No Abstract available.
Infection Control*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the state of unmarried cohabitation and to compare the differences of loneliness and family function among university students with cohabitation experience and those with no experience in Korea. METHODS: A convenience sample of 213 university students was recruited from three universities located in G city and the Chonnam area of Korea. Data collection methods included: (a) a demographic questionnaire, (b) a questionnaire related to cohabitation, (c) UCLA scale: 20 items on a 4-point scale (c) Family APGAR questionnaire: 5 items on a 3-point scale. SPSS/WIN 17.0 was used for descriptive analysis, chi2 test, t-test, and Pearson correlation. RESULTS: In this study, 21.1% of the subjects had experiences of unmarried cohabitation. The cohabitation experience was related to gender, age, and monthly income. There was significant differences in family function between the two groups. Loneliness scores were significantly correlated with family function scores in the non-cohabitation group. CONCLUSION: To improve sex life of the university students, healthcare providers including school nurses may consider family function.
Data Collection ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Korea ; Loneliness ; Single Person ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Sputum*

Three cases of lipomas associated with heavy talc deposits are reported in local inhabitants near a fiber glass factory. Pathologic and mineralogical analysis by polarizing microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray diffraction of mass were done. Simultaneously, we performed an epidemiological survey and a mineralogical study of disposed fiber glass from waste site and ground water. All tumors consisted of mature fat tissue containing an abundant birefringent talc fibers and particles under polarized light. The concentrations of the fibers were 494.7, 6.7 and 50.7 million fibers per gram of dry tissue. The fibers were needlelike with rectangular fractured ends, up to 17 micrometer in length and 0.5 micrometer in diameter. EDX and X-ray diffraction analysis of the fibers showed that 71 to 100% of the fibers were magnesium silicate, talc. We also identified magnesium silicate fibers in the fiber glass from the waste site and in the ground water which were similar to talc fibers in lipomas,. We concluded that fibrous talc, a component of fiberglass waste, might be associated with the development of lipomas via unknown exposure route.
Environmental Exposure ; Foreign Bodies ; Glass ; Groundwater ; Lipoma* ; Magnesium ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated ; Silicates ; Talc* ; X-Ray Diffraction

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of rhythmic exercise program on perceived health status, depression, life satisfaction and physical strength in elderly. METHOD: A convenience sample of 20 elderly, participated in the study from a community health center located in an urban city, South Korea. SPSS/WIN 17.0 was used for descriptive analysis, paired t-test and Pearson correlation. RESULTS: After 8 weeks exercise program, perceived health status (t=0.48, p<.001), depression (t=-0.93, p=.001), life satisfaction (t=1.01, p=.002 and physical strength (t=1.70, 0.70, 0.72, all p<.001) in elderly were significantly improved. Three were significant correlations between depression and perceived health status (r=-.63, p=.004) and life satisfaction (r=-.70, p=.001). CONCLUSION: Further are warranted to validate the effects of a rhythmic exercise program for the elderly in a larger sample.
Aged ; Community Health Centers ; Depression ; Humans ; Republic of Korea

PURPOSE: School-age children spend more than half of the day at school and teachers or school nurses are responsible for managing students with asthma during school hours. Thus, the teachers' knowledge about asthma is very important for the care of asthmatic school children. METHODS: Total 159 teachers were asked to fill out questionnaire on their knowledge about asthma and their personal profiles. The survey was administered by mail. The questionnaire includes 17 items about pathophysiology, symptoms, precipitating factors, treatment, care and prognosis, which were to be answered by either 'true' or 'false'. The correct or incorrect answers were examined data was statistically analyzed by SPSS. RESULTS: Most teachers were in their thirties (54.7%) and years of teaching experience were from six to fifteen years (50.4%). The teachers who experienced asthma students were 23.6%, and 12.6% were either asthma patients or had asthma patients in their family. They had knowledge about precipitating factors of asthma, but, the knowledge was not correct in detail. Only 34% teachers knew what to do and where to contact in case of asthma attack among the students. Teachers' demographic and professional factors did not affect the knowledge about asthma, except their working experience as school nurses and/or with school nursing asthmatic students. CONCLUSION: The survey results demonstrated that their teachers' knowledge about asthma was not sufficient enough to take good care of the asthmatic students at school including emergency management. Asthma education for the school teachers is required and efficient educational programs for the teachers should be developed.
Asthma ; Child ; Education ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Postal Service ; Precipitating Factors ; Prognosis ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; School Nursing

No abstract available.
DNA, Recombinant* ; Hepatitis B Vaccines* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Yeasts*

PURPOSE: Airway inflammation is a characteristic feature of asthma. Sputum analysis can be used as a non-invasive tool to assess severity of the airway inflammation. This study was performed to compare relationships between sputum eosinophils to other parameters of airway inflammation and to evaluate the clinical utility of sputum eosinophils and ECP in childhood asthma. METHODS: Twenty one ashtmatic children and age matched control subjects without history of allergy were enrolled in this study. Their age was from 21 months to 15 years old. The study was performed from January to April of 2001. Ultrasonically nebulized hypertonic saline was used to induce sputum from children. The children were pre-treated with bronchodilator and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was monitored thought-out the procedure. Sample were analysed for total cell count, differential cell count and for concentrations of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP). RESULTS: Asthmatic subjects had a significantly higher proportion of blood eosinophils than the control subjects (279.8+/-187.7/mm3 and 26.5+/-18.5/mm3, P<0.01). Correspondingly, percentages of eosinophil and concentration of ECP were 5.10+/-8.79% and 99.85+/-70.10 microL/L in asthmatic and 0.20+/-0.42% and 1.02+/-2.54 microL/L in control subjects (P<0.01 and P<0.01). Serum eosinophils have no correlation with sputum eosinophils or sputum ECP. There was no correlation between sputum eosinophils and ECP either. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the proportion of eosinophils and the level of ECP in induced sputum may be sensitive and accurate means of assessing the airway inflammation in childhood asthma, and their relationships with serum eosinophils or serum ECP are to be studied further.
Adolescent ; Asthma* ; Cell Count ; Child ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Inflammation ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Sputum*

Pilomatrixoma, a rare benign tumor which consists of basophils and shadow cells, has not been reported in Korea. It originates from a hair follicle and occurs commonly on eyelids and the eyebrow in children and young adults. We expoerienced a 7 year-old male who had a progressive growing palpable mass on the upper eyelid. The systemic steroid was administrated under the impression of hemangioma, but there was no effect. So, the mass was exploratorily excised and confirmed as pilomatrixoma by pathologic examinations. We present a case of pilomatrixoma on the upper eyelid in a child.
Basophils ; Child ; Eyebrows ; Eyelids* ; Hair Follicle ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Pilomatrixoma* ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Measurements of the concentrations of free amino acids in the blood are used as useful biochemical indicators. The sample pretreatments, including anticoagulant selection and deproteinization, are important steps in plasma-free amino acid analysis for accurate and stable results. Heparin and EDTA venous plasma in a frozen state are most commonly applied sample sources in our laboratory. Therefore, we investigated the effects of the anticoagulant and delayed deproteinization in amino acid measurement using ion-exchange chromatography. METHODS: We used Biochrom 20 amino acid analyzer (Biochrom, U.K). Blood samples were taken from 3 healthy adults after a minimum of 8 hours fasting. Two different types of vacutainer tubes, including sodium heparin and EDTA were used. To investigate variations by heparin volume, 3 mL and 6 mL of blood were drawn in 10 mL heparin tubes. We used an aqueous solution of SSA for deproteinization. To investigate variations through delayed deproteinization, we deproteinized the samples immediately and 24 hours later after plasma separation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in concentrations except for cystine, glutamic acid and taurine, and the retention time between the 6 sample groups. The concentration of taurine was higher in the groups of late deproteinized plasma. In the groups of the same deproteinization time, there were no significant differences in concentration by different heparin concentrations. When we compared the results of 3 mL EDTA plasma with that of heparin-treated 6 mL of blood, the most widely used sample type, there was a significant difference in cystine concentration in the delayed deproteinized group but there were no differences in the immediately deproteinized group. CONCLUSIONS: Both 3 mL EDTA blood and 6 mL heparin-treated blood can be used commonly in case of using high-resolution ion-exchange chromatography and an immediately deproteinized sample. But, the results in amino acids can be affected in delayed pretreatment samples. Their effects should always be considered when interpreting laboratory results. The laboratories should standardize adequate sample preparation for the accurate analysis of amino acids.
Adult ; Amino Acids ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; Cystine ; Edetic Acid ; Fasting ; Glutamic Acid ; Heparin ; Humans ; Plasma ; Taurine