PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of CT using water as an oral contrast material in a prone position in determining the depth of tumor invasion in gastric cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty three patients(19 male, 14 female) with surgically confirmed gastric cancer were studied. We performed CT in a prone position after ingestion of 1 liter of pure water. CT findings were classified into 4 groups by the morphologic appearances of infiltrates in the perigastric fat plane :normal perigastric fat(SO), fine mottled densities(S1), irregular aggregated or linear densities(S2) and direct extension and invasion of tumor into contiguous structures(S3). Also we prospectively compared the CT staging with pathologic T staging according to the TNM systems. RESULTS: The overall accuracy of CT staging in determining the pathologic T factor was 69.6%. As we regarded T1 and T2 lesions as one group on CT, the accuracy of CT staging was increased to 80.2% because of a limitation of CT for distinguishing T1 from T2 lesions. CONCLUSION: Prone position CT using water as an oral contrast agent is quite accurate in determining the T staging of gastric carcinoma.
Eating ; Humans ; Male ; Prone Position* ; Prospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Water*

PURPOSE: This study aims at confirming the effects of the chest meridian massage on the post-anesthetic recovery of general anesthesia appendectomy patients. METHOD: The research was post-test designed as a nonequivalent control group among quasi-experiments tested. The data was collected from June 20, 2003 to October 14, 2003 at a hospital in P city. In the collected data, using SPSS Win 10.0 program, these general features were analyzed by real numbers and percentages; the homogeneity among variables by chi2-test and t-test and the research hypothesis by the t-test. RESULT: Hypothesis 1; The experimental group receiving the treatment of the chest meridian massage will have a much higher post-anesthetic recovery score than that of the control group not receiving it was supported(t=2.544, p=.014). Hypothesis 2; The experimental group receiving the treatment of the chest meridian massage will have a much shorter time of stay in the recovery room than that of the control group not receiving it was supported(t=-4.919, p=.000). CONCLUSION: According to these results, it may be concluded that Chest Meridian Massage is effective in producing a higher level of post-anesthetic recovery score and helps appendectomy patients reduce the time of stay in the recovery room. Therefore the chest meridian massage can be considered as an intervention therapy for directly nursing general anesthesia appendectomy patients.
Anesthesia, General* ; Appendectomy ; Humans ; Massage* ; Nursing ; Recovery Room ; Thorax*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to systematically review and identify factors relevant to the positive psychological capital of clinical nurses. METHODS: These was no limit on year of publication. Articles related to Korean clinical nurses were retrieved from computerized database using a manual search. A systematic review was conducted based on the PRISMA flow. The total correlational effect size (ESr) for each related factor was calculated from Fisher's Zr. Funnel plots, fail-safe numbers, and Egger regression tests were used to evaluate publication bias in meta-analysis studies. The correlational effect size of 25 studies was analyzed through meta-analysis using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software 3.0 (CMA). RESULTS: The review included 25 studies. In the systematic review, 14 demographic factors and 46 organizational factors were found to be influential. Eleven factors (6 demographic factors and 5 organizational factors) were appropriate for meta-analysis. The overall effect size was .26. The demographic total correlation effect size of related factors was .20 and the total effect size of organization was .46. Organizational commitment (ESr=.38) and job satisfaction (ESr=.54) were statistically positively related variables. Negative variables were burnout (ESr=−.61), turnover intention (ESr=−.41) and workplace bullying (ESr=−.33). The total effect size of the organizational factors was larger than the demographic total effect size. There was no publication bias except for demographic variables. CONCLUSION Organizational factors and adjustable variables have a significant impact on positive psychological capital. The results of this study support the need for development of interventions focusing on organizational factors.

This paper concerns professional socialization of medical students. Professional socialization, in the context of this paper, means the process through which a layperson becomes a doctor equipped with professional identity and values. While medical education does not include such process in the curriculum, medical students obtain certain values and identity informally. The dependent variables were professional values and professionalism. The former means the desirable attributes required to conducting professional works such as humane attitudes, science-oriented mind, capability for organizational management. The latter means socio-political reasoning with which doctors can rationalize their privileges such as autonomy. A specially designed questionnaire was developed. The data were collected from five medical schools for 1,318 students in 1994. A total of 1,070 cases were finally included in the statistical analysis. The students emphasized the human factor in the professional values. Their attitude did not change with the grade. Other independent variables such as motives for entering a medical school, socioeconomic status, satisfaction with medical education, etc. also did not influence professional values. It implies that professional values were not consolidated among the students. However, the factors of professionalism change significantly with the grade. It implies that the students paid more attention to socio-political issues related to doctor`s interests as the grade went up. And the factor scores for professionalism were higher for those students who had more positive attitude towards doing medical practice for profit, expected higher income, and were more conservative about social reform. Other independent variables did not influence professionalism. It seems that the students also give emphasis on professionalism, like current medical doctors, mainly because of their concern with recent unfavorable changes in economic conditions of medical care providers.
Curriculum ; Education, Medical ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Schools, Medical ; Social Class ; Socialization* ; Students, Medical*

No abstract available.
Antibodies* ; Female ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Pregnant Women*

OBJECTIVES: To establish prevalence of hypertension in rural area of Korea, we surveyed adult residents older than 30 years, based on the recommendation and classification of JNC-5(Joint National Committee on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure). METHODS: From December 1996 to February 1997, we studied 4,209 persons in 41 rural areas purposely sampled nationwide. Blood pressure was checked twice at the time of the first visit and again checked twice after one week later for the person fell under hypertension criteria at the first visit. Persons fell under hypertension criteria at the first visit without second visit for recheck were categorized as suspected hypertension. For the suspected hypertension, we predicted whether fell under criteria by logistic regression model. RESULTS: 1) The distributions of blood pressures show unimodal curve, skewed to the right. The peaks of the systolic blood pressure was between 120~129mmHg, tending to move to the right for the age of 50-and-over in male, 70-and-over in female. But peaks of the diastolic blood pressure were consistent between 80~84mmHg in both sexes. The distributions of blood pressures for male were slightly deviated to the right compared with those of the female. 2) The crude prevalence rate of hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure > or =140mmHg or diastolic blood pressure > or =90mmHg or taking anti-hypertensive medication, was 25.94%. And the prevalence rate of suspected hypertension was 5.54%. Through the logistic regression model, the prevalence of hypertension was estimated as 29.94%. Age-sex-adjusted prevalence rate for the rural area-Myon regions- was 25.94%, if adjusted to the age-sex composition of the 1995 national census population. 3) Prevalence rate was 27.76% in male and 30.03% in female, if adjusted to the age-sex composition of the base population of this study. Prevalence rate progressively increased with age, higher in men than women before about age 60. 4) Prevalence rates among eight Provinces(Do) was different. Unadjusted rates for Kyonggi Province was 24.74%, and rates for Chonnam Province was 34.18%. But there was no significant differences of the prevalence rate between inland and seaside. 5) By logistic regression model, 65.39% of stage 1 hypertension and 75.51% of stage 2 hypertension at the first visit were estimated as to be included in hypertension criteria. 6) By the JNC-5 classification, only 22.33% of the patients taking anti-hypertensive medication was being controlled. CONCLUSION: The prevalence rate of hypertension by classification of JNC-5 at rural area was 25.94%. We could not find significant differences of prevalence rate between inland and seaside. Follow-up measurement of blood pressures will be needed to establish more valid prevalence rates of hypertension.
Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Censuses ; Classification ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Jeollanam-do ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Prevalence* ; Rural Population

PURPOSE: Intra-articular knee injections are commonly performed in clinical practice for treating various knee joint disorders such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. When selecting the portal for injection, not only intra-articular needle accuracy but also procedural pain should be taken into consideration. The purpose of this study was to determine whether injection through anterolateral portal provokes less pain and provides better pain relief compared to superolateral portal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 patients with primary osteoarthritis of the knee receiving intra-articular injections were randomized into 2 groups according to the type of portal approach; anterolateral or superolateral. All patients received hyaluronic acid (20 mg) and triamcinolone (40 mg) as the first injection followed by second and third injections of hyaluronic acid on a weekly basis. Underlying knee pain, procedural pain, and knee pain at 4 weeks were evaluated using visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: Injection through anterolateral portal provoked less pain (VAS, 1.5+/-1.3) than the superolateral portal (VAS, 1.5 vs. 2.7; p=0.004). No differences were found in the degree of pain relief at weeks between the two groups (p=0.517). CONCLUSIONS: We recommend the use of anterolateral portal for intra-articular knee injection as it provokes less pain and comparably short-term pain relief than the superolateral portal.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Knee Joint ; Knee ; Needles ; Osteoarthritis ; Triamcinolone

CCR3 is a chemokine receptor that mediates the accumulation of allergic inflammatory cells, including eosinophils and Th2 cells, at inflamed sites. The regulatory sequence of the CCR3 gene, contains two Runt-related transcription factor (RUNX) 1 sites and two PU.1 sites, in addition to a functional GATA site for transactivation of the CCR3 gene. In the present study, we examined the effects of the cis-acting elements of RUNX1 and PU.1 on transcription of the gene in EoL-1 eosinophilic cells and Jurkat T cells, both of which expressed functional surface CCR3 and these two transcription factors. Introduction of RUNX1 siRNA or PU.1 siRNA resulted in a modest decrease in CCR3 reporter activity in both cell types, compared with transfection of GATA-1 siRNA. Cotransfection of the two siRNAs led to inhibition in an additive manner. EMSA analysis showed that RUNX1, in particular, bound to its binding motifs. Mutagenesis analysis revealed that all point mutants lacking RUNX1- and PU.1-binding sites exhibited reduced reporter activities. These results suggest that RUNX1 and PU.1 participate in transcriptional regulation of the CCR3 gene.
Eosinophils ; Mutagenesis ; RNA, Small Interfering ; T-Lymphocytes ; Th2 Cells ; Transcription Factors ; Transcriptional Activation ; Transfection

The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B at ovulation triggering day correlate with the number of immature oocytes obtained from stimulated in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Fiftynine consecutive cycles of ovarian hyperstimulation and IVF were selected from 45 women who had tubal (n=18) or unexplained infertility (n=27) and obtained at least one oocyte. Serum levels of AMH and inhibin B at ovulation triggering day were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Univariate analysis and multiple regressions revealed that serum AMH or inhibin B levels were significantly correlated with immature oocyte count and the correlation coefficients were higher compared to the mature oocyte count. Serum AMH and inhibin B levels on triggering day seems to be more closely related with the immature oocyte count and thus could be good predictors to determine the immature oocyte count in IVF cycle.
Adult ; Anti-Mullerian Hormone/*blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; *Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Inhibins/*blood ; *Oocyte Retrieval ; *Ovulation Induction ; Regression Analysis

Dental implants have been developed for enhancement of osseointegration. Biocompatibility, bone affinity and surface characteristics of dental implants are very important factors for osseointegration. The aim of the present study was to determine the cytotoxicity and the bone affinity of titanium phosphide(Ti-P) implant material. The Ti-P surface was obtained by vacuum sintering of titanium within compacted hydroxyapatite powder. The composition and the chemical change of the surface were determined by Auger electron spectroscopy. The in vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated by the viability of the bone cells and macrophages obtained from chicken embryo and rat,s peritonium, respectively. For the comparative evaluation, 316L stainless steel, commercially pure titanium and Ti-P materials, prepared in size of 10.0mm in diameter and 5.0mm in height, were immersed separately in bone cells and macrophages for 10 days. For the evaluation of the in vivo bone affinity, 316L stainless steel, commercially pure titanium and Ti-P materials, prepared in size of 5.0mm in diameter and 10.0mm in length, were implanted after drilling in diameter 5.5mm in femurs of 2 dogs weighing 10Kg more or less. Six weeks after implantation the specimens were prepared for histopathological examination and were observed under light microscope. In comparison of in vitro bone cell viability, Ti-P and commercially pure titanium groups were not significantly different from control group(p>0.1), but 316L stainless steel group was significantly lower than control group(p<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the viability of macrophages between 3 different groups and control group(p>0.1). In comparison of in vivo study, 316L stainless steel and commercially pure titanium showed fibrous encapsulation, but Ti-P showed remarkable new bone formation without any fibrous tissue. The results demonstrate that Ti-P has favorable biocompatibility and bone affinity, and suggest that dental implants with Ti-P surface may enhance osseointegration.
Animals ; Cell Survival ; Chickens ; Dental Implants ; Dogs ; Durapatite ; Embryonic Structures ; Femur ; Macrophages ; Osseointegration ; Osteogenesis ; Spectrum Analysis ; Stainless Steel ; Titanium* ; Vacuum