• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.75 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2013

Background: We investigated the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among the health care workers (HCWs) and analyzed its risk factors in South Korea. Methods: A standard questionnaire regarding the baseline demographics and risk factors for LTBI was given to each participant and tuberculin skin test (TST), QuantiFERON-TB GOLD In-Tube (QFT-GIT) assay, and chest radiography were performed. Results: A total of 493 participants, 152 (30.8%) doctors and 341 (69.2%) nurses were enrolled in eight tertiary referral hospitals. The mean age of the subjects was 30.6 years old, and 383 (77.7%) were female. Of the 152 doctors, 63 (41.4%) and 36 (23.7%) were positive by TST and by QTF-GIT, respectively, and among the 341 nurses, 119 (34.9%) and 49 (14.4%) had positive TST and QFT-GIT results, respectively. Overall, the agreement between the two tests was 0.22 by the chance corrected proportional agreement rate (kappa coefficient) in 493 subjects. Experience of working in tuberculosis (TB)-related departments was significantly associated with positive LTBI test results by QFT-GIT assay, not by TST. In multivariate analysis, only age was independently associated with increased risk of a positive TST result, while age and experience of working in TB-related departments (odds ratio, 2.29; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-5.12) were independently associated with increased risk of a positive QFT-GIT result. Conclusion: A high prevalence of LTBI was found among South Korean HCWs. Considering the association between the experience of working in TB-related departments and high risk of LTBI, QFT-GIT may be a better diagnostic test for LTBI than TST in HCWs.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1-12
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of high voltage pulsed current stimulation (HVPCS) on the healing rate of a dermal wound in a rat. We also determined the mechanism of promoting healing by HVPCS. Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two group; HVPCS group (n=10) and control group (n=10). The HVPCS rats received electrical stimulation with a current intensity of 50 V at 100 pps for a duration of 30 minutes, while the control group was given the same treatment without electricity for a week. The biopsy specimens were fixed in formalin, embedded in paraffin and stained with Masson's trichrome, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). The fibroblasts and collagen density were counted using a light microscope and computerized image analysis system and calculated as the density and the percent. A Student t-test showed a significantly higher wound healing rate of the HVPCS group than control (t=-4.161, p<0.001). The fibroblasts in the HVPCS group were higher than in the control group (t=-4.921, p<0.001). The density of collagen in the HVPCS group was also higher than in the control group (t=-4.367, p<0.001). These results indicate that the HVPCS accelerated the rate of healing in dermal wound, and increased fibroblasts and collagen density in the regenerative dermis. These findings suggest that the HVPCS may activate fibroblasts by alteration of the electrical environment, and it may increase collagen synthesis in the regenerative dermal wound.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2012

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), an inherited connective tissue disorder, is caused by mutations in genes encoding different types of collagen or collagen-processing enzymes. EDS most typically affects the joints, ligaments, skin, and blood vessels. Oral health may be severely compromised in EDS as a result of specific alterations of collagen in orofacial structures. Dental hard tissue defects, root dilaceration, pulp stones, ectopic or delayed eruption, impaction, and periodontal disease could be observed. Therefore, a number of tissue responses related to collagen and precautions should be anticipated when considering dental treatment in EDS. Long-term and comprehensive dental management is required. The purpose of this report is to describe a clinical case of eruption disorders in a patient with EDS.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1255-1258
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• 2015

Background: Locally advanced head and neck cancer is generally incurable and has a short survival rate. This study aimed to evaluate symptom relief, disease response, and acute toxicity after palliative hypo-fractionated radiotherapy and long-term survival in affected patients. Materials and Methods: Between January 2011 to December 2011, 80 patients who were histopathologically diagnosed as having stage III or stage IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma based on Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 1-3, were offered palliative radiotherapy (20 Gy/5Fr/5 Days). Later these patients were evaluated on 30th day after completion of treatment for disease response based on World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria and palliation of symptoms using symptomatic response grading and acute toxicities by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG). Many patients were given post radiation therapy (RT) palliative chemotherapy for appropriate palliative care and a few patients were selected for further curative RT. The overall survival was also evaluated among this group of patients with last follow up date of 1st May, 2014. Results: The most common presenting complaint was pain followed by dysphagia. Most patients (60-70%) had appreciable relief in their presenting symptoms. A good response was observed in the majority following palliative RT; a few patients had progressive disease and some had stable and regressed disease. None of the patients experienced radiation toxicity that required hospital admission. Almost all showed grade one and two acute skin and mucosal toxicity one month after completion of treatment. The mean survival days for patients given only hypofractionated palliative RT was 307 days, those with post palliative RT and palliative chemotherapy was 390 days and patients who went on to receive further palliative RT and curative RT dose had significantly overall survival of 582 days. Conclusions: Advanced head and neck cancer should be identified for suitable palliative hypofractionated radiotherapy to achieve acceptable symptom relief in a great proportion of patients and should be followed by palliative chemotherapy or curative RT in suitable cases for long-term symptom-free survival.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.447-454
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• 2019

In order to improve and supplement the shielding method for electron beam treatment, we designed a patient-specific shielding method using a 3D printer, and evaluated the usefulness by comparing and analyzing the distribution of electron beam doses to adjacent organs. In order to treat 5 cm sized superficial tumors around the lens, a CT Simulator was used to scan the Alderson Rando phantom and the DICOM file was converted into an STL file. The converted STL file was used to design a patient-specific shield and mold that matched the body surface contour of the treatment site. The thickness of the shield was 1 cm and 1.5 cm, and the mold was printed using a 3D printer, and the patient customized shielding block (PCSB) was fabricated with a cerrobend alloy with a thickness of 1 cm and 1.5 cm. The dosimetry was performed by attaching an EBT3 film on the surface of the Alderson Rando phantom eyelid and measuring the dose of 6, 9, and 12 MeV electron beams on the film using four shielding methods. Shielding rates were 83.89%, 87.14%, 87.39% at 6, 9, and 12 MeV without shielding, 1 cm (92.04%, 87.48%, 86.49%), 1.5 cm (91.13%, 91.88% with PSCB), 92.66%) The shielding rate was measured as 1 cm (90.7%, 92.23%, 88.08%) and 1.5 cm (88.31%, 90.66%, 91.81%) when the shielding block and the patient-specific shield were used together. PCSB fabrication improves shielding efficiency over conventional shielding methods. Therefore, PSCB may be useful for clinical application.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.297-303
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• 2011

The existing studies of VDT syndrome have been researched only about for nurse groups without radiological technologists. The target of this study was workers who perform VDT task in general hospital placed in Daejun City such as insurance judgement, patient affairs, medical record management, medical computing service, hospital administration, and radiological sections. This study was conducted at October 15, 2009 to November 2, 2009 using structured questionnaire. Results of group A (age 20-29, less than 5 years experience at clinical site, normal staff, and unmarried group) showed significant skin and psychological conditions among recognition symptoms of VDT syndrome. Group B (age 30-39, 6-10 years experience at clinical site, managing staff, and married group) tends to be similar at orbital, whole body and muscles' frame response among recognition symptoms of VDT syndrome. Results of "Multiple Linear Regression" with dependent variable that is scores of recognition symptoms of VDT syndrome are as follows. The factors which influences for orbital-related problem is gender, health cares and obstacles during daily life. The factors which influences for whole body-related is exercise, stress and recognition for health condition and the factors which influences muscles' frame-related is 6-10 years experience at clinical site, human relationship, health cares and obstacles during daily life. These are proved to be similar by statistic analysis. There is small difference at recognition symptom of VDT syndrome between the radiological technologist and other groups in general hospital. Yet, as the working circumstance of radiological technologist gradually changes to VDT environment, the recognition symptom of VDT syndrome became conscious. This can be prevented by regular job rotation, which will escape the continuous repetition of working pattern.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.106-113
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to verify the influence of a massive hydrofluoric acid spill on community health through patients who claimed to have been exposed. Methods: We analyzed 2459 patients who visited our emergency department with the claim of exposure to hydrofluoric acid, and retrospective analyses were performed. We analyzed changes in numbers of visitors per day from the day of the accidental hydrofluoric acid spill, symptoms presented by the 1924 patients, and general characteristics. Comparisons of symptoms and hematologic characteristics were made between the initially set evacuation zone(1.3 km radius parameters from the spill) and the outer zone. Results: A total of 2,459 patients who claimed exposure visited our ED from 27 September 2012 to 23 October 2012, and there was a significant increase in the number of visiting patients from day 8 of the hydrofluoric acid spill. The most common complaints were a sore throat, 729(37.9%) and no specific symptom with health concern, 547 (28.4%). Statistically significant findings were pulmonary symptoms (p=0.001), nasal symptoms (p=0.001), diarrhea (p=0.023), and skin symptoms (p=0.007). In hematologic study, a statistically significant difference was observed in white blood cell count (p=0.018), creatine phosphokinase (p<0.001), erythrocyte sediment rate (p=0.013), and phosphorus (p<0.001). Conclusion: A significant increase in the number of patients was observed one week after the accidental spill of hydrofluoric acid. The most frequent symptoms were sore throat, headache, cough, and sputum. Statistically significant increase in creatine phosphokinase level and decrease in phosphorus level were noted in patients within the evacuation zone.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2007

Pyrethroid insecticide have widely been used for agricultural sector and residential environments. To assess the exposure of insecticide which is absorbed through skin the analysis of urinary metabolite is essential. At present, the urinary 3-PBA was analyzed using liquid-phase extraction. But LPE have many limitations, such as long pre-treatment time and low recovery. So, this study was conducted to determine the optimum conditions for analysing 3-PBA in urine using solid phase extraction. Furthermore, this study intend to investigate the relation of concentrations of pyrethroid, deltamethrin in air and 3-PBA in urine. The optimum condition for hydrolysis was found to be done with hydrochloric acid for one hour. The recovery rates of 3-PBA were $84.6%{\pm}1.2%$, $54.8{\pm}0.9%$, $99.8{\pm}1.2%$ with XAD-2, XAD-7, XAD-16 using as the aborbents and acetone as eluents respectively. But acetonitrle and methanol gave low recovery rate and methyl cellosolve could not elute the compound. The amount of acetone for elution were 6mL, 9mL, 3mL for XAD-2, XAD-7, XAD-16 as absorbents respectively. The non-absorbed rates was $0.8{\pm}0.5%$, and $0.7{\pm}0.3%$ under XAD-16, mesh size 140-200, amount of resin 1.4g and the flow rate of eluent was 0.1mL/min. In the concentration process, we obtained 11 times higher concentration of material. The amounts of urinary 3-PBA were. The LODs of 3-PBA and deltamethrin were 0.004 mg/L, 0.038 mg/L, respectively. The further research of minute monitoring which include spray pattern, environmental condition is needed And more research about the relation between total pyrethroid exposure and urinary various metabolite are also necessary.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.181-186
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• 2018

Nitrosamines are the nitrosocompounds which are produced by nitrosation reactions of the secondary amine and nitrite, and has been found to be produced through the vulcanization process during the production of rubber products Recently, nitrosamines have been detected in rubber products and become a major topic. Condoms are disposable medical devices, so safety is important because they come into direct contact with the skin and mucous membranes. In this study, we developed an analytical method for nitrosamines in condoms by applying ISO 29941 method. The samples were eluted by distilled water, and target compounds were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction with dichloromethane. And then after concentrated, and quantitatively analyzed by LC-MS/MS. The accuracies of the analytical method were ranged from 85.8 to 108.7%, precisions were lower than 11.5%, and the detection limits were from 0.11 (NDPA and NDBA) to 0.48 (NPYR) ng/mL. Among the 31 condom samples, NDBA was detected from 2 cases by extraction of distilled water, and NDMA were detected from 1 case, NDEA from 4 cases and NDBA from 26 cases by extraction of artificial saliva (pH 4.5). The total amount of nitrosamines in all samples were less than $500{\mu}g/kg$.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 1981

This study was conducted with 478 farm households located in Pyongtaek Gun of Gyonggi Do, Chongju City and Chongwon Gun of Chung Buk Do, and Hongchon Gun of Gangwon Do for the period of 10, September through 20, October 1980. It dealt with general features of the farmhouseholds, their practices of handling and using pescides, and relationship between safe use of pesticides and poisoning experiences. The results of the study are summarized as follows: 1. Of the total, 63.2% purchased pesticides mainly through the Agricultural Coops, and 95.4% transported them home separately from other goods. 2 Pesticides were sold contained mainly in glass bottles and paper bags. 3. Mixing of the respodents (87.5%) stored pesticides in sheds, warehouses and boxes. 4. Mixing containers and measuring tools were not used by the majority of the group studied. This indicates that there exist serious problems of safety and accuracy with regard to use of pesticides. 5. As to pesticide protective devices, gloves, respirators, goggles and boots were not used in general. Even in case of using them, their quality was not satisfactory. 6. Among the interviewees, 4.2% did not read pesticide label, 33.9% did not wash immediately when pesticide was spilled on the skin, 48.4% did not care the wind direction during pesticide application, and 17.0% did not wash hands when smoking a cigarette while pesticide is being handled. 7. Of the total, 40.4% were found to harvest vegetables within 10 days from the date of pesticide application, which indicates their unawareness of possible hazards by pesticide residues. 8. Empty pesticide containers or bags were not properly disposed of by majority of the respondents. Furthermore, impacts on the environment by the misuse or abuse of pesticides were not understood by 67.6% 9. Of the interviewees, 48.7% were found to have not received instructions on safe use of pesticides. 10. The rate of pesticidal poisoning experience was about 28.0% if minor symptoms excluded, and it rose to about 44.0% if included. Meanwhile, the rate of pesticidal poisoning tends to increase with the size of farm. 11. The study failed to show a statistically significant relationship between the rate of pesticidal poisoning and use of mixing container and/or measuring tools. However, use of gloves showed a statistical significance on the rate of pesticidal poisoning. 12. Among the poisoned cases, 19.0% were cared for in either hospitals or clinics.