The purposes of this study were to investigate the current status of contracted hospital food services and to find out the difference in accordance with the number of beds in hospitals. Thirty six hospitals having more than 100beds in Seoul, Inchon and Kyungkido were the subjects of this study. Data was collected through surveys. The survey was conducted during March and April in 2002. The Questionnaires were mailed to the 36 directors of dietetic departments of the hospitals and 36 managers of contracting patient food services. Statistical analysis was completed using SPSS Win(11.0) for descriptive analysis and t-test. The results of the study are summerized as follows; I. Hospital perspective : The range covered by contract food service was 63.3% and 36.7% in hospital food services, and medical nutrition services. The patient and employee food services were in 83.3%, and patient food services were in 6.7%. The methods selecting contractors are general, limited, selected and competitive biddings, and private contracts. The responsibility for supervision of contract food services was the dietetic department (51.7%) in most cases. Hospitals having personnel responsible for contracting affairs were in 75.9% of the cases and 24.1% did not have personnel. The biggest reason for contracting was facilitation of personnel management. The most important criteria on selecting food services contractors was the professionality of the contractor. II. Contractor's perspective : The cost per meal in the year 2001 was composed of 1,905 won for food cost, 1,081 won for labor cost, 222 won for expenses, 114 won for VAT, 14 won for rent and 146 won for miscellaneous or controllable expense, representing 109 won loss per meal. The profit-and-loss contract cost is higher than the fee-contract cost. The ratios of food cost, labor cost and expenses are higher and the ratios of miscellaneous or controllable expense, VAT, rent and profit are lower in hospitals with more than 400 beds compared with those less than 400 beds. However, no significant differences are present between these two groups of hospitals. The actual contract period was 2.2 years upon initial contract and 1.2 years upon renewal. The initial investment cost was 53 million won and the cost of renovation and repair was 8.5 million won. Significant differences were present between two groups of hospitals. The conditions of employment and number of personnel hired by contractors for contract patient food services were significantly different according to the number of beds.
Competitive Bidding ; Employment ; Food Service, Hospital* ; Food Services ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Incheon ; Investments ; Meals ; Organization and Administration ; Personnel Management ; Postal Service ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seoul

The purposes of this study were to investigate the current status of contracted hospital food services and to find out the difference in accordance with the number of beds in hospitals. Thirty six hospitals having more than 100beds in Seoul, Inchon and Kyungkido were the subjects of this study. Data was collected through surveys. The survey was conducted during March and April in 2002. The Questionnaires were mailed to the 36 directors of dietetic departments of the hospitals and 36 managers of contracting patient food services. Statistical analysis was completed using SPSS Win(11.0) for descriptive analysis and t-test. The results of the study are summerized as follows; I. Hospital perspective : The range covered by contract food service was 63.3% and 36.7% in hospital food services, and medical nutrition services. The patient and employee food services were in 83.3%, and patient food services were in 6.7%. The methods selecting contractors are general, limited, selected and competitive biddings, and private contracts. The responsibility for supervision of contract food services was the dietetic department (51.7%) in most cases. Hospitals having personnel responsible for contracting affairs were in 75.9% of the cases and 24.1% did not have personnel. The biggest reason for contracting was facilitation of personnel management. The most important criteria on selecting food services contractors was the professionality of the contractor. II. Contractor's perspective : The cost per meal in the year 2001 was composed of 1,905 won for food cost, 1,081 won for labor cost, 222 won for expenses, 114 won for VAT, 14 won for rent and 146 won for miscellaneous or controllable expense, representing 109 won loss per meal. The profit-and-loss contract cost is higher than the fee-contract cost. The ratios of food cost, labor cost and expenses are higher and the ratios of miscellaneous or controllable expense, VAT, rent and profit are lower in hospitals with more than 400 beds compared with those less than 400 beds. However, no significant differences are present between these two groups of hospitals. The actual contract period was 2.2 years upon initial contract and 1.2 years upon renewal. The initial investment cost was 53 million won and the cost of renovation and repair was 8.5 million won. Significant differences were present between two groups of hospitals. The conditions of employment and number of personnel hired by contractors for contract patient food services were significantly different according to the number of beds.
Competitive Bidding ; Employment ; Food Service, Hospital* ; Food Services ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Incheon ; Investments ; Meals ; Organization and Administration ; Personnel Management ; Postal Service ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seoul

OBJECTIVE: A dichotomous Thl and Th2 cytokine profile has been associated with reproductive failure and success, respectively. The purpose of our study was to determine the levels of Thl cytokine (IFN- y ) secreted by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) form women with unexplained recurrentabortion (URA) and fertile controls in response to trophoblast antigen. METHODS: PBMCs were isolated from 30 nonpregnant women with URA and from 10 nonpregnant fertile controls. Following 4 days of culture (1 * 10(6) cells/mL) with and without a protein extract derived from a trophoblast cell line (30 ug/mL, protein). None of the women had allergies, atopy or recent infection. Cytokines were measured in supernatants with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. IFN- r kit was obtained from BOISOURCE (lower limit of sensitivity, 15.6 pg/mL for IFN- r ). All values below the lowest limit of sensitivity as determined by test kit standards were considered negative. The cytokine stimulation test is considered positive if the IFN- r concentration increases by 200% or more with the trophoblast antigen stimulation. Datas are presented as mean+ SEM. Nonparametric testing (Mann-Whitney U) was used for analysis with P<0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The Thl-type cytokine (IFN- r ) was detected in 20(67%) of 30 supernatants from women with URA. In contrast, 2 (20%) of trophoblast-activated PBMC culture supernatants from the 10 parus women with normal reproductive histories was detected IFN- r and but were significantly lower than levels in women with URA who had secreted IFN- r upon trophoblast stimulation (99.80+ 18.17 pg/mL versus 166.47 + 36.96 pg/mL, p<0.05). Spontaneous secretion of IFN- r was significantly higher in culture supernatants from women with URA than in supernatants from women with successful reproductive histories (41.36.09+6.99 pg/mL versus 25.89+9.34 pg/mL, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These data indicate that there are significant differences between women with URA and women with normal reproductive histories in their regulation of the Thl-cytokine (IFN- r) in response to trophoblast. Thl-type immunity to trophoblast is associated with URA and may play a role in reproductive failure.
Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Cell Line ; Cytokines ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Pregnancy ; Reproductive History ; Trophoblasts*

When pericardial tamponade occurs to the left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implanted patients, typical hemodynamic signs of tamponade such as tachycardia and pulsus paradoxus may be masked by LVAD action. For those with normal heart, anesthetic management during pericardial tamponade operation before drainage is to restrict fluid administration and maintain perfusion pressure with vasopressor are recommended. But the things to concern are different in cases of patient with LVAD. Here, we describe a case of performing anesthesia with LVAD implanted patient for pericardial tamponade operation. A 58-year-old male with HeartWareâ„¢ (Medtronic, Framingham, MA, USA) LVAD implant was referred for cardiac tamponade surgery. After the induction of general anesthesia, his mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased to 38 mmHg with device flow 1.8 L/min and device power 2.4 Watts at pump speed 2,400 RPM. Norepinephrine and Epinephrine infusion were initiated. MAP recovered to 70mmHg with device flow 3.7 L/min and power 3.0 Watts after the drainage of 1,200 cc of pericardial fluid. Cardiac tamponade with LVAD implanted patient present with decreased peak flow, mean flow and decreased pulsatility. LVAD flow depends on pump rotation, preload and afterload. In order to maintain flow in these patients, prevention of preload reduction is important. Since LVAD implantation becoming more popular as Bridge to transplantation and destination therapy, it is important for anesthesiologist to understand the LVAD parameters and factors that affect.

When pericardial tamponade occurs to the left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implanted patients, typical hemodynamic signs of tamponade such as tachycardia and pulsus paradoxus may be masked by LVAD action. For those with normal heart, anesthetic management during pericardial tamponade operation before drainage is to restrict fluid administration and maintain perfusion pressure with vasopressor are recommended. But the things to concern are different in cases of patient with LVAD. Here, we describe a case of performing anesthesia with LVAD implanted patient for pericardial tamponade operation. A 58-year-old male with HeartWareâ„¢ (Medtronic, Framingham, MA, USA) LVAD implant was referred for cardiac tamponade surgery. After the induction of general anesthesia, his mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased to 38 mmHg with device flow 1.8 L/min and device power 2.4 Watts at pump speed 2,400 RPM. Norepinephrine and Epinephrine infusion were initiated. MAP recovered to 70mmHg with device flow 3.7 L/min and power 3.0 Watts after the drainage of 1,200 cc of pericardial fluid. Cardiac tamponade with LVAD implanted patient present with decreased peak flow, mean flow and decreased pulsatility. LVAD flow depends on pump rotation, preload and afterload. In order to maintain flow in these patients, prevention of preload reduction is important. Since LVAD implantation becoming more popular as Bridge to transplantation and destination therapy, it is important for anesthesiologist to understand the LVAD parameters and factors that affect.

When pericardial tamponade occurs to the left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implanted patients, typical hemodynamic signs of tamponade such as tachycardia and pulsus paradoxus may be masked by LVAD action. For those with normal heart, anesthetic management during pericardial tamponade operation before drainage is to restrict fluid administration and maintain perfusion pressure with vasopressor are recommended. But the things to concern are different in cases of patient with LVAD. Here, we describe a case of performing anesthesia with LVAD implanted patient for pericardial tamponade operation. A 58-year-old male with HeartWare™ (Medtronic, Framingham, MA, USA) LVAD implant was referred for cardiac tamponade surgery. After the induction of general anesthesia, his mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased to 38 mmHg with device flow 1.8 L/min and device power 2.4 Watts at pump speed 2,400 RPM. Norepinephrine and Epinephrine infusion were initiated. MAP recovered to 70mmHg with device flow 3.7 L/min and power 3.0 Watts after the drainage of 1,200 cc of pericardial fluid. Cardiac tamponade with LVAD implanted patient present with decreased peak flow, mean flow and decreased pulsatility. LVAD flow depends on pump rotation, preload and afterload. In order to maintain flow in these patients, prevention of preload reduction is important. Since LVAD implantation becoming more popular as Bridge to transplantation and destination therapy, it is important for anesthesiologist to understand the LVAD parameters and factors that affect.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Arterial Pressure ; Cardiac Tamponade ; Drainage ; Epinephrine ; Heart ; Heart-Assist Devices ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Masks ; Middle Aged ; Norepinephrine ; Perfusion ; Pericardial Fluid ; Tachycardia

Aortic dissection in pregnant patients results in an inpatient mortality rate of 8.6%. Owing to the pronounced mortality rate and speed at which aortic dissections progress, efficient early detection methods are crucial. Here, we highlight the importance of early chest computed tomography (CT) for differentiating aortic dissection from pulmonary embolism in pregnant patients with dyspnea. We present the unique case of a 38-year-old pregnant woman with elevated D-dimer and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels, initially suspected of having a pulmonary embolism. Initial transthoracic echocardiography did not indicate aortic dissection. Surprisingly, after an emergency cesarean section, a chest CT scan revealed a DeBakey type I aortic dissection, indicating a diagnostic error. Our findings emphasize the need for early chest CT in pregnant patients with dyspnea and elevated D-dimer and NT-proBNP levels. This case report highlights the critical importance of considering both aortic dissection and pulmonary embolism in the differential diagnosis of such cases, which will inform future clinical practice.

One of the authors' names was misprinted.

One of the authors' names was misprinted.

Doxorubicin is a widely used chemotherapeutic agents and is now part of standard therapeutic regimens for a variety of cancers (eg, hematopoietic malignancies and advanced solid tumors of the breast, ovary, thyroid, and bone). However, a potentially lethal and dose-dependent cardiotoxicity that appears within a short time after treatment limits the usage of doxorubicin in cancer patients. Although the mechanism of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity is not completely understood, it is thought that free radical-induced oxidative stress and excessive production of reactive oxygen species are primary drivers of its toxicity. In this study, we compared the doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity of ICR mice obtained from three different sources and evaluated the utility of Korl:ICR stock established by the Korean FDA. Because doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity is thought to involve the excessive generation of ROS followed by oxidative stress, we determined the representative tissue index of oxidation, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant, glutathione (GSH), as well as the parameters of heart injury. Doxorubicin treatment successfully induced cardiotoxicity as evidenced by histological examination and serum parameters (eg, levels of LDH and CK activities) in ICR mice. It was accompanied by increased lipid peroxidation and a decrease in both cysteine and GSH, further supporting previous reports that oxidative stress is a potential mechanism of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Of interest, we did not observe a significant difference in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity among mice of different origins. Collectively, our results suggest that Korl:ICR strain may be useful in the research of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.
Animals ; Breast ; Cardiotoxicity* ; Cysteine ; Doxorubicin ; Female ; Glutathione ; Heart Injuries ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR* ; Ovary ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Thyroid Gland