PDO sutures cause specific changes to the surrounding tissues that result in neo-collagenesis, a fibrous merging effect, fat reduction, tissue contracture, and an improved vascular environment. The results of this study explain the positive changes described in previous clinical research.

Background/purpose As the demand for surgical procedure in the retromolar area of the mandible has been increasing, the identification of the retromolar foramen (RMF) and canal involving the retromolar triangle (RMT) has become an issue of clinical concern. We examined the shape of the RMT, incidence of the RMF, and intraosseous trajectory of the retromolar canal (RMC). Materials and methods A total of 118 sides of dry mandibles, 22 sides of mandibles of 13 cadavers, and cone-beam computed tomography (CT) images of 100 patients were examined. Micro-CT data of 13 cadavers were reconstructed using imaging analysis software for the presence of an RMC. RMCs were classified into three types according to the courses. The width and location of the RMCs were evaluated. Results The shape of the RMT was classified into three categories, with the most common type being the triangular type (81.4%). Forty-seven retromolar foramina (33.6%) were observed in 140 sides of mandibles. The horizontal distances from the RMF to the second and third molars were 12.1 ± 3.3 mm and 5.8 ± 3.6 mm (mean ± standard deviation), respectively, and the distance from the mandibular foramen to the arising point of the RMC and the vertical distance from the RMF to the mandibular canal were 21.5 ± 11.2 mm and 15.3 ± 4.6 mm, respectively. Conclusion This study used various methods to obtain precise anatomical data on the RMT, foramen, and canal in Koreans. The reported findings may be helpful for the clinical management of patients.

The superficial brachial artery (SBA), a branch of the axillary artery, is one of the most common arterial variations in this area. While it is more vulnerable to accidental arterial injection or injury, it could be useful for the nourishment of a medial arm skin free flap. To analyze the relationship between the SBA of axillary origin and segmental variation of the axillary artery, we dissected 304 arms of Korean cadavers. We found an SBA of axillary origin in 12.2% of cadaveric arms. Unilateral occurrence was detected in 16 cadavers and bilateral in 10. SBAs gave rise to radial and ulnar arteries in the cubital fossa (8.9%), continued in the forearm as the radial artery (2.3%), or ended in the upper arm (1.0%). The SBA ended as ulnar artery was not found in any of the cadavers. The bifurcation of the SBA into the radial and ulnar arteries, presence of an SBA that ends in the upper arm, and the lack of continuation as the ulnar artery are characteristics of SBAs in Korean cadavers.

Palm creases are helpful in revealing anthropologic characteristics and diagnosing chromosomal aberrations, and have been analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. However, previous methods of analyzing palm creases were not objective so that reproducibility could not be guaranteed. In this study, a more objective morphologic analysis of palm creases was developed. The features of the improved methods include the strict definition of major and minor palm creases and the systematic classification of major palm creases based on their relationships, branches, and variants. Furthermore, based on the analysis of 3,216 Koreans, palm creases were anthropologically interpreted. There was a tendency for palm creases to be evenly distributed on the palm, which was acknowledged by the relationship between major and minor creases as well as by the incidences of major creases types. This tendency was consistent with the role of palm creases to facilitate folding of palm skin. The union of major palm creases was frequent in males and right palms to have powerful hand grip. The new method of analyzing palm creases is expected to be widely used for anthropologic investigation and chromosomal diagnosis.

Microglia are the resident macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS) and play an important role in neuronal recovery by scavenging damaged neurons. However, overactivation of microglia leads to neuronal death that is associated with CNS disorders. Therefore, regulation of microglial activation has been suggested to be an important target for treatment of CNS diseases. In the present study, we investigated the beneficial effect of resveratrol, a natural phenol with antioxidant effects, in the microglial cell line, BV2, in a model of hypoxia injury. Resveratrol suppressed the mRNA expression of the pro-inflammatory molecule, tumor necrosis factor-α, and promoted the mRNA expression of the anti-inflammatory molecule, interleukin-10, in BV2 microglia under hypoxic conditions. In addition, resveratrol inhibited the activation of the transcription factor, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), which is upstream in the control of inflammatory reactions in hypoxia-injured BV2 microglia. Moreover, resveratrol promoted the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in BV2 microglia under hypoxic stress. Overall, resveratrol may promote the beneficial function of microglia in ischemic brain injury.