BACKGROUND: The measurement of nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity is valuable for diagnosis and management of bronchial asthma. Methacholine or histamine is used for the pharmacologic provocation test. Usually a methacholine bronchial provocation test is performed by a dosing technique with counted number of breaths. A dosimeter is indispensable in the dosing technique. Recently a timed tidal breathing technique which dose not need an expensive dosimeter was introduced. We measured the degree of nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity to histamine using a simple timed tidal breathing technique. METHOD: Forty two healthy volunteers, 12 patients with bronchial asthma(BA), 10 patients with rhinitis(RH) and 10 patients with upper respiratory infection(URI) participated in the study. The subject's nose was clipped and inhalation continued during tidal breathing for 2 minutes via a face mask. FEV1 was measured at 30 seconds, 90 seconds after inhalation and inhalation of next solution was continued until there was a fall in FEV1 of 20%. Histamine PC20 was defined as the concentration at 20% fall of FEV1 and it was obtained from the log dose-response curve by linear interpolation. RESULTS: Inhalation of serial dilution of histamine could be performed in all patients without significant side of effects. The geometric mean±standard deviation of histamine PC20 in healthy volunteers is 8.27±2.22mg/ml, BA group 0.33±3.02mg/ml, RH group 0.85 ±3.24mg/ml, and URI group 1.47±1.98mg/ml. CONCLUSION: Histamine bronchial provocation test using timed tidal breath method is a simple and suitable tool for management of patients with bronchial hyperreactivity.
Asthma ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity ; Bronchial Provocation Tests* ; Diagnosis ; Healthy Volunteers ; Histamine* ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Masks ; Methacholine Chloride ; Nose ; Respiration*

The purpose of this study is to analyze the type of ego states and stress coping style on female college students who are in the course of nursing study. This study is performed in the view of Transactional Analysis and designed to scrutinize descriptive correlations between the type of ego states and stress coping style. The subject is consists of 144 freshmen and sophomore, 138 junior and senior students group, who are students of K nursing college located in Seoul. The sampling investigation period is on Sept. 14, 2002 to Oct. 26, 2002. The measuring instrument used for Transactional Analysis ego state is 50 items Ego-gram research paper devised by Dusay(1997). For studying coping stlye, Folkman & Lazarus's measurement(1984) was adopted, which is translated and modified by Han, and Oh,(1990). Statistic average and standard deviation were generated by using SPSS PC+, t-test and Pearson correlation. The results were as follows: 1) In the type of ego states on both groups(lower group : freshmen, sophomore upper group : junior, senior) indicated the arithmetic apex NP(maximum value), then the point A was high and the data made a down slope to point AC. In the comparison to type of ego states between two groups, only at point CP, the data value of upper year students represented higher than that of lower year ones by C(t=2.28, p= .023). In the psychological energy level of ego states, both groups indicated average level.2) Stress coping style of whole students were highly and affirmatively dedicated to research. Consecutive consequences follow like this(high to low) : the central point of problem, search for social support, hopeful aspect and indifference. Especially hopeful aspect(t= .67, p= .05), relaxation of tension(t=-2.16, p= .03) made significant difference each other in the view of arithmetic calculation 3) While verifying coping style in terms of ego states level between lower and upper students group, In type CP, high level ego states group indicated significant difference on stress coping style area than low leveled group and made such sequences as the central point of problem, hopeful aspect, search for social support, positive interest and relaxation of tension. In type NP, sequences such as the central point of problem, search for social support, positive interest and relaxation of tension were emerged with little differences. In type A, the central point of problem, positive interest and relaxation of tension. In type FC, hopeful aspect, search for social support, positive interest and relaxation of tension. In type AC, hopeful aspect and indifference were derived significantly different(p< .05). 4) In the aspect of relation between ego states and coping style, type CP presented the central point of problem and relaxation of tension, type NP presented positive interest, search for social support and the central point of problem, type A showed the central point of problem, positive interest and relaxation of tension, type FC showed relaxation of tension, positive interest, search for social support, indifference and the central point of problem, type AC showed hopeful aspect, indifference and the central point of problem. All the sequence shown above had high-to-low procedure and represented static relations each other(p< .05).
Ego* ; Female ; Hope ; Humans ; Nursing* ; Relaxation ; Seoul ; Students, Nursing* ; Transactional Analysis

PUPPOSE: The purpose of this study is to describe the psychological aspects of experiences of men living in a homeless shelter in Seoul. This study focused on understanding about the life of the homeless in the shelter by Phenomenological method. METHOD: The participants in this study were seven men who are living in a homeless shelter in Seoul. The following data were collected though the in-depth interviews and analyzed by the Phenomenological analytic method of Giorgi. RESULT: There are five focal significances about the life of the homeless. (1) Unplanned Life : Difficult life comes from outside situation, Freedom, The acceptance of unconsciousness life, Laziness, Unreliability, The dissolute life, No purpose to life, Relying on drinking, (2) Self-rationalization : Feeling of defeat, Give up, Desire for a support system, Lack of willingness, Anxiety, Chivalry, Falsehoods, (3) Superficial Interpersonal Relationships : Ignorance, Pressure, Discord, Hiding from one anther, avoidance. (4) A sense of devestation : Negative perspective, Mental weakness, Difficulties in employment, ambivalance with social structure, The place to escape, Complaining against the opposite sex, Sense of regret, Lack of relationship with family, The lack of self-confidence, Loss of volition (5) The Hope of new life : Realization, Desire for change, Dreaming of married life, Dependence in God CONCLUSION: The conclusion of this study shows that the men in the shelter had various psychological reasons for being in the homeless shelter. Further studies need to be done to validate this information and formulate ways to assist these men with their psychological needs.
Anxiety ; Drinking ; Employment ; Freedom ; Hope ; Humans ; Life Change Events* ; Male ; Seoul ; Unconsciousness ; United Nations ; Volition

PURPOSE: Although alpha-fetoprotein is one of the most commonly used tumor markers in Korea, most of the radioimmunoassay kits for alpha-fetoprotein have been imported from foreign countries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of a recently developed domestic immunoradiometric kit for alpha- fetoprotein (Riakey AFP IRMA CTR, Sin-Jin Medics, Seoul, Korea). MATERALS AND METHODS: We evaluated intra- and inter-assay precision, recovery rate, parallelism, and sensitivity of serum alpha-fetoprotein measurement using Riakey AFP IRMA CTR kit. The values of alpha-fetoprotein measured by Riakey AFP IRMA CTR kit were compared with those measured by two foreign commercial kits (alpha-fetoproteina of Radim and alpha-feto.riabead of Abbott). RESULTS: Intra-assay coefficients of variation on three different levels were 5.3% for 18.9 ng/ml, 3.4% for 133 ng/ml and 1.6% for 330 ng/ml. Inter-assay coefficients of variation were 9.7% for 20.9 ng/ml, 3.2% for 137 ng/ml and 4.1% for 330 ng/ml respectively. Recovery rate tests on all three different levels showed within 100+/-10%. Parallelism was also good and the sensitivity was 0.63 ng/ml. There was strong correlation between the measurement of alpha-fetoprotein by Riakey AFP IRMA CTR and that by two foreign commercial kits(r=0.98). CONCLUSION: The first Korean domestic immunoradiometric kit for alpha-fetoprotein, Riakey AFP IRMA CTR, performed well for clinical use.
alpha-Fetoproteins* ; Fetal Proteins ; Immunoradiometric Assay* ; Korea ; Radioimmunoassay ; Seoul ; Biomarkers, Tumor

A long-term bed rest results in an inevitable foot drop. Yet preventive device such as a foot board and high-neck tennis shoes, are not widely used. This study was conducted to compare the effects of a pillow-type foot board with that of the band-type device. The band-type device of a resonable price is designed for an effective prevention of foot drop, and the convenience for it use. Among the non-equivalent control group design, foot drop preventive effects, usefulness of the device, as well as its cost effectiveness were examined. The study was carried out for four months from December 1999, and its subject had been patients and nurses of two intensive care units at K medical center in Seoul. According to the study purpose, the data collected were analyzed by x2-test and t-test. The results are as follow : 1. The ROM of ankle joint is promoted in the experimental group with a band-type device comparing the control group with a pillow type one. Dorsiflexion is particularly increased in the experimental group as compared with the control group, while planterflexion hardly shows any change. 2. The usefulness score of the experimental group nurses using the band-type device (23.97) is higher than that of the control group nurses (18.88). 3. In an aspect of the unit production cost, band-type devices are low-priced compare with pillow-type or other foot board (wooden) or high-neck tennis shoes. In summary, the newly developed band-type device is both useful and preventive for a foot drop. It is also desirable regarding to the production cost and the cost effectiveness. This fact proves that the new anti-foot drop device could be practical both for clinical care and home care. Yet the results were obtained by some subjects, it should be used after a further examination. More effective nursing intervention could be observed throughout general studies, including proper positioning and foot and ankle exercises which are the important variables of the foot drop prevention.
Ankle ; Ankle Joint ; Bed Rest ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Exercise ; Foot* ; Home Care Services ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Nursing ; Seoul ; Shoes ; Tennis

No abstract available.
Bacteria, Anaerobic*

No Abstract Available.

Herpes zoster is characterized by several groups of vesicles on an erythematous base situated unilaterally within the distribution of a single spinal or cranial sensory ganglion. Recurrent herpes zoster is rare and may be associated with severe immunocompromised state. Human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) infection is associated with an increased incidence of zoster, which tends to be severe, presumably due to HIV-induced depression of cellular immunity. We report a case of a 46-year-old female who was presented with recurrent herpes zoster and concurrent HIV infection.
Depression ; Female ; Ganglia, Sensory ; Herpes Zoster* ; HIV Infections ; HIV* ; Humans* ; Immunity, Cellular ; Incidence ; Middle Aged

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to design and evaluate a scale for measuring reliability and validity in the field of oriental nursing education. METHOD: A questionnaire was administered to 495 university nursing students using a convenience sampling method. The period of time for collecting data was from September 2003 to January 2004. RESULT: The derived outcome tool consisted of 6 factors and 22 inquires on the basis of a conceptual frame of three domains (knowledge, attitude, and skill), As a result of the item analysis, 22 items were selected and the internal consistency alpha coefficient was .767. The value of Cronbach' Alpha of knowledge(factor 1) was .885, attitude(factor2)was .756, and skill (factor 3) was .610. The three factors accounted for 65.110% of the variance in the total scale. Addressing the explanatory variance of each domain Cognitive domain was 22.477%, affective domain was 20.543%, and psychomotor domain was 17.090%. CONCLUSION: Further studies need to be done to verify educational evaluation and apply our outcomes to oriental nursing education.
*Medicine, Oriental Traditional ; Korea ; Humans ; Female ; Educational Measurement ; *Education, Nursing ; Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Danjeon Breathing Exercise (DBE) on vital capacity, physical fitness, anxiety and depression among older adults. METHODS: This study employed the nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The experimental group participated in a 12-week DBE program. Vital capacity and physical fitness were measured with a health measurement system (HELMAS). Anxiety and depression were measured with SCL-90-R-K. Data were collected from 37 community-dwelling older adults (experimental group=21, control group=16) in the Seoul metropolitan area. The data were analyzed by chi2-test, Mann-Whitney test and ANCOVA. RESULTS: The experimental group taking DBE reported significant increases in flexibility than the control group, but differences in vital capacity and balance were not significant. Older adults taking DBE showed significant decreases in the anxiety and depression levels. CONCLUSION: A DBE program may be a useful nursing intervention for older adults to improve their flexibility and to reduce anxiety and depression.
Adult* ; Anxiety* ; Depression* ; Humans ; Nursing ; Physical Fitness* ; Pliability ; Respiration* ; Seoul ; Vital Capacity*