Impaired White Matter Integrity and Social Cognition in High-Function Autism: Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

OBJECTIVE: It is known that many of the cognitive and social deficits associated with autism can arise from abnormal functional connectivity between brain networks. This aberrant functional connectivity in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) can be explained by impaired integrity of white matter tracts that link distant regions of the networks. METHODS: We investigated white matter in 9 children with high-function autism (HFA) compared to 13 typically developing controls using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The aim of this research is to provide supporting evidence for abnormalities in neural connectivity as an underlying pathophysiology of the main characteristics of ASD. RESULTS: We found impairment of neural connectivity, mainly in association fiber tracts as evidenced by decreased fractional anisotropy (FA), the index of white matter integrity, of these tracts. Among them, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) had a significant relationship with ADI-R score. The inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) also showed decreased FA. Decreased FA of ILF and SLF had negative correlations with scores of social interaction. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that widespread abnormalities in association fiber tracts may contribute to both core and associated symptoms of ASD.

Knowledge and Educational Needs Related to an Artificial Pacemaker among Hospital Nurses / 임상간호연구

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine nurses' knowledge levels and educational needs related to an artificial pacemaker. METHODS: Participants were 100 nurses working in cardiovascular departments from two university hospitals in Seoul. This study was a descriptive study using a survey for estimating knowledge levels and educational needs related to an artificial pacemaker among nurses. Data were analyzed by SPSS 23.0 program using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation, t-test, and ANOVA. RESULTS: Nurses' knowledge levels were significantly different depending on working units (F=3.32, p=.014) and years of clinical experience (F=2.85, p=.042). Nurses who received education about an artificial pacemaker were higher in the knowledge level of complications after an implantation procedure (t=3.45, p < .001) than nurses who did not receive the education. CONCLUSION: Discharge education is critical for patients with artificial pacemaker implantation to go back to their daily activities. When developing artificial pacemaker education program for hospital nurses, factors such as nurses' working department and years of clinical experience years and updated information of an artifical pacemaker need to be considered.

Study on Mental Disorders in Abused Children / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: Child abuse can affect mental and physical health of abused children. Accurate assessment of mental health of abused children is integral to providing proper treatment and preventing any further impact of childhood abuse on their future life. In this study, we investigated psychiatric illnesses among abused children. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews using the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version-Korean Version were conducted for 61 abused children after obtaining consent from their guardians. We also assessed the relationship between the demographic data of these abused children and their diagnoses. RESULTS: Among the abused children, more than half had more than one psychiatric disorder. The most frequently diagnosed disorders were attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, depressive disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder. The incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder was higher in abused girls compared with abused boys. Abused children had a higher suicide risk than the general population. Among the parents of abused children, 50.8% had alcohol use disorders. CONCLUSION: Among the abused children, 50.8% had psychiatric disorders. Administration of intensive psychiatric treatment to abused children, and prevention of child abuse by education, treatment, and monitoring high-risk parents is imperative.

Impact of smoking on the effectiveness of TNF-alpha inhibitors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn's disease

Cigarette smoking may be associated with the augmentation of pro-inflammatory cytokines including Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), which may affect the outcomes of pharmacological agents such as TNF-alpha inhibitors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of smoking on the effectiveness of TNF-alpha inhibitors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or Crohn's disease (CD). We used systematic literature review methods. A total of 1,147 articles were selected after exclusion of duplicates through a database search. Among them, 28 articles were finally selected through a review of titles and abstracts and a subsequent review of full articles. The effectiveness of TNF-alpha inhibitors in patients with RA or CD among the selected articles was summarized by their smoking status. Meta-analysis was performed with random effect model. When current smokers were compared with non-smokers for response after adjustments through meta-analysis among patients with RA, current smokers had 59% less response than non-smokers with statistical significance (Pooled adjusted OR=0.41, 95% CI=0.17-0.95). In patients with CD, current smokers tended to have lower clinical response than non-smokers, but statistical significance was not shown. In subgroup analyses for luminar CD or fistulizing CD, current smokers tended to have a lower response in luminar CD (Pooled OR=0.62, 95% CI=0.34-1.14), but smoking status was not associated with drug response in fistulizing CD. This study raises awareness of the adverse effects of smoking in terms of clinical response in patients treated with TNF-alpha inhibitors.

The Development of a Korean Drug Dosing Database / 대한의료정보학회지

OBJECTIVES: This report describes the development process of a drug dosing database for ethical drugs approved by the Korea Food & Drug Administration (KFDA). The goal of this study was to develop a computerized system that supports physicians' prescribing decisions, particularly in regards to medication dosing. METHODS: The advisory committee, comprised of doctors, pharmacists, and nurses from the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, pharmacists familiar with drug databases, KFDA officials, and software developers from the BIT Computer Co. Ltd. analyzed approved KFDA drug dosing information, defined the fields and properties of the information structure, and designed a management program used to enter dosing information. The management program was developed using a web based system that allows multiple researchers to input drug dosing information in an organized manner. The whole process was improved by adding additional input fields and eliminating the unnecessary existing fields used when the dosing information was entered, resulting in an improved field structure. RESULTS: A total of 16,994 drugs sold in the Korean market in July 2009, excluding the exclusion criteria (e.g., radioactivity drugs, X-ray contrast medium), usage and dosing information were made into a database. CONCLUSIONS: The drug dosing database was successfully developed and the dosing information for new drugs can be continually maintained through the management mode. This database will be used to develop the drug utilization review standards and to provide appropriate dosing information.

Prevalence of Mental Disorder and Quality of Life among the Homeless People in a City Shelter / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: Homeless people surged after financial crisis tend to be chronic despite late economic recovery. So we tried to estimate prevalence of mental illness and quality of life of the homeless population living in shelter. METHOD: The study subjects were 220 homeless peoples who stayed at a shelter in Seoul around March 2000. Questionnaires on sociodemographic data were administered to the subjects, and then diagnoses of major DSM-IV Axis I mental disorders were made using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders(SCID). And quality of life(QOL) was evaluated by SmithKline Beecham Quality of Life Scale(SBQOL). RESULTS: The lifetime prevalence of major DSM-IV mental disorders(mood disorders, psychotic disorders, and substance use disorders) of 220 homeless people was 73.6%, and current prevalence was 59.1%. The lifetime prevalence of alcohol dependence and abuse was highest, 59.5% and those of mood disorders and psychotic disorders were 39.5%, 3.6% respectively. Quality of life was not significantly correlated with duration of homelessness and unemployment but marital status, self perceive health status, suicidal attempt history were significant factors. The quality of life in the people with mood disorders were estimated to be lower than those with any other diseases(p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Alcoholism was the most prevalent mental disorder in homeless people and mood disorder was negatively related to the quality of life scale.