No abstract available.
Adult* ; Anatomic Landmarks* ; Humans ; Vertical Dimension*

Serum is free of cellular components. Because DNA is located in the nuclei or mitochondria of cells, serum could be assumed DNA free. Few previously published case reports to date have used serum for DNA typing. Here, we report on human genotyping via short tandem repeat (STR) analysis using serum as a sample, and discuss problems involved in the process.
DNA Fingerprinting* ; DNA* ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats* ; Mitochondria

No Abstract Available.
Astrocytes* ; Humans*

No abstract available.
Heart Valve Prosthesis* ; Heart Valves*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify the effect of crowding and nurse staffing on time to antibiotic administration for pneumonia patients in an emergency department (ED). METHODS: The sample included pneumonia patients visiting an ED from November 1, 2014 to February 28, 2015. Crowding was measured using ED occupancy rate, nurse staffing was measured as total length of stay per nurse and number of patients per nurse and the time duration was measured for the following processes: from patient arrival to prescription, from prescription to blood culture and antibiotic administration, and from blood culture to antibiotic administration. Data collected from the electronic medical records were analyzed using multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The mean times from arrival to antibiotics administration, from prescription to antibiotic administration, and from blood culture to antibiotic administration were 128.31, 47.29, and 15.60 minutes, respectively. Crowding, nurse staffing, work experience of the nurse and severity of the patient influenced the time duration of each process from patient arrival to antibiotic administration. CONCLUSION: The results reveal that crowding and nurse staffing affect length of time to antibiotic administration in pneumonia patients. Guidelines for safe nurse staffing in ED are required to improve patient outcomes.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Crowding ; Electronic Health Records ; Emergencies ; Emergency Nursing ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pneumonia ; Prescriptions

No abstract available.
Lymphangioma, Cystic* ; Turner Syndrome* ; Ultrasonography*

Layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons (L2/3 PyNs) of the cortex extend their basal dendrites near the soma and as apical dendritic tufts in layer 1, which mainly receive feedforward and feedback inputs, respectively. It is suggested that neuromodulators such as serotonin and acetylcholine may regulate the information flow between brain structures depending on the brain state. However, little is known about the dendritic compartment-specific induction of synaptic transmission in single PyNs.Here, we studied layer-specific serotonergic and cholinergic induction of long-term synaptic plasticity in L2/3 PyNs of the agranular insular cortex, a lateral component of the orbitofrontal cortex. Using FM1-43 dye unloading, we verified that local electrical stimulation to layers 1 (L1) and 3 (L3) activated axon terminals mostly located in L1 and perisomatic area (L2/3). Independent and AMPA receptor-mediated excitatory postsynaptic potential was evoked by local electrical stimulation of either L1 or L3. Application of serotonin (5-HT, 10 μM) induced activity-dependent longterm depression (LTD) in L2/3 but not in L1 inputs. LTD induced by 5-HT was blocked by the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist ketanserin, an NMDA receptor antagonist and by intracellular Ca2+ chelation. The 5-HT2 receptor agonist α-me-5-HT mimicked the LTD induced by 5-HT. However, the application of carbachol induced muscarinic receptor-dependent LTD in both inputs. The differential layer-specific induction of LTD by neuromodulators might play an important role in information processing mechanism of the prefrontal cortex.

Layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons (L2/3 PyNs) of the cortex extend their basal dendrites near the soma and as apical dendritic tufts in layer 1, which mainly receive feedforward and feedback inputs, respectively. It is suggested that neuromodulators such as serotonin and acetylcholine may regulate the information flow between brain structures depending on the brain state. However, little is known about the dendritic compartment-specific induction of synaptic transmission in single PyNs.Here, we studied layer-specific serotonergic and cholinergic induction of long-term synaptic plasticity in L2/3 PyNs of the agranular insular cortex, a lateral component of the orbitofrontal cortex. Using FM1-43 dye unloading, we verified that local electrical stimulation to layers 1 (L1) and 3 (L3) activated axon terminals mostly located in L1 and perisomatic area (L2/3). Independent and AMPA receptor-mediated excitatory postsynaptic potential was evoked by local electrical stimulation of either L1 or L3. Application of serotonin (5-HT, 10 μM) induced activity-dependent longterm depression (LTD) in L2/3 but not in L1 inputs. LTD induced by 5-HT was blocked by the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist ketanserin, an NMDA receptor antagonist and by intracellular Ca2+ chelation. The 5-HT2 receptor agonist α-me-5-HT mimicked the LTD induced by 5-HT. However, the application of carbachol induced muscarinic receptor-dependent LTD in both inputs. The differential layer-specific induction of LTD by neuromodulators might play an important role in information processing mechanism of the prefrontal cortex.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship of refraction, geometry of the posterior corneal surface and the residual corneal thickness after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy. METHODS: Thirty eyes of 15 patients were treated with Star S2 Smooth Scan (VISX, U.S.A.) and followed up for 3 months. The refractive, anteroposterior changes in the posterior corneal surface and residual corneal thickness were measured using slit-scanning topography, Orbscan IIR (Orbtek, Bausch & Lomb) at 1 week preoperatively, and 1 and 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Mean forward shift of the posterior cornea surface was 8.83+/-1.34 micrometer, 11.53+/-4.23 micrometer and 14.70+/-3.50 micrometer at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months respectively. Mean spherical equivalence of posterior cornea was = -7.01+/-0.31 D preoperatively; it changed to -7.17+/-0.47 D, -7.22+/-0.21 D and -7.17+/-0.6 D at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months. The degree of forward shift of posterior corneal surface is correlated with the posterior corneal refractive changes (r=-0.808, P< 0.01). The forward shift of the posterior corneal surface is correlated with the residual corneal thickness (r=-0.483, P< 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Photorefractive keratectomy significantly influenced the forward shift of the cornea, which is correlated with the residual corneal thickness.
Cornea ; Humans ; Lasers, Excimer ; Photorefractive Keratectomy*

PURPOSE: To assess the the accuracy and variability in pachymetry measurements obtained by Orbscan and ultrasonic pachymeter in laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). METHODS: Thirty two eyes of 16 patients before LASIK were measured by ultrasonic pachymeter and Orbscan. Thirty eyes of 16 patients that had LASIK were measured by ultrasonic pachymeter and Orbscan postoperatively. The theoretical residual corneal thickness was compared to measurements by both instruments in eyes that had LASIK procedures. RESULTS: The ultrasound pachymeter measurements (543.8+/-24.2 micrometer) were thicker than the Orbscan pachymetry measurements, (541.2+/-24.9 micrometer) by mean of 2.7+/-7.4 micrometer (SD), preoperatively. But this is not statistically significant (p>0.05). Postoperatively, the ultrsound measurements were consistent with theoretical residual corneal thickness, 461.8+/-37.4 micrometer versus 467.9+/-30.71 micrometer (p=0.064), while Orbscan measurements were statistically less than the theoretical residual corneal thickness, 433.2+/-48.75 micrometer versus 464.32+/-33.4 micrometer (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In LASIK eyes, the ultrasonic pachymetry was a more accurate measurement of corneal pachymetry than Orbscan topography system.
Corneal Pachymetry ; Humans ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ* ; Ultrasonics* ; Ultrasonography