OBJECTIVES: Some emotional components, such as self-esteem, depression and anxiety, have been reported to be associated with paranoia in non-clinical population and schizophrenia patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between self-esteem and paranoia in healthy controls, in ultra-high risk for psychosis and schizophrenia patients. METHODS: 34 subjects with recent onset schizophrenia, 36 subjects with ultra-high risk for psychosis, and 44 healthy volunteers participated in this study. A detailed assessment was made of the paranoia, self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. RESULTS: In all three groups, there were a negative correlation between paranoia and self-esteem, and positive correlations between paranoia and depression and anxiety. In healthy control, lower self-esteem showed a trend to predict higher paranoia, and in ultra-high risk for psychosis, this trend tern on statistically significant level, and in recent onset schizophrenia group, this correlation was disappeared. CONCLUSION: The individual who have lower self-esteem showed higher paranoia tendency under delusional level, but after formation of persecutory delusion, the tendency was disappeared. This result supports the hypothesis that persecutory delusions are a defense against negative affective process.
Animals ; Anxiety ; Charadriiformes ; Delusions ; Depression ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Paranoid Disorders* ; Psychotic Disorders* ; Schizophrenia*

No abstract available.
Bone Diseases* ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Humans ; Low Back Pain* ; Spine* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

No abstract available.
Chondrosarcoma*

No abstract available.
Thoracic Wall* ; Thorax*

BACKGROUND: Oxygen free radicals have been implicated as a cause of deleterious effects in the setting of coronary reperfusion, and they are believed to be generated by the xanthine oxidase system, from activated neutrophiles and from mitochondria. We evaluate the contribution of mitochondria to the production of oxygen free radicals and clarify the mechanism of cellular damage in ischemic reperfused hearts. METHODS: Mitochondria isolated from the ischemic rabbit hearts were incubated in the reaction conditions with different oxygen tensions. Generation of superoxide anion and activities of defensive enzymes aginst oxidative stress were mesured. RESULTS: Superoxide anion genertion by mitochondria incubated in 21% oxygen condition were 0.54+/-0.09 and 0.27+/-0.04(O2./min/mg protein) in ischemic mitochondria and in control respectively(P<0.05). Activites of defensive enzymes against oxidative stress, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, were significantly reduced in mitochondria isolated from either ischemic or reperfused hearts. With the lapse of respiration in 21% oxygen condition, ADP-stimulated state 3 oxygen consumption(306.4+/-31.5 vs 214.4+/-11.4n atoms O/min/mg protein) at 30 minutes, P : O ratio and phosphorylation rate were significantly decreased in ischemic mitochondria. CONCLUSION: Elevation of oxygen free radical generation as well as the reduction of defensive enzyme activities in ischemic reperfused mitochondria are injurious to mitochondrial respiratory function. It may contribute to the mechanism of cellular damage in ischemic reperfused hearts.
Free Radicals ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Heart* ; Mitochondria* ; Myocardial Reperfusion ; Neutrophils ; Oxidative Stress ; Oxygen ; Phosphorylation ; Respiration ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Superoxides* ; Xanthine Oxidase

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most frequent nosocomial infections and are frequently associated with indwelling urinary catheters. It is known that adherence to standard infection control measures for urinary catheters can reduce UTIs in hospitals. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of education in reducing catheter-related UTIs (CR-UTIs) in intensive care units (ICUs) of a university hospital. METHODS: CR-UTIs were prospectively monitored for all patients with indwelling urinary catheters in ICUs from July 2006 through December 2007. Recommendations based on previously known guidelines for catheter insertion, catheter management, and specimen collection to prevent CR-UTIs were formulated and educated in March 2007. Knowledge and adherence level were evaluated before and after educating healthcare workers about the recommendations using questionnaire. Changes in knowledge and adherence level before and after education were compared by Chi-square test. Changes in the rate of CR-UTIs and urinary catheter utilization ratios were also analyzed by Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: After education, knowledge level of and adherence level to most of the recommendations were improved significantly. The rate of CR-UTIs significantly decreased by 48% from 7.43/1,000 catheter-days before intervention to 3.87/1,000 catheter-days after intervention (P=0.02). CONCLUSION: Surveillance for nosocomial infections and education for standard infection control measures are very important in preventing CR-UTIs in ICUs.
Catheters ; Cross Infection ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Prospective Studies ; Specimen Handling ; Urinary Catheterization ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Tract ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Listeria* ; Meningitis, Listeria* ; Transplantation*

BACKGROUND: Diabetic ketoacidosis(DKA) is serious acute metabolic complication and the most important cause of high morbidity and mortality of diabetes. The object of this study is to examine the clinical characteristics of patients with DKA who had a prior history of diabetes or not. METHOD: Authors reviewed retrospectively the medical records of 49 cases adimitted to Kyungpook National University Hospital from January 1991 to June 1997 with a diagnosis of DKA and classified cases as type I, type II and newly diagnosed diabetics according to prior history of diabetes. RESULTS: 1. Of 49 cases of DKA, 24(49%) were classified as type I, 17(35%) as type II from data available in the medical records, and 8(16%) had DKA as the initial manifestation of the disease. 2. The male to female ratio was 0.5 : 1 in type I, 1.1 : 1 in type II and 1.7 : 1 in newly diagnosed diabetics, and the mean age was 24.4 in type I, 57.9 in type II and 23.9 years old in newly diagnosed diabetics. 3. The mean duration between initial diagnosis of diabetes and the occurrence of DKA was 2.6 in type I and 6.9 years in type II diabetes. The occurrence of DKA within 2 years of initial diagnosis of diabetes was 54% in type I and 18% in type II diabetes, but the occurrence of DKA after 5 years of initial diagnosis of diabetes was 17% in type I and 47% in type II diabetes. 4. The precipitating factors of DKA were identified in 88% in type I, 76% in type II and 38% in newly diagnosed diabetics, and the most common precipitating factor was omission of treatment in both type I and type II(type I: 56%, type II: 35%). 5. The altered mental status was correlated with increased osmolality (p<0.05), but not with other laboratory values such as pH, bicabonate, glucose, anion gap and dehydration status(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: It is necessary to conduct early aggressive evaluation for early diagnosis and proper treatment of DKA, because DKA occurs in patients with prior history of type II diabetes and without prior diabetic history as well as patients with prior history of type I diabetes.
Acid-Base Equilibrium ; Dehydration ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Glucose ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Male ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Osmolar Concentration ; Precipitating Factors ; Retrospective Studies

The widely prevailing Millard's rotation-advancement flap method is characterizes with the upper lip scar on a philtral column and that it is less conspicuous than LeMesurier's or Tennison's metheds. Nowadays, straight line closure methods are employed together with the Millard's. However there are still some problems which are a straight line closure that goes against the principle of plastic surgery, a noticeable scar, tenting of the peak of Cupid's bow, a short lip tendency, and depression of the lip when the muscle contracts. In this respect, we designed two or three small trapezoid skin flaps on the cleft side and the same number of releasing incision lines on the non-cleft side and then let them interdigitate one another. We called it dovetail cheiloplasty. The muscle work was done by suturing one third of the cleft side muscle to the dissected dermis of the non-cleft side skin flap just under the philtral dimple. Our patients had a primary incomplete, a microform type cleft lip or a secondary cleft lip deformity. The result of employing this method showed an inconspicuous scar, a shorter lip, and a natural formation of the philtrum. We believe this method induces the improvement of straight line closure with respect to the quality of scars and the morphology of an upper lip.
Cicatrix ; Cleft Lip ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Depression ; Dermis ; Humans ; Linear Energy Transfer ; Lip ; Microfilming ; Skin ; Surgery, Plastic

Fungal infection has been observed with increasing frequency in recent years because the use of combinations of broad spectrum antibiotics, immunosuppressive agents, and antineoplastic agents is increasing and the survival rate of premature baby is increasing. We experienced a 3 month old male infant with anuria due to bilateral ureteropelvic fungus balls. He was born at 31 weeks gestation period and had been treated with broad spectrum antibiotics for 5 weeks after birth. We removed fungus balls surgically and made nephrostomy bilaterally. And then irrigation of amphotericn B through nephrostomy and systemic amphotercin B injection had performed for 3 weeks. Thereafter fungus balls completely disappeared.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Antineoplastic Agents ; Anuria* ; Fungi* ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Infant* ; Male ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Survival Rate