OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore the relationship among fatigue and perceived stress, depressive mood in the working population. We also examined associations with demographic and life style factors and investigated the effect of individual coping skills on these associations. METHODS: Fatigue Severity Scale(FSS), Perceived Stress Scale(PSS), Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument - Korean version(BEPSI-K), Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), Stress Coping Skill Questionnaire were administered to 621 civil servants. All of above and other demographic factors are self-administered questionnaire survey and this study is cross sectional. RESULTS: Mean FSS score was 3.04 which was lower than 3.22, the severity cut off score. FSS, PSS, BEPSI-K, BDI were all higher in female. Subjects with active coping skills showed relatively low fatigue, perceived stress, depressive mood than those with passive coping skills. Logistic regression analyses indicated that the PSS, BDI, BEPSI-K in working population increase the risk of fatigue and regular exercise lowers the risk. CONCLUSIONS: Adults who were afflicted by stress, experienced depressive mood or were physically inactive were at much higher risk of feeling fatigue. Since no other large data sets are available for fatigue, the results from this study could serve a very useful purpose, to furnish a basis for comparison with future research results based on more complete data.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Adult ; Dataset ; Demography ; Depression ; Fatigue* ; Female ; Humans ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Questionnaires

Kyphosis is a deformity characterized by anterior flexion of the vertebral column. When severe, kyphosis may decrease lung volume and compliance, leading to increased work of breathing and deterioration of pulmonary function. Moreover, postoperative respiratory failure is a common problem for patients with severe spinal deformities. We describe the successful case of general anaesthesia in a 71-year-old male patient with severe thoracolumbar kyphosis undergoing open surgery converted from robotic surgery.
Aged ; Compliance ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Humans ; Kyphosis ; Lung ; Male ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Robotics ; Spine ; Work of Breathing

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between subjective well-being and other clinical parameters such as sociodemographic and clinical variables, which include positive and negative symptoms, depressive symptoms, insight, and side effects. METHODS: Fifty-one outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia were recruited in this study. Subjective well-being was assessed using a self-rating scale, the Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptics-Short form (SWN-K). Sociodemographic variables were also evaluated and other evaluations were conducted using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), Liverpool University Neuroleptic Side Effect Rating Scale (LUNSERS), Korean Version of the Revised Insight Scale for Psychosis (KISP), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The relationship between subjective well-being and these clinical variables was assessed. RESULTS: Education years and social support scores were positively correlated with the total SWN-K scores, but severity of illness, severity of depression, severity of side effect, and the scores on insight were negatively correlated. The stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that the total SWN-K score of the patients with schizophrenia was associated with negative symptoms and insight. CONCLUSION: Better insight and more severe negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia may be associated with worse subjective well-being. Results indicate that careful evaluation of subjective well-being is essential for proper management of patients with schizophrenia.
Depression ; Education ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Psychotic Disorders ; Schizophrenia*

We investigated the efficacy of high dose corticosteroid therapy in the treatment of traumatic optic-neuropathy. We experimentally damaged the optic nerves of six white rabbits with a Hartman mosquito. Three of the rabbits were intravenously injected with 0.25mg/kg dexamethasone every six hours for a 48 hour period. The others were used as controls. In both groups, the optic nerves were removed after one month and stained with Hematoxyline-eosin, then examined microscopically. No histological differences were found in either the control or the experimental group.
Culicidae ; Dexamethasone ; Optic Nerve ; Optic Nerve Injuries* ; Rabbits

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Long term success of the implant depends on the biocompatibility and biofunctionality. Biomaterial engineering and tissue engineering have provided important clue for choosing adequate biomaterials. Recently, laser application in reconstructive surgery has been developed in the fields of vascular, intestinal and nerve anastomosis. In the otologic field ear drum or polymer prostheses was treated with laser for reconstructive use. However, there was only a few attempts to find the morphological change and tissue reaction of laser treated material or tissue in otologic field. The aim of this study is to evaluate the biocompatibility and biofunctionality of laser treated polymer in the middle ear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UMWP) was chosen. UMWP was inserted into middle ear of Sprague-Dawley rats. After 1, 2, 4 weeks, the bullae were removed and tissue reactions were observed with Hematoxilin-Eosin stain. RESULTS: In the animal study, more inflammatory cells were infiltrated on surface of laser treated UMWP compared with non-treated UMWP after 1 week. After 2 weeks, more macrophages and fibroblasts were found in the laser treated UMWP than in the nontreated UMWP. After 4 weeks, thin fibrous encapsulations were formed around the UMWP in both groups. In the laser treated UMWP, more pronounced destruction was found. CONCLUSION: These results indicated decrease of biofunctionality and acceptable biocompatibility of UMWP.
Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Ear ; Ear, Middle* ; Fibroblasts ; Lasers, Gas* ; Macrophages ; Molecular Weight ; Polyethylene ; Polymers* ; Prostheses and Implants ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tissue Engineering

PURPOSE: Purpose: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of ferumoxides-enhanced MR with that of combined CT during arterial portography (CTAP) and CT hepatic arteriography (CTHA) in the preoperative detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: For preoperative evaluation, 20 patients with HCC underwent ferumoxides-enhanced MR and combined CTAP and CTHA. The MR protocol included fat-suppressed respiratory-triggered fast spin echo, T2*-weighted fast multiplanar gradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state, proton density-weighted fast multiplanar spoiled gradient-recalled echo, and breath-hold in-phase T1-weighted fast multiplanar spoiled gradient-recalled echo. In all patients, laparotomy was performed. The presence or absence of HCC was confirmed by pathologic examination in the resected liver and by intraoperative ultrasonography of remaining liver, or by follow up. Images were reviewed by three radiologists working independently; regarding the presence or absence of HCC in each segment, each observer assigned one of five confidence levels. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was fitted to these confidence ratings, and the diagnostic accuracy of each modality was evaluated by calculating the Az value (area under the ROC curve) and compared with that of other modalities. The sensitivity and specificity of each modality in the detection of HCC were also calculated and compared, and using a κstatistic, inter-observer agreement for each modality was assessed. RESULTS: In 28 of 160 liver segments, 30 HCCs were present. For ferumoxide-enhanced MR the mean Az value was 0.958, and for combined CTAP and CTHA this value was 0.948. The difference was not statistically significant. The mean sensitivities of ferumoxide-enhanced MR and combined CTAP and CTHA were 92.9% and 90.9%, respectively, the difference being statistically insignificant. The mean specificities of these modalities were, respectively, 98.9% and 93.6%. The difference was statistically significant. For both ferumoxide-enhanced MR and combined CTAP and CTHA, interobserver agreement was excellent. CONCLUSION: In the preoperative detection of HCC, ferumoxide-enhanced MR imaging of the liver showed a diagnostic accuracy similar to that of combined CTAP and CTHA. Its specificity, however, was higher.
Angiography* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Iron ; Laparotomy ; Liver ; Liver Neoplasms ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Portography* ; Protons ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography

The histopathologic findings of the intracranial meningima are variegated and those of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which has been used for preoperative evaluation are also varied in signal characteristics. In order to aid the preoperative diagnosis, authors analyzed MRI and microscopic findings in twenty eight meningioma cases which underwent surgery. The results were summarized as follows : 1) Meningothelial, fibrous and transitional subtypes showed isointense signal on T1-weighted image and iso and/or hyperintense signal T2-weighted and proton density images compared to the signal intensity of the gray matter. 2) Microcystic subtype was isointense signal on T1-weighted image and hyperintense signal on T2-weighted and proton density images. 3) Variation of signal intensity might be correlated to the ratio of the stroma in the tumor. 4) Peritumoral edema was not closely related to the pathologic subtypes or location of meningioma, but it seemed to be correlated with the size of tumor.
Diagnosis ; Edema ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Meningioma* ; Protons

Double-pigtail ureteral stent has been used to prevent the ureteral obstruction from calculi and to pass the urine easily after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). One of the complications in stent indwelling is the migration of the stent. Especially the proximal migration of double-pigtail ureteral stents is rare. One of the several theories that have been proposed to account for cephalad migration is a stent movement in conjunction with kidney movement during respiration. The reason is that the respiration makes the kidney move in both upward and downward directions while the stent, held by fragemented ureteral stone, moves only in upward direction. We call this cause of the proximal migration of the stent, 'Jack' phenomenon. Therefore, if the residual calculi remain after ESWL with ureteral stent, we need close observation.
Calculi ; Kidney ; Lithotripsy* ; Respiration ; Shock* ; Stents* ; Ureter* ; Ureteral Obstruction

We report a case of a clinically asymptomatic granulomatous renal mass during intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) immunotherapy for superficial bladder cancer. BCG is the most effective agent currently available for the treatment of superficial bladder cancer. The side effects, during or shortly after treatment, were minor and self-limiting in the large majority of patients (fever, bladder irritability and hematuria). We emphasize the rarity of such extravesical complications, and discussed the possible routes of renal inoculation. Treatment consisted of partial nephrectomy and anti tubercular agents.
Bacillus* ; Granuloma* ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Mycobacterium bovis ; Nephrectomy ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder*

Congenital megacystis with bilateral hydroureteronephrosis is most commonly associated with posterior urethral valves, prune-belly syndrome, vesicoureteral reflux, or nonrefluxing, nonobstructive megaureters. Among the other cause of congenital megacystis, megacystis-microcolon-intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome(MMIHS), which is characterized by megacystis, microcolon and hypoperistalsis of the intestines with resultant abdominal distension, is a rare cause of functional obstruction of urinary tracts in childhood. It was first reported by Berdon, et al. in 1976, and only 89 cases have been reported until the present. There has been no report in Korea. We report a 2 month old female patient who exhibited intestinal malrotation, megacystitis, abdominal distension and hypoperistalsis. She did not show any evidence of microcolon, but her biopsy result exhibited degenerative changes of intestinal and cystic smooth muscle, pointing to a syndrome very similar to MMIHS.
Biopsy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Intestines ; Korea ; Muscle, Smooth ; Prune Belly Syndrome ; Urinary Retention* ; Urinary Tract ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux