The scope of the cataract problem in the Middle East and the Mediterranean

The region is characterized by diversity in cultural, political, economic and health conditions. Blindness in the region varies from 6.4% to 0.2% with cataract ranking highly as an underlying cause. There is a need to develop national policies to deliver affordable, technically suitable, and cost effective management plans to reduce cataract. Economic, demographic, health, and manpower statistics are essential information to be considered in formulating such policies.     

Secondary correction of the unilateral cleft nose deformity with an endonasal technique

Summary Malposition of the nasal bone, septum and the alar cartilage are striking features of the unilateral cleft nose deformity. An endonasal technique (the extramucosal) was used in 26 patients, aged 13–38 (median 19), to correct aesthetic and functional problems. Twenty-four patients were secondary and two were tertiary. The patients were followed from 1–9 years. The pathological anatomy of the septum varied considerably, so different types of septoplasties had to be done. In 20 patients, satisfactory aesthetic and functional results were obtained in one operation. Secondary corrections were indicated in six patients. In cases with no gross scarring in or around the alar cartilage, the form and position of this cartilage will be more normal once the alar cartilages have been undermined and the deviation of the nasal bone and the septum is corrected.     

Hypertension in Jordanian children: a retrospective analysis of 70 cases

Seventy patients, aged 1–20 years, were seen at Jordan University Hospital with high blood pressure (BP) over a 3-year period. BP values ranged from 140 to 230 mmHg for systolic pressure and from 90 to 130 mmHg for diastolic pressure. Essential hypertension was seen in only 6 patients (8.6%); secondary hypertension (n=64 or 91.4%) was due to renal parenchymal diseases (RPD) in 46 patients (65.7%), reno-vascular lesions in 8 (11.4%), renal transplantation in 5 (7.2%), teenage pregnancy in 4 (5.7%), and phaeochromocytoma in 1 patient (1.4%). The aetiologies of RPD were as follows: end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis in 14 patients, acute glomerulonephritis in 14, idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in 10, chronic renal insufficiency in 5, and polycystic kidney in 3 patients. Surgical cure of hypertension was achieved in 5 of the children with reno-vascular lesions and in the patient with phaeochromocytoma.     

Clinical experience with the use of rhG‐CSF in secondary autoimmune neutropenia

This paper outlines the impact of granulocyte‐colony stimulating factor (G‐CSF) used as a single modality therapy in 17 patients with secondary autoimmune neutropenia (S‐AIN) who had been treated a multiple number of times previously. Fifteen of these patients had demonstrable antineutrophil antibodies and two had cellular S‐AIN with haemopoietic inhibitory T‐cells present in the marrow. Prior to treatment, all had had problems with infection. All patients responded within 7 days of commencement of treatment. Provided G‐CSF neutrophil counts were maintained above 1 × 10⁹/l, no further infections occurred. This was achievable by using G‐CSF administered as infrequently as once every 8 days. Eight of the 17 patients remained on G‐CSF, although five switched to the glycosylated form because of side‐effects. None have developed osteoporosis despite 47.29 patient years of total experience with G‐CSF. In conclusion both glycosylated and nonglycosylated G‐CSF can be used effectively in treating AIN on a long‐term basis.     

继发性肝癌的外科治疗

目的探讨继发性肝癌的手术适应证和方法。方法对52例继发性肝癌的临床病例资料进行回顾性分析。结果分别采用了左半肝切除、右半肝切除、左外叶切除、右前叶切除、右后叶切除和肝楔形切除术。术后1、3、5年的生存率分别为28.3%、19.4%和11.9%。结论对适合手术的继发性肝癌,行肝切除术可以获得满意的效果。     

糖尿病患者超声乳化白内障吸除手术的临床观察

目的:探讨糖尿病患者进行超声乳化白内障吸除联合人工晶状体植入手术的临床效果。方法:50例(61只眼)糖尿病患者(设为A组)和同期163例(174只眼)血糖正常患者(设为B组)接受超声乳化白内障吸除联合人工晶状体植入手术。糖尿病患者手术前通过饮食疗法、口服药物或肌注胰岛素治疗,使空腹血糖降到 10mmol/L以下。术后随访 1～28个月(平均 8.6个月),复查视力、裂隙灯及眼底检查。结果:术后矫正视力≥0.5者,A组为77.1%;B组为80.5%。两组经统计学处理差异无显著性(P>0.05)。两组术中出现后囊破裂及术后发生角膜水肿和前房渗出等并发症的差异无显著性(P>0.05 )。结论:糖尿病患者进行超声乳化白内障吸除手术前只要有效控制血糖,其手术效果与对照组患者相同。但术后血糖的控制仍然十分重要。眼科学报2003;19:98-100。     

激光治疗膜性白内障：术前干涉视力测定的意义

应用激光干涉视力仪检测了23例(23只眼)膜性白内障Nd:YAG激光切开术前及术后的干涉视力,结果显示:术前与术后干涉视力之间的差异无显著性(P>0.05)。术前干涉视力与术后矫正视力呈正相关(P<0.05),提示半透明膜性白内障对激光干涉视力无显著影响.激光干涉视力是反映术后视力康复的可靠方法.但在具体分析时,应注意假阴性和假阳性的可能.65.2%的眼术后矫正视力高于术后干涉视力,反映了高度屈光不正的无晶体眼对激光干涉条纹在视网膜上的形成有一定的影响.     

THE BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE OF 5S RIBOSOMAL RNA FROM THE HUMAN WORM PARASITE FASCIOLOPSIS BUSKI

With the method of rapid gel sequencing, the complete nueleotide sequence of Fasciolopsis buski 5S rRNA has been determined: AAC GGG AUG AAG CUA GAC AUG UGG CGG CCU AGU UGG AGG UCG GAA CUC GGA AGU UAA GGA AUG UUG GGC CUG GUU AGU ACU GGU AUG GGU GAC CUU GGG AAU ACC GGG UGU UGC GUC CA_(OH) This have been compared with 553 species of other organisms 5S rRNA sequences previously published and fitted to a secondary structural model.     

The effect of cigarette smoke on the bovine lens

Smoking has recently been identified from epidemiological studies as a possible cause of cataract but the mechanism involved is not known. Therefore, our laboratory has initiated studies aimed at elucidating these mechanisms. Whole bovine lenses were cultured to examine possible effects of cigarette smoke on amino acid uptake and protein synthesis. Cigarette smoke, filtered to remove nicotine and tar which would not reach the eye in vivo, was bubbled through culture medium. Bovine lenses were incubated in this medium in the presence of [¹⁴C]-leucine for four days. A significant decrease in uptake of [¹⁴C]-leucine and a decrease in protein synthesis were found with smoke treated lenses. This is the first demonstration of an effect of cigarette smoke on the lens. Further work is needed to determine how this metabolic upset is mediated and how it could lead to cataract.     

人工晶体植入术后继发青光眼的临床分析

报告14例后房型人工晶体植入术后继发青光眼患者，男性8例，女性6例。均为单眼发病，其中10例发生在术后1个月以内，另4例发生在1～3年以后。其中开角型8例，闭用型6例。7例经抗青光眼药物治疗可控制眼压，4例用激光治疗，另3例需行抗青光眼手术。治疗前矫正视力达0．5以上者为28％，治疗后矫止视力达0．5以上增加至50％。所有病例均眼压控制良好、视力不良原因为青光眼世视神经萎缩，提示早期发现的重要性。