The Experience of Transition in Pregnancy and Childbirth among the Married Immigrant Women in Korea / 여성건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was to provide understanding of the meaning of the transition experiences in pregnancy and childbirth among the married immigrant women. METHODS: Data was collected through a face-to-face interview from 11 married immigrant women. Their conjugal lives were followed using the hermeneutics phenomenological method developed by van Manen: focusing on the meaning of lived experience. RESULTS: The essential themes that were associated with the transition experiences of the participants' lives during pregnancy and childbirth were as follows: "entering a strange world filled with chaos and tension where they feel like outsiders", "being pregnant and giving birth in increasingly difficult times", "giving birth to a child, which strengthens them to persevere through painful life experiences", "receiving greater support from their families". CONCLUSION: It contributes a deeper understanding of the essence of the transition experiences of married immigrant women who undergo pregnancy and childbirth after immigration. On the basis of this understanding, this study would be likely to highlight the importance of establishing an appropriate health and medicare systems and the expert network of nursing care for immigrant wom.

Validity study for subjects of national examination for dietitian's license in Korea

National examination for dietitian's license should be reliable and valid to appreciate the ability to carry out the duty as dietitians in diverse area. Thus, it is necessary to investigate whether the present examination accomplishes the task of the evaluation of ability to perform the minimum duty for dietitians. To analyzes the situation, professor in the university, who educate future dietitians, and currently employed dietitians are surveyed for their opinions about the validity of national examination and future directions. Also dietitian's duty analysis, foreign national system for dietitians license, current educational system, and duty analysis in different areas are analyzed. With results of data analysis and the public hearing, subjects for dietitians examination are proposed. The result are following. About current national examination, the average score of survey was 3.14 for overall examination, 3.54 for the reflection of current education, 2.98 for the minimum ability for the dietitian, 2.47 for the problem solving ability, 2.58 for the ability to adapt the environment, 3.27 for knowledge of the study which is necessary for dietitian, 3.27 for the comprehension, 3.18 for the application, 2.74 for the analysis, 2.84 for synthesis and 2.79 for evaluation. Professors and dietitians show the difference which was statistically significant(p<0.05). Among current 9 subjects for examination, food sanitation and clinical dietary therapy had high scores for validity. In the duty analysis (year 2000), distribution for each subjects were 55.58% for nutrition, 33.15% for food service and hygiene, 6.57% for foundation and 3.83% for food and cookery. By the survey result of dietitian in the food service and clinical setting with the duty analysis, distributions for subject which has above 2.0 score for the validity , difficulty, importance, and frequency , were 59.14% for nutrition, 22.43% for food service and hygiene, 10.26% for foundation, 4.03% for food and cookery, and the other appeared with 3.15%. With the fact that items for duty are composed of attitude items 18%, knowledge items 53%, and technical items 29%, current national examination which mostly evaluate knowledge has only 53% degree of the evaluation for the ability to perform at the job. The proportion of opinion which approves the integration of subjects was 80.3% for professors and 78.7% for dietitians. It was visible as approval, the approval rate of the whole 79.6%. For integrations of subjects for the examination and in what kind of form it was done, the investigation of opinion results in 4 subjects areas of foundation, nutrition, food and cookery, and food service and hygienic field. It was the opinion for 31.4% of the respondent.. With these results, it referred to the national examination and set to the making items in 4 subjects areas of foundation, nutrition, food and cookery, and food service and hygienic field. In the future, it is recommended that, even if subjects for the national examination of dietitians are not changed, the number of questions in the examination, the proportion in the item pool, management of pools, should be adjusted by the 4 subject areas.

Effect of Unilateral Renal Perfusion of Cyclosporine and Mitomycin on Rat's Kidney

Schwannoma is a benign encapsulated nerve sheath tumor and is histologically characterized by a mixture of Antoni type A and B tissue. A preoperative diagnosis of schwannoma by fine needle aspiration cytology or by any other means is important to preserve clinically important nerves. Therefore, it is necessary to make a specific cytological diagnosis of nerve sheath tumor. However, there are a few reports regarding cytological features of schwannoma in Korea. We experienced seven cases of solitary schwannoma and here we report their characteristic cytological features with a review of literatures. The characteristic features of schwannoma on cytology were the presence of both Antoni type A and B tissue. The cytologic findings common to all cases of schwannoma generally corresponded to the histologic findings of Antoni type A tissue, consisting of fragments of tightly cohesive fascicles with variable cellularity. Dense fibrillary substances were found, along with palisading nuclei and Verocay bodies. Individual tumor cells consisted of cohesive cells having spindle or oval nuclei, with pointed ends and indistinct cell borders. Variation in nuclear size and shape was also present. The Antoni type B consisted of scattered wavy or short spindle cells and some histiocytes and lymphocytes in the abundant myxoid background with formation of microcysts. Immunohistochemistry for S-100 protein revealed a uniformly strong positive reaction and was helpful to make more accurate diagnosis of schwannoma.

Therapeutic Effects of Cytotoxic agents (cyclophosphamide and chlorambucil), Cyclosporine and Levamisole in Children with Steroid-dependent Nephrotic Syndrome / 대한신장학회잡지

Prolonged administration of steroid in children with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome can cause serious complications including growth failure, and various alternative treatments have been used for these children to alleviate steroid-induced complications and to achieve long-lasting remission. Present study was undertaken to compare the therapeutic efficacy of cytotoxic agents (cyclophosphamide and chlorambucil), cyclosporine and levamisole in 88 children with steroid-dependent mininal-change nephrotic syndrome, who have been followed-up in Pediatric Department, Kyungpook National University Hospital from 1985 to 1995. Cyclophosphamide and chlorambucil were given for 8 weeks (cyclophosphamide in 36 and chlorambucil in 13 cases) or 12 weeks (cyclophosphamide in 34 and chlorambucil in 12 cases), and cyclosporine (3-5mg/kg/day) and levamisole (2-2.5mg/kg alternate day) were given for 6-12 months. And the results were as follows ; Results of cytotoxic therapy ; At the end of the 1st year, remission rate with 12 wks course of cyclophosphamide(53%) was better than with 12 wks course of chlorambucil(33%) or 8 wks course of either drugs. However, at the end of the 2nd year, no difference was noted in remission rate between 12 wk course of cyclophosphamide(19%) and chlorambucil(17%). Results of cyclosporine therapy ; Out of 44 cases, 28(64%) showed sustain-ed remission, 8(18%) relapse with decreased frequency and steroid-sparing effect, and 8 no therapeutic effects. During treatment period, BUN, creatinine and blood pressure were remained in normal ranges. Remission rates with cyclosporine alone therapy without steroid in cyclosporine-responsive children were 83%, 83%, 57% and 43% at 2, 4, 6 and 8 months, respectively. Results of levamisole therapy ; Out of 16 cases, 8 (50%) showed sustained remission, 5(31%) relapse with decreased frequency and steroid-sparing effect, and 3 no therapeutic effects. In one case, transient neutropenia was observed without serious sequelae. Remission rate with levamisole alone therapy without steroid in levamisole-responsive children were 88%, 85%, 67% and 44% at 2, 4, 6 and 8 months, respectively. In conclusion, present study indicates that 12 weeks course of cyclohospha-mide or chlorambucil seems to be the most effective therapy for inducing long-lasting remission in steroid-dependent nephrotic children. And long-term use of cyclosporine or levamisole can also be used quite effectively in achieving prolonged remission and steroid-sparing effects without serious side effects.

Urinary Tract Infection and Vesicoureteral Reflux in Children

Fine needle aspiration biopsy cytology (FNA) for diagnosis of a variety of breast tum- ors has been proven to be a simple, safe, and cost saving diagnostic methodology with high accuracy. Cytologic specimens from 1,029 fine needle aspirations of the breast during last 3-year period were reviewed and subsequent biopsies from 107 breast lesions were reevaluated for cytohistological correlation. FNA had a sensitivity of 81.6% and a specificity of 98.3%. One out of 107 cases bio- psied revealed a false positive result (0.9%) and the case was due to misinterpretation of apocrine metaplastic cells in necrotic backgound as malignant cells. A false negative rate was 8.4% (9 of 107 cases biopsied). Six of 9 false negative cases were resulted from insufficient aspirates for diagnosis, and remaining three of 9 false negative cases revealed extensive necrosis with no or scanty viable cells on smears. The results indicate that for reducing false positive and false negative rates of FNA, an experienced cytopathologist and a proficient aspirator are of great importance.

A Study on Workers Exposed to Diatomaceous Earth Dust and Development of Pneumoconiosis in a Diatomite Factory / 예방의학회지

Diatomaceous earth, quarried from the remains of aquatic plants deposited millions of years ago, continues to be a very important raw material with many industrial uses. In its natural state diatomaceous earth is an amorphous silica with no crystalline pattern. For many uses, however, it is calcinated and calcination converts a portion of the amorphous silica to a crystalline form, cristobalite which is far more fibrogenic. In a factory which produces calcinated diatomaceous earth, seven workers were proved as pneumoconiosis on l991 and 1992. Authors reviewed medical chart and current status of them. Authors also examined thirty one subject from the factory with questionnaire, physical examination, spirometry and chest radiography on August 13th 1993. The radiographs were independently interpreted by two radiologists and their findings were classified by International Classification of Radiography of pneumoconiosis(lLO, 1980). Total and respirable dust of diatomaceous earth were measured on october 1993. The results were as follows: 1.Of 31 workers, 6 (19.4%) were diagnosed as diatomaceous earth pneumoconiosis. There was an increasing tendency in prevalence of pneumocoiosis as the duration of dust exposure gets longer. 2. There were no significant differences in age, smoking rate, alcohol drinking rate, and pulmonary function test results between cases and non-cases. 3. The means of total dust exposures at flour manufacturing, fire brick grinding and packaging, ceramic raws packaging processes exceeded Korean and AGGIH standards, 10mg/m3. Above results suggest that engineering controls, periodic environmental and medical surveillance are important for preventing pneumoconiosis in the diatomite factory.