• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.341-350
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• 2024

Background: Achieving successful pain control and adequate anesthesia through an inferior alveolar nerve block for endodontic treatment in cases with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP) is difficult, especially in mandibular molars. This study was designed to compare the effect of oral medication with ibuprofen and soft laser therapy on inferior alveolar nerve block during endodontic treatment. Methods: The trial comprised 180 patients (45 each group) with SIP. Four groups of patients were created: group 1 received 400 mg of ibuprofen; group 2 received soft laser irradiation; group 3 received a combination of soft laser and ibuprofen 400 mg; and group 4 received a placebo 1 h prior to local anesthesia. Patients recorded their pain scores on the Heft-Parker visual analog scale (VAS) before the start of intervention, 15 min after anesthesia, during access cavity preparation, and ultimately during root canal instrumentation. Each patient also rated their level of discomfort on a VAS. Every stage with no or minimal discomfort was deemed successful. The chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis, and one-way analysis of variance tests were used to evaluate the data. Results: The best success rate was achieved for soft laser ibuprofen combination, ibuprofen and soft laser groups reported similar success results, and control group recorded the least pain scores. The mean pain scores were lowest for group 3 and highest for group 4 (P < 0.001). Ibuprofen and soft laser combination was significantly better than control group (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between ibuprofen and laser groups (P = 0.24). Conclusions: For teeth with irreversible pulpitis, preoperative ibuprofen treatment combined with soft laser irradiation greatly improved the success rates of inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2009

Purpose: The introduction of image guided radiation therapy/four-dimensional radiation therapy (IGRT/4DRT) potentially increases the accumulated dose to patients from imaging and verification processes as compared to conventional practice. It is therefore essential to investigate the level of the imaging dose to patients when IGRT/4DRT devices are installed. The imaging dose level was monitored and was compared with the use of pre-IGRT practice. Materials and Methods: A four-dimensional CT (4DCT) unit (GE, Ultra Light Speed 16), a simulator (Varian Acuity) and Varian IX unit with an on-board imager (OBI) and cone beam CT (CBCT) were installed. The surface doses to a RANDO phantom (The Phantom Laboratory, Salem, NY USA) were measured with the newly installed devices and with pre-existing devices including a single slice CT scanner (GE, Light Speed), a simulator (Varian Ximatron) and L-gram linear accelerator (Varian, 2100C Linac). The surface doses were measured using thermo luminescent dosimeters (TLDs) at eight sites-the brain, eye, thyroid, chest, abdomen, ovary, prostate and pelvis. Results: Compared to imaging with the use of single slice non-gated CT, the use of 4DCT imaging increased the dose to the chest and abdomen approximately ten-fold ($1.74{\pm}0.34$ cGy versus $23.23{\pm}3.67$cGy). Imaging doses with the use of the Acuity simulator were smaller than doses with the use of the Ximatron simulator, which were $0.91{\pm}0.89$ cGy versus $6.77{\pm}3.56$ cGy, respectively. The dose with the use of the electronic portal imaging device (EPID; Varian IX unit) was approximately 50% of the dose with the use of the L-gram linear accelerator ($1.83{\pm}0.36$ cGy versus $3.80{\pm}1.67$ cGy). The dose from the OBI for fluoroscopy and low-dose mode CBCT were $0.97{\pm}0.34$ cGy and $2.3{\pm}0.67$ cGy, respectively. Conclusion: The use of 4DCT is the major source of an increase of the radiation (imaging) dose to patients. OBI and CBCT doses were small, but the accumulated dose associated with everyday verification need to be considered.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.441-455
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• 2024

This study objective was to evaluate the effects and mechanisms of low-level laser therapy in H₂O₂-induced cell death in mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cell. After irradiation with 630 and 850 nm wavelength diode lasers with an intensity of 10 mW/cm² in RAW264.7 cells treated with 0.7 Mm H₂O₂, the effects and mechanisms of the two wavelengths on cell death inhibition were evaluated using MTT assay, ROS staining, TUNEL assay, flow cytometry analysis, and Western blot analysis. As a result, 630 or 850 nm light-emitting diodes (LED) were irradiated for 10 or 40 minutes to increase cell viability with H₂O₂ by about 1.7- or 1.6-fold, respectively. In addition, irradiation with two LEDs showed significant ROS scavenging effects, and TUNEL-positive cells were significantly reduced by 45.7% (630 nm) and 37.8% (850 nm) compared to cells treated with H₂O₂ alone. The Bax/Bcl-2 ratio of cells irradiated with both LEDs was significantly lower than that of cells treated with H₂O₂ only, and the expression of procaspase-3 and cleaved PARP was also significantly expressed in the direction of suppressing cell death. In conclusion, ROS scavenging activity by both LEDs irradiation leads to the expression of cell death pathway proteins in the direction of inhibiting cell death.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2017

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to compare clinical antiplaque and antigingivitis effect between Light Emitting Diode (LED) electronic toothbrush and electronic toothbrush without LED for gingivitis and mild periodontitis patients. Materials and Methods: 30 patients included in this study. 15 patients in experimental group used LED electronic tooth brush which has red and white LED within its head, and other 15 patients in control group used same product which specially modified that function without LED. Clinical parameters ($L{\ddot{o}}e-Silness$ gingival index (GI), Quigley-Hein plaque index (PI)) were measured at the baseline, 2 weeks and 4 weeks later. Wilcoxon signed rank test and Mann-Whitney test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Compare of GI change between experimental and control group with time, both groups showed that reduced GI, but lower GI values detected at 2 weeks and 4 weeks later in experimental group than control group. And lower PI values detected at 4 weeks later in experimental group than control group, but not statistically significant. Conclusion: Based on these results and within the limits of this study, the electronic toothbrush with LED could reducing gingivitis in a short period and infer that decreasing plaque accumulation in a long period.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.509-515
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• 2004

Photodynamic therapy(PDT) has advanced to clinical trials for the treatment of a variety of solid tumors and presents an alternative treatment option for tumors resistant to chemo-and/or radio-therapy. PDT is based on the combination of laser light of appropriate wavelength and energy to activate a systemically or locally applied photosensitizer that concentrates preferentially in malignant tissues. In this study, phototoxicity of laser EIT 21 was analysed in human osteosarcoma cell(HOS) and the second objective of this study was to determine the ability of laser EIT 21 to induce apoptosis. This study demonstrated that laser EIT 21 had a phototoxicity to HOS cells. In order to examinate whether cell death was induced by necrosis or apoptosis, variety of techniques which assess apoptosis were used. TUNEL assay showed only a few the positive reaction on condensed nuclei. It is hard to find condensed or fragmented nuclei on HOS cells irradiated with laser EIT 21 in Hemastat and AO/EB stain. By DNA electrophoresis, cells also did not show DNA degradation characteristic of apoptosis with a ladder pattern of DNA fragments. Apoptosis-related factors were analyzed by western blotting. The expression of p53 was constant and cells irradiated with laser did not show the caspase-3 and PARP degradation, therefore we suggest that p53 and caspase-3 are not involved in laserinduced cell death.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.58-72
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• 2003

Rooftop greenery has been used as a way to solve urban environmental problems by creating green space in densely populated cities. This study was carried out to suggest more effective designs for roof-garden at hospitals through a post-occupancy evaluation. The roofgarden of Asan Medical Center was evaluated with regards to setting, proximate environmental context, users, and design activity by a multi-method including plan investigations, observations, in-depth interviews and questionnaires. The results are summarized as follows; the users' main activities included resting, walking, and talking. A number of users were observed at shaded spaces sitting on such things as benches, pergolas, and shelters. The satisfaction of the users showed high satisfaction level except in the amount of shade, facilities, and shelter. The variables affecting a overall satisfaction were ‘accessibility’, ‘safety’, ‘quality of surroundings’, and ‘suitability for speculation’. By comparing the design concept with using pattern, designer's intention was not reflected sufficiently in several aspects such as ‘event deck for therapy programs’, ‘grove and path’, and ‘low planters’. This study suggests some design implications; it is necessary to furnish shaded sitting places for passive behaviors and pathways for walking or a light exercise. A wind-break wall with glass windows could widen the users' views in a limited space. Natural shade like tree shade or pergola are more desirable than artificial shades. As for the vertical location of the roofgarden, the middle floor could be better than top area for accessibility. Characteristics of building and users should be considered in detail to provide distinct spaces. Proper technical standards for the greening of artificial ground should be established.