PURPOSE: We investigated reproducibility of the quantification of left ventricular volume and ejection fraction, and grading of myocardial wall motion and systolic thickening when we used gated myocardial SPECT and Cedars quantification software. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed gated myocardial SPECT in 33 consecutive patients twice in the same position after Tc-99m-MIBI SPECT. We used 16 frames per cycle for the gatingof sequential Tc-99m-MTBI SPECT. After reconstruction, we used Cedars quantitative gated SPECT and calculated ventricular volume and ejection fraction (EF), Wall motion was graded using 5 point score. Wall thickening was graded using 4 point score. Coefficient of variation for re-examination of volume and fraction were calculated. Kappa values (k-value) for assessing reproducibility of wall motion or wall thickening were calculated. RESULTS: Enddiastolic volumes (EDV) ranged from 58 mi to 248 ml (122 ml +/- 42 ml), endsystolic volumes (ESV) from 20 mi to 174 mi (65 ml +1- 39 ml), and EF from 20% to 68% (51% +/- 14%). Geometric mean of standard deviations of 33 patients was 5.0 ml for EDV, 3.9 ml for ESV and 1.9% for EF. Their average differences were not different from zero (p>0.05). k-value for wall motion using 2 consecutive images was 0.76 (confidence interval: 0.71-0.81). k-value was 0.87 (confidence interval:0.83-0.90) for assessment of wall thickening. CONCLUSION: We concluded that quantification of functional indices, assessment of wall motion and wall thickening using gated Tc-99m-MIBI SPECT was reproducible and we could use this method for the evaluation of short-acting drug effect.
Heart ; Humans ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

No abstract available.
Drug Eruptions*

No abstract available.
Ciliary Motility Disorders*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical outcome of frontalis sling operation using preserved fascia lata with modified direct tarsal fixation in congenital ptosis patients. METHODS: Forty-seven congenital ptosis patients (60 eyes) who underwent a frontalis sling operation using preserved fascia lata with modified direct tarsal fixation method between March 2001 and December 2008 with a mean follow-up time of 52 months (range, 26 to 122 months) were included in this study. The medical records were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: A retrospective chart review was conducted in patients who were diagnosed with congenital ptosis and underwent frontalis suspension surgery using preserved fascia lata with modified direct tarsal fixation from 2001 through 2008 at Dong-A University Hospital. The patients were 34 males and 14 females. The age of the patients ranged from 1 to 18 years with an average age of 4.51 years. At a mean follow-up of 60 months, good final results were achieved in 46 eyes (76.6%), fair in 8 eyes (13.3%), and poor in 6 eyes (10%). The poor results consisted of undercorrection of 1 eye and recurrence in 5 eyes. The accumulative survival rate was 87.2%, with all recurrences occurring within 12 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Frontalis sling operation by preserved fascia lata with modified direct tarsal fixation appears to be an effective treatment for severe congenital ptosis, showing good long term results.
Adolescent ; Blepharoplasty/*methods ; Blepharoptosis/congenital/*surgery ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Fascia Lata/*transplantation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; *Suture Techniques ; Transplantation, Autologous

No abstract available.
Mucopolysaccharidosis II*

No abstract available.
Mucopolysaccharidosis II*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Poisoning*

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia are major components of Alzheimer’s disease. In this study, we aimed at investigating the prevalence and severity of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in very mild to mild Alzheimer’s disease. Forty-four patients with Alzheimer’s disease who visited the neurology outpatient clinic of Seoul Medical Center were included. A trained neurologist or a supervised test technician administered the neuropsychological test, the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery including Mini Mental State Examination and Clinical Dementia Rating. The instrument used for assessing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia was Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire. In order of prevalence, apathy, depression, irritability, anxiety, and agitation were the most common symptoms occurring in very mild-to-mild Alzheimer’s disease group. The prevalence and severity of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia were found to be in positive correlation with the Clinical Dementia Rating scores. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia are found even in the very early stage of Alzheimer’s disease, apathy and depression being the most common symptoms. Physicians should be aware of this when managing dementia patients.

BACKGROUND: Androgenetic alopecia is characterized by local and gradual transformations of terminal scalp hair to vellus hair, which has a shorter and thinner shaft. The proportion of patients with androgenetic alopecia, among the total number of patients with alopecia, seems to be gradually increasing. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the family history, and clinical and endocrine status of patients with androgenetic alopecia. METHOD: 796 patients with androgenetic alopecia were assessed at the Alopecia Clinic, Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University Hospital over a 3 year period (from January 2001 to December 2003). RESULTS: The following results were obtained: 1) There were found to be 1.7 more male patients (498) than female patients (298). They were also found to be mostly in their twenties (male 253; 50.8%, female 90; 30.2%). Previously, male to female ratio was 3.46: 1, but was now found to be 1.7: 1. 2) In the 498 male patients, Norwood class II was dominant (130 patients; 26.2%). In the 298 female patients, Ludwig class I was superior (204 patients; 68.5%). 3) 321 patients (64.5%) of 498 male patients and 177 (59.4%) of 298 female patients hada family history of androgenetic alopecia. 4) The most common accompanying disorder was seborrheic dermatitis (male 287; 73.0%, female 137; 64.6%). 5) Serum testosterone levels were increased in 84 (16.9%) of 498 male patients and 44 (14.8%) of 298 female patients. CONCLUSION: Most of these results are compatible with our previous study carried out in 1995. But, female androgenetic alopecia patients are nowadays increasing in number, therefore, the ratio of male to female is markedly different.
Alopecia* ; Dermatitis, Seborrheic ; Dermatology ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Male ; Scalp ; Testosterone

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in-vitro efficacy of the active ingredients of dentifrice following treatment time. The whitening effect was evaluated by a change in lightness value relative to the contact time of hydrogen peroxide, by using artificially stained hydroxyapatite discs. The anti-calculus effect was assessed based on the amount of calcium eluted from the human dental calculus by sodium pyrophosphate. Remineralization was evaluated by the Vickers hardness test following the application of sodium fluoride to bovine enamel. In order to view dentinal tubules occlusion, the formation of insoluble calcium salts by bovine dentin specimens was observed using scanning electron microscopy. Change in lightness value (ΔL) was 5.50±1.51 after 1 min of treatment, 5.73±0.43 after 3 min, 8.64±0.24 after 10 min, 18.93±0.76 after 30 min, and 27.35±0.54 after 60 min. The amount of calcium eluted from the human dental calculus was 4.23±0.14 ppm after 1 min of treatment, 4.51±0.04 ppm after 3 min, 12.12±0.16 ppm after 10 min, 17.85±0.81 ppm after 30 min, and 25.15±0.32 ppm after 60 min. The Vickers hardness change value (ΔVHN) was 1.96±1.44 after 1 min, 1.52±1.06 after 3 min, 9.06±0.15 after 10 min, 10.83±5.13 after 30 min, and 12.55±2.09 after 60 min. Partial dentinal tubules occlusion was observed at 10 min and complete occlusion was evident at 60 min. In summary, the use of patch type dentifrices for 10, 30, or 60 min were 1.57 to 8.26 times more effective than using the paste type dentifrices for 1 to 3 min. Based on these findings, it is reasonable to expect that the use of patch type dentifrices for 10 min would lead to remineralization, anti-calculus and dentinal tubules occlusion effects, and that use for 30 min would result in a whitening effect.
Calcium ; Dental Calculus ; Dental Enamel ; Dentifrices* ; Dentin ; Durapatite ; Hardness ; Hardness Tests ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Salts ; Sodium ; Sodium Fluoride