Effect of dorzolamide/timolol combination on the visual field in glaucoma.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of treatment for 3 years with a dorzolamide/timolol (1%/0.5%) fixed combination (DTFC) on visual field progression in patients with open-angle glaucoma.

Participants: A total of 14 consecutive patients were enrolled who had been previously treated with monotherapy or any combination of a beta blocker, carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, and/or prostaglandin analog for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG; n=4) or normal-tension glaucoma (NTG; n=10).

Glycolysis in patients with age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: Retinal adenosine triphosphate is mainly produced via glycolysis, so inhibition of glycolysis may promote the onset and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). When glycolysis is inhibited, pyruvate is metabolized by lactic acid fermentation instead of entering the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. We measured urinary pyruvate and lactate levels in patients with AMD.

Specific IgG for cat allergens in patients with allergic conjunctivitis.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies are involved in type II and type III hypersensitivity. We evaluated the relation between perennial allergic conjunctivitis and serum levels of specific IgG for cat allergens. A prospective study was conducted in patients with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (seasonal group, n = 10), patients with perennial allergic conjunctivitis (perennial group, n = 10), and healthy control subjects (control group, n = 10).

Sensitization to Asian dust and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.

Objective: Asian dust storms frequently occur in northeast Asia and the dust occasionally even spreads as far as North America during spring. Asian dust can be harmful to human health and the environment, and thus has become one of the most serious problems for Asian countries. In the present study, we evaluated sensitization to Asian dust in Japanese patients with rhinoconjunctivitis.

Airborne particulate matter (PM2.5) and the prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis in Japan.

Objective: Exposure to particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) is associated with asthma and respiratory symptoms, but little is known about the influence of PM2.

Critical role of TLR2 and MyD88 for functional response of macrophages to a group IIA-secreted phospholipase A2 from snake venom.

The snake venom MT-III is a group IIA secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) enzyme with functional and structural similarities with mammalian pro-inflammatory sPLA2s of the same group. Previously, we demonstrated that MT-III directly activates the innate inflammatory response of macrophages, including release of inflammatory mediators and formation of lipid droplets (LDs). However, the mechanisms coordinating these processes remain unclear.

Specific IgE for wheat in tear fluid of patients with allergic conjunctivitis.

Context: Allergy to hydrolyzed wheat protein in facial soap has become a major social issue in Japan. It has been reported that the most frequent early symptoms of allergy to hydrolyzed wheat protein in soap are allergic conjunctivitis and rhinitis, while wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis can be induced by long-term use.

Objective: We evaluated the relation between tear fluid levels of specific IgE for wheat and the features of allergic conjunctivitis.

Psychologists involved in cancer palliative care in Japan: A nationwide survey.

Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify, using a nationwide survey, what is perceived as necessary knowledge and skills for psychologists involved in cancer palliative care in Japan, the expectations of medical staff members, and the degree to which these expectations are met.

Method: We conducted a questionnaire survey of psychologists involved in cancer palliative care. A total of 419 psychologists from 403 facilities were asked to fill out the questionnaire and return it anonymously.

Relationship between blood levels of propofol and recovery of memory in electroconvulsive therapy.

Aim: Memory impairment is a potential major adverse effect of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Some reports have suggested that propofol, an intravenous anesthetic widely used for general anesthesia in ECT, can minimize adverse effects on memory and cognitive function following ECT. The relation between propofol blood level during ECT and memory impairment after the procedure is unknown.

Introducing glycomics data into the Semantic Web.

Background: Glycoscience is a research field focusing on complex carbohydrates (otherwise known as glycans)a, which can, for example, serve as "switches" that toggle between different functions of a glycoprotein or glycolipid. Due to the advancement of glycomics technologies that are used to characterize glycan structures, many glycomics databases are now publicly available and provide useful information for glycoscience research. However, these databases have almost no link to other life science databases.

Bioinertness and fracture toughness evaluation of the monoclinic zirconia surface film of Oxinium™ femoral head by Raman and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy.

Raman and cathodoluminescence spectroscopic methods were employed for clarifying important stoichiometric and mechanical properties so far missing in the specification of the physical origin of the structural behavior of Oxinium™ femoral head components. Spectroscopy proved helpful in rationalizing the actual physical and chemical reasons behind the mechanical integrity of the ceramic-film/metal-substrate interface, which is responsible for both the good adherence and the surface durability reported in prosthetic applications of Oxinium™ components. Raman spectroscopy coupled with the crack opening displacement (COD) method was used to evaluate the intrinsic fracture toughness of the surface oxide film.

Early heparin administration attenuates tissue factor-mediated thrombin generation during simulated cardiopulmonary bypass.

Background: We tested the hypothesis that heparin administration prior to the emergence of tissue factor (TF) would increase plasma TF pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and attenuate TF-mediated thrombin generation during simulated cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Methods: Human blood was recirculated for 120 minutes using an oxygenator and roller pump. Four groups were examined: control group (heparin 3.

Fatal aortotracheal fistula combined with aortoesophageal fistula in an infant with double aortic arch: a warning.

This report describes a 2-month-old male infant with a double aortic arch (DAA) complicated by aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) and aortotracheal fistula (ATF). He was intubated with an endotracheal tube at birth because of neonatal asphyxia. A nasogastric tube was also placed for gastric decompression and milk feeding.

Glucocorticoid mediates the transcription of OAT-PG, a kidney-specific prostaglandin transporter.

OAT-PG is a kidney-specific prostaglandin transporter and exclusively expressed at the basolateral membrane of proximal tubules in rodent kidneys. We previously reported that OAT-PG was dominantly expressed in the male kidney similar to the other SLC22 family proteins as organic anion transporter (OAT) 1 and OAT3. Recently, Wegner et al.

Decreased expression of a novel prostaglandin transporter, OAT-PG, facilitates renocortical PGE2 accumulation during rat pregnancy.

Background: Prostaglandin (PG)-specific organic anion transporter (OAT-PG) is a recently identified renal transporter involved in the local clearance of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Since the renal biosynthesis of PGE2 is not increased during pregnancy, this transporter expression would affect the gestational changes in the renal PGE2 content.

Methods: Kidneys from rats at different gestational stages were used to examine gestational changes in the renocortical PGE2 concentration.

In situ laser micropatterning of proteins for dynamically arranging living cells.

This study shows the modification of the surface of polymer-layered glass substrates to form biofunctional micropatterns through femtosecond laser ablation in an aqueous solution. Domains of micrometer size on a substrate can be selectively converted from proteinphobic (resistant to protein adsorption) to proteinphilic, allowing patterning of protein features under physiological aqueous conditions. When femtosecond laser pulses (800 nm, 1 kHz, 200-500 nJ per pulse) were focused on and scanned on the substrate, which was glass covered with the proteinphobic polymer 2-methacryloyloxyethylphosphorylcholine (MPC), the surface became proteinphilic.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection of esophageal cancer using the Mucosectom2 device: a feasibility study.

Background And Study Aims: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is being increasingly used for superficial esophageal cancers. However, esophageal ESD is technically difficult, time consuming, and less safe compared with endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). To perform ESD safely and more efficiently, various types of knives have been developed.

Specific IgE in tear fluid and features of allergic conjunctivitis.

Purpose: The level of specific class E immunoglobulins (IgE) in tear fluid is a useful diagnostic indicator for allergic conjunctivitis, but it is still unclear whether the measurement of tear fluid IgE is helpful for assessing the severity of allergic conjunctivitis. In this study, we evaluated the relation between tear fluid levels of specific IgE and features of allergic conjunctivitis.

Methods: A prospective, nonrandomized, cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with allergic conjunctivitis (n = 55, allergic group) and age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects (n = 50, control group).

Influence of axial length on conjunctivochalasis.

Purpose: To investigate the relation between the severity of conjunctivochalasis and the axial length (AL) of the eyeball.

Methods: A prospective nonrandomized study was performed on 165 patients aged 51 to 88 years. The age, gender, medical history, ocular history, grade and other parameters of inferior conjunctivochalasis (classified as nasal, middle, and temporal), and AL were determined in all patients.

Loss of runt-related transcription factor 3 induces gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer.

Background & Aim: Runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) is a tumor suppressor gene that is expressed in gastric and other cancers including pancreatic cancer. However, the precise function of RUNX3 in pancreatic cancer has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of decreased RUNX3 expression in pancreatic cancer.

A study of static, kinetic, and dynamic visual acuity in 102 Japanese professional baseball players.

Background: It seemed that visual functions might have some effects on the performance of baseball players. We measured static, kinetic, and dynamic visual acuity (SVA, KVA, and DVA, respectively) of Japanese professional baseball players to ascertain whether there would be any difference in SVA, KVA, and DVA among player groups stratified according to their performance level.

Methods: The subjects were 102 male professional baseball players with a mean age of 26 years who were members of a Japanese professional baseball club from 2000 to 2009.

Serum monomeric α2-macroglobulin as a clinical biomarker in diabetes.

Objective: Despite the number of potential biomarker proteins for diabetes, very few of them have proven useful as clinically beneficial indicators, because of the technical difficulties associated with their identification among highly abundant serum proteins. We attempted to identify a protein with distinguishable expression in human diabetes.

Methods: We applied a highly efficient strategy for the purification of endogenous low abundance proteins from diabetic and non-diabetic serum samples.

Successful surgical removal of a giant interventricular fibroma: surgical approach without ventriculotomy.

A 14-month-old boy was transported to our hospital by ambulance because of cardiopulmonary arrest after the sudden onset of convulsions. He was resuscitated and transthoracic echocardiography showed a giant interventricular tumor. The cause of this episode was thought to be ventricular arrhythmias induced by the tumor.

Troubles and hardships faced by psychologists in cancer care.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify problems experienced by psychologists involved in cancer and palliative care and consider an education system for psychologists.

Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey of psychologists involved in cancer care and palliative care. At the 403 facilities, 419 psychologists who received the questionnaire were asked to fill it out anonymously.