No abstract available.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1* ; Hypothyroidism*

OBJECTIVE: We examined the vasoconstricting poperties of endothelin (ET) on isolated arteries from pregnant as well as non-pregnant uterus. METHODS: Arteries of the uterus were obtained from both hysterectomized uterus and during pregnany hysterectomy for control group and cesarean section for pregnant group. Rings of uterine artery were suspended on muscle chambers at their optimal length for generating tension and contractile properties were examined. RESULTS: ET-1 and ET-2 induced concentration-dependent constriction of both isolated arterial strips from non-pregnant and pregnant uterus. The contraction to ET-1 and ET-2 were more enhanced in full-term pregnancy. Furthermore, in pregnant group, sarafotoxin S6c and IRL 1620, ET. agonists, induced a dose-dependent contraction, which was not shown in those from non-pregnant human. Pretreatment of human uterine arterial strips from pregnant uterus with BQ610, an ET. antagonist, for 10 min resulted in a dose-related rightward shift of ET-1 response curve with diminution of maximal response. Schild plot analysis yielded a pA value of 7.29 with a slope of 0.98. However, BQ788, an ET antagonist, did not produce any rightward shift. The contraction to lower concentration (10-8~3*10-7 M) of sarafotoxin S6c was not affected by BQ788, whereas that to higher concentration (10-s-8*10-7 M) was marked diminished. However, BQ610 did not exnt any efFect on sarafotoxin S6c-induced contraction in arterial staips from pregnant uterus. When the bath solution was replaced with Ca-free physiological salt solution (PSS) containing 1 mM EGTA for 10 min prior to adding sarafotoxin S6c, sarafotoxin S6c-induced contraction was completely abolished. Sarafotoxin S6c (10 nM)-induced contraction was prefetentially blocked by a protein kinase C antagonist, H-7, whereas it was less sensitive to a calmodulin antagonist, calmidazolium, CONCLUSION: Based on above results, we concluded that ET plays an important role in regulating uterine blood flow through the activation of ETa and ETB receptors. Furthermote, ETB receptors may predominantly contribute to the modulation of human uterine circulation in full-term pregnancy.
1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine ; Arteries* ; Baths ; Calmodulin ; Cesarean Section ; Constriction ; Egtazic Acid ; Endothelin-2 ; Endothelins* ; Female ; Humans* ; Hysterectomy ; Pregnancy ; Protein Kinase C ; Receptors, Endothelin ; Uterine Artery ; Uterus*

OBJECTIVE: This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of the isolation methods of inner cell mass from mouse blastocyst, types of feeder cells and treatment time of mitomycin C on the formation rate of ICM colony. METHODS: The inner cells were isolated by conventional immunosurgery, partial trophoblast dissection with syringe needles and whole blastocyst co-culture method. Commercially available STO and primary cultured mouse embryonic fibroblast (pMEF) feeder cells were used, and mitomycin C was treated for 1, 2 or 3 hours, respectively. The formation rate of ICM colony was observed after isolation of ICM and culture of ICM on the feeder cells for 7 days. RESULT: The ICM colony formation rate on STO were significantly higher in partial trophoblast dissection group (58%) than that in immunosurgery (12%) or whole blastocyst culture (16%) group (p<0.05). The formation rate on pMEF feeder layer was higher in partial trophoblast dissection (88%) and whole blastocyst culture (82%) group than that in immunosurgery (16%) group (p<0.05). When mitomycin C treated to pMEF for 2 hours, the formation rate of 88% was significantly higher than those of other conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Above results showed that the efficient isolation method of ICM from blastocyst was the partial trophoblast dissection and the appropriate treatment time of mitomycin C was 2 hours. However, the subculture of ICM colony and characterization of stem cells should be carried out to confirm the efficacy of the partial trophoblast dissection method.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Coculture Techniques ; Feeder Cells* ; Fibroblasts ; Mice* ; Mitomycin* ; Needles ; Stem Cells ; Syringes ; Trophoblasts

No abstract available.
Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Hysterectomy*

Hemodialysis(HD)-associated hypotension is a frequent complication, but it is difficult to manage. Until now, several maneuvers have been tried to prevent the HD-associated hypotension. Of these, the sodium content of dialysate was regarded as an important factor for maintaining blood pressure during HD. In this study, we evaluated the effect of hypertonic dialysate on blood pressure, interdialytic weight gain and the incidence of thirst. The study was done for 6 weeks successively with 3 different groups. Each patient was dialysed with 3 different dialysates for 2 weeks: Group I(Conventional HD: sodium concentration: 137 mEq/L), Group II(Hypertonic HD: 147 mEq/L) and Group III (Sequential HD: from 147 to 140 mEq/L). Hemodynamic parameters(blood pressure, pulse rate and ultrafiltration rate), biochemical parameters(hematocrits, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, osmolality, sodium, potassium, chloride, fasting blood sugar) and complications (interdialytic weight gain &thirsty sensation) were compared among 3 groups. The results were as follows: 1. Decline of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure at the time of a 3 hour check during hemodialysis was lower in the Group II than Group I and III (p=0.002; p=0.012). and decline of diastolic blood pressure at the time of a 4 hour check during hemodialysis was lower in the Group II and III than Group I(p=0.04). 2. ncidence of hypotensive episodes during dialysis was significantly lower in Group II than group I (p=0.0287). 3. The ultrafiltration in Group III at the time of 1 hour, 2 hour and 3 hour check during hemodialysis was higher than that in Group I and II at the time of 1 hour, 2 hour and 3 hour check during emodialysis respectively (p=0.0001; p=0.0001; p=0.0004). 4. Interdialytic weight gain was higher in Group II(3.1+/-0.8) than GroupI(2.8+/-0.8) and III (2.9+/-0.9) (p=0.0422). 5. Hematologic and biochemical results were not significantly different among 3 Groups. 6. Frequency of thirst was different in Group I, II and III, 0.05+/-0.12, 0.41+/-0.24 and 0.22+/-0.29 respectively (p=0.0259). The results suggest that hypertonic HD was effective in preventing HD-associated hypotension but interdialytic weight gain and thirst sensations were increased as compared with a conventional method. In this situation, sequential HD seems to be an alternative method to minimizes the side effect of hypertonic HD.
Blood Pressure* ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; Dialysis ; Dialysis Solutions ; Fasting ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence* ; Osmolar Concentration ; Potassium ; Renal Dialysis* ; Sensation ; Sodium ; Thirst* ; Ultrafiltration* ; Weight Gain*

BACKGROUND: Pigment production and acidification of ribose are most frequently used biochemical tests for the differentiation of three enterococcal species carrying vanC genes such as Enterococcus gallinarum, Enterococcus casseliflavus, and Enterococcus flavescens. However, pigment production may occasionally be negative in E. casseliflavus, and some of E. casseliflavus may be negative or delayed reaction with ribose fermentation test. So, we performed this study to find out biochemical tests capable of distinguishing the strains possessing vanC genotypes. METHOD: A total of 17 enterococci composed of 14 clinical isolates with motility or pigment positive strains and three ATCC strains(E. gallinarum ATCC 49573, E. casseliflavus ATCC 25788, and E. flavescens ATCC 49997) Were tested by multiplex PCR of the vanC genes(vanC-1, vanC-2 and vanC-3)and various biochemical tests. RESULTS: Among the 17 isolates including three ATCC control strains, four were genotyped as VanC-1, 11 were VanC-2, one were vanC-2/3, and any of vanC genes were not detected in one clinical isolate, respectively, Among the enterococci with vanC genotype, acid production from alphaD-cyclodextrin and hippurate hydrolysis were positive only in VanC-1 gneotype(E. gallinarum), acid production from glycerol and methyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside were positive only in vanC-2 genotype(E. casseliflavus), and acid production from rhamnose and pigment production were negative only in VanC-1 genotype. Acid production from alphaD-cyclodextrin was negative only in vanC-2 genotype. The positive rate of ribose fermentation of VanC-1, VanC-2, and VanC-2/3(E. flavescens) genotype were 100%, 82%, and 0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Acid production from rhamnose, alphaD-cyclodextrin, betaD-cyclodextrin, glycerol and methly-alphaD-mannopyranoside, pigment production, and hippurate hydrolysis test were useful biochemical tests for differentitating E. gallinarum form E. casseliflavus. The production of acid from alphaD-cyclodextrin, glycerol, methyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside and were suitable biochemical tests for differentiating E. casseliflavus from E. flavescens.
Enterococcus ; Fermentation ; Genotype ; Glycerol ; Hydrolysis ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Phenotype* ; Rhamnose ; Ribose

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to identify the level of care burden for patients with mental illness, attitudes toward mental illness and psychiatric nursing competency in non-psychiatric nurses and to identify correlations among these variables. METHODS: Data were collected from 153 non-psychiatric nurses who worked at a hospital located in Seoul, Korea. Care burden for mental illness patients, attitudes toward mental illness, and psychiatric nursing competency were measured using structured questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé test and Pearson's correlation coefficients with the SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. RESULTS: Non-psychiatric nurses' care burden for mental illness patients showed negative correlations with attitude toward mental illness (r=-.50, p<.001) and intervention competency (r=-.31, p<.001). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that effective nursing care for patients with mental illness in non-psychiatric departments requires enhancing nurses' competency in psychiatric nursing and developing positive attitudes toward mental illness.
Humans ; Korea ; Mental Disorders ; Nursing Care ; Psychiatric Nursing* ; Seoul

The purpose of this study was to develop the CORE Program for sex offenders and to determine its effectiveness. The CORE Program was designed with an aim to achieve cognitive restructuring, improve the ability to empathize in interpersonal relationships, and enhance self-esteem and intimacy. We conducted this program over 48 sessions for 28 sex offenders. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated using the Interpersonal Responsiveness Index (IRI), Self-esteem Questionnaire (SEQ), UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLALS), Coping Using Sex Inventory (CUSI), Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (RMAS), and Wilson's Sex Fantasy Questionnaire (WSFQ). The data were analyzed using paired t-tests. Our results showed no significant changes in the SEQ, UCLALS, and IRI scores after the treatment program. However, the scores for the CUSI, RMAS, and WSFQ significantly improved after this program. In this paper, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the CORE Program for sex offenders. We also discuss the limitations of our study and provide suggestions for future research. Our findings indicate that this treatment program should be provided to sex offenders for preventing recidivism.
Criminals ; Fantasy ; Humans ; Loneliness ; Paraphilic Disorders ; Rape ; Surveys and Questionnaires

This study was conducted to evaluate the industry foodservice management practices and to suggest guidelines for the effective foodservice management. The survey for the analysis was conducted through the questionnaires to dietitians. They were divided into two groups: the site color worker and the blue color worker. The questionnaires were received for a response rate of 73.2%. Statistical data analysis was completed using the SAS programs for descriptive analysis, chi-square test, T-test, F-test, and Fisher's LSD. The results of the study can be summarized as follows: 1) The level of education of dietitians and food cost in the employee feeding operations for the blue color worker was lower than the employee feeding operations for the white color worker. 2) The labor productivity indices were not significantly different according to types of workers. But in the employee feeding operations for the blue color worker, full-time foodservice employees worked more than 10.7 hour per week than their counterpart. This indicates the full-time foodservice employees in the employee feeding operations for the blue color worker performed more loaded work compared to the employee feeding operations for the white color worker. 3) Equipped rate of facilities in the employee feeding operations for the blue color worker was low especially in the food preparation and cooking processes.
Cooking ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Education ; Efficiency ; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide ; Nutritionists ; Surveys and Questionnaires

A case of extrapulmonary silicosis involving abdominal lymph nodes in a 62-year-old man is presented. The patient underwent subtotal gastrectomy and regional lymph nodes dissection for gastric adenocarcinoma of clinical stage III. On gross examination, two separate gastric adenocarcinomas and multiple enlarged lymph nodes mimicking metastatic lesion were noted. Microscopic examination of the enlaged lymph nodes revealed characteristic sclerohyaline silicotic nodules without metastatic adenocarcinoma. Chest roentgenogram showed diffusely scattered multiple tiny nodular lesions in the entire lung fields, particularly the posterior side of both upper lung fields. He had worked in a mine for 18 years and had been exposed to silica for 5 of those years. We report incidentally found, unusual case of extrapulmonary silicosis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Middle Aged ; Silicon Dioxide ; Silicosis* ; Thorax