PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to understand and analyse the actual education environment of the subject, life science, and how it is taught in high school, and thereby make a realistic assessment of whether a medical life science experience program is necessary. METHODS: The test method to assess the actual curriculum was developed by Life Science teachers, medical school faculty and education specialists. The subject was divided into 4 areas consisting of 6 items each. Our survey was mailed out. The analysis consisted of frequency analysis, chi-square analysis, correlation analysis, and variance analysis using SPSS 13.0 for Windows. RESULTS: Over 90% of Life Science class teachers agreed that teaching should be done through lectures and lab experiments in parallel. However, currently the class is heavily lecture-oriented due to the lack of lab facilities, the lack of budget and the difficulty of organizing lab courses. Due to the nature of the subject, lab experiments are crucial. Therefore, it is recommended that a biomedical science experience program be included in the curriculum. This program should be offered during vacation and geared toward high school freshmen and sophomore students. CONCLUSION: This research clearly showed the need to develop a high school biomedical science experience program. In order for the program to be successful, one must take into consideration the safety of experiments, the capability of the instructors, the development of a variety of experiments, the accessibility of the location of the lab, securing interest in education at a community level and the compilation of an experience program at every educational level.
Biological Science Disciplines* ; Budgets ; Curriculum ; Education* ; Humans ; Lectures ; Postal Service ; Schools, Medical ; Specialization

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of pattern scan laser (PASCAL) photocoagulation on peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, central macular thickness (CMT), and optic nerve morphology in patients with diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: Subjects included 35 eyes for the PASCAL group and 49 eyes for a control group. Peripapillary RNFL thickness, cup-disc area ratio and CMT were measured before PASCAL photocoagulation and at 2 and 6 months after PASCAL photocoagulation in the PASCAL or control groups. RESULTS: The average RNFL thickness had increased by 0.84 microm two months after and decreased by 0.4 microm six months after PASCAL photocoagulation compared to baseline, but these changes were not significant (p = 0.83, 0.39). The cup-disc area ratio was unchanged after PASCAL photocoagulation. CMT increased by 18.11 microm (p = 0.048) at two months compared to baseline thickness, and partially recovered to 11.82 microm (p = 0.11) at six months in the PASCAL group. CONCLUSIONS: PASCAL photocoagulation may not cause significant change in the peripapillary RNFL thickness, CMT, and optic nerve morphology in patients with diabetic retinopathy.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Diabetic Retinopathy/physiopathology/*surgery ; Female ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laser Coagulation/*methods ; Lasers, Solid-State/*therapeutic use ; Macula Lutea/*pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nerve Fibers/*pathology ; Optic Nerve/*pathology ; Prospective Studies ; Retinal Ganglion Cells/*pathology ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Visual Acuity/physiology

PURPOSE: To measure retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) volume in normal children using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). METHODS: This study included 79 eyes of 54 normal children between 4 and 15 years of age evaluated from February 2012 to November 2012. All participants underwent ocular examination and 3D-disc scanning using SD-OCT. RNFL volume was calculated between 2.5 and 5 mm diameter circles using the length, width, and height of each pixel derived from the RNFL thickness map with Matlab software. The relationship between RNFL volume and thickness was analyzed. RESULTS: The RNFL volumes of the mean total, superior, nasal, inferior, and temporal areas were 1.48 ± 0.09 mm3, 0.45 ± 0.04 mm3, 0.29 ± 0.04 mm3, 0.46 ± 0.03 mm3, and 0.29 ± 0.04 mm3, respectively. Comparing RNFL volume and conventional circumpapillary RNFL thickness measured using built-in software, a strong correlation between mean total, superior, and inferior areas (R = 0.980, 0.953 and 0.932, respectively) and a moderate correlation between the nasal and temporal areas were observed (R = 0.545 and 0.514, respectively). The negative correlations between RNFL thickness and RNFL volumes of the mean total, superior, nasal, inferior, and temporal areas and age were not significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study reports RNFL volume measured from RNFL thickness map analysis in normal children. These data regarding RNFL volume of normal children may provide useful information for diagnosis and monitoring of pediatric glaucoma.
Child* ; Diagnosis ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Nerve Fibers* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Tomography, Optical Coherence*