Pinus densiflora needle extract (PDNE) is widely reported to have many pharmacological activities including antioxidant potential. However, the solvent system used for extraction greatly affects its antioxidant quality. Hence, in the present study, we investigated the effect of a different ratio (vol/vol) of ethanol to water (0-100％) in the extraction of PDNE with potent antioxidant capacity. The chemical assays, 2,2-diphenyl-1 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), were conducted to assess the antioxidant potential of PDNE. Subsequently, the cytoprotective effect of PDNE was determined using tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP)-challenged HepG2 cellular model. The needle extracts from 40％ ethanol (PDNE-40) showed greater radical scavenging activity followed by 60％, 20％, 80％, 0％ and 100％ ethanol extracts. EC50 value of the most active extract, PDNE-40, was 8.56 ± 0.51 μg/mL, relative to 1.34 ± 0.28 μg/mL of the standard trolox (for ABTS radical), and 75.96 ± 11.60 μg/mL, relative to 4.83 ± 0.26 μg/mL of the standard trolox (for DPPH radical). Either PDNE-20 or PDNE-40 pretreatment remarkably decreased the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxides and protein carbonyls in TBHP-challenged HepG2 cells. In addition, both PDNE-20 and PDNE-40 significantly reversed the decreased ratio of reduced (GSH) to oxidized (GSSG) glutathione. Moreover, these two extracts showed a significant inhibitory effect on TBHP-induced nuclear damage and loss of cell viability. In summary, the inclusion of 40％ ethanol in water for extraction of Pinus densiflora needle greatly increases the antioxidant quality of the extract.

BACKGROUND: Blowout fracture is one of the most common facial fractures, and patients usually present with accompanying ocular complications. Many studies have looked into the frequency of persistent ocular symptoms, but there is no study on assault patients and related ocular symptoms. We evaluated the incidence of residual ocular symptoms in blow-out fractures between assaulted and non-assaulted patients, and sought to identify any connection among the degree of enophthalmos, defect size, and assault-related injury. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed for any patient who sustained a unilateral blowout fracture between January 2010 to December 2014. The collected data included information such as age, gender, etiology, and clinical ocular symptoms as examined by an ophthalmologist. This data was analyzed between patients who were injured through physical altercation and patients who were injured through other means. RESULTS: The review identified a total of 182 patients. Out of these, 74 patients (40.7%) have been struck by a fist, whereas 108 patients (59.3%) have sustained non-assault related injuries. The average age was 36.1 years, and there was a male predominance in both groups (70 patients [94.6%] in the assaulted group and 87 patients [80.6%] in the non-assault group). Diplopia and enophthalmos were more frequent in patients with assault history than in non-assaulted patients (p <0.05). Preoperatively, 25 patients (33.8%) with assault history showed diplopia, whereas 20 patients (18.5%) showed diplopia in the non-assaulted group (p <0.05). Preoperative enophthalmos was present in 34 patients (45.9%) with assault history, whereas 31 patients (28.7%) showed enophthalmos in the non-assaulted group (p <0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with an assault history due to a fist blow experienced preoperative symptoms more frequently than did patients with non-assault-related trauma history. Preoperative diplopia and enophthalmos occurred at a higher rate for patients who were assaulted. Surgeons should take into account such characteristics in the management of assaulted patients.
Diplopia ; Enophthalmos ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Orbital Fractures ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgeons ; Violence

No abstract available.
Humans

No abstract available.
Histiocytosis*

Massive subretinal hemorrhage may develop secondary to choroidal neovascularization. The poor visual prognosis associated with submacular hemorrhage can be explained by preexisting abnormality of photoreceptorretinal pigment epithelium-Bruch's membrane complex and fibrin-mediated injury to the outer segment of photoreceptor. An animal experiment showed that subretinal fibrin induced irreversible damage to the retina within 24 hours. We use recombinant tissue plasminogen activator(rt-PA), at doses(3 microgram substantially lower than previously reported, to aid in the surgical evacuation of massive subretinal hemorrhage within 2 days of its development. The subretinal hemorrhage in both patients developed in association with age-related macular degeneration. Postoperative corrected visual acuity improved from counting fingers to 0.3 in one patient and from hand motion to 0.04 in the other. There has been no complication except ocular hypertension which is medically controllable. Subfoveal neovascularization explains poor postoperative vision in one case. It seems that visual recovery is facilitated by early evacuation of massive subretinal hemorrhage and by using low-dose rt-PA. Low-dose rt-PA may minimize the risks of intraocular hemorrhage and retinal toxicity.
Animal Experimentation ; Choroidal Neovascularization ; Fibrin ; Fingers ; Hand ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Macular Degeneration ; Membranes ; Ocular Hypertension ; Plasminogen ; Prognosis ; Retina ; Retinaldehyde ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator* ; Visual Acuity

In the present study, we examined the distribution and amount of two important glutamate transporters, GLT-1 and GLAST in the cerebellum of young and aged rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were used at the age of three months for young control (n=3) and 24 months for aged group (n=4). After transcardial perfusion with 4% paraformaldehyde, brain sections were immunostained for GLT-1, and GLAST. We found that GLT-1- and GLAST-immunoreactive materials were diffusely distributed throughout the gray matter of the cerebellum. Pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopic study demonstrated that the two glutamate transporters in the cerebellum were restricted to glial cells with astrocytic features. The intensity of GLT-1-immunostaining in the cerebellum appeared to be higher in aged rats than in young rats whereas GLAST-immunostaining decreased with aging. Western blot results were also consistent with the immunohistochemical observations. Conclusively, GLT-1 and GLAST expression in the rat cerebellum was changed with aging, i.e, increase of GLT-1 and decrease of GLAST expression with aging, which suggests that the two glutamate transporters might be regulated by different underlying mechanisms with aging.
Aged ; Aging ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Brain ; Cerebellum ; Formaldehyde ; Glutamic Acid ; Humans ; Neuroglia ; Perfusion ; Polymers ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Choroidal detachment after retinal detachment surgery is relatively common but preoperative choroidal detachment is very rare. We reviewed three cases of choroidal detachment associated with primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment to see whether there were common features that may be of help in early diagnosis and treatment. The patients were elderly and presented with markedly decreased vision, profound hypotony and inflammatory cells in anterior chamber. Indirect ophthalmoscopy revealed rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with choroidal detachment and proliferative vitreoretinopathy. They were treated with preoperative and postoperative steroid and undergone surgery including vitrectomy. The follow-up periods were 8, 6 and 2 months respectively. Choroidal detachment disappeared, successful reattachment of retina was achieved and corrected visual acuity was improved in all cases. Choroidal detachment associated with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment seems to be associated with hypotony, intraocular inflammation and unstable vascular system. Careful assessment and proper management including surgical procedure seem to improve its prognosis.
Aged ; Anterior Chamber ; Choroid* ; Early Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Ophthalmoscopy ; Prognosis ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy ; Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative

BACKGROUND: Recent studies revealed that inhalational anesthetics (IA) attenuate NO production. But the hemodynamic changes produced by IA in septic syndrome patient are still sufficient to threaten patient, surgeon and anesthesiologist. So we examined which IA is proper to maintain vascular contractile force and evaluated the effects of NOS inhibitors on contractile force of septic rat aorta under IA. METHODS: Aortic ring preparation was obtained from LPS-treated (1.5 mg/kg, i.p. for 18h) rats. The development of sepsis was confirmed by iNOS activity and iNOS expression using RT-PCR. Contractile responses of aorta to phenylephrine admministation in the presence or absence of halothane, enflurane and isoflurane were evaluated. We also evaluated the effects of NOS inhibitors, one is NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and the other is aminoguanidine. Statistical significances (p<0.05) were analyzed according to data characteristics by unpaired t-test and paired t-test. RESULTS: The contractile responses to phenylephrine admministration were attenuated in LPS-treated rings. Isoflurane, even at the dose of 2 MAC, didn't affect the contractile response while both halothane and enflurane decreased the contractile response even at the dose of 1 MAC. The potentiation of contractile responses by NOS inhibitors were not affected during administeration of IA. CONCLUSIONS: From these results, it is suggested that isoflurane is the safest inhalational anesthetic and NOS inhibitors, especially L-NAME, may be very useful in the therapy of septic shock patients during general anesthesia.
Anesthesia, General ; Anesthetics* ; Animals ; Aorta ; Enflurane ; Halothane ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Isoflurane ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Nitric Oxide Synthase* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Phenylephrine ; Rats* ; Sepsis ; Shock, Septic

Illumination and access of instruments to peripheral fundus are limited by lens in phakic vitrectomy. The purpose of this study was to determine if curved endoilluminator could enhance visibility of peripheral fundus in phakic virectomy. Ten consecutive cases of pars plana vitrectomy were done for vitreous opacity. Indirect laser photocoagluation was done to make four reference points of distance from optic disc to nasal ora serrata. We evaluated the respective extent of nasal peripheral view with the use of curved or straight endoilluminator which was inserted through temporal scleral port. When compared with the straight endoilluminator, the curved endoilluminator enhanced the visualization of peripheral fundus(p<0.05). A curved endoilluminator may be a useful surgical adjunct during the phakic vitrectomy and other advantages and disadvantages of its use are discussed.
Lighting* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Vitrectomy*

BACKGROUND: Circardian variation in the onset of cardiovascular events includig sudden cardiac death, myocardial infarction and ventricular arrhythmias has been discribed. The frequency of ventricular premature complexes has also been reported to demonstrate a pattern consisting of a daytime peak and nightime nadir. We tried to see if the same circardian pattern is found in dilated cardiomyopathy patients. We have also studed how various modifying factors such as left ventricular ejection fration and ACE inhibitor use may affect the circardian pattern. METHOD: 24-hour ambulatory electrocaridiographic monitorings were performed in 50 dilated cardiomyopathy patients and 20 control subjects. Patients were prospectively divided in 2 groups based on LVEF and ACE inhibitor use. RESULTS: In dilated cardiomyopathy patients, the expected morning increase in VPC frequency is absent and show a peak in evening. This pattern is not correlated with heart rate. Evening peak is more prominent in low LVEF group and ACE inhibitor non-user group. CONCLUSION: In dilated cardiomyopathy patients, VPC frequency show a peak in the evening.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated* ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Prospective Studies ; Ventricular Premature Complexes*