BACKGROUND: The objectives of the present study are to: (i) evaluate the effect of environmental and metabolic heat on heat-related illnesses in outdoor workers; and (ii) evaluate the effect of personal factors, including heat acclimation, on the risk of heat-related illnesses in outdoor workers. METHODS: We identified 47 cases of illnesses from exposure to environmental heat in outdoor workers in Korea from 2010 to 2014, based on review of workers' compensation data. We also obtained the information on location, time, and work environment of each heat-related illness. RESULTS: Our major results are that 29 cases (61.7%) occurred during a heat wave. Forty five cases (95.7%) occurred when the maximum estimated WBGT (WBGTmax) was equal to or greater than the case specific threshold value which was determined by acclimatization and metabolic rate. Twenty two cases (46.8%) were not acclimated to the heat. Thirty-seven cases (78.7%) occurred after tropical night (temperature above 25 °C), during which many people may find it hard to sleep. CONCLUSION: Personal risk factors such as heat acclimation as well as environmental factors and high metabolic rate during work are the major determinants of heat-related illnesses.
Acclimatization ; Extreme Heat* ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Infrared Rays ; Korea ; Risk Factors ; Workers' Compensation

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of heat wave on emergency department (ED) visits due to heat related illness, we developed an ED based active surveillance system. We want to identify epidemiology of ED visits due to heat related illness and determine the effect of heat index on daily ED visits due to heat related illness. METHODS: We developed an ED based active surveillance system for adults who visited the ED due to heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat syncope, heat edema, and heat cramp. We collected demographic and clinical variables, risk factors, and heat index by standardized registry on the webpage. We operated the surveillance into 16 emergency departments in Daegu City from June to September 2011. We analyzed epidemiologic variables descriptively and assessed the effect of heat index on the number of daily ED visits by multivariate Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: During the study period, 34 cases were registered and nine cases were heat stroke. Heat stroke patients were older, and had more unemployment status than those with other heat related illness (p<0.05). More ED visits due to heat related illness were observed during the danger period than during the cool period, classified by heat index severity (Adjusted odds ratio: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.33-2.23). Increasing heat index by one degree caused more ED visits due to heat related illness (Adjusted incident rate ratio: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.07-1.19). CONCLUSION: We developed an ED based active surveillance system and observed more elderly persons and lower educational level in patients with heat stroke. In addition, increase in heat index significantly affected more daily ED visits due to heat related illness.
Adult ; Aged ; Daegu ; Edema ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Epidemiology ; Extreme Heat ; Heat Exhaustion ; Heat Stress Disorders ; Heat Stroke ; Hot Temperature* ; Humans ; Infrared Rays ; Odds Ratio ; Public Health Surveillance ; Risk Factors ; Syncope ; Unemployment

No abstract available.
Atrophy* ; Heat Stroke* ; Hot Temperature*

No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; Heat Stroke* ; Hot Temperature*

No abstract available.
Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Hot Temperature*

No abstract available.
Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Hot Temperature*

No abstract available.
Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Hot Temperature*

No abstract available.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Heat Stroke* ; Hot Temperature*

OBJECTIVES: Contemporary understanding of schizophrenia has evolved over the last century, yet its pathogenesis is not clear. Environmental stresses in early gestational period, which in turn, can cause neurodevelopmental abnormalities, is one possible etiologic factors in the development of schizophrenia. Heat shock protein 70(HSP70), which is thought to be a protective factor against environmental stresses in a cell, might be involved in the development of schizophrenia. Abnormal immunoreactivity to HSP70 has been identified in patients with schizophrenia. Therefore, genes for HSP70 might be candidates that affect susceptibility to schizophrenia. Three genes encoding HSP70 such as HSP70-1, HSP70-hom and HSP70-2 have been identified in the MHC class III region and they have been known to have genetic polymorphisms. We examined the association of schizophrenia and polymorphisms of HSP70-1, HSP70-hom and HSP70-2 genes in this study. METHODS: We investigated 161 patients with schizophrenia and 165 controls. DNA analysis with polymerase chain reaction(PCR) followed by enzyme restriction was used for the allelic typing of each polymorphism of HSP70-1, HSP70-hom and HSP70-2. The significances of genetic association of the polymorphisms with the disease and with clinical variables were estimated by chi-square test and analysis of variances. RESULTS: 1) There were no significant differences in allelic or genotype frequencies of HSP70-1 and HSP70-hom between the group of patients with schizophrenia and controls. 2) There was a tendency of difference in genotype frequency of HSP70-2, and a significant difference in allelic frequency of HSP70-2 between the group of patients with schizophrenia and controls. 3) There were no significant differences in terms of severity of symptoms and age at onset among the three HSP70 genotypes in the group of patients with schizophrenia. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that polymorphism of HSP70-2 might be related to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.
DNA ; Genotype ; Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Hot Temperature* ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Schizophrenia*

BACKGROUND: The present study was designed to investigate the expression of p53, Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70), and Topoisomerase (Topo) II alpha in the preneoplastic lesions and carcinomas of the gallbladder (GB) and to assess the correlation between the expression of these proteins and the clinicopathologic parameters by performing immunohistochemistry. METHODS: The immunohistochemical expressions of p53, HSP70 and Topo II alpha were evaluated in 38 gallbladder carcinomas and 3 adenomas. Fifteen CIS(s) and 8 dysplasias that were located adjacent to invasive carcinomas were also studied. RESULTS: A p53 expression was identified in 22 (57.9%) of the 38 GB carcinomas, in 9 (64.3%) of 14 CISs, and in none of the 8 dysplasias and 3 adenomas. A HSP70 expression was found in 11 (29%) of the 38 carcinomas, in 11 (78.6%) of 14 CIS(s), and in 4 (57.2%) of 7 dysplasias. A Topo II alpha expression was present in 36 (94.7%) of the 38 carcinomas, in 13 (92.9%) of 14 CIS(s), in 7 (100%) of 7 dysplasias and in 3 (100%) of 3 adenomas. p53 overexpression was related to the T stage of the primary tumor, while HSP70 and Topo II alpha were not related to any of the clinicopathologic parameters. CONCLUSION: p53 may be involved in GB carcinogenesis and in the progression of cancer. p53 may be also helpful for making the differential diagnosis between dysplasia and CIS. A further large study is needed to better elucidate the roles of HSP70 and Topo II alpha in GB carcinogenesis.
Adenoma ; Carcinogenesis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Gallbladder* ; Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Hot Temperature* ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Immunohistochemistry