The use of semiquantitative food frequency to estimate dietary intake has become widespread in nutritional epidemiologic studies. It had been suggested that knowledge about a person's usual portion size of each meal in addition to consumption frequency will improve the accuracy of this method. This study was performed to investigate the dietary intake status(nutrient, food, and dish intake) and one portion size of commonly consumed food and dishes to develop a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire that will be used to expore the relationship between the incidence of cardiovascular disease and diet in Korean women after menopause. Intake of food or dish in 123 elderly women were measured by 3-day food records in March to May, 1996. The results obtained in this study were summarized as follow : 1) Calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin E intakes were less adequate than Recommended dietary allowances(RDA). 2) The subjects who consumed more than 20% of the energy from fat were 35% and the subjects consumed dietary cholesterol more than 300mg were 18%. 3) The most frequently consumed foods or dishes by the subjects were Korean cabbage kimchi Aged* ; Brassica ; Calcium ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol, Dietary ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Meals ; Menopause ; Portion Size* ; Soybeans ; Vitamin A ; Vitamin E ; Vitamins ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of knowledge, attitude and compliance with standard precautions and to identify predicting factors of compliance with standard precautions in ICU and ER nurses. METHODS: The participants were 228 ICU and ER nurses working in one of three university hospitals and one general hospital. Collected data included general characteristics, features related to infection risk, and knowledge, attitude and compliance with standard precautions. For the final analysis, 218 questionnaires were used. RESULTS: Within the previous one year, 103 (47.3%) nurses experienced pricking injury from syringe needles or other sharp materials, 111 (50.9%) nurses reported exposure to patients' blood and body fluid. In general, the scores for knowledge, attitude and compliance were all high. Compliance scores for nurses in intensive care units were significantly higher than those of nurses in emergency. There were significant correlations of knowledge, attitude, and compliance with standard precautions. Attitude and work place were significant factors predicting compliance with standard precautions. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that to increase nurse's compliance with standard precautions, continuous efforts to enhance positive attitudes and at the same time, improve work environments and use individualized approaches based on the work units are needed.
Body Fluids ; Compliance ; Emergencies ; Hospitals, General ; Hospitals, University ; Hypogonadism ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Needles ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Syringes ; Workplace

The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of dietary intervention, through the modification of dietary fatty acids composition and antioxidant vitamins, on plasma thromboxane B2 (TXB2) levels in postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia. The subjects were treated for 12 weeks with one of three methods: hormone replacement therapy (HRT group, n=8), dietary intervention (DIET group, n=8), or HRT combined with dietary intervention (HRT +DIET group, n=8). Changes in serum phospholipid fatty acids composition, serum peroxides, and plasma TXB2 levels were measured at weeks 0, 4 and 12. The P/S ratio increased and the n-6/ n-3 ratio decreased in the DIET and the HRT +DIET group at week 4 (p<0.05). The ratio of C20:5/C20:4 in serum phospholipid increased in the DIET (p<0.05) and the HRT +DIET groups (NS) at week 4. Plasma TXB2 levels decreased in the DIET (-35%, p<0.05) and the HRT +DIET groups (-18.8%, NS) at week 4. Serum lipid peroxides levels significantly decreased by 10.5% and 15.2% in the DIET group at weeks 4 and 12, and by 10.8% in the HRT +DIET group only at week 12 (p<0.05). Dietary intervention may lower thrombotic risks in Korean postmenopausal women by changing the serum fatty acid composition, serum lipid peroxides levels and plasma thromboxane B2 levels.
Antioxidants/*administration & dosage/metabolism ; Ascorbic Acid/*administration & dosage/blood ; Dietary Fats/administration & dosage/blood ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy ; Fatty Acids/*administration & dosage/blood ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia/blood/*drug therapy ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Middle Aged ; Postmenopause ; Thromboxane B2/*blood ; Vitamin A/administration & dosage/blood ; Vitamin E/administration & dosage/blood

We present here occurence of PCR-positive but culture-negative for vanB vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) from an enrichment broth of a stool surveillance culture in a patient suffering from Parkinson's disease, who was transferred from a long-term care facility because of aspiration pneumonia. He developed VRE bacteriuria at the hospital day 42. vanA and vanB genes were detected from 6 microg/mL vancomycin-containing BBL Enterococcosel broth (BD), of which color changed to black after overnight incubation, by both Seeplex VRE detection (Seegene, Seoul, Korea) and Anyplex VanR real-time PCR (Seegene). Subculture of an aliquot of the blackened broth on blood agar plate produced only vanA VRE. All of the four subsequent consecutive surveillance cultures for 1 month until discharge at hospital day 75 resulted in PCR-positive but culture-negative for vanB VRE from the enrichment broths. Therefore, the presence of a non-enterococcal intrinsic reservoir bearing vanB is more likely than low burden of vanB VRE. Considering the rare occurrence of vanB VRE in Korea, vanB-positive PCR results from the enrichment broth requires confirmation by microbiological studies.
Agar ; Bacteriuria ; Enterococcus ; Humans ; Korea ; Long-Term Care ; Parkinson Disease ; Pneumonia, Aspiration ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stress, Psychological ; Ursidae ; Vancomycin

The purpose of this study was to explore the difference in nutrient intakes between normocholesterolemia and hypercholesterolemia. The subjects were classified as normocholesterolemia and hypercholesterolemia based on The Guideline for Korean Hyperlipidemia. A semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to measure the dietary intakes of the subjects. The results obtained are summarized as follows. Intakes of nutrients such as energy, carbohydrate, protein, fat, minerals, and antioxidant vitamins were not significantly different between the normocholesterolemia group and hypercholesterolemia group. However, antioxidant vitamins and folate intakes in the hypercholesterolemia group tended to be lower than those in the normocholesterolmia group. Intakes of vitamin A, vitamin E, and Ca in normocholesterolemia was much less than the RDA for those nutrients in normocholesterolemia. Cholesterol intake in the hypercholesterolemia group was significantly higher than that in the normochoesterolemia group. However, mean cholesterol intake(240 mg/day) of the hypercholesterolemia group was much less than that of Americans whose cholesterol intake was 400 - 500 me/day. Fatty acid intakes were not significantly different between normocholesterolemia and hypercholesterolemia groups but the hypercholesterolemia group tended to consume omega3 fatty acids less than the normocholesterolemia group. Out data indicate that cholesterol intake is man important determinant of serum cholesterol levels in postmenopausal women. The results of this study provide information that is important in designing appropriate dietary guidelines for hypercholesterolemia in postmenopausal women.
Cholesterol ; Fatty Acids ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia* ; Hyperlipidemias ; Minerals ; Nutrition Policy ; Vitamin A ; Vitamin E ; Vitamins ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The purpose of this study was to explore the difference in nutrient intakes between normocholesterolemia and hypercholesterolemia. The subjects were classified as normocholesterolemia and hypercholesterolemia based on The Guideline for Korean Hyperlipidemia. A semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to measure the dietary intakes of the subjects. The results obtained are summarized as follows. Intakes of nutrients such as energy, carbohydrate, protein, fat, minerals, and antioxidant vitamins were not significantly different between the normocholesterolemia group and hypercholesterolemia group. However, antioxidant vitamins and folate intakes in the hypercholesterolemia group tended to be lower than those in the normocholesterolmia group. Intakes of vitamin A, vitamin E, and Ca in normocholesterolemia was much less than the RDA for those nutrients in normocholesterolemia. Cholesterol intake in the hypercholesterolemia group was significantly higher than that in the normochoesterolemia group. However, mean cholesterol intake(240 mg/day) of the hypercholesterolemia group was much less than that of Americans whose cholesterol intake was 400 - 500 me/day. Fatty acid intakes were not significantly different between normocholesterolemia and hypercholesterolemia groups but the hypercholesterolemia group tended to consume omega3 fatty acids less than the normocholesterolemia group. Out data indicate that cholesterol intake is man important determinant of serum cholesterol levels in postmenopausal women. The results of this study provide information that is important in designing appropriate dietary guidelines for hypercholesterolemia in postmenopausal women.
Cholesterol ; Fatty Acids ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia* ; Hyperlipidemias ; Minerals ; Nutrition Policy ; Vitamin A ; Vitamin E ; Vitamins ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Background: During robotic gynecologic pneumoperitoneum surgery in the Trendelenburg position, aeration loss leads to perioperative atelectasis. Recently developed ventilator mode pressure-controlled ventilation volume-guaranteed (PCV-VG) mode could provide adequate ventilation with lower inspiratory pressure compared to volume-controlled ventilation (VCV); we hypothesized that PCV-VG mode may be beneficial in reducing perioperative atelectasis via low tidal volume (VT ) of 6 mL/kg ventilation during robotic gynecologic pneumoperitoneum surgery in the Trendelenburg position. We applied lung ultrasound score (LUS) for detecting perioperative atelectasis. We aimed to compare perioperative atelectasis between VCV and PCV-VG with a low VT of 6 mL/kg during pneumoperitoneum surgery in the Trendelenburg position using LUS. Methods: Patients scheduled for robotic gynecologic surgery were randomly allocated to the VCV (n = 41) or PCV-VG group (n = 41). LUS, ventilatory, and hemodynamic parameters were evaluated at T1 (before induction), T2 (10 minutes after induction in the supine position), T3 (10 minutes after desufflation of CO2 in the supine position), and T4 (30 minutes after emergence from anesthesia in the recovery room). Results: Eighty patients (40 with PCV-VG and 40 with VCV) were included. Demographic data showed no significant differences between the groups. The total LUS has changed from baseline to T4, 0.63 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32, 0.94) to 1.77 (95% CI, 1.42, 2.21) in the VCV group and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.56, 1.16) to 1.43 (95% CI, 1.08, 1.78) in the PCV-VG group (P = 0.170). In both groups, total LUS increased significantly compared to the baseline values. Conclusion Using a low VT of 6 mL/kg during pneumoperitoneum surgery in the Trendelenburg position, our study showed no evidence that PCV-VG ventilation was superior to VCV in terms of perioperative atelectasis.

Ischemic bowel disease is one of the common causes of acute abdomen, which results from insufficient bloodflow to the small bowel and colon caused by arterial or venous occlusion or mesenteric vasoconstriction. Earlydiagnosis by clinical, laboratory, and radiologic findings is often difficult and delay in adequate therapyresults in substantial morbidity and mortality. CT is known to be useful for the evaluation of patients withsuspected bowel ischemia or infarction. This study describes the spectrum of helical CT findings in acute andchronic mesenteric ischemia due to various causes, and explains the value of CT findings for specific diagnosis.
Abdomen, Acute ; Colon ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Infarction ; Ischemia* ; Mortality ; Tomography, Spiral Computed* ; Vasoconstriction

BACKGROUND: A number of studies have found associations between heavy metals and uterine fibroids, but the results are inconsistent. Here, we conducted this research to demonstrate the relationships between blood heavy metal concentrations and uterine fibroid volume as well as the rate of uterine fibroid presence. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, we collected data from 308 premenopausal women aged 30–49 years in Seoul; uterine fibroids are ascertained by past history of myomectomy and pelvic ultrasonography. In the analytic phase, we first analyzed the presence of the fibroids and the concentrations of heavy metals via logistic regression. In subgroup analysis, we used simple and multiple linear regression analyses to examine the associations between heavy metals and uterine fibroid volume. RESULTS: There was no connection between the heavy metal concentrations and the presence of uterine fibroids, but the odds of women having fibroids were higher with three particular metals. In subgroup analysis, the association between blood cadmium concentrations and uterine fibroid volume was statistically significant (adjusted beta coefficient = 2.22, 95% confidential interval: 0.06–4.37). In contrast, blood mercury and lead concentrations were not significantly associated with uterine fibroid volume. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are the first that we know to report the association of blood cadmium concentrations with the volume of uterine fibroids. We expect that our findings will be used as evidence for supporting policies to improve premenopausal Korean women's health.
Cadmium* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyoma* ; Linear Models ; Logistic Models ; Metals ; Metals, Heavy ; Seoul ; Ultrasonography ; Women's Health

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the increased value of using coronal reformation of a transverse computed tomography (CT) scan for detecting adnexal torsion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 106 woman suspected of having adnexal torsion who underwent CT with coronal reformations and subsequent surgical exploration. Two readers independently recorded the CT findings, such as the thickening of a fallopian tube, twisting of the adnexal pedicle, eccentric smooth wall thickening of the torsed adnexal mass, eccentric septal thickening of the torsed adnexal mass, eccentric poor enhancement of the torsed adnexal mass, uterine deviation to the twisted side, ascites or infiltration of pelvic fat, and the overall impression of adnexal torsion with a transverse scan alone or combined with coronal reformation and a transverse scan. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs), sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value were used to compare diagnostic performance. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients were confirmed to have adnexal torsion. The addition of coronal reformations to the transverse scan improved AUCs for readers 1 and 2 from 0.74 and 0.75 to 0.92 and 0.87, respectively, for detecting adnexal torsion (p < 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively). Sensitivity of CT for detecting twisting of the adnexal pedicle increased significantly for readers 1 and 2 from 0.27 and 0.29 with a transverse scan alone to 0.79 and 0.77 with a combined coronal reformation and a transverse scan, respectively (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Use of a coronal reformation with transverse CT images improves detection of adnexal torsion.
Acute Pain/diagnosis/radiography ; Adnexa Uteri/pathology/*radiography ; Adnexal Diseases/*radiography ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Area Under Curve ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pelvis/radiography ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/*methods ; Torsion Abnormality/*diagnosis/*radiography ; Young Adult