BACKGROUND: This study was performed to develop a dietary self-efficacy questionnaire and to determine how dietary self-efficacy is related to selected biochemical markers and health-related quality of life in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: Participants included 172 patients who had been participating in a dialysis program for at least 6 months at two teaching hospitals. A questionnaire was used to assess socio-demographic factors, dialysis-related factors, dietary self-efficacy, and kidney disease quality of life (KDQOL). Serum levels of potassium and phosphorus and interdialytic weight gain were also measured. RESULTS: The internal reliability of dietary self-efficacy was 0.944 (Cronbach's alpha). Principal component analysis resulted in two factors, situational self-efficacy of compliance with dietary guidelines and self-efficacy of food choice. The correlation analysis showed a significant association between situational self-efficacy of compliance with dietary guidelines and serum potassium and KIDQOL. The average scores of situational self-efficacy of compliance with dietary guidelines and self-efficacy of food choice in the participants were 3.52+/-0.72 and 3.61+/-0.71 respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the situational self-efficacy of compliance with dietary guidelines was significantly associated with serum potassium level and KDQOL and self-efficacy of food choice was significantly associated with KDQOL. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, the developed dietary self-efficacy questionnaire may be a suitable survey tool for hemodialysis patients, which can play a role in predicting clinical indicators of patient and health-related quality of life. We recommend further research into clarifying whether the positive effects of increased dietary self-efficacy is maintained in long-term dialysis patients.
Biomarkers ; Compliance ; Dialysis ; Diet ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; Linear Models ; Phosphorus ; Potassium ; Principal Component Analysis ; Quality of Life ; Renal Dialysis ; Self Efficacy ; Weight Gain

Adenomyoepithelioma is a rare benign tumor which occurs mainly in the skin, salivary gland and very rarely in the breast. Histologically this tumor demonstrates biphasic differentiation of luminal epithelial cells and myoepithelial cells. We report a case of adenomyoepithelioma occuring in the outer lower quadrant of the right breast of a 56-year-old female, confirmed histologically with an aid of immunohistochemistry. This is the first documented report in Korean literature.
Adenomyoepithelioma* ; Breast* ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Middle Aged ; Phenobarbital ; Salivary Glands ; Skin

Akt, heat shock protein (HSP72)72, and HSP90 induced by ischemic preconditioning protect cells from the ischemic injury. The purpose of this study was to examine the alterations of the level of phospho-Akt, HSP72, and HSP90 in the rat tibialis anterior and soleus muscles after cyclic episodes of ischemic preconditioning. Sprague-Dawley rats aged 35 weeks were divided into control and ischemic preconditioning (IP) groups. The IP group was divided into 3 subgroups based on cycles of IP. Left common iliac artery was occluded 3, 6, and 10 times for 5 minutes, followed by 5 minutes reperfusion. The experimental animals were sacrificed at 0, 3, 6, 24, and 72 hours after reperfusion, and left tibialis anterior and soleus muscles were removed. The expression of phospho-Akt, HSP72, and HSP90 were examined with immunohistochemical methods and Western blot analysis. The results were as follows; 1. In the 3 and 6 times of IP groups, the expression of phospho-Akt (p-Akt) was increased at 0 and 3 hours after reperfusion, compared with control group. The expression of p-Akt in the 10 times of IP group was lower than that in 3 and 6 times of IP groups. At 72 hours after reperfusion, the expression of p-Akt showed no difference among the IP groups. The expression of p-Akt was higher in Soleus than that in Tibialis anterior. 2. The expression of HSP72 in 3 times of IP group increased at 0 and 3 hours after reperfusion, compared with 6 and 10 times of IP groups. The expression of HSP72 in the 10 times of IP group was lower than that in 3 and 6 times of IP groups. At 72 hours after reperfusion, the expression of HSP72 showed no difference among the IP groups. The expression of HSP72 was higher in Soleus than that in Tibialis anterior. 3. In the 3 and 6 times of IP groups, the expression of HSP90 increased at 0 and 3 hours after reperfusion, compared with control group. The expression of HSP90 in the 10 times of IP group was lower than that in 3 and 6 times of IP groups. At 24 hours after reperfusion, the expression of HSP90 showed no difference with increasing episode of IP. The expression level of HSP90 was higher in Soleus than that in Tibialis anterior. These findings suggest that ischemic preconditioning increases the expression of p-Akt, HSP72 and HSP90 at early phase after reperfusion in the rat tibialis anterior and soleus muscles. However, increased cycles of ischemic preconditioning may not induce the expression of them.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; Iliac Artery ; Ischemic Preconditioning* ; Muscles* ; Phosphorylation* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion

The syndromes of left atrial isomerism and right atrial isomerism, called polysplenia and asplenia syndromes, respectively, consist of congenital heart defects with disturbances in normal left right isometry, and the etiology of atrial isomerism remains unclear. Right atrial isomerism is traditionally associated with severe cardiac defects, especially complete atrioventricular septal defect, transposition of great arteries, pulmonary atresia, and total anomalous pulmonary venous return. Recently, we encountered one case of asplenia diagnosed by prenatal ultrasonography. We report a case with brief review of the literatures.
Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heterotaxy Syndrome ; Isomerism ; Pulmonary Atresia ; Scimitar Syndrome ; Transposition of Great Vessels ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal*

BACKGROUND: Color Doppler echocardiography is sensitive in detecting mitral regurgitation and useful in quantitating its severity. The presence of an eccentric regurgitant jet suggests that regurgitation is caused by prolapsing or flail leaflet of mitral valve. Until recently the direction of regurgitant jet in mitral valve prolapse has been examined in a single(parasternal short axis view) or orthogonal plane using color Doppler echocardiography, and few in the apical rotation method of a transducer. The purpose of this study was to clarify the usefullness of the apical rotation method of a transducer in detection of the direction of mitral regurgitant jet and diagnosis of the sites of mitral valve prolapse. METHODS: Twenty four patients(8 men and 16 women, mean age:47.3+/-18.8 years) with mitral valve prolapse with eccentric regurgitant jet were examined by two-dimensional and color Doppler echocardiograply using conventional parasternal long and short axis views, and four apical longitudinal planes(four chamber, vertical, two chamber and transverse views) obtained by the apical retation method of a transducer. RESULTS: Thirty one regurgitant jets were detected in twenty four patients, eighteen patients had anterior, nine patints posterior, and three patients bi-leaflet(anterior and posterior) prolapse. In eighteen patients with anterior leaflet prolapse, ten had medial, eight had middle, three had lateral, and three had two portions(two, medial and middle; one, middle and lateral) prolapse. In nine patients with posterior leaflet prolapse, five had medial, three had middle, two had lateral, and one had two(medial and middle) scallop prolapse. CONCLUSION: Color Doppler echocardiography by the apical rotation method of transducer is useful in assessment of the site of prolapse in patients with mitral valve prolapse with eccentric regurgitation.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Color ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mitral Valve Prolapse* ; Mitral Valve* ; Pectinidae ; Prolapse* ; Transducers*

Subcutaneous granuloma annulare (SGA) is a rare, benign noninfectious histiocytic disease of unknown cause, characterized by necrobiosis of the connective tissue surrounded by infiltrates of histiocytes and lymphocytes. We report a case of SGA in a 49/12-year-old boy. The lesions were five nontender subcutaneous nodules in the parieto-occipital scalp, measuring 1.0 cm to 2.0 cm in diameter. Microscopical examination revealed variable stages of multiple necrobiotic areas, which showed central necrobiosis with palisading histiocytes, involving both the lower dermis and subcutaneous fatty tissue. Electron microscopic findings revealed many histiocytes in the necrobiotic areas with degenerating and necrotic collagen fibers as well as regenerating fibroblasts.

An 8-month old intact male Turkish Angora cat was referred to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH), Seoul National University, for an evaluation of anorexia and severe dyspnea. The thoracic radiographs revealed significant pleural effusion. A cytology evaluation of the pleural fluid strongly suggested a lymphoma containing variable sized lymphocytes with frequent mitotic figures and prominent nucleoli. The feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus tests were negative. The cat was euthanized at his owner's request and a necropsy was performed. A mass was detected on the mediastinum and lung lobes. A histopathology evaluation confirmed the mass to be a lymphoma. Immunohistochemistry revealed the mass to be CD3 positive. In conclusion, the cat was diagnosed as a T-cell mediastinal lymphoma.
Animals ; Cat Diseases/*diagnosis/pathology ; Cats ; Lymphoma/diagnosis/pathology/*veterinary ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms/diagnosis/pathology/*veterinary

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the endocrine response to step-up microdose GnRH agonist. METHODS: Administration of triptorelin acetate was initiated from 2 mg and gradually increased to 50 mg during 6-day period to five normal menstruating women. Serum FSH, LH, and estradiol levels were serially measured for 6 days. The same set of experiment was duplicated after taking oral contraceptive for 3 weeks. Serum testosterone and progesterone levels were measured on day 1 and day 5 of experiment. RESULTS: The flare of gonadotropin continued for 6 days. When subjects were pretreated with oral contraceptive, serum FSH levels 4 hrs after GnRH agonist injection were 17.35+/-7.88 mIU/mL, 11.26+/-4.81 mIU/mL, and 9.60+/-4.08 mIU/mL for day 1, 2, and 3 respectively. The FSH levels were not statistically different when pretreatment with oral contraceptive was not applied. The level of serum LH was significantly lower in the cycle, which was pretreated by oral contraceptive (32.13+/-9.61 mIU/mL vs. 14.12+/-5.63 mIU/mL for day 1, 28.95+/-3.09 mIU/mL vs. 15.76+/-9.92 mIU/mL for day 2, and 24.45+/-2.52 mIU/mL vs. 16.86+/-8.56 mIU/mL for day 3). The sign of corpus luteum rescue was found in 2 out of 5 subjects only in non-treated cycle. CONCLUSION: Step-up microdose GnRH agonist protocol could induce persistent gonadotropin flare for 6 days and this regimen could be applied in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation especially for poor responders. The pretreatment with oral contraceptive is necessary to prevent supraphysiologic LH elevation and corpus luteum rescue.
Corpus Luteum ; Estradiol ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Gonadotropins ; Humans ; Progesterone ; Testosterone ; Triptorelin Pamoate

Most of anti-incontinence surgeries bear the risk of postoperative complication such as voiding dysfunction due to urethral obstruction. Fortunately, Tension Free Vaginal Tape(TVT) procedure has much lower incidence of postoperative urethral obstruction than other surgical procedures for stress urinary incontinence. There are many reports about the surgical treatments for short-term urethral obstruction after TVT procedure. However, there are few reports on the effect of surgical releasing of the obstruction lasting for a long period. In our case, the patient had urethral obstruction for 32 months after TVT procedure and she was able to void well after surgical releasing of the tape. We suggest that releasing of the tape will be a treatment of choice for long-term urethral obstruction after TVT procedure.
Humans ; Incidence ; Postoperative Complications ; Suburethral Slings* ; Urethral Obstruction* ; Urinary Incontinence

Acral metastasis to the finger is a very rare phenomenon. We report herein a case of cutaneous acrometastasis to the right 5th finger tip in a 36-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer. The patient underwent a right modified radical mastectomy for T3N3 invasive ductal carcinoma and received adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. After 2 years, she developed metastasis to the brain, bones, and lungs. She was found to have a growing tender mass on the tip of right 5th finger. A well-demarcated, soft tissue mass was identified on sonography. Under the clinical impression of a possible benign process, the nodule was surgically removed. The pathologic finding was consistent with metastatic breast cancer. Immunohistochemical staining for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2 were all negative, as in the primary tumor. Radiation was given to the finger tip and systemic chemotherapy with capecitabine was tried for systemic metastatic disease.
Adult ; Brain ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Deoxycytidine ; Estrogens ; Female ; Fingers ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Lung ; Mastectomy, Modified Radical ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Capecitabine