An “online respiratory infectious disease nursing simulation course” was developed to strengthen the nursing competency in respiratory infectious disease. Methods: In this methodological study, an “online respiratory infectious disease nursing simulation course” was developed using the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) model and evaluated using a one-group pre-post quasi-experimental design to ascertain the respiratory infectious disease knowledge, performance confidence, and clinical performance of 37 nursing students. Results: The online course comprised 17 sessions categorized as follows: seven theory, five at-home laboratory training, two case study, and three simulation sessions. All the nursing students engaged in the course successfully fulfilled its requirements by attending all 17 sessions and passing the clinical performance examination. The knowledge, confidence, and clinical performance (t=-6.60, -10.62, and –6.36, respectively; p<.001 for all) pertaining to respiratory infectious disease significantly increased among participants after the concluding simulation session, compared with their pre-scores obtained prior to the course participation. Conclusion: The “online respiratory infectious disease nursing simulation course” significantly improved the nursing knowledge, performance confidence, and clinical performance ability of nursing students in managing respiratory infectious diseases.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of combined respiratory physical therapy on respiratory function, spinal curve and spinal mobility for community-dwelling elderlies with restrictive lung diseases. In total, 10 patients participated in an 8-week intervention program of thoracic cage mobilization and breathing exercise in combination. The results of the study are as follows: for respiratory function, the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity(FVC), and FEV1/FVC were significantly improved to .30±0.31ℓ, .46±.42ℓ, and 18.10±11.39%, respectively (p<.05). For spinal curve, the thoracic curve and the lumbar curve were improved significantly to -2.20±1.40° and -1.20±1.14°, respectively (p<.01). For spinal mobility, the thoracic flexion (3.40±2.99°), thoracic extension (3.50±1.43°), lumbar flexion (4.50±4.74°), and lumbar extension(- 1.50±1.84°) were all significantly improved (p<.05). These findings indicate that thoracic cage mobilization and breathing exercise in combination improve the respiratory function, spinal alignment, and spinal mobility in elderly people with restrictive lung diseases,

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the concentration of airborne particulate matter and heavy metals in the houses of the respiratory tract disease patients and a control group of residents in the city of Gwangyang. The particulate matter was measured using a mini-volume air sampler and then weighed three times using a micro balance to calculate the weighted average value. The heavy metals in the particulate matter were extracted using a hot plate and analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometer. The average concentration of particulate matter in the outdoor air (34.478 μm/m3) was higher than that in the indoor air (16.794 μm/m3), showing a statistically significant difference (p<0.001). The average concentration of copper, manganese and chromium in the indoor and outdoor air were higher in the houses of those in the study group than those of the control group. In addition, there was a generally high correlation between particulate matter in the outdoor air and heavy metals in the indoor and outdoor air concentration (p<0.05).

This study aimed to examine the effects of thoracic cage mobilization on the respiratory function, spinal curve and spinal movement in patients with restrictive lung diseases. The subjects were ten community- dwelling elderly with a restrictive lung diseases when measured using a spirometer(FEV1/FVC≤65%, FVC<80%). They received an intervention over an eight-week period: three times a week and for 30 minutes a day. SPSS for Windows(ver. 19.0) was used to analyze all the collected data. Independent t-tests were used to examine changes before and after the intervention. The study's results showed statistically significant improvement(p<.05) in forced expiratory volume in 1 second(chage rate: .24±.25), thoracic curve(chage rate: -2.50±2.76), lumbar curve(chage rate: -.80±1.32), thoracic flexion(chage rate: 2.10± 1.52), thoracic extension(chage rate: -2.00±1.25), lumbar flexion(chage rate: 2.40±3.13) and lumbar extension(chage rate: -1.30±1.42). The results of this study suggest that the thoracic cage mobilization contribute to improve pulmonary function in patients with restrictive lung disease.

Canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV) is commonly associated with canine kennel cough worldwide. Clinically infected dogs present coughing, sneezing, and nasal discharge. Severe infections may progress to pneumonia. Through serological surveys, CRCoV has been identified as a worldwide pathogen found in the respiratory tracts of dogs suffering from mild or severe respiratory disease. In this study, three dogs were obtained from a dog kennel. Over the previous 5 days, the dogs showed coughing, sneezing, and nasal discharge. To detect the etiologic pathogen, we performed multiplex RT-PCR (mRT-PCR) to amplify the genes encoding canine influenza virus matrix protein, canine distemper virus nucleocapsid protein, and CRCoV spike protein. Dot blotting was achieved with a CRCoV-specific probe. Nasal-secreting CRCoV was detected by the 442 bp CRCoV-positive PCR reaction in the nasal swabbing samples from dogs. Further, CRCoV-positive reactions by dot blot hybridization were detected in the nasal swabbing samples from dogs. In conclusion, we detected CRCoV in kenneled dogs with respiratory disease in Korea. Multiplex RT-PCR was able to detect successfully CRCoV infection in dogs. We suggest that mRT-PCR would be useful and effective for monitoring CRCoV infection in various kinds of dogs.

The lung and lymph node samples were collected from 786 pig farms associated with wasting and respiratory syndrome during 2005～2009. All samples were tested for the detection of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and the differentiation of its genotype using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). 643 farms (81.8%) of the pig farms examined were positive for PRRSV, of which 57.2% accounted for PRRSV type 1 and 70.2% accounted for PRRSV type 2. Furthermore, 37.5% of the farms positive for PRRSV, showed the coexistence of two genotypes. The results indicate that the PRRSV infections of single genotype or two genotypes are very common in Korean pig farms.

Absenteeism is an important index that is related not only to health but also to direct daily activities. It may lead to a student's poor educational performance and overall reduction in educational quality. Particularly, diseases causing school absenteeism are important for environmental health of children's study. However only a few studies regarding the effects of air pollution on school absenteeism due to respiratory disease have been reported. This study was performed to examine the effect of air pollution on absenteeism by respiratory disease, using school attendance reports from March 2002 to December 2004. In this study, we counted absenteeism numbers using school absenteeism data from the first to sixth grade and classified absenteeism into illness-related, non-illness-related and respiratory disease-related illness absences. To this end, we used air pollution data (CO, NO2, PM10, and SO2) and temperature and relative humidity data collected during the study period. Daily counts of absenteeism were analyzed by Generalized Additive Model after the adjustment of several factors such as seasonal variation, day of the week, and meteorological parameter confounders in a nonparametric approach. For each air pollutant, we analyzed illness-related absences, non-illness-related absences, and respiratory- illness related absences. Then, we considered both influenza and non-influenza related absenteeism type. In illness-related absences analysis, absenteeism risks increased to 1.05(1.02-1.08) for CO and 1.06 (1.02-1.10) for NO2 by each interquartile range change with adjustment for influenza. The risks for respiratory-related absences of CO and NO2 increased to 1.05(1.02-1.08) and 1.04(1.01-1.08), respectively by each interquartile range change with adjustment for influenza. However, in the analysis of non-illness-related absences, there were no significant risks for the effect of all air pollution. This result shows that air pollution can affect respiratory-related absences and provides a basis for developing environmental health policy against air pollution.

It is well known that atmospheric environments, including both meteorology and air quality, significantly affect public health, such as chronic lung disease and cancer, and respiratory infections. In this study, we have analyzed correlations between the number of daily respiratory outpatients and the atmospheric environments data for about ten years for the city of Busan, South Korea. The respiratory problem patients data have been categorized into two health-vulnerable groups by age over 65(DayPA_O65) and under 20(DayPA_U20), each of which shows relatively higher correlations with air quality and meteorology, respectively. However, time series analysis with factor separation results in that DayPA_O65 and DayPA_U20 show a higher relation with variance components and daily irregular factors of atmospheric concentrations, respectively.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of acute respiratory viral infection on Kawasaki disease. From July 2016 to June 2018, among the patients who underwent respiratory virus screening at the Kwangju Christian Hospital, those diag-nosed 88 patients with Kawasaki disease were enrolled in this study. The effects of acute respiratory viral infection on Ka-wasaki disease were compared according to whether 2nd intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment was administered or not, and whether coronary artery complications occurred. Respiratory virus was detected in 44 out of 88 patients. 2nd IVIG treatment rates were 16% (n=7) and 27% (n=12) in the virus positive group and the virus negative group, respectively (p>0.05). The incidence of coronary artery complications was 11% (n=5) and 25% (n=11) in the virus positive group and the virus negative group, respectively (p>0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation between the 2nd IVIG admin-istration and coronary artery complications following the detection of respiratory virus in patients with Kawasaki disease. We think it is necessary to actively study the effects of acute respiratory viral infection on Kawasaki disease through large-scale studies of multiple centers in the future.

This study aimed to analyze difference in clinical findings, including coronary artery complications, in patients with Kawasaki disease and respiratory symptoms with several respiratory infections. We studied 182 pediatric patients diagnosed with Kawasaki disease. Examinations for respiratory viral polymerase chain reaction were conducted in the group of patients with respiratory symptoms. Echocardiography was perfomed by a pediatric cardiologist, and laboratory findings were evaluated. Clinical manifestations and laboratory findings based on medical records were compared. There were no differences between patients with and without respiratory viral infections with respect to age, male-female ratio, coronary artery complications, Kawasaki disease-specific clinical manifestations, duration of fever, duration of hospitalization, or recurrence rate. There was a significant difference in C-reactive protein levels (55.6 vs. 73.9 mg/L) between the two groups, but the other laboratory findings. The rate of respiratory infections in pediatric patients with Kawasaki disease was similar to those reported in previous studies, and clinical manifestations and laboratory findings were not significantly different between the groups.

최근 언론을 통하여 백두산 화산분화에 대한 위험성이 보고되고 있으며, 이에 대응하기 위하여 백두산 화산 대응 기술 사업단이 소방방재청의 지원으로 출범 하였다. 백두산 화산은 중국과 북한의 국경에 위치하여 한반도까지 약 500 km 떨어져 있지만 백두산 화산이 대규모로 분출하는 경우 화산재가 남하하여 대한민국에 영향을 미칠 수 있다. 화산재에 의한 피해의 예로 2010년 아이슬랜드 Eyjafjallajökull 화산 폭발 시 대기에 분산되 화산재로 인하여 대규모 항공 장애가 발생하여 천문학적인 피해가 있었다. 이러한 물질적 피해 외에 1980년 미국의 St. Helens 폭발 당시 화산재에 의하여 여러 건강 문제가 제기 되었다. 따라서 백두산 화산의 대규모 분화에 대한 대비 및 대처가 필요하다. 앞서 설명하였듯이, 백두산 화산의 대규모 분화에 대한 관심이 높아지고 있는 시점에서, 화산 분화로 발생되는 화산재가 인체 건강에 어떠한 피해를 발생시키는 가에 대한 객관적이고 과학적인 연구가 필요하다.본 연구에서는 화산재에 의하여 발생 가능한 호흡기 질환에 초점을 맞추어 연구를 수행하였다. 먼저 화산재와 호흡기 질환과의 관계를 기존 연구 자료를 분석하여 파악하고 이를 바탕으로 백두산 화산 폭발 시 사용 가능할 것으로 기대되는 관리 기준에 관한 연구를 수행하였다.

Respiratory distress resulting from a neuromuscular disorder is often misdiagnosed and not managed properly until development of severe respiratory failure. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare but archetypical motor neuron disease. Most cases manifest as weakness, muscular atrophy, and progressive paralysis of the limbs. Late stage of the disease is characterized by respiratory failure due to respiratory muscle weakness. In a few cases, 3% of patients, respiratory failure is the initial presentation, preceding other symptoms. We report on a case of ALS accompanied by acute respiratory failure and weaning failure, with a review of the literature.