Kinship testing in forensic casework is largely based on a likelihood ratio (LR) approach with short tandem repeat (STR) markers; however, in order to efficiently identify potential relatives in a specific population, the threshold values for kinship prediction should be determined by analyzing the kinship index distributions of the population in question. In this study, 250,000 DNA profiles were simulated using allele frequencies at 20 autosomal STR loci in Koreans, then the LRs were calculated for true close relatives and unrelated pairs. The LR distributions in related and unrelated pairs under a given relationship were compared in 2 sets of 13 Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and 20 STR profiles. Using 13 CODIS STRs, true relatives in parent/child and full-sibling relationships were sufficiently discriminated from unrelated pairs with LR thresholds of 1,000 and 100, respectively. However, the CODIS STRs lacked the discriminatory power to differentiate between related and unrelated pairs in uncle/nephew and first cousin relationships due to high false-positive and false-negative rates with a LR threshold of 10. Increasing the number of STR loci to 20 increased discrimination of close relatives, but high false results remained in uncle/nephew and first cousin relationships. The kinship index data from this study will help make decisions on various kinship testing and familial searching in Koreans.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; DNA ; Gene Frequency ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify congruence between self-perception and objective status of obesity according to %Fat, and to investigate health promotion lifestyle in college women. METHODS: The participants were a convenience sample of 392 college women who were eligible and agreed to participate in this study. Respondents were asked questions using a health promotion lifestyle profile and were evaluated for their body composition using InBody 3.0. The data were analyzed with SPSS 14.0 program, which was used for Chi square, ANOVA, and post-hoc comparison with Scheffe. RESULTS: The major findings were as follows; 1) Overall, 41.8% of participants misclassified their perceived status of weight by %Fat standards and kappa was 0.329. 2) Two percent were underweight by BMI but overweight by %Fat and 39.0% normal weight by BMI but overweight by %Fat. 3) There were significant differences in health promotion lifestyle according to self-perception of body weight but there was no difference in health promotion lifestyle according to %Fat standards. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the necessity for development and application of tailored health promotion program based on self-perception of body weight and %Fat in order to reform incorrect body image and health behavior in college women.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Body Composition ; Body Mass Index ; Female ; Health Behavior ; *Health Promotion ; Humans ; *Life Style ; Obesity/*psychology ; Overweight ; Questionnaires ; *Self Concept ; Universities ; Women/*psychology ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Hyperplasia*

We experienced a case of primary hepatic actinomycosis which was initially diagnosed by means of fine needle aspiration. The patient was a 31-year-old emaciated man with a 2-month history of 10 kg weight loss, right upper quadrant pain and flank pain. The liver was palpable and tender on physical examination. Computerized tomography scan of the liver showed two ill-defined hypodense masses in gallbladder fossa and inferior pole of right lobe. Hepatocellular carcinoma was clinically suspected. A CT-guided fine needle aspiration was performed. Microscopically, smears showed numerous radiating clusters of filamentous bacteria with many neutrophils and monocytes in necrotic background. The symptoms were improved by incision and drainage and massive administration of penicillin.
Actinomycosis ; Adult ; Bacteria ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Breast ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diverticulum* ; Drainage ; Fibroadenoma ; Flank Pain ; Gallbladder ; Humans ; Infarction ; Liver ; Monocytes ; Neutrophils ; Penicillins ; Physical Examination ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux* ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: This study was performed to explore the effect of senior simulation on nurses' attitudes toward the elderly. METHOD: Twenty-seven nurses working in various settings such as acute hospitals, community health centers, geriatric hospitals, and clinics were recruited. Among them, 25 subjects completed the whole experimental protocol. Aging Semantic Differential Scaling was utilized to evaluate attitudes toward the elderly and 'Suit for Experiencing Being Aged' from the Sakamoto Model was provided for the experiment. Before and after the experiment subjects filled out questionnaires. RESULT: Attitude score before experiment was 4.36, which indicates neutral attitude. Objective attitude scores were not different significantly after experiment. However subjective statements indicated attitude changes in a positive way. CONCLUSION: Senior simulation can affect nurses' attitude toward elderly in subjective way. That is, nurses became more empathetic and understanding to elderly's physical limitations and felt more initiative nursing approach were needed in caring elderly.
Adult ; *Aged ; *Attitude of Health Personnel ; Female ; Humans ; Nurse-Patient Relations ; Nurses/*psychology ; *Patient Simulation

No abstract available.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Neurologic Manifestations* ; Spinal Canal*

OBJECTIVE: Acute appendicitis is one of the most urgent surgical problems. Several factors have been considered as predictors of perforation, but this study focused on the change in pain pattern. The degree of pain and progression of appendicitis were analyzed assuming that the pain intensity would increase until the perforation and the degree of pain would decrease immediately after the perforation occurred. METHODS: In this study, 385 out of 467 patients, who were diagnosed with appendicitis in a single institution and aged between 15 and 65 years, were reviewed retrospectively. The patients' pain scores and the diameters of appendices were analyzed along with the accompanying complications. Correlation analysis and a Student's t-test were performed. RESULTS: In patients with complicated appendicitis, the mean numerical rating scale (NRS) was slightly higher than that of simple appendicitis, but there was no significant difference in the absolute value. Only the size of the appendix showed meaningful differences according to the combined computed tomography findings. The NRS distribution or appendiceal size did not correlate with the time duration from symptom onset. CONCLUSION: The appendiceal size tended to increase with progressing appendicitis. No significant correlation was observed between the patient's pain level and complications. The time duration from symptom onset did not show a relationship with the progression of appendicitis.
Abdominal Pain ; Appendicitis* ; Appendix ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Humans ; Pain Measurement ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability of triple marker screening test in midtrimester pregnancy for fetal Down syndrome. METHODS: From October 1, 1996 to May 31, 1998 at Nowon Eulji Hospital, 3700 Pregnant women underwent serum tiple marker screening for Down syndrome during 15-20weeks of gestational age. The results of serum triple marker screenig tests for Down syndrome and the outcomes of pregnancies were retrospectively assesed. RESULTS: Sixty seven of 3700 cases(1.81%) were positive in screening test, and 3633(98.18%) cases were negative. Among 67 cases of positive screening test, 1 case(1.49%) was diagnosed as Down syndrome. Among 3633 cases of negative screening test, 4 cases(0.1%) were diagnosed as chromosomal abnormalies postnatally. Two of these 4 cases of chromosomal abnormalies were Down syndrome. CONCLUSION: With this results, sensitivity of triple marker screeing test for Down syndrome is very low as 33.3%. In order to increase the sensitivity, some compensatory adjustment is required in triple marker screening test.
Down Syndrome* ; Equidae ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Pregnant Women ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare depression and quality of life (QOL) according to nutritional status of elderly cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. METHODS: A sample of 144 elderly cancer patients receiving chemotherapy was recruited for the cross-sectional survey design. The instruments were the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form-Korea (GDSSF-K), European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and QLQ ELD14. Data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN program. RESULTS: Nutrition had mean of 10.17 points out of 14 and depression had mean of 6.72 points (out of 15). In quality of life, global health status/QoL was 50.06 points, 66.68 for the functional scale, and 29.77 for the symptom scale based on 100 points. The quality of life of elderly cancer patients was 36.52~70.14. There was a significant difference between the well-nourished and malnourished group in depression and QoL. There were significant correlations among the variables, nutritional status, depression and quality of life. CONCLUSION: We found that patients with cancer of the elderly receiving chemotherapy had poor nutritional status, depression, and poor QoL. It is necessary to evaluate the nutritional status of elderly cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and to develop interventions.
Aged* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression* ; Drug Therapy* ; Global Health ; Humans ; Nutritional Status* ; Quality of Life*

OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to compare abstract reasoning in patients with mental disorders;Depression, Schizophrenia, Organic Brain Syndrome(OBS), and normal control group using Standard Progressive Matrices(SPM), known as a test measuring visual pattern matching ability and reasoning ability by analogy. METHODS: SPM test in Vienna Test System was administered to 82 normal adults, 29 schizophrenic patients, 22 depression patients, and 32 OBS patients. SPM total score and 5 subtest scores in four groups were compared, using ANOVA and post-hoc comparison. SPM subtest scores in OBS and normal group were compared, using discriminant function analysis. RESULTS: SPM total score and all subtest scores in mental disorders group(schizophrenia, depression, OBS) were lower than in normal control group. SPM total score and all subtest scores in OBS group were lower than in schizophrenia and depression group. No difference between SPM total score in Schizophrenia and depression group was found. Discriminant function of B, E subtest was the hightest. CONCLUSION: The impairment of higher cognitive function, especially abstract reasoning impairment in OBS, was qualitatively different from that of schizophrenia and depression. SPM can differentiate specific pattern of abstract reasoning impairment in mental disorders, so SPM can be used not only as a substitute for intelligence test but also as a neuropsychological test.
Adult ; Brain ; Depression ; Humans ; Intelligence Tests ; Mental Disorders* ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Schizophrenia