PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to clarify effects of long term, low-level monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure (MAHs) such as styrene, toluene and xylene on physiological levels of epinephrine (EP) and norepinephrine (NEP) and these hormones influences diagnosis indices of metabolic syndrome (MetS). METHODS: Blood pressure and serum biochemical parameters were measured using digital sphygmomanometer and autochemical analyzer. EP and NEP were analyzed by using ELISA kit and exposure level of MAHs was measured by NIOSH method. RESULTS: The differences of general characteristics such as age, smoking and drinking habits in both groups were not significantly different except working hours per day. In exposed workers, exposure levels of MAHs showed very low concentrations. Serum HDL-cholesterol concentration was significantly higher in exposed group, but concentration of NEP was significantly higher in control group. On multiple logistic regression analysis for the diagnosis indices of MetS, EP was WC (OR=0.970), NEP was blood pressure (OR=1.002) and MAHs exposure were significantly associated with HDL-cholesterol (OR=0.257), fasting glucose (OR=3.028) and MetS (OR=0.372). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the chronic exposure of low level MAHs maycontribute to glucose metabolism and induction of MetS. And also, changes of EP and NEP levels by exposure of MAHs affect blood pressure.
Blood Pressure ; Drinking ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epinephrine ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Hazardous Substances ; Hydrocarbons, Aromatic ; Logistic Models ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (U.S.) ; Norepinephrine ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sphygmomanometers ; Styrene ; Toluene ; Xylenes

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the complaint rates of musculoskeletal symptoms and investigated the related factors of musculoskeletal symptoms in the caddies. METHODS: For 316 caddies working at 6 regular golf courses, we used the self-recording questionnaires to examine general characteristics, job stress factors, subjective musculoskeletal symptoms designed by NIOSH, working environments, and working contents. RESULTS: The complaint rates of musculoskeletal symptoms according to the musculoskeletal criteria of NIOSH were 41.8% in the leg/knee/ankle/foot, 35.8% in the shoulder, 35.8% in the upper back/lower back, 28.8% in the neck, and 28.5% in the arm/wrist/fingers. Important factors affecting musculoskeletal symptoms were daily working hours during the high-demand season in all anatomical sites except the arm/wrist/fingers. Other related factors were degrees of winding and inclined in the golf courses, violent language and violence of customers, inability to regulate the velocity and work load control, heavy physical burden, instability of employment, and possibility of unemployment according to the specialty of caddies. As a results of multivariate logistic regression analysis, musculoskeletal symptoms of the neck, shoulders, back/lower back and leg/knee/ankle/foot were significantly influenced by working time over 12 hours in the high-demand season, and symptoms of the arm/wrist/fingers by low decision latitude (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The complaint rates of musculoskeletal symptoms in the caddies were affected by working time over 12 hours and low decision latitude against excessively high psychological job demand.
Employment ; Golf* ; Logistic Models ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (U.S.) ; Neck ; Questionnaires ; Seasons ; Shoulder ; Unemployment ; Violence ; Wind

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the past and present status of occupational safety and health education in Korea and to explore future plans for these fields. Methods: We summarized past empirical or theoretical literature. Results: Occupational safety and health education strive to protect workers' health and create healthy workplaces by solving various problems such as workers' occupational diseases and mental health in the rapidly changing occupational environment. For occupational safety and health education to be effectively utilized in occupational sites, a live education that can be applied to the field should be provided. The need for education to explore and develop the ability to prepare for new hazards, including infectious diseases such as COVID-19, has increased. Conclusion It is believed that the occupational health education element of the new era will be occupational health education. This focus will develop the ability to closely assess and predict the collective, organizational, and personal responses of affected workplaces and the impact of occupational health sciences.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analysis of effectiveness between cognitive function assessment scores and gaming cognitive rehabilitation system in children with intellectual impairment. METHODS: Five children (male=5, age=10.00±0.80) with intellectual impairment participated in this study and were randomly assigned to the experiment that played (received) gaming cognitive rehabilitation system (Neuroworld). The children were applied 2 times a week for 30 minutes during 3 months. The children were assessed K-WSIC-VI (Korean-Wechsler intelligence scale for children-fourth edition) and recorded that gained score in gaming cognitive rehabilitation system before and after intervention. K-WSIC-VI contained five primary index scores: verbal comprehension index, visual spatial index, fluid reasoning index, working memory index, and processing speed index. Gaming cognitive rehabilitation system scoring was composed visual recall, target recall, sequence recall, selective attention, continuous attention, and exploration. RESULTS: In the intelligence quotient (IQ) of K-WSIC-VI, there were significant increased in all children. The visual recall item was highest effective in all children. However, sequential recall showed the lowest improvement in all children. The performance speed of selective attention item was decreased, this means that children's skills have improved. Also, their ability to explore has improved significantly. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, gaming cognitive rehabilitation system was significant effectiveness in cognitive function in some categories for children with intellectual impairment. However, the visual recall and performance speed don't represent of all cognitive function. Therefore, further studies will need to verify by applying more subject and longer duration.
Child* ; Cognition* ; Comprehension ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability* ; Intelligence ; Memory, Short-Term ; Rehabilitation

The purpose of this study was to understand the mechanism of cardiovascular disease (CVD) caused by exposure to hazardous chemicals. We investigated changes in the symptoms of metabolic syndrome, which is strongly related to CVD, and in levels of other CVD risk factors, with a special emphasis on the roles of catecholamines and oxidative stress. The results revealed that neither body mass index (BMI) nor waist and hip circumferences were associated with exposure to hazardous chemicals. Among metabolic syndrome criteria, only HDL-cholesterol level increased on exposure to hazardous chemicals. Levels of epinephrine (EP) and norepinephrine (NEP) were not influenced by exposure to hazardous chemicals; however, the total antioxidative capacity (TAC) reduced because of increased oxidative stress. Both hazardous chemical exposure level and metabolite excretion were related to EP, NEP, and the oxidative stress index (OSI). Logistic regression analysis with these factors as independent variables and metabolic syndrome criteria as dependent variables revealed that EP was associated with blood pressure, and NEP with metabolic syndrome in the chemical-exposed group. In conclusion, the results suggest that reactive oxygen species generated and oxidative stress due to exposure to hazardous chemicals act as mediators and cause changes in the physiological levels of EP and NEP to increase blood pressure. This ultimately leads to the development of CVD through increase in cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood glucose levels by lipid peroxidation.
Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Catecholamines ; Cholesterol ; Epinephrine ; Hazardous Substances ; Hip ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Logistic Models ; Norepinephrine ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of obesity on the physiological levels of adiponectin, leptin and components of metabolic syndrome (MS) in male workers, aged 30-40 years. METHODS: Body mass index (BMI) was measured with Anthropometric equipment. Blood pressure and serum parameters were measured with an automatic digital sphygmomanometer and autochemical analyzer, respectively. Adiponectin and leptin were analysed by ELISA kits and MS was defined based on the NCEP-ATP III. RESULTS: Body fat mass of waist and hip, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher, as expected, in the BMI> 25kg/m2 in comparison with the BMI< or =25kg/m2. While fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR and leptin in the BMI>25kg/m2 were also significantly higher compared with BMI< or =25kg/m2, HDL- cholesterol and adiponectin were significantly higher in BMI< or =25kg/m2. On multiple logistic regression analysis for the components of MS, exercise, adiponectin and leptin were an only independent factor for MS in non-obese male workers(BMI< or =25kg/m2) after adjustment for age, cigarette smoking and drinking habits. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that the obesity in men was associated with physiological levels of adiponectin and leptin contributing to feedback control of MS and that dysfunction and/or declination in feedback control system associated with changes in physiological levels of neurptrophics: adiponectin and leptin might ultimately induce MS.
Adiponectin ; Adipose Tissue ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Drinking ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Hip ; Humans ; Insulin ; Leptin ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Obesity ; Smoking ; Sphygmomanometers

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of obesity on the physiological levels of adiponectin, leptin and components of metabolic syndrome (MS) in male workers, aged 30-40 years. METHODS: Body mass index (BMI) was measured with Anthropometric equipment. Blood pressure and serum parameters were measured with an automatic digital sphygmomanometer and autochemical analyzer, respectively. Adiponectin and leptin were analysed by ELISA kits and MS was defined based on the NCEP-ATP III. RESULTS: Body fat mass of waist and hip, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher, as expected, in the BMI> 25kg/m2 in comparison with the BMI< or =25kg/m2. While fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR and leptin in the BMI>25kg/m2 were also significantly higher compared with BMI< or =25kg/m2, HDL- cholesterol and adiponectin were significantly higher in BMI< or =25kg/m2. On multiple logistic regression analysis for the components of MS, exercise, adiponectin and leptin were an only independent factor for MS in non-obese male workers(BMI< or =25kg/m2) after adjustment for age, cigarette smoking and drinking habits. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that the obesity in men was associated with physiological levels of adiponectin and leptin contributing to feedback control of MS and that dysfunction and/or declination in feedback control system associated with changes in physiological levels of neurptrophics: adiponectin and leptin might ultimately induce MS.
Adiponectin ; Adipose Tissue ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Drinking ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Hip ; Humans ; Insulin ; Leptin ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Obesity ; Smoking ; Sphygmomanometers

Kainic acid (KA) is a frequently used excitotoxin in experimental epilepsy research. The excitatory effect of KA leads to generalized convulsions when KA is administered systematically at convulsant doses. Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous messenger that plays a role in neurotransmission. NO is formed by NO synthase (NOS) from arginine. Purification and molecular cloning led to identification of at least three NOS isoforms designated as neuronal NOS (nNOS), endothelial NOS (eNOS) and inducible NOS (iNOS). In the central nervous system, NO seems to be involved in plasticity and cytotoxicity. Therefore, the present study has investigated the congruence of mRNA induction and protein expression of nNOS, eNOS, iNOS and neuropeptide Y (NPY) following KA-induced seizure activity. The patterns of NOS and NPY were studied by NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR in the rat brain. NADPH-d displayed a region-specific induction pattern. Regions of NADPH-d induction were the motor cortex and perirhinal cortex of KA treated group. Whereas NADPH-d neurons were not induced in auditory cortex, visual cortex, cingulate cortex, insular cortex, retrosplenial cortex and ectorhinal cortex of KA treated group. NPY neurons were not induced in all cortical areas of KA treated group. Subsequent to cortical neuronal induction, NADPH-d activity was increased in constitutive NADPH-d neurons of 1 and 3 days group of KA treatment. 1 and 3 days following KA administration, increased levels of nNOS, eNOS and iNOS mRNA were seen in the cerebral cortex. However, the level of NPY mRNA was decreased in 6 and 12 days after seizure. These findings demonstrate that mRNAs encoding for NOS isoforms are translated into the respective proteins following excitotoxic seizure.
Animals ; Arginine ; Auditory Cortex ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Cerebral Cortex* ; Cloning, Molecular ; Epilepsy* ; Gyrus Cinguli ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kainic Acid ; Motor Cortex ; Neurons* ; Neuropeptide Y* ; Neuropeptides* ; Neurotoxins ; Nitric Oxide Synthase* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Plastics ; Protein Isoforms ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Seizures ; Synaptic Transmission ; Visual Cortex

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the present condition of drug abuse and its association with depression, self-rated health and health behaviors by job status in Korean adults. METHODS: Data were derived from the study on four addiction problem and suicide in 2014. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze patterns of drug abuse according to depression, self-rated health and health behaviors. RESULTS: The prevalence of drug abuse during the past year was 17.1% of the 4,018 subjects. About 3.3 times risk for drug abuse was found among individuals who had high depression scores. The risk of drug abuse was higher among those who were smoking (OR:1.46, 95% CI:1.17~1.83), drinking more frequently (OR:1.30, 95% CI:1.07~1.58), sleeping insufficiently (OR:1.31, 95% CI:1.03~1.67), eating irregularly (OR:1.45, 95% CI:1.19~1.76). Drug abuse problem was detected more seriously among employed than unemployed adults. CONCLUSION: Health-related behaviors, such as smoking, drinking, sleeping, eating should be considered simultaneously when designing strategies to deal with drug abuse problem, and it is important to understand the interaction between drug abuse and mental health. Furthermore, workplace based intervention can be effective in solving drug abuse problem.
Adult ; Depression* ; Drinking ; Eating ; Health Behavior* ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mental Health ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Substance-Related Disorders* ; Suicide

Crohn's disease is a rare inflammatory bowel disease in Korea which requires a differential diagnosis with intestinal tuberculosis. In the early stages of Crohn's diseaae, the combiation of bowel wall edema and spasm produces intermittent obstructive manifestations, so the usual subjective symptoms were appeared long standing diarrhea, low grade fever and abdominal pain and distension. We recently experienced a case of Crohn's colitis with repeated bowel obstruction in female adult who underwent surgical resection.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Colitis ; Crohn Disease* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diarrhea ; Edema ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Korea ; Spasm ; Tuberculosis