A childhood case of spinal tuberculosis misdiagnosed as muscular dystrophy

Tuberculosis is primarily a pulmonary disease, but extra-pulmonary manifestations are not uncommon, especially in children and adolescents. Ten percent of extra pulmonary tuberculosis localizes to the bones and joints, and 56% of such cases affect the spine. We treated a childhood case of spinal tuberculosis misdiagnosed as muscular dystrophy in a patient without specific constitutional symptoms. We report this case because the patient had an unusual presentation of spinal tuberculosis

Introduction of Transmembrane Inner Ear (tmie) Gene Can Recover the Hearing Impairment and Abnormal Behavior in the Circling Mouse

The spontaneous mutant circling mouse (cir/cir) shows a circling behavior and hearing loss. We produced transgenic mice overexpressing the causative gene, transmembrane inner ear (tmie), for the phenotypic rescue of the circling mouse. Through the continuous breeding with circling mice, the cir/cir homozygous mice carrying the transgene (cir/cir-tg) were produced. The rescued cir/cir -tg mice were able to swim in the water with proper orientation and did not show any circling behavior like wild type mice. Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis exhibited that the transgenic tmie was expressed in the inner ear. Inner and outer hair cells were recovered in the cochlea and spiral ganglion neurons were also recovered in the rescued mice. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) test demonstrated that the cir/cir -tg mice are able to respond to sound. This study demonstrates that tmie transgene can recover the hearing impairment and abnormal behavior in the circling mouse

Effect of unsupervised Kinect-based mixed reality fitness programs on health-related fitness in men during COVID-19 pandemic: randomized controlled study

This study aimed to investigate the effect of Kinect-based mixed reality (KMR) exercise and unsupervised individual exercise on health-related fitness. A total of 27 participants underwent cardiorespiratory fitness tests for the inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to three groups: a KMR group (KMRG), an unsupervised individual group (UIG), or a control group (CG). Pre and post-tests were conducted to measure Maximum oxygen uptake (VO₂max), body composition, upper and lower-body (LB) muscle strength, and endurance. KMRG and UIG attended exercise sessions 3 days per week for 8 weeks. KMRG used the KMR device and UIG used an instructive banner for exercise. All groups maintained their daily routines and submitted diet records every 4 weeks. Results showed that VO₂max, upper-body muscle endurance, and LB muscle endurance of knee extension was increased in KMRG and UIG. LB muscle strength in knee flexion was increased in UIG and LB muscle endurance in knee flexion was increased in KMRG. VO₂max, LB muscle strength, and LB muscle endurance were greater in KMRG than in CG. LB muscle strength in knee flexion was greater in KMRG than in UIG. Body fat was increased and skeletal muscle mass was decreased in CG. KMR exercise showed better performance than unsupervised individual (UI) exercise, and the exercise program was effective in both KMR and UI environments. These findings contribute to the growing evidence supporting the use of technology-based exercise interventions as a potential strategy to enhance health-related fitness

Power Doppler Imaging in Acute Renal Vein Occlusion and Recanalization: a Canine Model

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of the power Doppler (PD) in acute renal vein occlusion and recanalization in a canine model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a PD of the kidney during graded renal vein occlusion and recanalization induced by balloon inflation and deflation in nine dogs. The PD images were transferred to a personal computer, and the PD signals were quantified. RESULTS: We observed the temporal change of the PD signal during renal vein occlusion and recanalization, with a decrease in the PD signal during occlusion and an increase during recanalization. The mean PD signal decreased gradually as the renal vein was occluded, and conversely increased gradually with sequential relief of occlusion. The sequential change of the mean value of the PD signal was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The PD can detect a change in renal blood flow during acute renal vein occlusion and recanalization in a canine model. The PD may be used as a helpful tool for the early detection of acute renal vein thrombosis and the monitoring of renal perfusion

Association of Serum Retinol Binding Protein 4 with Adiposity and Pubertal Development in Korean Children and Adolescents

Retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) has been postulated to provide a new link between obesity and insulin resistance. We aimed to assess the relationship between serum RBP4 and insulin resistance by investigating serum RBP4 levels in children and adolescents according to degree of obesity and pubertal stage. A total of 103 (30 lean, 39 overweight, 34 obese) were evaluated for serum RBP4, adiponectin, insulin, glucose and lipid profiles. RBP4 levels of obese and overweight groups were higher than those of lean group. RBP4 level was higher in pubertal group than in prepubertal group. RBP4 was positively correlated with age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), abdominal circumference, systolic blood pressure, fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), total cholesterol and triglyceride, and inversely with adiponectin. In the multiple linear regression analysis, RBP4 was found to be independently associated with pubertal stage, BMI and triglyceride but not with HOMA-IR. In conclusion, serum RBP4 level is related with degree of adiposity and pubertal development. The association of RBP4 with insulin resistance is supposed to be secondary to the relation between RBP4 and adipose tissue in children and adolescents

Solitary Extramedullary Plasmacytoma of the Liver without Systemic Monoclonal Gammopathy

Extramedullary plasmacytoma of the liver is a very rare tumor. Although a few cases of extramedullary plasmacytoma of the liver have been reported, we could not find any report on truly localized extramedullary plasmacytoma of the liver in the literature. The patient was a 63-yr-old man who exhibited a solitary liver mass on dynamic computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Histologically, the tumor was composed of mature plasma cells with mild atypia. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated monoclonal IgG and Kappa light chain expression. Bone marrow examination revealed no abnormalities. There was no evidence of a monoclonal protein in the serum and urine, lytic bone lesions, anemia, renal insufficiency, and hypercalcemia. The patient was treated with 5,000 cGy of radiotherapy, and the tumor disappeared 6 months after treatment

Serum Kisspeptin Levels in Korean Girls with Central Precocious Puberty

Central precocious puberty (CPP) is caused by premature activation of hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion. Kisspeptin and G-protein coupled receptor-54 system is the essential gatekeeper of the reproductive system, playing a key role in the activation of the gonadotropic axis at puberty. We aimed to determine whether serum kisspeptin may function as a marker for CPP by investigating serum kisspeptin levels in Korean girls with CPP and their prepubertal controls. Serum kisspeptin levels of Korean girls with CPP (n = 30) and age-matched healthy prepubertal controls (n = 30) were measured with a competitive enzyme immunoassay. Serum kisspeptin levels were significantly higher in CPP group than in control group (4.61 ± 1.78 vs 2.15 ± 1.52 pM/L, P < 0.001). Serum kisspeptin was positively correlated with peak luteinizing hormone (LH), peak/basal LH ratio and peak LH/follicular-stimulating hormone (FSH) ratio during GnRH stimulation test. CPP is supposed to be triggered by premature increase of kisspeptin. Serum kisspeptin may be used as a marker of CPP. Further studies on KISS1 gene polymorphisms leading to higher risk of premature increase of kisspeptin and upstream regulator of kisspeptin are also needed

Clinical effectiveness of the sequential 4-channel NMES compared with that of the conventional 2-channel NMES for the treatment of dysphagia in a prospective double-blind randomized controlled study

Background To date, conventional swallowing therapies and 2-channel neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) are standard treatments for dysphagia. The precise mechanism of 2-channel NMES treatment has not been determined, and there are controversies regarding the efficacy of this therapy. The sequential 4-channel NMES was recently developed and its action is based on the normal contractile sequence of swallowing-related muscles. Objective To evaluate and compare the rehabilitative effectiveness of the sequential 4-channel NMES with that of conventional 2-channel NMES. Methods In this prospective randomized case–control study, 26 subjects with dysphagia were enrolled. All participants received 2- or 4-channel NMES for 2–3weeks (minimal session: 7 times, treatment duration: 300–800min). Twelve subjects in the 4-channel NMES group and eleven subjects in the 2-channel NMES group completed the intervention. Initial and follow-up evaluations were performed using the videofluoroscopic dysphagia scale (VDS), the penetration-aspiration scale (PAS), the MD Anderson dysphagia inventory (MDADI), the functional oral intake scale (FOIS), and the Likert scale. Results The sequential 4-channel NMES group experienced significant improvement in their VDS (oral, pharyngeal, and total), PAS, FOIS, and MDADI (emotional, functional, and physical subsets) scores, based on their pretreatment data. VDS (oral, pharyngeal, and total) and MDADI (emotional and physical subsets) scores, but not PAS and FOIS scores, significantly improved in the 2-channel NMES group posttreatment. When the two groups were directly compared, the 4-channel NMES group showed significant improvement in oral and total VDS scores. Conclusions The sequential 4-channel NMES, through its activation of the suprahyoid and thyrohyoid muscles, and other infrahyoid muscles mimicking physiological activation, may be a new effective treatment for dysphagia. Trial registration: clinicaltrial.gov, registration number: NCT03670498, registered 13 September 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03670498?term=NCT03670498&draw=2&rank=1 .This research was supported by a grant of the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (Grant Number: HI18C1169). This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Min‑ istry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (NRF- NRF-2016R1D1A1B03935130)