Longitudinal Standards for Height and Height Velocity in Korean Children and Adolescents: the Kangwha Cohort Study

Longitudinal standards for height and height velocity are essential to monitor for appropriate linear growth. We aimed to construct standards in Korean children and adolescents through the population-based longitudinal Kangwha study. Our study was a part of a community-based prospective cohort study from 1986 to 1999 with 800 school children. Height and height velocity were recorded annually from age 6 until final height. Results were compared with cross-sectional data from the 2007 Korean National Growth Charts. Final height was 173.5 cm in boys and 160.5 cm in girls. Although final height was similar between longitudinal and cross-sectional standards, the mean height for age was higher in the longitudinal standard by 1-4 cm from age 6 until the completion of puberty. Using the longitudinal standard, age at peak height velocity (PHV) was 12 in boys and 10 in girls; height velocity at PHV was 8.62 cm/yr in boys and 7.07 cm/yr in girls. The mean height velocity was less than 1 cm/yr at age 17 in boys and 15 in girls. Thus, we have presented the first report of longitudinal standards for height and height velocity in Korean children and adolescents by analyzing longitudinal data from the Kangwha cohort.     

我国生物制药产业国际竞争力分析

目的： 分析我国生物制药产业现状,为提高我国生物制药产业国际竞争力提出建议。方法： 针对我国生物制药产业进行了贸易竞争力指数、国际市场占有率、显示性比较优势指数等国际竞争力评价指标测算,以及基于波特钻石模型的国际竞争力分析。结果与结论： 相较于制药强国,我国生物制药产业的国际竞争力较弱并需要进一步提高,建议要注重高素质人才的培养与引进,积极开拓多种融资渠道,提高自主创新能力,加速产业规模化发展,加强知识产权保护。     

Diets high in glycemic index and glycemic load are associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome among Korean women

Background and aimsAccurate estimation of the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) of diets is essential when assessing health implications of dietary GI and GL. The present study aimed to estimate dietary GI and GL utilizing the updated GI tables with a large number of new, reliable GI values and assess their associations with metabolic syndrome among Korean adults.Methods and resultsWe analyzed data from 3317 men and 6191 women for this cross-sectional study. Dietary intake was assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire. Metabolic syndrome and its components were defined based on the harmonized criteria with Korean-specific cutoffs for waist circumference. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Compared with women in the lowest quintiles of energy-adjusted dietary GI and GL, women in the highest quintiles had significantly greater risks of metabolic syndrome (GI, OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.18–2.06; GL, OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.27–2.57), elevated blood pressure, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, both GI and GL), elevated triglycerides (GI only), elevated waist circumference, and elevated fasting glucose (GL only). Among men, no significant association was noted except for a higher risk of reduced HDL-C (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.01–2.29) in the highest quintile of energy-adjusted dietary GI than in the lowest quintile.ConclusionOur findings suggest that dietary GI and GL are positively associated with metabolic syndrome risk among women, but not men, in Korea.     

Data Representation,Coding, and Communication Standards

The immense volume of cases signed out by surgical pathologists on a daily basis gives little time to think about exactly how data are stored. An understanding of the basics of data representation has implications that affect a pathologist’s daily practice. This article covers the basics of data representation and its importance in the design of electronic medical record systems. Coding in surgical pathology is also discussed. Finally, a summary of communication standards in surgical pathology is presented, including suggested resources that establish standards for select aspects of pathology reporting.     

浅论产学研联合培养中药学研究生的策略与实践经验

产学研合作教育是充分利用学校与企业、科研院所等多种不同教学环境和教学资源以及在人才培养方面的各自优势,将以课堂传授知识为主的学校教育与直接获取实际经验、实践能力为主的生产、科研实践有机结合的教育形式[1-2].企业、科研院所的发展,需要高校的人才和科研技术;高校的发展,可以借助企业、科研院所的研究平台.     

Work-Related Asthma in Korea - Findings from the Korea Work-Related Asthma Surveillance (KOWAS) program, 2004-2009

Purpose

To determine the incidence and epidemiological characteristics of work-related asthma in Korea.

Methods

During 2004-2009, the Korea Work-Related Asthma Surveillance (KOWAS) program collected data on new cases of work-related asthma from occupational physicians, allergy and chest physicians, regional surveillance systems, and workers'' compensation schemes. The incidence was calculated on the basis of industry, occupation, sex, age, and region. In addition, the distribution of causal agents was determined.

Results

During the study period, 236 cases of work-related asthma were reported, with 77 cases from more than 1 source. A total of 22.0% (n=52) were reported by occupational physicians, 52.5% (n=124) by allergy and chest physicians, 24.2% (n=57) by regional surveillance systems, and 43.2% (n=102) by workers'' compensation schemes. The overall average annual incidence was 3.31 cases/million workers, with a rate of 3.78/million among men and 2.58/million among women. The highest incidence was observed in the 50-59-year age group (7.74/million), in the Gyeonggi/Incheon suburb of Seoul (8.50/million), in the furniture and other instrument manufacturing industries (67.62/million), and among craft and related trades workers (17.75/million). The most common causal agents were isocyanates (46.6%), flour/grain (8.5%), metal (5.9%), reactive dyes (5.1%), and solvents (4.2%).

Conclusions

The incidence of work-related asthma in Korea was relatively low, and varied according to industry, occupation, gender, age, and region. Data provided by workers'' compensation schemes and physician reports have been useful for determining the incidence and causes of work-related asthma.     

Sleeping with the enemy: the United Nations Development Programme and its position on the non‐communicable disease epidemic

The United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) position on non‐communicable diseases (NCDs) is undermined by a key issue at the global institutional level. Fundamentally, the nature of the relationship between international development agencies and the tobacco industry is at odds with the professed public health priorities of the former. At its core, the business model of the tobacco industry is premised on the sale of addictive and disease‐causing substances that fuel NCDs in the first place. The role of the United Nations system and, in particular, UNDP is to ‘build nations that can withstand crisis’, not to collaborate with entities that profit from crises. This simple and well‐established fact cannot be overlooked. We outline an array of conflict of interests. If the effects of NCDs are ever to be reversed, then international agencies such as the UNDP ought to adhere to ethical standards in choosing partners and avoid conflict of interests. In the absence of this, the UNDP may well compromise its own agenda and proliferate NCDs rather than containing them.     

基于CONSORT的心血管疾病临床随机对照试验报告质量评价

目的评价我国心血管疾病随机对照试验(RCT)报告质量。方法对照1996、2001、2010年三版CONSORT声明清单列表,依清单条目在各版次被纳入情况赋予各评价条目权重。计算机检索CNKI、万方医学网和Pub Med数据库,按纳入排除标准收集1997年以来国内的有关心血管疾病的RCT。分析和评价RCT报告质量。结果共纳入368篇报告,质量平均分41.02,随机方法部分各条目平均分1.07(10分制),且存在报告条目信息位置或内容不规范问题。在"是否被中华医学会期刊刊载"分层子集中RCT报告质量的平均加权分具有显著差异(P0.000)。结论我国心血管疾病RCT报告质量处于中等或中下等水平,提升空间较大。     

制造业工人肌肉骨骼疾患发生模式及影响因素

目的 探讨制造业工人工作相关肌肉骨骼疾患(work-related musculoskeletal disorders,WMSDs)在多个部位的发生模式及其影响因素。方法 应用肌肉骨骼疾患调查问卷对4家制造企业工人的WMSDs患病情况及影响因素展开流行病学调查。WMSDs病例定义为过去一年内身体颈部、肩部、肘部、手腕/手、上背部、下背部、臀/大腿、膝部、踝/足9个部位中一个或多个部位出现疼痛、麻木、不适或活动受限等症状,持续时间超过24 h,经休息后症状仍未完全缓解,且排除外伤、残疾、其他急症或后遗症等。各部位WMSDs患病情况间的关联度用log-binomial模型计算出的现患比(PR值)评估,采用多分类Logistic回归模型分析WMSDs主要患病部位中多个部位共患病的影响因素。结果 制造业工人WMSDs总患病率达79.7%,主要患病部位为下背部、颈部、肩部和上背部,患病率依次为62.3%、55.7%、45.6%和38.7%。这4个部位患病情况间的PR值较高,4个部位共患病率为25.2%,3~4个部位共患病率为41.4%。多分类Lgistic回归分析提示,颈部、肩部、上背部和下背部中3~4个部位患WMSDs的影响因素涉及多个方面,其中女性(OR=2.86,95%CI 2.38~3.33)、工龄15~19年者(OR=1.87,95%CI 1.49~2.34)患病风险较高;颈部经常长时间或频繁前倾(OR=2.15,95%CI 1.86~2.48)、颈部经常长时间或频繁扭转(OR=1.64,95%CI 1.40~1.92)和经常大幅转身(OR=1.40,95%CI 1.20~1.64)等生物力学因素可能为疾患发生的危险因素;每天做相同的工作(OR=1.73,95%CI 1.44~2.08)、员工短缺(OR=1.50,95%CI 1.31~1.71)和经常加班(OR=1.38,95%CI 1.20~1.60)等组织管理因素可能增加疾患的发生风险;经常长时间站着工作(OR=0.77,95%CI 0.65~0.91)和感觉工间休息时间充足(OR=0.51,95%CI 0.44~0.59)等因素为保护性因素。结论 本研究中制造业工人颈部、肩部、上背部和下背部WMSDs患病率高,4个部位的患病情况间关联密切,其3~4部位共患病率较高,提示在制造业工人中可能存在“颈-肩-上背-下背”多个部位患病的WMSDs发生模式,这种模式的主要影响因素包括个体因素、生物力学因素和组织管理因素几个方面。     

Selection of criteria for assessment of occlusal acceptability

There is no general agreement on criteria that could be applied to distinguish between orthodontically acceptable and non-acceptable occlusions after the completion of dental development. The aim of the present study was to analyse morphological and functional features that could be used as an index to define an acceptable occlusion in young adults. Three expert panels representing specialists in orthodontics and stomatognathic physiology participated in a modified Delphi method. Each panel responded to a questionnaire concerning the usefulness of various occlusal features, and a set of characteristics was selected on the basis of the responses; thereafter, applicability of the chosen characteristics and their cutoffs for an acceptable-non-acceptable dichotomy was tested clinically. To obtain a consensus level of 100%, the last panel session was completed with a group discussion. Assessments made using the morphological criteria were compared with those made with the dental health component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need. The selected morphological characteristics consisted of overjet, overbite, canine relationship, crossbite, scissors bite and midline deviation. The functional evaluation comprised assessments of discrepancy between the centric relation and the intercuspal position, working- and non-working-side contacts and protrusion contacts. The dental health component and our morphological criteria showed different sensitivity to contact point displacements, interdigitation in buccal segments and increased overbite. This study provides a set of morphological and functional indicators reflecting the current consensus opinion of Finnish professionals. Further studies are needed to analyse the reproducibility of assessment of the characteristics included.