The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of retaining holes on the denture base, as well as primer application, on the shear bond strength of denture base resin to the denture base. Using Trubyte Biotone artificial teeth, we selected a maxillary first molar and prepared a total of 80 teeth. Each prepared tooth was polished flat using a dental bar. The polished specimens were placed in the center of a silicon mold (diameter 30 mm, height 23 mm) and were embedded with clear acrylic resin (Ortho Jet, Lang Dental, USA). Forty specimens were shaped, using Fisher bar # 701 at the central part of the alveolar surface, to form retention holes. Each denture base resin was transferred to the resin after surface treatment, as instructed by the manufacturer. The highest shear bond strength (36.2 MPa) was achieved by heat-polymerized resin, when the retention hole and the primer were applied to the artificial tooth. The lowest shear bond strength (11.8 MPa) was achieved by auto-polymerized resin, when the primer was applied to the artificial tooth. The combination of heat-polymerized resin and artificial tooth resulted in a complex fracture pattern, whereas auto-polymerized resin and artificial tooth showed an adhesive fracture pattern.
Adhesives ; Denture Bases ; Dentures ; Fungi ; Molar ; Silicon ; Tooth ; Tooth, Artificial

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Providers may be hesitant to perform double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) in the elderly because the increased number of co-morbidities in this population poses a greater risk of complications resulting from sedation. There are limited data on the use of DBE in the elderly. Here, we assessed the safety and efficacy of DBE in the elderly compared to those in younger patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 158 patients who underwent 218 DBEs. Patients were divided into an elderly group (age > or =65 years; mean 71.4+/-5.4; n=34; 41 DBEs) and a younger group (age <65 years; mean 39.5+/-13.5; n=124; 177 DBEs). RESULTS: In both groups, the most common indication for DBE was obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Mucosal lesions (33.3% vs. 60.9%; P=0.002) were the most common finding in both groups, followed by tumors (30.8% vs. 14.1%; P=0.036). The elderly were more likely to receive interventional therapy (51.3% vs. 23.5%; P=0.001). The diagnostic yield of DBE was slightly higher in the elderly group (92.3% vs. 86.5%; P=0.422), but was not statistically significant. The therapeutic success rate of DBE was 100% in the elderly group compared to 87.5% in the younger group (P=0.536). The overall DBE complication rate was 1.8% overall, and this rate did not differ significantly between the groups (2.6% vs. 1.7%; P=0.548). CONCLUSIONS: DBE is safe and effective in the elderly, and has a high diagnostic yield and high therapeutic success rate.
Aged* ; Double-Balloon Enteroscopy* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effectiveness of scalp acupuncture (SA), a modern acupuncture technique specialized to neurological disorders, in managing motor function and symptoms for Parkinson's disease (PD) patients.

METHODSTwo independent reviewers extracted data from all of the randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that assessed the efficacy of SA for PD compared with conventional therapies (CTs). Sixteen electronic databases were searched. The risk of bias was appraised with the Cochrane Collaboration tool, and the reporting of the included studies was evaluated by the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) 2010 checklist and the revised Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) guidelines.

RESULTSIn total, 4 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. As assessed by the Unified PD Rating Scale (UPDRS), 2 RCTs showed that SA combined with CTs proved superior to CTs alone [60 cases; weighted mean difference, -3.94; 95% confidence interval (CI), -6.05 to -1.84, P=0.01; I(2) =0%]. Based on the Webster scale, however, 3 RCTs showed no superior effect of SA when combined with CTs with high heterogeneity (154 cases; risk ratio, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.79 to 2.12, P=0.30; I(2) =84%). The Cochrane risk of bias, adherence to the CONSORT and the STRICTA checklist showed that the quality of all the included RCTs was generally low.

CONCLUSIONSThe result of our systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that the effectiveness of SA for PD is promising, however, the evidence is not convincing. A sham-controlled RCT design that adheres to the CONSORT and STRICTA guidelines to overcome methodological weakness and that includes a large sample size is strongly recommended to confirm the precise effect of SA on PD.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease ; therapy ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Scalp ; pathology ; Treatment Outcome

The narrow bony cochlear nerve canal in high resolution temporal bone computed tomography is frequently found in patients of congenital sensorineural hearing loss. But this bony structural anomaly could not conclude the functional outcome of cochlear nerve. Here, we present a case of a 14-month-old girl having bilateral narrow bony cochlear nerve canals. In magnetic resonance imaging, both the cochlear nerves were identified to be intact. Moreover, acoustic brainstem response threshold and auditory steady state response revealed nearly normal hearing thresholds. Therefore, we suggest that the narrow bony cochlear nerve canal itself does not necessarily indicate a substantial degree of hearing loss.
Acoustics ; Brain Stem ; Cochlear Nerve ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Temporal Bone

The narrow bony cochlear nerve canal in high resolution temporal bone computed tomography is frequently found in patients of congenital sensorineural hearing loss. But this bony structural anomaly could not conclude the functional outcome of cochlear nerve. Here, we present a case of a 14-month-old girl having bilateral narrow bony cochlear nerve canals. In magnetic resonance imaging, both the cochlear nerves were identified to be intact. Moreover, acoustic brainstem response threshold and auditory steady state response revealed nearly normal hearing thresholds. Therefore, we suggest that the narrow bony cochlear nerve canal itself does not necessarily indicate a substantial degree of hearing loss.
Acoustics ; Brain Stem ; Cochlear Nerve ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; Temporal Bone

OBJECTIVETo summarize and critically evaluate the evidence for and against the effectiveness of Eastern-Western integrative medicine (EWIM) for health care compared to Eastern medicine (EM) or Western medicine (WM) alone.

METHODSSystematic searches were conducted on five Korean medical databases. Manual searches were also conducted through nine major Korean medical journals. Prospective randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included if EWIM was tested for any type of conditions compared to EM or WM.

RESULTSThere were one hundred forty-one possibly relevant studies were identified, and seven RCTs were included. The risk of bias was high in most studies. The EWIM methods were compared with EM or WM in patients with pain conditions in four studies. These studies showed favorable effects of EWIM on pain reduction in patients with shoulder pain and chronic headache compared with EM, while the other RCTs failed to do so in traffic injury patients. Two studies tested EWIM in patients with Bell's palsy compared with EM and found acute functional improvement. An RCT comparing EWIM with WM in patients with acne showed a significant difference.

CONCLUSIONThe results of our systematic review suggest that there is limited evidence for the superiority of EWIM over EM or WM in the treatment of pain and acute symptom improvement in patients with Bell's palsy. The evidence from our analysis was limited from the low number of RCTs included and the high risk of bias. Future RCTs appear to be warranted.

Delivery of Health Care ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; statistics & numerical data ; Publication Bias ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; statistics & numerical data ; Republic of Korea ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVEMoxibustion is currently used for treating diabetes mellitus (DM) as a non-drug intervention in East Asian countries. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of moxibustion for managing the symptoms of type 2 DM patients.

METHODSWe searched MEDLINE, AMED, EMBASE, CINAHL, The Cochrane Library, six Korean databases, and four Chinese databases. Risk of bias was used for evaluating the quality of the included studies.

RESULTSA total of 5 studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. All of the included studies had high risks of bias. One randomized clinical trial (RCT) compared the effectiveness of one-time moxibustion use with oral administration of glibenclimide and showed the significant effects of moxibustion on glycemic control. Another RCT tested the effectiveness of moxibustion plus conventional treatment, and the moxibustion group reported significant improvement in fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels compared with the conventional treatment group. Two RCTs compared the effectiveness of moxibustion versus acupuncture or moxibustion plus acupuncture, and the combined treatment showed the most favorable effects on the control of blood glucose, urine glucose, and glycocylated hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)). One uncontrolled observational study showed favorable effects of moxibustion on the response rate.

CONCLUSIONSIt is difficult to conclude that moxibustion is an effective intervention for the control of type 2 DM due to the scarcity of trials and the low methodological quality of included studies. Further rigorous RCTs may be necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of moxibustion for type 2 DM.

Adult ; Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; methods ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Focally enhanced gastritis (FEG) has been suggested as a specific diagnostic marker for patients with Crohn's disease (CD). However, the usefulness of FEG for distinguishing CD from ulcerative colitis (UC) is uncertain and the incidence or prevalence of FEG for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients in Korea has not been defined yet. In this study, we investigated the frequency of FEG and other gastric histological abnormalities in Korean patients with CD and UC. METHODS: We evaluated 37 patients with known CD, 43 patients with UC and 41 non-IBD control group; all underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy followed by biopsy from the antrum and the body. The pathology of the gastric biopsy specimens and the presence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) were evaluated. FEG was characterized by a focal perifoveolar or periglandular inflammatory cell infiltrates. RESULTS: H. pylori positive gastritis was found in 10 of 37 (27.0%) of CD patients, in 16 of 43 (37.2%) of UC patients, and in 22 of 41 (53.7%) of non-IBD control group (p=0.054). In H. pylori-negative patients, FEG was found in 8 of 27 patients (29.6%) of CD patients, 6 of 27 (22.2%) patients with UC, and 2 of 9 (10.5%) of non-IBD control group (p=0.324). CONCLUSIONS: In H. pylori-negative patients, there was no statistically significant difference in the occurrence of FEG among CD, UC and control groups in Korea.
Adult ; Colitis, Ulcerative/*diagnosis/etiology/pathology ; Crohn Disease/*diagnosis/etiology/pathology ; Female ; Gastritis/epidemiology/*pathology ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract/pathology

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Antibiotic resistance and poor compliance are the main causes of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication failure. Proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-based triple therapy is the most preferred regimen in clinical practice. However, a critical fall in the H. pylori eradication rate has been observed in the recent years. A novel 10 day-sequential therapy consists of five days of dual therapy followed by five days of triple therapy regimen has recently been described. We aimed to evaluate whether 10 day-sequential therapy eradicated H. pylori infection better than the PPI-based triple therapy in Korea. METHODS: 158 patients with proven H. pylori infection were randomized to receive either 10 day-sequential therapy (20 mg of omeprazole, 1.0 g of amoxicillin, each administered twice daily for the first 5 days, followed by 20 mg of omeprazole, 500 mg of clarithromycin, 500 mg of metronidazole, each administered twice daily for the remaining 5 days) or PPI-based triple therapy (20 mg of omeprazole, 1.0 g of amoxicillin, 500 mg of clarithromycin, each administered twice daily for 1 week). Outcome of eradication therapy was assessed 8 weeks after the cessation of treatment. RESULTS: Eradication rates of 10 day-sequential therapy and PPI-based triple therapy were 77.9% (60/77) and 71.6% (58/81) by intention to treat analysis, respectively (p=0.361). By per protocol analysis, eradication rates of 10 day-sequential therapy and triple therapy were 85.7% (60/70) and 76.6% (58/76), respectively (p=0.150). There were no significant differences in adverse event rates and treatment compliance between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The 10 day-sequential therapy regimen failed to achieve significantly higher eradication rates than PPI-based triple therapy.
Adult ; Amoxicillin/administration & dosage ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*administration & dosage ; Anti-Ulcer Agents/administration & dosage ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections/*drug therapy/microbiology ; *Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Metronidazole/administration & dosage ; Middle Aged ; Omeprazole/administration & dosage ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Conflicting results have been reported whether patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) respond differently to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication treatment compared with patients with peptic ulcer diseases (PUD). The aim of this study was to evaluate any difference in H. pylori eradication rates between patients with NUD and PUD according to each proton pump inhibitor (PPI). METHODS: From September, 2004 to April, 2007, we retrospectively reviewed 2,297 patients with NUD (1,050 patients) or PUD (1,247 patients) infected with H. pylori. All patients received a standard 1 week triple therapy comprising of one of the five PPIs (pantoprazole, esomeprazole, omeprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole), clarithromycin and amoxicillin. The follow-up H. pylori test was performed 4 weeks after the completion of therapy. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the eradication rates between the two groups. In comparison of eradication rates according to PPI, omeprazole- based triple therapy group showed higher eradication rate than other groups in patients with NUD, but not in patients with PUD. CONCLUSIONS: This study failed to show any difference in H. pylori eradication rate between patients with NUD and PUD. There is no convincing evidence that the eradication rate may be affected by different PPI.
2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles/therapeutic use ; Adult ; Amoxicillin/administration & dosage ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage ; Anti-Ulcer Agents/administration & dosage ; Clarithromycin/administration & dosage ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Dyspepsia/*drug therapy/etiology/microbiology ; Enzyme Inhibitors/therapeutic use ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections/complications/*drug therapy/microbiology ; *Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Omeprazole/analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Peptic Ulcer/*drug therapy/etiology/microbiology ; Proton Pump Inhibitors/therapeutic use