Higher cognitive functions refer to the highest level of human intellectual functioning, including formation, reasoning, and executive functions. The executive functions can be conceptualized as having four components ; volition, planning, purposive action, and effective performance. Because higher cognitive functions represent the most advanced stages of intellectual development, they are often highly susceptible to the effects of brain injuries and mental disorders. The ability to perform effectively within the environment is determined in large part by an individual's adequacy in performing such higher-order function. Especially executive functions are necessary for appropriate, socially responsible, and effectively sell-serving adult conduct. Therefore, an assessment of the psychiatric patient's performance in these areas will provide useful diagnostic information, as well as information concerning social and vocational prognosis.
Adult ; Brain Injuries ; Executive Function ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Prognosis ; Volition

A 56 year-old female presented with dysphagia 8 weeks ago and newly developed dysphonia 2 weeks ago. The radiology study and swallowing difficulty evaluation study revealed the esophagus and the posterior wall of the laryngopharynx to be severely compressed by the mass of the anterior 4th and 5th vertebral body of cervical spine. En bloc excisional biopsy of the bony mass was performed, which completely resolved the clinical symptoms. We report a rare case of osteochondroma occurring at the anterior portion of cervical spine leading to dysphasia and dysphonia with a review of relevant literature.
Aphasia ; Biopsy ; Deglutition ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dysphonia ; Esophagus ; Female ; Humans ; Hypopharynx ; Osteochondroma ; Spine

BACKGROUND: The EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) is the most frequently used questionnaire in cost-utility studies such as the quality-adjusted life year measure. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to the relationship between an individual's visual analogue scale (VAS) score and EQ-5D dimensions. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between the EQ-5D and VAS quality of life measures after adjusting for socio-demographic factors in the Korean general population. METHODS: The Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which is a national representative sample, was used to analyze the impact of the EQ-5D dimensions on the VAS. The known-group construct validity of the VAS was assessed by factors that included age, income and comorbidities. The ordinary linear regression models were applied to test for the effect of the EQ-5D dimensions after adjusting for socio-demographic and clinical factors. RESULTS: We found that the VAS showed good construct validity. The VAS significantly declined as age increased, and as education and income levels decreased. VAS scores decreased for all EQ-5D dimensions as the response level rose. The explanatory power of the VAS increased from 23.0% in the first model, which included only the EQ-5D dimensions and levels, to 25.0% in the full model, which included socio-demographic and clinical factors. CONCLUSIONS: While the EQ-5D dimensions were significant factors in determining the VAS, they did not, however, explain a sufficient amount of variance in the VAS. Further research is required on adding more dimensions to the EQ-5D preference-based instrument.
Comorbidity ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Quality of Life ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years

No abstract available.
Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney* ; Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Trachea*

No abstract available.
Polymethyl Methacrylate*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness on decrease of the exposure rate of Medpor(R) implant (high-density porous polyethylene) when the suture material is left permanently without removal after continuous vertical suture of conjunctiva and Tenon's capsule with non-absorbable material, polypropylene suture (Prolene(R)). METHODS: We performed 66 cases of Medpor(R) orbital implantation in conjunction with enucleation, evisceration, or secondary orbital implantation between November 1997 and February 2002, and reviewed the charts of patients retrospectively. We divided 66 cases into 2 groups; One is Polypropylene group (P group, 30 eyes), in which conjunctiva and Tenon's capsules were sutured with double shoe string technique by 5-0 polypropylene sutures in one layer, and the other is control group (36 eyes), in which conjunctiva and Tenon's capsules were sutured by 5-0 polyglactin (Vicryl(R)) in separate layer, or Tenon's capsules were sutured by 5-0 Vicryl(R) and conjunctivae were 7-0 silk. We compared P group with control group with regard to the exposure rates, irritations, conjunctivitis and assessed covering of polypropylene suture by conjunctival epithelization. RESULTS: In control group, 5 of 36 eyes (13.8%) had the exposures of Medpor(R) implants, 21 eyes (58.3%) had the irritations, and 10 eyes had conjunctivitis. But, there was no exposure of Medpor(R) implants in all cases of P group, only two of 30 eyes had the irritations, and 3 eyes had conjunctivitis. There were significant differences between the two groups in the rates of exposure and irritations, but in the eyes with conjunctivitis, there was no significant difference between the two groups (Table 5, chi-square test). After 2 months of operation, the wound surfaces were smooth with complete covering of polypropylene suture by appropriate conjunctival epithelization. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous vertical suturing of conjunctiva and Tenon's capsule with non-absorbable polypropylene suture (Double shoestring technique) substantially reduced the exposure of Medpor(R) implant in addition to less inflammations, irritations and more comfortability. We concluded that the suture materials and methods must be considered as the important causes of exposure in enucleation or evisceration using proper Medpor(R) implant.
Capsules ; Conjunctiva* ; Conjunctivitis ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Orbital Implants ; Polyglactin 910 ; Polypropylenes* ; Retrospective Studies ; Shoes ; Silk ; Sutures* ; Tenon Capsule* ; Wounds and Injuries

This study was undertaken at the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chonnam University Medical School, to investigate the association between some of the risk factor and the incidence of intrauterine fetal growth restriction(IUGR). The studied population was selected from patients who admitted at Chonnam University Hospital during January, 1992 through May, 1997, with following criteria, Korean, singletone pregnancy with live birth and known gestational weeks with 28 or more. And then, the risk factors were analyzed in terms of maternal factor, placental factor, and fetal factor. The following results were obtained. 1) The incidence of IUGR was 6.1%. 2) The incidence of IUGR was higher at young aged mother and nullipara. 3) Only 39.1% of etiologic factors for IUGR was found to have known causes. According to the risk factors for IUGR, hypertensive disorder during pregnancy, anemia, cardiac disease, leukemia, and pulmonary tuberculosis were associated with increased incidence of IUGR. 4) The relative risk of IUGR was much higher in neonates born with congenital anomalies. 5) According to the placental causes of IUGR, placenta previa and placenta abruption showed some association with IUGR.
Anemia ; Fetal Development* ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Gynecology ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Jeollanam-do ; Leukemia ; Live Birth ; Mothers ; Obstetrics ; Placenta ; Placenta Previa ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors ; Schools, Medical ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

No abstract available.
Hand* ; Skin* ; Transplants*

Enchondroma is a benign tumor mainly developed in the hand and uncommon in the foot. Even if it is in the foot, most are in the phalanges and distal metatarsals of the foot. Enchondroma in the calcaneus is very rare. A 44-year-old male suffered from left heel pain for several months, authors treated it with curettage and bone graft, it was histologically confirmed as an enchondroma in the calcaneus. The authors presented a rare case presentation of an enchondroma in the calcaneus with pain.
Adult ; Calcaneus ; Chondroma ; Curettage ; Foot ; Hand ; Heel ; Humans ; Male ; Metatarsal Bones ; Transplants