The vitreous body is a gel-like structure occupying a space of about 4 cc posterior to the intraocular lens and provides an optically clear medium for light transmission. It has a complex physical and chemical composition and structure consists primarily of water, collagen, and hyaluronic acid. Floaters are tiny dark specks that can be seen in the visual field, especially when looking at the blue sky, a white wall, or any other uninterrupted, light colored expanse. They are created from tiny clumps in the clear, jelly-like substance inside the eyeball. Floaters occur in different sizes and shapes. They may appear as little dots, threads, or hairy clumps. Floating specks are most commonly caused by the posterior vitreous detachment due to thickening and shrinkage of the vitreous, frequently starting in middle ages but can also be caused by blood or inflammatory cells. In most cases, floaters are normal and harmless. However, a sudden increase in number may indicate a damage to certain internal structures of the eye. Any case with an acute onset of floaters or flashing lights should be carefully examined for the vitreoretinal condition. It should be borne in mind that the peripheral retina and vitreous can be visualized only in a dilated pupil, with careful examination using binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy or contact lens biomicroscopy.
Collagen ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Ophthalmoscopy ; Pupil ; Retina ; Telescopes ; Visual Fields ; Vitreous Body ; Vitreous Detachment ; Water

Recently cryogenic therapy is widely used for the treatment of herpes simplex keratitis. We had experimental studies on the effect of iodine cautery and cryocautery upon the regeneration of corneal ulceration. On 10 adult albino rabbits, one eye was treated by iodine, and the other by cryocautery in area of 0.6cm X 0.6cm. The epithelium in this area was completly removed by cotton applicator. There after, the rate of epithelial regeneration was observed every 12 hours. The results were as follows: (1) The average period of complete epithelial regeneration was 48 hours in animal treated with cryocautery and 78 hours in animals treated with iodine cautery. This difference is statistically highly significant. (2) Corneal opacity was not demonstrated in eyes treated with cryocautery. Six eyes treated with iodine, however, showed various degree of corneal opacities. These results support the view that the healing time in human herpes simplex keratitis is shortened in patients with cryocautery as compared with iodine.
Adult ; Animals ; Cautery* ; Corneal Opacity ; Corneal Ulcer* ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Iodine* ; Keratitis, Herpetic ; Rabbits ; Regeneration*

Finances of health insurance can be explained by factors determining benefit expense and premium collection. This study was conducted to analyze factors contributing to the financial status of rural health insurance. Nationwide 134 health insurance associations except the six pilot project counties were analyzed and obtained the followings. 1. In univariate analysis, statistically significant variables that explain 1) outpatient benefit expenditures include public health center utilization, proportion of pregnant women, premium and collection rate of premium 2) inpatient benefit expenditures include public health center utilization, proportion of old age, proportion of pregnant women, premium and collection rate of premium 3) profits include public health center utilization, proportion of old age, proportion of pregnant women and collection rate of premium. 2. In multiple regression analysis, statistically significant determinants in 1) outpatient benefit include premium and public health utilization 2) inpatient benefit include premium 3) profit include public health center utilization, premium and collection rate of premium.
Female ; Health Expenditures ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Insurance ; Insurance, Health* ; Outpatients ; Pilot Projects ; Pregnant Women ; Public Health ; Regression Analysis ; Rural Health

Hospitals have been very susceptable to changes in external environment. Accordingly, they have been experiencing great financial difficulty due to low insurance rates and increasing competition. As a remedy, hospitals have attempted to use computer in a strategic manner. Such system is called strategic information system (SIS) , and order communication system (OCS) is an example of SIS in hospital setting. While OCS has known to be effective in reducing waiting time for outpatients, many hospitals are reluctant to introduce this system mainly because there are no real data or methods for justifying the cost of the system. Cost-benefit analysis has been traditionally used for such purpose, but this method deals with limited portion of benefits and therefore not very useful for analyzing the economic feasibility of SIS. In this paper, information economics tools which expand cost with value was used to analyze the economic feasibility of OCS. To assist the analysis, financial simulation model was developed using simulation package, called IFPS (Interactive Financial Planning System).
Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Insurance ; Outpatients

The potential for nerve regeneration and recovery of its function exists in the presence of a suitable pathway for regenerating axon and endoneurial tube can serve as nerve conduit for regenerating axon in fresh nerve graft. But value of degenerated nerve as donor nerve has not been established till now. This experiment assessed the chronologic influence of fresh and degenerated nerve graft on axonal growth for 10mm gap of sciatic nerve in rabbit and how long degenerated nerve was ahle to serve as a nerve conduit microscopically. Electromicroscopically, the regenerating axons which were ohserved in the degenerated nerve graft had more abundant unmyelinated fibers and revealed abundant collagen fibers in the endoneurium. And these regenerating axons became gradually surrounded with newly developed basal lamina and decreased the collagen fibers at l2 week of degenerated nerve graft. Histologically, myelinated axons which were observed in central area of the degenerated nerve graft at 8 week of degenerated nerve graft were relatively thinner, but a definite structural difference of regenerating axons was not found except reduction of number compared with those of tresh nerve graft. The numher of myelinated axons was 6,072+/-l42 in normal sciatic nerve, 4,479+/- 157 in fresh nerve graft group, and 2,968+/-168 in the degenerated nerve graft group. Difference of the number of myelinated axons between fresh and degenerated nerve graft group was significant stati stically(P<0.05). These results showed that the ability of a degenerated nerve graft as a passage for the regenerating axons and it can be employed as one of the favorable nerve conduits.
Axons ; Basement Membrane ; Collagen ; Humans ; Myelin Sheath ; Nerve Regeneration ; Peripheral Nerves ; Sciatic Nerve* ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants*

No abstract available.
Cellulitis* ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma*

OBJECTIVE: The lateral extracavitary approach(LECA) to the thoracic spine is known as one of the procedure which allows direct vision of pathologic lesion, ventral decompression and dorsal fixation of the spine through the same incision. The authors present a usefulness of the LECA to the complicated unstable thoracic spine caused by trauma. METHODS: The authors performed LECA on six patients from January 1999 to June 2001. All patients were male and their age distribution was from 17 to 65 years. Perioperative neurological state, radiological image, and their changes during follow-up period were evaluated in all patients. RESULTS: After operation, neurological symptoms were improved and there were no significant post-operative complications. Among these trauma cases, three patients showed rapid recovery of their impending paraparesis. In two patients with paraplegia from severe fracture-dislocation, only one patient was minimally improved to motor grade 3. Spinal alignments were maintained in all. CONCLUSION: Lateral extracavitary approach is considered to be a alternative method for the treatment of traumatic thoracic vertebra with high grade instability. The major advantage of this approach is that circumferential decompression of the spine and rigid fixation can be obtained throurh the same incision.
Age Distribution ; Decompression ; Dislocations ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Paraparesis ; Paraplegia ; Spine*

No abstract available.
Muscle, Smooth* ; Relaxation*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the preterm labor & preterm infants care in Kwangju and Chonam. METHODS: A study was conducted for 2,360 newborns who were born at four main hospitals in Kwangju and chonam from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 1997. Data were collected by review of hospital records. RESULTS: 1. The survival rate was 6.90% at 23~34 weeks, 38.60% at 27~28weeks and 90.67% after 31wks. 2. The survival rate divided according to birth weight were 8.89% below 1,000gm, 57.14% in 1,001~1,500gm, 86.75% in 1,501~2,000gm and 93.37% over 2,000gm respectively. 3. Clinical causes of neonatal death were RDS(48.84%) hyperbilirubinemia (20.74%), sepsis(11.95%) and pneumonia(9.67%). 4. Incidence of RDS was 23.22% and it's neonatal mortality was 36.28%. CONCLUSION: The survival rate of preterm birth in Kwang-Ju and Chon-nam was still lower than data from advancing countries, and main cause of neonatal death was respiratory distress syndrome.
Birth Weight ; Female ; Gwangju* ; Hospital Records ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Premature Birth ; Survival Rate