Biomedical subjects

Young-Mee Lee

Publications and source records attributed to Young-Mee Lee.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Personality, dopamine receptor D4 exon III polymorphisms, and academic achievement in medical students.

This study investigated the relationships between genetic polymorphisms, personality traits, and academic achievement in medical school students. Study subjects were 220 1st-year medical students at Korea University Medical School during two consecutive academic years (2003-2004). Grade-point averages (GPA) during the second semester of the 1st year of the medical school were obtained as a measure of academic achievement. In addition, all participants completed the Temperament and Character Inventory and questionnaires on depression and anxiety. The polymorphisms in exon III of the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) were determined using the polymerase chain reaction. Our results revealed that both male and female subjects with a higher GPA may be characterized as having higher persistence and lower novelty seeking traits. In addition, male subjects with high GPA had higher scores in self directedness and female subjects with a higher GPA may be characterized as having higher scores in harm avoidance. Male students with 4-repeat alleles had a significantly lower GPA than male students without 4-repeat alleles. This relationship also remained after controlling for the personality variables, none of which showed a relationship with the polymorphism after Bonferroni correction. For females, however, no associations could be found between GPA and the polymorphism. Thus, the present study demonstrated for the first time a possible influence of the DRD4 48 bp variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism on academic achievement and proved that this was not mediated by performance-associated personality traits.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

The OSCE: a new challenge to the evaluation system in Korea.

Introduced in Korea in 1994, the number of medical schools using Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and standardized patients (SPs) has been steadily increasing. Although OSCE is accepted as an effective teaching and evaluation tool in Korea, many challenges in applying OSCE remain. These problems stem mainly from differences in the educational environment and infrastructure in medical schools between different countries. To reduce trial and error cost inefficiencies and to help accelerate the adaptation process, sharing experiences at all levels of applying OSCE to non-Western settings would be valuable. The authors describe how and to what extent the OSCE has been applied to the Korean medical education system. Additionally, the elements that should be in place for OSCE to successfully transform the national licensure examination into a high stakes examination are described.

Education, Medical↗

PubMed2006

Clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical findings in a case of megakaryoblastic leukemia in a dog.

The clinical, hematological, and histopathologic features of megakaryoblastic leukemia (M7) were investigated in a 10-year-old female Shih-Tzu dog. Megakaryoblastic leukemia was diagnosed using anti-human platelet glycoprotein (GP IIIa) and anti-human von Willebrand factor (vWF) antibodies. The expression of CD antigen on megakaryoblasts was also assessed using a CD79a monoclonal antibody. Immunological markers allowed visualization of neoplastic megakaryocytes. Antibodies against platelet GP IIIa were demonstrated to be the most useful for the diagnosis of megakaryoblastic leukemia of paraffin-embedded canine tissues. Hematological and histological data coupled with immunohistochemical reactivity for platelet GP IIIa, vWF, and CD79a antigen in blast cells confirmed a diagnosis of M7 megakaryoblastic leukemia.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

NOX4 as an oxygen sensor to regulate TASK-1 activity.

When oxygen sensing cells are excited by hypoxia, background K+ currents are inhibited. TASK-1, which is commonly expressed in oxygen sensing cells and makes a background K+ current, is inactivated by hypoxia. Thus TASK-1 is a candidate molecule responsible for hypoxic excitation. However, TASK-1 per se cannot sense oxygen and may require a regulatory protein that can. In the present study, we propose that the NADPH oxidase NOX4 functions as an oxygen-sensing partner and that it modulates the oxygen sensitivity of TASK-1. Confocal imaging revealed the co-localization of TASK-1 and NOX4 in the plasma membrane. In HEK293 cells expressing NOX4 endogenously, the activity of expressed TASK-1 was moderately inhibited by hypoxia, and this oxygen response was significantly augmented by NOX4. Moreover, the oxygen sensitivity of TASK-1 was abolished by NOX4 siRNA and NADPH oxidase inhibitors. These results suggest a novel function for NOX4 in the oxygen-dependent regulation of TASK-1 activity.

Biosensing Techniques↗

PubMed2005

The natural history of PBC: has it changed?

The prognosis and natural history of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) have improved significantly during the last few decades. Patients are diagnosed at earlier stages, are more likely to be asymptomatic at diagnosis, and are more likely to receive medical treatment. The survival of asymptomatic patients is longer than the median survival of symptomatic patients. The natural history of PBC has been assessed in the presence of effective therapy, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). Evidence suggests that UDCA delays histological progression in PBC and decreases the risk of development of esophageal varices. Survival of UDCA-treated patients is better than that of untreated patients and also is better than that predicted by the Mayo model. For patients in early stages of PBC, UDCA treatment may normalize survival. However, patients with stage III and IV PBC do not respond as well to UDCA. Therefore, there is a continued need for additional treatment in patients with advanced disease.

Cholagogues and Choleretics↗

PubMed2005

Association between the catechol O-methyltransferase Val108/158Met polymorphism and alexithymia.

It has been suggested that the characteristics of alexithymia result from deficits in frontal lobe functioning, and the prefrontal cortex is particularly dependent on the catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) pathway. We investigated the relationship between COMT Val108/158Met, serotonin transporter coding sequence (5-HT transporter gene-linked polymorphic region; 5-HTTLPR) polymorphisms, and alexithymia. The study sample comprised 109 students at the Korea University. All participants were tested using the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). They were genotyped for COMT Val108/158Met and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms. Genotyping was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction. Subjects with Val/Val genotype had significantly higher TAS-20 scores than those with Met/Met or Met/Val genotypes. However, there was no significant relationship between the 5-HTTLPR genotype and TAS-20 scores. This indicates a possible association between the COMT Val108/158Met gene polymorphism and alexithymia.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

[The effects of foot reflexology on fatigue and insomnia in patients suffering from coal workers' pneumoconiosis].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of foot reflexology on fatigue and insomnia in patients suffering from coal workers' pneumoconiosis. METHOD: This study was a quasi-experimental study of pre-test and post-test design in a non-equivalent control group. The subjects of this study consisted of both the experimental group of twenty-nine and the control group of thirty coal workers' pneumoconiosis patients. Data was collected from December 10, 2002 to February 15, 2003. Foot reflexology was performed for 60 minutes twice a week through five weeks in the experimental group, but none in the control group. To evaluate the effects of foot reflexology, the scores of fatigue and insomnia were measured before and after the experiment in both groups. Fatigue was evaluated by Fatigue Symptoms Inventory. Insomnia was measured with the visual analogue scale (VAS). Data of this experiment was analyzed by Chi-square test, t-test, unpaired t-test and Repeated Measures ANOVA with the SAS Program. RESULTS: The scores of fatigue and insomnia decreased in the experimental group but not in the control group. There was a significant difference of fatigue and insomnia between the two groups. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that foot reflexology might have beneficial effects on reducing fatigue and insomnia in patients suffering from coal workers' pneumoconiosis, and can be recommended as a nursing intervention program for patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Medical-themed film and literature course for premedical students.

The authors introduced a "Medicine and Literature" course into the premedical curriculum to help students develop clearer expectations regarding their lives as future physicians, and also to gain insight into the humanistic and social aspects of medicine. The course was developed for the entire class of second-grade premedical students (n = 126) and consisted of one three-hour session per week over six weeks. The course was composed of two main themes: (1) medicine and film; and (2) medicine and literature. Students' responses showed that this course helped them to gain perspectives on both a physician's life and medical practice, and also enhanced their understanding of the humanistic and social aspects of medicine itself. Students reported that they also valued the advantages of collaborative learning, which holds the potential for improving their skills in presentation, discussion, communication and teamwork. In Korea, introducing arts- and humanities-related courses into the medical curriculum is a recent trend, and is still in a very early stage. Although our study has several limitations, we conclude that by studying literature and films during the premedical period, students can grasp a sense of the many different issues that physicians are faced with.

Curriculum↗

PubMed2003

Efficacy of colchicine in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis poorly responsive to ursodiol and methotrexate.

OBJECTIVE: Approximately 20-30% of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) respond fully to treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). The rest have progressive disease and eventually develop cirrhosis and liver failure. More effective treatment is needed. Methotrexate improved biochemical tests of liver function and liver histology in patients with PBC who had failed to respond to UDCA in one report and induced sustained biochemical and histological remission in another. The role of colchicine in PBC is unclear. We describe three patients with symptomatic PBC who responded very well to the addition of colchicine after they had failed to respond to UDCA alone and in combination with methotrexate. We suggest that colchicine should be tried in PBC patients who clearly fail to respond to UDCA. METHODS: Three patients with symptomatic biopsy-proven, antimitochondrial antibody-positive PBC failed to respond to UDCA and then to the addition of methotrexate. Colchicine was eventually added to the regimen. Symptoms, biochemical tests of liver function, and percutaneous liver biopsies were done at baseline, after treatment with UDCA, UDCA plus methotrexate, and UDCA plus methotrexate plus colchicine. RESULTS: All three patients responded after colchicine was added to UDCA and methotrexate. Symptoms, biochemical tests of liver function, and liver histology improved in all, and blood tests normalized in two. CONCLUSIONS: Colchicine may be effective treatment in some symptomatic patients with PBC who respond incompletely to UDCA alone or in combination with methotrexate. Colchicine may be tried in such patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Management of primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Guidelines for clinical practice are intended to indicate preferred approaches to medical problems as established by scientifically valid research. Double blind, placebo-controlled studies are preferable, but reports and expert review articles are also utilized in a thorough review of the literature conducted through the National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE. When only data that will not withstand objective scrutiny are available, a recommendation is identified as a consensus of experts. Guidelines are applicable to all physicians who address the subject, without regard to specialty training or interests, and are intended to indicate the preferable but not necessarily the only acceptable approach to a specific problem. Guidelines are intended to be flexible and must be distinguished from standards of care that are inflexible and rarely violated. Given the wide range of specifics in any health care problem, the physician must always choose the course best suited to the individual patient and the variables in existence at the moment of decision. Guidelines are developed under the auspices of the American College of Gastroenterology and its Practice Parameters Committee and approved by the Board of Trustees. Each has been intensely reviewed and revised by the Committee, other experts in the field, physicians who will use them, and specialists in the science of decision of analysis. The recommendations of each guideline are therefore considered valid at the time of their production based on the data available. New developments in medical research and practice pertinent to each guideline will be reviewed at an established time and indicated at publication to assure continued validity.

Cholangitis, Sclerosing↗

PubMed2002

Motion - patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis should undergo early liver transplantation: arguments for the motion.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a condition of unknown etiology that causes progressive inflammation, fibrosis and obliteration of the intrahepatic and extrahepatic biliary tree. There is no medical cure, and ursodeoxycholic acid and other drugs have not been shown to affect the natural history of the disease. Endoscopic dilation is of value only in the relief of symptoms and complications related to dominant strictures. Cholangio- carcinoma occurs in a substantial minority of cases, especially those with ulcerative colitis and cirrhosis, and is often not clinically apparent before surgery. There are no good serologic tests for early cancers. Because this tumour has such a dismal prognosis, some authorities recommend that liver transplantation be undertaken before its development. This procedure is the only curative option for PSC, and excellent survival rates have been reported. There is evidence that early transplantation, before end stage liver disease or cholangiocarcinoma have developed, improves the survival and quality of life of patients with PSC. Because it is the only procedure of proven benefit, patients with PSC should be considered for liver transplantation early in the course of the disease.

Biopsy, Needle↗

PubMed2001

Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

There is no proven medical therapy for primary sclerosing cholangitis. The goal of management should be treatment of symptoms and complications of cholestasis, as well as attempts at treating the underlying disease process. In addition, efforts should be made to recognize and treat or prevent the known complications of primary sclerosing cholangitis, such as fat-soluble vitamin deficiency, osteopenia, dominant biliary strictures, and cholangiocarcinoma. Although some medical therapy has been shown to improve serum liver test or histology results, there has been no effect on survival or time to liver transplantation. However, preliminary data on high-dosage ursodeoxycholic acid have been encouraging. Liver transplantation remains the only effective treatment and is recommended for patients with end-stage liver disease and symptomatic portal hypertension, liver failure, and recurrent or intractable bacterial cholangitis.

Journal Article↗