Pathological laughing and crying(PLC) is a condition that is characterized by episodic, brief, contextually inappropriate, uncontrollable outbursts of laughing and/or crying. It can be observed in patients with various neurological disorders. PLC often causes distress in interpersonal functioning and activities for patients and their families. PLC can be recognized easily with proper understanding of the condition and its nature. Also it generally shows good response to various pharmacological treatments. This review aims to encourage the diagnosis and treatment of PLC by providing definition and clinical presentation of PLC, analysis of its pathophysiology and various current treatment options.
Crying* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Nervous System Diseases

The ancient bone DNA analysis essentially requires PCR amplification of the targeting genes of study due to the limitation of the ancient bone sample and DNA amounts. In contrast to the fresh living human DNA, it is common to face failing in amplifying the poorly preserved ancient DNA after death. Therefore, the optimized PCR methods appropriate for ancient DNA are required. However, there is no report to date that a systemic investigation of enhanced PCR amplification methods suitable for ancient samples has been conducted Approximately 500~3,300-year-old Korean and Mongolian ancient bones that are resistant to PCR were selected and an extensive number of PCR conditions were systematically investigated for the comparison of PCR success rates. For the PCR analysis, a mitochondrial DNA fragment as a multicopy DNA and a M175 Y chromosome biallelic marker DNA fragment as a single copy DNA that is the marker of the prevalent Y haplogroup (haplogroup O) in Korea were targeted. The identity of the amplified products were confirmed by DNA sequencing. Through this study, we established the optimized PCR conditions for the highly successful amplification of ancient bone DNAs. This estabilished method allowed for the successful amplification of mitochondrial DNAs from all the ancient bone samples tested and the amplification by 50% success rates in the amplification of M175 Y chromosome biallelic marker DNA but with the highest success rates. These results demonstrate that the optimized PCR condition will be useful for the promising ancient DNA analysis in the fields of molecular genetic anthropological studies.
Coat Protein Complex I ; DNA ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; Humans ; Korea ; Mitochondria ; Molecular Biology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Y Chromosome

No abstract available.
Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections* ; Teicoplanin*

Recently there has been decreasing trend of high tibial osteotomy in management of the gonarthrotic patients partly due to recurrence of the symptom and, more importantly, due to the relative success of the total knee joint replacement procedure. But there is still room for the high tibial osteotomy, although it may be 'outdated' procedure, in that younger active patients do well postopera- tively for an enough period of time and that even the older have some gain of pain-relief in early postoperative period. The purpose of this study is to detect the affecting factors of the result of the operation. We reviewed 25 valgus high tibial osteotomies in 23 patients who had medial gonarthrosis and could be followed-up more than 1 year among 32 cases between August 1989 and January 1994. The mean length of follow-up was 30 months(ranged twelve to fifty four months). The results were compared according to modified grading of the HSS score. All cases showed the increase of the score from preop. average 65.2 points to postop. 87.8 points, mainly by the decrease of pain and the increase of functional activity. The severity of degenerative change on the radiographs and the degree of varus seemed to be related with the early clinical results of the operation, but the age was not a major affecting factor. These results could be debatable due to some differences from the others', and long term follow-up would be needed.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteotomy ; Postoperative Period ; Recurrence

The formation of cysts in the parameatal area has been reported as rare. A parameatal urethral cyst is a congenital anomaly and has been reported even more rarely in adults. In this study, we present two cases of parameatal urethral cyst and aim to investigate their causes and treatment methods. The extent of cyst spread was assessed using a urethroscope prior to cyst excision, and the excision range was determined accordingly. Complete excision of the cyst was performed as the treatment for parameatal urethral cyst. Both patients were adults who presented with urinary symptoms related to the cyst, necessitating the excision of the congenital parameatal urethral cyst.

No abstract available.
Cerebral Hemorrhage* ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Microscopic Polyangiitis*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to define the underserved emergency medical services (EMS) areas in Daejeon metropolitan city, as well as to identify their distinctive characteristics in public health perspectives. METHODS: An underserved EMS area was operationally defined as an area in which it is difficult to arrive at an emergency medical center within 30 minutes. Using a cost-weighted distance algorithm with a geographic information system (GIS), the underserved EMS area was calculated. The characteristics of the underserved areas were analyzed by the Chi-square test. The SPSS statistical software package was used to perform the statistical analysis. All statistical tests were two-sided, and a p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Twelve administrative sectors ('Dong' in Korean) were included in the underserved areas, accounting for a population of approximately 8,100 citizens. The relationships between underserved EMS area and populations of agriculture, fishery, and forestry; citizens who are recipients of national basic livelihood security program; disabled; or aged 65 or older were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: It was found that 12 administrative sectors were included in the underserved EMS areas. Revealing underserved EMS areas using GIS analysis based on a cost-weighted distance algorithm of road data was an effective analytic method. However, as this study was confined to Daejeon City, South Korea, a nation-wide study should be performed to provide a more accurate conclusion.
Accounting ; Aged ; Agriculture ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Fisheries ; Geographic Information Systems ; Humans ; Public Health ; Republic of Korea

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and complications of temporary inferior vena cava filters in deep vein thrombosis. METHOD: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical data of 35 patients who underwent percutaneous insertion of a temporary, retrievable IVC filter during treatment of deep vein thrombosis between 2003 and 2006. A Tulip(R) was used in 25 patients, and an OptEase(R) was used in 10 patients. Indications for filter insertion included thrombolytic therapy (n=29), long floating IVC thrombosis (n=4), and pulmonary thromboembolism history with recurrent venous-thromboembolism (n=2). Deep vein thrombosis was treated with an endovascular procedure in 33 patients and anticoagulation therapy in 2 patients. RESULT: Complete symptom resolution was achieved in all patients. The temporary IVC filters were successfully retrieved in 28 of 35 patients (mean duration of filter placement: 9.57 days), but retrieval failed in 7 patients (thrombus in filter, 3 cases; remnant IVC thrombosis, 1 case; remnant iliac vein thrombosis/venous stenosis in high risk patient, 2 cases; in-hospital mortality due to underlying heart disease, 1 case). There were no cases of pulmonary embolism and no serious IVC filter-related complications during insertion, retraction, or remnant IVC filter follow-up. CONCLUSION: Temporary, retrievable IVC filters were effective in the prevention of pulmonary embolism. Further investigations are necessary to determine long-term outcome data for filters left in place.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Endovascular Procedures ; Heart Diseases ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Iliac Vein ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Thrombosis ; Veins ; Vena Cava Filters ; Vena Cava, Inferior ; Venous Thrombosis

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between vaginal cytology and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. METHODS: In 93 postmenopausal women, vaginal cytology smears were taken for maturation index, serum estradiol level and bone mineral density were also taken. the percentage of each cell type found By vaginal cytology was multiplied to its specific value:superficial cells, 1.0; intermediate cell, 0.6; parabasal cell, 0.2 and modified to maturation value. Bone mineral density was measured at lumbar spine using DEXA. RESULTS: The mean bone mineral density was 0.88+/-0.14g/cm2. Mean maturation value was 50.53+/-20.74 and it was related with age and bone mineral density. CONCLUSION: Maturation value of vaginal epithelial cell represents the influence of estrogen on bone mineral density.
Bone Density* ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium* ; Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Spine

PURPOSE: To investigate the risk factors related to the location of visual field defects in normal tension glaucoma. METHODS: Eighty-one eyes diagnosed as normal tension glaucoma in patients with early glaucomatous visual field defects were divided into central visual field defects and peripheral visual field defects. The difference between the 2 groups based on the intra-individual comparison were assessed with several ocular risk factors such as sex, age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, laterality, intraocular pressure, central corneal thickness, cup-disc ratio, peripapillary atrophy, mean deviation, pattern standard deviation, best corrected visual acuity, and refractive errors. RESULTS: The incidence of hypertension in the central visual field defects group (60.6%) was higher than in the peripheral visual field defects group (22.9%, p = 0.001). The central corneal thickness in the central group (533.1 +/- 18.2 microm) was thinner than in the peripheral group (545.0 +/- 30.0 microm, p = 0.003). Hypertension was the only risk factors for central visual field defects (p = 0.001). In both the central group and peripheral group, upper visual field defects were more common than lower defects. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension in patients with normal tension glaucoma was a factor involved in central visual field defects. Additionally, numerous visual field defects were mainly found the superior portion.
Atrophy ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Eye ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Intraocular Pressure ; Low Tension Glaucoma ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Visual Acuity ; Visual Fields