PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the essential structure of the lived experience of working mothers' parenting burden in Korea. METHODS: Eight working mothers with young children were interviewed. The Colaizzi analysis of phenomenological research was applied. RESULTS: Seven theme clusters were extracted: a life with constant conflict, sense of guilt, feeling anxious because of lack of information about education for their children, social stigma as a deficient mother, family relationship becoming distant, a life being exhausted, day to day struggle. CONCLUSION: These results provide an opportunity to have a better understanding of the experiences of working mothers related to parenting their young children. It would also serve as a medium for the formulation of appropriate nursing intervention relevant to burdens of parenthood.
Child ; Family Relations ; Guilt ; Humans ; Korea ; Mothers ; Parenting ; Parents ; Social Stigma

BACKGROUND: Essential hyperhidrosis is caused by an unexplained over activity of the high thoracic sympathetic nervous system. Since the development of video endoscopic surgery, the use of thoracoscopic sympathectomy has gradually increased. However, reports on major anesthetic problems related to bilateral thoracic symathectomy and one lung ventilation (reventilation of a collapsed lung), which are commonly used for this operation are few. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in cardiovascular function and arterial oxygenation during reventilation of the collapsed lung for bilateral thoracoscopic sympathectomy. METHODS: Twenty one patients with essential hyperhidrosis in ASA physical status class 1, undergoing bilateral thoracoscopic T2-3 sympathectomy in the semi-Fowler's position were selected. Mean arterial blood pressure (MBP) of both radial arteries, skin temperature of both palmar area, and heart rate (HR) were recorded just before and after, 5 min and 10 min after sympathectomy. Simultaneously, arterial oxygen tension was obtained 30 min after left lung ventilation (LLV, baseline) and right lung ventilation (RLV, left lung collapse) and 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 min after LLV (reventilation of the collapsed left lung) under general anesthesia (isoflurane-100% oxygen). RESULTS: MBPs of bilateral radial arteries were significantly reduced after sympathectomy. However, there were no difference in the percent change of the MBP between both sides. HR was reduced only after right sympathectomy. The skin temperature of ipsilateral thenar area was significantly elevated after sympathectomy. Aterial oxygen tension was markedly reduced after 10 min of reventilation of the collapsed left lung (246.9 +/- 11.3 --< 102.3 +/- 5.7 mmHg) and then slowly returned to the baseline value after 50 min of reventilation. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic sympathectomy in patients with essential hyperhidrosis causes a marked decrease of HR and MBP of the bilateral radial arteries and an increase of skin temperature of the ipsilateral palmar area. Reventilation of the collapsed lung for bilateral thoracoscopic T2-3 sympathectomy, causes a marked reduction in the arterial oxygen tension.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, General ; Arterial Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hyperhidrosis ; Lung* ; One-Lung Ventilation ; Oxygen* ; Radial Artery ; Skin Temperature ; Sympathectomy* ; Sympathetic Nervous System ; Ventilation

PURPOSE: Percutaneous peripheral balloon angioplasty and stent insertion are used for the treatment of peripheral arterial obstructions and stenosis. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of peripheral balloon angioplasty and stent insertion in patients with peripheral arterial disease. METHOD: We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent peripheral balloon angioplasty or stent insertion in obstructive or stenotic peripheral arterial lesions between July 2003 and November 2006. Follow-up study was performed using lower extremity multi-directional computed tomography (MDCT) or lower extremity angiography. Mean follow-up was 22.8 months. RESULT: A total of 30 patients (47 lesions) were treated. The mean age was 66.8 years, and the ratio of male to female patients was 29 to 1. Calf claudication was the most common chief complaint, and 19 patients had hypertension. Obstructive lesions were found in the common iliac artery (CIA) (18), external iliac artery (EIA) (11), superficial femoral artery (SFA) (15), and anterior tibial artery (ATA) (3). Peripheral balloon angioplasty was performed for 8 lesions, and stent insertion was performed for 39 lesions. Re-stenosis occurred in 9 lesions (3 in the CIA, 5 in the SFA, 1 in the ATA) during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Peripheral balloon angioplasty and stent insertion are useful modalities for the treatment of obstruction or stenosis in lower extremity peripheral arteries. Close follow-up is necessary to improve long-term outcomes.
Angiography ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Femoral Artery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Iliac Artery ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Peripheral Arterial Disease ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Tibial Arteries

PURPOSE: With the increasing use of antenatal sonography, fetal hydronephrosis has been reported more frequently. But, despite extensive clinical and scientific research much controversy still exists about the assessment and management of hydronephrosis. We performed a retrospective study to determine the frequency of associated malformations and chromosomal defects in prenatally diagnosed hydronephrosis. METHODS: The records of 297 neonates who were diagnosed with hydronephrosis through antenatal ultrasonographic screening, were retrospectively analyzed. They were confirmed at 3 days to 1 month after birth with postnatal ultrasonography in Busan Paik Hospital, between January 2000 and December 2008. We karyotyped 297 neonates after ultrasonographic examination revealed hydronephrosis and malformations. RESULTS: Chromosomal abnormalities were detected in 31 (11%) cases of 297 cases and more common in female than male. The commonest chromosomal abnormality was trisomy 21, followed by Turner syndrome, deletion of autosome, unbalanced translocation. 127 cases in 109 infants had associated malformations such as urogenital and cardiovascular and gastrointestinal anomalies. The associated malformations were more common in moderate to severe hydronephrosis than mild and the number of additional abnormalities increased with the chromosomal defects. CONCLUSION: Particular attention should be paid for the cases in congenital hydronephrosis with any associated malformation such as urogenital and cardiac malformation, to investigate chromosomal abnormalities. This will enable clinicians to establish appropriate management and postnatal care.
Chromosome Aberrations ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Parturition ; Postnatal Care ; Retrospective Studies ; Turner Syndrome

A 59-year-old female patient with rheumatoid arthritis showed hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, normotensive hyperreninemic hyperaldosteronism and high urinary prostaglandin level. She was thought to have Bartter's syndrome. But, her kidney biopsy specimen showed chronic interstitial nephritis. She have used acetaminophen containing analgesics for recent three years. So we thought her disease was caused by drug. But, in this case, clinical manifestations are correspond with Bartter's syndrome and we have witnessed a successful respond to kalium replacement, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, prostaglandin inhibitor and spironolactone administration.
Acetaminophen ; Alkalosis ; Analgesics ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Bartter Syndrome ; Biopsy ; Female ; Glycogen Storage Disease Type VI ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism ; Kidney ; Middle Aged ; Nephritis, Interstitial* ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; Prostaglandin Antagonists ; Spironolactone

Congenital epulis is a rare benign tumor occurring on the anterior maxillary gingiva, also known as granular cell tumor of the newborn or Neumann's tumor, which is seen only in the newborn and is different from other granular cell tumors. Congenital epulis occurs exclusively in female newborns eight to ten fold higher than in males. It can protrude out of the newborn's mouth to prevent normal closure of mouth and interfere with respiration or feeding. The treatment of choice for large symptomatic epulis is simple surgical resection. Wide surgical excision is not required, because no recurrences have been reported. This report describes a case of congenital epulis occurring on the mandibular gingiva, and typical immunohistochemical stain findings.
Female ; Gingiva ; Gingival Diseases ; Gingival Neoplasms ; Granular Cell Tumor ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mouth ; Recurrence ; Respiration

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the biodegradation potential of four perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) alternatives that were developed at Changwon National University. While PFOS has been used widely in industrial and consumer products, it is known to be a persistent organic pollutant. Therefore, greener alternatives are highly desirable. METHODS: Biodegradation tests were run for 28 days using standard test protocols. The biochemical oxygen demand was measured daily throughout the experimental period, and the data were used to calculate the biodegradation rates. Microorganisms were isolated from the some of the tests that showed evidence of biodegradation. RESULTS: C8H8F9KO3S, which has the same number of carbons as the parent compound PFOS but a reduced number of fluorines, showed the highest biodegradation rate followed by C10H8F13KO3S. Chemical alternatives with lower number of carbons did not biodegrade readily in the experiments. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these results suggest that it may be advantageous to develop PFOS alternatives with 8 carbons, the same as PFOS, but a reduced number of fluorines; as such, chemicals are more susceptible to biodegradation than the parent compound.
Carbon ; Green Chemistry Technology ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Humans ; Oxygen ; Parents

BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic peptide with biologic effects that include regulation of hematopoietic stem cell development, extracellular matrix remodeling, and inflammatory cytokine generation. VEGF plasma levels are elevated in circulation during tumor growth and bone marrow proliferative status. In this study, to investigate the role of VEGF expression in patients with aplastic anemia (AA), VEGF protein expression and microvessel density (MVD) were evaluated. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining for detecting VEGF protein was performed by the labeled avidin-biotin method on the formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded bone marrow biopsy samples of 25 patients with severe AA and 10 normal controls. Microvessels were scored in at least 3 areas (x200 fields) of the highest MVD in representative sections of each bone marrow biopsy specimen using immunohistochemistry for CD34 antigen. RESULTS: In AA, megakaryocytes and histiocytes expressed less intense cytoplasmic VEGF than in control (P < 0.05). However, plasma cells had higher VEGF immunoreactivity in AA than in control. MVD was significantly lower in patients with AA (21.43+/-7.24), compared to controls (27.65+/-3.44) (P < 0.05). MVD had a strong correlation with bone marrow cellularity. Also, the degree of VEGF immunoreactivity was correlated with bone marrow cellularity and MVD. CONCLUSION: Angiogenesis as assessed by MVD and VEGF expression seems to have a role in the pathogenesis of AA.
Anemia, Aplastic* ; Antigens, CD34 ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Cytoplasm ; Extracellular Matrix ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Megakaryocytes ; Microvessels ; Paraffin ; Plasma ; Plasma Cells ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the roots of Asarum sieboldii led to the isolation of the six compounds methylkakuol (1), sesamin (2), asarinin (3), xanthoxylol (4), and (2E,4E,8Z,10E/Z)-N-(2-methylpropyl) dodeca-2,4,8,10-tetraenamide (5/6). Among the isolates, xanthoxylol (4) exhibited significant cytotoxicity against human breast cancer cells MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 in vitro with IC₅₀ values of 9.15 and 13.95 µM, respectively.
Asarum ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is known to be the significant reason for absenteeism and can develop long-term disability. So the airline authorities have made an effort to reduce the incidence of LBP by applying their physical standards. As a LBP Prevention Program, Airline A has provided health education, counseling and physical examinations. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between LBP and physical characteristics, age and work duration, and this result will provide basic information for improving the LBP Prevention Program. METHOD: The subjects were the 585 flight attendants who had undergone regular physical check-ups with Airline A Medical Center from October 2000 to September 2001. We reviewed their absence records and physical characteristics, age and work duration. These data were analyzed statistically by the t-test and Lositic regression. RESULT: The LBP history group accounted for 18% of the study group. The male LBP history group had the more thin waist than the no history group. There were no differences (P<0.05) between LBP and other male and female physical characteristics. The age and work duration of male LBP history group was lower than the no history group (P<0.05). But the female comparison revealed that only the work experience in the LBP history group was lower than the No history group (P<0.05). Waist, age, work duration was analyzed statistically by logistic regression. Only female's work experience was significant. The fewer work experience was the more LBP. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest LBP is associated with work experience rather than physical characteristics. This is the first step toward improving a LBP Prevention Program for the cabin crew. It will be useful to conduct another review to assess various other reasons, such as psychosocial job factors, duration of work disability and muscle strength, related to LBP.
Absenteeism ; Counseling ; Female ; Health Education ; Humans ; Incidence ; Logistic Models ; Low Back Pain* ; Male ; Muscle Strength ; Physical Examination