The purpose of this study is to observe histopathologic changes in the bilateral craniomandibular joints after allowing 6 weeks of consolidation by varying the amount of distraction in rabbit mandible. Eight rabbits weighing about 2 to 3kg were used. After corticotomy was performed on the left mandibular body between the first premolar and the second premolar region, a unilateral fixation device was placed. Then, a 7-day period was allowed without distraction of the device. The mandible was lengthened 0.5mm/day. Corticotomy and lengthening of mandible were not performed in control group. After the completion of the lengthening process, a 6-week-consolidation period was allowed. Then, the rabbits were sacrificed, and histologic examination of the craniomandibular joints was performed. Proliferative changes were observed in the craniomandibular joints in all groups. With the increasing amount of distraction, hypertrophy of the cartilage layer became more severe, bone formed was dense and enchondral ossification was clearly shown in subchondral bone. Hypertrophy of the cartilage layer was also seen in the non-distracted side as the distracted side in the experimental group. These results indicate that when physical force is applied constantly to joints, the proliferation of articular cartilage and bone formation are present. When more than 6 weeks of consolidation period is allowed at the time of performing distraction for more than 5mm, articular changes, especially, in the contralateral side should also be noted.
Bicuspid ; Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular ; Hypertrophy ; Joints* ; Mandible ; Osteogenesis ; Osteogenesis, Distraction* ; Rabbits*

OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed at investigating the effect of haloperidol on alcohol craving in patients wih alcohol dependence. METHODS: Eighteen patients with alcohol dependence were divided randomly into two groups of nine patients each: one haloperidol group and the other, placebo group. The medication for each group was done for 14 days. Alcohol craving and difficulty in resisting drinking were measured on day 1 and day 14, each consisting of a series of four assessments. Assessment 0 was basal levels. Assessment 1 was made 3 hours after medication. Assessment 2 was made after alcohol intake in a dose of 0.4gm of 100% alcohol/kg body weight and assessment 3 was done after the second alcohol intake in the same amount. RESULTS: The results were as follows: 1) With acute treatment, placebo group showed a significant increase in alcohol craving whereas haloperidol group did not show any change after the first and second alcohol intake. 2) With chronic treatment, both groups showed significant increase in the alcohol craving after alcohol intake. 3) Haloperidol did not increase difficulty in resisting drinking after acute treatment, however, with chronic treatment, it resulted in a significant increase of the difficulty in resisting drinking. CONCLUSIONS: From these results, the authors suggest that an acute treatment of haloperidol lowers alcohol craving in patients with alcohol dependence, but the effect does not maintain itself with chronic treatment.
Alcoholism* ; Body Weight ; Drinking ; Haloperidol* ; Humans

The number of post-irradiated surgical specimen appears to have risen in recent years due to the increasing utiliz ation of radiotherapy for cancer patients. Radiation therapy damages cells by its effects on the deoxyribonucleic acid and the spectrum of injury ranges from acute self-limited lesion to irreversible chronic lesion. We reviewed 24 cases of post-irradiated specimen and thought that time interval is the main factor influencing the morphologic change. Within six weeks, the individual cytologic changes such as biz arre nuclei, altered nucleus/cytoplasm ratio, amphophilic and vacuolated cytoplasm are noted. Chronic injury resulting from progressive changes in the fibrovascular tissue of the radiated area occur in six months after the initial course of radiation and the vascular changes of intimal thickening and fibrosis, foamy histiocytes within media, periadventital fibrosis and chronic inflammatory cells infiltration are present. Althouhg above mentioned finding are not pathognomonic, we thought them quite constant nd reproducible characteristics of radiation injury.

Impetigo herpetiformis is a rare pustular eruption that may be seen in late pregnancy. It is associated with severe maternal and fetal complications in case of misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. The patient was a 25-years-old multigravida with psoriasis in her past history. At 20weeks gestation, she had been developed erythematous scaly annular patchs with papules and pustules on inner thigh. At 37weeks' gestation, the patient was suffered from a severely pruritic pustular rash with fever and leukocytosis. The skin of the affected areas was biopsied and showed intraepidermal pustular abscess with a neutrophilic infiltrate. Treatment commenced with intravenous fluids, antibiotics, systemic prednisone, steroid creams, and phototherapy(UVB) under the careful fetal well being monitoring. Cesarean section was done due to fetal distress, and a normal healthy male infant was delivered, following which the patient's condition improved rapidly.
Abscess ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cesarean Section ; Diagnostic Errors ; Exanthema ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Fever ; Humans ; Impetigo* ; Infant ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Neutrophils ; Prednisone ; Pregnancy* ; Psoriasis ; Skin ; Thigh

Cryptococcus is native to the environment and thrives in any type of environment inhabited by birds. Cryptococcal genito-urinary infection has been reported in immunnocompromised patients and can involve the adrenal gland, kidney, prostate, or penis. To our knowledge, there have been no reports of cases where cryptococcal epididymo-orchitis infects an uncompromised healthy host. Here, we report a case of primary cryptococcal epididymo-orchitis in a healthy male.
Adrenal Glands ; Birds ; Cryptococcus ; Humans ; Kidney ; Male ; Orchitis ; Penis ; Prostate

Objective: This study examined the effects of the new law on life-sustaining treatment (LST) in emergency patients with advanced malignancy. Methods: This was a retrospective before-after study performed at a single hospital. The enrollment criteria were as follows: patients who visited the emergency department during the study period, age ≥18 years, Korean Triage and Acuity Scale 1-2 to enroll severely ill patients requiring LST, solid malignancy with metastasis, and admitted to the study hospital. The after group was defined as those enrolled in May 2018, and the before group was defined as those enrolled in May 2017. The primary outcomes were defined as LST, including intensive care unit (ICU) admission, renal replacement therapy, mechanical ventilation, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Secondary outcomes were defined as each component of the primary outcomes, hospital length of stay, cost, and mortality. Results: Ninety-seven patients were enrolled (before group [n=46], after group [n=51]). LST was provided more frequently in the after group (19.6% vs. 47.1%, P=0.004). The ICU admission rate was higher (19.6% vs. 43.1%, P=0.013), and mechanical ventilation was applied more frequently (6.5% vs. 21.6%, P=0.044) in the after group. Furthermore, the median hospital length of stay (six-day vs. 11-day, P=0.016) was longer, and the median hospital cost was higher (3,777 USD vs. 7,882 USD, P<0.001) in the after group. Hospital mortality did not differ (19.6% vs. 35.3%, P=0.084). Conclusion New end-of-life care law increased the rate of LST in emergency patients with advanced malignancy regardless of the improved survival rate.

Objective: This study examined the effects of the new law on life-sustaining treatment (LST) in emergency patients with advanced malignancy. Methods: This was a retrospective before-after study performed at a single hospital. The enrollment criteria were as follows: patients who visited the emergency department during the study period, age ≥18 years, Korean Triage and Acuity Scale 1-2 to enroll severely ill patients requiring LST, solid malignancy with metastasis, and admitted to the study hospital. The after group was defined as those enrolled in May 2018, and the before group was defined as those enrolled in May 2017. The primary outcomes were defined as LST, including intensive care unit (ICU) admission, renal replacement therapy, mechanical ventilation, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Secondary outcomes were defined as each component of the primary outcomes, hospital length of stay, cost, and mortality. Results: Ninety-seven patients were enrolled (before group [n=46], after group [n=51]). LST was provided more frequently in the after group (19.6% vs. 47.1%, P=0.004). The ICU admission rate was higher (19.6% vs. 43.1%, P=0.013), and mechanical ventilation was applied more frequently (6.5% vs. 21.6%, P=0.044) in the after group. Furthermore, the median hospital length of stay (six-day vs. 11-day, P=0.016) was longer, and the median hospital cost was higher (3,777 USD vs. 7,882 USD, P<0.001) in the after group. Hospital mortality did not differ (19.6% vs. 35.3%, P=0.084). Conclusion New end-of-life care law increased the rate of LST in emergency patients with advanced malignancy regardless of the improved survival rate.

Angiogenesis is an essential process for the growth, invasion and metastasis of cancer. However, it is uncertain that antiangiogenic effects can be a major treatment strategy of oral cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate whether thalidomide, which is known to be a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis, have inhibitory effect on the growth and antiangiogenic effects of oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC) xenografted in nude mice and whether antiangiogenesis of thalidomide can be included as a major treatment strategy of oral cancer. After human oral squamous cell carcinoma strain KB was subcutaneously implanted in 20 nude mice, the volume of tumor was measured every three days. When the tumor mass reached 75~100mm3, thalidomide(200mg/kg/d) was administered into 10 experimental nude mice and the same volume of distilled water was administered into 10 control nude mice and the tumor volume was measured every three days. The excised tumor masses on the 30th day after administration were frozen and processed for immunohistochemistry using vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and CD31. We evaluated microvessel density and VEGF expression. The results were as follows ; 1. Thalidomide retarded the growth of human OSCC as compared with the control group, but it was not statistically significant. 2. A statistically significant lower microvessel density was observed in the thalidomide-treated group than in the control group(p<0.01) and thalidomide significantly reduced VEGF expression (p<0.01). Thalidomide exhibited significantly antiangiogenic effect, but did not inhibit the growth of human OSCC effectively. Antiangiogenic therapy of thalidomide alone is not likely to be effective in the treatment of human OSCC, but might be regarded as adjuvant chemotherapeutic strategy.
Animals ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Heterografts* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Mice, Nude* ; Microvessels ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Thalidomide* ; Tumor Burden ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Water

The successful cardiac transplantation depends partly on the donor heart preservation by a solution that will ensure recovery of myocardial function. The purpose of this study was to perform the evaluation of various preservation solutions and to accumulate the data on the requisites for ideal preservation solution. The experimental setup was the constant pressure Langendorff's perfusion system. Isolated rabbit hearts were perfused for 20minutes with warm Krebs-Henseleit solution, stored for 4 hours in cold preservation solution after cardioplegia, and then were reperfused for 20minutes. The 4 experimental groups were prepared : Hartmann's solution group (group I, control), modified Euro-collins' solution group (group II, MEC), modified University of Wisconsin group (group III , MUW), and CK solution(made by the author) group (group IV, CK). The parameters for assessing the preservation ability were levels of enzymes in freezed myocardial tissues (lactate, creatine kinase-MB and adenosine deaminase), coronary flow, left ventricular developing pressure and dp/dt. In conclusion, the ability of preservation for isolated rabbit heart was excellent in CK solution and modified University of Wisconsin solution, and poor in modified Euro-collins' solution, compared with Hartmann solution. CK solution has low potassium concentrations(34.2mEq/L) and includes various substrates to be salutary on myocardial preservation. This fact may indicates the necessity of further refinements in selection or composition of electrolytes and substrates.
Adenosine ; Creatine ; Electrolytes ; Heart Arrest, Induced ; Heart Transplantation ; Heart* ; Humans ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Perfusion ; Potassium ; Tissue Donors ; Wisconsin

Alveolar Process ; Alveolar Ridge Augmentation ; Bone Regeneration ; Latency Period (Psychology) ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; Osteotomy ; Prosthodontics