BACKGROUND: Many of the major life events that appear to affect biologic system and health occur within the context of the family and can have a profound psychosocial and biologic impact on family memebers. So, the present study attempted to examine the relations of family function with stressful life events, depression, and physical and psychological symptoms reported by patients. METHODS: Design : Cross sectional, observational study. Participants : 41 healthy adult males from a family medicine ambulatory care unit in a tertiary hospital located in Guro completed a series of psychometric instruments that include the Family APGAR(Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve), FACESIII(Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale), Modified 46-item Stressful Life Events Scale, Lee's 98 items Stressful Life Event Scale, Korean version of BEPSI(Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument) and BDI(Beck's Depression Inventory Scale). RESULTS: Family APGAR was negatively correlated with stress related life events(both in total and negative events, -0.30, -0.37, respectively; p<0.05) and BEPSI(-0.56; p<0.0001). No significant correlation could be found between family function and positive life events. Family APGAR also revealed significant negative correlation with BDI(-0.61; p<0.0001). Among the three family types, severe dysfunctional family demonstrated highest level of stressful life events score, perceived stress, and depression(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The higher the assessment of the family function(Family APGAR), the lower the level of stressful life events, perceived stress and depression. There, knowledge of the family function, stress, and coping could be useful to family physicians in the whole person approach of their patients.
Adult* ; Ambulatory Care ; Depression* ; Humans ; Male* ; Observational Study ; Physicians, Family ; Psychometrics ; Tertiary Care Centers

The giant intra-articular osteochondroma of the knee is very rare and is probably result of synovial metaplasia of the fibrous capsule or of the adjacent connencive tissue of a joint, and of the fragment of articular cartilage. The gross findings and histology are consistent with the osteochondroma. The authors experienced a case of giant intra-articular osteochondroma of the right knee in a 19 years old man who had history of knee injury when he was 16 years old. The mass was excised and the symptome was relieved.
Cartilage, Articular ; Joints ; Knee Injuries ; Knee ; Metaplasia ; Osteochondroma

Both idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and pulmonary involvement of collagen vascular disease(CVD) are well known cause of diffuse interstitial lung disease which lead to fibrosis and honeycombing. We analyzed HRCT findings of 33 patients with IPF and 14 patients with CVD in terms of predominant pattern, site of involvement, mediastinal lymph node enlargement, pleural change and pulmonary volume loss. Criteria of mediastinal lymph node enlargement and pleural thickening were 15mm in long diameter and 3mm, respectively. Volume loss of the lung was measured by using hilar height ratio (apex to hilum/hilum to diaphragmatic dome). Mean age was 61 years for IPF and 46 years for CVD and male: female ratio was 27:6, 4:10, respectively. Predominant HRCT pattern was honeycombing for IPF (63%), and ground-glass opacity for CVD (66%) (p=0.001). Predominantly, subpleural involvement was seen in 90% for IPF and 74% for CVD. Mediastinal lymph node enlargement was seen in 47% of the patient with IPF and 14% with CVD (p=0.004). pleural thickening was seen in 97% of the patients with IPF and 42% with CVD (P=0.002), Pleural effusion was seen in 10% of the patients with IPF and 36% with CVD (P=0.009). Hilar height ratio of more than 1.5 was seen in 84% of the patients with IPF and 29% with CVD. In conclusion, our study shows that patients with IPF are prone to have more progressed stage of pulmonary fibrosis than the patients with CVD on HRCT.
Collagen* ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis* ; Lung ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Pleural Effusion ; Pulmonary Fibrosis

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate difficulties in daily activities and tingling from patients having treatment of FOLFOX chemotherapy after colon resection. METHOD: This study included 103 patients hospitalized for FOLFOX chemotherapy in one of the university affiliated hospital from August 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009. Data were collected using the questionnaire comprised general symptoms, tingling, difficulties in daily activities and coping behavior. Using the SPSS 14.0 program, data analytic methods include Chi-Square test, ANOVA, Scheffe's test. RESULTS: The tingling sensation occurred in hands, feet, mouth, throat. Contacts with cold objects and the number of chemotherapy cycle worsen tingling sensation. Patients experienced difficulties in daily activities such as personal hygiene, kitchen work, eating cold food, sleeping cold, using fine motors like button up, writing, or using knife. The coping behavior included drinking warm water, sleeping warm, using gloves and socks, wearing comfortable shoes, massaging hands and getting help from supporters. CONCLUSION: An educational guideline for promoting coping behavior to relieve tingling sensation and difficulty in daily living in patients with FOLFOX chemotherapy is needed.
Activities of Daily Living ; Adaptation, Psychological ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Cold Temperature ; Colon ; Drinking ; Eating ; Fluorouracil ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Leucovorin ; Mouth ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; Pharynx ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sensation ; Shoes ; Writing

OBJECTIVE: Closure of a low transverse cesarean incision with one layer and two layer, we compared operative time, hemostasis, blood loss and postoperative sonohysteroperitoneographic findings. Study design: At our hospital 103 women were randomized to closure of a low transverse cesarean incision with either one continuous layer of a locking No. 1 chromic suture or two continuous of No. 1 chromic suture with the first layer locked between Mar. 1, 1998 and Dec. 31, 1998. After three months later, sonhysteroperitoneography was taken and then we evaluated uterus indirectly. RESULTS: A one layer closure required less operative time, 16 versus 20.8 minutes (p<0.01), less hemoglobin change, 0.44 versus 1.3 (p<0.01) and less suture materials (p<0.01). But postoperative follow up sonohysteroperitoneography, a one layer closure shows slightly thinning of isthmic layer of myometrium, two layer closure shows more adhesional band and both are similar other findings. CONCLUSION: A one layer does not significantly affect the clinical course than traditional two layer closure. So we recommended a one layer closure when its use is anatomically feasible.
Animals ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Mice ; Myometrium ; Operative Time ; Sutures ; Uterus

The microbial diversity in soil ecosystems is higher than in any other microbial ecosystem. The majority of soil microorganisms has not been characterized, because the dominant members have not been readily culturable on standard cultivation media; therefore, the soil ecosystem is a great reservoir for the discovery of novel microbial enzymes and bioactivities. The soil metagenome, the collective microbial genome, could be cloned and sequenced directly from soils to search for novel microbial resources. This review summarizes the microbial diversity in soils and the efforts to search for microbial resources from the soil metagenome, with more emphasis on the potential of bioprospecting metagenomics and recent discoveries.
Clone Cells ; Ecosystem ; Genome ; Metagenome ; Metagenomics ; Soil

No abstract available.
HLA-DR Antigens* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

Tsutsugamushi disease is an acute febrile disease caused by Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, and which has been reported with increasing frequency thorough the nation since 1986. We experienced 21 cases of Tsutsugamushi Disease diagnosed with serologic test occurring in Taegu city and Kyungpook province during October-November, 1989. The results of survey are as follow. 1) Of 21 cases, 12 (57%) were males and 9 (43%) were females, and the peak incidence was the 4th decade. 2) The outbreak was in October to November and the peak incidence was in October. 3) The most frequent symptoms were fever and chill (100%), myalgia (95%), headache (90%), Eschar and rash were observed in 18 patients (86%) and the eschar was detected in all over the body, especially thorax (33%) and lower extremity (22%). 4) Laboratory features were SGOT elevation (83%), SGPT elevation (61%), LDH elevation (67%), leukocytosis (38%). 5) Indirect immunofluorescent antibody test was done in 18 patients and the antibody titer was above 1:320 in all patients. 6) The chloramphenicol, tetracycline or doxycycline regimens were very effective and mean duration of defervescence from initiation of therapy was 1.3 days. 7) The complication such as meningitis or shock, was not seen.
Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Chloramphenicol ; Daegu ; Doxycycline ; Exanthema ; Female ; Fever ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Headache ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leukocytosis ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Meningitis ; Myalgia ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; Scrub Typhus* ; Serologic Tests* ; Shock ; Tetracycline ; Thorax

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the current status of hospital-based health promotion programs in Korea and to elucidate the factors which affect to the process of implementation. METHODS: We conducted a mail survey of all 875 hospitals in Korea from March to May 2001. In reference to 12 specific kinds of health promotion programs, hospital CEOs were asked whether their hospital have such programs, whether they are fully staffed and whether the program is paid for by the patients. Contextual factors(location, hospital type, number of beds, length of operation, public/private status, economic level of the community, the level of competition) and organizational factors (the extent of market, compatibility with vision, formalization), strategic types of the CEOs (defender/analyser/prospector) were also surveyed. The relationships between each variable and the implementation of health promotion services, activation of services, and the target groups(patient/community resident) were analyzed by univariate analysis and the independent effects of these variables were examined with multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: 106 of 125 hospitals responding (84.8%) had more than one health promotion program. However, they showed fluctuations in the adoption rate of each programs, meaning that comprehensive health promotion services were not provided. Many programs were not fully staffed and few hospitals had paid programs. In factors affecting health promotion service implementation, private hospitals showed a higher rate in implementation than public hospitals. In contrast, when the competition among nearby hospitals was intense, the level of implementation of service lowered. In the strategic type of the CEOs, the prospectors were shown to have instituted more health promotion programs in their hospitals and the analysers had a greater tendency to have programs for community residents than the defenders. CONCLUSION: Considering the above results, contextual factors may contribute greatly to the introduction of health promotion services in Korean hospital, although the CEO's personal preference and organizational factors play a larger role in the activation of services. Additionally, the CEO's personal preference may be the major influencing factor in the introduction of programs for community residents.
Chief Executive Officers, Hospital ; Health Promotion* ; Hospital Administration ; Hospitals, Private ; Hospitals, Public ; Humans ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Organizational Innovation ; Postal Service

PURPOSE: The purpose is to evaluate the CT or MRI findings to help in the differentiation between benign and malignant meningiomas. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The CT and MRI findings of 8 patients with surgically proven malignant meningioma were reviewed. Four cases of 8 malignant meningiomas and 18 cases of 27 benign lesions were studied with a 1.5T or 0.5T MRI. Radiologic analysis was focused on the heterogeneity of tumor, grade of peritumoral edema, presence of cystic degeneration and calcification, tumoral enhancement pattern, dural enhancement, and tumoral border. RESULT: Histologic types of malignant meningioma were meningotheliomatous (n=4), papillary(n=1), fibroblastic(n=l), angioblastic(n=l), and sarcomatous(n=l). Tumoral Heterogeneity was seen in 8 of 8 malignant lesions(100%) and 8 of 27 benign ones(30%). (p<0.01) Marked peritumoral edema was seen in 8 of 8 malignant lesions(100%) and 2 of 27 benign ones. (7.3%)(p<0.01) Most of malignant lesions(6 of 8 cases, 75%) showed ill defined border. Calcification was not present in malignant lesions in contrast with benign ones (14 of 27 cases, 52%). (p<0.05) No statistical significance was noted in cystic degeneration, dural tail like enhancement or tumoral enhancement pattern between malignant and benign meningiomas. MRI signal intensity of malignant meningiomas was homogeneously or heterogeneously hypointense on T1WI, heterogeneously isointense or hypointense on T2WI and heterogeneous or mixed on Gd-DTPA enhancement study. CONCLUSION: The CT or MRI findings such as heterogeneity, ill defined tumoral border, marked peritumoral edema, and absence of calcification may suggest the possibility of malignancy in meningioma.
Edema ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Meningioma* ; Population Characteristics