OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate the differences in Farmer's syndrome between greenhouse-melon farmers and rice farmers. METHODS: The study included 160 residents, who lived in rural community. Of those subjects, 73 and 87 subjects were assigned to the greenhouse-melon farmers and rice farmers. Data collection was conducted from June 1 to July 30, 2006. Respondents were interviewed by means of a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: This study showed that greenhouse-melon farmers had a lower average age, shorter experience of farming, more working hours per day than rice farmers (p<0.05). Prevalence of the Farmer's syndrome in greenhouse-melon farmers was 38.4% respectively, the prevalence in rice farmers was 22.6%. There was statistically significant difference in the prevalence of Farmer's syndrome between greenhouse-melon and rice farmers (p<0.05). The most frequent symptoms among eight symptoms that constitute the Farmer's syndrome were lumbago, shoulder pain and nocturnal urination regardless of type of farming. But greenhouse-melon farmers had higher prevalence of muskuloskeletal symptoms, such as lumbago and shoulder pain, than rice farmers (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results showed that prevalence of Farmer's syndrome was more common in the greenhouse-melon farmers than rice farmers. Therefore we should give a special attention to develop farming tools which reduce physical burden and take a rest and exercise periodically during work in the greenhouse-melon farmers.
Cucurbitaceae ; Low Back Pain ; Prevalence ; Rural Population ; Shoulder Pain ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Urination

This is cross-sectional study a potential relationship between air conduction hearing threshold and blood viscosity in normal adult males(n=1677). We measure hearing threshold in frequency level at 500, 1000, 2000, 4000Hz by pure-tone audiometry and RBC profiles contains red cell number, hemoglobin, hematocrit. Blood viscosity replaced by hematocrit that are one major factor of influencing blood viscosity. PTAs(pure-tone averages) measured by hearing threshold averages level at 500Hz, 1000Hz, 2000Hz by pure-tone audiometry. Grades of PTAs(pure-tone averages) are less then 10.0dB group, between 10.0-19.9dB group and excess 20.0dB. The results are significantly association among hematocrit, red cell number and hearing loss(age adjust by ANACOVA).
Adult* ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Blood Viscosity* ; Cell Count ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Hearing* ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Male*

Despite efforts to control the spread of malaria, the disease persists in certain parts of the world. Moreover, there has been a resurgence of the disease recently. Another protozoan disease, babesiosis is a disease of animals; Humans are infected only incidentally, and when they are infected, they develop a nonspecific febrile illness. Babesia organism enters red blood cells and resembles malaria parasites, thus posing a problem in the differential diagnosis. We encountered an imported case of mixed infection of malaria and babesia. The patient was a 20-year old Korean male who had been in Saong-dume near Gabon for 3 months. We treated him with chloroquine with the diagnosis of Plasmodium malariae infection, but fever recurred after 2 weeks of the treatment. The second peripheral blood smear findings revealed specific ring forms of Babesia spp, so we changed to quinine and clindamycin. The treatment was successful and the patient was well after 4 months of follow-up period.
Animals ; Babesia* ; Babesiosis ; Chloroquine ; Clindamycin ; Coinfection* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Erythrocytes ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gabon ; Humans ; Malaria* ; Male ; Parasites ; Plasmodium malariae ; Quinine ; Young Adult

Blunt chest trauma may cause a variety of cardiac injuries, such as cardiac contusion, congestive heart failure due to myocardial injury or disruption of intracardiac structures, and more severely, instantaneous death. Traumatic rupture of the interventricular septum secondary to blunt chest trauma is extremely rare. Rupture of the interventricular septum may occur almost immediately after injury or many days later. The most common site of rupture is in the muscular portion of the septum near the apex. The exact mechanism of ventricular septal rupture in blunt trauma is unknown but it is thought to occur by external compression of the heart between the sternum and the vertebrae or as a result of extreme changes in intrathoracic pressure during sudden deceleration. We report an autopsy case of intraventricular septum rupture due to blunt chest trauma. A comatous 28-year-old male was admitted to emergency room after blunt chest trauma by unidentified object. He was treated with supportive care but expired two days later. The autopsy findings were as follows. The dead boy was slightly slender. External wound and patterned bruise were not present. In submentopubic incision, both pleural fluid (right 700ml, left 450ml) and ascites (400ml) were noted. The posterior wall of left ventricle showed hemorrhage measuring 1cm in diameter. On opening the heart, there was interventricular septum rupture measuring 3.5cm in length. Other cardiac structures were unremarkable. On light microscopic examination, endothelial cell was not seen in ruptured portion and both lung showed severe congestion and edema.
Adult ; Ascites ; Autopsy ; Contusions ; Deceleration ; Edema ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Endothelial Cells ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Heart Ventricles ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Rupture* ; Spine ; Sternum ; Thorax* ; Ventricular Septal Rupture ; Wounds and Injuries

Blunt chest trauma may cause a variety of cardiac injuries, such as cardiac contusion, congestive heart failure due to myocardial injury or disruption of intracardiac structures, and more severely, instantaneous death. Traumatic rupture of the interventricular septum secondary to blunt chest trauma is extremely rare. Rupture of the interventricular septum may occur almost immediately after injury or many days later. The most common site of rupture is in the muscular portion of the septum near the apex. The exact mechanism of ventricular septal rupture in blunt trauma is unknown but it is thought to occur by external compression of the heart between the sternum and the vertebrae or as a result of extreme changes in intrathoracic pressure during sudden deceleration. We report an autopsy case of intraventricular septum rupture due to blunt chest trauma. A comatous 28-year-old male was admitted to emergency room after blunt chest trauma by unidentified object. He was treated with supportive care but expired two days later. The autopsy findings were as follows. The dead boy was slightly slender. External wound and patterned bruise were not present. In submentopubic incision, both pleural fluid (right 700ml, left 450ml) and ascites (400ml) were noted. The posterior wall of left ventricle showed hemorrhage measuring 1cm in diameter. On opening the heart, there was interventricular septum rupture measuring 3.5cm in length. Other cardiac structures were unremarkable. On light microscopic examination, endothelial cell was not seen in ruptured portion and both lung showed severe congestion and edema.
Adult ; Ascites ; Autopsy ; Contusions ; Deceleration ; Edema ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Endothelial Cells ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Heart Ventricles ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Rupture* ; Spine ; Sternum ; Thorax* ; Ventricular Septal Rupture ; Wounds and Injuries

Behcet's disease is multi-systemic vasculitis affecting all sizes of arteries and veins. The prevalence of coronary involvement in Behcet's disease is extremely rare. A 35-year-old woman with one-year history of Behcet's disease was in hospitalized with pseudoaneurysm of left anterior descending coronary artery, which was detected by echocardiography. The patient was successfully treated by implantation of an endovascular graft-stent.
Adult ; Aneurysm, False* ; Arteries ; Coronary Vessels* ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Vasculitis ; Veins

BACKGROUND: Airborne particles during Yellow Sand phenomena are known to be associated with the respiratory disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the concentration and metal component properties of Yellow Sand particles and compare with airborne microbial concentration and species in non Yellow Sand and Yellow Sand phenomena. METHODS: Samplings were carried out in 2002 in Seosan, during non Yellow Sand and Yellow Sand phenomena. Samples were taken using the 8-stage Cascade impactor and metallic elements were analyzed by XRF. Those were culture on the media for bacterial and fungal culture and celline for virus. RESULTS: The concentration of total suspended particulate matter were respectively 80.2microgram/m3, 40.3microgram/m3 in non Yellow Sand and Yellow Sand phenomena. The concentration of metallic elements such as Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn in Yellow Sand phenomena were higher than its in non Yellow Sand. Two bacteria, Bacillus species and Staphylococcus were grown in two periods. In both periods, several fungal spores(Mucor species, Cladosporum, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Alternaria species) were identified. The differences of bacteria and fungus species not observed in Yellow Sand and non Yellow Sand. Any viruses were not isolated in between both periods. CONCLUSIONS: The concentration of total suspended particulate matter and some metallic elements in Yellow Sand phenomena were higher than its in non Yellow Sand. The difference of bacteria and fungus species was not observed in non Yellow Sand and Yellow Sand phenomena.
Alternaria ; Aspergillus ; Bacillus ; Bacteria ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Fungi ; Particulate Matter* ; Penicillium ; Silicon Dioxide* ; Staphylococcus

BACKGROUND: The number of patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction is on the increase in Korea due to the westernization of life style. Recent improvement of therapeutic stratigies have shown early mortality benefits in acute myocardial infarction. But we don't have data how many patients died and what's the cause of death in these patients. This study aimed to find out the mortality rate, cause of death and it's relevant prognostic factors of myocardial infarction (MI) patients who admitted alive, and to construct a database which will be used to develop a risk stratification strategy for the implementation of new preventive therapeutic modalities, such as implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). METHODS: Seven hundred and forty two MI patients admitted to our hospital from March, 1999 to August, 2002 were included in this study. The risk factors and survivals were evaluated by medical record searching and telephone survey in these patients. RESULTS: The average age was 64 years-old and 67% was male. During the mean follow up 20.7+/-15.4 months, total 105 cardiac death (14.2%) was occurred and cumulative mortality rate at 1 year and 2 year was 5.69% and 10.80%, respectively. Of the total 129 death, in-hospital death was 68 (cardiac death 48, non-cardiac death 20) and out of hospital death was 60 (cardiac death 57, non-cardiac death 4). When it comes to cause of death, most common cause of cardiac death was malignant arrhythmia. The proportion of malignant arrhythmia in cardiac death was 81.3% and 72% of in-hospital and out of hospital death, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that old age, low LV ejection fraction and no percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) treatment were independent risk factors for cardiac mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial infarction shows still high mortality rate despite the recent development of therapeutic strategy. As post-MI patients with low LVEF or no PCI shows high mortality, the early reperfusion therapy should be encouraged. Additionally, because malignant arrhythmia was one of the most in cause of cardiac death, ICD therapy to prevent sudden cardiac death should be considered in an active manner.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cause of Death* ; Death ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Defibrillators, Implantable ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Male ; Medical Records ; Middle Aged ; Mortality* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Reperfusion ; Risk Factors ; Telephone

PURPOSE: To determine the differential findings of benign and malignant parotid masses, as seen on CT and MRimaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The CT(24 cases of benign and 10 cases of malignant masses) and MR imaging(18cases of benign and 9 cases of malignant masses) findings of parotid gland masses confirmed by surgery orhistopathology were analyzed by two radiologists ; they focused on size, cystic change, the presence ofcalcification within the mass, density or signal intensity and margin, degree of contrast enhancement andhomogeneity, location and bilaterality, associated findings-including infiltration into surrounding structures andlymphadenopathy. RESULTS: In one of the 34 cases seen on CT, precontrast images were not available. In 15 of 23benign cases(65.2%), the density of the mass, as seen on pre-contrast enhanced CT scan, was lower than that ofmuscle. In ten malignant cases, density lower than that of muscle was noted in only two cases (20%). OnT2-weighted images, low signal intensity to fat was noted in five of nine cases(55.5%) of malignant lesion, but inno cases involving benign parotid masses. On CT scanning, an indistinct margin of the masses was observed in fiveof 24 benign cases(20.8%) and three of ten malignant cases(30%), but on MR imaging, this was seen in three of 18benign cases(16.7%) and 6 of 9 malignant cases(66.7%). On pre-contrast enhanced CT scan, 15 of 23 benign casesshowed homogenous density, but 12 of these 15 (80%) changed to inhomogenous on post-contrast enhanced CT scan.Among the 12, pleomorphic adenoma accounted for ten cases(83.3%). On CT scanning, infiltration into surroundingstructures including subcutaneous fat tissue was observed in three of 24 benign cases(12.5%) and four of tenmalignant cases(40.0%) ; and on MR imaging, in one of 18 benign cases(5.5%) and six of nine malignantcases(66.7%). CONCLUSION: If a mass of lower attenuation than that of muscle is seen on pre-contrast enhanced CTscan, or density patterns change from homogenous on pre-contrast CT to inhomogenous on post-contrast CT scan, themass may be benign. However, for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant parotid masses, the margin ofthe mass is not helpful. Masses which on T2-weighted MR images show an indistinct margin, lower signal intensityto fat and infiltration into surrounding structure are more likely to be malignant. CT and MR findings relating tomass size, cystic change within mass, and lymphadenopathy are not, however, helpful for the differential diagnosisof benign and malignant parotid masses.
Adenoma, Pleomorphic ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Parotid Gland ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To evaluate changes in tuberculous cavities, one of the major factors used to determine the activityof tubereulosis, by high-resolution CT(HRCT) in active pulmonary tuberculosis patients after antituberculoustherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The HRCT findings of 41 patients with active tuberculosis were analyzed withparticular emphasis on the appearance of tuberculous cavities before and after therapy. We measured the largestdiameter and maximal wall thickness of the cavities, as well as accompanying changes occurring during follow-up.The mean interval between initial and follow-up study was 8.7 months(minimum:4.1, maximum:33.2;S.D.: +/-5.0) andthe mean duration of antituberculous therapy was 7.5 months(minimum:4.7, maximum:14.8;S.D.: RESULTS: Among 41patients, 54 cavities were found on initial HRCT. Thirty one(57.4%) of these disappeared during follow up HRCTwith residual changes such as residual fibrotic scar(n=15), granuloma(10), paracicatrical emphysema(7),calcification(3), traction bronchiectasis(3), consolidation(3) and bullous emphysema(1). Twenty three of thecavities(42.6%) decreased in size and wall thickness, but did not disappear completely during follow-upexamination. Mean largest diameter and maximal thickness of 23 cavities were 32.0mm(+/-13.9) and 7.9mm(+/-4.8) oninitial HRCT, falling to 20.9mm(+/-12.5) and 4.1mm(+/-2.6), respectively, during follow-up HRCT. Among four patientswho underwent a second follow-up, the largest diameter and maximal thickness of the cavities decreasedcontinuously. In two patients, however, the cavities did not did not disappeas, though in the other two they haddisappeared by the time follow-up HRCT was performed a second time. CONCLUSION: During follow-up HRCT afterantituberculous therapy(mean duration of 7.5 months), 57.4%(31/54) of cavities were seen to have disappeared, withresidual changes such as fibrotic scars, granulomas, paracicatrical emphysema and calcification ; 42.6% of thecavitivies still remained, however, with retractive and fibrotic change. Such fibrotic and retractive changesshould not, therefore, be taken as indicative of active tuberculosis, especially in patients who have successfullycompleted their medication.
Cicatrix ; Emphysema ; Follow-Up Studies ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Lung ; Traction ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary