BACKGROUND: The pre-storage condition of blood culture bottles prior to entering the automated blood culture system may affect the time to detection (TTD) of microorganisms and the final report days. METHODS: We compared the TTD and final report days according to the pre-incubation conditions after laboratory operating hours: room temperature (RT) vs. a BacT/Alert unit (BioMerieux Inc.) for 3 months respectively. All bottles were inserted into the main BacT/Alert system the next morning. RESULTS: TTD was significantly reduced by pre-incubating bottles in a BacT/Alert unit (median, 8.4 h) compared to pre-storage at RT (median, 12.4 h) (P< 0.001). The final report of bacterial identification and drug susceptibility within 2 days was available for 24.4% of bottles pre-incubated in a BacT/Alert unit compared to 14.9% of those incubated at RT. The false positive results were significantly higher for pre-incubation in a BacT/Alert unit (0.81%) than for that (0.29%) at RT (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: If a clinical microbiology laboratory is not operational for 24 hours, an automated blood culture unit might be a good alternative to reduce TTD and allow the submission of a faster final report compared to pre-storage at RT. However, false positive readings increased more than two-fold by pre-incubation in a BacT/Alert unit.
Reading

Hertel and Naugle exophthalmometers were used to compare the variability and reproducibility, produced by various observers. Five examiners measured fifty two eyes of twenty-six normal subjects each by using two different exophthalmometers, respectively. The average coefficient of variation among five measurements was 5.6% in the right eye, 5.2% in the left eye and 2.1% in base line by Hertel exophthalmometer. The average coefficient of variation measured by Naugle exophthalmometer was 1.9% in both eyes and 0.8% in pupillary distance. In conclusion, Naugle exophthalmometer showed less variability and better reproducibility; it is more appropriate for comparative exophthalmetry.
Reading*

A Malay Language Related Reading Text Test was developed to assess reading performance among primary school children. One hundred and twenty normally sighted primary school children were randomly selected from year 2 and 3 (mean age 8.5 ± 0.5 years) and year 4 and 5 (mean age 10.5 ± 0.5 years). Subjects were asked to read all fi ve reading text aloud, correctly and according to their usual reading speed in random order. Time to complete each reading paragraph was recorded and any error or guessing was noted. Reading speed and reading rate were measure as word per minute (wpm). The mean reading speed for grade 1 was 88.81 ± 1.95 (SE) wpm and the reading rate was 87.20 ± 1.98 (SE) wpm. For grade 2, reading speed was 108.12 ± 1.66 (SE) wpm while reading rate was 107.22± 1.67 (SE) wpm. Reading speed and reading rate among subjects were not signifi cantly different (p > 0.05) either for grade 1 or 2 with p value 0.91 and 0.57 respectively. Comparison between each text also showed that there was no signifi cant different (p > 0.05). All texts that were developed were statistically homogenous indicating that the reading texts test can be use in random order and will not affect the reading assessment in primary school children.
Reading

PURPOSE: The effect of superior clear corneal incision and transverse astigmatic keratotomy on the with-the-rule astigmatism in sutureless, small incision cataract surgery was evaluated. METHODS: The postoperative keratometric changes were evaluated in 18 eyes with more than 1.4 diopter (D) of preoperative with-the-rule astigmatism, having sutureless, superior clear corneal incision phacoemulsification. Five eyes over 2.8 D with-the-rule astigmatism also had transverse corneal relaxing incision. Keratometric readings were done within 1 month preoperatively, 1 day and 2 months postoperatively and the changes were statistically analyzed. Simple subtraction method and Cravy method were used for the analysis of astigmatic changes. RESULTS: The mean astigmatism showed decreasing trend, 2.08, 2.25, 1.12 D, within preoperative 1 month, at postoperative 1 day and 2 months respectively and 3.70, 2.48, 2.06 D respectively when transverse keratotomy was added. The reduction of astigmatism was statistically significant at postoperative 2 months (P<0.05; Wilcoxon rank-sum test) and it was more significant with transverse astigmatic keratotomy (P<0.05, Mann-Whitney U test). CONCLUSIONS: The with-the-rule astigmatism over 1.40 D could be reduced in cataract surgery by sutureless, superior clear corneal incision and transverse corneal relaxing keratotomy.
Astigmatism* ; Cataract* ; Phacoemulsification ; Reading

A head-and-neck phantom was designed in order to evaluate remotely the quality of the delivery dose of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in each institution. The phantom is homogeneous or inhomogeneous by interchanging the phantom material with the substructure like an air or bone plug. Monte Carlo simulations were executed for one beam and three beams to the phantom and compared with ion chamber and thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) measurements of which readings were from two independent institutions. For single beam, the ion chamber results and the MC simulations agreed to within about 2%. TLDs agreed with the MC results to within 2% or 7% according to which institution read the TLDs. For three beams, the ion chamber results showed -5% maximum discrepancy and those of TLDs were +2~+3%. The accuracy of the TLD readings should be increased for the remote dose monitoring. MC simulations are a valuable tool to acquire the reliability of the measurements in developing a new phantom.
Pilot Projects* ; Reading

Pulse oximetry is a noninvasive, reusable device that is being used routinely in anesthesia procedure for monitoring oxygen saturation. This is a very beneficial device that can quickly detect of hypoxia, the most common cause of anesthesia-related death. However, in clinical uses, false desaturation readings are frequently found to be caused by various factors. Such as by the use of intraoperative blue dye, which can falsely decrease oxygen saturation as determined by pulse oximetry. We therefore report our findings concerning prolonged decreased pulse oximetry readings due to the intraoperative use of blue dye subcutaneously.
Anesthesia ; Anoxia ; Oximetry* ; Oxygen ; Reading

The measurement of the intraocular pressure were made with the Mackay-Marg electronic applanation tonometer, as compared with standard Goldmann tonometer and Schiotz tonometer in Korean 114 normal eyes. The results were as follows: 1. The mean intraocular pressure of 114 normal eyes was 16.61 +/- 3. 77 mmHg with a Mackay-Marg tonometer. 2. There was significant differances between the Mackay-Marg tonometer and Goldmann tonometric values(p<0.005). The corelation coefficent(r) was 0.975, the linear regression was Y = 1.37 + 1.06X. 3. The standard deviation for Mackay-Marg tonometer was greater thandoldmann readings, and it was about 1.37 mmHg higher than Goldmann's. 4. There was significant differances between the Mackay-Marg tonometer and Schiotz tonometric values(p<0.005). The corelation coefficent(r) was 0.938, the linear regression was Y = 0.82X - 0.07.
Intraocular Pressure* ; Linear Models ; Reading

The basic principles of the applanation tonometer and Schiotz tonometer were briefly discribed. The major improvement in the applanation tonometry is in the fact that the scleral rigidity plays no important role in the determination of the intra-ocular pressure. We have measured the intra-ocular pressure with both types of tonometer, the applanation tonometry being the first, followed by Schiotz reading with 5.5 g weight. In normal eyes, both readings gave almost identical results. In glaucomatous eyes, recently operated cataract eyes and eyes with retinal detachment successfully operated showed wide discrepancies between the values of two methods. The pressure readings with Schiotz tonometer were moderately lower than that with applanation tonometer, and this might cause erroneous conclusion regarding the real status of the intra-ocular pressure in such eyes. Advantages and disadvantages of the applanation tonometery were discussed.
Cataract ; Manometry ; Reading ; Retinal Detachment

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to integrate the results of studies assessing the association between chronic noise exposure and blood pressure. METHODS: Using a MEDLINE search with noise exposure, blood pressure and hypertension as key words, we retrieved articles from the literature that were published from 1980 to December 1999. The criteria for quality evaluation were as follows: 1) the study subjects must have been workers employed at a high noise level area 2) The paper should use average and cumulative noise exposure as method for exposure evaluation. 3) Blood pressure in each article should be reported in a continuous scale Among the 77 retrieved articles, six studies were selected for quantitative meta-analysis. Before the integration of the regression coefficients for the association between blood pressure and noise level, homogeneity tests were conducted. RESULTS: All studies were a cross-sectional design and the study subjects were industrial workers. Five papers used a time-weighted average for noise exposure and only one paper calculated the cumulative noise exposure level. The measurement of blood pressure in the majority of studies were accomplished in a resting state, and used an average of two or more readings. The homogeneity of studies was rejected in a fixed effect model, so we used the results in a random effect model. The results of the quantitative meta-analysis, the weighted regression coefficient of noise associated with systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were 0.05 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.03, 0.13) and 0.06 (95% CI: -0.01, 0.13), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that chronic exposure to industrial noise does not cause elevated blood pressure.
Blood Pressure* ; Hypertension ; Noise* ; Reading

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to determine the effect of the infusion rate on the temperature of the infusate reaching the distal end of an infusion tubing with active fluid warming. METHODS: One-liter bags of normal saline were warmed to 6 0 degrees C using a microwave oven and were then run through standard infusion tubing at rates of 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1,000 mL/hr. The temperatures at the distal end of the infusion tubing were measured every one minute for the first 10 minutes and then every ten minutes for 1 hour. Subsequently, normal saline and packed red blood cells, which were warmed using a fluid warmer, were infused at rates of 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1,000 mL/hr. Temperatures were recorded when the readings had stabilized within a range of +/-0.1 degrees C. RESULTS: Normal saline warmed by a microwave oven could be delivered through standard infusion tubing at a temperature of more than 37 degrees C if the normal saline had been preheated to 60 degrees C and infused through long tubing (210 cm) at rates of 800 and 1,000 mL/hr. Also, normal saline and packed red blood cells, warmed to 41 degrees C with a fluid warmer, could be delivered at a temperature of or near 3 7 degrees C through relatively short tubing (110 cm) at a rate of 1,000 mL/hr. The fluid composition influenced the infusate temperature (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: When patients with hypothermia or major trauma are treated by infusing warmed normal saline or packed red blood cells, we should consider appropriate flow rates for the fluid so as to maintain a therapeutic delivery temperature when using practical infusion tubing in the ED setting.
Erythrocytes ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Microwaves ; Reading