Malignant acanthosis nigricans is very rare disease. The disease is related with internal malignancy, especially gastrointestinal tract malignancy. Reported occurrence rate of malignant acanthosis nigricans associated internal malignancies are 64% of stomach adenocarcinoma, 27% of other organs of abdomen (liver, gall bladder, small intestine, rectum, uterus, ovary), 9% of non-abdominal organs(breast, lung). We report a case of malignant acanthosis nigricans associated with stomach adenocarcinoma from 20-year-old female and discuss review of literature on a acanthosis nigricans briefly.
Female ; Humans ; Adenocarcinoma

PURPOSE: Communication in hospitals is one of the major factors in patient safety. So, the purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between intra-organizational communication satisfaction and the safety attitude of nurses in hospitals. METHOD: A descriptive survey design with convenience sampling was used. Data collection was done using a self-report questionnaire answered by 278 nurses from one university hospital located in Kyeoung-gi Province, Korea. RESULT: Intra-organizational communication satisfaction positively correlated with safety attitude (r=.747, p<.01). Among the 6 sub dimensions of safety attitude, perceptions of management (r=.675, p<.01), job satisfaction (r=.640, p<.01) and teamwork climate (r=.600. p<.01) were strongly related to intra-organizational communication satisfaction. Multiple regression analysis was done to identify explanation power of intra-organizational communication satisfaction against safety attitude. The model was significant (F=48.540, p<.01). Intra-organizational communication satisfaction accounted for 60.9% of variance in safety attitude (Adj R2=.609). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that higher levels of intra-organizational communication satisfaction promote positive safety attitude in hospital nurses and that communication media quality is an important factor in patient safety attitude. Therefore, developing interventions to revitalize intra-organizational communication level based on communication media quality will help in the construction of positive safety attitude in nurses.
Climate ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Job Satisfaction ; Patient Safety

PURPOSE: Dyslipidemia was a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and was a leading cause of mortality in worldwide. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with prevalence and medication treatment of dyslipidemia in Korean adult population. METHODS: In this study, based on the criteria set by the Korean Society of Lipidology and Atherosclerosis, the factors associated with prevalence and medication treatment of dyslipidemia was evaluated in a population of 12,506 people (age≥20), who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013–2015). The findings were tested by using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Dyslipidemia prevalence rate was 36.5%. Among populations with dyslipidemia, 17.5% were treated with lipid-lowering drugs. In the multivariate logistic regression model, male, increase in age, lower education level, non-drinker, current smoking, less physical activity, increase of body mass index, hypertension, and diabetes were associated with an increased odd of dyslipidemia. Female, increase in age, higher income, excess fat intake, hypertension, diabetes, myocardial infarction, and angina were associated with an increased odd of medication treat. CONCLUSION: The results of this study could be used to screen patients at the high risk for dyslipidemia or to predict medication adherence.
Adult* ; Atherosclerosis ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Dyslipidemias* ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Medication Adherence* ; Mortality ; Motor Activity ; Myocardial Infarction ; Nutrition Surveys ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of essential oil on oxidative stress, immunity, and skin condition in atopic dermatitis (AD) induced mice. METHODS: This study was a 3x3 factorial design. Factors were oil type (Lavender, Thyme, and 2:1 mixture of lavender and thyme oil [blending oil]) and treatment period (0 day, 7 days, and 21 days). The samples were 45 mice with AD and randomly assigned to nine groups of five mice per group. The dependent variables such as superoxide radical, IgE, degranulated mast cells, and epidermal thickness were measured. Data were collected from February to April in 2014. Descriptive statistics, One-way ANOVA, Two-way ANOVA, and Tukey's HSD test were performed using the SPSS WIN 20.0 program. RESULTS: Dependent variables were not statistically significantly different by the three oil types (p >.05). Essential oils such as lavender, thyme, and blending oil were all effective in reducing AD symptoms and especially 2:1 blending oil were most effective. There were statistically significant differences by the three treatment periods in all dependent variables (p <.001). There were statistically significant interactions between oil types and treatment periods in all dependent variables (p <.01). For decreasing superoxide radical, degranulated mast cells, and epidermal thickness, 2:1 mixed oil should be applied for at least 21 days. Otherwise to reduce IgE, 2:1 mixed oil should be used for at least 7 days. CONCLUSION: These findings provide bases for developing effective interventions for AD patients to manage their AD symptoms.
Animals ; Dermatitis, Atopic/chemically induced/*drug therapy/pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; *Immunity/drug effects ; Immunoglobulin E/blood ; Lavandula/*chemistry/metabolism ; Mast Cells/cytology/metabolism ; Mice ; Oils, Volatile/chemistry/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; *Oxidative Stress/drug effects ; Picryl Chloride/toxicity ; Plant Oils/chemistry/pharmacology/*therapeutic use ; Singlet Oxygen/metabolism ; Skin/drug effects/pathology ; Thymus Plant/*chemistry/metabolism

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe sports injuries among elderly people and to compare physical activity, perceived health status and exercise self-efficacy between elderly people who had experienced a sports injury and elderly people who hadn't. METHODS: The sample of this study were 100 elderly in Korea, 51 of whom had had a sports injury. The study used questionnaires to gather data. There were 8 demographic factors, 4 factors related to physical activity, perceived health status and exercise self-efficacy of the subjects. Data were analyzed by frequencies, chi-square test, and t-test. RESULTS: Among the sports injured elders, one occurrence of a sport injury was 86.3%. There were more outdoor than indoor sports injuries of elders (66.7%), and sports injuries of elders occurred more in the winter (82.7%). The major cause of the sports injuries was loss of balance. Ankles were frequently damaged from these injuries. The most significant change after the sports injury was reduction of physical activity (60.8%). There were significant differences between sports injured elderly and non-injured elderly for age (χ2=2.58, p=.011) and the amount of physical activity (t=1.96, p=.050), but there was no significant difference in perceived health status and exercise self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: To prevent sports injuries in the elderly means to maintain a medium level of physical activity and to improve their balance.
Aged* ; Ankle ; Athletic Injuries* ; Demography ; Humans ; Korea ; Motor Activity* ; Sports*

This study was undertaken to make current fetal growth curve throughout later part of pregnancy. 5,110 normal singleton deliveries at Il Shin Christian Hospital were included. The 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th percentiles of birth weight were calculated from 21 to 42 weeks' gestation and the 10th, 50th, 90th percentiles of birth weight compared by fetal sex, maternal parity and height were graphed to know the potency of factors. There was a linear growth pattern between 28 and 38 weeks' gestation. During last month of prgnancy, three factors have significant effect on median birth weight but no significant differences in 10th percentiles. Maternal height & parity significantly affeect on 90th percentiles. So, these factors must be considered when diagnosing large for date.
Birth Weight* ; Female ; Fetal Development ; Gestational Age* ; Parity ; Parturition* ; Pregnancy

PURPOSE: This study is to identify the types of role awareness of home health care specialists working at medical institutions, to understand their role awareness correctly by grasping the quality of each type, and to provide useful help in the education of home health care specialists. METHOD: Q-methodology is used to objectify role awareness of medical institution specialists who may recognize situations differently according to their individual experience and comprehension based on the view of behavior. Q-classification was carried out on 30 home health care specialists working at medical institutions using 30 selected questions. Collected data were examined through factor analysis using QUANL PC program. RESULTS: Three different types of role awareness of home health care specialists working at medical institutions were identified. Type I is "educational-function-centered", Type II "patient-centered" and Type III "professional-service-centered". CONCLUSION: Regardless of these types, home health care specialists commonly had a high pride as a specialist and a sense of mission regarding themselves as important persons responsible for patients' health.
Comprehension ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Education ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Missions and Missionaries ; Specialization*

PURPOSE: The study was performed to identify the process of change, decisional balance and self-efficacy corresponding to the stage of smoking cessation behavior based on Transtheoretical Model in industrial workers. METHOD: A convenience sample of 146 industrial workers except for the never smokers, were recruited at a H industry in Ulsan. Data were collected from February 1 to 28, 2002. The research instruments were Stages of Change of Smoking Cessation Measure(DiClemente et al, 1991), Process of change(Prochaska, 1988), Smoking Abstinence Self Efficacy (SASE: DiClemente et al, 1985) and Decisional balance(SDB; Kim, 1999). RESULT: The results of this study were as follows; 1. The subjects were distributed in each stage of smoking cessation change: There were 64 subjects (43.0%) in the precontemplation stage, 35 subjects(23.5%) in the contemplation stage, 28 subjects(18.8%) in the preparation stage, 14 subjects(10.1%) in the action stage and 7 subjects(4.7%) in the maintenance stage. 2. Analysis of variance showed that experiental process(F=2.808, p=.042), behavioral process (F=4.567, p=.004) self-efficacy(F=9.809, p=.000), pros(F=11.107, p=.000), cons(F=6.686, p=.000), pros- cons(F=3.446, p=.018) were significantly associated with the stages of smoking cessation change. 3. Through discriminant analysis, it was found that 'PROS' was the most influential variable in discriminating the four stages of change. CONCLUSION: This study can provide the basis of staged matching smoking cessation program using TTM for more effective and useful intervention.
Self Efficacy* ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking* ; Ulsan

The cross-matching test, an essential pre-transfusion test, is usually performed using only a segment of a blood bag and a recipient's blood sample at a commercial laboratory. We analyzed cross-matching test results obtained at LabGenomics laboratory, client of which were mainly small- and medium-sized medical clinics. Data for a total of 12,902 cross-matching tests referred from January 2012 to December 2015 were analyzed for incompatibility in the results and trends based on the distribution of medical clinics. Medical clinics were categorized as nursing home, obstetrics and gynecology, plastic surgery, dental clinic, orthopedic surgery, and others. Incompatible results were observed for 35 cases (1.09%) in 2012, 22 cases (0.68%) in 2013, 31 cases (1.02%) in 2014, and 41 cases (1.20%) in 2015. Overall, 55.4% of referrals came from a nursing home, 6.4% from obstetrics and gynecology, 4.4% from plastic surgery, 20.0% from dental clinic, 5.9 % from orthopedic surgery, and 7.9% from others. Further studies are required to evaluate the efficacy of cross-matching test results and its relationship with transfusion requirements.
Dental Clinics ; Gynecology ; Nursing Homes ; Obstetrics ; Orthopedics ; Referral and Consultation ; Surgery, Plastic

BACKGROUND: Massive bleeding, inability to identify important landmarks and structures, and necessity for a blood transfusion have been the usual problems of hemangioma excision. OBJECTIVE: We introduce a CO2 laser excision technique as a surgical method for the treatment of hemangioma of the lips and demonstrate its benefits. METHODS: In 4 patients with nevus flammeus of hemiface and accompanying hemangioma of the lips, excision of the hemangioma was performed using a focused beam from a CO2 laser under local anesthesia. RESULTS: Excellent to good results were achieved with minimal blood losses in all patients. No or minimal post-operative pain and edema and no significant complications were observed. CONCLUSION:The CO2 laser excision technique is recommended since it renders less textural change, greater volume reduction, hemostasis and an overall good cosmetic outcome than defocused modes or conventional scalpel surgery.
Anesthesia, Local ; Blood Transfusion ; Edema ; Hemangioma* ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Lasers, Gas* ; Lip* ; Port-Wine Stain