No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate*

BACKGROUND: After the development of the Q-switched lasers, it was possible to remove tattoos without causing scarring. Currently, Q-switched ruby lasers, Q-switched Nd: YAG lasers and Q-switched alexandrite lasers are used selectively to treat tattoos. The objective of this study was to determine the difference of effectiveness aceording to color, site and duration in removing tattoo pigments by the alexandrite laser. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 30 tattoos were treated with a Q-switched alexandrite laser(model IL-l, Candela Laser Corporation. Wayland. U.S.A.). Pretreatment evaluation included a clinical desrviption of the site, color, duration and photographs were taken. The effects were examined by fether photo graphs and telephone follow-up. The response was expressed as the percentage area cleared of the tattoo. The clearance was graded as follows: clear, >95%; excellent, 76-95%; good, 51-75%; fair, 26-50%; poor < 25%. The occurence of adverse events were also examined. RESULTS: 1""he results are summarized as follows: 1. Treatment with fluences that ranged from 6.0-8.0J/cm2 was given on average 1.7 times and better results were achived than expected in 80% of all patients with tattoo. 2. The effectiveness of laser therapy correlated with the number of treatments. 3. After 1 laser session, tattoos of black and darkblue showed better results than light blue in terms of color. 4. After 1 laser session, the sites of tattoos on upper extremitise showed better results than those of the eyebmw, eyeline and face. 5. Differences in duration after 1 laser session were not seen. 6. Hyperpigmentation in 2 cases and bulla formation in 1 case occurred and all complications had ceased after a few months. CONCLUSION: The alexandrite laser is an effective treatment for cosmetic, general and traumatic tattoos with a low incidence of significant adverse effects and provides excellent cosmetic results.
Cicatrix ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Incidence ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Solid-State* ; Telephone

This study was conducted to investigate the use of medical equipment in patients receiving home care service. The subjects of this study were 88 patients cared by seven home care nursed who were registered in the Seoul Nurses Association. Data was collected from Aug. 1, 1998 to Dec. 30, 1998. The findings are as follows. 1. The sample was found to be 55.7% female : 51.7% over 65 years old. 75% with neurologic disease including CVA, brain tumor, ICH, Parkinsonism & Spinal stenosis and 78.4% living in Seoul. The Clinical experience of the home care nurses was greater than five years. 2. Medical equipment which the patients port sensed were folly catheters(61.4%), L-tubes(59.1%) and tracheostomy tubes(51.1%). 3. Technical difficulties in use of medical equipment were related to home care ventilators(60.0%), L-tubes(3.8%) and tracheostomy tubes (2.2%) 4. Most of the medical equipment were obtained from the hospital where they had been admitted previously or from medical equipment companies. 5. Complications from the use of this equipment were infection through invasive techniques Including wound drainage tubes(50%), and IV injections(22.2%), The complications were resolved through referral to the doctor of the hospital where they were previously admitted or through community health centers. 6. Most of the equipment was disposable, and equipment was disinfected by using various methods including boiling and soaking in antiseptic solutions. These findings suggest that consistant policy on the management of medical equipment is necessary for the safety of home care patients.
Aged ; Brain Neoplasms ; Community Health Centers ; Drainage ; Female ; Home Care Services* ; Humans ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; Referral and Consultation ; Seoul ; Spinal Stenosis ; Tracheostomy ; Wounds and Injuries

To assess the pathological basis of the sonographic changes of the gallbladder wall in cholecystitis, thesonographic appearances of the gallbladder wall were analysed in 17 patients with acute cholecystitis and 27patients with chronic cholecystitis, and correlated with pathological specimens removed at surgery. In acutecholecystitis, a thin sonolucent layer within the echogenic gallbladder wall corresponds to subserosal edema,hemorrhage and inflammatory cell infiltration: in chronic cholecystitis it corresponds to subserosal edema,hemorrhage and inflammatory cell infiltration: in chronic cholelcystitis it corresponds to subserosal edema,hemorrhage and inflammatory cell infiltration, in chronic cholelcystitis it corresponds to muscular hypertrophy.Indistinctness and/or a low echogenicity rind along the inner margin reflects mucosal sloughing or obliteration ofthe mucosal folds. Uniformly decreased echogenicity of the wall is caused by severe inflammatory cell infiltrationwith sloughing of the mucosa or obliteration of the mucosal folds. These sonographic singns are considered to bevaluable sings of cholecystitis.
Cholecystitis ; Cholecystitis, Acute ; Gallbladder ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; Ultrasonography

This study was based on the experience of dental hygienists' role conflict, and attempted to grasp the nature of the dental hygienist role conflict factor, constituent factor and coping. Giorgi's phenomenological method was used to analyze data collected through in-depth interviews with nine dental hygienists working in a dental clinic. The analysis revealed three central meanings: task scope, role conflicts, and role conflict management style and limitations. In the first category, task scope, the range of the legal scope, and the duties performed by the dental hygienist differed slightly. The second category included role conflict due to interpersonal relationship, work, work environment, competence, and identity as a professional because of role conflict. The third category included the role conflict management style and limitations. Dental hygienists tried to solve the role conflict situation through various efforts. In the face of the reality that the conflict is not solved despite such efforts, the dental hygienists felt the limitation and chose to leave. Dental hygienists are dissatisfied with their roles because of confusion regarding professional values and lack of awareness of the professional workforce due to differences between legal scope and actual practice. Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to develop a tool to quantitatively measure the level of role conflict in dental hygienists and to conduct follow-up studies on the effects of coping strategies by role conflict situations.
Dental Clinics ; Dental Hygienists* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Mental Competency ; Methods ; Qualitative Research*

PURPOSE: This cross-sectional survey research was undertaken to identify the factors influencing time from onset to hospital arrival of stroke patients and to provide basic information for the development of intervention programs for stroke patients. METHODS: The data were collected using a convenient sampling method from three hospitals in Inchon. The subjects were 78 patients who were diagnosed as stroke by doctor and they voluntarily participated in the study. RESULTS: On the average, subjects arrived at the hospitals by 16.72 hours after the onset of stroke events with the range from 0.17 hours to 72 hours. Thirty-four(43.6%) subjects arrived within 3 hours which can maximize treatment effects. There was significant difference in hospital presentation time according to the level of knowledge(chi-square=18.629, p=.0003). A negative correlation was found between the hospital presentation time and self-efficacy (r= -.320, p=.004). Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the most powerful predictor was self-efficacy. Self-efficacy, the level of knowledge and physical symptoms were significant factors and accounted for 21.7% of the variance of hospital presentation time in stroke patients. CONCLUSION: According to the results, self-efficacy is a useful concept for reducing the hospital presentation time from onset of attack in stroke patients. Therefore, nurses should consider educational programs which include not only a knowledge of stroke and recurrence prevention but also the concept of self-efficacy.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Incheon ; Recurrence ; Stroke*

We report two cases showing typical clinical features of subcutaneous granuloma annulare. Clinically, rapidly growing non-tender subcutaneous nodules developed on the scalp of healthy children without histories of trauma or infection. Histopathologically, collagen degeneration surrounded by histiocytes and lymphocytes in a palisading arrangement were seen in the deep dermis and subcutaneous layer. The foci of degeneration contained pale and edematous basophilic mucinous deposits. The skin lesions resolved spontaneously without specific treatment. Subcutaneous granuloma annulare should be considered in the differential diagnosis of children presenting with soft tissue masses.
Basophils ; Child ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Granuloma Annulare* ; Granuloma* ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Mucins ; Scalp ; Skin

PURPOSE: This study was to identify the relationship between personality type, college admission SAT scores and GPA scores of student nurses. METHOD: The data was collected from 270 student nurses enrolled in a baccaleaureate program in Seoul. MBTI was used to identify students' personality and SAT score and GPA score were collected over 4 years. The collected data was analyzed by using SPSS Win. package. RESULT: 1. There were slightly more extrovert (E) type (54.4%) students than the introvert (I) type; more sensing (S) type (71.1%) than the intuitive (N) type. 2. The introvert type students had significantly higher SAT scores than those of the extrovert type (p=.002). 3. The judging type students had significantly higher GPA scores throughout their college years than the perceiving type. 4. There was no statistically significant relationship between SAT and GPA scores. SAT scores did not accurately predict students' academic achievement in college in this sample. CONCLUSION: The distribution of the personality types in the sample was different from the general population which may suggest that college admission criteria is biased toward certain personality type. Since different personality types process information and cope with the outside world differently, effective teaching strategies need to be considered for each class.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Humans ; Seoul

Although ultrasonography replaced many invasive studies in biliary tract diseases, direct cholangiography does still play an important role in the diagnosis and management of choledocholithiasis. Endoscopoic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) is regarded as the best method in evaluation of exact extent of the disease and its frequent complication, cholangitis. Authors analysed 56 cases of choledocolithiasis diagnosed by ERC and compared these with ERC in 18 cases of normal, 22 cases of cholecystitis, 15 cases of clonorchiasis and 9 cases of parenchymal diseases of liver. The results are as follows; 1. ERC findings of choledocholithiasis are filling defects by stoneor stones, dilation of common hepatic as well as common bile ducts and findings of cholangitis. 2. ERC findings of cholangitis are dilatation of larger intrahepatic biliary radicles and acute peripheral tapering, decrease of arborization, increased or right angle branching pattern, straightening and rigidity as well as irregular narrowing of intrahepatic biliary trees. This findings are observed in majority of choledocholithiasis. 3. Over9mm in diameter at intraprancreatic portion of common bile duct was regarded as abnormal, with 95% sensitivity,85% specificity and 91% diagnostic accuracy by decision matrix analysis. 4. In the presence of dilatation of CBD and findings of cholangitis in ERC, one should consider choledocholithiasis in spite of absence of stone defect.
Biliary Tract Diseases ; Cholangiography ; Cholangitis ; Cholecystitis ; Choledocholithiasis ; Clonorchiasis ; Common Bile Duct ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Liver ; Methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Trees ; Ultrasonography

Author analyzed 154 cases of transabdominal ultrasonography of normal adults who had normal urinalysis, no complaint of symptoms related with urinary system and no evidence of prostate disease. The maximum anteroposterior, transverse and longitudinal diameters of prostate were measured. The weight of prostate was computed using the formular for the weight of ellipsoid object (W=SGx4/3 pie r1.r2.r3, w; weight, SG; specificgravity about 1.05 gm/ml, r; radious of prostate in any dimension). The results were as follows; 1. The averagesized of prostate were 4.12±0.68 cm in transverse diameter, 3.46±0.49 cm in longitudinal diameter and 2.36±0.40cm in AP diameter. Transeverse diameter was the longest and AP diameter was the shorteset in all cases. 2. Theaverage weight of prostate in each age groups were 19.25±6.78 gm in the 3rd decade, 16.64±5.18 gm in the 4th decade, 16.28±5.31 gm in the 5th decade, 22.31±6.95gm in the 6th decade and 13.06±8.18 gm in over the 7th decade. The average weight of prostate in groups more than 50 years of age were significantly greater than youngerage groups (p<0.005). Total average weight was 18.96±6.78 gm. 3. The distribution of prostate weighting over 30gm in each groups were 14.29%(5/35) in the 3rd decade, 0%(0/34) in the 4th decade, 2.63%(1/38) in the 5th decade,20%(6/30) in the 6th decade and 23.5%(4/17) in the 7th decade.
Adult ; Humans ; Prostate ; Ultrasonography ; Urinalysis