• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.69-78
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• 2023

This investigation delves into the adverse repercussions stemming from the impact of arsenic on steel pipes concealed within soil designated for rice cultivation. Simultaneously, the study aims to ascertain effective techniques for detecting arsenic in the soil and to provide strategies for mitigating the corrosion of steel pipes. The realm of nanotechnology presents promising avenues for addressing the intricate intersection of renewable energy, oil, and environmental pollution from a novel perspective. Nanostructured materials, characterized by distinct chemical and physical attributes, unveil novel pathways for pioneering materials that exert a substantial impact across diverse realms of food production, storage, packaging, and quality control. Within the scope of the food industry, the scope of nanotechnology encompasses processes, storage methodologies, packaging paradigms, and safeguards to ensure the safety of consumables. Of particular note, silver nanoparticles, in addition to their commendable antibacterial efficacy, boast anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory prowess, environmental compatibility, minimal irritability and allergenicity, resilience to microbial antagonism, thermal stability, and robustness. Confronting the pressing issue of arsenic contamination within both environmental settings and the food supply is of paramount importance to preserve public health and ecological equilibrium. In response, this study introduces detection kits predicated upon silver nanoparticles, providing an expeditious and economically feasible avenue for identifying arsenic concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 3 ppm within rice. Subsequent quantification employs Hydride Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (HG-AAS), which features a detection threshold of 0.05 ㎍/l. A salient advantage inherent in the HG-AAS methodology lies in its capacity to segregate analytes from the sample matrix, thereby significantly reducing instances of spectral interference. Importantly, the presence of arsenic in the soil beneath rice cultivation establishes a causative link to steel pipe corrosion, with potential consequences extending to food contamination-an intricate facet embedded within the broader tapestry of renewable energy, oil, and environmental pollution.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.163-169
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• 2004

Purpose: Many diagnostic modalities have been used for diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Feeding materials during esophageal pH monitoring may interfere the result of examination and esophageal pH monitoring can not diagnose GER in case of alkaline reflux. The purpose of our study is to evaluate whether scintigraphy can substitiute 24 hr pH monitoring in children with GERD. Methods: From March 2002 to June 2003, 23 patients (12 boys and 11 girls, mean age 27 months) who have been admitted to Hanyang University Hospital presented with GER symptoms (recurrent vomiting, cough, chest pain, irritability) were included in the study. Scintigraphy and 24 hr pH monitoring were performed in all patients. Results: Six out of the 23 patients (26.1%) had evidence of GER on 24 hr pH monitoring, whereas nine of 23 patients (39.2%) exhibited GER by scintigraphy. Two out of the 23 patients could not be tested because of irritability. Three (14.3%) patients had evidence of GER on both 24 hr pH monitoring and scintigraphy, three (14.3%) patients on only 24 hr pH monitoring, six (28.6%) patients on only scintigraphy, and nine (42.9%) patients had no evidence of GER on both methods. No correlation was observed between 24 hr pH monitoring and scintigraphic results by Fisher's exact test (p=0.523) or Kendal's tau (t=0.678). Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that there was no correlation between 24 hr pH monitoring and scintigraphy. Therefore these modalities could be used as complementary tests to diagnose GERD.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2004

Purpose: In this study, we tried to evaluate the clinical characteristics or circumstances that lead to unintentionally the delay in the diagnosis of intussusception or to the wrong direction that prevent the proper management early. Methods: All the patients of intussusception with delayed diagnosis in the department of pediatrics or emergency room at Gyeongsang National University Hospital from 1990 to 2003 were enrolled and reviewed retrospectively. Results: There were 8 boys and 6 girls and their median age was 8 months (range 2 months to 10 years). Their initial symptoms and signs were vomiting, seizure, diarrhea, lethargy, irritability, bloody stool, palpable abdominal mass, foul odor of urine and tachycardia. Clinical diagnosis or impressions at admission consisted of acute gastroenteritis, shigellosis and toxic encephalopathy, convulsive disorders, urinary tract infections, sepsis, abdominal mass and intestinal obstruction. Eight patients were luckily diagnosed due to the delayed manifestations of cyclic irritability or currant jelly stool. Six patients were not paid attentions for the possibilities of intussusception and diagnosed serendipitiously by the abdominal sonography or CT during the evaluation of the abdominal mass or distension. Only five of 14 cases (35.7%) were successfully managed by barium or air reductions. The other 9 cases needed surgical operations. Conclusion: Delayed diagnosis of intussusception arise when doctors initially diagnose the patients incorrectly due to the unusual presentations or when they overlook the newly arising symptoms or signs suggestive intussusception after the admission because they are ardently attached to the first impressions or initial clinical diagnosis.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.65-73
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• 2007

Purpose : Voiding cystourethrography(VCUG) is a commonly performed diagnostic procedure in children with urinary tract infections. Recently, with the widespread use of prenatal ultrasonography, VCUG is performed as part of the postnatal radiological evaluation of asymptomatic infants with prenatally detected hydronephrosis. The procedure is relatively simple but it involves discomfort and some complications. We studied post procedural symptoms and complications in children who underwent VCUG. Methods : This study reviewed 259 patients who underwent VCUG in our hospital between October 2005 and September 2006. We did a chart review and a telephone interview with the patients' parents about symptoms and complications associated with VCUG. Results : Among 269 children, 217 patients(80.7%) were under 2 years of age and 5 patients (1.9%) were over 8 years of age. Their mean age was $13.1{\pm}22.9$ months. After VCUG, dysuria was found in 49 patients presented with dysuria, and irritability in 36 patients with irritability. Other complications were hematuria, fever, frequency, bladder rupture and urinary tract infection. Mean symptoms duration was $1.4{\pm}0.7$ days. There was no significant relationship between prophylactic antibiotics use and complication rate associated with VCUG. Conclusion : Our study demonstrated that 32.7% of patients showed complications including bladder rupture and urinary tract infection after VCUG. We also found that prophylactic antibiotics use did not prevent urinary tract infection nor decrease the rate of complications associated with VCUG. Therefore, we suggest that the procedure must be done carefully and aseptically, and we should closely observe the children who undergo VCUG for development of possible complications.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.150-156
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• 2005

Purpose: We divided the children diagnosed with intususception into three different age groups and compared the clinical symptoms and treatment outcomes in order to analysis diagnosis and treatment of Intusussception. Methods: A retrospective chart review was established of 159 patients diagnosed with intussuception who had been admitted to Department of Pediatrics and General Surgery, Bundang CHA hospital from January, 2000 to May, 2004. We divided the patients into three groups, according to their age. Those who were under five months of age (group I; 21 patients), those between 5~11 months of age (group II; 61 patients), and those older than 11 months of age (group III; 77 patients). Then we compared the age, sex, seasonal distribution of occurrence, the cause, the clinical features, radiologic review, the type of intusussception, surgical methods, recurrence rate and treatment outcomes, among these three groups. Results: On comparing the clinical symptoms and signs among the three groups, the most common major clinical symptom and sign was irritabiltity in all three groups. Vomiting with irritability was statistically more common in group I (p<0.05) and bloody stool was most frequent in group III. The average time taken until a diagnosis was made after the symptom onset was, 21 hours in group I, 20 hours in group II and 22 hours in group III. Which showed no significant difference. But there was a higher rate of delayed diagnosis in group I, which took over 48 hours until the diagnosis was made (group I; 23.8%, group II; 4.9%, group III; 7.8%). Simple abdominal X-rays showed more frequent instances of intestinal obstruction in group I (p<0.05). The primary treatment done was barium enema which showed a failure rate of 52.4% in group I, 26.2% in group II and 14.3% in group III. Showing the highest failure rate in group I. Conclusion: The youngest group had vague symptoms which lead to delayed diagnosis and more frequent surgical procedures. As so, we advocate the importance of further evaluation and close observation, considering intussusception in children with symptoms of irritability and vomiting, especially in the early infant group.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.649-654
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• 2007

Purpose : The objective of this study was to clarify the presentation, associated preceding illness, pathologic organisms, treatment and outcome of deep neck abscess in children according to age and location. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the in-patient charts of children treated at our hospital for deep neck abscess. Thirty-five such patients were identified as having been treated from March 1990 to December 2005. Results : A total of 35 were enrolled in our study: 25 boys and 10 girls. Their ages ranged from 11 months to 15 years. Presenting symptoms included mass, fever, irritability, trismus and dysphagia. The most commonly known associated preceding illness was viral upper respiratory infection (53%). The most common site of infection was the submandibular space (37%). Bacteria was identified in 16 patients. The most common pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus. Thirteen (37%) children recovered from the infection with conservative treatment and twenty-four (68%) children received surgical drainage. The duration of hospitalization was longer in the group who underwent surgery than in the group who were managed with conservative treatment. No complication occurred. Conclusion : Unexplained torticollis, trismus or irritability in children were suggestive of deep neck abscess. Our results demonstrate that deep neck abscesses in children is respond well to conservative treatment if diagnosed early.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.12
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• pp.1315-1319
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• 2008

Purpose : We aimed to examine the effect of rooming-in care on newborn infants emotional stability by comparing them with those cared for in a nursery. Methods : Forty-eight full-term newborn infants born at Cheil General Hospital between July 1 and October 31, 2007, were enrolled. Twenty-four newborn infants were roomed-in in their mothers rooms (rooming-in group), and 24 newborns were cared for in the hospital nursery (the nursery group) for the first 3 days of their lives. Those with perinatal problems that required medical treatment were excluded. By using Brazeltons neonatal behavior assessment scale, we measured irritability and self-quieting as well as the duration of crying after heel-stick puncture for the newborn metabolic screening test. Results : The rooming-in group had a higher irritability score than the nursery group ($6.8{\pm}1.7$ vs. $4.2{\pm}2.1$, P<0.001), thereby suggesting stable behavior against external irritation; the former also had a higher self-quieting activity score ($5.9{\pm}0.3$ vs. $4.5{\pm}1.8$, P=0.001), thereby suggesting that stability was reached quickly from the irritated state. Time taken to stop crying after the heel-stick puncture was significantly shorter in the rooming-in group than in the nursery group ($17{\pm}15.1$ seconds vs. $115.3{\pm}98.5$ seconds, P<0.001). Conclusion : These results show that newborn infants in the rooming-in group exhibit more stable behavior against external irritation and can be stabilized from an irritated state more quickly than infants cared for in the nursery, even after a few days of rooming-in care.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.169-179
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• 2009

This study aims to present a fundamental data base to figure out the mental and the physical conditions that the dental technicians are facing and ultimately to develop a health care program to deal with their health related problems. To this end, we took an analysis on the health status among the subjects of 895 dental technicians currently working at the dental lab around the nation from January 15 to March 31, 2009 by way or Todai Health Index(THI). Of the average scale point in accordance with 12 scale scores of the physical and the mental subjective symptom, the results revealed that the physical appeals (21.10) were higher than the mental appeals (18.49) and the multiple subjective symptom was marked as 38.44 followed by the mental irritability (25.92). In gender differences, the females proved to be higher than the males in both physical appeals and mental appeals while the physical appeals were dominant in both genders. The physical appeals were higher than the mental appeals with regard to the general characteristics. In the case or the group or age twenties as shown in the physical and mental average scale point, the other groups showed 21.55% of the physical appeals among the married whereas the mental appeals showed the highest point as 18.70 in the unmarried group. In job position, the other groups marked the highest, in working condition, below average group marked the highest, in frequency of break time, none group marked the highest. We drew a conclusion form this study that the dental technicians gained the higher points in the item or the multiple subjective symptom, the menial irritability, and the irregular life. More research on th is phenomena should be followed along with the development of various and practical health care programs to promote the health or dental technicians.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.359-374
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• 2008

Objective : Hyperhidrosis is a condition characterized by excessive sweating. Some studies suggest that hyperhidrosis is associated with autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Hyperhidrosis is often accompanied by hypersensitivity, tension, irritability, heat flashes, fatigue, etc. This study was designed to evaluate the correlation between Oriental Medicine diagnosis and the autonomic nervous system function in patients with hyperhidrosis using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) analysis. Methods : 23 palmar and plantar hyperhidrosis patients and 10 systemic hyperhidrosis patients were recruited and evaluated by Oriental Medicine diagnostic questionnaire and HRV analysis. The Oriental Medicine diagnostic questionnaire used a three-dimensional diagnosis that classified patients into Cold or Heat Syndrome, Yin or Yang Syndrome, and Deficiency or Excess Syndrome. Measured indices of HRV used the frequency domain analysis(i.e. TP, VLF, LF, HF and LF/HF ratio). Also, measure indices of HRV adjusted for aging effects were evaluated. Results : Cold/Heat Syndrome was not associated with hyperhidrosis prevalence nor the HRV analysis in hyperhidrosis patients. The Yang Syndrome group(78.8%) was more strongly correlated than the Yin Syndrome group(21.2%), and character of Yang was correlated with the adjusted TP and adjusted LF. The LF/HF ratio in the Excess Syndrome group was significantly higher than the LF/HF ratio in the Deficiency Syndrome group. Conclusion : Hyperhidrosis was not associated with the Cold/Heat Syndrome, but was found to be closely associated with the Yang Syndrome. The LF/HF ratio was significantly higher in the Excess Syndrome group than in the Deficiency Syndrome group in hyperhidrosis patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.299-315
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• 1993

Koreans are one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in America. Stress responses and stressors among this large cultural minority has been rarely been studied by nursing researchers. Adjusting to life in foreign country produces a great deal of stress. Differences in culture, language, expectations and social behavior can lead to misunderstandings between health care providers and clients. These misunderstandings are not well accounted for in health assessment. This study investigated the relationship between life events or / and daily activities as a stressor and the symptoms of stress among a sample of Korean immigrants in America. The symptoms of stress scale (SOS) was used to identify stress responses and open-ended questions were used to identify life events and daily activities considered by the respondents to be stressful. A simple random sample of 283 subjects was selected from the Directory of the Korean Society of Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Seattle. Demographically, the subjects ranged in age from 20 to 69 years, and the percentage of women and men was approximately 50% each. Almost ninety percent of the subjects were highly educated, 17% owners of business, 19% white collar professionals, 14% employed in sales or as skilled /unskilled labor, 27% as housewives and students and 3％ had no occupation. The total group SOS mean was 0.8042 ; the SOS men for man was 0.7371, and for women was 0.8713. The stress response of this subject group was high, -the stress response of women higher than that for men. In an earlier study(June, 1992) with another sample, the total mean SOS score was similar to this one. The main stressful life events or / and daily activities were, in order, economic problems (N=97), interpersonal problems (N=68), children care problems (N=258), health problems (N=49), communication problems (N=42), family problems (N=38), worry about future career (N=36), and religious problems (N=25). There was a significant difference in the SOS means between the group that expressed life events or / and daily activities to be stressful and the group that did not. Interpersonal relationships and economic and family problems were stressors for those who complained about peripheral manifestations. cardiopulmonary symptoms, central-neurological symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, muscle ten-sion, habitual patterns, depression, anxiety, emotional irritability and cognitive disorganization. In summary, interpersonal relationships and economic and family problems influenced stress response manifestations. Income, the number of people in the family, the year of immigration. the level of education, and marital status were related to physiological and psychosocial stress responses.