OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this research is to help solve adolescent issues involving substance uses, which may become begin to undergo many changes(i. e. practising various roles, thereby leading to independent life styles). More often than not, adolescent drug problems develop into social problems, chiefly behavioral imitations and heavy dependence on medicine. The authors conducted a survey of adolescent substance uses to develop preventive measures against the drug habit prevalent among young people, thereby formulating a policy to deal with problematic community. Funded by a Youth Counselling Center in the city of H. the research was conducted on the following assumptions that there will be:Firstly, a comparison of drug uses by sex and age:Secondly, variance of substance users by family background and peer group:Thirdly, a combination of heavy drinking, smoking and delinquency resulting in the drug habit. METHODS: The survey included a total of 1613 students during 3 days, 12 through 14, July, 1999. The subjects were 833 pupils(51.6%) from 4 middle schools and 780 students(48.4%) from 3 high schools in the city of H with a ratio of 49.5 %(males) and 50.5%(females). RESULTS: 1) Experience of substance use is most referable to drinking(59.4%) and smoking(34.4%) while given to analgesics(33.1%) among medicines, glue(0.7%) among inhalants and philophone(0.4%) among narcotics. 2) High school students found more than double the amount of smoking and drinking as well as uses of hypnotics, stimulants and sedatives by junior high school students. 3) Our resalt showed was significantly noted that non-users had a better relationship with their parents than most users. 4) Smoking and drinking problean could be more easily developing into adolescent substance uses. 5) Alcohol, cigarette, and drug users showed more misconducts than other adolescents. 6) Most adolescents believe that drinking is necessary for making friends(55.0%), while smoking is just for killing time(50.9%). 7) Drinking, smoking, and other substance users were found to develop into more problematic habits. CONCLUSION: The present survey and several others show that adolescent substance uses in Korea are on the rise. Therefore, extensive counter-measures will be necessary followed by nationwide epidemiological survey of the pending issue, with the psychiatrists participating in the campaign.
Adolescent* ; Drinking ; Drug Users ; Financial Management ; Homicide ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Korea ; Narcotics ; Parents ; Psychiatry ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Social Problems ; Tobacco Products

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome and safety of vaginal delivery after previous cesarean birth. METHODS: This study was based on 303 cases of delivery with previous cesarean birth at Masan, Fatima Hospital from May, 1997 to April, 1998. Among them, 62 cases had performed trial of labor. We had made a comparison between elective repeat section group and trial of labor group by analizing the frequency, successful rate, maternal morbidity, perinatal morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: Among 303 cases with previous cesarean birth, trial of labor was done in 62 cases(20.5%). Among trial of labor group, vaginal delivery was done in 54 cases (87.1%) and repeat section was done in 8 cases(12.9%). Indications for elective repea section before the onset of labor were refuse trial of labor(51.9%), request for tubal ligation(17.4%), and previous section > or =2(7.5%), etc. The successful rate of vaginal delivery according to indication for previous cesarean birth was 85.0%(17/20) in the cases of dystocia and 88.1%(37/42) in the cases except dystocia. The successful rate was not influenced by the indication for previous cesarean birth(P>0.05). There were no maternal death or uterine rupture in the cases of trial of labor. There were no significant difference between elective repeat section group and trial of labor group in maternal morbidity, perinatal morbidity and mortality(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Under strict indications, vaginal delivery subsequent to cesarean birth may be safe, and can reduce the rate of cesarean section that was increased constantly.
Apgar Score ; Cesarean Section ; Dystocia ; Eclampsia* ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Maternal Death ; Mortality ; Parturition ; Parturition* ; Perinatal Mortality ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Pregnancy ; Premature Birth ; Respiration, Artificial ; Rheology ; Trial of Labor ; Umbilical Arteries* ; Uterine Rupture

In adult congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) patients, physical therapy is not as effective because the development of sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) muscle is complete. While surgical release can address CMT in adult patients, the risk of general anesthesia and visible postoperative scar is a concern, expecially in patients with mild symptoms. In this paper, we report our experience in treating such patients with minimal-incision myotomy under local anesthesia. A review was performed for all adult patients who had undergone the simple myotomy procedure. Surgical indication was reserved for patients with mild fibrotic band in the SCM muscle with minimal lengthdiscrepancybetween the muscles. All patients had recognizable head tiltand palpation of fibrotic band on affected side of the neck. Surgical details are described in the main body of text. Three female patients had undergone the procedure. Torticollis was resolve in all patients with complete restoration of ranage of motion. There were no postoperative complications, and patient satisfaction was high. We have reported three cases of mild CMT in adult female patients, who had undergone minimal-incision myotomy under local anesthesia. Outcomes were satisafactory with no morbidity to report. With careful patient selection, this method offers an alternate treatment option for adult CMT patients with mild symptoms.
Adult* ; Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Local* ; Cicatrix ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Muscles ; Neck ; Palpation ; Patient Satisfaction ; Patient Selection ; Postoperative Complications ; Torticollis*

The purpose of the study is to develop a Web-based health information service system for the middle-aged women. To identify users' information needs, we conducted an online survey of 189 middle-aged women. It was found that they had various health problems but very few did any health prevention or health promotion activities. We developed following contents in the following areas based on the result of needs assessment. They were exercise, diet including weight control, osteoporosis, climacteric, aging, breast and cervical cancer. Besides this health information, FAQ on women's health, my health knowledge test, statistics, link to related institutes and web sites, newspaper articles/mass media clips, journal articles, conferences papers, and other educational information were added. The homepage was developed as a subsystem of the Healthguide. It was evaluated by the users and the expert panel. The users rated 3.6 out of 5 point in their satisfaction rating and the experts rated 3.9 out of 5 in their site evaluation. It is expected that a Web-based women's health information service system will contribute to women's health promotion as well as provide a community for women's health related researchers and experts to share information on women's health.
Academies and Institutes ; Aging ; Breast ; Climacteric ; Congresses as Topic ; Diet ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Information Services* ; Internet ; Middle Aged ; Needs Assessment ; Periodicals ; Osteoporosis ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Women's Health*

OBJECTIVE: Mammalian embryos undergo changes of energy environment for transfer from oviduct to uterus. An experimental design was used to examine the effects of glucose on the development in vitro of mouse embryos. METHODS: Two cell embryos were recovered from ICR female mice (3-4 weeks) at 46-50 hrs after 5 IU hCG injection (mated just after hCG injection) and cultured in 50 micro gram MEM droplets supplemented with nothing (control; n=46), 0.5 mM glucose (Group A; n=46) or 3.15 mM glucose (Group B; n=46) under mineral oil. All experimental media were supplemented with 20% human follicular fluid. Results were observed: (i) the number of zona-intact blastocysts (ZiB); (ii) the number of zona-escaped blastocysts (ZeB; hatching~hatched); (iii) the mean cell numbers; and (iv) the proportion of inncer cell mass (% ICM) in the blastocysts. RESULTS: Total blastocyst formation rates were (NS) in glucose groups (group A: 52.2; B: 47.8%) than control group (60.9%). ZiB rates the highest (p<0.05) in control (47.8%) than those in group A (21.7%) and B (28.3%). ZeB rates the highest (NS) in group A (30.4%) than those in control (13.0%) and group B (19.6%). Blastocysts, cultured in group B (50.5), had the highest (NS) mean cell numbers compared with the others (control: 39.2; group A: 45.6). The % ICM in blastocysts cultured in group A (20.6%) was the highest (NS) than those of other tested groups (control: 15.2%; group B: 13.9%). CONCLUSION: This study shows that a low dose of glucose added to culture medium increases the developmental capacity of 2 cell embryos in mice.
Animals ; Blastocyst* ; Cell Count* ; Embryo, Mammalian ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Follicular Fluid ; Glucose* ; Humans ; Mice* ; Mineral Oil ; Oviducts ; Research Design ; Uterus

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of magnesium sulfate and ritodrine hydrochloride in the management of preterm labor. METHODS: This study was undertaken to assess the clinical efficacy & safety of magnesium sulfate and ritodrine hydrochloride on 120 patients admitted with preterm labor from Jul. 1, 1996 to Dec. 31, 1998. RESULTS: 1. The incidence of preterm labor was showed 6.0~7.7% of total number of delivery. 2. The risk factors of the preterm labor were premature rupture of membrane, severe preeclampsia, previous preterm delivery, twin pregnancy, placenta previa, fetal anomaly, incompetent cervix, placental abruption, and uterine myoma in order, but 28.6% of preterm labor had no apparent risk factors. 3. The days gained in uterus was not statistically different between the magnesium sulfate group and the ritodrine group (p<0.05) but longer in the two groups than the control group. And the delivery time was also not statistically different between the magnesium sulfate group and the ritodrine group (p<0.01) but significantly increased in the two groups than the control group. 4. The rate of complete and incomplete success was similar as 12.5% and 35% (total success rate 47.5%) in the magnesium sulfate group, 7.5% and 45% (total success rate 52.5%) in the ritodrine group but only 2.5% and 27.5% (total success rate 30%) was showed in the control group. 5. The side effects were much more in the ritodrine group than the magnesium sulfate group. The patients requiring second-line therapy were similar in the both groups but the main cause was uncontrolled uterine contraction in the magnesium sulfate group, and intolerable side effects in the ritodrine group. 6. The pulse rate was not statistically different in magnesium sulfate group but markedly increased in ritodrine group (p<0.05). After managements of preterm labor, the serum potassium and ionized calcium level was significantly decreased in the two groups (p<0.05, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: There was not significantly different efficacy and safety of magnesium sulfate and ritodrine hydrochloride in the management of preterm labor.
Abruptio Placentae ; Calcium ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leiomyoma ; Magnesium Sulfate* ; Magnesium* ; Membranes ; Obstetric Labor, Premature* ; Placenta Previa ; Potassium ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Risk Factors ; Ritodrine* ; Rupture ; Uterine Cervical Incompetence ; Uterine Contraction ; Uterus

Bacillus species are aerobic, gram-positive, spore forming rods that are widely distributed in soil, dust, stream, and other environmental sources and are regarded as natural organism. But certain species of the genus Bacillus, most notably B.cereus, which is associated with food-borne illness, occasionally have been implicated in the occurrence of fatal illness and complication in a compromised host. We roport a case of pneumonia and bacteremia caused by B.cereus in an 81 year-old man, who had no obvious immunologic compromise. The condition was treated with combination of roxithromycin and gentamicin.
Bacillus cereus* ; Bacillus* ; Bacteremia ; Dust ; Gentamicins ; Pneumonia* ; Rivers ; Roxithromycin ; Soil ; Spores

BACKGROUND: Keloid management can be difficult and frustrating, and the mechanisms underlying keloid formation are only partially understood. Despite many studies of the pathogenesis and cause, little is known of the predisposing factors or the diathesis. Therefore, we evaluated patients with keloid for 13 years clinical experience, with the goal of considering the causative factors and physical disposition of keloid. METHODS: We evaluated 107 patients (38 males, 69 females; median age 22.31 years, range 7-58 years) who visited the department of plastic and reconstructive surgery from March 1998 to December 2010. The patients' chart and clinical photo were reviewed for the study. RESULTS: Etiologies were an intended wound like piercing or surgical wound (n=39), avulsion flap injury (n=30), laceration (n=29) and burn (n=9). The location were the head and neck (n=38), trunk (n=23), upper extremity (n=21), lower extremity (n=16) and face (n=9). Patients with more than overweight (>23 kg/m2, Body mass index) were 84 in 107 patients (78.5%) with keloids. CONCLUSIONS: In the care of the keloids, patient information, particularly sex, age and body mass index, it may be useful indicators for expecting prognosis of the patients and treating with proper management. Particularly, large-scale accurate follow-up observations on obese patients will be critical.
Body Mass Index ; Burns ; Causality ; Disease Susceptibility ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Keloid* ; Lacerations ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Neck ; Overweight ; Prognosis ; Upper Extremity ; Wounds and Injuries

The purpose of the study is to develop a Web-ba sed health information se rvice system for the elderly. To identify user's information needs, we conducted an online survey of the caregivers and an offline survey of the elderly. Based on the user's information needs, a Web-site was developed. The Web-site was evaluated by users for their satisfaction with the Web-site and experts for the quality of the site. To test the usability of the site, knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of the elde rly were measured and compa red before and after an education using the content of the site. Content includes disease information of arthritis, dementia, and stroke; and health promotion information such as exercise, nutrition, management of declining hearing and visual abilities. Besides this health information, FAQ on the elderly health, statistics, links to related institutes and Web sites, risk factor appraisal tool, and nursing supplies for the elderly were added. The Web site is a subsystem of the Healthguide. Users rated usefulness, relevance, convenience, and eff iciency of the site highly in their satisf action rating. Experts ra ted purpose, update, appropriateness, reliability, and easiness highly in their site evaluation. There was statistically significant difference in the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of the elderly before and after education via the homepage. It is expected that this Web-based elderly health information service system will contribute to the elderly's health promotion as well as provide a community for the elderly health related researchers, professionals and experts to share information on the elderly's health.
Risk Factors

In order to elucidate the dynamic changes of oncogene expression in the sequential cascade of squamous metaplasia, dysplasia, and squamous cell carcinoma of the bronchial epithelium, hybridization in situ was employed with a biotinylated oncogene probe. The expression of c-myc was localized exclusively in nuclei. While normal bronchial epithelium revealed no discernible clumps of c-myc grains, except occasional grains less than 3 per cell, squamous metaplasia showed increased number of grains and a few clusters of c-myc grains. In dysplasia, c-myc expression was more intensive than in squamous metaplasia. Approximately, 1/3 to 2/3 of tumor cell populations of squamous cell carcinomas of the lung revealed tremendously increased c-myc expression. In addition clumpy grains of c-myc in squamous cell carcinoma appeared more frequently than in squamous metaplasia or dysplasia. The c-myc expression was found to vary between different samples and within each cancer, and not all cancer cells expressed c-myc. These data indicate that c-myc oncogene plays it's role on reprogramming for growth control of cell populations particularly in multistage carcinogenesis and progression of lung cancer. These dynamic alterations of c-myc expression suggest that neoplastic transformation may occur conceivably at the dysplastic phase eventually resulting in carcinoma in situ. This means, in turn, squamous dysplasia is a putative precancerous lesion of the human lung.
Bronchial Neoplasms/*genetics/pathology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/*genetics/pathology ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/*genetics ; DNA ; Humans ; Metaplasia ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; *Oncogenes