The main goal for the treatment of periodontal diseases is the regeneration of lost cementum, bone and connective tissue. Clinical and histological research suggests that it is possible to restore periodontal structures. Seeds of Carthamus tinctorius L. has been used for the treatment of bone fracture and osteoporosis in traditional Korean medicine. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of extract of seeds of Carthamus tinctorius L. on mineralization in periodontal ligament cells and osteoblastic cells. Periodontal ligament cells were primarily obtained from a extracted premolars with non-periodontal diseases. Osteoblastic cells were obtained from calvariae of a fetal rat. Cells were cultured with DMEM at 37degrees C with 5% CO2 in 100% humidity incubator. Alkaline phosphatase(ALP) level and the number of calcification nodules were examined and western blot analysis using osteonectin was performed. Measurements of ALP levels and calcification nodules showed that extract of seeds of Carthamus tinctorius L. had significantly higher activity than control in all of both cells. In western blot analysis, protein expression of osteonectin indicated that extract of seeds of Carthamus tinctorius L. showed an increased pattern than control in all of both cells. From the above results, it seems that extract of seeds of Carthamus tinctorius L. has excellent effect on mineralization in periodontal ligament cells and osteoblastic cells.
Animals ; Bicuspid ; Blotting, Western ; Carthamus tinctorius* ; Carthamus* ; Connective Tissue ; Dental Cementum ; Fractures, Bone ; Humidity ; Incubators ; Osteoblasts* ; Osteonectin ; Osteoporosis ; Periodontal Diseases ; Periodontal Ligament* ; Rats ; Regeneration ; Skull

The purpose of this study was to investigate the comparative effects of subgingival irrigation using some oral mouth rinses on early healing process of periodontal inflammation. The study population consisted of 13 patients with periodontal inflammation and distributed into 4 groups. Oral hygiene instruction, delicate scaling and root planing were done and then irrigated per 3 days during 2 weeks in situ with 1 of 4 solutions ; normal saline, C31G, Benzotonium chloride and tetracycline. Examination regarding probing pocket depth, plaque index, sulcular bleeding index, gingival index, gingival recession and leukocytes differential count was performed. Evaluation was made at the baseline and 2 weeks after non-surgical periodontal therapy. The results were as follows: 1. Clinical indices including probing pocket depth, plaque index, sulcular bleeding index, gingival index and gingival recession were significantly improved from baseline to 2 weeks. But there was no significant differences among 4 groups. 2. PMNs percent on leukocytes differential count was significantly decreased from baseline to 2 weeks on all groups. Those of tetracycline and C31G were significantly decreased than those of normal saline group. These results suggest that clinical indices were not different, but the decrease of inflammation were significantly different among some mouth rinses.
Gingival Recession ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Inflammation* ; Leukocytes ; Mouth* ; Oral Hygiene ; Periodontal Index ; Root Planing ; Tetracycline

Healing of periodontal tissues require the migration and proliferation of gingival fibroblasts and periodontal ligament cells. There is many evidences that the some agents like cytokines and polypeptide growth factors are mediate these cellular events in wound healing. Recently someone is interested in herbal drugs on periodontal tissue healing processes. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 4 herbal drugs, Carthami Flis, Moutan Radicis Cortex, Scirpi Rhisoma, Seed of Carthamus tinctorius L. on human gingival fibroblasts and periodontal ligament cells. Periodontal ligament cells and gingival fibroblasts were primarily cultured from extracted premolar with non-periodontal diseases. The powder from extracted herbal drugs were prepared with distilled water. Cells were cultured with DMEM at 37degrees C, 5% CO2, 100% humidity incubator, and treated with each herbal drugs with proper concentration for 1, 2, and 3 days. The cell activity was determined by ELISA reader using MTT assay. There was the most significant elevation in 10(-3)g/ml of almost herbal drugs on cellular activities. The result of this study demonstrated that Carthami Flis, Moutan Radicis Cortex, Scirpi Rhisoma, Seed of Carthamus tinctorius L. appears to have beneficial effect on healing process after periodontal treatment.
Bicuspid ; Carthamus tinctorius ; Cytokines ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fibroblasts* ; Humans ; Humidity ; Incubators ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Periodontal Ligament* ; Water ; Wound Healing

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of smoking on adult periodontitis after non-surgical periodontal therapy. The study population consisted of 40 patients with moderate to advanced periodontitis. Smokers(n=20) were defined as individuals smoking at least twenty cigarettes per day at the time of the initial examination. The non-smoking group(n=20) consisted of individuals who were not smoking at the initial examination. The average age was 42.4 years for the smoking and non-smoking group. Examination regarding plaque index, gingival index, pocket depth and contrast phase microscope were performed. Evaluation were made at the first, the second and the fourth weeks after periodontal non-surgical therapy. The results were as follows: 1. Clinical indices including plaque index, gingival index, and pocket depth were decreased in both smoking and non-smoking group at the first, the second, and the fourth weeks. Especially, clinical indices of non-smokers were more significantly decreased than those of smokers. 2. Non-motile rods were increased and motile rods were reduced at the fourth week. spirochetes were reduced significantly in the non-smoking group at the fourth week. These results suggest that smoking play a minor role in adult periodontitis after non-surgical periodontal therapy.
Adult* ; Chronic Periodontitis* ; Humans ; Periodontal Index ; Periodontitis ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Spirochaetales ; Tobacco Products

Fibroblasts are major cellular components of gingiva and periodontal ligament. They regulate the healing process after surgery or injury. Recently, many natural medicines, whose advantages are less side effects and possibility of long-term use, have been studied for their capacity, their anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects and regenerative potential of periodontal tissues. Sophorae radix have been traditionally used as an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drug in oriental medicine. The purpose of present study was to investigate the effects of Sophorae radix extract on cell cycle progression and its molecular mechanism in human gingival fibroblasts. Sophorae radix extracts(100microgram/ml) notably increased cell proliferation and cell activity in the human gingival fibroblasts as compared to non-supplemented controls. There was an increase in the S phase and a decrease in the G1 phase in 100microgram/ml of Sophorae radix extracts group as compared to non-supplemented controls. The level of cyclin E and cdk 2 protein in test group was higher than that of control groups. But that of cyclin D, cdk 4, and cdk 6 was not distinguished from controls. The level of p53 protein in test group was lower than that of controls, whereas that of p21 was not different. The level of pRB protein in test group was higher than that of controls, whereas that of p16 was lower. These results indicate that the increase of cell proliferation by Sophorae radix extracts may be due to the increased expression of cyclin E and cdk 2, and the decreased expression of p53 and p16 in human gingival fibroblasts.
Cell Cycle Proteins* ; Cell Cycle* ; Cell Proliferation ; Cyclin D ; Cyclin E ; Cyclins ; Fibroblasts* ; G1 Phase ; Gingiva ; Humans* ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Periodontal Ligament ; S Phase ; Sophora*

A case of Crouzon's disease, in spite of the relatively small number of cases reported until recently. The patient was 3years old male and hospitalized Woo-Sok University hospital 5 May, 1970. the appearance of the patient was striking type of facial deformity. There is a marked frontal boss forming a prominent bregmatic tumour, hooked nose, a small receding maxilla and a pronounced prognathism in wthich the teeth of the lower jaw protrude several centimetres beyond those of the upper. Proptosis and subnormal mentality was present, Cerebral decompression had been performed to the patient for his exophthalmos, it was aggreviated after the operation and thus enucleation was done finally.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Craniofacial Dysostosis* ; Decompression ; Exophthalmos ; Humans ; Jaw ; Male ; Maxilla ; Nose ; Prognathism ; Strikes, Employee ; Tooth

OBJECTIVE: Chronic subdural hematoma(CSDH) is usually treated by burr hole trephination and hematoma evacuation with closed drainage and the surgical result is relatively good in most reported series. But, some patients experience the recurrence of CSDH. We study the clinical factors related to the recurrence of CSDH. METHODS: 213 consecutive patients with CSDH who were treated with burr hole trephination and hematoma evacuation with closed drainage. The medical records, radiologic findings were reviewed retrospectively and clinical factors associated with the recurrent CSDH were analysed statistically. RESULTS: 8.4%(18 cases) of the 213 patients who were treated due to CSDH were recurred. The demographic variables such as age, sex, coexisting diseases were not related to the recurrence. The preoperative hematoma thickness and postoperative hematoma thickness were not associated with the recurrence. The only factor related to the recurrence is postoperative hematoma density in this study. CONCLUSION: This study shows that postoperative hematoma density was strongly related to the recurrence of CSDH. However, several factors associated with the recurrent CSDH were reported in the liletrature. Thus, further study will be needed to uncover the factors related to the recurrence of CSDH. Chronic subdural hematoma(CSDH);Recurrence;Postoperative hematoma density.
Drainage ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic* ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Trephining

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Smoking is a risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. However, the exact mechanism of smoking-related damage to the arterial wall and its relation to the atherosclerotic process are not known. The endothelium plays an important role for the regulation of vascular tone and its function is impaired in the presence of risk factors early in the process of atherosclerosis. To assess the effect of smoking on endothelium-dependent relaxation, we examined vascular reactivity in vitro in an animal model of environmental tobacco smoke exposure. MATERIALS & METHODS: Guinea pigs were randomized to control group or environmental tobacco smoke exposure group. The source of environmental tobacco smoke exposure was sidestream smoke during 6 hours per day and 5 days per week over 6 weeks or 12 weeks in a smoking chamber. Fresh aortic rings were suspended in organ baths(37degrees C, 95%O2-5%CO2). Rings were precontracted with phenylephrine(10(-7)M) and exposed to acetylcholine(10(-7)-10(-4)M) and sodium nitroprusside(10(-7)-10(-5)M) in increasing doses and isometric tension was recorded to evaluate the endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxation. RESULTS: Acetylcholine-induced maximal relaxation(mean+/-SD) was 18+/-9% in the rings from the 6-week smoked guinea pigs and 4+/-3% in the rings from the 12-week smoked guinea pigs in comparison with 49+/-6% of the controls(p<0.05). The endothelium-dependent relaxation of the rings from 12 week-exposure was significantly less than that of 6 week-exposure. In contrast endothelium-independent relaxation to SNP was not different among three groups. CONCLUSION: Environmental tobacco smoke exposure impairs endothelial function in guinea pig aorta.
Animals ; Aorta* ; Atherosclerosis ; Endothelium ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Models, Animal ; Relaxation* ; Risk Factors ; Smoke* ; Smoking ; Sodium ; Tobacco*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy is recommended as the primary tool for prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in symptomatic patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction. There is a paucity of information on whether this recommendation is appropriate for the Korean population with severe heart failure. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 275 consecutive patients (mean age 65 years, 71% male) who met the ICD implantation criteria for primary prevention (left ventricular ejection fraction < or =30% and New York Heart Association functional class II or III). We analyzed the clinical characteristics and outcomes of an ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICMP) group (n=131) and a non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICMP) group (n=144). The outcomes of these 2 groups were compared with the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial II (MADIT-II) conventional and Defibrillators in the Non-ischemic Cardiomyopathy Treatment Evaluation (DEFINITE) standard therapy groups, respectively. RESULTS: Eighty patients (29%) died during a follow-up period of 40+/-17 months. The NICMP group had better all-cause mortality rates than the ICMP group (19% vs. 40%, p<0.001), however both groups had a similar incidence of SCD (7% vs. 10%, p=0.272). The 2-year all-cause mortality and SCD for the ICMP group were similar to those of the MADIT-II conventional therapy group (20% vs. 20%, 7% vs. 10%, respectively, all p>0.05). All-cause mortality and the incidence of SCD in the NICMP group were comparable to those of the DEFINITE standard therapy group (13% vs. 17%, 6% vs. 6%, respectively, all p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Korean patients with severe heart failure in both the ICMP and NICMP groups had all-caused mortality and risk of SCD comparable to patients in the MADIT-II and DEFINITE standard therapy groups. Therefore, the primary prevention criteria for ICD implantation would be appropriate in both Korean ICMP and NICMP patients.
Cardiomyopathies ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Defibrillators ; Defibrillators, Implantable ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Incidence ; New York ; Primary Prevention ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left

The arteriovenous fistula and cirsoid aneurysm, characterised by abnormal arterial and venous connections with grossly dilated and expansile mass of vessels, may predispose to dramatic complications. Cirsoid aneurysms of the scalp have been reported to be difficult to remove. Multiple treatment schemes have been described and, as yet, no standard form of therapy exists. Three cases of cirsoid aneurysms of the scalp are presented. Each of them was treated with embolization and total excision after ligation of the feeding arteries. All of them were well cured.
Aneurysm* ; Arteries ; Arteriovenous Fistula ; Ligation ; Scalp*