Treatment outcomes and their determinants of IgG4-related ophthalmic disease: a territory-wide cohort study.

Background: Oral corticosteroid remains the first-line treatment of IgG4-related ophthalmic disease, but steroid-dependence is common and serious. Factors associated with steroid dependence and relapse have to be further explored.

Study Population: A city-wide, biopsy-proven, Chinese cohort.

Radiological Determinants of Complicated Immunoglobulin G4-Related Ophthalmic Disease: A Territory-Wide Cohort Study.

Purpose: To evaluate the presenting radiological features of immunoglobulin G4-related ophthalmic disease (IgG4-ROD) and their associations with IgG4-related optic neuropathy (IgG4-RON), and IgG4-related ocular adnexal lymphoma (IgG4-ROL).

Methods: A territory-wide, biopsy-proven, Chinese cohort. Masked review of orbital images, medical records, and histopathology reports.

Resveratrol Stimulates the Na+-Ca2+ Exchanger on the Plasma Membrane to Reduce Cytosolic Ca2+ in Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells.

Resveratrol is well known to exhibit vascular relaxant and antihypertensive effects. In this study, we determined the effects of resveratrol on the modulation of cytosolic [Ca] level and adenosine 5'-triphosphate-induced Ca release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) and explored its underlying mechanisms. In this article, cytosolic [Ca] and SR [Ca] in ASMCs were determined by Fluo-4/acetoxymethyl and Mag-Fluo-4/acetoxymethyl respectively.

Measurement of subglottic diameter and distance to pre-epiglottic space among Chinese adults.

Proper endotracheal tube (ETT) size selection and identification of potentially difficult airways are important to reduce laryngeal injury during intubation. However, controversies exist concerning transverse subglottic diameter-the narrowest part of the airway-and the distance to pre-epiglottic space. Because few studies have reported the distance from skin to the midpoint of the epiglottis (DSE) among normal individuals, whether the DSE varies between individuals and by ethnicity remains uncertain.

The use of polymerase chain reaction assay versus conventional methods in detecting neonatal chlamydial conjunctivitis.

Purpose: To compare the performance of polymerase chain reaction versus conventional methods (cell culture and direct immunofluorescent assay) in diagnosing neonatal chlamydial conjunctivitis and their correlations to the severity of conjunctivitis.

Methods: Consecutive cases of neonatal conjunctivitis were recruited over a year. Both eyes were clinically graded according to the severity of conjunctivitis and investigated using the three aforementioned chlamydial tests.