OBJECTIVE: We conducted a retrospective data analysis to review the results of robot-assisted arm rehabilitation in post stroke patients during past 2 years and find out positive influences of the outcomes. METHOD: We measured improvements of arm function longitudinally in a group of sixty-four stroke patients, who participated in the robot-assisted arm therapy from January 2012 to December 2013. Treatment session lasted 30 to 40 minutes, 2 to 5 times a week. For at least more than one month, we used the InMotion2.0 (Interactive Motion Technologies, Watertown, MA, USA) and measured outcomes with the Fugl-Meyer assessment-upper extremity (FMA-UE), Korea-modified Barthel index (K-MBI) and InMotion robot arm evaluation index. Also, analysis on the subgroup was carried out. RESULTS: Following the robot-assisted arm rehabilitation, FMA-UE, K-MBI and InMotion robot arm evaluation index were significantly improved compared to baseline. Mean FMA-UE and K-MBI gain were 4.22 +/- 0.76, 7.63 +/- 1.18 in each. However, in the subgroup analysis, the group with less intensity treatment (640 repetition) did not show any significant improvement. CONCLUSION: This is an observational study showing improvements in arm function following robot-assisted arm rehabilitation compared to baseline, which was significant only in the subgroup who received the intervention longer and more intensity.
Arm* ; Extremities ; Humans ; Observational Study ; Rehabilitation* ; Retrospective Studies ; Statistics as Topic ; Stroke* ; Upper Extremity

Oxidative stress can cause generation of uncontrolled reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lead to cytotoxic damage to cells and tissues. Recently, it has been shown that transient ROS generation can serve as a secondary messenger in receptor-mediated cell signaling. Although excessive levels of ROS are harmful, moderated levels of ROS are essential for normal physiological function. Therefore, regulating cellular ROS levels should be an important concept for development of novel therapeutics for treating diseases. The overexpression and hyperactivation of NADPH oxidase (Nox) can induce high levels of ROS, which are strongly associated with diabetic nephropathy. This review discusses the theoretical basis for development of the Nox inhibitor as a regulator of ROS homeostasis to provide emerging therapeutic opportunities for diabetic nephropathy.

OBJECTIVE: To translate the English Qualiveen questionnaire which was developed to measure the specific impact of urinary problems on the quality of life of patients with neurogenic bladder into Korean and validate it. METHOD: First, we made the Korean version Qualiveen questionnaire through translation and cross-cultural adaptation followed by the international guideline. This process consisted of 6 steps including translation, reconciliation, back translation into English and debriefing. And then to assess the reliability and construct validity of the questionnaire, 32 patients with neurogenic bladder conducted the Korean Qualiveen questionnaire twice at an interval between three and four weeks. RESULTS: We translated and arbitrated a total of 151 questions. In step of the backward translation, we went through discussion and corrected 12 questions. We found out that 7 questions delivered inaccurate meanings or were unhandy items such as method of writing age or date in debriefing process. A reliability study revealed strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficients above 0.7 for all domains) and test-retest reliability (Pearson's coefficient range from 0.524 to 0.837). The sub-domain strongly correlated with each other (Pearson's coefficient range from 0.625 to 0.936) in the construct validity study. CONCLUSION: The Korean version of the Qualiveen Questionnaire was successfully translated and validated.
Humans ; Linguistics ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic ; Writing

Juvenile psammomatoid ossifying fibroma (JPOF) is a rare, benign, fibro-osseous variant of ossifying fibroma. It exhibits short-term rapid growth and has a high recurrence rate. Herein we describe a case of JPOF of the maxilla that was treated via complete excision utilizing an intraoral approach with immediate reconstruction using an iliac bone graft, in conjunction with a comprehensive review of the literature. A 20-year-old man presented with a mass on his right cheek that he reported had been growing over the last 10 months. In that cheek he had noticed fullness and experienced pressure, tenderness, and fluffiness, with no other ophthalmic or dental symptoms. After clinical, radiological, and histological examinations, the diagnosis was confirmed as JPOF. Surgical excision was performed, followed by immediate reconstruction with an autologous iliac cortical and cancellous bone graft harvested from the right iliac crest under general anesthesia. Good cicatrization of the intraoral surgical wounds and right iliac crest were evident. He was monitored for 6 months after the surgery and exhibited appropriate midfacial contour. There were no signs of recurrence or complications.

PURPOSE: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a general marker for inflammation and it has been associated with prostate cancer. We hypothesized that a correlation may exist between CRP and prostate cancer in patients undergoing transrectal biopsy of the prostate because of rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2009 to March 2012, we retrospectively reviewed 710 patients who visited our urology department and were diagnosed as having a PSA value over 4.0 ng/mL. Patients with acute infections, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, asthma, chronic lung disease, myocardial infarction, or apoplexy and those who had taken nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were exempted from the research because these variables could have impacted CRP. After we applied the exclusion criteria, we selected 63 patients with prostate cancer and 140 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). RESULTS: A total of 203 patients were observed: 140 patients had BPH, and 63 patients had prostate cancer. Prostate cancer patients were divided into two groups by tumor-node-metastasis classification. The patients below T2 were group A, and those above T3 were group B. The natural logarithm of C-reactive protein (lnCRP) differed between the BPH group and the prostate cancer group. The lnCRP also differed between the BPH group and prostate cancer groups A and B (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The serum CRP level of the prostate cancer group was higher than that of the BPH group. Inflammation may be correlated with prostate cancer according to the serum CRP level.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Asthma ; Biopsy ; C-Reactive Protein ; Gout ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lung Diseases ; Myocardial Infarction ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies ; Stroke ; Urology

PURPOSE: Vulvodynia is characterized by chronic vulvar pain caused by sexual intercourse and often results in female sexual dysfunction. Because the causes of vulvodynia are not clear, many patients do not receive optimal treatment. Recently, gabapentin and botulinum toxin A have both been shown to be effective treatments for vulvodynia. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcomes of botulinum toxin A and gabapentin treatment for chronic pain in women with this condition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-three women with vulvar pain were administered either gabapentin (n=62) or botulinum toxin A (n=11) injections. Effectiveness was measured by use of a visual analogue scale (VAS). We analyzed the treatment method, treatment duration, success of treatment, and side effects or adverse reactions. RESULTS: Pain levels in both groups significantly decreased after treatment. In the gabapentin group, the VAS score decreased from 8.6 before treatment to 3.2 after treatment (p<0.001). The VAS score in the botulinum toxin A group was reduced from 8.1 to 2.5 (p<0.001). Side effects for both therapies were few and subsided with treatment with general antibiotics and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Gabapentin and botulinum toxin A are safe and effective treatments for vulvodynia. This condition can cause sexual dysfunction and affect quality of life. However, with proper management, satisfactory outcomes for women with vulvodynia can be achieved.
Amines ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Botulinum Toxins ; Chronic Pain ; Coitus ; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids ; Dyspareunia ; Female ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies ; Vulvodynia

Cutaneous horn is the clinical entity, which is circumscribed, conical, markedly hyperkeratotic lesion in which the height of the keratotic mass amounts to at least half of its largest diameter. It may be associated with many different pathological lesions. It is a relatively rare and a kind of epidermal tumor that generally appears as a conical projection. Here, we report rare case of congenital cutaneous horn. A 39-month-old female Korean patient presented at our clinic with a mass at the tip of her nose present since birth. Under general anesthesia, cutaneous horn of nasal tip was completely excised without any complications. The operation site was small enough to perform a primary closure, without any nasal deformity. Histopathologically, it was reported as a fibroepithelial polyps. After operation, there is no evidence of recurrence at 16 months of follow-up.

Intraosseous hemangioma is a rare, benign vascular tumor of endothelial origin. It accounts for fewer than 1% of all hemangiomas, and very rarely occurs in the face. Intraosseous hemangioma usually presents as an asymptomatic lesion, but symptoms can occur due to the mass effect. The authors describe a case of intraosseous hemangioma of the zygoma with a review of the relevant literature. A 44-year-old man presented with a chief complaint of painless swelling on the left zygomatic region that had been slowly growing for the past year. On physical examination, a hard, non-movable mass in a deep layer was palpated. On computed tomography performed to evaluate its layers and extent, trabeculation was found inside the mass, but the lack of destruction of the surrounding bone suggested that the mass was benign. Complete surgical excision was performed under local anesthesia. After complete excision of the mass, slight erosions remained on the cortical bone of the zygoma, but because it was small enough not to cause a facial deformity such as depression or asymmetry, no additional reconstructive procedure was performed. There were no symptoms or recurrence during a 8-month follow-up period.

Cutaneous horn is the clinical entity, which is circumscribed, conical, markedly hyperkeratotic lesion in which the height of the keratotic mass amounts to at least half of its largest diameter. It may be associated with many different pathological lesions. It is a relatively rare and a kind of epidermal tumor that generally appears as a conical projection. Here, we report rare case of congenital cutaneous horn. A 39-month-old female Korean patient presented at our clinic with a mass at the tip of her nose present since birth. Under general anesthesia, cutaneous horn of nasal tip was completely excised without any complications. The operation site was small enough to perform a primary closure, without any nasal deformity. Histopathologically, it was reported as a fibroepithelial polyps. After operation, there is no evidence of recurrence at 16 months of follow-up.

Intraosseous hemangioma is a rare, benign vascular tumor of endothelial origin. It accounts for fewer than 1% of all hemangiomas, and very rarely occurs in the face. Intraosseous hemangioma usually presents as an asymptomatic lesion, but symptoms can occur due to the mass effect. The authors describe a case of intraosseous hemangioma of the zygoma with a review of the relevant literature. A 44-year-old man presented with a chief complaint of painless swelling on the left zygomatic region that had been slowly growing for the past year. On physical examination, a hard, non-movable mass in a deep layer was palpated. On computed tomography performed to evaluate its layers and extent, trabeculation was found inside the mass, but the lack of destruction of the surrounding bone suggested that the mass was benign. Complete surgical excision was performed under local anesthesia. After complete excision of the mass, slight erosions remained on the cortical bone of the zygoma, but because it was small enough not to cause a facial deformity such as depression or asymmetry, no additional reconstructive procedure was performed. There were no symptoms or recurrence during a 8-month follow-up period.