No abstract available.
Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Chorion* ; Chorionic Villi* ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy

BACKGROUND: HBsAg carriers are 6-12% of population in Korea. The patients knowledge on hepatitis B and regular follow-up tests are important, because HBsAg carriers have infectivity and the disease may progress without symptoms. We surveyed their knowledge on the hepatitis B and the frequency of follow-up blood test and sonogram. METHODS: From March 1993 through September 1994, 630 patients who were diagnosed as HBsAg positive and Anti-HBs negative in a health promotion center of college hospital were surveyed by mailing questionnaire. The questionnaire included the result of HBV viral marker test, transmission routes, complications, and prevention methods of Hepatitis B, frequency of follow-up test, and doctors recommendation. RESULTS: Of the 490 questionnaires excluded the 140 questionaires returned due to wrong address, 100 were answered, making the reply rate 20.4%. As for the result of HBV marker test, 64% answered their HBV marker as HBsAg positve, 10% answered HBsAg negative, and 26% answered I dont know. 65% answered that they are HBV carrier. As for the mode of transmission, 59% answered that HBV is transmitted by blood, 57% from carrier mother at birth, 29 % by sexual intercourse. 76% of responders know that vaccination is needed for preventing vertical transmission. When making score on their knowledge, significant differences were showed according to education, income and doctors recommendation about regular follow-up test. The number of persons who took regular blood test every 6 to 12 months were 56(56%), and the number of persons who took regular abdominal ultrasonogram were 39(39%). The number of patients who were recommended regular follow-up by doctor was 76%. In this group, 51 persons(67.0%) took regular blood test and 35 persons(35%) took regular sonogram so this frequency is significantly higher than the other group(each 20.8%, 16.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge on hepatitis B in HBsAg positive patients is relatively low and the frequency of regular follow-up test is significantly higher in the group who took doctors recommendation. So it is very important that HBsAg carriers must be educated about the infectivity, preventive methods, and regular follow-up for early detection of complication like hepatocellular cancer.
Biomarkers ; Coitus ; Education ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Health Promotion ; Hematologic Tests ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver Neoplasms ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Postal Service ; Ultrasonography ; Vaccination ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Adolescent girls are interested in weight reduction, but effective and adequate education for weight reduction is not done in Korea. And so much information is accepted via mass media. We investigated body image perception, weight control activities and their side effects among adolescent girls. METHODS: We used questionnaire about body image and weight control activities of middle and high school girls in Seoul in Sep. 1995. RESULTS: 88.6% of girls were not satisfied with their own height and 85.1% of girls with their own weight. 66.3% underweight students(BMI<20kg/m2) thought they were too fat and 98% acceptable weight students(20kg/m2<_KBMI<25kg/m2) thought they were too fat. So most girls had body image disturbance. 42.4% of girls were trying to lose weight and 85.1% were trying to lose weight reason for attractiveness and 16.6% were trying to lose for health. Self reported weight reduction methods were exercise(31.6%), fasting(21.9%), diet(21.5%), monodiet(10.8 %), laxatives(2.3%), very low calorie diet(1.8%) etc. Students who tr ied to lose weight for attractiveness selected more undesirable methods than who tried to lose weight for health(P<0.01). Most common route is via magazine, TV and newspaper. 43.4% of girls who tried to lose weight experienced side effects after weight reduction, those were dizziness(71.3%), general weakness(51%), apathy(26.S%) etc. CONCLUSIONS: Most girls had body image distortions. Useless weight reduction activities were done or planned and most of information was accepted via mass media. It is important to educate the girls to get adequate body image and effective weight reduction program is needed for health in adolescent girls.
Adolescent* ; Body Image* ; Education ; Female* ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Media ; Periodicals ; Periodicals as Topic ; Self Report ; Seoul ; Thinness ; Weight Loss ; Weight Perception ; Weight Reduction Programs ; Surveys and Questionnaires

This study was aimed at evaluating the nutritional status of Korean lactating women, who were attending peripheral community clinics in low-income areas, by anthropometric measurement, estimating dietary intakes and analyzing the contents of breast milk components, serum lipid content and fatty acid composition. Regarding anghropometric measurements, maternal circumferences decreased significantly at the trunk but not at the limbs. The skinfold thickness on all regions had the tendency to decrease during lactation. It was found that intakes of energy, protein, lipid and carbohydrates were desirable while calcium, zinc, copper and vitamin A were low and sodium was excessive. The energy % of fat was 22.41% of the total energy which is higher than the RDA for adults but it is proper for lactating women, but energy % from each fatty acid was usually low and an intake ratio of omega6/omega3 fatty acids was desirable. Accordingly, it is thought that dietary fat intake was balanced in quality. Concentrations of the nutrients in matured human milk showed the same range as that reported form different regions with the exception of calcium and magnesium which were relatively low. Serum lipid contents were decreased with the time postpartum and the average serum lipid content of lactating women were similar to the normal range of adults. Serum polyunsaturated fatty acids. especially omega6 fatty acids have gradually increased with the time postpartum, but the composition were not greatly influenced by dietary intakes.
Adult ; Breast* ; Calcium ; Carbohydrates ; Copper ; Dietary Fats ; Extremities ; Fatty Acids ; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated ; Female ; Humans ; Lactation ; Magnesium ; Milk, Human* ; Nutritional Status ; Postpartum Period ; Reference Values ; Skinfold Thickness ; Sodium ; Vitamin A ; Zinc

The serum concentrations of the major minerals(calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium) and trace elements(iron, Zinc, copper manganese)were datermined in 23 breast fed infants living in Eumsung, Choong-buk region. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1)The mean levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and potassium of the serum of total subjects were 8.15+/-0.33mg/dI, 11.06+/-0.16mg/dI, 2.00+/-0.14mg/dI, 3.4476+/-17.99mg/dI and 9.06+/-2.04mg/dI respectively. 2)The serum concentrations of iron, zinc, copper and manganese in total subjects averaged 95.83+/-0.33mg/dI, 93.79+/-7.06 microgram/dI and 98.57+/-7.06 microgram/dI and 4.93+/-0.62 microgram/dI respecitively. 3)Breast fed infants had significantly higher serum calcim, magnesium, sodium and iron concentrations than the formula fed groups. Otherwise, serum potassium, copper and manganese levels in breast milk fed infants were significantly lower than those in formula fed infants. 4) In formula fed infants, serum potassium and copper levels increased increased significantly with months after birth.
Breast ; Calcium ; Copper ; Humans ; Infant* ; Iron ; Magnesium ; Manganese ; Milk, Human ; Minerals* ; Parturition ; Phosphorus ; Potassium ; Sodium ; Trace Elements* ; Zinc

Human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is generally used to identify highly degraded forensic samples, particularly when the extracted DNA is not sufficient for nuclear DNA analysis. However, direct sequencing, the most widely used mtDNA analysis method, is laborious and time-consuming, and precludes the simultaneous analysis of many samples. Here, we describe a rapid and simple screening method for mtDNA analysis in Koreans using single base extension (SBE) methods. Sixteen highly polymorphic mtDNA SNPs from the control region were selected, and a multiplex SBE system was constructed to analyze them. Because the developed system consists of two duplex PCRs, which produce small amplicons with fewer than 270 bp, it works well with highly degraded samples such as old skeletal remains. Using this multiplex SBE system, 145 different haplotypes were expected to be observed from 593 unrelated Koreans. Seventy-three haplotypes were expected to be observed only once, and the most frequent haplotype was expected to occur 80 times. Since the mean number of pairwise differences was estimated to be 4.55, the developed system could be useful to exclude samples that do not match evidence and reference samples. Therefore, the multiplex SBE system used in this study will be a useful tool to analyze many samples simultaneously and to efficiently screen out non-matching mtDNA sequences in forensic casework.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; DNA ; DNA, Mitochondrial* ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Methods ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*

Angiosarcomas are rare tumors that are derived from vascular endothelial cells. They may occur in various sites, including the skin, breast, visceral organs and deep soft tissues. The pleura usually a metastatic site from angiosarcomas. However, thirty one cases of primary pleural angiosarcomas have been reported worldwide. Here, we report a 61-year-old man with a primary angiosarcoma of the pleura with a brief review of the literature.
Breast ; Endothelial Cells ; Hemangiosarcoma* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pleura* ; Skin

Purpose: We compared the accuracy of central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements according to CCT measured by noncontact Tono-pachymetry and ultrasound pachymetry (USP). Methods: CCT was measured in 90 eyes of 90 subjects by two optometrists. The CCT measurements were compared and the correlations between the measurements were analyzed. To evaluate whether the measurements varied depending on CCT, the subjects were classified into three groups according to CCT (group 1: thin thickness group; group 2: medium thickness group; and group 3: thick thickness group). The differences in CCT obtained by the two devices (△CCT = Tono-pachymetry-USP) were compared and analyzed among the three groups. Results: The average CCT measurements by Tono-pachymetry and USP were 523.26 ± 32.93 μm and 527.08 ± 37.33 μm, respectively. CCT by Tono-pachymetry was significantly thinner than by USP (△CCT= -3.82 ± 15.34, p = 0.020). The two measurements were strongly correlated (r = 0.912, p < 0.001). The △CCT values were 5.40 ± 12.13 μm in group 1, -6.37 ± 15.07 μm in group 2, and -10.50 ± 14.39 μm in group 3 (p < 0.001). Conclusions CCT measured by tono-pachymetry was thinner on average compared to the value measured by USP and the differences in measurements between the two devices were different according to CCT. The thinner the CCT, the thicker the measurement, and the thicker the CCT, the thinner the measurement. Therefore, this trend should be considered when interpreting tono- pachymetry results in clinical practice.

Purpose: We compared the accuracy of central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements according to CCT measured by noncontact Tono-pachymetry and ultrasound pachymetry (USP). Methods: CCT was measured in 90 eyes of 90 subjects by two optometrists. The CCT measurements were compared and the correlations between the measurements were analyzed. To evaluate whether the measurements varied depending on CCT, the subjects were classified into three groups according to CCT (group 1: thin thickness group; group 2: medium thickness group; and group 3: thick thickness group). The differences in CCT obtained by the two devices (△CCT = Tono-pachymetry-USP) were compared and analyzed among the three groups. Results: The average CCT measurements by Tono-pachymetry and USP were 523.26 ± 32.93 μm and 527.08 ± 37.33 μm, respectively. CCT by Tono-pachymetry was significantly thinner than by USP (△CCT= -3.82 ± 15.34, p = 0.020). The two measurements were strongly correlated (r = 0.912, p < 0.001). The △CCT values were 5.40 ± 12.13 μm in group 1, -6.37 ± 15.07 μm in group 2, and -10.50 ± 14.39 μm in group 3 (p < 0.001). Conclusions CCT measured by tono-pachymetry was thinner on average compared to the value measured by USP and the differences in measurements between the two devices were different according to CCT. The thinner the CCT, the thicker the measurement, and the thicker the CCT, the thinner the measurement. Therefore, this trend should be considered when interpreting tono- pachymetry results in clinical practice.

PURPOSE: Korean women are likely to experience symptoms of depression, possibly due to socially fixed limitations on the roles that Korean women are expected to perform. Also if a Korean woman experinces negative relationship problem or stress in her family, she would feel responsible, which will worsen her depression. Nonetheless, much of the research on depression among Korean women has focused on menopausal women. This study aims to understand the depression of Korean women to provide fundamental data to develop nursing intervention method for promoting women's health. METHODS: The present investigation assessed the prevalence and correlates of depression in a large sample of Korean women, aged 18 or older, from the general population. With a probability sample of 3312 women drawn from two areas in Korea, a survey, which contains the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and background, was completed. RESULTS: According to CES-D classification criteria, 36.5% of the women in the sample displayed either no depression or mild depression, 55.6% exhibited moderate depression, and 7.8% manifested severe depression. Significant bivariate relationships were observed between depression and each measured background variable except alcohol use. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the strongest combination of predictors of depression included income, menopausal, and marital status. CONCLUSION: The data support the premise that Korean women disproportionately experience elevated levels of depression. Consistent with the theory, depression may be related to social pressures to conform to the traditional roles. The study suggests the need for further research, primary prevention activities, and increased access to treatment.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Depressive Disorder/diagnosis/*ethnology/etiology/nursing ; Female ; Gender Identity ; Guilt ; Health Promotion ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Marital Status ; Models, Psychological ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nurse's Role ; Prevalence ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Severity of Illness Index ; Sex Distribution ; Social Support ; Social Values ; Socioeconomic Factors ; *Women/education/psychology