Skeletal and dentoalveolar changes after miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion in young adults: A cone-beam computed tomography study / 대한치과교정학회지

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the skeletal and dentoalveolar changes after miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) in young adults by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). METHODS: This retrospective study included 14 patients (mean age, 20.1 years; range, 16–26 years) with maxillary transverse deficiency treated with MARPE. Skeletal and dentoalveolar changes were evaluated using CBCT images acquired before and after expansion. Statistical analyses were performed using paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test according to normality of the data. RESULTS: The midpalatal suture was separated, and the maxilla exhibited statistically significant lateral movement (p < 0.05) after MARPE. Some of the landmarks had shifted forwards or upwards by a clinically irrelevant distance of less than 1 mm. The amount of expansion decreased in the superior direction, with values of 5.5, 3.2, 2.0, and 0.8 mm at the crown, cementoenamel junction, maxillary basal bone, and zygomatic arch levels, respectively (p < 0.05). The buccal bone thickness and height of the alveolar crest had decreased by 0.6–1.1 mm and 1.7–2.2 mm, respectively, with the premolars and molars exhibiting buccal tipping of 1.1°–2.9°. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that MARPE is an effective method for the correction of maxillary transverse deficiency without surgery in young adults.

Increasing the alpha 2, 6 Sialylation of Glycoproteins May Contribute to Metastatic Spread and Therapeutic Resistance in Colorectal Cancer

Abnormal glycosylation due to dysregulated glycosyltransferases and glycosidases is a key phenomenon of many malignancies, including colorectal cancer (CRC). In particular, increased ST6 Gal I (beta-galactoside alpha 2, 6 sialyltransferase) and subsequently elevated levels of cell-surface alpha 2, 6-linked sialic acids have been associated with metastasis and therapeutic failure in CRC. As many CRC patients experience metastasis to the liver or lung and fail to respond to curative therapies, intensive research efforts have sought to identify the molecular changes underlying CRC metastasis. ST6 Gal I has been shown to facilitate CRC metastasis, and we believe that additional investigations into the involvement of ST6 Gal I in CRC could facilitate the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic targets. This review summarizes how ST6 Gal I has been implicated in the altered expression of sialylated glycoproteins, which have been linked to CRC metastasis, radioresistance, and chemoresistance.

Clinical features of Korean patients with psoriatic arthritis / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aims of our study were to reassess the prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in Korean patients with psoriasis and to evaluate their clinical features according to gender. METHODS: We evaluated 156 consecutive patients with psoriasis who visited the dermatology clinic in Seoul National University Hospital between the September 2004 and January 2005. A dermatologist diagnosed psoriasis and determined its type and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). Medical interview, joint examination and diagnosis of PsA were made by a rheumatologist. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients (14.1%) were diagnosed with PsA among patients with psoriasis. Pustular psoriasis were more frequent in patients with PsA (47.4%) than those without arthritis (9.2%), and plaque psoriasis were less frequent in patients with PsA (42.1%) than those without arthritis (82.6%). Nail change was found in 77.3%, being more common compared to those without PsA (51.2%). Psoriasis was followed by arthritis in 81.8% of PsA patients with the interval of 15.3+/-9.7 years (mean+/-SD). Spondylitis was predominant (36.4%). Clinical features were similar between men and women. However, males with PsA had a shorter duration of psoriasis, and older onset of arthritis than females. CONCLUSION: We characterized the clinical features of PsA in Korean patients on single center base. The prevalence of PsA in patients with psoriasis was 14.1%. Plaque type psoriasis was less common and pustular psoriasis was more common in patients with PsA than those without arthritis. Males with PsA had a shorter duration of psoriasis and older onset of arthritis than females.