PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to evaluate the effects of intervention for CVD prevention in construction workers. METHODS: A total of 497 workers participated the health status survey and finally 90 workers were analyzed for evaluation of the intervention with the one-group pretest-posttest design. The data were collected from the questionnaires and health examinations in the healthcare service for road constructor's CVD prevention as secondary analysis. The intervention of the healthcare was composed of CVD prevention education for all workers and face to face counselling for the high risk group of CVD risk during 6 months in workplace. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, χ² test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, and paired t-test. RESULTS: The moderate and high risk groups of CVD were 9.7% and 0.8%. After the intervention, the physical activity (MET-min/week) significantly increased (Z=-5.46, p<.001). But, there were no significant differences in blood pressure, fasting glucose, body mass index, and CVD risk appraisals between pre and post intervention. CONCLUSION: The findings imply that it is necessary to develop the health promotion program for construction workers which fully reflects the characteristics of individuals and the organization.
Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases* ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Health Promotion ; Motor Activity

OBJECTIVES: The present study examines the relationship between depressive symptoms and subjective chewing and pronunciation ability in Korean seniors. Our goal is to provide the data required to develop appropriate oral health interventions programs for seniors. METHODS: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) is widely used depressive symptoms assessment. A Korean version was used for the 2009 Community Health Survey, which was consulted to extract the present study's subjects, comprising 50,694 Korean seniors (males, 20,582; females, 30,112) aged ≥65 years. Those with a CES-D score ≥16 were rated 'depressed.' SAS version 9.3 was used for the data analysis. RESULTS: Prevalence of depressive symptoms increased as the subjects' socioeconomic status decreased, number of health issues increased, health behavior worsened, and chewing and pronunciation discomfort increased. Males with chewing difficulties were found to have 1.45 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29 to 1.63) greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without, while males with pronunciation discomfort were found to have 1.97 times greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without (95% CI, 1.76 to 2.20). Females with chewing difficulty were found to have 1.50 times (95% CI, 1.39 to 1.61) greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without, and females with pronunciation discomfort were found to have 1.55 times greater risk of depressive symptoms than those without (95% CI, 1.44 to 1.67). CONCLUSIONS: Intervention programs designed to help with oral health management and alleviate depressive symptoms in seniors are urgently needed. As the prevalence of depressive symptoms may vary geographically, research examining potential variance at city, district, and town levels would be beneficial.
Aged* ; Depression* ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Mastication* ; Oral Health ; Prevalence ; Social Class ; Statistics as Topic

We report a case of genital swelling in a patient receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. A physical examination did not identify any defect. Ultrasonography revealed a large hydrocele, and surgical repair brought resolution of the genital swelling. Two months later, however, the genital swelling had recurred and was not improved until peritoneal dialysis was replaced by hemodialysis 3 months later.
Genitalia ; Humans ; Ligation ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory ; Physical Examination ; Renal Dialysis ; Testicular Hydrocele

Hyperornithinemia-hyperammonemia-homocitrullinuria(HHH) syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by a defect in the urea cycle. Protein intolerance, mental retardation, seizure, ataxia, and stupor are characteristic symptoms. Patients showing these symptoms may also present symptoms of acute hepatic disease at the same time. When fed with a high protein diet, they may refuse to eat, vomit, become lethargic, or go into coma. After childhood, most patients avoid meats or milk spontaneously and eat a low protein diet. The liver and spleen are normal or slightly enlarged. The coagulation time is prolonged and sometimes there is a deficiency in factor VII and X. Treatment is aimed at preventing hyperammonemia after meals by restricting daily protein intake to 1.2 g/kg/day and this lowers serum ornithine concentration. Prolonged ornithine supplement(0.5 to 1.0 mM/kg/day; i.e., 66 to 132 mg/kg/day divided into three doses) improved patients' protein intolerance and accelerated growth. Since Shih and coworkers first reported this syndrome in 1969, there have been 40 cases reported worldwide but not yet in Korea. We, for the first time in Korea, report two cases of HHH syndrome in brothers.
Ataxia ; Coma ; Diet ; Diet, Protein-Restricted ; Factor VII ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Intellectual Disability ; Korea ; Liver ; Meals ; Meat ; Milk ; Ornithine ; Seizures ; Siblings* ; Spleen ; Stupor ; Urea

This study was performed to evaluate the temperature rise on various position of the Buchanan plugger, the peak temperature of plugger's type and the temperature change by its touching time of heat control spring. The heat carrier system 'System B'(Model 1005, Analytic Technologies, USA) and the Buchanan's pluggers of F, FM, M and ML sizes are used for this study. The temperature was set to 200degrees C which Dr. Buchanan's "continuous wave of condensation" technique recommended on digital display and the power level on it was set to 10. In order to apply heat on the Buchanan's pluggers, the heat control spring was touched for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 seconds respectively. The temperature rise on the surface of the pluggers were measured at 0.5 mm intervals from tip to 20 mm length of shank using the infrared thermography (Radiation Thermometer-IR Temper, NEC San-ei Instruments, Ltd, Japan) and TH31-702 Data capture software program (NEC San-ei Instruments, Ltd, Japan). Data were analyzed using a one way ANOVA followed by Duncan's multiple range test and linear regression test. The results as follows. 1. The position at which temperature peaked was approximately at 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm far from the tip of Buchanan's pluggers (p<0.001). The temperature was constantly decreased toward the shank from the tip of it (p<0.001). 2. When the pluggers were heated over 5 seconds, the peak temperature by time of measurement revealed from 253.3+/-10.5degrees C to 192.1+/-3.3degrees C in a touch for 1 sec, from 218.6+/-5.0degrees C to 179.5+/-4.2degrees C in a touch for 2 sec, from 197.5+/-3.0degrees C to 167.6+/-3.7degrees C in a touch for 3 sec, from 183.7+/-2.5degrees C to 159.8+/-3.6degrees C in a touch for 4 sec and from 164.9+/-2.0degrees C to 158.4+/-1.8degrees C in a touch for 5 sec. A touch for 1 sec showed the highest peak temperature, followed by, in descending order, 2 sec, 3 sec, 4 sec. A touch for 5 sec showed the lowest peak temperature (p<0.001). 3. A each type of pluggers showed different peak temperatures. The peak temperature was the highest in F type and followed by, in descending order, M type, ML type. FM type revealed the lowest peak temperature (p<0.001). The results of this study indicated that pluggers are designed to concentrate heat at around its tip, its actual temperature does not correlate well with the temperature which Buchanan's "continuous wave of condensation" technique recommend, and finally a quick touch of heat control spring for 1sec reveals the highest temperature rise.
Hot Temperature ; Linear Models ; Thermography

Epiploic appendagitis is an inflammation of the epiploic appendage in which the small sacs projecting from the serosal layer of the colon are positioned longitudinally from the caecum to the rectosigmoid area. Epiploic appendagitis is rare and self-limiting; however, it can cause sudden abdominal pain in children. Epiploic appendagitis does not typically accompany other gastrointestinal diseases. Here, we report on a healthy eight-year-old girl who presented with abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. Based on these symptoms, she was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis, but epiploic appendagitis in the ascending colon was revealed in contrast computed tomography (CT). The patient was treated successfully with conservative management. CT is beneficial in diagnosis and further assessment of epiploic appendagitis. Pediatricians need to be aware of this self-limiting disease and consider it as a possible alternate diagnosis in cases of acute abdominal pain.
Abdominal Pain ; Child ; Colon ; Colon, Ascending ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Female ; Fever ; Gastroenteritis* ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Vomiting

Cranioplasty has long been performed by many physicians with different materials from the prehistoric era. Among the materials, methyl methacrylate has been known to be the superior to any other substitutes since 1940s in biologic, chemical and physical characteristics and its availability. So the authors review 72 patients who underwent cranioplasty with methyl methacrylate at out hospital from 1985 to 1989. The clinical analyses were as follow : 1) There was male predominance and epidural hematomas, compound, comminuted depressed fractures by traffic accidents or fall down injuries were the main causes of craniectomy. 2) The location of defects was mainly frontal and/or parietal area and average size of defects was 17cm2 in plain skull film measurements. 3) The cosmetic results were satisfactory. 4) Complication rate was 6% and there was no mortality.
Accidents, Traffic ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; Rabeprazole ; Skull

OBJECTIVES: The rupture of middle cerebral artery(MCA) aneurysm usually cause or is associated with higher incidence of intracerebral hemorrhages(ICH) than any other aneurysmal ruptures. Also, the outcome of patients who had ICH is known to be worse than patients who had subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH) only. The authors report the bleeding pattern and outcome of ruptured MCA aneurysm patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total 106 ruptured MCA aneurysm patients who were surgically treated were included and they were divided into 2 groups by the initial brain CT findings according to the presence or absence of ICH over 10cc in amount. The clinical data were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: The overall mortality was 18.9%. Among 81 patients(76.4%) who had subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH) only, 68 patients(84%) showed favorable outcome. Twenty five patients(23.6%) had ICH over 10cc in amount with or without SAH, and among them, 11 patients(44%) showed favorable outcome. The ICH was located in temporal lobe(15 patients, 60%), frontal lobe(3, 12%), sylvian fissure(6, 24%) and frontal-temporal lobe(1, 4%). Among 15 patients who had ICH in temporal lobe, only 4 patients(26.6%) showed favorable outcome and all 3 patients who had ICH in frontal lobe showed favorable outcome. CONCLUSION: ICH was presented in 23.6% of ruptured MCA aneurysm patients and the prognosis of patients with ICH was worse than patients with SAH only. The ICH was located mainly in the temporal lobe and sylvian fissure.
Aneurysm ; Brain ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Frontal Lobe ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Temporal Lobe

A 45-year-old man presented with muscle pain, skin nodules and persistent hypereosinophilia over a period of 4 months. Laboratory data excluded the diagnosis of trichinosis or any other parasite infection. The patient's course of the disease over the 9 months was compatible with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome. In a muscle biopsy, eosinophilic and lymphoplasma cells are predominantly infiltrated. Authors report a case of rhabdomyolysis due to eosinophilic polymyositis in idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome.
Male ; Humans ; Biopsy

BACKGROUND: As single donor platelets (SDP) has been increasingly used, the quality of SDP, especially apheresis-induced platelet activation, has become a major issue. This study evaluated the activation of SDP platelets prepared with three different cell separators that are currently being used at the Korean Red Cross. METHODS: CD62p, CD63 and CD42 were measured in 35 units of SDP prepared with Amicus (Baxter, Deerfield, IL, USA), MCS+ (Haemonetics, Braintree, MA, USA), or Trima (Gambro BCT, Lakewood, USA) using flow cytometry. RESULTS: Expression of CD62p gradually increased with storage time, but no difference in expression was noted between cell separators. Expression of CD63 also increased with storage time and platelets prepared with the Amicus displayed significantly higher CD63 expression 72 and 120 hours after collection compared to those prepared with MCS+ and Trima. Expression of CD42b tended to decrease with storage time, but this was only significant for Amicus 120 hours after collection. No difference in CD42b expression was noted between cell separators. CONCLUSIONS: Platelet activation increased with storage time, and platelet activation was more pronounced in the platelets prepared with the Amicus. However, because in vitro results of platelet activation does not necessarily reflect in vivo platelet function and survival, additional studies are needed to clarify clinical effectiveness of activated platelets.
Blood Platelets* ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Platelet Activation* ; Plateletpheresis* ; Red Cross ; Tissue Donors