• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.234-236
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• 2013

Some of radioactive contamination is unavoidable in the facilities using the unsealed radioactive material. The primary purpose of radioactive contamination control in the workplace with contamination concern is the effects from the potential intake of radioactive material into the body. This paper provides procedures to estimate the level of internal exposure for the worker based on the conservative assumptions and simple calculations. They consist of two processes; to calculate air concentration of radioactive material and annual intake by inhalation with contaminated air and to compare each of them to Derived Air Concentration and Annual Limit on Intake mentioned in the related notification. The procedures are applicable to make a decision on practical requirements for monitoring air contamination and internal exposure of worker as follows; needs for measurement of air contamination and internal exposure and acquisition of information on the design of the ventilation system.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.76 no.4
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• pp.188-191
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• 2014

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) is a disease characterized by an acute febrile onset, eosinophilia in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and a dramatic response to corticosteroids. Although many studies have reported a close relationship between direct cigarette smoking and AEP, few studies have identified an association between passive smoking and AEP. Here, we report a case of AEP in a 19-year-old female with cough, fever, and dyspnea after 4 weeks of intense exposure to secondhand smoke for 6 to 8 hours a day in an enclosed area.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.76 no.2
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• pp.75-79
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• 2014

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a toxic chemical commonly used as a degreasing agent, and it is usually found in a colorless or blue liquid form. TCE has a sweet, chloroform-like odor, and this volatile chlorinated organic chemical can cause toxic hepatitis, neurophysiological disorders, skin disorders, and hypersensitivity syndromes. However, the hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) attributed to TCE has rarely been reported. We hereby describe a case of HP associated with TCE in a 29-year-old man who was employed as a lead welder at a computer repair center. He was installing the capacitors on computer chip boards and had been wiped down with TCE. He was admitted to our hospital with complaints of dry coughs, night sweats, and weight losses for the past two months. HP due to TCE exposure was being suspected due to his occupational history, and the results of a video-associated thoracoscopic biopsy confirmed the suspicions. Symptoms have resolved after the steroid pulse therapy and his occupational change. TCE should be taken into consideration as a potential trigger of HP. Early recognition and avoidance of the TCE exposure in the future is important for the treatment of TCE induced HP.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.51-54
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• 2006

Objectives : To express an opinion on the controversy about the cold exposure as one of the risk factors of Bell's palsy. Results & Conclusions : It is widely assumed that there is a causal relationship between Bell's palsy and herpes family virus. Regarding cold exposure as one of the risk factors of Bell's palsy, however, some physicians do not accept that cold exposure could be one of the risk factors of Bell's palsy. There is no evidence supporting the hypothesis that the virus causes Bell's palsy, and it has yet to be confirmed. As there are some experimental and clinical reports suggesting that Bell‘s palsy is related to the cold exposure, we cannot exclude the possibility that the cold exposure may be one of the important risk factors of Bell's palsy. It would be necessary to undertake further studies to determine this.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.39-48
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• 2011

In mass casualty situation due to radiological accidents, it is important to start aggressive management with rapid triage decisions. External contamination needs immediate decontamination and internal contamination should be treated with special expertise and equipment to prevent the rapid uptake of radionuclides by target organs. Acute radiation syndrome shows a sequence of events that varies with the severity of the exposure. More severe exposures generally lead to more rapid onset of symptoms and severe clinical findings. After the massive exposure, various systems of the body reflect their severe damages that can lead to death within hours or up to several months. The disease progression has classically been divided into four stages: prodromal, latent, manifest illness, and recovery or death. Three characteristic clusters of symptoms including the hematopoietic syndrome, the gastrointestinal syndrome and the cerebrovascular syndrome are all associated with the acute radiation syndrome. The standard medical management of the patients with a potentially survivable radiation exposure includes good medical, surgical and supportive measures. Specific treatment with cytokines and bone marrow transplantation should be considered. The management of internal contamination is much the same as the treatment of poisoning. The standard decontamination should be applied to reduce uptake, and the chelating agents can be administered to enhance the clearance of radioisotopes. Radioactive iodine ($^{131}I$) as one of the nuclear fission products can increase the incidence of thyroid cancer in children. Potential benefit of potassium iodide prophylaxis is greater especially in neonates, infants and small children.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2011

Tritium is the one of the most important radionuclide for workers in nuclear power plants (NPPs) and the public, from the dosimetric point of view. Humans are likely to have internal radiation exposure by tritium inhalation. Radiation exposure by tritium accounts for approximately 7% and 60~90% of the total radiation exposure of NPP workers and the public during normal operation, respectively. Thus, many researches have been conducted to estimate the internal dose by tritium precisely in the world. In terms of tritium dosimetry, this paper provides the current status of research for tritium metabolism and dosimetry.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.667-674
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• 2019

Because examination with technegas produces images through simple diffusion accumulation, the examination room can become contaminated after scan. Therefore, radiation workers and patients awaiting examination will be affected by internal exposure from technegas inhalation. Before and after gravity ventilation, I am trying to find a way to reduce the exposure dose of waiting patients according to a comparative analysis of horizontal spatial dose rates over time. Spatial dose ratio were measured for 10 minutes from various distances and angles around ventilator's location before and after gravity ventilation. Then, mean values, standard deviation and reduction ratio were calculated. The highest reduction rate of gravity ventilation was 95.31% and the highest reduction ratio was 1 to 3 minutes. Therefore, the gravity ventilation could reduce the exposure dose of radiologic technologists, waiting patients, patient guardians and nurses. In conclusion, the reduction of the exposure dose during the technegas ventilation study through gravity ventilation will play a role in optimiging the protection and it is in accordance with the recommended reduction of the medical exposure by ICRP 103.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.317-320
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• 2005

More strict radioactive regulations are applied to Korean nuclear power plants (NPPs) since ICRP-60 recommendation for radiation protection and has been enforced since 2003. In particular. carbon-14 and tritium concentrations are significantly higher at CANDU reactors compared to PWR reactors and this increases the risk of internal radiation exposure to workers at CANDU NPPs. Thus, it is necessary to estimate the exact amount of internal radiation exposure to workers fur radiological protection at CANDU reactors. In this paper, the current dosimetry method for carbon-14 is analyzed for the establishment of internal dosimetry for carbon-14 at domestic NPPs.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.154-162
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• 2020

Background: Several studies have reported that wild mushrooms contain high amounts of radioactive cesium (137Cs). After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident, a significantly high concentration of 137Cs has been detected in wild mushrooms, and their consumption may be the cause of the chronic internal exposure of local consumers to radioactivity. Therefore, an accurate evaluation of the internal radioactivity resulting from mushroom ingestion is needed. Materials and Methods: The 137Cs elution rate through the cooking and digestion stages was evaluated using in vitro experiments. The edible mushroom Pleurotus djamor was taken as a sample for the experiments. The mushrooms were cultivated onto solid media containing 137Cs. We evaluated the internal dose based on the actual conditions using the elution rate data. For various cooking methods, the results were compared with those of other wild edible mushrooms. Results and Discussion: From the elution experiment through cooking, we proved that 25%-55% of the 137Cs in the mushrooms was released during soaking, boiling, or frying. The results of a simulated digestion experiment after cooking revealed that almost all the 137Cs in the ingested mushrooms eluted in the digestive juice, regardless of the cooking method. The committed effective dose was reduced by 20%-75% when considering the dissolution through the cooking process. Conclusion: We found that cooking lowers 137Cs concentration in mushrooms, therefore reducing the amount of radioactivity intake. Besides, since there were differences between mushroom types, we demonstrated that the internal exposure dose should be evaluated in detail considering the release of 137Cs during the cooking stages.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.43-47
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• 2023

Streptococcus suis (S. suis) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that causes bacterial meningitis in humans. S. suis is an encapsulated gram-positive facultative anaerobic bacterium and is an important pathogen in pigs. This infectious disease usually manifests in humans as meningitis, endocarditis, septicemia, and arthritis. Most cases originate in Southeast Asia, and human S. suis infections are often reported in countries with a high density of pigs. Meningitis is a common clinical manifestation of S. suis infection. Moreover, hearing loss is a common complication that can be bilateral, profound, and/or permanent. This report presents two cases of bacterial meningitis and hearing loss caused by S. suis in patients without a history of direct exposure to pigs in an intensive pork industry region.