No abstract available.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Diagnosis*

OBJECTIVES: Several lines of evidence suggest the serotonergic dysfunction involved in the biological susceptibility of suicide. Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of serotonin, plays a vital role in serotonin metabolism. In a case-control study, we investigated whether the TPH gene was a susceptible factor for suicidal behavior in depressive patients. METHODS: The subjects were 218 depressed patients who attempted suicide and visited emergency rooms in multi-medical centers. One hundred thirty hospitalized non-suicidal depressed patients and the 161 normal controls were matched with the suicidal group. Individuals in all 3 groups were evaluated independently by a Structured Clinical Interview for the purpose of establishing a DSM-IV criteria diagnosis (SCID). The severity of depressive symptoms was evaluated using Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in genotype distributions and allele frequencies of TPH intron 7 A218C polymorphisms among 3 groups. Furthermore, no significant difference in genotype counts and allele frequencies of the polymorphisms was found among lethal suicidal depressed patients, non-suicidal depressed patients and the normal controls. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the A218C polymorphism of the TPH gene is unlikely to have a major effect on the susceptibility of suicidal behaviors in depressive patients.
Case-Control Studies ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Emergencies ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Introns ; Serotonin ; Suicide ; Suicide, Attempted ; Tryptophan ; Tryptophan Hydroxylase

PURPOSE: To report the cases of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) which has been known to be rare in Asian populations, and to describe the characteristic clinical and angiographic findings of RAP. METHODS: Six eyes of 3 patients were diagnosed as having RAP, and 5 eyes had extensive soft drusen. The first case showed intraretinal neovascularization (RAP stage 1) and subretinal neovascularization with a retinal-retinal anastomosis and an associated serous pigment epithelial detachment (RAP stage 2). The second case showed choroidal neovascularization with a retinal choroidal anastomosis (RAP stage 3) and RAP stage 1. In the third case, RAP stage 2 and severe fibrous scarring, resulting from RAP, could be found. RESULTS: RAP seems to have the tendency for bilateral involvement and extrafoveal location, and a high index of suspicion may be required in the eyes having large serous pigment epithelial detachment accompanied by soft drusen. Fundus findings, such as intraretinal or preretinal hemorrhage, intraretinal reddish nodule, macular edema and indocyanine green angiogram findings of retinal-retinal anastomosis or retinal-choroidal anastomosis, have diagnostic values.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Choroid ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; Cicatrix ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Indocyanine Green ; Macular Edema ; Retinaldehyde*

Achalasia is a motility disorder of the esophagus characterized by aperistalsis, incomplete lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxation, and increased LES tension. Obstruction at the esophageal hiatus results in dilatation of the thoracic esophagus, which can cause coughing and dyspnea by compression of the trachea and main-stem bronchi, and predisposes the patient to regurgitation and pulmonary aspiration of stagnant esophageal contents. We report a case of slight aspiration pneumonia during anesthesia in a pregnant woman who had achalasia of the esophagus. Epidural anesthesia was performed for a cesarian section uneventfully. She had a regurgitation of the gastroesophageal contents after a thiopental 225 mg IV because she wanted to sleep due to anxiety. We performed endotracheal intubation with Sellick's maneuver immediately followed by suction. We regret not to have recognized that she had achalasia of the esophagus. Therefore, we did not remove the esophageal contents with a nasogastric tube. The result was that she had slight aspiration pneumonia.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Anxiety ; Bronchi ; Cough ; Dilatation ; Dyspnea ; Esophageal Achalasia* ; Esophageal Sphincter, Lower ; Esophagus ; Female ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Pneumonia, Aspiration* ; Pregnant Women ; Relaxation ; Suction ; Thiopental ; Trachea

Torsion of the fallopian tube is an uncommon cause for acute low abdominal pain in female that is difficult to diagnose. Because it has no pathognomonic clinical symptoms or laboratory findings, a high index of suspicion is important when there is history of pelvic pathologic conditions or surgery. The early diagnosis and surgical treatment of the disease are mandatory to preserve oviduct.
Abdominal Pain ; Adolescent* ; Animals ; Early Diagnosis ; Fallopian Tubes* ; Female ; Humans ; Oviducts

Sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) is one of the surgical techniques used to correct mandibular deformities. In order to prevent many surgical anatomical problems, we observed the anatomical structures related to SSRO. In dry mandibles of Koreans, lingular tips were located somewhat posteriorly and superiorly on the mandibular ramus. On the coronal sections of mandible, the mean cortical width of facial cortex was increased toward the ramus region while the lingual cortex was thinnest in the ramus region. On the same sections, all the fusion points of the buccal and lingual cortical plate were located above the mandibular lingula and beneath the mandibular notch. So, performing the SSRO on Koreans, medial horizontal osteotomy should be done through the superior aspect of the mandibular lingula. The cut line is extended 5-8 mm posterior to the mandibular lingula to preserve sufficient cortical width to strengthen the involved osseous segments and reduce possible surgical complications.
Anatomy, Artistic ; Human ; Human ; Mandible/surgery* ; Mandible/anatomy & histology* ; Medical Illustration ; Osteotomy/methods*

Myotonic dystrophy is a muscle disorder characterized by progressive muscle wasting and weakness associated with myotonia. It is a systemic disease transmitted in an autosomal dominant pattern. Myotonia may be precipitated by hypothermia, shivering, and mechanical or electrical stimulation. Furthermore, sensitivity to sedative, anesthetic and neuromusclular blocking agents may result in intraoperative and early postoperative cardiovascular and respiratory complications, as well as prolonged recovery from anesthesia. Therefore, a patient with myotonic dystrophy is at high risk for complications from anesthetic management. We report the successful anesthetic management of such a patient undergoing a total abdominal hysterectomy, in which we used an epidural technique for intraoperative anesthesia and postoperative analgesia.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia ; Electric Stimulation ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Hysterectomy ; Muscular Diseases ; Myotonia ; Myotonic Dystrophy* ; Shivering

OBJECTIVES: Serum and plasma BDNF levels have been shown to be decreased in patients with mood disorder such as major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. We investigated whether platelet BDNF levels would be lower in patients with acute bipolar manic episode compared with those of normal controls. METHODS: BDNF levels were examined in platelet-rich plasma(PRP) and platelet-poor plasma(PPP) in 20 healthy controls and 20 hospitalized patients who were diagnosed as bipolar I disorder, most recent episode manic using a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. And severity of manic symptoms was measured using Young Mania Rating Scale(YMRS). Platelet BDNF level was calculated by subtracting PPP BDNF from PRP BDNF level, and dividing the result by the total platelet count, and it was expressed as pg/10(6) platelet. RESULTS: Platelet BDNF levels were significantly lower in patients with acute bipolar manic episode(4.55+/-3.36pg/10(6) platelet) than in normal controls(6.84+/-2.32pg/10(6) platelet)(p=0.008). However we failed to reveal the significant negative correlation between platelet BDNF levels and YMRS scores in patients with acute bipolar episode. CONCLUSION: Our finding suggests that there is a decrease in the platelet BDNF of patients with acute bipolar manic episode.
Bipolar Disorder ; Blood Platelets ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Humans ; Mood Disorders ; Plasma ; Platelet Count

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a useful palliative therapeutic modality for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Postembolization syndromes, such as fever, abdominal pain, and elevated liver enzyme levels are commonly known complications of TACE. One post-TACE pulmonary complication, lipiodol pneumonitis, is rarely reported. Lipiodol pneumonitis after TACE appears to be associated with chemical injury due to accidental perfusion of lipiodol to the lung vasculature, promoted by arteriovenous shunts within the hypervascular HCC. Here, we report a 42-year-old man with unresectable HCC and hepatic vein thrombosis. The patient was initially treated with TACE. The following day after TACE, acute respiratory symptoms such as dyspnea and cough developed with decreased oxygen saturation. Chest X-ray and computed tomography showed multiple patches and diffuse ground-glass opacities in both lung fields, suggesting of lipiodol pneumonitis. The patient’s condition and radiologic abnormalities subsequently improved after 2 weeks of conservative treatment alone.

BACKGROUND: The results of previous studies suggest that portion size is a major factor dictating dietary energy intake. We investigated the relationship between frequencies of rice meals, bowl volumes, and dietary energy intake in a sample of patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A total of 203 type 2 diabetes patients were enrolled in the study. A one-week food diary was collected from each patient and used to assess the types of meal consumed as well as the context of consumption. The volumes of the eating vessels (rice, soup and side dish bowls) used by each patient were obtained by comparisons to measuring cylinders, and dietary energy and macronutrient intake were estimated for each patient by consulting three-day dietary records. RESULTS: The mean age of the 203 subjects (male: 76, female: 127) was 53.9 +/- 9.1 years and the average body mass index (BMI) was 25.6 +/- 4.2 kg/m2. Among the subjects who ate three times per day, 96.4% consumed rice more than twice out of three meals. The median volume of rice bowls used by patients was 350 cc, of soup bowls was 530 cc and of side dish bowls was 260 cc. Portion size, as estimated by rice bowl volume, was not associated with BMI. Male subjects tended to eat out of larger rice and soup bowls (P < 0.001). Portion size was correlated with energy intake from rice (P = 0.021), but not with total energy intake (kcal/kg/day), especially in male subjects. CONCLUSION: Portion size of rice bowl was correlated with energy intake from rice, but not with total energy intake in male subjects with type 2 diabetes. To design effective meal planning methods for patients with type 2 diabetes, further prospective studies are warranted to investigate causative relationships between portion size andmetabolic conditions as well as variation by gender.
Body Mass Index ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diet, Diabetic ; Diet Records ; Eating ; Energy Intake ; Humans ; Male ; Meals