The objective of this study was to apply a dementia prevention program to the subjects who were suspected of dementia and test its effect. This study was one group pretest-posttest design. The dementia prevention program was applied for 20 weeks to the 19 subjects who were suspected of dementia after a screen test among 638 subjects enrolled in 10 senior citizen's centers in G city. The scores of measured before and after the program. The data collected were analyzed using a SPSS (statistical analysis system) program, and frequencies, averages and standard deviations were obtained. The differences of the scores of the pretest and posttest were analyzed with Mann-Whitney test and sign test. The results were as follows: 1. After the program, the average score of self-efficacy was increased from 75.31 (standard deviation 11.99) to 84.26 (standard deviation 13.92). 2. There are no differences between the average scores of physical and psychological quality of life, however, the average score of social quality of life was slightly increased from 2.25 (standard deviation 0.40) to 2.53 (standard deviation 0.43), and the overall score of social quality of life was low. 3. The average score of cognition was significantly increased from 21.00 (standard deviation 2.60) to 24.58 (standard deviation 3.37), thus, it was found that the program was effective to improve the cognition level. 4. The score differences of self-efficacy, quality of life, cognition between the pretest and posttest were statistically significant. 5. The score differences of quality of life between the pretest and posttest were found to be dependent on marital status, exercise and regular chechup yes or no. In conclusion, the program was effective to prevent the subjects suspected of dementia from dementia.
Cognition ; Dementia* ; Marital Status ; Quality of Life

No abstract available.
Hyperostosis, Cortical, Congenital*

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the shear bond strength (SBS) of orthodontic brackets bonded to zirconia surfaces using three different zirconia primers and one silane primer, and subjected to thermocycling. METHODS: We designed 10 experimental groups following the surface treatment and thermocycling. The surface was treated with one of the following method: no-primer (NP), Porcelain Conditioner (PC), Z-PRIME Plus (ZP), Monobond Plus (MP) and Zirconia Liner Premium (ZL) (n=20). Then each group was subdivided to non-thermocycled and thermocycled groups (NPT, PC, ZPT, MPT, ZLT) (n=10). Orthodontic brackets were bonded to the specimens using Transbond(TM) XT Paste and light cured for 15 s at 1,100 mW/cm2. The SBS was measured at a 1 mm/min crosshead speed. The failure mode was assessed by examination with a stereomicroscope and the amount of bonding resin remaining on the zirconia surface was scored using the modified adhesive remnant index (ARI). RESULTS: The SBS of all experimental groups decreased after thermocycling. Before thermocycling, the SBS was ZL, ZP > or = MP > or = PC > NP but after thermocycling, the SBS was ZLT > or = MPT > or = ZPT > PCT = NPT (p > 0.05). For the ARI score, both of the groups lacking primer (NP and NPT) displayed adhesive failure modes, but the groups with zirconia primers (ZP, ZPT, MP, MPT, ZL, and ZLT) were associated with mixed failure modes. CONCLUSIONS: Surface treatment with a zirconia primer increases the SBS relative to no-primer or silane primer application between orthodontic brackets and zirconia prostheses.
Adhesives ; Dental Porcelain ; Orthodontic Brackets* ; Prostheses and Implants

This study was conducted to fine out the preventive effects of chitosan and chitosan oligomer on the disorders of hepatic functions and lipid metabolism induced by 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), using adult male rats (SD) for four weeks. Rats were fed chitosan (4%) or chitosan oligomer (4%) diets respectively before 3weeks of TCDD treatment (50 ug/kg BW) by intraperitoneal injection and then continually supplied these diets for one week until being sacrificed. The elevation of serum total and LDL cholesterol levels induced by TCDD treatment was significantly reduced in the rats fed chitosan diets. The increment of liver triglyceride levels caused by TCDD treatment was tended to suppress in all rats fed chitosan and chitosan oligomer diets. Fecal total lipid and cholesterol excretion were high levels in the rats fed chitosan diets. The hepatic cytosolic catalase activities significantly decreased by TCDD treatment appeared recovering trend by chitosan diets. In hepatic microsomal cytochrome p-450, NADPH cytochrome p-450 reductase, ethoxycoumarin-o-deethylase (ECOD) and benzphetamin N-demethylase (BPND), chitosan than chitosan oligomer diets apparently decreased the increasing levels by TCDD treatment. In histochemical observation, the fat droplets and apoptosis of hepatocytes by TCDD treatment were markedly alleviated by chitosan and chitosan oligomer diets. These results indicate that chitosan, more than chitosan oligomer can exert preventive effects on some disorders of hepatic functions and lipids accumulation by TCDD.
Adult ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Catalase ; Chitosan* ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; Cytosol ; Diet ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Lipid Metabolism* ; Liver ; Male ; NADPH-Ferrihemoprotein Reductase ; Rats* ; Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin* ; Triglycerides

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of additional balance training using three dimensional balance trainer on dynamic balance, gait symmetry and fall efficacy in subacute hemiplegic stroke patients. METHOD: This study designed pretest-posttest control group. Twenty subacute stroke patients were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group. All patients had conventional physical therapy. In addition, 10 patients in experimental group was trained with the three dimensional balance trainer (BalPro(R)) for 30 min/day, 5 day/week for 4 weeks. All participants were assessed by: Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go test (TUG), gait symmetry, and Fall efficacy scale-Korea (FES-K) before and after training. RESULTS: All participants of both group showed statistically significant improvements in dynamic balance, gait symmetry and fall efficacy. More improvements were shown significantly in experimental group than those in control group in BBS, TUG, step length symmetry (p<0.05) and single limb support symmetry (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Additional balance training with conventional physical therapy is feasible and may be an effective tool to improve dynamic balance and gait symmetry in subacute patients.
Extremities ; Gait ; Humans ; Stroke

During the course of evaluation and management of neck masses, consideration for Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) should be given. IgG4-RD is relatively a new growing entity of immune-mediated origin, characterized by a mass-forming lesion, the infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells and occasionally elevated serum IgG4. The most common manifestations are parotid and lacrimal swelling, lymphadenopathy and autoimmune pancreatitis. A previously healthy 72-year-old man was referred to our clinic with a 2-month history of left cervical lymph node enlargement without systemic manifestations . A cervical lymph node biopsy was planned because of elevated serum IgG4 levels. Pathological findings showed prominent infiltration of IgG4-postive plasma cells in the lymph node. After steroid therapy, a computed tomography scan revealed a decrease in the cervical lymph node size. This case illustrates the importance of including IgG4-RD in the differential diagnosis of a cervical lymph node enlargement.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulins ; Lymph Nodes* ; Lymphatic Diseases* ; Neck ; Pancreatitis ; Plasma Cells

Despite widespread use of antibiotics and surgical procedures for treating peritonsillar abscess (PTA), symptoms of severe inflammation such as pain and trismus during treatment result in patient dissatisfaction. The goal of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of systemic steroids on the clinical course of PTA. Two reviewers independently searched the databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Database) from inception to December 2014. Studies comparing systemic administration of steroids (steroid group) with placebo (placebo group), where the outcomes of interest were pain, body temperature, hospitalization, and oral intake during the posttreatment period, were included. Baseline study characteristics, study quality data, numbers of patients in the steroid and control groups, and outcomes were extracted. Sufficient data for meta-analysis were retrieved for 3 trials with a total of 153 patients. Pain-related parameters (patient-reported scores and trismus), body temperature, and dysphagia during the first 24 hours after treatment were significantly improved in the steroid group compared with placebo group. The discharge rate during the first 5 days of the posttreatment period was significantly higher in the steroid group than the control group. However, although more patients in the steroid group returned to normal activities and dietary intake at 24 hours after treatment, the differences between the groups were not significant and disappeared after 48 hours. In the treatment of PTA, systemic administration of steroids with antibiotics could reduce pain-related symptoms, as well as provide a benefit with respect to the clinical course. However, further trials with well-designed research methodologies should be conducted to confirm our results.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Body Temperature ; Deglutition Disorders ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Peritonsillar Abscess* ; Steroids ; Trismus

PURPOSE: Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy(DMD/BMD) is an X-linked recessive disorder caused by mutations of dystrophin genes. The purpose of the present study is to determine the frequency and the patterns of dystrophin gene deletions and to investigate the correlation of genotypes and phenotypes. METHODS: There were included a total of 89 children(88 boys and 1 girl) diagnosed as DMD/BMD by immunohistochemistry and/or genetic analysis from 1999 to 2003 at Seoul National University Children's Hospital. We analyzed the genomic DNA by multiplex PCR using a 26 dystrophin exon primer set. Direct sequencing was performed on 23 exons(in which point mutations were detected in other previous reports) in 22 patients without deletions. Phenotype and genotype relationship analysis was performed on the basis of retrospective clinical reviews. RESULTS: The frequency of dysmorphin gene deletions was 54%(32/59), which is lower than that of European and American data. Exon deletions were detected in 59 cases and the deletion "hot spots" were exon 44-54 constituting 80% of all deletions. In 6 cases without detectable deletions, 6 point mutaions(3 nonsense mutations and 3 nucleotide variants) were detected. The patients whose deletions were in the central parts or the patients with multiple exon deletions tended to show earlier symptom onsets and more rapid progressions of weakness but there were no statistical significances. CONCLUSION: Since deletions in dystrophin genes were detected in about 50% of the patients, studies on dystrophin protein expressions using muscle biopsy samples must be done for correct diagnosis.
Biopsy ; Codon, Nonsense ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Dystrophin* ; Exons ; Gene Deletion ; Genotype ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Molecular Biology* ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Muscular Dystrophies* ; Phenotype ; Point Mutation ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul

PURPOSE: Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy(DMD/BMD) is an X-linked recessive disorder caused by mutations of dystrophin genes. The purpose of the present study is to determine the frequency and the patterns of dystrophin gene deletions and to investigate the correlation of genotypes and phenotypes. METHODS: There were included a total of 89 children(88 boys and 1 girl) diagnosed as DMD/BMD by immunohistochemistry and/or genetic analysis from 1999 to 2003 at Seoul National University Children's Hospital. We analyzed the genomic DNA by multiplex PCR using a 26 dystrophin exon primer set. Direct sequencing was performed on 23 exons(in which point mutations were detected in other previous reports) in 22 patients without deletions. Phenotype and genotype relationship analysis was performed on the basis of retrospective clinical reviews. RESULTS: The frequency of dysmorphin gene deletions was 54%(32/59), which is lower than that of European and American data. Exon deletions were detected in 59 cases and the deletion "hot spots" were exon 44-54 constituting 80% of all deletions. In 6 cases without detectable deletions, 6 point mutaions(3 nonsense mutations and 3 nucleotide variants) were detected. The patients whose deletions were in the central parts or the patients with multiple exon deletions tended to show earlier symptom onsets and more rapid progressions of weakness but there were no statistical significances. CONCLUSION: Since deletions in dystrophin genes were detected in about 50% of the patients, studies on dystrophin protein expressions using muscle biopsy samples must be done for correct diagnosis.
Biopsy ; Codon, Nonsense ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Dystrophin* ; Exons ; Gene Deletion ; Genotype ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Molecular Biology* ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Muscular Dystrophies* ; Phenotype ; Point Mutation ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul

PURPOSE: Ketogenic diet(KD) is an alternative treatment for children with intractable seizures. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of ketogenic diet METHODS: A retrospective study was performed for 57 patients(31 males, and 25 females), who were enrolled in a ketogenic diet program from 1998 to 2003 in Seoul National University Children's Hospital. We investigated the overall efficacy, influencing factors such as age at diet onset, seizure type, initial fasting, adverse events and reasons for discontinuing the diet. RESULTS: The patients mean age at diet onset was 3.5 years old. They had 3.14 medications on average at the diet initiation. One month after the diet initiation, 49 of 57(86 %) remained on KD, with 37(64.9%) having more than 50% seizure reduction rates. At 6 months, half of the patients remained on KD, with 14(28%) seizure free and 22(44%) having more than 50% seizure reduction rates. At 12 months, 15 patients(34.9%) remained on KD, with 14(32.6%) having more than 90% seizure reduction rates. Seizure types, initial fasting and age at diet onset were not statistically related to the outcomes. There were a few complications during the diet. The most common reasons for discontinuing KD were ineffectiveness and poor tolerability. CONCLUSION: Ketogenic diet appears to be a relatively effective and safe treatment option for children with intractable epilepsies.
Child ; Diet ; Epilepsy* ; Fasting ; Humans ; Ketogenic Diet* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures ; Seoul