The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of job stress and social support on the organizational effectiveness of hospital employees and to examine the role of social support in the experience of job stress among the employees. Previous studies have yielded mixed results regarding the role of social support. Some studies provide supporting evidence for the buffering effect of social support, while others do not. Still others report findings about reverse buffering effects. These inconsistent findings are, in part, accounted for by methodological problems such as poor measurement, small sample size, and the existence of high multicollinearity. To examine more rigorously the role of social support in relation to the negative effects of job stress, this study was carefully designed to overcome methodolgical shortcomings found in the past research. In addition, unlike the previous studies, which were concerned mostly with health-related variables as consequences of job stress, in this study, three work-related variables (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and intent to stay) which had close relationships with organizational effectiveness were examined as output variables. The sample used in this study consisted of 353 employees from a university hospital in the suburbs of seoul. Data were collected with self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using canonical analysis and hierarchical regression analysis. The results of this study indicate that; (l) job stress has negative main effects on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and intent to stay; (2) social support has positive main effects on the same three output variables, (3) social support does not moderate the harmful effects of job stress on the three outcome variables, and (4) the three-way interaction effects of (social support * job stress * gender) and of (social support * job stress * education) are not supported The implications of these findings for the management of human resources are discussed.
Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sample Size ; Seoul

Restoration of the M-P joint of a damaged or lost joint by trauma, tumor and others is necessary for adequate function of the hand. Several procedure have been described for restoration of the M-P joint. We experienced a case of vascularized joint transter for a lost joint by trauma. After 1 year and 2 months follow-up, there have been no degenerative change and no pain.
Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Joints

This study was designed to investigate the effect of GABA and related substances on the spontaneous contraction of rat small intestine. The rats (Sprague-Dawley), weighing 200-250g, were sacrificed by cervical dislocation, and the small intestine was isolated. Longitudinal muscle strips from duodenum, jejunum and ileum were suspended in Biancani's isolated muscle chambers and myographied isometrically. GABA and muscimol, a GABA A receptor agonist relaxed the duodenum and jejunum significantly, but baclofen-induced relaxation in those muscle strips negligible. The effectiveness of GABA and muscimol in various regions were the greatest on duodenum, and greater on jejunum than on ileum The effect of GABA and muscimol was antagonized by bicuculline, a competitive GABA A receptor antagonist and picrotoxin, a noncompetitive GABA A receptor antagonist. Duodenal relaxation induced by GABA and muscimol was unaffected by hexamethonium, but was prevented by tetrodotoxin. These results suggest that GABA inhibit the contractility of smooth muscle with distinct regional difference of efficacy, and the site of inhibitory action is the GABA A receptor existing at the presynaptic membrane of postganglionic excitatory nerves.
Animals ; Bicuculline ; Dislocations ; Duodenum ; GABA-A Receptor Agonists ; GABA-A Receptor Antagonists ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid* ; Hexamethonium ; Ileum ; Intestine, Small* ; Jejunum ; Membranes ; Muscimol ; Muscle, Smooth ; Picrotoxin ; Rats* ; Receptors, GABA-A ; Relaxation ; Tetrodotoxin

No abstract available.
Cutaneous Fistula ; Glomerulonephritis, Membranous* ; Humans ; Sarcoma, Kaposi*

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve (PCBMN) in patient with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) using high-resolution ultrasound. Methods: Fourteen healthy volunteers (17 wrists) and 31 patients with CTS (41 wrists) were evaluated by high-resolution ultrasound. All patients were classified into three groups based on the electrophysiologic CTS impairment severity: mild, moderate, and severe. Using high-resolution ultrasound, the cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of the PCBMN were measured at the proximal wrist crease, bistyloid line, and distal wrist crease, and the largest CSA was defined as the maximal CSA. Results: The maximal CSA of the PCBMN of the control, mild, moderate, and severe CTS groups were 0.27±0.08, 0.30±0.07, 0.35±0.10, and 0.47±0.13 mm2, respectively. The maximal CSA of the PCBMN was significantly larger in the severe CTS group than in the other groups. Conclusion The PCBMN could be concomitantly affected in patients with severe CTS.

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve (PCBMN) in patient with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) using high-resolution ultrasound. Methods: Fourteen healthy volunteers (17 wrists) and 31 patients with CTS (41 wrists) were evaluated by high-resolution ultrasound. All patients were classified into three groups based on the electrophysiologic CTS impairment severity: mild, moderate, and severe. Using high-resolution ultrasound, the cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of the PCBMN were measured at the proximal wrist crease, bistyloid line, and distal wrist crease, and the largest CSA was defined as the maximal CSA. Results: The maximal CSA of the PCBMN of the control, mild, moderate, and severe CTS groups were 0.27±0.08, 0.30±0.07, 0.35±0.10, and 0.47±0.13 mm2, respectively. The maximal CSA of the PCBMN was significantly larger in the severe CTS group than in the other groups. Conclusion The PCBMN could be concomitantly affected in patients with severe CTS.

PURPOSE: The importance of trace elements in their effect on the physiology and pathology of the central nervous system is well recognized. Changes in the concentrations of these elements in the brain could take place in pathological states. Recently, a greater emphasis has been given to the role of trace elements in the function of the nervous system both in normal and pathological conditions. The past experiments from animal demonstrate that Na+-K+-ATPase inhibition, particularly in the hippocampus, is involved in epileptogenicity. Zinc is the most potent inhibitor of Na+-K+-ATPase followed closely by copper. Zinc modulates the activity of glutamic acid decarboxylase, the rate limiting enzyme in the synthesis of -aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter. There are few reports of zinc and copper concentrations in normal CSF and in CSF from patients with neurological diseases. The aim of this study was designed to determine the zinc and copper concentrations and their correlation with protein in CSF of pediatric patients with neurologic disorders. METHODS: The study population was 43 patients who had admitted to Kang Nam Sacred Heart Hospital of Hallym University from March to June, 1996 due to high fever, headache, vomiting, and seizure. All patients were examined CSF study, 32 patients (group I) were showed abnormal CSF and seizure disorders including febrile convulsion and 11 patients (group II) were showed normal CSF and clinical symptoms of febrile illness. Zinc and copper concentrations in CSF were determined with flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. In addition, CSF zinc and copper concentrations in normal CSF proteingroup (group A) and in increased CSF protein group (group B) were determined to investigate probability that the damaged blood-brain-barrier permits the passage of zinc and copper into the subarachnoid space. RESULTS: 1) The CSF zinc concentrations in group I and II were 9.40+/-6.18 and 7.39+/-5.48microgram/dl, and the CSF copper concentrations in group I and II were 4.86+/-7.07 and 2.93+/-1.45microgram/dl, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the CSF zinc and copper concentrations between the two groups. 2) The CSF zinc concentrations in group A and B were 7.21+/-4.96 and 11.24+/-7.32microgram/ dl, and the copper concentrations in group A and B were 3.31+/-2.15 and 5.59+/-9.46microgram/dl, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the CSF zinc and copper concentrations between the two groups. 3) There was a significant positive correlation between the CSF zinc and copper concentrations as well as between the CSF zinc and protein concentrations. But there was no significant correlation between the CSF copper and protein concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: There was no statiscally significant defference in the CSF zinc and copper concentrations between neurologic disorders and febrile diseases. Increased CSF zinc and copper concentrations in increased CSF protein groups were not found. But there were some correlation between zinc, copper, protein levels in CSF. These results do not support assumption that damaged BBB permits the passage of the zinc, copper into the subarachnoid space.
Animals ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Child* ; Copper* ; Epilepsy ; Fever ; Glutamate Decarboxylase ; Headache ; Heart ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Nervous System ; Nervous System Diseases* ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Pathology ; Physiology ; Seizures ; Seizures, Febrile ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; Subarachnoid Space ; Trace Elements ; Vomiting ; Zinc*

Infection with V. vulnificus resulting in septicemia accompanied with skin gangrene and high mortality of 50% or more freqently occurs in people with liver disenses. And it has also been demonstrated that serum iron, essential to the growth of microorganisms, has been elevated in liver damaged animals. In spite of many efforts to reveal the pathogenesis of this fatal disease, there is no clear conclusion so far. Significant increase or decrease in LD of V. vulnificus (CDC C7184) was observed when mice were treated with ferric arnmonium citrate (FAC) and a specific iron chelator, desferal(Df), originated from Streptomyces pilosus and a broad spectrurn cation chelator, calciurn disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (CaEDTA) widly used in heavy metal poisoning treated alone or in combination. The results were obtained as follows. FAC and Df lowered LD to approximately 1.96x 10(3) colony forming unit (CFU) and 9.77x10(2) CFU respectively from 4.46 x 10(5) CFU, LDso of the control group. However, CaEDTA elevated the I D to 4.97 X 10(7) CFU. The LD of the group administered FAC and Df simultaneously was about 9.28x10(1) CFU. Whereas, the LD of the group administered FAC and CaEDTA simultaneously was approximately 7.88 x 10(5), similar to that of the control group. This study demonstrates that there is a close association of the iron with V. vulnificus septicemia and Df lowers LD of the rnice. CaED7A, however, elevated the LD. The author hereby proposes carefully iron chelators such as CaEDTA as an agent for a new adjuvant therapy of the V. vulnificus septicernia.
Animals ; Chelating Agents* ; Citric Acid ; Gangrene ; Iron* ; Liver ; Mice* ; Mortality ; Poisoning ; Sepsis* ; Skin ; Stem Cells ; Streptomyces ; Vibrio vulnificus* ; Vibrio*

No abstract available.
Animals* ; Brain* ; Hypothermia* ; Models, Animal*

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in central nervous system and produce sedative, antianxiety and muscle relaxing effects via GABA(A) receptor or GABA(B) receptor. Recently it is known that GABA is widely distributed throughout peripheral organs and may play a physiological role in certain organ. The vas deferens is innervated by species-difference. These study, therefore, was performed to investigate the mode and the mechanism of action of GABA on the norepinephrine-, ATP- and electric stimulation-induced contraction of vas deferens of rat. Sprague-Dawley rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The smooth muscle strips were isolated from the prostatic portion and were mounted in the isolated muscle bath. PSS in the bath was aerated with 95/5%-O₂/CO₂ at 33℃. Muscle tensions were measured by isometric tension transducer and were recorded by biological recording system. 1. GABA, muscimol, a GABA(A) agonist, and baclofen, a GABA(B) agonist inhibited the electric field stimulation (EFS, 0.2Hz, 1mSec, 80V, monophasic square wave)-induced contraction with a rank order of potency of GABA greater than baclofen greater than muscimol. 2. The inhibitory effect of GABA was antagonized by delta aminovaleric acid (DAVA), a GABA(B) antagonist, but not by bicuculline, a GABA(A) intagonist. 3. The inhibitory effect of baclofen was antagonized by DAVA, but the effect of muscimol was not antagonized by bicuculline. 4. Exogenous norepinephrine (NE) and ATP contracted muscle strip concentration dependently, but the effect of acetylcholine was negligible and GABA did not affect the NE-and ATP-induced contractions. 5. GABA, baclofen and muscimol did not affect basal tone, and GABA did not affect the NE-and ATP-induced contractions. 6. EFS-induced contraction was inclucling 2 distinctable components. The first phasic component was inhibited by beta gamma-methylene ATP (mATP), a desensitizing agent of APT receptor and the second tonic component was reduced by pretreatment of reserpine (3 mg/Kg, IP). 7. GABA inhibited the EFS-induced contraction of reserpinized strips, but not the mATP-treated strips. These results suggest that in the prostatic portion of the rat vas deferens, adrenergic and purinergic neurotransmissions are exist, and GABA inhibits the release of ATP via presynaptic GABA(B) receptor on the excitatory neurons.
Acetylcholine ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Baclofen ; Baths ; Bicuculline ; Central Nervous System ; Dislocations ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Muscimol ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neurons ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Norepinephrine ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, GABA-A ; Reserpine ; Transducers ; Vas Deferens*