Pathologists and others have been calling the serous cystadenoma of the pancreas "microcystic cystadenoma", following Compagno and Oertel's proposal in l978 because it usually consists of innumerable small cysts (less than 2cm). However, unilocular or predominantly macrocystic types of serous cystadenoma have been occasionally reported. Therefore, they present a difficulty in precise preoperative and intraoperative diagnosis for their simi1ar gross appearance to other cystic lesions of the pancreas. We discovered two cases of macrocystic and unilocular serous cystadenomas of the pancreas which were lined by cuboidal to flattened epithelial cells. They contained PAS positive and D-PAS negative intracytoplasmic glycogen granules. The unilocular, macrocystic and microcystic patterns may represent a morphologic spectrum of a pancreatic neoplasm. So we propose to use the term "serous cystadenoma" rather than microcystic cystadenoma.
Cysts

BACKGROUND: Many anesthesiolosists feel that epidural anesthesia is unsuitable for spinal sugery. However, several articles have been published in which epidural anesthesia is viewed as a good alternative to general anesthesia for spine surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate effectiveness and complications of epidural anesthesia for spine surgery. METHODS: Eighty-two patients undergoing epidural anesthesia for spine surgery was studied prospectively. Epidural anesthesia was performed using 18-gauge Tuohy needles inserted at the L1-2 interspace. A test dose of lidocaine 3 ml was injected to check for a subarachnoid puncture. After a 2 - 3 minute waiting period, 0.5% bupivacaine 12 ml was slowly injected for 3 minutes. The pain at the operation site and roots, extension of anesthesia, motor blockade and complications were evaluated. RESULTS: Pain at the operation site was minimal in 83% of the patients; however, 44% of the patients complained of moderate to severe root pain. No patient had a new neurologic deficit as a result of the epidural technique. Perioperative complications were minimal and could be easily treated. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that proper administration of epidural anesthesia for spine surgery is a safe and reliable procedure and a good alternative to general anesthesia.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Epidural* ; Anesthesia, General ; Bupivacaine ; Humans ; Lidocaine ; Needles ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Prospective Studies ; Punctures ; Spine*

PURPOSE: This study reviewed articles related to breast cancer, cognitive function and chemotherapy available in 4 databases. METHODS: The researcher reviewed 32 pieces of literature that were published between January 2001 and November 2011. RESULTS: Within the last decade, several studies have investigated whether adjuvant treatment of breast cancer affects cognitive function. A number of prospective studies have reported inconsistent results regarding whether chemotherapy affects cognitive function. Approximately half of the studies reported subtle cognitive decline in a wide range of domains among some breast cancer patients following chemotherapy, and others did not. CONCLUSION: Breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy showed the most deterioration and the most persistent decline in cognitive function. Since cognitive impairment is subtle, if evident at all, discrepant findings are due to hormonal, physiological, psychological or temporal confounding variables and differences in study design. Especially, that chemotherapy may impair memory, executive function, attention and visuospatial function in women with breast cancer.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Cognition ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Executive Function ; Female ; Humans ; Memory

BACKGROUND: In developed countries, food-born diseases have decreased and hospital laboratory have taken more simple method rather than complex enrichment-selective methods. But detection rate of pathogenic bacteria in stool culture was not so high. METHODS: We mixed 4 pathogenic bacteria (S. typhi, S. flexneri, V. cholerae and Y. enterocolitica) with 3 stool specimens from healthy persons (for Y. enterocolitica, 5 specimens) and innoculated directly or after enrichment (105 bacteria/plate). After proper incubation, we counted suspected colonies and calculated true positive rate after identification of each colonies. RESULTS: For S. typhi, in the case of direct innoculation on the MacConkey, XLD and SS agar, positive rate of selected colonies were below 36.6%. After enrichment in SF broth for 8 hours, the rate were 80.0%, 83.0% and 70.0% respectively. For S. flexneri, the rates were 86.7%, 100%, 93.3% in direct innoculation, and were highest after enrichment in GN broth for two hours (93.3% in MacConkey and 100.0% in both XLD and SS agar). For V. cholerae, inspite of screening by catalase and oxidase tests, positive rate of selected colonies were 0% (0/7 colonies) in direct innoculation on the MacConkey. After enrichment in APW about 1 day and on TCBS agar, the rate were 100%. For Y. enterocolitica, after incubation at room temperature for 2 days, most selected colonies were Y. enterocolitica on CIN media. CONCLUSION: For more efficient detection of pathogenic bacteria in stool culture, combination of direct innoculation on MacConkey agar and on one or two selective media after proper enrichment process, should be considered.
Agar ; Bacteria ; Catalase ; Cholera ; Developed Countries ; Humans ; Laboratories, Hospital ; Mass Screening ; Oxidoreductases ; Salmonella ; Shigella ; Vibrio ; Yersinia

Our previous work has identified miR-125b as a negative regulator of melanogenesis. However, the specific melanogenesis-related genes targeted by this miRNA had not been identified. In this study, we established a screening strategy involving three consecutive analytical approaches—analysis of target genes of miR-125b, expression correlation analysis between each target gene and representative pigmentary genes, and functional analysis of candidate genes related to melanogenesis—to discover melanogenesis-related genes targeted by miR-125b. Through these analyses, we identified SRC homology 3 domain-binding protein 4 (SH3BP4) as a novel pigmentation gene. In addition, by combining bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation, we demonstrated that SH3BP4 is a direct target of miR-125b. Finally, we found that SH3BP4 is transcriptionally regulated by microphthalmia-associated transcription factor as its direct target. These findings provide important insights into the roles of miRNAs and their targets in melanogenesis.
Computational Biology ; Mass Screening ; Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor ; MicroRNAs ; Pigmentation*

PURPOSE: Many studies showed that the asthmatic children mostly have psychosocial problem such as depression or anxiety. The object of this study is to help the asthmatic children and their family by knowing what is their mothers' biggest concern about their asthmatic children. METHODS: We made up a questionnaire with asked the mothers by telephone. If they though asthma had a certain effect on their asthmatic children's activity, depression, anxiety, positiveness, scholastic achievement, friendship, pleasure, concentration, anger, growth and development. We asked the mothers whose children had visited the pediatric department in st. colomban's hospital from 1990 to 1996 and had been diagnosed and treated as asthma, and whose asthmatic children were between 7 and 21. RESULTS: More than half of the mothers who got a phone-call said that their children had problems in house life, school life, social life due to asthma and frequent asthmatic attack made their children less concentrated, inactive, less scholastic achieved, but there were few who said that asthma seemed to have an effect on their children's friendship, depression, pleasure. CONCLUSIONS: In the psychological aspect, the mothers may concern more if their children cannot keep up with the competitive social tendency closely related to concentration and scholastic achievement than if their children have some emotional disorder or behavial disorder such as depression and anxiety
Anger ; Anxiety ; Asthma ; Child* ; Depression ; Friends ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Mothers ; Pleasure ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Telephone

PURPOSE: Many studies showed that the asthmatic children mostly have psychosocial problem such as depression or anxiety. The object of this study is to help the asthmatic children and their family by knowing what is their mothers' biggest concern about their asthmatic children. METHODS: We made up a questionnaire with asked the mothers by telephone. If they though asthma had a certain effect on their asthmatic children's activity, depression, anxiety, positiveness, scholastic achievement, friendship, pleasure, concentration, anger, growth and development. We asked the mothers whose children had visited the pediatric department in st. colomban's hospital from 1990 to 1996 and had been diagnosed and treated as asthma, and whose asthmatic children were between 7 and 21. RESULTS: More than half of the mothers who got a phone-call said that their children had problems in house life, school life, social life due to asthma and frequent asthmatic attack made their children less concentrated, inactive, less scholastic achieved, but there were few who said that asthma seemed to have an effect on their children's friendship, depression, pleasure. CONCLUSIONS: In the psychological aspect, the mothers may concern more if their children cannot keep up with the competitive social tendency closely related to concentration and scholastic achievement than if their children have some emotional disorder or behavial disorder such as depression and anxiety
Anger ; Anxiety ; Asthma ; Child* ; Depression ; Friends ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Mothers ; Pleasure ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Telephone

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether polymorphisms of the Vitamin D receptor (VDR)gene,known to be associated with osteoporosis and/or osteoarthritis (OA) in Caucasians,might also relate to the risk of OA and osteoporosis in Korean postmenopausal women METHODS: A population of 130 postmenopausal women,including 76 healthy controls and 54 knee OA patients,were studied using anteroposterior radiographs of the knee,which were graded for OA according to the Kellgren classification system.The VDR genotype was determined by using polymerase chain reaction and by digestion with the three restriction enzymes Taq I,Bsm I,and Apa I.Femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD)was assessed in all participants by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry . RESULTS: VDR genotype frequency distributions in Koreans were much different from Caucasian's both in the OA group and the control group.Especially, "t t", "B B" and "A A" genotype were very rare,prominently differentiating from Caucasians.But within Koreans,no significant differences in VDR genotype frequencies were observed between OA cases and controls.VDR genotype was not significantly associated with the radiographic grades of OA.And there were no significant relationships of VDR genotype with BMD scores in each group. CONCLUSION: In Korean postmenoposal women,the VDR gene polymorphisms do not significantly contribute to an increased prevalence of knee OA or to differences in BMD.VDR genotype analysis would not be helpful for assessing the risk of knee OA in Koreans because :(1)there is no correlation of VDR genotypes with the radiographic severity of OA ;and (2)there is a more skewed distribution of VDR genotypes in Korean population compared to the Caucasian's .
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Bone Density ; Classification ; Digestion ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Knee* ; Neck ; Osteoarthritis* ; Osteoporosis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Receptors, Calcitriol

OBJECTIVE: This study was to investigate the current use of depression rating scales by psychiatrists and clinical psychologists in Korea. METHODS: The questionnaires from many psychiatrists and clinical psychologists were included in the analysis. The questionnaire was composed of items about examining the percentage of patients clinically using depression rating scales, reasons for not use of them, the degree of satisfaction, the perceived agreement rate between the result of depression rating scales and doctor's clinical interview in the evaluation of patients with depressive symptoms. Data were analyzed by chi-square and independent t-test. RESULTS: The clinical use of depression rating scales was more frequent in the psychologists than in the psychiatrists. The purposes for using depression rating scales were assessed into six areas, there was no significant difference in between two groups, and both groups pointed out their purpose as rating of severity and screening. The reasons for not using scales were that their interview may be sufficient for diagnosis and assessment of depressive patients and they are not familiar with the use of depression rating scales. The psychiatrists usually prefer the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Symptom Checklist 90-Revision (SCL-90-R) in order of frequency, and the clinical psychologists are more likely to use the BDI, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and SCL-90-R. Overall rate of satisfaction in the use of the scales was 67.29+/-14.45% and overall perceived agreement rate was 70.89+/-16.45%. CONCLUSION: Currently used depression rating scales at the clinical practice were not various. Therefore, to heighten clinicians' utility of these depression rating scales measures, either educational efforts or advertisements, or both, will be necessary to spread them wildly.
Checklist ; Depression ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Mental Health ; MMPI ; Psychiatry ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: Breast cancer is one of the most frequent malignant tumors in Korea. The major tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) such as p16, Rb, E-cadherin and p53 may play important roles in cell cycle regulation, apoptosis and the regulation of the expression of other genes as well as tumor suppression. Microsatellite alteration such as loss of heterozygosity (LOH) have been reported to be a novel mechanism of carcinogenesis and a useful prognostic factor for many malignant tumors. Also, LOH is also known to be related with allelic loss of various TSGs. This study evaluated LOH of 4 TSGs in invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs) and we correlated these results with the clinicopathological factors. METHODS: LOH analysis was carried out using a polymerase chain reaction with 12 polymorphic microsatellite markers of 4 TSGs in 50 surgically resected tumors and their non-tumorous counterparts. RESULTS: There was no detectable LOH in the normal tissue. LOH was detected in 86% of the 50 cases of IDCs. LOH was detected on all chromosomes and this showed a statistical difference between benign tumor and malignant tumor. LOH of p16, Rb, E-cadherin and p53 TSGs was detected in 36%, 26%, 54% and 60% of the tumors, respectively. LOH of the p16 and Rb genes was inversely correlated with tumor grade 1. The low rate of detecting LOH on the E-cadherin gene was noted in T1 tumor and stage I disease. LOH of the p53 gene correlated well with the tumor size and stage. The LOH-High results correlate well with the tumor size and stage and the LOH-High results are similar to those of the p53 gene LOH. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that LOH of the 4 major TSGs may contribute to the development and invasion of IDCs. Also, the combined use of various LOH markers may help in deciding the prognosis of IDCs.
Apoptosis ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cadherins ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Cell Cycle ; Genes, p53 ; Genes, Retinoblastoma ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor* ; Korea ; Loss of Heterozygosity* ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prognosis