No abstract available.
Aspergillosis*

BACKGROUND: The determination of serotype of enteroviruses is useful for the discrimination between sporadic and epidemic infections. The conventional serotyping method is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Recently, molecular method was introduced for the serotyping of enteroviruses. The aim of this study was to establish a method to isolate and analyze enteroviruses from various specimens utilizing molecular biological techniques and to determine which strains were phylogenetically related to clinical samples. METHODS: Clinical samples in this study included 164 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), 136 stool, 15 sera, 6 throat swab, 5 urine, and 4 sputa, which were obtained from hospitalized patients, primarily infants or children presenting symptoms of aseptic meningitis in 1998. RD cells were used for enterovirus isolation. RT-PCR was performed with RD cell lysate showing CPE. The primers 011 and 012 were used for the VP1 region, and the primers EN1 and EN2 for 5'-UTR. The nucleotide sequences of VP1 region were determined and analyzed with BLAST program. RESULTS: Among 333 samples, only 23 samples produced CPE: 17 samples at first and six samples at the second blind passage. Fifteen isolates were related to coxsackievirus B2 two to echovirus 4, three to echovirus 6, and three to echovirus 18. All 23 viral isolates displayed a nucleotide sequence identity of 80-95%, compared with the reference serotypes. However, the identity was increased up to 93-100% when the VP1 region was translated into amino acids CONCLUSIONS: Since CB2 type was 55% among enteroviral isolates, the CB2 was determined as the major causative serotype of enteroviral meningitis in 1998. CB2 type was emerged between June and July, EC4 and EC6 was limited to July, and EC18 was in August.
Amino Acids ; Base Sequence ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Child ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Echovirus 6, Human ; Enterovirus B, Human ; Enterovirus* ; Humans ; Infant ; Meningitis* ; Meningitis, Aseptic ; Pharynx ; Serotyping*

BACKGROUND: The determination of serotype of enteroviruses is useful for the discrimination between sporadic and epidemic infections. The conventional serotyping method is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Recently, molecular method was introduced for the serotyping of enteroviruses. The aim of this study was to establish a method to isolate and analyze enteroviruses from various specimens utilizing molecular biological techniques and to determine which strains were phylogenetically related to clinical samples. METHODS: Clinical samples in this study included 164 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), 136 stool, 15 sera, 6 throat swab, 5 urine, and 4 sputa, which were obtained from hospitalized patients, primarily infants or children presenting symptoms of aseptic meningitis in 1998. RD cells were used for enterovirus isolation. RT-PCR was performed with RD cell lysate showing CPE. The primers 011 and 012 were used for the VP1 region, and the primers EN1 and EN2 for 5'-UTR. The nucleotide sequences of VP1 region were determined and analyzed with BLAST program. RESULTS: Among 333 samples, only 23 samples produced CPE: 17 samples at first and six samples at the second blind passage. Fifteen isolates were related to coxsackievirus B2 two to echovirus 4, three to echovirus 6, and three to echovirus 18. All 23 viral isolates displayed a nucleotide sequence identity of 80-95%, compared with the reference serotypes. However, the identity was increased up to 93-100% when the VP1 region was translated into amino acids CONCLUSIONS: Since CB2 type was 55% among enteroviral isolates, the CB2 was determined as the major causative serotype of enteroviral meningitis in 1998. CB2 type was emerged between June and July, EC4 and EC6 was limited to July, and EC18 was in August.
Amino Acids ; Base Sequence ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Child ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Echovirus 6, Human ; Enterovirus B, Human ; Enterovirus* ; Humans ; Infant ; Meningitis* ; Meningitis, Aseptic ; Pharynx ; Serotyping*

PURPOSE: Increase in suicide rate for senior citizens which has become widespread in our society today. It is not a normal social phenomenon and is beyond the danger level. The contents of this study include Korean senior citizens' suicide related risk factors and warning signs, and the development of a simple Geriatric Suicide Risk Scale. METHODS: This study is Methodological Research to verify reliability and validity of the Geriatric Suicide Risk Scale according to the tool development process suggested by Devellis (2012). RESULTS: For predictive validity assessment, high suicide screening accuracy was showed with an Area under the ROC curve (AUC) of .93. For the optimal cutoff point of 11, sensitivity was 93.9%, and specificity, 75.7% which are excellence levels. Cross validity for assessment of generalization possibility showed the Area under the ROC curve (AUC) as .82 and in case of a cutoff point of 11, sensitivity was 73.7%, and specificity, 65.9%. CONCLUSION: When it comes to practical nursing, it is significant that the Korean Geriatric Suicide Risk Scale has high reliability and validity through adequate tool development and the tool assessment step to select degree of suicide risk of senior citizens. Also, it can be easily applied and does not take a long time to administer. Further, it can be used by health care personnel or the general public.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Area Under Curve ; Delivery of Health Care ; Female ; *Geriatric Assessment ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; ROC Curve ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Suicide/*prevention & control ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Surgical modalities to correct hyperopia include photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), Ho:YAG laser thermal keratoplasty (LTK), conductive keratoplasty (CK), phakic IOL, and refractive lens exchange. Excimer laser-based techniques, which include LASIK, LASEK, and PRK, are currently the most popular forms of surgery to correct not only myopia and astigmatism but also hyperopia. These techniques have been reported to be safe and effective for both primary surgeries and enhancements. However, various complications related to the flap and loss of best corrected visual acuity associated with a smaller optic zone, decentration, and irregular ablation caused by longer treatment time in high hyperopia over +5 diopter can have adverse effects on visual outcomes. The development of non-excimer laser-based techniques offers viable alternatives for laser vision correction techniques. More recent non-excimer-based thermal refractive techniques include LTK and CK. Earlier forms of thermal techniques showed a lack of predictability and stability, resulting in no further development of them. Recently, CK, a laserless, radiofrequency-based technique, has been approved by the FDA for the correction of low to moderate hyperopia even though the refractive instability has not been solved yet. In high hyperopia, lens approach like phakic IOL or refractive lens exchange instead of corneal surgery is preferred. ICL (Implantable contact lens) and Artisan is the most popular lens model that has well proven clinical results concerning its safety and effectiveness. Accommodative IOL or multifocal IOL could be the solution for pseudophakic presbyopia in refractive lens exchange in the future.
Astigmatism ; Corneal Transplantation ; Hyperopia* ; Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ ; Lasers, Excimer ; Myopia ; Photorefractive Keratectomy ; Presbyopia ; Visual Acuity

No abstract available.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast*

BACKGROUND: With the rapid growth of the elderly population, osteoporosis has become a major health problem worldwide. Although health knowledge and self-efficacy are important assets to facilitate healthy behaviors and disease prevention, such information as it relates to individuals and their bone health is limited. The purpose of this study was to assess the levels of knowledge, self-efficacy, and health behaviors on promoting bone health in middle-aged Korean women. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional survey study. A convenience sampling of middle-aged women (> or =40 years) was done at a community health center in Korea. Bone mineral density was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry with the DEXXUM T. The level of knowledge was measured with the Knowledge of Osteoporosis Scale, and self-efficacy with the Osteoporosis Self-efficacy Scale. A questionnaire for bone health behaviors was developed for this study. Collected data were analyzed through descriptive methods, independent t-test, analysis of variance, and Pearson's correlation analysis. RESULTS: A total of 150 middle-aged women whose mean age was 59.8+/-11.5 years participated in the study. Most (74%) were menopausal. Less than one-quarter of participants (22.7%) had osteoporosis and less than half (42%) had osteopenia based on the T-score at the left femur neck site. Level of knowledge (mean score, 10.35) and self-efficacy (mean score, 47.67) ranged from low to moderate. Intake of calcium and vitamin D-rich foods was insufficient in our subjects. Bone health behaviors had significant positive relationships with knowledge (r=0.22, P=0.008) and self-efficacy (r=0.29, P<0.001) on promoting bone health. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that educational interventions are needed to enhance knowledge and confidence and to encourage middle-aged women to engage in bone health behaviors.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Aged ; Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Calcium ; Community Health Centers ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Femur Neck ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis ; Self Efficacy ; Vitamins

PURPOSE: Preoperative measurement of refractive error before LASIK or PRK is very important for good postoperative result because the measured refractive error is the basis of correction amount of operation. We analyzed the difference in spherical equivalent values of manifest refraction by operator (OMR), manifest and cycloplegic refraction by resident (RMR and RCR), noncycloplegic automated refraction (AMR). METHODS: The randomized charts of 50 patients (100 eyes) who had undergone LASIK or PRK for myopia at the Department of Ophthalmology at Samsung Medical Center between May 2000 and November 2000 were reviewed retrospectively and spherical equivalent values of preoperative OMR, RMR, RCR, and AMR by Nikon NRK-8000 autorefractor were analyzed by paired T-test. RESULTS: The mean spherical equivalent values of OMR, RMR, RCR, AMR were -5.40+/-2.10 D, -5.47+/-2.23 D, -5.36+/-2.18 D, -6.25+/-2.24 D, respectively. The spherical equivalent value of AMR was more myopic than the values of others and the bias was statistically significant. The absolute difference of spherical equivalent diopter between OMR and RMR was 0.27+/-0.27 D and that between OMR and RCR was 0.30+/-0.33 D. These two absolute difference did not show statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that there was statistically significant difference in spherical equivalent diopter measured by AMR compared to those measured by OMR, RMR, or RCR. So we recommend the method of manifest and cycloplegic refraction by two ophthalmologists before LASIK or PRK for accurate measurement of refractive error.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Humans ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ ; Myopia ; Ophthalmology ; Refractive Errors* ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Single pass lead VDD pacing preserves atrioventricular synchrony with a single lead system which incorporates floating atrial electrodes. The objectives of this study were to measure whether different body postures and physical activities cause significant changes of the atrial electrogram amplitudes and to evaluate the effectiveness of its atrial sensing, ventricular sensing and pacing. METHOD: Prospective study was done in 7 patients with high degree AV block and normal sinus node function in whom a single lead VDD pacing system was implanted. The P wave amplitude was been measured in different condition during follow-up period. RESULTS: 1) During follow-up period, the P wave amplitude showed variation with changes in posture and respiration, but there was no consistent increase or decrease in amplitude. The lowest P wave amplitude was above the minimal atrial sensing value of 0.2 mV. 2) The percentage of atrial synchronous ventricular pacing recorded in Holter ECG and during Treadmill exercise test was more than 99%. 3) Atrial oversensing or VA cross sensing were not observed in any of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Despite floating atrial electrode, the single pass lead VDD pacing maintains reliable atrial sensing and ventricular pacing in different body position and physical activity, so it may offer an excellent alternative in patients with high grade AV block and intact sinus node function.
Atrioventricular Block ; Electrocardiography ; Electrodes ; Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac ; Exercise Test ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Motor Activity* ; Posture ; Prospective Studies ; Respiration ; Sinoatrial Node

BACKGROUND: Single pass lead VDD pacing preserves atrioventricular synchrony with a single lead system which incorporates floating atrial electrodes. The objectives of this study were to measure whether different body postures and physical activities cause significant changes of the atrial electrogram amplitudes and to evaluate the effectiveness of its atrial sensing, ventricular sensing and pacing. METHOD: Prospective study was done in 7 patients with high degree AV block and normal sinus node function in whom a single lead VDD pacing system was implanted. The P wave amplitude was been measured in different condition during follow-up period. RESULTS: 1) During follow-up period, the P wave amplitude showed variation with changes in posture and respiration, but there was no consistent increase or decrease in amplitude. The lowest P wave amplitude was above the minimal atrial sensing value of 0.2 mV. 2) The percentage of atrial synchronous ventricular pacing recorded in Holter ECG and during Treadmill exercise test was more than 99%. 3) Atrial oversensing or VA cross sensing were not observed in any of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Despite floating atrial electrode, the single pass lead VDD pacing maintains reliable atrial sensing and ventricular pacing in different body position and physical activity, so it may offer an excellent alternative in patients with high grade AV block and intact sinus node function.
Atrioventricular Block ; Electrocardiography ; Electrodes ; Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac ; Exercise Test ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Motor Activity* ; Posture ; Prospective Studies ; Respiration ; Sinoatrial Node