OBJECTIVES: he purpose of this study was to examine psychosocial factors related to burnout of social welfare officers working in Jeonnam Province.METHODS: A total of 395 social welfare officers (male 99, female 296) working in 22 areas of Jeollanam-do province, were subjects of this study. We examined socio-demographic factors, using a self-reporting questionnaire. Subjects were asked to complete the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSS), to assess psychosocial factors affecting to burnout of social welfare officers.RESULTS: Among 395 subjects, 221 (55.9%) reported recent experiences of burnout. There was no significant difference in age between two groups, divided by burnout. Sex (p < 0.001), rank (p=0.003), working period (p=0.034), depression (p < 0.001) revealed differences between the burnout group and control group. Scores of PSS (p < 0.001) were higher, while the scores of GSS (p < 0.001) were lower in the burnout group, than control group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that female (OR 2.840, 95%CI 1.466–5.504, p=0.002), depressive high-risk group (OR 6.824, 95%CI 2.893–16.096, p < 0.001) PSS (OR 1.247, 95%CI 1.153–1.349, p < 0.001) and GSS (OR 0.950, 95%CI 0.930–0.971, p < 0.001), were significantly associated with burnout.CONCLUSION: We found that some factors, were associated with experienced burnout in social welfare officers. Depressive symptoms were the strongest associative factor, for burnout in public servants in charge of social welfare. Sex, stress and self-efficacy also correlated with burnout, and especially self-efficacy was a protecting factor.
Depression ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Logistic Models ; Psychology ; Social Welfare

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been known closely related with gastritis, duodenal ulcer and gastric cancer and is prevalent among Koreans. However, the infection route and the time are unclear, especially during perinatal period. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship of H. pylori IgG and IgM antibody prevalences and titers between maternal, neonatal, and cord blood. METHODS: We collected 45 simultaneous maternal, neonatal, and cord bloods and 150 single cord bloods during delivery. The specific H. pylori IgG and IgM antibody levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. RESULTS: The H. pylori IgG antibody-positive rate for maternal, neonatal, and cord bloods were equal as 35.6% (16/45). The H. pylori IgG antibody levels of neonatal and cord bloods were 52.7% and 70.7% of maternal blood level. The H. pylori IgG antibody levels between maternal and cord bloods (r2 = 0.9725, p<0.05), maternal and neonatal bloods (r2 = 0.8569, p<0.05), and neonatal and cord bloods (r2 = 0.9437, p<0.05) were well correlated. Only one case of maternal blood was H. pylori IgM antibody positive and it's antibody level was 52.3 U/mL. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we provided the sero-prevalence of H. pylori IgG and IgM antibodies and the relationship of antibody level of H. pylori IgG in maternal, neonatal and cord bloods. To elucidate the exact route and time of H. pylori infection, further studies including serial measurement of H. pylori IgG and IgM level in neonates will be needed.
Antibodies* ; Duodenal Ulcer ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fetal Blood* ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Immunoglobulin M* ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea* ; Prevalence ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Stomach Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: For the diagnosis of malaria, examination of blood smear slides by light microscopy is used as standard, and commercial kits detecting malarial antibodies and antigens are available, and molecular methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are used additionally. But, these diagnostic methods can be performed when clinicians request them, so problems of misdiagnosing the patients who are not suspected malaria may be occurred. METHODS: In 42 Korean patients with malaria, the author analyzed the characteristic signals of malaria using granularity (90 degrees depolarized) versus lobularity (90 degrees polarized) graph of Cell-Dyn 4000 (CD4000) automatic hematologic analyzer. And, the author examined the presence of malaria in 421 random samples by CD4000 and Giemsa stain. RESULTS: The usefulness of CD4000 in diagnosing malaria are as follows, 93.0% sensitivity, 99.3% specificity, 93.0% positive-predictive value, and 99.3% negative-predictive value. CONCLUSION: CD4000 automatic hematology analyzer has high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing malaria. Because complete blood count (CBC) is the routine test for most patients, this method has advantage of time and cost effectiveness and can even detect malaria in unsuspected cases.
Antibodies ; Azure Stains ; Blood Cell Count ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Diagnosis* ; Hematology* ; Humans ; Malaria* ; Microscopy ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) is a rare B-cell neoplasm characterized by massive splenomegaly, moderate lymphocytosis, bone marrow intrasinusoidal involvement of lymphocytes and a relatively indolent course. We report a case of SMZL diagnosed by bone marrow studies using immunophenotyping and immunohistochemical stain, and confirmed by splenectomy. The patient was a 61-year old male, who showed mild lymphocytosis in peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirates. Immunophenotyping of bone marrow aspirates showed lymphocytes positive for CD19, CD20, CD22 (dim), CD23 (dim) and negativie for CD5 and CD10. The immunohistochemistry of bone marrow and spleen also showed lymphocytes positive for CD20 and negative at for cyclin D1. Now he is being treated for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and will receive chemotherapy.
B-Lymphocytes ; Bone Marrow ; Cyclin D1 ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Immunophenotyping ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphocytosis ; Lymphoma* ; Male ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Spleen ; Splenectomy ; Splenomegaly

During chronic inflammatory response, mono- cytes/macrophages produce 92-kDa matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), which may contribute to their extravasation, migration and tissue remodeling. Activation of peroxisome proliferator- activated factor receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) has been shown to inhibit MMP-9 activity. To evaluate whether ox-LDL, a PPAR-gamma activator, inhibits PMA-induced MMP-9 expression and activity, and if so, whether CD36 and PPAR-gamma are involved in this process, we investigated the effect of ox-LDL on MMP-9 expression and activity in PMA-activated human monocytic cell line U937. PMA-induced MMP-9 expression and activity were suppressed by the treatment with ox-LDL (50 micrigram/ml) or PPAR-gamma activators such as troglitazone (5 micrometer), ciglitazone (5 micrometer), and 15d- PGJ2 (1 micrometer) for 24 h. This ox-LDL or PPAR-gamma activator-mediated inhibition of micrometer P-9 activity was diminished by the pre-treatment of cells with a blocking antibody to CD36, or PGF2a (0.3 micrometer), which is a PPAR-gamma inhibitor, as well as overexpression of a dominant-negative form of CD36. Taken together, these results suggest that ox-LDL suppresses PMA-induced MMP-9 expression and activity through CD36-mediated activation of PPAR-gamma.
Antibodies, Blocking/pharmacology ; Antigens, CD36/immunology/*physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Chromans/pharmacology ; Gelatinase B/antagonists & inhibitors/genetics/*metabolism ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL/pharmacology/*physiology ; Monocytes/drug effects/*enzymology/metabolism ; NF-kappa B/antagonists & inhibitors ; PPAR gamma/*metabolism ; Prostaglandin D2/*analogs & derivatives/pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger/analysis/metabolism ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate/antagonists & inhibitors/pharmacology ; Thiazolidinediones/pharmacology ; Transcription, Genetic/drug effects

BACKGROUND: The Lewis and secretor gene determine the Lewis phenoytpe. Conventional Lewis blood grouping is difficult because of the presence of nongenuine Lewis negative individuals. Recently, the Lewis gene (FUT3), the secretor gene (FUT2), and several mutations that cause the Lewis negative and the nonsecretor phenotypes were identified. The purpose of this study was to compare Lewis phenotypes determined by commercially available three pairs of monoclonal antibodies with the Lewis and secretor genotypes. METHODS: RBCs for phenotyping and peripheral blood leukocytes for genotyping of FUT3 and FUT2 gene were obtained from 184 apparently healthy volunteers. Lewis phenotypes were determined on K3EDTA-stablized fresh blood samples using three pairs of commercially available monoclonal antibodies, one of which was the column agglutination method and the others were the tube agglutination methods. Lewis blood group genotyping was performed by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method to detect T59G, G428A, C357T, and A385T mutations. RESULTS: The frequencies of the Lewis blood group phenotype were Le(a+b-) 15.0%, Le(a-b+) 65.8%, Le(a-b-) 14.8%, and Le(a+b+) 4.3%, respectively. The Lewis blood group phenotypes determined by three pairs of monoclonal antibodies were 93.5%, 93.5% and 89.1% in accordance with the genotypes. The frequencies of Le, le, Se and se alleles were 64.4%, 35.6%, 48.6%, and 51.4% and we have newly detected 4 cases with only one A385T mutation. All of the Le(a+b+) phenotype cases have both C357T, and A385T homozygotic mutations. CONCLUSIONS: The PCR method may be effectively used for the genotyping of the FUT3 and FUT2 genes and offers an attractive alternative to Lewis phenotyping using hemagglutination method.
Agglutination ; Alleles ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Blood Grouping and Crossmatching ; Genotype* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Hemagglutination ; Leukocytes ; Phenotype* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein (CSP), merozoite surface protein (MSP) and Duffy binding protein (DBP) are functionally important conserved proteins and may have an important role in developing antigens. The aim of this study was to develop recombinant CSP, MSP, and DBP antigens, to evaluate their diagnostic usefulness, and to analyze the prevalence of seroreactivity against P. vivax in five different regions in Korea. METHODS: To construct recombinant CSP, MSP, and DBP antigens from P. vivax, DNA obtained from specimens previously diagnosed as P. vivax was used. To evaluate diagnostic usefulness of recombinant CSP, MSP, and DBP antigens from P. vivax, sera from 45 patients with P. vivax and 48 normal controls including 4 patients with Plasmodium falciparum were used. For the epidemiologic study, a total of 1, 014 serum samples obtained from five different regions in Korea were used. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the IgG antibody against the P. vivax recombinant CSP, MSP, DBP antigens and the antigens mixture of these proteins were 75.6%, 62.2%, 68.9%, and 97.8%, and the specificity were 92.1%, 84.2%, 81.6%, and 97.4%, respectively. The seropositivity against P. vivax recombinant antigens was highest in Cheolwon province. The IgG seropositivity against P. vivax recombinant CSP, MSP and DBP was 2.0%, 1.2%, and 1.5%, respectively. There were no significant differences in seroreactivity against P. vivax between each recombinant protein and each five different regions in Korea. CONCLUSIONS: Newly constructed recombinant CSP, MSP and DBP were useful in the detection of antibodies against the P. vivax antigen.
Antibodies ; Antibody Formation* ; Carrier Proteins* ; DNA ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Korea ; Merozoites* ; Plasmodium falciparum ; Plasmodium vivax* ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

BACKGROUND: Among human blood group antigens, the genes for Kell, Duffy, and Kidd antigens have been recently identified, and those can play an important role in unexpected acute and delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions or hemolytic disease of newborns. The determination of blood group polymorphism at the genomic level facilitates the resolution of clinical problems that cannot be addressed by hemagglutination. They are useful to determine antigen types for which currently available antibodies are weakly reactive, type patients who have been recently transfused, identify fetuses at risk for hemolytic disease of the newborn and to increase the reliability of repositories of antigen negative RBCs for transfusion. METHODS: Two hundred peripheral blood samples were collected from normal population. Primer sets were used with slight modification from Reid M.E, et al. Bsm I, Ban I, and Mnl I were used from digestion of 5 uL PCR products. 10 uL of each digested-PCR products were electrophoresed on agarose or polyacrylamide gel with ethidium bromide staining. Kell, Duffy, and Kidd phenotypes (serologic types) were compared with respective genotypes by PCR-RFLP. RESULTS: The concordance rate was 100%: between genotype and phenotype 0 case(0%) K, 187 cases(100%) k; 22 cases(11.4%) Fy(a+b+), 171 cases(88.1%) Fy(a+b-), 1 case(0.5%) Fy(a-b+), 0 case(0%) Fy(a-b-); 95 cases(50.8%) Jk(a+b+), 39 cases(20.9%) Jk(a+b-), 53 cases(28.3%) Jk(a-b+), 0 case(0%) Jk(a-b-). In this study, Fyb frequency was 11.9% and it was equal to that of Japan and China. We analyzed each digested PCR product from 200 patients; Kell(187 cases), Duffy(194 cases), and Kidd(187 cases). CONCLUSIONS: The PCR-RFLP method can be effectively used for the Kell, Duffy, and Kidd typing and is particularly useful in cases where serological typing method is difficult as in autoimmune hemolytic anemia or recently transfused red blood cells in their circulation. Also, it is useful in cases of hemolytic disease in newborns and hemolytic transfusion reaction.
Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; Antibodies ; Blood Group Antigens ; Blood Group Incompatibility ; China ; Digestion ; Erythroblastosis, Fetal ; Erythrocytes ; Ethidium ; Fetus ; Genotype ; Hemagglutination ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Japan ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sepharose

Two cases of ABO discrepancy were observed in thirty-year old woman with gall bladder abscess and fifty-five-year old woman with hepatocellular carcinoma. Their red cells were typed as group O and their serum had only anti-A antibody. Absence of A and B antigens on their RBCs were confirmed by adsorption elution test and saliva test. The B transferase activities were not demonstrated in their serum. Their ABO genotypes were O/O by sequence specific polymerase chain reaction. Their serum protein electrophoresis showed hypogammaglobulinemia pattern, and immunoglobulin levels (IgG, IgA, IgM) were decreased (39 mg/dL, 46 mg/dL, <5 mg/dL and 63 mg/dL, 65 mg/dL, 12 mg/dL, respectively).
Abscess ; Adsorption ; Agammaglobulinemia* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Electrophoresis ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulins ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Saliva ; Transferases ; Urinary Bladder

BACKGROUND: The efficiency of leukocyte removal filter is influenced by many factors. But, filtration efficiency of leukocyte fragments was not well known. We performed this study to evaluate whether the filtration efficiency for packed red blood cells can be influenced by leukocyte fragments according to storage time. METHODS: Leukocyte fragments in packed red blood cells (three units) which were artificially made by incubation for 4 hrs at 56degrees C and each four units of packed red blood cells according to storage time (0 days, 10 days, 20 days, and 30 days) were filtered using Sepacell R-500A (Asahi medical Co, Japan). The leukocyte concentrations of the pre-leukodepleted samples were estimated using an automated hematology analyzer (XE-2100, Sysmex, Japan). The ratio between the number of normal leukocytes and leukocyte fragments on Wright Giemsa stained slide was used in the analysis. The leukocyte concentrations of the post-leukodepleted samples were performed by the conventional counting methods using Nageotte hemocytometer. RESULTS: The ratios of fragmented to total leukocytes in packed red blood cells at pre- and post leukoreduction according to storage times were 1.5% and 16.3% within 1 days, 4.5% and 30.0% at 10 days, 6.3% and 35.0% at 30 days, and 8.3% and 42.5% at 40 days, respectively. Leukoreduction efficiencies of normal leukocytes in packed red blood cells were 99.99 +/- 0.01%, 99.97 +/- 0.02%, 99.98 +/- 0.01%, and 99.86 +/- 0.09%, respectively. The 36.0% of leukocytes in packed red blood cells were changed to fragmented leukocytes, residual fragmented leukocytes ratio was 95.0% and filter efficiencies of normal leukocytes was low(99.28%, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The leukodepleted efficiency for leukocyte fragments were lower than for normal leukocytes. Leukocytes fragments may be influenced to lower the leukodepleted efficiency of normal leukocytes with storage time elapse.
Azure Stains ; Erythrocytes ; Filtration ; Hematology ; Leukocytes*