Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of precocious puberty and elucidate the distinct characteristics of each type of perception related to precocious puberty among school-aged children who had undergone treatment for the condition. Methods: This study applied the Q methodology to identify and classify the perceptions of precocious puberty among school-aged children who had undergone treatment for the condition. The analysis involved 34 questions from the Q sample and data from 35 individuals in the P sample, using the PC-QUANL Program for analysis. Results: The perceptions of precocious puberty among school-aged children who had undergone precocious puberty treatment were classified into the following four types: "shyness - passive self-management," "resentment - suppression," "anxiety - fear," and "adaptation - acceptance." Conclusion This study investigated the experiences and perceptions of children who have undergone treatment for precocious puberty. Through the identification of four types of perceptions, we can see that there is a need to develop an intervention program for nursing that is tailored to the specific type of precocious puberty.

Objectives: ：The turnover rate of mental health workers in community mental health institutes is remarkably high.We explored the mediating effects of perceived work value on the relationship between burnout and turnover intention among mental health professionals working for community mental health centers and addiction centers. Methods: ：A total of 161 mental health workers completed this survey. We administered the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) and the Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire (MOAQ) (which explores turnover intention). Perceived work value was assessed using two items of the Scale of Resilience to Burnout.Associations were sought using the t-test, analysis of variance, correlation analyses, and hierarchical regression analyses. Results: ：The burnout level was significantly negatively correlated with perceived work value. Burnout was significantly positively correlated with turnover intention, and perceived work value significantly negatively correlated. Bootstrapping showed that perceived work value partially mediated the relationship between burnout and turnover intention. Conclusion ：Perceived work value may buffer turnover intention caused by burnout. Creation of an environment in which mental health workers feel that their work is valuable is important to prevent resignations.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There are limited therapeutic options available for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D). We tested the effects of Atractylodes japonica rhizome, a perennial plant native to North Asia, on both upper and lower gastrointestinal (GI) motility in guinea pigs. METHODS: The extract of A. japonica rhizome was administered orally at different doses to test its effects on upper GI motility as determined from charcoal transit in native guinea pigs and in guinea pigs pretreated with thyrotropin-releasing hormone or mustard oil. Regarding its effect on lower GI motility, the removed guinea pig colon was suspended in a chamber containing Krebs-Henseleit solution and the transit time of artificial feces was measured with various dilutions of the extract. As for in vivo assay, weight and number of fecal pellets expelled were determined under the same drug preparation used in upper GI motility experiment. RESULTS: The extract of A. japonica rhizome had no significant effect on upper GI motility in either normal or altered physiological states. However, the extract increased colonic transit time in the in vitro model. In the fecal expulsion study, the cumulative weight and number of pellets did not differ significantly between the control group and groups treated with the extracts. In the animals pretreated in vivo with thyrotropin-releasing hormone, however, the weight and number of fecal pellets were significantly decreased in animals treated with 300 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg doses of extract. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the extract of A. japonica rhizome can be a potential agent for IBS-D.
Animals ; Asia, Northern ; Atractylodes* ; Charcoal ; Colon ; Diarrhea ; Drug Compounding ; Feces ; Gastrointestinal Motility* ; Guinea Pigs* ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Mustard Plant ; Plants ; Rhizome* ; Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone

BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation (LT) is a complicated procedure with a high incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). Previous studies indicate that even transient or mild post-LT AKI can result in critical conditions, including prolonged stays in hospitals and intensive care units and increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and occurrence of AKI in LT recipients. METHODS: Medical data from 203 patients who received LT surgery from January 2010 to August 2016 in a single university hospital setting were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Patients were classified as either underweight (BMI <20 kg/m²) or normal weight (20 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m²). Demographic data, anesthetic methods, complications, and perioperative laboratory test values of each patient were assessed. Propensity analyses and logistic regression were performed to evaluate the association between BMI and post-LT AKI. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in occurrence of post-LT AKI between underweight and normal weight patients. The underweight patient group had significantly longer hospital stay compared with the normal weight patient group (P = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: BMI classification was neither a positive nor negative predictor of postoperative AKI occurrence. However, patients with lower BMI had significantly longer hospital stay compared with their counterparts. Although our study was limited by its retrospective design, our observations suggest that lower BMI might play a role in post-LT AKI.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Body Mass Index* ; Classification ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Length of Stay ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies* ; Thinness

Prosthodontic decision and management should be considered the patient’s aesthetic need for anterior teeth in maxillary edentulism. This case report describes 10-year clinical outcome of a maxillary edentulous patient was rehabilitated by means of an implant-supported fixed dental prosthesis (ISFDP) for the anterior region and a distal-extension removable partial denture (RPD) for the posterior region. The ISFDP was designed to splint 4 endosseous implants as one unit and engaged by the RPD. The edentulous mandible was restored by means of an implant-supported overdenture. Over the course, no major adverse event occurred other than wear, discoloration, and breakage of resin veneers and artificial teeth.

Primary malignant melanoma of tbe esophagus is extremely rare and its incidence is below 0.1%. The tumor is polypoid and tend to be large, which is covered with false membrane, friable, hemorrhagic, and necrotic. Hematogenous and lymphogenic metastasis are common. Resection of the tumor with an anastomotic procedure seems to be the treatment of choice, and postoperative irradiation may be useful. But, despite these measures, prognosis is poor, with a 5-year survival of 4.2%. We report a case of 58-year-old man with primary malig- nant melanoma of the epophagus, and review of the literature in presented related studies.
Esophagus* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intestines* ; Melanoma* ; Membranes ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Stomach*

Since the first survey done in 1983, this is the second national sample survey of medical students about their perception and evaluation on medical study, career plan, and medical care system. One out of every 10 students plus one in each class were systematically sampled from each grade year of 32 medical schools in Korea that had students from freshman to senior in November 1997. A questionnaire was developed by adding items related with recent changes in medical care environment and with viewpoint on medicine and physician as an occupation to the questionnaire used in 1983. The questionnaire was administered at each school under the supervision of designated collaborator of the same school in December 1997 through January 1998. A total of 1,386 students were sampled from a total of 11,987 medical students and 1,233 students(89.0%) filled out the questionnaire. Twelve students were excluded from the analysis because of incomplete response and the final analysis was done for 1,221 students. A few demographic characteristics of the sample were compared with those of the study population to check the representativeness of the sample and found no skew. The contents of the study were divided into three parts and the first part describes the study methods, demographic and other characteristics of the sample, students' viewpoint on medical education, and students' aptitude for medicine Male students accounted for 75.7% of the sample. The proportion of students who entered medical school right after graduating from a high school was 45.8% in Seoul and 53.4% in other than Seoul area. The students who classified their own political inclination conservative were 43.9% in Seoul and 33.0% in other than Seoul and the percentage of students with progressive inclination was higher in out of Seoul than Seoul area. The proportion of students who have a religion was 57.2%; Christian 31.0%, Catholic 15.2%, and Buddhist 9.5%. The educational level of fathers of students was far higher than the level of general population, e.g. 59.8% had college or higher education. Occupation of fathers was mainly white-collar worker; professional worker 21.2%, company employee 17.2%, government official 13.1%, manager 11.8%, and medical professional 8.7%. In the decision-making process to enter the medical school, 53.7% of the students were influenced by someone else and 62.1% of them were parents. Socio-economic factor was the most common reason for recommending medical school and it accounted 33.5% of the reasons. Medical students enjoy learning life phenomenon(47.2%) and human being(44.3%) in medical study but most disturbing factors are memory work(39.7%) and too much to study(34.1%). If students were given another chance to choose a college as a senior student in high school, 50.3% of them said that they would choose medical school. Only 6% of students have intention to change their major subject of study if they are allowed to change now. The proportion of students who consider their scholastic aptitude is compatible with medical study was 64.9% and such proportion increased with grade. The percentage of students who are going to recommend medical school to their own son in the future was 36.6% for male and 26.7% for female students and to their own daughter 33.6% and 27.7%, respectively.
Aptitude ; Surveys and Questionnaires* ; Education ; Education, Medical ; Fathers ; Female ; Humans ; Intention ; Korea ; Learning ; Male ; Memory ; Nuclear Family ; Occupational Groups ; Occupations ; Organization and Administration ; Parents ; Schools, Medical ; Seoul ; Students, Medical*

BACKGROUND: Recently, the prevalence of colorectal cancer related with metabolic syndrome is increasing in Korea. The aim of this study was to reveal a relationship between components of metabolic syndrome and the development of colon polyp. METHODS: Among the subjects who visited a health promotion center of one university hospital and underwent colonoscopic examination from February 2010 to February 2011, a total of 1,630 (males 1,156, females 474) asymptomatic adults were included for the study. Sex, age, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol levels and the presence of colorectal polyps were measured. Alcohol consumption, smoking and exercise were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. Metabolic syndrome was defined by criteria of 2004 American Heart Association/Updated NCEP Adult Treatment Panel III. RESULTS: The prevalence of colon polyps and metabolic syndrome was 21.7% and 16.0% respectively among study subjects. After adjustment for sex and age, metabolic syndrome (odds ratio [OR]=1.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-2.82, P=0.031) and waist circumference (OR=1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.06, P=0.009) were associated with increased risk of colorectal polyps. CONCLUSION: Metabolic syndrome and waist circumference were associated with increased risk of colon polyps in asymptomatic Korean adults.
Adult* ; Alcohol Drinking ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Colon* ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Fasting ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Heart ; Humans ; Korea ; Polyps* ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides ; Waist Circumference ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Envelope glycoprotein 1 (G1) and glycoprotein 2 (G2) of Hantaan (HTN) virus are believed to be major viral antigens that can induce neutralizing immunity against HTN virus infection. The purpose of this study is to clone and express G1 gene in an E. coli expression system. The truncated G1 gene (amino acid residues 35 to 123) of the HTN virus strain 76-118 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The 0.28 kb PCR product was cloned into pCR2.1 vector and named as pCGS1. The truncated G1 gene was excised from the pCGS1 and subcloned into the BamHI and SalI sites of pGEX-4T-2 and named pGGS1. The nucleotide sequence of the 0.28 kb truncated G1 gene was determined. It is revealed four non-silent nucleotide substitutions between the published sequence of strain HTN virus strain 76-118 and our stock of HTN virus strain 76-118 (passaged several times in our laboratory). The first G1 mutation was found to constitute an A to G nucleotide substitution, giving raise to an asparagine to serine mutation at residue 64. The second G1 mutation was found to constitute an A to C nucleotide substitution, giving raise to an lysine to threonine mutation at residue 112. The third G1 mutation was found to constitute an A to C nucleotide substitution, giving raise to an lysine to threonine mutation at residue 112. The fourth G1 mutation was found to constitute an G to A nucleotide substitution, giving raise to an glutamic acid to lysine mutation at residue 117. The truncated G1 gene was expressed as a 37 kDa protein fused to glutathione-S-transferase (GST). The GST fusion protein was purified by Glutathione Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography and reacted with the sera from patients of hemorrhage fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). One of 12 serum samples from HFRS patients was reactive with the 37 kDa fusion protein strongly. Three sera reacted moderately with the fusion protein. Six sera reacted only weakly with the protein, while remaing two were non-reactive. Control sera from patients with scrub typhus leptospirosis, or negative HFRS did not react with the recombinant fusion protein.
Antigens, Viral ; Asparagine ; Base Sequence ; Blotting, Western ; Chromatography, Affinity ; Clone Cells ; Fever ; Glutamic Acid ; Glutathione ; Glycoproteins* ; Hantaan virus* ; Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; Humans ; Leptospirosis ; Lysine ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Scrub Typhus ; Sepharose ; Serine ; Threonine

Hydatid cysts (echinococcosis) are caused by an infestation with larval tapeworms of the genus Echinococcus. The disease is extensively distributed worldwide, and it has been rarely reported in Korea. We describe the cytologic features of a case of hepatic hydatid cyst in a 28-year-old male. Computed tomography revealed a cystic mass in the right lobe of the liver. A right hemihepatectomy was performed. The aspirated fluid from the hepatic cystic mass was clear. The smears showed protoscolices, hooklets, and a laminated membrane.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Cestoda ; Echinococcosis ; Echinococcosis, Hepatic ; Echinococcus ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver ; Male ; Membranes