Licensure, credentialling and academic institutions are seeking new innovative approaches to the assessment of professional competence. Central to these recent initiatives is the need to determine standards of performance, which separated the competent from the non-competent candidate. The goal of this study is to introduce the criterion referenced standard-setting methods to medical Schools. The authors used Angoff and Jaeger method, which are the simplest absolute standard setting methods. In this study, the cut-off score estimated by Jaeger method was higher than that of Angoff method.
Humans ; Licensure ; Professional Competence ; Schools, Medical

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) that histologically resembles nasopharyngeal lymphoepithelioma has been reported in various sites including the stomach, salivary gland, lung, skin, thymus, tonsil and uterine cervix. LELC of the stomach was rarely reported after the first report by Burke et al. in 1990. More than 60% of them were associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Most commonly affecting elderly Asians with slight male predominance (M/F ; 1.2/1), it usually is located in the proximal portion of the stomach and distinguished from lymphoid-rich adenocarcinoma by the absence of definitive glandular differentiation in the LELC. We recently experienced 4 cases of LELC of the stomach associated with EBV. Patients consisted of two Korean females and two Korean males with one in 3rd decade, one in 5th decade and two in 6th decade. The tumors of all cases were located in the proximal portion of the stomach. Gross types were 1 Borrman type I, 2 Borrman type II and 1 early gastric carcinoma type IIc. The size of the tumors varied from 0.8 cm to 7 cm. Microscopic findings were similar in all 4 tumors.; The tumors were composed of syncytial nests of undifferentiated cells having vesicular nuclei with prominent nucleoli, admixed with abundant lymphoplasma cell infiltration in the stroma. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the tumor cells were reactive for cytokeratin and the stromal lymphocytes were mostly T cells. There were dark hybridization signals in the nuclei of most of the tumor cells but no signals in the stromal lymphocytes in three cases on in situ PCR hybridization and on all cases PCR amplification for EBNA-1. It is concluded that LELCs of the stomach have distinctive histologic characteristics and the usual association with EBV. Further accumulation of these cases will define the prognosis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Herpesvirus 4, Human* ; Humans ; Keratins ; Lung ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Palatine Tonsil ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prognosis ; Salivary Glands ; Skin ; Stomach* ; T-Lymphocytes ; Thymus Gland

BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor (TGF)- has a large variety of biological functions, including the modulation of inflammation and the immune system, and is presumed to play important roles in repairing wounds and reducing scarring. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of TGF-1 on healing wounds and reducing scarring. We have also analysed the ability of the hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ) liposome mediated antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) to specifically inhibit wound-induced expressions of TGF-1 proteins and mRNA in the rat skin. METHODS: Skin wounds were created on the backs of 80 anesthetized rats. The first group of wounds, as the controls, was unmanipulated. The second group of wounds, as positive controls or an excessive scarring model, was injected with TGF-1 subcutaneously. The third group of wounds was injected with anti-TGF-1 antibody subcutaneously. The fourth group of wounds was injected with HVJ liposome mediated antisense ODNs for TGF-1 subcutaneously. The wounds of all groups were bisected and analysed histologically 5, 10, 15, 30, and 50 days after the wounds were made. RESULTS: All control wounds (TGF-1 or no injection) healed with scarring, whereas the wounds treated with the antibody or antisense ODNs healed with less scar formation compared to the control group. The wounds treated with the antibody or antisense ODNs had fewer macrophages, less collagen and fibronectin contents than the other wounds. Northern blotting and in situ hybridization analysis showed that wound sites treated with HVJ liposome mediated antisense ODNs for TGF-1 exhibited decreased levels of TGF-1 mRNA after injury. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest an important new approach to controlling scarring in normal wound healing, complementing the practice of adding exogenous growth factors to chronic wounds in the attempt to inhibit collagen deposition.
Animals ; Blotting, Northern ; Cicatrix* ; Collagen ; Complement System Proteins ; Fibronectins ; Genetic Therapy* ; Immune System ; In Situ Hybridization ; Inflammation ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Liposomes ; Macrophages ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides ; Oligoribonucleotides ; Rats ; RNA, Messenger ; Sendai virus ; Skin ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Transforming Growth Factors ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: To directly examine the function of the endothelial cell(EC) and smooth muscle cell in umbilical arteries acquired from preeclampsia patients between June 1998 to November 1999, using a conventional tension measurement and bioassay experiment. RESULTS: Relaxation responses to EC-dependent relaxing agents including bradykinin and A23187 in human umbilical artery rings were significantly decreased in preeclampsia(p<0.01). Relaxation responses to EC-independent agents(SNP and SNAP) were also inhibited in umbilical artery rings acquired from preeclampsia patients(p<0.01). To test the change of endothelial cell function in preeclampsia without involvement of smooth muscle dysfunction, we used human umbilical artery and rabbit femoral artery as a donor and detector, respectively, in bioassay experiment. Relaxation responses to EC-dependent agents(A23187 and bradykinin) showed similar results to conventional tension measurement (p<0.01). Relaxation responses to 8-bromo-cGMP in human umbilical artery rings were also significantly decreased in preeclampsia(p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that increased vascular resistance in preeclampsia is not only due to the disturbance of endothelial function, but also to smooth muscle dysfunction.
Biological Assay ; Bradykinin ; Calcimycin ; Endothelial Cells ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Relaxation* ; Tissue Donors ; Umbilical Arteries* ; Vascular Resistance

BACKGROUND: As evidence-based medicine is getting popular recently, the importance of randomized controlled trial as a research methodology is also getting highlighted. This study was conducted in order to identify the status quo of randomized controlled trial research in major domestic journals and to provide baseline data for constructing Korean clinical trial database such CCTR (Cochrane Clinical Trial Registry). METHODS: Five journals issued by domestic publication industry were selected, out of which 127,560 original articles, equal to 253 volumes, were investigated. The author extracted the articles, which performed prospective clinical trial, targeting human beings. The selected papers were analyzed with experts to single out randomized controlled trial among them. Furthermore, the quality of the re-selected ones were assessed according to Jadad Quaility Assessment Scale. RESULTS: After analysis, it turned out that the number of papers adopting prospective clinical trial were 406 volumes (3.2%) of 12,760 and that they increased from 157 in 1980s to 224 in 1990s. However, the percentage of prospective clinical trial monographs, introduced during 1980s and 1990s, remained 2.0 to 4.0. The number of randomized controlled trial-based papers were 115, accounting for 0.9% of total articles. The number of RCT increased to approximately two fold from 1980s to 1990s. Quality analysis showed that among a total of 115 RCT papers, those of scoring 1 and 3 were 16 (13.9%), 82 articles obtained score 2 (72.2%). There was no papers, which won the marks of 4 and 5. CONCLUSION: It was found that domestic randomized controlled trial research was weak both in number and quality. Therefore, it is necessary to activate clinical medicine study with good quality to upgrade the amount and quality of monographs.
Clinical Medicine ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Humans ; Publications ; Research Design

A 58-year-old man who underwent mitral valve replacement for mitral valve prolapse that was complicated by severe mitral regurgitation was referred to our department due to his sudden onset of drowsiness. Brain computed tomography revealed a hemorrhage in the anterior interhemispheric fissure and left frontal lobe. Cerebral angiography demonstrated a saccular aneurysm at the angular branch of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), but there was no evidence of vascular abnormalities at the hemorrhagic area. End-to-end anastomosis of the angular branch was performed after resection of the friable aneurysm and the perianeurysmal parent artery segment. Follow-up cerebral angiography after three weeks showed an aneurysm in the distal anterior cerebral artery (ACA) in the previously hemorrhagic area. This ruptured aneurysm was successfully clipped. An infectious aneurysm was confirmed on the histopathological examination.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Arteries ; Brain ; Cerebral Angiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Frontal Lobe ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mitral Valve Prolapse ; Parents ; Sleep Stages

PURPOSE: Since 2000, the Korea University Medical College has conducted Comprehensive Basic Medical Sciences Examination as a summative test. Summative assessment must be dependable in that it meets the highest standards of reliability and validity. The purpose of this study were to examine the validity and reliability of Comprehensive Basic Medical Sciences Examination and to improve the quality of the examination. METHODS: The subject of this study was the examination materials and scores of the test. We conducted exploratory factor analysis to testify validity. Cronbach alpha coefficient was used to examine the reliability. RESULTS: Only one factor was extracted from exploratory factor analysis. Its eigen value was 4.61 and it explained 65.93% of total variance. We could infer the extracted factor as an ability of basic medical sciences knowledge. The reliability coefficient of the test was ranged from 0.45 to 0.74. Of the total 335 item, overall acceptable items were 206(58.0%); the range of difficulty was 0.21~1.00 and discriminative indices were higher than 0.20. CONCLUSION: We confirmed the Comprehensive Basic Medical Sciences Examination in 2000 met the relative highest standards of reliability and validity. Item analysis could be of help to improve the quality of examination
Korea ; Psychometrics* ; Reproducibility of Results

The purpose of this report is to describe our surgical experiences in the treatment of cerebral decompression with in situ floating resin cranioplasty. We included in this retrospective study 7 patients who underwent in situ floating resin cranioplasty for cerebral decompression between December 2006 and March 2008. Of these patients, 3 patients had traumatic brain injury, 3 cerebral infarction, and one subarachnoid hemorrhage due to aneurysmal rupture. In situ floating resin cranioplasty for cerebral decompression can reduce complications related to the absence of a bone flap and allow reconstruction by secondary cranioplasty without difficulty. Furthermore, it provides cerebral protection and selectively eliminates the need for secondary cranioplasty in elderly patients or patients who have experienced unfavorable outcome.
Aged ; Aneurysm ; Brain Injuries ; Cerebral Infarction ; Decompression ; Decompressive Craniectomy ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Citrullinemia type I is an urea cycle defect caused by mutations in the argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS1) gene. We report a novel argininosuccinate synthetase gene mutation in a Korean family with type I citrullinemia. Metabolic evaluation revealed significant hyperammonemia. Amino acid/acylcarnitine screening using tandem mass spectrometry showed high level of citrulline. Plasma amino acid analysis showed high level of citrulline and the urine organic acid analysis showed makedly increased level of orotic acid. To confirm diagnosis of citrullinemia we did mutation analysis of the ASS1 gene. The patient was found to have mutations of c.689G>C (p.G230A) and c.892G>A (p.E298K), which were new types of argininosuccinate synthetase gene mutation have never been reported in Korea. We report a novel case of argininosuccinate synthetase 1 gene mutation and suggest that the gene study to the family members is necessary to carry out when a patient is diagnosed as citrullinemia.
Argininosuccinate Synthase ; Citrulline ; Citrullinemia ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Orotic Acid ; Plasma ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Urea

Citrullinemia type I is an urea cycle defect caused by mutations in the argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS1) gene. We report a novel argininosuccinate synthetase gene mutation in a Korean family with type I citrullinemia. Metabolic evaluation revealed significant hyperammonemia. Amino acid/acylcarnitine screening using tandem mass spectrometry showed high level of citrulline. Plasma amino acid analysis showed high level of citrulline and the urine organic acid analysis showed makedly increased level of orotic acid. To confirm diagnosis of citrullinemia we did mutation analysis of the ASS1 gene. The patient was found to have mutations of c.689G>C (p.G230A) and c.892G>A (p.E298K), which were new types of argininosuccinate synthetase gene mutation have never been reported in Korea. We report a novel case of argininosuccinate synthetase 1 gene mutation and suggest that the gene study to the family members is necessary to carry out when a patient is diagnosed as citrullinemia.
Argininosuccinate Synthase ; Citrulline ; Citrullinemia ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Orotic Acid ; Plasma ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Urea