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

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge and practice level of infection managements in child guardians with respiratory infections after H1N1 diffusion of 2009. METHODS: The data were collected during February and March 2010 using a self-report questionnaire. The participants were 228 child guardians. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, means, SD, t-test, F-test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and Cronbach's alpha with the SPSS 17.0 program. RESULTS: Mean age of the guardians and children were 37.8 years, 4.1 years respectively. For knowledge level of respiratory infections, hand washing method had the highest score and snuffles prevention method, the lowest. For practice level for respiratory infections, environmental hygiene management had the highest score and symptom management, the lowest. Infection management knowledge and practice level had a positively significant correlation in every area. CONCLUSION: The results indicate the necessity of continual education on infection management, and that the most efficient timing for the education appears be for participants during their first pregnancy or after the woman has delivered her child.
Child ; Compliance ; Diffusion ; Female ; Hand Disinfection ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Legal Guardians ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Child Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The study was to examine the effects of the individual education about chemotherapy for cancer patients as well as their family who are receiving the first chemotherapy on self-care knowledge, self-care performance, family support, and anxiety level. METHODS: A non-equivalent control group was used in this interventional study. A total of 50 patients with cancer aged above 19 in the K university hospital, Seoul, Korea, participated in the study (Experimental group: n=25, Control group: n=25). The education about chemotherapy was offered one week after hospital discharge, which was followed by telephone counseling Data were analyzed by the SPSS/WIN 20.0 program using percentage, frequency, mean, standard deviation, x2 test, and independent t-test. RESULTS: The experimental group showed a significantly better self-care knowledge (t=4.094, p < .001), self-care performance (t=3.532, p=001), family support (t=2.170, p=.035), and anxiety control (t=4.780, p < .001) than the control group. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the individual education should be considered for cancer patients and their family in the clinical fields.
Anxiety ; Counseling ; Drug Therapy ; Education ; Humans ; Korea ; Self Care ; Seoul ; Telephone

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of medical staffing level as bed-to-medical staff ratio on patient outcomes as length of stay (LOS) among hospitals in Korea. METHODS: Two hundred and fifty one hospitals participated in the study between January and March 2008. Data for the study was requested by an electronic data interchange from the Health Insurance Review Agency in 2008. In data analysis, SPSS WIN 15.0 program was utilized for descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression. RESULTS: The mean score for length of stay was 13.6 days. The mean of operating bed-to-nurse ratio was 7.93:1. The predicting factors for LOS were bed-to-nurse's aide ratio, bed-to doctor's ratio, severely ill patient rate, and hospital type. These factors explained 28.9% of the variance in patient outcomes. CONCLUSION: This study results indicate that the relationship between medical staffing level and patient outcomes is important in the improvement of the quality of patient care. Thus, improvements in the quality of the nurse practice environment could improve patient outcomes for hospitalized patients.
Electronics ; Electrons ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Length of Stay ; Patient Care ; Statistics as Topic

Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) involves the occurrence of a thin or absent pituitary stalk, hypoplasia of the adenohypophysis, and ectopic neurohypophysis. Diagnosis is confirmed using magnetic resonance imaging. Patients with PSIS have a variable degree of pituitary hormone deficiency and a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. The clinical course of the disease in our patient is similar to that of a syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion. This is thought to be caused by failure in the suppression of vasopressin secretion due to hypocortisolism. To the best of our knowledge, there is no case report of a patient with PSIS presenting with hyponatremia as the first symptom in Korean children. Herein, we report a patient with PSIS presenting severe recurrent hyponatremia as the first symptom, during adolescence and explain the pathophysiology of hyponatremia with secondary adrenal insufficiency.
Adolescent ; Adrenal Insufficiency* ; Child ; Delayed Diagnosis* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hyponatremia* ; Hypopituitarism ; Inappropriate ADH Syndrome ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pituitary Gland* ; Pituitary Gland, Anterior ; Pituitary Gland, Posterior ; Vasopressins

To evaluate the differentiation status of smooth muscle in gastric stromal tumors which were negative for S-100 protein, immunohistochemistry using desmin, actin, myosin and vimentin was performed in 14 cases of gastric smooth muscle tumors. Ultrastructural Examination was also performed. For comparison a case of leiomyoma of the esophagus, a case of the sigmoid colon, 10 cases of the uterus were also examined. The results obtained were as follows. All gastric smooth muscle tumors showed vimentin-positivity. Six of 14 gastric smooth muscle tumors, (5 of 8 leiomyoma and 1 of 4 leiomyosarcoma) showed positivity for desmin, actin, and myosin(42.9%). All esophageal, colonic, and uterine leiomyomas showed diffuse positive reaction for desmin, actin, and myosin. Vimentin positivity was also noted in leiomyoma of the colon and uterus. Ultrastructurally, a few cells in the gastric stromal tumors had scattered microfilaments with dense bodies, subplasmalemmal dense plaques, and micropinocytic vesicles. However, most of the tumor cells did not have any of the ultrastructural features of smooth muscle differentiation. Leiomyomas of the esophagus and uterus showed many cytoplasmic microfilaments with dense bodies. These results suggest that most of the benign and malignant tumor cells of gastric stromal tumors have features of the undifferentiated cells, immunohistochemically as well as ultrastructurally, although a few cells have. It is speculated that most gastric stromal tumors may have lost their smooth muscle differentiation.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of using a Coaching Program on Comprehensive Lifestyle Modification with pregnant women who have gestational diabetes. METHODS: The research design for this study was a non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental study. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes were recruited from D women's hospital located in Gyeonggi Province from April to October, 2013. Participants in this study were 34 for the control group and 34 for the experimental group. The experimental group participated in the Coaching Program on Comprehensive Lifestyle Modification. The program consisted of education, small group coaching and telephone coaching over 4weeks. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 21.0 program. RESULTS: There were significant improvements in self-care behavior, and decreases in depression, fasting blood sugar and HbA1C in the experimental group compared to the control group. However, no significant differences were found between the two groups for knowledge of gestational diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSION: The Coaching Program on Comprehensive Lifestyle Modification used in this study was found to be effective in improving self-care behavior and reducing depression, fasting blood sugar and HbA1C, and is recommended for use in clinical practice as an effective nursing intervention for pregnant women with gestational diabetes.
Adult ; Behavior Therapy ; Blood Glucose/analysis ; Depression ; Diabetes, Gestational/*prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Knowledge ; Life Style ; Patient Education as Topic ; Pregnancy ; *Program Evaluation ; Questionnaires ; Self Care ; Telephone

Gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus(CMV) infection in adults is observed as a part of a generalized or localized infection in patients who are immunocompromized. We report a case of CMV infection of the small intestine. The patient is a 34 year-old woman who has complained of palpable purpura in the lower extremities and buttocks, and arthralgia of large joints. The skin biopsy showed fibrinoid necrosis and neutrophils with leukocytoclasis, which findings are compatible with hypersensitivity angiitis. The patient received steroid and cyclophosphamide. During the follow-up period, generalized edema and bloody stool were detected. Resected specimen of small bowel has multiple aphthous ulcer. Microscopically, cytomegalic cells are observed along the endothelial cells and mesenchymal cells. In situ hybridization using DNA probes against CMV revealed positive staining in the cytomegalic inclusions in vascular endothelial and mesenchymal cells.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Biopsy

Immunohistochemical staining on paraffin sections for S-100 protein improved diagnostic accuracy for melanocytic tumor. But specificity of S-100 protein in the diagnosis of melanocytic tumor is very low, because S-100 protein was also expressed in neurogenic tumor and salivary gland tumor. To investigate a specific tumor marker for the malignant melanoma, immunohistochemical staining for HMB-45 and S-100 protein was performed on the paraffin sections of 25 cases of malignant melanoma and 46 cases of nevi. Positive reaction for HMB-45 and S-100 protein was diffusely identified in the cytoplasm of tumor cells. Positive ratio for HMB-45 was 100% in malignant melanoma, 92% in junctional component of compound nevus and 0% in intradermal nevus. Positive ratio for S-100 protein was 92% in malignant melanoma, 100% in compound nevus and 100% in intradermal nevus. The sensitivity and specificity for HMB-45 in malignant melanoma were 100%, but those for S-100 protein were 92% in sensitivity and 86.7% in specificity. These results indicate that HMB-45 has a high sensitivity and specificity for malignant melanoma cells and it can be quite useful for the histopathological diagnosis of malignant melanoma.
Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tumor Markers, Biological

Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) is known as one of the factors essential for osteoclast development. In the present study, we examined effects of M-CSF on the apoptotic pathway of osteoclast precursors and their underlying molecular mechanisms. Osteoclast precursors underwent apoptosis in the absence of M-CSF, even in the presence of receptor activator of NF-kB ligand (RANKL). Active caspase-3 and -9 were detected in the osteoclast precursors and treatments of precursors with their specific inhibitors (Z- DEVD-FMK and Z-LEHD-FMK) decreased the apoptosis. M-CSF decreased apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner with decreasing in active caspases-3 and -9 levels and up-regulating Bcl-XL. Those effects of M-CSF on inhibiting apoptosis of osteoclasts precursor by regulating anti-apoptotic signals was more effective when combined with RANKL. These results demonstrate that M-CSF acts as a survival factor for the osteoclast precursors. Furthermore, it is believed that the apoptosis of osteoclast precursors may be involved in the activation of caspase-9 and that M-CSF may promote their survival through Bcl-XL-induced inhibition of caspase-9 activation.
Animals ; Apoptosis/drug effects/physiology ; Carrier Proteins/pharmacology ; Caspases/antagonists & inhibitors/drug effects/metabolism ; Cell Survival/drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/pharmacology ; Enzyme Activation/drug effects ; Female ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor/*pharmacology ; Membrane Glycoproteins/pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Oligopeptides/pharmacology ; Osteoclasts/*cytology/drug effects ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/drug effects/*metabolism ; Stem Cells/cytology/*drug effects ; Up-Regulation