No abstract available.

The effect on intraocular pressure(IOP) and side effects of adding Xalatan(0.005% Latanoprost) to beta blockers was studied in 54 eyes of 33 patients with primary open angle glaucoma that was inadequately controlled with beta blocker alone. Routine eye physical examination and IOP measurement were performed before the additive therapy. Then, the Xalatan eye drops were topically applied once a day at 5:00 PM with previously used four kind of beta blockers. IOP measured at 1 week, 1 month, 2 month, and 3 month after the combined therapy. Mean IOP was 18.6+/-3.4mmHg before combined therapy. 14.3+/-3.5mmHg after 1 week, 1 treatment, 13.5+/-3.3mmHg after 1 month, 13.1+/-2.7mmHg after 2 months and 13.1+/-2.6mmHg after 3 months the therapy. Side effects of combined therapy were conjunctival hyperemia(24.1%), eyeball pain(11.1%), tearing(7.4%), headache(5.5%) and blurred vision(3.6%). There were not any cases of iris pigment change. These results indicate that adding Xalatan in patient treated with beta blocker cause a further reduction of IOP that may prove to be clinically useful in glaucoma therapy.
Glaucoma ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle* ; Humans ; Iris ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Physical Examination ; Receptors, Adrenergic*

Background: Despite various strategies designed for preventing pain from propofol injection, it is still common and distressing to the patients. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the adequate effect-site concentration (Ce) of remifentanil to prevent pain due to propofol injection. Methods: A total of 160 adults scheduled for elective surgery were randomly assigned to one of four groups receiving normal saline (group S) or remifentanil at a Ce of 2 (group R2), 3 (group R3), or 4 (group R4), administered via target-controlled infusion, followed by the injection of 2 mg/kg of propofol (delivered with 1% lipid propofol). The severity and incidence of injection pain were assessed on a four-point scale. Results: The incidence of propofol injection pain was significantly lower in group R2, R3, or R4 than in group S (30%, 5%, or 2.5% vs. 70%, respectively). Moreover, the intensity of the pain was lesser in group R2, R3, or R4 than in group S. However, the incidence or severity of injection was not different between groups R3 and R4. Conclusions During the induction of balanced anesthesia using propofol injection, pretreatment with remifentanil at a target Ce of 3 ng/ml effectively reduced propofol injection pain in adults.

The purpose of this study is to observe and compare the remineralization tendencies of artificially demineralized enamel by remineralization solutions of different degree of saturations at pH 5.5, using a polarizing microscope and computer programs (Photoshop, Image pro plus, Scion Image, Excel). For this study, 36 sound permanent teeth with no signs of demineralization, cracks, or dental restorations were used. The specimens were immersed in lactic acid demineralization solution for 3 days in order to produce dental caries artificially that consist of surface and subsurface lesions. Each of 9 or 10 specimens was immersed in pH 5.5 lactic acid buffered remineralization solution of three different degrees of saturation (0.25, 0.30, 0.35) for 12 days. After the demineralization and remineralization, images were taken by a polarizing microscope (x 100). The results were obtained by observing images of the specimens, and using computer programs, the density of caries lesions were determined. In conclusion, in the group with the lowest degree of saturation, remineralization occurred thoroughly from the surface to the subsurface lesion, whereas in the groups with greater degree of saturation showed no significant change in the subsurface lesion, although there was corresponding increase in the remineralization width on the surface zones.
Dental Caries ; Dental Enamel ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lactic Acid ; Software ; Tooth

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy of intraocular lens (IOL) power prediction for cataract surgery with open angle glaucoma (OAG) and to identify preoperative angle parameters correlated with postoperative unpredicted refractive errors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study comprised 45 eyes from 45 OAG subjects and 63 eyes from 63 non-glaucomatous cataract subjects (controls). We investigated differences in preoperative predicted refractive errors and postoperative refractive errors for each group. Preoperative predicted refractive errors were obtained by biometry (IOL-master) and compared to postoperative refractive errors measured by auto-refractometer 2 months postoperatively. Anterior angle parameters were determined using swept source optical coherence tomography. We investigated correlations between preoperative angle parameters [angle open distance (AOD); trabecular iris surface area (TISA); angle recess area (ARA); trabecular iris angle (TIA)] and postoperative unpredicted refractive errors. RESULTS: In patients with OAG, significant differences were noted between preoperative predicted and postoperative real refractive errors, with more myopia than predicted. No significant differences were recorded in controls. Angle parameters (AOD, ARA, TISA, and TIA) at the superior and inferior quadrant were significantly correlated with differences between predicted and postoperative refractive errors in OAG patients (-0.321 to -0.408, p<0.05). Superior quadrant AOD 500 was significantly correlated with postoperative refractive differences in multivariate linear regression analysis (β=-2.925, R²=0.404). CONCLUSION: Clinically unpredicted refractive errors after cataract surgery were more common in OAG than in controls. Certain preoperative angle parameters, especially AOD 500 at the superior quadrant, were significantly correlated with these unpredicted errors.
Biometry ; Cataract* ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle* ; Humans ; Iris ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Linear Models ; Myopia ; Refractive Errors* ; Tomography, Optical Coherence

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of an amniotic membrane transplantation for a corneal epithelial defect that's due to a excimer laser in rats, and the expression of laminin-5 during cornea reepithelization as compared with a control group. METHODS: 40 rats were divided into two groups, the experimental and control groups of 20 rats each. They received a excimer laser on one eye each and a tarsorrhaphy afterward. Preserved human amniotic membranes were transplanted onto the eyes of the experimental group. Immediately after the excimer laser, (at periods of 12, 18, 24, 48, 96 hours after the excimer laser), the effected eyes were enucleated and a immunohistochemical and indirect immunofluorescein analysis was performed. RESULTS: 12 hours after experiment, the expression of laminin-5 and 2 chains became definite and expression of laminin-5 was also observed in the control group. Expression of the 1 chains were of the same intensity as in the experimental group and in the control group. 24 hours after experiment, a complete corneal reepithelization was observed in all eyes and there was no difference in the expression of laminin between the experimental and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Expression of laminin can definitely be observed early on the corneas of rats that have received a aminiotic membrane transplantation after an exposure to a excimer laser, and this expression continued until there was completion of the reepithelization. In the future, the studies about the mechanism of this expression of laminin need to be done.
Amnion* ; Animals ; Cornea ; Humans ; Laminin* ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Membranes ; Rats* ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*

The purpose of this study is to observe and compare the dynamic change of artificially demineralized enamel by remineralization solutions of different degrees of saturation at pH 4.3. In this study, 30 enamel specimens were demineralized artificially by lactic acid buffered solution. Each of 10 specimens was immersed in pH 4.3 remineralization solution of three different degrees of saturation (0.22, 0.30, 0.35) for 10 days. After demineralization and remineralization, images were taken by a polarizing microscope (x 100). The density of lesion were determined from images taken after demineralization and remineralization. During remineralization process, mineral deposition and mineral loss occurred at the same time. After remineralization, total mineral amount and width of surface lesion increased in all groups. The higher degree of saturation was, the more mineral deposition occurred in surface lesion and the amount of mineral deposition was not much in subsurface lesion. Total demineralized depth increased in all groups.
Dental Enamel ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lactic Acid

No abstract available.
Adult ; Cornea/*metabolism ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Humans ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Middle Aged ; alpha-Synuclein/*metabolism

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can be propagated in vitro on feeder layers of mouse STO fibroblast cells. The STO cells secrete several cytokines that are essential for ESCs to maintain their undifferentiated state. In this study, we found significant growth inhibition of mouse ESCs (mESCs) cultured on STO cells infected with adenovirus containing a dominant-negative mutant form of IkappaB (rAd-dnIkappaB). This blockage of the NF-kappaB signal pathway in STO cells led to a significant decrease in [3H]thymidine incorporation and colony formation of mESCs. Expression profile of cytokines secreted from the STO cells revealed an increase in the bone morphogenetic protein4 (BMP4) transcript level in the STO cells infected with adenoviral vector encoding dominant negative IkappaB (rAd-dnIkappaB). These results suggested that the NF-kappaB signaling pathway represses expression of BMP4 in STO feeder cells. Conditioned medium from the rAd-dnIkappaB-infected STO cells also significantly reduced the colony size of mESCs. Addition of BMP4 prevented colony formation of mESCs cultured in the conditioned medium. Our finding suggested that an excess of BMP4 in the conditioned medium also inhibits proliferation of mESCs.
Animals ; *Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4/genetics/metabolism ; Cell Differentiation/genetics ; Cell Proliferation ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; *Embryonic Stem Cells/cytology/metabolism ; *Feeder Cells/cytology/metabolism ; *Fibroblasts/cytology/metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation/genetics ; *I-kappa B Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; Mice ; Mutation ; NF-kappa B/genetics/metabolism ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVE: To know the present status of upper extremity reconstruction surgery for the person with tetraplegia in Korea and to suggest solutions to promote the procedures. METHOD: 62 physiatrists and 42 hand surgeons were surveyed with self administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was made up of 5 categories: (1) whether physicians had experienced these procedures in the past three years, (2) if they have had no experience, what the reasons were, (3) whether physicians desired to be involved in these procedures, (4) what the solution to promote these procedures should be, (5) the attitudes and beliefs of physicians about these procedures. The last category was analyzed by odds ratio between physicians who desired to be involved in the procedure and who didn't. RESULTS: Only two physiatrists and six surgeons had experienced these procedures in the past three years. However many physicians desired to be involved in these procedures. The main reason of not performing these procedures was a lack of referral between physiatrists and surgeons. The physicians who desire to practice upper extremity reconstruction surgery or related rehabilitation had higher confidence on the benefits of the procedures and thought that they had knowledge and skills for the procedure. CONCLUSION: In spite of positive attitude to the upper extremity reconstruction for tetraplegic patients, few physicians have experienced in these procedures. This phenomenon was due to a lack of referral between physiatrists and surgeons. Advancing cross-specialty relationships and educating related physicians could be solutions to promote these procedures.
Hand ; Humans ; Korea ; Odds Ratio ; Quadriplegia ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Referral and Consultation ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Tendon Transfer ; Upper Extremity