The dopamine D4 receptor gene has a hypervariable segment in the coding region charcterized by a varying number of 48bp repeats in exon III of the gene. Varying the numbers of repeated segments may change the length, structure, and function of the receptor, which makes this gene a possible candidate for variations in dopamine-related behaviors. such as alcoholism and drug abuse. We evaluated the dopamine D4 receptor genotype in male alcoholics and normal controls. All alcoholics and controls were unrelated and from the Korean population. Genotype and allele frequencies in 67 alcoholics were compared to 67 controls who were free of alcohol abuse. substance abuse. and major mental illness. No association was found between the dopamin D4 recepto allele and alcoholism. This result indicate that there is no association of the dopamine D4 receptor with alcoholism in Korean. Further systemized investigation to determine the role of dopamine D4 receptor gene in alcoholism with a larger sample size will be required.
Alcoholics ; Alcoholism* ; Alleles ; Clinical Coding ; Dopamine* ; Exons ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Receptors, Dopamine D4* ; Sample Size ; Substance-Related Disorders

Sinus venosus is a rare cardiac defect, which may lead to an interatrial shunt. Diagnosis on echocardiography may be difficult requiring an evaluation by a board-certified cardiologist. We report a case of a 41 year-old male who presented with recurrent episodes of hemiparesis (first left sided, second right sided). Surgical correction of sinus venosus led to resolution of his symptoms.
Heart Septal Defects, Atrial

No abstract available.
Animals ; Finasteride* ; Rats* ; Spermatogenesis*

A 67-year-old female presented to the emergency department with complaints of dyspnea and chest wall pain after a fall from a cultivator. Initial chest CT showed multiple left rib fractures, a loculated hematoma without active bleeding, and hemothorax. On the third day of admission, the chest X-ray showed an abrupt aggravation of haziness and the chest CT showed that the size of the hematoma had increased with active bleeding from the pulmonary artery. In cases of loculated hematomas adjacent to the hilum on CT scan, the diagnosis of pulmonary artery injury should be considered.
Aged ; Delayed Diagnosis* ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Hemothorax ; Humans ; Lung* ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Rib Fractures ; Thoracic Wall ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

A 69-year-old male was admitted for dyspnea and chest pain. The patient had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery and tube thoracostomy three years ago. The chest radiograph showed pleural effusion, which was drained using a percutaneous catheter with CT guidance. However, residual pneumothorax was observed four days later. Despite insertion of the 12 Fr trocar-type tube, pneumothorax did not improve and air leaks were observed. Chest CT showed that the tube was placed in the left main bronchus. After removal of the tube, the patient recovered uneventfully from pulmonary hemorrhage and bronchial perforation without complications.
Aged ; Bronchi ; Catheters* ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Dyspnea ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; Male ; Pleural Effusion ; Pneumothorax ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Thoracostomy* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of immunosuppressants on in-hospital mortality from sepsis. METHODS: Using data of the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, we collected data from patients who were admitted to the hospital due to sepsis from 2009 to 2013. Based on drugs commonly used for immunosuppression caused by various diseases, patients were divided into three groups; immunosuppressant group, steroid-only group, and control group. Patients with no history of immunosuppressants or steroids were assigned to the control group. To identify risk factors of in-hospital mortality in sepsis, we compared differences in patient characteristics, comorbidities, intensive care unit (ICU) care requirements, and immunodeficiency profiles. Subgroup analysis according to age was also performed. RESULTS: Of the 185,671 included patients, 13,935 (7.5%) were in the steroid-only group and 2,771 patients (1.5%) were in the immunosuppressant group. The overall in-hospital mortality was 38.9% and showed an increasing trend with age. The steroid-only group showed the lowest in-hospital mortality among the three groups except the patients younger than 30 years. The steroid-only group and immunosuppressant group received ICU treatment more frequently (p < 0.001), stayed longer in the hospital (p < 0.001), and showed higher medical expenditure (p < 0.001) compared to the normal group. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that age, male gender, comorbidities (especially malignancy), and ICU treatment had a significant effect on in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Despite longer hospital length of stay and more frequent need for ICU care, the in-hospital mortality was lower in patients taking immunosuppressive drugs than in patients not taking immunosuppressive drugs.
Comorbidity ; Health Expenditures ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Insurance* ; Insurance, Health ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea* ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Sepsis* ; Steroids

This study was aimed to clarify whether urinary calcium stones may be associated with uric acid disorders. Serum uric acid concentrations and 24-hour urinary excretion of uric acid were determined in 73 calcium stone formers and in 60 controls. The following results were obtained: 1. The mean values of serum uric acid were 4.59+/-0.84 mg/dl in male controls and 4.07+/-1.21 mg/dl in female controls, 5.36+/-1.34 mg/dl in male stone formers and 4.87+/-1.34 mg/dl in female stone formers. Serum uric acid concentrations of male stone formers were significantly higher than those of male controls. 2. The mean values of 24-hour urinary excretion of uric acid were 644.1+/-313.4 mg in male controls and 510.0+/-2256.7 mg in female controls, 808.7+/-411.7 mg in male stone formers and 701.9+/-278.4 mg in female stone formers. The 24-hour urinary excretion of uric acid of male stone formers were significantly higher than those of male controls. 3. Hyperuricemia was observed in non of male and female controls, 10.9% of male stone formers and 14.8% of female stone formers. 4. Hyperuricosuria was observed in 22.4% of male controls and 18.2% of female controls, 45.7% of male stone formers and 40.7% of female stone formers. Hyperuricosuria was more frequent in male stone formers. 5. The incidence of patients with hyperuricemia and/or hyperuricosuria was observed in 21.7% of controls and 50.7% of calcium stone formers. The result, that patients with calcium stone disease were hyperuricemic and hyperuricosuric more often than controls suggested that some urinary calcium stones may be associated with uric acid disorders.
Calcium* ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperuricemia ; Incidence ; Male ; Schools, Medical ; Uric Acid*

BACKGROUND: It has recently become most general to use the small bore catheter to perform closed thoracostomy in treating iatrogenic pneumothorax. This study was performed for analysis of the efficacy of treatment methods by using small bore catheter such as 7 F (French) central venous catheter, 10 F trocar catheter, 12 F pigtail catheter and for analysis of the appropriateness of each procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 2007 to February 2010, Retrospective review of 105 patients with iatrogenic pneumothorax, who underwent closed thoracostomy by using small bore catheter, was performed. We analyzed the total success rate for all procedures as well as the individual success rate for each procedure, and analyzed the cause of failure, additional treatment method for failure, influential factors of treatment outcome, and complications. RESULTS: The most common causes of iatrogenic pneumothorax were presented as percutaneous needle aspiration(PCNA) in 48 cases (45.7%), and central venous catheterization in 26 cases (24.8%). The mean interval to thoracostomy after the procedure was measured as 5.2 hours (1~34 hours). Total success rate of thoracostomy was 78.1%. The success rate was not significantly difference by tube type, with 7 F central venous catheter as 80%, 10 F trocar catheter as 81.6%, and 12 F pigtail catheter as 71%. Twenty one out of 23 patients that had failed with small bore catheter treatment added large bore conventional thoracostomy, and another 2 patients received surgery. The causes for treatment failure were presented as continuous air leakage in 12 cases (52.2%) and tube malfunction in 7 cases (30%). The causes for failure did not present significant differences by tube type. Statistically significant factors affecting treatment performance were not discovered. CONCLUSION: Closed thoracostomy with small bore catheter proved to be effective for iatrogenic pneumothorax. The success rate was not difference for each type. However, it is important to select the appropriate catheter by considering the patient status, pneumothorax aspect, and medical personnel in the cardiothoracic surgery department of the relevant hospital.
Catheterization, Central Venous ; Catheters ; Catheters, Indwelling ; Central Venous Catheters ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; Needles ; Pneumothorax ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Instruments ; Thoracostomy ; Treatment Failure ; Treatment Outcome

This report describes clinical cases of a palato-gingival groove on a maxillary lateral incisor with associated localized periodontal disease and pulp necrosis. The tooth of the first case was extracted because of severe bone destruction. The palato-gingival groove of the second case was eliminated using a round bur, and the resulting defect was filled with synthetic graft and covered by an absorbable membrane. Both diagnosis and treatment of palato-gingival groove were very difficult and usually extraction of the involved tooth is the treatment of choice, but combined endodontic-periodontic treatment allowed the tooth to be saved.
Dental Pulp Necrosis ; Diagnosis ; Incisor* ; Membranes ; Periodontal Diseases ; Tooth ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Direct wet mount examination of vaginal secretion, widely applied for the diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis infection in woman patients, is rapid and economical. However, the sensitivity of this technique is not so high. In this study enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was employed for the detection of serum anti-T. vaginalis IgG antibodies from vaginal trichomoniasis patients. METHODS: Eighty sera from trichomonoasis patients who visited a Dr. Yoon Kyong's Obstetric & Gynecologic Clinic in Songnam and 30 non-infected healthy men were tested for detection of anti-T. vaginalis IgG antibody. Soluble lysate and excretory-secretory antigen prepared by mixing of six isolates of T. vaginalis, and lysate from one isolate(KT4) were used as antigen for ELISA. RESULTS: The sensitivity of ELISA using lysate of six isolates was 95.0%, and the sensitivity of the lysate from KT4 and mixed excretory-secretory antigen from 6 isolates were 86.4% and 76.3%, respectively. Specificities of ELISA by three 93.3%, 96.3% and 92.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that ELISA using mixed lysate of T. vaginalis six isolates could be useful tools for the diagnosis of trichomoniasis.
Antibodies ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Male ; Trichomonas vaginalis ; Trichomonas*