Soft denture liners or conditioners may be valuable therapeutic materials. The life of these liners is short and varies, but it can be extended by the use of a mono-poly(polymethyl methacrylate coating material). This study determined whether coating three temporary soft denture liners with mono-poly affected the resiliency of soft liners, and evaluated the ability of mono-poly to prevent water absorption and alcohol loss from the underlying soft liners. 20x12mm cylindrical specimens of Coe-Soft, Soft-Liner, Coe-Comfort soft lining materials were made and divided into two groups of mono-poly uncoated(control) and mono-poly coated specimens. Specimens were immersed in water and compressed on an instron universal testing machine and weighted at initial, 24 hours, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks. resiliency was determined by measuring the energy absorbed by the soft liners when stressed to a specific yield point. Mono-poly coating significantly increased the resiliency of the Soft-Liner, but had no effect on the other soft liners. Among the 3 soft liners, Soft-Liner showed the hightest resiliency and modulus of elasticity. The weight loss in Soft-Liner was the least among the 3 liners, and the weight loss in Coe-Soft was decreased by monopoly coating.
Absorption ; Denture Liners* ; Dentures* ; Elastic Modulus ; Water ; Weight Loss

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Anatomic Landmarks* ; Humans ; Vertical Dimension*

Calciphylaxsis is a rare and life-threatening condition of progressive cutaneous necrosis secondary to calcification of small and medium-sized blood vessels. It is seen almost exclusively in patients with end-stage renal disease, in a setting of secondary hyperparathyroidism and hypercalcemia resulting in metastatic vascular calcification, We experienced a case of calciphylaxsis manifested with chara- cteristic cutaneous lesions that began as tender violaceous livedoid discolorations and subsequent ulceration on the proximal aspect of the extremities and on the lower part of the abdomen. Histologically, calcification is found in small and medium-sized blood vessels in the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissue. The patient had been treated for hypercalcemia, not complicating renal failure, but the cause of hypercalcemia was not found. However, the hypercalcemia was contolled and the skin lesions also improved after oral prednisolone therapy. Our case is a rare presentation of calciphylaxsis in the absence of renal failure, reversibly improved.
Abdomen ; Blood Vessels ; Dermis ; Extremities ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; Hyperparathyroidism, Secondary ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Necrosis ; Prednisolone ; Renal Insufficiency ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Ulcer ; Vascular Calcification

PURPOSE: Allelic loss on chromosome 18q is a hallmark of presence of a tummor represser gene. Recently, DPC4 (deleted in pancreatic carcinoma, locus 4), a candidate tumor suppressor gene, has been localized at 18q21. Inactivation of DPC4 gene was reported in pancreatic carcinomas, coloretal carcinomas, and prostatic carcinomas. The aim of the present study was to determine if it might be altered in stomach cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We tested for DPC4 gene mutations and allelic status at 18q21 using a modified 'cold SSCP' method in 48 primary gastric carcinoma and correlated the findings with various clinicopathologic characteristics of the patients. RESULTS: The frequency of mutations in primary gastric cancer was 27.1% (13/48). Mutations of exon 1, 8, 10 were found in 2 (4.1%), 4 (8.2%) and 7 cases (14.6%), respectively. DNA sequencing of 13 cases with DPC4 mutations identified six cases (46.1%) with substitution, four cases with deletion (30.7%), and two cases (23.1%) with insertion. No significant difference was observed in the frequency of DPC4 mutations in terms of other various clinicopathologic characteristics. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that DPC4 mutations may play a significant role in the establishment and progression of the primary gastric cancer.
Exons ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans* ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach*

No abstract available.
Erythema Multiforme* ; Erythema* ; Lymphoma*

BACKGROUND: Vasoconstrictors have been used as an adjunct to local anesthetics to prolong the duration of spinal anesthesia. Recently, clonidine, an 2-receptor agonist has been shown to prolong the duration of spinal anesthesia following intrathecal administration. Bupivacaine has been used for spinal anesthesia and compared with tetracaine in recent studies. We have undertaken this study to further evaluate the effect of clonidine in hyperbaric 0.5% bupivacaine spinal anesthesia. METHODS: Thirty patients who were scheduled for lower limb or urologic operation were divided into 2 groups: Group A (hyperbaric bupivacaine 13 mg, 2.6 ml + N/S 1 ml), Group B (hyperbaric bupivacaine 13 mg, 2.6 ml + clonidine 150 g, 1 ml). We used standardized techniques and injected above drugs to group A and B intrathecally for spinal anesthesia. We investigated the onset and the duration of spinal anesthesia along with hemodynamic changes (blood pressure and heart rate) in patients. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the onset of spinal anesthesia and hemodynamic changes between two groups. The time taken to recover from the nerve block was more prolonged in the group B (touch 225, pain 262, foot dorsiflexion 271, knee flexion 290 minutes) than group A (touch 154, pain 188, foot dorsiflexion 198, knee flexion 216 minutes). There were no significant differences in sedation, and in experiencing dry mouth and other side effects between two groups. CONCLUSION: Intrathecal clonidine 150 g has been proved to prolong the duration of hyperbaric 0.5% bupivacaine spinal anesthesia without neurotoxicity or dangerous hemodynamic depression. Therefore, clonidine can be used as an effective adjunct in hyperbaric bupivacaine spinal anesthesia.
Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Anesthetics, Local ; Bupivacaine* ; Clonidine* ; Depression ; Foot ; Heart ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Knee ; Lower Extremity ; Mouth ; Nerve Block ; Tetracaine ; Vasoconstrictor Agents

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of diet related factors, such as diet behaviors, food intake, and nutrient intakes, on self-rated health (SRH). Also, in order to determine fitness of classification for SRH reflecting diet related factors, this study surveyed older adults in Gyeongnam province. A total of 101 responses were collected using the interview survey method. The self- rated health of rural older adults was poor as reported by 49.5%. The level of self-rated health was found to be related to the frequencies of coffee and snack, use of sugar and vegetable in diet, the amount of total food intake, and cholesterol intake. The result of discriminant analysis, which was conducted to assess the adequacy of SRH classification and to determine the class of observation, showed frequency of coffee and use of vegetable in diet among 47 variables as predictive variables for explaining SRH. The fitness of self-rated health function was high to 47.7%. Therefore, diet-related factors were ascertained to be important variables to predict SRH.
Adult ; Cholesterol ; Coffee ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Diet ; Discriminant Analysis ; Eating ; Humans ; Snacks ; Vegetables

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Resonance frequency analysis has been increasingly served as a noninvasive and objective method for clinical monitoring of implant stability. Many clinical studies must be required for standardized data using RFA. PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate RFA value changes in two anodized implant groups. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Among a total of 24 implants, twelve screw shaped implants as a test group (H2-R8.5) were manufactured, which had a pitch-height of 0.4 mm, an outer diameter of 4.3 mm, a length of 8.5 mm, and external hexa-headed, were turned from 5 mm rods of commercially pure titanium (ASTM Grade IV, Warantec Co., Seoul, Korea), and another twelve implants as a control group were Branemark Ti-Unite MK4 (diameter 4.0 mm, length 8.5 mm). Each group was installed in tibia of rabbit. Two implants were placed in each tibia (four implants per rabbit). Test two implants were inserted in right side and control two in left side. ISQ values were measured using Osstell(TM) (Integration Diagnostics Ltd. Sweden) during fixture installation, and 12 weeks later and evaluated the RFA changes. RESULTS: Mean and SD of baseline ISQ values of test group were 75.0 +/- 3.4 and 68.7 +/- 8.1 for control group. Mean and SD of ISQ values 12 weeks after implant insertion were 73.2 +/- 4.7 for test group and 72.6 +/- 3.9 for control group. There were no statistically significant differences between groups in ISQ values after 3months (P>0.05). From the data, RFA gains after 3 months were calculated, and there was statistically significant difference between groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Although there were RFA changes between groups, implant stability after experimental period shows alike tendency and good bone responses.
Seoul ; Tibia ; Titanium

This review-article is aimed at shedding a light upon the nature of age-associated changes in the human skeletal system. When the anatomical, physiological and biochemical consequences of bone aging are considered together with the hardening, drying and the diminished repair capabilities of the elderly, it can be seen that fractures assume greater importance as a clinical problem in the geriatric population. Older people start out with a deficit of cortical bone, making them more fracture prone and once fractures occur, the necessary treatments (immobilization, use of casts, etc.) accelerate the rate of bone loss. In addition, aged individuals stand a higher risk for complications of the hospital and enforced bed rest that may ensue. The problems resulting from bone loss in the elderly may be partially alleviated by providing adequate health service support which should include consideration of the following points : 1. Age, sex and general health status ; 2. Habits and inclinations towards physical activities ; 3. Nutritional and endocrine background ; 4. Presence of any specific bone diseases, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, osteomalacia and ankylosis ; 5. Psychosocial adaptability and other behavioral elements.
Aged ; Aging ; Ankylosis ; Bed Rest ; Biology* ; Bone Diseases ; Health Services ; Humans* ; Motor Activity ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteomalacia ; Osteoporosis

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of amniotic membrane extract (AME) on the survival, nitric oxide production by cultured human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts (HTCF) and contraction of collagen gels. METHODS: After exposure to 5~20 g/ml AME for 5 days, the survival and nitrite production of the primarily cultured HTCF were assessed with MTT and Griess assays respectively. Acridine orange/Hoechst 33342 double staining and flow cytometric analysis using FITC-Annexin/propidium iodide double staining were done to evaluate AME-induced apoptosis of HTCF. The effect of AME on the contraction of collagen gels cultured with fibroblast was also evaluated. RESULTS: AME decreased cellular survival in a dose-dependent manner and did not affect the production of nitric oxide. AME caused apoptotic death of HTCF in a dose-dependent manner and caused necrosis at high concentration (20 g/ml). AME did not affect on the contraction of collagen gel. CONCLUSIONS: AME decreased cellular survival of HTCF by apoptosis and did not affect the contraction of collagen gels. Thus AME could modulate conjunctival wound healing by suppressing the cellular survival and activity of HTCF.
Amnion* ; Apoptosis ; Collagen ; Fibroblasts* ; Gels ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Nitric Oxide ; Tenon Capsule* ; Wound Healing