Immediate postoperative changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) were prospectively studied in 60 patients after extracapsular cataract extraction and posterior chamber lens implantations, according to three different preoperative managements for cecreasing IOPs. In group 1 (24 patients), no ocular pressure reducing agents were given but only ocular massage was performed preoperatively. In group 2 (17 patients), intravenous mannitol (1.52g/kg of body weight) and/or 60ml of 50% oral glycerine was administered 1 hour before surgery. In group 3 (19 patients), 500mg of acetazolamide was administered orally 90 minutes before operation in addition to the regimen of group 2. A significant lllcrease in mean IOP was found 6 hours after the operation in group 1 by 5.6mmHg and in group 2 by 8.8mmHg when compared witt baseline IOP (p<0.05). However, there was no significant IOP rise in group 3. Postoperative IOPs in excess of 21mmHg occurred in 10 patients (42% )of group 1, seven patients (41 %) of group 2 and six patients(30%) of group 3. An IOP greater than 30mmHg was found in two patients (8%) in group 1, two patients (12%) in group 2 and one patient (5%) in group 3. From this study, it was concluded that acetazolamide 500mg given 90 minutes before operation resulted in a reduction of immediate postoperative IOP rise.
Acetazolamide ; Cataract Extraction ; Cataract* ; Glycerol ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Mannitol ; Massage ; Ocular Hypertension* ; Prospective Studies ; Reducing Agents

Timolol malate, a potent beta-adrenergic antagonist, reduced intraocular pressure. The use of timolol malate ophthalmic solution was reduced intraocular pressure without pupillary alteration, alteration of anterior chamber and fluctuating myopia and hyperemia compaired with other reducing agents. We compair the effects of timolol maleate ophthalmic solution with pilocarpine and epinephirine solution in the view of the changes in intraocular pressure. We divided 30 white rabbits randomly into 3 groups, group 1 was 0.5% timolol malate, group 2 was 2% pilocarpine, and group 3 was 0.5% epinephrine. Each solution was instilled one drop on right eyes daily. and cheeked intraocular pressure after 15 minitues, 1 hour, 3 hours, 8 hours and 24 hours for 1 week duration. We evaluated the statistical significance of all changes according to the T-test and P-value. The results of observation as follow; In group I, the mean intraocular pressures was reduced 1 hour, 3 hours, 8 hours after instillation and the effect lasted 24 hours after dropping(p<0.05). In group 2, the similar result as group 1, but lasting effect was shorter than group 1 (p<0.05). In group 3, the mean intr.a.ocular pressure was reduced 8 hours after instillation (p<0.05). And compair with group 1 and group 2 we no statistical significance (p>0.05).
Anterior Chamber ; Cheek ; Epinephrine ; Hyperemia ; Intraocular Pressure ; Myopia ; Pilocarpine ; Rabbits ; Reducing Agents ; Timolol*

The authors have studied on the effect of digital pressure on eyeball under the surface anesthesia instead of other reducing agents of intraocular pressure and retrobulbar anesthesia in order to lower the intraocular pressure as a preoperative procedure of cataract extraction in 26 eyeballs of 24 patients and following results were obtained: 1. The authors had intraocular pressure lowered till averaging 10.8 mmHg (average 13.5 ~ 8.0 mmHg) of original pressure by ocular massage. 2. Massage on eyeball was thought to be a satisfactory preoperative procedure to perform cataract extractIon. 3. In operative complications, loss of vitreous and rupture of capsule were noticed 11.5% and 60% respectively. and it was thought to be caused by technical failure in surgeons. In view of this fact we could not find that the loss of vitreous was caused by intraocular pressure below 13.5 mmHg.
Anesthesia ; Cataract Extraction* ; Cataract* ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Massage* ; Preoperative Care ; Reducing Agents ; Rupture

Tumor hypoxia is the necessary process in the development of solid tumors, which is the key factor for drug resistance, recurrence, attack and shift of tumor. Hypoxic tumor cells have a certain extent of tolerance to radiation and chemotherapy. Tumor hypoxia is an important target for medication therapy. In the recent years, the bioreductive drugs targeted tumor hypoxia has made great process in the treatment of tumors. The latest advances of bioreductive drugs targeted hypoxia were reviewed in this paper.
Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cell Hypoxia ; Humans ; Hypoxia ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Quinones ; therapeutic use ; Reducing Agents ; therapeutic use

Cyanobacteria have become attractive hosts for renewable chemicals production. The low productivity, however, prevents it from industrial application. Reductant NAD(P)H availability is a chief hurdle for the production of reductive metabolites in microbes. To increase NADPH content in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, PHB synthase encoding gene phaC and phaE in Synechocystis was inactivated by replacing phaC&E genes with chloromycetin resistance cassette via homologous recombination. PCR analysis showed that mutant S.delta phaC&E with complete genome segregation was generated. The comparison between growth curves of S.wt and S.delta phaC&E indicated the knockout of phaC & phaE genes did not affect obviously the cell growth. Gas chromatography analysis showed that the accumulation of PHB in wild type was about 2.3% of the dry cell weight, whereas no PHB was detected in the mutant S.delta phaC&E. The data indicated that inactivation of PHB synthase gene phaC and phaE interrupted the synthesis of PHB. Further comparative study of wild type and mutant demonstrated that NADPH content in S.delta phaC&E was obviously increased. On the third day, the NADPH content in S.delta phaC&E was up to 1.85 fold higher than that in wild type. These results indicated that deleting PHB synthase gene phaC and phaE not only can block the synthesis of PHB, but also can save NADPH to contribute reductant sink in cyanobacteria. Hence, the engineered cyanobacterial strain S.delta phaC&E, in which carbon flux was redirected and NADPH was increased, will be a potential host strain for chemicals production in cyanobacteria.
Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Knockout Techniques ; Hydroxybutyrates ; metabolism ; Metabolic Engineering ; Mutation ; NADP ; metabolism ; Polyesters ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reducing Agents ; metabolism ; Synechocystis ; genetics ; metabolism

PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate the effects of a network program to prevent obesity and improve dietary habits for patients taking antipsychotics or antidepressants. METHOD: Thirty-seven patients in two hospitals were assigned to a control group (21 patients) or an intervention group (16 patients). The intervention group was evaluated to analyze the effect of the network program for six weeks after the program. RESULT: There was a difference in the rate of increased body weight between the control group and the intervention group. Notably, the body weight of both groups before the intervention was significantly increased. However, after the intervention the body weight of the intervention group rarely increased, whereas, the body weight of the control group was significantly increased as expected. There was an observed difference in diet between the control group and the intervention group. After the intervention, caloric intake per day of the intervention group decreased. Also, the duration of the meal of the intervention group after the intervention was longer than before. CONCLUSION: The network program for preventing obesity and improving dietary habits of patients taking antipsychotics or antidepressants was effective. The study shows that a network program can be an important part of a nursing intervention in clinical practice.
Weight Gain/drug effects ; Schizophrenia/drug therapy ; Obesity/chemically induced/*prevention & control ; Mood Disorders/drug therapy ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; Energy Intake ; Diet, Reducing ; Antipsychotic Agents/*adverse effects ; Antidepressive Agents/*adverse effects ; Adult ; Adolescent

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is one of the frequent problems for which family physicians are well encountered to manage. Nonpharmacologic measures which include stress relaxation, low salt diet, weight reduction, moderation of alcohol intake, physical activity, tobacco avoidance are used as definitive or adjuvant therapy for hypertension. Family physicians should vigorously encourage their patients to adopt these life style modifications. This study was conducted to know how many nonpharmacologic treat,ment modalities are adopted by hypertensives and to find predicting factors. METHODS: A total of 100 of the hypertensive patients who are followed up via the department of family medicine, Hanyang University Hospital, from September 1995 through November 1995 are included in this study. A trained nurse interviewed patients according to the previously designed structured questionnaire. The overall response rate was 90% and the fill-up rate of the questionnaire was 100%. RESULTS: Sixty three patients were women. The mean age was 57.4 years(range, 20 to 84). Sixty one percent accompanied one or more other diseases, of which diabetes mellitus was the most common disorder. The mean systolic pressure was 143.9 mmHg and the mean diastolic blood pressure was 89.3mmHg. Ninty-three percent of patients received antihypertensives with compliance of 81 to 100%. Twenty four percent of patients adhered to regular exercise, 36 percent weight reduction, 48 percent low salt diet, 79 percent moderate drinking, 81 percent stress relaxation, and 87 percent no smoking. Of those six non-pharmacological treatments, 3.6 behaviors were adhered. Male patients were more attended with the low salt diet. Eleven patients of 2S alcoholics(44.0%) reduced their amount of alcohol intake and 8 of 17 smokers quitted smoking (47.1%) after they were diagnosed as hypertension. The mean BEPSI score was 1.5. Fifty one percent of patients had stress within the last three months, 32 percent had cumulative fatigue. The occupational stress was the most common one. All exercise which patients reported were isotonic. Seventeen percent of the patients took certain herb medicine or folk medicine. CONCLUSIONS: Of those 100 hypertensives who were treated at the department of family medicine, Hanyang University hospital, 24% adhered to regular exercise, 36 per cent weight reduction, 48 percent low salt diet, 79 percent moderate drinking, 81 percent stress relaxation, and 87 percent quit smoking in order. Of those six non-pharmacological treatments, 3.6 behaviors were adhered on the average. Nonpharmacologic treatment should be promoted by family physician as an important strategy for treatment of hypertension.
Antihypertensive Agents ; Blood Pressure ; Compliance ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diet ; Diet, Reducing ; Drinking ; Fatigue ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Life Style ; Male ; Medicine, Traditional ; Motor Activity ; Physicians, Family ; Relaxation ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tobacco ; Weight Loss ; Surveys and Questionnaires

It has been reported that a change in the cellular redox state may be involved in the regulation of vascular tone, but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. The present study was designed to investigate the cellular effect of sulfhydryl modifying agents in the coronary artery of rabbit using the tension measurement and whole cell clamping method. The application of diamide, a sulfhydryl oxidizing agent, relaxed the endothelium denuded coronary arteries in a dose dependent manner. The fact that this diamide-induced relaxation was significantly attenuated by a pretreatment of 4-AP, and the coronary arteries precontracted with 100 mM K+ instead of histamine, suggests the involvement of 4-AP sensitive K+ channels in the diamide-induced relaxation of coronary arteries. Whole cell patch clamp studies revealed that the 4-AP sensitive IdK was significantly enhanced by the membrane permeant oxidizing agents, diamide and DTDP, and were reversed by subsequent exposure to the reducing agent, DTT. Neither the membrane impermeant oxidizing or reducing agents, GSSG or GSH, had any effect on the activity of IdK, indicating that intracellular sulfhydryl modification is critical for modulating IdK activity. The Diamide failed to significantly alter the voltage dependence of the activation and inactivation parameters, and did not change the inactivation process, suggesting that diamide increases the number of functional channels without altering their gating properties. Since IdK has been believed to play an important role in regulating membrane potential and arterial tone, our results about the effect of sulfhydryl modifying agents on coronary arterial tone and IdK activity should help understand the pathophysiology of the diseases, where oxidative damage has been implicated.
Animal ; Arteries/physiology ; Arteries/drug effects ; Arteries/cytology ; Coronary Vessels/physiology ; Coronary Vessels/drug effects* ; Coronary Vessels/cytology ; Female ; Male ; Oxidants/pharmacology* ; Potassium Channels/physiology ; Rabbits ; Reducing Agents/pharmacology* ; Sulfhydryl Compounds/metabolism*

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are a family of antioxidant proteins that reduce peroxide levels by using reducing agents such as thioredoxin. These proteins were characterized to have a number of cellular functions, including cell proliferation and differentiation and protection of specific proteins from oxidative damage. Thus, it is important to clarify the physiological role of Prxs by generating mouse models deficient in each Prx to better understand the in vivo function of Prxs. We have generated and characterized mice deficient in Prx I and II that are abundantly expressed in almost all types of cells. The Prx II-/- mice were healthy in appearance and fertile, however showed several pathophysiological disorders. Using the mice, we found that Prx II is an essential antioxidant enzyme that prevents oxidative stress in erythropoiesis, protects against endotoxin-induced lethal shock, regulates platelet-derived growth factor signaling and angiogenesis, inhibits cellular senescence, preserves cognitive function against age-linked hippocampal oxidative damage and exacerbates tumorigenesis in a liver cancer mouse model. The Prx I-/- mice were also healthy in appearance and fertile like Prx II-/- mice. With the mice, we found that Prx I suppresses K-ras-driven lung tumorigenesis by opposing the redox-sensitive extracellular-signal-regulated kinase/cyclin D1 pathway and plays concerted action with sulfiredoxin in preventing against alcohol-induced oxidative injury in the mouse liver. The results obtained suggest that Prx I and II are essential antioxidant enzymes for maintaining redox homeostasis in mice.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Cell Aging ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Erythropoiesis ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Neoplasms ; Lung ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxidative Stress ; Peroxiredoxins ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Proteins ; Reducing Agents ; Shock ; Thioredoxins

Despite advances in the field of male reproductive health, idiopathic male infertility, in which a man has altered semen characteristics without an identifiable cause and there is no female factor infertility, remains a challenging condition to diagnose and manage. Increasing evidence suggests that oxidative stress (OS) plays an independent role in the etiology of male infertility, with 30% to 80% of infertile men having elevated seminal reactive oxygen species levels. OS can negatively affect fertility via a number of pathways, including interference with capacitation and possible damage to sperm membrane and DNA, which may impair the sperm's potential to fertilize an egg and develop into a healthy embryo. Adequate evaluation of male reproductive potential should therefore include an assessment of sperm OS. We propose the term Male Oxidative Stress Infertility, or MOSI, as a novel descriptor for infertile men with abnormal semen characteristics and OS, including many patients who were previously classified as having idiopathic male infertility. Oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) can be a useful clinical biomarker for the classification of MOSI, as it takes into account the levels of both oxidants and reductants (antioxidants). Current treatment protocols for OS, including the use of antioxidants, are not evidence-based and have the potential for complications and increased healthcare-related expenditures. Utilizing an easy, reproducible, and cost-effective test to measure ORP may provide a more targeted, reliable approach for administering antioxidant therapy while minimizing the risk of antioxidant overdose. With the increasing awareness and understanding of MOSI as a distinct male infertility diagnosis, future research endeavors can facilitate the development of evidence-based treatments that target its underlying cause.
Antioxidants ; Classification ; Clinical Protocols ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Fertility ; Health Expenditures ; Humans ; Infertility ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; Membranes ; Ovum ; Oxidants ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Reducing Agents ; Reproductive Health ; Semen ; Spermatozoa ; Subject Headings