Expression and Distribution of the Na+ : HCO3- Cotransporter(NBC) and K+ : Cl- Cotransporter(KCC) mRNA in Human Nasal Mucosa and Nasal Polyp / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Electrolyte transport by nasal epithelia has been suggested to be important for controlling the quantity and composition of the nasal fluid and may play an important role in the development of nasal polyps. Transepithelial transport of ion and water in various fluid-transporting epithelia is strictly dependent on the localization of specific membrane proteins in the polarized epithelial cells. Na+ : HCO3-cotransporter (NBC) transports Na+ and HCO3- into the intracellular from extracellular space and induces the evacuation of H+, regulating pH. K+ : Cl- cotransporter (KCC) controls the cell volume and resorption of NaCl which is associated with the extracellular transport of K+ and Cl-. The present study evaluated the presense of mRNA for NBC and KCC in human inferior turbinate and nasal polyp. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The expression of NBC and KCC mRNA isoforms in inferior turbinate mucosa and nasal polyp was evaluated, using RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. RESULTS: RT-PCR revealed that the inferior turbinate and nasal polyp mucosa expressed kNBC, KCC1 and 4 mRNA. In in situ hybridization, their distribution was noted in the epithelial layer and submucosal glands of both mucosa. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that these types of ion transporters are expressed in human nasal mucosa and nasal polyp, controlling the fluid and ion transport in nasal epithelium and submucosal glands.

Expression of Midkine mRNA in Human Nasal Mucosa / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A heparin-binding polypeptide called midkine is a family of secreted growth/differentiation cytokines and has a role in tumor growth by enhancing endothelial proliferation, vascular density and angiogenesis. In this respect, midkine may be involved in the pathogenesis of nasal polyposis. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the expression of midkine mRNA in the human nasal mucosa and polyps. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The total RNA was isolated from freshly disected inferior turbinate of patients who underwent rhinoplasty and from nasal polyps of chronic rhinosinusitis patients. The expression and distribution of midkine mRNA was investigated by reverse transcriptse- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization. The midkine mRNA expression in nasal mucosa and polyps were semi-quantitatively evaluated by Southern blot hybridization. RESULTS: The expression of midkine mRNA was identified in both normal inferior turbinate and nasal polyp. Histochemistry of in situ hybridization revealed that midkine mRNA in normal inferior turbinate was intensely expressed in the surface epithelium, submucosal glands, vascular endothelium, and inflammatory cells scattered in submucosal tissues. Midkine mRNA was expressed in the nasal polyps, many inflammatory cells and newly formed vascular endothelium, but not in the newly formed glandular epithelium. In semi-quantitative southern blot hybridization, midkine mRNAs did not have different expression levels between inferior turbinate and nasal polyps. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that midkine mRNA is innately expressed in human nasal mucosa, playing a role in nasal physiology. Also, the results show that midkine may be involved in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps via angiogenesis, tissue growth, and inflammatory process.

Preliminary Standardization of the Computerized Standard Progressive Matrices in Korean Adults / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: We conducted this study to provide standardized data of the computerized Standard Progressive Matirices(SPM)test in Korean adults. METHODS: The computerized SPM test was administered to 353 healthy volunteers aged 18 years over. We provided the standardized data(percentile and standardized T-scores)for the groups with similar mean and distribution of SPM scores, which was originally divided by age and sex. The validity of the new standardized data was tested by comparing IQs estimated by SPM and K-WAIS. RESULTS: The standardized SPM data were provided for four age groups: 18 to 30 years, 31 to 40 years, 41 to 50 years, 51 years and over. IQ estimated by this standardized data tends to be closer to IQ by K-WAIS than the IQ estimated by foreign normative data. CONCLUSION: The standardized data of the computerized SPM were proven to be a useful and valid tool for measuring IQ briefly, compared with the conventional way of measuring IQ.

Preliminary Standardization of Cognitrone, a Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test in Korean Adults / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: Cognitrone Test is one of the computerized neurocognitive tests included in Vienna Test System. It assesses the ability of visuoperceptual analysis, continuous attention and the speed of information-processing. The present study aims at presenting the normative data of Korean adults for Cognitrone Test. METHODS: Cognitrone Test was administered to 353 healthy Korean volunteers aged 18 years and over. Number of correct responses, number of correct Yes-responses, number of correct No-responses, mean time of correct Yes-responses, and mean time of correct No-responses were measured in each individual. Initially the subjects were subgrouped by sex, age and educational level. And the subgroups showing similar levels of functioning were put together and analyzed as a larger unitary group. The subgroups without enough number of cases were excluded from the analysis. RESULTS: Summary scores for five variables of Cognitrone Test were given in the form of percentile and T-score distribution. For three variables representing the correctness of responses, normative data of unitary group(aged 18 to 50 years & educated more than 12 years) were presented. For two variables representing the speed of information processing, normative data of two groups(one; aged 18 to 30 years & educated more than 12 years, the other; aged 31 to 50 years & educated more than 12 years) were presented. CONCLUSIONS: The normative data of Cognitrone Test presented would be very useful in both clinical practice and research.

Smoking Status in Psychiatric Inpatients / 대한정신약물학회지

OBJECTIVES: There is a trend to make health care facitilities smoke-free because of the overwhelming data associating tobacco smoking and passive smoking with serious health risks except closed psychiatric units. this study was designed to estimate the feasibility of smoking bans on psychiatric inpatient units as a pilot study by assessing smoking incidence, nicotine addiction score and smoking patterns of the psychiatric inpatients. METHODS: The psychiatric inpatients admitted to one mental hospital from June 1 to June 30, 1994 answered to the questionnaires including Fagerstroms Tolerance Questionnaire (8 items) and modified smoking motives questionnaires (21 items). Also the medical records of the patients were examined for sociodemographic data and diagnosis. RESULTS: The smoking incidence of the psychiatric inpatients was 72.7%. After admission to the closed unit, 42.7% of the patients increased the amount of smoking. The mean Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire was 4.89+/-2.38, which was less than nicotine addiction score. Many patients smoked for relief of their stresses. CONCLUSION: There is a need to set a smoke-free or smoke-control psychiatric unit. These data indicate that smoking can be stopped on inpatient psychiatry units if the patients' stresses could be well controlled by some methods other than smoking.

Neuropsychological Evaluation of Visual Perception and Construction

Visual perception is a complex process engaging many different aspects of brain functioning. Like other cognitive functions, the extensive cortical distribution and complexity of visual perceptional activities make them highly vulnerable to brain injury. Dectection and characterization of perceptual require careful assessment as well as the application of selected neuropsychological tests. In the article we reviewed neuropsychological assessment of visual perception and constructional abilities. And the principal visuospatial disorders are discussed, the associated neuropsychiatric disorders are presented.

A Case of Mirror Movements after Childhood Hemiparesis

Mirror movements are normal in childhood, and may persist to a later age following early brain lesions. The present report describes a 25 year old male patient who had been a severe febrile disease at the age of 2 years, after then persistent mild spastic right hemiparesis had been developed. By the age of 7 years he recalled that his two hand involutarily tended to move simultaneuosly, and whilst his problems did not progress. They became more obtrusive and the bimanual movements seriously intefered with his activity, so he became aware that many or most of movements performed with one hand. There were obvious mirror movements of both hands and fingers with a greater tendency for mirroring to occut in the right hand with intended movements of the left hand, than vice versa. Passive movements did not elicit mirror movements. Brain CT scan reveal diffuse atrophy in left hemisphere.