The Relationships among Learning Behaviors, Major Satisfaction, and Study Skills of First-Year Medical Students / 한국의학교육

PURPOSE: This study aims at increasing our understanding of first-year medical students' learning behaviors, major satisfaction, and study skills. We investigate different features of freshmen's behavior in relation to learning and explore the extent to which freshmen were satisfied with their major and perceived their study skills. METHODS: A total of 106 freshmen participated in this study. At midyear, first-year medical students were asked to complete a questionnaire that included the learning behaviors, major satisfaction, and study skills. The data collected from the survey were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, chi-square test, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The study reported that most of freshmen had a lot of difficulties in studying at medical school by lack of prior learning. Despite first-year students, they were studying hard their major. Freshmen spent studying an average of 1 hour or less than 2 hours every day. The study also indicated that of major satisfaction, the overall satisfaction of the department was the highest and the satisfaction in learning environment was the lowest. There were significant differences among the freshmen on the major satisfaction due to admission process, academic performance, and housing type. Of 11 study skills, while freshman highly perceived their teamwork, stress management, and reading skills, their weak study skills identified in this study were writing, note taking, time management, and test taking skills. There were significant differences among the freshmen on the study skills due to gender and academic performance. Finally, freshmen's learning behaviors and major satisfaction were significantly associated with some of study skills. CONCLUSION: This study may have implications for the academic adjustment and learning processes in the first year. We need to consider variables such as learning behaviors, major satisfaction, and study skills, when discussing about how to maximize the learning potential of medical students. It is also important that we develop education program so that all students acquire these necessary skills and continue to improve positive behaviors related to learning.

Clinical Efficacy of Korean FRAX(R) Model in Patients with Hip Fracture / 대한골다공증학회지

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine clinical efficacy of Korean FRAX model with respect to prediction of osteoporotic fracture risk and eligibility of osteoporosis treatment in Korean patients with hip fractures. MATERIALS & METHODS: In 41 elderly patients with a proximal femoral fracture (mean age=78.7 years, range: 63~99 years), fracture probabilities were calculated using FRAX models from Korea and Japan. We then performed comparative analyses between ten-year probabilities of major / hip osteoporotic fractures and the osteoporosis treatment eligibilities based on the FRAX model from Korea and Japan. RESULTS: The mean ten-year probabilities of major osteoporotic fractures and hip fractures using the Korean FRAX model (11.5% and 5.9%, respectively) were significantly lower than those using the Japanese FRAX model (21.5% and 9.2%, respectively, P<0.001). In addition, based on the National Osteoporosis Foundation guideline, pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis would be recommended in 38 patients (92.7%) by the Japanese FRAX model, while only in 30 patients (73.2%) by the Korean FRAX model (P=0.037). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the Korean FRAX model might underestimate osteoporotic fracture probabilities and eligibility of osteoporosis treatment in Korean patients with hip fracture.

Ideal Internal Carotid Artery Trapping Technique without Bypass in a Patient with Insufficient Collateral Flow

Internal carotid artery (ICA) trapping can be used for treating intracranial giant aneurysm, blood blister-like aneurysms and ICA rupture during the surgery. We present a novel ICA trapping technique which can be used with insufficient collaterals flow via anterior communicating artery (AcoA) and posterior communicating artery (PcoA). A patient was admitted with severe headache and the cerebral angiography demonstrated a typical blood blister-like aneurysm at the contralateral side of PcoA. For trapping the aneurysm, the first clip was placed at the ICA just proximal to the aneurysm whereas the distal clip was placed obliquely proximal to the origin of the PcoA to preserve blood flow from the PcoA to the distal ICA. The patient was completely recovered with good collaterals filling to the right ICA territories via AcoA and PcoA. This technique may be an effective treatment option for trapping the aneurysm, especially when the PcoA preservation is mandatory.

Erratum: Ideal Internal Carotid Artery Trapping Technique without Bypass in a Patient with Insufficient Collateral Flow

In the 2009 edition of the Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society, we published an article entitled "Ideal Internal Carotid Artery Trapping Technique without Bypass in a Patient with Insufficient Collateral Flow" (Volume 45, Pages 260-263), which was written by Joon Ho Chung, M.D.,1 Yong Sam Shin, M.D.,1 Yong Cheol Lim, M.D.,2 Minjung Park, M.D.3. The first author's name is mistyped. Thus, we correct the first author's name from Joon Ho Chung to Joonho Chung.

Expression and Evaluation of Chikungunya Virus E1 and E2 Envelope Proteins for Serodiagnosis of Chikungunya Virus Infection

PURPOSE: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes endemic or epidemic outbreaks of CHIKV fever, which is a mosquitoe-transmitted viral disease in Africa, India, South-East Asia, and recently Southern Europe. Currently, serological diagnostic tests such as hemagglutination inhibition test (HI test), in-house IgM capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), and indirect immunofluorescence test were used for diagnosis of chikungunya fever, which are based on whole virus antigens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CHIKV E1, and E2 envelope proteins for the CHIKV-specific serodiagnostic reagents for chikungunya fever were expressed in baculovirus expression system. The seroreactivity of recombinant CHIKV E1 and E2 envelope proteins were evaluated using sera panels of patients from Laboratoire Marcel Merieux by indirect IgM capture ELISA. RESULTS: The recombinant CHIKV E1 and E2 envelope protein showed sensitivity of 77.5% and 90%, respectively. The specificities of both CHIKV E1 and E2 envelope proteins were 100%. CONCLUSION: The recombinant CHIKV E1 and E2 envelope proteins could be a useful diagnostic reagent for CHIKV infection.