Problems with diagnostic criteria for humidifier disinfectant lung injury (HDLI): two cases of radiologically improved HDLI.

BACKGROUND: In Korea, to investigate the casual relationship between humidifier disinfectant and lung disease, four rounds of investigation and judgment were conducted. During this investigation, two adults who performed lung biopsy were recognized for their relevance between humidifier disinfectants and lung disease. At first, we did not think of the relationship to humidifier disinfectant because chest computed tomography (CT) finding of 2 cases were improved. However, they performed lung biopsy and it showed typical humidifier disinfectant lung injury (HDLI) pathologic findings, they could be recognized as HDLI. We report these cases here. CASE PRESENTATION: We selected 2 cases from the fourth-round investigation at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. Patient of case 1 used humidifier disinfectants since September 2010. The patient was admitted 6 months later to the intensive care unit (ICU) due to severe dyspnea. Pathology following a lung biopsy revealed typical HDLI finding which was determined to be due to humidifier disinfectant exposure. Patient of case 2 used humidifier disinfectant from 2001 to 2008 for about 3 months each winter. The patient's cough and sputum production symptoms began in December of 2007. The patient was admitted to the respiratory medicine department due to worsening dyspnea. Pathology following a lung biopsy revealed typical HDLI finding. This was determined to have been caused by humidifier disinfectant exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Because the typical radiologic findings associated with HDLI can improve over time, it is necessary to consider the revision of current diagnostic criteria that the presence of radiologic findings is important.

Relationship between working hours and probability to take alopecia medicine among Korean male workers: a 4-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have reported the negative effects of long working hours on various health problems. However, whether hair loss is associated with working hours has been rarely investigated so far. The main purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between long working hours and the development of alopecia among Korean male workers. METHODS: A total of 13,391 male workers not to take alopecia medicine in 2013 were followed up to see if they have alopecia medicine after 4 years, and that was used to confirm the alopecia development. Weekly working hours were categorized into three groups: reference working hours (RWH; < 40 hours/week), long working hours (LWH, 40-52 hours/week), and much longer working hours (MLWH; > 52 hours/week). Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between long working hours and the development of alopecia after adjusting age, marital status, education, monthly household income, smoking, and work schedule within strata of the covariates. RESULTS: Long working hours was significantly related to the development of alopecia. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for the development of alopecia were 1.57 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-2.05) for LWH group and 1.74 (95% CI: 1.23-2.47) for MLWH group relative to RWH group. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that unintentional development of alopecia is another potential health consequence of long working hours among Korean male workers. Preventive interventions to promote appropriate and reasonable working hours are required in our society.

The association between long working hours and marital status change: middle-aged and educated Korean in 2014-2015.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the association between long workhours and marital status change from married to divorced or separated status that might have bad health effects. METHODS: A total of 40,654 participants with married status in 2014 were followed up in 2015. Weekly workhours were categorized into four groups: ≤ 40, 41-52, 53-60, and > 60 hours per week. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the relationship between groups of workhours and marital status change after adjusting for age, total monthly household income, working type, and depression with sex stratification. RESULTS: The study populations consisted of 8,346 (20.5%) females and 32,308 (79.5%) males. Odd ratios (ORs) of marital status change for females working for more than 60 hours per week was 4.26 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25-14.5), when working less than or equal to 40 hours per week was used as reference in the crude model. ORs of working more than 60 hours per week was 4.57 (95% CI: 1.02-20.5) in female workers when considering age, total household earning per month, working type of daytime, and depression in a dose-response manner. However, for male workers, long workhours were not significantly related to change of marriage status. CONCLUSIONS: Long workhours for more than 60 hours per week had significantly higher risk of divorce or separation in females, but not in males. Further follow-up studies are needed to evaluate long term effects of long workhours on divorce risk.

Comparison of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms between male cameramen and male office workers.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have classified cameramen's job as physiologically heavy work and identified the risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs) in cameramen. However, those studies limited their research subjects to cameramen. In this study, we compared the frequency and severity of WRMDs between cameramen and office workers. METHODS: A total of 293 subjects working in four broadcasting companies in Korea were recruited. A questionnaire survey was conducted for a month, starting in October 2016. The subjects were divided into cameramen and office workers according to their occupation. We compared the frequency and severity of WRMDs and ergonomic risk assessment results between the two groups. RESULTS: The high-risk WRMD group had a higher proportion of cameramen than office workers. Moreover, the high ergonomic risk group also had a higher proportion of cameramen than office workers for WRMDs in the upper extremities and waist+lower extremities. In the multivariable-adjusted model comparing cameramen and office workers, the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for high-risk WRMDs was 3.50 (95% CI: 1.92-7.72) for the upper extremities and 3.18 (95% CI: 1.62-6.21) for the waist and the lower extremities. The ORs by body parts were 3.11 (95% CI: 1.28-7.57) for the neck, 3.90 (95% CI: 1.79-8.47) for the shoulders, and 4.23 (95% CI: 1.04-17.18) for the legs and feet. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that cameramen are at high risk of WRMDs. Workplace improvements and management of the neck, shoulders, and lower extremities, which are susceptible to WRMDs, are necessary to prevent musculoskeletal disorders among cameramen.

Inhibitory effects of natural plants of Jeju Island on elastase and MMP-1 expression.

In order to search for new active cosmetic ingredients of natural origin, we screened about 60 plants collected from Jeju Island, which is located in the southernmost part of the Republic of Korea. We investigated their free radical scavenging activity, elastase inhibition activity, and reduction of MMP-1 mRNA expression for the development of anti-aging ingredients as raw materials for use in cosmetics. In the free radical scavenging capacity assay, 12 extracts, including Typha orientalis (seed) and Torreya nucifera (leaf), showed significant free radical scavenging activity (up to SC(50)<30 microg/ml). Among these extracts, Nymphaea tetragona (rhizome) extract showed the highest free radical scavenging activity (SC(50)=4.7 microg/ml). In the anti-elastase inhibition assay, seven extracts, including Typha orientalis (seed) and Persicaria hydropiper (whole plant), showed high inhibitory activity (>50% at 100 mug/ml). Among these extracts, Persicaria hydropiper (whole plant) extract showed the highest elastase inhibition activity (IC(50) = 46.7 mug/ml). In the MMP-1 expression assay using RT-PCR, Typha orientalis (seed), Pyrrosia hastata (root), and Capsicum annum (whole plant) showed slightly lower inhibition activity than EGCG, which was used as a control. Furthermore, four extracts, including Persicaria hydropiper (whole plant), Filipendula glaberrima (root), Nymphaea tetragona (root), and Camellia japonica (leaf), completely inhibited the expression of MMP-1 in human fibroblast cells. The results showed that four of the 60 plant extracts may hold potential for use as natural active ingredients for anti-aging cosmetics.

Antioxidative constituents from Paeonia lactiflora.

The ethanol extract of the peony root (Paeonia Lactiflora Pall, Paeoniaceae) as well as its major active components including gallic acid and methyl gallate were evaluated for their protective effects against free radical generation and lipid peroxidation. In addition, the protective effects against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative DNA damage in a mammalian cell line were examined. The ethanol extracts of the peony root (PREs) and its active constituents, gallic acid and methyl gallate, exhibited a significant free radical scavenging effect against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazine (DPPH) radical generation and had an inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation, as measured by the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) formation. The PREs did not have any pro-oxidant effect. They strongly inhibited the hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage from NIH/3T3 fibroblasts, as assessed by single cell gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, the oral administration of 50% PRE (50% ethanol extract of peony root), gallic acid and methyl gallate potently inhibited the formation of micronucleated reticulocytes (MNRET) in the mouse peripheral blood induced by a KBrO3 treatment in vivo. Therefore, PREs containing gallic acid and methyl gallate may be a useful antigenotoxic antioxidant by scavenging free radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation and protecting against oxidative DNA damage without exhibiting any pro-oxidant effect.