Se-ju Kim

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is an acquired, autoimmune blistering disorder caused by autoantibody production against type VII collagen. The aim of this study was to examine the clinical types, treatments, and outcomes of 30 patients with EBA. In our cohort, the median age of onset was 44.0 years, with a similar incidence for both genders (46.7% male, 53.3% female). The majority of patients had classic type (36.7%) and bullous pemphigoid (BP)-like type (46.7%) EBA. The remaining patient

This study was aimed to identify characteristics of ED patients who discontinued PDE5i despite successful intercourse. Data were collected using a questionnaire from 34 urologic clinics regardless of the effect (success or failure) of PDE5i treatment by visiting the clinics (717), e-mail (64) or post (101) for 882 ED patients who had previously taken any kind of PDE5i on demand four or more times. Discontinuation of PDE5i was defined if the patient had never taken PDE5i for the previous 1 year d

Human personality traits have a considerable genetic component. Cloninger et al. were the first to postulate that certain personality traits, such as novelty seeking, are related to the dopamine neurotransmitter system. In this study, we investigated the associations between dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) exon III and dopamine transporter (DAT1) polymorphisms and personality traits. The DRD4 and DAT1 gene polymorphisms were genotyped in 214 healthy Korean subjects, whose personality traits were ass

Eating disorders are an important cause of physical and psychosocial morbidity in adolescent girls and young adult women. Although eating disorders have many medical complications, it is unclear which are responsible for the increased mortality. It should be emphasised that a number of different pathological processes are likely to be involved. Patients with eating disorders should be monitored carefully and should remain hospitalised. This can allow immediate emergency treatment to be performed

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent and persistent thoughts (obsessions), and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions). In Korea, an epidemiological study reported that the lifetime prevalence of OCD in the population was greater than two percent. The exact cause of OCD is still unknown. Evidence from familial, twin and segregation studies supports the role of a genetic component in the etiology of OCD. In addition, there is growing evidence that OCD has a

Purpose: Alexithymia, defined as a deficit in the ability to recognize and describe one’s own feelings, may be related to the developmentand maintenance of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism and alexithymia in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Materials and Methods: We recruited 244 patients with OCD (169 males, 75 females). Alexithymia was assessed using the

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A heat transfer model of a wet multi-plate clutch based on empirical data is presented in this paper. Lumped system analysis was used to simplify the complex heat transfer system of the wet clutch. The model has included the effects of various design parameters of the wet clutch, such as rotating speed, flow rate and inlet temperature of the lubricant, clutch sizes, and groove types, by using the correlations of the heat convection coefficient. The correlations were obtained from 96 experiments

Obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD) has a lifetime prevalence of approximately 2~3%. Until relatively recently, effective treatments for OCD were lacking, Fortunately, over the past decades, the availability of serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SRIs) and behavioral treatments using exposure-response prevention techniques has altered the outlook for patients suffering from OCD. But, treating OCD with medication still requires a blend of science and art. SRIs provide clinically significant relief to mo

The serotonin transporter (SERT) is the target site for serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which are the most widely used agents for treating various psychiatric diseases including depression. The SERT is a member of a large family of homologous integral membrane proteins. This transporter takes up 5-HT in a process that is coupled to the transmembrane movement of Na+, Cl-, and K+. The SERT may operate in at least two modes, an alternating access carrier or a channel. The function of SERT is acutely