To build and to manipulate clinical data in one of the important works in the hospital. In order to accurately append the data and to quickly find and display the informations as the user need, we developed a software program running on the personal computer. Our system largely consists of four parts; registration of the clinical and departmental data, retrieving tool of articles in the medical journal, collection of special data for clinical survey and display system of the various reports. In our experiences, we consider the key factors for systemic management of clinical rearch data base as the follows; work analysis for data processing, design of data base, coding and classification of basic data and technique of registeration. Of these standarized coding system of the orthopedic diseases appeare to be of it most importance.
Classification ; Clinical Coding ; Humans ; Microcomputers ; Orthopedics ; Running

OBJECTIVES: In an attempt to identify the demographic characteristics and the factors influencing long-term hospitalization of chronically mentally-ill patients, a survey on the chronically mentally-ill patients who had been staying longer than 1 year in mental health facilities was conducted. METHODS: Checklist including some demographic data that were regarded as independent variables was applied to 3,477 subjects through administration system of Pusan Metropolitan City. Statistical analyse were done using distribution-free, non-parametric tests. RESULTS: 1)Subjects who had been staying longer than 1 year were 70.7% of the total inpatients of mental health facilities, and median duration of their hospitalization was 5.5 years. 2)In mental hospitals and asylums, the ratio of chronically mentally-ill subjects to the total inpatients in each facilitiy was 46.3% and 95.1%, respectively. 3)All of the 10 independent variables had an influence on the hospitalization duration. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that many indirect, extramedical factors had an influence the long-term hospitalization of chronically mentally-ill patients, and it is likely to reflect the underdevelopment of mental health services in Korea.
Busan ; Checklist ; Hospitalization ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Mental Health Services ; Mental Health*

To investigate the factors which affecting the cognitive impairment of the 60 or more age group, the authors surveyed for the subjects in some area of Kyungnam Province. 201 studied subjects were tested for cognitive function with mini-mental state examination(MMSE). Information on demographic characteristics and life style has been collected through direct interview. The concentration of Al and Ca of subject's drinking water, which might be related with cognition, was measured by Inductively Coupled Argon Plasma Spectrometer. The main results were summarized as follows. 1. The prevalence rate of cognitive impairment was 18.4% in male and 45.2% in female and this sexual difference was statistically significant(p=0.03). And the uneducated or illiterated showed significantly high prevalence rate of cognitive impairment(p=0.02). 2. In stratified analysis by sex and education year, we can not see significant trend indicating the neurotoxic effects of aluminum and protective effects of calcium to the cognitive function(p>0.05). 3. The correlation between the concentration of aluminum in drinking water and the MMSE score in whole subjects showed weak negative relationship(r=-0.066). But there was no statistical significance(p=0.434).
Aged* ; Aluminum ; Argon ; Calcium ; Cognition ; Drinking Water ; Education ; Female ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Humans ; Life Style ; Male ; Plasma ; Prevalence

In order to prepare the fundamental data for preventing the hazardous effects at toluene exposure in many kinds of industry, the authors determined the level of urinary hippuric acid on 592 toluene exposed women(exposed group) and 102 unexposed women(control group) in Pusan area, from April 1 to October 31, 1986. Hippuric acid was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. The results were summarized as follows; 1. The mean value of urinary hippuric acid concentration of the control group was 0.44+/-0.21g/l(0.11-0.89g/l). The distribution of urinary hippuric acid concentration of the control group was not fit to the normal distribution. 2. The mean value of urinary hippuric acid concentration of the exposed group was 1.56+/-0.95g/l(0.44-4.57g/l). The distribution of urinary hippuric acid concentration of control group was not fit to the normal distribution. 3. The urinary hippuric acid concentration by age group was not statistically significant in the control group, but in the exposed the urinary hippuric acid concentration was highest in women between 20-29 years old(1.71+/-0.95g/l) and was statistically significant(p<0.01). 4. The urinary hippuric acid concentration by duration of working hours was not statistically significant(p>0.1).
Busan ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Female ; Humans ; Toluene*

OBJECTIVES: As automobile part manufacturing is characterized by high speed and high repetition, observation methods which are usually utilized for static posture are inappropriate to evaluate musculoskeleatal risk factors. This study quantified the risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders on the forearm and suggested exposure limits by estimating the risk factors using surface electromyography (EMG) and electrogoniometer. METHODS: Ten percent of the total workers at 3 automobile part manufacturing factories were randomly selected, and 99 male workers were recruited as study subjects. The study was conducted during May 2003 to September 2004. The workers were equipped with electrogoniometers on the wrist and the elbow, surface EMGs on the skin of the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) and extensor carpi radialis (ECR) muscles, and the heart beat recorder during work as indicators of joint movement, local muscle tension and physical work load, respectively. RESULTS: After controlling for age, body mass index and job stress, wrist flexion maximum angle, FDS relative activity (RA) and ECR RA were significantly associated with forearm musculoskeletal symptoms. The odds ratios of the forearm were 5.0(95% CI: 1.1-22.7), 14.0(95% CI: 1.5-128.8) and 7.3(95% CI: 1.1-49.4) for wrist flexion maximum angle more than 76 degrees, FDS RA more than 2.8%, and ECR RA more than 3.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Joint angle and focal muscle activity were associated with forearm musculoskeletal symptoms. To reduce forearm musculoskeletal symptoms among automobile part manufacturers, the wrist flexion angle, and FDS and ECR activity need to be reduced below the guidelines recommended in this study.
Automobiles* ; Body Mass Index ; Elbow ; Electromyography* ; Forearm ; Heart ; Humans ; Joints ; Male ; Muscle Tonus ; Muscles ; Odds Ratio ; Posture ; Risk Factors* ; Skin ; Wrist

Helicobacter pylori is now recognized as causative agent of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer, and strongly associated with development of gastric carcinoma. With development of sensitive and specific serologic tests to identify individuals infected with Helicobacter pylori, the epidemiologic study of this diseases has been investigated. But it's transmission route is not established, yet. The purpose of this study is to measure the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in healthy children and young adults and to evaluate related factors for Helicobacter pylori infection in Korea. The seroprevalence of Ig G antibodies to Helicobacter pylori was determined using a Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay and we obtained the information, such as demographic characteristics, monthly household income, numbers of family members in the house, numbers of persons using same room, type of house, and type of drinking water through the questionnaire survey. The observed overall seropositivity rate was 25.7%. The rate is increased progressively from 5.8% in the age group 1~3 years to 44.4% in the age group 20~29 years(chi-square for trend, p<0.001). Especially, the rate increased steeply from 6.5% in the age group 4~6 years to 20.8% in the age group 7~9 years, and this suggested that elementary school age was the major acquisition time of Helicobacter pylori infection. In multivariate logistic regression model, age, numbers of family members in the house, and type of house was statistically significant variables for Helicobacter pylori infection. Each odds ratio(95% CI) were as follows; base to age group 1~9 years, age group 10~19 years 3.6(2.0~6.4), age group 20~29 years 7.3(4.1~13.1) and base to group of 1~3 family members, groups of 4~5 family members 2.1(1.1~4.0), group of 6 or more family members 2.7(1.3~5.4) and base to apartment, single and multihouse 1.9(1.1~3.5). Sex, monthly household income, numbers of persons using same room, and type of drinking water was not statistically significant for Helicobacter pylori infection.
Antibodies ; Child ; Drinking Water ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Family Characteristics ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Peptic Ulcer ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Serologic Tests ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: The morphological characteristics of hepatocytes transplanted into the spleen have been studied. However few attempts has been made to determine the expression of genes in intrasplenically transplanted hepatocytes. The aim of this study was to explore whether the pattern of expression of albumin gene in intrasplenically transplanted hepatocytes is similar to that in adult liver, resulting in the long-term expression of this hepatocyte-specific gene. METHODS: Hepatocytes isolated from liver of syngeneic Fischer 344 rats and transplanted into the spleen of rats from the same strain survived for 12 months in the absence of immunosuppressive drugs. Microscopic examination of intrasplenic hepatocytes and Northern blotting for albumin gene expression of RNA extracted from liver and spleen was performed. RESULTS: Microscopy demonstrated that hepatocytes attached themselves only in the red pulp of the spleen and isolated hepatocytes preserved the fine structures characteristic of normal hepatic parenchymal cells. Throughout the 12 months period, intrasplenically transplanted hepatocytes expressed albumin mRNA. CONCLUSIONS: Intrasplenically transplanted hepatocytes represent a unique in vivo system of extrahepatic maintenance of hepatocytes. This novel transplantation system could be used to investigate hepatocyte engraft, proliferation and gene expression.
Adult ; Animals ; Blotting, Northern ; Gene Expression* ; Hepatocytes* ; Humans ; Liver ; Microscopy ; Rats ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Spleen

Angiodysplasia of the small bowel is an uncommon disorder in Korea, and is often found to be the cause of unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding. A 53-year-old male patient visited an emergeney room because of repeated melena and dizziness, He underwent selective superior mesenteric arterial angiography which revealed abnormal clusters of small arteries and early opacification of veins draining a segment of lower jejunum. An exploratory laparotomy was performed under the impression of angiodysplasia. An ulceration on the lower jejunum was found, and was resected. Subsequent jejunojejunostomy was performed. Histology of the resected specimen showed an irregularly dilated vessels in mucosa and submucosa.
Angiodysplasia* ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Dizziness ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Jejunum* ; Korea ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Melena ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Ulcer ; Veins

Angiodysplasia of the small bowel is an uncommon disorder in Korea, and is often found to be the cause of unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding. A 53-year-old male patient visited an emergeney room because of repeated melena and dizziness, He underwent selective superior mesenteric arterial angiography which revealed abnormal clusters of small arteries and early opacification of veins draining a segment of lower jejunum. An exploratory laparotomy was performed under the impression of angiodysplasia. An ulceration on the lower jejunum was found, and was resected. Subsequent jejunojejunostomy was performed. Histology of the resected specimen showed an irregularly dilated vessels in mucosa and submucosa.
Angiodysplasia* ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Dizziness ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Jejunum* ; Korea ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Melena ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Ulcer ; Veins

OBJECTIVES: The Energy Expenditure Prediction ProgramTM (EEPP) has been considered as a simple and quantitative method to evaluate physical work load. However, the adoption of EEPP directly to Korean workers is problematic because it was developed in a laboratory setting for Caucasians. Therefore, this study was conducted to validate EEPP for Korean workers. METHODS: The study subjects consisted of 60 workers from two factories. Cycle ergometer test was conducted to calculate physical work capacity, and heart rate monitoring was conducted to check heart rate during work. After observing the task, energy expenditure was estimated by EEPP. RESULTS: EEPP underestimated energy expenditure less than EEHR (energy expenditure checked by heart rate) did(p<0.0001). The factors effecting EEHR were EEPP and task type. After dividing the task into regular and irregular tasks, the irregular task had a larger difference between the values from the two methods. We provided task specific regression models between EEHR and EEPP. CONCLUSIONS: Because EEPP underestimated energy expenditure, it needs to be adjusted before use with Korean workers. It is suggested that different adjusting equations are formulated for regular and irregular tasks. Further study to develop a specific energy estimation model appropriate for Koreans is needed to obtain more precise estimation.
Energy Metabolism* ; Health Expenditures ; Heart ; Heart Rate