BACKGROUND: The action of the volatile anesthetics on various organs in the body is not well known. Since Furchgott (1980) discovered endothelium derived relaxing factor (EDRF) from endothelium, many studies have been tried. Many investigators were studied about the relationship between the EDRF and the effect of the volatile anesthetics on blood vessels too. But the effect of volatile anesthetics and the site of action on the blood vessel were still controversial. In this study, we evaluated that the effect and the action site of halothane and isoflurane on isolated aortic rings of the rabbit. METHODS: Each of obtained thoracic aorta from rabbits (1.5~2.5 Kg) was divided into 3~5 mm sized rings, and a half of that were denuded. All of the aortic rings were preconstricted with phenylephrine 1.5 10-7 Mole in warm organ bath filled with modified Krebs' solution, and then LNAME (inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, 3 10-4Mole) was administered to one group of aortic rings. MB (inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase, 2 10-5Mole) was administered to another one group and neither of LNAME nor MB was administered to the other group. And then isoflurane or halothane was administered (1~4%) to all of aortic rings. The polygraph recorded the changes of tension of aortic ring which was transmitted through the force transducer. RESULTS: It was proved that basal EDRF was released from endothelium by the fact that intact aortic rings were more constricted after LNAME or MB administration. The intact aortic rings were constricted in all concentration of isoflurane and both intact and denuded rings were relaxed in 4% concentration of halothane. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that isoflurane in all concentrations has an endothelium -mediated vasoconstriction and 4% halothane produced vascular relaxation directly independent of existence of the endothelium of vessel.
Anesthetics ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Arginine* ; Baths ; Blood Vessels ; Endothelium ; Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors ; Guanylate Cyclase ; Halothane* ; Humans ; Isoflurane* ; Methylene Blue ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Phenylephrine ; Rabbits ; Relaxation ; Research Personnel ; Transducers ; Vasoconstriction

BACKGROUND: Desflurane is a new inhaled anesthetic with the lowest blood/gas partition coefficient and enflurane is one of the major anesthetics in these days. But the effect of volatile anesthetics and the site of action on the blood vessel are still controversial. Since Furchgott (1980) discovered endothelium derived relaxing factor (EDRF) from endothelium, many investigators have studied about the relationship between the EDRF and the effect of the volatile anesthetics on blood vessels. In this study, we evaluated that the effect and the action site of enflurane and desflurane on isolated aortic rings of the rabbit. METHODS: Each of obtained thoracic aorta from rabbits (1.5~2.5 kg) was divided into 4~6 mm rings, and a half of that were denuded. All of the aortic rings were preconstricted with phenylephrine 1.5 10-7 Mole in warm organ bath filled with modified Krebs' solution, and then LNAME (inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, 3 10-4Mole) was administered to one group of aortic rings. MB (inhibitor of soluble guanylyl cyclase, 2 10-5Mole) was administered to another one group and neither of LNAME nor MB was administered to the other group. And then enflurane (1%, 2%, 3%, 4%) or desflurane (6%, 9%, 12%) was administered to all of aortic rings. The polygraph recorded the changes of tension of aortic ring which was transmitted through the force transducer. RESULTS: It was proved that basal EDRF was released from endothelium by the fact that intact aortic rings were more constricted after LNAME or MB administration. The intact aortic rings were constricted in all concentration of enflurane and both intact and denuded rings were maintained from control tension in all concentrations of desflurane. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that enflurane in all concentrations has an endothelium-mediated vasoconstriction effect and desflurane in all concentrations has no effect on isolated aortic rings of rabbit.
Anesthetics ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Arginine* ; Baths ; Blood Vessels ; Endothelium ; Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors ; Enflurane* ; Guanylate Cyclase ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Phenylephrine ; Rabbits ; Research Personnel ; Transducers ; Vasoconstriction

No abstract available in English.
Congenital Abnormalities

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identify the correlation that exists between quality of life and self-efficacy of schizophrenic patients, focusing on the influence of related factors on these varables. METHOD: The subjects of this study were 151 schizophrenic patients. The data were collected using questionnaires. The instruments used for this study were the general self-efficacy scale developed by Sherer & Maddex (1982), the specific self-efficacy scale modified and complemented by these co-researchers on the basis of the past studies and modified SIP by Voruganti (1996). The period of data collection was from July. 2000 to Jan. 2001. Data analysis was done by SPSS, t-test, ANOVA and the Pearson Correlation Coefficient. RESULT: 1. The level of self-efficacy showed a mean score of 60.0 and the level of quality of life, a mean score of 47.0. 2. The general characteristics affecting the self-efficacy of schizophrenic patients were staying with family (p=0.05) and employment (p=0.00). 3. The general characteristics affecting the quality of life of schizophrenic patients were staying with family (p=0.04), employment (p=0.05) and duration of illness (0.03). 4. A positive correlation was identified between self-efficacy and quality of life (r=-0.469, p=0.000). CONCLUSION: The study suggests that nursing intervention strategy should be worked out to develop a psychiatric rehabilitation program that can promote self-efficacy and thus enhance the quality of life of schizophrenic patients.
Complement System Proteins ; Data Collection ; Employment ; Humans ; Nursing ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rehabilitation ; Schizophrenia ; Statistics as Topic

Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) of the ovary are rare tumors with an exclusive or almost exclusive malignant neuroectodermal composition, and are generally regarded as a monodermal expression of an ovarian teratoma. The tumors are basically identical with the lesions of the same name occuring typically in the central nervous system of children. These tumors consist chiefly of undifferentiated small cells resembling neuroblasts. There are also mature, well- differentiated neuroectodermal cells, such as astrocytes and ependymal cells. We report a case of ovarian PNET with glial and neuroblastic differentiation and focal teratomatous foci of non-neural tissue in a 17-year-old female.
Adolescent ; Astrocytes ; Central Nervous System ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Neural Plate ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive* ; Ovary* ; Teratoma

The origin of osteoclast-like giant cell tumor (OGCT) of the salivary gland has been debated because the prototypic cells of osteoclast-like cells and mononuclear stromal cells are largely unexplained in this gland. Bone marrow-derived CD14+ and CD45+ monocyte-derived multipotential cells (CD14+/CD45+ MOMC) may be one of the possible origins of OGCTs of salivary glands, which have never been explored in salivary OGCTs. We present a case of OGCT accompanied with carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma in the parotid gland of a 67-year-old Korean female. The tumor presented as a rapidly growing cervical mass comprising a central area of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma and a peripheral circumferential area of OGCT. The immunohistochemical staining pattern was phenotypically consistent with bone marrow-derived CD14+/CD45+ MOMC. This case is the first report of a salivary OGCT in Korea.
Adenoma, Pleomorphic ; Aged ; Cytosine ; Female ; Giant Cell Tumors ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Korea ; Mixed Tumor, Malignant ; Monocytes ; Osteoclasts ; Parotid Gland ; Salivary Glands ; Stromal Cells

The origin of osteoclast-like giant cell tumor (OGCT) of the salivary gland has been debated because the prototypic cells of osteoclast-like cells and mononuclear stromal cells are largely unexplained in this gland. Bone marrow-derived CD14+ and CD45+ monocyte-derived multipotential cells (CD14+/CD45+ MOMC) may be one of the possible origins of OGCTs of salivary glands, which have never been explored in salivary OGCTs. We present a case of OGCT accompanied with carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma in the parotid gland of a 67-year-old Korean female. The tumor presented as a rapidly growing cervical mass comprising a central area of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma and a peripheral circumferential area of OGCT. The immunohistochemical staining pattern was phenotypically consistent with bone marrow-derived CD14+/CD45+ MOMC. This case is the first report of a salivary OGCT in Korea.
Adenoma, Pleomorphic ; Aged ; Cytosine ; Female ; Giant Cell Tumors ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Korea ; Mixed Tumor, Malignant ; Monocytes ; Osteoclasts ; Parotid Gland ; Salivary Glands ; Stromal Cells

Tinea pedis is frequently found in those people with poor hygine and in hot and humid environments. The authors investigated the clinical, epidemiologicol a id mycological characteristics of tinea pedis in 138 sewerage workers attending a sewerage plant in Seoul. Tinea pedis was found in 82, with a prevalence of 59.4%. The prevalence of tinea pedis increased with age and the period working at sewerage plant, however, there was no statistical significance. Also there was no difference in the prevalence of tinea pedis between the clerical workers and the field workers. Positive rate for KOH smear was 73.2%, and culture positive rates were 42.7%, producing 35 strains of dermatophytes. Twertyeight strains of Trichophyton Rubrum and 7 strains of Trichophyton mentagrophytes were isolated. Twentyseven yeast-form colonies were isolated, and Trichosporon beigelii was foungl in 19 samples. Most of the yeast forms were found mixed with dermatophytes and moulcis, However, 6 were isolated from direct smear positive cases and yieIded pure colonies of yeast. These included 4 cases of T. beigelii, 1 case of Candida parapsilosis, and 1 case of Candida hormicola. In view of the recent report of these fungi as pathogenic organism, these isolates, rspecially T. beigelii, were considered as a causative agent of tinea pedis in certain groups like sewerage workers.
Arthrodermataceae ; Candida ; Fungi ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Plants ; Prevalence ; Seoul ; Tinea Pedis* ; Tinea* ; Trichophyton ; Trichosporon ; Yeasts

BACKGROUND: Thyroglobulin (Tg) is the primary biochemical marker used to monitor patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) for residual or recurrent disease after total thyroidectomy, as only normal or well-differentiated malignant thyroid cells produce Tg. Here, we evaluated the precision and functional sensitivity (FS) of a recently developed highly sensitive Tg (hsTg) electrochemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA) and compared it to that of the radioimmunoassay (RIA) method using pooled human serum with low levels of Tg. METHODS: For the ECLIA method, the Elecsys Tg II kit (Roche Diagnostics, Germany) was used with an E170 analyzer (Roche Diagnostics). For the RIA method, the Tg-plus-RIA kit (BRAHAMS, Germany) was used with a Cobra Quantum gamma counter (Packard Instrument Company, USA). The precision and limit of detection (LOD) were determined according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. FS was determined using a modification of the CLSI guideline. RESULTS: The total precision of the hsTg ECLIA and RIA methods was 9.6% and 48.2%, respectively. The manufacturer-reported LOD was verified by the hsTg ECLIA (0.04 ng/mL), but not by the RIA method (>0.08 ng/mL). The hsTg ECLIA showed better FS (0.04 ng/mL at a coefficient of variation [CV] of 10%) than the RIA method (0.37 ng/mL at a CV of 20%). CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the hsTg ECLIA performed better than the RIA method in terms of FS, which is extremely important for the early detection of residual or recurrent disease in DTC patients after total thyroidectomy. The excellent performance of the hsTg ECLIA could allow for clinical Tg measurement without thyroid-stimulating hormone stimulation, in contrast to the insufficient performance of the RIA method.
Biomarkers ; Elapidae ; Humans ; Immunoassay* ; Limit of Detection ; Methods ; Radioimmunoassay* ; Thyroglobulin* ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroidectomy ; Thyrotropin

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify health literacy levels of elementary school students. METHODS: Participants were 331 fifth and sixth graders in nine elementary schools located in Gyeongsangnam-do. Instruments were 42 health-related words derived from fifth-grade textbook 'Health in Daily Life' for linguistic health literacy, modified Korean Health Literacy Assessment Tool (KHLAT) for numeracy section of functional health literacy, items from a snack box and newspaper article for reading comprehension section of functional health literacy. Data were collected from July 15 to August 15, 2013. RESULTS: The mean score for linguistic health literacy was 24.02+/-7.16 of 42 (57.2% were correct answers). The mean score for functional health literacy was 9.27+/-2.30 of 12 (77.3% were correct answers). There were significant differences in health literacy by grade and academic performance. CONCLUSION: This study results show that both linguistic and functional health literacy among elementary school students were not high enough to use health-related information and make appropriate health-related decisions. Therefore, it is important to develop strategies aimed at increasing health literacy levels, especially focused on underperforming students. It is also necessary that studies be done on the factors affecting the health literacy of elementary-school students.
Comprehension ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Health Literacy* ; Humans ; Linguistics ; Snacks