Length of Stay, Health Care Cost, Postpartum Discomfort, and Satisfaction with Medical Service in Puerperas Giving Birth in Midwifery Clinic and Hospitals

PURPOSE: To determine traits related to pregnancy and delivery, length of stay, health care cost, postpartum discomfort, and satisfaction with medical service of puerperas giving birth in midwifery clinic and hospitals. METHODS: This study used a comparative survey design. Data were collected from a total of 140 postpartum mothers composed of 70 mothers who gave births in two hospitals and another 70 mothers who delivered in one midwifery clinic. RESULTS: Delivery in midwifery clinic had higher Apgar score at 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth than hospital. Those who delivered in midwifery clinic had shorter stay in the clinic, fewer health care cost, less postpartum discomfort in physical, environmental, social, and cultural areas, higher satisfaction with medical services than those who delivered in hospitals. CONCLUSION: Results of this study can be used as a basis for studies on giving birth in midwifery clinic and hospitals. They might increase the autonomy of women in giving birth with positive effect on the delivery experience of the mother and her spouse

Molecular epidemiology of Japanese encephalitis virus circulating in South Korea, 1983-2005

We sequenced the envelope (E) gene of 17 strains of the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) isolated in South Korea in 1983-2005 and compared the sequences with those from previously reported strains. Our results show the remarkable genetic stability of the E gene sequence in Korean JEV strains. Five pairs of E gene sequences from 10 Korean strains were identical, despite geographical differences and a maximum five-year time span. Sequence comparisons with other Asian strains revealed that the Korean strains are closely related to those from China, Japan, and Vietnam. Genotype 3 strains were predominant in Korea before 1993, when genotype 1 strain K93A07 was first isolated. The two genotypes were detected simultaneously in 1994 but since then, only genotype 1 has been isolated in South Korea. Thus, the genotype change occurred according to the year of isolation rather than the geographical origin

The prM-independent packaging of pseudotyped Japanese encephalitis virus

As noted in other flaviviruses, the envelope (E) protein of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) interacts with a cellular receptor and mediates membrane fusion to allow viral entry into target cells, thus eliciting neutralizing antibody response. The formation of the flavivirus prM/E complex is followed by the cleavage of precursor membrane (prM) and membrane (M) protein by a cellular signalase. To test the effect of prM in JEV biology, we constucted JEV-MuLV pseudotyped viruses that express the prM/E protein or E only. The infectivity and titers of JEV pseudotyped viruses were examined in several cell lines. We also analyzed the neutralizing capacities with anti-JEV sera from JEV-immunized mice. Even though prM is crucial for multiple stages of JEV biology, the JEV-pseudotyped viruses produced with prM/E or with E only showed similar infectivity and titers in several cell lines and similar neutralizing sensitivity. These results showed that JEV-MuLV pseudotyped viruses did not require prM for production of infectious pseudotyped viruses

Effect of Guizhifulingwan (Keishibukuryogan) on climacteric syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled pilot trial

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Mutations at codons 178, 200-129, and 232 contributed to the inherited prion diseases in Korean patients

Background: Polymorphisms of the human prion protein gene (PRNP) contribute to the genetic determinants of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Numerous polymorphisms in the promoter regions as well as the open reading frame of PRNP were investigated. Greater than 90% of Korean, Chinese, and Japanese carry the homozygote 129 MM codon. In Korea, polymorphisms have not been comprehensively studied, except codons 129 and 219 in PRNP among Korean CJD cases. Although polymorphisms at codons 129 and 219 play an important role in susceptibility to sporadic CJD, patients with other polymorphisms in PRNP exhibited critical distinctions of clinical symptoms. Methods: The genetic analyses of PRNP were carried out among probable CJD patients in comparison with the results from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalogram (EEG). Results: The molecular analyses revealed that three mutations at codons D178N, E200K, and M232R in heterozygosity. Patients with the D178N and M232R mutations had a 129MM codon, whereas the patient with the E200K mutation showed 129MV heterozygosity. They all revealed strong 14-3-3 positive signals. The 67-year-old patient with the D178N-129M mutation showed progressive gait disturbance and dysarthria was in progress. The 58-year-old patient with the E200K mutation coupled to the 129MV codon had gait disturbance, dysarthria, agitation, and ataxic gait, and progressed rapidly to death 3 months from the first onset of symptoms. The 65-year-old patient with the M232R mutation showed rapidly progressive memory decline and gait disturbance, and died within 16 months after onset of symptoms. Conclusion: Despite differences in ethnicity, the clinical and pathological outcomes were similar to the respective mutations around the world, except absence of insomnia in D178N-129M subject.This research was funded by the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs, Korea (grant number, 4800-4835-301-210).Shiga Y, 2007, J NEUROL, V254, P1509, DOI 10.1007/s00415-007-0540-9Kovacs GG, 2005, HUM GENET, V118, P166, DOI 10.1007/s00439-005-0020-1Zarranz JJ, 2005, J NEUROL NEUROSUR PS, V76, P1491, DOI 10.1136/jnnp.2005.056606KONG Q, 2004, PRION BIOL DIS, P673Spacey SD, 2004, ARCH NEUROL-CHICAGO, V61, P122Huang N, 2003, NEUROLOGY, V61, P354Kovacs GG, 2002, J NEUROL, V249, P1567, DOI 10.1007/s00415-002-0896-9Collinge J, 2001, ANNU REV NEUROSCI, V24, P519Schroter A, 2000, ARCH NEUROL-CHICAGO, V57, P1751Wong NKC, 2000, J MOL GRAPH MODEL, V18, P126Taniwaki Y, 2000, J NEUROL NEUROSUR PS, V68, P388Wiltfang J, 1999, J NEUROCHEM, V73, P2485Hainfellner JA, 1999, ANN NEUROL, V45, P812Swietnicki W, 1998, J BIOL CHEM, V273, P31048Riek R, 1998, P NATL ACAD SCI USA, V95, P11667, DOI 10.1073/pnas.95.20.11667Zerr I, 1998, ANN NEUROL, V43, P32ZEIDLER M, 1998, WHO MANUAL STRENGTHERosenmann H, 1997, NEUROLOGY, V49, P593Hoque MZ, 1996, ACTA NEUROPATHOL, V92, P441Nagayama M, 1996, NEUROLOGY, V47, P1313Steinhoff BJ, 1996, ARCH NEUROL-CHICAGO, V53, P162PARCHI P, 1995, CURR OPIN NEUROL, V8, P286BROWN P, 1994, ANN NEUROL, V35, P513PRUSINER SB, 1994, ANN NEUROL, V35, P385GABIZON R, 1994, PHILOS T ROY SOC B, V343, P385HITOSHI S, 1993, J NEUROL SCI, V120, P208GOLDFARB LG, 1992, SCIENCE, V258, P806BROWN P, 1991, EUR J EPIDEMIOL, V7, P469STAHL N, 1990, BIOCHEMISTRY-US, V29, P8879BROWN P, 1986, ANN NEUROL, V20, P597

Prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus in ticks from southern Korea

The prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in southern Korea was determined by collecting ticks using tick drags. A total of 4,077 of 6,788 ticks collected were pooled (649 pools) according to collection site, species, and developmental stage and assayed for TBEV. The TBEV protein E and NS5 gene fragments were detected using RT-nested PCR in six pools of nymphs collected from Jeju Island (2,491 ticks). The minimum field detection rates for TBEV were 0.17% and 0.14% for Haemaphysalis longicornis and Haemayphysalis flava nymphs, respectively. The 252 bp NS5 and 477 bp protein E gene amplicons were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the NS5 and protein E genes of the Jeju strain were clustered with Western subtype (98.0% and 99.4% identity, respectively). The Western subtype of TBEV is endemic in Korea, including Jeju Island. The study of vector and zoonotic host susceptibility to TBEV is required to better understand its potential impact on public health

Desalinated underground seawater of Jeju Island (Korea) improves lipid metabolism in mice fed diets containing high fat and increases antioxidant potential in t-BHP treated HepG2 cells

This study was performed to investigate the effect of desalinated underground seawater (named as 'magma seawater', MSW) of Jeju Island in Korea on lipid metabolism and antioxidant activity. MSW was collected from underground of Han-Dong in Jeju Island, and freely given to high fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL/6 mice for 10 weeks. Although there were no significant differences in the body weight changes and plasma lipid levels, hepatic triglyceride levels were significantly lower in the MSW group than in the normal tap water (TW)-drunken control group. Furthermore, the activity of fatty acid synthase (FAS) was significantly decreased and carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) activity was increased in MSW group compared to TW group. Similarly, real-time PCR analysis revealed that mRNA expressions of lipogenic genes were lowered in MSW groups compared to the control group. In a morphometric observation on the liver tissue, accumulation of fats was remarkably reduced in MSW group. Meanwhile, in vitro assay, free radical scavenging activity measured by using diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was increased in MSW group. The 2'-7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) staining followed with fluorescent microscopy showed a low intensity of fluorescence in MSW-treated HepG2 cells, compared to TW-treated HepG2 cells, which indicated that the production of reactive oxygen species by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) in HepG2 cells was decreased by MSW treatment. The antioxidant effect of MSW on t-BHP-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells was supported by the increased activities of intracellular antioxidant enzymes such as catalase and glutathione reductase. From these results, we speculate that MSW has an inhibitory effect on lipogenesis in liver and might play a protective role against cell damage by t-BHP-induced oxidative stress

Cross-National Differences in Victimization : Disentangling the Impact of Composition and Context

Varying rates of criminal victimization across countries are assumed to be the outcome of countrylevel structural constraints that determine the supply ofmotivated o¡enders, as well as the differential composition within countries of suitable targets and capable guardianship. However, previous empirical tests of these ‘compositional’ and ‘contextual’ explanations of cross-national di¡erences have been performed upon macro-level crime data due to the unavailability of comparable individual-level data across countries. This limitation has had two important consequences for cross-national crime research. First, micro-/meso-level mechanisms underlying cross-national differences cannot be truly inferred from macro-level data. Secondly, the e¡ects of contextual measures (e.g. income inequality) on crime are uncontrolled for compositional heterogeneity. In this paper, these limitations are overcome by analysing individual-level victimization data across 18 countries from the International CrimeVictims Survey. Results from multi-level analyses on theft and violent victimization indicate that the national level of income inequality is positively related to risk, independent of compositional (i.e. micro- and meso-level) di¡erences. Furthermore, crossnational variation in victimization rates is not only shaped by di¡erences in national context, but also by varying composition. More speci¢cally, countries had higher crime rates the more they consisted of urban residents and regions with lowaverage social cohesion.