PURPOSE: The pollen calendar is the simplest forecasting method for pollen concentrations. As pollen concentrations are liable to seasonal variations due to alterations in climate and land-use, it is necessary to update the pollen calendar using recent data. To attenuate the impact of considerable temporal and spatial variability in pollen concentrations on the pollen calendar, it is essential to employ a new methodology for its creation.METHODS: A pollen calendar was produced in Korea using data from recent observations, and a new method for creating the calendar was proposed, considering both risk levels and temporal resolution of pollen concentrations. A probability distribution was used for smoothing concentrations and determining risk levels. Airborne pollen grains were collected between 2007 and 2017 at 8 stations; 13 allergenic pollens, including those of alder, Japanese cedar, birch, hazelnut, oak, elm, pine, ginkgo, chestnut, grasses, ragweed, mugwort and Japanese hop, were identified from the collected grains.RESULTS: The concentrations of each pollen depend on locations and seasons due to large variability in species distribution and their environmental condition. In the descending order of concentration, pine, oak and Japanese hop pollens were found to be the most common in Korea. The pollen concentrations were high in spring and autumn, and those of oak and Japanese hop were probably the most common cause of allergy symptoms in spring and autumn, respectively. High Japanese cedar pollen counts were observed in Jeju, while moderate concentrations were in Jeonju, Gwangju and Busan.CONCLUSIONS: A new methodology for the creation of a pollen calendar was developed to attenuate the impact of large temporal and spatial variability in pollen concentrations. This revised calendar should be available to the public and allergic patients to prevent aggravation of pollen allergy.
Alnus ; Ambrosia ; Artemisia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Betula ; Busan ; Climate ; Corylus ; Cryptomeria ; Forecasting ; Ginkgo biloba ; Gwangju ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Jeollabuk-do ; Korea ; Methods ; Poaceae ; Pollen ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal ; Seasons

PURPOSE: Seoul and Busan are the two largest cities in Korea. However, life expectancy (LE) in Busan is shorter than in Seoul and among the total Korean population. This study was conducted to decompose age- and cause-specific contributions to the LE difference between Seoul and Busan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We obtained population and mortality data for Seoul and Busan between 2015 and 2017 from Statistics Korea. We applied Arriaga's decomposition method to life table data to estimate age- and cause-specific contributions to the LE difference between Seoul and Busan. RESULTS: During 2015–2017, LE in Busan was shorter than in Seoul by 2.22 years. Roughly two-thirds of the LE gap between Seoul and Busan was due to excess mortality among elderly people in Busan. The ≥85 age group alone contributed to approximately 20% of the LE gap, while no meaningful contribution was made by the 1–24 age groups. Cardiovascular disease accounted for over 40% of the total LE gap between Seoul and Busan, and this factor was more prominent in women. The top 15 leading specific causes of deaths explained nearly the entire LE difference between Seoul and Busan. CONCLUSION: The difference in LE between Seoul and Busan was due to higher mortality rate in Busan than in Seoul, especially in the elderly population and from cardiovascular diseases. Information on age- and cause-specific contributions to the LE difference between Seoul and Busan may guide health policy-makers to plan strategies for reducing the gap in LE.
Aged ; Busan ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cause of Death ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Expectancy ; Life Tables ; Methods ; Mortality ; Republic of Korea ; Seoul

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of multi-tasking exercise on cognitive and motor function in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and cognitive normal elderly (CNE).METHODS: A total of 144 subjects were recruited from 14 regional dementia centers in Busan Metropolitan City. With the exception of 77 subjects unsuitable for the study, 67 subjects participated in the intervention. The Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS), Subject Memory Complain Questionnaire (SMCQ), and the Korean version of the Short-Form Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS-K) were used to determine changes in cognitive function and depressive symptoms pre-post intervention in patients with MCI and CNE, respectively. To observe changes in motor function, 5-chair sit to stand and 5-meter walking speed on the lower body strength and walking ability were also measured in both groups.RESULTS: For the MCI group, changes in cognitive and depressive symptoms on the tasks of MMSE-DS (p=0.006), SMCQ (p=0.000), SGDS-K (p=0.000) and the result of the motor function analysis on the items of 5-chair sit to stand (p=0.000), normal speed (p=0.004) and maximal speed (p=0.002) of 5-meter walking speed (p< 0.005). In the CNE group, all the items except MMSE-DS (p=0.068) and SGDS-K (p=0.095) showed statistically significant improvement.CONCLUSIONS: Multi-tasking exercise intervention, including exercise and cognitive tasks, may possibly improve the cognitive and motor function in patients with MCI and CNE.
Aged ; Busan ; Cognition Disorders ; Cognition ; Dementia ; Depression ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Memory ; Mild Cognitive Impairment ; Walking

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to reveal the epidemiologic characteristics of the outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Thompson in Busan Metropolitan City and to identify points for improvement to prevent of food-borne disease outbreak.METHODS: This was a case-control study. The control group comprised asymptomatic students in the same classes of the cases. The presence or absence of symptoms, ingestion of each food provided by school meal service, and commonly ingested foods in addition to those foods in meal service were investigated. Moreover, specimens collected from rectal swab, preserved foods, and environmental surface were tested.RESULTS: Of the 6,092 subjects, 1,111 (1,083 students, 22 school personnel, and 6 foodservice employees) were included in the case group; this corresponded to an 18.4% attack rate. Symptoms included diarrhea (n=1,051, 94.6%), abdominal pain (n=931, 83.8%), febrile sensation (n=502, 45.2%), and vomiting (n=275, 24.8%). The epidemic curves of each 10 schools were unimodal. Investigation of food intake showed a significantly high odds ratio for chocolate cake in 5 out of the 10 schools. Laboratory test detected Salmonella enterica serovar Thompson both in rectal swab specimens of 9 schools and in collected preserved chocolate cakes of 9 schools. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis test result showed that Salmonella enterica seorvar Thompson isolated from human and foods were the same.CONCLUSIONS: The source of infection for the Salmonella enterica serovar Thompson outbreak in the 10 schools of Busan Metropolitan City is chocolate cake. Traceback investigation for origin of contaminated food in food-borne disease outbreak and safety control during food production should be more enhanced.
Abdominal Pain ; Busan ; Cacao ; Case-Control Studies ; Diarrhea ; Eating ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Food, Preserved ; Foodborne Diseases ; Gastroenteritis ; Humans ; Korea ; Meals ; Odds Ratio ; Salmonella enterica ; Salmonella Infections ; Salmonella ; Sensation ; Serogroup ; Vomiting

Primary malignant melanoma (PMM) of the gastrointestinal tract is rare. Reported cases of PMM of the lower gastrointestinal tract typically describe anal and rectal involvement rather than colonic lesions. This report describes a rare case of a 50-year-old woman with PMM originating in the colon. The patient presented to Inje University Busan Paik Hospital with a 3-day history of blood-tinged stools. She underwent colonoscopy for a diagnosis of hematochezia. The colonoscopic examination revealed a large-sized semi-pedunculated sigmoid colon polyp with a reddish-colored mucosal surface. Endoscopic mucosal resection was performed, and the final histopathological findings were consistent with a diagnosis of malignant melanoma. Systemic work-up was performed for assessment of metastasis and to identify the primary tumor considering the high metastatic rate of gastrointestinal malignant melanoma; however, no other malignant lesion was detected. Thus, she was diagnosed with colonic PMM. She underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection and lymph node dissection and has been recurrence-free for > 2 years.
Busan ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colonoscopy ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Lower Gastrointestinal Tract ; Lymph Node Excision ; Melanoma ; Melanosis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Polyps

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is known to be a major cause of cervical cancer. In Korea, although the mortality of cervical cancer has decreased, HPV infection rates are increasing rapidly in young women. One of the reasons for a high rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection appears to be associated with a low frequency to visit gynecology clinics because of the uncomfortable sampling process for HPV testing. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a non-invasive method, such as urine testing to diagnose cervical cancer rather than use of the existing invasive method. This study aimed to test validity of HPV DNA detection in urine specimens that can be easily collected from women. Paired vaginal discharge and urine samples were collected prospectively from 203 women who visited the local hospital between January and August 2018 in Busan, Korea. By using the Virocheck® assay kit (Optipharm), we found that 17.2% (35/203) of vaginal discharge samples were HPV positive and 82.8% (168/203) were HPV negative. In urine samples, 15.8% (32/203) were HPV positive and 84.2% (171/203) were HPV negative. The co-incident rate for HPV DNA detection was 84.8% in both vaginal discharge and urine samples. These results suggest that the HPV DNA detection using urine samples might be an alternative way to diagnose HPV infection in a non-invasive way. This analytical approach can be utilized as a screening test to identify HIV-infected patients who need a follow-up process by using urine samples.
Busan ; DNA ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gynecology ; HIV ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Methods ; Mortality ; Papillomaviridae ; Prospective Studies ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Vaginal Discharge

BACKGROUND: This descriptive study aimed to examine the relationship between the 4C core competencies and work ability among dental hygienists.METHODS: From November 2018 to January 2019, data were collected-from 190 dental hygienists workong in dental clinics in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongsangnam province using structured questionnaires. For the general characteristics of the dental hygienists, frequency and percentage were calculated, and the level of the 4C core competencies and work ability of dental hygienists was calculated using means and standard deviations. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyze the effects of the 4C core competencies on work ability.RESULTS: The mean scores for the 4C core competency levels of the dental hygienists were as follows: communication ability 3.34, critical thinking ability 3.41, creative problem-solving 3.40, and collaborative self-efficacy 3.27. Meanwhile the mean score for work ability level was 3.65. The predictive factors influencing work ability were communication ability and cooperative self-efficacy (p<0.001), and the sub-factors of critical thinking ability that affect work ability were sound conferences (p<0.01), intellectual fairness (p<0.05), intellectual enthusiasm (p<0.05), and self-confidence (p<0.001). Finally, the sub-factors of creative problem-solving ability that affect work ability were planning and execution (p<0.01) and performance evaluation (p<0.05).CONCLUSION: The current study showed that education programs covering the core competencies of dental hygienists, rather than the existing theoretical education program, should be developed and implemented to enhance 4C core competencies that affect work ability.
Busan ; Communication ; Congresses as Topic ; Dental Clinics ; Dental Hygienists ; Education ; Humans ; Problem Solving ; Thinking ; Ulsan

BACKGROUND: Disasters themselves can increase the blood transfusion requirements due to an increase in injuries, and can lead to deficiencies in the blood transport system. To prepare for a disaster, it is important to know the actual blood requirements at the time of the disaster and the changes in blood supply according to the type of disaster. METHODS: From March 2018 to May 2018, all RBC transfusion cases at Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into Categories 1 to 3 according to the urgency of transfusion by disease. Priority one was defined as having only a category 1 patient receiving a transfusion, and priority two was defined as an emergency situation where only category 1 and 2 patients could receive transfusions. RESULTS: The amount of RBC concentrates used in this hospital was 53.1 units per day, which was 19.4%, 42.2%, and 38.4% in category 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The results of simulating the number of blood products that can be used according to the priorities when having a blood product inventory held by the blood banks are as follows: 2.45 days (normal), 12.64 days (P1), and 3.97 days (P2) can be used. CONCLUSION: The simulation showed the time of blood transfusion without additional blood supply in the event of a crisis, and will help establish the transfusion countermeasures in the event of a disaster.
Blood Banks ; Blood Transfusion ; Busan ; Disaster Planning ; Disasters ; Emergencies ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Healthcare

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the usage status and the degree of satisfaction of university foodservice (UF) perceived by international students in Busan. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted on the utilization of UF, improvement requirements, preference type and recipe, as well as the importance and satisfaction of UF quality attributes as perceived by international students (n=604) at universities in the Busan area between April and June 2017.
Busan ; Food Quality ; Humans ; Meals ; Sanitation

The purpose of this research is to describe how Hansen's disease patients experienced the modern system of control of Hansen's disease introduced by Japan, and the inimical attitude of society against them in colonial Korea. The study also seeks to reveal the development of the system to eliminate Hansen's disease patients from their home and community to larger society and leprosarium in this era. Sorokdo Charity hospital (SCH), a hospital for Hansen's disease patients, was built in 1916, and vagrant Hansen's disease patients began to be isolated in this hospital beginning in 1917 by the Japanese Government-General of Korea (JGGK). Once the police detained and sent vagrant Hansen's disease patients to SCH, stigma and discrimination against them strengthened in Korean society. Because of strong stigma and discrimination in Korean society, Hansen's disease patients suffered from daily threats of death. First, their family members were not only afraid of the contagiousness of Hansen's disease but also the stigma and discrimination against themselves by community members. If a family had a Hansen's disease patient, the rest of community members would discriminate against the entire family. Furthermore, because Hansen's disease patients were excluded from any economic livelihood such as getting a job, the existence of the patients was a big burden for their families. Therefore, many patients left their homes and began their vagrancy. The patients who could not leave their homes committed suicide or were killed by their family members. The victims of such deaths were usually women, who were at the lower position in the family hierarchy. In the strong Confucian society in Korea, more female patients were killed by themselves than male patients. Moreover, all of patients victims in the murder were women. This shows that the stigma and discrimination against Hansen's disease patients within their families were stronger against women than men. Strong stigma and discrimination made the patients rely on superstition such as cannibalism. Patients believed that there were not any effective medicine. There were a few reports of patients who were cured, and many were treated with chaulmoogra oil in the modern Hansen's disease hospitals. Eating human flesh was known as a folk remedy for Hansen's disease. As such, patients began to kill healthy people, usually children, to eat their flesh. Increased stigma led to increased victims. Hansen's disease patients who left their homes faced many threats during their vagrancy. For survival, they established their own organizations in the late 1920's. The patients who were rejected to be hospitalized in the Western Hansen's disease hospital at Busan, Daegu, and Yeosu organized self-help organizations. The purpose of these organizations was first to secure the medicine supply of chaulmoogra oil. However, as stigma and discrimination strengthened, these organizations formed by Hansen's disease patients demanded the Japanese Government-General of Korea to send and segregate them on Sorok island. They did not know the situation of the inside of this island because news media described it as a haven for patients, and very few patients were discharged from this island to tell the truth. On this island, several hundreds of patients were killed by compulsory heavy labor, starvation, and violence. They were not treated as patients, but as something to be eliminated. Under strong suppression on this island, the patients resisted first by escaping this island. However, in 1937, some patients tried to kill a Korean staff but failed. Attempted murderers were all put in the jail, also located on this island. In 1941, a patient murdered another patient who had harassed other patients, and in 1942, Chunsang Lee, a patient, killed the director of Sorok island. These instances show that there was a system to eliminate Hansen's disease patients in colonial Korea.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Busan ; Cannibalism ; Charities ; Child ; Daegu ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Eating ; Female ; Homicide ; Humans ; Japan ; Jeollanam-do ; Korea ; Leprosy ; Male ; Medicine, Traditional ; Police ; Starvation ; Suicide ; Superstitions ; United Nations ; Violence