BACKGROUND: Enterococci exhibit intrinsic resistance or high-level minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to beta-lactams than other streptococci. This appears to be due to low affinity of penicillin-binding proteins and rarely production of beta-lactamase, which gives the reason of testing beta-lactamase for blood and cerebrospinal fluid isolates. Ampicillin is more effective than penicillin in vitro, and MIC of ampicillin is generally 1 dilution lower than that of penicillin. The purpose of this study is to detect beta-lactamase producing enterococci an6 to compare MICs of ampicillin and penicillin by Vitek system (bioMerieux, Hazelwood, MO, USA) with those by agar dilution method. METHODS: We collected 110 isolates of Enterococcus faecalis and 51 isolates of E. faecium from clinical specimens in 1998. MICs of antibiotics were determined by agar dilution method and Vitek system. We also performed beta-lactamase test by the Cefinase (Becton Dickinson, USA) for 512 isolates of E. faecalis and 189 isolates of E. faecium collected in 1998. RESULTS: The most common sites of isolates were blood, bile, surgical/traumatic wounds, closed and open pus and urine. MICs of ampicillin were 1 to 2 dilution lower than those of penicillin for E. faecalis (P=0.03). But there were no significant differences in MICs for E. faecium (P=0.19). Five isolates (4 E. faecalis and 1 E. faecium) were susceptible to ampicillin but resistant to penicillin. There were no beta-lactamase producing enterococci among 701 isolates tested. CONCLUSIONS: MIC by Vitek system tends to be 1 to 2 dilution lower than MIC by agar dilution method to beta-lactams, and MIC of ampicillin is 1 to 2 dilution lower than MIC of penicillin, which could result in discrepancy in interpretation of susceptibilty tests. A beta-lactamase test for enterococci is not recommeneded for routine test in Korea.
Agar ; Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents* ; beta-Lactamases ; beta-Lactams ; Bile ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Enterococcus faecalis ; Enterococcus* ; Korea ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Penicillin-Binding Proteins ; Penicillins ; Suppuration ; Wounds and Injuries

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The status of tumor suppression gene can be assessed indirectly by analyzing the loss of heterozygosity. Hepatoblastoma is a malignant liver tumor in childhood. To find the molecular carcinogenetic mechanism of hepatoblastoma, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of p73, APC and p53 was studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hepatoblastoma tissues from thirty-three cases were collected by lobectomy or tumorectomy. On H- stained sections, normal and tumor cells were microdissected separately and LOH analysis was perfomed using 8 markers: six of p73, one of APC and one of p53. RESULTS: Number of cases showing at least one LOH in six p73 markers was four out of twenty- six (15.4%): each LOH frequencies in D1S160, D1S170, D1S199, D1S228, D1S243 and D1S253 were in order of 7.7%, 0%, 9.1%, 0%, 12.5% and 0%. LOH frequency of APC was 41.7% and that of p53 was 13.3%. CONCLUSION: Low LOH frequency of p73 related markers indicates that p73 gene may not be implicated in carcinogenesis of hepatoblastoma.
Carcinogenesis ; Hepatoblastoma* ; Liver ; Loss of Heterozygosity*

No abstract available.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1* ; Hypothyroidism*

A case of extrapulmonary silicosis involving abdominal lymph nodes in a 62-year-old man is presented. The patient underwent subtotal gastrectomy and regional lymph nodes dissection for gastric adenocarcinoma of clinical stage III. On gross examination, two separate gastric adenocarcinomas and multiple enlarged lymph nodes mimicking metastatic lesion were noted. Microscopic examination of the enlaged lymph nodes revealed characteristic sclerohyaline silicotic nodules without metastatic adenocarcinoma. Chest roentgenogram showed diffusely scattered multiple tiny nodular lesions in the entire lung fields, particularly the posterior side of both upper lung fields. He had worked in a mine for 18 years and had been exposed to silica for 5 of those years. We report incidentally found, unusual case of extrapulmonary silicosis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Middle Aged ; Silicon Dioxide ; Silicosis* ; Thorax

A modern development of ambulatory ECG monitoring gave great advances in the diagnosis and evaluation of various cardiac conditions. Fifteen cases of ischemic heart disease, 11 cases of nonischemic heart disease, 5 cases of noncardiac disease and 9 cases of normal healthy subjects were studied from January 1980 to July 1981 in national Medical Center, with the following results: 1) The heart rate was decreased during night time, with less decreasing tendency in patients with ischemic heart disease. 2) Among 30 cases, including 12 patients with ischemic heart disease, who didn't show arrhythmia on routine 12 lead ECG, 12 cases, including 6 patients with ischemic heart disease, showed arrhythmia on Holter monitoring. 3) Among 5 cases with ischemic heart disease who showed premature ventricular contraction on day time monitoring, 2 cases didn't show premature ventricular contraction on nigh time monitoring. 4) The S-T segment and T wave were changed during night time in 2 cases with ischemic heart disease and in 2 normal subjects. From these results, we could assert that Holter monioring or ambulatory ECG tracing would be a good method for diagnosis and evaluation of ischemic heart disease, and other cardiac conditions. Several another studies with this equipment have to be performed and would give more distinctive outcomes.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Diagnosis ; Electrocardiography ; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory* ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Ventricular Premature Complexes

This study was conducted to gather basic data on the tasks and roles of nutrition teachers by analyzing the changes inwork importance, performance frequency, and organizational environment after dietitians were transposed to nutrition teachers. E-mail surveys were sent to 100 newly assigned nutrition teachers who previously served as dietitians in Gyeonggi province. A total of 72 teachers responded to the survey. The respondents were asked the importance and frequency of 9 work-related duties performed as a dietitian and nutrition teacher, respectively. They were also surveyed regarding their satisfaction perceptions for 5 organizational changes. The majority of respondents were 36 to 40 years old (48.6%) and had 10~20 years of work experience (58.3%). Significant differences were found for work importance after changing to the role of nutrition teacher (p<0.001). In addition, work performance frequency differences were found for the categories of nutrition education, nutrition counseling, and dietary guidance. These results were attributable to the differences in work importance and performance frequency by now being a nutrition teacher rather than a dietitian. The respondents had increased satisfaction levels after changing from dietitian to nutrition teacher (p<0.001) in terms of 'pride for change in work', 'satisfaction level for pay', and 'satisfaction level for change in the organizational environment'. In order for nutrition teachers to have effective work performance, 'personal capabilities' and 'school manager support' should be coordinated. Overall, the results of this study suggest that effective training programs should be developed for nutrition teachers they can effectively complete newly assigned work tasks.
Counseling ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Electronic Mail ; Organizational Innovation

The purpose of this study was to compare dietitians' with cooks' actual sterilization performance for improving points of sanitation practices of cooking instruments and facilities in Kyonggi Province school foodservices. A total of 400 questionnaires were mailed to the dietitians and the cooks at elementary and middle schools in Kyonggi Province. Finally, 140 dietitians and 140 cooks replied by making a total of 280 replies(70%). The results of this study found that the cooks' attitudes toward the sterilization of the vegetable cutter body, multiple shelf, and distributing cart showed higher frequencies than the dietitians'. Cooks disinfected the vegetable cutter blade, multiple shelf, distributing cart, cook's aprons, and 'L' transporting cart better than dietitians' guides expected. In the sterilization method, cooks performed better than indicated when cooking with rubber gloves. The most difficult thing in dietitians' managing sterilization was the lack of cooking facilities and instruments. They strongly demanded the detailed explanatory notes according to their own Cities and Provinces and the circumstantial manual of disinfection parts in School Foodservice Sanitary Management Guide. There were possibilities of food-poisoning, infection and safety incidents due to the budgetary shortage of cooking facilities and instruments.
Cooking ; Disinfection ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Humans ; Nutritionists ; Postal Service ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rubber ; Sanitation* ; Sterilization ; Vegetables

Purpose: : This study aims to identify job stress, emotional intelligence, and exhaustion of the nurses in comprehensive nursing service units and then verify the moderating and mediating effects of emotional intelligence on the relationship between job stress and exhaustion. Methods: : Participants are 118 nurses working in two general hospitals. The collected data are analyzed using the SPSS WIN 27.0 and AMOS 18.0 programs by assessing frequency and percentage, mean and standard deviation, independent t-test and one-way ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis and bootstrapping. Results: : Exhaustion has a statistically significant positive correlation with job stress (r=.40, p ＜.001) and a statistically significant negative correlation with emotional intelligence (r=-.26, p =.004). A partial mediating effect of emotional intelligence is found between job stress and exhaustion, however, there is no moderating effect. Conclusion : It is expected that to reduce the exhaustion of nurses in comprehensive nursing service units, it is necessary to assess job stress and emotional intelligence, and strengthen emotional intelligence along with job stress intervention.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatic fibrosis in rat induced by thioacet amide shares similar morphological and biochemical characteristics with human liver cirrhosis. Thioacetamide (T AA) initially induces accumulation of collagen in Disse space and eventually leads to macro- and micronodular cirrhos is. Ito cell was believed to play a main role in hepatic fibrosis. And it s activity was known to be regulated by the expression of various genes. But little has been discovered about the upstream signal trans duction pathway of these genes in hepatic fibrosis. The expression of genesrelated to Ito cell activity was regulated by many transcription factors , the activity of which was regulated by protein kinase C( PKC) is oforms. So it is s upposed that PKC could be as s ociated with fibrosis in liver. METHODS: We investigated the correlation of PKC is oforms and It ocell activity in the course of hepatic fibrosis using TAA induced rat liver cirrhosis model. We used six week- old male rats , and administered 0.03% TAA in drinking water. The animals were sacrificed at 9, 20, and 30 weeks after TAA administration. The degree of hepatic fibrosis was evaluated by measuring the total amount of collagen.-SMA immunohist ochemical st aining of liver tissue was done to determine the Ito cell activity. The expression pattern of PKC isoforms was investigated by West ern blotting. RESULTS: In TAA- treated group, collagen cont ent and Ito cell activity did not increase until 30 weeks and 20 weeks of treatment , respectively, while in control group collagen cont ent and Ito cell activity were not detected. Collagen content showed linear correlation with Ito cell activity. This implied that the proliferation of activated Ito cells was prior to the increase of collagen content. In view of expression pattern of PKC is oforms, PKC alpha showed no difference in TAA- treated group and control group. In TAA-treated group, PKCbeta1 exhibited increased level of expression in both particulate and cytosolic forms at 9 weeks, while PKCdelta and PKC epsilon showed striking shift to particulated form. After 20 weeks, all of the PKC beta1, delta, and epsilon degenerated and showed remarkably decreased level of expression. This suggested PKC alpha had no relation to hepatic fibrosis,while PKC beta1, delta, and epsilon, showing activity at 9 weeks, were related to fibrosis og liver. In response to fibrogenic factors, molecules engaged in intracellular signal transduction pathway like PKC beta1, delta, and epsilon, began to change prior to the increase of Ito cell activity, morphologic changes and alterations of collagen content. CONCLUSION: Our results strongly suggest that the activity of PKC isoforms play an important role in early step of hepatic fibrosis, while accompanying Ito cell activity do in later step.
Animals ; Collagen ; Cytosol ; Drinking Water ; Fibrosis ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Male ; Protein Isoforms ; Protein Kinase C-epsilon ; Protein Kinases ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; Strikes, Employee ; Thioacetamide ; Transcription Factors

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Liver cirrhosis is an end-stage liver disease. Ito cell is known to have central role in fibrogenes is of liver cirrhosis. But collagen content and Ito cell activity in liver cirr hosis have received little attention. So Ito cell activity and hepatocyte proliferation activity according to collagen content was investigated. WAF-1 and c- met were studied to evaluate the effect of cell cycle. METHODS: We analyzed 56 cases of liver cirrhosis ( viral:41, biliary:11, alcoholic:2, Wilson' s disease:2). Collagen content was measured by spectrophot ometry. Ito cell activity and prolifer ation index was measured by-SMA and Ki- 67 immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In viral cirrhosis, high collagen group showed increased Ito cell activity compared to low collagen group. There was no difference in hepatocyte prolifer ation activity bet ween high and low collagen group in viral cirrhosis. In biliary cirrhos is, high collagen group showed increased Ito cell activity in septal zones compared to low collagen group. WAF- 1and c- met were negative in most of cases. CONCLUSION: Collagen content of liver cirrhosis is closely related to increment of activated Ito cells . Ito cell activity was prominent in septal zones than in parenchymal areas of viral cirrhosis and that was only significant in septal zones of biliary cirrhosis. There is no correlation bet ween collagen content and hepatocyte proliferation activity.
Cell Cycle ; Collagen* ; Fibrosis ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; Hepatocytes* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; Liver Diseases ; Liver*