No abstract available.
Carcinogenesis* ; Colorectal Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is usually managed pharmacologically. It is not uncommon for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to suffer from PHN. It is difficult to prescribe a sufficient dose of anticonvulsants for intractable pain because of the decreased glomerular filtration rate. If the neural blockade and pulsed radiofrequency ablation provide only short-term amelioration of pain, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) with a low level of evidence may be used only as a last resort. This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of spinal cord stimulation in the treatment of PHN in patients with CKD. METHODS: PHN patients with CKD who needed hemo-dialysis who received insufficient relief of pain over a VAS of 8 regardless of the neuropathic medications were eligible for SCS trial. The follow-up period was at least 2 years after permanent implantation. RESULTS: Eleven patients received percutaneous SCS test trial from Jan 2003 to Dec 2007. Four patients had successfully received a permanent SCS implant with their pain being tolerable at a VAS score of less than 3 along with small doses of neuropathic medications. CONCLUSIONS: SCS was helpful in managing tolerable pain levels in some PHN patients with CKD along with tolerable neuropathic medications for over 2 years.
Anticonvulsants ; Electric Stimulation Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Health Resorts ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Diseases ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Pain, Intractable ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Stimulation

OBJECTIVE: The sinus floor elevation procedures have been used to facilitate implant placement in the severely atrophic posterior maxilla. Many variables may have an influence on the outcomes of the sinus floor elevation in combination with implant treatment. The aim of this study was to analyze survival rate of implants placed in the edentulous maxillae of patients in whom sinus floor elevation was undertaken according to variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It consisted of 96 patients(50 male and 46 female), ranging in age from 31 to 70 years(mean 49 years), who underwent sinus floor elevation procedure(94 implants in left side and 106 implants in right side) from 2001 to 2002. A total of 200 implants were placed in the grafted sinus(73 implants in lateral approach and 127 implants in crestal approach). All implants were restored by fixed prosthesis. All patients were healthy. Follow-up periods for implants were between 48 to 60 months. RESULTS: The cumulative survival rate of implants was 91.5%. Gender, age and operation site did not have an influence on the survival rate. There was statistically significant differences for the implants which placed in less than 4 or 5 mm residual bone height, the survival rate was 60%, 81.4% respectively (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference of implants survival rate according to approach technique. The survival rate for 100% autogenous bone grafts was lower with respect to composite grafts containing autogenous bone and 100% substitutes. The survival rate for hydroxyapatite-coated implants was statistically significant lower than other textured group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Residual bone height, surface texture and graft materials have an influence on the survival rate. To use autogenous bone as a part of a composite bone replacement, implant texture which leads to more favorable implant-bone interface were necessary. To determine residual bone height for initial implant stability was important.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Maxilla* ; Prostheses and Implants ; Survival Analysis* ; Survival Rate ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Follicular patterned thyroid nodules with incomplete nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FTN-INPTCs) are difficult to diagnose, and their biological behavior and association with follicular variants of PTC (FVPTCs) have not yet been established. The aim of this study is to determine immunohistochemical and molecular characteristics of FTN-INPTCs. METHODS: We investigated immunohistochemical features (galectin-3, HBME-1, CK19, fibronectin-1, CITED1), BRAF V600E mutation and RASSF1A promoter methylation status in 30 FTN-INPTC cases, along with 26 FVPTCs, 21 follicular adenomas (FAs) and 14 nodular hyperplasias (NHs). RESULTS: Expression of galectin-3, HBME-1, CK19 and CITED1 was significantly higher in FTN-INPTCs than in FAs or NHs, but expression of galectin-3, CK19 and fibronectin-1 was lower in FTN-INPTCs than in FVPTCs. The BRAF V600E mutation was not detected in the benign nodules or FTN-INPTCs, whereas 57% of FVPTCs had the mutation. RASSF1A promoter methylation was higher in FTN-INPTCs than in benign nodules but there was no difference between FTN-INPTCs and FVPTCs. CONCLUSIONS: Our results represent the borderline immunohistochemical and molecular characteristics of FTN-INPTC. We conclude that FTN-INPTC is an intermediate lesion between a benign nodule and a FVPTC, and that it is pathogenetically related to FVPTC.
Adenoma ; Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Factor IX ; Galectin 3 ; Hyperplasia ; Methylation ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroid Nodule

PURPOSE: To report a case of verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT) for juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to angioid streaks. CASE SUMMARY: An 54-year-old male presented with metamorphopsia of the right eye. It was diagnosed as juxtafoveal CNV secondary to angioid streaks and treated with verteporfin PDT-Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and macular thickness by optical coherence tomography (OCT) were measured. Over 14 month follow-up period, baseline BCVA was 0.3 and it increased to 0.4 by the final examination, while macular thickness decreased from 264 micrometer to 229 micrometer. No side effects of PDT were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Verteporfin PDT for CNV-associated with angioid streaks does not appear to significantly alter the course of the disease undergoing enlargement and disciform transformation of the neovascular process. However, we expected that the actual clinical findings improved during short term follow-up. The severity of symptoms of CNV-associated with angioid streaks in a single patient varies over time, so long-term follow-up and careful examination is needed.
Angioid Streaks ; Choroid ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; Eye ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Photochemotherapy ; Porphyrins ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Triazenes ; Vision Disorders ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify effects of pelvic floor muscle exercise on sexual function and to present basic information on promoting sexual function for employed middle-aged women. METHOD: Data were collected from July to September, 2005 from a sample of 25 conveniently selected middle-aged working women from B city. For personal reasons, 10 dropped out, leaving 15 women who were treated with the exercise for 6 weeks. Outcome measures on sexual function were assessed by a self-report questionnaire based on the Female Sexual Function Index (Rosen et al, 2000 and translated by Kim, 2004). Cronbach alpha's for the two studies were .82 and .96 respectively and for this study, .81. Descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The mean score for sexual function was 21.42 (range 2-36). There were significant improvements in total sexual function, and 4 sub-scales of sexual function, sexual arousal, vaginal lubrication, orgasm, and coital pain. No significant improvements in sexual desire or sexual satisfaction were found. CONCLUSION: The small sample means findings must be interpreted with caution, but do suggest that pelvic floor muscle exercise could be an effective exercise for improvement of sexual function.
Arousal ; Female ; Humans ; Lubrication ; Middle Aged ; Orgasm ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Pelvic Floor* ; Pilot Projects* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Women, Working

Here we report the case of a 20-year-old female patient previously diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and overt hypothyroidism, and who had been taking synthetic thyroxine (100micro/day) for eight months. She experienced intermittent dizziness and generalized weakness, and was diagnosed as having severe autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). We prescribed prednisolone treatment and continued synthetic thyroxine administration. Two years and five months later, she developed idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and was diagnosed with Evans' syndrome. Thereafter, laparoscopic splenectomy was performed because her autoimmune hemolytic anemia was refractory and dependent on steroid therapy. The HLA genotypes of the patient were HLA-A*020101/A*2602, HLA-B*270502/B*5401, HLA-Cw*0102/Cw*020202, HLA-DRB1*0404/DRB1*0405, and HLA-DQB1*0302/DQ B1*0401. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is often associated with other nonendocrine autoimmune diseases, and antithyroid antibodies are frequently observed in Evans' syndrome (coexistence of AIHA and ITP). However, there is no report of Evans' syndrome developing in patients with overt hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. This case suggests that three autoimmune diseases (AIHA, ITP, and Hashimoto's thyroiditis) might share a common immunogenetic pathway in pathogenesis.
Purpura, Thrombocytopenic/blood/*complications ; Humans ; Hashimoto Disease/*complications/radionuclide imaging ; Female ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune/blood/*complications ; Adult

PURPOSE: To report the case of a child with triple X syndrome presenting with exotropia and chorioretinal coloboma. CASE SUMMARY: A one-year-old female infant presented with 35PD exotropia in the primary position. The patient had poor fixation of the right eye, and a fundus examination showed chorioretinal coloboma in the inferior region of her right eye. The patient also exhibited syndactyly of the right hand. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed a well-defined 2 cm cyst in the right cerebellum. Upon chromosomal study, the patient's karyotype was found to be 47, XXX. CONCLUSIONS: When infants or children present with ophthalmologic findings such as strabismus and coloboma, systemic conditions and congenital problems should be considered.
Brain ; Cerebellum ; Child ; Chromosomes, Human, X ; Coloboma ; Exotropia ; Eye ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Infant ; Karyotype ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Sex Chromosome Aberrations ; Sex Chromosome Disorders of Sex Development ; Strabismus ; Syndactyly ; Trisomy

In a conventional two-dimensional (2D) culture method, cells are attached to the bottom of the culture dish and grow into a monolayer. These 2D culture methods are easy to handle, cost-effective, reproducible, and adaptable to growing many different types of cells. However, monolayer 2D cell culture conditions are far from those of natural tissue, indicating the need for a threedimensional (3D) culture system. Various methods, such as hanging drop, scaffolds, hydrogels, microfluid systems, and bioreactor systems, have been utilized for 3D cell culture. Recently, external physical stimulation-based 3D cell culture platforms, such as acoustic and magnetic forces, were introduced. Acoustic waves can establish acoustic radiation force, which can induce suspended objects to gather in the pressure node region and aggregate to form clusters. Magnetic targeting consists of two components, a magnetically responsive carrier and a magnetic field gradient source. In a magnetic-based 3D cell culture platform, cells are aggregated by changing the magnetic force. Magnetic fields can manipulate cells through two different methods: positive magnetophoresis and negative magnetophoresis. Positive magnetophoresis is a way of imparting magnetic properties to cells by labeling them with magnetic nanoparticles. Negative magnetophoresis is a label-free principle-based method. 3D cell structures, such as spheroids, 3D network structures, and cell sheets, have been successfully fabricated using this acoustic and magnetic stimuli-based 3D cell culture platform. Additionally, fabricated 3D cell structures showed enhanced cell behavior, such as differentiation potential and tissue regeneration. Therefore, physical stimuli-based 3D cell culture platforms could be promising tools for tissue engineering.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine the utility of bispectral index scores (BIS) compared to Glasgow coma scale (GCS) or Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation Scale (OAA/S), in measuring changes in consciousness, prognosis and management of sedative-intoxication patients. METHODS: Sedative intoxication patients, who came to the emergency department with a severe deficit in consciousness, or a GCS less than 12, were analyzed. Patients' consciousness states were evaluated using OAA/S and GCS and compared with BIS scores. Patients' consciousness recovery time and hospitalization were recorded to see if these could be predicted by BIS using regression analysis. BIS, OAS/S and GCS were compared with regard to intubation, admission and ICU admission. Furthermore, usefulness and cut-off values of BIS were evaluated for those intubated. RESULTS: Of 128 sedative intoxication patients, 32 were enrolled for this study. Mean age was 50.94+/-18.01. They took 20.76+/-16.95 times over the average recommended dose. OAA/S and GCS ranged between 1~4 and 4~12, respectively; BIS was 39~88. The Spearman bivariate correlation coefficient was 0.619 between OAA/S and BIS and 0.651 between GCS and BIS, both showing a positive correlation (p<0.001). The coefficient of determination between BIS and recovery time was 0.182 and was statistically significant (Recovery time = -0.321xBIS+34.806) (p=0.015). However, admission, ICU admission and hospitalization were not significant (p>0.05). BIS was an effective index for intubation (p=0.012) showing a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 50% when the boundary value was set to 65.5. When set to 77.5, sensitivity and specificity were 59%, 100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In sedative intoxication patients, BIS is useful in determining the degree of sedation, predicting time to recovery of consciousness and as an objective index of intubation.
Consciousness ; Consciousness Monitors ; Emergencies ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Intubation ; Porphyrins ; Prognosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity