PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between powerlessness, sense of belonging and nutritional status of the elderly. METHOD: The study sample was 100 living at home and institutions. Data were collected by interview from Oct. to Dec. in 2003. The instruments were helplessness scale developed by Jung (1998), sense of belonging scale SOBI-A and nutritional initial screening. RESULT: The mean score of powerlessness was 2.71+/-.30, sense of belonging was 2.87+/-.19, and nutritional status was 4.42+/-.34. There was a statistically significant differences in powerlessness according to age (F=3.185, p=0.027), health status (F=6.945, P=0.002), religion (F=5.941, P=0.001), current spouse (t=-0.384, p=0.026), in sense of belonging according to age (F=4.40, P=0.006), length of education (F=10.64, P=<.0001) and in nutritional status according to age (F=3.34, P= 0.022), health status (F=2.86, P=0.027). There was a statistically significant correlation between powerlessness and nutritional status (r=0.219, p=0.029). CONCLUSION: Nurses are able to decrease powerlessness or increase sense of belonging and nutritional status of the elderly by developing the health promotion program, improving perceived health status and empowering social interaction of the elderly specifically living at institutions.
Aged ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Interpersonal Relations ; Mass Screening ; Nutritional Status ; Spouses

Purpose: This study aimed to define and clarify the concept of sexual dysfunction in women diagnosed with breast cancer. Methods: This study used the concept analysis process of Walker and Avant, and 20 studies were selected. Results: Sexual dysfunction in women diagnosed with breast cancer was defined as experiencing 1) loss of femininity, 2) negative changes in sexual response, and 3) negative feelings about relationship with partners. The identified antecedents were 1) breast cancer treatment-induced changes in body structure and function, 2) disease-related pain, 3) depression, 4) lack of medical services provided to help address sexual matters and difficulties, and 5) lack of understanding and support from partners. The consequences of this were 1) deterioration of relationship with partner, 2) seeking alternatives to overcome sexual dysfunction, 3) deterioration in quality of life, 4) depression, and 5) decrease in frequency of sexual activity. Conclusion The definition and attributes of sexual dysfunction in women diagnosed with breast cancer identified in this study can be applied to the development of tools and programs to measure sexual dysfunction in women diagnosed with breast cancer to enhance understanding of sexual dysfunction in women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Human colon epithelial cells secrete an array of proinflammatory cytokines that includes IL-8, MCP-1, GM-CSF, TNF alpha and IL-6. This response may serve to attract neutrophils and macrophags to the site of infection. In addition to IL-8 and MCP-1, the chemokine family contains other members, which, alone or in combination, can recruit and/or activate inflammatory and lymphoid cells. In this study, we asked whether colon epithelial cells express a broader array of chemokines than previously described. The colon epithelial cell line, Caco-2, was stimulated for 3h with IL-1 alpha, or was infected with Salmonella dublin. RNA was extracted and chemokine mRNA levels were determined by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR using internal RNA standards. Ex pression of GRO alpha, GRO beta, GRO gamma and IP-10 increased by bacterial infection or IL-l alpha stimulation. These data strongly support the notion that epithelal cells are an important and integral component of the host's natural immune system.
Bacterial Infections ; Chemokines ; Colon* ; Cytokines ; Epithelial Cells* ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Humans* ; Immune System ; Interleukin-1alpha ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukin-8 ; Lymphocytes ; Neutrophils ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Salmonella

The coronary artery fistula from right coronary artery to left ventricle is a rare disease among coronary artery anomaly. We experienced three cases of rare coronary fistula and report with literature review. Although symptoms of coronary artery fistula are associated with arteriovenous shunt and coronary steal phenomenon, many cases are asymptomatic. In this report, all patients had no symptom. but incidental murmur was noted (two are continuous, one is diastolic rumbling). The diagnosis was made by transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiogram and selective coronary angiography. Because patients were relatively young and the diameter of dilated coronary artery were huge, we perfomed operation on three patients.
Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diagnosis ; Fistula* ; Heart Ventricles* ; Humans ; Rare Diseases

PURPOSE: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate intake-related factors of energy drinks and educational needs regarding energy drinks in female high school students. METHODS: Subjects were 340 female high school students in Incheon, and data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 20.0 program. RESULTS: Subjects who had drunk energy drinks were 74.3% (249 subjects) of all subjects. The first time they drank an energy drink was significantly associated with grade (p < 0.05). In 75.1% of 249 subjects who had drunk energy drinks, the places for buying energy drinks were supermarkets and convenience stores near their homes. For the effects of energy drink intake, sleeplessness (44.6%) and no effect (41.7%) were cited, and 24.5% experienced side effects such as palpitation, tremors, etc. The scores for self-diagnosis of caffeine addiction were significantly higher in the low weight group compared to the overweight group (p < 0.05). The degree of caffeine addiction was significantly associated with effects of energy drink intake (p < 0.001) and type of side effects (p < 0.001). Willingness to stop consuming energy drinks (p < 0.001) and necessity of nutrition education about energy drinks (p < 0.05) were significantly lower in the caffeine addiction group compared to the general group. About 75.0% of subjects wanted to be educated about the side effects of energy drinks and caffeine. CONCLUSION: This study shows that female high school students need proper education about the effects of intake of energy drinks. Therefore, guidelines and a nutrition education program right intake of energy drinks should be provided as well as campaigns concerning the side effects of energy drinks and caffeine in female high school students.
Caffeine ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Education ; Energy Drinks* ; Female* ; Humans ; Incheon* ; Overweight ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Tremor

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of embryo retention (ER) in the transfer catheter following embryo transfer (ET) in blastocyst transfer and investigate whether retransferring retained embryos has an impact on reproductive outcomes in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-ET. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 1,131 blastocyst transfers, which comprised 223 single blastocyst transfer (SBT) and 908 double blastocyst transfer (DBT) cycles. Each SBT and DBT group was classified depending on whether ET was performed without retained embryos in the catheter during the first attempt (without-ER group) or whether any retained embryos were found following ET (ER group) for the purpose of comparing reproductive outcomes in a homogenous population. RESULTS: The overall incidence of finding retained embryos was 2.8% (32/1,131). There were no retained embryos in SBT cycles. In DBT cycles, implantation rates (30.0% vs. 26.6%), positive β-hCG rates (57.2% vs. 56.2%), clinical pregnancy rates (45.3% vs. 46.9%), and live birth rates (38.9% vs. 43.8%) were not significantly different between the without-ER and ER groups. There were no significant differences in the mean birth weight (g) 2,928.4±631.8 vs. 2,948.7±497.8 and the mean gestational age at birth (269.3±17.2 days vs. 264.2±25.7 days). A total of nine cases of congenital birth defects were found in this study population. Eight were observed in the without-ER group and one in the ER group. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that retransfer of retained embryos does not have any adverse impact on reproductive outcomes in blastocyst transfer cycles. Furthermore, our results support finding that SBT might be advantageous for decreasing the incidence of retained embryos in catheters.
Birth Weight ; Blastocyst* ; Catheters ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Incidence ; Live Birth ; Parturition ; Pregnancy Rate ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The hepat it is C virus (HCV) genotypes have been shown to be differently distributed among distinct geographic areas and as sociated with different clinical present at ions. The aut hors investigated the distribution of HCV genotypes in Korean patients with chronic HCV infection and the as sociation of HCV genotypes with age, sex, severity of the liver disease, and the possible mode of transmission. METHODS: The study population consisted of 143 patients with chronic HCV infect ion: 13 with normal ALT , 78 with chronic hepatitis , 35 with cirrhosis , 17 with hepat ocellular car cinoma (HCC). HCV genotypes were determined by line probe assay. RESULTS: The principal HCV genotype was 1b ( 56%) and followed by 2a/ c ( 32%), mixed (8%), 2b ( 3%), and 1a (1%). Patients infected with type 1b and 2a/ c were older than those with ot her genotypes (p< 0.05). Genotype 1b tended to be more prevalent among patients with HCC ( 76% compared with 53% for patients with other liver diseases ; p=0.07). There was no significant relations hip bet ween genotypes and sex or mode of transmission. CONCLUSION: The most common HCV genotype in Korea was type 1b and followed by 2a/ 2c. Although patients infected with type 1b and 2a/c were older than those with other genotypes, there was no correlation between genotypes and sex, severity of liver disease, or mode of transmission.
Fibrosis ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Hip ; Humans ; Ions ; Korea ; Liver Diseases

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pregnancy rate and time to pregnancy after timed coitus with or without superovulation in infertile young women younger than 35 years old with low serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels (< 25th percentile). METHODS: A total of 202 patients younger than 35 years old were recruited retrospectively between 2010 and 2012. Ninety-eight women had normal serum AMH levels (25–75th percentile), 75 women had low serum AMH levels (5th≤&< 25th percentile) and 29 women had very low serum AMH levels (< 5th percentile), according to reference values for their age group. RESULTS: The clinical pregnancy rate was positively associated with AMH levels, but this trend did not reach statistical significance (43.9% vs. 41.3% vs. 27.6% in the normal, low, and very low AMH groups, respectively). The time to pregnancy was longer in the very low AMH group than in the normal AMH group (13.1±10.9 months vs. 6.9±6.1 months, p=0.030). The cumulative live birth rate over 18 months was lower in the very low AMH group than in the normal AMH group, with marginal significance (20.0% vs. 55.9%, p=0.051). The duration of infertility was negatively correlated with achieving pregnancy (odds ratio, 0.953; 95% confidence interval, 0.914–0.994; p=0.026). CONCLUSION: Conservative management, such as timed coitus with or without superovulation, should be considered in young patients who have low ovarian reserve without any infertility factors. However, for women with a long duration of infertility or very low serum AMH levels, active infertility treatment should be considered.
Anti-Mullerian Hormone ; Coitus* ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility ; Live Birth ; Maternal Age ; Ovarian Reserve* ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pregnancy* ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies ; Superovulation ; Time-to-Pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: Body weight is an important indicator of a person's health status. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the body weight management system, HIMS (Health Improvement and Management System)-Diet, which instantly provides users with feedback on their measured weight using the database that stores the user.customized information. METHODS: The participants of this experimental study used the system two or three times a week for 10 weeks. We analyzed the changes in their body weight and body mass index (BMI) according to their respective usage of the system. RESULTS: Participants' body weight and BMI decreased with respect to their individual usage of the system. Participants that used the system frequently for a longer time period improved significantly in their body weight and BMI. CONCLUSION: The experimental study showed that the body weight management system, HIMS-Diet, was effective in controlling people's body weight.
Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Body Weight Changes

Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis is a disease involving the proliferation of atypical smooth muscle cells trom the perilymphatics, peribronchial and perivascular region of the lung and the retroperitneum. The disease usually affects women of child-bearing age. We recently experienced a case of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis in a 31-year-old women who had suffered from a chylous pleural effusion. Histologic confirmation of lymphangioleiomyomatosis was made upon a video-associated thoracoscopic lung biopsy. Here we report this case with a brief review of the literature.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymphangioleiomyomatosis* ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Pleural Effusion*