BACKGROUND: The recently developed nucleic acid amplification methods may provide us with very sensitive, specific and rapid tests for the detection of M. tuberculosis. So the aim of this study was to compare the commercial Amplicor M. tuberculosis kit and our in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the conventional culture and direct AFB staining method. Materials and METHODS: Among the total of 2,340 clinical specimens, 1,314 sputum samples were tested for the presence of M. tuberculosis by Amplicor PCR and 1,026 sputum samples were tested by in-house PCR performing with resin matrix preparation and DNA extraction, synthesized primer pair, detection using agarose gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: One hundred-seventeen specimens were positive by Amplicor PCR, 105 were positive by in-house PCR, 185 were positive by culture. The sensitivity of the Amplicor PCR for all of the specimens and for smear-positive and smear-negative specimens was 92.9%, 97.9% and 88.2%, respectively after discrepant analysis. The sensitivity of the in-house PCR for all of the specimens and for smear-positive and smear-negative specimens was 80.0%, 93.6% and 65.5%, respectively after discrepant analysis. The specificity of the Amplicor PCR and in-house PCR for all of the specimens was 97.9% and 99.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Amplicor PCR was more sensitive than in-house PCR, but there was another problems such as high false positive rate and high cost. So PCR may certainly become very useful in microbiological laboratories if PCR method is selected according to the laboratory conditions.
DNA ; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sputum* ; Tuberculosis

This study has been undertaken in order to 1) test the effect of health education on the performance of health promoting lifestyle, self efficacy, control and perceived health status in college students, 2) assess whether pretreatment level of self-efficacy, control, and perceived health status predict post-treatment health promoting lifestyle, 3) assess whether pre-to post-treatment changes in self-efficacy, control, and perceived health status predict post-treatment health promoting lifestyle, and 4) examine the correlation between changes in subscales of health promoting lifestyle. One-group pretest-posttest design was used. Fifty eight college students at T college in T city were studied. They attended a health education, which is composed of 13 sessions(one session per week, 130 minutes per one session). This study was conducted from August 26 to December 2. The instrument used for this study included a survey of general characteristics, self-efficacy, control, perceived health status and health promoting behavior. Analysis of data was done by use of mean, percentage, paired t-test, pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression. The results of this study are summarized as follows : 1) The average item score for the health promoting lifestyle was low at 2.301. In the sub-categories, the highest degree of performance was interpersonal support(2.87), following self actualization, nutrition, stress management, exercise, and the lowest degree was health responsibility(1.67). Female students had lowest degree in exercise subscale(1.48). A significant correlation between self-efficacy and control, self-efficacy and perceived health status, self-efficacy and health promoting lifestyle, control and health promoting lifestyle. Self-efficacy was the highest factor predicting health promoting lifestyle of college students(38.31%). 2) No significant difference among total health promoting lifestyle and subcategories of health promoting lifestyle. Self-efficacy was increased after health education than that of before education(T=2.33, P=.023). Control was decreased after education than that of before education(T=-2.03, P=.046). 3) Pretreatment self-efficacy, control, and health status did not predict post-treatment health promoting lifestyle. 4) Pre-to post-treatment changes in self-efficacy predicted post-treatment stress management subscore. 5) Pre-to post-treatment changes in control predicted post-treatment self actualization and exercise subscale. A significant correlation between changes in self-actualization and changes in exercise, changes in self-actualization and changes in nutrition, changes in health responsibility and changes in exercise, changes in exercise and changes in interpersonal support, changes in exercise and changes in stress management, changes in nutrition and changes in interpersonal support, and changes in interpersonal support and changes in stress management.
Education ; Female ; Health Education* ; Humans ; Life Style* ; Self Efficacy

BACKGROUND: Lipids of horny layer forming multiple lamellar structure in the intercellular space acts as a skin barrier having a primary protective function and keeps softness and flexibility of the skin by absorbing and maintaining moistures. Among the intercellular lipids, ceramides mainly contribute to this important role. In xerotic eczema, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, ichthyosis, and experimentally induced scaly lesion showing dryness and scales, the amount of ceramides is decreased or distribution of ceramide is changed. In addition to lipids, free amino acids, a component of NMFs, serve as a water retainer and are decreased in ichthyosis or experimentally induced scaly lesion. Hand eczema has dry and scaly lesion showing impaired skin barrier and low water content. So, changes of ceramides or free amino acids can be considered in the lesion of hand eczema. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to confirm the relationship between the development of hand eczema and changes of ceramides or free amino acids. METHOD: The lipids and free amino acids in scales from lesion of hand eczema were analyzed by using high performance thin layer chromatography and amino acid analyzer. RESULTS: Amounts of total lipids extracted were 0.63+/-0.33 microgram/cm2 in hand eczema and 0.44+/-0.26 microgram/cm2 in control. There was no difference between the two groups. Cholesterol sulfate, glucosyl ceramide, cholesterol, triglyceride, sterol ester, and n-alkane showed no difference between hand eczema and control. But ceramides were significantly decreased in hand eczema(11.0+/-5.5%) compared with control(21.4+/-8.0%)(p<0.05). Especially, ceramide type IV was significantly decreased in hand eczema (6.6+/-5.3%) compared with control(15.6+/-6.2%)(p<0.05) but ceramide type III in hand eczema did not differ from control. Amounts of total free amino acids in 10mg of scale were 10.4+/-3.1nmol in hand eczema and 9.5+/-3.0nmol in control. There was no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Dry skin and scales in hand eczema are related to the decrease of total amount of ceramides and ceramide type IV than amino acids in horny layer. To clarify the exact pathogenesis of hand eczema, further investigations on all types of ceramides and their defect in the process on biosynthesis of ceramides will be necessary.
Amino Acids* ; Ceramides* ; Cholesterol ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eczema* ; Extracellular Space ; Hand* ; Ichthyosis ; Pliability ; Psoriasis ; Skin ; Triglycerides ; Water ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND: Lipids of horny layer forming multiple lamellar structure in the intercellular space acts as a skin barrier having a primary protective function and keeps softness and flexibility of the skin by absorbing and maintaining moistures. Among the intercellular lipids, ceramides mainly contribute to this important role. In xerotic eczema, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, ichthyosis, and experimentally induced scaly lesion showing dryness and scales, the amount of ceramides is decreased or distribution of ceramide is changed. In addition to lipids, free amino acids, a component of NMFs, serve as a water retainer and are decreased in ichthyosis or experimentally induced scaly lesion. Hand eczema has dry and scaly lesion showing impaired skin barrier and low water content. So, changes of ceramides or free amino acids can be considered in the lesion of hand eczema. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to confirm the relationship between the development of hand eczema and changes of ceramides or free amino acids. METHOD: The lipids and free amino acids in scales from lesion of hand eczema were analyzed by using high performance thin layer chromatography and amino acid analyzer. RESULTS: Amounts of total lipids extracted were 0.63+/-0.33 microgram/cm2 in hand eczema and 0.44+/-0.26 microgram/cm2 in control. There was no difference between the two groups. Cholesterol sulfate, glucosyl ceramide, cholesterol, triglyceride, sterol ester, and n-alkane showed no difference between hand eczema and control. But ceramides were significantly decreased in hand eczema(11.0+/-5.5%) compared with control(21.4+/-8.0%)(p<0.05). Especially, ceramide type IV was significantly decreased in hand eczema (6.6+/-5.3%) compared with control(15.6+/-6.2%)(p<0.05) but ceramide type III in hand eczema did not differ from control. Amounts of total free amino acids in 10mg of scale were 10.4+/-3.1nmol in hand eczema and 9.5+/-3.0nmol in control. There was no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Dry skin and scales in hand eczema are related to the decrease of total amount of ceramides and ceramide type IV than amino acids in horny layer. To clarify the exact pathogenesis of hand eczema, further investigations on all types of ceramides and their defect in the process on biosynthesis of ceramides will be necessary.
Amino Acids* ; Ceramides* ; Cholesterol ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eczema* ; Extracellular Space ; Hand* ; Ichthyosis ; Pliability ; Psoriasis ; Skin ; Triglycerides ; Water ; Weights and Measures

This study was undertaken in order to examine the effect of hardiness on future stress-related physical symptoms in the female students in a longitudinal design. The subjects who participated in this study were 97 female nursing students (in the analysis of data after 1 year). The instruments used for this study were a survey of general characteristics, stress (43 items), hardiness(25 items), and physical symptoms(35 items). Analysis of data was done by use of mean and hierarchical multiple regression with the SAS program. The results of this study were as follows. 1) Main effects of hardiness on future stress-related physical symptoms was found. 2) The stress buffering effects of hardiness were not found.
Female ; Humans ; Longitudinal Studies* ; Nursing* ; Students, Nursing*

Hepatic fibrosis was induced in Sprague-Dawley rate to evaluate the ultrastructural changes of fat-storing cells (Ito cells). For experimental induction of liver fibrosis, the rats were administered intraperitoneally with 0.5 ml of 50% Ccl4 solution per Kg body weight, twice weekly for 12 weeks. The rats were sacrificed every week. The liver tissues were examined under light and electron microscopes. And the immunohistochemical study of desmin was also performed. The results were summarized as follows: Light microscopic findings: The cellular infiltrations was inflammatory cells and Kupffer cells developed from 1 week after Ccl4 injection, and were the most severe in 4 weeks. The strong immunoreactivity for desmin was also evident in 4 weeks. The centrilobular necrosis and fibrosis developed from 2 weeks after injection, and the necrosis persisted until 8 weeks. The progress of fibrosis was accompanied by decreases in cellular infiltration and reactivity for desmin, and increased gradual nodular formation was also observed. The cirrhosis was developed after 10 weeks. Electron microscopic findings: An increase in number of fat-storing cells was observed from 1 week after injection. Transitional cells characterized by a depletion of lipid droplets and a hypertrophy of the rER appeared after 2 weeks. The number of transitional cells with abundant collagen fibers in the extracellular spaces increased in 4 weeks. With progression of fibrosis the number of fat-strong cells decreased and proliferating fibroblasts with dilated rER were observed. According to these results it was revealed that there was an apparent transition from fatstrong cells to transitional cells and to fibroblasts. These cells had a few similar characteristics and may belong to the same cell population. Thus it was suggested that fatstrong cells might play an important role in hepatic fibrosis.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Collagen ; Desmin ; Extracellular Space ; Fibroblasts ; Fibrosis* ; Hypertrophy ; Kupffer Cells ; Lipid Droplets ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Necrosis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Fungi have been recognized as a significant cause of external otitis and it may be the primary pathogen or be part of a mixed infection. In the immunocompromised host, fungus is capable of producing infection in inner ear or middle ear. Otomycoses are most frequently caused by Aspergillus spp. and Candida sap. There are few reports that Aspergillus species other than A. fumigatus, A. niger and f. flavus have caused chronic otitis media. We report two cases of chronic otitis media caused by Aspergillus ferrous in Korea. One case is a 7-year-old girl who had recurrent serous otorrhea and otalgia for 4 years, was reattended otolaryngology clinics with otorrhea of 3 days durations and another is a 6-year-old girl who had serous otorrhea for 2 months and 3 day fever, was attended otolaryngology clinics with them. Microscopic appearance and colony morphology from ear discharge cultures revealed A. ferrous. The infection responded well to topical ketoconazole therapy. This report should help to raise medical personnel's awareness of such human opportunistic fungal ear infections.
Aspergillus* ; Candida ; Child ; Coinfection ; Ear ; Ear, Inner ; Ear, Middle ; Earache ; Female ; Fever ; Fungi ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Ketoconazole ; Korea ; Niger ; Otitis Externa ; Otitis Media* ; Otitis* ; Otolaryngology ; Otomycosis

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis continues to be a major threat to health throughout the world, with an estimated 8 to 10 million new cases and 3 million deaths annually. And control of the disease is further threatened by the emergence of drug resistance. Recent major advances have been made in unravelling the molecular basis of M. tuberculosis resistance to isoniazid, streptomycin, quinolones and rifampin. And rifampin resistance is the useful indicator for the occurance of the multi-drug resistance. Hence, the rapid detection of rifampin resistant strain of M. tuberculosis is the key to have successful anti-tuberculosis therapy. Here we present our experience using PCR and line probe assay (INNO-LiPA) for easy and rapid detection of rifampin resistance of M. tuberculosis. METHODS: Thirty rifampin resistant and twenty susceptible strains of M. tuberculosis were collected from the routine culture and analyzed with INNO-LiPA. And results were compared with conventional antibiotic susceptibility testing. After amplification of the region of the RNA polymerase(rpoB), the amplified product is hybridized with a set of 10 oligonucleotides immobilized onto a membrane strip. From the pattern obtained the presence or not of rifampin resistance M. tuberculosis can be assessed. RESULTS: Ninety three percent of patients who had rifampin resistant strain revealed the multidrug resistance while only two showed resistance to rifampin only. The INNO-LiPA test results were generally agreeable with that of the conventional susceptibility testing(90%). The mutations in codon 531 (absence of 55 probe) were most commonly observed. In 55.2% of the 31 rifampin resistance M. tuberculosis confirmed on mutation by R-probes on the INNO-LiPA strips. CONCLUSIONS: The line probe assay after polymerase chain reaction is a fast and convenient method to detect both presence of M. tuberculosis complex strains and its resistance to rifampin in clinical specimens. We have suggested that detection of rifampin resistance may play a key role in monitoring multi-drug resistance. Consequently, the INNO-LiPA test may constitute an important tool for the control of tuberculosis.
Codon ; Drug Resistance ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; Membranes ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Oligonucleotides ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Quinolones ; Rifampin* ; RNA ; Streptomycin ; Tuberculosis

No abstract available.

Exercise induced asthma (EIA) is defined as acute, reversible, usually self-limiting airway obstruction which develop after strenous exercise in patients with asthma. EIA is a bigger problem in children than adults due to more active and smaller airways which obstruct more easily when bronchospasm develops. The exercise elicited many change in pulmonary function of asthmatic children. These change could be measured by measurements of PEFR, FEV1, FVC, or SRaw. The propose of this study is to determine the changes and sensitivity of different pulmonary function test in asthmatic children. 37 asthmatic children exercised on free running and pulmonary function tests were performed before and every 5 minutes during 15 minutes after exercise. The results were as follows. 1) In 37 asthmatic children, EIA developed in 23 children (62%) and did not developed in 14 children (38%). The difference in sex, height, weight, total eosinophil count, serum IgF and test between EIA and Non-EIA were not significant (P>0.05). 2) In EIA group, %PEFR was changed from 109.56% to 83.56%, But in Non-EIA group, %PEFR was not changed before and after exercise loading test. 3) In EIA group, %FEV1 was changed from 90.91% to 74.87%. But in Non-EIA group, %FEV1 was not changed before and after exercise loading test. 4) In EIA group, %FVC changed from 91.83% to 75.35%. But in Non-EIA group, %FVC was not change before and after exercise loading test. 5) There was significant difference in pre-exercise specific airway resistance between EIA (6.7+/-1.7) and normal children (5.8+/-2.2)(p<0.05). In EIA group, %SRaw was changed from 115.7% to 161.2%. But in Non-EIA group, %SRaw was not changed before and after exercise loading test. 6) During the post-exercise observation period, increasement of SRaw was greater than changes in any other pulmonary function test. SRaw is the most sensitive test for the ditection of exercise induced airway obstruction is asthmatic children.
Adult ; Airway Obstruction ; Airway Resistance* ; Asthma ; Asthma, Exercise-Induced ; Bronchial Spasm ; Child* ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Running