BACKGROUND: Allergen-specific immunotherapy ( IT ) can be an important adjunctive therapy in the treatment of allergic disorders. Although a number of studies have shown that cytokine production by T cells may be modified by IT, IT-induced chsnges at the single cell level in allergen -specific Th ( T helper ) and Tc ( cytotoxic T ) responses have not been reported. Objective : The objectives of the present study were ( 1 ) to demonstrate differences in the house dust mite(HDM)-induced cytokine production patterns of Th and Tc cells between untreated and treated HDM allergic patients and ( 2 ) to determine whether there are differences between child and adult patients in Th and Tc cell responses to HDM. METHOD: This study included twenty Dermatophagoides farinae (Df)-sensitive asthmatics ( ten children and ten adults ), of which five children and five adults received immunotherapy to Df over a 1.5- to 3-year period. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( PBMC ) were isolated from peripheral blood of each patient and cultured in the presence of IL-2 ( 10ng/ml ) and Df extract (100ug/ml) for 6 days. After harvesting cultured cells, Th and Tc cell frequencies were determined by a multiparameter cytokine flow cytometric assay that allows simultaneous determination of intracellular IFN-r and IL-4 in CD4+ or CD8+ cells. RESULTS: Predominant Th2 responses to Df were observed in all untreated child patients, three untreated adult patients, and two treated adult patients. On the other hand, predominant Thl responses to Df were observed in all treated child patients, two of untreated adult patients, and three of treated adult patients. Predominant Tcl responses to Df were observed in all groups of patients. However, Tcl responses were more prominent in adults than in children and in treated adult patients than in untreated adult patients. In children, there were no differences in predominant Tcl responses except in one treated child, in whom more prominent Tcl response was observed.
Adult ; Cells, Cultured ; Child ; Dermatophagoides farinae ; Dust ; Hand ; Humans ; Immunotherapy* ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; T-Lymphocytes

PURPOSE: The present study purposed to investigate Korean adults health status, smoking perception. and self-efficacy of smoking cessation according to whether smoking or not. METHODS: This study conducted a questionnaire survey of 694 adults at D County in Korea during the period from the 10th of June to the 10th of July 2004. The instruments used for this study were scales on health status, smoking perception and self-efficacy: of smoking cessation. Data was analyzed by frequency and percentage, mean and SD, chi2-test, t-test, ANOVA using SPSS 11.0 program. RESULTS: The subjects of this study were 503 men and 191 women, and 60.8% of the male subjects and 6.8% of the female subjects were smokers. With respect to health status (t=-2.58, p=0.010), smoking perception (t=10.59. p<0.000) and the self-efficacy of smoking cessation (t=-23.04, p<0.000), there were significant differences according to whether smoking or not. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to make repeated study to find other variables that affect adults smoking and to develop smoking cessation programs that enhance the self-efficacy of smoking cessation.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking* ; Weights and Measures ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Family Practice* ; Humans ; Internship and Residency*

Detailed mechanism of uterine cervical cancer progression still remains unclear. Altered programmed cell death (apoptosis) and cellular proliferation are associated with the development of neoplasia. The authors investigated the expressions of bcl-2, which inhibit apoptosis, and caspase-3, which is involved in the induction of apoptosis and has been considered to be correlated with apoptosis, and proliferating activity according to the degree of malignancy in the squamous neoplasia of the uterine cervix. Correlation between bcl-2 and caspase-3 expression and proliferating activity was done. The materials were low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL, n=15), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL, n=15), microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma (n=15), and squamous cell carcinoma (n=15). Immunohistochemical stainings for bcl-2, caspase-3, and MIB-1 were done. bcl-2 and MIB-1 expressions were progressively increased in accordance with the increasing degree of malignancy, but caspase-3 immunoreactivity was higher in LSIL than invasive cancers. There was an inverse relationship between bcl-2 and caspase-3 expression, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. No significant correlation between MIB-1, bcl-2, and caspase-3 expressions was observed. These results suggest that an inhibition of apoptosis and the augmentation of proliferating activity of tumor cells might be separately involved in the development of the cervical squamous neoplasia.
Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Caspase 3* ; Cell Death ; Cell Proliferation ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

A case of pulmonary arteriovenous fistula in a 8-year-old boy who presented with easy fatigability and cyanosis for 4 months, is described. Grossly, there was a large vascular anomaly measuring 2x2 cm in the center of the removed right lower lobe. Microscopically, the lesion consisted of dilated arterial and venous structures resembling a cavernous hemangioma. Subintimal fibrosis and attenuated vascular structure lacking elastic fiber and representing A-V shunt were also noted in the lesion.
Child ; Male ; Female ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify effects of a life-esteemed education applied logotherapy on life respect, meaning of life, and depression on older elementary school students. METHODS: A nonequivalent control group and non-synchronized design was conducted with a convenience sample of 142 students. The program named 'My Precious Life'. consisted of one session per week for five weeks. Students were assigned to the experimental group (n=70) or the control group (72). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, t-test, and repeated measured ANOVA with the SPSS/PC 18.0 program. RESULTS: Meaning of life and life respect increased significantly and depression decreased significantly for participants in the experimental group. CONCLUSION: The results of the study indicate that life-esteemed education applied logotherapy is effective in improving meaning of life and life respect and in decreasing depression in elementary school students. It can also be used to prevent existential distress and to intervene as a motif for having hope in life.
Analysis of Variance ; Child ; Depression/*therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Program Evaluation ; *Psychotherapy ; Quality of Life ; Questionnaires ; Self Concept ; Students/*psychology

Purpose: There are ongoing public initiatives to help substance abusers by involving peer recovery coaches (PRCs) in the field of substance abuse worldwide. This study examines the contents and delivery methods of PRC intervention programs and their effects from the participants' standpoint. Methods: An integrative literature search was conducted in seven electronic databases using English and Korean search terms. Two researchers independently reviewed the extracted papers and rated their quality based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in the selection of nine papers. Results: Research on PRC participation in substance abuse treatment were predominantly US-based, and all articles derived were quantitative studies. The main roles of PRCs included liaising between treatment and community resources, assisting with stress management and coping skills, counseling and case management, and recovery and recurrence prevention education. In addition, the PRC-delivered intervention was tested with various outcome variables. It reduced participants' substance use and enhanced their treatment adherence rates, self-efficacy, quality of life, and stress control. Conclusions This study confirmed the need to extend existing studies by testing the effects of PRCdelivered intervention through multidisciplinary efforts in more regions and establishing PRCs' role definition and concretization. The results of this study will serve as significant basic data in developing and applying for nursing intervention programs with PRCs in clinical and community nursing settings in the future.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of a smoking cessation program on the amount of smoking and nicotine dependence and the self-efficacy of smoking cessation for smoking workers. METHODS: The total number of subjects was 38 smokers and was divided into two: 16 smokers were placed in the experimental group and 22 in the control group. A nonequivalent control group pretestposttest design was used. The smoking cessation program consisted of two sessions and was implemented for two hours daily for five days. Data was analyzed by using the SPSS/WIN 11.0 program with Chi2-test, t-test or Mann-Whitney U and ANCOVA. RESULTS: After the treatment, those belonging to the experimental group showed a significantly decreased amount of smoking, a decreased nicotine dependency and increased self-efficacy compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The smoking cessation program was effective for diminishing the amount of smoking, decreasing nicotine dependence and improving self-efficacy. Therefore, this program is recommended as a smoking cessation strategy for adult smokers.
Adult ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Patient Education as Topic ; *Self Efficacy ; Smoking/*psychology ; Smoking Cessation/*methods/psychology ; Tobacco Use Disorder/*prevention & control

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between self-esteem and meaning of life in higher grade elementary school students. METHODS: Four hundred eighty four elementary school students in their 4 ~ 6th-grade at S, G and C City were recruited by convenient sampling. Data were collected from August to October, 2008 using a self-reported questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed by the SPSS/WIN 12.0 program with mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Duncan's test, and Pearson's correlation. RESULTS: The average score of meaning of life was 3.07 +/- 0.38 and that of self-esteem was 3.43 +/- 0.62. There were significant differences in self-esteem according to variables region and religion, and in meaning of life scores according to variables region, grade, sex and religion. There was a significant positive correlation between self-esteem and meaning of life. CONCLUSION: Self-esteem and meaning of life should be considered as important factors for healthy development in the elementary school period. Self-esteem should be considered as a main content in developing programs for finding meaning of life for higher grade elementary school students.
Humans ; Religion and Sex ; Self Concept ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.