• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.332-338
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a hybrid arch bar (hAB) with the conventional Erich arch bar (EAB) for the management of jaw fractures, focusing on their use for temporary fixation in patients undergoing open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). Materials and Methods: Patients presenting with maxillary and mandibular fractures at our institution were included in this prospective, comparative study. Placement time and ease of occlusal reproducibility were recorded intraoperatively for Group A (hAB patients) and Group B (EAB patients). The primary outcome was comparison of the postoperative stability of the two arch bars. Postoperative measurements also included mucosal overgrowth, screw loosening or wire retightening, and replacement rates. The data were tabulated and computed with a P<0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The study included 41 patients. A statistically significant difference was observed in postoperative stability scores (3) between Group A and Group B (85.0% vs 9.5%, P=0.001). The mean placement time in Group A (23.3 minutes) significantly differed from that in Group B (86.4 minutes) (P<0.001). The ease of intraoperative occlusion was not different between the two groups (P=0.413). Mucosal overgrowth was observed in 75.0% of patients (15 of 20) in Group A. Conclusion: The hAB was superior to EAB in clinical efficiency, maxillomandibular fixation time reduction, stability, versatility, and safety. Despite temporary mucosal overgrowth, the benefits of hAB outweigh the disadvantages. The choice between hAB and EAB should be based on specific clinical requirements.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.103-111
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• 2023

The caving property of top coal is a key factor to the success of top coal caving mining. The influence law of cyclic loading and unloading of hydraulic support on top coal caving is of great significance to improve the recovery rate of top coal. The similar simulation methods were used to study the dynamic evolution of the top coal cracks under the multi-cycle action of the support, and the parameters of top coal cracks were analyzed quantitatively in this paper. The results show that the top coal cracks can be divided into horizontal cracks and vertical cracks under the cyclic loading and unloading of the support. With the increase of the times of the support cycles loading and unloading, the load on the support decreases, the fractal dimension of the cracks increases, the number and total length of the top coal cracks increases, and the top coal caving is getting better. With the increase of the times of multi-cycle loading and unloading, the fractal dimension, total crack length and crack rate of top coal show a trend of rapid increase first and then increase slowly. Both the total length of the top coal cracks and the crack rate basically show linear growth with the change of the fractal dimension. The top coal caving can be well improved and the coal resource recovery rate increased through the multi-cycle loading and unloading.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.137-145
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• 2023

In this paper, we propose system access control software that improves the survivability of the naval combat system while maintaining security and stability. The software was improved by improving the operating environment configuration and user authentication process of the system access control software that constitutes the naval combat system, defining the operating environment classification of the naval combat system, and applying a software parallel execution process considering the load rate. Through this, the waiting time required to configure the environment is shortened, providing rapid operation to the operator, and improving the fact that the naval combat system cannot be operated unless the environment configuration is completed even in emergency situations. In order to test the performance, a test environment was created by simulating the existing naval combat system, and the execution time for each operation category was measured and compared. Compared to the existing naval combat system, the execution time of the basic combat system was reduced by about 69.3%, the execution time of the combat system was reduced by about 54.9%, and the execution time of the integrated combat system was confirmed to be reduced by about 8.4%.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.2
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• pp.293-303
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• 2022

Thoracic foreign bodies (FBs) are serious and relatively frequent in emergency departments. Thoracic FBs may occur in association with aspiration, ingestion, trauma, or iatrogenic causes. Imaging plays an important role in the identification of FBs and their dimensions, structures, and locations, before the initiation of interventional treatment. To guide proper clinical management, radiologists should be aware of the radiologic presentations and the consequences of thoracic FBs. In this pictorial essay, we reviewed the optimal imaging settings to identify FBs in the thorax, classified thoracic FBs into four types according to their etiology, and reviewed the characteristic imaging features and the possible complications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.6
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• pp.1594-1599
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• 2021

A 64-year-old male visited our emergency department due to severe right flank pain after falling from a 2-meter height. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed a right hemothorax with multiple fractures in the right ribs and iliac bone. A small hematoma in the right perihepatic space was noted, but there was no hepatic laceration on CT. Initial surgical management led to continuous uncontrolled bleeding around the porta hepatis, and subsequent arterial angiography could not demonstrate a bleeding focus. However, immediate follow-up CT showed contrast extravasation on the left side of abdomen, and a percutaneous transhepatic portal venogram revealed active bleeding from the left portal vein. Although the wound was embolized with a glue, the patient suffered from a cardiac arrest and finally expired. In conclusion, during evaluation of abdominal trauma patients, portal vein bleeding and contrecoup injuries should be considered when hepatic arteriography findings are unremarkable.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.34.1-34.8
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• 2023

Background: Hydrogen sulfide is a toxic substance that humans can be exposed to occupationally, and cases of hydrogen sulfide poisoning of workers in industrial sites are commonly reported. However, there have been no cases of poisoning of the public due to an unauthorized discharge of wastewater, so it is important to describe this incident. Case presentation: In a small village in Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea, accounts of a terrible stench had been reported. A 26-year-old man who lived and worked in a foul-smelling area was taken to the emergency room with a headache, dizziness, nausea, and repeated syncope. A subsequent police and Ministry of Environment investigation determined that the cause of the stench was the unauthorized discharge of 9 tons of wastewater containing hydrogen sulfide through a stormwater pipe while the villagers were sleeping. The patient had no previous medical history or experience of symptoms. Leukocytes and cardiac markers were elevated, an electrocardiogram indicated biatrial enlargement, left ventricular hypertrophy, and corrected QT interval prolongation. Myocardial hypertrophy was detected on a chest computed tomography scan, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was confirmed on echocardiography. After hospitalization, cardiac marker concentrations declined, symptoms improved, and the patient was discharged after 7 days of hospitalization. There was no recurrence of symptoms after discharge. Conclusions: We suspect that previously unrecognized heart disease manifested or was aggravated in this patient due to exposure to hydrogen sulfide. Attention should be paid to the possibility of unauthorized discharge of hydrogen sulfide, etc., in occasional local incidents and damage to public health. In the event of such an accident, it is necessary to have government guidelines in place to investigate health impact and follow-up clinical management of exposed residents.

• Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.394-402
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• 2023

Backgrounds/Aims: Acute pancreatitis is an emergency presentation, which can range from mild to life threatening. Intravenous fluids are the cornerstone of management. Although the WATERFALL trial described the optimal fluid rate in mild/moderate pancreatitis, this trial excluded patients with moderate-severe/severe pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to establish clinical practice regarding intravenous fluid administration in acute pancreatitis and assess its effect on mortality. Methods: Prospective multi-centre audit of patients with acute pancreatitis was conducted. Data were collected regarding intravenous fluid administration within 72 hours of admission. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of 30-day mortality. Results: Those with severe pancreatitis received more fluid; median 5.7 L versus 4 L in 72 hours (p = 0.003). Participants with severe pancreatitis who died within 30 days received a median of 2,750 mL in the first 24 hours, compared to 4,000 mL in those who survived. The following factors were significant predictors of 30-day mortality: age, Glasgow score, C-reactive protein, ischaemic heart disease, and pancreatitis aetiology. Overall, volume of intravenous fluid was not associated with mortality. However, the effect of intravenous fluid volume on mortality differed significantly depending on pancreatitis severity. In severe pancreatitis, increased volume of intravenous fluid was associated with significant reductions in mortality (odds ratio = 0.655; 0.459-0.936; p = 0.020). Conclusions: In severe pancreatitis, more aggressive fluid prescription was associated with decreased mortality; however, this was not the case in milder disease. Further prospective trials guiding fluid resuscitation in severe pancreatitis are needed, as the impact of fluid on this population appears to differ from that in those with milder disease.

• Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.92-98
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• 2024

The solid pseudopapillary epithelial neoplasm (SPEN) of the pancreas is an uncommon tumor that accounts for approximately 1%-2% of exocrine pancreatic neoplasms. It predominantly affects female in their second and third decades of life. In this case report, we present a clinical scenario of a 21-year-old pregnant woman who incidentally discovered a solid cystic lesion in her pancreas, exhibiting features suggestive of SPEN. The patient underwent surgery during the second trimester. Management of pregnant females with SPEN poses challenges due to the absence of definitive treatment guidelines, particularly in determining the ideal timing for surgical intervention. Notably, during pregnancy, the presence of a small SPEN does not necessarily require immediate resection. However, if the tumor is of significant size, it can give rise to complications such as tumor rupture, multivisceral resection, recurrence, spontaneous abortion, intrauterine growth restriction, or premature delivery if not addressed. In the existing literature, a common finding is that approximately two-thirds of pregnant females with SPEN underwent surgery in the second trimester, often without complications for the mother or fetus. All these tumors were larger than 8 cm. The decision to operate before or after birth can be individualized based on team discussion. However, delay in surgery may lead to larger tumors and higher risks like bleeding, rupture, multivisceral resection, and recurrence. Therefore, second-trimester surgery seems safer, and lessens dangers, emergency surgery, and tumor recurrence.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.284-295
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• 2024

Chemical agents are classified according to their mechanism of toxicity into categories such as nerve agents, choking agents, blood agents, blister agents, etc. Among them, nerve agents cause toxic symptoms by binding with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the body, which breaks down neurotransmitters, thus disrupting the autonomic nervous system. In severe cases, this can lead to death, making it a critical chemical agent. Therefore, once it has penetrated into the human body, it is important to detoxify it swiftly. Antidotes used for detoxification include chemical medicines such as pretreatment agents, post-treatment agents, anticonvulsants, and bioscavengers. This review will address the uses, forms, components, and principles of detoxification of nerve agent antidotes and the association with bioscavengers.

• Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.333-338
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• 2022

Backgrounds/Aims: Bile duct stones (BDS) can be managed either prior to laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) using endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or with laparoscopic bile duct exploration (LBDE) at the time of LC. The latter is underutilised. The aim of this study was to use the dataset of the previously performed CholeS study to investigate LBDE hospital volumes, LBDE-to-LC rates, and LBDE outcomes. Methods: Data from 166 United Kingdom/Republic of Ireland hospitals were used to study the utilisation of LBDE in LC patients. Results: Of 8,820 LCs performed, 932 patients (10.6%) underwent preoperative ERCP and 256 patients (2.9%) underwent LBDE. Of the 256 patients who underwent LBDE, 73 patients (28.5%) had undergone prior ERCP and 112 patients (43.8%) had undergone prior magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. Fifteen (9.0%) of the 166 included hospitals performed less than five LBDEs in the two-month study period. LBDEs were mainly performed by upper gastrointestinal surgeons (84.4%) and colorectal surgeons (10.0%). Eighty-seven percent of the LBDEs were performed by consultants and 13.0% were performed by trainees. The laparoscopic-to-open conversion rate was 12.5%. The median operation time was 111 minutes (range: 75-155 minutes). Median hospital stay was 6 days (range: 4-11 days) for emergency LBDEs and 1 day (range: 1-4 days) for elective LBDEs. Overall morbidity was 21.5%. Bile leak rate was 5.3%. Thirty-day readmission and mortality rates were 12.1% and 0.4%, respectively. Conclusions: The single-stage approach to managing BDS was underutilised. An additional prospective study with a longer study period is needed to verify this finding.