Difference of Self-identity Levels between Strabismus Patients and Normal Controls

PURPOSE: To evaluate differences in self-identity in patients diagnosed with strabismus, patients who underwent strabismus surgery, and healthy control individuals. METHODS: Self-identity testing was done during a military service physical examination. There were three subject groups: subjects with strabismus (group 1), subjects who had undergone corrective strabismus surgery (group 2), and subjects free of strabismus (group 3). The self-identity test was comprised of six sub-sections (subjectivity, self-acceptance, future confidence, goal orientation, initiative, and familiarity). Statistical significance of the sub-sections was compared across the three groups. Correlations in age at the time of surgery and across the six sub-sections were investigated in group 2. RESULTS: A total of 351 subjects were enrolled in the study; 96 subjects were in group 1, 108 subjects were in group 2, and 147 subjects were in group 3. Significant differences were evident in subjectivity, self-acceptance, initiative and familiarity between groups 1 and 3. No significant differences were found between groups 2 and 3. In group 2, statistical significance was evident between age at surgery and initiative and familiarity (r = −0.333, p < 0.001; r = −0.433, p < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Self-identity is greater in non-strabismus subjects than strabismus subjects. Correction of strabismus may increase self-identity levels.

Reliable, Accurate Determination of the Leukocyte Differential of Leukopenic Samples by Using Hematoflow Method / 대한진단검사의학회지

BACKGROUND: Hematology analyzers may ineffectively recognize abnormal cells, and manual differential counts may be imprecise for leukopenic samples. We evaluated the efficacy of the Hematoflow method for determining the leukocyte differential in leukopenic samples and compared this method with the manual differential method. METHODS: We selected 249 blood samples from 167 patients with leukopenia (WBC counts, 500-2,000/microL) for analysis in this study. The EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples were analyzed using an automatic blood cell counter (DxH800; Beckman Coulter, USA) and flow cytometry (FC 500; Beckman Coulter) by using Cytodiff reagent and analysis software (Beckman Coulter). Hematoflow results were selected or calculated from DxH800 and Cytodiff results. Two trained pathologists performed a manual differential count by counting 50-100 cells. RESULTS: The precision of the Hematoflow method was superior to that of the manual method in counting 5 leukocyte subpopulations, immature granulocytes (IGs), and blasts. Blasts were detected in all 45 cases (100%) by Hematoflow. The correlation of the Cytodiff blast count to the reference count was high (r = 0.8325). For all other cell populations, the correlation of the Hematoflow results with the reference count was stronger than that of the other manual counts with the reference count. CONCLUSIONS: The Hematoflow differential counting method is more reproducible and sensitive than manual counting, and is relatively easy to perform. In particular, this method detected leukemic blasts more sensitively than manual differential counts. The Hematoflow method is a very useful supplement to automated cell counting.

Reliable, Accurate Determination of the Leukocyte Differential of Leukopenic Samples by Using Hematoflow Method / 대한진단검사의학회지

BACKGROUND: Hematology analyzers may ineffectively recognize abnormal cells, and manual differential counts may be imprecise for leukopenic samples. We evaluated the efficacy of the Hematoflow method for determining the leukocyte differential in leukopenic samples and compared this method with the manual differential method. METHODS: We selected 249 blood samples from 167 patients with leukopenia (WBC counts, 500-2,000/microL) for analysis in this study. The EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples were analyzed using an automatic blood cell counter (DxH800; Beckman Coulter, USA) and flow cytometry (FC 500; Beckman Coulter) by using Cytodiff reagent and analysis software (Beckman Coulter). Hematoflow results were selected or calculated from DxH800 and Cytodiff results. Two trained pathologists performed a manual differential count by counting 50-100 cells. RESULTS: The precision of the Hematoflow method was superior to that of the manual method in counting 5 leukocyte subpopulations, immature granulocytes (IGs), and blasts. Blasts were detected in all 45 cases (100%) by Hematoflow. The correlation of the Cytodiff blast count to the reference count was high (r = 0.8325). For all other cell populations, the correlation of the Hematoflow results with the reference count was stronger than that of the other manual counts with the reference count. CONCLUSIONS: The Hematoflow differential counting method is more reproducible and sensitive than manual counting, and is relatively easy to perform. In particular, this method detected leukemic blasts more sensitively than manual differential counts. The Hematoflow method is a very useful supplement to automated cell counting.

The Role of Interleukin-8 in Endotoxin Induced Uveitis

Interleukin-8(IL-8) has been implicates in intraocular inflammation and shown to be a potent chemoattractant for neutrophil, we investigated if IL- 8 has a role in endotoxin induced uveitis(EIU). Mouse monoclonal neutralizing antibody to rabbit recombinant IL-8(gammagammaIL-8)(gammagammaIL-8 and anti IL-8, both generous gifts from Genetech) or mouse IgG2a were given by intravitreal injection to try to modify EIU in New Zealand White rabbits. Antibody to IL-8 tended to reduce aqueous humor cell counts, but the differences were not statistically significant. Anti-IL8 reduced cell counts by 34%(3.8+/-2.9x10(6) cells/ml anti IL-8 treatment vs. 5.4+/-5.5x10 cells/ml IgG2a control, p=0.26 by student t-test). The intravitreal injection of gammagammaIL-8 resulted in a small dose dependent number of infiterating cells in the aqueous and vitreous humor. Taken together, our results cannot exclude a role for IL-8 in acute onset EIU, but the contribution appears to be minor.