PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a breastfeeding empowerment program and to investigate the effects of the breastfeeding empowerment program on self-efficacy, adaptation and continuation of breastfeeding for primiparous women. METHODS: The 5 session breastfeeding empowerment program was developed and a non-equivalent control group non-synchronized quasi-experiment design was used. Fifty-five participants were assigned to either the experimental group (n=27) or the control group (n=28). Effects were tested using repeated measures ANOVA and χ²-test. RESULTS: Scores for self-efficacy, adaptation and continuation of breastfeeding of in the experimental group after program were significantly higher than 1 week, 4 weeks, 8 weeks scores in control group. CONCLUSION: The effects of the breastfeeding empowerment program for elevating self-efficacy, adaptation and continuation of breastfeeding in primiparous women were validated. Therefore, this program can be recommended for vigorous use in clinical practice.
Breast Feeding* ; Female ; Humans ; Power (Psychology)* ; Self Efficacy

Detailed mechanism of uterine cervical cancer progression still remains unclear. Altered programmed cell death (apoptosis) and cellular proliferation are associated with the development of neoplasia. The authors investigated the expressions of bcl-2, which inhibit apoptosis, and caspase-3, which is involved in the induction of apoptosis and has been considered to be correlated with apoptosis, and proliferating activity according to the degree of malignancy in the squamous neoplasia of the uterine cervix. Correlation between bcl-2 and caspase-3 expression and proliferating activity was done. The materials were low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL, n=15), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL, n=15), microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma (n=15), and squamous cell carcinoma (n=15). Immunohistochemical stainings for bcl-2, caspase-3, and MIB-1 were done. bcl-2 and MIB-1 expressions were progressively increased in accordance with the increasing degree of malignancy, but caspase-3 immunoreactivity was higher in LSIL than invasive cancers. There was an inverse relationship between bcl-2 and caspase-3 expression, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. No significant correlation between MIB-1, bcl-2, and caspase-3 expressions was observed. These results suggest that an inhibition of apoptosis and the augmentation of proliferating activity of tumor cells might be separately involved in the development of the cervical squamous neoplasia.
Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Caspase 3* ; Cell Death ; Cell Proliferation ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

The effect of androgen in the development of the normal prostate and the evolution of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), and prostatic adenocarcinoma has been proven. In addition to androgen, estrogen and progesterone are also thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of BPH and carcinoma. However, their exact roles are not yet known because there is no conclusive evidence. Thirty cases of prostatic adenocarcinoma and 16 cases of BPH were studied. Immunohistochemical staining for estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) in epithelial and stromal cells, respectively was performed and the results were assessed semiquantitatively based on the number of positive cells per 100 total cells. Slides were scored as negative; less than 5% of cells, 1 ; 6~15% of cells, 2 ; 16~25% of cells, and 3 ; more than 26% of cells. The relationship between ER and PR expression and the patient's age, histologic grade, and clinical stage was evaluated in prostatic adenocarcinomas. ER was negative in epithelial and in stromal cells for all prostatic adenocarcinomas and BPH cases. The PR expression in epithelial cells and in stromal cells of BPH was noted in 15 (93.8%) and 16 (100.0%) out of 16, respectively. The PR expression of carcinoma cells and stromal cells in prostatic adenocarcinoma was found in 28 (93.3%) and 23 out of 30 (76.7%), respectively. The PR immunoreactivities of stromal cells around carcinoma were 3 in 18 cases, 2 in one case, and 1 in 4 cases, but those of epithelial and stromal cells of BPH and carcinoma cells of prostatic carcinoma were similar to each other with a value of 3 in most cases. The PR expression rate of stromal cells around carcinoma was significantly correlated with the patient's age (p=0.044), but not with histologic grade and clinical stage. In summary, estrogen does not have a direct effect on the biological behavior of BPH and prostatic adenocarcinoma, but progesterone appears to play a role in the pathogenesis of BPH and prostatic adenocarcinoma. Further studies should clarify the biological role of progesterone in the human prostate.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Epithelial Cells ; Estrogens* ; Humans ; Progesterone* ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Receptors, Progesterone* ; Stromal Cells

PURPOSE: Leptin, the product of the ob gene is primarily by adipose tissue but also by the human placenta. Leptin may also have a role as a regulator of fetal growth and development during normal pregnancy as well as in pregnancies associated with anomalous fetal growth. Our study aimed to discover whether or not leptin concentration in neonatal cord blood correlates with maternal disorder(preeclampsia, antenatal steroid). METHODS: Seventy newborns - twenty of preeclampsia, twenty of antenatal steroid treatment, ten of diabetes mellitus, twenty of neonatal asphyxia- and their mother were enrolled in this study. Gestational age, birth weight, length and placental weight were measured. Maternal age and weight were measured. Cord blood and maternal venous samples were collected and serum was separated and stored at -70dgreesC. Leptin was measured by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Neonatal cord leptin concentration was significantly elevated in infants whose mothers received antenatal steroid, preeclamptic mothers and diabetic mothers Also, neonatal cord leptin concentration was correlated with maternal serum leptin concentration in those maternal disorders. Cord blood leptin concentration in neonatal asphyxia group was significantly elevated, but wasn't significantly correlated with their maternal serum leptin concentration. CONCLUSION: Neonatal cord leptin concentration was significantly increased in mothers with preeclampsia, diabetes mellitus, and exposure of the antenatal steroid. We find that maternal disorders affected leptin concentration in cord blood, and that increased cord blood leptin in neonatal asphyxia was shown to be a product of fetus.
Adipose Tissue ; Asphyxia ; Birth Weight ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Fetal Blood* ; Fetal Development ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Leptin* ; Maternal Age ; Mothers ; Placenta ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Pregnancy ; Radioimmunoassay

PURPOSE: This purpose of this study was to identify the level of safe-handling of cytotoxic drugs and use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) among nurses at a regional cancer center in South Korea. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. The participants were 131 nurses who care for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Demographic information, safe-handling of cytotoxic drugs and use of PPE were collected using questionnaires from May 7 to 25, 2018. RESULTS: Response rate was 98.4%. The mean age of the nurses was 28.2±4.4 years and their clinical nursing experience was 4.34±3.93 years. The mean scores out of 5 for the participants' safe handling of cytotoxic drugs was 3.73± 0.43. In use of PPE, the mean score of wearing gloves, masks, and gowns were 3.89±.77, 3.06±1.04, and 2.34±0.98, respectively. The main reason for not wearing PPE was ‘too busy’ (62.8%). The level of safe-handling of cytotoxic drugs was not significantly different according to any variables, but the use of PPE was significantly different according to age (p=.021). CONCLUSION: The findings showed that nurses had exposure to cytotoxic drugs in the processes of preparation, administration, cleaning of spills, and handling of patient waste. Education programs and continuous monitoring are needed to improve the use of PPE among nurses and trigger the appropriate motivation for consistent personal protection.
Cancer Care Facilities ; Drug Therapy ; Education ; Humans ; Korea ; Masks ; Motivation ; Nursing ; Personal Protective Equipment*

Congenital self-healing reticulohistiocytosis (CSHRH) typically presents at birth or in the first few weeks of life as a widespread eruption of cutaneous red-brown papulonodules that resolve spontaneously without involvement of other organs. While multiple lesions are common, a solitary lesion is rare. We describe a solitary type of CSHRH in a full-term, male neonate. He had an erythematous papule with a yellowish crust on the left heel without any systemic symptoms. Four weeks later, the skin lesion had disappeared spontaneously.
Heel ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Parturition ; Skin

PURPOSE:To describe the features of displaced bucket-handle tears of the menisci on magnetic resonance (MR) images and to assess associated knee injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed coronal and sagittal MR images in 21 bucket-handle tears. The subjects were patients who had underwent preoperative MR evaluations of the knee and were identified from the arthroscopic surgical records as bucket-handle tear. We also described patterns of associated injuries. RESULTS:On coronal MR images, (a) in all cases, peripheral portion of the meniscus(bucket) had the appearance of a truncated or altered wedge;(b) central fragments(handle) were observed to be sitting in the intercondylar notch(16 cases) or located between the fernoral condyle and tibial plateau (5 cases). On sequential sagittal MR images, (c) the bow-tie appearance of the body of the meniscus was not seen (13 cases);(d) the bow-tie appearance of the displaced inner fragment was seen at the intercondylar notch level (9 cases);(e) "double posterior cruciate ligament" sign was presented (7 cases). Associated joint abnormalities included anterior cruciate ligament tears(l 1), contralateral meniscal tears(l 1), posterior cruciate ligament tears(3), medial collateral ligament tears(3), osteoarthritis(1), and Baker's cyst(l). CONCLUSION:Awareness of these characteristic MR findings(a-e) may increase the sensitivity of MR imaging in the diagnosis of displaced bucket-handle tears, and the MRI may be helpful to correctly characterize the displaced fragment and patterns of associated injury, providing arthroscopists a guide to appropriate surgical plans.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Collateral Ligaments ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee ; Knee Injuries ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVES: Hepatotoxicity of acetaminophen has been widely studied. However, the adverse effects on the heart have not been sufficiently evaluated. This study was performed to investigate cytotoxicity and alterations of gene expression in cultured cardiomyocytes (H9C2 cells) after exposure to acetaminophen. METHODS: H9C2 cells were incubated in a 10 mM concentration of acetaminophen for the designated times (6, 12, and 24 hours), and cytotoxicity was determined by the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method. Alteration of gene expression was observed by microarray analysis, and RT-PCR was performed for the three representative oxidative stress-related genes at 24 hours after treatment. RESULTS: It revealed that acetaminophen was toxic to cardiomyocytes, and numerous critical genes were affected. Induced genes included those associated with oxidative stress, DNA damage, and apoptosis. Repressed genes included those associated with cell proliferation, myocardial contraction, and cell shape control. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide the evidences of acetaminophen-induced cytotoxicity and changes in gene expression in cultured cardiomyocytes of H9C2 cells.
Acetaminophen ; Apoptosis ; Benzeneacetamides ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Shape ; DNA Damage ; Gene Expression ; Heart ; Microarray Analysis ; Myocardial Contraction ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; Oxidative Stress ; Piperidones

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety are common psychiatric symptoms in patients with epilepsy, exerting a profound negative effect on health-related quality of life. Several issues, however, pertaining to their association with psychosocial, seizure-related and medication factors, remain controversial. In the present study we have investigated the association of depression and anxiety with various demographic and seizure-related variables in patients with newly-diagnosed and chronic epilepsy. METHODS: We investigated 80 patients with epilepsy (46.3% males, mean age 36.1+/-11.4 years, range 18~64; mean disease duration, 13.4+/-12.2 years). Depression and anxiety were assessed in the interictal state with the Beck Depression Inventory, 21-item version (BDI-21) and the state and trait subscales of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S and STAI-T), respectively. The association of depression and anxiety with various variables was investigated using univariate analyses and multiple linear regression analyses. RESULTS: Duration of epilepsy, the number of side effects and the number of GABAergic anti-epileptic drugs were correlated with depression, together accounting for 25.1% of the variation of the BDI-21. The STAI-S index was significantly associated with occupation status and the number of GABAergic anti-epileptic drugs accounting for 27.4% of the variation of the STAI-S. Finally, the number of side effects was correlated with trait anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that the duration of epilepsy, occupation status, GABAergic anti-epileptic drugs and the number of side effects are risk factors for the development of depression and/or anxiety.
Accounting ; Anxiety ; Depression ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Male ; Occupations ; Quality of Life ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the communication styles and nursing service satisfaction of clinical research nurses perceived by clinical subjects. METHODS: The data were collected with self-administrated questionnaires after receiving consents from 200 clinical trial subjects. The data were analysed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression analysis using SPSS 21.0 statistic program. RESULTS: Clinical subjects perceived that clinical research nurses used the informative, affective, and non-authoritative communication styles. The study identified factors influencing the nursing service satisfaction, and they were the informative communication styles (β=.34, p<.001) and affective communication styles (β=.35, p<.001, R2=37%) by multiple linear regression. CONCLUSION: If educational programs on communication are developed to help clinical research nurses use the informative and affective communication styles according to the characteristics of subjects and applied to the field of practice, they will be able to increase the nursing service satisfaction and contribute to the higher quality of clinical trials.
Linear Models ; Nursing Services* ; Nursing*