Analysis of Five Coding Region Polymorphism in Mitochondrial DNA / 대한법의학회지

For evaluation of the five coding region (CR) polymorphism in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA); we had performed PCR and direct sequencing in 599 unrelated Korean who showed the identical DNA type in D-loop mitochondrial DNA analysis for total 2,810 bp fragment. Following the sequence analysis, all the sequences of five regions were compared respectively to Anderson standard sequence to investigate the nucleotide variations. The result showed, a total 4,565 nucleotide variations were observed at 190 positions in five CR as 3,931 (86.11%) substitutions, 32 (0.7%) insertions, and 602 (13.19%) deletions and the allele diversities (h) were higher than 0.9992 when adding each CR or combined CR to D-loop analysis in mtDNA. In conclusion, we could confirm the five CR are useful for forensic testing through the nucleotide variation and hapolotypes polymorphism.

Polymorphism and Haplotypes of 10 Y-STR Loci in Koreans / 대한법의학회지

Ten Y chromosomal STRs (DYS434, DYS435, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS441, DYS442, DYS443, DYS444, DYS445) have been typed in 1159 Korean males for the purpose of application to male identification, population genetics and evolution study. Multiplex PCR method was used in amplifying simultaneously these loci. In each locus, 3-8 allele were observed, and no 'interallele' was observed. The gene diversity varied from 0.3131 at DYS435 to 0.7179 at DYS441. Among 610 father-son pairs, mutation was observed 2 cases in DYS434, 1 case in DYS435, 3 cases in DYS437, 1 case in DYS439, 2 cases in DYS441, 1 case in DYS442 and 4 cases in DYS444. No two or more simultaneous mutations were identified in one father-son family pair. In 1159 Korean males, 641 different haplotypes were observed, and 488 haplotypes were not shared by others. The haplotype diversity was 0.9911, Probability of Identity was 0.0098. When using the ten loci together with DYS19, DYS385, DYS388, DYS389, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393 which were already used in the Department of Forensic Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, the haplotype diversity was 0.9997, Probability of Identity was 0.0012.

Local Steroid Injection in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate therapeutic effect of local steroid injection in carpal tunnel syndrome, and to make a comparison between therapeutic effect in patients with and without diabetic neuropathy. METHOD: 30 patients (40 hands) with carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed clinically and electrophysiologically were injected with 40mg of methylprednisone. Patients were evaluated with the visual analogue scale after 4 weeks and 8 weeks. According to the therapeutic responses, the patients were grouped into: excellent; good; poor; failed; recurrent. RESULTS: After 4 weeks, symptom relief was noted in the 95% of all cases: 100% of the patients without diabetic neuropathy; 82% of the patients with diabetic neuropathy. After 8 weeks, symptom relief was noted in the 82.5% of all cases: 86% of the patients without diabetic neuropathy; 73% of the patients with diabetic neuropathy. There was no statistically significant difference between the patients with and without diabetic neuropathy (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: We concluded that local steroid injection in carpal tunnel syndrome was an effective therapeutic modality for a short term and local steroid injection in the carpal tunnel syndrome with diabetic neuropathy diagnosed by palmar test also had a good effect.

A Preliminary Study for the Application of Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test-Geriatric Version in Korea

OBJECTIVES: The alcohol dependence in elderly people has been prevalent because of increase in geriatric population. However, it is difficult to find out alcohol dependence in the aged, because they have less specific clinical features as compared with adult alcoholics. The aims of this study were to screen alcohol dependence among elderly Koreans and to know the clinical characteristics of Korean delerly alcoholics. METHODS: The questionnaires translated into Korean such as Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test(MAST-K), the Brief MAST and the MAST-Geriatirc Version(MAST-KG) were used to screen alcohol dependence in the elderly alcoholic inpatients aged over 60(N=43), adult alcoholic inpatients within 20-59 Yrs of age(N=60), which were compared with age matched normal healthy aged(N=18) or adult controls(N=45). The demographic data such as sex, age, education, occupation, socioeconomic status, marital status, numbers of children, dwelling and religion as well as alcohol history such as duration of alcohol drinking, onset age, family history, impulsivity, somatic illness and motivation were also obtained to identify characteristic features of Korean aged alcoholics by structured interviews. RESULTS: 1) The aged alcoholics had the charateristic features of more in males, lower age, low education levels, more in blue-collar workers, lower socioeconomic class, more in single few babies, more living alone, having no religion without statistical significance. 2) The onset age of alcohol dependence was significantly higher in the aged alcoholics(45.3+/-13.6Yrs) than in the adult alcoholics(27.7+/-8.7Yrs)(p<0.0001). The duration of problematic alcohol drinking was significantly longer in the aged alcoholics(22.0+/-15.1Yrs) than in adult alcoholics(14.2+/-8.4Yrs)(p<0.01). Otherwise, there were no significant difference between aged and adult alcoholics in the family history, imulsivity, somatic illness and motivation. 3) The mean score of the MAST-K was significantly higher in the aged alcoholics(20.6 +/-5.4) than in the normal aged(6.7+/-4.4)(p<0.0001), which was significantly lower than in the adult alcoholics(26.2+/-8.0)and in normal adult controls(9.5+/-3.2)(p<0.05). The mean score of the Brief MAST was significantly lower in the aged alcoholics(9.3+/-3.5) than in the adult alcoholics(14.5+/-6.6)(p<0.0001). The mean score of the MAST-KG was significantly higher in the aged alcoholics(10.6+/-3.5) than in the normal aged(4.8+/-4.3)(9<0.0001). The former was significantly lower than in adult alcoholics(12.9+/-4.3)(p<0.005), and the mean score was 4.5+/-2.8 in normal adult controls. 4) The items which showed statistically significant differences between aged alcoholics and normal aged controls could be found in 10 items of the MAST-K(item 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 14, 17, 21, 22 and 23). 2 items of the Brief MAST(items 2 and 9), and 7 items of the MAST-KG(items 6, 13, 18, 19, 22, 23 and 24)(p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The scores of the MAST-K, the Brief MAST and the MAST-KG were significantly lower in the aged alcoholics than those in the adult alcoholics(p<0.05). The statistically significant differences between aged alcoholics and normal aged controls could be found in 10 items of the MAST-K, 2 items of the Brief MAST and 7 items of the MAST-KG. Therefore, a briefer rating scales around 10 items are needed to screen alcohol dependence among Korean elderly people.

The Effects of Bethanechol on Anticholinergic Side Effects of Haloperidol / 대한정신약물학회지

OBJECTIVES: Haloperidol has been widely used for treating schizophrenia with somewhat limitation due to the side effects. Some of these side effects are anticholinergic side effects such as dry mouth, constipation, urinary difficulty, blurred vision, sexual dysfunction, etc. Some kinds strategies to minimize these side effects are tried, one of which is the use of bethanechol. The authors studied the effects of bethanechol on the anticholinergic side effects of typical antipsychotics. METHODS: The subjects of this study consisted of 60 chronic schizophrenics who had used haloperidol since 4 weeks before the study and whose score of 'Askers side effects rating scale' was above 7. They were assigned evenly to three groups (placebo group, bethanechol 40mg group, bethanechol 80mg group). Benztropin had been washed out for 2 weeks before the study. The authors measured ASRS for evaluating the anticholinergic side effect and BPRS for evaluating the effects of bethanechol on the psychopathology, at baseline, the 2nd week and the 4th week from baseline, respectively. RESULTS: At baseline, the mean age of patients was 38.00(+/- 10.55) years, the mean duration of illness was 11.12(+/- 8.09) years, and the mean dosage of the haloperidol was 15.07(+/- 6.03)mg. At baseline, mean score of BFRS was 50.25(+/- 5.24), and mean score of ASRS was 9.27 (+/- 3.04). There were no significant differences of ages, duration of illness, dosage of haloperidol, scores of BPRS and ASRS among 3 groups at baseline. There were no significant changes in BPRS at the 2nd week and the 4th week as compared with baseline, and also there were no changes among groups. The total sums of ASRS showed the statistically significant changes in the 80mg group at the 2nd week and the 4th week. The 80mg group showed statistically significant changes in dry mouth, constipation and urinary difficulty dom the 2nd week, and orthostatic symptoms from the 4th week. CONCLUSION: The authors found that the use of bethanechol for the chronic schizophrenics treating with haloperidol greatly improved the anticholinergic side effects with no change in psychopathology. The 80mg group showed more significant results than the placebo group and the 40mg group, especially in dry mouth, constipation, urinary diffculty and orthostatic symptoms. The authors suggest that high doses of bethanechol decrease the anticholinergic side effects and increase the drug compliance of chronic schizophrenics with anticholinergic side effects.

Social adaptation in the Korean spinal cord injured patients

No abstract available.

Changes in myofascial pressure threshold following trigger point injection

No abstract available.