PURPOSE: To evaluate the difference of retinal nerve fiber layer measurements as obtained by Nerve Fiber Analyser according to visual field defects in subjects with large Cup-to-Disc ratio (C/D ratio>or=0.6) and to determine which predictable parameters are useful in glaucoma diagnosis. METHODS: Fifty one normal subjects, 17 patients with glaucoma, 18 glaucoma suspects based on optic disc appearance and visual field defect participated. Nerve fiber layer thickness assessments using scanning laser polarimeter (Nerve Fiber Analyzer II software version 2.1.; Laser Diagnostic Technologies, Inc., San Diego, California, U.S.A.) were measured in normal subjects, patients with glaucoma, and glaucoma suspects. Measured nerve fiber layer thickness parameters were compared each other. RESULTS: Superior to inferior ratio (S/I ratio) was only statistically significant parameter to differentiate glaucoma from glaucoma suspects having glaucomatous optic nerve head. CONCLUSIONS: Superior to inferior ratio (S/I ratio) is useful parameter to predict differentiating patients with glaucoma from glaucoma suspects.
California ; Diagnosis ; Glaucoma* ; Humans ; Nerve Fibers* ; Optic Disk ; Retinaldehyde* ; Scanning Laser Polarimetry ; Visual Fields

Fibular hemimelia is the most common congenital absence or hypoplasia of long bone. In addition to fibular absence or hypoplasia, this entity also includes various combined abnormalities of the lower limbs. We present here three cases of fibular hemimelia who underwent diagnosis and treatment in our hospital. Wee especially focus on the imaging findings of the plain radiographs, and we compare them with the findings found at another presentation.
Diagnosis ; Ectromelia* ; Extremities ; Fibula ; Lower Extremity

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Recently there are on an increasing trend of using implants -especially in edentulous mandible of severly alveolar bone recessed. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the displacement and stress distribution of various mandibular implant-retained overdenture models supported by two implants in interforaminal region under the occlusion scheme load. MATERIAL AND METHOD: FEA models were made by the 3D scanning of the edentulous mandibular dentiform. The three models were named as Model M1, M2, and M3 according to the position of implants: M1, Lt. incisor area, M2, Canine area, and M3, 1st Premolar area. Inter-implant angulation model was named as M4. Conventional complete denture was named M5 and used as a control group. Ball implant and Gold matrice were used as a retentive anchors. The occlusion type loads were applied horizontally over each tooth. RESULTS: 1. In mandibular implant retained overdenture Canine Protected Occlusion type load resulted in higher levels of stress to the implants and female matrices than other types of loads. 2. The overdenture model, M1, with implants in lateral incisor areas resulted in lower stress concentration to the implants and female matrices than other models. 3. In mandibular implant retained overdenture the stresses of the implant and female matrice were lower in mesially inclined implant than these of parallel installed implant. CONCLUSION: Lateral incisor areas could be the best site for the implants in mandibular implant-retained overdenture. The mandibular implant retained overdenture models mentioned above showed to the lowest stress to the implants and female matrices.
Bicuspid ; Denture, Complete ; Denture, Overlay* ; Female ; Finite Element Analysis* ; Humans ; Incisor ; Mandible ; Tooth

This study was performed to determine the effect of myopic refractive error on optic nerve head parameters using Topographic Scanning System (TopSSTM). One hundred thirty two myopic eyes of 120 subjects with normal visual fields were enrolled in this study.Their visual acuities were better than 0.8 with their corrections.Subjects were divided into four myopic groups.Mean refractive error was -3.8 diopter (range:+1.25D ~-1 2.2 5 D ). Total contour area, effective area, volume above, neuro-retinal rim area, and contour variation showed statistically significant correlations with myopic refractive error.The disc area (total contour area)was correlated with the myopic refractive error.However, effective area, volume above, and neuro-retinal rim area showed statisticall correlation with total contour area rather than myopic refractive error.Contour variation was correlated with myopic refractive error.With increased disc contour tilt, nasal and superior neuroretinal rim area also statistically increased. In conclusion, effect of disc area and contour variation should be considered in the evaluation of optic nerve head parameters of myopic patients. However, further evaluation of myopic patients with glaucoma is required through comparison study with control group.
Glaucoma ; Humans ; Optic Disk* ; Optic Nerve* ; Refractive Errors* ; Visual Acuity ; Visual Fields

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of capsaicin, a neurotoxin for C-fiber afferents, applied intravesically in the treatment of neurogenic bladder with detrusor hyperreflexia (DH). METHOD: Six subjects, three women and three men with traumatic spinal cord injury who had neurogenic bladder manifested with DH and urinary incontinence resistant to oral and intravesical anticholinergic instillation treatment were tried with intravesical administration of capsaicin (1 mmol/l 100 ml) for 30 minutes. Single instillation was given in five subjects and two instillations in one. Maximal detrusor pressure and maximal bladder volume were monitored by the portable cystometer. Follow-up monitor of pressure and volume was recorded after 1 week and every 3 weeks afterwards for 21 weeks, with one exception (31 weeks). RESULTS: Average maximal detrusor pressure decreased by 50.8% and average bladder capacity at maximal detrusor pressure increased by 68% in five subjects after single instillation of capsaicin. Clinical benefit from single instillation lasted over 21 weeks and same as the subject with two instillations. Maximal effect on detrusor pressure appears during 6~9 weeks period and bladder capacity during 9~15 weeks period. Although autonomic dysreflexia in 5 of 6 subjects during instillation and macroscopic hematuria in 2 subjects during the 1st two days were noted, they were resolved spontaneously. CONCLUSION: Single and repeated intravesical instillation of capsaicin were safe and effective in the management of neurogenic bladder with DH in traumatic spinal cord injured patients.
Administration, Intravesical ; Autonomic Dysreflexia ; Capsaicin* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Male ; Reflex, Abnormal ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic* ; Urinary Incontinence

No abstract available.
Ilizarov Technique*

We reviewed twenty-six tibial bone defects which had been treated by internal bone transport to evaluate the results and complications and of the Ilizarov method. The causes of defects were open fracture(13 cases) and infected non-union(13 cases) The mean bone defect was 8.2 cm, ranging from 2 cm to 20 cm, in open fracture and 6.5 cm, ranging from 2 cm to 17 cm, in infected nonunion. All cases attained bone union. The mean radiologic consolidation index was 1.3 month/cm. The mean external fixation time was 18.5 months, ranging from 4 months to 33 months. Complications were pin-tract infection(20 cases), equines contracture of ankle(4 cases), knee flexion contracture(1 case), axial deviation(5 cases), valgus deformity of ankle(1 case), leg length discrepancy(7 cases), stress fracture at corticotomy site(2 cases), delayed union(1 case), infection recurrence(1 case), soft tissue invagination(3 cases) and refracture(2 case). The Ilizarov method is a useful treatment for tibial bone defects. Bone grafting at the docking site is recommended in order to shorten the treatment time and to avoid refracture and nonunion.
Bone Transplantation ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Contracture ; Fractures, Open ; Fractures, Stress ; Ilizarov Technique ; Knee ; Leg

No abstract available.
Methylmethacrylate*

BACKGROUND: There has been significant progress in the identification of tumor associated antigens. Among the tumor associated antigens, MAGE (melanoma antigen), BAGE, GAGE, PRAME, NY-ESO were named as cancer/testis specific antigens since they are only expressed in the testis or cancer cells. Because of their relative specificity, they have been considered as the appropriate targets for the specific immunotherapy, or the early diagnosis of several cancers. In bronchogenic cancer, these antigens would be useful as a promising candidate in the screening test or immunotherapy. This study was to investigate the expression of MAGE and GAGE genes in the bronchogenic cancer tissues obtained by bronchoscopy. METHODS: In five normal bronchial and 26 cancer tissues obtained by bronchoscopic biopsy from 26 bronchogenic cancer patients, total cellular mRNA was extracted. Then RT PCR was run in 35 cycles, with two different kinds of primers designed to detect the several subtypes of MAGE DNA simultaneously and the similar process to detect GAGE DNA was also done. Concurrently, DNA sequencing of the isolates was done in portion to prove the isolates are cloned MAGE and GAGE DNA. With probes confirmed by DNA sequencing, the isolates were reevaluated by Southern blotting. Then the expression of MAGE or GAGE in the bronchogenic cancer tissues was evaluated by the tissue types and clinical staging. RESULTS: In the five controls, MAGE or GAGE was not detected in any specimen and beta actin was not expressed in 4 cases, suggesting the specimen might be too small to detect beta actin by 35 cycles of PCR. In the 26 cancer tissues, the expression rate of MAGE and GAGE was 42.3% (11/26) and 42.3% (11/26) respectively and MAGE or GAGE were expressed in 17 cases (65.3%). Neither clinical staging nor tissue types were associated with the expression of MAGE or GAGE. Beta actin was not detected in 11 cases of cancer specimen, but MAGE or GAGE were expressed in 10 cases of them. CONCLUSION: Using these primers in detection of MAGE or GAGE genes in the bronchoscopicbiopsy tissues seems to be effective or complimentary method in screening of bronchogenic cancer patients, who would be the candidate for the possible immunotherapy.
Actins ; Biopsy ; Blotting, Southern ; Bronchoscopy* ; Clone Cells ; DNA ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Mass Screening ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Testis

Coeruleo-vestibular pathway which connects locus coeruleus and vestibular nuclei is noradrenergic. This study was designed to elucidate the effects of phenylephrine on the spontaneous activity of acutely isolated medial vestibular nuclear neurons of rat by whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 14 to 16 days, were used. After enzymatic digestion, dissociated medial vestibular neurons were transferred to a recording chamber mounted on an inverted microscope, and spontaneous action potentials were recorded by standard patch-clamp techniques. In current-clamp mode, the frequency of spontaneous action potential of medial vestibular nuclear neurons was decreased by phenylephrine (n=15). Phenylephrine increased the amplitude of afterhyperpolarization without changes in the resting membrane potential and spike width. In voltage-clamp mode, the whole potassium currents of the medial vestibular nuclear neurons were increased by phenylephrine (n=12). These experimental results suggest that alpha-receptor mediates the inhibitory effects on the neuronal activity of the medial vestibular nuclear neuron.
Action Potentials ; Animals ; Digestion ; Locus Coeruleus ; Membrane Potentials ; Neurons* ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Phenylephrine* ; Potassium ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vestibular Nuclei