The zinc finger protein ZBTB48 is a telomere-associated factor and renamed it as telomeric zinc finger-associated protein (TZAP). It binds preferentially to long telomeres competing with TRF1 and TRF2. However, its expression in cancers has not been performed. In the present study, we analyzed the prognosis of TZAP expression in 22 kinds of cancers by using TCGA data analysis. TZAP expression had a prognostic value in cervical, colon, and pancreatic cancers. When sorting the patients differently, it got the significance in bladder, breast, kidney, brain, and lung cancers. TZAP expression was associated with better prognosis in bladder, breast, cervical, lung, and pancreatic cancers. However, it showed poorer survival results in colon, kidney, and brain cancers. This result suggested that TZAP expression appears to be a possible prognosis marker in various cancers.
Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Breast ; Colon ; Humans ; Kidney ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Prognosis ; Statistics as Topic* ; Telomere ; Urinary Bladder ; Zinc ; Zinc Fingers

The digastric muscle has two bellies and it has various variation in submental region. During dissection of a 79-year-old Korean female cadaver, bilateral variations at the anterior belly (AB) of the digastric muscle in submental region were shown. Two accessory bellies originated medial to the origin of the two normal ABs of the digastric muscle. They run medially and combined each other anterior to the median raphe of the mylohyoid muscle. In left side, AB of the digastric muscle was divided into two muscular bellies. Therefore, five bellies of ABs of the digastric muscle were found. This novel variation has not been described in the literature and this appearance will guide clinicians during surgical interventions and radiological diagnosis.
Aged ; Cadaver ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Head* ; Humans ; Korea*

Anatomic variations in the branching pattern of the axillary artery are common and have been studied by many authors. The origin of the anterior circumflex humeral artery is also various and its association with other variations has been focused recently. This study identified the origin of the anterior circumflex humeral artery, the communication between the musculocutaneous and median nerves, and the third head of the biceps brachii muscle, and then their associations were examined. Axillae of 75 cadavers were dissected and these variations were collected. The anterior circumflex humeral artery arose directly from the third parts of the axillary artery in 82.0% of upper limbs. It also arose as common stem for both humeral arteries in 7.3% of the third part of the axillary artery and in 5.3% of the subscapular artery, respectively. The anterior circumflex humeral artery was absent in 2.7% and two anterior circumflex humeral artery was found in 1.3% of limbs. The communication between the musculocutaneous and median nerves and the third head of the biceps brachii muscle were found in 32.0% and 16.0% of upper limbs, respectively. These variations were not statistically associated with each other. These results may provide deep knowledge about the anatomy of the anterior circumflex humeral artery and contribute to explain its clinical implications.
Arteries* ; Axilla ; Axillary Artery ; Cadaver ; Extremities ; Head ; Median Nerve ; Upper Extremity

Michelangelo was a Renaissance artist showing many works. As the secrets of Michelangelo's art have been revealed recently, various studies have been carried out, revealing the secret code of human anatomy in his work. This was an important clue that Michelangelo dissected a huge number of human beings and was a anatomist with considerable expertise. Brazilian doctors Jalousie Bahaetto and Marcelo G Gli Oliveira, from the Vatican Sistina ceiling murals to the sculpture Pieta, examined the works of the Renaissance genius artist Michelangelo in detail and found anatomical elements in many works. Although some interpretations are controversial, it would be a good experience for medical doctor to appreciate masterpieces of Michelangelo in comparison to their human anatomy.
Anatomists ; Humans ; Sculpture

Background: To evaluate the degree of deformation in patients with ankle osteoarthritis (OA), it is essential to measure the threedimensional (3D), in other words, stereoscopic alignment of the ankle, subtalar, and foot arches. Generally, measurement of radiological parameters use two-dimensional (2D) anteroposterior and lateral radiographs in a weight-bearing state; however, computeraided 3D analysis (Disior) using weight-bearing cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has recently been introduced. Methods: In this study, we compared the 2D human radiographic method with a stereoscopic image in patients with ankle arthritis. We enrolled 57 patients diagnosed with OA (28 left and 29 right) and obtained both standing radiographs and weight-bearing CBCT. Patients were divided by the Takakura stage. The interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for each result was confirmed. Results: On the ICC between 2D radiographs and 3D analysis, the tibiotalar surface angle and lateral talo-1st metatarsal angle showed a good ICC grade (> 0.6), while other parameters did not have significant ICC results. Three-dimension was superior to radiographs in terms of statistical significance. Conclusions We demonstrated that 2D and stereoscopic images are useful for the diagnosis of OA. Our study also confirmed that the radiographic features affected by ankle OA varied. However, according to the results, the typical radiography is not sufficient to diagnose and determine a treatment plan for ankle OA. Therefore, the method of using 3D images should be considered.

Although coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) have been considered part of the resident flora on the human skin, Staphylococcus lugdunensis is an unusually virulent CNS and can cause many types of infection. We report a rare case of acute lymphadenitis with cellulitis in the right infraauricular region caused by S. lugdunensis. A 62-yr-old woman visited the Department of Otolaryngology of Busan Paik university hospital. She had a palpable mass and swelling in the right infraauricular region and complained of aggressive pain and a febrile sensation in the region for 5 days. On the suspicion of abscess with infection, percutaneous aspiration was performed and smooth, flat, white, opaque colonies grew on a blood agar plate as a pure culture. The biochemical test results showed the organism to be catalase positive, tube coagulase negative, ornithine decarboxylase positive, slide coagulase positive, and latex agglutination tests for coagulase positive. The API Staph Kit was used to identify the isolate to the species level as S. lugdunensis with a 64.6% probability (profile 6716152). We confirmed the species identification of this strain by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The patient's clinical condition improved with appropriate antimicrobial therapy and pus drainage.
Acute Disease ; Cellulitis/*diagnosis/*microbiology ; Drainage ; Ear, External ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphadenitis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/*microbiology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Staphylococcal Infections/*diagnosis/microbiology

Neutralizing antibodies targeted at the receptor-binding domain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein have been developed and now under evaluation in clinical trials. The US Food and Drug Administration currently issued emergency use authorizations for neutralizing monoclonal antibodies in non-hospitalized patients with mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who are at high risk for progressing to severe disease and/or hospitalization. In terms of this situation, there is an urgent need to investigate the clinical aspects and to develop strategies to deploy them effectively in clinical practice. Here we provide guidance for the use of anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of COVID-19 based on the latest evidence.

Neutralizing antibodies targeted at the receptor-binding domain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein have been developed and now under evaluation in clinical trials. The US Food and Drug Administration currently issued emergency use authorizations for neutralizing monoclonal antibodies in non-hospitalized patients with mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who are at high risk for progressing to severe disease and/or hospitalization. In terms of this situation, there is an urgent need to investigate the clinical aspects and to develop strategies to deploy them effectively in clinical practice. Here we provide guidance for the use of anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of COVID-19 based on the latest evidence.

BACKGROUND: As the incidence of bovine brucellosis increases in Korea, the incidence of human brucellosis is also increasing since 2002. However, it is difficult to identify Brucella species by using the conventional methods. METHODS: Three strains of gram-negative coccobacilli were isolated from blood specimens of three patients with prolonged fever, which were not identified by using the conventional methods. After extracting total DNA from these isolates, PCR amplification of 16S rRNA and omp2 genes was performed. These sequences secured by PCR assay were compared with known sequences by using GenBank BLAST. RESULTS: DNA sequences were obtained from 3 isolates by using PCR amplification of 16S rRNA. These sequences had more than 99.9% similarities with Brucella species by using GenBank BLAST. In the second place, after comparing DNA sequences secured by PCR amplification of omp2a and omp2b by using GenBank BLAST, these isolates were confirmed as B. abortus. CONCLUSIONS: DNA sequence analysis is a rapid and accurate method for identification of uncommon microorganisms, such as Brucella species.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Brucella abortus* ; Brucella* ; Brucellosis ; Brucellosis, Bovine ; Cattle ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; DNA ; Fever ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

Since the first case was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China on December 12, 2019, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread widely to other countries since January 2020. As of April 16, 2020, 10635 confirmed cases have been reported, with 230 deaths in Korea. COVID-19 patients may be asymptomatic or show various clinical manifestations, including acute symptoms such as fever, fatigue, sore throat; pneumonia presenting as acute respiratory distress syndrome; and multiple organ failure. As COVID-19 has such varied clinical manifestations and case fatality rates, no standard antiviral therapy regimen has been established other than supportive therapy. In the present guideline, we aim to introduce potentially helpful antiviral and other drug therapies based on in vivo and in vitro research and clinical experiences from many countries.