In this study, the pattern of bilateral asymmetry in the eye orbit and nose of the Joseon Dynasty skeletal group was analyzed using geometric morphometrics. For this, 38 adult males and 38 adult females from the Joseon Dynasty skeletal group belonging to the 15(th) to early 20(th) centuries were examined. For geometric morphometric analysis, Procrustes superimposition was performed on 10 landmarks in both eye orbits and 7 nasal landmarks. The data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance with partial least square scores. In results, the lateral landmarks had more impact on the bilateral asymmetry in the eye orbit and nose than the center landmarks. The eye orbit and nose on the right side of the face seemed bigger than those of the left side, while the direction of asymmetry in the eye orbit and nose was different. The correlation between asymmetry patterns in the eye orbit and nose were statistically significant (p<0.01). The results of this study will be useful for examining causes of bilateral asymmetry in the eye orbits and noses of the Korean population.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nose* ; Orbit*

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chronic simulated snoring was induced in rabbits to determine the impact of snoring on the development of atherosclerosis. METHODS: The pressure wave of induced snoring at the carotid bifurcation of rabbits was acquired by gently pressing the airway. This wave was then simulated using custom-made mechanical devices. Twelve rabbits were used in this study, seven of which were assigned to the experimental group and the remaining five formed the control group. All of the rabbits were raised on a 1% high-cholesterol diet. Either working or sham devices were positioned at the ventral center of the neck in each rabbit. At the end of a 2-month observation period, all of the rabbits were sacrificed by perfusion fixation, the carotid arteries harvested, and the carotid atherosclerosis histology reviewed. RESULTS: All of the rabbits survived to the end of the experimental period. Blood sampling revealed the presence of hypercholesterolemia in both groups, with no significant difference between them. The presence and degree of atherosclerosis did not differ significantly between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study show the feasibility of making a chronic simulated snoring rabbit model. However, the causative role of snoring in carotid atherosclerosis was not detected in this animal study.
Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery Diseases* ; Diet ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Neck ; Perfusion ; Rabbits* ; Snoring*

OBJECTIVE & BACKGROUND: There have been reports on the lateralizing value of temporal lobe interictal epileptiform discharge(IED), yet it is a matter of debate till now. We studied our patients focusing on the degree of lateralization by which accurate lateralization was possible and also on the significance of bisynchronous IED(BIED) in the lateralization of temporal lobe epilepsy. METHOD: Fifty two patients were included in the study who were diagnosed as having medial temporal lobe epilepsy through video-EEG monitoring and brain MRI. Twenty four hour sleep-deprived interictal scalp EEG was checked for all of them. After that, we counted the number of independent IED(IIED) and BIED originating from anterior temporal areas. Then we tried to find a reasonable degree of IED above which correct lateralization of epileptogenic area was possible by using brain MRI as a standard. We also tried to find a significance of BIED in the lateralization of temporal lobe epilepsy by comparing the result excluding patients with BIED to that includig patients with BIED. RESULT: Lateralization of IED was over 80% accurate if the cutoff point was set at 70% and patients with BIED were included, but nearly 100% accurate of the cutoff point was set at 80% and patients with BIED were excluded. CONCLUSION: Influence of BIED on the accuracy of lateralization by IED is significant, and if the lateralization of IED is over 80% in patients with no BIED, the chance of true lateralization is very high.
Brain ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Scalp ; Temporal Lobe*

No abstract available.
Amnesia, Transient Global* ; Humans ; Writing*

The present research aims to examine the cranial index in a modern people of Thai ancestry. Ultimately, this study will help to create a databank containing a cranial index for the classifications of the people from Asia. In this study, 185 modern crania of people of supposed Thai ancestry were examined. They were collected from the Department of Anatomy at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. The maximum cranial length and breadth were measured using standard anthropometric instruments based on Martin's methods. The cranial index was calculated using the equation ([maximum cranial breadth/maximum cranial length]×100). The mean cranial indices for the male and female skulls examined were 81.81±4.23 and 82.99±4.37, respectively. The most common type of skull in the modern Thai people in this study was the brachycranic type with a frequency of 42.7%, followed by the mesocranic (27.03%) and hyperbrachycranic types (25.59%). The rarest type observed in this study was the dolichocranic type (4.32%). The present study provides valuable data pertaining to the cranial index in a modern Thai population and reveals that modern Thai males and females belong to the brachycranic group. The results of this study will be of forensic anthropological importance to populations in close proximity to the location where the skulls studied here were sourced.
Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Classification ; Female ; Forensic Anthropology ; Humans ; Male ; Skull ; Thailand

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is known to be a major cause of cervical cancer. In Korea, although the mortality of cervical cancer has decreased, HPV infection rates are increasing rapidly in young women. One of the reasons for a high rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection appears to be associated with a low frequency to visit gynecology clinics because of the uncomfortable sampling process for HPV testing. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a non-invasive method, such as urine testing to diagnose cervical cancer rather than use of the existing invasive method. This study aimed to test validity of HPV DNA detection in urine specimens that can be easily collected from women. Paired vaginal discharge and urine samples were collected prospectively from 203 women who visited the local hospital between January and August 2018 in Busan, Korea. By using the Virocheck® assay kit (Optipharm), we found that 17.2% (35/203) of vaginal discharge samples were HPV positive and 82.8% (168/203) were HPV negative. In urine samples, 15.8% (32/203) were HPV positive and 84.2% (171/203) were HPV negative. The co-incident rate for HPV DNA detection was 84.8% in both vaginal discharge and urine samples. These results suggest that the HPV DNA detection using urine samples might be an alternative way to diagnose HPV infection in a non-invasive way. This analytical approach can be utilized as a screening test to identify HIV-infected patients who need a follow-up process by using urine samples.
Busan ; DNA ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gynecology ; HIV ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Methods ; Mortality ; Papillomaviridae ; Prospective Studies ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Vaginal Discharge

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sleep disorder that frequently occurs in dialysis patients, which disturbs the sleep and reduces the quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for RLS in dialysis patients. METHODS: Patients who visited any of four outpatient dialysis clinics between September 2005 and May 2006 were included in this study. The diagnosis of RLS and the severity assessment were made using the criteria described by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group. We collected basic demographic data, clinical information, and laboratory findings, and then analyzed their association with various aspects of RLS using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: RLS was present in 46 (28.0%) of 164 dialysis patients. We found no significant risk factor for inducing RLS. The predialysis serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level in the dialysis patients with RLS was significantly correlated with RLS symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS: Predialysis BUN is related to RLS symptom severity. Further studies on the underlying mechanism are needed.
Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Dialysis ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Outpatients ; Quality of Life ; Renal Dialysis ; Restless Legs Syndrome ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: The differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) from nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is of primary importance for infection control and choice of antimicrobial therapy. The diagnosis of diseases caused by NTM is difficult because NTM are prevalent in the environment and have fastidious properties. In this study, we evaluated the real-time PCR-based MTB/NTM detection kit for its usefulness in discrimination of MTB and NTM species. METHODS: A total of 155 sputum specimens whose AFB staining smear and culture were positive were used for this study. Among them, 59 and 96 samples had been identified as MTB and NTM, respectively. DNA obtained from sputum specimens was subjected to analysis with MolecuTech Real MTB-ID(R) (M&D, Korea) real-time PCR-based MTB/NTM detection kit. Subsequently, the results of MolecuTech Real MTB-ID(R) were compared with AFB staining smear and culture results. RESULTS: The positive rate of MolecuTech Real MTB-ID(R) to detect MTB and NTM was 98.3% (58/59) and 97.9 (94/96), respectively, using sputum specimens. CONCLUSION: For detection of MTB/NTM, the sensitivity and specificity of MolecuTech Real MTB-ID(R) were comparable to those of conventional methods. Therefore, this study suggests the usefulness of real-time PCR-based MolecuTech Real MTB-ID(R) for rapid detection of MTB/NTM from direct specimens.
Discrimination (Psychology) ; DNA ; Infection Control ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sputum

PURPOSE: The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex comprises M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and M. africanum, and causes tuberculosis in humans and animals. Identification of Mycobacterium spp. and M. tuberculosis complex to the species level is important for practical use in microbiological laboratories, in addition to optimal treatment and public health. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A novel multiplex PCR assay targeting a conserved rpoB sequence in Mycobacteria spp., as well as regions of difference (RD) 1 and RD8, was developed and evaluated using 37 reference strains and 178 clinical isolates. RESULTS: All mycobacterial strains produced a 518-bp product (rpoB), while other bacteria produced no product. Virulent M. tuberculosis complex strains, M. tuberculosis, M. bovis and M. africanum, produced a 254-bp product (RD1), while M. bovis BCG, M. microti and nontuberculous mycobacteria produced no RD1 region product. Additionally, M. tuberculosis and M. africanum produced a 150-bp product (RD8), while M. bovis and M. bovis BCG produced a 360-bp product (deleted form of RD8). M. microti and nontuberculous mycobacteria produced no RD8 region product. This assay identified all Mycobacterium spp. and all M. tuberculosis complex strains to the species level. CONCLUSION: The multiplex PCR assay of the present study could be implemented as a routine test in microbiology laboratories, and may contribute to more effective treatment and surveillance of tuberculosis stemming from the M. tuberculosis complex.
Animals ; Cattle ; Classification/methods ; DNA Primers ; Genes, Bacterial ; Humans ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods ; Mycobacterium/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Species Specificity

Long bone diaphyseal cross-sectional shape as a primary measure of biomechanical loading has attracted much attention in physical anthropology. Especially, lower limb bones have been widely used to reconstruct the mobility pattern of the past population. In this research, the cross-sectional size of the femoral shaft was investigated for the human skeletal remains excavated from the Eunpyeong site, dating the period spanning from the mid-15th to the early 20th centuries. The purpose of this research is to examine and report the biomechanical characteristics of the past populations living during Joseon Dynasty period. The results showed that Eunpyeong population was grouped into the 'platymeric category (i.e., platymeric index below 84.9). Females were more platymeric (i.e., more laterally flattened) than males and the sexual dimorphism was statistically significant. In addition, the samples of Eunpyeong site showed a relatively lower pilasteric index (i.e., more round) compared to the populations reported in other studies. The results of this research provide an insight to shed light on the ecological environments, subsistence strategies, and life styles of the past populations. Yet, for more detailed interpretation, it appears necessary to take into account other types of indicators for biomechanical stresses and accumulate more archaeological evidences.
Anthropology, Physical ; Female ; Femur ; Humans ; Life Style ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Stress, Mechanical