The color change of maxillofacial silicone has been attributed to certain environmental factors such as exposure to the UV component of natural sunlight, wetting and drying of the elastomer, and surface abrasion resulting from the application and removal of cosmetics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the color change of maxillofacial silicone (Silastic MDX4-4210) according to type of pigment (cadmium yellow, titanium white, cosmetic red), and UV absorber application method after 200, 400, and 600 hours of 350nm UV light irradiation. The results were as follows. 1. According to type of pigments, after 200 hours cosmetic red showed significantly larger color change than cadmium yellow and titanium white, and after 400 and 600 hours color change significantly decreased in the order of cosmetic red, cadmium yellow, and titanium white (p<0.05). 2. In the cadmium yellow group, after 200 hours, the non-treatment group showed significantly larger color change, but after 400 and 600hours, color change significantly decreased in the order of non-treatment, surface application and mixed group (p<0.05). 3. In the titanium white group, there was no significant color change difference between the three groups after 200 and 400 hours, but after 600 hours, the mixed group showed significantly smaller color change than the non-treatment and surface application groups (p<0.05). 4. In the cosmetic red group, there was significant decrease in color change in the order non-treatment, surface application and mixed group (p<0.05). From the results above, the effect of UV light absorber differed according to the type of pigment, but mixing UV light aborber with maxillofacial silicone is thought to give superior resistance against UV light irradiation in the long run.
Cadmium ; Elastomers ; Silicones* ; Sunlight ; Titanium ; Ultraviolet Rays*

No abstract available.
Bone Plates ; Mandible ; Odontoma ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Ovary*

No abstract available.
Hydrops Fetalis*

OBJECTIVE: There are few reports on the clinical outcomes of the percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy(PELD) with laser for the treatment of far lateral lumbar disc herniation. The objective of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of the PELD with laser for the treatment of far lateral lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: The clinical records of 42 patients who had far lateral lumbar disc herniation and underwent PELD with laser between January 1996 and August 2002 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 24(57.1%) males and 18(42.9%) females, with a mean age of 53(range, 26-73) years. The surgical procedure was performed via a posterolateral approach after induction of a local anesthesis. The clinical outcomes were measured with MacNabO s criteria. The mean follow-up period was 38(range, 5-77) months. RESULTS: Clinical outcomes were revealed as follows: excellent in 28 patients(66.7%); good in 11(26.2%); fair in 2(4.7%); and poor in 1(2.4%). Therefore, the percentage of successful(excellent and good) outcomes was 92.9%. There was no statistically significant variation in the success rates according to age and operation level(p>0.05). Before the introduction of the high resolution endoscope, the success rate was 90.3% but after upgrading to the high resolution endoscope, the success rate was 100%, and there was a statistically significant variation in the success rate(p<0.05). In all cases, there was no complication or recurrence. CONCLUSION: As a minimally invasive surgery, PELD with laser is a safe and efficacious procedure for the treatment of far lateral disc herniation.
Diskectomy* ; Endoscopes ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive

No abstract available.
Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic*

No abstract available.
Family Practice* ; Fatigue* ; Humans ; Pilot Projects* ; Prospective Studies*

No abstract available.
Gonadotropins* ; Growth Hormone* ; Humans* ; Hypogonadism*

No abstract available.
Fallopian Tubes* ; Female ; Mucous Membrane* ; Sterilization*

Scleroderma is a connective tissue disease characterized by excessive accumulation of collagen in skin and visceral organs due to increased collagen production by scleroderma fibroblasts. The basic etiology of this collagen accumulation is not known. We examined the expression of various extracellular matrix genes in cultured fibrolasts using Northern blot and slot-blot hybridization. The scleroderma fibroblasts exhibited characteristic mRNA size of extracellular matrix genes and prominanty increased type I and III procollagen mRNAs levels compared to control fibroblasts cultures from univolved skin. The ratios of type I /IE procollagen in scleroderma cell lines were not so much different to the controls. These results indicate that increases of collagen biosynthesis in scleroderma can be a accounted for, at least in part, by an increased content of transcriptable type I and type JE procollagen mRNAs, both.
Blotting, Northern ; Cell Line ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Extracellular Matrix ; Fibroblasts* ; Procollagen ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin