Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related disorder. Both the prevalence and the incidence of AD double approximately every 5 years after the age of 60. This is a particularly serious problem considering that the Korean elderly population is rapidly growing. We present three illustrative cases of AD in mild, moderate, and advanced stages, respectively. Their initial symptoms were memory impairment which was followed by language disturbance and visuospatial dysfunction. Abnormal behaviors such as delusion and aggression occurred in moderate and severe cases. The presence and severity of dementia in these cases were established by history taking, neurological examination, standardized mental status assessment, and neuropsychological test. Laboratory investigations showed no abnormalities that could account for the cognitive deficits. Brain CT or MRI findings of the patients wee not remarkable except for a diffuse atrophy demonstrated by increased ventricular volume, narrowed gyri, and widened sulci, As an addendum, risk factors, clinical symptoms, clinical diagnosis, and natural history of AD were reviewed.
Aged ; Aggression ; Alzheimer Disease* ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Cognition Disorders ; Delusions ; Dementia ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Memory ; Natural History ; Neurologic Examination ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Epidemiologic Studies*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop a baptist electronic Nutritional Screening Program (B-eNSP) that could be easily used to identify patients with nutrition at risk or malnutrition on their admission to hospital using an integrated medical information system and to evaluate validity, reliability and efficiency of B-eNSP. METHODS: From June 1 2009 to June 21 2009, we enrolled 496 patients for prospective research. We analyzed age, sex, weight, height, weight loss in the last 3 months, serum albumin, alteration of dietary intake, gastrointestinal symptom, functional capacity, diagnosis and its relationship to nutritional requirements, physical examination and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA). B-eNSP included body mass index (BMI), weight loss in the last 3 months, serum albumin. Each component was scored. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated to evaluate the validity of the B-eNSP. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn by using B-eNSP to choose a cut-off value that maximizes sensitivity and specificity and Yoden Index. Comparison with SGA and the reliability of the B-eNSP was done using kappa statistics. RESULTS: The maximum Yoden Index was 0.866 and the cut-off value of the ROC curve was 2. A B-eNSP score higher than 2 was defined as nutrition at risk or malnutrition. Reliability of the B-eNSP was in accordance with SGA by kappa 0.845. CONCLUSION: The B-eNSP can be used efficiently to identify patients with nutrition at risk or malnutrition by simply using an integrated medical information system.
Body Mass Index ; Electronics ; Electrons ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Malnutrition ; Mass Screening ; Nutritional Requirements ; Physical Examination ; Prospective Studies ; Protestantism ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Serum Albumin ; Weight Loss

No abstract available.
Alcohol Drinking* ; Smoking* ; Tobacco Products*

No abstract available.
Cyclosporine ; Necrobiosis Lipoidica ; Necrobiotic Disorders

To investigate the effect of tumor removal and administration of OK432 on the splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity in the subcutaneous tumor bearing rats, NK cell activity assay using a 4-hour 51Cr release assay and flow cytometric analysis for NK cell population were performed. The results were as follows: 1. Splenic NK cell activity and population in the subcutaneous tumor bearing rats decreased along with the growth of the tumor. 2. The rats with subcutaneous tumor removal showed decrease of splenic NK cell activity, but splenic NK cell population was not decreased. 3. In the rats with subcutaneous tumor removal and OK432 administration, splenic NK cell activity was significantly increased 1 week after administration of OK432 and then gradually returned to normal, whereas increase of NK cell population was not significant. In the present study, splenic NK cell activity was significantly decreased despite removal of subcutaneous tumor. But with the administration of OK432, splenic NK cell activity returned to normal. Considering the role of NK cells on the first line of defense against the metastatic implantation of circulating tumor emboli, we suggest that perioperative administration of immunopotentiator such as OK432 may improve the patient's outcome after surgery of human neoplasm.
Animals ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural* ; Picibanil* ; Rats* ; Spleen

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

Pulmonary hyalinizing granuloma (PHG) is a rare disease that usually presents with multiple bilateral pulmonary nodules and characteristic histological findings, with hyalinized collagen lamellae. Because of the absence of characteristic radiologic and clinical features, PHG is usually diagnosed after surgical resection or biopsy. We performed thoracoscopic wedge resection for a pulmonary nodule located in the right lower lobe that proved to be PHG histopathologically. We report two cases along with a review of the literature.
Biopsy ; Collagen ; Granuloma ; Hyalin ; Rare Diseases

No abstract available.
Cisplatin* ; Humans ; Nausea* ; Ondansetron* ; Vomiting*

No abstract available.