BACKGROUND: Serratia marcescens proliferates well in a humid environment or soil and is recently considered as an important pathogen for the severe nosocomial infections. this organism is spreads easily by hand-to-hand transmission, and contaminates medical equipment used for invasive procedures, working environment, medications, and soap. METHODS: We investigated the source of an outbreak of bloodstream infections by S. marcescens isolated that occurred during the period from July to December, 2004, at a university hospital in Gyeonggi Province and attempted to intervene in the outbreak and control it. RESULTS: From July to December, 2004, S. marcescens grew from 296 blood culture from 283 patients. The medical charts of the patients were reviewed, and surveillance cultures were taken to identify the outbreak of nosocomial infections and risk factors. Only four cases of infection were identified and all remaining positive blood cultures were due to contamination. Nine isolates randomly selected from the 296 S. marcescens showed an identical pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern. To identify the source of infection, environmental culture and hand cultures of the related medical workers were carried out, but S. marcescens was not isolated. CONCLUSION: As the result of aggressive infection control activities, such as re-education on environmental management methods, hand washing techniques, and blood culture sampling techniques, no more S. marcescens had been grown in blood culture since January, 2005.
Cross Infection ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hand ; Hand Disinfection ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Risk Factors ; Serratia marcescens ; Serratia* ; Soaps ; Soil

No abstract available.
Nursing Homes* ; Nursing* ; Nutritional Status*

BACKGROUND: The influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. The primary target groups recommended for annual vaccination are healthcare workers and households which have frequent contact with persons at high risk and can transmit influenza to those persons at high risk. Members of these groups should be vaccinated against the flu so that they can avoid getting infected with continuously mutating influenza viruses. We assessed healthcare workers' knowledge and attitudes regarding influenza vaccination in order to help promote the vaccination rate. METHODS: This survey was carried out in two hospitals affiliated with the Catholic University School of Medicine, from December 2004 to January 2005. Of the 3,023 questionnaires distributed, 2,023 could be evaluated. RESULTS: The most frequently cited reason for receiving influenza vaccine was self-protection against influenza (55.4%). The most common reasons for not receiving influenza vaccine are personal health problems such as concurrent flu, pregnancy or breast-feeding (29.2%). There is no significant difference in the frequency of side effect between two groups receiving and not receiving vaccine. The most frequent side effect of influenza vaccination is flu-like syndrome; People receiving vaccine have more significant knowledge than those people not receiving vaccine about efficacy of flu vaccination, risk of influenza infection of healthcare workers and their need of flu vaccination. CONCLUSION: In order to promote the vaccination rate, education targeting people at high risk need to keep continuous and facilitate access to vaccination.
Delivery of Health Care* ; Education ; Family Characteristics ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines ; Influenza, Human* ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Pregnancy ; Vaccination* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The Purpose of this study is to investigate th relations among ego identity, stress, and internet addiction in high school students. METHODS: In order to get the data by self-questionnaire, 750 subject were selected from Aug. 20 to Aug. 31, 2008. The data was analyzed by percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression using SPSS/WIN 12.0 program. RESULTS: Ego identity scores were 39.54, stress scores were 64.68, internet addiction scores were 65.34. There were significantly negative correlations between ego identity and stress, between ego identity and internet addiction. But there was significantly positive correlation between stress and internet addiction. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the most powerful predictor of internet addiction was stress related to individual. CONCLUSION: The findings of study suggest that broad internet addiction and stress program should be provided to prevent problems of internet addiction.
Ego ; Humans ; Internet*

No abstract available in English.
Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Arthritis ; Rabbits ; Synovial Membrane

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of full-time and part-time occlusion therapy in patients who had been diagnosed with anisometropic amblyopia after age eight and have begun treatment. METHODS: We included patients eight years old or older who had been diagnosed with anisometropic amblyopia. They were treated with full-time or part-time occlusion therapy and followed up for at least six months. Treatment was considered successful when visual acuity was increased by two lines or more. RESULTS: There were 26 total patients. There were 14 part-time and 12 full-time occlusion therapy patients in the respective groups. Visual acuity for the amblyopic eyes was significantly improved while the non-amblyopic eyes did not show any significant differences after the treatment. The changes in the visual acuity were significantly larger for the full-time treatment group compared to the part-time treatment group. The full-time occlusion group showed a significant difference in visual acuity of the amblyopic eyes after treatment. Lower visual acuity of an amblyopic eye at the first visit led to a greater improvement in visual acuity after the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: With good compliance, occlusion therapy for anisometropic amblyopia can be successful even if it is initiated after eight years of age.
Aged ; Amblyopia ; Compliance ; Eye ; Humans ; Visual Acuity

This study was undertaken to investigate the protective effect of rice bran oil (RBO) on amyloid β protein (Aβ) (25-35)-induced memory impairment and brain damage in an ICR mouse model. Memory impairment was produced by intracerebroventricular microinjection of 15 nmol Aβ (25-35) and assessed using the passive avoidance test. Treatment with RBO at 0.1, 0.5, or 1 mL/kg (p.o. daily for 8 days) protected against Aβ (25-35)-induced memory impairment. Furthermore, Aβ (25-35)-induced decreases in glutathione and increases in lipid peroxidation and cholinesterase activity in brain tissue were inhibited by RBO, and Aβ (25-35)-induced increases of phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and inflammatory factors, and changes in the levels of apoptosis-related proteins were significantly inhibited by RBO. Furthermore, Aβ (25-35) suppressed the PI3K/Akt pathway and the phosphorylation of CREB, but increased phosphorylation of tau (ptau) in mice brain; these effects were significantly inhibited by administration of RBO. These results suggest that RBO inhibits Aβ (25-35)-induced memory impairment by inducing anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects, promoting PI3K/Akt/CREB signaling, and thus, inhibiting p-tau formation.

Y-STR haplotyping is a powerful forensic and anthropological tool for identifying male lineages. We used high-resolution Y-STR haplotyping to evaluate the possibility of an ancestral relationship between two individuals with the different surname. Of the 17 Y-STRs genotyped, 16 had identical alleles in two individuals, except for an unambiguously sporadic mutation (one-step mutation) at DYS385 locus. The common allele 11.1 (U3Ains) at DYS439 locus was also observed in these two individuals. Sequencing analysis of these alleles of two samples demonstrated an A insertion at base 3 upstream from the repeat region's first GATA motif. These findings suggested that two individuals were paternally related, even if male individuals live with different surname.
Alleles ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Male

OBJECTIVE: Traumatic atlanto-occipital dislocation (AOD) results from high energy trauma and is an uncommon and usually fatal injury due to an injury to the cervicomedullary junction. Recently, improved prehospital management, early diagnosis and effective treatment led to increasing reports of survival. This study of patients with AOD initial imaging modalities recognizes the clinical features and diagnostic considerations for a quick diagnosis. METHODS: In this article, five survived adult patients with traumatic AOD are presented and retrospectively reviewed. Diagnosis was made by lateral cervical spine x-ray, cervical computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging(MRI). Treatment consisted of early immobilization, respiratory support, and subsequent occipitocervical fusion. RESULTS: Four patients were male and the other one was female. Three were diagnosed early and the others were delayed in confirmations. One was type I AOD and four were type II AOD. All patients were applied occipitocervical fusion. Two cases were worse; neurological states and the other three that showed no change. Lateral X-ray film of all patients in the prevertebral soft tissue swelling at the C2 level was noted. The mean thickness of prevertebral soft tissue C2 level was 17.88 mm(15.18 to 20.17mm). Two were in the normal range of dens-basion index(DBI), three showed abnormalities, and Power's ratio was abnormal in 3 patients. CONCLUSION: As for damages caused by a strong external force in patients with severe prevertebral soft tissue swelling at C2 level abnormaly, the doctor determines whether more should be carefully AOD and considers 3D CT or MRI to confirm AOD in these patients.
Adult ; Atlanto-Occipital Joint ; Dislocations ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Male ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine ; X-Ray Film

OBJECTIVE: Traumatic atlanto-occipital dislocation (AOD) results from high energy trauma and is an uncommon and usually fatal injury due to an injury to the cervicomedullary junction. Recently, improved prehospital management, early diagnosis and effective treatment led to increasing reports of survival. This study of patients with AOD initial imaging modalities recognizes the clinical features and diagnostic considerations for a quick diagnosis. METHODS: In this article, five survived adult patients with traumatic AOD are presented and retrospectively reviewed. Diagnosis was made by lateral cervical spine x-ray, cervical computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging(MRI). Treatment consisted of early immobilization, respiratory support, and subsequent occipitocervical fusion. RESULTS: Four patients were male and the other one was female. Three were diagnosed early and the others were delayed in confirmations. One was type I AOD and four were type II AOD. All patients were applied occipitocervical fusion. Two cases were worse; neurological states and the other three that showed no change. Lateral X-ray film of all patients in the prevertebral soft tissue swelling at the C2 level was noted. The mean thickness of prevertebral soft tissue C2 level was 17.88 mm(15.18 to 20.17mm). Two were in the normal range of dens-basion index(DBI), three showed abnormalities, and Power's ratio was abnormal in 3 patients. CONCLUSION: As for damages caused by a strong external force in patients with severe prevertebral soft tissue swelling at C2 level abnormaly, the doctor determines whether more should be carefully AOD and considers 3D CT or MRI to confirm AOD in these patients.
Adult ; Atlanto-Occipital Joint ; Dislocations ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Male ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine ; X-Ray Film