketball.

No abstract available.
Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections* ; Teicoplanin*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Myasthenia gravis(MG) is a disease of neuromuscular transmission associated with the autoimmune mechanism. The clinical and epidemiological characteristics of MG in Korea may be different from those in western countries. METHOD: Total 755 patients from the 20 general hospitals were included in this study. The type of onset was classified to ocular, bulbar, limb and generalized. The classification of clinical status was done by using the modified Osserman's method. Age of onset, sex, type of onset, associated disease, clinical course and other clinical features were studied. Resuts : Of the 755 patients, 282(37.4%) were male and 473(62.6%)were female. The mean age of onset was 32.5+/-19.4 years in male and 30.8+/-17.3 in female. The most common type of onset was ocular(60.7%). The generalized onset was observed in 27.5%, bulbar onset in 6.6%, limb onset in 5.2%. The duration from symptom onset to diagnosis varied from several days to 29 years(mean; 21.1 months). The clinical status was classified to ocular type in 29.5%, mild generalized in 19.1%, moderate generalized in 34.6%, acute fulminating in 5.0% and late severe in 11. 7%. There were 12 congenital and 2 neonatal type. Thirteen patients(1.7%) had family history of MG. The history of thyroid disease was present in 82 patients(10.9%), rheumatoid arthritis in 6(0.8%), SLE in 4(0.5%) and IDDM in 18(2.4%). Rheumatoid factor was positive in 8.0% and FANA in 21.8%. Tensilon test was positive in 92.7%, Jolly test in 78.6%. Chest CT revealed thymic abnormalities in 38.6%. I.e. thymic hyperplasia in 14.1% and thymoma in 24.5%. Anti-AChR antibodies were detected in 77.2%. Anticholinesterase therapy was tried in 76.2% and immunosuppressants were needed in 39.3%. Thymectomy was done in 175 patients(23.2%). CONCLUSION: In Korean MGs, the mean age of onset was younger and ocular type MG was more common, compared those with western MGs. We could not find any significant difference in the mean age of onset between male and female.
Age of Onset ; Antibodies ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Classification ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Diagnosis ; Edrophonium ; Extremities ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Korea* ; Male ; Myasthenia Gravis* ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Thymectomy ; Thymoma ; Thymus Hyperplasia ; Thyroid Diseases ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Ulcerative colitis, one of the inflammatory bowel disease, is primarily managed medically with combinations of 5-ASA and steroids. However, this chronic disease requires surgical management if symptoms persist or complications develop despite medical management. The clinical course, the indications and outcome for surgical management of pediatric ulcerative colitis patients were studied from medical records retrospectively. Twenty-one patients under the age of 15 who were endoscopically diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the Seoul National University Children's Hospital between January, 1988 and January, 2003 were subjected to the study. Mean follow up period was 3 years and 10 months. The mean age was 10.3 years old. All patients received medical management primarily after diagnosis and 8 patients (38%) eventually required surgical management. Of 13 patients who received medical management only, 7 patients (53%) showed remission, 4 patients are still on medical management, and 2 patients expired due to congenital immune deficiency and hepatic failure owing to sclerosing cholangitis respectively. In 8 patients who received surgical management, 1 patient underwent surgery due to sigmoid colon perforation and 7 patients due to intractability of medical management. The perforated case received colon segmental resection and the other 7 patients recieved total protocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. One patient expired postoperatively due to pneumonia and sepsis. One patient is still on medical management because of mild persistent hematochezia after surgery. The other operated patients are showing good prognosis without any management. Pediatric ulcerative colitis patients can be surgically managed if the patient is intractable to medical management or if complications such as perforation is present. Total protocolectomy & ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is thought to be the adequate surgical method.
Child* ; Cholangitis, Sclerosing ; Chronic Disease ; Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Liver Failure ; Medical Records ; Pneumonia ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Sepsis ; Steroids ; Ulcer*

OBJECTIVES: Homocysteine has been associated with cognitive impairment and various psychiatric symptoms. This study was designed to examine the relationship exists between plasma homocysteine concentration and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia(BPSD). METHODS: 41 subjects with dementia of Alzheimer's type were included in this study. We carried out history taking, physical examination, and cognitive assessment for the diagnosis of dementia of Alzheimer's type based on DSM-IV. We scored the Mini Mental State Examination(MMSE), Global Deterioration Scale(GDS), Clinical Dementia Rating(CDR), and the Korean Neuropsychiatric Inventory(K-NPI). We also measured levels of homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 in the plasma. RESULTS: We found statistically significant positive correlations between homocysteine concentration with NPI total score, and with scores of several sub-domains such as delusion, agitation/aggression, depression/dysphoria, and elation/euphoria. No significant correlation existed between homocysteine levels and scores of MMSE, GDS, and CDR. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that plasma homocysteine levels are associated with BPSD. Further research is necessary to identify pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying these relationships.
Delusions ; Dementia* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Folic Acid ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Physical Examination ; Plasma ; Vitamin B 12

Pure ovarian choriocarcinoma of germ cell origin is exceedingly rare neoplasm, and even the presence of choriocarcinomatous elements admixed with other neoplastic germ cell elements is rare. In the most cases, the tumor is admixed with other neoplastic germ cell elemeats, and their presence is diagnostic of noagsatational choriocarcinoma, except for the remote of the tumor being a geatational choriocarcinoma metasttic to an ovarian germ cell tumor. We have experienced a case of nongestational ovarian choriocarcinoma in 10 year dld woman. So we report this case with a brief review of its literatures.
Choriocarcinoma* ; Female ; Germ Cells ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; Pregnancy

We examined the factors which may serve as predictors of success or failure of amputation in lower extremity for vascular obstructive diseases in 52 consecutive patients who were treated at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Yonsei Cardiovascular Center from January 1st, 1990 to December 31st, 1994. The minimum follow up period was 10 months. The population was divided into two groups, group of success of primary amputation and group of failure. The results were as follows, male and female ratio was 42:10 and the average age was 57.5 years old. Among total 52 cases, there were 22 cases of arteriosclerosis obliterans, 15 cases of Buerger's diseases, 12 cases of vasculitis, 3 cases of acute arterial embolism. Complications after primary amputation included 9 cases of superficial wound infections, 7 cases of marginal wound necroses. Sixteen cases belonged to the group in which reamputation were performed because of intractable poor wound healing. Preoperative value of hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum albumin and serum creatinine which had been generally known as prognostic factors in wound healing were not related to the necessity of reamputation (Multivariate Regression Test, P>0.05). And also age, blood pressure and smoking history and level of amputation didn't show any difference between two groups but existence of lower extremity infection and uncontrolled diabetes mellitus were related to the prognosis of reamputation (Multivariate Regression Test, P<0.05).
Amputation* ; Arteriosclerosis Obliterans ; Blood Pressure ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Embolism ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Lower Extremity* ; Male ; Necrosis ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors* ; Serum Albumin ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Vasculitis ; Wound Healing ; Wound Infection ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate a ‘patient empowerment program for schizophrenia (PEPS)’ to improve problem solving ability, quality of life, and mental health literacy for hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: The study was a non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design. Study participants were recruited from a psychiatric hospital in Republic of Korea. Of 56 participants, 20 were assigned to the experimental group and 36 to the control group. Data were collected from September, 2017 to January, 2018. Data analyses included chi-squared or Fisher's exact tests, t-tests, and repeated measure ANOVA with SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. RESULTS: After participating PEPS, the experimental group showed a significant increase in quality of life and mental health literacy compared to the control group. However, there were no significant differences in problem solving ability between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Findings show that patients with schizophrenia receive benefits from PEPS in terms of quality of life and mental health literacy. However, further research is necessary to develop clinical strategies to improve their problem solving abilities.
Health Literacy ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Literacy ; Mental Health ; Power (Psychology) ; Problem Solving ; Psychotherapy ; Quality of Life ; Republic of Korea ; Schizophrenia ; Statistics as Topic