The object of this study was to determine the radiation effect on the urinary bladder and to establish the basic date for optimal fraction schedule on the whole abdominal irradiation of the mice. Although radiation damage of the urinary bladder is one of the dose-limiting factor for treatment of lower abdominal cancer, such as uterine cervical or rectal cancer, systematic histopathological study of total dose and recovery duration is very rare, especially in conventional fractionation regimen of clinical use. Authors used 198 mice and analyzed histopathological findings according to total dose (40&50 GY) and recovery duration (1-15 weeks after completion of irradiation) The results were summarized as follows: 1. No definite difference of radiosensitivity was noted between male and female group. 2. Most of mucosal injuries were recovered within 14 weeks in 40 GY irradiated group. 3. Vascular injury and change of connective tissue were prominent and persisted even mild degree until 15 weeks after completion of irradiation in 50 GY irradiated group. 4. Although follow up duration of this study (105 days) was not enough to compare life span of mice, this study emphasized that precious schedule for treatment planning was necessary for preventing or reducing of late complication.
Animals ; Appointments and Schedules ; Connective Tissue ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Mice* ; Radiation Effects ; Radiation Tolerance ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Urinary Bladder* ; Vascular System Injuries

No abstract available.
Humans ; Nursing* ; Students, Nursing*

The purpose of this study was to explore the process of smoking cessation behavior in adults with a history of smoking cessation. The subjects were 17 adults selected by theoretical sampling. The data were collected by in-depth interviews using audiotape recording over a period of six months. The data were analyzed simultaneously by a constant comparative method in which new data were continuously coded in categories and properties according to Strauss and Corbin' methodology. Analysis of the data resulted in the identification of 12 categories. The result of this study are as follows : 1. Smoking cessation in adults is caused by fear about health, environmental pressure of smoking cessation, and intention of smoking cessation. 2. Smoking cessation occurs in connection with situations of limited smoking. 3. Maintenance of smoking cessation is related to psychological stress, and environmental cues to smoking. 4. In the smoking cessation process, adults experienced either health promotion or relapse. It is suggested that the result of this study may contributed to the development of a strategy for decreasing smoking behavior among adults.
Adult* ; Cues ; Environmental Health ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Intention ; Recurrence ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking* ; Stress, Psychological ; Tape Recording

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to develop a dietary self-efficacy questionnaire and to determine how dietary self-efficacy is related to selected biochemical markers and health-related quality of life in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: Participants included 172 patients who had been participating in a dialysis program for at least 6 months at two teaching hospitals. A questionnaire was used to assess socio-demographic factors, dialysis-related factors, dietary self-efficacy, and kidney disease quality of life (KDQOL). Serum levels of potassium and phosphorus and interdialytic weight gain were also measured. RESULTS: The internal reliability of dietary self-efficacy was 0.944 (Cronbach's alpha). Principal component analysis resulted in two factors, situational self-efficacy of compliance with dietary guidelines and self-efficacy of food choice. The correlation analysis showed a significant association between situational self-efficacy of compliance with dietary guidelines and serum potassium and KIDQOL. The average scores of situational self-efficacy of compliance with dietary guidelines and self-efficacy of food choice in the participants were 3.52+/-0.72 and 3.61+/-0.71 respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the situational self-efficacy of compliance with dietary guidelines was significantly associated with serum potassium level and KDQOL and self-efficacy of food choice was significantly associated with KDQOL. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, the developed dietary self-efficacy questionnaire may be a suitable survey tool for hemodialysis patients, which can play a role in predicting clinical indicators of patient and health-related quality of life. We recommend further research into clarifying whether the positive effects of increased dietary self-efficacy is maintained in long-term dialysis patients.
Biomarkers ; Compliance ; Dialysis ; Diet ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; Linear Models ; Phosphorus ; Potassium ; Principal Component Analysis ; Quality of Life ; Renal Dialysis ; Self Efficacy ; Weight Gain

We report a case of sarcoidosis in a 4-year-old girl. She showed the involvements of the skin and eye, which are the characteristics of sarcoidosis in very young patients, and also showed an unusual finding of hepatosplenomegaly. Because the diagnosis of childhood sarcoidosis is difficult and serious sequelae can develop from sarcoidal uveitis, an early skin biopsy and regular ophthalmologic assessment are essential.
Biopsy ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis ; Female* ; Humans ; Sarcoidosis* ; Skin ; Uveitis

Cutaneous mesenchymal hamartoma (CMH) is a very rare disease which most often presents itself at birth and is composed of collagen fibers, immature fibroblasts, fat cells, blood vessels, and mast cells. Until recently, only two cases have been reported. Thus, the clinical and histopathological findings have been unsettled. We describe three cases of cutaneous mesenchymal hamartoma with different clinical findings, discuss its pathogenesis, and suggest that CMH is a distinct disease entity.
Adipocytes ; Blood Vessels ; Collagen ; Fibroblasts ; Hamartoma* ; Mast Cells ; Parturition ; Rare Diseases

PURPOSE: Variable modalities, with more comfortable and less incidence of post-operative complications over TURP, have been used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH) with bladder outlet obstruction. Recently, we performed Interstitial Laser Coagulation(ILC) with the 830nm diode laser, which is considered as a method of minimally invasive treatments for BPH, to assess the efficacy and safety of the device, and to evaluate its capability of replacing TURP for managing BPH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analysed 16 patients, who had suffered from symptomatic BPH, treated with ILC using diode laser retrospectively from April 1996 to January 1997. Mean age of the patients was 71.7(52-84) years old and mean size of prostates before the treatments was 52.2(26.8-100.7)gm. Treatment outcome was estimated by comparing IPSS, QOL, Qmax, Qave and residual urine before the operations with them of first and second month after the operations. Post-operative transrectal ultrasonography was able to several cooperative cases and they were compared with them of pre-operative volumes, too, although it was unavailable to evaluate statistically. RESULTS: The operation were performed under epidural or spinal anesthesia with average time of 62 minutes and with 10 days of post-operative catheterization. IPSS reduced from 22.25(+/-4.82), mean value before the operation, to 11.00(+/-5.58) and 5.00(+/-3.10) at first and second month after ILC. QOL was gradually decreased from 4.44(+/-0.51) to 2.31(+/-1.20) and 1.19(+/-0.91), too. In terms of Qmax, mean was 12.29(+/-5.55)ml/sec before the operation and it was increased to 15.94(+/-7.38)ml/sec and 20.75(+/-8.48)ml/sec. Average flow rate was also increased from 6.98(+/-2.05)ml/sec to 10.38(+/-3.72)ml/sec and 14.93(+/-4.37)ml/sec. Significant reduction was observed in residual urine volume from 98.13(+/-91.72)ml to 33.19(+/-36.58)ml and 9.56(+/-11.24)ml respectively. Minimal hematuria and mild bladder irritations were common symptoms after the procedure, and possible significant complications as like anemia, electrolyte imbalance(post-TUR syndrome), epididymoorchitis, erectile dysfunction, urethral stricture, retrograde ejaculation had not found in our experience, but 1 patient was retreated with TURP because of continued bladder outlet obstruction. CONCLUSIONS: Our initial results with ILC showed that it is a relatively simple and minimally invasive method with minimal occurrence of bleeding and no electrolyte imbalance. We concluded that ILC is a safe and efficacious treatment modality, and it can be used even for elder patients with co-morbidity illness as well as patients with too large prostate to perform TURP.
Anemia ; Anesthesia, Spinal ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Ejaculation ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Hematuria ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lasers, Semiconductor ; Male ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Retrospective Studies ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography ; Urethral Stricture ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction

Vecuronium has been used for long surgical procedure by infusion or intermittent injection. However, such methods are not economical. It may be that the use of longer acting pancuronium followed by vecuronium would offer the advantages of economy and rapid recovery. The aim of this study was to investigate the duration of effect of vecuronium administered after pancuronium. Eighteen patient reguiring prolonged major surgery were given intravenous pancuronium 0.06 mg/ kg (ED95) after induction of anesthesia and a dose of pancuronium 0.06 mg/kg (Group I, nine patients) or vecuronium 0.01 mg/kg (Group II, nine patients) was given at the recovery of neuromuscular transmission where the response to the first stimulus (T1) was 25% of control response. As a result, the time of onset, recovery time of 25%, 50% and 75% of control response T1 and recovery index was to be shorter with vecuronium than with pancuronium. It is concluded that vecuronium administered at the end of surgery after pancuronium is effective for shorting the duration of recovery time.
Anesthesia ; Humans ; Pancuronium* ; Vecuronium Bromide*

No abstract available.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the actual state of and the factors in relation to drinking and smoking of elementary school. The subject for this study consisted of 604 students of six elementary schools located in Pusan. The data were collected by using a anonymous questionnaire during the period from Nov. 1, 1998 to Nov. 15, 1998. The results of this study are summarized as follows. 1. The rate of drinking of the whole respondents was 20.7% (male 25.4%, female 15.6%), the rate of smoking was 8.1%(male 11.7%, female 4.2%). The user of drink and cigarets together showed 5.6%. 2. The school year of the first drinking and smoking was most at the 5th grade in elementary school(drinking 24.8%, smoking 20.4%). The motivation of beginning drinking and smoking was curiosity for the most part(32.0%, 61.2%). As to a way to get drink and cigarets, using a thing in the house' was most(82.2%). As to a used place, their own home or their friends' home showed 32.2% for the most part. Companion was mostly alone(84.0%). 3. Those who had experience of drinking and smoking took more positive attitude toward drinker and smoker, were more hospitable to exhortation to drinking and smoking, and were more positive about the late intention of drinking and smoking, but his desire for health education was lower than not. And he showed overlooking or keeping step with his friend's drinking and smoking. 4. In the results so far investigated difference of drinking and smoking according to a general tendency of respondents. The experience of drinking was related to sex distinction (P=0.003) and the marital status of parents (P=0.001). And the experience of smoking had relation to sex distinction(P=0.001), the marital status of parents(P=0.001), the parent's attitude of bring up(P=0.020) and making use of leisure (P=0.029)(P < .05).
Anonyms and Pseudonyms ; Busan ; Child* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Drinking* ; Exploratory Behavior ; Female ; Friends ; Health Education ; Humans ; Intention ; Leisure Activities ; Marital Status ; Motivation ; Parents ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Child Health