PURPOSE: Atopy is an important cause of asthma. Few data on the prevalence of atopy or comparisons with clinical characteristics of asthma in Korean patients have been published. We evaluated the effects of atopy on clinical profiles and airway inflammation in Korean asthmatics. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 1,492 asthmatics from the Cohort for Reality and Evolution of Adult Asthma in Korea (COREA) cohort who had undergone skin prick tests for aeroallergens. The patients' clinical characteristics, lung function, PC20, and sputum and blood inflammatory cell counts were compared based on the presence or absence of atopy. Atopy was defined as one or more positive reactions (A/H ratio >1) on a skin prick test. RESULTS: Among 11 aeroallergens, house dust mites (Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) were the most prevalent cause of a positive skin prick test. As compared with non-atopic asthmatics, atopic asthmatics showed early onset of the disease. Atopic patients with asthma had a higher FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC as compared with non-atopic patients with asthma. In addition, asthmatics without atopy had more uncontrolled asthma (P=0.001) and severe rhinitis (P<0.05) as compared with atopic asthmatics. Smoking, as measured in pack years, was higher in the non-atopic asthmatics than in the atopic asthmatics. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was higher in non-atopic asthmatics than in the atopic asthmatics and patients with non-atopic asthma had a higher sputum neutrophil count than did those with atopic asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that atopic asthmatics had an early onset of disease and high IgE levels, while the non-atopic asthmatics had decreased lung function and a high sputum neutrophil count, suggesting that a different approach is needed to treat atopic asthma.
Adult ; Allergens ; Asthma ; Blood Sedimentation ; Cell Count ; Cohort Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Lung ; Neutrophils ; Prevalence ; Pyroglyphidae ; Retrospective Studies ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; Skin ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sputum

The fibroblast in the periodontal ligaments received various stress. Among them, compression and tension are quite important and they are related to the remodeling of tooth and alveolar bone. We studied the change of expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in the fibroblasts of the periodontal ligaments by real-time RT-PCR and ELISA. In results, the relative activity of IL-6 mRNA in 2 hours after was 1.54+/-0.08 and 1.00+/-0.05 in control and test, respectively (P<0.05). Its 12 hours after was 1.23+/-0.06 and 2.78+/-0.14 in control and test, respectively (P<0.05). The relative activity of IL-8 mRNA in 2 hours after was 1.00+/-0.05 and 0.24+/-0.01 in control and test, respectively (P<0.05). Its 12 hours after was 1.23+/-0.06 and 0.63+/-0.03 in control and test, respectively (P<0.05). The concentration of IL-6 was 1.02+/-0.16 ng/ml, 0.90+/-0.14 ng/ml, and 1.32+/-0.12 ng/ml (P<0.05) in control, 2, and 12 hours after, respectively. The concentration of IL-8 was 2.26+/-0.17 ng/ml, 1.70+/-0.26 ng/ml (P<0.05), and 0.84+/-0.47 ng/ml (P<0.05) in control, 2, and 12 hours after, respectively. In conclusion, the expression of IL-6 was significantly increased after the application of the static compressive force, but IL-8 was significantly decreased. Considering their known function, their expression is quite important in tooth and bone resorption.
Bone Resorption ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fibroblasts* ; Interleukin-6* ; Interleukin-8 ; Periodontal Ligament* ; RNA, Messenger ; Tooth

Cyclosporin A-induced gingival hyperplasia is frequently found in the patients who have been received an immunosuppressant for the organ transplantation. However, its exact mechanism is still unknown. The expression of FGF-5 and FGF-7 were studied in cyclosporine A-induced gingival hyperplasia (CGH) and inflammatory gingival hyperplasia (IGH). Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were used for localization of protein and mRNA. The expression of FGF-5 and FGF-7 was different from CGH and IGH. FGF-5 and FGF-7 was strongly expressed in fibroblast in CGH (P<0.005 and P<0.05, respectively). FGF-5 mRNA was localized in the middle portion of connective tissue. FGF-7 mRNA was also identified in fibroblasts and mast cells. In conclusion, FGF-5 and FGF-7 were produced excessively by fibroblasts in CGH. Considering their known functions, their expression in CGH is important for production of collagen and proliferation of fibroblasts.
Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Cyclosporine* ; Fibroblasts ; Gingival Hyperplasia* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Mast Cells ; Organ Transplantation ; RNA, Messenger ; Transplants

The aim of this study was to evaluate the amount and interrelationship of the soft and hard tissue changes after simultaneous maxillary clockwise rotation and mandibular setback surgery in skeletal class III malocclusion. The sample comprised of 16 adult patients who had anteroposterior skeletal discrepancy. These patients had received presurgical orthodontic treatment and surgical treatment which consisted of Le fort I Osteotomy and bilateral saggital split ramus osteotomy. The presurgical (T1) and postsurgical (T2) lateral cephalograms were evaluated. The computerized statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS/PC program. The results demonstrated a decrease in the vertical dimension in the soft and hard tissue. The nasolabial angle was increased and the mentolabial angle was decreased. The results showed also many statistically significant correlations(p<0.05). The lower lip closely followed the skeletal movement of the B- point in the horizontal plane. The double jaw rotation surgery can afford a good solution to solve the problems of class III malocclusion cases.
Adult ; Humans ; Jaw* ; Lip ; Malocclusion* ; Osteotomy ; Vertical Dimension

OBJECTIVE: Surface characteristics of dental materials play an important role in bacterial adhesion. The purpose of this study was to investigate surface characteristics of 5 different light-cured orthodontic adhesives (1 fluoride-releasing composite, 3 non-fluoride-releasing composites, and 1 resin-modified glass ionomer). METHODS: Surface roughness was measured using a confocal laser scanning microscope. Contact angle and surface free energy components were analyzed using the sessile drop method. RESULTS: Surface roughness was significantly different between adhesives despite a relatively small variation (less than 0.05 micrometer). Lightbond and Monolok2 were rougher than Enlight and Transbond XT. There were also significant differences in contact angles and surface free energy components between adhesives. In particular, considerable differences in contact angles and surface free energy components were found between resin modified glass ionomer and the composites. Resin modified glass ionomer showed significantly smaller contact angles in 3 different probe liquids and had higher total surface free energy and stronger polarity, with notably stronger basic property than the composites. CONCLUSION: Resin modified glass ionomer may provide a more favourable environment for bacterial adhesion than composite adhesives.
Adhesives ; Bacterial Adhesion ; Dental Cements* ; Dental Materials ; Glass

The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of spaced, closed, and crowded primary dentitions by sex and arch in Korean children from Kanghwa, and to determine the frequency of the primate and developmental spaces. The differences in the mesiodistal crown diameters and the arch dimensions between the spaced, closed, and crowded primary dentitions were also evaluated. Dental casts of 102 preschool children (57 males and 45 females, aged 4 ~ 5 years) were studied. The prevalence of spacing in the primary dentition was 63.2% in males and 57.8% in females. The frequency of spacing was greater in males than in females, and greater in the maxillary arch than in the mandibular arch. The crowns were significantly larger and the arches significantly narrower in closed and crowded dentitions than in those with spacing (p < 0.05). The results showed that the prevalence of spacing was lower than that found in previous studies and the presence of spacing in the anterior region was related to the mesiodistal crown diameter and the intercanine width.
Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Crowding* ; Crowns ; Dental Arch* ; Dentition ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence ; Primates ; Tooth* ; Tooth, Deciduous*

Cartilage, Articular ; Cell Line ; Chondrocytes ; Electrophoresis ; Interleukin-2 ; Mass Screening ; Phosphotransferases ; Proteome ; Temporomandibular Joint ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

0.7). The "RUNX-1" was increased its expression in 2 hours group and "RUN and SH3 domain containing 1" was increased its expression in 4 hours group. The "CC020415", "cyclin L1", "interferon regulatory factor1", "early growth response 1", "immediate early response 2", and "immediate early response 3" genes were increased their expression in 2 and 4 hours after FISS application. In conclusion, we could find many genes that were probably related to the FISS application. Interestingly, most of them were placed in similar molecular pathways and these findings improve the reliability of chip data and usefulness in overall screening. From this experiment, we could find many items for further study and it will make improvement in the understanding of intracellular events in response to FISS.]]>
DNA, Complementary ; Fibroblasts ; Gene Expression ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Mouth ; Mouth Mucosa ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; RNA ; src Homology Domains

Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus are major etiological agents in enamel demineralization around orthodontic appliances. This study was designed to examine the prevalence of these streptococci on orthodontic brackets in vivo using polymerase chain reaction. Four incisor brackets in the upper and lower arches were removed and collected from 80 patients at the time of debonding. The genomic DNA of adhered bacteria was extracted and each dextranase gene of S. mutans and S. sobrinus was amplified using the specific oligonucleotide primers. The results showed that the maxillary incisor brackets were colonized by both cariogenic streptococci to a somewhat higher degree than that taken from the mandible. The prevalence of S. mutans was 50.0% on the maxillary incisor brackets and 33.8% on the mandibular incisor brackets, and that of S. sobrinus was 17.5% and 15.0%, respectively. Both species were detected on the maxillary incisor brackets of 7 patients (8.8%) and the mandibular incisor brackets of 5 patients (6.3%). These results suggest that cariogenic streptococci can adhere to the incisor brackets and may be resident species on the incisor brackets.
Bacteria ; Colon ; Dental Enamel ; Dextranase ; DNA ; DNA Primers ; Humans ; Incisor ; Mandible ; Orthodontic Appliances ; Orthodontic Brackets ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Prevalence ; Streptococcus mutans ; Streptococcus sobrinus

Bolton analysis is widely used to predict tooth size discrepancy, but its accuracy has been challenged. The purpose of this study was to describe true anterior tooth size discrepancies among orthodontic patients and to evaluate the factors that affect true anterior tooth size discrepancies. The subjects consisted of 80 patients with varying malocclusions (Class I, Class II, Class III, and Class III surgery) who were treated orthodontically. Pre-treatment models, set-up models from post-treatment models, and lateral cephalometric radiographs were analyzed. The results were as follows. The means, the standard deviations, and ranges of anterior Bolton ratio in the present study were somewhat higher than those of Bolton's samples and Korean normal samples. The number of patients showing maxillary deficiency was larger than that of patients showing maxillary excess in view of true anterior discrepancies. There was a significant difference between anterior Bolton discrepancy from pre-treatment models and true anterior discrepancy from set-up models (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in true anterior discrepancies among malocclusion groups (p > 0.05). And there was also no significant difference between the male and female groups (p > 0.05). Overbite and the incisal edge thickness of maxillary anterior teeth have little relationship with true anterior discrepancies. Multiple regression analysis showed that true anterior discrepancy was mainly determined by anterior Bolton ratio, upper incisor to occlusal plane angle after treatment, interincisal angle after treatment, and upper right lateral incisor width.
Dental Occlusion ; Female ; Humans ; Incisor ; Male ; Malocclusion* ; Overbite ; Tooth*