No abstract available.
Dialysis* ; Peritonitis* ; Salmonella*

No abstract available.
Dialysis* ; Peritonitis* ; Salmonella*

BACKGROUND: There were many studies about the changes of cognitive or non-cognitive domain and behavioral and psychological symptoms with the progression of Alzheimer's disease. But they assessed the changes individually so could not explain comprehensively the global change of disease progression. Also they studied by clinical dementia rating scale(CDR) which could not successfully explain the latest stage. So we have evaluated the cognitive, non-cognitive domain and behavioral and psychological symptoms at the same time and evaluated the changes with the expanded clinical dementia rating scale. Also we evaluated the relationship of each scale and assessed sensitivity change at the different stage of disease. METHODS: Twenty-three mild cognitive impairment(MCI) subjects and eighty-seven patients with Alzheimer's disease were recruited. The Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination(K-MMSE), the Korean version of the neuropsychiatric inventory(NPI), the Extended version of the Korean Clinical Dementia Rating Scale(CDR), the Activity of Daily Living(ADL), the Severe Dementia Scale(SDS) and the Short form of Samsung Dementia Questionnaire(S-SDQ) were performed. RESULTS: It was found that all of them were well correlated each other(r>-0.73 and p<0.05) except NPI. Physical activity of daily living(P-ADL) was most related to Korean version of instrumental activity of daily living(K-IADL) (r=0.86 and p<0.01), SDS to K-MMSE(r=0.93 and p<0.01) and S-SDQ to K-IADL(r=0.86 and p<0.01). P-ADL and S-SDQ revealed the ceiling effect at CDR 4 and K-IADL at CDR 3. CONCLUSION: The cognitive and non-cognitive function were declined according to disease progression. The changes of behavioral and psychological symptoms were relatively independent of cognitive function. SDS, P-ADL and CDR were proved to be more sensitive in advanced stage of dementia and K-IADL, S-SDQ were more adequate in milder stage of dementia or MCI.
Alzheimer Disease ; Dementia ; Disease Progression ; Humans ; Motor Activity

No abstract available.
Blood Donors* ; Humans ; Phenotype*

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement may occur in chronic schistosomiasis. It can be produced by any Schistosome species but happens most frequently in chronic Schistosoma japonicum infection. CNS involvement by S. mansoni is relatively rare but it may occur by embolization of eggs or ectopic migration of adult worms. A case of cerebral schistosomiasis caused by S. mansoni in a 40-year-old man, who had worked in Yemen, is reported. Biopsies taken from the cerebellar vermis and the roof of the fourth ventricle, showed granulomatous inflammation due to eggs. S. mansoni was identified by stool examination and ELISA using serum and CSF. This is the first imported case of cerebral schistosomiasis in Korea.
Adult ; Brain Diseases/diagnosis/*pathology/surgery ; Case Report ; Human ; Male ; Schistosomiasis mansoni/diagnosis/*pathology/surgery

Tinnitus-the perception of sound in the absence of an actual external sound-represents a symptom of an underlying condition rather than a single disease. Several theories have been proposed to explain the mechanisms underlying tinnitus. Tinnitus generators are theoretically located in the auditory pathway, and such generators and various mechanisms occurring in the peripheral auditory system have been explained in terms of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions, edge theory, and discordant theory. Those present in the central auditory system have been explained in terms of the dorsal cochlear nucleus, the auditory plasticity theory, the crosstalk theory, the somatosensory system, and the limbic and autonomic nervous systems. Treatments for tinnitus include pharmacotherapy, cognitive and behavioral therapy, sound therapy, music therapy, tinnitus retraining therapy, massage and stretching, and electrical suppression. This paper reviews the characteristics, causes, mechanisms, and treatments of tinnitus.
Auditory Pathways ; Autonomic Nervous System ; Cochlear Nucleus ; Massage ; Music Therapy ; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous ; Tinnitus

PURPOSE: This study is designed to ascertain the most effective quantity and injection route of hepatocytes in an acute liver failure model induced by massive liver resection in rats. METHODS: Rats weighing 450 to 650 gm underwent partial hepatectomy that was 80% of their liver weight, resulting in acute liver failure. Hepatocytes were obtained by perfusing collagenase (Wako, Japan) solution through portal vein into liver of the allogenic rat. These hepatocytes were injected into different places with different dosage. The experimental groups were divided into the Control group, Splenic group I (2x10(6) cells into splenic capsule), Splenic group II (2x10(7) cells into splenic capsule), Portal vein group (2x10(7) cells into portal vein), Subperitoneal group (2x10(7) cells into subperitoneum). The experimental animals were observed carefully for 5 days for assessment of survival and regeneration of liver. Liver function tests including serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin, gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GTP) on postoperative 1, 2, 3, 5th days and histologic examinations of specimens obtained from each respective groups on postoperative 5th day were performed. RESULTS: Serum ALT level on postoperative day 1 peaked and then gradually normalized showing statistical significance (p=0.035). Study groups showing statistically significant difference under repeated anova analysis were between the Splenic group II and Control (p=0.035), and between the Splenic group II and Portal vein group (p=0.001) with respect to serum ALT levels. Also, progression of each study group showed statistical significance. (p=0.02). Serum total bilirubin and r-GTP did not show any significant difference. CONCLUSION: Hepatocyte transplantation of 2x10(7) cells into spleen showed the best results in the acute hepatic failure rat.
Alanine Transaminase ; Animals ; Bilirubin ; Cell Transplantation ; Collagenases ; Hepatectomy ; Hepatocytes ; Liver ; Liver Failure, Acute ; Liver Function Tests ; Portal Vein ; Rats ; Regeneration ; Spleen ; Transferases ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Parotid Gland* ; Salivary Ducts*

BACKGROUND: The C-reactive protein(CRP) is one of the "acute phase" proteins and it is known to be the most sensitive indicator of the inflammatory and/or necrotic process. Traditional methods for measuring CRP are capillary precipitation assay and latex agglutination assay. However, these methods have low sensitivity and provide only qualitative results. Recently the development of specific and very sensitive assays for CRP using highly specific monoclonal antibodies for CRP have done, including radioimmunoassay, nephelometric assay(NA), and turbidimetric immunoassay(TIA). We evaluated the Hitachi 7600-110(R)(Hitachi Co., Japan) using TIA in the measurement of CRP and compared its results to those of the the LX-M(R)(Eiken Chemical Co., Japan) using NA in order to replace the Hitachi 7600-110(R) for quantitative analysis of CRP. METHODS: CRP were measured by the Hitachi 7600-110(R) using TIA and the LX-M(R) using NA in the sera from 106 patients. The relationship between results of Hitachi 7600-110(R) and LX-M(R). By performing 20 repetitive assays at three levels of CRP control serum and pooled sera, within-run, within-day, and between-day precision of the Hitachi 7600-110(R) were established. RESULTS: When the CRP value of 4.60 +/- 5.65 mg/dL by the Hitachi 7600-110(R) was compared with that of 3.71 +/- 4.32 mg/dL by the LX-M(R), coefficients of correlation of 0.994 was obtained. The regression equation was Y(Hitachi 7600-110(R)) = 1.298 X(LX-M(R)) - 0.211(r=0.994, n=106). CVs of CRP measured by Hitachi 7600-110(R) were 5.45% at 0.82 mg/dL, 1.32% at 2.39 mg/dL, and 2.37% at 4.62 mg/dL. The precision was excellent in each group. The linearity was acceptable, and sample to sample carry-over was 0.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The Hitachi 7600-110(R) using TIA, compared with the LX-M(R) using NA, showed good coefficient of correlation and excellent precision. Therefore the Hitachi 7600-110(R) can replace the LX-M for quantitative analysis of CRP.
Agglutination ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; C-Reactive Protein* ; Capillaries ; Humans ; Latex ; Radioimmunoassay

BACKGROUND: Effective non-pharmacological cognitive program to prevent Alzheimer's dementia or slow its progression are an urgent international priority. The effect of computer-based cognitive training program has not been demonstrated yet in dementia. The purpose of this study is to know whether the computer-based cognitive training improved cognitive abilities in patients with mild cognitive disorder and early stage of dementia. METHODS: Totally 20 participants (14 with MCI and 6 with mild Alzhiemer dementia) participated in this study. To test the effectiveness of computer-based cognitive training programs to cognition, all patient were randomly allocated to an intervention group (n=10) or a control group (n=10) An intervention group received regularly computer-based cognitive training totally 20 times for 10 weeks. Neuropsychological examinations were conducted before and after this period. RESULTS: After 10 weeks, intervention group showed a significant change in language of K-MMSE compared with baseline cognitive examinations. Also, there was improvement in attention (backward digit span), calculation, memory, and frontal function for the intervention group as compared with controls. Patients with mild cognitive disorder showed marked improvements in language and visuospatial capacity, while patients with dementia showed no or slight improvement in these fields. CONCLUSIONS: Computer-based cognitive training program might have beneficial effect on general cognitive function in both mild cognitive disorder and dementia. Especially, conspicuous effectiveness showed in patients with mild cognitive disorder.
Alzheimer Disease ; Cognition* ; Dementia ; Education* ; Humans ; Memory ; Methods