OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to analyze the natural history of patients with pseudomyxoma peritonei originated from mucinous ovarian tumor, evaluate clinical and pathologic variables, and review our experience with available therapeutic modalities. METHODS: Six patients were treated for pseudomyxoma peritonei originating from mucinous ovarian tumor at Severance Hospital between 1990 and 1998. The data were collected retrospectively and all charts were reviewed RESULTS: The mean age at diagnosis was 51 years, and most common symptoms were abdominal distension. Pseudomyxoma peritonei was found in association with five mucinous ovarian tumors of borderline malignancy, and one ovarian mucinous adenoma. All patients underwent surgical staging and cytoreduction, three patients received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and, of these, two developed recurrence. With respect to survival, all patients were alive, four were alive and free of disease, two were alive with disease at the end point of study. CONCLUSION: Pseudomyxoma peritonei is commonly associated with borderline mucinous ovarian tumors, and is a frequently relapsing and protracted disease. But aggressive and repeated debulking surgery is recommended for long survival.
Adenoma ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Mucins* ; Natural History ; Pseudomyxoma Peritonei* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to correlate the CT and histopathologic findings of abscess wall. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The CT findings of 12 patients with pathologically proven brain abscess were retrospectively analyzed with particular attention to the thickness, smoothness and uniformity of enhancing abscess wall, and the results were correlated with histopathologic findings. RESULTS: Two patients with acute cerebritis showed an isodense ring on non-contrast CT(NCCT), but a true capsule formation could not be identified at pathologic examination. Six other patients with isodense ring on NCCT consisted of early to late cerebritis(3 cases), late cerebritis to early capsule(1 case), early capsule(1 case), and late capsule(1 case). These 6 cases showed ring enhancement on contrast enhanced CT(CECT) and true capsule formation pathologically. There was no isodense ring on NCCT in the remaining four patients. They consisted of early to late cerebritis(2 cases), late cerebritis(1 case), and late cerebritis to early capsule formation(1 case). These also showed ring enhancement on CECT and true capsule formation pathologically. CONCLUSION: We found that it is difficult to predict the exact stage of brain abscess on preoperative CT findings. It is suggested that clinical findings and sequential dynamic CT may provide more detailed informations for evaluation of abscess staging.
Abscess ; Brain Abscess* ; Brain* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the impact of alcohol use on the antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence of Koreans living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). METHODS: A total of 144 HIV-infected Koreans older than the age of 19 years who had been receiving antiretroviral drugs for at least 3 months were surveyed. Alcohol use was identified as nonhazardous, binge, hazardous, and alcohol dependent as determined by the Alchol Use Disorder Identification Test-Korea (AUDIT-K). ART adherence was defined according to the components of adherence motivation, adherence knowledge, and 95% medication adherence using the modified Morisky scale. Collected data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis for each component of therapy adherence. RESULTS: Of all participants, 13.9% were binge drinkers, 17.4% were hazardous drinkers, and 4.2% were alcohol dependent. For low adherence motivation, the odds ratio for the hazardous drinkers was 7.47 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.72–32.41; p = .007] and for the alcohol dependent, it was 12.61 (95% CI: 1.38–115.38; p = .025) when compared with the nonhazardous drinkers. For medication adherence under 95%, the odds ratio for binge drinkers was 4.65 (95% CI: 1.15–18.92; p = .032), for hazardous drinkers was 8.05 (95% CI: 2.08–31.20; p = .003), and for the alcohol dependent was 27.67 (95% CI: 2.12–360.51; p = .011). CONCLUSION: It is recommended that Korean institutions and governments develop specific mediation and counseling programs that include alcohol useerelated monitoring for the improvement of the ART adherence of people living with HIV.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Alcoholism ; Counseling ; HIV* ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Medication Adherence ; Motivation ; Negotiating ; Odds Ratio

The treatment of massive bone and soft tissue defect in the lower leg has a high complication rate of nonunion, chronic infection, and amputation without well-vascularized tissue coverage of the open fracture. Despite adequate free soft tissue coverage, massive skeletal defect may result in segmental bone defects, angulation deformity, and limb length discrepancies. In the last decade, major advances have occurred in the Ilizarov method of distraction osteogenesis in lower leg salvage as a delayed procedure or simultaneous distraction after free-tissue transfer. The authors have performed Ilizarov transport in conjunction with muscle and musculocutaneous flap coverage in nine cases of lower leg salvage. The flaps consist of rectus, gracilis, latissimus dorsi, parascapular, and serratus muscle or musculocutaneous fashioning using ipsilateral or contralateral pedicle in consideration of vessel condiation. Revision, recorticotomy and flap elevation were also used as a secondary procedure for satisfactory results. The conclusions, were as follows: 1) Multidisciplinary team approach with conjoining departments at the time of preoperative evaluation, postoperative care and rehabilitation care; 2) Muscle flap covered with split-thickness skin graft was preferred to musculocutaneous flap; 3) To reduce the total reconstructive period, simultaneous free tissue transfer with Ilizarov distraction should be considered.
Amputation ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Extremities ; Fractures, Open ; Ilizarov Technique ; Leg* ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Osteogenesis* ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; Postoperative Care ; Rehabilitation ; Skin ; Superficial Back Muscles ; Transplants

PURPOSE: The study was done to construct and test a structural model to explain primipara breastfeeding behavior. METHODS: The participants were 213 primiparas on postpartum wards. Data were analyzed using the PASW 18.0 and AMOS 19.0 programs. RESULTS: Fitness statistics for the hypothetical model were appropriate (chi2 =38.50, p=.070, GFI=.96, RMSEA=.05, AGFI=.93, NFI=.95, TLI=.97, CFI=.98, PNFI=.57, chi2/df=1.43). Breastfeeding behaviors were directly influenced by intention to breastfeed, perceived effectiveness of breastfeeding, and the amount of supplementary feeding. The amount of supplementary feeding had the largest direct impact on breastfeeding behavior. The largest total effect on breastfeeding behavior was intention to breastfeed. The environment of the maternity hospital indirectly influenced breastfeeding behavior. These factors explained 18.9% of variance in the primipara breastfeeding behavior. CONCLUSION: The results of the study indicate that in order to promote primipara breastfeeding the amount of supplementary feeding immediately after the birth should be limited and an environment that encourages exclusive breastfeeding in the hospital should be provided. The results also suggest it is necessary to provide nursing interventions that increase the intention to breastfeed and the perceived effectiveness of breastfeeding.
Adult ; Bottle Feeding ; Breast Feeding/*statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intention ; *Models, Structural ; Mothers/psychology ; Questionnaires ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Diaphragmatic Eventration* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn*

PURPOSE:Ghrelin is an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, and stomach is the major site of ghrelin secretion. The purpose of this study is to compare the serum ghrelin concentrations between patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and normal adults. We studied also whether serum ghrelin levels in the patients with type 2 DM are correlated with body mass index (BMI), serum insulin, lipid profiles, and creatinine levels. METHODS:Forty patients with type 2 DM and forty normal adults were included in this study. We measured heights and weights of the subjects and calculated their BMIs. Blood samples were obtained to measure the ghrelin concentration and their sera were stored at -20degreeC until used. In all subjects, serum ghrelin levels were measured using the commercially available Ghrelin(human) EIA kit. RESULTS:No differences of mean values were detected between the control group and the type 2 diabetic group for age, body weight, BMI, and the levels of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, and creatinine. But ghrelin level of the type 2 diabetic group (71.1+/-30.5 ng/L) was significantly lower than the control group (139.7+/-36.9 ng/L). In the control group, the ghrelin level showed positive correlation with HDL cholesterol (Pearson's correlation coefficient=0.37, P<0.05). In the diabetic group, the ghrelin level showed weakly positive correlation with insulin concentration. However, there was no significant relationship between serum ghrelin and various parameters in the diabetic patients group. CONCLUSION: In this study, ghrelin concentration in type 2 diabetic patients was lower than that in the control group. In the control group, serum ghrelin concentrations were positively correlated with HDL cholesterol. In the type 2 diabetic group, there was no significant correlation between insulin and ghrelin concentrations.
Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* ; Ghrelin* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Receptors, Ghrelin ; Stomach ; Triglycerides ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate breastfeeding effectiveness scale to measure effectiveness of breastfeeding for mothers in the early postpartum period. METHODS: A conceptual framework was constructed from properties of effective breastfeeding (Yang and Seo, 2011), and item construction was derived from literature review and analysis of the data along with interviews with breastfeeding mothers. Content validity was tested by experts. Each item was scored on a five-point Likert scale. The preliminary questionnaire was administered to 248 breastfeeding mothers. Data were analyzed using item analysis, factor analysis, Pearson correlation coefficients, and Cronbach's α. RESULTS: From the factor analysis, 20 items in seven factors were derived. The factors were identified as mother's satisfaction, suckling, assurance of milk quantity, infant's satisfaction, latching on, infant's feeding desire, and breastfeeding positioning. The seven factors explained 65.1% of total variance, Cronbach's α of the total items was .83 and the factors ranged from .44 to .75. CONCLUSION: Results of this study suggest that breastfeeding effectiveness scale is a reliable and valid instrument to measure breastfeeding effectiveness of mothers in the early postpartum period.
Breast Feeding* ; Humans ; Milk ; Mothers ; Postpartum Period ; Weights and Measures

A 29 kDa cysteine protease of Taenia solium metacestodes was purified by Mono Q anion-exchanger and Superose 6 HR gel filtration chromatography. The enzyme was effectively inhibited by cysteine protease inhibitors, such as iodoacetic acid (IAA) and trans-epoxy-succinyl-L-leucyl-amido (4-guanidino) butane (E-64) while inhibitors acting on serine- or metallo-proteases did not affect the enzyme activity. The purified enzyme degraded human immunoglobulin G (IgG), collagen and bovine serum albumin (BSA), but human IgG was more susceptible for proteolysis by the enzyme. To define the precise biological roles of the enzyme, more detailed biochemical and functional studies would be required.
Taenia solium/*enzymology ; Serum Albumin, Bovine/metabolism ; Leucine/analogs & derivatives/pharmacology ; Iodoacetic Acid/pharmacology ; Immunoglobulin G/metabolism ; Humans ; Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/pharmacology ; Cysteine Endopeptidases/chemistry/*isolation & purification/metabolism ; Collagen/metabolism ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; Chromatography, Gel ; Animals

No abstract available.
Humans ; Korea ; Sickle Cell Trait