OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate the pregnancy outcome and the advantages of laparoscopic tubal reanastomosis. METHOD: During 16 months, January 1996 to April 1997, thirty-two patient had underwent laparoscopic tubal reanastomosis in Pudang CHA General Hospital. The mean age of the patients was 36.1+/-4.3 years(mean+/-SD; range 26 to 47 years). RESULT: The intrauterine pregnancy rate of laparoscopic tubal reanastomosis was 72.4%(21/29). Data comparing laparoscopic procedure retrospectively to tubal reversal by laparotomy was also evaluated. The mean interval from operation to pregnancy was similar in the two groups (p=0.9). The operation time was sigoificantly longer for laparoscopy (215.3+/-35.5 minutes) than for laparotomy(159.7+/-52.3 minutes). Nevertheless, the intensity of postoperative pain was lower (p<0.05) in patient who underwent laparoscopy than in patient who underwent laparotomy. Also, the mean hospital stay (3.6+/-2.3 days for laparoscopy, 6.1+/-0.5 days for laparotomy) was shortened(p<0.05) after laparoscopy compared with laparotomy. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic tubal reanastomosis may offer the benefits of lower postoperative pain and shorten recovery time in comparison with laparotomy. Therefore, considering the high pregnancy rate in minimal follow up period of 6 month, laparoscopic tubal reanastomosis could be an alternative procedure to microsurgical laparotomy in patients requesting reversal of sterilization.
Female ; Fertility* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Length of Stay ; Pain, Postoperative ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Rate ; Retrospective Studies ; Sterilization ; Sterilization Reversal*

We report a case of a 13-year-old girl who was noted to have combined malformation of complete septate uterus, obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis with complaints of dysmenorrhea. Hematometrocolpos was developed in the result of retained menstrual blood since menarche. This rare congenital anomaly is supposed to be derived from disorders of mesonephric and M llerian developement in embryogenesis of female genitouinary tract. An accurate preoperative diagnosis of this syndrome is critical because of the difference in therapeutic strategy and prognosis. Simple and definite treatment of the condition is excision of the obstructed vaginal septum with prompt exit of retained blood. We present here a interesting case of M llerian anomaly in attempt to alert gynecologist to the possible occurrence of such a malformation with a brief review of concerned literatures.
Adolescent ; Diagnosis ; Dysmenorrhea ; Embryonic Development ; Female ; Humans ; Menarche ; Pregnancy ; Prognosis ; Uterus*

In this study, the trypsin gene (bgtryp-1) from the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, was cloned via the immunoscreening of patients with allergies to cockroaches. Nucleotide sequence analysis predicted an 863 bp open reading frame which encodes for 257 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence exhibited 42-57% homology with the serine protease from dust mites, and consisted of a conserved catalytic domain (GDSGGPLV). bgtryp-1 was determined by both Northern and Southern analysis to be a 0.9 kb, single-copy gene. SDS-PAGE and Western blotting analyses of the recombinant protein (Bgtryp-1) over-expressed in Escherichia coli revealed that the molecular mass of the expressed protein was 35 kDa, and the expressed protein was capable of reacting with the sera of cockroach allergy patients. We also discussed the possibility that trypsin excreted by the digestive system of the German cockroach not only functions as an allergen, but also may perform a vital role in the activation of PAR-2.
Allergens/analysis/chemistry/*genetics ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Blattellidae/*genetics ; Blotting, Western ; Catalytic Domain/genetics ; DNA, Complementary/genetics ; Escherichia coli/metabolism ; Female ; *Genes, Insect ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Molecular Weight ; Receptor, PAR-2/metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins/analysis/biosynthesis/chemistry ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Sequence Alignment ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid ; Trypsin/analysis/chemistry/*genetics

The involvement of health-care professionals in tobacco-control activities is essential to prevent smoking-related morbidity and mortality. The purposes of this predictive correlational study were to examine tobacco-control activities and to identify the predictors of such activities of community health practitioners (CHPs). Of the 1,813 members of the Korean Association of CHP, 1,247 participated in this study. A mailed survey was conducted to collect data. The majority of CHPs supported tobacco-control policies and recognized tobacco-control activities as an important role for them. Only 44.3% of CHPs were confident in their knowledge and skills regarding tobacco-control activities, and only 30.8% had received professional tobacco-control education. While the majority of the CHPs "asked, advised, and assessed"their clients, only a small number "assisted or arranged". The tobacco-control activities of CHPs were predicted by their attitude toward it, age, experience of tobacco-control education, educational level, and general perception of the risk of smoking; these variables accounted 13.5% of variance in the tobacco-control activities of CHPs. These findings provide the basis for developing a continuing education program for CHPs. CHPs should be encouraged to integrate tobacco-control activities into their routine practice, and CHP education programs should be adjusted to increase the time spent on the tobacco-control intervention techniques.
Adult ; Aged ; Analysis of Variance ; *Attitude of Health Personnel ; Clinical Competence/standards ; Community Health Nursing/education/*organization & administration ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Education, Nursing, Continuing/standards ; Educational Status ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Needs Assessment ; *Nurse's Role ; Nursing Methodology Research ; Nursing Staff/education/organization & administration/*psychology ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Questionnaires ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Self Efficacy ; Smoking/*prevention & control ; Smoking Cessation

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Prostate*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Prostate*

OBJECTIVES: Despite the importance of human immunodefi-ciency virus(HIV) transmission through heterosexual contact, the features of heterosexual transmission has not been well studied in Korea. So we conducted a cross sectional study to determine the transmission rates in married couples and assess risk factors for male to female heterosexual transmission of HIV. METHODS: 169 HIV-infected males and their female sex partners were recruited from 1985 to June 1998. We examined female sex partners HIV infection status and interviewed male index partners and their female sex partners about demographic characteristics and sexual practices. We analysed heterosexual transmission rate by epidemiologic characteristics, disease status and sexual practices. And we assessed risk factors for HIV infection by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: 30 female sex partners were infected at enrollment, yielding an transmission rate of 17.8%. Among couples who had used condoms consistently, none of the female sex partners was infected with HIV. In univariate analysis the significant risk factors were full blown AIDS status (OR=4.1, 95% CI: 1.49-11.43) and low CD4 T cell count of index partners at enrollment (OR=7.8, 95% CI: 2.19-27.80). In multivariate analysis HIV-1 RNA levels was significant risk factor when adjusted by CD4 T cell counts and mean sexual contacts per month (OR=19.2, 95% CI: 1.03-357.59) CONCLUSION: The risk of male to female heterosexual transmission increased with advanced stages of HIV infection in the index male partners.
Cell Count ; Condoms ; Family Characteristics ; Female* ; Heterosexuality* ; HIV Infections ; HIV* ; HIV-1 ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors* ; RNA

For 16 years after the finding of HIV as an agent of AIDS in 1981, HIV therapeutic drugs of reverse transcriptase inhibitors (AZT, ddI, ddC, d4T) and protease inhibitors have been developed. Recent studies also were focused on a combination therapy by using HIV therapeutic drugs or natural compounds. Korean red ginseng (KRG) of natural compounds has been well known as a good reinforcement agent in Asia. The percentage of CD3+CD4+ T cell in nine HIV-infected patients without KRG treatment averaged 17.8% on baseline and decreased 15.8% after 6 months, whereas the percentage of the cell in fifteen HIV-infected patients with KRG treatment averaged 15.3% on baseline and increased up to 18.9% after the same period. The average percentage of CD3+CD8+ T cell of KRG-nontreated and KRG-treated HIV patients increased after 6 months 47.8% to 50.7% and 44.7% to 51.4%, respectively; and the average percentage of B and NK cell in the KRG-nontreated and KRG-treated HIV patients decreased 9.4% to 7.9% and 13.0% to 9.7%, 8.9% to 8.5% and 16.2% to 11.6%, respectively, KRG, therefore, didn't have any effects on the CD3+CD8+ T cell, B cell, and NK cell. However, it seems that KRG has a potential activity for stimulating the
Asia ; HIV ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Lymphocyte Subsets* ; Lymphocytes* ; Panax* ; Protease Inhibitors ; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

No abstract available.
Diagnosis*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to find the proper feeding posture for the safe liquid meal in the patients with neurogenic dysphagia. METHOD: Fifty patients of neurogenic dysphagia with tracheal aspiration diagnosed with the videofluoroscopic swallowing test (VFST) were evaluated. VFST using 5 cc of barium solution was done for each patient in the sitting and supine position. The results of VFST of supine position were analyzed and compared with those of sitting position for the tracheal aspiration, laryngeal penetration, premature leakage, and laryngeal spillage. RESULTS: The incidence of premature leakage, tracheal aspiration, and laryngeal penetration is significantly decreased in the supine position (56%, 14% and 46%) compared to the sitting position (96%, 100% and 100%) (p<0.001). The incidence of laryngeal penetration referable to the swallowing reflex is significantly decreased in the supine position (0%, 46%, 0%) compared to the sitting position (14%, 96%, 44%) (p<0.001). The incidence of nasal regurgitation is 2% in the sitting position and 30% in the supine position. CONCLUSION: The incidence of tracheal aspiration of liquid diet is significantly decreased in the supine position compared to the sitting position. The supine position would be safer than the sitting position in the feeding of liquid diet.
Barium ; Deglutition Disorders* ; Deglutition* ; Diet* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Meals ; Posture ; Reflex ; Supine Position*