PURPOSE: To compare image quality of storage phosphor digital radiography(DR) with film-screen radiography in portable chest imaging, and to assess the minimum X-ray dose that can be applied to DR in adults without image degradation, and also to compare image qualities of low dose and standard dose DR. Materials and Methalos: A geometrical phantom similar to the human thorax was imaged by a portable radiographic unit with fixed kVp and variable m^s in both film-screen and DR systems. Three radiologists scored the images by four grades in four categories of 1) contrast between mediastinum and lung, 2) definition of the nodule in the lung, 3) definition of another nodule through the mediastinal shadow, and 4) grainess(noise : assessed only in DR). Additionally, portable chest images were obtained in 10 patients in a intensive care unit by film-screen, standard dose and half dose DR in consecutive days. The same readers scored the images by four grades in six categories of 1) the lungs and hila, 2) the mediastinum, 3) subphrenic area. 4) musculoskeletal shadow, 5) tubes and lines, and 6) grainess (only in DR). The images with superior quality were assessed by paired t-test. RESULTS: In phantom study, the minimum dose of digital images scored 3 or more by all readers was 39% of the standard dose. In patient study, DR was superior to film-screen radiography in all categories except tube and line. Low dose DR was not inferior to standard dose DR in five categories other than grainess to two readers or more. CONCLUSION: In portable chest imaging, storage phosphor DR image was superior to conventional film-screen radiography and half dose DR was comparable to standard dose DR despite of more noise.
Adult ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Lung ; Mediastinum ; Noise ; Radiographic Image Enhancement* ; Radiography ; Thorax*

PURPOSE: To compare image quality of storage phosphor digital radiography(DR) with film-screen radiography in portable chest imaging, and to assess the minimum X-ray dose that can be applied to DR in adults without image degradation, and also to compare image qualities of low dose and standard dose DR. Materials and Methalos: A geometrical phantom similar to the human thorax was imaged by a portable radiographic unit with fixed kVp and variable m^s in both film-screen and DR systems. Three radiologists scored the images by four grades in four categories of 1) contrast between mediastinum and lung, 2) definition of the nodule in the lung, 3) definition of another nodule through the mediastinal shadow, and 4) grainess(noise : assessed only in DR). Additionally, portable chest images were obtained in 10 patients in a intensive care unit by film-screen, standard dose and half dose DR in consecutive days. The same readers scored the images by four grades in six categories of 1) the lungs and hila, 2) the mediastinum, 3) subphrenic area. 4) musculoskeletal shadow, 5) tubes and lines, and 6) grainess (only in DR). The images with superior quality were assessed by paired t-test. RESULTS: In phantom study, the minimum dose of digital images scored 3 or more by all readers was 39% of the standard dose. In patient study, DR was superior to film-screen radiography in all categories except tube and line. Low dose DR was not inferior to standard dose DR in five categories other than grainess to two readers or more. CONCLUSION: In portable chest imaging, storage phosphor DR image was superior to conventional film-screen radiography and half dose DR was comparable to standard dose DR despite of more noise.
Adult ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Lung ; Mediastinum ; Noise ; Radiographic Image Enhancement* ; Radiography ; Thorax*

The halophilic bacterium, Vibrio vulnificus, causes acute fulminating wound infections and septicemia in human. Especially the septicemia shows high mortality above 50%. In Korea, septicemia by V. vulnificus was reported at westem and southern coast in every year. Here, we try to isolate this V. vulnipcus at Kyoung-nam area and coast of Pusan during 1996. Purposed sites were Dadaepo, Songjung, Chungsapo and Mipo of Pusan and Kijang, Ilkuang, Juksoung, Dongam, Waljun and Chilam of southern sea. Total 40 strains of V. vulnipcus were isolated from sea samples. Biochemical characteristics of isolated V. vulnificus were almost same with reference strain V. vulnificus ATCC 27562 on Farmer's tests and on API 20E kit test. V. vulnificus isolates in 1996, fermented cellobiose and salicin but arabinose. and had resistance to 7% sodium chloride.
Arabinose ; Busan* ; Cellobiose ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mortality ; Sepsis ; Sodium Chloride ; Vibrio vulnificus* ; Vibrio* ; Wound Infection

The purpose of this study was to compare dental health status of South Korean adults, according to the control protocol of glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). From the measurements of HbA1c levels of 4,991 individuals over the age of 19 who participated in the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the following conclusions were obtained. Glycated hemoglobin was 7.2% in the HbA1c ≥6.6 diabetic group and 5.9% in women and 8.5% in men. The ratio in the glucose non-control group was higher in the older age group, the lower average monthly household income group, and the lower education level group. Both the tissue health index and functioning teeth index indices were slightly higher in both men and women in the glucose control group. The tissue health index was higher in the younger age group, in the higher average monthly household income group, and in the higher education level group. The missing teeth (MT) index was greater among women (3.775 pieces) than among men (2.317 pieces) in the glucose non-control group. Higher age correlated with a greater number of MT, while higher income and education levels correlated with a lower number of MT. In conclusion, we will continue to provide counseling and education on oral health problems, thereby widening the awareness of the importance of oral health care and providing a variety of media and education methods related to medical and oral health that can manage diabetic patients according to the level of HbA1c It should be developed.
Adult ; Counseling ; Education ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Glucose ; Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Nutrition Surveys ; Oral Health* ; Tooth

No abstract available.
Endodermal Sinus Tumor* ; Lung* ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Yolk Sac*

A Comparative study was retrospectively performed with 374 infants in order to find protective effect of breast feeding for infection. This study shows that breast feeding protect infant against gastrointestinal and respiratory infection. Breast feeding offers advantage by reducing gastraintestinal and respiratory infection when they should maintain breast feeding for at least three months. 1) First year morbidity increased with extent of artificial feeding and was nearly two fold for babies not breast-fed. 2) Prescence of older sibling, low birth weight and male sex are associated with increased morbidity. 3) Infant illness from 0~3 months, 4~6 months, 7~10 months, 11~12 moths was analyzed. Compared with the 108 bottle fed babies, the babies who had been partially (40) or fully (136) breast fed had significantly lower rate of gastrointestinal illness at 7~10 month (p<0.05), 11~12 month (p<0.005) and respiratory illness at 7~10 month (p<0.05). 4) Between the early weaning group (90) and the bottle group (108) showed no siggnificant difference. 5) Among the babies observed throughout the first year of life, 35 (9%) and 46 (12) were admitted to hospital with gastrointestinal and respiratory infection. Babies who were breast fed for more than 3 month had significant lower rate for hospital admission due to gastrointestinal and respiratory infection when compared with bottle fed babies. Breast feeding durning more than 3 month of life confers protection against gastrointestinal and respiratory infection.
Breast Feeding* ; Breast* ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Moths ; Nutritional Support ; Retrospective Studies ; Siblings ; Weaning

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a breathing exercise intervention by measuring pulmonary function test (PFT) three times; preoperative, 3rd and 5th day after operation. METHODS: This study was designed as a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. A total of 55 patients with lung cancer were recruited from a Chonnam university hospital in Hawsun-gun, Korea from January to December 2008. RESULTS: 'Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)' and 'Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1)' were significantly improved in the experimental group than those in the control group (p<.05). CONCLUSION: Breathing exercise intervention was found to be effective in improving pulmonary function among lung cancer patients underwent lung lobectomy. Thus, the breathing exercise can be applied in hospitals and communities for patients with lung cancer as one of the nursing intervention modalities for their better postoperative rehabilitation.
Breathing Exercises ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Respiration ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Vital Capacity

No abstract available.
Female ; Gestational Age* ; Humans ; Membranes* ; Pregnant Women* ; Rupture*

PURPOSE: According to the AAST (American Association for the Surgery of Trauma) injuries to the testes are rare, but there are many reports in the literature on other organs using the AAST Organ Injury Scale (OIS). In the present study, the authors evaluated the usefulness of the AAST OIS when applied to the testis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on 65 patients (mean age 30.0 years) with a testis injury treated between March 1986 and July 2006. Of the 65 patients, preoperative ultrasonography was performed on 51. Injuries were classified according to the OIS of the AAST, based on history taking, a physical examination and scrotal ultrasonography. RESULTS: Of the 51 patients, 46 and 5 underwent surgical intervention and conservative management, respectively. Of the included patients, 38 were found to have abnormal testis contours on ultrasonography, 29 had a rupture of the tunica albuginea, with a sensitivity of 76.3%. Of the 13 patients with normal contours, the tunica albuginea was normal in 7, and 8 underwent operation, with a specificity of 87.5%. Of the 12 Grade I patients, 7 underwent an operation, but the testes contours were normal. Of the 8 Grade II patients, only 1 underwent a primary repair with partial orchiectomy, but of the 45 Grades III, IV or V patients, 35 underwent a primary repair with a partial orchiectomy or orchiectomy with a hematoma evacuation performed in 10. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonography was found to be the most effective modality for detecting a rupture of the tunica albuginea, and the authors conclude that the AAST OIS can be used to determine the treatment modality. Our recommended treatment policy is as follows; conservative for Grade I, exploration and repair for Grade II, and exploration, and a partial orchiectomy or orchiectomy for Grades III, IV or V. In particular, an orchiectomy is the most commonly used modality for Grade V.
Hematoma ; Humans ; Orchiectomy ; Physical Examination ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Testis ; Ultrasonography ; Wounds and Injuries

No abstract available.
Hair ; Survival Rate ; Transplants