PURPOSE: This study was designed to explore the attitudes of physicians and nurses. METHOD: Attitudes were measured by using the korean version of the SADP(Scale of Attitudes toward the Disabled Persons : Choi, G. H., & Lam, C. S., 2000). A korean version SADP consist of 24-item, six-point Likert-type scale(the points are -3, -2, -1, +1, +2, +3, where -3 is disagree very much and +3 is Agree very much), measuring general attitudes toward people with disabilities. The sample included 90 physicians, 114 nurses at a university hospital in Busan. The data were collected using questionnaires, and were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean score, standard deviation, t-test and one-way ANOVA. RESULT: When studying the physicians group by itself, SADP scores tended to increase with women physicians, old age, married, higher educational level, more years of experience, medical unit. When studying the nurses group by itself, SADP scores tended to increase with the age of thirty, single, educational level, more years of experience, surgical unit. But not to a statistically significant degree. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the nurses had significantly higher score than the physicians(t=-4.63, p<.001). When studying the physicians group and the nurses group by itself, not to a statistically significant degree.
Busan ; Disabled Persons* ; Female ; Humans ; Physicians, Women ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Glutathione Transferase* ; Glutathione* ; Schistosoma japonicum* ; Schistosoma*

OBJECTIVES: Culture of sputum is apt to be contaminated through oral cavity and proximal airway. Therefore, identification of true etiologic agents by sputum culture is not always reliable. In order to differentiate the pulmonary infection from non-infectious disease and to identify the true etiologic agent of acute pulmonary infection, we used PSB(Protected Specimen Brushing) and evaluated the efficacy of PSB. METHODS: In 168 patients with acute febrile illness with pulmonary infiltrations(male 106, female: 61, mean age: 49.5+/-17.6), we performed PSB via a bronchoscope and compared the results along with blood culture and sputum culture. Protected specimen brush was introduced through biopsy channel of bronchoscope and was rotated within the purulent secretions. Tip of the brush was severed with aseptic technique and was immersed in 1cc of Ringer's lactate solution and vigorously mixed for 1 minute. The specimen was submitted for quantitative culture within 15 minutes and was regarded positive culture if colony forming units were above 10(3)/ml. RESULTS: Using PSB for the diagnosis of pulmonary infection, sensitivity was 71.1% and specificity was 84.296. PSB was helpful in identifing true etiologic agent among several potentially pathogenic organisms. Using PSB for the diagnosis of UAP (ventilator associated pneumonia), sensitivity was 72.4% and specificity was 100%. CONCLUSION: Use of PSB can be a helpful method for the diagnosis of pulmonary infection and identification of its etiologic agents.
Biopsy ; Bronchoscopes ; Diagnosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; Mouth ; Pneumonia ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sputum ; Stem Cells

OBJECTIVES: Nowadays, the multicultural families make up significant portion of Korean population and communities. Successful re-settling in a new country can be difficult, particularly when there are disparities in dietary behavior compared to home country. The objective of the study was to investigate the dietary behavior of marriage migrant women according to their nationality in multicultural families. METHODS: The primary research was conducted targeting 94 marriage migrant women who came from China (40.4%), Vietnam (26.6%), and other countries except for Japan (33.0%). We investigated their dietary behavior, such as eating attitude and food choice behavior for Korea acculturation. We also studied dietary behavior among 14 selected subjects who had high level of integration and assimilation acculturation patterns by administering the Focus Group Interview (FGI). RESULTS: The multicultural families had more integration acculturation patterns, which could have been influenced by their nationality. Vietnamese origin has the highest cultural adaptation as marginalization pattern. The common types of Korea acculturation were integration (3.03 +/- 1.08), separation (3.10 +/- 0.59), marginalization (3.10 +/- 0.58), followed by assimilation (2.84 +/- 0.51). There were significant differences in the four types of acculturation by marriage immigrant women's country of origin (p<0.05). According to dietary behavior, 'eliminating hunger' was the most important value in a meal. Chinese marriage migrant women, who had higher level of food intake attitude significantly, also considered 'being healthy' an important value. Regarding food choice behavior, Vietnamese had lowest frequency of homeland food intake. Most of marriage immigrant women were satisfied with the Korean food, and need for education was very high with interest for cooking, good nutrition, and managing their children's dietary life. CONCLUSIONS: Coping with a change in dietary behavior is one of the biggest transitional difficulties, and family members may need support to find their familiar food items and to continue their cultural food choice behavior in the local areas. Further researches with quantitative and qualitative analysis are needed to understand the effect of dietary behavior for acculturation in multicultural families.
Acculturation ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; China ; Choice Behavior ; Cooking ; Eating ; Education ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Ethnic Groups* ; Female ; Focus Groups ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Marriage* ; Meals ; Transients and Migrants* ; Vietnam

The gag encoded p24 protein of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) is a major constitutent of the viral core, and is also known as one of the most immunodominant antigens in the host immune response against the HIV-1. Based on the neutralizing ability of anti-p24 antibodies as well as their rapid appearance in human serum after viral infection, the development of vaccines and diagnostic tools targeting the p24 protein and anti-p24 antibodies is of great interest. For the characterization of the immunological properties of the HIV-1 p24 protein, in a previous study, putative B-cell epitopes were identified by screening the reactivity of a goat anti-p24 antiserum to a large array of overlapping synthetic peptides covering the whole p24 sequence. Four peptides were identified for their abilities to elicit a strong B-cell response, which sequences comprises the regions p24 (164-182), (202-221), (217-236) and (232-256), respectively. In the present study, the immunogenicity and differential properties of each of these individual epitopes were further characterized. To evaluate the time course of the antibody response, BALB/c mice were immunized with the HIV-1 p24 protein and their serum titers against each of these peptides were determined. The earliest immune response was observed against the p24 (202-221) peptide, which also showed the highest antibody titer against the immunized antigen. Furthermore,. enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with HIV-1 p24 protein coated microtiter plates revealed that anti-p24 (202-221) antiserum has the most pronounced reactivity against the native p24 protein. Since the p24 (202-221) epitope has also been reported to include a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte epitope, it is suggested that this region might represent a powerful antigenic site responsible for eliciting both T- and B-cell immune response. The possible application of this specific epitope in vaccine development or AIDS diagnosis is discussed.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Antibody Formation ; B-Lymphocytes ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epitopes* ; Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte ; Goats ; HIV* ; HIV-1 ; Humans ; Immunodominant Epitopes ; Mass Screening ; Mice ; Peptides* ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; Vaccines

No abstract available.
Anemia, Hypoplastic, Congenital*

BACKGROUND: Using c-fos expression one of the immediate early gene, as a marker of altered neuronal response, we investigated the effect of superior cervical ganglion block (SCGB) exhibiting the same effect of SGB of human on the activity of several brain regions which are considered as located on autonomic neural pathway and neuroendocrine axis in rat. METHOD: The 48 Sprague-Dawley strain rats were divided into 4 groups, as saline/stress (control) group, SCGB/stress (tested) group, saline group, SCGB group. Superior cervical ganglion block was conducted in the SCGB/stress group and SCGB group while saline/stress and saline group were sham operated. After then restraint stress was imposed on the animals of SCGB/stress group and saline/stress group. And 2 hour after injection (saline, SCGB group) or restraint stress (saline/stress, SCGB/stress group), c-fos protein (Fos) was localized by immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: Much stronger Fos immunoreactivity was induced in the several brain region of control group rats compared to other three groups and the numbers of Fos positive cell count of tested group were significantly decreased in paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (p<0.01), A5 (p<0.01), raphe pallidus (p<0.05), nucleus tractus solitaius (p<0.01) compared to control group. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrate that superior cervical ganglion block attenuates stress induced neuronal activities of paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, A5, raphe pallidus, nucleus tractus solitarius.
Animals ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Brain* ; Cell Count ; Genes, vif ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neural Pathways ; Neurons ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Solitary Nucleus ; Superior Cervical Ganglion*

We evaluate the psychosocial characteristics and primary reason for electing operation in myopic patients who were candidates for photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). The questionnaire data were collected on PRK patients and compared them with similar group of myopia. Most of the PHK patients were unmarried female in their twenties. The most striking demographic chracteristic of PRK sample was that the high proportion of them was highly educated office worker with high socioeconomic status. They were in possession of extroversive character rather than introversive one. They thought that their visual acuity was very serious, and preferred wearing contact lens for visual correction. The most important reason for undergoing PRK was avoiding inconveniences of contact lens or glasses. The other reasons were improving vision, improving appearance, and hoping to change life style with better vision. They were afraid of unpredictability of visual recovery and occurrence of complications, after operation, The results of this study may help analyze the factors that influence the success of PRK and patient's satisfaction.
Eyeglasses ; Female ; Glass ; Hope ; Humans ; Life Style ; Myopia ; Photorefractive Keratectomy* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Single Person ; Social Class ; Strikes, Employee ; Visual Acuity

Imipramine(Tofranil(R)) is one of the tricyclic antidepressants commonly used in depressive symptoms or enuresis. An accidental or nonaccidental poisoning of imipramine is common today. A 16 years old girl was admitted to Seoul National university Hospital because of unocnsciousness and frequent attacks of seizure after the impulsive ingestion of 1.4gm of imipramine. She showed variable arrhythmias such as complete RBBB, secod degree AV block and ventricular tachycardia and recovered from poisoning without residual myocardial damage. We present a case of imipramine poisoning with cardiac arrhythmias with review of literatures.
Adolescent ; Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Atrioventricular Block ; Depression ; Eating ; Enuresis ; Female ; Humans ; Imipramine ; Poisoning* ; Seizures ; Seoul ; Tachycardia, Ventricular

Cysticercosis is the most frequent parasitosis of the central nervous system. A considerable group of patients require surgical procedures, especially in cases of neural compression, intracranial hypertension, or epilepsy. Recently stereotactic endoscopic removal of small intraaxial lesions using a stereotactic guiding tube and a fine endoscope was reported. We tried to control the symptomatic neurocysticercosis using the stereotactic endoscopic system. Since the introduction of this styem, we had operated on 4 cases of neurocysticercosis. Enzyme linked immunoserological assay of cerebrospinal fluid(CSF ELISA), electroencephalogram(EEG), enhanced computerized tomogram(CT) and magnetic resonance image(MRI) were done. The result of CSF ELISA were positive in 3 patients, negative in 1 patients. All patients showed abnormal patterns of preoperative EEG. CT and MRI scans showed single intraparenchymal lesion in 2 cases, multiple intraventricular cysts with obstructive hydrocephalus in 1 case and mixed in 1 case. A ll patients showed seizures;partial sensory type in 3 cases who had reciprocal intraparenchymal lesions, generalized type in 1 case who had dobstructive hydrocephalus by multiple ventricular cysts. For parenchymal lesions, we planned stereotactic open system endoscopic surgery with variable forceps, laser, and suction. Cystic forms were removed successfully but solid forms needed additional transgyral microscopic removal. In intraventricular lesions, we first placed a stereotactic guiding tube via the frontal burr hole, then replaced this with a 14 Fr peel-away catheter. Through the peel-away catheter we inserted closed system endoscopy and removed the cysts with variable forceps and suction. All intraparenchymal and intraventricular lesions were removed without specific complications except one who showed transient chemical meningitis. After 6 months, seizure was improved in all patients:3 patients can stop their medication;1 patient can reduce the dosage of his medication. Stereotactic endoscopic surgery ma kes it possible to operate cystic lesions without degeneration(vesicular stage) wherever they ware located. We believe that it may be the first option for the treatment of intraventricular and intraparenchymal cerebral neurocysticercosis especially in the early stages of degeneration.
Catheters ; Central Nervous System ; Cysticercosis* ; Electroencephalography ; Endoscopes ; Endoscopy ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Intracranial Hypertension ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meningitis ; Methods ; Neurocysticercosis ; Seizures ; Suction ; Surgical Instruments