PURPOSE: Although high-dose-rate intracavitary radiotherapy (HDR ICR) has been used in the treatment of cervical cancer, the potential for increased risk of late complication, most commonly in the rectum, is a major concern. We have previously reported on 136 patients treated with HDR brachytherapy between 1995 and 1999. The purpose of this study is to upgrade the previous data and confirm the correlation between late rectal complication and rectal dose in cervix cancer patients treated with HDR ICR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 222 patients with cervix cancer who were treated for curative intent with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and HDR ICR from July 1995 to December 2001. The median dose of EBRT was 50.4 (30.6~56.4) Gy with a daily fraction size 1.8 Gy. A total of six fractions of HDR ICR were given twice weekly with fraction size of 4 (3~5.5) Gy to A point by Iridium-192 source. The rectal dose was calculated at the rectal reference point using the barium contrast criteria. in vivo measurement of the rectal dose was performed with thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) during HDR ICR. The median follow-up period was 39 months, ranging from 6 to 90 months. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (9.5%) experienced late rectal bleeding, from 3 to 44 months (median, 13 months) after the completion of RT. The calculated rectal doses were not different between the patients with rectal bleeding and those without, but the measured rectal doses were higher in the complicated patients. The differences of the measured ICR rectal fractional dose, ICR total rectal dose, and total rectal biologically equivalent dose (BED) were statistically significant. When the measured ICR total rectal dose was beyond 16 Gy, when the ratio of the measured rectal dose to A point dose was beyond 70%, or when the measured rectal BED was over 110 Gy3, a high possibility of late rectal complication was found. CONCLUSION: Late rectal complication was closely correlated with measured rectal dose by in vivo dosimetry using TLD during HDR ICR. If data from in vivo dosimetry shows any possibility of rectal bleeding, efforts should be made to reduce the rectal dose.
Barium ; Brachytherapy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Radiotherapy ; Rectum ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to develop an empowering education program for Maternal-Fetal Intensive Care Unit (MFICU) nurses who provide intensive care to high-risk mother and fetus at hospitals, to test effects of the education program on nursing care confidence and nursing knowledge, and to examine program satisfaction. METHODS: This study comprised of 2 phases: program development and evaluation. First, we have followed a process of program development to develop and refine an empowering education program for MFICU nurses through collaborative works among clinical obstetrics and gynecology doctors and nurses and academic nursing professors. Second, the empowering education program was provided to 49 nurses and evaluated from July 5 to 6, 2019. Levels of MFICU nursing care confidence and knowledge were measured. RESULTS: The empowering education program included 18 hours of lectures, discussion, and Q & A, which continued for 2 days. This program significantly improved high-risk maternal-fetal nursing care confidence and knowledge of nurses. The program was well met with nurses' education need and goals, and found to be highly satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The empowering education program was observed to be effective in terms of improve nursing care confidence and knowledge of nurses in MFICU. It is proposed that this program should be open regularly for nurses to obtain and improve their clinical knowledge, confidence, and competency. Further study is needed to develop and run 2-levels of education such as basic and advanced levels based on nurses' clinical background and competency.
Critical Care ; Education ; Fetus ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Lectures ; Mothers ; Nursing ; Nursing Care ; Obstetrics ; Pregnancy, High-Risk ; Program Development

Medullary carcinoma of the thyroid gland(MTC) constitutes approximatesly 3% to 10% of all malignant thyroid tumors. It appears in both familial and sporadic forms. Metastases are frequently present at diagnosis and are resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Surgical resection of the primary tumor and the metastases is the mainstay of treatment. Although MTC can be detected by elevated serum calcitonin, localization of residual or metastatic foci may be difficult. Many scintigraphic methods have been used for identification of the residual tumor or metastasis. However, most of them have either low sensitivity or low specificity. MTC frequently secretes somatostatin and may express somatostatin receptors. Recently, somatostatin-receptor imaging has been known to be useful for the detection of residual and recurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma. A 25 year-old woman who was dignosed as medullary carcinoma by biopsy of thyroid mass is presented. Thirteen years ago, she underwent left thyroidectomy due to thyroid cancer(MTC). Laboratory tests revealed an increase in the levels in serum CEA(CEA=557.6 ng/ml) and calcitonin(calcitonin= 720 pg/ml). The second patient, a 30 year-old female, complained of a palpable mass in the left anterior neck. Ten years ago, she underwent a right lobectomy of thyroid gland due to adenomatous goiter. Laboratory tests revealed an increase in the levels in serum CEA(CEA=617 ng/ml) and Calcitonin (Calcitonin=2,300 pg/ml). In both cases, pre- and postoperative In-111 pentetreotide scintigraphy were done and compared with "'I scintigraphy. In-111 pentetreotide scan may be useful for the localization of residual or metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma. Further study is warranted to define the sensitivity and specificity of the technique.
Biopsy ; Calcitonin ; Carcinoma, Medullary ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Goiter ; Humans ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Radiotherapy ; Receptors, Somatostatin ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Somatostatin ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroidectomy

In Langerhans cell histiocytosis, diabetes insipidus is the most common endocrinologic complication. We experienced a case of Langerhans cell histiocytosis, involving pituitary stalk and lung. The patient was a 43 year old male with complaint of polyuria and polydipsia. The water deprivation test was carried out to confirm the diagnosis of diabetes insipidus. We found multiple small cysts and nodules in HRCT of lung, and diagnosed Langerhans cell histiocytosis by transbronchial lung biopsy, The patient was managed conservatively with DDAVP nasal spray. The polyuria,polydipsia was relieved completely. After that, we follow up and observe closely the patients lung and pituitary lesion.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Deamino Arginine Vasopressin ; Diabetes Insipidus ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Pituitary Gland ; Polydipsia ; Polyuria ; Water Deprivation

This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV–VII from 2007 to identify the prevalence of obesity and its phenotypes (metabolically unhealthy obesity [MUO] and metabolically healthy obesity [MHO]) and their secular changes. The prevalence of obesity in Korea increased with significant secular changes observed (β=0.326, P trend <0.01) between 2007 and 2017, and especially in men (β=0.682, P trend <0.001) but not in women. The changes in the prevalence of obesity during the study period were different between men and women (P=0.001). The prevalence of MUO significantly increased only in men (β=0.565, P trend <0.01), while that of MHO increased only in women (β=0.179, P<0.05), especially in the younger age group (β=0.308, P<0.01).

Classical mumps patients develop bilateral or less commonly unilateral parotitis. Mumps virus belongs to the genus Rubulavirus in the family Paramyxoviridae. It contains single stranded RNA genome with negative polarity. To characterize the antigenicity of mumps virus isolated in Korea, nineteen hybridoma cell lines producing monoclonal antibodies to mumps virus were established by fusion of Sp2/0-Ag14 mouse myeloma cells with spleen cells of mice immunized with mumps virus strain 98-40. The specificity of these monoclonal antibodies was established by immunofluorescence microscopy and immunoblotting analysis. Fifteen out of nineteen hybridoma cell lines secreted IgG monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against mumps virus, and the remaining four secreted IgM. The isotypes of thirteen clones of 19 MAbs were IgG1, two were IgG2a, and four were IgM. Eight MAbs reacted with a 68 kDa nucleocapsid protein, six MAbs reacted with a 46 kDa phosphoprotein, and five MAbs reacted with a 42 kDa matrix protein.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal* ; Cell Line ; Clone Cells ; Genome ; Humans ; Hybridomas ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Korea* ; Mice ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Mumps virus* ; Mumps* ; Nucleocapsid Proteins ; Paramyxoviridae ; Parotitis ; RNA ; Rubulavirus ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spleen

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify students' experiences of performance and their satisfaction with clinical nursing practice in Women's health nursing. METHODS: Data was collected using questionnaire consisting of 104; 89,; and 82 nursing activities with 12; 10; and 7 domains for delivery floor, obstetric, and gynecologic wards retrospectively. Five hundred ninety nursing students from 10 four year and one three year colleges, were recruited and selected for data collection. RESULTS: Site specific core nursing activities among top 15 items of performed experience were: interpreting fetal monitoring; massage for pain reduction; breathing technique; perineal pad change; non stress test; manual check for uterine contraction; and position change for the delivery floor. Experiences of clinical nursing practice for the obstetric ward and the gynecologic ward were identified and ranked as well. Observation of delivery, measurement & test during labor and observation of anesthesia and operation were the highest ranked activity domains of satisfaction for delivery floor, obstetric and gynecologic wards retrospectively. CONCLUSION: Discussions are needed to standardize curriculum for clinical practice in women's health nursing initiated at the level of Korean Society of Womens' Health Nursing by reflecting this result. Strategic approaches are emphasized in order to enhance a collaboration between clinical fields and colleges.
Anesthesia ; Cooperative Behavior ; Curriculum ; Floors and Floorcoverings ; Humans ; Massage ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Respiration ; Retrospective Studies ; Students, Nursing ; Women's Health

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Transradial coronary angiography and intervention are getting more popularity throughout the world because of lower incidence of puncture site complications and the patients have displayed early ambulation. However, radial arterial spasms and possible endothelial injury due to the small size of radial artery are troublesome. To overcome this problem, we investigated the usefulness of performing transradial coronary angiography using a single Judkins left catheter (JL). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 268 patients who underwent right transradial coronary angiography from June 2003 to December 2003 were enrolled for this prospective study. The Judkins Left 3.5(JL3.5), the Multipurpose (MP) and Amplatz Left (AL2 for males, AL1 for females) were assigned to be used in patients with a randomized protocol. The technical/angiographic success rate, procedural/fluoroscopic time and the frequency of stiffwire usage were assessed. RESULTS: Technical success was accomplished in 87 (96.7%) of the patients with a single JL3.5, in 90 (97.8%) of the patients with the MP and in 83 (96.5%) of the patients with the AL catheter. Successful angiography success was achieved in 77 (85.6%) of the patients using the JL3.5, in 71 (77.2%) of the patients using the MP and in 66 patients (76.7%) using the AL. The technical success rate (p=0.270) and the angiographic success rate (p= 0.162) showed no significant difference among the three catheters. The procedural time was 8.1+/-4.0 min in the JL3.5 group, 8.1+/-3.7 min in the MP group and 7.3+/-3.4 min in the AL group, respectively (p=0.431). Also, the fluoroscopic time was not different among the three groups. CONCLUSION: The JL3.5 catheter is an excellent tool for both coronary imaging and it is equally successful as compared with the MP and AL catheters. Therefore, the JL3.5 may be considered as the initial catheter that can be used, including for those difficult cases having tortuous vasculature of the subclavian artery and the ascending aorta, during transradial coronary angiography.
Angiography ; Aorta ; Catheters* ; Coronary Angiography* ; Early Ambulation ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Punctures ; Radial Artery ; Spasm ; Subclavian Artery

Down's syndrome (trisomy 21) has been frequently associated with thyroid disease, mainly subclinical hypothyroidism (12.5-32.5%). The occurrence of Downs syndrome in conjunction with hyperthyroidism is rare (0.6-2.5%). The mechanism that Down's syndrome was frequently associated with autoimmune thyroid disease is not clear, but T cell maturation defects and overexpression of chromosome 21 products in Down's syndrome have been suggested. A 19-year-old female was transferred because of generalized weakness. She was born to a 42-year-old mother, She had been suffered from heat intolerance, weight loss, palpitation, dyspnea on exertion and neck swelling and had intermittently taken some medication since her age 9. She had mental retardation (IQ 41) and underdeveloprnent. Exophthalmos, upward-outward slant of palpabral fissures, epicanthal folds, lowset ears, and large, protruding, fissured tongue were identified. Short fifth middle phalanges, clinodactyly and small-sized interventricular septal defect were also detected. Thyroid gland was diffusely enlarged four times the normal size, firm in consistency and had a bruit. Serum T concentration was 7.8ug/dL, T2 306ng/dL, and TSH 0.01ulU/mL. She was positive for thyroid autoantibodies (antimicosomal antibody 1,867 IU/mL, antithyroglobulin antibody 106 IU/mL, and TBII 79.6%). Twenty-four hours radioactive iodine uptake was 64%. Chromosomal analysis with T cell culture stimulated by phytohemagglutinin revealed 47XX, 21 trisomy. Pituitary hormones except TSH were fully stimulated by combined pituitary stimulation. She was finally diagnosed as Down's syndrome with Graves' disease and controlled with use of methimazole.
Adult ; Autoantibodies ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 ; Down Syndrome* ; Dyspnea ; Ear ; Exophthalmos ; Female ; Graves Disease* ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Hypothyroidism ; Intellectual Disability ; Iodine ; Methimazole ; Mothers ; Neck ; Pituitary Hormones ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland ; Tongue, Fissured ; Trisomy ; Weight Loss ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Overt hypothyroidism is well-known cause of secondary hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. However, there have been dissenting reports of abnormalities in serum lipid concentrations in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (SH). Recently, it has been reported that serum Lp (a) concentration, an independent risk factor of atherosclerosis, was increased in patients with SH. Therefore, we analyzed serum Lp (a) and other lipid concentrations to investigate whether they are increased in patients with SH and the correlation between serum Lp (a) and TSH concentrations. METHODS: We undertook this study in 53 patients with SH (TSH > 6 uiU/ml) and 197 age-and sex-matched healthy control subjects, They had no abnormalities in liver function, BUN, creatinine, fasting blood glucose, urinalysis, and past medical histories. Serum T3, T4, and TSH concentrations were measured by RIA using commercial kits. Serum concentrations of Lp (a), total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), and HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured by rate nephelometry and enzyme assay, respectively. RESULTS: There were no significant differences of serum Lp (a), total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, TG, and HDL-C concentrations in 53 patients with SH and 197 control subjects (25.6+-3.8mg/dL vs. 25.4+-1.5mg/dL ; 204.0+-4.2mg/dL vs. 204.0+-2.4mg/dL ; 127.0+-3.9mg/dL vs. 125.0+-2.3 mg/dL ; 133.0+-8.5mg/dL vs. 130.0+-6.0mg/dL ; 50.0+-1.5mg/dL vs. 53.0+-0.9mg/dL). There was no correlation between Lp (a) and TSH concentrations in SH (r=0.12, p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum Lp (a) concentration as well as total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and TG was not increased in patients with SH. There was no correlation between serum Lp (a) and TSH levels in subclinical hypothyroidism.
Atherosclerosis ; Blood Glucose ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Creatinine ; Dissent and Disputes ; Enzyme Assays ; Fasting ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypothyroidism* ; Lipoprotein(a)* ; Lipoproteins* ; Liver ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Risk Factors ; Triglycerides ; Urinalysis