Idiopathic small bowel ulceration occurring beyond the duodenum is rare, and less than 5% of all the reported cases have occurred in children. In most of the cases, single ulcer of unknown cause is observed in jejunum or ileum. The diagnosis is difficult and usually made at the time of surgical exploration for the complications, such as perforation, hemorrhage or obstruction. We experienced a case of perforation of idiopathic ileal ulceration due to blunt abdominal trauma in a 11-year-old boy. The ileal segment including the lesion was resected and the pathologic findings were compatible with idiopathic small bowel ulceration. The clinical and pathological aspects are discussed, and the literatures were reviewed.
Child* ; Diagnosis ; Duodenum ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Ileum ; Jejunum ; Male ; Ulcer*

OBJECTIVES: To evaluated the relation of familial history of alcoholism and plasma level of beta-endorphin, ethanol, beta-endorphin, cortisol and blood glucose were compared in 48 male alcoholics and 29 normal controls. METHODS: Subjects are divided into two groups by family history of alcoholism. Blood samples were obtained before and after 0.75mg/kg of ethanol consumption a 7th admission day. RESULTS: 1) The ratio of family history positive to negative of the patient group was 2 to 1. 2) The age at admission of positive family history group was younger than negative groups. 3) There was no significant difference in change of plasma ethanol level among three groups. 4) There was no significant difference in change of plasma beta-endorphin level among three group. 5) There was no significant difference in change of plasma cortisol level among three groups. 6) There was no significant difference in change of fasting blood sugar level between two patients groups.
Alcoholics ; Alcoholism* ; beta-Endorphin* ; Blood Glucose ; Ethanol ; Fasting ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Male ; Plasma

OBJECTIVE: Asymmetries in evoked potential P300 topography of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are still controversial. The purpose of this study was to examine the difference in P300 topography between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. METHOD: P300 was recorded from 16 schizophrenic, 15 bipolar manic, and 16 control subjects. All were right-handed. Subjects silently counted target stimuli(2.0kHz) among trains of standard stimuli(1.0 kHz). Averages were constructed from brain responses to target stimuli. RESULTS: 1) Schizophrenics displayed significantly smaller peak amplitude of P300 over Cz, Pz, T3 than controls. 2) Schizophrenics displayed significantly smaller peak amplitude of P300 over T3 than bipolar manics. 3) Schizophrenics displayed significantly smaller peak amplitude of P300 over T3 than their T4. 4) Schizophrenics displayed significantly delayed latency of P300 over T3 than bipolar manics. 5) Schizophrenics displayed significantly delayed latency of P300 over T3 than their T4. CONCLUSION: Left-sided P300 abnormality, especially left superior temporal gyrus, in schizophrenics, relative to bipolar manics and controls suggests that psychophysiological cause of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is different and P300 asymmetry is specific to the psychophysiological cause of schizophrenia.
Bipolar Disorder* ; Brain ; Evoked Potentials ; Schizophrenia*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the level of distress and quality of life (QoL) in esophageal cancer patients, and to identify the factors influencing QoL METHODS: A sample of 103 patients who have esophageal cancer were included in a descriptive study. The instruments used were the Distress Thermometer and Problem List, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) version 4. RESULTS: The mean distress score of the subjects was 4.06±2.04 out of 10. The total mean score of quality of life was 66.39±12.86 out of 108, the highest category was physical well-being with a mean item score of 21.78±5.51, the lowest was emotional well-being with a mean item score of 14.69±3.68. The levels of distress and QoL were negatively correlated (r=−.61, p<.001). Stepwise regression analysis revealed that the QoL of the patients was explained by type of treatment and distress. These variables explained 35% of the variance in QoL. CONCLUSION: The QoL of patients with esophageal cancer was relatively low, and the type of treatment and distress was the most important factor affecting quality of life. Thus, to improve the QoL of patients with esophageal cancer, it is important to assess their distress and to provide appropriate interventions.
Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Quality of Life* ; Thermometers

PSTT has been established as a separate entity distinct from choriocarcinoma since 1983, because of its different morphological features, biologic behavior and response to chemotherapy. Most cases of PSTT have indolent clinical courses, but there have been several reports showing malignant behavior resulted in death of the patient. We report a case of PSTT showing vaginal metastatis. In biopsy specimen, it was difficult to make differential diagnosis from squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix due to uniform and mononuclear cytologic characteristics. Immunohistochemical stains for hPL and hCG were not typical for either PSTT or choriocarcinoma. We suggest that poorly differentiated PSTT may synthesize the lesser amount of hPL than typical PSTT and it may behave more aggressively.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Biopsy

In the field of psychiatry, studies on circadian rhythms are increasing. This research trend is based on the emerging evidence on the relationship between circadian rhythm and pathophysiology and prognosis of psychiatric disorders.As performing the research on this area, the difficulty in analyzing large amount of data that are sequentially collected according to time change exists. In order to properly analyze the data in research on the circadian rhythm, it is necessary to effectively apply analysis methods of time series data. Therefore, this review aimed to summarize the analysis methods of circadian rhythms that show time series data. Understanding the analysis method of circadian rhythm will be useful for utilizing clinical data in the form of a time series data in the smart medical field in the future.

The circadian rhythms have been gradually important in psychiatric field. Several studies have shown that major psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and dementia, were highly associated with the abnormalities of circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms might have an influence on the pathogenesis and prognosis of psychiatric disorders. Understanding the impact of circadian rhythms on psychiatric disorders became crucial to psychiatrists. Therefore, this review investigated the types of the circadian rhythms to be used in psychiatric field. The measurement of circadian rhythms were performed by several ways, such as sleep diary, self-reported scales, heart rate, heart rate variability, polysomnography, electroencephalography, actigraphy, melatonin, cortisol. Using these data related to circadian rhythms might be utilized to evaluate the relevance of the pathogenesis in psychiatric disorders and predict the treatment response and prognosis of illness. Furthermore, if the real-time monitoring of circadian rhythms is possible, the novel diagnostic and therapeutic model using circadian rhythms could be applied in psychiatric area.

No abstract available.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic*

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the status of infection control during influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted in November 2009 at the 100 hospitals designated by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) as influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009-treatment institutions. RESULTS: In 32.3% of the hospitals, the ventilation system of the influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009 isolation ward was separated from the hospital's ventilation system. With regard to wearing personal protective equipment while caring for patients with H1N1 infection, during usual patient contact, masks were always worn by all medical staff at all the hospitals; however, medical staff at 38.7% and 51.6% of the hospitals did not wear gloves and gowns, respectively. During aerosol-generating procedures, some medical staff wore surgical masks, whereas medical staff at 10% and 23.3% of the hospitals did not wear gowns and protective goggles, respectively. In all, 64.5% of the hospitals responded that the contents of the guidelines established by the KCDC were insufficient for reference purposes in actual practice. CONCLUSION: Some of influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009-treatment institutions are believed to be inadequate in facilities, infection control during patient treatment, and administrative measures among their efforts to prevent transmission in hospital. In preparation against the outbreak of similar diseases in the future, the government needs to establish guidelines highly applicable by medical staff, to secure exclusive spaces and personnel for treating infectious disease patients, and to develop personal protective gear support and management systems.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Communicable Diseases ; Delivery of Health Care ; Eye Protective Devices ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Influenza, Human ; Korea ; Masks ; Medical Staff ; Pandemics ; Ventilation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to compare the effect between wet gauze with cold normal saline and wet gauze with cold water on thirst, oral cavity condition, and saliva pH among postoperative patients. METHODS: This study was a quasi-experimental study with 56 participants. The experimental group received wet gauze with cold normal saline, and control group received wet gauze with cold water for three times at 15 minute intervals. Data were collected using visual analog scale for thirst, oral assessment guide for oral cavity condition and acidity tape for saliva pH. Measurement were made before applying the gauze and at 15min, 30min, and 45min after applying gauze. Data were analyzed using repeated measured ANOVA. RESULTS: Thirst, oral cavity condition, and saliva pH improved in both groups with increasing number of gauze application. Thirst for the experimental group improved more than for the control group (F=4.29, p=.009), oral cavity condition except saliva, and saliva pH were not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSION: This study results indicated that nurses can apply wet gauze with cold normal saline to reduce thirst and saliva acidity, and to improve the oral cavity condition for postoperative patients.
Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration* ; Mouth* ; Saliva* ; Sodium Chloride ; Thirst* ; Visual Analog Scale ; Water* ; Xerostomia