Objective: To identify the normal range, distribution, and age-dependent differences in the cephalic index (CI) of Korean children with normal brain development and develop a classification of the current CI for Korean children up to 7 years of age. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1,389 children who visited our hospital in the emergency room between October 2015 and September 2020 because of suspected head injuries. Finally, 1,248 children (741 male and 507 female) were enrolled after excluding abnormal medical or familial history and divided into 10 groups by age. The CI was measured using brain computed tomography and calculated according to the following equation: cephalic width/cephalic length×100. Results: The averages of CI by age groups were as follows: 89.29 (0–3 months group, n=44); 91.41 (4–6 months group, n=63); 89.68 (7–9 months group, n=62); 87.52 (10–12 months group, n=41); 87.64 (≥2 years group, n=243); 86.63 (≥3 years group, n=178); 85.62 (≥4 years group, n=232); 85.77 (≥5 years group, n=201); 85.15 (≥6 years group, n=75); and 85.34 (≥7 years group, n=109). The CI of Korean children in normal brain development was confirmed to be large, showing a notable difference compared to that of Caucasians. Conclusion The current CI of Korean children will provide a valuable reference for diagnosing and treating cranial deformities, especially dolichocephaly and brachycephaly as well as to monitor the morphology of the cranium in clinics.

Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD), Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) and alcoholic polyneuropathy (AP) are distinct diseases and all have strong relationship with chronic alcoholism. A 70-year-old male who had altered mentality and ataxia of both lower limbs and had past history of WE 3 years previously admitted with 6 months history of impaired walking. He also had a symptom of altered sensorium by impaired consciousness for 2 days. In brain magnetic resonance imaging, the body, splenium of corpus callosum and bilateral frontal cortex were involved. The patient was diagnosed with MBD on the basis of the clinical features and the brain imaging findings. The electrodiagnostic findings implied demyelinating neuropathy in all extremities. He failed to recover his mentality and the function of the limbs remained poor finishing several treatment options including medications and physical therapy. The poor prognosis of this patient is thought to be associated with cortical involvement of MBD. We reported this very rare case who was affected by 3 distinct diseases of MBD, AP, and WE as complications of chronic alcohol abuse. Moreover, the case was relevant to a rare clinical presentation of MBD with cortical involvement which was associated with poor prognosis.

Objective: To identify the normal range, distribution, and age-dependent differences in the cephalic index (CI) of Korean children with normal brain development and develop a classification of the current CI for Korean children up to 7 years of age. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1,389 children who visited our hospital in the emergency room between October 2015 and September 2020 because of suspected head injuries. Finally, 1,248 children (741 male and 507 female) were enrolled after excluding abnormal medical or familial history and divided into 10 groups by age. The CI was measured using brain computed tomography and calculated according to the following equation: cephalic width/cephalic length×100. Results: The averages of CI by age groups were as follows: 89.29 (0–3 months group, n=44); 91.41 (4–6 months group, n=63); 89.68 (7–9 months group, n=62); 87.52 (10–12 months group, n=41); 87.64 (≥2 years group, n=243); 86.63 (≥3 years group, n=178); 85.62 (≥4 years group, n=232); 85.77 (≥5 years group, n=201); 85.15 (≥6 years group, n=75); and 85.34 (≥7 years group, n=109). The CI of Korean children in normal brain development was confirmed to be large, showing a notable difference compared to that of Caucasians. Conclusion The current CI of Korean children will provide a valuable reference for diagnosing and treating cranial deformities, especially dolichocephaly and brachycephaly as well as to monitor the morphology of the cranium in clinics.

OBJECTIVE: To compare complications of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy (PRG) in brain injured patients. METHOD: The records of brain injured patients who received either PEG or PRG between January 2001 and July 2008 in Busan paik hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Documented complications (infection, leakage, blockage/delayed feeding, aspiration pneumonia, tube displacement, pain, ileus, bleeding, tube fell/pulled out, bradycardia/hypotension) were recorded and compared. RESULTS: There were 44 brain injury patients with dysphagia. All patient received PEG or PRG successfully. (32 PEG, 12 PRG) The incidences of complications were 50% in both PEG group (16 in 32) and PRG group (6 in 12). In PEG group sixteen patients developed complications, 27 minor and two major. In PRG group six patients developed complications, 11 minor and one major. The most common complication of PEG was wound infection (37.9%). But there were no wound infection in PRG group. And there were no deaths in both PEG and PRG group. CONCLUSION: Both endoscopic and radiologic gastrostomy tube placements are safe and effective methods. But in high infection risk group such as old ages, DM or CRF patients who have brain injury with dysphagia, PRG is safer method than PEG.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes in protein expression induced by botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) injection and to characterize the molecular and cellular action of mechanisms of BoNT-A injection on skeletal muscles using proteomic elements as biomarkers. METHODS: BoNT-A was injected into left gastrocnemius muscles of 12 Sprague-Dawley rats (2 months of age) at a dosage of 5 units/kg body weight. For the controls same volume of normal saline was injected to right gastrocnemius muscle of each rat. Muscle samples were obtained at 4 time points (3 rats per time point): 3, 7, 14, and 56 day post-injection. To reveal the alterations in muscle protein, we performed 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) and compared Botox group and normal saline group at each time point. Altered protein spots in 2DE were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF MS) proteomics analysis. RESULTS: Compared with normal saline group, 46 protein spots showed changed protein expression. Twelve protein spots demonstrated increased volume and 34 protein spots demonstrated decreased volume. Among spots of decreased volume, 17 spots showed statistically significant differences. Thirty-eight identified proteins were associated with alterations in energy metabolism, muscle contractile function, transcription, translation, cell proliferation, and cellular stress response. CONCLUSION: BoNT-A gives influences on muscle contractile function and energy metabolism directly or indirectly besides neurotoxic effects. Proteomic expression provides better understanding about the effect of BoNT-A on skeletal muscle.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Botulinum Toxins ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A ; Cell Proliferation ; Electrophoresis ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Energy Metabolism ; Muscle Proteins ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles ; Proteins ; Proteomics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the validity of physical examinations by assessment of correlation between physical examinations and CT measurements in children with intoeing gait and the causes of intoeing gait by age using CT measurements. METHOD: Twenty-six children with intoeing gait participated in this study. The internal and external hip rotation, thigh-foot angle and transmalleolar angle were measured. In addition, femoral anteversion and tibial torsion of the subjects were assessed using a CT scan. The measurements of torsional angles were performed twice by two raters. The correlation coefficients between physical examinations and CT measurements were calculated using Pearson correlation. The data was analyzed statistically using SPSS v12.0. RESULTS: The correlation coefficients between physical examinations and CT measurements were not high. Before 5 years of age, intoeing gait was caused by femoral anteversion in 17.86%, tibial torsion in 32.29% and the combination of causes in 35.71% of cases. After 6 years of age, the contributions changed to 29.17%, 8.33% and 45.83%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Before 5 years of age, the common cause of an intoeing gait was tibial torsion, whereas after 6 years of age it was femoral anteversion. Regardless of age, the most common cause of intoeing gait was a combination of causes. This study shows poor correlation between physical examinations and CT. Therefore, it is limiting to use physical examination only for evaluating the cause of intoeing gait in clinical practice.
Child ; Gait ; Hip ; Humans ; Physical Examination

BACKGROUND: Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen which causes a spectrum of extra- intestinal infections. Since early 1980s, many outbreaks of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing K. pneumoniae have been reported. Using quinolone as an alternative therapeutic antibiotics also induced increased resistance to quinolones. Therefore, we evaluatedted the clinical and microbiological features of pneumonia caused by quinolone-resistant K. pneumoniae (QRKP). METHODS: From March of 1998 to April of 2000, 345 cases of K. pneumoniae pneumonia had been admitted to Korea University Guro Hospital. We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 75 cases. Thirty patients with pneumonia due to QRKP (case patients) were compared to 45 patients with pneumonia due to quinolone-susceptible K. pneumoniae (QSKP: control patients). We also performed antimicrobial susceptibility test (disc diffusion method and agar dilution method) and RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) analysis to differentiate the isolates in resistant strains. RESULTS: Of 345 episodes of pneumonia, 30 (8.7 %) were caused by QRKP. Multivariate analysis re-vealed that prior antibiotics use was an independent risk factor for QRKP pneumonia. Among prior antibiotics, quinolone and the third generation cephalosporin were independently related to quinolone resistance. Although mortality rate was not high, QRKP pneumonia was associated with a significantly longer treatment duration and poor treatment response (P=0.009 and 0.007 respectively). According to the antimicrobial susceptibility test, quinolone resistance was significantly associated with the multi-drug resistance. RAPD analysis showed that 28 quinolone resistant strains belonged to only 4 genotypes, suggesting that patient- to-patient transmission of a few strains within the hospital occurred. CONCLUSION: QRKP pneumonia had a significant impact on clinical outcome and quinolone resistance was associated with multiple resistance to other antibiotics. It should be emphasized that judicious use of antibiotics as well as barrier precautions is required to reduce future outbreak and spread of QRKP.
Agar ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; beta-Lactamases ; Diffusion ; Disease Outbreaks ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Genotype ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Klebsiella* ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pneumonia* ; Quinolones ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: This study is a follow-up of a first survey of 200 North Korean defectors who entered South Korea in 2001. The purpose of this study is to examine changes in the current prevalence of partial PTSD and full PTSD after 3 years and to evaluate related factors. METHODS: This study followed up on 151 of the 200 North Korean defectors from our first survey. 20 interviewers conducted face-to-face interviews and assisted defectors in completing a self-report assessment. The traumatic events which participants with chronic PTSD and delayed onset PTSD experienced were then examined. RESULTS: Over the 3 years, the current prevalence rate of partial PTSD was reduced from 31.8% to 5.3%, and the current prevalence rate of full PTSD was reduced from 27.2% to 4.0%. Of particular interest was that 88.8% of those diagnosed with full or partial PTSD in the first survey had recovered after 3 years. CONCLUSION: The current prevalence rate of partial and full PTSD rapidly decreased during 3 years.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Korea ; Prevalence ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of activation of the abdominal muscles depending on exercise angles and whether the activation of rectus abdominis differs according to the location, during curl up and leg raise exercises, by measuring the thickness ratio of abdominal muscles using ultrasonography. METHODS: We examined 30 normal adults without musculoskeletal problems. Muscle thickness was measured in the upper rectus abdominis (URA), lower rectus abdominis (LRA), obliquus externus (EO), obliquus internus (IO), and transversus abdominis (TrA), at pre-determined angles (30degrees, 60degrees, 90degrees) and additionally at the resting angle (0degrees). Muscle thickness ratio was calculated by dividing the resting (0degrees) thickness for each angle, and was used as reflection of muscle activity. RESULTS: The muscle thickness ratio was significantly different depending on the angles in URA and LRA. For curl up-URA p=0 (30degrees<60degrees), p=0 (60degrees>90degrees), p=0.44 (30degrees<90degrees) and LRA p=0.01 (30degrees<60degrees), p=0 (60degrees>90degrees), p=0.44 (30degrees>90degrees), respectively, by one-way ANOVA test-and for leg raise-URA p=0 (30degrees<60degrees), p=0 (60degrees<90degrees), p=0 (30degrees<90degrees) and LRA p=0.01 (30degrees<60degrees), p=0 (60degrees<90degrees), p=0 (30degrees<90degrees), respectively, by one-way ANOVA test-exercises, but not in the lateral abdominal muscles (EO, IO, and TrA). Also, there was no significant difference in the muscle thickness ratio of URA and LRA during both exercises. In the aspect of muscle activity, there was significant difference in the activation of RA muscle by selected angles, but not according to location during both exercises. CONCLUSION: According to this study, exercise angle is thought to be an important contributing factor for strengthening of RA muscle; however, both the exercises are thought to have no property of strengthening RA muscle selectively based on the location.
Abdominal Muscles* ; Adult ; Exercise ; Humans ; Jupiter ; Leg ; Rectus Abdominis ; Ultrasonography*

PURPOSE: This study was performed to identify job competencies and needs for job education perceived by new community health practitioners. METHODS: This study used a qualitative research design. Eight new community health practitioners participated in this study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Five job competencies were identified in this study, including primary care, public health management, interpersonal relationship, teaching and counseling, and leadership. The contents of job education that they needed were management of major symptoms and chronic diseases, understanding and prescription of medications, emergency responses and care, management of endemic diseases, planning and management of public health programs, writing official documentsand computer works, and leadership training. The learning methods they preferred were connecting theory and practice, situation- or case-based learning, skill- or practice-based learning, and increased opportunities of clinical practice. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study provided the direction of job education for new community health practitioners. Job education for new community health practitioners needs to consider the job competencies and educational needs identified in this study.
Chronic Disease ; Counseling ; Education ; Emergencies ; Endemic Diseases ; Leadership ; Learning ; Needs Assessment ; Prescriptions ; Primary Health Care ; Professional Competence ; Public Health ; Qualitative Research ; Writing