OBJECTIVES: In the past, latent dreams were emphasized in the psychiatric field, but these days the interest in manifest dreams is increasing as ego psychology develops. Hall and Nordby proposed that there are similarities between manifest dreams and real life. The Hall/Van de Castle System is a method of dream content analysis, which considers both the quantitive and qualitive analytic aspects of manifest dreams. METHODS: The dreams of 232 males and females (M: F=127: 105; mean age=21.02.7) were collected through the Most Recent Dream Method. Collected data were analyzed using the Hall/Van de Castle System. RESULTS: Female subjects tended to be more detailed and meticulous in reporting their dreams. The dreams of male subjects showed a higher percentage in self-negativity (2=6.64, df=1, p=0.004), and the dreams of female subjects showed a higher percentage in group character (2=6.64, df=1, p=0.0099), dreamer-involved success (2=3.12, df=1, p=0.048), and good fortune (2=4.52, df=1, p=0.034). CONCLUSION: This study suggests the norm of dream content of Korean college students, and it presents the differences between Korean males and females, and between Korean college students and American college students. This study may contribute to further studies on dream content analysis.
Dreams* ; Ego ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Psychology

OBJECTIVES: It has been known that the contents of dreams change according to neuro-developmental differences in sex, progression of age and various environments, unlike the established psychoanalytic theory. To investigate the changes, we collected "most recent dream report" and analyzed the contents of dreams by using Hall/Van de Castle System. METHOD: Most recent dream reports were gathered from age 12-14 years old, 2,673 middle school students (1,544 male 1,129 female) and analyzed those reports using Hall/Van de Castle System. The data were sorted in SAS and dream SAT. RESULT: There were prominent differences between male and female middle school students in Male/Female Percentage (male/female; 56%/35%), Familiarity Percentage (57%/69%), Aggression/Friendliness Percentage (79%/65%), Befriender Percentage (50%/33%), Physical Aggression Percentage (90%/70%), Indoor Setting Percentage (40%/55%), Negative Emotion Percentage (56%/68%) and Torso/Anatomy Percentage (51%/36%). There were significant differences in Male/Female Percentage (65%/44%), Friendliness, Physical Aggression and Self Negativity Percentage in male and there were significant differences in Friendliness, Familiarity and Friends Percent in female between 1st and 2nd grade. But, it showed much similar dream patterns between 2nd and 3rd grade in both gender. In male, Aggression/Character Index with male character is significantly increased by 2nd grade (1st/ 2nd/ 3rd; 0.48/1.04/0.98), In female, Friendliness/Character Index with male character had significantly decreased by 2nd grade (0.38/0.19/0.20). CONCLUSION: There were apparent differences between age 12-14 years old male and female. Male adolescents have differences mostly in categories related with aggression, but female adolescents have differences in categories related with environment or character. It shows that developmental level of male are slower than female as of yet and male needs more active interpersonal relationship to find identity. Otherwise, the influences of passive attitude and actual circumferential environment are reflected in female's dream. There are no prominent differences among ages, but age 12-13 years old adolescents shows significant differences in interacting with the other gender. It means that circumferential environment and interpersonal relationship affect the contents of dreams and also the cognitive development related to age and sex. Afterwards, the development of dreams could be better understood through the neurocognitive study and dream analysis between other ages and nations.
Adolescent* ; Aggression ; Dreams* ; Female ; Friends ; Humans ; Male ; Psychoanalytic Theory ; Recognition (Psychology)

Purpose: p21 protein is an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases, which may be able to arrest the cell cycle at the G1 phase by inhibiting DNA replication through the interaction with proliferating cell nuclear antigen. From experimental studies, p21 has been considered a tumor suppressor gene. Herein, the effects of p21 on the development, stage, grade, recurrence, progression and patient's survival in human bladder cancers were evaluated. Materials and Methods: The mRNA expression levels of p21 were examined in 149 tumor specimens obtained from patients with primary bladder cancer and in 18 normal bladder mucosae using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: p21 was significantly expressed in human bladder tumor tissues at high levels (7.11+/-0.69pg/ml), but was not expressed in the normal bladder mucosae. Compared with invasive bladder cancer (5.03+/-0.95), the p21 expression levels were significantly enhanced in superficial bladder cancer (7.96+/-0.88pg/ml) (p=0.0250); whereas, the grade was not related to the expression of p21. The levels of p21 expression were enhanced in non-recurred (9.33+/-1.38) and non-progressed (8.13+/-0.86) compared with recurred (6.03+/-0.75) and progressed (3.67+/-0.52) patients (each p<0.05). The level of p21 expression was significantly correlated with the disease free survival in patients the bladder cancers. Conclusions: The enhanced expression of p21 is strongly associated with the development of bladder cancer. Moreover, increased expressions of p21 are also positively associated with the low rate of recurrence and progression of bladder cancer. Conversely, an enhanced expression of p21 provides a survival benefit for patients with bladder cancer. These results suggest that p21 might be useful as a marker in assessing tumor diagnosis, recurrence, progression and the survival in human bladder cancer patients.
Cell Cycle ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinases ; Diagnosis ; Disease-Free Survival ; DNA Replication ; G1 Phase ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Recurrence ; RNA, Messenger ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder*

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is the most common orthopedic hip disorder occuring in adolescence. In this condition, the femoral head (epiphysis) displaces, or slips on the femoral neck through the region of the growth plate. This condition can occur only before the epiphyseal plate closes. The exact etiology is unknown, although it has been associated with obesity, hanical abnormalities, physeal abnormalities, endocrine disturbances (hypothyroidism, growth hormone deficiency, hypogonadism). Interestingly, SCFE was observed in growth hormone deficiency and in patients treated with growth hormone. We report a case of an adolescent male with glycogen storage disease Ia and growth hormone deficiency who developed SCFE during treatment with recombinant human growth hormone. A 17-year-old male was admitted for pain of left hip which was exacerbated by walking 15 days ago. He was diagnosed glycogen storage disease Ia and growh hormone deficiency 2 years ago and treated growth hormone therapy with recombinant human growth hormone at the dose of 2 unit/day. The diagnosis of SCFE was confirmed radiologically. From the time of admission, he received skin traction on the left hip joint and stopped to inject growth hormone and treated surgically with internal fixation of the epiphysis with use of 3-cannulated screw. The patient is followed at out-patient clinic without postoperative complication.
Adolescent ; Diagnosis ; Epiphyses ; Femur Neck ; Glycogen Storage Disease ; Growth Hormone* ; Growth Plate ; Head ; Hip ; Hip Joint ; Human Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Male ; Obesity ; Orthopedics ; Outpatients ; Postoperative Complications ; Skin ; Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphyses* ; Traction ; Walking

We report an unusual case of osteoblastic metastasis from gastric carcinoma. In this case, bone metastasis was the initial manifestation of the cancer. The laboratory findings revealed mild hypocalcemia and markedly elevated alkaline phosphatase levels. Plain X-ray showed mottled osteoblastic changes in the pelvis. Bone marrow and bone biopsy of the pelvis revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma with increased osteoblastic activity. An extensive search for the primary site revealed advanced gastric carcinoma, which was confirmed by endoscopic biopsy.
Adenocarcinoma/diagnosis/*secondary ; Adult ; Bone Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/*secondary ; Case Report ; Female ; Human ; *Osteoblasts/radiography ; *Pelvis/radiography ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Stomach Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We report an unusual case of osteoblastic metastasis from gastric carcinoma. In this case, bone metastasis was the initial manifestation of the cancer. The laboratory findings revealed mild hypocalcemia and markedly elevated alkaline phosphatase levels. Plain X-ray showed mottled osteoblastic changes in the pelvis. Bone marrow and bone biopsy of the pelvis revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma with increased osteoblastic activity. An extensive search for the primary site revealed advanced gastric carcinoma, which was confirmed by endoscopic biopsy.
Adenocarcinoma/diagnosis/*secondary ; Adult ; Bone Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/*secondary ; Case Report ; Female ; Human ; *Osteoblasts/radiography ; *Pelvis/radiography ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Stomach Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Pineal germinomas are the most common intracranial germ cell tumor and occur in relatively young age, with 26% between 10 and 12, 65% between 10 and 21 and 95% before age 27. Patients with pineal germinoma present headache, lethargy, nausea, and vomiting which result from raised intracranial pressure and Parinaud's syndrome secondary to midbrain tectal compression, and rarely endocrine dysfunction such as diabetes insipidus (DI), panhypopituitarism, and precocious puberty. We experienced a case of pineal and suprasellar germinoma presenting with central diabetes insipidus and panhypopituitarism.
Diabetes Insipidus ; Diabetes Insipidus, Neurogenic ; Germinoma* ; Headache ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure ; Lethargy ; Mesencephalon ; Nausea ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; Ocular Motility Disorders ; Puberty, Precocious ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: The treatment of choice of gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors has been thought to be radical excision. However, surgical treatment has been substituted by endoscopic treatment in cases of small gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors. We evaluated the effectiveness of endoscopic treatment for gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records and endoscopic findings of 50 cases of gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors diagnosed in St. Mary's Hospital, Holy Family Hospital, and Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, all affiliated organizations of the Catholic University Medical Center of Korea, from January 2001 to December 2006. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 52.6+/-13.6 years-old. The mean tumor size was 10.1+/-5.6 mm. Thirty-eight cases were treated by endoscopy (mean tumor size: 8.6+/-4.5 mm), eleven cases were treated by surgery (mean tumor size: 13.5+/-6.1 mm), and one case with multiple metastases was untreatable by either endoscopy or surgery. Twenty five cases of endoscopic therapy were treated by endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection. Thirteen cases were resected by use of a conventional polypectomy. Two cases of the conventional polypectomy were resected incompletely, and were treated with an additional endoscopy. No cases of endoscopic treatment have recurred during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Recently, the incidence of carcinoid tumors is on the increase in the gastrointestinal tract, as determined by performing frequent endoscopic examinations in Korea. If the gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor is limited to the submucosal layer, endoscopic treatment could be sufficient as the primary treatment in selected patients with a tumor diameter of 10 mm or less in the duodenum and 15 mm or less in the stomach and rectum.
Academic Medical Centers ; Carcinoid Tumor* ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rectum ; Stomach

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Pneumatic dilation is the most effective non-surgical treatment option for the patients with achalasia. The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of outcome after pnematic dilation in patients with primary achalasia. METHODS: Thrity-five patients with primary achalasia between May 1996 and April 2001 were included. They were divided into two groups; responder and nonresponder. Esophageal manometry, scintigraphy and barium esophagogram was performed before dilation and 4 weeks after dilation. RESULTS: Seven patients having symptomatic relapse were treated with repeated pneumatic dilation. Remaining 28 patients (83%) had no recurrence during follow-up period (mean duration 16 month, range 6~43 month). Among the factors evaluated in the initial examination, only young age affected outcome (p=0.039). The post treatment retention fraction at 5, 20 minutes were the most valuable factors for predicting the clinical response (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Older patients are more likely to have sustained response. Radionuclide esophageal emptying test remains a useful objective study evaluating esophageal transit before and after pneumatic dilation in the patients with achalasia and may have an important role in the follow-up evaluation of treatment for achalasia.
Barium ; Esophageal Achalasia* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Manometry ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There is controversy about the prophylactic effect of anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) on graft versus host disease (GVHD) in the setting of matched related-donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). This study assessed the inf luences of ATG on the incidences of acute and chronic GVHD and other clinical outcomes in matched related-donor HSCT. METHODS: Sixty-one patients received allogeneic HSCT from human leukocyte antigen-matched, related donors. Patients received busulfan/fludarabine conditioning regimens and standard GVHD prophylaxis with or without additional ATG. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the cumulative incidences of overall acute GVHD, grade II to IV acute GVHD at day 100, and chronic GVHD during the follow-up period between the ATG and non-ATG groups. Three-year overall survival rates were very similar, but three year disease-free survival of the non-ATG group was higher than that of the ATG group (56.2% for ATG vs. 63.1% for non-ATG, p = 0.597). Relapse rate at 3 years in the ATG group was slightly higher than that of the non-ATG group (37.5% vs. 20%, p = 0.29). Non-relapse mortality rate at 3 years was lower in the ATG group (6.25% vs. 15.6%, p = 0.668). CONCLUSIONS: Although the addition of ATG doesn't guarantee a reduction in the incidences of acute and chronic GVHD, pre-transplantation ATG may result in lower non-relapse mortality in the context of matched related-donor HSCT with a busulfan/fludarabine conditioning regimen. However, caution is needed when using ATG because of a possibility to increase relapse rate.
Antilymphocyte Serum* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leukocytes ; Mortality ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate ; Tissue Donors*