PURPOSE: We investigated the statistical methods to compose the functional brain map of human working memory and the principal factors that have an effect on the methods for localization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Repeated PET scans with successive four tasks, which consist of one control and three different activation tasks, were performed on six right-handed normal volunteers for 2 minutes after bolus injections of 925 MBq H0 at the intervals of 30 minutes. Irnage data were analyzed using SPM96 (Statistical Parametric Mapping) imple-mented with Matlab (Mathworks Inc., U.S.A.). Images from the same subject were spatially registered and were normalized using linear and nonlinear transformation methods. Significant difference between control and each activation state was estimated at every voxel based on the general linear model. Differences of global counts were removed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with global activity as covariate. Using the mean and variance for each condition which was adjusted using ANCOVA, t-statistics was performed on every voxel To interpret the results more easily, t-values were transformed to the standard (saussian distri-bution (Z-score). RESULTS: All the subjects carried out the activation and control tests successfully. Average rate of correct answers was 95%. The numbers of activated blobs were 4 for verbal memory I, 9 for verbal memory II, 9 for visual memory, and 6 for canjunctive activation of these three tasks. The verbal working memory activates predominantly left-sided slruetures, and the visual memory activates the right hernisphere. CONCLUSION: We conclude that rCBF PET imaging and statistical parametric mapping method were useful in the localization of the brain regions for verbal and visual working memory.
Brain Mapping* ; Brain* ; Electrons* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Memory ; Memory, Short-Term ; Positron-Emission Tomography*

Hepatitis E was formerly caused enterically-transmitted, waterborne, or fecal-oral non-A, non-B hepatitis. Hepatitis E has its highest care-fatality rates in pregnant women. The study was undertaken with the objection of searching the Anti-HEV(IgG) positive rate in Kyeong Ju, Korea. A total of 500 pregnant women who visited the antenatal clinic were selected during the period from November, 1993 to June, 1994 at the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kyeong Ju hospital, Dongguk university and taken the test for IgG anti-HEV with ELISA kit. The positive rate of IgG anti-HEV was 2.8%. So we recommanded that anti-HEV is included in addition to HBsAg and ALT in prenatal screening tests for pregnant women, who have had clinical history of hepatitis.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do* ; Gynecology ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis E ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Korea ; Obstetrics ; Pregnant Women* ; Prenatal Diagnosis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the defecation pattern after discharge in stroke patients with bowel problems. METHOD: Subjects were 50 stroke patients who underwent rehabilitation program and discharged to home. The information about the defecation pattern were taken through interview or review of medical records as follows: anatomical lesion site, consciousness, admission period, operation history, co-morbidity, ambulation distance, water & food intake, assistive device use, voiding dysfunction, urine output, stool softner use, fecal incontinence, and defecation frequency. We compared the defecation frequency according to the various factors obtained from the medical records and interview. RESULT: The defecation frequency were significantly higher in patients without co-morbidily or fecal incontinence, with longer-distance ambulation, large amount of water & food intake (p<0.05). There was no significant change in the defecation frequency according to age, sex, anatomical lesion, operation history, admission period, use of assitive devices, consciousness, voiding dysfunction, or urine output (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Considering the various factors noted above, comprehensive rehabilitation program to relieve bowel problems should be established in the rehabilitation management of stroke patients.
Consciousness ; Defecation* ; Eating ; Fecal Incontinence ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Rehabilitation ; Self-Help Devices ; Stroke* ; Walking ; Water

No abstract available.
Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

This study investigated the method to adjust acquisition time(a) and injection dose(i) to make the best basal and subtraction images in consecutive SPECT. Image quality was assumed to be mainly affected by signal to noise ratio(S/N). Basal image was subtracted from the second image consecutively acquired at the same position. We calculated S/N ratio in basal SPECT images(S1/N1) and subtraction SPECT images(Ss/Ns) to find a(time) and i(dose) to maximize S/N of both images at the same time. From phantom images, we drew the relation of image counts and a(time) and i(dose) in our system using fanbeam-high-resolution collimated triple head SPECT. Noise by imaging process depended on Poisson distribution. We took maximum tolerable duration of consecutive acquisition as 30 minutes and maximum injectible dose as 1,850MBq(50 mCi)(sum of two injections) per study. Counts of second-acquired image(S2), counts(Ss) and noise(Ns) of subtraction SPECT were as follows. C1 was the coefficient of measurement with our system.
Acetazolamide* ; Brain* ; Head ; Noise ; Perfusion* ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

Several pathologic characteristics are associated with an adverse clinical outcome in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), including the histological variant. This study aimed to investigate immunohistochemical expression and BRAF mutation status based on the histological variant and evaluated potential markers of aggressive behavior of PTC in Korean patients. In all, 407 PTC cases were classified to each histological variant, and the 94 representative cases were subjected to immunohistochemistry and BRAF mutation analysis. The classic type, follicular variant (FV) and tall cell variant (TCV) represented 76.9%, 14.2% and 6%, respectively. TCV showed a larger tumor size (P = 0.009), frequent extrathyroidal extension (P = 0.022) and cervical lymph node (LN) metastasis (P = 0.018). TCV and FV showed the reduced expression of galectin-3 (P = 0.003) and HBME1 (P = 0.114). Regardless of histology, PTEN loss and diffuse S100A4 expression were associated with LN metastasis (P = 0.007, P = 0.013). All TCVs harbored BRAF V600E mutation, and FV harbored less BRAF V600E mutation (P = 0.043). Immunohistochemical evaluation showed characteristic patterns in histological variants. PTEN and S100A4 expression are suggested as indicators of regional lymph node metastasis.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*genetics ; Carcinoma, Papillary/genetics/metabolism/*pathology ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Exons ; Female ; Galectin 3/metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase/metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf/*genetics/metabolism ; Republic of Korea ; S100 Proteins/metabolism ; Thyroid Neoplasms/genetics/metabolism/*pathology ; Tumor Markers, Biological/metabolism ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Either gated myocardial perfusion SPECT or attenuation corrected SPECT can be used to improve specificity in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. We investigated in this study whether gating or attenuation correction improved diagnostic performance of rest/stress perfusion SPECT in patients having intermediate pre-test likelihood of coronary artery disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-eight patients underwent rest attenuation-corrected T1-20l/dipyridamole stress gated attenuation-corrected Tc-99m-MIBI SPECT using an ADAC vertex camera (M:F=29:39, aged 59+/-12 years, coronary artery stenosis> or =70%. one vessel: 13, two vessel: 18, three vessel: 8, normal: 29). Using a five-point scale, three physicians graded the post-test likelihood of coronary artery disease for each arterial territory (1 normal, 2: possibly normal 3:equivocal, 4: possibly abnormal, 5: abnormal). Sensitivity, specificity and area under receiver-operating-characteristic curves were compared for each operator between three METHODS: (A) non-attenuation-corrected SPECT; (B) gated SPECT added to (A); and (C) attenuation-corrected SPECT added to (B). RESULTS: When grade 3 was used as the criteria for coronary artery disease, no differences in sensitivity and specificity were found between the three methods for each operator Areas under receiver- operating-characteristic curves for diagnosis of coronary artery disease revealed no differences between each modality (p>005). CONCLUSION: In patients at intermediate risk of coronary artery disease, gated SPECT and attenuation-corrected SPECT did not improve diagnostic performance.
Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Perfusion* ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the mixed nerve action potential of the medial and lateral plantar nerve conduction studies in diabetic patients with the various factors. METHOD: 69 healthy adults without foot trauma as control group and 78 diabetic patients without foot trauma as subject group were studied. The study was performed by using the orthodromic surface stimulation and recording method of evaluating of the mixed nerve action potential of the medial and lateral plantar nerve conduction studies. RESULTS: The differences in the distal latency (p<0.05), amplitude (p<0.05) and nerve conduction velocity (p<0.05) of the mixed nerve action potential of the medial and lateral plantar nerve conduction studies were statistically significant between the diabetic group and the normal control group. Same results also could be obtained in diabetic patients relating to longer duration of diabetes, presence of diabetic retinopathy, higher blood glucose level, longer duration of oral hypoglycemic agent and insulin treatment (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The mixed nerve action potential of the medial and lateral plantar nerve conduction studies are useful for the detection of diabetic neuropathic foot.
Action Potentials* ; Adult ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Foot ; Humans ; Insulin ; Neural Conduction*

To evaluate the effectiveness of I-131 in ablation of residual thyroid tissue, we analyzed 350 patients with thyroid cancer who were treated with various doses of I-131 after surgery for thyroid cancer. Two hundred fifty five patients were treated with l.lGBq(30mCi) of I-131 for ablation of remnant thyroid and one hundred seventeen patients received more than 2.8GBq(75mCi) of I-131. We determined the effectiveness of ablation by following I-131 whole body scan. Absent visible uptake or minimal uptake in thyroid tissue were considered as successful ablation. Of 255 patients who received doses of 30mCi I-131 therapy, 131 patients(51%) showed successful ablation of residual thyroid tissue with 2.6+/-1.7 times of I-131 therapy. Of 117 patients who received doses of the more than 75mCi I-131, 84 patients(72%) had successful remnant thyroid ablation with 1.6+/-1.1 times of I-131 therapy. According to the extent of surgery, successful ablation rates were 78%, 62%, 54%, 33% in patients who underwent total thyroidectomy, subtotal thyroidectomy, lobectomy and isthmectomy, lobectomy or tumorectomy, respectively. This study showed that ablation of remnant thyroid after surgery with 30mCi I-131 was successful only in 50%. Therefore, in cases of patients with high risk for recurrence, we recommend high dose I-131 for ablation of remnant after total thyroidectomy.
Humans ; Recurrence ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyroidectomy ; Whole Body Imaging

Although tuberculosis poses a significant health threat to the global population, it is a challenge to develop new and effective therapeutic strategies. Nitric oxide (NO) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) are important in innate immune responses to various intracellular bacterial infections, including mycobacterial infections. It is generally recognized that reactive nitrogen intermediates play an effective role in host defense mechanisms against tuberculosis. In a murine model of tuberculosis, NO plays a crucial role in antimycobacterial activity; however, it is controversial whether NO is critically involved in host defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in humans. Here, we review the roles of NO in host defense against murine and human tuberculosis. We also discuss the specific roles of NO in the central nervous system and lung epithelial cells during mycobacterial infection. A greater understanding of these defense mechanisms in human tuberculosis will aid in the development of new strategies for the treatment of disease.
Bacterial Infections ; Central Nervous System ; Defense Mechanisms ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitrogen ; Tuberculosis