PURPOSE: To characterize the effects of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) and quercetin (QCT) on gene expression of osteonectin (ON) and osteopontin (OP) in irradiated MC3T3-E1 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: When MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells had reached 70-80% confluence, cultures were transferred to a differentiating medium supplemented with 5 mM 2-DG or 10 micrometer QCT and then irradiated with 2, 4, 6, and 8 Gy. At various times after irradiation, the cells were analyzed for the expression of bone mineralization genes such as ON and OP. RESULTS: The mRNA expression of both ON and OP was increased according to the culture time in the differentiation medium, and the increase of the genes peaked at 14 days after the differentiation induction. In the case of OP, the increase of mRNA expression was maintained to 28 days after the differentiation, while the mRNA level of ON was reduced to the basal level at the same time. Irradiation adding 2-DG showed a significant peak value in the expression pattern of ON at 4 Gy 7 days after irradiation. Irradiation adding QCT increased the mRNA expression of ON and OP in a dose-dependant manner, but irradiation adding 2-DG did not show any differences between the control and experiments 14 days after irradiation. Irradiation adding QCT increased significantly the expression patterns of ON 21 days after irradiation. CONCLUSION: The results showed that QCT acted as a radiosensitizer in the gene expression of ON and OP during differentiation of the late stage of irradiated MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells in vitro.
Calcification, Physiologic ; Deoxyglucose ; Gene Expression ; Osteoblasts ; Osteonectin ; Osteopontin ; Quercetin ; RNA, Messenger

PURPOSE: To provide diagnostic information by evaluation of the positional relationship between the mandibular third molar and the mandibular canal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-nine mandibular third molars were classified as mesioangular, horizontal, vertical, distoangular groups. The distances between the mandibular third molar and the mandibular canal were measured in cone-beam computed tomographs. The height and width ratios of distances from the mandibular third molar and the mandibular canal to the mandibular inferior border and to the lingual cortical plate were calculated. RESULTS: The vertical and buccolingual distances between the mandibular third molar and the mandibular canal were 0.03 mm, 2.96 mm in the mesioangular, 0.37 mm, 3.38 mm in the horizontal, -1.50 mm, 1.38 mm in the vertical, -1.10 mm, 4.20 mm in the distoangular group. There were significant differences in vertical (P<0.05), but not in buccolingual (P>0.05). The height and width ratios of distances on the mandibular third molar were 47.1%, 36.1% in the mesioangular, 47.4%, 34.4% in the horizontal, 37.0%, 46.7% in the vertical, 40.9%, 37.4% in the distoangular group. There were significant differences between the mesioangular and the vertical group, and the horizontal and the vertical group in height ratio (P<0.05), and also between the mesioangular and the vertical group in width ratio (P<0.05). The height and width ratios of distances on the mandibular canal showed no significant differences between groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The mesioangular group showed the nearest distance between the mandibular third molar and the mandibular canal vertically. The root apex of the mandibular third molar was positioned more buccally in the vertical group than in the mesioangular group.
Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Molar, Third*

No abstract available.
Heart Neoplasms*

This report presents the case of severe tooth wear and vertical dimension loss in a 71-year-old male patient. A combined conventional and digital approach was employed for full-mouth rehabilitation. After determining an increase in the vertical dimension of 5.5 mm using an anterior jig and diagnostic wax-up, provisional restorations were fabricated and adjusted throughout the adaptation period.For the fabrication of the final prosthesis, digital methodologies such as oral scanning and occlusal acquisition were performed. To obtain precise margin data, a die model was fabricated using the traditional impression method, followed by model scanning, which was then combined with intraoral scan data. The final prosthesis was made of zirconia to enhance esthetics and strength. Consequently, the treatment enhanced both function and esthetics, leading to high patient satisfaction with the outcomes.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of the conservative treatment and operative treatment by observation of osseous changes of the TMJ and mandibular asymmetry in condylar fracture patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 33 condylar fracture patients (17 with conservative and 16 with operative treatment) were included in this study. After a minimum of 6 months after the surgical procedure, patients were given a follow up examination of the osseous changes using a transcranial view. Differences in the osseous changes of both groups were compared and the asymmetry indices were calculated on a postero-anterior skull view. RESULTS: The TMJ of the operative treatment group showed more significant osseous changes than the conservative treatment group. The affected TMJ showed more significant osseous changes than the unaffected TMJ in the both groups. The unaffected TMJ of the conservative group and the affected TMJ of the operative group showed significant osseous changes. The mandibular asymmetry indices in the conservative and operative group were 5.12 and 7.30 respectively at the time of treatment, and 2.39 and 3.41 respectively at the follow-up. But the mandibular asymmetry between the both groups showed no statistical differences. CONCLUSION: The TMJ of the operative group showed more significant osseous changes than the conservative group, but the mandibular asymmetry between the both groups showed no statistical difference.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Skull ; Temporomandibular Joint*

PURPOSE: To investigate the change in mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in the brain tissue after therapeutic hypothermia in the swine cardiac arrest model. METHODS: After the return of spontaneous circulation by cardiopulmonary resuscitation, following a 6 min of no-flow time induced by ventricular fibrillation, pigs (n=24) were randomly assigned to one of four groups (sham, normothermia, 24 hr of therapeutic hypothermia, 48 hr of therapeutic hypothermia). After 24 or 48 hr of therapeutic hypothermia (core temperature 32-34℃), the pigs were then rewarmed to 36℃ for a period of 8 hr. At 60 hr upon the return of spontaneous circulation, the pigs were sacrificed and brain tissues were harvested. RESULTS: We measured the tissue levels of p38, JNK, and ERK pathway expressions from the hippocampus of the swine brain in all four groups. The phosphorylated p38-to-p38 ratio and phosphorylated JNK-to-JNK ratio were significantly increased in all of the intervention groups compared with the sham group. The phosphorylated ERK-to-ERK ratio was increased only in the therapeutic hypothermia groups (p-value=0.026 in the 24 hr of therapeutic hypothermia group and p-value=0.002 in the 48 hr of therapeutic hypothermia group, compared with the sham group). CONCLUSION: The p38 and JNK pathways were also activated during therapeutic hypothermia and normothermia. However, the ERK pathway was activated only in therapeutic hypothermia. Therapeutic hypothermia activated the ERK pathway in ischemia-reperfusion injury of the brain tissue after cardiac arrest, which seemed to be dependent on the duration of therapeutic hypothermia.
Brain* ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Heart Arrest* ; Hippocampus ; Hypothermia, Induced* ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Protein Kinases* ; Reperfusion Injury ; Swine* ; Ventricular Fibrillation

Craniofacial dysostosis is considered to be one of rarely observed syndromes characterized by premature closing of all cranial sutures. The first patient was a 4-year-old male infant who had been complaining of empyema. Clinical findings showed exophthalmos, hypertelorism and facial asymmetry. Conventional radiographs demonstrated abscence of cranial sutures and underdeveloped maxilla. CT scan demonstrated the digital impressions of the inner surface of the cranial vault, enlarged and depressed sella turcica. The second patient was a 2-year-old female infant who had been complaining of facial deformity. Clinical findings showed hypertelorism and underdeveloped maxilla. Radiographs showed premature synostosis of all cranial sutures, depressed and enlarged sella turcica, and hypoplastic maxilla. 3 years after operation, her look improved. However, resurgery may be considered to decreasing intracranial pressure and for correction of facial deformity. Two interesting cases showing 'cloverleaf'skulls were presented.
Child, Preschool ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Cranial Sutures ; Craniofacial Dysostosis* ; Empyema ; Exophthalmos ; Facial Asymmetry ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertelorism ; Infant ; Intracranial Pressure ; Male ; Maxilla ; Sella Turcica ; Synostosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To investigate the relation between retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defect and grade of diabetic retinopathy in diabetic patients with normal intraocular pressure (IOP). METHODS: The medical records of 260 patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) were reviewed retrospectively. Patients with diseases and congenital anomaly were excluded. According to the results of visual acuity, IOP, slit lamp examination and fluorescein angiography, patients were classified into 3 groups, mild, moderate, severe NPDR. RNFL photography was also performed in all patients. RESULTS: Average age of 260 patients (520 eyes) was 60 year-old, and average IOP was 16.8mmHg. 372 eyes were mild NPDR, 76 were moderate, and 72 were severe. 136 eyes (25.2%) had RNFL defects including wedge-shaped defect (107 eyes; 78.7%) and diffuse atrophy (29 eyes; 21.3%). RNFL defects were observed in patients with mild NPDR (84 eyes), moderate (24 eyes), and severe (28 eyes) and there were a significant correlation between RNFL defect and severity of diabetic retinopathy (p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Careful examination and continuous follow-up are necessary in patients with diabetic retinopathy because RNFL defect was common in diabetic patients and increased according to the degree of diabetic retinopathy.
Atrophy ; Diabetic Retinopathy* ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Medical Records ; Middle Aged ; Nerve Fibers* ; Photography ; Retinaldehyde* ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

Primary vesical actinomycosis is an extremely rare disease. In most cases it is misdiagnosed as vesical or urachal tumor and usually diagnosed through post-operative pathologic confirmation. Here we report a case of primary vesical actinomycosis confirmed by preoperative repeated multiple transabdominal biopsies. The patient was a 49-yr-old woman who presented with frequency, dysuria, and intermittent gross hematuria for 2 months. Computed tomography and cystoscopic examination showed broad-based, edematous, and protruding mass at the dome and anterior portion of the bladder. The clinical and imaging findings of the patient initially suggested vesical malignancy. Transurethral resection and multiple biopsies of the mass were performed. Pathologic examination demonstrated fibrosis with chronic inflammation. We performed repeated transabdominal multiple needle biopsies for further pathologic confirmation. Histopathologic examination demonstrated typical sulfur granules, which were consistent with actinomycosis.
Abdomen ; Actinomycosis/drug therapy/*pathology/surgery/ultrasonography ; Biopsy, Needle/methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Penicillins/therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Bladder/*pathology/surgery/ultrasonography ; Urinary Bladder Diseases/drug therapy/*pathology/surgery/ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: The selective media for culture of Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) are Egg yolk emulsion medium, modified Thayer-Martin medium and Skirrow's medium. The non-selective media for culture of H. pylori are brucella agar, trypticase soy agar, and brain heart infusion agar. The selective media are more expensive and difficult to prepare than non-selective media, whereas non-selective media are difficult to isolate H. pylori due to contamination of upper respiratory tract bacteria. The objects of this study are to reduce upper respiratory contaminants by use of HCl-KCl buffer (H-K buffer) for primary isolation, and to compare with culture, CLO test, histologic examination and H. pylori IgG antibodies. METHODS: Seventy one patients underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with biopsy. For 32 patients, two biopsies were taken from antrum: One for direct inoculation into blood agar plate, the other for pretreatment of H-K buffer. For fifty six patients, we performed culture, CLO test, histology, and H. pylori IgG. RESULTS: 1) Among the 32 patients, H. pylori were isolated in 25 patients (23 patients for direct inoculation and 25 patients for H-K pretreatment). Twelve cases among H-K buffer treatment group did not show contamination, whereas only two among direct inoculation group showed no contamination. The average number of contaminating colony forming unit (CFU) of direct inoculation and H-K buffer treatment were 77 and 9, respectively. 2) The positive rates of culture and CLO test, histology, and H. pylori IgG for H. pylori infection were 71.4%, 67.9%, 75.0%, and 57.1%, respective
Agar ; Antibodies ; Bacteria ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Brucella ; Egg Yolk ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Heart ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Respiratory System ; Stem Cells