Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of depression, anxiety, somatization disorder, and adjustment disorder in older patients diagnosed with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and to evaluate the relationship between exudative AMD and psychological disease. Methods: The 2016 Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service-Aged Patient Sample was applied in this study. The subjects were divided into two groups: AMD patients undergoing intravitreal injection treatment and a control group. Comorbidities were evaluated using the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Results: A total of 1,319,052 subjects were selected, of which 3,134 were in the exudative AMD group receiving intravitreal injections. The average age of the subjects was 74.7 ± 6.7 years, and 41.8% were male. In patients with exudative AMD, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, somatization disorder, and adjustment disorder were 16%, 20%, 0.5%, and 0.4%, respectively; in particular, the prevalence of depression and adjustment disorder were significantly higher than in the control group. In multivariate regression analysis, exudative AMD was a significant factor of depression (odds ratio [OR] 1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.31, p < 0.001) and adjustment disorder (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.47-4.18, p < 0.001). However, the association between AMD and anxiety or somatization disorder was not statistically significant. Conclusions Exudative AMD showed a significant association with psychiatric disease, such as depression, and requires close clinical attention.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of depression, anxiety, somatization disorder, and adjustment disorder in older patients diagnosed with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and to evaluate the relationship between exudative AMD and psychological disease. Methods: The 2016 Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service-Aged Patient Sample was applied in this study. The subjects were divided into two groups: AMD patients undergoing intravitreal injection treatment and a control group. Comorbidities were evaluated using the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Results: A total of 1,319,052 subjects were selected, of which 3,134 were in the exudative AMD group receiving intravitreal injections. The average age of the subjects was 74.7 ± 6.7 years, and 41.8% were male. In patients with exudative AMD, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, somatization disorder, and adjustment disorder were 16%, 20%, 0.5%, and 0.4%, respectively; in particular, the prevalence of depression and adjustment disorder were significantly higher than in the control group. In multivariate regression analysis, exudative AMD was a significant factor of depression (odds ratio [OR] 1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.31, p < 0.001) and adjustment disorder (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.47-4.18, p < 0.001). However, the association between AMD and anxiety or somatization disorder was not statistically significant. Conclusions Exudative AMD showed a significant association with psychiatric disease, such as depression, and requires close clinical attention.

In this study, the ontogeny of the dopamine D1 and D2 receptors on fetal rat retina was investigated by using in situ hybridization technique. The expression of the D1 and D2 receptor mRNAs showed different pattern of appearance, distribution and density. At gestational day(GD) 13.5, D1 receptor was first detected in neuroepithelium of the retina. Both D1 and D2 receptors were detected at GD 15.5 in the ventricular layer and ganglion cell layer of developing retina of the rat, and D1 receptor showed more strong density than that of D2 receptor. At GD 17.5, Both D1 and D2 receptors were detected in the ganglion cell layer, ventricular layer and pigment epithelium. The labelling density of D1 receptor was higher than that of D2 receptor. At GD 19.5, both D1 and D2 receptors were additionally detected in the optic nuclear layer and plexiform layer. These results imply that D1 and D2 receptor may mediate different important function of the retina.
Animals ; Dopamine* ; Epithelium ; Ganglion Cysts ; In Situ Hybridization ; Rats* ; Retina* ; RNA, Messenger*

No abstract available.
Paget Disease, Extramammary*

OBJECTIVES: Posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) has been primarily associated with emotional problems. Recently, however, the impact of PTSD on cognitive processes has interested a growing number of researchers. The current study is aimed at investigating the cognitive aspects of PTSD at both behavioral and neurological levels. METHODS: We recruited individuals with PTSD who survived the Daegu subway explosion in 2003 as well as non-PTSD individuals as a control group. To evaluate the inhibitory processes and the neural mechanisms, we had these individuals perform the negative priming task simultaneously with functional MRI scanning. RESULTS: Behaviorally, the negative priming effect was intact in the control group but was not evident in the PTSD group. In the imaging results, only the PTSD group showed the negative priming effect (i.e., increased activation of the negative priming condition as opposed to the neutral condition) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and inferior temporal gyrus. The PTSD group also showed increased activity for the positive priming condition as opposed to the neutral condition in the claustrum. These results confirm and extend the previous findings that the integrity of the ACC is compromised in the trauma survivors due to disrupted white matter tract. CONCLUSIONS: The current results suggest that deteriorated performance of the PTSD group may be due to the functional problem as well as the structural abnormalities.
Basal Ganglia ; European Continental Ancestry Group ; Explosions ; Gyrus Cinguli ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Prefrontal Cortex ; Railroads ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; Survivors

Trichomonas vaginalis is a flagellated lumen-dwelling extracellular protozoan parasite that causes human trichomoniasis via sexual intercourse. Human neutrophils play a crucial role in acute tissue inflammatory responses in T. vaginalis infection. In this study, we investigated the signaling mechanism of neutrophil responses when stimulated with T. vaginalis-derived secretory products (TvSP), which were collected from 1x10(7) live trichomonads. Incubation of human neutrophils isolated from peripheral blood with TvSP induced up-regulation of IL-8 protein secretion. In addition, stimulation with TvSP induced phosphorylation of NF-kappaB and CREB in neutrophils. Moreover, TvSP-induced IL-8 production was also significantly inhibited by pretreatment of neutrophils with ikappaB inhibitor or CREB inhibitor. These results suggest that transcription factors NF-kappaB and CREB are involved in IL-8 production in human neutrophils induced by stimulation with T. vaginalis infection.
Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein/*metabolism ; Human Experimentation ; Humans ; Interleukin-8/*metabolism ; Male ; NF-kappa B/*metabolism ; Neutrophils/*immunology ; Phosphorylation ; Trichomonas vaginalis/*immunology

Trichomonas vaginalis is a flagellated protozoan parasite that causes vaginitis and cervicitis in women and asymptomatic urethritis and prostatitis in men. Mast cells have been reported to be predominant in vaginal smears and vaginal walls of patients infected with T. vaginalis. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), activated by various stimuli, have been shown to regulate the transcriptional activity of various cytokine genes in mast cells. In this study, we investigated whether MAPK is involved in ROS generation and exocytotic degranulation in HMC-1 cells induced by T. vaginalis-derived secretory products (TvSP). We found that TvSP induces the activation of MAPK and NADPH oxidase in HMC-1 cells. Stimulation with TvSP induced phosphorylation of MAPK and p47phox in HMC-1 cells. Stimulation with TvSP also induced up-regulation of CD63, a marker for exocytosis, along the surfaces of human mast cells. Pretreatment with MAPK inhibitors strongly inhibited TvSP-induced ROS generation and exocytotic degranulation. Finally, our results suggest that TvSP induces intracellular ROS generation and exocytotic degranulation in HMC-1 via MAPK signaling.
Cell Degranulation ; Cell Line ; *Exocytosis ; Humans ; Mast Cells/*drug effects/*metabolism ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/*metabolism ; Reactive Oxygen Species/*metabolism ; Trichomonas vaginalis/*metabolism ; Virulence Factors/*metabolism

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The treatment strategy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been changing rapidly since the introduction of direct-acting antivirals such as daclatasvir (DCV) and asunaprevir (ASV). We evaluated the efficacy and safety of DCV and ASV for HCV in real-life practice. METHODS: Patients were treated with 60 mg of DCV once daily plus 200 mg of ASV twice daily for 24 weeks, and followed for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was a sustained virological response at 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12) and safety. RESULTS: This retrospective study included eight patients with chronic HCV genotype 1b infection. All of the enrolled patients were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, and their mean age was 65.75 years. One patient was a nonresponder and two patients relapsed with previous pegylated interferon (PegIFN) and ribavirin (RBV) treatment. None of the patient showed NS5A mutation. An SVR12 was achieved in 88% of cases by the DCV and ASV combination therapy. The serum transaminase level and the aspartate-aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio were improved after the treatment. DCV and ASV were well tolerated in most of the patients, with treatment discontinuation due to adverse events (elevated liver enzyme and decompensation) occurring in two patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, combination of DCV and ASV treatment achieved a high sustained virological response with few adverse events even in those with cirrhosis, advanced age, and nonresponse/relapse to previous interferon-based therapy. Close monitoring of safety issues may be necessary when treating chronic HCV patients receiving DCV and ASV, especially in older patient and those with cirrhosis.
Aged ; Alanine Transaminase/blood ; Antiviral Agents/*therapeutic use ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/blood ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/complications/*drug therapy/virology ; Humans ; Imidazoles/*therapeutic use ; Isoquinolines/*therapeutic use ; Liver/diagnostic imaging ; Liver Cirrhosis/complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Viral/blood ; Retrospective Studies ; Sulfonamides/*therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Mechanisms of restenosis following successful coronary angioplasty (PTCA) are knownasvascularsmoothmuscle cells(VSMCs)proliferationandmigration, elastic recoil or vascular wall remodeling. Paclitaxel whose effect on the stabilization of microtubles leads to cell death is highly lipophilic, permitting easy pass through cell membrane, and has a long-term antiproliferative effect. This study was performed to evaluate effect of paclitaxel on VSMCs proliferation and whether locally delivered paclitaxel can prevent stenosis and neointimal formation in rat carotid artery injury model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cultured VSMCs were exposed to sequential concentrations of paclitaxel in vitro, and proliferation inhibition was analyzed with 3H-thymidine incorporation. Paclitaxel of a suitable concentration was applied to the endothelium-denuded carotid artery of Fisher 344 inbred rats for 20 minutes. Angiogram and morphometric analysis of carotid artery was performed after 2 weeks. RESULTS: 3H-thymidine incorporation in cultured VSMCs was decreased dose-dependently from the concentration of 0.1 micromol/L (2,454+/-149cpm/ microgram protein) to 100 micromol/L (1,323+/-69cpm/ microgram protein) of paclitaxel by single and 20-minute exposure in the presence of platelet-derived growth factor (p<0.005). In the absence of platelet-derived growth factor, the decrement of 3H-thymidine incorporation was evident above the concentration of 5 micromol/L of paclitaxel. To evaluate in vivo effect, paclitaxel (0.1 or 1 micromol/L) was administered into the endothelium-denuded carotid artery by balloon injury and incubated for 20 minutes. Percent stenoses (32.2+/-9.8%) of paclitaxel-treated group was less than those (46.3+/-7.5%) of control group on histologic analysis (p<0.01). Paclitaxel-treated group also had wider lumen on carotid angiogram and less neointimal thickening than control on histologic examination (p<0.005). CONCLUSION: Proliferation of VSMCs was effectively inhibited and neointimal formation and luminal stenosis was prevented in rat carotid artery injury model by single, brief and local delivery of low-dose paclitaxel. This strategy could be applied to clinical settings for the prevention of restenosis after PTCA.
Angioplasty ; Animals ; Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery Injuries ; Cell Death ; Cell Membrane ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Neointima ; Paclitaxel* ; Phenobarbital ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Rats*

PURPOSE: To review the simple radiographic and sonographic findings in infants with neonatal sepsis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed simple chest and abdominal radiographs, and brain sonograms in 36 newborn infants (preterm: term=23:13). With neonatal sepsis diagnosed by blood culture and clinical manifestations. RESULTS: Pulmonary parenchymal infiltrate excluding respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary edema or atelectasis was found in 22 infants (61%). Paralytic ileus, hepatosplenomegaly, and necrotizing enterocolitis were present in 18 (50%), 9 (25%), and 1 (3%) infants, respectively, while skeletal changes suggesting osteomyelitis were found in three. Brain sonography was performed in 29 infants and in four, abnormalities were seen ; these comprised three germinal matrix hemorrhages and one intraparenchymal hemorrhage. In six patients (17%) radiologic examinations revealed no abnormality. CONCLUSION: In patients with neonatal sepsis, pulmonary infiltrates and paralytic ileus were common abnormalities. Although these were nonspecific, radiologic findings may be used to supplement clinical and laboratory findings in diagnosing neonatal sepsis and planning its treatment.
Brain ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction ; Osteomyelitis ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Pulmonary Edema ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis* ; Thorax ; Ultrasonography