Recently, a method of fabricating an esthetic anterior fixed prosthesis by integrating data such as three-dimensional facial scan and jaw motion to form a virtual patient with dynamic occlusion has been introduced. This enables smooth communication with patients during the diagnosis process, improves the predictability of esthetic prosthetic treatment, and lowers the possibility of occlusal adjustment. In this case report, a virtual patient with dynamic occlusion was created in which the results of the treatment were simulated, and esthetic maxillary anterior fixed prosthesis was fabricated. With the aid of the virtual patient, the final restorations were satisfactory both in terms of esthetic and function.

OBJECTIVE: Adrenal medullary chromaffin cells are known to release analgesic substances such as opioides and catecholamines. Transplantation of them is a novel method that challenges current approaches in treating chronic pain. The transplantation of xenogeneic chromaffin cells into the central nervous system(CNS) supply antinociception in animals. In this study, we investigated the analgesic effects of rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells transplanted into the CNS of the mouse. To study the antinociceptive efficacy of transplanted chromaffin cells, the survival of rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells transplanted into the CNS of mouse was determined. METHODS: The adrenal medullary chromaffin cells isolated from rat were transplanted into the striatum of mouse. These cells were confirmed of the release of Met-enkephalin and Leu-enkephalin by HPLC, and immunoblots for tyrosine hydroxylase(TH). Two weeks after transplantation, we performed immunohistochemistry for TH to determine the survival of implanted cells and assessed pain sensitivity at the same time. RESULTS: The isolated rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells were positive for anti-TH antibody and released Met-enkephalin and Leu-enkephalin more than rat endothelial cells. Transplanted rat chromaffin cells were stained with anti-TH antibody in striatum of mouse after 2 weeks. Pain sensitivity was reduced on the chromaffin cell-transplanted mouse compared to endothelial cell-transplanted mouse by the hot plate test. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the rat chromaffin cells were suitably transplanted into the CNS of mouse. This approach could be used as a therapy for reducing of chronic pain induced by cancer or neuronal injury.
Animals ; Catecholamines ; Chromaffin Cells* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chronic Pain ; Endothelial Cells ; Enkephalin, Leucine ; Enkephalin, Methionine ; Enkephalins ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice* ; Neurons ; Rats ; Tyrosine

No abstract available.
Korea* ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory*

BACKGROUND: The N-terminal fragment of pro Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-pro BNP) is a neuro-hormone synthesized in the cardiac ventricles in response to increased wall tension. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between the NT-pro BNP levels and the New York Heart Association function class (NYHA Fc) of dyspnea and echocardiographic findings for the patients who visited our cardiology departments. METHODS: From October, 2002 to April, 2003, serum NT-pro BNP levels were measured in 348 patients who visited the Samsung Medical Center and the Jong Koo Lee Heart Clinic. RESULTS: The NT-pro BNP levels were increased with the progression of NYHA Fc of dyspnea (p< 0.001 by ANOVA), the increase in the systolic left ventricular internal dimension (p< 0.05), and the decrease in the ejection fraction (p< 0.01). For the NYHA Fc I patients, the NT-pro BNP levels were positively correlated with age (p< 0.001) and left atrial size (p< 0.001). For the patients with ischemic heart disease, the NT-pro BNP levels were also positively correlated with the NYHA Fc (p< 0.001 by ANOVA). The NT-pro BNP levels were increased with the increase in the systolic (p< 0.001) and diastolic pressure (p=0.017), the left ventricular internal dimension as well as the decrease in the ejection fraction (p< 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the NT-pro BNP levels was 0.994 (95% confidence interval, 0.979-0.999), and the most reliable cut-off level for the NT-pro BNP was 293.6 pg/mL. CONCLUSION: The NT-pro BNP levels were positively correlated with the NYHA Fc of dyspnea and the systolic dysfunction for the patients who visited our cardiology departments. A 300 pg/mL value for the NT-pro BNP cut-off point appears to be a sensitive level to differentiate dyspnea originating from an ailing heart or not for the patients who visited our cardiology departments.
Dyspnea/physiopathology ; Female ; Heart Failure, Congestive/*blood/*physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/*blood ; Peptide Fragments/*blood ; Prospective Studies ; *Severity of Illness Index ; Stroke Volume/physiology ; Systole/physiology ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left/physiopathology

BACKGROUND: N-terminal fragment of pro Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-pro BNP) is a neuro-hormone synthesized from the cardiac ventricles in response to increased wall tension. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between NT-pro BNP levels and New York Heart Association function class (NYHA Fc) and echocardiographic findings in patients, who visited cardiology department. METHODS: From October, 2002 to April, 2003, serum NT-pro BNP levels were measured in 348 patients, who visited Samsung Medical Center and Jong Koo Lee Heart Clinic. RESULTS: NT-pro BNP levels were increased with the progression of NYHA Fc of dyspnea (p<0.001 by ANOVA) as well as with the increase in systolic left ventricular internal dimension (p<0.05) and the decrease in ejection fraction (p<0.01). In NYHA Fc I patients, NT-pro BNP levels were positively correlated with age (p<0.001) and left atrial size (p<0.001). In patients with ischemic heart disease, NT-pro BNP levels were also positively correlated with NYHA Fc (p<0.001 by ANOVA). NT-pro BNP levels were increased with the increase in systolic (p<0.001) and diastolic (p=0.017) left ventricular internal dimension as well as the decrease in ejection fraction (p<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for NT-pro BNP levels was 0.994 (95% confidence interval, 0.979-0.999), and the most reliable cut-off level of NT-pro BNP was 293.6 pg/mL. CONCLUSION: NT-pro BNP levels were positively correlated with NYHA Fc of dyspnea and systolic dysfunction in patients, who visited cardiology department. A 300 pg/mL of NT-pro BNP level appears to be a sensitive level to differentiate dyspnea of heart origin or not in patients, who visited cardiology department.
Cardiology ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Heart Failure* ; Heart Ventricles ; Heart* ; Humans ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Natriuretic Peptides ; ROC Curve

Korean Society of Thyroid-Head and Neck Surgery appointed a Task Force to provide guidance on the implementation of a surgical treatment of oral cancer. MEDLINE databases were searched for articles on subjects related to “surgical management of oral cancer” published in English. Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized control trials/controlled clinical trials, and observational studies. The quality of evidence was rated with use RoBANS (Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Nonrandomized Studies) and AMSTAR (A Measurement Tool to Assess the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews). Evidence-based recommendations for practice were ranked according to the American College of Physicians grading system. Additional directives are provided as expert opinions and Delphi questionnaire when insufficient evidence existed. The Committee developed 68 evidence-based recommendations in 34 categories intended to assist clinicians and patients and counselors, and health policy-makers. Proper surgical treatment selection for oral cancer, which is directed by patient- and subsite-specific factors, remains the greatest predictor of successful treatment outcomes. These guidelines are intended for use in conjunction with the individual patient's treatment goals.
Advisory Committees ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Counseling ; Expert Testimony ; Humans ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Neck ; Republic of Korea