● AIM: To compare the intraocular pressure distribution in onchocerciasis hyperendemic communities with the intraocular pressure distribution in a hypoendemic community.● METHODS: Subjects were selected from 2 hyperendemic communities through multistage cluster random sampling. The anterior and posterior segments were examined. The intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured with Schiotz tonometer. Control subjects were drawn from a hypoendemic community and were assessed similarly.● RESULTS: There were 360 subjects examined from the hyperendemic community. The mean IOP was 18.1mmHg for the right eye and 18.0mmHg for the left eye. A total of 100 randomized non-glaucoma patients drawn from an eye clinic in a hypoendemic community constituted the control. The mean IOP was 21.8 mmHg for the right eye and 21.5mmHg for the left eye. The mean IOP in the hyperendemic community was 3.5mmHg lower than that in the hypoendemic community.● CONCLUSION: Onchocerciasis probably induces a low grade inflammation in the ciliary body, which leads to a lowering of IOP in the early stages.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Over the years, resin-bonded fixed partial dentures (RBFPDs) have gone through substantial development and refinement. Several studies examined the biomechanics of tooth preparation and framework design in relation to the success rate of RBFPDs and considered retention and resistance form essential for increase of clinical retention. However, these criteria required preparations to be more invasive, which violates not only the original intentions of the RBFPD, but may also have an adverse effect on retention due to loss of enamel, an important factor in bonding. PURPOSE: The object of this in vitro study was to compare the dislodgement resistance of the new types of RBFPDs, the conventional three-unit fixed partial denture, and conventional design of RBFPD (Maryland bridge). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty resin mandibular left second premolars and second molars were prepared on dentiforms, according to the RBFPD design. After model fabrication (five group, n = 10), prostheses were fabricated and cemented with zinc phosphate cement. After cementation, the specimens were subjected to tensile loading at a cross head speed of 4 mm/min in a universal testing machine. The separation load was recorded and analyzed statistically using one-way analysis of variance followed by Duncan's multiple range test. RESULTS: Group V, the pin-retained RBFPDs, had the highest mean dislodgement resistance, whereas specimens of group II, the conventional RBFPDs, exhibited a significantly lower mean dislodgement resistance compared to the other 4 groups (P < .05). There were no significant differences between group I, III, and IV in terms of dislodgement resistance (P > .05). Group V had the highest mean MPa (N/mm2) (P < .05). There was no significant difference between groups I, II, III and IV (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Within the limits of the design of this in vitro study, it was concluded that: 1. The modified RBFPDs which utilizes the original tooth undercuts and requires no tooth preparation, compared with the conventional design of RBFPDs, has significantly high dislodgement resistance (P < .05). 2. The modified RBFPDs which utilizes the original tooth undercuts and requires minimal tooth preparation, compared with the conventional FPDs, has significantly no difference in retention and dislodgement resistance)(P > .05). 3. The pin-retained FPDs showed a high dislodgement resistance compared to the conventional three-unit FPDs (P < .05).
Bicuspid ; Biomechanics ; Cementation ; Collodion ; Dental Enamel ; Denture, Partial, Fixed ; Head ; Intention ; Molar ; Phosphates ; Prostheses and Implants ; Retention (Psychology) ; Tooth ; Tooth Preparation ; Zinc Compounds ; Zinc Phosphate Cement

Objective To explore the relationship of asthmatic patients with Abnormal Savda and ECP,T-IgE,S-IgE and FEV1. Methods Seventy six cases of asthmatic patients were diagnosed according to the body fluid theory of Uygur Medicine. Among them,there were 30 cases of asthmatic patients with Abnormal Savda and 46 cases of asthmatic patients with non-abnormal Savda. The level of serum ECP,T-IgE,S-IgE and FEV1 were tested quantitively. Results There were significant differences on the level of serum ECP,T-IgE,S-IgE in all three groups (P

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Garlic ; chemistry ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Pharyngitis ; therapy ; Young Adult

Objective To find the spectacular indexes in the diagnosis of acute rejection of renal transplantation with color Doppler ultrasonography. Methods Forty-two patients with renal rejection were confirmed with percutaneous needle biopsy and 115 patients with stable renal function were confirmed with following-up (>1 year) and clinical examination. The length, width, thickness, cortex thickness and resistive index (RI) of two groups were analyzed statistically. Then the specificity, sensitivity, misdiagnosis rate, false negative rate and consistency rate of renal volume, pyramid swelling, echo weakening, RI＜0.7, RI≥0.7 and RI≥0.8 were calculated. Results The length, width and thickness were statistically different in two groups (P＜0.05). In patients with renal rejection, the marginal blood vessels in renal cortex decreased, and the blood velocity reduced obviously in the diastolic phase and RI increased obviously (P＜0.05). The sensitivity of the above indexes were 55.30%, 55.20%, 42.10%, 57.90%, 31.60%, respectively, while the specificity were 71.30%, 87.10%, 25.70%, 74.20% and 98.20%, respectively. Conclusion Enlargement of renal volume, swelling of renal pyramids, echo weakening and RI increasing are specific indexes for diagnosis of acute rejection of renal transplantation.

BACKGROUND:The changes of single cytokine before and after transplantation has no clinical significance in the diagnosis of acute rejection, but the joint monitoring of cytokines is better to determine the immune status of transplanted patients. OBJECTIVE:To observe the dynamics changes of Th1/Th2 cytokines before and after transplantation in order to investigate the clinical significance in the diagnosis of acute rejection. METHODS:It was a prospective cohort study. The Th1 and Th2 cytokine levels in the rejection group and non-rejection group were dynamical y monitored with double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before, and 3, 7 and 14 days after transplantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Before renal transplantation, the Th1 (γ-interferon and interleukin-12) cytokine levels in the rejection group were significantly higher than those in the non-rejection group (P<0.05);the Th2 (interleukin-4 and interleukin-10) cytokine levels in the rejection group were significantly lower than those in the non-rejection group (P<0.05). After renal transplantation, there were no significant changes in Th1 and Th2 cytokines levels of the non-rejection group at different time points;the Th1 cytokine levels in the rejection group were increased rapidly at different time points, and reached a peak before acute rejection, and the Th1 cytokine levels at different time points in the rejection group were significantly higher than those in the non-rejection group;the Th2 cytokines were increased gradual y in the rejection group, and reached a peak before acute rejection, and the Th2 cytokine levels at different time points in the rejection group were stil lower than those in the non-rejection group. The results showed that the Th1/Th2 cytokines in the non-rejection group were kept stably before and after renal transplantation, but not in the rejection group, in which, the Th1 cytokines were increased rapidly before acute rejection and the Th2 cytokines were increased gradual y.

BACKGROUND:Several studies have demonstrated embryonic stem cells induced neural precursor cells can promote functional recovery in rats with spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE:To study the effect of in vitro cultured embryonic stem cells induced neural precursor cells in rats with spinal cord injury.
METHODS:Total y 144 rats were randomly divided into three groups. Experiment group and control group rats had spinal cord transection injury. Embryonic stem cells-derived cells were injected into the vertebral canal at rostral and caudal segment perilesional y for the experiment group whereas PBS solution was injected instead of cells in the control group. Sham surgery group rats had only laminectomy without any spinal cord injury and treatment.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The experimental result showed that at day 21 post-injury, the regional expression of transforming growth factor-β1 was greater in rats from the control group in comparison to the experiment group (P<0.05). At each time point after spinal cord injury in rats, the expression of myelin basic protein in the spinal cord was significantly higher in the experiment group than the control group (P<0.05). After celltransplantation, Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scores of the experiment group at different time points were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). Transplantation of in vitro cultured embryonic stem cells induced neural precursor cells can reduce the late expression of transforming growth factor-β1, and can increase the expression of myelin basic protein which contributes to the recovery of rats with completely transected spinal cord injury.

Humans ; Macrophage Activation Syndrome

Diabetic complications such as cystopathy and retrograde ejaculation are slowly progressive disease without any specific signs and symptoms so it is difficult to diagnose its complication and prevent it. Diabetic autonomic neuropathy is known as a neurologic lesion with combined involvement in cardiovascular and genitourinary systems. The purpose of this study is to assess correlation between diabetic cystopathy and heart rate variation on consecutive EKG waves and to detect early cystopathy in patients with decreased heart rate variation. We have studied 12 cases of diabetic cystopathy and 9 cases of retrograde ejaculation who were managed in Seoul Eulji Hospital from Mar. 1992 to Aug. 1993 and concluded as follows. Diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy shows decreased heart rate variability(HRV) (CV%: 2.16+/-0.97) than diabetic patients without autonomic neuropathy (CV%: 3.29+/-0.58, P <0.0001 ), it means that decreased HRV on consecutive EKG waves well correlates to diabetic autonomic neuropathy such as cystopathy and retrograde ejaculation so we think that the measurement of HRV provides a simple test to be concerned urologic complications such as cystopathy or retrograde ejaculation.
Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Ejaculation ; Electrocardiography* ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Seoul ; Urogenital System

Along with the general improving of public consciousness on drugs' safety and the increasing of new Chinese drugs' manufacture and application, the safety of Chinese drugs has become a more prominent concern and a focus of attention. The scientific identification, analysis and evaluation of this affairs greatly impacts the scientific decision-making for ensuring the public use of drugs in security, also influences the healthy development of Chinese medicine industry. In this paper, the different meanings of "adverse reaction" and "adverse events" of Chinese drugs were introduced from pharmacovigilance idealistic view, and the influencing factors on safety of Chinese drugs were analyzed from the perspective of pharmacovigilance. The authors proposed that "Chinese medicine safety monitoring and evaluation" is a much more practical concept in consistency with the current situation. They pointed out that introducing sufficiently the concept of pharmaco vigilance idea into the safety monitoring and evaluation process is the basis for overall evaluation and effective risk controlling of Chinese drugs.
Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems ; Drug Evaluation ; standards ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects