The number of post-irradiated surgical specimen appears to have risen in recent years due to the increasing utiliz ation of radiotherapy for cancer patients. Radiation therapy damages cells by its effects on the deoxyribonucleic acid and the spectrum of injury ranges from acute self-limited lesion to irreversible chronic lesion. We reviewed 24 cases of post-irradiated specimen and thought that time interval is the main factor influencing the morphologic change. Within six weeks, the individual cytologic changes such as biz arre nuclei, altered nucleus/cytoplasm ratio, amphophilic and vacuolated cytoplasm are noted. Chronic injury resulting from progressive changes in the fibrovascular tissue of the radiated area occur in six months after the initial course of radiation and the vascular changes of intimal thickening and fibrosis, foamy histiocytes within media, periadventital fibrosis and chronic inflammatory cells infiltration are present. Althouhg above mentioned finding are not pathognomonic, we thought them quite constant nd reproducible characteristics of radiation injury.

Human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is generally used to identify highly degraded forensic samples, particularly when the extracted DNA is not sufficient for nuclear DNA analysis. However, direct sequencing, the most widely used mtDNA analysis method, is laborious and time-consuming, and precludes the simultaneous analysis of many samples. Here, we describe a rapid and simple screening method for mtDNA analysis in Koreans using single base extension (SBE) methods. Sixteen highly polymorphic mtDNA SNPs from the control region were selected, and a multiplex SBE system was constructed to analyze them. Because the developed system consists of two duplex PCRs, which produce small amplicons with fewer than 270 bp, it works well with highly degraded samples such as old skeletal remains. Using this multiplex SBE system, 145 different haplotypes were expected to be observed from 593 unrelated Koreans. Seventy-three haplotypes were expected to be observed only once, and the most frequent haplotype was expected to occur 80 times. Since the mean number of pairwise differences was estimated to be 4.55, the developed system could be useful to exclude samples that do not match evidence and reference samples. Therefore, the multiplex SBE system used in this study will be a useful tool to analyze many samples simultaneously and to efficiently screen out non-matching mtDNA sequences in forensic casework.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; DNA ; DNA, Mitochondrial* ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Methods ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Oxidative stress is a major effector of various diseases; accordingly, antioxidants are frequently ingested in order to prevent or alleviate disease symptoms. Kimchi contains various natural antioxidants, and it is known that the functional activity varies depending on the ingredients and fermentation state. Black raspberries (BR) contain various bioactive compounds with antioxidant effects. This study investigated the antioxidant and liver-protection effects of kimchi supplemented with black raspberry juice powder (BJP). MATERIALS/METHODS: BJP-added kimchi (BAK; at 0.5%, 1%, and 2% concentrations of BJP) and control (without BJP) were prepared and fermented at 4℃ for 4 weeks. Changes in the antioxidant effects of BAK during fermentation were investigated. In addition, the protective activity of BAK against oxidative stress was investigated in a liver cirrhosis-induced animal model in vivo. RESULTS: BAK groups showed the acidity and pH of optimally ripened (OR) kimchi at 2 weeks of fermentation along with the highest lactic acid bacterial counts. Additionally, BAK groups displayed a higher content of phenolic compounds and elevated antioxidant activities relative to the control, with the highest antioxidant effect observed at 2 weeks of fermentation of OR 1% BAK. After feeding the OR 1% BAK to thioacetamide-induced liver cirrhosis rats, we observed decreased glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase activities and elevated superoxide dismutase activity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings showed that the antioxidant effects of OR BAK and feeding of OR 1% BAK resulted in liver-protective effects against oxidative stress.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Bacterial Load ; Fermentation ; Glutamic Acid ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lactic Acid ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver ; Models, Animal ; Oxaloacetic Acid ; Oxidative Stress ; Phenol ; Pyruvic Acid ; Rats ; Rubus ; Superoxide Dismutase

PURPOSE:Autonomic neuropathy in adult diabetics is known to be common and poor in prognosis. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy increases sudden cardiac death and is present before apparant cardiac symptoms. Subclinical diabetic peripheral neuropathy is common with type 1 diabetes. In children, few studies for subclinical peripheral neuropathy and cardiac autonomic neuropathy were reported but the results were inconsistent. The authors investigated subclinical cardiac and peripheral neuropaties and evaluated correlation between nerve conduction velocity(NCV) and cardiac autonomic function(CAF) test in type 1 diabetic children and adolescents METHODS:Over 5 years from 1997 to 2002, 27 IDDM without clinical neuropathy were registered. Total 57 CAF and NCV were tested every 2 or 3 years. Duration of diabetes, average HbA1c during 1 year prior to the test, and urinary microalbumin excretion for 24 hours were assessed. Diabetic autonomic nervous function was evaluated by cardiovascular reflex test:falling systolic blood pressure in response to standing, heart rate changes in response to standing, beat-to-beat rate variation during deep breathing, RR interval change during and after Valsalva maneuver. Subclinical peripheral neuropathy was evaluated by NCV in both upper and lower extremities. Correlation of parameters according to NCV abnormality and microalbuminuria were analyzed. RESULTS:The age, duration of diabetes and microalbuminuria were not statistically different between children with normal and abnormal NCV. The level of HbA1c was associated with NCV abnormality. In a multivariate logistic model for NCV abnormality, level of HbA1c showed statistical significance after controlling the effects of age, duration of diabetes, and urinary microalbumin level, and the odd ratio was 1.532. The degree of CAF abnormality was marginally significant in the logistic model. Children with microalbuminuria showed older age and longer duration of diabetes than those without microalbuminuria. However, mean HbA1c level was not significantly different between the two groups. Degree of CAF abnormality was not significantly associated with microalbuminuria, either. In a general linear model including urinary albumin level as the dependent variable, none of independent variables was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Therapy against neuropathy should be considered in patients with high HbA1c and abnormal CAF test even without clinically apparent neuropathy.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Child* ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Logistic Models ; Lower Extremity ; Neural Conduction ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Prognosis ; Reflex ; Respiration ; Valsalva Maneuver

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among emotional clarity in emotional intelligence, maternal identity, and fetal attachment to measure how emotional clarity and maternal identity impact on fetal attachment and to determine mediating effects of maternal identity in pregnant women at the time of diagnosis with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: This study used a correlational survey design. 88 pregnant women with GDM completed a study questionnaire of emotional clarity, maternal identity, and fetal attachment immediately after the diagnosis of GDM. Data were analyzed Mann-Whitney U test, and ANOVA with Duncan test, Pearson correlation, three-step regressions to test mediating effect, and Sobel test. RESULTS: The emotional clarity was positively related with maternal identity and fetal attachment. It affected maternal identity with 21.9% of explained variance. The emotional clarity and the maternal identity were significant predictors of fetal attachment by 57.7% of explained variance. The maternal identity mediated the relationship between emotional clarity and fetal attachment. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that a nursing program to enhance the emotional clarity and the maternal identity needs to be developed as an effective strategy to improve fetal attachment.
Diabetes, Gestational* ; Diagnosis ; Emotional Intelligence ; Female ; Humans ; Negotiating ; Nursing ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women*

No abstract available.
Fibrosis* ; Hypersplenism*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experience of life-sustaining treatment care among nurses in intensive care units. METHODS: A phenomenology was used for the study. Data were collected from October to December, 2015 using open-ended questions during in-depth interviews. Participants were nurses working in intensive care units and were contacted through purposive techniques. Eight nurses participated in this study. RESULTS: Four categories emerged from the analysis using Colaizzi's method: (a) difficulties due to life-sustaining treatment care, (b) dilemma of extension or cessation of life-sustaining treatment, (c) repressed feelings and emotional exhaustion, and (d) forming values for life-sustaining treatment from nursing experience CONCLUSION: Provision of clearer guidelines on life-sustaining treatment which reflect a family-oriented culture is important for nurses in ICU and will promote nurses involvement in the decision-making process of life-sustaining treatment of patients.
Critical Care* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Methods ; Nursing ; Patient Care* ; Terminal Care

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the current state of interventions for abused children and theireffectiveness by using a systemic review. Methods: Published intervention studies were identified through MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, DBpia, RISS,and Kiss DB. Eligible studies included articles published between 2009 and 2019 in English and Korean. Results: A total of 28 studies were selected for this review. The intervention elements of 28 selected studieswere categorized into 4 themes. The extracted intervention elements were divided into the themes of patient& situation-specific intervention, strengthen parent-child coping capacity and interaction, applyinggroup intervention and integrated intervention, Linkage with community resource and multidisciplinaryapproach. Conclusions The results demonstrate that social and psychological health of abused children has positivelychanged through these interventions. Therefore, it is important to implement treatment through active interventionaimed at helping the affected children.

Objective: The Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is a national drug subsidy program. Given the similarity and comprehensiveness of the Australian PBS and the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) data, these data are increasingly used for pharmacoepidemiological investigations, as well as international comparative studies. This study aims to introduce the various sources of publicly available PBS data and provide a practical guide to researchers conducting drug utilization studies. Methods: We searched literature and websites to detail and compare the collection, structure, components, and characteristics of each PBS data format. We identified different characteristics of the PBS data from the Korean NHI claims data which are mainly owing to their unique co-payment policies and data collection processes. In addition, the utilization and expenditure of atorvastatin, a widely used treatment for hyperlipidemia, were analyzed using two different sources of PBS data and the different results were interpreted. Results: There exist differences in when data were collected or non-subsidized uses of medicine were included among sources of PBS data. Additionally, two countries have different cost sharing methods inmedicine subsidy scheme; co-payment in Australia and co-insurance in Korea. Therefore, it should be noted that prescriptions under co-payment are not included in some data sources in Australia. Conclusion Despite several analytical challenges, open access and easy data management are the strengths of the PBS data sources. A detailed knowledge of the PBS data can ensure robust methodology and interpretation of pharmacoepidemiological investigations or international comparative studies.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the mediating effect of organizational commitment on the relationship between nurses’ clinical characters and retention intention in small-and medium-sized hospitals. Methods: This descriptive study included 177 nurses frome three small-and medium-sized hospitals in B metropolitan city. Data were collected from August 27 to September 30, 2020 using self-report questionnaires and were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows version 22.0. Results: The significant predictors of retention intention were organizational commitment (β=.43, p<.001), age (β=.21, p=.001), nurses’ clinical characters (β=.16, p=.011), work satisfaction (β=.15, p=.022), and whether they worked in the desired department (β=.13, p=.025). These variables explained 48% of the variance in retention intentions. Additionally, organizational commitment had a mediating effect on the relationship between nurses’ clinical characters and retention intention. Conclusion According to the results, institutional efforts should be made to strengthen organizational commitment and develop educational programs to enhance nurses’ clinical characters among small-and medium-sized hospitals to promote retention intention.