Strenuous and consecutive exercise results in fatigue symptoms accompanied decrease in salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in athletes. On the other hand, it has been reported that plasma taurine concentration was increased after the high intensity exercise. However, change in salivary taurine concentration after strenuous and consecutive exercise is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between fatigue symptoms and changes in salivary taurine concentration in collegiate male soccer players. Thirty seven collegiate male soccer players participated in three consecutive days of match program. To detect of fatigued players, we measured awakening heart rate and body weight. As the results of these two measurements, we divided subjects to two groups (non-fatigue group, n=15; fatigue group, n=22). We also measured salivary sIgA and taurine concentrations before and after program. Before the program, there were no significant differences in any parameters between two groups. Salivary flow rate and sIgA secretion rate were significantly decreased after the program in the fatigue group. Furthermore, salivary taurine concentration was significantly increased after the program in the fatigue group. In the non-fatigue group, there were no significant differences in any parameters during program. Our results indicated that salivary taurine concentration increased after consecutive high-intense exercise in the collegiate male soccer players.

Using 3D ultrasound, bilateral chylothorax was diagnosed antenatally in the second trimester. Apparently stable, bilateral pleural effusion progressed rapidly to severe hydrops with facial edema during observation, and then we decided bilateral pleural-amniotic shunt operation. Here we present a case where drainage of pleural effusion by a double reverse pig tail stent made by ourself was achieved, although placement of the thoracoamniotic shunt resulted in near complete drainage of bilateral pleural effusion with normalization of intrathoracic anatomic relationships, subsequent resolution of fetal hydrops, but the ultimate outcome was unsuccessful due to the internalization of one catheter and unknown sudden death. We think that ongoing research is required to further evaluation about complications associated with this procedure, specifically failure of function due to obstruction, migration of the catheter,
Catheters ; Chylothorax* ; Death, Sudden ; Drainage ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrops Fetalis ; Pleural Effusion ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Stents ; Tail ; Ultrasonography

In vitro studies are essential to predict the clinical performance of ceramic widely used as restorative materials. Traditional experiments such as fracture toughness and flexural strength have been used to evaluate the properties of brittle ceramics. However, these experiments have a limitation that the load conditions, failure patterns, and load values at which failure occurs are not similar to human occlusal force ranges or clinical failures. On the other hand, the edge chipping test (ECT), which was recently introduced to study chipping fracture of ceramics, has similar failure patterns to clinical trials. In addition, the failure loads from ECT were similar to human occlusal force. ECT can be usefully used in the study of ceramic properties. In this literature review, a more clinically meaningful experimental study of ceramics by examining the meaning and limitations of traditional ceramic failure tests and comparing them with ECT.

Albizzia julibrissin (AJ) is an herbal medicine that shows low toxicity, promotes promoting blood circulation and mitigates the inflammation and has mild side effects. Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common diseases that occurs in older males and often results in lower urinary tract symptoms. This study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of AJ against BPH using LNCaP cells and Sprague Dawley rats treated with testosterone. Treatment with AJ extract reduced the expression of androgen receptor (AR) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in vitro. In vivo, rats were divided into 6 groups: 1 (Normal Control); 2 (Testosterone propionate (TP) alone); 3 (TP + finasteride); 4 (TP + AJ 10 mg/kg); 5 (TP + AJ 50 mg/kg); 6 (TP + AJ 300 mg/kg). The groups treated with AJ showed reduced the relative prostate weights and BPH-related proteins were altered, with decreased AR, PSA and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) observed by western blot. Histopathological analysis revealed the therapeutic effect of AJ, with a decreased thickness of epithelial cells and reduced level of PCNA and 5α-reductase type 2. These results suggest that AJ extract could ameliorate testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Albizzia ; Animals ; Blood Circulation ; Blotting, Western ; Diethylpropion ; Epithelial Cells ; Herbal Medicine ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; In Vitro Techniques ; Inflammation ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Male ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Androgen ; Testosterone ; Weights and Measures

The clinical applicability of ceramics can be increased by analyzing the causes of fractures after fracture testing of dental ceramics. Fractography to analyze the cause of fracture of dental ceramics is being widely applied with the development of imaging technologies such as scanning electron microscopy. Setting the experimental conditions is important for accurate interpretation. The fractured specimens should be stored and cleaned to avoid contamination, and metal pretreatment is required for better observation. Depending on the type of fracture, there are dimple rupture, cleavage, and decohesive rupture mainly observed in metals, and fatigue fractures and conchoidal fractures observed in ceramics. In order to reproduce fatigue fracture in the laboratory, which is the main cause of fracture of ceramics, a dynamic loading for observing slow crack growth is essential, and the load conditions and number of loads must be appropriately set. A typical characteristic of a fracture surface of ceramic is a hackle, and the causes of fracture vary depending on the shape of hackle. Fractography is a useful method for in-depth understanding of fractures of dental ceramics, so it is necessary to follow the exact experimental procedure and interpret the results with caution.

The long-term use of an implant overdenture shows problems, such as wear of attachment, concentrated occlusal forces on the anterior teeth, fracture of artificial teeth and rotation of denture. By transitioning to an Implant-assisted removable partial denture (IARPD) using additional implant placement, the problems can be solved. In this case report, a transition was made from implant overdenture to IARPD utilizing surveyed crowns to distribute occlusal forces concentrated on anterior teeth and to prevent denture rotation in a skeletal Class III patient. Design of definitive prosthesis with appropriate function and aesthetics was determined through several stages of provisional restorations. In this case, appropriate posterior occlusion and maintenance of peri-implant bone level of definitive prosthesis were observed.

An anomalous pancreaticobiliary ductal union is a rare anomaly occurring in the biliary tract. This anomaly has been implicated as a cause of choledochal cysts, bile duct and gallbladder carcinoma, and recurrent pancreatitis. A case is herein reported of a 63 year-old woman who suffered from gallbladder cancer associated with a choledochal cyst and an anomalous pancreaticobiliary union.
Bile Ducts ; Biliary Tract ; Choledochal Cyst* ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms* ; Gallbladder* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cases of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been increasing with the progress of diagnostic methods . In this study the screening methods for early diagnosis of HCC were re-evaluated, and comparative therapeutic analyses were perfomed. METHODS: A total of 110 patients with small HCC (< 5 cm and < 4 nodules ) were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into four treatment groups ; unt reated group (No T x, n=12), transarterial-oily-chemoembolization group (TOCE, n=43), combined treatment group of percutaneous ethanol injection and TOCE (CEI, n=22), OP group ( OP, n=33). RESULTS: Small HCC occupied 22.6% of total HCC cases. Only one third of small HCC cases were detected during the regular screening. In this group, Alpha-fet oprotein as say provided a diagnostic clue in 50% of cases, ultras onography in 71%, and the combination of both in 88%. Five year survival rate and 5-year non-recurrence rate in small HCC was 29% and 37% respectively. Comparative therapeutic analys es showed t hat CEI and OP gave a better survival than TOCE in Child grade A. CEI prolonged survival in Child grade B wher eas TOCE did not. Only TOCE was tried and did not improve the survival in Child grade C. CONCLUSION: 1) A more strict screening is needed in high risk group of HCC. 2) As a first line of treatment in small HCC, OP or CEI can be selected in Child grade A, and CEI in Child grade B. In Child grade C, a less invasive treatment (PEIT , microwave coagulat ion therapy) should be investigated.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Ethanol ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Microwaves ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

Endurance exercises, such as cycling or running, are useful for reducing arterial stiffness. However, individuals with a low physical fitness level, or patients suffering from leg diseases with pain, are unable to perform such moderate-intensity lower-limb exercises for long periods of time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of acute cycling with Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) on the brachial to ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV). Ten healthy adult men performed 3 sessions, as follows of 20 min: cycling at 50% VO2max (C), cycling at an intensity of 50%VO2max subtracted from VO2 during EMS (LC), and cycling at the intensity of the LC trial while also being combined with EMS (LC+E). The ba-PWV was measured before and after each exercise. In addition, the femoral artery blood flow (BF) was measured in eight healthy adult men before and after exercise using an ultrasound imaging system. In the C and LC+E trials, the ba-PWV significantly decreased immediately after the exercise session, whereas the ba-PWV did not significantly change following the LC trial in any session. Compared with the baseline, the femoral artery BF values significantly increased after all trials. In the C and LC+E trials, the femoral artery BF was significantly greater than that in the LC trial. Acute endurance low-intensity cycling with EMS results in a reduction in the arterial stiffness which is similar to that with moderate-intensity exercise.