PURPOSE: Connective tissue reattachment to periodontally damaged root surfaces is one of the most important goals of periodontal therapy. The aim of this study was to develop a root conditioning agent that can demineralize and detoxify the infected root surface. METHODS: Dentin slices obtained from human teeth were treated with a novel root planing agent for 2 minutes and then washed with phosphate-buffered saline. Smear layer removal and type I collagen exposure were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and type I collagen immunostaining, respectively. Cell attachment and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) removal demonstrated the efficiency of the root conditioning agent. RESULTS: SEM revealed that the smear layer was entirely removed and the dentinal tubules were opened by the experimental gel. Type I collagen was exposed on the surfaces of the dentin slices treated by the experimental gel, which were compared with dentin treated with other root planing agents. Dentin slices treated with the experimental gel showed the highest number of attached fibroblasts and flattened cell morphology. The agar diffusion assay demonstrated that the experimental gel also has effective antimicrobial activity. Escherichia coli LPS were effectively removed from well plates by the experimental gel. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that this experimental gel is a useful tool for root conditioning of infected root surfaces and can also be applied for detoxification of ailing implant surface threads.
Agar ; Collagen ; Collagen Type I ; Connective Tissue ; Dentin ; Diffusion ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Escherichia coli ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Root Planing ; Smear Layer ; Tooth

Osteogenesis imperfecta is a rare congenital disease. It is a heterogeneous group of inherited disorders characterized by multiple bone fracture, blue sclera, hearing loss, abnormalities of dentition and widespread connective tissue ahnormality. We experienced a case of osteogenesis imperfecta diagnosed in utero by ultrasonogram and confirmed hy postnatal radiograph after delivery. We present the case with a hrief review of the literature.
Connective Tissue ; Dentition ; Fractures, Bone ; Hearing Loss ; Osteogenesis Imperfecta ; Sclera ; Ultrasonography

Thoracopagus is very rare congenital anomaly with an incidence estimated at 1 in 50,000 deliveries or 1 in 600 twin deliveries. If twining is initiated after the embryonic disc and the rudimentary amnionic sac have been formed, and if division of the embryonic disc is incomplete, conjoined twins result. We experienced a case of thoracopagus in 28 years old woman. We present this case with a brief review of literatures.
Adult ; Amnion ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Twins, Conjoined

BACKGROUND: Dry eye is a disorder of the tear film caused by reduced tear production or excessive tear evaporation. A high incidence of sicca symptoms has been noted in fibromyalgia (FM) patients resulting in serious complications. This study was conducted to evaluate the incidence of dry eye by pathogenic mechanisms and to investigate the relationship between dry eye and symptom severity in FM patients. METHODS: Fifty patients that visited Maryknoll Hospital between March 2006 and December 2006 were included in the study. Enrolled patients underwent a Korean fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (KFIQ), ocular surface disease index (OSDI), Schirmer test and tear break up test (TBUT). The KFIQ and OSDI are used to assess the severity of fibromyalgia symptoms and dry eye symptoms, respectively. The Schirmer test and TBUT are used to assess reduced tear production and excessive tear evaporation, respectively. We assessed the OSDI, Schirmer test, TBUT, age and disease duration in terms of the KFIQ. RESULTS: The incidence of dry eye was high in FM patients (12.0% by the Schirmer test and 92.0% by the TBUT test). The OSDI positively correlated with the KFIQ (p=0.006). A positive correlation was observed between the Schirmer test and the KFIQ (p=0.024), but not between the TBUT and the KFIQ. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, dry eye was found to be common in FM patients. Excessive tear evaporation was a more common cause of dry eye than reduced tear production. The patients with more severe dry eye symptoms tend to have more severe FM symptoms.
Fibromyalgia* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Tears ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical impact of benign ovarian mass on ovarian reserve as measured by serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2) and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels, antral follicle count (AFC) and ovarian volumes. In addition, the differences in ovarian reserve impairment between endometrioma cystectomy and non-endometrioma cystectomy were investigated. METHODS: In this prospective study, 22 patients of reproductive age (range, 18.35 years) with benign ovarian masses were enrolled to undergo laparoscopic cystectomy. Of whom 12 had endometriomas and 10 had non-endometriomas. On early follicular phase (day 3) of the cycle preceding the operation and three months after the laparoscopic cystectomy, serum levels of FSH, E2 and AMH, AFC and ovarian volumes were measured in all patients. Data were analyzed with Mann-Whitney U-test and Wilcoxon rank test using SPSS ver. 12.0 for statistic analysis. RESULTS: Median level of serum AMH was significantly decreased from 5.48 ng/mL (interquartile range [IQR], 2.80-7.47) before cystectomy to 2.56 ng/mL (IQR, 1.74-4.32) 3 months postoperation (P<0.05). On the other hand, no significant differences in FSH, E2, AFC and ovarian volumes were found between the preoperative and three months postoperative levels. In a subgroup analysis of the pathologic type of the ovarian cyst, postoperative serum AMH levels were significantly decreased in the endometrioma group, but not in the non-endometrioma group. CONCLUSION: Serum AMH levels were significantly decreased after laparoscopic cystectomy without any changes of other ovarian reserve tests.
Anti-Mullerian Hormone* ; Cystectomy ; Endometriosis ; Estradiol ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Follicular Phase ; Hand ; Humans ; Ovarian Cysts* ; Prospective Studies*

Behcet's disease has rarely been reported in association with malignant diseases. In most cases the autoimmune nature of the disease itself or immunosuppressive drug use has been blamed for malignant transformation. Solid tumors in addition to lymphoid and hematological malignancies are also seen during the course of Behcet's disease. We present here a case of colon cancer in a 40-year-old man with Behcet's disease. A near total colectomy was performed and postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy was administered to treat visceral peritoneal invasion. Recurrent evidence was not found. We present the clinical details of this rare case of colon cancer with Behcet's disease.
Adult ; Colectomy ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Drug Therapy ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Radiotherapy

There has been much debate on the origin, differentiation and prognosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). Based on recent studies, we consider Cajal interstitial cell as the origin of a GIST. The common symptoms of a GIST are abdominal pain, hemorrhage, and the presence of a mass. However, there are few reported cases of a GIST with abscess pockets that communicate with the lumen of the stomach via a fistula. We report a case of a GIST of the stomach presenting with an abscess and a fistula communicating with the lumen of the stomach. An 84-year-old man presented with continuous fever and general weakness. We were able to diagnose the disease by an endoscopic examination, CT scan, biopsy and by cellular immunohistochemical staining.
Abdominal Pain ; Abscess ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy ; Fever ; Fistula* ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors* ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Stomach ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed