PURPOSE: To assess whether a 4 mg/0.05 ml intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection can reduce the IOP elevation compared to conventional 4 mg/0.1 ml injection. METHODS: A retrospective case study was performed in 48 patients (48 eyes) who received intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection and who had a minimum follow-up time of six months. Patients were randomly assigned to receive 4 mg/0.1 ml or 4 mg/0.05 ml (24 patients in each group). RESULTS: Before injection, mean IOP was 13.8+/-2.2 mmHg and 13.9+/-2.4 mmHg in the 0.1 ml and 0.05 ml group. The difference in IOP elevation between the two groups was statistically significant immediately after injection (P=0.000), one hour after injection (P=0.001), and one day after injection (P=0.000). After injection, the central macular thickness decreased significantly the of two groups. The difference of the central macular thickness decrease between both groups was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: An intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide 4 mg/0.05 ml injection will more quickly reduce the IOP elevation in the early phase compared to 4 mg/0.1 ml injection, while providing a similar effect on the change of central macular thickness.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Retrospective Studies ; Triamcinolone ; Triamcinolone Acetonide

PURPOSE: To report the ocular health of a community after an accidental release of hydrofluoric acid (HF). METHODS: The hospital records of 327 patients that were exposed to HF between Sep 9, 2012 and Oct 31, 2012 were reviewed. Demographic characteristics, subjective ocular symptoms, and the ophthalmologic examination results of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Among the 327 patients, 203 patients (62.1%) were exposed to hydrofluoric acid (HF) within 1,000 m of the site of the accident. A total of 131 patients (40.1%) were exposed to HF over 3 days. The most frequently reported ocular symptoms after HF exposure were ocular pain (49.5%) and conjunctival hyperemia (37.9%). Conjunctival hyperemia (43.4%), corneal erosion (23.9%), conjunctiva papilla, and follicles (24.2% and 14.4%, respectively) were noted during ophthalmologic examinations, but 46.2% of patients were normal on examination. None of the patients had vision-threatening damages. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, severe ocular surface changes, which can affect vision, were not identified. This result could be explained by the low atmospheric HF concentration after the accident.
Burns, Chemical ; Conjunctiva ; Hospital Records ; Humans ; Hydrofluoric Acid* ; Hyperemia ; Vision, Ocular

No abstract available.
Pelvic Bones*

Nausea and emesis are a major side effect and obstacle for chemotherapy in cancer patients. Employ of antiemetic drugs help to suppress chemotherapy-induced emesis in some patients but not all patients. Ginger, an herbal medicine, has been traditionally used to treat various kinds of diseases including gastrointestinal symptoms. Ginger is effective in alleviating nausea and emesis, particularly, for cytotoxic chemotherapy drug-induced emesis. Ginger-mediated antiemetic effect has been attributed to its pungent constituents-mediated inhibition of serotonin (5-HT) receptor activity but its cellular mechanism of action is still unclear. Emetogenic chemotherapy drugs increase 5-HT concentration and activate visceral vagal afferent nerve activity. Thus, 5-HT mediated vagal afferent activation is essential to provoke emesis during chemotherapy. In this experiment, water extract of ginger and its three major pungent constituent's effect on 5-HT-evoked responses were tested on acutely dispersed visceral afferent neurons with patch-clamp methods. The ginger extract has similar effects to antiemetic drug ondansetron by blocking 5-HT-evoked responses. Pungent constituents of the ginger, [6]-shogaol, [6]-gingerol, and zingerone inhibited 5-HT responses in a dose dependent manner. The order of inhibitory potency for these compounds were [6]-shogaol>[6]-gingerol>zingerone. Unlike well-known competitive 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron, all tested ginger constituents acted as non-competitive antagonist. Our results imply that ginger and its pungent constituents exert antiemetic effects by blocking 5-HT-induced emetic signal transmission in vagal afferent neurons.
Antiemetics ; Drug Therapy ; Ginger* ; Herbal Medicine ; Humans ; Nausea ; Neurons* ; Neurons, Afferent ; Ondansetron ; Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3 ; Serotonin* ; Visceral Afferents* ; Vomiting ; Water

OBJECTIVE: Inflammation is crucial to limiting vascular disease. Previously we reported that acrolein, a known toxin in tobacco smoke, might play an important role in the progression of atherosclerosis via an inflammatory response involving cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Curcumin has been known to improve vascular function and have anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we investigated whether curcumin prevents the induction of inflammatory response caused by acrolein. METHODS: Anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin were examined in acrolein-stimulated HUVECs. Induction of proteins, mRNA, prostaglandin and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured using immunoblot analysis, real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS: Curcumin attenuates inflammatory response via inhibition of COX-2 expression and prostaglandin production in acrolein-induced human endothelial cells. This inhibition by curcumin results in the abolition of phosphorylation of protein kinase C, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and cAMP response element-binding protein. Furthermore, curcumin suppresses the production of ROS and endoplasmic reticulum stress via phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor-2α caused by acrolein. CONCLUSION These results suggest that curcumin might be a useful agent against endothelial dysfunction caused by acrolein-induced inflammatory response.

PURPOSE: To report the clinical effects of reverse ab externo scleral fixation with scleral penetration using a 10-0 prolene needle in patients with dislocation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens (PCIOL). METHODS: The ab externo scleral fixation technique uses a corneal tunnel and a loop of 10-0 propylene made by 2 consecutive scleral sutures to fix the haptic to the sclera. The reverse technique penetrates the sclera with a 10-0 prolene needle instead of a 26-gauge needle and introduces the 26-gauge needle into the corneal tunnel to pull the 10-0 prolene needle through, thus creating a loop around the haptic and fixing it to the sclera. Scleral fixation was performed on one haptic in 2 eyes and on both haptics in 3 eyes. RESULTS: The dislocated IOLs were successfully repositioned, and the corrected visual acuity was improved postoperatively in all 5 eyes. There was no specific complication except mild hyphema in 1 eye. CONCLUSIONS: Reversed ab externo scleral fixation is an easy and effective way to reposition dislocated PCIOLs and decrease the complication of hemorrhage and hypotony frequently associated with the standard ab externo technique.
Dislocations* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyphema ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Needles ; Polypropylenes ; Sclera ; Sutures ; Visual Acuity

BACKGROUND: We incidentally found purple metachromatic globules looked like red blood cells in the blood smears of a leukemic patient for reticulocyte count. The metachromatic globules were various in size and shape. The stain solution of brilliant cresyl blue was degenerated to pH change of 3.5. To find out the nature of these metachromatic globules, this study was performed. METHODS: Reticulocyte count stain was performed on the slide smears with EDTA bloods, their plasma, and sera of leukemic patients and normal persons using the degenerated brilliant cresyl blue stain solution. To clarify the nature of the metachromatic globules, we also carried out immunocytochemical stain with monoclonal antibodies to fibronectin and fibrinogen on the same slide smears prepared. The pH of the stain solution checked. RESULTS: EDTA blood, plasma and human fibrinogen product showed the same metachromatic globules. But in serum smear the metachromasia was faint and globule shape was not noted. Purified human fibrinogen showed reticulated pattern metachromasia. Immunocytochemical stain with monoclonal antibody to the fibronectin showed small dot, round, budding, and globule form positivity in the smear of EDTA blood, plasma, and human fibrinogen product. Platelets also showed positive reaction. Purified human fibrinogen showed no positive reaction. Immunocytochemical stain with monoclonal antibody to the fibrinogen on the other hands showed reticulated pattern positivity in EDTA blood, plasma, human fibrinogen product and purified human fibrinogen. Smear with serum showed no positive reaction. The stain solution was degenerated to acidic pH of 3.5. CONCLUSIONS: Fibronectin, ubiquitous adhesive protein, was easily observed by simple stain method. Further study should be followed, however we suggest detection of plasma fibronectin which is costly, could be easily done by simple stain method.
Adhesives ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Edetic Acid ; Erythrocytes ; Fibrinogen ; Fibronectins* ; Hand ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Plasma ; Reticulocyte Count

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of intracameral triamcinolone on the control of inflammation with rupture of the posterior lens capsule during cataract surgery in rabbit eyes. METHODS: Twenty rabbit eyes were subjected to experimentally induced rupture of the posterior lens capsule and prolapse of the vitreous body into the anterior chamber. After anterior vitrectomy with and without triamcinolone, aqueous flare was measured with a laser flare meter on days 1, 3, 7, 14 and 28. RESULTS: Vitrectomized eyes with triamcinolone showed a less marked increase in postoperative aqueous flare intensity on days 14 and 28 than did those without triamcinolone (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Intracameral injection of triamcinolone was beneficial for visualizing the prolapsed vitreous in the anterior chamber and for helping to control the postoperative inflammation without adverse effects.
Anterior Chamber ; Aqueous Humor ; Cataract ; Eye ; Inflammation ; Prolapse ; Rupture ; Triamcinolone ; Vitrectomy ; Vitreous Body

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) models must be validated against a reference method in a representative population sample before they can be accepted as accurate and applicable. The purpose of this study was to compare the eight-electrode BIA method with DEXA as a reference method in the assessment of body composition in Korean adults and to investigate the predictive accuracy and applicability of the eight-electrode BIA model. A total of 174 apparently healthy adults participated. The study was designed as a cross-sectional study. FM, %fat, and FFM were estimated by an eight-electrode BIA model and were measured by DEXA. Correlations between BIA_%fat and DEXA_%fat were 0.956 for men and 0.960 for women with a total error of 2.1%fat in men and 2.3%fat in women. The mean difference between BIA_%fat and DEXA_%fat was small but significant (P < 0.05), which resulted in an overestimation of 1.2 +/- 2.2%fat (95% CI: -3.2-6.2%fat) in men and an underestimation of -2.0 +/- 2.4%fat (95% CI: -2.3-7.1%fat) in women. In the Bland-Altman analysis, the %fat of 86.3% of men was accurately estimated and the %fat of 66.0% of women was accurately estimated to within 3.5%fat. The BIA had good agreement for prediction of %fat in Korean adults. However, the eight-electrode BIA had small, but systemic, errors of %fat in the predictive accuracy for individual estimation. The total errors led to an overestimation of %fat in lean men and an underestimation of %fat in obese women.
Adult ; Body Composition ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Electric Impedance ; Female ; Humans ; Male

Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) expanded in vitro exhibit not only a tendency to lose their proliferative potential, homing ability and telomere length but also genetic or epigenetic modifications, resulting in senescence. We compared differential methylation patterns of genes and miRNAs between early-passage [passage 5 (P5)] and late-passage (P15) cells and estimated the relationship between senescence and DNA methylation patterns. When we examined hypermethylated genes (methylation peak > or = 2) at P5 or P15, 2,739 genes, including those related to fructose and mannose metabolism and calcium signaling pathways, and 2,587 genes, including those related to DNA replication, cell cycle and the PPAR signaling pathway, were hypermethylated at P5 and P15, respectively. There was common hypermethylation of 1,205 genes at both P5 and P15. In addition, genes that were hypermethylated at P5 (CPEB1, GMPPA, CDKN1A, TBX2, SMAD9 and MCM2) showed lower mRNA expression than did those hypermethylated at P15, whereas genes that were hypermethylated at P15 (MAML2, FEN1 and CDK4) showed lower mRNA expression than did those that were hypermethylated at P5, demonstrating that hypermethylation at DNA promoter regions inhibited gene expression and that hypomethylation increased gene expression. In the case of hypermethylation on miRNA, 27 miRNAs were hypermethylated at P5, whereas 44 miRNAs were hypermethylated at P15. These results show that hypermethylation increases at genes related to DNA replication, cell cycle and adipogenic differentiation due to long-term culture, which may in part affect MSC senescence.
Bone Marrow Cells/*metabolism ; *DNA Methylation ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells/*metabolism ; MicroRNAs ; Molecular Sequence Annotation ; Primary Cell Culture ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Reproducibility of Results ; Signal Transduction ; Telomere Shortening