Objective of this study was to compare the color stability, mechanical and chemical properties of three different types of temporary crown resins. Commercially available powder-liquid (Group PL), light-cured (Group LC) and auto-mix syringe (Group AM) types' temporary crown resins were used as experimental groups for each of the evaluation. All the test groups were evaluated after 1 day and 7 days of immersion in various staining solutions. The colors of all groups before and after storage in the staining solutions were measured by a spectrophotometer based on CIE Lab system, and the color differences (ΔE(*)) thereby calculated. Micro hardness test was performed before water storage and aging after 7 days at 37 ℃. In addition, flexural strength, water sorption and solubility tests were performed according to international standard, ISO 10477. All experimental groups showed significant color change in staining solutions when compared to those stored in the control solution (distilled water) (p<0.05). Group PL showed the least color change among the three groups followed by Group AM (p<0.05). This tendency was observed after 7 days of immersion. In terms of the micro hardness test, Group PL showed the highest value among the three groups followed by Group AM (p<0.05). Additionally, the flexural strength decreased in the following order: AM > PL > LC (p<0.05). Water sorption and solubility increased in the following order: AM < PL < LC (p<0.05). The results of this study would provide useful information when choosing temporary crown resin types in various clinical situations.
Aging ; Crowns ; Hardness Tests ; Immersion ; Solubility ; Syringes ; Water

BACKGROUND: Several antibiotics can be used to treat ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB-VAP) including high-dose sulbactam. However, the effectiveness of high-dose sulbactam therapy is not well known. We report our experience with high-dose sulbactam for treatment of CRAB-VAP. METHODS: Medical records of patients with CRAB-VAP who were given high-dose sulbactam between May 2013 and June 2015 were reviewed. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients with CRAB-VAP were treated with high-dose sulbactam. The mean age was 72.0 ± 15.2 years, and the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score was 15.1 ± 5.10 at the time of CRAB-VAP diagnosis. Early clinical improvement was observed in 65.5% of patients, and 30-day mortality was 29.3%. Early clinical failure (odds ratio [OR]: 8.720, confidence interval [CI]: 1.346-56.484; p = 0.023) and APACHE II score ≥ 14 at CRAB-VAP diagnosis (OR: 10.934, CI: 1.047-114.148; p = 0.046) were associated with 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: High-dose sulbactam therapy may be effective for the treatment of CRAB-VAP. However, early clinical failure was observed in 35% of patients and was associated with poor outcome.
Acinetobacter baumannii* ; Acinetobacter* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; APACHE ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated* ; Sulbactam*

No abstract available.
Rupture* ; Uterus*

No abstract available.
Sperm-Ovum Interactions* ; Spermatozoa*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the glaucoma discrimination ability of visual field index (VFI), a new perimetric index of Humphrey field analyzer II, in glaucoma patients with central and peripheral visual field defects (VFD). METHODS: Humphrey visual field test and OCT were performed in 204 glaucomatous eyes and 70 healthy eyes. The associations of VFI with mean deviation (MD), pattern standard deviation (PSD), and average retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) were analyzed using Pearson's correlation. The diagnostic abilities of the parameters were analyzed using the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC). The AUROC were compared between MD-matched patients with central VFD (at least one point with p < 1% within the central most 16 points of 30-2 SITA standard automated visual field) and peripheral VFD (VFD beyond the central most 16 points of 30-2 SITA standard automated visual field). RESULTS: The associations between analyzed parameters and VFI were statistically significant. The MD, RNFLT, age, intraocular pressure, and central cornea thickness were not different between the two groups (p > 0.05). The AUROC value of VFI was greater than those of the MD and average RNFLT but was not different from that of PSD (p = 0.332) in the central VFD group. However, there were no significant differences between AUROC value of VFI and those of other parameters in the peripheral VFD group (all, p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results from the present study suggest that VFI may be more useful than MD in diagnosing glaucoma, especially in patients with central VFD.
Cornea ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Eye ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Nerve Fibers ; Retinaldehyde ; ROC Curve ; Visual Field Tests ; Visual Fields

Oxidative stress was evaluated for anthracene (Ant) and alkyl-Ants (9-methylanthracene [9-MA] and 9,10-dimethylanthracene [9,10-DMA]) in Caenorhabditis elegans to compare changes in toxicity due to the degree of alkylation. Worms were exposed at 1) the same external exposure concentration and 2) the maximum water-soluble concentration. Formation of reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase activity, total glutathione concentration, and lipid peroxidation were determined under constant exposure conditions using passive dosing. The expression of oxidative stress-related genes (daf-2, sir-2.1, daf-16, sod-1, sod-2, sod-3 and cytochrome 35A/C family genes) was also investigated to identify and compare changes in the genetic responses of C. elegans exposed to Ant and alkyl-Ant. At the same external concentration, 9,10-DMA induced the greatest oxidative stress, as evidenced by all indicators, except for lipid peroxidation, followed by 9-MA and Ant. Interestingly, 9,10-DMA led to greater oxidative stress than 9-MA and Ant when worms were exposed to the maximum water-soluble concentration, although the maximum water-soluble concentration of 9,10-DMA is the lowest. Increased oxidative stress by alkyl-Ants would be attributed to higher lipid-water partition coefficient and the π electron density in aromatic rings by alkyl substitution, although this supposition requires further confirmation.
Alkylation ; Ants ; Caenorhabditis elegans* ; Caenorhabditis* ; Cytochromes ; Gene Expression ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Oxidative Stress* ; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Superoxide Dismutase

There are some controversies on the mechanism of the lumbar disc degeneration and disc prolapse. But,it is clear that many factors are related to the disc degeneration. Configurations of the lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine have long been proposed as one of the important factors of disc degeneration in these areas. To look for the configurational risk factors and the probability of disc degeneration by the combinations of these factors, we analyzed simple radiographs and MRI of 73 patients who complaints of low back pain and are between 20 years and 39 years of age. We performed chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis: L4-5 disc degeneration and L5-Sl disc degeneration as dependent variables and lumbar lordosis, sacral inclination, height of intercrest line, transitional vertebra and facet joint asymmetry as independent variables. We could not find any of these variables significantly related to the L4-5 intervertebral disc degeneration. For L5-S1 disc degeneration, only the presence of transitional vertebra was signicantly related. When there is no transitional vertebra, the probability of disc degeneration is 9 times(8.889) as large as that of presence of transitional vertebra. The probability of L4-5 disc degeneration without the degeneration of L5-S1 is 3 times as large as that of degeneration of both of L4-5 and L5-S1 disc in case of the presence of transitional vertebra.
Animals ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration* ; Logistic Models ; Lordosis ; Low Back Pain ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Prolapse ; Risk Factors ; Spine* ; Zygapophyseal Joint

Oxidative stress was evaluated for anthracene (Ant) and alkyl-Ants (9-methylanthracene [9-MA] and 9,10-dimethylanthracene [9,10-DMA]) in Caenorhabditis elegans to compare changes in toxicity due to the degree of alkylation. Worms were exposed at 1) the same external exposure concentration and 2) the maximum water-soluble concentration. Formation of reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase activity, total glutathione concentration, and lipid peroxidation were determined under constant exposure conditions using passive dosing. The expression of oxidative stress-related genes (daf-2, sir-2.1, daf-16, sod-1, sod-2, sod-3 and cytochrome 35A/C family genes) was also investigated to identify and compare changes in the genetic responses of C. elegans exposed to Ant and alkyl-Ant. At the same external concentration, 9,10-DMA induced the greatest oxidative stress, as evidenced by all indicators, except for lipid peroxidation, followed by 9-MA and Ant. Interestingly, 9,10-DMA led to greater oxidative stress than 9-MA and Ant when worms were exposed to the maximum water-soluble concentration, although the maximum water-soluble concentration of 9,10-DMA is the lowest. Increased oxidative stress by alkyl-Ants would be attributed to higher lipid-water partition coefficient and the π electron density in aromatic rings by alkyl substitution, although this supposition requires further confirmation.
Alkylation ; Ants ; Caenorhabditis elegans ; Caenorhabditis ; Cytochromes ; Gene Expression ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Oxidative Stress ; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Superoxide Dismutase

The prevalence of atherothrombotic disease continues to rise, presenting an increasing number of challenges to modern society and creating interest in functional foods. Platelet activation, adhesion, and aggregation at vascular endothelial disruption sites are key events in atherothrombotic disease. Physiological challenges such as hyperlipidemia, obesity, and cigarette smoking are associated with vascular changes underlying platelet aggregation and inflammatory processes. However, it is difficult to determine the beneficial response of functional foods in healthy subjects. To address this problem, challenge models and high-risk models related to smokers, obesity, and dyslipidemia are proposed as sensitive measures to evaluate the effects of functional foods in healthy subjects. In this review, we construct a model to evaluate the effects of functional food such as natural products on blood flow based on a human intervention study.
Atherosclerosis ; Biological Products ; Blood Circulation ; Blood Vessels ; Dyslipidemias ; Functional Food* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans* ; Hyperlipidemias ; Obesity ; Platelet Activation ; Platelet Aggregation ; Prevalence ; Smoking

Vocal fold leukoplakia poses a challenge to otolaryngologists due to its various spectrum of pathologic diagnosis. The degree of dysplasia is associated with malignancy risk and the new 2017 WHO classification system changed from the 3-tier system to a 2-tier system consisting of low and high grades. Infections including candidiasis, cryptococcosis, and tuberculosis should also be included in the differential diagnosis. Efforts have been made to evaluate risks using endoscopic technologies such as narrow band imaging, and surgery is essential for histopathological diagnosis. Regarding management, it is important to make an accurate diagnosis and find a balance between oncologic safety and functional outcome.