In this study, we tried to confirm clinically applicable applicability by comparing the difference in 3 point flexural strength and shade of the prosthesis depending on microwave sintering time of dental CAD / CAM zirconia. 3 Point flexural strength specimens (n=30) and shade measurement specimens (n=28) were prepared and sintered at different sintering times. 3 point flexural strength and shade were measured and analyzed by independent t-test (α=0.05). Measurement result of 3 point flexural strength the average of short-term sintering (STS) was 245.47±29.89 MPa, the average of long-term sintering (LTS) was 284.27±31.56 MPa, and there was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). The shade measurement result ⊿E*(ab) showed the average STS of 1.51±0.48 and the LTS of 1.52±0.41, but there was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05). The 3 point flexural strength of the zirconia restorations fabricated by short time and long time was high in long time sintering. However, other conditions may be required for clinical applications. Since the shade test did not show any significant color difference according to sintering time, it is considered to be sufficient for clinical application.
Microwaves ; Prostheses and Implants

PURPOSE: Circadian rhythm affects learning process, memory consolidation, and long-term memory. In this study, the alleviating effect of exercise on circadian rhythm disruption-induced memory deficits was investigated. METHODS: BMAL1 knockdown transgenic mice (BMAL1 TG) were used as the BMAL1-TG group and the BMAL1-TG with treadmill exercise group. Female C57BL/6J mice of the same age were used as the wildtype group and the wildtype with treadmill exercise group. The mice in the treadmill exercise groups performed running on a motorized treadmill under the dark-dark conditions for 8 weeks. Short-term memory, nonspatial object memory, and spatial learning memory were determined using stepdown avoidance test, novel object-recognition test, and radial 8-arm maze test. Immunohistochemistry for doublecortin and 5-bromo-2’-deoxyuridine was conducted for the determination of hippocampal neurogenesis. Using the western blot analysis, we determined the expressions of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and factors related to the neurogenesis and memory consolidation, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, tyrosine kinase B, p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase, cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, protein kinas B, protein kinase C alpha, early-growth-response gene 1. RESULTS: Circadian rhythm disruption impaired memory function through inhibiting the expressions of GR and the factors related to neurogenesis and memory consolidation. Treadmill exercise improved memory function via enhancing the expressions of GR and above-mentioned factors. CONCLUSIONS Treadmill exercise acts as the zeitgeber that improves memory function under the circadian rhythm disrupted conditions.

PURPOSE: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) commonly occurs in women, and it causes enormous impact on quality of life. Surgery, drugs, and exercise have been recommended for the treatment of this disease. Among these exercise is also known to be effective for relieving thesymptoms of SUI, however, the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of exercise on SUI are poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the effect of treadmill exercise on abdominal leak-point pressure and neuronal activity in the medial preoptic nucleus (MPA), ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG), and pontine micturition center (PMC) following urethrolysis in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 250+/-10 g (9 weeks old), were used in this study. After having undergone transabdominal urethrolysis to induce SUI, the rats were divided into three groups (n=6 in each group): a sham operation group, an SUI-induced group, and an SUI-induced and treadmill exercise group. The rats in the exercise group performed treadmill running for 30 min once a day starting 2 weeks after the induction of SUI and continuing for 4 weeks after surgery. For this study, determination of abdominal leak point pressure and immunohistochemistry for c-Fos in the brain were performed. RESULTS: Induction of transabdominal urethrolysis significantly reduced the abdominal leak point pressure, thereby contributing to the induction of SUI. In contrast, abdominal leak point pressure was significantly improved by treadmill exercise. The expression of c-Fosin the MPA, vlPAG, and PMC, the brain areas relating to micturition, was enhanced by the induction of SUI, whereas treadmill exercise significantly suppressed SUI-induced c-Fos expression, suggesting that neuronal activation in the micturition centers was suppressed by treadmill exercise. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that treadmill exercise may be an effective therapeutic modality for ameliorating the symptoms of SUI.
Adult ; Animals ; Brain ; Exercise Test ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neurons ; Periaqueductal Gray ; Quality of Life ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Running ; Salicylamides ; Urinary Incontinence ; Urination

Circadian clocks are the endogenous oscillators that harmonize a variety of physiological processes within the body. Although many urinary functions exhibit clear daily or circadian variation in diurnal humans and nocturnal rodents, the precise mechanisms of these variations are as yet unclear. In this review, we briefly introduce circadian clocks and their organization in mammals. We then summarize known daily or circadian variations in urinary function. Importantly, recent findings by others as well as results obtained by us suggest an active role of circadian clock genes in various urinary functions. Finally, we discuss possible research avenues for the circadian control of urinary function.
Biological Clocks ; Circadian Clocks ; Circadian Rhythm ; Humans ; Mammals ; Physiological Processes ; Rodentia ; Urinary Bladder ; Urination

PURPOSE: The overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome is characterized by urgency usually with frequency and nocturia. Tamsulosin, alpha1-adrenergic receptor antagonist, is widely used to reduce symptoms of urinary obstruction and prostatic hyperplasia. Tamsulosin can across the blood-brain barrier. We investigated the effects of tamsulosin on the symptoms of OAB in relation to neuronal activity using rats. METHODS: Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 250+/-10 g (9 weeks old), were used in this study. The animals were divided into five groups (n=8 in each group): control group, OAB-induced group, OAB-induced and 0.01 mg/kg tamsulosin-treated group, OAB-induced and 0.1 mg/kg tamsulosin-treated group, and OAB-induced and 1 mg/kg tamsulosin-treated group. OAB was induced by intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (75 mg/kg) every third day for 10 days. The rats in the tamsulosin-treated groups orally received tamsulosin once a day for 14 consecutive days at the respective dose of the groups, starting 1 day after the induction of OAB. Cystometry for bladder pressure determination, immunohistochemistry for c-Fos, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase histochemistry for nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the neuronal voiding centers and western blot for inducible NOS in the bladder were conducted. RESULTS: Cyclophosphamide injection enhanced contraction pressure and time, representing the induction of OAB. Contraction pressure and time were significantly suppressed by tamsulosin treatment. c-Fos and NOS expressions in the neuronal voiding centers were enhanced by induction of OAB. OAB-induced c-Fos and NOS expressions were suppressed by tamsulosin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Tamsulosin exerts inhibitory effect on neuronal activation in the neuronal voiding centers of OAB. The present results suggest the possibility that tamsulosin is effective therapeutic modality for ameliorating the symptoms of OAB.
Adult ; Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Blotting, Western ; Contracts ; Cyclophosphamide ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; NAD ; Neurons ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nocturia ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sulfonamides ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate diaphragmatic motion via M-mode ultrasonography and to correlate it with pulmonary function in stroke patients. METHODS: This was a preliminary study comprised of ten stroke patients and sixteen healthy volunteers. The M-mode ultrasonographic probe was positioned in the subcostal anterior region of the abdomen for transverse scanning of the diaphragm during quiet breathing, voluntary sniffing, and deep breathing. We analyzed diaphragmatic motion and the relationship between diaphragmatic motion and pulmonary function. RESULTS: All stroke patients had restrictive pulmonary dysfunction. Compared to that exhibited by control subjects, stroke patients exhibited a significant unilateral reduction in motion on the hemiplegic side, primarily during volitional breathing. Diaphragmatic excursion in right-hemiplegic patients was reduced on both sides compared to that in control subjects. However, diaphragmatic excursion was reduced only on the left side and increased on the right side in left-hemiplegic patients compared to that in control subjects. Left diaphragmatic motion during deep breathing correlated positively with forced vital capacity (rho=0.86, p=0.007) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (rho=0.79, p=0.021). CONCLUSION: Reductions in diaphragmatic motion and pulmonary function can occur in stroke patients. Thus, this should be assessed prior to the initiation of rehabilitation therapy, and M-mode ultrasonography can be used for this purpose. It is a non-invasive method providing quantitative information that is correlated with pulmonary function.
Abdomen ; Diaphragm ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Healthy Volunteers ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Methods ; Rehabilitation ; Respiration ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Stroke* ; Ultrasonography ; Vital Capacity

Small bowel hemangioma is a rare benign lesion, and it usually presents with bleeding or as a leading point of an intussusception. However, obstruction due to intramural hematoma by this lesion is unusual. Intramural hematoma of the duodenum is also an uncommon lesion, and it is usually a complication of blunt abdominal trauma in children and young adults. We present here a case of an intramural hematoma that was caused by spontaneous bleeding of a hemangioma, and this caused duodenal obstruction.
Child ; Duodenum ; Hemangioma ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intussusception ; Young Adult

In females, a small evagination of parietal peritoneum accompanies the round ligament through the inguinal ring into the inguinal canal and is called the canal of Nuck; it is homologous to the process vaginalis in males. If it fails to undergo complete obliteration, an indirect inguinal hernia or a hydrocele of the canal of Nuck can occur. We report three cases of this rare developmental disorder, discuss the CT findings and its use in the diagnosis of a hydrocele of the canal of Nuck.
Female ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Humans ; Inguinal Canal ; Male ; Peritoneum ; Round Ligament of Uterus ; Round Ligaments

PURPOSE: Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is well understood as an oncogenic virus in human tumors. Its association with breast cancers has been reported but is still in controversy. So we have examined the expression of EBV in breast cancers and evaluated the relationship between the well-known prognositc factors of breast cancer and EBV expression. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted with patients who had been re-evaluated to confirm the diagnosis based on immunohistochemical analysis with EBNA-2 expression, between January 1991 and December 2002. The cases were assigned to the positive lesion that displayed 10% or more of immunoreactive cells. RESULTS: The expressions of EBNA-2(Ebstein Barr virus nuclear antigen - 2) were noted in 26 (21.1%) out of 123 cases of breast cancer patients and 4 (20%) out of 20 cases in a control group of benign tumors. The expression of EBV in breast cancers and that of a control group were not different significantly. But, the correlation between the expression of EBNA-2 and ER status was noted statistically significant (P=0.040). CONCLUSION: Judging from the results of our study, EBV infection detected in breast cancer seems to be latent and the association of EBV to breast cancer is less likely related.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Diagnosis ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Herpesvirus 4, Human* ; Humans ; Oncogenic Viruses ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: A mucocele of the appendix is an uncommon pathology, representing 0.2% to 0.3% of all appendix specimens. It is often diagnosed clinically as a result of its ability to cause signs and symptoms similar to those of acute appendicitis. If it is asymptomatic, it is often detected as an incidental finding during ultrasonography, computed tomography, radiographic examination of the gastrointestinal tract, or laparotomy. The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical features of mucocele of the appendix. METHODS: We describe 35 cases of mucocele of the appendix diagnosed at Uijeongbu St. Mary's hospital between January 1993 and December 2006. We analyzed demographic, clinical, and pathologic data of all the cases. RESULTS: A total of 12 males and 13 females with mean age of 54.7+/-14.9 years are described. The peak incidence occurred in the seventh decade (34.3%). Sixteen patients presented with symptoms and signs similar to those found in acute appendicitis. Ten patients complained of a palpable mass, 2 patients complained of non-specific abdominal pain, and 7 patients were asymptomatic. Fourteen cases were diagnosed preoperatively, and 3 cases were discovered incidentally. Pathologic examination revealed mucosal hyperplasia in 20% of the cases, cystadenoma in 71%, and cystadenocarcinoma in 9%. The mean age of cystadenocarcinoma patients was older than the mean age of mucosal hyperplasia patients, and the diameter of the appendix was larger in cystadenoma patients than in mucosal hyperplasia patients. CONCLUSION: The preoperative diagnosis of appendiceal mucocele is very important to make in order to facilitate treatment planning and avoid inadvertent rupture of the mucocele during operation. We recommend more diagnostic studies in cases of suspected mucocele. Mucocele of the appendix must be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with pain in the right iliac fossa, patients older than 40 years of age, patients suffering from long-term symptoms, and patient with a palpable mass in the right iliac fossa.
Abdominal Pain ; Appendicitis ; Appendix ; Cystadenocarcinoma ; Cystadenoma ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Incidence ; Incidental Findings ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Mucocele ; Rupture ; Stress, Psychological ; Tomography, X-Ray