OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to measure the temperature of the plugger tip of 3 cordless heat carriers set at 200°C. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pluggers of the same taper (0.06, 0.08, 0.10) and similar tip sizes (sizes of 50 and 55) from 3 cordless heat carriers, namely SuperEndo-α2 (B & L Biotech), Friendo (DXM), and Dia-Pen (Diadent), were used and an electric heat carrier, System B (SybronEndo), was used as the control. The plugger tips were covered with customized copper sleeves, heated for 10 seconds, and the temperature was recorded with a computerized measurement system attached to a K-type thermometer at room temperature (n = 10). The data were analyzed with 2-way analysis of variance at a 5% level of significance. RESULTS: The peak temperature of the plugger tips was significantly affected by the plugger taper and by the heat carrier brand (p < 0.05). The peak temperature of the plugger tips was between 177°C and 325°C. The temperature peaked at 207°C–231°C for the 0.06 taper pluggers, 195°C–313°C for the 0.08 taper pluggers, and 177°C–325°C for the 0.10 taper pluggers. Only 5 of the 12 plugger tips showed a temperature of 200°C ± 10°C. The time required to reach the highest temperature or 200°C ± 10°C was at least 4 seconds. CONCLUSION: When using cordless heat carriers, clinicians should pay attention to the temperature setting and to the activation time needed to reach the intended temperature of the pluggers.
Copper ; Hot Temperature ; Thermometers

A sensitive thermometer utilizing thermistor as a sensing element has been constructed in order to measure the temperatures in various ocular tissues. The Wheatstone bridge was used to detect the changes in thermistor resistance. The out-put of the bridge was fed into a single-stage differential DC amplifier and read by an micro-ammeter. There was a linear relationship between temperature and meter scale. The thermistor was inserted into the inferior conjunctival sacs of 158 healthy normal human eyes. The average temperature was found to be 35.14 +/- 1.08 (in C). No difference due to sex and age distribution was found to exists. Preliminary temperature measurement has been done on rabbits. Their results are shown graphically in Fig. 3.
Age Distribution ; Humans ; Rabbits ; Thermometers*

OBJECTIVES: This study developed and validated the Perceived Stigma of Delirium Scale(PSDS), which is designed to measure perceived stigma associated with delirium in patients suffering from that disorder. METHODS: Based on a literature review of scales assessing stigma, a preliminary scale comprising seven items was developed. After recovering from delirium, 128 patients completed the PSDS and the Distress Thermometer (DT). Factor analysis was used to examine construct validity, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability were examined to ensure reliability. Concurrent validity was assessed using the correlation between the total scores on the PSDS and the DT. RESULTS: Factor analysis yielded a single-factor structure from the seven candidate items. One item was excluded due to low factor loading. The internal consistency was computed and Cronbach's α was 0.85 for the total score. The overall test-retest reliability was 0.71, with items ranging from 0.58 to 0.83. The total score on the PSDS was significantly correlated with the DT score. CONCLUSIONS: The PSDS may be a reliable, valid instrument for evaluating perceived stigma in patients who have recovered from delirium. Further study of the perceived stigma by delirium patients is required to assess the implications of the PSDS for clinical practice and research.
Delirium* ; Humans ; Thermometers ; Weights and Measures

The characteristics of the expiratory nasal flow consist of three parts - amount, content and shape. By far, most reports are confined only to the nasal resistance, nasal pressure, temperature, humidity and gas concentration of the expiratory nasal flow. There are few reports on the shape of the expiratory nasal flow. We aimed to visualize the expiratory nasal flow and to see whether there is any correlation between the shape of the expiratory nasal flow and the shape of the external nose. For each seven normal adult males and females, the shape of the expiratory flow was checked with infrared imaging thermometer placed on the frontal and sagittal planes. We also measured the external nasal indices and compared them with the shape of the nasal flow. We could see the shape of the expiratory nasal flow through the infrared imaging thermometer in real time. The mean of the angles formed by each side of the expiratory nasal flows on the frontal plane was 39 degrees, and the frontal angle showed good correlation with the shape of the external nose. The real-time visualization of the expiratory nasal flow, conducted with the infrared imaging thermometer, was an absolutely non-invasive technique and may be used to investigate nasal functions.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Humidity ; Male ; Nose ; Thermometers

BACKGROUND: Currently available warming devices are often heavy and cumbersome, requiring development of more portable, user friendly, high efficiency fluid and blood warmer. The intravenous fluid heating capabilities of a new, heat-plate print circuit board (PCB) based warmer at various low flow rates were tested. METHODS: Model Joyother BM-1(R) was investigated for normal saline (0.9% NaCl) and colloid at various infusion rates (60-6000 ml/hr). Final temperatures were measured by electronic thermometer after passing through the warmer. Effective warming was defined as a fluid temperature > or = 32degrees C. Ambient temperature was maintained at 22-25degrees C. Degree of heating capability and temperature decrease were compared and correlated between different flow rates. RESULTS: The device warmed the room temperature crystalloid and colloid efficiently. Its warming capability was continuously improved as the flow rates increased in all tested flow rates, reaching maximum 41degrees C. After the warming, the temperature decrease showed high negative correlation with the flow rates. The extent of cooling was less in colloid. No overheating was noted at sudden brake. CONCLUSIONS: Joyother BM-1(R) heated crystalloid and colloid sufficiently and safely enough for clinical application (exit temperature > or = 35degrees C) at various flow rates. The warming capacity and the length of the intravenous tube infusion system determined the efficiency of the warmer. Further study is warranted for the efficiency of warming for the blood and its element changes.
Colloids ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Hypothermia ; Thermometers

The study in the fild of medical instrument has been out of the interest by any the life scinetist in Korea. Especially the recent developments in the medical electromics are remarkable one. Authors planned this study to ascertain the possibility of setting up the thermistor thermometer with available accessories of demetic products including some specific foreign assembly parts. By proper use of the thermistor as one of the wheatstone bridge, we could detect the resistance variations due to the environmental temperature variance. The intensive care for the bridge circuit and compensation scheme was required. The calibration procedure adopted here makes it possible to read the current as the temperature. The temperature range was determined by the examination and construction of the graph of the resistance-temperature, the reduction of excessive current and self-heating of the thermistor were made. Renovation in response-velocity was under taken too. This electronic thermometer was designed and assembled by the circuitry developed in accordance with the maximum availability of domestic products with some foreign-made parts. The result of our experiment showed very stable function and proved to be the most promising item in the actual application as long as the thermistor is concerned.
Calibration ; Compensation and Redress ; Critical Care ; Korea ; Thermometers*

PURPOSE: To study the relationship between the distribution of the ocular surface temperature and the nasal predominance in pterygium. METHODS: In order to identify the distribution of the ocular surface, the surface temperature was measured at four points on the eyelids and on the bulbar conjunctiva with a non-contact thermometer. The ocular surface temperature in the pterygium patient group was compared with that in a normal control group. The temperature difference at each point on the ocular surface was also examined. RESULTS: In both of the patient and the normal groups, the surface temperature on the eyelid was at its lowest on the temporal lower eyelid, and highest on the nasal upper eyelid. On the bulbar conjunctiva, the surface temperature of the nasal conjunctiva was at its lowest, and at its highest on the upper conjunctiva. The most distinctive temperature difference between the patient and control groups was shown on the nasal and temporal bulbar conjunctivas, and statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Considering the temperature distribution over the ocular surface, we propose that an intrinsic factor that causes the nasal predominance of pterygium could be the comparatively low local temperature of the nasal bulbar conjunctiva.
Conjunctiva ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Intrinsic Factor ; Pterygium ; Thermometers

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the level of distress and quality of life (QoL) in esophageal cancer patients, and to identify the factors influencing QoL METHODS: A sample of 103 patients who have esophageal cancer were included in a descriptive study. The instruments used were the Distress Thermometer and Problem List, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) version 4. RESULTS: The mean distress score of the subjects was 4.06±2.04 out of 10. The total mean score of quality of life was 66.39±12.86 out of 108, the highest category was physical well-being with a mean item score of 21.78±5.51, the lowest was emotional well-being with a mean item score of 14.69±3.68. The levels of distress and QoL were negatively correlated (r=−.61, p<.001). Stepwise regression analysis revealed that the QoL of the patients was explained by type of treatment and distress. These variables explained 35% of the variance in QoL. CONCLUSION: The QoL of patients with esophageal cancer was relatively low, and the type of treatment and distress was the most important factor affecting quality of life. Thus, to improve the QoL of patients with esophageal cancer, it is important to assess their distress and to provide appropriate interventions.
Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Quality of Life* ; Thermometers

PURPOSE: we clinically measured the temperature rise in real time and analyzed the difference of albino rabbit and pigmented rabbit in use of the specially designed thermometer. METHODS: Specially designed thermometer was attached into the subretinal pigment epithealial and choroidal space through the suprachoroidal space in three pigment and three albino rabbits, with diode laser of 810 nm wave length, 3 mm spot size. We examined the retinal temperature according to laser irradiance power at each ten seconds during sixty seconds and the laser power setting was 200 mW, 300 mW, 400 mW in pigmeted rabbit and 300 mW, 600 mW, 800 mW in albino rabbit. We analyzed the results based on the measurements at least three times per each irradiance power. RESULTS: In albino rabbit, the maximal range of retinal temperature change was 1.2 degrees C and 1.7 degrees C in 300 mW and 600 mW, 14.1 degrees C in 800 mW power of 810 nm diode laser irradiance. In pigmented rabbit, the maximal range of retinal temperature change was 12.1 degrees C in 200 mW of laser irradiance power, 16.2 degrees C in 300 mW, 24.3 degrees C in 400 mW during sixty seconds in 810 nm diode laser. CONCLUSIONS: We investigated the ratinal temperature at transpupillary thermotherapy in 810 nm wavelength diode laser on rabbits. The difference of retinal temperature change was in accordance with the amount of chorioretinal melanin pigment. Therefore if the laser power setting used in caucasians would be attempted in orientals, it is the point to be considered during transpupillary thermotherapy.
Choroid ; Hyperthermia, Induced* ; Lasers, Semiconductor ; Melanins ; Rabbits* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Thermometers

PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence regarding injury and poisoning associated with the clinical mercury thermometer. METHODS: Electronic literature searches were conducted for identification of relevant studies and case reports of injury and poisoning associated with the clinical mercury thermometer. The search outcomes were limited to literature with English and Korean languages published from 1966. Studies related to occupational mercury exposure, or mercury exposure from sphygmomanometer, barometer, and fluorescent light were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 60 reports, including 59 case reports, were finally included. Of those, nine cases pertained to an intact thermometer as a foreign body, 25 injuries were related to a thermometer, and 26 cases involved exposures to mercury from a broken thermometer. Case reports were classified according to severity into 16 mild, 41 moderate, and two severe cases. Two cases of mortality were reported, one was deliberate intravenous injection of mercury and the other was acute vapor inhalation of mercury from broken thermometers. CONCLUSION: Findings of this systematic review suggested that the mercury thermometer could cause various forms of poisoning and injury. In particular, inhalation of mercury vapor from a broken thermometer can lead to systemic toxicity requiring chelating therapy.
Foreign Bodies ; Inhalation ; Injections, Intravenous ; Mortality ; Poisoning* ; Sphygmomanometers ; Thermometers*