PURPOSE: We report two cases of tube erosion after Ahmed valve implantation, treated with Amniotic Membrane Transplantation. METHODS: Erosion of conjunctiva over tube occured in 2 female patients with Ahmed valve implantation. They were treated with pericardial patch grafts and conjunctival free graft with amniotic membrane epithelial side up transplantation. RESULTS: No recurrent tube erosion has been found since then. Intraocular pressure has been maintained well for 12-14 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In cases of tube erosion, additional amniotic membrane transplantation can improve surgical success.
Amnion* ; Conjunctiva ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glaucoma* ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Transplants

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an exercise intervention for older married couples on exercise adherence and physical fitness. Thirty-six older married couples and 61 older adults participated in the study as couple and non-couple groups (CG, NCG, respectively). Participants attended an exercise class once a week and performed a home-based exercise program consisting of walking and strength exercise over eight weeks. Exercise adherence was assessed by the rate of non-absentee, walking habits (≥ 2 times/week), and strength exercise habits (≥ 6 items*2 sets/week). Physical fitness was assessed by the Senior Fitness Tests. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to obtain the CG’s odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for non-absentee, walking habits, and strength exercise habits (reference: NCG). Analyses of covariance were used to examine the statistical difference in the degree of change (⊿) for physical fitness between CG and NCG. CG had significantly higher ORs for non-absentee and walking habits compared with NCG but there was no significant difference in the rate of strength exercise habits between the two groups. In regards to ⊿ for physical fitness, significantly higher ⊿ for upper extremity strength was observed in CG than in NCG, while there were no significant differences in ⊿ for other physical fitness items between the two groups. These results suggest that an exercise intervention for older married couples would be more useful to maintain higher participation in exercise program and walking and improving upper extremity strength.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effects of shoulder protraction exercise according to weight by examining the surface electromyography (EMG) amplitude in the serratus anterior (SA), upper trapezius (UT), and pectoralis major (PM) as well as the activity ratio of each muscle. METHODS: Twenty three winging scapula subjects participated in the study. The subjects performed scapula protraction at shoulder 90° flexion and 60° horizontal abduction with up to four (none, 1kg, 1.5kg, and 2kg) dumbbells in the supine position. The EMG data were collected from the dominant side muscles during a shoulder protraction exercise according to weight in the supine position. One way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the normalized activities of the SA, UT, and PM and the ratios of PM/SA and UT/SA. RESULTS: The results showed that the activities of both the SA and UT were highest for the shoulder protraction exercise at 2kg in the supine position. The UT/SA ratio also was the lowest for exercise at 2kg. On the other hand, the activities of both the UT and PM/SA ratio were similar under all conditions. CONCLUSION: These results show that there is a need to selectively strengthen the SA muscle in the case of patients with the shoulder dysfunction. In particular, it is necessary to weigh 2kg when performing shoulder protraction exercises in the supine position to activate the SA muscle in patients with a winging scapula.
Electromyography ; Exercise ; Hand ; Humans ; Muscles ; Scapula ; Shoulder ; Superficial Back Muscles ; Supine Position

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify changes in knee muscle strength after reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). METHODS: Thirteen subjects (males) with anterior ligament injury and ten subjects (males) with posterior ligament injury voluntarily participated in this study. Both groups were evaluated at the pre-and post-reconstruction stages using an isokinetic dynamometer. Peak torque, total work, and the hamstrings to quadriceps (H/Q) peak torque ratio were calculated at angular velocities of 60°/sec and 180°/sec. Statistical analysis was conducted on SPSS 18.0 for Windows using t-tests to compare mean differences. RESULTS: At an angular velocity of 60°/sec, both the ACL and PCL groups showed a significant increase in muscle strength in the flexors and extensors. Muscle strength in the extensors was significantly increased in the PCL group compared to the ACL group. At an angular velocity of 180°/sec, the ACL group showed a significant increase in muscle endurance in the flexors and extensors, and the PCL group showed a significant increase in muscle endurance in the flexors. At angular velocities of 60°/sec and 180°/sec, the H/Q peak torque ratio increased in the ACL group but decreased in the PCL group. Consequently, the H/Q peak torque ratio was significantly different for the two groups. CONCLUSION The results suggest that the patients with ACL injury should focus on strengthening the knee extensors and that the patients with PCL injury need to strengthen the knee flexors.

Vaccines can cause adverse reactions, such as soreness, swelling, or redness at the injection site. Some reactions are associated with fever and rash, which are usually mild and transient, and serious side effects are rare. In particular, there are no reports of systemic infection following a COVID-19 vaccination. The authors present a case report of a patient who developed multiple abscesses caused by Staphylococcus aureus after a COVID-19 vaccination. The patient had no previous symptoms or signs of infection. The patient was controlled successfully after surgical and antibiotics treatment.

The deep vein thrombosis had been described as the reaction of vascular inflammatory change by John Hunter in 1773, and Virchow described the pathophysiology of etiologic factors for the first time in 1856. Deep Vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism is common disease in the North American and European countries. It was reported that deep Vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism were associated with 300,000 to 600,000 hospitalizations for each year and that as many as 50,000 individuals die each year as a result of pulmonary embolism in the United States. In Korea, deep vein thrombosis is uncommon, complicating pulmonary embolism & renal thromboembolism are also rare, and many cases had not specific history & precipitating factor. The report is for one case of deep vein thrombosis associated with pulmonary & renal thromboembolism, who was 34-years-old, admitted to Masan Koryo hospital because of pain and edema in left lower extremity, had not specific history & precipitating factor. The thrombosis(or thromboembolism) involed his left lung & kidney, and the patient present with severe swelling of affected limb and oliguria. He underwent leg elevation under absolute bed rest and anticoagulant therapy. The significant improvement was done under medical treatment. We report one case of deep vein thrombosis with a brief of literatures.
Bed Rest ; Edema ; Extremities ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Kidney ; Korea ; Leg ; Lower Extremity ; Lung ; Oliguria ; Precipitating Factors ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Thromboembolism* ; United States ; Venous Thrombosis*

The survival rate of commotio cordis is low, and there is often associated neurological disability if return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) can be achieved. We report a case of commotio cordis treated with therapeutic hypothermia (TH) that demonstrated a favorable outcome. A 16-year-old female was transferred to our emergency department (ED) for collapse after being struck in the chest with a dodgeball. She has no history of heart problems. She was brought to our ED with pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT), and ROSC was achieved with defibrillation. She was comatose at our ED and was treated with TH at a target temperature of 33degrees C for 24 hours. After transfer to the intensive care unit, pulseless VT occurred, and defibrillation was performed twice. She recovered to baseline neurologic status with the exception of some memory difficulties.
Adolescent ; Coma ; Commotio Cordis* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypothermia* ; Intensive Care Units ; Memory ; Survival Rate ; Tachycardia ; Tachycardia, Ventricular* ; Thoracic Injuries ; Thorax

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a cardioprotectant and potential cardiovascular therapeutic agent. Human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs) are important determinants of myocardial structure and function. Large-conductance Ca 2+ -activated K+ (BK) channel is a potential therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease. We investigated whether CO modulates BK channels and the signaling pathways in HCFs using whole-cell mode patch-clamp recordings. CO-releasing molecules (CORMs; CORM-2 and CORM-3) significantly increased the amplitudes of BK currents IBK. The CO-induced stimulating effects on IBK were blocked by pre-treatment with specific nitric oxide synthase (NOS) blockers (L-N G -monomethyl arginine citrate and L-N G -nitroarginine methyl ester). 8-bromo-cyclic GMP increased IBK. KT5823 (inhibits PKG) or ODQ (inhibits soluble guanylate cyclase) blocked the CO-stimulating effect on IBK. Moreover, 8-bromo-cyclic AMP also increased IBK, and pre-treatment with KT5720 (inhibits PKA) or SQ22536 (inhibits adenylate cyclase) blocked the CO effect. Pre-treatment with Nethylmaleimide (a thiol-alkylating reagent) also blocked the CO effect on IBK, and DLdithiothreitol (a reducing agent) reversed the CO effect. These data suggest that CO activates IBK through NO via the NOS and through the PKG, PKA, and S-nitrosylation pathways.

To identify the effect and mechanism of carbon monoxide (CO) on delayed rectifier K+ currents (IK) of human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs), we used the wholecell mode patch-clamp technique. Application of CO delivered by carbon monoxidereleasing molecule-3 (CORM3) increased the amplitude of outward K+ currents, and diphenyl phosphine oxide-1 (a specific IK blocker) inhibited the currents. CORM3-induced augmentation was blocked by pretreatment with nitric oxide synthase blockers (L-NG-monomethyl arginine citrate and L-NG-nitro arginine methyl ester).Pretreatment with KT5823 (a protein kinas G blocker), 1H-[1,-2,-4] oxadiazolo-[4,-3-a] quinoxalin-1-on (ODQ, a soluble guanylate cyclase blocker), KT5720 (a protein kinase A blocker), and SQ22536 (an adenylate cyclase blocker) blocked the CORM3 stimulating effect on IK . In addition, pretreatment with SB239063 (a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase [MAPK] blocker) and PD98059 (a p44/42 MAPK blocker) also blocked the CORM3’s effect on the currents. When testing the involvement of S-nitrosylation, pretreatment of N-ethylmaleimide (a thiol-alkylating reagent) blocked CO-induced IKactivation and DL-dithiothreitol (a reducing agent) reversed this effect. Pretreatment with 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)-21H,23H porphyrin manganese (III) pentachloride and manganese (III) tetrakis (4-benzoic acid) porphyrin chloride (superoxide dismutase mimetics), diphenyleneiodonium chloride (an NADPH oxidase blocker), or allopurinol (a xanthine oxidase blocker) also inhibited CO-induced IK activation. These results suggest that CO enhances IK in HCFs through the nitric oxide, phosphorylation by protein kinase G, protein kinase A, and MAPK, S-nitrosylation and reduction/oxidation (redox) signaling pathways.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a cardioprotectant and potential cardiovascular therapeutic agent. Human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs) are important determinants of myocardial structure and function. Large-conductance Ca 2+ -activated K+ (BK) channel is a potential therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease. We investigated whether CO modulates BK channels and the signaling pathways in HCFs using whole-cell mode patch-clamp recordings. CO-releasing molecules (CORMs; CORM-2 and CORM-3) significantly increased the amplitudes of BK currents IBK. The CO-induced stimulating effects on IBK were blocked by pre-treatment with specific nitric oxide synthase (NOS) blockers (L-N G -monomethyl arginine citrate and L-N G -nitroarginine methyl ester). 8-bromo-cyclic GMP increased IBK. KT5823 (inhibits PKG) or ODQ (inhibits soluble guanylate cyclase) blocked the CO-stimulating effect on IBK. Moreover, 8-bromo-cyclic AMP also increased IBK, and pre-treatment with KT5720 (inhibits PKA) or SQ22536 (inhibits adenylate cyclase) blocked the CO effect. Pre-treatment with Nethylmaleimide (a thiol-alkylating reagent) also blocked the CO effect on IBK, and DLdithiothreitol (a reducing agent) reversed the CO effect. These data suggest that CO activates IBK through NO via the NOS and through the PKG, PKA, and S-nitrosylation pathways.