PURPOSE: This aim of this study is to analyze the dosimetric difference between intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using 3 or 5 beams and MSF in the radiotherapy of the left breast. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a comparative analysis of two radiotherapy modalities that can achieve improved dose homogeneity. First is the multistatic fields technique that simultaneously uses both major and minor irradiation fields. The other is IMRT, which employs 3 or 5 beams using a fixed multileaf collimator. We designed treatment plans for 16 early left breast cancer patients who had taken breast conservation surgery and radiotherapy, and analyzed them from a dosimetric standpoint. RESULTS: For the mean values of V95 and dose homogeneity index, no statistically significant difference was observed among the three therapies. Extreme hot spots receiving over 110% of the prescribed dose were not found in any of the three methods. A Tukey test performed on IMRT showed a significantly larger increase in exposure dose to the ipsilateral lung and heart than multistatic fields technique (MSF) in the low-dose area, but in the high-dose area, MSF showed a slight increase. CONCLUSION: In order to improve dose homogeneity, the application of MSF, which can be easily planned and applied more widely, is considered an optimal alternative to IMRT for radiotherapy of early left breast cancer.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Heart ; Humans ; Lung

No abstract available.
Population Characteristics* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis*

There exist some restrictions and difficulties in performing follicular unit extraction (FUE) in white-haired patients, for several reasons. In this paper, we introduce a novel technique for visualizing white hair during the punching procedure and graft preparation in FUE for white-haired patients. In white-haired older male patients, we dyed the surrounding scalp skin purple with a gentian violet solution-stained toothpick. Our method has several advantages: surgeons can easily focus on the center of the follicular unit and rapidly perform punching, they can recognize the condition of the harvested follicular units during FUE, and the hair transplant team can secure a clear view for trimming and loading into the implanter. We suggest that scalp dyeing in difficult FUE procedures, especially in patients with white hair, may be a simple method that provides a good visualization for donor site harvesting and for microdissection.
Alopecia ; Gentian Violet* ; Gentiana* ; Hair ; Hair Color ; Humans ; Male ; Methods ; Microdissection ; Scalp ; Skin ; Surgeons ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Bacterial Proteins/chemistry/genetics/metabolism ; Brucella melitensis/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Brucellosis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology ; Doxycycline/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Republic of Korea ; Rifampin/therapeutic use ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Spondylitis/diagnostic imaging

The incidence of opportunistic infection has decreased since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy, so lymphoma is now far and away the most lethal complication of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. We have experienced four cases of NHL in AIDS patients. The first patient was a 37 year old male who presented with left sided hemiplegia due to CNS lymphoma. The second patient was a 40 year old male who was admitted because of jaundice; he was diagnosed as having lymphoma that exclusively involved the liver. The third patient was a 38-year-old male who presented with palpable mass in the left cervical region, which was diagnosed as lymphoma. Above three cases were confirmed as diffuse large B cell lymphoma. The fourth patient presented with a protruding swollen chest wall mass on the right side of his chest, this was determined pathologically to be the Burkitt's type. The latter case is the first report of NHL involving the chest wall musculature in a Korean AIDS patient.
Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Male ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/*complications/diagnosis ; Humans ; Fatal Outcome ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Biopsy ; Aged ; Adult ; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*complications/diagnosis

Objective: Increased fast food consumption can have adverse effects on health and well-being among adolescents, posing a significant public health concern. The school closures due to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have led to changes in eating patterns and disrupted a balance diet among adolescents. This study explored the factors associated with fast food consumption among adolescents during school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A total of 1,710 middle and high school students in Gwangju, South Korea participated in a cross-sectional survey. The self-administered questionnaire included items assessing dietary intake, physical activity, sleep, media use, and sociodemographic information. The Patient Health Questonnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and three item version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale were also administered. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the factors associated with increased fast food consumption. Results: Approximately 34.6% of the surveyed adolescents reported increased fast food consumption during school closures, as well as increased sleep duration, increased sedentary behaviors including watching TV and using the internet, and reduced physical activity. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that fast food consumption during school closures was associated with irregular patterns of main meals and sleep, decreased physical activity, increased internet use, and a lack of daytime adult supervision. Conclusion Our results highlight the need for dietary and lifestyle monitoring and guidelines to promote health among adolescents, especially during school closures. In conclusion, nutrition intervention programs aiming to limit fast food consumption and enhance healthy dietary habits among adolescents during long-term school closures are warranted.

PURPOSE: The digital artery perforator flap was recently introduced and has been proven to be useful for reconstruction of various finger defects. Short operative time, less invasive surgery, and reliable flap circulation are the major advantages of this flap. The authors presented the clinical cases of the digital artery perforator flap and compared them with the distant flaps within a hand (thenar and hypothenar flaps) to reveal their differences. METHODS: From May of 2006 to February of 2009, the authors performed reconstructions of finger defects with the digital artery perforator flaps in 10 patients as with the distant flaps within hand in 9 patients (7 thenar and 2 hypothenar flaps). In these two groups of the patients, flap size, use of skin graft, length of stay in hospital, healing time, complications were reviewed retrospectively and compared with statistical analysis (Student's t-test). RESULTS: All flaps survived completely. The mean size of the perforator flap was 0.9 x 1.9 cm and the mean distant flap within a hand was 1.9 x 2.0 cm. The use of skin graft was reduced in the perforator group because the donor site of the flap was closed primarily. The hospitalization period and healing time also reduced significantly in the perforator group. Minor complications (partial flap loss) were noted in small percentages in both groups but resolved with conservative management. Mean follow-up period was about 6 weeks. CONCLUSION: The digital artery perforator flap was smaller than the distant flap but its reconstruction of finger defects was reliable and comparable to the conventional distant flaps within a hand. This flap would be not only an alternative method but very useful in the management of various finger defects, because of ease of operative technique, less invasive surgery, decreased need of skin graft, and shorter period of hospitalization and healing time.
Arteries ; Fingers ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Perforator Flap ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

Achromobacter xylosoxidans is an aerobic gram-negative bacillus that may cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromized patients and newborns. Neonatal scalp abscess is generally a complication of fetal scalp monitoring and is typically polymicrobial. We present a case of a newborn, delivered by vacuum extraction, who developed a scalp abscess that yielded growth of Achromobacter xylosoxidans.
Abscess* ; Achromobacter denitrificans* ; Achromobacter* ; Bacillus ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Opportunistic Infections ; Scalp* ; Vacuum*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare serum leptin, neuropeptide Y (NPY), and islet amyloid polypeptide (amylin) levels in obese and normal weight children, and to investigate their correlations with anthropometric parameters and metabolic bio-marker levels. METHODS: Body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference, blood pressure (systolic/diastolic), lipid profile, fasting glucose, and serum insulin, leptin, NPY, and amylin levels were measured in 56 children (24 obese children and 32 non-obese controls). Homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values were calculated and the relationships between anthropometric variables, metabolic biomarkers, and diet-regulating factors (leptin, NPY, and amylin levels) were examined. RESULTS: BMI, hip circumference, waist circumference, and systolic and diastolic pressure were significantly higher in the obese group than in the non-obese group (p<0.0001). Total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, glucose, and insulin levels were also significantly higher in the obese group (p<0.05). On the other hand, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels were higher in the non-obese group , but this was not significant. Serum leptin, NPY, and amylin levels were significantly higher in the obese group (p<0.05). Furthermore, in the obese group, leptin levels were found to be significantly correlated with BMI (r=0.379, p=0.043), and NPY levels (r=0.377, p=0.044), and amylin levels were found to be significantly correlated with insulin levels (r=0.400, p=0.048), and HOMA-IR (r=0.459, p=0.028). CONCLUSION: Metabolic risk factor alterations are present in obese children, and these children show abnormalities in the diet regulatory system caused by leptin, NPY, and amylin resistance. Of particular note, amylin was found to be positively correlated with insulin resistance.
Biomarkers ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Hand ; Hip ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Islet Amyloid Polypeptide ; Leptin ; Neuropeptide Y ; Neuropeptides ; Risk Factors ; Waist Circumference

Stickler syndrome is a progressive, hereditary disorder of connective tissue caused by mutations in different collagen genes. It is characterized by distinctive ocular, auditory, skeletal and oro-facial abnormalities and associated with long-term respiratory, nutritional, and developmental difficulties. Therefore, early detection and early treatment of Stickler syndrome is very important. We reported a case of Stickler syndrome in a newborn with family history and COL2A1 gene mutation.
Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn*