• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.311-318
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• 1996

Mycoplasmas have long been suspected of contributing to involuntary infertility in couples. However considerable disagreement exits concerning the role of genital mycoplasma infection in human infertility. Several investigators have noted abnormalities in the semen analysis of men with positive mycoplasma cultures, and early epidemiologic studies indicated that Ureaplasma urealyticum was linked to human reproductive failure on the basis of higher frequencies of isolation from infertile versus fertile couples and successful pregnancies in infertile couples after doxycycline therapy. However, subsequent investigators have questioned these findings because there are many studies in which treatment for mycoplasma in the male or female did not demonstrate an improved pregnancy rate, and semen samples from unexplained infertile men containing ureaplasmas have not revealed poorer motility, fewer spermatozoa and more aberrant forms. The objective of this study were to investigate the incidence rate of mycoplasma in semen and to investigate whether the presence of mycoplasma in semen makes significant difference to the semen volume, sperm motility and sperm counts. The results were that the rate of isolation of mycoplasma species was 70.3%. Semen volume is $2.84{\pm}1.01ml$ for culture negative and $3.15{\pm}1.42ml$ for culture positive group. Sperm motility is $46.23{\pm}15.80%$ for culture negative and $50.09{\pm}15.69%$ for culture positive group, and sperm count is $95.47{\pm}47.14({\times}(P)10^6/ml)$ for culture negative and $86.73{\pm}47.59({\times}10^6/ml)$ for culture positive group. In conclusion, we suggest that the presence of mycoplasma in semen makes no significant differences to the sperm parameters.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.159-164
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• 2003

The purpose of this article is to comparatively depict the organizational effectiveness of two rail firms based on the cognitive response of employees(group of drivers). To attain this purpose, several aspects of current personnel and organization management system and organizational culture are surveyed through questionaire and analyzed by SPSS. The questionaire includes two parts of items. First, it includes items on personnel-related factors such as evaluation system, job, wage, role, leadership and job satisfaction. Second, it includes items on organizational culture model suggested by Rousseau. The major findings are : 1) In general, the cognitive response of drivers in two firms concerning personnel-related aspects is to a certain degree negative. 2) The cognitive response of drivers in two firms concerning culture-related aspects is also awfully negative. 3) Job satisfaction of drivers in the firm A is highly related to role and leadership factors in terms of personnel-related aspects, on the one hand, and to achievement factor in terms of culture, on the other hand. In case of the firm B, job satisfaction of drivers is highly related to personnel evaluation factor as well as role and leadership factors in terms of personnel-related aspects, on the one hand, and to affiliation, power, and bureaucracy factors in terms of culture, on the other hand.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.113-126
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• 2022

This study examined the effect of railway traffic controllers' negative perception of organizational culture on their job demand and job satisfaction in relation to the moderating effect of self-efficacy. Results showed that the aggressive/defensive culture based on power and competition, had a positive (+) effect on job demand and job satisfaction. On the other hand, in the conditional process model in which self-efficacy affects the relationship between organizational culture, job demand, and job satisfaction, self-efficacy played a significant role in lowering the level of job demand, and it contributed to the increase of job satisfaction through a mediating effect. This results suggest the needs for lowering the level of job demand by changing the present aggressive/defensive organizational culture into the constructive one. And also, much consideration for maintaining the level of their self-efficacy should be spent.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.271-279
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• 1998

Background: Diagnosis by direct microscopy and/or by culture of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis from body fluids or biopsy specimens is "Gold standard". However, the sensitivity of direct microscopy after Ziehl-Neelsen staining is relatively low and culture of mycobacteria is time consuming. Detection of mycobacterial DNA in clinical samples by the polymerase chain reaction is highly sensitive but laborious and expensive. Therefore, rapid, sensitive and readily applicable new tests need to be developed. So we had evaluated the clinical significance of serologic detection of antibody to 38 kDa antigen, which is known as the most specific to the M. tuberculosis complex, and culture filtrate antigen by ELISA in sputum AFB smear negative patients. Method: In this study, culture tests for acid fast bacilli with sputa or bronchial washing fluids of 183 consecutive patients who were negative of sputum AFB smear were performed. Simultaneously serum antibodies to 38 kDa antigen and unheated culture filtrate of M. tuberculosis were detected by an ELISA method. Results: The optical densities of ELISA test with 38 kDa and culture filtrate antigen were significantly higher in active pulmonary tuberculosis cases than in non tuberculous pulmonary diseases (p<0.05), but in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis, those of the sputum culture positive patients for M. tuberculosis were not significantly different from those of the sputum culture negative cases(p>0.05). In the smear-negative active pulmonary tuberculosis patients, the sensitivity of the ELISA using 38 kDa antigen and culture filtrate was 20.0% and 31.4%. respectively. The specificity was 95.3% and 93.9%. respectively. Conclusion : In active pulmonary tuberculosis but smear negative, the serologic detection of antibody to 38 kDa antigen and culture filtrate by ELISA cannot substitute traditional diagnostic tests and does not have clinically significant role to differenciate the patient with active pulmonary tuberculosis from other with non-tuberculous pulmonary diseases.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.542-549
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• 2018

Background Despite the increasing popularity of prosthetic breast reconstruction, scant data exist on the microbiological profile of drainage fluid from closed-suction drains and the relationship thereof to surgical-site infections (SSIs) in breast reconstruction surgery. This study aimed to determine whether bacteria isolated from drainage fluid were associated with the development of SSIs, and whether the bacterial profile of drainage fluid could be a clinically useful predictor of SSIs. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of 61 women who underwent tissue expander/implant or direct-to-implant reconstructions. Patient demographics and culture studies of drainage fluid from suction drains collected on postoperative day 7 were evaluated. Results Sixteen patients (26.23%) were culture-positive, and 45 patients (73.77%) were culture-negative. The most frequently isolated bacteria were coagulase-negative staphylococci, followed by Staphylococcus aureus. SSIs were diagnosed in seven patients and were mostly resolved by systemic antibiotics; however, the tissue expander or implant was explanted in two patients. Positive culture of drainage fluid from closed-suction drains was significantly associated with the development of SSIs (P<0.05). The positive predictive value was 37.50%, and the negative predictive value was 97.78%. Conclusions To our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate a significant association between the microbiological profile of drainage fluid from closed-suction drains and the development of SSIs in patients with prosthetic breast reconstructions. The high negative predictive value suggests that microbial testing of drainage fluid from closed-suction drains may have clinical utility. Further prospective studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm our findings.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.417-422
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• 2007

Background: It is not known with certainty whether patients with persistently positive sputum smear results who have also had negative sputum culture results require prolongation of treatment for tuberculosis in order to avoid an increased risk of eventual relapse. The purpose of the present study was to retrospectively describe the treatment characteristics and evaluate the appropriate duration of treatment in these patients. Methods: Sixty of 69 patients with sputum smear positive and culture negative tests at 5 months after first line anti-tuberculous chemotherapy from 2002 to 2003 were retrospectively analyzed. Exclusion criteria included incomplete treatment or resistance to rifampicin or two additional antibiotics, as determined by a drug susceptibility test (DST). Results: Smear conversion of the study subjects was observed after $8.3{\pm}2.3$ months treatment, and the patients were culture negative after $2.0{\pm}0.8$ months. The relapse rates of the study subjects were 3.8, 10.0, and 25.8% after 1, 2, and 5 years of anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy, respectively. The relapse rates were not significantly affected by a series of risk factors such as age, sex, presence of diabetes, a sputum culture examination after 2 months treatment, previous treatment history, chest radiograph, and duration of the treatment (P>0.05). Conclusion: Regimen change is not required for patients with persistent smear positive but culture negative tests in the fifth month for first line antituberculous treatment. However, a further study will be needed to clarify the high relapse rate in this specific group of patients.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.85-101
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• 2015

In this study, it is explored the effect of fashion therapy on depression, positive emotion, negative emotion, appearance interest, body satisfaction, self-esteem, and self-efficacy of female patients. Eight cancer patients and 12 general patients participated in the 4-week fashion therapy program. When comparing results before and after the fashion therapy, depression and negative emotions were significantly decreased while positive emotions and self-efficacy were significantly increased. There was no significant influence on appearance interest, body satisfaction, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. In group comparison, significant changes were observed in depression, positive emotion and negative emotion regardless of groups. However, cancer patients indicated a significant improvement in self-efficacy compared to general patients who did not whereas patients with a high level of depression showed a significant enhancement on body satisfaction compared to patients with a low level of depression. Also, patients with a low level of pain indicated a significant improvement on self-esteem and self-efficacy compared to patients with a high level of pain. Perceived effect and satisfaction of the fashion therapy were relatively high. Study results may positively contribute to building a knowledge and experimental base of fashion therapy that is widely applicable to diverse parties for the future.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.14 no.1_spc
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• pp.33-46
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to analyze the negative circumstances of Korean education and to provide some suggestions in terms of cultural psychology. Researcher considered the negative situation as Han(恨) to Korean people and analyzed it with the cultural psychological theories. In Korean culture, Han(恨) could be overcome by Shinmyeong which is known as a Korean unique positive emotional experience. According to results of a recent research, Han has been thought that it was the negative feeling from loss of self-worth, and Shinmyeong might be the feeling related with retrieval of self-worth. On the base of discussion about Shinmyeong, several psychological solutions to negative circumstances of Korean education were proposed.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.84-88
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• 2019

This paper examines whether the exchange rate respond differently to monetary policy shocks in Korea using regression model. We find an asymmetric response of the monetary policy shocks to the monetary policy shocks in the context of Korea. Over the whole period sample, we do not find the effect of an actual interest rate on exchange rate. But we find that the estimated coefficient on the expected and unexpected change in the policy rate are negative and statistically significant. In the period of monetary policy easing, the estimated coefficient on the expected and unexpected change in the policy rate are negative but not statistically significant. In contrast, the period of monetary policy tightening, the estimated coefficient on the expected and unexpected change in the policy rate are negative and statistically significant.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2005

Thorough screening of donors medical and social history, extensive serological and bacterial screening combined with developed processing and sterilization methods have improved the safety of the allogeneic tissues in recent decades. The risk of bacterial infection through allogenic tissue transplantation is one of the major problems facing tissue banks. The purpose study is to report the contamination rate in 358 retrieved tissues obtained strictly aseptic conditions, between 2001 and 2002 in Korea Tissue Bank. Samples from 9 donors(total 13 donors) were used in blood culture, and in 7 donors the blood culture were negative. Of the 358 tissues cultured in their entirety, 186(52%) were initially culture negative and 177(48%) were positive. Organism low pathogenicity were cultures from 20.2% of the tissues. To minimize the bacterial load, donors should be obtain in operating rooms, using aseptic techniques with only a few personnel for procurement. The procurement cultures from donors and retrieved tissues with multiple should be carefully interpreted. Blood cultures should be taken account, since these can help to find contamination not detect swab culture. A prospective cohort study is needed to determine which of the varied processing and sterilization methodologies gives the best quality.