No abstract available.

The first successful bone transplantation carried out in 1688 by Van Meek'ren, a Dutch surgeon. The ideal bone substitute should be biocompatible, osteoinductive or at least osteoconductive, available in unlimited quantity, low cost and have satisfactory mechanical properties. To accomplish these goals, autografts are still preferred material. However, bone harvesting procedures have been focused to solve the following problems; necessity of a second surgical site, morbidity and potential deformity of the donor site, an increased operative time, donor availability limitations, and resorption of autogenic bone grafts.Ten adult white New Zealand rabbits, three, 10 mm in diameter, full layer skull defects were made in the frontoparietal bone. Two bone defects were filled with hydroxyapatite and powdered eggshell, the other defect was not filled(control). All animals were sacrified at 10 weeks, the specimens were examined macroscopically to test for graft mobility. The graft with surrounding bone was then harvested and studied by histology. The results were as follows: 1. Control: Bone regeneration occurred nearly complete. 2. Hydroxyapatite: Macroscopically - No encapsulation. Despite a gross delineation between implant and bone, imlant was firmly united to bone. Histology - Bony trabeculae surrounded by proliferated connective tissue are observed in the defect site and implant. Osteoblastic rimming is noted along the bone fragments 3. Powdered eggshell:Macroscopically - Grafted site was encapsulated by proliferated connective tissue and palpable softer than the surrounding bone. Histology - The presence of eggshell particles encapsulated by fibrous connective tissue. Partial bone regeneration from the defect margin was noticed, but the bone healing was never complete. In conclusion, the use of safe and inexpensive material is recommended for filling limited bone defects in non-weight bearing areas. The use of powdered eggshell for bone substitute may also be considered, after further studies, to access its long term stability, porosity and biocompatibility.
Adult ; Animals ; Autografts ; Bone Regeneration ; Bone Substitutes* ; Bone Transplantation ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Connective Tissue ; Durapatite ; Humans ; Operative Time ; Osteoblasts ; Porosity ; Rabbits ; Skull ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

OBJECTIVES: Considering large diversity of clinical presentation of schizophrenia, it is important to identify valid clinical subtypes or dimensions that might have homogeneous biological underpinning. The current study aimed to explore lifetime symptom-based dimensional phenotypes in patients with chronic schizophrenia, and to investigate their correlation with cognitive functions and other clinical characteristics. METHODS: Lifetime-based symptoms and additional clinical variables were measured using the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies and the Schedule for the Deficit Syndrome in 315 clinically stable patients with chronic schizophrenia. Through principal components factor analysis, eight dimensional phenotypes were obtained. Comprehensive neuropsychological tests were administered for 103 out of 315 patients, and domain scores were calculated for cognitive domains defined in the MATRICS consensus battery. RESULTS: 'Non-paranoid delusion factor' including delusions of grandiose or religious nature, showed significant negative correlation with processing speed, working memory, attention/vigilance, and general cognitive ability, and positive correlation with intra-individual variability. 'Negative symptom factor' showed significant negative correlation only with general cognitive ability. Those two factors were also negatively correlated with function levels measured by Global Assessment Scale (GAS), and associated with poor treatment responses. CONCLUSION: Symptom-based dimensional phenotypes of schizophrenia measured on a lifetime basis showed discriminative correlation with cognitive function domains, global functioning level, and overall treatment responses, indicating their possibility as valid phenotype axes of schizophrenia having homogeneous biologic basis.
Appointments and Schedules ; Cognition ; Consensus ; Delusions ; Humans ; Memory, Short-Term ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Phenotype ; Schizophrenia*

We sought to describe the incidence rate of the urologic disease in the Korean military by reviewing diagnoses made in active duty soldiers from 2008 to 2013. A total of 72,248 first visits were generated in the Defense Medical Statistics Information System (DMSIS) with its gradually increasing trend over 6 years. A sharp increase of first visit was observed after implementation of the regular health check-up for all conscripted soldiers since 2013. Urolithiasis, prostatitis, epididymoorchitis, urethritis, and varicocele were prevalent. Prostatitis was the highest diagnosis made in the outpatient service, while varicocele was ranked the highest in the inpatient service. The incidence rates of urologic disease varied from 12.3 to 34.2 cases per 1,000 person-years. The urologic disease in conscripted men showed different distribution when we separated the population into conscripted and professional soldiers. Epididymoorchitis was the highest disease followed by urolithiasis, dysuresia, and balanoposthitis in 2013. This study underscores that the urologic disease has spent significant amount of health care resources in the Korean military. This calls for further study to find any significant difference and contributing factors of the urologic disease in the military and the civilian population.
Delivery of Health Care ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Information Systems ; Inpatients ; Male ; Medical Records* ; Military Personnel* ; Outpatients ; Prostatitis ; Urethritis ; Urolithiasis ; Urologic Diseases* ; Urology ; Varicocele

Accelerated atherosclerosis is not only a frequent complication but also the most common cause of death in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). Although mechanisms are unclear, disorder of lipid metabolism may be a major factor. Since apolipo-protein (apo) E is known to play a major regulatory role in lipid metabolism, we evaluated apo E genotype in 72 male patients with CRF and compared with that in 194 rnale normal controls. In addition, we measured plasma lipid and apolipoprotein concentrations and evaluated them according to apo E genotype in patients and controls. Apo E genotype was determined with the INNO-LiPA Apo E kit (Innogenetics, Belgium), which is based on reverse hybridization. The results are as follows ; 1) The distribution of the three major apo E alleles in patients with CRF ( e 2: 6.2%, e 3: 80.6%, e 4: 13.2%) was not different from that in controls ( e 2: 4.1%, e 3: 87.6%, e 4: 8.3%). 2) In patients with CRF, total cholesterol, lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were significantly lower and the triglyceride and lipoprotein (a) levels were significantly higher than those in controls. 3) In controls, E 4/3 group had significantly lower levels of HDL than E 3/3 and E 3/2 groups. In patients with CRF, E 4/3 group had significantly higher levels of total cholesterol and apo B lipoprotein than E3/2 group. In conclusion, although there was no significant difference in the apo E genotype frequencies between male patients with CRF and controls, apo E polymorphism may play an important role in the determination of individual differences in plasma lipids in male patients with CRF.
Alleles ; Apolipoproteins B ; Apolipoproteins E ; Apolipoproteins* ; Atherosclerosis ; Cause of Death ; Cholesterol ; Genotype ; Humans ; Individuality ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Lipid Metabolism ; Lipoprotein(a) ; Lipoproteins ; Male* ; Plasma* ; Triglycerides

OBJECTIVE: To identify the neurobehavioral impairment in the traumatic brain injured (TBI) patients and to determine the relationship between the neurobehavioral impairment and functional recovery. METHOD: We analyzed and compared Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores and neurobehavioral psychometry results in 16 patients with severe TBI. The neurobehavioral psychometry tests included Minimental Status Examination (MMSE), Galvestone Orientation and Amnesia Test (GOAT) as screening tools, Korean Wechsler Intelligence Scale (KWIS) for intelligence, Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) test for memory function, Color Trail test (CTT) 1 and 2 for attention and concentration, Grooved Pegboard Test (GPT) and Finger Tapping Test (FTT) for motor function, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) for executive function, and Symptom Checklist-90-Revision (SCL-90-R) for personality. RESULTS: At discharge, neurobehavioral psychometry of the TBI patients showed impairment of the attention and concentration as demonstrated by severe and moderate impairment in CTT 1 and CTT 2, repectively. Memory disturbance was also noted by the result of mental retardation in WMS-R. But GOAT and MMSE showed normal, KWIS was below average. Motor dysfunction was seen in GPT and FTT and mild executive dysfunction in WCST. Functional recuperation was influenced by attention and concentration, as the FIM score has significant correlation with CTT 1 and FTT. CONCLUSION: The TBI patients have the pervasive neurobehavioral impairment, especially severe dysfunction in the memory, attention and concentration. And functional recovery was significantly correlated with attention. The neurobehavioral psychometry will be useful in neurobehavioral evaluation in TBI patients. A further prospective study using Neurobehavioral psychometry would bring a more precise and valuable information.
Amnesia ; Brain Injuries ; Brain* ; Executive Function ; Fingers ; Goats ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Intelligence ; Mass Screening ; Memory ; Wisconsin

No abstract available.
Animals ; Epithelium* ; Gene Expression* ; Laser Capture Microdissection* ; Mice* ; Microarray Analysis* ; Phenobarbital*

OBJECTIVES: Previously, we sought to compile a list of genes expressed during early folliculogenesis by using cDNA microarray to investigate follicular gene expression and changes during primordialprimary follicle transition and development of secondary follicles (Yoon et al., 2005). Among those genes, a group of genes related to the cell size growth was characterized during the ovarian development in the present study. METHODS: We determined ovarian expression pattern of six genes related to the cell size growth (cyr61, emp1, fhl1, socs2, wig1 and wisp1) and extended into CCN family (connective tissue growth factor/cysteine-rich 61/nephroblastoma-overexpressed), ctgf, nov, wisp2, wisp3, including cyr61 and wisp1 genes. Expression of mRNA and protein according to the ovarian developmental stage was evaluated by in situ hybridization, and/or semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and immunohistochemistry, respectively. RESULTS: Among 6 genes related to the cell size growth, cyr61 and wisp1 mRNA was detected only in oocytes in the postnatal day5 mouse ovaries. cyr61 mRNA expression was limited to the nucleolus of oocytes, while wisp1 was expressed in the cytoplasm and nucleolus of oocytes, except nucleus. cyr61 mRNA expression, however, was found in granulosa cells from secondary follicles. The rest 4 genes in the cell size growth group were detected in oocytes, granulosa and theca cells. Cyr61 and Wisp1 proteins were expressed in the oocyte cytoplasm from primordial follicle stage. Especially, Cyr61 protein was detected in pre-granulosa cells, Wisp1 protein was not. By using RT-PCR, we evaluated and decided that Cyr61 protein is produced by their own mRNA in pre-granulosa cells that was not detected by in situ hybridization. cyr61 and wisp1 genes are happen to be the CCN family members. The other members of CCN family were also studied, but their expression was detected in oocytes, granulose and theca cells. CONCLUSIONS: We firstly characterized the ovarian expression of genes related to the cell size growth and CCN family according to the early folliculogenesis. Cyr61 protein expression in the pre-granulosa cells is profound in meaning. Further functional analysis for cyr61 in early folliculogenesis is under investigation.
Animals ; Cell Enlargement* ; Cell Size* ; Cysteine-Rich Protein 61 ; Cytoplasm ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Genes, vif ; Granulosa Cells ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Mice* ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Oocytes ; Ovary ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Theca Cells

BACKGROUND: Heterophoria has been considered a disqualifying condition to flying performance because heterophoria, when exposed to high altitude hypoxia, becomes heterotropia causing double vision. However, there has been no actual evidence supporting this assumption. We investigated the binocular fusional ability and symptoms in the subjects having heterophorias upon exposure to acute hypobaric hypoxia. METHODS: 15 subjects having heterophorias and 7 normal controls were included. All the subjects had exophoria and 1 subject had exophoria and hyperphoria. High altitude hypobaric hypoxic condition was simulated in a decompression chamber. Using Worth 4 dot test we measured the binocular fusional ability. To analyze the quality of binocular vision, we measured the stereoscopic visual acuity. By comparing the data between subjects and controls, we evaluated the binocular vision and fusional ability of subjects having heterophorias. RESULTS: All the subjects and controls showed no disruption of binocular fusion on Worth 4 dot test upon exposure to hypoxia. On the whole, 7 of 15 subjects and 3 of 7 controls showed decreased level of stereopsis without significant differences between the two groups. There were no differences in binocular vision including fusional ability and stereopsis between the subjects and the controls in acute hypoxic condition. CONCLUSION: The subjects with heterophorias had stable binocular fusional ability resistant to acute hypobaric hypoxia, which showed no difference from the normal controls. Conclusively, we could not find any disadvantage in heterophoric persons with regard to flying performance. Visual standards for aviation personnel regarding heterophorias also need to be more lenient.
Altitude ; Anoxia* ; Aviation ; Decompression ; Depth Perception ; Diplopia ; Diptera ; Exotropia ; Humans ; Telescopes* ; Vision, Binocular ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical characteristics and visual outcome of cytomegalovirus retinitis in Korean patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era. METHODS: The medical records of 252 patients from Seoul National University Hospital who were diagnosed with AIDS between 2003 and 2006 were reviewed retrospectively. In addition, 15 patients (19 eyes) Having cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis with a minimum follow-up period of more than a year were included. Visual acuity, immune status, involved retinal area, and bilaterality were analyzed. RESULTS: All patients were treated with the HAART regimen and an anticytomegaloviral agent with the exception of two patients. In all patients, immune recovery developed and retinitis was inactivated. Moderate (< or = 0.4) and severe (< or = 0.1) visual loss developed in 10 (52%) eyes and 9 (47%) eyes, respectively. Retinal detachment and involvement of posterior pole accounted for more than 80% (8 out of 10) of moderate, and 88% (8 out of 9) of severe visual loss. Patients with bilateral retinitis were more likely to develop retinal detachment and visual loss. Delayed immune recovery was associated with moderate visual loss. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior pole involvement and retinal detachment were the major cause of visual loss in CMV retinitis in AIDS patients. Bilateral involvement and delayed immune recovery were related to retinal detachment and a poor visual outcome.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active ; Cytomegalovirus ; Cytomegalovirus Retinitis ; Eye ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Retinal Detachment ; Retinaldehyde ; Retinitis ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity