No abstract available.
Dental Porcelain* ; Dentin* ; Dentin-Bonding Agents*

OBJECTIVES: Risperidone is a new antipsychotic drug developed to overcome the therapeutic limitation of conventional antipsychotics. It responses to negative as well as positive symptoms by blocking both dopaminergic and serotonergic receptors, causing no significant side effects such as agranulocytosis and seizure. It is, however, not known whether it induces any serious cardiovascular side effects as evoked by other conventional antipsychotic drugs. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of risperidone on cardiovascular function, and to discuss the factors affecting the cardiovascular function. METHODS: For 42 patients(22 males and 20 females) diagnosed as schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder or schizoaffective disorder according to the DSM-IV classification, the cardiovascular fuctions such as heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, PR interval, QRS interval and QT inerval were successively checked before and after 2 weeks and 4 weeks risperidone administration. Furthermore, variables such as body weight, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale(BPRS), Clinical Global Impression(CGE), Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale(ESRS), Anticholinergic Rating Scale(ARS), serum cholesterol level, serum triglyceride level, serum high-density-lipoprotein level, serum WBC, serum Hb, serum platelet level, prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time were also analyzed before and after 2 weeks and 4 weeks risperidone administration. RESULTS: 1) Risperidone treatment resulted in a significantly decreased heart rate and increased QT interval after 4 weeks administration(p<0.005 respectively). 2) The scores of BPRS and CGI were significantly decreased after 2 weeks and 4 weeks risperidone adminisration as compared with baseline(p<0.001 respectively). The scores of ESRS and ASRS were significantly increased after 2 weeks and 4 weeks risperidone administration as compared with baseline(p<0.001 respectively). 3) There were positive correlations between heart rate after 4 weeks and total dose(p<0.05). Blood pressure was significantly(p<0.05) correlated with sex(higher in male) and significantly(p<0.05) positive correlated with body weight. QT interval was significantly(p<0.05) correlated with sex(longer in female) and smoking history(shorter in smokers). CONCLUSIONS: Risperidone could induce significant change in heart rate and Q-T interval. Therefore, the cardiovascular safety for risperidone should be reconsidered according to the duration and dosage increase.
Agranulocytosis ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Blood Platelets ; Blood Pressure ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Classification ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Prothrombin Time ; Psychotic Disorders ; Risperidone* ; Schizophrenia ; Seizures ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVE: The conventional methods to determine fetal genetic status, such as amniocentesis or chorionic villi sampling(CVS) have small procedure-related risk of abortion. Recently, several researchers reported that fetal genetic status, such as sex, can be confirmed by fetal nucleated erythrocytes in maternal blood and this method might reduce such risk. Therefore, in this study, we attempted to determine the basic fetal genetic status, sex, with fetal nucleated erythrocytes. METHODS: In twelve pregnant women who undertook amniocentesis or CVS, 20 ml of venous blood was drawn immediately before the procedure and the nucleated erythrocytes were recovered by magnetic activated cell sorting(MACS). After MACS, DNA was extracted from 200 microliter of sample and single nucleated erythrocyte was obtained by additional procedure, immunostaining, and microdissection. After recovery of nucleated erythrocytes by microdissection, nested polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and fluorescent PCR of amelogenin gene were performed to identify the fetal gender. RESULTS: The DNA of enriched erythrocytes after MACS could identify the fetal gender in the 58.3% of the samples by nested PCR. After the recovery of single nucleated erythrocyte by MACS, immunostaining and microdissection, the minute DNA in a single cell could be amplified by primer extension preamplification(PEP), nested PCR, and fluorescent PCR. Fetal genders were correctly identified in 8 out of 12 (66.7 %). CONCLUSION: Through this study, we could conclude that fetal nucleated erythrocytes in maternal blood might be sufficient sample to determine fetal sex. And single cell isolation by microdissection could get the better results than nested PCR after MACS only. However, in spite of the pregnancy of male fetus, female specific bands were obtained after nested PCR of amelogenin in several cells, which might suggest that part of nucleated erythrocytes in maternal blood might be maternal origin. Therefore, to determine fetal genetic condition by nucleated erythrocytes in maternal blood, further improvements of methods to identify the nucleated erythrocytes of fetal origin are needed.
Amelogenin ; Amniocentesis ; Cell Separation ; Chorionic Villi ; Diagnosis* ; DNA ; Erythroblasts* ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Male ; Microdissection ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women

No abstract available.
Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: The study was done to identify relations among sense of humor, self-esteem, and performance in nurses. METHODS: Data were collected by questionnaires from 198 nurses in Seoul and Gyeonggi province. Measures were sense of humor, self-esteem, and performance. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients, t-test, ANOVA, and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 13.0 version. RESULTS: This study shows that performance of nurses has significant difference according to age, marriage, education level, income and clinical experience. The performance of nurses has positive correlation with their sense of humor and self-esteem. The higher clinical experience, sense of humor, and self-esteem they have, the better performance they make. The factors that affect performance of nurses are clinical experience, sense of humor and self-esteem. The degree of explanation is 36.5%. CONCLUSION: Knowing that sense of humor and self-esteem of nurse are significant factors which can cause nurses' better performance, we suggest an education program that can help nurses to develop and manage their sense of humor.
Marriage ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The short term beneficial effect of arthroscopic excision of synovial tissue in knees with rheumatoid arthritis have been well documented. The purpose of this study to report the results of synovectomy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have been observed at least 3 years. We analysed the clinical result with modified Laurin criteria, radiologic change and patients own satisfaction degree with survey. The results were as follows; 1. The preoperative symptoms were pain (100%), swelling (100%), decreased range of motion (83%) and joint tenderness (74%), and those were improved postoperatively to 43%, 60%, 11%, 43% each other. 2. Among the laboratory parameters, C-reactive protein (CRP) was improved most significantly (pvalue =0.026). 3. On simple supine A-P X-rays, the width of medial joint space and lateral joint space were compared to preoperatively and postoperatively. The width of medial joint space was 4.33mm preoperatively, and it was changed to 3.22mm at last follow up (p=0.032). Those of lateral joint space was changed from 4.24mm preoperatively to 3.27mm at last tollow up (p=0.106). 4. The grade of articular cartilage damage was related with severity of preoperative symptoms and the patients with low grade of articular cartilage damage showed more postoperative improvement. The result of operation was related to symptom duration, degree of X-ray change and degree of cartilage damage. 5. 58% ot patients were satisfied to results of synovectomy, 28% were answered neither satisfied nor ansatisfied and 14% were unsatisf'ied to operation. We concluded the arthroscopic synovectomy of the knee joints was effective procedure to improve the clinical symptoms, range of knee motion and to alleviate the inflammatory reaction at mid-term period al'ter the operation. So we consider this procedure is a palliative treatment that modified and alleviate the progression of rheumatoid arthritis of knee joints.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee Joint* ; Knee* ; Palliative Care ; Range of Motion, Articular

Gastrointestinal ganglioneuromatosis is an extremely rare lesion which typically occurs with a significant systemic syndrome. It is known to be a major component of multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 2b. We presented a case of polypoid ganglioneuromatosis of the colon in a 3-year-old female with abdominal pain and diarrhea. She had no clinical evidence of the systemic syndrome or von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis, conditions in which intestinal ganglioneuromatosis can occur. Gross examination showed diffuse polypoid masses in ascending and transverse colons with normal-appearing mucosa. Microscopic examination revealed a proliferation of spindle-shaped neuronal cells containing multiple clusters of mature ganglion cells in the mucosa, submucosa and proper muscle. We describe a case of colonic ganglioneuromatosis without any component of multiple endocrine neoplasia or family history.
Abdominal Pain ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Colon* ; Colon, Transverse ; Diarrhea ; Female ; Ganglion Cysts ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2b ; Neurofibromatoses ; Neurons

Eccrine porocarcinoma is a rare tumor of the skin. A case report of an eccrine porocarcinoma metastasizing to epidural space of spinal cord and inguinal area with a nine year follow up is described. The patient had a nodular growth of the abdomen with both inguinal lymphadenopathy three years before its first excision. After a follow up of nine years, he complained a weakness of lower extremities and back pain. Extradural mass of 10th thoracic vertebra and left inguinal mass were found. Subsequently, the masses histologically identical to the skin tumor were found.
Abdomen* ; Back Pain ; Eccrine Porocarcinoma* ; Epidural Space ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Skin ; Spinal Cord ; Spine

We report a case of Buerger's disease manifested by a scrotal mass, in view of its rarity. A tender bean sized mass was palpated in the left scrotum of a 34 year-old male heavy smoker, who had a history of right pain two years ago which subsided spontaneously. The left testis with the paratesticular tissue was excised. Vessels of the spermatic cord and epididymis showed microscopic changes of Buerger's disease. The involved arteries and veins revealed a predominantly subacute pattern with granulomatous inflammation and Langhans' type giant cells within the thrombi.
Male ; Humans