• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.223-229
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• 2003

The welding workers are frequently exposed to heavy metals such as manganese. Manganese is well evaporated into the air while welding. This study had been carried out to investigate the relationship of the blood manganese level to age, work duration, and smoking status among 128 welding workers in Gyeongnam and Jeonnam province from May to November, 2003. They showed high manganese level in the first health examination. Subjects were also classified for the investigation according to their smoking status as smokers and nonsmokers, work duration ($\leq$9, 10~9, 20$\leq$years), and ages ($\leq$29, 30~39, 40~49, 50$\leq$years). Blood manganese Jevels were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Mean blood manganese level was 1.62$\pm$0.56 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dl. In the comparison of blood manganese levels by age and smoking status, mean blood manganese levels of smokers in age of 20's, 30's, and 50's were 2.09$\pm$0.44 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dl, 1.94$\pm$0.33 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dl, and 2.l5$\pm$0.33 $\mu\textrm{g}$/dl, respectively. Blood manganese levels of smokers were significantly higher than those of non-smokers, showing no significant difference in the 40's. In the comparison of blood manganese levels by work duration, the blood manganese levels of smokers were the highest in the case of 10 to 19 years work duration. This study showed that the blood manganese levels were related to the smoking status, work duration, and age. Mean manganese levels of smokers showed higher than those of nonsmokers. It also showed that the length of work duration was related to the elevation of blood manganese levels. Among the welding workers, blood manganese levels of smokers were the highest over their age of 50's. In conclusion, smoking was the most significant risk factor to increase blood manganese levels. The further study will need analysis of the other factors related to manganese level elevation.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.275-283
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• 2010

There are few studies reporting optimal waist circumference that can be utilized to prevent the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We evaluated the association of waist circumference and waist and hip circumference ratio (WHR) with incident cases of CVD developed over 6 years in a population-based prospective study including Korean adults. Analyses for receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve were performed with data for 1,733 men and 1,579 women who were aged 40 to 69 years and were free of a physician-diagnosis of CVD at baseline. Information on the diagnosis of CVD was periodically reported using interviewer-administered questionnaires and anthropometric measures were obtained by biennial health examinations. We newly identified 77 cases of CVD during a follow-up period between 2003 and 2008. On the basis of measures of diagnostic accuracy including minimum distance to ROC curve and Youden index, waist circumference of 85 cm for men, in particular for male nonsmokers, and of 80 cm for women and WHR of 0.88 to 0.90 for men and of 0.83 for women were found to be optimal cutoff points to identify individuals at CVD risks. The study also found that the use of the suggested optimal values for waist circumference show higher sensitivity and lower specificity compared with 90 cm for men and 85 cm for women, which are waist cutoff points given by the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity to define abdominal obesity for Korean adults. Although lower cutoff points of waist circumference (83 cm) and WHR (0.87) were observed to be optimal for male smokers compared with male nonsmokers, whether suggesting waist cutoff points specific to smokers is needed warrants further studies. After taking into account other cardiovascular risk factors including smoking, men with waist circumference of 85 cm or greater and women with 80 cm or greater were at an increased risk of CVD. Thus, these cutoff points of waist circumference may be able to capture more individuals at CVD risks contributing to the prevention of future development of CVD.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.18-27
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• 2006

Smoking is well known to be associated with increased indices of tree radical-mediated damage of DNA, indicating that smoking may exacerbate the initiation and propagation of oxidative stresses, which are potential underlying processes in the pathogenesis of many diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a daily regimen of green vegetable drink supplementation to smokers can be protective against endogenous lymphocytic DNA damage and whether it could enhance other antioxidant status. Twenty nonsmokers and nineteen smokers aged 23-60 were given 240 ml of green vegetable drink every day for 8 weeks in addition to their normal diet, and blood samples were drawn before and after the intervention. The 8 weeks of green vegetable drink consumption resulted in a significant decrease (p = 0.000, by paired t-test) in lymphocyte DNA damage expressed by TL (before: $63.13{\pm}1.05$ vs after: $37.86{\pm}10.83$, before: $66.73{\pm}1.24$ vs after: $36.51{\pm}1.13$), TM (before: $14.55{\pm}0.61$ vs after: $6.61{\pm}0.25$, before: $15.36{\pm}0.45$ vs after: $6.65{\pm}0.38$) and $\%$ DNA in tail (before: $19.7{\pm}0.41$ vs after: $16.6{\pm}0.37$, before: $20.6{\pm}0.31$ vs after: $17.1{\pm}0.5$) in both nonsmokers and smokers respectively. Vitamin C and TRAP level was not significantly changed after the supplementation. In conclusion, these results support the hypothesis that green vegetable drink exert a cancer-protective effect partially via a decrease in oxidative damage to DNA.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.445-453
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• 2000

Objectives : The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of physical therapy and related factors on cognitive function in stroke patients. Methods : Questionnaires were completed by 36 stroke patients at physical therapy room in Dongeui Medical Center from September 1999 to September 2000. The Mini-Mental State Examination-Korea(MMSR-K) was used to assess the differences for cognitive function in patients who had suffered a stroke. Results: There were severe $16.7\%$, mild $16.6\%$, and normal $66.7\%$ in distributions for cognitive function. respectively. In the difference of cognitive function score for at initial, 25.64 for smokers had significantly higher than 20.36 for nonsmokers(p<0.05). Also, 26.21 for smokers had higher than 21.27 for nonsmokers alter a month(p<0.05). However, no significant difference existed in comparison at initial with after a month. 25.0 for patients without coma was higher than 9.50 for with(p<0.05), 25.80 for patients without was also higher than 10.16 for with in after a month. There were no statistically significant variables related to difference for cognitive performance in multiple regression analysis. conclusions: Results indicated that smoker and patients without coma at onset had high cognitive functions.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.358-367
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• 1998

The study purpose was to investigate psychosocial factors related to smoking among adolescent boys. The Theory of Planned Behavior provide the basis for the study. Twenty-five attitudinal beliefs, 9 normative beliefs and 20control beliefs were identified through questionnaire development. The data were analyzed using t-test and χ2-test. Thirty-three percent of 300 students were smokers. Most of the beliefs examined were significantly different between smokers(n=92) and nonsmokers(n=92). With respect to attitudinal beliefs, smokers responded less negatively on the items of bad health effects of smoking such as sore throat, headache, chest pain, risk of cancer and bad blood circulation(p<0.001), and decreased physical strength(p<0.05). Smokers believed less negatively on the items that smoking leads to bothering others, bad breath, yellow teeth and making them spend money(p<0.001). In contrast, smokers felt more positively on smoking as a means of stress management, relaxing, helping digestion(P<0.001). Smokers felt less pressure for not smoking from significant others. Especially mother, siblings, friends, girl friends, seniors of school were important sources of influence regarding subject's smoking. Smokers felt less confident in controlling the urge to smoke in several situations including; when they were with friends or asked to smoke by friends; after the meal, or drinking; when they were bored or stressed, upset, and when they felt unstable(p<0.001). Smokers also scored lower on specific skills to quit or control the urge to smoke as well as overall perceived control, compared to nonsmokers(p<0.001). These results suggest that interventions for adolescents incorporate diverse strategies to increase the perceived control over smoking in specific situations as well as overall perceived control, to help them realize and modify attitudinal beliefs, and to elicit support from significant others for not smoking. (Korean J Community Nutrition 3(3) : 358∼367,1998)

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2001

This study was conducted to determine the urinary nicotine and cotinine concentration in 126 smokers and 143 nonsmokers. While urine samples were being collected, personal characteristics related to smoking habit such as sex, age, number of years since a person has been a smoker, average number of cigarettes consumed per day, and number of smokers in the family were surveyed. Urinary nicotine and cotinine concentration were analyzed by GC/NPD. The smokers smoked an average 17.0 cigarettes per day and the average concentration of nicotine and cotinine was 3.88 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml and 3.64 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, respectively. The average number of smokers in the family was 0.72 persons and the average concentration of nicotine and cotinine were 0.11 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml and 0.02 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in the urine of non-smokers, respectively. The concentration of nicotine and cotnine in smoker\`s urine was dependent on the number of cigarettes smoked per day(p<0.01). The number of years since a person had been a smoker, and the number of smokers in the family were not associated with the concentration of nicotine and cotinine. Also there was no significant effects of passive smoking on the family of smokers by the level of nicotine and cotinine concentration. We describe the relationship between smoking habit as assessed by urinary nicotine and cotinine excretion. This study provides an evidence for the assessment of active and passive exposure to tobacco smoke.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.3 s.58
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• pp.540-554
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• 1997

The effects of cigarette smoking on the psychosocial distress, the absenteeism, the occupational injuries, and on the prevalence for the accidents were assessed in 795 male workers who had been employed since March 1994. The results show that the prevalence of current smokers were higher in young men, lower educational level, lower income, single men(unmarried or divorced), alcohol drinkers, and blue collar workers. In the bivariate analyses, the workers with the high job demand and low work control were more likely to smoke, although the relationship was not strong. Those who reported lower satisfaction on his job tended to smoke more. Mean scores of psychosocial well-being index(PWI) were higher in current smokers than nonsmokers. For the hierarchical multiple regression analyses, interaction terms between cigarette smoking and job stressors(job demand and work control) were not significant. For smokers, the odds ratios for the occupational injuries, and the accidents were 1.40(95% confidence interval 0.77-2.57) and 1.96 (95% confidence interval 0.75-5.09), respectively. The mean absent day were 4.13 for smokers, 3.65 for nonsmokers, although the differences were not statistically significant. It seems that cigarette smoking had not caused any crucial effects on the psychosocial well-being status and the occupational risks. Some considerations for the further research on the relationship of cigarette smoking on the mental health status and the occupational risks were also discussed.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.908-917
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• 1999

This study was done to compare nutrient intakes, anthropometric indices, and psychosocial factors related to smoking by smoking status among adolescent girls in Seoul. Subjects were high school students, and smokers were 17.6%. Nutrient intakes were analyzed by convenient method, and anthropometric measurements were done by Inbody 2.0. Psychosocial factors of smoking were examined based on the Theory of Planned Behavior : 26 attitudinal, 9 normative, and 17 control beliefs were used. Smokers smoked 5-7 cigarettes a day on average, with 1.26 pack-years of smoking, There were no significant differences in anthropometric characteristics, except fat distribution, between smoking(n=92) and nonsmoking(n=92) and nonsmoking(n=94) group. The percentage of alcohol groups. Especially, caloric intake (63.6% of RDA) were much below the recommended level. With respect to psychosocial factors, 18 out of 26 attitudinal beliefs were significantly different between smokers and nonsmokers. Smokers responded less negatively on the items of bad health effects of relax(p<0.001). In addition, smokers were more convinced of advantages of smoking (test, etc.)but responded less negatively on the disadvantages of smoking(bothering others, yellow teeth, bad breath, etc.). Smokers expressed less pressure for not smoking from siblings, friends, school seniors than nonsmokers. In addition, smokers, expressed less confidence in controlling the urge to smoker or quitting smoking in several situations, such as 'after a meal', 'feel bored', 'with friends', 'when angry' offered a cigarette by friends', 'drinking coffee or tea', 'drinking alcohol', 'seeing others smoke'(p<0.001). Smokers also felt less developing in applying specific skills for controlling the urge to smoker or quitting smoking. These findings suggest the need for developing smoking cessation programs for adolescent females, focusing on specific beliefs identified in this study.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.225-234
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• 2011

Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor of systemic health and also impairs oral health, which is related to development of oral cancers, periodontitis, delayed wound healing, tooth loss, failure of implant, etc. Aside from smoking, many other risk factors can be related to oral health and long-term effects of smoking on salivary flow and taste threshold are still in controversy. Authors considered dental students to be an appropriate group with good oral hygiene for a long-term study to reveal effects of smoking on oral health. This study was performed to compare smoking patterns and current oral health conditions between smokers and nonsmokers in dental students prior to long-term evaluation. 192 volunteers (85.7%) of 224 male dental students in Dankook University were evaluated through questionnaires and clinical examination in 2010. Questionnaires included smoking pattern, alcohol use, nicotine dependence, preventive care, psychological profile and clinical examinations comprised assessment of teeth or periodontal status, nicotine pigmentation, salivary flow, electrical taste thresholds and halitosis. From the study, (current) smokers were older, and drank more frequently with more alcohol intake compared to former smokers and nonsmokers(p<0.05). There was no significant difference among them in salivary flow rate, halitosis and electrical taste threshold. However, there was significant difference in DMFT rate, periodontal treatment need, nicotinic pigmentation between smokers and nonsmokers(p<0.05), irrespective of their levels of preventive care. The smokers in this study, who are young dental students with relatively shorter duration of smoking, less use of cigarettes and low level of nicotine dependence, did not reveal significant impairment of oral health. However, their oral health was found to be relatively impaired compared to nonsmokers', which suggests negative effect of smoking on the oral health and a need of smoking cessation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 1991

Bronchoalveolar lavage had been done as the treatment of some diseases such as alveolar proteinsois, bronchiectasis, and severe asthma to remove excessive secretion or mucus. But in the recent decade it has been done as a diagnostic method and a tool to understand and evaluate the pathophysiology of diffuse interstitial lung diseases such as sarcoidosis, pneumoconiosis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. To analyse the bronchoalveolar fluid, it might be useful to have a standard reference (especially cell counts and differetial count of the cells from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid) of normal person. But it is difficult to study the normal volunteers. We investgated the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of 48 patients (28 nonsmokers, 20 smokers) who visited Severance Hospital because of minor pulmonary symptoms such as cough and sputum. They did neither complain of dyspnea nor cyanosis, and had normal or unilateral minor lesion on physical examination and chest X-ray. We analysed the recovery rate, viability, total cell count and differential count of the cells in fluid obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage. The following results were obtained: 1) Age ranged from 17 to 72 years-old with the mean age of 36.7; there was no difference of age between the nonsmoker and the smoker gorup. Male to female ratio was 2.43:1 for total group, 1.15:1 for nonsmokers, and 19:1 for smokers. 2) The diagnoses of the patients were undetermined in 41.9%, healed pulmonary tuberculosis in 37.5%, laryngitis or pharyngitis in 10.4% and others in 10.4%. 3) Total cell number of the recovered fluid by bronchoalveolar lavage was significantly higher in male[$9.6{\pm}6.2({\times}10^6)$] than in female[$5.1{\pm}3.0({\times}10^6)$](p<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the total cell number between the smokers and nonsmokers [$9.3{\pm}5.8({\times}10^6)$ vs $7.5{\pm}5.8({\times}10^6)$]. 4) The differential count of the cells from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid had no difference between the nonsmokers and the smokers. 5) There was no correlation between the total cell count and smoking or age. 6) In the smoker group, there was no correlation between the amount of smoking and the total cell count of the bronchoalveolar fluid. In conclusion, it should be careful to regard the patients with symptoms or minor radiologic abnormalities as a control group in bronchoalveolar lavage study and further study of cell analysis in bronchoalveolar lavage will be needed between smoker and nonsmoker in the male and female healthy people.