Following several medical scandals, the issue of medical regulation has come under the spotlight in the Republic of Korea. In this article, the authors examine the administrative measures newly required of doctors in the past five years in order to illustrate the current state of medical regulation and demonstrate the urgent need for self-regulation. The history of the General Medical Council in the United Kingdom and its newly launched system of "revalidation" can provide an instructive example of a self-regulation system, and it suggests several principles for self-regulation in Korea. The recent disarray can be viewed as an opportunity to introduce a new system of self-regulation. The authors present three principles-professionalism, transparency, and fairness-for a successful system of medical regulation.
Great Britain ; Korea* ; Licensure ; Professionalism ; Republic of Korea ; Self-Control*

Recently, primary ureteral tumors are more frequently reported in urological field even though considered as rare. We have observed a case of primary ureteral tumor confirmed with the cystoscopy and retrograde pyeloureterogram. Choice of operation is nephro-ureterectomy with removal of a cuff of bladder wall around the ureteral orifice. It is necessary for a physician to make the early diagnosis and removal of the tumor as soon as possible.
Cystoscopy ; Early Diagnosis ; Ureter* ; Urinary Bladder

Eight cases of ureteral stricture were investigated clinically from Nov. 1961 to Sept. 1966. 1) The rate of ureteral stricture to total admission patients was 2.2% during the same period. 2) These cases were classified on the basis of the biopsy, operation finding and past history. Congenital origin: 5 cases Acquired origin: 2 cases Idiopathic: 1 case 3) The sites of strictures Ureteropelvic junction: 6 cases Body of ureter: 1 case Ureterovesical junction: 1 case 4) The most frequent symptoms and signs were flank pain and tenderness (6 cases), hematuria <4 cases) and vague gastrointestinal symptoms (4 cases) 5) In spite of many kind of urological studies, we encountereddiagnostic error, such as tuberculosis, radioluscent stone and renal tumor except2 cases because of it's protein charactor.
Biopsy ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Flank Pain ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Tuberculosis ; Ureter*

The Korean Transplant Act has been revised five times since 1999, and each revision has resulted in a slight donation rate increased; however, the organ shortage had not been solved. As a result, further revision of the Transplant Act is needed. The current focuses solely on efficiency for transplantation. Therefore, this study suggests a paradigm shift in the revision of the act through the virtuous cycle for activating donation; namely, from an efficiency-based transplant system to a donor-centered transplant system.
Government Regulation ; Transplantation

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Spleen*

Absence of one tube and a corresponding ovary is very rare anomaly.We reported a case of absence of one tube and a corresponding ovary and reviewthe literature briefly.
Female ; Ovary*

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop the Reciprocal Attachment Questionnaire-Korean version (RAQ-K). METHODS: The authors tested the reliability of dimensional and pattern scales of RAQ-K with Crohnbach's alpha, test-retest reliability and interscale correlation, and construct validity with factor analysis. The subjects were Korean undergraduate students: 234 males and 249 females in the medical and nursing schools of Kyungpook National University. RESULTS: The dimensional scale of RAQ-K proved to be reliable in terms of Crohnbach's alpha coefficient except Availability and Use subscales, test-retest reliability and interscale correlation. The pattern scales of RAQ-K were reliable. Both dimensional and pattern scales were valid with two factor orthogonal rotation. CONCLUSION: The authors found RAQ-K retained available psychometric properties. But further study with some consideration to develop RAQ-K is expected. This research should assess samples of various age groups or various kinds of patients after considering two subscales. The authors stress that it is very important to consider the cultural difference between the East and the West and characteristics of Korean culture in developing a Korean version of foreign scales.
Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Male ; Psychometrics ; Surveys and Questionnaires* ; Reproducibility of Results* ; Schools, Nursing ; Weights and Measures

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to review the clinicopathologic features, recurrent rate, survival rate and controversable issues in the treatment of the ovarian malignant germ cell tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From August, 1991 to November, 1998 thirty-one patients with malignant germ cell tumors of the ovary treated in the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Kosin University Medical college, were eligible and assessable. Demographic characteristics, symptoms, signs, stage, tumor grade, mode of therapy and results of follow up were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The patients with malignant germ cell tumor constituted 6.37% of all ovarian malignancies during this period. Histologic subtypes were 8 dysgerminoma(25.8%), 7 endodermal sinus tumor(22.6%), 10 immature teratoma(32.3%), 3 mixed germ cell tumor(9.7%), 3 choriocarcinoma(9.7%). The age of the patients ranged from 10 to 40 years (mean +/-S.D.; 24.26 +/- 7.51). The most common symptom was abdominal pain(38.7%). Most had stageI(18 cases, 58.0%) or stageIII(5 cases, 16.2%) diseases. All patients underwent surgery as the initial treatment, and nine patients received more than one operation. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapeutic regimens were VAC, VBP, EP, BEP, EMA, and EMA CO. The mean follow up duration was 26.0(+/- S.D.; +/- 20.3) months. The 2-year and 5-year survival rate were 91.97%(+/- S.E.; +/- 0.05) and 86.86%(+/- S.E.; +/- 0.07).
Endoderm ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Germ Cells* ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal* ; Obstetrics ; Ovary ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUND: Platelet refractoriness has been reported to occur in 30-70% of multitransfused patients. This can result by either immune or nonimmune mechanisms. The predominant immune cause of platelet refractoriness is alloimmunization to HLA class I antigens. Recently, acid-treated platelets have been used in a few patients with platelet refractoriness due to HLA alloantibodies. However, the effect of acid-treated platelets has not been consistent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo survival of acid-treated, HLA-eluted platelets in HLA-immunized rabbits. METHODS: For in vivo survival test, 14 New Zealand White rabbits were studied. Four rabbits were in the nonimmunized control and 10 were immunized by weekly transfusions of human pooled platelets for six weeks. The HLA-immunized group was separated into two groups with transfusion of acid-treated platelets and untreated platelets. The survival of transfused platelets in rabbits with immunization and control group was estimated by a flow cytometer using FITC-labeled anti-CD42a. We also examined the HLA re-expression in acid-treated platelets due to regeneration and adsorption of HLA from human plasma. RESLUTS: The half-life of untreated platelets in nonimmunized rabbits was 11.8 +/- 3.7 hr. The half-life of acid-treated platelets in rabbits with HLA antibodies was 9.5 +/- 5.5 hr and the half-life of untreated platelets in rabbits with HLA antibodies was 5.9 +/- 2.9 hr. The difference between untreated platelets in the nonimmunized control group and acid-treated platelets in rabbits with HLA antibodies was statistically insignificant (p=0.221). Re-expression of HLA-A,B,C by endogenous resynthesis occurred continuously, and after 24 hrs it reached 84% of pre-elution level. Adsorption of HLA antigens from human plasma was completed within four hrs. CONCLUSIONS: Acid-treated, HLA-eluted platelets may be applicable for the patients with refractoriness to platelet transfusion, especially, in case of unavailability of HLA-compatible donors and fatal bleeding such as intracranial hemorrhage and pulmonary hemorrhage. However, the post-transfusion increment of the platelet count could not be maintained over 24 hrs because of the endogenous resynthesis of HLA antigens.
Adsorption ; Antibodies ; Blood Platelets ; Half-Life ; Hemorrhage ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I ; HLA Antigens ; Humans ; Immunization ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Isoantibodies ; Plasma ; Platelet Count ; Platelet Transfusion ; Rabbits* ; Regeneration ; Tissue Donors

As a result of comparing the phenolic components of cinnamon medicines, the total phenolic component content of Cinnamomi Cortex in China was about 2.65 times higher than that of Cinnamomi Cortex in Vietnam. In addition, the total phenolic component content of Vietnamese Cinnamomi Cortex Spissus was about 1.80 times higher than that of Chinese Cinnamomi Cortex Spissus. Meanwhile, Vietnamese Cinnamomi Ramulus showed a content about 3.29 times higher than that of Chinese Cinnamomi Ramulus. Cinnamaldehyde, the main component of cinnamon medicines, showed the same tendency as the total phenolic component content. In terms of the average content of the total phenolic components, Cinnamomi Cortex showed the highest content at 23964 μg/g, followed by Cinnamomi Cortex Spissus at 17489 μg/g and Cinnamomi Ramulus at 5435.8 μg/g. These results showed that Cinnamomi Cortex and Cinnamomi Cortex Spissus with stem bark as usage sites had about 3.22 to 4.41 times higher content of phenolic components than Cinnamomi Ramulus with young branches as usage sites.