No abstract available.
Animals ; Linoleic Acid* ; Macrophages, Peritoneal* ; Mice*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyze the etiologic transition of the predisposing factors and organisms for septic arthritis of the knee. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1995 and December 2006, 122 cases of septic arthritis of the knee were retrospectively evaluated for the etiologic transition and causative organism with using the patients' medical records. We researched the incidence and causative factor of septic arthritis of the knee, which was diagnosed via the patients' symptoms, physical examinations, hematologic exams, culture studies & cytology of the joint fluid. We assessed the correlation of disease with age, the year the disease happened, the causative factors and the incidence. RESULTS: Septic arthritis of the knee was increased after 40 years old, and it also increased after 1998. The most common predisposing factor was intra-articular injection of the knee joint. Even though there were no detected organisms in 79 cases (64.8%), the most common causative organism was S. aureus (20.5%). CONCLUSION: The most common etiologic factor of septic arthritis of the knee was an intra-articular injection. We should be prudent for using good aseptic technique and the correct procedure to reduce the secondary infection that's recently due to increased invasive treatment of the knee joint.
Arthritis, Infectious ; Coinfection ; Incidence ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Joints ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Medical Records ; Physical Examination ; Retrospective Studies

Genital mycoplasmas are sexually transmitted. There are considerable public concern that causative agents of sexually transmitted diseases might be transmitted nonsexually through public restrooms. In the present study, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and M. penetrans among genital mycoplasmas were identified in 100 public restroom toilet bowls (50 men's and 50 women's public restrooms, each). Mycoplasmas were genotypically identified by two methods; (1) PCR of primary selective culture and (2) direct PCR of original specimens before primary selective culture. From 50 men's public restrooms, M. hominis, U. urealyticum and M. penetrans were identified from PCR of primary selective cultures in 6%, 4% and 0% of the specimens, respectively and M. hominis and U. urealyticum was codetected in 2% of those. And M. hominis, U. urealyticum and M. penetrans were identified by direct PCR in 20%, 16% and 0% of the original specimens, respectively and co-detection rate of M. hominis and U. urealyticum was 4% in those. From 50 women's public restrooms, 38% was positive for M. hominis, 14% for U. urealyticum, 0% for M. penetrans and 10% for both U. urealyticum and M. penetrans by PCR of primary selective culture. And 50% was positive for M. hominis, 46% for U. urealyticum and 0% for M. penetrans and 34% for both M. hominis and U. urealyticum by direct PCR of the original specimens. These results indicate that the genital mycoplasmas can survive for considerable duration in toilet bowels, and might be transmitted by through public restrooms.
Mycoplasma hominis ; Mycoplasma penetrans ; Mycoplasma* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Ureaplasma urealyticum

PURPOSE: To compare the therapeutic effects on upper extremity paresthesia of intra-muscular steroid injections into the scalene muscle with those of stretching exercise only. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with upper extremity paresthesia who met the criteria were recruited to participate in this single-blind, crossover study. Fourteen of 20 patients were female. The average age was 45.0+/-10.5 years and duration of symptom was 12.2+/-8.7 months. Each participant completed one injection and daily exercise program for 2 weeks. After randomization, half of all patients received ultrasound-guided injection of scalene muscles before exercise, while the other was invested for the other patients. RESULTS: After two weeks, there was a significant decrease of the visual analog scale score of treatment effect compared with baseline in both groups (6.90 to 2.85 after injection and 5.65 to 4.05 after stretching exercise, p<0.01). However, injection resulted in greater improvements than stretching exercise (p<0.01). The number of patients with successful treatment, defined as >50% reduction in post-treatment visual analog scale, was 18 of 20 (90.0%) after injection, compared to 5 of 20 (25.0%) after stretching exercise. There were no cases of unintended brachial plexus block after injection. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided steroid injection or stretching exercise of scalene muscles led to reduced upper extremity paresthesia in patients who present with localized tenderness in the scalene muscle without electrodiagnostic test abnormalities, although injection treatment resulted in more improvements. The results suggest that symptoms relief might result from injection into the muscle alone not related to blockade of the brachial plexus.
Adult ; Brachial Plexus/*drug effects ; Cross-Over Studies ; *Exercise Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; *Injections, Intramuscular ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck Muscles/drug effects ; Pain/drug therapy ; Pain Measurement ; Paresthesia/*drug therapy/rehabilitation ; Single-Blind Method ; Thoracic Outlet Syndrome/diagnosis/*drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome

The most common site for the metastasis of osteosarcoma is the lung, and other sites of metastases include the bone, lymph node, pleura and liver. Although unusual extrapulmonary metastases have been reported with the improvement of the therapeutic results for the primary lesions, they are exceptionally rare. We report here on a case of prostatic metastasis of an osteosarcoma of the proximal tibia, and this developed seven years after successful resection, and four years after resection of a pulmonary metastasis. Radical prostatectomy was performed, and histological examination demonstrated metastatic osteosarcoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of prostatic metastasis of osteosarcoma in the medical literature.
Liver ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteosarcoma ; Pleura ; Prostate ; Prostatectomy ; Tibia

Adipose tissue is a central metabolic organ that controls energy homeostasis of the whole body. White adipose tissue (WAT) stores excess energy in the form of triglycerides, whereas brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipates energy in the form of heat through mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1). A newly identified adipose tissue called ‘beige fat’ (BAT-like) is produced through a process called WAT browning. This tissue mainly resides in WAT depots and displays intermediate characteristics of both WAT and BAT. Since the recent discovery of BAT in the human body, along with the identification of molecular targets for BAT activation, stimulating energy expenditure has been considered as a great strategy to treat human obesity and metabolic diseases. Here we summarize recent findings regarding molecular targets and thermogenic small molecules that can stimulate BAT and increase energy expenditure, with an emphasis on possible therapeutic applications in humans.
Adipocytes* ; Adipose Tissue ; Adipose Tissue, Brown ; Adipose Tissue, White ; Energy Metabolism ; Homeostasis ; Hot Temperature ; Human Body ; Humans ; Metabolic Diseases ; Obesity ; Triglycerides

Facial scar is one of the most common problems in plastic surgery department. Many various methods are attempted to improve facial scars, but there is no definite satisfactory method on scar revision. Authors have been interested in a tendency to show good results when traumatic lacerations were accompanied by abrasions. The improved appearance of the scars with this situation is the result that there were fewer elevations and depressions, and no break in continuity of the epidermal covering on both sides of the scar. But mechanical or other dermabrasive methods have a risk of hyperpigmentation. Authors suggest the scar revision with frostbite using dry ice. This method has little hyperpigmentation due to the sensitivity of melanocytes to cold injury. And the tissue destruction is progressed selectively because of the resistance of collagen against the cold injury and the preserved dermal fibrous network as the structural framework. These characteristics of cryotherapy improve the result of scar revision with fewer side effects rather than other dermabrasive methods. We performed this method to 349 patients from 1993 to 2003 and obtained high patients' satisfaction (85.9% more than fair). Moreover, this method is simple, cheap and handy. In conclusion, the scar revision with frostbite using dry ice is very useful method to improve facial scars.
Cicatrix* ; Collagen ; Cryotherapy ; Depression ; Dry Ice* ; Frostbite* ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Lacerations ; Melanocytes ; Surgery, Plastic

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a relatively uncommon hematological disorder, charactedzed by cytopenia in the peripheral blood and normo-or hypercellularity in the bone marrow with morphological dysplastic change. Ineffective hematopoiesis leads to hematological failures in this syndrome. MDS is largeIy affected in older individuaIs with a median age of 60-75. It's association with pregnancy is even rarer. Although the exact incidence of MDS in pregancy is unknown, it is likely to be less than 1 per 100,000 pregnancies annually. Recently, we experienced a case of MDS presented initially during pregnancy in a 34-year-old primipara and managed with intensive hematologic support. Uerine rupture occurred in pregnancy complicated with MDS at 34 gestation weeks and a healthy infant was successfully delivered by Cesarean section. We report this case with a brief review of the literature.
Adult ; Bone Marrow ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Hematopoiesis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Pregnancy* ; Rupture ; Uterine Rupture*

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a relatively uncommon hematological disorder, charactedzed by cytopenia in the peripheral blood and normo-or hypercellularity in the bone marrow with morphological dysplastic change. Ineffective hematopoiesis leads to hematological failures in this syndrome. MDS is largeIy affected in older individuaIs with a median age of 60-75. It's association with pregnancy is even rarer. Although the exact incidence of MDS in pregancy is unknown, it is likely to be less than 1 per 100,000 pregnancies annually. Recently, we experienced a case of MDS presented initially during pregnancy in a 34-year-old primipara and managed with intensive hematologic support. Uerine rupture occurred in pregnancy complicated with MDS at 34 gestation weeks and a healthy infant was successfully delivered by Cesarean section. We report this case with a brief review of the literature.
Adult ; Bone Marrow ; Cesarean Section ; Female ; Hematopoiesis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Pregnancy* ; Rupture ; Uterine Rupture*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastric cancer evolves in the pathologic mucosal milieu, and its development is characterized by both the loss of acid-secreting parietal cells and mucosal cell metaplasia, called spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia (SPEM). Cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-10, IL-1β, and IL-6, play a key role in gastric carcinogenesis. However, changes in the cytokine profile of SPEM have not been evaluated. METHODS: To induce SPEM in mouse stomachs, C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally injected with tamoxifen and sacrificed at 3, 10, and 21 days after treatment. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and a multiplex bead array were used to measure cytokines in the stomachs of tamoxifen-treated/control mice. RESULTS: The administration of tamoxifen led to the rapid development and histological normalization of SPEM 3 and 10 days after administration, respectively. RNA-seq revealed that the expression of IL-10 was decreased 3 days after tamoxifen administration. The multiplex assay identified a significant decline in IL-10 levels 3 days after tamoxifen treatment (58.38±34.44 pg/mL vs 94.09±4.98 pg/mL, p=0.031), which normalized at 10 and 21 days after tamoxifen treatment. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed that IL-10 expression was markedly decreased at the time of SPEM development and subsequently returned to normal, accompanied by a reversal in histologic changes. CONCLUSIONS: IL-10 may play a pivotal role in the tamoxifen-induced acute development of gastric SPEM.
Animals ; Carcinogenesis ; Cytokines ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Gastric Mucosa* ; Interleukin-10* ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukins ; Metaplasia* ; Mice ; Rabeprazole ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Tamoxifen