Purpose: Firefighting duties range from field roles such as suppression, rescue, and emergency medical services (EMS) to various administrative tasks. Despite these differences, they face uniform fitness standards in Korea. This study seeks to define distinct fitness needs for each duty and provide data for customized standards. Methods: One hundred seventy-six Korean male firefighters participated, categorized into suppression (n=76), rescue (n=22), administrative (n=27), and EMS (n=51) roles. All underwent maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) tests for aerobic capacity, with body composition measured using bioelectrical impedance and height recorded with a stadiometer. Results: The VO2 max (mL/kg/min) among Korean male firefighters varied across different job duties: suppression (39.96±5.84), rescue (44.84±4.85), administration (40.27±7.01), and EMS (40.51±6.75). Rescue had the highest VO2 max, which was significantly higher (p=0.013). The body mass index (BMI, kg/m2 ) values were as follows: suppression (25.07±2.55), rescue (24.95±1.71), EMS (24.33±3.21), and administration (25.10±2.48). There was no statistically significant difference in BMI values (p=0.464). Conclusion This study evaluated the VO2 max and BMI of South Korean male firefighters according to their job duties. It found that 54.5% did not meet the recommended VO2 max standard of 42 mL/kg/min for their activities, and 77.5% had a BMI indicating overweight or higher. However, it is important to note that not every firefighting duty requires high fitness levels. The key is ensuring firefighters possess the fitness necessary for their specific roles to maintain safety and efficiency. The study aims to provide data for creating fitness management guidelines tailored to the diverse duties of firefighters.

Purpose: This study investigates the impact of self-myofascial release using a foam roller on the quadriceps femoris for pelvic stability.We further compare the effects of a GRID surface Foam Roller (GFR), a Non-Vibration Foam Roller (NVFR), and a Vibration Foam Roller (VFR). Methods: Thirty healthy adults (15 males, 15 females) participated in this study and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions:GFR, NVFR, or VFR. Participants walked at self-selected speeds with an arm sling before and after foam roller stretching. The analyzed gait parameters included pelvic tilt, pelvic obliquity, and pelvic rotation. Results: In the NVFR and VFR groups, there was a Significant differences were obtained in the pelvic tilt between pre-test and post-test values (p< 0.05) in the NVFR and VFR groups, but no significant difference was observed in the GFR group (p> 0.05). Comparing the amount of change between the three groups exhibited a significant decrease in pelvic tilt in the NVFR and VFR groups compared to the GFR group (p< 0.017). No significant differences were found in pelvic obliquity and pelvic rotation (p> 0.05) in all groups. Conclusion While walking, the use of a VFR for self-myofascial release results in pelvic alteration by reducing the anterior pelvic tilt. We propose that a foam roller can be utilized to enhance pelvic stability during gait.

The immunomodulatory and antitumor effects of lactic acid bacteria (LABs) were investigated. Cytoplasmic fraction of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium longum were tested for the antiproliferative activity in vitro to SNUC2A, SNU1, NIH/3T3 and Jurkat cell lines by crystal violet assay. All cytoplasmic fraction suppressed proliferation of tumor cells, though L. casei and B. longum were more effective. From these results, cytoplasmic fraction of L. casei and B. longum with Y400 as a control were administered as dietary supplements to Balb/c mice for 2, and 4 consecutive wks. Administration for 4 wks enhanced the number of total T cells, NK cells and MHC class II+ cells, and CD4-CD8+ T cells in flow cytometry analysis. To determine of antitumor activity of LABs preparation in vivo, F9 teratocarcinoma cells were inoculated on mice at 14th day. Body weight was decreased with increased survival rate in all groups with the cytoplasm of LABs. Our results showed that cytoplasmic fraction of LABs had direct antiproliferative effects on tumor cell lines in vitro, effects on immune cells in vivo, and antitumor effects on tumor-bearing mice with prolonged survival periods.
3T3 Cells ; Animals ; *Bifidobacterium ; Body Weight ; Cell Division/physiology ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Jurkat Cells ; Killer Cells, Natural/immunology ; *Lactobacillus casei ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Neoplasms, Experimental/immunology/*therapy ; Probiotics/*pharmacology ; Survival Analysis ; T-Lymphocytes/immunology

OBJECTIVE: To report various anatomic locations and clinical characteristics of pathologically proven myofibroblastoma in Koran patients. METHODS: Pathologic reports of patients who underwent surgeries at two centers between April 2003 and March 2016 were retrieved from the electronic medical record system of the hospital. Pathologic reports were included after performing a search using the keyword “myofibroblastoma”. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 11 subjects and included eight female and three male individuals. The patients' ages ranged from 9 to 66 years. Tumors were located in the vagina in three patients and presented in the breast in seven patients. One case presented with an abdominal mass. The tumors ranged in mean size from 4.0 to 53.0 mm. Despite a relatively long-term follow-up, no case had evidence of tumor recurrence. CONCLUSION: We evaluated the various anatomic locations of pathologically proven myofibroblastoma in Korean patients. As an extremely rare tumor, physicians should pay special attention to differential diagnosis. Surgical resection is the preferred method for a cure, and the recurrence rate is extremely low.
Anatomic Variation ; Breast ; Cohort Studies ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Electronic Health Records ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Methods ; Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue* ; Recurrence ; Vagina

With the advent of magnetic resonance image (MRI), direct visualization of the spinal cord tumors and their relationship to the surrounding structures becomes possible. A clinical analysis was done retrospectively in forty patients suffering from primary spinal tumors and were treated surgically from November 1991 to November 1995. There were 19 male and 21 female patients, peak incidence occurs in the sixth decade of life. The tumor with the highest incidence was neurogenic tumor (42.5%), followed by glial tumor and meningioma. The most frequent symptom was pain. On radiological evaluation, simple plain X-ray showed abnormality in 37.5% of cases, in which the most common positive finding was pedicle erosion (20%). CT was performed in 38 cases and MRI in 31. The MRI reveals not only morphologic abnormalities but also diversities in signal intensity. These findings helped us to establish pathologic diagnosis and operative planning. Surgery was performed via anterior(5%) and posterior(95%) approaches. Total removal was possible in 70% of the cases and subtotal removal in 30%. Evaluation of the patient's symptom and neurologic deficit was done one month after operation, it was found that about 80% of the patients recovered or have their conditions improved. Complications were developed in 3 cases.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Meningioma ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms

Lifestyle is a critical aspect of diabetes management. We aimed to define a healthy lifestyle using objectively measured parameters obtained from a wearable activity tracker (Fitbit) in patients with type 2 diabetes. This prospective observational study included 24 patients (mean age, 46.8 years) with type 2 diabetes. Expectation–maximization clustering analysis produced two groups: A (n=9) and B (n=15). Group A had a higher daily step count, lower resting heart rate, longer sleep duration, and lower mean time differences in going to sleep and waking up than group B. A Shapley additive explanation summary analysis indicated that sleep-related factors were key elements for clustering. The mean hemoglobin A1c level was 0.3 percentage points lower at the end of follow-up in group A than in group B. Factors related to regular sleep patterns could be possible determinants of lifestyle clustering in patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Several types of three-dimensional (3D)-printed tracheal scaffolds have been reported. Nonetheless, most of these studies concentrated only on application of the final product to an in vivo animal study and could not show the effects of various 3D printing methods, materials, or parameters for creation of an optimal 3D-printed tracheal scaffold. The purpose of this study was to characterize polycaprolactone (PCL) tracheal scaffolds 3D-printed by the 4-axis fused deposition modeling (FDM) method and determine the differences in the scaffold depending on the additive manufacturing method. METHODS: The standard 3D trachea model for FDM was applied to a 4-axis FDM scaffold and conventional FDM scaffold. The scaffold morphology, mechanical properties, porosity, and cytotoxicity were evaluated. Scaffolds were implanted into a 7 × 10-mm artificial tracheal defect in rabbits. Four and 8 weeks after the operation, the reconstructed sites were evaluated by bronchoscopic, radiological, and histological analyses. RESULTS: The 4-axis FDM provided greater dimensional accuracy and was significantly closer to CAD software-based designs with a predefined pore size and pore interconnectivity as compared to the conventional scaffold. The 4-axis tracheal scaffold showed superior mechanical properties. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the 4-axis FDM process is more suitable for the development of an accurate and mechanically superior trachea scaffold.
Animals ; Methods ; Porosity ; Printing, Three-Dimensional* ; Rabbits ; Trachea*

Background: This study aimed to investigate the recent prevalence, management, and comorbidities of diabetes among Korean adults aged ≥30 years by analyzing nationally representative data. Methods: This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2016 to 2018, and the percentage and total number of people ≥30 years of age with diabetes and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) were estimated. Results: In 2018, 13.8% of Korean adults aged ≥30 years had diabetes, and adults aged ≥65 years showed a prevalence rate of 28%. The prevalence of IFG was 26.9% in adults aged ≥30 years. From 2016 to 2018, 35% of the subjects with diabetes were not aware of their condition. Regarding comorbidities, 53.2% and 61.3% were obese and hypertensive, respectively, and 72% had hypercholesterolemia as defined by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥100 mg/dL in people with diabetes. Of the subjects with diabetes, 43.7% had both hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. With regard to glycemic control, only 28.3% reached the target level of <6.5%. Moreover, only 11.5% of subjects with diabetes met all three targets of glycosylated hemoglobin, blood pressure, and LDL-C. The percentage of energy intake from carbohydrates was higher in diabetes patients than in those without diabetes, while that from protein and fat was lower in subjects with diabetes. Conclusion The high prevalence and low control rate of diabetes and its comorbidities in Korean adults were confirmed. More stringent efforts are needed to improve the comprehensive management of diabetes to reduce diabetes-related morbidity and mortality.

Background: As the number of large-scale studies involving multiple organizations producing data has steadily increased, an integrated system for a common interoperable format is needed. In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a number of global efforts are underway to develop vaccines and therapeutics. We are therefore observing an explosion in the proliferation of COVID-19 data, and interoperability is highly requested in multiple institutions participating simultaneously in COVID-19 pandemic research. Results: In this study, a laboratory information management system (LIMS) approach has been adopted to systemically manage various COVID-19 non-clinical trial data, including mortality, clinical signs, body weight, body temperature, organ weights, viral titer (viral replication and viral RNA), and multiorgan histopathology, from multiple institutions based on a web interface. The main aim of the implemented system is to integrate, standardize, and organize data collected from laboratories in multiple institutes for COVID-19 non-clinical efficacy testings. Six animal biosafety level 3 institutions proved the feasibility of our system. Substantial benefits were shown by maximizing collaborative high-quality non-clinical research. Conclusions This LIMS platform can be used for future outbreaks, leading to accelerated medical product development through the systematic management of extensive data from non-clinical animal studies.

Viral load and the duration of viral shedding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are important determinants of the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019.In this study, we examined the effects of viral doses on the lung and spleen of K18-hACE2 transgenic mice by temporal histological and transcriptional analyses. Approximately, 1×105 plaque-forming units (PFU) of SARS-CoV-2 induced strong host responses in the lungs from 2 days post inoculation (dpi) which did not recover until the mice died, whereas responses to the virus were obvious at 5 days, recovering to the basal state by 14 dpi at 1×102 PFU. Further, flow cytometry showed that number of CD8+ T cells continuously increased in 1×102 PFU-virusinfected lungs from 2 dpi, but not in 1×105 PFU-virus-infected lungs. In spleens, responses to the virus were prominent from 2 dpi, and number of B cells was significantly decreased at 1×105PFU; however, 1×102 PFU of virus induced very weak responses from 2 dpi which recovered by 10 dpi. Although the defense responses returned to normal and the mice survived, lung histology showed evidence of fibrosis, suggesting sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our findings indicate that specific effectors of the immune response in the lung and spleen were either increased or depleted in response to doses of SARS-CoV-2. This study demonstrated that the response of local and systemic immune effectors to a viral infection varies with viral dose, which either exacerbates the severity of the infection or accelerates its elimination.