PURPOSE: Recently, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have become one of the major nosocomial pathogens in Korea. However, there have been few studies on the epidemiology of VRE colonization among neonates. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of VRE colonization, risk factors for VRE, and how to control the spread of VRE infection in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Pusan National University Hospital (PNUH). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 192 neonates who were admitted to the NICU of PNUH from March 2006 to March 2007. Surveillance cultures from rectal swabs for detecting VRE were obtained weekly during the study period. We analyzed the prevalence of VRE and various risk factors. RESULTS: The rate of VRE colonization among NICU patients was 25% (48/192). Thirty five of these VRE colonized patients were transferred to the NICU from other local hospitals. Compared with the non-VRE group, the risk factors associated with VRE colonization were lower birth weight, congenital heart disease, applied mechanical ventilation, use of a central venous catheter, chest tubing, a history of surgery, and use of antibiotics. CONCLUSION: VRE colonization among patients admitted to the NICU is rapidly increasing. Monitoring and managing premature neonates from the beginning of the birth process, avoiding many invasive procedures, avoiding antibiotics such as vancomycin and third generation cephalosporin are important for preventing the emergence and spread of VRE colonization in the NICU.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Birth Weight ; Central Venous Catheters ; Colon ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Parturition ; Prevalence ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thorax ; Vancomycin ; Vancomycin Resistance

PURPOSE: The study was performed to identify the process of change, decisional balance and self-efficacy corresponding to the stage of smoking cessation behavior based on Transtheoretical Model in industrial workers. METHOD: A convenience sample of 146 industrial workers except for the never smokers, were recruited at a H industry in Ulsan. Data were collected from February 1 to 28, 2002. The research instruments were Stages of Change of Smoking Cessation Measure(DiClemente et al, 1991), Process of change(Prochaska, 1988), Smoking Abstinence Self Efficacy (SASE: DiClemente et al, 1985) and Decisional balance(SDB; Kim, 1999). RESULT: The results of this study were as follows; 1. The subjects were distributed in each stage of smoking cessation change: There were 64 subjects (43.0%) in the precontemplation stage, 35 subjects(23.5%) in the contemplation stage, 28 subjects(18.8%) in the preparation stage, 14 subjects(10.1%) in the action stage and 7 subjects(4.7%) in the maintenance stage. 2. Analysis of variance showed that experiental process(F=2.808, p=.042), behavioral process (F=4.567, p=.004) self-efficacy(F=9.809, p=.000), pros(F=11.107, p=.000), cons(F=6.686, p=.000), pros- cons(F=3.446, p=.018) were significantly associated with the stages of smoking cessation change. 3. Through discriminant analysis, it was found that 'PROS' was the most influential variable in discriminating the four stages of change. CONCLUSION: This study can provide the basis of staged matching smoking cessation program using TTM for more effective and useful intervention.
Self Efficacy* ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking* ; Ulsan

The posterior cruciate ligament, because of its location and axial role in knee function, was assumed to be a fundamental stabilizer for the knee joint. Reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament has been a demanding operation due to difficulties of appropriate graft material. Posterior cruciate substituing material should be biocompatible, durable, stress-strain capable and ease to be used. Achilles tendon autografts were thought to meet these criteria. Recently, we have advocated partial Achilles tendon autograft in reconstructive operation of posterior cruciate ligament with promising result. Posterior cruciate ligament reconstructions were done in 8 knees, with follow-ups ranging from 7 to 23 months, averaging 13 months. The results were as followings: l. Average preoperstive knee score was 46 and it was improved up to 88 after operation. 2. Among the 8 knees, 3 belonged to the excellent, 4 to good, and 1 to fair groups respectvely. 3. Achilles tendon autograft turned out to be a good substitute for the posterior cruciate deficient knee. The results were promising. Achilles tendon autograft regarded to be suitable for the posterior cruciate liagament reconstruction and desirable features of this autogenous graft included distinguished biocompatability, mechanical stability in fixation strength as well as stress-strain capability, and consistency in reproducible operative technique.
Achilles Tendon ; Autografts ; Follow-Up Studies ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Transplants

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the nurses’ positive psychological capital and adaptation of job rotation and to examine their relationship. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from March 23, 2021 to March 31, 2021, the study participants were 160 nurses who worked at a general hospital in Seoul.The collected data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS/WIN 24.0 program with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: The positive psychological capital of nurses scored an average of 3.30±0.43 out of 5. Nurses’ adaptation of job rotation scored an average of 3.00±0.35 out of 5. Positive psychological capital and adaptation of job rotation showed a significant positive correlation (r=.70, p<.001). Conclusion This study shows that the greater level of positive psychological capital was associated with the increased adaptation of job rotation among nurses. It is necessary to develop an practical program to help nurses, who have recently experienced job rotation, adapt to the changed job by improving the positive psychological capital.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate new nurses’ needs for intravenous infusion therapy training by analyzing the current training status. Methods: This study examined the needs for intravenous infusion therapy training with 159 new nurses. The measurement tool consisted of 93 items developed based on intravenous therapy-related studies, and was evaluated on a 4-point Likert scale. For data analysis, SPSS/WIN 25.0 was used, and frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation, paired t-test, were performed. Results: The demand for intravenous therapy education was analyzed using a questionnaire composed of 8 areas, 16 sub-areas, and 93 items. According to the findings, post-ward placement intravenous therapy education(83.7%) is conducted more often than in preliminary education (72.2%). The demand for intravenous infusion therapy education did not differ significantly in preliminary and post-ward placement education (t=-.89, p=.376). While therapy skills were preferred in preliminary education, there were high demands for education content related to blood transfusion, central venous catheter, and drug use in continuing education. As for preferred teaching methods, lecture (38.2%) and simulation (26.7%) were most answered for preliminary education, while a range of methods were preferred for continuing education including lecture (31.1%), clinical practice (20.6%), preceptor training (19.8%), simulation (16.8%), and self-study (11.6%). Conclusion For efficient training, it is required to provide different education contents and methods for each stage.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of local cooling on the parameters of electrodiagnostic study of the patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. METHOD: Twenty subjects with carpal tunnel syndrome and fifteen normal subjects were enrolled. The latency and conduction velocity of median motor and sensory nerves at wrist and elbow were measured with the different skin temperature at 32 degrees C as a baseline, and at 20 degrees C after cooling of mid-palm area by cold water immersion. RESULTS: The distal motor and sensory onset latencies were prolonged, and the sensory nerve conduction velocity was decreased after local cooling in both the patients and normal control group (p<0.01). The differences of distal motor and sensory onset latencies, and sensory nerve conduction velocity between before and after local cooling were statistically significant in patients group (p<0.01) compared with control group. CONCLUSION: These results showed that the patients with carpal tunnel syndrome reacts differently to temperature changes compared with normal control in electrodiagnostic study.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome* ; Elbow ; Humans ; Immersion ; Neural Conduction ; Skin Temperature ; Water ; Wrist

Blood glucose homeostasis is well maintained by coordinated control of various hormones including insulin and glucagon as well as cytokines under normal conditions. However, chronic exposure to diabetic environment with high fat/high sugar diets and physical/mental stress can cause hyperglycemia, one of main characteristics of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. Hyperglycemia impairs organogenesis and induces organ abnormalities such as cardiac defect in utero. It is a risk factor for the development of metabolic diseases in adults. Resulting glucotoxicity affects peripheral tissues and vessels, causing pathological complications including diabetic neuropathy, nephropathy, vessel damage, and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, chronic exposure to hyperglycemia can deteriorate cognitive function and other aspects of mental health. Recent reports have demonstrated that hyperglycemia is closely related to the development of cognitive impairment and dementia, suggesting that there may be a cause-effect relationship between hyperglycemia and dementia. With increasing interests in aging-related diseases and mental health, diabetes-related cognitive impairment is attracting great attention. It has been speculated that glucotoxicity can result in structural damage and functional impairment of brain cells and nerves, hemorrhage of cerebral blood vessel, and increased accumulation of amyloid beta. These are potential mechanisms underlying diabetes-related dementia. Nutrients and natural food components have been investigated as preventive and/or intervention strategy. Among candidate components, resveratrol, curcumin, and their analogues might be beneficial for the prevention of diabetes-related cognitive impairment. The purposes of this review are to discuss recent experimental evidence regarding diabetes and cognitive impairment and to suggest potential nutritional intervention strategies for the prevention and/or treatment of diabetes-related dementia.
Adult ; Alzheimer Disease* ; Amyloid ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Vessels ; Brain ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cognition ; Cognition Disorders ; Curcumin ; Cytokines ; Dementia ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Diet ; Glucagon ; Hemorrhage ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Mental Health ; Metabolic Diseases ; Organogenesis ; Risk Factors

Purpose: Poloxamer-407 (P-407) is used to induce hyperlipidemia. Exercise is effective in improving arteriosclerosis and cognitive impairment. In this research, the effect of treadmill running on short-term memory in the P-407-treated hyperlipidemia rats was studied focusing on neuroinflammation. Methods: Rats were classified in normal group, normal and treadmill exercise group, P-407-treated group, and P-407-treated and treadmill exercise group. Hyperlipidemia rats were made by single intraperitoneal injection with P-407 (500 mg/kg). Treadmill exercise was conducted for 30 minutes once a day, 5 days per week during 28 days. Step-down avoidance task was done to measure short-term memory. Glial fibrillary acidic protein and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Expression of adhesion molecules and proinflammatory cytokines was determined by western blot analysis. Results: Treadmill exercise alleviated lipid profiles in the P-407-induced hyperlipidemia rats. Treadmill exercise improved short-term memory, inhibited reactive astrogliosis and microglia activation, and suppressed expression of adhesion molecules and proinflammatory cytokines in the hyperlipidemic rats. Conclusions Treadmill exercise exerts alleviating effect on memory deficits by inhibiting hippocampal neuroinflammation in the hyperlipidemia. The current results suggest that treadmill running serves as the treatment strategy for the cognitive dysfunction caused by hyperlipidemia.

Sweet's syndrome, or acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, is an unusual disease characterized by fever, leukocytosis, and distinctive skin lesions. Common complications include arthralgia, arthritis, conjunctivitis, and iridocyclitis. However, the involvement of the central nervous system in this disease, termed `neuro-Sweet syndrome' is rarely reported. We present a patient with recurrent encephalitis for 15 years, accompanied with neutrophilic dermatosis, and characterized by HLA-B54 and Cw1, with good responsiveness to corticosteroid.
Arthralgia ; Arthritis ; Central Nervous System ; Conjunctivitis ; Encephalitis ; Fever ; Humans ; Iridocyclitis ; Leukocytosis ; Neutrophils ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Sweet Syndrome

Osmotic myelinolysis syndrome in central nervous system is classified into central pontine myelinolysis(CPM) and extrapontine myelinolysis(EPM). The former can cause a spastic quadriplegia, pseudobulbar palsy, and varying degree of mental disorder, but the latter a movement disorder(tremor, dystonia, parkinsonism, and chorea, etc), behavior change(mood instability, personality change, agitated delirium, and disinhibition, etc), and cognitive dysfunction. Although a few cases of asymptomatic CPM have been reported, asymptomatic EPM were rare. A 67-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus and old cerebral infarction has suffered from the common bile duct stone. She had hyponatremia(Na=126mEq/L) on admission and was corrected rapidly. Incidental findings of her brain MRI showed EPM. We experienced a case of bilateral middle cerebellar peduncle myelinolysis incidentally without neurological presentations and report a rare case of asymptomatic EPM recoverd in diabetic woman after rapid correction of hyponatremia.
Aged ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Cerebral Infarction ; Chorea ; Common Bile Duct ; Delirium ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dihydroergotamine ; Dystonia ; Female ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Incidental Findings ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mental Disorders ; Myelinolysis, Central Pontine* ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; Pseudobulbar Palsy ; Quadriplegia