BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study assessed the antibiotic resistance organisms isolated from the blood and bile of acute cholangitis and evaluated risk factors associated with them and their impact on clinical outcomes. METHODS: The identities and antibiotic resistance profiles of bacteria isolated from 433 cases of acute cholangitis from 346 patients were analyzed. Risk factors and the outcomes of patients infected with them were assessed. RESULTS: Microorganisms were isolated from 266 of 419 blood cultures and 256 of 260 bile cultures. Isolates from bile and blood were identical in 71% of the cases. A total of 20 extended spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producers and 4 carbapenemase-producing organisms were isolated from blood, and 34 ESBL-producers and 13 carbapenemase-producers were isolated from bile. Sixty-four (14.8%) cases were infected with any one of these bacteria isolated from blood or bile. Risk factors associated with them in blood were nosocomial infection and prior biliary intervention. In bile, indwelling biliary device was a risk factor associated with them. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria were associated with mortality, independent of other prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: ESBL or carbapenemase-producing bacteria were frequently isolated in acute cholangitis patients especially with prior biliary intervention and nosocomial infection. Isolation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria was an independent risk factor of mortality.
Bacteria ; Bacterial Proteins ; beta-Lactamases ; Bile ; Cholangitis ; Cross Infection ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Humans ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate various factors associated with the willingness to visit psychiatric clinics among the general adult population in Bucheon city, South Korea. METHODS: One thousand seventy-five adults completed a self-questionnaire assessing their willingness to visit psychiatric clinics, family history of mental illnesses, frequency of contact with the mentally ill, stigma and discrimination toward the mentally ill, and the Community Attitude toward the Mentally Ill (CAMI). Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify variables associated with the willingness to visit psychiatric clinics. RESULTS: Study results showed that being single was associated with reduced willingness to visit psychiatric clinics. Subjects who had more frequent contact with mentally ill patients were more willing to visit psychiatric clinics. Concerning the CAMI scale, higher scores in authoritarianism and lower scores in benevolence subscales were associated with greater willingness to visit psychiatric clinic. Subjects who strongly admitted the existence of the stigma, and discrimination, toward mentally ill patients were more willing to visit psychiatric clinics. CONCLUSION: Enhanced understanding of the factors associated with the willingness to visit psychiatric clinics would be helpful in reducing barriers to mental health services utilization in the community.
Adult* ; Ambulatory Care ; Authoritarianism ; Beneficence ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mental Health ; Mental Health Services ; Mentally Ill Persons

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to investigate variables affecting attitudes toward suicide among the general adult population in the city of Bucheon, Korea. METHODS: Study participants included 1000 subjects over 18 years old who visited public offices in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Subjects completed a series of questionnaires covering demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, and prior suicidal ideation and attempts. The Attitudes Toward Suicide-20 and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scales were used to assess attitudes toward suicide and the severity of depression, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis of the responses was performed. RESULTS: Analysis of responses on the Attitudes Toward Suicide-20 Scale revealed four important factors : permissiveness and unpredictability, attitudes toward suicide prevention, relationship between suicide causes and processes, and lack of comprehension of suicide. We assessed relationships among clinical and demographic variables by assessing scores on the Attitudes toward Suicide scale. Demographic characteristics (sex, age, marital status, education, economic status, and religion), clinical characteristics (physical and psychological health), and prior suicidal ideation and attempts affected respondents attitudes toward suicide. CONCLUSION: The variables identified as affecting attitudes toward suicide in this study were similar to those reported in previous studies (i.e., sex, age, religion, education, physical, and psychological health, prior suicidal ideation and attempts). In support of previous research results, we suggest that identifying groups that exhibit variables associated with attitudes toward suicide is an important step in suicide prevention, as such attitudes may influence subsequent behavior. Educational campaigns aimed at suicide prevention can be enhanced by focusing on attitudes toward suicide.
Adult* ; Comprehension ; Depression ; Education ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Humans ; Korea ; Marital Status ; Permissiveness ; Physical Education and Training ; Suicidal Ideation ; Suicide* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Weights and Measures

Green tea, the leaves of Camellia sinsneis (Theaceae), is generally acknowledged as the most consumed beverage with multiple pharmacological functions including antioxidant activity. This study was performed to analyze the effect of extraction conditions of green tea on its antioxidant effects using DPPH assay. Three extraction factors such as extraction solvent (EtOH, 0 – 100%), extraction time (3 – 15 min) and extraction temperature (10 – 70℃) were analyzed and optimized extraction condition for antioxidant activity of green tea extract (GTE) was determined using response surface methodology with three-level-three-factor Box-Behnken design (BBD). Regression analysis showed a good fit of data and the optimal conditions of extraction were found to be 57.7% EtOH, 15 min and 70℃. Under this condition, antioxidant activity of experimental data was 88.4% which was almost fit to the ideal value of 88.6%. As epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is known for the major ingredient for antioxidant activity of green tea, we investigated the effect of EGCG on antioxidant activity of GTE. EGCG showed antioxidant activity with the IC50 value of 4.2 µg/ml and a positive correlation was observed between EGCG content and the antioxidant activity of GTE with R2 = 0.7134. Interestingly, however, GTE with 50 – 70% antioxidant activity contain less than 1.0 µg/ml of EGCG, which is much lower than IC50 value of EGCG. Therefore, we suppose that EGCG together with other constituents contribute to antioxidant activity of GTE. Taken together, these results suggest that green tea is more beneficial than EGCG alone for antioxidant ability and optimal extraction condition of green tea will be useful for the development of food and pharmaceutical applications.
Antioxidants ; Beverages ; Camellia ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Tea*

The publisher wishes to apologize for incorrectly displaying the author (Jung-Ho Han) name. We correct his name from Jung-Ho Han to Joung-Ho Han.