The aquatic quality of the Naktong river after two of three months in June, 1991 with phenol spillage from a electrical factory in Kumi was investigated. The samples were collected at six sites of the Naktong river basin and Kachang and Kongsan lakes. Phenol was not detected from all water samples. Turbidity was very much increased to the down stream in the Naktong river. The BOD and COD values exceeded the 2nd grade(3 mg/l) of the Korean standard quality of Environmental Water Act at the all sampling sites of the Naktong river. Especially, the value of COD at Kaejin (12.5 mg/l) was poorly classified as to the 5th grade of water class for the environmental quality standards. Organophosphorous pesticides such as parathion, malathion, fenitrothion and diazinon were investigated but not detected. Diazinon was only detected at the Ilson bridge(1.42 ppb), Okkye stream(6.95 ppb), Waekwan bridge(0.32 ppb), Gangjung reservior(0.13 ppb), Kaejin(0.05 ppb). Of the carbamates such as carbanyl, isoprocarb and cabofuran, the carbofuran was detected all sites except tap water, and Kachang and Kongsan lakes. The content of heavy metals such ans Cd, Pb, Zn, Fe, Mn, Hg were not exceeding for drinking water standards at the all sampling region, but only mecury was detected from Okkye stream(0.018ppb) and Kaejin(0.09ppb). In the regions of Kachang and Kongsan lakes, the content of heavy metals were lower than that of reservoir of Naktong river.
Carbamates ; Carbofuran ; Diazinon ; Drinking Water ; Fenitrothion ; Gyeongsangbuk-do* ; Korea* ; Lakes ; Malathion ; Metals, Heavy ; Parathion ; Pesticides ; Phenol* ; Rivers* ; Water ; Water Quality

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify status and characteristics of patients who have been readmitted to ICU, and to analyze risk factors associated with the readmission to ICU within 48hours.METHODS: Data were collected from patient's electronic medical reports from one hospital in B city. Participants were 2,937 patients aged 18 years old or older admitted to the ICU. Data were analyzed using odd ratios (ORs) from multivariate logistic regressions.RESULTS: 2.2% of the 2,937 patients were early readmitted to ICU. Risk factors for early readmission to ICU were existence of respiratory disease, use of mechanical ventilator, and duration of hospitalization (longer).CONCLUSION: The assessment on the respiratory system of the patient who will be discharged from the ICU was identified as an important nursing activity. Therefore, the respiratory system management and education should be actively conducted. In addition, early ICU readmission may be prevented and decreased if a link was built to share the information on patient condition between the ICU and general wards.
Critical Care ; Education ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Logistic Models ; Nursing ; Patient Readmission ; Patients' Rooms ; Respiratory System ; Risk Factors ; Ventilators, Mechanical

Three of ten teenagers in Korea are addicted to mobile phones. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between mobile phone addiction and the incidence of poor sleep quality and short sleep duration in adolescents. We used longitudinal data from the Korean Children & Youth Panel Survey conducted by the National Youth Policy Institute in Korea (2011–2013). A total of 1,125 students at baseline were included in this study after excluding those who already had poor sleep quality or short sleep duration in the previous year. A generalized estimating equation was used to analyze the data. High mobile phone addiction (mobile phone addiction score > 20) increased the risk of poor sleep quality but not short sleep duration. We suggest that consistent monitoring and effective intervention programs are required to prevent mobile phone addiction and improve adolescents' sleep quality.
Adolescent* ; Cell Phones* ; Child* ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Longitudinal Studies*

PURPOSE: To evaluate long-term efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab on choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Korean patients over a 2-year period. METHODS: Twenty-three eyes of 23 patients who underwent intravitreal ranibizumab injection for secondary CNV in AMD were followed up more than 2 years, and their records were retrospectively investigated. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CRT) were compared at baseline and at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after injection. RESULTS: The mean BCVA (log MAR) was 0.58 +/- 0.36, 0.54 +/- 0.49, 0.59 +/- 0.49, 0.64 +/- 0.51, and 0.61 +/- 0.51 at baseline, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months, respectively (p = 0.332, p = 1.000, p = 0.670, p = 0.697). The mean CRT was 283.75 +/- 61.41 microm, 239.93 +/- 53.12 microm, 244.89 +/- 47.44 microm, 246.36 +/- 55.78, and 244.70 +/- 54.86 at baseline, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months, respectively (p = 0.009, p = 0.036, p = 0.01, p = 0.015). The mean number of injection was 5.96 +/- 2.93 over a 2-year period. CONCLUSIONS: In Korean patients who underwent intravitreal ranibizumab injection for secondary CNV in AMD, long-term efficacy in diminishing CRT was evident. However, long-term efficacy in increasing visual acuity was not observed.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; Choroid ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; Eye ; Humans ; Macular Degeneration ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity ; Ranibizumab

The use of radiopharmaceuticals in evaluation of pulmonary tuberculosis may help to resolve difficult diagnostic problems such as discordance between sputum examinations and chest roentgenographic findings. We investigated the usefulness of 99mTc-methoxyisobutylisonitrile(MIBI) scintigraphy in the detection of active pulmonary tuberculosis. Forty-six patients with suspected active pulmonary tuberculosis were studied with sputum smear of AFB, sputum AFB culture, chest X-ray and MIBI scan. MIBI image was obtained 15 and 60 min after intravenous injection of 370MBq(10mCi) 99mTc-MIBI. In 16 patients of them Ga scans were performed in addition to MIBI scan. Repeated MIBI scans were done in 7 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis after 4~6 months of antituberculous chemotherapy. Thirty-two patients were confirmed as active tuberculosis by sputum culture. Sensitivity of MIBI scan to active tuberculosis was 87.5%(28/32) and MIBI findings were negative in all of 14 patients with inactive disease. Focal uptake of MIBI was dense in the area that was strongly suggested active tuberculous lesions by chest roentgenogram. There was no discordance between MIBI and Ga image in 16 patients. But the uptake areas of Ga images were broader than that of MIBI images. After 4~6 months of antituberculous treatment all repeated MIBI scans revealed negative findings except 1 patient with persistent active pulmonary tuberculosis due to drug resistance. MIBI scan could be used in the detection of active pulmonary tuberculosis as a useful noninvasive diagnostic tool.
Drug Resistance ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; Sputum ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

About 15 to 20% of ovarian tumors are of germ cell origin, and about 95% of these are cystic teratoma. when the teratoma is composed either entirely or predominantly of thyroid tissue, it called struma ovarii. Struma ovarii represents about 2.7% of cystic teratoma. The incidence of malignant struma ovarii is probably much less than 5% of all struma ovarii. We have observed a case of malignant struma ovarii originated from the left ovary of a 46-year-old woman, and present this case with a brief review of concerned literatures.
Female ; Germ Cells ; Humans ; Incidence ; Middle Aged ; Ovary ; Struma Ovarii* ; Teratoma ; Thyroid Gland

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a noninflammatory autoimmune disorder characterized by the association of arterial and/or venous thrombosis, recurrent fetal loss and elevated titres of antiphospholipid antibodies, namely lupus anticoagulant (LAC) and/or anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL). It can either occur as a free-standing condition (primary APS) or be associated with another autoimmune disease (secondary APS), mainly systemic lupus erythematosus. The precise pathogenesis of thrombosis in APS in unknown. For children with unexplainable venous or arterial thrombosis, APS should be considered. The diagnosis of APS in children requires a clinical event including venous or arterial thrombosis or immune thrombocytopenia and a laboratory abnormality including positive LAC test or positive aCL antibody test, moderate or high titer IgG. The laboratory abnormality should persist for at least 2 months. We report a 7-year-old girl who had pulmonary embolism and multiple arterial thrombosis caused by primary APS. The laboratory abnormality was positive LAC and beta2-glycoprotein I. She was treated successfully with low molecualr weight heparin (LMWH). After recovery, she was continuously treated with subcutaneous LMWH for another 3 months and switched to oral warfarin. She was symptom-free through 3 years of follow-up.
Antibodies, Anticardiolipin ; Antibodies, Antiphospholipid ; Antiphospholipid Syndrome* ; Autoimmune Diseases ; beta 2-Glycoprotein I ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heparin ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Pulmonary Infarction* ; Thrombocytopenia ; Thromboembolism* ; Thrombosis ; Venous Thrombosis ; Warfarin

About 5% of burn patients come with other injuries. When patients with multiple rib fractures are put under general anesthesia, there is a higher rate of a variety of complications, such as hemothorax, pneumothorax, lung contusion, and etc. Also, symptoms of the complications are likely to get worse. Therefore, it is important to decide when it is appropriate to perform surgery. Our hospital delayed operation time on two burn patients who had multiple rib fractures and then performed surgery under general anesthesia, treating patients without any particular complications.
Anesthesia, General ; Burns* ; Contusions ; Hemothorax ; Humans ; Lung ; Pneumothorax ; Rib Fractures* ; Thoracic Injuries

PURPOSE: To report a case of a cyclodialysis cleft that was successfully managed with gonioscopically guided transscleral cyclopexy using partial-thickness scleral flap. CASE SUMMARY: A 44-year-old man complaining of blurred vision in the left eye after blunt trauma was referred to our hospital. The intraocular pressure (IOP) was 4 mmHg and the visual acuity was counting finger. Gonioscopy examination revealed cyclodialysis cleft from 3 to 6 o'clock and fundus examination revealed macular folds. After the failure of conservative medical therapy and laser photocoagulation, gonioscopically guided transscleral cyclopexy using partial-thickness scleral flap was performed. Four months later, the IOP was 18 mmHg, the visual acuity was 0.8, and fundus examination showed the disappearance of the macular folds. CONCLUSIONS: Transscleral cyclopexy using partial-thickness scleral flap is a safe and effective method to treat hypotony maculopathy due to cyclodialysis and to minimize pupil distortion.
Adult ; Fingers ; Gonioscopy ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Light Coagulation ; Methods ; Pupil ; Visual Acuity

Purpose: To report a case of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALToma) that presented as a lacrimal caruncular granuloma.Case summary: A 38-year-old woman presented with a mass in the right lacrimal caruncle and had a history of incision and drainage. Examination revealed a 4-mm elevated mass at the lacrimal caruncle, which resembled a granuloma. The mass was excised under local anesthesia and a MALToma was diagnosed based on the histopathological examination. Conclusions Although rare, a MALToma can present as a granuloma-like lacrimal caruncular mass. Excision and biopsy of the lacrimal caruncular mass are essential to obtain a definitive diagnosis.