No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle*

PURPOSE: Brain surface intensity model (BSIM)-based cortical thickness analysis does not require complicated 3D segmentation of brain gray/white matters. Instead, this technique uses the local intensity profile to compute cortical thickness. The aim of the present study was to evaluate intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of BSIM-based cortical thickness analysis using images from elderly participants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen healthy elderly participants (ages, 55-84 years) were included in this study. High-resolution 3D T1-spoiled gradient recalled-echo (SPGR) images were obtained using 3T MRI. BSIM-based processing steps included an inhomogeneity correction, intensity normalization, skull stripping, atlas registration, extraction of intensity profiles, and calculation of cortical thickness. Processing steps were automatic, with the exception of semiautomatic skull stripping. Individual cortical thicknesses were compared to a database indicating mean cortical thickness of healthy adults, in order to produce Z-score thinning maps. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated in order to evaluate inter-rater and intra-rater reliabilities. RESULTS: ICCs for intra-rater reliability were excellent, ranging from 0.751-0.940 in brain regions except the right occipital, left anterior cingulate, and left and right cerebellum (ICCs = 0.65-0.741). Although ICCs for inter-rater reliability were fair to excellent in most regions, poor inter-rater correlations were observed for the cingulate and occipital regions. Processing time, including manual skull stripping, was 17.07 +/- 3.43 min. Z-score maps for all participants indicated that cortical thicknesses were not significantly different from those in the comparison databases of healthy adults. CONCLUSION: BSIM-based cortical thickness measurements provide acceptable intra-rater and inter-rater reliability. We therefore suggest BSIM-based cortical thickness analysis as an adjunct clinical tool to detect cortical atrophy.
Adult ; Aged ; Atrophy ; Brain* ; Cerebellum ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Skull

No abstract available.
Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

Background: Fingertip injuries are the most common type of traumatic injury treated at emergency departments and require prompt and adequate interventions for favorable wound survival outcomes. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy is well known for its many positive effects on wound healing. We hypothesized that treatment with HBO2 would improve the graft survival outcomes of amputated fingertip injuries treated with composite grafts. Methods: This retrospective observational study included fingertip amputations that were treated between January 2013 and December 2017. A conventional group and an HBO2 therapy group were statistically compared to evaluate the effect of HBO2 treatment. Graft survival was categorized as either success or failure. Results: Among 55 cases (digits), 34 digits were conventionally treated, while 21 digits were treated with HBO2. No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups with regard to general characteristics. Among patients with guillotine-type injuries, the composite graft success rate was statistically significantly higher in the group that received HBO2 therapy than in the conventional group (P=0.0337). Overall, the HBO2 group also demonstrated a statistically significantly shorter healing time than the conventional group (P=0.0075). As such, HBO2 treatment facilitates composite graft survival in cases of fingertip injury. Conclusions HBO2 treatment was associated with an increased composite graft survival rate in guillotine-type fingertip injuries and reduced the time required for grafts to heal.

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: To test the hemodynamic and biochemical sequences of secondary cerebral energy failure after acute reversed hypoxic ischemic brain insult (HI) can be reproduced in newborn piglets. METHODS: Fifteen anesthetized, ventilated newborn piglet (<3 day) were studied. Eight (HI) were induced transient HI by breathing 8% oxygen and complete occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries for 30 minutes followed by reoxygenation and reperfusion. Seven (control) were given a sham operation. Both groups were maintained for 48 hours with intensive care and monitoring of cerbral hemodynamics and [delta Cyt aa3] using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Finally, brain cortex was harvested and determined activities of Na+, K+/-ATPase, level of conjugated dienes, ATP and phosphocreatine (PCr) biochemically. RESULTS: No changes took place in the 48-hour control group. In HI group, PaO2, pH, and MABP decreased, and heart rate, glucose, lactate level in blood and lactate level in CSF increased during acute HI. These variables subsequently returned to normal with time. In continuous NIRS monitoring, [delta Cyt aa3] were not changed in the control group. But in HI group [delta Cyt aa3] decreased significantly in acute HI and then normalized with resuscitation but gradually decreased and was significantly lower than control group at 48 hours. Cerebral Na+, K+/- ATPase activity and ATP, PCr level of experimental group significantly decreased compared to control group. Cerebral level of conjugated dienes were not significantly different between both group. CONCLUSION: We successfully reproduced secondary cerebral energy failure after acute HI in thenewborn piglet and this animal model may be useful for testing cerebroprotective strategies.
Adenosine Triphosphatases ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Anoxia ; Brain ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Glucose ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Infant, Newborn ; Critical Care ; Ischemia ; Lactic Acid ; Models, Animal ; Oxygen ; Phosphocreatine ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reperfusion ; Respiration ; Resuscitation ; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared* ; Spectrum Analysis

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Virilism*

OBJECTIVE: Neuromelanin loss of substantia nigra (SN) can be visualized as a T1 signal reduction on T1-weighted high-resolution imaging. We investigated whether volumetric analysis of T1 hyperintensity for SN could be used to differentiate between Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age-matched controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 10 patients with PDD, 18 patients with AD, and 13 age-matched healthy elderly controls. MR imaging was performed at 3 tesla. To measure the T1 hyperintense area of SN, we obtained an axial thin section high-resolution T1-weighted fast spin echo sequence. The volumes of interest for the T1 hyperintense SN were drawn onto heavily T1-weighted FSE sequences through midbrain level, using the MIPAV software. The measurement differences were tested using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by a post hoc comparison. RESULTS: A comparison of the three groups showed significant differences in terms of volume of T1 hyperintensity (p < 0.001, Bonferroni corrected). The volume of T1 hyperintensity was significantly lower in PDD than in AD and normal controls (p < 0.005, Bonferroni corrected). However, the volume of T1 hyperintensity was not different between AD and normal controls (p = 0.136, Bonferroni corrected). CONCLUSION: The volumetric measurement of the T1 hyperintensity of SN can be an imaging marker for evaluating neuromelanin loss in neurodegenerative diseases and a differential in PDD and AD cases.
Aged ; Alzheimer Disease* ; Dementia* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mesencephalon ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Parkinson Disease* ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; Retrospective Studies ; Substantia Nigra*

Dexamethasone has been widely used in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) weighing less than 1,500 g at birth for the prevention or treatment of chronic lung disease (CLD). Recently, however the use of dexamethasone is being reduced, as its association with abnormal neurodevelopmental outcome is known. On the other hand, there have been persistent concerns about the increased risk of CLD according to the reduction of postnatal dexamethasone use. Hence, we did a retrospective cohort study to delineate the change in the incidence of CLD according to the reduction of dexamethasone use in VLBWI. The medical records of 559 VLBWI admitted to neonatal intensive care unit at Samsung Medical Center between November 1994 and December 2002 were reviewed with a focus on the use of postnatal dexamethasone and the incidence of CLD. The use of postnatal dexamethasone has significantly decreased over the study period. Especially, the use of high-dose regimen has markedly decreased. The day when postnatal dexamethasone therapy was begun has also been significantly delayed. The incidence of CLD has significantly decreased over the same period. In conclusion, the incidence of CLD has not increased despite the decreased use of postnatal dexamethasone.
Chronic Disease ; Cohort Studies ; Dexamethasone/*therapeutic use ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; *Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Lung Diseases/*drug therapy/*epidemiology ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

To investigate the seroprevalence of the Orientia tsutsugamushi infection of Apodemus peninsulae and genomic variations in O. tsutsugamushi isolates, 246 A. peninsulae were trapped in 14 mountainous areas approximately 500 meter above sea level in Korea during the period of 1997 and 2000. Seropositive rate of O. tsutsugamushi among A. peninsulae was 31.8% in Kyunggi, 8.2% in Chunbuk and 7.1% in Kangwon provinces by microimmunofluorescent test. The 56 kDa protein gene was amplified by PCR in the spleens of seropositive A. peninsulae. Two amplicons from seropositive A. peninsulae were sequenced and their phylogeny was analysed on the basis of sequence homology. The 56 kDa genes of A. peninsulae 98-12 strain and A. peninsulae 98-16 strain showed 98.7% nucleotide homology and 96.6% amino acid similarity. A. peninsulae 98-12 and A. peninsulae 98-16 strain were related to Kuroki, Boryong and Karp strains showing 93.3~92.2%, and 87.1~84.6% homologies in nucleotide and amino acids levels, respectively. In the phylogenetic analysis, A. peninsulae 98-12 and A. peninsulae 98-16 strain formed a distinct group with Boryong, Kuroki and Nishino strains and were clearly distinguished from other genetic groups. The results suggest that A. peninsulae might be an important reservoir of O. tsutsugamushi in Korea.
Amino Acids ; Animals ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Gangwon-do ; Gyeonggi-do ; Korea* ; Murinae* ; Orientia tsutsugamushi* ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Homology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Spleen