PURPOSE: To evaluate the health status of institutionalized handicapped children, a general health assessment was done in an asylum in Taegu in May 1998. METHODS: Body measurements, including height, weight, head circumference, skin fold thickness and mid-arm circumference, were done with physical examination on 53 children. Blood tests and chest radiography were done, and fat impedance was measured. RESULTS: Of the 53 children, height, weight and head circumference were below the third percentile in 37(69.8%), 35(66%) and 28(52.8%) children, respectively. Body mass index, skin fold thickness and mid-arm circumference were below the third percentiles in 77.3, 50.9% and 56.6% of the children, respectively. Although serum protein levels were within normal range, anemia was detected in 31 children(58.5%). Two children showed interstitial pneumonia on chest radiograms. And HBsAg was detected in three but their liver enzymes were within normal limits. CONCLUSION: Due to the poor nutritional status of handicapped children in the asylum, the prevalence of anemia was high. Evaluation of the nutritional status and hemoglobin measurernent must be included in the routine health assessment of these children.
Anemia ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Daegu ; Disabled Children ; Disabled Persons* ; Electric Impedance ; Head ; Hematologic Tests ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Humans ; Liver ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Nutritional Status ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence ; Radiography ; Reference Values ; Skin ; Thorax

Segmental dilatation of small intestine or colon can induce signs of intestinal obstruction, such as abdominal distension, vomiting and constipation. There are no anatomical gross obstructive lesions, and moreover, ganglion cells are observed in both dilated and undilated distal segments of the intestine. It often accompanied by other congenital anomalies. We reported two cases of segmental dilatation of the intestine in the newborn infants, one in small intestine and the other in colon, with brief review of the related literatures.
Colon ; Constipation ; Dilatation* ; Ganglion Cysts ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Intestine, Small ; Intestines* ; Vomiting

A study was made in the congenital anomalies in 137 babies born to 120 mothers with hydramnios, delivered at Ilsin Christian Hospital between Jan. 1st 1981 and Dec. 31th 1990. The results were as follows; 1) The incidence of hydramnios was 1.6/1000 deliveries, 120 cases in total 73, 129 deliveries. 137 infants was born and of these 71 (51.8%) had congenital anomalies. 2) Hydramnios was assiciated with a high incidence of prematurity and low birth weight infant. 3) The incience of multiple anomalies was 54.9% (39 out of 71 infants). The most common system involved with the congenital anomalies was the musculoskeletal system, 28.9% (39 cases out of 135) and the most frequent anomaly was anencephaly, 15 cases. 4) The perinatal mortality rate was 759/1000 total (104 cases) and of these 45 cases, 43.3% were associated with congenital anomalies. 53 of the live birth had congenital anomalies and of these 27 cases (50.9%) died in the neonatal period.
Anencephaly ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Live Birth ; Mothers ; Musculoskeletal System ; Parturition* ; Perinatal Mortality ; Polyhydramnios*

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the effect of hand massage in patients who underwent transradial percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS: This was a quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group and non-synchronized design. The study included 30 patients in the experimental group and 30 in the control group. Hand massage was performed 2 times for 5 minutes each in the experimental group and the control group only received usual nursing interventions. Pain, level of discomfort, and vital signs were defined as key outcome measures, and the data were analyzed using the chi-square test, an independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, repeated-measures analysis of variance, and Friedman test. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between the 2 groups in the pain score (F=7.91, p=.003), discomfort score (F=18.15, p < .001), pulse (F=12.92, p < .001), and respiration rate (χ2=19.35, p < .001). CONCLUSION: Hand massage can be a helpful nursing intervention for transradial percutaneous coronary intervention by reducing pain and discomfort to a considerable degree.
Hand* ; Humans ; Massage* ; Non-Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Nursing ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention* ; Respiratory Rate ; Vital Signs

The cytologic findings in fine needle aspiration of a case of myxoid liposarcoma of the mediastinum are described. The smear and cell block of the aspirate revealed solid clusters with background of amorphous material and scattered single tumor cells. The clusters were moderately cellular and consisted of atypical lipoblasts in varying stages of differentiation and delicate plexiform capillaries. Good correlation was found between the histologic and cytologic findings in the fine needle aspirates. The differential diagnosis between myxoid liposarcoma and other myxoid soft tissue tumors is discussed,
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Capillaries ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Liposarcoma, Myxoid ; Mediastinum ; Needles ; Neural Tube Defects* ; Urological Manifestations*

PURPOSE: Through a survey undertaken among doctors practicing pediatric patients in primary medical facilities on nutrition during infancy, the present study was done to determine whether these doctors were giving appropriate advice on infant nutrition. METHODS: We visited pediatric specialists(group one) and non-pediatric specialists or general practitioners(group two) who were practicing in Daegu to ask them to fill out a questionaire on infant nutrition. RESULTS: When 10 points were given to each question for a total of 100 points, the results of the evaluation showed that the score in group one was 73.0+/-15.8 points and 45.1+/-18.4 points in group two, showing a significant difference. No statistical difference was seen in the scores between non-pediatric specialists and general practitioners. Each answer to each question on the feeding period of breast milk, on loose stools during breast milk feeding, methods to deal with jaundice during breast milk feeding, choice of commercial baby food, criteria on directing soy milk, and criteria of guiding infant cereal was different between group one and two. CONCLUSION: The results of the present investigation showed that specialists in other fields or general practitioners were giving inappropriate advice on nutrition during the infant stage compared with pediatric specialists; thus, we need to confirm methods to prevent inappropriate consultations by specialists of other fields, together with continued education of pediatric specialists.
Edible Grain ; Counseling* ; Daegu ; Education ; General Practitioners ; Humans ; Infant* ; Jaundice ; Milk, Human ; Referral and Consultation ; Soy Milk ; Specialization

Primary small cell carcinoma of the salivary gland is a rare neoplasm that accounts for approximately 1.8% of all primary major salivary gland malignancies. Because of its rarity, it is difficult to diagnose small cell carcinoma of the parotid gland by fine needle aspiration cytology(FNAC). We experienced a case of primary small cell carcinoma of the parotid gland in a 72-year-old woman who presented with two palpable masses of the left infraauricular and ocular regions of two to three month's duration, respectively. Aspirate smears from the left infraauricular area were highly cellular on necrotic and lymphocytic background and showed individually dispersed cells or three-dimensional clusters of small cells. The tumor cells were round to oval with a very high nucleocytoplasmic ratio. Nuclei were about two times the size of lymphocytes and had uniformly dispersed but hyperchromatic to pyknotic chromatin. Nucleoli were occasionally visible but were generally inconspicuous. Numerous mitotic figures were detected. The clusters of these small tumor cells exhibited angular nuclear molding, irregular nuclear outlines, and occasionally rosette like arrangement. The tumor was confirmed by histology and immunohistochemistry.
Aged ; Animals ; Benzodiazepines* ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Chromatin ; Female ; Fungi ; Humans ; Immobilization* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphocytes ; Parotid Gland ; Rats* ; Receptors, GABA-A* ; Salivary Glands ; Thyroid Gland

PURPOSE: Cepharanthin (R) has been reported to improve the symptoms of intractable or steroid-resistant chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). We report the clinical efficacy of oral high dose Cepharanthin (R) in refractory chronic ITP. METHODS: We analyzed eleven patients who were diagnosed as chronic ITP at the Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Hospital from January, 2002 to February, 2004. After informed consent patients with platelet count below 20, 000/mm3 were treated with Cepharanthin (R) at the initial dose of 5 gm/day. The doses were increased up to 15 gm/day if there was no response. For the purposes of this study, complete remission was defined as an elevation of the platelet count > or =50, 000/mm3 from the baseline after 4 weeks of treatment. Partial remission was defined as an elevation of the platelet count 20, 000/mm3 and < = or50, 000/mm3 from the baseline. RESULTS: Seven boys and four girls with a median age of 10 were enrolled. Two to four weeks after the initiation of this therapy, 4 patients showed their platelet counts over 50, 000/mm3 1 patients reached partial remission state, 6 patients had no response. Side effects of Cepharanthin (R) were not observed in all patients. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the oral administration of Cepharanthin (R) could be a beneficial and a safe treatment strategy for the refractory chronic ITP patients. Further studies should be performed to elucidate the mechanism of responses.
Administration, Oral ; Child* ; Female ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Pediatrics ; Platelet Count ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic* ; Seoul

PURPOSE: Reorganization of mossy fiber terminals in the supragranular layer of the dentate has been found in hippocampi of human epileptics and animal models by Timm staining. Many studies have provided evidence that mossy fiber sprouting is strongly associated with neuronal loss. But the question of whether cell loss is necessary for stimulation of mossy fiber sprouting is remained to be answered. In this present study, we evaluated whether hippocampal mossy fiber sprouting is induced in damaged hippocampus of the rats exposed to hypoxic-ischemic insults in juvenile and adult period. METHODS: At ages of 4-5 weeks and 2 months, the experimental rats were received procedure of right carotid artery unilateral ligation under anesthesia. After 3 hours of the recovery period, they were placed in an airtight 2000ml chamber and exposed to a 8% oxygen-92% nitrogen mixture delivered at 5 liter/min for 90 minutes (juvenile) and 50 minutes (adult). After the recovery period, The animals were returned to cages and housed with controls. 2 weeks later, rats of the control and hypoxic-ischemia group were anesthetised and then perfused with sodium sulfide solusion and fixed. 40micrometer (for Timm stain) and 5micrometer (for H & E stain) coronary brain sections were obtained, stained with Timm method and H < E stain for the observation of the neuronal loss and supragranular Timm granules in the hippocampi. RESULTS: Light microscopic examination of the brains from hypoxic-ischemic animals demonstrated ischemic changes of variable degrees in the hippocampal hilar and pyramidal cell layers. No supragranular mossy fiber sprouting were found in hippocampi of juvenile and adult rats with hypoxic-ischemic damages. CONCLUSION: These results implicated that hippocampal mossy fiber sprouting is not induced in the experimental hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy of juvenile and adult rats, although cellular loss is found in hippocampus. Neuronal loss might be not necessary for the development of mossy fiber sprouting.
Adult ; Anesthesia ; Animals ; Brain* ; Carotid Arteries ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; Ligation ; Models, Animal ; Mossy Fibers, Hippocampal* ; Neurons* ; Nitrogen ; Pyramidal Cells ; Rats* ; Sodium

PURPOSE: There has been a number of reports on elution of bisphenol-A, an endocrine disrupting chemical, from milk bottles, all concerning the potential health effect of the substance. In this study, we measured the elution of bisphenol-A from milk bottles during boiling-water sterilization, to suggest a safe sterilization method. METHOD: Through the survey of 200 mothers, 78.5% of them expressed their concern on the possible harmful effect of bisphenol-A, which might be eluted from the bottles. And it was found that most mothers use boiling-water to sterilize bottles; duration of boiling bottles could be divided into three groups of 3, 5, and 10 minutes. We measured the elution of bisphenol- A from three different brands of bottles, subject to various mode of sterilization found in the survey. RESULT: In all the measurements, the concentration of the eluted bisphenol-A was in the range of 0.3 - 0.7 ppb, far below 2.5ppm, the level set up by Korea Food & Drug Administration(KFDA) for a potential harmful effect. CONCLUSION: Although trace amount of bisphenol -A can be eluted from polycarbonate milk bottles during sterilization, and bottle feeding, the amount is found to be too small to cause any health related impact for infants.
Bottle Feeding ; Disinfection* ; Humans ; Infant ; Korea ; Milk ; Mothers ; Sterilization ; Child Health