BACKGROUND: Solvents play an immense role in the industria sector. Irritant dermatitis which is more common than allergic contact dermatitis can be caused by solvents. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare the skin irritancy of several solvents using human and guinea pig skin models. METHODS: The skin responses to short contact with etharol, acetone, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and xylene were measured by visual scoring of erythm, transepidermal water loss and laser doppler flowmetry. RESULTS: The results are summarized as follows . 1. Guinea pig and human skin responses to normal saline, ethanol, and acetone were nearly negligible. 2. Guinea pig skin responses to 99.9% DMSO under occlusion for 0.5 min were assessed by visual scoring system, TEWL, and LDF. They are measured 3+0.(0,1+21.70, 45+12.70 at 5 min after removal of 99.9% DMSQ, and 0.83+0.41, 10.5+3.83, 36+4.0, to 120 min after removal. 3. Guinea pig skin responses to 97% xylene under occlusion for 5 nin were assessed by visual scoring system, TEWL and LDF. They are measured 3+0.00, 1. 5.82, 77+11.7 at 5 min after removal of 97% xylene, and 1.83+0.75, 5.5+3.21, 39.17+11.53 at l2 min after removal. 4. Human skin responses to 75% DMSO under occlusion for 1 min were assessed by visual scoring system, TEWL and LDF. They are measured 2,5+0.5, 63+25.8, 51+13.7 at 5 min after removal of 75% DMSO, and 0.17+0.41, 14.67+15.87, 21.17-8. 1 at 120 min after removal. 5. Human skin responses to 97% xylene under occlusion for 12 min were assessed by visual scoring system, TEWL and LDF. They are measured 2.7+0.52+4.22, 76+14.30 at 5 min after removal of 97% xylene, and 0+0, 2.5+0.55, 3.17+0.98, 120 emOVBI. CONCLUSION: Short contact vrith DMSO and xylene cause visib erythema and an increase in TEWL and cutaneous blood flow. The reaction patterns in hurr an and guinea pig skin models were similar.
Acetone ; Animals ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Irritant* ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Erythema ; Ethanol ; Guinea Pigs ; Humans ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry ; Lichen Planus ; Skin ; Solvents* ; Xylenes

No abstract available.
Health Promotion*

No abstract available.
Family Practice* ; Humans ; Primary Health Care*

BACKGROUND: The interest of medicine was moved from disease treatment to disease prevention and health promotion. Especially, there has been marked increased interest in health promotion recently. Perception and health behaviors held or acquired during medical training can influence the acceptance and prevention strategies. This exploratory study surveyed medical and non-medical student to assess both preventive health behaviors and perception, to find relations of personal behaviors and corresponding perception. METHODS: This survey were conducted 140 medical students and 131 non-medical students in one big city. Data were obtained by self-reported questionnaire. Weschler survey was adapted to assess perception toward preventive behavior, and Fantastic lifestyle was adapt,ed to assess health behavior. RESULTS: Among the questionnaire of perception of preventive behavior, quitting cigarette smoking ranked highest frequency as very important in medical student. In non-medical student, use seat-belt is ranked highest frequency. Mean score of FANTASTIC lifestyle is 29.98 in medical student, 28.86 in non-medical. The result show significant relationship between st,udent-reported behavior and corresponding perception in 6 qestionnaire that is eat breakfast, moderate or no alcohol use, eliminate smoking, use seat belt, limit coffee, get seven hours sleep. CONCLUSIONS: In comparing medical and non-medical students, health perception and health behavior were no significant difference. Overall, the result indicated that the preponderance of respondents that is engaging in health behaviors are high in health perception.
Breakfast ; Coffee ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Health Behavior* ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Life Style ; Seat Belts ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Students, Medical

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of cognitive impairment in the elderly has been increasing in recent years with the growing of the aged population. Clinical assessment of cognitive function and mood is very important because cognitive impairment and depression commonly coexist in the elderly. The elderly interacts with the other family members, so cognitive impairment of the elderly influence family function. The objectives of this study were to delineate the factors correlated with cognitive function and to explore the relationship of depression and family function with cognitive function. METHODS: This study was done during 20 day period from July to August, 1996. The subjects were home residents aged 60 years or more living in a subcounty of Kyungpook Province, Korea. The final analysis included 195 subjects(male 95, female 100). The questionnaire included sociodemographic data, MMSE-K(Korean version of Mini Mental State Examination) for evaluation of cognitive function, BDI for evaluation of depression and family APGAR score for evaluation of family function. The results were analyzed by descriptive, comparative and correlative analysis. RESULTS: Mean MMSE-K score was 25.3+/-4.3 with female subjects(23.9+/-4.8) having significantly higher cognitive impairment when compaired to male subjects(26.6+/-3.2)(P<0.001). MMSE-K score was associated with gender, age, year of education(P<0.001), BDI and APGAR score(P<0.05). Religion, smoking and alcohol use were not associated with MMSE-K score. The prevalence of dementia by MMSE-K was 9.7% in definite dementia (MMSE-K<_19) and 23.1% with questionable dementia(20<_MMSE-K<_23). In male, the prevalence was 1.1% and 20.0% respectively. In female, the prevalence was 18.0% and 26% respectively, indicating difference between male and female subjects(P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In the elderly, female gender, older age and lower educational level were associated with cognitive function impairment. There was a positive correlation between cognitive function and family function. The group with impaired cognitive function had more depression than the normal group.
Aged* ; Apgar Score ; Dementia ; Depression* ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Smoking is a very dangerous behavior and people know that it will lead to fatal health problems. But, many people continue to smoke. We studied psychiatric aspect of smoking. METHODS: We distributed self-questionnaire to people who visited Dong-San Medical Hospital for periodical examination and checkups between the months of April and June, 1996. It consisted of inquiries on their smoking status and symptom check list for minor psychiatric disorders(SCL-MPD). Among the total of 147 men 58 were current smokers, 63 non-smokers, 26 ex-smokers. We compared minor psychiatric differences between each groups by Student t-test. RESULTS: The mean age of current smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers were 44.9 +/-8.9, 44.8+/-8.4 and 46.6+/-9.6, respectively. Among 10 dimensions of SCL-MPD, the smokers (includes current smokers and ex-smokers) had significantly higher scores on anger-hostility, interpersonal sensitivity and obsessive-compulsive dimensions than those of non-smokers(p<0.05). When comparing with current smokers and non-smokers, current smokers had significantly higher scores on anger-hostility and obsessive-compulsive dimensions(p<0.05). Between ex-smokers and non-smokers, ex-smokers had significantly higher scores on anger-hostility and obsessive-compulsive dimensions(.p<0.05). But, no significant differences were observed between current smokers and ex-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Smokers(current smokers and ex-smokers) were highly associated with anger-hostility, interpersonal sensitivity and obsessive-compulsive disorders compared to non-smokers. But, no minor psychiatric differences were observed between current smokers and ex-smokers.
Dangerous Behavior ; Humans ; Male ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder ; Smoke* ; Smoking*

Cephalosporins are well-known agents that may cause occupational asthma and there have been a few reports suggesting that the pathogenesis may be IgE-mediated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of cefteram pivoxil-induced occupational asthma and detection of serum specific IgE to cefteram-HSA (human serum albumin) conjugate. A 28-year-old woman who had been occupied in a pharmaceutical company for 3 years began to experience rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, cough, and dyspnea one year after she started work. She was involved in the filling of vials with cefteram pivoxil powder. The patient had no history of previous allergies. Skin prick test (SPT) to 80 common allergens showed negative responses and methacholine bronchoprovocation test (BPT) showed a positive response after inhalation of 0.15mg/ml. Skin prick test with cefteram pivoxil showed a strong positive response and specific BPT with cefteram demonstrated an early asthmatic response. Serum specific IgE to cefteram -HSA conjugate was detectable by ELISA. In conclusion, an IgE-mediated mechanism may be involved in the pathogenesis of cefteram pivoxil-induced bronchoconstriction in an exposed patient. Further studies will be needed to investigate if serum sIgE may be used as a useful marker to screen susceptible individuals.
Adult ; Allergens ; Asthma, Occupational* ; Bronchoconstriction ; Cephalosporins ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Inhalation* ; Methacholine Chloride ; Nasal Obstruction ; Skin

Cephalosporins are well-known agents that may cause occupational asthma and there have been a few reports suggesting that the pathogenesis may be IgE-mediated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of cefteram pivoxil-induced occupational asthma and detection of serum specific IgE to cefteram-HSA (human serum albumin) conjugate. A 28-year-old woman who had been occupied in a pharmaceutical company for 3 years began to experience rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, cough, and dyspnea one year after she started work. She was involved in the filling of vials with cefteram pivoxil powder. The patient had no history of previous allergies. Skin prick test (SPT) to 80 common allergens showed negative responses and methacholine bronchoprovocation test (BPT) showed a positive response after inhalation of 0.15mg/ml. Skin prick test with cefteram pivoxil showed a strong positive response and specific BPT with cefteram demonstrated an early asthmatic response. Serum specific IgE to cefteram -HSA conjugate was detectable by ELISA. In conclusion, an IgE-mediated mechanism may be involved in the pathogenesis of cefteram pivoxil-induced bronchoconstriction in an exposed patient. Further studies will be needed to investigate if serum sIgE may be used as a useful marker to screen susceptible individuals.
Adult ; Allergens ; Asthma, Occupational* ; Bronchoconstriction ; Cephalosporins ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Inhalation* ; Methacholine Chloride ; Nasal Obstruction ; Skin