PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the factors influencing the quality of life among the patients with Crohn's disease. METHOD: Data were collected from 97 Crohn's disease patients between September 17 and October 20 in 2009. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS program. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the participants' quality of life depending on their age, economic status, pain, diarrhea, weight loss, Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI), and use of medications such as antidiarrhotica, steroid, and analgesics. The results also showed the correlations between the participants' qualities of life and thier pain, CDAI, anxiety, depression, perceived health condition, and of body image. Finally, the factors affecting the quality of life in patients with Crohn's disease included anxiety, perceived health state, pain, and CDAI. The explanatory power of these factors was 79.5%. CONCLUSION: The results imply that controlling the patients' pain and providing emotional support for anxiety reduction are crucial. In a similar vein, tailored nursing interventions considering individual patients' conditions are believed to help the patients positively perceive their disease. A future research, can conduct further investigations of these factors from more diverse perspectives, which is expected to promote more effective nursing strategies for Crohn's disease patients.
Analgesics ; Anxiety ; Body Image ; Crohn Disease ; Depression ; Diarrhea ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Veins ; Weight Loss

Pallister-Killian syndrome (PKS) is a rare multisystem disorder characterized by isochromosome 12p and tissue-limited mosaic tetrasomy 12p. In this study, we diagnosed three pediatric patients who were suspicious of having PKS using array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) and FISH analyses performed on peripheral lymphocytes. Patients 1 and 2 presented with craniofacial dysmorphic features, hypotonia, and a developmental delay. Array CGH revealed two to three copies of 12p in patient 1 and three copies in patient 2. FISH analysis showed trisomy or tetrasomy 12p. Patient 3, who had clinical features comparable to those of patients 1 and 2, was diagnosed by using FISH analysis alone. Here, we report three patients with mosaic tetrasomy 12p. There have been only reported cases diagnosed by chromosome analysis and FISH analysis on skin fibroblast or amniotic fluid. To our knowledge, patient 1 was the first case diagnosed by using array CGH performed on peripheral lymphocytes in Korea.
Child, Preschool ; Chromosome Disorders/*diagnosis ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 12 ; Comparative Genomic Hybridization ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Infant ; Male ; Tetrasomy

The fate of testicular salvage in spermatic cord torsion depends on the duration of ischemia and the degree of torsion. Even though spermatic cord torsion (SCT) can occur at any age, it is rarely reported in older patients. If the physician does not pay close attention to this unusual situation, the lack of suspicion for SCT may result in a missed or delayed diagnosis. We report a very uncommon case of missed SCT occurring in a 63-year-old man.
Delayed Diagnosis ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Middle Aged ; Spermatic Cord ; Spermatic Cord Torsion ; Testis

PURPOSE: This research was a descriptive study of nursing activities observed in nursing simulation during a senior nursing student practicum. Content and frequencies of nursing activities during the simulation practice were identified. METHODS: Thirty-six episodes of pediatric nursing simulation were videotaped. Both verbalizations and descriptions of nonverbal behaviors were recorded from the videotapes. The data were coded and analyzed. The coded nursing activities were evaluated for frequency and purpose of interaction. RESULTS: Average time per simulation episodes was 27 minutes and ranged from 3.30 to 32.54 minutes. Nursing activities in these simulation episodes included nursing assessments such as vital sign measurement, associated symptom assessment, and check of patient condition, nursing interventions such as medication, tepid water massage, fluid therapy, provision of oxygen, suctioning, hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia management, communication such as parent education, procedure guidance, and communication among providers. Activities in assessment were most frequent, and among them, vital sign measurement and check of patient condition were more frequent than others. CONCLUSION: Students showed enhanced nursing activities such as more frequent nursing assessment, communication and interventions in their simulation experience. Therefore simulation experience can be considered as one strategies to provide nursing students with better and more intense practicum experience.
Education, Nursing ; Fluid Therapy ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Hypoglycemia ; Massage ; Nursing Assessment ; Oxygen ; Parents ; Patient Simulation ; Pediatric Nursing ; Students, Nursing ; Suction ; Symptom Assessment ; Videotape Recording ; Vital Signs

In the oral cavity, complex microbial community is shaped by various host and environmental factors. Extensive literature describing the oral microbiome in the context of oral health and disease is available. Advances in DNA sequencing technologies and data analysis have drastically improved the analysis of the oral microbiome. For microbiome study, bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplification and sequencing is often employed owing to the cost-effective and fast nature of the method. In this review, practical considerations for performing a microbiome study, including experimental design, molecular analysis technology, and general data analysis, will be discussed.

Xylitol is a five-carbon sugar alcohol that inhibits the growth of oral streptococci, including Streptococcus mutans. In this study, we tested xylitol sensitivity among the oral streptococci. We also compared nucleotide homology of putative fructose phosphotransferase system (PTS) and xylitol sensitivity, since xylitol is transported via the fructose PTS. Among the tested Streptococci, S. pneumonia showed the highest resistance to xylitol while S. gordonii and S. sanguinis showed the most sensitive growth inhibition. These streptococci could be grouped according to their xylitol sensitivity. S. mutans and S. salivarius showed similar bacterial growth inhibition by xylitol. S. mitis, S. oralis, S. pneumonia, S. intermedius and S. anginosus showed relatively low sensitivity to xylitol. When the genetic homologies of five fructose PTSs were compared among the tested streptococci, closely related streptococci showed similar sensitivity to xylitol. Taken together, fructose PTSs may mediate the sensitivity to xylitol in oral streptococci.
Fructose ; Pneumonia ; Streptococcus ; Streptococcus mutans ; Xylitol*

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the malignancy risk and diagnostic value of various types of nonshadowing echogenic foci (NEF) in the risk stratification of thyroid nodules. Methods: A total of 1,018 consecutive thyroid nodules (≥1 cm) with final diagnoses were included. The presence of NEF was determined and types of NEF were classified according to the presence of a comet tail artifact (CTA), location, and size through a prospective evaluation. The associations with malignancy, malignancy risk, and diagnostic value of various types of NEF were assessed. Results: Intrasolid punctate NEF without CTA was the only type of NEF that was an independent predictor of malignancy (P<0.001). The malignancy risk of intrasolid punctate NEF without CTA was substantially higher in solid hypoechoic nodules than in isoechoic or nonsolid nodules (71.3% vs. 9.2%, P<0.001). In solid hypoechoic nodules, slightly increased sensitivity (70.8% vs. 67.9%) for malignancy and a similar malignancy risk (71.4% vs. 71.3%) were observed for intrasolid punctate NEF (with or without CTA) and intrasolid punctate NEF without CTA, respectively. NEF with CTA at the margin of the cystic component was not associated with malignancy or benignity in nonsolid nodules (P>0.05). Conclusion Intrasolid punctate NEF without CTA was the only independent predictor of malignancy. However, solid hypoechoic nodules with intrasolid punctate NEF should be classified as high-suspicion nodules regardless of coexisting CTA. Other types of NEF had no added value for detecting malignancy compared to intrasolid punctate NEF without CTA.

This study is an attempt to provide fundamental information on how to manage menstruation discomforts by surveying the subjective viewpoints on menstruation from female college students. Utilizing 40 Q-samples in Seoul between May 1 and June 30, 2001, data has been collected from 30 randomized P-samples. Data analysis involves the PC QUANL Program, Q-factor analysis, and Principal Component Analysis. The result of the data analysis gives four types of categorization as follows: The first is the "inconvenience-recognizing" type that includes 10 subjects out of 30. During menstruation, this type of subject usually complained of physical discomfort such as pain in the lower back and abdomen. Even though they considered menstruation to be troublesome, they did nothing about the inconvenience. The second is the "positively-accepting" type that includes 7 subjects out of 30. This type of subject takes menstruation as natural and even a privilege for a woman. They think they are blessed to conceive a new life through their biological cycle. Therefore unlike other types, they rarely complained of any physical and psychological discomfort caused by menstruation. The third is the "destined course" type that includes 6 subjects out of 30. This type of subject endures the discomfort caused by menstruation without any medication or medical treatment. They appeared to take menstruation as fate without having any specially negative or positive attitude. The fourth is the "negatively-accepting" type that includes 7 out 30. This type of subject takes menstruation as negative, even if it is unavoidable for a woman. Menstruation, very negatively taken, felt uncomfortable and caused them to have pain in the lower back and abdomen and an oversensitive nervous system. The four types of attitude towards menstruation show their own characteristic features in dealing with menstruation. Understanding these features in detail will enhance nursing implementation which is related to menstruation. This study is intended to provide fundamental information with which nurses can deal with menstruation problems by investigating subjective viewpoints about menstruation. This study is a stepping stone on which further study on this subject can build to develop an effective and efficient way to deal with menstruation discomforts.
Abdomen ; Female* ; Humans ; Menstruation* ; Nervous System ; Nursing ; Principal Component Analysis ; Seoul ; Statistics as Topic

Interleukin-1b (IL-1β), a proinflammatory cytokine, regulates the innate immune responses against bacterial infection. Mature IL-1β is produced from pro-IL-1β by activated caspase-1, which in turn is activated by the inflammasome complex formation. In this study, we compared the inflammasome mRNA expression induced by S. sanguinis, S. oralis, F. nucleatum and P. intermedia. Among the tested bacteria, S. sanguinis induced the highest IL-1β secretion. S. oralis, F. nucleatum and P. intermedia induced very weak IL-1β secretion. S. sanguinis mostly induced the NLRP3 mRNA expressions. Although F. nucleatum did not induce high IL-1β secretion, it induced high expression levels of AIM2, NLRP2, and NLRP3. No specific inflammasomes were induced by S. oralis and P.intermedia. Studying the inflammasome complex activation induced by oral bacteria may thus enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of oral diseases.
Bacteria ; Bacterial Infections* ; Immunity, Innate ; Inflammasomes* ; Interleukin-1beta ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger

Klebsiella pneumoniae has been reported to be the most common pathogen causing pyogenic liver abscess. K. pneumoniae liver abscess occurs fairly often in patients with diabetes mellitus, and is commonly associated with metastatic infections such as brain abscess, endophthalmitis, lung abscess, osteomyelitis, prostatitis, necrotizing fasciitis and infection in other sites. Although septic pulmonary embolism (SPE) is uncommon, it is a serious metastatic complication of K. pneumoniae liver abscess. Chest computed tomography (CT) scans are crucial in making the early diagnosis of SPE; however, it does not provide the basis for a definitive diagnosis. A 70-year-old man was referred to the Department of Pulmonology due to cough and an abnormal chest radiography. The chest CT scans revealed relatively well-demarcated, round multiple nodules with peripheral preponderance, cavitary mass in the right upper lobe of the lung and low-density hepatic cystic masses. Bronchoscopic examination and percutaneous needle aspiration of the lung were performed, but there was no evidence of malignancy. Finally, K. pneumoniae was grown from a bronchial washing specimen and blood culture. Intravenous carbapenem was administered over a 3-week period and follow-up CT scans showed improvement in both the lung and the liver. We report a case of K. pneumoniae liver abscess complicated with SPE requiring differential diagnosis of hematogenous metastatic malignancy on CT scans in an elderly patient.
Aged ; Brain Abscess ; Cough ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Early Diagnosis ; Endophthalmitis ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Klebsiella* ; Liver Abscess* ; Liver Abscess, Pyogenic ; Liver* ; Lung ; Lung Abscess ; Needles ; Osteomyelitis ; Pneumonia ; Prostatitis ; Pulmonary Embolism* ; Pulmonary Medicine ; Radiography ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed