Purpose: This qualitative systematic review explored infection control by analyzing studies involving South Korean nurses who cared for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Considering the social and cultural differences between countries, it is necessary to understand the experiences of nurses in specific countries. Methods: Articles published between January 2020 (the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic) and April 2022 were considered by searching six electronic databases. Thirteen articles were included based on specific inclusion/ exclusion criteria. Results: Through a thematic synthesis, six themes reflecting barriers to ensuring quality patient care during an emerging infectious disease situation were identified: lack of information and education about emerging infectious diseases, limitations in nursing infrastructure and system, physical stress owing to excessive nursing workload, mental stress owing to extreme anxiety about an infection, skepticism due to inadequate compensation, and ethical dilemma. Themes 1~4, which South Korean nurses experienced, were similar to the experiences of nurses in other countries. Themes 5 and 6 reflect experiences specific to nurses in South Korea. Conclusion To improve infection control against new infectious diseases, it is necessary to understand not only the similar experiences of nurses in all countries, but also experiences that are specific to each country’s cultural and social characteristics. Thus, a distinct policy approach is needed for each country in order to improve infection control measures.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to review the literature on intervention for breast cancer survivors and their partners. METHODS: The literature search was performed using MEDLINE, Pubmed, and Proquest to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding intervention for breast cancer survivors and their partners. Articles published between January 2000 and December 2011 were included. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies were identified. Couple-base d intervention was more effective than intervention for survivors alone. Intervention to partners had also effects on their wives. Most studies were conducted in USA with Caucasian women. Sample size of intervention studies was small with most being pilot studies. CONCLUSION: Providing couple-based intervention to breast cancer survivors could have positive impacts on physical, interpersonal, and social aspects in breast cancer survivors. Future studies with large sample and different ethnicity are needed to confirm the effects of couple-based interventions for breast cancer survivors.
Breast Neoplasms ; Female ; Humans ; Clinical Trial ; Sample Size ; Spouses ; Survivors

We found an title error in our published article.

PURPOSE: To understand the essentials of rearing conflict experience by three shift nurses in advanced general hospitals. METHODS: The design was a qualitative research of phenomenology. Participants were 7 shift nurses working in advanced general hospitals who were rearing young children. Data were collected individually through in-depth interview on their life experiences. Data were analyzed by Colaizzi's phenomenological methodology. RESULTS: Eighteen themes were drawn from 256 meaningful experiences and these themes were integrated to six theme clusters. The most influencing themes were ‘Regret that I cannot satisfy even the slightest wish’, ‘Fail to care for kids’, and ‘Mutual feeling to care giver between appreciation and inconvenience’. Other themes were as follows: ‘Body and mind are broken’, ‘The need for a three-shift system to support nurses who are rearing children’, ‘Doing my best for work and child rearing’. CONCLUSION: The nature of three-shift nurses working in advanced hospital and caring kids is explained as ‘lives with conflict’ between work and home. This study suggests it is necessary to establish a 24-hour care center for 3-shift nurses to keep working while rearing their children.
Caregivers ; Child ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Life Change Events ; Qualitative Research

Multiple congenital melanocytic nevi (MCMN), defined as the distribution of more than three small- or medium- sized congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) on the body without a giant CMN, is a rare disease comprising about 4% of patients with CMN. Because MCMN accompanies neurodevelopmental delay, including seizures in 25% of patients as well as the risk of malignant melanoma, it must be carefully followed-up. We report a case of MCMN with developmental delay in a 19-month-old Korean boy. He had a history of febrile seizure when he was 18 months old. He showed a speech delay after the 1-year-follow up, even though there was no evidence of neurocutaneous melanosis (NCM) on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the first visit. As MRI has a low sensitivity for detecting NCM in patients with MCMN older than 4-months, close neurodevelopmental assessments should be considered to provide a chance for early rehabilitation.
Brain ; Humans ; Infant ; Language Development Disorders ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Melanoma ; Melanosis ; Neurocutaneous Syndromes ; Nevus, Pigmented ; Rare Diseases ; Seizures ; Seizures, Febrile

Breast tuberculosis is a rare form of tuberculosis (TB). In healthy individuals in developed countries, the incidence is <0.1% of breast lesions examined histologically. The significance of breast TB is due to its rare occurrence and mistaken identity with breast cancer or pyogenic breast abscess. We report the case of an 18-year-old healthy woman diagnosed with breast TB that mimicked breast abscess. She was admitted for multiple erythema nodosum (EN) of the lower extremities of 6 weeks duration. She also noticed a painful oral ulcer and a palpable nodule with fistula on the right breast for 8 weeks. Our patient had the characteristic radiological and histopathological features of breast TB. Breast abscess and EN improved after antitubercular medication, including isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide.
Abscess ; Adolescent ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Developed Countries ; Erythema Nodosum ; Ethambutol ; Female ; Fistula ; Humans ; Incidence ; Isoniazid ; Lower Extremity ; Oral Ulcer ; Pyrazinamide ; Rifampin ; Tuberculosis

OBJECTIVE: Currently available therapies for human malignant gliomas have limited efficacy. Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, and Quil-A are nonspecific, potent immune stimulants. T. gondii is shown to have antitumor activity in some types of cancers. Therefore, this study is undertaken to evaluate the antitumor effect of Toxoplasma lysate antigen (TLA), alone or in combination with Quil-A, on human glioma U373MG and U87MG cells. METHODS: The in vitro effects of TLA alone or in combination with Quil-A on the proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis of glioma cells were tested using MTT, Matrigel invasion, and DNA fragmentation assays, and the in vivo effects on the growth of gliomas were evaluated in athymic nude mice transplanted with glioma cells. RESULTS: Treatment with TLA resulted in the suppressed proliferation and invasion of both U373MG and U87MG cells, in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, at high concentration, TLA induced glioma cell apoptosis. When TLA was administered in the mouse glioma model, malignant glioma growth was decreased. The combined treatment of TLA with Quil-A significantly inhibited the proliferation and invasion of cultured cells as well as tumor mass of implanted mice. CONCLUSION: TLA inhibits the proliferation and invasion of glioma cells in vitro and in vivo, and these antitumor effects of TLA are significantly enhanced by the addition of Quil-A.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA Fragmentation ; Glioma* ; Humans* ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Parasites ; Toxoplasma*

Among the four-hundred patients with cerebral aneurysms confirmed by cerebral angiography, we divided them into two age groups, one with ages 39 years or younger(young-aged group: 51 patients, 12.8%), and another with ages 65 years or older(old aged group: 45 patients, 11.3%). A comparison was undertaken in regard to clinical characteristics and overall outcome in two groups. In young-aged group, the female-to-male ratio was 2.2: 1 whereas, women was predominant by five times more in old aged group. Anterior communicating artery aneurysm was the most common site(43.1%) in young-aged group, unlike to old aged group where posterior communicating artery was the most common site(33.3%). The most common symptom was headache in both groups, and the hypertension was more frequent in young-aged group(45.5%) than old-aged group(33.3%). Surgery was performed in 43 patients(84%) in younger group, and 37 patients(82.2%) in elderly group. Young-aged group showed more favorable outcome(91%) than old-aged group(70%).
Aged ; Arteries ; Cerebral Angiography ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVE: Autophagy is one of the key responses of cells to programmed cell death. Memantine, an approved anti-dementia drug, has an antiproliferative effect on cancer cells but the mechanism is poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to test the possibility of induction of autophagic cell death by memantine in glioma cell lines. METHODS: Glioma cell lines (T-98 G and U-251 MG) were used for this study. RESULTS: The antiproliferative effect of memantine was shown on T-98 G cells, which expressed N-methyl-D-aspartate 1 receptor (NMDAR1). Memantine increased the autophagic-related proteins as the conversion ratio of light chain protein 3-II (LC3-II)-/LC3-I and the expression of beclin-1. Memantine also increased formation of autophagic vacuoles observed under a transmission electron microscope. Transfection of small interfering RNA (siRNA) to knock down NMDAR1 in the glioma cells induced resistance to memantine and decreased the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio in T-98 G cells. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that in glioma cells, memantine inhibits proliferation and induces autophagy mediated by NMDAR1.
Autophagy* ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Gastrin-Secreting Cells ; Glioma* ; Memantine* ; N-Methylaspartate ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Transfection ; Vacuoles

PURPOSE: These days, airline traffic is so developed that the globe has become much smaller and interest in fear of passenger-flight crashes is increasing. Using the opportunity offered by the Kimhae airline disaster, the author studied the relation of the injury mechanism & the seat-position to the injury severity in order to provide helpful information for use in other situations. METHODS: The author performed a retrospective analysis and compared survivors (37 persons) with deaths (129 persons) in the crash of Chinese passenger-flight B767-200 approaching Kimhae airport on April 15, 2002. RESULTS: Most of the survivors were seated in the rear of the airplane while most of those who died were in the front. Thus, a definite correlation exists between seat position in the aircraft and the injury severity. The deceleration force generated during a flight crash is sufficient to induce fatal injury. CONCLUSION: Most flight crashes are due to CFIT (controlled flight into terrain) accidents which are caused by the pilot being insensible to safety. This time, it was also the case. The author wishes it not to be the case next time.
Aircraft ; Airports* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Deceleration ; Disasters ; Gyeongsangnam-do* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Survivors