Diagnosis of a thymic carcinoid was made on transthoracic fine needle aspiration in a 36-year old woman who had an anterior mediastinal mass on chest X-ray and CT scan. The aspiration smears showed numerous anastomosing ribbons and cords of small round tumor cells. The tumor cells had slightly eccentric nuclei and some granular cytoplasm. The small and uniform nuclei of the tumor cells had finely granular chromatin and thin nuclear membrane. The cytologic diagnosis of a carcinoid was confirmed on histopathologic, immunohistochemical, and electromicroscopic examination of surgical specimen.
Adult ; Alleles* ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoid Tumor ; Carotid Body ; Child* ; Chromatin ; Cytoplasm ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Nuclear Envelope ; Paraganglioma ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The authors interviewed with 21 North Korean defectors who detected from North Korea in 1990-1995 and investigated their adjustment to South Korean society. The main categories of their problems in adjustment were a poor social network, financial difficulties, problems in social competency, problems resulting from their indoctrinated way of thinking, some psychological problems such as excessive self-consciousness and guilty feelings, and some social-structural problems such as poor education system in the government shelter. But, generally speaking, inspite of their problems, they have adjusted to South Korea society rather successfully In the view of short term adjustment, the reasons for their success were thought to be the characteristics and merits of a capitalistic economy ; their compliant personalities resulting from an educational system that emphasized obedience to authority and Kim Il Sung, and the dualism of North Korean lifts. Four points were discussed to assist a successful adjustment in the long term ; Fostering of the ability to make individual choices with internal principles, overcoming a judgemental, moralizing attitude, overcoming of overfull thought centered attitude and rebounding thought-lacking attitude, overcoming the effect of negative collectivism. Three things have been suggested to foster their healthy adjustment ; development and running of resocialization program for the each period of settlement ; building up a network of accessible support organizations who work for the adjustment of defectors ; systemic studies of North Korean people and defecters for the successful adjustment to unified Korean society. It is said that the division of Korean people has been the most tragic thing happen to Korea. But there can be a greater tragedy and that would be the unification of land but not the unification of people. failure to understand the real problems of the North Korean population can potentially produce conflicts and confusion which can only lead to funker re-division and greater tragedy. It is very important to study the adjustment to problems of North Korean defectors to help prepare far the unification of the Korean people.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Education ; Foster Home Care ; Korea* ; Running ; Thinking

A case of multiple hemangioendothelioma of the cauda equina nerve roots and conus medullaris is described. This case is the first report of intradural multiple hemangioendothelioma in Korea. A 74-year-old woman presented with a 4-month history of progressive bilateral leg weakness and lancinating leg pain especially at night. Magnetic resonance image revealed multiple enhancing nodular masses in the cauda equina nerve roots and pial surface of the conus medullaris. We performed total removal of conus medullaris mass and partial removal of two nerve rootlets masses. Two lesions were histologically examined and found to be hemangioendotheliomas
Aged ; Cauda Equina* ; Conus Snail ; Female ; Hemangioendothelioma* ; Humans ; Korea ; Leg ; Spinal Cord*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to find out the relationship between the traumatic experiences and the prevalence of PTSD among North Korean refugees in South Korea. METHODS: Two hundred North Korean refugees in South Korea were voluntarily participated. Researchers conducted face-to-face interviews and assisted defectors in performing a self-report assessment of this survey. The study questionnaire consisted of demographic characteristics, Traumatic Experiences Scale for North Korean Defectors, and PTSD part of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Korean version. RESULTS: Prevalence rate of PTSD in defectors was 29.5%, with a higher rate for women. In factor analysis, the 25 items of traumatic events experienced in North Korea were divided into three factors: physical trauma, political-ideological trauma, and family-related trauma. In addition, the 19 items of traumatic events during defection were grouped into four factors: physical trauma, discovery and capture-related trauma, family-related trauma, and betrayal-related trauma. In multi-factorial logistic regression analysis, family-related trauma in North Korea had a significant odds ratio. CONCLUSION: Family-related trauma experienced in North Korea is related to the prevalence of PTSD among North Korean refugees in South Korea.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Refugees* ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of PLIF using cages on the unstable level and additional instrumented posterolateral fusion in patients with multilevel lumbar degenerative disease with segmental instability. METHODS: Clinical and radiological outcomes including the rate of bony fusion and changes in disc height, translation, and angular displacement on PLIF level, and its complications were analyzed in 28 patients (male:female=8:20) who were observed for more than 2 years (mean 30.6 months) between 1998 and 2000. RESULTS: The rate of successful fusion was 93% (26 patients). Clinical outcomes according to Prolos's classification were revealed with excellent in 10 patients (36%), good in 14 patients (50%), fair in 3 patients (10%), and poor in 1 patient (4%). The mean disc height on the PLIF level (35 levels including 6 patients with 2 levels PLIF) was changed from 0.48+/-0.11, preoperatively to 0.66+/-0.08 at 2-year follow-up by Farfan method (P<0.05). Mean vertebral body translation was decreased from 7.52+/-2.74mm, to 1.07+/-1.33mm and mean angular displacement was corrected from 11.21+/-4.43 degree to 1.03+/-0.62 degree (P<0.05). Permanent complications were relatively minimal. CONCLUSION: Favorable outcomes were achieved in 86% with relatively low surgical morbidity rates. It can be concluded that PLIF using cages on unstable lumbar segment and additional instrumented posterolateral fusion method is an effective stabilizing method for the multilevel lumbar degenerative disease with segmental instability in spite of its technical demanding and long operation time.
Classification ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Ketamine as an analgesic adjunct in propofol-based anesthesia has the benefit of potent analgesic action and more stable vital signs due to sympathetic stimulation. However, its impact on the bispectral index and speed of recovery is still controvertial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of continuous infusion of low concentrations of ketamine (0.1 microgram/ml) on the bispectral index and speed of recovery from propofol-N2O-O2 anesthesia. METHODS: Forty ASA I or II adult patients scheduled for elective orthopedic surgery were randomly allocated to one of two groups according to intraoperative ketamine use. In group P, anesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol (Ct: 3 - 6 microgram/ml), 67% nitrous oxide and 33% oxygen and the target concentration of propofol was kept at 4 microgram/ml at least 20 min before the end of propofol infusion. In group P + K, the method of anesthesia was same as in group P, but the low concentration (0.1 microgram/ml) of ketamine was continuously infused until discontinuation of propofol using computer-assisted continuous infusion. Bispectral index, recovery time from anesthesia, current/effect concentration of drugs, vital signs before and at induction, end of drug infusion, eye opening time on verbal command, and orientation time were checked. RESULTS: Changes in vital signs showed no differences between the groups. For bispectral index, there was no difference between groups initially, but it was higher (4 - 8) after the end of drug infusion in group P K than in group P. Also, recovery from anesthesia was delayed significantly in group P + K (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: From these observations, we concluded that the use of low concentrations of ketamine during propofol-N2O-O2 anesthesia increased BIS, delayed eye opening and recovery from anesthesia without any benefit to vital sign stability.
Adult ; Anesthesia* ; Humans ; Ketamine* ; Nitrous Oxide ; Orthopedics ; Oxygen ; Propofol ; Vital Signs

OBJECTIVE: This study is a follow-up of a first survey of 200 North Korean defectors who entered South Korea in 2001. The purpose of this study is to examine changes in the current prevalence of partial PTSD and full PTSD after 3 years and to evaluate related factors. METHODS: This study followed up on 151 of the 200 North Korean defectors from our first survey. 20 interviewers conducted face-to-face interviews and assisted defectors in completing a self-report assessment. The traumatic events which participants with chronic PTSD and delayed onset PTSD experienced were then examined. RESULTS: Over the 3 years, the current prevalence rate of partial PTSD was reduced from 31.8% to 5.3%, and the current prevalence rate of full PTSD was reduced from 27.2% to 4.0%. Of particular interest was that 88.8% of those diagnosed with full or partial PTSD in the first survey had recovered after 3 years. CONCLUSION: The current prevalence rate of partial and full PTSD rapidly decreased during 3 years.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Korea ; Prevalence ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic*

In this study, antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of the natural antioxidative compound, pyrogallol-phloroglucinol-6,6'-bieckol (PPB) isolated from brown algae, Ecklonia cava was assessed in vitro by measuring the radical scavenging activities (DPPH, alkyl, hydroxyl, and superoxide) using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity, and DNA damage assay. According to the results of these experiments, the scavenging activity PPB against difference radicals was in the following order: DPPH, alkyl, hydroxyl, and superoxide radicals (IC50; 0.90, 2.54, 62.93 and 109.05 microM). The antioxidant activities of PPB were higher than that of the commercial antioxidant, ascorbic acid. Furthermore, PPB effectively inhibited DNA damage induced by H2O2. These results suggest that the natural antioxidative compound, PPB, can be used by the natural food industry.
Ascorbic Acid ; DNA Damage ; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy ; Food Industry ; Phaeophyta ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Spectrum Analysis ; Superoxides

The involvement of subaortic structures in the aortic valve endocarditis appears more common than previously recognized. The most common location of the subaortic complications is mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa(MAIVF) and the complications may be presented as abscess or pseudoaneurysm. We describe a case of infectious pseudoaneurysm of mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa mimicking abscess. In our case, complete AV block was revealed on ECG after aortic valve replacement (AVR). Several days after the first operation, re-do AVR and reconstruction of the MAIVF was performed because of complete AV block and dual fistula complicated by pseudoaneurysm in MAIVF.
Abscess ; Aneurysm, False* ; Aortic Valve* ; Atrioventricular Block* ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Endocarditis* ; Fistula* ; Humans

Vascular catheters are associated with complications such as infection, thrombosis and stenosis. The embolization of a venous catheter fragment is a rare complication. A 39-year-old woman underwent placement of a totally implantable venous access device for chemotherapy to treat a recurrent liposarcoma of the left thigh. The "pinch-off sign" was noted on a routine chest X-ray but that was ignored. Three-months after implantation of the intravenous access device, the indwelling central catheter was fractured and embolized to the pulmonary trunk. The catheter in the pulmonary trunk was successfully removed through a percutaneous femoral vein approach using a pigtail catheter and goose neck snare.
Thigh/pathology ; Pulmonary Artery/*injuries/surgery ; Liposarcoma/drug therapy ; Humans ; Foreign-Body Migration/*complications/surgery ; Female ; *Equipment Failure ; Embolism/*etiology/surgery ; Catheters, Indwelling/*adverse effects ; Catheterization, Central Venous/*adverse effects/instrumentation ; Adult