PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the parameters of tear function and ocular surface in patients with pinguecula and pterygium. METHODS: The corneal sensitivity test (CST), tear break-up time (BUT), basal tear secretion test, fluorescein staining, rose bengal staining, tear clearance test, and conjunctival impression cytology were evaluated in patients with unilateral pinguecula and pterygium. The results were also evaluated according to the severity of pterygium. RESULTS In patients with pinguecula, BUT (P=0.03) and goblet cell density (P<0.01) were decreased, while the rose bengal staining score (P=0.01) was increased significantly. In patients with pterygium, CST (P=0.01), BUT (P<0.01), and goblet cell density (P<0.01) decreased, and the fluorescein staining score (P<0.01), rose bengal staining score (P<0.01) and grade of conjunctival metaplasia (P<0.01) increased significantly. In comparison with mild pterygium, moderate pterygium demonstrated decreased CST (P=0.01) and BUT (P=0.01), and an increased rose bengal staining score (P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The tear films and ocular surface changes in patients with pinguecula and pterygium are worse than in control group. Also, there is close correlation between the severity of pterygium and dry eye condition.
Fluorescein ; Goblet Cells ; Humans ; Metaplasia ; Pinguecula* ; Pterygium* ; Rose Bengal ; Tears*

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the parameters of tear function and ocular surface in patients with pinguecula and pterygium. METHODS: The corneal sensitivity test (CST), tear break-up time (BUT), basal tear secretion test, fluorescein staining, rose bengal staining, tear clearance test, and conjunctival impression cytology were evaluated in patients with unilateral pinguecula and pterygium. The results were also evaluated according to the severity of pterygium. RESULTS In patients with pinguecula, BUT (P=0.03) and goblet cell density (P<0.01) were decreased, while the rose bengal staining score (P=0.01) was increased significantly. In patients with pterygium, CST (P=0.01), BUT (P<0.01), and goblet cell density (P<0.01) decreased, and the fluorescein staining score (P<0.01), rose bengal staining score (P<0.01) and grade of conjunctival metaplasia (P<0.01) increased significantly. In comparison with mild pterygium, moderate pterygium demonstrated decreased CST (P=0.01) and BUT (P=0.01), and an increased rose bengal staining score (P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The tear films and ocular surface changes in patients with pinguecula and pterygium are worse than in control group. Also, there is close correlation between the severity of pterygium and dry eye condition.
Fluorescein ; Goblet Cells ; Humans ; Metaplasia ; Pinguecula* ; Pterygium* ; Rose Bengal ; Tears*

To establish animal model of exudative retinal detachment in Sprague Dawley albino rats and to elucidate the possible role of retinal vein in the induction of exudative retinal detachments, rose bengal photosensitive dye was injected intravenously and argon laser was applied. In group A(10 eyes), laser was applied on intervascular retinal areas linearly. In group B (12 eyes), laser was applied on major retinal veins. In group C(4 eyes), laser was applied on major retinal arteris. In group D(3 eyes), laser was applied on major retinal veins without rose bengal dye and in group E(26 eyes), only the rose bengal dye was perfused. And in group F(3 eyes), normal eyes were fixed for negative controls. Exudative bullous retinal detachment occurred only in group B and these resutls were confirmed in histological examinations. In control groups (D and E), tissue injuries were not found. In conclusion, exudative retinal detachment could be induced by occlusion of retinal veins in albino rats and the abnormalities of retinal venous blood flow were required for the induction of exudative retinal detachment.
Animals ; Argon ; Models, Animal ; Rats* ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinal Vein ; Retinaldehyde* ; Rose Bengal

PURPOSE: To evaluate the changes of tear film and ocular surface in keratoconus patients. METHODS: Twenty-eight eyes of 18 patients with keratoconus and 32 eyes of 16 normal subjects were included. We performed corneal sensitivity test, tear film break-up time (BUT), Schirmer test, fluorescein and rose bengal staining, and conjunctival impression cytology, and compared the results between the two groups. According to the central corneal power, we classified the patients into 3 groups and compared these parameters between groups. RESULTS: Corneal sensitivity was 5.56 +/- 0.34 mm and 5.88 +/- 0.25 mm (p<0.001), BUT was 9.64 +/- 2.51 sec and 10.69 +/- 2.89 sec (p=0.008), basal tear secretion was 9.00 +/- 3.06 mm and 10.88 +/- 3.95 mm (p=0.025), fluorescein staining score was 1.43 +/- 1.87 and 0.69 +/- 1.20 (p=0.105), and rose bengal staining score was 0.86 +/- 0.97 and 0.22 +/- 0.55 (p=0.003) in the patients and control subjects, respectively. The degree of conjunctival squamous metaplasia was 1.04 +/- 0.51 and 0.62 +/- 0.43 (p=0.039), and goblet cell density was 762.65 +/- 76.32 cells/mm2 and 880.21 +/- 82.06 cells/mm2 (p=0.041) in the patients and control subjects respectively. All parameters except basal tear secretion and fluorescein staining score were related to the severity of keratoconus. CONCLUSIONS: Tear film and ocular surface changes in patients with keratoconus are composed of decreased corneal sensitivity, decreased quantity and quality of tear film, and damages to corneal and conjunctival epitheliums, which are similar to the findings in keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
Epithelium ; Fluorescein ; Goblet Cells ; Humans ; Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca ; Keratoconus* ; Metaplasia ; Rose Bengal ; Tears*

This is a clinical study of I131 Rose Bengal liver scanning on 17 in-patients with jaundice hospitalized at Severance hospital from October 1969 to March 1976. And we observed following results. 1) In 13 patients, the liver scanning showed complete biliary obstructive pattern, in 2 patients partial obstruction and two had space occupying lesions. Of the 13 patients with complete obstruction, 7 cases had biliary atresia and 6 cases.had neonatal hepatitis. We conclude that the obstructiive pattern of liver scanning does not always mean biliary atresia. 2) The quantitative calculation of the dye excretion in stool at 72 hours after IV infusions was made and only 0.447% of dye was excreted at 48 hours in biliary atresia. In 2 patients with hepatitis, the amount were 16.2% and 26.5% respectively. The quantitative study of radioactive dye excretion should be followed further evaluation. 3) Particularly in the patient with choledochal cyst and hepatoblastoma, the liver scanning was very helpful as it provided not only diagnostic information but also the anatomic site and size of the pathologic lesion.
Biliary Atresia ; Choledochal Cyst ; Hepatitis ; Hepatoblastoma ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Liver* ; Rose Bengal*

Azo dyes containing effluents from different industries pose threats to the environment. Though there are physico-chemical methods to treat such effluents, bioremediation is considered to be the best eco-compatible technique. In this communication, we discuss the decolorization potentiality of five azo dyes by Podoscypha elegans (G. Mey.) Pat., a macro-fungus, found growing on the leaf-litter layer of Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary in West Bengal, India. The fungus exhibited high laccase and very low manganese peroxidase activities under different culture conditions. Decolorization of five high-molecular weight azo dyes, viz., Orange G, Congo Red, Direct Blue 15, Rose Bengal and Direct Yellow 27 by the fungus was found to be positive in all cases. Maximum and minimum mean decolorization percentages were recorded in Rose Bengal (70.41%) and Direct Blue 15 (24.8%), respectively. This is the first record of lignolytic study and dye decolorization by P. elegans.
Azo Compounds ; Biodegradation, Environmental ; Citrus sinensis ; Congo Red ; Fungi ; India ; Laccase* ; Manganese ; Peroxidase ; Rose Bengal

OBJECTIVE: The cerebral cortex can modulate vestibular functions through direct control of neuronal activities in the vestibular nuclei. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of unilateral cortical lesion or cortical stimulation on static vestibular symptoms and vestibular nuclear activities at the acute stage of vestibular compensation following unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL) in rats. METHODS: The photothrombic ischemic injury using rose bengal was induced in the primary motor cortex or primary sensory cortex, and electrical stimulation was applied to the primary motor cortex, primary sensory cortex, or sencondary sensory cortex, respectively, in unilateral labyrinthectomized rats. Static vestibular symptoms including ocular movement and postural deficits, and expression of c-Fos protein in the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) were measured. RESULTS: Lesion of the motor cortex produced a marked postural deficit with paralytic weakness in the hindlimb contralateral to UL. Number of spontaneous nystagmus in animals receiving cortical lesion was significantly increased 2, 6, and 12 hours after UL compared with animals being UL only. Lesion of the primary motor cortex or stimulation of the S2 sensory cortex decreased expression of c-Fos protein in MVN following UL compared with UL only group. Electrical stimulation of S2 sensory areas caused significant reduction of static vestibular symptoms and decreased expression of c-Fos protein in MVN 24 hours following UL. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that cerebral cortex involves in recovery of static vestibular symptoms during vestibular compensation following UL.
Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; Compensation and Redress ; Electric Stimulation ; Hindlimb ; Motor Cortex ; Neurons ; Rats ; Rose Bengal ; Vestibular Nuclei

BACKGROUND: As the population of immunocompromised patients continues to grow, the incidence of infections caused by opportunistic filamentous fungi will continue to increase. Inhalation of fungal spores which are found in the environmental air precedes infection with molds. We investigated the relative frequency of various molds recovered from hospital air as compared to isolates from clinical specimens. METHODS: Air samples were taken from 83 sites in Chonnam University Hospital during December 1997. Air sampler (Biotest, Germany) with Rose Bengal agar strip (Biotest, Germany) was calibrated to take 40 liters of air. The strips were incubated at 37degrees C for 2-14 days. The results of air cultures were compared with those from the clinical specimens during a year (1997). RESULTS: Of 83 air samples cultured, 61 (73.5%) were positive for molds: 43 (51.8%) samples with 1-2 CFU, 15 (18.1 %) samples with 3-5 CFU, and 3 (3.6%) samples with > 5 CFU. A total of 184 molds were isolated and the most frequently recovered molds were Cladosporium (26.0%), followed by Penicillium (25.5%), Aspergillus (18.5%) and Alternaria (9.8%). The most frequently isolated molds from clinical specimens were Aspergillus (62.8%) and Fusarium (20.2%). For Aspergillus species, A. flavus (28,8%) and A. fumigates (25.4%) were predominant among the clinical isolates, whereas A sydowii (44.1%) and A. niger (38.2%) were common in the hospital air. CONCLUSION: This result shows that Cladosporium and Penicillium are the predominant molds in the hospital air and the relative frequency of molds recovered from hospital air is quite different from those of clinical isolates.
Agar ; Alternaria ; Aspergillus ; Cladosporium ; Fungi* ; Fusarium ; Immunocompromised Host ; Incidence ; Inhalation ; Jeollanam-do ; Niger ; Penicillium ; Rose Bengal ; Spores, Fungal

The retinal vein occlusion is one of the most common retinal diseases, and the establishment of animal model in rats will be a great help for further study. We occluded branch retinal veins with rose bengal dye injection followed by argon-green laser photocoagulation in albino rats. Retinal vein occlusion was maintained over 1 day in 35 eyes out of 47, maximally over 5 days. Retinal tissue damage was confined to the photocoagulated areas in most eyes and the loss of ganglion cells began when the occlusion persisted over 1 day. If the reproducibility is further increased, this will be a good animal model of retinal vein occlusion in albino rats.
Animals ; Ganglion Cysts ; Light Coagulation ; Models, Animal ; Rats* ; Retinal Diseases ; Retinal Vein Occlusion* ; Retinal Vein* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Rose Bengal

Diverse fungi are present in Korean traditional meju and they are known to play an important role in fermented soybean products. To determine the origin of the fungi in meju, we examined the mycoflora of soybeans from 10 traditional meju factories. The samples were untreated or treated with sodium hypochlorite, and placed on malt extract agar (MEA), dichloran 18% glycerol agar (DG18), and dichloran rose bengal chloramphenicol agar (DRBC) medium. A total of 794 fungal strains were isolated and they were identified as 41 genera and 86 species. From sodium hypochlorite untreated soybeans, the genera, Cladosporium (55%), Eurotium (51%), Fusarium (33%), Penicillium (22%), and Aspergillus (exclusion of Eurotium) (20%), were mainly isolated, and Eurotium herbariorum (22%), Eurotium repens (18%), Cladosporium tenuissimum (18%), F. fujikuroi (18%), Aspergillus oryzae/flavus (7%), and Penicillium steckii (6%) were the predominant species. In case of sodium hypochlorite-treated soybeans, Eurotium (31%) and Cladosporium (5%) were frequently isolated, but Aspergillus (excluding Eurotium), Penicillium and Fusarium which were frequently isolated from untreated soybeans, were rarely isolated. Eurotium herbariorum (21%), Eurotium repens (8%), and Cladosporium tenuissimum (3%) were the predominant species. Of the 41 genera and 86 species isolated from soybeans, 13 genera and 33 species were also found in meju. These results suggest that the fungi on soybeans may influence the mycoflora of meju.
Agar ; Aniline Compounds ; Aspergillus ; Chloramphenicol ; Cladosporium ; Eurotium ; Fermentation ; Fungi ; Fusarium ; Glycerol ; Penicillium ; Rose Bengal ; Sodium ; Sodium Hypochlorite ; Soybeans