BACKGROUND: Oriental medicine is a part of medical service in Korea. However, there are no information about the status of infection control program in oriental medical hospitals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of infection control activities in oriental medical hospitals and to provide a data to establish infection control policy in oriental medical hospitals. METHODS: This study was based on the survey questionnaires about infection control program and activities with total 13 oriental medical university hospitals in Korea. Questionnaires were collected from February 1 to March 31, 2011. RESULTS: Nine hospitals (69.2%) had infection control practitioner (ICP). Only 4 hospitals (30.8%) had full-time ICP and infection control office. The 6 hospitals (46.2%) had a position for infection control doctor and half of them were oriental medical doctors. Eight hospitals (61.5%) had an infection control committee and they had a meeting for average 2.5 times a year. Six hospitals (46.2%) performed surveillance and most of them were monitoring site directed infections. Only 4 hospitals have microbiology laboratory. All hospitals were using disposable acupuncture needles. Six hospitals were only using disposable wet cupping. Two hospitals (15.4%) were reusing wet cupping after disinfection. CONCLUSION: Through this study it was able to find out the status of infection control activities in oriental hospitals. There were also many limits on infection control activities in oriental medical hospitals. Based on this study it is needed to develop the infection control guideline and education for associates in oriental hospitals.
Acupuncture ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Infection Control Practitioners ; Korea ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Needles ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The authors studied the plasma cholesterol levels in 39 rats (Sprague-Dawley) after 4 weeks administration of etretinate and/or fish oil. The study groups were as follows.'13 rats recieved etretinate only;13, fish oil only;13, both ertetinate and fish oil. Cholesterol levels were determined by standard enzymatic methodology. The results were as follows. Tot,al-cholesterol levels in rats following administration of ertetinate only were increased(p<0.05), but the levels in rats receiving fish oil only and both etretinate and fish oil were markedly decreased(p<0.01). HDL-cholesterol levels in rats following administration of fish oil and both etretinate and fish oil were decreased(p<0.01). The ratio of HDL-cholesterol to total-cholesterol in rats receiving fish oil only and both etretinate and fish oil were increased(p<0.05) because of markedly decreased total-cholesterol levels.
Acitretin* ; Animals ; Cholesterol* ; Etretinate* ; Plasma* ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Lymphomatoid Granulomatosis*

OBJECTIVE: Prognostic factors of metastatic brain tumors have been widely reported and their operative indications also have been extended gradually even to the poor grade patients. Authors intended to analyze the causative factors for the clinical outcome of metastatic brain tumors, especially with relevant to the poor prognosis by one year follow-up evaluation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The authors retrospectively studied the clinical characteristics of 46 cases(35 patients) with metastatic brain tumors among 466 cases(437 patients) which were operated on due to the brain tumor, during the period between January 1994 to June 1999. Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS 8.0(r). A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered clinically significant. RESULT: Among the variable clinical factors in patients with metastatic brain tumors, Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score of less than 70(16 patients), uncontrolled primary tumor(8 patients), and surgical resection without further adjuvant therapy(9 patients) showed statistically significant poor prognosis; p value of 0.002, 0.032, and 0.001, respectively. Other tested variables, such as old age(greater than 65 years; 10 patients), gender(male; 20 patients), type of primary cancer(primary undefined; 6 patients, lung cancer; 15 patients), location(infratentorial; 9 patients, sellar; 5 patients), number of lesion(multiple; 12 patients), and number of operation(multiple craniotomy; 7 patients) were not related to the poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: The most common primary site of distant metastasis was lung. The poorer prognosis was highly correlated with various factors including low KPS score(<70), no postoperative adjuvant therapy, and uncontrolled primary tumors.
Brain Neoplasms* ; Brain* ; Craniotomy ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis* ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Brain Infarction* ; Brain* ; Nephrotic Syndrome*

Objectives: Community organization is a resident-led movement aimed at creating fundamental social changes in the community by resolving its problems through the organized power of its residents. This study evaluated the effectiveness of health community organization (HCO), Gangwon’s Health-Plus community program, implemented from 2013 to 2019 on residents’ health behaviors. Methods: This study had a before-and-after design using 2011-2019 Korea Community Health Survey data. To compare the 3-year periods before and after HCO implementation, the study targeted areas where the HCO had been implemented for 4 years or longer. Therefore, a total of 4512 individuals from 11 areas with HCO start years from 2013 to 2016 were included. Complex sample multi-logistic regression analysis adjusting for demographic characteristics (sex, age, residential area, income level, education level, and HCO start year) was conducted. Results: HCO implementation was associated with decreased current smoking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57 to 0.95) and subjective stress recognition (aOR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.64 to 0.97). Additionally, the HCO was associated with increased walking exercise practice (aOR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.71), and attempts to control weight (aOR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.64). No significant negative changes were observed in other health behavior variables. Conclusions The HCO seems to have contributed to improving community health indicators. In the future, a follow-up study that analyzes only the effectiveness of the HCO through structured quasi-experimental studies will be needed.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the factors for the development of the Gangwon's Health-Plus Community Program into the health community organization. Methods: Participants of the study consisted of a total of 8 individuals, including trainers, residents, and public health center officials. Data were collected through in-depth interviews from August to October 2022. The data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. Results: According to the results, the factors that enabled the Gangwon's Health-Plus Community Program to develop into a health community organization are as follows. First, participants believed that residents could do well by themselves, Second, participants met with residents rather than existing leaders.Third, education that encouraged residents to speak and positive assessment was implemented. Fourth, projects were started based on what residents wanted to do. Fifth, participants waited for residents to take action. Sixth, participants engaged with residents instead of just observing. Seventh, participants did not demand short-term outcomes. Conclusions This study will contribute to the progression of community participatory health promotion programs towards a health community organization aimed at community empowerment.

BACKGROUND: Although one hair usually arises from a single follicular opening in normal healthy subjects, we can see two or more hairs emerging from the single opening through close inspection. The latter is called "compound hair", described by Lowenthal in 1946, however, few reports on this have been made since. Histopatholoigcally two or more hairs which have an independant external root sheath arise from one follicular opening like its clinical appearance. We examined the distribution and density of compound hair in order to define its difference according to anatomical sites and aging process. OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: We counted the number of hairs in the circle(2 cm in diameter) at te frontal, temporal and occipital scalp of 24 old young men(22.5+/-2.0 years old) and 24 old men(64.4+/-12.9 years old), respectively. RESULTS: The summated number of grouped hair, which was mostly regarded at compound hair, was greater in the young group than in old group in the frontal area, but was smaller in young group than in old group in from the temporal and occipital areas. The proportion of grouped hair to total hair in the older group was lower in the frontal area, but higher in the temporal and occipital areas(p<0.05, p<0.01) according to aging process, however, no significant change was seen between the frontal area and the sum of single hair to compound hair was significantly decreased in the temporal and occipital areas(p<0.05, p<0.01) according to aging process, however, no significant change was seen between the frontal area and the sum of the three tested areas. CONCLUSION: Compound hairs are observed frequently on the scalp of normal healthy subjects and are most frequently seen on the occipital scalp in both of the young and old.
Aging ; Hair* ; Scalp* ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous

BACKGROUND: Differential diagnosis of keratoacanthoma(KA) from squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) is often difficult, especially when SCC has KA-like features(KA-like SCC). A number of recent studies have been attempted to separate these two entities with the use of immunohistochemical stains. But the results were inconsistent and the studies with KA-like SCC are rarely reported. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the expression patterns of p53 protein and Ki-67 antigen on KA and KA-like SCC using immunohistochemical staining method and to evaluate the usefulness of this method in distinguishing each other. METHODS: We performed immunoperoxidase staining(LSAB technique) using monoclonal antibody to p53 protein(PAb1801) and Ki-67 antigen(MIB1) on the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens obtained from 12 patients with KA, 8 patient with KA-like SCC, and 10 patients with well-differentiated SCC. RESULTS: The results were as follows; 1) There was a significant difference in the p53 expression between KA(25%) and SCC group (KA-like SCC=88%, SCC=100%). 2) Mean Ki-67 labeling index was slightly higher for SCC group(KA-like SCC=30.72%, SCC= 31.23%) than for KA(25.30%), but this difference was not statistically significant. 3) In Ki-67 expression, KA showed more pheriperal basal pattern(91%), whereas SCC group showed more diffuse pattern(77%). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that KA and SCC are distinct entities of different nature and that these immunohistochemical staining methods can be useful methods in differentiating KA-like SCC from KA.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Coloring Agents ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Keratoacanthoma* ; Ki-67 Antigen*

BACKGROUND: Differential diagnosis of keratoacanthoma(KA) from squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) is often difficult, especially when SCC has KA-like features(KA-like SCC). A number of recent studies have been attempted to separate these two entities with the use of immunohistochemical stains. But the results were inconsistent and the studies with KA-like SCC are rarely reported. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the expression patterns of p53 protein and Ki-67 antigen on KA and KA-like SCC using immunohistochemical staining method and to evaluate the usefulness of this method in distinguishing each other. METHODS: We performed immunoperoxidase staining(LSAB technique) using monoclonal antibody to p53 protein(PAb1801) and Ki-67 antigen(MIB1) on the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens obtained from 12 patients with KA, 8 patient with KA-like SCC, and 10 patients with well-differentiated SCC. RESULTS: The results were as follows; 1) There was a significant difference in the p53 expression between KA(25%) and SCC group (KA-like SCC=88%, SCC=100%). 2) Mean Ki-67 labeling index was slightly higher for SCC group(KA-like SCC=30.72%, SCC= 31.23%) than for KA(25.30%), but this difference was not statistically significant. 3) In Ki-67 expression, KA showed more pheriperal basal pattern(91%), whereas SCC group showed more diffuse pattern(77%). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that KA and SCC are distinct entities of different nature and that these immunohistochemical staining methods can be useful methods in differentiating KA-like SCC from KA.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Coloring Agents ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Keratoacanthoma* ; Ki-67 Antigen*