The most common cause of small bowel obstruction is postoperative adhesion, and besides a hernia, metastatic or primary cancer and small bowel tumors are possible causes. Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome is a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal obstruction and is associated with debilitating conditions with marked weight loss. SMA syndrome results from the compression of the third part of the duodenum due to the narrowing of the aortomesenteric angle. We report a 28-year-old woman with SMA syndrome after acute gastroenteritis. Her stomach was severely dilated due to the duodenal obstruction and computed tomography showed the compression of the third portion of the duodenum by SMA. She was conservatively cared for and thus favorably improved.
Adult ; Duodenal Obstruction ; Duodenum ; Female ; Gastroenteritis ; Hernia ; Humans ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Stomach ; Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome ; Weight Loss

Genes of cancer-associated testis antigens (CTAs) are expressed in various cancer tissues. In order to use CTAs as cancer diagnosis marker, we developed molecular method for detection of CTAs transcripts in tissue. In order to know the applicability of DNA of cancer-associated testis antigens (CTAs) on cancer diagnosis, molecular diagnostic methods for detection of gene expression of melanoma antigen gene (MAGE), GAGE, and B melanoma antigen (BAGE) was studied. After comparing DNA sequences of CTAs, S1/AS1 and S2/AS2, GAGE-S/ GAGE-AS, and BAGE-S/BAGE-AS primers were designed for the detection of MAGEs, GAGEs and BAGEs, respectively. The gene expression of CTAs in cancer cell lines, head and neck cancer tissues, ovary cancer tissue, and peritoneal cells of gastric cancer patients were investigated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using these primers. The MAGEs, GAGEs and BAGE genes were expressed in 8/8 (100%), 5/8 (62.5%) and 1/8 (12.5%) of head and neck cancer tissues, respectively. The gene expression of MAGEs were also detected in 8/10 (80%) of ovary cancer tissues and in 9/10 (90%) of peritoneal cells of gastric cancer patients in RT-PCR test using S1/AS1 primers. The results of this study suggest that molecular diagnosis method using CTAs genes, especially RT-PCR using S1/AS1 primer combination, is useful for diagnosis of cancer and it will be used for the prediction of cancer progression or regression and metastasis in future.
Base Sequence ; Cell Line ; Diagnosis* ; DNA ; Gene Expression ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Melanoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Pathology, Molecular ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Testis*

Periodontal disease is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases in the oral cavity, and this is the leading cause of loss of teeth. Studies on the association between diet and periodontal diseases are very limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between food and nutrient intakes and the prevalence of periodontitis. Subjects were 13,391 adults participating in the 2008-2010 Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Periodontitis was diagnosed by dentists using the Community Periodontal Index. Nutrient intakes were estimated by the 24-hour dietary recall. Consumption frequencies of foods were from the food frequency questionnaire. Subjects were categorized into 'smoking' or 'non-smoking' groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the association between diet and periodontitis. The proportions of subjects having periodontitis were 26% in the non-smoking group and 37.5% in the smoking group. In the non-smoking group, intakes of fruits, dairy products, green tea, energy and vitamin C were inversely associated with the prevalence of periodontitis, but fish and coffee intakes were positively associated with the prevalence of periodontitis after adjusting for covariates. In the smoking group, protein and retinol intakes were inversely associated with the prevalence of periodontitis after adjusting for covariates. These results suggest that certain food and nutrient intakes such as fruits, dairy products, green tea, vitamin C, protein, or retinol intakes may affect the prevalence of periodontitis among Korean adults. Further studies are required to confirm these findings in other research settings.
Adult* ; Ascorbic Acid ; Coffee ; Dairy Products ; Dentists ; Diet ; Fruit ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mouth ; Periodontal Diseases ; Periodontal Index ; Periodontitis* ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Tea ; Tooth ; Vitamin A

Purpose: This study aimed to provide foundational data to enhance integrated interventions by gaining an in-depth understanding of the perceptions of patients experiencing both mental illness and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), which carry a high risk of comorbidity and potential mutual exacerbation. Methods: Data were collected from a large online mental health community in South Korea, active among individuals with mental illness and their families (as of October 21, 2024: 113,060 members and 368,352 posts). Posts containing the keywords ‘pee’ or ‘urine’ (a total of 986 posts) were analyzed including their titles, content, and categories. Analyses included word cloud, latent Dirichlet allocation topic modeling, category frequency analysis, and qualitative analysis. Results: The findings indicate that among individuals with mental illness, LUTS are perceived as side effects of psychiatric medications and regarded as inevitable. Many patients attempted self-regulation or discontinuation of medication instead of seeking urological treatment, but these attempts often led to failure. The study revealed that participants used the community to explore the relationship between LUTS and mental illness. LUTS had negative impacts on family and social life, and urinary incontinence exacerbated emotional distress such as self-blame and despair. Conclusions Patients with mental illness experiencing LUTS often engage in self-regulation or discontinuation of medication. It underscores the need for accurate information and warnings about risks. As these patients endure discomfort and frustration in daily life, symptom deterioration is likely and necessitates proactive urological intervention to improve their quality of life. This study enhances understanding of the impact of co-occurring mental illness and LUTS and highlights the need for proper information and guidance. However, it has limitations including reliance on self-reported data and limited sample representativeness. Future research can address these issues by linking medical diagnoses with objective data and expanding the sample size.

Purpose: This study aimed to provide foundational data to enhance integrated interventions by gaining an in-depth understanding of the perceptions of patients experiencing both mental illness and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), which carry a high risk of comorbidity and potential mutual exacerbation. Methods: Data were collected from a large online mental health community in South Korea, active among individuals with mental illness and their families (as of October 21, 2024: 113,060 members and 368,352 posts). Posts containing the keywords ‘pee’ or ‘urine’ (a total of 986 posts) were analyzed including their titles, content, and categories. Analyses included word cloud, latent Dirichlet allocation topic modeling, category frequency analysis, and qualitative analysis. Results: The findings indicate that among individuals with mental illness, LUTS are perceived as side effects of psychiatric medications and regarded as inevitable. Many patients attempted self-regulation or discontinuation of medication instead of seeking urological treatment, but these attempts often led to failure. The study revealed that participants used the community to explore the relationship between LUTS and mental illness. LUTS had negative impacts on family and social life, and urinary incontinence exacerbated emotional distress such as self-blame and despair. Conclusions Patients with mental illness experiencing LUTS often engage in self-regulation or discontinuation of medication. It underscores the need for accurate information and warnings about risks. As these patients endure discomfort and frustration in daily life, symptom deterioration is likely and necessitates proactive urological intervention to improve their quality of life. This study enhances understanding of the impact of co-occurring mental illness and LUTS and highlights the need for proper information and guidance. However, it has limitations including reliance on self-reported data and limited sample representativeness. Future research can address these issues by linking medical diagnoses with objective data and expanding the sample size.

Purpose: This study aimed to provide foundational data to enhance integrated interventions by gaining an in-depth understanding of the perceptions of patients experiencing both mental illness and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), which carry a high risk of comorbidity and potential mutual exacerbation. Methods: Data were collected from a large online mental health community in South Korea, active among individuals with mental illness and their families (as of October 21, 2024: 113,060 members and 368,352 posts). Posts containing the keywords ‘pee’ or ‘urine’ (a total of 986 posts) were analyzed including their titles, content, and categories. Analyses included word cloud, latent Dirichlet allocation topic modeling, category frequency analysis, and qualitative analysis. Results: The findings indicate that among individuals with mental illness, LUTS are perceived as side effects of psychiatric medications and regarded as inevitable. Many patients attempted self-regulation or discontinuation of medication instead of seeking urological treatment, but these attempts often led to failure. The study revealed that participants used the community to explore the relationship between LUTS and mental illness. LUTS had negative impacts on family and social life, and urinary incontinence exacerbated emotional distress such as self-blame and despair. Conclusions Patients with mental illness experiencing LUTS often engage in self-regulation or discontinuation of medication. It underscores the need for accurate information and warnings about risks. As these patients endure discomfort and frustration in daily life, symptom deterioration is likely and necessitates proactive urological intervention to improve their quality of life. This study enhances understanding of the impact of co-occurring mental illness and LUTS and highlights the need for proper information and guidance. However, it has limitations including reliance on self-reported data and limited sample representativeness. Future research can address these issues by linking medical diagnoses with objective data and expanding the sample size.

Purpose: To establish a foundation for raising awareness and disseminating accurate information about enuresis—one of the most challenging conditions to discuss openly—this paper examines public perceptions of enuresis. Methods: This paper collected title and text data from posts related to enuresis on the top popular online platforms such Naver Cafe in South Korea and Reddit in the United States (US). The data along with the thematic subcommunities where the posts were uploaded, was analyzed and visualized using word cloud, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling, and pyLDAvis. Results: The findings reveal both similarities and differences in how the patients from the 2 countries addressed enuresis online. In both countries, enuresis symptoms were a daily concern, and individuals used online platforms as a space to talk about their experiences. However, South Koreans were more inclined to describe symptoms within region-based communities or mothers’ forums, where they exchanged information and shared experiences before consulting a doctor. In contrast, US patients with medical experience or knowledge frequently discussed treatment processes, lifestyle adjustments, and medication options. Conclusions South Koreans tend to be cautious when selecting and visiting hospitals, often relying on others for advice and preparation before seeking medical attention. Compared to online communities in the US, Korean users are more likely to seek preliminary diagnoses based on nonprofessional opinions. Consequently, it is important to lower the barriers for patients to access professional medical advice to mitigate the potential harm of relying on nonprofessional opinions. Additionally, there is a need to raise awareness so that adults can recognize and address their symptoms in a timely manner.

We report here on an uncommon case of peliosis hepatis with hemorrhagic necrosis that was complicated by massive intrahepatic bleeding and rupture, and treated by emergent right lobectomy. We demonstrate the imaging findings, with emphasis on the triphasic, contrast-enhanced multidetector CT findings, as well as reporting the clinical outcome in a case of peliosis hepatis with fatal hemorrhage.
Tomography, X-Ray Computed/*methods ; Rupture ; Peliosis Hepatis/complications/*radiography/surgery ; Necrosis ; Humans ; Hemorrhage/etiology/*radiography/surgery ; Female ; Adult

OBJECTIVE: Panic disorder has been suggested to be divided into the respiratory and non-respiratory subtypes in terms of its clinical presentations. The present study aimed to investigate whether there are any differences in treatment response and clinical characteristics between the respiratory and non-respiratory subtypes of panic disorder patients. METHODS: Among the 48 patients those who completed the study, 25 panic disorder patients were classified as the respiratory subtype, whereas 23 panic disorder patients were classified as the non-respiratory subtype. All patients were treated with escitalopram or paroxetine for 12 weeks. We measured clinical and psychological characteristics before and after pharmacotherapy using the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS), Albany Panic and Phobic Questionnaire (APPQ), Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised (ASI-R), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T, STAI-S), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). RESULTS: The prevalence of the agoraphobia was significantly higher in the respiratory group than the non-respiratory group although there were no differences in gender and medication between the two groups. The respiratory group showed higher scores on the fear of respiratory symptoms of the ASI-R. In addition, after pharmacotherapy, the respiratory group showed more improvement in panic symptoms than the non-respiratory group. CONCLUSION: Panic disorder patients with the respiratory subtype showed more severe clinical presentations, but a greater treatment response to SSRIs than those with non-respiratory subtype. Thus, classification of panic disorder patients as respiratory and non-respiratory subtypes may be useful to predict clinical course and treatment response to SSRIs.
Agoraphobia ; Anxiety ; Citalopram ; Classification ; Depression ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Panic ; Panic Disorder* ; Paroxetine ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical characteristics of retinopathy associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its risk factors. METHODS: Medical records of patients who were diagnosed with SLE were reviewed retrospectively. The presence of retinal hemorrhage, vasculitis and a cotton wool patch were regarded as lupus retinopathy, but concomitant diabetic retinopathy and hypertensive retinopathy were excluded from the study. The correlation between the development of lupus retinopathy and the presence of positive autoantibodies was also investigated. RESULTS: Ocular morbidity was found in 173 of 260 (66%) SLE patients. Retinopathy was detected in 52 eyes of 33 patients (12%), which included 36 eyes of 21 patients (63%) with classic retinopathy and 11 eyes of 10 patients (30%) with vaso-occlusive retinopathy. The presence of classic retinopathy coincided with the flare-up of lupus activity and completely resolved without visual impairment. However, vaso-occlusive retinopathy was not related with lupus activity, and resulted in significant visual impairments of 20/200 or less in six eyes of five patients. The disease activity of lupus assessed by the maximum SLE disease activity index was higher in patients with retinopathy (p<0.05), and the prevalence of antiphospholipid antibody was higher in patients with vaso-occlusive retinopathy than in patients with classic retinopathy (66.7% vs. 37.5%, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Vaso-occlusive retinopathy in SLE can result in permanent visual impairment. Patients with high SLE activity or positive anti-phospholipid antibodies have a high possibility of developing SLE retinopathy and should be referred for ophthalmologic examination.
Antibodies ; Antibodies, Antiphospholipid ; Autoantibodies ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Eye ; Humans ; Hypertensive Retinopathy ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Medical Records ; Prevalence ; Retinal Hemorrhage ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Vasculitis ; Vision Disorders ; Wool