To evaluate and compare the clinical results of implantation of the AcrySof(r) with Hydrophilic Acrylic IOLs in early postoperative period(to 2 months), we retrospectively analyzed 34patients who had taken clear cornea incision and had been implanted with AcrySof(r)IOL in one eye and Hydrophilic Acrylic IOL in the other eye. There were no stastically significant difference in postoperative best corrected visual acuity, preoperative and postopearative astigmatic changes between AcrySof(r) and Hydrophilic Acrylic IOLs. But, the rates of postoperative capsular fibrosis and contracture of Hydrophilic Acrylic IOL was higher than those of AcrySof(r) IOL as well as postoperative complications. In conclusion, in the degree and rate of after-cataract, AcrySof(r)IOLs are more useful than Hydrophilic Acrylic IOLs. ;therefore, more excellent in long term visual prognosis. Further studies will be needed for the evaluation of clinical safety and efficacy.
Contracture ; Cornea ; Fibrosis ; Postoperative Complications ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

BACKGROUND: Soluble IL-2R, soluble CD8 and TNF-alpha are elevated in sera of some patients with hematological malignancies, and a marked elevation of these cytokines could be used to assess disease activity and prognosis in this malignancy group. METHODS: The serum levels of sIL-2R, sCD8 and TNF-alpha were assessed in 28 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and 32 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and 39 cases of healthy control subjects to define clinical usefulness as prognostic markers by sandwich enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: In MDS patients, serum sIL-2R levels were significantly higher as compared with controls, and a more pronounced increase of serum sIL-2R levels was found in patients with RAEB RAEB-t and CMML as compared with RA and RARS. Serum sCD8 levels were higher as compared with controls, but not related with FAB classification. In patients with leukemic conversion. sCD8 levels tended to be higher as compared with patients with non-conversion. The sIL-2R levels of AML patients were significantly higher than controls, and a significant correlation was detected between the levels of sIL-2R and WBC counts. Higher sIL-2R levels( >2000 U/ml) tended to affect both complete remission rate and survival. Serum sCD8 levels were higher than controls, but not related to FAB classification. No differences of serum TNF-alpha levels were detected as compared with healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: From these results, this study indicates that serum sIL-2R and sCD8 are significantly increased in some patients with MDS and AML, and increased levels of serum sIL-2R and sCD8 may be useful for predicting prognosis of these patients.
Anemia, Refractory, with Excess of Blasts ; Classification ; Cytokines ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Prognosis ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

To evaluate antioxidative effect of vitamin E, selenium and zinc sulfate on release of oxygen free radicals from polymorphonuclear leukocytes[PMNs], I measured the amount of superoxide release from human PMNs stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate[PMA]with addition of some antioxidant and antioxidative micronutrients using superoxide-dependent cytochrome c reduction.And to determine a protective effect of them on cultured bovine retinal pigment epithelial cells [RPE]from oxygen radicals, I measured a viability of bovine RPE using MTT assay after incubation with human PMNs and PMA. Vitamin E, selenuim and zinc sulfate are utilized at different concentrations of 1, 10 and 20 microM. Vitamin E and zinc sulfate inhibited superoxide production from PMNs stimulated by PMA from 10 microM concentration gnificantly. But in case of selenium, significant antioxidative effect was not found at each concentration.The antioxidative effect on cultured bovine RPE was evaluated using MTT assay.Among antioxidant and antioxidative micronutrients tested, vitamin E and zinc sulfate inhibited free radical damage to bovine RPE, they increased cell survival rate on culture at concentration of 1, 10 and 20 microM. In contrast, selenium did not increase cell survival rate significantly. With these results, it was found that vitamin E and zinc sulfate had antioxidative effect against superoxide release from PMNs and also protective effect of bovine RPE from free radical damages.Recent studies supported that peroxide may play an important role in causing tissue damage in human and experimental models of ocular inflammation and possibly in Behcet`s disease.It was suggested that antioxidant vitamins and minerals like vitamin E or zinc sulfate might be useful for management and/or prevention of these conditions.
Cell Survival ; Cytochromes c ; Epithelial Cells* ; Free Radicals ; Humans* ; Inflammation ; Micronutrients ; Minerals ; Models, Theoretical ; Myristic Acid ; Oxygen ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Retinaldehyde* ; Selenium* ; Superoxides* ; Vitamin E* ; Vitamins* ; Zinc Sulfate* ; Zinc*

No abstract available.
Head* ; Neck*

To examine the relationship between plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor-1[PAI-1]antigen concentration and diabetic retinopathy in non-insulin dependent diabetic patients, PAI-1 antigen levels and some fibri-nolytic parameters were studied in 89 non-insulin dependent diabetic patients[mean age 59.8 +/-11.3 years]and 25 normal adults as control[meanage 52.8 +/-14.7 years]. The diabetic patients were classified as three subgroups: no DR[n=34], NPDR[n=29]and PDR[n=26]according to the degree of retinopathy.The PAI-1 antigen concentration was measured by enzyme immunoassay[Innotest PAI Ag kit].The diabetic patients had a significantly higher mean PAI-1 antigen level [34.56 +/-17.80ng/milliliter ]compared to a control group[20.35 +/-15.78 ng/milliliter ][p<0.05].Plasma PAI-1 antigen level was significantly lower in diabetic patients with PDR[27.39 +/-15.54 ng/milliliter ]than in diabetics with no DR[36.87 +/-23.31 ng /milliliter ]or NPDR[39.43 +/-2 0.17 ng/milliliter ][p<0.05], probably because of more extensive systemic endothelial damage. These results support the hypothesis that impaired fibrinolysis due to elevated PAI-1 is associated with the development of retinopathy, and therefore the levels of PAI-1 can be used as useful indicator for the development and progression of proliferative retinopathy.
Adult ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* ; Diabetic Retinopathy* ; Fibrinolysis ; Humans ; Plasma* ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1* ; Plasminogen Activators

OBJECTIVE: Using Lee et al (1996) model, we assessed the effect of opioid within the PAG on the manifestations of the neuropathic pain, and we studied the effects of naloxone on the analgesic effects of opioid. METHOD: Under pentobarbital anesthesia, male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with cannula in the ventral (n=10) and dorsal (n=6) PAG after the unilateral tibial and sural nerves were ligated and cut, leaving the common peroneal nerve intact. Pain sensitivity was assessed using the von Frey filament (8 mN) and acetone applied to the sensitive area for 1 week postoperatively. Rats with neuropathic pain were intracerebrally microinjected with DAMGO (0.1microgram/5microliter) and enkephaline (20microgram/5microliter) into the ventral and dorsal PAG and the pain sensitivity was assessed. Naloxone was injected to assess the observed change of pain sensitivity. RESULTS: Intracerebral microinjection of DAMGO and enkephaline into the ventral PAG, but not the dorsal PAG, increased the pain threshold which was reversed by naloxone. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that stimulation of the ventral PAG in neuropathic rats may reduce neuropathic pain via opioid-mediating pathway of the descending pain inhibition system.
Acetone ; Anesthesia ; Animals ; Catheters ; Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)- ; Enkephalins ; Humans ; Male ; Microinjections ; Naloxone ; Neuralgia* ; Pain Threshold ; Pentobarbital ; Periaqueductal Gray* ; Peroneal Nerve ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sural Nerve

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability of triple marker screening test in midtrimester pregnancy for fetal Down syndrome. METHODS: From October 1, 1996 to May 31, 1998 at Nowon Eulji Hospital, 3700 Pregnant women underwent serum tiple marker screening for Down syndrome during 15-20weeks of gestational age. The results of serum triple marker screenig tests for Down syndrome and the outcomes of pregnancies were retrospectively assesed. RESULTS: Sixty seven of 3700 cases(1.81%) were positive in screening test, and 3633(98.18%) cases were negative. Among 67 cases of positive screening test, 1 case(1.49%) was diagnosed as Down syndrome. Among 3633 cases of negative screening test, 4 cases(0.1%) were diagnosed as chromosomal abnormalies postnatally. Two of these 4 cases of chromosomal abnormalies were Down syndrome. CONCLUSION: With this results, sensitivity of triple marker screeing test for Down syndrome is very low as 33.3%. In order to increase the sensitivity, some compensatory adjustment is required in triple marker screening test.
Down Syndrome* ; Equidae ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Pregnant Women ; Retrospective Studies

A 35-year-old multigravida woman received triple marker screening tests in 16weeks 2days of gestation. MSAFP and MShCG values were increased, whereas MSuE3 value was decreased. So we performed amniocentesis for karyotyping and confirmed male fetus with 47,XYY,inv(9)(p11:q13). A neonatal survey showed the incidence of XYY male to be approximately 1:1000, the majority of cases are phenotypically normal. XYY males are taller than normal and show delayed mental development. A pericenteric inversion of chromosome 9 that extends from p11 to q13 is considered a normal chromosome variant, but the carrier is at high risk to produce abnormal offspring. As she did not want to terminate her pregnancy, she delivered vaginally in 39weeks 6days of gestation. As a result of physical examination, the neonate showed a normal phenotype. We report it with brief review.
Adult ; Amniocentesis ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9 ; Female ; Fetus* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Phenotype ; Physical Examination ; Pregnancy

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare patient-centeredness changes between medical school graduates and medical students after a psychiatric clinical clerkship. METHODS: We focused on 40 medical school graduates. We received permission to use data from a 2006 study on patient-centeredness of 94 medical students. The following was repeated before and after clerkship: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), Meyers-Briggs type indicator (MBTI), Patient-practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS) and Authoritarian Personality (AP) scale. RESULTS: In the 2006 study on patient-centeredness of medical students, the AP scores were significantly lower than before clerkship and the PPOS scores were significantly higher than before clerkship. AP score changes were related to MBTI, correlated with MMPI subscales, but inversely correlated with PPOS changes. In this study, the change in PPOS scores was not significant after clerkship in case of medical school graduates. AP score changes inversely correlated with PPOS changes, but neither correlated with MMPI subscales or MBTI. CONCLUSION: Considering previous findings, medical school graduates tend to be more patient-centered than medical students, but medical students can adopt a more patient-centered attitude than graduates through a psychiatric clinical clerkship.
Authoritarianism ; Clinical Clerkship ; Humans ; MMPI ; Orientation ; Patient-Centered Care ; Personality Inventory ; Physician-Patient Relations ; Schools, Medical ; Students, Medical

Cystic lymphangioma of the broad ligament is very rare benign cystic lesion. They rarely present in adult life. We present the case of a 37-year-old female with a history of chronic recurrent left lower abdominal dull pain over a period of several months. Clinical presentation of these tumors varies greatly from an asymptomatic mass to serious complications. The therapy of choice is a complete excision, unless vital structures were involved. Once excised, the prognosis is excellent. Our patient had complete excision of her lesion with a good outcome.
Adult ; Broad Ligament* ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphangioma, Cystic* ; Prognosis