• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 2022

The prevalence of developmental disabilities is increasing worldwide over time. Developmental issues in infancy or early childhood may cause learning difficulties or behavioral problem in school age, further adversely affecting adolescent quality of life, which finally lead to low socioeconomic status in family, increase in medical expenses, and other relevant issues in various ways. Early childhood has brain plasticity, which means there is a high chance of recovering from developmental issues by early detection and timely intervention. Pediatricians are placed an ideal position to meet with young children till 6 years of age, of which age range is the time applicable to early intervention. Determining child's developmental status can be made by 2 pathways such as developmental surveillance and developmental screening tests. For better results, pediatricians should update their knowledge about developmental issues, risk factors, and screening techniques through varying educational program or other relevant educating materials. This paper will update reports on the prevalence of developmental disabilities and review the recent results of the Korean developmental screening test and discuss relevant issues. Finally, it will be addressed the pediatrician's role in early detecting developmental issues and timely intervention.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.1-25
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• 2008

Purpose : Since 1967, The Korean Pediatric Society and Korean Government have developed Korean Growth Standards every 10 years. Last version was published in 1998. During past 40 years, Korean Growth Standards were mainly descriptive charts without any systematic nor statistical standardization. With the global epidemic of obesity, many authorities such as World Health Organization (WHO) and United States' Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have been changed their principles of growth charts to cope with the situations like ours. This article summarizes and reviews the whole developmental process of new 2007 Korean Growth Charts with discussion. Methods : With the initiative of Division of Chronic Disease Surveillance in Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we have performed new national survey for the development of new Standards in 2005 and identified marked increase of childhood obesity and plateau of secular increment of final height in late adolescents. We have developed new Growth Standards via adapting several innovative methods, including standardization of all available raw data, which were acquired in 1997 and 2005 national survey and full application of LMS method. Results : We could get new standardized charts; weight-for-age, length/height-for-age, weight-for-height, head circumference-for-age and BMI-for-age. Other non-standardized charts based on 2005 survey data were also published; waist circumference-for-age, mid-arm circumference-for-age, chest circumference-for-age and skinfold-for-age. Clinical guideline was also developed. Conclusion : Developmental process and results of new Korean Growth Charts are comparable with other internationally well-known Growth Standards, WHO 2006 Growth Standards and CDC Growth Charts. 2007 Korean Growth Charts are relevant especially in Korea and Korean ethnic groups.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.94-99
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• 2008

Although neonatal hypoglycemia is a common metabolic abnormality in newborn infants, brain injuries resulting from isolated neonatal hypoglycemia are rare. Many infants who are hypoglycemic do not exhibit clinical manifestations, while other infants are symptomatic and at risk for permanent brain damage. There is no disagreement that hypoglycemia can cause neonatal encephalopathy and result in permanent brain injury. Occipital brain injury associated with neonatal hypoglycemia can result in long-term disability, epilepsy, and visual impairment. Infants should receive ongoing developmental and visual surveillance for lateonset epilepsy, and visual or cognitive impairment. We report two cases of newborn infants with abnormal visual evoked potentials (VEP) caused by neonatal hypoglycemic encephalopathy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.3687-3696
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• 2016

Cancer registration, an important component of cancer surveillance, is essential to a unified, scientific and public health approach to cancer prevention and control. India has one of the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in the world. A good surveillance system in the form of cancer registries is important for planning and evaluating cancer-control activities. Cancer registration in India was initiated in 1964 and expanded since 1982, through initiation of the National Cancer Registry Program (NCRP) by the Indian Council of Medical Research. NCRP currently has twenty-six population based registries and seven hospital based registries. Yet, Indian cancer registries, mostly in urban areas, cover less than 15% of the population. Other potential concerns about some Indian registries include accuracy and detail of information on cancer diagnosis, and timeliness in updating the registry databases. It is also important that necessary data collection related quality assurance measures be undertaken rigorously by the registries to ensure reliable and valid information availability. This paper reviews the current status of cancer registration in India and discusses some of the important pitfalls and issues related to cancer registration. Cancer registration in India should be complemented with a nationwide effort to foster systematic investigations of cancer patterns and trends by states, regions and sub populations and allow a continuous cycle of measurement, communication and action.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2023

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency in branched chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKAD). Between 1997, when Korea's MSUD case was first reported, and 2023, 14 cases were reported in the literature. 29% of the cases experienced developmental delay, and 29% expired. The prevalence of MSUD in Korea was estimated to be 1 in 230,000. Of 21 MSUD patients currently being treated at the Korea Genetics Research Center, 19 were detected through newborn screening program, and 2 were diagnosed by the symptoms. 14 MSUD patients had confirmed genetic mutations; 6 (43%) were BCKDHA and 8 (57%) were BCKDHB. In one case, a large deletion was observed. 4 patients had leucine levels above 2,000 (umo/L), and post-dialysis diet therapy was initiated in the newborn period. No patient required further dialysis as diet therapy and regular monitoring proved highly effective. Most MSUD patients were growing normally; weight and height growth were above the 50th percentile in 76% of the cases while BMI values were higher than normal in 71% of cases. Developmental delays were observed only in 2 cases (10%) and anticonvulsant use in 3 cases (14%). With newborn screening available to all Korean infants, early diagnosis and intervention should allow most patients to remain asymptomatic. However, ongoing surveillance, dietary management and continued patient compliance as well as rapid correction of acute metabolic decompensations remain critical to a favorable long-term prognosis.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2020

Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that play an essential role in preventing cancer development by performing immune surveillance to eradicate abnormal cells. Since ex vivo expanded NK cells have cytotoxic activity against various cancers, including breast cancers, their clinical potential as immune-oncogenic therapeutics has been widely investigated. Here, we report that the pyrazole chemical XRP44X, an inhibitor of Ras/ERK activation of ELK3, stimulates NK-92MI cells to enhance cytotoxic activity against breast cancer cells. Under XRP44X stimulation, NK cells did not show notable apoptosis or impaired cell cycle progression. We demonstrated that XRP44X enhanced interferon gamma expression in NK-92MI cells. We also elucidated that potentiation of the cytotoxic activity of NK-92MI cells by XRP44X is induced by activation of the c-JUN N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway. Our data provide insight into the evaluation of XRP44X as an immune stimulant and that XRP44X is a potential candidate compound for the therapeutic development of NK cells.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.235-236
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• 2017

The circadian clock is an internal system that is synchronized by external stimuli, such as light and temperature, and influences various physiological and developmental processes in living organisms. In the model plant Arabidopsis, transcriptional, translational and post-translational processes are interlocked by feedback loops among morning- and evening-phased genes. In a post-translational loop, plant-specific single-gene encoded GIGANTEA (GI) stabilize the F-box protein ZEITLUPE (ZTL), driving the targeted-proteasomal degradation of TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION 1 (TOC1) and PSEUDO-RESPONSE REGULATOR 5 (PRR5). Inherent to this, we demonstrate the novel biochemical function of GI as a chaperone and/or co-chaperone of Heat-Shock Protein 90 (HSP90). GI prevents ZTL degradation as a chaperone and facilitates ZTL maturation together with HSP90/HSP70, enhancing ZTL activity in vitro and in planta. GI is known to be involved in a wide range of physiology and development as well as abiotic stress responses in plants, but it could also interact with diverse client proteins to increase protein maturation. Our results provide evidence that GI helps proteostasis of ZTL by acting as a chaperone and a co-chaperone of HSP90 for proper functioning of the Arabidopsis circadian clock.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.225-232
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• 2008

The mission of National Health Screening Program for Infant and Children is to promote and improve the health, education, and well-being of infants, children, families, and communities. Although the term 'diagnosis' usually relates to pathology, a similar diagnostic approach applies to the child seen primarily for health supervision. In the case of health, diagnosis determines the selection of appropriate health promoting and preventive interventions, whether medical, dental, nutritional, educational, or psychosocial. Components of the diagnostic process in health supervision include the health 'interview'; assessment of physiological, emotional, cognitive, and social development (including critical developmental milestones); physical examination; screening procedures; and evaluation of strengths and issues. Open and informed communication between the health professional and the family remains the most significant component of both health diagnosis and health promotion. Families complete medical history forms at their health supervision visit. Family-friendly questionnaires, checklists, and surveys that are appropriate for the child's age are additional tools to improve and update data gathering. This type of information helps initiate and inform discussions between the family and the health professional. This article provides a comprehensive review of current National Health Screening Program for Infant and Children in Korea.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.300-306
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• 2010

Purpose : Recent changes in the population structure of Korea, such as rapid decline in birth rate and exponential increase in old-aged people, prompted us to prepare a new health improvement program in children and adolescents. Methods : We reviewed current health screenings applied for children and adolescents in Korea and other developed countries. We collected and reviewed population-based data focused on mortality and morbidity, and other health-related statistical data. We generated problem lists in current systems and developed new principles. Results : Current health screening programs for children and adolescents were usually based on laboratory tests, such as blood tests, urinalysis, and radiologic tests. Almost all of these programs lacked evidence based on population data or controlled studies. In most developed countries, laboratory tests are used only very selectively, and they usually focus on primary prevention of diseases and health improvement using anticipatory guidance. In Korea, statistics on mortality and morbidity reveal that diseases related to lifestyle, such as obesity and metabolic syndrome, are increasing in all generations. Conclusion : We recommend a periodic health screening program with anticipatory guidance, which is focused on growth and developmental surveillance in infants and children. We no longer recommend old programs that are based on laboratory and radiologic examinations. School health screening programs should also be changed to meet current health issues, such as developing a healthier lifestyle to minimize risk behaviors—or example, good mental health, balanced nutrition, and more exercise.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.163-168
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• 2018

Objectives: Due to their developmental characteristics, adolescents have a higher probability than other age groups of experiencing injuries caused by accidents, violence, and intentional self-harm. The severity and characteristics of injuries vary by the intentionality and mechanism of injury; therefore, there is a need for a national-level estimate of the scale and the severity of injuries in adolescents that takes these factors into account. Methods: By using data from the Emergency Department-based Injury In-depth Surveillance Data, National Emergency Department Information System, the Korean National Hospital Discharge In-depth Injury Survey, and cause of death statistics, we calculated the emergency department (ED) visit rate, hospitalization rate, and death rate of injuries per 100 000 adolescents for each injury mechanism. The calculated rates were used to generate the injury pyramid ratio (ratio of death rate to hospitalization rate to ED visit rate) to visualize the scale and the severity of the injury. Results: The mortality rate in adolescents due to injury was 10/100 000; the corresponding rates for hospitalization and ED visits were 1623 and 4923, respectively, resulting in an injury pyramid ratio with the general pyramid form, with a 1:162:492 ratio of deaths to hospitalizations to ED visits. The mortality rate due to suicide/intentional self-harm was 5/100 000, while 35 were hospitalized for this reason and 74 made ED visits. The pyramid ratio of 1:7:15 for intentional self-harm/suicide showed a steep pyramidal form, indicating considerable lethality. The mortality rate due to motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) was 3/100 000; 586 were hospitalized for this reason, while 1023 made ED visits. The pyramid ratio of 1:195:341 for MVCs showed a gradual pyramid form, indicating that the lethality was low and the scale of injury was high. Conclusions: The main categories of injuries in adolescents were visualized in pyramid form, contributing to an understanding of the scale of each injury by mechanism in terms of levels of death, hospitalization, and ED visits. These findings will be helpful for understanding how to prioritize injuries in adolescents.