PURPOSE: This study was conducted to compare the rates of industrial accidents in workplaces that adopted the 2011 Workplace Health Promotion Subsidy Scheme before and after the implementation. METHODS: The study analyzed the raw data of industrial accidents of 304 workplaces which received subsidies for health promotion activities in 2011. The raw data covered the period from February 2010 to July 2012, based on the dates of industrial accidents. RESULTS: Workplaces subsidized for health promotion activities reported fewer occurrences in staff injuries and illnesses than before the subsidization, as the total number of industrial accident victims dropped from 0.35 to 0.24. The rate of industrial accidents also dropped from 0.49 to 0.35, with the number of working days decreased from 35,433 to 23.867, about 33%. CONCLUSION: The study showed that financial support for health-promoting activities contributed to the decease in industrial accidents, which is an important indication advocating the need for corporate and government investment on workers health promotion programs. Furthermore, this study is also significant as it is the first research conducted in Korea to examine the impact of a workers health promotion project using a direct indicator, the rate of industrial accidents.
Accidents, Occupational ; Financial Support ; Health Promotion ; Investments ; Korea

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the cancer survivorship care practices among oncology nurses in Korea. METHODS: This study was a secondary analysis based on the Korean data from the international service-mapping study for the survivorship care for patients with cancer after treatment completion in the Asia-Pacific Region. The data, collected from 100 Korean nurses who took care of cancer patients, were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple regression. RESULTS: Statistically significant relationships were found between responsibility and frequency of survivorship care (r=-.20, p=.050), between confidence and frequency of survivorship care (r=.47, p<.001), and between impediments to organization and frequency of survivorship care (r=-.22, p=.027). The frequency of survivorship care was influenced by confidence (β=-.37, p<.001) which explained about 24% of the variance of survivorship care. CONCLUSION: These findings show that development of survivorship care education program for oncology nurses should be considered to increase confidence in survivorship care for oncology nurses.
Education ; Humans ; Korea* ; Oncology Nursing ; Professional Practice ; Survival Rate* ; Survivors

Twin conceptus of a complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) and a normal fetus are rare but are important because of diagnostic difficulty, problems related to twin pregnancy, and high risk of persistent gestational trophoblastic tumor. Recently, we experienced one case of twin pregnancy consisting of a CHM and a normal fetus. A 26-year-old woman complained of vaginal bleeding. She had evidences of pregnancy-induced hypertension. A male fetus was delivered at 20 gestational weeks. The placenta demonstrated vesicles of molar change separated from normal placenta. Microscopically, the molar villi disclosed diffuse hydropic swelling with circumferential trophoblastic proliferation. DNA flow cytometric analysis showed diploid patterns in both molar and normal placental tissues. Fluorescent in situ hybridization in paraffin-embedded tissue presented that normal placental villi hybridized with X- and Y-chromosome probes (46, XY), while molar villi hybridized with X-chromosome only (46, XX). Thus, dizygotic twinning was confirmed because sex differences were shown between molar villi and normal placental villi. Follow up beta-hCG was within normal range after delivery.
Adult ; Chorionic Villi ; Diploidy ; DNA ; Female ; Fetus* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydatidiform Mole* ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Male ; Molar ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Reference Values ; Sex Characteristics ; Trophoblastic Neoplasms ; Trophoblasts ; Twins ; Twins, Dizygotic ; Uterine Hemorrhage

Sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) is one of the surgical techniques used to correct mandibular deformities. In order to prevent many surgical anatomical problems, we observed the anatomical structures related to SSRO. In dry mandibles of Koreans, lingular tips were located somewhat posteriorly and superiorly on the mandibular ramus. On the coronal sections of mandible, the mean cortical width of facial cortex was increased toward the ramus region while the lingual cortex was thinnest in the ramus region. On the same sections, all the fusion points of the buccal and lingual cortical plate were located above the mandibular lingula and beneath the mandibular notch. So, performing the SSRO on Koreans, medial horizontal osteotomy should be done through the superior aspect of the mandibular lingula. The cut line is extended 5-8 mm posterior to the mandibular lingula to preserve sufficient cortical width to strengthen the involved osseous segments and reduce possible surgical complications.
Anatomy, Artistic ; Human ; Human ; Mandible/surgery* ; Mandible/anatomy & histology* ; Medical Illustration ; Osteotomy/methods*

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of music therapy on pain, anxiety and length of stay of patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). METHODS: Sixty patients who received laparoscopic hysterectomy under general anesthesia from a PACU in a university hospital located in Cheonan city participated in this study. The experimental group (n=30) was offered the option to listen to their preferred music by using MP3 players and headphones for 30 minutes. The control group (n=30) received routine postoperative nursing care. Visual analogue scale was used to measure participants' pain and anxiety, length of stay in the PACU was examined by using their medical records. Data were collected from December 2013 to February 2014 and analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi2-test, Fisher's exact test, and independent t-test using SPSS version 21.0. RESULTS: The result showed that the level of post-operative pain (t=2.44, p=.018), anxiety (t=2.37, p=.021), and the length of stay in PACU (t=3.06, p=.004) significantly decreased in the experimental group as compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that music therapy with the patients' preferred music showed positive effects. Therefore, it can be used as a therapeutic intervention for postoperative pain management of patients with laparoscopic hysterectomy.
Anesthesia, General ; Anxiety* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Length of Stay* ; Medical Records ; MP3-Player ; Music Therapy* ; Music* ; Nursing Care ; Pain, Postoperative

PURPOSE: Obesity has been associated with higher total blood mercury levels, based on animal studies; however, studies that focus on children and adolescents are lacking. We aimed to assess the association between total blood mercury levels and the incidence of overweight and abdominal obesity in Korean adolescents. METHODS: The study population comprised 1,567 adolescents (793 boys and 774 girls; aged 10–19 years), who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010–2013. We analyzed total blood mercury levels according to obesity status in all participants. RESULTS: The geometric mean of total blood mercury levels was 1.93 µg/L. Participants with overweight (2.20 µg/L) and obesity (2.17 µg/L) had higher levels than those with normal weight (1.86 µg/L, P < 0.0001). The prevalence of overweight significantly increased with elevation of the total blood mercury quartile in both sexes. Increased incidence of abdominal obesity corresponding to increased total blood mercury level was observed in boys. After adjusting for covariates, those in the highest total blood mercury quartile were found to be at higher risk of overweight/obesity than those in the lowest quartile in both sexes (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: boys, 3.27 [1.66–6.41]; girls, 1.90 [1.03–3.49]). The association between total blood mercury quartile and abdominal obesity was significant after controlling for covariates in boys (2.35 [1.05–5.24]). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest an association between total blood mercury levels and overweight in Korean adolescents.
Adolescent* ; Animals ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Overweight* ; Prevalence

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identify factors related to compliance with respiratory infection preventive behaviors including hand washing, cough etiquette, and oral hygiene of older adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 100 older adults (mean age: 76.11±6.35 years, female: 86.0%). Data were collected from a community senior center through face to face interviews by using instruments including measuring knowledge, perceived threat, self-efficacy, compliance with respiratory infection preventive behaviors. RESULTS: The mean score of knowledge was 7.52 out of 13 in total. The compliance with hand washing with soap was 6.0% for 8 or more times per day. Among the participants, 12.0% adhered to the cough etiquette. Sixty-two older adults (62.0%) didn't use interdental brushes or floss at all. The stepwise linear regression indicated that age and self-efficacy for respiratory infection preventive behaviors were significant factors and explained 24.0% of the compliance with hand washing and the cough etiquette. Education level, cancer diagnosis, and self-efficacy for respiratory infection preventive behaviors were significant predictors of oral hygiene. The factor with the greatest effect was self-efficacy in the two models. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that it is necessary to improve compliance with respiratory infection preventive behaviors among older adults using senior centers. In order to enhance the compliance, it is necessary to develop nursing programs based on the self-efficacy for respiratory infection preventive behaviors in the senior centers.
Adult ; Compliance ; Cough ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diagnosis ; Education ; Female ; Hand Disinfection ; Hand Hygiene ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Nursing ; Oral Hygiene ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Senior Centers ; Soaps

PURPOSE: This study aimed to understand the essence of experiences of patients and family members during flexible visiting in an intensive care unit (ICU).METHODS: This is a qualitative study using interviews with open ended questions. We used Colaizzi's method of phenomenological interpretation.RESULTS: Flexible visiting in the ICU impacted the patients and their families in various ways. The following categories were extracted from the patients' experiences with flexible visiting: 1) the opportunity to feel the presence of the family and 2) the burden of unrestricted visiting. The following categories were extracted from the families' experiences with flexible visiting: 1) psychological comfort by convenience 2) being aware of health care professionals and critical care nursing in the intensive care unit, and 3) double trouble.CONCLUSIONS: These results showed that flexible visiting in the ICU affected the patients and their families positively and negatively. Therefore, nursing staff need to design psychological and social interventions that address the needs of patients and their families.
Critical Care Nursing ; Delivery of Health Care ; Family Nursing ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Methods ; Nursing Staff ; Visitors to Patients

We report on two cases of pericentric inversion of X chromosome. The cases were found in a 40-year- old man with azoospermia and in a family of a 38-year-old pregnant woman. The first case with 46,Y,inv(X)(p22.1q27) had concentrations of LH, prolactin, estradiol, and testosterone that were within normal ranges; however, FSH levels were elevated. Testis biopsy revealed maturation arrest at the primary and secondary spermatocytes without spermatozoa. There were no microdeletions in the 6 loci of chromosome Y. For the second case, the cytogenetic study of the pregnant woman referring for advanced maternal age and a family history of inversion X chromosome was 46,X,inv(X)(p22.11q27.2). The karyotype of her fetus was 46,X,inv(X)(p22.1q27). Among other family members, the karyotypes of an older sister in pregnancy and her fetus were 46,X,inv(X)(p22.11q27.2), and 46,Y,inv(X), respectively. The proband's father was 46,Y,inv(X)(p22.11q27.2). All carriers in the family discussed above were fertile and phenotypically normal. In addition, the ratio of inactivation of inv(X) by RBG-banding was discordant between the two sisters, with the older sister having only 4.1% of cells carrying inactivated inv(X) while the proband had a 69.5% incidence of late replicating inv(X). Therefore, we suggest that the cause of azoospermia in the first case might be related to inversion X chromosome with positional effect. Also, the family of the second case showing normal phenotype of the balanced inv(X) might be not affected any positional effect of genes.
Adult ; Azoospermia ; Biopsy ; Cytogenetics ; Estradiol ; Fathers ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Incidence ; Karyotype ; Lifting ; Male ; Maternal Age ; Phenotype ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Prolactin ; Siblings ; Spermatocytes ; Spermatozoa ; Testis ; Testosterone ; X Chromosome

Schizophyllum commune is a mold in phylum Basidiomycota and is an uncommon human pathogen. Sinusitis and allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis are the two major diseases caused by S. commune. Although there have been several reports of invasive fungal diseases, most of them were invasive sinusitis. We present a case of invasive fungal pneumonia due to S. commune, developed in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia presenting neutropenic fever. The diagnosis was made by characteristic macroscopic and microscopic findings of fungal isolate and was confirmed via sequencing of internal transcribed spacer region. The patient was improved after 8 weeks of antifungal therapy based on the susceptibility result.We propose that S. commune should be considered as an emerging pathogen of invasive fungal pneumonia when a patient is under immunocompromised state. We also reviewed global literatures focused on the invasive fungal diseases caused by S. commune