The Comparison of Psychological Characteristics between Korean and Japanese Women Pro-Basketball Players

OBJECTIVE: Korea (ranked 16th) and Japan (ranked 13th) show similar rankings, skills, and performance in basketball. However, the countries differ in size and the number of players in the national women's basketball system. The current study aimed to compare the psychological factors (anxiety, and temperament and character) and the national teams' players' characteristics between 80 Korean (WKBL players) and 76 Japanese (WJBL players) female basketball players in six professional teams each. METHODS: All players were asked to complete demographic characteristics including age, career years, position, number of past and presents positions, and clinical scales, including sports anxiety, state anxiety, trait anxiety, and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Hierarchical logistic regression analyses among individual factors, physical factors, basketball status, anxiety factors, and temperamental conditions were conducted. RESULTS: In all basketball players, all five models were significantly associated with national team players. The TCI factors were the strongest predictive factors for Korean national team players, while the anxiety factors were the strongest predictive factors for Japanese national team players. WKBL players in all positions showed higher sports anxiety and harm avoidance than WJBL players. WJBL players scored higher on self-directedness and cooperativeness than WKBL players. CONCLUSION: For predicting national team players, temperament and character were crucial factors in WKBL players where anxiety was the most important one for WJBL players.

Ethanol Ablation of the Thyroid Nodules: 2018 Consensus Statement by the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology

Minimally invasive treatment of symptomatic thyroid nodules is now commonplace. Ethanol ablation (EA) of thyroid cystic nodules has been performed since the 1990s, but there is no global consensus or guideline. Although various limitations of EA have been described, recommendations for practical application are necessary. Therefore, the Task Force Committee of the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology initiated the present consensus statement and here we provide recommendations for the role of EA in the management of symptomatic thyroid nodules. These recommendations are based on evidence to date from the literature and expert opinion.

Relationship between Cognitive Anxiety and Performance in Closed Loop Skill Sports / 정신신체의학

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this meta-analysis study was to examine the relationship between cognitive anxiety and performance in closed loop skill sports. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using databases including Korean Information Service System, DBpia, Research Information Sharing Service, and National Assembly Library from 1980 to 2015. Search terms included ‘Golf’, ‘Shooting’, ‘Archery’, ‘Anxiety’, and ‘Performance’. Standardized mean difference and 95% CI(confidence intervals) were calculated, and the heterogeneity of the studies was estimated using Q statistic. RESULTS: Ten studies have satisfied the inclusion criteria. The main findings indicate that cognitive anxiety was significantly reverse correlated with performance in closed loop skill sports(r=-.198). The mean effect size for men(r=-.31) was significantly greater than that for women(r=-.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that cognitive anxiety in closed loop skill sports is correlated with performance of athletes. Future study related to psychological aspects on athletes in sports is required in order to understand the specific evidence of relationship between anxiety and performance.

Ultrasonography Diagnosis and Imaging-Based Management of Thyroid Nodules: Revised Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology Consensus Statement and Recommendations

The rate of detection of thyroid nodules and carcinomas has increased with the widespread use of ultrasonography (US), which is the mainstay for the detection and risk stratification of thyroid nodules as well as for providing guidance for their biopsy and nonsurgical treatment. The Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology (KSThR) published their first recommendations for the US-based diagnosis and management of thyroid nodules in 2011. These recommendations have been used as the standard guidelines for the past several years in Korea. Lately, the application of US has been further emphasized for the personalized management of patients with thyroid nodules. The Task Force on Thyroid Nodules of the KSThR has revised the recommendations for the ultrasound diagnosis and imaging-based management of thyroid nodules. The review and recommendations in this report have been based on a comprehensive analysis of the current literature and the consensus of experts.

Impact of 12-hour Shifts on Job Satisfaction, Quality of Life, Hospital Incident Reporting, and Overtime Hours in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit / 간호행정학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare job satisfaction, quality of life (QOL), incident report rate and overtime hours for 12-hour shifts and for 8-hour shifts in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). METHODS: A descriptive survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 36 staff nurses from a PICU in a regional hospital in Korea. Data were collected using self-administrated questionnaires regarding job satisfaction and QOL at 6 months before and after the beginning of 12-hour shifts. Incident report rate and overtime hours for both 12-hour and 8-hour shifts were compared. Comparisons were made using chi2-test, paired t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: After 12-hour shifts were initiated, job satisfaction significantly increased (t=3.93, p<.001) and QOL was higher for nurses on 12-hour shifts compared to 8-hour (t=7.83, p<.001). There was no statistically significant change in incident report rate (chi2=0.15, p=.720). The overtimes decreased from 36.3+/-34.7 to 17.3+/-34.9 minutes (Z=-8.91, p<.001). CONCLUSION: These results provide evidence that 12-hour shifts can be an effective ways of scheduling for staff nurses to increase job satisfaction and quality of life without increasing patient safety incidents or prolonged overtime work hours.

Solitary Cerebellar Metastasis from Primary Uterine Cervical Carcinoma: A Case Report

Brain metastasis from primary uterine cervical carcinoma have been described but are extremely rare and usually occur in the presence of widely disseminated diseases. The authors report a case of solitary cerebellar metastasis from uterine cervical carcinoma, which was confirmed by histopathological examination. The patient has shown no evidence of metastatic lesions elsewhere, thus far, but had undergone a radical hysterectomy under the diagnosis of uterine cervical carcinoma 52 months prior to the surgical excision of the cerebellar metastasis.

The Clinical Analysis of EVD of the Spontaneous Intraventricular Hemorrhage

The authors analysed retrospectively 41 cases of spontaneous IVH(intraventricular hemorrhage) which were treated with EVD(extraventricular drainage). In cases of poor drainage of CSF(cerebrospinal fluid) through the EVD catheter, infusion of urokinase was tried. The most common age groups of IVH patients were the 5th and 6th decades. Sexual incidence was 23 : 18 in male vs. female. The etioligies of the spontaneous IVH in order of frequency were hypertension, aneurysm rupture, AVM. The overall mortality rate was 49%, but a poor outcome was noted in 64% of the cases. The cases of high Graeb score & low GCS(Glasgow coma scale) score on admission showed poor outcome. Incidence of complication was 27%. Ventriculostomy was effective in many cases of IVH, especially in the early stage of stroke.

Severe Head Injury:Clinical Prognostic Factors

A clinical analysis was carried out retrospectively with 54 cases of severe head injured patients(Glasgow Coma Scale score 3 to 8) to identify prognostic factors. Unawareness for over 1 month, abnormal papillary reaction, abnormal motor response pattern, and diffuse head injury with basal cisternal compression prove to be the most reliable predictors. Individual predictions of outcome provide a powerful too for assessing the relative efficacy of alternative treatments.

Clinical Study of Intra- and Suprasellar Tumor

Tumorous lesion of intra- and suprasellar area showed unique clinical pictures and also was very hazardous and difficult to remove surgically because of the surrounding important anatomical structures. Here, authors analyzed 28 confirmed tumor of this area during last two and half years retrospectively. Histopathologically, 28 cases were classified in 14 pituitary adenoma cases(6 cases of nonfunctioning adenoma, 1 GH-secreting adenoma and 7 cases of prolactinoma), 7 craniopharyngioma cases, 3 meninigioma cases and each one case of germinoma, Rathke's cleft cyst, pituitary abscess and hamartoma. Sexual incidence was 6:22 in male vs female ratio. Twenty two cases were measured its diameter over 2cm and they extended to suprasellar area in all cases. Five cases of microadenoma were analyzed and they were all enclosed in sella turcica. Visual impairment was the most frequent and prominent clinical symptom, of which incidence was 78.57%(22 cases). The next frequent symptoms were headache and generalized lethargy. Diabetes insipidus was a presenting symptom in 4 cases and hydrocephalus was noted in 4 cases preoperatively. Surgical intervention was carried out in 23 cases, by the way, the performed type of surgery in 21 cases was a conventional transcranial frontotemporal(pterional) microsurgical method. Post-operatively, diabetes insipidus was complicated in 78.26% and pituitary hypofunction was noted 34.78%. Two cases of intracranial hemorrhage was developed after surgery and one was died. Through 6 to 28 months follow up, 82.1% of cases were improved in its clinical status including 7 cured cases.