Background: Since 2003, the H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype has caused massive economic losses in the poultry industry in South Korea. The role of inland water bodies in avian influenza (AI) outbreaks has not been investigated. Identifying water bodies that facilitate risk pathways leading to the incursion of the HPAI virus (HPAIV) into poultry farms is essential for implementing specific precautionary measures to prevent viral transmission. Objectives: This matched case-control study (1:4) examined whether inland waters were associated with a higher risk of AI outbreaks in the neighboring poultry farms. Methods: Rivers, irrigation canals, lakes, and ponds were considered inland water bodies.The cases and controls were chosen based on the matching criteria. The nearest possible farms located within a radius of 3 km of the case farms were chosen as the control farms.The poultry farms were selected randomly, and two HPAI epidemics (H5N8 [2014–2016] and H5N6 [2016–2017]) were studied. Conditional logistic regression analysis was applied. Results: Statistical analysis revealed that inland waters near poultry farms were significant risk factors for AI outbreaks. The study speculated that freely wandering wild waterfowl and small animals contaminate areas surrounding poultry farms. Conclusions Pet birds and animals raised alongside poultry birds on farm premises may wander easily to nearby waters, potentially increasing the risk of AI infection in poultry farms. Mechanical transmission of the AI virus occurs when poultry farm workers or visitors come into contact with infected water bodies or their surroundings. To prevent AI outbreaks in the future, poultry farms should adopt strict precautions to avoid contact with nearby water bodies and their surroundings.

Objective: In this study, we compared differences based on the gender of Korean emergency physicians to provide basic data for future emergency medicine development plans. Methods: We used data from the emergency physician survey (2020) conducted by the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine. A total of 1,303 emergency physicians responded to the survey. We adjusted demographic data relating to age, position, and work duration as an emergency physician, which could affect the differences based on gender. After propensity score matching, we compared working hours, work burden, income, motives for applying for emergency medicine, and future plans of the emergency physicians by sex. Results: The total working hours per month and night shifts per month were higher in men compared to the women. The women felt more pressure in the following areas: number of emergency patients, relationships with administrative agencies, insufficient emergency medical technician manpower, patients’ compliance, and relationships with other emergency physicians. Monthly income was higher in men. Women placed a higher value on ‘Acquiring a range of knowledge’ and ‘Degree of interest in working in the emergency room’ than men as motivation for applying for positions in emergency medicine. Regarding future plans, women placed less value on income and more on having enough free time and avoiding burnout. The retirement age was about 3 years lower for women than for men. Conclusion This study revealed gender differences in working hours, income, motivation for applying for emergency medicine, work burden, and future plans. It is expected that these differences are caused by physical limitations and socio-cultural backgrounds. It is recommended that more detailed investigations be carried out through qualitative research. These results could help in gender considerations while hiring emergency physicians.

Fat embolism syndrome is a rare disease associated with long bone fractures and plastic surgery. In previous studies of cerebral fat embolism, no reports of cardiac arrest occurred by cerebral fat embolism. Therefore, we aimed to report the first case of cardiac arrest by cerebral fat embolism after scalp lipoma removal.

OBJECTIVE: Radiation is used extensively in emergency centers. Computed tomography and X-ray imaging are used frequently. Portable X-rays, in particular, cause a significant amount of indirect radiation exposure to medical personnel. The authors' emergency center was remodeled, and a comparative study of radiation exposure was carried out in certain places that had experienced radiation for a long time. METHODS: The cumulative radiation dose was measured 20 times in the 24 hours prior to remodeling, and the cumulative radiation dose was measured again 20 times across the 24-hour period. The measurement points were fixed at the emergency doctor's seat (Zone A), charge nurse's seat (Zone B), and section nurse's seat (Zone C). During the 24-hour cumulative radiation measurement period, the number of portable X-ray shots was recorded in the emergency center. RESULTS: The mean of the 24-hour cumulative radiation measurements in zone A was 3.36±0.07 µSV and 4.54±0.07 µSV before and after remodeling, respectively (P<0.001). Regarding the number of portable X-rays performed during the measurement, a higher number of trials in the Pearson correction correlated with a higher radiation measurement. CONCLUSION: In an emergency medical center, there is a higher level of low-dose radiation exposure compared to that experienced from natural radioactivity. Regarding the number of portable X-rays, the cumulative radiation dose measured 24 hours after remodeling increased and can be assumed to be related to the environment.
Emergencies ; Radiation Exposure ; Radioactivity

The aim of this study was to measure and compare polyphenol content, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity of six halophytes (Limonium tetragonum, Suaeda glauca, Suaeda japonica, Salicornia europaea, Triglochin maritimum, and Sonchus brachyotus). Depending on the total polyphenol content, the plants were categorized into two groups: (1) a high total polyphenol content group that included L. tetragonum, S. brachyotus, and S. europaea, and, (2) a low total polyphenol content group consisting of S. glauca, T. maritima, and S. japonica. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays, and by measuring ROS. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by measuring NO and PGE₂. L. tetragonum and S. brachyotus, that have high polyphenol content, also showed strong antioxidant activity. In addition, L. tetragonum, S. brachyotus, and S. europaea showed good anti-inflammatory activity. Consequently, the total polyphenol content was thought to be related to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Therefore, S. brachyotus and L. tetragonum are good candidates for use in pharmaceuticals and functional foods.
Chenopodiaceae ; Functional Food ; Hydroxyl Radical ; Korea ; Salt-Tolerant Plants ; Sonchus

PURPOSE: To report the surgical results of unilateral pediatric cataracts from uncertain causes in relatively older children and to identify factors related to better visual outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 39 patients who underwent surgery between the ages of 3 and 10 years for unilateral pediatric cataracts of no known cause. All patients underwent primary intraocular lens implantation and postoperative amblyopia treatment. A postoperative final visual acuity better than 20 / 30 was considered to be a good visual outcome. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 6.0 ± 1.8 years at the time of surgery. The mean preoperative visual acuity was 1.07 ± 0.71 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (range, 0.15 to 3.00), while the mean final postoperative visual acuity was 0.47 ± 0.54 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (range, 0.00 to 2.00). Of 39 patients, 18 (46.2%) achieved a good visual outcome. Only the preoperative visual acuity maintained a significant association with a good visual outcome according to our multivariate analysis (p = 0.040). A preoperative visual acuity of 20 / 100 or better was found to increase the chance of achieving a good visual outcome by 13.79-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.13 to 167.58). CONCLUSIONS: The visual outcome of unilateral pediatric cataract surgery for cataracts with no specific cause identified in patients after three years of age could be satisfactory, especially with a preoperative visual acuity of 20 / 100 or better.
Amblyopia ; Cataract* ; Child ; Humans ; Lens Implantation, Intraocular ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Phacoemulsification ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: Intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) has been shown to have significant therapeutic effects on calcium channel blocker overdose in animal studies and clinical cases. In this preliminary experiment, we investigated the hemodynamic changes and survival in a rat model of verapamil intoxication. METHODS: Fourteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were sedated and treated with ILE or normal saline (control), followed by continuous intravenous infusion of verapamil (20 mg/kg/h). Mean arterial pressure and heart rate of rats were monitored during the infusion. In addition, the total dose of infused verapamil and the duration of survival were measured. RESULTS: Survival was prolonged in the ILE group (32.43±5.8 min) relative to the control group (24.14±4.3 min) (p=0.01). The cumulative mean lethal dose of verapamil was higher in the ILE group (4.3±0.7 mg/kg) than in the control group (3.2±0.5 mg/kg; p=0.017). CONCLUSION: ILE pretreatment prolonged survival and increased the lethal dose in a rat model of verapamil poisoning.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Calcium Channels ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Male ; Models, Animal* ; Poisoning ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Therapeutic Uses ; Verapamil*

A perfusion deficit of the aortic branch vessels in a patient with a type B aortic dissection is a challenging complication, as it leads to hemodynamic instability and doubles the mortality rate; however, the optimal management strategy in these cases remains controversial. Although surgical repair is still performed as the standard, endovascular approaches have been used recently as alternatives because of the high rate of perioperative complications. Herein, we report a patient with a type B aortic dissection and compromised renal and iliac arteries who was successfully treated by thoracic endovascular repair and insertion of a percutaneous stent. In addition, we adopted the chimney technique to preserve blood flow to the left subclavian artery due to the short proximal landing zone.
Aorta ; Aortic Diseases ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Mortality ; Perfusion ; Stents ; Subclavian Artery

BACKGROUND: Occasionally, combinations of antibiotics are used for the treatment of scrub typhus. However, the effectiveness of such combined therapies has rarely been evaluated. To date, no experimental studies have been performed; only 1 clinical study has assessed the efficacy of combined doxycycline and rifampin therapy. To elucidate the efficacies of other antibiotic combinations, we performed an experiment to evaluate the in vitro efficacy of antibiotic combinations against Orientia tsutsugamushi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: O. tsutsugamushi strain Boryong was inoculated into the ECV304 cell line. The infected cells were cultured in antibiotic-containing media for 3-5 days and stained with FS15, a monoclonal antibody reacting against the linear epitope on the 56-kDa major outer membrane protein of O. tsutsugamushi. Thereafter, antimicrobial susceptibility was measured by flow cytometry and expressed as a growth index (total mass of Orientia). The growth indices of doxycycline (0.1 microg/mL), azithromycin (0.1 microg/mL), rifampin (0.0125 microg/mL), cefotaxime (2 and 20 microg/mL), and their various combinations (doxycycline+cefotaxime, doxycycline+rifampin, azithromycin+cefotaxime, and rifampin+cefotaxime) were measured. The above mentioned antibiotic concentrations, except for that of cefotaxime, represent the minimal inhibitory concentrations of each antibiotic. RESULTS: The growth indices of doxycycline (4.67% and 0.52%), rifampin (2.35% and 0.26%), and azithromycin (7.54%) were within the range of full suppression of O. tsutsugamushi; in contrast, cefotaxime (87.60%) was in effective. The growth indices of doxycycline+rifampin were 0.10% and 0.10%, which were similar to those obtained with doxycycline or rifampin alone. The growth indices of doxycycline+cefotaxime were 3.99% and 3.65% in low-dose cefotaxime (2 microg/mL), and 3.69% and 4.40% in high-dose cefotaxime (20 microg/mL). The growth indices of rifampin+cefotaxime (2.19% and 2.19% at 2 microg/mL; 1.84% and 2.04% at 20 microg/mL cefotaxime) were similar to those obtained with rifampin alone (2.35% and 0.26%). Azithromycin+cefotaxime (11.06-14.63%) showed higher growth indices than azithromycin alone; this suggests that this combination may be antagonistic. Conclusions: The anti-Orientia efficacies of doxycycline+rifampin, doxycycline+cefotaxime, and rifampin+cefotaxime were not antagonistic. The efficacy of the azithromycin+cefotaxime combination needs to be confirmed by more sensitive methods to exclude the possibility of antagonistic interactions between the antibiotics.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Azithromycin ; Cefotaxime ; Cell Line ; Doxycycline ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Flow Cytometry ; Membrane Proteins ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; Rifampin ; Scrub Typhus ; Sprains and Strains

BACKGROUND: Doxycycline has been the drug of choice for the treatment of scrub typhus. However, scrub typhus with poor response to doxycycline was first reported in Thailand in 1996. To date, it is not known whether doxycycline resistant scrub typhus is present in Korea. To investigate the doxycycline resistance of scrub typhus in Korea, we performed an experiment to evaluate the degree of growth inhibition of Orientia tsutsugamushi at the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of doxycycline. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 37 isolates of Orientia tsutsugamushi were collected from Korean patients with scrub typhus during 10 year period (from 1997 to 2007). 34 isolates consisted of Boryong serotype or related serotypes. These strains were stained with FS15, a monoclonal antibody against the linear epitope on the protein located at the outer membrane of O. tsutsugamushi. Three isolates were confirmed as serotype Gilliam, which was stained by anti-Gilliam antibody. The antibody-stainable 35 isolates were incubated in media containing 0.1 and 0.2 microg/mL of doxycycline for 3 days. Then the growth indices of Orientia were measured by flow cytometry. If the growth index was greater than 10%, the isolate was tentatively classified as an isolate resistant to doxycycline and its MIC was measured. RESULTS: Demographic and treatment data were similar to the results of previous reports. Infection was mainly observed in Inchon and the Chungcheongnam province. No patient showed delayed response to antibiotics. Of 35 hospitalized patients, 4 (11.4%) were managed at the intensive care unit, and 1 (2.9%) died of nosocomial pneumonia. All the 2 patients whose isolates were serotype Gilliam Yonchon/Ikeda-like strain were managed at the intensive care unit. Six of the 34 isolates from Korean patients exhibited growth indices greater than 10% at the MIC of doxycycline; however, the MICs of these isolates did not exceed 0.2 microg/mL. One isolate of serotype Gilliam showed an MIC of 0.0125 ug/mL, which seemed to be underestimated due to weak fluorescence of the anti-Gilliam antibody. Conclusions: Although the number of tested isolates is small, insensitivity of scrub typhus to doxycycline is not a major reason for treatment failure in Korea. Serotype Gilliam, especially Yochon/Ikeda-like strain, may be associated with severe form of scrub typhus. More studies concerning the antibiotic susceptibility for serotype Gilliam are warranted.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Doxycycline ; Flow Cytometry ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea ; Membranes ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; Pneumonia ; Scrub Typhus ; Sprains and Strains ; Thailand ; Treatment Failure