STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Implant screw loosening has been remained problem in restorative practices. Surface treatment of screw plays a role of preventing screw from loosening in implant screw mechanism. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate surface characteristics of TiN and ZrN film ion plated screw with titanium and gold alloy screw and to evaluate wear resistance, surface roughness, and film adhesion on screw surface using various instruments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: GoldTite screws and titanium screws provided by 3i (Implant Innovation, USA) and TorqTite screws or titanium screws by Steri-Oss (Nobel Biocare, USA) and gold screws and titanium screws by AVANA (Osstem Implant, korea) were selected. Ion plating which is much superior to other surface modification techniques was carried out for gold screws and titanium screws using Ti and Zr coating materials with nitrogen gas. Ion nitrided surface of each abutment screw was observed with field emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM), micro-diamond scratch tester, vickers hardness tester, and surface roughness tester. RESULTS: 1) The surface of gold screw and GoldTite is more smooth than ones of other kinds of non coated screw. 2) The ZrN and TiN coated surface is the more smooth than ones of other kinds of screw. 3) The hardness of TiN and ZrN coated surface showed higher than that of non coated surface. 4) The TiN coated titanium screw and ZrN coated gold screw have a good wear resistance and adhesion on the surface. 5) The surface of ZrN coated screw showed low surface roughness compared with the surface of TiN coated screw. CONCLUSION: It is considered that the TiN and ZrN coated screw which would prevent a screw from loosening can be appilcable to implant system and confirmed that TiN and ZrN film act as lubricant on surface of screw due to decrease of friction for recycled tightening and loosening.
Alloys ; Dental Implants* ; Friction ; Hardness ; Hardness Tests ; Nitrogen ; Tin ; Titanium

Neurenteric cyst(enterogenous cyst) is a rare congenital lesion, usually affecting the lower cervical or upper thoracic areas, and its occurrence in cranial vault is even rarer. We present a patient with intracranial neurenteric cyst anterior to the pons and medulla oblongata. A 40-year old man presented with two-month history of occipital headache and facial spasm. The cyst was decompressed via far lateral suboccipital approach, and the patient recovered without permanent neurological deficits. Features on imaging studies and histological findings are discussed with the review of the literatures.
Adult ; Cranial Fossa, Posterior* ; Headache ; Humans ; Medulla Oblongata ; Neural Tube Defects* ; Pons ; Spasm

Skip lesion is not uncommon feature in osteosarcoma and considered to be importantly associated with poor prognosis factor, and thus, should be excised with the main mass. The accurate pre-operative evaluation of the intramedullary extent of osteosarcoma is essential, because it determines the level of bone resection. Among the reliable detection methods, bone scan has a drawback of high rate of false negative results and regional MRI has a difficulty to cover the whole involved lesions without clinical suspicion. The authors report a case of osteosarcoma of the distal femur with a proximal skip lesion that was not detected by either regional MR imaging or by bone scan, but which was visualized by FDG-PET/CT.
Complement System Proteins ; Femur ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteosarcoma ; Prognosis

BACKGROUNDS: Today, tuberculosis cannot only be cured medically, but also controlled by public health. Despite the overall worldwide decline in tuberculosis, the disease continues to be a significant problem among developing countries and in the slums of large cities in some industrialized countries. Particularly, this communicable disease has come into the public health spotlight because of its resurgence in the 1990's Our country has been operating the Korean National Tuberculosis Control Program since 1962, focusing around public health centers. Therefore, this study aims to compare the effectiveness of tuberculosis control activities, one of the major public health activities in Korea, by producing indexes, such as the yearly registration rate per 100,000 population and treatment compliance of tuberculosis on in small areas (communities). METHODS: This work was accomplished by constructing a time-series analytic model using data from "1980~2000 : the Yearly Statistical Report" with patient registry data of 234 City. County. District public health centers and by identifying the factors influencing the tuberculosis indexes. RESULTS: The trends of pulmonary tuberculosis positive point prevalence and pulmonary tuberculosis negative point prevalence on X-ray screening have declined steadily, beginning in 1981 and continuing to 1998 by region (city. county. district). Although the tuberculosis mortality rate steadily shows a declining trend by year and region, but Korea still ranks first among 29 OECD countries in 1998, with a tuberculosis mortality rate of 7.1 per 100,000 persons, according to the time-series analysis for fatal diseases. CONCLUSION: The results of the study will form the fundamental basis of future health care planning and the Korean Tuberculosis Surveillance System on 2000. Since the implementation of local autonomy through the Local Health Act of 1995. it has now become vital for each city. county. district public health centers to determine its own priorities for relevant health care management, including budget allocation and program goals.
Budgets ; Communicable Diseases ; Compliance ; Delivery of Health Care ; Developed Countries ; Developing Countries ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Mortality ; Poverty Areas ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study is to identify the factors that predict mortality in elderly trauma patients. METHOD: We reviewed retrospectively the medical record of 144 cases of geriatric trauma admitted to Kyungpook National University Hospital firm January 1998 to December 1998. We evaluated the general characteristics, mechanisms of injury, Revised Trauma Score(RTS), Injury Severity Score(ISS), Probability of survival(Ps) by TRISS(Trauma and Injury Severity Score) method, amount of blood transfused, preexisting disease, complications, length of stay, and mortality. RESULTS: 1. The mean age was 75.39+/-7.89 years old, and male to female ratio was 0.89 : 1. 2. The mechanisms of injury were primarily frills(56.3%) followed by bicycle or motorcycle(13.9%), and pedestrian injuries(13.2%) and motor vehicle accidents(6.9%). 3. The mean Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS), RTS and ISS ate 13.3+/-3.5, 7.2+/-1.4 and 14.2 +/-11.6 respectively. 4. The actual mortality rate was 18.1% (26/144). But by TRISS method, predicted mortality rate was 9.3%(12.5/144), excess mortality rate was 108% and Z score was 3.99 indicating that actual number of death exceed predicted number of death. 5. Between the survivors and nonsurvivors, the insults were significantly different as follows ; systolic blood pressure(141.9+/-28.3 vs. 116.8+/-48.7 mmHg), GCS(14.3+/-2.0 vs. 9.0 +/-5.1), RTS(7.8+/-0.7 vs 5.4+/-2.3), ISS(11.3+/-5.6 vs 27.2+/-20.2), Ps by TRISS(0.97+/-0.06 vs 0.65+/-0.37), preexisting diseases(50.8 vs 69.8%). CONCLUSION: Geriatric patients are more likely to die after trauma than other age groups. The cause of higher actual mortality rate compared to predicted mortality rate was considered as the higher incidence of delayed death due to sepsis or multiple organ failure. In order to reduce the mortality, even with relatively stable initial vile sign, invasive hemodynamic monitoring and intensive treatment are recommended and also, prevention and treatment of nosocomial infection are very important.
Aged ; Coma ; Cross Infection ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Medical Records ; Mortality* ; Motor Vehicles ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Preexisting Condition Coverage ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Survivors

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of TiN coating of abutment screw on the unscrewing torque. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Titanium and Gold-Tite abutment screws were classified into two groups, Group A and C respectively, as control groups. Titanium abutment screws with TiN coatings were also classified into two groups, Group B and D, as experimental ones. Group A and B were tightened to 20 Ncm input torque, and Group C and D were tightened to 32 Ncm torque. Detorque values were measured with digital torque gauge during repeated closing and opening experiment. RESULTS: Abutment screws with TiN coating (Group B and D) showed statistically significant higher mean detorque values than those of Group A and C. DISSCUSION: Physical properties of TiN coating, such as low friction coefficient, high hardness and wear resistance, might contribute to higher detorque values. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that TiN coating of abutment screw help to reduce the risk of screw loosening and improve the stability of screw joint.
Friction ; Hardness ; Joints ; Tin* ; Titanium ; Torque

Various methods of nasal reconstruction were performed over time. The physiology and anatomy of nose were clarified and its aesthetic subunits were employed, more improvement and modification were performed. The bilobed flap is particularly suitable for reconstruction of small or medium sized nasal defect up to 1.5 cm in diameter. Authors performed 6 cases of the bilobed flap for the defect of nasal dorsum (4 cases: basal cell carcinoma, 2 cases: compound nevus) from March 2000 to February 2001. The bilobed flap was medially based and second lobe was positioned on the nasal alar groove. This flap results in little or no distortion around tissue, by which scars of nasal dorsum and dog-ear deformity are reduced. Moreover we could achieve better cosmetic results for the scar, primary repair site of the second lobe, which is concealed by nasal alar groove.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Cicatrix ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Nose ; Physiology

Purpose: To report a case of late-onset bleb-associated endophthalmitis caused by streptococcus cristatus (S. cristatus) after trabeculectomy.Case summary: A 59-year-old woman presented with left ocular pain and visual disturbance. She had undergone trabeculectomy of the left eye 2 years ago. At the initial visit, she was only able to count fingers from the left eye. Whitish thin bleb, conjunctival injection, and inflammation were observed in the left anterior chamber, and the fundus could not be visualized. Despite administering topical and systemic antibiotics, the chamber reaction worsened, and hypopyon and inflammatory membrane were noticed the next day. Vitrectomy with phacoemulsification and intravitreal antibiotic injection was performed, and the intravitreal antibiotic injections were repeated over the next two days. Bacterial culture of vitreous fluid showed a growth of S. cristatus 5 days after the surgery, and inflammation improved after 7 days. One month later, she was still only able to count fingers from the left eye, but there were no signs of endophthalmitis. Conclusions Postoperative endophthalmitis after glaucoma filtering surgeries caused by S. cristatus has not been reported previously from Korea. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first Korean case of late-onset bleb-associated endophthalmitis caused by S. cristatus. If gram-positive cocci are grown in samples from the patients with endophthalmitis after trabeculectomy, resident oral microflora such as S. cristatus should be considered as the causative pathogen.

BACKGROUND: The S100A2 gene, also known as S100L or CaN19, encodes a protein comprised of 99-amino acids, is a member of the calcium-binding proteins of EF-hand family. According to a recent study, this gene was over-expressed in several early and malignant carcinomas compared to normal tissues. To elucidate the role of S100A2 protein in the process during carcinogenesis, production of monoclonal antibody specific to the protein is essential. METHODS: First, cDNA sequence coding for ORF region of human S100A2 gene was amplified and cloned into an expression vector to produce GST fusion protein. Recombinant S100A2 protein and subsequently, monoclonal antibody to the protein were produced. The specificity of anti-S100A2 monoclonal antibody was confirmed by immunoblot analysis of cross reactivity to other recombinant proteins of S100A family (GST-S100A1, GST-S100A4 and GST-S100A6). To confirm the relation of S100A2 to cervical carcinogenesis, S100A2 protein in early cervical carcinoma tissue was immunostained using the monoclonal antibody. RESULTS: GST-S100A2 recombinant protein was purified by affinity chromatography and then fusion protein was cleaved and S100A2 protein was isolated. The monoclonal antibody (KK0723; Korean patent pending #2001-30294) to the protein was produced and the antibody did not react with other members of EF-hand family proteins such as S100A1, S100A4 and S100A6. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that anti-S100A2 monoclonal antibody produced in this study can be very useful for the early detection of cervical carcinoma and elucidation of mechanism during the early cervical carcinogenesis
Animals ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; Carcinogenesis ; Chromatography, Affinity ; Clinical Coding ; Clone Cells ; DNA, Complementary ; Ecthyma, Contagious ; Humans* ; Recombinant Proteins ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Purpose: This article was to collect data on the safety of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in children with underlying medical conditions. Methods: We constructed a prospective cohort of children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 years who had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Patients diagnosed with and treated for chronic kidney disease, autoimmune disease, or other chronic conditions at the Seoul National University Children’s Hospital were recruited from June to December 2022. A mobile survey questionnaire was sent to their guardians. The presence of adverse events on the day (day 0), 3 weeks (day 21), and 6 months (day 180) after the 1st dose of COVID-19 vaccine was recorded by the guardians. Results: A total of 73 children participated. The median age was 14 years, and 64.4% of the patients were male. On the day of immunization, 65.8% of the patients reported at least one adverse event. Pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, arthralgia, and myalgia were the most common symptoms. The prevalence of adverse events decreased over time (65.8% on day 0, 27.4% between days 0 and 21, and 24.6% between days 21 and 180). Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection after the 1st dose occurred in 17 patients (23.3%) and one of the patients (5.88%) was hospitalized due to infection. Conclusions Adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination were generally mild in children and adolescents with underlying medical conditions. Our findings provide evidence for the safety of COVID-19 vaccination in the vulnerable pediatric population.