The study subjects in this study are 295 workers who work on one electronics industry, and they were composed of 93 VDT and 202 non-VDT workers. This study was carried out to obtain the prevalence of subjective symptoms and to compare psychological symptom scores from SCL-90-R between VDT and non-VDT work groups. And to verify the relationship between VDT work related symptoms and psychological symptoms, the author compared scL-90-R T scores between symptom complaining and non-complaining groups. The results are summarized as follows: 1. Throughout the prevalence study of VDT work related symptoms according to VDT work state, the author could select the final 10 symptoms by sex; 'eye fatigue', 'foggy vision', 'neck discomfort or pain'. 'shoulder discomfort and pain', 'light headedness', 'dizziness', 'aene`, 'itching sensation on face', 'difficulty in concentration', 'memory disturbance' in males, and 'blurred vision`, 'foggy vision', 'neck discomfort or pain', 'shoulder discomfort and pain`, 'abdominal distention','indigestion', 'acne', 'pricking sensation on face', 'difficulty in concentration', 'memory disturbance` in females. 2. Throughout comparison of psychological symptom scores from SCL-90-R between VDT and non-VDT workers' except `interpersonal sensitivity` in female, Mean T score were higher in VDT workers, but not significantly different between the two groups. These results indicate that the relation between VDT work status and psychological symptoms are not strongly correlated. 3. Because of the nonspecific characteristics of VDT work related symptoms, from the 40 subjective symptoms, the author selected the final 10 symptoms by sex, especially correlated to VDT, and divided the study subjects into symptom complaining and non-complaining groups. The mean SCL-90-R T score between the two groups were compared. Except for the opthalmologic symptoms in females, the scores were significantly different between the two groups in all symptoms. And this indicates that the VDT work related symptoms strongly correlated with the present individual psychological conditions. 4. Due to understand that which of the 9 psychological symptom dimensions are strongly correlated with the subjective symptoms, the author excuted multiple logistic regression analysis, and the result were as follows; 'depression' and 'somatization', in male, and 'obsessive-compulsive' and 'somatization' in female.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Prevalence ; Sensation

The purpose of this study was to estimate mean pressure thresholds over several skeletal muscles, grip and pinch strengths in female telephone operators. Pressure thresholds on muscles of neck and shoulder were measured with a pressure algometer, and grip and pinch strength were measured with a Jamar dynamometer and a Jamar pinch gauge in 904 female telephone operators. The pressure threshold was highest in the supraspinatus and lowest in the cervical paraspinals. There was no statistically significant difference between right and left corresponding muscles. The mean grip strength was 22.29 kg in the right hand, 21.97 kg in the left hand. The mean tip pinch strength was 0.56 kg in the right, 0.51 kg in the left. The mean lateral pinch strength was 2.21 kg in the right, 2.12 kg in the left. The mean palmar pinch strength was 1.82 kg in the right, 1.66 kg in the left. There was no significant correlation between grip, pinch strength and age(p>0.05). There were positive correlations between height, weight and grip strength. There were positive correlations between exposure duration to visual display terminal and pinch strength.
Cumulative Trauma Disorders ; Female* ; Hand ; Hand Strength* ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles ; Neck ; Pinch Strength* ; Shoulder ; Telephone*

A pregnane steroid, 3α-hydroxy-pregn-7-ene-6,20-dione (1), was isolated from a Hydractinia-associated Cladosporium sphaerospermum SW67 by repetitive column chromatographic separation and highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC) purification. The planar structure of 1 was elucidated from the analysis of the spectroscopic data (1D and 2D NMR spectra) and LC-MS data. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by interpretation of ROESY spectrum of 1, together with the comparison of reported spectroscopic values in previous studies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the identification of the pregnane scaffold from C. sphaerospermum, a natural source. Compound 1 was evaluated for its effects on lipid metabolism and adipogenesis during adipocyte maturation and showed that compound 1 substantially inhibited lipid accumulation compared to the control. Consistently, the expression of the adipocyte marker gene (Adipsin) was reduced upon incubation with 1. Further, we evaluated the effects of 1 on lipid metabolism by measuring the transcription of lipolytic and lipogenic genes. The expression of the lipolytic gene ATGL was significantly elevated upon exposure to 1 during adipogenesis, whereas the expression of lipogenic genes FASN and SREBP1 was significantly reduced upon treatment with 1. Thus, our findings provide experimental evidence that the steroid derived from Hydractinia-associated C. sphaerospermum SW67 is a potential therapeutic agent for obesity.

Experiments, using CO intoxicated male Sprague-Dawley rats, were carried out (1) to see the change of the oxygen tree radical reaction according to partial pressure of oxygen, and (2) to assess the effectiveness of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA), and ethane as a parameter of the reaction. Ethane was measured in exhaled breath anti SOD activity and MDA In brain tissue. Experimental group consist of (1) Control group (=breathing with air[ambient air]), (2) HBO group (=exposed to hyperbaric oxygen(HBO, 3ATA, l00%] after all breath), (3) CO-Air group (=exposed to CO [3,970 ppm] after air breath followed by air breath), (4) CO-HBO group (=exposed to CO after air breath followed by HBO treatment), and (5) CO group (=exposed to CO after air breath, only for SOD activity & MDA measuring). Amount of ethane exhaled during 30 minutes of HBO treatment after GO exposure was significantly greater than those of all the other groups (p-value= .002) , suggesting more oxygen free radical reaction is taken place in CO intoxicated rats treated with higher partial pressure of oxygen. The long-term follow-up studies are required to differentiate the adverse effects of HBO treatment from the sequelae of CO poisoning itself, and to develop the preventive measures for the adverse effect of HBO treatment. And there was no significnat difference among the five groups in SOD activity and MDA measuring (p-value>.05). This result may be accounted for the rapid recovery of SOD activity and the metabolic degradation and excretion of MDA in a short time. In conclusion, measurement of ethane in exhaled breath is more effective than those of SOD activity and MDA as a parameter to assess the oxygen free radical reaction produced by HBO treatment for CO poisoned rats as a whole
Animals ; Brain ; Carbon Monoxide* ; Carbon* ; Ethane ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; Oxygen* ; Partial Pressure* ; Poisoning ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were first described in 2006 and have since emerged as a promising cell source for clinical applications. The rapid progression in iPSC technology is still ongoing and directed toward increasing the efficacy of iPSC production and reducing the immunogenic and tumorigenic potential of these cells. Enormous efforts have been made to apply iPSC-based technology in the clinic, for drug screening approaches and cell replacement therapy. Moreover, disease modeling using patient-specific iPSCs continues to expand our knowledge regarding the pathophysiology and prospective treatment of rare disorders. Furthermore, autologous stem cell therapy with patient-specific iPSCs shows great propensity for the minimization of immune reactions and the provision of a limitless supply of cells for transplantation. In this review, we discuss the recent updates in iPSC technology and the use of iPSCs in disease modeling and regenerative medicine.
Animals ; Cellular Reprogramming ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Gene Targeting ; Humans ; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells/*cytology/*transplantation ; Mice ; Models, Biological ; Regenerative Medicine

Patients with multilevel atherosclerotic disease represent a difficult surgical challenge. In the 5 decades that have relapsed since the introduction of initial methods of revascularization, a wide variety of the therapeutic options have been developed and advocated for management of aortoiliac disease. With the aid of dramatic advance of endovasular technique, various nonoperative catheter based endoluminal therapies have been accentuated in recent years by the explosive growth in vascular surgical procedures. A combination of iliac PTA and distal surgical revascularization would appeal to be a logical and potentially advantageous methods of revascularization in selected patients. This report is a retrospective review of 20 patients who were treated using a combination of lilac transluminal angioplasty and/or stent and infrainguinal reconstruction. They were 19 males and 1 female with an average of 69 years (range : 48 to 74 years). Follow-up period ranged from 1 month to 92 months( median : 28 months). These patients had cormorbid disease including heart disease (35%), hypertension(35%), diabetes mellitus(15%), hyperlipidemia(15%); 90% of the patients were smokers. Ten patients were treated for rest pain or tissue loss, while ten were treated for moderate or severe claudication. Distal operation included 7 femorofemoral bypass, 11 femoropopliteal(AK) bypass, 4 femoropopliteal(BK) bypass, 1 pop-tibial bypass. A mean resting iliac artery pressure gradient of 27.6+/-22.8 mmHg pre-PTA was reduced to 3.1+/-4.3 post PTA. Mean pretreatment ankle/brachial index of 0.36+/-0.28 increased to 0.80+/-0.16 after operation(P<.001). By Kaplan-Meier method, the 5-year primary patency rate of the distal surgical procedures was 72%. The procedures were well tolerated with no mortality and two complication occurred, but all were sucessfully corrected by stent insertion for intimal dissection and Urokinase infusion for thrombosis. Two patients underwent amputation due to preoperative wide skin ulcer and knee joint infection. We conclude that in selected patients, combined use of iliac PTA or stent insertion and distal surgical reconstructions is safe and effective modality for managing the patients with severe multilevel occlusive disease.
Amputation ; Angioplasty ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Catheters ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Knee Joint ; Logic ; Male ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin Ulcer ; Stents ; Thrombosis ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; Vascular Surgical Procedures

Sister-chromatic exchanges measured in the peripheral lymphocytes of 15 non-smoking medical students after exposure to formaldehyde during a 24-week anatomy class showed a small but significant (p=0.0468) increase when compared with samples obtained from the same individuals immediately before exposure. Mean frequencies of sister-chromatic exchange of cultured peripheral lymphocytes were 5.40+/-0.24 from the samples before exposure and 5.87+/-0.22 from the same samples after exposure. Breathing-zone air samples collected by formaldehyde monitoring kit with digital colorimeter (SKC) showed a mean concentration of 0.72+/-0.02 ppm formaldehyde.
Formaldehyde* ; Humans ; Lymphocytes* ; Students, Medical*

Eperisone hydrochloride is an antispasmodic drug, decreasing spasticity of skeletal muscle and alleviating stiffness, and as a consequence, controlling pain. It is preferably prescribed with other analgesics, beneficially less decreasing alertness compared with other antispasmodics. Its fatal drug adverse reactions were rarely reported. A 70 year-old female with hives, swollen face, hoarse voice, and near fainting admitted via emergency department. She suffered from the series of the fatal symptoms after administration of the pills, prescribed for her neck pain. Two months before, she had experienced hives on similar medications. At presentation, she revealed hypoxemia and hypotension, and treated with epinephrine, glucocorticoids and antihistamines. Among the medicines she took, eperisone hydrochloride was proven as the causative medicine and others were excluded in oral provocation tests. The positive result in intradermal test with eperisone hydrochloride suggested immediate-type hypersensitivity reaction. We report a case of anaphylaxis to eperisone hydrochloride, one of the widely prescribed medicines in clinical practice, previously without awareness of drug adverse reaction.
Analgesics ; Anaphylaxis ; Anoxia ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; Emergencies ; Epinephrine ; Female ; Glucocorticoids ; Histamine Antagonists ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; Hypotension ; Intradermal Tests ; Muscle Spasticity ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles ; Neck Pain ; Parasympatholytics ; Propiophenones ; Syncope ; Urticaria ; Voice