• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.110-114
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• 2004

Apolipoprotein E is the major lipid-carrier protein in the brain, and several studies provided evidence that apolipoprotein E(ApoE) epsilon4 allele can be considered a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease(AD). Inheritance of the APOE gene has three alleles: ${\varepsilon}2$, ${\varepsilon}3$ and ${\varepsilon}4$. There are six possible genotypes: ${\varepsilon}2/{\varepsilon}2$, ${\varepsilon}3/{\varepsilon}3$, ${\varepsilon}4/{\varepsilon}4$, ${\varepsilon}2/{\varepsilon}3$, ${\varepsilon}2/{\varepsilon}4$, ${\varepsilon}3/{\varepsilon}4$. AD is characterized by a progressive loss of function and death of nerve cells in several areas of the brain. The ${\varepsilon}4$ allele is associated with a risk for developing AD. People with the ${\varepsilon}4/{\varepsilon}4$ genotype have the highest risk, but people with the ${\varepsilon}2/{\varepsilon}4$ or ${\varepsilon}3/{\varepsilon}4$ genotypes are also likely to develop the disease. 64.3% of people carry the is ${\varepsilon}3/{\varepsilon}3$ genotype, 22.1% carry the second ${\varepsilon}3/{\varepsilon}4$ genotype but, ${\varepsilon}2/{\varepsilon}2$ genotype is not usually found of people carry the 3.6% is ${\varepsilon}4/{\varepsilon}4$ genotype in a total of a test group of 140 people. The ratio of ${\varepsilon}4/{\varepsilon}4$ genotype related directly with AD is less than the ${\varepsilon}3/{\varepsilon}3$ genotype, but the ${\varepsilon}2/{\varepsilon}4$ and ${\varepsilon}3/{\varepsilon}4$ genotype ratio of indirect AD risk is 25.7% in the group of people, regardless. Thus, we have referred to the benefit from the treatment of AD through apoE genotype diagnosis.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.105-111
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• 2015

In late December 2013, the Ebola virus emerged from West Africa. The outbreak started in Guinea and rapidly spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. Initially, the virus is spread to the human population after contact with infected wildlife and then spread person-to-person through direct contact with body fluids such as blood, sweat, urine, semen, and breast milk. The Ebola virus infects endothelial cells, mononuclear phagocytes and hepatocytes. It causes massive damage to internal tissues and organs, such as blood vessels and the liver, and ultimately death. Most tests for the virus RNA rely on a technology called reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). While this method is highly sensitive, it is also expensive, requiring skilled scientists, and delicate power supplies. The strip analytical technique (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or ELISA) detects antigens or antibodies to the Ebola virus. This test is cheap and does not require electricity or refrigeration. Despite ongoing efforts directed at experimental treatments and vaccine development, current medical work on the Ebola viral disease is largely limited to supportive therapy. Thus, rapid and reliable diagnoses of the Ebola virus are critically important for patient management, infections, prevention, and control measures.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.60-73
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• 2000

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to describe a total pain model in patients with terminal cancer and to identify factors relating to total pain using the Twycross Pain Management Model, which included physical, psycho-social and spiritual pain. Method : The study was a retrospective descriptive study. The first stage included 87 patients who received hospice service at Y hospital in 1997. The second stage included five model patients who suffer severe pain as selected by the four hospice nurses. Data collection was from 1) chart analysis and 2) in-depth interviews with the hospice nurses about their selected patients. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-WIN and content analysis. Result : 1) The main problems of 3 patient with terminal cancer were pain(77%), constipation (25.3%), family coping(35.6%), psycho-spiritual distress(17.2%)and other symptoms. 2. The Twycross model was a useful model. However, new items were added; loneliness, depression, and no improvement in condition as depression factors. In anger, new items were anger due to family neglect, at God and in relationships. The case studies identified the followsing; 1) Patient suffer from physical pain as well as multiple other symptoms when cancer is advanced. 2) Body concept, role change, threat to self concept, fear of pain, fear of death, anxiety, family conflict, financial burden, spiritual distress, hope for a cure, are all affected. Conclusion : 1) It is believed that the Twycross model is useful but further tests and revisions are necessary for deciding priorities in the care plan. 2) Pain management must improve culturally appropriate and family support, psychological, spiritual care are imperative for patient with terminal cancer. 3) Further study is recommended to test correlations of depression, anxiety, spiritual distress and family coping using valid instruments. A qualitative study on the spiritual journey of the patient with terminal cancer is also recommended.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.101-109
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• 2011

Purpose: The Assessing Care Of Vulnerable Elders project has developed indicators for the quality of the end-of-life (EOL) care. However, family members of cancer patients may have a different view on the quality indicators (QIs) established by health care experts. We evaluated the QIs from the family members' perspective. Methods: The information used in this study was gathered by surveying family members of cancer patients who were admitted to the inpatient hospice ward in Korea. A cross-sectional anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 120 potential respondents from July to October 2009. We included 69 responses in this study (effective response rate, 57.5%). Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS for Win ver. 14.0, with independent t-test and Pearson's chi-square test. Results: Among QIs for good hospice care, families agreed the most on "Medical examination by the palliative care team or specialist" (88.4%) and "Dying in the family's presence" (88.4%). They agreed the least on "Discussing cardiopulmonary resuscitation with patients" (15.9%). Among QIs for bad hospice care, "Occurrence of fall or pressure ulcer are undesirable" showed the highest agreement rate (94.2%). The lowest agreement rate was 11.6% on "Dying in the hospital is undesirable." In addition, women, patients who were aware of their prognoses, and people with a high socioeconomic status tended to agree more on the QIs. Conclusion: Patients' families did not agree on some of the QIs recommended by previous studies. Family members' characteristics were related to their opinions on QIs.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.512-520
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• 2006

Purpose: To investigate the risk factors of arthritis, this study was carried out with 1,829 Korean women aged between 40-64 who responded to a health behavior survey. Methods: Data were extracted from the results of the 2001 National Survey on Health and Nutrition conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Results: 1 Financial difficulty and continuous anxiety about health were directly associated with arthritis. The odd ratios of these two factors of arthritis were 1.43 and 1.82 respectively. 2. With regard to the presence or absence of arthritis according to demographic characteristic, the incidence of arthritis was higher in the age between 50-64, in the group whose education level was middle school or lower, and in those who experienced the death of spouse, divorce or separation. Nevertheless, it was not significantly different according to financial status and employment status. 3. Concerning the presence or absence of arthritis according to psychological characteristic, the incidence of arthritis was found to be higher in those who were not healthy by subjective health assessment, in those who were always anxious about their health, in those who were always depressed and sad, and in those who felt heavy stress. 4. With regard to the presence or absence of arthritis according to the health behavior, the incidence of arthritis was higher in postmenopausal cases and cases who were having hormone therapy, and the incidence of arthritis was higher in those who did not drink alcohol, those with BMI higher than 25, and those who slept shorter than 7 hours a day. Conclusion: Based on the above results, it is required to provide a means applicable to communities by developing preventive education that can prevent the incidence of arthritis in middle-aged women as well as intervention programs.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.293-299
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• 1985

This study is to verify the protective ability against experimental Naegleria meningoencephalitis by immunization with Naegleria fowleri in mice. Naegleria fewleri, strain 0359, and Naegleria gruberi, strain EGB, were used in this study, and cultured in CGVS medium akenically. Inbred BALB/C mice, weighing about 20g, were immunized by three intraperitoneal injection of $1{\times}10^6$ N. fowleri trophozoites at the interval of one week. This N. fowleri trophozoites antigen was fixed with 5% formaldehyde. N. fowleri trophozoites from culture were homogenized with soiicator at $4^{\circ}C$ as monitored by phase contrast microscopy, and their membrane and cell content preparations were made for the immunization of mice. Their inoculation dose in volume was equivalent to the $1{\times}10^6$ trophozoites in each injection for immunization. And N. gruberi trophosoites, whieh was fixed with 5% formaldehyde, were also used for immunisation. Mice were inoculated intranasally with $5{\times}10^4$ N. fowleri trophozoites in a 511 suspension under anesthesia by as intraperitoneal injection of about 1 mg secobarbiturate. Nervousness, rotation or sluggish behaviour were observed in the mice which were infected with N. fewleri. Necrotic lesion was demonstrated in the anterior portion of brain, especially in the olfactory lobe. The inflammatory cell infiltration with numerous H. fowleri trophozoites was noticed. This pathological changes were more extensive in the control than in the experimental groups. Mice were dead due to experimental primary amoebic meningoencephalitis that developed between 8 days and 23 days after inoculation. Mortality rate of the mice was low in the immunized experimental group. Mean survival time, which is the survival duration of mice from the infection to death, was prolonged significantly in the immunized mice except in the mice immunized with JV, fowleri membrane. Even in the mice immunized with N. gruberi, survival time was delayed. In summary, the effectiveness of immunization is demonstrated in terms of protective immunity against Naegleria meningoencephalitis in mice.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.255-265
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• 2000

The term 'myositis ossificans' encompasses four categories of clinicopathological disorders. The first, myositis ossificans progressive(fibrodysplasia ossificans progressive), is a rare genetic disease characterized by progressive heterotopic ossification involving skeletal muscle, tendon, ligaments, and fascia, with congenital malformation of the great toes, and usually microdactyly, monophalangism, and mal formed proximal phalanges. with valgus deformity of metatarsophalangeal joint. The ossification begins shortly after birth and may contribute to the patient's death. The second, heterotopic ossificans, can occur in patients with neuromuscular and chronic diseases such as paraplegia, poliomyelitis, polymyositis, bum, tetanus, and infection. But the lesions in these cases often lack the typical histologic features of myositis ossificans. The third, myositis ossificans traumatica, is the most common; it develops in response to soft tissue trauma such as a single severe injury, minor repetitive injures, fracture, joint dislocation, stab wound, or surgical incision. The forth, nontraumatic myositis ossificans, also designated :pseudomalignant osseous tumors of extraskeletal soft tissues' and 'psedomalignant myositis ossificans', occurs in persons repeated small mechanical injures or nonmechanical soft tissue injuries due to local ischemia, inflammation. or other factors cannot be ruled out in such cases.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1111-1116
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• 1997

In a period from Sep 1994 to Sep 1996, 38 patients were treated for spontaneous pneumothorax by video-assisted thoracic surgery(VATS). 31 male and 7 female patients with ages between 17 and 79(mean 30.0 years). No death occured. The postoperative complication rate of VATS was 7.9%(3/38). We noted no recurrence of pneumothorax, 3 wound dehiscence, 3 persistent air leak(>7days) in the patients. We compared theses results with thoracoscopic surgery of spontaneous pneumothorax in 38 cases(Group A), with cases of 21 patients(Group B) performed by the thoracotomy in the same period. There have been no recurrence in groud A, and one recurrence in group B at a median follow-up of 14.37$\pm$7.48 months and 16.81 $\pm$7.12 months, respectively. There was no significant difference in the duration of operation time including induction time between VATS and thoracotomy, but postoperative hospital stay and chest tube drainage periods were all less for these undergone VATS. Postoperative complication was less in group A(3/38=7.9%, 3 cases with persistent air leak >7days, all developed wound dehiscence, too), than in group B(9/21=42.9%, 8 cases with persistent air leak more than 7days, including 2 wound dehiscence, one recurrence, and the other one case of empyema). In our experience, VATS has the effectiveness of thoracic surgery for treating thoracic problems, has resulted in surgical intervention in spontaneous pneumothorax.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.120-131
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• 2017

Purpose: Tumor bleeding is a major complication in inoperable gastric cancer. The study aim was to investigate the effects of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment for the prevention of gastric tumor bleeding. Materials and Methods: This study was a prospective double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Patients with inoperable gastric cancer were randomly assigned to receive oral lansoprazole (30 mg) or placebo daily. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of tumor bleeding, and the secondary endpoints were transfusion requirement and overall survival (OS). Results: This study initially planned to enroll 394 patients, but prematurely ended due to low recruitment rate. Overall, 127 patients were included in the analyses: 64 in the lansoprazole group and 63 in the placebo group. During the median follow-up of 6.4 months, tumor bleeding rates were 7.8% and 9.5%, in the lansoprazole and placebo groups, respectively, with the cumulative bleeding incidence not statistically different between the groups (P=0.515, Gray's test). However, during the initial 4 months, 4 placebo-treated patients developed tumor bleeding, whereas there were no bleeding events in the lansoprazole-treated patients (P=0.041, Gray's test). There was no difference in the proportion of patients who required transfusion between the groups. The OS between the lansoprazole (11.7 months) and the placebo (11.0 months) groups was not statistically different (P=0.610). Study drug-related serious adverse event or bleeding-related death did not occur. Conclusions: Treating patients with inoperable gastric cancer with lansoprazole did not significantly reduce the incidence of tumor bleeding. However, further studies are needed to evaluate whether lansoprazole can prevent tumor bleeding during earlier phases of chemotherapy (ClinicalTrial.gov, identifier No. NCT02150447).

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.135-143
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• 2007

Biliary atresia (BA) is an uncommon neonatal surgical disease that has a fatal outcome if not properly treated. The survival rates of the patients with native liver after Kasai's operation in countries outside Japan are not so good. We reviewed the results of 22 cases of biliary atresia treated in Kosin University Hospital between October 1987 and March 2001. There were 13 males and 9 females aged from 21 to 106 days (mean 52 days). There were 3 cases of Type I (13.6%), and 3 of Type II (13.6%), and 16 Type III (72.7%). The operative methods were resection of the common bile duct remnant and cyst followed by Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy in 3 cases for Type I BA; Kasai I in 15 cases, Kasai II in 1 case, and Ueda's operation in 3 cases for Types II and III BA. There was no death within the first 30 days after operation. We were able to follow 21 of the 22 patients (95.4%) for more than 5 years. The actual 5 year survival rate (YSR) was 40.9%. One Type I case received a living-related liver transplantation at 6 years of age because of the multiple intrahepatic stones and liver cirrhosis. Five YSR after biliostomy group (Kasai II and Ueda op.) was 75 % (3/4) while that of Kasai I was 20% (3/15). One case had no bile duct in the resected fibrotic plaque on microscopic review and died 8 months after Kasai I operation, would have been a strong candidate for early liver transplantation. From the above result, our conclusions are as follows; (1) early liver transplantation should be considered for cases of no bile duct after pathologic examination of the resected specimen, (2) measures to prevent postoperative cholangitis and prevention of postoperative liver cirrhosis are needed, (3) liver transplantation program should be available for failed cases.