Purpose: This study aimed to propose a revision of the evaluation objectives of the Korean Dentist Clinical Skill Test by analyzing the opinions of those involved in the examination after a review of those objectives. Methods: The clinical skill test objectives were reviewed based on the national-level dental practitioner competencies, dental school educational competencies, and the third dental practitioner job analysis. Current and former examinees were surveyed about their perceptions of the evaluation objectives. The validity of 22 evaluation objectives and overlapping perceptions based on area of specialty were surveyed on a 5-point Likert scale by professors who participated in the clinical skill test and dental school faculty members. Additionally, focus group interviews were conducted with experts on the examination. Results: It was necessary to consider including competency assessments for “emergency rescue skills” and “planning and performing prosthetic treatment.” There were no significant differences between current and former examinees in their perceptions of the clinical skill test’s objectives. The professors who participated in the examination and dental school faculty members recognized that most of the objectives were valid. However, some responses stated that “oromaxillofacial cranial nerve examination,” “temporomandibular disorder palpation test,” and “space management for primary and mixed dentition” were unfeasible evaluation objectives and overlapped with dental specialty areas. Conclusion When revising the Korean Dentist Clinical Skill Test’s objectives, it is advisable to consider incorporating competency assessments related to “emergency rescue skills” and “planning and performing prosthetic treatment.”

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of conventional sandblasted, large-grit, acid-etched (SLA) surface coated with a pH buffering solution based on surface wettability, blood protein adhesion, osteoblast affinity, and platelet adhesion and activation.METHODS: Titanium discs and implants with conventional SLA surface (SA), SLA surface in an aqueous calcium chloride solution (CA), and SLA surface with a pH buffering agent (SOI) were prepared. The wetting velocity was measured by the number of threads wetted by blood over an interval of time. Serum albumin adsorption was tested using the bicinchoninic acid assay and by measuring fluorescence intensity. Osteoblast activity assays (osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, mineralization, and migration) were also performed, and platelet adhesion and activation assays were conducted.RESULTS: In both the wetting velocity test and the serum albumin adsorption assay, the SOI surface displayed a significantly higher wetting velocity than the SA surface (P=0.000 and P=0.000, respectively). In the osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization tests, the mean values for SOI were all higher than those for SA and CA. On the osteoblast migration, platelet adhesion, and activation tests, SOI also showed significantly higher values than SA (P=0.040, P=0.000, and P=0.000, respectively).CONCLUSIONS: SOI exhibited higher hydrophilicity and affinity for proteins, cells, and platelets than SA. Within the limits of this study, it may be concluded that coating an implant with a pH buffering agent can induce the attachment of platelets, proteins, and cells to the implant surface. Further studies should be conducted to directly compare SOI with other conventional surfaces with regard to its safety and effectiveness in clinical settings.
Adsorption ; Blood Platelets ; Calcium Chloride ; Coated Materials, Biocompatible ; Dental Implants ; Fluorescence ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Immunoassay ; In Vitro Techniques ; Miners ; Osteoblasts ; Serum Albumin ; Surface Properties ; Titanium ; Wettability

PURPOSE: Surface treatment with pH buffering agent has been developed to achieve higher and faster osseointegration. The aim of this study was to evaluate its influence by measuring removal torque and analyzing histological characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Titanium implants with following surfaces were used in this study: sand-blasted acid-etched (SA) surface (SA group as control I group), SA surface in calcium chloride aqueous solution (CA group as control II group) and SA surface coated with pH buffering agent (pH group as test group). Removal torque test after 2 weeks and bone-to-implant contact and bone area analyses at 2 and 4 weeks were performed. RESULT: The rotational torque values at 2 weeks were significantly higher in pH group (107.5±6.2 Ncm, P < 0.05). The mean values of bone-to-implant contact at 2 and 4 weeks were both higher in pH group (93.0%±6.4% at 2 weeks, 88.6%±5.5% at 4 weeks) than in SA group (49.7%±9.7% at 2 weeks, 47.3%±20.1% at 4 weeks) and CA group (73.7%±12.4% at 2 weeks, 72.5%±10.9% at 4 weeks) with significances (P < 0.05). The means of bone area showed significantly higher numbers in pH group (39.5%±11.3% at 2 weeks, 71.9%±10.9% at 4 weeks, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrated that surface modification with pH buffering agent improved early osseointegration with superior biomechanical property.
Calcium Chloride ; Dental Implants ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Osseointegration ; Statistics as Topic ; Surface Properties ; Titanium ; Torque

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identify the prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children treated for childhood malignant hematologic diseases, and determine the different characteristics of the patients with ADHD as opposed to the patients without ADHD, which will help to predict the development of ADHD and to help treat them. METHODS: 172 patients diagnosed as childhood malignant hematologic diseases went through the test battery including diagnostic criteria for ADHD in pediatric neurology department of Seoul St. Mary's hospital from March 2009 to May 2012. Age, sex, ADHD type, hematologic diseases type, age at onset of hematologic diseases, treatment with/without chemotherapy and relapse were investigated. These data were compared between the groups of the patients without ADHD and with ADHD. RESULTS: Out of 172 patients, Fifty one patients (29.6%) had both ADHD and childhood malignant hematologic diseases. Sex (male), age at onset of hematologic diseases (< or =5 years) and treatment(with chemotherapy) was significantly higher in the patients with ADHD than the patients without ADHD (P<0.05). Male had about 2.9 fold increased risk for ADHD compared to female (P=0.005). The patients < or =5 years of age at onset had about 3.3 fold increased risk for ADHD compared to the patients > or =11 years (P=0.007). The patients with chemotherapy had about 3.4 fold increased risk for ADHD compared to the patients without chemotherapy (P=0.023). CONCLUSION: This study showed childhood malignant hematologic disorders has significant correlation with ADHD. In addition, Male, < or =5 years of age at onset and use of chemotherapy in the patients can be necessary to predict ADHD. Therefore, early detection and establishment of the countermeasures for ADHD are necessary.
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* ; Child ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Hematologic Diseases* ; Humans ; Male ; Neurology ; Prevalence ; Recurrence ; Seoul

PURPOSE: The congenital muscular torticollis is a neck deformity involving shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, which is detected at birth or shortly after birth. This childhood disease is the third most common congenital musculoskeletal anomaly. The indication for surgery is a persistent head tilt with dificit of passive rotation and lateral bending of the neck and a tight band or tumor in the sternocleidomastoid muscle even after physical therapy. The purpose of this article is to report surgical outcomes with patients who had no or little response to physical therapy. METHODS: Surgery was performed on 29 patients and their average age was 4.1 years(from 6 months to 20.1 years). The unipolar open release and partial myectomy were done in 28 cases and the muscle lengthening was done in 1 case. Physical therapy was started from postoperative seventh day. Follow-up period was ranged from 2 months to 5.4 years(mean follow-up, 20.4 months). Result: There were neither rotation nor lateral bending deficit after surgical treatment. Mild head tilt was noticed in 3 cases and residual bend was observed in 4 cases. The subjective assessments of surgical results by parents were excellent. CONCLUSION: Our surgical outcome encourages the surgical treatment of congenital muscular torticollis for patients who failed to respond to physical therapy.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Humans ; Muscles ; Neck ; Parents ; Parturition ; Torticollis

Gastrointestinal involvement by a lymphoma occurs in 20% of patients with a lymphoma and frequently involves the stomach, small bowel or colon, but rarely involves the esophagus. Esophageal lymphomas are usually secondary to an adjacent lymph node invasion or the contiguous spread from a gastric lymphoma. Primary involvement of the esophagus by a lymphoma is quite rare. Primary versus secondary esophageal involvement by a lymphoma is difficult to determine. The radiological features of esophageal lymphomas may manifest nodules of various sizes, enlarged folds, polypoid mass, ulceration, stenosis, varicoid appearance, and aneurysmal dilatation. The presentation of multiple discrete ulcers in the esophagus on the background of the normal mucosa is most unusual. We describe a case of an esophageal T-cell lymphoma with multiple discrete ulcers on the background of the normal mucosa. The patient was treated with chemotherapy. After chemotherapy, the endoscopic findings of the esophagus showed a normal esophageal mucosa. We report this case with a review of the relevant literature.
Aneurysm ; Colon ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Drug Therapy ; Esophagus ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, T-Cell* ; Mucous Membrane* ; Stomach ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Ulcer*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C patients infected with HCV genotype-2 is a combination of pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin over a 24 week period. It is unclear if a shorter treatment duration is possible for patients showing a rapid virological response (RVR) without compromising the sustained virologic response (SVR) in Korea. METHODS: 42 patients chronically infected with the HCV genotype-2 were treated with peginterferon alfa-2a 180 mcg/wk plus ribavirin 800 mg/d for 24 weeks and followed up for 24 weeks. The HCV RNA was qualitatively assessed after 4 weeks of treatment, and RVR was defined as undetectable HCV RNA at the 4th week. Retrospectively, 26 patients were treated with the standard treatment strategy (> or =80% of the intended duration and dosage), 14 patients with a short-term treatment strategy (<80% intended duration and dosage) and 2 patients were excluded. RESULTS: Among the 42 patients, 35 patients (83%) had RVR and 38 patients (90%) had a sustained virologic response (SVR). All 7 patients without RVR were treated with the standard treatment strategy, in whom 6 patients (86%) had SVR. Among the 35 patients with RVR, 14 patients were treated with short-term treatment and 19 patients were treated with the standard treatment. SVR was obtained in 12 out of the 14 patients (86%) in the short-term treatment group and 18 out of the 19 (95%) in the standard treatment group (P=0.373). CONCLUSION: HCV genotype-2 patients who have RVR with peginterferon and ribavirin treatment can be treated with a short-term treatment without compromising the chances for SVR. However, an additional trial will be needed to optimize the treatment duration.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus/genetics ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/*drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon Alfa-2a/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Ribavirin/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic injection therapy with hypertonic saline Epinephrine (HSE) is the easiest and most widely used procedure for the management of peptic ulcer bleeding. Argon plasma coagulation (APC) is a recently introduced endoscopic hemostatic procedure. Thus, we performed a prospective trial to compare the hemostatic efficacy of APC and HSE. METHODS: Forty patients with the diagnosis of bleeding ulcer were randomly assigned to receive either HSE (n=20) or APC (n=20) treatment during the period of September 2003 to April 2004. The two groups were matched for gender, age, site of bleeding, the endoscopic findings and the initial hemoglobin at the study baseline. RESULTS: The bleeding was initially controlled in 18 patients (90%) of the APC group, and in 20 patients (100%) of the HSE group. Rebeeding occurred in one patient (5%) of the APC group and in 3 patients (15.5%) of the HSE group. The lengths of stay in the hospital were 11.7 days in the APC group and 10.7 days in the HSE group. Death occurred in 1 case in the APC group and in 1 case in the HSE group. The initial hemostatic efficacy showed no difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Argon plasma coagulation is as effective as hypertonic saline epinephrine injection for the initial management of acute peptic ulcer bleeding.
Argon Plasma Coagulation* ; Argon* ; Diagnosis ; Epinephrine* ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Peptic Ulcer* ; Prospective Studies ; Ulcer

Patency of the radial artery plays an important role in the survival of radial forearm fasciocutaneous free flap and artery conduit of coronary artery bypass graft procedure. Even though Allens' test has been used for evaluating the patency of radial artery, the studies on the correlations between risk factors for atherosclerosis and histopathologic findings of radial arteries are rare, until now. Therefore, the authors investigated the correlations between these two factors, and tried to estimate the feasibility of the radial artery in high-risk groups for artherosclerosis. The risk factors for atherosclerosis and lipid profiles were investigated in 38 patients by history taking, physical examinations and blood analysis. And 38 cases of segments of vessel were harvested during the elevation of the flap. The degrees of vessel medial sclerosis were estimated by R values(by Kobayashi and colleagues) that is the median value between the thickness of the intima and that of the media. The measured mean R value was 0.210+/-0.05. Thirty one cases belonged to Grade I(R<0.25), 7 cases belong to Grade II(0.25 Age Factors ; Arteries ; Atherosclerosis* ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Forearm ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Humans ; Physical Examination ; Radial Artery* ; Risk Factors* ; Sclerosis ; Transplants

PURPOSE: To evaluate central corneal thickness and pachymetry maps in myopic eyes. METHODS: 104 eyes of 52 myopic patients were investigated using the Orbscan (Orbtek, Inc., USA). The pachymetry maps were designated as round, oval, decentred round, and decentred oval. Corneal thickness was evaluated at the central, eight-paracentral, and the thinnest sites on each of the corneas. We studied difference of corneal thickness under sex and myopic degree. And got the symmetry of the cornea under location of the thinnest sites. RESULTS: Superior cornea had the greatest average thickness (605.5+/-35.3 mu m). Average central corneal thickness (+/-SD) was 552.2 (+/-34.9) mu m. All corneas had the thinnest sites on 0.86 mm from the visual axis and most of all inferotemporal area (76.0%). There was no significant difference of corneal thickness in sex and myopic degree. Average thickness of the thinnest sites was 544.2 (+/-35.6) mu m and significantly thinner than center. 61.5% of the persons had symmetrically located thinnest corneal sites and most of all (57.7%) had temporal side symmetry. In the pachymetry maps, oval pattern was 47.1% of 104 eyes, andround, decentred oval, decentred round were observed in 43.3%, 5.8%, and 3.8% of eyes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Of all myopic eyes evaluated in this study, the thinnest sites were on average 0.86 mm from the visual axis. And oval type was the most common pachymetry map pattern.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cornea ; Corneal Pachymetry* ; Humans