We evaluate the water content, hygroscopicity and water holding capacity in 40 healthy individuals and 17 leprosy patients by skin surface hydrometer(IBS Inc, Japan), and the correlation between the nerve destruction and the hydration state. In Eiealthy individuals the measuring sites were the flexor and extensor surfaces of the arm, forearm, thigh and leg, In leprosy patients we measured on the extensor surface of forearm with shows abnormal sensation, and opposite ar neighboring skin which shows normal sensation. The results are as follows: 1. The water content of healthy individuals is highest in the flexor surface af arm (49. 50 + 18.38ug ) and lowest in the extensor surface of leg(30.75 -12.09ug) 2. The hygrosccpicity of healthy individuals is highest in the flexor surface of arm(296. 30 + 70.75ug ) and lowest in the extensor surface of leg(24$. Q7+5) 5ppg) 3. The water content of the extensor surface of lorearm in leprosy patients, which .hows abnormal sensation, is decreased(16. 35 +20. 82 ug) and it is statisti calli significant when compared with healthy individuals(p<0.005). 4. The hygroscopicity of the extensor surface of forearm in leprosy patients. which shows abnormal sensation, is decreased(94. 29 + 71. 62 ug) and it is statistically significant when compared with opposite or neiphboring skin and healthy individuals(p<0. 005)
Arm ; Forearm ; Humans ; Leg ; Leprosy* ; Sensation ; Skin ; Thigh ; Water* ; Wettability

Juvenile xanthogranuloma is a benign disseminated xanthomatous and granulomatous condition of the skin and other organs. The skin lesions usually disappear spontaneously within 1 to 5 years. Our case was 4 month-old boy who had have match head to pea sized scattered yellowish papules and nodules on scrotum since age of 1 month and then these skin lesions gradually spread to trunk, face and scalp without subjective symptoms. Histopathologically, biopsy specimen of the trunk revealed massive accumulation of histiocytes at dermis. With fat stain, fat substance is demonstrated within the foamy histiocytes. The skull x-ray revealed coin sized, well circumscribed osteolytic lesion on the left parietal bone. By the age of two and half, most of the skin lesions and bone defect on skull x-ray disappeared spontaneously.
Biopsy ; Dermis ; Head ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Numismatics ; Parietal Bone ; Peas ; Scalp ; Scrotum ; Skin ; Skull ; Xanthogranuloma, Juvenile*

PURPOSE: The effectiveness of teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in schools is known to be higher among older students. However, several easier programs have been successful even for primary school children. The purpose of this study is to determine the optimal target age for teaching CPR in schools. METHODS: Six classes from the fifth to the tenth grade were randomly selected. A video-based self-instructional program was presented by health teachers in each school using the Korean version of CPR Anytime(TM) during normal school hours. Questionnaires were given after training to determine their degree of confidence in performing CPR, their willingness to perform CPR on a family, a friend, and a stranger, and at what age the children wanted to learn CPR. Skill tests were administered for several volunteer students. One week after the training, the students were asked to what extent they had shared their knowledge of CPR technique with other people. RESULTS: Two hundred one students were given the CPR instruction. The confidence in performing CPR was lowest among seventh grade children. The willingness expressed by the students to perform CPR on a family member, a friend, and a stranger were 99.5%, 95.7% and 58.8%, respectively, with boys in the tenth grade most willing to perform CPR on a stranger. The students responded that it is most suitable to learn CPR at grade 6.4+/-2.4. The highest average skill score of 9.5/11 was for sixth grade. The average distribution rate was 1.23, and again this was highest in sixth grade at 3.72. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the optimal target school age for CPR education using video-based self instruction may be at approximately the sixth grade.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation* ; Child ; Education* ; Friends ; Humans ; Programmed Instruction as Topic* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Volunteers

Background: The shelf life policies for central supply department (CSD) sterilized items and other devices should be determined by the healthcare facility's infection control program. We investigated effect of the sterility integrity of the CSD sterilized packs by wrapping-materials, storage period and environment to modify and extend current shelf-life. Methods: The first phase study was from May to October in 2000 and the second phase study was planned to extend further the shelf-life of the sterile packs from April 2001 to June 2002. Six hundred and fourty packs containing small gauze with four wrapping materials(100 times and 50 times washed two-ply reusable cotton, disposable craft paper, and disposable new pouch bag) and the 104 returned set after their shelf-life were stored on the top or middle of shelves or closed cabinets and storage durations from 1 to 20 weeks in the first phase study. The test packs were collected weekly and cultured in the laboratory. Five hundred seventy-six test packs were prepared with three wrapping materials (except 50 times washed cotton and returned set) and stored in the same location as the First phase study and collected and cultured monthly after three months storage (from July 2001) for one year in the second phase study. The temperature and relative humidity was monitored whenever the test pack was collected. Results: The gauze in the test packs were not contaminated until 154 days in the first study phase and until 423 days in the second phase study. The temperature and relative humidity of storage locations were 25.9degrees C and 55.2% in the first phase study and 26.0degrees C and 45.9% in the second phase study, respectively. Conclusions: There was no difference in the sterility integrity of the test packs with different wrapping materials. storage locations and environments. and storage durations. It was possible to extend shelf-life from two weeks to three and six months in the study hospital.
Delivery of Health Care ; Humidity ; Infection Control ; Infertility

Patients with NIDDM are at increased risk for the development of coronary atherosclerosis and experience more silent myocardial infarction than non-diabetic subjects. The screening tools for early detection of coronary artery disease without significant narrowing has been requested in diabetic patients. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) score, quantified by electron beam computed tomography (EBT), have been reported to correlate with the amount of atherosclerotic plaque and vascular luminal narrowing. We investigated the distribution of CAC score and associated risk factors in asymptomatic NIDDM patients and patients with ischemic heart disease to estimate the usefulness of CAC as a screenig tool for ischemic heart disease in asymptomatic diabetes. METHOD: 136 NIDDM patients without any symptom of coronary artery disease and 37 patients with significant coronary artery stenosis were included. CAC were measured by electron bean tomography (ultrafast CT). Forty contiguous 3-mm thickness transverse two-dimensional sections were obtained through root of aorta and heart. Coronary calcification were defined as the presense of at least two adjacent pixel within the border of visualized coronary artery with CT number of at least 130 HU. Body mass index, waist-hip ratio were measured and body fat components were counted by impedence method. Visceral fat versus subcutaneous fat ratio were calculated by abdominal computed tomography. Plasma lipid profile, fasting insulin, C-peptide level, HbA1c concentration were measured. Correlations between natural log of CAC score and clinical parameters were evaluated and multiple regression analysis with natural log of CAC score as a independent variable was performed. Coronary angiography were performed in 17 asymptomatic NIDDM patients.. RESULT: CAC score was significantly higher in male than female subjects and increased significantly with aging (p<0.01). In patients with hypertension, previous history of cerebrovascular or peripheral vascular disease (p<0.05), CAC score was significantly increased. The CAC score showed significant positive correlations with smoking amount, duration of diabetes and a negative correlation with HDL-cholesterol (p<0.05). There were no association between CAC score and total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, waist to hip circumference ratio, or fasting insulin levels. After adjustment of compounding variables (age, sex), duration of diabetes, amount of smoking and previous history of atherosclerotic vascular disease were shown to be associated with CAC score. In multiple logistic regression analysis with natural log of CAC score as dependent variable, age, HDL-cholesterol, duration of diabetes, male gender were found to be significant independent variables. Seventeen diabetic patients with high CAC score, were taken coronary angiography and significant luminal narrowings (more than 50%) of coronary artery were documented in 16 patients. But, In 7 out of 17 patients with coronary one-vessel disease, coronary calcification were not detected by EBT. CONCLUSION: coronary artery calcium score quantified by electron beam computed tomography may be useful for screening of preclinical or asymptomatic coronary artery disease in asymptomatic NIDDM patients.
Adipose Tissue ; Aging ; Aorta ; Body Mass Index ; C-Peptide ; Calcium ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Disease ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Fasting ; Female ; Heart ; Hip ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Insulin ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; Phenobarbital ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Plasma ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed* ; Vascular Diseases ; Waist-Hip Ratio