Purpose: To report the availability of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) when diagnosing type 1 and type 2 choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with age-related macular degeneration. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 63 eyes of 59 patients who visited the outpatient clinic from April 2018 to January 2020 with treatment-naïve type 1/2 CNV associated with age-related macular degeneration. The CNV was diagnosed through fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography on the appearance of hyperfluorescence and leakage at the late phase. The CNV type was classified by location using OCT. These results were compared with those of automatic and manual segmentations via OCTA. Results: Of the 63 eyes, 45 eyes showed type 1 CNV and 18 eyes indicated type 2 CNV. Using the automatic segmented display of OCTA, type 1 CNV was identified in 29 of 45 eyes and type 2 CNV was confirmed in 17 of 18 eyes. In addition, when manual segmentation was performed, type 1 CNV was found in 41 of 45 eyes and type 2 CNV in 18 of 18 eyes. The sensitivity of diagnosis of type 1 CNV using only automatic segmentation in OCTA was 64.44%; the sensitivity increased to 91.11% when additional manual segmentation was performed (p < 0.001). For type 2 CNV, the sensitivity was 94.44% using automatic segmentation in OCTA and 100% with additional manual segmentation (p = 1.000). Conclusions Automatic segmentation of OCTA and OCT analyses enabled diagnosis of type 1 and type 2 CNV associated with age-related macular degeneration. The diagnosis accuracy or type 1 CNV improved significantly when manual segmentation was added.

Purpose: To report the availability of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) when diagnosing type 1 and type 2 choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with age-related macular degeneration. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 63 eyes of 59 patients who visited the outpatient clinic from April 2018 to January 2020 with treatment-naïve type 1/2 CNV associated with age-related macular degeneration. The CNV was diagnosed through fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography on the appearance of hyperfluorescence and leakage at the late phase. The CNV type was classified by location using OCT. These results were compared with those of automatic and manual segmentations via OCTA. Results: Of the 63 eyes, 45 eyes showed type 1 CNV and 18 eyes indicated type 2 CNV. Using the automatic segmented display of OCTA, type 1 CNV was identified in 29 of 45 eyes and type 2 CNV was confirmed in 17 of 18 eyes. In addition, when manual segmentation was performed, type 1 CNV was found in 41 of 45 eyes and type 2 CNV in 18 of 18 eyes. The sensitivity of diagnosis of type 1 CNV using only automatic segmentation in OCTA was 64.44%; the sensitivity increased to 91.11% when additional manual segmentation was performed (p < 0.001). For type 2 CNV, the sensitivity was 94.44% using automatic segmentation in OCTA and 100% with additional manual segmentation (p = 1.000). Conclusions Automatic segmentation of OCTA and OCT analyses enabled diagnosis of type 1 and type 2 CNV associated with age-related macular degeneration. The diagnosis accuracy or type 1 CNV improved significantly when manual segmentation was added.

To elucidate the relationship among the levels of nutrients intake, bone mineral density (BMD) and the urinary biochemical markers of bone metabolism, this survey is conducted with 225 postmenopausal women over 50 years of age. The urinary biochemical markers including deoxypyridinoline (DPD) and Ca excretion were measured. Bone mineral densities of lumbar spine (L2-L4), femoral neck, ward's triangle and trochanter were measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and the nutrient intake data obtained by 24 hr recall method. Mean age of all subjects was 64.8 years old, and the BMDs of the subjects were 0.86 g/cm2 (lumbar spine), 0.60 g/cm2 (femoral neck), 0.49 g/cm2 (trochanter), and 0.41 g/cm2 (ward's triangle). The results were compared among 3 groups with different nutrient intake levels classified by the percentage of Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for Koreans as follows: low < 75% DRIs, 75% DRI < or = adequate < 125% DRIs, high > or = 125% DRIs. Bone mineral density of adequate protein intake group was significantly higher than those of low and high protein intake groups (p < 0.05). Urinary DPD excretion was lowest in protein and calcium adequate intake groups (p < 0.05, p < 0.05), respectively. In relation to urinary Ca excretion, it is revealed to be considerably lower in the groups taking protein and vitamin C adequate intake (p < 0.05, p < 0.05). The percent DRI of protein and calcium were positively correlated with the BMD of the femoral neck after adjusted age (p < 0.05, p < 0.05). These results showed that there are probably some relationships between nutrient intake levels and urinary biochemical markers. For postmenopausal women with adequate nutrition expecially protein, calcium and vitamin C, has an important role to postpone bone resorption and to prevent the decrease of bone density.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Ascorbic Acid ; Biomarkers ; Bone Density* ; Bone Resorption ; Calcium ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Recommended Dietary Allowances ; Spine

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of early neuroimaging in patients with acute isolated 3rd, 4th, and 6th nerve palsy. Methods: Neuroimaging tests were performed in patients >50 years old with acute isolated 3rd, 4th, and 6th nerve palsy. The frequencies and types of abnormal findings were evaluated. All patients were divided into ischemic and non-ischemic groups and differences in clinical characteristics between groups were analyzed. Results: Of the 55 patients, nine (16.4%) had abnormal findings on brain imaging. Among 26 patients with 6th nerve palsy, four (15.4%) were found to have a cause including brain tumor, cerebrovascular compression, carotid cavernous fistula. Superior oblique muscle atrophy was found in two of 19 patients (10.5%) with 4th nerve palsy. Three of 10 patients (30%) with 3rd nerve palsy had abnormal findings and there were cases of pituitary apoplexy, posterior communicating, and cerebrovascular compression. Conclusions In patients with acute isolated oculomotor paralysis, early neuroimaging tests play an important role in differential diagnosis and evaluation of causes that may lead to mortality.

Purpose: To verify the anti-microbiotic activity and to develop eco-friendly surface disinfectants using the Opuntia ficus-indica extract. Methods: The stem and fruits of the Opuntia cultivated in Jeju Island were extracted with hot water, 70% EtOH and 100% MeOH, respectively. To examine the antimicrobial activity of the extracts, gram positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus), gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium), yeast (Candida albicans), mold (Aspergillus flavus) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (E. coli, S. aureus) were measured to form a clear zone. Results: The antibacterial activity of the fruit extract was higher than that of the stem extract, and the antibacterial activity of the 100% MeOH (FM) extract and the 70% EtOH (FE) extract of the palm cactus fruit was suitable for the surface disinfectant overall, and clear-zone formed even at relatively low concentrations (250 mg/mL). The FM and FE have antibacterial activity against various bacteria, therefore they can be used as disinfectants. Conclusion The antimicrobial activity of Opuntia ficus-indica extract from Jeju Island by stem and fruit was determined at relatively low concentrations (250 mg/mL). The Opuntia ficus-indica extract will be useful for surface disinfectants dissolving the patients’ bath, oral gargling, and powdered powder in water or ethanol in appropriate concentrations.

No abstract available.
Dermoscopy ; Hair Diseases ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Pruritus

This article was published with an incorrect unit in Table 1.

Fourteen African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks occurred in the pig farms in the northwestern region of South Korea, near the border with North Korea, from September 16, 2019 to October 9, 2019. Active and passive surveillance on the ASF-infected farms indicated that the infection was limited only to pigsties where the infected pigs were detected on the farm for the first time before further transmission to other pigsties and farms. This early detection could be one of the pivotal factors for the prompt eradication of ASF in domestic pig farms within 1 month in the northwestern region of South Korea.

Fourteen African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks occurred in the pig farms in the northwestern region of South Korea, near the border with North Korea, from September 16, 2019 to October 9, 2019. Active and passive surveillance on the ASF-infected farms indicated that the infection was limited only to pigsties where the infected pigs were detected on the farm for the first time before further transmission to other pigsties and farms. This early detection could be one of the pivotal factors for the prompt eradication of ASF in domestic pig farms within 1 month in the northwestern region of South Korea.

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a peptide involved in the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. CRF is distributed not only along the HPA axis but also throughout pain-relevant anatomical sites. CRF elicits potent antinociception at the three main levels of pain transmissions: namely, the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral sensory neurons. The widespread distribution of CRF receptors 1 and 2 in the brain offers several targets wherein CRF could alter pain, some of which may be independent of the HPA axis. In this study, we assessed the expression of CRF and its receptors, CRF receptor type (CRFR)1 and CRFR2, in the spinal dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) in a rat model of neuropathic pain induced by spinal nerve injury (SNI). CRF was expressed in a few DRG neurons and primary afferent fibers in the dorsal horns of nasmall yi, Ukrainianve rats, and the CRF-positive neurons in DRG and fibers in the spinal dorsal horn were found to have increased after SNI. CRFR1 was not expressed in DRG or the dorsal horn and CRFR2 was expressed weakly in the small neurons in DRG in the nasmall yi, Ukrainianve rats. After SNI, CRFR1 was expressed in the activated microglia in the ipsilateral dorsal horn, and immunoreaction for CRFR2 was increased in the contralateral DRG following SNI. Consequently, it has been suggested that the increased expression of CRF and CRFR2 in DRG neurons and primary afferent fibers in dorsal horn, and CRFR1 in the activated microglia, may be involved in the mediation of stress responses as well as in microglial activation in the neuropathic pain state following SNI.
Animals ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Brain ; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Ganglia, Spinal ; Horns ; Microglia ; Negotiating ; Neuralgia ; Neurons ; Rats ; Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Sensory Receptor Cells ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Nerve Roots ; Spinal Nerves