No abstract available.
Reye Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome* ; Humans ; Proteinuria*

PURPOSE: The development of the corpus callosum occupies the entire period of cerebral formation. The myelination pattern on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is very useful to evaluate neurologic development and to predict neurologic outcome in high risk infants. The thickness of the corpus callosum is believed to depend on the myelination process. It is possible to calculate the length and thickness of the corpus callosum on MRI. Thus, we can quantitatively evaluate the development of the corpus callosum. We investigated the clinical significance of measuring various portions of the corpus callosum in neonate with neurologic disorders such as hypoxic brain damage and seizure disorder. METHODS: Forty-two neonates were evaluated by brain MRI. We measured the size of the genu, body, transitional zone, splenium, and length of the corpus callosum. Each measurement was divided by the total length of the corpus callosum to obtain its corrected size. The ratio of corpus callosal length and the anteroposterior diameter of the brain was also measured. RESULTS: There was no statistical significance in the sample size of each part of the corpus callosum. However, the corrected size or the ratio of body of the corpus callosum correlated with periventricular leukomalacia and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. CONCLUSION: There was no statistical significance in the sample size of each part of the corpus callosum. However, the corrected size or the ratio of body of the corpus callosum correlated with periventricular leukomalacia and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.
Brain ; Corpus Callosum ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Hypoxia, Brain ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Leukomalacia, Periventricular ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelin Sheath ; Nervous System Diseases ; Sample Size

Objectives: Psychiatry in North Korea is still poorly understood. Therefore, it is necessary to study the psychopathology and diagnostic classification of North Korean psychiatry. This study examined North Korea’s psychopathology and diagnostic classification system and how it differs from international standards. Methods: This study reviewed North Korean medical books and medical journals available at the Information Center on North Korea. This literature review and qualitative content analysis examined 15 medical books and 227 medical articles. Results: North Korea’s psychiatric diagnostic classification is based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition (ICD-10), but with some modifications to reflect the circumstances of North Korea. While the research journals mainly used the ICD-10 diagnostic criteria, North Korea has its own diagnostic criteria, which it refers to as the “existing diagnostic criteria.” ‘Neurotic disorders’ were the most common, both in the classification in the medical books and the list of disorders covered in the medical journals. There was an interest in ‘organic mental disorders,’ such as postconccusional syndrome and ‘mental disorders due to encephalic parasitism,’ but relatively little research on mood disorders. There were no studies on suicide and a view that alcohol is abused in capitalist countries. Conclusion This study examined the diagnostic classification system of North Korean psychiatry.Further analyses of the characteristics of the psychopathology used in North Korea can be used to understand North Korean society.

PURPOSE: Febrile seizure affects 2 to 5% of children, but 30 to 40% of the children who already had febrile seizure experience another febrile seizure. We researched to define a high risk group of recurrent febrile seizures through investigating several risk factors. METHODS: We evaluated 342 patients who were admitted to our hospital or treated in the emergency room for their first febrile seizure from March, 1995 to August, 2001. We assessed various risk factors, such as age, the type of seizure, body temperature, serum sodium concentration, sex, neurologic abnormalities, and family history of febrile seizure or epilepsy. RESULTS: Age at the first febrile seizure(< or =18 months) and family history of febrile seizure were significant risk factors for recurrence of febrile seizure. The study showed that 21.9% of the children who had none of these risk factors, 36.4% of the children who had one, and 57.1% of the children who had both factors had recurrent febrile seizures. Thus, the recurrence rates clearly increase as the number of these factors increase. CONCLUSION: Two major risk factors for recurrent febrile seizures were identified:early onset(< or =18 months) and family history of febrile seizure. The risk of recurrent febrile seizures increased with the number of these risk factors increased. Consequently, children with both risk factors were considered to belong to a high risk group of recurrent febrile seizures.
Body Temperature ; Child ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors* ; Seizures ; Seizures, Febrile* ; Sodium

No abstract available.
Endothelial Cells* ; Hantaan virus* ; Humans* ; Umbilical Veins*

Diphyllobothrium latum infection in humans is not common in Republic of Korea. We report a case of fish tapeworm infection in a 10-year-old boy after ingestion of raw perch about 8 months ago. The patient complained of recurrent abdominal pain and watery diarrhea. A tapeworm, 85 cm in length, without scolex and neck, was spontaneously discharged in the feces of the patient. The patient was treated with 15-mg/kg single dose praziquantel, and follow-up stool examination was negative after one month. There was no evidence of relapse during the next six months.
Abdominal Pain* ; Cestoda ; Cestode Infections ; Child* ; Diarrhea ; Diphyllobothrium* ; Eating ; Feces ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Neck ; Perches ; Praziquantel ; Recurrence ; Republic of Korea

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the quality of life (QoL) of North Korean defectors in South Korean society in the year 2007 for purposes of comparing it to their QoL in 2004 and identifying demographic variables that influence QoL. METHODS: We used the Korean version of WHOQoL-BREF to evaluate the QoL of 106 North Korean defectors. Other instruments included a questionnaire for discerning demographic data, life experiences, and physical health. RESULTS: For last 3 years, more defectors had higher education, married, and higher income. However, their unemployment numbers did not decrease, while their number of believers in a religion did decrease. QoL scores remained low in the areas of negative feelings, financial resources, dependence on treatment and drugs, recreation and leisure activities, and opportunities for new information and skills, but were high in areas of cognitive mental functions, personal beliefs, work capacity, self-esteem, and transportation. Path analysis suggested that the psychological domain influenced overall QoL while other domains influenced overall QoL indirectly, through the psychological domain. Since 2004, defectors' QoL in the physical domain and in opportunities for education and transportation had improved, while QoL with regard to pain and discomfort, mobility, and negative feelings had worsened. Variables that were negatively correlated with QoL included male sex, higher age, being married, experiencing army service in North Korea, and shorter stays in third countries. In South Korea, QoL was negatively correlated with current physical illness but positively correlated to having a family, a stable job, higher income, and someone to talk with. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that defectors' QoL would be improved by tailored services according to their sex and age, focusing on educational programs to provide new information and skills, support for building families, health services, and community support.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Services ; Humans ; Leisure Activities ; Life Change Events ; Male ; Mental Health ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Recreation ; Republic of Korea ; Transportation ; Unemployment

Neurenteric cyst is a rare, congenital, and benign cystic lesion of the central nervous system, which is generally thought to result from failure of separation of the neuro-ectodermal and neuro-endodermal elements during week 3 of embryogenesis. Neurenteric cysts in the intracranial area are very rare lesions that typically occur in the spinal canal or even more seldom in the posterior cranial fossa. A girl presented to the outpatient clinic with complaints of moderate to severe episodes of headache with associated vomiting for 2 weeks. There was a positive sign of severe neck stiffness. Her brain MRI showed a neurenteric cyst located within the anterior intradural space of the foramen magnum. We report our experience with an intracranial neurenteric cyst located in the anterior brain stem area.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Central Nervous System ; Cranial Fossa, Posterior ; Embryonic Development ; Female ; Foramen Magnum ; Headache ; Neck ; Neural Tube Defects ; Pregnancy ; Spinal Canal ; Vomiting

Transient hyperammonemia in a newborn is an overwhelming disease manifested by hyperammonemic coma. The majority of affected newborns are premature and have mild respiratory syndrome. The diagnosis may be difficult to determine. This metabolic disorder is primarily characterized by severe hyperammonemia in the postnatal period, coma, absence of abnormal organic aciduria and normal activity of the enzymes of the urea cycle. Hyperammonemic coma may develop within 2-3 days of life, although its etiology is unknown. Laboratory studies reveal marked hyperammonemia (>4,000 micromol/L). The degree of neurologic impairment and developmental delay in this disorder depends on the duration of hyperammonemic coma. Moreover, the infant may succumb to the disease if treatment is not started immediately and continued vigorously. Hyperammonemic coma as a medical emergency requires dialysis therapy. Here, we report a case of severe transient hyperammonemia in a preterm infant (35 week of gestation) presented with respiratory distress, seizure, and deep coma within 48 hours and required ventilatory assistance and marked elevated plasma ammonia levels. He survived with aggressive therapy including peritoneal dialysis, and was followed 2 years later without sequelae.
Ammonia ; Coma ; Dialysis ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Plasma ; Seizures ; Urea