BACKGROUND: Along with the recent greater number of medical devices for the elderly in the market, there has been a parallel increase in the number of clinical trials for these devices. It is uncertain, though, whether the target population has the awareness and understanding of these clinical trials and the possible adverse events of the devices. METHODS: A total of 147 elderly subjects (mean age, 65.8+/-8.3 years; 39 males) responded to the questionnaire. A pilot study during the development of the questionnaire was conducted in 2009 with the actual survey taking place from June to November 2011. The questionnaire included 22 items-10 items on awareness and understanding of the clinical trial; 4 items on the understanding of adverse events; and 8 items on demographical characteristics. RESULTS: Of the responders, 62.5% had participated in at least one clinical trial and had heard about the clinical trials through a doctor, newspaper, or television. And 63.3% of the responders understood that the purpose of the trial was to show efficacy and safety for the medical device. There were significant differences on the awareness of the trial by gender and life level. However, there was no statistically significant difference in adverse events awareness. CONCLUSION: Although elderly subjects participate in clinical trials, it seems they do not receive enough information when involved in clinical trials of medical devices. In the future, before these trials are carried out, medical device companies need to ensure that they provide their elderly subjects with better education and information.
Aged ; Dietary Sucrose ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Periodicals ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Pilot Projects ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Television

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of stretch reflex threshold speed (SRTS) in biomechanical assesment of spasticity of hemiplegic patients. METHOD: Thirty-eight hemiplegic patients and twenty-seven control subjects were studied. The spasticity of ankle plantar flexor muscles were assessed both clinically and biomechanically. Modified Ashworth scale (MAS) and Brunnstrom stage were used in clinical assessment. For biomechanical assessment, ankle plantar flexor muscles were stretched isokinetically while EMG signals were recorded simultaneously. SRTS was defined as a minimum angular velocity in which EMG signals evoked by stretch reflex were recorded. RESULTS: SRTSs of ankle plantar flexors were 128.1 47.1o/sec in control group, 163.7 79.7o/sec in intact legs, and 83.4 69.1o/sec in involved legs of hemiplegic group. STRS was significantly lower in involved legs of hemiplegic group than in intact legs of hemiplegic group and control group. Significant reverse correlation was observed between SRTS and MAS. There was significant difference in SRTS between MAS 0 group and other groups. The patients with Brunnstrom stage 3 and 4 groups showed decreased SRTS compared to the patients with other groups. CONCLUSION: SRTS is thought to reflect increased excitability of stretch reflex and seems to be one of useful parameters in quantitative assessment of spasticity.
Ankle ; Equidae ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Leg ; Muscle Spasticity* ; Muscles ; Reflex, Stretch*

The pure epithelioid malignant schwanoma is a rare form of malignant schwanoma and differs from the ordinary epithelioid malignant schwanoma because of the absence of a spindle cell component. We present a case of purely epithelioid malignant schwanoma arising in the parapharyngeal area from vagus nerve without difinite evidence of von Recklinghausen's disease. The patient was a 28-year-old man with palpable right neck mass and swallowing difficulty during 2 years. The mass was an ovoid encapsulated tumor and measured 5x3x3 cm in dimension. The cut surface showed brownish tan homogeneous nodular appearance with partly myxoid area. Microscopically the tumor showed nodular pattern composed of epitheliod cells which were arranged in both tight clusters and stringy cords. The cells were ovoid in shape and had vesicular nuclei with single prominent eosinophilic nucleolei and sometimes abundant intracytoplasmic mucin. Mitoses were infrequent. Ultrastructural study showed rudimentary cell junction and degenerated cytoplasmic organelles including scattered mitochondriae, short segments of rough endoplasmic reticulum and lipid droplets. There were no definite basement membrane and melanosome. Immunohistochemical study showed the cells being positive for S100 protein, neuron specific enolase and myelin basic protein and negative for cytokeratin.
Male ; Humans

We report two cases of murine typhus diagnosed by indirect immunofluorescent test. The patients showed cardinal symptoms and signs such as fever and chill, general myalgia, intractable headache and typical rash. Laboratory values and histopathologic findings were compatible with murine typhus. The oral administration of doxycycline improved dramatically the clinical manifestations of the two CCLSPS.
Administration, Oral ; Doxycycline ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Headache Disorders ; Humans ; Myalgia ; Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Papillary*

No abstract available.
Eating* ; Liver* ; Pneumonia* ; Sharks*

No abstract available.
Herpes Simplex* ; Immunocompromised Host* ; Immunosuppression ; Simplexvirus*

BACKGROUND: Calcinosis cutis may occur when connective tissue is abnormal (dystrophic), or where calcium or phosphate levels in the blood are high(metastatic); alternatively, there may be no obvious underlying cause(idiopathic). The exact incidence of calcinosis cutis in dermatologic patients is not well-kniown and the pathomechanism of it remains to be elucidated. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to analyze the incidence, clinical and histopathological features of calcinosis cutis. METHODS: We studied 72 patients with calcinosis cutis who visited our department between January 1985 and December 1996. The patients were classified into 3 types (dystrophic, metastatic, and idiopathic) and were analyzed clinically and histopathologically. Results : The results were summerized as follows; 1. There were 60 cases(83.3%) and 12 cases(16.7%) of the dystrophic and idiopathic types, respectively but the metastatic type was not observed. The frequency of dystrophic calcification in individual disorders was 88.2% in pseudoxanthoma elasticum, 66.7% in trichilemmal cyst and dermatomyositis, and 64.6% in pilomatrichoma. 2. In the idiopathic type, it was common in females aged over 50 years and the mean duration of lesions was 2.8+/-2.0 years. The predilection site was the flank(5 cases) and most of the lesions(7 cases) showed skin-colored nodules 3. Histopathologically, calcified material of the idiopathic type was located predominently in the dermis(10 cases) and was present as large masses surrounded by a foreign body reaction. 4. In the dystrophic type, calcified deposits were noted predominently within the shadow cells of pilomatricoma, in the degenerated elastic fibers of pseudoxanthoma elasticum, and in the keratinized area of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, trichilemmal cyst, and epidermal cyst. Foreign body reactions with giant cells and mononuclear cell infiltrations were often found around large deposits of calcium. Conclusion : The incidence of calcinosis cutis in dermatologic patients is relatively low, but a variety of disorders can be associated with cutaneous calcification. Therefore, dermatologists should be familiar with the different forms of cutaneous calcification and the dermatoses that manifest them.
Calcinosis* ; Calcium ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Connective Tissue ; Dermatomyositis ; Elastic Tissue ; Epidermal Cyst ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pilomatrixoma ; Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum ; Skin Diseases

No abstract available.
Porokeratosis*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Facial Dermatoses* ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Skin*