OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to develop a Korean version of the Participatory Action Oriented Training (PAOT) program and training materials for improvement of agricultural working environments. METHODS: The PAOT manual and checklist were developed on the basis of the original English version of the training materials, a questionnaire survey of agricultural health and safety professionals, and a brainstorming conference. Good example pictures were collected through visits to agricultural workers' houses, and an easily understandable picture was drawn by an animation specialist. A PAOT action manual and five types of action checklists were developed for use in different agricultural environments. Each action checklist contained six categories and 38 items of agricultural health and safety principles; the six categories were material storage and handling, work stations and tools, machine safety, physical environment, working schedule and organization, and basic health and safety management. Incorporating these training materials, a one-day Korean PAOT program was developed. RESULTS: Among 307 candidate agricultural workers from four rural Korean villages, 94 workers (59 males, 35 females) participated in a PAOT from July 2007 to Oct 2008. The PAOT program was successful and the mean self-estimated satisfaction score of the participants was greater than 90%. CONCLUSIONS: A Korean PAOT program and training materials were successfully developed and applied to Korean agricultural workers. Although more studies are needed, it is expected that PAOT will greatly contribute to the improvement of agricultural working conditions and health and safety through the use of agricultural workers' self initiatives.
Appointments and Schedules ; Checklist ; Farmers ; Handling (Psychology) ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Safety Management ; Specialization ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Alopecia* ; Minoxidil*

Compliance of epileptic patients is one of the most important factors for adequate therapy. Recently, it had been shown that the variability of three serial measurement of the serum levels of antiepileptic drug(AED) may be used as an indication of the degree of compliance. Coefficient variation(CV) of serum drug levels calculated by only one AED had been used to determine the compliance in epileptic patients who took multiple AEDs. We attempted to evaluate the CV of AEDs and then find the objective clue of compliance and the compatible therapeutic planing according to CV. Ninety seven epileptic patients of outpatients department of the Gyengsang National University Hospital were entered to this study. All patients were taking medication at least for 6 months without any changes of drug regimen. Patient's information was acquired by reviewing the chart and interview with questionnaire. With these informations, we determined the compliance of the patients. Antiepileptic serum levels were measured three times at intervals of at least two to four weeks apart, and their CV was calculated. We compared the CV between the compliant and non-compliant group in each AED(phenytoin, carbamazepine , valproic acid) and three drugs in the compliant group. The mean CVs of phenytoin, carbamazepine and valproic acid in the compliant group were 18.3+/-13.0, 15.2+/-10.2 and 23.8+/-8.9, respectively(mean+/-SD). The mean of CV in the compliant and the non-compliant group were 17.9+/-10.9 and 38.8+/-27.2, respectively. The CVs of the compliant group were significantly lower than those of the non-compliant group(p<0.05). However, CVs had no significant difference between three antiepileptic drugs. This study showed that CVs of AEDs were not different between each AEDs, even though they possess different pharmacokinetic properties. Therefore, the CV of one AED can be used in determining the compliance of the epileptics who are taking multiple AEDs.
Anticonvulsants ; Carbamazepine* ; Compliance ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Phenytoin* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Valproic Acid*

Using directed mutagenesis and phage display on a soluble fragment of the human immunoglobulin super-family receptor ILT2 (synonyms: LIR1, MIR7, CD85j), we have selected a range of mutants with binding affinities enhanced by up to 168,000-fold towards the conserved region of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. Produced in a dimeric form, either by chemical cross-linking with bivalent polyethylene glycol (PEG) derivatives or as a genetic fusion with human IgG Fc-fragment, the mutants exhibited a further increase in ligand-binding strength due to the avidity effect, with resident half-times (t(1/2)) on the surface of MHC I-positive cells of many hours. The novel compounds antagonized the interaction of CD8 co-receptor with MHC I in vitro without affecting the peptide-specific binding of T-cell receptors (TCRs). In both cytokine-release assays and cell-killing experiments the engineered receptors inhibited the activation of CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in the presence of their target cells, with subnanomolar potency and in a dose-dependent manner. As a selective inhibitor of CD8(+) CTL responses, the engineered high affinity ILT2 receptor presents a new tool for studying the activation mechanism of different subsets of CTLs and could have potential for the development of novel autoimmunity therapies.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Antigens, CD ; chemistry ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Autoimmunity ; Biological Assay ; Cell Line ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; genetics ; immunology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; immunology ; metabolism ; Immunologic Factors ; chemistry ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Kinetics ; Leukocyte Immunoglobulin-like Receptor B1 ; Lymphocyte Activation ; genetics ; immunology ; Major Histocompatibility Complex ; genetics ; immunology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Molecular Targeted Therapy ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; Peptide Library ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Protein Binding ; genetics ; immunology ; Receptors, Immunologic ; chemistry ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; metabolism

Fourty nine patients with squamous cell carcinoma of oral tongue were reviewed retrospectively for the evaluation of clinical manifestation and for the comparison between therapeutic modalites. The gross shape of the tumor was infiltrative in 22, ulcerative in 12, and ulceroinfiltrative type in 10 patients. Direct extension of the tumor was most commonly to the floor of the mouth. The incidence of nodal metastasis generally increased with tumor stage. 55% of the patients showed neck nodal metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Ipsilateral subdigastric node were most commonly involved, followed by submandibular nodes. The 5-year survival rate of patients treated with surgery and radiotherapy was 58.7% in contrast to 21.6% in radiation alone group. Overall 5-year survival rate was 31%. In radiation alone group, half of the patients in stage I, II were locally controlled. But the local control in stage III, IV was much inferior to early lesions. Especially, of 4 patients combined with implantation tecnhnique, 3 were completely controlled. 5-year survival rate of these implanted patients was 50%, 49.4% of patients treated over 7,000 cGy survived 5 years. This was significant in contrast to 6.4% of the group treated below 7,000 cGy. The most common sites of failures were primary sites. In early lesions primary radiotherapy with implantation would be an appropriate treatment in cancer of oral tongue, operation reserved for radiation failure. Operation and adjuvant radiotherapy is recommended in cases of advanced disease.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mouth ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiotherapy ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tongue* ; Ulcer

Sixty patients, treated with postoperative radiation therapy following radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy for stage lb carcinoma of the uterine cervix between Jan. 1980 and Dec. 1984 at Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, were retrospectively analysed. The minimum follow-up period was 5 years. The indications for postoperative radiotherapy were positive pelvic lymph node (34 pts), a large tumor size more than 3 cm in longest diameter (18 pts), positive surgical margin (10 pts), deep stromal invasion (10 pts), and lymphatic permeation (9 pts). The overall 5-year survival rate was 81.8%. The univariate analysis of prognostic factors disclosed tumor size (less than 3cm, greater than or equal to 3cm) and the status of the surgical margin (positive, negative) as significant factors (tumor size; 88.1% vs 6.3%, surgical margin; 85.5% vs 60%, p less than 0.05). Age (less than or equal to 40, greater than 40 yrs) was marginally significant (90.2% vs 73.1%, p less than 0.1). Multivariate analysis clarified two independent prognostic factors; tumor size (p = 0.010) and surgical margin (p = 0.004). Analysis of the tumor factors with the radiation dose disclosed a better survival rate for patients with a positive surgical margin who were given over 50 Gy than for those who were given below 50 Gy in patients (4/4, 100% vs 2/6, 33.4%; p = 0.06). Significant complications requiring surgical correction were not observed. In conclusion, it is believed that the status of the surgical margin and tumor size both have important prognostic significance, and that a radiation dose over 50 Gy is advisable for patients with a positive surgical margin.
Adult ; Carcinoma/mortality/*radiotherapy/surgery ; Cervix Neoplasms/mortality/*radiotherapy/surgery ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Human ; Hysterectomy ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

From March 1970 to December 1984, 21 patients treated initially with curative surgery for adenocarcinoma of the colon, referred to the Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, were analyzed retrospectively. Thirteen of 21 patients who were considered to be ah high risk group (i.e, mainly stage B2 or above), received adjuvant postoperative radiation therapy. However, 2 of 13 patients did not complete their courses of radiotherapy as planned because of poor tolerance to radiotherapy or patient's refusal and were excluded from this study. Remaining 8 of 21 patients who did not received postoperative radiotherapy, presented with recurrence at the time of referral and treated with palliative radiotherapy. In 11 patients with postoperative radiotherapy, overall local failure rate was 9% (1/11) and the 5 year acturial survival rate was 55%. Local failure rates by stage were 0(0/4), 14%(1/7) for stage B2+B3, C1+C2+C3 respectively and 0(0/2), 17%(1/6), 0(0/3) for stage C1, B2+C2, B3+C3 respectively.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Colon* ; Disulfiram ; Humans ; Radiation Oncology ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Referral and Consultation ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

From March 1970 to December 1984, treatment results of 21 patients treated initially with curative surgery for adenoarcinoma of the colon and referred to the Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, were analyzed retrospectively. Thirteen of 21 patients who were considered to be at high risk (i.e, stage B2 or above), received postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy. However, 2 of 13 patients did not complete their courses of radiotherapy as planned because of poor tolerance to radiotherapy or patient's refusal and were excluded from this study. Remaining 8 of 21 patients who did not receive postoperative radiotherapy, presented with recurrence at the time of referral and treated for palliation. In 11 patients who finished postoperativc radiotherapy, overall local failure rate was 9%(1/11) and the 5 year actuarial survival rate was 55%. Local failure rates by stage were 0(0/4), 14%(1/7) for stage B2+B3, C1+C2+C3 respectively and 0(0/2), 17%(1/6), 0(0/3) for stage C1, B2+C2, B3+C3 respectively.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Colon* ; Disulfiram ; Humans ; Radiation Oncology ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Referral and Consultation ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of the results of somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) performed in cervical spine surgery. PURPOSE: To evaluate the utility of spinal cord monitoring during cervical spine surgery in a single surgeon's practice, based on how often it prompted an intraoperative intervention. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Intraoperative monitoring during cervical spine surgery is not a universally accepted standard of care. This is due in part to the paucity of literature regarding the impact of monitoring on patient management or outcome. METHODS: SSEP for tibial, median, and ulnar nerves were monitored in 809 consecutive cervical spine operations performed by a single surgeon. The average patient age was 52 years (range, 2 to 88 years), with 472 males and 339 females. Cases were screened for significant degradation or loss of SSEP data. Specific attention was paid to 1) what interventions were performed in response to the SSEP degradation with subsequent improvement, and 2) whether SSEP changes corresponded with postoperative neurological deficits. RESULTS: Seventeen of 809 patients (2.1%) had SSEP degradation that met warning criteria and therefore prompted intervention. Release of shoulder tape (8) or traction (4) most often resulted in SSEP improvement. Failure of SSEP data to return to within acceptable limits of baseline was associated with neurological deficit (p=0.04). Two patients awoke with new postoperative neurological deficits, which resolved in 6 hours and 2 months respectively. Patients with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) were at seven-fold greater risk of intraoperative SSEP degradation. CONCLUSIONS: SSEP monitoring in this surgical population proved sensitive to perioperative factors which may increase the risk of postoperative neurologic deficit, and probably prevented neurological deficits in 15 of 809 patients (1.9%). Improvement in data following intervention appears to correlate well with unchanged neurologic status. Experience with intraoperative monitoring in this patient series has led to incorporation of these techniques as a standard of care in cervical spine surgeries performed by this surgeon.
Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory* ; Female ; Humans ; Longitudinal Ligaments ; Male ; Monitoring, Intraoperative ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Retrospective Studies ; Shoulder ; Spinal Cord ; Spine* ; Standard of Care ; Traction ; Ulnar Nerve

Etretinate(Ro 10-9359), an aromatic analogue of vitamin A acid, has been known to be effective in the treatment of psoriasis, Darier's disease, pityriasis rubra pilaris, ichthyosis, and palmoplantar keratoderma when administered orally. In this experiment, we compared the therapeutic and side effects between a group with high dose therapy(initially 75mg of etretinate a day) and an another group with low dose therapy(initially 40mg of etretinate a day). We also observed whether the pretreatment followed by combined treatment with vitamin E could potentiate the therapeutic effect as well as reduce the side effects of oral etretinate. This experiment comprised 102 moderate to severe psoriatic patients. The following results were obtained from this experiment. 1. Fifty-six among 92 patients(61%) who were treated with etretinate for more than 4 weeks showed good to excellent therapeutic effect. 2 The high dose therapy was more effective, but showed more side effects than low dose therapy. 3 Vitamin E did not potentiate the effect of etretinate. In low dose therapy, the pretreatment followed by combined treatment with vitamin E showed a tendency to reduce the side effects of etretinate.
Acitretin* ; Darier Disease ; Etretinate* ; Humans ; Ichthyosis ; Keratoderma, Palmoplantar ; Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris ; Psoriasis* ; Tretinoin ; Vitamin E* ; Vitamins*