BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate nurses' clinical competence and its relationship with perception of and compliance with standard precautions. METHODS: From January 12 to January 20, 2011, a total of 134 nurses working at a university hospital in Gyeonggi province completed a structured questionnaire on clinical competence and perception of and compliance with standard precautions. The data were analyzed with independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson's correlation analysis. RESULTS: The mean score for clinical competence was 3.53, and showed significant differences according to age, gender, education level, marital status, monthly income, and years of experience. The mean scores for perception of and compliance with standard precautions were 4.67 and 4.00 respectively. Perception of standard precautions showed a significant difference according to years of experience. There were significant positive correlations among clinical competence and perception (r=0.234, P=0.007), clinical competence and compliance (r=0.363, P<0.001), and perception and compliance (r=0.406, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: To improve nurses' compliance with standard precautions educational and administrative policies to improve clinical competence should be considered.
Clinical Competence ; Compliance ; Infection Control ; Marital Status

No abstract available.
Angiofibroma* ; Estrogens* ; Progesterone* ; Receptors, Progesterone*

No abstract available.
Granuloma, Lethal Midline*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. Nasal polyps are also prominent features of cystic fibrosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the CFTR expression and CF mutation genes in nasal polyps to verify genetic influence in the nasal polyp formation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have evaluated 30 nasal polyps, 10 recurrent nasal polyps, and 10 inferior turbinates. RT-PCR was done for the CFTR mRNA expression and mutaion genes were studied by RFLP. Immunohistochemical study and western blotting were done for CFTR expression. RESULTS: RT-PCR revealed no differences in the expressions of CFTR transcripts between nasal polyps and nasal turbinates. The expression of CFTR protein was localized on apical portion of some ciliated cells on immunohistochemistry, and western blotting showed no differences in expression levels of CFTR protein. Three different mutations (deltaF508, 591 del 18, G551D) were analysed. One case of deltaF508 was detected in the samples. CONCLUSIONS: The expression levels of CFTR mRNA and CFTR protein may not be associated with the pathogenesis of nasal polyps, but it needs to be studied further on the physiological base. We also need to study further regarding the relation between CFTR mutaion genes and the development of nasal polyps with more mutaional screenings in cDNA levels.
Blotting, Western ; Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator ; Cystic Fibrosis* ; DNA, Complementary ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mass Screening ; Nasal Polyps* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; RNA, Messenger ; Turbinates

BACKGROUND: Mycobacterial false-positive cultures have rarely been recognized in Korea, even though the rate of false-positive cultures of Mycobaterium tuberculosis has ranged from 0.4% to 4.0%. We estimated the false-positive rates by the review of medical records from whom mycobacterial cultures were requested, retrospeaively, after a bout of false-positive cultures was discovered in specimens treated in a single day. METHODS: Of the total 2,245 specimens, including 337 positive cultures of mycobacteria, during the period of January and June 1999, seventy-two specimens that showed colonies less than or equal to 5 colonies were reviewed, and classified as tuberculosis-likely group, tuberculosis-unlikely group and unclassifiable group by the clinical and radiological evidences, anti-tuberculosis therapy, and microbiological results. RESULTS: Tuberculosis-unlikely group was 21 specimens from 20 patients, and unclassifiable group was five specimens from four patients. So, the false-positive rates were estimated as 0.9- 1.1% of total cultures and 6.2-7.7% of positive cultures, according to excluding or including the unclassifiable group. CONCLUSION: Care should be taken for lowering false-positive mycobacterial cultures. Especially when a culture turned out to be positive with low colony isolates, more careful interpretations should be preceded before reporting the results by the review of medical records and communication with physician in charge.
Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Tuberculosis

No abstract available.
Butterflies

PURPOSE: A new classification of gastrointestinal food allergy was published, but the changes of terminology between previously reported terms and the new ones were in a state of disorder. This has resulted in confusion between medical communication and diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The clinical observations of infants presenting with gastrointestinal cow milk allergy (GI-CMA) were performed, and the changes in the terminology reviewed through the published Korean literature. METHODS: Between March 2003 and July 2003, data from 37 consecutive infants with GI-CMA, aged 2 weeks to 15 months, were reviewed. The challenge and elimination test of cow milk, and the endoscopic and histologic findings, were used for the seven subdivisions of GI-CMA according to a new classification on the basis of patients' ages, clinical manifestations and location of gastrointestinal lesions. RESULTS: The 37 patients had a mean age of 5.4+/-4.8 months, with those observed in 26 (70.3%) of patients being below 6 months of age. The seven final diagnoses were; cow milk protein-induced enterocolitis (CMPIE) in 12 (32.4%), cow milk protein proctitis (PROC) in 12 (32.4%), IgE-mediated (IGE) in 6 (16.2%), gastroesophageal reflux-associated cow milk allergy (GERA) in 5 (13.5%) and eosinophilic gastroenterocolitis in 2 (5.4%). CMPIE was revealed as the typical type in 7 (18.9%) and the atypical type in 5 (13.5%), and all of typical CMPIE revealed cow milk protein-induced enteropathy. The mean age at symptom onset was 4.3+/-0.8 months, and for those with typical and atypical CMPIE, and PROC and GERA were 3.8+/-4.6, 10.4+/-3.8, 3.4+/-3.9 and 7.8+/-5.7 months, respectively (p<0.05). The period from onset of symptom to diagnosis was 2.4+/-3.3 (0.5~12) months, with those observed in atypical CMPIE and GERA being over 3months. Although the birth weights in all patients were within the 10~90 percentile range, the body weights on diagnoses were below the 3 percentile in 48.6%; IGE 16.7%, EOS 0%, typical CMPIE 85.7%, atypical CMPIE 60.0%, PROC 25.0% and GERA 100% (p<0.05). Through the review of the Korean literature, 8 case reports and 14 original articles for GI-CMA were found. CONCLUSION: GI-CMA is not a rare clinical disorder and is subdivided into seven categories on the basis of the patient's age, clinical manifestations and location of the gastrointestinal lesions. The terms for GI-CMA are changing with new classifications, and careful approaches are necessary for medical communications.
Birth Weight ; Body Weight ; Child* ; Classification* ; Diagnosis ; Enterocolitis ; Eosinophils ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Infant ; Milk Hypersensitivity* ; Milk Proteins ; Milk* ; Proctitis

The anti-inflammatory effects of an ethanol extract of Angelica gigas (EAG) were investigated in vitro and in vivo using croton oil-induced inflammation models. Croton oil (20 microgram/mL) up-regulated mRNA expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-I and COX-II in the macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7, resulting in the release of high concentrations of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). EAG (1~10 microgram/mL) markedly suppressed croton oil-induced COX-II mRNA expression and PGE2 production. Application of croton oil (5% in acetone) to mouse ears caused severe local erythema, edema and vascular leakage, which were significantly attenuated by oral pre-treatment with EAG (50~500 mg/kg). Croton oil dramatically increased blood levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and PGE2 without affecting tumor-necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and nitric oxide (NO) levels. EAG pre-treatment remarkably lowered IL-6 and PGE2, but did not alter TNF-alpha or NO concentrations. These results indicate that EAG attenuates inflammatory responses in part by blocking the COX-PGE2 pathway. Therefore, EAG could be a promising candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
Angelica/*immunology ; Animals ; Cell Line ; Cyclooxygenase 1/genetics/*immunology ; Cyclooxygenase 2/genetics/*immunology ; Dinoprostone/genetics/immunology ; Inflammation/drug therapy/enzymology/*immunology ; Interleukin-6/blood ; Macrophages ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Nitric Oxide/blood ; Phytotherapy/*methods ; Plant Extracts/*pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Plant Roots/immunology ; RNA, Messenger/chemistry/genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood

Mesenteric lymphangioma was first recognized when an autopsy case was recorded in 1507 by Benevieni. It has been known clinically rare disease and probably a congenital developmental abnormality due to failure of drainage of peripheral primary lymphatic spaces. We experienced a case of abnormal rotation in intestine by mesenteric lymphangioma in a 8 years old male who showed vomiting and abdominal pain. A brief review of related literatures is also presented.
Abdominal Pain ; Autopsy ; Child ; Drainage ; Humans ; Intestines ; Lymphangioma* ; Male ; Rare Diseases ; Vomiting

About a third of the patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis have reduced arterial oxygen saturation and are sometimes cyanosed in the absence of any apparent lung or heart disease; There is a reduction of diffusing capacity without a restrictive ventilatory defect. The aim of this study was to determine diffusing capacities in patients with chronic liver- diseases. The diffusing capacities and arterial oxygen saturations were measured in 25 patients with chronic active hepatitis(CAH), 9 early cirrhotics (early LC), 36 cirrhotics(Child's class A) and 11 cirrhotics(Child's class B). The anterior tibial area was observed for pitting edema, and Thallium-201 test per rectum(shunt index) was done. Hypoxemia was not observed in all subjects. The number of cases with decreased pulmonary diffusing capacity (DLco) is 3/25(12.0%) for CAH, 3/9(33.3%) for CAH with early liver cirrhosis(LC), 17/36(47.2%) for LC(Child's class A) and 6/11(54.5%) for LC(Child's class B). The mean+/-standard deviation of Dlco(% predicred) are 93.1+/-12.1 for CAH, 85.7+/-12.3 for CAH with early LC, 82.2+/-14.7 for LC(Child's class A) and 80.4+/-6.9 for LC(Child's class B), There is a significant difference between DLco in CAH and that in LC(Child's class A)(p<0.01). Patients with higher shunt index(>0.3) had significantly lower DLco than these with lower shunt index(<0.3)(76.4+/-9.7% vs. 89.3+/-13.3%)(p<0.01). The DLco was also lower in patients with pitting edema(77.3+/-10.2%) than in those without pitting edema(85.5+/-13.8%) (p<0.01). These results summarized that the DLco was low in patients with cirrhosis and with higher shunt index(>0.3) or pitting edema. This may be due to an increased systemic blood flow shunt and an increased generalized interstitial edema. Pulmonary function tests including diffusing capacity may be useful as prognostic parameters in patients with chronic liver disease, especially in those with CAH or early LC.
Anoxia ; Edema ; Fibrosis ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver Diseases ; Liver* ; Lung ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity* ; Respiratory Function Tests