• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.681-687
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• 2008

It is well known that the water infiltration rate depends on soil properties such as soil water content, water head, capillary suction, density, hydraulic conductivity, and porosity. However, most of proposed infiltration models assume that the air phase is continuous and in equilibrium with the atmosphere or air compression and air entrapment on infiltration was not considered. This study presents experimental results on unsaturated water infiltration to relate air entrapment and hydraulic conductivity function based on soil air properties. The objectives of this study were to measure change of soil air pressure ahead of wetting front under air drain and air confined condition to find the confined air effect on infiltration rate, to reduce the entrapped air volume related with soil air pressure to increase the soil permeability, and to make a basis of infiltration process model for the purpose of improvement of infiltration rate in the homogeneous soil column. The results of the work show that soil air pressure increases according to increasement of the saturated soil depth rather than the wetting front depth during infiltration process.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.15-27
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• 2013

A vacuum pressure method has been developed to solve many problems in the conventional surcharge method such as embankments, and its application has increased in the country. Recently, to control target settlements in the field, there have been many studies on the comparison of settlements between vacuum pressure method and surcharge load method in the same conditions. In this study, the settlement characteristics of soil subjected to vacuum pressure and surcharge pressure are discussed. The results indicate that if vacuum pressure is applied to the improvement of soft ground, there will be inward lateral displacement and the vacuum pressure will induce generally less settlement than a surcharge load of the same magnitude. The range of settlement reduction ratio is 0.54~0.67 based on Hooke's law, 0.91 based on field cases, 0.81 based on laboratory oedometer tests, 0.75 based on the theory of elasticity and coefficient of volumetric compressibility and 0.77~0.93 in its recent applications to the thick soft ground.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.395-403
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• 2005

Purpose: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major nosocomial pathogen in the intensive care units (ICUS). The purpose of this case-control study is to identify risk factors for acquisition of MRSA during ICU stays in patients with and without MRSA. Method: The study was conducted in a 16 beds-neurosurgical intensive care unit of a 2200-bed tertiary care university hospital in Seoul, Korea. Medical record and Critical Classification Scoring System were reviewed retrospectively in patients who were admitted more than 3 days from August 1, 2003 to May 30, 2004. Cases and controls were matched for age and gender. The obtained specimens were nasal swab and sputum. Result: There were 950 patients' admissions during the period. Among them, MRSA was isolated from twenty-three patients who were considered as hospital acquired. Artificial airway (p=.045), frequency of suction (p=.002), nasogastric tube (p=.004), wound drain (p=.045), and vancomycin (p=.019) were risk factors for MRSA acquisition in univariate analysis. Frequency of suction (p=.012, OR 3.5) was revealed as the only risk factor in multivariate conditional logistic regression. Conclusion: Our findings give support to recent studies that suggest that frequent physical contact maγ increase the nosocomial acquisition of MRSA in a neurosurgical ICU.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.449-457
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• 2018

Background Although previous studies have focused on determining prognostic and causative variables associated with fistula-related complications after head and neck reconstructive surgery, only a few studies have addressed preventive measures. Noting that pooled saliva complicates wound healing and precipitates fistula-related complications, we devised a continuous suction system to remove saliva during early postoperative recovery. Methods A continuous suction system was implemented in 20 patients after head and neck reconstructive surgery between January 2012 and October 2017. This group was compared to a control group of 16 patients at the same institution. The system was placed orally when the lesion was on the anterior side of the retromolar trigone area, and when glossectomy or resection of the mouth floor was performed. When the orohypopharynx and/or larynx were eradicated, the irrigation system was placed in the pharyngeal area. Results The mean follow-up period was $9.2{\pm}2.4$ months. The Hemovac system was applied for an average of 7.5 days. On average, 6.5 days were needed for the net drain output to fall below 10 mL. Complications were analyzed according to their causes and rates. A fistula occurred in two cases in the suction group. Compared to the control group, a significant difference was noted in the surgical site infection rate (P<0.031). Conclusions Clinical observations showed reduced saliva pooling and a reduction in the infection rate. This resulted in improved wound healing through the application of a continuous suction system.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2020

Background Closed-suction drains are widely used in expander-based breast reconstruction. These drains are typically removed using a volume-based criterion. The drainage volume affects the hospital stay length and the recovery time. However, few studies have analyzed the factors that influence drainage volume after expander-based breast reconstruction. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data regarding daily drainage from patients who underwent expander-based breast reconstruction between April 2014 and January 2018 (159 patients, 176 expanders). Patient and operative factors were analyzed regarding their influence on total drainage volume and drain placement duration using univariate and multivariate analyses and analysis of variance. Results The mean total drainage volume was 1,210.77±611.44 mL. Univariate analysis showed correlations between total drainage volume and age (B=19.825, P<0.001), body weight (B=17.758, P<0.001), body mass index (B=51.817, P<0.001), and specimen weight (B=1.590, P<0.001). Diabetes history (P<0.001), expander type (P<0.001), and the surgical instrument used (P<0.001) also strongly influenced total drainage. The acellular dermal matrix type used did not affect total drainage (P=0.626). In the multivariate analysis, age (B=11.907, P=0.004), specimen weight (B=0.927, P<0.001), and expander type (B=593.728, P<0.001) were significant predictors of total drainage. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the total drainage and the duration of drain placement needed after expander-based breast reconstruction can be predicted using preoperative and intraoperative data. Patient age, specimen weight, and expander type are important predictors of drainage volume. Older patients, heavier specimens, and use of the Mentor rather than the Allergan expander corresponded to a greater total drainage volume and a longer duration of drain placement.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.41-52
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• 2012

Suction drain method can directly apply vacuum pressure to the soft ground through vertical drains so it can make hardening zones around them. These hardening zones make steeply lower the discharge efficiency of the pore water with decreasing permeability. This paper considered a stepped vacuum pressure to minimize a hardening zone which is one of the important parameters that can decrease discharge efficiency. A series of laboratory tests were conducted in order to examine the effect of the hardening zones and to evaluate their effects to the ground improvements with varying durations which applied stepped vacuum pressures(-20kPa, -40kPa, -60kPa and -80kPa) with Busan marine clay. According to strength(CPT), water content test and theoretical investigation indicate a size of the hardening zone within 7cm and the decreasing ratio of permeability about 2.0~4.0. Also, the total settlements are larger for the stepped vacuum pressure than the instant vacuum loading. The application time with vacuum pressure is determined considering the geotechnical properties of the interested clays. Results of numerical analysis show that consolidation behavior is appropriate to measurement for considering hardening zones.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.81 no.2
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• pp.106-115
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• 2018

Chest tube insertion is a common procedure usually done for the purpose of draining accumulated air or fluid in the pleural cavity. Small-bore chest tubes (${\leq}14F$) are generally recommended as the first-line therapy for spontaneous pneumothorax in non-ventilated patients and pleural effusions in general, with the possible exception of hemothoraces and malignant effusions (for which an immediate pleurodesis is planned). Large-bore chest drains may be useful for very large air leaks, as well as post-ineffective trial with small-bore drains. Chest tube insertion should be guided by imaging, either bedside ultrasonography or, less commonly, computed tomography. The so-called trocar technique must be avoided. Instead, blunt dissection (for tubes >24F) or the Seldinger technique should be used. All chest tubes are connected to a drainage system device: flutter valve, underwater seal, electronic systems or, for indwelling pleural catheters (IPC), vacuum bottles. The classic, three-bottle drainage system requires either (external) wall suction or gravity ("water seal") drainage (the former not being routinely recommended unless the latter is not effective). The optimal timing for tube removal is still a matter of controversy; however, the use of digital drainage systems facilitates informed and prudent decision-making in that area. A drain-clamping test before tube withdrawal is generally not advocated. Pain, drain blockage and accidental dislodgment are common complications of small-bore drains; the most dreaded complications include organ injury, hemothorax, infections, and re-expansion pulmonary edema. IPC represent a first-line palliative therapy of malignant pleural effusions in many centers. The optimal frequency of drainage, for IPC, has not been formally agreed upon or otherwise officially established.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.75-87
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• 2010

Incessant rainfalls in unsaturated soil raises pore water pressure and drops shear stress. Controlling pore water pressure in unsaturated soil prevents pressure increase and leads to slope stability. Laboratory experiment of pore water absorption in soil tank has been conducted for pore pressure decrease in soil slope under artifical rainfall supplied in varying rainfall indensities. Soil slope failure triggers the deepening of the wetting front to critical depth accompanied by decrease in matric suction induced by water infilteration. This paper addresses an experimental design for absorption pipe to prevent pore pressure increase in unsaturated soil slope from heavy rain. It is expected that absorption pipe will be widely used in unsaturated soil slope to strengthen slope stability.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2022

In this study, the individual vacuum seepage consolidation method, a new soft ground improvement method, was developed to supplement the conventional suction drain method (individual vacuum preloading method) and the geotechnical behavior was predicted through numerical analysis. If the individual vacuum seepage consolidation method applied, the effect of accelerating settlement and increasing the amount of settlement was high when the aquifer was located in the middle or at the bottom of the layer to the target improvement layer. It was found that the pumping amount in the aquifer does not affect the settlement behavior when it exceeds a certain level. Even vacuum pumping wells were installed in various locations, such as inside or outside of the embankment, the difference in settlement and horizontal displacement was insignificant. In addition, it was predicted that the settlement rate was the fastest and the horizontal displacement (inward) was large when both methods were carried out at the same time. Since this method can reach the target settlement amount very quickly, it was confirmed that it is possible to increase the spacing of vertical drain, thereby securing economic feasibility.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.335-339
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• 2006

Objective : The authors present eight cases of immediate post-operative epidural hematomas[EDHs] adjacent to the craniotomy site, describe clinical details of them, and discuss their pathogenesis. Methods : Medical records of eight cases were retrospectively reviewed and their clinical data, operation records, and radiological findings analyzed. Any risk factors of the EDHs were searched. Results : In 5 of 8 cases, adjacent EDHs developed after craniotomies for the surgical removal of brain tumors. Three cases of adjacent EDHs developed after a pterional approach and neck clipping of a ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm, a ventriculoperitoneal shunt, and a craniotomy for a post-traumatic EDH, respectively. In all eight cases, brain computed tomography[CT] scans checked immediately or a few hours after the surgery, revealed large EDHs adjacent to the previous craniotomy site, but there was no EDH beneath the previous craniotomy flap. After emergent surgical removal of the EDHs, 7 cases demonstrated good clinical outcomes, with one case yielding a poor result. Conclusion : Rapid drainage of a large volume of cerebrospinal fluid or intra-operative severe brain collapse may separate the dura from the calvarium and cause postoperative EDH adjacent to the previous craniotomy site. A high-pressure suction drain left in the epidural space may contribute to the pathogenesis. After the craniotomy for brain tumors or intracranial aneurysms, when remarkable brain collapse occurs, an immediate postoperative brain CT is mandatory to detect and adequately manage such unexpected events as adjacent EDHs.