The characterization of genetic variation at the level of DNA has generated significant advances in gene mapping and disease diagnosis, and forensic identification of individuals. It is now possible to identify individual DNA from various tissue specimens, like hair, using the PCR and oligonucleotide probes. To date, however, the number of hairs needed, the preservation conditions, and the kinds of hair suitable for DNA extraction have not been well known. We performed DNA extraction using hairs from different body sites, using different numbers of hairs, under various different preservation conditions to investigate the acquisition conditions of DNA data from hair using PCR and specific HLA-DQA probe. HLA-DQA genotyping of DNA extracted from peripheral blood was performed to compare the results of hair and blood HLA-DQA genotyping from individuals. The results are as follows: 1) The concentration of DNA extracted from a single strand of hair is 5.23+/-0.54 g/ml. It is possible to extract sufficient DNA for HLA-DQA genotyping from a single strand of hair. 2) DNA concentration is different according to body site. Concentrations are 7.01+/-0.33 g/ml in scalp hair, 6.28+/-0.29 g/ml in axillary hair, and 6.10+0.24 microgram/ml in pubic hair. 3) There is no difference between the electrophortic bands resulting from DNA extracted from the hair of an individual preserved under different conditions, such as room temperature, exposure to sunlight, exposure to low temperature (+4degrees C), or exposure to moisture. 4) There is no difference between the electrophoretic bands resulting from DNA extracted from hair of a single individual preserved for different lengths of time. 5) In an individual, the HLA-DQA genotype obtained from peripheral blood is identical to that obtained from hair. Even though the amout of DNA obtained from hair is limited, it is possible to identify the HLA-DQA genotype of an individual using a single strand of hair. This requires adequate extraction of DNA for PCR analysis using an allele specific probe. We believe that HLA-DQA genotyping using the PCR method on DNA extracted from hair is useful for disease diagnosis and forensic science.
Alleles ; Chromosome Mapping ; Diagnosis ; DNA* ; Forensic Sciences ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Hair* ; Oligonucleotide Probes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Scalp ; Sunlight

Authors experienced 100 cases of retrobulbar optic neuritis among the patients who visited the Chang Shoo Choi Eye Clinic during the last 2 years, from September 1, 1964 to August 31, 1966. The chief complaints are asthenopia, blurring vision, ocular pain, headache and photophobia. Of 100 cases, 46 cases wanted to be refracted. The corrected visual acuities are not always poor, though they are very variable from time to time as the tests are processing. The most cases revealed central relative scotomas instead of cecocentrals as previously believed. Fields are taken with glasses if corrected. In our cases, the age distribution of the patients are very interesting, the most susceptible age groups are 11~13 years.
Age Distribution ; Asthenopia ; Eyeglasses ; Glass ; Headache ; Humans ; Optic Neuritis* ; Photophobia ; Scotoma ; Vision, Ocular ; Visual Acuity

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Dopamine receptors have been regarded as a strong candidate involved in etiology of schizophrenia and a target for various antipsychotic drugs. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether dopamine D1 receptor(DRD1) gene polymorphisms would predict the treatment response to antipsychotics in schizophrenia. METHOD: One hundred thirty-four schizophrenic patients, who met DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia were entered into a 48-week study. The psychopathology of the patients was assessed at baseline, 12th, 24th, 48th weeks of treatment by PANSS. Responders were defined by a 20% of the reduction in total PAnSS score at end point. The genomic DNA fragment corresponding to nucleotides of dopamine D1 receptor gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR). RESULT: Neither allelic frequencies nor genotypes for dopamine D1 receptor differed significantly between responders and non-responders. Also, there was no difference of changes of PANSS scores among three genotype groups of the dopamine D1 receptor. CONCLUSION: Allelic variation in the dopamine D1 gene is not associated with individual differences in antipsychotic response.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; DNA ; Dopamine* ; Genotype* ; Humans ; Individuality ; Nucleotides ; Psychopathology ; Receptors, Dopamine ; Receptors, Dopamine D1* ; Schizophrenia

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of three-dimensional(3D) short-range MR angiography(MRA) andmultiplanar reconstruction(MPR) imaging in hemifacial spasm(HS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundreds patientswith HS were studied using a 1.5T MRI system with a 3D time-of-flight(TOF) MRA sequence. To reconstructshort-range MRA, 6-10 source images near the 7-8th cranial nerve complex were processed using a maximum-intensityprojection technique. In addition, an MPR technique was used to investigate neurovascular compression. We observedthe relationship between the root-exit zone(REZ) of the 7th cranial nerve and compressive vessel, and identifiedthe compressive vessels on symptomatic sides. To investigate neurovascular contact, asymptomatic contralateralsides were also evaluated. RESULTS: MRI showed that in 197 of 200 patients there was vascular compression orcontact with the facial nerve REZ on symptomatic sides. One of the three remaining patients was suffering fromacoustic neurinoma on the symptomatic side, while in two patients there were no definite abnormal findings. Compressive vessels were demonstrated in all 197 patients; 80 cases involved the anterior inferior cerebellarartery(AICA), 74 the posterior cerebellar artery(PICA), 13 the vertebral artery(VA), 16 the VA and AICA, eight theVA and PICA, and six the AICA and PICA. In all 197 patients, compressive vessels were reconstructed on one 3Dshort-range MRA image without discontinuation from vertebral or basilar arteries. 3D MPR studies providedadditional information such as the direction of compression and course of the compressive vessel. In 31 patientsthere was neurovascular contact on the contralateral side at the 7-8th cranial nerve complex. CONCLUSION: Inpatients with HS, 3D short-range MRA and MPR images are excellent and very helpful for the investigation ofneurovascular compression and the identification of compressive vessels.
Angiography* ; Basilar Artery ; Cranial Nerves ; Facial Nerve ; Hemifacial Spasm* ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurilemmoma ; Pica

OBJECTIVES: Although Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems provide various benefits, there are both advantages and disadvantages regarding its cost-effectiveness. This study analyzed the economic effects of EMR systems using a cost-benefit analysis based on the differential costs of managerial accounting. METHODS: Samsung Medical Center (SMC) is a general hospital in Korea that developed an EMR system for outpatients from 2006 to 2008. This study measured the total costs and benefits during an 8-year period after EMR adoption. The costs include the system costs of building the EMR and the costs incurred in smoothing its adoption. The benefits included cost reductions after its adoption and additional revenues from both remodeling of paper-chart storage areas and medical transcriptionists' contribution. The measured amounts were discounted by SMC's expected interest rate to calculate the net present value (NPV), benefit-cost ratio (BCR), and discounted payback period (DPP). RESULTS: During the analysis period, the cumulative NPV and the BCR were US$3,617 thousand and 1.23, respectively. The DPP was about 6.18 years. CONCLUSIONS: Although the adoption of an EMR resulted in overall growth in administrative costs, it is cost-effective since the cumulative NPV was positive. The positive NPV was attributed to both cost reductions and additional revenues. EMR adoption is not so attractive to management in that the DPP is longer than 5 years at 6.18 and the BCR is near 1 at 1.23. However, an EMR is a worthwhile investment, seeing that this study did not include any qualitative benefits and that the paper-chart system was cost-centric.
Adoption ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Electronic Health Records ; Electronics ; Electrons ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Investments ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Tertiary Healthcare

No abstract available.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic*

PURPOSE: To investigate prognostic factors influencing on local recurrence, distant metastasis and event-free survival of liposarcomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-two patients managed for liposarcomas since 1993 were analyzed respectively in the view of prognostic influence of patient age, tumor size, location, histologic type, histologic grade, resection type, surgical margin, chemotherapy and radiation therapy on local recurrence, distant metastasis and event-free survival. The mean follow up period was 39 months. The univariate and multivariate regression analysis were performed for statistical evaluation. RESULTS: The local recurrences occurred in 11 patients (21.2%) and distant metastasis in 4 patients (8%), Event-free survival rate at 4 year follow up was 67%. In univariate analysis, histologic grade, surgical margin, chemotherapy and radiation therapy were significant prognostic factors on local recurrence (p<0.05). However, histologic grade lost its significance in muitivariate analysis. Trunk location revealed higher rate of distant metastasis than extremity location. In univariate analysis on event-free survival. histologic grade and chemotherapy were significant factors (p<0.05). No factor remained significant in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Considering selection bias, positive surgical margin was negative prognostic factor on local recurrence. Liposarcomas arisen in trunk revealed higher rate of distant metastasis. There was no independent prognostic factor on event-free survival of patients with liposarcomas.
Disease-Free Survival ; Extremities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liposarcoma ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Selection Bias

No abstract available.
Prognathism

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the correlation between the degrees of injury on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the time interval to recovery of consciousness in patients with diffuse axonal injury. METHODS: From January 2004 to December 2008, 25 patients with diffuse axonal injury were treated at our hospital. We retrospectively investigated the patients' medical records and radiological findings. We divided the patients into three groups according to the grade of MRI finding : grade I, small scattered lesions on the white matter of the cerebral hemisphere; grade II, focal lesions on the corpus callosum; and grade III, additional focal lesions on the brain stem. RESULT: Seven patients belonged to the grade I group; 10 to the grade II group; and 8 to the grade III group. The mean Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of all patients at the time of admission was 7.28. Recovery of consciousness was observed in 23 of the 25 patients; the remaining two patients never regained consciousness. The time interval to recovery of consciousness (awake status) ranged from 1 day to 125 days (mean 22.1 days) : grade I group patients, within approximately 1 week (mean 3.7 days); grade II group patients, within approximately 2 weeks (mean 12.5 days); and grade III group patients, within approximately 2 months (mean 59.5 days). CONCLUSION: Our study results suggest a correlation between the mean time interval to recovery of consciousness in patients with diffuse axonal injuries and the degrees of brain injuries seen on MRI. Patients with grade I and II diffuse axonal injuries recovered consciousness within 2 weeks, while patients with grade III injuries required approximately 2 months.
Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Brain Stem ; Consciousness ; Diffuse Axonal Injury ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies