Astrocytes are the most numerous cellular elements in the cerebrum, and they normally have a very slow turnover rate. But during regeneration after injury, they proliferate markedly resulting in astrogliosis. The extracellular matrix in the central nervous system is present in the vessel walls and in the external glia limitans as a basal lamina. The presence of an intact extracellular matrix framework is important in regeneration after injury. Understanding the properties of astrocytic proliferation will be helpful to find out new treatment for functional recovery in the central nervous system. In this study, after cryogenic injury was performed on the cerebral cortex in rats, changes in astrocytes and the extracellular matrix were observed using light microscopy, immunohistochemical stain for glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP), proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA), fibronectin, laminin, and type IV collagen, autoradiography and electron microscopy. The results were as follows; 1) The coagulative necrosis, which followed cryogenic injury on the cerebral cortex was healed, forming a new pia mater above the lesion. 2) Some of the PCNA positive cells were astrocytes and some of the GFAP positive cells showed a positive reaction to PCNA. 3) Proliferating astrocytes labelled by autoradiography or immunohistochemical stain for PCNA reached maximal numbers 3days after the injury and they were no longer found 2 weeks after injury. 4) In autoradiography with immunohistochemical stain for GFAP, about 1% of GFAP positive astrocytes were labelled by autoradiography and in double immunohistochemical stain for PCNA and GFAP, about 8-16% of GFAP positive astrocytes were also stained by PCNA. 5) In immunohistochemical stain for fibronectin, laminin and type IV collagen, laminin and type IV collagen were present in the newly formed blood vessel walls and fibronectin showed a diffuse positive reaction within the lesion. The new pia mater was formed within 2 weeks after the injury. 6) On electron microscopic examination, basal lamina material was found in the vessel wall 1 week after the injury and at 2 weeks, a nearly complete and continuous basal lamina was formed although the thickness was uneven. According to these findings, astrocytes in the cerebral cortex of adult rats proliferate very early in the regenerative period after cryogenic injury. At 2 weeks after the injury, this regeneration ceases and the damaged basal lamina of pia mater and vessel wall were reconstituted.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Rats ; Animals

A 66 year old man with history of dizziness and occasional headache for a month was found to have right subclavian steal syndrome confirmed by angiogram. Right radial pulse is very weak. Blood pressure on left is 130/70mmHg and on right 70/50. Marked Bruits are audible on right side of neck and shoulder area.
Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Dizziness ; Headache ; Humans ; Neck ; Shoulder ; Subclavian Steal Syndrome*

A 66 year old man with history of dizziness and occasional headache for a month was found to have right subclavian steal syndrome confirmed by angiogram. Right radial pulse is very weak. Blood pressure on left is 130/70mmHg and on right 70/50. Marked Bruits are audible on right side of neck and shoulder area.
Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Dizziness ; Headache ; Humans ; Neck ; Shoulder ; Subclavian Steal Syndrome*

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence rate of low back pain (LBP) in the high school students and to analyze the differences and correlations with the spinal-pelvic structural variations and disability index with LBP. The subjects are 499 high school students (236 males, 263 females: mean age, 16.38 years). They were assessed for LBP with the numerical rating scale (NRS) and for disability with the Korean version Oswestry disability index (KODI). All subjects were to take the plain radiographic examination for spinal-pelvic structural variations including thoracic, lumbar, thoracolumbar Cobb's angle, lumbar lordotic curve, sacral slope, pelvic tilt and pelvic incidence. All subjects were divided into two groups by NRS scores (0, 1=no/minimum pain group [NMP group], 2-10=low back pain group [LBP group]). The prevalence rate of LBP of all subjects was 56.7% (n=283). NRS and total KODI scores were higher in the LBP group (3.38 cm/11.83%) than NMP group (0.07 cm/2.74%) (p<0.001). In the spinal-pelvic structural variations analysis, the thoracic Cobb's angle was significantly high in LBP group (p<0.05), but others were shown no differences between the both groups (p>0.05). NRS had significantly positive correlation with KODI (p<0.001). NRS and KODI did not demonstrate any correlations with spinal-pelvic structural variations (p>0.05). In conclusion, this study showed high prevalence rate of LBP in the high school students, but did not show significant correlations with the spinal-pelvic structural variations and disability index.
Back Pain ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Low Back Pain* ; Male ; Prevalence

The aim of this study was to analyze long-term survivals in patients with stage IB to IIA cervical cancer treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy setting. Between February 1989 and January 1998, 94 women with previously untreated stage IB to IIA carcinoma of the uterine cervix who received cisplatin based neoadjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. All of patients with chemoresponse (complete response, n=15; partial response, n=47) and 16 patients with chemoresistance received radical surgery (RS group). The other 16 patients with chemoresistance received radiotherapy for definite treatment (RT group). In the RS group, the 10 yr survival estimation in patients with bulky tumors (diameter > or =4 cm, n=26) was similar to that with non-bulky tumors (83.3% vs. 89.3%, p=NS). In selected patients with chemoresistance, those treated by radiotherapy (n=16) showed significantly poorer survivals than those treated by radical surgery (n=16) [10 yr survival rates of RT (25%) vs. RS (76.4%), p=0.0111]. Our results support that a possible therapeutic benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus radical surgery is only in patients with bulky stage IB to IIA cervical cancer. In cases of chemoresistance, radical surgery might be a better definite treatment option.
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/drug therapy/*radiotherapy/*surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Survival Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Prognosis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Multivariate Analysis ; Middle Aged ; Humans ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fluorouracil/administration & dosage ; Female ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cisplatin/administration & dosage ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use ; Adult

PURPOSE: To compare the aberration change in the pseudophakia with three types of acrylic intraocular lenses (IOL) as well as with normal phakic eyes METHODS: This single-center prospective study comprised of 51 cataract patients who underwent cataract surgery and 12 phakic eyes. Fourteen eyes received an Acrysof(R) MA60BM, 18 eyes, a Sensar(R) AR40, and 19 eyes, an Corneal(R) ACR6D. One month after cataract surgery, the aberration of the eyes was measured using a Hartmann-Shack type aberrometer. The same test was performed for 12 normal phakic eyes. The individual Zernike polynomials, and the root mean square (RMS) values of the third and the fourth order aberration among the groups were compared. The total RMS value of each group was also compared. RESULTS: The RMS value of the third and the fourth order aberration was similar in each group. In addition, there was no significant difference in the total RMS value among the groups. An individual Zernike coefficient (Z3(3); triangular astigmatism with a base on the y axis) showed a significant difference in all the IOL implanted groups compared to the normal phakic eyes. CONCLUSIONS: An ocular higher-order aberration after these 3 acrylic IOL implantations in cataract surgery is similar to that of the normal phakic eyes, but can differ in the local aberration.
Astigmatism ; Cataract ; Humans ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Prospective Studies ; Pseudophakia*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect on postoperative pain of the application of 20% ethanol before debridement of the corneal epithelium METHODS: During photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), performed on 44 eyes of 22 patients with mild to moderate myopia, 20% ethanol was applied on the eyes for 30 seconds just before debridement of the corneal epithelium. Meanwhile, conventional debridement of the epithelium was done on the fellow eyes. Patients were asked to evaluate their subjective postoperative pain after 3 hours, 1 day and 3 days. We measured epithelial healing time by the time of bandage contact lens removal. We also measured visual acuity and manifested refraction at 1 month after surgery. RESULTS: Significantly less postoperative pain was reported at 3 hours and 1 day after surgery in the eyes with ethanol applied. However, postoperative pain did not differ between the two groups at 3 days after surgery, nor did uncorrected visual acuity, manifested refraction at 1 month after surgery, or epithelial healing time. CONCLUSIONS: Application of 20% ethanol as pre-treatment in debridement of the corneal epithelium is beneficial in reducing postoperative pain in PRK.
Bandages ; Debridement* ; Epithelium ; Epithelium, Corneal* ; Ethanol ; Humans ; Myopia ; Pain, Postoperative ; Photorefractive Keratectomy ; Visual Acuity

No abstract available.
Glioma*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the contraceptive knowledge and practice among married immigrant women. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design with a convenient sampling was used. 170 married immigrant women were recruited in Daejeon city and Chungcheong area. A structured questionnaire was self-administered from November 1, 2011 to January 13, 2012. RESULTS: 48.2% of subjects have used contraceptive practice. The widely used contraception methods were IUD, condom, oral pill and withdrawal. 73.2% of subjects got information about contraception from family and friends, and 18.3% of subjects had no source of information. The subjects' employment state (p = .006), duration of marriage (p = .019), number of baby (p = .021), family type (p = .046) have a significant influence on their contraceptive practice. The subjects' mean score of contraceptive knowledge was very low (5.72 points out of 15 points). There were significant differences in subjects' contraceptive knowledge depending on their education level (p = .002), employment state (p < .001), country of origin (p = .010), and family type (p = .003). CONCLUSION: To improve contraceptive knowledge and practice for married immigrant women, it is necessary to develop a proper contraceptive education program to enhance contraceptive knowledge and practice. Adjusted education program by this results will contribute to increase sexual health for married immigrant women.
Condoms ; Contraception ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Employment ; Female ; Friends ; Humans ; Marriage ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reproductive Health

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of mitomycin C on rabbit keratocytes for their potential to modulate corneal stromal wound healing. We also investigated the pathway on which the modulation occurs. METHODS: Keratocytes were isolated from New Zealand White Rabbits and cultured. We used Hoechst stain and flowcytometric analysis with Annexin V to identify the kind of response that mitomycin C induced from the keratocytes. After cultured keratocytes were exposed to 0.005%, 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.04%, and 0.06% mitomycin C, we evaluated the response with LDH assay. Next, after exposing the keratocytes to 0.01% mitomycin C, we evaluated the responses with LDH assay at 6, 12, and 24 hours. Keratocytes were preincubated in various concentrations of CPP32-like protease inhibitor (Z-VAD-FMK(R)), specific caspase-8 inhibitor (Z-IETD-FMK(R)), and specific caspase-9 inhibitor (Z-LEHD-FMK(R)), then treated with 0.01% mitomycin C. Twelve hours later, an LDH assay was performed. Cytochrome C immunostain was done after exposure to 0.01% mitomycin C. RESULTS: We observed shrinkage of cytoplasm, formation of apoptotic bodies, and nuclear fragmentation on Hoechst staining. In flowcytometric analysis, the cells showed apoptotic change. LDH activities increased significantly at a concentration of 0.005% and greater and were time-dependent until 24 hours. CPP32-like protease inhibitor decreased the LDH activity, but there was no statistical significance. Specific caspase-8 and -9 inhibitors significantly reduced the LDH activities that were induced by mitomycin C. The keratocytes which had been pretreated with mitomycin C were stained with cytochrome C antibody. CONCLUSIONS: Mitomycin C induces apoptosis, rather than necrosis, in cultured corneal keratocytes. This apoptosis occurs via the caspase pathway, and is especially related to the mitochondrial pathway, and caspases 8, and 9.
Annexin A5 ; Apoptosis* ; Caspase 8 ; Caspase 9 ; Caspases ; Corneal Keratocytes ; Cytochromes c ; Cytoplasm ; Mitochondria ; Mitomycin* ; Necrosis ; Protease Inhibitors ; Rabbits ; Wound Healing