BACKGROUND: Recently in Korea, the rate of addictive drug abuse is rapidly increasing in men on salary, housewives, and even in adolescents, who have been considered to be free from drugs, which presents a serious problem to the society. Especially, the habituation to gateway drug, such as cigarettes and alcohol, before 15 years old, would lead to the increased possibility of other drug abuse, including illicit drugs. Thereupon in this study, we intended toreview the effect of adolescents smoking an the drug abuse and deviated behaviors. METHODS: On September, 1997, randomly selected were 12 classes, an the basis of 2 classes per grade, from the two schools which was located each in Seoul and Buchean. And survey was dane on 610 students with non non-nominl, self-reported questionnaire. RESULTS: The rate of adolescent smoking was 28.1% in male students and had increasing tendency of "the higher the grades, the higher the smoking rate"(17.0% in the 1st gade, 31.5% in the 2nd grade, 35.9% in the 3rd grade). The smoking rate of female students was 12.3%. From the 2nd grade of middle school to the 2nd grade of high school was the critical period when the smoking habit was initiated in almost 90% of the students. The experiencing rates of drug abuse in studied subjects were as follows : drinking(79.0%), stimulants(4.8%), sedatives(4.1%), hypnotics(3.1%), glue sniffing(1.5%), butane gas(0.7%), marijuana/hemp(0.2%). They were higher in the smoking group than in the nansMoking group, showing statistical significances in most items except hypnotics and marijuana/hemp. Also simihr results were shown in deviated behaviors between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: With the concerted efforts of family, school, society and natian, we as family physicians should make efforts to delay and prevent adolescent's smoking, which is a gateway to drug abuse and deviated behaviors, and to increase people's recognition of health risks caused by smoking, and to provide proper program for adolescents to stop smoking.
Adhesives ; Adolescent ; Critical Period (Psychology) ; Female ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Korea ; Male ; Physicians, Family ; Salaries and Fringe Benefits ; Seoul ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Street Drugs ; Substance-Related Disorders* ; Tobacco Products ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a distinct clinicopathologic entity that has only recently been described. This aggressive malignant small cell neoplasm tends to occur in adolescents and young adults, who may present with vague abdominal discomfort or distention. We report a case of DSRCT in a 13 year-old girl who presented with intermittent abdominal pain and bulky intra-abdominal mass, accompanied by an increased serum level of a tumor marker CA125. Clinical, pathological, immunohistochemical and radiologic features were compatible with DSRCT. She is under aggressive combination chemotherapy after surgical resection.
Abdominal Pain ; Adolescent ; Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor* ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The information in the internet is increasing and the number of people using the Internet to obtain medical information is increasing rapidly too. But, compared to the amount of information, the quality of information is extremely variable. To assess the accuracy of medical information on the Internet, the quality of information about food allergies available on the internet examined. METHODS: Online searches using the phrase "food allergy" were conducted on five major Internet search engines. The first 50 web pages generated by each engine were examined. Making an exception of the web pages which were inaccessible, irrelevant, and duplicated, sixty out of two hundred and fifty web pages were evaluated. Information scores were developed from 1(no statement) to 4 (sufficient) and designed to assess how well the web pages mentioned the summary, symptom, diagnosis, treatment, and education of the patients, and emergent management. RESULTS: When classified by ownership, there were six(10%) oriental clinics, twelve(20%) hospitals, twenty one(35%) profit-making institutions, fourteen(23%) non-profit institutions and seven others (12%). The mean information score(IS) was 10.7. Summary got the highest IS(2.25) and the education for patients and supporters got the lowest IS(1.33). Medical institutions such as hospital and clinic got 12.33 and non-medical institutions got 10.25. But there were no statistically significant differences between these two institutions(P=0.107). CONCLUSION: Overall, the quality of information on food allergy through the Internet was poor. The main reasons are unlimited listings of related information on the Internet and an absence of a reviewing process of the information. Therefore, people should not entirely rely on the Internet for medical information and medical-related institutions such as hospitals, schools, clinics and relevant academic associations should develop an Internet system to improve the quality of information.
Diagnosis ; Education ; Food Hypersensitivity* ; Humans ; Internet* ; Ownership ; Search Engine

BACKGROUND: One of the most frequent cytogenetic abnormality in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is t(8;21) (q22;q22), with rearrangement of the AML1 gene on chromosome 21q22 and the ETO gene on chromosome 8q22. In adult AML1/ETO-associated leukemia patients, chemotherapy alone results in cure rates that are comparable to or better than those achieved with allogenic bone marrow transplantation. Despite the relatively good prognosis of AML1/ETO fusion transcript, relapse of leukemia remains the most common cause of treatment failure. Monitoring minimal residual disease (MRD) in leukemia has two main aims : to assess the effectiveness of treatment and to detect early signs of relapse. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)- based methods is the rapid and sensitive method in the identification of this molecular abnormality. The purpose of this study is to ensure the usefulness of the RT-PCR technique for detecting MRD in AML1/ETO-associated leukemia patients in remission and to establish the correlation of the serial detection of AML1/ETO fusion transcripts after complete remission and long-term outcome. METHODS: From the bone marrow aspirates of 25 AML1/ETO positive AML patients, serial detection of AML1/ETO fusion trascripts was performed using RT-PCR. RESULTS: AML1/ETO fusion transcripts were positive in 14 cases who did not show t(8;21). In serial assay, AML1/ETO fusion transcripts was positive in 9 cases and negative in 13 cases at 10 weeks after complete remission. AML1/ETO fusion transcripts (+) group has 107.4+/-18.2 months suvival and AML1/ETO fusion transcripts (-) group has 47.3+/-18.0 months survival. However, there is no significance (P=0.11). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the early negative conversion of AML1/ETO fusion transcript may be the good prognostic predictor. The RT-PCR technique is useful for detecting minimal residual disease in leukemia patients in remission and it may improve the therapeutic strategy for leukemia.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Bone Marrow Transplantation

OBJECTIVES: Quality of life (QoL) was a important factor of treatment outcome in alcoholics. This study was to examine the relationship between family support and quality of life among alcoholics, to explore the moderating effect of abstinence self-efficacy on those relationship and to suggest practical implications for intervention services. METHODS: Data for this study were collected through the use of a survey instrument completed by 771 alcohol dependent admitted to inpatient treatment from 20 psychiatric hospital. Subjects were screened using the Family support, Drug Taking Confidence Questionnaire-8, World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument. Collected data were analysed by moderated multiple regression and simple slope analysis. RESULTS: Family support was directly associated with QoL. Also the abstinence self-efficacy had moderating effects on relationship between family support and QoL. Simple slope analysis showed that the effects of family support on QoL were significant at low and high levels of abstinence self-efficacy and especially the effects of family support on QoL were more higher at the high levels of abstinence self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: This findings suggest that abstinence self-efficacy is an important factor to QoL among alcohol dependents. Increasing self-efficacy, family support will be improve the QoL and recovering process. Based on these findings suggest practical intervention.
Alcoholics ; Alcoholism ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Quality of Life ; Treatment Outcome ; World Health Organization

PURPOSE: Nonfunctioning endocrine tumors of the pancreas have no specific symptoms. Therefore, diagnosis is usually delayed and the malignancy rate at the time of diagnosis is reported to be higher than 50%. However, it is difficult to discriminate malignant from benign nonfunctioning endocrine tumors preoperatively. The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical characteristics of nonfunctioning endocrine tumors of the pancreas, including predictive factors of malignancy and prognostic factors affecting long-term survival. METHODS: Between 1992 and 2010, clinicopathological data of 53 patients with nonfunctioning endocrine tumors proven by surgical pathology were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of the 53 patients, mean age was 54 years-old and the male to female ratio was 1:1.2 Median follow up was 32.1 months. At the time of diagnosis, liver metastasis was detected in 4 patients. Curative resection was achieved in 49 patients, and 17% of them had recurrence, which was most common in liver. The overall 5-year survival rate was 85.1%. Both the WHO classification (p<0.001) and AJCC staging (p<0.001) correlated well with long-term survival. Univariate analysis revealed preoperative body weight loss (p<0.001), weak enhancement at the early arterial phase (p=0.043), lymph node metastasis (p<0.001), liver metastasis (p=0.001), perineural invasion (p=0.001), or lymphovascular invasion (p=0.010) as prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: Nonfunctioning endocrine tumor of the pancreas has favorable survival outcomes. Lymph node metastasis (p<0.001), liver metastasis (p=0.001), perineural invasion (p=0.001), and lymphovascular invasion (p=0.010) are poor prognostic factors.
Body Weight ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; Pancreas ; Pathology, Surgical ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: Mycoplasmal pneumonia is one of the most common respiratory diseases in childhood, and is increasing in frequency. We reviewed several aspects of Mycoplasmal pneumonia for applying treatment. METHODS: We reviewed clinical and radiological features of 79 cases of serologically proven Mycoplasmal pneumonia in admitted children between January and December 2003. RESULTS: The mean age was 4 years 2 months and the sex ratio was 1: 1.25 in the male to female ratio. The peak incidence of monthly distribution was September. On the chest x-ray examination, bronchopneumonia was the most common type and the right lower lobe (RLL) was the most common unilateral involvement in lobar consolidation. Leukocytosis, positive CRP and positive ESR were common findings in Mycoplasma pneumonia. CONCLUSION: In this study, peak incidence of monthly distribution did not conflict with previous reports but peak incidence of age in Mycoplasmal pneumonia was lower than in those reports. More studies are needed to prove changes of previous manifestations in Mycoplasmal pneumonia.
Bronchopneumonia ; Child* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; Sex Ratio ; Thorax

PURPOSE: The aim of this animal study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of a portable, ultrasonography-guided, high-intensity focused ultrasound (USg-HIFU) system to treat the pancreas. METHODS: Eight swine were included. Using a portable HIFU device (ALPIUS 900, Alpinion Medical Systems), ablations were performed on the pancreas in vivo. Different acoustic intensities were applied (1.7 kW/cm2 or 1.5 kW/cm2, n=2 [group A for a pilot study]; 1.5 kW/ cm2, n=3 [group B]; and 1.2 kW/cm2, n=3 [group C]). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed immediately (group A) or 7 days (groups B and C) after HIFU treatment. In groups B and C, serum amylase and lipase levels were measured on days 0 and 7, and performance status was observed every day. Necropsy was performed on days 0 (group A) or 7 (groups B and C) to assess the presence of unintended injuries and to obtain pancreatic and peripancreatic tissue for histological analysis. RESULTS: Ablation was noted in the pancreas in all swine on MRI, and all pathologic specimens showed coagulation necrosis in the treated area. The mean ablation areas on MRI were 85.3±38.1 mm2, 90.7±21.2 mm2, and 54.4±30.6 mm2 in groups A, B, and C, respectively (P>0.05). No animals showed evidence of complications, except for one case of a pseudocyst in group B. CONCLUSION: This study showed that pancreas ablation using a portable USg-HIFU system may be safe and feasible, and that coagulation necrosis of the pancreas was successfully achieved with a range of acoustic intensities.
Acoustics ; Amylases ; Animal Experimentation ; Animals ; Lipase ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Necrosis ; Pancreas* ; Swine* ; Ultrasonography*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the knowledge level and assessment experience of nurses in regards to delirium, and to utilize the study results as baseline data for planning delirium education programs for nurses. METHODS: Subjects were 465 nurses who were working in a general hospital. A 'delirium related knowledge and assessment experience' questionnaire was used to collect data. RESULTS: Knowledge levels regarding delirium averaged 70 out of 100, and at each domain, they scored 87 for etiology of delirium, 62 for symptoms, and 69 for nursing management. The knowledge level of delirium was significantly different according to educational level (F=3.851, p=.022), past education related to geriatrics(t=2.471, p=.014), and awareness of need for in-service education on geriatric nursing(F=2.663, p=.032). About 85% of nurses had past experience of dealing with delirious patients and only 7.7% of nurses used delirious state assessment tools. CONCLUSION: According to the above results, it is necessary, not only to provide delirium related educational programs for nurses, but also to emphasize the usefulness of applying the assessment tool.
Delirium* ; Education ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Nursing ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: Ego-integrity in Erikson's stage theory is used frequently among health team members related to the care of the elderly and has specific meanings within the context of quality of life in later life. However, the concept of ego-integrity in the elderly has not been well articulated in the literature. This study was conducted clarify and conceptualize the phenomena of ego-integrity in the elderly. METHOD: A Hybrid Model of concept development was applied to develop a concept of ego-integrity, which included a field study carried out in Seoul, South Korea using in-depth interviews with old adults who were admitted as a right person for research subject according to attributes of ego-integrity analysed in the theoretical phase. RESULTS: The concept of ego-integrity emerged as a complex phenomenon having meanings in several different dimensions which encompassed several attributes. CONCLUSIONS: Ego-integrity is a concept having needs that should be treated in a specific way and it is possible to enrich the meaning and methods to manage ego-integrity in nursing interventions for promoting quality of life so that its application may have effects that have positive impacts on the elderly's well being.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Aged/*psychology ; Aging/psychology ; *Ego ; Female ; Geriatric Nursing ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Superego