No abstract available.
Toluene* ; Xylenes*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to obtain the fundamental data on prevention and management of musculoskeletal symptoms, and to assess the prevalence, risk factors and job characteristics of musculoskeletal symptoms in hotel employees. METHODS: The work sampling analysis was carried out by OWAS, and the prevalence was surveyed in term of NIOSH diagnostic criteria and work related risk factors on 263 hotel employees in Busan, Korea, using structured self-administered questionnaire from Jan. 20 to Feb. 26, 2010. The collected data were analysed by the SPSS 18.0. RESULTS: 1) The prevailing rate of musculoskeletal symptoms by NIOSH diagnostic criteria was 43.80% for total subjects and 27.91% for shoulders, 12.79% for neck, and 11.24% for back/waist, respectively. 2) Factors affecting the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms were examined and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. As a result, women, having a burden of musculoskeletal work, increased work time in case of a higher risk of the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms (P<0.1). 3) The body parts and the department with the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms showed a significant difference (P<0.05) compared with symptoms on shoulders, arms/elbows, and ankles/feet. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms by NIOSH diagnostic criteria in hotel employees was relatively high showing 43.80% for total subjects and higher in departments of laundry, reservations, cooking, food&beverage, dishwashing, and room cleaning than others.
Cooking ; Female ; Human Body ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (U.S.) ; Neck ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Shoulder

OBJECTIVES: In order to evaluate the degree of manganese exposure and its health hazards effect on welders in manufacturing industry. METHODS: The author measured airborne, blood and urine concentrations of manganese and blood chemistry, and also observed clinical symptoms and signs on 60 welders for case an.d 60 non-welders for control working in manufacturing industry by age maching method. RESULTS: The geometric means of blood and urine concentrations of manganese were 1.13 +/- 1.38 microgram /dI and 2.52 +/- 1.37 microgram /I for Welders group, 1.09 +/- 1.68 microgram /dl and 1.86 +/- 1.34 microgram / I for Non-welders group. Airborne concentration of manganese was 0. 15 +/- 1.66 mg/m3 for exposured group, and the urinary mean concentration of manganese was statistically significant difference between exposured and non-welders group (P < 0.05). Clinical signs in welders group were palmomentle reflex (23.3%), tremor (20.0%) and grabellar sign (5.0%). Symptoms in welders group were fatigue (66.7%), amnesia (66.7%), excessive sweating (51.7%), nervousness (51.7%), general weakness (48. 3%) and arthralgia (46.7%) and so on, and there was statistically significant difference compared to non-welders group (P<0.05). Manganese exposure effects on blood chemistry were not observed. There were statistically significant correlation between manganese concent- ration in blood and urine (r=0. 269), airborne and urine (r=0. 601) and airborne and blood (r=0. 268). CONCLUSION: The author suggest that further studies are followed to evaluate the health status of welders whose blood and urine manganese concentrations were below normal reference level, and to establish the questionnaire and the diagnostic tools for early detecting the chronic manganese poisioning on welders.
Amnesia ; Anxiety ; Arthralgia ; Chemistry ; Fatigue ; Manganese* ; Questionnaires ; Reflex ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Tremor

In order to prepare the fundamental data for the health promotion by assessing the exposure level of styrene, the author determined the concentration of mandelic acid and phenylglyoxylic acid in urine of 42 workers who were exposed to styrene by high performance liquid chromatography and surveyed 16 symptoms, by questionnaire and also tested neurobehavioral test(digit symbol, benton visual retention) in 2 FRP plants of Kyung Nam area from July to September, 1995. Control was sampled by age sex matching method. The concentration of styrene in air was determined by gas chromatography. The results were as follows; 1. Geometric mean concentration of styrene in air was 17.4ppm, geometric mean concentration of mandelic acid(MA) in urine were 404.3mg/g creatinine for exposure group, 46.4mg/g creatinine for control group, geometric mean concentration of phenylglyoxylic acid(PGA) in urine were 57.5mg/g creatinine for exposure group, 9.5mg/g creatinine for control group. Mean concentration of MA and PGA showed statistically significant difference between exposure group and control group(p<0.01). 2. Number of symptom were 2.9 for exposure group, 3.3 for control group, number of digit symbol were 24.1 for exposure group, 32.5 for control group, number of Benton visual retention test were 6.1 for exposure group, 6.0 for control group, respectively. As result of adjusting the education year, number of Benton visual retention test showed statistically significant difference between exposure group and control group(p<0.05). 3. Excellent correlation were observed between environmental styrene exposure and urinary MA(r=0.80), PGA(r=0.73), and MA+PGA(r=0.81).
Chromatography, Gas ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Creatinine ; Education ; Health Promotion ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Styrene*

PURPOSE: To assess the clinical and radiographic results of the Elmslie-Trillat-Marquet procedure used to treat recurrent patellar subluxation or dislocation with patellar malalignment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 15 knees in 14 patients were evaluated at an average of 54.5 months (12 to 106) following the Elmslie-Trillat-Marquet procedure; carried out between May 1993 and March 2000. The evaluation included subjective, objective and radiographic assessments. RESULTS: The causes of recurrent patella dislocation were patella alta (11 knees), tight lateral retinaculum (8 knees), patella dysplasia (7 knees), femoral condyle dysplasia (13 knees) and joint hyperlaxity (1 case). The average preoperative Q-angle was 28.5degrees and the postoperative angle 13 degrees. Subjective evaluation using Cox's criteria showed excellent or good results in 13 knees (87%), and the objective evaluation using Fulkerson's functional knee score showed excellent or good results in 14 knees (93%). The mean anterior tibial tubercle displacement was 8 mm (7-11 mm), and the patella congruence angle and Insall-Salvati index were significantly corrected (p<0.001). Lateral subluxation and patellar tilt angle were corrected in all cases. The only complication was an irritation due to nonabsorbable suture material. There were no redislocations, infections, nonunions, or fractures of the transferred tibial tubercle during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: The Elmslie-Trillat-Marquet procedure for recurrent patellar subluxation or dislocation can basically correct malalignment tridimensionally.
Dislocations* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee ; Patella ; Sutures

In order to prepare the fundamental data for preventing the hazardous effects at toluene exposure in many kinds of industry, the authors determined the level of urinary hippuric acid on 592 toluene exposed women(exposed group) and 102 unexposed women(control group) in Pusan area, from April 1 to October 31, 1986. Hippuric acid was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. The results were summarized as follows; 1. The mean value of urinary hippuric acid concentration of the control group was 0.44+/-0.21g/l(0.11-0.89g/l). The distribution of urinary hippuric acid concentration of the control group was not fit to the normal distribution. 2. The mean value of urinary hippuric acid concentration of the exposed group was 1.56+/-0.95g/l(0.44-4.57g/l). The distribution of urinary hippuric acid concentration of control group was not fit to the normal distribution. 3. The urinary hippuric acid concentration by age group was not statistically significant in the control group, but in the exposed the urinary hippuric acid concentration was highest in women between 20-29 years old(1.71+/-0.95g/l) and was statistically significant(p<0.01). 4. The urinary hippuric acid concentration by duration of working hours was not statistically significant(p>0.1).
Busan ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Female ; Humans ; Toluene*

Transforaminal lumbar epidural block is a common procedure for the patients with back pain and radiating pain. But during the procedure, complications such as subdural or intrathecal block can occur. Because the procedure is conducted with contrast media and fluoroscopy, anesthesiologists must have deep understanding of the normal radiologic findings of epidural, subdural and intrathecal contrast images. During attempted transforaminal lumbar epidural block with fluoroscopy, we observed an unusual shaped pulsatile contrast image accidentally. Based on our experience, we report the subdural contrast image during transforaminal lumbar epidural block in radiologic aspects.
Back Pain ; Contrast Media ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans

For the purpose of preparing the fundamental data on air pollution in underground shopping center and also contributing to the health improvement of resident, the authors measured the level of SO2, NO2, TSP, CO, CO2 and also some related factors as air temperature, air movement, relative humidity and mean radiation temperature at inside and outside of underground shopping center in Pusan from January to February and from July to August 1994. The results were as follows: 1. The mean concentration of CO within the underground shopping center was 3.1+/-1.3ppm in winter and 2.1+/-0.9 ppm in summer. There was a negative correlation (p<0.01) between inner CO concentration and temperature in summer and no correlation between inner CO concentration and outer CO concentration in underground shopping center 2. The mean concentration of C02 within the underground shopping center was 876+/-353 ppm in winter and 757+/-125 ppm in summer. There was a negative correlation (P<0.01) between inner CO2 concentration and air movement in summer and positive correlation (p<0.05) between inner CO2 oncentration and outer CO2 concentration in underground shopping center. 3. The mean concentration SO2 within a underground shopping center was 0.036+/-0.019ppm in winter and 0.040+/-0.013ppm in summer. There was a positive correlation(p<0.01) between inner SO2 concentration and positive correlation between inner SO2 concentration and outer SO2 concentration in summer and winter in Underground shopping center. 4. The mean concentration of NO2 within a underground shopping center was 0.052+/-0.038ppm in winter and 0.042+/-0.016ppm in summer. There was a no correlation between inner NO2 concentration and thermal factors in summer and winter and low correlation between inner NO2 concentration in underground shopping center. 5. The mean concentration of TSP within a underground shopping center was 430+/-214 microgram/m3 in winter, 366+/-73 microgram/m3 in summer, and very in excess of the atmospheric environmental quality standards of Korea(150 microgram/m3). There was low correlation between inner TSP concentration and temperature in summer and high correlation between inner TSP concentration and outer TSP concentration in underground shopping center.
Air Movements ; Air Pollution* ; Busan* ; Humidity

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to assess the effects of lights-out at nighttime on body weight, physiological variables, and behavioral status in premature infants and to provide basic data for applying lights-out at night time in premature infants. METHODS: Premature infants of over 32 weeks' corrected age were included in this study (January 2015-June 2015), and were allocated to two groups according to the lights-out at night for 5 hours: study group and control group. Lights-out was applied to the study group from midnight for five hours in a quiet environment. RESULTS: Fifty-two infants were included in the study: 26 in the study group and 26 in the control group. Growth rates of body weight, height, and head circumference were higher in the study group compared to the control group, but there were no statistical differences. In the physiological variables, heart rate decreased by 6.9 beats per minute in the study group, but it increased by 2.7 beats per minute in the control group (P<0.0001) during applied 5 hours at night. Anderson Behavioral State Score decreased in the study group compared to the control group (P=0.042). CONCLUSION: Lights-out at night decreased the heart rate and made the behavioral status more stable. To understand the effects of lights-out on long-term growth and development of premature infants at the highest risk of delayed growth and development, further studies with a larger number of premature infants are needed.
Body Weight* ; Circadian Rhythm ; Growth and Development ; Head ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the toxic effects of toluene on the placental functions and reproductionin the rat. In this study, the expression of placental prolactin-growth hormone (PRL-GH) and Pit-1 genes, the frequency of placental trophoblast cells, and the reproductive data were analyzed. METHODS: The pregnancy of the Sprague-Dawley rats (250+/-25 g) was determined by verifying the presence of the copulatory plug or sperm in the vaginal smear and the day on which this was observed was defined as pregnancy day 0. The pregnant rats were divided into three groups. The control group was intraperitoneally (ip) injected with sesame oil, and the other two groups were given either 150 or 750 mg/kg BW/day of toluene resuspended in sesame oil during pregnancy days 7-11 and 16-20. The rats from the three experimental groups were sacrificed on pregnancy days 11 and 20, respectively. The mRNA levels of the PRL-GH, Pit-1a and b isotype genes were analyzed by Northern blot hybridization and Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. The hormonal concentration was analyzed by Radioimmunoassay. The frequency of the placental trophoblast cells was determined by means of a histochemical study. Reproductive data, such as the placenta and infnat weight, pregnancy period and litter size were surveyed at pregnancy day 20 and after birth. Statistical analysis was carried out by means of the SAS program (version 8.1). RESULTS: The mRNA levels of the PRL-GH family genes were reduced in a linear fashion by exposure to toluene. The mRNA levels of the Pit-1a and b isotype genes, which induce the expression of the PRL-GH family genes, were also reduced by exposure to toluene. The placental lactogen Iv and II concentrations in the rat placenta, fetus and maternal blood were also decreased by exposure to toluene. During the last stage of gestation, exposure to a high dose of toluene reduced the frequency of the spongiotrophoblast cells that secrete the PRL-GH hormones. Reproductive data such as the placenta and infant weight, and litter size were reduced, and the pregnancy period was extended in the toluene exposed group as compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Toluene disrupts the PRL-GH hormone metabolism in the rat placenta and this leads to reproductive disorder.
Animals ; Blotting, Northern ; Fetus ; Humans ; Infant ; Litter Size ; Metabolism ; Parturition ; Placenta ; Placental Lactogen ; Pregnancy ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reproduction* ; RNA, Messenger ; Sesame Oil ; Spermatozoa ; Toluene* ; Trophoblasts ; Vaginal Smears