We report two human cases of tick bite. A 63-year-old male had a pruritic pea-sized brownish nodule on the left popliteal area. Another 41-year-old male had an asymptomatic bean-sized black nodule in the pubic area. The ticks were identified as Ixodes nipponensis, which are the 18th and the 19th cases in Korea.
Adult ; Animals ; Bites and Stings/*parasitology/pathology ; Human ; *Ixodes/anatomy & histology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin/*parasitology/pathology ; Tick Infestations/*parasitology/pathology

Plsama and urinary Mg were measured in relation to EKG change in 24 patients with liver cirrhosis, and summarized as below. 1. Plasma albumin and Ca were below normal, however Na, K, and Mg level were in the lower limit of normal. 2. Abnormal EKG findings were QT prolongation, ST elevation, peaked T, low T, ST depression and U wave in the order of frequency. 3. Coefficient of correlation between plasma Mg and QT prolongation was -0.5 compared with that of Ca-0.28. 4. Mg depletion was moderately correlated with plasma albumin (r=0.59). 5. Marked urinary Mg excretion in the presence of normal plasma Mg suggest that plasma Mg level poorly reflect total Mg depletion.
Depression ; Electrocardiography* ; Electrolytes* ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Magnesium* ; Plasma* ; Serum Albumin

No abstract available.
Female ; Perinatal Mortality* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Multiple*

To understand the possible hazards to health from the environmental pollution in Korea, the articles reported in 16 daily newspapers were collected and analyzed. From 1980 to 1991, ninety three cases were reported. Statistics show that, during the last 2 years, there has been a remarkable increases of health problems reported. The main sources of pollution were plants and the transportation facilities. Except the noise, the exact causative factors were, for the most part, not clearly described. Although many residents complained of neurological symptoms, the exact effects on health were not clearly investigated. The responses of the residents were diverse in the contents of the demand and the method of its pushing, however, the government did not show immediate and consistent counterplans.
Environmental Pollution ; Korea ; Newspapers* ; Noise ; Transportation ; Periodicals

BACKGROUND: Acne is a common skin disorder which affects both adolescents and adults. However, there have been few Korean epidemiological studies conducted. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence, demographic factors, clinical features and aggravating factors of acne. We also investigated the relationship of these factors. METHODS: Epidemiological and clinical data was obtained by interviewing 657 acne patients, newly enrolled at Seoul National University Hospital Acne Clinic between 1996 and 2004. RESULTS: Most patients were found to have facial acne, and the forehead and cheeks were the most common sites where acne first developed. Males tended to visit the hospital because of social problems compared to females. We identified some significant correlations with sex, age of onset, disease duration, first affected site, seborrhea, and family history. Acne lesions developed earlier and disease duration was longer in the group with a family history of acne or severe seborrhea. More than 80% of patients were found to have subjective symptoms, including pain and itching which were most frequent. The degree of seborrhea was higher and the aggravation after sun exposure was more frequent in the group where complete remission of acne had not been achieved. Aggravation of acne was most frequent in summer, followed by winter. CONCLUSION: We could investigate the epidemiological and clinical features of acne patients, including the age of onset, motive of treatment, subjective symptoms, plus outcome of treatment according to remission history of acne, as these factors have never been reported in the Korean literature before.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Age of Onset ; Cheek ; Demography ; Dermatitis, Seborrheic ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Forehead ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence ; Pruritus ; Seoul* ; Skin ; Social Problems ; Solar System

PURPOSE: This study was done to compare the level of parenting stress, entrapment, satisfaction of paternal support, and marital satisfaction between employed and non-employed mothers and to identify significant predictors for parenting stress. METHODS: With a cross-sectional, correlational study design, a sample of study was consisted of 175 women who were employed or non-employed with preschool children through convenience sampling. Data were collected with a structured self-administered questionnaire and analyzed by chi-square-test, t-test, Pearson's coefficients, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS program. RESULTS: Results shows that the level of parenting stress of nonemployed mothers was significant higher than that of employed mother. The parenting stress was negatively correlated to marital satisfaction and positively correlated to entrapment in both of them. Entrapment was significant predictors explaining parenting stress in both of them and level of maternal education and satisfaction of paternal support and was significant predictors explaining parenting stress of non-employed mothers. CONCLUSION: Entrapment was very important factors to management parenting stress of both employed and non-employed mothers. Especially, satisfaction of paternal support and marital satisfaction was very important factor to manage parenting stress of mothers.
Child, Preschool ; Employment ; Female ; Humans ; Mothers ; Parenting ; Parents ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Background: The highly lipid soluble opioid, fentanyl, has a rapid onset and short duration of action. The present study was designed to examine the analgesic efficacy and side effects of the combination of fentanyl with morphine in patients using intravenous PCA. Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to receive one of three PCA regimens: M4 group (40 mg morphine+90 mg ketorolac+1.5 mg dorperidol), M2F2 group (20 mg morphine+200 ug fentanyl+90 mg ketorolac+1.5 mg dorperidol), or M2F4 group (20 mg morphine+400 ug fentanyl+90 mg ketorolac+1.5 mg dorperidol). All patients were given initial loading dose of 0.1 mg/kg morphine plus 1 mg droperidol at the end of surgery. Pain score, side effects, and overall satisfaction were assessed at 30 min, 1 hr, 8 hr, 24 hr, and 48 hr postoperatively. Results: The pain score was significantly higher in the M2F2 group than in the M4 group and M2F4 group during 1 hr and 8 hr postoperatively. The total opioid consumption was significantly greater in the M2F4 group than in the M4 group. Patient satisfaction was better in the M2F4 than other two groups. There were no differences in the overall incidence of side effects among three groups. Conclusions: The present results suggest that the combination of fentanyl with morphine for intravenous patient-controlled analgesia is a useful method, and the double dose of fentanyl in comparison with the equipotent morphine dose is recommended in the early postoperative period.
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled* ; Droperidol ; Fentanyl* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Morphine* ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Patient Satisfaction ; Postoperative Period

Intraaortic balloon counterpulsation (IAB) has been shown to prolong survival in the critically ill cardiac patients. Originally developed for use in the patients with cardiogenic shock, the indications have been expanded. But despite technical advances, the complication rate associated with IAB remains high. The most commonly reported complications include damage to the femoral artery and distal embolization. Other reported major complications are balloon rupture, limb loss, bleeding, systemic infection and bowel infarction. We report a patient complicated by ischemic colitis causing stenosis and intestinal obstruction after IAB insertion.
Colitis, Ischemic* ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Counterpulsation* ; Critical Illness ; Extremities ; Femoral Artery ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infarction ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Rupture ; Shock, Cardiogenic

No abstract available.
Knee* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

Solid and Papillary epithelial neoplasm of pancreas is a rare and low grade malignant tumor. It develops in 2nd or 3rd decades of young female and located in tail of pancreas predominantly. Prognosis is good despite its various histologic features, which suggest a malignant appearance. We report one case of solid and papillary epithelial neoplasm in head of pancreas in a 11-year-old girl who had been suffered from vomiting and right upper abdominal pain for 3 weeks.
Abdominal Pain ; Child* ; Female* ; Head* ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial* ; Pancreas* ; Prognosis ; Vomiting