OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to investigate the attitudes toward the mentally ill, identify the factors influencing their attitudes of administration clerks in national and private mental hospitals, and to get basic data to develop education program and the strategy to treatment of mental illness. METHODS: Total 166 administration clerks working in the two national mental hospital and four private mental hospital were interviewed by Community Attitudes to the Mentally Ill (CAMI) scale. RESULTS: The administration clerks who working in the mental hospital showed generally sympathetic and positive attitudes in all CAMI scales like other community residents and mental health personnels. Administration clerks working in national mental hospitals showed more positive attitudes in authoritarianism subscale than those in private mental hospitals. Females who live in township areas (myeon), are low educated and have shorter duration of employment in national mental hospitals had relatively negative attitudes toward the mentally ill. Administration clerks working in private mental hospitals showed less significant differences according toward demographic characteristics. CONCLUSION: It will be necessary to give information and systematic education about mental health for those who have negative attitude toward mentally ill, especially in the early period of employment. Further investigations should include comparison between characteristics of administration clerks working in national and private mental hospitals and change in attitudes after systematic education.
Authoritarianism ; Education ; Employment ; Female ; Hospitals, Psychiatric* ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Mentally Ill Persons* ; Weights and Measures

Localized nodular synovitis of the knee joint is a rare benign tumorous condition, and should be differentially diagnosed with pigmented villonodular synovitis. We report a case of localized nodular synovitis in the knee that was noted to have a pedicle and characteristic findings on MR image.
Knee Joint ; Knee* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Synovitis* ; Synovitis, Pigmented Villonodular

PURPOSE: To evaluate the risk of vertebral compression fracture (VCF) after conventional radiotherapy (RT) for colorectal cancer (CRC) with spine metastasis and to identify risk factors for VCF in metastatic and non-metastatic irradiated spines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 68 spinal segments in 16 patients who received conventional RT between 2009 and 2012. Fracture was defined as a newly developed VCF or progression of an existing fracture. The target volume included all metastatic spinal segments and one additional non-metastatic vertebra adjacent to the tumor-involved spines. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 7.8 months. Among all 68 spinal segments, there were six fracture events (8.8%) including three new VCFs and three fracture progressions. Observed VCF rates in vertebral segments with prior irradiation or pre-existing compression fracture were 30.0% and 75.0% respectively, compared with 5.2% and 4.7% for segments without prior irradiation or pre-existing compression fracture, respectively (both p < 0.05). The 1-year fracture-free probability was 87.8% (95% CI, 78.2-97.4). On multivariate analysis, prior irradiation (HR, 7.30; 95% CI, 1.31-40.86) and pre-existing compression fracture (HR, 18.45; 95% CI, 3.42-99.52) were independent risk factors for VCF. CONCLUSION: The incidence of VCF following conventional RT to the spine is not particularly high, regardless of metastatic tumor involvement. Spines that received irradiation and/or have pre-existing compression fracture before RT have an increased risk of VCF and require close observation.
Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Compression* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Spinal Fractures ; Spinal Neoplasms ; Spine*

PURPOSE: This study investigates both the current situation and future trends in the field of refractive surgery in Korea. METHODS: Members of the Korean Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (KSCRS) have been annually surveyed regarding cataract and refractive surgery since 1995. The 2004 annual survey, which consisted of 58 multiple-choice questions, was mailed in May 2004 to 322 KSCRS members; fifty-four (16.8%) members responded. Data from the 2004 survey was compared with that of previous annual surveys and similar studies from the USA. RESULTS: The respondents indicated that patients in their forties accounted for the highest percentage (57%) of subjects, and LASIK accounted for the highest percentage (82%) of refractive surgeries. Degeneration of corrected vision, night halo, and glare accounted for a high proportion of the complications arising after refractive surgery. LASIK was the preferred method for treating myopia less than -12 diopters, while phakic IOL was preferred for myopia more than -12 diopters. Lastly, more respondents indicated that they had experienced legal problems associated with PRK or LASIK than the previous year. CONCLUSIONS: LASIK remains the refractive surgery procedure of choice, although wavefront-guided ablation is gaining in popularity. Approximately half of the respondents indicated they used MMC in their refractive surgeries.
Cataract ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Glare ; Humans ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ ; Korea* ; Myopia ; Night Vision ; Postal Service ; Refractive Surgical Procedures*

PURPOSE: We reviewed the treatment outcomes and prognostic factors for patients with anal canal carcinoma who were treated with curative intent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) at Severance Hospital from 2005 to 2011. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data for 38 eligible patients treated during this period were reviewed. All patients were treated with curative intent using radiotherapy (RT) with (n = 35) or without concomitant chemotherapy (n = 3). Among 35 patients who received CRT, most of the chemotherapeutic regimens were either 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus mitomycin C (23 patients) or 5-FU plus cisplatin (10 patients). Recurrence-free survival (RFS), colostomy-free survival (CFS), overall survival (OS), and locoregional control (LRC) rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and survival between subgroups were compared using the log-rank test. Cox's proportional hazard model was used for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up period of 44 months (range, 11 to 96 months), 3-year RFS, CFS, OS, and LRC were 80%, 79%, 85%, and 92%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, tumor size >4 cm was an independent predicting factor for poorer RFS (hazard ratio [HR], 6.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.42 to 28.5; p = 0.006) and CFS (HR, 6.25; 95% CI, 1.39-28.0; p = 0.017), while the presence of external iliac lymph node metastasis was an independent prognosticator for poorer OS (HR, 9.32; 95% CI, 1.24 to 70.3; p = 0.030). No treatment-related colostomies or deaths occurred during or after treatment. CONCLUSION: Curative intent CRT resulted in excellent outcomes that were comparable to outcomes in previous randomized trials. No severe treatment-related toxicities were observed.
Anal Canal ; Anus Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Cisplatin ; Colostomy ; Fluorouracil ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Mitomycin ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Proportional Hazards Models

BACKGROUND: The information on nasal transport and the metabolism of peptides have been obtained from pharmacokinetic investigations in experimental animals. However, there are no transport and metabolic studies of human nasal epithelial cells. In this study, the permeability characteristics and the metabolic properties of in vitro human nasal cell monolayers were investigated. Material and METHODS: Normal human inferior nasal conchal tissue samples were obtained from patients undergoing endoscopic nasal cavitary surgery. The specimens were cultured in a transwell using an air-liquid interface (ALI) culture, and the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) value of the blank filter and confluent cell monolayers were measured. To determine the % leakage of mannitol, 4µmol 14C-labelled mannitol was added and the % leakage was measured every 10 minute for 1 hour. RESULT: Human nasal epithelial cells in the primary culture grew to a confluent monolayer within 7 days and expressed microvilli. The tight junction between the cells was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The TEER value of the blank filter, fifth day and seventh day reached 108.5 ohm.cm2, 141 ohm.cm2 and 177.5 ohm.cm2, respectively. Transcellular % leakage of the 14C-mannitol at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes was 35.67±5.43, 34.42±5.60, 32.75±5.71, 31.76±4.22, 30.96±3.49 and 29.60±3.68 %, respectively. CONCLUSION: The human nasal epithelial monolayer using ALI using techniques is suitable for a transcellular permeability study. The data suggests that human nasal epithelial cells in as ALI culture technique shows some promise for a nasal transport and metabolism study.
Animals ; Culture Techniques* ; Electric Impedance ; Epithelial Cells* ; Humans* ; Mannitol ; Metabolism ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Microvilli ; Peptides ; Permeability ; Tight Junctions

Objective: We aimed to investigate the distinct transcriptional landscape in poor responders to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and to gain mechanistic insights into treatment resistance in cervical cancer. Methods: RNA sequencing was performed in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated with platinum-based CCRT. Transcriptome data of no durable benefit (NDB; progression-free period <3 years) and durable clinical benefit (DCB; progression-free period >5 years) patients were compared. The NDB score was estimated for each patient using differentially expressed genes between NDB and DCB patients. The potential response to programmed death-1 blockade was estimated using the tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) score and T-cell-inflamed gene expression profile (GEP). Results: NDB patients exhibited a distinct transcriptional profile compared to DCB patients, such as higher signatures of extracellular matrix organization and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. The fraction of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) within the tumor was significantly higher in NDB patients than in DCB patients. High NDB scores were significantly associated with poor survival in the Cancer Genome Atlas cervical cancer cohort (n=274; p=0.015) but only in patients who received curative aim radiotherapy (p=0.002). Patients with high NDB scores displayed significantly higher TIDE prediction scores and lower T-cell-inflamed GEP scores than those with low NDB scores. Conclusion Patients with cervical cancer having poor CCRT or RT outcomes exhibited a distinct gene signature that could predict treatment outcomes. For poor responders, immune checkpoint inhibitors may be less effective whereas CAF-targeting treatments may be a promising approach.

The Fas (TNF receptor superfamily, member 6) (FAS)/FAS ligand (FASLG) interaction plays a central role in the regulation of programmed cell death. FAS and FASLG polymorphisms in promoter regions affect transcriptional activities. To investigate whether FAS and FASLG polymorphisms are associated with the development and clinical phenotypes of stroke, 2 promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in FAS (rs1800682, -670C/T) and FASLG (rs763110, -844C/T) were selected and genotyped by direct sequencing in 220 stroke patients [107 ischemic stroke (IS), 77 intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and 36 subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)] and 369 control subjects. For the analysis of clinical symptoms, all stroke patients were divided into 3 clinical phenotypes according to the respective results of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Survey (NIHSS) and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) and the presence or absence of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). The SNPStats, SNPAnalyzer, and Helixtree programs were used to analyze the genetic data. Multiple logistic regression models (codominant, dominant, and recessive) were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and p-values. The promoter SNP rs1800682 was associated with stroke in the codominant (OR=0.48, 95% CI=0.25-0.94, p=0.04) and dominant models (OR=0.51, 95% CI=0.30-0.87, p=0.011). However, a FASLG SNP (rs763110) was not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p<0.05). In the analysis of stroke types, rs1800682 was associated with IS in the codominant (OR=0.30, 95% CI=0.12-0.74, p=0.025), dominant (OR=0.44, 95% CI=0.23-0.88, p=0.018), and recessive models (OR=0.45, 95% CI=0.21-0.99, p=0.042). The genotype frequencies of rs1800682 were different between ICH and controls in the dominant model (OR=0.49, 95% CI=0.26-0.94, p=0.031) but not between SAH and controls. In the analysis of clinical symptoms, however, rs1800682 was not related to the 3 clinical phenotypes (NIHSS, MBI, and CRPS). These results suggest that a promoter SNP (rs1800682, -670C/T) in FAS may be associated with the development of stroke in the Korean population.
Cell Death ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Genotype ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; National Institutes of Health (U.S.) ; Odds Ratio ; Phenotype ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Stroke ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

PURPOSE: We present a case of plexiform neurofibroma that extensively invaded cranial and temporal bone, eyelid, orbit and uveal tissues, showing signs of severe ptosis and proptosis and symptoms of headache and ocular pain. METHODS: A 24-year old woman visited our clinic with pain and progressive proptosis, which had persisted for 2 weeks. She had a history of congenital neurofibromatosis. There were multiple Cafe-au-lait spots on her extremities, trunk, and face. Also, she had severe ptosis in her upper left eyelid, proptosis, and a distorted and asymmetric facial form. The cornea was markedly edematous. An enhanced computed tomography scan revealed an uncertain circumscribed soft tissue mass with enlargement of the eyeball and orbit, coupled with sphenoid wing dysplasia and herniation of the dura mater into the orbit due to expansion and bony destruction of the superior orbital wall. Under general anesthesia, the patient underwent excision and histopathologic biopsy of intraocular neurofibroma through evisceration. RESULTS: The tumor had black-colored multilobular nodules whose dimensions were 1.5x1.2x0.4 cm. After a histopathologic examination, the tumor was determined to be a pigmentary hamartoma of the uvea. Based on the clinical and histologic findings, we diagnosed the patient with plexiform neurofibroma with type I neurofibromatosis.
Anesthesia, General ; Biopsy ; Cafe-au-Lait Spots ; Cornea ; Dura Mater ; Exophthalmos* ; Extremities ; Eyelids ; Female ; Hamartoma ; Headache ; Humans ; Neurofibroma ; Neurofibroma, Plexiform* ; Neurofibromatoses ; Orbit ; Temporal Bone ; Uvea ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of conjugated hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on dry eye syndrome in postmenopausal women. METHODS: Thirty-six healthy postmenopausal women (72 eyes) were included in this three-month prospective study. Schirmer test, tear film break-up time (BUT), fluorescein staining score and symptom score were performed on all patients at the time of enrollment, one month and three months after initiation of HRT. All patients received HRT consisting of conjugated estrogen and progesterone taken orally in a continuous combined regimen. RESULTS: Symptom score significantly decreased from 2.10+/-0.79 before HRT to 1.32+/-0.84 after one month and to 0.88+/-0.67 after three months (p<0.001). In addition, tear film BUT measurements significantly increased from 6.04+/-2.54 seconds to 7.99+/-2.43 seconds after one month and to 8.93+/-2.20 after three months (p<0.001). The fluorescein staining score was 0.94+/-0.71 before HRT and decreased to 0.42+/-0.60 after one month and to 0.22+/-0.42 after three months (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Hormone replacement therapy consisting of conjugated estrogen and progesterone significantly improved the symptoms and signs of dry eye syndrome in postmenopausal women.
Dry Eye Syndromes ; Estrogens ; Female ; Fluorescein ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Progesterone ; Prospective Studies ; Tears