Background/Aims: The programmed death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway has not been fully evaluated in inflammatory bowel disease. We evaluated PD-1/PD-L1 levels in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and their significance in tonsil-derived mesenchymal stem cells (TMSCs) treatment. Methods: Using acute and chronic murine colitis model, we measured the PD-1 and PD-L1 levels in inflamed colonic tissues pre- and post-treatment with TMSCs. We also measured PD-1 and PD-L1 levels in colonic tissues from UC patients, compared to normal controls. Results: In the analysis using human colonic tissues, a significant increase in the levels of PD-1 and PD-L1 was observed in the colonic mucosa of patients with UC compared with normal controls (p < 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively). When comparing the maximal disease extent, PD-L1 levels were highest in patients with proctitis (38.5 ± 46.7), followed by left-side colitis (17.5 ± 23.1) and extensive colitis (5.2 ± 8.2) (p < 0.001). In the chronic colitis model, the level of PD-L1 was decreased (p = 0.040) and the level of PD-1 increased more than in normal controls (p = 0.047). After treatment with TMSC, significant improvements were observed in body weight, disease activity index, and colon length recovery. Additionally, the levels of PD-1 and PD-L1 were recovered; PD-L1 significantly increased (p = 0.031), while the level of PD-1 decreased (p = 0.310). Conclusions The altered expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 in colonic mucosa may be a possible mechanism of UC, and T-MSC-derived PD-L1 could help suppress colitis.

Purpose: Intrathecal analgesia (ITA) and transverse abdominis plane block (TAPB) are effective pain control methods in abdominal surgery. However, there is still no gold standard for postoperative pain control in minimally invasive colorectal surgery. This study aimed to investigate whether the analgesic effect could be increased when TAPB, which can further reduce wound somatic pain, was administered in low-dose morphine ITA patients. Methods: Patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery were randomized into an ITA with TAPB group or an ITA group. Patients were evaluated for pain 0, 8, 16, 24, and 48 hours after surgery. The primary outcome was the total morphine milligram equivalents administered 24 hours after surgery. The secondary outcomes were pain scores, ambulatory variables, inflammation markers, hospital stay duration, and complications within 48 hours after surgery. Results: A total of 64 patients were recruited, and 55 were compared. There was no significant difference in morphine use over the 24 hours after surgery in the 2 groups (ITA with TAPB, 15.3 mg vs. ITA, 10.2 mg; P = 0.270). Also, there was no significant difference in pain scores. In both groups, the average pain score at 24 and 48 hours was 2 points or less, showing effective pain control. Conclusion ITA for pain control in patients with colorectal surgery is an effective pain method, and additional TAPB was not effective.

Idiopathic spontaneous intraperitoneal hemorrhage is both rare and potentially fatal. The incidence of gastroepiploic artery rupture, especially a non-aneurysmal rupture, is extremely low. We report the case of an elderly woman who was mistakenly diagnosed with procedure-related bleeding after gastroscopy. A 0.3 cm polyp was identified and removed during the procedure. The patient later developed shock due to which gastroscopy was repeated; however, no unusual findings were observed. Therefore, abdominopelvic computerized tomography was performed and gastroepiploic artery rupture was detected. Transcatheter arterial embolization was immediately performed without laparotomy, without any complications. The bleeding was controlled, and the patient was discharged after embolization. It is important to acknowledge the possibility of spontaneous rupture of the visceral arteries in elderly individuals with hypertension or atherosclerosis, especially in the event of sudden abdominal pain or shock immediately after an endoscopic procedure. This is the first case report of idiopathic spontaneous rupture of the right gastroepiploic artery successfully managed by transcatheter arterial embolization in South Korea.

Background and Objectives: Therapies have been reported to treat the glottal gap previously. However, these voice therapies showed the limits because many techniques focused only on one among breathing, resonance and phonation. In addition patients often have difficulties visiting hospital frequently. ‘Gliding and humming’ is vocal training technique that readjusts total vocal patterns such as breathing, resonance and phonation. This technique can be easily applied during short term sessions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of voice therapy with ‘gliding and humming’ for patients with glottic gap during short-term treatment sessions.Materials and Method Twenty-three patients with glottal gap were selected. Of all patients, 14 patients had sulcus vocalis and 12 patients had muscle tension dysphonia (MTD). Voice therapies were performed 1.9 sessions in average. GRBAS, jitter, shimmer, noise to harmonic ratio, semitone range, closed quotient_vowel and maximum phonation time were compared before and after the therapies. In addition, changes of glottal gap and MTD severity were evaluated. Results: Statistically significant improvement was observed. MTD improvement was observed only among the patients with glottal gap improvement. Also sulcus vocalis group showed the statistically significant improvement. Conclusion ‘Gliding and humming’ was effective to the patients with glottic gap and sulcus vocalis. Also, among patients who have both glottic gap and MTD, the data suggests that voice therapy for glottic gap also makes improvement in MTD.

Background and Objectives: Therapies have been reported to treat the glottal gap previously. However, these voice therapies showed the limits because many techniques focused only on one among breathing, resonance and phonation. In addition patients often have difficulties visiting hospital frequently. ‘Gliding and humming’ is vocal training technique that readjusts total vocal patterns such as breathing, resonance and phonation. This technique can be easily applied during short term sessions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of voice therapy with ‘gliding and humming’ for patients with glottic gap during short-term treatment sessions.Materials and Method Twenty-three patients with glottal gap were selected. Of all patients, 14 patients had sulcus vocalis and 12 patients had muscle tension dysphonia (MTD). Voice therapies were performed 1.9 sessions in average. GRBAS, jitter, shimmer, noise to harmonic ratio, semitone range, closed quotient_vowel and maximum phonation time were compared before and after the therapies. In addition, changes of glottal gap and MTD severity were evaluated. Results: Statistically significant improvement was observed. MTD improvement was observed only among the patients with glottal gap improvement. Also sulcus vocalis group showed the statistically significant improvement. Conclusion ‘Gliding and humming’ was effective to the patients with glottic gap and sulcus vocalis. Also, among patients who have both glottic gap and MTD, the data suggests that voice therapy for glottic gap also makes improvement in MTD.

Idiopathic spontaneous intraperitoneal hemorrhage is both rare and potentially fatal. The incidence of gastroepiploic artery rupture, especially a non-aneurysmal rupture, is extremely low. We report the case of an elderly woman who was mistakenly diagnosed with procedure-related bleeding after gastroscopy. A 0.3 cm polyp was identified and removed during the procedure. The patient later developed shock due to which gastroscopy was repeated; however, no unusual findings were observed. Therefore, abdominopelvic computerized tomography was performed and gastroepiploic artery rupture was detected. Transcatheter arterial embolization was immediately performed without laparotomy, without any complications. The bleeding was controlled, and the patient was discharged after embolization. It is important to acknowledge the possibility of spontaneous rupture of the visceral arteries in elderly individuals with hypertension or atherosclerosis, especially in the event of sudden abdominal pain or shock immediately after an endoscopic procedure. This is the first case report of idiopathic spontaneous rupture of the right gastroepiploic artery successfully managed by transcatheter arterial embolization in South Korea.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore nursing care worker's experience of care services for infected patients in long-term care hospital. Methods: For this study, the researcher used the convenience sampling method to recruit 9 nursing care workers in long-term care hospitals. Data were collected through in-depth interview with them. The data collected were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. Results: 24 codes were extracted, and through the process of organizing the meanings, 8 sub-themes and 4 themes were deduced. The themes deduced were ‘Diversely coexisting psychological responses’, ‘Caring for an infected patient at a given position’, ‘Obstacles to implementation of principled infection control guidelines’, ‘Needs for customized education of caregiver for infected patients’. Conclusion This study would be deemed significant in that it has provided for some basic data to the education of the nursing care workers and the development of an intervention program.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: For patients with polyps and cysts, glottal gaps resulting from their lesions have negative respiratory effects when they vocalize. Phonatory Aerodynamic System is clinically used, but is often limited in the measurement of vowels. So the researchers attempted to verify the usefulness of Phonatory Aerodynamic System by comparing differences in respiratory characteristics and patterns which can be measured by the level of connected speech.MATERIALS AND METHOD: Among the subjects who were diagnosed through a stroboscopy, there were 33 patients with polyps and 23 patients with cysts. Then, 36 subjects who were found to have no specific findings through a stroboscopy and perceptual test were selected to the normal group. We compared respiratory characteristics and patterns. And compared vocal polyps and cysts before and after laryngeal micro surgery (LMS). RESULTS: First, difference in respiratory patterns between the normal group and the patients with polyps and cysts were examined to show that breath groups, breath group syllables, and expiratory · inspiratory volume were significantly higher in the polyp/cyst group than those in the normal group, indicating that precision was lowered during the conversation, due to reduction in speech intelligibility and interruption of communication. Second, there were significant differences in maximum phonation time, mean flow rate, and subglottal pressure among respiratory characteristics, breath groups, breath group syllables, and inspiratory volume before and after LMS, which appeared to be similar to the normal group. CONCLUSION The understanding of respiratory characteristics and patterns produced by patients in connected speech which is most similar to natural speech was found to be the objective and useful method for examining characteristics of the subjects.

The Committee on Pediatric Obesity of the Korean Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition newly developed the first Korean Guideline on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Obesity in Children and Adolescents to deliver an evidence-based systematic approach to childhood obesity in South Korea. The following areas were systematically reviewed, especially on the basis of all available references published in South Korea and worldwide, and new guidelines were established in each area with the strength of recommendations based on the levels of evidence: (1) definition and diagnosis of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents; (2) principles of treatment of pediatric obesity; (3) behavioral interventions for children and adolescents with obesity, including diet, exercise, lifestyle, and mental health; (4) pharmacotherapy; and (5) bariatric surgery.
Adolescent ; Bariatric Surgery ; Child ; Diagnosis* ; Diet ; Drug Therapy ; Gastroenterology* ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Mental Health ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Pediatric Obesity*

The Committee on Pediatric Obesity of the Korean Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition newly developed the first Korean Guideline on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Obesity in Children and Adolescents to deliver an evidence-based systematic approach to childhood obesity in South Korea. The following areas were systematically reviewed, especially on the basis of all available references published in South Korea and worldwide, and new guidelines were established in each area with the strength of recommendations based on the levels of evidence: 1) definition and diagnosis of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents; 2) principles of treatment of pediatric obesity; 3) behavioral interventions for children and adolescents with obesity, including diet, exercise, lifestyle, and mental health; 4) pharmacotherapy; and 5) bariatric surgery.
Adolescent ; Bariatric Surgery ; Child ; Diagnosis* ; Diet ; Drug Therapy ; Gastroenterology* ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Mental Health ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Pediatric Obesity*