BACKGROUND: Clonidine, an alpha 2adrenergic agonist, has nonopiate antinociceptive properties which might be an alternative for postoperative analgesia free of undesirable effects from opioid. The aim of this study was to evaluate the postoperative analgesic effects of intravenous (IV) infusion of clonidine. METHODS: Seventy two healthy patients who undergoing cesarean section or gynecological surgery under general anesthesia were randomly divided into three groups as follows; the patients of group l received fentanyl (100 g bolus + 0.5ug/kg/hr) alone, the patients of group II received clonidine (100ug bolus + 10ug/kg/hr) and same dose of fentanyl, and the patients of group III received clonidine (200 g bolus + 20ug/kg/hr) and same dose of fentanyl. Pain score using a visual analogue scale (VAS), sedation score and any side effects were evaluated at 1, 6, 24 and 48 hours after starting the infusion. RESULT: Patients in group II and group III were more pain relieved during 48 hours and more sedated compared to group I at 1 hr, but there were no significant difference of side effects. CONCLUSION: Continuous IV infusion of clonidine potentiates postoperative analgesia induced by fentanyl.
Analgesia* ; Anesthesia, General ; Cesarean Section ; Clonidine* ; Female ; Fentanyl* ; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous* ; Pain, Postoperative ; Pregnancy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of obesity and management behaviors of obese adolescents and their families in Korea. METHOD: Nine adolescents with moderate-degree obesity and of four their mothers of them were investigated using semi-structured interviews. RESULT: The perceptions of obesity was classified into four domains and obesity management behaviors was classified into three domains. The domains regarding the perceptions of obesity include definitions of obesity(a danger signal of health status, deviation status, symbols of growth), causes of obesity(out of balance), opinions about their obesity(contempt, negative preconception, superiority) and changes on thought and attitudes owing to obesity(shrinkage, repulsion, sustaining losses, decreased activity, decreased self-confidence, defensive behaviors). The domains regarding obesity management behaviors include attitude about the management of obesity(not having priority, optimistic view, ardent wish), management behaviors for correcting obesity(encouraging physical activity, control of diet, gathering information, trial of diet control), attitudes about performing the management behaviors for correcting obesity(inconsistency, non-autonomy, conflict). CONCLUSION: This study helps to enhance the understanding of the perception of obesity and management behaviors of obese adolescents and their families. Futhermore, based on this understanding, effective and appropriate heath management programs can be planned and conducted.
Adolescent* ; Diet ; Humans ; Korea* ; Methods ; Mothers ; Motor Activity ; Obesity*

PURPOSE: The study is to investigate the effect of communication and self-leadership on nursing performance. METHODS: The subjects of study were composed of 358 nurses at a G city university hospital, tested with structured questionnaire from September 15 to 30, 2010. The collected data were analyzed with ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The level of communication, self-leadership, and nursing performance was 3.37, 3.38 and 3.70 respectively in average. The variables showing significant difference in communication were as follows: age, marital status, religious status, education, monthly income, work department and work experience. Also, the variables in nursing performance were as follows: age, marital status, religious status, education, education, monthly income, position, working department and work experience. Communication, self-leadership and nursing performance of nurse showed significant positive correlation. Nursing performance was positively correlated with monthly income, when it exceeded 2.01 million won, career experience and self-leadership (p<.001). These variables explained 53.7% of the regression model. CONCLUSION: Since monthly income, work experience, communication and self-leadership have positive effect on nursing performance, an effective strategy is required to improve self-leadership and nurse's communication.
Leadership ; Marital Status ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Globozoospermia is a rare type of teratozoospermia. It occurs in 0.1% of all andrological patient's and used to be considered sterile. Globozoospermic patient has 100% round headed spermatozoa, but the spermiogram is normal. The spermatozoa show oval-shape head, the lack of a nuclear envelope, acrosome, and post acrosomal sheath. OBJECTIVE: To report that a couple with infertility secondary to globozoospermia received ICSI treatment. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Case report. RESULTS: In the first trial, fertilization was failed. In the second trial, 40% of oocytes were fertilized and all of these embryos were cleaved, but pregnancy did not achieved. In the third trial, sperm injected oocytes were exposed to 10 micrometer calcium ionophore for 15 min. All of the injected oocytes were fertilized and proceeded to develop. Triplet pregnancy was achieved after the transfer of six embryos in their third cycle. One embryo vanished and the remaining twins (female) were delivered at 33 weeks of gestation by Caesarean section. CONCLUSION: This result shows that assisted activation following ICSI may overcome infertility associated with globozoospermia.
Acrosome ; Calcium ; Cesarean Section ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Fertilization ; Head ; Humans ; Infertility ; Male ; Nuclear Envelope ; Oocytes* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, Triplet ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Spermatozoa* ; Twins

BACKGROUND: Cubitus varus and cubitus valgus deformities are common complications of distal humeral fractures in children. We evaluated the usefulness of supracondylar dome osteotomy as a treatment option for adults with cubitus varus or valgus deformity developed during childhood. METHODS: Ten patients who had received supracondylar dome osteotomy and stabilization with plates to treat cubitus varus or valgus deformity between July 2006 and August 2013 were included in this study. Their mean age at the time of surgery was 36.50 ± 10.22 years. The mean follow-up duration was 54.80 ± 32.50 months. We evaluated humerus-elbow-wrist angles (HEWA), improvements in the lateral prominence index (LPI) or medial prominence index (MPI), Mayo elbow performance scores (MEPS), and overall results in accordance with the Banerjee criteria. RESULTS: For the six patients with cubitus varus, the mean postoperative HEWA, mean correction angle, and mean improvement in LPI were 9.72°± 3.95°, 27.67°± 10.75°, and 6.92% ± 3.40%, respectively. For the four patients with cubitus valgus, the mean postoperative HEWA, mean correction angle, and mean improvement in MPI were 14.73°± 2.97°, 11.55°± 3.26°, and 11.33% ± 6.39%, respectively. There was no significant difference between postoperative and preoperative mean MEPS. The subjective ulnar nerve symptoms were alleviated in all patients. The overall results were excellent in six and good in four patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that supracondylar dome osteotomy with secure fixation using double plates may be useful in correcting cubitus varus or cubitus valgus deformity, yielding good functional outcomes in adults.
Adult* ; Child ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Elbow ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Humeral Fractures ; Osteotomy* ; Ulnar Nerve

This is to describe a neonatal hepatitis with pericellular hepatic fibrosis and Mallory bodies in a sero-positive infant for IgM anti-CMV. A necropsy of the liver revealed severe heaptocellular swelling with many intracytoplasmic hyaline bodies, pronounced fibrosis of a creeping type, bile stasis with ductular proliferation, and the lack of parenchymal regeneration. These microscopical changes of the liver resembled those of Indian Childhood Cirrhosis (ICC). In the present case the patient's serum IgM anti-CMV is the only clue for the etiological diagnosis.
Infant ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans

We report a case of Buerger's disease manifested by a scrotal mass, in view of its rarity. A tender bean sized mass was palpated in the left scrotum of a 34 year-old male heavy smoker, who had a history of right pain two years ago which subsided spontaneously. The left testis with the paratesticular tissue was excised. Vessels of the spermatic cord and epididymis showed microscopic changes of Buerger's disease. The involved arteries and veins revealed a predominantly subacute pattern with granulomatous inflammation and Langhans' type giant cells within the thrombi.
Male ; Humans

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to develop and apply a prevention program for needle-stick injuries among health care workers who have a high occupational risk of such injuries, and to analyze the effect of the program on the subjects' knowledge regarding such injuries and compliance with protocols, as well as the incidence of needle-stick injuries among subjects. METHODS: The subjects of this study were nurses (RNs) and nurse's aides (NAs) working at a university hospital in Daegu. The data were collected by conducting surveys and determining the incidence of needle-stick injuries during a 1-year period before the application of the program. The program consisted of preventive education on needle-stick injury, the use of standardized boxes to measure blood sugar test, and the use of intravenous catheters with safety needles. Six months after the intervention, surveys were conducted to analyze the incidence of needle-stick injuries. The data on knowledge and compliance related to needle-stick injuries before and after program application were analyzed using the paired t-test, and data on the incidence of injuries were analyzed using the chi-square test. RESULTS: The scores on knowledge (RN, P<0.001; NA, P=0.007) and compliance (RN, P<0.001; NA, P=0.038) were significantly higher after the intervention than before. However, the number of reports on the incidence of needle-stick injuries before and after the intervention were not significantly different (RN, P=0.691; NA, P=0.079). CONCLUSION: The prevention program for needle-stick injuries was effective in improving the knowledge and compliance related to needle-stick injuries among RNs and NAs, but the number of reports on the incidence of injuries showed no difference. Therefore, the prevention program must be reevaluated and further developed after continuously monitoring and analyzing it in a hospital setting in order to decrease the incidence of needle-stick injuries.
Blood Glucose ; Catheters ; Compliance ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Incidence ; Needles ; Needlestick Injuries ; Nurses' Aides ; Plant Extracts

Allergic contact dermatitis due to 8-MOP is a rarely known si(ie effect of this widely used drug. Other known adverse reactions due to 8-MOP such as the oallergic dermatitis as well as some isolated cases of exanthema, papular eruptions, and astloma like symptoms are also sporadically reported. A 52-year-old man with vitiligo developed erythema to the UVA exposed 0.3% Oxoralen cream applied area. Prior to this episode, the patient had history of generalized burns after systernic PUVA therapy in 1983. Even after this experience, the patient had few more episodes of erythema at the site of 0.3%. Oxoralen cream application. We performed patch test and photopatch tests with Scandinavian series, 0.3% Oxoraler or am (as is), and diluted 8-MOP, 5-MOP, TMP solution. The result showed positive reactivity to 6-methylcoumarin, 8-MOP, as well as to 0.3% Oxoralen cream. The size of erythema was same in both irradiated areas which indicates an allergic contact dermatitis rather than photoallergic dermatitis or phototoxic dermatitis.
Burns ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Dermatitis, Photoallergic ; Dermatitis, Phototoxic ; Erythema ; Exanthema ; Humans ; Methoxsalen ; Middle Aged ; Patch Tests ; PUVA Therapy ; Thymidine Monophosphate ; Vitiligo

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