OBJECTIVES: Alzheimer's disease(AD) and mild cognitive impairment(MCI) affect several nervous structures involved with the autonomic nervous system. Association between neuropsychiatric deficits and heart rate variability has been observed. But cardiac autonomic function in AD has been scarcely studied and the results reported are conflicting. We investigated autonomic function in normal control, MCI, AD using heart rate variabil-ity(HRV) technique. METHODS: Time and frequency-domain variability of 5-min R-R interval series was comparatively evaluated in 26 normal control subjects, 22 MCI subjects and 34 AD subjects. Analysis of variance(ANOVA) was used to compare the differences across groups. Correlations between MMSE-KC and HRV components were performed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed among the groups in time, frequency-domain analysis of HRV (p>0.05). HRV were not found to be significantly correlated with the degree of cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: There were no differences in HRV with MCI, AD subjects when compared with normal controls. Further investigation is required to use HRV technique as noninvasive parameters of MCI and AD.
Alzheimer Disease ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Mild Cognitive Impairment

Dementia is defined as a syndrome which is characterized by various impairments in cognitive functions, especially memory function, Most of the diagnostic criteria for dementia include memory impairment as no essential feature. Memory decline can be present as a consequence of the aging process, But it does not cause significant distress or impairment in social and occupational functionings while dementiadoes. Depression may also be associated with memory impairment. funcitionings while dementiadoes. Depression may also be associated with memory impairment. However, unlike dementia, depression dose not cause decrease in delayed verbal learning and recognition memory. In dementia, different features of memory impairment may be present depending on the involved area. Memory impairment in cortical dementia is affected by the disturbance of encoding of information and memory consolidation, while memory imparnene in subcrotical denentiy is affected y the disturbance of retrieval in subcortial dementia.
Aging ; Dementia ; Depression ; Humans ; Memory* ; Verbal Learning

BACKGROUND: In recent studies, tacrolimus ointment has been shown to be effective for the treatment of atopic dermatitis with an excellent safety profile. OBJECTIVE: This study was done to assess the efficacy and side-effects of tacrolimus ointment for the facial atopic dermatitis(AD) in Korean. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Open-label, non-comparative study with 2 months' follow-up was done to assess the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus ointment (Protopic0ointment 0.1%, Fujisawa, Japan) in moderate to severe facial AD. Patients were instructed to apply it two times daily for 8 weeks. Facial lesions were evaluated at baseline, 4 and 8 weeks of treatment with in-tensity score by investigator. RESULTS: In comparing of intensity scores and each clinical score at baseline with those of 4 and 8 weeks of treatment, a significant decrease was noticed at all follow-up periods. Burning sense(54.5%) and pruritus(18.2%) were detected. CONCLUSION: Tacrolimus ointment is effective in treatment of severe facial AD and has tolerable mild adverse effects at the site of application in Korean.
Burns ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Research Personnel ; Tacrolimus*

PURPOSE: To evaluate US and CT characteristics of small renal cell carcinomas with diameter less than 3cm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analysed US and CT findings of the small renal cell carcinomas which were surgically confirmed. We analysed echogenicity, peritumoral hypoechoic rim, intratumoral cysts on US. We analysed CT with viewpoints of tumor margin, growth pattern, renal contour change, attenuation on pre- and postcontrast scan, homogeneity, and perirenal changes. RESULTS: The US characteristics of the small renal cell carcinomas were hyperechogenicity(89%), peritumoral hypoechoic rim(66%) and intratumoral cysts(44%). They had relatively well-defined margin(90%), smooth and round contour(90%), endophytic growth pattern(65%), and outward bulging of renal contour(75%) on CT. They had iso- or high attenuation(87%) on precontrast CT, and were relatively homogeneous low-attenuated on postcontrast CT. CONCLUSION: The constellation of US and CT findings may be helpful in the diagnosis and understanding of the internal architecture of the small renal cell carcinomas.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Diagnosis ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight* ; Critical Care*

BACKGROUND: The granulocyte-specific antigen NA which exist specifically on neutrophils and eosinophils have its antigenic determinant on Fcgamma receptor III. The alloantibodies and autoantibodies against this antigen are responsible for neonatal alloimmune neutropenia, chronic benign autoimmune neutropenia of infancy and transfusion-related acute lung injury. After discovering of biallelic polymorphism of NA antigen, there have been attempts to replace technically cumbersome serotyping methods by DNA-typing. This study was performed to investigate the genotype frequency of NA antigen In Koreans by DNA typing. METHODS: Using genomic DNA extracted from venous blood of 200 Koreans, genotype of NA antigen system was determined through polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP), and the frequency was compared with previous studies. The NA genotypes of seven individuals were compared with their known phenotypes. RESULTS: The genotype frequencies of NA1+NA2-, NA1+NA2+, and NA1-NA2+ were 28.5%, 59.0%, and 12.5% respectively. The gene frequencies calculated from genotype frequencies were 0.58 and 0.42 for NA1 and NA2 respectively. The NA genotypes of seven individuals were correlated precisely with their phenotypes. CONCLUSION: The gene frequency of NA1 in Koreans was higher than that of Caucasian. The genotype frequencies of NA antigen in Koreans were similar to those of the Japanese and Chinese. This study will serve as a basic data for the study of the patients with diseases associated with granulocyte-specific antigens in Koreans.
Acute Lung Injury ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Autoantibodies ; DNA ; DNA Fingerprinting ; Eosinophils ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype* ; Humans ; Isoantibodies ; Neutropenia ; Neutrophils ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serotyping

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to analyse the content of health-textbooks in elementary school in order to offer the basic data required for development or revision of health-textbook for elementary school. METHODS: This study was methodological study of the content of health-textbooks. The study sample consisted of 10 health-textbooks of elementary school which were edited in 2009~2010. The components of contents divides into holistic analysis and specific areas. RESULTS: One textbook was no introductory remarks and 2 textbooks were no preface. The health-textbooks consisted of 7 areas and were comprehensive for school education. The proportion of each was different in 10 textbooks. Sexuality and health was accounted for the largest portion of the seven areas in both the fifth and sixth grade. However, given that the mortality rate for the child's safety accidents is higher than in developed countries, the proportion of accident prevention and first aid can be relatively weak area. CONCLUSION: It is essential that health-textbooks empower schoolers to make healthy decisions through the promotion of useful life skills that provide a more integrated concept of health. Therefore, there is a need for approaches to health textbook to integrate more values of health.
Accident Prevention ; Developed Countries ; Education ; First Aid ; Humans ; Methods ; Mortality ; Sexuality

We performed a histopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 23 cases of surgically resected large cell undifferentiated carcinoma(LCUC) of the lung. The relative incidence of LCUC was 7.6% among the total resected cases of primary lung cancer over 7 years(1987-1993). The mean age of the patients was 56 years and 21 cases were male. The mean size of the mass was 5 cm and 11 cases were located peripherally. According to the histologic features, LCUC could be divided into three groups: squamous cell carcinoma-like(6 cases), adenocarcinoma-like(13 cases), and small cell carcinoma-like(4 cases) groups. The histologic differences were related to the variations of the immunohistochemical properties, but there were no differences in prognosis among these groups. Immunoreactivity to cytokeratin(CAM 5.2) was demonstrated in 22/23(96%). Carcinoembryonic antigen was positive in 13/23(57%). Neuron specific enolase and chromogranin were positive in 11/23(48%) and 5/23(22%), respectively. Vimentin was seen in 11/23(48%). From these observations, we could subclassify them by their immunologic phenotypes; exocrine features in 6/23(26%), neuroendocrine(NE) features in 4/23(17%), both exocrine and NE phenotypes in 7/23(30%), and 6 cases(26%) showed neither phenotype. The group with NE features showed a worse prognosis(P<0.05) and immunoreactivity for vimentin was also related to a worse prognosis(P<0.05). These findings imply that the immunohistochemical properties of LCUC are closely related to the histopathologic features. The groups, subdivided by histology and immunoreactivity, showed no prognostic difference except for the NE differentiation and reaction for vimentin.
Incidence ; Lung Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: To assess the clinical utility of new DNA extraction method, the authors attempted PCR using mycobacterial DNA extracted by Chelex 100 ion exchange resin method for 63 clinical samples in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and compared with proteinase K method, simultaneously. METHODS: We used Chelex 100 ion exchange resin for preparation of DNA. Decontaminated sputums were mixed with resin and incubated at 56degrees C and 100degrees C without opening tube. After centrifugation, supernatants were used directly as template for PCR. 245 bps in primary PCR and 188 bps in nested PCR were amplified and analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis EtBr staining. RESULTS: Chelex 100 ion exchange resin method is more simple, rapid and reliable than proteinase K method, and during sample preparation, carry-over contamination loss of amplificated DNA, influence of organic solvents and cross-contamination are diminished. The results of PCR products are interpreted more distinctively in Chelex 100 ion exchange resin method than proteinase K method. CONCLUSIONS: In the basis of the results, it could be suggested that extraction of mycobacterial DNA by Chelex 100 ion exchange resin is more simple, rapid reliable method than that of conventional method for detection of mycobacterial DNA in patients with tuberculosis by polymerase chain reaction.
Centrifugation ; Diagnosis* ; DNA* ; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel ; Endopeptidase K ; Humans ; Ion Exchange ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Solvents ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

We report a case of recurrent herpes genitalis in a 5-year-old girl which was considered to result from childhood sexual abuse. The skin lesion was an eroded erythematous macule with overlying multiple vesicles on the labia majora. We detected Herpes simplex virus DNA by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a biopsy specimen from the vesicular lesion.
Biopsy ; Child, Preschool ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; DNA ; Female ; Herpes Genitalis* ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sex Offenses* ; Simplexvirus ; Skin