No abstract available.
Fallopian Tubes* ; Female ; Infertility* ; Spermatozoa*

In order to evaluate antitumor rnechanisms of interleukin (IL)-12/IL-2 that has been shown significant tumor suppressive activity on established primary and metastatic Renca tumor, we studied chemokine gene expression induced by direct action of IL- 12/IL-2 or cytokine cascade. IL-12/IL-2 induced gene expression of interferon gamma (IFN-r) and granulocyte monocyte-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in splenocytes, and it induced gene expression of monokine induced by IFN-r (Mig), interferon inducible protein 10 (IP- 10), SDF-1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1a, MIP-1B, MIP-2, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, and Rantes in tumor mass. However IL-12/IL-2 could not induce these chemokines in tumor mass of GKO mice and Renca cell in vitro. IL- 12 also did not increased chemokine gene expression in Renca cell in vitro, but IFN-r induced gene expression of Mig, IP-10, MCP-1 in Renca cell in vitro. In the chemotaxis assay, culture supernatant of Renca cell stimulated with IFN-r increased splenocyte migration in vitro. All these data suggest IL-12/IL-2 can induce IFN-r-chemokine cascade in tumor mass, and Mig, IP-10, MCP-1 produced from tumor cell may play an important role for initial immune cell migration into tumor mass.
Animals ; Cell Movement ; Chemokine CCL5 ; Chemokine CXCL10 ; Chemokines ; Chemotaxis ; Gene Expression* ; Granulocytes ; Interferons ; Interleukins ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Monocytes

Neurilemmomas of the trachea are extremely rare. The most common site of them is the distal third of the trachea and the age of the patients at presentation varied from 6 to 78 years old. They usually have a freqeuntly very long natural history, causing symptoms only after they have attained a considerable size. We experienced a case of near-total obstruction of the trachea by an intraluminal sessile neurilemmoma. The patient was a 66-year-old man with 2-year history of progressive exertional dyspnea and had several episodes of pneumonitis associated with productive cough. Grossly, the tumor was a well-circumscribed mass. Microscopically, typical cellular Antoni A and myxoid Antoni B areas were revealed.
Aged ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Natural History ; Neurilemmoma* ; Pneumonia ; Trachea

1. The plain abdominal films of 246 cases of intussusception preceding hydrostatic barium enema were analysedin order to reassess the diagnostic reliability of the abdominal plain film examination. Then, these were comparedwith 42 cases in which the diagnosis had been rejected by means of barium enema. 2. It was found that diagnosis ofthe intussusception was possible in 80% of 246 cases on the basis of plain film findings alone. 3. The most commonand reliable findings of intussusception in plain film diagnosis are those of sparse faecoloid bowel content andsparse amount of intestinal gas. 4. The loops of distended small bowel in cecal or ascending colon area andintraabdominal soft tissue mass are considered to be relatively reliable findings. 5. In 42 cases in which thediagnosis had been rejected by means of barium enema, intussusception was excluded in 745 of the cases on thebasis of plain film findings alone.
Barium ; Colon, Ascending ; Diagnosis ; Enema ; Humans ; Intussusception

Prospective study of gallbladder wall thickness by utrasonography was performed in 38 patients of acute viral hepatitis and 50 normal subjects as a control group from June 1983 to April 1984. The results were as follows; 1.In normal population, the range of gallbladder wall thickness is from 1mm to 3mm with peak incidence in 2mm(66%,33 case). Mean thickness of gallbladder wall is about 1.9±0.6mm. 2. In acute viral hepatitis, the range of gallbladder wall thickness is from 2mm to 8mm with peak incidence in 3mm(34%, 13 case), second peak in 4mm (29%,11 case). Mean thickness of gallbladder wall is about 3.6±1.6mm, which is thicker than normal with statistical signifiance. (p<0.005) 3, In acute viral hepatitis , the mean thickness of glabladder wall is about 4.4±1.8mm in the group of SGOT/ SGPT level above 400 IU, and 2.8±0.8mm in the group of SGOT/SGPT level below 400 IU. This difference is significant statistically. (p<0.05).
Alanine Transaminase ; Gallbladder ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Prospective Studies

No abstract available.
Fever* ; Korea* ; Leptospirosis* ; Scrub Typhus* ; Typhus, Epidemic Louse-Borne*

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop nutrition education program for consumers to reduce sodium intake based on social cognitive theory (SCT). METHODS: The main factors of SCT related to low sodium diet were investigated by using focus group interview (FGI) with 30 women who participated in consumer organizations. RESULTS: The main target groups for the education program were housewives (H), parents (P), and the office workers (OW), for which we considered their influences on other people and the surroundings. According to the results of FGI, in carrying out low sodium diet, 'positive outcome expectation' were prevention of chronic disease and healthy dietary habit, and 'negative outcome expectation' were low palatability of foods, difficulty in cooking meals, and limited choice of foods. The contents of the program and education materials were individualized by each group to raise self-efficacy and behavioral capability, which reflected the results of the FGI. The program included 'salt intake and health' to raise positive outcome expectation. For improving the ability to practice low-sodium diet, the program contained the contents that focused on 'cooking' and 'food purchasing' for H, on 'purchasing and selection of low-sodium food with the children' for P, and on 'way of selecting restaurant menu' for OW. Also the program included 'way of choosing the low-sodium foods when eating out' with suggestions on sodium content of the dishes and snacks. Further, 'dietary guidelines to reduce sodium intake' was also suggested to help self-regulation. CONCLUSIONS: This nutrition education program and education materials could be utilized for the community education and provide the basis for further consumer targeted education program for reducing sodium intake.
Chronic Disease ; Consumer Organizations ; Cooking ; Diet ; Diet, Sodium-Restricted ; Eating ; Education* ; Female ; Focus Groups* ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Meals ; Parents ; Restaurants ; Snacks ; Sodium* ; Self-Control

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to evaluate the consumer education program for reducing sodium intake based on social cognitive theory (SCT) and investigate consumer perceptions of environmental, cognitive and behavioral factors. METHODS: Consumers (n=4,439) were recruited nationwide in Korea to participate in a nutrition education program for reducing sodium intake which was targeted on senior housewives (SH), parents (P), and office workers (OW). Questions regarding main factors of SCT were asked both before and after the education program. RESULTS: SH and P recognized external social efforts and information to reduce sodium including nutrition labeling more than OW. The main barriers to practice reducing sodium intake were limited choice of low sodium food and menu, interference with social relationship when dining with others, and limited information, knowledge and skills. SH had lower barriers to practice reducing sodium intake and OW perceived 'preference to soup or stew' and 'preference to Kimchi, salted fish and fermented sauces' as barriers more than other groups at the baseline. Less than 50% of participants knew the relationship between sodium and salt, sodium in nutrition labeling, and recommended sodium intake. In addition, OW had little knowledge for capability to reduce sodium intake and lower self-efficacy to practice compared with SH and P. After education, positive outcome expectations such as lowering blood pressure, prevention of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis were increased and barriers to practice reducing sodium intake were decreased in all groups (p < 0.05). The knowledge for behavioral capability and self-efficacy to reduce sodium intake were also improved but OW had still lower scores compared with other groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that nutrition education programs could be an effective tool to impact general population by facilitating awareness and increased capability to reduce sodium intake.
Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Education* ; Food Labeling ; Humans ; Korea ; Osteoporosis ; Parents ; Sodium*

OBJECTIVES: The cost of psychiatric service is increasing every year in Korea. The length of inpatient stay (LOS) is an important factor determining in-patient service cost. This study was aimed to find the factors that influence LOS in a psychiatric open ward of a general hospital. METHODS: The study includes 134 inpatients who were consecutively admitted to a psychiatric open ward in a general hospital from January 1st to June 30th in 2001. Demographic data, clinical characteristics on admission and discharge, global functioning, social support levels and life stressors were collected. RESULTS: The mean LOS for the 134 patients was 15.5 days (S.D 9.2). The occupation of housekeeper and those secred high in phobic anxiety subscale on SCL-90-R were statistically significant predictor for longer LOS in the univariate analysis. No significant differences in LOS were found by diagnostic groups and social support. In multiple regression analysis, the scores of phobic anxiety subscale, occupation and presence of physical illness were statistically significant predictor for LOS. CONCLUSION: This study failed to find the significant variables to account for substantial proportion of variance for LOS.
Anxiety ; Diagnosis ; Hospitals, General* ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Length of Stay* ; Occupations

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prognostic factors that contribute to favorable surgical outcomes of single-stage adjustable strabismus surgery in thyroid eye disease. METHODS: Retrospective review of clinical case notes were done of all patients who had surgical treatment for strabismus related to thyroid eye disease under the care of a single hospital between January 2005 and December 2012 (n = 30). Factors that possibly influenced the outcome were statistically analyzed for significance. "Successful" surgical outcome was defined as patients whose residual deviation was within 8 prism diopters and free from diplopia in the primary position on postoperative 1 year. RESULTS: Mean preoperative vertical deviation was 17.5 prism diopters (PD) and horizontal deviation was 20.3 PD. Mean follow-up time was 12.4 months. Twenty-four patients (80.0%) had successful surgical results. Four patients (13.3%) needed further surgery due to recurrence of previous strabismus and two patients (6.7%) needed prism glasses due to remaining strabismus. Previous history of proptosis (p = 0.02), optic neuropathy (p = 0.01), intravenous (IV) steroid pulse therapy (p = 0.02), number of times of IV steroid pulse therapy (p = 0.01), and orbital decompression surgery (p = 0.03) were different between success and failure groups. CONCLUSIONS: Single-stage adjustable strabismus surgery under topical anesthesia showed a success rate of 80% for strabismus patients with thyroid eye disease. Patients who previously had proptosis, optic neuropathy, IV steroid pulse therapy, and orbital decompression surgery significantly showed unsuccessful results after strabismus surgery.
Anesthesia ; Decompression ; Diplopia ; Exophthalmos ; Eye Diseases* ; Eyeglasses ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glass ; Humans ; Optic Nerve Diseases ; Orbit ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Strabismus* ; Thyroid Gland*