PURPOSE: This study was done to identify the factors of decisional balance for smoking cessation among middle aged men in Korea. This was composed of a set of variables at the level of decision making when middle aged men decide to stop smoking. It was used to classify and identify the characteristics of the stages of change for smoking cessation to which the middle aged men belong, and was used to identify the variables of decisional balance which influenced the stages of change for smoking cessation in middle aged men. METHODS: A convenience sample of 169 men who had smoked and were smoking, were between age 30 and 60 and lived in Seoul(mean age=44), were selected from the community. The data was collected from December 10, 1999 to February 28, 2000. The research instrument was the Decisional Balance Measure for Smoking Cessation (Velicer et al., 1985), and Stage of Change Measure(DiClemente et al., 1991). The data were analyzed using the SAS Program. RESULTS: 1. According to stage of change measure, the 169 subjects were distributed in each stage of change for smoking cessation: in the pre-contemplation stage 63 subjects (32.7%), contemplation stage 60 subjects (35.5%), preparation stage 17 subjects (10.1%), and maintenance stage 29 subjects(17.2%). 2. Factor analysis identified 4 factors of decisional balance as appropriate factors for smoking cessation of middle aged men. There were named by the researchers; 1)'Perceived Burden to Self', 2) 'Perceived Benefit to Others' 3)'Perceived Approval to Others', and 4)'Perceived Disapproval to Self'. 3. Analysis of variance showed that the three components, 1)'Perceived Burden to Self(F=8.50, P=0.0001)', 2) 'Perceived Benefit to Others(F=3.19, P=0.025)' and 3)'Perceived DisApproval to Self(F=2.87, P=0.038)were significantly associated with stage of change. 4. Through discriminant analysis, it was found that 'Perceived Burden to self' was the most influential variable in discriminating the four stages of change(pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, and maintenance). CONCLUSION: The results are consistent with the application of the Transtheoretical model, which has been used to understand how people change health behavior. Even though this study is a cross-sectional, not a longitudinal study, the findings of this study give useful information for smoking cessation intervention for the middle aged men.
Decision Making ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged* ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking*

PURPOSE: To characterize strain-specific differences in radiation response in murine tissues with different radiosensitivity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six-week old male mice of 2 strains, C57Bl/6J and C3H/HeJ, were given whole body gamma-radiation with a single dose of 10 or 25 Gy. At different times after irradiation, mice were killed and tissues with different radiosensitivity, thymus and liver, were collected. Each tissue sample was stained with hematoxylin and eosin and apoptotic cells were scored. Expression of p53, Bcl-2, Bcl-x, and Bax was analysed by western blotting and densitometry. RESULTS: Radiation induced massive apoptosis in thymus with a peak level at 8 h after radiation. With 10 Gy irradiation, apoptotic indices in C57Bl/6J and C3H/HeJ were 81.0 2.5% and 59.4 4.0%, respectively (p<0.05). Radiation upregulated the expression of p53, Bcl-x, and Bax, but not Bcl-2; p53 with a peak level of 2.5 fold (C57Bl/6J) and 1.4 fold (C3H/HeJ) at 4 h, Bax with a peak level of 2.6 fold (C57Bl/6J) and 1.3 fold (C3H/HeJ) at 8 h, and Bcl-x with a peak level of 11.1 fold (C57Bl/6J) and 8.2 fold (C3H/HeJ) at 8 h after radiation. In liver, however, radiation-induced apoptosis was minimal (peak apoptotic index of 2.1% in C57Bl/6J and 1.7% in C3H/HeJ). None of p53, Bcl-2, Bcl-x, and Bax was significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Induction of apoptosis and regulation of related genes by radiation were tissue specific. Strain difference of radiation-induced apoptosis was well coupled with theinduction of related genes in thymus, a radiosensitive tissue. This study shows that quantitative difference of radiation induced apoptosis by strain is regulated at the gene level with the involvement of multiple genes.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Densitometry ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Liver ; Male ; Mice ; Radiation Tolerance ; Thymus Gland

In May 1974, authors encountered a 37 year old Korean male who was suffering from very serious condition of acute abdomen. On exploratory laparotomy, a ruptured granulomatous mass in the proximal portion of the ileum showing extensive inflammatory and gangrenous changes was found and about 4 ft. long of the bowel was resected. From the honey-combed fibrous capsules in the mass, four plerocercoid larvae, spargana, measuring about 3 to 7 cm in lengths were extirpated. The patient had a past history of having eaten the raw flesh of a snake as a tonic about 7 months prior to admission. Four cases of intra-abdominal sparganosis reported previously in Korea and the present case were discussed briefly. Snakes and frogs in Korea are very important second intermediate hosts for the 1arva, Sparganum stage. It is most preferable that the habitual ingestion of the raw fleshes of them should be avoided in this country.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Spirometra sp. ; sparganum ; sparganosis ; laparatomy ; intestine ; perforation ; case report

No abstract available.

The incidence of intracranial complications of otitis media, including lateral sinus thrombophlebitis, has been significantly reduced since the advent of antibiotics. This entity is rarely encountered in clinical practice, and delay in its diagnosis and institution of appropriate therapy may lead to serious, or even fatal, consequences. The signs and clinical course of lateral sinus thrombophlebitis are non-specific and the final diagnosis rests upon radiological investigations including CT-scans and MRI. We have experienced a case of middle fossa and posterior fossa epidural abscess formation, lateral sinus thrombophlebitis that has developed secondary chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma in a 47 year-old female patient. We report this case which was successfully treated by middle fossa dura and posterior fossa dura drainage, lateral sinus thrombectomy with open mastoidectomy.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cholesteatoma* ; Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Epidural Abscess* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lateral Sinus Thrombosis* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Otitis Media* ; Otitis* ; Thrombectomy ; Transverse Sinuses*

The authors studied the strabiEmus of 50 cases in children under six years of age. A total of 50 cases were screened in out patient department from April 1972 to July 1973. The results are as followings: Among them, 28 cases of exotropia, 18 cases of exotropia and 4 cases of hypertropia were observed. Generally, there were more female than male. According to the refractive status, there were more hypertropia among esotropia and more myopia among exotropia. There were only 3 cases those visual acuity were below 0.1 and the remainder were above 0.1. According to the age, there were 11 cases under the 2 yrs of age, 15 cases in the age 3 yrs to 4 yrs and 20 cases over 6 yrs. The onset of 36 cases were so incidious that were unknown and those of 8 cases were gradual. The strabismus were markedly detected under the 1 year of age (26 cases) and 31 cases were alternating type and 15 cases were monocular. And it \vas interesting fact that 19 cases were first child.
Child* ; Esotropia ; Exotropia ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Myopia ; Strabismus* ; Visual Acuity

No abstract available.
Gastrointestinal Diseases*

PURPOSE: Enterobacter is one of the important organisms in neonatal intensive care unit. We reviewed the clinical characteristics, underlying diseases, invasive procedures during admission, mortality and antibiotic sensitivity of Enterobacter infection in NICU. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 21 neonatal patients whose blood cultures yielded Enterobacter between June 1994 and June 1997 at Dongguk University Hospital. RESULTS: Blood cultures were positive in 62 from 2,025 neonates and 21 was Enterobacter. The clinical spectrums were diverse such as sepsis (85%), pneumonia, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and necrotizing enterocolitis. The underlying conditions upon admission were composed of prematurity (38%), hyaline membrane disease (38%), jaundice, sepsis and pneumonia. The procedures used during admission were endotracheal intubation (57%), mechanical ventilation (57%), umbilical vessel catheterization, gastric tube inserition, total parenteral nutrition and exchange transfusion. The antibiotic sensitivity was as follows : ampicillin (0%), ceftriaxone (0%), amikacin (55%), gentamicin (85%), ciprofloxacin (100%), imipenem (100%). Overall mortality was 26.5%. Mortality was significantly high in cases of leukopenia (P< or = 0.01), thrombocytopenia (P< or = 0.01) and use of inappropriate antibiotics (P< or = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Enterobacter is an important organism in the cause of nosocomial infection in NICU and has a high rate of mortality. Enterobacter infection was associated with prolonged hospitalization, invasive procedures and preceding antibiotics. Commonly used antibiotics such as penicillin and cephalosporin would be inappropriate for the treatment of Enterobacter infection. We consider the use of gentamicin or imipenem to be far more effective in the initial therapy of Enterobacter infection.
Amikacin ; Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteremia* ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Ceftriaxone ; Ciprofloxacin ; Cross Infection ; Enterobacter* ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; Gentamicins ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hyaline Membrane Disease ; Imipenem ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal* ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Jaundice ; Leukopenia ; Mortality ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total ; Penicillins ; Pneumonia ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies* ; Sepsis ; Thrombocytopenia

PURPOSE: To assess the usefulness of Gd-DTPA MRI in the evaluation of the characteristics of intracranial meningiomas and in the correlation with their histopathologic pattern. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the Gd-DTPA MRI findings in 22 cases of histologicalty-proven intracranial meningiomas. The images were assessed for signal intensity, internal texture, peritumoral edema, and enhancement characteristics. Computed tomograms were obtained in 18 cases and compared with MRI findings. RESULTS: Tl-weighted images were not particularly useful for discriminating pathologic subtype, but signal intensity on T2-weighted images were relatively well correlated with histopathologic findings. A heterogeneous texture produced by tumor vascularity, calcification, cystic foci, hemorrhagic necrosis, or psammoma body was relatively well shown on Gd-DTPA Tl-weighted image compared with that on T1- or T2-weighted image. Gd-DTPA Tl-weighted images revealed a dural tail sign in 19 cases(83%). Angioblastic type was slightly hypointense on Tl-weighted image and markedly hyperintense on T2-weighted image. Psammomatous type and firboblastic type were isointense on both T1- and T2-weighted image. Fibroblastic type was more densely enhanced than the other. The transitional, atypical, and papillary types showed tendency of heterogeneous enhancement. CONCLUSION: Gd-DTPA MRI was a useful imaging modality in evaluation of the characteristics of meningiomas and correlated well with the pathologic patterns.
Edema ; Fibroblasts ; Gadolinium DTPA* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Meningioma ; Necrosis ; Retrospective Studies

Antipyschotics have been frequently reported being associated with hyponatremia. We have experienced two cases of severe hyponatremia with neurological symptoms in patients with acute schizophrenia who were treated with risperidone. Case 1 was a 33-year-old female who developed hyponatremia (Na+114 mEq/L) at 17 days after initiation of treatment with risperidone. Case 2 was a 41-year-old female who developed hyponatremia (Na+107 mEq/L) 5 months after treatment with risperidone. In both cases, polydipsia was not obvious. The exact cause of hyponatremia was uncertain, but we suggest that syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone due to risperidone may be the mechanism of hyponatremia in both cases. Although there have been many recent studies about the pathophysiology of hyponatremia among psychiatric patients, the exact mechanism remains unclear. There have been many case reports in the literature of hyponatremia associated with antipsychotics. We suggest that risperidone may be a potential drug that can cause hyponatremia and lead to life-threatening neurological symptoms in the early stage treatment, and that clinicians should monitor patients on a regular basis.
Adult ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Coma ; Female ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Morphinans ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Polydipsia ; Risperidone ; Schizophrenia