The purpose of this study was to characterize functional distinction between human dental pulp cells(PC) and periodontal ligament cells(PDLC) using cDNA microarray assay and to confirm the results of the microarray assay using RT-PCR. 3 genes out of 51 genes which were found to be more expressed(>2 fold) in PC were selected, and 3 genes out of 19 genes which were found to be more expressed(>2 fold) in PDLC were selected for RT-PCR as well. According to this study, the results were as follows: 1. From the microarray assay, 51 genes were more expressed (2 fold) from PC than PDLC. 2. RT-PCR confirmed that ITGA4 and TGF beta2 were more expressed in PC than in PDLC 3. From the microarray assay, 19 genes were more expressed (2 fold) from PDLC than PC. 4. RT-PCR confirmed that LUM, WISP1, and MMP1 were more expressed in PDLC than in PC. From the present study, different expression of the genes between the PC and PDLC were characterized to show the genes which play an important role in dentinogenesis were more expressed from PC than PDLC, while the genes which were related with collagen synthesis were more expressed from PDLC than PC.
Collagen ; Dental Pulp ; Dentinogenesis ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Periodontal Ligament

Poor control of bowel movement in some bed-ridden patients with various causes such as stroke or spinal cord injury which causes fecal leakage and diarrhea, increases the risk of perianal excoriation, bed sores and is a burden on caregivers. PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of fecal evacuation, prevention and treatment of skin complications in intractable diarrhea patients employing a new device. METHODS: A continent anal plug (CAP: US Patent No. 5,569,216: Join Ent. Seoul, Korea) comprises an inner balloon surrounded by an external balloon both of which are mounted on a silicone tube containing a pair of air passages and an enema fluid inlet. The tube is secured in place in the rectum by the inflatable external balloon and is designed to drain fecal matter through a thin collapsible hose situated in the anal canal. Thirty two patients (21 male, median age 61 years, range; 28~76) were evaluated after fully informed consent. Median duration (range) was 12 (3~37) days. RESULTS: CAP evacuated efficiently in those with loose or watery stools who only required once daily irrigation or not. Skin excoriations improved in 3~7 days. Minimal leakage was seen around the anus. There was no anorectal mucosal injury noted over 37 days. Conclusions: The CAP was an efficient method of treating patients with loss of bowel control and incontinence because it enabled controlled fecal evacuation and helped reduction of skin complications without causing anorectal mucosal injury.
Anal Canal ; Bays ; Caregivers ; Diarrhea* ; Enema ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Male ; Pressure Ulcer ; Rectum ; Seoul ; Silicones ; Skin ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Stroke

Accessory breast tissue is a developmental anomaly defined as persistence of breast tissue along the embryonic mammary line in the mid-thoracic region. Rarely, an abnormally located remnant of the line persists and develops into completely formed mammary glands. A 61-year-old woman presented with a pedunculated mass on the mid-lower abdomen, below the umbilicus. She detected a pea-sized nodule a few decades ago and it gradually enlarged since 1 year ago. There was no pigmented prominence resembling a nipple. Histological finding revealed lobules of the breast forming islands of glandular tissue. We believe this is an unusual case of accessory breast tissue mimicking soft fibroma as a pedunculated mass.
Abdomen ; Breast* ; Female ; Fibroma* ; Humans ; Islands ; Mammary Glands, Human ; Middle Aged ; Nipples ; Umbilicus

We measured the dose distribution for spinal cord and tumor using Gafchromic film, applying 3D and 4D-Treatment Planning for lung tumor within the phantom. A measured dose distribution was compared with a calculated dose distribution generated from 3D radiation treatment planning and 4D radiation treatment planning system. The agreement of the dose distribution in tumor for 3D and 4D treatment planning was 90.6%, 97.64% using gamma index computed for a distance to agreement of 1 mm and a dose difference of 3%. However, a gamma agreement index of 3% dose difference tolerence of and 2 mm distance to agreement, the accordance of the dose distribution around cord for 3D and 4D radiation treatment planning was 57.13%, 90.4%. There are significant differences between a calculated dose and a measured dose for 3D radiation treatment planning, no significant differences for 4D treatment planning. The results provide the effectiveness of the 4D treatment planning as compared to 3D. We suggest that the 4-dimensional treatment planning should be considered in the case where such equipments as Cyberknife with the real time tracking system are used to treat the tumors in the moving organ.
Lung ; Radiosurgery ; Spinal Cord ; Track and Field

A meniscal ossicle is an ossified structure embedded in the meniscus of the knee, and it very rarely occurs in human. We present here two cases of meniscal ossicle. The two patients were men in their thirties. They had intrameniscal ossicles from the torn posterior horn of the medial meniscus without having any history of trauma. Both cases were treated by arthroscopic excision.
Animals ; Horns ; Humans ; Knee ; Male ; Menisci, Tibial

Objectives: Osteoporosis and fracture are known complications of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We assessed the prevalence and risk factors for osteoporosis in patients with SLE. Methods: A total of 155 female SLE patients were recruited retrospectively in 5 university hospitals. The bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX) for high-risk osteoporotic fractures was calculated with and without BMD. Results: The mean age was 53.7 ± 6.8 years, and osteoporotic fractures were detected in 19/127 (15.0%) patients. The proportion of patients having a high-risk for osteoporotic fractures in the FRAX with and without BMD, and osteoporosis by the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria were 25 (16.1%), 24 (15.5%), and 51 (32.9%), respectively, and 48.0–68.6% of them were receiving treatment. On multivariate logistic analysis, nephritis (odds ratio [OR] 11.35) and cumulative dose of glucocorticoid (OR 1.1) were associated with high-risk by the FRAX with BMD, and low complement levels (OR 4.38), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (OR 1.04), and cumulative dose of glucocorticoid (OR 1.05) were associated with osteoporosis by the WHO criteria in patients with SLE. Conclusions Among Korean female patients with SLE, the proportion of patients having a high-risk of osteoporotic fractures by the FRAX tool was 15.5%–16.1% and the proportion of patients having osteoporosis by the WHO criteria was 32.9%. In SLE, nephritis, low level of complement, ESR, and cumulative dose of glucocorticoids may contribute to fracture risk.

Objectives: Osteoporosis and fracture are known complications of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We assessed the prevalence and risk factors for osteoporosis in patients with SLE. Methods: A total of 155 female SLE patients were recruited retrospectively in 5 university hospitals. The bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX) for high-risk osteoporotic fractures was calculated with and without BMD. Results: The mean age was 53.7 ± 6.8 years, and osteoporotic fractures were detected in 19/127 (15.0%) patients. The proportion of patients having a high-risk for osteoporotic fractures in the FRAX with and without BMD, and osteoporosis by the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria were 25 (16.1%), 24 (15.5%), and 51 (32.9%), respectively, and 48.0–68.6% of them were receiving treatment. On multivariate logistic analysis, nephritis (odds ratio [OR] 11.35) and cumulative dose of glucocorticoid (OR 1.1) were associated with high-risk by the FRAX with BMD, and low complement levels (OR 4.38), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (OR 1.04), and cumulative dose of glucocorticoid (OR 1.05) were associated with osteoporosis by the WHO criteria in patients with SLE. Conclusions Among Korean female patients with SLE, the proportion of patients having a high-risk of osteoporotic fractures by the FRAX tool was 15.5%–16.1% and the proportion of patients having osteoporosis by the WHO criteria was 32.9%. In SLE, nephritis, low level of complement, ESR, and cumulative dose of glucocorticoids may contribute to fracture risk.

PURPOSE: To compare volumetric modulated arc therapy of RapidArc with robotic stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) of CyberKnife in the planning and delivery of SBRT for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment by analyzing dosimetric parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two radiation treatment plans were generated for 29 HCC patients, one using Eclipse for the RapidArc plan and the other using Multiplan for the CyberKnife plan. The prescription dose was 60 Gy in 3 fractions. The dosimetric parameters of planning target volume (PTV) coverage and normal tissue sparing in the RapidArc and the CyberKnife plans were analyzed. RESULTS: The conformity index was 1.05 +/- 0.02 for the CyberKnife plan, and 1.13 +/- 0.10 for the RapidArc plan. The homogeneity index was 1.23 +/- 0.01 for the CyberKnife plan, and 1.10 +/- 0.03 for the RapidArc plan. For the normal liver, there were significant differences between the two plans in the low-dose regions of V1 and V3. The normalized volumes of V60 for the normal liver in the RapidArc plan were drastically increased when the mean dose of the PTVs in RapidArc plan is equivalent to the mean dose of the PTVs in the CyberKnife plan. CONCLUSION: CyberKnife plans show greater dose conformity, especially in small-sized tumors, while RapidArc plans show good dosimetric distribution of low dose sparing in the normal liver and body.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Humans ; Liver ; Prescriptions ; Radiosurgery ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated*

The aim of this study is to introduce the accuracy of Ir-192 source's apparent activity using the well-type chamber and the Farmer-type ionization chamber in the high dose rate brachytherapy. We measured the apparent activity of Ir-192 that each medical center in the country has and the apparent activity of calibration certificate provided by manufacturer is compared with that by our experimental measurement. The number of sources used for the activity comparison was 5. The accuracy of the measured activity was in the range of -2.8% to -1.0% and -2.1% to 0.2% for the Farmer-type chamber system (Jig) and for the well-type, respectively. The maximum difference was within 1.0% for comparison with two calibration's tool. Our results demonstrate that well-type chamber as wall as Farmer-type chamber is a appropriate system as the routine source calibration procedures in HDR brachytherapy. Whenever a new source is installed to use in clinics, by periods, a source calibration should be carried out.
Brachytherapy ; Calibration

Leiomyosarcoma is a rare tumor that originates in the smooth muscle, usually in the gastrointestinal tract, the retroperitoneum and the genitourinary tract. The omentum has been rarely reported as a primary site of occurrence with leiomyosarcoma. A 72 year-old woman, with palpable mass on the left upper quadrant of abdomen and weight loss, was admitted to St. Paul's Hospital. Abdominal CT scan showed a 12 x 8 x 8 cm-sized cystic mass in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. Endoscopic ultrasonography showed a large cystic mass between the stomach and the liver, which was 1.6 cm length in wall thickness. Laparotomy and resection of the mass was performed. A 12 x 8 x 8 cm-sized mass, originated from the lesser omentum, was discovered near the lesser curvature of the stomach. Microscopic examination revealed spindle-shaped cells with 7-8 mitoses per high power field. She was diagnosed as primary leiomyosarcoma originated from the lesser omentum.
Aged ; Case Report ; Female ; Human ; Leiomyosarcoma/radiography ; Leiomyosarcoma/pathology* ; Omentum ; Peritoneal Neoplasms/radiography ; Peritoneal Neoplasms/pathology* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed