Androgen plays an important role in singing of songbirds. Recent studies have shown that androgen levels in vivo not only affect the external morphology of songbirds, but also affect their singing behavior. Androgens (including derivatives) affect singing behavior and singing system in many ways. Based mainly on the results from our research group in the zebra finch, this review summarizes the effects of androgen on singing behavior, excitability and synaptic transmission of projection neurons of singing system, and the interaction of androgen with other neurotransmitter receptors in the brain of songbirds.
Androgens ; physiology ; Animals ; Brain ; physiology ; Songbirds ; physiology ; Vocalization, Animal

The case of a 33-day-old boy with Pierre Robin syndrome using a Cook(R) airway exchange catheter in laryngeal mask airway-guided fiberoptic intubation is presented. After induction with sevoflurane, classical reusable laryngeal mask airway (LMA) #1 was inserted and ultrathin fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB) was passed through. A Cook(R) airway exchange catheter (1.6 mm ID, 2.7 mm OD) was passed through the LMA under the guidance of the FOB but failed to enter the trachea despite many trials. Then, an endotracheal tube (3.0 mm ID) was mounted on the FOB and railroaded over the FOB. After successful intubation, the Cook(R) airway exchange catheter was placed in the midtrachea through the lumen of the endotracheal tube. Even though the tracheal tube was accidentally displaced out of the trachea during LMA removal, the endotracheal tube could be easily railroaded over the airway exchange catheter.
Bronchoscopes ; Catheters ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intubation ; Laryngeal Masks ; Methyl Ethers ; Pierre Robin Syndrome ; Railroads ; Songbirds ; Trachea

Urine certified reference material (CRM) has been developed to help clinical labolatories control analytical accuracy. Two levels of freeze-dried urine were prepared. The low level CRM was made from normal urine and the abnormal level CRM was prepared by spiking the normal urine with As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni and Pb. Urine reference materials were analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) . Analyte elements were separated from matrix elements by using ion exchange resin and hydride generation. Isotope dilution method was employed to enhance analytical accuracy. Round robin test results are also presented which were carried out with 5 clinical laboratories.
Absorption ; Graphite ; Ion Exchange ; Mass Spectrometry ; Plasma ; Quality Control* ; Songbirds ; Spectrum Analysis

This is a brief clinical report describing an 18-month-old female with Robin sequence found to have an incidental mandibular cystic lesion on a head computed tomography scan in the preoperative workup before performing mandibular distraction. She underwent enucleation of the tumor, which was found to be a dentigerous cyst. One year following cyst enucleation, mandibular distraction was performed in order to alleviate her tongue-based obstruction. This case demonstrates the ability of the mandibular bone to successfully regenerate after undergoing cyst enucleation.
Child* ; Dentigerous Cyst* ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Infant ; Mandible ; Pierre Robin Syndrome* ; Songbirds*

This is a brief clinical report describing an 18-month-old female with Robin sequence found to have an incidental mandibular cystic lesion on a head computed tomography scan in the preoperative workup before performing mandibular distraction. She underwent enucleation of the tumor, which was found to be a dentigerous cyst. One year following cyst enucleation, mandibular distraction was performed in order to alleviate her tongue-based obstruction. This case demonstrates the ability of the mandibular bone to successfully regenerate after undergoing cyst enucleation.
Child* ; Dentigerous Cyst* ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Infant ; Mandible ; Pierre Robin Syndrome* ; Songbirds*

A rare case of atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation occurred after pediatric cervical spine surgery performed to remove a dumbbell-shaped meningioma at the level of the C1/C2 vertebrae. This case is classified as a post-surgical atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation, but has a very rare morphology that has not previously been reported. Although there are several reports about post-surgical atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation, an important point of this case is that it might be directly related to the spinal cord surgery in C1/C2 level. On day 6 after surgery, the patient presented with the Cock Robin position, and a computed tomography scan revealed a normal type of atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation. Manual reduction was performed followed by external fixation with a neck collar. About 7 months after the first surgery, the subluxation became severe, irreducible, and assumed an atypical form where the anterior tubercle of C1 migrated to a cranial position, and the posterior tubercle of C1 and the occipital bone leaned in a caudal direction. The pathogenic process suggested deformity of the occipital condyle and bilateral C2 superior facets with atlantooccipital subluxation. A second operation for reduction and fixation was performed, and the subluxation was stabilized by posterior fixation. We encountered an unusual case of a refractory subluxation that was associated with an atypical deformity of the upper spine. The case was successfully managed by posterior fixation.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Humans ; Meningioma ; Neck ; Occipital Bone ; Songbirds ; Spinal Cord ; Spine

PURPOSE: There are 3 well-known surgical procedures to treat Pierre Robin sequence: tongue-lip adhesion, distraction osteogenesis of mandible, and tracheostomy. The classical tongue-lip adhesion is an effective way to keep airway. The tongue, however, becomes quite non-mobile and appears dormant until the patient could control upper airway and the adhesion can be maintained for prolonged period. Most of all, this procedure does not provide the correction of the micrognathia. Distraction osteogenesis is a good technique to correct micrognathia and to prevent tracheostomies in patients with Pierre Robin sequence. But airway keeping procedure is needed during the distraction period. The purpose of this study is to determine the usefulness of temporary tongue-lip traction during the initial period of mandibular distraction in Pierre Robin sequence patients with severe airway problems requiring operative procedure. METHODS: It was a prospective study of 2 Pierre Robin sequence patients aged between 4 months and 6 months requiring surgical procedure to correct recurrent and severe pulmonary complications. Two patients underwent distraction osteogenesis of mandible. During the operation, deep one tension suture was performed to tract the tongue and lip. When the patient gained control of upper airway at the initial period of distraction and micrognathia was corrected, the traction suture was removed. RESULTS: All patients were followed up. No patients complained severe pulmonary complications and tracheostomy could be avoided. No patients had severe pulmonary complication. The pulmonary condition of patients was good. CONCLUSION: In severe Pierre Robin sequence case, temporary tongue-lip traction is a good assistant method in distraction osteogenesis because this method can avoid tracheostomy.
Aged ; Humans ; Lip ; Mandible ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; Pierre Robin Syndrome ; Prospective Studies ; Songbirds ; Sutures ; Tongue ; Tracheostomy ; Traction

Avian trematodes, Urogonimus turdi (Digenea: Leucochloridiidae), were collected from the intestine of wild birds, Zoothera aurea, 2013–2017 in the Daejeon Metropolitan City, Korea. The body was ellipsoidal, attenuated and/or round ends, 1,987–2,120 long and 819–831 μm wide. The oral sucker was subterminal, rounded anteriorly, and 308–425×351–432 μm in size; the prepharynx and esophagus were almost lacking; pharynx was well-developed, 142–179×78–170 μm in size; intestine narrow, bifurcating just after pharynx, ascending to the oral sucker before looping posteriorly and terminating near the posterior end; ventral sucker larger, in almost median, 536–673×447–605 μm and approximately 1.5 times larger than oral sucker. A phylogenetic tree constructed with 18S ribosomal RNA showed inter- and intraspecific relationships. Based on these morphological and molecular findings, we report here a U. turdi from White’s thrushes in Korea.
Birds ; Candidiasis, Oral ; Esophagus ; Intestines ; Korea ; Pharynx ; Republic of Korea ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S ; Songbirds ; Trees

Occipito-atlantalrotatory subluxation that occurs in conjunction with atlanto-axial rotator fixation is extremely rare. The common clinical characteristics are painful torticollis and cock robin position presented with the head tilted to one side and rotated to the other side. The object of this report is to emphasize that AARF combined with OARF may be caused by a variety of conditions, to be must need algorithm for proper management, apparently. A torticollis patient who had cerebral palsy presented with severe nuchal pain and wryneck for a long period. The patient had a history of fallen down 16 years ago which caused severe nuchal pain. The conservative management had failed to correct the deformity and instability. we decided to operate using occiput-C1-C2 arthrodesis and C3-4-5 bilateral screw fixation for reinforcement. Now he doesn't have neurologic deficit and shows good outcome enough to sustain his head, not using his hands, in his daily life.
Arthrodesis ; Atlanto-Axial Joint ; Atlanto-Occipital Joint ; Cerebral Palsy* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Hand ; Head ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Songbirds ; Torticollis

The purpose of this study was to estimate the forecast of bed demand for institutional long-term care for the elderly persons in Taegu Metropolitan City. The study subject was the total 1,877 elderly persons over age 65 living in Taegu. Among them 1,441 elderly persons were sampled from community and 436 were from the elderly admitted 5 general hospitals. Data collection was carried out by interview from 25 August to 25 December 1997. The measuring instrument of this study was the modified tool of CARE, MAI, PCTC, and ADL which were examined for validity and reliability. In order to forecast bed demand of Nursing Home, this study revised prediction techniques suggested by Robin. The results were as follows : 1. OLDi of Taegu City were 122,202 by the year 1998 and number of Low-Income Elderly Persons were 3,210. 2. The Level I : Senior Citizen Home AQi * ASTAYi ADEMi = --------------- 365 * AOCUi . AQi = OLDi * LADLi * NASi * ALONi * LIADLi * AUTILi Predicted number of bed demand for Home Based Elderly Persons were 4,210 and Low-Income Elderly Persons were 1,081 and Total Elderly Persons were 5,291 by the year 1998, 6,343 by the year 2000 and 8,351 by the 2005. 3. The Level II : Nursing Home (BQ1i+BQ2i) * BSTAYi BDEMi = ----------------------- 365 * BOCUi . BQ1i = OLDi * HADLi * ALONi * HIADLi BQ2i = OLDi * HADLi * FAMi * OBEDi Predicted number of demand for Total Elderly Persons were 668 by the year 1998, 802 by the year 2000 and 1,055 by the 2005. 4. The Level III : Nursing Home COLDi * HDISi * CUTILi * CSTAYi CDEMi = ------------------------------------ + CQi/10 365 * COCUi Predicted number of demand for Total Elderly Persons were 1,899 by the year 1998, 2,311 by the year 2000 and 3,003 by the 2005. 5. Predicted number of bed demand of long-term care facilities in the year 1998 according to Levels were 4.3% among elderly persons in Taegu by Level I, 0.5% by Level II and 1.5% by Level III. Number of elderly persons in current long-term care facilities were 458 in LevelI I,284 in Level II. 6. Deficit number of bed demand of long-term care facilities were 4,833 in Level I, 384 in Level II , 1,899 in Level III for the elderly persons in Taegu Metropolitan City.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Daegu* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Korea* ; Long-Term Care* ; Nursing Homes ; Reproducibility of Results ; Songbirds