Purpose: To report a case of nutritional optic neuropathy due to folic acid deficiency and who recoverd from oral supplementation with folic acid.Case summary: A 45-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of visual disturbance and color vision on the both eye without pain. There were no abnormal findings in the anterior segment and retina. An afferent pupillary defect was found in the left eye. Visual field examination showed central scotoma in both eyes and total color blindness on Hahn color vision test. The patient had a history of chronic alcoholism and had not eaten often recently. The folic acid level was decreased in the blood and after oral folic acid supplementation, visual acuity and visual field recovered after 6 weeks. Conclusions We report a new case of nutritional optic neuropathy due to folic acid deficiency and who recovered from oral supplementation with folic acid.

Purpose: To report a case of nutritional optic neuropathy due to folic acid deficiency and who recoverd from oral supplementation with folic acid.Case summary: A 45-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of visual disturbance and color vision on the both eye without pain. There were no abnormal findings in the anterior segment and retina. An afferent pupillary defect was found in the left eye. Visual field examination showed central scotoma in both eyes and total color blindness on Hahn color vision test. The patient had a history of chronic alcoholism and had not eaten often recently. The folic acid level was decreased in the blood and after oral folic acid supplementation, visual acuity and visual field recovered after 6 weeks. Conclusions We report a new case of nutritional optic neuropathy due to folic acid deficiency and who recovered from oral supplementation with folic acid.

Cavovarus deformity is considered an anatomical risk factor for chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI). However, subtle deformity can be difficult to detect, and its correction is controversial. The current study aimed to evaluate clinical and radiographic outcomes of a modified Broström procedure (MBP) with additional procedures for CLAI with subtle cavovarus deformity and a positive peek-a-boo heel sign. We reviewed the records of 15 patients who underwent MBP with additional procedures for CLAI with a positive peek-a-boo heel sign between August 2009 and April 2015. Consecutive physical and radiographic examinations were performed. The visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, and the Karlsson-Peterson (KP) ankle score were applied to assess clinical outcomes. Weight bearing radiographs, hindfoot alignment view, and ankle stress radiographs were also examined. The mean follow-up period was 58.5 months. Calcaneal lateral closing wedge osteotomy was performed in seven patients to correct fixed hindfoot varus, and first metatarsal dorsiflexion osteotomy was performed in 11 patients to correct plantarflexion of the first ray. Three patients underwent both procedures. Mean VAS, AOFAS, and KP ankle scores improved significantly (p=0.001), and instability did not recur. Radiographically, all stress parameters improved significantly (p=0.007). Simultaneous correction of a positive peek-a-boo heel sign and cavovarus deformity with MBP for CLAI improves clinical outcomes and prevents recurrent instability. A comprehensive evaluation and cautious approach for subtle cavovarus deformity should be followed when treating patients with CLAI. This trial is registered on Clinical Research Information Service (CRiS, KCT0003287).

Background/Aims: This study aimed to develop a rehabilitation program for musculoskeletal pain experienced by gastrointestinal endoscopists and to investigate its usefulness. Methods: This was a multicenter cohort study. During the first 2 weeks, a questionnaire regarding daily workload and musculoskeletal symptoms was administered. Then, a rehabilitation program including equipment/posture correction and stretching was conducted during the remaining 6 weeks. Follow-up daily workload and musculoskeletal symptom surveys were distributed during the last 2 weeks. The program satisfaction survey was performed at the 6th and 8th weeks. Results: Among 118 participants (69 men), 94% (n=111) complained of musculoskeletal pain at baseline. Various hospital activities at baseline were associated with multisite musculoskeletal pain, whereas only a few workloads were correlated with musculoskeletal pain after the rehabilitation program. Follow-up musculoskeletal pain was negatively correlated with equipment/ posture program performance; arm/elbow pain was negatively correlated with elbow (R=–0.307) and wrist (R=–0.205) posture; leg/foot pain was negatively correlated with monitor position, shoulder, elbow, wrist, leg, and foot posture. Higher performance in the scope position (86.8% in the improvement vs 71.3% in the aggravation group, p=0.054) and table height (94.1% vs 79.1%, p=0.054) were associated with pain improvement. An increased number of colonoscopy procedures (6.27 in the aggravation vs 0.02 in the improvement group, p=0.017) was associated with pain aggravation. Most participants reported being average (32%) or satisfied (67%) with the program at the end of the study. Conclusions Our rehabilitation program is easily applicable, satisfactory, and helpful for improving the musculoskeletal pain experienced by gastrointestinal endoscopists.

Biobank Impact Factor (BIF), which is a very effective criterion to evaluate the activity of biobanks, can be estimated by the citation information of biobanks from scientific papers. We have developed a program, ManBIF, to investigate the citation information from PDF files in the literature. The program manages a dictionary for expressions to represent biobanks and their resources, mines the citation information by converting PDF files to text files and searching with a dictionary, and produces a statistical report file. It can be used as an important tool by biobanks.
Mining

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of differentiating polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) from exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD), using color fundus photography (CFP), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and swept-source OCT angiography (SS-OCTA) without using indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). Methods: Treatment-naive eyes with exudative AMD that underwent CFP, OCT, SS-OCTA, and ICGA imaging before treatment were identified. Images of each patient were categorized into two sets (set A, CFP + OCT; set B, CFP + SS-OCTA). In set B, both the en face and cross-sectional B scans were analyzed. Each set was reviewed by two graders, and it was determined whether the presumed diagnosis was PCV. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the diagnosis of PCV were assessed for each set by comparing diagnoses that included ICGA. The number of polypoidal lesions in each set was calculated and compared to ICGA. Results: A total of 94 eyes from 94 patients with AMD were included in the study, of which 66.0% were male, and the mean age was 71.8 ± 9.0 years. The PCV diagnosis rate using ICGA was 45.7%. The sensitivity was 0.88 for set A and 0.93 for set B, while the specificity was 0.94 for set A and 0.96 for set B. The AUC was 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83–0.97) for set A and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.90–1.00) for set B. Set A detected 1.28 ± 0.91 polypoidal lesions, while set B detected 1.47 ± 1.01; ICGA showed 1.51 ± 0.86. Conclusions This study highlights that, without using ICGA, both CFP combined with OCT and CFP combined with SS-OCTA demonstrate high sensitivity, specificity, and AUC in diagnosing PCV. It is evident that SS-OCTA contributes to enhancing sensitivity, specificity, and AUC for PCV diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: The differences between neuromuscular blocking (NMB) drugs on the efficacy of intraoperative motor-evoked potential (MEP) monitoring have not been established through clinical study. We compared the effects of vecuronium and cisatracurium on the efficacy of intraoperative MEP monitoring. METHODS: We enrolled 72 patients who had undergone neurosurgery with MEP monitoring. We randomly allocated the subjects into one of two groups, in whom we maintained continuous intravenous vecuronium (Group V) or cisatracurium (Group C) infusion during the surgeries; the target partial NMB for maintenance was T1/Tc 50% (T1, first twitch of TOF response; Tc, control response of T1 before NMB drug injection). We compared the means and coefficients of variation (CV, %) of all measured MEP amplitudes and the frequencies of NMB drug dose changes. RESULTS: The means and CVs of MEP amplitude and latency in all four limbs did not differ significantly between the groups, although we did change the continuous NMB drug doses in group V significantly less often than in group C. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences between vecuronium and cisatracurium on the MEP variability and mean amplitudes. However, cisatracurium needed more frequent dose changes to maintain T1/Tc 50%.
Clinical Study ; Extremities ; Humans ; Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Neurosurgery* ; Vecuronium Bromide*

Monitoring cerebral oxygenation using a near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) device is useful for estimating cerebral hypoperfusion and is available during liver transplantation (LT). However, high serum bilirubin concentration can interfere with NIRS because bilirubin absorbs near infrared light. We report a patient who underwent LT with a diagnosis of vanishing bile duct syndrome, whose regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO₂) remained below 15% even with alert mental status and SpO2₂ value of 99%. The rSO₂ values were almost fixed at the lowest measurable level throughout the intra- and postoperative period. We report a case of erroneously low rSO₂ values during the perioperative period in a liver transplant recipient which might be attributable to skin pigmentation rather than higher serum bilirubin concentration.
Bile Ducts* ; Bile* ; Bilirubin ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Hypoxia, Brain ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Oxygen* ; Perioperative Period ; Postoperative Period ; Skin Pigmentation ; Spectrum Analysis ; Transplant Recipients

White blood cells (WBCs) and storage period are the main factors of transfusion reactions. In the present study, cytokine/chemokine concentrations after leukoreduction (LR) and irradiation (IR) in stored canine whole blood were measured. Red blood cell storage lesion caused by IR and LR were also compared. Blood samples from 10 healthy Beagles were divided into four groups (no treatment, LR-, IR-, and LR + IR-treated). Leukocytes were removed by filtration in the LR group and gamma radiation (25 Gy) was applied in the IR group. Immunologic factors (WBCs, interleukin-6 [IL-6], C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 [CXCL-8], and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and storage lesion factors (blood pH, potassium, and hemolysis) were evaluated on storage days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Compared to the treated groups, IL-6 and CXCL-8 concentrations during storage were significantly higher in the control (no treatment) group. LR did not show changes in cytokine/chemokine concentrations, and storage lesion presence was relatively mild. IR significantly increased CXCL-8 after 14 days of storage, but IR of leukoreduced blood did not increase CXCL-8 during 28 days of storage. Storage lesions such as hemolysis, increased potassium, and low pH were observed 7 days after IR and storage of blood, regardless of LR. IR of leukoreduced blood is beneficial to avoid immune reactions; however, storage lesions should be considered upon storage.
Blood Preservation ; Down-Regulation ; Erythrocytes ; Filtration ; Gamma Rays ; Hemolysis ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Immunologic Factors ; Interleukin-6 ; Leukocyte Reduction Procedures ; Leukocytes ; Necrosis ; Potassium ; Transfusion Reaction

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is uncommon lymphoid malignancy in dogs, and its diagnosis is challenging. A 14-year-old spayed female mixed breed dog was transferred to a veterinary medical teaching hospital for an immediate blood transfusion. The dog showed lethargy, pale mucous membranes, and a weak femoral pulse. Complete blood count revealed non-regenerative anemia and severe leukopenia with thrombocytopenia. ALL was tentatively diagnosed based on the predominance of immature lymphoblasts on blood film examination. For confirmation of lymphoid malignancy, PCR for antigen receptor rearrangement (PARR) on a peripheral blood sample and flow cytometry analysis were performed after blood transfusion. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that lymphocyte subsets were of normal composition, but PARR detected a T-cell malignancy. The dog was diagnosed with ALL and survived 1 wk after diagnosis. In conclusion, after blood transfusion, flow cytometry was not a reliable diagnostic method for an ALL dog, whereas PARR could detect lymphoid malignancy. Our results suggest that PARR should be the first-line diagnostic tool to detect canine lymphoid malignancy after a blood transfusion.
Adolescent ; Anemia ; Animals ; Blood Cell Count ; Blood Transfusion* ; Diagnosis* ; Dogs* ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Lethargy ; Leukopenia ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; Methods ; Mucous Membrane ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma* ; Receptors, Antigen* ; T-Lymphocytes ; Thrombocytopenia