• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.495-503
• /
• 2019

This study explored the method of determining the appropriate size of the workforce according to the assessment of the workload of medical technologists (also called medical and clinical laboratory technologists, and medical and clinical laboratory scientists) in order to present a standard production model for the appropriate manpower in blood collection rooms. The eleven university hospitals selected for this study had between 600 and 2,000 beds. The 14-steps standard blood collection time was 4 minutes and 8 seconds for the outpatients aged between 20 to 60 years old (57%) except for children and the elderly (43%). Assuming that there were 8 hours per day for mechanically collecting blood, the maximum number of blood donations by one clinical laboratory scientist was analyzed to be 100 cases. In conclusion, it is appropriate to have fewer than 100 cases of daily blood collection by a medical technologist engaged in blood collection. Since the proper number of blood collection workers (100% of blood collection work)=the number of annual working days/(one day's work hours/time per case)×the number of working days per year, then the proper number of blood collection workers (one day's work hours)=the number of working days per year/100×the number of working days).

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.525-534
• /
• 2018

This study evaluated the various qualifications that can be linked to employment similar to the medical laboratory technology major. The qualifications for employment outside the medical laboratory technology major are industrial health instructor, doping control officer, audiologist, sign language interpreter, health education specialist, claim adjuster, Korea life underwriter, administrative manager, hospital administrator, insurance review manager, and hospital coordinator. The qualifications for employment similar to the medical laboratory technology major include the clinical research coordinator, clinical research associate, anatomist, analytical chemistry analysts, hazardous materials industry engineers, biotechnologist, biosafety managers, biotechnology technicians, medical device quality officers, animal care nurse, industrial engineer hazardous material, bioprocess engineer, biosafety officer, certified technology consultant, director of medical device quality control, laboratory animal technician, animal nursing technician, and cruise medical manager. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a social analysis survey of the various qualifications currently held by medical technologists. In addition, it will be necessary to investigate the current status of medical technologists working in other fields. In the future, medical technologists should expand the scope of their work through efforts to strengthen their individual work capacity, share cases, and strengthen their expertise.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.6-10
• /
• 2009

Ring chromosome occurs when both telomeres of a chromosome are lost and the remaining portion of the chromosome circularizes to re-establish chromosome stability. This abnormal structure shows mitotic instability unlike the normal chromosomes, causing problems during mitosis. Here, we report one case of "chromosome 4 ring syndrome" on a 6-month-old male patient with growth retardation. Ring chromosome, monosomy, dicentric chromosome were shown by conventional chromosome analysis using peripheral blood. Peripheral blood was used and incubated for 72 hours for chromosome analysis. 3 probes (LSI WHS SpectrumOrange/CEP 4 SpectrumGreen, 4p subtelomere probe, 4q subtelomere probe) were used to detect the origin and breakpoint of ring chromosome 4 by FISH (fluorescense in situ hybridization) technique.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.7-16
• /
• 2012

The Korean GDP per capita doubled during the last 10 years. As the GDP increases, Korean health behaviors such as, eating, drinking, smoking, and exercise habits changed as well. Compared to the remarkably advanced diagnostic technologies and therapeutics during the last decade, the leading causes of death in Korea scarcely changed. Among the leading causes of death, cerebrovascular disease, heart disease, diabetes, liver disease and hypertension are closely related to health behaviors. Using the database of medical check-up between 2001 and 2010, the authors performed a longitudinal study for the prevalence rates and the trends of major chronic adult diseases among the 2,721 workers along with their health behavior. Among the diagnostic test items, fasting blood sugar, cholesterol and BMI levels showed steady increase and these three test items all showed linear trends (p<0.001). The average blood sugar and cholesterol levels were near worrying levels. Moreover, the average BMI of males was found to be at the overweight level, intimating the possibility reaching thee Obese Class I level soon if there are no aggressive counter measures. Fasting blood sugar and cholesterol levels were higher in a drinking group as compared to a non-drinking group, and the BMI levels were also higher in the drinking group and the smoking group as compared to the non-drinking and the non-smoking group (p<0.001). Finally, the authors believe that the fasting blood sugar, cholesterol and BMI levels should be designated as target monitoring test items in the medical check-up for Korean employees.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.112-117
• /
• 2012

Escherichia coli biofilm, reported to be produced in the human intestine causing a significant health risk, was successfully grown on transwell$^{(R)}$. This biofilm layer was identified by crystal violet staining and prepared for the in vitro E. coli biofilm system which can be used to screen for inhibitors. The biofilm formation did not show a change in transepithelial electrical resistance values. Furthermore, rhodamine 123 staining showed that the dye did not pass through the membrane once biofilm was formed.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.113-122
• /
• 2011

Several studies have reported a relation between serum levels of uric acid and a wide variety of cardiovascular conditions. But, the relationship between serum levels of uric acid and coronary artery disease (CAD) is still controversial. The present study was retrospectively designed to investigate whether CAD can be stratified by the level of uric acid and there are the relationships between preoperative levels of uric acid and perioperative biochemical markers in fifty-adult patients that underwent coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) and twenty-normal subjects. They were divided into the control, the unstable angina (UA-group) and the myocardial infarction group (MI-group). In preoperative levels of uric acid, the MI-group was higher than control and the UA-group. The MI-group had significantly higher correlations than the UA-group between preoperative levels of uric acid and left ventricular ejection fraction, cardiac markers (creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and brain natriuretic peptide), renal markers (blood urea nitrogen and creatinine) or total leukocyte levels. At postoperative periods, the MI-group had higher relationships of uric acid with aspartate aminotransferase, blood urea nitrogen or creatinine levels. Although there was not statistically significant, the UA-group tended to have higher correlation coefficients than the MI-group between preoperative levels of uric acid and intensive care unit-stay (ICU), or postoperative mechanical ventilation time. These results reflect that increased levels of serum uric acid may be a tool for the diagnosis of coronary heart disease and may be considered as a good predictor in assessing the cardiac and renal functions in patients with myocardial infarction or unstable angina at the preoperative period. However, further studies should be performed in a large patient population.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.55-61
• /
• 2008

Obesity is correlated with diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, cardiovascular, renal, neurologic, psychological and many other disease. Owing to the elevated income and behavioral changes, the prevalence of obesity has remarkably increased in Korea also. Considering the trend of the epidemic, we can easily expect the excessive spendings for the treatment of the obesity-related diseases in near future. In order to check the prevalence of obesity and serum lipid levels of Korean employees, we analyzed the medical check-up sample data of 10,332 adults who took physical check-ups at an institute in 2006. Through the logistic regression analysis we found the prevalence rate of total risk group showing ${\geq}23.0Kg/m^2$ was 57.4% and uric acid was found to be a definitive factor in the prevalence of obesity. Among the adults who eat more meat, drink more and smoke more smoking, the values of BMI, uric acid, cholesterol, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol and TG were significantly higher than rest of the examinees. And the average BMIs were significantly higher among those who have risk factors of liver disease, hypertension, cardiovascular and heart disease, and diabetes mellitus.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.99-104
• /
• 2012

Otitis externa (OE) is a frequent disease in the ear canals of dogs. To identify the pathogens causing OE in dogs and to determine their antimicrobial resistances, specimens were collected from animal hospitals in Daejeon. The isolates were examined by morphological and biochemical tests, 16S rRNA analysis and antimicrobial susceptibility tests. We analyzed correlation between the isolated pathogens and external factors of dogs such as breed, age, gender, ear mite, hair in ears and experience with antibiotic therapy. Thirty three strains of bacteria were isolated from 26 of the 68 heads of dogs with OE. The most isolated bacteria were Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (Sta. aureus), Sta. pseudointermedius, E. faecium, E. avium and Streptococcus canis (Strep. canis) in order of frequency of occurrence. Isolation frequency of Enterococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. were 51.5% and 45.5%, respectively. E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates showed VanB phenotype, which is resistant to vancomycin but sensitive to teicoplanin were 58% and 25%, respectively. Nine isolates among total twelve isolates of E. faecalis were isolated from the dogs treated with antibiotics. There was no methicillin-resistant Sta. aureus (MRSA), but were MR-Sta. pseudointermedius (MRSP) (57.1%) and vancomycin-resistant (VR)-Sta. pseudointermedius (14.3%) (VRSP) showing VanB phenotype. However, vanA, vanB and vanC genes were not detected in VR isolates from the dogs. Taken together, VR-Enterococcus spp. (VRE) is one of the major pathogens in domestic animals, as well as community-and hospital-acquired infection.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.53 no.3
• /
• pp.277-283
• /
• 2021

The genus Lactococcus is a gram-positive, catalase-negative, non-motile bacterium. It is a facultative anaerobe and can be cultured at 10~40℃. The genus Lactococcus consists of 16 species, of which Lactococcus garvieae and Lactococcus lactis are known to cause disease in humans. This study reports the first case in which L. garvieae was identified in the urine culture of a 74-year-old woman. The patient confirmed the findings of acute urinary tract infection through blood tests, microbial identification tests, antibiotic susceptibility tests, and computed tomography performed at a hospital. The patient was admitted to the nephrology ward and was treated with IV fluids and erythromycin antibiotics and discharged 5 days later. This is the first case in Korea in which L. garvieae was isolated from the urine of a patient with a urinary tract infection and is expected to be useful in treating patients with L. garvieae infection in the future.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.156-160
• /
• 2011

It was confirmed that we got somewhat different results even though we performed same items with same methods from capillaries and venous blood of healthy 72 cases. Items which capillaries blood has higher value than venous blood are the numbers of erythrocyte, lymphocyte, basophil, hematocrit, MCHC and RDW. Total numbers of RBC (p<0.035), lymphocyte and basophil are shown statistically significance. Items which venous blood has higher value than capillary blood are the numbers of platelet (p<0.00) and neutrophil (p<0.01). Fallible items in clinics can be shown the numbers of RBC, platelet, lymphocyte and neutrophil because we got somewhat different results even though we performed same items with same methods from capillaries and venous blood, respectively. It is necessary to choose the clear criteria and normal value depends on clinical specimen as the number of platelets are measured with an abnormal value shown over 40% down. As normal difference according to each item and method is currently acceptable and applicable in clinics, it is considered that a new normal value depends on clinical specimen should be established and is to be useful positively in clinics.