• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제74권3호
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• pp.120-123
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• 2013

Inhalation of toxic gases can lead to pneumonitis. It has been known that methane gas intoxication causes loss of consciousness or asphyxia. There is, however, a paucity of information about acute pulmonary toxicity from methane gas inhalation. A 21-year-old man was presented with respiratory distress after an accidental exposure to methane gas for one minute. He came in with a drowsy mentality and hypoxemia. Mechanical ventilation was applied immediately. The patient's symptoms and chest radiographic findings were consistent with acute pneumonitis. He recovered spontaneously and was discharged after 5 days without other specific treatment. His pulmonary function test, 4 days after methane gas exposure, revealed a restrictive ventilatory defect. In conclusion, acute pulmonary injury can occur with a restrictive ventilator defect after a short exposure to methane gas. The lung injury was spontaneously resolved without any significant sequela.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.333-338
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• 2016

Background: In case of radiation emergencies, internal exposure monitoring for the members of public will be required to confirm internal contamination of each individual. In-vivo monitoring technique using portable gamma spectrometer can be easily applied for internal exposure monitoring in the vicinity of the on-site area. Materials and Methods: In this study, minimum detectable doses (MDDs) for $^{134}Cs$, $^{137}Cs$, and $^{131}I$ were calculated adjusting minimum detectable activities (MDAs) from 50 to 1,000 Bq to find out the optimal in-vivo counting condition. DCAL software was used to derive retention fraction of Cs and I isotopes in the whole body and thyroid, respectively. A minimum detect-able level was determined to set committed effective dose of 0.1 mSv for emergency response. Results and Discussion: We found that MDDs at each MDA increased along with the elapsed time. 1,000 Bq for $^{134}Cs$ and $^{137}Cs$, and 100 Bq for $^{131}I$ were suggested as optimal MDAs to provide in-vivo monitoring service in case of radiation emergencies. Conclusion: In-vivo monitoring program for emergency response should be designed to achieve the optimal MDA suggested from the present work. We expect that a reduction of counting time compared with routine monitoring program can achieve the high throughput system in case of radiation emergencies.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.109-114
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• 2010

Bioassay data analysis software (BiDAS-2007) has been developed by KAERI, which adds several new functions to its previous version. New functions of the BiDAS-2007 computer code enable the user not only to do a simultaneous analysis by using two or more types of bioassay for the best internal dose evaluation, but also to do a continual internal dose evaluation from a change of the internal exposure conditions such as an intake type (acute, chronic), an intake pathway (inhalation, ingestion), an absorption type (Type F, M, S), and a particle size (AMAD, activity median aerodynamic diameter), and also to estimate the intakes in various conditions of an internal exposure at a time. The values calculated by the BiDAS-2007 code are consistent and in good agreement with those values by IMIE-2004 code by Berkovski and IMBA code by Birchall. The BiDAS-2007 computer code is very useful and user-friendly to estimate the radionuclide intakes and committed effective doses of a radiation worker.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.209-221
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• 1994

원자력발전소의 중대 사고시 대기로 방출된 방사성물질에 의해 피폭자가 사고후 일생동안 받게 될 전신 피폭선량과 핵종의 상대적 중요도를 방출점으로부터 거리에 따라 각 피폭경로에 대해 평가하였다. 방사능운과 지표에 침적된 방사성물질에 의한 외부피폭, 호흡과 오염된 음식물섭취에 의한 내부피폭이 피폭경로로 고려되었다. 오염된 음식물섭취에 의한 영향은 우리나라 환경을 고려하여 개발된 동적 삽식경로모델 KORFOOD을 사용하여 침적시점과 침적후 시간에 따른 음식물내 방사성물질의 농도 변화를 고려하였다. 방출점으로부터 80km까지 피폭선량을 평가한 결과, 오염된 음식물섭취에 의한 영향이 가장 높았다. 핵종별 기여도는 방사능운에 의한 외부피폭과 호흡에 의한 내부피폭의 경우 I, 침적된 방사성물질에 의한 외부피폭의 경우 Cs에 의한 영향이 가장 높았다. 오염된 음식물섭취에 의한 내부피폭의 경우 Cs은 여름철 침적, Sr은 겨울철 침적에 보다 중요한 영향을 미쳤다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.280-286
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• 1991

Dark-blue pigmentation has been thought to be related to smoking or occupational exposure and has been regarded as anthracotic pigmentation. It is also frequently observed in non-smokers without occupational exposure, but there is no proven mechanism of pigmetation. To investigate clinical features and to find other causes of dark-blue pigmentaion, retrospective analysis was done in 59 patients who showed anthracotic pigmentation on bronchoscopy during recent 5 years in Seoul National University Hospital. The results were as follows; 1) Forty cases were non-smokers, while smokers were 19 cases. 2) Fifteen cases had history of tuberculosis, but there was no history of environmental exposure. 3) Mediastinal calcification was observed in 89.7%. 4) There was significant bleeding without exception when biopsy was done at the pigmentation site. 5) In patients with pigmentation only, hemoptysis and productive cough were main chief complaints, and chest X-ray showed atelectasis, infiltration, mass, or pleural change. 6) The number of patients whose lesion of X-ray corresponds to pigmentation site were 19/30 in tuberculosis, 4/30 in DILD and 7/30 in other diseases.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제41권5호
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• pp.437-444
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• 2018

Whole-Body counters have been used to evaluate the internal contamination of gamma emitting radionuclides. Among the whole-body counters used in domestic nuclear facilities, Fastscan made by CANBERRA contains 2 NaI(Tl) detectors and is generally used to monitor the primary internal exposure. It has the advantage of achieving MDA even with short time measurements. Accuscan is a bed type, and has good energy resolution because it is composed of HPGe detector. Since the Accuscan with better energy resolution than Fastscan has better able to identify radionuclides, it is used to monitor secondary internal exposure. Some nuclear facilities have only Fastscan. We analyzed statistically whether Fastscan is enough to ensure accuracy and precision comparing with Accuscan. To do this, we prepared a CRM created by the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science. We also obtained the data of 6 Fastscans and 5 Accuscans in domestic nuclear facilities. As a result of the study, although Fastscan compared with Accuscan is not as accurate as the Accuscan, the precision is statistically same. However, accuracy of Fastscan is in compliance with international standards except low energy range. In terms of accuracy and precision except radionuclides emitting low energy, it is possible to measure radioactivity inside workers even in nuclear facilities where only Fastscan is used.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.211-215
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• 2015

원자력사고 등의 방사선비상시 환경으로 누출된 방사성물질은 일반인의 내부피폭을 야기할 수 있다. 특히 감마선 방출핵종의 내부피폭의 경우 전신계수기가 널리 사용되지만 현장에서 신속히 내부피폭을 분류하는 용도로는 부적합하다. 본 연구에서는 휴대용 감마스펙트로메터를 비상시 내부피폭 신속분류에 적용하기 위하여 몬테카를로 전산모사 방법을 이용하여 NaI 검출기의 계측효율을 BOMAB 팬텀의 크기별로 평가하였다. 두 가지 측정 지오메트리에서 계측효율을 비교한 결과 앉은 모델에서의 계측효율이 서 있는 모델에 비해 약 1.1배 높은 계측효율을 나타내었다. 하지만 측정 지오메트리에 의한 계측효율 차이보다 신체크기에 따른 계측효율 차이가 크게 발생하는 것을 확인하였다. 특히 신체크기가 작은 4세 팬텀의 경우 표준남성과 비교하면 약 2.4~3.1배의 높은 계측효율을 나타내어 신체크기가 상이한 일반인을 대상으로 내부피폭을 모니터링할 경우 반드시 계측효율에 대한 고려가 필요한 것으로 확인되었다.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.26-33
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• 2001

The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between ambient hexavalent chromium concentration and the concentration of the chromium in whole blood, plasma, erythrocytes, and its urinary excretion of male rats after inhalation exposure of sodium chromate during 1, 2, and 3 weeks. 1. Differences of mean chromium concentration in urine, whole blood, erythrocytes, and plasma of male rats exposed to sodium chromate by exposure level were statistically significance, respectively. 2. At low and high exposure groups, differences of mean chromium concentration in urine, whole blood, erythrocytes, and plasma of male rats by duration of inhalation exposure were statistically significance, respectively. 3. Ratio of whole blood chromium to plasma chromium increased with the increased duration of inhalation exposure of sodium chromate. 4. Ambient hexavalent chromium was positively and strongly correlated with in erythrocyte chromium, and also erythrocyte chromium was strongly correlated with in whole blood chromium. In conclusion, this study showed that chromium in erythrocyte increased with the increased exposure level and exposure duration, therefore this study suggests that chromium in erythrocytes is a good biological exposure index of the internal dose from exposure to soluble hexavalent chromium compound.

• 대한임상독성학회지
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.101-105
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• 2004

Purpose: Paraquat is the most commonly used herbicide in Korea. Exposure to paraquat through the skin has resulted in local irritation or inflammation of varying degree, sometimes severe. The purpose of this study was to review the patients with paraquat poisoning by skin absorption. Methods: We analysed retrospectively the clinical and laboratory findings of 45 patients with paraquat poisoning after dermal exposure, who were admitted to Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital from January 1999 to December 2003. Results: Among 870 cases of paraquat poisoning, 45 cases were exposed to paraquat through the skin. The peak incidence was the fifth decade($40\%$). The clinical symptoms were pain, pruritus, nausea, and vomiting. The major skin lesions were generalized vesicobullae and necrotic erosion in face, scrotum, trunk, upper and lower extremities and etc. All patients were survived after skin contact or inhalation of paraquat. Conclusion: This study illustrates the extreme toxicity of paraquat and demonstrates that lethal quantities of paraquat may be absorbed if repeated exposure to it. Stricter precautions, including the mandatory use of protective clothing, should be recommended whenever this material is used.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제85권3호
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• pp.237-248
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• 2022

Background: We evaluated the effect of particulate matter (PM) and cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on bronchial epithelial cell survival, as well as oxidative stress and autophagy levels. Moreover, we aimed to assess the effect of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the adverse effects of PM and CSE exposure. Methods: Normal human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B cells) were exposed to urban PM with or without CSE, after which cytotoxic effects, including oxidative stress and autophagy levels, were measured. After identifying the toxic effects of urban PM and CSE exposure, the effects of NAC treatment on cell damage were evaluated. Results: Urban PM significantly decreased cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner, which was further aggravated by simultaneous treatment with CSE. Notably, pretreatment with NAC at 10 mM for 1 hour reversed the cytotoxic effects of PM and CSE co-exposure. Treatment with 1, 5, and 10 mM NAC was shown to decrease reactive oxygen species levels induced by exposure to both PM and CSE. Additionally, the autophagy response assessed via LC3B expression was increased by PM and CSE exposure, and this also attenuated by NAC treatment. Conclusion: The toxic effects of PM and CSE co-exposure on human bronchial epithelial cells, including decreased cell viability and increased oxidative stress and autophagy levels, could be partly prevented by NAC treatment.