Visual Function after Primary Posterior Chamber Intraocular Lens Implantation in Pediatric Unilateral Cataract: Stereopsis and Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between binocular function and vision after cataract removal and primary posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC-IOL) implantation in children with unilateral cataract and to identify visual function differences according cataract type. METHODS: Clinical records of 2- to 6-year-old patients with unilateral cataract removal and primary PC-IOL implantation were reviewed retrospectively. Visual acuity and ocular alignment were measured. Sensory fusion was assessed with the Worth 4-dot test, and stereoacuity with the Titmus stereo test. Cataracts were classified according to cause, lens opacity location, age at onset, and presence of strabismus. Clinical characteristics of patients who obtained good visual function were identified. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were included. Among 22 (46.8%) with good vision (20/40 or better), only 6 (27.3%) achieved good binocular function (the presence of fusion and 100 seconds of arc or better of stereoacuity). Visual acuity was better in eyes with good binocular function (p=0.002). No other variables were significant for achieving good binocular function. CONCLUSIONS: The removal of unilateral cataract in a visually immature child can result in a combination of good visual acuity and binocular function. Good binocular function is closely related to good visual acuity

Observation of orientation-dependent photovoltaic behaviors in aligned organic nanowires

We fabricated organic nanowire (NW) solar cells based on aligned NWs of n-channel organic semiconductor, N,N???-bis(2-phenylethyl)-perylene-3,4:9, 10-tetracarboxylic diimide via a filtration-and-transfer alignment method. It is well known that most efficient charge transport typically takes place along the long axis of organic NWs. However, there is no systematic study on the correlation between the orientation of NWs in the active layer and the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of solar cells. Our results demonstrate the effects of alignment direction of NWs on the PCE of organic solar cells with single-crystalline NWs.open0

A Sporadic Case of Mal de Meleda Caused by Gene Mutation in SLURP-1 in Korea

Mal de Meleda (MDM), also known as keratoderma palmoplantaris transgrediens, is a rare inherited form of palmoplantar keratoderma. It is characterized by erythema and hyperkeratosis of the palms and soles, extending to the dorsal aspects of the hands and feet. A 15-year-old Korean female presented with sharply demarcated hyperkeratotic plaques on the palms and soles, which extended to the dorsal surfaces of the hands and feet, in a "glove-and-socks" distribution. The histopathologic study showed marked hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, and normogranulosis, without epidermolysis. Her genetic study detected compound heterozygous mutation in exon 3 of the ARS gene encoding SLURP-1. Family history did not reveal any other affected members and no consanguineous relationship was found. In view of these findings, we diagnosed this case as the first reported sporadic case of MDM in Korea, the farthest location from the endemic island of Meleda

Relation between preoperative hyperopia and surgical outcome in infantile esotropia

AIM: To evaluate the relation between preoperative hyperopia and surgical outcomes of infantile esotropia in patients younger than 24 months of age. METHODS: Medical records of patients who underwent bilateral medial rectus muscle recession for infantile esotropia between November 1, 2002 and December 1, 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups according to the degree of preoperative hyperopia. Group I had less than +3.0 diopter (D) of hyperopia and group II had between +3.0 and +5.0 D of hyperopia. Postoperative alignments were evaluated 1wk, 3, 6mo, and 1y after surgery. Following the 1-year postoperative visit, patients were monitored yearly. Relationships between preoperative factors including hyperopia and postoperative outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Forty-six patients were included, with 33 patients in group I and 13 patients in group II. The preoperative mean refractive error was +0.88 D in group I and +3.45 D in group II. Surgical outcomes were not significantly different between groups at any postoperative time point examined. Cumulative probability of surgical success, prevalence of inferior oblique overaction, dissociated vertical deviation, and re-operation rate were not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION: Preoperative moderate hyperopia (less than +5.0 D) did not affect the surgical outcome of infantile esotropia. Therefore, the surgical correction of esotropia should be considered when the angle of esodeviation is unchanged following hyperopia correction, even in children with moderate hyperopia

Differential profiling of breast cancer plasma proteome by isotope-coded affinity tagging method reveals biotinidase as a breast cancer biomarker

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of women's death worldwide. It is important to discover a reliable biomarker for the detection of breast cancer. Plasma is the most ideal source for cancer biomarker discovery since many cells cross-communicate through the secretion of soluble proteins into blood.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Plasma proteomes obtained from 6 breast cancer patients and 6 normal healthy women were analyzed by using the isotope-coded affinity tag (ICAT) labeling approach and tandem mass spectrometry. All the plasma samples used were depleted of highly abundant 6 plasma proteins by immune-affinity column chromatography before ICAT labeling. Several proteins showing differential abundance level were selected based on literature searches and their specificity to the commercially available antibodies, and then verified by immunoblot assays.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 155 proteins were identified and quantified by ICAT method. Among them, 33 proteins showed abundance changes by more than 1.5-fold between the plasmas of breast cancer patients and healthy women. We chose 5 proteins for the follow-up confirmation in the individual plasma samples using immunoblot assay. Four proteins, α1-acid glycoprotein 2, monocyte differentiation antigen CD14, biotinidase (BTD), and glutathione peroxidase 3, showed similar abundance ratio to ICAT result. Using a blind set of plasmas obtained from 21 breast cancer patients and 21 normal healthy controls, we confirmed that BTD was significantly down-regulated in breast cancer plasma (Wilcoxon rank-sum test, <it>p </it>= 0.002). BTD levels were lowered in all cancer grades (I-IV) except cancer grade zero. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of BTD was 0.78. Estrogen receptor status (<it>p </it>= 0.940) and progesterone receptor status (<it>p </it>= 0.440) were not associated with the plasma BTD levels.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study suggests that BTD is a potential serological biomarker for the detection of breast cancer.</p

Changes in Microbial Community Composition Related to Sex and Colon Cancer by Nrf2 Knockout

The frequency of azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS)-induced carcinogenesis in male mice is higher than that in female mice. Previous studies have reported that 17β-estradiol inhibits tumorigenesis in males by modulating nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). This study aimed to investigate the changes in mouse gut microbiome composition based on sex, AOM/DSS-induced colorectal cancer (CRC), and Nrf2 genotype. The gut microbiome composition was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing fecal samples obtained at week 16 post-AOM administration. In terms of sex differences, our results showed that the wild-type (WT) male control mice had higher alpha diversity (i.e. Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson) than the WT female control mice. The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) results revealed that the abundances of Akkermansia muciniphila and Lactobacillus murinus were higher in WT male control mice than in WT female controls. In terms of colon tumorigenesis, the alpha diversity of the male CRC group was lower than that of the male controls in both WT and Nrf2 KO, but did not show such changes in females. Furthermore, the abundance of A. muciniphila was higher in male CRC groups than in male controls in both WT and Nrf2 KO. The abundance of Bacteroides vulgatus was higher in WT CRC groups than in WT controls in both males and females. However, the abundance of L. murinus was lower in WT female CRC and Nrf2 KO male CRC groups than in its controls. The abundance of A. muciniphila was not altered by Nrf2 KO. In contrast, the abundances of L. murinus and B. vulgatus were changed differently by Nrf2 KO depending on sex and CRC. Interestingly, L. murinus showed negative correlation with tumor numbers in the whole colon. In addition, B. vulgatus showed positive correlation with inflammatory markers (i.e. myeloperoxidase and IL-1β levels), tumor numbers, and high-grade adenoma, especially, developed mucosal and submucosal invasive adenocarcinoma at the distal part of the colon. In conclusion, Nrf2 differentially alters the gut microbiota composition depending on sex and CRC induction