OBJECTIVES: This study was intended to investigate the differences of job stressors between managers and low level employees among white-collar workers. Another objective of this study was to examine whether the effects of job stressors on mental health differ between the two groups. METHODS: Data was obtained from 204 managers and 251 low level employees who were employed in white-collar jobs. Fourteen job stressors and seven job stress variables were measured. RESULTS: Among the 14 job stressors, role overload, job insecurity, and work-family conflict were higher job stressors for the manager group whereas role conflict, work-aptitude incongruity, participation in decision making, and promotion problems were higher job stressors for the low level of employees. There were no differences in job stress scores between the two groups. However, differences in the effects of job stressors on job stress were found between the two groups. For the manager group, job insecurity, work-aptitude incongruity, and work-family conflict significantly affected in explanation of job stress whereas for the low level employees, role underload, peer satisfaction, and environmental problems significantly explaining the job stress variables. CONCLUSIONS: There were significant differences in job stressors between managers and low level employees among white-collar workers. Additionally there were differences in the effects of job stressors on job stress between the two groups.
Decision Making ; Mental Health

Most adenocarcinomas of the colorectum arise in a visible benign precursor lesion, the adenoma, which is a monoclonal proliferation of dysplastic nonmalignant epithelial cells. Adenoma-adenocarcinoma sequence has been represented as the predominat pathogenetic pathway. But a small flat depressed colon cancer is characterized by non-polypoid growth pattem with no association of adenomatous tissues, which has tendency to early submucosal invasion and lymph node metastasis even in very small lesion (<10 mm). It supports de novo carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer, although most colorectal cancerarise in pre-existing adenoma. We report a case of small float colon adenocarcinoma arising in normal colonic epithelium rather than adenomatous polyp in familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Adenoma ; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli* ; Adenomatous Polyps ; Carcinogenesis ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis

We investigated whether there is differences in serum level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) between patients with colon and rectal cancer. Preoperative serum levels of CEA was determined in 65 patients with colon cancer and in 88 patients with rectal cancer. Cut-off value recommended by manufacturers is 5 ng/ml for CEA. At the recommended cut-off levels for CEA, overall sensitivity of CEA was 43.1 percent for colon and 42.0 percent for rectal cancer. In colon cancer CEA was elevated in 38.4, 46.2, 60 percent of patients with Dukes Stages B, C, and D, respectively. In rectal cancer CEA was elevated in 12.5, 31.6, 44.8, 84.6 percent of patients with Dukes Stages A, B, C, and D, respectively. In Stages B, and C, sensitivity of CEA was higher in colon than in rectal cancer, but the difference was not significant. In Stages D, sensitivity of CEA was higher in rectal cancer than in colon cancer, but the difference was not significant. In overall stages sensitivity of CEA was higher in colon than in rectal cancer, but the difference was not significant. The difference was not significant either in overall or in different stages of colon and rectal cancer.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: Large abdominal wall defect resulting from trauma, invasive infection, tumor resection, or other causes continue to be major problems for patients and surgeons. The lack of sufficient tissue may require the insertion of prosthetic materials. This study compares the results of PPM mesh and e-PTFE patch for repairs of abdominal wall defects. METHODS: The anterior abdominal walls of Sprague-Dawley rats, including fascia, muscle, and peritoneum were removed. The defects were repaired with a PPM mesh or an e-PTFE patch. Animals were killed at 1, 2, 6, and 12 weeks after the operation, and the implant were excised along their margins and evaluated for gross and microscopic differences. RESULTS: Histological examination showed that PPM was progressively infiltrated by whorled disorganized collagen fiber, which became densely adherent to the mesh. In contrast, the e-PTFE was infiltrated by fine fibrils of collagen, which progressively penetrated the interstices of the material, binding it firmly to the tissue. One of the most serious complications associated with fascial closure with PPM was the development of visceral adhesions. CONCLUSIONS: e-PTFE patch material has a lower foreign body reaction, a lower infectability, and a lower rate of adhesion formation than PPM mesh.
Abdominal Wall* ; Animals ; Collagen ; Fascia ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Humans ; Peritoneum ; Polypropylenes* ; Polytetrafluoroethylene* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the correlation between p53, bcl-2 expression and pathologic factors stage, anatomic location, histologic grade, gross pattern, lymph node metastasis of the colorectal cancer. METHODS: Analysis were made on archival pathology tissue of 56 patients with colorectal cancer. The oncoproteins were localized using commerically available monoclonal antibodies : DO-7 for, p53 and clone 124 for bcl-2. RESULTS: P53 protein was detected in 53 out of 56(94.6%) adenocarcinomas of the colorectal cancer and the most frequently expressed patterns of immunoreactivity of p53 were strong in intensity in 40 cases(71.4%) and were diffuse in pattern in 39 cases(69.6%). Bcl-2 protein was detected in 34 out of 56(60.7%) adenocarcinomas of the colorectal cancer and the most frequently expressed patterns of immunoreactivity of bcl-2 were weak in intensity in 17 cases(30.3%) and were diffuse in pattern in 16 cases(28.6%). There was no correlation between p53, bcl-2 expression and Dukes' stage, anatomic location ,histologic grade, gross pattern of tumor, lymph node metastasis of the colorectal cancer. CONCLUSION: 53 mutation and bcl-2 expression are frequent event in human colorectal carcinoma as shown in this study, but p53 and bcl-2 protein expression is not significant independent predicator of aggressiveness and progression of colorectal cancers.
Adenocarcinoma ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Clone Cells ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oncogene Proteins ; Pathology

PURPOSE: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the standard care for stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients; however, a more effective regimen is needed to improve the outcome by better controlling occult metastases. We conducted two parallel randomized phase II studies to incorporate erlotinib or irinotecan-cisplatin (IP) into CCRT for stage III NSCLC depending on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with EGFR-mutant tumors were randomized to receive three cycles of erlotinib first and then either CCRT with erlotinib followed by erlotinib (arm A) or CCRT with IP only (arm B). Patients with EGFR unknown or wild-type tumors were randomized to receive either three cycles of IP before (arm C) or after CCRT with IP (arm D). RESULTS: Seventy-three patients were screened and the study was closed early because of slow accrual after 59 patients were randomized. Overall, there were seven patients in arm A, five in arm B, 22 in arm C, and 25 in arm D. The response rate was 71.4% and 80.0% for arm A and B, and 70.0% and 73.9% for arm C and D. The median overall survival (OS) was 39.3 months versus 31.2 months for arm A and B (p=0.442), and 16.3 months versus 25.3 months for arm C and D (p=0.050). Patients with sensitive EGFR mutations had significantly longer OS than EGFR-wild patients (74.8 months vs. 25.3 months, p=0.034). There were no unexpected toxicities. CONCLUSION: Combined-modality treatment by molecular diagnostics is feasible in stage III NSCLC. EGFR-mutant patients appear to be a distinct subset with longer survival.
Arm ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Chemoradiotherapy* ; Cisplatin* ; Erlotinib Hydrochloride* ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pathology, Molecular ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor

BACKGROUND: EMR is an alternative to surgical removal of superficial neoplastic lesions of the gastrointestinal tracts. The aim of this study is to assess the diagnostic efficacy of EMR in gastric flat adenoma. METHODS: Ninety five lesions of gastric flat adenoma removed by EMR in 89 patients were enrolled in this study at Kyungpook National University Hospital from January 1999 to June 2002. We have analysed diagnostic efficacy of EMR in gastric flat adenoma. RESULTS: Tubular adenoma were 78 cases (82.1%), tubular adenoma with high grade dysplasia were 16 cases (16.8%) and villous adenoma was 1 case (1.1%). Locations were antrum 57 cases (60.0%), body 22 cases (23.1%), angle 14 cases (14.7%), pylorus 1 case (1.1%) and cardia 1 case (1.1%). Among 95 lesions of gastric flat adenoma, 26 cases (27.4%) revealed upgraded histologic diagnosis between endoscopic biopsy and EMR. Twenty two lesions (37.3%) among 59 lesions that were 1cm size or more were upgraded in the histologic staging to carcinoma or high grade dysplasia, compared with 4 lesions (11.1%) among 36 lesions less than 1cm size (p<0.01). Eight lesions (50.0%) among 16 lesions diagnosed in tubular adenoma with high grade dysplasia were upgraded in the histologic staging to carcinoma, compared with 12 lesions (15.4%) among 78 lesions diagnosed in tubular adenoma (p<0.01). Bleeding was the only complication and occurred in 24 lesions (25.3%). CONCLUSION: EMR resulted in upgrading of the histologic staging to carcinoma or high grade dysplasia in 27.4% of gastric flat adenomas.
Adenoma* ; Adenoma, Villous ; Biopsy ; Cardia ; Diagnosis ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Pylorus

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prognosis of chronic liver disease is closely related to the development of hepatic fibrosis. Liver biopsy is the gold standard method to assess inflammatory activity and fibrosis stage, but this is associated with morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum hyaluronic acid, 7S domain of type IV collagen and AST/ALT ratio as markers of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B and cirrhosis. METHODS: This study included 100 patients with chronic hepatitis B and cirrhosis. Liver biopsy and histopathologic classification were done. Serum hyaluronic acid and 7S domain of type IV collagen were measured by one step sandwich binding protein assay and radioimmunoassay using polyclonal antibody to 7S domain of type IV collagen, respectively. RESULTS: The serum concentrations of hyaluronic acid, 7S domain of type IV collagen and AST/ALT ratio in the cirrhosis group (139 +/- 98.4 ng/mL, 6.9 +/- 3.5 ng/mL, 1.6 +/- 1.5) were significantly higher (p<0.01) than those in the normal and fatty liver group (20.2 +/- 12.5 ng/mL, 3.5 +/- 0.5 ng/mL, 0.7 +/- 0.3), mild hepatitis group (32.3 +/- 52.7 ng/mL, 3.9 +/- 1.4 ng/mL, 0.7 +/- 0.4), and moderate to severe hepatitis group (68.2 +/- 72.3 ng/mL, 5.3 +/- 2.4 ng/mL, 0.8 +/- 0.4). At the cutoff value of 77 ng/mL for hyaluronic acid and 6.3 ng/mL for 7S domain of type IV collagen and 0.62 for AST/ALT ratio, the sensitivities were 81.8%, 63.6%, 90.9% and specificities were 87.3%, 88.6%, 53.1% for discriminating cirrhosis (fibrosis score: 4) from the mild to severe fibrosis (fibrosis score: 0-3). CONCLUSIONS: Serum hyaluronic acid, 7S domain of type IV collagen and AST/ALT ratio measurement may be clinically useful as markers of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B and cirrhosis.
Adult ; Alanine Transaminase/*blood ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/*blood ; Biological Markers/blood ; Collagen Type IV/*blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/blood/*pathology ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid/*blood ; Liver/*pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis/blood/*pathology ; Male ; Prognosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although surgical resection remains the gold standard of therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), only selected patients can undergo resection because of the severity of the underlying cirrhosis or due to the diffuse distribution of the tumor. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has recently shown comparable results to surgical resection for the treatment of HCC. We compared the results of RF ablation and surgical resection for the treatment of HCC. METHODS: From January 2000 to December 2002, one hundred-sixty patients who had undergone surgical resection or RFA were analyzed retrospectively. The patients with a tumor size less than 5 cm in diameter, with less than 3 tumors in number, with tumor having a Child-Pugh class A classification and no evidence of extrahepatic metastasis were enrolled in the study. The recurrence pattern was classified into local and distant recurrence. We compared the recurrence patterns, the survival rates, the recurrence rates and the complications between the two groups. RESULTS: 1) The local recurrence rate was 9.8% for surgical resection and 18.2% for RFA and the distant recurrence rate were 32.8% and 28.3%, respectively. 2) The 1-, 2- and 3-year overall cumulative survival rates after RFA and surgery were 95.8%, 86.8%, 80.0%, 98.3%, 87.0% and 77.4%, respectively. 3) The incidence of complication was similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Radiofrequency ablation shows comparable results to surgical resection for the treatment of HCC. Therefore, RFA should be considered as the treatment of choice those patients who are not candidates for resection. However, intrahepatic recurrence of tumor after RFA was as frequent as that seen after surgical resection. Further investigation is warranted to clarify whether the current RFA technology could offer improved long-term results.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/mortality/secondary/*surgery ; *Catheter Ablation ; Comparative Study ; English Abstract ; Female ; *Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/mortality/pathology/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Survival Rate

Intramural dissection of the esophagus is a rare esophageal disorder which reveals characteristic endoscopic and radiologic features. Some authors have recognized that this injury is an intermediate stage between a transmural esophageal rupture (Boerhaave's syndrome) and an esophageal mucosal tear (Mallory-Weiss syndrome). Presenting symptoms are sudden severe retrosternal pain, hematemesis, odynophagia, and dysphagia. The diagnosis is made by contrast esophagography, esophageal endoscopy, or both. Conservative management is usually successful. Surgery should be reserved for the cases of protracted disease or perforation with mediastinitis. We report a case of spontaneous intramural esophageal dissection, in which the symptom of dysphagia did not improve with a conservative management. Then we treated with an endoscopic incision of the septum between the true and false lumens using a needle type papillotome.
Deglutition Disorders ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Esophagus* ; Hematemesis ; Mediastinitis ; Needles ; Rupture