Recently the 2nd generation laboratory composite resins were introduced. Although the mechanical properties of these composite resins have been improved, there were some disadvantages such as discoloration, low abrasion resistance and debonding between metal and resin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tensile bond strength between non-pecious dental alloy(verabond) and four veneering reinforced composite resins: Targis(Ivoclar Co.,U.S.A.), Artglass(Kulzer CO., Gemany). Sculpture(Jeneric Pentron Co., U.S.A.), and Estenia(Kurary Co., Japan). All test metal specimens were polished with #1,000 SiC paper, and sandblasted with 250micrometer aluminum oxide. After then, according to manufacturer's instructions metal adhesive primer and veneering resins were applied. All test specimens were divided into two groups. One group was dried in a desiccator at 25degrees C for 3 days, the other group was subjected to thermal cycling(2,000x) in water(5/55degrees C). Tensile bond strength was measured using Instron Universal Testing machine and the fractured surface was examined under the naked eyes and scanning microscope. Within the limitations imposed in this study, the following conclusions can be drawn: 1. in no-thermal cycling groups, there were no significant differences between Estenia and VMK68 but there were significant differences between Targis, Artglass, Sculpture and VMK68(p<0.05). 2. in no-thermal cycling resin groups, the highest tensile bond strength was observed in Estenis and there were significant differences between Estenia and the other resins(p<0.05). 3. Before and after thermal cycling, there were significant differences in tensile bond strength of Targis and Artglass(p<0.05). The tensile bond strength of Artglass was decreased and that of Targis was increased. 4. in no-thermal cycling groups, Artglass showed mixed fracture modes(95%), but after thermal cycling, Artglass showed adhesive fracture modes(75%).
Adhesives ; Aluminum Oxide ; Composite Resins* ; Dental Alloys* ; Sculpture

The finger flexor injuries are very difficult to treat satisfactorily. It is usually said that the earlier the treatment performed, the better result obtained. But the delicasy of the hand anatomy and its function as well as the absence of the hand surgeon in the first aid care make the problem more complex. Even if we made the primary treatment to the flexor tendon injuries, some disabilities are often remained. We have treated fifty eight cases of old flexor tendon injuries in forty eight patients, the results can be summarized as follows. 1. The cause of the tendon damage is due to the laceration injury in the majorities of the cases. T,he tendon injuries are especially common between the late second and the early third decade. 2. In the injury of the Zone II with pulley distortion, the pulley reconstruction using palmaris longus or fascia from other sites will prevent bowstring and help the tendon function. 3. The Zone II can be subdivided into two subspecific areas. The proximal area is from the distal palmar crease to the midoprtion of porximal phalanx and the distal one is from the midportion of the proximal phalanx to the insertion of the sublimis tendon. In the proximal area one can repair the injured tendon directly after removal of the A1 and about proximal half of the A2 pulley without any subsequent bowstring if the tendon and its tunnel is relatively well preserved. Thus one can convert this proximal portion of Zone II to Zone III. So the proximal area of the Zone II should be differentiated from the remaining distal part of the Zone II. 4. At six months after the operation the result of the operation was analyzed by the percentage of the recovery, which was calculated by the postoperative active range of the interphalangeal joints divided by one hundred seventy five degrees that means the available total range of motion of normal interphalangeal joints. Excluding the cases with the tenodesis or arthrodesis, the total result revealed good or excellent in about ninty percentages with this method. 5. There were two fingers that showed a postoperative lumbrical plus state in Zone II, which were recovered spontaneously within three to four months postoperatively. So it is considered that the relative shortening of the lumbrical muscles can be treated and overcome conservatively by the active use of the fingers, and there is no need to perform an lumbrical tenotomy to correct this kind of muscle imbalance.
Arthrodesis ; Fascia ; Fingers ; First Aid ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; Lacerations ; Methods ; Muscles ; Patella ; Patellar Ligament ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Tendon Injuries ; Tendons ; Tenodesis ; Tenotomy ; Tibia

PURPOSE: We studied to know the influence of respiratory virus and atopic characteristics on recurrence of virus-induced wheezing in children under 3 years of age. METHODS: Between March 2006 and February 2009, 340 children who were hospitalized with symptoms of sudden onset of dyspnea, cough and wheezing after symptoms of acute upper respiratory tract infection and detected specific respiratory viruses by multiplex RT-PCR were enrolled. The data were analyzed according to age (< or =6, 7-12, 13-24, and 25-36 months) as well as previous wheezing episodes (first or recurrent episode). Respiratory viruses and atopic characteristics were compared among individual groups. RESULTS: The 3 commonly identified viruses were RSV (62.4%), PIV (15.6%) and RV (11.8%). PIV and RV were significantly associated with recurrence, but RSV was not significantly associated with recurrence. Food sensitization, aeroallergen sensitization, elevation of total IgE, history of atopic dermatitis and history of parent asthma were significantly associated with the recurrent episode, but serum eosinophil and passive smoking were not significantly associated with the recurrent episode. CONCLUSION: These findings show that specific respiratory viruses can have different influence on recurrence and that atopy may be a risk factor for recurrence of wheezing, in children under 3 years of age with virus-induced wheezing.
Asthma ; Child ; Cough ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Dyspnea ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Parents ; Recurrence ; Respiratory Sounds ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Risk Factors ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; Viruses

BACKGROUND: Moxifloxacin is an 8-methoxyquinolone compound which has been shown to have the best activity of the quinolones against M. tuberculosis but there is no literature showing the rate of cross-resistance between moxifloxacin and the other quinolones such as ofloxacin. Therefore, we tested the activity of moxifloxacin against ofloxacin resistant M. tuberculosis by a study of cross-resistance. METHODS: We tested MIC's of moxifloxacin and ofloxacin by proportion method against 34 M. tuberculosis isolates showing resistance against ofloxacin at 2.5microgram/ml concentration and 13 ofloxacin susceptible isolates from specimens submitted to clinical laboratory of National Masan Hospital from March 2003 to March 2004. RESULTS: For ofloxacin susceptible isolates, MIC(50) and MIC(90) of ofloxacin were all 1.25 microgram/ml, and MIC(50) and MIC(90) of moxifloxacin were 0.31 microgram/ml and 0.63microgram/ml respectively. For ofloxacin resistant isolates, MIC(50) of ofloxacin was over 10microgram/ml and MIC(50) of moxifloxacin was 5microgram/ml,MIC(90) of ofloxacin and moxifloxacin were all over 10microgram/ml. The rate of cross-resistance between the two was 67.6%(23/34) at 2.5microgram/ml concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Moxifloxacin showed activity against 82.4%(28/34) of ofloxacin resistant M. tuberculosis at 10microgram/ml, but more studies are needed so that moxifloxacin will be used for patient with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis including ofloxacin resistance.
Humans ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Ofloxacin* ; Quinolones ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant

Narcolepsy is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations. Only a few studies have focused on non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and REM parasomnias in narcolepsy. We report a narcolepsy without cataplexy patient presenting parasomnia as an initial symptom. A 18-year-old boy was admitted to hospital for abnormal behavior of sitting up during sleep over 2 years. He had a symptom of lethargy without cataplexy and subjective excessive daytime sleepiness, but his family found him often asleep during daytime. He underwent 3 times of polysomnography (PSG) including 1 multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) after the last PSG. The last PSG showed 1 episode of abrupt sitting. Three sleep REM onset period was observed in MSLT which was not detect in PSG. Parasomnia as an initial symptom of narcolepsy is a rare clinical entity. The MSLT may be useful in the evaluation of patients with parasomnia and unexplained hypersomnia.
Adolescent ; Cataplexy ; Disorders of Excessive Somnolence ; Eye Movements ; Hallucinations ; Humans ; Lethargy ; Male ; Narcolepsy ; Parasomnias ; Polysomnography ; Sleep Arousal Disorders ; Sleep Paralysis

Focal subarachnoid hemorrhage occasionally presents as transient focal neurologic episodes mimicking transient ischemic attack (TIA). Unless properly diagnosed, it may aggravate cerebral hemorrhage by administering antithrombotic agents. Therefore, clinicians need to be aware that such focal subarachnoid hemorrhage sometimes cannot be detected on noncontrast computed tomography and blood-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging can detect even a small amount of hemorrhage. We describe an 85-year-old woman with focal subarachnoid hemorrhage and possible cerebral amyloid angiopathy who presented transient left arm weakness recurrently, which mimicked TIA.
Aged, 80 and over ; Arm ; Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Female ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Protective efficacy of vaccination with Neospora caninum multiple recombinant antigens against N. caninum infection was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Two major immunodominant surface antigens (NcSAG1 and NcSRS2) and two dense granule proteins (NcDG1 and NcDG2) of N. caninum tachyzoites were expressed in E. coli, respectively. An in vitro neutralization assay using polyclonal antisera raised against each recombinant antigen showed inhibitory effects on the invasion of N. caninum tachyzoites into host cells. Separate groups of gerbils were immunized with the purified recombinant proteins singly or in combinations and animals were then challenged with N. caninum. Following these experimental challenges, the protective efficacy of each vaccination was determined by assessing animal survival rate. All experimental groups showed protective effects of different degrees against experimental infection. The highest protection efficacy was observed for combined vaccination with NcSRS2 and NcDG1. Our results indicate that combined vaccination with the N. caninum recombinant antigens, NcSRS2 and NcDG1, induces the highest protective effect against N. caninum infection in vitro and in vivo.
Animals ; Antibodies, Protozoan/immunology ; Antigens, Protozoan/immunology ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Coccidiosis/prevention & control ; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic ; Gene Expression ; Gerbillinae ; Neospora/*immunology ; Protozoan Vaccines/*immunology ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology ; Vero Cells

Ovarian remnant syndrome is a rare condition which develops when functional ovarian tissue is left in situ after intended bilateral oophorectomy. It produces clinically significant syndrome, namely chronic pelvic pain and dysmenorrhea. Although the true incidence of this syndrome is unknown, an apprant increase in incidence has been reported. We have experienced a case of ovarian remnant syndrome showing chronic pelvic pain and palpable abdominal mass after difficult gynecologic operation. So, we report this case with a brief review of literatures.
Dysmenorrhea ; Female ; Incidence ; Ovariectomy ; Pelvic Pain

BACKGROUND: The objective of this retrospective study was to show results from platform-switched narrow-diameter implants in the posterior edentulous region, which we followed up for more than 1 year after functional loading. METHODS: Ninety-eight narrow implants were inserted into 66 patients. After healing, fixed implant-supported prostheses were delivered to the patients, and Periotest and radiographic examinations were performed. After the first year of loading, the implant outcome was again evaluated clinically and radiographically using the Periotest analysis. Crestal bone loss and Periotest values (PTVs) were used to evaluate the effect of surgery, prosthesis, implant, and a host-related factor. A general linear model was used to statistically detect variables statistically associated with crestal bone loss and Periotest value. RESULTS: We followed up on the implants over 1 to 4 years after loading; their survival rate was 100%, and pronounced differences from PTVs were noted among jaw location, bone quality, and loading period. No difference was detected in bone loss among the variables studied. Bone loss after functional loading was 0.14 ± 0.39 mm. The stability value from the Periotest was −3.29 ± 0.50. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, judicious use of platform-switched narrow implants with a conical connection must be considered an alternative for wide-diameter implants to restore a posterior edentulous region.
Dental Implant-Abutment Design ; Humans ; Jaw ; Linear Models ; Prostheses and Implants ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUND: The presence of antibodies to aquaporin-4 (AQP4) has been identified as a key characteristic of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), an autoimmune inflammatory demyelinating central nervous system (CNS) disorder. We evaluated the performance of a cell-based indirect immunofluorescence assay (CIIFA) for detecting AQP4 antibodies using antigen prepared with a recombinant AQP4 peptide transfection technique and assessed the usefulness of CIIFA for diagnosis of NMOSD in routine clinical practice. METHODS: Forty-six serum samples from 36 patients as a comparison set and another 101 patients enrolled consecutively from a neurology clinic were included. CIIFA and fluorescence immunoprecipitation assays (FIPA) were performed. CIIFA was performed at 2 different institutions for comparison purposes. RESULTS: CIIFA and FIPA sensitivity in the comparison set was 86% and 79% in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) patients and 55% and 36% in high-risk NMO patients, respectively. The semiquantitative titer measured by CIIFA correlated well with the arbitrary unit (fluorescence units [FU]) derived from FIPA (r=0.66). Titers measured by CIIFA and FIPA were elevated in NMO patients compared to high-risk NMO patients (1:240 vs. 1:180 and 8,390 vs. 4,059 FU, respectively). The frequency of AQP4 antibody detection by CIIFA in 101 consecutively enrolled patients was 100% in NMO and 23% in high-risk NMO patients, while only 4.6% in control patients, including those with multiple sclerosis. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of AQP4 antibodies by CIIFA provides sensitive and highly specific diagnostic information for NMO and high-risk NMO patients, which can be used to differentiate these conditions from other demyelinating CNS diseases.
Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies/*blood ; Aquaporin 4/*immunology ; Female ; *Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuromyelitis Optica/*diagnosis ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic