This paper gathered the problem in the Sterile Urethral Catheter(Catheterization bag)'s packaging and marking, analyzed the harmfulness and gave the improvement suggestion.
Disposable Equipment ; Product Packaging ; methods ; Urinary Catheterization ; instrumentation ; Urinary Catheters

Based on the investigation in the implant medical device tracking system used in Shanghai, This paper proposes a solution to optimize this system. This solution can greatly raise the reliability of non-sterile implant medical device tracking system, without increasing labour cost.
Materials Management, Hospital ; methods ; Product Packaging ; Prostheses and Implants

This study provides basic data on how stress impacts the processed convenience foods purchase attitudes and the selection attributes of housewives. The stress consists of 3 factors, which were housework stress, family relation stress and economic stress. The processed convenience food purchase attitude consisted of 2 factors, which were peripheral influence purchase and conviction purchase. The processed convenience food selection attribute consisted of 4 factors, which were quality, convenience, packaging and price. Factor loading confirmation and reliability test were conducted, and the reliability was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha coefficients for all the factors exceeding 0.5. The high stress levels showed significantly high stress factors of housework, family relations and economic stress (P<0.001). The high stress group was shown to make purchases by recognizing peripheral influences (P<0.01). When the selection properties of processed convenience foods depending on different stress levels were examined, it was revealed that among the three groups, the low stress group least considered the price aspect (P<0.01). After deducting the factors, AMOS (Analysis of Moment Structure) was used to conduct the confirmatory factor analysis for verifying validity. The structural equation model was used to determine the path coefficient. From the processed convenience foods purchase attitude, the peripheral influence purchase had significantly positive (+) effects on convenience (P<0.05). Also, conviction purchase was shown to have significantly positive (+) effects on quality (P<0.05). Housework and family relation stress were shown to have negative (−) effects on processed convenience foods selection attribute, and economic stress was shown to have positive (+) effects, although no significant relationships were revealed.
Family Relations ; Fast Foods ; Gyeonggi-do ; Housekeeping ; Product Packaging ; Seoul

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to determine the total fluoride concentration and bioavailable fluoride concentration in different toothpastes, based on a newly suggested method by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and to compare the measured concentrations with the concentrations written on the packaging. METHODS: The concentrations of total fluoride (TF) and bioavailable fluoride (BF) were measured in six toothpastes. For the TF measurement, 1 g of each toothpaste was mixed with dipotassium hydrogen phosphate (K2HPO4), and hydrogen chloride (HCl) was placed. After 24 hours, the samples were centrifuged and total ionic strength adjustment buffer (TISAB) solution was added. For the BF measurement, the toothpaste was mixed with K2HPO4 for only 1 minute. The samples were centrifuged, and then HCl was placed and allowed to stand for 24 hours. The TISAB solution was added subsequently. The concentration of fluoride ions was measured using a fluoride ion-selective electrode and calculated against a standard curve. RESULTS: The six toothpastes were composed of different fluoride compounds and abrasives. The measured TF concentration ranged from 624.99 ppm to 1,353.00 ppm, and the similarity to the declared fluoride concentration ranged from 53.48% to 93.31%. The measured BF concentration ranged from 587.61 ppm to 1,360.05 ppm, and the similarity to the expected fluoride concentration ranged from 41.97% to 93.80%. Two samples were clearly separated when the samples were centrifuged, whereas the remaining four samples had unclear supernatants. The clearly separated toothpastes (i.e., toothpastes 5 and 6) had BF concentrations that were similar to or lower than the declared fluoride concentrations and the measured TF concentrations. However, the unclearly separated toothpastes showed inconsistent relationships between the measured TF and BF concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: The measured TF and BF concentrations of the six toothpastes did not reach the expected fluoride concentration. This finding resulted from the different compositions and forms of the toothpastes. Therefore, the properties of toothpastes need to be considered when measuring their fluoride concentrations.
Biological Availability* ; Fluorides* ; Hydrochloric Acid ; Hydrogen ; Ion-Selective Electrodes ; Ions ; Osmolar Concentration ; Product Packaging ; Toothpastes*

The purposes of this study were to assess the school foodservice purchasing practices and to explore the ways to improve the school foodservice purchasing management. The purchasing questionnaire was composed of three parts, the part one consisted of questions on characteristics of dietitians and school foodservice operations, and the others consisted of questions concerning purchasing practices and importance & performance of food suppliers. 286 dietitians of elementary school foodservice operations in Seoul were participated with the survey. Statistical data analysis was completed using the SPSS/win for descriptive and t-test. The school foodservice operations which employed a chef were 50.3%. Only one third of the dietitians(34.1%) reported having been involved in the selection of food suppliers. In dietitians' demographic data, 36.6% were over 30 years old, 32.4% were 28~29 years of age and 31.0% were below 27 years old. Most of the respondents(68.3%) had overall working experiences less than 58 months and almost half of them(56.3%) were married. The food suppliers' attributes with high scores of mean importance were food quality, maintenance of food quality, accuracy in filling orders, quality of delivery facilities, on time delivery and packaging. Average mean scores for importance and performance were 4.33('important') and 3.50('so-so') out of 5. In the comparison of importance attributes, produce suppliers had a significant higher score on suppliers(P<0.05) than processing food suppliers. Processing food suppliers received significant higher performance scores on product(P<0.05) and service(P<0.05) compared to produce suppliers.
Adult ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Food Quality ; Humans ; Nutritionists ; Product Packaging ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seoul*

A defective HIV-1 helper virus DNA, pHyPC, was assembled by deleting the RNA packaging signal, env, nef and the 3'LTR sequences. HIV-1 like virus particles that carry the HIV-1 receptor, CD4 were generated by coexpression of pHyPC and plasmid DNAs encoding different chimeric CD4 proteins. The CD4 particles, sharing the CD4 ectodomain, precisely fused to different membrane anchors. CD4(+) particles specifically bound to HIV-1 Env expressing cells, but any signs of infection into these cells were not detected. Binding was only partially blocked by either polyclonal anti-CD4 antibodies or by high concentrations of soluble CD4. Suprisingly, CD4(+) particles also adsorbed to HeLa, CHO, NIH3T3 and COS-7 cells in the absence of HIV-1 Env expression. Adsorption was comparable in strength and speed to the highly specific CD4-Env interaction. CD4(-) particles exhibited only background levels of binding. Cell binding was CD4- dependent, but it was independent of the cell type from which the CD4(+) particles originated. Interestingly, CD4-dependent/Env-independent binding was only found when CD4 was present on virus particles. This suggests that the micro-environment of CD4 on virus particles uniquely expose this new cell binding activity. Its high affinity could explain in part why infection of Env(+) cells by CD4(+) particles was not detected. Further experiments will be required to evlauate whether this strong membrane interaction could represent one step in the multiple-step viral entry process.
Adsorption ; Animals ; Antibodies ; COS Cells ; DNA ; Helper Viruses ; HIV-1* ; Membranes ; Plasmids ; Product Packaging ; RNA ; Virion

OBJECTIVES: Chitosan has been widely investigated and used. However, the literature does not refer to the shelf life of this solution. This study evaluated, through the colorimetric titration technique and an analysis of dentin micro-hardness, the shelf life of 0.2% chitosan solution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty human canines were sectioned, and specimens were obtained from the second and third slices, from cemento-enamel junction to the apex. A 0.2% chitosan solution was prepared and distributed in 3 identical glass bottles (v1, v2, and v3) and 3 plastic bottles (p1, p2, and p3). At 0, 7, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 days, the specimens were immersed in each solution for 5 minutes (n = 3 each). The chelating effect of the solution was assessed by micro-hardness and colorimetric analysis of the dentin specimens. 17% EDTA and distilled water were used as controls. Data were analyzed statistically by two-way and Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison (α = 0.05). RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference among the solutions with respect to the study time (p = 0.113) and micro-hardness/time interaction (p = 0.329). Chitosan solutions and EDTA reduced the micro-hardness in a similar manner and differed significantly from the control group (p < 0.001). Chitosan solutions chelated calcium ions throughout the entire experiment. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the storage form, chitosan demonstrates a chelating property for a minimum period of 6 months.
Calcium ; Chelating Agents ; Chitosan* ; Colorimetry* ; Dentin* ; Edetic Acid ; Glass ; Humans ; Ions ; Plastics ; Product Packaging* ; Water

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception and use of flavor enhancer products. This study was carried out through questionnaire and the subjects were 503 housewives in Inchon. The results are summarized as follows. As for age, 51.9% of the subjects were 40 years or older. Also, 60.0% of the subjects had received a high school education. As for occupation, full-time housewives accounted for 63.7%. Monthly household income of most subjects were 1 million won or more, and monthly food expenses of most subjects were 300 thousand won or more. Also 71.0% of subjects lived in apartments. As for taste of flavor enhancer products, 58.3% of subjects perceived that it was mediocre, 31.3% said good, 6.2% said bad, and 1.8% said very bad. Most subjects perceived that the convenience of flavor enhancer products was good and there was a significant difference among the groups divided by education level. As for economy of flavor enhancer products, there were significant differences among groups divided by household income and food expenses. Most subjects perceived that the safety of flavor enhancer products was not good. Most subjects considered the date of manufacture, manufacturers, food additives, packaging and price when they purchased flavor enhancer products. Also, 70.0% of subjects were going to reduce the amount of flavor enhancer products they use in the future. Most subjects needed flavor enhancer products good for health. Therefore, it may be necessary to develop and to produce safe, nutritious, tasty, cheap and various flavor enhancer products.
Education ; Family Characteristics ; Food Additives ; Humans ; Incheon* ; Nucleotides ; Occupations ; Product Packaging ; Sodium Glutamate ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: We tried to determine the feasibility and efficiency of foreign gene transfer into corneal keratocytes using a hybrid EBV/retroviral vector as an investigative trial for gene therapy in corneal diseases. METHODS: LZRSpBMN-Z, alac Z-transducing hybrid EBV/retroviral vector, was transfected into Phoenix(T M) amphotropic packaging cells based on a 293T cell line and then collected without/with puromycin selection (puro (-)/puro (+) vector respectively). Cultured human and rabbit keratocytes were transduced with lac-Z gene using the puro (-) or puro (+) vector solutions, then stained with 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl galactopyranoside (X-gal). FACS-Gal analysis of transduced corneal keratocytes was also performed for calculating gene transfer efficiency. In addition, as an in vivo trial, we tried to transduce rabbit keratocytes by topical application of the vector supernatants following PRK or lamellar dissection of rabbit corneas. RESULTS: In vitro, both cultred human and rabbit keratocytes were transduced successfully with lac - Z gene. Transduction efficiency was 22% and 16% for human and rabbit keratocytes respectively with puro (-) vector, and slightly increased to 24% and 22% with puro (+) vector. In vivo corneas, however, no keratocytes were stained with X-gal. CONCLUSIONS: A hybrid EBV/retroviral vector, LZRSpBMN-Z, successfully transduced corneal keratocytes in in vitro conditions but not in vivo corneas.
Cell Line ; Cornea ; Corneal Diseases ; Corneal Keratocytes* ; Galactose ; Genetic Therapy ; Humans ; Product Packaging ; Puromycin

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate the results of intervention activities on the management of steam sterilizers and sterile items in out-patient clinics and clinical laboratories. METHODS: A checklist was developed and used to monitor and evaluate the adequacy of sterilizers and sterilized items at out-patient clinics and clinical laboratories in a tertiary-care hospital. The checklist consisted of 7 items: condition of the material used for packaging sterile items, maintenance of shelf-life records, sterilizer cleanliness, maintenance of expiry date details of sterilized items, sterilization conditions, use of chemical indicators, and the results of biological indicators. Monitoring and additional intervention activities were carried out once every week for 53 weeks from August 2007 to July 2008. The study period was divided into 2 terms, early and late intervention; the duration of each term was 6 months, and we compared the ratio of adequacy of management of sterilizer and sterilized items between the 2 terms. RESULTS: There were a total of 795 observations from 15 departments in 1 year. Sterility of the materials used for packaging increased from 87.4% in the first 6-month term to 97.9% in the second 6-month term. Records for shelf-life increased from 89.6% to 98.5% in the same period, while the figures for maintaining expiry date details of sterilized items and for steam sterilizer cleanliness increased from 92.6% to 99.2%, and from 91.9% to 98.5 (P<0.05), respectively. CONCLUSION: Our intensive checklist-based intervention was effective in improving the management of steam sterilizers and sterile items in out-patient clinics and clinical laboratories.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Checklist ; Humans ; Infertility ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Outpatients ; Product Packaging ; Steam ; Sterilization