The Use of Polarization Filters to Detect the Edge of the Descemet’s Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty(DSAEK) Graft

To report the technique of combining the two different polarization filters to detect the flap edge of the corneoscleral tissue before trephining the Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) tissue. A human DSAEK donor tissue was prepared with mechanical microkeratome and the tissue on the cutting block was brought under the microscope. The liner, circular, or the combination of these two polarization filters was placed between the tissue and the microscope. The tissue images were taken with digital camera under either of 3 settings. The combination of circular and linear polarization filters enabled us to recognize the edge of the flap more easily than others. This simple system with polarization filters was effective in clear visualization of the flap edge during DSAEK tissue preparation. These features may significantly enhance safety of various surgical procedures, in addition to DSAEK tissue preparation

Effect of Anesthetics on Phosphate (32P) Metabolism of the Rat Brain

The effect of chlorpromazine (Chp), ether, hexobarbital (evipal) and urethan on the content and turnover rate of phosphate compounds in rat brain tissue was investigated. 32P was taken up into various phosphate fractions in the following order of decreasing rate: ATP, creatine phosphate (CP), nucleoprotein (NP) and phospholipid (LP). ATP concentration was increased and the turnover rate of the fraction was diminished by Chp with evipal (Chp-evipal) and Chp with urethan (Chp-urethan) anesthesia. CP concentration was not appreciably changed but its turnover rate was decreased except for Chp with ether (Chp-ether) anesthesia in which a reduction of CP and acceleration of its turnover rate was noted. These findings suggest that the utilization of high energy phosphate esters is inhibited by Chp-evipal and Chp-urethan but not by Chp-ether. The incorporation of 32P into LP and NP was significantly decreased after 2-hour anesthesia, while it was rather increased within 30 minutes particularly with Chp-ether anesthesia. A different mode of action of Chp-ether on phosphate metabolism of the brain is suspected when compared with that of Chp-evipal as well as Chp-urethan

Spontaneous Discriminative Response to the Biological Motion Displays Involving a Walking Conspecific in Mice

Recent translational studies using mice have contributed toward elucidating the neural, genetic, and molecular basis of social communication deficits. Nevertheless, many components of visual processes underlying mice sociality remain unresolved, including perception of bodily-movement. Here, we aimed to reveal the visual sensitivity of mice to information on bodily motion using biological motion displays depicted by simple geometric dots. We introduced biological motions extracted from walking mice vs. corresponding meaningless scrambled motions, in which the spatial configurations of each path of dots were shuffled. The apparatus was a three-chambered box with an opening between the chambers, and each side chamber had a monitor. We measured the exploration time of mice within the apparatus during the test, with two types of displays being presented. Mice spent more time in the chamber with the scrambled motion displays, indicating that animals spontaneously discriminated stimuli, with the scrambled motion being relatively novel. Furthermore, mice might have detected socially familiar cues from the biological motion displays. Subsequent testing revealed that additional mice showed no bias to the static versions of the stimuli used in the Movie test. Thus, we confirmed that mice modulated their behavior by focusing on the motion information of the stimuli, rather than the spatial configurations of each dot. Our findings provide a new perspective on how visual processing contributes to underlying social behavior in mice, potentially facilitating future translational studies of social deficits with respect to genetic and neural bases

Subconjunctival Emphysema After Descemet's Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK)

DSAEK has recently evolved as a preferred method in place of PKP. After DSAEK, we experienced subconjunctival emphysema, decreased air bubble in the AC and low IOP. This could lead to complications, higher rate of dislocation or infection. We should control the wound closure with suture when in doubt

First multicenter survey on infectious keratitis following excimer laser surgery in Japan

AbstractPurposeTo report the first multicenter survey in Japan on infectious keratitis after excimer laser surgery.MethodsThe laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) Safety Network (LSN) Committee sent questionnaires to 28 LSN member hospitals to assess the total number of laser corneal surgeries, the number of infection cases (including suspicious cases), and the postoperative follow-up rate during a 3-year period.ResultsResponses were obtained from 27 (96.4%) of 28 institutions. One phototherapeutic keratectomy infection case was reported among 22,415 excimer laser surgery cases, which equates to an incidence rate of 0.004%. The follow-up rate was 94.14% (67.2–100%), 80.11% (41.0–96.1%), 57.95% (11.5–93.0%), and 46.64% (4.7–93.0%) at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months of follow-up, respectively.ConclusionInfectious keratitis is a potentially devastating complication of excimer laser surgery. We did not see any infectious keratitis for refractive cases. This first multicenter survey in Japan on infectious keratitis provides important information on the safety of this therapy

Modeling of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Derived Radioactive Cesium Dynamics in Grazing Grassland

The damage to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant incurred following the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 resulted in serious radioactive pollution of Eastern Japan. In some grasslands of this area, radioactive cesium (Cs) content of grasses exceeded the provisional safety standard for use as feed for dairy and beef cattle of 100 Bq kg–1 fresh weight, and the livestock industry has been seriously affected in numerous ways: needing to dispose of polluted forage, grazing prohibitions, declines in beef prices, suspensions of shipping beef to market, and blanket testing of beef cattle (Manabe et al., 2013). The spatial distribution of radioactive Cs in grasslands was complex in various scales (Tsuiki and Maeda, 2012a; 2012b). So it is difficult to estimate actual pollution level in grassland ecosystems. The transfer of radioactive Cs from soil to plant is affected by soil soluble potassium (K) concentration, pH, clay and organic matter contents (Absalom et al., 2001; Tsuiki et al., 2013). The radioactive Cs dynamics in soil-plantanimal system is complex and modeling is necessary to clarify the relationships. In this study, a model of radioactive Cs dynamics in Zoysia japonica Steud. dominated grazing grassland was developed to predict radioactive Cs concentration of grass and grazing cattle

Restriction-modification system with methyl-inhibited base excision and abasic-site cleavage activities

The restriction-modification systems use epigenetic modification to distinguish between self and nonself DNA. A modification enzyme transfers a methyl group to a base in a specific DNA sequence while its cognate restriction enzyme introduces breaks in DNA lacking this methyl group. So far, all the restriction enzymes hydrolyze phosphodiester bonds linking the monomer units of DNA. We recently reported that a restriction enzyme (R.PabI) of the PabI superfamily with half-pipe fold has DNA glycosylase activity that excises an adenine base in the recognition sequence (5′-GTAC). We now found a second activity in this enzyme: at the resulting apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) (abasic) site (5′-GT#C, # = AP), its AP lyase activity generates an atypical strand break. Although the lyase activity is weak and lacks sequence specificity, its covalent DNA–R.PabI reaction intermediates can be trapped by NaBH[subscript 4] reduction. The base excision is not coupled with the strand breakage and yet causes restriction because the restriction enzyme action can impair transformation ability of unmethylated DNA even in the absence of strand breaks in vitro. The base excision of R.PabI is inhibited by methylation of the target adenine base. These findings expand our understanding of genetic and epigenetic processes linking those in prokaryotes and eukaryotes

Ligand-Specific c-Fos Expression Emerges from the Spatiotemporal Control of ErbB Network Dynamics

SummaryActivation of ErbB receptors by epidermal growth factor (EGF) or heregulin (HRG) determines distinct cell-fate decisions, although signals propagate through shared pathways. Using mathematical modeling and experimental approaches, we unravel how HRG and EGF generate distinct, all-or-none responses of the phosphorylated transcription factor c-Fos. In the cytosol, EGF induces transient and HRG induces sustained ERK activation. In the nucleus, however, ERK activity and c-fos mRNA expression are transient for both ligands. Knockdown of dual-specificity phosphatases extends HRG-stimulated nuclear ERK activation, but not c-fos mRNA expression, implying the existence of a HRG-induced repressor of c-fos transcription. Further experiments confirmed that this repressor is mainly induced by HRG, but not EGF, and requires new protein synthesis. We show how a spatially distributed, signaling-transcription cascade robustly discriminates between transient and sustained ERK activities at the c-Fos system level. The proposed control mechanisms are general and operate in different cell types, stimulated by various ligands