Business Cycle and Occupational Accidents in Korea

Background@#Occupational accidents occur for a variety of reasons, such as unsafe behaviors of workers and insufficient safety equipment at the workplace, but there are also various economic and social factors that can impact working conditions and working environment. This study analyzed the relationship between changes in economic factors and the occurrence of occupational accidents in Korea. @*Methods@#Multilinear regression analysis was used as the analysis model. The general to specific method was also used, which consecutively removes statistically insignificant variables from a general model that includes dependent variables and lagged variables of dependent variables. @*Results@#The frequency of occupational accidents was found to have a statistically significant relationship to economic indicators. The monthly number of cases of occupational injury and disease and fatal occupational injuries were found to be closely related to manufacturing capacity utilization, differences in the production index in the services sector, and commencements of building construction. The increase in equipment investment indicators was found to reduce fatal occupational injuries. @*Conclusion@#The results of this study may be used to develop occupational accident trends or leading indicators, which in turn can be used by organizations that manage and monitor occupational accidents toward taking administrative action designed to reduce occupational accidents. The results also imply that short-term and mid- to long-term economic and social changes that can impact workers, workplaces and working conditions, and workplace organizations must be taken into account if more effective government policies are to be established and implemented toward further prevention of occupational accidents.

A Short Term Follow-up of Open Wedge High Tibial Osteotomyusing Locking Compression Plate(R) / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Purpose: To evaluate the value of an open wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) using a Locking Compression Plate(R) (LCP(R)) as a surgical technique. Materials and Methods: From May, 2003 to January, 2005, eleven open wedge HTO using LCP(R) were performed and the average follow-up period was 17.8 months. The knee score and function score for the clinical results, and the degree of varus deformity, the size of the joint space, the posterior tibial slope and the medial instability for radiography results were evaluated. Results: The knee score improved from 54.8 points to 95.9 points, and the function score improved from 57.3 points to 88.2 points. The femorotibial angle was corrected from 4.1degrees varus to 9.9degrees valgus. The posterior tibial slope did not show any significant change. The size of the joint space increased from 3.3 mm to 4.3 mm. No medial instability was observed. Conclusion: An open wedge HTO using LCP(R) achieved a corrected angle, reduced loss of the corrected angle, and an improved knee function. The surgical technique prevented the posterior tibial slope from increasing.

Two Pediatric Patients with Neutropenia and Thrombocytopenia Associated with Parvovirus B19 Infection / 소아과

Parvovirus B19, a member of the Erythrovirus genus, is the only member of the Parvoviridae family known to be pathogenic in humans. Haematological consequences of B19 infection arise due to a direct cytotoxic effect on erythroid progenitors in bone marrow, resulting in interruption of erythrocyte production. The physiology of host haematopoiesis and competence of the immune response each determines clinical manifestations of B19 infection. A search of the literature revealed that neutropenia and thrombocytopenia due to B19 have been rarely reported in healthy individuals. In Korea, B19 infection has been reported among individuals with underlying disorders such as leukemia or congenital spherocytosis. Among otherwise healthy persons, there have been few reported cases of B19 infection which resulted in anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia. We herein report, for the first time in Korea, of two children who experienced leukopenia and thrombocytopenia, but not anemia, after B19 infection and recovered uneventfully.

Clinical and Epidemiologic Features of Rotavirus Outbreak in a Nursery

PURPOSE: Although RV infection is less common in neonate than older infants, because of high transmissibility and morbidity, it is devastating disease in nursery. With experience of RV infection outbreak in our nursery, we report its clinical and epidemiological characteristics. METHODS: From March 2002 to September 2003, 39 neonates were diagnosed with RV infection in nursery by immunochromatographic method. In addition to prevalence time, monthly distribution, and method of blocking outbreak of the disease, demographic, clinical and laboratory data for the neonates were evaluated. RESULTS: After occurring index patient in a nursery of Hanyang University Hospital in Seoul at March 22, 2002, the RV infection was increasing. Although the nursery was disinfected with 99% alcohol, 6 cases of new RV infections developed during July 2002. Eradication of RV infection was achieved after closing the nursery with cohort twice for 17 days and for 10 days. During period of this study, total 39 cases of RV infection were identified and the incidence of infection was 11.5%. Unlike to older infants, the majority of neonatal patient were asymptomatic (47.3%). CONCLUSION: We propose that instead of disinfection using 99% alcohol, long-term isolation with cohort is preferable to control RV transmission in nursery.

Comparative Study for the Diagnostic Usefulness of Brain MRI and CT in Children with Seizure

PURPOSE: This study was performed to know and compare the diagnostic usefulness of Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) and Computed Tomography(CT) for the evaluation of patients with seizure. METHODS: We studied retrospectively 96 children who visited Hanyang University Hospital due to seizure and took a brain CT between January 1996 and June 1999, and 60 children who visited Hanyang University Hospital due to seizure and took a brain MRI between June 1999 and March 2002. All children who were enrolled in this study divided into few groups according to seizure type and EEG findings. RESULTS: Among 96 children who took a brain CT, 12 patients had brain abnormalities on CT, and among 60 children took a brain MRI, 13 patients had brain abnormalities on MRI. Abnormalities on CT were more frequently seen in children with focal seizure and/or focal abnormalities on EEG, but contrarily in MRI, abnormalities were more frequently seen in children with generalized seizure. CONCLUSION: Even the MRI is more expensive to be taken than the CT, MRI isrecommended when there is a need to evaluate the causes of seizures even for thepatients with generalized seizure as a result of our study.

Comparative Study for the Diagnostic Usefulness of Brain MRI and CT in Children with Seizure

PURPOSE: This study was performed to know and compare the diagnostic usefulness of Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) and Computed Tomography(CT) for the evaluation of patients with seizure. METHODS: We studied retrospectively 96 children who visited Hanyang University Hospital due to seizure and took a brain CT between January 1996 and June 1999, and 60 children who visited Hanyang University Hospital due to seizure and took a brain MRI between June 1999 and March 2002. All children who were enrolled in this study divided into few groups according to seizure type and EEG findings. RESULTS: Among 96 children who took a brain CT, 12 patients had brain abnormalities on CT, and among 60 children took a brain MRI, 13 patients had brain abnormalities on MRI. Abnormalities on CT were more frequently seen in children with focal seizure and/or focal abnormalities on EEG, but contrarily in MRI, abnormalities were more frequently seen in children with generalized seizure. CONCLUSION: Even the MRI is more expensive to be taken than the CT, MRI isrecommended when there is a need to evaluate the causes of seizures even for thepatients with generalized seizure as a result of our study.

EFFECTS OF OXYGEN FREE RADICAL SCAVENGERS ON THE HYPOXIA-REOXYGENATION INDUCED PROLIFERATION OF CULTURED HUMAN FIBROBLAST MALME-3 CELL LINE

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hypoxia-reoxygenation on the proliferation of fibroblast, and to elucidate the role of oxygen free radicals in this process. Malme-3 fibroblast, derived from human skin fibroblast, was used for this study. The hypoxia or reoxygenation condition was made by exposing cultured cells to the environment of 95% N2, 5% CO2 or 95% room air, 5% CO2, respectively. Cell proliferation was estimated by the cell numbed, and DNA synthesis was measured by the [3H]-thymidine uptake. Release of oxygen free radicals was measured by the means of Ohkawa's method of lipid peroxidation. The effect of oxygen free radicals was confirmed by using dimethylthiourea(DMTU) and alpha-tocopherol, two known oxygen free radical scavengers. The results are as follows: 1. The dissolved oxygen of the culture medium was 8.97+/-1.23 ppm in the normal condition. When the culture dish was exposed to the hypoxic condition for 3 or 6 hours, the dissolved oxygen of the culture medium decreased markedly to the level of 3.10+/-0.46 ppm or 2.37+/-0.47 ppm, respectively 2. The number of cultured cells increased in a hypoxia duration-dependent manner up to 6 hours when the cells were cultured for 24 hours after hypoxia. The same pattern was observed in the cells cultured for 48 hours after hypoxia. Lipid peroxidation in the culture increased after the exposure to hypoxia-reoxygenation. DMTU or alpha-tocopherol blocked the increase in lipid peroxidation induced by the exposure to hypoxia-reoxygenation. 3. [3H]-thymidine uptake of the cultured cells increased after the exposure to hypoxia-reoxygenation. 4. DMTU or alpha-tocopherol blocked the proliferation of fibroblasts induced by the exposure to hypoxia-reoxygenation. The increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was also noted after the exposure to hypoxia-reoxygenation, and this increase was blocked by DMTU or alpha-tocopherol. These results indicate that the hypoxia-reoxygenation induces the proliferation of fibroblasts, and that oxygen free radicals play an important role in this process. Moreover, oxygen free radical scavengers may be of potential therapeutic value in preventing fibrosis.