We report a case of solitary congenital calcified nodule of the ear in a 1-year-old female. The lesion was a 2 X 2mm-sized, elevated, slightly erythematous and whitish-centered nodule located since birth on the superior helical rim of her left ear. Histopathological findings fram the totally excised lesion showed calcium deposits as amorphous, basophilic masses in the upper dermis and focal discharge of calcium by means of transepidermal elimination. Surrounding the calcium deposits, lymphohistiocytic infiltrations were present.
Basophils ; Calcium ; Dermis ; Ear* ; Female ; Humans ; Parturition

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the knowledge structure of health information (HI) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: Keywords or meaningful morphemes from HI presented on five health-related websites (HRWs) of one national HI institute and four hospitals, as well as HI needs among patients presented in nine literature, were reviewed, refined, and analyzed using text network analysis and their co-occurrence matrix was generated. Two networks of 61 and 35 keywords, respectively, were analyzed for degree, closeness, and betweenness centrality, as well as betweenness community analysis. Results: The most common keywords pertaining to HI on HRWs were lung, inhaler, smoking, dyspnea, and infection, focusing COPD treatment. In contrast, HI needs among patients were lung, medication, support, symptom, and smoking cessation, expanding to disease management. Two common sub-topic groups in HI on HRWs were COPD overview and medication administration, whereas three common sub-topic groups in HI needs among patients in the literature were COPD overview, self-management, and emotional management. Conclusion The knowledge structure of HI on HRWs is medically oriented, while patients need supportive information. Thus, the support system for self-management and emotional management on HRWs must be informed according to the structure of patients’ needs for HI. Healthcare providers should consider presenting COPD patient-centered information on HRWs.

PURPOSE: We performed this study to evaluate the usefulness and the limitation of magnetic resonance angiography in imaging portal vein and hepatic vein. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Magnetic resonance portography was performed in five normal subjects and seven patients with hepatomas, two patients with Budd-Chiari syndromes, one patient with liver cirrhosis and one patient with hepatic metastasis from stomach cancer. Magnetic resonance angiography was done with a 1.5-T Scanner. Breath-hold two-dimensional time-of flight images with spoiled gradient echo technique were acquired. Scan parameters were 34/8/40degrees(TR ms/TE ms/flip angle). The portal vein and the hepatic vein were selectively imaged by applying two presaturation bands. These images were then postprocessed by a maximum intensity projection algorithm. MRA findings were compared with ultrasonography in all cases of the hepatic disease, and conventional angiography (SMA portography) in four cases. RESULTS: In normal subjects, the splenic vein, intrahepatic and extrahepatic portions of the portal vein, and the hepatic veins were well visualized. In the patients with hepatic diseases, the varices (4 cases), the splenorenal shunts (2 cases), and the recanalized umbilical vein (1 case) were demonstrated. There were portal vein thrombosis in the cases of hepatomas and hepatic metastasis. In the cases of Budd-Chiari syndrome, the hepatic veins were not visualized and there were inferior vena cava obstructions with multiple collateral vessels. CONCLUSION: Compared with ultrasonography, MRP may be useful in evaluation of varices, splenorenal shunts, and other collaterals, though less accurate than conventional angiography. MRP can be useful as a noninvasive screening alternative in the evaluation of portal vein and hepatic veins.
Angiography ; Budd-Chiari Syndrome ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Hepatic Veins ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Mass Screening ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Portal Vein ; Portography* ; Splenic Vein ; Splenorenal Shunt, Surgical ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Ultrasonography ; Umbilical Veins ; Varicose Veins ; Vena Cava, Inferior ; Venous Thrombosis

Palpable inguinal mass in children should be differentiated from inguinal hernia, hydrocele, lymph node, and tumor. Though using ultrasonography, fatty tumor would be misdiagnosed as incarcerated inguinal hernia containing fatty component. We experienced the huge inguinal lipoblastoma in 5-year-old girl mimicking recurrent incarcerated hernia. Laparoscopic exploration revealed it was not incarcerated hernia but well demarcated bulging mass from abdominal wall. Mass was about 10x4x3 cm and extended from internal inguinal ring to saphenous opening. It was near total excised because of right external iliac vein injury. Pathologically, it was proven as lipoblastoma containing mature adipocyte with lipoblast and fibrous septa. Postoperatively, we noticed a segmental thrombotic occlusion of external iliac vein. After 1 year, she has no symptom related to occluded vessel. The remained lipoblastoma showed no interval change. Even lipoblastoma has a good prognosis with low recurrence rate, we need careful follow-up.
Abdominal Wall ; Adipocytes ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hernia ; Hernia, Inguinal* ; Humans ; Iliac Vein ; Inguinal Canal ; Lipoblastoma* ; Lipoma ; Lymph Nodes ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: This study was to identify how a navigation program would affect resilience, uncertainty and anxiety in patients with newly diagnosed gastric cancer. METHODS: A randomized controlled design was used with 103 participants recruited and randomly allocated in two groups. The experimental group (n=50) received the navigation program, which consisted of information provisions and psychological support, prior to treatment. The control group (n=53) received standard care with general educational intervention only prior to treatment. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, patients in the navigation program group showed signicant reduction in scores for anxiety (F=5.86, p<.017). However uncertainty (F=0.22, p=.642) and resilience (F=1.06, p=.503) were not signicantly different. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the navigation program has positive effects on anxiety in patients with newly diagnosed gastric cancer. We suggest that further studies be conducted to investigate other strategies for increasing the resilience and reducing the uncertainty of these patients.
Anxiety ; Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Uncertainty

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a health promotion program utilizing action planning strategy for young adults. METHODS: A non-equivalent control group pre-post-test design was used. One hundred three university students participated in the study. Participants in the experimental group (n=51) were provided the health promotion program utilizing action planning strategy for five weeks. The program consisted of weekly sessions that included action planning and group feedback. The control group (n=52) was provided with health information every week for 5 weeks. Program outcomes, including self-efficacy, physical activity health behaviors, total exercise time per week, daily cigarette consumption, frequency of alcohol drinking per month, nutritional health behaviors, and subjective health status, were assessed at baseline and at follow-up after 5 weeks. RESULTS: The participants in the experimental group demonstrated significant increases in self-efficacy, physical activity health behaviors, weekly exercise time, and nutritional health behaviors and significant decreases in daily cigarette consumption than those in the control group. CONCLUSION: The health promotion program utilizing action planning strategy is a brief and effective intervention to promote health behaviors among young adults. Further investigation is warranted to assess the program's effectiveness among other age groups and populations at high risk for chronic illness.
Alcohol Drinking ; Chronic Disease ; Diagnostic Self Evaluation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Behavior ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Motor Activity ; Self Efficacy ; Tobacco Products ; Young Adult

Many young women suffer from premenstrual syndrome (PMS). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of isoflavone on serum sex hormone and PMS during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. We investigated the incidence of PMS in 116 Korean female college students. The incidence of PMS was 19.8%. Among them, 9 PMS and 13 control were given 90 mg isoflavone per day during 2 menstrual cycles. The changes in anthropometric measurements, dietary intakes, serum parameters including sex hormones, and PMS symptoms were observed. Isoflavone supplementation did not affect anthropometric measurements. However, SBP and DBP were significantly decreased in control. Dietary intakes were not changed after supplementation of isoflavones. Serum SHBG was lower in PMS group than in control and significantly decreased in control with isoflavone supplementation. PMS symptoms such as backache, sweet, salty, and fatty food craving, coffee/tea drinking, and anxiety were significantly lessened. Based on these results, isoflavone supplementation may benefit young women by reducing some of PMS. Further studies of soy isoflavones effect on sex hormone and PMS may help to prepare for PMS management.
Anxiety ; Back Pain ; Drinking ; Female* ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; Humans ; Incidence ; Isoflavones ; Luteal Phase ; Menstrual Cycle ; Premenstrual Syndrome*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a health promotion program utilizing action planning strategy for young adults. METHODS: A non-equivalent control group pre-post-test design was used. One hundred three university students participated in the study. Participants in the experimental group (n=51) were provided the health promotion program utilizing action planning strategy for five weeks. The program consisted of weekly sessions that included action planning and group feedback. The control group (n=52) was provided with health information every week for 5 weeks. Program outcomes, including self-efficacy, physical activity health behaviors, total exercise time per week, daily cigarette consumption, frequency of alcohol drinking per month, nutritional health behaviors, and subjective health status, were assessed at baseline and at follow-up after 5 weeks. RESULTS: The participants in the experimental group demonstrated significant increases in self-efficacy, physical activity health behaviors, weekly exercise time, and nutritional health behaviors and significant decreases in daily cigarette consumption than those in the control group. CONCLUSION The health promotion program utilizing action planning strategy is a brief and effective intervention to promote health behaviors among young adults. Further investigation is warranted to assess the program's effectiveness among other age groups and populations at high risk for chronic illness.

BACKGROUND: The concept of the effect-site concentration of anesthetic agents is important. The effect compartment model can be explained using the concepts of effect-site concentration and effect-site equilibration rate constant (k e0). This study confirms that the time-to-peak effect (tpe ) can be measured easily in clinical practice by applying a priming dose and train-of-four (TOF) during general anesthesia induction, and k e0 can be calculated from the tpe of the four muscle relaxants that are commonly used in general anesthesia. METHODS: Eighty patients who received general anesthesia were divided into the succinylcholine, rocuronium, atracurium, or vecuronium groups. Priming doses of muscle relaxants were administered. The effects of muscle relaxants were quantified by recording the twitch response of the adductor pollicis muscle after stimulating the ulnar nerve. The tpe was measured at the lowest TOF value. k e0 was calculated from the measured tpe . RESULTS: The k e0 values of the succinylcholine, rocuronium, atracurium, and vecuronium groups were 0.076 (0.030)/min, 0.228 (0.122)/min, 0.062 (0.011)/min, and 0.077 (0.019)/min, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to estimate k e0 from the tpe of muscle relaxants using a priming dose and TOF during general anesthesia induction.
Anesthesia, General* ; Anesthetics ; Atracurium ; Humans ; Succinylcholine ; Ulnar Nerve ; Vecuronium Bromide

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological and behavioral effects of auditory stimulation with their own parent’s voice on heart rate and sleep states of very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs) in neonatal intensive care unit. Methods: The data of 28 VLBWIs at the Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital between October 2016 and May 2017 was analyzed. They were exposed to sounds similar to those of mothers’ heartbeat they had heard in the uterus and their own parent’s voice. Heart rate was assessed as the physiological responses and sleep state of infants as behavioral response. The sleep states were categorized into six states. The music intervention program was provided twice a week. Results: Twenty-eight babies with an average gestational age of 28 weeks (average birth weight of 1.09 kg) had undergone the sessions (average of 16 times) average of 16 times. During the initial period, there were no meaningful differences of the heart rates measured by the physiological functions before and after the sessions. However, as we move to the adaptive phase, the average heart rate was 156.96±12.22, and the pre-discharge was 149.11±12.01, which indicates meaningful differences (P<0.05). Infants’ behavioral function was statistically insignificant. Conclusion The music intervention techniques in the neonatal intensive care unit environment in Korea have provided positive influence to VLBWIs' physiological reactions. We were not able to come up with the relevant indicators during this phase of the study but we do plan to announce the future study results after indexing the observation results.