PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare depression and quality of life (QOL) according to nutritional status of elderly cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. METHODS: A sample of 144 elderly cancer patients receiving chemotherapy was recruited for the cross-sectional survey design. The instruments were the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form-Korea (GDSSF-K), European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and QLQ ELD14. Data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN program. RESULTS: Nutrition had mean of 10.17 points out of 14 and depression had mean of 6.72 points (out of 15). In quality of life, global health status/QoL was 50.06 points, 66.68 for the functional scale, and 29.77 for the symptom scale based on 100 points. The quality of life of elderly cancer patients was 36.52~70.14. There was a significant difference between the well-nourished and malnourished group in depression and QoL. There were significant correlations among the variables, nutritional status, depression and quality of life. CONCLUSION: We found that patients with cancer of the elderly receiving chemotherapy had poor nutritional status, depression, and poor QoL. It is necessary to evaluate the nutritional status of elderly cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and to develop interventions.
Aged* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression* ; Drug Therapy* ; Global Health ; Humans ; Nutritional Status* ; Quality of Life*

PURPOSE: UGT1A1, UGT2B7, and UGT2B15 are well-known pharmacogenes that belong to the uridine diphosphate glucuronyltransferase gene family. For personalized drug treatment, it is important to study differences in the frequency of core markers across various ethnic groups. Accordingly, we screened single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of these three genes and analyzed differences in their frequency among five ethnic groups, as well as attempted to predict the function of novel SNPs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We directly sequenced 288 subjects consisting of 96 Korean, 48 Japanese, 48 Han Chinese, 48 African American, and 48 European American subjects. Subsequently, we analyzed genetic variability, linkage disequilibrium (LD) structures and ethnic differences for each gene. We also conducted in silico analysis to predict the function of novel SNPs. RESULTS: A total of 87 SNPs were detected, with seven pharmacogenetic core SNPs and 31 novel SNPs. We observed that the frequencies of UGT1A1 *6 (rs4148323), UGT1A1 *60 (rs4124874), UGT1A1 *93 (rs10929302), UGT2B7 *2 (rs7439366), a part of UGT2B7 *3 (rs12233719), and UGT2B15 *2 (rs1902023) were different between Asian and other ethnic groups. Additional in silico analysis results showed that two novel promoter SNPs of UGT1A1 -690G>A and -689A>C were found to potentially change transcription factor binding sites. Moreover, 673G>A (UGT2B7), 2552T>C, and 23269C>T (both SNPs from UGT2B15) changed amino acid properties, which could cause structural deformation. CONCLUSION: Findings from the present study would be valuable for further studies on pharmacogenetic studies of personalized medicine and drug response.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group/genetics ; European Continental Ancestry Group/genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency/genetics ; Glucuronosyltransferase/*genetics ; Haplotypes/genetics ; Humans ; Linkage Disequilibrium/genetics ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/*genetics

Glycoproteins isolated from fruit bodies and mycelial cultures of mushrooms exhibit anti-carcinogenic actions in human cancer cells and animal tumor cells by induction of apoptosis. Here, we report that isoflavone-conjugated glycoproteins (designate Gluvone), exhibit strong anti-carcinogenic effects on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells by induction of apoptosis. Gluvone with 9.4 kDa of molecular weight was isolated from submerged-liquid culture of Agaricus blazei mycelia (ABM) in soy flake-containing liquid medium. MCF-7 cells were incubated with various amounts of Gluvone (0~250 microM) for a period of 6 days. Gluvone exhibited anti-proliferative actions in a dose-dependent manner and 62% growth inhibition at 200 microM for 4 days relative to control. Hoechst 33258 staining analysis revealed that Gluvone induced formation of apoptotic bodies. Gluvone was associated with down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein expression as well as up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax protein expression. Gluvone treatment induced proteolytic activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 through cytochrome c release from mitochondria to cytosol as well as concomitant degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). In addition, Gluvone induced activation of caspase-8. Taken all together, these results indicate that the anti-proliferative effect of Gluvone is associated with induction of apoptotic cell death through the mitochondrial dysfunction pathway mediated by enhancement of Bax protein expression and suppression of Bcl-2 protein expression.
Agaricales ; Agaricus* ; Animals ; Anticarcinogenic Agents ; Apoptosis ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein* ; Bisbenzimidazole ; Breast Neoplasms ; Caspase 3 ; Caspase 8 ; Caspase 9 ; Cell Death ; Cytochromes c ; Cytosol ; Down-Regulation ; Fruit ; Glycoproteins* ; Humans ; Isoflavones* ; MCF-7 Cells ; Mitochondria ; Molecular Weight ; Up-Regulation

PURPOSE: To provide the data of health manager education program in order to improve the quality of work-sites health management with qualification based job analysis of health managers (Occupational Health Nursing, Industrial Hygienist, Environmental Engineer). METHODS: A descriptive research on 132 health managers using IPA and SPSS/WIN. RESULTS: The overall average of importance of health management job was 8.0 (10 being the maximum score). Nurses had significantly higher score in the level of importance per areas and health management jobs. The overall average of performance of health management job was 6.7 (10 being the maximum score). Nurses had higher score in the area of health management. IPA matrix distributions per health management job area showed the correlations in qualification backgrounds and all of 3 main areas. CONCLUSION: There was difference in the level of importance and performance on health management jobs based on the qualification backgrounds of health managers. To improve the health of workers, an integrated health management must be provided. And to provide this, it is necessary to offer the additional education to health managers with an institutional complementary plan.
Occupational Health ; Occupational Health Nursing ; Occupational Health Services ; Task Performance and Analysis ; Workplace

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the job stress level of call center workers and figure out its relation with cognitive emotion regulation strategies as a cognitive coping strategy. METHODS: Data collection was conducted on 985 call center workers, working for K companies in Korea. ANOVA, t-test, Scheffe's test and multiple regression have been conducted for the data analysis using SAS 9.0 software. RESULTS: The total job stress score of subjects ranges Q25~49 (the lower 50%) whereas the score of job demand and job control ranges Q50~74 (the upper 50%), and its sectional job stress level is high. Since job stress is the major factor affecting cognitive emotion regulation strategies, it is shown that when the job stress score gets higher, the score of positive cognitive emotion regulation strategies gets decreased but the score of negative cognitive emotion regulation strategies, increased. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to develop and apply an effective stress easing method for call center workers which reduces negative cognitive emotion regulation strategies and increases positive ones.
Data Collection ; Korea

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to assess needs at each end-of-life care stage and to analyze importance and difficulty of care needs for home care nursing among non-cancer patients. METHODS: We used a retrospective design. Total eligible patients were 117 at the ages of 40 and over, who continuously received home care nursing throughout beginning, stable, and near death stages, and finally died at home from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006. Descriptive statistics, Cochran's Q test, Friedman's test were used for data analysis. RESULTS: In the area of physical care, the care need for 'assistance for activities in daily life' was significantly highest in the beginning stage. The care need for 'aggravation or adverse changes in physical symptoms' was significantly increased in the near death stage. In the area of psychospiritual care, 'family's psychological burden' was revealed as having the highest rate of care needs in the every stage. CONCLUSION: Future intervention should consider assessing care needs in end-of-life care for non-cancer patients who are provided with home care nursing.
Home Care Services ; Humans ; Needs Assessment ; Retrospective Studies ; Terminal Care

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine effects of smoking cessation program in large size company using motivational enhancement counseling. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was conducted. 72 workers in intervention group and 65 workers in control group participated in 7 large size companies. Smoking cessation program consisted of a campaign, smoking cessation education, and 6 weeks motivational enhancement counseling. The motivational enhancement counseling was tailored to the individual's stage of change. Stages of smoking behavior, smoking cessation rate, nicotine dependence, and confidence of smoking cessation were assessed after intervention. RESULTS: The results showed that intervention had a significant impact on improving stages of smoking behavior and smoking cessation rate, and impact on decreasing nicotine dependence, compared to those of a control group. CONCLUSION: The effects and feasibility of smoking cessation program including motivational enhancement counseling were revealed in the large size company. These results might provide information that can be used in improving cultures of smoking cessation for workers.
Counseling ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; Tobacco Use Disorder

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is a rare phenomenon presenting with multiple gas-filled cysts in the submucosal or subserosal layer of the gastrointestinal tract. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis can occur as a primary or secondary disease with an underlying etiology. We recently managed a case of primary pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis in a 42-year-old man with chronic abdominal pain. The case is presented with a review of the literature.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis is a rare phenomenon presenting with multiple gas-filled cysts in the submucosal or subserosal layer of the gastrointestinal tract. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis can occur as a primary or secondary disease with an underlying etiology. We recently managed a case of primary pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis in a 42-year-old man with chronic abdominal pain. The case is presented with a review of the literature.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis

PURPOSE: This is a descriptive study that provides basic material to improve occupational health nurses' work conditions and industrial performance status. METHODS: The 955 nurses who participated in the training program to understand the purpose of this study from January 2009 to December 2010 conducted by the Korean Association of Occupational Health Nurses agreed to be subjects for the study. The questionnaire included the general characteristics, work conditions and performance of occupational health management. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Occupational health management performance of the subjects averaged 3.11 points and detailed area by health management 3.64 points, environment management 2.91 points and occupational management 2.77 points. Health management performance of those factors affecting the duration of occupational health nurse (beta=.199), type of industry (beta=.126), average annual income (beta=-.277) to 11.4% (F=3.175, p<.001) were found to be a significant determinant. CONCLUSION: Occupational health nurses are the core workforce of occupational health through the prevention of occupational disease and industrial accidents. Findings of this study can be an important resource to increase appropriate occupational health nurses' work conditions and performance of occupational health management.
Accidents, Occupational ; Occupational Diseases ; Occupational Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires