BACKGROUND: This study was performed to develop a dietary self-efficacy questionnaire and to determine how dietary self-efficacy is related to selected biochemical markers and health-related quality of life in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: Participants included 172 patients who had been participating in a dialysis program for at least 6 months at two teaching hospitals. A questionnaire was used to assess socio-demographic factors, dialysis-related factors, dietary self-efficacy, and kidney disease quality of life (KDQOL). Serum levels of potassium and phosphorus and interdialytic weight gain were also measured. RESULTS: The internal reliability of dietary self-efficacy was 0.944 (Cronbach's alpha). Principal component analysis resulted in two factors, situational self-efficacy of compliance with dietary guidelines and self-efficacy of food choice. The correlation analysis showed a significant association between situational self-efficacy of compliance with dietary guidelines and serum potassium and KIDQOL. The average scores of situational self-efficacy of compliance with dietary guidelines and self-efficacy of food choice in the participants were 3.52+/-0.72 and 3.61+/-0.71 respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the situational self-efficacy of compliance with dietary guidelines was significantly associated with serum potassium level and KDQOL and self-efficacy of food choice was significantly associated with KDQOL. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, the developed dietary self-efficacy questionnaire may be a suitable survey tool for hemodialysis patients, which can play a role in predicting clinical indicators of patient and health-related quality of life. We recommend further research into clarifying whether the positive effects of increased dietary self-efficacy is maintained in long-term dialysis patients.
Biomarkers ; Compliance ; Dialysis ; Diet ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; Linear Models ; Phosphorus ; Potassium ; Principal Component Analysis ; Quality of Life ; Renal Dialysis ; Self Efficacy ; Weight Gain

CHAP syndorme consists of choreoathetosis, orofacial dyskinesia, affective change, hypotonia, and pseudobulbar signs. CHAP syndrome was firstly des- cribed with onset 1 to 7 days after induced profound hypothermia and complete circulatory arrest for con- genital heart lesion repair. Since then, only a few cases have been reported until now. Case We report a patient who demonstrated all of the elements of the CHAP syndrome in severe cachexic state. Brain SPECT(99mTC-ECD) shows decreased perfusion in left fronto-parieto-temporal lobe. Comments The pathogenesis of CHAP syndrome is obscure. However our case led us to suggest that more essential component pre- disposing to the CHAP syndrome is hypoxia rather than hypothermia. Furthermore, it seems to be related with circulatory insufficiency in extrapyramidal nervous systems.
Anoxia ; Brain ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Movement Disorders ; Muscle Hypotonia ; Nervous System ; Perfusion

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.
Polyesters* ; Urinary Incontinence*

PURPOSE: This research is a correlative study to assess the relationships of musculoskeletal subjective symptoms disorders and health promotion behavior of the daily plant construction workers. METHODS: The subjects were comprised of 306 daily plant construction workers by self-reported questionnaires on October 19, 2011. The instruments used for this study were musculoskeletal subjective symptoms disorders (NIOSH) and health promotion lifestyle profile II (HPLP-II). The data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 14.0. RESULTS: The scores of health promotion behavior of daily plant construction workers were 2.13, and the scores of health promotion behavior were significantly different depending on gender (t=-2.51, p=.013), religion (t=3.10, p=.002), owning house (t=2.59, p= .010), exercise (t=6.01, p<.001), time to rest during work (t=2.21, p=.027), and work satisfaction (F=8.97, p<.001). The musculoskeletal subjective symptoms disorders attack rate was 90.5%. The results of the correlative study to assess relationships showed significant negative correlation between musculoskeletal subjective symptoms disorders and health promotion behavior (r=-1.45, p=.011). CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed that it was lower level of health promotion behavior level. Therefore, to increase the health promotion behavior of the daily plant construction workers, a great deal of efforts are required at the level of the government, employers and workers.

PURPOSE: This research is a correlative study to assess the relationships of musculoskeletal subjective symptoms disorders and health promotion behavior of the daily plant construction workers. METHODS: The subjects were comprised of 306 daily plant construction workers by self-reported questionnaires on October 19, 2011. The instruments used for this study were musculoskeletal subjective symptoms disorders (NIOSH) and health promotion lifestyle profile II (HPLP-II). The data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 14.0. RESULTS: The scores of health promotion behavior of daily plant construction workers were 2.13, and the scores of health promotion behavior were significantly different depending on gender (t=-2.51, p=.013), religion (t=3.10, p=.002), owning house (t=2.59, p= .010), exercise (t=6.01, p<.001), time to rest during work (t=2.21, p=.027), and work satisfaction (F=8.97, p<.001). The musculoskeletal subjective symptoms disorders attack rate was 90.5%. The results of the correlative study to assess relationships showed significant negative correlation between musculoskeletal subjective symptoms disorders and health promotion behavior (r=-1.45, p=.011). CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed that it was lower level of health promotion behavior level. Therefore, to increase the health promotion behavior of the daily plant construction workers, a great deal of efforts are required at the level of the government, employers and workers.

Operating-room airway fires are serious and potentially fatal complications. To prevent airway fire in CO2 laser surgery of the larynx, many techniques and devices have been developed. Using laser safe tube is one of the common methods of preventing airway fire, but it is very expansive and hard to treat. In this study, we used a fire-resistant tape to protect the endotracheal tube and had very successful results in experiments with CO2 laser. In this article, we introduce the technique of using a fire-resistant tape to protect endotracheal tube.

The fourth author's name was misprinted.
Fibroblast Growth Factor 2* ; Humans ; Pilot Projects*

Radiation recall dermatitis gap (RRD) is the development of an inflammatory reaction throughout a previously irradiated area, precipitated by the administration of certain drugs. Usually chemotherapeutic agents have been associated with RRD, but other drugs reported include tamoxifen, interferon alfa-2b, simvastatin, and antituberculous drugs. We present a case of RRD after chemotherapy with letrozol (Femara(R)). Letrozol is a third generation aromatase inhibitor, which acts as an anti-estrogen agent. This is the first reported case of RRD triggered by letrozol.
Aromatase ; Drug Therapy ; Interferons ; Radiodermatitis* ; Simvastatin ; Tamoxifen

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous studies have reported conflicting results about the prevalence of seizures in Alzheimer's disease (AD). There are few epidemiological studies on this topic in Asia. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine demographic and clinical characteristics as well as incidence for seizures in AD patients compared to non-AD patients in a prospective, longitudinal, community-based cohort with a long follow-up. METHODS: Data were collected from National Health Insurance Service-National Elderly Cohort (NHIS-elderly) Database to define patients with AD from 2004–2006 using Korean Classification Diseases codes G30 and F00. We performed a 1:5 case-control propensity score matching based on age, sex, and household income. We conducted Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to estimate the risk of epilepsy in AD patients. RESULTS: In the cohort study, patients with AD had higher risk for epilepsy than those without AD, with hazard ratio of 2.773 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.515–3.057). This study also showed that male gender and comorbidities such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease increased the risk of developing epilepsy. Patients with AD had 1.527 (95% CI, 1.375–1.695) times higher mortality rate than those in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: AD patients have significantly higher risk of developing epilepsy than non-AD patients.
Aged ; Alzheimer Disease* ; Asia ; Case-Control Studies ; Classification ; Cohort Studies* ; Comorbidity ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epilepsy* ; Family Characteristics ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Male ; Mortality ; National Health Programs ; Prevalence ; Propensity Score ; Prospective Studies ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Seizures