BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Vocabulary knowledge is used as a representative index of general intelligence, and is regarded as a marker for cognitive reserve in elderly people. However, vocabulary knowledge mainly depends on formal education, hence, it may not fully represent cognitive functioning in elderly people with poor educational backgrounds. Herein, we investigated whether vocabulary knowledge is a measure of general cognitive ability among normal elderly people with few years of formal education. METHODS: The association between vocabulary knowledge and general cognitive functioning was compared between 35 elderly females with very low educational attainment and 68 elderly females with higher education. RESULTS: The vocabulary knowledge was a significant predictor of general cognitive functioning in elderly individuals with more than primary education, even after controlling the effects of age and years of education. However, it was not a significant predictor of general cognitive functioning in elderly individuals with very low educational attainment. CONCLUSIONS: Vocabulary assessment was effective in estimating general cognitive functioning in elderly individuals who received ≥6 years of education. Our findings suggested that vocabulary knowledge may not be an effective proxy of premorbid intelligence or cognitive reserve in people who have not completed elementary schooling.
Aged* ; Cognitive Aging ; Cognitive Reserve ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Proxy ; Vocabulary*

OBJECTIVE: The cognitive reserve theory explicates individual differences observed in the clinical manifestation of dementia despite similar brain pathology. Education, a popular proxy of the cognitive reserve, has been shown to have protective effects delaying the onset of clinical symptoms including memory. This study was conducted to test whether education can moderate the negative effect of depressive mood on memory performance in elderly women residing in the community. METHODS: 29 elderly “unschooled” female (less than 6 years of formal education) and 49 “schooled” female (6 or more years) people were compared with regard to association between depressive mood and verbal memory functioning, which were measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Elderly Verbal Learning Test, respectively. RESULTS: The results showed that completing or receiving more than primary school education significantly reduced the negative association between depressive mood and memory performance. Participants who did not complete primary schooling showed a decline in memory test scores depending on the level of depressive mood; whereas participants who have completed or received more than primary education displayed relatively stable memory function despite varying level of depressive mood. CONCLUSION: Our findings imply that education in early life may have protective effects against memory impairment related to elderly depression.
Aged ; Brain ; Cognitive Aging ; Cognitive Reserve ; Dementia ; Depression ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Individuality ; Memory ; Pathology ; Protective Factors ; Proxy ; Verbal Learning

Sirtuins (SIRTs) are involved in multiple cellular processes. And they are involved in cellular pathways related aging, cancer, and a variety of cellular functions including cell cycle, DNA repair and proliferation. Also they modulate life span. Stem cells have the ability to self-renew for unlimited proliferation and differentiate into various cell types. It has been a little known that the mutation of undifferentiated stem cells in tissue may result in the development of cancer cells by genotoxic carcinogens. Therefore, this study investigated whether some carcinogenic compounds can modulate the expression of sirtuin mRNA on human adipose-derived stem cells. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) were exposed to genotoxic carcinogenic compound (2-nitrofluorene, 2NF) and non-genotoxic carcinogenic compound (clonidine, CND) for 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours and 96 hours. The expression of SIRT1 mRNA increased on 72 hours. Expressions of SIRT2 and SIRT7 mRNA increased robustly on 48 hours. But all of SIRTs decreased to a level before a treatment of genotoxic compound on adipose-derived stem cells. These results demonstrated that a treatment of genotoxic compound induced the expression of SIRT mRNA only in the short time. But their level returned to untreated cells on 96 hours. They suggest that the possibility that the sirtuins can retard the carcinogenesis of adipose derived stem cells.
Aging ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinogens ; Cell Cycle ; Clonidine* ; DNA Repair ; Humans ; RNA, Messenger* ; Sirtuins ; Stem Cells*

BACKGROUND: Numerous metatarsal osteotomies have been developed for the treatment of Freiberg's disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of modified Weil osteotomy in the treatment of Freiberg's disease. METHODS: From November 2001 to July 2008, nineteen patients (twenty feet), treated surgically for Freiberg's disease, were included in this study. The average age of the patients was 33.6 years (range, 17 to 62 years), the mean follow-up period was 71.6 months (range, 41 to 121 months). Clinical outcomes were evaluated according to visual analogue scale (VAS), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) lesser metatarsophalangeal-interphalangeal scale, the patients' subjective satisfaction and range of motion (ROM) of metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint. In the radiologic evaluation, initial metatarsal shortening by Freiberg's disease compared to opposite site, metatarsal shortening after modified Weil osteotomy compared with preoperative radiography and term for radiologic union were observed. RESULTS: VAS showed improvement from 6.2 +/- 1.4 to 1.4 +/- 1.5 at last follow-up (p < 0.0001). Points of AOFAS score increased from 63.3 +/- 14.9 to 80.4 +/- 5.6 (p < 0.0001). ROM of MTP joints also improved from 31.3 +/- 10.1 to 48.3 +/- 13.0 degrees at last follow-up (p < 0.0001). According to Smillie's classification system, there was no significant improvement of VAS, AOFAS score and ROM between early stages (stage I, II, and III) and late stages (stage IV and V). Out of twenty cases, nineteen (95%) were satisfied, reporting excellent or good results. CONCLUSIONS: Modified Weil osteotomy is believed to be a useful method for the treatment of Freiberg's disease, not only in the early stages but also in the late stages. It relieves pain and improves function via shortening of metatarsals and restoration of MTP joint congruency.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Metatarsal Bones/pathology/radiography/surgery ; Metatarsus/abnormalities/pathology/radiography/surgery ; Middle Aged ; Osteochondritis/*congenital/pathology/radiography/surgery ; Osteotomy/*methods ; Pain Measurement ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; Treatment Outcome

The purpose of this study was to examine the association among bone mineral density (BMD), biochemical bone markers, nutrients, and salt intake in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. We evaluated 431 subjects who visited a health promotion center of a university hospital between January 2008 and July 2009. We excluded those who were taking medications or who had an endocrine disorder affecting osteoporosis. The subjects were divided into premenopausal (n = 283) and postmenopausal (n = 143) women. We evaluated the correlation among BMD of the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total femoral, as well as biochemical bone markers, hormone, serum profiles, general characteristics, nutrient intakes, and food intake frequencies. From a stepwise multiple regression analysis, lumbar spine BMD was positively correlated with weight (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with osteocalcin (OC)(p < 0.001), Femoral neck BMD was positively correlated with weight (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with C-telopeptide (CTx) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)(p < 0.001, p < 0.05). In premenopausal women, femoral total BMD was positively correlated with BMI (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with CTx (p < 0.001). In postmenopausal women, lumbar spine BMD was positively correlated with calcium intake (p < 0.01) and negatively correlated with sodium intake (p < 0.01). Femoral neck and femoral total BMD were both positively correlated with weight (p < 0.001), and femoral neck BMD was negatively correlated with age and ALP (p < 0.001, p < 0.05). Femoral total BMD was negatively correlated with age and OC (p < 0.001, p < 0.01). These results suggest that reducing sodium intake may play an important role delaying bone resorption and preventing a decrease in BMD.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Bone Density ; Bone Resorption ; Calcium ; Collagen Type I ; Eating ; Female ; Femur Neck ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Osteocalcin ; Osteoporosis ; Peptides ; Sodium ; Spine

Pediatric ankle fractures can cause physeal injuries which can lead to the shortening of the fibula. This induces a lateral shift of the talus, valgus tilt, and instability of the ankle joint, which can result in an arthritic change in this joint. Patients with a shortening of the fibula may complain of constant pain and restricted movements in their daily lives and during sports activities. Ankle reconstruction with fibula lengthening Z-osteotomy can provide excellent results if arthritis is absent or minimal, especially in young and active patients. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report in South Korea regarding the treatment of fibula shortening following a growth arrest due to injury.

Background: We aimed to investigate the effect of epidural polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) on mechanical allodynia and motor dysfunction in a rat model of lumbar foraminal stenosis (LFS). Methods: This study was conducted in two stages, using male Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were randomly divided into eight groups. In the first stage, the groups were as follows: vehicle (V), sham (S), and epidural PDRN at 5 (P5), 8 (P8), and 10 (P10) mg/kg; and in the second stage, they were as follows: intraperitoneal PDRN 8 mg/kg, epidural 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargilxanthine (DMPX) (0.1 mg/kg), and DMPX (0.1 mg/kg). The LFS model was established, except for the S group. After an epidural injection of the test solutions, von Frey and treadmill tests were conducted for 3 weeks. Subsequently, histopathologic examinations were conducted in the V, S, P5, and P10 groups. Results: A total of 65 rats were included. The P8 and P10 groups showed significant recovery from mechanical allodynia and motor dysfunction at all time points after drug administration compared to the V group. These effects were abolished by concomitant administration of DMPX. On histopathological examination, no epineurial inflammation or fibrosis was observed in the epidural PDRN groups. Conclusions Epidural injection of PDRN significantly improves mechanical allodynia and motor dysfunction in a rat model of LFS, which is mediated by the spinal adenosine A2A receptor. The present data support the need for further research to determine the role of epidural PDRN in spinal stenosis treatment.

Background: We aimed to investigate the effect of epidural polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) on mechanical allodynia and motor dysfunction in a rat model of lumbar foraminal stenosis (LFS). Methods: This study was conducted in two stages, using male Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were randomly divided into eight groups. In the first stage, the groups were as follows: vehicle (V), sham (S), and epidural PDRN at 5 (P5), 8 (P8), and 10 (P10) mg/kg; and in the second stage, they were as follows: intraperitoneal PDRN 8 mg/kg, epidural 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargilxanthine (DMPX) (0.1 mg/kg), and DMPX (0.1 mg/kg). The LFS model was established, except for the S group. After an epidural injection of the test solutions, von Frey and treadmill tests were conducted for 3 weeks. Subsequently, histopathologic examinations were conducted in the V, S, P5, and P10 groups. Results: A total of 65 rats were included. The P8 and P10 groups showed significant recovery from mechanical allodynia and motor dysfunction at all time points after drug administration compared to the V group. These effects were abolished by concomitant administration of DMPX. On histopathological examination, no epineurial inflammation or fibrosis was observed in the epidural PDRN groups. Conclusions Epidural injection of PDRN significantly improves mechanical allodynia and motor dysfunction in a rat model of LFS, which is mediated by the spinal adenosine A2A receptor. The present data support the need for further research to determine the role of epidural PDRN in spinal stenosis treatment.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is being used to treat peripheral artery disease increasingly in place of conventional peripheral vascular surgery. Critical limb ischemia is the most severe form of peripheral artery disease and presents with ischemic resting pain and non-healing foot wounds or gangrene. It can result in amputation and increased mortality if aggressive revascularization to obtain sufficient blood is not performed as soon as possible. Generally, both femoral arteries are used for vascular access. However, we could not use the femoral artery for vascular access in a patient with multiple contractures of the extremities due to an old cerebral infarction. Consequently, we used the left brachial artery to perform successful revascularization of the left foot in critical limb ischemia.
Amputation ; Angioplasty* ; Brachial Artery ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Contracture* ; Extremities* ; Femoral Artery ; Foot ; Gangrene ; Humans ; Ischemia* ; Ischemic Contracture ; Limb Salvage* ; Mortality ; Peripheral Arterial Disease ; Wounds and Injuries

Patients with neurofibromatosis-1 (NF-1) have increased susceptibility to a variety of malignancies. Here, we document a rare case of two separated ileal adenocarcinomas in NF-1. The adenocarcinomas were surrounded by a diffuse tubular adenomatous lesion of the mucosa, and ganglion cells were scattered in the NF background. We found this case meaningful for several reasons: two separated adenocarcinomas arising in an unusual ileal segment, the association with precancerous tubular adenoma, and the presence of ganglion cells, which suggests ganglioneuromatosis in NF-1.
Adenocarcinoma/complications/*pathology ; Adult ; Humans ; Ileal Neoplasms/complications/*pathology ; Ileum/pathology ; Intestinal Mucosa/pathology ; Male ; Neurofibromatosis 1/complications/*pathology