No abstract available.
Pericardial Effusion* ; Radionuclide Imaging* ; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate*

We have attempted to measure parafoveal retinal acuity directly on the exact retinal locus, while observing the retinal image in real time using the scanning laser ophthalmoscope(SLO 101, Rodenstock, Munish, Germany). By the SLO Visumetry software(Rodenstock v. 3.0), thirty eyes of healthy volunteers were examined in 20degrees image field. Using Snellen E as stimulus, the examination was performed from the fovea by the radial pattern. The maximal retinal distance point, which responded to stimulus, was recorded by the pixel, and the distance(mm) from the fovea was calculated by the Bennett formula. The maximum distance from the fovea at the given stimulus size was achieved as follows: 0.32+/-0.01mmat the 15 x15 arc of minute(0.333), 0.63+/-0.01mm at the 17 x17 arc of minute(0.294), 1.05+/-0.03 mmat 20 x 20 arc of minute(0.25), and 1.44+/-0.0 5 mmat the 23 x23 arc of minute(0.217). It was also revealed that the horizontal maximal distance from fovea at given stimulus size was statistically superior to the vertical maximal distance(p<0.05). In conclusion we were able to establish the normal range of parafoveal retinal acuity in healthy volunteers. It may serve as the baseline for subsequent study of retinal pathology and functional evaluation as well as its treatment.
Healthy Volunteers* ; Pathology ; Reference Values ; Retinaldehyde* ; Visual Acuity*

The function of ascorbic acid in the eye is unknown. It acts mainly as antioxidant, protecting ocular tissue from oxygen free radical released by light. The concentration of ascorbic acid in the aqueous humor of diurnal mammals is considerably higher than its concentration in the plasma. But the exact concentration of ascorbic acid in the vitreous is unknown. We determined the ascorbic acid concentration in serum, aqueous humor and vitreous of the rabbit using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. The concentration of ascorbic acid is 146.8+/-78.0microgram/ml in aqueous humor, and 58.2+/-25.8microgram/ml(R=0.992) in vitreous. There was significant correlation betweenthe concentration of ascorbic acid in the aqueous humor and vitreous from the same eye. And the inter-indivudual difference of ascorbic acid concntration is greater than the inter-cular difference of ascorbic acid concentration. Therefore it probably due to an active secretion and diffusion into posteror aqueous & vitrous.
Aqueous Humor ; Ascorbic Acid* ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Diffusion ; Mammals ; Oxygen ; Plasma ; Vitreous Body*

The blood-retinal barrier, that outward movement from the eye into the blood appears to predominate and the penetration into the eye of only a few important metabolic products is allowed, is particularly tight non-leaky junction on blood ocular barrier. In order to investigate the extent of destruction in blood retinal barrier after injection of silicone oil in the vitreous of the rabbit, author serially studied the change of fluorescein concentration in vitreous using the HPLC, ERG changes, and histopathologic changes of the retina. The results were belows, 1. The changes of fluorescein concentration in the vitreous showed increasing tendency, with time. The concentration of fluorescein were 0.008 micro/ml in 1st week, 0.069 micro/ml in 2nd week, 0.058 micro/ml in 3rd week, 0.325 micro/ml in 4th week, respectively. 2. The amplitude of photopic b wave in normal rabbit was lower than that of scotopic b wave, but there wasn't significant difference in latency between photopic and scotopic b wave. The amplitudes of b wave in silicone oil injected eyes showed lower voltage than that of normal eyes. 3. The amplitudes of b wave in silicone oil injected eyes were 210 micro V at 1st week, 150 micro V at 2nd week, 72 micro V at 3rd week, 63 micro V at 4th week in average. They showed prominent decrease in voltage from 1st week to 3rd week, but decreased slightly from 3rd week to 4th week. 4. Histopathologically, the retinal changes of the silicone oil injected eyes in 3rd week showed increased cellularity in ganglion cell layer and presented many vacuoles. In 4th week, ganglion cells were decreased but vacuoles were more increased in number.
Blood-Retinal Barrier* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Fluorescein ; Ganglion Cysts ; Rabbits* ; Retina ; Retinaldehyde ; Silicone Oils* ; Vacuoles

The purpose of this study was to standardize normal EOG values in Koreans. The subject were 23 normal Koreans varying in age 16-40 yrs with no ocular abnormality or disease. EOG was recorded by Life-Tech instrument Model 7310 ERG/EOG stimulator, Model 7101 ERG/EOG analyzer. The result were as follows. Dark trough potential was 235.65 +/- 71.59 uV, Light Peak Potential was 402.60 +/- 103.09 uV, EOG ratio(Lp/Dt) was 1.74 +/- 0.23, Dark trough time was 14-15 minutes, and light peak time was 10 minutes.
Electrooculography

Bacterial endophthalmitis is an ocular emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and therapeutic decision making. The introdection of intravitreal injection of antibiotics has been a major advancement because it has resulted in a marked improvement in visual outcome. The intravitreal injection of steroids may be potentially useful in the treatment of endophthalmitis and other ocular inflammatory diseases. Forty eyes of pigmented rabbits were used, and divided into two groups. Group I was eyes without vitrectomy. In the right eye, 100 microliter of 1mgvancomycin, 400 microliter amikacin and 400 microliter dexamethasone injected was done. Group II was eyes with vitrectomy and lensectomy. At 2 weeks after lens and vitreous removal, rabbit eyes received an injection of a combination of 1mg vancomycin, 400 microliter amikacin and 400 microliter dexamethasone in right eye and BSS in left eye. The effect of combination injection was examined by light and transmission, scanning electron microscope at 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks and 6 weeks following injection. The injection of combination without vitrectomy produced no toxicity. After injections of either combination or BSS after vitrectomy, macrophages were observed on the surface of retinal pigment epithelium and disorganized outer segments. This finding seems to be produced by vitrectomy procedure rather than drug toxicity. These results supports the hypothesis that the injection of these combinations is not toxic to aphakic/vitrectomized eyes.
Amikacin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Decision Making ; Dexamethasone* ; Diagnosis ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Emergencies ; Endophthalmitis ; Intravitreal Injections ; Macrophages ; Rabbits ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium ; Steroids ; Vancomycin ; Vitrectomy*

The purpose of this study is to investigate the minimal toxic dose of sodium iodate after the intravenous injection in the pigmented rabbits. Thirteen rabbits were given a intravenous injection of 2% sodium iodate(pH 7.4). The animals were devided into two groups, the 10mg/kg and 25mg/kginjected groups. In ERG findings, the b wave amplitude decreased one week after injection in both groups and was recovered at 5 weeks in the 10mg/kg-injected group, but it was not recovered upto 5 weeks in the 25mg/kg-injected group. In the electron microscopic findings, the abnormal change was not observed in the 10mg/kg-injected group but the pigment epithelium and outer segments of the photoreceptors were markedly destroyed and did not recovered upon the 5 weeks in the 25mg/kg-injected group. Therefore, ultrastructural and functional changes occurred in a 25mg/kg of sodium iodate injected group and those changes were not recovered for the period of 5 weeks after injection.
Animals ; Epithelium ; Injections, Intravenous ; Microscopy, Electron ; Rabbits ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium ; Sodium*

PURPOSE: Metallothionein is an intracellular cystein-rich thiol-containing protein. Increased metallothionein content in tumor cells has been suggested to be a mechanism of resistance to cisplatin. In most of previous studies evaluating the role of metallothionein in cisplatin resistance, tumor cells were usually exposed to cadmium to increase metallothionein content. Therefore, cisplatin resistance of the cells may be related to cadmium exposure itself, which induces various changes in cell characteristics, but not to increased metallothionein content. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of metallothionein content alone in cellular resistance to cisplatin without exposure of cells to cadmium. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We measured the toxicity of cisplatin in mouse NIH/3T3 cells that vary in their content of metallothionein as a consequence of transfection with a plasmid that result in the constitutive expression of metallothionein. MT cells were derived from NIH/3T3 cells by transfection with a plasmid containing the genome of bovine papilloma virus and the mouse metallothionein-I, derived by the promoter for the glucose-regulated protein of 78kD. Control cells were similary transfected with bovine papilloma virus-based plasmids with the gene for metallothionein inverted and thus separated from the promoter (TM), or deleted, along with promoter (BPA). The number of copies of the plasmid were similar in each kind of transfected cells. Expression of metallothionein required neither selection nor maintenance of cells in the presence of heavy metals. RESULTS: Synthesis of metallothionein was 15-fold greater in the MT cells than in the TM or BPA cells. The concentration of cisplatin sufficient to reduce the cells per well by one-half (IC-50) was 0.40+/-0.075 uM in MT cells. In TM and BPA cells, it was 0.36 0.035 uM and 0.423+/-0.032 uM. There were no significant differences in IC-50 between three cell lines. CONCLUSION: In spite of large differences between MT and control cells in their cellular content of metallothionein, no differences in resistance to cisplatin were observed.
Animals ; Cadmium ; Cell Line ; Cisplatin* ; Genome ; Metallothionein* ; Metals, Heavy ; Mice* ; Papilloma ; Plasmids ; Transfection

PURPOSE: The morphogenic mechanism of tetralogy of Fallot is known to be an antero-superior deviation and hypertrophy of the subpulmonary infundibulum. We performed this study to measure the subpulmonary infundibulum in patients with tetralogy of Fallot and compare those with normal control. METHODS: Echocardiographic data and medical reports of 12 patients, with classical tetralogy of Fa11ot who were diagnosed echocardiographically from Dec. 1996 to Jan. 1999 in Kyungpook National University Hospital, were retrospectively reviewed. A control group consisted of 11 children who underwent a complete echocardiographic examination for a heart murmur and were found to be structually norrnal. Measurements of the subpulmonary infundibulum were performed in systolic still frames with the subxiphoid short axis view. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control children, the following indexed infundibular dimensions in patients with tetralogy of Fallot were significantly smaller' volume, length, cross-sectional area, diameters of pulmonary valve annulus, main, left and right pulmonary arteries, PA index and McGoon ratio. The following measurements were increased in tetralogy patients ' the angle between infundibular septum and ventricular septum, and infundibular free wall thickness. CONCLUSION: We confirmed both antero-superior deviation of infundibular septum and infundibular hypoplasia as morphologic abnormalities in tetralogy of Fallot. We also revealed relatively equal contributions of shortening of infundibular length, and increased infundibular septal and free wall thickness to infundibular hypoplasia.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Child ; Echocardiography ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Heart Murmurs ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Valve ; Retrospective Studies ; Tetralogy of Fallot* ; Ventricular Septum

Perfluorocarbon liquids(PFCL) have been used as an intraoperative tool for repair of complicated retinal detachment with improving surgical results. However, little is known about the potential toxic effect of PFCL that remain in the eye after surgery to anterior segment tissue. In this study we evaluated the effect of this substance on the corneal tissue. Eight rabbits underwent injection of 50 micro l of perfluorodecalin in the anterior chamber of the right eyes. The left eyes were injected with the same amount of balanced salt solution(BSS) as a control. The clinical appearance of the eyes were recorded at three days, one week and two weeks after injection, and histological examination was done two weeks after injection. The differences of intraocular pressure(IOP) between the right and left eyes were not statistically significant at three days, one week and two weeks after injection, and all of right eyes showed inferior bulbar counctival injection for same periods. In the histological examination of cornea exposed to PFCL, the number and the height of endothelial cells were reduced and decreased, respectively. These findings suggested that PFCL may have a toxic effect on the corneal endothelial cells.
Anterior Chamber ; Cornea ; Endothelial Cells ; Rabbits ; Retinal Detachment