BACKGROUND: Hair transplantation is a continuously evolving era towards a more natural style and micrografting in greater quantities is becoming an unmistakable trend. OBJECTIVE: A rapid, simple method to make a micrograft implanter with low cost and a case of total micrografting using this new hair implanter are presented. METHODS: We devised a simple method to make a micrograft hair implanter using a spinal tap-ping needle and did total micrografting with this device 3 times on 1 patient. RESULTS: Cosmetically, hair transplantation using our device produces hair that is slightly less dense in a normal individual. However, our technique gives a good balance in distribution of hair with no scarring which contribute to a natural style appearance. CONCLUSIONS: Total Micrografting with our new implanter produces a natural appearance without the artificial look and scars typical of the minigrafts or punch grafts in Koreans. So we consider this device as a another alternative device in hair transplantation.
Cicatrix ; Hair* ; Humans ; Methods ; Needles ; Transplants

The fracture of acrylic resin dentures remains an unsolved problem. Therefore, many investigations have been performed and various approaches to strengthening acrylic resin, for example, the reinforcement of heat-cured PMMA resin using glass fibers, have been suggested over the years. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of short glass fibers treated with silane coupling agent on the transverse strength of heat-polymerized PMMA denture base resin. To avoid fiber bunching and achieve even fiber distribution, glass fiber bundles were mixed with PMMA powder in conventional mixer whose blade was modified to be blunt. Composite of glass fiber (11micrometer diameter, 3mm & 6mm length, silane treated) and PMMA resin was made. Transverse strength and Young's modulus were estimated. Glass fibers were incorporated with 1%, 3%, 6% and 9% by weight. Plasticity and workability of dough was evaluated. Fracture surface of specimens was investigated by SEM. The results of this study were as follows 1. 6% and 9% incorporation of 3mm glass fibers in the PMMA resin enhanced the transverse strength of the test specimens (p<0.05). 2. 6% incorporation of 6mm glass fibers in the PMMA resin increased transverse strength, but 9% incorporation of it decreased transverse strength (p<0.05). 3. When more than 3% of 3mm glass fibers and more than 6% of 6mm glass fibers were incorporated. Young's modulus increased significantly (p<0.05). 4. Workability decreased gradually as the percentage of the fibers increased. 5. Workability decreased gradually as the length of the fibers increased. 6. In SEM and LM, there was no bunching of fibers and no shortening of fibers.
Denture Bases ; Dentures ; Elastic Modulus ; Glass* ; Plastics ; Polymethyl Methacrylate*

No abstract available.
Shoulder Fractures*

To study the development of distraction at the fracture site according to inaccurate insertion of the distal screw in treatment of femoral shaft fracture with interlocking intramedullary nail, we prepared 24 femoral bone model, fixed them with interlocking intramedullary nails after artificially making transverse fracture or spiral fracture at mid 1/3 of femoral shaft and distal 1/3 of femoral shaft. The cephalocaudal insertion angles of the distal screws ranged from 5.2 to 45.4. As the insertion angles increased, the distances between the fractured sites ranged from 0.1 to 8.2mm. Distractions splited more than 5mm were seen in the average insertion angle of 34.3+/-9.4 (28.2 -45.4 ). When the insertion was made few millimeter proximal from the center of the distal screw hole, which was parallel to the transverse section of the femur model, fracture distraction ranged from minimum 1.8mm to maximum 5.0mm. In conclusion, the cephalocaudal insertion angle or location of the distal screw can be reason for the distraction between the fractured sites in internal fixation with intramedullary nail in long bone like femur. To prevent the distraction of fractured site, it is important to make the insertion of the distal screw parallel to the transverse section of the femur and to insert into the center of the screw hole.
Femur ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary*

Lymphomatous involvement of the gallbladder is rarely identified and manifests mostly as a local involvement of disseminated disease. There have been reported only about 20 primary malignant lymphomas of the gallbladder without involvement of other sites. A 63-year-old woman presented with jaundice, epigastric pain, and weight olss of two months duration. There was no systemic lymphadenopathy elsewhere. Abdominal computed tomograph revealed a focal thickening of the gallbladder wall. The removed gallbladder contained a well circumscribed, 5x3 cm-sized, slightly elevated firm area with accentuated mucosal papillary excrescences near the neck protion. The lesion involved whole thickness of the wall, and was made up of diffuse atypical lymphoid cell infiltrates of variable size accompanying plasmacytoid differentiation in areas. Some large tumor cells were pleomorphic and contained prominent nucleoli. To our knowledge, this is the first case of primary malignant lymphoma of the gallbladder in Korean literature.
Female ; Humans

Effects of Ultratiolet (UV) light was studied in isolated thoracic aortae of rabbits and porcine coronary arteries. The following results were obtained. 1) Radiation of UV light did not affect both arterial rings in resting tension. 2) Both arterial preparations contracted with various vasoconstrictors (KCI,NE,PE,BayK 8644 and (+S202 etc.) were relaxed by UV light radiation in a radiation time-dependent fashion. 3) The magnitudes of the relaxation were not significantly different in both the rings with or without intact endothelium. 4) MB and LY markedldy reduced the UV light-induced relaxation in both the rings. 5) PP significantly attenuated the UV light-induced relaxation of rabbit thoracic aorta, but did not affect that of porcine coronary artery. 6) The UV Light-induced relaxation of porcine coronary artery was significantly attenuated by DT or NF, while that of rabbit thoracic aorta was not. 7) (+)S202 significantly potentiated the UV light-induced relaxation of porcine coronary artery contracted with KCI or Hist. Above results suggest that the UV light-induced relaxation of vascular smooth muscles is independent on the endothelium, and the relaxation results from primarily activation of guanylyl cyclase and is in part related to adenylyl cyclase and calcium metabolism. In adddition, a dihydropyridine calcium agonist, (+)S202, may sensitize vascular smooth muscle to the relaxing effect of UV light through some unknown mechanism.
Adenylyl Cyclases ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Calcium* ; Coronary Vessels ; Endothelium ; Guanylate Cyclase ; Metabolism ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Rabbits ; Relaxation* ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Vasoconstrictor Agents

PURPOSE: Current evidence indicates that ultrasonography of the breast is an important adjunct to mammography and clinical examination in the diagnosis of palpable breast abnormalities. An assessment of the value of office-based ultrasonography of a palpable breast mass performed by a breast surgeon was the aim of this work. METHODS: A 7.5 MHz linear probe was used to perform office-based ultrasonography in 109 consecutive female patients having a palpable solid breast mass between August 1998 and December 1999. Breast masses diagnosed histologically as fibroadenomas or breast cancer were included in this study. The clinical impression from the physical examination (PE), the result of officed-based ultrasonography done by a surgeon (OUSG), and comprehensive judgement engaging both PE and OUSG (PEUSG) were recorded in each patient's hospital record as benign or malignant at the first visit. The diagnostic values of PE, OUSG, PEUSG, mammography (MMG), and ultrasonography done by a radiologist (USG) were compared. RESULTS: Of 109 masses, a fibroadenoma was diagnosed in 73 patients while a carcinoma was established in 36 patients. The sensitivity, the specificity, the accuracy rate, and the kappa coefficient were 91.7%, 89.0%, 89.9%, and 0.780 for PE; 100%, 90.4%, 93.6%, and 0.862 for OUSG; 97.2%, 97.3%, 97.2%, and 0.938 for PEUSG; 90.4%, 89.4%, 90%, and 0.630 for MMG; and 88.9%, 90.9%, 90% and 0.798 for USG. The diagnostic accuracy of PEUSG was significantly higher than those of PE and MG (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that office-based ultrasonography of the breast performed by a surgeon is a useful adjunct to clinical evaluation of the breast mass and permits timely and cost-effective patient care.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Diagnosis* ; Female ; Fibroadenoma ; Hospital Records ; Humans ; Mammography ; Patient Care ; Physical Examination ; Prospective Studies* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography*

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The success of implants depends on intimate and direct contact of implant material on bone tissue and on functional relationship with soft tissue contact. Creation and maintenance of osseointegration depend on the understanding of the tissue's healing, repairing, and remodeling capacity and these capacities rely on cellular behavior. Altering the surface properties can modify cellular responses such as cell adhesion, cell motility, bone deposition. Therefore, various implant surface treatment methods are being developed for the improved bone cell responses. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the responses of osteoblast-like cells to surface- modified titanium. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experiment was composed of four groups. Group 1 represented the electropolished surface. Group 2 surfaces were machined surface. Group 3 and Group 4 were anodized surfaces. Group 3 had low roughness and Group 4 had high roughness. Physicochemical properties and microstructures of the d iscs were examined and the responses of osteoblast-like cells to the discs were investigated. The microtopography was observed by SEM. The roughness was measured by three-dimension roughness measuring system. The microstructure was analyzed by XRD, AES. To evaluate cell responses to modified titanium surfaces, osteoblasts isolated from calvaria of neonatal rat were cultured. Cell count, morphology, total protein measurement and alkaline phosphatase activities of the cultures were examined. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The results were as follows 1. The four groups showed specific microtopography respectively. Anodized group showed grain structure with micropores. 2. Surface roughness values were, from the lowest to the highest, electropolished group, machined group, low roughness anodized group, and high roughness anodized group. 3. Highly roughened anodized group was found to have increased surface oxide thickness and surface crystallinity. 4. The morphology of cells, flattened or spherical, were different from ach other. In the electropolished group and machined group, the cells were almost flattened. In two anodized groups, some cells were spherical and other cells were flattened. And the 14 day culture cells of all of the groups were nearly flattened due to confluency. 5. The number of attached cells was highest in low roughness anodized group. And the machined group had significantly lower cell count than any other groups(P<.05). 6. Total protein contents showed no difference among groups. 7. The level of alkaline phosphatase activities was higher in the anodized groups than electropolished and machined groups(P<.05).
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Bone and Bones ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Count ; Cell Movement ; Edible Grain ; Crystallins ; Osseointegration ; Osteoblasts ; Rats ; Skull ; Surface Properties ; Titanium*

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen presenting cells that can activate naive T cells. Mature DCs exress high levels of MHC and costimulatory molecules on their surface and have capacity to produce IL-12, a 75 kDa heterodimeric cytokine composed of p35 and p40 subunit. IL-12 is currently thought to be one of most critical determinants for skewing the immune response towards Th1. Expression of IL-12 in dendritic cells seems to be regulated by various stimuli including CD40L. In the present study we investigated expression of IL-12 in mature DCs, which were cultured from bone marrow cells in the presence of GM-CSF. Maturity of the DCs was confirmed by morphologic characteristics, immunophenotypes, and allostimulatory activities. Exprssion levels of IL-12 p40 in the DCs were measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Increases in IL-12 p40 expression were observed after treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an anti-MHC class II monoclonal antibody, or an anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody. The most remarkable increases, however, were observed in the DCs treated with an anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody. These results support a previous notion that signals through CD40/CD40L interaction may be important for the production of IL-12 by DCs. Moreover, results of this study show a possibility of using monoclonal antibodies against CD40 molecules for preparing DCs producing high amount of IL-12, which can be used for anti-tumor or anti-viral immunotherapy.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Antigen-Presenting Cells ; Bone Marrow Cells ; CD40 Ligand ; Dendritic Cells* ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Immunotherapy ; Interleukin-12* ; Mice* ; T-Lymphocytes

No abstract available.
Dendritic Cells*