The exposures to carbamate pesticides (BPMC specifically) of agricultural workers were estimated by collecting pesticide in air by personal sampler and by analyzing with gas chromatography. Data revealed that the highest BPMC concentration in the aspirated air was 7.7 mg/m3. Concentrations were generally higher in the group whose spray conditions were controlled than the group uncontrolled. Actual concentrations were relatively lower than the values predicted theoretically. These findings suggest that personal sampler be useful in the estimation of pesticide exposure.
Farmers ; Chromatography, Gas* ; Humans ; Pesticides ; Pilot Projects* ; Rural Health

The purpose of this study is to present our experience of distraction osteogenesis procedure used to improve the functional and consmetic problems of two patients associated with Pierre-Robin sequence, which is an uncommon congenital disease in combination with micrognathia, glossoptosis, and respiratory obstruction. A female child of 42 months and a male infant of 4 months suffering from pneumonia, difficult breathing, cyanosis and insomnia were admitted. We performed temporary tongue to lip dhesion by modified Routledge method and bilateral mandibular distraction. After the operation, symptoms of insomnia and impaired breathing had improved. We found an extension of the mandibular length. In addition, the posterior airway space and lower face area were expanded in the cephalometric tracing and profilogram. We report that bilateral distraction provedure could be an effective and safe method for improving of impaired breathing and cosmetic problems of patients with Pierre-Robin sequence.
Child ; Cyanosis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Lip ; Male ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; Pneumonia ; Respiration ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Tongue

OBJECTIVES: Acrylamide is a neurotoxin inducing central-peripheral distal axonopathy. The authors evaluated several neurologic tests to screen the early effect of occupational acrylamide exposure. METHODS: Fifty-two males working either in the production of acrylamide monomer or in the handling of acrylamide in Ulsan, Korea, were selected and subcategorized into the high-exposure group (n=10, mean age of 30. 4 years) and the low-exposure group (n=42, mean age of 28.9 years). Twenty-three males (mean age 29.4 years) from medical professionals and students were chosen as a non-exposed reference group. Symptom questionnaire, neurologic examination, electrodiagnostic test, vibrotactile threshold test, and Lanthony desaturated 15 panel test (LD-15D) were done. RESULTS: The high-exposure group showed more number of specific symptoms on questionnaire and more abnormal two point discrimination test. High-exposure group showed a significant difference in the median motor conduction velocity, peroneal nerve motor latency, sensory amplitude of median nerve action potential, and sensory latency of sural nerve. The vibrotactile threshold of the high-exposure group was significantly higher in both hands and feet than that of the low-exposure group and the reference group. Average color confusion index on the LD-15D was significantly higher in the high-exposure group (median 22.7, range 0-135.7) than in the reference group (median 2.4, range 0-33.2). CONCLUSIONS: The symptom questionnaire, vibrotactile threshold test, and color discrimination test are sensitive in detection of the early acrylamide-induced neuropathy, and the combination of these tests would further facilitate the effectiveness of the screening.
Acrylamide* ; Action Potentials ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Median Nerve ; Neurologic Examination ; Peroneal Nerve ; Questionnaires ; Sural Nerve ; Ulsan

Various kinds of multifocal intraocular lenses(IOLs) have been developed for the improvement of near and far visual acuity after cataract operation. This prospective study was performed to compare a function of AMO ARRAY multifocal IOL(Array group) with conventional monofocal IOL(Mono group). Each type of IOL was implanted into 25 eyes and uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA) and best corrected visual acuity(BCVA) at near, intermediate and far distance were evaluated before and 2 months after operation in both groups. Contrast sensitivity, photophobia and glare were also evaluated as subjective symptoms in both groups. Mean UCVA at distant and near distance before operation was 0.23+/-0.15 and 0.25+/-0.20 in mono group, and 0.13+/-0.11 and 0.14+/-0.11 in Array group. Mean UCVA/BCVA at distant and near distance 2 month after operation was improved to 0.79+/-0.28/0.87+/-0.27 and 0.34+/-0.15/0.82+/-0.26 in mono group and 0.83+/-0.19/0.86+/-0.19 and 0.50+/-0.15/0.79+/-0.15 in Array group. The difference of UCVA at near distance was statistically significant(P<0.05), while that of BCVA at near and far distance was not statistically significant between two groups(P<0.05). Array group had less contrast sensitivity at all spatial frequencies(1.5, 3, 6, 12, 18 cycles/degree) and more glare than the mono group after operation. AMO ARRAY multifocal IOL induces a good result of visual rehabilitation in both near and far distance, but it may cause more glare and less contrast sensitivity than the monofocal IOL.
Cataract ; Contrast Sensitivity ; Glare ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Photophobia ; Prospective Studies ; Rehabilitation ; Visual Acuity

No abstract available.
Semen*

In a murine model system, enhancement of the total IgA and rotavirus-specific IgA of suckling mice was measured by ELISA with the intestinal fluid following oral administration of murine rotavirus EC (EDIM-Cambridge) strain. In the EC strain-administered group, the geometric mean titers (GMT) of total IgAs were 512 and 91 at 1 and 2 week postinfection, respectively. On the other hand, the GMTs of the rotavirus-specific IgAs were 108 and 3 at the same periods, respectively. Thus increase in the total IgAs was 64 folds and that in the rotavirus-specific IgAs was 43 folds compared with the negative control group. As the maximal titers of both the total and rotavirus-specific IgAs were observed at 1 week decreasing until 2 weeks after infection, it is evident that the GMT of the total IgA implies that of rotavirus-specific IgA. In our ELISA system, whose specificity was verified by Western blot analysis, the total IgA in the administered group was determined to be 40-400 ng per 1 ml of the intestinal fluid. Therefore it is concluded that determination of the rotavirus-specific IgA in murine models can be a sensitive indication of rotavirus infection, and will be another promising tool in viral challenge experiments in vaccine development.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hand ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR* ; Rotavirus Infections ; Rotavirus* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
Dermoscopy* ; Diagnosis

We have experienced a 14 year old female patient who had suffered from headache, dizziness, exertional dyspnea and chest pain during 6 months. She was diagnosed as primary pulmonary hypertension by ultrasonogram and cardiac cathererization. On the cardiac catheterization, there was elevated pulmonary artery pressure and normal pulmonary wedge pressure. We report this case with related literature review.
Adolescent ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Chest Pain ; Dizziness ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary* ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Ultrasonography

Three cases of lipomas associated with heavy talc deposits are reported in local inhabitants near a fiber glass factory. Pathologic and mineralogical analysis by polarizing microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray diffraction of mass were done. Simultaneously, we performed an epidemiological survey and a mineralogical study of disposed fiber glass from waste site and ground water. All tumors consisted of mature fat tissue containing an abundant birefringent talc fibers and particles under polarized light. The concentrations of the fibers were 494.7, 6.7 and 50.7 million fibers per gram of dry tissue. The fibers were needlelike with rectangular fractured ends, up to 17 micrometer in length and 0.5 micrometer in diameter. EDX and X-ray diffraction analysis of the fibers showed that 71 to 100% of the fibers were magnesium silicate, talc. We also identified magnesium silicate fibers in the fiber glass from the waste site and in the ground water which were similar to talc fibers in lipomas,. We concluded that fibrous talc, a component of fiberglass waste, might be associated with the development of lipomas via unknown exposure route.
Environmental Exposure ; Foreign Bodies ; Glass ; Groundwater ; Lipoma* ; Magnesium ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated ; Silicates ; Talc* ; X-Ray Diffraction

No abstract available.
Genes, Viral* ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis*