OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to survey worker's demands for worksite medical care and agency's intention for offering worksite medical care in Group Health Service Agency. METHODS: One study subjects were employers, workers and office personnels in 167 factories. They were asked for medical care utilization behavior and worksite medical care demand. 121 employers(72.5%), 145 office personnels(86.8%) and 816 workers(60.5%) answered the questionnaire. The other subjects were doctors, nurses and administrators in 66 Group Health Service Agencies nationwide. They were asked for intention of offering worksite medical care in Group Health Service Agency through the mail survey. 31 doctors(47.0%), 38 nurses(57.6%) and 34 administrators answered the questionnaire. RESULTS: 87 percentage of doctors and 94 percentage of nurses had experiences of being requested to prescribe and laboratory examination. All nurses, 94 percentage of administrators and 76 percentage of doctors thought that it was necessary to give medical treatment at worksite. Also in worksite 85 percentage of employers, 86 percentage of office personnels and 81 percentage of workers answered that they accepted the worksite medical care when it would be given. CONCLUSIONS: Worksite medical care should be permitted because almost of all workers and employers requested worksite medical care, and doctors and nurses in Group Health Service Agency were willing to give worksite medical care and there was necessity to prevent occupational cerebrovascular disease.
Administrative Personnel ; Health Services* ; Humans ; Intention* ; Postal Service ; Questionnaires ; Workplace*

PURPOSE: A positive finding on a peripheral blood smear is the gold standard for the diagnosis of malaria. However, even for an expert microscopist, this test is a laborious and time consuming procedure. Therefore, it is crucial to have available a rapid and simple test that can be used in an emergency department environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a rapid diagnostic kit for vivax malaria antigen and antibody among febrile patients visiting a local emergency medical center. METHODS: Peripheral blood smears, and malaria antigen and antibody tests were evaluated for 593 patients with fever and other commonly associated symptoms of malaria who visited our local emergency medical center between August 2008 and December 2009. RESULTS: Sixty nine cases of vivax malaria were confirmed by peripheral blood smear. Sensitivities of malaria antigen and antibody in patients of malaria were, respectively, 94.20% (65/69) and 76.81% (53/69); specificities were 100% (524/524) and 99.24% (520/524). CONCLUSION: Considering rapidity, high sensitivity and specificity, the rapid malaria antigen test is useful as an adjunctive diagnostic tool for detection of malaria infection in an emergency department environment.
Antigens, Protozoan ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Emergencies ; Fever ; Humans ; Malaria ; Malaria, Vivax ; Plasmodium ; Plasmodium vivax ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Formalin is a water-soluble, colorless, pungent, irritating and highly reactive gas. A 40% solution of formaldehyde in water, also known as formalin, is used as a disinfectant, antiseptic, deodorant, tissue fixative and embalming fluid. Ingestion can lead to immediate deleterious effects on almost all systems of the body including gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system, cardiovsacular system and hepato-renal system, causing gastrointestinal hemorrhage, cardiovsacular collapse, unconsciousness or convulsions, severe metabolic acidosis and acute respiratory distress syndrome. We treated a 39-year-old woman who ingested 300 ml formalin in a suicidal attempt. Despite hemodialysis, death occurred after 23 h.
Acidosis ; Adult ; Central Nervous System ; Deodorants ; Eating ; Embalming ; Female ; Formaldehyde ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Renal Dialysis ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Seizures ; Unconsciousness

BACKGROUND: The extracellular matrix (ECM) produced by dermal fibroblasts supports skin structure, and degradation and/or reduced production of ECM are the main causes of wrinkle formation. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the active ingredient that enhances ECM production in dermal fibroblasts. METHODS: Polarity-based fractionation was used to isolate the active ingredient from natural extracts, and the effects of cedrol (isolated from Pterocarpus indicusirginia) on ECM production in cultured human dermal fibroblasts was investigated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Cedrol accelerated fibroblast growth in a dose-dependent manner and increased the production of type 1 collagen and elastin. Phosphorylation of p42/44 extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and Akt was markedly increased by cedrol, indicating that enhanced ECM production is linked to activation of intracellular signaling cascades. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that cedrol stimulates ECM production, with possible applications to the maintenance of skin texture.
Blotting, Western ; Collagen ; Collagen Type I ; Elastin ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinases ; Pterocarpus ; Skin ; Terpenes

Generally, self expandable metallic stents (SEMSs) are widely used for the treatment of malignant gastrointestinal stenosis due to their effectiveness and low complication rate. On the contraty, balloon dilatation or Bougie dilatation is commonly used for treating benign gastrointestinal stenosis as non-invasive methods. However, their such complications such as recurrence, hemorrhage and perforation are problematic when these dilation techniques are used. Temporary placement of a SEMS in a benign gastric outlet obstruction is expected to be a promising therapeutic modality despite of several major complications such as migration. Rarely, stent removal can, on rare occasions, be difficult or cause bleeding or perforation when the stent is embeded in the mucosa due to mucosal hyperplasia at the tips of the stent. We report here on a case of a stent, partially embeded in the mucosa after temporary stenting for treating a benign pyloric stenosis, which was successfully removed using argon plasma coagulation.
Argon ; Argon Plasma Coagulation ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Gastric Outlet Obstruction ; Hemorrhage ; Hyperplasia ; Mucous Membrane ; Pyloric Stenosis ; Recurrence ; Stents

BACKGROUND: Fibroblasts produce many components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and so they contribute to the maintenance of connective tissue integrity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of velvet antler extract (VAE) on the ECM production of dermal fibroblasts cultured in vitro. METHODS: Primary cultured human dermal fibroblasts were treated with VAE, and then the ECM production was determined by RT-PCR, ELISA and Western blot analysis. Furthermore, the change of gene expression according to VAE treatment was evaluated by cDNA microarray. RESULTS: VAE accelerated the growth of fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner. VAE increased the production of several ECM components, including type 1 collagen, fibronectin and elastin. In line with these results, the phosphorylations of p42/44 ERK and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase were markedly increased by VAE, suggesting that the enhancement of ECM production may be linked to the activation of intracellular signaling cascades. VAE also significantly increased cell migration on an in vitro scratch wound test. In cDNA microarray, many genes related with connective tissue integrity were identified to be up-regulated by VAE. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that VAE has a potential to stimulate ECM production, and VAE may be applicable for maintaining the skin's texture.
Animals ; Antlers ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Movement ; Collagen Type I ; Connective Tissue ; Elastin ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts ; Fibronectins ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Phosphorylation ; Protein Kinases

Combined pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C infection cause a wide range of side effects, including flu-like syndrome, hematological abnormalities, cardiovascular symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, pulmonary dysfunction, depression, and retinopathy. Interferon-alpha has been shown to be related to the development of various autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroid disease, and type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). Type 1 DM and thyroid disease respectively develop in 0.08~2.61% and 10~15% of patients treated with combined interferon-alpha and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C. The coexistence of type 1 DM and autoimmune thyroiditis was rarely reported. We report a case of a 33-year-old female patient with chronic hepatitis C who simultaneously developed diabetic ketoacidosis and autoimmune thyroiditis after treatment with pegylated interferon-alpha 2b and ribavirin.
Adult ; Antiviral Agents/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Diabetic Ketoacidosis/drug therapy/*etiology ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/*drug therapy ; Humans ; Insulin/therapeutic use ; Interferon Alfa-2b/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Polyethylene Glycols/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Ribavirin/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune/drug therapy/*etiology ; Thyroxine/therapeutic use

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the level of maternal and prenatal mercury exposure and to analyze the related factors. METHODS: Fifty-nine pregnant women were recruited into this study after obtaining informed consent. Samples were collected at delivery from normal pregnant women who were living in the city of Busan, Korea. Mercury concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord blood samples were measured using a gold-amalgam collection method. The total and methyl mercury levels of 36 of the 59 pregnant women were analyzed after randomization, and the results were compared. RESULTS: The mean total mercury concentration was 3.16+/-1.21 ppb and 5.43+/-2.22 ppb in maternal and cord blood, respectively. The average, maternal blood mercury level was lower than the prescribed toxic limit for human (WHO, 5 ppb), whereas the cord blood mercury was higher. The mercury exposure level exceeded the WHO recommendation in 5 (8.47%) cases of maternal blood and 29 of (49.15%) cord blood. There was a significant correlation between maternal and cord blood mercury concentrations. Total mercury and methyl mercury concentrations of the 36 random pregnant women were 3.06+/-1.17 ppb, and 2.60+/-1.11 ppb in maternal blood, and 5.20+/-2.36 ppb, and 4.70+/-1.97 ppb in cord blood, respectively. Methyl mercury accounted for 85.0% of the total mercury in maternal blood and 90.4% in cord blood. There was a significant correlation between total and methyl mercury concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: The study results suggest that mercury concentrations of cord blood may be regarded as indicative of high prenatal mercury exposure. Therefore, further studies are necessary to explain the cause of high mercury concentrations in cord blood, and to examine its relationship with various health indices.
Busan ; Female ; Fetal Blood* ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Korea ; Pregnant Women* ; Random Allocation ; Umbilical Cord*

BACKGROUND: The fibrous proteins of extracellular matrix (ECM) produced by dermal fibroblast contributes to the maintenance of connective tissue integrity. OBJECTIVE: This study is carried out to identify the bioactive ingredient from natural products that enhances ECM production in dermal fibroblasts. METHODS: Bioassay-directed fractionation was used to isolate the active ingredient from natural extracts. The effects of rasatiol (isolated from Raphanus sativus) on ECM production in primary cultured human dermal fibroblasts was investigated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and western blot analysis. RESULTS: Rasatiol accelerated fibroblast growth in a dose-dependent manner and increased the production of type 1 collagen, fibronectin and elastin. Phosphorylation of p42/44 extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and Akt was remarkably increased by rasatiol, indicating that enhanced ECM production is linked to the activation of intracellular signaling cascades. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that rasatiol stimulates the fibrous components of ECM production, and may be applied to the maintenance of skin texture.
Biological Agents ; Blotting, Western ; Collagen Type I ; Connective Tissue ; Elastin ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts ; Fibronectins ; Humans ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinases ; Raphanus ; Scleroproteins ; Skin

BACKGROUND: The fibrous proteins of extracellular matrix (ECM) produced by dermal fibroblast contributes to the maintenance of connective tissue integrity. OBJECTIVE: This study is carried out to identify the bioactive ingredient from natural products that enhances ECM production in dermal fibroblasts. METHODS: Bioassay-directed fractionation was used to isolate the active ingredient from natural extracts. The effects of rasatiol (isolated from Raphanus sativus) on ECM production in primary cultured human dermal fibroblasts was investigated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and western blot analysis. RESULTS: Rasatiol accelerated fibroblast growth in a dose-dependent manner and increased the production of type 1 collagen, fibronectin and elastin. Phosphorylation of p42/44 extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and Akt was remarkably increased by rasatiol, indicating that enhanced ECM production is linked to the activation of intracellular signaling cascades. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that rasatiol stimulates the fibrous components of ECM production, and may be applied to the maintenance of skin texture.
Biological Agents ; Blotting, Western ; Collagen Type I ; Connective Tissue ; Elastin ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts ; Fibronectins ; Humans ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Protein Kinases ; Raphanus ; Scleroproteins ; Skin