There have been no standard treatments for recurrent aphthous stomatitis, and clinical management is usually directed toward symptomatic relief. Recent immunological investigations have focused on possible imrnunopathogenesis of the disease. Several reparters suggested that levamisole, nonspecific immune-stimulator, had a beneficiaI effect in controlling attacks of recurrent a,phthous stomatitis and in reducing subsequent episodes. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of levamisole in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis. A total of 8 patients who had had recurrent aphthous stomatitis for 2 to 20 years and who had experienced at least one episode per month were selected for this study from the department of dermatology, National Medical Center, through March 1979 to September 1979, Levamisole (Decaris') was given 150mg, p.o., once daily on 3 consecutive days every week for 2 months. Tbe results were as follows. 1) One patient had to have levamisole discontinued due to a high fever and exacerbations of tbe oral ulcerations. 2) 5 patients showed beneficial effects in reducing tbe number, frequency, pain and severity of recurrent aphthous stomatitis. 3') One patient showed no therapeutic response. 4) One patient, who has experienced new oral ulcerations continuously before starting levamisole, showed no recurrences of the lesions during the follow-up period of 3 months. 5) Side effects during levamisole administration were transient and generally mild, They included nausea, headache, dizziness and high fever.
Dermatology ; Dizziness ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Headache ; Humans ; Levamisole* ; Nausea ; Oral Ulcer ; Recurrence ; Stomatitis ; Stomatitis, Aphthous*

c-erbB-2 oncogene is a normal cellular proto-oncogene coding transmembrane glycoprotein structurally similar to the epidermal growth factor receptor. Amplification of this oncogene in a variety of human adenocarcinomas has been reported and is particularly well documented in breast carcinoma. It has been suggested that amplification of this oncogene is indicative of poor prognosis and is valuable only second to the lymph node status. Using immunohistochemical staining for the c-erbB-2 protein, overexpression of this protein was analysed in 228 primary breast cancer specimens and the frequency of overexpression and the relationship between overexpression and the other established prognostic variables are evaluated. Ninty three cases out of 228 cases(40.8%) show postive oncoprotein overexpression and using the chi-squared test for a trend, a significant correlation was found between c-erbB-2 protein staining and the histological grade, lymph node status, and estrogen receptor status(P<0.05). No significant association was found between staining and the patient's age and tumor size. Most of the tumors with histological types known to have good prognosis showed negative expression. Above findings strongly suggest that expression of c-erbB-2 oncogene is another independent indicator of poor prognosis in breast carcinoma.
Humans ; Adenocarcinoma ; Breast Neoplasms

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the pattern of changes on the score of nausea/vomiting and anxiety during one cycle of chemotherapy. METHOD: A total of 53 subjects who were admitted to C University Hospital for a period of 3 days and 2 nights for chemotherapy were selected from February to April, 2003. Total scores of nausea/vomiting were measured twice a day 3 days for a total of 6 measurements. Anxiety, anorexia, and fatigue were also measured at the first and last measurement points. Data were analyzed by one-way repeated measures, ANOVA, t-test, paired t-test, & Pearson's correlation. RESULT: The score of nausea/vomiting increased over time except for the 4th measurement point but no changes were significant over time. There were the significant differences between 1st and 2nd, and 2nd and 3rd nausea/vomiting score at p < 0.05. The scores of anxiety, anorexia, and fatigue between the first and 6th points were significantly different(t=-5.69, p=.001; t=6.25, p=.0001; t=3.65, p=.0007). CONCLUSION: Further studies are needed to identify the relationship between anxiety, and anticipatory and acute nausea/vomiting respectively.
Anorexia ; Anxiety* ; Drug Therapy* ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Nausea ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: This study examined Korean clinical nurses' intentions to care for SARS patients and identify determinants of the intentions. Theory of planned behavior was the framework to explain the intentions of Korean nurses for SARS patients care. METHODS: A convenient sample of six hundreds and seventy nine clinical nurses from four university-affiliated hospitals located in Seoul and in Kyung-gi province was used. Self-administered (83-items) questionnaire was used to collect data. Intentions, attitude, subjective norm, perceive behavioral control, behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs were the study variables. All items were measured using 7-point Likert scale (-3 to +3). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation method, and stepwise multiple regression methods. RESULTS: Intentions and attitudes toward SARS patient care among Korean clinical nurses were moderate, but their subjective norm and perceive behavioral control of SARS patients care were negative. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that attitude toward SARS patient care, perceived behavioral control, subjective norm were the determinants of the intentions for SARS patients care as theory proposed. Among the behavioral beliefs, "SARS-patient caring would be a new experience", "during SARS-patient caring, I should be apart from my family", "after completing SARS-patient caring, I would be proud of myself being able to cope with a stressful event" and "with my SARS-patient caring, patients could recover from SARS" were the significant determinants. Among the normative beliefs, colleague approval, spouse approval, and physician approval were significant determinants of the intentions. Among the control beliefs, "SARS-patient caring would be a challenge" "SARS-patient caring is a professional responsibility", "tension during the care of SARS patients" and "support from team members" were the significant determinants of the intentions. CONCLUSIONS: Korean clinical nurses in this study were not willing to care for SARS patients and showed negative attitude toward the care. They believed their friends and family were not approved their care for SARS patients. Nurses were in conflicts between professional responsibilities to care for SARS patients and personal safety. This study was the first to understand stress and burden of Korean clinical nurses who are in front line to care for newly developed communicable disease such as SARS. Under the circumstance where several fatal communicable diseases are predictable, conflicts between professional responsibility and their personal risks should be taken into considerations by nurses themselves and by nursing administrators in order to improve quality of care.
Adult ; *Attitude of Health Personnel ; Female ; Humans ; *Intention ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/*psychology ; Psychological Theory ; Regression Analysis ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome/*nursing

A case of poorly differentiated "insular" carcinoma of the thyroid is presented and discussed with references to the literature. In fine needle aspiration cytology of our case, the aspirates were highly cellular with tumor cells appearing as dispersed isolated cells as well as in dense clusters and syncytial formations. Occasional microfollicles containing colloid were evident. Most of nuclei were fairly uniform with considerable variability and a few showed definite atypical features. Nuclear grooving was additional features. Necrotic debris was not seen. Our cytologic findings were correlated well with histology, confirming typical insular pattern of tumor cells with the presence of occasional pleomorphic cells and papillary carcinoma-like features. With much attention to cytological features of insular carcinoma, it would be possible to diagnose a preoperative suggestive diagnosis, even though not definitive.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Colloids ; Diagnosis ; Thyroid Gland*

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and preferences of supplementary drinks for very old subjects who are likely to be malnourished. Twenty-five elderly subjects were divided into two groups. The supplemented group(N=15) received 500mls of nutrient supplement(New Care) two times daily for 4 weeks. This resulted in a significant increase in the total calories, protein, minerals and vitamins. Nutritional status was assessed both anthropometrically and biochemically, before and after the study period. A significant improvement in mid arm circumference, triceps skinfold thickness and serum albumin were observed in the supplemented group but not in the control group. There is a possibility that most of the elderly were in an anemic state at the beginning of the study since their mean hematologic parameters were within the lower normal range while their mean serum osmolarities was slightly higher than normal,. Although mean serum hemoglobin and hematocrit were not increased significantly, th percentage of the recovery rate from anemia in the supplemented group was higher than in the control group. Total lymphocyte count also showed similar tendency. Sensory evaluation of nutritional supplementary drinks were relatively good and the elderly showed great interest in nutrient supplements. This study suggests that a nutritional status of poorly nourished elderly subjects can be improved by providing them with nutritional supplementations.
Aged* ; Anemia ; Arm ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Minerals ; Nutritional Status ; Osmolar Concentration ; Reference Values ; Serum Albumin ; Skinfold Thickness ; Vitamins

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of hand acupuncture on reduction of headache. METHOD: This study used a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design. 45 middle school girls who complained of headache were selected as subjects. The study lasted from November 2002 to June 2003. There were 22 girls in the experimental group while 23 girls were control group; convenience assignment was used. The two groups were homogeneous on characteristics. The experimental group received hand acupuncture. The treatment was to puncture corresponding points (A33, B27, M1, I2) on both the palm and the back of a hand with disposable acupuncture needles, and then remove them after a 20-30 minutes recess during which the subjects reclined on a bed. The data were analyzed using the SPSS PC with Fisher's Exact X(2)-test, and Mann Whitney U-test. RESULT: The results of this study were as follows: 1) In the experimental group, objective pain decreased after hand acupuncture (U= -2.51, p= .01). As for the objective pain degree, a significant reduction in voice change was observed in the experimental groups (U= -2.35, p= .02). Facial expressional changes were observed (U= -1.87, p= .06) and perspiration degree (U= -.99, p= .32) has reduced. However, these differences were not statistically significant between the experimental and control group. 2) Subjective pain degree decreased after hand acupuncture in the experimental as compared to the control group. 3) No statistical significant difference in comfort (U= -.29, p= .78) or distress (U= -1.51, p= .13) between experimental and control group were found. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that hand acupuncture is an effective method for reducing headache. Therefore, hand acupuncture can be considered as an independent nursing intervention for headache reduction.
Acupuncture* ; Facial Expression ; Female ; Hand* ; Headache* ; Humans ; Needles ; Nursing ; Punctures ; Voice ; Child Health

A clinico-pathologic study with an immunohistochemical examination for c-erbB-2 expression in 54 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ and 16 cases of Paget's disease of the breast was performed. c-erbB-2 oncoprotein overexpression was observed in 45% (24/54) and 88% (14/16) of ductal carcinoma in situ and Paget's disease, respectively. The overexpression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was significantly correlated with the nuclear grade of tumors and inversely with the status of the estrogen receptor. c-erbB-2 was positive in 4 out of 5 patients with metastasis to axillary lymph nodes and 3 out of 4 patients who died of the disease. Prognostic significance of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in ductal carcinoma in situ was highly suggested. The expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in Paget's disease was well correlated with coexisting infiltrating or in situ ductal carcinoma. The high positive rate of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in ductal carcinoma with Paget's disease could be understood with a recent hypothesis that c-erbB-2 oncoprotein is involved in promotion of cell motility and the spread of carcinoma cells.
Neoplasm Metastasis

BACKGROUND: The development of decision support systems for nursing has been limited by difficulties in defining and representing the nursing knowledge base and by a lack of knowledge about how nurses make decisions. However, the current trends suggest that many of the formidable technological and conceptual challenges associated with representing nursing knowledge can be overcome, and that decision support systems developed using knowledge engineering can be used to significantly improve nursing practice. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to develop a diagnostic nursing decision support system for inpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and to elucidate the advantages and disadvantages of applying a knowledge engineering approach to its development. METHODS: To acquire the relevant knowledge, a literature review was used to iteratively establish nursing diagnoses and clinical assessment criteria. Twenty-five NANDA diagnoses and 145 clinical assessment variables were structured into a criteria table used as the knowledge base for a prototype system. To investigate the responses of nurses to knowledge presentation, 27 nurses from inpatient and ambulatory settings and the graduate course of nursing informatics were recruited and a scenario-based preliminary evaluation was performed. RESULTS: A prototype for inpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus was developed as a Web-based stand-alone system. It automatically generated suggested nursing problem lists based on the input data, and also provided detailed explanatory information for each item on the list. We describe the advantages and disadvantages of the development approach used and discuss the users' impressions of the system.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Knowledge Bases ; Nursing Diagnosis ; Nursing Informatics ; Nursing*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a specialized education curriculum aimed at helping nurses prepare for running and managing a Maternal-Child Health Center (Postpartum Care Center). METHOD: This study was conducted by an academy and industry joint research group consisting of professors of Nursing, and nurses actually running a Postpartum Care Center. The group compiled job descriptions of nursing through document research, interviews and observation during site visits, surveys, and seminars. They then performed a feasibility study and developed the final curriculum. RESULT: The education curriculum is a 32-week (2semester) program compromised of a theory part (12 credits, 180 hours) covering maternal and infant care and business start-up and field practice (3 credits, 45 hours). Courses in the theory part include an antenatal care, overview and details of maternal care, starting a business and its management. Of these courses, the overview of a maternal care course was developed with web-based contents. Field practice is designed to give students opportunities to visit Postpartum Care Centers, observe the care provided, and get hands-on experience. CONCLUSION: The specialized education curriculum is a 32-week course comprised of 12 credits on theory of antenatal care, overview and details of maternal care, infant care, starting and operating a business and 3 credits of field practice.
Child ; Commerce ; Curriculum* ; Education* ; Feasibility Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Care ; Job Description ; Joints ; Maternal-Child Health Centers* ; Nursing ; Postnatal Care ; Running