OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors related to long-term hospitalization of schizophrenia. METHODS: The subjects were inpatients with schizophrenia who were constantly hospitalized for more than 12 months and their caregivers. They were compared with schizophrenia with no previous experience of sustained hospitalization for more than 12 months and their caregivers. Demographic and clinical data, Korea version of the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale, functional disability and family burden scale were analyzed. RESULTS: In this study long-term hospitalization of schizophrenia was influenced by the following measures. First, primary caregivers variables such as parents/non-parents and cohabitation with patients, second, negative symptom severity of passive/apathetic social withdrawal and lack of spontaneity and flow of conversation, and third, functional disability of go to hospital/take a dose regularly and using public transportation/facilities were associated with long-term hospitalization. And they were significant in logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: The above results suggest that long-term hospitalization of schizophrenic patients in Korea might be affected by caregiver's factor, negative symptoms, and functional disability.
Caregivers ; Hospitalization* ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Schizophrenia*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Blastocyst* ; Insulin* ; Mice*

OBJECTIVE: To describe the change of serum estradiol, follicul-stimulating hormone and testosterone after hysterectomy, and its difference according to the type of adnexal surgery in pre, and postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Three hundred twenty four women presenting for hysterectomies for nononcologic reasons. We divide the women into four groups, who only hysterectomized, who with both adnexectomized, who with unilateral adnexectomized, and who with both salpingectomized. We collect the blood samples for serum estradiol and testosterone in preoperative day, 1 day after, 3 day after, 6 day after and 1 month after operation. And check FSH in a day before operation and 1month after operation. RESULT: Estradiol shows significant decrease in both adnectomy group compared to the unilateral adnexectomized and only hysterectomized. The both salpingectomized shows no difference with the both adnectomized. Testosterone shows no difference between groups in premenopausal women. In postmenopausal women, testosterone decreased 3 days after both adnexectomy compared to the only hysterectomized and the unilateral adnexectomized. The both salpingectomized shows no difference with the both adnexectomized. CONCLUSION: Testosterone decreases significantly in postmenopausal women after hysterectomy with both adnexectomy or both salpingectomy. So we think it was appropriate treatment to replace estrogen and testosterone in postmenopausal women who both adnexectomized or both salpingectomized.
Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Salpingectomy ; Testosterone

OBJECTIVE: To describe the change of serum estradiol, follicul-stimulating hormone and testosterone after hysterectomy, and its difference according to the type of adnexal surgery in pre, and postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Three hundred twenty four women presenting for hysterectomies for nononcologic reasons. We divide the women into four groups, who only hysterectomized, who with both adnexectomized, who with unilateral adnexectomized, and who with both salpingectomized. We collect the blood samples for serum estradiol and testosterone in preoperative day, 1 day after, 3 day after, 6 day after and 1 month after operation. And check FSH in a day before operation and 1month after operation. RESULT: Estradiol shows significant decrease in both adnectomy group compared to the unilateral adnexectomized and only hysterectomized. The both salpingectomized shows no difference with the both adnectomized. Testosterone shows no difference between groups in premenopausal women. In postmenopausal women, testosterone decreased 3 days after both adnexectomy compared to the only hysterectomized and the unilateral adnexectomized. The both salpingectomized shows no difference with the both adnexectomized. CONCLUSION: Testosterone decreases significantly in postmenopausal women after hysterectomy with both adnexectomy or both salpingectomy. So we think it was appropriate treatment to replace estrogen and testosterone in postmenopausal women who both adnexectomized or both salpingectomized.
Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Salpingectomy ; Testosterone

Intracapsular and paraarticular chondroma is a rare benign lesion of the large joints (mostly the knee). We report a case of intracapsular and paraarticular chondroma in the infrapatellar Hoffa's fat pad that presented as a painful palpable mass in 15-yearold woman. A physical examination revealed a firm, movable and tender mass in the infrapatellar area. Magnetic resonance images showed an ovoid, well-defined, soft tissue mass with focal calcification in the infrapatellar fat pad. The final pathology revealed an intracapsular and paraarticular chondroma.
Adipose Tissue ; Chondroma ; Female ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Physical Examination

We experienced a 59-year-old immunocompetent female patient who complained progressive cough. A bronchoscopic examination revealed an endobronchial mass protruding from the left lower lobe and occluding anterior-basal segment bronchus. Bronchial biopsy and endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration were consistent with cryptococcal infection. However, the response of medical therapy was an unsuccessful. Finally, the patient underwent left lower lobectomy with lymph node dissection. We report a case of pulmonary cryptococcosis mimicking bronchogenic lung cancer, and surgical therapy with antifungal treatment resulted in successful resolution of the pneumonia.
Biopsy ; Bronchi ; Bronchial Neoplasms ; Bronchoscopy ; Cough ; Cryptococcosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Lymph Node Excision ; Middle Aged ; Mycoses ; Needles ; Pneumonia ; Ultrasonography

Human ovarian follicles reduce rapidly in number throughout fetal and adult life. Throughout the menstrual cycles, primordial follicles grow into mature follicles and then ovulate to form corpus luteum. Apoptosis has been implicated in several events that occur during the process of follicular growth, atresia and the regression of the corpus luteum. By the use of immunohistochemistry, we clarified the involvement of apoptosis in the human ovary during follicular growth, regression and atresia by investigating the expression of Fas, Fas-ligand, Bcl-2 and Bad in primordial follicles, primary follicles and mature follicles. Fas immunostaining was present in primordial oocytes, both oocytes and granulosa cells of primary follicles, preantral follicles and all follicular cells of mature follicles. Fas-ligand and Bad immunostaining patterns were similar to those of Fas except for theca cells. Bcl-2 immunostaining was present in both oocytes and granulosa cells of primary, preantral and mature follicles. In corpus luteum, Fas, Fas-ligand, Bcl-2 and Bad immunostaining were observed and decreased in the regressing corpus luteum. In postmenopausal ovary, Fas, Fas-ligand, Bcl-2 and Bad immunostaining were entirely negative. Bad immunostaining was observed but Bcl-2 was not in atretic follicle. These results suggest that Fas, Fas-ligand, Bcl-2 and Bad may play important roles in human ovary during follicular growth, regression and atresia simultaneously. Further studies should be required to elucidate the underlying mechanism and apoptosis of the disease associated with normal and abnormal ovarian aging.
Adult ; Aging ; Apoptosis ; Corpus Luteum ; Female ; Granulosa Cells ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Menstrual Cycle ; Oocytes ; Ovarian Follicle* ; Ovary ; Theca Cells

OBJECTIVE: To compare the women who use postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy to never user for the serum leptin level and degree of obesity, then evaluate the precausing factor of postmenopausal obesity. METHOD: We checked the serum leptin level, blood chemistry and body composition in three groups, two groups are postmenopause groups which is HRT user (n=125) and HRT never user (n=194), and the other is premenopause groups(n=82). We used SPSS and Excel for analyzed the difference between the groups. RESULT: BMR is decreased after menopause, body fat ratio, abdominal fat ratio, BMI, leptin, sugar, and cholesterol level are increased after menopause. There is no difference between the postmenopausal HRT group and non-HRT group in body fat composition, abdominal fat ratio, BMI,BMR,AMC and leptin levels. Serum sugar level shows positive correlation with the leptin level in pre and postmenopausal women after exclude the effect of body fat ratio. Serum estradiol and leptin level shows positive correlation.(correlation coefficient 0.68 in postmenopausal non-HRT group and 0.735 in postmenopausal HRT group). CONCLUSION: Serum estradiol and sugar level have some correlation with leptin level and leptin resistance in postmenopausal women, and decreased estradiol level caused obesity through increased leptin resistance.
Abdominal Fat ; Adipose Tissue ; Body Composition* ; Chemistry ; Cholesterol ; Estradiol ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Leptin* ; Menopause ; Obesity ; Postmenopause ; Premenopause

OBJECTIVE: Observational studies suggest that osteoporosis is associated with cardiovascular disease, although another study found that metabolic syndrome (MS) has protective effects on bone. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between metabolic syndrome and bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women. METHODS: We divided postmenopausal women who visited St. Vincent Hospital of the Catholic University of Korea in 2006 and 2007 into groups with and without MS and measured their body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), blood pressure, serum fasting glucose, lipid profile, and BMD of the lumbar spine and femoral neck. RESULTS: Of the 151 subjects, 66 (43%) had MS and 85 (57%) did not. The women with MS had a higher BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck, although after adjusting for age and BMI, this correlation was lost. Significant positive correlations were observed between BMD of the lumbar spine and both high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and serum fasting glucose, and BMD of the femoral neck was positively correlated with serum fasting glucose level. The components of MS were not correlated with BMD in these postmenopausal women after adjusting for age and BMI. CONCLUSION: In our study, the higher BMD in MS was explained by the higher BMI in postmenopausal women. After adjusting for age and BMI, however, MS had no protective effect on bone mass. MS may be another risk factor for postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Fasting ; Female ; Femur Neck ; Glucose ; Humans ; Korea ; Lipoproteins ; Osteoporosis ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Postmenopause ; Risk Factors ; Spine ; Waist-Hip Ratio

OBJECTIVE: Our object is to evaluate the detailed mechanisms of support and regression of the human corpus luteum. METHODS: To investigate the regulation of luteal function by gonadotropins, cytokines, and prostaglandins, the frequency of apoptosis and expression of Fas, Fas-L, Bcl-2, Bax, p53, caspase-8 were examined in cultured human luteal cells after treatment with various doses of FSH (30, 100, or 300 ng/mL), LH (30, 100, or 300 ng/mL), TGFbeta1 (1, 10, or 100 ng/mL), TNFalpha (1, 10, or 100 ng/mL), or PGF2alpha (1, 10, or 100 ng/mL) for 24 h. Cells were tested for apoptosis by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-digoxigenin nick end labeling TUNEL) method and cell death detection ELISA. Immunostaning was performed using anti-Fas, Fas ligand, Bcl-2, Bax, and p53 antibodies. RESULTS: Incidence of apoptosis determined by TUNEL method in the group without treatment was 1.7+/-0.5% (0 h), 10.8+/-1.6% (24 h), and 12.9+/-1.2% (48 h), respectively. Spontaneous increase was significant at the latter time points. Significant suppression of incidence of apoptosis was observed with LH and TGFbeta1 (P<0.05). On the other hand, significant induction of incidence of apoptosis was observed with TNFalpha and PGF2alpha (P<0.05). Immunostaining revealed that p53 and Bax expressions after treatment with LH or TGFbeta1 were significantly lower than those without treatment. Bcl-2 and caspase-8 expressions were not significantly affected by any substance addition. Also we found that inductions of apoptosis by TNFalpha and PGF2alpha were not correlated with the expression of Fas, Fas ligand, Bcl-2, Bax, p53 and caspase-8. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that LH and TGFbeta1 may be involved in the support of luteal function via suppression of apoptosis, and that TNFalpha and PGF2alpha may contribute to luteal regression via its induction in human corpus luteum during early luteal phase. Also, Fas, Fas-L, Bax and p53 may play roles in this apoptosis controlled by LH, and TGFbeta1.
Antibodies ; Apoptosis* ; Caspase 8 ; Cell Death ; Corpus Luteum ; Cytokines* ; Deoxyuridine ; Dinoprost ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fas Ligand Protein ; Female ; Gonadotropins* ; Hand ; Humans* ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Incidence ; Luteal Cells* ; Luteal Phase ; Luteolysis ; Prostaglandins ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha