Background: Glyphosate and glufosinate use widely used as herbicide ingredients. There have been several reported cases of chemical burns caused by dermal exposure to glyphosatecontaining herbicide, and patients in these cases were discharged without fatal complications.There were no cases of severe symptoms due to non-oral exposure of glufosinate-containing herbicides. Here, we report a case of fatality accompanied with severe chemical burns in an 81-year-old man who did not wash his skin for more than 48 hours after dermal exposure to herbicide containing glyphosate and glufosinate with surfactant (HGlyGluS).Case presentation: An 81-year-old male with no underlying disease was admitted to the emergency department (ED). He had sprayed HGlyGluS with a manual knapsack sprayer 3 days ago and had not wash away the herbicide. On arrival, he was drowsy and had multiple severe corrosive skin lesions. Skin necrosis (10 × 15 cm) on the right shoulder and skin lesions with subcutaneous fat exposure (15 × 20 cm) on the right thigh were observed. Although he was treated including continuous renal replacement therapy, antibiotic apply, debridement operations, and so on, he was unable to recover and expired. Conclusions We suggest that prolonged dermal exposure to HGlyGluS induces fatality.Further studies including prolonged dermal exposure and ingredients of surfactants should be carried out. Also, it is necessary to educate farmers that it is very important to wash immediately after dermal exposure to pesticide.

Background: Glyphosate and glufosinate use widely used as herbicide ingredients. There have been several reported cases of chemical burns caused by dermal exposure to glyphosatecontaining herbicide, and patients in these cases were discharged without fatal complications.There were no cases of severe symptoms due to non-oral exposure of glufosinate-containing herbicides. Here, we report a case of fatality accompanied with severe chemical burns in an 81-year-old man who did not wash his skin for more than 48 hours after dermal exposure to herbicide containing glyphosate and glufosinate with surfactant (HGlyGluS).Case presentation: An 81-year-old male with no underlying disease was admitted to the emergency department (ED). He had sprayed HGlyGluS with a manual knapsack sprayer 3 days ago and had not wash away the herbicide. On arrival, he was drowsy and had multiple severe corrosive skin lesions. Skin necrosis (10 × 15 cm) on the right shoulder and skin lesions with subcutaneous fat exposure (15 × 20 cm) on the right thigh were observed. Although he was treated including continuous renal replacement therapy, antibiotic apply, debridement operations, and so on, he was unable to recover and expired. Conclusions We suggest that prolonged dermal exposure to HGlyGluS induces fatality.Further studies including prolonged dermal exposure and ingredients of surfactants should be carried out. Also, it is necessary to educate farmers that it is very important to wash immediately after dermal exposure to pesticide.

Background and Objectives: Ambient particulate matter (PM) in real urban air pollution (RUA) is an environmental health risk factor associated with increased cardiac events. This study investigated the threshold level to induce arrhythmia, as well as arrhythmogenic mechanism of RUA that mainly consisted of PM <2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter close to ultrafine particles. Methods: RUA was artificially produced by a lately developed pyrolysis based RUA generator.C57BL/6 mice were divided into 4 groups: a control group (control, n=12) and three groups with exposure to RUA with the concentration of 200 µg/㎥ (n=12), 400 µg/㎥ (n=12), and 800 µg/㎥ (n=12). Mice were exposed to RUA at each concentration for 8 hr/day and 5 day/week to mimic ordinary human activity during 3 weeks. Results: The QRS and QTc intervals, as well as intracellular Ca2+ duration, apicobasal action potential duration (APD) gradient, fibrosis, and inflammation of left ventricle of mouse hearts were increased dose-dependently with the increase of RUA concentration, and significantly increased at RUA concentration of 400 µg/㎥ compared to control (all p<0.001). In mice exposed to RUA concentration of 800 µg/㎥ , spontaneous ventricular arrhythmia was observed in 42%, with significant increase of inflammatory markers, phosphorylated Ca2+ /calmodulindependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), and phospholamban (PLB) compared to control. Conclusions RUA could induce electrophysiological changes such as APD and QT prolongation, fibrosis, and inflammation dose-dependently, with significant increase of ventricular arrhythmia at the concentration of 400 µg/㎥ . RUA concentration of 800 µg/㎥ increased phosphorylation of CaMKII and PLB.

Background and Objectives: Ambient particulate matter (PM) in real urban air pollution (RUA) is an environmental health risk factor associated with increased cardiac events. This study investigated the threshold level to induce arrhythmia, as well as arrhythmogenic mechanism of RUA that mainly consisted of PM <2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter close to ultrafine particles. Methods: RUA was artificially produced by a lately developed pyrolysis based RUA generator.C57BL/6 mice were divided into 4 groups: a control group (control, n=12) and three groups with exposure to RUA with the concentration of 200 µg/㎥ (n=12), 400 µg/㎥ (n=12), and 800 µg/㎥ (n=12). Mice were exposed to RUA at each concentration for 8 hr/day and 5 day/week to mimic ordinary human activity during 3 weeks. Results: The QRS and QTc intervals, as well as intracellular Ca2+ duration, apicobasal action potential duration (APD) gradient, fibrosis, and inflammation of left ventricle of mouse hearts were increased dose-dependently with the increase of RUA concentration, and significantly increased at RUA concentration of 400 µg/㎥ compared to control (all p<0.001). In mice exposed to RUA concentration of 800 µg/㎥ , spontaneous ventricular arrhythmia was observed in 42%, with significant increase of inflammatory markers, phosphorylated Ca2+ /calmodulindependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), and phospholamban (PLB) compared to control. Conclusions RUA could induce electrophysiological changes such as APD and QT prolongation, fibrosis, and inflammation dose-dependently, with significant increase of ventricular arrhythmia at the concentration of 400 µg/㎥ . RUA concentration of 800 µg/㎥ increased phosphorylation of CaMKII and PLB.

BACKGROUND:This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of subcutaneous Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) injection for treating chronic medial knee pain with osteoarthritis. METHODS:A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted at a university hospital in Korea.The subjects suffering from chronic medial knee pain with osteoarthritis were randomly allocated to either the BoNT-A (treatment, n = 23) group or the normal saline (placebo, n = 27) group.Injections were given to 10 points per unilateral knee along the course of the saphenous nerve.A total of 90 units of BoNT-A (60 units at baseline and 30 units after 1 week) was given for treating unilateral knee pain and a total of 180 units of BoNT-A was given for treating bilateral knee pain.The placebo group received the same volume of normal saline. RESULTS:The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score was significantly decreased in both the BoNT-A and normal saline groups 1, 4 and 12 weeks after injection.After adjusting for covariates, BoNT-A had a 0.788 times higher effect to decrease the VAS score than did normal saline, but the effect was marginally significant (P = 0.050). CONCLUSIONS:Subcutaneous injection along the course of the saphenous nerve significantly reduces chronic medial knee pain. The pain reduction effect of BoNT-A is higher than that of placebo, but the effect is marginally significant
Botulinum Toxins ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Stress, Psychological

BACKGROUND:This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of subcutaneous Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) injection for treating chronic medial knee pain with osteoarthritis. METHODS:A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted at a university hospital in Korea.The subjects suffering from chronic medial knee pain with osteoarthritis were randomly allocated to either the BoNT-A (treatment, n = 23) group or the normal saline (placebo, n = 27) group.Injections were given to 10 points per unilateral knee along the course of the saphenous nerve.A total of 90 units of BoNT-A (60 units at baseline and 30 units after 1 week) was given for treating unilateral knee pain and a total of 180 units of BoNT-A was given for treating bilateral knee pain.The placebo group received the same volume of normal saline. RESULTS:The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score was significantly decreased in both the BoNT-A and normal saline groups 1, 4 and 12 weeks after injection.After adjusting for covariates, BoNT-A had a 0.788 times higher effect to decrease the VAS score than did normal saline, but the effect was marginally significant (P = 0.050). CONCLUSIONS:Subcutaneous injection along the course of the saphenous nerve significantly reduces chronic medial knee pain. The pain reduction effect of BoNT-A is higher than that of placebo, but the effect is marginally significant
Botulinum Toxins ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Stress, Psychological

PURPOSE: Bone defects in revision TKA were classified according to AORI (Anderson Orthopedic Research Institute) system and results of the treatment are reported according to this classification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The results of 24 revision TKAs operated from Mar. 1991 to Apr. 1999 were analysed. Fourteen knees had type 1 tibial defects, four knees had type 2 and six knees had type 3. On the femoral side, twelve knees had type 1, four knees had type 2 and seven knees had type 3 defects. Cement and chip bone grafts were mainly used to fill bone defects in type 1, wedges or blocks in type 2 and structural allograft combined with the other methods in type 3. Results were evaluated using the knee and functional scores of the American knee society. RESULTS: The analysis of the results according to the method of treatment- cement filling, chip bone graft, structural bone graft, wedge or blocks and custom made prosthesis- revealed improvements of knee scores in all groups except for custom made prosthesis. CONCLUSION: Satisfactory clinical results were obtained for the management of bone defects according to the AORI classification system in revision total knee arthroplasty.
Allografts ; Arthroplasty* ; Classification ; Knee* ; Orthopedics ; Prostheses and Implants ; Transplants

OBJECTIVES: We conducted an epidemiologic survey to evaluate the effect of the aircraft noise exposure on the health of the residents near the military airbases in Pyeongtaek City. METHODS: The evaluation of environmental noise level, questionnaire survey, and health examination were performed for 917 residents. The study population consisted of four groups: subjects who lived in the village close to the fighter airbase (high exposure), subjects who lived along the course of fighters (intermediate exposure), and subjects near a helicopter airbase, and the control group. RESULTS: The prevalence of the aircraft noise related accident and irritable bowel syndrome in the exposure groups were higher than that of the control group. The risks of noise induced hearing loss, hypertension and diabetes mellitus were higher in the exposed groups than in the control group. The prevalence of anxiety disorder and primary insomnia were higher in the exposed groups than in the control group. Prevalence odd ratios of the risk for primary insomnia after adjusting age, sex, agricultural noise, and occupation were 4.03 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.56-10.47] for the subject near the helicopter airbase, 1.23 (95% CI 0.40-3.76) for those intermediately exposed to fighter noise, and 4.99 (95% CI 2.14-11.64) for those highly exposed to fighter noise. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that the aircraft noise may have adverse effects on hearing function, cardiovascular health and mental health. Therefore, it seems to be needed to take proper measures including the control of the aircraft noise and the management of the exposed people's health.
Adult ; Aged ; *Aviation ; Chronic Disease/epidemiology ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Female ; *Health Status ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Military Personnel ; Noise, Transportation/*adverse effects ; *Residence Characteristics

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the relationship between job type and the risk for spontaneous abortion to assess the reproductive toxicity of female workers in the semiconductor industry. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was administered to current female workers of two semiconductor manufacturing plants in Korea. We included female workers who became pregnant at least 6 months after the start of their employment with the company. The pregnancy outcomes of 2,242 female workers who experienced 4,037 pregnancies were investigated. Personnel records were used to assign the subjects to one of three groups: fabrication process workers, packaging process workers, and clerical workers. To adjust for within-person correlations between pregnancies, a generalized estimating equation was used. The logistic regression analysis was limited to the first pregnancy after joining the company to satisfy the assumption of independence among pregnancies. Moreover, we stratified the analysis by time period (pregnancy in the years prior to 2008 vs. after 2009) to reflect differences in occupational exposure based on semiconductor production periods. RESULTS: The risk for spontaneous abortion in female semiconductor workers was not significantly higher for fabrication and packaging process workers than for clerical workers. However, when we stratified by time period, the odds ratio for spontaneous abortion was significantly higher for packaging process workers who became pregnant prior to 2008 when compared with clerical workers (odds ratio: 2.21; 95% confidence interval: 1.01–4.81). CONCLUSIONS: When examining the pregnancies of female semiconductor workers that occurred prior to 2008, packaging process workers showed a significantly higher risk for spontaneous abortions than did clerical workers. The two semiconductor production periods in our study (prior to 2008 vs. after 2009) had different automated processes, chemical exposure levels, and working environments. Thus, the conditions prior to 2008 may have increased the risk for spontaneous abortions in packaging process workers in the semiconductor industry. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s40557-017-0204-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Chemical Processes ; Clergy ; Employment ; Female ; Female* ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Occupational Exposure ; Odds Ratio ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Product Packaging ; Semiconductors*