OBJECTS: Thls study was designed to assess muscle tensions while working at a YDT workstation with surface electromyography (SEMG). METHODS: Variables texted were desk height, monitor positon on the desk, distance from edge of the desk to the keyboard. Eleven female volunteers working in the tele-com munication company were seated at an ergonomically adjusted workstation. They were assigned to a task of typing for 5 minutes and were given a 10 minutes resting with hands in their lap. For the initial experiment, the desk height was fixed to standard desk height(65.0 cm) recommended by ANSI and latter adjusted to a higher desk height (72.8 cm) for this study such that the subjects experienced slight elevation of shoulders. The monitor position initially at the center on the desk and latter left site of the desk (45o from monitorneck axles). The keyboard was positioned to an optimal distance (15 cm from the desk edge) and an abnormal distance (30 cm). Five muscle groups (paraspinal muscles, upper trapezium muscle, supraspinatus muscle, infraspinatus muscle, and rhomboid muscle) were selected for the study. The data of SEMG were analyzed by 2x2x2xs mixed factorial design. RESULTS: The results were as follows: 1. SEMG activity recorded from the paraspinal muscles were significantly higher when the angle of the monitor adjusted to 45 degree from the center of the desk.. 2. SEMG activity recorded from the upper trapezius/supraspinatus/infraspinatus muscles were significantly higher when the hight of the desk was elevated from the recommended height.3. SEMG activity from the rhomboid muscle showed no significantiy difference in all test conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The results of thls study confirm that the helght of a VDT workstation and the angle of the monitor are risk factors of upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders. Also SEMG would be useful for measuring muscle activities during workstation assessment.
Cumulative Trauma Disorders ; Electromyography* ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Muscles ; Paraspinal Muscles ; Risk Factors ; Shoulder ; Upper Extremity ; Volunteers

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the driving habits of taxi drivers, in order to examine the characteristics of human factors causing traffic accidents and unsafe driving behavior and to determine any relevancy among them. METHOD: Taxi drivers (N=335) answered a questionnaire investigating various measures of human factors, unsafe driving behaviors, and number of traffic accident experiences in the previous year. In factor analysis, the characteristics of human factors were classified into 5 common factors: job, mental health, age, health habit and sleep factor. A contextual mediated model was proposed to distinguish the distal (5 common factors) and proximal (unsafe driving behaviors) factors in predicting traffic accident involvement by hierarchical multiple regression. RESULT: In hierarchical multiple regression, job factor(beta: 0.122), sleep factor (beta: 0.114) and unsafe driving behaviors (beta: 0.018) yielded a direct effect on the rate of traffic accidents. Mental health factor beta: 6.429), job factor (beta: 1.319) and health habit factor(beta: 1.177) yielded a indirect effect on the rate of traffic accidents by unsafe driving behaviors. CONCLUSION: Various human factors co-related by the unique characteristics that exist in the taxi service industry have significant effects on the rate of traffic accidents mediated by unsafe driving behaviors. Therefore a proper countermeasure against these factors should be established in order to effectively reduce the rate of taxi accidents.
Accidents, Traffic* ; Humans* ; Mental Health ; Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: To confirm the HAVS in workers exposed to hand-arm vibration with using the objective diagnostic methods METHODS: Several tests were used to help substantiate a clinical diagnosis of HAVS. Some other diseases were excluded by a medical interview, hematologic assessment, urinalysis, X-rays. The hand-arm vibration acceleration level of the grinder was evaluated for considering HAVS. Peripheral vascular changes were examined by a cold provocation test. An electromyography was implemented to ascertain the peripheral neural changes. RESULTS: 8 workers with symptoms in hands & fingers, exposed to hand-arm vibration were examined. Some other diseases(primary Raynauds disease, secondary Raynauds disease in not occupational origin) were excluded by a medical interview, hematologic assessment, urinalysis, X-rays. The hand-arm vibration acceleration level of the grinder was 7. 9 m/sec2. The recovery time of a skin temperature followed finger cooling was significantly prolonged in 6 workers with HAVS. The nerve conduction velocity was reduced in 6 workers with HAVS. CONCLUSIONS: So we report 6 cases of HAVS in grinding workers exposed to hand-arm vibration diagnosed objectively by an exclusion of some other disease, handarm vibration acceleration level, cold provocation test, electromyography.
Acceleration ; Diagnosis ; Electromyography ; Fingers ; Hand* ; Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome* ; Neural Conduction ; Raynaud Disease ; Skin Temperature ; Urinalysis ; Vibration*

OBJECTIVES: Mass poisoning by carbon disulfide (CS2) occurred in a viscose rayon factory in Korea. Up until 1998, 830 employees, including 38 who had died, were diagnosed with CS2 poisoning. Among the CS2 poisoned subjects, heart rate variability (HRV) was evaluated to investigate whether the toxic effect of CS2 persists after the exposure has ceased. The dose-response relationship between carbon disulfide exposure and HRV was also evaluated. METHODS: The case group was comprised of 71 retired male workers diagnosed as being CS2 poisoned. The control group was comprised of 127 males of same age-range who had no history of CS2 exposure and cardiovascular diseases. Information on individual age, height, weight, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, regular exercise, medical and occupational history, chest x-ray, and ECG recording of the two groups were collected through a self-administered questionnaire and with a medical examination. Time (maximum, average, minimum RR interval) and frequency domain measures (low frequency - LF, high frequency - HF, total power spectrum TPS, and LF/HF ratio) of the two groups were analyzed. CS2 exposure indices of the case group (duration of employment, exposure level per work department, cumulative exposure index and duration of retirement) were investigated. RESULTS: Using a univariate analysis, the frequency domain measures for the case group were significantly lower than those in the control group, except for HF. In the multivariate analysis, previous history of CS2 poisoning was inversely related to all frequency domain parameters and it significantly affected the LF (p<0.05) and the LF/HF ratio (p<0.05). There was no significant dose-response relationship between CS2 exposure indices and HRV parameters in the case group. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that further studies are necessary to evaluate the residual effects of CS2 poisoning even after the CS2 exposure has ceased.
Alcohol Drinking ; Carbon Disulfide* ; Carbon* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Electrocardiography ; Employment ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Poisoning* ; Questionnaires ; Smoking ; Thorax

The use of cement in total hip replacement arthroplasty has long controversial. However, since the 1980s, osteolysis has occurred with high frequency in cementless total hip replacement arthroplasty, and has been a significant cause for loosening. Recently, a cemented femoral stem has been frequently used because of improvements in cement techniques, materials for joint arthroplasty, design, etc. Also, the use of an acetabular cup with cement seems desirable where indications are for a revision procedure or where there is an aged patient with severe osteoporosis, and where the patient requires a broad bone graft due to an acetabular bone defect. The purpose of this article was (i) to review how to fix an acetabular cup with cement and a femoral stem in current hip replacement arthroplasty procedures and (ii) to review possible directions for further development.
Aged ; Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Humans ; Joints ; Osteolysis ; Osteoporosis ; Transplants

OBJECTIVE: We determined the radiographic outcome of distal radius fractures with Acu-loc volar plate. METHODS: Forty-one patients were recruited between August 2009 and September 2010. There were 10 males and 31 females, with a mean age 61.2. Fractures were radiologically classification the Frykman. Fifteen fractures were group 8, eight were group 7, ten were group 6, four were group 5 and four were group 3. Distal part of the fractures was dorsally inclined in 37 wrists and inclined to volar side in four wrists. Lateral and anteroposterior radiographs taken after operated day, the fracture were compared with radiographs of the injured wrist and the differences in palmar tilt, ulnar variance; radial height; radial shift and radial inclination were measured. RESULTS: There was significant improvement in the measurements of radial height, radial inclination, volar tilt, ulnar variance and radial shift postoperatively. The radial height improved from an average of 8.5 mm (range, 3 to 15 mm) to 11.0 mm (range, 8 to 15 mm), the radial inclination improved from an average of 21.5 degree (range, 10 to 40 degree) to 28.1 degree (range, 19 to 44 degree), the palma tilt improved from an average of 12.9 degree (range, 6 to 22 degree) to 17.2 degree (range, 7 to 27 degree), the ulnar variance improved from an average of -2.3 mm (range, -6 to 4 mm) to 1 mm (range, -3 to 7 mm) and the radial shift improved from an average of 18.7 mm (range, 15 to 26 mm) to 17.3 mm (range, 12 to 21 mm). CONCLUSION: Acu-loc volar plate is a safe and effective device.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Radius ; Radius Fractures ; Palmar Plate ; Wrist

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the findings of brain MRI in patients with carbon disulfide poisoning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-one patients who had suffered carbon disulfide poisoning [male:female=87:4; age, 32-74 (mean 53.3) years] were included in this study. To determine the extent of white matter hyperintensity (Grade 0-V) and lacunar infarction, T2-weighted MR imaging of the brain was performed. RESULTS: T2-weighted images depicted white matter hyperintensity in 70 patients (76.9%) and lacunar infarcts in 27 (29.7%). CONCLUSION: In these patients, the prevalent findings at T2-weighted MR imaging of the brain were white matter hyperintensity and lacunar infarcts. Disturbance of the cardiovascular system by carbon disulfide might account for these results.
Adult ; Aged ; Brain/*drug effects/*pathology ; Brain Infarction/*pathology ; Carbon Disulfide/*poisoning ; Female ; Human ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Age ; Retrospective Studies

Purpose: In this study, we assessed the intake of nutrients and food groups and analyzed the nutrition quotient of obese children in South Korea. The hypothesis was that dietary quality and nutrient intake are related to the body mass index (BMI) of obese children. Methods: The participants included 48 children (20 boys and 28 girls). Based on the guidelines for the age-for-body mass index provided by the Korean National Growth Charts for children and adolescents, the participants were divided into 3 groups: overweight, BMI ≥ 85th percentile; obese, BMI ≥ 95th percentile; severely obese, BMI ≥ 99th percentile. Results: The energy distribution showed that the carbohydrate ratio was significantly higher in the overweight group (p < 0.01), whereas the fat ratio was significantly higher in the obese and severely obese groups (p < 0.05). Thus, in the overweight and obese groups, the percent body fat was negatively associated with the carbohydrate ratio (p < 0.05) but was positively associated with the fat ratio (p < 0.05). The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) data revealed that the intake levels of protein, vitamin B 1 , vitamin B 12 , and sodium were higher in all groups. Intakes of fiber, calcium, potassium, and magnesium were insufficient in all groups, and the DRI percent for protein was significantly higher in the obese and severely obese groups than in the overweight group. No significant differences were obtained in food group patterns or Nutrition Quotient (NQ) scores among the 3 groups. According to the evaluation results by food record and NQ, a significant difference was obtained in the dietary quality of obese children. Conclusion We conclude that a higher intake of fat enhances weight gain. Based on the study results, we propose that the guidelines should consider the energy distribution of carbohydrate and fat intake to prevent and control obesity among Korean children.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the radiation exposure for epidemiologic investigation in residents exposed to radiation from roads that were accidentally found to be contaminated with radioactive cesium-137 (137Cs) in Seoul. METHODS: Using information regarding the frequency and duration of passing via the 137Cs contaminated roads or residing/working near the roads from the questionnaires that were obtained from 8875 residents and the measured radiation doses reported by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, we calculated the total cumulative dose of radiation exposure for each person. RESULTS: Sixty-three percent of the residents who responded to the questionnaire were considered as ever-exposed and 1% of them had a total cumulative dose of more than 10 mSv. The mean (minimum, maximum) duration of radiation exposure was 4.75 years (0.08, 11.98) and the geometric mean (minimum, maximum) of the total cumulative dose was 0.049 mSv (<0.001, 35.35) in the exposed. CONCLUSIONS: An individual exposure assessment was performed for an epidemiological study to estimate the health risk among residents living in the vicinity of 137Cs contaminated roads. The average exposure dose in the exposed people was less than 5% of the current guideline.
Epidemiologic Studies* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Radiation Exposure* ; Seoul*