OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to determine the self-perceived fatigue and its association with job stress and psychosocial factors among white collar male workers. METHODS: The self-administered questionnaires were given to 872 workers employed in 42 work places located in Daejeon City and Chungnam Province during the period from February 1st to April 30th, 2009. The questionnaire surveys included socio-demographic characteristics, job-related characteristics, health-related behaviors, a Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), psychosocial factors (type A behavior pattern, locus of control, self-esteem) and the Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (MFS). RESULTS: Concerning the correlation of self-perceived fatigue with various factors, while the level of self-perceived fatigue was positively correlated with the job demands, a type A behavior pattern and self-esteem, it was negatively correlated with job autonomy and supervisor support. With the analysis of the covariance structure, JCQ (job demand, job autonomy, supervisor support and coworker support) had more of an influence on the level of self-perceived fatigue than the psychosocial factors (type A behavior pattern, locus of control, self-esteem). The inter-relational effects were that the higher the JCQ and psychosocial factors, the higher the level of self-perceived fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: The study results indicated that the level of self-perceived fatigue was more influenced by the JCQ than the psychosocial factors. Thus, an effective strategy for fatigue reduction among workers requires additional programs that will focus on innovated job specifications and managed psychosocial factors.
European Continental Ancestry Group ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Internal-External Control ; Male ; Questionnaires ; Workplace

Objective: : Placement of a single transverse stent via the nondominant A1 across the anterior communicating artery (AComA) into the contralateral A2 can provide sufficient neck coverage for wide-necked bifurcation AComA aneurysms. The authors described the feasibility, safety and long-term outcomes of this technique. Methods: : Between January 2015 and February 2018, placement of a single transverse stent via the nondominant A1 was attempted in 17 wide-necked bifurcation AComA aneurysms. The authors reviewed the medical records and radiological studies. Results: : The technical success rate was 94.1% (16/17). Periprocedural thromboembolic complications occurred in one patient (6.3%) without permanent neurological deficits. The mean clinical follow-up duration was 39.9±9.8 months. No deaths or delayed thromboembolic complications occurred. The mean angiographic follow-up duration was 38.9±9.8 months. The immediate and final follow-up complete occlusion rates were 87.4 and 93.7%, respectively. There was no recanalization during the follow-up period. Conclusion : Placement of a single transverse stent via the nondominant A1 across the AComA into the contralateral A2 is a feasible and relatively safe endovascular technique for the treatment of wide-necked bifurcation AComA aneurysms, with good long-term occlusion rates and a reasonable complication rate, if only the nondominant A1 is applicable.

Objectives: This study aimed to test the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) on the inhibition and removal of biofilms containing multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Methods: Using multidrug-resistant A. baumannii strains, an antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the Gram-negative identification card of the Vitek 2 system (bioMérieux Inc., France), as well as an analysis of resistance genes, the effects of treatment with a light-emitting diode (LED) array using Radachlorin (RADA-PHARMA Co., Ltd., Russia), and transmission and scanning electron microscopy to confirm the biofilm-inhibitory effect of PDT. Results: The antibiotic susceptibility test revealed multiple resistance to the antibiotics imipenem and meropenem in the carbapenem class. A class-D–type β-lactamase was found, and OXA-23 and OXA-51 were found in 100% of 15 A. baumannii strains. After PDT using Radachlorin, morphological observations revealed an abnormal structure due to the loss of the cell membrane and extensive morphological changes, including low intracellular visibility and small vacuoles attached to the cell membrane. Conclusion PDT involving a combination of LED and Radachlorin significantly eliminated the biofilm of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii. Observations made using electron microscopy showed that PDT combining LED and Radachlorin was effective. Additional studies on the effective elimination of biofilms containing multidrug-resistant bacteria are necessary, and we hope that a treatment method superior to sterilization with antibiotics will be developed in the future.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a solitary spinal aneurysm is extremely rare, and diagnosis and treatment are challenging. We report a rare case of a ruptured radiculomedullary artery aneurysm in a patient with Behçet disease. A 49-year-old man presented with severe lower abdominal and leg pain. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed and an enhanced intradural-extramedullary lesion at the T12 spinal level with subarachnoid hemorrhage was identified. Diagnostic spinal angiography was performed to evaluate the vascular lesion, and a radiculomedullary artery aneurysm at the T12 level was identified. We performed surgical resection of the aneurysm and a good neurological outcome was obtained.
Aneurysm* ; Angiography ; Arteries* ; Behcet Syndrome ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Leg ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

This study was designed to identify expression of calcium-binding proteins and synaptic reorganizations of dentate mossy fibers in hippocampal sclerosis of human temporal lobe epilepsy. Hippocampal neuronal density was quantitively analyzed in temporal lobe epilepsy group (n=50) to investigate the degree of hippocampal sclerosis and it was compared with that of autopsy control (n=3). To verify the distribution of calcium-binding proteins in neurons of epileptic hippocampi, the parvalbumin (PV)-immunoreactive and calbindin-D28K (CB)-immunoreactive neurons were quantitively analyzed in each area of Ammon's horn by immunohistochemical stain. Also, to clarify synaptic reorganizations of the dentate mossy fibers, a part of each hippocampus was examined under light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy using Timm sulphide silver method. In epileptic hippocampi, severity of hippocampal sclerosis (HS) was graded four, which consisted of 3 cases with no HS, 6 mild HS, 12 moderate HS, and 29 severe HS. The hippocampal neuronal loss was most prominent in CA1, followed by CA4 and CA2. Expression of calcium-binding proteins was more prevalent in CA2 of all groups. The proportion of PV-immunoreactive neurons in CA1 and CA4 significantly increased in the moderate and severe HS group, whereas the proportion of CB-immunoreactive neurons did not correlated with the severity of HS. Timm granules were noted in inner molecular supragranular layer of dentate gyrus of epileptic hippocampi and they tended to increase in proportion along with the severity of hippocampal sclerosis. Transmission electron microscopy showed that supragranular Timm granules corresponded to synaptic terminals of mossy fibers. These results suggest that parvalbumin appears to have more protective effect against neuronal loss and that mossy fiber synaptic reorganization seems to play a major role in pathogenesis of hippocampal sclerosis of human temporal lobe epilepsy.
Autopsy ; Calbindin 1 ; Calcium* ; Calcium-Binding Proteins* ; Dentate Gyrus ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated ; Neurons ; Presynaptic Terminals ; Sclerosis* ; Silver ; Temporal Lobe*

BACKGROUND: Abdominal obesity is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality associated with cardiovascular disease. It has been reported that metabolically obese is common even in normal weight individuals. In this study, we analysed characteristics of cardiovascular risk factors in normal and overweight men using waist- to -height ratio to find out whether it reflects such risks. METHOD: Study subjects were 510 men. (18.5or=0.5, Group 3; 25.0or=0.5. The prevalence, Odds ratio for cardiovascular risk factors were compared. RESULTS: In normal weight group, the prevalence of hypertension(P<0.01), high blood glucose(P<0.01), hypercholesterolemia (P<0.05), hypertrigtceridemia (P<0.01) was significantly higher in group 1 than group 2. In overweight group, the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (P<0.01), low HDL(P<0.01) was significantly higher in group 4 than group 3. When compared odds ratio for each groups with reference to group 1, adjusted for age, smoking status and regular exercise, high blood glucose(4.48), hvpertrigtceridemia(5.91) in group 2,hyertension(3.54) ,hypertriglyceridemia (3.44) in group 3, hypertension(2.90), hypertriglyceridemia (3.81), low HDL(2.60) in group 4 were significantly higher. CONCLUSION: Waist-to-height ratio may be a useful method for early detection of abdominal obesity and it's related risk factors in normal and overweight individuals.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertriglyceridemia ; Male ; Mortality ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Odds Ratio ; Overweight* ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking

PURPOSE: To assess the usefulness of Gd-DTPA MRI in the evaluation of the characteristics of intracranial meningiomas and in the correlation with their histopathologic pattern. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the Gd-DTPA MRI findings in 22 cases of histologicalty-proven intracranial meningiomas. The images were assessed for signal intensity, internal texture, peritumoral edema, and enhancement characteristics. Computed tomograms were obtained in 18 cases and compared with MRI findings. RESULTS: Tl-weighted images were not particularly useful for discriminating pathologic subtype, but signal intensity on T2-weighted images were relatively well correlated with histopathologic findings. A heterogeneous texture produced by tumor vascularity, calcification, cystic foci, hemorrhagic necrosis, or psammoma body was relatively well shown on Gd-DTPA Tl-weighted image compared with that on T1- or T2-weighted image. Gd-DTPA Tl-weighted images revealed a dural tail sign in 19 cases(83%). Angioblastic type was slightly hypointense on Tl-weighted image and markedly hyperintense on T2-weighted image. Psammomatous type and firboblastic type were isointense on both T1- and T2-weighted image. Fibroblastic type was more densely enhanced than the other. The transitional, atypical, and papillary types showed tendency of heterogeneous enhancement. CONCLUSION: Gd-DTPA MRI was a useful imaging modality in evaluation of the characteristics of meningiomas and correlated well with the pathologic patterns.
Edema ; Fibroblasts ; Gadolinium DTPA* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Meningioma ; Necrosis ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: In this study we estimated the prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors according to waist-to- height ratio (W/Ht ratio) in adult obese women to ensure the importance of abdominal obesity and determined the usefulness of W/Ht ratio as a index of abdominal obesity in adult obese women. METHODS: The study subjects were 190 adult obese women who visited an obesity clinic from August, 2001 to January, 2003. They were divided into 4 groups: Group 1; BMI<30, W/Ht<0.6, Group 2; BMI<30, W/Ht> or =0.6, Group 3; BMI> or =30, W/Ht<0.6, and Group 4; BMI> or =30, W/Ht> or =0.6. In each group, we compared the prevalence and odds ratio for CV risk factors. RESULTS: In obese group, the prevalence of high blood glucose (P<0.01), hypertriglyceridemia (P<0.01) were significantly higher in group 2 than group 1. In high obese group, the prevalence of systolic hypertension (P<0.01), high blood glucose (P<0.01), hypercholesterolemia (P<0.01), hypertriglyceridemia (P<0.05), and high LDL-cholesterol were significantly higher in group 4 than group 3. When odds ratio for each group with reference to group 1 were compared after adjusting for age, high blood glucose (4.48), and hypertriglyceridemia (6.10) in group 2, and systolic hypertension (2.69), high blood glucose (3.02), and hypertriglyceridemia (4.00) in group 4 were significantly higher. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of CV risk factors were likely to be increased in higher W/Ht group independently to BMI. W/Ht ratio can be a simple, useful index for abdominal obesity and its related risk factors not only in adult males but also in adult obese women.
Adult ; Blood Glucose ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Hypertriglyceridemia ; Male ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors*

BACKGROUND: Most of all studies about the relation between the health risk and obesity are based on the European and American data. The purpose of this study is to examine the relation between adiposity and risk factors for cardio vacular disease (CVD) in normal weight individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Normal weight subjects with a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 23 kg/m2 (76 subjects) and overweight subjects with a BMI between 23 and 25 kg/m2 (53 subjects) were retained for this study. Normal weight subjects were divided into three group of each adiposity variable, then three group and the overweight group were evaluated for the presence of CVD risk factors and analyze the correlation coefficients between adiposity variables and risk factors controlled for age in normal weight, overweight groups. Using logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio (OR) for the prevalence of risk factors for each group of adiposity variables and the overweight group was estimated relative to the first group in normal weight subjects. RESULTS: Systolic BP, diastolic BP, LDL cholestrol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides in normal weight subjects were significantly correlated with all adiposity variables (P<0.01). Third group (3.7 for %fat and 4.7 for fat mass)of adiposity variables in the normal weight group and the overweight group (6.6 for %fat and 11.5 for fat mass) tended to have higher ORs compared to first group for risk factor variables. CONCLUSION: Normal weight subjects with elevated adiposity had higher prevalence of risk factors than normal weights subjects with less adiposity. Measuring of adiposity added additional information of cardiovascular disease risk factors in normal weight subjects.
Adiposity* ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Humans ; Ideal Body Weight* ; Logistic Models ; Male* ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Overweight ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors* ; Triglycerides ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND: Body weight is an important factor that influence the bone density in postmenopausal women except estrogen dificiency. However, different results are reported about the relationship between body composition and bone density in the postmenopausal women. We have studied the relationship between age, body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist hip ratio (WHR), muscle mass, fat mass, fat free mass and bone density. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have studied 127 persons of postmenopausal women who visited university medical center and examined the inbody 3.0 and Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) from Jan, 2001 to Jun, 2002. they didn't have any disease and didn't received hormone therapy, osteoporosis therapy or other medication that influence the bone density. RESULTS: The numbers of study subjects is total 127 persons. Mean age is 56.9+/-5.14, mean weight is 59.3+/-8.7 kg, mean BMI is 25.37+/-3.16 (kg/m2), mean fat mass is 20.02+/-5.05 kg, mean muscle mass is 37.49+/-4.50 kg, mean fat free mass is 39.80+/-4.70, mean BMD is 0.828+/-0.148 (g/cm2). In the result of linear regression analysis, age, height, weight, muscle mass, fat free mass, fat mass, BMI are significant determinants of BMD. In stepwise multiple regression analysis, age is the most significant determinant of BMD and besides age, fat free mass is the most significant determinant of BMD among body composition. CONCLUSION: In postmenopausal women, age, height, weight, BMI, muscle mass, fat free mass, fat mass are significant determinants of BMD and besides age, fat free mass is the most significant determinant of BMD among the body composition. So, diet and exercise that increase fat free mass will contribute to bone density increment.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Academic Medical Centers ; Body Composition* ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Bone Density* ; Diet ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Osteoporosis ; Waist-Hip Ratio