PURPOSE: The study was to examine the relationships between stress, ways of coping and burnout among family caregivers of cancer patients. METHODS: Data were collected by self-reported questionnaires from 207 family caregivers of cancer patients at one university hospital and one general hospital in Busan, Korea. The instruments included a Stress Scale, a Ways of Coping Scale and a Burnout Scale. The collected data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe's test, and Pearson's correlation coefficients with the SPSS WIN 19.0 program. RESULTS: Stress was found to have significant relationships with age, relation to the patient, education, monthly income, degree of care-giving, financial burden and activities of daily living of patient. In active coping, there were significant differences according to education and religion. Passive coping was significantly related to gender. In burnout, there were significant differences according to age, relation to the patient, education, occupational status, monthly income, degree of care-giving, financial burden and activities of daily living of patient. Stress and burnout showed a positive correlation, while there was a negative correlation between burnout and active coping. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that promoting active coping would better support family caregivers of cancer patients in managing burnout effectively.
Activities of Daily Living ; Caregivers ; Employment ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Korea ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the effect of music therapy as intervention on peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety of gynecologic cancer patients who were undergoing paclitaxel chemotherapy. METHODS: Hospitalized 62 patients were assigned to an experimental group (n=30) and a control group (n=33) in this quasi-experimental study. The experimental group participated in music therapy that includes listening, singing and song writing during 1 hour. The peripheral neuropathic pain, anxiety and depression were examined as pre-intervention evaluation by using pain scale, anxiety scale (20 questions) and depression scale (20 questions) in both groups. There were no further treatments for the control group while the experimental group involved in music therapy. The peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety were evaluated in both groups as post-intervention evaluation. RESULTS: Outcomes were verified through hypothesis testing. The level of peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety in the experimental group was decreased, compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: According to the study, music therapy is a beneficial intervention that reduces peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety in gynecologic cancer patients. These findings are encouraging and suggest that music therapy can be applied as an effective intervention for minimizing chemotherapy related symptoms.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Humans ; Music ; Music Therapy ; Neuralgia ; Paclitaxel ; Singing ; Writing

The hippocampus is a central area of the memory-related neural system. Combined immunohistochemistry against choline acetyl transferase and retrograde transneuronal labelling of the pseudorabies virus were used to identify cholinergic neurons in the central nervous system projecting to the hippocampal formation of the rat. Five to ten microL of Bartha strain of pseudorabies virus were injected into the dentate gyrus, CA1 and CA3 of the hippocampus of 20 Sprague Dawley rats using stereotaxic instrument. Forty eight to 96 hr after the injection, the brains were removed and the tissue sections were processed for double immunofluorescence procedure using polyclonal antibodies against pseudorabies virus or choline acetyl transferase. The double labelled neurons were distributed at several different nuclei and the labelling patterns of three different areas of the hippocampus were similar. These data suggests that the cholinergic innervation to the hippocampus were distributed in a transsynaptic manner throughout the whole brain area.
Animal ; Antibodies ; Choline O-Acetyltransferase/*analysis/immunology ; Cholinergic Fibers/*enzymology ; Herpesvirus 1, Suid/immunology ; Hippocampus/*cytology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Microinjections ; Neural Pathways ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Diabetic nephropathy is characterized by an expansion of the glomerular mesangium, caused by mesangial cell proliferation and an excessive accumulation of extracellar matrix (ECM) proteins, which eventually leading to glomerulosclerosis. TGF-beta1 was found to play an important role in the accumulation of ECM in the kidney. In this study, TGF-beta1 RNA interference was used as an effective therapeutic strategy. The inhibitory effect of TGF-beta1 small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) on the high glucose-induced overexpression of TGF-beta1 in rat mesangial ceys (RMCs). A high levels of glucose induces TGF-beta1 mRNA and protein, and TGF-beta1 siRNAs reduce the ability of high glucose to stimulate their expression. We also examined the inhibitory effect of TGF-beta1 siRNAs on the expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 and Collagen Type I which are down-regulators of TGF-beta1. The expression of TGF-beta1, PAI-1 and Collagen Type I was increased in RMCs that were stimulated by 30 mM glucose. TGF-beta1 siRNAs reduces high glucose-induced TGF-beta1, PAI-1, and Collagen Type I mRNA and protein expression in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that TGF-beta1 siRNAs effectively inhibits TGF-beta1 mRNA and protein expression in RMCs. These suggest that TGF-beta1 siRNAs through RNAi may be a useful tool for developing new therapeutic applications for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy.
Transforming Growth Factor beta1/*metabolism ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; RNA, Small Interfering/*metabolism ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Mesangial Cells/*metabolism ; Male ; Glucose/*metabolism ; Glomerular Mesangium/*metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Diabetic Nephropathies/pathology ; Collagen Type I/metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Cell Proliferation ; Animals

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship of work departments, carotid IMT, and plaque formation as predictors of cardiovascular disease in white-collar and blue-collar workers. METHOD: A total of 201 workers from a metal agricultural equipment manufacturing plant near Daegu were administered questionnaires to obtain information on their general characteristics, their work-related factors. In addition, the workers were given a clinical examination, which included a carotid artery ultrasonography. In total, 193 (96.0%) of questionnaires were completed and analyzed for this study. Multiple regression analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed on the data for analysis. RESULT: Blue-collar workers had thicker carotid artery IMT when compared to white-collar workers. After adjustment, the carotid IMT was affected by age, working department, hypertension, and diabetes; plaque formation was affected by age, hypertension, total cholesterol, and excessive drinking. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that carotid IMT is associated with working department. Therefore, we need to examine the effect that occupational health services has on cardiovascular disease, focusing on the characteristics of each department.
Atherosclerosis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Cholesterol ; Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Occupational Health Services ; Plants ; Questionnaires

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Malignant cells exhibit increased glycolytic metabolism, and in many cases increased glucose transporter gene expression. We studied the expression of the glucose transporters in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(CC). also, examined the usefulness of Glut-1 glucose transporter in the discrimination of HCC from CC. METHODS AND RESULTS: 23 HCC, 15 CC and 8 normal liver tissues were investigated immunohistochemically with Glut-1 glucose transporter. Immunostaning was regarded as positive when more than 5% of cells were stained. Among 38 liver tumor cases, Glut-1 was stained in 15(40%). in 2(9%) of 23 HCC and in 13(87%) of 15 CC were positive.(P=0.001) In HCC, underlying cirrhosis, 18(78%) were negative.(P=0.04) Other prognostic factors: histologic type, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis did not show any significant correlation. CONCLUSION: Differential diagnosis between HCC and CC could be made by Glut-1 glucose transporter expression
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Fibrosis ; Gene Expression ; Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative* ; Glucose* ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Metabolism ; Neoplasm Metastasis

Intracranial extra-axial cavernous hemangioma of the cavernous sinus is a very rare vascular malformation. It usually appears as a round non-encapsulated mass with well-defined borders, mimicking meningioma. We describe a case of cavernous hemangioma of the cavernous sinus, including the radiologic imaging findings, and also review the literature.
Brain Neoplasms ; Cavernous Sinus* ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Meningioma ; Vascular Malformations

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of MR imaging in the differential diagnosis of the underlying causes of early-stage acute renal failure (ARF) by comparing the MRI findings of experimentally-induced crescentic glomerulonephritis (CGN) and acute tubular necrosis (ATN) in rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Experimental CGN was induced by injecting anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody into six rabbits, and ATN by injecting glycerol solution into six rabbits. A normal control group of three rabbits was also used. Renal MR imaging (T1-and T2-weighted coronal images and dynamic MRI : DMRI) was performed the day before, and one, four, and seven days after the induction of CGN; and immediately before, and four, and eight hours, and one, four, and seven days after the induction of ATN. Sequential renal gun-biopsies and blood sampling (serum creatinine, sCr) were performed. Renal area, corticomedullary differentiation(CMD), and the passage of Gd-DTPA (pattern of dark band), as seen on MRI, were analyzed and correlated with serial change of sCr. RESULTS: In normal kidneys, CMD was clearly apparent on both T1- and T2-weighted images. DMRI demonstrated a progressively inwardly migrating dark band in the kidneys. CMD was relatively clearly demonstrated in the ATN group but less clearly identified in the CGN group. Renal size (area) and sCr gradually increased in both the CGN and ATN groups, and dark bands were moderately to poorly defined in both. CONCLUSION: We conclude that DMRI could be used to differentiate and evaluate disease processing and compromised renal function in cases of CGN and ATN. On T1- and T2-weighted images, CMD was relatively well preserved in the ATN group, but was less clear in the CGN group. These MRI findings may be helpful for differentiation of the underlying causes of early-stage ARF, particularly between CGN and ATN.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Animals ; Basement Membrane ; Creatinine ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Glycerol ; Kidney ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Necrosis* ; Rabbits*

PURPOSE: Metabolic syndrome (MS), characterized by obesity and insulin resistance, elicits risk factors such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and glucose intolerance with additive effects on atherosclerosis, leading to cardiovascular diseases. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of MS among overweight and obese adolescents and to investigate the impact of obesity on the cardiovascular system. METHODS: tal cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density-lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, high-density-lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured in the patients with a BMI of >85 percentile. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (BaPWV) and ankle brachial index were measured using Vascular Profiler (VP)-1000. RESULTS: MS was confirmed in 19.5% of the overweight and obese adolescents and 50.8% of the obese adolescents. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure, height, weight, fat mass, %fat, BMI, obesity index, and waist circumference were higher in the overweight and obese adolescents with MS. Moreover, the triglyceride, AST, ALT, and hs-CRP levels were higher, whereas HDL-cholesterol level was significantly lower in this group. The overweight and obese adolescents with MS showed shorter diastolic and systolic times, higher heart rate and BaPWV, and longer E-wave deceleration time by echocardiography. CONCLUSION: Overweight and obese adolescents showed characteristic MS features such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Thus, obese adolescents predisposed to MS should be provided early treatment for obesity.
Adolescent ; Alanine Transaminase ; Ankle Brachial Index ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Atherosclerosis ; Blood Pressure ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cardiovascular System ; Cholesterol ; Deceleration ; Glucose Intolerance ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Insulin Resistance ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Prevalence ; Pulse Wave Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Waist Circumference

The mammalian ovary has been known as receiving its innervation by sympathetic and sensory neurons of the peripheral nervous system from the brain. Recently, there were several functional reports that the vagus nerves were also regulating the ovarian function, but the vagus nerve had not been identified by clear morphological evidence. A viral transneuronal tracing technique has been used to demonstrate the morphological evidence for the central vagal involvement in ovarian innervation in brain areas. Bartha strain of pseudorabies virus injection was made into the ovary of Sprague Dawley rats. In experimental group, the vagus nerve of the same injection side was removed right after ovarian injection. At five days after initial injection, all the rats were sacrificed and brains were processed for immunohistochemistry. Several central nuclei including hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus showed strong bilateral positive labelings after unilateral injection in control rats, but the positive labelings were disappeared or decreased in several hypothalamic nuclei and nuclei of the vagus nerve. In conclusion, these results provide the morphological evidence that vagus nerve has neural connection to ovary and by which the central nervous system may maintains the state of ovulation and reproduction as a possible parasympathetic routes in mammals.
Animals ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Female ; Herpesvirus 1, Suid ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mammals ; Ovary ; Ovulation ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Peripheral Nervous System ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reproduction ; Sensory Receptor Cells ; Vagus Nerve