PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the correlation between the feeling of powerlessness, social support and life satisfaction in the elderly. METHODS: The subjects were 158 old people aged over 65 who were attending one of one college and three settlement houses for senior citizens located in B city. RESULTS: The relationship between the feeling of powerlessness and life satisfaction was in a moderate negative correlation with each other (r=-.433, p=.000). The relationship between social support and life satisfaction was in a moderate positive correlation with each other (r=.410, p=.000). It was found that the higher social support was, the higher life satisfaction was. There was remarkable difference in the form of family (F=2.69, p=.023), the form of residence (F=5.29, p=.002), whether to belong to a group (F=2.26, p=.025). CONCLUSION: For the reasons stated above, as the feeling of powerlessness is lower and social support is higher, life satisfaction is higher. The results clearly show that in order to improve life satisfaction of the elderly, we need to ease their feeling of powerlessness and enhance social support to them. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a nursing intervention program to reduce powerlessness and to improve social support for the elderly.
Aged* ; Humans ; Nursing

The purpose of this research was to develop an information system for diagnostic tests regarding their purpose, method. and notification, and to provide people in the field with easy access to information by using CD-ROM title or data communication. The Joint Application Design Method which is popular in developing information systems was used. First the user requirements for the target system were gathered and analyzed through a survey of patient and nurses in a number of hospitals. Thus. the functions which were to be included were analyzed in details. A list containing all the required tests and their content was defined to be used as the database in the system. Focusing on making the searching procedure easy to use. the researchers defined the input and the output of the system to have for a user-friendly user interface. Searching functions using not only, a name of the test category or a test name itself, but also a disease name were added. Furthermore, the function of maintaining an updated database in an efficient way was also included. This system is useful in that it provides an efficient and effective way to search for any necessary information about diagnostic tests and an easy way to keep the updated database. Based on user and system requirement analysis. user-friendly interface. and the well-defined database. all of which were designed and implemented in this research. it is expected that an Internet-based diagnostic test information system can be developed in a near future.
Access to Information ; CD-ROM ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine* ; Humans ; Information Management ; Information Systems* ; Joints

We report a case of drug eruption and liver damage due to diaminodiphenyl suIfone(DDS) ingestion in a 17-year-old female. This patient had taken DDS for 20 days, 100mg-200mg daily to treat an unknown skin disease. Thereafter, she had generalized erythematous eruption on whole body, icteric sclera and fever. Liver function test showed abnormality (SGOT 514 unit, SGPT 710 unit, alkarine phosphotase 4. 3 B.U., total biIirubin 7. Oml/dl, direct bilirubin 4. 8mg/dl). The adverse reactiions to DDS are gastrointestinal intolerance, hemolytic, anemia, methemoglobinemia, agranulocytoais, hepatitis, neuritis, psychosis and a skin rash described as a fixed drug eruption, erythema multiforme, exfoliative dermatitis and toxic epidermal necrolysis. In Korea, DDS has been used for the treatment of skin diseases of various types for a long time without prescription, especially in rural areas. This trend is a significant sociomediical problem in Korea.
Adolescent ; Alanine Transaminase ; Anemia ; Bilirubin ; Dermatitis, Exfoliative ; Drug Eruptions* ; Eating ; Erythema Multiforme ; Exanthema ; Female ; Fever ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver Function Tests ; Liver* ; Methemoglobinemia ; Neuritis ; Prescriptions ; Psychotic Disorders ; Sclera ; Skin Diseases ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

Dyke-Davidoff-Masson syndrome is a rare disorder which developed hemiatrophy of brain, enlargement of ventricles and prominent pneumatization of petrous pyramid of the temporal bone. It manifests hemiparesis, varying type seizure, and mental retardation. We experienced two cases of Dyke-avidoff-Masson Syndrome, in a 6/12 year-old boy and a 1, 10/12 year-old girl who were admitted to our department of pediatrics, because of convulsion and hemiparesis The brain CT scan showed marked dilatation of lateral ventricle, prominent sylvian fissure and cortical sulci. So we report two cases of Dyke-Davidoff-Masson syndrome with review of literature.
Brain ; Dilatation ; Female ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Lateral Ventricles ; Male ; Paresis ; Pediatrics ; Petrous Bone ; Seizures ; Temporal Bone ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating*

Eight neonates with transient tricuspid insufficiency are presented which was confirmed clinical and two dimensional echocardiographic assessment. We found that two dimensional Doppler echocardiography was very useful in the detection of transient tricuspid insufficiency during neonatal age as noninvasive method. Transient tricuspid insufficiency is a clinical disorder in the newborn period caused by myocardial dysfunction, secondary to asphyxia with or without hypoglycemia and associated with right ventricular overloading caused by pulmonary hypertention. The clinical diagnosis was based on a history of perinatal distress, distinctive murmur, ECG changes, biochemical abnormalities and myocardial imaging. 1) The sex ratio of TTI was 1:1. 2) The average gestational age was 34 weeks and mean body weight was 2.06 Kg, respectably. 3) Major symptoms were dyspnea, cyanosis, and tachypnea. 4) Tricuspid regurgitation was detected from the lst day to the 4th day of the life and was improved from the 7th day to the 30th day of the life. 5) The peak velocity through tricuspid valve ranged from the 2.7 m/sec to 4.0 m/sec and the estimated right ventricular pressure ranged from 39 mmHg to 74 mmHg. 6) Associated diseases were neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (100%), prematurity (87.5%), atrial right to left shunt (87.5%), patent ductus arteriosus (75%), hyaline membrane disease (25%), and transient tachypnea of newborn (12.5%).
Asphyxia ; Body Weight ; Cyanosis ; Diagnosis ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Electrocardiography ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hyaline Membrane Disease ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal ; Hypoglycemia ; Infant, Newborn ; Sex Ratio ; Tachypnea ; Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn ; Tricuspid Valve ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency ; Ventricular Pressure

BACKGROUND: Beta-adrenergic receptor Kinase 1(betaARK1) is a serine/threonine kinase attached, which inhibits the coupling of beta-adrenergic receptor with G-protein. Myocardial betaARK1 level is usually elevated in heart failure and hypertrophy, but it is not known whether the circulating betaARK1 level is related with the degree of cardiac hypertrophy. This study was performed to evaluate the association of the betaARK1 level in circulating mononuclear leukocytes(MNL) in untreated hypertension with left ventricular mass in hypertensive patients. Method: Nineteen non-treated hypertensive patients were included for this study. High blood pressure was confirmed when systolic BP is over 150 mmHg or diastoli BP is over 95 mmHg. Echocardiography was performed to evaluate the degree of hypertrophy by measuring the left ventricular mass index(LVMI) and relative wall thickness(RWT), and test the LV function by measuring the ejection fraction(EF) according to ASE guideline. At the same time, blood was collected from each patient and MNL were isolated by gradient centrifuge with Ficoll-400. Total RNA was purified from MNL and semi-quantitative RT-PCR was performed. After reverse transcription, PCR was done with primers for human betaARK1 and GAPDH as external control. betaARK1 levels were expressed by ratio to GAPDH level and estimated the relations with clinical and Echocardiographic parameters. Result: We studied confirmed 19 hypertensive patients(10 men and 9 women, mean age of 50.6 years). Echocardiographically measured indices(mean+/-SD) were as follows; LVMI(137.3+/-30.6g/m2), PWT(0.53+/-0.09) and EF(54.6+/-8.5%). Ratio of betaARK1 levels to GAPDH was from 0.10 to 0.96 (0.62+/-0.25). betaARK1 levels were correlated with LVMI(correlation coefficient: r=.502, p=.029) and RWT(r=.627, p=.004). But Systolic BP(r=0.009, p=.93), diastolic BP(r=.07, p=.85) or EF(r=.045, p=.84) were not related to level of betaARK1. CONCLUSIONS: The betaARK1 level of circulating MNL was correlated well with the degree of the cardiac hypertrophy estimated by LVMI and RWT. This data suggests that activation of sympatho-adrenal system would exert a major role in developing cardiac hypertrophy and we can expect the decreased responsiveness to catecholamine in the heart of hypertensive patients. betaARK1 in circulating MNL might be used as a predictor or marker for LV hypertrophy in hypertensive patients.
beta-Adrenergic Receptor Kinases ; Cardiomegaly ; Echocardiography ; Female ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear* ; Male ; Phosphotransferases ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA

No abstract available.
Humans ; Plasma* ; Tranexamic Acid* ; Urticaria*

The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide. Obesity can cause hyperlipidemia, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Many environmental or genetic factors have been suggested to contribute to the development of obesity, but there is no satisfactory explanation for its increased prevalence. This review discusses the latest updates on the role of the gut microbiota in obesity and NAFLD.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Fatty Liver ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Metagenome ; Obesity ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND: The transforaminal (TF) epidural steroid injection (ESI) is suggested as more effective than the interlaminar (IL) route due to higher delivery of medication at the anterior epidural space. However, serious complications such as spinal cord injury and permanent neural injury have been reported. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the clinical effectiveness, technical ease, and safety of the TF and parasagittal IL (PIL) ESI. METHODS: A total of 72 patients were randomized to either the PIL group (n = 41) or the TF group (n = 31) under fluoroscopic guidance. Patients were evaluated for effective pain relief by the numerical rating scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) (%) before and 2 weeks after the ESI. The presence of concordant paresthesia, anterior epidural spread, total procedure time, and exposed radiation dose were also evaluated. RESULTS: Both the PIL and TF approach produced similar clinically significant improvements in pain and level of disability. Among the 72 patients, 27 PIL (66%) and 20 TF (64%) patients showed concordant paresthesia while 14 (34%) and 11 (36%) patients in the same respective order showed disconcordant or no paresthesia. Radiation dose and total procedure time required were compared; the PIL group showed a significantly lower radiation dose (30.2 ± 12 vs. 80.8 ± 26.8 [Cgy/cm²]) and shorter procedure time (96.2 ± 31 vs. 141.6 ± 30 seconds). CONCLUSIONS: ESI under fluoroscopic guidance with PIL or TF approach were effective in reducing the NRS and ODI. PIL ESI was a technically easier and simple method compared to TF ESI.
Epidural Space ; Humans ; Methods ; Paresthesia ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Treatment Outcome*