PURPOSE: This study was done to examine actor and partner effect of dementia knowledge, self-efficacy and depression on dementia preventive behavior in elderly couples. METHODS: Participants were 115 couples aged 60 years or over who met eligibility criteria. All measures were self-administered. Data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 18.0 program. RESULTS: Dementia knowledge in elderly couples showed actor and partner effect on dementia preventive behavior. Self-efficacy in the wife did not have direct effects on dementia preventive behavior, but showed indirect effects through dementia knowledge. Self-efficacy in the husband showed direct effects on dementia preventive behavior and indirect effects through dementia knowledge. Wife's depression had direct actor effect on dementia preventive behavior and indirect effect through self-efficacy and dementia knowledge. Husband's depression did not have direct actor effect on dementia preventive behavior, but indirect effect through self-efficacy and dementia knowledge. Effect size of wives' dementia knowledge, self-efficacy and depression on dementia preventive behavior was larger than that of husbands'. Dementia preventive behavior, dementia knowledge and depression had a mutual effect. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that to promote dementia preventive activity in elderly couples, programs should be conducted for both of the couple, but focused differently for wife and husband.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Dementia/*prevention & control ; *Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Knowledge ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Questionnaires ; *Self Efficacy ; Spouses/*psychology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the level of knowledge about dementia and to find the related factors in middle-aged adults. METHOD: The research design was a descriptive study by using a constructive self-report questionnaire with 34 items. Data were collected from 397 middle-aged adults using structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done by SPSS/WIN Programs using frequency, range from minimum to maximum, percentage, mean, SD, chi-square-test, t-test, ANOVA, and Duncan's Multiple Range test. RESULTS: The rate of correct answer of middle-aged adults was 68.7%, showing the mid-level of knowledge about dementia. There were significant differences according to age, education, marital status, job, income, information and information sources for dementia in middle-aged adults. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that Korean middle-aged adults need more education and counseling on dementia. Further studies are needed to overcome regionalism in sampling of this study and to develop standard measuring tools for the level of knowledge about dementia.
Adult* ; Counseling ; Dementia* ; Education ; Humans ; Marital Status ; Research Design ; Statistics as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a Critical Pathway for Uterine Artery Embolization patients. METHOD: There were 6 steps that were taken. Step 1 was selecting a diagnosis, and Step 2 was organizing a development team consisting of 7 experts. Step 3 analyzed the medical records, and Step 4 drew up a preliminary Critical Pathway. Step 5 tested the clinical validity of the preliminary Critical Pathway, and Step 6 developed the final Critical Pathway. RESULT: The contents of the medical practices observed in the medical records were investigated in seven areas: monitoring/assessment, treatment, medication, diet, activity, consults, and education/discharge plan; and a total of 73 items was identified. The validity of the 73 items was examined by a group of specialists. 68 items were adopted, 4 items revised, 1 item removed, and 1 item was added. Using the results, a preliminary Critical Pathway was drawn up. According to the results from examining the clinical validity of the preliminary Critical Pathway with five patients for five weeks, 3 items which showed discrepancy were revised and another 3 items were added. Then, the final Critical Pathway was completed. CONCLUSION: This Critical Pathway needs to be clinically applied and continuously to measure its effects in terms of the length of stay, cost?effectiveness, and the patients' and staffs' satisfaction.
Critical Pathways* ; Diagnosis ; Diet ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Medical Records ; Specialization ; Uterine Artery Embolization* ; Uterine Artery*

The incidence of colorectal cancer has been increased gradually and it was about 6.9% of all malignancies in Korea. Early diagnosis was recognized as the most important factor influencing the prognosis of colorectal cancer and the incidence of early colorectal cancer was increasing. Thus great change was observed in the treatment of early colorectal cancer, endoscopic therapy as well as curative surgical resection is being accepted. We report a case of effective and safe endoscopic therapy for early rectal cancer in 5S-year-old male patient. He presented with rectal prolapse and bleeding of a year's duration. A large polypoid mass with fine nodular surface and thick, short stalk was seen in the rectum at 4cm above the anal verge during flexible sigmoidoscopy. After the histologic examination of specimen obtained by bite biopsy, CT scan of pelvic cavity and ultrasonogram of abdomen, the tumor was removed safe and completely by 2 sessions of piecemeal polypectomies and strip biopsy. He has been well without symptoms and signs of recurrence of rectal cancer for 20 months.
Abdomen ; Biopsy* ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Early Diagnosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Rectal Prolapse ; Rectum ; Recurrence ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

Clear cell chondrosarcoma, first described by Unni in 1976, is distinguished from classical chondrosarcoma by a typical histological picture, mostly an epiphyseal site of origin, and relatively a benign clinical course. We present a case of clear cell chondrosarcoma arising from hyoid bone in a 70-year-old male. Histologically, large areas of closely packed cells with characteristic clear cytoplasm were seen in addition to the usual elements of a conventional chondrosarcoma. Our search and review of the literature did not reveal any reported case of clear cell chondrosarcoma arising from hyoid bone.
Aged ; Chondrosarcoma* ; Cytoplasm ; Humans ; Hyoid Bone* ; Male

Neuroglial cells are actively participate in the pathogenesis or in the recovery procedures following brain lesions. The study was performed to evaluate the plasticity of glial cells following different degree of brain lesions. Neurosurgical operations were made on the rats fixed on the stereotaxic apparatus. Tissue column of 3 mm-diameter was isolated in the caudatoputamen with concomitant severe bleeding in the first group. In the second group, the sensorimotor cortex was suctioned out with moderate bleeding. In the third group, the mammillary body was electrically coagulated with minimal bleeding. Caudatoputamens, as a lesioned tissue or as a target tissue of lesioned area, were studied light and electron microscopically. Observations on reactivities and plasticities of neuroglial cells on the different situations, the following results were obtained : 1. Astrocytes were swollen within an hour following brain lesions. 2. In case of smaller lesion, astroglia alone remove altered structures. 3. Microglia are increased in number, if the lesion is large with severe bleeding. The microglia might come from blood monocyte via transformation to pericyte. 4. In large lesion, astroglia were greatly hypertropied, and microglia might be moving and functioning effeciently within the hypertropied cytoplasm of astroglia. 5. In the stabilizing stage, astroglia produce glial fibers and fix the exhausted microglia. Fixed microglia are proceed into apoptotic process in the cytoplasm of astroglia and removed by them. All these procedures might be controlled by various receptors and secretions of astroglia. It means that astroglia is not only the basic supporting element of nervous tissue, but also an actively functioning element for the most effective homeostatic functioning of the neuropil.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Astrocytes ; Brain* ; Cytoplasm ; Hemorrhage ; Mamillary Bodies ; Microglia ; Monocytes ; Neuroglia* ; Neuropil ; Pericytes ; Plastics* ; Rats ; Suction

Herpes simplex esophagitis can occur in those with normal immune function, but is more often seen in those who are immunocompromised. In one series, 5 percent of post-kidney transplant recipients had herpes esophagitis. We experienced a case of herpes simplex esophagitis, following renal transplantation in a 9 year old male. He complained of epigastric pain, nausea and blood-tinged vomiting. Endoscopic examination showed volcano ulcer, mucosal friability and multiple confluent ulcers covered by whitish exudates on elevated margin in the middle and lower esophagus. Microscopic findings revealed multinucleated giant cells, margination of chromatin, intense nonspecific inflammation and strong positive for herpes simplex virus immunohistochemical staining. Esophageal lesions and symptoms improved after acyclovir therapy.
Acyclovir ; Child* ; Chromatin ; Esophagitis ; Esophagus ; Exudates and Transudates ; Giant Cells ; Herpes Simplex* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Nausea ; Simplexvirus* ; Transplantation ; Ulcer ; Vomiting

The polyglandular autoimmune syndrome designates the dysfunction of endocrine and nonendocrine system involving two or more organs on the basis of an autoimmune mechanism. The autoimmune nature of these diseases has been based on the presence of lymphocytic infiltration in the affected gland, organ specific autoantibodies in the serum, cellular immune defects and an association with the HLA DR/DQ genes or immune response genes. This syndrome is usually classified into three classes and their etiology or pathogenesis is still not completely understood. A 28-year-old woman developed vitiligo and insulin dependent diabetes mellitus during the treatment of Graves' disease with antithyroid drug. She had a tendency of spontaneous ketonemia and serum c-peptide levels were low(0.21, 0.16ng/mL: fasting and glucagon stimulated). Thyrotrophin binding inhibitor immunoglobulin and pancreas iIslet cell cytoplasmic antibody were positive. We report here a case of polyglandular autoimmune syndrome, type III manifesting Graves' disease, vitiligo, and insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.
Adult ; Autoantibodies ; Bone Diseases ; C-Peptide ; Cytoplasm ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fasting ; Female ; Genes, MHC Class II ; Giant Cells ; Glucagon ; Granuloma ; Graves Disease ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Insulin ; Ketosis ; Pancreas ; Pedigree ; Thyrotropin ; Vitiligo

OBJECTIVE: Since IVF program was first established, various types of media and culture systems have been developed either in-house or commercially. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of in-house Maria Research Center (MRC) media to that of commercially available Sydney IVF media in human day 3 embryo transfer cycles. METHODS: Three hundred sixty nine couples were included in this prospective, randomized, and comparative study. All couples undergoing IVF treatment at the Maria Fertility Hospital were randomly assigned to either Sydney IVF (n=178) or MRC (n=191) media. RESULTS: No difference was observed between the MRC media and Sydney IVF media groups with respect to fertilization rate (74.4% vs. 75.5%). The clinical pregnancy and implantation rates of MRC media (47.1% and 20.0%, respectively) were also similar to those of Sydney IVF media (44.4% and 19.4%, respectively). However, the proportion of embryos with good quality on day 3 was significantly higher in the MRC media group than the Sydney IVF media group (50.2% vs. 43.2%) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: MRC media were as effective as Sydney IVF media for sustaining embryo development and pregnancy rates. The present study implies that MRC media can be a suitable alternative to commercially available media for human IVF-ET program.
Embryo Transfer ; Embryonic Development ; Embryonic Structures ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Fertility ; Fertilization ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess physical illnesses, psychological difficulties, and daily life function of victims' family members one year after the Sewol ferry disaster, in order to establish a basis of strategies to promote their mental health and resilience. METHODS: We statistically analyzed self-reported data collected from a survey conducted between March 22 and 28, 2015 with 139 family members of victims. RESULTS: All respondents complained about one or more psychological difficulties, and 95.4% of them had newly diagnosed or exacerbated physical illnesses. An increased number of psychological difficulties was associated with a greater tendency to present physical illnesses including chronic headache, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, obstetrico-gynecological, genitourinary, and cardiovascular disease. In addition, the majority of respondents reported a decrease in life functioning. Specifically, 71.9% reported interpersonal avoidance and 63.9% reported difficulty in returning to work. CONCLUSIONS: Not only psychological trauma but also physical illness and daily functioning should be evaluated in detail and actively addressed in the bereaved family members after a catastrophe.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Disasters ; Headache Disorders ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Psychological Trauma ; Surveys and Questionnaires