New Blue Emitting Material with Asymmetric Limb Structure.

The new assymmetric limb-structured blue light emitting material, composed of anthracene main core, naphthalene units at 9, 10-position of anthracene and xylene units at 2,3-positon of anthracene, was designed and synthesized. The three-dimensional structure from theoretical calculation was characterized to elucidate non-copolar structure with inhibited intermolecular interaction. The limb-structured blue material was thermally stable up to 373 degrees C with T(g) of 143 degrees C. ITO/TAPC/CBP (3% BMPNA)/Bphen/LiF/Al device exhibits the maximum quantum efficiency of 3.42% and maximum current efficiency of 3.07 cd/A with deep blue emission of (0.141, 0.115) CIE coordinates.

A case of epiploic appendagitis with acute gastroenteritis.

Epiploic appendagitis is an inflammation of the epiploic appendage in which the small sacs projecting from the serosal layer of the colon are positioned longitudinally from the caecum to the rectosigmoid area. Epiploic appendagitis is rare and self-limiting; however, it can cause sudden abdominal pain in children. Epiploic appendagitis does not typically accompany other gastrointestinal diseases. Here, we report on a healthy eight-year-old girl who presented with abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. Based on these symptoms, she was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis, but epiploic appendagitis in the ascending colon was revealed in contrast computed tomography (CT). The patient was treated successfully with conservative management. CT is beneficial in diagnosis and further assessment of epiploic appendagitis. Pediatricians need to be aware of this self-limiting disease and consider it as a possible alternate diagnosis in cases of acute abdominal pain.

Factors related to decreased bone mineral density in childhood cancer survivors.

The risk of osteoporosis or osteopenia is known to increase after childhood cancer treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patterns of bone mineral density (BMD) and to identify factors related to the decreased BMD in childhood cancer survivors. We studied 78 patients (34 boys, 44 girls) treated for childhood cancer. Twenty (25.7%) patients had lumbar BMD (LBMD) standard deviation score (SDS) lower than -2. Nineteen (24.4%) patients had femur neck BMD (FNBMD) SDS lower than -2. The patients treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation had lower LBMD SDS (-1.17 ± 1.39 vs -0.43 ± 1.33, P = 0.025). The risk of having LBMD SDS < -2 was higher in the patients treated with glucocorticoid (GC) for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) (36.6% vs 13.5%; odds ratio [OR], 3.7; P = 0.020). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, longer duration of GC treatment for GVHD (OR, 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.20) and lower body mass index (BMI) SDS (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.36-0.95) were associated with decreased LBMD SDS. These findings suggest that prolonged GC use and reduction in BMI are risk factors for decreased BMD in childhood cancer survivors. Anticipatory follow-up and appropriate treatment are necessary, especially for the patients with risk factors.

Epidemiologic study of Kawasaki disease at a single hospital in Daejeon, Korea (1987 through 2000).

PURPOSE: We evaluated the epidemiology and a range of clinical characteristics in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) in one area of South Korea. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 506 medical records of children with KD, who were admitted at Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital from January 1987 through December 2000. RESULTS: The mean annual frequency was 36.1 +/- 11.1 cases per year. There were 55 cases (10.9%) in 1993, 50 cases (9.9%) in 1994 and 47 cases (9.3%) in 2000. There was a slightly higher occurrence in summer with no significant difference in seasonal frequency. Age distribution ranged from 2 months to 13 years of age (mean, 2.4 +/- 1.7 years) and 485 children (95.8%) were <5 years of age. The male-to-female ratio was 1.7:1. Of the total cases 0.6% was recurrent, whereas 0.4% occurred between siblings. There were no fatalities. For treatment aspirin alone (65 cases, 12.8%), divided dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) (400 to 500 mg/day for 4 to 5 days, 231 cases, 45.7%) and one dose IVIG (2.0 g/kg, 210 cases, 41.5%) were used. Between 1996 and 2000, 143 cases were treated with only one dose IVIG, and 21 cases (14.7%) showed coronary artery lesions (CAL). Among the 143 cases 22 cases (15.4%) were retreated with IVIG and/or steroid pulse therapy. The incidence of CAL in this group was 50.0%. CONCLUSION: In Daejeon, Korea, KD showed slight annual variations without seasonal differences. The rate of CAL in acute stage with one dose IVIG therapy (2 g/kg) was 8.3% in the IVIG responders.