PURPOSE: This study was conducted to compare the changes in the levels of liver enzymes after providing health education to workers. METHODS: Among 909 electronics-manufacturing workers, 96 (10.6%) workers had abnormal liver functions. Of these, male workers were randomly assigned into either the health education experimental group (48 [52.2%]) or the control group (44 [47.8%]). Depending on the level of participation in the health education, workers in the experimental group were classified into the participation (32 [34.8%]) and non-participation groups (16 [17.4%]). Changes in the levels of liver enzymes were compared among three groups. RESULTS: The changes in the levels of gamma-glutamyltransferase (r-GTP) in the participation, non-participation, and control groups were -25.3+/-54.5 IU/L, -4.4+/-24.1 IU/L, and -5.3+/-38.8 IU/L, respectively (p=.036). Aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, waist circumference, body mass index, daily alcohol consumption, weekly exercise, and changes in smoking habits in the 3 groups did not differ significantly. In the multiple linear regression analysis, the variable of education participation revealed a significant regression coefficient of -25.10 when the change in r-GTP levels was the dependent variable. CONCLUSION: A brief health education targeted towards the management of liver disease among workers improved r-GTP levels.
Alanine Transaminase ; Alcohol Drinking ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Body Mass Index ; Education ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; Health Education* ; Health Surveys* ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Liver Diseases* ; Liver* ; Male ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Waist Circumference

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to compare the changes in the levels of liver enzymes after providing health education to workers. METHODS: Among 909 electronics-manufacturing workers, 96 (10.6%) workers had abnormal liver functions. Of these, male workers were randomly assigned into either the health education experimental group (48 [52.2%]) or the control group (44 [47.8%]). Depending on the level of participation in the health education, workers in the experimental group were classified into the participation (32 [34.8%]) and non-participation groups (16 [17.4%]). Changes in the levels of liver enzymes were compared among three groups.
Alanine Transaminase ; Alcohol Drinking ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Body Mass Index ; Education ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; Health Education ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Liver Diseases ; Liver ; Male ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Waist Circumference

No abstract available.
Polychondritis, Relapsing*

PURPOSE: Respiratory syncytial virus(RSV) bronchiolitis is believed to be associated with later development of asthma and wheezing. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between the age of the first RSV bronchiolitis episode, the development of later wheezing and asthma, and the related other factors. METHODS: We studied 255 infants admitted with their first episode of RSV bronchiolitis. Epidemiological and clinical data were collected retrospectively from medical records and through telephone interviews. The patients were divided into < or =3 months, 4 to 12 months, and 13 to 24 months. RESULTS: Eighty-one infants were < or =3 months, 115 were 4 to 12 months, and 59 were 13 to 24 months old. The gender ratios (Male:Female) were 1:1, 1.6:1, and 3.2:1. Familial and personal history of allergic diseases and disease severity did not significantly differ according to the age of the first RSV bronchiolitis episode. The occurrence of wheezing was associated with the presence of a familial and personal history of allergic diseases, but not with gender (male) or disease severity. The risk for asthma increased when the infants had their first RSV bronchiolitis episode at an older age. A personal history of allergic diseases was associated with an increased risk for asthma. CONCLUSION: Asthma was more frequently diagnosed in older infants. The most important risk factors for recurrent wheezing and asthma were a familial and personal history of allergic diseases. Therefore, it was thought that RSV bronchiolitis is not the cause of recurrent wheezing and asthma, but that infants with a genetic predisposition to asthma have an increased risk for RSV bronchiolitis.
Asthma ; Bronchiolitis ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Infant ; Interviews as Topic ; Medical Records ; Respiratory Sounds ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the essential structure of the lived experience of working mothers' parenting burden in Korea. METHODS: Eight working mothers with young children were interviewed. The Colaizzi analysis of phenomenological research was applied. RESULTS: Seven theme clusters were extracted: a life with constant conflict, sense of guilt, feeling anxious because of lack of information about education for their children, social stigma as a deficient mother, family relationship becoming distant, a life being exhausted, day to day struggle. CONCLUSION: These results provide an opportunity to have a better understanding of the experiences of working mothers related to parenting their young children. It would also serve as a medium for the formulation of appropriate nursing intervention relevant to burdens of parenthood.
Child ; Family Relations ; Guilt ; Humans ; Korea ; Mothers ; Parenting ; Parents ; Social Stigma

OBJECTIVE: To analyze speech and linguistic features in children with articulation disorder characterized by consonant and vowel phonological errors. METHODS: Between February 2007 and June 2015, 117 children who showed articulation disorder were selected for the study. Based on comprehensive speech and language assessments, the subjects were classified into articulation dysfunction (AD), or AD overlapping with language delay. Detailed information of articulation, including percentage of consonants correct (PCC) and normal percentage of variable consonants derived from the Assessment of Phonology and Articulation for Children test, were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Totally, 55 children were diagnosed as AD and 62 as AD with language delay. Mean PCC was not significantly different between the two groups. In both groups, the acquisition order of consonants followed the universal developmental sequence. However, differences were observed in the nasal & plosive consonants abnormality between the two groups. When adjusted to their delayed language level in AD with language delay group, 53% of children had appropriate articulation function for their expressive language level. CONCLUSION: Speech and linguistic characteristics in children with articulation disorder were variable. Therefore, comprehensive assessment is required in children with inaccurate pronunciation, and a proper treatment plan based on the results of assessment should be followed.
Articulation Disorders* ; Child* ; Humans ; Language Development Disorders ; Linguistics*

A culture of the Leptospira species and the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) are considered as the reference standard for the diagnosis of leptospirosis, but both tests are imperfect for early diagnosis. We describe 4 patients diagnosed with leptospirosis using nested polymerase chain reaction (N-PCR) that targeted the 16S rRNA gene and the passive hemagglutination assay (PHA). In our 4 cases, Leptospira DNA in the urine, plasma, or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), was detected by N-PCR in the early phase of leptospirosis, except in the sample from the buffy coat. Especially, case 3 showed that N-PCR with the urine and CSF was positive 8 days after symptom onset, but not for the plasma or buffy coat. We report 4 cases of leptospirosis that were diagnosed by N-PCR that targeted the 16S rRNA gene with urine, plasma, or CSF, but not the buffy coat. Three were cured by doxycycline but the case 4 was fatal. Detection of Leptospira DNA by PCR from the urine and CSF, in addition to plasma, may be helpful to confirm the diagnosis.

Appendectomy is the most common emergency surgical operation in children. The laparoscopic treatment of pediatric appendicitis is controversial, particularly in complicated cases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) and open appendectomy (OA) for simple and perforated appendicitis (SA, PA) in children. A total of 188 patients, operated from January 1992 to September 2003, were reviewed. Ninety-one patients underwent OA (65 SA and 26 PA) and 97 had LA ( 67 SA, 30 PA). There was one conversion of LA to OA in PA. Operative time for LA was longer for OA in PA (55.8 vs. 45.7 min; p=0.0467). Recovery of bowel movement, diet starting time, length of hospital stay for LA were significantly shorter than those for OA. Postoperative complication rate was not different between LA and OA in each group. Laparoscopic appendectomy is a safe and effective method for both simple and perforated appendicitis.
Appendectomy* ; Appendicitis* ; Child* ; Diet ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications

The genetic status of cagA, vacA subtype, iceA1, and babA, and the relationship to gastroduodenal diseases were assessed in Helicobacter pylori isolates in Korea. Seventy-six strains of H. pylori were isolated from the antrum and the corpus of 41 adult patients (22 with peptic ulcer and 19 with gastritis). The cagA, iceA1, and babA genes were assessed by polymerase chain reaction and the vacA subtypes were determined by reverse hybridization-line probe assay. The positive rates of 349-bp cagA, 208-bp cagA, iceA1, and babA genes were 97.4%, 96.1%, 84.2%, and 36.1%, respectively. The vacA s1a, s1b, s1c, and s2 variants were detected in 11.8%, 3.9%, 80.4%, and 1.3%, respectively. m1 (78.9%) is more prevalent than m2 (5.3%). The most common vacA genotype was s1c/m1 (61.9%), and 14 isolates (18.4%) contained mixed vacA genotypes from a single biopsy specimen. Twenty-one (60%) of 35 patients were infected with more than two strains of different cagA, iceA1, babA, and vacA genotypes. None of cagA, iceA1, babA, and vacA s1/m1 were associated with peptic ulcer. In conclusion, most H. pylori isolates in Korea carry cagA, iceA1, and vacA s1c/m1 genes, and reside with multiple strains. These genes do not correlate with the peptic ulcer in the Korean patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Bacterial Proteins/*genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Helicobacter pylori/*classification/genetics/pathogenicity ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Peptic Ulcer/*etiology/microbiology

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Since Korea has been divided into two countries over 60 years ago and differences has gradually developed between the two, an influx of North Korean refugees to South Korea have soared over the past 20 years. Their complaints regarding taste intensity, particularly about strong sweetness of foods, are common after entry into South Korea. Because a long-term over-exposure or restriction to some taste stimuli causes profound alterations in corresponding taste sensitivity in humans, we hypothesized that sugar restriction, which remains common in North Korea, has influenced sweet sensitivity of North Koreans.SUBJECTS AND METHOD: To test this hypothesis, we assessed the taste stimuli recognition and detection thresholds of both young adults North refugees and South Koreans using a 1-mL whole-mouth gustatory test applied to a series of sweet, bitter, sour, and salty solutions. RESULTS: As expected, the cumulative curve of the recognition threshold for sucrose shifted to the left and the mean recognition threshold for sucrose was significantly lower (0.5357% vs. 0.7393%, p=0.044) for North refugees than for South participants. On the other hand, the recognition threshold for salt was significantly higher (0.2174% vs. 0.1212%, p=0.027) in North refugees. No differences on the recognition taste sensitivity for quinine hydrochloride and citric acid were observed. CONCLUSION The findings documented in the present study indicate that a prolonged food deficit seems to have changed the taste sensitivity of healthy North Korean refugees. The altered taste sensitivity was most pronounced for sweet and salty tastes, and lasted up to 3.5 years after the refugees left North Korea.