OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to develop a Korean version of the Participatory Action Oriented Training (PAOT) program and training materials for improvement of agricultural working environments. METHODS: The PAOT manual and checklist were developed on the basis of the original English version of the training materials, a questionnaire survey of agricultural health and safety professionals, and a brainstorming conference. Good example pictures were collected through visits to agricultural workers' houses, and an easily understandable picture was drawn by an animation specialist. A PAOT action manual and five types of action checklists were developed for use in different agricultural environments. Each action checklist contained six categories and 38 items of agricultural health and safety principles; the six categories were material storage and handling, work stations and tools, machine safety, physical environment, working schedule and organization, and basic health and safety management. Incorporating these training materials, a one-day Korean PAOT program was developed. RESULTS: Among 307 candidate agricultural workers from four rural Korean villages, 94 workers (59 males, 35 females) participated in a PAOT from July 2007 to Oct 2008. The PAOT program was successful and the mean self-estimated satisfaction score of the participants was greater than 90%. CONCLUSIONS: A Korean PAOT program and training materials were successfully developed and applied to Korean agricultural workers. Although more studies are needed, it is expected that PAOT will greatly contribute to the improvement of agricultural working conditions and health and safety through the use of agricultural workers' self initiatives.
Appointments and Schedules ; Checklist ; Farmers ; Handling (Psychology) ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Safety Management ; Specialization ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The Pill Questionnaire (PillQ) has been proposed as a simple way to evaluate cognitive deficits and their impact on the daily lives of those with Parkinson’s disease (PD) by asking patients or caregivers about whether patients can independently manage their pills. We used the PillQ to investigate the association of ability to manage medication with cognition and activities of daily living (ADLs) in patients with PD. Patients were divided into two groups based on PillQ scores. The no-impact group was able to take their antiparkinsonian medication independently, and the impact group exhibited problems describing their treatment or taking their drugs independently. A total of 208 participants (93 men) were included. 111 patients (53.4%) were included in the no-impact group, and 97 (46.6%) were included in the impact group. The impact group showed significantly lower cognitive functioning, difficulties with the performance of ADLs, and severe motor dysfunction. PillQ scores were significantly correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Clinical Dementia Rating scores. Management of medication by PD patients is associated with cognitive function, and the PillQ is an easy and useful test for detecting cognitive impairment and its impact on daily life.

Background & Objective: The MAPT H1 haplotype and SNCA single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs356219 have been reported to have a synergistic effect on the risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Because the H1/H1 genotype has been reported to predominate in Korean population, we investigated the polymorphism of rs356219 in 878 PD patients and 559 controls. Methods: The SNCA SNP rs356219 was analyzed in 878 PD patients and in 559 healthy Korean subjects. Results: The G allele of SNCA SNP rs356219 was found to contribute to PD susceptibility with odds ratios (ORs) similar to those reported previously. However, the ORs were not as large as that of the SNCA rs356219 plus MAPT H1/H1 combination reported in the literature, which cast doubt on the existence of a synergistic effect between the two genotypes in our population. Conclusions: This study supports that the G allele of the SNCA SNP rs356219 contributes to PD susceptibility as reported previously, but it does not support the presence of a synergistic interaction between SNCA and MAPT.

No abstract available.
Melanoma* ; Mycobacterium bovis*

Until 2012, a total of 48 cases of diphyllobothriasis had been reported in Korea, all of which were morphologically identified as Diphyllobothrium latum. However, some of these specimens were analyzed by nucleotide sequencing of the mitochondrial cox1 gene, which showed that all were D. nihonkaiense, not D. latum. After that, 3 further cases of diphyllobothriasis were confirmed as D. nihonkaiense. In the present study, 3 new cases of D. nihonkaiense were detected from 2011 through 2013. The hosts were infected through consumption of salmonid fishes, such as the trout or salmon, and 2 of them experienced severe diarrhea prior to proglottid passage. All of the tapeworms were confirmed to be D. nihonkaiense by genetic identification. This proved again that most diphyllobothriasis in Korea have been caused by D. nihonkaiense.
Adult ; Animals ; Cyclooxygenase 1/genetics ; Diphyllobothriasis/*diagnosis/parasitology/*pathology ; Diphyllobothrium/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Foodborne Diseases/*diagnosis/parasitology/*pathology ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sequence Homology

PURPOSE: Although androgens are the main steroids controlling the growth of prostate glands, estrogens are also important in the regulation of its growth. Prostate cancer cells, like other cancer cells, maintain high levels of polyamines. In LNCaP cells, apoptosis is induced by mifepristone. During the process of cell death, the regulation of ROS production, caspase-3 activation and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage were investigated in the presence of estrogen and polyamines to identify their possible roles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cell growth was assessed using the MTT assay, and the intracellular ROS production by the DCFH-DA assay. The p53 protein expression, activation of caspase-3 and PARP cleavage were checked by Western blotting, with specific antibodies to each. RESULTS: The growth and viability of the cells were significantly inhibited, in a dose- and time-dependent manners, by mifepristone (MIF) treatment. The production of ROS were dependent on the MIF dosage. The activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of PARP also increased with the duration of MIF treatment. The expression of p53 protein also increased with increases in the MIF incubation time. E2 severely inhibited the ROS production, caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage. However, polyamines only inhibited the ROS production, without influencing the caspase-3 activation or PARP cleavage. CONCLUSION: In LNCaP cells, MIF induces apoptosis through ROS production. The expression of p53 protein, caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage accompanied the process of apoptosis. The apoptotic processes were inhibited by E2, but polyamines only inhibited the ROS production, implying the multifunctional role of E2, in addition to its role as a free radical scavenger.
Androgens ; Antibodies ; Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Death ; Estrogens* ; Mifepristone ; Polyamines* ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Steroids

Foldable intraocular lenses(IOLs) arebeing used and wide spread with some advantages such asn little surgically induced astigmatism and rapid visual rehabilitation, but the effect of foldable IOLs on long-term safety and the formation of after-cataract was not understood clearly yet. 48 patients(54 eyes) which underwent Nd-YAG capsulotomy from 1995 to 1997 at the Kangnam St. Mary`s Hostpital were studied. All the cases had been operated by one operator(Joo) with the same technique except for incision method. The average interval from cataract surgery to Nd-YAG capsulotomy was 31 months in PMMA group and 15 months in silicone group. This difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P=0.0002). The ratio of Elschnig pearl type to fibrosis type in after-c attract was 16:6 in PMMA group and 13:18 in silicone group. The average of the total energy used in Nd-YAG laser capsulotomy was 256mJ in PMMA group and 309mJ in silicone group. However, damages caused by YAG laser were severer and more common on the silicone IOLs than on the PMMA IOLs. Silicone IOL induces after-cataract faster than PMMA IOL and the major type of after-cataract in pseudophakia with silicone IOL is fibrosis.
Astigmatism ; Cataract ; Fibrosis ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Polymethyl Methacrylate* ; Pseudophakia ; Rehabilitation ; Silicones*

Over the past few decades, interest in minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) has increased tremendously due to its core principle of minimizing approach-related injury while providing outcomes similar to traditional open spine procedures. With technical and technological advancements, MISS has expanded its utility not only to simple spinal stenosis, but also to complex spinal pathologies such as metastasis, trauma, or adult spinal deformity. In this article, we review the techniques and technology in MISS and discuss the indications, benefits, and limitations of MISS.

Sarcoidosis is an idiopathic multisystemic disorder with variable cutaneous presentations that are classified as specific or non-specific according to the presence of non-caseating granulomas on histologic examination. Specific manifestations can include papules, scar sarcoidosis, ulcers, or even alopecia. Herein, we present a case of cutaneous sarcoidosis that presented as multiple erythematous macules and patches on the trunk and extremities of a 32-year-old man. The clinical appearance was unlike any other form reported in the literature.
Adult ; Alopecia ; Cicatrix ; Extremities ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Sarcoidosis ; Ulcer

We investigated the surgical outcomes in 19 eyes with retinal detachment(RD)caused by macular hole only. 15 eyes were high-myopic(>-8.0Ds), and the mean preoperative axial-length was 28.30 mm. As an initial treatment method, simple gas injection was done to 2 eyes, and pars plana vitrecto-my(PPV), air-fluid exchange and subretinal fluid drainage with intravitreal tamponade were performed in 17 eyes. The retina of 2 eyes with simple gas injection was not attached because of persistent vitreoretinal traction. PPV with intravitreal tamponade was successful in 12 of 17 eyes with a single operation, and reoperation was effective in 3 eyes of the failed 5 eyes. We conclude that, in case of retinal detachment caused by macular hole, the success rate can be improved by PPV with complete removal of vitreoretinal traction along with the long-lasting intravitreal tamponade.
Drainage ; Humans ; Reoperation ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinal Perforations* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Subretinal Fluid ; Traction