Steep Decrease of Gender Difference in DSM-IV Alcohol Use Disorder: A Comparison of Two Nation-wide Surveys Conducted 10 Years Apart in Korea

While decreasing trend in gender differences in alcohol use disorders was reported in Western countries, the change in Asian countries is unknown. This study aims to explore the shifts in gender difference in alcohol abuse (AA) and dependence (AD) in Korea. We compared the data from two nation-wide community surveys to evaluate gender differences in lifetime AA and AD by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). Face-to-face interviews using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) were applied to all subjects in 2001 (n=6,220) and 2011 (n=6,022). Male-to-female ratio of odds was decreased from 6.41 (95% CI, 4.81-8.54) to 4.37 (95% CI, 3.35-5.71) for AA and from 3.75 (95% CI, 2.96-4.75) to 2.40 (95% CI, 1.80-3.19) for AD. Among those aged 18-29, gender gap even became statistically insignificant for AA (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 0.97-2.63) and AD (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.80-2.41) in 2011. Men generally showed decreased odds for AD (0.55; 95% CI, 0.45-0.67) and women aged 30-39 showed increased odds for AA (2.13; 95% CI 1.18-3.84) in 2011 compared to 2001. Decreased AD in men and increased AA in women seem to contribute to the decrease of gender gap. Increased risk for AA in young women suggests needs for interventions.     

Use of CO2 to move structures as an aid to percutaneous procedures

By injecting small amounts of CO2 through a needle, one can move bowel or bladder from the intended path of instruments during interventional procedures. The technique worked well in six of seven cases in the pelvis and retroperitoneum; it was not effective in the mediastinum or midabdomen (n = 6).     

外科手术中产生的烟气:仅仅是大量的热空气吗?

外科医生和手术室人员经常接触手术设备产生的烟气,病人也会暴露于烟气中,特别是腹腔镜手术中产生的烟气滞留于腹腔内这一密闭空间并被吸收.这些烟气是一种与香烟烟气相似的毒性物质,然而对这种毒性物质的影响还未引起足够重视.应该采取必要措施尽可能减少手术中烟气的不良影响.     

A case of primary omental torsion presenting as an acute abdominal pain]

Torsion of greater omentum is a rare cause of acute abdomen. However, it should be included in the differential diagnoses in addition to acute cholecystitis, acute appendicitis, cecal diverticulitis, and other variable causes of acute abdomen. Diagnosis is usually made at laparotomy for suspected appendicitis. In some cases, computed tomography demonstrates a successful preoperative detection of omental torsion. We report a case of surgically and pathologically proven torsion with subsequent infarction of greater omentum presented as an acute abdominal pain.     

Primary non-Hodgkin malignant lymphoma of the breast. An immunohistochemical study of seven patients and literature review of 152 patients with breast lymphoma in Japan.

BACKGROUND. The breast is rarely a primary site for extranodal malignant lymphoma. Most reported primary non-Hodgkin malignant lymphomas of the breast (PBL) are of B-cell phenotype. METHODS. Histologic and immunohistochemical analyses of seven patients with PBL and a statistical analysis of 152 patients with PBL reported in the Japanese literature were performed. RESULTS. Malignant lymphoma could not be predicted preoperatively with clinical and radiologic findings; breast carcinoma, fibroadenoma, and phyllodes tumor were the preoperative diagnoses. All patients were women; they ranged in age from 31 to 80 years (mean, 57.6 years). The right breast was involved initially in five patients. In four, only the breast was involved (Stage I), whereas in three, the ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes (Stage II) were involved at diagnosis. According to the Working Formulation, all patients belonged to the intermediate grade and were classified as having diffuse large cell (five patients) or mixed (two patients) lymphoma. Immunophenotypic analysis revealed that all patients had B-cell lymphoma. No patients had lymphoepithelial lesions, which is the characteristic feature in categorizing a lymphoma as a mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. A statistical analysis of the patient reported in the Japanese literature has divided PBL into two types: a bilateral type that affects younger women and a unilateral type that has a broad age distribution, but preponderantly occurs in older women. The age and stage at diagnosis were significant prognostic factors in predicting the survival time, but the location and size of the tumor at initial presentation, histopathologic type, terminal leukemic manifestation, and treatment modality were not. CONCLUSIONS. This study indicates that most PBL are diffuse large cell lymphoma of B-cell phenotype and that the age and stage at diagnosis are significant prognostic factors.