BACKGROUND: Direct observation of healthcare workers is commonly used in hospitals to investigate hand hygiene compliance. However, the hand hygiene compliance rate may increase due to the Hawthorne effect, which is the modification of behavior simply because subjects become aware that they are being observed. The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence of the Hawthorne effect when directly observing hand hygiene compliance in intensive care unit (ICU) healthcare personnel. METHODS: A total of 87 staff members from the coronary care unit and cardiac surgery ICU of a general hospital in Seoul were included in this study: 24 residents and interns, 55 nurses, and 8 nursing assistants. Both covert and overt observations, where subjects were either unaware or aware of any direct observation, were performed on separate occasions. RESULTS: A total of 1,052 covert and 1,336 overt observations were documented over 30 and 34 occasions, respectively. Overall hand hygiene compliance was significantly higher with overt observation than with covert observation (1,041/1,336, 77.9% vs. 659/1,052, 62.6%, P<0.001). The Hawthorne effect was present in all professions and behaviors, with the exception of nursing assistants, and prior to touching a patient. CONCLUSION: Direct observation of hand hygiene compliance was associated with the Hawthorne effect when observations were made overtly and this was likely to contribute to an overestimation of compliance rate.
Compliance ; Coronary Care Units* ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Effect Modifier, Epidemiologic* ; Hand Hygiene* ; Health Personnel ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Nursing ; Seoul ; Thoracic Surgery*

This Study was performed to investigate the effect of foods containing benzoic acid on the urinary hippuric acid concentration in the toluene exposed workers. The urinary hippuric acid concentration were measured at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 minute after intake of soft drink and bread containing benzoic .acid: in volunteers,: who did not have been exposed toluene occupationally. After that urinary hippuric: acids also were measured at the end of shift in toluene exposed workers. And also the concentration of toluene in air were analysed! by gas chromatography. So the relationships between urinary hippuric acid concentration and age, work duration, concentration of toluene in air and intake of benzoic acid containing food were observed. The results were as follows: 1. The urinary hippuric acid concentration reached the highest level at 30 minute after intake of soft drink with bread at a level of 1.41g/g creatinine and soft drink; alone at a level of 1.04g/g creatinine which contained benzoic acid among unexposed toluene, and then gradually decreased. 2. In toluene exposed group no significant effect of general; characteristics siich; as gender, age, work duration, drinking and smoking on urinary: hippuric acid concentration was showed in toluene exposed group. 3. The mean value of urinary hippuric acid concentration of group taking benzoic acid containing foods was significantly higher than that of group not taking. 4. Multiple regression analysis showed that toluene concentration in .air and benzoic acid containing foods were together significantly influence on urinary ; hippuric acid concentration. And the function between variables is Y = 0.014Tpluene +0.489Benzoic acid +0.745 and the contribution rates were 31%. In conclusion, it was suggested that the information on intake of benzoic acid containing foods should be considered in measurement of urinary hippuric acid for the more accurate toluene exposure evaluation.
Benzoic Acid* ; Bread ; Carbonated Beverages ; Chromatography, Gas ; Creatinine ; Drinking ; Occupations ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Toluene* ; Volunteers

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate AIDS-specific knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of auxiliary police on duty in Seoul and to provide basic data for use in AIDS prevention education for auxiliary police. METHODS: In November 2008, we questioned 402 auxiliary police in the Mobile Police Force located in Seoul by using a self-administered questionnaire containing 39 items. RESULTS: Of the respondents, 98.5% were unmarried and scored, on average, 2.95+/-0.98 out of 4 with respect to their knowledge about the transmission routes of HIV infection. Approximately 70.6% of the respondents were sexually active in the past year and 6.3% were diagnosed with or treated for a venereal disease within the past year. Approximately 42.5% of the respondents had sex with someone other than their steady partner and 35.5% of these respondents did not use condom during sexual intercourse. Approximately 77% of the respondents were willing to be anonymously tested for HIV infection that may have been acquired because of unprotected sexual activity during the past year (P=0.018). CONCLUSION: Providing assertive education, as well as additional support and instructions, is necessary to raise awareness about the prevention of AIDS among auxiliary police.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Anonyms and Pseudonyms ; Coitus ; Condoms ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; HIV Infections ; Humans ; Police ; Sexual Behavior ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Single Person

No abstract available.
Arthrogryposis* ; Humans ; Siblings*

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the status of infection control during influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted in November 2009 at the 100 hospitals designated by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) as influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009-treatment institutions. RESULTS: In 32.3% of the hospitals, the ventilation system of the influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009 isolation ward was separated from the hospital's ventilation system. With regard to wearing personal protective equipment while caring for patients with H1N1 infection, during usual patient contact, masks were always worn by all medical staff at all the hospitals; however, medical staff at 38.7% and 51.6% of the hospitals did not wear gloves and gowns, respectively. During aerosol-generating procedures, some medical staff wore surgical masks, whereas medical staff at 10% and 23.3% of the hospitals did not wear gowns and protective goggles, respectively. In all, 64.5% of the hospitals responded that the contents of the guidelines established by the KCDC were insufficient for reference purposes in actual practice. CONCLUSION: Some of influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009-treatment institutions are believed to be inadequate in facilities, infection control during patient treatment, and administrative measures among their efforts to prevent transmission in hospital. In preparation against the outbreak of similar diseases in the future, the government needs to establish guidelines highly applicable by medical staff, to secure exclusive spaces and personnel for treating infectious disease patients, and to develop personal protective gear support and management systems.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Communicable Diseases ; Delivery of Health Care ; Eye Protective Devices ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Influenza, Human ; Korea ; Masks ; Medical Staff ; Pandemics ; Ventilation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction syndrome is a clinical condition induced by an impaired function of intestinal motility. Although its clinical symptoms are those of intestinal obstruction, mechanical obstruction of the intestine cannot be found by vigorous studies, even by operative exploration. We have experienced nine cases of chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction syndrome. It will help in diagnosis and treatment of the pseudo-obstruction to present the patients with these syndromes. In all cases severely delayed intestinal transit times were noted in radiological gastrointestinal studies without evidence of mechanical obstruction. The most frequent tentative diagnoses were congenital megacolons. But all of the patients showed the presence of ganglion cells in the intestinal wall. Histological abnormalities of the muscle layer were found in three patients. We could not resolve the symptoms by the surgical decompression of the intestine (such as colostomy, ileostomy etc.). But the symptoms were improved after total colectomy in a patient whose main affected site was confined to the colon. The megacystis was the most frequent combined anomaly. All patients had been improved with NPO and total parenteral nutrition therapies were inevitable. The drugs which facilitate the intestinal activities such as cisapride could not resolve the symptoms of obstruction. Three patients were died with the complications of total parenteral nutrition, and four patients improved clinically. Early diagnosis and proper management will reduce the mortality and morbidity.
Child ; Cisapride ; Colectomy ; Colon ; Colostomy ; Decompression, Surgical ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Ganglion Cysts ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Hirschsprung Disease ; Humans ; Ileostomy ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction* ; Intestines ; Mortality ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total

Aspirin(ASA) and NSAIDs can induce bronchoconstriction in 10~20% of adult asthmatics patients. Inhalation of lysine-ASA(L-ASA) has been described as an alternative method for diagnosis of ASA-sensitive asthma. To further understand the characterlstics of ASA-sensitive asthmas. we studied 38 asthmatic patients with ASA -sensitivity (36 intrinsic and 2 extrinsic asthma) proven by L-ASA bronchoprovocation test (BPT). Most were female (male to female ratio was 27:73). Twenty (53%) of them had no previous history of adverse reactions when exposed to ASA. Twenty nine (79%) had rhino-sinusitis symptoms. Early asthmatic response was observed in 16 (42%) patients, late only response in 16(42%), and dual response in 6(16%) patients. The threshold of L-ASA to provoke a positive response ranged from 11.2 to 180 mg/ml and most (68.3%) had a positive response after the inhalation of 180 mg/ml. Concurrent sensitivity to sulfite was noted in 14 (36%) patients, followed by sensitivity to tartrazine in one (3%) patient. None showed a positive response to sodium benzoate. After the avoidance from ASA/ NSAIDs with administration of anti-asthmatic medications, symptom and medication scores reduced in 26(87%) patients among 30 followed patients. They were classified into the improved group: four (13%) patients belonged to the not-improved group. There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics between the improved and not- improved group (p>0.05). In conclusion, L-ASA BPT could be considered as a useful method to diagnose ASA -sensitive asthma and be used to screen the causative agent for asthmatic patients with intrinsic type, especially in female patients with rhino-sinusitis and/or nasal polyp, even though they do not have arty history of adverse reactions. Cessation of exposure and proper treatment may allow to reduce symptom and medication scores.
Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Asthma* ; Bronchoconstriction ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Nasal Polyps ; Sodium Benzoate ; Tartrazine

BACKGROUND: This study purposed to survey the fit rate of respirators by person and by product through conducting a qualitative fit test of high-efficiency respirators; moreover, this study also tests for differences in the fit rates determined by the qualitative fit tests with an increase in the number of the types of respirators tested. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 30 healthcare personnel who had passed a sensitivity test. The fit test of high-efficiency respirators was conducted using FT10 (3M Co., USA), an experimental tool used for performing the qualitative fit test of high-efficiency respirators, and three types of high-efficiency respirators - 1860, PFR95, and N7000 - were tested. RESULTS: The qualitative fit test was performed for the three types of high-efficiency respirators and the fit rate of the respirators that the subjects had been using previously was 43.3%; however, the probability that one or more of the three types of high-efficiency respirators would fit the subjects increased to 83.3%, and this increase was statistically significant (P<0.05). The difference in the fit rates of the three types of high-efficiency respirator types was not statistically significant; however, the differences in the satisfaction of and preference for the different respirator products were all statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Healthcare personnel are using ill-fitting respirators and a qualitative fit test should be performed to improve the fit of their respirator. In the qualitative fit test performed for the high-efficiency respirators, the fit rate increased with the increase in the variety of respirator types. Thus, a large variety of respirators should be made available to increase the fit rate of high-efficiency respirators for healthcare personnel.
Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Respiratory Protective Devices ; Ventilators, Mechanical

PURPOSE: This was a cross-sectional study designed to evaluate the subjective understanding of technical terms and contents of the informed consent forms given to patients about to undergo conscious sedative upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. METHODS: A group of conveniently selected 180 patients, who were undergoing sedative endoscopy were recruited in the endoscopy procedure room in a tertiary hospital from June to July 2011. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: The average number of terms exposed was 8.12 out of 10 items, the average number of terms understood well by the patients was 5.53 out of 10 items, and the average number of right answers was 3.30 out of 5 items, and the percent of correct answers ranged from 26.1% to 90.0%. The exposure to terms differed by gender, education, and previous exposure to sedative endoscopy procedures. The number of "understanding of the terms well" responses differed according to age and previous exposure to sedative endoscopy procedures, and the correct answer rate was differed by education. CONCLUSION: The understanding of the terms and knowledge about the procedures were disappointing. Therefore, sufficient explanations should be provided to the patients. While the informed consent was taken by doctors, the level of understanding should be monitored by nurses. In particular, subjects who did not have any previous experience with endoscopy procedures showed relatively lower level of understanding. We recommend that medical terms should be replaced with more common and nontechnical words in consent forms.
Comprehension ; Consent Forms ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Tertiary Care Centers

Local alignment is an important task in molecular biology to see if two sequences contain regions that are similar. The most popular approach to local alignment is the use of dynamic programming due to Smith and Waterman, but the alignment reported by the Smith-Waterman algorithm has some undesirable properties. The recent approach to fix these problems is to use the notion of normalized scores for local alignments by Arslan, Egecioglu and Pevzner. In this paper we consider the problem of finding all local alignments whose normalized scores are above a given threshold, and present a fast heuristic algorithm. Our algorithm is 180-330 times faster than Arslan et al.''s for sequences of length about 120 kbp and about 40-50 times faster for sequences of length about 30 kbp.
Molecular Biology