No abstract available.
Environmental Health* ; Toxicology*

No abstract available.
Environmental Health ; Toxicology

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Chemistry* ; Korea*

Background: Methods of determining proper endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff pressure to prevent air leakage include the minimal occlusive volume (MOV) technique, which uses auscultation, and the spirometer technique, which directly measures inspiratory and expiratory breathing volumes. Spirometers may measure even small air leakage, therefore, the spirometer technique requires a higher cuff pressure than the MOV technique to completely seal the airway. This study aimed to evaluate the difference in cuff pressure between the two techniques used to seal the airway. Methods: Thirty-five female patients were intubated using an ETT with a cuff, and cuff inflation was performed with both techniques at a 10-min interval in random order—the MOV technique and then the spirometer technique or vice versa. The cuff pressure was measured at each period. Results: The cuff pressures were 16.7 ± 1.2 cm H2O and 18.7 ± 1.3 cm H2O for the MOV and spirometer techniques, respectively. The cuff pressure for the spirometer technique was 2 cm H2O higher than that for the MOV technique and this difference was statistically significant (95% confidence interval, 0.7–3.3; P = 0.003). Considering the upper end (3.3 cm H2O) of the 95% confidence interval and the size of one scale unit (2 cm H2O) of a manometer, the difference in cuff pressure was up to 4 cm H2O in practice. Conclusions Even though the air leakage sound disappears on auscultation, unlike the previous recommendation, the airway sealing would be completed only by increasing the cuff pressure by approximately 4 cm H2O.

OBJECTIVES: Our objective is to review and summarize the previous studies on the health effects of exposure to oil spills in order to make suggestions for mid- and long-term study plans regarding the health effects of the Hebei Spirit oil spill occured in Korea. METHODS: We searched PubMed to systemically retrieve reports on the human health effects related to oil spill accidents. The papers' reference lists and reviews on the topic were searched as well. RESULTS: We found 24 articles that examined seven oil spill accidents worldwide over the period from 1989 to August 2008, including the Exxon Valdes, Braer, Sea Empress, Erika, Nakhodka, Prestige and Tasman Spirit oil spills. Most of the studies applied cross-sectional and short-term follow-up study designs. The exposure level was measured by assessing the place of residence, using a questionnaire and environmental and personal monitoring. Studies on the acute or immediate health effects mainly focused on the subjective physical symptoms related to clean-up work or residential exposure. Late or mid-term follow-up studies were performed to investigate a range of health effects such as pulmonary function and endocrine, immunologic and genetic toxicity. The economic and social impact of the accidents resulted in the socio-psychological exposure and the psychosocial health effects. CONCLUSIONS: Studies of the health effects of exposure to oil spills should consider a range of health outcomes, including the physical and psychological effects, and the studies should be extended for a considerable period of time to study the long-term chronic health effects.
*Accidents, Occupational ; *Environmental Exposure ; Fossil Fuels/*adverse effects/poisoning ; Hazardous Substances ; Humans ; *Water Pollution

OBJECTIVES: There is an increasing concern for the social, economic, environmental and health effects of the Asian dust (Hwang-sa in Korean language) in Korea. In this study, we intended to indirectly determine ordinary people's perception about the Asian dust by analyzing the contents of newspaper articles dealing with it. METHODS: By using article searching services in the internet websites of three newspaper companies, we collected newspaper articles dealing with the Asian dust during the period from January 1st of 1998 to December 31st of 2002. We classified the articles into four categories: those forecasting the occurrence of the Asian dust, those about measures to cope with it, those about its occurrence in the neighboring foreign countries, and those about its effects. In particular, we analyzed articles about the health effects of the Asian dust more distinctly. RESULTS: A total of 1, 225 articles dealing with the Asian dust were found during the 5 year period. The number of articles increased from 102 in 1998 to 518 in 2002, approximately a five-fold increase. The numbers of articles about health effects, environmental effects and economical effects were 191 (44%), 171 (41%) and 147 (34%), respectively. It was reported that various diseases such as respiratory diseases (87%), eye problems (69%), and skin diseases (12%) were associated with the Asian dust. CONCLUSION: The increasing concern for the negative effects of the Asian dust necessitates more studies about this field. As the effects of the Asian dust are various, the information on the major concern of ordinary people could help establish the research agendas and measures for the Asian dust.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Dust* ; Forecasting ; Humans ; Internet ; Korea ; Skin Diseases ; Periodicals

BACKGROUND: The perceived risks of blood transfusions are important to be considered in creating a blood service policy. We surveyed the perception of blood transfusion risks among Korean laypeople. METHODS: A one-month nationwide telephone survey was conducted in September, 2007. The questionnaire was designed to assess the demographics of respondents, their responses to the term 'blood transfusion', and the perceived risks of a transfusion. A total of 500 interviews were completed. RESULTS: The words evoked by the term 'blood transfusion' included blood, donation, AIDS, help, and patients. About one third (33.6-35.8%) of the respondents gave a moderate to high rating for the perceived risks of blood transfusions. More than half (55.6%) of the respondents agreed that the blood supply in Korea is safe, and 81.6% of the respondents agreed to be transfused when transfusion is needed. The perceived risk of a blood transfusion was greater in women than in men and in people who never had a transfusion than those who had. More men than women agreed that the blood supply in Korea is safe, and the proportion of respondents who agreed to be transfused when needed was higher in men and in less educated people. The relative perceived transfusion risk (scale of 10) was 4.5+/-2.3. CONCLUSIONS: The Koreans in the survey had a tendency of positive thinking about blood transfusions, and previous transfusion experiences appear to decrease the fear about transfusions. These results will be useful in understanding how Koreans think about the risks associated with transfusions.
Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Blood Transfusion/*psychology ; Demography ; Female ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Perception ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors

No abstract available.
Bombs

OBJECTIVES: On September 2, 2010 and November 25, 2011, the Korean Research Project on Integrated Exposure Assessment to Hazardous Materials for Food Safety (KRIEFS) organized two international symposia in Seoul, Korea. KRIEFS, established by the Korean Food and Drug Administration in March 2010, envisioned these international symposia as means to obtain advanced experiences from other countries and to reflect on and refine the KRIEFS's survey design and methods. METHODS: For the first symposium KRIEFS invited human biomonitoring (HBM) experts from Germany, the US, and Canada. The visiting HBM experts shared the details of their national studies while the KRIEFS discussed study design, as well as the methods, results and policymaking processes of the KRIEFS project. The second symposium was organized to share the survey design and results on endocrine disruptors from Taiwan. RESULTS: The Speaker from Germany introduced the German Environmental Survey and shared their experiences in HBM design, such as the process of developing reference values, and discussed the new HBM plan in Germany and the European Union. The Representative from Canada shared insights from national HBM approach. In the case of the US, the speaker focused on risk communication with subjects in epidemiological studies. In the second international symposium, the speaker shared the experience of endocrine disruptors'studies from Taiwan. CONCLUSIONS: KRIEFS was able to better understand previous nationwide HBM research designs, policy making process, and risk communication with research subjects.
Canada ; Cohort Studies ; Endocrine Disruptors ; Epidemiologic Studies ; European Union ; Food Safety ; Germany ; Hazardous Substances ; Humans ; Korea ; Policy Making ; Reference Values ; Research Design ; Research Subjects ; United States Food and Drug Administration