No abstract available.
Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Emergency Treatment* ; Humans

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy of percutaneous embolization of hypervascular VX-2 carcinoma in the retroorbital area of the rabbits using Histoacrylic Blue(N-butyl 2-cyanoacrylate, NBCA) and to establish as an experimental model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retroorbital VX-2 carcinoma was made in 10 rabbits by injection of carcioma cells. At 2 and 4 weeks following the tumor cell injection, carotid angiography was performed before and after percutaneous embolization using 50% NBCA diluted with Lipiodol. Doppler ultrasonography was also performed to evaluate the vascularity of the mass. Light microscopic examination was used to evaluate the effect of embolization on the tumor mass. RESULTS: Angiography following percutaneous embolization showed filling of embolic materials in the tumor beds. Ultrasonographic findings showed tumor necrosis and increased Doppler signal in the tumor. Histopathological examinations showed extensive necrosis of tumor cells with remaining viable cells surrounding the capillaries. There were no NBCA emboli in arterioles and capillaries of tumor beds in multiple sections. CONCLUSION: Since 50% diluted NBCA used as percutaneous embolus into the retroorbital VX-2 carcinoma dose not get into small blood vessels of tumor beds. using NBCA in lower concentration in the hypervascular tumor would be the next step to figure out its usefulness. This study also serves as an experimental model of percutaneous embolization of hypervascular tumor.
Angiography ; Arterioles ; Blood Vessels ; Capillaries ; Embolism ; Enbucrilate* ; Ethiodized Oil ; Models, Theoretical ; Necrosis ; Orbit* ; Rabbits* ; Ultrasonography, Doppler

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze factors affecting burnout among clinical nurses according to Positive Psychological Capital. METHODS: The study design was a descriptive survey and questionnaires were collected from 412 clinical nurses who worked in a general hospital in "J" city. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, independent t-test, One-way ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson Correlation, and hierarchical multiple regression. RESULTS: In Model individual characteristics accounted for 27.8% of the influence on burnout. In model II with the addition of the 4 factors; Self-efficacy, Hope, Resilience, Optimism, individual characteristics accounted for 48.5% of the influence on burnout. Optimism and Resilience of the Positive Psychological Capital sub-variables were statistically useful as factors influencing burnout. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that it is necessary to develop active human resource management and educational programs to decrease burnout and strengthen the Positive Psychological Capital of the nurses.
Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The purpose of this study was to describe outcome indicators of nursing education including critical thinking, professionalism, leadership, and communication and to evaluate differences among nursing programs and academic years. A descriptive research design was employed. A total of 454 students from four year baccalaureate (BS) nursing programs and two three-year associate degree (AD) programs consented to complete self-administered questionnaires. The variables were critical thinking, professionalism, leadership and communication. Descriptive statistics, chi2-test, t-tests, ANOVA, and the Tukey test were utilized for the data analysis. All the mean scores of the variables were above average for the test instruments utilized. Among the BS students, those in the upper classes tended to attain higher scores, but this tendency was not identified in AD students. There were significant differences between BS students and AD students for the mean scores of leadership and communication. These findings suggested the need for further research to define properties of nursing educational outcomes, and to develop standardized instruments for research replication and verification.
Education, Nursing ; Humans ; Korea ; Leadership ; Research Design ; Statistics as Topic ; Students, Nursing ; Thinking ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The corneas obtained from 38 donor eyeballs were examined whether corneal guttata was present or not by flat preparation(15 eyeballs) and scanning electron microscopy(23 eyeballs) in order to investigate the relationship between age and the incidence of corneal guttata. METHODS: The corneal endothelial cells with Descemet's membrane were prepared on slides flat and examined by light microscope. The surface of the corneal endothelial cells was examined by scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: The endothelial excrescences with pigment deposit were shown at the corneal periphery near the trabecular meshwork. The oval to round shaped corneal warts were isolated or confluent in shape. The corneal endothelial cells were variable in size. The cytoplasmic processes were observed on the surface of the bare Descemet's membrane. The fibrillar structure of the degenerating cytoplasm of the corneal endothelial cells over the corneal warts was shown with central pit. The fibrillar excrescences over Descemet's membrane was in banded structures. CONCLUSIONS: In normal cornea, corneal guttata was observed by flat preparation in all cases over 43 years. The endothelial edema was noted in two eyes combined with corneal guttata with the degeneration or loss of corneal endothelial cell.
Cornea ; Cytoplasm ; Descemet Membrane ; Edema ; Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Incidence ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Tissue Donors ; Trabecular Meshwork ; Warts

BACKGROUND: In Korea, the prevalence of leprosy and the number of new indigenous cases has fallen. With this reason, the diagnosis of leprosy is not as easy as in the past and it became more dependent of the histopathologic features by skin biopsy. OBJECT: The aim of this study was to document and analyze the clinical and histopathological features of leprosy in Korea. METHODS: We carried out the clinical and histopathological studies on 90 leprosy patients who visited the Institute of Leprosy Control during the period from Jan. 1998 to Aug. 2002. RESULTS: The results obtained were as follows; 1. Elongated granulomas which are frequently observed in the leprosy lesions, was not present in the 3 cases(18.7%) of T types, 2 cases(28.6%) of B types and 17 cases(27.9%) of L types of leprosy. 2. In the L type of leprosy, infiltration of foamy cells showed elongated(63.9%) or nodular(27.9%) patterns more than typical diffuse infiltrative pattern(8.2%). 3. Selective nerve involvement by lymphocytes was found in 2 cases of L types of leprosy. 4. In the B type and the L type leprosy, prominent nerve involvement and neural destruction was not found in 1 and 7 cases, respectively and sparse to mild infiltration of foamy cells was found in 71.4% and 34.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In the histopathological diagnosis of T type leprosy, elongated or even round granuloma, perineurial lymphocytic infiltration and nerve remnant in the granuloma was characteristic. As for L type of leprosy, we should know that in 1/3 cases, it can show only sparse to mild infiltration of foamy cells and there is no obvious nerve abnormalities. Therefore, these results suggest that many cases of leprosy can show atypical histopathological findings and we should take caution in the diagnosis of leprosy.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Korea ; Leprosy* ; Lymphocytes ; Prevalence ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Despite the direct and indirect harmfulness of tobacco smoking, its consumption increases after joining the army, which is a national duty in Korea. Therefore, a study was done on soldiers, who visited a military hospital for a certain period of time in order to reduce the amount of smoking, by investigating the pattern of tobacco smoking after joining the army and the influence of anti-tobacco education on smoking. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaires were performed on 800 soldiers who visited an army hospital in Seoul, Korea, from March to May 2002. This questionnaire asked information concerning general characteristics of population, smoking status, smoking amount, anti-tobacco education and sociodemographic characteristics. Excluding 26 of them, who answered insincerely, the data collected from 774 soldiers were analyzed using SPSS/PC. RESULTS: The subjects were total 774 soldiers and the distribution of age in 20 to 22 year-olds accounted for 88%. Among the total 540 (69.7%) have answered that they smoke at present. Among them, 53.6% have stated that they had started smoking in the high school years, 12.2% while in college and 7.2% after joining the army. For the motive of smoking curiosity accounted for 52.7%. Interestingly, 39 (15%) out of 252 non-smokers before enlistment had started smoking after joining the army and 21 (4%) out of 522 smokers before enlistment had quit it. In comparison of smoking amount before and after enlistment, increment was shown in 52.1%, reduction in 12% and no change in 35.9%. The most common reason for the increase in smoking amount was stress in 82.1% and that for reduction was caring for health in 65%. Among the subjects 68.6% have answered that they have had anti-tobacco education after joining the army, and among them 59.3% received it during recruit training and 39.5% after the troop disposition. CONCLUSION: The smoking rate of soldiers who visited a military hospital was high as 69.7%. It was found out that the number of smokers and daily smoking amount increased after enlistment. Therefore, specific measures such as anti-tobacco education or stress management schemes are necessary to induce the reduction of smoking rate in the army.
Education ; Exploratory Behavior ; Hospitals, Military* ; Humans ; Korea ; Military Personnel* ; Seoul ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Young Adult ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: To assess the value of 3 dimensional fourier transformation interference in steady state magnetin resonance imaging(3 DFT CISS1 MRI) in depicting the inner ear and vascular structures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using 3DFT CISS axial and coronal MRI scans of both ears with 17.1 msec/8.0 msec/50 degree(TR/TE/FA) and 0.9mm in nominal thickness, we studied 68 normal ears of 34 volunteers aged between 15 and 54 years. We assessed the visualization of the membranous labyrinth, and of cranial nerves VII and VIII in the inner ear canal. We analyzed the location of the vascular loop of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery in relation to cranial nerves VII and internal auditory canal. To define the three-dimensional images of the membranous labyrinth, MIP reconstruction of axial images was carried out. RESULTS: The very high signal of the intralabyrinth fluid enabled one hundred percent of the membranous labrynth to be seen. There was a lack of contrast between soft tissue and bone such as the facial nerve canal, vestibular aqueduct and canal of the subarcuate artery. In 25% of cases, the vascular loop was recognized in the porus acusticus, and in 6% of cases, inside the internal auditory canal. CONCLUSION: 3DFT CISS MRI is useful for determining the detailed anatomy of the inner ear and the nearby vascular loop. This special MR technique can be added as a routine protocol in the study of diseases of the inner ear.
Arteries ; Cranial Nerves ; Ear ; Ear, Inner* ; Facial Nerve ; Fourier Analysis ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Vestibular Aqueduct ; Volunteers

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of 2-D Cine PC (phase contrast) technique in visualizing the pattern and the site of abnormal CSF flow and to assess the effect of a third ventriculostomy in patients with hydrocephalus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of three normal controls and 13 patients with hydrocephalus, as shown on CT or MRI, and two patients who had undergone their third ventriculostomy. The technique was EKG-gated 2-D Cine PC MRI with velocity encoding 5cm/sec, TR 80msec, TE 12.3-15msec, and flip angle 15-60 degrees. Image quality was analyzed for variable sequences, and CSF flow was observed along the CSF flow pathway. We analyzed continuity and intensity of the CSF flow signal, and obstruction site and flow velocity degree were then defined. RESULTS: Systolic high and diastolic low signal intensity along the CSF flow-pathway, with normal asynchronicity and continuation, were clearly seen in normal controls. In three patients, there was obstruction at the ventricular level while others were either normal or showed a normal pattern with a weak signal. 'Normal' was defined as noncommunicating hydrocephalus and the latter as communicating hydrocephalus. In the two patients who had undergone ventriculostomy, a signal was in one case detected at the site of the third operation. CONCLUSION: A 2-D Cine PC CSF flow study enables us to see CSF flow signals noninvasively and to detect the site of obstruction of a CSF flow-pathway. It can therefore be useful for determining the application of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt and assessing the effect of a third ventriculostomy.
Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt ; Ventriculostomy

Double aortic arch is the most common type of symptomatic vascular ring. In most patients, the symptoms are manifested at birth or in early infancy. Double aortic arch usually has more severe symptoms than other types of complete vascular rings. We experienced one case of complete duplicated double aortic arch with left descending aorta and left patent ductus arteriosus. A one-day-old female neonate was transferred to our hospital because of mild dyspnea and stridor. She showed intractable CO2 retention and respiratory difficulty with time in spite of ventilator therapy. She died of respiratory failure 23 hours after birth. On autopsy, we found that the diameter of the vascular ring was 0.7cm in maximum extent. It was ovoid and contained trachea and esophagus. The trachea was flattened due to allowing 0.1x0.2cm. The compression level of the trachea was approximately 1cm from the tracheal bifurcation.
Aorta, Thoracic* ; Autopsy* ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Dyspnea ; Esophagus ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Parturition ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Respiratory Sounds ; Trachea ; Ventilators, Mechanical