PURPOSE: This study was conducted to compare the rates of industrial accidents in workplaces that adopted the 2011 Workplace Health Promotion Subsidy Scheme before and after the implementation. METHODS: The study analyzed the raw data of industrial accidents of 304 workplaces which received subsidies for health promotion activities in 2011. The raw data covered the period from February 2010 to July 2012, based on the dates of industrial accidents. RESULTS: Workplaces subsidized for health promotion activities reported fewer occurrences in staff injuries and illnesses than before the subsidization, as the total number of industrial accident victims dropped from 0.35 to 0.24. The rate of industrial accidents also dropped from 0.49 to 0.35, with the number of working days decreased from 35,433 to 23.867, about 33%. CONCLUSION: The study showed that financial support for health-promoting activities contributed to the decease in industrial accidents, which is an important indication advocating the need for corporate and government investment on workers health promotion programs. Furthermore, this study is also significant as it is the first research conducted in Korea to examine the impact of a workers health promotion project using a direct indicator, the rate of industrial accidents.
Accidents, Occupational ; Financial Support ; Health Promotion ; Investments ; Korea

Allopurinol is widely used for chronic tophaceous gout as a uric acid lowering agent. Hypersensitivity to allopurinol occurrs in about 10% of patients, which limits the usage of allopurinol. The successful oral and intravenous desensitization of allopurinol has been reported worldwide since 1976. We recently experienced a 51-year-old male patient with gouty arthritis and hyperuricemia, who had previously experienced skin rash after allopurinol treatment. When allopurinol was retried, erythematous and foliative skin rash developed on entire body. Because allopurinol was essential in controlling hyperuricemia, the oral desensitization of allopurinol was tried. We report successful rapid oral allopurinol desensitization in the patient with chronic tophaceous gout, who exhibited exfoliative dermatitis as allopurinol hypersensitivity.
Allopurinol* ; Arthritis, Gouty ; Dermatitis, Exfoliative* ; Exanthema ; Gout ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Hyperuricemia ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Uric Acid

PURPOSE: Defensins are important components of innate immune system. These peptides have antimicrobial activity against a wise variety of pathogens that associated with burn wound infection. In particular, human beta-defensins are expressed in normal epidermal region and showed differential expression of some skin disease. We investigated that expression of human beta-defensin by in vitro and ex-vivo by thermal condition. METHODS: To investigate the expression of human beta-defensins in acute burn condition, we cultured keratinocytes and used to rat's skin at this experiment. After thermal condition, we showed the expression of beta-defensins-2 (hBD-2), -3 (hBD-3), keratins, keratinocyte differentiation and junction protein levels by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS: HBD-2 & involucrin were down-regulated from 1 hr to 8 hrs in mRNA level. But others were not changed in mRNA level. In protein level, hBD-3 was decreased but pan-cytokeratin and beta-catenin were not changed. CONCLUSION: HBD-2 was down-regulated in thermal injury. Because thermal injury could induce the influence of keratinocyte differentiation and the decrease of skin protection ability. Our results suggested that human beta-defensins plays an important role in protection by several injury.
beta Catenin ; beta-Defensins ; Burns ; Defensins ; Humans ; Immune System ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratinocytes ; Keratins ; Peptides ; Protein Precursors ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Wound Infection

Heterotopic pregnancy is the coexistency of intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy. The incidence of heterotopic pregnancy is about 1 to 30,000 pregnancy in a natural cycle. However, the frequency of heterotopic pregnancy has steadily increased because of rising incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, pelvic surgery and the development of ovulation induction and assisted reproduction. Because heterotopic pregnancy is difficult to diagnose and it has high morbidity and mortality rate, one should always take this into consideration and should conduct careful and thorough gynecologic evaluation. We have experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a 29-year old woman who presented with acute abdominal pain in a natural cycle and report this case with a brief review of literature.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Ovulation Induction ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic* ; Reproduction

A clinico-pathologic study with an immunohistochemical examination for c-erbB-2 expression in 54 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ and 16 cases of Paget's disease of the breast was performed. c-erbB-2 oncoprotein overexpression was observed in 45% (24/54) and 88% (14/16) of ductal carcinoma in situ and Paget's disease, respectively. The overexpression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was significantly correlated with the nuclear grade of tumors and inversely with the status of the estrogen receptor. c-erbB-2 was positive in 4 out of 5 patients with metastasis to axillary lymph nodes and 3 out of 4 patients who died of the disease. Prognostic significance of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in ductal carcinoma in situ was highly suggested. The expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in Paget's disease was well correlated with coexisting infiltrating or in situ ductal carcinoma. The high positive rate of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in ductal carcinoma with Paget's disease could be understood with a recent hypothesis that c-erbB-2 oncoprotein is involved in promotion of cell motility and the spread of carcinoma cells.
Neoplasm Metastasis

OBJECTIVES: Cadmium (Cd), a toxic and non-essential metal, is recognized as a human carcinogen, which has a tendency to accumulate in the human body. The levels of Cd in renal cortex and liver are good indicators as an index of Cd exposure in the general population. In this study, we present an estimation of reference Cd levels in tissue (renal cortex and liver) and total body burden in the general population of Korea. MEDTHODS: Cd and zinc (Zn) were analyzed in renal cortex and liver from 254 autopsies (male : 188 cases, female : 66 cases) aged 0 to 87 years. RESULTS: Geometric mean concentration of Cd was 27.4 and 3.1 ua/g wet weight in renal cortex and liver, respectively. The level of Zn in renal cortex and liver was 35.4 and 42. 6 v/g wet weight, respectively. The result suggests that kidney is the target organ for Cd accumulation. The accumulation of Cd in renal cortex was age-dependent with a biphasic pattern. The level of Cd in renal cortex increased with age up to the fifties, and then leveled off thereafter. Based on the data, the regression model for Cd accumulation in renal cortex by age is predicted by : Log KCd = 0. 2325 + 0. 0553 Age 0. 0005 Age. The highest Cd accumulation in renal cortex of Koreans was estimated at 43. 3 ua/g wet weight at 50. 8 years old. In addition, the total Cd body burden by age was estimated by the following equation: Total Cd Body Burden = -4. 5948 + l. 2278 Age - 0. 0121 Age. The highest body burden of Cd was estimated at 26. 5 mg at age 50. 7 years in the Korean general population. The positive correlation between Zn and Cd was observed in renal cortex and liver. CONCLUSIONS: The level of Cd exposure in Korean was found to be lower than in Japanese, but same as or higher than in American and Europeans.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Autopsy ; Body Burden ; Cadmium* ; Child ; Female ; Human Body ; Humans ; Kidney Cortex ; Kidney* ; Korea ; Liver* ; Reference Values* ; Zinc

MR imaging of the brain in 34 patients were reviewed to characterize the MR findings of brain damage due to perinatal hypoxic insult All the patients had a history of perinatal hypoxia and showed abnormal brain MR findings. Out of 34, eight infants were born premature and twenty-six were born at term or post-term. MR findings were analysed for the extent and location of abnormalities of the white matter, cortical abnormality. Corpus callosum atrophy, and abnormal progression of myelination. The major abnormalities were abnormal signal lesions or atrophy of the cerebral white matter and gyral atrophy of the cerebral cortex. The distribution of white matter lesions well correlated with maturity of the brain at the time of hypoxic insult. Periventricular and deep white matter lesions predominated in the premature-born patients. Corpus callosum atrophy was frequently seen. Reflecting the location of white matter injury. Delay in myelination was present in 55%. MR is a very useful diagnostic imaging modality and guide for the prediction of prognosis by accurate depiction of the location and extent of brain damage due to perinatal hypoxic insult.
Anoxia* ; Atrophy ; Brain* ; Cerebral Cortex ; Corpus Callosum ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelin Sheath ; Prognosis ; White Matter

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the awareness of fathers about early childhood parenting. METHODS: Selected fathers of children in early childhood were interviewed, and an open-ended questionnaire was utilized to identify the fathers' awareness of the meaning of parenting, priority for parenting, opinions on paternal roles as a child raiser, parenting difficulties, and what education they wanted to receive as fathers. After their statements were collected, a content analysis was done. RESULTS: Results of the content analysis showed there were 45 significant statements, which were classified into 17 categories. The fathers saw the meaning of parenting as being in five different domains: social, cognitive, emotional, physical and environmental. As for paternal roles, they thought that a fathers should serve as emotional supporters. The parenting difficulties that they faced were attributed to time constraints. CONCLUSION: For fathers, development of parent education programs that deal with early childhood parenting knowledge, communication methods and how to play with children according to their developmental stages are required, and qualitative research should be implemented to keep track of the process of changes in parenting characteristics.
Child* ; Education ; Fathers* ; Humans ; Parenting* ; Parents* ; Qualitative Research ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the awareness of fathers about early childhood parenting. METHODS: Selected fathers of children in early childhood were interviewed, and an open-ended questionnaire was utilized to identify the fathers' awareness of the meaning of parenting, priority for parenting, opinions on paternal roles as a child raiser, parenting difficulties, and what education they wanted to receive as fathers. After their statements were collected, a content analysis was done. RESULTS: Results of the content analysis showed there were 45 significant statements, which were classified into 17 categories. The fathers saw the meaning of parenting as being in five different domains: social, cognitive, emotional, physical and environmental. As for paternal roles, they thought that a fathers should serve as emotional supporters. The parenting difficulties that they faced were attributed to time constraints. CONCLUSION: For fathers, development of parent education programs that deal with early childhood parenting knowledge, communication methods and how to play with children according to their developmental stages are required, and qualitative research should be implemented to keep track of the process of changes in parenting characteristics.
Child* ; Education ; Fathers* ; Humans ; Parenting* ; Parents* ; Qualitative Research ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: There have been few reports suggesting involvement of mast cell and neutrophil to induce bronchoconstriction in aspirin-sensitive asthrna. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate mast cell and neutrophil activation in pathogenesis of aspirin-sensitive asthma. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We observed changes of serum NCA and MPO levels during L-ASA bronchoprovocation test in 14 subjects with aspirin-sensitive asthma. RESULTS: Serum NCA was significantly increased at 30 min(p=0.01) after the inhalation of L-ASA and then, no significant changes were noted at 240 min (p=0.14). NCA was significantly higher in subjects with late asthmatic responses than in those without it (p=0.04). Serum MPO level tended to increase at 30 min with no statistical significance (p=0.08), and then it significantly decreased at 240 min (p=0.05). There was no significant correlation between serum NCA and MPO level (r=0.22, p=0.58). CONCLUSION: These results support the view that NCA derived from mast cell may contribute to neutrophil recruitment into the airway in aspirin-sensitive asthmatic patients.
Asthma ; Bronchoconstriction ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Mast Cells ; Neutrophil Activation ; Neutrophil Infiltration ; Neutrophils*