Social support was found to have buffering effects on the stress response of stroke patients. Especially, the aspects of social support found to be most influential were support from a close, personal source, and overall satisfaction with support. The purpose of this study was to identify the current social network and its characteristics according to gender difference in post-hospitalized stroke patients in Korea. The sample consisted of a convenience sample of 254 patients was recruited 129 men and 125 women who were receiving follow-up care at outpatients clinics. Four aspects of social support-source, quantity, quality & type-were measured using the modified Social Support Inventory for Stroke Survivors(SSISS) which was developed by McColl & Friedland(1989). Regarding sources of social support, 61.4% reported for 'spouse' as primary caregiver and 31.9%, 'children'. But the distribution of sources of personal support were related to gender; 82.2% of male patients had support from their spouses, while only 40% of female patients reported from 'spouse' but 51.4% from 'children'. Among the children, daughters and sons were more significant support persons than daughters-in-law. The percentages for sources of these significant other support persons were 55.5% for 'children', 8.7% for 'spouse', and 8.3% for 'brothers'. The physician at the outpatient department was the main source of professional support. For the quantity and quality of social support, the primary caregiver's support was more significant than support by significant other persons. Male patients reported that primary the caregiver' support was greater than that of significant other persons, while female patients perceived significant other persons as giving greater support. Regarding the type of perceived social support, the stroke patients were highly satisfied with the primary caregiver's support in aspects of instrumental, emotional, and informational support. They also reported high satisfaction with support from significant others' support in the aspect of emotional support, while emotional and informational support from professionals was reported as satisfactory. In conclusion, gender difference in the social support network was found in that male patients perceived more support from their spouses, while female patients perceived more support from their children as compared to their spouses.
Caregivers ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Nuclear Family ; Outpatients ; Spouses ; Stroke*

No abstract available.
Cervix Uteri* ; Chlamydia trachomatis* ; Chlamydia* ; Female

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine relationships between nurse staffing level and postsurgical patient outcomes using inpatient database from the National Health Insurance. METHODS: Records of 111,491 patients who received one of 12 types of surgery between January and December, 2009 were identified and analyzed in this study. Nurse staffing level was measured using adjusted nurse staffing grades from 0 to 7. Patient outcomes were defined as in-hospital mortality, or pneumonia, sepsis, or urinary tract infection after surgery. Logistic regression analyses estimated by Generalized Estimation Model, were used to analyze the association between nurse staffing level and patient outcomes. RESULTS: An inverse relationship was found between nurse staffing and patient mortality. Compared with patients who were cared for in hospitals with the highest nurse staffing (Grades 0-1), increases in the odds of dying were found in those with Grades 6-7 [OR (odds ratio)=2.99, 95% CI (confidence interval)=1.94-4.60], those with Grades 4-5 (OR=1.78, 95% CI=1.24-2.57) and those with Grades 2-3 (OR=1.57, 95% CI=1.25-1.98). Lower nurse staffing level was also associated with higher number of cases in pneumonia and sepsis. CONCLUSION: Policies for providing adequate nurse staffing is required to enhance quality of care and lead to better perioperative patient outcomes.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; *Hospital Mortality ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/*supply & distribution ; Odds Ratio ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Pneumonia/etiology/*mortality ; Sepsis/etiology/*mortality ; Severity of Illness Index ; Surgical Procedures, Operative/adverse effects ; Urinary Tract Infections/etiology/*mortality

The anesthesiologist is sometime presented with the problem of coagulation defects through the perioperative period. The possible causes of inappropriate hemostasis in this situation are numerous, and multiple mechanism may be simultaneously involved. Coagulation and fibrinolysis variables were measured in 15 patients who had undergone prolonged major surgery or received massive transfusion before and until 10 days after operation. Hemostactic surveys included platelet count, fibrinogen, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, antithrombin lll, and fibrin degraduation products. No patients had major hemorrhage, thrombosis, or disseminated intravascular coagulation, but laboratory findings suggest that a hypercoagulable state existed even 10 days postoperatively. The results were as follows: 1) Platelet counts decreased just after operation, but significantly increased to 154% of the control value 7 days after operation and 204% 10 days postoperatively. 2) Prothrombin time was significantly prolonged just after operation compared to the control value, but returned to normal in 4 days postoperatively. 3) Fibrinogen decreased just after operation, but significantly increased to 165% of the control value 4 days after operation, 178% 7days after operation and 191% 10 days postoperatively. 4) Activated partial thromboplastin time was not changed through the entire period. 5) Antithrombin lll was not changed through the entire period. 6) Fibrin degradation product was within normal ranges before operation, but in 11 cases it exceeded normal range from 1 to 10 days postoperatively.
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation ; Fibrin ; Fibrinogen ; Fibrinolysis* ; Hemorrhage ; Hemostasis ; Humans ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Perioperative Period ; Platelet Count ; Prothrombin Time ; Reference Values ; Thrombosis

Postoperative respirative depression is a major factor limiting the use and safety of intraoperative narcotics. The need for an effective and safe narcotic antagonist to reverse this side effect without complication persists more than three decades of research. While narcotic induced respiratory depression can be reversed by appropriate, specific narcotic antagonist, it has not been possible to nulify the frespiratory depressant effects of narcotic without simultaneously nullifying the analgesic effects. Doxspram hydrochloride, respiratory stimulant, has been found to be significantly potent and selectively respirogenic. The present study undertakes to determine whether doxapram is ablereverse the respiratory depressnat effect of mrphine without mullifying the analgesic effects. In this study, 20 patients in 29 ASA class l patients given intravenous morphine, 0.5mg/kg, for elective surgery, produce postoperative respiratory depression. Inadequate spontaneous respiration at the end of anesthesia were treated with doxapram. The results were as follows: 1) Doxapram (mean 21.6mg) was able to reverse the respiratory depressant effect of morphine without nullifying the analgesic effect. 2) There was no hemodynamic alteration during reversal.
Anesthesia ; Depression ; Doxapram* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Morphine* ; Narcotics ; Respiration ; Respiratory Insufficiency*

Prostheses and orthoses are appliances made to increase the function of the disabled body. In Korea most appliance makers obtain their basic medical and engineering knowledge and techniques through on-the-job training rather than regular education. It is expected that future training courses for appliance makers will continue to be planned. The most important thing in preparing such courses is to set the limits and level of the text. To plan training courses efficiently, it is essential to check the experience and educational level of the participants, the source of their technique, and their philosophy. The 58 makers who attended the first training course held for one week in August of 1981 answered the questionnaire prepared by the authors concerning the following items: educational level, source of technique (where and how learned), basic medical knowledge, location of shops, degree of and reason for job satisfaction, difficulties in working, approval or disapproval of the training course and reaction to the first training course.
Adult ; Educational Status ; Health Occupations/education* ; Human ; Job Satisfaction ; Korea ; Middle Age ; Orthotic Devices* ; Prostheses and Implants*

The authors have experience of a case of prolonged paresis following administration of galamine triethiodide to a patient undergoing reoperation. The muscular weakness continued for 20 hours, necessitating artificial ventilation intermittently. It was reversed by neostigmine.
Humans ; Muscle Weakness ; Neostigmine ; Paresis* ; Reoperation* ; Ventilation

Cryopreservation has proved to be a highly successful method for long term storage of viable embryos and it is necessary for human embryo cryopreservation in assisted reproductive technology to reduce the risk of multiple gestation and severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome as well as contributing to an overall increase in pregnancy rates. Mouse embryo cryopreservation was carried out in order to establish the most ideal developmental stage of embryo for cryopreservation. F1 hybrid mouse embryo were collected according to its developmetnal stage; 1-cell, 2- cell, 4-cell, morula and blastocyst. 1-cell stage embryo were cryopreserved by slow coolingrapid thawing method using PROH(1,2 propanediol) and 2- cell stage embryo and 4-cell stage embryo were cryopreserved by the same method using PROH or DMSO(dimethyl sulfoxide). And morula and blastocyst stage embryo were cryopreserved by the same cooling method using glycerol. The frozen-thawed embryo showed significantly lower(p < 0.05) hatched rate than fresh embryos. The better hatched rate was obtained when the 2-cell embryos were cyropreserved using PROH as a cryoprotectant(p < 0.05). In the case of the 4-cell stage embryos, the results showed no difference in the post thaw survival rate but a better blastocystic development in the DMSO group(49.6%:38.9%)(p > 0.05). The proportion of frozen embryos developing to hatched blastocysts was significantly decreased in 1-cell stage embryos and blastocysts compared to the 2-cell, 4-cell and morula stage embryo(p < 0.05). According to in vitro development of mouse embryo, the highest hatching rate was obtained from 4-cell stage embryo(43.5%), so the ideal cell stage for embryo cryopreservation is 4-cell stage embryo using DMSO as a cryoprotectant.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; Cryopreservation* ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Glycerol ; Humans ; Mice* ; Morula ; Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Survival Rate

Dextran is a macromolecular polymer of dextrose. Dextran is used as a plasma expander with reduction in blood viscosity and disruption of red cell aggregates. It also inhibits platelet aggregation and prothrombin activation. It has been reported that a hemostatic defect characterized by a prolonged bleeding time in subject receiving large amount of dextran. The present study was undertaken to observe the effect of dextran on bleeding time and platelet aggregation by increasing volume. In this study, bleeding time was checked and sampling was done at before infusion, after 5 ml/kg, 10 ml/kg and 15 ml/kg infusion of dextran in 15 patients with spinal or regional anesthesia. The results were as follows: 1) There was prolonged bleeding time by increasing volume of dextran 40, but within nonnal limit. 2) There was no platelet aggregation with 15ml/kg of dextran.
Anesthesia, Conduction ; Bleeding Time ; Blood Platelets* ; Blood Viscosity ; Dextrans* ; Glucose ; Humans ; Plasma ; Platelet Aggregation ; Polymers ; Prothrombin