PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of meridian acupressure on constipation in bed-ridden aged inpatients. METHODS: The research design was a non-synchronized non-equivalent control group pretestposttest design. The subjects consisted of 28 bed-ridden aged inpatients. Meridian acupressure was administered to the experimental group at 30 minutes before breakfast every morning for two weeks. Each meridian was pressured for 10 seconds, 10 times. The frequency of defecation and stool form were examined every day. The data was analyzed by the chi-square-test, Fisher's exact test, t-test and repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: The experimental group given Meridian Acupressure had a higher frequency of defecation(F = 59.372, p = .000) and normal stool(F = 46.046, p = .000) than the control group. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that Meridian Acupressure was an effective method for the relief of constipation for bed-ridden aged inpatients. A follow -up research is needed to validate that other patients with constipation can use the Meridian Acupressure as a non-invasive nursing intervention instead of a laxative or enema.
Acupressure ; Aged ; Breakfast ; Constipation ; Defecation ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Research Design ; Stroke

No abstract available.
Animals ; DNA* ; LLC-PK1 Cells* ; Swine

In the present study, we examined to determine the development of various lymphoid tissue including mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), thymus, lymph node and liver. In order to investigate the relationship between the morphological events and the expression pattern of MIC2 antigen (CD99) during the development of lymphoid system, we performed the immunohistochemical study using DN16, a monoclonal antibody against MIC2 (CD99), on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded lymphoid sections in 68 human embryos and fetuses, between 5 and 39 gestational week (GW). Four neonates, an infant, and 5 adults are also included. CD99 has been expressed along the membrane of hepatocytes and sinusoidal endothelial cells for 10-28 GW, in when the liver the major site of hematopoiesis. In the thymus, CD99 was firstly detected in the presumptive epitheial cells at 10 GW. When the thymus matured and corticomedullary differentiation appeared, CD99 was exclusively expressed in cortical thymocytes. The CD99 expression in epithelial cells of MALT has initiated at 6 GW and 10 GW earlier than that at the onset of MALT development and its expression has been persisted during MALT formation especially 16-25 GW. The finnding that CD99 antigen was expressed in epithelial cells during the development of MALT rnight provide a means to identify a novel epithelial differentiated substance. In addition, endothelial cells that are present in various organs such as liver and small intestine concurrently expressed CD99 antigen and its expression persisted to late fetal period. This point rnight suggest that CD99 antigen regulate the irnigration of lymphocytes from liver, major hematopoietic organ, to thymus or peripheral lyrnphoid organ via the interaction between endothelial cells and lymphocytes.
Adult ; Embryonic Structures* ; Endothelial Cells ; Epithelial Cells ; Fetus* ; Hematopoiesis ; Hepatocytes ; Humans* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intestine, Small ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoid Tissue* ; Membranes ; Thymocytes ; Thymus Gland

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Humans ; Molecular Epidemiology* ; Oxalobacter formigenes* ; Seoul*

No abstract available.
Sepsis*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Drug Therapy ; Humans

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of combined treatment of metallic biliary stent placement and radiotherapy in malignant biliary obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1992 and February 1994, 22 patients with malignant biliary obstruction were treated with metallic biliary stent placement and radiotherapy. The causes of the obstruction included cholangiocarcinoma(n=14), gallbladder carcinoma(n=4), colon cancer(n=2), pancreatic head cancer (n=1), and stomach cancer(n=1). According to the sites of obstruction level, patient were divided into 2 groups; hilar obstruction(n=18) and common bile duct obstruction(n=4). The patients received dose of 45 Gray/18 fraction by external radiotherapy and 20Gy/8f by high dose rate brachytherapy with iridium--192 source through percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage(PTBD) catheter. The duration of stent patency after placement, survival period and survival rate by Kaplan Meier method were calculated in dead and alive patients, respectively. RESULTS: In all 22 patients, the duration of stent patency was 5.5(1.3--18.5)months. Survival periods after stent placement and PTBD were 5.3(2.0--8.5 )months and 7.9(4.0--14.7)months respectively in 9 dead patients and 7.7(1.3--21.0)months and 9.5(2.3--23.0)months in 13 alive patients. In all 22 patients, the survival rates in 6, 12 and 18 months were 78.9%, 47.5 % and 35.6 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results with combined metallic biliary stent placement and radiotherapy for the palliative treatment of malignant biliary obstruction in this study was more favorable, as compared with those of the other authors with only metallic biliary stent placement.
Brachytherapy ; Catheters ; Colon ; Common Bile Duct ; Gallbladder ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Palliative Care ; Radiotherapy* ; Stents* ; Stomach ; Survival Rate

No abstract available.
Hospice Care ; Hospices

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of fentanyl and midazolam on in vitro fertilization rate and early embryo development in a mouse IVF model. METHODS: Mouse oocytes were exposed in vitro to fentanyl at a concentration of 0(control), 50, 250, 500, 1000, 5000 pg/ml, and midazolam, 0(control), 2.5, 12.5, 25, 50, 250 ng/ml for 30 minutes, washed and inseminated. Thereafter fertilization was assessed. And subsequent in vitro development to the blastocyst stage was monitored daily. RESULTS: Where fertilization occurred, subsequent embryo cleavage and development up to the blastocyst stage was affected significantly by the presence of fentanyl and midazolam solution in the medium(i.e., 14% to 31%, 10% to 35%), in comparison with control group( 60%, 62%). CONCLUSION: It can be concluded from these experiments that even a brief exposure of cumulus enclosed oocytes to a low concentration of fentanyl, midazolam is deleterious to subsequent cleavage.
Anesthetics ; Animals ; Blastocyst ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Fentanyl* ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Mice* ; Midazolam* ; Oocytes ; Pregnancy

Schwannomas are soft tissue sarcomas arising from neurilemma of Schwann cells in peripheral nerves, and is the most frequent type of benign tumor found in these nerves. We report a case of a Schwannoma of the ulnar nerve in the elbow joint, and along this report, give a review of the literature. A 46-year-old male patient was hospitalized with complaints of swelling and pain in the left elbow and a tingling sensation and hypoesthesia of the fourth and fifth fingers. Physical examination of the patient showed he was positive for Tinel's sign, and magnetic resonance imaging results demonstrated the presence of a Schwannoma. Subsequent biopsy and excision of the Schwannoma was carried out. The suspected mass, which had a clear margin separating it from the healthy nerve of the medial left elbow, was removed along with its 2 x 2 x 3 cm capsule after a histological diagnosis of a Schwannoma was made. Pathophysiological results confirmed the excised mass as a Schwannoma. Schwannoma of the ulnar nerve within the elbow joint is rare and differential diagnosis is difficult. Therefore, treatment can only proceed after the presence of Schwannoma has been confirmed by physical and radiological examinations.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Elbow Joint ; Elbow* ; Fingers ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurilemma ; Neurilemmoma* ; Peripheral Nerves ; Physical Examination ; Sarcoma ; Schwann Cells ; Sensation ; Ulnar Nerve*