• 한국산업보건학회지
• /
• 제31권3호
• /
• pp.202-212
• /
• 2021

Objectives: The reproductive health of female workers has been extensively investigated in South Korea and other countries worldwide. However, few studies have discussed the reproductive health of male workers. In this study, we reviewed the recent literature that reports on the effects of occupational exposure on the reproductive health of male workers and the health of their children. Methods: In May 2020 we used the PubMed search engine to search the literature over the last 10 years and chose case-control, cohort, and cross-sectional studies and reviews. We selected epidemiological studies that investigated the association between pre-pregnant occupational exposure and the reproductive health of male workers and the health of their children. We excluded case reports, non-epidemiological studies (animal experiments, cellular-level experiments, and similar articles), and studies that described postnatal occupational exposure. Results: We eventually selected 23 studies. The studies that included exclusively male workers reported that those employed in the agricultural sector or those exposed to pesticides showed lower blood levels of reproductive hormones and a high risk of lympho-hematopoietic system cancer in their children. Male workers exposed to complex organic solvents and organic compounds showed a high risk of poor semen quality, increased time to pregnancy, decreased blood levels of reproductive hormones, and a high risk of lympho-hematopoietic system cancer in their children. Male workers employed in occupations that involved significant social contact, or in the leather and livestock industries, and in occupations with high levels of exposure to lead and organic solvents showed a high risk of malignancies, including lympho-hematopoietic system cancer, neuroblastoma, and central nervous system tumors in their children. Studies that investigated both male and female workers reported that children of male smelters showed a high risk of premature birth, and children of male workers exposed to metals showed a high risk of hypospadias and cryptorchidism. Children of male welders and workers employed in the glass, ceramic, and tile industries showed a high risk of premature birth. Conclusion: The findings of this study will serve as basic data for further research on male workers' reproductive health and provide a scientific basis for the development of strategies to protect the reproductive health of males employed in high-risk occupations. Moreover, the results of this study may provide guidelines to improve the understanding of and knowledge on male workers' reproductive health.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제38권5호
• /
• pp.387-389
• /
• 2005

Primary atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor[AT/RT] of the central nervous system is a recently described, highly malignant neoplasm that usually occur in the posterior fossa of children. Although AT/RT usually occurs in young children, AT/RT is being recognized in adults with increasing frequency. The authors report 49-year-old man with multiple AT/RT lesions [right lateral ventricle, right temporal lobe and right cerebellum]. Histopathologic findings showed typical rhabdoid cells with eccentric nuclei and prominent nucleoli. Eventhough the tumor was removed, a patient was dead in one month after surgery due to recurrence and rapid regrowth of the tumor.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제61권3호
• /
• pp.302-311
• /
• 2018

Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumours (ATRTs) are the most common malignant central nervous system tumours in children ${\leq}1year$ of age and represent approximately 1-2% of all pediatric brain tumours. ATRT is a primarily monogenic disease characterized by the bi-allelic loss of the SMARCB1 gene, which encodes the hSNF5 subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex. Though conventional dose chemotherapy is not effective in most ATRT patients, high dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplant, radiotherapy and/or intrathecal chemotherapy all show significant potential to improve patient survival. Recent epigenetic and transcriptional studies highlight three subgroups of ATRT, each with distinct clinical and molecular characteristics with corresponding therapeutic sensitivities, including epigenetic targeting, and inhibition of tyrosine kinases or growth/lineage specific pathways.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• 제2권3호
• /
• pp.171-174
• /
• 2001

Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a form of child abuse that can cause significant head injuries, of which subdural hematoma (SDH) is the most common manifestation. We report the MRI findings of chronic SDH in three cases of SBS, involving two-, three- and eight-month-old babies. The SDH signal was mostly low on T1-weighted images and high on T2-weighted images, suggesting chronic SDH. In chronic SDH, a focal high signal on T1-weighted images was also noted, suggesting rebleeding. Contrast-enhanced MRI revealed diffuse dural enhancement.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제52권4호
• /
• pp.417-419
• /
• 2012

Tumors of the central nervous system are common in the pediatric population and constitute the second most prevalent tumor type in children. Within this group, spinal cord tumors are relatively rare and account for 1 to 10% of all pediatric central nervous system tumors. We describe a very rare case of an intradural extramedullary spinal cord tumor with a subcutaneous mass and discuss its clinical presentation, pathogenesis, and treatment. A male infant was delivered normally, with uneventful development. At 16 days post-delivery, his family took him to a pediatrician because of a mass on his upper back. Magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracic spine revealed a well-demarcated soft-tissue mass with central cystic change or necrosis at the subcutaneous layer of the posterior back (T2-7 level). Another mass was found with a fat component at the spinal canal of the T1-3 level, which was intradural extramedullary space. After six weeks, the spinal cord tumor and subcutaneous mass were grossly total resected; pathologic findings indicated an atypical myxoid spindle cell neoplasm, possibly nerve sheath in type. The final diagnosis of the mass was an atypical myxoid spindle cell neoplasm. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged after nine days without any neurological deficit. We report a rare case of an intradural extramedullary spinal tumor with subcutaneous mass in a neonate. It is necessary to monitor the patient's status by examining consecutive radiologic images, and the symptoms and neurological changes should be observed strictly during long-term follow-up.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• 제62권3호
• /
• pp.108-112
• /
• 2019

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a rare, progressive, and fatal central nervous system disorder resulting from persistent measles virus infection. Long-term data are scarce, with a maximum follow-up period of 10 years. Interferon-alpha ($IFN-{\alpha}$) is a protein that exerts its antiviral activity via enhancement of cellular immune response and is reported to be an effective drug for the treatment of SSPE. However, there is currently no consensus regarding the optimal duration of $IFN-{\alpha}$ therapy. Here, we present a case report of a patient with SSPE treated with long-term intraventricular $IFN-{\alpha}$ therapy, which facilitated clinical improvement and neurological stabilization without causing serious adverse effects. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the longest follow-up studies investigating a patient with SSPE receiving intraventricular $IFN-{\alpha}$ treatment. Further studies are necessary to validate the benefits and safety of long-term intraventricular $IFN-{\alpha}$ treatment in patients with SSPE.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
• /
• 제24권3호
• /
• pp.133-139
• /
• 2020

Background and Objectives: The Gaps-In-Noise (GIN) test is a clinically effective measure of the integrity of the central auditory nervous system. The GIN procedure can be applied to a pediatric population above 7 years of age. The present study conducted the GIN test to compare the abilities of auditory temporal resolution among typically developing children, children with speech sound disorder (SSD), and children with cognitive difficulty (CD). Subjects and Methods: Children aged 8 to 11 years-(total n=30) participated in this study. There were 10 children in each of the following three groups: typically developing children, children with SSD, and children with CD. The Urimal Test of Articulation and Phonology was conducted as a clinical assessment of the children's articulation and phonology. The Korean version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (K-WISC-III) was administered as a screening test for general cognitive function. According to the procedure of Musiek, the pre-recorded stimuli of the GIN test were presented at 50 dB SL. The results were scored by the approximated threshold and the overall percent correct score (%). Results: All the typically developing children had normal auditory temporal resolution based on the clinical cutoff criteria of the GIN test. The children with SSD or CD had significantly reduced gap detection performance compared to age-matched typically developing children. The children's intelligence score measured by the K-WISC-III test explained 37% of the variance in the percent-correct score. Conclusions: Children with SSD or CD exhibited poorer ability to resolve rapid temporal acoustic cues over time compared to the age-matched typically developing children. The ability to detect a brief temporal gap embedded in a stimulus may be related to the general cognitive ability or phonological processing.

• 대한청각학회지
• /
• 제24권3호
• /
• pp.133-139
• /
• 2020

Background and Objectives: The Gaps-In-Noise (GIN) test is a clinically effective measure of the integrity of the central auditory nervous system. The GIN procedure can be applied to a pediatric population above 7 years of age. The present study conducted the GIN test to compare the abilities of auditory temporal resolution among typically developing children, children with speech sound disorder (SSD), and children with cognitive difficulty (CD). Subjects and Methods: Children aged 8 to 11 years-(total n=30) participated in this study. There were 10 children in each of the following three groups: typically developing children, children with SSD, and children with CD. The Urimal Test of Articulation and Phonology was conducted as a clinical assessment of the children's articulation and phonology. The Korean version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (K-WISC-III) was administered as a screening test for general cognitive function. According to the procedure of Musiek, the pre-recorded stimuli of the GIN test were presented at 50 dB SL. The results were scored by the approximated threshold and the overall percent correct score (%). Results: All the typically developing children had normal auditory temporal resolution based on the clinical cutoff criteria of the GIN test. The children with SSD or CD had significantly reduced gap detection performance compared to age-matched typically developing children. The children's intelligence score measured by the K-WISC-III test explained 37% of the variance in the percent-correct score. Conclusions: Children with SSD or CD exhibited poorer ability to resolve rapid temporal acoustic cues over time compared to the age-matched typically developing children. The ability to detect a brief temporal gap embedded in a stimulus may be related to the general cognitive ability or phonological processing.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• 제23권3호
• /
• pp.165-171
• /
• 2016

목적: Human parechovirus (HPeV)는 영아에서 중추신경계 감염 및 패혈증의 주요한 원인의 하나로 최근에 새로이 주목받고 있는 바이러스이다. 그러나, 영아 이후 시기에 발병하는 HPeV 감염에 대한 연구나 보고는 거의 없다. 본 연구는 소아기 전 연령대에 걸친 HPeV의 국내 유병률 및 그 임상적 특징을 알아보고자 하였다. 방법: 2013년 1월부터 2014년 7월까지 발열 혹은 수막염 의심 증상으로 서울대학교병원에 내원하여 뇌척수액 검사를 시행 받은 소아의, 보호자 서면 동의를 얻어 수집한 잉여 뇌척수액 검체를 대상으로 하였다. 뇌척수액 검체에서 HPeV 특이 5' untranslated region을 역전사 중합효소연쇄반응(reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction)으로 증폭하여 HPeV 감염을 진단하고, HPeV의 viral protein 3/1 (VP3/VP1) region의 염기서열을 분석하여 유전자형을 확인했다. 이들의 임상 및 진단검사적 특징을 후향적 의무기록분석을 통해 평가하고, 같은 시기에 뇌척수액 GeneXpert (Cepheid)검사로 진단된 장바이러스(enterovirus [EV]) 수막염 환자군과 비교하였다. 결과: 총 102개의 뇌척수액 검체를 분석하였다. 이 중 HPeV 양성인 검체는 6개(5.9%)였고, 21개의 EV양성 검체 중 2개에서 HPeV가 함께 검출되었다. HPeV는 2013년 6월과 2014년 5월에서 7월 사이에 수집된 검체에서 나타났고, 모두 HPeV3형이었다. HPeV 양성인 환자 중 2명이 3개월 이하의 영아였고, 나머지 4명은 1세 이상이었다(19-180개월). 1세 이하의 HPeV 환자들은 특별한 신경학적 증상 없이 발열과 같은 비특이적 증상을 보였으나, 1세 이상의 HPeV 환자들에서는 발열과 함께 뇌전증, 의식소실과 같은 중증 신경학적 증상이 동반되었다. EV 양성인 뇌척수액 검체의 대다수(73.7%)에서 뇌척수액 내 백혈구 증다증이 관찰된 반면, HPeV의 경우 연령 대비 정상 범위를 보였다. 결론: HPeV에 의한 중추신경 감염증은 주로 3개월 이하의 영아에서 호발하는 것으로 알려져 있으나, 본 연구에 의하면 영아기 이후의 소아청소년에서도 HPeV 감염이 발생할 수 있다. 특히, 영아기 이후의 소아청소년에서 신경학적 증상을 동반한 발열이 있으나 정상 뇌척수액 검사 소견을 보이는 경우 HPeV를 병원체의 하나로 고려할 필요가 있겠다. 국내 소아 전반에 있어서 HPeV 감염의 역학과 임상적 특징을 밝히기 위해 향후 추가 연구가 필요하다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• 제55권2호
• /
• pp.48-53
• /
• 2012

Purpose: Gaucher disease is caused by a ${\beta}$-glucocerebrosidase (GBA) deficiency. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics according to subtypes of Gaucher disease in the Korean population. Methods: Clinical findings at diagnosis, $GBA$ mutations, and clinical courses were reviewed in 20 patients diagnosed with Gaucher disease. Results: Eleven patients were diagnosed with non-neuronopathic type, 2 with acute neuronopathic type, and 7 with chronic neuronopathic type. Most patients presented with hepatosplenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, and short stature. In the neuronopathic group, variable neurological features, such as seizure, tremor, gaze palsy, and hypotonia, were noted at age $8.7{\pm}4.3$ years. B cell lymphoma, protein-losing enteropathy, and hydrops fetalis were the atypical manifestations. Biomarkers, including chitotriosidase, acid phosphatase, and angiotensin-converting enzyme, increased at the initial evaluation and subsequently decreased with enzyme replacement treatment (ERT). The clinical findings, including hepatosplenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, and skeletal findings, improved following ERT, except for the neurological manifestations. L444P was the most common mutation in our cohort. One novel mutation, R277C, was found. Conclusion: Although the clinical outcome for Gaucher disease improved remarkably following ERT, the outcome differed according to subtype. Considering the high proportion of the neuronopathic form in the Korean population, new therapeutic strategies targeting the central nervous system are needed, with the development of a new scoring system and biomarkers representing clinical courses in a more comprehensive manner.