This study aimed to compare the characteristics of patients with spontaneous thalamic hemorrhage (STH) accompanied by intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) with those of patients without IVH.

The medical records of consecutive patients with STH admitted to our institute between January 2000 and December 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. The laboratory and radiological results, mortality, and functional recovery were compared between the STH patients with IVH and those without IVH.

Among 2,389 patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage, 233 (9.8%) patients were included in this study. Concurrent IVH was detected in 159 (68.2%) patients with STH, and more frequently in those with body mass index ≥ 25, Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3-8, underlying disease, family history of stoke, posterior/medial/global location of hematoma, ventriculomegaly, large volume of hemorrhage, and midline shift ≥ 5 mm. The 3-month mortality was 25.8% and 8.1% (

= 0.039), the rate of good functional recovery at 6 months was 52.2% and 31.0% (

= 0.040), and incidence of delayed normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) at 12 months was 10.8% and 24.5% (

= 0.062) in the STH patients with IVH and those without IVH, respectively. At 12 months, delayed NPH developed in 28 of 47 (59.6%) patients who received external ventricular drainage (EVD)-based treatment, 5 of 45 (11.1%) patients who underwent endoscopic evacuation-based treatment, and 8 of 45 (17.8%) patients who underwent other surgeries.

Concurrent IVH is strongly associated with mortality in patients with STH. Delayed NPH may develop more frequently in STH patients with IVH who were treated with EVD.

Concurrent IVH is strongly associated with mortality in patients with STH. Delayed NPH may develop more frequently in STH patients with IVH who were treated with EVD.

To investigate the clinical and microbiological features of febrile patients with upper urinary tract calculi and factors that affect empirical antibiotic resistance.

A retrospective analysis was performed on 203 febrile patients hospitalized between January 2011 and December 2016 with antibiotic treatment for urinary tract infections and upper urinary tract calculi at three institutions. We collected and analyzed data, including patients’ age, sex, body mass index, underlying diseases, stone-related factors, and the results of urine and blood culture examinations and antibiotic sensitivity tests.

The male-to-female ratio was 12.3. Bacteria were identified in 152 of the 203 patients (74.9%). The most commonly cultured microorganisms included

(44.1%), followed by

spp. (11.8%),

spp. (8.6%),

(6.6%),

spp. (5.3%),

spp. (4.6%), coagulase-negative

(4.0%),

(4.0%),

spp. (2.6%),

spp. (0.7%),

spp. (0.7%), and mixed infections (7.2%). Cultured bacterial species showed sex-specific differences. Multivariate analysis revealed that calculi’s multiplicity was an independent predictive factor for quinolone resistance (

= 0.008). Recurrent infections were a significant predictor of cefotaxime resistance during multivariable analysis (

= 0.041).

Based on the present study results, quinolone was not recommended as the empirical treatment in febrile patients with upper urinary tract calculi. Combination antibiotic therapy is recommended in cases of recurrent infections due to the possible occurrence of cefotaxime resistance.

Based on the present study results, quinolone was not recommended as the empirical treatment in febrile patients with upper urinary tract calculi. Combination antibiotic therapy is recommended in cases of recurrent infections due to the possible occurrence of cefotaxime resistance.

To identify sarcopenia as a predictive prognostic factor of ovarian cancer in terms of survival outcome in patients with early-stage ovarian cancer.

Data of Konkuk University Medical Center from March 2002 to December 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. Eighty-two patients who underwent surgery due to early-stage (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I/II) ovarian cancer and had computed tomography (CT) images taken at the initial diagnosis were included. The initial CT scan images were analyzed with SliceOmatic software (TomoVision). A sarcopenia cutoff value was defined as a skeletal muscle index of ≤ 38.7 cm²/m². Overall survival (OS) times were compared according to the existence of sarcopenia, and subgroup analyses were performed.

A Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a significant survival disadvantage for patients with early-stage ovarian cancer when they had sarcopenia (

< 0.001; log-rank test). Sarcopenia remained a significant prognostic factor for OS in early-stage ovarian cancer, in a Cox proportional hazards model regression analysis (HR, 21.9; 95% CI, 2.0-199.9;

= 0.006).

This study demonstrated that sarcopenia was predictive of OS in patients with early-stage ovarian cancer. selleckchem Further prospective studies with a larger number of patients are warranted to determine the extent to which sarcopenia can be used as a prognostic factor in ovarian cancer.

This study demonstrated that sarcopenia was predictive of OS in patients with early-stage ovarian cancer. Further prospective studies with a larger number of patients are warranted to determine the extent to which sarcopenia can be used as a prognostic factor in ovarian cancer.Adults and children with typical development (TD) remember vocal melodies (without lyrics) better than instrumental melodies, which is attributed to the biological and social significance of human vocalizations. Here we asked whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who have persistent difficulties with communication and social interaction, and adolescents and adults with Williams syndrome (WS), who are highly sociable, even indiscriminately friendly, exhibit a memory advantage for vocal melodies like that observed in individuals with TD. We tested 26 children with ASD, 26 adolescents and adults with WS of similar mental age, and 26 children with TD on their memory for vocal and instrumental (piano, marimba) melodies. After exposing them to 12 unfamiliar folk melodies with different timbres, we required them to indicate whether each of 24 melodies (half heard previously) was old (heard before) or new (not heard before) during an unexpected recognition test. Although the groups successfully distinguished the old from the new melodies, they differed in overall memory.