PURPOSE: In this study, brazing characteristics of ZrO2 and Ti-6Al-4V brazed joints with increasing temperature were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample size of the ZrO2 was 3 mm x 3 mm x 3 mm (thickness), and Ti-6Al-4V was 10 mm (diameter) x 5 mm (thickness). The filler metal consisted of Ag-Cu-Sn-Ti was prepared in powder form. The brazing sample was heated in a vacuum furnace under 5 x 10(-6) torr atmosphere, while the brazing temperature was changed from 700 to 800degrees C for 30 min. RESULTS: The experimental results shows that brazed joint of ZrO2 and Ti-6Al-4V occurred at 700 - 800degrees C. Brazed joint consisted of Ag-rich matrix and Cu-rich phase. A Cu-Ti intermetallic compounds and a Ti-Sn-Cu-Ag alloy were produced along the Ti-6Al-4V bonded interface. Thickness of the reacted layer along the Ti-6Al-4V bonded interface was increased with brazing temperature. Defect ratios of ZrO2 and Ti-6Al-4V bonded interfaces decreased with brazing temperature. CONCLUSION: Thickness and defect ratio of brazed joints were decreased with increasing temperature. Zirconia was not wetting with filler metal, because the reaction between ZrO2 and Ti did not occur enough.
Alloys ; Atmosphere ; Dental Implants ; Hot Temperature ; Joints ; Sample Size ; Titanium ; Vacuum ; Zirconium

Anatomical variations of the inferior mesenteric artery are extremely uncommon, since the inferior mesenteric artery is regularly diverged at the level of the third lumbar vertebra. We found a rare case in which the inferior mesenteric artery arose from the superior mesenteric artery. The findings were made during a routine dissection of the cadaver of an 82-yr-old Korean woman. This is the tenth report on this anomaly, the second female and the first Korean. The superior mesenteric artery normally arising from abdominal aorta sent the inferior mesenteric artery as the second branch. The longitudinal anastomosis vessels between the superior mesenteric artery and inferior mesenteric artery survived to form the common mesenteric artery. This anatomical variation concerning the common mesenteric artery is of clinical importance, performing procedures containing the superior mesenteric artery.
Aged, 80 and over ; Aorta, Abdominal/abnormalities ; Female ; Humans ; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior/*abnormalities/anatomy & histology ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior/*abnormalities/anatomy & histology ; Republic of Korea

Ossifying fibromyxoid tumor of soft parts is a rare soft tissue neoplasm of uncertain histogenesis. It occurs commonly as a subcutaneous or intramuscular mass in the extremities and trunk, but rarely in the head and neck region. Its biologic behavior is generally benign, but a locally aggressive clinical course due to a pseudocapsule containing nests of tumor cells. Herein we report a case of a benign ossifying fibromyxoid tumor which occurred in the right temple in 34-year-old woman. The tumor was located in the temporalis muscle and completely removed with clear margin through bicoronal approach. The lesion was 2.0 x 2.5 x 3.0cm sized white to tan colored, well demarcated, firm mass. The tumor was covered by a fibrous capsule, and there was incomplete shell of lamellar bone at the periphery of the nodule. The tumor cells were uniformly round, ovoid, or spindle-shaped in collagenous and myxoid stroma. During 1 year's postoperative follow-up, the patient had no local recurrence.
Adult ; Collagen ; Extremities ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Humans ; Neck ; Recurrence ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; Triacetoneamine-N-Oxyl

PURPOSE: Giant cell tumor is the second most common benign neoplasm in upper extremity. Unlike usual chief complaint of painless mass, an atypical case with giant cell tumor presented a distinguishing characteristics of which accompany pain and tenderness and is histologically giant-cell free. METHODS: A 31-year-old male patient complained of a rapid growing painful mass on the proximal phalanx of the left ring finger. Under microscopic operation, a 1.6 x 1.3cm sized mass was found to be surrounded by areolar tissue and attached to a tendon sheath, encircling the digital nerve and artery. Diagnostic confirmation was assisted by positive finding in histologic immunohistochemical stain-CD68. Characteristic pathologic finding is an atypical distribution of spindle cells & histiocytes without giant cells in fascicular pattern. RESULTS: Giant cell tumor was carefully removed under microscopic approach, while preserving digital nerve & artery. In postoperative 13th month, the patient presented with a 6mm of static two-point discrimination test, similar to that of the adjacent fingers. CONCLUSION: We report an atypical case with painful mass on tendon sheath, surrounding the digital nerve and artery that was diagnosed of giant cell tumor, but without giant cells on pathology. This case provides broader understanding of the giant cell tumor that should not only rely its typical findings of the painless mass and positive sign on H&E stain.
Adult ; Arteries ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Fingers ; Giant Cell Tumors* ; Giant Cells* ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Male ; Pathology ; Tendons ; Upper Extremity

To reverse the wrinkling & sagging of the skin on lower face and neck, there are various surgical methods such as suspension suture method, classical cervicofacial lift, SMAS-platysmal facelift, deep-plane facelift and composite facelift. Aging of lower face and neck present not only with sagging skin, but also is aggravated due to loss of elasticity of the SMAS and platysmal muscle. Successful surgical outcome is expected when tugging of the SMAS and platysma is performed with proper skin excision of lower face. Practically, deep-plane facelift methods present more satisfying outcome than the subcutaneous dissection, but takes longer recovery period and higher risk of postoperative complication. The authors would like to present a new method of lower face and neck lift, with periauricular minimally invasive suspension suture method, which does not required hospitalization, and gives higher patient satisfaction. In this study, 30 patients(26 females, 4 males) were operated from December of 2004 to February of 2007. Minimal periauricular subcutaneous dissection was performed. While measuring the sagging of the soft tissue on lower face and neck, suspension suture was performed anchoring platysma muscle from the submandibular slit incision site to the fascia of the mastoid process and stretched SMAS of the lower face was suspended to the fascia of the mastoid process with PDS 3-0 sutures. Most of the patients were satisfied without specific problems. The procedure carries advantages of simple operative method, easier access under intravenous sedation, much lesser risk of hematoma formation or facial nerve injury, shorter recovery period, improvement on the cervicomental angle and jaw line, and minimal postoperative scar.
Aging ; Cicatrix ; Elasticity ; Facial Nerve Injuries ; Fascia ; Female ; Hematoma ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Jaw ; Mastoid ; Neck ; Patient Satisfaction ; Postoperative Complications ; Rhytidoplasty ; Skin ; Sutures*

Facial contouring surgery is a one of the most common and popular procedure in the field of plastic surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of photogrammetric analysis by measuring preoperatively and postoperatively in the patients who were undertaken reduction malarplasty. From January 1995 to May 1999, from thirty patients of reduction malarplasty, Photography of life size - frontal view, lateral view, worm's eye view - were taken. The photograph was analyzed by the same surgeon to reduce an analytic error. The distance between both malar eminences and both zygions was the anatomical landmarks. The differences between pre- and postoperative photographic distance represented the results of the operation. The distance between both malar eminences (ME): preop/postop = 94 - 105 mm/89 - 99 mm. The distance between both zygions(ZY): preop/postop = 125 - 141 mm/ 120 - 135 mm. The reduction values of ME-ME/ZY-ZY are 3 -13 mm / 4 - 12 mm. The photogrammetric analysis of reduction malarplasty was very practical in measuring postoperative changes. We may assume that photogrammetric analysis may be very useful tool on preoperative diagnosis, plan and analysis of result of operation.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Photogrammetry* ; Photography ; Surgery, Plastic

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and the safety of vaginal total hysterectomy. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of the 110 patients who underwent vaginal total hysterectomy for the indications other than uterine prolapse from August 2001 to September 2002 at our hospital. RESULTS: The average operating time was 48.7 minutes (range from 20 min to 180 min) and the mean uterine weight was 331 gram (range from 60 g to 890 g). The most common indication for hysterectomy was uterine myoma (59%). No serious complications were occurred but conversion to laparotomy was occurred in 1 case. CONCLUSION: Vaginal total hysterectomy would be recommended method for removing uterus even in the absence of prolapse and previous operation history.
Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Hysterectomy, Vaginal ; Laparotomy ; Leiomyoma ; Medical Records ; Prolapse ; Uterine Prolapse ; Uterus

OBJECTIVE: Middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) has widely been used to produce ischemic brain lesions. The lesions induced by MCAO tend to be variable in size because of the variance in the collateral blood supply found in the mouse brain. To establish a less invasive and reproducible focal ischemia model in mice, we modified the technique used for rat photothrombosis model. METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to focal cerebral ischemia by photothrombosis of cortical microvessels. Cerebral infarction was produced by intraperitoneal injection of Rose Bengal, a photosensitive dye and by focal illumination through the skull. Motor impairment was assessed by the accelerating rotarod and staircase tests. The brain was perfusion-fixed for histological determination of infarct volume four weeks after stroke. RESULTS: The lesion was located in the frontal and parietal cortex and the underlying white matter was partly affected. A relatively constant infarct volume was achieved one month after photothrombosis. The presence of the photothrombotic lesion was associated with severe impairment of the motor performance measured by the rotarod and staircase tests. CONCLUSION: Photothrombotic infarction in mice is highly reproducible in size and location. This procedure can provide a simple method to produce cerebral infarction in a unilateral motor cortex lesion. In addition, it can provide a suitable model for study of potential neuroprotective and therapeutic agents in human stroke.
Animals ; Brain ; Brain Ischemia* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Humans ; Infarction ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Ischemia ; Lighting ; Male ; Mice* ; Microvessels ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Motor Cortex ; Rabeprazole ; Rats ; Rose Bengal ; Skull ; Stroke

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is the standard induction treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Quite many ATRA-related side effects, including retinoic acid syndrome, were reported. So far, it has rarely been reported that Sweet's syndrome, characterized by fever, neutrophilia, painful erythematous cutaneous plaques, dense dermal infiltrates of mature neutrophils and rapid response to steroid therapy, is associated with ATRA. In the case that Sweet's syndrome associated with ATRA is found, physicians will have to face a great challenge over the possibility of infectious conditions. We present here a case of Sweet's syndrome associated with ATRA. A 35-year-old female with APL developed fever, painful erythematous cutaneous plaques on both cheeks, right wrist and both shins during induction chemotherapy with ATRA. A skin biopsy revealed a dense dermal infiltrate, consisting of mature neutrophils without vasculitis or cutaneous immunoglobulin deposits, which is compatible with Sweet's syndrome. Oral prednisone was administered and the lesions started to improve within 48 hours
Adult ; Biopsy, Needle ; Case Report ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Human ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute/diagnosis/*drug therapy ; Prednisone/administration & dosage ; Risk Assessment ; Sweet's Syndrome/*chemically induced/drug therapy/*pathology ; Tretinoin/*adverse effects/therapeutic use

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Liver stiffness (LS) as assessed by transient elastography (TE) can change longitudinally in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The aim of this study was to identify the factors that improve LS. METHODS: Between April 2007 and December 2012, 151 patients with CHB who underwent two TE procedures with an interval of about 2 years were enrolled. Ninety-six of the 151 patients were treated with nucleos(t)ide analogues [the antiviral therapy (+) group], while the remaining 55 patients were not [the antiviral therapy (-) group]. The two groups of patients were stratified according to whether they exhibited an improvement or a deterioration in LS during the study period (defined as an LS change of < or =0 or >0 kPa, respectively, over a 1-year period), and their data were compared. RESULTS: No differences were observed between the antiviral therapy (+) and (-) groups with respect to either their clinical characteristics or their initial LS. The observed LS improvement was significantly greater in the antiviral therapy (+) group than in the antiviral therapy (-) group (-3.0 vs. 0.98 kPa, P=0.011). In the antiviral therapy (+) group, the initial LS was higher in the LS improvement group (n=63) than in the LS deterioration group (n=33; 7.9 vs. 4.8 kPa, P<0.001). However, there were no differences in any other clinical characteristic. In the antiviral therapy (-) group, the initial LS was also higher in the LS improvement group (n=29) than in the LS deterioration group (n=26; 8.3 vs. 6.5 kPa, P=0.021), with no differences in any other clinical characteristic. CONCLUSIONS: A higher initial LS was the only factor associated with LS improvement in patients with CHB in this study.
Adult ; Aged ; Alanine Transaminase/blood ; Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral/blood ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens/blood ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/drug therapy/pathology/*ultrasonography ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Middle Aged