No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Infant*

PURPOSE: The effects of pain on brain is not well known. Also, differences between somatic and visceral pains have not been fully elucidated. This study was conducted to investigate changes in the expression of c-Fos protein after somatic and visceral pains were induced by formalin. METHODS: Male rats(n=65) were underwent one of three procedures : (i) Control group, rats were left undisturbed in their cages; (ii) Somatic pain group, rats were injected subcutaneously with 0.1 ml of 10% formalin in the plantar surface of right hindpaw; (iii) Visceral pain group, rats were administered with same amount of formalin, as described above, in the rectum. Rats were sacrificed at increasing times(30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 6 hours, 1 day, 3 days and 7 days) after noxious formalin stimuli to hindpaws and rectums. Rat brains were removed and sliced in rat brain matrix. Brain slices were coronal sectioned at interaural 5.70-6.70mm. Serial sections were immunohistochemically reacted with polyclonal c-Fos antibody. The numbers of c-Fos protein immunoreactive neurons in cingulate cortex, primary somatosensory area, and hippocampus were examined and analyzed statistically with Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: 1) The numbers of c-For protein immunoreactive neurons in cingulate cortex, primary somatosensory area and hippocampus peaked at 2 hours after somatic pain stimuli and reached almost normal conditions at 7 days. 2) The numbers of c-Fos protein immunoreactive neurons in cingulate cortex, primary somatosensory area and hippocampus peaked at 1 day after visceral pain stimuli and reached almost normal conditions at 7 days. 3) The numbers of c-Fos protein immunoreactive neurons of somatic pain groups were higher than that of visceral groups at all times and the difference of numbers peaked at 2 hours after pain stimuli. CONCLUSION: Reactions of somatic pain stimuli influenced more changable than visceral pain stimuli to brain. Conduction velocities of somatic pain were more faster than those of visceral pain. Higher numbers of c-Fos protein immunoreactive neurons were found in specific regions. These results provide some basic knowledge in understanding the mechanism and control of pain.
Animals ; Brain* ; Formaldehyde* ; Gyrus Cinguli ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Male ; Neurons* ; Nociceptive Pain ; Rats* ; Rectum ; Visceral Pain

PURPOSE: Traumatic brain injury is a multifaceted injury that involves direct mechanical damage, intraparenchymal and subarachnoid hemorrhage, breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, excitotoxicity, and ischemia. Even though much investigations were performed, acceptable mechanical informations were rare. The aim of this study was to reveal the expression pattern of intermediate filament proteins associated with gliotic scars in cerebral cortex of rats after cryoinjury. METHODS: A total of 18 male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 300 g, 2 months old, were used throughout the experiments. To injure the brain, rats were anesthetized for surgery with 3.5% chloral hydrate(1 mL/100 g, intraperitoneally); the frontal bones were exposed by elevating the skin; and craniectomies were performed adjacent to the central suture, midway between lambda and bregma. A cryoinjury was then created by applying a cold probe(3-mm-diameter steel rod chilled in liquid nitrogen) to the left frontal cortex(ipsilateral cortex) for 1 min. Rats were sacrificed at 1, 4, 7 and 14 days postsurgery(n=3, per time point), and three rats were sacrificed as normal controls. Serial brain cryosections were made by cryostat. For immunohistochemistry, brain tissue sections were allowed to react with mouse anti-rat GFAP antibody(1:200), mouse anti-rat vimentin antibody(1: 200), and mouse anti-rat nestin antibody(1:200). RESULTS:Reactive astrocytes expressing GFAP, vimentin and nestin appeared for the first time at 6 hours after cryoinjury. Proliferation of GFAP and nestin positive cells started at 1 day after cryoinjury, reached its maximum on day 4, and returned to normal level after the 7th post-injured day. Proliferation of vimentin positive cells started at 1 day after cryoinjury, reached its maximum on day 4, and returned to normal level after the 14th post-injured day. Characteristic morphological changes in reactive astrocytes were seen at 4 days after cryoinjury. CONCLUSION: The above results suggest that GFAP, vimentin and nestin positive cells attend in the formation of gliotic scars.
Animals ; Astrocytes ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Cerebral Cortex ; Chloral Hydrate ; Cicatrix ; Cold Temperature ; Frontal Bone ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intermediate Filament Proteins ; Intermediate Filaments ; Ischemia ; Male ; Mice ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Steel ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Sutures ; Vimentin

PURPOSE: We performed this study to evaluate the changes of total leukocytes and leukocyte types in CSF and peripheral blood (PB) in the early course of aseptic meningitis. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-nine children with aseptic meningitis, who were admitted to the Pediatric Department of Dong-A University Hospital during the period from June 1996 to October 1997 were included. Patients were divided into 4 groups by 12-hour intervals according to the time between the onset of illness and initial diagnostic lumbar puncture. We analyzed clinical pictures, total leukocytes and leukocyte types in CSF and peripheral blood (PB) in each group. RESULTS: 1) There was no significant difference in average total leukocyte counts in CSF between each group, and all groups were considered to be acute stage of illness. 2) The PMNL proportion of CSF leukocytes was 57.0+/-31.6% in group I, 44.1+/-32.3% in group II, 39.4+/-33.1% in group III and 26.9+/-27.9% in group IV. The PMNL percentage was significantly higher in group I than group III and IV and the proportion of patients with a predominance of PMNL was higher in group I than group III and IV (p<0.05) 3) The proportion of neutrophils in PB was highest in group I (76.5+/-15.7%) and significantly higher in group I and II than group III and IV (p<0.05). 4) Significant correlations were found between the proportion of PMNL in CSF and PB of patients (r=0.62, p<0.001) CONCLUSION: The change from a predominance of PMNL to a predominance of mononucler leukocytes was occurred 12-24 hours after onset, and there was a strong correlation between the proportion of neutrophils in CSF and PB.
Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Child ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes* ; Meningitis, Aseptic* ; Neutrophils ; Spinal Puncture

Lead is one of the most widespread environmental toxins and its poisoning in children was considered a rarity, usually resulting from unique circumstances such as inappropriate use of leadbased body cosmetics or direct administration of lead-containing folk medicines. The increasing concern about children with lower levels of lead exposure has developed, but there are no data regarding the mean blood lead levels and the incidence of symptomatic or asymptomatic lead poisoning in Korean children. We analyzed the zinc protoporphyrine (ZPP) values and blood lead concentrations in 163 pediatric inpatients for a prospective study of lead exposure. The blood lead concentrations in all 163 children were 15~54 g/dl, of whom 111 children (68.1%) were 25~54 g/dl which needs decision to chelate based on the EDTA provocation test. Among 111 children whose blood lead concentrations are 25~54 g/dl, 59 children(53.2%) were between 7 months and 3 years of age, which revealed no significant higher incidence of lead exposure than any other age group. The ZPP values in 126 children (77.3%) were above 35 g/dl. The mean blood lead concentration and ZPP values are 27.8 g/dl and 48.8 g/dl, respectively. We conclude that there are many asymptomatic children with increased absorption of lead in the urban area of Korea, and we need further studies regarding lead poisoning. It is important that there must be a national counterplan and that pediatricians continue to pay attention to lead posioning in children.
Absorption ; Child ; Edetic Acid ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients* ; Korea ; Lead Poisoning ; Poisoning ; Prospective Studies ; Zinc

PURPOSE: Headache is a frequent symptom in pediatric practice, but the prevalence of chronic recurrent headache was estimated in several studies with wide variations, because of inadequate expression and differences in case definition in children. Headache classification of International Headache Society is usually used in adults, but the application of it to children is uncommon, so we tried to diagnosis children with headache by using International Headache Society Classification. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical pictures, physical examinations including neurologic examination, PNS series, EEG and CT or MRI in 53 children with nonprogressing recurrent headache over than one month, who visited to pediatric department of Dong-A University hospital from January, 1995 to Feburary, 1996 and diagnosed them by using International Headache Society Classification. RESULTS: 1) The sex ratio between male and female was 1:1.2. 2) Diagnosed groups consisted of children with migraines in 22 cases(41.5%), tension-type headache in 19 cases(35.9%), coexisting migraine and tension-type headaches in 5 cases(9.4%), miscellaneous headaches not associated with structual lesion in 1 case(1.9%), headache associated with vascular disorders in 2 cases(3.8%), headache associated with nonvascular intracranial disorder in 1 case(1.9%), headache due to facial pain in 3 cases(5.6%). 3) Of 22 migraine cases, 13 cases(59.1%) had migraine with aura, 8 cases(40.9%) have migraine without aura and of 19 tension-type headache cases, 8 cases(42.1%) have episodic type, 11(57.9%) cases have chronic type. 4) Of 53 cases with recurrent headache, 3 cases(6%) had abnormal findings in CT or MRI. 5) Of 53 cases with recurrent headache, 9 cases(17%) had abnormal findings in EEG. CONCLUSIONS: International Headache Society Classifications are useful, but the diagnostic criteria are too strict for children, especially in migraine and tension type headache.
Adult ; Child* ; Classification* ; Diagnosis ; Electroencephalography ; Facial Pain ; Female ; Headache* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Migraine Disorders ; Migraine with Aura ; Migraine without Aura ; Neurologic Examination ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence ; Sex Ratio ; Tension-Type Headache

PURPOSE: This study was carried out to survey the serum anti-PRP titers after the completion of a primary series with 3 doses of the PRP-T conjugate vaccine(ACT-HIBTM), to evaluate the necessity of booster vaccination. METHODS: One hundred twenty healthy infants who went for consultations at Moon Hwa hospital between December 1999 to May 2001 were vaccinated at two, four and six months after birth. The serum antibody levels were measured at 7-8 months and 19-20 months of age by the "Farr" type of radioimmunological method at Aventis Pasteur International in France. RESULTS: The geometric mean of Anti-PRP titers were 24.6 microgram/mL at 7-8 months and then fell to 2.10 microgram/mL at 19-20 months. Minimum Anti-PRP titer was 0.75 microgram/mL at 7-8 months, and 0.1 microgram/mL at 19-20 months. Maximum Anti- PRP titer was 99.2 microgram/mL at 7-8 months, and 9.1 microgram/mL at 19-20 months. Subjects of Anti-PRP titers more than 0.15 microgram/mL were 100% at 7-8 months, and 97.0% at 19-20 months, and subjects of Anti-PRP titers more than 1.0 microgram/mL were 98.3% at 7-8 months, and 61.6% at 19-20 months. CONCLUSION: The Anti-PRP titers at 7-8 months were very high but rapidly decreased at 19-20 months of age, so the necessity of booster vaccination could be considered in Korean children.
Child ; France ; Haemophilus influenzae* ; Haemophilus* ; Humans ; Infant ; Parturition ; Referral and Consultation ; Vaccination*

The introduction and practice of smallpox(cowpox) vaccination was officially done in 1879 by Chi Seok-young, but we know that already in 1835 Cheong Yak-yong, a great scholar and politician of the late period of Chos?n, got a small pamphlet about cowpox vaccination named New Treatise on the Smallpox Vaccination from Beijing. The second edition of the pamphlet was published in 1828 in Beijing. According to Kim Du Jong and Miki Sakae, Cheong Yak-yong might have got it through Korean Roman Catholic group corresponding with the French Catholic Missionary in Beijing but hided it secretly for the official oppression to the Catholicism. Cheong was a member of the group of young scholars that introduced Catholicism into Korea in 1784 and leaded this movement for a time, but officially betrayed his faith since 1791. So there is little historical documents to support the claim that two conflicting groups of scholars continue to debate. One group argues that Cheong betrayed his faith completely and left the Church since the persecution of Sinyu year(1801), but the other claims that he remained as believer in heart, only to hide his faith for the fear of official oppression. In such a horror of terrible persecution did he really communicate with Catholic group who often went to Beijing? We don't know what really was. Therefore the purpose of this article is to collect the circumstantial evidences for the assumption about 'the introduction of smallpox vaccination by Catholic group' and to evaluate the possibility. From the documents of the Church of that time we can know that a few of Catholic believers actively communicated with missionaries in Beijing for the employment of priests. The agents of Korean Catholic Church visited Beijing almost annually disguised in the official diplomatic visit, where they met French missionaries, discussed their route to Korea, sent letters, and traded of the bibles, holy books and religious materials from 1828(the publication year of the pamphlet) to 1835(the year Cheong Yak-yong died). It was a most active period in the History of Korean Catholic Church. Especially Cheong Ha-sang, nephew of Cheong Yak-yong, was the central figure leading this movement with Yu Jin-kil who was an official translator in a high position and a very erudite man. They often visited Beijing, and where they could have seen the pamphlet about smallpox vaccination and taken it to Cheong secretly. The Church of that time valued medical activity as an effective mean of their mission, which is well illustrated in the letters and documents of the missionary in Korea. Smallpox was a very severe health problem in Korea and the mortality of children was extremely high. The first Korean priest Father Kim asked the missionary in Beijing to send a prescription for smallpox. Cheong Yak-yong had a great interest in medicine, especially in smallpox, wrote some books devoting this subject. He also asserted continual study and introduction of new knowledge, which we can know from the statement that he rewrote MagwaHoetong for seven times. He knew and trusted the Western science and technology as other Korean Roman Catholics. It can not be completely confirmed that he really reacted religious practices after returned from his 18 year exile as the claim of Church, but at least he recorded the history of Korean Catholic Church and was interested in the affairs of it, that known from the notes of Bishop Daveluy who preached gospel in Korea, to be martyred in 1866. He said repeatedly in the notes and letters that Cheong wrote and provided the basic material necessary to construct the history of Korean Catholic Church. On the basis of that information Bishop Daveluy tried to edit the History, but the task was finally accomplished by his successor Father Dallet, who wrote History of Korean Catholic Church(1874). From his statement Cheong hided his records of Korean Catholic Church and showed it to very few number of selected people, small group of friends and relatives. The similar situation is shown in the statement of Yi Kyu-kyoung, a scholar of Silhak school of 19th century, about smallpox vaccination in Korea in mid 19th century. He said Cheong had a book of the vaccination but hided it and showed to some limited people. Cheong also wrote secretly memorial addresses for some of his friends died in Sinyu Persecution. His son Hak-sang was baptized too. From those facts we can assume that Cheong Yak-yong was not totally disconnected from the Church as officially documented but continued works relating with it secretly under the severe persecution. In this small pamphlet the phrases suggesting its own origin from the West were carefully erased, which might have disguised its relation with the Catholicism. Yi Kyu-kyoung also said he had heard about smallpox vaccination from Nam Sang-kyo, who was a sincere catholic. It is suggested that small group of Roman Catholics knew the method but it could not be widely practiced. Because it seemed to be strange and odd to general Korean people and the Catholic believers were generally isolated in the deep mountain valley or so from the general population to escape the persecution. Chos?n government rigorously prohibited the import of foreign(Western) books and materials from China for protecting the country from the invasion of 'Western barbarians' since late 18th century. The ones committing this regulation were destined to get severe punishments. So were the related. Thousands of people were tortured and sentenced to death under the accusation of "believing foreign superstition and betraying his mother country". In such a condition who dared to get foreign materials and expose it except Catholics? We can think other routes. For example Hong Seok-joo, a high ranking official of the Chos?n government, secretly asked a Chinese official to get some books including Western books when he visited Beijing in 1831. He was an editor of MabangTonghwi, medical book about smallpox edited on the base of MagwaHoetong of Cheong. It is possible that he introduced New Treatise on the Smallpox Vaccination to Cheong. He was a relative of Cheong and some of Catholic martyrs, so he might have understanding of Catholicism. If he did, it was also done in the context of Western culture imported by Korean Catholic Church. Considering the above facts we can suggest the higher possibility of the introduction of smallpox vaccination through Catholic groups with Cheong Yak-yong. Of course other routes could have been available, but its possibility seems to be comparatively low.

PURPOSE: Neurogenesis in neonatal period after birth occurs consequently through a series of neuronal stem/progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation. This stage is critical for determining of normal development and maturation of the brain throughout the life. Therefore, exposure to a certain physical or chemical factor(s) during pregnancy can result in serious damage in the developing brain. Bisphenol A (BPA), a plasticizer, is generally known as an endocrine disruptor exhibiting adverse effects when exposed to animals under experimental conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in neuronal stem cell proliferation and differentiation during neonatal brain development in BPA-exposed pregnant rats. METHODS: After exposure of BPA to pregnant rats, infant brains were excised at days 3, 7, and 14 after birth, and tissues were processed for histological and biochemical analyses. RESULTS: Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunostaining showed that whereas cells in the hippocampus at days 3 and 7 after birth were highly proliferating, the cells at day 14 divided less often. Immunohistochemical staining for nestin in the control group revealed that nestin-positive cells were only observed at day 3 after birth, but the immunoreactivity was not observed at day 14. In addition, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactive cells were observed from days 7 to 14 in control tissues. However, in the BPA-exposed groups, 1) the number of PCNA-positive cells in the BPA-exposed groups at days 3 and 7 were higher than those of the control, 2) nestin-positive cells were observed at day 3 which is earlier than that of control, and 3) GFAP-positive cells were detected in the hippocampus tissue from day 3. Furthermore, western blotting showed that exposure to BPA in pregnant rats resulted in earlier expression of nestin in the neuronal rat brain compared to the controls. CONCLUSION: Taken together, it is assumed that precocious neurogenesis in the infant rat hippocampus might be due to BPA exposure during the gestational period. Further studies on adult brain perinatally exposed to BPA are needed to evaluate the pathological status of the hippocampus.
Adult ; Animals ; Benzhydryl Compounds ; Blotting, Western ; Brain ; Cell Proliferation ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intermediate Filament Proteins ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; Neurogenesis ; Neurons ; Parturition ; Phenols ; Plastics ; Pregnancy ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Rats ; Stem Cells