Two major salivary glands, submandibular duct, lingual nerve, and vessels are situated beneath the mouth floor. Among these, passing through the pterygomandibular space, lingual nerve is innervated to the lingual gingiva and the mucosa of mouth floor, and is responsible for the general sensation of the anterior two thirds of the tongue. So, the injury of the lingual nerve during an anesthesia or surgery in the retromolar area may cause complications such as a numbness, a loss of taste of the tongue and the other dysfunctions. Therefore, to find out the morphology and the course of lingual nerve and to clarify the topographical relationships of lingual nerve at the infratemporal fossa and paralingual space area, 32 Korean hemi-sectioned heads were dissected macroscopically and microscopically with a viewpoint of clinical aspect in this study. This study demonstrated various anatomical characteristics with relation to the course and topography of the lingual nerve in Koreans. And clinical significances based on the anatomical variations through the topography of the courses and communications between the mandibular nerve branches were described in details.
Anesthesia ; Chorda Tympani Nerve ; Gingiva ; Head ; Hypesthesia ; Lingual Nerve* ; Mandibular Nerve ; Mouth Floor ; Mucous Membrane ; Salivary Glands ; Sensation ; Tongue

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the general health status and severity of exposure to hazardous agents - with a focus on heavy metals - of migrant workers utilizing the 2005 Special Health Examination data. METHODS: With data from the 2005 Special Health Examination, we examined the biologic exposure indices and several major clinical exam items of 25,086 migrant workers in the whole country in comparison with those of 19,616 native Korean workers in Kyunggi-do province. Of these we chose homogeneous samples from the same 3 health service centers in Kyunggi-do. (native workers:19,616, migrant workers:1,886) to be more precise. RESULTS: The results from the samples of the 3 centers were as follows. Blood lead (natives: 6.09 microgram/dl migrants: 8.37 microgram/L) and cadmium (natives: 0.29 microgram/dl, migrants: 0.36 microgram/L) were higher in the migrant workers than in the native Korean workers, whereas the biologic exposure indices of organic solvents were higher in the native workers. As for major clinical exam items, the liver battery was worse in the natives with incidence of abnormal AST/ALT level (natives: 8.1/6.8% migrants: 5.7/5.4%, p-value<0.01 for AST). Anemia was more prevalent in the migrant workers (natives: 9.0% migrants: 11.0%, p-value<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Migrant workers in Korea are more frequently or more severely exposed to a hazardous working environment containing heavy metals. However, we were not able to explain the results for the exposure indices or organic solvents, and such an explanation will require further study in the future.
Anemia ; Cadmium ; Health Services ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Liver ; Metals, Heavy ; Population Groups ; Solvents ; Transients and Migrants

PURPOSE: Oncogen or growth factor receptor such as phospholipase C isoenzyme gamma-1 (PLC gamma-1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and Her-2/neu which related with tyrosin kinasemay and then regulating vell proliferation may have a role as prognostic factors for breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: With assumption that expression of PLC gamma-1, EGFR and Her-2/neu oncogene has close relationship with prognosis of breast cancer, 59 breast cancer patients who were operated upon at Korea University Hospital during a period of 6 years starting June 1988 to May 1994 were selected for this study. This study was carried out by comparing between expression of PLC gamma-1, EGFR and Her-2/neu oncogene and patient's survival rate. These expression were also compared with TNM system, estrogen and progesterone receptor and at same time these expressions were compared with each other to see whether there are any relationship among these expression. RESULTS: Expression of PLC gamma-1, EGFR and Her-2/neu were present in 42% (25/59), 46% (27/59) and 20% (12/59). The expression of PLC gamma-1 was closely related with the expression of EGFR (p<0.05) and Her-2/neu (p<0.05), but there were no relationship between the expression of PLC gamma-1 and hormonal receptors and TNM stage (p>0.05). The expression of EGFR was closely related with the expression of Her-2/neu (p<0.05) and hormone receptors (p<0.05), but there were no relationship between the expression of EGFR and pathologic TNM stage (p>0.05). The expression of Her-2/neu was not closely related with hormone receptors and TNM stage except axillary lymph node metastasis. There were close relationship between overall and disease free survival and PLC gamma-1 and Her-2/neu. But EGFR had only related with disease free survival rate. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the expression of PLC gamma-1, EGFR and Her-2/neu oncogene in human breast cancer may be useful prognostic factors independently and it may potentiated its individual value as a prognostic factors if use them together.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Estrogens ; Humans* ; Korea ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oncogenes ; Phospholipases* ; Prognosis ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Survival Rate ; Type C Phospholipases*

The bone scanning has been routinely used for initial report in 1970s showed a high incidence of positive-up to 45%-results in preoperative assessment of these patients. But recent reports have questioned the routine use of bone scanning in preoperative basis by the result of much lower positive result as rate less than 1%. On this point, we analyzed 224 cases of breast cancer, which were operatively managed in the period from January 1990 to January 1995 at the department of surgery, Korea university medical center. All the cases were performed bone scanning preoperatively and followed up more than 3 months. The analytic evaluation was done about age, stage of disease, serum alkaline phosphatase level according to menopausal status and its correlation to the result of bone scanning. The result was 14 positive cases(6.3%) from bone scanning in 224 breast cancer cases, but only 8 cases(3.6%) were true positive with bone metastasis. While 35 stage I cases and 69 stage IIa ones had no true positive, 1 among 63 stage IIb cases(1.6%), 5 among 46 stage IIIa cases(10.9%) and 2 among 11 of stage IIIb ones(18.2%) had true positive. There were high bone metastasis rate in premenopausal patients(5/108 cases, 4.6%) than postmenopausal patients(3/116, 2.6%) (p<0.05). The alkaline phosphatase level shows no significant differences between true positive and other groups(p>0.05). All true positive patients' alkaline phosphatase level shows within normal limits. According to this result, we think that preoperative bone scanning is unnecessary as a routine procedure in Stage I and IIa breast cancer patients. Stage IIb needs more and further study for confirming the indication of bone scanning as combinations with other predictive indicator or symptoms. About Stage III disease, we conclude the bone scanning is absolutely helpful.
Academic Medical Centers ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

Chromosomal microarray (CMA) is a high-resolution, high-throughput method of identifying submicroscopic genomic copy number variations (CNVs). CMA has been established as the first-line diagnostic test for individuals with developmental delay (DD), intellectual disability (ID), autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), and multiple congenital anomalies (MCAs). CMA analysis was performed in 42 Korean patients who had been diagnosed with unexplained DD, ID, ASDs, and MCAs. Clinically relevant CNVs were discovered in 28 patients. Variants of unknown significance were detected in 13 patients. The diagnostic yield was high (66.7%). CMA is a superior diagnostic tool compared with conventional karyotyping and fluorescent in situ hybridization.
Autism Spectrum Disorder* ; Autistic Disorder* ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Intellectual Disability* ; Karyotyping ; Methods

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the status and characteristics of the industrial accidents of migrant workers with comparison to those of native workers. METHODS: The industrial accident rate of migrant workers was estimated by the annual number of industrial accidents divided by the total number of annual labor population multiplied by the annual admission rate of industrial accident insurance. The characteristics of industrial accidents for total migrant workers were assessed and compared with those of total native workers (from 2004 to 2006). In addition, we compared the industrial accidental characteristics of the 7,210 native workers and the 458 migrant workers employed in the Incheon area who received compensation from the industrial accident insurance in 2006. RESULTS: In 2004, 2005 and 2006, the total annual industrial accident rates of the migrant workers were 0.93%, 0.90%, and 1.06%, the injury accident rates were 0.90%, 0.86%, and 1.00%, the number of injury deaths per 10,000 persons were 2.29, 2.22, and 2.39, and the disease rates were 0.011%, 0.014%, and 0.027%, respectively. As for the cause of injury, rolled/jammed and cutting-type injuries were more prevalent in the migrant workers. With the standardization of job category, industry size and work tenure, the rolled/jammed-type injury was still significantly more prevalent in the migrant workers. CONCLUSIONS: Even considering the exclusion of the possible missing numbers of the submission of industrial accident cases, and the numbers of workplaces not registered for industrial accident insurance, the publicized statistics confirm the higher industrial accident rate of migrant workers compared to ative workers. Especially, the injury death rate was 2.2 times higher for migrant workers than for native workers in 2006. In addition, the remarkably lower occupational disease rate of the migrant workers compared to that of the native workers, suggested that numerous cases of disease were not reported. Finally, the lack of communication and former education that usually lead to the most prevalent injury type, i.e., the rolled/jammed type, supported our conclusion that the migrant workers were in need of more education regarding workplace safety.
Accidents, Occupational ; Compensation and Redress ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea ; Occupational Diseases ; Transients and Migrants

INTRODUCTION: There have been no reports of hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by metal working fluids in Korea, despite their existence in other countries. Here, we report the first such case, along with an assessment of work-relatedness through exposure assessment. CASE REPORT: A 64-year old male patient visited the hospital with dyspnea after metal pipe cutting for about a year. He was diagnosed with hypersensitivity pneumonitis from the evidence of specific exposure history, clinical symptoms, and radiologic findings. The air exposure levels of the oil mist, endotoxin, total bacteria and fungus in the work environment was TWA(8-hr) 0.531 mg/m3, 6.33 EU/m3, 100 CFU/m3 and 75 CFU/m3, respectively. The concentrations of the endotoxin, total bacteria and fungus within the metal working fluid was 1.5x10(4) EU/mL, 4.6x10(5) CFU/mL and 1.8x10(5) CFU/mL, respectively. DISCUSSION: Although the patient did not receive a specific precipitating antibody test, the microbial concentration within the metal working fluid was higher than normal and similar to previous case reports, The oil mist level in the air exceeded the NIOSH REL and ACGIH NIC, and were similar or higher than previous cases. By excluding other causes of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, we concluded that the disease developed from exposure to microbial antigens in the metal working fluid.
Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic ; Bacteria ; Dyspnea ; Fungi ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Male ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (U.S.)

INTRODUCTION: There have been no reports of hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by metal working fluids in Korea, despite their existence in other countries. Here, we report the first such case, along with an assessment of work-relatedness through exposure assessment. CASE REPORT: A 64-year old male patient visited the hospital with dyspnea after metal pipe cutting for about a year. He was diagnosed with hypersensitivity pneumonitis from the evidence of specific exposure history, clinical symptoms, and radiologic findings. The air exposure levels of the oil mist, endotoxin, total bacteria and fungus in the work environment was TWA(8-hr) 0.531 mg/m3, 6.33 EU/m3, 100 CFU/m3 and 75 CFU/m3, respectively. The concentrations of the endotoxin, total bacteria and fungus within the metal working fluid was 1.5x10(4) EU/mL, 4.6x10(5) CFU/mL and 1.8x10(5) CFU/mL, respectively. DISCUSSION: Although the patient did not receive a specific precipitating antibody test, the microbial concentration within the metal working fluid was higher than normal and similar to previous case reports, The oil mist level in the air exceeded the NIOSH REL and ACGIH NIC, and were similar or higher than previous cases. By excluding other causes of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, we concluded that the disease developed from exposure to microbial antigens in the metal working fluid.
Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic ; Bacteria ; Dyspnea ; Fungi ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Male ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (U.S.)

BACKGROUND: Mutations eliminating or altering the p53 protein function are the single most common genetic alteration in nearly all types of human cancers. The project of the p53 gene is hypothesized to maintain genomic stability by blocking cell replication or by initiating apoptosis after DNA damage. Many p53 mutations alter the conformation of the protein, which results in abnormal overexpression. METHODS: This study investigated the correlation between p53 mutations detected at the DNA level and the p53 protein expression determined by immunohistochemical staining. Abnormalities of the p53 gene and protein in 30 primary paraffin embedded breast cancer tissues were examined. RESULTS: Mutations in p53 exons 5-8 were identified in 9 of the 30 cases (30%) by using a polymerase chain-reaction single stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis. Overexpression of the p53 protein was detected in 11 of the 30 cases (37%) by using mouse monoclonal p53 antibody (Zymed Essence Co.) Positive immunohistochemical staining without mutations was detected by PCR-SSCP analysis in 4 cases, but a mutation with negative immunohistochemical staining was detected by PCR-SSCP analysis in only one case. p53 abnormality was not associated with TNM stages. The sensitivity between these methods was 73%. CONCLUSIONS: Positive immunohistochemical staining using p53 monoclonal antibody could detect p53 protein expression, but this result did not correlate completely with p53 mutation in exon 5-8.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; DNA ; DNA Damage ; Exons ; Genes, p53 ; Genomic Instability ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Paraffin ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the mental health status of migrant workers. We focused on the relationship between depressive symptoms and job stress. METHEOD: A questionnaire was administered to 488 migrant workers who visited NGO migrant worker centers located in Kyung-gi province. A structured, self-reported questionnaire was used to assess each responder's sociodemographics, work related characteristics, health behaviors, past medical history, job stress and depression symptoms. The job stress questionnaire was used according to KOSS-26 and depression symptoms were measured using CES-D, which was translated into Korean. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to assess the relationship between risk factors included job stress and depression symptoms. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression symptoms in survey subjects was 25.2%, but the prevalence of non-Chinese nationalities and illegal workers were 32.1% and 32.8%, respectively. Adjusting for confounding factors, job stress (OR 2.55, 95% CI=1.30-4.99) had a statistical meaningful relationship with depression symptoms. Among job stress domains, physical environment (OR 2.97, 95% CI=1.59-5.53), job demand (OR 2.33, 95% CI=1.26-4.32) and occupational climate(OR 3.10, CI=1.49-6.48) were most likely to experience depression symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms among the study subjects was similar to the prevalence among the general population in Korea, but higher than that among the Korean workers. In particular, the prevalence among non-Chinese and illegal workers was higher. However, the job stress factor appeared to have a more direct correlation with depressive symptoms than the sociodemographic factors of nationality or residential status. Hence, in order to prevent depressive symptoms of the migrant workers, we believe that intervention on job stress is necessary.
Depression ; Ethnic Groups ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mental Health ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Transients and Migrants