PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the awareness and management practice of operating room nurses, to prevent nosocomial infection, to identify problems and to propose solutions. METHOD: The research tools used were the hospital infection control guideline and a modified version of the measurment tools used in the study of Cho (1998). The questionnaire consisted of questions on hand washing, personal hygiene and clothes control, cleaning and environment control, sterilizing supplies and disposal of contaminated materials. The collected data were analysed with the SPSS program. RESULTS: The mean score for domain-specific awareness of nosocomial infection control was 4.81 out of a possible 5 points. The highest score was for sterilizing supplies and disposal of contaminated materials. The mean score for domain-specific practices of nosocomial infection control was 4.40, out of a possible 5 points. Sterilizing supplies and disposal of contaminated materials had the highest scores. The mean score for awareness in all domains was higher than mean score for practice. Among the general characteristics of the nurses, high awareness was found only in the provision of infection control guidelines and it had shown statistically significant difference. Examination of relation of general characteristics to practice showed that for age, career, the provision of infection control guidelines, and experience in infection control education there were statistically significant differences in the scores. For the relation between awareness of nosocomial infection control and practice, positive correlation was found in all domains, thus high awareness leads to high practice. CONCLUSION: Considering the result of this research, plans are needed that promote virtual practice of hospital infection control.
Cross Infection* ; Education ; Equipment and Supplies ; Hand Disinfection ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Infection Control ; Operating Rooms* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the association among irrational belief, mental health, and self-efficacy, and explored the mediation of self-efficacy in the relationship between irrational belief and mental health of Korean soldiers. METHODS: A cross sectional study design was employed. The participants were 118 soldiers who signed consent forms. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Irrational beliefs were positively correlated with mental health problems, and self-efficacy was negatively correlated with irrational beliefs and mental health problems. Self-efficacy acted as a mediator in the relationship between irrational beliefs and mental health problems. CONCLUSION: The study results suggest that effective interventions to reduce mental health problems of soldiers should apply strategies to change irrational belief and increase self efficacy. These results also provide more empirical support to the hypothesis that self-efficacy serves as a mediator in a mental health.
Consent Forms ; Humans ; Mental Health* ; Military Personnel* ; Negotiating* ; Self Efficacy

Benign hemangioma of the mediastinum is rare. This slowly growing tumor is described as well circumscribed, cystic, hemorrhagic tumor. Histologically it can be differentiated into capillary or cavernous form. We present a case of mediastinal hemangioma. A 20-year-old-man was presented with a slowly growing posterior mediastinal mass of 6 years duration, 8x6 cm in size. The mass was relatively well defined but focally invasive. Microscopically, it was differentiated into vessels of capillary, cavernous, and venous patterns. A solid cellular proliferation with inconspicuous capillary lumens was focally seen. The stroma between variable-sized vessels showed marked myxoid change associated with some smooth muscle bundles and adipose tissue. Ultrastructurally, areas of solid cellular proliferation showed formation of lumens. These lumens were lined by active endothelial cells showing plasmalemmal vesicles and Weibel-Palade bodies on the abluminal surface.
Adipose Tissue ; Capillaries ; Cell Proliferation ; Endothelial Cells ; Hemangioma* ; Mediastinum ; Muscle, Smooth ; Weibel-Palade Bodies

A wide range of denomination has been used for inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT). IMT is not entirely homogeneous, even though it shows some overlapping histologic features such as haphazard proliferation of spindle cell and polymorphic chronic inflammatory cell infiltraion. The spindle cell is considered to be of myofibroblastic origin but follicular dendritic cell origin was reported recently. IMT is known as nonneoplastic, aberrant inflammatory response. However, IMT could show local invasion, recurrence, vascular invasion, and malignant transformation, and clonal characteristics and aneuploidy of IMT support the hypothesis that IMT may be a neoplastic process. In order to define the nature of spindle cell of IMT, immunohistochemical stains for smooth muscle actin (SMA), vimentin (VMT), lysozyme, S-100 protein, cytokeratin, CD21 were done. Additional immunohistochemical stains for MIB-1 for proliferating activity and LMP (latent membrane protein) for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were done. IMTs were composed of each 2 cases from lung, liver and lymph node and one case from common bile duct, maxillary sinus, bladder and thigh, and were histologically subclassified according to Coffin et al. Nine cases (90%) were positive for SMA and VMT, but no correlation between SMA and VMT immunoreactivity and histologic types was identified. Five cases (50%) were positive for lysozyme and S-100 protein, and histologic type III was negative for lysozyme and S-100 protein, and immunoreactivity for S-100 protein was different according to the histologic subtypes. All 11 cases were negative for CD21 and EBV LMP. MIB-1 labelling index was less than 1% in all cases. In summary, the spindle cell is regarded as myofibroblastic origin rather than follicular dendritic cell origin. Relationship with EBV is not clear, and negligible MIB-1 reaction suggests that IMT might have a good prognosis.
Actins ; Aneuploidy ; Coloring Agents ; Common Bile Duct ; Dendritic Cells, Follicular ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratins ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Maxillary Sinus ; Membranes ; Muramidase ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myofibroblasts* ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; S100 Proteins ; Thigh ; Urinary Bladder ; Vimentin

PURPOSE: MAGE (melanoma antigen gene) is a tumor associated antigen, presented by HLA class I molecules, which is recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The expression of MAGE proteins are confined to malignant tumor tissues, except for the normal testis and placental tissues. Therefore, MAGE may be a potential target for immunotherapy of malignant tumors. However, biological aspects associated with the cell cycle are not yet described. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The material used for this study was a novel human squamous cell carcinoma cell line (PNUH-12) from the hypopharynx, which had one point mutation of 78th base, C to G, in exon 7 of p53 gene. To understand the role of MAGE in relation to cell cycle and its relationship with p53 as the Gl checkpoint regulator, the expressions of MAGE-3 protein and mvtant p53 (Mtp53) were accessed by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Double stains for MAGE-3/Mtp53 was analyzed with bivariate flow cytometry. DNA histograms using MAGE-3/PI (DNA) and Mtp53/PI (DNA) were also analyzed. RESULTS: The expression rate of MAGE-3 and Mtp53 were 83% and 85%, respectively. MAGE-3 was expressed in cytoplasm, while M:p53 were expressed in the nuclei of the tumor cells on the immunohistochemical sections. With bivariate analyses, coexpression rate of MAGE-3/Mtp53 was 0.96, and MAGE-3 and Mtp53 constantly showed high levels throughout the cell cycle except Go. CONCLUSIONS: These results mean that (I) MAGE-3 might have yet unknown relationship with mutant p53, (2) expressions of MAGE-3 and Mtp53 are not dependent on the cell cycle in PNUH-12 hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cell line, and suggest that MAGE-3 might have a role as important as p53 during the development of malignant tumors.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Cycle* ; Cell Line ; Coloring Agents ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Exons ; Flow Cytometry* ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Hypopharynx ; Immunohistochemistry ; Immunotherapy ; Point Mutation ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; Testis

Glycopeptides of the clinically important antibiotic drugs are glycosylated cyclic or polycyclic nonribosomal peptides. Glycopeptides such as vancomycin and teicoplanin are often used for the treatment of gram-positive bacteria in patients. The increased incidence of drug resistance and inadequacy of these therapeutics against gram-positive bacterial infections would be the formation and clinical development of more variable second generation of glycopeptide antibiotics: semisynthetic lipoglycopeptide analogs such as telavancin, dalbavancin, and oritavancin with improved activity and better pharmacokinetic properties. In this review, we describe the development of and bacterial resistance to vancomycin, teicoplanin, and semisynthetic glycopeptides (teicoplanin, dalbavancin, and oritavancin). The clinical influence of resistance to glycopeptides, particularly vancomycin, are also discussed.
Anti-Bacterial Agents* ; Drug Resistance ; Glycopeptides ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections ; Humans ; Incidence ; Peptides ; Teicoplanin ; Vancomycin

PURPOSE: This study was an analysis of the relationship between perception for appraisal of staff nurses in operating rooms and performance and organizational commitment. METHOD: The survey was conducted with 176 staff nurses in operating rooms in 2 hospitals in Seoul. Data were analyzed using frequency, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULT: 1. Perception for appraisal including accuracy and justice was significantly related to organizational commitment (r=.496, P=.000). Perception for appraisal including accuracy and justice was slightly related to performance (r=.220, P=.003). 2. In order to determine the percentage of the variance of performance and organizational commitment that could be predicted by perception for appraisal, perception for appraisal was entered in the regression equation. Accuracy accounted for 25% of the variance in the organizational commitment. To determine the percentage of the variance of performance that could be predicted by perception for appraisal and organizational commitment, the perception for appraisal and organizational commitment were entered in the regression equation. Organizational commitment accounted for 21% of the variance in the performance. Consequently accuracy predicted organizational commitment. Organizational commitment predicted performance. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate the need to increase accuracy of performance appraisal to promote organizational commitment and performance in perioperative nurses.
Operating Rooms ; Social Justice

Cortex mori (Morus alba L.: Sangbaikpi), the root bark of mulberry tree, has been used as an antiphlogistic, diuretic, and expectorant in herbal medicine. Previous studies have demonstrated that the phenolic extract of Cortex mori have hypotensive, hypoglycemic, antifungal, antiviral, antiinflammatory, and anticancer effects, and the hot water extract from Cortex mori has inhibitory effects on compound 48/80- induced mast cell degranulation and histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMCs). This study was perforrned to investigate the effects of polysaccharide fraction from Cortex mori (PFCM) on compound 48/80-induced degranulation, histamine release, calcium influx, changes of intracellular cAMP and cGMP level, and morphological changes of RPMCs. The results were summarized as follows. 1) Compound 48/80-induced cytomorphological changes such as swelling, degranulation, intracellular vacuoles, and interrupted cell boundary were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with either hot water or polysaccaride fractions frorn Cortex mori (PFCM), 2) the compound 48/80-induced histamine release from RPMCs pretreated with PFCM was significantly inhibited, compared to that of control without PFCM pretreatment, 3) the PFCM inhibited remarkably the compound 48/80-induced calcium influx into the RPMCs, 4) the PFCM increased significantly the intracellular cAMP levels and decreased the intracellular cGMP levels of RPMCs, compared to those of normal control, and 5) the compound 48/80-induced cAMP levels of RPMCs pretreated with PFCM were significantly increased, compared to those of positive control without PFCM, and the compound 48/80-induced cGMP levels of RPMCs pretreated with PFCM were remarkably decreased, compared to those of positive control without PFCM. From the above results, it is suggested that PFCM have an activity to inhibit the compound 48/80-induced mast cell activation.
Animals ; Calcium ; Herbal Medicine ; Histamine Release ; Mast Cells* ; Morus ; Phenol ; Rats ; Trees ; Vacuoles ; Water

PURPOSE: Bone involvement is known to develop in 40-70Yo of pediatric acute leukemia. We aimed to analyze the clinical course and result of therapy in pediatric acute leukemia with bone involvement. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients diagnosed as pediatric acute leukemia at Dong San Medical Center from Jan. 1996 to Aug. 1998 were evaluated. According to bone X-ray and whole body bone scan, the patients were divided into two groups. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were enrolled in this study with 14 patients(52Yo) showing definite bone involvement on simple X-ray or bone scan. Mean age of patients with bone involvement was 5.5 years. Regarding the type of leukemia, 9 patients(64%) were acute lymphocytic leukemia. Ten patients(71%) out of 14 with bone involvement complained of bone pain at the involved bony site. Site of involvement was most frequent in the lower extremity. On simple X-ray, osteolytic lesion was found in 7 patients(50%), diffuse osteopenia in 2 patients(14%) and pathologic fracture in 2 patients(14%). In bone scan, radioactivity was increased in whole cases of patients with bone involvement. Thirteen patients(93%) were completely remitted by chemo-therapy, but, one AML patient died due to induction failure. CONCLUSION: Bone involvement occured in 52% of pediatric acute leukemia. Bone involvement was more frequent in male patients in the lower extremity, and osteolytic lesion was the most frequent finding on simple X-ray. There was no relevence between bone involvement and prognosis. Further study will be needed to evaluate long-term survival and prognosis. (J Korean Pediatr Soc 2000;43:806-813)
Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; Humans ; Leukemia* ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Prognosis ; Radioactivity

BACKGROUND: Several reports have indicated that heparin has a bronchodilative effect in asthma patients, and that it enhances airway smooth muscle contraction in vitro, protamine is known to inhibit or enhance contraction of tracheal smooth muscle. Thus the effects of protamine and heparin on airway smooth muscle contraction are not consistent. However, no report is available on the effects of enflurane on heparin and protamine tracheal smooth muscle contraction. We performed this study to evaluate the effects of heparin or protamine on the carbachol induced contraction of tracheal smooth muscle in the guinea pig. And we also evaluated the effects of enflurane on heparin or protamine induced tracheal smooth muscle contraction. METHODS: Isolated tracheal rings of the guinea pig were suspended in Krebs solution. Contractions were recorded isometrically using a transducer. Contraction was induced by carbachol (10-6 M) and then cumulative dose responses of heparin or protamine (0.006 mg/ml, 0.02 mg/ml, 0.06 mg/ml, 0.2 mg/ml, 0.4 mg/ml) and in heparin (E) group and protmine (E) group, enflurane (4.34%) was administered for 15 minute after carbachol adminstration. RESULTS: Contraction by carbachol was inhibited by level of heparin or protamine at concentrations of 0.2 mg/ml and 0.4 mg/ml. At an enflurane (4.34%) contraction was inhibited, and no further inhibition of contraction by heparin or protamine was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Heparin or protamine inhibited the tracheal smooth muscle contraction induced by carbachol at 0.2 mg/ml and 0.4 mg/ml, and no further significant inhibition of contraction by heparin or protamine was observed after enflurane administration (4.34%).
Animals ; Asthma ; Carbachol* ; Enflurane ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Heparin* ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Transducers