This erratum is being published to correct the co-authors errors.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the color stability, water sorption and cytotoxicity of thermoplastic acrylic resin for the non-metal clasp dentures to those of thermoplastic polyamide and conventional heat-polymerized denture base resins. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three types of denture base resin, which are conventional heat-polymerized acrylic resin (Paladent 20), thermoplastic polyamide resin (Bio Tone), thermoplastic acrylic resin (Acrytone) were used as materials for this study. One hundred five specimens were fabricated. For the color stability test, specimens were immersed in the coffee and green tee for 1 and 8 weeks. Color change was measured by spectrometer. Water sorption was tested after 1 and 8 weeks immersion in the water. For the test of cytotoxicity, cell viability assay was measured and cell attachment was analyzed by FE-SEM. RESULTS: All types of denture base resin showed color changes after 1 and 8 weeks immersion. However, there was no significant difference between denture base resins. All specimens showed significant color changes in the coffee than green tee. In water sorption test, thermoplastic acrylic resin showed lower values than conventional heat-polymerized acrylic resin and thermoplastic polyamide resin. Three types of denture base showed low cytotoxicity in cell viability assay. Thermoplastic acrylic resin showed the similar cell attachment but more stable attachment than conventional heat-polymerized acrylic resin. CONCLUSION: Thermoplastic acrylic resin for the non-metal clasp denture showed acceptable color stability, water sorption and cytotoxicity. To verify the long stability in the mouth, additional in vitro studies are needed.
Cell Survival ; Coffee ; Denture Bases ; Dentures* ; Immersion ; Mouth ; Nylons ; Water*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate treatment results, toxicity and efficacy of hyperfractionated radiation therapy combined with paclitaxel for paraaortic node recurrence in cervix cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between September 1997 to March 1999, 12 patients with paraaortic node recurrence in cervix cancer who previously received radical or postoperative radiotherapy were treated with hyperfractionated radiation therapy combined with paclitaxel. Of these, 2 patients who irradiated less than 30 Gy were excluded, 10 patients were eligible for this study. Median age was 5 1 years. Initial FlGO stage was 1 stage IB1, 2 stage IIA, 7 stage IIB. For initial treatment, 7 patients received radical radiotherapy and 3 received postoperative radiotherapy. The paraaortic field encompassed the gross recur rent disease with superior margin at T 12, and inferior margin was between L5 and S 1 with gap for previously pelvic radiation field. The radiation field was initially anterior and posterior opposed field followed by both lateral field. The daily dose was 1.2 Gy, twice daily fractions, and total radiotherapy dose was between 50.4 and 60 Gy(median, 58.8 Gy). Concurrent chemotherapy was done with paclitaxel as a radiosensitizer. Dose range was from 20 mg/m to 30 mg/m (median, 25 mg/m'), and cycle of chemotherapy was from 3 to 6 (median, 4.5 cycle). Follow-up period ranged from 3 to 21 months. RESULTS: Interval between initial diagnosis and paraaortic node recurrence was range from 2 to 63 months (median, 8 months). The 1 year overall survival rate and median survival were 75% and 9.5 months, respectively. The 1 year disease free survival rate and median disease free survival were 30% and 3 7 months, respectively. At 1 month after treatment, 4 (40%) achieved a complete response and 6 (63%) experienced a partial response and all patients showed response above the partial response. There was distant metastasis in 6 patients and pelvic node recurrence in 2 patients after paraaortic node irradialion. There was 2 patients with grade 3 to 4 leukopenia and 8 patients with grade 1 to 2 nausea/ vom ting which was usually tolerable with antiemetic drug. There was no chronic complication in abdomen and pelvis during follow up period. CONCLUSION: Hyperfractionated radiation therapy combined with paclitaxel as a radiosensitizer showed high response rate and few complication rate in paraaortic node recurrence in cervix cancer. Therefore, present results suggest that hyperfractionated radiation therapy combined with paclitaxel chemotherapy can be used as optimal treatment modality in this patients.
Abdomen ; Cervix Uteri* ; Diagnosis ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paclitaxel* ; Pelvis ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence* ; Survival Rate ; Tolnaftate ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine and analyze the post operative fasting period of neonates in the intensive care unit (ICU) after receiving open heart surgery in order to provide optimal nutrition support for these neonates. The variables included biochemical nutrition indexes (albumin, total lymphocyte count, total cholesterol) and patient outcomes (duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay, hospital stay, infectious complication). METHODS: The participants were 124 neonates in ICU after receiving open heart surgery, and the design of this study was to investigate their post operative fasting period retrospectively to analyze the biochemical nutrition indexes and patient outcomes according to post operative fasting period. RESULTS: The results for 4 groups according to post operative fasting period showed that the group with less 48 hours of fasting had the best biochemical nutrition indexes and patient outcomes, followed by the 48-72 hour group, the 72-144 hour group, and the over 144 hour group. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that for new born babies receiving open heart surgery, the period of fasting after the operation should be minimized and tube feeding should be started as soon as possible.
Enteral Nutrition ; Fasting ; Heart ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units ; Length of Stay ; Lymphocyte Count ; Nutrition Assessment ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Surgery ; Child Health

Serum is free of cellular components. Because DNA is located in the nuclei or mitochondria of cells, serum could be assumed DNA free. Few previously published case reports to date have used serum for DNA typing. Here, we report on human genotyping via short tandem repeat (STR) analysis using serum as a sample, and discuss problems involved in the process.
DNA Fingerprinting* ; DNA* ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats* ; Mitochondria

PURPOSE: The best treatment for advanced esophageal cancer is chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. In spite of the advance of multimodality therapy, most patients with esophageal cancer are treated with radiation therapy alone. This study reports the outcome of the use of conventional external beam radiotherapy alone for the treatment of esophageal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1998 and December 2005, 30 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus were treated with external beam radiotherapy using a total dose exceeding 40 Gy. Radiotherapy was delivered with a total dose of 44-60 Gy (median dose, 57.2 Gy) over 36~115 days (median time, 45 days). Thirteen patients (43.3%) had a history of disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis, lye stricture, asthma, cerebral infarct, and cancers. Four patients metachronously had double primary cancers. The most common location of a tumor was the mid-thoracic portion of the esophagus (56.7%). Tumor lengths ranged from 2 cm to 11 cm, with a median length of 6 cm. For AJCC staging, stage III was the most common (63.3%). Five patients had metastases at diagnosis. RESULTS: The median overall survival was 8.3 months. The survival rates at 1-year and 2-years were 33.3% and 18.7%, respectively. The complete response rate 1~3 months after radiotherapy was 20% (6/30) and the partial response rate was 70% (21/30). Sixteen patients (53.3%) had an improved symptom of dysphagia. Significant prognostic factors were age, tumor length, stage, degree of dysphagia at the time of diagnosis and tumor response. Cox regression analysis revealed the aim of treatment, clinical tumor response and tumor length as independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Twenty-eight patients had local failure and another four patients had metastases. Three patients were detected with double primary cancers in this analysis. A complication of esophageal stricture was observed in three patients (10%), and radiation pneumonitis occurred in two patients (6.7%). CONCLUSION: The prognosis of esophageal cancer remains poor, in spite of advances in radiotherapy techniques. Radiotherapy is one of the main treatment modalities for the relief of dysphagia and treatment related complications are minimal. It is expected that the addition of chemotherapy or another systemic modality to radiotherapy will improve tumor control and increase the survival rate in advanced esophageal cancer.
Chemoradiotherapy ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Esophageal Neoplasms

We assessed about growth hormone binding proteins (GHBP) activity which was measured eluted biotin GH fraction with alkaline phosphatase-streptavidine in children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), short stature due to growth hormone deficiency (GHD), chronic renal failure, short stature due to nutritional deficiency. hypothyroidism and normal control groups using high pressure liquid chromatography protein pak 300 sw column. The following results are observed: 1) There were 3 types of growth hormone (GH) in serum: first GH binded with type I (minor) GHBP suggesting 200K dalton of molecular weight, second GH binded with type II (major) GHBP suggesting 60~70K dalton of molecular weight, and third GH were free form GH suggesting 20~25K dalton of molecular weight. 2) Type II (major) GHBP showed considerable individual variation in all ages. Neonates had the lowest levels of GHBP activity, but by the puberty the levels had increased & remained stable from adolescent to adult periods. 3) GHBP activity of children with IDDM at diagnosis was low value as compared to the same agenormal control group (p<0.05), and difference of GHBP activity among children with IDDM was related with height velocity (r=+0.92). Follow up GHBP activity during insulin therapy was reverse correlation with HbAlc. 4) GHBP activity of children with GHD at diagnosis was a slightly low compared to aged matched control and follow-up GHBP activity after 1 dose GH therapy showed increasing tendency (r=-0.68). 5) Otherwise, children with chronic renal failure, short stature due to nutritional deficiency, and hypothyroidism were assessed lower value than normal control group. Above results, GHBP activity had the lowest levels at neonatal period and then increasing tendency until puberty period and remained steady level until adult period. Regulation of GHBP may be closely related with metabolic control state by insulin, GH, nutritional status, and thyroid hormone..
Adolescent ; Adult ; Biotin ; Carrier Proteins ; Child ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Growth Hormone ; Humans* ; Hypothyroidism ; Infant, Newborn ; Insulin ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Malnutrition ; Molecular Weight ; Nutritional Status ; Puberty ; Thyroid Gland

The incidence of severe hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection has been increasing. However, clinicopathologic features of severe HAV infection that lead to liver transplantation (LT) have not been reported in Korea. We retrieved 16 LT cases with HAV infection during the last 3 years at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. Fifteen cases progressed to hepatic encephalopathy. Thirteen cases survived with or without complications, and three patients died of sepsis. The explanted liver showed massive or zonal necrosis with moderate to severe cholestasis. The zonal distribution of necrosis was frequently associated with endothelialitis of portal and/or central veins. Degenerative changes of hepatocytes were various in degree and distribution. Viral inclusions were suspected in two cases. Although HAV infection is usually confirmed by serological tests, significant venulitis of central and/or portal veins and viral inclusions, which are rarely observed, can suggest an HAV infection as a cause of massive hepatic necrosis of unknown mechanism.
Cholestasis ; Fluconazole ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis A ; Hepatitis A virus ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Liver ; Liver Transplantation ; Massive Hepatic Necrosis ; Necrosis ; Portal Vein ; Sepsis ; Serologic Tests ; Veins

OBJECTIVES: Decreased pain sensitivity to the external stimuli was sought by measuring the pressure pain thresholds in patients with schizophrenia. In the case of the pain insensitivity(PI) being confirmed, the relationship between psychiatric symptoms and PI was to evaluated. METHODS: 21 schizophrenic and 23 healthy controls were enrolled. Pressure pain thresholds(PPT) were measured by pressure algometer on initial and recovered phase, and positive and negative symptoms by PANSS(Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale)(Stanley et al. 1991) were obtained in patient group. The confounding factor induced by antipsychotics to the PPT was controlled for. Comparisons of PPT between two groups, and correlations of PPT and psychiatric symptoms in patient group were tested. RESULTS: 1) Schizophrenic patients with active psychotic symptoms showed higher PPT compared to healthy controls. 2) When psychiatric symptoms were improved, PPT was decreased to the level of healthy controls. 3) Only the subscale of delusion in PANSS was closely correlated with PPT in patients with schizophrenia. 4) The dose of antipsychotics did not influence the PPT of the patient group. CONCLUSIONS: A part of patients with schizophrenia revealed they had higher pressure pain thresholds, which suggested PI in active symptom phase. However, PPT were restored almost to the level of normal controls when psychotic symptoms were improved. Thus, PI seemed to be a transient phenomenon rather than a persistent one. Changes of pain sensitivity to the external stimuli in schizophrenics would be associated with severity of delusion based upon reversible changes of brain function. Decreased attention due to delusion or lack of motivation seemed to be causal factors of PI. Clinicians should give attention to PI in schizophrenic patients to prevent physical illness and serious injuries in them.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Brain ; Delusions ; Humans ; Motivation ; Pain Threshold* ; Schizophrenia*

OBJECTIVES: Utilizing social network analysis, this study aimed to analyze the main keywords in the literature regarding the health literacy of and the use of online health information by aged persons over 65. METHODS: Medical Subject Heading keywords were extracted from articles on the PubMed database of the National Library of Medicine. For health literacy, 110 articles out of 361 were initially extracted. Seventy-one keywords out of 1,021 were finally selected after removing repeated keywords and applying pruning. Regarding the use of online health information, 19 articles out of 26 were selected. One hundred forty-four keywords were initially extracted. After removing the repeated keywords, 74 keywords were finally selected. RESULTS: Health literacy was found to be strongly connected with 'Health knowledge, attitudes, practices' and 'Patient education as topic.' 'Computer literacy' had strong connections with 'Internet' and 'Attitude towards computers.' 'Computer literacy' was connected to 'Health literacy,' and was studied according to the parameters 'Attitude towards health' and 'Patient education as topic.' The use of online health information was strongly connected with 'Health knowledge, attitudes, practices,' 'Consumer health information,' 'Patient education as topic,' etc. In the network, 'Computer literacy' was connected with 'Health education,' 'Patient satisfaction,' 'Self-efficacy,' 'Attitude to computer,' etc. CONCLUSIONS: Research on older citizens' health literacy and their use of online health information was conducted together with study of computer literacy, patient education, attitude towards health, health education, patient satisfaction, etc. In particular, self-efficacy was noted as an important keyword. Further research should be conducted to identify the effective outcomes of self-efficacy in the area of interest.
Computer Literacy ; Consumer Health Information ; Education ; Health Education ; Health Literacy* ; Humans ; Internet ; Medical Subject Headings ; National Library of Medicine (U.S.) ; Patient Education as Topic ; Patient Satisfaction