The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is the initial non-invasive investigation of choice for population-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. We evaluated the positivity rate in repeated tests using the same fecal specimen that showed borderline results in the FIT. A total of 6,465 patients were tested with the FIT in a tertiary-care hospital from July to December 2016. FIT was done using OC-Sensor PLEDIA (Eiken Chemical Co., Tokyo, Japan). Among 6,465 patients, 364 (5.6%) patients showed a positive FIT result of over 20 µg Hb/g feces. A total of 112 (1.7%) patients showed borderline scores of 10.2–20 µg Hb/g feces, and 5,989 (92.6%) patients showed negative results of less than 10 µg Hb/g feces. Among the 101 repeat-tested patients, 19 (18.8%) of the patients' scores converted to levels above the positive cut-off threshold. Repeated results of 19 patients showed score elevations from 20.2 to 68 µg Hb/g feces. These results suggest that it is most important to analyze properly prepared samples, even if only once. Therefore, the laboratory staff should ensure the proper preparation of stool specimens for FIT. Laboratory directors should choose the best cut-off value for detecting CRC at their respective institutions.
Colorectal Neoplasms ; Feces ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Occult Blood

BACKGROUND: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are increasingly being reported throughout the world, which is a significant problem for patient treatment and infection control. Carbapenem-resistance in Enterobacteriaceae is mainly due to carbapenem-hydrolyzing β-lactamase, which tends to spread through genetic mobile elements. Therefore, the detection of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) carriers is particularly important for the prevention and epidemiological monitoring of these infections. In this study, we performed surveillance cultures for CPE in patients admitted to the hospital and evaluated the prevalence of CPE. METHODS: Stool cultures were obtained from a total of 228 patients at our tertiary-care hospital between March and May 2017. Stool specimens were inoculated on ChromID CARBA agar (bioMérieux, France) and incubated for 18-24 hours. Suspicious colonies with pink or bluish-green color were screened for CPE by the modified Hodge test (MHT) and carbapenemase inhibition test (CIT). We performed PCR to detect five carbapenemase genes, bla(KPC), bla(IMP), bla(VIM), bla(NDM), and bla(OXA-48). RESULTS: Among 228 isolates, seven were suspicious for CPE: four Klebsiella pneumoniae, one Escherichia coli, one Enterobacter aerogenes, and one Serratia marcescens. Two K. pneumoniae isolates showed positive reactions in both the modified Hodge test and inhibition test with phenylboronic acid. By PCR, bla(KPC) was identified in these two K. pneumoniae isolates. CONCLUSION: Our results showed a very low prevalence (2/228, 0.9%) of CPE in our tertiary-care hospital based on surveillance culture in a recent three month period.
Agar ; Enterobacter aerogenes ; Enterobacteriaceae* ; Epidemiological Monitoring ; Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Serratia marcescens

Escherichia coli can harbor genomic pks islands that code for a polyketide-peptide genotoxin known as colibactin. E. coli strains carrying pks islands trigger genetic instability. pks islands have been significantly associated with bacteremia. We investigated the molecular epidemiology of bacteremic E. coli isolates and the prevalence of bacteremia-causing E. coli carrying pks islands. A total of 146 E. coli isolates were collected at a tertiary-care hospital from January 2015 to December 2016. The phylogenetic groups were determined by multiplex PCR. All isolates were screened by PCR for sequence type 131 (ST131)-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in mdh and gyrB. For detection of pks islands, we performed PCR for the clbB and clbN genes as colibactin system markers. Phylogenetic group B2 was the most common, accounting for 54.1% (N=79) of the isolates, followed by group D with 29.5% (N=43), group A with 11.6% (N=17), and group B1 with 4.8%. Of the group B2 isolates, 40.5% were ST131 strains and 32.9% carried pks islands. Only three ST131 isolates in group B2 carried the clbB and clbN genes, while the other 23 ST131 isolates did not. The pks gene might not be associated with ST131 strains.
Bacteremia* ; Escherichia coli* ; Escherichia* ; Humans ; Islands* ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence*

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the modifiable factors affecting breastfeeding planning and duration among healthy mothers and their use of breastfeeding information resources. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a community setting. Four hundreds participants were recruited at five pediatric clinics and three community health centers located in Paju-si and Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, between January and May 2019. Based on the breastfeeding decision-making model, driven by Martens and Young’s work, the survey items consisted of demographics, childbirth and breastfeeding characteristics, and breastfeeding information resources. In the analysis, 389 responses were used in the t-test, ANOVA, and logistic regression. Information resource networks were compared before and after childbirth including a subgroup analysis depending on the breastfeeding duration. Results: The modifiable factors affecting breastfeeding planning and duration were antenatal and postpartum breastfeeding education and the provision of information in the hospital.The frequency of Internet use and websites visited were notable and potentially modifiable factors, which were also observed in the networks showing different relationship patterns according to participant subgroups and times. The childbirth event increased the centralization of the network in the planned group, while the network of the non-planned group was more diffused after childbirth. The network of the short-term breastfeeding group was characterized by a more centralized pattern and the resources of high betweenness centrality than the long-term group. Conclusion Breastfeeding education is a consistent factor that affects breastfeeding behavior. A well-designed internet-based approach would be an effective nursing intervention to meet the needs of women seeking breastfeeding information and changing their behaviors.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the modifiable factors affecting breastfeeding planning and duration among healthy mothers and their use of breastfeeding information resources. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a community setting. Four hundreds participants were recruited at five pediatric clinics and three community health centers located in Paju-si and Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, between January and May 2019. Based on the breastfeeding decision-making model, driven by Martens and Young’s work, the survey items consisted of demographics, childbirth and breastfeeding characteristics, and breastfeeding information resources. In the analysis, 389 responses were used in the t-test, ANOVA, and logistic regression. Information resource networks were compared before and after childbirth including a subgroup analysis depending on the breastfeeding duration. Results: The modifiable factors affecting breastfeeding planning and duration were antenatal and postpartum breastfeeding education and the provision of information in the hospital.The frequency of Internet use and websites visited were notable and potentially modifiable factors, which were also observed in the networks showing different relationship patterns according to participant subgroups and times. The childbirth event increased the centralization of the network in the planned group, while the network of the non-planned group was more diffused after childbirth. The network of the short-term breastfeeding group was characterized by a more centralized pattern and the resources of high betweenness centrality than the long-term group. Conclusion Breastfeeding education is a consistent factor that affects breastfeeding behavior. A well-designed internet-based approach would be an effective nursing intervention to meet the needs of women seeking breastfeeding information and changing their behaviors.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between peer and parental factors and smoking behavior of adolescents in urban cities and to investigate whether there are gender differences. METHODS: A stratified and random cluster sampling design was used to obtain a cross-sectional sample of high school students in two urban cities. The sample consisted of 512 Korean adolescents (256 boys and 256 girls) aged 15 to 18 (mean age 16.7+/-.58). Self-reported questionnaire consisted of adolescent smoking behavior, peer smoking and alcohol use, parental smoking and alcohol use, father-mother-peer relationships and perceived social support from peers and parents. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the hypothesized model. RESULTS: The findings showed that peer and parental factors accounted for 30.3% of the variance in adolescent smoking and peer smoking was most strongly associated with adolescent smoking behavior (OR=10.18). In addition, peer smoking (OR=4.71), peer alcohol use (OR=4.21), and peer relationships (OR=1.03) were significantly associated with boys' smoking behavior. In girls, peer smoking (OR=26.50) and parent smoking (OR=5.48) were significantly associated with smoking behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with previous findings, peer smoking is a significant factor on adolescent smoking. Specifically, boys would be more influenced from peers than girls. Therefore, smoking prevention programs for adolescents might be focused on the social context such as, resisting to peer pressure and enhancing the self-efficacy to control.
Urban Population ; Social Support ; Smoking/epidemiology/prevention & control/*psychology ; Sex Factors ; *Peer Group ; *Parent-Child Relations ; Multivariate Analysis ; Male ; Logistic Models ; Korea/epidemiology ; Humans ; Female ; Alcohol Drinking/psychology ; *Adolescent Behavior ; Adolescent

It has been found that acetylcholine releases at least two different substances from the vascular endothelial cells, i.e., relaxing factor and hyperpolarizing factor. The present study was armed to investigate whether and to what extent these factors are involved in the relaxation of the corpus cavernosum. The corpus cavernosum was isolated from male New Zealand white rabbits and suspended longitudinally in an organ bath. The corporal strips were precontracted with phenylephrine, tetraethylammonium (TEA) or potassium chloride, and their responses to electrical field stimulation (EFS) or exogenously-administered acetylcholine were examined. EFS caused a frequency-dependent relaxation of the corpus cavernosum precontracted with phenylephrine, which was significantly inhibited or abolished in the presence of procaine (3.5 x 0.0001mol/L) or ouabain (0.0001mol/L). The corporal preparation precontracted with TEA also showed a frequency-dependent relaxation, however, the degree of which was lower than that precontracted with phenylephrine. EFS was without a significant effect on the corporal preparation precontracted with KCl (3 x 0.01mol/L). Acethylcholine elicted a concentration-dependent relaxation of the corpus cavernosum, the magnitude of which was significantly diminished in the presence of L-NAME (0.0001 mol/L). The relaxation response to EFS of the corporal preparation precontracted with phenylephrine was significantly attenuated in the presence of L-NAME (0.0001 mol/L), in which the residual relaxation was completely abolished by glibenclamide (0.00001mol/L). The relaxation of the corpus cavernosum in response to EFS was reversed into a contraction by methylene blue (0.0001mol/L) or TEA (0.01mol/L). These results suggest that endothelium-derived relaxing and hyperpolarizing factors released upon neural stimulation mediate the relaxation of the corpus cavernosum. It is also suggested that EDRF activates soluble guanylate cyclase and EDHF does ATP-sensitive potassium channels.
Acetylcholine ; Arm ; Baths ; Endothelial Cells ; Glyburide ; Guanylate Cyclase ; Humans ; KATP Channels ; Male ; Methylene Blue ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Ouabain ; Phenylephrine ; Potassium Chloride ; Procaine ; Rabbits ; Relaxation* ; Tea ; Tetraethylammonium

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting resilience in nursing students. METHODS: A survey was conducted with 200 nursing students at a college and a university in P city and K city. Data were collected from March 1 to 20, 2017, and analyzed with SPSS PASW 22.0. RESULTS: In the hierarchical analysis, factors affecting resilience were emotional intelligence (β=.39, p<.001), psychological well-being (β=.31, p<.001), and self-esteem (β=.16, p=.010). The variable that had the highest impact was emotional intelligence and the explanation power of the regression model was 65%(F=34.40 p<.001). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicate that emotional intelligence, psychological well-being, and self-esteem are essential for resilience in nursing students. Thus, enhancing emotional intelligence and psychological well-being would be an effective strategy to improve resilience in nursing students.
Emotional Intelligence* ; Humans ; Nursing* ; Resilience, Psychological ; Students, Nursing*

Menopause is a well-known risk factor for accelerating cognitive aging in women. This study aimed to assess differences in cognitive function and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) according to menopausal status to determine whether the menopause significantly affects the relationship between cognitive function and HRQOL.

Background: Epidemiological data are crucial in designing policies for the control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. There is a lack of data on the epidemiology of HIV in Korean correctional facilities such as jails and prisons. Methods: Clinical characteristics of the study population were collected through a medical record review. Results: The number of people with HIV infection were 83 and the HIV infection prevalence in correctional facilities of Korea was 0.15%. Among them, 10 (12.0%) were diagnosed with the infection when they were incarcerated. The number of drug users was 38 (45.8%).Syphilis-HIV coinfection was observed in 21 (25.3%) patients. Individuals from the group comprising the drug users were more likely to belong to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) community, and had a higher incidence of psychological disorders (31.6% vs. 11.1%, P = 0.029; 50.0% vs. 28.9%, P = 0.049, respectively). Conclusion Inmates of correctional facilities showed a five times higher prevalence of HIV infection in Korea, nearly half of whom were drug users.