The Pill Questionnaire (PillQ) has been proposed as a simple way to evaluate cognitive deficits and their impact on the daily lives of those with Parkinson’s disease (PD) by asking patients or caregivers about whether patients can independently manage their pills. We used the PillQ to investigate the association of ability to manage medication with cognition and activities of daily living (ADLs) in patients with PD. Patients were divided into two groups based on PillQ scores. The no-impact group was able to take their antiparkinsonian medication independently, and the impact group exhibited problems describing their treatment or taking their drugs independently. A total of 208 participants (93 men) were included. 111 patients (53.4%) were included in the no-impact group, and 97 (46.6%) were included in the impact group. The impact group showed significantly lower cognitive functioning, difficulties with the performance of ADLs, and severe motor dysfunction. PillQ scores were significantly correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Clinical Dementia Rating scores. Management of medication by PD patients is associated with cognitive function, and the PillQ is an easy and useful test for detecting cognitive impairment and its impact on daily life.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the tubal patency in the young-aged women underwent diagnostic laparoscopy with Fitz-High-Curtis Syndrome (FHCS). METHODS: Clinicopathologic results of young-aged women who underwent diagnostic laparoscopy with pelvic inflammatory disease from March 2005 through April 2007 were reviewed. Twenty six patients aged 19-29 years old and preserved their both tubes after diagnostic laparoscopy were included in this study. All were underwent chromopertubation test (CPT) during laparoscopy and postoperative hysterosalpingography (HSG) 3 months later. RESULTS: Of 26 patients, eight patients were diagnosed with FHCS and the others were not. There was no significant difference in mean age, mean hospitalization days, and frequency in past-history of parturition, abortion, chlamydia and gonococci infection between patients with FHCS and with non-FHCS (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in frequency of tubal obstruction in laparoscopic CPT (P>0.05) but not in postoperative outpatient HSG (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The tubal obstruction may be more frequent in FHCS than non-FHCS and the reliability of laparoscopic CPT for diagnosing the tubal obstruction is supposed to be low. Therefore, as for FHCS patients, HSG should be executed to investigate tubal factor which is helpful to forecast the fertility.
Aged ; Chlamydia ; Fallopian Tube Diseases ; Female ; Fertility ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hysterosalpingography ; Laparoscopy ; Outpatients ; Parturition ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to analyze and clarify the concept of 'motivation for vocational rehabilitation in persons with mental disabilities'. METHODS: A hybrid model was used to analyze the concept of motivation for vocational rehabilitation in persons with mental disabilities. The model included a comprehensive literature review and field study. Field study was conducted through in-depth interviews with 5 persons with mental disabilities who had employment experience and participant observation in rehabilitation facilities. RESULTS: The concept of motivation for vocational rehabilitation in persons with mental disabilities was found to be a complex phenomenon having meaning in two dimensions: Goal-oriented and cognitive dimensions. Five attributes and fourteen indicators were defined. Motivation for vocational rehabilitation in these persons was defined as a recognition of the need to get a job, and the willingness and confidence to get and keep a job in order to achieve normal life, happiness, economic stability, and their value. CONCLUSION: The findings from this study will contribute to the development of assessment tools and nursing interventions to reinforce the motivation for vocational rehabilitation in persons with mental disabilities.
Employment ; Happiness ; Humans ; Mentally Disabled Persons ; Motivation* ; Nursing ; Occupations ; Rehabilitation ; Rehabilitation, Vocational*

No abstract available.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Hair Removal* ; Pigmentation Disorders*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify the caring experience of the mothers of childhood burn patients. METHODS: Data were collected from 28 mothers of childhood burn patients, through semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data were categorized and coded by using content analysis. RESULTS: 27 categories and 102 statements were drawn from 4 domains. The analyzed domains were psychological sufferings, confronted harsh reality, coping method, and future concerns. Psychological sufferings were categorized heartache, sense of guilt, confusion, regret, depression, sorriness, getting hurt, frustration and upset feeling. Confronted harsh nature were categorized economic difficulty, physical burn-out, lack of caring other children and family troubles. Coping method were categorized positive thinking, having hope, ventilating feelings, accepting the situations, demanding help from family members, changing patterns of the burned child rearing, collecting information for burn treatment, refusing accept the condition of burned child, avoiding personal and social relationship, and reliance on religion. Concerns were categorized concerns of growth and adaptation of the burned child, anxiety for scar, concerns of adapting school life and vague future concerns. CONCLUSION: The nursing interventions for early assessing psychological problems and providing social supports for caring both burn patients and other siblings should be provided to the mothers of childhood burn patients.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Anxiety ; Burns ; Child ; Child Rearing ; Cicatrix ; Depression ; Frustration ; Guilt ; Humans ; Mothers ; Siblings ; Thinking

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: Stem cell therapies for liver disease are being studied by many researchers worldwide, but scientific evidence to demonstrate the endocrinologic effects of implanted cells is insufficient, and it is unknown whether implanted cells can function as liver cells. Achieving angiogenesis, arguably the most important characteristic of the liver, is known to be quite difficult, and no practical attempts have been made to achieve this outcome. We carried out this study to observe the possibility of angiogenesis of implanted bio-artificial liver using scaffolds. METHODS: This study used adipose tissue-derived stem cells that were collected from adult patients with liver diseases with conditions similar to the liver parenchyma. Specifically, microfilaments were used to create an artificial membrane and maintain the structure of an artificial organ. After scratching the stomach surface of severe combined immunocompromised (SCID) mice (n=4), artificial scaffolds with adipose tissue-derived stem cells and type I collagen were implanted. Expression levels of angiogenesis markers including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), CD34, and CD105 were immunohistochemically assessed after 30 days. RESULTS: Grossly, the artificial scaffolds showed adhesion to the stomach and surrounding organs; however, there was no evidence of angiogenesis within the scaffolds; and VEGF, CD34, and CD105 expressions were not detected after 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: Although implantation of cells into artificial scaffolds did not facilitate angiogenesis, the artificial scaffolds made with type I collagen helped maintain implanted cells, and surrounding tissue reactions were rare. Our findings indicate that type I collagen artificial scaffolds can be considered as a possible implantable biomaterial.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Adult ; Animals ; Artificial Organs ; Biocompatible Materials ; Collagen Type I* ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Liver* ; Membranes, Artificial ; Mice ; Stem Cells* ; Stomach ; Tissue Scaffolds ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

OBJECTIVES: This study compared attitudes toward antipsychotic treatment according to awareness of the name of their illness in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Information on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, including awareness of the importance of antipsychotic treatment, was obtained through a self-report questionnaire. The Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI) was administered. The data were compared according to awareness of the name of their illness. RESULTS: The study analyzed data for 199 patients with schizophrenia. Of these, 115 patients (57.8%) were aware that their illness was called schizophrenia, while 84 patients (42.2%) knew it by their psychotic symptoms or as another mental illness, such as depression. The patients aware of the name of their illness had significantly longer durations of illness and higher scores on the DAI. They were significantly more likely to have stopped taking medication on their own accord and to agree with the importance of antipsychotic treatment. Statistical significance was sustained in a logistic regression analysis after adjusting for the duration of illness and study site, except for the DAI score, which had borderline significance (p=0.055). In subjects with duration of illness > or =5 years, patients aware of the name of their illness had significantly higher scores on the DAI. CONCLUSION: Awareness of the name of their illness was associated with awareness of the importance of, and a positive attitude toward, antipsychotic treatments in patients. Psycho-education, including telling the patient the correct name of his or her illness, might be needed for maintaining antipsychotic treatment in patients with chronic schizophrenia.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Depression ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Schizophrenia

Hepatoid thymic carcinoma is an extremely rare subtype of primary thymus tumor resembling “pure” hepatoid adenocarcinomas with hepatocyte paraffin 1 (Hep-Par-1) expression. A 53-year-old man presented with voice change and a neck mass. Multiple masses involving the thyroid, cervical and mediastinal lymph nodes, and lung were detected on computed tomography. Papillary thyroid carcinoma was confirmed by biopsy, and the patient underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. However, the anterior mediastinal mass was enlarged after the treatment whereas the multiple masses in the thyroid and neck decreased in size. Microscopically, polygonal tumor cells formed solid sheets or trabeculae resembling hepatocytes and infiltrated remnant thymus. The tumor cells showed immunopositivity for cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 19, and Hep-Par-1 and negativity for α-fetoprotein. Possibilities of germ cell tumor, squamous cell carcinoma, and metastasis of thyroid papillary carcinoma were excluded by immunohistochemistry. This report on the new subtype of thymic carcinoma is the third in English literature thus far.

Hepatoid thymic carcinoma is an extremely rare subtype of primary thymus tumor resembling “pure” hepatoid adenocarcinomas with hepatocyte paraffin 1 (Hep-Par-1) expression. A 53-year-old man presented with voice change and a neck mass. Multiple masses involving the thyroid, cervical and mediastinal lymph nodes, and lung were detected on computed tomography. Papillary thyroid carcinoma was confirmed by biopsy, and the patient underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. However, the anterior mediastinal mass was enlarged after the treatment whereas the multiple masses in the thyroid and neck decreased in size. Microscopically, polygonal tumor cells formed solid sheets or trabeculae resembling hepatocytes and infiltrated remnant thymus. The tumor cells showed immunopositivity for cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 19, and Hep-Par-1 and negativity for α-fetoprotein. Possibilities of germ cell tumor, squamous cell carcinoma, and metastasis of thyroid papillary carcinoma were excluded by immunohistochemistry. This report on the new subtype of thymic carcinoma is the third in English literature thus far.

Inadequate dietary intakes and poor health behaviors are of concern among rural residents in Korea. This study is conducted to compare dietary intakes, dietary diversity score (DDS), mean nutrient adequacy ratio (MAR) and health related behaviors by rural, factory and urban areas in Asan. A total of 930 adults (351 men and 579 women) were interviewed to assess social economic status (SES), health related behaviors and food intakes by a 24-hour recall method. Mean age was 61.5 years with men being older (64.8 years) than women (59.3 years, p<0.001). Men in the factory area were older than rural or urban men while urban women were the youngest. Education and income of urban residents were higher than other area residents. There were more current drinkers in urban area while smoking status was not different by regions. Physical activity was significantly higher in rural or factory areas, whilst urban residents exercised more often (p<0.05). Rural or factory area residents considered themselves less healthy than others while perceived stress was lower than urban residents. Energy intakes were higher in urban residents or in men, however, after SES was controlled, energy intake did not show any differences. Energy-adjusted nutrient intakes were significantly higher in the urban area (p<0.05) for most nutrients except for carbohydrate, niacin, folic acid, vitamin B6, iron and fiber. Sodium intake was higher in factory area than in other areas after SES was controlled. DDS of rural men and MAR of both men and women in the rural area were significantly lower when SES was controlled. In conclusion, dietary intakes, diversity, adequacy and perceived health were poor in the rural area, although other health behaviors such as drinking and perceived stress were better than in the urban area. In order to improve perceived health of rural residents, good nutrition and exercise education programs are recommended.
Adult ; Chungcheongnam-do* ; Drinking ; Education ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Iron ; Korea ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Niacin ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sodium ; Vitamin B 6