• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.105-115
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aims to determine the factors that affect the breastfeeding of late preterm infants (gestation age 34⁺⁰~36⁺⁶) in South Korea. Method: A cross-sectional and questionnaire-based survey was conducted on 178 mothers of 209 late preterm infants discharged from a university hospital. We collected data on participants' demographics, breastfeeding-related characteristics and current status of breastfeeding and analyzed them using SPSS. Results: Breastfeeding duration varied significantly according to the number of babies born (t=3.691, p<.001), birth order (F=6.416, p=.002), type of feeding planned (F=8.691, p<.001), planned breastfeeding period(F=24.779, p<.001), previous baby's breastfeeding type(F= 8.510, p<.001), previous baby's breastfeeding duration(F=10.589, p<.001). The mothers with incomes of 3-5 million won a month were less likely to continue breastfeeding than those with incomes over 5 million won (CI: 0.049-0.086: p=0.035). Conclusion: Our results are meaningful in that we revealed that mother's monthly income influenced breastfeeding continuation, first-time mothers and mothers of multiples were at risk of breastfeeding difficulties. Interventions for helping late preterm infants' mothers establish breastfeeding and maintain an adequate milk supply are vital.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.36-46
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• 2009

Purpose: To evaluate the neonatal statistics on a national basis, data for birth characteristics and neonatal mortality were collected and analyzed from 57 hospitals in Korea. Methods: Questionnaires were distributed to determine the characteristics of neonatal births and mortality rates in 57 hospitals in Korea during 2007. We analyzed the characteristics of all inborn births and hospitalized neonates in the neonatal care units (NICUs) and compared the results with published Korean data from 1996 and 2002. Results: A total of 40,433 inborn live births were reported from the 57 hospitals during 2007. Pre-term, term, and post-term births comprised 24.2%, 75.6%, and 0.2% of the neonates, respectively. Low birth weight infants (LBWIs), very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs), and extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWIs) made up 22.0%, 4.6%, and 1.7% of the neonates, respectively. A total of 21,957 (collected by gestational period) and 21,356 (collected by birth weight) neonates were hospitalized in the 57 NICUs. Pre-term, term, and post-term neonates comprised 39.8%, 59.8%, and 0.4% of the neonates, respectively. LBWIs, VLBWIs, and ELBWIs made up 37.3%, 9.5%, and 3.3% of the neonates, respectively. Pre-term, term, and post-term neonates had mortality rates of 4.5%, 0.7%, and 3.7%, respectively, while the mortality rates of LBWIs, VLBWIs, and ELBWIs were 4.7%, 15.3%, and 32.2%, respectively. In comparison with prematurity data from 1996 and 2002, LBWIs, and ELBWIs had a marked increase in birth frequency and a decreased mortality rate in Korea during 2007. Conclusion: The number of live births and the survival rate of pre-term neonates, especially VLBWIs and ELBWIs, are increasing. Even though the outcomes of neonatal care are improving, further efforts to manage these premature infants are needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.203-214
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• 2001

Maternal stress was very common symptom that every pregnant women could have experienced during pregnant period. We found that the causative factors of stress for subjects were physical change(50.8%), family relationship(13.6%), change of body image(7.4%), concern baby(6.8%), economic difficulties(6.4%), depress(4.3%), morning sickness(3%), and miscellaneous(3.5%). According to our study, maternal stress during the first trimester negatively correlated with food and nutrients intake of pregnant women and gave low weight gain during pregnancy and low birth weight of infants. It also significantly correlated with monthly income(p<0.001) and monthly food cost(p<0.001) during pregnant period. Mean intake of Calcium and Iron were $47{\sim}60%$ of RDA and $35{\sim}48$ of RDA, respectively. With the Iron supplement the total intake of Iron exceeded 100% of RDA. We also found majority of food items, except seaweeds, fruits and vegetables, were negatively correlated with maternal stress during three trimesters. Additional support system projected by professionals in health-care field could mediate maternal stress and lead to healthy pregnancy outcome.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2018

Purpose: Abdominoperineal solid tumors presenting in neonates often require surgical intervention during the neonatal period. Although we report our single-center experience, this study would be meaningful to understand the clinical implications of these neoplasms. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed and analyzed the clinical data and characteristics of 22 patients (${\leq}28$ days old) diagnosed with histopathologically confirmed abdominoperineal solid neoplasms (benign or malignant) after surgical resection. Results: The mean gestational age and postnatal age at the time of operation were $38.3{\pm}1.8weeks$ and $13.5{\pm}8.3days$, respectively. Most patients (18/22, 81.8%) were diagnosed during antenatal care visits; however, 4 (18.2%) were identified after birth. The mean tumor size was $6.4{\times}5.3cm$ (3.5-17.0 cm), and tumors occurred most frequently within the sacrococcygeal region (8/22, 36.4%). Histopathologically, 14 patients (63.6%) demonstrated benign tumors and 8 (36.4%) demonstrated malignant tumors. Germ cell tumors and hepatoblastomas were the most commonly observed tumors. Fortunately, all patients showed a localized pattern of tumor involvement without distant metastasis. No recurrence or mortality was observed during the follow-up period (mean $66.4{\pm}44.2months$). Conclusion: Abdominoperineal solid tumors occurring in neonates show variable clinical patterns during the antenatal and postnatal monitoring/screening periods. We conclude that aggressive and multidisciplinary approaches could achieve good clinical results in these patients.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2009

With the widespread use of the obstetrical ultrasound, identification of a fetal suprarenal mass becomes more common. Most of these masses prove to be congenital neuroblastomas (CNB) postnatally. However, the diagnosis is often confused with other benign lesions and the post-natal management remains controversial. The medical records of 13 patients that underwent primary surgical excision for an antenatally detected adrenal CNB, between January 1995 and April 2009, were reviewed retrospectively. The clinical, radiological, surgical, and pathological data on the suprarenal mass were collected. Staging evaluation was performed after histological confirmation of the CNB. Most of the CNBs were stage I (N=11), with 1 stage IV and 1 stage IV-S. Four patients (3 stage I and 1 stage IV-S) had N-myc gene amplification. The stage I patients were cured by surgery alone, and stage IV patients underwent 9 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy and currently have no evidence of disease after 39 months of follow-up. The patient with stage IV-S is currently receiving chemotherapy. There were no post-operative complications. For early diagnosis and treatment, surgical excision should be considered as the primary therapy for an adrenal CNB detected before birth. The surgery can be safely performed during the neonatal period and provides a cure in most cases. Surgical diagnosis and treatment of CNB is recommended in neonatal period.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.69-77
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• 2015

Cell-cell direct communication through channel-forming molecules, connexin (Cx), is essential for a tissue to exchange signaling molecules between neighboring cells and establish unique functional characteristics during postnatal development. The corpus epididymis is a well-known androgen-responsive tissue and involves in proper sperm maturation. In the present research, it was attempted to determine if expression of Cx isoforms in the corpus epididymis in the adult is modulated by exposure to estrogenic or anti-androgenic compound during the early postnatal period. The neonatal male rats at 7 days of age were subcutaneously injected by estradiol benzoate (EB) at low-dose ($0.015{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) or high-dose ($1.5{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) or flutamide (Flu) at low-dose ($500{\mu}g/kg$ body weight) or high-dose (50 mg/kg body weight). The corpus epididymis collected at 4 months of age was subjected to evaluate expressional changes of Cx isoforms by quantitative real-time PCR. Treatment of low-dose EB resulted in increases of Cx32, Cx37, and Cx45 transcript levels, while exposure to high-dose EB decreased expression of Cx26, Cx30.3, Cx31, Cx31.1, Cx32, Cx40, Cx43, and Cx45. Treatments of Flu caused significant decreases of expression of all examined Cx isoforms, except Cx37 and Cx43 shown no expressional change with high-dose Flu treatment. These findings imply that expression of most Cx isoforms present in the corpus epididymis would be transcriptionally regulated by actions of androgen and/or estrogen during postnatal period.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.87-90
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• 2010

Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Hyperammonemia in the newborn often leads to severe fatal illness associated with hyperammonemic encephalopathy. Transient hyperammonemia in newborns (THAN) is characterized by self-limiting, transient hyperammonemia during the neonatal period. THAN may have favorable long-term outcomes if it is diagnosed early and appropriately managed. However, severe hyperammonemia can develop even in newborns with THAN, which may require emergent management. Here we report a case of THAN with severe hyperammonemia during the neonatal period that was successfully treated with continuous renal replacement therapy and nitrogen-scavenging medications. Our patient went on to develop normally and has not re-experienced a hyperammonemic episode until 9 months of age without the administration of a protein restricted diet or medications.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.1067-1071
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• 2007

Purpose : The aim of this study was to determine whether improved survival of extremely low birth weight infants (ELBWI) was associated with decreased neurodevelopmental disability later in life, and also to identify the factors influencing this disability. Methods : ELBWI admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Samsung Medical Center, survived, and followed up until the corrected age of 18 months were enrolled. They were divided into two groups according to admission time: period I (1994-1999, n=36) and period II (2000-2004, n=98). Clinical data were collected retrospectively from the medical records. Results : Survival rates increased from 60.0% to 74.7%, cerebral palsy rates decreased from 22.2% to 8.2% and catch-up growth rate increased from 25.0% to 51.0% during period I and II. Despite less gestational age and birth weight, ELBWI during period II had less periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), sepsis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia compared to period I. The highest risk factors for cerebral palsy were intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) (${\geq}$Grade III), failure of catch-up growth and PVL. Conclusion : In summary, improved viability was associated with decreased neurodevelopmental disability in ELBWI. Improved neonatal care with resultant decrease in PVL and IVH, and better nutritional support seem to be primarily responsible for this improved outcome.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.780-785
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• 1987

Pulmonary atresia with VSD is uncommon congenital anomaly with high mortality in neonatal period. Recently we experienced surgical correction of 2 cases of pulmonary atresia with VSD. The first case was 7-year old female patient and diagnosed as pulmonary atresia with VSD combined PDA. So, total correction was undertaken which consisted of PDA ligation, patch repair of VSD, transannular enlargement of RVOT with woven Dacron vascular graft, and closure of PFO. Postoperative systemic Rt. ventricular and radial artery pressure ratio was 0.44 and her postoperative course was uneventful. The second case was 6-year old male patient diagnosed as pulmonary atresia with VSD and large systemic-pulmonary collateral arteries. There were two large systemic-pulmonary collaterals, one was simply controlled by ligation, but the other was considered to supply Rt. upper lung. So end to side anastomosis was performed to the RVOT patch. Postoperative systolic Rt. ventricular and radial artery pressure ratio was 0.54. During the follow up period he showed clinical picture of Rt. heart failure, which is relatively well controlled with anticongestive therapy.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.211-214
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• 2002

The mortalities of exotic felids that have been raised in Everland Zoological Gardens within a designated period (1976∼2001) were retrospectively analyzed based on the clinical charts and/or autopsy reports. During that period, a total of 154 exotic folios from 5 species were died. Noninfectious and traumatic factors, respiratory and digestive disorders account for the majority of cause of death. 40% of the death was concentrated in the winter season. The mortality of female and male was 55% and 45% respectively. The mortality of newborn folios(57%) were significantly higher than that of adult(32% and juvenile felids(11%) due to neonatal problems.