Evaluation of mandibular lymph nodes in a patient with head and neck cancer is important for stage determination and prognosis development, and, in human medicine, the use of sonoelastography for differentiating between non-metastatic and metastatic lymph nodes has been reported. Our prospective, cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of strain elastography and to determine elastographic cut-off values for predicting malignancy. Sixty-six mandibular lymph nodes were included (clinical healthy, n = 45; non-metastatic, n = 8; and metastatic, n = 13). Elastographic images were evaluated qualitatively (elastographic pattern) and semi-quantitatively (mean hue histogram and stiffness area ratios). Elastographic patterns were classified as grades 1 to 4, according to the percentage of high elasticity determined by visualization. The mean hue histogram was defined based on as the mean pixel color values within the lymph node. Stiffness area ratios were determined by computer program analysis of the stiff area. Among the criteria, receiver operating characteristic curve analyses revealed cut-off values for the prediction of malignancy of 92.26 for mean hue histogram (sensitivity: 100%, specificity: 92%), and 0.17 for stiffness area ratios (sensitivity: 86%, specificity of 100%). Reproducibility and repeatability were excellent. In conclusion, semi-quantitative evaluation via strain elastography holds potential for predicting lymph node malignancy.
Animals ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dogs ; Elasticity ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Objectives: This study aims to seek positive measures for students in a dental hygiene program to adapt well to college life by analyzing the effects of their adult attachment styles and social support on their adaptation to college life. Methods: Data were collected from June 1 to August 30, 2021. It was conducted with a self administered questionnaire. In consideration of the dropout rate, the study recruited 200 participants. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 22.0. Results: Regarding correlations with adaptation to college life, the analysis revealed positive correlations for adult attachment styles and social support. Significant correlations were seen in the following factors affecting adaptation to college life: satisfaction with college life_dummy 2, satisfaction with major_dummy 1, and adult attachment styles. The factor with the strongest effect (35.7%) on adaptation to college life was adult attachment styles. Conclusions Factors affecting college life adaptation were found to affect college life adaptation as college life satisfaction, major satisfaction, and adult attachment type increased. System support is needed to develop a counseling program tailored to college life by adult attachment type to increase college life satisfaction and major satisfaction.

Purpose: We used spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) to assess the retinal and choroidal thicknesses of the rabbit, a commonly used animal model of ophthalmic disease. We report normative datasets. Methods: Semi-automated measurements were made on 15 normal right eyes of New Zealand white rabbits. Total retinal, inner retinal layer, outer retinal layer, choroidal, ganglion cell layer, ganglion cell complex, inner nuclear layer, and outer nuclear layer thicknesses were measured at fixed distances (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 mm) below the optic nerve head. Results: Total retinal layer (Pearson’s correlation coefficient [CC] = -0.778, p < 0.05), inner retinal layer (CC = -0.710, p < 0.05), outer retinal layer (CC = -0.495, p < 0.05), ganglion cell complex (CC = -0.292, p < 0.05), ganglion cell layer (CC = -0.284, p < 0.05), and outer nuclear layer thicknesses (CC = -0.760, p < 0.05) decreased with the distance from the optic nerve head. Inner nuclear layer thickness correlated negatively with the distance from the optic nerve head, but the correlation coefficient was low (CC = -0.263, p < 0.05). Choroidal thickness increased with the distance from the optic nerve head (CC = 0.511, p < 0.05). Conclusions Rabbit retinal thicknesses were measured and analyzed by the distance from the optic nerve head. The datasets will serve as standards when using rabbits.

Purpose: We used spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) to assess the retinal and choroidal thicknesses of the rabbit, a commonly used animal model of ophthalmic disease. We report normative datasets. Methods: Semi-automated measurements were made on 15 normal right eyes of New Zealand white rabbits. Total retinal, inner retinal layer, outer retinal layer, choroidal, ganglion cell layer, ganglion cell complex, inner nuclear layer, and outer nuclear layer thicknesses were measured at fixed distances (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 mm) below the optic nerve head. Results: Total retinal layer (Pearson’s correlation coefficient [CC] = -0.778, p < 0.05), inner retinal layer (CC = -0.710, p < 0.05), outer retinal layer (CC = -0.495, p < 0.05), ganglion cell complex (CC = -0.292, p < 0.05), ganglion cell layer (CC = -0.284, p < 0.05), and outer nuclear layer thicknesses (CC = -0.760, p < 0.05) decreased with the distance from the optic nerve head. Inner nuclear layer thickness correlated negatively with the distance from the optic nerve head, but the correlation coefficient was low (CC = -0.263, p < 0.05). Choroidal thickness increased with the distance from the optic nerve head (CC = 0.511, p < 0.05). Conclusions Rabbit retinal thicknesses were measured and analyzed by the distance from the optic nerve head. The datasets will serve as standards when using rabbits.

This study was undertaken to assess the lateral ventricle, which was some portion of brain and related to congenital anomalies, from 1, 2, 4, and 8 months of age in healthy micropigs. They were induced general anesthesia and performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a 0.3 Tesla magnet. Each age group was evaluated by three subjects such as lateral ventricular volume, ventricular volume ratio and asymmetry. T1 weighted transverse images were acquired for calculation of lateral ventricular and corresponding brain parenchyma areas. The ratio of bilateral ventricle areas used to analyze the asymmetry. The mean ventricular volumes of each month were 676.74 +/- 25.58 mm3 (1 month-old), 630.64 +/- 143.84 mm3 (2 month-old), 992.12 +/- 106.03 mm3 (4 month-old) and 1172.62 +/- 237.57 mm3 (8 month-old), respectively. The ventricular volume ratio was the smallest at 2 month-old and re-increased from that age. The ratio was significantly different between 2 month-old and other age groups (p < 0.05). The value of bilateral area ratio showed within 1.5 in all experimental animals. Consequently the lateral ventricle showed a positive correlation with aging and symmetric shapes in both sides. The developmental pattern of the lateral ventricle provides basic data in micropigs as an experimental animal model for physiological and neurosurgical approach.
Aging ; Anesthesia, General ; Animals ; Brain ; Humans ; Lateral Ventricles ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnets ; Models, Animal

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its related factors among firefighters dispatched to the rescue sites after the Great Japanese Earthquake in 2011. METHODS: Among 104 male firefighters dispatched to rescue sites after the Great Japanese Earthquake, 73 firefighters were assessed. The 73 firefighters completed questionnaires, which include general characteristics, an impact of event scale-revised Korean version (IES-R-K), a coping checklist, a scale of perceived social support, and a post-traumatic stress diagnostic scale (PDS). The data was analyzed to find factors related to PTSD risk. RESULTS: The mean value of age and work tenure in this study were 38.6 years (SD=5.7) and 11.6 years (SD=6.0), respectively. The number and rate of the PTSD high-risk group in dispatched firefighters in this study was 7 cases and 9.6% using IES-R-K, with an over 25-point cutoff score. The mean rank of tenure, 53.5 in the PTSD high-risk group (n=7), was significantly higher than that of 32.2 in the PTSD low-risk group (n=66). The mean rank of assessable support, 20.2 in the PTSD high-risk group was significantly lower than that of 38.7 in the PTSD low-risk group. In logistic analysis of model 1 including PDS in independent variables, were associated with being a PTSD high-risk group as in the following: higher PDS score (OR 2.18, 95% CI: 1.07~4.46), longer tenure (OR 3.42, 95% CI: 1.01~11.89), more using coping method (OR 1.35, 95% CI: 1.00~1.81), and lower perceptions of social support (OR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.72~0.97). In logistic analysis of model 2 without PDS in independent variables, more using coping method (OR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.01~1.28) and lower perceptions of social support (OR 0.95, 95% CI: 0.91~0.98) were associated with being a PTSD high-risk group. CONCLUSION: The PTSD high-risk group in dispatched firefighters indicated that their odds ratios were increased when they used more coping methods under specific stress conditions and had lower perceptions of social support. Therefore, for those, who might be dispatched to overseas, the psychological support approach should be considered to produce effective coping methods against traumatic events and to be aware of abundant resources for social support regarding the problem.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Checklist ; Earthquakes ; Firefighters ; Humans ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Questionnaires ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

A spontaneous subcapsular hematoma in an allograft kidney is a rare condition with only a few cases reported in the literature. Common causes of subcapsular hematoma of an allograft include trauma, post-biopsy status, occult malignancy, vascular diseases, and infection. Chronic allograft dysfunction related to spontaneous subcapsular hematoma is extremely rare. We report a case of spontaneous subcapsular hematoma in a patient who underwent a renal transplant 14 years ago in which we could not find an associated condition.
Hematoma ; Humans ; Kidney ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Transplants ; Vascular Diseases

The study of pigs as a human disease model has been conducted in neuroscience. But the morphological development of pig brain by using MRI is rare. The purpose of this study is to determine whether cerebellum maintains consistent proportion to other brain regions in aging. Clinically healthy sixteen micropigs, 1, 2, 4, and 8 months were studied. The micropigs were anesthetized with isoflorane. MRI was acquired using a 0.3T system. To figure out development of ratio that allowed identification of normal cerebellum size, we measured the area of the cerebellum, brainstem, and forebrain from the mid-sagittal brain images on T1W. Mid-sagittal cross-sectional area (CSA) of total brain, forebrain, brainstem, and cerebellum were expressed as absolute values and also as percentages which were compared between the four age groups of micropigs for the purpose to define the effect of age on brain morphometry. It was found that there was not a significant difference in the percentage of the brain occupied by an individual region between groups although the absolute CSA differed significantly among age groups. There was no effect of age on the ratio between the cerebellum and total brain in 4 age groups. The normal size of cerebellum changes during brain development maintained a consistent ratio to other brain regions in normal micropigs. The ratio of CSA quantified on the mid-sagittal MR images offers a suitable method to detect presence of cerebellar anomalies in micropigs.
Aging ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Cerebellum ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Neurosciences ; Prosencephalon ; Swine

Stent fracture is a complication following implantation of drug eluting stents and is recognized as one of the risk factors for in-stent restenosis. We present the first case of successfully managing a stent fracture and subsequent migration of the fractured stent into the ascending aorta that occurred during repeat revascularization for in-stent restenosis of an ostium of saphenous vein graft after implantation of a zotarolimus-eluting stent. Although the fractured stent segment had migrated into the ascending aorta with a pulled balloon catheter, it was successfully repositioned in the saphenous vein graft using an inflated balloon catheter. Then, the fractured stent segment was successfully connected to the residual segment of the zotarolimus-eluting stent by covering it with an additional sirolimuseluting stent.
Aorta ; Catheters ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Risk Factors ; Saphenous Vein ; Stents ; Transplants

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and therapeutic efficacy of percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) adjacent to the gallbladder with the use of internally cooled electrodes. MATERIALS AND METHODS:We retrospectively assessed 45 patients with 46 HCCs (mean size, 2.2 cm) adjacent to the gallbladder (< or =1.0 cm) treated with RF ablation using an internally cooled electrode system. An electrode was inserted into the tumor either parallel (n = 38) or perpendicular (n = 8) to the gallbladder wall. The safety and therapeutic efficacy of the procedures were assessed with clinical and imaging follow-up examinations. Follow-up with the use of CT ranged from four to 45 months (mean, 19 months). The association between variables (electrode direction, electrode type, tumor size, tumor location, lobar location) and the presence of a residual tumor or local tumor progression was also analyzed. RESULTS: There were no major complications and minor complications were noted in three patients (7%) including one case of vasovagal syncope and two cases of bilomas. Wall thickening of the gallbladder adjacent to the RF ablation zone was noted in 14 patients (41%) as determined on immediate follow-up CT imaging. Wall thickening showed complete disappearance on subsequent follow-up CT imaging. The primary technique effectiveness rate was 96% (44/46) based on one-month follow-up CT imaging. Local tumor progression was noted in six (14%) of 44 completely ablated tumors during the follow-up period. The direction of electrode insertion (perpendicular), tumor size (> or =3 cm) and tumor location (a tumor that abutted the gallbladder) were associated with an increased risk of early incomplete treatment. No variable was significantly associated with local tumor progression. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous RF ablation of HCCs adjacent to the gallbladder using an internally cooled electrode is a safe and effective treatment. Significant risk factors that lead to early incomplete treatment include tumor size, tumor location and electrode direction.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*surgery ; Catheter Ablation/instrumentation/*methods ; Cholecystography ; *Electrodes ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; *Gallbladder ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed