A potent antiproliferative agent, Mitomcin-C, has been known to improve the surgical outcom of glaucomatous eyes with poor prognosis after filtering surgery. Twenty one eyes of 21 patients underwent trabeculectomy with Mitomyc-C. Overall success rate is 81%: 2 of 3 eyes with glaucoma after unsuccessful filtering surgery, 3 of 4 eyes with neovascular glaucoma, 2 of 3 eyes with secondary glaucoma, 1 of 2 eyes with aphakic glaucoma and all of 9 eyes with advanced glaucoma. Postoperative complications were prolonged conjuntival wound leakage in two eyes, conjuntibval wound leakage and corneo-lenticular touch in one eye, choroidal detachment in one eye, progression of cataract in one eye, hyphema in 3 eyes.
Cataract ; Choroid ; Filtering Surgery* ; Glaucoma* ; Glaucoma, Neovascular ; Humans ; Hyphema ; Mitomycin* ; Postoperative Complications ; Prognosis ; Trabeculectomy ; Wounds and Injuries

A potent antiproliferative agent, Mitomcin-C, has been known to improve the surgical outcom of glaucomatous eyes with poor prognosis after filtering surgery. Twenty one eyes of 21 patients underwent trabeculectomy with Mitomyc-C. Overall success rate is 81%: 2 of 3 eyes with glaucoma after unsuccessful filtering surgery, 3 of 4 eyes with neovascular glaucoma, 2 of 3 eyes with secondary glaucoma, 1 of 2 eyes with aphakic glaucoma and all of 9 eyes with advanced glaucoma. Postoperative complications were prolonged conjuntival wound leakage in two eyes, conjuntibval wound leakage and corneo-lenticular touch in one eye, choroidal detachment in one eye, progression of cataract in one eye, hyphema in 3 eyes.
Cataract ; Choroid ; Filtering Surgery* ; Glaucoma* ; Glaucoma, Neovascular ; Humans ; Hyphema ; Mitomycin* ; Postoperative Complications ; Prognosis ; Trabeculectomy ; Wounds and Injuries

Hypoxia can occur in pancreatic islets in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are activated during hypoxia. Here we aimed to investigate whether PSCs within the islet are also activated in hypoxia, causing β-cell injury.

OBJECTIVE: The variable operative methods are underwent as a treatment of tuberculous spondylitis. We propose hemilaminectomy and debridement as a one of operative method at a certain circumstance. METHODS: From July 1998 to June 2002, 13 consecutive patients with spinal tuberculosis were treated surgically in our institution. Among them, the authors analysed 7 patients in whom posterior approach were performed. The lumbar spine was involved in 6 patients, the thoracic in 1. The hemilaminectomy with debridement was done in all cases. The changes in the Kyphotic angle and the height of involved vertebras retrospectively measured from lateral spinal radiographs obtained preoperatively and postoperatively. Mean follow up periods were 16 months. RESULTS: Clinical symptoms and signs were improved in all cases. One patient (14%) was needed anterior fusion because of aggravation of lesion. Another one needed reoperation because of relapse of epidural abscess. The arithmethical average of kyphotic angle was worsened about 2 degrees and that of height loss was lesser than 5% postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The hemilaminectomy with debridement for spinal spondylitis can be a first therapeutic modality in a mild neurologic deficit and minor lesions with extended epidural abscess and granulation tissue to the adjacent vertebras in radiologic finding. Especially if epidural abscess and granulation tissue involve the multiple vertebras, we recommend this operative method.
Debridement ; Epidural Abscess ; Follow-Up Studies ; Granulation Tissue ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Recurrence ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine ; Spondylitis ; Tuberculosis, Spinal*

OBJECTIVES: In the present study, we aimed to develop an oral examination smart chart application for tablet personal computers (PC). We evaluated the time required to perform an oral examination and assessed the degree of user's convenience by using this application. We determined to make our application cost and human resource effective by automatically computerizing the statistics to facilitate its application in oral health services such as national oral health research. The development of this application for tablet PCs was aimed at recording the results of oral examinations. METHODS: We produced flow charts and designed the program screen, which would replace the existing paper chart. To evaluate the efficiency of the application, 1 preventive dentistry professor and 6 dentistry students performed an oral examination on 41 subjects. We performed the oral examination in duplicate using a tablet PC and a paper chart. The data collected were analyzed using the SPSS 18.0 program. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The time required for oral examination by the study group (the group using the application) and the control group (the group using paper) were 131.93+/-10.14 and 151.85+/-7.77, respectively; the difference between these values was statistically significant (P-value=0.002). The oral examination could be performed faster in the study group (the group using the application) than in the control group; therefore, we noted that the time taken for oral examination was reduced by using the application. CONCLUSIONS: The tablet-based system has been shown to save time by omitting the step of entering the paper chart data into a computer. Further, the findings of this study can be used to establish an oral health index database with the help of additional resources. Moreover, it would facilitate creating awareness among the patients with regard to their oral health indices through the use of visual aids.
Audiovisual Aids ; Dentistry ; Diagnosis, Oral ; Humans ; Microcomputers ; Oral Health ; Preventive Dentistry

Renal angiomyolipoma is a rare entity, usually associated with tuberous sclerosis. Until a few years ago it was almost impossible to arrive at a correct diagnosis preoperatively, and most of the case underwent nephrectomy with the wrong diagnosis of renal carcinoma. Recently, abdominal computerized tomography and renal sonography have made it possible to reach the correct preoperative diagnosis in many cases, and thus to avoid unnecessary nephrectomies. We herein present a case of bilateral renal angiomyolipoma with tuberous sclerosis which was preoperatively diagnosed by abdominal ultrasound and CT. A 54 years old woman was admitted with pain on the left flank since 4 months ago. She has had multiple erythematous papules on the face, a small nodule like fibroma on the right third toe. Laboratory findings were normal range. Abdominal ultrasound revealed multiple, variable sized homogenous hyperechogenic mass in the both kidney. Abdominal CT scan showed multiple, variable sized low dense mass in both kidney. Biopsy specimens of the mass of the left kidney revealed fibronecrotic material and blood clots, in which was no evidence of malignancy. Biopsy specimen from the face revealed adenoma sebaceum.
Angiomyolipoma* ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fibroma ; Humans ; Kidney ; Middle Aged ; Nephrectomy ; Reference Values ; Toes ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberous Sclerosis* ; Ultrasonography

To evaluate the effect of anabolic steroid(AS) on body composition and protein metabolism in malnourished CAPD patients, 7 CAPD patients who were proved to be malnourished by subjective global assessment received 200mg of AS, nandrolone decanoate, by intramuscular route monthly for 5 months. We analyzed the body composition, biochemical nutritional markers, plasma and dialysate amino acids(AA) before and after administration of AS. The mean age was 53.6+/-11.5 years, the sex ratio was 2:5, and the duration of CAPD was 28.5+/-18.7 months. Two patients were diabetics. Five months after AS administration, %lean body mass seemed to increase from 52.6+/-11.7 to 57.3+/-11.0%(P>0.05), but there were no significant changes in body weight and body mass index. Serum insulin-like growth factor-I (172.4+/-88.5 vs. 204.1+/-85.8ng/ml, P<0.05) and transferrin(213.6+/-55.4 vs. 239.0+/-55.3mg/dl, P<0.05) were significantly increased, and serum total CO2(31.1+/-4.5 vs. 25.9+/-2.5mM/L, P<0.05) were significantly decreased. Urea nitrogen appearance(4.0+/-2.0 vs. 3.6+/-1.6g/ day) seemed to be decreased. Both plasma essential AA(EAA) level(738.3+/-206.5 vs. 492.5+/-187.2micromol/L, P<0.05) and peritoneal EAA loss(565.0+/-186.1 vs. 377.4+/-113.9micromol/day, P<0.05) decreased significantly after administration. Plasma total and non- essential amino acids(NEAA) level tended to be increased and peritoneal total and NEAA loss seemed to be decreased without statistical significance. In conclusion, AS seems to have anabolic effect and be useful in the correction of malnutrition in CAPD patients.
Amino Acids ; Anabolic Agents ; Body Composition* ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Humans ; Malnutrition ; Metabolism* ; Nandrolone ; Nitrogen ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Plasma ; Sex Ratio ; Urea

BACKGROUND: Despite a recent breakthough in human islet transplantation for treating type 1 diabetes mellitus, the limited availability of donor pancreases remains a major obstacle. Endocrine cells within the gut epithelium (enteroendocrine cells) and pancreatic beta cells share similar pathways of differentiation during embryonic development. In particular, K-cells that secrete glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) have been shown to express many of the key proteins found in beta cells. Therefore, we hypothesize that K-cells can be transdifferentiated into beta cells because both cells have remarkable similarities in their embryonic development and cellular phenotypes. METHODS: K-cells were purified from heterogeneous STC-1 cells originating from an endocrine tumor of a mouse intestine. In addition, a K-cell subclone expressing stable Nkx6.1, called "Kn4-cells," was successfully obtained. In vitro differentiation of K-cells or Kn4-cells into beta cells was completed after exendin-4 treatment and serum deprivation. The expressions of insulin mRNA and protein were examined by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. The interacellular insulin content was also measured. RESULTS: K-cells were found to express glucokinase and GIP as assessed by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. RT-PCR showed that K-cells also expressed Pdx-1, NeuroD1/Beta2, and MafA, but not Nkx6.1. After exendin-4 treatment and serum deprivation, insulin mRNA and insulin or C-peptide were clearly detected in Kn4-cells. The intracellular insulin content was also increased significantly in these cells. CONCLUSION: K-cells are an attractive potential source of insulin-producing cells for treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, more experiments are necessary to optimize a strategy for converting K-cells into beta cells.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; C-Peptide ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Embryonic Development ; Endocrine Cells ; Enteroendocrine Cells ; Epithelium ; Female ; Glucokinase ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Insulin ; Insulin-Secreting Cells ; Intestines ; Islets of Langerhans Transplantation ; Mice ; Pancreas ; Peptides ; Phenotype ; Pregnancy ; Proteins ; RNA, Messenger ; Tissue Donors ; Venoms

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is often accompanied by increased levels of circulating fatty acid. Elevations in fatty acids and glucose for prolonged periods of time have been suggested to cause progressive dysfunction or apoptosis of pancreatic beta cells in T2DM. However, the precise mechanism of this adverse effect is not well understood. METHODS: INS-1 rat-derived insulin-secreting cells were exposed to 30 mM glucose and 0.25 mM palmitate for 48 hours. RESULTS: The production of reactive oxygen species increased significantly. Pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (Pdx1) expression was down-regulated, as assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses. The promoter activities of insulin and Pdx1 were also diminished. Of note, there was nucleocytoplasmic translocation of Pdx1, which was partially prevented by treatment with an antioxidant, N-acetyl-L-cysteine. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that prolonged exposure of beta cells to elevated levels of glucose and palmitate negatively affects Pdx1 expression via oxidative stress.
Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Fatty Acids ; Genes, Homeobox ; Glucose ; Insulin ; Insulin-Secreting Cells ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species

OBJECTIVES: This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effect of dental amalgam, a restorative material, on children by measuring the mercury concentration in the urine as well as the number of teeth filled with dental amalgam. METHODS: Twenty children enrolled in grades 1-4 of two elementary schools in Daegu participated in this study. One trained dentist performed oral examinations and removed amalgam restorations from the teeth with a high and low speed handpiece. In order to measure the urinary mercury concentrations, urine samples were collected from all participants at baseline and immediately and 24 hours after removal of the dental amalgam restorations. RESULTS: The mean number of teeth from which the amalgam restorations was removed was 9.8 while the mean urinary mercury concentrations at baseline, immediately, and 24 hours after removal of dental amalgam restorations were 2.66, 2.76, and 2.76 microg/g creatinine, respectively. The mean urinary mercury concentration increased consistently after amalgam restoration removal. For those participants whose removed amalgamated surfaces were more than 11, the mean urinary mercury concentration immediately after amalgam restoration removal and 24 hours after removal increased consistently but showed no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that dental amalgam restoration was related to urinary mercury concentration, and these findings present a possibility of mercury accumulation in the body. Therefore, we suggest future longitudinal studies to ensure the safety of children exposed to mercury by establishing criteria for amalgam removal.
Child* ; Creatinine ; Daegu ; Dental Amalgam ; Dentists ; Diagnosis, Oral ; Humans ; Longitudinal Studies ; Pilot Projects* ; Tooth