There is a trial to increase as four years of the premedical course to make doctors with better humanities and variable educational backgrounds and good researchers in basic medicines. We studied the trial in the present situation of the Korean in scvcral vicwpoints There will be a confusion between doctor in a origanization and there are many problems expected with two different educational system in a countury Moreover, two years of premedical course and four years of medical course are enough to a clinician, especially a primary care doctor and there will be increased costs and late age to be a doctor if premedical course are increased as four years. It is not real reason for the lack of applicants to be good researchers in basic medicines that shot premedical course and lack of non-medical educational backgrouds. Also situation of medical school in Korea is not suffice to extend their facilities and faculties. Finally advantages from the extension of the premedical course can be gained with introductions of the limeted bachelor`s admission and or dual major system. The most important things is the single educational system to be a doctor and leaving the system to the discretion of the medical schools or universities
Education, Medical* ; Humanities ; Humans ; Korea* ; Primary Health Care ; Schools, Medical

PURPOSE: An inflamed appendix can be removed either openly (open appendectomy [OA]) or laparoscopically (laparoscopic appendectomy [LA]). Surgical-site infection (SSI) is a representative healthcare-associated infection and can impose serious economic burdens on patients as well as affect morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of this study was to compare LA with OA in terms of SSI. METHODS: The medical records of 749 patients (420 males; mean age, 33 years) who underwent appendectomy (OA, 431; LA, 318) between September 1, 2008 and April 29, 2010 were retrospectively reviewed for demographic and pathologic characteristics, recovery of bowel movement, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: The frequency of purulent/gangrenous or perforated appendicitis was not significantly different between LA and OA groups (83% [263/318 cases] vs. 83% [359/431 cases], P = 0.183). The time to first flatus after surgery was not significantly different between the two groups (1.38 +/- 1.07 days for LA, 1.33 +/- 0.90 days for OA, P = 0.444), but the length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in LA group than in OA group (3.37 +/- 0.12 days vs. 3.83 +/- 0.12 days, P = 0.006). The frequency of overall SSI was not significantly different between the two groups (2.8% for LA, 4.6% for OA, P = 0.204), but that of superficial incisional SSI was significantly lower in LA group (0.6% vs. 3.9%, P = 0.016). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that LA may lead to a shorter length of hospital stay and may have a lower risk of superficial incisional SSI than OA.
Appendectomy ; Appendicitis ; Appendix ; Flatulence ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Genotyping of ABO gene could be more informative and valuable than serological typing in some situations such as the resolution for ABO discrepancy between the cell typing and serum typing and determination of A and B subgroups. We developed a simple allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) method without the use of any restriction enzymes to detect the A, B, O, and cis-AB alleles for Koreans. METHODS: An AS-PCR was designed with amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) at nt (nucleotide) 261 (exon 6) and at nt 526, 803 (exon 7) of ABO gene to detect specific nucleotide sequence differences between the ABO alleles. We tested for ABO genotyping 60 DNA samples previously tested by PCR-RFLP and stored at -70degreeC. These samples had been obtained from blood donors recruited at the Gwangju-Chonnam Red Cross Blood Center between July 2002 and February 2003. RESULTS: With our new PCR method, the genotypes of the 60 samples were found to be A/O (n=10), A/A (n=5), B/O (n=10), B/B (n=5), O/O (n=10), cis-AB/A (n=5), cis-AB/B (n=5), and cis-AB/ O (n=10), which were the s ame results obtained previously with PCR-RFLP. CONCLUSIONS: Our AS-PCR is a simple and accurate method for the detection of A, B, O, and cis-AB alleles for Koreans.
Alleles ; Base Sequence ; Blood Donors ; DNA ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Red Cross

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) is a key cytokine in the production of extracellular matrix. A genetic polymorphism at codon 10 of the TGF-beta1 gene is associated with liver fibrosis. We investigated the effect of genetic polymorphisms at codon 10 on the development of alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC). METHODS: In total, 119 controls and 182 patients with ALC, were enrolled in the study. Clinical and laboratory data including total lifetime alcohol intake were collected at enrollment. The genotype at codon 10 was determined for each patient by single-strand conformation polymorphism. RESULTS: There were three types of genetic polymorphism at codon 10: homozygous proline (P/P), heterozygous proline/leucine (P/L), and homozygous leucine (L/L). Among the controls, the proportions of P/P, P/L, and L/L were 26.1%, 44.5%, and 29.4%, respectively in the ALC group, these proportions were 23.1%, 43.4%, and 33.5%, respectively. The genotype distribution did not differ between the controls and the ALC group. In the ALC group, age, total lifetime alcohol intake, and distribution of Child-Pugh class did not differ with the genotype. Of the male patients with ALC (n=164), the proportions of P/P, P/L, and L/L were 20.1%, 44.5%, and 35.4%, respectively the genotype distribution did not differ between the male controls and the male ALC patients. CONCLUSIONS: The genotype at codon 10 in TGF-beta1 does not appear to influence the development of ALC. Further study is needed to investigate other genetic factors that influence the development of ALC in patients with chronic alcohol intake.
Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; Codon ; Female ; Genotype ; Heterozygote ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic/*genetics/pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Polymorphism, Genetic ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/*genetics/metabolism

Fusarium species are representative of the emerging group of filamentous molds, which cause respiratory and disseminated infections in immunocompromised patients. To date, only five cases of respiratory or disseminated skin infections due to Fusarium spp. have been described in Korea. Here we describe a fungemia case of Fusarium oxysporum in a 3-year old boy who was neutropenics following chemotheray for leukemia. Fever, painful macules on both extremities and phlebitis on the site of venous blood sampling developed on the day 35 of admission. All four blood cultures obtained on hospital days 37, 38, 40 and 42 yielded the same F. oxysporum. The infection was cured with a high dose (1.5 mg/kg) of amphotericin B. This case shows that Fusarium is among a few filamentous fungi that cause clinically detectable fungemias in immuncompromised hosts.
Amphotericin B ; Child, Preschool ; Extremities ; Fever ; Fungemia ; Fungi ; Fusarium* ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Korea ; Leukemia ; Male ; Neutropenia ; Phlebitis ; Skin

The Accreditation Board for Medical Education in Korea, ABMEK, is nongovernmental appraisal organization that was established at July 2, 1998. The organization is contributing to the improvement of medical education by progressing the first cycle accreditation successfully. But, the organization has various problems and subjects related to the accreditation system. The authors examined the related literature focusing on the current status and problems of accreditation system. The result of this research was as follows. First, the ABMEK needs to propel legal personality of organization and should install independent executive office. Second, the ABMEK should establish the alteration procedure of accreditation standards and develop the accreditation standards of the second cycle that take into account international flowing of medical education. Third, the ABMEK must decide forms and scope to investigate medical college present situation. Finally, to propel development tasks effectively, it needs to get the recognition of Ministry of Education and Human Development.
Accreditation* ; Education ; Education, Medical ; Human Development ; Korea* ; Schools, Medical*

BACKGROUND: Although several molecular typing methods have been used to investigate C. albicans infections, there remains no "gold standard" method by which relatedness of C. albicans strains is determined. In this study, two DNA fingerprinting methods were compared for genotyping of clinical strains of C. albicans isolated from candidemic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine strains of C. albicans isolated from various clinical specimens (14 from blood, 7 from catheter, 4 from respiratory tract secretion, and 4 from urine) of 14 candidemic patients were analyzed. Primer 1245 and 1246 were employed for IR PCR and Southern blot hybridization method was used for C2 fingerprinting, with Ca3 and C1 as primers, after the fragmentation of DNA with EcoR1 RESULTS: IR PCR method separated 29 isolates into 9 (1245 primer), 7 (1246 primer) and 14 (combination of two primers) types, whereas C1 fingerprinting identified 16 different types. By combining the IR PCR and C1 fingerprinting methods, total of 16 different genotypes were identified among 29 isolates from 14 patients, which is the same result obtained by the C1 fingerprinting only. Using both methods, blood and non-blood isolates from each patient produced identical genotypes for 10 patients and different genotypes for 1 patient. In three patients, isolates from blood and other site of each patient showed identical patterns by IR PCR fingerprinting, but appeared different (n=1) or similar (n=2) by C1 fingerprinting. Overall, for 87% (13/15) of patients, isolates collected from catheter (6 of 7 patients), urine (4 of 4 patients), or respiratory (3 of 4 patients) were identical or similar to the corresponding blood isolates. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that C1 fingerprinting method is more discriminatory than IR PCR for the molecular typing of C. albicans isolates. For the majority of patients, blood and other site isolates had identical or similar genotypes.
Blotting, Southern ; Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Candidemia ; Catheters ; Dermatoglyphics ; DNA Fingerprinting* ; DNA* ; Genotype ; Humans ; Molecular Typing ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Respiratory System

BACKGROUND: Although several molecular typing methods have been used to investigate C. albicans infections, there remains no "gold standard" method by which relatedness of C. albicans strains is determined. In this study, two DNA fingerprinting methods were compared for genotyping of clinical strains of C. albicans isolated from candidemic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine strains of C. albicans isolated from various clinical specimens (14 from blood, 7 from catheter, 4 from respiratory tract secretion, and 4 from urine) of 14 candidemic patients were analyzed. Primer 1245 and 1246 were employed for IR PCR and Southern blot hybridization method was used for C2 fingerprinting, with Ca3 and C1 as primers, after the fragmentation of DNA with EcoR1 RESULTS: IR PCR method separated 29 isolates into 9 (1245 primer), 7 (1246 primer) and 14 (combination of two primers) types, whereas C1 fingerprinting identified 16 different types. By combining the IR PCR and C1 fingerprinting methods, total of 16 different genotypes were identified among 29 isolates from 14 patients, which is the same result obtained by the C1 fingerprinting only. Using both methods, blood and non-blood isolates from each patient produced identical genotypes for 10 patients and different genotypes for 1 patient. In three patients, isolates from blood and other site of each patient showed identical patterns by IR PCR fingerprinting, but appeared different (n=1) or similar (n=2) by C1 fingerprinting. Overall, for 87% (13/15) of patients, isolates collected from catheter (6 of 7 patients), urine (4 of 4 patients), or respiratory (3 of 4 patients) were identical or similar to the corresponding blood isolates. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that C1 fingerprinting method is more discriminatory than IR PCR for the molecular typing of C. albicans isolates. For the majority of patients, blood and other site isolates had identical or similar genotypes.
Blotting, Southern ; Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Candidemia ; Catheters ; Dermatoglyphics ; DNA Fingerprinting* ; DNA* ; Genotype ; Humans ; Molecular Typing ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Respiratory System

BACKGROUND: Pseudothrombocytopenia is a phenomenon that automated hematology analyzers calculate platelets at a spuriously low count. The most common cause of this phenomenon is platelet clumping. Several methods such as vortex mixing, changing anticoagulant to sodium citrate or heparin, and adding amikacin to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) have been routinely used for managing pseudothrombocytopenia. The purposes of this study were to compare the efficacy of these four methods and to propose a cost-effective algorithm for managing pseudothrombocytopenia in clinical laboratories. METHODS: Ten patients (six males and four females) having pseudothrombocytopenia were evaluated. In these patients, platelet clumpings had been detected on more than three occasions by Coulter STKS (Beckman-Coulter, USA) and by microscopic examination on peripheral blood smear (PBS). We recollected blood samples from each patient in four tubes coated with EDTA, sodium citrate, heparin, or EDTA with amikacin. CBC of the blood samples in each tube was performed within one hour of collection; the samples in EDTA-coated tube were retested after vortex mixing. RESULTS: Platelet counts were increased in all cases (100%) by EDTA with amikacin as an anticoagulant, 80% (8/10) by vortex mixing or heparin, and in 90% (9/10) by sodium citrate. However, platelet counts were decreased in 20% (2/10) of heparin coated samples. `Clinically meaningful increase' was achieved in 60% (6/10) by heparin and EDTA with amikacin, in 50% (5/10) by sodium citrate, and in 40% (4/10) by vortex mixing. But `clinically meaningful decrease' was found in 10% (1/10) by heparin. CONCLUSIONS: When pseudothrombocytopenia due to platelet clumpings is detected, vortex mixing is recommended first. If platelet count does not increase after the vortex mixing, changing anticoagulant to sodium-citrate or adding amikacin to EDTA is recommended for managing pseudothrombocytopenia.
Amikacin ; Blood Platelets* ; Citric Acid ; Edetic Acid ; Hematology ; Heparin ; Humans ; Male ; Platelet Count ; Sodium

No abstract available.
Gene Ontology* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*