PURPOSE: Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is associated with poor outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention. However, CI-AKI has rarely been evaluated within the neurovascular field. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and clinical implication of CI-AKI after coil embolization in patients with an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2005 and March 2016, 192 patients who underwent coil embolization were enrolled in this study. CI-AKI was defined as an increase from baseline serum creatinine concentration of >25% or >0.5 mg/dL within 72 hours after coil embolization. A poor clinical outcome was defined as a score of ≥3 on the modified Rankin Scale at one-year post-treatment. RESULTS: A total of 16 patients (8.3%) died as a result of medical problems within one year. CI-AKI was identified in 14 patients (7.3%). Prominent risk factors for one-year mortality included CI-AKI [odds ratio (OR): 16.856; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.437–82.664] and an initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score ≤8 (OR: 5.565; 95% CI: 1.703–18.184). A poor clinical outcome was associated with old age (≥65 years) (OR: 7.921; 95% CI: 2.977–21.076), CI-AKI (OR: 11.281; 95% CI: 2.138–59.525), an initial GCS score ≤8 (OR 31.02; 95% CI, 10.669–90.187), and a ruptured aneurysm (p=0.016, OR: 4.278) in posterior circulation. CONCLUSION: CI-AKI seems to be an independent predictor of the overall outcomes of aSAH after endovascular treatment.
Acute Kidney Injury/chemically induced ; Acute Kidney Injury/diagnostic imaging ; Acute Kidney Injury/etiology ; Acute Kidney Injury/mortality ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aneurysm/complications ; Aneurysm/diagnostic imaging ; Aneurysm/therapy ; Angiography ; Contrast Media/adverse effects ; Embolization, Therapeutic/adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/complications ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/diagnostic imaging ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

We investigated the neural correlates of accurate eyewitness memory retrieval using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. We analyzed oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO₂) concentration in the prefrontal cortex during eyewitness memory retrieval task and examined regional HbO₂ differences between observed objects (target) and unobserved objects (lure). We found that target objects elicited increased activation in the bilateral ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, which is known for monitoring retrieval processing via bottom-up attentional processing. Our results suggest bottom-up attentional mechanisms could be different during accurate eyewitness memory retrieval. These findings indicate that investigating retrieval mechanisms using functional nearinfrared spectroscopy might be useful for establishing an accurate eyewitness recognition model.
Cognitive Neuroscience ; Memory ; Oxygen ; Prefrontal Cortex ; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared ; Spectrum Analysis

We investigated the neural correlates of accurate eyewitness memory retrieval using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. We analyzed oxygenated hemoglobin (HbOâ‚‚) concentration in the prefrontal cortex during eyewitness memory retrieval task and examined regional HbOâ‚‚ differences between observed objects (target) and unobserved objects (lure). We found that target objects elicited increased activation in the bilateral ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, which is known for monitoring retrieval processing via bottom-up attentional processing. Our results suggest bottom-up attentional mechanisms could be different during accurate eyewitness memory retrieval. These findings indicate that investigating retrieval mechanisms using functional nearinfrared spectroscopy might be useful for establishing an accurate eyewitness recognition model.

BACKGROUND: Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA), characterized by impaired red cell production, is a rare condition that is usually symptomatic in early infancy. The purpose of this study was to assess nationwide experiences of DBA encountered over a period of 20 years. METHODS: The medical records of 56 patients diagnosed with DBA were retrospectively reviewed from November 1984 to July 2010. Fifteen institutions, including 13 university hospitals, participated in this study. RESULTS: The male-to-female ratio of patients with DBA was 1.67:1. The median age of diagnosis was 4 months, and 74.1% were diagnosed before 1 year of age. From 2000 to 2009, annual incidence was 6.6 cases per million. Excluding growth retardation, 38.2% showed congenital defects: thumb deformities, ptosis, coarctation of aorta, ventricular septal defect, strabismus, etc. The mean hemoglobin concentration was 5.1+/-1.9 g/dL, mean corpuscular volume was 93.4+/-11.6 fL, and mean number of reticulocytes was 19,700/mm3. The mean cellularity of bone marrow was 75%, with myeloid:erythroid ratio of 20.4:1. After remission, 48.9% of patients did not need further steroids. Five patients with DBA who received hematopoietic transplantation have survived. Cancer developed in 2 cases (3.6%). CONCLUSION: The incidence of DBA is similar to data already published, but our study had a male predilection. Although all patients responded to initial treatment with steroids, about half needed further steroids after remission. It is necessary to collect further data, including information regarding management pathways, from nationwide DBA registries, along with data on molecular analyses.
Anemia ; Anemia, Diamond-Blackfan ; Aortic Coarctation ; Bone Marrow ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Diamond ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Hemoglobins ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Medical Records ; Registries ; Reticulocytes ; Retrospective Studies ; Steroids ; Strabismus ; Thumb ; Transplants

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine whether certain biomaterials have the potential to support cell attachment. After seeding bone marrow stromal cells onto the biomaterials, we investigated their responses to each material in vitro. METHODS: Rat bone marrow derived stromal cells were used. The biomaterials were deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM), DBBM coated with fibronectin (FN), synthetic hydroxyapatite (HA), HA coated with FN, HA coated with beta-tricalcium phosphate (TCP), and pure beta-TCP. With confocal laser scanning microscopy, actin filaments and vinculin were observed after 6, 12, and 24 hours of cell seeding. The morphological features of cells on each biomaterial were observed using scanning electron microscopy at day 1 and 7. RESULTS: The cells on HA/FN and HA spread widely and showed better defined actin cytoskeletons than those on the other biomaterials. At the initial phase, FN seemed to have a favorable effect on cell adhesion. In DBBM, very few cells adhered to the surface. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, we can conclude that in contrast with DBBM not supporting cell attachment, HA provided a more favorable environment with respect to cell attachment.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Bone Marrow ; Bone Substitutes ; Calcium Phosphates ; Cell Adhesion ; Durapatite ; Fibronectins ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Rats ; Seeds ; Stem Cells ; Stromal Cells ; Transplants ; Vinculin

PURPOSE: Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) has been widely used in the evaluation of regenerated bone tissue but the reliability of micro-CT has not yet been established. This study evaluated the correlation between histomorphometric analysis and micro-CT analysis in performing new bone formation measurement. METHODS: Critical-size calvarial defects were created using a 8 mm trephine bur in a total of 24 Sprague-Dawley rats, and collagen gel mixed with autogenous rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) or autogenous rat BMSCs transduced by adenovirus containing bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2) genes was loaded into the defect site. In the control group, collagen gel alone was loaded into the defect. After 2 and 4 weeks, the animals were euthanized and calvaria containing defects were harvested. Micro-CT analysis and histomorphometric analysis of each sample were accomplished and the statistical evaluation about the correlation between both analyses was performed. RESULTS: New bone formation of the BMP-2 group was greater than that of the other groups at 2 and 4 weeks in both histomorphometric analysis and micro-CT analysis (P=0.026, P=0.034). Histomorphometric analysis of representative sections showed similar results to histomorphometric analysis with a mean value of 3 sections. Measurement of new bone formation was highly correlated between histomorphometric analysis and micro-CT analysis, especially at the low lower threshold level at 2 weeks (adjusted r2=0.907, P<0.001). New bone formation of the BMP-2 group analyzed by micro-CT tended to decline sharply with an increasing lower threshold level, and it was statistically significant (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Both histomorphometric analysis and micro-CT analysis were valid methods for measurement of the new bone in rat calvarial defects and the ability to detect the new bone in micro-CT analysis was highly influenced by the threshold level in the BMP-2 group at early stage.
Adenoviridae ; Animals ; Bone and Bones ; Bone Regeneration ; Collagen ; Genetic Therapy ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Osteogenesis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skull ; X-Ray Microtomography

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the bone regeneration effects of cortical, cancellous, and cortico-cancellous human bone substitutes on calvarial defects of rabbits. METHODS: Four 8-mm diameter calvarial defects were created in each of nine New Zealand white rabbits. Freeze-dried cortical bone, freeze-dried cortico-cancellous bone, and demineralized bone matrix with freeze-dried cancellous bone were inserted into the defects, while the non-grafted defect was regarded as the control. After 4, 8, and 12 weeks of healing, the experimental animals were euthanized for specimen preparation. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) was performed to calculate the percent bone volume. After histological evaluation, histomorphometric analysis was performed to quantify new bone formation. RESULTS: In micro-CT evaluation, freeze-dried cortico-cancellous human bone showed the highest percent bone volume value among the experimental groups at week 4. At week 8 and week 12, freeze-dried cortical human bone showed the highest percent bone volume value among the experimental groups. In histologic evaluation, at week 4, freeze-dried cortico-cancellous human bone showed more prominent osteoid tissue than any other group. New bone formation was increased in all of the experimental groups at week 8 and 12. Histomorphometric data showed that freeze-dried cortico-cancellous human bone showed a significantly higher new bone formation percentile value than any other experimental group at week 4. At week 8, freeze-dried cortical human bone showed the highest value, of which a significant difference existed between freeze-dried cortical human bone and demineralized bone matrix with freeze-dried cancellous human bone. At week 12, there were no significant differences among the experimental groups. CONCLUSIONS: Freeze-dried cortico-cancellous human bone showed swift new bone formation at the 4-week healing phase, whereas there was less difference in new bone formation among the experimental groups in the following healing phases.
Animals ; Bone Matrix ; Bone Regeneration ; Bone Substitutes ; Humans ; Osteogenesis ; Rabbits ; X-Ray Microtomography

PURPOSE: It has been reported that low-level semiconductor diode lasers could enhance the wound healing process. The periodontal ligament is crucial for maintaining the tooth and surrounding tissues in periodontal wound healing. While low-level semiconductor diode lasers have been used in low-level laser therapy, there have been few reports on their effects on periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLFs). We performed this study to investigate the biological effects of semiconductor diode lasers on human PDLFs. METHODS: Human PDLFs were cultured and irradiated with a gallium-aluminum-arsenate (GaAlAs) semiconductor diode laser of which the wavelength was 810 nm. The power output was fixed at 500 mW in the continuous wave mode with various energy fluencies, which were 1.97, 3.94, and 5.91 J/cm2. A culture of PDLFs without laser irradiation was regarded as a control. Then, cells were additionally incubated in 72 hours for MTS assay and an alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) activity test. At 48 hours post-laser irradiation, western blot analysis was performed to determine extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity. ANOVA was used to assess the significance level of the differences among groups (P<0.05). RESULTS: At all energy fluencies of laser irradiation, PDLFs proliferation gradually increased for 72 hours without any significant differences compared with the control over the entire period taken together. However, an increment of cell proliferation significantly greater than in the control occurred between 24 and 48 hours at laser irradiation settings of 1.97 and 3.94 J/cm2 (P<0.05). The highest ALPase activity was found at 48 and 72 hours post-laser irradiation with 3.94 J/cm2 energy fluency (P<0.05). The phosphorylated ERK level was more prominent at 3.94 J/cm2 energy fluency than in the control. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that the GaAlAs semiconductor diode laser promoted proliferation and differentiation of human PDLFs.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Proliferation ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Low-Level Light Therapy ; Lasers, Semiconductor ; Periodontal Ligament ; Phosphotransferases ; Semiconductors ; Tooth ; Wound Healing

PURPOSE: The healing process following tooth extraction apparently results in a pronounced resorption of the alveolar ridge. As a result, the width of alveolar ridge is reduced and severe alveolar bone resorption occurs. The purpose of this experiment is to clinically and histologically evaluate the results of using horse-derived bone mineral for socket preservation. METHODS: The study comprised 4 patients who were scheduled for extraction as a consequence of severe chronic periodontitis or apical lesion. The extraction was followed by socket preservation using horse-derived bone minerals. Clinical parameters included buccal-palatal width, mid-buccal crest height, and mid-palatal crest height. A histologic examination was conducted. RESULTS: The surgical sites healed uneventfully. The mean ridge width was 7.75 +/- 2.75 mm at baseline and 7.00 +/- 2.45 mm at 6 months. The ridge width exhibited no significant difference between baseline and 6 months. The mean buccal crest height at baseline was 7.5 +/- 5.20 mm, and at 6 months, 3.50 +/- 0.58 mm. The mean palatal crest height at baseline was 7.75 +/- 3.10 mm, and at 6 months, 5.00 +/- 0.82 mm. There were no significant differences between baseline and 6 months regarding buccal and palatal crest heights. The amount of newly formed bone was 9.88 +/- 2.90%, the amount of graft particles was 42.62 +/- 6.57%, and the amount of soft tissue was 47.50 +/- 9.28%. CONCLUSIONS: Socket preservation using horse-derived bone mineral can effectively maintain ridge dimensions following tooth extraction and can promote new bone formation through osteoconductive activities.
Alveolar Process ; Bone Resorption ; Bone Substitutes ; Chronic Periodontitis ; Humans ; Minerals ; Osteogenesis ; Tooth Extraction ; Tooth Socket ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: The quality control for genetic tests would be of great importance as the test volume and clinical demands increase dramatically. Diagnostic genetics subcommittee of KSQACL performed two trials for cytogenetics and molecular genetics surveys in 2009. METHODS: A total of 67 laboratories participated in the cytogenetic surveys, 30 laboratories participated in the FISH surveys, and 94 laboratories participated in the molsecular genetics surveys in 2009. RESULTS: Almost of them showed acceptable results. However, some laboratories showed unacceptable results for the karyotype nomenclature and detection of complex cytogenetic abnormalities in hematologic neoplasms, and most of them except one showed acceptable results in FISH surveys. The molecular genetics surveys included various tests: M. tuberculosis detection, hepatitis B (HBV) and C virus (HCV) detection and quantification, human papilloma virus (HPV) genotyping, Influenza A (H1N1) detection, gene rearrangement tests for leukemias and lymphomas, apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotyping, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genotyping, hereditary breast and ovarian cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2), and genetic tests for achondroplasia (FGFR3), FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3), JAK2, BRAF, hereditary disorders such as spinal muscular atrophy, Huntington disease (HD), spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome (PWS/AS), mitochondrial encephalopathy with lactic acidosis and strokelike episodes (MELAS), myoclonic epilepsy ragged red fiber (MERRF), wilson disease (ATP7B) and cancer-associated genes (KRAS). Molecular genetic surveys showed excellent results in most of the participants. CONCLUSIONS: External quality assessment program for genetic analysis in 2009 was proved to be helpful in continuous education and evaluation of quality improvement.
Achondroplasia ; Acidosis, Lactic ; Apolipoproteins ; Breast ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cytogenetics ; Epilepsies, Myoclonic ; fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 ; Gene Rearrangement ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; Humans ; Huntington Disease ; Influenza, Human ; Karyotype ; Korea ; Leukemia ; Lymphoma ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies ; Molecular Biology ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Papilloma ; Quality Control ; Quality Improvement ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias ; Tuberculosis ; Viruses