PURPOSE:Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis is the most common thyroid disease in children and adolescents, and also is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in children and adolescents. We studied the clinical manifestations and natural courses of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis in children and adolescents. METHODS:We analyzed retrospectively twenty one children and adolescents who were diagnosed as chronic autoimmune thyroiditis before 15 years of age. The diagnoses were made from July 1997 to February 2004 at Ajou Univesity Hospital. We reviewed the clinical manifestations and thyroid functions of these patients. RESULTS:Nineteen patients were female and two were male. The mean age at diagnosis was 9.95+/-3.1 years, the mean duration of follow up was 23.52+/-22.98 months. At diagnosis, the most common chief complaint was goiter (15 patients/21 patients) and the others were short stature, easy fatigue, cardiac murmur and weight loss. Eighteen patients had goiters at diagnosis. Four had familial history of thyroid disease, Three of them had maternal history of thyroid disease and one had paternal history of thyroid disease. At diagnosis, Seven patients were euthyroid and four patients were hyperthyroid, eighteen patients had antithyroglobulin antibody, seventeen patients had antimicrosomal antibody, fourteen patients had both of them. At last follow-up, eight patients were euthyroid and ten patients were hypothyroid, three patients were hyperthyroid. CONCLUSION: Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis in children and adolescents can have the various important influences on the metabolism including the growth. The clinical manifestations and thyroid functions should be monitored in children and adolescents with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis.
Adolescent* ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Fatigue ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Goiter ; Heart Murmurs ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Male ; Metabolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune* ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: A prospective, controlled trial was conducted to evaluate growth, bone mineralization, and nutritional status receiving preterm human milk supplemented with a newly formulated Maeil human milk fortifier. METHODS: Twenty five fortified human milk-fed and preterm formula-fed infants with a birth weight < 1, 800 g and gestational age <35 weeks, who were born at Ajou University Hospital from March, 2003 through August, 2004 were studied. Growth, biochemical indices of bone mineralization, feeding tolerance, morbidity and wrist X-ray were assessed serially. Total body bone mineral density was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at 2 and 5months of age. RESULTS: There were no differences in growth, including weight, height and head circumference, between two groups. Serum Ca, P, ALP and other biochemical indices were similar. Although low grade rickets (grade I and II) were occasionally found on wrist X-ray, the rate of occurrence and severity were similar. The bone mineral densities of both group showed no difference. CONCLUSION: The fortified human milk-fed infants and preterm formula-fed infants showed no difference in growth, and bone mineralization. This newly formulated Maeil human milk fortifier can be safely used in preterm infants.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Birth Weight ; Bone Density ; Calcification, Physiologic* ; Gestational Age ; Head ; Humans* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Milk, Human* ; Nutritional Status ; Prospective Studies ; Rickets ; Wrist

PURPOSE: This study is to define the structural patterns of pregnancy motivation of married women. METHOD: Q-methodology was used on 110 statements collected from interviews with women and a literature review. 38 Q-samples were selected. The Q-samples were administerd to 30 randomized P-sample. RESULT: Data analysis of Q-type obtained by QUANL program shows three types of subjectivity in the perception of pregnancy motivation. Type 1, "Family-connection strengthening", Pregnancy motivation is characterized by the tendency to make home, to tie family member, to connect couple firmly. Type 2,"Self-satisfaction", Women of this type take pleasure and happiness from child rearing in terms of being a mother and having maternal affection. Type 3, "Self-centered", This type of pregnancy motivation puts on high emphasis on self achievement and they make a family planning suitable for the maternal role. CONCLUSION: The stronger was women's pregnancy motivation, the more positive were women's pregnancy experience and maternal role attainment. Therefore, When nurses take care of pregnancy women, they should understand the women's psycho-social aspects and then apply a program of nursing intervention to the pregnant women, It is necessary to continue to study on social and psychological problems related to pregnancy.
Child ; Child Rearing ; Family Planning Services ; Female ; Happiness ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mothers ; Motivation* ; Nursing ; Pleasure ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Statistics as Topic

99mTc-MAG3 Scintigraphic Scan is sensitive at depicting focal parenchymal abnormalities and can be used for the measurement of overall renal function. We experienced a 12-year-old girl presenting with fever and flank pain. On the ultrasonogram and post-voiding delayed image of 99mTc-MAG3 scintigraphic scan, severe right cortical atrophy and hydronephrosis with vesicoureteral reflux were detected. We could demonstrate the reflux nephropathy by these two diagnostic work-up without conventional voiding cystourethrography.
Atrophy ; Child ; Female ; Fever ; Flank Pain ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Technetium Tc 99m Mertiatide ; Ultrasonography ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

Oligmeganephronia is congenital hypoplasia of kidney with renal pathology showing very small number of nephrons with compensatory hypertrophy of the remaining glomeruli. A 7- year-old girl was referred to our nephrology clinic due to hematuria detected on school screening urinalysis and diagnosed as chronic renal failure and oligomeganephronia on renal biopsy. We are reporting the clinical and histomorphometric changes for the four years follow-up with review of literatures.
Biopsy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Mass Screening* ; Nephrology ; Nephrons ; Pathology ; Urinalysis*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of two-phase dynamic helical CT, including the gastric mucosal phase, for the detection of atypical non-hyperattenuating early gastric carcinoma (EGC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 32 patients, we evaluated the two-phase helical CT findings of endoscopically suspected EGC for changes of the inner hyperattenuating mucosal layer, the hypoattenuating outer layer and the serosal surface. Two gastrointestinal radiologists working together reached their conclusions before pathologic diagnosis had been made. The first, so-called gastric mucosal, phase was obtained 38 -45 sec after the start of IV injection of 150 ml/sec contrast material at a rate of 4 ml/sec to obtain maximum enhancement of the mucosal layer. RESULTS: Among 32 patients, EGC was confirmed in 30 and AGC (T2) in two. Using two-phase helical CT, the detection rate for typical hyperattenuating EGC was 27 % (8/30). Lesions showing focal interruption of the mucosal layer without abnormal enhancement of the outer layer (EGC atypical enhancement pattern type 1) were detected in five patients during the mucosal phase, and were pathologically confirmed as 3 EGC IIc+III, 1IIc+IIa, and I IIb+IIc. Lesions showing a locally protuding lesion of the inner and preserved outer layers, with a smooth serosal surface (EGC atypical enhancement pattern type 2) and which could be distinguished from normal folds, were detected in six patients during the mucosal phase, and were pathologically confirmed as 2 EGC IIb+IIc, 1 IIc+IIa, and 3 IIc+IIb. Lesions were less distinct during the equilibrium phase, and there was no change in the enhancement pattern. The overall detection rate for EGC in which an atypical enhancement pattern was added to the typical one showed improvement (19/30, 63 % ). CONCLUSION: Helical CT using a two-phasic scan technique including the mucosal phase was efficient for various combinations of EGC II and/or III, including IIc. The findings were atypical and non-hyperattenvating, but reliable, and improved the overall detection rate.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Tomography, Spiral Computed*

BACKGROUND: The bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the leading causes of sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. Since no simple and effective tool exists to diagnose C. trachomatis infections, we evaluated a novel point-of-care (POC) test, aQcare Chlamydia TRF kit, which uses europium-chelated nanoparticles and a time-resolved fluorescence reader. METHODS: The test performance was evaluated by comparing the results obtained using the novel POC testing kit with those obtained using a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), using 114 NAAT-positive and 327 NAAT-negative samples. RESULTS: The cut-off value of the novel test was 20.8 with a detection limit of 0.27 ng/mL. No interference or cross-reactivity was observed. Diagnostic accuracy showed an overall sensitivity of 93.0% (106/114), specificity of 96.3% (315/327), positive predictive value (PPV) of 89.8% (106/118), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 97.5% (315/323). The sensitivity of the novel test was much higher than that of currently available POC tests. Furthermore, the relative ease and short turnaround time (30 min) of this assay enables C. trachomatis-infected individuals to be treated without a diagnostic delay. CONCLUSIONS: This simple and novel test is a potential tool to screen a larger population, especially those in areas with limited resources.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chlamydia Infections/*diagnosis ; Chlamydia trachomatis/*genetics/isolation & purification ; DNA, Bacterial/chemistry/metabolism ; Europium/*chemistry ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Metal Nanoparticles/*chemistry ; Middle Aged ; Point-of-Care Systems ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: This research was carried out to identify the synergistic effect of dexmedetomidine and ketorolac on neuropathic pain alleviation. METHODS: The anti-allodynic effect of intrathecal dexmedetomidine and ketorolac was investigated in rats after L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL). Mechanical allodynia was assessed using Von Frey filaments. Every day for 3 consecutive days, beginning on the 10th day after SNL, behavioral tests were carried out at 1, 2, and 4 hr after drug injection. RESULTS: Significant increases in ipsilateral paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs) were observed 1, 2, and 4 hr after drug injection in the groups of rats which received intrathecal injection of either dexmedetomidine (group D) or ketorolac (group K), compared to group S (P < 0.05). And group DK, which received simultaneous intrathecal injection of both dexmedetomidine and ketorolac, showed statistically significantly higher ipsilateral PWTs than groups D and K, which received only one of them (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this research demonstrated the anti-allodynic effect of dexmedetomidine and ketorolac on neuropathic pain induced by SNL in rats. They also suggest that synergistic analgesia can be induced by the simultaneous injection of dexmedetomidine and ketorolac, and that combination therapy is an effective approach to treating chronic neuropathic pain syndrome.
Analgesia ; Animals ; Behavior Rating Scale ; Dexmedetomidine* ; Hyperalgesia* ; Injections, Spinal ; Ketorolac* ; Ligation* ; Neuralgia ; Rats* ; Spinal Nerves*

BACKGROUND: Human diet and eating habits are formed in childhood so that eating habits in this period have a great impact on the nutritional status of children. Eating behaviors of children are formed by those of family members at home or their diet at preschool and mass media. The purpose of this study was to develop a program to build healthy dietary habits in preschoolers based on Social Cognitive Theory, which emphasizes the dynamic interaction among an action, an individual and its environment, and to explore the effects of the program. METHODS: A non-equivalent control group, pretest-posttest design was be used in this study. All participants were dyads of preschoolers and one of their parents collected from two day care centers, 18 for the experimental group and 16 for the control group. The program was evaluated by their Knowledge about Nutrition and Dietary Habits among Preschoolers and Parents Perception of Preschoolers' Dietary Habits. The program was conducted between March and June, 2015. RESULTS: At follow-up, knowledge related to nutrition (t=-2.74, p=0.010) and dietary habits (t=-3.67, p<0.001) among the preschoolers were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group. However, the perception of parents on the change of their children's eating habit didn't show significant difference (t=1.13, p=0.265). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study is able to be used in dietary education of preschool children as one of the evidence, and be applied as an example of children's health promotion to help them have ideal eating habits, through cooperation with a university in community and day care centers.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Day Care, Medical ; Diet ; Eating* ; Education ; Feeding Behavior ; Follow-Up Studies ; Food Habits ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Mass Media ; Nutritional Status ; Parents

It is customary that the dizziness related to cerebral perfusion might be caused by insufficient posterior circulation. The occurrence and nature of dizziness originating from anterior circulation has not been well-known. Here, we report a chronic dizzy woman presenting with severe internal carotid artery stenosis, which improved after carotid artery stenting.
Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Carotid Stenosis ; Dizziness ; Female ; Humans ; Perfusion ; Stents