OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the static (SFF) and kinetic frictional forces (KFF) of a computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing lingual bracket (CAD/CAM-LB) with those of conventional LB (Con-LB) and Con-LB with narrow bracket width (Con-LB-NBW) under 3 tooth displacement conditions. METHODS: The samples were divided into 9 groups according to combinations of 3 LB types (CAD/CAM-LB [Incognito], Con-LB [7th Generation, 7G], and Con-LB-NBW [STb]) with 3 displacement conditions (no displacement [control], maxillary right lateral incisor with 1-mm palatal displacement [MXLI-PD], and maxillary right canine with 1-mm gingival displacement [MXC-GD]; n = 6/group). While drawing a 0.016-inch copper or super-elastic nickel-titanium archwire with 0.5 mm/min for 5 minutes in a chamber maintained at 36.5℃, SFF and KFF were measured. The Kruskal-Wallis method with Bonferroni correction was performed. RESULTS: The Incognito group demonstrated the highest SFF, followed by the 7G and STb groups ([STb-control, STb-MXLI-PD, Stb-MXC-GD] < [7G-MXC-GD, 7G-MXLI-PD, 7G-control] < [Incognito-MXLI-PD, Incognito-control, Incognito-MXC-GD]; p < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences in SFF among the 3 displacement conditions within each bracket group. Within each displacement condition, the Incognito group demonstrated the highest KFF, followed by the 7G and STb groups ([STb-control, STb-MXLI-PD] < Stb-MXC-GD < 7G-MXLI-PD < [7G-control, 7G-MXC-GD] < [7G-MXC-GD, Incognito-MXLI-PD, Incognito-control] < [Incognito-control, Incognito-MXC-GD]; p < 0.001). MXC-GD exhibited higher KFFs than MXLI-PD in the same bracket group. CONCLUSIONS The slot design and ligation method of the CAD/CAM-LB system should be modified to reduce SFF and KFF during the leveling/alignment stage.

Speech characteristics of cleft palate have been reported previously by hypernasality disorders. However, some cleft palate patients suffered from articulation disorders although they were taken surgery at an early time. Misarticulations of cleft palate patients are caused by abnormal lingual-palatal contacts. Traditionally, the Palatograpy has been used to see the lingual-palatal patterns. However, on this study, the Electropalatography(Palatometer) was used to investigate the comparison with lingual-palatal patterns between normal adult and cleft palate adult. The Nasometer model 6200-3 was used separately to measure the nasalance for cleft palate patient. The acoustic characteristics of cleft palate patients with respect to the palatographic patterns were examined by Computerized Speech Lab(IBM). The dental reflector was applied to measure the nasal airflow when cleft palate patient uttered. Test words were composed of meaningless mono syllabic words VCV (V: low center vowel /a/, C: alveolar stop, velar stop, affricate, fricative and lateral sounds). The subjects repeated the test words 10 times for statistic analysis. As a result of the palatographic patterns and the burst durations for stop consonants and the durations for fricative consonants, the cleft palate patients showed broader contact area, longer burst durations and fricative consonant durations than normal. It means that the cleft palate speech showed more tenseness of consonants than normal. By palatographic patterns, the misarticulation of cleft palate patient showed as follows : (1) Lingual-palatal contact of alveolar stop showed the palatalized misarticulation. (2) Lingual -palatal contact of velar stop moved forward in comparison with normal. However, posterior lateral contact areas were broader than normal contact area. (3) Lingual-palatal contact of affricate moved backward with narrower constriction than normal. (4) Fricative consonant showed lateral misarticulation.
Acoustics ; Adult ; Articulation Disorders ; Cleft Palate* ; Constriction ; Humans ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

No abstract available.
Bronchitis, Chronic* ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study was made to evaluate the clinical characteristics and the treatment of the gangrene of the male genitalia manifested with progressive life threatening disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between June 1992 and December 1998, medical records for patients with Fournier's gangrene were reviewed with respect to age at presentation, associated disease, and clinical course and the treatment. RESULTS: The age of patients ranged from 29 to 92 years. The prodromal sign noted were usually low abdominal and inguinal pain. There were no differences in the causative pathogens compared to those of previous reports. The common underlying diseases were diabetes and chronic liver disease. Hypoalbuminemia and leukocytosis were found in all. Early radical debridement and aggressive antibiotics therapy were performed in all cases. Reconstructive surgery of defected skin was performed 7 to 45 days(mean 33.6) after debridement and period of hospital stay ranged from 14 to 123 days(mean 35.8). The motality rate was 13.3%. CONCLUSIONS: It is thought that the motality rate of Fournier`s gangrene is reduced by early aggresseve debridement of the wound and empirical triple antibiotic therapy, and the comprehension of clinical course is important as well.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Comprehension ; Debridement ; Fournier Gangrene ; Gangrene* ; Genitalia, Male ; Humans ; Hypoalbuminemia ; Length of Stay ; Leukocytosis ; Liver Diseases ; Male ; Medical Records ; Prodromal Symptoms ; Skin ; Wounds and Injuries

Testicular biopsy is an important tool in the diagnosis and management of male infertility. The increasing use of this procedure has permitted a rational classification of the testicular lesion responsible for infertility and provide an intelligent basis for the institution of corrective measures or the withholding of therapy in cases in which the biopsy indicates a hopeless prognosis for fertility. The testicular biopsy findings of 48 azoospermia cases were evaluated in aspects of testicular size and past history. The following results were obtained. 1. The biopsy findings of 8 cases with normal sized testes and no nodules of both epididymimides and vasa deferens were normal in 4 cases, germinal aplasia in 2 cases, maturation arrest in 1 case and hypospermatogenesis in 1 case. 2. The biopsy findings of 23 cases with small sized testes and no nodules of both epididymides and vasa deferens were germinal aplasia in 13 cases, generalized fibrosis in 6 cases, maturation arrest in 3 cases and hypospermatogenesis in 1 case. 3. The past history of 17 cases with normal sized testes and bilateral induration of epididymides of vasa deferens revealed nonspecific epididymitis in 6 cases, tuberculous epididymides in 6 cases, tuberculous epididymitis in 5 cases, vasectomy in 5 cases and trauma of scrotum in 1 case. The biopsy findings of these cases were normal in 10 cases, hypospermatogenesis in 3 cases, testicular blockage in 3 cases and atrophy in 1 case.
Atrophy ; Azoospermia* ; Biopsy* ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Epididymitis ; Fertility ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Infertility ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; Oligospermia ; Prognosis ; Scrotum ; Testis ; Vasectomy

A Clinical study was done on 90 cases of acute myocardial infarction admitted to Busan Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital from January, 1977 to Febuary, 1983. The following results have been obtained. 1) The ratio of male to female was 2.2:1. The most age group were 5th decades(35.6%) and over 5th decades(5th decades and 6th decades) were two-thirds of all age group. And annual incidency were increasing tendencies, in 1980-1982 than 1977-1979. 2) Between the preceding diseases and the risk factors, the most common cause was the smoking (60%). And other associated diseases and factors were hypertension(54.4%), hypercholesterolemia (43.8%), hyperlipidemia(51.4%) and angina pectoris (34.4%). 3) The most common inducing factor was physical exertion(33.3%). And others were emotional stress(23.3%), alcohol drinking(10%), rest and sleeping(5.6%). 4) The major symptoms of acute myocardial infarction were precordial or epigastric pain(96.7%), dyspnea(53.3%), radiating chest pain (51.7%) and painless infarction(3.3%). 5) On laboratory data, there were leukocytosis in 50.5% increased SGOT in 68.6%, increased serum LDH in 75.9% and cardiomegaly in chest x-ray film were 82 percents. 6) The ratio between the anterior and inferior infarction on EKG was 1.9:1. 7) When admission, normal sinus rhythms on EKG were 59 percents. And the common associated electrocardiographic abnormalities were ventricular premature beat (23.6%), atrial fibrillation(15.7%), first degree A-V block (15.7%), left ventricular hypertrophy(15.7%). The most common abnormality was ventricular premature beat(23.6%). 8) The mortality rate of acute myocardial infarction was 10 percents. The causes of death were heart failure(33.3%), ventricular arrhythmia(33.3%), sudden death (22.2%) and cardiogenic shock(11.1%).
Angina Pectoris ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Busan ; Cardiac Complexes, Premature ; Cardiomegaly ; Cause of Death ; Chest Pain ; Death, Sudden ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Infarction ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Protestantism ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Thorax ; X-Ray Film

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of [18F]FDG PET in the diagnosis of recurrent head and neck cancer after the completion of surgery and radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In fifty-nine patients with head and neck cancers, whole body [18F]FDG PET studies were performed. According to the different therapeutic modalities, patients were divided into four groups (Group I; pre-treatment, Group II; surgery, Group III; radiotherapy, Group IV; both surgery and radiotherapy). [18F]FDG PET images were compared with clinical, CT and histopathologic findings. RESULTS: For detection of metastatic lymph nodes in 14 patients of pre-treatment group (group I), the sensitivity and specificity of PET were 100% (10/10) and 75% (3/4), and those of CT were 80% (8/10) and 100% (4/4). For detection of recurrence in 45 patients of post-treatment group, overall sensitivity and specificity of PET were 96.2% (25/26) and 78.9% (15/19) [(100% and 75% in group II, 80% and 50% in group III, and 100% and 100% in group IV)] without significant difference from pre-treatment group (p>0.1). In detecting recurrence, the sensitivity and specificity of [18F]FDG PET were 90.9% (10/11) and 20% (1/5) in 16 patients who underwent [18F]FDG PET within 2 months after the completion of treatment. The specificity of these patients was significantly lower than that of 29 patients (100% of sensitivity and specificity) who underwent [18F]FDG PET 2 months after treatment (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: [18F]FDG PET is an accurate diagnostic modality for the detection of recurrence in head and neck cancer. Post-therapy [18F]FDG PET should be obtained at least 2 months after the completion of surgery or radiotherapy.
Diagnosis ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Head* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neck* ; Radiotherapy* ; Recurrence ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach*

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of vertebroplasty on costal pain which develops following osteoporotic thoracic compression fractures (OTCFs). METHODS: The authors reviewed the medical records of 35 patients who underwent vertebral augmentation for the treatment of OTCFs over a five year period. The patients were divided into two groups: the costalgia group included patientswho had costal pain after a vertebral fracture and the non-costalgia group included patients without costalgia. To evaluate the effect of vertebroplasty on costal pain and factors related to costal pain, several factors including: vertebral body fracture type, pedicle injury, bone mineral density, the fracture level and clinical outcome were confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging and chart reviews. RESULTS: Among 35 patients, ten patients (28.6%) complained of costal pain with back pain. Only five of the ten patients (50%) had improved costal pain after a vertebroplasty. In the remaining 5 patients, the costal pain was improved through the use of medication including pain killers or a costal block during the follow-up period. Although the incidence of wedge deformity in the costal group was low(10%), there was no significant relationship to the incidence of costal pain statistically. Pedicle injury, bone mineral density and the fracture level had no significant relation to costal pain. CONCLUSION: The patients with wedge type, OTCFs may have a low incidence of costal pain as compared to those patients with bi-concave and crush deformities. The vertebroplasty effect on costal pain may not be effective. Therefore, before doing vertebroplasty, the surgeon should advise patients of this potential outcome in those treated for OTCFs.
Aged ; Back Pain ; Bone Density ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intercostal Nerves ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Medical Records ; Osteoporosis ; Spinal Fractures ; Vertebroplasty

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of vertebroplasty on costal pain which develops following osteoporotic thoracic compression fractures (OTCFs). METHODS: The authors reviewed the medical records of 35 patients who underwent vertebral augmentation for the treatment of OTCFs over a five year period. The patients were divided into two groups: the costalgia group included patientswho had costal pain after a vertebral fracture and the non-costalgia group included patients without costalgia. To evaluate the effect of vertebroplasty on costal pain and factors related to costal pain, several factors including: vertebral body fracture type, pedicle injury, bone mineral density, the fracture level and clinical outcome were confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging and chart reviews. RESULTS: Among 35 patients, ten patients (28.6%) complained of costal pain with back pain. Only five of the ten patients (50%) had improved costal pain after a vertebroplasty. In the remaining 5 patients, the costal pain was improved through the use of medication including pain killers or a costal block during the follow-up period. Although the incidence of wedge deformity in the costal group was low(10%), there was no significant relationship to the incidence of costal pain statistically. Pedicle injury, bone mineral density and the fracture level had no significant relation to costal pain. CONCLUSION: The patients with wedge type, OTCFs may have a low incidence of costal pain as compared to those patients with bi-concave and crush deformities. The vertebroplasty effect on costal pain may not be effective. Therefore, before doing vertebroplasty, the surgeon should advise patients of this potential outcome in those treated for OTCFs.
Aged ; Back Pain ; Bone Density ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intercostal Nerves ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Medical Records ; Osteoporosis ; Spinal Fractures ; Vertebroplasty