No abstract available.
Uterine Prolapse*

The progressive attrition of teeth is a normal process by aging. However, excessive tooth wear with decreased vertical dimension of occlusion and collapse of occlusal plane may cause pathologic pulpal condition, occlusal disharmony, functional disorders and esthetic problems. The change of vertical dimension is required in case that there is no sufficient clearance for restoration or in case that the occlusal relationship is modified. For gaining the vertical dimension, a careful diagnosis is essential prior to starting the restoration treatment. After evaluating adaptation of neuromuscular system of patient during provisional phase, the final restorations can be fabricated. In this case, a 78 year old male with severely worn down dentition was treated. To improve the esthetic appearance and to achieve the ideal occlusal relationship, the full mouth rehabilitation with minimal increase of vertical dimension is planned and diagnostic wax-up was performed at the increased vertical dimension. After evaluation of provisional restorations for 12 weeks, final restorations were fabricated and routine clinical assessments were made. After 1 year, the restorations with newly established occlusal scheme are well maintained without significant complications and esthetically and functionally satisfactory results were obtained.
Aging ; Dental Occlusion ; Dentition* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Mouth Rehabilitation* ; Mouth* ; Tooth ; Tooth Wear ; Vertical Dimension*

As more individuals were coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinated, unexpected side effects appeared. Herein, we present the case of a 30-year-old male patient with myopathy in both extremities after the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) COVID-19 vaccine. Symptoms, swelling and pain, started from the proximal upper and lower extremities and extended to the distal parts. Although he underwent massive hydration, the muscle enzyme level continuously increased. He complained of dysphagia and dysarthria.Microscopically, muscle biopsy showed multifocal or scattered macrophage infiltration and degenerated myofibers. In contrast to general myopathy including inflammatory myositis and rhabdomyolysis, vaccine-induced inflammatory myositis shows a prolonged increase in muscle enzyme levels and multifocal macrophage infiltration with necrosis of the muscle fibers. Symptoms improved with glucocorticoid and immunosuppressive treatment. If vaccinated individuals experience severe and continuous muscle pain and swelling, clinicians should consider vaccine-induced inflammatory myositis, measure the muscle enzyme levels, and perform muscle biopsy for a definite diagnosis.

Neuro-Behçet's disease (NBD) represents a significant complication of Behçet's syndrome, potentially leading to elevated mortality and disability rates. The standard treatment for parenchymal NBD typically entails administering high-dose corticosteroids to prompt rapid-onset effects, coupled with immunosuppressants to prevent subsequent relapses. A 48-year-old male with NBD presented with progressively worsening dysarthria over 9 months. This patient experienced increased intraocular pressure while using glucocorticoids, which worsened his pre-existing glaucoma. The patient had a prior diagnosis of NBD and presented with progressive dysarthria over a period of nine months, leading to a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. The brain MRI revealed multifocal punctate high signal intensities in the left frontoparietal area, insula, and basal ganglia. Instead of the standard steroid pulse therapy, the patient received adalimumab-cyclophosphamide combination as an alternative induction therapy. Subsequent serial brain MRI scans exhibited no emergence of new lesions, and the patient remained devoid of clinical relapses even after 17 months from the commencement of induction treatment. Adalimumab-cyclophosphamide combination could be used as a corticosteroid-free induction strategy for NBD. Further investigations are warranted to establish the most suitable combination regimen.

PURPOSE: To describe the change of lacrimal gland volumes in Korean patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) via computed tomography (CT). METHODS: A retrospective review of CT images from 217 TAO patients and 135 control subjects was performed. The TAO patients were diagnosed between May 2005 and May 2014 and had a CT performed on initial presentation (330 orbital CT scans). These images were compared with 270 orbital CT scans from the control group, obtained between May 2013 and May 2014. An open source DICOM viewer was used to calculate the volume of the lacrimal gland. RESULTS: The mean volume of the lacrimal gland in TAO patients was 0.816 cm³ in the right orbit (standard deviation [SD], 0.048) and 0.811 cm3 in the left orbit (SD, 0.051), with no significant difference between right and left (p = 0.192). However, significant differences were observed between TAO patients and healthy individuals (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between mean lacrimal gland volumes of males (0.812 cm³; SD, 0.037) and females (0.816 cm³; SD, 0.029) (p = 0.513). There was a negative correlation between gland volume and age in TAO patients (Pearson r = -0.479, p = 0.00). The subjective tearing (right: r = 0.244, p = 0.018; left: r = 0.226, p = 0.024), corneal superficial punctate keratopathy (right: r = 0.192, p = 0.040; left: r = 0.206, p = 0.036), and exophthalmometry (right: r = 0.182, p = 0.032; left: r = 0.180, p = 0.046) correlated with lacrimal gland volume. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to use CT images to calculate the lacrimal gland volume of Korean TAO patients. In TAO patients, the lacrimal gland volume was notably increased compared to control subjects. The lacrimal gland volume decreased with age, but there was no difference between gender and no difference between left and right. The lacrimal gland volume correlated with subjective tearing, corneal superficial punctate keratopathy and exophthalmometry.
Computer Communication Networks ; Female ; Graves Ophthalmopathy* ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus* ; Male ; Orbit ; Retrospective Studies ; Tears ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Troleandomycin

PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate the beam quality of intraoral X-ray equipments used at Yonsei University Dental Hospital(YUDH) using the half value layer(HVL) and the characteristic curve of intraoral standard X-ray film. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was done using the intraoral X-ray equipments used at each clinical department at YUDH. Aluminum filter was used to determine the HVL. Intraoral standard film was used to get the characteristic curve of each intraoral X-ray equipment. RESULTS: Most of the HVLs of intraoral X-ray equipments were higher than the least recommended thickness, but the REX 601 model used at the operative dentistry department and the X-707 model used at the pediatric dentistry department had HVLs lower than the recommended thickness. The slopes of the characteristic curves of films taken using the PANPAS 601 model and REX 601 model at operative dentistry department, the X-70S model of prosthodontic dentistry department, and the REX 601 model at the student clinic were relatively low. CONCLUSION: HVL and the characteristic curve of X-ray film can be used to evaluate the beam quality of intraoral X-ray equipment. In order to get the best X-ray films with the least radiation exposure to patients and best diagnostic information in clinical dentistry, X-ray equipment should be managed in the planned and organized fashion.
Aluminum ; Dentistry ; Dentistry, Operative ; Humans ; Pediatric Dentistry ; Prosthodontics ; X-Ray Film

The purpose of this study was to compare the changes of retentive force in different stud attachment systems for implant retained overdenture. Two commercially available attachments with different retentive forces were investigated: Kerator (pink, blue, red) and O-ring (orange, red). Two implant fixtures were vertically embedded in base mountings. Five pairs of each attachment were evaluated. A universal testing machine was used to evaluate the retentive force of two attachments during wear simulation. Surface characteristics of each attachment system were evaluated with scanning electron microscopy. Five pairs of each attachment were evaluated. Kerator pink showed the highest initial retention. After 2,500 cycles of wear-simulation, Kerator pink noted the largest decrease in retention. According to results of surface analysis, Worn surfaces were obtained in matrices and patrices. Heavy wears were observed in matrices. After 2 year-wear simulation, most attachments exhibited retention loss. Attachments using different kind of material exhibited dissimilar surface alterations.
Denture, Overlay* ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning

Background/Aims: This study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of patients with concurrent rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and suspected non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections as well as determine their prognostic factors. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 91 patients with RA whose computed tomography (CT) findings suggested NTM infection. Subsequently, we compared the clinical characteristics between patients with and without clinical or radiological exacerbation of NTM-pulmonary disease (PD) and investigated the risk factors for the exacerbation and associated mortality. Results: The mean age of patients with RA and suspected NTM-PD was 65.0 ± 10.2 years. The nodular/bronchiectatic (NB) form of NTM-PD was the predominant radiographic feature (78.0%). During follow-up, 36 patients (41.9%) experienced a radiological or clinical exacerbation of NTM-PD, whereas 12 patients (13.2%) died. Combined interstitial lung disease (ILD), microbiologically confirmed NTM-PD, and NB with the fibrocavitary (FC) form on chest CT were identified as risk factors for the clinical or radiological exacerbation of NTM-PD. Hydroxychloroquine use was identified as a good prognostic factor. Conversely, history of tuberculosis, ILD, smoking, microbiologically confirmed NTM-PD, and NB with the FC form on chest CT were identified as poor prognostic factors for mortality in suspected NTM-PD. Conclusions ILD and NB with the FC form on chest CT were associated with NTM-PD exacerbation and mortality. Hydroxychloroquine use may lower the risk of NTM-PD exacerbation. Therefore, radiographic features and presence of ILD should be considered when predicting the prognosis of patients with RA and suspected NTM-PD.

BACKGROUND: Cellular phone has become a necessary device for communicating in hospitals. Cellular phones contaminated with bacteria may serve as a fomite in the transmission of pathogens by the hands of medical personnel. We investigated the bacterial contamination of cellular phones used by medical personnel in a tertiary hospital. METHODS: Culture swabs were obtained from 101 cellular phones and 99 anterior nasal cavities from medical personnel using cellular phones. The swabs were inoculated on blood agar, MacConkey agar, mannitol salt agar, and enterococcal broths containing 6microgram/mL vancomycin for 48 h at 37degrees C. The bacteria were identified on the basis of colony morphology, gram staining characteristics, catalase test, coagulase test, and DNase test; Microscan (Siemens, USA) was used for the identification of enterococci. RESULTS: Of the 101 cellular phones, 13 were contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus (including 4 methicillin-resistant S. aureus [MRSA]), 61 with coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (including 38 methicillin-resistant CoNS), 27 with Micrococcus spp., 11 with diphtheroids, 67 with Bacillus spp., and 4 with viridans streptococci. No gram-negative bacilli were isolated. Nasal swabs yielded 36 S. aureus, including 9 MRSA. Only 1 of 9 cellular phones used by the MRSA carriers was contaminated with MRSA. CONCLUSION: Cellular phones used by some medical personnel were contaminated with pathogens such as S. aureus or MRSA. Although, the clinical implications of pathogens isolated from cellular phones have not been fully investigated, pathogens could be transmitted by the hands of medical personnel who are cellular phone users.
Agar ; Bacillus ; Bacteria ; Catalase ; Cellular Phone ; Coagulase ; Deoxyribonucleases ; Disinfection ; Fomites ; Hand ; Hand Hygiene ; Mannitol ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Micrococcus ; Nasal Cavity ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Vancomycin ; Viridans Streptococci

BACKGROUND Coagulation assays can be easily affected by preanalytical variables, including the factors associated with the blood collection tube. Recently the Sekisui Trank Insepack (Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd, Osaka, Japan; Insepack) blood collection tubes were introduced into Korea. The aim of this study was to compare the results of routine coagulation assays using the Insepack with those using BD Vacutainer (BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA; Vacutainer) tubes, which are most widely used in Korea. METHODS: Paired blood samples from 64 patients were drawn into Insepack and Vacutainer 3.2% citrate tubes. The results of prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen, and fibrin/fibrinogen degradation product (FDP) were determined in parallel. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed between Insepack and Vacutainer tubes for PT, fibrinogen, and FDP tests. For APTT which showed the significant differences between the results in the two tubes the mean difference was small (0.8 seconds), and it was not considered clinically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that Insepack tubes can be used in place of Vacutainer tubes for routine coagulation assays.
Citric Acid* ; Fibrinogen ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Lakes ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Plastics* ; Prothrombin Time