The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between the levels of foodservice management activities and job satisfaction of the dietitians in elementary schools. Out of 130 questionnaires distributed to elementary school dietitians in In-cheon, 127 were returned and analyzed (98% response rate). The questionnaire included two multipleitem scales for measuring foodservice management activities and job satisfaction, respectively. All the items in the scales were coded 1 to 5 for 'certainly no', 'no', 'neutral', 'yes', and 'certainly yes' and grouped by using factor analyses. Most of the responding dietitians were working for schools in urban areas and have independently managed on-site kitchens. The 19 items on food service management activities were grouped into 6 factors and the mean scores of the levels of Personnel Hygiene Management, Education & Training, Sanitation & Safety Management, Menu Quality Management, Service Management, and Environment Management were 4.76, 4.26, 4.24, 4.05, 3.61 and 3.39, respectively. The 23 items on job satisfaction were grouped into 4 factors and the mean scores of the satisfaction levels of Systematic Environment, Job Duty, Job Condition, and Physical Environment were 3.38, 2.83, 2.53, and 2.08, respectively. Overall, the levels of food service management activities and job satisfaction were positively associated with a correlation coefficient of 0.254 (p < 0.01). In particular, satisfaction levels on job duty itself and systematic environment were positively associated with the levels of overall management activities. The results suggest that improving dietitians' job satisfaction could increase the levels of management activities of school foodservice dietitians, resulting in quality improvement of school food service.
Education ; Food Services ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Incheon ; Job Satisfaction* ; Nutritionists ; Quality Improvement ; Safety Management ; Sanitation ; Weights and Measures

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the students' levels of involvement in school lunch service and their satisfaction levels with the service. A survey was conducted with 5th and 6th grade elementary students eating school lunches. Out of 1,680 questionnaires distributed to the students from 14 schools, 1,254 complete questionnaires (74.6%) were analyzed. The questionnaire included two 5-point multi-item scales for measuring levels of involvement in and satisfaction with school lunch service, respectively. A factor analysis grouped 20 items measuring school lunch satisfaction into three factors: 'food satisfaction', 'nutrition & sanitation satisfaction', and 'service & environment satisfaction'. As a result of multiple regression analyses controlling the influence of such variables as students' grades, gender, school location, years and places of eating school lunches, students' levels of involvement in school lunch service was proven to be positively associated with levels of school lunch satisfaction overall, as well as satisfaction levels in regard to 'food', 'nutrition & sanitation', and 'service & environment', respectively. It was suggested that efforts such as nutrition education to increase students' levels of involvement in school lunches could be a useful strategy to improve students' satisfaction with school lunch service.
Eating ; Education ; Humans ; Lunch* ; Sanitation ; Weights and Measures

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between the levels of job satisfaction and self-evaluated foodservice quality of dietitians in elementary schools. Out of 130 questionnaires distributed to the elementary school dietitians in In-cheon, 127 were returned and analyzed (98% response rate). The questionnaire included two multipleitem scales for measuring job satisfaction and foodservice quality, respectively. All the items in the scales were coded 1 to 5 for certainly no, no, neutral, yes, and certainly yes and grouped by using factor analyses. Most of the responding dietitians were working for schools in urban areas and had independently-managed on-site kitchens. The 23 items measuring job satisfaction were grouped into 4 factors: Job Duty, Job Condition, Physical Work Environment, and Organizational Environment. The satisfaction score was the highest for Organizational Environment with a value of 3.38 and the least for Physical Work Environment with a value of 2.08. The 22 items measuring foodservice quality were grouped into 5 factors and the mean scores of the levels of Cleanliness, Internal Food quality, External Food quality, Intangible Service Environment and Tangible Service Environment were 4.20, 3.89, 3.54, 3.45 and 2.64, respectively. The levels of job satisfaction and foodservice quality were positively associated with a correlation coefficient of 0.288 (p < 0.01). In particular, the level of job satisfaction was positively associated with foodservice quality in the aspect of Cleanliness, Internal Food Quality, and Intangible Service Environment. The results show that improving dietitians' job satisfaction could contribute to increasing the levels of foodservice quality of elementary schools.
Food Quality ; Humans ; Incheon ; Job Satisfaction* ; Nutritionists ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Weights and Measures

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is an unusual and uncommon causes of antepartum and postpartum heart failure, which may result in severe cardiac failure and death. PPCM is often unrecognized as symptoms of normal pregnancy commonly mimic those of mild heart failure but can rapidly progress to cardiac failure. We presented a case of elective labor induction in a patient with peripartum cardiomyopathy. A epidural analgesia technique was performed without difficulty for labor analgesia in parturient with peripartum cardiomyopathy. Her post-delivery course was uncomplicated but her baby has died due to respiratory failure. We suggest that vaginal delivery with careful incremental epidural alnalgesia in patient with PPCM is acceptable methods and close peripartum monitoring is essential in the management of PPCM.
Analgesia* ; Analgesia, Epidural ; Cardiomyopathies* ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Peripartum Period* ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Insufficiency

OBJECTIVES: This study was investigated the recovery characteristics of propofol-remifentanil and sevoflurane-remifentanil anesthesia for total thyroidectomy. METHODS: Eighty patients in ASA physical status 1 and 2 scheduled for total thyroidectomy were allocated randomly to either group P (n = 40) or group S (n = 40). Anesthesia was maintained with remifentanil effect site concentration (Ce) 1-3 ng/mL and propofol Ce 2-4 microg/mL in the group P, and was maintained with remifentanil Ce 1-3 ng/mL and sevoflurane 1.5-2% in the group S. Blood pressure, heart rate, and bispectral (BIS) index were measured during perioperative period. The times from discontinuance of anesthetic agent to eye opening, to extubation, and to stating name were measured. Postoperative complications were evaluated. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between group P and S on the blood pressure, heart rate, and recovery time. BIS index of group P showed lower than that of group S during operation (P < 0.05). The incidences of side effects were similar in the two groups, though the incidence of nausea was higher in the group S (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Propofol-remifentanil anesthesia was more advantageous than sevoflurane-remifentanil anesthesia for thyroidectomy in view of side effect incidences.
Anesthesia* ; Blood Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Nausea ; Perioperative Period ; Postoperative Complications ; Propofol ; Thyroidectomy*

No abstract available.
Codon ; Hallucinations ; Illusions

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown increasing evidence for microglial activation in neuronal degeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD), although the cause of PD remains unclear. Recent studies have also shown that 1alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (vitamin D3) exert neuroprotective effects by inducing an increased expression of neurotrophic factors, suggesting the possibility of vitamin D3 for the treatment of PD and other neurodegenerative diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of vitamin D3 on 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced neurotoxicity and microglial activation in adult rats. METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subcutaneously injected with vitamin D3 or 0.1% ethanol for seven consecutive days and then infused unilaterally with 6-OHDA in the medial forebrain bundle. After 7 days of injection with 6-OHDA, the substantia nigra was examined by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons in the lesioned substantia nigra pars compacta of vitamin D3 and ethanol groups was 84.8 +/- 18.84 and 52.6 +/- 13.23, respectively, fewer than that of the contralateral side (122.35 +/- 9.79 and 123.81 +/- 12.11, respectively) (P<0.05). The vitamin D3 group showed significantly higher numbers of the TH-positive neurons than that of the ethanol group (P<0.05). CD11b-positive microglial immunoreactivity was stronger in the lesion side than that of the normal side, and it was much weaker in the vitamin D3 group than that of the ethanol group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that vitamin D3 protects dopaminergic neurons from the neuronal injury induced by 6-OHDA, possibly by the mechanism involving microglial activation.
Adult ; Animals ; Cholecalciferol ; Dopaminergic Neurons* ; Ethanol ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Medial Forebrain Bundle ; Microglia ; Models, Animal* ; Nerve Growth Factors ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Oxidopamine* ; Parkinson Disease ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Substantia Nigra ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase

BACKGROUND: Liver cirrhosis is characterized by fibrous scarring and hepatocellular regeneration. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) comprise a family of zinc-dependent enzymes that degrade the extracellular matrix (ECM) components. This study examined whether or not gene delivery of human MMP-3 can attenuate established liver cirrhosis in a rat. METHODS: Rat liver cirrhosis was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) three times a week for 8 weeks. The rats were infected once with either a recombinant adenovirus, AdMMP3.GFP, or a control adenovirus, Ad.GFP, into a portal vein and followed up for 3 weeks. In the rat liver tissues, the collagen content, histopathology and immunohistochemical staining were measured. RESULTS: Liver fibrosis in the DMN induced cirrhotic rat was attenuated along with a diminished hydroxyproline content and increased dried liver weight after the gene delivery of AdMMP3.GFP. In addition, the number of activated hepatic stellate cells was lower whereas the proliferation of hepatocytes, which was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining using anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) antibody, was observed in the AdMMP3.GFP infected rats, suggesting that human MMP-3 stimulated hepatocyte proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the gene transfer of human MMP-3 in the liver attenuates established fibrosis and induces hepatocyte proliferation. Therefore, gene therapy using MMP-3 in liver cirrhosis might be a promising therapeutic option in the future.
Adenoviridae* ; Animals ; Cicatrix ; Collagen ; Dimethylnitrosamine ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibrosis ; Genetic Therapy* ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Hydroxyproline ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Models, Animal* ; Portal Vein ; Rats* ; Regeneration

PURPOSE: Acute pancreatitis is one of the potentially lethal complications that occurs after cardiac surgery. We tried to identify risk factors for and the prognosis of acute pancreatitis after cardiac valve surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a database of consecutive patients who underwent cardiac valve surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass between January 2005 and April 2010 at our institution. Patients were classified as having acute pancreatitis based on serum lipase concentration and clinical symptoms (lipase > or =180 U/L or > or =60 U/L with relevant symptoms). RESULTS: Of the 986 patients who underwent cardiac valve surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, 58 (5.9%) patients developed post-operative pancreatitis. Post-operative hospital stay was significantly longer (29.7+/-45.6 days vs. 12.4+/-10.7 days, p=0.005) and in-hospital mortality rate was higher (15.5% vs. 2.0%, p<0.001) in patients with post-operative pancreatitis than those without. Hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and peri-operative use of norepinephrine were identified as independent risk factors for developing pancreatitis after cardiac valve surgery. CONCLUSION: We found that acute pancreatitis after cardiac valve surgery requires longer hospitalization and increases the in-hospital mortality rate. Clinicians should be aware that patients could develop pancreatitis after cardiac valve surgery, especially in patients with hypertension and chronic kidney disease treated with norepinephrine.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures/adverse effects ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Female ; Heart Valve Diseases/*complications/*surgery ; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation/*adverse effects ; Humans ; Lipase/blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Norepinephrine/therapeutic use ; Pancreatitis/*diagnosis/*etiology ; Postoperative Period ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors