To verify the accuracy and reproducibility of corneal thickness measurements obtained with Orbscan (Orbtek, Inc., Salt Lake City, USA), the measurements were compared with those taken with an ultrasound pachymeter (Omega Compuscan, Storz). Central corneal thickness was measured by each method in 100 eyes of 50healthy subjects. The averages by the two methods were compared. One examiner took the measurements twice by each method in 20 eyes of 10 subjects, and intraexaminer reproducibility was evaluated. Two examiners measured the thickness in 20 eyes of 10 subjects and interexaminer reproducibility was assessed. The average corneal thickness was 550.27+/-3.56 micrometer in the Orbscan measurements and 526.62+/-3.70 micrometer in the ultrasound pachymetry: There was a statistically significant difference between the two methods. Significant difference was noticed but this showed a constant corresponding correlation with the Orbscan showing a 4.4%lower average. The intraexaminer and interexaminer reproducibility showed high reliability(Guttman split-half point<0.99). The Orbscan pachymetry is a highly reliable method and may be widely used in clinical practice.
Corneal Pachymetry* ; Lakes ; Ultrasonics* ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Socioeconomic Factors

OBJECTS: Event related potential(ERF) has been recently applied to examine the neurophysiological disturbance in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD), particularly with regard to N100 and P300 which are known as one of ERP components closely linked with cognitive function. On the basis of these aspects, this study was designed to evaluate electrophysiologic characteristics and its availability for diagnosis and treatment of ADHD children by comparison of ERP between normal controls and ADHD children before and after methylphenidate (MFD) administration. METHODS: We examined the topographic auditory ERF and T.O.V.A.(Test of variables of attention), a standardized computerized visual continuous performance test following administration of stimulant drug, MPD 10mg in 13 ADHD children and compared these results with those of 11 normal controls. RESULTS: The results were as follows: 1) Thought the difference was not spastically significant(P=0.0548), N100 latencies seemed to be longer in ADHD children than in normal controls. N100 amplitudes also seemed to be larger in ADHD children than in normal controls(P=0.0629). 2) The F300 latencies significantly shortened after MFD administration when compared with those before MPD administration in ADHD group(P<0.01). 3) ADHD group performed significantly less well than normal controls in T.O.V.A.(P<0.05). And T.O.V.A. scores significantly improved after MFD administration in ADHD group(P<0.01). 4) The N100 and P300 latencies and the T.O.V.A. scores were significantly correlated before MPD administration in ADHD group(P<0.05). 5) The F300 latencies before MFD administration were significantly correlated with the amplitudes of changes of T.O.V.A. scores after MFD administration(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: It seems that prolonged N100 latency of ADHD children can be regarded as a relatively enduring trait marker and that F300 latency may reflect attentional response ability along with therapeutic effect by stimulant.
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Evoked Potentials* ; Humans ; Methylphenidate* ; Muscle Spasticity

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Many dental clinicians are concerned about immediate loading of inserted implants. However, there have been few clinical studies surveying the success rates of immediate loading, based on Korean implant systems. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of immediate functional loading of the implant (SinusQuick(TM) EB, Neobiotech Co., Seoul, Korea) in partially edentulous maxilla or mandible. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Total 15 implants were placed. Within 2 weeks after implant insertion, provisional implant-supported fixed partial dentures were delivered to the patients. Quantitatively, marginal bone loss was measured at the time of immediate loading, after 3-months of continued loading and at the last follow-up. The mean follow-up period was 4.8 months. RESULTS: Mean marginal bone loss from implant surgery to early loading, 3-months follow-up and last follow-up was 0.03 +/- 0.07 mm, 0.16 +/- 0.17 mm and 0.29 +/- 0.19 mm. No implant failed up to 6 months after insertion, resulting in a 100% survival rate. CONCLUSION: Immediate loading exhibited high success rate in partial edentulism for up to 6 months. Well-controlled long term clinical studies with large sample size are necessary to confirm this finding.
Dental Implants ; Denture, Partial, Fixed ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Prospective Studies ; Sample Size ; Survival Rate

To evaluate the reproducibility in measuring the velocities of perifoveal hyperfluorescent dots, we analyzed fluorescein angiographs of 24 eyes[24 patients]which had central serous retinopathy. Fluorescein angiography was performed with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope[SLO, Rodenstock, Mnchen, Germany]Distances between 5 moving hyperfluorescent dots in a perifoveal capillary were measured at each consecutive frame[interval 1/30 sec]. And then velocities of 5 fluorescent dots were measured with image analysis program by converting the distances to real retinal size using the Littmann's curve in 20 eyes. In the other 4 eyes, the velocities between 5 fluorescent dots of each 2 to 4 capillaries were measured. Perifoveal capillary mean blood flow velocity and standard deviation were 2.08 +/-0.36 mm/sec, and mean coefficient of variation of the velocities measured in a vessel of one patient was 12.58%. However, reliability of the velocities of 2 to 4 capillaries on the 4 eyes was relatively low. In conclusion, the measurement of velocities between perifoveal fluorescent dots with scanning laser ophthalmoscope may be a reproducible method for a perifoveal capillary. However, reliability of measuring velocities was not sufficient enough to use the velocity of one perifoveal capillary as macular blood flow.
Blood Flow Velocity ; Capillaries ; Central Serous Chorioretinopathy ; Fluorescein Angiography* ; Fluorescein* ; Humans ; Ophthalmoscopes* ; Retinaldehyde

PURPOSE: To report a case of high dose steroid-responsive Purtscher's retinopathy which was developed after operation for diaphragmatic laceration sustained in motorcycle accident. CASE SUMMARY: A 68-year-old man came to our hospital with complaining of decreased visual acuity in the right eye after diaphragmatic laceration operation. Best corrected visual acuity was 0.1 in the right eye. Anterior segment was nonspecific. However, afferent pupillary defect was observed. Superficial intraretinal hemorrhage, numerous cotton-wool spots, peripapillary hemorrhage, and macular edema were detected on fundus examination. Fluorescein angiography revealed capillary nonperfusion and fluorescein filling defect due to retinal hemorrhage in arteriovenous phase and fluorescein leakage from the macula and capillary nonperfusion area in the late venous phase. Accordingly, Purtscher's retinopathy was diagnosed and the patient was observed without specific treatment. After 2 weeks of observation, symptoms and fundus findings were not changed. High-dose steroid therapy was begun with injection of one gram of methylprednisone for three days, switched to oral prednisolone, and then slowly tapered in period of 3 weeks. 7 days after the treatment, visual acuity was improved to 0.2 in the right eye but afferent pupillary defect was still observed. Cotton-wool spots slightly decreased, peripapillary hemorrhage was absorbed but macular edema was remained. 14 days after the treatment, visual acuity greatly improved to 0.63 and afferent pupillary defect was not observed. Cotton-wool spots and macular edema were decreased but fluoroscein leakage from capillary nonperfusion area was remained. CONCLUSIONS: In the case of Purtscher's retinopathy, high-dose steroid therapy can be a useful management method for the improvement of visual acuity and other symptoms.
Aged ; Capillaries ; Eye ; Fluorescein ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lacerations ; Macular Edema ; Motorcycles ; Porphyrins ; Prednisolone ; Pupil Disorders ; Retinal Hemorrhage ; Visual Acuity

Duplicated inferior vena cava (IVC) is a congenital anomaly seen rarely in the general population. Patients with IVC variants usually do not present any symptoms and are found incidentally in many cases. However, physicians are urged to recognize the presence of such anomalies during diagnostic or invasive procedures as these variants of blood vessel systems can impose substantial implications in certain clinical situations. Subsequently, information about IVC variants may become critical if surgical injuries or predisposing conditions act as life-threatening risks to patients during medical procedures. We present a case of duplicated IVC in a 68-year-old female patient with rectal cancer where an IVC anomaly was found during surgical resection of her tumor. From our experience, we emphasize the importance of having the knowledge of IVC variations in patients undergoing invasive surgical procedures which may involve large vessels.
Aged ; Blood Vessels ; Female ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; Laparotomy ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Vena Cava, Inferior

BACKGROUNDS: The mortality of geriatric trauma patients is higher than that of other age groups. However, little research has been done the methods or criteria of triage for geriatric trauma patients. This study evaluated a clinical significance of the triage-revised trauma score(t-RTS) for triage of geriatric trauma patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data on 528 trauma patients over 65 years of age who were treated from Jan 1999 to Dec 2000. The t-RTS was calculated utilizing the RR(respiratory rate), SBP(systolic BP), and GCS scores and the ISS was abstracted from the final diagnosis. The obtained t-RTS and ISS were evaluated using the measures of sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and AUC curve. RESULTS: The overall mortality rate was 9%, and there was no significant differences between the survival group and the mortality group according to age and sex. The mean scores of SBP, RR and GCS of the survival group were significantly higher than those of mortality group(p=0.001). The mean of t-RTS and RTS of the survival group were also significantly higher(p=0.001), but the ISS was significantly higher in the mortality group(p=0.001). The t-RTS, RTS, and ISS showed good prediction rates on the ROC curve(p=0.001), and the AUC value was higher in the ISS than in the t-RTS and the RTS. The sensitivity and the accuracy were high in the t-RTS and the RTS, and the specificity was high in the ISS. The t-RTS is less than 10 for a survival probability of 50% or less CONCLUSONS: Implementation of the t-RTS in the triage of geriatric trauma patients in the field and in emergency room would be very useful. The probability of death in geriatric trauma patients is high when the t-RTS is less than 10.
Area Under Curve ; Diagnosis ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Triage*

BACKGROUND: The ischemia responsive protein 94 kDa(irp94) gene belongs to the heat shock protein 110 family and was isolated in 1999 from rat brain by transiently induced forebrain ischemia. The PC12 cell is the pheochromocytoma cell line of rat, which is differentiated to a sympathetic neuron-like cell by the stimulation of a nerve growth factor. This study is to determine whether irp94 is expressed when an ischemia-like condition is induced by ATP depletion in cultured PC12 cells in vitro. METHODS: PC12 cells were maintained as monolayer cultures in RPMI-1640 medium(Sigma) supplemented with 10% horse serum, 5% fetal bovine serum, 5 mg/ml transferrin, and 1 mg/ml insulin in a humidified 5% CO2 incubator at 37degrees C. The ATP depleting agent antimycin A was added at concentrations of 1, 2.5, and 5 microM to simulate ischemia, and 10 microgram/ml of tunicamycin, which is expected to express heat shock protein maximally, was used as a positive control. The cells were harvested after a 60-minute incubation, and the total RNA was extracted. The reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was performed to use 501 bp irp94 cDNA as a molecular probe, and the expression of irp94 mRNA was analyzed by northern blotting. RESULTS: The irp94 mRNA expression was enhanced, compared to the negative control group, as the concentration of antimycin A was increased. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that irp94 mRNA expression is enhanced as the severity of ischemia is increased. Thus, it is possible to investigate the mechanism of ischemic neuronal injury indirectly by using this in-vitro model of neuronal ischemia.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Antimycin A ; Blotting, Northern ; Brain ; Cell Culture Techniques* ; DNA, Complementary ; Gene Expression* ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; Horses ; HSP110 Heat-Shock Proteins ; Humans ; Incubators ; Insulin ; Ischemia* ; Molecular Probes ; Nerve Growth Factor ; Neurons* ; PC12 Cells ; Prosencephalon ; Rats ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Transferrin ; Tunicamycin