BACKGROUND: Pneumoconiosis is a parenchymal lung disease that results from the accumulation of coal dust in the lungs and the consequent tissue reaction. To evaluate the role of various personal factors in pneumoconosis and the significance of some serologic markers for assessing the disease activity related to pneumoconiosis, the Rheumatoid Factor(RF), α1-AT, C-Reactive Protein(CRT), ceruloplasmin and fibrinogen levels were measured. METHOD: All the patients were males, 45-76 years old, and the mean duration of coal dust exposure was 23.2 years. 51 patients were classified as having Simple Pneumoconiosis (SP), 59 had Progressive Massive Fibrosis (PMF). Fifty eight men with ages ranging from 26-70 years wer used as normal controls. The serum RF and CRT were titrated using an Autochemistry analyzer (HITACHI 7150 : Japan) and the α1-AT and ceruloplasmin levels were measured using a Nephelometer (Behring Nephelometer : Germany) and the fibrinogen levels were estimated by using and Autoanalyzer for hematologic coagulation. RESULT: There was a higher RF level in the SP, and PMF groups than in the control groups but there was no statistical difference. The CRP, α1-AT, and ceruloplasmin levels were also higher in the SP, and PMF groups. However, the fibrinogen concentration was within the normal ranges in both the SP and PMF groups. CONCLUSION: The CWP (Ed note : Define CWP) patients had significantly higher CRP, α1-AT, and ceruloplasmin levels compared to the control group. It is believed that these serologic changes could be used as a marker of the disease activity.
C-Reactive Protein ; Ceruloplasmin ; Coal* ; Dust ; Fibrinogen ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Male ; Pneumoconiosis* ; Reference Values ; Rheumatoid Factor

PURPOSE: This study examined two overarching topics: to what extent do faculties acknowledge class readiness, execution of lessons, and evaluation of the session; and what core content should be strengthened in a medical school faculty development program? METHODS: In November 2012, 37 faculties completed a detailed survey on the needs of medical school faculty development programs. The 14-item survey assessed the importance, operational frequency, difficulty in accomplishment, class readiness, execution of teaching, and evaluation of the session. RESULTS: Faculties were aware of the importance of class readiness, execution of teaching, and evaluation of the session but had a low level of accomplishment with regard to execution of the instruction and evaluation of the session. Four subitems of session evaluation were considered very important but showed low operational frequency, high difficulty in accomplishment, and low accomplishment ability. The successful discussion class item had the lowest operational frequency and accomplishment ability. The core contents that should be strengthened in medical school faculty development programs are diagnose students' class readiness (prior knowledge) (35.5%) and providing class session with suitable level/content (32.3%). CONCLUSION: Before designing faculty development programs, a needs assessment is useful in providing more tailored content for the faculty.
Needs Assessment ; Schools, Medical

PURPOSE: Feedback in medical education is as important as developing the curriculum and choosing the right method of instruction. This study measured three overarching areas: student satisfaction rates with academic feedback, the type and helpfulness of the feedback, and the types of feedback that students want. METHODS: In December 2013, 166 students answered a student survey that consisted of 26 items. The survey asked questions on their experiences with the overall feedback that was given the previous semester, the satisfaction rate, the type of feedback that was received, the helpfulness of the feedback, and the types of feedback that were desired after examinations and learning tasks. RESULTS: Overall, 35% of the students were satisfied with the feedback that they received in the previous semester. Students wanted more systematic (61.4%) and timely feedback (30.1%). The types of feedback that were most desired were "written comment feedback from the teacher" (51.8%) for learning tasks and "item difficulty, percentile ranks feedback" for examinations (62.0%). CONCLUSION: Students found the current feedback to be helpful, but the lack of feedback that students desired indicates that we must provide more systematic feedback in a more timely manner.
Curriculum ; Education, Medical ; Humans ; Learning ; Students, Medical*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Local compression of the ulnar nerve occurs most commonly at the elbow and optimal surgical intervention should be directed at the specific site of involvement. This study is designed to localize the more discrete region by using the method of short segment stimulation in ulnar neuropathy at the elbow. METHODS: Thirty seven patients who were diagnosed as entrapment ulnar neuropathy at the elbow by routine nerve conduction studies were investigated. Latency changes and amplitude changes including conduction block were determined by stimulating the ulnar nerve at 2cm intervals across the elbow. Six of these patients had orthopedic surgery after undergoing short segment stimulation studies. RESULT: All patients had significant latency changes(> OR =0.7msec) in specific segments by short segment stimulation and 6 patients of them showed conduction block. The most frequently involved segments were between medial epicondyle and 2cm proximal(20 patients) and between medial epicondyle and 2cm distal(9 patients). Only two patients exhibited significant latency changes between 2 and 4cm distal to the medial epicondyle, suggesting cubital tunnel syndrome. Lesions, as identified by surgery, proved to be accurately predicted by preoperative short segment stimulation in 5 of 6 patients. CONCLUSION: Short segment stimulation studies are helpful in localizing more accurate involved segment in ulnar neuropathy at the elbow. And the most commonly involved site is within 2cm of the medial epicondyle suggesting tardy ulnar nerve palsy.
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome ; Elbow* ; Humans ; Neural Conduction ; Orthopedics ; Ulnar Nerve ; Ulnar Nerve Compression Syndromes ; Ulnar Neuropathies*

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of five cases of late spinal infection after spinal instrumentation and fusion. OBJECTIVES: These cases are reviewed to verify risk factors for late spinal infection after elective instrumentation and to manifest the treatment of this complication. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Late spinal infection after elective spinal instrumentation and fusion are uncommon. The diagnosis is usually hard and requires much clinical suspicion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 5 cases were in total 374 patients of the author's cases. These cases are reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: All patients reported aggravated back pain. 4 patients had elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rates, averaging 44.8 mm/hour and elevated C-reactive protein, averaging 26.2mg/L. No distance foci of infection was identified. All patients got the radiolucent zone around screw fixation site, averaging 4.6mmwidth. The organisms were S. epidermidis in 1 case and coagulase(-) staphylococcus in 1 case. All cases were treated by operative method with debridement, instrument removal with or without revision and postoperative intravenous antibiotics. The average follow-up period was 18.2 months, one patient recurred back pain at 7 months after operation. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of late infection after elective spinal instrumentation and fusion requires high suspicion of clinical symptoms and signs. All except one were successfully treated by operative treatment.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Back Pain ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Debridement ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Spine ; Staphylococcus

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nasal packing after nasal surgery is commonly practiced for various purposes including hemostasis, stabilization of nasal structure, and synechia prevention. However, the use of nasal packing has led to the development of uncomfortable symptoms such as nasal obstruction. In this study, therefore, we have devised a new method of nasal packing involving the use of an airway tube for reducing nasal obstruction and discomforts in association with post-surgical nasal obstruction. Materials and METHODS: An airway tube was made by cutting the distal end of a 1cc syringe. It was inserted between the nasal septum and the packing material. Nasal cavities of 20 patients (Group 1) who underwent nasal surgery were packed using packing materials and the devised airway tubes following nasal surgery. We evaluated the symptoms of nasal obstruction after the postoperative nasal packing in this study group and compared them with those of the 20 patients (Group 2) who received packing with existing merocel nasal stents and 20 patients (Group 3) who were given packing with only merocel without airway tubes after nasal surgery. RESULT: In this study, nasal obstruction and discomforts in association with post-surgical nasal obstruction were significantly improved among patients given packing material and devised airway tubes (Group 1) comparative to other patient groups. CONCLUSION: Devised airway tube is useful in minimizing the symptoms of nasal obstruction and discomforts as well as in reducing surgical expense.
Formaldehyde ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Nasal Cavity ; Nasal Obstruction ; Nasal Septum ; Nasal Surgical Procedures ; Polyvinyl Alcohol ; Stents ; Syringes

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was designed to compare the survival rates between patients with localized esophgeal cancer who were treated with concurrent chemoradiation therapy without surgery and patients who were treated with concurrent chemoradiation therapy including surgery. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients from January 1997 to December 2005 with locally advaned resectable esophageal cancer were selected and retrospectively analyzed. Survival period was defined as the time to death from the date of diagnosis or mid-monitor period of December 2005. Sixty-one patients were treated with chemoradiation therapy alone while twenty-seven patients were treated with chemoradiation therapy in addition to surgery as for curative intention. As for radiation therapy, 5,000-5,500 cGY was used. 5-Fluouracil and cisplatin were used for chemotherapy. The primary end point was overall survival time. The secondary end point was overall progression free survival time. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in tissue type, location and clinical staging, but the median age was significantly younger in the group treated with surgery (63.4 years) than the group treated without surgery (68.8 years). Median period analyzed was 17.3 months. Five year survival rate for the group with chemoradiation alone was 7.4% and 4% for the group with surgery. The median survival rate was 11+/-3 months for the group with chemoradiation alone and 10+/-6 months for the group with surgery, in which there was no statistical difference (p=0.697). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant increase in survival rate in patients who were treated by chemoradiation with surgery compared with chemoradiation alone. Further analysis in terms of prospective study is needed.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Esophageal Neoplasms/radiotherapy/surgery/*therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: Glioblastoma (GBM) is classified as one of the most aggressive and lethal brain tumor. Great strides have been made in understanding the genomic and molecular underpinnings of GBM, which translated into development of new therapeutic approaches to combat such deadly disease. However, there are only few therapeutic agents that can effectively inhibit GBM invasion in a clinical framework. In an effort to address such challenges, we have generated anti-SEMA3A monoclonal antibody as a potential therapeutic antibody against GBM progression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We employed public glioma datasets, Repository of Molecular Brain Neoplasia Data and The Cancer Genome Atlas, to analyze SEMA3A mRNA expression in human GBM specimens. We also evaluated for protein expression level of SEMA3A via tissue microarray (TMA) analysis. Cell migration and proliferation kinetics were assessed in various GBM patient-derived cells (PDCs) and U87-MG cell-line for SEMA3A antibody efficacy. GBM patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models were generated to evaluate tumor inhibitory effect of anti-SEMA3A antibody in vivo. RESULTS: By combining bioinformatics and TMA analysis, we discovered that SEMA3A is highly expressed in human GBM specimens compared to non-neoplastic tissues. We developed three different anti-SEMA3A antibodies, in fully human IgG form, through screening phage-displayed synthetic antibody library using a classical panning method. Neutralization of SEMA3A significantly reduced migration and proliferation capabilities of PDCs and U87-MG cell line in vitro. In PDX models, treatment with anti-SEMA3A antibody exhibited notable tumor inhibitory effect through down-regulation of cellular proliferative kinetics and tumor-associated macrophages recruitment. CONCLUSION: In present study, we demonstrated tumor inhibitory effect of SEMA3A antibody in GBM progression and present its potential relevance as a therapeutic agent in a clinical framework.
Antibodies ; Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Cell Line ; Cell Movement ; Computational Biology ; Dataset ; Down-Regulation ; Genome ; Glioblastoma* ; Glioma ; Heterografts ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; In Vitro Techniques ; Kinetics ; Macrophages ; Mass Screening ; Methods ; RNA, Messenger ; Semaphorin-3A