We compared the differences of the intraocular pressure measured by the applanation and the Schiotz tonometer according to the ocular rigidity and its changes. We also did it by sex difference, age and the ocular rigidity range. The Korean 254 normal eyes, 12 aphakic eyes, 32 mydriatics treated eyes and 102 myopic eyes were examined. The intraocular perssure was measured by Goldmann applanation tonometer and Schiotz indentation tonometer using the 5.5 gram and 10.0 gram plunger load successively. The ocular rigidity was estimated from the Moses and Becker table. The results were as follows: 1. The mean ocular rigidity of the male and the female Korean was 0.0157 and 0.0195, respectively. There was no significant differences between the two tonometric values. 2. There was no significant ocular rigidity changes according to ages, and there was no statistically significant differences between the two tonometric values, 3. There was no statistically significant differences between the two tonometric values according to the ocular rigidity range. 4. The mean ocular rigidity of normal eyes, aphakic eyes. mydriatics treated eyes and myopic eyes was 0.0183 0.0166, 0.0164 and 0.0170, respectively, and there was no significant differences between the two tonometric values in each groups.
Female ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Male ; Manometry* ; Mydriatics ; Sex Characteristics

Authors have experienced 27 cases of traumatic hyphemas in our department for recent years. All the patients was taken systemic administration of Diamox as ocular hypotensives, prednisolone as anti-inflammatory agent and hemostatics, and antihistaminics for neutralize the histamin like substance which may emerge after vascular injury by trauma, without any surgical procedures or other medication. The result of treatment satisfactory as hyphemas were absorbed clerly within short period without any complication and visual deterioration.
Acetazolamide ; Hemostatics ; Humans ; Hyphema* ; Prednisolone ; Vascular System Injuries

The vitreoretinopathy with familial tendency was first described by V.G.Criswick and C.L. Schepens in 1969. The disease is slowly progressive and can be clinically grouped into 3 stages according to the severity of ocular manifestation. The etiology of this disease which is similar to the other vitreoretinopathy without the history of prematurity and oxygen supply is unknown. Two sibling patients suggesting to have the familial exudative vitreoretinopathy were reported and reviewed herein with their clinical features.
Humans ; Oxygen ; Siblings

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of low-dose tamsulosin on sexual function in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 138 male LUTS patients aged more than 50 years with an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) > or =8 were enrolled in this open-label, multicenter, prospective, noncomparative observational study. Clinical assessments included IPSS, quality of life (QoL) index, International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), Danish Prostate Symptom Score (DAN-PSS), and an early morning erection questionnaire. The data were recorded at baseline and at 1 and 3 months after treatment with tamsulosin 0.2 mg/d. Adverse events were analyzed in all patients. RESULTS: During the study period of 3 months, the IPSS and QoL index significantly improved from baseline by -11.40+/-9.40 and -1.11+/-1.36, respectively (p<0.001). However, there were no clinically relevant changes in total IIEF score (mean difference, 1.63+/-15.50; p=0.406) or the 5 subdomains (p>0.05). Furthermore, DAN-PSS weighted scores (AxB) showed no clinically relevant changes (mean difference on Q1, Q2, and Q3: -0.45+/-2.94, 0.27+/-2.50, and -1.27+/-2.27, p>0.05). In addition, there were no clinically significant changes in responses on the early morning erection questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: Tamsulosin at the dose of 0.2 mg significantly improved the IPSS and the QoL index compared with baseline. However, tamsulosin did not exhibit any significant impact on sexual function or any negative impact on ejaculatory function.
Aged ; Ejaculation ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Quality of Life ; Sulfonamides

Codonopsis lanceolata (Campanulaceae) traditionally have been used as a tonic and to treat patients with lung abscesses. Recently, it was proposed that the extract and some compounds isolated from C. lanceolata reversed scopolamine-induced memory and learning deficits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the improvement of cognitive enhancing effect of C. lanceolata by steam and fermentation process in scopolamine-induced memory impairment mice models by passive avoidance test and Morris water maze test. The extract of C. lanceolata or the extract of steamed and fermented C. lanceolata (SFCE) was orally administered to male mice at the doses of 100 and 300 mg/kg body weight. As a result, mice treated with steamed and fermented C. lanceolata extract (SFCE) (300 mg/kg body weight, p.o.) showed shorter escape latencies than those with C. lanceolata extract or the scopolamine-administered group in Morris water maze test. Also, it exerted longer step-through latency time than scopolamine treated group in passive avoidance test. Furthermore, neuroprotective effect of SFCE on glutamate-induced cytotoxicity was assessed in HT22 cells. Only SFCE-treated cells showed significant protection at 500 microg/ml. Interestingly, steamed C. lanceolata with fermentation contained more phenolic acid including gallic acid and vanillic acid than original C. lanceolata. Collectively, these results suggest that steam and fermentation process of C. lanceolata increased cognitive enhancing activity related to the memory processes and neuroprotective effect than original C. lanceolata.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Codonopsis* ; Fermentation ; Gallic Acid ; Humans ; Learning ; Lung Abscess ; Male ; Maze Learning ; Memory* ; Mice* ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Phenol ; Scopolamine Hydrobromide ; Steam* ; United Nations ; Vanillic Acid

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is capable of growing and survival within macrophage. The purpose of this study was to identify the genes regulated by infection of mycobacteria in human monocytic THP-1 cells. We used the differential display reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (DD RT-PCR) and nothern blot analysis to confirm the differentially expressed genes from THP-1 cells infected with live Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, heat-kille Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and live Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Among many up or down-regulated clones, 27 clones were sequenced and compared with known genes on GenBank. Thirteen of over-expressed clones from THP-1 cells infected with live Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv were identical to human prothymosin alpha, eight were novel clones and six clones showed homology with Human ferritin H chain, Escherichia coli bgl, Mouse RNA-dependent EIF-2 alpha kinase, E. coli htrL, Hyaluronan receptor and T cell receptor. Our result suggests that Mycobacterium tuberculosis might regulate prothymosin alpha gene transcription in monocytic THP-1 cell.
Animals ; Antigens, CD44 ; Clone Cells ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; Escherichia coli ; Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2 ; Ferritins ; Humans ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Mycobacterium bovis ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Phosphotransferases ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Up-Regulation*

Codonopsis lanceolata has been used as an herbal medicine for several lung infl ammatory diseases, such as asthma, tonsillitis, and pharyngitis. Previously, we showed the neuroprotective effect of steamed and fermented C. lanceolata (SFC) in vitro and in vivo. In the current study, the treatment of HT22 cells with SFC decreased glutamate-induced cell death, suggesting that SFC protected HT22 cells from glutamate-induced cytotoxicity. Based on these, we sought to elucidate the mechanisms of the neuroprotective effect of SFC by measuring the oxidative stress parameters and the expression of Bax and caspase-3 in HT22 cells. SFC reduced contents of ROS, Ca2+ and NO. Moreover, SFC restored contents of glutathione and glutathione reductase as well as inhibited Bax and caspase-3 activity in HT22 cells. These results indicate that steamed and fermented C. lanceolata (SFC) extract protected HT22 cells by anti-oxidative effect and inhibition of the expression of Bax and caspase-3.
Asthma ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Death ; Codonopsis* ; Glutathione ; Glutathione Reductase ; Herbal Medicine ; Lung ; Neuroprotective Agents* ; Oxidative Stress ; Palatine Tonsil ; Pharyngitis ; Steam* ; Tonsillitis