PURPOSE: This study was done to identify relationships among post-traumatic stress (PTS), job stress and turnover intention in emergency department (ED) nurses. METHODS: Participants were 250 ED nurses who had worked for one month or longer in the ED one of three university hospitals or seven general hospitals in Daegu City or Gyeong Buk Province in Korea. Structured questionnaires were used to measure PTS, job stress, and turnover intention of participants. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, path analysis, and stepwise multiple regression with the SPSS program. RESULTS: There were significant relationships between PTS, job stress and turnover intention. PTS influenced turnover intention directly and was indirectly mediated by job stress. The experience of traumatic events influenced PTS, job stress, and turnover intention. Indirect experience of traumatic events in the ED was an important predictor, explaining 20.1% of PTS in high-risk post-traumatic participants. CONCLUSION: PTS can be an important factor for job stress and turnover intention. The direct and indirect experience of traumatic events can influence PTS, job stress, and turnover intention in ED nurses. Based on these results, strategies for managing PTS and relating job stress are recommended to reduce turnover intention in ED nurses.
Emergencies ; Hospitals, General ; Hospitals, University ; Intention ; Korea ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

No abstract available.
Humans ; Inpatients*

A case of right-sided infective endocarditis in a 22-year-old male with ventricular septal defect of perimembranous type, right ventricular(RV) infundibular and pulmonic valve stenosis was reported. The vegetations were found on the mural endocardium of RV infundibulum and pulmonic valve. Streptococcus viridans was identified in 5 consecutive blood cultures, Pulmonary embolism and septic infarction in the lung was associated with systemic embolization, which was manifested by left renal infarction. The RV infundibular stenosis was due to anomalous muscle bundle at the proximal portion. Therefore, we thought that the mechanism of RV infundibular vegetation was probably due to 'Venturi effect and turbulence'. Several clinical features which were found in this case were also reviewed.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Endocarditis* ; Endocardium ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Infarction ; Lung ; Male ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Viridans Streptococci ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure the absorbed dose and to calculate the effective dose for periapical radiography done by portable intraoral x-ray machines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 14 full mouth, upper posterior and lower posterior periapical radiographs were taken by wall-type 1 and portable type 3 intraoral x-ray machines. Thermoluminescent dosemeters were placed at 23 sites at the layers of the tissue-equivalent ART woman phantom for dosimetry. Average tissue absorbed dose and radiation weighted dose were calculated for each major anatomical site. Effective dose was calculated using 2005 ICRP tissue weighted factors. RESULTS: On 14 full mouth periapical radiographs, the effective dose for wall-type x-ray machine was 30 Sv; for portable x-ray machines were 30 Sv, 22 Sv, 36 Sv. On upper posterior radiograph, the effective dose for wall-type x-ray machine was 4 Sv; for portable x-ray machines doses were 4 Sv, 3 Sv, 5 Sv. On lower posterior radiograph, the effective dose for wall type x-ray machine was 5 Sv; for portable x-ray machines doses were 4 Sv, 4 Sv, 5 Sv. CONCLUSION: Effective doses for periapical radiographs performed by portable intraoral x-ray machines were similar to doses for periapical radiographs taken by wall type intraoral x-ray machines.
Diagnostic Imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Mouth ; Radiation Monitoring ; Radiography* ; Radiography, Dental ; Radiometry ; Thermoluminescent Dosimetry

Sudden hearing deterioration may occur in our population, but it is difficult to explain the exact pathophysiology and the cause. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is usually useful to evaluate neural lesions such as acoustic schwannoma and hemorrhage in labyrinth. Recently some cases of SSNHL caused by intralabyrintine hemorrhage were reported by the advance of MRI. In the case of intralabyrintine hemorrhage, MRI showed a hyperintense signal in the labyrinth on the pre-contrast and contrast enhanced T1-weighted image and relatively weak intensity on T2-weighted image. The prognosis SSNHL by intralabyrintine hemorrhage is generally known to be poor. We report a case of sudden deafness with intralabyrintine hemorrhage who has a history of anticoagulant administration, with a review of literature.
Ear, Inner ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden* ; Hemorrhage* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to investigate the methods to reduce operator's radiation dose when taking intraoral radiographs with portable dental X-ray machines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two kinds of portable dental X-ray machines (DX3000, Dexcowin and Rextar, Posdion) were used. Operator's radiation dose was measured with an 1,800 cc ionization chamber (RadCal Corp.) at the hand level of X-ray tubehead and at the operator's chest and waist levels with and without the backscatter shield. The operator's radiation dose at the hand level was measured with and without lead gloves and with long and short cones. RESULTS: The backscatter shield reduced operator's radiation dose at the hand level of X-ray tubehead to 23 - 32%, the lead gloves to 26 - 31%, and long cone to 48 - 52%. And the backscatter shield reduced operator's radiation dose at the operator's chest and waist levels to 0.1 - 37%. CONCLUSIONS: When portable dental X-ray systems are used, it is recommended to select X-ray machine attached with a backscatter shield and a long cone and to wear the lead gloves.
Hand ; Radiation Dosage ; Radiation Protection ; Radiography, Dental, Digital ; Thorax

The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of sulfhydryl compounds, cysteine and glutathione, on the size of melanosomes and the ratio of melanosormai stages of epidermal melanocytes in UV-irradiated black mice. The results were as follows; 1. Both of cysteine and glutathione showed significant diminution in the short axis of melanosomes and the percentage of stage 4 melanosomes of epidermal melanocytes in C57BL black mice skin. 2. The length of short axis of melanosomes in glutathione-treated group is smaller than those in cysteine-treated group at the end of 3rd week of intraperitoneal injection. The percentage of stage IV melanosomes significantly decreased in glutathione-treated group and cysteine-treated group at the end of 3rd week and 5th week respectively. 3. In glutathione-treated group, the short axis of melanosomes and the percentage of stage 4 melanosomes both decreased in proportional to the period of intraperitoneal in]ection.
Animals ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cysteine ; Glutathione ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Melanocytes* ; Melanosomes ; Mice* ; Skin ; Sulfhydryl Compounds*

No abstract available.
Acidosis*

BACKGROUND: Since hydroxyethyl starch has colloidal properties closely approximating those of human albumin, it is considered to be a good plasma volume expander. Pentastarch is a hydroxyethyl starch similar to hetastarch, but with lower average molecular weight and molar substitution ratio. These characteristics result in enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis, faster renal elimination and less effect on coagulation. This study was designed to evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of 10% pentastarch in priming fluid for cardiopulmonary bypass compared with that of 5% albumin. METHODS: Thirty- two adult patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery were randomized into two groups. Sixteen patients received 500 ml of 10% pentastarch and sixteen patients received 100 ml of 20% albumin in a bloodless priming solution for cardiopulmonary bypass. The fluid balance, coagulopathy and organ functions(cardiac, pulmonary and renal) were evaluated at several time intervals. RESULTS: There were no differences between the two groups in operation and bypass time, chest tube drainage and blood usage. The measured prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time and platelet count of pentastarch group were not significantly different from those of the albumin group at each time interval(p<0.05). We did not find any differences of statistical significance in hemodynamic data, serum osmolarity, pulmonary shunt and BUN between the two groups(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that 10% pentastarch can be used safely and effectively as cardiopulmonary bypass prime in cardiac surgery.
Adult ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass* ; Chest Tubes ; Colloids ; Drainage ; Heart ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hydrolysis ; Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives* ; Molar ; Molecular Weight ; Osmolar Concentration ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Plasma Volume ; Platelet Count ; Prothrombin Time ; Starch ; Thoracic Surgery ; Water-Electrolyte Balance

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for detection of the pathogenic Yersinia pestis from other Yersinia spp. was developed. Five Y. pestis strains, ninety-two other Yersinia species and twenty-four Enterobacteriaceae strains were collected in Korea and from other countries. Oligonucleotide primers were designed from pathogenic gene of antiphagocytic protein capsule gene (fra 1) and plasminogen activator gene (pla). The 428 bp DNA fragment was amplified from five Y. pestis which contained the fra I gene. No product was amplified from other Yersinia species and other strains of the Enterobacteriaceae. The 439 bp DNA fragment was amplified from three K pestis which contained the pla gene. No product was amplified from two Y. pestis, other Yersinia species and other strains of the Enterobacteriaceae. These showed that the designed primers were specific for detection of Y. pestis among other Yersinia species and Enterobacteriaceae strains. Amplification was successful whether the template was derived from purified DNA or from aliquots of boiled bacterial suspension. The detection limits were 100 pg of DNA and 100 colony forming units (CFU) for fra I and 100 pg DNA and 10 CFU for pla, respectively. Our results prove that the PCR method using specific primers for Y. pestis is a rapid and convenient procedure for routine clinical detection and identification of Y. pestis.
DNA ; DNA Primers ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Korea ; Limit of Detection ; Plasminogen Activators ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Stem Cells ; Yersinia pestis* ; Yersinia*