• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.182-192
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• 2002

Purpose : This study was performed to characterize the epidemiologic and clinical features of acute adenoviral lower respiratory tract infections(LRTIs). Methods : Virological analysis was done from respiratory specimens obtained from patients with LRTIs hospitalized to other hospitals and referred to the Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Children's Hospital(SNUCH) from June 1998 to July 2000. Viral diagnosis was made by isolation of viruses employing HEp-2 cell culture and indirect immunofluorescent staining with monoclonal antibodies. Serotypes of adenoviruses were determined by neutralization test using antiserum for types 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 11. Medical records of children admitted to the SNUCH were reviewed retrospectively. Results : Adenovirus was isolated from 118(9.0%) of 1,305 children with LRTIs. Serotypes were 3(39.0%), 7(16.9%), 1(11.0%), 2(7.6%), 4(7.6%), 6(5.9%), 11(2.5%), and 5(0.8%) and 10 strains(8.5%) were not neutralized by antisera included in the study. Infections by type 3 and type 7 occurred in outbreaks. Male to female ratio was 1.0:0.9 and mean age was 1.95 years. The clinical diagnoses were pneumonia(83%), acute tracheobronchitis(12%) and bronchiolitis(5%). Associated symptoms, signs and abnormal laboratory findings included cough(100%), sputum(73.5%), fever(54.2%), rale(59.3%), wheezing(34%), anemia(35%) and leukopenia(15.8%). Mortality was in 13.5%. Residual radiologic sequelae was identified in 32.6% of the patients followed. Conclusion : These data confirms that adenovirus may cause severe lower respiratory tract diseases, and infections by type 3 and 7 may occured in outbreaks.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.142-149
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• 2009

Purpose : The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of serum procalcitonin (PCT) compared with that of C-reactive protein (CRP) and the total white blood cell count (WBC) in predicting bacterial infections in febrile infants<6 months of age. Methods : A prospective study was performed with infants <6 months of age who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics with a fever of uncertain source between July and September 2008. Spinal taps were performed according to clinical symptoms and physical examination. Serum PCT levels were measured using an enzyme-linked fluorescent assay. Results : Seventy-one infants (mean age, 2.62 months) were studied. Twenty-six infants (36.6%) had urinary tract infections (UTIs), and 22 infants (31.0%) had viral meningitis. The remaining infants had acute pharyngitis (n=1), herpangina (n=1), upper respiratory tract infections (n=7), acute bronchiolitis (n=8), acute gastroenteritis (n=4), and bacteremia (n=2). The median WBC and CRP levels were significantly higher in infants with UTIs than in infants with viral meningitis. However, there were no differences in the median PCT levels between the groups (0.14 ng/mL vs. 0.11 ng/mL, P=0.419). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.792 (95% CI, 0.65-0.896) for WBC, 0.77 (95% CI, 0.626-0.879) for CRP, and 0.568 (95% CI, 0.417-0.710) for PCT. An elevated WBC count (>11,920/${\mu}L$) and an increased CRP level (>1.06mg/dL) were significant predictors of UTIs based on multiple logistic regression analysis. Conclusion : Serum PCT concentrations should be interpreted with caution in infants <6 months of age with a fever of uncertain source.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2009

Purpose : A number of countries have experienced an increase in pertussis during the past decade. In particular, there has been an increase in the incidence rate among adolescents and adults. To learn more about the current epidemiology of pertussis, we studied the prevalence and clinical characteristics of pertussis in children in Cheonan, South Korea. Methods : We collected nasopharyngeal aspirates of 118 patients who were treated for respiratory symptoms at Dankook Univeristy Hospital between March 2008 and September 2009. We performed multiplex PCR for detection of Bordetella pertussis in those aspirates. Results : Of the 118 patients, 10 (8%) were positive by PCR for B. pertussis. Six episodes occurred during the period July to September 2009. Nine of the 10 patients were less than 3 months old. Seven of them had not received DTaP vaccine. The mean duration of coughing before diagnosis was 10.9${\pm}$5.2 days. Ten patients (100%) had paroxysmal cough and 8 (80%) had post-tussive vomiting. Only one patient had fever. One who had complications that include pneumonia, atelectasis and pneumomediastinum developed an absolute increase in leukocyte count (84,400/$mm^3$). There was a statistically significant relation between vaccine being received and development of complications (P =0.033). Conclusion : We suspect that there was an epidemic of pertussis between July and September 2009. Further investigation by a pediatric or nationwide surveillance system is needed to monitor the changing epidemiology for pertussis.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2009

Purpose : Pertussis was very common in the past, but reported cases have dramatically decreased. The improvement of vaccination programs and unreadiness of laboratory confirmation seems to have developed this situation. This study investigated the frequency of pertussis among infants with a paroxysmal cough and compared the clinical characteristics between infants with and without pertussis. Methods : Between June and November 2006, 27 infants admitted to the hospital that were 15-90 days old with a history of a cough for more than seven days were enrolled. The cough was described as: paroxysmal, whooping, and post-tussive vomiting. PCR and cultures for Bordetella pertussis with nasopharyngeal aspirates were obtained. The patients were divided into two groups: (1) the pertussis group that had positive results by PCR or culture; (2) the control group that had negative results by PCR and culture. Clinical and laboratory characteristics were compared between the two groups. Results : Among the 27 cases, five (18.5%) were finally diagnosed with pertussis. Only one out of the five pertussis cases was initially diagnosed with a pertussis-like syndrome on admission. Compared to the group without pertussis, the pertussis group had a significantly higher frequency of: no fever (P =0.043), a paroxysmal cough (P =0.040), cyanosis (P =0.001), non-immunized status for DTaP (P =0.047), normal auscultation (P =0.028), normal chest X-ray findings (P =0.027), high absolute lymphocyte count (P =0.039), and low CRP (P =0.046). The patients with the diagnosis of pertussis had a significantly longer duration of coughing (27.2${\pm}$10.6 vs. 12.6${\pm}$5.6 days, P =0.039). Conclusion : Pertussis should be suspected in any infant with typical symptoms of pertussis in addition to: a persistent cough without fever, accompanied by paroxysms or cyanosis prior to the age of DTaP immunization. Active laboratory confirmation should be carried out to confirm more cases with pertussis.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.245-254
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• 2002

Objective : To test if the intake of $H_2$ receptor antagonists ($H_2$-RAs) increases the risk of gastric cancer in the elderly. Methods : The source population for this study was drawn from the responders to a questionnaire survey administered to the Korea Elderly Pharmacoepidemiological Cohort (KEPEC), who were beneficiaries of the Korean Medical Insurance Corporation, were at least 65 years old, and residing in Busan in 1999. The information on $H_2$-RAs exposure was obtained from a drug prescription database compiled between inn. 1993 and Dec. 1994. The cases consisted of 76 gastric cancer patients, as confirmed from the KMIC claims data, the National Cancer Registry and the Busan Cancer Registry. The follow-up period was from Jan. 1993 to Dec. 1998. Cancer free controls were randomly selected by 1:4 individual matching, which took in to consideration the year of birth and gender. Information on confounders was collected by a mail questionnaire survey. The odds ratios, and their 95% confidence intervals, were calculated using a conditional logistic regression model. Results : After adjusting for a history of gastric ulcer symptoms, medication history, and body mass index, the adjusted OR (aOR) was 4.6 (95% CI=1.72-12.49). The odds ratio of long term use (more than 7 days) was 2.3 (95% CI=1.07-4.82). The odds ratio of short term use was 4.6 (95% CI=1.26-16.50). The odds ratio of parenteral use was 4.4 195% CI=1.16-17.05) and combination use between the oral and parenteral routes (aOR, 16.8; 95% CI=1.21-233.24) had the high risk of gastric cancer. The aOR of cimetidine was 1.7 (95% CI=1.04-2.95). The aOR of ranitidine was 2.0 (95% CI=1.21-3.40). The aOR of famotidine was 1.7 (95% CI=0.98-2.80). Conclusion : The intake of $H_2$-RAs might increase the risk of gastric cancer through achlorhydria in the elderly.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.27 no.2 s.46
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• pp.337-365
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• 1994

Rubella is a viral disease with mild constitutional symptoms and generalized rashes. In childhood, it is an inconsequential illness, but when it occurs during early pregnant period, there are significant risks of heart defects, cataract, mental retardation to the fetus. The series of congenital defects induced by rubella is called 'congenital rubella syndrome'. Many research have been performed to find out more effective prevention program on rubella. The objectives of this study are, first, to calculate the incidence rate of acute rubella infection and congenital rubella syndrome in Korea, second, to evaluate economic efficiency of several rubella vaccination policies and to offer data for the most reasonable decision on vaccination policy. Study populations are 663,312 children of one year-old in 1992. The author has performed cost-benefit analyses according to the three vaccination policies-U.S.A.'s. U.K.'s and Sweden's. In this Study, the author got the incidence rate of acute rubella infection using the catalytic model. In the meantime, the author used 50 per 100,000 live births as the incidence rate of congenital rubella syndrome. The discount rate used in this study was 5 percent per annum. The sensitivity analyses were done with different discount rates (4%, 7%) and different incidence rate of congenital rubella syndrome (10,100 per 100,000 live births) : The study results are as follows: 1. Without vaccination, lifetime expenditures per patient for acute rubella infeciton amount to 14,822 won and the total expenditures to about 3.1 billion won. Meanwhile, lifetime expenditures per patient for congenital rubella syndrome amount to about 91 million won and the total expenditures to about 16.3 billion won without vaccination. 2. The cost of vaccination for a child of one year old was 2,322 won and the total cost for the one year old children was about 1.5 billion won (American style). The cost for vaccination of female children at fifteen was about 339 million won (Birtish style). And the cost of vaccination at one for both sex and female children at fifteen was about 1.9 billion won (Swedish style). 3. The benefit to cost ratios of vaccination of female children at fifteen that is the british mode of rubella vaccination, was 60.0 at the level of 80% population coverage and 48.6 at 100% coverage. It shows much higher benefit to cost ratio than those of the other two vaccination policies. 4. Both net benefits of vaccination at one (American style) and that of vaccinations at one and fifteen (Swedish style) range from about 17.0 billion to 17.8 billion won, those were larger than that of vaccinations of female children at fifteen (Birtish style, about 16.0 billion). 5. In marginal cost-benefit analysis of only additional program of revaccination, the benefit to cost ratios were 3.6 (80% coverage rate) or 0.6 (100% coverage rate). It implies that additional program was less efficient or inefficient. 6. In sensitivity analysis with different discount rates(4% or 7%) and different incidence rates of congenital rubella syndrome (10 or 100 per 100,000 live births), the benefit to cost ratios has fluctuated in wide range. However, all the ratios of vaccination of female children at fifteen were higher than those of the others. Even under the most conservative assumption, the benefit to cost ratios of all the rubella vaccination policies were higher than 3.3. In conclusion, all the rubella vaccination policies found to be cost-effective and particularly the vaccination of female children at fifteen was strongly recommended.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.210-217
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• 2010

Purpose : Diabetes mellitus (DM) is known as one of the common causes of secondary enuresis in children. However, enuresis in diabetic children is overlooked only as a symptom of polyuria due to hyperglycemia. We evaluated the prevalence of nocturnal enuresis in children with diabetes mellitus in this paper. Methods : Among children with diabetes in three hospitals in Daegu area, 117 agreed to 'Tele research by means of a questionnaire'. Results : Diabetic patients were divided into two groups: Nocturnal enuresis and nonnocturnal enuresis group. thirty-two of 117 (27.0%) patients were in enuresis group, with more daytime urination than non-nocturnal enuresis group ($4.2{\pm}1.6/3.6{\pm}1.2$ times, P=0.016). HbA1c at diagnosis was $12.0{\pm}2.3%/12.0{\pm}2.5%$, and at follow-up $9.3{\pm}2.3%/8.3{\pm}2.3%$ (P =0.042). Insulin was administered at $1.1{\pm}0.5/1.1{\pm}0.4$ units/kg/day. Ten children of enuresis (31.2%) group were monosymptomatic (MNE) and 22 (68.8%) children were non-monosymptomatic enuresis (non-MNE). Fourteen (43.8%) of enuresis group had persistent symptoms, with 5 MNE and 9 non-MNE each. HbA1c at diagnosis was $11.1{\pm}2.5$, $12.4{\pm}2.1$, higher in non-MNE (P=0.144). Average arousal during sleep was step $3.3{\pm}1.2$, $2.5{\pm}1.0$, higher in improved enuresis group (P=0.059). Conclusion : Nocturnal enuresis among DM patients is underestimated. However, considering psychological and social effects of enuresis in children, extensive and long-term studies are needed in the future to clarify relationship between prevalence and DM control.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.170-177
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• 2008

Purpose : The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the incidence of relapse or nephritis might be influenced by the duration of corticosteroid therapy in children with Henoch-Schonlein purpura(HSP). Methods : We retrospectively analyzed 186 children with a diagnosis of HSP in two major hospitals in Ilsan, Korea from the years 2000 to 2003. To evaluate whether renal involvement or relapse might be influenced by the duration of corticosteroid therapy in children with HSP, one pediatric nephrologist from hospital A, maintained corticosteroid therapy for at least 2 weeks(Group A, n=94). The other from hospital B used only during the symptomatic period(Group B, n=92). Results : There were no significant differences in age, sex, body weight, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count, serum protein and albumin levels between the two groups. The incidence of abdominal pain or arthralgia also did not differ between two groups. However, the duration of steroid therapy was significantly longer in Group A than in Group B and the cumulative dose of prednisolone was also higher in Group A than in Group B. The development of nephritis was more frequent in Group A. Conclusion : The longer duration of steroid use was not associated with the decreased rate of nephritis. Therefore, corticosteroids should be used carefully in a selected group of HSP children, and be tapered rapidly after control of the acute symptoms.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.94-100
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• 2009

These experiments were conducted to improve the effect of seed disinfection on rice seed severely infected Bakanae disease by seed soaking into mixed solution of prochloraz EC and fludioxonil FS. We investigated the effects of various concentrations of two fungicides mixed solution on spore germination and mycelial growth of Fusarium fujikuroi. Mycelial growth was inhibited 100% at $10{\mu}g$/ml of prochloraz and 33.3% at $80{\mu}g$/ml of fludioxonil. Spore germination was inhibited 81.4% at $40{\mu}g$/ml of prochloraz. Interestingly, mixed solution of $5{\mu}g$/ml or $10{\mu}g$/ml of each fungicide inhibitied 100% of mycelial growoth and 99.2% of spore germination, respectively. Severely infected rice seeds soaked into mixed solution composed of $125{\mu}l$/ml of prochloraz and $50{\mu}l$/ml of fludioxonil showed 2.1% of disease symptoms compared to 20.4% of prochloraz $125{\mu}l$/ml, but higher concentrations of prochloraz decreased the seedling stand rate. When the seed soaking time was longer and temperature was higher, control effect on Bakanae disease was improved, but seedling stand was lower about 80% over $35^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.11-16
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• 2004

Classification of esophageal motility disorders not yet finalized and is still ongoing as the new disorders are reported, and the existing classification is changed or removed. In terms of radiology, the primary peristalsis does not exist, and the lower end of the esophagus show the smooth, tapered, beak-like appearance. The esophageal motility disorder, which mostly occurs in the smooth muscle area, show the symptoms of reduction or loss (hypomotility) or abnormal increase (hypermotility) of peristalsis of the esophagus. It is important to understand the anatomy and physiology of the esophagus for the appropriate radiological method and diagnosis. Furthermore, the symptom of the patient and the manometry finding must be closely referred for the radiological diagnosis. The lower esophageal sphincter can be normally functioning and open completely as the food moves lower. Sperandio M et al. argues that the name diffuse esophageal spasm must be changed to distal esophageal spasm (DES) as most of the spasm occurs in the distal esophagus, composed of the smooth muscle. According to Ott et al., usefulness of barium method for diagnosing the esophageal motility disorder is Achalasia 95%, DES 71% and NEMD 46%, with the overall sensitivity of 56%. However, excluding the nutcracker esophagus or nonspecific disorder which cannot be diagnosed with the radiological methods, the sensitivity increases to 89%. Using videofluoroscopy and 5 time swallows, the average sensitivity was over 90%. In conclusion, the barium method is a simple primary testing method for esophageal motility test. Using not only the image but also the videofluoroscopy with good knowledge of the anatomy and physiology, it is believed that the method will yield the accurate diagnosis.