No abstract available.

We examined several kinds of immunocompromied patients for onyr,homycosis. The incidence of onychomycosis in the patients with connective tissue disease treated with corticosteroid was significantly higher than the incidences in the patients with solid tumors trcated with chemotherapeutic agents, in the patients with leukernia (WBC<1, 000/cm3), and in the control patients. Although conventional corticosteroid trcatment do not disseminate the superficial fungal infection, it may perpetuate the low grade dermatophytosis.
Connective Tissue Diseases* ; Connective Tissue* ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Incidence ; Onychomycosis* ; Tinea

Purpose: Prior research has indicated that stroke can influence the symptoms and presentation of neurogenic bladder, with various patterns emerging, including abnormal facial and linguistic characteristics. Language patterns, in particular, can be easily recognized. In this paper, we propose a platform that accurately analyzes the voices of stroke patients with neurogenic bladder, enabling early detection and prevention of the condition. Methods: In this study, we developed an artificial intelligence-based speech analysis diagnostic system to assess the risk of stroke associated with neurogenic bladder disease in elderly individuals. The proposed method involves recording the voice of a stroke patient while they speak a specific sentence, analyzing it to extract unique feature data, and then offering a voice alarm service through a mobile application. The system processes and classifies abnormalities, and issues alarm events based on analyzed voice data. Results: In order to assess the performance of the software, we first obtained the validation accuracy and training accuracy from the training data. Subsequently, we applied the analysis model by inputting both abnormal and normal data and tested the outcomes. The analysis model was evaluated by processing 30 abnormal data points and 30 normal data points in real time. The results demonstrated a high test accuracy of 98.7% for normal data and 99.6% for abnormal data. Conclusions Patients with neurogenic bladder due to stroke experience long-term consequences, such as physical and cognitive impairments, even when they receive prompt medical attention and treatment. As chronic diseases become increasingly prevalent in our aging society, it is essential to investigate digital treatments for conditions like stroke that lead to significant sequelae. This artificial intelligence-based healthcare convergence medical device aims to provide patients with timely and safe medical care through mobile services, ultimately reducing national social costs.

PURPOSE: To report a case of focal choroidal excavation associated with central serous chorioretinopathy. CASE SUMMARY: A 48-year-old female presented with a 20-year history of visual disturbance. Focal choroidal excavation with neurosensory retinal detachment was detected in the right eye on optical coherence tomography. Fluorescein angiography showed hyperfluorescene in the area of excavation and multiple focal hyperfluorescences in the perimacular area. Vertically linear hyperfluorescene line was detected in the excavated area caused by retinal pigment epithelial atrophy. Based on the 2 diagnostic findings, we diagnosed a focal choroidal excavation with central serous chorioretinopathy. No progression was detected for 2 months.
Atrophy ; Central Serous Chorioretinopathy* ; Choroid* ; Female ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Retinal Detachment ; Retinaldehyde ; Tomography, Optical Coherence

PURPOSE: The incidence rate of prostate cancer has increased remarkably in Korea. The serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) value has been used for screening, although its clinical significance in prostate cancer screening is still inconclusive. However, if the measurement time was short and the cost was low, such an assay kit should be sufficient for prostate cancer screening. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We developed pared monoclonal antibodies against PSA which could be used in assay kits for PSA. The Rapid PSA Kit(R) used an immunochromatographic method to qualitatively judge a positive or negative result. Serum specimens from 78 men with benign prostate hyperplasia or prostate cancer were tested using the kit. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the kit was determined to be 4ng/ml. 33 samples had a value of greater than 5ng/ml, so were considered positive. 5 samples had values between 4ng/ml and 5ng/ml, of which 3 were positive. The other 40 samples had values less than 4ng/ml, and 11 of these were judged positive. These results indicated that the sensitivity and specificity of the Rapid PSA Kit(R) were 94.7 and 72.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Tests using the Rapid PSA Kit(R) can be easily performed at outpatient clinics or elsewhere. This kit is useful in the initial screening of prostate cancer as the results can be obtained within 15 minutes and the cost is lower than with ordinary serum PSA tests.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: The incidence rate of prostate cancer has increased remarkably in Korea. The serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) value has been used for screening, although its clinical significance in prostate cancer screening is still inconclusive. However, if the measurement time was short and the cost was low, such an assay kit should be sufficient for prostate cancer screening. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We developed pared monoclonal antibodies against PSA which could be used in assay kits for PSA. The Rapid PSA Kit(R) used an immunochromatographic method to qualitatively judge a positive or negative result. Serum specimens from 78 men with benign prostate hyperplasia or prostate cancer were tested using the kit. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the kit was determined to be 4ng/ml. 33 samples had a value of greater than 5ng/ml, so were considered positive. 5 samples had values between 4ng/ml and 5ng/ml, of which 3 were positive. The other 40 samples had values less than 4ng/ml, and 11 of these were judged positive. These results indicated that the sensitivity and specificity of the Rapid PSA Kit(R) were 94.7 and 72.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Tests using the Rapid PSA Kit(R) can be easily performed at outpatient clinics or elsewhere. This kit is useful in the initial screening of prostate cancer as the results can be obtained within 15 minutes and the cost is lower than with ordinary serum PSA tests.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
Cervical Ripening* ; Female ; Pregnancy

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect in the cell death of corneal fibroblasts when TNF-alphaand INF-gamma were given together. METHODS: Fibroblasts harvested from the human cornea were cultured in DMEM, then, nothing(control: Group 1), TNF-alphaonly(50 ng/ml : Group 2), INF-gammaonly(1.0 x 10(3)u/ml : Group 3), and a combination of both(Group 4) were added. We assessed the cell viability of the each group by the trypan blue exclusion assay at 4, 8, 12, 24, 48 hours after addition of cytokines. RESULTS: The cell viability at 48 hour after treatment was 94.27% in group 1, 90.68%(p=0.09) in group 2, 93.31%(p=0.45) in group3, and there was no statistical difference among the groups. Statistically signi-ficant decrease of the cell viability was achieved in group 4(82.86%, p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Cell death of human corneal fibroblasts had been increased after treatment with a combination of TNF-alphaand INF-gamma. These findings suggest that there could be some kind of interaction among the cytokines.
Cell Death* ; Cell Survival ; Cornea ; Cytokines ; Fibroblasts* ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma* ; Necrosis* ; Trypan Blue ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

PURPOSE: To achieve maximal safe resection during brain tumor surgery, functional image-merged neuronavigation is widely used. We retrospectively reviewed our cases in which diffusion tensor image (DTI)-merged functional neuronavigation was performed during surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between November 2008 and May 2010, 123 patients underwent surgery utilizing DTI-merged neuronavigation. Anatomical magnetic resonance images (MRI) were obtained preoperatively and fused with DTI of major white matter tracts, such as the corticospinal tract, optic radiation, or arcuate fasciculus. We used this fused image for functional neuronavigation during brain tumor surgery of eloquent areas. We checked the DTI images together with postoperative MRI images and evaluated the integrity of white matter tracts. RESULTS: A single white matter tract was inspected in 78 patients, and two or more white matter tracts were checked in 45 patients. Among the 123 patients, a grossly total resection was achieved in 90 patients (73.2%), subtotal resection in 29 patients (23.6%), and partial resection in 4 patients (3.3%). Postoperative neurologic outcomes, compared with preoperative function, included the following: 100 patients (81.3%) displayed improvement of neurologic symptoms or no change, 7 patients (5.7%) experienced postoperative permanent neurologic deterioration (additional or aggravated neurologic symptoms), and 16 patients (13.0%) demonstrated transient worsening. CONCLUSION: DTI-merged functional neuronavigation could be a useful tool in brain tumor surgery for maximal safe resection. However, there are still limitations, including white matter tract shift, during surgery and in DTI itself. Further studies should be conducted to overcome these limitations.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Brain Neoplasms/pathology/*surgery ; *Diffusion Tensor Imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Neuronavigation ; Neurosurgical Procedures/*methods ; Postoperative Period ; Preoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies

We report a rare case of symptomatic Rathke's cleft cyst with thick calcified wall. Brain CT scans revealed a large cystic mass with round thick calcified wall. In this case, we selected the pterional approach instead of transsphenoidal approach due to the possibility of cystic craniopharyngioma. Histopathologically, it was calcified Rathke's cleft cyst with focal epithelial metaplasia. This case illustrates that calcification of the suprasellar cyst does not always suggest craniopharyngioma and the calcification pattern of Rathke's cleft cyst is different from that of the craniopharyngioma.
Brain ; Central Nervous System Cysts ; Craniopharyngioma ; Metaplasia