PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of aroma massage on pruritus, skin pH, skin hydration and sleep in elders in long-term care hospitals. METHODS: The participants were elders over 65 years old admitted to long-term care. They were assigned to the experimental group (26) or control group (28). Data were collected from May to August, 2012. Visual Analogue Scale and Verran and Snyder-Halpern Sleep scale were used to identify levels of pruritus and sleep. A skin-pH meter and moisture checker were used to measure skin pH and skin hydration. Aroma massage was performed three times a week for 4 weeks for elders in the experimental group. The data were analyzed using the SPSS Win 17.0 program. RESULTS: There were significant differences in pruritus, skin pH and skin hydration between the two groups. However there was no significant difference in sleep. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that aroma massage is effective in reducing pruritus, skin pH and increasing skin hydration in elders. Therefore, this intervention can be utilized in clinical practice as an effective nursing intervention to reduce pruritus in elders in long-term care hospitals.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aromatherapy/*standards ; Female ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Long-Term Care ; Male ; Massage ; Pruritus/*therapy ; Skin/*metabolism/pathology ; *Sleep

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the sexual maturation, body image, and self-esteem of Korean elementary school girls with symptoms of precocious puberty compared to those with no symptoms of precocious puberty. METHODS: The subjects were 309 girls of lower grades in elementary school. Tanner's Sexual Maturation Rating (SMR), Self Image Scale, and Self-esteem Scale were utilized to determine the presence of symptoms of precocious puberty, body image, and self esteem. Collected data were analyzed by Chi-square test, independent t-test, and one-way ANOVA using the SPSS/WIN 17.0 program. RESULTS: The percentage of the girls with breast development was 14.9%. Breast development usually began in the third grade (56.5%). Of the subjects, 0.3% were experiencing menstruation. Breast development was related to grade, age, height, weight, and a cause of worry. There was a significant difference of body image between girls with breast development in the first grade and in the second grade. CONCLUSION: An effective intervention that can improve the self-image of children with symptoms of precocious puberty should be developed to prevent and treat physical and mental problems related to sexual maturation.
Body Image ; Breast ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Menstruation ; Puberty, Precocious ; Self Concept ; Sexual Maturation

The purpose of this study was to develop a critical pathway for the patients following lumbar laminectomy. Development of this critical pathway was the fundamental phase to implement case management, which is a new health care delivery system. For this study, a preliminary critical pathway was developed first through a literature review and analysis of the medical records and seven critical pathways being used currently in Korea and the USA. In order to identify the health care services provided for the patients, who had lumbar laminectomiess and to draw up the conceptual framework, 30 medical records were analyzed from January, 1997 to December, 1997 at the Spinal Center in the Yonsei University Medical Center. The results of this study are as follows: 1. The vertical axis of the critical pathway included the following 7 items: test, assessment, treatment, activity, medication, diet, teaching and discharge planning; and the horizontal axis included the time frame from the pre-operative day to the third post-operative day. 2. Analysis of the 30 medical records indicated that the average length of stay was 13.7 days, including 4.8 days from admission to operation, and 8.9 days from operation to discharge. 3. According to the validity study using seven experts, 54 items, among the total of 86 items, reached over 86% agreement, while 32 items showed less than 86%. These 32 items were reviewed for deletion or modification before inclusion. A final critical pathway then was developed. On the basis of this research, it is anticipated that this critical pathway can be uesd in clinical situations to provide care for the patients following lumbar laminectomy in the most effective and efficient manner.
Academic Medical Centers ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Case Management ; Critical Pathways* ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diet ; Humans ; Korea ; Laminectomy* ; Length of Stay ; Medical Records ; Patient Discharge

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study were to: (1) describe the individual characteristics, perceived health status, body image, and health promoting behaviors of staff nurses working in a metropolitan hospital and (2) determine the relationship of perceived health status, body image, and health promoting behaviors. METHODS: Data were collected from 311 staff nurses working at one of university affiliated hospitals using a self-administered questionnaire for perceived health status(SF 36 V2), body image(BAQ), and health promoting behaviors (HPLP-II) and using the report of year 2002 employee physical check-up results for health related characteristics. RESULTS: Most of nurses were within the normal range of BMI, total cholesterol, and liver enzymes but 42.2% had systolic BP above 120mmHg and 37.3% hemoglobin below 12g/dL. Although 96.4% of BMI score indicated 'underweight' or 'normal', 'feeling fat' showed the highest. Among health promoting behaviors the most frequently reported one was spiritual growth and the least one was engagement in physical activity. In the correlational analysis, health promoting behaviors had the positive relationships with perceived health status, vitality, mental health, attractiveness, strength and fitness (p=.000 - .004). CONCLUSION: These findings provide information that is relevant in designing interventions to enhance health promoting behaviors among nurses working in a hospital.
Body Image* ; Cholesterol ; Hospitals, Urban ; Liver ; Mental Health ; Motor Activity ; Reference Values ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Sarcoma*

PURPOSE: To report two cases of tsutsugamushi disease, showing ocular manifestations with eschars on the lower eyelids. METHODS: Two patients who have tsutsugamushi disease with ocular manifestations were examined by standard ophthalmic procedures. Eschars were observed in both patients on the medial canthal lower lid. Conjunctival injection and episcleral vessel dilations were also observed in both patients. One patient had limbal vasculitis with pannus. RESULTS: It is possible that eschars, which are the pathognomonic sign in tsutsugamushi disease, can occur on the eyelid, as well as on the axilla, perineum, abdomen, and extremities, which have been commonly observed sites. Ocular manifestations, including conjunctival injection, episcleral vessel dilation, or limbitis may be observed. These conditions may respond well to treatment with 0.1% Fluorometholone.
Abdomen ; Axilla ; Extremities ; Eyelids* ; Fluorometholone ; Humans ; Perineum ; Scrub Typhus* ; Vasculitis

Corals are the marine organism that belongs to the phylum Cnidaria, and are one of the common causes of superficial injury in the marine environment. In addition to acute reactions such as burning or stinging pain and erythema, coral injuries may present with complications such as foreign body reactions, bacterial infections, and/or localized eczematous reactions. A 23-year-old male presented with an erythematous edematous tender patch with centrally grouped vesicles on the left ankle; the injury had occurred during skin-scuba diving 2 days before. A biopsy of the lesion treated with hematoxylin-eosin stain showed epidermal necrosis with subepidermal blisters and neutrophilic panniculitis. Herein we report a case of cellulitis caused by the nematocyst stings of corals.
Anthozoa ; Aquatic Organisms ; Bacterial Infections ; Biopsy ; Bites and Stings ; Blister ; Burns ; Cellulitis ; Cnidaria ; Diving ; Erythema ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Male ; Necrosis ; Nematocyst ; Neutrophils ; Panniculitis ; Young Adult

Neuroendocrine tumors derive from the diffuse neuroendocrine system producing hormonal peptides and/or biogenic amines. Histologically neuroendocrine differentiation includes ultrastructural demonstration of neurosecretory granules and staining with immunhistochemical markers such as neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin, synaptophysin, and cytokeratin. Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin is rare but can be shown as an initial manifestation of metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma as well as primary cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma. Histological differentiation between primary cutaneous Merkel cell carcinoma and metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin is difficult and clinical correlation is important. We report a case of metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung occurring on the scalp as a single nodule in a 65-year-old female who previously diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the stomach.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Biogenic Amines ; Carcinoma, Merkel Cell ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Female ; Humans ; Keratins ; Lung ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; Neurosecretory Systems ; Peptides ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Scalp ; Skin ; Stomach ; Synaptophysin

10~25% of all cases of lymphoma involves the nervous system. Neurolymphomatosis, one of the complications of lymphoma, is rare clinical disorder with signs of peripheral neuropathy. It is also a rare cause of painful neuropathy and usually presents with sensorimotor polyneuropathy in nerve conduction studies. We report a case of neurolymphomatosis that had originated from a nasal type NK/T cell lymphoma with clinical and electrophysiological evidences of peripheral neuropathy, confirmed by histopathologic evidences of lymphomatous infiltration.
Animals ; Lymphoma* ; Marek Disease* ; Nervous System ; Neural Conduction ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Polyneuropathies

Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa is an uncommon disorder that is characterized by dermal fibrosis, hyperkeratotic verrucous and papillomatous lesions and this is all caused by chronic non-filarial lymphedema secondary to infections, surgeries, tumor obstructions, radiations, congestive heart failure and obesity. We report here on a case of elephantiasis nostras verrucosa that occurred on the left lower leg of a 54-year-old woman who had a past history of extensive skin grafts and recurrent infection.
Elephantiasis ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Leg ; Middle Aged ; Non-Filarial Lymphedema ; Obesity ; Skin ; Skin Transplantation ; Transplants