The purpose of this study was to evaluate in vitro the effects during subgingival calculus removal using Nd:YAG laser. The study group was consisted of 30 teeth with advanced periodontal disease extracted before the start of periodontal therapy. The specimens were divided into 8 different groups : 1) untreated control 2) scaling and root planing only 3) laser treated using 150mJ/pulse, 1sec, 5sec, contact mode 4) laser treated using 200mJ/pulse, 5sec, contact mode 5) laser treated using 150mJ/pulse, 1sec, non-contact mode 6) laser treated using 200mJ/pulse, 5sec, non-contact mode 7) laser treated using 150mJ/pulse, 1sec, contact mode with water irrigation 8) laser treated using 200mJ/pulse, 5sec, contact mode with water irrigation. All specimens were prepared for evaluation by scanning electron microscopy(SEM). Specimens from Group 2 exhibited a smear layer of scale like texture with parallel instrument tracks resulting from curet use. Specimens treated by contact mode, Group 3 and 4 featured surface changes not observed in controls such as charring, randomly distributed pitting and crater formation, and melting down of the tooth material and calculus. Specimens treated by noncontact mode, Group 5 and 6 featured similar surface changes observed in contact mode. However, the differences between contact and non-contact groups not significant. Specimens treated by contact mode with water irrigation, Group 7 and 8 featured slight surface change compared to other groups. The results suggested that Nd: YAG laser did not completely remove the subgingival calculus but was possible the application as adjunctive method.
Calculi* ; Freezing ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Periodontal Diseases ; Root Planing ; Smear Layer ; Tooth ; Trout ; Water

The fibroblasts are the principal cells in the periodontal ligament of periodontium. As the periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLF) show similar phenotype with osteoblasts, the PDLF are thought to play an important role in alveolar bone remodeling. Cell-to-cell contacted signaling is crucial for osteoclast formation. Recently it has been reported that PDLF enhance the bone resorbing activity of osteoclasts differentiated from hematopoietic preosteoclasts. The aims of this study were to clarify the mechanism of PDLF-induced osteoclastogenesis and 2) whether we can use preosteoclast cell line instead of primary hematopoietic preosteoclast cells for studying the mechanism of PDLF-induced osteoclastogenesis. Osteoclastic differentiation of mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7 was compared with that of mouse bone marrow-derived M-CSF dependent cell (MDBM), a well-known hematopoietic preosteoclast model, by examining, 1) osteoclast-specific gene expression such as calcitonin receptor, M-CSF receptor (c-fms), cathepsin K, receptor activator nuclear factor kappa B (RANK), 2) generation of TRAP(+) multinucleated cells (MNCs), and 3) generation of resorption pit on the OAASTM plate. RAW264.7 cultured in the medium containing of soluble osteoclast differentiation factor (sODF) showed similar phenotype with MDBM-derived osteoclasts, those are mRNA expression pattern of osteoclast-specific genes, TRAP(+) MNCs generation, and bone resorbing activity. Formation of resorption pits by osteoclastic MNCs differentiated from sODF-treated RAW264.7, was completely blocked by the addition of osteoprotegerin (OPG), a soluble decoy receptor for ODF, to the sODF-containing culture medium. The effects of PDLF on differentiation of RAW264.7 into the TRAP(+) multinucleated osteoclast-like cells were examined using coculture system. PDLF were fixed with paraformaldehyde, followed by coculture with RAW264.7, which induced formation of TRAP(+) MNCs in the absence of additional treatment of sODF. When compared with untreated and fixed PDLF (fPDLF), IL-1beta-treated, or lipopolysaccharide- treated and then fixed PDLF showed two-fold increase in the supporting activity of osteoclastogenesis from RAW264.7 coculture system. There were no TRAP(+) MNCs formation in coculture system of RAW264.7 with PDLF of no fixation. These findings suggested that we can replace the primary hematopoietic preosteoclasts for RAW264.7 cell line for studying the mechanism of PDLF-induced osteoclastogenesis, and we hypothesize that PDLF control osteoclastogenesis through ODF expression which might be enhanced by inflammatory signals.
Animals ; Bone Remodeling ; Cathepsin K ; Cell Line ; Coculture Techniques ; Fibroblasts* ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Macrophages ; Mice ; NF-kappa B ; Osteoblasts ; Osteoclasts ; Osteoprotegerin ; Periodontal Ligament* ; Periodontium ; Phenotype ; RANK Ligand ; Receptors, Calcitonin ; RNA, Messenger

BACKGROUND: Smoking prevention and anti-smoking education in schools must be designed and planned according to age and sex as well as the type of schools and their smoking status. But the current education programs do not consider these factors. This study, therefore, aims to evaluate the actual status of the smoking prevention and anti-smoking education in Korea and to find present recommendations for an effective and, systematic education. METHODS: We surveyed 15,310 teen-age students attending middle schools and high schools in such cities as Seoul, Incheon, Bucheon, Mokpo, and Pohang and smaller areas in the vicinity of these cities from June 1 to 15, 2005. Self-survey was done by the health education teacher of each school. It contained questions about the general disposition of respondents, their smoking habits, and awareness programs on prevention and cessation of smoking. We used SPSS 12.0 for chi-square-test to analyze the collected data. RESULTS: The most prevailing form of anti-smoking education was "video". Most of the students surveyed said that the fourth or fifth grade of elementary school will be a good starting point for anti-smoking education. Only 39.6% of students who were educated by the current smoking prevention and anti-smoking program answered that it was "helpful" and 29.6% was "satisfied". Higher percentage of middle school students said that they either tried to quit smoking ('pre-contemplation') or had no intention of doing it ('termination-fail') after having been involved in the anti-smoking education program, while high school students turned out to be more oriented towards 'contemplation' and 'termination-success'. CONCLUSION: Some students were found to begin smoking even at an early grade in elementary school. Most adolescents knew about the danger of smoking, but current smokers had a low educational satisfaction. The real target of such education programs, however, should be focused on higher grade students in elementary schools and middle school students, because data show that smoking rate increases explosively among these students.
Adolescent ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education* ; Gyeonggi-do ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Health Education ; Humans ; Incheon ; Intention ; Jeollanam-do ; Korea ; Seoul ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation ; Smoking*

PURPOSE: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is associated with localized aggressive periodontitis. It produces cytolethal distending toxin (CDT), which induces cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. The CDT holotoxin is composed of CdtA, CdtB, and CdtC. CdtB has structural homology to human DNase I and is an active component of the CDT complex acting as a DNase. In particular, the pattern homology seen in the CdtB subunit has been associated with specific DNase I residues involved in enzyme catalysis, DNA binding, and metal ion binding. So, to study the functions and regulation of recombinant CdtB, we made up a quantity of functional recombinant CdtB and tested it in relation to the metal ion effect. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We constructed the pET28a-cdtB plasmid from A. actinomycetemcomitans Y4 by genomic DNA PCR and expressed it in the BL21 (DE3) Escherichia coli system. We obtained the functional recombinant CdtB by the refolding system using the dialysis method and then analyzed the DNase activity and investigated the metal ion effect from plasmid digestion. RESULTS: The recombinant CdtB subunit was expressed as the inclusion bodies. We were able to obtain functional recombinant CdtB subunit using refolding system. We confirmed that our refolded recombinant CdtB had DNase activity and was influenced by the metal ions Mg2+ and Ca2+. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the factors influencing recombinant CdtB may contribute to CDT associated diseases, such as periodontitis, endocarditic, meningitis, and osteomyelitis.
Aggressive Periodontitis ; Bacterial Toxins ; Catalysis ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Deoxyribonuclease I ; Deoxyribonucleases ; Dialysis ; DNA ; Edetic Acid ; Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; Ions ; Meningitis ; Osteomyelitis ; Periodontitis ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

The aim of the present study was to investigate the distribution of periodontally hopeless teeth in patients who had not been treated. Five hundred nineteen teeth of 163 patients who had visited at the Department of Periodontology, Chonbuk National University Hospital during the period from January 1999 to July 2001 were selected as a periodontally hopeless tooth. Selection criteria were as follows: 1) probing pocket depth more than 8mm, 2) tooth mobility of degree III, 3) radiographic bone loss more than 75%. The contralateral tooth to a hopeless tooth (experimental tooth) was designated as a control tooth. Between the experimental and control tooth, differences in probing pocket depth, tooth mobility and amount of radiographic bone loss were examined as well as correlation. The results showed that hopeless teeth were most frequently found in the maxillary first molar position and least frequently in the maxillary canine position. Differences between experimental and control teeth were 2mm in probing depth, 1 degree in tooth mobility, and 20% in amount of bone loss (p<0.01). The periodontal conditions between the experimental and control teeth showed correlation in general, however, statistical significances were found in posterior teeth positions. Within limitations of this study, it can be concluded that local factors may play a role in deterioration of periodontal disease along with symmetrical character of periodontal disease.
Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Molar* ; Patient Selection ; Periodontal Diseases ; Tooth ; Tooth Mobility

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMV) has been proposed as an alternative to surgery for selected patients with symptomatic mitral stenosis. The presence of mild mitral regurgitation (MR) in mitral KERN=5535>stenosis is usually not considered as a contraindication for the procedure. But, the results of PMV in the subgroup KERN=>of patients with concomitant mild MR are unknown. Accordingly, this study evaluates the clinical outcome of a consecutive series of patients with mitral stenosis and mild MR undergoing PMV. METHODS: Between August 1992 and December 1996 we attempted to dilate the mitral valves of 43 consecutive patients with symptomatic mitral stenosis. Mean age of the group was 45.9+/-10.6 years and 37 patients were women. They were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of mild MR before the procedure. Clinical feature, inital result, complication were compared. RESULTS: 1) Age, gender, symptomatic status, and atrial fibrillation were similar in both groups. 2) Patients with MR had more thickened valve (2.50+/-0.33 vs 1.84+/-0.55, p=0.048) and subvalvular tissue (2.55+/-0.73 vs 1.88+/-0.73, p=0.015), higher echocardiographic score (8.44+/-1.01 vs 7.08+/-1.65, p=0.004). 3) Mitral valve area gain on the first day after PMV was smaller in patients with MR(p=0.008). 4) The success rate of PMV, the incidence of severe MR after PMV, and the restenosis rate on 6 month were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Although the PMV in patients with mild MR obtained smaller increments in mitral valve area compared to those without MR, they showed similar immediate and short-term results after PMV.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Balloon Valvuloplasty* ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Mitral Valve Stenosis*

Pancreatic neoplasm is complicated and can be preceded by extra-pancreatic manifestations, such as cutaneous and musculoskeletal symptoms. Awareness of these associations is important for timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment. We report a case of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (NET) presenting with arthritis and panniculitis. The patient had a two month history of right knee pain and subcutaneous nodules in both legs. Synovial fluid analysis from the right knee joint revealed a mildly increased white blood cell count without crystallization. A skin biopsy of a subcutaneous nodule revealed lobular panniculitis. The initial treatment with empirical antibiotics did not alleviate the symptoms; however, the right knee arthritis and skin nodules improved with steroid treatment. On the eighth day of hospitalization, the patient complained of abdominal discomfort. Abdominopelvic computed tomography scanning revealed a 14-cm sized pancreatic mass with peritoneal metastasis. Percutaneous needle biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of pancreatic NET.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Arthritis* ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Needle ; Crystallization ; Diagnosis ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Leg ; Leukocyte Count ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuroendocrine Tumors* ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Panniculitis* ; Skin ; Synovial Fluid

Heterotopic pancreas is the presence of pancreatic tissue that lacks anatomic and vascular continuity with the main body of the pancreas. Most patients with heterotopic pancreas are asymptomatic. Any pathologic change in the normal pancreas also can occur in heterotopic pancreas; namely, pancreatitis, cyst formation, hemorrhage, necrosis and neoplastic chang. But pancreatic pseudocyst formation is extremely rare in heterotopic pancreas. Recently, we experienced a case of gastric heterotopic pancreas in a 22-year-old women complicated by chronic pancreatitis with pseudocyst formation. She underwent a antrectomy with Billroth I reconstruction. Symptoms were relieved after operation. Microscopic findings were compatible with gastric heterotopic pancreas with pseudocyst formation. Herein, we report a case of symptomatic heterotopic pancreas with huge pseudocyst formation and the pertinent literatures were reviewed briefly.
Female ; Gastroenterostomy ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Pancreas* ; Pancreatic Pseudocyst ; Pancreatitis ; Pancreatitis, Chronic ; Young Adult

The anatomic structure around interproximal area plays an important role not only in the natural teeth, but also in the implant. The loss of papilla can lead to cosmetic deformity, phonetic problem, food impaction on the anterior dentition, and masticatory problem, food impaction and proximal caries on the posterior dentition. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between interdental papilla existence and distance from contact point to alveolar crest in Korean posteior dentition. 45 Korean adult patients(31males, 14 females) participated in this study. Measurements were carreid out total 126 interproximal areas, 18 first premolar, 31 second premolar, 40 first molar, and 37 second molar areas. Papilla index was recorded as suggested by Jemt. Distance between contact point and alveolar crest measrued by Florida probeR, after flap elevation. Each distance was measured 10 times by every 0.1mm unit. The results showed that the mean Papilla index 1.37 and mean distance between contact point and alveolar crest was 7.44mm. The correlation between the Papilla index and distance was high negative correlation(Pearson correlation=-0.47), and it was statistically significant(P=0.000) When the distance between contact point and alveolar crest was 5mm, the loss of papilla was appeared almost in half cases. When the distance was 6mm, the papilla loss was present 95%, when 7mm, the papilla loss was 100%.
Adult* ; Bicuspid ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dentition* ; Florida ; Gingiva* ; Humans ; Molar ; Tooth

BACKGROUND: CD24 was originally described as a B cell-specific marker, however its aberrant expression in various solid tumors has recently been reported. Our objective was to determine the pattern and extent of the CD24 expression in colorectal cancer and its related lesions, and to clarify its correlation with clinico-pathological parameters and especially those associated with patients' prognoses. METHODS: A total of 307 colorectal cancers and the related lesions (150 carcinomas, 30 high-grade adenomas, 49 low-grade adenomas, 41 hyperplastic polyps, and 37 normal colorectal epithelia) were immunohistochemically analyzed by treating CD24 monoclonal antibody onto tissue embedded paraffin blocks. RESULTS: CD24 expression was very rarely observed in the normal epithelia, hyperplastic polyps, and low-grade adenomas; however, in high-grade adenomas, the CD24 expression was shown to be mildly increased in the cytoplasm (13.3%). In carcinomas, the CD24 expression was increased substantially in both the membrane (38.0%) and the cytoplasm (44.7%). The expression of CD24 in the membrane was positively correlated with tumor size (p<0.01). The CD24 expression in the cytoplasm was positively correlated with several unfavorable parameters, including a larger tumor size (p<0.01), a higher tumor grade (p<0.01), a higher rate of tumor invasion (p<0.05), and a higher pTNM stage (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: High levels of CD24 expression in the membrane and cytoplasm were characteristic in colorectal cancer, and the cytoplasmic CD24 expression was correlated with several unfavorable clinical parameters.
Adenoma ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Cytoplasm ; Immunohistochemistry ; Membranes ; Paraffin ; Polyps ; Prognosis