Acardic twining is a rare congenital anomaly, usually in monozygotic twins. This condition is characterized by the absence or rudimentary development of fetal hear, and associated with various anomaly(especially with anecephalus). The acardiac malformations are uniformly fatal in the affected twin, and mortality in the co-twin is as high as 55%. We recently experienced a case of acardius acephalus associated with a normal term male infant, so present with a brief review of the literature.
Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mortality ; Twins* ; Twins, Monozygotic

No abstract available.
Female ; Mucins* ; Ovary*

Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors, or gliptins, are a class of oral hypoglycemic drugs that have been widely used as a second-line treatment for type 2 diabetes. Gliptins, which were introduced for clinical use a decade ago, have been shown to be beneficial against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in animals and humans. Cenicriviroc (CVC), a dual antagonist of C-C chemokine receptor type 2 and 5, is currently under investigation against NASH and fibrosis. It was previously discovered that evogliptin (EVO) reduces hepatic steatosis in diet-induced obese animals but the effectiveness of EVO on NASH remains unexplored. Here, we compared the effectiveness of EVO and CVC against NASH and fibrosis in mice fed a high-fat and high-fructose diet (HFHF). Biochemical and histological analyses showed that mice fed a HFHF for 20 weeks developed severe hepatic steatosis and inflammation with mild fibrosis. Administration of EVO (0.2% wt/wt) for the last 8 weeks of HFHF feeding significantly reduced hepatic triglyceride accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis as well as restored insulin sensitivity, as evidenced by lowered plasma insulin levels and the improvement in insulin tolerance test curves. Treatment of mice with CVC (0.1% wt/wt) inhibited hepatic inflammation and fibrogenesis with similar efficacy to that of EVO, without affecting hepatic steatosis. CVC treatment also reduced plasma insulin concentrations, despite no improvement in insulin tolerance. In conclusion, EVO administration efficiently ameliorated the development of NASH and fibrosis in HFHF-fed mice, corroborating its therapeutic potential.
Animals ; Diet ; Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV Inhibitors ; Fatty Liver ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Inflammation ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Mice ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; Plasma ; Triglycerides

Adipose tissue (AT) inflammation is strongly associated with obesity-induced insulin resistance. When subjected to metabolic stress, adipocytes become inflamed and secrete a plethora of cytokines and chemokines, which recruit circulating immune cells to AT. Although sirtuin 6 (Sirt6) is known to control genomic stabilization, aging, and cellular metabolism, it is now understood to also play a pivotal role in the regulation of AT inflammation. Sirt6 protein levels are reduced in the AT of obese humans and animals and increased by weight loss. In this review, we summarize the potential mechanism of AT inflammation caused by impaired action of Sirt6 from the immune cells’ point of view. We first describe the properties and functions of immune cells in obese AT, with an emphasis on discrete macrophage subpopulations which are central to AT inflammation. We then highlight data that links Sirt6 to functional phenotypes of AT inflammation. Importantly, we discuss in detail the effects of Sirt6 deficiency in adipocytes, macrophages, and eosinophils on insulin resistance or AT browning. In our closing perspectives, we discuss emerging issues in this field that require further investigation.

Purpose: This study examined the association between nurse staffing and in-hospital 30-day mortality among stroke patients considering the stroke type in the intensive care units in Korea using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service-National Inpatient Sample 2018 (HIRA-NIS 2018). Methods: The data included a total of 2,876 stroke patients admitted to intensive care units across 72 general hospitals and 39 tertiary hospitals between January and November 2018. Nurse staffing levels were measured using the nurse staffing grades of adult intensive care units in the 2nd quarter of 2018. The relationship between nurse staffing levels and mortality were analyzed using multi-level logistic regression analysis after controlling for patient and hospital characteristics. Results: In patients with ischemic stroke, the risk of death was lower in nurse staffing Grade 5 to 6 compared to Grade 1 (Odds ratio [OR] 0.43, 95% Confidence interval [CI] 0.24~0.75). In hemorrhagic stroke patients, the risk of death tended to be higher in nurse staffing grade 5 to 6 compared to Grade 1 (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.00~4.45), which was marginally significant (p=.050). Conclusion Health policies for adequate nurse staffing in intensive care units should be implemented to enhance the quality of care and lead to better outcomes in patients with stroke.

The purpose of this study was to compare the changes of retentive force in different stud attachment systems for implant retained overdenture. Two commercially available attachments with different retentive forces were investigated: Kerator (pink, blue, red) and O-ring (orange, red). Two implant fixtures were vertically embedded in base mountings. Five pairs of each attachment were evaluated. A universal testing machine was used to evaluate the retentive force of two attachments during wear simulation. Surface characteristics of each attachment system were evaluated with scanning electron microscopy. Five pairs of each attachment were evaluated. Kerator pink showed the highest initial retention. After 2,500 cycles of wear-simulation, Kerator pink noted the largest decrease in retention. According to results of surface analysis, Worn surfaces were obtained in matrices and patrices. Heavy wears were observed in matrices. After 2 year-wear simulation, most attachments exhibited retention loss. Attachments using different kind of material exhibited dissimilar surface alterations.
Denture, Overlay* ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to define the Korean norm values for the Ricketts analysis. METHODS: In this longitudinal study, lateral cephalograms of 31 subjects with normal occlusion were taken biennially from ages 9-19 years. Cephalometric measurements were performed. Parameters for which the 10-year change did not exceed one standard deviation were defined as unchanged. The means and standard deviations for the measured parameters were determined for each age group. RESULTS: No significant changes in growth were observed in the molar relationship, incisor overjet, incisor overbite, mandibular incisor extrusion, interincisor angle, lower incisor tip (B1) to A point-Pogonion (A-PO) plane, upper incisor tip (A1) to A-PO plane, B1 inclination to A-PO, A1 inclination to A-PO, B1 inclination to Frankfurt plane (FH), convexity, lower facial height, facial axis, maxillary depth, maxillary height, palatal plane to FH, cranial deflection, ramus Xi position, or porion location. Continual changes over the 10 years of growth were observed in the maxillary first molar distal position to pterygoid true vertical plane, facial depth, mandibular plane to FH, anterior cranial length, mandibular arc, and corpus length. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians can apply the Korean norms at age 9 as determined in this study when using the Ricketts analysis. The patient's age at the beginning of treatment and their sex should be taken into consideration when drawing visual treatment objectives.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Incisor ; Longitudinal Studies ; Molar ; Overbite

The importance of screening or repeat screening for cervical and breast cancer is well known to decrease the chance of death from cancer. Few data is avaliable regarding factors associated with participation in cervical and breast cancer screening and repeat screening examinations. This study was to investigate the associations of demographic factors, health status and cancer risk recognition, attitude to cancer screening, health behaviors, and inhibiting or facilitating factors to cervical and breast cancer screening with participation in the screening tests. Data was collected with self-administrated questionnaires from 342 women, aged 40 to 69 years. The cancer screenings were classified into have had or never groups and repeat or not repeated groups. In the case of cervical and breast cancer screening, the have had group was 90 (26.3%), and 82 (24.0%) and the repeat group was 17 (5.0%), and 13 (3.8%) respectively. According to logistic regression analysis, age (< 60 vs > or =60 : OR=3.25, 95% CI=1.27-8.26), breast cancer screening (Do vs Don't : OR=14.49, 95% CI=7.46-27.78) and other person's cancer (Yes vs No : OR=4.27, 95% CI=1.01-18.05) were statistically significantly associated with participation in screening for cervical cancer. Regular exercise (Do vs Don't : OR=2.76, 95% CI=1.30-5.88) and cervical cancer screening (Do vs Don't : OR=13.70, 95% CI=7.09-26.32) were statistically significantly related to participation in screening for breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Demography ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Macrophage-associated inflammation is crucial for the pathogenesis of diverse diseases including metabolic disorders. Rhodanthpyrone (Rho) is an active component of Gentiana rhodantha, which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat inflammation. Although synthesis procedures of RhoA and RhoB were reported, the biological effects of the specific compounds have never been explored. In this study, the anti-inflammatory activity and mechanisms of action of RhoA and RhoB were studied in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. Pretreatment with RhoA and RhoB decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expressions in RAW 264.7 cells and in thioglycollate-elicited mouse peritoneal macrophages. In addition, it downregulated transcript levels of several inflammatory genes in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, including inflammatory cytokines/chemokines (Tnfa, Il6, and Ccl2) and inflammatory mediators (Nos2 and Ptgs2). Macrophage chemotaxis was also inhibited by treatment with the compounds. Mechanistic studies revealed that RhoA and RhoB suppressed the nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway, but not the canonical mitogen activated protein kinase pathway, in LPS-stimulated condition. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of RhoA and RhoB on inflammatory gene expressions was attenuated by treatment with an NF-κB inhibitor. Our findings suggest that RhoA and RhoB play an anti-inflammatory role at least in part by suppressing the NF-κB pathway during macrophage-mediated inflammation.
Animals ; Chemotaxis ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Gene Expression ; Gentiana ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Macrophages ; Macrophages, Peritoneal ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; Protein Kinases ; RAW 264.7 Cells

PURPOSE: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) is one of the most common childhood psychiatric diseases and nocturnal enuresis is also a common involuntary disorder, whose symptoms can appear more than 2-3 times per month even after the age of 5. The incidence of nocturnal enuresis is believed to be increasing in ADHD patients. This study investigates the effectiveness of desmopressin and imipramine in the treatment of nocturnal enuresis as well as on ADHD. METHODS: ADHD children of over five years of age displaying nocturnal enuresis were divided into three groups : Group 1, the placebo group; Group 2, the imipramine group; and Group 3, the desmopressin group. They were given their respective treatment agents for 12 weeks and were asked to record their daily urination routine. Their progress was observed two and four weeks after treatment and psychiatric evaluation was performed two weeks after treatment. RESULTS: One week after the start of treatment, the frequency of enuresis in group 3 dropped markedly, showing a much faster treatment response than group 2. Although group 1 showed no significant change in the ADHD index after treatment, groups 2 and 3 showed better ADHD conditions along with enuresis. CONCLUSION: The ADHD scale improved in the two groups whose nocturnal enuresis was successfully treated with imipramine and desmopressin in our study. This may provide evidence for the possibility of one common factor in the cause of ADHD and nocturnal enuresis. More studies on this possibility are required.
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* ; Child* ; Deamino Arginine Vasopressin* ; Enuresis* ; Humans ; Imipramine* ; Incidence ; Nocturnal Enuresis ; Urination