OBJECTIVES: Some emotional components, such as self-esteem, depression and anxiety, have been reported to be associated with paranoia in non-clinical population and schizophrenia patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between self-esteem and paranoia in healthy controls, in ultra-high risk for psychosis and schizophrenia patients. METHODS: 34 subjects with recent onset schizophrenia, 36 subjects with ultra-high risk for psychosis, and 44 healthy volunteers participated in this study. A detailed assessment was made of the paranoia, self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. RESULTS: In all three groups, there were a negative correlation between paranoia and self-esteem, and positive correlations between paranoia and depression and anxiety. In healthy control, lower self-esteem showed a trend to predict higher paranoia, and in ultra-high risk for psychosis, this trend tern on statistically significant level, and in recent onset schizophrenia group, this correlation was disappeared. CONCLUSION: The individual who have lower self-esteem showed higher paranoia tendency under delusional level, but after formation of persecutory delusion, the tendency was disappeared. This result supports the hypothesis that persecutory delusions are a defense against negative affective process.
Animals ; Anxiety ; Charadriiformes ; Delusions ; Depression ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Paranoid Disorders* ; Psychotic Disorders* ; Schizophrenia*

Uterine arteriovenous malformations are very rare but potentially life-threatening lesions. These lesions may be congenital or acquired, but especially in patients with a history of infection, curettage, abortion, pelvic surgery or cancer. Ultimate treatment depends on the patients desire for fertility. Embolization therapy is effective method in reproductive age patients of. We have experienced two clinical cases of arteriovenous malformation of uterus, which is presented with a brief review of literature.
Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Curettage ; Fertility ; Humans ; Uterus*

Infectious sacroiliitis is an uncommon disease and the diagnosis is very difficult due to unawareness of the disease. The predisposing conditions to the disease are pelvic trauma, respiratory or genitourinary infection, skin infection, pregnancy, endocarditis, intravenous drug abuser and recent dental manipulation. The clinical characteristics of the disease are fever, leukocytosis, pain and tenderness of buttock, gait disturbance and positive result of blood culture and imaging study of sacroiliac joint. To our knowledge, the acupuncture induced infectious sacroiliitis with bacteremia is one of the rarely reported cases. We have recently experienced a case of infectious sacroiliitis as a very unusual complication of the acupuncture. In this case, increased signal intensity in the SI joint was found in the MRI, and focal hot uptake in SI joint was observed in bone scan. Staphyolococcus areus were cultured in the blood sample. Under the diagnosis of infectious sacroiliitis with bacteremia, the antibiotics was administered, and the clinical symptoms and laboratory findings were completely improved. This case report emphasizes that an acupuncture is a predisposing factor of the infectious sacroiliitis with bacteremia.
Acupuncture ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteremia ; Buttocks ; Causality ; Diagnosis ; Drug Users ; Endocarditis ; Fever ; Gait ; Humans ; Joints ; Leukocytosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pregnancy ; Sacroiliac Joint ; Sacroiliitis* ; Skin

PURPOSE: We observed new bone formation following the transplantation of allogenic periosteum-derived stem cells and different sizes of hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffold materials into rabbit long-bone defects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two white rabbits were grouped according to the material transplanted into their tibial bone defects: group 1 (microscale HA only); group 2 (nanoscale HA only); group 3 (microscale HA plus stem cells); and group 4 (nanoscale HA plus stem cells). Viscosity was controlled by the relative amounts of HA and agar. After surgery, radiologic, microscopic, and biochemical observations were performed weekly for 8 weeks. RESULTS: Nanoscale HA (groups 2 and 4) provided better bone formation than microscale HA (groups 1 and 3). The rabbits that had been transplanted with nanoscale HA plus stem cells (group 4) had more homogeneous bone formation during the natural repair process than the other groups. CONCLUSION: Further study is required using nanoscale HA plus organic substance and stem cells, which are more similar to human bone structure, for better bone formation.
Agar ; Durapatite ; Humans ; Osteogenesis ; Rabbits ; Stem Cells ; Transplants ; Viscosity

Mucormycosis is a rare, invasive fungal infection that progresses aggressively and requires prompt surgery and appropriate treatment. The number of cases of mucormycosis in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients has recently increased, and patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus are particularly at an elevated risk of infection. This report presents a case of mucormycosis-related osteomyelitis of the maxilla in a 37-year-old man with diabetes mellitus. The patient complained of severe and persistent pain in the right maxilla, accompanied by increased tooth mobility and headache. On contrast-enhanced computed tomographic images, gas-forming osteomyelitis of the right maxilla was observed. Destruction of the maxilla and palatine bone then proceeded aggressively. Sequestrectomy was performed on the right maxilla, and the histopathological diagnosis was mucormycosis. Further investigation after the first operation revealed the patient's history of COVID-19 infection.

PURPOSE: Though their clinical effectiveness of intra-arterial thrombolytic treatment has been proven, there is still some controversy in the choice of baseline imaging study for selecting particular hyper acute stroke patients who would benefit from thrombolysis from among patients with hyper acute stroke. In spite of their excellent resolution MR images has limitations for use in a baseline study because of their cost. The purpose of this study was to assess which baseline study, CT image or diffusion-weighted image, was more beneficial in evaluating hyper acute stroke patients who might particularly benefit from intra-arterial thrombolysis of the middle cerebral artery occlusion. METHODS: We divided the patients into two groups: those for whom CT was used for the initial imaging modality and those for whom MRI was used. We compared in-hospital time delay and the disadvantage of time consumed in evaluating of patients between the two groups. Baseline and 24-hour follow-up CT or MR scans of patients treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis were retrospectively scored by using the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS). RESULTS: The analysis included 64 patients with angiographically confirmed middle cerebral artery occlusion. Although there was significant time delay in obtaining a MR diffusion weighted image (130.20+/-71.63 min) compared to a CT scan (73.64+/-28.99 min) (p<0.001), there were no significant clinical loss scored by using National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) (p=0.676) and no significant difference in the prognosis estimated by using the modified Rankin scale (p= 0.162). Diffusion weighted images showed significantly higher ASPECT score (p=0.028) in the good prognosis group, and the ROC curve revealed the diffusion weighted images to be better indication for intra-arterial thrombolysis. CONCLUSION: According to our results, MR diffusion weighted images were more useful than CT scans for predicting the outcome of intra-arterial thrombolytic treatment. Our results suggest MR diffusion weighted images can replace CT scans for baseline imaging studies for hyperacute stroke patients.
Alberta ; Diffusion ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; National Institutes of Health (U.S.) ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Stroke* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Spermatogenesis is regulated by various cellular reactions, and especially cell proliferation and apoptosis. METHODS: We investigated the morphological changes and the apoptotic molecular changes in mouse testis induced by the endocrine disrupting chemicals. ICR mice were treated with bisphenol A (BPA), 2-bromopropane (2-BP) and diethylstilbesterol (DES). Histological examination and immunohistochemical staining, TUNNEL staining and RNAse protection assay were conducted. RESULTS: Testes treated with BPA showed normal spermatogenesis and the proliferation activity, and the density of the cells was similar with those in the control. 2-BP and DES groups, which showed a decrease of germ cells near the basal layer and degenerative changes. The proliferative activity identified by PCNA staining was significantly decreased in the 2-BP and DES groups (p<0.05). The apoptosis was significantly increased in the 2-BP group however, a significant decrease was noted in the BPA group (p<0.05). Among apoptosis-related molecules, the expression of Fas, Fas ligand, TRAIL, TNFp55 and caspase 1, 3, 6 and 8 were changed according to the change of the degree of apoptosis in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Endocrine disrupting chemicals induced cellular injury in mouse testis through the changes of proliferative activity and apoptosis which was regulated by a number of apoptosis-related molecules. This probably results in the abnormality of spermatogenesis in mouse testis.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 1 ; Cell Proliferation ; Endocrine Disruptors* ; Fas Ligand Protein ; Germ Cells ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Ribonucleases ; Spermatogenesis ; Testis*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the influence of image compression on optical coherence tomography (OCT) images in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME). METHODS: Twenty eyes of 30 patients diagnosed with DME were included in this retrospective observational case series. Horizontal OCT scans centered at the center of the fovea were conducted using spectral-domain OCT (Spectral OCT/SLO(R)). The images were exported to Tag Image File Format (TIFF) and then transformed to 10, 5, and 1 quality of Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format using Photoshop. OCT images were taken before and after intravitreal bevacizumab injection. The presence of intraretinal fluid, foveolar detachment, and photoreceptor inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) disruption were evaluated in each image. RESULTS: The mean (+/- standard deviation) size of TIFF images and 10, 5 and 1 quality JPEG images were 1712.0, 183.3 +/- 6.8, 90.9 +/- 4.3, 42.8 +/- 1.4 kilobytes (KB), respectively, before the injection and 1712.0, 189.5 +/- 9.1, 94.9 +/- 5.6, 43.4 +/- 1.8 KB, respectively, after the injection. The presence of intraretinal fluid, foveolar detachment, and photoreceptor IS/OS disruption identified in TIFF images was also identified in the compressed JPEG images. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of retinal OCT image did not influence the estimation of DME despite the JPEG image being compressed to approximately 1/40 of the original TIFF image size.
Data Compression* ; Humans ; Joints ; Macular Edema* ; Retinaldehyde ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Optical Coherence* ; Bevacizumab

BACKGROUND: Prospective access flow measurement is the preferred method for vascular access surveillance in hemodialysis (HD) patients. We studied the effect of intradialytic change in blood pressure and ultrafiltration volume on the variation in access flow measured by ultrasound dilution. METHODS: Access flow was measured 30 minutes, 120 minutes, and 240 minutes after the start of HD by ultrasound dilution in 30 patients during 89 HD sessions and evaluated for variation. RESULTS: The mean age of the 30 patients was 62 +/- 11 years: 19 were male. The accesses comprised 16 fistulae and 14 grafts. The mean access flow over all sessions decreased by 6.1% over time (1265 +/- 568 mL/min after 30 minutes, 1260 +/- 599 mL/min after 120 minutes, and 1197 +/- 576 mL/min after 240 minutes, P < 0.01 by repeated measures ANOVA). In addition, a > or = 5% decrease in mean arterial pressure during HD significantly reduced access flow (P = 0.014). However, no other variable (ultrafiltration volume, sex, age, presence of diabetes, type or location of access, body surface area, hemoglobin, serum albumin level) interacted significantly with the effect of time on access flow. Furthermore, mean arterial pressure did not correlate with ultrafiltration volume. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the variation in access flow during HD is relatively small. Decreased blood pressure is a risk factor for variation in access flow measured by ultrasound dilution. In most patients whose blood pressures are stable during HD, the access flow can be measured at any time during the HD treatment.
Arterial Pressure ; Arteriovenous Fistula ; Blood Pressure ; Body Surface Area ; Fistula ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Male ; Renal Dialysis ; Risk Factors ; Serum Albumin ; Transplants ; Ultrafiltration

BACKGROUND: Prospective access flow measurement is the preferred method for vascular access surveillance in hemodialysis (HD) patients. We studied the effect of intradialytic change in blood pressure and ultrafiltration volume on the variation in access flow measured by ultrasound dilution. METHODS: Access flow was measured 30 minutes, 120 minutes, and 240 minutes after the start of HD by ultrasound dilution in 30 patients during 89 HD sessions and evaluated for variation. RESULTS: The mean age of the 30 patients was 62 +/- 11 years: 19 were male. The accesses comprised 16 fistulae and 14 grafts. The mean access flow over all sessions decreased by 6.1% over time (1265 +/- 568 mL/min after 30 minutes, 1260 +/- 599 mL/min after 120 minutes, and 1197 +/- 576 mL/min after 240 minutes, P < 0.01 by repeated measures ANOVA). In addition, a > or = 5% decrease in mean arterial pressure during HD significantly reduced access flow (P = 0.014). However, no other variable (ultrafiltration volume, sex, age, presence of diabetes, type or location of access, body surface area, hemoglobin, serum albumin level) interacted significantly with the effect of time on access flow. Furthermore, mean arterial pressure did not correlate with ultrafiltration volume. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the variation in access flow during HD is relatively small. Decreased blood pressure is a risk factor for variation in access flow measured by ultrasound dilution. In most patients whose blood pressures are stable during HD, the access flow can be measured at any time during the HD treatment.
Arterial Pressure ; Arteriovenous Fistula ; Blood Pressure ; Body Surface Area ; Fistula ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Male ; Renal Dialysis ; Risk Factors ; Serum Albumin ; Transplants ; Ultrafiltration