Evaluation of the Midpalatal Suture Maturation in Young Koreans Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the ossification and maturation of the midpalatal suture in young Koreans using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study sample consisted of 40 patients with ages from 8.2 to 23.6 years who visited the Department of Orthodontics, Chung-Ang University Dental Hospital. CBCT images were taken for diagnosis. From the CBCT image, morphological stages and Hounsfield units (HU) of midpalatal suture were obtained to evaluate the midpalatal suture maturation. Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated to analyze relationships between chronological age, morphological stage, and HU. RESULT: There was a wide variation in the morphology of the midpalatal suture in each age group. It showed a modest relationship between the chronological age and the degree of morphological stages. Also there was a modest relationship between the chronological age and HU. In contrast, there was a significant relationship between morphological stages and HU of midpalatal suture (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: CBCT images can be used for the evaluation of midpalatal suture maturation. For the estimation of the prognosis of rapid maxillary expansion, CBCT may be reliable for the assessment of the maturation of the midpalatal suture.

Influencing Factors in Approving Cerebrovascular and Cardiovascular Disease as Work-Related Disease of Workers' in Manufacturing Sectors / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to analyze the factors that have been meaningful in recognizing cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases in manufacturing sector workers as work-related diseases, since amendment of Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act on July 1st, 2008, and provide information to establish an objective standard. METHODS: We examined 359 claims of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases which were presented as occupational diseases from January 1st, to December 31th, 2010, collecting Industrial Accident Compensation data from the six Provincial Committees for work-related disease decision. We analyzed the approval rate and odds ratio of the general characteristics, past medical history and work-related information, by using univariate logistic regression. In addition, we confirmed the factors that have effects on when approving work-related diseases by using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall, 92 claims out of the 359 claims were recognized as worked-related diseases with an approval rate of 25.6%. Because of accidental situations such as altercation, cold environments, fire etc., only 12 cases were approved. In addition, due to short-term overwork such as outdoor work in cold environments, only 18 cases were approved. Sixty-two cases were approved for chronic overwork. On chronic overwork, the approval rate was not significantly different in univariate logistic regression in gender, age, claimed disease, survival or death, smoker or non-smoker, or associated disease. However, factory size and, average working time for last one week and average working time for last four weeks were significantly. In the multivariate logistic regression analyzed, adjusted for age and sex, we found that the factors in approving cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease as work-related disease were average working time for the last four weeks and factory size. CONCLUSION: We concluded that there has been a great deal of subjective judgements when approving cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases to be occupational diseases. Therefore, objective criteria should be established, especially with regard to the approval of work-related cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases and working hours.

The Effect of a Stretching Exercise on Myofascial Pain Syndrome Patients in Small and Medium Sized Industries / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to identify the effect of a stretching exercise on myofascial pain syndrome patients that work in small and medium-sized industry. METHODS: Questionnaires surveys including general characteristics, work-related characteristics, and musculoskeletal symptoms on neck and shoulder area was administered to 393 subjects who worked in small and medium sized industries. Symptomatic workers were examined to identify whether they had myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). Of the 393 subjects, 108 MPS patients performed 6 weeks stretching exercise program. Intensity of pain was estimated with visual analogue scales (VAS). All patients were interviewed to estimate their compliance to stretching exercise program. RESULTS: Of the 393 workers, 119 workers were diagnosed with MPS of the neck and shoulder. Post-exercise VAS was significantly reduced compared to pre-exercise VAS (p<0.05). High compliance patients to stretching exercise were more effective to exercise therapy (OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.19~7.04), and overtime workers were less effective to exercise therapy (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.17~0.95). CONCLUSION: The Stretching exercise program was identified to be effective in MPS patients in small and medium-sized industries. It is recommended that workers with MPS in small and medium-sized industries practice a well-designed stretching exercise program, and avoid overtime work.

Development of a Fatigue Symptom Checklist for Commercial Drivers: An Experimental Trial / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: Fatigue is a primary human factor for decreased job performance in the workplace. It is well documented that drowsiness is a typical symptom of fatigue and is closely associated with commercial drivers'safety and well-being. However, few studies have been conducted to develop or validate fatigue symptom instruments for a working population. The main purpose of this study was to develop a general fatigue checklist and a driving fatigue checklist for Korean commercial drivers. METHODS: A total of 287 bus drivers in a commercial transportation company participated in a self-administered survey that was designated Study 1. Based on the statistical results of Study 1, a focus meeting with 16 professional consultants was conducted to revise the fatigue symptom instrument for Study 2. In Study 2, 288 commercial drivers (156 bus drivers and 132 truck drivers) participated in the revised questionnaire survey. All collected responses were entered into a SPSS worksheet and the data analysis was conducted using SPSS software 11.1. The exploratory factor analysis used in this study followed the principle component factoring rule and the varimax rotation method for factor extraction. The criteria for item selection were an Eigen value of 1.0 or greater, a communality score of .50 or greater, and no 'fence rider'property over the extracted factors. RESULTS: Through Study 1, the consultant meeting, and Study 2, a general fatigue checklist was developed with a total of 3 factors and 11 items, and a driving fatigue checklist was developed with 2 factors and 10 items. The 3 factors of the general fatigue checklist were physical fatigue, psychological fatigue, and chronic tiredness. The two factors of the driving fatigue checklist were physical fatigue and perceptive and functional fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: The primary contents of general fatigue were different from those of driving fatigue according to the two fatigue instrument factors developed in this study. The primary fatigue symptoms of the commercial driving population were identified as physical fatigue and perceptive and functional fatigue.

A Case of Bronchial Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma in Child

Bronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma is very rarely encountered in children. We report a case of bronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma in a 10-year-old boy who presented with persistent cough and atelectasis. Bronchoscopic examination showed a tumor mass occluding the right bronchus intermedius, and the mass was removed by bronchoscopy. The results of the pathological examination revealed low-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma. He underwent right middle and lower lobectomy with bronchoplasty, and there was no metastasis. He remains symptom-free without recurrence of bronchial tumor during the follow-up period of 12 months.

The Study of the Signal Detection Test of the Traffic Accident Patients with and without Brain Lesions / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences of signal detection between the traffic accident patients with and without brain lesions in neuroimaging techniques. METHODS: Subjects were 48 traffic accident patients. All subjects were asked to detect the signals in Signal Detection test of Vienna Test System. RESULTS: The number of correct response and the stimulus sensitivity were significantly higher in group without lesion than group with lesion, but the number of false alarm and the response criterion were not. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a cause of lower signal detection of the patients with brain lesions was not motivational and emotional impairment but cognitive impairment.

A Case of Moyamoya Syndrome Associated with Hereditary Spherocytosis

Moyamoya is a chronic cerebrovascular disease characterized by progressive stenosis or occlusion of the terminal parts of both intermal carotid arteries with telangiectatic vascular network of collateral circulation at the base of the brain and leptomeningeal arteries. The etiology and pathophysiology of this disease are still unknown. Although the idiopathic presentattion is the commonest, moyamoya disease has also been reported in several hereditary or acquired clinical conditions including neurofibromatosis, sickle cell anemia, tuberculous meningitis, atherosclerosis, and following radiation therapy to the head. The term moyamoya disease should be reserved for those cases in which the characteristic angiogrphic pattern is idiopathic; moyamoya syndrome is used when the underlying condition is known. We have experienced a case of coexistence of moyamoya syndrome and hereditary spherocytosis in a 6-year-8-month-old girl who presented with right-sided hemiparesis and pallor. A cerebral angiogram revealed occlusion of proximal portion of left middle cerebral artery and abnormal collateral network. The peripheral blood smear and osmotic fragility test disclosed hereditary spherocytosis. To our knowledge, the coexistence of moyamoya syndrome and hereditary spherocytosis has not been documented. We report here the case and the brief review of related literatures. Further studies are needed to clarify the intimate relationship between the two diseases.

A Familial Case of Leigh Disease

In two female siblings, growth and developmental retardation, poor sucking, anorexia, floppiness and respiratory difficulty developed around 2 and 4 monthes of age in each, and the respiratory symptoms rapidly aggravated to comatose states and finally into death one month later. On admission at emergency room, severe acidosis and high lactate and pyruvate levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were revealed in one. Brain computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed identical bilateral involvement of putamen in both of the sibs, which made the diagnosis of Leigh disease(subacute necrotizing encephalomyelopathy) possible. There is also a family history of early death in infancy period; an elder sister and a brother of mother died with unknown cause at their 5 and 10 months of age. Mitochondrial enzyme functions could not be assayed.

A Case of Nonimmune Hydrops Fetalis due to Placental Chorioangioma

Fetal hydrops describes the infant who has generalized edema due to accumulation of exess fluid, in serious case, ascites and pleural and pericardial effusions are commonly combined. The chorioangioma is considered the most common primary tumor of the placenta, which is about 1% of all pregnancy. However, the majority of the cases are asymptomatic but larger ones, usually more than 5cm in diameter, are commonly associated with maternal and fetal complications. We report a case of nonimmune hydrops fetalis due to large chorioangioma with associated polyhydramnios. The newborn infant was managed conservatively and had excellent outcome.

A Case of Nonimmune Hydrops Fetalis due to Placental Chorioangioma

Fetal hydrops describes the infant who has generalized edema due to accumulation of exess fluid, in serious case, ascites and pleural and pericardial effusions are commonly combined. The chorioangioma is considered the most common primary tumor of the placenta, which is about 1% of all pregnancy. However, the majority of the cases are asymptomatic but larger ones, usually more than 5cm in diameter, are commonly associated with maternal and fetal complications. We report a case of nonimmune hydrops fetalis due to large chorioangioma with associated polyhydramnios. The newborn infant was managed conservatively and had excellent outcome.

A Case of Sotos Syndrome

No abstract available.

Mass Screening of Heart Disease with 12-Lead Electrocardiography(ECG) in Elementary School Children

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that heart disease is the most common cause of sudden death in children. There have been relatively few studies concerning heart disease screening of school children in Korea. This study was to evaluate the usefulness of 12-lead ECG for mass screening of heart disease in elementary school children. METHODS: Mass screening of heart disease with 12-lead ECG was done in 17,343 first grade elementary school children(male 8,948, female 8,395) in Kwangju area during 4 months period since September 1992. Among 200 children(male 135, female 65) who showed abnormal electrocardiographic findings, 128 were referred to pediatric cardiologist for detection of heart diseases by thorough examinations including 24-hour ECG, echordiography, cardiac catherization and angiocardiography. RESULTS: 1) The incidence of 12-lead ECG abnormalities was 1.2%. Male outnumbered female in the incidence of abnormalities(0.8% vs 0.4%). 2) Incomplete right bundle branch block was the most frequent ECG abnormality with the incidence of 5.3 among 1,000, followed by right ventricular hypertrophy and premature ventricular contraction, both of them stand the next common abnormalities with the same incidence of 1.6 among 1,000. 3) Out of 39 cases undergoing echocardiography, seven were found to have structual heart abnormalities : 6 atrial defects and one ventricular septal defect. 4) All patients having structual defects but one with atrial septal defect underwent open heart surgery without problems. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that routine 12 lead ECG be one of the useful methods for mass screening of heart disease and imply that establishment of heart disease screening system is necessary for the health promotion of the school chidren with heart disease.