• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.164-171
• /
• 2023

To control the spread of COVID-19, it is important to identify the infection in its incipient stages so that the infected persons can be dealt with accordingly. The currently used face to face sampling method may increase the risk of infection for medical professionals as it exposes them to the asymptomatic yet infectious patients. This can result in further increases in the load on the medical system and workload of the medical staff. As a solution to this problem, in this paper, we present a robotic system for rapid non-face-to-face automatic nasopharyngeal swab sample collection. The system consists of a custom designed 7-DoF manipulator equipped with a specially developed safety mechanism for restricting the maximum force applied by the tip of the swab. During the swab sampling process, the force applied by the tip of the swab is continuously monitored in real-time by a 3-axis force sensor in order to detect contact with the nasopharynx. The possibility of using this system for automaticnasopharyngeal swab sample collection is proven through experimentation with a phantom model.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.319-328
• /
• 2017

The identification of explosive residues on specimens obtained from an explosion event is a crucial factor for assessing the cause of the explosion. In order to detect the components of explosives, the explosive residues deposited on surfaces are commonly extracted using swabbing materials pre-wetted with an organic solvent. The residues are then analyzed with analytical instruments such as LC/MS and CE/MS. Most conventionally used swabbing media such as cotton swabs or cotton tip swabs seem unsuitable for extracting explosive residues from the surface of a large area of clothes because the swabbing materials tend to be damaged easily, and because only a relatively small amount of explosives is collected. To overcome these problems, we have introduced a novel wiper ($215{\times}210mm$, single layer, Yuhan-Kimberly, Republic of Korea) as a swabbing material to recover representative organic explosives, namely, TNT, RDX, tetryl, HMX, PETN, and NG, from a large area of clothes. Different sides of the wiper, which was folded in half five times, was used to swab the surface of a clothing. We compared this novel wiper with a cotton swab and a cotton tip swab in terms of the recovery efficiency for the aforementioned organic explosives by pre-wetting with methanol, acetone, and acetonitrile, respectively. We identified that this novel wiper collected a significantly higher amount of organic explosive residues than a cotton swab or a cotton tip swab when using methanol as an extracting solvent.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2010

Purpose: Diabetic foot infection is one of the most common and severe complications of diabetes mellitus that delays healing of the wound. Deep tissue biopsy is considered to be the gold standard method for antibiotic selection in treating infected chronic diabetic ulcers. However, swab culture or superficial tissue biopsy is often performed for a microbiologic test since deep tissue biopsy has limitations in application. The purpose of this study is to find out whether microbiologic results of swab culture or superficial tissue biopsy could be used for selection of antibiotics in treating diabetic ulcers. Methods: This study involved 42 patients with diabetic foot ulcers with negative results in bone probing test. Tissue samples for microbiologic tests were collected from all the patients by using superficial cotton swab, superficial tissue, and deep tissue. The microbiologic results of deep tissue biopsy were compared with swab culture and superficial tissue biopsy statistically. Results: Microbiology of the deep tissue showed the same results with those of the swab culture and superficial tissue in 67% and 71%, respectively. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the microbiology of the swab culture and superficial tissue does not coincide with that of the deep tissue. Conclusion: These results suggest that the microbiology of the swab culture and superficial tissue is not concordant with that of the deep tissue in infected chronic diabetic ulcers. To select appropriate antibiotic regimen, the speci specimen for the microbiologic test should be obtained from deep tissue.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.335-339
• /
• 2010

Purpose: Diabetic foot ulcer with osteomyelitis is notorious with its complexity and healing difficulties. Bone biopsy is considered to be the gold standard method of guidance for antibiotic therapy. However, it is often replaced by cultures of ulcer swabs or by superficial samples because of the technical difficulties and possible adverse events. In this study, we compared microbiologic results of bone biopsy with those of superficial tissue biopsy or swab culture to investigate concordance and diagnostic value in bone involved diabetic foot ulcers. Methods: This study involved 106 patients with diabetic foot ulcers who showed positive results in bone probing test. Tissue samples for microbiologic tests were collected from all the patients by using superficial cotton swab, superficial tissue biopsy, and bone biopsy. The microbiologic results of bone biopsy were compared with swab culture and superficial tissue biopsy statistically. Results: The positive predictive value of bone probing test for underlying osteomyelitis was 82.1%. Microbiology of the bone biopsy showed same results with those of the swab culture and superficial tissue in 64% and 63%, respectively. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the microbiology of the swab culture or superficial tissue did not coincide with that of the bone biopsy. Conclusion: These results suggest that the microbiologic results of superficial tissue or swab culture do not coincide with those of bony tissue. To select appropriate antibiotic regimen for diabetic ulcer with bone involvement, the specimen for the microbiologic test should be obtained from involved bone.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.317-327
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the effects of oral swab and non-swab using cold water gauze on patients' thirst and oral status following nasal surgery under general anesthesia. Methods: A non-equivalent control group was applied. Participants were divided into a control group (n=30) that was treated by cared for with cold water gauze application without oral swab and an experimental group (n=29) that was treated cared for with oral swab using cold water gauze after nasal surgery at the G University Hospital in Korea. Data were collected from May 14, 2020, to April 30, 2021, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, a chi-squared test, independent t-test, Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, and Mann-Whitney test. Results: The results showed no significant differences between the two groups in thirst (U=-0.04, p=.693) and overall oral condition (U=-0.34, p=.813) after the intervention. However, participants' thirst and oral condition were significantly improved in each group after intervention. Conclusions: It was confirmed that both oral care methods reduced thirst and improved oral condition after nasal surgery. These findings indicate the need for intervention for patients' thirst and oral condition after nasal surgery. Furthermore, they show that these oral care protocols can be used as a safe and effective nursing intervention for patients who undergo nasal surgery under general anesthesia.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.164-170
• /
• 2019

The absorption and release capacities, survival efficiency, and recovery rates of five kinds of transport media were evaluated based on the swab elution method (Quantitative) of CLSI (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute) M40-A2. Liquid media showed mostly better results than semi-solid media in the three evaluations. The flocked swabs had better ability to absorption and discharge bacteria than the standard swabs. The liquid medium (S4) had the best survival efficiency. Pneumococcal strains with poor growth had a higher survival efficiency and recovery rate in liquid media (S4, S5). The results of microbial recovery showed that S. pyogenes met all the CLSI standards in all media. S. pneumoniae was inadequate in the semi- solid media (S2, S3) and all the remaining media met the criteria. H. influenzae was unsuitable in semi-solid media (S1, S3) and met the criteria in semi-solid medium (S2) and liquid medium (S4, S5). The viability of the H. influenzae, pneumococcal strain causing respiratory disease, was poor in most media. Overgrowth of P. aeruginosa was observed at room temperature. The combination of liquid medium and flocked swab confirmed the best results in the three evaluation methods.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.63-69
• /
• 2002

This study was performed to investigate the effectiveness of the aspiration trap method for collection of sputum by comparing with the conventional method which was collecting specimens at canular cap swab. In this study, the author tested by two methods to collect specimens from 46 patients who were cared with tracheostomy and intubation at the intensive care unit of an university hospital in Pusan, and investigated the incidence of the lower respiratory tract infection, the consistency between the two methods, the level of specimen contamination. Major results were as follows: Among the patients, 35 were cared with tracheostomy and 11 were cared with intubation. In clinical diagnosis we were classified the subjects in to two group, 17 of pneumonia group and 29 of non-pneumonia group. A total of 247 strains were isolated. Among them, most three strains were Serratia marcescens (62 strains; 25.1%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (52 strains; 21.1%), and Acinetobacter baumannii (19 strains; 7.8%). Out of total, 188 (76.1%) strains were Gram negative bacilli. The isolated strains by the aspiration trap method were the average 2.1 strains, but by the canular cap swab method were 1.6 strains. In spite of the high contaminated possibility from the incision site and the oral cavity swab, the low isolated rates of the canular cap may be the dried environment of the canular of cap area. But the contamination rates were 57.2% of the canular cap, 51.5% of the oral swab and 50.5% of the incision site swab, respectively. The consistency of predominant microorganisms according to collection method were 86.7% of aspiration, 78.3% of canular, 74.3% of incision, and 63.6% of oral. In conclusion, the aspiration trap method fur the sputum collection from the patients with intubation of tracheostomy showed the lower contamination rate of the specimens and it was helpful for rapid, accurated interpretation of the lower respiratory tract infection and hospital infection.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.123-127
• /
• 1996

Purpose : The most patients with acute streptococcal pharyngitis lack of classic clinical manifestations, therefore diagnostic laboratory test such as the throat culture or a rapid antigen detection test are frequently employed in primary practices of developed countries. We'd like to know the accuracy of the throat swab culture as gold standard for diagnosis of streptococcal infection with studying the discordant and concordant rate of duplicate culture. Methods : The study included 89 normal school children (boys:50, girls:39) who were attending Uljin primary school in Uljin, Kyong Sang Buk Do on March 1996. We obtained simultaneous 2 times of throat swab from each subject, and plating and streaking on 5-7% of sheep blood agar separately. We counted the characteristic beta-hemolytic colonies after overnight incubation. Results : 1) The carrier rate of beta-hemolytic streptococci at first culture is 25.1% and second one is 29.2%. 2) Ten out of 89(11.2%) is discordant in duplicate culture. 3) Culture containing less than 50 colonies of beta-hemolytic streptococci (+2) in first culture is 70.4%, second one is 85.7%. 4) Number of colonies is less than 50 in all ten discordant children. Conclusions : The discordant rate of duplicate throat swab cullture for beta-hemolytic streptococci is 11.2%, even if the subjects are normal school children. About 5% of individuals harboring beta-hemolytic streptococci in the pharynx may be missed by a single throat culture. If we are trying to examine the patients with pharyngitis, the discordant rate will be much lower than this results.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.217-225
• /
• 1998

영국 Hertfordshire의 두지역에서 사육되고 있는 건강한 조랑말의 결막낭내 상존하고 있는 진균총의 분포도를 조사 비교하고자 36두 조랑말의 양안(총72안)의 상 하 결막낭에서 시료를 채취하여 진균을 분리 동정하였다. 총 76.4%의 안구에서 진균이 발견되었으며, 13종이 분리되었다. 전체적으로 가장 많이 분리된 진균은 Aspergillus spp(27.8%), Nocardia spp(25.0%), Cladosporium spp(19.4%), Penicillium spp(9.7%) 및 Penicillium spp(9.7%)순이었다. 1지역에서는 Nocardia spp와 Cladosporium spp가 가장 많이 분리된 반면, 2지역에서는 Aspergillus spp가 가장 많이 분리되었다. 상 하결막낭내 진균분리율의 차이는 상결막낭에서보다는 하결막낭내에서 진균이 유의성 있게 많이 분리되었다(p<0.05). 시료채취시에 사용된 swab의 상태에 따른 비교에서 건조된 swab과 젖은 swab간에는 통계적 유의성이 없었다.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.85-88
• /
• 1983

캄덴 카운티 청사에 있는 transformer에 화재가 난 후 건물내에 있는 60명의 혈야에서 PCB를 측정하였다. 화재가 발생한 건물내의 공기에서는 거의 검출되지 않았으나 transformer가 있는 방의 Swab Sample에서는 $52.6 \mug/cm^2$가 검출되었다. 건물을 재사용하기 전에 환기를 최대로 시킨후 다시 Swab Sample을 취했을때 12 Sample중 10주에서 PCB가 검출되지 않았다. 또한 혈야에서 PCB수준은 미검출에서 16ppb였으나 일반인에서도 69.2ppb까지 검출된것과 그밖에 17.6ppb까지 검출된 것으로 보아 화재후 PCB가 혈야중에서 증가했다는 증거는 없다고 본다. 이와 같이 혈청내에서 PCB가 증가하지 않은것은 화재후 즉시 청소와 환기를 실시한 결과로 본다.