No abstract available.
Pregnancy ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the influencing factors on postpartum fatigue in the parturient women. METHODS: The data were collected from July to September, 2006 using self-report questionnaires. The sample was 143 healthy parturient women who visited the outpatient clinic at 2 hospitals for a routine follow up after childbirth. The data were analyzed by using SPSS 12.0 Win program. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the postpartum fatigue by age, religion, sleep hour, and complaint of perceived health problem. The postpartum fatigue were significantly correlated with infant care stress(p<0.001), sleep satisfaction(p<0.001), and feeding difficulty(p=0.016). The multiple regression analysis showed that the postpartum fatigue were significantly predicted by the infant care stress, sleep satisfaction and complaint of perceived health problem. These variables explained 31.8% of the variance of postpartum fatigue. The infant care stress was the main predictor of postpartum fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: It could be concluded that the nursing intervention for reducing the infant care stress should be developed to manage the postpartum fatigue for parturient women. Prospective studies are needed to be conducted to verify the causal relationship between infant care stress and postpartum fatigue.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Fatigue* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Care ; Nursing ; Parturition ; Postpartum Period* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Various anatomical defects have been described in the surviving co-twin who had stillborn, macerated monozygotic co-twin with disseminated intravascular coagulation. The suggested mechanism was the transfer of emboli or thromboplastic materials of dead fetus to co-twin through placental vascular anastomoses. Multicystic encephalomalacia is the condition defined anatomically by the presence of multiple cavities in the great part of both cerebral hemispheres. The most common pathogenesis is circulatory disturbance caused by neonatal asphyxia during the perinatal period. We experienced two cases of monozygotic twin with deceased co-twin at 26 weeks, 33 weeks of gestation and confirmed the diffuse multicystic encephalomalacia by cranial ultrasonography and MRI in a surviving co-twin. Only one patient has been followed who showed spastic cerebral palsy and severe mental retardation. We report two cases of multicystic encephalomalacia in a surviring co-twin with a intrauterine fetal death and its related literatures.
Asphyxia ; Cerebral Palsy ; Cerebrum ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation ; Encephalomalacia* ; Fetal Death* ; Fetus ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Twins, Monozygotic ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.

A household survey was conducted to compare the patterns of morbidity and medical care utilization between medical aid beneficiaries and medical insurance beneficiaries. The study population included 285 medical aid beneficiaries that were completely surveyed and 386 medical insurance beneficiaries selected by simple random sampling from a Dong (Township) in Taegu. Well-trained surveyors mainly interviewed housewives with a structured questionnaire. The morbidity rates of acute illness during the 15-day period, were 63 per 1,000 medical aid beneficiaries and 62 per 1,000 medical insurance beneficiaries. The rates for chronic illness were 123 per 1,000 medical beneficiaries and 73 per 1,000 medical insurance beneficiaries. The most common type of acute illness in medical aid and medical insurance beneficiaries was respiratory disease in medical aid beneficiaries, musculoskeletal disease was most common, but in medical insurance beneficiaries, gastrointestinal disease was most common. The mean duration of acute illness of medical aid beneficiaries was 3.8 days and that of medical insurance beneficiaries was 6.8 days. During the one year period, mean duration of medical aid beneficiaries chronic illnesses was 11.5 months which was almost twice as long compared to medical insurance beneficiaries. Pharmacy was most preferable facility among the acute illness patient in medical aid beneficiaries, but acute cases of medical insurance beneficiaries visited the clinic most commonly. Chronic cases of both groups visited the clinic most frequently. There were some findings suggesting that much unmet need existed among the medical aid beneficiaries. In acute cases, the average number of days of medical aid users utilized medical facilities was less than medical insurance users. On the other hand, the length of medical care utilization of chronic cases was reversed. Geographical accessibility was the most important factors in utilization of medical facilities. Almost half of the study population answered the questions about source of funds on medical security correctly. Most respondents considered that the objective of medical security was affordability. The chief complaint on hospital utilization was the complicated administrative procedures. These findings suggest that there were some problems in the medical aid system, especially in the referral system.
Chronic Disease ; Daegu ; Family Characteristics ; Financial Management ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Hand ; Humans ; Insurance Benefits ; Insurance* ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; Pharmacy ; Referral and Consultation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

A weanling Thoroughbred foal was admitted to Equine Hospital, Korea Racing Association with signs of colic. On admission the foal was sweating profusely, appeared anxious and exhibiting signs suggestive of abdominal pain. Clinical examination revealed: tachycardia (90 beats/min), tachypnea (50 breaths/min) and congested and slightly cyanotic mucous membranes. No intestinal sounds were auscultated in all 4 abdominal quadrants. Rectal palpation identified concurrent cecum and large colon impactions. Treatment consisted of intravenous administration of a balanced electrolyte solution, nasogastric siphonage and administration of analgesics. Nasogastric reflux contained ascarids. This treatment failed to alleviate the signs of colic. The foal died 3 hours later following discharge because the owner didn't want laparatomy because of economic constraints. Prior to admission this foal had not received any prophylactic anthelmintic treatment. In necropsy, there were masses of ascarids accumulation in the stomach, small intestine and large intestine. The outcome of this report is to describe the first diagnosed case of gastrointestinal impaction by P. equorum in a Thoroughbred foal in South Korea and indicates the importance of regular anthelmintic treatment.
Animals ; Ascaridida Infections/diagnosis/parasitology/*veterinary ; Ascaridoidea/*isolation&purification ; Fatal Outcome ; Fecal Impaction/diagnosis/parasitology/*veterinary ; Horse Diseases/diagnosis/*parasitology ; Horses ; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/diagnosis/parasitology/*veterinary ; Korea

OBJECTIVE: Hematologic abnormalities in toxemia mothers and their babies have been documented. The purpose of this study was to explore the hematologic findings in mothers with toxemia and postnatal hematologic findings in their babies. The relationship of hematologic findings between toxemia mothers before delivery and their babies immediately after birth was also examined. METHODS: Forty-six pairs of singleton toxemia mothers and their babies born by C-section with 28 to 35 weeks of gestation from Jan. 1995 to Dec. 1999 were enrolled. Fifty pairs of singleton normotensive mothers and their babies with the same gestational period and delivery method were matched for control group. Blood samples of mothers were performed before delivery, and those of their babies, were done immediately after birth, day 3 and 7 of life. Hemoglobin(Hb) concentration, total white blood cell(WBC) count, absolute neutrophil count(ANC), and platelet count were examined. RESULTS: Toxemia mothers have significantly lower platelet count compared with controls(191,000+/-83,200/mm3 vs. 252,000+/-92,700/mm3, p<0.05). There were no difference between both groups in Hb, WBC and ANC. On the first day of life, Hb was significantly higher(16.97+/-2.36g/dL vs 14.32+/-1.5g/dL, p<0.05), but WBC, ANC and platelet count were significantly lower in babies born to toxemia mothers than those of control group(p<0.05 for all). In babies born to toxemia mothers, Hb was significantly decreased until the seventh day of life(16.97g/dL, 15.48g/dL, 14.61g/dL, p<0.05), however, WBC and platelet count were significantly decreased until the third day of life and then incresed until the seventh day of life(11,832/mm3, 8,334/mm3, 10,104/mm3 for WBC, p<0.05, and 152,220/mm3, 144,720/mm3, 214,090/mm3 for platelet, p<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Hemoglobin concentration was significantly higher, whereas WBC, ANC and platelet were significantly lower in babies of toxemia mothers than those of control group. In babies born to toxemia mothers, Hb was significantly decreased until the seventh day of life, however, WBC and platelet count were significantly decresed until the third day and then increased until the seventh day of life. There was no relationship between hematologic findings of toxemia mothers and their babies.
Blood Platelets ; Humans ; Mothers* ; Neutrophils ; Parturition ; Platelet Count ; Pregnancy ; Toxemia*

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the suitability of using chitosan, poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) to control the release of chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) from a prototype of controlled release drug device (CRD) for root canal disinfection. Four different prototypes with different formulations were prepared. Group A (n = 12); The device (absorbent paper point) was loaded with CHX as control. Group B (n = 12); same as group A, but the device was coated with chitosan. In Groups C and D, the device was treated in the same way as group A and then coated three times with 5% PMMA (Group C, n = 12), or coated three times with 3% PLGA (Group D, n = 12). The devices were randomly allocated to experimental groups of 12 each. All CRD prototypes were soaked in 3 mL distilled water. The concentrations of CHX were determined using a UV spectrophotometer. The surface characteristics of each prototype were observed using a scanning electron microscope. The result showed that release rate of CHX was the greatest in the non-coated group, followed by the chitosan-coated group, the PLGA-coated group, and the PMMA-coated group (P < 0.05). Pores were observed on the surface of the prototypes that were coated with PLGA and PMMA. When the pore size was smaller, the release rate was lower. This data indicate that polymer coating can control the release rate of CHX from the CRD prototypes.
Chitosan ; Chlorhexidine* ; Dental Pulp Cavity* ; Disinfection* ; Polymers* ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Water

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the expression of MAGE gene and human papillomavirus (HPV) 16, 18 type in patients with cervical neoplasia using in exfoliated cervical cells. METHODS: The expression of common MAGE gene (MAGE 1 to 6) in cervical scraps was studied by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 12 normal control patient and 48 patients with abnormal cytologic results. In all 60 patients, colposcopic directed biopsy and HPV test by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done. RESULTS: The pathologic results of 60 patients was 12 cervicitis, 37 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (14 LSIL, 23 HSIL), and 11 invasive squamous cell carcinomas. No expression of common MAGE gene was detected in 12 cervical scraps of cervicitis. The common MAGE gene of LSIL, HSIL and invasive squamous cell carcinomas was expressed in two (14.3%), seventeen (73.9%), ten (90.9%) respectively. HPV type 16 or 18 was detected in 1 cervicitis, 5 LSIL, 20 HSIL and 10 invasive squamous cell carcinoma. In 51 patients (85%), the HPV test result and the common MAGE gene expression showed coincident results. CONCLUSION: This result suggests common MAGE gene might be potential tumor marker in cervical neoplasia and adjuvant test of the Papanicolaou smear.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Gene Expression ; Human papillomavirus 16* ; Humans* ; Papanicolaou Test ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Uterine Cervicitis

The question of an association between occupational noise exposure and blood pressure has important public health implications. The harmful effects of hypertension are well known and noise is considered the mosts pervasive problem of all occupational exposures in Taegu City, Korea. A cross-sectional study on the effect of long-term noise exposure on blood pressure was done for 276 noise exposed workers (203 male workers, 73 female workers). Long-term noise exposure was measured by cumulative noise exposure level and noise-induced hearing loss. Hearing loss=(500Hz+2x1,000Hz+2x2,000Hz+4,000Hz)/6 Questionaire was administered to the workers, which includes age, sex, occupational history on the noise exposure, habits on alcohol drinking and smoking, practice of regular exercise, family history of hypertension. Type A behavior, question on stress, height, weight and blood pressure were measured. Serum triglyceride and low density lipoprotein (LDL) were also measured. Audiometry was done in the closed booth at 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 6,000, 8,000, 1,000 and 500Hz in order. Mutiple logistic regression analysis revealed that cumulative noise exposure level(p<0.05), serum triglyceride(p<0.01), age(p<0.01) and family history of hypertension (p<0.05) predict hypertension (systolic blood pressure: 160mmHg or above, or diastolic blood pressure: 95mmHg or above) in male workers. In female workers, serum triglyceride (p<0.01), LDL (p<0.01) and family history of hypertension(p<0.05) were predictors of hypertension (systolic blood pressure: 160mmHg or above, or diastolic blood pressure: 95mmHg or above). As the number of female workers with hypertension was too small, the multiple logistic regression was done according to hypertension criteria of systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 140mmHg, or diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90mmHg. Based on this criteria, cumulative noise exposure level (p=0.055) and age (p=0.057) predict hypertension. It is suggested that long-term noise exposure which was calculated by cumulative noise exposure level was a significant predictor of hypertension in noise exposed workers.
Alcohol Drinking ; Audiometry ; Blood Pressure* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Daegu ; Female ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Lipoproteins ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Noise* ; Noise, Occupational ; Occupational Exposure ; Public Health ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides