Interleukin-8(IL-8) has been implicates in intraocular inflammation and shown to be a potent chemoattractant for neutrophil, we investigated if IL- 8 has a role in endotoxin induced uveitis(EIU). Mouse monoclonal neutralizing antibody to rabbit recombinant IL-8(gammagammaIL-8)(gammagammaIL-8 and anti IL-8, both generous gifts from Genetech) or mouse IgG2a were given by intravitreal injection to try to modify EIU in New Zealand White rabbits. Antibody to IL-8 tended to reduce aqueous humor cell counts, but the differences were not statistically significant. Anti-IL8 reduced cell counts by 34%(3.8+/-2.9x10(6) cells/ml anti IL-8 treatment vs. 5.4+/-5.5x10 cells/ml IgG2a control, p=0.26 by student t-test). The intravitreal injection of gammagammaIL-8 resulted in a small dose dependent number of infiterating cells in the aqueous and vitreous humor. Taken together, our results cannot exclude a role for IL-8 in acute onset EIU, but the contribution appears to be minor.
Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Aqueous Humor ; Cell Count ; Gift Giving ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-8* ; Intravitreal Injections ; Mice ; Neutrophils ; Rabbits ; Uveitis* ; Vitreous Body

PURPOSE: To evaluate differences in self-identity in patients diagnosed with strabismus, patients who underwent strabismus surgery, and healthy control individuals. METHODS: Self-identity testing was done during a military service physical examination. There were three subject groups: subjects with strabismus (group 1), subjects who had undergone corrective strabismus surgery (group 2), and subjects free of strabismus (group 3). The self-identity test was comprised of six sub-sections (subjectivity, self-acceptance, future confidence, goal orientation, initiative, and familiarity). Statistical significance of the sub-sections was compared across the three groups. Correlations in age at the time of surgery and across the six sub-sections were investigated in group 2. RESULTS: A total of 351 subjects were enrolled in the study; 96 subjects were in group 1, 108 subjects were in group 2, and 147 subjects were in group 3. Significant differences were evident in subjectivity, self-acceptance, initiative and familiarity between groups 1 and 3. No significant differences were found between groups 2 and 3. In group 2, statistical significance was evident between age at surgery and initiative and familiarity (r = −0.333, p < 0.001; r = −0.433, p < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Self-identity is greater in non-strabismus subjects than strabismus subjects. Correction of strabismus may increase self-identity levels.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Eye Movements/*physiology ; *Facial Expression ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Oculomotor Muscles/*physiopathology/surgery ; Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; *Self Concept ; Strabismus/physiopathology/*psychology/surgery

Acceleration ; Artifacts ; Diffusion ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Rectum

Objective: To investigate the usefulness of goal attainment scaling (GAS) in intensive stroke rehabilitation during the subacute stage. Methods: Medical records of subacute post-stroke patients who had undergone intensive rehabilitation under hospitalization, before and after the application of GAS, were collected. GAS was conducted at the initial evaluation of each patient. Specific goals were suggested by physical and occupational therapists and were determined by the responsible physiatrist. A 5-point scale was used for the GAS score after 4 weeks of rehabilitation according to the preset criteria of each goal. To evaluate the influence of GAS in rehabilitation practice, functional improvements were compared between two patient groups before (n=121) and after (n=141) GAS. To assess progress in GAS practice, the standard GAS score was calculated, and the changes were observed over a 3-year period. The standard GAS score converged to 50 points when the goal was achieved. The therapists who used GAS also completed a survey regarding its usefulness. Results: There were no statistical differences in the motor and cognitive outcomes of the patient groups before and after applying GAS scoring. Successive yearly changes in the standard GAS scores showed progressive convergence to 50 points, signaling that the patient’s goal-setting abilities improved. According to the survey, most therapists felt that GAS enhanced the quality of therapies (84.6%). Conclusion GAS improved goal-setting for the rehabilitation of subacute post-stroke patients and might have a positive effect on rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: Hematology analyzers may ineffectively recognize abnormal cells, and manual differential counts may be imprecise for leukopenic samples. We evaluated the efficacy of the Hematoflow method for determining the leukocyte differential in leukopenic samples and compared this method with the manual differential method. METHODS: We selected 249 blood samples from 167 patients with leukopenia (WBC counts, 500-2,000/microL) for analysis in this study. The EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples were analyzed using an automatic blood cell counter (DxH800; Beckman Coulter, USA) and flow cytometry (FC 500; Beckman Coulter) by using Cytodiff reagent and analysis software (Beckman Coulter). Hematoflow results were selected or calculated from DxH800 and Cytodiff results. Two trained pathologists performed a manual differential count by counting 50-100 cells. RESULTS: The precision of the Hematoflow method was superior to that of the manual method in counting 5 leukocyte subpopulations, immature granulocytes (IGs), and blasts. Blasts were detected in all 45 cases (100%) by Hematoflow. The correlation of the Cytodiff blast count to the reference count was high (r = 0.8325). For all other cell populations, the correlation of the Hematoflow results with the reference count was stronger than that of the other manual counts with the reference count. CONCLUSIONS: The Hematoflow differential counting method is more reproducible and sensitive than manual counting, and is relatively easy to perform. In particular, this method detected leukemic blasts more sensitively than manual differential counts. The Hematoflow method is a very useful supplement to automated cell counting.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Flow Cytometry/*methods ; Granulocytes/cytology ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukocyte Count/*methods ; Leukocytes/*cytology ; Leukopenia/*blood/diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Software

BACKGROUND: Hematology analyzers may ineffectively recognize abnormal cells, and manual differential counts may be imprecise for leukopenic samples. We evaluated the efficacy of the Hematoflow method for determining the leukocyte differential in leukopenic samples and compared this method with the manual differential method. METHODS: We selected 249 blood samples from 167 patients with leukopenia (WBC counts, 500-2,000/microL) for analysis in this study. The EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples were analyzed using an automatic blood cell counter (DxH800; Beckman Coulter, USA) and flow cytometry (FC 500; Beckman Coulter) by using Cytodiff reagent and analysis software (Beckman Coulter). Hematoflow results were selected or calculated from DxH800 and Cytodiff results. Two trained pathologists performed a manual differential count by counting 50-100 cells. RESULTS: The precision of the Hematoflow method was superior to that of the manual method in counting 5 leukocyte subpopulations, immature granulocytes (IGs), and blasts. Blasts were detected in all 45 cases (100%) by Hematoflow. The correlation of the Cytodiff blast count to the reference count was high (r = 0.8325). For all other cell populations, the correlation of the Hematoflow results with the reference count was stronger than that of the other manual counts with the reference count. CONCLUSIONS: The Hematoflow differential counting method is more reproducible and sensitive than manual counting, and is relatively easy to perform. In particular, this method detected leukemic blasts more sensitively than manual differential counts. The Hematoflow method is a very useful supplement to automated cell counting.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Flow Cytometry/*methods ; Granulocytes/cytology ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukocyte Count/*methods ; Leukocytes/*cytology ; Leukopenia/*blood/diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Software

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors influencing the success rate of orthodontic microimplants (OMIs) using panoramic radiographs (PRs). METHODS: We examined 160 OMIs inserted bilaterally in the maxillary buccal alveolar bone between the second premolars and first molars of 80 patients (51 women, 29 men; mean age, 18.0 ± 6.1 years) undergoing treatment for malocclusion. The angulation and position of OMIs, as well as other parameters, were measured on PRs. The correlation between each measurement and the OMI success rate was then evaluated. RESULTS: The overall success rate was 85.0% (136/160). Age was found to be a significant predictor of implant success (p < 0.05), while sex, side of placement, extraction, and position of the OMI tip were not significant predictors (p > 0.05). The highest success rate was observed for OMIs with tips positioned on the interradicular midline (IRML; central position). Univariate analyses revealed that the OMI success rate significantly increased with an increase in the OMI length and placement height of OMI (p = 0.001). However, in simultaneous analyses, only length remained significant (p = 0.027). Root proximity, distance between the OMI tip and IRML, interradicular distance, alveolar crest width, distance between the OMI head and IRML, and placement angle were not factors for success. Correlations between the placement angle and all other measurements except root proximity were statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that OMIs positioned more apically with a lesser angulation, as observed on PRs, exhibit high success rates.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this finite element study was to clarify the mechanics of tooth movement in palatal en-masse retraction of segmented maxillary anterior teeth by using anchor screws and lever arms. METHODS: A three-dimensional finite element method was used to simulate overall orthodontic tooth movements. The line of action of the force was varied by changing both the lever arm height and anchor screw position. RESULTS: When the line of action of the force passed through the center of resistance (CR), the anterior teeth showed translation. However, when the line of action was not perpendicular to the long axis of the anterior teeth, the anterior teeth moved bodily with an unexpected intrusion even though the force was transmitted horizontally. To move the anterior teeth bodily without intrusion and extrusion, a downward force passing through the CR was necessary. When the line of action of the force passed apical to the CR, the anterior teeth tipped counterclockwise during retraction, and when the line of action of the force passed coronal to the CR, the anterior teeth tipped clockwise during retraction. CONCLUSIONS The movement pattern of the anterior teeth changed depending on the combination of lever arm height and anchor screw position. However, this pattern may be unpredictable in clinical settings because the movement direction is not always equal to the force direction.