No abstract available.
Anemia, Refractory* ; Cyclosporine*

BACKGROUND: We investigated relationships between generalized joint laxity and primary lumbar disc herniation occurrence and compared clinical outcomes after conservative treatment in lumbar disc herniation patients with and without generalized joint laxity. METHODS: The study group included 128 men, and the control group included 276 men matched for age and body mass index with the study group. The primary outcome measure was the presence or absence of generalized joint laxity using the Beighton scale. Clinical outcomes measured by the visual analog scale and the Oswestry disability index 2 years after conservative treatment were the secondary outcome measure. RESULTS: Generalized joint laxity prevalence was 13.2% in the study group and 5.1% in the control group, a significant difference (P=0.01). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that weight (r=0.162, P=0.03), body mass index (r=0.131, P=0.03), and generalized joint laxity (r=0.372, P<0.01) significantly correlated with lumbar disc herniation occurrence. In multivariate regression analysis, generalized joint laxity was the only significant lumbar disc herniation predictor (P=0.002; 95% confidence interval, 1.08 to 5.26). Generalized joint laxity in lumbar disc herniation patients was associated with worse clinical outcomes after conservative treatment measured by visual analog scale scores for lower extremity pain (P=0.02), lower back pain (P=0.03), and Oswestry disability index scores (P=0.03). CONCLUSION: Generalized joint laxity might be associated with lumbar disc herniation occurrence and might also be a negative predictor of worse clinical outcomes after conservative treatment.
Body Mass Index ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Joint Instability* ; Low Back Pain ; Lower Extremity ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Male ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prevalence ; Treatment Outcome* ; Visual Analog Scale

PURPOSE: The purpose of the current study was to examine the effect of dexamethasone (Dex) at various concentrations on the apoptosis and mineralization of human periodontal ligament (hPDL) cells. METHODS: hPDL cells were obtained from the mid-third of premolars extracted for orthodontic reasons, and a primary culture of hPDL cells was prepared using an explant technique. Groups of cells were divided according to the concentration of Dex (0, 1, 10, 100, and 1,000 nM). A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was performed for evaluation of cellular viability, and alkaline phosphatase activity was examined for osteogenic differentiation of hPDL cells. Alizarin Red S staining was performed for observation of mineralization, and real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed for the evaluation of related genes. RESULTS: Increasing the Dex concentration was found to reduce cellular viability, with an increase in alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralization. Within the range of Dex concentrations tested in this study, 100 nM of Dex was found to promote the most vigorous differentiation and mineralization of hPDL cells. Dex-induced osteogenic differentiation and mineralization was accompanied by an increase in the level of osteogenic and apoptosis-related genes and a reduction in the level of antiapoptotic genes. The decrease in hPDL cellular viability by glucocorticoid may be explained in part by the increased prevalence of cell apoptosis, as demonstrated by BAX expression and decreased expression of the antiapoptotic gene, Bcl-2. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in hPDL cell differentiation rather than cellular viability at an early stage is likely to be a key factor in glucocorticoid induced mineralization. In addition, apoptosis might play an important role in Dex-induced tissue regeneration; however, further study is needed for investigation of the precise mechanism.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Anthraquinones ; Apoptosis ; Bicuspid ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Survival ; Dexamethasone ; Durapatite ; Humans ; Periodontal Ligament ; Prevalence ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tetrazolium Salts ; Thiazoles

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthases (iNOS), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-3, and TIMP-4 in the gingival tissues of periodontal patients with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: Depending on the patient's systemic condition and clinical criteria of the gingiva, each gingival sample was classified into one of three groups. Sixteen clinically, systemically healthy patients (group 1), 16 periodontal patients (group 2), and 16 periodontal patients with DM (group 3) were included. Tissue samples in each group were collected, prepared, and analyzed by western blotting. Quantification of the relative amount of TIMP-3, TIMP-4, and iNOS was performed. RESULTS: The expression levels of iNOS and TIMP-3 both increased in group 1, group 2, and group 3 in increasing order, and were significantly higher in both group 2 and group 3 as compared to group 1 (P<0.05). The expression levels of TIMP-4 increased in the same order, but significantly increased in group 2 as compared to group 1, in group 3 as compared to group 1, and group 3 as compared to group 2 (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that iNOS, TIMP-3, and TIMP-4 might be involved in the progression of periodontal inflammation associated with type 2 DM. It is thought that further study of these factors can be applied practically for the diagnosis and control of periodontitis in diabetics.
Blotting, Western ; Chronic Periodontitis ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Gingiva ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Periodontitis ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-3 ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the crown-to-implant (C/I) ratio on the change in marginal bone level around the implant and to determine the site-related factors influencing the relationship between the C/I ratio and periimplant marginal bone loss. METHODS: A total of 259 implants from 175 patients were evaluated at a mean follow-up of five years. Implants were divided into two groups according to their C/I ratios: < or =1, and >1. Site-related factors having an influence on the relationship between C/I ratio and periimplant marginal bone loss were analyzed according to the implant location, implant diameter, implant manufacturer, prosthesis type, and guided bone regeneration (GBR) procedure. RESULTS: It was found that 1) implants with a C/I ratio below 1 exhibited greater periimplant marginal bone loss than implants with a C/I ratio more than 1, 2) site-related factors had an effect on periimplant marginal bone loss, except for the implant system used, 3) the C/I ratio was the factor having more dominant influence on periimplant marginal bone loss, compared with implant diameter, prosthesis type, implant location, and GBR procedure, 4) implants with a C/I ratio below 1 showed greater periimplant marginal bone loss than implants with a C/I ratio greater than 1 in the maxilla, but not in the mandible, 5) and periimplant marginal bone loss was more affected by the implant system than the C/I ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, implants with a higher C/I ratio exhibited less marginal bone loss than implants with a lower C/I ratio in the posterior regions. The C/I ratio was a more dominant factor affecting periimplant marginal bone loss in the maxilla than the mandible. Meanwhile, the implant system was a more dominant factor influencing periimplant marginal bone loss than the C/I ratio.
Alveolar Bone Loss ; Bone Regeneration ; Dental Implants ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Prostheses and Implants ; Retrospective Studies

Purpose: This study was conducted to develop a convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm that can diagnose cervical foraminal stenosis using oblique radiographs and evaluate its accuracy. Materials and Methods: A total of 997 patients who underwent cervical MRI and cervical oblique radiographs within a 3-month interval were included. Oblique radiographs were labeled as “foraminal stenosis” or “no foraminal stenosis” according to whether foraminal stenosis was present in the C2–T1 levels based on MRI evaluation as ground truth. The CNN model involved data augmentation, image preprocessing, and transfer learning using DenseNet161. Visualization of the location of the CNN model was performed using gradient-weight class activation mapping (Grad-CAM). Results: The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve based on DenseNet161 was 0.889 (95% confidence interval, 0.851–0.927). The F1 score, accuracy, precision, and recall were 88.5%, 84.6%, 88.1%, and 88.5%, respectively.The accuracy of the proposed CNN model was significantly higher than that of two orthopedic surgeons (64.0%, p<0.001; 58.0%, p<0.001). Grad-CAM analysis demonstrated that the CNN model most frequently focused on the foramen location for the determination of foraminal stenosis, although disc space was also frequently taken into consideration. Conclusion A CNN algorithm that can detect neural foraminal stenosis in cervical oblique radiographs was developed. The AUC, F1 score, and accuracy were 0.889, 88.5%, and 84.6%, respectively. With the current CNN model, cervical oblique radiography could be a more effective screening tool for neural foraminal stenosis.

We describe a 58-year-old woman who was incidentally found to have gastric and colonic polyposis, hypoalbuminemia, cutaneous hyperpigmentation and onychodystrophy (Cronkhite-Canada syndrome). Histology of polyps from the stomach showed features of juvenile or retention type (hamartomatous) polyps with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. The large pedunculated colonic polyps showed hamartomatous polyps with adenomatous component and polypectomy was performed. After the treatment with H. pylori eradication and omeprazole, the gastric polyposis, hypoalbuminemia and anemia regressed, and endoscopic polypectomy of gastric polyps were performed. After the continuous use of omeprazole for 14 months, the patient showed complete resolution of clinical features of Cronkhite-Canada syndome. The experience of this case suggests that eradication of H. pylori and proton pump inhibitor treatment might be considered in patients with gastric polyposis combined with Cronkhite-Canada syndome.
Anti-Ulcer Agents/*therapeutic use ; Colonic Polyps/complications/microbiology/pathology ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections/complications/*drug therapy ; *Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation/pathology ; Middle Aged ; Nails, Malformed/pathology ; Omeprazole/*therapeutic use ; Polyps/*complications/microbiology/pathology ; Proton Pumps/antagonists & inhibitors ; Stomach Neoplasms/*complications/microbiology/pathology ; Syndrome

Combined peginterferon and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C is associated with several adverse side effects, but sudden deafness is uncommon. Here we report the case of a 62-year-old female with chronic hepatitis C (genotype 1b) who developed sudden deafness after completing 12 months of treatment with peginterferon alpha2a (180 microg/week) and ribavirin (1,000 mg/day). Pure-tone audiometry revealed a right-sided sensorineural hearing loss, which did not respond to 2 weeks of systemic corticosteroid therapy. Six months after the end of treatment for chronic hepatitis C, her qualitatively determined hepatitis C virus RNA level was 121,000 IU/mL. Following therapeutic failure, the patient was observed without retreatment for chronic hepatitis C or her hearing loss for a period of 12 months, during which time her hearing recovered almost completely.
Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Female ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden* ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis C, Chronic* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Retreatment ; Ribavirin* ; RNA

No abstract available.
Humans ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute* ; Teratoma*

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to survey the nation wide susceptibilities of Esherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae against cefotaxime and to determine the prevalence of CTX-M-type extended-spectrum beta- lactamases(ESBLs). METHODS: During the period of April to June, 2002, E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates were collected from 13 hospitals. Antimicrobial susceptibilities to cefotaxime were tested by the disk diffusion method. ESBL production was determined by double disk synergy test. Cefotaxime-resistance of the ESBL-producers was transferred to azide-resistant E. coli J53 by conjugation. MICs of beta- lactam antibiotics were determined by agar dilution method. Searches for blaCTX-M genes were performed by PCR amplication. pIs of beta-lactamases were determined by isoelectric focusing. RESULTS: Ten percents of E. coli and 35 percents of K. pneumoniae isolates among 260 strains of each were intermediate or resistant to cefotaxime. Twenty-three isolates of E. coli and 78 K. pneumoniae isolates showed positive results in the double disk synergy test. One isolate of E. coli and 2 K. pneumoniae isolates harbored blaCTX-M-3 gene, 2 E. coli isolates harbored blaCTX-M-15 gene, and 2 E. coli and 2 K. pneumoniae isolates harbored blaCTX-M-14 gene. CONCLUSION: E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolates producing CTX-M-type ESBLs are not uncommon in Korean hospitals. The spread of CTX-M-type ESBL genes could compromise the future usefulness of 3rd generation cephalosporins and aztreonam for the treatment of E. coli and K. pneumoniae infections.
Agar ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Aztreonam ; beta-Lactamases ; Cefotaxime ; Cephalosporins ; Diffusion ; Isoelectric Focusing ; Klebsiella pneumoniae* ; Klebsiella* ; Korea* ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence*