To find out the good visual environment for reading, the methods of illumination were studied using Arden Contrast Sensitivity System. Among various factors for comfortable reading condition such as air condition, temperature, humidity, noise and light, the intensity and characters of illumination were the most important factors for eye health. If the character of illuminations are fairly good, to make the brighter condition is better for eye hdalth. But in artificial illumination, there are so many limitations for supplying light of good characters. So we set the luminosity on the desk to 500 lx in which tbe best visual acuity presented, and checked the contrast sensitivity by changing the luminosity of the room. The results suggested that the condition in which luminosity on the desk was higher twice than the room was favorable for reading.
Contrast Sensitivity* ; Humidity ; Lighting* ; Noise ; Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of progesterone/progestin and in combination with estrogen in relaxation of rat aorta. METHODS: Eight weeks after bilateral oophorectomy, the descending aorta of Spague-Dawley rats (n=10) were quickly removed and placed in organ bath containing Krebs solution. Each aorta ring in 2-3 mm length was connected to an isometric force transducer (FT 03, Grass, USA) and the changes in tension were recorded with an AD converter system (MP 100, Biopac Inc, USA) in a personal computer. After precontraction of the rings with norepinephrine (1 umol/L) or KCl (40 mmol/L), estradiol, progesterone, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), norethisterone acetate (NETA) (10-5-10-8 M/L in each) were added to each ring and they were incubated for 15 minutes. The relaxation was expressed as a percentage of the tonic contraction. RESULTS: Estrogen relax the aorta in all concentrations. The degree of relaxation was dose dependent (P<0.001). All of the progesterone, MPA, NETA relax the aorta and the effects was different according to the concentration of steroids (P<0.0001). The degree of relaxation was not different between estrogen and those of progesterone, MPA, NETA except MPA 10-8 M, NETA 10-5 M. Addition of progesterone, MPA and NETA to the estrogen showed similar vascular effects compared to those of estrogen alone. CONCLUSION: Not only estrogen but also progesterone, MPA, and NETA acutely relax aorta. Progesterone/progestin have not been found attenuate the action of estrogen in our animal in vitro study.
Animals ; Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Arteries ; Baths ; Estradiol ; Estrogens ; Female ; Medroxyprogesterone Acetate ; Microcomputers ; Norepinephrine ; Norethindrone ; Ovariectomy ; Poaceae ; Progesterone ; Rats ; Relaxation ; Steroids ; Transducers

Fourteen cases of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) were studied with electroretinogram (ERG) and fluorescein angiogram. The cases were divided into a venous stasis retinopathy group (VSR,9 cases) and a hemorrhagic retinopathy group(HR, 5 cases). The b/a ratio and retinal circualtion time (RCT) were measured and compared with the control group. The mean b/a ratio of the HR group (0.86) was decreased as compared with the VSR group (1.18) and the control group (1.23). The RCT of the HR group was markedly delayed to 13.68 seconds as compared with the VSR group (11.09 sec) and the control group (6.4 sec). These facts suggest that both the b/a ratio and the RCT are possible parameters for estimating retinal ischemia and that the ERG is a reliable examination method for classification of CRVO.
Adult ; *Electroretinography ; Female ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retinal Vein Occlusion/diagnosis/*physiopathology ; Retinal Vessels/*physiopathology ; Time Factors

Effects of cadmium (Cd) intoxication on renal endosomal accumulation of organic cations (OC ) were studied in rats using 14C-tetraethylammnium (TEA) as a substrate. Cd intoxication was induced by s.c. injections of 2 mg Cd/kg/day for 2-3 weeks. Renal cortical endosomes were isolated and the endosomal acidification (acridine orange fluorescence change) and TEA uptake (Millipore filtration technique) were assessed. The TEA uptake was an uphill transport mediated by H /OC antiporter driven by the pH gradient established by H -ATPase. In endosomes of Cd-intoxicated rats, the ATP-dependent TEA uptake was markedly attenuated due to inhibition of endosomal acidification as well as H /TEA antiport. In kinetic analysis of H /TEA antiport, Vmax was reduced and Km was increased in the Cd group. Inhibition of H /TEA antiport was also observed in normal endosomes directly exposed to free Cd (but not Cd-metallothionein complex, CdMt) in vitro. These data suggest that during chronic Cd exposure, free Cd ions liberated by lysosomal degradation of CdMt in proximal tubule cells may impair the endosomal accumulation of OC by directly inhibiting the H /OC antiporter activity and indirectly by reducing the intravesicular acidification, the driving force for H /OC exchange.
Animals ; Biological Transport, Active ; Cadmium ; Cations ; Citrus sinensis ; Endosomes* ; Filtration ; Fluorescence ; Ion Transport ; Ions ; Kidney ; Proton-Motive Force ; Rats* ; Tea ; Tetraethylammonium*

BACKGROUND: To assess the association between ambient particulate matter and cardiovascular death in seven cities in the Republic of Korea during the period of 2002-2008. METHODS: A time-stratified case-crossover design was used to examine association between particulate matter and deaths from cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease; hypertensive disease 12,821, ischemic heart disease 39,577, cardiac arrhythmia 1,627, cerebrovascular disease 88,047. Mortality data was obtained from National Statistical Office, and hourly mean concentrations of particulate matter < or = 10 microm in aerodynamic diameter and meteorological data were obtained from the Ministry of Environment. The percent increase in the risk of death associated with an interquartile range increase in particulate matter was determined by conditional logistic regression analysis after adjusting for national holidays and meteorological factors. RESULTS: The largest association was a 0.8% increase (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.1-1.6) in death risk related to an interquartile range increase in particulate matter < or = 10 microm (average of 0 to 2 days prior to the day of death). Classified as the cause of death, the association was a 1.2% increase (95% CI, 0.2-2.2) in death from cerebrovascular disease related to an interquartile range increase in particulate matter < or = 10 microm. But others were statistically not significant. After stratification of death cases by year of death, statistically significant associations were a 2.3% increase (95% CI, 0.1-4.4) in death risk from ischemic heart disease in 2002-2004 and 2.0% increase in death from cerebrovascular disease (95% CI, 0.3-3.8) in 2006-2008. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that ambient air pollution increases the risk of deaths from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease in the Republic of Korea.
Air Pollution ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cause of Death ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; Cross-Over Studies ; Holidays ; Logistic Models ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Particulate Matter ; Republic of Korea

Chronic exposure to cadmium (Cd) results in an inhibition of protein endocytosis in the renal proximal tubule, leading to proteinuria. In order to gain insight into the mechanism by which Cd impairs the protein endocytosis, we investigated the effect of Cd on the acidification of renal cortical endocytotic vesicles (endosomes). The endosomal acidification was assessed by measuring the pH gradient-dependent fluorescence change, using acridine orange or FITC-dextran as a probe. In renal endosomes isolated from Cd-intoxicated rats, the Vmax of ATP-driven fluorescence quenching (H -ATPase dependent intravesicular acidification) was significantly attenuated with no substantial changes in the apparent Km, indicating that the capacity of acidification was reduced. When endosomes from normal animals were directly exposed to free Cd in vitro, the Vmax was slightly reduced, whereas the Km was markedly increased, implying that the biochemical property of the H -ATPase was altered by Cd. In endosomes exposed to free Cd in vitro, the rate of dissipation of the transmembrane pH gradient after H -ATPase inhibition appeared to be significantly faster compared to that in normal endosomes, indicating that the H -conductance of the membrane was increased by Cd. These results suggest that in long-term Cd-exposed animals, free Cd ions liberated in the proximal tubular cytoplasm by lysosomal degradation of cadmium-metallothionein complex (CdMT) may impair endosomal acidification 1) by reducing the H -ATPase density in the endosomal membrane, 2) by suppressing the intrinsic H -ATPase activity, and 3) possibly by increasing the membrane conductance to H+ ion. Such effects of Cd could be responsible for the alterations of proximal tubular endocytotic activities, protein reabsorption and various transporter distributions observed in Cd-exposed cells and animals.
Acridine Orange ; Animals ; Cadmium* ; Cytoplasm ; Endocytosis ; Endosomes ; Fluorescence ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Ions ; Kidney ; Membranes ; Proteinuria ; Proton-Motive Force ; Rats

Middle ear adenoma with neuroendocrine differentiation (carcinoid tumor) is a rare benign tumor of the tympanic cavity. Carcinoid tumor is generally derived from primitive stem cells in the gut wall but can be seen in other organs, including the lungs, mediastinum, thymus, liver, pancreas, bronchus, ovaries, prostate, and kidneys. This is unusual considering neuroendocrine cells have not been identified in normal or inflamed middle ear mucosa. Carcinoid tumor of the middle ear represents a class within the spectrum of adenomatous neoplasms. Immunohistochemical techniques have helped clarify that these tumors all share elements of neuroendocrine differentiation. Although histologic and biological similarities with middle ear adenoma exist, carcinoid tumor of the middle ear should be classified as a well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma because the carcinoid tumor has higher rate of recurrence and incidence of metastasis than middle ear adenoma. Surgical management is the recommended treatment and long-term observation is necessary.
Adenoma ; Bronchi ; Carcinoid Tumor ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Ear, Middle ; Female ; Incidence ; Kidney ; Liver ; Lung ; Mediastinum ; Mucous Membrane ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuroendocrine Cells ; Ovary ; Pancreas ; Prostate ; Recurrence ; Stem Cells ; Thymus Gland

Chondroid syringoma, also known as `mixed tumor of the skin', is a kind of acquired hamartoma of folliculosebaceous-apocrine lineage. Histologically, it is characterized by the biphasic pattern, with epithelial structures enveloped by abundant stroma. We report a case of chondroid syringoma, as an asymptomatic nodule, on the upper lip of a 55-year-old male. Histologically, the tumor had both epithelial components with follicular differentiation and myxochondroid stroma.
Adenoma, Pleomorphic* ; Hamartoma ; Humans ; Lip ; Male ; Middle Aged

PURPOSE: alpha-Ketoglutarate (alphaKG), a Krebs cycle intermediate, is extensively used in the kidney as a fuel substrate and as a counter anion for organic acid secretion. It is known to be taken up by the proximal tubule cells via the brush-border as well as basolateral membranes. We explored biochemical characteristics of the brush-border and basolateral alphaKG transport systems in pars convoluta and pars recta of the proximal tubule, respectively. METHODS: Brush-border and basolateral membrane vesicles (BBMV and BLMV) were isolated from rabbit renal outer cortex and outer medulla by Percoll gradient centrifugation. Vesicular uptake of alphaKG was determined by rapid Millipore filtration method using alpha-14[C]KG as a substrate. RESULTS: Both BBMV and BLMV showed a Na-gradient dependent uphill transport of alphaKG. The systems in both membranes were similarly inhibited by Li and activated by Na (Hill coefficient of 1.4). Kinetic analyses indicated that the Na-alphaKG cotransporters in the BBMV had a lower substrate affinity as compared with those in the BLMV. The transport systems in BLMVs showed a similar Km but different Vmax between the outer cortex (Km: 34 uM, Vmax: 3.3 nmol/mg protein/10s) and outer medulla (Km: 37, Vmax: 1.8). On the other hand, the systems in BBMVs were different in both Km and Vmax between the outer cortex (Km: 194, Vmax: 3.3) and outer medulla (Km: 89, Vmax: 1.7). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that both axial and apical to basolateral heterogeneity of the Na-alphaKG cotransport system in proximal tubules may be due to a physiological adaptation to efficiently utilize alphaKG in the kidney.
Adaptation, Physiological ; Biological Transport, Active ; Centrifugation ; Citric Acid Cycle ; Filtration ; Hand ; Ketoglutaric Acids ; Kidney Tubules ; Kidney* ; Membranes ; Population Characteristics ; Symporters

Although accumulating evidence suggests that microglia-mediated neuroinflammation may be crucial for the initiation and progression of Parkinson's disease (PD), and that the control of neuroinflammation may be a useful strategy for preventing the degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) projections in the adult brain, it is still unclear what kinds of endogenous biomolecules initiate microglial activation, consequently resulting in neurodegeneration. Recently, we reported that the increase in the levels of prothrombin kringle-2 (pKr-2), which is a domain of prothrombin that is generated by active thrombin, can lead to disruption of the nigrostriatal DA projection. This disruption is mediated by neurotoxic inflammatory events via the induction of microglial Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in vivo , thereby resulting in less neurotoxicity in TLR4-deficient mice. Moreover, inhibition of microglial activation following minocycline treatment, which has anti-inflammatory activity, protects DA neurons from pKr-2-induced neurotoxicity in the substantia nigra (SN) in vivo. We also found that the levels of pKr-2 and microglial TLR4 were significantly increased in the SN of PD patients compared to those of age-matched controls. These observations suggest that there may be a correlation between pKr-2 and microglial TLR4 in the initiation and progression of PD, and that inhibition of pKr-2-induced microglial activation may be protective against the degeneration of the nigrostriatal DA system in vivo . To describe the significance of pKr-2 overexpression, which may have a role in the pathogenesis of PD, we have reviewed the mechanisms of pKr-2-induced microglial activation, which results in neurodegeneration in the SN of the adult brain.
Adult ; Animals ; Brain ; Humans ; Mice ; Microglia ; Minocycline ; Neurons ; Parkinson Disease ; Prothrombin* ; Substantia Nigra ; Thrombin ; Toll-Like Receptor 4