PURPOSE: This study examined degrees of irrational parenthood cognition, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), spousal support, and quality of life and investigated factors that influence the quality of life of infertile women. METHODS: Research design was a cross sectional correlational survey with a total of 113 female patients receiving treatment for infertility. Data were collected from August 1 to November 30, 2015. The collected data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean score of the quality of life was 59.0±14.8. The quality of life was significantly associated with irrational parenthood cognition (r=-.70), post traumatic stress disorder (r=-.65), and spousal support (r=.56). The factors significantly affecting the quality of life in infertile women were irrational parenthood cognition (β=-.45), post traumatic stress disorder (β=-.34), and spousal support (β=.32). The explained variance by these factors was 70.4%, and the regression model was valid (F=89.81, p<.001). CONCLUSION: This study may contribute to the development of nursing intervention program to improve the quality of life of infertile women.
Cognition* ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility ; Nursing ; Quality of Life* ; Research Design ; Stress Disorders, Traumatic*

Purpose: To develop models to predict programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) using CT. Materials and Methods: A total of 97 patients diagnosed with SCC who underwent PD-L1 expression assay were included in this study. We performed a CT analysis of the tumors using pretreatment CT images. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed to predict PD-L1 positivity in the total patient group and in the 40 advanced-stage (≥ stage IIIB) patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated for each model. Results: For the total patient group, the AUC of the ‘total significant features model’ (tumor stage, tumor size, pleural nodularity, and lung metastasis) was 0.652, and that of the ‘selected feature model’ (pleural nodularity) was 0.556. For advanced-stage patients, the AUC of the ‘selected feature model’ (tumor size, pleural nodularity, pulmonary oligometastases, and absence of interstitial lung disease) was 0.897. Among these factors, pleural nodularity and pulmonary oligometastases had the highest odds ratios (8.78 and 16.35, respectively). Conclusion Our model could predict PD-L1 expression in patients with lung SCC, and pleural nodularity and pulmonary oligometastases were notable predictive CT features of PD-L1.

Purpose: To develop models to predict programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) using CT. Materials and Methods: A total of 97 patients diagnosed with SCC who underwent PD-L1 expression assay were included in this study. We performed a CT analysis of the tumors using pretreatment CT images. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed to predict PD-L1 positivity in the total patient group and in the 40 advanced-stage (≥ stage IIIB) patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated for each model. Results: For the total patient group, the AUC of the ‘total significant features model’ (tumor stage, tumor size, pleural nodularity, and lung metastasis) was 0.652, and that of the ‘selected feature model’ (pleural nodularity) was 0.556. For advanced-stage patients, the AUC of the ‘selected feature model’ (tumor size, pleural nodularity, pulmonary oligometastases, and absence of interstitial lung disease) was 0.897. Among these factors, pleural nodularity and pulmonary oligometastases had the highest odds ratios (8.78 and 16.35, respectively). Conclusion Our model could predict PD-L1 expression in patients with lung SCC, and pleural nodularity and pulmonary oligometastases were notable predictive CT features of PD-L1.

Purpose: To develop models to predict programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) using CT. Materials and Methods: A total of 97 patients diagnosed with SCC who underwent PD-L1 expression assay were included in this study. We performed a CT analysis of the tumors using pretreatment CT images. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed to predict PD-L1 positivity in the total patient group and in the 40 advanced-stage (≥ stage IIIB) patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated for each model. Results: For the total patient group, the AUC of the ‘total significant features model’ (tumor stage, tumor size, pleural nodularity, and lung metastasis) was 0.652, and that of the ‘selected feature model’ (pleural nodularity) was 0.556. For advanced-stage patients, the AUC of the ‘selected feature model’ (tumor size, pleural nodularity, pulmonary oligometastases, and absence of interstitial lung disease) was 0.897. Among these factors, pleural nodularity and pulmonary oligometastases had the highest odds ratios (8.78 and 16.35, respectively). Conclusion Our model could predict PD-L1 expression in patients with lung SCC, and pleural nodularity and pulmonary oligometastases were notable predictive CT features of PD-L1.

A 23 months-old girl visited the hospital because of fever and left neck mass. She was diagnosed as acute suppurative thyroiditis with piriform sinus fistula. Thyroid sonography showed perithyroidal abscess formation and thyroid scan showed decreased uptake of Tc-99m pertechnate of both thyroid glands. Magnetic resonance imaging of neck showed abscess cavity extending to the swollen left thyroid gland. And there was tiny fistula between thyroid and piriform sinus in the barium esophagogram. Streptococcus gordonii was isolated on needle aspiration culture. We report a case of piriform sinus fistula of the neck complicated with suppurative thyroiditis. The fistula was treated with chemocauterization using trichloroacetic acid.
Abscess ; Barium ; Female ; Fever ; Fistula* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neck ; Needles ; Pyriform Sinus* ; Streptococcus gordonii ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroiditis, Suppurative* ; Trichloroacetic Acid*

OBJECTIVES: Baso-apical gradients exist in various cochlear structures including medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent system. This study investigated the cochlear regional differentials in the function and morphology of the MOC system, and addressed the functional implications of regional MOC efferent terminals (ETs) in the mouse cochlea. METHODS: In CBA/J mice, MOC reflex (MOCR) was assessed based on the distortion product otoacoustic emission in the absence and presence of contralateral acoustic stimulation. High, middle, and low frequencies were grouped according to a mouse place-frequency map. Cochlear whole mounts were immunostained for ETs with anti-α-synuclein and examined using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The diameters of ETs and the number of ETs per outer hair cell were measured from the z-stack images of the basal, middle and apical regions, respectively. RESULTS: The middle cochlear region expressed large, clustered MOC ETs with strong MOCR, the base expressed small, less clustered ETs with strong MOCR, and the apex expressed large, but less clustered ETs with weak MOCR. CONCLUSION: The mouse cochlea demonstrated regional differentials in the function and morphology of the MOC system. Strong MOCR along with superior MOC morphology in the middle region may contribute to ‘signal detection in noise,’ the primary efferent function, in the best hearing frequencies. Strong MOCR in spite of inferior MOC morphology in the base may reflect the importance of ‘protection from noise trauma’ in the high frequencies.
Acoustic Stimulation ; Animals ; Cochlea* ; Hair ; Hearing ; Mice* ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Noise ; Reflex

Children with abnormal sex development may present with ambiguous genitalia in the newborn period or lacking of secondary sexual characteristics in puberty. Clinicians should make a prompt and accurate diagnosis and counsel parents on therapeutic options to minimize or avoid medical and psychological complications. 5alpha-reductase deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of sex development caused by a mutation of the 5alpha-reductase type 2 gene. As a result, there is an abnormality in conversion of testosterone (T) to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and children with 5alpha-reductase deficiency are born with ambiguous genitalia. Here, we report identical twins who presented with ambiguous genitalia with a 46,XY karyotype and were diagnosed as 5alpha-reductase deficiency.
Child ; Dihydrotestosterone ; Disorders of Sex Development ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Karyotype ; Parents ; Puberty ; Sexual Development ; Testosterone ; Twins, Monozygotic

Heterotopic pancreas can be defined as the occurrence of pancreatic tissue at aberrant anatomic sites that lack vascular, neural and anatomic community with the pancreas. A minority of heterotopic pancreas elicit clinical signs or symptoms that can vary according to its location and size, and the involvement of the overlying mucosa. We report here on a case of heterotopic pancreas that was removed by pancreatoduodenectomy under the erroneous diagnosis of distal common bile duct cancer.
Ampulla of Vater* ; Common Bile Duct* ; Diagnosis ; Jaundice ; Mucous Membrane ; Pancreas* ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to exam the effects of a short-term pulmonary program on lung function, exercise tolerance, and quality of life in chronic lung patients. METHOD: Randomized controlled pre-post test design was used. The outcome measures were forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1, % predicted), 6 min walking distance (6MWD), Borg score after 6MWD, and Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRDQ). Experimental group performed the 4-week home-based pulmonary rehabilitation program composed of inspiratory muscle training, upper and lower extremity exercise, relaxation, and telephone visit. Patients in control group were only given education about self-management strategies. Thirty four patients with moderate-to-severe respiratory impairment were recruited, and 28 patients (19 in experiments, 15 in control) completed the study. RESULT: Significant improvements in lung function, exercise tolerance, and health related quality of life were found only in the experiment group. CONCLUSION: This study yielded evidence for the potential and beneficial effects of home-based pulmonary rehabilitation program in patients with moderate to severe chronic lung disease. The program could be adequately utilized for improvement of health related quality of life in chronic lung patients.

Metastasis to the primary thyroid carcinoma is extremely rare. We report here a case of colonic adenocarcinoma metastasis to medullary thyroid carcinoma in a 53-yr old man with a history of colon cancer. He showed a nodular lesion, suggesting malignancy in the thyroid gland, in a follow-up examination after colon cancer surgery. Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of the thyroid gland showed tumor cell clusters, which was suspected to be medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). The patient underwent a total thyroidectomy. Using several specific immunohistochemical stains, the patient was diagnosed with colonic adenocarcinoma metastasis to MTC. To the best of our knowledge, the present patient is the first case of colonic adenocarcinoma metastasizing to MTC. Although tumor-tumor metastasis to primary thyroid carcinoma is very rare, we still should consider metastasis to the thyroid gland, when a patient with a history of other malignancy presents with a new thyroid finding.
Adenocarcinoma/pathology/surgery ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma, Medullary/diagnosis/radiography/*secondary ; Colonic Neoplasms/*pathology/surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Second Primary/*diagnosis ; Thyroid Gland/pathology ; Thyroid Neoplasms/diagnosis/radiography/*secondary ; Thyroid Nodule/diagnosis