PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effects of the hypertension self-help program on knowledge, self-efficacy, self-management compliance, and physiological parameters for workers with hypertension. METHODS: The subjects of study were 54 patients with hypertension, divided into 28 of experimental group and 26 of control group, working in a general work place located in K city from June to September, 2009. Experiment treatment was a 12-week self-care program given for two hours, once a week. RESULTS: After conducting a self-help program, the experimental group showed significant increase in knowledge level, self-efficacy, self-management compliance, and physiological parameters including blood pressure, BMI, total cholesterol level, neutral fat, and LDL-cholesterol of blood lipids compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: This program is greatly recommended for workshops.
Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Compliance ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypogonadism ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Self Care ; Workplace

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in nutrient intake according to the level of self-perception of health status, aging status and life satisfaction of the rural elderly. The factors for the study were surveyed by interview method. The subjects were 270 people(71 male, 129 female) aged over 65 years(73.5 +/- 5.6ys) in the Ham-an area. The obtained results as follows : By evaluation of self-perception of health status, 57.5% of subjects answered they are in a bad health condition. The 91.5% of subjects had diseases(rheumatitis & arthritis 31.4%, cardiovascular disease 20.2%, gastric disease 10.2%). The women had more diseases than the men(p<0.01). The subjects took medical treatment in private hospital(40.5%) and public health centers(35.0%). The men showed better level of aging status(p<0.001) and life satisfaction index(p<0.01) than the worsen. Living with spouse influenced the aging status(p<0.05) and the more pocket money influenced life satisfaction(p<0.05) and aging status(p<0.05). The elderly who eat regularly 3 times a day(p<0.05) and have a good appetite(p<0.001) appeared to have positive effect on the self perception of health status and aging status. An increasing level of the self-perception of health status and regular exercise worked to improve aging status(p<0.001). The habits of smoking and alcohol drinking, however had no effect on any index. The self-perception of health status affected the nutrient intake, but only in female elderly. The aging status and the life satisfaction index related overall positively to the intake of nutrients. In conclusion, the study shows that gender did influence nutrient intake in the elderly. The women who live alone rated lowest in social resources and health condition therefore their nutrient intake was also extremely in deficit. For successful aging, a program for rural elderly is needed, i.e. actions to provide minimum economic life, food delivery and psychological/physical health care through regional public health centers.
Aged* ; Aging* ; Alcohol Drinking ; Arthritis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Delivery of Health Care ; Female ; Gyeongsangnam-do* ; Humans ; Male ; Public Health ; Self Concept ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spouses ; Stomach Diseases

No abstract available.
Urinary Incontinence*

BACKGROUND: Transforming growth factor-beta(TGF-beta) has multiple regulatory effects on cells of the immune system, and it has been suggested that differentiation of lymphoid cells is influenced by low concentra tions of this cytokine. OBJECTIVES: The aim or this study was to investigate the role of TGF-beta in regulation of T cell growth and differentiation, and to compare this effect with that of other cell signals known to be important in T cell ontogeny. METHODS: We used the CTLL-2 cell line in the presence of IL-2. Surface phenotype expression was analysed to see whether these cells could be switched to the other subtype of cells. RESULT: Treatment of CTLL-2 cells with TGF-beta resulted in dose dependent growth inhibition and morphological changes. Curing routine passage, less than 5% of cells were CD8alpha positive, whereas 38% of cells expressed CD8alpha when treated with IL-2 plus TGF-beta. However, TPA plus calcium ionophore, IFN-gamma, or TNF-alpha caused no significant changes in the proportion of CD8 cells. CONCLUSION: Our results show that this experiment can be a useful model for investigating CD8 precursor potentials in populations of CD4-CD8-(double negative) cells, and such a model may offer a way to study the molecular regulation of CD8 gene expression.
Calcium ; Cell Line* ; Gene Expression ; Immune System ; Interleukin-2 ; Lymphocytes ; Phenotype ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Human rotavirus has now been established as the leading cause of gastroenteritis in young children worldwide. At least fourteen serotypes of group A rotavirus have been identified on the basis of antibody responses to major neutralizing glycoprotein, VP7 (G type for glycoprotein), present in the outer capsid of the virus. Serotype 1, 2, 3 and 4 are the most highly prevalent in human. In Korea, rotavirus is also the principal cause of severe nonbacterial diarrhea requiring hospitalization in infants and young children, which is commonly detected by EIA method. The epidemiology of rotavirus infection has been monitored by only serologic methods without electropherotyping in Korea. This study shows seasonal and age related variations .of rotavirus infection in Korea according to the genotype using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Fecal specimens were obtained from 39 children hospitalized with acute watery diarrhea and gastroenteritis in Ewha Womans University MokDong Hospital in Seoul from Jan. to Dec. of 1996. All four (1, 2, 3, 4) major G serotypes were identified by amplification of segment of the gene for VP7 using RT-PCR. Rotavirus Gl 749 bp, G2 653 bp, G3 374 bp and G4 583bp were shown on 2.9 or 3.3% NuSieve agar gel. Results were as follows: 1) Rotavirus was detected at 53.8% (21/39) by EIA and 89.7% (35/39) by RT-PCR. 2) Serotype Gl, G2, G3, G4 when detected by RT-PCR accounted for 80.0% (28/35), 14.3% (5/35), 2.9% (1/35) and 2.9% (1/35), respectively. 3) Thirty five strains of rotavirus were detected at the frequency of 17.1% (6/35) in Oct., 20.0% (7/35) in Nov. and 20.0% (7/35) in Dec. 4) As for the age range, children affected by rotavirus were mostly under 1 years.
Agar ; Antibody Formation ; Capsid ; Child ; Child, Hospitalized* ; Diarrhea* ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Gastroenteritis ; Genotype* ; Glycoproteins ; Hospitalization ; Humans* ; Infant ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Reverse Transcription* ; Rotavirus Infections ; Rotavirus* ; Seasons ; Seoul

Astrovirus is frequently associated with diarrhea in children. It can not be readily isolated by cell culture, and an electronmicroscope is usually used for detection of this agent. Recently in 1995 a combined method of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was designed for easier detection of astrovirus, which is based on the conserved sequence in 3'-end of genomes of the 7 known serotypes of human astrovirus. As of yet there has not been any report of astrovirus data in Korea using the RT-PCR methods. The purpose of this study was to detect astrovirus incidence, severity of symptoms, seasonal variation and coinfection rate with rotavirus in Korean children inpatients with diarrhea. Fecal specimens from 61 young children hospitalized with gasteroenteritis Korea from Jan. 1996 through Mar. 1997. They were examined for astroviurs infection by RT-PCR method. Results are as follows: 1. Astrovirus was detected at 9.8% (6/61) from fecal specimens of children with severe diarrhea by EIA using monoclonal antibody coated plates. 2. Astorvirus was detected at 29.5% (18/61) from fecal specimens of children with severe diarrhea by RT-PCR. 3. The age of the 18 children affected by astrovirus ranged from 2 monthes to 7 years with mean of 3.0 years. 4. Mean hospital stay of the 1S children was 6.1 days. 5. Five (27.8%) astrovirus RT-PCR positive strains were confirmed in November and in December, respectively out of 18 specimens in total. 6. Astrovirus coinfection with rotavirus type G1 was confirmed in 15/16 specimens (93.8%), and with type G2 was in 1/16 specimens (6.3%).
Cell Culture Techniques ; Child* ; Coinfection ; Conserved Sequence ; Diarrhea ; Feces* ; Genome ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Mamastrovirus ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Reverse Transcription* ; Rotavirus ; Seasons

Hospitals have been very susceptable to changes in external environment. Accordingly, they have been experiencing great financial difficulty due to low insurance rates and increasing competition. As a remedy, hospitals have attempted to use computer in a strategic manner. Such system is called strategic information system (SIS) , and order communication system (OCS) is an example of SIS in hospital setting. While OCS has known to be effective in reducing waiting time for outpatients, many hospitals are reluctant to introduce this system mainly because there are no real data or methods for justifying the cost of the system. Cost-benefit analysis has been traditionally used for such purpose, but this method deals with limited portion of benefits and therefore not very useful for analyzing the economic feasibility of SIS. In this paper, information economics tools which expand cost with value was used to analyze the economic feasibility of OCS. To assist the analysis, financial simulation model was developed using simulation package, called IFPS (Interactive Financial Planning System).
Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Insurance ; Outpatients

PURPOSE: This research was carried out to examine if music therapy is effective in decreasing elderly people's depression level and in increasing their life satisfaction level. METHODS: This study used the quasi-experimental design with nonequivalent control group and the pre-test and post-test design, and was conducted from the 26th of July to the 26th of September in 2004. Data were collected using a questionnaire developed by Y.esavage et al. (1983) to measure depression level and one developed by Yoon (1982) to measure life satisfaction level. The subjects were 80 elderly people who were the members of an elderly welfare center in G city. The subjects were divided into an experimental group (n=40) and a control group (n=40). RESULTS: The first hypothesis' The depression level will be lowered in the experimental group who received music therapy' was supported (t=3.856, p=.000). The second hypothesis' The life satisfaction level will be raised in the experimental group who received music therapy' was supported (t=2.040, p=.045). The results above suggest that music therapy can be an effective nursing intervention for reducing the depression level and increasing the life satisfaction level of elderly people.
Aged* ; Depression* ; Humans ; Music ; Music Therapy* ; Nursing ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Prognosis*

For identification of the risk factors for lower urinary tract injuries in patients with pelvic fractures, we reviewed the records of 332 patients with pelvic fractures and 60 patients with urethral or bladder ruptures not associated with pelvic fractures seen at our hospital during recent 5 years. The incidence of lower urinary tract injuries in patients with pelvic fractures was 9.9 per cent (urethra 57.6 per cent, bladder 36.4 per cent. and both 6.0 per cent).Of the 181 simple rami fractures 21 (11.6 percent) had lower urinary tract injuries. Of the 90 rami fractures combining other fractures 11 (12.2 per cent} had lower urinary tract injuries, especially 5 (50.0 per cent) of the 10 combining symphysis pubis diastasis. Of the 14 bladder ruptures 13 had gross hematuria, and of the 21 urethral ruptures all had blood at urethral meatus. For evaluation of significance of hematuria as a indicator for bladder ruptures, we reviewed 257 pelvic fractures without urethral ruptures and upper tract injuries. While of the 25 cases with gross hematuria 13 (52.0 percent) had bladder ruptures, of the 76 cases with only microscopic hematuria 1 case had bladder rupture. We conclude that the high risk factors for lower urinary tract injuries in patients with pelvic fractures are both rami fracture, dispacement of hemipelvis, and symphysis pubis diastasis. Therefore prompt diagnostic procedures for urethral and bladder ruptures must be performed in those cases, especially when combined with gross hematuria or blood at urethral meatus.
Hematuria ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pubic Symphysis Diastasis ; Risk Factors* ; Rupture ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Tract*