• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.287-296
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• 2003

Background : Drowning represents the third most common cause of all accidental deaths worldwide. Although few studies of submersion injury were done in Korea, the subjects were mainly pediatric patients. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical feature of submersion injury in adults. Methods : The medical records of 31 patients with submersion injury who were >15 years of age and admitted to Kyungpook National University Hospital from July 1990 to March 2003 were retrospectively examined. Results : The most common age-group, cause, and site of submersion accidents in adults were 15-24 years of age, inability to swim, and river followed by more than 65 years of age, drinking, and public bath respectively. The initial chest radiographics showed bilaterally and centrally predominant distribution of pulmonary edema at lung base in about 90% of patients with pulmonary edema represented by submersion injury but at only upper lung zone in 10%. Eventually, 25 patients (80.6%) survived without any neurologic deficit and 2 patients (6.5%) with significant neurologic deficit, and 4 patients (12.9%) died. Age, arterial gas oxygenation, and mental status among baseline variables showed significant difference for prognosis. Conclusions : More than 65 year of age, drinking, and occurrence in public bath were relatively important in submersion injury of adults, and the successful survival of 80.6% of patients suggests that cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be intensively done in even adults.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2006

Purpose: Recently, the American Heart Association recommended that routine cervical spine protection in submerged patients was not necessary, except in high-energy injury situations. However, until now, this recommendation has few supportive studies and literatures. This retrospective study was performed to demonstrate the risk of cervical spine injury in patients who had been submerged in a river. Methods: Seventy-nine submerged patients who visited St. Mary's Hospital between January 2000 and December 2005 were included in this retrospective study. We investigated and analyzed the victim's age, sex, activity on submersion, mental status and level of severity at admission, prognosis at discharge, associated injuries, and risk group by using the medical records and cervical spine lateral images. According to the activity on submersion, victims were classified into three groups: high risk, low risk, and unknown risk. The reports of radiologic studies were classified into unstable fracture, stable fracture, sprain, degenerative change, and normal. Results: The patients' mean age was 36.8 yrs, and 54% were males. Of the 79 patients, adult and adolescent populations (80%) were dominant. Jumping from a high bridge (48%) was the most common activity on submersion and accounted for 52% of the high-risk group. The Glasgow coma scale at admission and the cerebral performance scale at discharge showed bimodal patterns. The results of the radiologic studies showed one stable fracture, one suspicious stable fracture, and 18 sprains. The incidence of cervical spine fracture in submerged patients was 2.5% in our study. The incidence of cervical spine injury was higher in the high-risk group than it was in the low-risk group, especially in the jumping-from-high-bridge subgroup; however this observation was not statistically significant. No other factors had any significant effect on the incidence of cervical spine injury. Conclusion: Our study showed that even submerged patients in the high risk group had a low incidence of cervical spine fracture and that the prognosis of a patient did not seem to be influenced by the cervical spine fracture itself.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.136-142
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• 2019

Purpose: Near drowning refers to immediate survival after asphyxia due to submersion or immersion in water, which is a crucial public safety problem worldwide. Acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common complication of near drowning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of noninvasive nasal positive pressure ventilation (NINPPV). Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary emergency department. NINPPV was administered for moderate ARDS caused by submersion or immersion in patients who were older than 18 years, from January 2015 to December 2018. We collected the demographic (age, sex, length of hospital stay, and outcome), laboratory (arterial blood gas, lactate, oxygen saturation, partial pressure of oxygen divided by the fraction of inspired oxygen, complete blood count, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine), and clinical data (acute lung injury index and ventilator failure) of the patients. A statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20.0 for Windows. Results: NINPPV treatment was provided to 57 patients for near drowning, 45 of whom (78.9%) were successfully treated without complications; in 12 (21.1%), treatment was changed to invasive mechanical ventilation within 48 hours due to ARDS or acute kidney injury. NINPPV treatment was successful in 31 (75.6%) out of 41 sea-water near drowning patients. They were more difficult to treat with NINPPV compared with the fresh-water near drowning patients (p<0.05). Conclusions: NINPPV would be useful and feasible as the initial treatment of moderate ARDS caused by near drowning.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.149-158
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• 2023

Background: Injury is one of the major health problems in South Korea. Few studies have evaluated both intentional and unintentional injury when investigating the association between exposure to air pollutants and injury. Objectives: We aimed to explore the association between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and years of life lost (YLLs) due to injury. Methods: Data on daily YLLs for 2002~2019 were obtained from the the Death Statistics Database of the Korean National Statistical Office. This study estimated short-term exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of <10 ㎛ (PM₁₀), particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of <2.5 ㎛ (PM_2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O₃). This time series study was conducted using a generalized additive model (GAM) assuming a Gaussian distribution. We also evaluated a delayed effect of ambient air pollution by constructing a lag structure up to seven days. The best-fitting lag was selected based on smallest generalized cross validation (GCV) value. To explore effect modification by intentionality of injury (i.e., intentional injury [self-harm, assault] and unintentional injury), we conducted stratified subgroup analyses. Additionally, we stratified unintentional injury by mechanism (traffic accident, fall, etc.). Results: During the study period, the average daily YLLs due to injury was 307.5 years. In the intentional injury, YLLs due to self-harm and assault showed positive association with air pollutants. In the unintentional injury, YLLs due to fall, electric current, fire and poisoning showed positive association with air pollutants, whereas YLLs due to traffic accident, mechanical force and drowning/submersion showed negative associations with air pollutants. Conclusions: Injury is recognized as preventable, and effective strategies to create a safe society are important. Therefore, we need to establish strategies to prevent injury and consider air pollutants in this regard.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-25
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of therapeutic ultrasound after muscle contusion injury by observed immunoreactivity of substance-P that plays an important role in pain transmission. Ultrasound irradiation(1MHz, 1W/$cm^{2}$ continuous mode, treatment time 5 min) was applied through water submersion technique to 1 limb daily by kept off 5cm from muscle belly of gastrocnemius. The result of this study were as follows. 1. The substance-P was expressed in lamina I and II of dorsal horn of spinal cord, also in lamina IV and around of central cannel of spinal cord. Experimental group was lower expressed than control group with the exception of 1 days. 2. The substance-P immunoreactivity was decreased for 5 days together in lumbar and sacral region of all groups, expecially experimental group was rapidly. These data suggest therapeutic ultrasound may stimulate pain relief by diminish of substance-P in dorsal horn of spinal cord.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 1998

This study was to exhibit the effective emergency care method for the drowning and non-drowning who are reached two-thousand peoples every year in our country. For investigate the effective emergency care, this study was discussed as follows ; Pathophysiology of the water submersion, Fresh-water & sea-water drowning, Factors affecting survival, and Prehospital management. The conclusions from this study were summarized as follows; 1. Remove the patient from the water. If you suspect neck or spinal injuries, Always support the head and neck level with the back and, begin rescue breathing. 2. Maintain the airway and support ventilation in the water use the jaw-thrust technique to avoid farther injury to the neck or spine. We might encounter more resistance to ventilations than you expect because of water in the airway. Once you have determined that there are no foreign objects in the airway, apply ventilations with more force; adjust ventilations until you see the patient's chest rise and fall but not until you see gastric distention. Do not attempt to remove water from the patient's lungs or stomach. 3. If there is no pulse, begin CPR. 4. Administer high-flow supplemental oxygen; suction as needed. 5. Once the patient is breathing and has a pulse, assess for hemorrhage; control any serious bleeding that you find. 6. Cover the patient to conserve body heat, Handle the patient very gently, and, Transport the patient as quickly as possible to Emergency Department, Continuing resuscitative measures during transport. If the patient have the hypothermia, follow hypothermia management.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.46-64
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• 2003

Therapeutic angiogenesis is the controlled induction or stimulation of new blood vessel formation to reduce unfavourable tissue effects caused by local hypoxia and to enhance tissue repair. Therapeutic ultrasound can be considered as a physical agent to deliver therapeutic angiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of therapeutic ultrasound after muscle contusion injury by observed immunoreactivity of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) that plays an important role in angiogenesis and substance-P in pain transmission. Ultrasound irradiation(1MHz, $1W/cm^2$, continuous mode, treatment time 5 min) was applied through water submersion technique to 1 limb daily by kept off 5cm from muscle belly of gastrocnemius. The result of this study were as follows. 1. In morphological observation, there were no significant changes excepts of 7 days. At 7 days, granular tissue viewed abundantly in control group. In other groups, general feature were increased interspace of muscle fiber; centronucleated muscle fiber; collapsed of muscle and nerve tissue; appeared inflammatory cell. 2. The VEGF was expressed in interspace of muscle fiber. Especially, at 7 days in experimental group, VEGF was showed in connective tissue surrounding gastrocnemius muscle. 3. The VEGF was higher expressed in experimental group at 2 and 3 days, but in control group at 7 days. These data suggest therapeutic ultrasound enhanced production of VEGF in the early day relatively, therefore stimulated angiogenesis in the skeletal muscle induced contusion injury. Also therapeutic ultrasound may stimulate pain relief by diminish of substance-P in dorsal horn of spinal cord.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.34 no.s02
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• pp.66-80
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• 1989

Salt injury in rice is caused mainly by the salinity in soil and in the irrigated water, and occasionaly by salinity delivered through typhoon from the sea. The salt concentration of rice plants increased with higher salinity in the soil of the rice growing. The climatic conditions, high temperature and solar radiation and dry conditions promote the salt absorption of rice plant in saline soil. The higher salt accumulation in the rice plant generally reduces the root activity and inhibits the absorption of minerals of rice plant, resulting the reduction of photosynthesis. The salt damages of rice plant, however, are different from different growth stage of rice plants as follows: 1. Germination of rice seed was slightly delayed up to 1.0％ of salt concentration and remarkably at 1. 5％, but none of rice seeds were germinated at 2.5％. This may be due to the delayed water uptake of rice seeds and the inhibition of enzyme activity, 2. It was enable to establish rice seedlings at seed bed by 0.2％ of salt concentration with some reduction of leaf elongation. The increasing of 0.3％ salt concentration caused to the seedling death with varietal differences, but most of seedlings were death at 0.4％ with no varietal differences. 3. Seedlings grown at the nursery over 0.1％ salt, gradually reduced in rooting activity after transplanting according to increasing the salt concentration from 0.1％ up to 0.3％ of paddy field. However, the seedlings grown in normal seed bed showed no difference in rooting between varieties up to 0.1％ but significantly different at 0.3％ between varieties, but greatly reduced at 0.5％ and died at last in paddy after transplanting. 4. At panicle initiation stage, rice plant delayed in heading by salt damage, at meiotic stage reduced in grains and its filling rate due to inhibition of glume and pollen developing, and salt damage at heading stage and till 3 weeks after heading caused to reduction of fertilization and ripening rate. In viewpoint of agricultural policy the overcoming strategy for salt injury is to secure sufficient water source. Irrigation and drainage systems as well as underground drainage is necessary to desalinize more effectively. This must be the most effective and positive way except cost. By cultural practice, growing the salt tolerant variety with high population could increase yield. The intermittent irrigation and fresh water flooding especially at transplanting and from panicle initiation to heading stage, the most sensitive to salt injury, is important to reduce the salt content in saline soil. During the off-cropping season, plough and rotavation with flooding followed by drainage, or submersion and drainage with groove could improve the desalinization. Increase of nitrogen fertilizer with more split application, and soil improvement by lime, organic matter and forign soil addition, could increase the rice yield. Shift of trans-planting is one of the way to escape from the salt injury.