We have studied the genetic differences among four isolates of Trichinella including a new strain of Trichinella spiralis (ISS 623) recently found from a human case who took a badger in Korea. Because they have a different host origin and came from geographically separated regions, we supposed the genetic pattern of the isolates might be different as had been previously reported. It was analysed by PCR-RFLP analysis of the rDNA repeat that can readily distinguish a species or strain from others. Isolated genomic DNA of each isolate of Trichinella larvae was amplified with ITS1 specific primers and digested with restriction endonucleases. The PCR product of ITS1 was confirmed using Southern blot analysis to be a 910 bp fragment. The restriction fragments of each isolate had variable patterns when it was digested with Rsa 1 only. According to the RFLP patterns, the estimated genetic divergence between each isolate was different. In conclusion, four isolates of Trichinella including a new strain of T. spiralis obtained from a Korean patient may have genetic differences in the ITS1 region and the Shanghai isolate was genetically more similar to the Japanese unknown isolate than others in the ITS1 region.
Animals ; *DNA, Helminth ; *DNA, Ribosomal ; Human ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid ; Trichinella spiralis/*genetics/isolation & purification

The purpose of this research was to determine whether or not a education program of low back pain would have beneficial effect on nurses. Nonequivalent control group pre-post test research was designed. Subjects for this study were 50 selected from nurses who work at a general hospital in Taegu. Of them, twenty seven were assigned to experimental group, twenty-three to control group. The data were collected during the period from June 27 to August 31, 1994. The instruments used in this study were Visual Analog Scale for low back pain, Sit-and-reach test for trunk flexibility, and 1 min sit up test for abdominal muscle endurance. Data related to general characteristics and factors of low back pain were collected with questionnaire developed by this researcher. The data were analyzed by X2-test, t-test and paired t-test, using the SAS package program. The results of this study are summarized as follows : 1. The numbers of the experimental group with low back pain were not a statistically significant difference from pre to posttesting(X2=0.77, p=.379), and the numbers of the control group with low back pain were also not a statistically significant difference from pre to posttesting(X2=0.09, p=.767). 2. The severity of low back pain of the experimental group was not a statistically significant difference from pre to posttesting(t=-0.55, p=.5857), and the severity of low back pain of the control group was also not a statistically significant difference from pre to posttesting(t=-0.70, p=.3101). 3. The trunk flexibility of the experimental group was not a statistically significant difference from pre to posttesting(t=1.08, p=.2835), and the control group's trunk flexibility was also not a statistically significant difference from pre to posttesting(t=0.85, p=.4026). 4. The abdominal muscle endurance of the experimental group was a statistically significant difference from pre to posttesting(t=-2.42, p=.0190), but the control group's abdominal muscle endurance was not a statistically significant difference from pre to posttesting(t=-0.06, p=.9556). This study suggest that replication of study with more sample and more rigid treatment should be needed. And furthermore, the longitudinal research is needed to determine the effectiveness of education program.
Abdominal Muscles ; Back Pain ; Daegu ; Education* ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Hospitals, General* ; Low Back Pain* ; Pliability ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Visual Analog Scale

Air pollution in the traffic areas in Seoul during the winter season was studied. The average level of sulfur dioxide concentration was 0.24 ppm through the day. Lowest was 0.14 ppm at 2~4 P.M. when the highest vertical temperature gradient was indicated, and 0.33~0.29 ppm during 10 P.M. to 8 A.M. at night. Average level of dust was 4.65 mppcf (2.1~12.8 mppcf) and higher levels were shown at 10 A.M., 6 P.M. and 10 P.M. as 5.44, 4.73 and 5.01 mppcf respectively. The noise level in the main traffic areas was 73.5 db in the average during this survey, 75.1 db in the daytime and 65.6 db in the night (11 P.M. ~7 A.M.) in the average. Various air pollutants in auto-exhaust gases and noise of automobiles were studied, since those are main sources of nuisance in the traffic areas. Carbon monoxide in the "Corona" taxi, formaldehyde in the jeep, and carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and sulfur dioxide in the "Senara" taxi were measured respectively in high concentration and there was no significant difference in other gases among the various type of vehides. As regards average Overall noise level at ordinary driving speeds, heavy vehicles emitted much more noise (30 KPH) (82.2~83.5 db) than light vehicles such as taxi (40~5O KPH) (71.5-80.2 db). The noise level when starting heavy vehicles was higher 88.5 db(94.2 phon) on the average and that of light vehicles was lower 69.4 db (76.2 phon). There were two types of automobile horn noise in the octave band; one was in 1,000 cps and the other 2,000~4,000cps. The average horn noise level of automobiles was 98 db (107.8 phon), with 106 db (11.05 phon) maximum and 88.8db (99.5 phon) minimum. In the epidemiological study of CO poisoning in urban areas, there were 260 deaths out of 532 patients in 201 incidents of poisoning occurring on a total of 128 days during January 1964 to Dec. 1966. The concentration of co in the main living rooms and kitchens was detected as 58 and 112 ppm respectively, and the level of carboxyl-hemoglobin in the blood of housewives was relatively high, 11.2% on the average. In outside air maximal concentration of CO was 80 ppm in Shinchon-Dong an urban area.
*Air Pollution ; Korea ; *Noise

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of oral care education on knowledge, attitudes & behavior of caregivers in oral care and oral hygiene for residents in nursing homes. METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study, the intervention group (n=27) of residents received oral care from intervention group caregivers (n=28) who had received 6 weeks of oral care education. The control group (n=27) of residents received usual oral care from control group caregivers (n=26). Data on knowledge, attitude, and behavioral change in oral health care by the caregivers and plaque index & halitosis of the residents were collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 16.0. RESULTS: 1) Scores on caregivers' knowledge (p<.001) and behavior (p<.001) for oral care were higher in the intervention group 6 and 12 weeks. The caregivers' attitude (p<.001) score for oral care was higher in the intervention group 12 weeks. 2) The plaque index (p=.004) and halitosis (p=.002) of the nursing home residents were lower in the intervention group than the control group at 6 and 12 weeks. CONCLUSION: Oral care education programs for caregivers are effective in improving the oral hygiene of elderly residents in nursing homes through enhancement of caregivers' knowledge, attitude, and behavioral change.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Attitude of Health Personnel ; Caregivers/*education ; Dental Care ; Dental Plaque Index ; Female ; Health Education, Dental/*standards ; *Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nursing Homes ; Oral Hygiene/*nursing ; Program Evaluation

PURPOSE: The study was done to investigate the effects of an exercise program on body composition, cardiopulmonary function and physical fitness in obese children. METHODS: Thirty nine children in grades 4, 5, and 6 in elementary school were employed: experimental group(20) and control group(19). The subjects in the experimental group participated in an exercise program for 8weeks, thirty five minutes per session, four times per week. This data was analyzed by ANCOVA and paired t-test. RESULT: The Height(F=2.615, p=0.027) of the experimental group was significantly different from the control group. Also, in the experimental group, there were significant differences of height(t=4.79, p=0.000), cardiac rate(t=-6.461, p=0.000), body mass index(t=-2.13 p=0.046), muscle strength(t=3.48, p=0.003), and muscle endurance(t=3.20, p=0.005). Otherwise, in the control group, there were significant differences of weight(t=2.27, p=0.036), waist-hip ratio(t=3.16, p=0.005), and muscle endurance(t=-2.38, p=0.030). CONCLUSION: Jumping rope improved the body composition, cardiopulmonary function, and physical fitness for obese children.
Blood Pressure ; *Body Composition ; Child ; *Exercise Therapy ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity/*therapy ; *Physical Fitness

PURPOSE: This study attempted to adapt evidence-based oral health care guidelines for nursing home residents in South Korea. METHODS: The manual for guideline adaptation, version 2.0, developed by the Korean National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency was applied. On the basis of a comprehensive literature review of current research and multidisciplinary panel discussion on adapting such guidelines, we developed evidence-based guidelines for oral health at nursing homes. RESULTS: The guidelines have three domains: oral assessment, oral hygiene care, and support and facilities. Oral assessment includes recommendations on the frequency of and tools for conducting oral health assessment. Oral hygiene care involves recommendations for care of natural teeth, denture care, xerostomia, and behavioral problems. Support and facilities refer to six components of the support system provided by facilities to encourage oral hygiene care among nursing home residents. CONCLUSION: These adapted guidelines could be an effective method to improve oral hygiene among nursing home residents.
Delivery of Health Care ; Dentures ; Korea* ; Nursing Homes* ; Nursing* ; Oral Health* ; Oral Hygiene ; Tooth ; Xerostomia

Cystic parathyroid adenoma is one of the rare causes of hyperparathyroidism, and is usually located in neck and mediastinum. This type of adenoma tends to cause increased serum level of parathyroid hormone and alkaline phosphatase, similar serum calcium level when compared to those of solid adenoma. Thanks to current radioimmunoassay and easy accessibility to serum autoanalyzer, serum calcium level and parathyroid hormone level are more easily measured, which in turn lead to more easier diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism. Also improvement in imaging and nuclear diagnostic method of parathyroid lesion are suggested to enable easy diagnosis of cystic parathyroid adenoma. A 35-year-old male presented with easy fatigability for 12 months. The serum calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphotase were 11.5mg/dL, 1.4mg/dL, 194IU/L respectively and his parathyroid hormone level in serum was 126.42pg/mL. Neck CT showed enlargement of right lobe of thyroid gland with well defined inhomogenously enhanced density inside the right thyroid gland. The patient was diagnosed of hyperparathyroidim due to parathyroid adenoma and was surgically removed. The surgical biopsy showed cystic parathyroid adenoma. After operation his general condition was improved and serum calcium, phosphate, parathyroid hormone level were normalizd. We report a case of hyperparathyroidism caused by cystic parathyroid adenoma with brief review of literature.
Adenoma ; Adult ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Biopsy ; Calcium ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hyperparathyroidism* ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Neck ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Parathyroid Neoplasms* ; Radioimmunoassay ; Thyroid Gland

PURPOSE: This study was performed to understand the perceived importance and performance frequencies of nursing interventions and identify the core and major interventions in oncology units. METHODS: Questionnaires using 151 nursing interventions were given to 45 nurses. The performance frequency was measured through the database of the nursing process recording system for 1 year. RESULTS: The perceived importance of the nursing interventions averaged out to be 3.5 among 4 and on average 36.5 times of nursing interventions were performed on each patient. Fifteen core nursing interventions including 'pain management' were identified and they made up 82.7% of the entire performance frequency rate. And 26 interventions including 'drug administration: Amphotericin-B' were identified as major nursing interventions and occupied 10.6% of the entire performance frequency rate. CONCLUSION: Since the core and the major nursing interventions were identified and these occupied 93.3% of the all nursing interventions, these results can be utilized as baseline data for establishing the guidelines and standards of nursing interventions and providing systematic education for oncology nurses in Korea.
Education ; Humans ; Korea ; Nursing Process ; Nursing* ; Oncology Nursing ; Tertiary Care Centers* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study examined Korean clinical nurses' intentions to care for SARS patients and identify determinants of the intentions. Theory of planned behavior was the framework to explain the intentions of Korean nurses for SARS patients care. METHODS: A convenient sample of six hundreds and seventy nine clinical nurses from four university-affiliated hospitals located in Seoul and in Kyung-gi province was used. Self-administered (83-items) questionnaire was used to collect data. Intentions, attitude, subjective norm, perceive behavioral control, behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs were the study variables. All items were measured using 7-point Likert scale (-3 to +3). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation method, and stepwise multiple regression methods. RESULTS: Intentions and attitudes toward SARS patient care among Korean clinical nurses were moderate, but their subjective norm and perceive behavioral control of SARS patients care were negative. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that attitude toward SARS patient care, perceived behavioral control, subjective norm were the determinants of the intentions for SARS patients care as theory proposed. Among the behavioral beliefs, "SARS-patient caring would be a new experience", "during SARS-patient caring, I should be apart from my family", "after completing SARS-patient caring, I would be proud of myself being able to cope with a stressful event" and "with my SARS-patient caring, patients could recover from SARS" were the significant determinants. Among the normative beliefs, colleague approval, spouse approval, and physician approval were significant determinants of the intentions. Among the control beliefs, "SARS-patient caring would be a challenge" "SARS-patient caring is a professional responsibility", "tension during the care of SARS patients" and "support from team members" were the significant determinants of the intentions. CONCLUSIONS: Korean clinical nurses in this study were not willing to care for SARS patients and showed negative attitude toward the care. They believed their friends and family were not approved their care for SARS patients. Nurses were in conflicts between professional responsibilities to care for SARS patients and personal safety. This study was the first to understand stress and burden of Korean clinical nurses who are in front line to care for newly developed communicable disease such as SARS. Under the circumstance where several fatal communicable diseases are predictable, conflicts between professional responsibility and their personal risks should be taken into considerations by nurses themselves and by nursing administrators in order to improve quality of care.
Adult ; *Attitude of Health Personnel ; Female ; Humans ; *Intention ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/*psychology ; Psychological Theory ; Regression Analysis ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome/*nursing

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an oral health care education program for care providers on the nutritional status of the elderly in a long-term care facility. This study was conducted at a long-term care facility located in K metropolitan city using a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design. Fifty-four nursing home residents aged 65 years or older were assigned either to the intervention group (n=27) or the control group (n=24). The intervention group received oral health care from the care providers' intervention group, who provided oral health care for 6 weeks after 6 weeks of oral health care education. Data were collected from the control group and intervention group at the baseline 6 and 12 weeks after oral care education and were analyzed using SPSS windows 16.0. The halitosis was lower in the intervention group than the control group at 12 weeks (P<0.01). Body mass index of the intervention group at 12 weeks was higher than that at 6 weeks. Iron intake of the intervention group at 12 weeks was lower than that at baseline. At baseline, the intakes of riboflavin, folate, and potassium were lower than 75% of dietary reference intakes. In conclusion, an oral care education program for care providers was effective in improving the oral hygiene of nursing home residents, and dietary plans are needed to improve the nutritional status of them.
Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Folic Acid ; Halitosis ; Humans ; Iron ; Long-Term Care ; Nursing Homes ; Nursing Staff ; Nutritional Status ; Oral Health ; Oral Hygiene ; Potassium ; Riboflavin