• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.353-356
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• 2015

Background: In 2012, the Alaska Section of Epidemiology investigated personnel potentially exposed to a Brucella suis isolate as it transited through three laboratories. Methods: We summarize the first implementation of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2013 revised recommendations for monitoring such exposures: (1) risk classification; (2) antimicrobial postexposure prophylaxis; (3) serologic monitoring; and (4) symptom surveillance. Results: Over 30 people were assessed for exposure and subsequently monitored for development of illness. No cases of laboratory-associated brucellosis occurred. Changes were made to gaps in laboratory biosafety practices that had been identified in the investigation. Conclusion: Achieving full compliance for the precise schedule of serologic monitoring was challenging and resource intensive for the laboratory performing testing. More refined exposure assessments could inform decision making for follow-up to maximize likelihood of detecting persons at risk while not overtaxing resources.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.379-402
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• 2021

Traditional approaches for structural health monitoring (SHM) seldom take ambient uncertainty (temperature, humidity, ambient vibration) into consideration, while their impacts on structural responses are substantial, leading to a possibility of raising false alarms. A few predictors model-based approaches deal with these uncertainties through complex numerical models running online, rendering the SHM approach to be compute-intensive, slow, and sometimes not practical. Also, with model-based approaches, the imperative need for a precise understanding of the structure often poses a problem for not so well understood complex systems. The present study employs a data-based approach coupled with Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) to correlate recorded response time histories under varying temperature conditions to corresponding damage scenarios. EMD decomposes the response signal into a finite set of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). A two-dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (2DCNN) is further trained to associate these IMFs to the respective damage cases. The use of IMFs in place of raw signals helps to reduce the impact of sensor noise while preserving the essential spatio-temporal information less-sensitive to thermal effects and thereby stands as a better damage-sensitive feature than the raw signal itself. The proposed algorithm is numerically tested on a single span bridge under varying temperature conditions for different damage severities. The dynamic strain is recorded as the response since they are frame-invariant and cheaper to install. The proposed algorithm has been observed to be damage sensitive as well as sufficiently robust against measurement noise.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.737-744
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• 2021

In this study, structural health monitoring (SHM) methods of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) were investigated using electrical resistance. The developed sensing technique monitored electrical resistance in accordance with the impact damage of a CFRP. The changes in electrical resistances with multiple electrode sets enabled SHM without extra sensors so that this technique can be called self-sensing. Moreover, this study proposed electrodes only at peripheral side of a structure to minimize the number of electrodes compared to those in an array which has square number of sensors as the sensing area increases. For the intensive investigation, electromechanical sensitivity in terms of electrode distance was analyzed and optimized under drop weight impact testing. Then, SHM methods with electrodes in an array and electrodes in peripheral edges were comparatively investigated. The developed methods successfully localized impact damages into 2D coordinates. Furthermore, damage severity can be shown with a damage map by calculating electrical resistance change ratio. Therefore, structural health self-sensing system using electrical resistance was successfully developed with the minimum number of electrodes.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.458-472
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• 2017

The optical properties and direct aerosol radiative forcing (DARF) of different aerosol components in $PM_{2.5}$ (water-soluble, insoluble, black carbon (BC), and sea-salt) were estimated using the hourly resolution data measured at Aewol intensive air monitoring site on Jeju Island during 2013, based on a modeling approach. In general, the water-soluble component was predominant over all other components with respect to its impact on the optical properties(except for absorbing BC) and DARF. The annual mean aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 500 nm for the water-soluble component was $0.14{\pm}0.14$ ($0.04{\pm}0.01$ for BC). The total DARF at the surface ($DARF_{SFC}$) and top of the atmosphere ($DARF_{TOA}$), and in the atmosphere ($DARF_{ATM}$) for most aerosol components(except for sea-salt) during the daytime were highest in spring and lowest in fall and/or summer. The maximum $DARF_{SFC}$ of most aerosol components occurred around noon (12:00~14:00 LST) during all seasons, while the maximum $DARF_{TOA}$ occurred in the afternoon (13:00~16:00 LST) during most seasons (except for spring). In addition, the estimated $DARF_{SFC}$ and $DARF_{ATM}$ of the water-soluble component were -20 to $-59W/m^2$ and +3.5 to $+14W/m^2$, respectively, while those of BC were -18 to $-29W/m^2$ and +23 to $+37W/m^2$, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.39-42
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• 2013

Objective : Obtaining real-time image is essential for neurosurgeons to minimize invasion of normal brain tissue and to prompt diagnosis of intracranial event. The aim of this study was to report our three-year experience with a mobile computed tomography (mCT) for intraoperative and bedside scanning. Methods : A total of 357 mCT (297 patients) scans from January 2009 to December 2011 in single institution were reviewed. After excluding postoperative routine follow-up, 202 mCT were included for analysis. Their medical records such as diagnosis, clinical application, impact on decision making, times, image quality and radiologic findings were assessed. Results : Two-hundred-two mCT scans were performed in the operation room (n=192, 95%) or intensive care unit (ICU) (n=10, 5%). Regarding intraoperative images, extent of resection of tumor (n=55, 27.2%), degree of hematoma removal (n=42, 20.8%), confirmation of catheter placement (n=91, 45.0%) and monitoring unexpected complications (n=4, 2.0%) were evaluated. A total of 14 additional procedures were introduced after confirmation of residual tumor (n=7, 50%), hematoma (n=2, 14.3%), malpositioned catheter (n=3, 21.4%) and newly developed intracranial events (n=2, 14.3%). Every image was obtained within 15 minutes and image quality was sufficient for interpretation. Conclusion : mCT is feasible for prompt intraoperative and ICU monitoring with enhanced diagnostic certainty, safety and efficiency.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2023

Purpose : This study aimed to compare peripheral pulse oxygen saturation (SpO₂) values, measured at different monitoring sites, and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO₂) of neurocritical patients. Methods : The study included 110 patients admitted to the neurosurgical intensive care unit of a university hospital. The patients' SpO₂ values were measured in their index fingers, both second toes, both earlobes, and foreheads, using the patient monitoring system. These values were compared with the standard value of SaO₂ measured using a blood gas analyzer. Data were analyzed using descriptive values, Pearson's correlation coefficients, Lin's concordance correlation coefficients (CCC), and Bland-Altman plots. Result : Regardless of the measuring site, SpO₂ was correlated with the paired measurements of SaO₂ (r=.40~.60, p<.001, CCC range=.40~.58). No significant bias in paired measurements of SpO₂ and SaO₂ was observed at all sites (-0.06~0.19%, p>.05). SpO₂ values at the left finger and right earlobe had the narrowest range, with a 95% limits of agreement (LOA) (left finger -3.04~2.93% and right earlobe -3.18~2.79%). SpO₂ at the index finger, on the side without an arterial catheter, had a narrower range of 95% LOA than that of the opposing finger (-3.00~2.97% vs. -3.73~3.26%). Conclusion : SpO₂ at the finger without an arterial catheter had the highest level of precision. This study suggests using the index finger, on the side without an arterial catheter, for pulse oximetry in neurocritical patients.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.36.1-36.1
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• 2020

The progenitor of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) is mainly believed to be a carbon/oxygen white dwarf (WD) with non-degenerate (single degenerate) or another WD companion (double degenerate). However, there is little observational evidence of their progenitor system. Recent studies suggest that shock-breakout cooling emission after the explosion can constrain the size of the progenitor system. To do so, we obtained a optical/Near-IR light curve of SN 2019ein, a normal but slightly sub-luminous type Ia supernova, from the very early phase using our high-cadence observation of Intensive Monitoring Survey of Nearby Galaxies (IMSNG). Assuming the expanding fireball model, the simple power-law fitting of the early part of the light curve gives power indices of 1.91 (B) and 2.09 (R) implying radioactive decay of 56Ni is the dominant energy source. By comparison with the expected light curve of the cooling emission, the early observation provides us an upper limit of the companion size of R∗≤1R⊙. This result suggests that we can exclude a large companion such as red giants, which is consistent with the previous study.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.120-130
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• 2009

The objective of this study was to analyze and to improve therapeutic drug monitoring(TDM) service of vancomycin in a local hospital. Patients with TDM service between September 2005 and December 2008 were included and the data were collected for vancomycin use and components of TDM. During that period, 421 cases of TDM service of vancomycin in 236 patients were retrospectively reviewed. The first dosages of vancomycin were appropriate in 135(57.2%) patients and administration of vancomycin was discontinued in 126(53.4%) patients due to therapeutic failure or adverse drug reaction. MRSA was identified in 191(80.9%) patients and 135(70.7%) samples for the identification were sputum. According to the TDM reports, 232(55.1%) serum samples were obtained at the steady-state conditions and 55.5% of the samples that were drawn before the steady-state was due to the physician's inappropriate knowledge about the steady-state. Based on the time of vancomycin administration, 35.8% of the samples were not obtained at the recommended sampling time. For the patients in general wards, the most common reason for the incorrect samples was routine serum sampling by the laboratory medicine phlebotomists between 6 and 8 a.m. except sunday. In contrast, samples drawn by nurses or physicians at inappropriate time were the most common reason for the incorrect samples with patients in the intensive care units. Physicians accepted 68.5% of the recommendations for vancomycin dosage and administration. In conclusion, TDM service of vancomycin needs to be improved in inappropriate sampling time and vancomycin dosage. For solving these problems, current team made of TDM pharmacists and physicians of laboratory medicine can be expanded to include a physician of infectious diseases, nurses and laboratory medicine phlebotomists as new members. Through the TDM service of vancomycin by the new team, we can settle the problems and make the guideline for the scientific controversies associated with therapeutic monitoring of vancomycin.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.94-104
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to analysis of nursing interventions performed by the ICU nurses to the patients with cerebrovascular disorder practically from one university hospital in Seoul. The data were collected from 15 nurses with 86 cerebrovascular disorder cases from one ICU with the questionaire to write frequency of nursing care done by the surveyee from May, 2, 2000 to July, 3, 2000 and the list of 66 nursing interventions selected out of 433 NIC(Nursing Interventions Classification) of Iowa University which were translated into Korean (44 items) and core nursing interventions by ICU nurses (22 items; KIm, Su-Jin, 1997). The data were analysed with SPSS program. The results are as follow : 1. The most frequently used nursing interventions were vital sign monitoring, fall prevention, cerebral edema management, dysreflexia management, neurologic monitoring, cardiac care, communication enhancement, technology management, bed rest care, respiratory monitoring in rank. 2. The most frequently used nursing intervention domains were 'Physiological : Complex', 'Physiological : basic', 'Behavior', 'Safty', 'Health system' in rank. In the domain of physiological : basic, the most frequently used nursing interventions were bed rest care, urinary elimination management, tube care : urinary, physical restraints in rank. In the domain of physiological : complex, the most frequently used nursing interventions were cerebral edema management, dysreflexia management, neurologic monitoring, cardiac care in rank. In the domain of behavior, the most frequently used nursing interventions were communication enhancement, touch, active listening in rank. In the domain of safty, the most frequently used nursing interventions were vital sign monitoring, fall prevention in rank. In the domain of health system, the most frequently used nursing interventions were technology management, specimen management in rank. 3. some difference of the frequency practicing the nursing interventions according to the shift of duties was found. For example, medication administration was common at day duty, touch was practiced at evening duty, temperature regulation was performed.

• 한국정보통신설비학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.08a
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• pp.191-195
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• 2007

Recently, landslides frequently happen at a natural slope during period of intensive rainfall. With rapidly increasing population of steep terrain in Korea, landslides have become one of the most significant natural hazards. Thus, it is necessary to protect people from landslides and to minimize the damage of houses, roads and other facilities. To accomplish this goal, many landslide prediction methods have been developed in the world. In this study, a simple landslide prediction system that enables people to escape the endangered area is developed. The system is focused to debris flows which happen frequently during periods of intensive rainfall at steep slopes in Kangwondo. This system is based on the wireless sensor network that is composed of sensor nodes, gateway, and server system. Sensor nodes that are composed of sensing part and communication part are newly developed to detect sensitive ground movement. Sensing part is designed to measure tilt angle and acceleration accurately, and communication part is deployed with Bluetooth (IEEE 802.15. I) module to transmit the data to the gateway. To verify the feasibility of this landslide prediction system, a series of laboratory tests is performed at a small-scale earth slope supplying rainfall by artificial rainfall dropping device. It is found that sensing nodes installed at slope can detect the ground motion when the slope failure starts. It is expected that the landslide prediction system by wireless senor network can provide early warnings when landslides such as debris flow occurs, and can be applied to ubiquitous computing city (U-City) that is characterized by disaster free.