No abstract available.

The objective of this study is to establish the genotyping methods of new HLA gene, TAP1 and TAP2, and determine the genetic polymorphisms for database study in Koreans before using in clinical laboratory. Polymerase chain reaction- Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and PCR-Sequence Specific Primers (PCR-SSP) techniques were used for TAP1 and TAP2 genotying, respectively. Restriction enzymes, Bcll and Accl, and 4 oligonucleotide primers were used for the PCR-RFLP analysis of TAP1. Whereas for PCR-SSP assay of TAP2, 12 oligonucleotide primers were synthesized. The results of control cells were correlated well with the types which were analyzed at Xlth histocompatibility international workshop. Arnong three and six different alleles of TAP1 and TAP2 found in 200 unrelated Korean individuals, TAP1A (84%) was the most frequent allele. TAP1B and TAP1C were 15.5% and 0.5% respectively. TAP2A represented more than a half (55.1%). TAP2B and TAP2C were 32.2% and 9.2% respectively. TAP1D, TAP2F and TAP2G were not found in Koreans.
Alleles ; DNA Primers ; Education ; Histocompatibility ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

OBJECTIVE: To assess what are the predictive factors that differentiate between medical and surgical group and, to determine the group that can be treated more efficiently with early surgical intervention than with conservative medical management. METHODS: Clinical and epidemiologic factors from the medical records of 85 selected patients who had either medical (n=52) or surgical (n=33) treatments for Tubo-ovarian abscess in Dongguk university hospital from February 1998 to May 2003 were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Prognosis was predictable on the basis of response to the medical therapy and the extent of the disease at the time of the diagnosis. There was apparent association with the age, parity factors and CRP values where higher the variables, surgical intervention was needed. Same results were obtained with the large size of the abscess according to the sonography and the usage of the intrauterine devices (p<0.005). No statistical significance was noted, however, with leukocytosis, ESR, previous PID or D and C history, or high body temperatures (all ranging p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Medical therapy in the patients with high parity or old age is most likely to fail if the size of the abscess is more than 6 cm, increased CRP value or using IUD as a contraceptive. These prognostic factors should be considered in the early surgical interventions to prevent the subsequent complications from the delay of treatments and also to reduce the duration.
Abscess* ; Body Temperature ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiologic Factors ; Female ; Humans ; Intrauterine Devices ; Leukocytosis ; Medical Records ; Parity ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To assess what are the predictive factors that differentiate between medical and surgical group and, to determine the group that can be treated more efficiently with early surgical intervention than with conservative medical management. METHODS: Clinical and epidemiologic factors from the medical records of 85 selected patients who had either medical (n=52) or surgical (n=33) treatments for Tubo-ovarian abscess in Dongguk university hospital from February 1998 to May 2003 were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Prognosis was predictable on the basis of response to the medical therapy and the extent of the disease at the time of the diagnosis. There was apparent association with the age, parity factors and CRP values where higher the variables, surgical intervention was needed. Same results were obtained with the large size of the abscess according to the sonography and the usage of the intrauterine devices (p<0.005). No statistical significance was noted, however, with leukocytosis, ESR, previous PID or D and C history, or high body temperatures (all ranging p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Medical therapy in the patients with high parity or old age is most likely to fail if the size of the abscess is more than 6 cm, increased CRP value or using IUD as a contraceptive. These prognostic factors should be considered in the early surgical interventions to prevent the subsequent complications from the delay of treatments and also to reduce the duration.
Abscess* ; Body Temperature ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiologic Factors ; Female ; Humans ; Intrauterine Devices ; Leukocytosis ; Medical Records ; Parity ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

We investigated the effect of experimentally induced anisometropia on binocular function. Unilateral myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism(Axis 90degrees) was induced in eighteen adults with normal binocular function using softcontact lenses. Sensory status was assessed by measuring stereoacuity, Worth four dot test, and Bagolini lens test. Binocular function of all subjects decreased with increasing levels of anisometropia. In Worth four dot test, foveal suppression increased in proportion to the levels of anisometropia. Stereoacuity was similarly degraded by the induced anisometropia. Bagolinilens responses were normal in almost all subjects. Our study suggest that experimentally induced anisometropia cause significant abnormalities in binocular function in adults.
Adult ; Anisometropia* ; Humans ; Hyperopia ; Myopia ; Telescopes* ; Vision, Binocular*

As, until now, many studies have failed to establish the clinical effect of numerous neuroprotectives, antithrombotic therapy must be emphasized as one of critical options among limited treatment strategies in acute ischemic stroke. Based on the accumulating evidences that platelets and coagulating proteins play an important role in the thrombus formation, antiplatelets and anticoagulants are served as antithrombotics. Recently, major advances have been made in understanding the effects of antiplatelets and anticoagulants. Large randomized clinical trials have highlighted the effectiveness and safety of early and continuous antiplatelet therapy in reducing atherothrombotic stroke recurrence. Urgent anticoagulation has been used often to prevent early recurrent stroke and to improve neurological outcomes, however, its formal use in acute stroke has been the subject of debate even in cardioembolic stroke. That's because anticoagulants also increase the risk of fatal or disabling intracranial hemorrhage and it is difficult to monitor proper anticoagulation. Although early administration of anticoagulants should be considered to prevent the secondary injury and the propagation of thrombosis in patients with atherothrombotic stroke, more evidences are needed especially in patients with infractions secondary to large artery thrombosis or cardioembolism. This review discusses recent advances related to antithrombotic strategies and putative neuroprotectives.
Anticoagulants ; Arteries ; Blood Platelets ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Proteins ; Recurrence ; Stroke ; Thrombosis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine obstacles and supportive behaviors perceived or experienced by clinical nurses providing care for terminally ill cancer patients. METHODS: Beckstrand's survey questionnaire was translated into Korean and verified by an expert committee and through a preliminary study. A survey that used 26 questionnaire items on obstacles and 24 on supportive behaviors, was conducted among 228 registered nurses with more than one year of experience at medical-surgical general wards in a hospital. RESULTS: The highly-perceived and frequently-experienced obstacles in providing care for terminally-ill cancer patients were related to patients' uncontrollable pain or psychologically unstable family members. The highly-perceived and frequently-experienced supportive behaviors were related to caring family members or having supportive family members. However, nurses' perceptions or experiences of multiple obstacles and supportive behaviors differed by hospital type, career length, and department. CONCLUSION: Nurses seem to be in need of training for pain management for terminal cancer patients and of family care in general. Highlyperceived and highly-experienced obstacles or highly-perceived but rarely-experienced supportive behaviors should be intervened without delay considering a hospital type or nurses' career length.
Humans ; Nurses ; Pain Management ; Patients' Rooms ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Terminal Care ; Terminally Ill*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tarsal tunnel syndrome is a rare compressive neuropathy. Reported cases of the tarsal tunnel syndrome in Korea were diagnosed by conventional nerve conduction and EMG studies, so their sensitivity was low and the differentiation from similar disorder such as lumbosacral radiculopathy was difficult. We report the usefulness of the interdigital nerve conduction study by using needle recording electrodes in the tarsal tunnel syndrome. METHODS: Sensory compound nerve action potentials were recorded orthodromically using the near-nerve needle and signal averaging techniques. Active and reference recording electrodes were inserted behind the medial malleolus above the flexor retinaculum. When the great toe was contracting minimally with less than 3mA for a stimulus of 0.05ms duration, the needle was considered to be adequately positioned. The first and fifth digital nerves were stimulated with ring electrodes and various interdigital nerves with interdigital stimulating surface electrodes which were specially designed. Averaged sensory action potential were recorded 3 times and superimposed after 64 stimuli per each time of recording. Amplitude of sensory nerve action potential, sensory nerve conduction velocity, and the presence of the temporal dispersion were checked. The results were as follow, 1. The causes of the 775 were trauma in 3 cases, sprain in 2 cases, unknown in 5 cases. 2. Associated disease were radiculopathy in 6 cases, rheumatoid arthritis In 1 case, carpal tunnel syndrome In 1 case. 3. Clinical findings included pain on the in 5 cases, tingling sensation in 4 cases, hyperesthesia in 4 cases, numbness in 2 cases and Tinnel's sign in 2 4. Five cases showed absent potential, 5 cases low amplitude, 4 cases dispersion, 2 cases slow nerve conduction velocity and 2 cases low amplitude and slow nerve conduction velocity by Interdigital nerve condution study. 5. Five lumbosacral radiculopathy without tarsal tunnel syndrome showed normal results in interdigital nerve conduction test. We concluded that interdigital nerve conduction test using needle recording electrode is useful methods of diagnosing tarsal tunnel syndrome as well as differentiating to other disorders having similar symptoms.
Action Potentials ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Electrodes ; Hyperesthesia ; Hypesthesia ; Korea ; Needles ; Neural Conduction ; Radiculopathy ; Sensation ; Sprains and Strains ; Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome* ; Toes

PURPOSE: Allelic loss on chromosome 18q is a hallmark of presence of a tummor represser gene. Recently, DPC4 (deleted in pancreatic carcinoma, locus 4), a candidate tumor suppressor gene, has been localized at 18q21. Inactivation of DPC4 gene was reported in pancreatic carcinomas, coloretal carcinomas, and prostatic carcinomas. The aim of the present study was to determine if it might be altered in stomach cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We tested for DPC4 gene mutations and allelic status at 18q21 using a modified 'cold SSCP' method in 48 primary gastric carcinoma and correlated the findings with various clinicopathologic characteristics of the patients. RESULTS: The frequency of mutations in primary gastric cancer was 27.1% (13/48). Mutations of exon 1, 8, 10 were found in 2 (4.1%), 4 (8.2%) and 7 cases (14.6%), respectively. DNA sequencing of 13 cases with DPC4 mutations identified six cases (46.1%) with substitution, four cases with deletion (30.7%), and two cases (23.1%) with insertion. No significant difference was observed in the frequency of DPC4 mutations in terms of other various clinicopathologic characteristics. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that DPC4 mutations may play a significant role in the establishment and progression of the primary gastric cancer.
Exons ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans* ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach*

Heavy metals, which are persistent in the environment and toxic, can accumulate in the body and cause organ damage, which may further negatively affect perinatal women and their fetuses. Therefore, this systematic review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of dietary interventions to reduce heavy metal exposure in antepartum and postpartum women. Methods: We searched five databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) for randomized controlled trials that provided dietary interventions for antepartum and postpartum women. Quality assessments were conducted independently by two reviewers using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool, a quality assessment tool for randomized controlled trials. Results: A total of seven studies were included. The studies were conducted in six countries, with interventions categorized into “nutritional supplements,” “food supply,” and “educational” strategies. Interventions involving nutritional supplements, such as calcium and probiotics, primarily reduced heavy metal levels in the blood and minimized toxicity. Food-based interventions, including specific fruit consumption, decreased heavy metal concentrations in breast milk. Educational interventions effectively promoted behavioral changes, such as adopting diets low in mercury. The studies demonstrated a low overall risk of bias, supporting the reliability of the findings. These strategies underscore the effectiveness of dietary approaches in mitigating heavy metal exposure and improving maternal and child health. Conclusion: The main findings underscore the importance of dietary interventions in reducing heavy metal exposure. This emphasizes the critical role of nursing in guiding dietary strategies to minimize exposure risks, ultimately supporting maternal and fetal health during pregnancy.