No abstract available.
Aged* ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is effective in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), but the major limitation of CPAP may be poor compliance. The aims of the study were to investigate the compliance and side effects of CPAP, and to evaluate the efficacy of CPAP in patients with OSAS. METHODS: This study enrolled 106 patients with OSAS who took the CPAP treatment. The severity of daytime sleepiness was measured using Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and sleep quality and depressive symptoms were assessed by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), respectively. RESULTS: During 29 months of the study period, 41.5% of patients were using CPAP and 38.7% of patients stopped using it. Compared to non-compliant patients, compliant patients had a higher PSQI score and obstructive apnea index. Among non-compliant patients, 51.2% of them stopped using CPAP within 1months. 85.7% of non-compliant patients were discomforted by the CPAP, but much more nasopharyngeal symptoms were reported in the compliant group. ESS (p<0.01), PSQI (p<0.01) and BMI (p<0.01) were reduced significantly after CPAP treatment but not BDI (p=0.86). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that CPAP can reduce the daytime sleepiness, nocturnal sleep disturbance, and body mass index. To increase the compliance of CPAP, we suggested that some education and support is needed at the early stage of the CPAP treatment.
Apnea ; Body Mass Index ; Compliance* ; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ; Depression ; Education ; Humans ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive*

With a rapid development of neuroscience, the theories related to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia have been changed a lot from a simple hyperdopaminergic one to the various complicated ones. Among these, the theories regarding prefrontal cortex(PFC) pathology as a cause of schizophrenia are gaining more recognition as the results of neuroimaging and neuropsychological tests in schizophrenia consistently report abnormalities in PFC. Therefore, we first reviewed the unique characteristics of PFC in anatomy, neurochemistry and neurophysiology to enhance an understanding of those ones. Secondly, various neurotransmitter, neurodevelopmental and neural network theories of schizophrenia introduced recently were reviewed in terms of PFC pathology.
Dopamine ; Neurochemistry ; Neuroimaging ; Neurophysiology ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Neurosciences ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Pathology ; Prefrontal Cortex* ; Schizophrenia*

Because the postmortem changes rapidly distort values of many constituents in the body fluids, the determination of postmortem chemical changes and relation among body fluids is very important in medicolegal community. A laboratory result is not useful if appropriate data for comparison are lacking. The aim of this paper is to determine the reference ranges and the postmortem changes for chemical constituents in postmortem specimen. We examined 17 clinical laboratory parameters in cadaveric blood and vitreous humor obtained from 51 autopsy cases. The mean, standard error, standard deviation and confidence interval of all measured constituents were shown in Table 2 & Figure 1. The postmortem blood level of amylase, phosporus, LDH, ALT, AST and CPK are very higher than those of antemortem blood. The postmortem vitreous level of total bilirubin, triglyceride, GGT, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, total protein and cholesterol are very low and is not reliable. The ratio of vitreous/blood in calcium, BUN, creatine and uric acid are 0.74, 0.68, 0.29 and 0.23 in decreasing orders(Table 3,4). For the medical examiner or pathologist, routine chemical examinations of the vitreous humor can provide evidence of abnormality not apparent in gross or microscopic examination of the tissue. A more extensive study will be required, using a larger number of subjects, to establish the full range of variability.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Amylases ; Autopsy ; Bilirubin ; Body Fluids ; Cadaver ; Calcium ; Cholesterol ; Confidence Intervals ; Coroners and Medical Examiners ; Creatine ; Humans ; Postmortem Changes ; Reference Values ; Triglycerides ; Uric Acid ; Vitreous Body

No abstract available.
Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Mice*

PURPOSE: To evaluate morphologic characteristics of the clustered microcalcifications in benign lesions and to compare with that of malignant lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 33 patients with clustered microcalcifications( five calcifications in number per square centimeter)on mammography. We analyzed mammographic findings with regard to shape, size, number/cm2, irregularity of size and shape, presence of central lucency, and accompanied mass density. RESULTS: Of 12 benign lesions, the most frequent shape was dot or round form (4/12, 33.3%) followed by ring form (3/12, 25%). The size was smaller than 0.5mm in 5 patients (41.7%), 0.5-1 mm in one and more than 1 mm in 6 patients(50%). The number of calcifications per square centimeter were five to ten in 41.7%, more than ten in 58.3%. Of all 21 malignant lesions, the most frequent shape was branching form (8/21, 38.1%). The sizes of calcification were less than 0.5ram in 76.1%(16/21). Central lucency within the calcification was seen only in benign lesions (3/14, 21%). Irregularity ih size and shape of calcifictions was noted in both benign and malignant lesions. Accompanied parenchymal mass density was more commonly associated with malignant lesions(80. 9%) than benign lesions(58.3%). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that benign clutered microcalcifications on mammography could be differentiated from malignant calcifications with the criteria of larger size, central lucency and infrequent accompanied mass.
Humans ; Mammography* ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To evaluate morphologic characteristics of the clustered microcalcifications in benign lesions and to compare with that of malignant lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 33 patients with clustered microcalcifications( five calcifications in number per square centimeter)on mammography. We analyzed mammographic findings with regard to shape, size, number/cm2, irregularity of size and shape, presence of central lucency, and accompanied mass density. RESULTS: Of 12 benign lesions, the most frequent shape was dot or round form (4/12, 33.3%) followed by ring form (3/12, 25%). The size was smaller than 0.5mm in 5 patients (41.7%), 0.5-1 mm in one and more than 1 mm in 6 patients(50%). The number of calcifications per square centimeter were five to ten in 41.7%, more than ten in 58.3%. Of all 21 malignant lesions, the most frequent shape was branching form (8/21, 38.1%). The sizes of calcification were less than 0.5ram in 76.1%(16/21). Central lucency within the calcification was seen only in benign lesions (3/14, 21%). Irregularity ih size and shape of calcifictions was noted in both benign and malignant lesions. Accompanied parenchymal mass density was more commonly associated with malignant lesions(80. 9%) than benign lesions(58.3%). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that benign clutered microcalcifications on mammography could be differentiated from malignant calcifications with the criteria of larger size, central lucency and infrequent accompanied mass.
Humans ; Mammography* ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: The high concentration of plasma total homocysteine is recently considered an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to provide reference ranges for plasma homocysteine levels and to investigate the relationship between plasma homocysteine and cardiovascular risk factors in healthy Korean men. METHODS: Anthropometric parameters, alcohol intake, cigarette use and nutrient intake were determined in 166 healthy men within a wide age range(30-69 yr). Serum levels of lipids, glucose and insulin levels during oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT), plasma amino acid concentrations and levels of antioxidant nutrients and enzymes were also measured. Hyperhomocysteinemia was defined as plasma homocysteine levels above the 90th percentile(> or =15micromol/L) of respective plasma homocysteine distribution in study subjects. Characteristics of hyperhomocysteinemic men(n=16) were compared to normohomocys- teinemic men(n=16) matched for age and body mass index. RESULTS: Plasma total homocysteine values ranged from 2.4 to 38.1micromol/L, a skewed, right-tailed distribution. The homocysteine levels of 25th, 50th and 75th percentile were 7.02, 9.61 and 12.4micromol/L, respectively. The mean concentration of plasma total homocysteine was 10.7micromol/L. Plasma total homocysteine level was positively correlated to body mass index, serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels and alcohol intake, but negatively correlated to serum bata-carotene concentration. In multivariate analysis, serum triglyceride level was the strongest determinant of plasma total homocysteine concentration. There were no significant differences between two groups in waist to hip ratio, alcohol intake, cigarette use, blood pressure and serum levels of glucose and insulin during OGTT. Hyperhomocysteinemic men had significantly higher mean values of serum triglyceride(258mg/dl), total cholesterol(226mg/dl), and LDL-cholesterol(140mg/dl) than normohomocysteinemic men. Hyperhomocysteinemic men showed a decrease in lipid corrected values of serum bata-carotene and alpha-tocopherol and plasma concentrations of serine and taurine, when compared to normohomocysteinemic men. The mean intakes of vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12 and bata-carotene tended to decline by 25-30% in hyper- homocysteinemic group, when compared to normohomocysteinemic group. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that healthy Korean men with hyperhomocys- teinemia show signs of hyperlipidemia and decreased antioxidants nutrients and these factors increase risk for coronary artery disease. In addition, hyperhomocysteinemia may affect amino acid metabolism related to homocysteine.
alpha-Tocopherol ; Antioxidants ; Atherosclerosis ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Folic Acid ; Glucose ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia ; Hyperlipidemias ; Insulin ; Male ; Metabolism ; Multivariate Analysis ; Plasma* ; Reference Values ; Risk Factors* ; Serine ; Taurine ; Tobacco Products ; Triglycerides ; Vitamin B 12 ; Vitamin B 6 ; Waist-Hip Ratio

No abstract available.
Child* ; Cholesterol* ; Humans

Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma may present with a variety of radiographic and clinical appearances. The authors reviewed the radiographs of 17 patients with pathologically proven bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, retrospectively. Seven cases were of the localized form. Among the seven five showed a localized mass and two showed localized consolidation. Ten cases were of the diffuse form. Among the ten, three showed diffuse nodules, two showed diffuse consolidation, and five showed a combined pattern of nodules and consolidations. Progression of disease was observed in 9 patients. In these cases, localized forms progressed to a diffuse forms and nodular patterns progressed to a consolidation pattern. Seven cases of the diffuse form were given antituberculous medications on hospital admission. In summary, bronchioloalveolar carcinoma has varied radiographic patterns, and often mimicks other pulmonary diseases such as pulmonary tuberculosis.
Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar* ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary