Leukocytes, when subjected to phagocytic, immunologic or chemical stimuli, are known to exhibit a sequence of morphological and biochemical events which lead to the production of H₂, O₂, O₂⁻, and even OH as well as the secretion of various lysosomal lytic enzymes into the extracellular environments. It was been proposed that some antiinflammatory drugs may exert their therapeutic effects by inhibiting the production of reactive oxygen species or by abrogating the effects of reactive oxygen species ontissue components. In the present study, effects of various quenchers and antiinflammatory drugs were observed on the changes of viscosity of hyaluronate and collagen gelation by oxygen radicals generated by xanthine and xanthine oxidase. Quenching effects of antiinflammatory drugs on reactive oxygen species were also observed with gas chromatography. 1. Decrease of viscosity of hyaluronate and inhibition of collagen gelation by xanthine and xanthine oxidase were inhibited by various quenchers. 2. Several oxygen radical quenchers and antiinflammatory drugs did not affect viscosity of hyaluronate and collagen gelation. 3. Reactive ouygen species generated by xanthine and xanthine oxidase affected both viscosity of hyaluronate and collagen gelation with similar pattem. Therefore, in this study quenching effects of antiinflammatory drugs on reactive oxygen species have been examined by observing viscosity changes of hyaluronate. Sodium salicylate, acetylsalicylic acid, indomethacin and hydrocortisone affected viscosity changes of hyalumnate by xanthine and xanthine oxidase. The pattem of inhibition of hyaluronate degradation by these drugs were comparable to the inhibition produced by OH scavengers and singlet oxygen quencher. 4. To danonstrate the generation of OH ethylene was determined from methional incubated with xanthine and xanthine oxidase according to gas chromatography method. Xanthine and xanthine oxidase produced ethylene fmm methional and the production was inhibited by antiinflammatory drugs. The result obtained in this study suggest that action of antiinflammatory drugs may, to some event, be attributed to their ability to intercept reactive oxygen species in addition to inhibition of synthesis of prostaglandin.
Aspirin ; Chromatography, Gas ; Collagen ; Hydrocortisone ; Indomethacin ; Leukocytes ; Methods ; Oxygen ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Singlet Oxygen ; Sodium Salicylate ; Therapeutic Uses ; Viscosity ; Xanthine ; Xanthine Oxidase

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to compare health value cognition and health promotion behavior compliance between healthy group and not being healthy group, and to evaluate the difference of health promotion behaviors compliance between high group and low group in health value cognition. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 565 workers, 233 healthy workers, 172 observation cases and 160 disease cases, selected from 4,919 transit coporations workers. RESULTS: In health promoting behavior compliance, not being healthy group showed lower level than healthy group in exercise and showed higher level than healthy group in interpersonal support significantly. A worker who replied on health as the most value in life was consisted in 37.3% of healthy group and 36. 1% of not being healthy group, Health value cognition according to general characteristics showed no significant difference except only variable of age in healthy group. Health promoting behavior compliance according to cognition of health value showed in healthy group that a high level group of health value cognition was more significant difference than a low level group in self actualization and health responsibility of health promoting behavior and didn't show difference significantly in not being healthy group. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the relationship between health value cognition, health promotion behavior compliance and periodic health examination results showed weakly. Therefore, in order to develop and apply spontaneous health promotion program, it was considered that should emphasize compliance than cognition.
Cognition* ; Compliance ; Health Promotion*

No abstract available.
Pulmonary Blastoma*

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of laughter therapy on the quality and quantity of sleep in elders with sleep disorders. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study using a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design with 59 participants and included elders with sleep disorders, The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores of five or more points were: 29 in the experiment group and 30 in the control group. The experimental group participated in laughter therapy sixteen times, twice a week for 50 min per session for 8 weeks. Results: The results showed that laughter therapy was effective according to the PSQI (F=86.13, p<.001), total sleep time (F=9.34, p<.001), sleep efficiency (F=45.34, p<.001), sleep onset latency in the experimental group x2=13.77, p=.001, and in the control group x2=11.95, p=.003), number of awakenings (F=31.21, p<.001), light sleep (F=5.09, p=.008), deep sleep (F=15.13, p<.001), and serum melatonin levels (Z=-3.90, p<.001). but rapid eye movement sleep time did not differ significantly between the groups. Conclusion The results of the study indicate that laughter therapy may be an effective nursing intervention to improve quantity and quality of sleep in community-dwelling elderly.

The objective of this study was to explore the psychosocial factors such as life events, coping styles and family relationships in middle-aged depressed women. This study was designed to compare how different variables relate to depression in two different test groups: a depressed patient group and a normal group. The Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), The Ways of Coping Checklist, Interpersonal Support Evaluation List(ISEL), Family Environment Scale were administered to 116 depressed patients and 113 normal persons between the ages of 35 and 64. The results were as follows 1) The highest stress was marital stress(n=42, 36.2%) in patient group and family stress(n=44, 38.9%) in normal group, respectively. 2) There were significant differences between patient group and normal group in BDI scores (t=15.94, p<.0001), lift events(t=4.73, p<.0001), active coping(t=6.29, p<.0001), social support(t=7.20, p<.0001), and family relationship(t=5.75, p<.0001) except for passive coping(t=0.93, p=.35). 3) In depressed patient group, BDI scores had a significantly positive correlation with the scores of the life event(r=.24, p<.01) and negative correlation with active coping(r= -.22, p<01), social support(r=-.35, p<.001) and family relationships(r=-.30, p<.001). 4) In depressed patient group, multiple regression analysis showed that social support(12.3%, beta=-.281, T=-3.162, P=.002), lift events(5.1%, beta=.279, T=3.195, F=.002), and active coping(3.5%, beta=-.204, T=-2.225, F=.028) had predictability on the BDI scores and the total predictability was 20.9%. 5) Stress experienced in family relationships were highest in life events and there was a lack of consistency(in the BDI scores ol the coping styles). Social support was the most important factor and there were no significant differences between the two groups in family relationships.
Checklist ; Depression ; Family Relations* ; Female ; Humans ; Psychology

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the possible standard-setting methods for the Korean Radiological Technologist Licensing Examination, which has a fixed cut score, and to suggest the most appropriate method. METHODS: Six radiological technology professors set standards for 250 items on the Korean Radiological Technologist Licensing Examination administered in December 2016 using the Angoff, Ebel, bookmark, and Hofstee methods. RESULTS: With a maximum percentile score of 100, the cut score for the examination was 71.27 using the Angoff method, 62.2 using the Ebel method, 64.49 using the bookmark method, and 62 using the Hofstee method. Based on the Hofstee method, an acceptable cut score for the examination would be between 52.83 and 70, but the cut score was 71.27 using the Angoff method. CONCLUSION: The above results suggest that the best standard-setting method to determine the cut score would be a panel discussion with the modified Angoff or Ebel method, with verification of the rated results by the Hofstee method. Since no standard-setting method has yet been adopted for the Korean Radiological Technologist Licensing Examination, this study will be able to provide practical guidance for introducing a standard-setting process.
Education ; Licensure ; Methods ; Technology, Radiologic

The pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex process. During the last decade, advances in genomic technologies enabled delineation of the genomic landscape of HCC, resulting in the identification of the common underlying molecular alterations. The tumor microenvironment, regulated by inflammatory cells, including cancer cells, stromal tissues, and the surrounding extracellular matrix, has been extensively studied using molecular data. The integration of molecular, immunological, histopathological, and clinical findings has provided clues to uncover predictive biomarkers to enhance responses to novel therapies. Herein, we provide an overview of the current HCC genomic landscape, previously identified gene signatures that are used routinely to predict prognosis, and an immune-specific class of HCC. Since biomarker-driven treatment is still an unmet need in HCC management, translation of these discoveries into clinical practice will lead to personalized therapies and improve patient care, especially in the era of targeted and immunotherapies.
Biomarkers ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Extracellular Matrix ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Pancreatic Pseudocyst ; Pancreatitis ; Patient Care ; Prognosis ; Stromal Cells ; Tumor Microenvironment

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the possible standard-setting methods for the Korean Radiological Technologist Licensing Examination, which has a fixed cut score, and to suggest the most appropriate method. METHODS: Six radiological technology professors set standards for 250 items on the Korean Radiological Technologist Licensing Examination administered in December 2016 using the Angoff, Ebel, bookmark, and Hofstee methods. RESULTS: With a maximum percentile score of 100, the cut score for the examination was 71.27 using the Angoff method, 62.2 using the Ebel method, 64.49 using the bookmark method, and 62 using the Hofstee method. Based on the Hofstee method, an acceptable cut score for the examination would be between 52.83 and 70, but the cut score was 71.27 using the Angoff method. CONCLUSION The above results suggest that the best standard-setting method to determine the cut score would be a panel discussion with the modified Angoff or Ebel method, with verification of the rated results by the Hofstee method. Since no standard-setting method has yet been adopted for the Korean Radiological Technologist Licensing Examination, this study will be able to provide practical guidance for introducing a standard-setting process.

Background/Aims: Sarcopenia negatively affects the prognosis of cirrhotic patients, but clinical implications of changes in muscle mass remain unclear. We aimed to elucidate its role in the prognosis of outpatients with cirrhosis. Methods: Patients with cirrhosis who underwent annual abdominal computed tomography (CT) for hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance were included in the prospective cohort. The L3 skeletal muscle index (SMI) was adopted as a proxy for the amount of skeletal muscle, and the rate of SMI change between inclusion and after 1 year (ΔSMI/yr%) was calculated. Results: In total, 595 patients underwent a second CT after 1 year. Among them, 109 and 64 patients had sarcopenia and Child-Pugh class B/C decompensation at inclusion, which changed to 103 and 45 at the 1-year follow-up, respectively. During a median follow-up of 30.1 months after 1 year, 86 patients had at least one cirrhosis complication, and 18 died or received liver transplantation. In the development of cirrhosis complications, ΔSMI/yr% was independently associated, even after adjusting for the Child-Pugh and model for end stage liver disease (MELD)-Na scores. In addition, ΔSMI/yr% showed a good predictive performance for the development of cirrhosis complications within 6 months after 1-year follow-up in all subgroups, with a cut-off of -2.62 (sensitivity, 83.9%; specificity, 74.5%) in the overall population. SMI at 1-year and Child-Pugh score were independent factors associated with survival. In addition, changes in sarcopenia status significantly stratified survival. Conclusion ΔSMI/yr% was a good predictor of the development of cirrhosis complications in outpatients with cirrhosis, independent of Child-Pugh and MELD scores.

Background/Aims: Besifovir dipivoxil maleate (BSV) and tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) have been recently approved in Korea as the initial antiviral agents for chronic hepatitis B (CHB).However, the real-world outcome data for these drugs remain limited. Therefore, we conducted a noninferiority analysis using real-world data to compare the clinical outcomes of the two nucleotide analogs in treatment-naïve patients with CHB. Methods: We retrospectively investigated a cohort of patients with CHB who received BSV or TAF as first-line antiviral agents. The endpoints were virological response (VR) and liver-related clinical outcomes. Results: A total of 537 patients, consisting of 202 and 335 patients administered BSV and TAF, respectively, were followed up for 42 months. No significant difference was observed between the VRs of the patients from the two groups. The rates of biochemical response, virologic breakthrough, and incidence rates of hepatocellular carcinoma did not differ between the groups. However, the hepatitis B e antigen seroclearance rate was higher and the renal function declined less in the BSV group. Multivariable analysis indicated older age, alcohol abuse, cirrhosis and ascites, and lower serum HBV DNA level to be independently associated with increased hepatocellular carcinoma risk. The 1:1 propensity score-matched analysis with 400 patients showed VR rates of 85.0% and 88.7% in the BSV and TAF group patients, respectively, at 2 years. The absolute value of the 95% confidence interval for the difference (–0.04 to 0.12) satisfied the a priori limit of a noninferiority of 0.15. Conclusions BSV is noninferior to TAF in terms of VR, and their clinical outcomes are comparable to CHB.