New method for determination of epichlorohydrin in epoxy-coated cans by oxolane derivatization and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A new method was developed for the determination of epichlorohydrin (ECH) in food contact surface of epoxy-coated cans. The oxolane derivative, which produced by reaction of epoxy moiety in ECH with cyclopentanone in the presence of borontrifluoride-diethyletherate, was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC)/mass spectrometry (MS). 1,2-Epoxyhexane was used as internal standard (IS), which produced an oxolane derivative under the same reaction mechanism as ECH. The developed method was validated with 1 ng ml(-1) of limit of detection (LOD, surface area related 20 ng dm(-2)), >0.999 of linearity. Good precision, which was tested both in terms of intra-day repeatability and inter-day reproducibility, and 97.3-102.7% of good recoveries were obtained on three spiked levels of 5.2, 40.3 and 149.1 ng ml(-1). The excellent validation data suggests that this method is more simple, quick and effective than the official method in European Committee for Standardization (CEN) to determine the residual amount of ECH in food contact materials for food law compliance test. The residual amount of ECH for 13 epoxy-coated can samples was analyzed, and none of the samples was found to be detectable levels of ECH in epoxy-coated cans.

Use of the transtheoretical model to predict stages of smoking cessation in Korean adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Smoking is popular among Korean male high school adolescents, with the prevalence of 20.7% differing markedly with the type of school, being 16.3% and 27.6% in academic and vocational technical high schools, respectively. The purpose of this study was to identify significant variables that predict stages of smoking cessation among Korean high school students using the transtheoretical model (TTM), in order to provide an empirical basis for developing smoking cessation programs. METHODS: Cross-sectional data were collected in April and May 2004 from 300 male students at 3 vocational technical high schools in Korean metropolitan areas. The survey variables comprised decisional balance, self-efficacy, stages and processes of change, nicotine dependence, and use of smoking cessation aids. RESULTS: Current and former smokers comprised 26.3% and 22.7% of the cohort, respectively, of which 71.4% had experienced smoking cessation at least once and 55.1% utilized smoking cessation aids to help stop smoking. Nicotine-free tobacco and nicotine gum were the most common smoking cessation aids. Decisional balance, use of behavioral processes, and higher self-efficacy were significant in explaining stages of smoking cessation after controlling for nicotine dependence. CONCLUSIONS: The study results suggest that smoking cessation programs developed based on the TTM may help adolescents to progress through stages, with it being important to include information regarding the use of smoking cessation aids.

The effect of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on the self-esteem, depression, and self-efficacy of runaway adolescents in a shelter in South Korea.

This study examined the effects of cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBT) on the self-esteem, depression, and self-efficacy of runaway adolescents residing in a shelter in Seoul, South Korea. The study used a control group pretest-posttest design. The experimental group and the control group consisted of 14 and 13 male subjects, respectively, with subjects having been randomly assigned to these groups. The experimental group participated in a CBT that consisted of eight sessions over an 8-week period; the control group did not participate in the program. To examine the effects of the CBT on dependent variables, the Wilcoxon signed rank test was used. The scores on depression decreased significantly (z = -2.325, p = .02) and those on self-efficacy increased significantly (z = -2.098, p = .03) after the intervention in the experimental group. There was no significant change on self-esteem (z = -1.19, p = .23). In the control group, the scores on depression, self-esteem, and self-efficacy did not change significantly after the intervention period. The CBT developed in this study consisted of structured and specific content that could be usefully applied to runaway adolescents residing in a shelter.

A study of the relationships between daily life stress, self-efficacy and university student life adjustment.

PURPOSE: This correlation study was undertaken to examine the relationships between daily life stress, self-efficacy and university student life adjustment and to analyze the self-efficacy affecting that university student life adjustment. METHODS: 265 university students were recruited from several participating required undergraduate classes. They were surveyed as the subject of this study. Data collection was conducted through the use of questionnaires. RESULTS: The university life adjustment level showed a maximum score of 9 with the mean score 5.22. A negative correlation was found between daily life stress and university life adjustment. Also, there was positively correlation between self-efficacy and university life adjustment. Self-efficacy and daily life stress accounted for 23% of the variance in university student life adjustment. CONCLUSION: According to the results, self-efficacy is a useful concept in helping overall university life adjustment. Therefore, university student consultation office or nurse should consider the program based on self efficacy in order to help university students to better adapt to university life.

Large-scale and effective screening of Korean medicinal plants for inhibitory activity on matrix metalloproteinase-9.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) degrades type IV collagen constituting the major structural component of the basement membrane and extra cellular membrane. The enzymatic activity is found to be elevated in tumor tissues. With the aim of finding novel MMP-9 inhibitors from natural products, 87 extracts of oriental medicinal herbs, which are used as prescriptions for cancer treatment in traditional Korean medicine, were screened for their inhibitory activities towards MMP-9. It was found that most of the hexane and chloroform fractions as well as water extracts showed a weak inhibitory effect on MMP-9 activity at a concentration of 100mug/ml. However, a strong inhibition was found in the butanol fractions of Cinnamomum cassia PRESL, Magnolia obovata THUEB., Magnolia officinalis REHD. et WILS., Magnolia officinalis REHD. et WILS. var. biloba REHD. et WILS., and Euonymus alatus (THUNB.) SIEB. with inhibitory activity (>90%) at a concentration of 100 microg/ml.

Effects of egg yolk proteins on the longitudinal bone growth of adolescent male rats.

Hen egg is a nutritional store for a new life. We examined the effect of egg yolk proteins on longitudinal bone growth in the rat. Protein fractions from egg yolk were tested. Milk protein, casein, was used as a control. The bone growth rate was significantly increased by yolk water-soluble protein (YSP, 100 mg/kg) administration for 5 d. The bone morphogenetic protein-2 immunostaining of growth plate was also increased. Considering the results, YSP can be used as a growth-promoting factor.

[Effects of taping therapy on the deformed angle of the foot and pain in hallux valgus patients].

PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effects of Taping therapy on the deformed angle of the foot and pain in hallux valgus patients. METHOD: The subjects were 24 feet from 15 patients who were diagnosed withhallus valgus at the orthopedic department of K University Hospital in Seoul. Taping therapy was conducted 15 times overall during a four-week period. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-test. RESULT: The deformed angle of the foot of the hallus valgus patients significantly improved from 21.95 (4.38) to 18.75 (4.80) after Taping therapy. Pain significantly decreased from 4.73 (1.56) to 3.45 (2.21) after Taping therapy. CONCLUSION: The result shows that Taping therapy is effective in improving the deformed angle of the foot and in decreasing pain in the hallux valgus patients.

[Trends of nursing science inquiry in doctoral dissertations].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the theoretical characteristics and direction of inquiry in the discipline of nursing by analyzing doctoral dissertations. METHOD: The materials used in this study were 277 doctoral dissertations from five universities in Korea. The framework for the study was derived from Kim's(1993) alternative linkage among philosophy, theory, and method in nursing science. RESULT: Of the 277 dissertations it was found that there were 13 types of linkages out of a possible 54 types. Most of the dissertations (128 of 277) were done within the linkage of realism/etic/quantitative/explanatory knowledge type. Of the 218 dissertations within scientific realism, 42 were within relativism, and 17 within practicism. There were 134 dissertations of the explanatory knowledge type, 112 descriptive ones, and 31 prescriptive ones. Studies done within the etic quantitative methodology included 209 dissertations and within the emic perspective, 43 with qualitative methodology, and 7 with quantitative. CONCLUSION: The results show that it is necessary to develop more alternative linkages for nursing practice and this will lead to expanding nursing knowledge.