BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal symptoms, such as pain, numbness, and ganglions on involved joints were common problems in repetitive job workers, who exposed to prolonged, repetitive use of the wrist in factory. This study was performed to compare the degree of musculoskeletal symptoms and prevalence of soft tissue mass (esp. ganglion on wrist) in repetitive job group with those of non-repetitive job group and to evaluate the association of development of ganglion and the duration of wrist use. METHODS: Study subjects were 253 workers who work on a brick manufacturing factory and they were composed of 153 non-repetitive job workers and 100 repetitive job workers. Authors conducted a questionnaire survey among workers in the factory and examined their lesions. RESULTS: There were no significant difference statistically in age, level of education and work duration in both groups. It was statistically significant that the degree of wrist use was more frequent in repetitive job group than in non-repetitive job group(P<0.01). Musculoskeletal symptoms, such as pain and numbness on affected joints were more common in repetitive job group than in non-repetitive job group. Affected side was bilateral in three joints and right only in two joints(P<0.01, P<0.05). The prevalence of ganglions in repetitive job group(6 subjects, 6.0%) was much higher statistically than that in the non-repetitive job group(2 subjects, 1.3%). In a comparison of two groups according to the existence of ganglions, no stasistically significant differences were found in age, level of education and work duration. However, duration of wrist use was statistically significant relation with development of wrist ganglions(P<0.05). The 8 subjects with ganglion on wrist all worked on manufacturing part in the factory. The duration of work ranged from two to fourteen years. The affected sides of ganglions on wrist were right in 3 cases and left in 5 cases. Size of ganglions ranged from 0.5 to 3 cm in diameter. Painful symptom in the ganglion was complained by two cases(25%) among 8 cases. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that prolonged, repetitive activities such as carrying a brick, have a tendency to develop musculoskeletal symptoms and ganglions in the workers. Because high prevalence of ganglions in this factory seems to be an important occupational problem among repetitive job workers, further studies on the factors contributing to development of ganglions in this factory are needed.
Education ; Ganglion Cysts* ; Hypesthesia ; Joints ; Prevalence ; Wrist ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Animals ; Embryonic Structures* ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Humans* ; Mice* ; Quality Control*

Background: Many countries need help with the problem of an unbalanced distribution of physicians and hospitals. Moreover, various policies and strategies have been proposed to solve this problem. This study aimed to examine the determinants of the unbalanced distribution of physicians. Methods: From the 2020 Korean Physician Survey data, 4,181 physicians practicing in Korea were limited to the subjects of the study. We analyzed the factors influencing physicians’ choice of practice location and their willingness to change their practice location from an urban to a rural area. Results: The region of physicians’ hometown, medical school, and residency training hospitals determined their choice of practice location. The type of affiliated healthcare organization and the location of physicians’ hometown, medical school, and residency training hospitals affected their willingness to change their practice location from an urban to a rural area. Furthermore, the concordance rate of the regions of physicians’ hometown, medical school, and residency training hospitals with the region of their practice location was 24.9%. Conclusion In South Korea, policies for doctors have been designed without considering why they are reluctant to work in rural hospitals. To have a balanced distribution of physicians and hospitals, it is necessary to accurately analyze the status of medical resources based on regions and identify the current and future medical demand. The social situation, such as future demographic change and regional extinction, must also be fully considered. Furthermore, policies should be implemented that encourage physicians to work in rural hospitals.

The hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome is a primary immunodificiency disorder characterized by recurrent staphylococcal infections and markedly elevated serum IgE level. Clinical features are coarse face and severe infections of the skin-furunculosis or chronically pruritic dermatitis and sinopulmonary tract infection from infancy by coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus, or Candida albicans etc. The patients's serum IgE level is elevated but the basic immunologic pathogenesis not fully understood. We have experienced a case of hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome in a 26/12-year-old who had suffered from recurrent staphylococcal pneumonias and abscesses and chronically pruritic dermatitis from 1 month of age with elevated serum IgE level. A brief review of the related literature is presented.
Abscess ; Candida albicans ; Coagulase ; Dermatitis ; Immunoglobulin E ; Pneumonia, Staphylococcal ; Staphylococcal Infections ; Staphylococcus aureus

Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia is a rare diasease characterized by chronic infiltration of the lung with ~eosinophils, usually associated with peripheral eosinophilia. In 65% of cases, the chest rad Ogroaph shows typiical nonsegmental air-space consolidation confined to the outer third of the lung and in 25)/0 of case "photographic negative of pulmonary edema". Typical lung manifestations with 'peripheral eosinophiliSa' tahrcharacteristic of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia. In the remaining cases, radiographic findings are nonspecific and require lung biopsy for confirmation. We repot a case of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia in which chest radiograph and CT scans revealed bilateral patchy or diffuse opacity with nodules scattered throughout the lungs.
Biopsy ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils* ; Lung ; Pulmonary Eosinophilia* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF) and lipopolysaccharide(LPS) may be the important regualtors of bone metabolism. Exogenous PDGF is recognized to have a stimulating effect on bone resorption in organ culture, but to stimulate the formation of new bone ultimately. LPS is known to be a stimulating agent on the osteoclastic activity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects and the interaction of PDGF and LPS on periodontal ligament(PDL) cells which have important roles in bone remodeling. Cultured human periodontal ligament cells were treated with various concentration of PDGF and/or LPS. The cellular viability was measured by Microtitration(MTT) assay according to the lapse time of culture. The obtained results were as follows: 1. The viability of PDL cells was not different from the control in O.lng/ml of PDGF, but was significantly increased to be over the level of control in lng/ml of PDGF at the second day of culture, and in lOng/ml of PDGF at the second and the third day of culture. 2. The cellular viability was decreased in O.5microgram/ml or 5microgram/ml of LPS at the third day of culture. 3. Incubation with both 1ng/ml or 10ng/ml of PDGF and 0.5microgram/ml or 5microgram/ml of LPS resulted in the increased cellular viability at the third day, which. was greater than LPS only treated group. It was greater than even the control group in lOng/ml of PDGF. From the above findings, we could summarize that the admixture of PDGF and LPS could not less increase the viability of the human periodontal ligament cells than PDGF only.
Bone Remodeling ; Bone Resorption ; Humans* ; Metabolism ; Organ Culture Techniques ; Osteoclasts ; Periodontal Ligament*

BACKGROUND: There have been no studies of airway management strategies for difficult intubation and cannot intubate, cannot ventilate (CICV) situations in Korea. This study was intended to survey devices or methods that Korean anesthesiologists and intensivists prefer in difficult intubation and CICV situations. METHODS: A face-to-face questionnaire that consisted of a doctor's preference, experience and comfort level for alternative airway management devices was presented to anesthesiologists and intensivists at study meetings and conferences from October 2014 to December 2014. RESULTS: We received 218 completed questionnaires. In regards to difficult intubation, the order of preferred alternative airway devices was a videolaryngoscope (51.8%), an optical stylet (22.9%), an intubating laryngeal mask airway (11.5%), and a fiber-optic bronchoscope (10.6%). One hundred forty-two (65.1%) respondents had encountered CICV situations, and most of the cases were identified during elective surgery. In CICV situations, the order of preferred methods of infraglottic airway management was cricothyroidotomy (CT) by intravenous (IV) catheter (57.3%), tracheostomy by a surgeon (18.8%), wire-guided CT (18.8%), CT using a bougie (2.8%), and open surgery CT using a scalpel (2.3%). Ninety-eight (45%) of the 218 respondents were familiar with the American Society of Anesthesiologists' difficult airway algorithm or Difficult Airway Society algorithm, and only 43 (19.7%) had participated in airway workshops within the past five years. CONCLUSION: The videolaryngoscope was the most preferred device for difficult airways. In CICV situations, the method of CT via an IV catheter was the most frequently used, followed by wire-guided CT method and tracheostomy by the attending surgeon.
Airway Management ; Bronchoscopes ; Catheters ; Congresses as Topic ; Education ; Intubation* ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Korea* ; Laryngeal Masks ; Methods ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tracheostomy

Trichilemmal horn(trichilemmal keratosis) is a rare keratinizing tumor that resembles a cutaneous horn. Histologically, it is characterized by an abrupt maturation of keratinocytes into lamellar keratin without the formation of a granular layer. We describe a case of a trichilemmal horn on the right cheek of a 78-year-old woman.
Aged ; Animals ; Cheek ; Female ; Horns* ; Humans ; Keratinocytes

PURPOSE: This study conducted an analysis of cost-effectiveness of the implant and conventional fixed dental prosthesis (CFDP) from a single treatment perspective. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Markov model for cost-effectiveness analysis of the implant and CFDP was carried out over maximum 50 years. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed by the 10,000 Monte-Carlo simulations, and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves (CEAC) were also presented. The results from meta-analysis studies were used to determine the survival rates and complication rates of the implant and CFDP. Data regarding the cost of each treatment method were collected from University Dental Hospital and Statistics Korea for 2013. Using the results of the patient satisfaction survey study, quality-adjusted prosthesis year (QAPY) of the implant and CFDP strategy was evaluated with annual discount rate. RESULTS: When only the direct cost was considered, implants were more cost-effective when the willingness to pay (WTP) was more than 10,000 won at 10th year after the treatment, and more cost-effective regardless of the WTP from 20th year after the prosthodontic treatment. When the indirect cost was added to the direct cost, implants were more cost-effective only when the WTP was more than 75,000 won at the 10th year after the prosthodontic treatment, more than 35,000 won at the 20th year after prosthodontic treatment. CONCLUSION: The CFDP was more cost-effective unless the WTP was more than 75,000 won at the 10th year after prosthodontic treatment. But the cost-effectivenss tendency changed from CFDP to implant as time passed.
Dental Prosthesis* ; Korea ; Patient Satisfaction ; Prostheses and Implants ; Prosthodontics ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: We investigated the direct labeling method of antibody with 99mTc and 188Re and examined the stability and function of these labeled compounds in in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Disulfide bond of nonspecific human IgG was reduced to -SH group by 2-mercaptoethanol. Stannous ion was used to reduce 99mTc and 188Re. The stability of 99mTc-IgG and 188Re-IgG was estimated upto 24 hrs. Biodistribution was evaluated in abscess bearing rats at 4 and 24 hr post-injection of 99mTc or 188Re labeled IgG. RESULTS: The number of -SH group per reduced IgG molecule was 2.34. The labeling yield of 99mTc-IgG and 188Re-IgG were 90% and 95%, respectively. The stability of 99mTc-IgG at 1, 4, 6 and 24 hr was 91%, 83%, 78%, 7% and that of 188Re-IgG, high uptake was found on kidney, blood, stomach and abscess (9.42+/-0.68, 1.43+/-0.24, 0.86+/-0.18, 0.72+/-0.10 %ID/g, respectively). The uptakes at 24 hr were kidney, abscess, stomach, and blood in descending order. In case of 188Re-IgG, high uptake at 4 hr post injection appeared on kidney, blood, abscess and stomach (3.92+/-0.62, 1.32+/-0.08, 0.88+/-0.01, 0.26+/-0.06, respectively). The upatkes at 24 hr were kidney, abscess, blood abd stomach in descending order. The abscess to blood uptake ratio of 99mTc-IgG was 0.5 at 4 hr and 2.02 at 24 hr and that of 188Re-IgG was 0.67 and 1.29. CONCLUSION: 99mTc-IgG and 188Re-IgG and 188Re-IgG canbe labeled efficiently with direct labeling method. However, 99mTc-IgG and 188Re-IgG, labeled with direct method, was unstable. Further study in needed to enhance the stability of the antibody labeling.
Abscess ; Animals ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Kidney ; Mercaptoethanol ; Rats ; Stomach