Expert systems emerged during early 1970s have become one of the most important innovations in computer science. They actively work in various areas and achieve a big success especially in medical domain. It is to be difficult to obtain reliable recognitions about each diagnosis that has common characteristics and to manage data about over 140 nursing diagnoses by using existing Nursing Diagnosis System with artificial neural network. But a rule-based approach has been studied to automate diagnosis and is more effective that nursing diagnosis depends on objective data and has more common characteristics. In this paper, Nursing Diagnosis System was built with a rule-based approach due to the above reasons. Nursing Diagnosis System is implemented by using rules of production system, a kind of knowledge representation technique based on standardized nursing care plans. The ten nursing diagnoses, found most frequently from the patients on medical-surgical wards were determined to develop Nursing Diagnosis System. To verify the usefulness of Nursing Diagnosis System was tested with 80 patient's data. A diagnosis was judged correct if the system and the nursing experts agreed on diagnosing. The nursing experts evaluated 100 percents of the system's diagnosis was deemed correct. Judging from the results given above, the system seems highly reliable. In this work, I show that it can contribute to clinical application of nursing process as another nursing tool.
Diagnosis ; Expert Systems* ; Humans ; Nursing Diagnosis* ; Nursing Process ; Nursing* ; Patient Care Planning

No abstract available.
Benzalkonium Compounds* ; Dermatitis, Contact*

No abstract available.
Anemia, Aplastic* ; Child* ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor* ; Granulocytes* ; Humans ; Sweet Syndrome*

With growing need in the field, the application of computers in nursing has been frequently studied to improve the quality of nursing care in Korea. But the development of useful clinical programs has not received adequate alternatives. The aim of this study is to compare of two Nursing Diagnosis Systems - Neutral Network and Expert System. The simulated output of each Nursing Diagnosis System and the Judgment from the researcher and two professors of nursing were comparatively examined. The misdiagnosis rate of Nursing Diagnosis System using the Neural Network was nine percent, while the Nursing Diagnosis System using the Expert System showed consistency with those three experts in every aspect. Accordingly, the result of this study demonstrated the possibility of application of a nursing diagnosis system as another nursing tool.
Diagnostic Errors ; Expert Systems* ; Judgment ; Korea ; Nursing Care ; Nursing Diagnosis* ; Nursing*

Dihydropyridine (DHP) calcium channel blockers (CCBs) have been widely used to treat of several cardiovascular diseases. An excessive shortening of action potential duration (APD) due to the reduction of Ca2+ channel current (I(Ca)) might increase the risk of arrhythmia. In this study we investigated the electrophysiological effects of nicardipine (NIC), isradipine (ISR), and amlodipine (AML) on the cardiac APD in rabbit Purkinje fibers, voltage-gated K+ channel currents (I(Kr), I(Ks)) and voltage-gated Na+ channel current (I(Na)). The concentration-dependent inhibition of Ca2+ channel currents (I(Ca)) was examined in rat cardiomyocytes; these CCBs have similar potency on I(Ca) channel blocking with IC50 (the half-maximum inhibiting concentration) values of 0.142, 0.229, and 0.227 nM on NIC, ISR, and AML, respectively. However, ISR shortened both APD50 and APD90 already at 1 microM whereas NIC and AML shortened APD50 but not APD90 up to 30 microM. According to ion channel studies, NIC and AML concentration-dependently inhibited I(Kr) and I(Ks) while ISR had only partial inhibitory effects (<50% at 30 microM). Inhibition of I(Na) was similarly observed in the three CCBs. Since the I(Kr) and I(Ks) mainly contribute to cardiac repolarization, their inhibition by NIC and AML could compensate for the AP shortening effects due to the block of I(Ca).
Action Potentials ; Amlodipine ; Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Calcium Channel Blockers* ; Calcium Channels* ; Calcium* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Ion Channels ; Isradipine ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; Nicardipine ; Purkinje Fibers ; Rats

Esophageal cancers are highly malignant neoplasms. Prognosis of esophageal cancer treated by external irradiation alone is rather poor because of local recurrence and distant metastasis. Recently intracavitary irradiation has been used as a boost therapy after external irradiation to obtain better local control. One case of esophageal cancer has been treated by high dose rate remote-controlled after loading unit as boost therapy after external irradiation. The result was excellent in short term follow up esophagogram but esophageal bleeding and esophagotracheal fistula were noted in further follow up examination after inappropriate posttreatment management including insufficient chemotherapy due to poor general condition. We reviewed possible causes of esophageal bleeding and esophagotracheal fistula after external irradiation and high dose rate ICR.
Drug Therapy ; Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Tracheoesophageal Fistula

BACKGROUND: Accessory tragi contain a central core of cartilage, which is the most important pathological factor, but often are misdiagnosed as soft fibroma/hair follicle nevi if sections cannot show a central core of cartilage. OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were aimed at comparing transverse sections with vertical sections and demonstrating the value of transverse sections about histological diagnosis for accessory tragus. METHODS: We studied 14 cases of patients with accessory tragi. All cases were totally excised and all 16 biopsy specimens (bilateral in 2 cases) were obtained. We classified these biopsy specimens into two groups regarding the removal of cartilage.All specimens were vertical or transverse seiral sectioned and we compared these histologic findings with established histologic diagnostic criteria which Satoh et al. reported. RESULTS: On the specimens of group 1 in which there was cartilage, subcutaneous prominent connective tissue framework whirling around cartilage could be observed on all transverse sections, but was not always present on vertical sections. Prominent connective tissue framework and pilosebaceous units with circular arrangement of eccrine glands were simultaneously in the center of transverse sections regardless of the presence of cartilage. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, transverse sections showed all diagnostic histologic important features for accessory tragus: presence of central cartilage, prominent subcutaneous connective tissue framework, and various degree of pilosebaceous unit, especially with circular arrangement of eccrine glands. So transverse sectioning could be a useful method for accurate histological diagnosis of accessory tragi regardless of the removal of cartilage when doing excisional biopsy.
Biopsy ; Cartilage ; Connective Tissue ; Diagnosis ; Eccrine Glands ; Humans ; Nevus

The purpose of this study is to explore perception types and to understand the nature of experience of nursing students' clinical education by using the Q methodology. A Q sample was developed through a review of the literature and descriptions about nursing students' experience in clinical practice. Thirty-six statements made up the finalized Q sample. The P sample consisted of 33 third grade nursing students in K university. Q statements were written on separate cards and were given to the 33 subjects to sort according to degree of agreement or disagreement. The Q-sorts by each subject were coded and analysed with the Quanl PC program. A a result, three major perception types, namely, 'alienation of ideal and reality', 'active participation', and 'perception of limitation of ability' were identified. By identifying the nature of the three types, this study suggests efficient strategies for developing clinical educational programs according to the perception types of nursing students. Clinical education would thereby be more valuable.
Education* ; Humans ; Nursing* ; Q-Sort ; Students, Nursing*

No abstract available.
Cicatrix* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Interferons ; Ribavirin*

Heterotopic pregnancy is the coexistency of intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy. The incidence of heterotopic pregnancy is about 1 to 30,000 pregnancy in a natural cycle. However, the frequency of heterotopic pregnancy has steadily increased because of rising incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, pelvic surgery and the development of ovulation induction and assisted reproduction. Because heterotopic pregnancy is difficult to diagnose and it has high morbidity and mortality rate, one should always take this into consideration and should conduct careful and thorough gynecologic evaluation. We have experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a 29-year old woman who presented with acute abdominal pain in a natural cycle and report this case with a brief review of literature.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Ovulation Induction ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic* ; Reproduction