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

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*

BACKGROUND: Nationwide evaluation of physicians' smoking rate may be helpful to predict future trend of smoking in a general population. Thus, we investigated physicians' smoking rate and their habits in Korea. METHODS: Ten percent of physicians among the registered members of the Korean Medical Association were chosen by stratified random sampling and a mail questionnaire survey was conducted in 2000. Of the 2,977 physicians to whom the questionnaires were delivered, 1,248 (41.9%) responded. RESULTS: Overall smoking rate among Korean doctors was 29.9%. Smoking rate of males was 34.9% and that of females was 2.3%. In the current smokers, the most frequently reported age when they had begun smoking were 15~20 years (60.3%), the majority of daily smoking amount was less than or equal to 1 pack (92.5%), and those who were planning to quit smoking within 1 month were 11.9%. In the ex-smokers, the most frequently reported age when they had begun smoking were in their 20s (67.7%) and the most frequently reported age when they had stopped smoking were in their 30s (38.0%). CONCLUSION: The smoking rate of Korean physicians was estimated to be less than that of the general Korean population, but higher than that of physicians in major developed countries. More efforts to lower smoking rate of physicians and regular follow up is needed.
Developed Countries ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Postal Service* ; Prevalence* ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: The fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene is located at chromosome 3p14.2 and encompasses the common fragile site, FRA3B, which may contribute to chromosome breakage and rearrangement of cancer cells. In this study, we examined whether transcriptional alterations of FHIT gene play a role in the development of human cervical carcinomas and the possibility that hypermethylation of CpG islands serves for FHIT inactivation. We then analyzed FHIT expression status with clinical parameters to determine whether it has any prognostic significance. METHODS: The study group included 50 squamous carcinomas, 4 adenocarcinomas, 4 adenosquamous carcinomas, 7 noncancerous tissue and the clinical stage is composed of 4 Ia, 37 Ib and 17 II. Tissue specimens were snap-frozen in liquid N2 and stored at -70degrees C until used. To examine for abnormal transcripts of the FHIT gene, quantitative RT-PCR, genomic DNA-PCR and nonisotopic RT-PCR-SSCP analysis were performed using the standard method. The methylation status was determined by methylation specific PCR. RESULTS: The FHIT gene was down-regulated in 15 of 58 (25.9%) cervical carcinomas. FHIT promoter hypermethylation was detected in 15 of 15 (100%) abnormally expression in cervical carcinomas. CONCLUSION: In this study, gene mutation is not a main mechanism for FHIT inactivation, but the aberrant promoter hypermethylation may be correlated with decreased expression of the FHIT gene. The significance of decreased expression of FHIT does not appear to be an independent prognostic factor in cervical cancers, although a still larger sample of patients will be required to asses this issue definitively.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Chromosome Breakage ; CpG Islands ; Equidae ; Histidine* ; Humans ; Methylation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) are mobilized by granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), which causes several side effects in allogeneic donors. We report on side effects of G-CSF administration and determine which side effects could be used in predicting the amount of harvested CD34+ cells. METHODS: Data from the first PBSC collections of 155 healthy donors between 2007 and 2010 were analyzed. Side effects were assessed using adverse event inventory, which was graded from 1 (mild) to 3 (severe) or 4 (disabling). RESULTS: G-CSF administration caused an elevation of WBC counts (mean 44,834/microL) and 86% of them were neutrophils. The mean mononuclear cells in apheresis products was 6.6x10(8)/kg and mean CD34+ cells was 6.0x10(6)/kg. Bone pain was reported by 151 healthy donors (97%) and severe bone pain was related to more CD34+ cells in apheresis products (P=0.041): 39 for grade 1 (5.1x10(6) CD34+cells/kg), 86 for grade 2 (6.0x10(6)), and 26 for grade 3 (7.1x10(6)). In addition, the percentage of collecting more than 5.0x10(6) CD34+cells/kg during the first leukapheresis showed correlation with the severity of bone pain. CONCLUSION: Bone pain was the most common side effect of G-CSF mobilization and more CD34+ cells were harvested in cases of severe bone pain.
Blood Component Removal ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization* ; Humans ; Leukapheresis ; Neutrophils ; Stem Cells* ; Tissue Donors

BACKGROUND: Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy is a common benign dermatosis of pregnancy. It occurs mainly in primigravidas in the third trimester, it resolves spontaneously or with delivery, and it is usually responsive to topical treatment. The morphological spectrum of pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy includes (1) urticarial papules and plaque (type I), (2) non-urticarial erythematous patches that are discrete or confluent and they are surrounded by tiny papules or vesicles, or clusters or sheets of 1-mm to 2-mm erythematous papules (type II) and (3) a combination of these features (type III). OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated our clinical experience with 22 Korean patients with pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy. METHODS: From June 1997 to August 2008, 22 patients with pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy were evaluated. The clinical manifestations, the lesion distribution and the obstetric and pediatric findings were retrospectively investigated with using the patients' medical records and clinical photographs. RESULTS: There were 9, 11 and 2 patients with types I to III, respectively. Many patients (n=14) were primigravida and the mean time of onset was a gestational age of 29.8 weeks. There were no pediatric problems such as intra-uterine growth retardation, or a small or large size for the gestational age.Most of the patients (n=20) were treated with topical corticosteroid or antihistamine; there was one case of recurrent pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy usually occur in primigravidas, but this can also occur in multigravida patients. The number of patients with pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy and who had obstetric obesity, a multiple pregnancy or pregnancy-induced hypertension was fewer than we expected. Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy can be divided into three categories, although this is rather redundant because the disease prognosis and treatments are not different according to the type.
Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; Medical Records ; Obesity ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Pregnancy, Multiple ; Prognosis ; Pruritus ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin Diseases

Nasoalveolar molding (NAM) device is an effective treatment for protruding maxilla in infants with cleft palate. However, only a few studies have investigated the effect of NAM devices on the treatment of protruding maxilla in infants with cleft lip only. We have designed a combination treatment using NAM devices prior to cheiloplasy for cleft lip-only patients with severe anterior protrusion of the premaxilla. Three cleft lip-only infants with 1-cm or more of premaxilla protrusion were included. Definitive cheiloplasty was performed at 6 months of age without any preoperative correction in infant 1. Cheiloplasty was performed in conjunction with the use of NAM device and lip adhesion in infants 2 and 3. Postoperative columella length and anterior-posterior dimension of the protruding premaxilla were compared amongst the infants. We were able to obtain satisfactory postoperative columella length and general nasal appearance.
Cleft Lip* ; Cleft Palate ; Fungi* ; Humans ; Infant ; Lip* ; Maxilla ; Orthodontic Appliances

PURPOSE: To evaluate changes in corneal keratometry, high-order aberrations (HOAs), and anterior chamber parameters after trabeculectomy using Pentacam(R) (Oculus Inc., Dutenhofen, Germany). METHODS: Forty eyes of 40 patients who underwent limbal-based trabeculectomy or fornix-based trabeculectomy between July 2011 and May 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal keratometry, central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, anterior chamber volume, and HOAs were measured using Pentacam(R) preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The mean age of patients who underwent trabeculectomy was 58.26 +/- 16.28 years. IOP showed significant decrease after surgery in both groups compared to preoperative values (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in corneal keratometry, anterior chamber depth, anterior chamber volume, central corneal thickness, total root mean square (RMS), trefoil, and coma after surgery (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative corneal keratometry and anterior chamber parameters did not change significantly compared to preoperative values in glaucoma patients after performing trabeculectomy. Most HOAs that affected quality of vision were not changed in the limbal-based trabeculectomy or fornix-based trabeculectomy.
Anterior Chamber* ; Coma ; Cornea ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Lotus ; Retrospective Studies ; Trabeculectomy*

PURPOSE: To evaluate changes in corneal keratometry, high-order aberrations (HOAs), and anterior chamber parameters after trabeculectomy using Pentacam(R) (Oculus Inc., Dutenhofen, Germany). METHODS: Forty eyes of 40 patients who underwent limbal-based trabeculectomy or fornix-based trabeculectomy between July 2011 and May 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal keratometry, central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, anterior chamber volume, and HOAs were measured using Pentacam(R) preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The mean age of patients who underwent trabeculectomy was 58.26 +/- 16.28 years. IOP showed significant decrease after surgery in both groups compared to preoperative values (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in corneal keratometry, anterior chamber depth, anterior chamber volume, central corneal thickness, total root mean square (RMS), trefoil, and coma after surgery (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative corneal keratometry and anterior chamber parameters did not change significantly compared to preoperative values in glaucoma patients after performing trabeculectomy. Most HOAs that affected quality of vision were not changed in the limbal-based trabeculectomy or fornix-based trabeculectomy.
Anterior Chamber* ; Coma ; Cornea ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Lotus ; Retrospective Studies ; Trabeculectomy*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the correlation between communication skills for emotional empathy and academic achievement on the Clinical Performance Examination (CPX). METHODS: One hundred twelve medical school students were observed to determine the extent to which they applied communication skills for emotional empathy (preparation stage: interview attitude, respect; rapport stage: encouragement, active listening, will for support; empathy stage: verbal expression empathy, nonverbal expression empathy, acceptance) to the CPX, as well as their level of understanding of these skills to calculate the Pearson r, which can be used to determine the correlation between communication skills and academic achievement (hematochezia, fatigue, abnormal menstruation, chest pain, alcohol problems). RESULTS: Male students had higher scores than females for all communicational skills except verbal expression empathy. Fourth-year students had statistically more significant correlations than third-year students with regard to the rapport stage 'active listening' and empathy stage 'nonverbal expression' and abnormal menstruation and chest pain. Correlations were also more significant for hematochezia in the preparation stage 'interview attitude,' rapport stage 'encouragement,' and empathy stages 'verbal and nonverbal expression' and 'acceptance.' The empathy stage 'nonverbal expressions' was more significant for fourth-year students with alcohol problems. Third-year students largely had negative correlations between emotional empathy communication skills and CPX academic achievement, especially between the preparation stage 'respect' and abnormal menstruation, and between the rapport stage 'encouragement' and hematochezia. CONCLUSION: There was a significant correlation between hematochezia, wherein MS students deliver bad news to patients, and communication skills for emotional empathy.
Achievement ; Chest Pain ; Clinical Competence ; Empathy ; Fatigue ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Male ; Menstruation ; Schools, Medical