The objective of this study is to examine the correlation between the tolylene concentration in the work environment of organic solvents and the concentration of hippuric acid in urine of workers exposed toluene, and to acquire the fundamental materials of workers' health care and to assist the assessment of the biological permissible exposure limit. The control groups are 72 workers who had never been exposed to toluene and the case groups are 101 workers who had been exposed to toluene. This study was conducted to examine the correlation between the concentration of toluene in work environment and workers' hippuric acid concentration, to investigate the complaint difference of subjective symptoms by means of questionnaire, between the case groups and control groups. The results and conclusions are as follows: 1) The highest mean concentration of toluene in the air is 544.13+/-7.75 ppm in the Printing Department of mixing organic solvents. The concentrations of the others are 463.27+/-5.24 ppm in Department of mixture for organic solvents, and 393.56+/-45.69 ppm in the Printing Department(1), and 248.38+/-45.16 ppm in the Printing Department(2), and 159.38+/-18.51 ppm in the Printing Department(3). 2) The highest mean concentration of hippuric acid in urine is 6034.84+/-1298.35 mg/l in the Printing Department with mixing organic solvents. The concentrations of the others are 4798.44+/-784.53 mg/l in Department of mixture of organic solvents, and 2883.06+/-701.90 mg/l in the Printing Department(1), and 1449.98+/-905.19 mg/l in the Printing Department(2), and 598.52+/-299.43 mg/l in the Printing Department(3). 3) As the toluene concentration in the work environment becomes higher, the concentration of hippuric acid in urine also becomes higher. It is found that the coefficient of correlation between toluene concentration and the concentration of hippuric acid are positive (r=0.868, Y=7.18X+349.57). 4) It is found that the case groups complain of much more subjective symptoms than the control groups.
Delivery of Health Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Solvents ; Toluene*

No abstract available.
Blister ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Rhabdomyolysis

Twenty-seven patients with congnital esotropia underwent bilateral medial recti recessions and were follwed up for 6 months or more. The relationship between the amount of bilateral medial rectus recession, the pre- and postoperative alignment was analyzed. The success of sugery was defined from the undercorrection less than 10 prism diopter(PD) to the overcorrection less than 5PD. Nineteen of 27 patients(70.3%) were successful. 3 patients(11.1%) were undercorrected and five(18.5%) were overcorrected. Three patients who showed overcorrection more than 20PD were recessed 7mm or more. The standard deviation of postoperative alignment was 2.2 in patients with preoperative alignment less than 50PD, and 17.4 in those with 50PD or more. The difference was significant(p<0.05). When preoperative alignment was 25 to 55PD and the amount of surgery was 4 to 7mm, there was high linear correlation between the amount of surgery and the corrected angle. However, close observation for consecutive exotropia will be necessary when preoperative alignment is more than 50PD and the amount of recession is more than 7mm.
Esotropia* ; Exotropia ; Humans

The use and application of a laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been regarded as a first-choice treatment option for benign gallbladder disease, even if patients have situs inversus totalis. Furthermore, surgical procedures in general are becoming less invasive, because of both patient and surgeon preferences for reduced trauma and improved cosmetic outcomes attributable to minimized incisions. A 37 years old man was aware of situs inversus totalis with chronic cholecystitis. The operation was successfully performed without any specific complications. Single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy, in an experienced operator, is possible even in patients with situs inversus totalis.
Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Cholecystitis ; Gallbladder Diseases ; Humans ; Situs Inversus

The authors performed 19 cases of percutaneous automated discectomy using Nucleotome between Feb, 1988 and Jan, 1993. The mean age was 33 years ranging from 20 to 56 years. Eleven of the patients were men and eight were women. One level nucleotomy was done in 14 cases, two level in 4 cases and three level in 1 cases. Overall success rate was 63%. No intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred except transient back pain in 3 cases.
Back Pain ; Diskectomy* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Postoperative Complications

Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is a rare condition defined as the dilatation of coronary artery to at least 1.5 times larger than the normal adjacent coronary artery. Clinical manifestations of CAE vary, ranging from asymptomatic to ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Because of its rarity and clinical diversity, the best treatment strategy and prognosis for CAE remain unclear. We describe a case of STEMI caused by intracoronary thrombus formation within an ectatic area in a patient with liver cirrhosis (LC). The patient was successfully managed by thrombus aspiration only, without balloon angioplasty or stent implantation, and maintained by dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and ticagrelor, a potent new P2Y12 inhibitor.
Angioplasty, Balloon ; Aspirin ; Coronary Vessels* ; Dilatation ; Dilatation, Pathologic ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; Prognosis ; Stents ; Thrombosis*

Purpose: This study investigated the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on body mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents. Methods: From May to July 2020, the obesity rate of children and adolescents was compared retrospectively to the corresponding rate in the same period in 2019. The change in height, weight, and BMI of the girls who received a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) for precocious puberty (n=53) and the controls (n=31) who visited a growth clinic for early breast budding but were not treated with GnRHa in the first half of 2020 were compared to the corresponding change in the first half of 2019 using a paired t-test. Results: The rate of overweight or obesity in new outpatients (n=113, 83 girls, 30 boys) who visited growth clinics from May to July 2019 was 25.3% for girls and 23.3% for boys. The corresponding rate for the same period in 2020 (n=201, 153 girls, 48 boys) was 31.4% for girls and 45.8% for boys. There was a significant increase in the rate of overweight or obesity. The BMI of the GnRHa treatment group increased significantly from May to July 2019 than during the same period in 2020 (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in BMI between those periods in the control group. Conclusion During the social distancing period, the incidence of obesity was higher in boys than in girls. The obesity rate in girls who visited the growth clinic for early breast budding during routine follow-ups did not increase.

BACKGROUND: Mycoplasma spp. occasionally colonize the genital tract and these organisms are some of the most important contaminants in cell culture laboratories and cell banks. We analyzed the Mycoplasma contamination rates in the donated cord blood units (CBUs) before cell processing. METHODS: A total of 151 CBUs that were donated with informed consent (November 3rd~December 28th, 2006) were randomly selected and enrolled in the study. We performed blood culture and Mycoplasma DNA PCR assay with using samples from the collection bags before processing. RESULTS: All of the CBUs were obtained from full-term (gestational age 37~42 weeks) deliveries. Two units showed positive results on blood culture however, Mycoplasma DNA is not found in the tested samples. CONCLUSION: The contamination rates of Mycoplasma in the CBUs, which are donated from the mothers who have full-term delivery and no pregnancy complications, are extremely low. The donated CBUs could be used in culture and for an expansion process without concern of incurring pre-processing Mycoplasma contamination. The rate of Mollicute contamination in the CBUs could become clear with the results of performing Ureaplasma assay.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Colon ; DNA ; Fetal Blood ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Mothers ; Mycoplasma ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy Complications ; Ureaplasma

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the preliminary effects of school-based short term mental health awareness and school bullying prevention programs. METHODS: From April to December 2013, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Promotion team of Seoul National Hospital conducted school-based short term social skill training (N=56, 4 sessions), mental health awareness (N=84, 4 sessions) and school bullying prevention programs (N=171, 1 session) in elementary and junior high schools located in Seoul. The changes in the subjects before and after the program were assessed. RESULTS: The a social skills training program improved the 'helping' behaviors in boys (t=-2.355, p<.05) and 'sharing' (t=-3.223, p<.01), 'cooperation' (t=-2.235, p<.05), and 'comforting' (t=-2.830, p<.01) behaviors in girls, assessed using the Prosocial Behavior Questionnaire. The mental health awareness program improved 'general health awareness' (t=2.620, p<.05), measured using the Korean General Health Questionnaire. The school bullying prevention program resulted in decreased 'self esteem' (t=3.769, p<.01), measured using the Self Esteem Scale and decreased 'anger' (t=4.198, p<.01), assessed using the Novaco Anger Scale. CONCLUSION: The results of our preliminary analysis suggest that school-based mental health awareness and school bullying prevention programs may be effective even when conducted for a short term. Future investigation is necessary in order to validate the long term effects of these programs.
Adolescent ; Anger ; Bullying* ; Child ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Mental Health* ; Self Concept ; Seoul ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: Previous studies have not showed consistent results for the level of expression of sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) in thyroid diseases, especially malignant tumor. We undertook this study to evaluate the distribution of NIS expression in malignant thyroid diseases and compare with that in benign thyroid disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total patients were 119 cases (Men 15, 48+/-13 yrs). Total number of samples were 205 pieces. In malignant thyroid disease, there were 153 samples: 90 in papillary carcinoma, 4 in follicular carcinoma, 2 in medullary carcinoma and 57 in metastatic lymph node. In benign thyroid disease, there were 52 samples: 36 in goiter/cyst, 11 in thyroiditis and 5 in follicular adenoma. Using immunohistochemical methods, we probed 205 samples with monoclonal anti-NIS Ab. Grading of staining was scored as 0 (negative or absent), 1 (weakly positive), 2 (moderately positive) or 3 (strongly positive). Expression rate (ER) of NIS positivity in individual disease entity was expressed as percentage of total number divided by number in 2 plus 3 grade. RESULTS: ERs of malignant thyroid diseases were 63% in papillary carcinoma, 81% in metastatic lymph node, 71% in follicular carcinoma and 100% in medullary carcinoma. ERs of benign thyroid disease were 53% in goiter/cyst, 64% in thyroiditis and 40% in follicular adenoma. ER of malignant thyroid diseases was higher than benign thyroid diseases (71% vs 54%). Grading of NIS expression in papillary carcinoma or goiter/cyst was heterogeneously distributed in considerable cases. Normal tissue also showed heterogeneous distribution of NIS expression, which was not correlated with that of primary lesion. CONCLUSION: In papillary thyroid carcinoma, distribution of NIS expression was heterogeneous and increased, and not different compared with that of benign thyroid disease.
Adenoma ; Carcinoma, Medullary ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ion Transport* ; Lymph Nodes ; Thyroid Diseases* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroiditis