STUDY DESIGN: Analysis was based on radiographic appearance of 57 cases of congenital scoliosis and associated anomaly PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to assess the incidence, morphology and the associated anomalies of the congenital spinal scoliosis. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Hemivertebra is the most common type of congenital scoliosis and urogenital, musculoskeletal and cardiac anomalies are strongly associated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors analysed the morphology and the associated anomalies of 57 cases of congenital scoliosis from 1994 to 2000. RESULTS: It was more common in male(32 males and 25 females). The bony anomalies were classified as failure of formation(40cases, 70.2%), failure of segmentation(11cases, 19.3%) and mixed type(6cases, 10.5%). Of the failure of formation, there were 36 cases(63.2%) of hemivertebra, 2 cases of posterior quadrant vertebra and 2 cases of wedge vertebra. We found associated anomalies in 26 patients(45.6%). Associated cardiac anomalies were 2 dextrocardia, ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus. Associated musculoskeletal anomalies were 5 rib fusion, 2 developmental dysplastic hip, 3 Klippel-Feil syndrome, Achondroplasia, Arnold-Chiari malformation, spinal dysraphism with sacral hair patch, cleft palate with congenital anklyloglossia. Associated neurogenic anomalies were 2 cases of syringomyelia and 3 mental retardation. There were unilateral renal agenesis and undescended testicle in urogenital anomalies. CONCLUSIONS: Common type of the congenital scoliosis was hemivertebra(63.2%) caused by the failure of formation(70.2%). Associated anomalies were found in 26 patients(45.6%).
Achondroplasia ; Arnold-Chiari Malformation ; Cleft Palate ; Dextrocardia ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Hair ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Hip ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intellectual Disability ; Klippel-Feil Syndrome ; Male ; Ribs ; Scoliosis* ; Spinal Dysraphism ; Spine ; Syringomyelia ; Testis

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a zoonotic, tick-borne RNA virus of the genus Bandavirus (Family Phenuiviridae), mainly reported in China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (Korea). For the purpose of this study, a total of 3,898 adult and nymphal ticks of species Haemaphysalis longicornis (94.2%), Haemaphysalis flava (5.0%), Ixodes nipponensis (0.8%), and 1 specimen of Ixodes ovatus, were collected from the Deogyusan National Park, Korea, between April 2016 and June 2018. A single-step reverse transcriptase–nested PCR was performed, targeting the S segment of the SFTSV RNA. Total infection rate (IR) of SFTSV in individual ticks was found to be 6.0%. Based on developmental stages, IR was 5.3% in adults and 6.0% in nymphs. The S segment sequences obtained from PCR were divided into 17 haplotypes. All haplotypes were phylogenetically clustered into clades B-2 and B-3, with 92.7% sequences in B-2 and 7.3% in B-3. These observations indicate that the Korean SFTSV strains were closer to the Japanese than the Chinese strains. Further epidemiological studies are necessary to better understand the characteristics of the Korean SFTSV and its transmission cycle in the ecosystem.

BACKGROUND: Varicella during pregnancy can affect both the mother and their baby and cause serious complications. However, reports of herpes zoster in pregnancy are relatively uncommon. OBJECTIVE: We wanted to investigate the clinical manifestations of herpes zoster during pregnancy and its impact on the perinatal outcome. METHODS: From 2006 to 2010, a total of 38 pregnant and 40 non-pregnant women with herpes zoster were included for the investigation of the dermatomal distribution, the characteristics and degree of pain, the treatment modalities and the complications. In a pregnant group, we also checked the gestational age and parity at the time of disease onset, the delivery methods, the fetal birth weight and height, the congenital abnormalities and the occurrence of the congenital varicella syndrome, neonatal varicella or zoster within 1 month after birth. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the anatomical distribution of herpes zoster in both groups. The mean severity of initial pain was significantly increased during pregnancy (p=0.039). Only 11 pregnant women (28.9%) took antiviral agents or systemic analgesics, whereas 26 in the control group (65.0%) took these medications. Compared to the 4 in the control group (10.0%), 3 pregnant patients (7.9%) experienced postherpetic neuralgia, but with no other serious complications. Congenital varicella syndrome and neonatal varicella or zoster was not found. CONCLUSION: Pregnancy does not seem to exert a detrimental impact on herpes zoster and maternal zoster seems to have no harmful effects on neonates.
Analgesics ; Antiviral Agents ; Birth Weight ; Chickenpox ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Mothers ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Parity ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women

BACKGROUND: Endothelial dysfunction has been documented in patients with type 2 diabetes especially when combined with hypertension. We prospectively investigated the effects of pioglitazone in improving endothelial function in hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients during the 6-month follow-up. METHODS: Hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients were randomly assigned to pioglitazone (n = 25) or placebo (n = 25). Primary endpoint was to compare changes in brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (baFMD) between the 2 groups during the 6-month follow-up. Secondary endpoints were to compare changes in the circulating levels of microRNA-17, -21, 92a, -126, and -145 which have been known as indicators of endothelial cell migration and atherosclerosis progression during the 6-month follow-up. Inflammatory markers such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), high-sensitive C-reactive protein, adiponectin, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) were compared during the follow-up. RESULTS: The prevalences of risk factors such as hyperlipidemia, smoking, stroke, and family history of coronary artery disease did not show significant differences between the 2 groups. Increases in baFMD (0.33 +/- 0.34 mm vs. 0.02 +/- 0.25 mm, p < 0.05, respectively) and in the level of circulating microRNA-21 (0.23 +/- 0.05 vs. -0.06 +/- 0.04, p < 0.05, respectively) were significantly greater in the pioglitazone group when compared to the placebo group during the 6-month follow-up. No significant differences in the prevalences of new onset heart failure, fracture, and bladder cancer were noted during the follow-up between the 2 groups. Decreases in the levels of inflammatory marker such as IL-6 (-2.54 +/- 2.32 pg/mL vs. -1.34 +/- 2.12 pg/mL, p < 0.05, respectively), TNF-alpha (-1.54 +/- 1.51 pg/mL vs. 0.14 +/- 1.12 pg/mL, p < 0.05, respectively), sICAM-1 (-39 +/- 52 ng/mL vs. 6 +/- 72 ng/mL, p < 0.05, respectively), and sVCAM-1 (-154 +/- 198 ng/mL vs. -11 +/- 356 ng/mL, p < 0.05, respectively) were significantly greater in the pioglitazone group compared to the placebo group during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients, pioglitazone may increase baFMD and circulatory microRNA-21 and decrease inflammatory cytokines including IL-6, TNF-alpha, sICAM-1, and sVCAM-1.
Adiponectin ; Atherosclerosis ; Brachial Artery* ; C-Reactive Protein ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Cytokines ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Endothelial Cells ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; Interleukin-6 ; MicroRNAs ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stroke ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1

BACKGROUND: Although photodynamic therapy (PDT) is widely performed for acne, little is known about its exact therapeutic mechanism. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to estimate the efficacy and safety of PDT on acne and to discover its mode of action. METHODS: We performed PDT on 12 patients with mild to moderate acne. The clinical efficacy was assessed by counting the acne lesions and measuring the sebum secretion before and after PDT. In addition, we took biopsy samples from the peri-lesional areas before and after 3-session of PDT. To examine the degree of apoptosis of the sebaceous follicles, TUNEL assay was performed. To investigate the changes of toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 and TLR-4 expression after PDT, immunohistochemical stainings were also carried out. Finally, we performed TUNEL assay using the cultured sebocytes to confirm the apoptosis of sebocytes in vitro after PDT. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in the number of inflammatory acne lesions after PDT, compared to baseline (p<0.05). Sebum excretion significantly decreased 2 weeks after the first PDT session except for one patient (p<0.05). The TUNEL positive cells in the peri-lesional sebaceous glands after PDT markedly increased, compared with those of before PDT. A decrease in TLR-2 and TLR-4 expression by sebaceous glands and epidermis after PDT was 50% and 30%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that apoptosis of the sebaceous glands is associated with improvement of acne by PDT. PDT has shown to down-regulate TLR-2 and TLR-4 expression in the sebaceous glands and epidermis of acne patients.
Acne Vulgaris ; Apoptosis ; Biopsy ; Epidermis ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Photochemotherapy ; Sebaceous Glands ; Sebum ; Toll-Like Receptors ; Triazenes

A woman aged 40 years presented with symmetric band of depigmented patches on her hand dorsum and forearms. Under the diagnosis of focal vitiligo, we initially treated her with oral and topical steroids and local UVB irradiation. However, the wrist lesions were recalcitrant. Therefore, we tried a non-cultured epidermal cellular graft using autologous melanocyte-keratinocyte suspension. Twelve months after the procedure, higher than 70% of repigmentation was observed. This procedure seems to be an effective and practical treatment for recalcitrant vitiliginous lesions.
Aged ; Female ; Forearm ; Hand ; Humans ; Steroids ; Transplants ; Vitiligo ; Wrist

Multiple carcinoid tumors in stomach are very rare tumors and associated with pernicious anemia, chronic atrophic gastritis and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. These are believed to be due to hypergastrinemia, resulting in chronic stimulation of enterochromaffine-like (ECL) cells, leading to hyperplasia, metaplasia and ultimately neoplasia. The carcinoid tumor is potentially malignant, even though it may grow slowly, so the treatment of choice must be endoscopic lumpectomy or surgical gastrectomy. The prognosis depends on the site of the tumor and its size. Most carcinoid tumors are less than 1 cm in size and metastasis is uncommon but metastasis in tumors with size over 2 cm is common. A case of multiple carcinoid tumors in stomach, which was successfully removed by endoscopy, is herein reported.
Anemia, Pernicious ; Carcinoid Tumor* ; Endoscopy ; Gastrectomy ; Gastrins ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; Hyperplasia ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Metaplasia ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Stomach* ; Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome

It has been reported that myocardial bridging may be associated with myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction, vasospasm, cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death. However, the mechanism whereby ischemia occur as a consequence of myocardial bridging remains unclear. Recently we experienced a case of myocardial infarction in a patient with myocardial bridging and atrial fibrillation. A 66-year-old man presented with severe chest pain. His ECG showed ST elevation in V3-V5 and atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response. He underwent coronary angiography, which revealed a thrombus in the distal portion of the myocardial LAD bridge. He was treated with antiplatelet agents, heparin, tirofiban and amiodarone and beta-blocker without percutaneous coronary intervention. Five days later, his clinical condition was recovered and follow-up coronary angiography revealed markedly improved blood flow of the left anterior descending artery. The previous thrombus had disappeared.
Aged ; Amiodarone ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Arteries ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Death, Sudden ; Electrocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heparin ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Myocardial Bridging ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; Thrombosis