Cellular schwannoma is a variant of schwannoma, and is diagnosed as malignant tumor in over one fourth of cases because of its cellularity, mitotic activity and the occasional presence of bone destruction. This tumor is a tumor with low malignant potential and usually occurs in peripheral nervous system, mainly in the posterior mediastinum and retroperitoneal space. But pelvic retroperitoneal cellular schwannoma is very rare. Recently, we experienced a case of pelvic retroperitoneal cellular schwannoma in a 42-year-old woman; in reporting the case a brief review of the literature is included.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Mediastinum ; Neurilemmoma* ; Peripheral Nervous System ; Retroperitoneal Space

Objectives: White matter hyperintensities are known to influence dementia in Alzheimer’s disease. Genetic components are suggested as putative risk factors for vascular pathology and cognitive decline. This study aimed to determine whether there is an association between candidate genetic polymorphisms and the severity of white matter hyperintensities in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: Seventy-five patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease underwent genetic tests for specific alleles of apolipoprotein E, angiotensin-converting enzyme, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. All patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging scans and neuropsychological tests. The severity of white matter hyperintensities was semiquantified using the CREDOS rating scale, and patients were divided into three groups according to their rating. Results:The severity of white matter hyperintensities was related to age and hypertension. However, none of the gene polymorphisms we tested was found to be associated with the severity of white matter hyperintensities. Conclusion:The genetic polymorphisms found in apolipoprotein E, angiotensin-converting enzyme and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase did not contribute to white matter hyperintensities in Alzheimer’s disease.Only age and hypertension factors were found to be contributory to white matter hyperintensities.
Alzheimer Disease ; Dementia

BACKGROUND: The clinical characteristics and significance of peritoneal fluid eosinophilia (PFE) in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in Korea were uncertain. The present study was performed to clarify the clinical characteristics of PFE in our CAPD patients. METHODS: Between January 2000 and December 2001, we analyzed retrospectively the clinical data of 112 patients on CAPD at two renal centers. RESULTS: The mean period of the observation was 12.6+/-6.7 months, and the total number of peritoneal effluent sampling was 1, 024 (10.5/patient-year). PFE was found in 4.4% of patients. The incidence of PFE was 4.25 per 100 patients/year. Sixty percent of patients with PFE experienced within 2 weeks of initiation of dialysis. The duration of PFE episode varied from 1 to 4 days with the mean value of 2.8 days. All PFE episodes except one patient with abdominal pain treated by oral prednisolone had no symptoms and was spontaneously resolved. The only distinction between the patients with PFE and those without was concomitant peripheral blood eosinophilia (80.0% vs. 15.8%, p=0.0027). Other factors such as age, sex, primary renal disease, bacterial peritonitis, previous use of heparin or antibiotics, blood in peritoneal fluid, and allergic history were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The majority of PFE episode in CAPD patients developed within 2 weeks of initiation of dialysis and spontaneously resolved without treatment. Peripheral blood eosinophilia was a good predictor of PFE.
Abdominal Pain ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Ascitic Fluid* ; Dialysis ; Eosinophilia* ; Heparin ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Peritonitis ; Prednisolone ; Retrospective Studies

Background: The long-term care (LTC) group has higher rates of chronic disease and disability registration compared to the general older people population. There is a need to provide integrated medical services and care for LTC group. Consequently, this study aimed to identify medical usage patterns based on the ratings of LTC and the characteristics of benefits usage in the LTC group. Methods: This study employed the National Health Insurance Service Database to analyze the effects of demographic and LTC-related characteristics on medical usage from 2015 to 2019 using a repeated measures analysis. A longitudinal logit model was applied to binary data, while a linear mixed model was utilized for continuous data. Results: In the case of LTC ratings, a positive correlation was observed with overall medical usage. In terms of LTC benefit usage characteristics, a higher overall level of medical usage was found in the group using home care benefits. Detailed analysis by medical institution classification revealed a maintained correlation between care ratings and the volume of medical usage. However, medical usage by classification varied based on the characteristics of LTC benefit usage. Conclusion This study identified a complex interaction between LTC characteristics and medical usage. Predicting the requisite medical services based on the LTC rating presented a challenge. Consequently, it becomes essential for the LTC group to continuously monitor medical and care needs, even after admission into the LTC system. To facilitate this, it is crucial to devise an LTC rating system that accurately reflects medical needs and to broaden the implementation of integrated medical-care policies.

PURPOSE: Heart rate variability (HRV) is a tool used to measure autonomic nervous function; however, there is no evidence that it can be used to define sympathetic hyperactivity in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). We suspected that LUTS would differ between sympathetic hyperactive and hypoactive patients. Therefore, we measured HRV and divided the LUTS patients into two groups, a sympathetic hyperactive group and a sympathetic hypoactive group according to the low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio and made clinical comparisons between the groups. METHODS: A total of 43 patients with symptomatic LUTS (International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS] over 8) and 49 healthy volunteers were enrolled. No subjects had diseases that could affect the autonomic nervous system, such as diabetes or hypertension. Electrocardiographic signals were obtained from subjects in the resting state and HRV indexes were calculated with spectral analyses. We divided the LUTS patients into two groups by an LF/HF ratio of 1.9, which was the median value in the healthy volunteers, and compared the differences in clinical characteristics, IPSS, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) results. The parameters were compared by independent sample t-test by use of SPSS ver. 19. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, serum PSA, or volume of the prostate between the 2 LUTS groups. However, analyzing IPSS questionnaires between two groups showed that there were significant differences in mean of Q2 score (frequency) and storage symptom score ([Q2+Q4+Q7]/3) (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that an imbalance of autonomic nervous system activity may be a factor that evokes varieties of symptoms in men with LUTS. LUTS patients with hypoactive sympathetic tone may suffer from frequency and storage symptoms.
Autonomic Nervous System ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Male ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Hyperplasia

No abstract available.
Abortion, Habitual* ; Female ; Immunization* ; Lymphocytes* ; Pregnancy

One lung ventilation(OLV) during thoracotomy is frequently used for the purpose of facilitating surgical exposure by collapsing the lung in the operative hemithorax. But severe hypoxemia may occur during OLV inspite of higher inspired oxygen concentration. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of positive end-expiratory pressure(PEEP) level to the ventilated lung on the arterial oxygenation in the thoracotomy patients(n-10) who showed PaO2 below 100 mmHg during one lung ventilation (OLV) at the F1O2 = 1.0 . After measuring control value of arterial blood gas(ABGA), peak inspiratory pressure and hemodynamic parameter (mean arterial pressure and heart rate), PEEP device 5 cmH2O and then 10 cmH2O was applied to the expiratory breathing circuit for 10 min at each pressure setting. Data of above parameter was collected after 10 min each PEEP application. There were no siginificant changes in the mean arterial pressure and heart rate between control, PEEP 5 cmH2O and PEEP 10 cmH2O. Although PaO2 did not significantly increased with PEEP 5 cmH2O compared to control value, the application of PEEP 5cmH2O increased PaO2 in 6 patients and decreased in 4 patients. In the PEEP 10 cmH application, PaO2 was significantly improved compared to control and PEEP 5 cmH2O values (78.4+/-11.6 mmHg, 84.6+/-19.2 mmHg vs. 95.3+/-18.5 mmHg). It is concluded that it may be necessary to adjust PEEP level to the ventilated lung to improve oxygenation when hypoxemia occurs during OLV.
Anesthesia* ; Anoxia ; Arterial Pressure ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Lung* ; One-Lung Ventilation ; Oxygen* ; Positive-Pressure Respiration* ; Respiration ; Thoracotomy

Neurofibromatosis type I(NF-1) is an autosomal dominant neurocutaneous syndrome characterized by cafe-au-lait spots, optic glioma, skeletal dysplasia, and iris hamartoma. Mesenteric plexiform neurofibromas(PNF) have been rarely reported in NF-1, especially in children. We report a case of radiologically suspected mesenteric PNF along the celiac axis in an 8-year-old boy who had cafe-au-lait spots and a family history of maternal NF-1.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cafe-au-Lait Spots ; Child ; Hamartoma ; Humans ; Iris ; Neurocutaneous Syndromes ; Neurofibroma ; Neurofibroma, Plexiform ; Neurofibromatoses ; Neurofibromatosis 1 ; Optic Nerve Glioma

Clinical guidelines suggest that suspicious pigmented lesions of the plantar or palmar area require biopsy for early detection of acral melanoma. We present here a case of acral lentiginous melanoma in which various melanocytic atypia was observed at each biopsy site, including focal melanocytic proliferation. We suggest that this atypical melanosis is part of a contiguous phase of invasive tumor growth, which is known as the very early stage of melanoma in situ. In addition, noninvasive dermoscopy has been effective for the early discovery of hidden lesions of acral melanoma.
Biopsy ; Dermoscopy ; Melanoma ; Melanosis

BACKGROUND: Sorbitol fermenting Escherichia coli O157 were reported. And E. coli O157:H7 produce various Shiga toxin (Stx) such as Stx1, Stx2, or variants of Stx2. In this study, we tried to establish laboratory methods that detect E. coli O157:H7 quickly and precisely by analyzing sensitivity of colony hybridization test and PCR technique. METHODS: Stx1-producing E. coli ATCC 43890, Stx2-producing E. coli ATCC 43889, and Stx2vha- producing E. coli ATCC 51435 were tested. Three strains of E. coli were diluted with 0.1 g of diarrheal stools from 107 CFU to 101 CFU respectively. The stool samples were incubated overnight in MacConkey agar plates. A mean of 63 colonies were hybridized by stx1- and stx2-specific oligonucleotide probes. PCR for stx1 gene and stx2 gene was done after overnight- incubation of stool samples in the LB broth with vancomycin (6 ug/mL). Positive colonies by colony hybridization were confirmed by PCR for stx1 gene and stx2 gene. RESULTS: Colony hybridization test could detect Stx1-producing E. coli at 103 CFU per 0.1 g of stool, Stx2-producing E. coli at 105 CFU per 0.1 g of stool, and Stx2vha-producing E. coli at 104 CFU per 0.1 g of stool. PCR technique after enrichment in LB broth with vancomycin (6 ug/mL) could detect stx1-, stx2-, and stx2vha-containing E. coli at 10 CFU per 0.1 g of stool respectively. CONCLUSOIN: A combination of colony hybridization and PCR after enrichment in broth with vancomycin (6 ug/mL) is useful for the rapid and precise diagnosis of infections of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7.
Agar ; Diagnosis ; Escherichia coli O157 ; Escherichia coli* ; Escherichia* ; Oligonucleotide Probes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Shiga Toxin ; Sorbitol ; Vancomycin