Background: This study compared and analyzed the surface properties, including gloss, Vickers hardness, surface roughness,surface morphology, and color stability, of various aesthetic restorative materials subjected to in-office tooth bleaching treatments. Methods: The experimental groups consisted of various commercially available aesthetic restorative materials, includinglight-cured composite resin (CR), light-cured bulk-fill resin (BF), compomer (CP), resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGI), and glass ionomer cement (GI). Before and after the bleaching treatment using 30% hydrogen peroxide, the gloss was measured with a gloss meter, the Vickers hardness values were assessed with a Vickers hardness tester, and the surface roughness was analyzed using a surface profilometer. Surface morphology was observed using scanning electron microscopy.After the bleaching treatment, color stability was evaluated by immersing the specimens in coffee, Pepsi Cola, black tea, and distilled water solutions. The color changes (ΔE*) were analyzed at 1, 3, and 7 days. Results: Compared with the pre-treatment values, gloss significantly decreased in the BF and RMGI groups (p＜0.05), Vickers hardness significantly decreased in the RMGI and GI groups (p＜0.05), and surface roughness significantly increased in the CR and RMGI groups (p＜0.05). The surface morphological changes were minimal in all the experimental groups, except for RMGI and GI. In terms of color stability, the CP group exhibited the highest color stability in distilled water, while the GI group showed the lowest (p＜0.05). The BF group demonstrated the highest color stability in the coffee, Pepsi-Cola, and black tea solutions, whereas the RMGI group showed the lowest color stability (p＜0.05). Conclusion The findings of this study will provide foundational data for selecting aesthetic restorative materials that have minimalimpact on surface properties, while offering optimal aesthetic outcomes and patient satisfaction tailored to the specific oral conditions of the patient.

Background: This study compared and analyzed the surface properties, including gloss, Vickers hardness, surface roughness,surface morphology, and color stability, of various aesthetic restorative materials subjected to in-office tooth bleaching treatments. Methods: The experimental groups consisted of various commercially available aesthetic restorative materials, includinglight-cured composite resin (CR), light-cured bulk-fill resin (BF), compomer (CP), resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGI), and glass ionomer cement (GI). Before and after the bleaching treatment using 30% hydrogen peroxide, the gloss was measured with a gloss meter, the Vickers hardness values were assessed with a Vickers hardness tester, and the surface roughness was analyzed using a surface profilometer. Surface morphology was observed using scanning electron microscopy.After the bleaching treatment, color stability was evaluated by immersing the specimens in coffee, Pepsi Cola, black tea, and distilled water solutions. The color changes (ΔE*) were analyzed at 1, 3, and 7 days. Results: Compared with the pre-treatment values, gloss significantly decreased in the BF and RMGI groups (p＜0.05), Vickers hardness significantly decreased in the RMGI and GI groups (p＜0.05), and surface roughness significantly increased in the CR and RMGI groups (p＜0.05). The surface morphological changes were minimal in all the experimental groups, except for RMGI and GI. In terms of color stability, the CP group exhibited the highest color stability in distilled water, while the GI group showed the lowest (p＜0.05). The BF group demonstrated the highest color stability in the coffee, Pepsi-Cola, and black tea solutions, whereas the RMGI group showed the lowest color stability (p＜0.05). Conclusion The findings of this study will provide foundational data for selecting aesthetic restorative materials that have minimalimpact on surface properties, while offering optimal aesthetic outcomes and patient satisfaction tailored to the specific oral conditions of the patient.

Background: This study compared and analyzed the surface properties, including gloss, Vickers hardness, surface roughness,surface morphology, and color stability, of various aesthetic restorative materials subjected to in-office tooth bleaching treatments. Methods: The experimental groups consisted of various commercially available aesthetic restorative materials, includinglight-cured composite resin (CR), light-cured bulk-fill resin (BF), compomer (CP), resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGI), and glass ionomer cement (GI). Before and after the bleaching treatment using 30% hydrogen peroxide, the gloss was measured with a gloss meter, the Vickers hardness values were assessed with a Vickers hardness tester, and the surface roughness was analyzed using a surface profilometer. Surface morphology was observed using scanning electron microscopy.After the bleaching treatment, color stability was evaluated by immersing the specimens in coffee, Pepsi Cola, black tea, and distilled water solutions. The color changes (ΔE*) were analyzed at 1, 3, and 7 days. Results: Compared with the pre-treatment values, gloss significantly decreased in the BF and RMGI groups (p＜0.05), Vickers hardness significantly decreased in the RMGI and GI groups (p＜0.05), and surface roughness significantly increased in the CR and RMGI groups (p＜0.05). The surface morphological changes were minimal in all the experimental groups, except for RMGI and GI. In terms of color stability, the CP group exhibited the highest color stability in distilled water, while the GI group showed the lowest (p＜0.05). The BF group demonstrated the highest color stability in the coffee, Pepsi-Cola, and black tea solutions, whereas the RMGI group showed the lowest color stability (p＜0.05). Conclusion The findings of this study will provide foundational data for selecting aesthetic restorative materials that have minimalimpact on surface properties, while offering optimal aesthetic outcomes and patient satisfaction tailored to the specific oral conditions of the patient.

Background: Sympathetic blocks (SBs) have been used widely to relieve the symptoms of sympathetically maintained pain (SMP). The thoracic sympathetic ganglion is not separated from somatic nerves by muscles and connective tissue. The upper thoracic ganglion runs along the posterior surface of the vertebral column in close proximity to the adjacent epidural region. This anatomical difference leads to frequent epidural and intercostal spread in cases of thoracic SBs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of inadvertent intercostal and epidural injections during thoracic SBs. Methods: Twenty-two patients who were suffering from complex regional pain syndrome or lymphedema after breast cancer surgery were managed with two or three times of thoracic SBs. Therefore, injections of 63 thoracic SBs from 22 patients were enrolled in this study. An investigator who did not attend the procedure evaluated the occurrence of intercostal or epidural spread using anteroposterior fluoroscopic images. Results: The overall incidence of inadvertent intercostal or epidural spread of contrast was 47.5%. Among the inadvertent injections, intercostal spread (34.9%) was more frequent than epidural spread (12.6%). Only 52.5% of the thoracic SBs demonstrated successful contrast spread without any inadvertent spread. The mean difference in skin temperature between the blocked and unblocked sides was 2.5 ± 1.8ºC. Fifty-nine (93.6%) injections demonstrated more than 1.5ºC difference. Conclusions Thoracic SBs showed a high incidence (47.5%) of inadvertent epidural or intercostal injection. Thus, special attention is required for the diagnosis of SMP or the injection of any neurolytic agent around sympathetic ganglion.

Objectives: . The presence of extrathyroidal extension (ETE) in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) serves as a significant prognostic indicator. Consequently, the staging of DTC is categorized into extensive ETE and gross ETE that solely impacts the strap muscles (gross strap muscle invasion [gSMI]). However, there is a lack of sufficient evidence concerning the relationship between gSMI and prognosis, particularly in terms of tumor size. Methods: . Relevant literature was searched in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and KoreaMed. All procedures were conducted in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and carried out by two independent reviewers. The meta-analysis utilized a random-effects model to account for the diversity of the studies. Risk of Bias for Nonrandomized Studies (RoBANS) version 2.0, an evaluation tool for non-randomized studies, was employed to assess the quality of the selected research. Clinical data from observational studies that examined the relationship between the degree of ETE and prognosis were gathered, and a meta-analysis was conducted. Results: . Eighteen observational studies were included in this analysis. Subgroup analyses were conducted for each outcome. The findings revealed that the recurrence rate (odds ratio [OR], 2.498), disease-specific mortality (risk ratio [RR], 2.984), overall mortality (RR, 1.361), and lymph node (LN) metastasis (OR, 5.355) were significantly higher in patients with gSMI than in those without ETE. However, when the analysis was restricted to tumors measuring 4 cm or smaller, no significant differences in prognostic outcomes were observed, with the exception of LN metastasis. Conclusion . gSMI negatively impacts prognosis; however, this correlation diminishes with smaller tumor sizes. Thus, a more cautious approach is warranted during the treatment process.

Objectives: . The presence of extrathyroidal extension (ETE) in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) serves as a significant prognostic indicator. Consequently, the staging of DTC is categorized into extensive ETE and gross ETE that solely impacts the strap muscles (gross strap muscle invasion [gSMI]). However, there is a lack of sufficient evidence concerning the relationship between gSMI and prognosis, particularly in terms of tumor size. Methods: . Relevant literature was searched in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and KoreaMed. All procedures were conducted in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and carried out by two independent reviewers. The meta-analysis utilized a random-effects model to account for the diversity of the studies. Risk of Bias for Nonrandomized Studies (RoBANS) version 2.0, an evaluation tool for non-randomized studies, was employed to assess the quality of the selected research. Clinical data from observational studies that examined the relationship between the degree of ETE and prognosis were gathered, and a meta-analysis was conducted. Results: . Eighteen observational studies were included in this analysis. Subgroup analyses were conducted for each outcome. The findings revealed that the recurrence rate (odds ratio [OR], 2.498), disease-specific mortality (risk ratio [RR], 2.984), overall mortality (RR, 1.361), and lymph node (LN) metastasis (OR, 5.355) were significantly higher in patients with gSMI than in those without ETE. However, when the analysis was restricted to tumors measuring 4 cm or smaller, no significant differences in prognostic outcomes were observed, with the exception of LN metastasis. Conclusion . gSMI negatively impacts prognosis; however, this correlation diminishes with smaller tumor sizes. Thus, a more cautious approach is warranted during the treatment process.

Objectives: . The presence of extrathyroidal extension (ETE) in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) serves as a significant prognostic indicator. Consequently, the staging of DTC is categorized into extensive ETE and gross ETE that solely impacts the strap muscles (gross strap muscle invasion [gSMI]). However, there is a lack of sufficient evidence concerning the relationship between gSMI and prognosis, particularly in terms of tumor size. Methods: . Relevant literature was searched in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and KoreaMed. All procedures were conducted in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and carried out by two independent reviewers. The meta-analysis utilized a random-effects model to account for the diversity of the studies. Risk of Bias for Nonrandomized Studies (RoBANS) version 2.0, an evaluation tool for non-randomized studies, was employed to assess the quality of the selected research. Clinical data from observational studies that examined the relationship between the degree of ETE and prognosis were gathered, and a meta-analysis was conducted. Results: . Eighteen observational studies were included in this analysis. Subgroup analyses were conducted for each outcome. The findings revealed that the recurrence rate (odds ratio [OR], 2.498), disease-specific mortality (risk ratio [RR], 2.984), overall mortality (RR, 1.361), and lymph node (LN) metastasis (OR, 5.355) were significantly higher in patients with gSMI than in those without ETE. However, when the analysis was restricted to tumors measuring 4 cm or smaller, no significant differences in prognostic outcomes were observed, with the exception of LN metastasis. Conclusion . gSMI negatively impacts prognosis; however, this correlation diminishes with smaller tumor sizes. Thus, a more cautious approach is warranted during the treatment process.

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to investigate the relationship between the extent of hippocampal resection and the postsurgical memory outcome in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). METHODS: In 36 patients with TLE, the longitudinal distances of pre-surgical hippocampus and post-surgical hippocampal remnant were measured on 3 mm thick coronal MRI images perpendicular to the long axis of hippocampus. Memory tests were performed before and 1 year after the surgery. The relationships of the extent of hippocampal resection (EHR) and the asymmetry index of Wada retention memory scores (WAI) with postsurgical memory outcomes were tested. RESULTS: The ratios of post-surgical/pre-surgical scores in immediate and delayed verbal memory and immediate, delayed and recognition visual memory were not significantly correlated with the EHR. Only verbal recognition memory was positively correlated with the EHR. In TLE of the dominant hemisphere, the ratios of post-surgical/pre-surgical scores of verbal and visual memories were not significantly correlated with the EHR, but the WAIs were significantly correlated with the delayed visual memory changes (p<0.05). In TLE of the non-dominant hemisphere, the ratios of post-surgical/pre-surgical scores of delayed verbal and immediate visual memory (in percentiles) were positively correlated with the EHR (p<0.05). However, a linear regression analysis showed that none of postsurgical memory subtypes were significantly correlated with the EHR. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the extent of hippocampal resection itself does not have a significant relationship with the outcome of postsurgical memory in patients with mesial TLE.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Memory* ; Temporal Lobe*

PURPOSE: To investigate the various ictal perfusion patterns and find the relationships between clinical factors and different perfusion patterns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: lnterictal and ictal SPECT and SPECT subtraction were performed in 61 patients with partial epilepsy. Bath positive images showing ictal hypoperfusion and negative images revealing ictal hypoperfusion were obtained by SPECT subtraction. The ictal perfusion patterns of subtracted SPECT were classified into focal hypoperfusion, hypoperfusion-plus, combined hypoperfusion-hypoperfusion, and focal hypoperfusion only. RESULTS: The concordance rates with epileptic focus were 91.8% in combined analysis of ictal hypoperfusion and hypoperfusion images of subtracted SPECT, 85.2% in hypoperfusion images only of subtracted SPECT, and 68.9% in conventional ictal SPECT analysis. Ictal hypoperfusion occurred less frequently in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) than extratemporal lobe epilepsy. Mesial temporal hypoperfusion alone was seen only in mesial TLE while lateral temporal hypoperfusion alone was observed only in neocortical TLE. Hippocampal sclerosis had much lower incidence of ictal hypoperfusion than any other pathology. Some patients showed ictal hypoperfusion at epileptic focus with ictal hypoperfusion in the neighboring brain regions where ictal discharges propagated. CONCLUSION: Hypoperfusion as well as hypoperfusion in ictal SPECT should be considered for localizing epileptic focus. Although the mechanisrn of ictal hypopertusion could be an intra-ictal early exhaustion of seizure focus or a steal phenomenon by the propagation of ictal discharges to adjacent brain areas, further study is needed to elucidate it.
Baths ; Brain ; Epilepsies, Partial* ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pathology ; Perfusion* ; Sclerosis ; Seizures ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

PURPOSE: The Behcet's Disease Quality of Life (BD-QoL) is a BD-specific measure developed in the UK. The aim of this study was to adapt the BD-QoL for use in Korea. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The translation was based on the guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation. A total of 201 Korean patients with BD participated in this study. To evaluate the psychometric properties, internal consistency and test-retest reliability were used. Factor analysis was performed to examine the construct validity. To provide further evidence for validity, the correlation of BD-QoL with the Clinical Activity Form for Korean Patients with BD (BDCAF-K) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scales was assessed. RESULTS: The Korean version had high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha, 0.93) and test-retest reliability (r = 0.835). Factor analysis of the questionnaire revealed one interpretable factor as a general health-related quality of life factor. The Korean version significantly correlated with scores of CES-D (r = 0.749, p = 0.000), self-rating scale of well-being over the past 28 days (r = 0.446, p = 0.000), and BDCAF-K score (r = 0.502, p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: Adaptation of the BD-QoL for use in Korea was successful. Together with the BDCAF-K, it may be a valuable tool for assessing the influence of interventions in BD patients and outcome in clinical trials.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Behcet Syndrome/diagnosis/*psychology/therapy ; Child ; Cultural Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Language ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Quality of Life ; Questionnaires/*standards