In order to study the exposure level of silica dust and the effects of silica dust on ventilatory function, respirable dust samples were collected by personal air samplers using NIOSH method 0500 from the selected foundry operations, and ventilatory function tests were performed on 209 male foundry workers and 239 male control subjects. Ventilatory indices such as forced vital capacity (FVC) , one-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1), ratio of FEV1 to FVC(FEV1 %), maximal mid-expiratory flow(MMF), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and maximal expiratory flow at 25, 50 and 75 % of expired FVC (FEF25, FEF50, FEF75 were obtained by analyzing forced expiratory spirogram and maximal expiratory flow-volume curve which were simultaneously measured by Vitalography in standing position. The results were as follows : 1. The average quartz concentrations of respirable dust were the highest in melting operation (0.079 mg/m3) and followed by molding operation (0.051 mg/m3), finishing operation (0.041 mg/m3) and coremaking operation (0.023 mg/m3) in the descending order. 2. No significant differences for mean values of all ventilatory indices expressed as percent of predicted value were demonstrated between smokers and nonsmokers In foundry workers and control subjects. 3. Mean values of all ventilatory indices except FVC of foundry workers were significantly lower than those of control subjects. 4. Mean values of FEV1 %, MMF, FEF25, FEF50 and FEF75 expressed as percent of predicted value tended to decrease with increasing cumulative dust exposure. 5. In foundry workers, proportions of workers with low MMF, FEF50 and FEF75 were markedly higher than those with other indices, and were significantly increased with increasing cumulative dust exposure. 6. In foundry workers, 2 workers(1.0 %) were diagnosed as silicosis and the profusion of radiographic opacities were category 1/0 and q type. With the above considerations in mind, it suggested that increasing exposure of silica dust be associated with progressive deterioration in ventilatory function of an obstructive nature and that MMF, FEF50 and FEF75 be more sensitive indices in the detection of the early obstructive changes of air flow of workers exposed to silica dust.
Dust* ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Freezing ; Fungi ; Humans ; Male ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (U.S.) ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Quartz ; Silicon Dioxide* ; Silicosis ; Vital Capacity

The cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A subfamily is estimated to participate in the biotransformation of 50% of the currently prescribed drugs. Four members of the CYP3A subfamily have been identified in humans: CYP3A4, CYP3A5, CYP3A7, and CYP3A43. Initial data suggested that CYP3A5 accounts for only a small proportion of the total hepatic CYP3A in about 20% of samples, but it was later revealed that CYP3A5 represents more than 50% of the total CYP3A amount in some individuals. Several genetic variants have been described for the CYP3A5 gene, of which the CYP3A5*3 allele (gA6986G), the most common form and leading to the loss of CYP3A5 activity, has been extensively investigated in the aspect of pharmacokinetics and disease risk. This review summarized the molecular characteristics of the CYP3A5 gene, and discusses the association of the CYP3A5*3 polymorphism with disease risks such as cancer and hypertension, along with its role in the pharmacokinetics of CYP3A substrates.
Alleles ; Biotransformation ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Pharmacogenetics ; Pharmacokinetics

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify the level of Human papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge, intention of HPV vaccination, and barriers on HPV vaccination among male undergraduate students of Health department and Non-health department. METHODS: A total of 149 male undergraduate students responded to self-administered questionnaires about their HPV knowledge, HPV vaccination intention, and their barriers on HPV vaccination. ANOVA, t-test and χ2 test (Fisher's exact test) were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Mean score of HPV knowledge was 3.39±3.05, and there was significant difference between Health department (4.15±3.08) and Non-health department (2.58±2.82) in HPV knowledge (t=3.241, p=.001). There was no significant difference in HPV vaccination acceptance between the two groups. The barriers on HPV vaccination were 'lack of information about HPV vaccine efficacy' and 'lack of information about HPV vaccination time and strategy', and there were significant differences in barriers on HPV vaccination between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The knowledge on HPV was low, and HPV vaccination was hindered due to lack of information about HPV vaccine despite their intention to obtain HPV vaccine. HPV education to promote HPV vaccination should be targeted among male students.
Education ; Humans ; Intention* ; Male* ; Papillomaviridae ; Statistics as Topic ; Vaccination*

BACKGROUND: Recent increase in use of the periodic health screening is due to a concern for health. But study of patient's compliance with recommended periodic health screening has not yet been conducted. This study was accomplished to clarify which aspect to be considered in order to increase patient's compliance after health screening. METHODS: This study was done from March 3 to May 15 in 1997 by Hanil health care center, Among 370 workers in a state-run corporation who received health screening tw? years ago, 170 men were advised to receive an additional laboratory test or treatment at the time. They were asked to fill out a questionnaire and were inte?iewed by doctors to evaluate their compliance. 162 of 170 patients(95.3%) were enrolled in the study, except 8 patients who did not answer the questionnaire. RESURTS: The mean age of patients was 54 years. Most of them were technicians and managers, graduated from high school or higher, and had an annual income of at least 35,000,000 won. The disease of requiring an additional test or treatment were in the order of liver disease, hypertension, gastrointestinal disease, urologic disease and abnormal urinalysis. 68 patients(42%) were compliant and 94 patients(58%) were noncompliant. For reasons of noncompliance,27 patients(28.7%) answered "because l had no symptoms", 20 patients(21.2%) answered "because I didn't think I needed the test or the treatment" and 12 patients(12.7%) answered "because I was busy". The factors influencing compliance were analyzed through chi-square or Fisher's exact test. Their compliance was highly related to the patients'insight into the necessity of the test. the existing disease, and the reporting method of the health screening results. It was not associated with the patients'feeling about their health status, the health behaviors such as smoking and drinking, occupational factors, distance from shire homes to the hospital, or the presence of a hospital near home for those who didn't live in Seoul. The independent effect of the factors influencing the compliance was evaluated by means of stratified analysis. The only independent factor associated with the compliance was the patients' insight. The compliance according to diseases was higher than average in hypertension, liver disease, diabetes mellitus and urologic disease, and lower than average in pulmonary disease, gastrointestinal disease, thyroid disease, cardiac disease, opthalmologic disease and abnormal urinalysis. CONCLUSIONS: The most influencing factor related to compliance was the patient's insight into the necessity of the further testing. We should consider a proper way to increase compliance on health screening. Direct counseling, if possible, is recommended following health screening and way to increase patient's compliance utiliging mail report as another.
Compliance* ; Counseling ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Drinking ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Health Behavior ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Liver Diseases ; Lung Diseases ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Postal Service ; Seoul ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Thyroid Diseases ; Urinalysis ; Urologic Diseases ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: We carried out this study to determine if there is any difference in the occurrence rate of the epileptiform discharge between awake EEG and sleep EEG and if there are any factors influencing on the occurrence rate of EEG. METHODS: This study included 178 epileptic children who had visited neurology clinic of the department of pediatrics, Pusan National University Hospital from July 2005 to July 2006. The medical and EEG records of these children who had had both awake EEG and sleep EEG were reviewed. We analysed the occurrence rate of the epileptiform discharge between awake EEG and sleep EEG. We investigated the related clinical factors which included sex, seizure types, underlying causes, age at first seizure, antiepileptic drug (AED) medication, age at recording, and background activity. RESULTS: Among 178 epileptic children, 91 patients (51.1%) showed epileptiform discharge in awake or sleep states, 10 patients (11.0%) abnormal only in awake, 40 patients (44.0%) abnormal only in sleep, 41 patients (45.0%) abnormal in both awake EEG and sleep EEG. The occurrence rate of sleep EEG was 81 of 178 patients (45.5%) which was more than that of the awake EEG (28.7%) (P<0.001). The occurrence rate of sleep EEG is more than that of the awake EEG regardless of sex and underlying causes. But there is no significant difference from awake EEG and sleep EEG in finding the epileptiform discharge in the patient with generalized seizure, younger than 5 years old at first seizure, younger than 10 years old at recording, no antiepileptic medication, and abnormal background activity. CONCLUSION: The sleep EEG is thought to be more helpful in the diagnosis of childhood epilepsy.
Child ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Neurology ; Pediatrics ; Seizures

PURPOSE: Respiratory viral infection is one of the most common diseases in febrile infants. This study evaluates the clinical characteristics of febrile infants who were hospitalized for respiratory symptoms, with or without respiratory viral detection. METHODS: Seventy-six hospitalized infants aged 28-90 days with fever and respiratory symptoms from January 2011 to December 2012 were enrolled in this study. We performed reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction to identify 7 respiratory viruses from nasopharyngeal swabs. Also, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records to analyze the clinical features. RESULTS: Respiratory viruses were detected in 45 patients (RVP group). Respiratory syncytial virus (n=16) was most frequently detected, followed by human rhinovirus (n=10). Age, sex, past illness, and sibling's respiratory symptoms showed no differences between the 2 groups. Infants in the RVP group had a significantly higher incidence of tachypnea (22.2%) and abnormal breathing sounds (wheezing and rales, 57.8%) than those in the negative group (P=0.021, P=0.002 each). There were no significant differences in laboratory findings between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: In our study, RSV was the most common virus in febrile infants aged 28-90 days with respiratory symptoms. Tachypnea and abnormal breathing sounds were more reliable clinical features to guess the detection of respiratory viruses. Further studies are required to confirm the values of these clinical features in febrile infants who have lower respiratory tract infections.
Fever ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Medical Records ; Respiratory Sounds ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Retrospective Studies ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rhinovirus ; Tachypnea

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis(ABPA) is an inflammatory disease which causes a hypersensitivity to Aspergillus spores growing in the bronchi. The clinical syndrome is characterized by asthma, recurrent pulmonary infiltrations or mucoid impaction, eosinophilia, and central bronchiectasis. A 12-year-old boy was admitted to our hospital because of right lower chest pain and cystic mass-like shadows on a chest X-ray film. He had asthma as an infant, but had no asthmatic symptoms on admission. Chest CT scan showed low density cystic mass of the right lower lobe. The total eosinophil count and IgE level were abnormally high. Test for immediate skin reaction to Aspergillus fumigatus was positive but precipitating antibody to Aspergillus antigen was negative. After steroid treatment, he became asymptomatic. Radiologic abnormalities including mass-like shadows were resolved by two months after the start of treatment and a follow-up high resolution CT scan obtained after clinical improvement revealed central saccular bronchiectasis. We report one case of ABPA with review of literature.
Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary* ; Aspergillus ; Aspergillus fumigatus ; Asthma ; Bronchi ; Bronchiectasis ; Chest Pain ; Child ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Infant ; Male ; Skin ; Spores ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; X-Ray Film

PURPOSE: Assessment of the diameters of the aortic arches in the human fetus may be helpful in the prenatal diagnosis of aortic arch anomalies. The purpose of this study is to construct valuable reference ranges of fetal aortic arch for various fetal growth parameters in an unselected Korean population. METHODS: A prospective, cross-sectional study was performed in 98 normal singleton fetuses between 20 and 38 weeks of gestation. The transverse aortic arch diameter (TAD) and distal aorta isthmus diameter (AID) were measured in the longitudinal view during systole. The bi-parietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC) and femur length (FL) were obtained at the same time. Ultrasound examinations were performed with a 2.0-6.0 MHz convex probe by abdominal ultrasound. RESULTS: TAD and AID as a function of gestational age (GA) was expressed by the regression equation TAD= -1.246+0.168 X GA, and AID = -1.341+0.180 X GA; TAD and AID are expressed in millimeters and GA in weeks. TAD and AID as a function of BPD was expressed by the regression equation TAD= -1.147+0.664 X BPD, and AID = -1.152+0.696 X BPD. TAD and AID as a function of HC was expressed by the regression equation TAD = -1.187+0.182 X HC, and AID = -1.350+0.198 X HC. TAD and AID as a function of AC was expressed by the regression equation TAD = -0.528+0.173 X AC, and AID = -0.533+0.183 X AC. TAD and AID as a function of FL was expressed by the regression equation TAD = -0.519+0.799 X FL, and AID = -0.601+0.860 X FL; BPD, HC, AC and FL are expressed in centimeters. Correlations were found to be highly statistically significant in relation to GA, BPD, HC, AC, and FL respectively (P<0.0001 in all). Normal mean of TAD and AID per GA, BPD, HC, AC and FL and 95% prediction limits were also defined, respectively. CONCLUSION: New reference ranges of fetal aortic arch related to other fetal bio-parameters representing fetal growth were obtained successfully. The normative date will be helpful in the prenatal accurate diagnosis of aortic anomalies and abnormal growth of fetal aortic arches in Korea.
Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Echocardiography ; Femur ; Fetal Development ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Head ; Humans ; Korea ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Prospective Studies ; Reference Values ; Systole

PURPOSE: Although laparoscopic surgery is widely accepted in the treatment of colorectal cancer, conversion to open surgery is associated with the rate of unfavorable outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with open conversion from laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer.METHODS: A total of 3,002 patients who underwent laparoscopic colectomy as an initial plan for the treatment of colorectal cancer located from the sigmoid colon to the rectum were retrospectively evaluated between January 2009 and December 2018 at Samsung Medical Center in Korea. Risk factors significantly associated with open conversion were determined using univariate and multivariate regression models.RESULTS: Among the 3,002 patients, open conversion was performed in 120 patients (4%). Age >60 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.370), preoperative bowel obstruction (AOR, 2.348), clinical T4 stage (AOR, 2.201), and serum carcinoembryonic antigen level >5 ng/mL (AOR, 2.289) were significantly associated with open conversion. Moreover, mucinous carcinoma was a significantly more frequent histopathologic type than adenocarcinoma (10.0% vs. 3.2%, P<0.001) in the open conversion group with an AOR of 2.549 (confidence interval, 1.259–5.159; P=0.009).CONCLUSION: The present study presented a novel finding, i.e. mucinous carcinoma as the histopathologic type could be an independent predictive factor for conversion from laparoscopic colectomy to open surgery. Identifying patients with mucinous carcinoma will help stratify the risk of open conversion preoperatively.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Colectomy ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Conversion to Open Surgery ; Humans ; Korea ; Laparoscopy ; Mucins ; Odds Ratio ; Rectum ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

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