Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) usually arise in soft tissues; they are rarely found in the bone. This paper reports a case of MPNST in the foot and ankle joint involving the distal tibia, talus, calcaneus, navicular, medial intermediate, and lateral cuneiform, cuboid, and 2nd to 4th metatarsal bone. Palliative treatment was performed. The authors encountered a patient with intraosseous MPNST of the midfoot who presented with nonspecific clinical and radiologic findings. This case shows that a high index of suspicion and a histopathology examination, including immunohistochemistry, will be necessary for an accurate diagnosis.

Subtalar joint instability (STI) is one of the causes of persistent hindfoot pain even after treatment for ankle instability. Diagnosis of STI is often neglected because it is a poorly understood concept. However, understanding of the anatomy and injury mechanism of the subtalar joint is a prerequisite of appropriate treatment. Patients with STI usually complain of several symptoms, such as recurrent sprains or a giving way sensation and rolling over. Recently, various diagnostic tools and treatment methods have been investigated. This study was undertaken with the aim of helping clinicians by providing a comprehensive understanding of STI.

Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a key tool for diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, MRI analysis by visual interpretation and reading can be time-consuming and requires specialized expertise. Brain MRI-based artificial intelligence (AI) software has been developed to aid clinicians in diagnosing and managing neurodegenerative disorders, including AD. This study demonstrates the clinical application of the AI software for volumetric analysis of brain MRI scans in patients within the AD spectrum. In the current case series, four patients with memory impairment visited the memory clinic of Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital. They underwent a series of assessments, including automated analysis of AI-based software for brain MRI volumetric measurements. The information provided by the software was highly accurate, consistent, and was especially valuable for the early diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression. The results imply that this technology potentially aids in the early detection and management of AD, making it a valuable tool for clinicians in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases.

Arachnoid cysts are benign lesions that are formed between the inner and outer layers of the arachnoid, accounting for 1% of all intracranial space occupying lesions. Usually, arachnoid cysts are asymptomatic. It can be symptomatic in case of complication such as intracystic hemorrhage or acute cyst expansion. We present a case of incidentally prediagnosed arachnoid cyst which undergone intracystic hemorrhage combined with ipsilateral SDH in a young male.

Arachnoid cysts are benign lesions that are formed between the inner and outer layers of the arachnoid, accounting for 1% of all intracranial space occupying lesions. Usually, arachnoid cysts are asymptomatic. It can be symptomatic in case of complication such as intracystic hemorrhage or acute cyst expansion. We present a case of incidentally prediagnosed arachnoid cyst which undergone intracystic hemorrhage combined with ipsilateral SDH in a young male.

Pancreatic pseudocyst can fistulize to adjacent organs such as stomach, duodenum, colon, and esophagus. Fistula formation with bile duct is rare. Reported cases of biliary involvement of pancreatic pseudocyst include fistula formation between the pancreatic pseudocyst and common bile duct. Intrahepatic bile duct dilatation caused by fistula formation with pancreatic pseudocyst is extremely rare. There are no published reports to the best of our knowledge. Herein, we report a case of intrahepatic bile duct dilatation caused by fistulous communication with a pancreatic pseudocyst. The peripheral intrahepatic bile duct surrounding the pseudocyst was dilated without involving the common bile duct. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography image showed a connection between the pancreatic pseudocyst and dilated intrahepatic bile ducts with a multifocal cystic and beaded appearance.

Purpose: To evaluate the reliability, validity, and usability of a mobile phone app that captures facial images to identify strabismus. Methods: We enrolled patients who visited our pediatric strabismus clinic and provided consent for participation in the study. The facial photographs of the patients were automatically captured by the app. The app used the photographs to identify ocular misalignment based on the comparison of the positions of the corneal reflex and limbus of both eyes. The results from the app were compared to the physician’s diagnosis. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to assess the test-retest and interrater reliability of the app. Additionally, the guardians captured photographs of the patients through this app for 1 month at home to evaluate the frequency of manifest exotropia at home. And the results were compared to those of other strabismus control scales. Results: A total of 103 patients were enrolled and 10 patients were enrolled for the home control test. Based on the physician’s diagnosis, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the app were 74.6%, 87.5%, 90.4%, and 68.6%, respectively. The interclass correlation coefficients for inter-rater and test-retest reliability were 0.801 (p = 0.011) and 0.828 (p < 0.001), respectively. The frequency of intermittent exotropia recorded by the app at home showed a strong positive correlation with other control scales (rho > 0.770, p = 0.009). Conclusions This mobile phone app is easily accessible and useful for the rapid determination and recording of strabismus, particularly in uncooperative patients. Also, this app may be used as a reliable indicator of the frequency of manifest strabismus at home.

An aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) can occur in many parts of the human body, but a primary ABC of the talus is extremely rare. ABCs are benign, but aggressively growing tumors that usually occur in the first two decades of life. Patients mainly complain of pain, limited movement of the involved joint or a palpable mass. Pain may worsen suddenly because of pathological fractures. If not treated properly, ABC has a risk of local recurrence, followed by the destruction of the joint and a significant functional deficit. While the complete removal of the bone tumor is essential, it is also important to treat the resultant bone defect after removal. The talus has an important part to play in weight-bearing. Therefore, an appropriate bone graft is required for large bone defects that occur after an ABC removal from the talus. We report a primary ABC of the talus in a 28-year-old male that was treated by curettage and a bone pillar pattern graft of autologous tricortical iliac crest bone. The patient had an excellent functional outcome with early weight-bearing, and there was no recurrence at 16 months of follow-up.

Background: Refractory ceramic fibers (RCFs) are a suspected carcinogen but have been widely used as insulations. Depending on the temperature, RCFs can transform into crystalline SiO2, which is a carcinogen that can be present in the air during bulk RCF handling. This study analyzed the physicochemical and morphological characteristics of RCFs at high temperatures and determined the exposure levels during the semiconductor scrubber maintenance. Methods: Sampling was conducted at a company that manufactures semiconductor scrubbers using RCFs as insulation. Bulk RCF samples were collected both before and after exposure to a scrubber temperature of 700°C. Airborne RCFs were collected during scrubber maintenance, and their characteristics were analyzed using microscopes. Results: The components of bulk RCFs were SiO2 and Al2O3, having an amorphous structure. Airborne RCFs were morphologically different from bulk RCFs in size, which could negatively affect maintenance workers’ health. 58% of airborne RCFs correspond to the size of thoracic and respirable fibers. RCFs did not crystallize at high temperatures. The exposure caused by airborne RCFs during the scrubber frame assembly and insulation replacement was higher than the occupational exposure limit. Conclusion Workers conducting insulation replacement are likely exposed to airborne RCFs above safe exposure limits. As RCFs are suspected carcinogens, this exposure should be minimized through prevention and precautionary procedures.

Studying biological networks, such as protein-protein interactions, is key to understanding complex biological activities. Various types of large-scale biological datasets have been collected and analyzed with high-throughput technologies, including DNA microarray, next-generation sequencing, and the two-hybrid screening system, for this purpose. In this review, we focus on network-based approaches that help in understanding biological systems and identifying biological functions. Accordingly, this paper covers two major topics in network biology: reconstruction of gene regulatory networks and network-based applications, including protein function prediction, disease gene prioritization, and network-based genome-wide association study.
Biology ; Dataset ; Gene Regulatory Networks ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Mass Screening ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis