• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.261-270
• /
• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the result of one-way ANOVA with that of cross-correlation time series analysis in order to evaluate physiologic responses of premature infants to human voices. Methods: Four premature infants born prior to 32 weeks gestational age were included in the study. The Gould 4000TA Recording System recorded the preterm infant's heart and respiratory rate while they were listening to a pre-recorded voice recording. Each infant listened to both male and female voices (1 min each) at each testing session. Results: The results of both one-wayANOVA and cross-correlation time series analysis using heart and respiratory rate data were not consistent in some of premature infants. A cross-correlation time series analysis revealed that the responses of premature infant to vocal stimulation occurred at a varying number of seconds after the stimulus was presented and lasted for over 20-30 sec. Conclusion: The results indicate that a time series analysis can provide more detailed information on the rapidly changing physiologic status of premature infant to the auditory stimulus. In addition, the results provide an insight into an auditory responsitivity of premature infants to a naturally occurring sound, the human voice, in the neonatal intensive care unit.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.89-94
• /
• 2010

Objective : To evaluate the role of cranial sonography and computed tomography in the diagnosis of neonatal intracranial hemorrhage and hypoxic-ischemic injury in an Indian set-up. Methods : The study included 100 neonates who underwent cranial sonography and computed tomography (CT) in the first month of life for suspected intracranial ischemia and hemorrhage. Two observers rated the images for possible intracranial lesions and a kappa statistic for interobserver agreement was calculated. Results : There was no significant difference in the kappa values of CT and ultrasonography (USG) for the diagnosis of germinal matrix hemorrhage/intraventricular hemorrhage (GMH/IVH) and periventricular leucomalacia (PVL) and both showed good interobserver agreement. USG, however detected more cases of GMH/IVH (24 cases) and PVL (19) cases than CT (22 cases and 16 cases of IVH and PVL, respectively). CT had significantly better interobserver agreement for the diagnosis of hypoxic ischemic injury (HII) in term infants and also detected more cases (33) as compared to USG (18). CT also detected 6 cases of extraaxial hemorrhages as compared to 1 detected by USG. Conclusion : USG is better modality for imaging preterm neonates with suspected IVH or PVL. However, USG is unreliable in the imaging of term newborns with suspected HII where CT or magnetic resonance image scan is a better modality.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.561-570
• /
• 2010

Purpose: This was a cross sectional descriptive study to introduce the Infants Coma Scale (ICS), describe mental status of high risk infants using ICS and explore the relationships between ICS and clinical variables in infants hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit of a university hospital in Korea. Methods: After ICS was developed and tested by the authors, a research nurse evaluated the mental status of the infants using the English version of ICS and obtained clinical information on the infants from their medical records. Results: Data from 88 infants were analyzed. About 60% were male, 90% were preterm births, and 40% had pathologic abnormalities. Their mean gestational age was 32.4 (${\pm}3.50$) weeks and the mean birth weight was 1,842 (${\pm}728.6$) grams. The Cronbach's alpha for the ICS was .78. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between ICS total score and five clinical variables including gestational age, birth weight, 1 and 5 min Apgar scores and respiration status. Conclusion: Mental status is an important parameter in nursing assessment. ICS is a valid and reliable instrument, which clinicians can easily use to evaluate the mental status of high risk infants.

• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.96-106
• /
• 2003

Advances in neonatal care system and research have resulted in an increased survival rate among low birth weight infants in the industrialized countries. Recent Korean neonatal mortality and morbidity statistics, and current status of Korean neonatal intensive care facilities were reviewed here for the sake of future improvement and research. Morbidity statistics revealed that perinatal diseases accounted for 80％ of the death of premature infants implying the possibility of its reduction by the vigorous prenatal care service in future.On the basis of extensive studies of nutritional support and growth rate of premature infants, commercial formulas for premature infants have been developed and various aspects of feeding techniques are standardized. However, problem of growth deficit of premature infants remains unsolved as medical problem. NICU specialists are challenged with the tasks of prenatal education or provision of care that minimizes the neurodevelopmental problems seen in preterm infants, various short-term outcome researches have been reported and those are reviewed here to promote research interest in the field of neonatal nursing. Systemic long-term outcome studies are also awaited in Korea for the formulation of welfare policy in future. Nursing science has to embrace all these interdisciplinary studies as their own research field in collaboration with neonatologist, nutritionist, rehabilitation therapist, social workers and teachers.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.45-55
• /
• 2017

Purpose: This study was intended to standardize the Kangaroo care protocol for fathers, and to determine the effect of fathers' Kangaroo care experience on paternal attachment. Methods: The data was collected from February to April, 2013. The study subjects were 34 fathers (17 experimental group subjects, 17 control group subjects) of premature babies, bornatatertiaryhospitalinSeoul, who agreed to participate . The standardized Kangaroo care protocol, which consisted of at least three 60-minutes sessions during the hospitalization period in a neonatal intensive care unit, was carried out with the experimental group. The data was analyzed by a $x^2$-test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: The results were as follows: 1) There were no between-group differences in the general characteristics of babies and their fathers. 2) The Kangaroo care fathers showed higher scores of paternal attachment than the control group (Z=-3.657, p=0.008). Conclusion: Fathers who attended the Kangaroo care sessions showed stronger paternal attachment than those who did not. Therefore, use of a Kangaroo care program for fathers of premature babies at neonatal intensive care units is recommended.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.105-110
• /
• 2016

Congenital myotonic dystrophy (CMD) which is transmitted in an autosomal-dominant manner, can also be observed in newborns born to asymptomatic parents who have a myotonic dystrophy type 1 or premutation allele, especially from the mother. A mother with myotonic dystrophy could be subfertile and the pregnancy could be complicated with the risk of a preterm birth. Newborns with CMD may demonstrate symptoms such as hypotonia and poor motor activity, as well as respiratory and feeding difficulties. Additionally, CMD has a high mortality rate at birth. Detection of the signs and symptoms during pregnancy is helpful for a prenatal diagnosis of CMD in cases where the family history is not known.

• Women's Health Nursing
• /
• v.17 no.5
• /
• pp.454-462
• /
• 2011

Purpose: This paper identified the effects of kangaroo care (KC) on maternal self-esteem and the growth and physiological stability of premature infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit. Methods: The experiment was conducted with an experimental group of 17 infants, and a control group of 17 infants selected by convenience sampling. KC was given to the infants one time a day for 30 minutes after feeding for two weeks. Their weight was measured every morning, and their physiological stability was measured in terms of their body temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and stability of the cardio-respiratory system in premature infants (SCRIP) score, as physiological responses at every 10 minutes during the intervention. Maternal self-esteem was assessed by a maternal self-report inventory. Results: The experimental group showed significant increase in the self-esteem of mothers. Also, KC was effective on physiological stabilization of preterm infants. Conclusion: This study suggests that KC can be provided in clinical settings more widely in Korea as one of the nursing interventions aimed at promoting maternal self-esteem as well as infants' physiological stabilization.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.53 no.4
• /
• pp.334-336
• /
• 2017

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a Gram-negative, obligately anaerobic, and nonmotile rod. P. gingivalis is a pathogen of periodontitis and endodontic infection as well as is associated with systemic diseases including atherosclerosis, preterm, and Alzheimer's diseases. P. gingivalis KCOM 2797 (= JS2) was isolated from a human periodontitis lesion. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of P. gingivalis KCOM 2797.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.273-282
• /
• 2021

Since December 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly, resulting in a pandemic. The virus enters host cells through angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine subtype 2 (TMPRSS2). These enzymes are widely expressed in reproductive organs; hence, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could also impact human reproduction. Current evidence suggests that sperm cells may provide an inadequate environment for the virus to penetrate and spread. Oocytes within antral follicles are surrounded by cumulus cells, which rarely express ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Thus, the possibility of transmission of the virus through sexual intercourse and assisted reproductive techniques seems unlikely. Early human embryos express coronavirus entry receptors and proteases, implying that human embryos are potentially vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 in the early stages of development. Data on the expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in the human endometrium are sparse. Moreover, it remains unclear whether SARS-CoV-2 directly affects the embryo and its implantation. A study of the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on pregnancy showed an increase in preterm delivery. Thus, vertical transmission of the virus from mother to fetus in the third trimester is possible, and further data on human reproduction are required to establish this possibility. Based on analyses of existing data, major organizations in this field have published guidelines on the treatment of infertility. Regarding these guidelines, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, reproductive treatment is crucial for the well-being of society and must be continued under suitable regulations and good standard laboratory practice protocols.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.25-33
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study was done to develop a program to promote maternal role confidence and maternal attachment for mothers of premature infants and to evaluate the effects in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: This program was developed through a literature review and validation of an expert group, and tested with 60 preterm infants (experimental group 30, control group 30) in a NICU in South Korea. Data were collected from December 2017 to March 2018 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, $x^2-test$ and Fisher's exact test with the SPSS/Win statistical program. Results: Maternal role confidence for the experimental group increased significantly compared to the control group (t=3.22, p=.002). Maternal attachment in the experimental group increased significantly compared to the control group (t=2.30, p=.025). Conclusion: The program developed in this study should be effective in promoting maternal role confidence and maternal attachment in mothers of premature infants.