Penetrability of interleukin-1beta and its effect on the concentration of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 in the aqueous humor of rabbits treated with interleukin-1beta.

Background: Interleukin (IL)-1beta may effectively decrease introcular pressure (IOP) when administered by subconjunctival injection in normal rabbit. However, IL-1beta is a large molecular agent and an inflammation factor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the penetrability of IL-1beta, and the concentrations of both tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and IL-6 in the aqueous humor of normal rabbits treated with IL-1beta.

Effects of MISA A on actin cytoskeleton of cultured HTM cells and intraocular pressure of rats and glaucomatous monkeys.

Purpose: To determine the effects of misakinolide (MISA) A, which leads to the disassembly of actin filaments, on the actin cytoskeleton of cultured human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells and on intraocular pressure (IOP) in living rats and monkeys.

Methods: Cultured HTM cells were treated with MISA A, and the changes in the actin cytoskeleton were determined by immunofluorescence microscopy. Elevated IOP was induced in cynomolgus monkeys by unilateral laser photocoagulation of the trabecular meshwork (TM).

Management of star fruit-induced neurotoxicity and seizures in a patient with chronic renal failure.

An 84-year-old Asian woman with hypertension and chronic renal failure was evaluated for incoherent speech, followed by intermittent interruptions of consciousness, and then status epilepticus after ingesting one star fruit (Averrhoa carambola) each day for 3 days. Conventional first-line anticonvulsants and hemodialysis were administered without significant control of the patient's seizures. Treatment was started with propofol, an intravenous agent that induces anesthesia with rapid onset and elimination from the central nervous system; this resulted in complete control of the seizures.

Adult Acinetobacter meningitis and its comparison with non-Acinetobacter gram-negative bacterial meningitis.

Between January 1999 and December 2003, 81 cases of single pathogen-related culture-proven Gram-negative adult bacterial meningitis were identified at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung. Of these 81 cases, Acinetobacter infection was found in 13 cases. Clinical and laboratory data of these Acinetobacter meningitis patients were studied and were compared with those of other 68 non-Acinetobacter Gram-negative bacterial meningitis (GNBM) patients.

Clinical characteristics of adult Escherichia coli meningitis.

The clinical characteristics and therapeutic outcomes of adult meningitis due to Escherichia coli alone have not been examined adequately. In this study, we analyzed the clinical and laboratory data of 15 adult patients with monomicrobial E. coli meningitis.

An adult case of Chryseobacterium meningosepticum meningitis.

Chryseobacterium meningosepticum is an uncommon pathogen causing adult bacterial meningitis. Herein, we report the case history of one 21-year-old woman with this uncommon central nervous system infection. A diagnosis of adult C.

Serotypes of clinical cerebrospinal fluid Cryptococcus neoformans isolates from southern Taiwan and their in vitro susceptibilities to amphotericin B, fluconazole, and voriconazole.

In this study, 34 clinical cerebrospinal fluid isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans were serotyped, and their in vitro susceptibilities to amphotericin B, fluconazole, and voriconazole were analyzed. Of these 34 isolates, serotype A was found in 29 isolates and serotype B in the other five. The voriconazole geometric mean MIC was significantly lower than the amphotericin B/antibiotic medium 3 geometric mean MIC (P < 0.

Bacterial meningitis in infants: the epidemiology, clinical features, and prognostic factors.

This 16-year (1986-2001) retrospective study enrolled 80 infantile patients (aged, 30-365 days old) with culture-proven bacterial meningitis. The most prevalent pathogens were Salmonellaspecies, Streptococcus (S.) agalactiae, Escherichia (E.

Long-term prognosis for Guillain-Barré syndrome: evaluation of prognostic factors and clinical experience of automated double filtration plasmapheresis.

Sixty patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), aged 16-83 years, have been identified over a period of 7 years. Of 60 patients, 30 received the double filtration plasmapheresis (DFP), 4 received intravenous immunoglobulin, and the other 26 received supportive care only. Therapeutic outcomes at 1 year were determined using a modified Barthel index.

Neonatal bacterial meningitis in southern Taiwan.

To determine the epidemiologic trends, prognostic factors, and therapeutic results of neonatal bacterial meningitis, 60 neonatal patients with culture-proven neonatal bacterial meningitis were enrolled in this study. To compare changes over time, the appearance of disease among the patients was divided into two equal periods (1986-1993 and 1994-2001). Group B streptococci were the most common causative pathogens, accounting for approximately 32% of the episodes.

Treatment of pediatric idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis with low-dose cyclophosphamide.

Objective: To report the safety and efficacy of long-term, low-dose cyclophosphamide therapy in a child with idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH).

Case Summary: A 7-year-old boy diagnosed with IPH 4 years previously was initially prescribed prednisolone. Because he only had a transient response to prednisolone, oral cyclophosphamide 2 mg/kg/d was later added.

Effect of t-butyl hydroperoxide on Ca2+ movement in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells.

The effect of the oxidant t-butyl hydroperoxide on intracellular free levels of Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells was examined by using fura-2 as a fluorescent dye. t-Butyl hydroperoxide induced an increase in [Ca2+]i in a concentration-dependent fashion between 50-250 microM with an EC50 of 100 microM. The [Ca2+]i signal consisted of a slow rise and a sustained phase.

Clinical features and in vitro antimicrobial susceptibilities of community-acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae meningitis in Taiwan.

Twenty-seven adult patients were identified as having community-acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae meningitis. The K. pneumoniae isolates, collected from cerebrospinal fluid samples, were tested for in vitro antimicrobial susceptibilities.

Time dependent effects of sympathetic denervation on aqueous humor dynamics and choroidal blood flow in rabbits.

Purpose: This study investigates the time-dependent effects of superior cervical ganglionectomy (SCGx) on aqueous humor dynamics and ocular blood flow in rabbits.

Methods: Measurements were made at various times between 24 hours and 12 months after SCGx. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured by pneumatonometry, aqueous flow by fluorophotometry and outflow facility by tonography.

Brain abscess caused by aerobic Gram-negative bacilli: clinical features and therapeutic outcomes.

Thirty-three patients (24 males and nine females) with brain abscesses resulting from infection by aerobic Gram-negative bacilli were identified at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital over a period of 14 years. Of these, 23 cases developed spontaneously, with the remaining ten postneurosurgery. The organisms most frequently involved were Klebsiella (K.

Community-acquired bacterial meningitis in adults: the epidemiology, timing of appropriate antimicrobial therapy, and prognostic factors.

Between January 1986 and December 1999, 109 adult patients with culture-proven community-acquired bacterial meningitis were identified at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. To compare changes over time, the appearance of disease among our patients was divided into two equal time periods: an earlier time period (1986-1992) and a later time period (1993-1999). In this study, there was a decreasing proportion of community-acquired bacterial meningitis compared with nosocomial bacterial meningitis in adult patients in recent years.

Adult spinal epidural abscess: clinical features and prognostic factors.

Twenty-nine adult patients with spinal epidural abscess (SEA), aged 31-73 years, have been identified over a period of 8 years. The 29 SEA patients included 21 men and eight women with a mean age of 54 years. Initial diagnosis of SEA was made in only 17% of our patients and another 48% of patients were initially suggested of having infection or mass of the spine.