OBJECTIVE: As an electronic health record system is implementing in Korean health care sectors, concerns about key functionalities of electronic health record systems are increasing. The purpose of this study was to identify core functions and set the priority in electronic health record systems under the Korean contexts in order to assure and improve the quality of the systems. METHODS: A survey was conducted using questionnaire developed by the study team based on literature review. The subjects were medical record administrators working at medical record department in general hospitals. RESULTS: The response rate was 59.8%(55/92). The functions which more than ninety percent of subjects responded as necessary right now and/or in near future related to 'drug alert', 'clinical guideline', 'chronic disease management', 'automated real-time surveillance', 'coded data', 'result reporting', 'de-identifying data', 'disease registry', and 'provider-provider communication and connectivity'. CONCLUSION: The results showed the high prioritized functions were decision support and health information/data management.
Electronic Health Records* ; Health Care Sector ; Hospitals, General* ; Humans ; Medical Record Administrators ; Medical Records ; Needs Assessment* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Biohybrid artificial organs encompass all devices capable of substituting for an organ or tissue function and are fabricated from both synthetic materials and living cells. The viability of engineered tissue could be related to the viability of implanted cells. The system of viability assay for mammalian cell culture can be applied to the determination of cell viability for engineered tissue. This review explores various methods of cell viability assay which can be applied to the viability evaluation of engineered tissue. The major criteria employed in viability assays include survival and growth in tissue culture, functional assay, metabolite incorporation, structural altercation, and membrane integrity. Each viability assay method is based on different definitions of cell viability, and has inherent advantages and disadvantages. In order to be able to assess the viability of cells with one assay method, it is desirable to compare the viability measurements from various assays derived from different criteria.
Animal ; Biomedical Engineering*/methods ; Cell Division ; Cell Survival ; Human

BACKGROUND: The present study was performed to elicit what effect nalbuphine would have on isoflurane MAC (minimum alveolar concentration) in the patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery. METHODS: Sixty-two women were randomly allocated to one of five study groups to receive an intravenous injection of no nalbuphine (group I), 0.25 mg/kg (group II), 0.5 mg/kg (group III), 1.0 mg/kg (group IV), 1.5 mg/kg (group V). Anesthesia and tracheal intubation were induced with propofol 2 mg/kg, succinylcholine 1 mg/kg. Patients were inhaled at a preset end-tidal concentration of isoflurane, which was maintained for 20 min. Response to skin incision, movement or no movement, was determined 30 minutes after nalbuphine injection. The isoflurane concentration of the next patient in the same group moved up or down in steps of 0.1~0.3%, according to the previous patient's response. MAC was determined using the "up-down" method and logistic regression. RESULTS: The MAC's of isoflurane were 1.09 vol% end-tidal in the control group, 0.89 vol% in group II, 0.65 vol% in group III, 0.55 vol% in group IV, and 0.51 vol% in group V. CONCLUSIONS: It would be suggested that nalbuphine dose-dependently reduce the isoflurane MAC, and have ceiling effect on the reduction of isoflurane MAC.
Anesthesia ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Intubation ; Isoflurane* ; Logistic Models ; Nalbuphine* ; Propofol ; Skin ; Succinylcholine

Mucinous eccrine carcinoma of the skin is a rare skin adnexal malignant tumor that origins from mucin-secreting dark cells, and it arises from the deepest portion of eccrine ducts. It usually affects people in their fifth to seventh decades of life and it predominantly occurs in men. It appears to exhibit a predilection for the head and neck. The histopathologic characteristics are a large mucinous pool with fibrous septae and clusters of tumor cells. The treatment of choice is surgical removal. We present here the case of a patient with a mucinoous eccrine carcinoma on the infraorbital area of the right side of his face and we review the related literature
Head ; Humans ; Male ; Mucins ; Neck ; Skin

The clinical value of the pre-(165 pts) and post-operative(149 pts) serum levels of carcinoembryogenic antigen(CEA) in 190 patients(pts) with colorectal cancer was investigated, who had a curative surgery and an abnormally elevated levels of CEA (> or=5 ng/ml) at Department of General Surgery, Chonbuk National University Hospital during 1989 to 1996. The results are as follows: 1) The preoperative positive rates of CEA level were 49(29.7%) of 165 patients, so preoperative CEA level measurement was no usefulness for screening test of colorectal cancer. The incidence of preoperatively elevated CEA levels in Dukes stages A, B, C, and D were 0, 28.6, 32.8 and 42.9% respectively, There was significant association between increased proportion of patients with preopertive serum CEA(> OR = 5 ng/ml) and the progressive stages of colorectal cancers(P<0.05). 2) There was no significant association between the frequency of abnormal CEA level and histologic differentiation of tumor. 3) The recurrence rate was 16.4% and 30.6% in patients with preoperative CEA < 5 ng/ml and > OR =5 ng/ml, respectively(p<0.05). 4) In patients with recurrence, the lymph node positive group(70.6%) was larger than the negative(29.4%)(p<0.05), and preoperative positive rate of CEA value was 44%. 5) The recurrence rate in Dukes stages A, Bl, B2, Cl, C2, and D were 0, 8.7, 12.7, 16.7, 32.3, and 90.0% respectively(p<0.01). 6) There was no significant association between the frequency of abnormal CEA level and location of tumor. 7) The recurrence rate was 12.3% and 65.7% in patients with postoperative CEA < 5 ng/ml and > OR = 5 ng/ml, respectively(p<0.01). 8) In patients with metastasis, postoperative positive rate of CEA level was 63%(p< 0.01).
Colorectal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jeollabuk-do ; Lymph Nodes ; Mass Screening ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

Collagen-based membranous materials of various shapes (gel, film, sponge) are known to be the most promising materials in terms of facilitating the regeneration of dermal defects. In this study, dense and porous collagen membranes were fabricated using air-drying and freeze-drying processes, respectively, and the effect of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the degree of membrane crosslinking was evaluated by in vitro biodegradation and mechanical testing. A non-irradiated membrane group was used as the negative control and a glutaraldehyde (GA) treated group as the positive control. Scanning electron microscopy showed that, as the freezing temperature decreased to -196 degrees C, the resultant mean pore sizes also decreased; optimal pore size was obtained at a freezing temperature of -70 degrees C. In vitro biodegradation and mechanical testing demonstrated that GA treatment or 4 hours of exposure to UV radiation significantly increased both resistance to collagenase and mechanical strength versus the untreated controls, regardless of the collagen membrane type (dense or porous). Our results suggest that UV treatment is a useful tool for the fabrication of collagen membranes designed to be used as dermal dressings.
Animal ; Cattle ; Collagen/ultrastructure ; Collagen/radiation effects* ; Collagen/metabolism ; Elasticity ; Membranes, Artificial* ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Porosity ; Tensile Strength ; Ultraviolet Rays*

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), one of the components of Agent Orange, has been reported to be a deadly poison despite its presence at extremely small doses. TCDD is reported to cause various kinds of cancers and other harmful effects on humans. However, a correlation between exposure to TCDD and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is not yet proven. Thus, we examined the correlation between exposure to TCDD and ACS through an analysis of coronary angiograms from veterans of the Vietnam War. Two hundred fifty-one consecutive men undergoing coronary angiograms owing to ACS between April 2004 and May 2009 at Gwangju Veterans Hospital were analyzed. Included subjects were between 50 and 70 years of age. The patients were divided into two groups: 121 patients who had been exposed to TCDD (Group I) and 130 patients who had not been exposed to TCDD (Group II). Clinical and coronary angiographic findings were evaluated. Baseline clinical characteristics, inflammatory markers, and echocardiographic parameters were not significantly different between the two groups. The incidence of hypertension (71.1% vs. 60.0%, p=0.039) and hyperlipidemia (27.3% vs. 16.9%, p=0.038) was higher in Group I than in Group II. Total occlusion, stent length, stent use, and coronary lesion characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups. The rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) had no relationship with exposure to TCDD. Exposure to TCDD might not affect severity or the rate of MACE in persons with ACS.
2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid ; 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid ; Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Angiography ; Citrus sinensis ; Hospitals, Veterans ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Male ; Stents ; Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin ; Veterans ; Vietnam

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the gene encoding transforming growth factor-beta induced (TGFBI) are associated with corneal dystrophies. We evaluated the diagnostic performance of the GENEDIA Avellino corneal dystrophy (ACD) mutation detection kit and GENEDIA corneal dystrophy screening master mix (Green Cross Medical Science Co., Korea) by comparing it with an in-house sequencing method. METHODS: The study group consisted of 40 patients with Avellino corneal dystrophy (ACD) and 40 patients suspected to suffer from ACD; 40 healthy individuals were used as the control. All samples used for this study were previously obtained. All results obtained using the kit were evaluated for sensitivity, specificity, and detection limit. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the GENEDIA ACD kit was 100.0% with a positive mean+/-2SD Ct (cycle threshold) value of 25.87+/-1.24 and an excellent coefficient of variation value of 0.02 in ACD group. All normal control samples were negative, indicating a specificity of 100% for the GENEDIA kit. The detection limit was set at a DNA concentration of >0.2 ng/microL. Direct sequencing results obtained using the GENEDIA master mix and the in-house method agreed for all 20 ACD samples. Additional R555W mutation detected in four ACD-suspected samples were suggestive of the diagnosis of granular corneal dystrophy type I. CONCLUSIONS: The GENEDIA ACD detection kit and master mix showed acceptable results, demonstrating high sensitivity and specificity, and may be considered for clinical application. Furthermore, the GENEDIA master mix was useful for the detection of mutations in exons 4 and 12 of the TGFBI gene.
Diagnosis ; DNA ; Exons ; Humans ; Limit of Detection ; Mass Screening* ; Methods ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND: Major cutaneous malignant tumors (MCMT) including squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and malignant melanoma (MM) result from multifactorial causes such as environmental and host factors. In particular, ultraviolet radiation (UVR) comprised of environmental factors is estimated to be one of the most important risk factors for MCMT. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze recent changes in the incidence of MCMT in patients from the north-east area of gyeonggido, and compare that incidence with data previously reported. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 212 patients diagnosed as MCMT at the Department of Dermatology at the Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital during the last 10 years. RESULTS: The average annual incidence of MCMT was 0.3% and it seemed to increase. Among the 212 cases of malignant tumors, the most common malignant tumor was BCC (62.7%). The incidence of SCC and MM were 25% and 12.3%, respectively. The mean age of patients was 68.4+/-14.15 years for those with MCMT; 66.8 y in BCC, 74.5 y in SCC and 64.5 y in MM. The ratio of men to women was 0.72:1. Compared with the incidence of MCMT in other provinces, the north-east portion of Gyeonggido (0.3%) had a high incidence of MCMT. CONCLUSION: High altitude may increase the amount of UVR exposure and influence the development of cutaneous malignant tumors. Individual behaviors including outdoor activity and use of sun blocks are important to the development of major cutaneous tumors and should not be ignored.
Altitude ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Dermatology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Medical Records ; Melanoma ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Solar System

Duplication cysts are rare congenital malformations, that may be detected anywhere along the alimentary tract, and they may communicate with the intestinal tract. Cystic duplication of the cecum is especially rare. About 80% of these cases are detected in the first 2 years of life as a result of an acute intestinal obstruction, which manifests as vomiting, recurrent abdominal pain, recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding and constipation. We report a case of intestinal obstruction secondary to a duplication cyst of the cecum in a neonate. The patient underwent surgery and was diagnosed subsequently, and is presently healthy.
Abdominal Pain ; Cecum ; Constipation ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Vomiting