OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the static (SFF) and kinetic frictional forces (KFF) of a computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing lingual bracket (CAD/CAM-LB) with those of conventional LB (Con-LB) and Con-LB with narrow bracket width (Con-LB-NBW) under 3 tooth displacement conditions. METHODS: The samples were divided into 9 groups according to combinations of 3 LB types (CAD/CAM-LB [Incognito], Con-LB [7th Generation, 7G], and Con-LB-NBW [STb]) with 3 displacement conditions (no displacement [control], maxillary right lateral incisor with 1-mm palatal displacement [MXLI-PD], and maxillary right canine with 1-mm gingival displacement [MXC-GD]; n = 6/group). While drawing a 0.016-inch copper or super-elastic nickel-titanium archwire with 0.5 mm/min for 5 minutes in a chamber maintained at 36.5℃, SFF and KFF were measured. The Kruskal-Wallis method with Bonferroni correction was performed. RESULTS: The Incognito group demonstrated the highest SFF, followed by the 7G and STb groups ([STb-control, STb-MXLI-PD, Stb-MXC-GD] < [7G-MXC-GD, 7G-MXLI-PD, 7G-control] < [Incognito-MXLI-PD, Incognito-control, Incognito-MXC-GD]; p < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences in SFF among the 3 displacement conditions within each bracket group. Within each displacement condition, the Incognito group demonstrated the highest KFF, followed by the 7G and STb groups ([STb-control, STb-MXLI-PD] < Stb-MXC-GD < 7G-MXLI-PD < [7G-control, 7G-MXC-GD] < [7G-MXC-GD, Incognito-MXLI-PD, Incognito-control] < [Incognito-control, Incognito-MXC-GD]; p < 0.001). MXC-GD exhibited higher KFFs than MXLI-PD in the same bracket group. CONCLUSIONS The slot design and ligation method of the CAD/CAM-LB system should be modified to reduce SFF and KFF during the leveling/alignment stage.

PURPOSE: To report three cases of Urrets-Zavalia syndrome after deep lamellar keratoplasty. CASE SUMMARY: A retrospective chart analysis of two men who underwent deep lamellar keraplasty after corneal chemical burns and one woman who was treated with deep lamellar keratoplasty due to lattice dystrophy was performed. To maintain the anterior chamber depth and prevent formation of a double anterior chamber after deep lamellar keratoplasty, air or gas (C3F8) was injected into the anterior chamber for all three cases. After injections of air or gas (C3F8) into the anterior chamber, pupillary blocks occurred and intraocular pressures increased. Afterwards, intraocular pressures were well-controlled, but the pupil remained irreversibly fixed and dilated despite the use of miotics. CONCLUSIONS: Urrets-Zavalia syndrome, a postoperative complication, was first reported in a patient who underwent penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus. This syndrome can also occur after deep lamellar keratoplasty on rare occasions.
Anterior Chamber ; Burns, Chemical ; Corneal Transplantation ; Female ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Keratoconus ; Keratoplasty, Penetrating ; Male ; Miotics ; Postoperative Complications ; Pupil ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: In principle, cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis (CTBL) is a medical disease that may require surgical treatment, particularly in young women who complain of psychosocial and cosmetic problems. We encountered 13 cases of aggravated CTBL treated surgically despite the appropriate course of antituberculous chemotherapy. We report the clinical characteristis of these cases. METHODS: The clinical data of 13 patients with aggravated CTBL requiring surgical treatment from January 2000 to December 2006 at the Department of Chest Medicine, Internal Medicine and Plastic Surgery, National Medical Center was reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Twelve of the 13 cases (92%) were female. The most common age was 21~30 years (69%). Multiple nodes were palpated in 11 cases (85%). The supraclavicular lymph nodes were sites the most commonly involved (54%). The other involved sites in the order of decreasing frequency were the jugular chain, posterior cervical, submandibular and infraauricular lymph nodes. A palpable mass was the most commonsymptom. Neck pain was reported in 3 cases (23%). General symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue, anorexia and night sweats were noted in 5 cases (38%). Respiratory symptoms such as cough, sputum, hemoptysis, dyspnea and chest pain were observed in 4 cases (31%). Pulmonary tuberculosis was noted in 11 cases (85%). Other extrapulmonary tuberculosis coexisted in 4 cases (31%). This suggests that surgical CTBLs may be manifestations of a systemic disease and might be difficult to treat. Most cases (92%) were stages 2 and 3 at the initial diagnostic period but all cases fell into stage 4 and 5 when reassesed before surgery. The average duration of anti-TB chemotherapy before and after surgery was 10.2 and 15.2 months, respectively. The 13 patients were followed up until June. 2008. Among them, 2 cases had newly developed CTBL and the other 11cases showed no recurrence. CONCLUSION: In principle, CTBL is the medical disease. However, despite the appropriate course of anti-TB chemotherapy, CTBL can progress to a more advanced stages and grow rapidly to a large-sized or fistulous mass with a persistent abscess. Surgical treatment may be inevitable for patients with psychosocial and cosmetic problems caused by these masses, particularly in young women.
Abscess ; Anorexia ; Chest Pain ; Cosmetics ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Fatigue ; Female ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Lymph Nodes ; Neck Pain ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sputum ; Surgery, Plastic ; Sweat ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; Weight Loss

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It has been reported that patients with chronic renal failure have a tendency foward increased incidences of peptic ulcer diseases. However, it is yet unclear whether the increased incidence is due to altered gastric acidity, hypersecretin of gastrin, or increased colonization of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). This study was conducted to investigate the role of H. pylori in the development of peptic ulcer diseases in patients with chronic renal failure. METHODS: Forty nine patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) and 41 age-matched controls with normal renal function, were examined for H. pylori infection using a rapid urease test, histological examination with Hematoxylin, Eosin, Warthin-Starry silver stain, and culture. The presence of H. pylori was defined either as the positive culture or as positive for both CLO and histological examination. RESULTS: Ninteen (38.8%) out of 49 ESRD patients were positive for H. pylori, which was lower than 70.7% of the controls (p<0.01). Endoscopic examination revealed that 6 ESRD patients (12.2%) had peptic ulcers, while 2.4% of the controls did, which was not statistically significant. The ESRD patients were divided into two groups by therapeutic modality: group 1 included 31 patients under dialysis, and group 2, 18 patients with maintenance therapy. The incidence of H. pylori infection in group 1 was 51.6%, which was significantly higher than the 16.7% in group 2 (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the increased incidence of peptic ulcers in ESRD patients cannot be explained by H. pylori colonization, and that there may be other factors such as a high concentration of urea in the stomach of patients with ESRD, which can suppress the colonization of H. pylori.
Colon ; Dialysis ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Gastric Acid ; Gastrins ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Peptic Ulcer ; Prevalence* ; Silver ; Stomach ; Urea ; Urease

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical results of intrastromal ring segment (Keraring(R)) implantation using a femtosecond laser in patients with keratectasia. METHODS: Twenty eyes of 19 keratectatic patients (15 eyes of keratoconus and five eyes of post-LASIK keratectasia) who completed at least three months of postoperative follow-up were included in this study. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), spherical equivalent, keratometric value, corneal astigmatism, corneal higher order aberrations (HOA) and specular microscopy were determined or performed before and after surgery. In addition, intraoperative and postoperative adverse complications were recorded. RESULTS: UCVA improved in 13 out of 20 eyes (65%), and BSCVA improved in 16 out of 20 eyes (80%). At the postoperative examination there was no statistically significant reduction in the spherical equivalent with that observed at the examination before implantation. Conversely, there were statistically significant reductions in topographic mean K value and Sim K astigmatism, corneal total and coma-like HOA (p<0.05). On specular microscopy, there was no statistically significant difference between preoperative and postoperative endothelial cell density. There was one case of partial Descemet membrane detachment and one case of microperforation as a complication during surgery, which recovered over time without any treatment. CONCLUSION: Keraring(R) implantation appears to be an effective and safe procedure for improving visual acuity and stabilizing corneal refractive power in keratectactic patients.
Aniline Compounds ; Astigmatism ; Descemet Membrane ; Endothelial Cells ; Eye ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratoconus ; Microscopy ; Visual Acuity

No abstract available.
Smoking Cessation/*methods ; Research Design ; Humans ; *Acupuncture, Ear

E6 and E7 proteins produced by oncogenic HPV bind to the protein products of cellular tumor suppressor genes p53 and Rb, respectively. This mechanism has been suggested to contribute to the oncogenesis of HPV-infected carcinoma. The cells which are blocked the function of p53 and pub protein continue to divide by bypassing Ml stage known as antiproliferative mechanism but telomeres, the genetic elements at the ends of chromosomes, continue to shorten until the telomeres are so short that further replication is prevented(M2 stage). But telomeres can be maintained if telomerase is derepressed, giving rise to a immortal cell. The present study has been investigated the presence of HPV, telomere length and telomerase activation in cervical carcinomas. HPV DNA were detected by polymerase chain reaction in 17 of 19 precancerous lesions and cervical carcinoma specimens; HPV16 was detected in 12 cases, HPV18 in one case, HPV33 in two cases, and HPV58 in two cases. Overall, the prevalence of HPV was 89.5%. To study the difference of telomere length in cervical carcinomas and each normal counterpart, DNAs were digested with Hinf III and Rsa I to liberate the terminal restriction fragments(TRF). TRFs were resolved on agarose gels and detected by hybridization to the telomeric probe. This result indicated that there were no significant difference of TRF length in samples tested except two cases. TRF length of one carcinoma specimen was found to be significantly increased as compared with normal counterpart, but the other was found to be significantly decreased. Telomerase activity was detected in 4 of dysplasia specimens(5 cases), all of carcinoma in situ(CIS), and 6 of 8 invasive carcinoma. Overall, telomerase activity was detected in 84%. The degree of telomerase activity was high in 2 of dysplasia, 3 of CIS, and 3 of invasive carcinoma. And then there was no apparent association between HPV types and levels of telomerase activity. However, telomerase activity was depressed in invasive carcinoma as compared to dysplasia and CIS. These results suggest that HPV may be a possible causative agent in cervical carcinoma. In addition, telomerase activation may be necessary for the immortalization of cells and the progression of malignancy in cervical carcinoma.
Carcinogenesis ; Cervix Uteri* ; DNA ; Female ; Gels ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans* ; Papilloma* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Sepharose ; Telomerase* ; Telomere*

Schwannomas are slow-growing, benign neurogenic tumors arising from schwann cells. Their localization in the external auditory canal and the middle ear has rarely been reported. The authors experienced a very rare case of Jacobson's nerve schwannoma that extended into the external auditory canal in a 55-year-old woman. The tumor eroded the wall of the cochlear promontory and exposed the membranous labyrinth. The jugular foramen and the wall of the ear canal were preserved without destruction. This report represents the first documented case of a Jacobson's nerve schwannoma, which involved the external auditory canal.
Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; Ear Canal ; Ear, Inner ; Ear, Middle ; Female ; Humans ; Neurilemmoma ; Schwann Cells

BACKGROUND: Recently, in addition to multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has become rapidly growing public health threat. This study examined the clinical differences between pulmonary TB patients with extensively drug resistance (XDR) and multi-drug resistance (MDR) at the National Medical Center in Korea in order to determine the clinical characteristics associated more with XDR-TB than MDR-TB. METHODS: Patients who received a diagnosis of culture-confirmed pulmonary TB and a drug sensitivity test (DST) for anti-TB drugs at the National Medical Center between January 2000 and August 2007 were enrolled in this study. The patients were identified into the XDR-TB or MDR-TB group according to the DST results. The clinical characteristics were reviewed retrospectively from the medical records. Statistical analysis for the comparisons was performed using a chi-square-test, independent samples t-test or binary logistic regression where appropriate. RESULTS: A total 314 patients with culture-confirmed pulmonary TB were included. Among them, 18 patients (5.7%) had XDR-TB and 69 patients (22%) had MDR-TB excluding XDR-TB. A comparison of the clinical characteristics, revealed the XDR-TB group to have a higher frequency of a prior pulmonary resection for the treatment of TB (odds ratio [OR], 3.974; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.052~15.011; P value 0.032) and longer average previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs, including a treatment interruption period prior to the diagnosis of XDR, than the MDR-TB group (XDR-TB group, 72.67 months; MDR-TB group, 13.09 months; average treatment duration difference between two groups, 59.582 months; 95% CI, 31.743~87.420; P value, 0.000). In addition, a longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs was significantly associated with XDR-TB (OR, 1.076; 95% CI, 1.038~1.117; P value, 0.000). A comparison of the other clinical characteristics revealed the XDR-TB group to have a higher frequency of male gender, diabetes mellitus (DM), age under 45, treatment interruption history, cavitations on simple chest radiograph and positive result of sputum AFB staining at the time of diagnosis of XDR. However, the association was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary TB patients with XDR have a higher frequency of a prior pulmonary resection and longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs than those with MDR. In addition, a longer previous treatment duration with anti-TB drugs is significantly associated with XDR-TB.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Drug Resistance ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Medical Records ; Public Health ; Retrospective Studies ; Sputum ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Pancreatic lipomas are commonly diagnosed based on radiologic images, although the prevalence of lipomas has not been established. Histologic confirmation of pancreatic lipomas is extremely rare because surgical treatment is unnecessary in most cases. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology has been suggested to avoid unnecessary surgery to distinguish between a lipoma and a well-differentiated liposarcoma; however, surgery would be needed when the tumor is associated with symptoms or difficult to distinguish from a liposarcoma. We present a case of a pancreatic lipoma in a 54-year-old male patient that was histologically-confirmed by subtotal pancreatectomy.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Humans ; Lipoma ; Liposarcoma ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreas ; Pancreatectomy ; Prevalence ; Unnecessary Procedures