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*

Traditional morphometrics uses ratios between measured values such as the cranial index and the upper facial index. However, with these ratios alone, it is impossible to represent the shape of the entire cranium in a three-dimensional space because ratio does not express coordinate data. This methodological limitation of traditional morphometrics makes it difficult to evaluate relations between cranial parts. However, it is important to assess relations between cranial parts because cranial parts change their shapes in an integrated way. Therefore, this study adopted geometric morphometrics to overcome the limitations of traditional morphometrics and provide a more enhanced visual analysis of the cranial shape. Using geometric morphometrics, this study focused on variations of cranial shapes in a population from Joseon Dynasty to obtain their specific characteristics. This study investigated variations of cranial shapes in 57 individuals from Seoul Gyeonggi province who lived in the 15th to the early 20th centuries. The coordinates of the crania were collected by MicroScribe G2X (Immersion Corporation, USA) and statistically analyzed using principal component analysis. The results showed that the variations in cranial shapes of females were reflected mostly in width, length of cranium, position of bregma, shape of posterior part of cranium, and length of facial bone. The cranial shapes of the males varied mostly in length, width, height of cranium, size of mastoid process, and length of facial bones. The cranial length became shorter when the cranial width became broader in both sexes. However, cranial height and facial length showed different variations between the two sexes. In addition, the variation in females only showed evidence of static allometry. The results of this research provide basic information about cranial shapes in a population from Joseon Dynasty and will be useful in future studies such as analysis on between-group differences. By identifying within-group variations first, researchers focusing on between-group differences will likely avoid erroneous conclusions.
Facial Bones ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Male ; Mastoid ; Principal Component Analysis ; Seoul ; Skull

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

Renal lupus vasculitis is a rare vascular lesion complicated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We report an unusual case of true renal lupus vasculitis with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-negative pauci-immune glomerulonephritis in a patient with SLE. A 32-year-old woman presenting with hematuria and overt proteinuria was admitted to the hospital. She had been diagnosed with SLE at 16 years of age and treated with prednisolone, hydroxychloroquine, and methotraxate. A kidney biopsy revealed 42 glomeruli with ischemic wrinkling, and segmental loop necrosis with fibrin deposition. Prominent inflammatory cell infiltration of interlobular arteries and afferent arterioles with severe necrosis was demonstrated. No electron-dense and immune deposits in the glomeruli were observed by immunofluorescent and electron microscopy; in contrast, those in the renal vascular wall showed a full-house pattern. Antiphospholipid antibodies and ANCA were negative. The patient was treated with monthly intravenous cyclophosphamide pulses and high dose steroid, and showed good response on further follow-up.
Adult ; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic ; Antibodies, Antiphospholipid ; Arteries ; Arterioles ; Biopsy ; Cyclophosphamide ; Female ; Fibrin ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Kidney ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Microscopy, Electron ; Necrosis ; Prednisolone ; Proteinuria ; Vasculitis*

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

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

BACKGROUND: Restless-legs syndrome (RLS) is known to be caused by dopaminergic hypofunction in the brain. We investigated whether antipsychotics that act as antidopaminergics increase the risk of RLS. METHODS: We prospectively recruited 72 schizophrenic patients who had been medicated with antipsychotic drugs in a psychiatry clinic. We evaluated RLS diagnostic criteria and basic sleep habits using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index by face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. We also applied the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale to evaluate extrapyramidal symptoms. RESULTS: Three of the 72 patients (4.2%) met RLS criteria, which is similar to the previously reported RLS incidence among the general population in Korea. CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence that antipsychotics increase the risk of RLS. We believe that the mild antidopaminergic effect of antipsychotics does not overwhelm their prominent antipsychotic effect.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Brain ; Humans ; Incidence ; Parkinson Disease ; Prospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Restless Legs Syndrome ; Risk Factors ; Schizophrenia

In this study, the skeletal abnormalities associated with scurvy in subadults crania from three archaeological skeletal collections (Nukdo, Imdang, Yeanri), South Korea was analyzed to examine the prevalence and distribution of childhood scurvy of ancient Korea. For this, 30 subadults crania from the Nukdo, Imdang, Yeanri site were examined. Using criteria described by Ortner and Ericksen (1997) for identifying scurvy in skeletal material we evaluated the cranial skeleton of the subadults for evidence of abnormal porosity. All skeletal materials were macroscopically evaluated for pathological changes associated with scurvy. In results, lesions indicative of probable scurvy were observed in 22 individuals of 30 individuals. Based on the results, childhood disease relating to nutrition and metabolism in ancient Korea might have been widespread, along with scurvy. The results of the present study will be useful for understanding the health condition of the ancient Korean populations. Future work will add significantly to the larger picture of diet and disease within populations of ancient Korea.
Diet ; Korea* ; Malnutrition ; Metabolism ; Paleopathology ; Porosity ; Prevalence ; Scurvy* ; Skeleton ; Vitamins

Dental pathology has the potential to provide insight into the interpretation of the health and life style of past population. In particular, dental pathologies are strongly correlated to subsistence pattern, diet habits and food-preparation techniques. For this reason, my studies have focused on analyses of dental diseases (e.g., caries, abscesses, ante-mortem tooth loss, enamel hypoplasia, dental attrition, and periodontal diseases). The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of dental pathologies of the Imdang population dating to between A.D. 3rd and A.D. 7th centuries (Three Kingdoms Period). In this study, through a macroscopic observation of dental remains from 138 individuals of the Imdang site, the prevalence of caries, abscess and ante-mortem tooth loss was examined. The association between sex, age and the frequencies of pathology was analyzed by the Chi-square tests. The results showed that the frequency of dental pathologies was consistently low level in Imdang population. Caries prevalence in the Imdang population was higher in females (6.15%) that in males (4.89). Among dental pathologies, abscess prevalence (0.7%) was lowest in Imdang population. Meanwhile, AMTL prevalence was 10.81% in males and 3.8% in females. There is a statistically significant difference between the anterior teeth of males and females (p<0.05). This study revealed that the rate of dental caries, abscess and AMTL in the Three Kingdoms Period population was relatively low level. This study is the first report of the patterns of dental pathologies in the Three Kingdoms Period population. It is necessary to investigate more number of pathologic markers that needed for deeper understanding of the multi-faceted nature of dental pathologies of ancient populations.
Abscess ; Dental Caries ; Dental Enamel Hypoplasia ; Female ; Food Habits ; Gyeongsangbuk-do* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Life Style ; Male ; Pathology* ; Prevalence ; Stomatognathic Diseases ; Tooth ; Tooth Loss

Erosive adenomatosis of the nipple (EAN) is a rare benign entity that involves abnormal proliferation of the lactiferous ducts of the nipple and often presents with visible erosive lesions, erythema, or discharge. A 34-year-old female patient visited our clinic with erythematous patches and bloody discharge from the right nipple.Ultrasonography revealed a hypervascular lesion. A punch biopsy was performed, and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of EAN. A 22-year-old female patient presented with a 4-year history of itchy erythematous eczematous patches with telangiectasia, crust, and bloody discharge in the areolar region. The punch biopsy results were consistent with those of EAN. The patient underwent total excision surgery. Herein, we report cases of EAN, which were difficult to differentiate from Paget's disease or nipple eczema, highlighting the need for clinicians to pay close attention.