OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the vocational rehabilitation program on the quality of life of the chronic schizophrenics, and to evaluate how chronic schizophrenics felt about their lives. METHOD: The subjects were 39 chronic schizophrenics who had participated in the vocational rehabilitation program(participant group) and now lived in the community. The control group were 43 chronic schizophrenics who were outpatients without vocational rehabilitation(non-participant group). The scale for quality of life was divided into two subscales, i.e., the objective and the subjective areas. The subscales are composed of living situation, family situations, interpersonal relations, work, health, finances, leisure activities, autonomy, and self-esteem. RESULTS: 1) In the demographic characteristics such as age, sex, duration of illness, and duration of education, two groups were not different significantly. However, dosage of antipsychotics were lower in participant group than non-participant group. 2) In the objective quality of life subscale, the scores of living situation, interpersonal relations, work, health, economic state, and leisures were higher in participant group than non-participant group. But, family relations score were lower in participant group than in non-participant group. autonomy were not different between two groups. 3) In the subjective quality of life subscale, the score of living situation, family relations, interpersonal relations, work, health, economic states, leisure activities, and autonomy were all higher in participant group than in non-partcipant group. 4)Self-esteem was significantly higher in participant group than in non-participant group. CONCLUSION: The results from this study suggest that the objective and subjective quality of life of participant group in the vocational rehabilitation program were higher than those of non-participant group. The vocational rehabilitation program of Yong-In Mental Hospital seems to have been effective for the chronic schizophrenics. And the psychosocial rehabilitation program, vocational rehabilitation program, and family education program should be developed more and implemented in the community.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Education ; Family Relations ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Interpersonal Relations ; Leisure Activities ; Outpatients ; Quality of Life* ; Rehabilitation ; Rehabilitation, Vocational*

OBJECTIVES: The Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale designed to measure the subjective experience of stigma with sub-scales measuring Alienation, Stereotype Endorsement, Perceived Discrimination, Stigma Resistance, and Social withdrawal. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Korean version of ISMI. METHODS: The subjects were 194 schizophrenic patients and 205 peoples with depressive disorder. K-ISMI, CES-D (The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) and Self Esteem scale were performed. RESULTS: Results showed that the ISMI had high internal consistence and split-half reliabilities. The internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach alpha) of each subscale ranged from .83 to .93. The validity of the ISMI was investigated by principal axis factoring analysis, yielding 5 factors of alienation, perceived discrimination, negative stereotype, stigma resistance, devaluation and social withdrawal. 5 subscales explained 60.67% of total variance. Concurrent validity was supported by comparisons against scales measuring related constructs. As expected, the ISMI had positive correlations with CES-D, and it had negative correlation with self-esteem scale. Subsidiary analysis showed that schizophrenic patients showed higher internalized stigma than depressed patients. CONCLUSION: Overall, the findings support the utility of ISMI as a tool to evaluate internalized stigma of persons with mental illness. Interventions that can lessen internalized stigma may well hasten the recovery process in individuals with mental illness.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Reproducibility of Results* ; Self Concept ; Weights and Measures

Recently, amniotic fluid has gained attention as one of the potential sources for cell therapy and tissue engineering because it has characteristics of multipotent stem cells. However, current knowledge about what types of cells are naturally found in amniotic fluid is still limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether human amniotic fluid contains cells that have characteristics of respiratory cells. Samples of human amniotic fluid (5 mL per sample) obtained from amniocenteses were cultured with small airway growth medium (SAGM). Cells were grown until the third passage and the presence of type II alveolar cells were characterized by inverted microscopy, immunofluorescence, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). On inverted microscopy, cultured cells showed typical polygonal and cobblestone-like epithelial morphology. The morphology of cells was not changed after selection and passing. Immunofluorescence analysis demonstrated that the isolated cells stained positive for surfactant protein C (SPC), specific marker for type II alveolar cells. Cells also stained positive for TTF-1 protein but negative for CD 31 and vimentin. RT-PCR analysis of cells showed expression of SPC mRNA. This study has demonstrated that respiratory cells can be isolated and identified from human amniotic fluid cultured in SAGM medium. Our results may provide the basis for further investigations of amniotic fluid.
Amniocentesis ; Amniotic Fluid ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Humans ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Multipotent Stem Cells ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Protein C ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger ; Tissue Engineering ; Tissue Therapy ; Vimentin

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The higher prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease has preceded the increase of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma in Western countries. An increase of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma can also be predicted due to the increase of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Asia. Therefore, the ability of endoscopists to detect Barrett's esophagus can be important in the future. The aim of this study was to examine whether a short education program could improve the ability of gastrointestinal endoscopists and nurses to detect Barrett's esophagus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Endoscopists and nurses of Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Center in Kosin Uinversity Gospel Hospital were enrolled in this study. Endoscopic images of biopsy proven Barrett's esophagus and normal gastroesophageal junction were obtained with conventional endoscopy. Thirty-seven still images of conventional endoscopy were used for slide test before and after 15 minutes education on Barrett's esophagus. RESULTS: Diagnostic ability of the doctor group after education did not changed (pre-education 79.6% vs. post-education 79.3%, P=0.906). Nurse group showed improved diagnostic ability for Barrett's esophagus after education (pre-education 68.7% vs. post-education 75.5%, P=0.008). After a short education program, inter-observer agreement of endoscopic diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus was improved in both doctor and nurse groups (doctor inter-observer correlation coefficient [ICC], 0.684→0.879; nurse ICC, 0.524→0.862). CONCLUSIONS: Even a short education program can improve the diagnostic ability, especially inter-observer agreement of endoscopic diagnosis for Barrett's esophagus. Further studies are needed to establish a role of education to improve diagnostic ability of Barrett's esophagus.
Adenocarcinoma ; Asia ; Barrett Esophagus* ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Education* ; Endoscopy ; Esophagogastric Junction ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Prevalence

No abstract available.
Allografts* ; Humans ; Living Donors* ; Risk Factors*

No abstract available.
Allografts* ; Humans ; Living Donors* ; Risk Factors*

OBJECTIVES: Prenatal testosterone is known to influence both cerebral laterality and 2nd to 4th digit ratio (2D : 4D). Epigenetic changes are thought to play some role in it. We studied sex-related differences between 2D : 4D and cerebral laterality in patients with schizophrenia and controls to examine the effects of prenatal testosterone in the development of schizophrenia. METHODS: Forty one men (18 schizophrenic patients and 23 controls) and 40 women (17 schizophrenic patients and 23 controls) were recruited from one psychiatric hospital in Korea. The 2D : 4D and electroencephalographic (EEG) coherence in 19 channels (66 pairs of interhemispheric coherence and 54 pairs of intrahemispheric coherence) were measured. The sex-related statistical analyses between 2D : 4D and EEG coherence in controls and patients with schizophrenia were performed using multiple regression. RESULTS: In male patients, the relationship between 2D : 4D and right intrahemispheric EEG coherence showed mainly positive correlation in delta and theta frequency bands, while it showed negative correlation in male controls. In female patients, the relationship between 2D : 4D and interhemispheric EEG coherence showed stronger positive correlation in alpha and beta frequency bands, while it showed weaker positive correlation in female controls. CONCLUSIONS: Low prenatal testosterone may play certain roles in altered correlation between 2D : 4D and cerebral laterality in schizophrenia and the development of schizophrenia by epigenetic mechanism.
Electroencephalography ; Epigenomics ; Female ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Schizophrenia* ; Testosterone

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was designed to compare the efficacy and patient tolerance between standard bowel preparation using 4 liters of polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution and 4 liters of PEG preceded by the osmotic laxative, magnesium hydroxide in constipation and non-constipation group. METHODS: 173 outpatient colonoscopy, except for three patients who were not taking magnesium, were divided into constipation and non-constipation group. Then, the patients were randomly assigned to receive 4-liter of PEG solution or 4-liter of PEG plus magnesium hydroxide. The quality of bowel preparation was assessed using Ottawa scale, and satisfaction score was assessed using questionnaires. Solid stool, cecal intubation time, compliance, and side effects were assessed. RESULTS: Non-constipation group showed no significant differences between two groups. In constipation group, 4-liter PEG solution plus magnesium hydroxide induced the more effective colonic preparation (Ottawa scale 2.47+/-0.99 vs. 5.92+/-2.39, p<0.05), and less solid stool (0.67+/-0.72 vs. 1.38+/-0.65, p<0.05) compared with 4-liter PEG solution. CONCLUSIONS: Bowel preparation with magnesium hydroxide and 4 liters of PEG solution might reduce solid stool in constipation group, but could not improve preparation quality.
Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Aged ; *Colonoscopy ; Female ; Gastric Lavage/*methods ; Humans ; Magnesium Hydroxide/*administration &dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols/*administration &dosage ; Questionnaires

Carcinoid tumors originate from the enterochromaffin cells. Rectal carcinoid tumors comprise 12.6% of all carcinoid tumors and they represent the third largest group of the gut carcinoids. However, a recent report showed that the number of reported cases has increases rapidly, which is probably due to the increased number of colonoscopic examinations. The aggressiveness of rectal carcinoid tumors is determined by the depth of invasion and the presence of metastasis. The clinical course of rectal carcinoid is benign, but these tumors may have a malignant character when the lesion is larger than 2 cm in diameter. We have experienced a case of rectal carcinoid tumor smaller than 2 cm in diameter and the patient had multiple liver metastasis.
Carcinoid Tumor ; Enterochromaffin Cells ; Humans ; Liver ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rectum

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Small subepithelial tumors (SETs) are often found incidentally during esophagoduodenoscopy, and EUS is a useful tool for assessing SETs. This study aimed to evaluate the natural history of SETs and to clarify the predictive factors of growth using EUS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively investigated SETs less than 30 mm and identified the EUS features. A significant increase in SET size was defined as a lengthening of more than 25% of the longest diameter in the last follow-up EUS features compared with the initial study. RESULTS: A total of 99 patients with 105 upper gastrointestinal SETs were enrolled. The mean follow-up period for SETs was 22.8 months. Among the 105 SETs, 12 (11.4%) were significantly larger at follow-up. Univariate analysis revealed that the presence of hypoechoic areas was associated with significant SET growth (P=0.021). In multivariate analysis, the presence of hypoechoic areas (OR, 8.96; 95% CI, 1.89~42.54) and anechoic areas (OR, 7.85; 95% CI, 1.09~56.37) were related with significant growth of SETs. Six of the 12 SETs showing significant growth were removed, and identified as gastrointestinal stromal tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of small SETs showed no significant increase during follow-up. Presence of hypoechoic areas and anechoic areas were associated with SET growth. Therefore, small SETs with hypoechoic area or anechoic area may be considered for regular follow-up in the clinical field.
Endosonography* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Natural History* ; Retrospective Studies