BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is a major cause of abnormal overgrowth of the prostate mainly in the elderly. Corni Fructus has been reported to be effective in the prevention and treatment of various diseases because of its strong antioxidant effect, but its efficacy against BPH is not yet known. This study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of Corni Fructus water extract (CF) in testosterone-induced BPH rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: To induce BPH, rats were intraperitoneal injected with testosterone propionate (TP). Rats in the treatment group were orally administered with CF with TP injection, and finasteride, which is a selective inhibitor of 5α-reductase type 2, was used as a positive control. RESULTS: Our results showed that the increased prostate weight and histopathological changes in BPH model rats were suppressed by CF treatment. CF, similar to the finasteride-treated group, decreased the levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone by TP treatment in the serum, and it also reduced 5α-reductase expression and concentration in prostate tissue and serum, respectively. In addition, CF significantly blocked the expression of the androgen receptor (AR), AR co-activators, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in BPH rats, and this blocking was associated with a decrease in prostate-specific antigen levels in serum and prostate tissue. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that CF may weaken the BPH status through the inactivation of at least 5α-reductase and AR activity and may be useful for the clinical treatment of BPH.
Aged ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; Cornus* ; Dihydrotestosterone ; Finasteride ; Humans ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Rats* ; Receptors, Androgen* ; Testosterone ; Testosterone Propionate ; Water

No abstract available.
Adult ; Antigens, CD4/*metabolism ; Antigens, CD56/*metabolism ; Bone Marrow/metabolism/pathology ; Dendritic Cells/cytology/*metabolism ; Diagnostic Errors ; Exons ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Gene Rearrangement ; Hematologic Neoplasms/diagnosis ; Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/genetics ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/*diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein/genetics ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Transcription Factors/genetics ; Translocation, Genetic

PURPOSE: Facial asymmetry has been measured by the severity of deviation of the menton (Me) on posteroanterior (PA) cephalograms and three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT). This study aimed to compare PA cephalograms and 3D CT regarding the severity of Me deviation and the direction of the Me. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PA cephalograms and 3D CT images of 35 patients who underwent orthognathic surgery (19 males and 16 females, with an average age of 22.1±3.3 years) were retrospectively reviewed in this study. By measuring the distance and direction of the Me from the midfacial reference line and the midsagittal plane in the cephalograms and 3D CT, respectively, the x-coordinates (x1 and x2) of the Me were obtained in each image. The difference between the x-coordinates was calculated and statistical analysis was performed to compare the severity of Me deviation and the direction of the Me in the two imaging modalities. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference in the severity of Me deviation was found between the two imaging modalities (Δx=2.45±2.03 mm, p<0.05) using the one-sample t-test. Statistically significant agreement was observed in the presence of deviation (k=0.64, p<0.05) and in the severity of Me deviation (k=0.27, p<0.05). A difference in the direction of the Me was detected in three patients (8.6%). The severity of the Me deviation was found to vary according to the imaging modality in 16 patients (45.7%). CONCLUSION: The measurement of Me deviation may be different between PA cephalograms and 3D CT in some patients.
Anatomic Landmarks ; Facial Asymmetry ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Orthognathic Surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Wear cannot be completely prevented after total hip arthroplasty. If severe polyethylene (PE) liner wear develops, the so-called catastrophic failure occurs and metallosis develops. We postulated that longevity of the new implant may be affected after revision surgery for metallosis following a catastrophic failure of a PE liner due to the substantial amount of PE wear particles and infiltration of the metal particles in this catastrophic condition. METHODS: Twenty-three hips of 23 patients were identified because they showed metallosis during revision total hip arthroplasties performed in Seoul National University Hospital between January 1996 and August 2004. They were followed for at least 6.5 years after the index revision total hip arthroplasty. The clinical and radiological results of revision total hip arthroplasties in these patients were evaluated. RESULTS: The median Harris hip score increased from 60 points before revision total hip arthroplasties to 90 points at the final follow-up. Osteolysis was detected at an average of 9.3 years after revision total hip arthroplasties in 13 hips and acetabular cup loosening at average 9.8 years after revision total hip arthroplasties in 9 hips. With radiographic evidence of osteolysis and loosening as the end points, the 15-year survival rates were 28.2% and 56.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The survival rate of revision total hip arthroplasty in patients with metallosis following a catastrophic failure of a PE liner was low.
Adolescent ; Adult ; *Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Biocompatible Materials ; Female ; Hip Joint/radiography/surgery ; Hip Prosthesis/*adverse effects ; Humans ; Joint Diseases/radiography/*surgery ; Male ; Metals/adverse effects ; Metals, Heavy/*poisoning ; Middle Aged ; Osteolysis/etiology/surgery ; Poisoning/etiology/*surgery ; Polyethylene/adverse effects ; Prosthesis Design ; *Prosthesis Failure/etiology ; Reoperation ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the interobserver agreement on the detection of carotid artery calcifications on panoramic radiographs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study consisted of panoramic radiographs acquired from 634 male patients of the age of 50 years or older. Having excluded carotids of no diagnostic quality, 1008 carotids from the panoramic radiographs of the patients were interpreted by two oral and maxillofacial radiologists independently for the presence of carotid artery calcifications. Statistical analysis was used to calculate the interobserver agreement. RESULTS: Interobserver agreement was obtained for 932 carotids (92.4%). Inconsistent interpretation of 76 carotids (7.5%) between the two observers was found. Cohen's kappa value was 0.688 (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The probability of a match between the two observers was substantially high.
Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Arteries* ; Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Male ; Radiography, Panoramic

PURPOSE: With previous methods based on only age and location, there are many difficulties in identifying the etiology of acute abdominal pain in children. We sought to develop a new systematic classification of acute abdominal pain and to give some helps to physicians encountering difficulties in diagnoses. METHODS: From March 2005 to May 2010, clinical data were collected retrospectively from 442 children hospitalized due to acute abdominal pain with no apparent underlying disease. According to the final diagnoses, diseases that caused acute abdominal pain were classified into nine groups. RESULTS: The nine groups were group I "catastrophic surgical abdomen" (7 patients, 1.6%), group II "acute appendicitis and mesenteric lymphadenitis" (56 patients, 12.7%), group III "intestinal obstruction" (57 patients, 12.9%), group IV "viral and bacterial acute gastroenteritis" (90 patients, 20.4%), group V "peptic ulcer and gastroduodenitis" (66 patients, 14.9%), group VI "hepatobiliary and pancreatic disease" (14 patients, 3.2%), group VII "febrile viral illness and extraintestinal infection" (69 patients, 15.6%), group VIII "functional gastrointestinal disorder (acute manifestation)" (20 patients, 4.5%), and group IX "unclassified acute abdominal pain" (63 patients, 14.3%). Four patients were enrolled in two disease groups each. CONCLUSION: Patients were distributed unevenly across the nine groups of acute abdominal pain. In particular, the "unclassified abdominal pain" only group was not uncommon. Considering a systemic classification for acute abdominal pain may be helpful in the diagnostic approach in children.
Abdominal Pain* ; Appendicitis ; Child* ; Classification* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Ulcer

This study examined salivary flow and salivary pH and the prevalence and levels of cariogenic bacteria in the saliva of oncological patients and healthy controls. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to assess the levels of microbes including Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, Lactobacillus salivarius, and Lactobacillus acidophilus in the saliva of 41 patients with a solid tumor (SO), 30 patients with a hematologic malignancy (HE), and 40 healthy controls. Salivary flow and pH were lower in oncological patients than in controls. The frequencies of all four cariogenic bacteria were highest in the SO group. S. mutans and L. salivarius were the most commonly detected in all three study groups. Mean numbers of S. sobrinus and L. salivarius in the SO group were significantly higher than in controls (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between patients and controls with respect to mean numbers of S. mutans and L. acidophilus in saliva. However, the proportions of S. mutans, S. sobrinus, and L. salivarius versus total bacteria in the SO group were significantly higher than in controls. Within patients, both mean numbers and the proportions of S. mutans and S. sobrinus were significantly different (p<0.05). In summary, significant differences were found in salivary pH values and the levels of S. mutans, S. sobrinus, and L. salivarius between SO patients and healthy controls.
Bacteria ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lactobacillus ; Lactobacillus acidophilus ; Prevalence ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Saliva ; Streptococcus ; Streptococcus mutans ; Streptococcus sobrinus

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between serum human papillomavirus (HPV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and clinicopathologic prognostic factors and the clinical usefulness of serum HPV 16 DNA in cervical cancer patients. METHODS: All the patients were treated at our institution, from January, 2002 to February, 2007. DNA extracted from serum of 17 patients with HPV 16 infected carcinoma in situ and 65 patients with HPV 16 infected squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix (stage IA-IIIB) were examined for HPV 16 DNA using polymerase chain reaction with types 16 specific E6 primer. Clinicopathological parameters were obtained from medical records, and the relationship between the discrete variables and serum HPV 16 DNA status were evaluated. RESULTS: HPV 16 DNA was not detected in serum from all patients with carcinoma in situ. However, among the 65 patients with HPV 16 infected squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix, we detected 17 HPV 16 DNA positive samples (26.2%) in serum. Positive HPV 16 DNA in serum was correlated with age (P=0.0071), serum squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen (P=0.0034), tumor size (P=0.0029), clinical stage (P<0.0001), deep stromal invasion (P=0.0048), resection margin positivity (P=0.0008), and pelvic lymph nodal metastasis (P=0.0040). CONCLUSION: The serum HPV 16 DNA in patients with cervical cancer was correlated with poor prognostic factors that need adjuvant treatment.
Carcinoma in Situ ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri ; DNA ; Female ; Human papillomavirus 16 ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Radiation treatment for skin cancer has recently increased in tomotherapy. It was reported that required dose could be delivered with homogeneous dose distribution to the target without field matching using electron and photon beam. Therapeutic beam of tomotherapy, however, has several different physical characteristic and irradiation of helical beam is involved in the mechanically dynamic factors. Thus verification of skin dose is requisite using independent tools with additional verification method. Modified phantom for dose measurement was developed and skin dose verification was performed using inserted thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) and GafChromic EBT films. As the homogeneous dose was delivered to the region including surface and 6 mm depth, measured dose using films showed about average 2% lower dose than calculated one in treatment planning system. Region indicating about 14% higher and lower absorbed dose was verified on measured dose distribution. Uniformity of dose distribution on films decreased as compared with that of calculated results. Dose variation affected by inhomogeneous material, Teflon, little showed. In regard to the measured dose and its distribution in tomotherapy, verification of skin dose through measurement is required before the radiation treatment for the target located at the curved surface or superficial depth.
Electrons ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate correlation of sites of positive margin and residual tumor and to establish management after conization. METHODS: Of 599 cold-knife conizations [15 (2.6%) with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I, 37 (6.1%) with CIN II, 450 (75.1%) with CIN III, 97 (16.2%) with microinvasion] performed at our institution from January, 1993 to June, 2006, 144 patients (24.0%) had positive margins and 113 patients were included in the retrospective study excluding 31 cases that were not followed more than 12 months. Correlation of conization pathology and residual tumor according to sites of positive margin were evaluated. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of positive margins were 6.7% (1/15) in CIN I, 21.6% (8/37) in CIN II, 21.1% (95/450) in CIN III, and 41.2% (40/97) in microinvasion. The prevalence rate of positive margin increased with severity of conization pathology (P=0.0001). Of 113 patients followed more than 12 months, 27.4% (31/113) had residual tumor [0.0% (0/1) in CIN I, 12.5% (1/8) in CIN II, 18.9% (14/74) in CIN III, and 53.3% (16/30) in microinvasion]. The prevalence rate of residual tumor increased with severity of conization pathology (P=0.0028). Residual tumor was more common in patients in whom both endocervical and exocervical margins or in whom only the endocervical margin were involved than in those in whom only exocervical margin was involved [87.5% (7/8) or 35.3% (24/68) versus 0% (0/37), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: Expectant management is reasonable for patients with positive margin after conization. However, careful follow-up of these patients is essential, particularly in endocervical involvement.
Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Cervix Uteri ; Conization ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies