BACKGROUND: To access the accuracy and clinical usefulness of microplate identification (ID) system for the identification of Enterobacteriaceae, we compared microplate ID system with API 20E(bioMerieux, Etoile, France). METHODS: Ninety-two cultures of Enterobacteriaceae and one isolate of Aeromonas species were simultaneously identified by microplate ID system and the API 20E. Twenty biochemical tests used in microplate ID system were lactose, sucrose, and H2S in Kligler's iron agar media; indole, sucrose, raffinose, arabinose, trehalose, adonitol, dulcitol, sorbitol, cellibiose, methy-red, phenylalanine deaminase, ornithine decarboxylase, lysine decarboxylase, arginine dihydrolase, urease, and citrate in microplate; and oxidase test. The identification was obtained by considering percent likelihood(% ID), modal frequency and ID score method. RESULTS: Among the 92 cultures of Enterobacteriaceae and one isolate of Aeromonas species, agreement rate of identification according to the % ID between microplate ID system and API 20E were 90.3% to the species level and 97.8% to the genus level. CONCLUSIONS: For the identification of clinical Enterobacteriaceae isolates, the microplate ID system compares favorably with API 20E in identification accuracy and have the advantage of costsaving and easy to use.
Aeromonas ; Agar ; Arabinose ; Arginine ; Citric Acid ; Enterobacteriaceae* ; Galactitol ; Iron ; Lactose ; Lysine ; Ornithine Decarboxylase ; Oxidoreductases ; Phenylalanine ; Raffinose ; Ribitol ; Sorbitol ; Sucrose ; Trehalose ; Urease

PURPOSE: This study analyzes the relationship between work-life conflict and turnover intention among hospital nurses. Furthermore, it seeks to determine whether the relationship between the two varies depending on the shift work condition of the nurses. METHODS: A total of 435 nurses working at five tertiary hospitals were included in the study. The questionnaire included items on turnover intentions, work-life conflicts, sociodemographic factors, working conditions, and internal and external resources. RESULTS: The level of work-life conflict among shift work nurses was higher than that of non-shift work nurses. The turnover intention was also higher for shift work nurses than for non-shift work nurses. Results from the multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the work-life conflict of nurses had a positive relationship with turnover intention. The effect of work-life conflict on turnover intention was greater for shift work nurses than for non-shift work nurses. CONCLUSION: Work-life conflict had a greater impact on the turnover intention of hospital nurses working under shift work conditions. Based on this study's findings, it can be suggested that, in order to reduce high turnover intention, it will be necessary to make specific efforts to balance work-life conflict and improve working conditions.
Intention ; Logistic Models ; Tertiary Care Centers

PURPOSE: This study analyzes the relationship between work-life conflict and turnover intention among hospital nurses. Furthermore, it seeks to determine whether the relationship between the two varies depending on the shift work condition of the nurses. METHODS: A total of 435 nurses working at five tertiary hospitals were included in the study. The questionnaire included items on turnover intentions, work-life conflicts, sociodemographic factors, working conditions, and internal and external resources. RESULTS: The level of work-life conflict among shift work nurses was higher than that of non-shift work nurses. The turnover intention was also higher for shift work nurses than for non-shift work nurses. Results from the multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the work-life conflict of nurses had a positive relationship with turnover intention. The effect of work-life conflict on turnover intention was greater for shift work nurses than for non-shift work nurses. CONCLUSION Work-life conflict had a greater impact on the turnover intention of hospital nurses working under shift work conditions. Based on this study's findings, it can be suggested that, in order to reduce high turnover intention, it will be necessary to make specific efforts to balance work-life conflict and improve working conditions.

No abstract available.
Dandy-Walker Syndrome*

BACKGROUND: Intracoronary stenting in large coronary artery with diameters >3 mm has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of acute or threatened closures complicating balloon angioplasty and in the prevention of restenosis. However, whether equally favorable results are afforded by stent placement in small vessels (<3 mm) remains unclear. Accordingly, we evaluated the safety and feasibility of intracoronary stenting in native coronary vessels less than 2.75 mm in size. METHODS: Between January 1997 and July 1998, seventy eight patients with 81 lesions were treated with 83 stents, regardless of clinical setting. The angiographic criteria for enrollment included at least 70% stenosis and a vessel that reference diameter was less than 2.75 mm. Every patients received aspirin (300 mg qd, indefinitely) and ticlopidine (250 mg bid, one month) and was given a bolus dose of 10,000 U heparin during procedure. RESULTS: Angiographic success was achieved in 80 of 81 attempts (98%). There was one in-hospital death because of pump failure in AMI patient. There was no acute stent thrombosis. At 6 month follow-up, event free survival was achieved in 90% of patients and angiographic restenosis was found in 28% of patients (9/32). CONCLUSION: The present observational study demonstrates that angiography-guided stent placement in coronary artery < 2.75 mm in diameter is safe and effective in conjunction with current stent deplyment technique and antiplatelet protocol.
Angioplasty, Balloon ; Aspirin ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Heparin ; Humans ; Observational Study ; Stents* ; Thrombosis ; Ticlopidine

The gingival epithelium of the oral cavity is constantly exposed to exogenous stimuli such as bacterial toxins, allergens, and thermal changes. These exogenous stimuli are resisted by innate host defense in gingival epithelial cells. However, it is unclear exactly how the exogenous stimuli affect detrimentally on the human gingival epithelial cells. Here, we investigated whether the allergen, such as house dust mite (HDM) extract, is linked to Ca2+ signaling and proinflammatory cytokine expression in primary cultured human gingival epithelial cells. HDM extract induced an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in a dose-dependent manner. Extracellular Ca2+ depletion did not affected on the HDM extract-induced increase in [Ca2+]i. The HDM extract-induced increase in [Ca2+]i was abolished by the treatment with U73122 and 2-APB, which are inhibitors of phospholipase C (PLC) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor. Moreover, HDM extract induced the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-8. These results suggest that HDM extract triggers PLC/IP3-dependent Ca2+ signaling and IL-8 mRNA expression in primary cultured human gingival epithelial cells.
Allergens ; Bacterial Toxins ; Epithelial Cells* ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate ; Interleukin-8* ; Interleukins ; Mouth ; Pyroglyphidae* ; RNA, Messenger ; Type C Phospholipases

Neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE) is an uncommon passive autoimmune disease in which there is a transplacental passage of anti-Ro or anti-La maternal autoantibodies. The cutaneous lupus lesions are commonly observed and usually resolve spontaneously. The cardiac involvement which sometimes needs the permanent pacemaker, however, is the most clinically significant manifestation of NLE. In addition, the hepatic and hematologic abnormalities are observed in approximately 10% of infants with NLE. Therefore, in the way of the evaluation of hematologic disorders in neonate, NLE should be included. We present a case of NLE in an infant born to a mother with anti-Ro, and he had skin rash, pancytopenia and mildly abnormal liver functions without cardiac manifestation.
Autoantibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Exanthema ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Liver* ; Mothers ; Pancytopenia*

A male patient aged 54 came to the neurology department complaining of weakness and tingling sensation in the left lower extremity during squatting exercises for the previous four days. A neurological examination revealed left proximal leg weakness and hypesthesia on the medial side of the left lower leg. In eight hours after onset, he took brain and lumbar MRIs at a local clinic and the results were normal. In order to identify possible causes, we performed a follow-up lumbar MRI, femoral angiography, electromyography, and nerve conduction study but failed to obtain any abnormal findings. Finally, a recent infarction of right corona radiata was observed by a follow-up brain MRI which was taken 16 days after onset of the symptom. Leg monoparesis caused by cerebral infarction is known to be rare and in particular combines motor and sensory deficits limited to one extremity.
Aged ; Angiography ; Brain ; Cerebral Infarction ; Electromyography ; Exercise ; Extremities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Infarction ; Leg ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Neural Conduction ; Neurologic Examination ; Neurology ; Paresis ; Porphyrins ; Sensation

Intertrochanteric fractures are common in older age group. Recently better implant design and surgical technique have improved clinical results. But still many patients suffer from high morbidity and mortality, because of accompanying osteoporosis and various senile diseases. From January 1991 to June 1994, we treated 54 patients older than 70 years with intertrochanteric fractures of femur. Among them, 23 patients were followed up at our hospital and the other patients were informed from police station. Lost follow up was ten patients and final follow up were 44 patients. Mortality was analyzed for the detection of causative factors, such as age, sex, associated medical problems. type of fracture, degree of osteoporosis, type of operation, internal between injury and operation and duration of admission. The results were as follows; 1. 26 patients survived and 18 patients died(Mortality rate :40.9%) 2. 10 patients died within 1 year(Mortality rate :22.7%) 3. Mortality was related to associated medical problems, interval between in jury and operation and type of fracture, which were statistically significant(P < 0.05).
Aged ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip Fractures ; Humans ; Mortality ; Osteoporosis ; Police

The receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) signal is an activator of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), which leads to the activation of NF-kappaB and other signal transduction pathways essential for osteoclastogenesis, such as Ca2+ signaling. However, the intracellular levels of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and IP3-mediated cellular function of RANKL during osteoclastogenesis are not known. In the present study, we determined the levels of IP3 and evaluated IP3-mediated osteoclast differentiation and osteoclast activity by RANKL treatment of mouse leukemic macrophage cells (RAW 264.7) and mouse bone marrow-derived monocyte/macrophage precursor cells (BMMs). During osteoclastogenesis, the expression levels of Ca2+ signaling proteins such as IP3 receptors (IP3Rs), plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase, and sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase type2 did not change by RANKL treatment for up to 6 days in both cell types. At 24 h after RANKL treatment, a higher steady-state level of IP3 was observed in RAW264.7 cells transfected with green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged pleckstrin homology (PH) domains of phospholipase C (PLC) delta, a probe specifically detecting intracellular IP3 levels. In BMMs, the inhibition of PLC with U73122 [a specific inhibitor of phospholipase C (PLC)] and of IP3Rs with 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2APB; a non-specific inhibitor of IP3Rs) inhibited the generation of RANKL-induced multinucleated cells and decreased the bone-resorption rate in dentin slice, respectively. These results suggest that intracellular IP3 levels and the IP3-mediated signaling pathway play an important role in RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis.
Animals ; Blood Proteins ; Boron Compounds ; Calcium-Transporting ATPases ; Cell Membrane ; Dentin ; Estrenes ; Inositol ; Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate ; Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors ; Macrophages ; Mice ; NF-kappa B ; Osteoclasts ; Phosphoproteins ; Proteins ; Pyrrolidinones ; Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B ; Reticulum ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Type C Phospholipases