Together, neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia make up approximately 70 to 80% of the causes of neonatal cholestasis. Biliary atresia must be differentiated from neonatal hepatitis as soon as possible in order to institute early surgical intervention. We performed this study to examine whether the measurement of the serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and thyroxine-binding globulin(TBG) was useful for differentiating these two conditions. Serum AFP levels were measured using enzyme immunoassay in 76 infants with cholestasis and serum TBG levels were measured using radio immunoassay in 30 infants with cholestasis and 23 infants without cholestasis. Serum AFP and TBG concentrations in patients were compared with the normal ranges in infants and were expressed as standard deviation (SD) scores. 52.7% of the patients with neonatal hepatitis showed SD scores of AFP higher than 4.0. By contrast, 14.3% of the patients with biliary atresia showed SD scores of AFP highter than 4.0(p<0.005). The patients with either neonatal hepatitis or biliary atresia had TBG concentrations above the normal ranges, but there was no difference between neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia. The patients with neonatal hepatitis who recovered from jaundice after 6 months of age or progressed to chronic liver disease of died of the liver disease showed hight serum levels of AFP and TBG than the patients who recovered from jaundice before 6 months of age. In conclusion. SD scores of AFP could be used to differentiate between neonatal heptatis and biliary atresia, and SD scores of AFP and TBG might be used as an indicator of prognosis of neonatal hepatitis.
alpha-Fetoproteins* ; Biliary Atresia* ; Cholestasis ; Hepatitis A ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Infant ; Jaundice ; Liver Diseases ; Prognosis ; Reference Values ; Thyroxine-Binding Globulin*

Septic arthritis in neonates is a rare condition. A failure to make an early diagnosis of septic arthritis in neonates may leave a permanent disability as a result of a delayed treatment. Thus, septic arthritis, requires a prompt diagnosis and a timely treatment especially in this subset of patients. In this case report, we describe our treatment protocol for septic arthritis and concurrent osteomyelitis in the right shoulder of a 28-day-old newborn. Using 2.4 mm wrist arthroscopy, we performed an arthroscopic irrigation and drainage, to remove intra-articular debris and inflammatory tissue, and multiple drilling. We report a satisfactory clinical outcome without any postoperative complications or side effects.
Arthritis, Infectious* ; Arthroscopy ; Clinical Protocols ; Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Osteomyelitis ; Postoperative Complications ; Shoulder Joint ; Shoulder* ; Wrist

No abstract available.
Blood Transfusion* ; Female ; Humans

No abstract available.
Thymus Hyperplasia*

Teratocarcinoma is a form of mixed germ cell tumor composed of a mixture of teratoma and embryonal carcinoma. It is rarely found in the brain, but when present it is most commonly found in the pineal region. We investigated a case of primary teratocarcinoma in the pineal region. The patient was a 10 year old boy who had suffered from a bitemporal headache for one month. Brain CT and MRI revealed a rather well defined ovoid heterogenous mass in the pineal gland region, measuring 4.3 x 3.8 x 3.0 cm in size. Microscopically the tumor contained areas of immature teratoma and embryonal carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining revealed positive reactions for cytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen, and alpha-fetoprotein in the embryonal carcinoma component.

No abstract available.
Anemia, Aplastic* ; Child* ; Humans ; Immunomodulation*

A Case of Fibromuscular dysplasia involoving the left internal carotid and middle cerebral rtery in a previously healthy man is presented. Symptoms were characteristic of cerebral schemia in the territory that the left middle cerbral artery supplies. This case suggests that The fibromuscular dysplasia is one of the causes provoking cerebral infarction.
Arteries ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Equipment and Supplies ; Fibromuscular Dysplasia*

No abstract available.
Endometriosis* ; Female

BACKGROUND: Discrepancies exist in the existing researches regarding the association between social capital and self-efficacy, and most of these researches have been done in developed countries. The aims of this study were to assess the independent association between individual social capital and self-efficacy and to assess the associations between individual social capital, self-efficacy and self-rated health. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Gyeongnam health survey (6,500 persons) conducted in 2008. A self-administered questionnaire was additionally administered to gather information on demographic variables, health behaviors, chronic diseases, self-efficacy, social capital, and self-rated health status. Total study population was 3,843 as those with chronic diseases were excluded. RESULTS: In males, trust was positively associated with confidence and preference to task difficulty, and participation was negatively associated with confidence and positively associated with regulation and preference to task difficulty. In females, trust was positively associated with confidence and preference to task difficulty and negatively associated with regulation. Participation was positively associated with preference to task difficulty. In males, the odds for self-rated health status was better for persons with confidence (95% confidence interval, CI 1.088-1.705), trust (95% CI 1.172-1.821) and participation (95% CI 1.268-2.117). In females, the odds for self-rated health status was better for those with confidence (95% CI 1.250-1.803), preference of task difficulty (95% CI 1.019-1.683) and participation (95% CI 1.024-1.555). CONCLUSIONS: High social capital measured at an individual level may promote self-efficacy and health status.
Chronic Disease ; Developed Countries ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Self Efficacy ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Child* ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans