Background: Smartphone usage time has been increasing every year causing smartphone addiction, also known as cell phone dependency. This study investigated and analyzed the effects of family characteristics on adolescent smartphone use. Methods: The subjects were 908 middle school students in Gangneung whose legal guardians agreed to participate in the study. We investigated general characteristics, family structure, smartphone usage time of family members, using Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale (K-SAPS), Family APGAR, and Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale III (FACES III). The participants were classified into three groups according to the scores of the SAPS: addiction proneness, addiction tendency group, and normal user. Results: The prevalence of the addiction proneness group was 47 (5.2%). The K-SAPS scores were higher in the following categories: female (P<0.001); more monthly allowance (P<0.05); lower academic performance (P<0.001); fewer hours of exercise (P<0.001); longer smartphone usage time (P<0.001); and younger owners of smartphones (P<0.05). In family characteristics, the K-SAPS scores were significantly higher in single parent families (P<0.05), longer smartphone usage time of mother and siblings (P<0.05), less time spent watching TV with family members (P<0.05), more exposure to smartphones in childhood (P<0.05), and less time spent with mother (P<0.05). The K-SAPS scores were significantly higher when family APGAR, family adaptability, and cohesion scores were lower (P<0.001). Conclusion This study indicated that the smartphone addiction in middle school students is closely related to smartphone usage of family members and family functions. Therefore, family behavior that can be corrected should be considered for counseling to prevent smartphone addiction.

Background: Irresponsible alcohol consumption by university students in our country continues to increase regardless of the sex; it also causes various problems. The blackouts experienced by the students cause social issues, and increased rates of alcohol-based dementia and alcohol use disorder. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the factors related to alcohol-induced blackouts experienced by university students. Methods: We used a structured questionnaire. Overall, 1,325 male and female attending four of the four-year universities in Gangwon-do were included in this study. Their living and drinking conditions, family’s drinking capacity, sleep, depression, anxiety and stress were investigated and the realtionship with the experience of blackout was investigated using the SPSS 24.0 statistical software. Results: Based on the alcohol consumption habits, 360 male (42.3%) and 221 female (46.6%) experienced blackouts. Alcohol use disorder was found in Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test - Korean revised version (AUDIT-K), 330 male (38.8%) and 265 female (55.9%). We found that the older male and female, the more they lived alone, the more frequently they drink alcohol in the family, the more they drink, and the more blackout experience, the more frequently they experience blackout (P<0.05). We also showed that the experience of blackout increased statistically significantly with the increase in difficulty to control alcohol consumption (P<0.05). Regarding the relationship between psychological aspects and blackouts, AUDIT-K scores and PHQ-9 scores were significantly higher in both male and female when they frequently experienced blackouts (P<0.05). Conclusion We found that >40% of the university students experienced blackouts; female experienced blackouts more frequently than male. The blackouts were related to lifestyle, family drinking, problem drinking and depression in both male and female.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the photodynamic therapeutic response of U-87 human glioma cell in vitro as well as in the nude rat xenograft model using photofrin as photosensitizer. MATERIAL AND METHOD: U-87 cells were cultured on 96-well culture plates, photofrin(Quadralogic Technologies Inc., Vancouver, Canada) was added into the cell culture medium at concentration of 1ng/ml, 2.5ng/ml, 5ng/ml, 10ng/ml and 20ng/ml. 24 hour after drug treatment, cells were treated with optical(632nm) irradiation of 100mJ/cm2, 200mJ/cm2 and 400mJ/cm2. Photofrin(12.5mg/kg, i.p.) was administered to 28 nude rats containing intracerebral U-87 human glioma as well as 26 normal nude rats. 48 hours after administration, animals were treated with optical irradiation(632nm) of 35J/cm2, 140J/cm2 and 280J/cm2 to exposed tumor and normal brain. The photofrin concen-tration was measured in tumor and normal brain in a separate population of animals. RESULTS: By MTT assay, there was 100% cytotoxicity at any dose of photofrin with optical irradiation of 200mJ/cm2 and 400mJ/cm2. But at the optical irradiation of 100mJ/cm2 cells were killed in dose dependent manner 28.5%, 49.1%, 54.4%, 78.2%, and 84.6% at concentration of 1ng/ml, 2.5ng/ml, 5ng/ml, 10ng/ml and 20ng/ml, respectively. Dose dependent PDT lesions in both tumor and normal brain were observed. In the tumor lesion, only superficial tissue damage was found with optical irradiation of 35J/cm2. However, in the optical irradiation group of 140J/cm2 and 280J/cm2 the volume of lesions was measured of 7.2mm3 and 14.0mm3 for treatment at 140J/cm2 and 280J/cm2, respectively. The U-87 bearing rats showed a photofrin concentration in tumor tissue of 6.53+/-2.16ng/g, 23 times higher than that found in the contralateral hemisphere of 0.28+/-0.15ng/g. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that the U-87 human glioma in vitro and in the xenografted rats is responsive to PDT. At these doses, a reproducible injury can be delivered to human glioma in this model. Strategies to spare the normal brain collateral damage are being studied.
Animals ; Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Dihematoporphyrin Ether* ; Glioma* ; Heterografts ; Humans* ; Photochemotherapy ; Rats ; Rats, Nude

OBJECTIVES: For Parkinsonian patients who had not reacted favorably on drug therapy are good candidate for ventroposterolateral pallidotomy, although not curative. We studied these patients after unilateral pallidotomy, to confirm the effectiveness and safety of this procedure. METHODS: We evaluated the 17 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's diesease who had undergone unilateral posteroventral pallidotomy. All patients responded to levodopa initially. Mean age was 55 years(38-75years), and mean duration of disease was 9.8 years(3-20years). Pre-and postoperative evaluation at 3 month intervals included Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating scale(UPDRS) scoring, Hoehn and Yahr(H and Y) staging, and neuropsychological examinations. RESULTS: Pallidotomy significantly improved parkinsonian symptom(tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, dyskinesia, sensory symptom). Nine of 10 patients who showed dyskinesia preoperatively significant improvement. The mean dose of levodopa in 9 patients was lowered. The mean H and Y score and UPDRS score were improved in on and/or off time in 15 patients. Among patients who were not improved, one patient worsened, and the others showed no change. The mean overall UPDRS off score changed from 76 preoperatively to 44(33%) at 6 months and from 70 to 52(25%) at 1 year. Transient surgical morbidity was showen in four patients and included dysarthria, hypotonia and confusion. CONCLUSION: We conclude that pallidotomy is safe and effective in patients who have levodopa-reponsive parkinsonism with severe symptom fluctuation. Unilateral pallidotomy also considered helpful to ipsilateral symptom. Unilateral pallidotomy can improve all of parkinsonian's symptom and allow to reduce the levodopa medication. Most of patients show satisfactory results.
Drug Therapy ; Dysarthria ; Dyskinesias ; Humans ; Hypokinesia ; Levodopa ; Muscle Hypotonia ; Pallidotomy* ; Parkinson Disease ; Parkinsonian Disorders

OBJECTIVE: This study is designed to elucidate the requirements for angiographic evaluation and the selection of appropriate therapeutic approaches in patients who had strongly suggestive traumatic carotid arterial lesions. METHODS: Ten cases of traumatic internal carotid arterial lesions were analysed in this study. Injury mechanisms, neurological status, computed tomography scans, pre-and postoperative angiograms, and methods and results of the treatment were included. RESULTS: Of 10 cases, carotid-cavernous fistula(CCF) alone in three, CCF with intracranial pseudoaneurysms in three, pseudoaneurysm with dissection in one, extracranial internal carotid artery thrombosis in one, extracranial pseudoaneurysm in one, and the remaining one had all of the CCF, intracranial pseudoaneurysm and dissection. Seven of these 10 cases had sphenoid sinus wall fractures and six had subarachnoid hemorrhage. Six cases were treated with endovascular techniques, and four with direct parent artery occlusion and bypass surgery. No postoperative morbidity or additional permanent neurological deficits occurred except one patient who suffered from reperfusion hemorrhage after bypass surgery. CONCLUSION: Head trauma patients with facial bone fractures and thick subarachnoid hemorrhage should be evaluated for the development of traumatic injuries to the carotid artery as soon as possible. Endovascular treatment to these lesions have come to play an increasing role. Patients with traumatic internal carotid artery lesions who do not tolerate test occlusion require extracranial to intracranial bypass surgery before occlusion.
Aneurysm, False ; Arteries ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery Thrombosis ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Endovascular Procedures ; Facial Bones ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Parents ; Reperfusion ; Sphenoid Sinus ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE: Various methods of treatment for idiopathic cervical dystonia have been tried in the past with unsatisfactory results. The authors report cases of five patients who underwent selective peripheral denervation for spasmodic torticollis. METHODS: Between July 2002 and December 2003, 5 patients underwent surgery at St. Mary's Hospital for spasmodic torticollis. Age of the patient at the onset of symptoms ranged from 29 to 56years (mean 43.75years). Selective peripheral denervation(SPD) was performed at 7 to 11months after the onset of symptoms (mean 8.75 months). A patient was considered to be the candidate for surgery if conservative methods were unsuccessful and symptoms persisted for longer than 7months. In addition, 2patients who refused treatment with botulinum toxin were also enrolled in this study. RESULTS: Although one patient underwent reoperation, all of the five patients' symptoms were improved after the operation. Clinically, patients with retrocollis showed better improvement than laterocollis patients. CONCLUSION: Although injection of botulinum toxin is the first-choice in treatment modality, when surgery is required, selective peripheral denervation provides good results with minimum side effects.
Botulinum Toxins ; Denervation* ; Humans ; Reoperation ; Torticollis*

PURPOSE: The prognosis of breast cancer in very young women is generally considered to be unfavorable. In addition, younger patients (<35 years) with estrogen- receptor (ER) positive tumor had shown a significantly worse disease- free survival than younger patients with ER negative tumors. To confirm the prognostic effects of ER on the survival in very young Korean women with early breast cancer, we performed a retrospective study with survival analyses according to the expression of hormonal receptors. METHODS: Total 74 very young women with early breast cancer (invasive ductal carcinoma, NOS, < or=35 years, and stage Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Case-Control Studies ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

Intracerebral hematoma (ICH) after reperfusion procedure in cerebral ischemia is a rare but serious complication. The authors present 4 cases with ICH after reperfusion procedures in cerebral ischemia. First case is ICH after superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery anastomosis in moyamoya patient, second case is ICH after graft bypass usuing saphenous vein in traumatic carotid artery injury patient, third case is ICH after intra-arterial urokinase therapy in acute internal carotid artery occlusion and forth case is ICH after temporary clipping to the middle cerebral artery in middle cerebral artery aneurysm surgery. Defective cerebrovascular autoregulation in ischemic brain regions may predispose patients to ICH after reperfusion procedure in cerebral ischemia. The authors suggest reperfusion procedure in ischemia must be executed prudently because of possibility of reperfusion injury including ICH.
Brain ; Brain Ischemia* ; Carotid Artery Injuries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cerebral Arteries ; Hematoma* ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Ischemia ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Reperfusion Injury ; Reperfusion* ; Saphenous Vein ; Transplants ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

Purpose: Few studies have investigated the association between smoking and microvascular complications in the Asian population with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to investigate the relationship between smoking status and microvascular complications in Korean patients with T2DM. Materials and Methods: From the Korean National Diabetes Program cohort, we included 2316 Korean male with T2DM who had baseline clinical information available, including their smoking status, and underwent diabetic complication studies. Results: Compared to non-smokers, current smokers had higher odds of any-microvascular complications [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–1.97, p=0.016]. The odds of neuropathy were significantly higher; however, the odds of retinopathy were significantly lower in current smokers than in nonsmokers (all p<0.05). Among those who underwent repeated complication tests after 3 years, the risk of newly developed retinopathy was significantly increased in ex-smokers [aOR 3.77 (95% CI 1.61–8.87), p=0.002]. Within ex-smokers, long smoking duration and smoking cessation within the recent 5 years were associated with an increased risk of newly developed retinopathy (all p<0.05). Conclusion Male smokers had higher odds of having overall diabetic microvascular complications, including neuropathy. However, the odds of having retinopathy were significantly lower among current smokers. More attention and research are needed regarding the increased risk of retinopathy development in ex-smokers who have recently stopped smoking after a long history of smoking.

Purpose: Few studies have investigated the association between smoking and microvascular complications in the Asian population with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to investigate the relationship between smoking status and microvascular complications in Korean patients with T2DM. Materials and Methods: From the Korean National Diabetes Program cohort, we included 2316 Korean male with T2DM who had baseline clinical information available, including their smoking status, and underwent diabetic complication studies. Results: Compared to non-smokers, current smokers had higher odds of any-microvascular complications [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–1.97, p=0.016]. The odds of neuropathy were significantly higher; however, the odds of retinopathy were significantly lower in current smokers than in nonsmokers (all p<0.05). Among those who underwent repeated complication tests after 3 years, the risk of newly developed retinopathy was significantly increased in ex-smokers [aOR 3.77 (95% CI 1.61–8.87), p=0.002]. Within ex-smokers, long smoking duration and smoking cessation within the recent 5 years were associated with an increased risk of newly developed retinopathy (all p<0.05). Conclusion Male smokers had higher odds of having overall diabetic microvascular complications, including neuropathy. However, the odds of having retinopathy were significantly lower among current smokers. More attention and research are needed regarding the increased risk of retinopathy development in ex-smokers who have recently stopped smoking after a long history of smoking.