No abstract available.
HLA Antigens* ; Humans

Multiple evanscent white dot syndrom(MEWDS) has the characteristic clinical, funduscopic, fluorescein angiographic and electrophysiologic findings. The etiology of MEWDS remains unknown. The authors report on two patients with MEWDS. They were young females. Funduscopic examination showed that multiple, white dots are found at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium. These dots extended from macula into mideriphery. Also, the patients had a tiny, granular gray-white dots in the fovea. Fluorescein angiography showed an early hyperfluorescence in the areas corresponding to the white dots with late staining. Two patients had spontaneous recovery of vision in four to seven weeks. They had persistent enlargement of the physiologic blind spot or paracentral scotoma in their visual field, respectively.
Female ; Fluorescein ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Humans ; Optic Disk ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium ; Scotoma ; Visual Fields

Purpose: We evaluated the protective effect of trabecular outflow drugs, Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitors against oxidative stressin trabecular meshwork cells. Methods: Primary-cultured human trabecular meshwork cells (HTMCs) were exposed to ROCK inhibitors at 10 and 20 μMY-27632, ripasudil or fasudil for 24 hours, after pretreatment with 200 μM hydrogen peroxide for 30 min. The cell viabilities andmetabolic activities were assessed using the Trypan Blue dye exclusion test and MTT assay, respectively. Reactive oxygen species(ROS) production was measured using the H2DCFDA assay, and the degree of apoptosis was measured with flow cytometryusing annexin-propidium iodide double staining. Results: In HTMCs, Y-27632 suppressed ROS production. Ripasudil and fasudil increased the metabolic activities and decreasedthe degrees of apoptosis. Fasudil showed the most cytoprotective effects among the three ROCK inhibitors tested. Conclusions Against oxidative stress, ROCK inhibitors decreased apoptosis accompanied by decreased ROS production, especiallyfasudil. ROCK inhibitors may therefore have cytoprotective properties in addition to increasing trabecular outflow.

PURPOSE: We investigated the extent of adenosine A1 agonist-induced expression and regulation of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) synthesis in human trabecular meshwork cells (HTMC). METHODS: Primary HTMC cultures were exposed to 0.1 or 1.0 µM N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) for 2 h in the presence or absence of an inhibitor thereof, 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dimethylxanthine (CPT). The expression level of mRNA encoding MMP-2 was assessed via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and the levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2) and membrane-type-1 MMP (MT1-MMP) measured by Western blotting. The permeability of the HTMC monolayer was assessed with the aid of carboxyfluorescein. RESULTS: CHA at 1.0 µM increased the permeability of the HTMC monolayer (p = 0.003) and CHA at both 0.1 and 1.0 µM significantly increased MMP-2 mRNA expression, which was inhibited by co-exposure to CPT (all p < 0.05). CHA increased MMP-2 activity, decreased that of TIMP2, and increased that of MT1-MMP (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CHA increased the permeability of the HTMC monolayer and increased MMP-2 activity, decreased TIMP2 activity, and increased MT1-MMP activity. Thus, regulation of TIMP2 and MT1-MMP expression may be involved in the adenosine A1 agonist-induced increase in MMP-2 activity.
Adenosine ; Blotting, Western ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; Permeability ; RNA, Messenger ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; Trabecular Meshwork

PURPOSE: This study investigated depression and anxiety in girls with precocious puberty and in their mothers. METHOD: This study recruited 75 girls treated with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) and their mothers from October 2017 to April 2018. The girls completed the Korean Children's Depression Inventory (K-CDI) and Maturity Fear Scale (MFS), and their mothers were surveyed with the Korean Beck Depression Inventory (K-BDI) and Korean Beck Anxiety Inventory (K-BAI). RESULTS: The K-BDI scores showed statistically significant differences according to girl's age (p < 0.016) and household income (p < 0.037). The anxiety scores showed statistically significant differences according to girls' Body Mass Index (BMI) (p < 0.029) and household income (p < 0.005). There was a positive correlation between depression in girls and mothers (r=0.264, p < 0.050). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a need for understanding and counseling for depression in both girls??and their mothers during the process of diagnosis and treatment for precocious puberty.
Anxiety ; Body Mass Index ; Counseling ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Methods ; Mothers ; Puberty, Precocious

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) on the permeability of a cultured human trabecular meshwork cells (HTMC) monolayer and its interaction with nitric oxide (NO).METHODS: After exposing primary cultured HTMCs to 0, 50, 100, and 500 µM sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS) for 6 hours, the permeabilities through the HTMC monolayer were measured using a Transwell assay with carboxyfluorescein. The production of NO and eNOS mRNA expression were assessed using the Griess assay and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. In addition, 0, 1, and 10 µM NaHS and 10 µM sodium nitroprusside (SN) were co-exposed to evaluate the possible synergistic effect of H₂S and NO.RESULTS: Greater than 100 µM NaHS increased the permeability through the HTMC monolayer in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). These increased permeabilities were not accompanied by NO production or eNOS mRNA expression (p > 0.05). When 0, 1, and 10 µM NaHS and 10 µM SN were exposed together, there was no significant change of permeability, NO production, or eNOS mRNA expression (all, p > 0.05).CONCLUSIONS: NaHS at high concentrations increased the permeability of the HTMC monolayer, which was not affected by NO. NaHS at low concentrations did not show a synergistic effect with NO. Thus, H₂S at high concentrations may increase trabecular outflow, which may not be associated with NO.

Purpose: To investigate the associations of type of orbital trauma with pattern of retinal contusion and the characteristics of orbital wall fracture in patients, and to assist in the treatment of orbital trauma. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 351 eyes in 351 patients with orbital wall fractures or retinal contusion among patients with orbital trauma who came to the hospital via the emergency room between March 2018 and August 2019. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of retinal contusion. Age, sex, and cause of trauma were investigated in each group. In addition, the characteristics of the patients were analyzed according to the range of peripheral retinal contusion, and whether the retinal contusion invaded the fovea. In addition, the relationship between the location of orbital fractures and area of retinal contusion was analyzed. Results: “Assault” was the most common cause of orbital trauma in the retinal contusion group (19 of 41 eyes, 46.3%). “Traffic accident” was the most common cause of orbital trauma in the group with only orbital fracture without retinal contusion (108 of 310 eyes, 34.8%). The proportion of multiple orbital fractures was significantly higher in the group with a wide rather than a narrow range of peripheral retinal contusions (p = 0.020). “Flying object” was listed as the cause of orbital trauma significantly more often in the foveal contusion group than the intact fovea group (p = 0.036). Conclusions Retinal contusions were found significantly more often in cases with orbital trauma due to “assault” or “flying object”. In the presence of multiple orbital wall fractures, the range of peripheral retinal contusion was wide. Retinal contusion due to “flying object” showed the highest rate of foveal involvement.

Purpose: To investigate the associations of type of orbital trauma with pattern of retinal contusion and the characteristics of orbital wall fracture in patients, and to assist in the treatment of orbital trauma. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 351 eyes in 351 patients with orbital wall fractures or retinal contusion among patients with orbital trauma who came to the hospital via the emergency room between March 2018 and August 2019. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of retinal contusion. Age, sex, and cause of trauma were investigated in each group. In addition, the characteristics of the patients were analyzed according to the range of peripheral retinal contusion, and whether the retinal contusion invaded the fovea. In addition, the relationship between the location of orbital fractures and area of retinal contusion was analyzed. Results: “Assault” was the most common cause of orbital trauma in the retinal contusion group (19 of 41 eyes, 46.3%). “Traffic accident” was the most common cause of orbital trauma in the group with only orbital fracture without retinal contusion (108 of 310 eyes, 34.8%). The proportion of multiple orbital fractures was significantly higher in the group with a wide rather than a narrow range of peripheral retinal contusions (p = 0.020). “Flying object” was listed as the cause of orbital trauma significantly more often in the foveal contusion group than the intact fovea group (p = 0.036). Conclusions Retinal contusions were found significantly more often in cases with orbital trauma due to “assault” or “flying object”. In the presence of multiple orbital wall fractures, the range of peripheral retinal contusion was wide. Retinal contusion due to “flying object” showed the highest rate of foveal involvement.

Venous angioma is a congenital disease of vascular malformation, which is a mass like lesion consisted of dilated medullary veins. It is generally a silent lesion since it is found in normal brain tissues and tends to have low blood flow and pressure. The venous angioma could be diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging and angiography, but most of them are incidentally diagnosed, because it is usually asymptomatic. The patients with venous angioma have nonspecific symptoms, such as headache, nausea and vomiting, seizures, progressive neurological deficit and hemorrhage. In particular, the venous angioma in cerebellum could cause hearing disturbance, tinnitus and dizziness. We report a case of venous angioma in cerebellum that had been mistaken for peripheral vestibulopathy in a patient complaining of dizziness
Angiography ; Brain ; Central Nervous System Venous Angioma ; Cerebellum ; Dizziness ; Headache ; Hearing ; Hemangioma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Nausea ; Seizures ; Tinnitus ; Vascular Malformations ; Veins ; Vomiting

Background: This study evaluated the practicability of the suicide rate reduction target set by the current national suicide prevention policy in Korea, the fifth Master Plan for Suicide Prevention (2023–2027). This policy aims to lower the suicide rate from 26/100,000 in 2021 to 18.2/100,000 by 2027. Methods: We utilized monthly suicide statistics data from 2011 onwards. Using Bayesian regression and Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models, we conducted interrupted time series analyses to estimate the effect of the previous policy, the National Action Plan for Suicide Prevention (2018–2022), on suicide rates. We assumed this as the additional suicide reduction expected from the current policy. We generated point predictions and simulations for suicide rates from 2023 to 2027 using Bayesian regression and ARIMA models. Results: The interrupted time series analyses did not reveal a significant reduction in suicides attributable to the previous policy. Point predictions from the two models indicated that the suicide rate would remain approximately 24/100,000 in 2027. Almost all of the simulations of the 2027 suicide rate did not meet the policy target of 18.2/100,000. Conclusion The findings suggest that the Korean government’s suicide rate reduction target for 2027 is likely unattainable based on current trends and the limited effectiveness of previous policies. The objectives of suicide prevention policies should be evidence-based, attainable, and accountable.