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The clinical application of 3D-printed provisional restorations is increasing due to expansion of intraoral scanners, easy dental computer-aided design (CAD) software, and improved 3D printing speed. This study compared flexural strength of 3D-printed three-unit fixed dental prostheses with that of conventionally fabricated and milled restorations. A metal jig of two abutments and pontic space and an indenter for flexural strength measurement were fabricated. A three-unit fixed dental prosthesis was designed and manufactured using three additive manufacturing technologies, with subtractive manufacturing and a conventional method as controls. Digital light processing (DLP) group specimens were prepared from a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-based resin and printed with a DLP printer. Stereolithography (SLA) group specimens were prepared from PMMA-based resin and printed with an SLA printer, and fused deposition modeling (FDM) group specimens were from a polylactic acid-based resin and printed with an FDM printer. Flexural strength was investigated using a universal testing machine, and the results were statistically analyzed. DLP and SLA groups had significantly higher flexural strength than the conventional group (p &lt, 0.001). No significant difference was observed in flexural strength between DLP and SLA groups. The FDM group showed only dents but no fracture. The results of this study suggest that provisional restorations fabricated by DLP and SLA technologies provide adequate flexural strength for dental use.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has become one of the most useful diagnostic modalities for the diagnosis of pancreatic mass. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of analyzing the minimal specimens obtained by EUS-FNA for the diagnosis of solid masses of pancreas. This study consisted of retrospective and prospective analyses. The retrospective study was performed on 116 patients who underwent EUS-FNA of solid masses for cytological smear, histological analysis, and combined analysis including immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. In the prospective study, 79 patients were enrolled to evaluate the quality and accuracy of EUS-FNA histological analysis and feasibility of IHC staining. The final diagnoses of all patients included pancreatic cancer (n = 126), nonpancreatic cancer (n = 21), other neoplasm (n = 27), and benign lesions (n = 21). In our retrospective study, the combined analysis was more sensitive than cytological analysis alone (P

Background and aim: Aurora kinase A (AURKA) is a member of the protein serine/threonine kinase family that plays critical roles in cell mitosis and in tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of AURKA in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and analyze the correlation between AURKA expression and clinicopathological factors. Methods: One hundred and twenty patients with NSCLC, including 56 with squamous cell carcinoma and 64 patients with adenocarcinoma who underwent operations, were analyzed. Immunostaining for AURKA was performed in a tissue microarray block. The clinicopathologic parameters of these patients were reviewed and analyzed for correlations with AURKA expression. Results: AURKA expression was positive in 66 patients (55.0%) and negative in 54 patients (45.0%). The correlation between AURKA expression and histologic grade was statistically significant (P= 0.013). Subset analysis revealed that AURKA expression was significantly associated with histologic grade in squamous cell carcinoma (P= 0.007), not in adenocarcinoma (P= 0.499). No association was found between AURKA expression and other clinicopathological parameters. Analysis of survival failed to reveal statistically significant differences between positive and negative groups in both squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of lung. Conclusions: AURKA expression was associated with the histologic grade of squamous cell carcinoma of lung, but no significant effect on overall survival.

Background and Aim: In patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC), longitudinal tumor extent is important for curative resection. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the longitudinal extents of HC using transpapillary intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS) for optimal surgical planning. Methods: From July 2006 to April 2010, a total of 42 patients with borderline resectable HC were enrolled at Samsung Medical Center, a tertiary referral hospital in Seoul, Korea. All patients were evaluated using multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and IDUS. The new modified Bismuth Type (MBT) classification, in which the traditional Bismuth type IV stage is divided into stages IVa and IVb, was used to determine whether the tumor invaded the left lateral section. Among the subtypes of HC, the periductal infiltrative type (PDI) and intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPN-B) were compared. The accuracies of CT, ERCP, and IDUS were assessed through comparison with the postoperative histology findings. Results: A total of 42 patients were prospectively enrolled, and the tumor extent could be assessed histologically in 30 patients. The accuracies of CT, ERCP, and IDUS were 66.6%, 60%, and 90%, respectively. The accuracy of IDUS was 85.7% in 21 patients with PDI and 100% in nine patients with IPN-B. Conclusions: Hilar cholangiocarcinoma staging based on IDUS findings was highly accurate. We therefore highly recommend using IDUS for optimal surgical planning in patients with borderline resectable HC.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common malignant pediatric tumors that show aggressive behavior. Most advanced-stage NBs have proven refractory to many treatment modalities, and a fundamental alternative therapy, such as inhibition of biological pathways, is now being explored. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) has recently been identified as an activation mutation in familial or high-risk sporadic NBs. We examined the prevalence of the ALK mutation in 54 NB cases (23 pre-treatment cases and 31 cases for which specimens were available before and after treatment) and the presence of the ALK mutation in various pediatric tumors. We detected the ALK mutation (F1174C and R1275Q) in 2 (3.7%) of the 54 NB specimens. Both cases showed poorly differentiated and advanced-stage NBs. No ALK mutations were detected in other pediatric tumors. The frequency of the ALK mutation was somewhat lower than that expected in Korean patients with NBs. The mutation detected in the present study was one of the hotspot mutations, including positions of F1174 and R1275 reported previously. The results of the present study suggest the possibility of potential roles of ALK inhibitors in the therapeutics of a small population of neuroblastoma carrying mutated ALK kinases.

The genetic library of α-helical amphipathic peptides, 20 amino acid long, was designed and expressed under the T7 promoter in the E. coli JM109(DE3) and BL21 (DE3). Clones that inhibited the growth of the host cell were screened by the relative size of colonies on the plates. Clones which strongly inhibited growth of Escherichia coli JM109(DE3) were further selected. The method developed in this study is useful for the structure activity relationship study of antimicrobial peptides.

Objective: To compare results of liquid-based cytology (LBC) and the conventional smear method (SMEAR) when performing endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for lesions of suspected pancreatic malignancy without an on-site cytopathologist. Study Design: Fifty-eight patients were prospectively enrolled between July and December 2009. Aspirates obtained from the first needle pass were randomized either to SMEAR or LBC. Another sample from the second needle pass was allocated to the other method. The rest of the aspirates from the third or later needle passes were used for SMEAR. Diagnostic accuracy was compared and related factors were pursued. Results: Although both methods were 100% specific, LBC was inferior to SMEAR in terms of sensitivity, negative predictive value, and accuracy. However, LBC provided correct diagnoses in 2 out of 3 cases of false negatives for malignancy by SMEAR in which blood was highly contaminated. Although no factor was identified for LBC, low blood contamination and more than 3 needle passes were related with accurate diagnosis in SMEAR. Conclusion: LBC was less accurate than SMEAR when performing pancreatic EUS-FNA without an on-site cytopathologist. However, LBC might serve as a good complement to SMEAR if blood contamination is profound.

In patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC), longitudinal tumor extent is important for curative resection. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the longitudinal extents of HC using transpapillary intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS) for optimal surgical planning.From July 2006 to April 2010, a total of 42 patients with borderline resectable HC were enrolled at Samsung Medical Center, a tertiary referral hospital in Seoul, Korea. All patients were evaluated using multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and IDUS. The new modified Bismuth Type (MBT) classification, in which the traditional Bismuth type IV stage is divided into stages IVa and IVb, was used to determine whether the tumor invaded the left lateral section. Among the subtypes of HC, the periductal infiltrative type (PDI) and intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPN-B) were compared. The accuracies of CT, ERCP, and IDUS were assessed through comparison with the postoperative histology findings.A total of 42 patients were prospectively enrolled, and the tumor extent could be assessed histologically in 30 patients. The accuracies of CT, ERCP, and IDUS were 66.6%, 60%, and 90%, respectively. The accuracy of IDUS was 85.7% in 21 patients with PDI and 100% in nine patients with IPN-B.Hilar cholangiocarcinoma staging based on IDUS findings was highly accurate. We therefore highly recommend using IDUS for optimal surgical planning in patients with borderline resectable HC.

s / Pancreatology 13 (2013) S1–S80 S45 Background/aim: Distinguishing pancreatic adenocarcinomas from other pancreatic masses remains challenging in clinical practice. Contrastenhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasound (CEH-EUS) is a promising method for characterizing pancreatic lesions due to its noninvasiveness. The clinical significance according to the change of enhancement pattern from arterial to venous phaseswas not established. The purpose of this study is to investigate the accuracy of CEH-EUS in the differentiation of pancreatic solid lesions by visualizing enhancement pattern during contrast infusion time. Methods: Between July, 2011 and March, 2013, 116 patients who referred for EUS examination of pancreatic lesions were consecutively enrolled. CEH-EUS was performed with a conventional radial echoendoscope after intravenous bolus injection of contrast agent (SonoVue). Enhancement pattern of target lesion was classified into three groups (hypo-, isoor hyper-enhancement) and also described as contrast injection time; early (10w 30 seconds), late (30w 60 seconds) and delay phase (60 w 90 seconds). The enhancement pattern of pancreatic adenocarcinoma was compared with that of other pancreatic lesions. Results: A total of 83 patients (51 male, median age 68, range 25–91) were evaluated for pancreatic solid lesions. The final diagnoses were pancreatic adenocarcinoma in 63 (75.9%), neuroendocrine tumor in 8 (9.6%), chronic pancreatitis in 3 (3.6%), autoimmune pancreatitis in 3 (3.6%), pancreatic metastasis in 2 (2.4%), malignant lymphoma in 2 (2.4%) and each cases of pancreatic abscess and solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (2.4%). In 63 pancreatic lesions with adenocarcinoma, hypoenhancement during arterial, late and delay phase was observed in 52 (82.5%), 59 (93.7%), and 62 (98.4%), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy for adenocarcinoma as hypoenhancement at CEH-EUS showed at table 1. Conclusions: CEH-EUS could characterize pancreatic mass lesions with relatively high accuracy during late phase and may be useful for distinguishing adenocarcinomas from other pancreatic masses.