OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors related to long-term hospitalization of schizophrenia. METHODS: The subjects were inpatients with schizophrenia who were constantly hospitalized for more than 12 months and their caregivers. They were compared with schizophrenia with no previous experience of sustained hospitalization for more than 12 months and their caregivers. Demographic and clinical data, Korea version of the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale, functional disability and family burden scale were analyzed. RESULTS: In this study long-term hospitalization of schizophrenia was influenced by the following measures. First, primary caregivers variables such as parents/non-parents and cohabitation with patients, second, negative symptom severity of passive/apathetic social withdrawal and lack of spontaneity and flow of conversation, and third, functional disability of go to hospital/take a dose regularly and using public transportation/facilities were associated with long-term hospitalization. And they were significant in logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: The above results suggest that long-term hospitalization of schizophrenic patients in Korea might be affected by caregiver's factor, negative symptoms, and functional disability.
Caregivers ; Hospitalization* ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Schizophrenia*

Intracapsular and paraarticular chondroma is a rare benign lesion of the large joints (mostly the knee). We report a case of intracapsular and paraarticular chondroma in the infrapatellar Hoffa's fat pad that presented as a painful palpable mass in 15-yearold woman. A physical examination revealed a firm, movable and tender mass in the infrapatellar area. Magnetic resonance images showed an ovoid, well-defined, soft tissue mass with focal calcification in the infrapatellar fat pad. The final pathology revealed an intracapsular and paraarticular chondroma.
Adipose Tissue ; Chondroma ; Female ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Physical Examination

No abstract available.
Animals ; Blastocyst* ; Insulin* ; Mice*

OBJECTIVE: To describe the change of serum estradiol, follicul-stimulating hormone and testosterone after hysterectomy, and its difference according to the type of adnexal surgery in pre, and postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Three hundred twenty four women presenting for hysterectomies for nononcologic reasons. We divide the women into four groups, who only hysterectomized, who with both adnexectomized, who with unilateral adnexectomized, and who with both salpingectomized. We collect the blood samples for serum estradiol and testosterone in preoperative day, 1 day after, 3 day after, 6 day after and 1 month after operation. And check FSH in a day before operation and 1month after operation. RESULT: Estradiol shows significant decrease in both adnectomy group compared to the unilateral adnexectomized and only hysterectomized. The both salpingectomized shows no difference with the both adnectomized. Testosterone shows no difference between groups in premenopausal women. In postmenopausal women, testosterone decreased 3 days after both adnexectomy compared to the only hysterectomized and the unilateral adnexectomized. The both salpingectomized shows no difference with the both adnexectomized. CONCLUSION: Testosterone decreases significantly in postmenopausal women after hysterectomy with both adnexectomy or both salpingectomy. So we think it was appropriate treatment to replace estrogen and testosterone in postmenopausal women who both adnexectomized or both salpingectomized.
Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Salpingectomy ; Testosterone

OBJECTIVE: To describe the change of serum estradiol, follicul-stimulating hormone and testosterone after hysterectomy, and its difference according to the type of adnexal surgery in pre, and postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Three hundred twenty four women presenting for hysterectomies for nononcologic reasons. We divide the women into four groups, who only hysterectomized, who with both adnexectomized, who with unilateral adnexectomized, and who with both salpingectomized. We collect the blood samples for serum estradiol and testosterone in preoperative day, 1 day after, 3 day after, 6 day after and 1 month after operation. And check FSH in a day before operation and 1month after operation. RESULT: Estradiol shows significant decrease in both adnectomy group compared to the unilateral adnexectomized and only hysterectomized. The both salpingectomized shows no difference with the both adnectomized. Testosterone shows no difference between groups in premenopausal women. In postmenopausal women, testosterone decreased 3 days after both adnexectomy compared to the only hysterectomized and the unilateral adnexectomized. The both salpingectomized shows no difference with the both adnexectomized. CONCLUSION: Testosterone decreases significantly in postmenopausal women after hysterectomy with both adnexectomy or both salpingectomy. So we think it was appropriate treatment to replace estrogen and testosterone in postmenopausal women who both adnexectomized or both salpingectomized.
Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Salpingectomy ; Testosterone

We experienced a 59-year-old immunocompetent female patient who complained progressive cough. A bronchoscopic examination revealed an endobronchial mass protruding from the left lower lobe and occluding anterior-basal segment bronchus. Bronchial biopsy and endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration were consistent with cryptococcal infection. However, the response of medical therapy was an unsuccessful. Finally, the patient underwent left lower lobectomy with lymph node dissection. We report a case of pulmonary cryptococcosis mimicking bronchogenic lung cancer, and surgical therapy with antifungal treatment resulted in successful resolution of the pneumonia.
Biopsy ; Bronchi ; Bronchial Neoplasms ; Bronchoscopy ; Cough ; Cryptococcosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Lymph Node Excision ; Middle Aged ; Mycoses ; Needles ; Pneumonia ; Ultrasonography

Human ovarian follicles reduce rapidly in number throughout fetal and adult life. Throughout the menstrual cycles, primordial follicles grow into mature follicles and then ovulate to form corpus luteum. Apoptosis has been implicated in several events that occur during the process of follicular growth, atresia and the regression of the corpus luteum. By the use of immunohistochemistry, we clarified the involvement of apoptosis in the human ovary during follicular growth, regression and atresia by investigating the expression of Fas, Fas-ligand, Bcl-2 and Bad in primordial follicles, primary follicles and mature follicles. Fas immunostaining was present in primordial oocytes, both oocytes and granulosa cells of primary follicles, preantral follicles and all follicular cells of mature follicles. Fas-ligand and Bad immunostaining patterns were similar to those of Fas except for theca cells. Bcl-2 immunostaining was present in both oocytes and granulosa cells of primary, preantral and mature follicles. In corpus luteum, Fas, Fas-ligand, Bcl-2 and Bad immunostaining were observed and decreased in the regressing corpus luteum. In postmenopausal ovary, Fas, Fas-ligand, Bcl-2 and Bad immunostaining were entirely negative. Bad immunostaining was observed but Bcl-2 was not in atretic follicle. These results suggest that Fas, Fas-ligand, Bcl-2 and Bad may play important roles in human ovary during follicular growth, regression and atresia simultaneously. Further studies should be required to elucidate the underlying mechanism and apoptosis of the disease associated with normal and abnormal ovarian aging.
Adult ; Aging ; Apoptosis ; Corpus Luteum ; Female ; Granulosa Cells ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Menstrual Cycle ; Oocytes ; Ovarian Follicle* ; Ovary ; Theca Cells

OBJECTIVES: Smoking is one of the most important leading causes of lung cancer. Smoking habit is recognized as nicotine dependence, which consists of physical and psychosocial dependence. To evaluate social nicotine dependence, the Kano Test for Social Nicotine Dependence (KTSND) working group developed a new questionnaire. We examined the social nicotine dependence among high school students, university students and patients with lung cancer. METHODS: We applied Korean version of KTSND(KTSND-K) questionnaire to high school students, university students and patients with lung cancer. Complete data obtained from the 1333 responders were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the responders, current smokers, past-smokers, and never-smokers were 17.3%, 16.4%, and 66.3% respectively. According to smoking status, the total KTSND-K scores of current smokers were significantly higher than those of past-smokers, and of never-smokers (17.7+/-6.6 versus 13.7+/-5.7, and 10.9+/-5.15, P<0.001). The total KTSND-K scores of males were higher than those of females, suggesting that males have a propensity for depending nicotine socially much more than females (13.2+/-6.2 and 11.7+/-5.7 respectively, P<0.05). And the total KTSND scores of the patients with lung cancer, medical students, nursing students, and high school students were 11.2+/-3.8, 14.9+/-4.8, 14.6+/-5.8 and 15.6+/-5.9 respectively. The scores of patients with lung cancer were significantly lower than non-cancer people(P<0.01). Our study suggested that the KTSND-K questionnaire could be a useful method to evaluate psychosocial aspects of smoking in patients with lung cancer and non-cancer people.
Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Male ; Nicotine ; Surveys and Questionnaires* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Students, Medical ; Students, Nursing ; Tobacco Use Disorder*

OBJECTIVE: Observational studies suggest that osteoporosis is associated with cardiovascular disease, although another study found that metabolic syndrome (MS) has protective effects on bone. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between metabolic syndrome and bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women. METHODS: We divided postmenopausal women who visited St. Vincent Hospital of the Catholic University of Korea in 2006 and 2007 into groups with and without MS and measured their body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), blood pressure, serum fasting glucose, lipid profile, and BMD of the lumbar spine and femoral neck. RESULTS: Of the 151 subjects, 66 (43%) had MS and 85 (57%) did not. The women with MS had a higher BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck, although after adjusting for age and BMI, this correlation was lost. Significant positive correlations were observed between BMD of the lumbar spine and both high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and serum fasting glucose, and BMD of the femoral neck was positively correlated with serum fasting glucose level. The components of MS were not correlated with BMD in these postmenopausal women after adjusting for age and BMI. CONCLUSION: In our study, the higher BMD in MS was explained by the higher BMI in postmenopausal women. After adjusting for age and BMI, however, MS had no protective effect on bone mass. MS may be another risk factor for postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Fasting ; Female ; Femur Neck ; Glucose ; Humans ; Korea ; Lipoproteins ; Osteoporosis ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Postmenopause ; Risk Factors ; Spine ; Waist-Hip Ratio

PURPOSE: For treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are known to be very effective in nonsmokers, women, Asian and person with EGFR mutations. The efficacy of EGFR-TKI was analyzed based on the radiologic studies and the serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) to evaluate whether serum CEA can be used as a predicative marker of the response to EGFR-TKI therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients with NSCLC treated with gefitinib at Kosin Medical Center from January 2007 to August 2009 were the subjects of this study. We assayed the serum CEA levels before and after gefitinib therapy with concomitant assessments of the tumor response by serial chest X-ray and chest computer tomograms (CT). RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 62.6 years (range, 32~77 years), 29 patients were women, 36 had adenocarcinoma (87.8%) and the baseline serum CEA was equal or above 5 ng/mL in 31 patients (75.6%). These 31 patients were more responsive to the gefitinib therapy (p=0.021). The overall response rate of the patients was 51.2%, the median survival time was 21.9 months and the time to progression was 8.3 months. Among the 21 responding patients, the serum CEA was decreased after 2 months in 17 (80.9%), and among the 14 progressed patients, the serum CEA was increased in 12 (85.7%) (p=0.000). CONCLUSION: The changes of serum CEA at 2 months after gefitinib therapy were closely related to the radiologic changes. The serum CEA could be used as a complimentary tool for monitoring the tumor response to EGFR-TKI in the advanced NSCLC patients.
Adenocarcinoma ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Female ; Humans ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Quinazolines ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Thorax ; Biomarkers, Tumor