We report a case of eosinophilic fasciitis occurring in a 48-year-old man who showed tender, edemstous, indurated, and tight skin on the left forearm and elbow joint. Laboratory findings showed peripheral blood eosinophilia and hypergammaglobulinemia. Other laboratory tests were negative or within normal limits including ANA and anti-DNA. Histopathological findings revealed sclerosis of dermis and thickening of fat and fascia with intense infiltrations of lymphocytes, histiocytes and eosinophils. He was treated successfully with oral prednisolone for 2 weeks.
Dermis ; Elbow Joint ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils* ; Fascia ; Fasciitis* ; Forearm ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Hypergammaglobulinemia ; Lymphocytes ; Middle Aged ; Prednisolone ; Sclerosis ; Skin

We analysed clinically 354 glaucomatous patients from 1983 to 1987 who visited the clinic of the Department of Ophthalmology of National Medical Center. The results were as follows: 1) The prevalence of glaucoma was 1.56% among the out-patients. 2) The primary open-angle glaucoma(POAG) was the most frequent type. 3) The mean age of the patients with POAG was 47.8 +/- 14.2 years and 60.8 +/- 8.9 years was that of the patients with primary angle-closure glaucoma(PACG). 4) There was no sexual preference in various types of glacoma, except PACG and secondary glaucoma. 5) There was no significant difference in laterality between right and left eyes.
Glaucoma ; Humans ; Ophthalmology ; Outpatients ; Prevalence

OBJECTIVE: A cross-sectional study was performed to assess changes in computerized neurobehavioral performance across multiple test sessions for developing a valid performance level and reducing test time. METHODS: The study was conducted on 118 male car painters exposed to low-dose, mixed organic solvents. The study controls were 113 unexposed reference workers matched for age and educational year from different sections of the same factory. Each worker completed a medical and occupational exam and questionnaire. Three tests of the Swedish Performance Evaluation System (5 minutes of Simple Reaction Time, 9 sessions of Symbol Digit, and 4 sessions of Finger Tapping Speed) were administered to each group. RESULTS: The mean age, mean duration of employment, and mean years of education were 33 years, 6.7 years, and 12 years in both groups, respectively. The mean reaction times of the Simple Reaction Time increased with the lapse of time. The known group difference between the exposed and control groups was larger for the first minute than for the successive 3 minutes. Both groups showed improved performance across the first to the seventh sessions on Symbol Digit. Following the seventh session, the performance levels of Symbol Digit had worsened. The t statistic of the two groups was the largest when the two mean reaction times were calculated from the sessions of the fifth to the seventh. In the dominant and non-dominant hands, the number of taps increased and decreased, respectively, across the sessions on Finger Tapping Speed. The known group difference was the largest when comparing the performances from the first to the second sessions. CONCLUSIONS: For valid interpretation and timesaving in computerized neurobehavioral tests, the following is recommended: one practice and one test session for Simple Reaction Time, four practice and three test sessions for Symbol Digit, and one practice and two test sessions for Finger Tapping Speed.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Education ; Employment ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Questionnaires ; Reaction Time ; Solvents

The authors interviewed with 21 North Korean defectors who detected from North Korea in 1990-1995 and investigated their adjustment to South Korean society. The main categories of their problems in adjustment were a poor social network, financial difficulties, problems in social competency, problems resulting from their indoctrinated way of thinking, some psychological problems such as excessive self-consciousness and guilty feelings, and some social-structural problems such as poor education system in the government shelter. But, generally speaking, inspite of their problems, they have adjusted to South Korea society rather successfully In the view of short term adjustment, the reasons for their success were thought to be the characteristics and merits of a capitalistic economy ; their compliant personalities resulting from an educational system that emphasized obedience to authority and Kim Il Sung, and the dualism of North Korean lifts. Four points were discussed to assist a successful adjustment in the long term ; Fostering of the ability to make individual choices with internal principles, overcoming a judgemental, moralizing attitude, overcoming of overfull thought centered attitude and rebounding thought-lacking attitude, overcoming the effect of negative collectivism. Three things have been suggested to foster their healthy adjustment ; development and running of resocialization program for the each period of settlement ; building up a network of accessible support organizations who work for the adjustment of defectors ; systemic studies of North Korean people and defecters for the successful adjustment to unified Korean society. It is said that the division of Korean people has been the most tragic thing happen to Korea. But there can be a greater tragedy and that would be the unification of land but not the unification of people. failure to understand the real problems of the North Korean population can potentially produce conflicts and confusion which can only lead to funker re-division and greater tragedy. It is very important to study the adjustment to problems of North Korean defectors to help prepare far the unification of the Korean people.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Education ; Foster Home Care ; Korea* ; Running ; Thinking

BACKGROUND: Research on the emotional labor of firefighters is actively being carried out, but studies that analyze emotional labor separately by job types, working departments, and other conditions of firefighters are insufficient. The purpose of this study is to investigate the difference in emotional labor level between departments and other conditions of firefighters. METHODS: A total of 287 Korean firefighters were included for analysis. The demands of emotional labor and emotional damage were measured using the Korean Emotional Labor Scale. To analyze the conditions and factors affecting the emotional labor level of the firefighters, logistic regression analysis was performed using the emotional labor high risk group as a dependent variable. RESULTS: The average score of overall emotional labor level of the firefighters was 47.2 ± 17.3, and the prevalence of high risk firefighters with emotional labor was 27.1%. It was found that the emergency medical service and administration departments showed a higher prevalence of high risk emotional labor firefighters than did other departments. The result of multiple logistic regression analysis for the high risk emotional labor firefighters showed that the adjusted odds ratio of emergency medical service department compared to the reference group (the rescue department) was 2.89 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–8.24). CONCLUSIONS: Among the firefighters, the emergency medical service department is a high risk factor for emotional labor. Therefore, education and prevention training on emotional labor should be more thorough before work shifts.
Daegu ; Education ; Emergency Medical Services ; Firefighters ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Typhlitis*

Although CNS involvement of paragonimiasis is not frequently encountered, it has been reported in 10-25% of clinical cases of all paragonimiasis. It causes various symptoms and signs including epilepsy, headache, hemiparesis, visual field defect or other neurologic deficits. Infestation usually occurs by ingestion of freshwater crabs or crayfish infected with Paragonimus metacercariae. We report three patients with chronic cerebral paragonimiasis, which were diagnosed by history, neurologic examination, radiological and serological evaluations, Two of them had history of ingestion of freshwater crabs or crayfish in childhood. Only one patient showed a positive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reaction for Paragonimus specific antibody in serum and CSF. Their clinical manifestations were seizure, headache, and visual field defect. In their plain skull X-rays, congregated round oval calcifications were recognized. Brain computed tomography of patients revealed pathognomonic findings of multiple, variable sized, round, calcified lesions surrounded by low density areas together with cortical atrophy in occipital, parietal, and temporal lobes.
Astacoidea ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Eating ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epilepsy ; Fresh Water ; Headache ; Humans ; Metacercariae ; Neurologic Examination ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Paragonimiasis* ; Paragonimus ; Paresis ; Rabeprazole ; Seizures ; Skull ; Temporal Lobe ; Visual Fields

Abdominoplasty may be applied to achieve aesthetic outcome and it also can be combined with other surgeries. In addition, liposuction has been offered to patients to improve contour. Liposuction combined with abdominoplasty gives us the advantage of higher patient satisfaction, better aesthetic outcome, and one-staged surgery. The authors performed a retrospective study to evaluate the outcomes. A total of 6 patients who underwent lipoabdominoplasty were included. The patients were all female and the mean age of the patients was 50.5 years old(age range, 32 to 58 years). This study surveyed lipoabdominoplasty based on the purpose of operation, type of suture, and application of quilting suture. Complication rates, patient satisfaction, and postoperative contour of the abdomen were questioned. A mild abdominal complication occurred in one patient, flap bullae, but this was healed within a week and overall flap survival was excellent with good satisfactory outcome. It appears that complication rates of simple lipoabdominoplasty group is low(1/6), and only minor complication occurs. Preservation of perforators during liposuction accounts for improved flap survival. In addition, abdominoplasty may be combined with other abdominal surgeries since other abdominal surgeries usually involve the lower abdomen, which will eventually be cut away curing the abdominoplasty stage.
Abdomen ; Abdominal Wall ; Abdominoplasty ; Adipose Tissue ; Blister ; Female ; Humans ; Imidazoles ; Lipectomy ; Nitro Compounds ; Patient Satisfaction ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgery, Plastic ; Sutures

PURPOSE: Negative pressure therapy has been used in various conditions to promote wound healing. It has also been used to secure a skin graft by improving microcirculation and improving tight adhesion between the graft and the recipient bed. To reduce post burn scar contracture and improve aesthetical result, many types of dermal substitutes have been invented and used widely. The goal of this study is to evaluate usefulness of the VAC(Kinetic concepts Inc., San Antonio, TX) in improving the take rate and time to incorporation of Integra(R) in reconstruction of burn scar contracture. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed from October, 2006 to December, 2008. The VAC was utilized for 11 patients. The patient's ages ranged from 5 to 27 with an average of 19.7 years. The surface area ranged from 24 to 1,600cm2 with an average of 785cm2. The burn scars were excised deep into normal subcutaneous tissue to achieve complete release of the scar, Integra(R) was sutured in place with skin staple and Steri-strip(R). Then slit incisions were made on silicone sheet only with No.11 blade for effective drainage. The VAC was used as a bolster dressing over Integra(R). Negative-Pressure ranging from 100 to 125mm Hg was applied to black polyurethane foam sponge trimmed to the appropriate wound size. An occlusive seal over the black polyurethane foam sponge was maintained by a combination of the occlusive dressing, OP-site(R). The VAC dressing changes were performed every 3 or 4 days until adequate incorporation was obtained. The neodermis appeared slightly yellow to orange color. When the Integra(R) deemed clinically incorporated, The VAC was removed and take was estimated with visual inspection. Very thin STSG(0.006-0.008 inches) was performed after silicone sheet removal. RESULT: The mean time for clinically assessed incorporation of Integra(R) was 10.00 days(range 9-12). The mean dressing change was 3.5 times until take was obtained. In All patients, Integra(R) had successful incorporation in tissue without serious complications. CONCLUSION: Integra(R) in combination with Vacuum- Assisted Closure(VAC) may be incorporated earlier than conventional dressing method.
Acceleration ; Bandages ; Burns ; Cicatrix ; Citrus sinensis ; Contracture ; Drainage ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Microcirculation ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Occlusive Dressings ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Polyurethanes ; Porifera ; Retrospective Studies ; Silicones ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Transplants ; Wound Healing

Dysfunctions of ubiquitin-proteasome system and toxicity of dopamine have been known as the key mechanisms in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) and proteasome inhibitors are widely used in experimental models of PD to reproduce cell death of dopaminergic neurons. In the present study, immortalized human neural stem cells (HB1.F3, F3) and those transfected with human aromatic acid decarboxylase gene (F3.AADC), were used to investigate the mechanism of selective dopaminergic neuronal cell death mediated by dopamine or proteasome inhibitors. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that F3.AADC was more susceptible to dopamine than parental F3 cell which does not carry dopaminergic phenotype. The dopamine-induced apoptosis was mediated by activation of caspases 3 and 9 and cleavage of PARP. Proteasome inhibitors also induced apoptosis in dose-dependent manner but there was no difference between cell types. Prolonged exposure to subtoxic dose of proteasome inhibitors further enhanced dopamine-induced apoptosis in the F3.AADC, and increased presence of alpha-synuclein and ubiquitin-positive inclusions was noted in the cytoplasm of apoptotic cells by immunocytochemistry. These findings indicate that dopaminergic cells are selectively susceptible to dopamine toxicity and prolonged suppression of proteasome system further enhances selective sensitivity to dopamine toxicity. Chronic subtoxic proteasomal dysfunction of dopaminergic cells might contribute to selective cell death of dopaminergic neurons during the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.
alpha-Synuclein ; Apoptosis ; Caspases ; Cell Death ; Cytoplasm ; Dopamine ; Dopaminergic Neurons ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Models, Theoretical ; Neural Stem Cells ; Parents ; Parkinson Disease ; Phenotype ; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex ; Proteasome Inhibitors