The experiment was performed to investigate changes of maternal immune status during the pregnancy. We observed the distribution of several immune cells [macrophage, activated B-cell, IgM+ B-cell, Lyt-2+ T-cell and L3T4+ T-cells] in the utero-placental interface and the peripheral blood of Balb/c mice. The experimental animals were divided into seven groups by the gestational ages ; virgin, 2nd, 5th, 8th, 10th, 14th and 19th day of pregnancy. In the utero-placental interface, the distribution patterns of the lymphocytes [both T and B] and macrophages were observed. Histochemical staining by naphthol-AS-MX phosphate sodium salt was used for the detection of activated B-cells. For the detection of macrophage, plasma cell, suppressor cell and helper cell, all the prepared samples reacted with Rat anti-mouse Mac-1, goat anti-mouse IgM, rat anti-Lyt2 and rat anti-L3T4 antibody first, and washed. Second reaction was done with biotinylated anti-rat or anti-mouse IgG anti-bodies, and washed. Avidin-biotin -peroxidase complex and 3, 3`-diamino-benzidine[DAB] were used for the visualization of specific cells. T-cells and B-cells were not observed during the all stages of pregnancy. By contrast, macrophages were observed a few at the perimetrium on the second day of gestation, and they were found at the outermost portion of the trophoblastic layer on the 8th day, and they were observed at the decidua basalis in late pregnancy after the 10th day when the placenta were well developed. In the peripheral blood, activated B-cells were not observed throughout the pregnancy. On the 8th day, the proportion of plasma cells to total mononuclear cells was decreased significantly to 16+/-2.4% compared with the virgin group[22+/-2.6%][p<0.01]. It increased again and it reached 42+/-5.8% on the 14th day and 37+/-4.9% on the 19th day. Helper T-cells were decreased on the 14th day[30+/-2.4%] compared with the normal control[47+/-5.1%]. But, Suppressor T-cells were increased on the 8th day[35+/-2.9%] and the 10th day[33+/-3.6%] compared with the normal controls[27+/-2.3%]. This decrement returned to the level of the normal controls on the 14th day and 19th day. Together with our previous data, we could find the synchronized changes of immune cells in utero-placental interface, uterus draining lymph nodes, peripheral blood and spleen. Therefore, we suggest that macrophages in utero-placental interface may play an important role for the immune responses against the fetal transplantation antigen.
Animals ; B-Lymphocytes* ; Decidua ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Goats ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphocytes ; Macrophages* ; Mice* ; Placenta ; Plasma Cells ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Sodium ; Spleen ; T-Lymphocytes ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; Trophoblasts ; Uterus

No abstract available.
Aged* ; Humans ; Personal Satisfaction

No abstract available.
Ascorbic Acid* ; Lymphocytes* ; Macrophages, Peritoneal* ; Phagocytosis*

PURPOSE: The number of residents in elderly institution has been increasing due to the change of the family support system. This study was focused on understanding the process of adjustment of the institutionalized elderly using the Grounded Theory approach. METHOD: There were seven participants, 4 men and 3 women living in 3 different elderly facilities. The data was collected through in-depth interviews and participant observation from June 20, 1999 to January 10, 2000 and analyzed by the Strauss and Corbin's analysis method. RESULT: 125 concepts were found and grouped into 30 sub-categories and then grouped into 13 categories. These categories are , , , , , , , , , , , and , which were synthesized into the process of adjustment. being the core category. The adjustment process of the facility elderly consisted of: 1. expressive phase of 'reluctance' 2. control phase of 'reluctance' 3. latent phase of 'reluctance' CONCLUSION: This study offers better understandings on the adjustment process of the institutionalized elderly and provides more appropriate nursing care to the New Comers of these facilities.
Aged* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nursing Care

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a scale of free nursing home adjustment for the elderly in Korea. METHOD: The developmental processes were construction of a conceptual framework, development of preliminary items, verification of content validity, twice data gathering, verification of construct validity, and reliability of final items. The first 53 preliminary items were obtained through review of literatures about nursing home adjustment and in depth interviews with 5 staffs of nursing home. These items were reviewed by five specialists for content validity and 39 items were chosen. The first data was collected from 107 elderly residing in 3 nursing homes and the second survey was from 147 residents who were living in five nursing homes. Finally this data was analyzed for construct validity and reliability. RESULT: There were 23 final items which were sorted into 5 factors. The factors were identified as 'Relocation distress symptom'(8items), 'Making friends'(4items), 'Acceptance of new residence' (6items), 'Difficulty in group life'(3items), and 'Having self-worth'(2items). The cumulative percent of variance was 53.466%. The reliability of the scale, Cronbach's alpha was .837. CONCLUSION: The result of this study could be used for measuring nursing home adjustment of the elderly. However, for further validity and reliability, repeated researches are needed.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Aged/*psychology ; Aged, 80 and over/*psychology ; Female ; *Homes for the Aged ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Middle Aged/*psychology ; *Nursing Homes ; Questionnaires ; Reproducibility of Results ; Stress, Psychological

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to compare the effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering diet therapy instructed by physicians with that instructed by dieticians using techniques that remove regression to the mean. METHODS: 118 patients who visited the office of Family Medicine department in Pusan Paik Hospital from February to November, 1996 and had serum total cholesterol(TC) concentrations greater or equal to 200mg/dL from two measurements were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups randomly according to the cholesterol-lowering dietary education methods : the one was educated by physicians(Group I), and the other by dieticians(Group II). We evaluated the differences of lipid levels after education in consideration of regression to the mean. RESULTS: The mean reduction in TC concentrations achieved by dietary therapy was 10.7 % and 7.3%(without and with adjustment for regression to the mean) in Group I, and 9.8 and 6.5%(without and with adjustment, for regression to the mean) in Group II. The baseline TC concentrations and TC concentrations after dietary therapy were significantly different in individual group regardless of adjustment for regression to the mean. However, the reduction degrees of TC concentrations were not significantly different between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that even after adjustment for regression to the mean, dietary therapy will achieve the expected reduction. And it seems that the diet education by physicians will be effective as much as that by dieticians.
Busan ; Diet Therapy ; Diet* ; Education ; Humans ; Nutritionists*

The purpose of this study was to develop a job stress scale for hospital-based home care nurses in Korea. The process was construction of the conceptual framework, development of the preliminary items, verification of the content validity, item analysis and test of the reliability. The preliminary items were based on literature review and in-depth interviews with home care nurses. As a result, eight categories and sixty items were selected. These were reviewed by seven specialists for content validity and finally fifty one items were chosen. Data was collected from 180 home care nurses who were engaged in 87 hospitals from August to September 2003. The result of item analysis one was excepted. The final item count was 50. Categories were as follows: overload work(8 items), lack of specialized knowledge and technique(5 items), ethical dilemma(4 items), role conflict(5 items), interpersonal relationships(6 items), visiting home environment(9 items), driving conditions(4 items) and lack of administrative support(9 items), The reliability of the scale by Cronbach's alpha was .948 and the domain's reliability ranged from .649 to .841. The result of this study could be used to measure the job stress of home care nurses. However, for further validity and reliability, repeated studies will be necessary.
Adult ; Female ; *Home Care Services, Hospital-Based ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Nurses/*psychology ; *Nursing Services ; Questionnaires ; Stress, Psychological/diagnosis/*etiology

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the experiences of acute care hospital nurses’ on spiritual care with focus group interviews. Methods: Data were collected from 24 nurses recruited from one acute-care hospital in a southern province of Korea. Six focus groups were assembled considering age and religion. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Five categories with 14 sub-categories emerged: 1) ambiguous concept: confusing terms, an additional job; 2) assessment of spiritual care needs: looking for spiritual care needs, not recognizing spiritual care needs; 3) spiritual care practices: active spiritual care, passive spiritual care ; 4) outcomes of spiritual care: comfort of the recipient, comfort of the provider; and 5) barriers to spiritual care: fear of criticism from others, lack of education, lack of time, space constraints, and absence of a recording system. Conclusion Participants perceived spiritual care as an uncertain concept. Some participants recognized it as a form of nursing care, and others did not. They practiced spiritual care in acute-care settings according to their personal perceptions of spiritual care. Therefore, in order to perform spiritual nursing in acute-care hospitals, it is a priority for nurses to recognize the concept of spiritual nursing accurately. It is also necessary to prepare a hospital environment suitable for the provision of spiritual care.

No abstract available.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Cytomegalovirus ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Non ulcer dyspepsia(NUD) is a commonly encountered disease at the primary practice. The relations of functional gastrointestinal disorder and Irritable bowel syndrome with depression or stress were suggested by previous studies. But the contributions of the anxiety, depression and stress as a whole to the NUD were not assessed. In this study, we wanted to show the associations of the anxiety, depression and stress levels with NUD. METHODS: This study was performed by case and control method from Aug. 1 to Sep. 7 at the outpatient department of Family Medicine and at the Health Management and Service department in Pusan Paik Hospital. The both groups were matched by sex and age. The case was defined who has three or more symptoms among nine upper gastrointestinal symtoms like dyspepsia, epigastric pain and anorexia etc. frequently or alwalys and who has no ulcer at the gastrofibroscope. The anxiety, depression, stress levels were measured by questionnaire which was validated by previous studies. The questionnaire was composed of Trait-STAI, Jung's Self Depression Scale(SDS), Modified BEPSI, and Grobal Assessment of Recent Stress(GARS) Scale. RESULTS: The total subjects were 136 persons(NUD group : 86 persons/control group : 86 persons). There were. significant differances in regularity of diet(P<0.001), levels of education(P=0.009), and history of medications(P<0.001) between two groups. The two group had higher scores than the control group in the depression score, anxiety score and modified BEPSI score(P<0.001). All items in GARS showed higher scores in NUD group than in control group(P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: NUD group had higher degree of anxiety and depression than the control group. It seems that the NUD may have streeful status. When we encounter the NUD in outpatiet department, we had better consider the underlying psychogenic or stressful conditions.
Anorexia ; Anxiety* ; Busan ; Depression* ; Dyspepsia* ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Outpatients ; Ulcer* ; Surveys and Questionnaires