We report the clinical course of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in a patient with drusenoid pigment epithelium detachment (PED). A patient with drusenoid PED underwent PDT follow-up was carried out at one week, one month, three months, six months and one year after treatment. Fundus exam, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fluorescein angiography were performed. After the PDT, drusen and PED were gradually diminished over one year. However, pure serous PED eventually developed at the same location of the drusenoid PED. The results of the PDT, on drusenoid PED, were initially effective, but not completely successful. Therefore, PDT may be considered as an alternative treatment option for drusenoid PED.
Aged ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Humans ; Male ; *Photochemotherapy ; Photosensitizing Agents/*therapeutic use ; Pigment Epithelium of Eye/*drug effects/pathology ; Porphyrins/*therapeutic use ; Retinal Detachment/diagnosis/*drug therapy ; Retinal Drusen/diagnosis/*drug therapy ; Tomography, Optical Coherence

Plasma potassium level is maintained within a narrow normal range through a transcellular shift between intracellular and extracellular space, and through renal excretion. Internal potassium balance via transcellular shift is affected by several hormones and physiologic conditions. Catecholamine through beta2-adrenergic receptor stimulates cellular uptake of potassium and defends against increments in plasma potassium concentration. Insulin promotes cellular potassium uptake in muscle, liver and adipose tissues. Changes of acid-base status affects internal potassium balance as well as renal potassium excretion. Other physiologic and pathophysiologic conditions such as exercise or tissue damage also have acute effects on the distribution of potassium. Although a lot of medications are the causes of hyperkalemia, drugs that alter internal potassium balance would appear to be uncommon. Understanding the physiology of potassium distribution is important to evaluate and manage the patients with potassium disturbances including hypokalemia or hyperkalemia.
Extracellular Space ; Humans ; Hyperkalemia ; Hypokalemia ; Insulin ; Liver ; Physiology* ; Plasma ; Potassium* ; Reference Values

No abstract available.
De Lange Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Dermatitis, Atopic ; Pyroglyphidae

No abstract available.
Adenoids* ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic* ; Trachea*

Purpose: Discharge readiness for parents of high-risk infants is an important predictor of successful transitions from hospital to home, however its assessments criteria require further refining in Korea. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the measures available for assessing the discharge readiness for parents of high-risk infant and to evaluate the measurement properties of each instrument. Methods: A literature search for discharge readiness for parents of high-risk infants was performed using 8 electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, KoreaMED, RISS, KISS), using preferred reporting items as per the systematic reviews guidelines. For the quality evaluations of the articles, the COSMIN checklist including content validity, internal structure, and the remaining measurement properties was used. Results: Among the 23 studies selected, 8 studies were excluded due to lack of information on their instrument’s measurement properties while remaining 15 studies were evaluated for the quality of measurement attributes. Overall information on the properties of the instruments was lacking in all studies. Conclusion None of the instruments evaluated all the relevant measurement properties. The results of this review suggest that it is necessary to develop a discharge readiness instrument that considers the necessary and relevant characteristics required for successful hospital to home transition for parents of high-risk infants.

Objectives: Children and adolescents have a high prevalence of dental caries, primarily due to negligent oral care, frequent snack intake, and inadequate attention to oral disease prevention.Therefore, ensuring oral care and preventing dental caries during this period is essential. Economic barriers, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like the Philippines, limit access to dental care, highlighting the need for national oral health programs. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the oral health status of children in selected areas of the Philippines and to generate basic data for effective oral health promotion programs. We compared the oral health statuses of enrolled and newly enrolled students in schools with school-based dental clinics. Results: The results indicated that the prevalence of caries and the average number of carious permanent teeth were lower in enrolled students than in new students. Conclusions This finding suggests that school-based oral healthcare programs effectively improve children’s oral health and that introducing school-based dental clinics and establishing efficient systems are essential for improving oral health in low- and middle-income countries.

The Kniest syndrome is characterized by disproportionate dwarfism and Kyphoscoliosis which may be associated with flat facies with prominent eyes, cleft palate, hearing loss, myopia and limited joint motion. The skeletal abnormalities are recognizable at birth with shortening and deformity of the extremities and stiff joints. Marked lumbar lordosis and kyphoscoliosis develop in childhood, resulting in disproportionate shortening of the trunk. We experienced a case of kniest syndrome, confirmed by clinical features, radiological features, and histological examination of cartilage. A brief review of the related literature is presented.
Animals ; Cartilage ; Cleft Palate ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Dwarfism ; Extremities ; Facies ; Hearing Loss ; Joints ; Lordosis ; Myopia ; Parturition

OBJECTIVES: The present study was performed to evaluate whether naltrexone treatment are effectively lowering the urge of alcohol drinking, and to investigate the its mechanism of action. METHODS: 15 healthy male social drinkers were voluntarily participated. The experimental method was double-blind placebo-controlled cross over design. Subjects ingested a naltrexone (50mg)/day or placebo for 1 week. Plasma beta-endorphin, plasma ACTH and serum cortisol levels were measured before, at 20 minutes and at 60 minutes after alcohol exposure. Subjects completed self-report questionnaires such as the visual analog scales of drink urge and the alcohol sensation scales at regular intervals. RESULTS: 1) During naltrexone pretreatment period, subjects reported more headache, dizziness, nervousness, fatigue, day somnolence, nausea, and decreased appetite than placebo pretreatment period. But serum GOT/GPT levels were not significantly different between two pretreatment periods. 2) In case of naltrexone pretreatment, subjects reported significantly less urge to alcohol drink on the self-reporting urge scales, especially at post-drinking 20 minutes and 60 minutes than placebo pretreatment. 3) After alcohol challenge, subjects reported significantly more dizziness on the alcohol sensation scales in case of naltrexone pretreatment, and reported less mood elevation trend though it was not statistically significant. Other scores were not significantly different between two pretreatments. 4) Plasma beta-endorphin levels were significantly different when treated with naltrexone. In case of naltrexone-pretreatment, the increasing degree of plasma beta-endorphin during 20 minutes after alcohol challenge was significantly higher than placebo pretreatment. 5) Basal plasma ACTH level and basal serum cortisol level were not significantly different between two pretreatments. After alcohol challenge, only the decreasing degree of plasma ACTH levels during 20 minutes was significantly lowered in the naltrexone pretreatment than placebo pretreatment. CONCLUSIONS: Naltrexone reduced urge to alcohol drinking in social drinker. The action mechanism of naltrexone may be partially blocking opioid positive reward system and partially alcohol mimicking its property.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Alcohol Drinking ; Anxiety ; Appetite ; beta-Endorphin* ; Cross-Over Studies ; Dizziness ; Fatigue ; Headache ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Male ; Naltrexone* ; Nausea ; Plasma* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reward ; Sensation ; Visual Analog Scale ; Weights and Measures

No abstract available.
Adenoma* ; Kidney*