Association between tear film break up time and blink interval in visual display terminal users

AIM: To investigate the association between tear film break up time (TBUT) and blinking interval in visual display terminal (VDT) users. METHODS: Nine hundred and thirty VDT users underwent dry eye testing, and functional visual acuity (FVA) test. The blinking interval during FVA was compared with TBUT. Subjects with longer blinking interval than TBUT were considered as unstable tear film. Logistic regression analysis revealed the risk factors for unstable tear group. RESULTS: Among 930 workers, 858 subjects (92.3%) participated in this study. Almost 80% of the subjects were categorized into the unstable tear group. Unstable tear group has significantly lower Schirmer values and TBUT (17.5±11.6 vs 21.1±11.5 mm, 3.7±2.6 vs 5.7±2.7s, both P<0.001). There were no significant differences in epithelial staining or severity of symptoms. Logistic regression showed that over 40y was a risk for being unstable tear group [odds ratio (OR)=1.53; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.06-2.20]. Contact lens use was protective factor for being in the unstable tear group (OR=0.37; 95%CI= 0.26-0.53). CONCLUSION: Subjects with shorter TBUT than blinking interval are prevalent among VDT users. Subjects over the age of 40 shows an increased risk for unstable tear film

On why the Iron K-shell absorption in AGN is not a signature of the local Warm/Hot Intergalactic Medium

We present a comparison between the 2001 XMM-Newton and 2005 Suzaku observations of the quasar, PG1211+143 at z=0.0809. Variability is observed in the 7 keV iron K-shell absorption line (at 7.6 keV in the quasar frame), which is significantly weaker in 2005 than during the 2001 XMM-Newton observation. From a recombination timescale of <4 years, this implies an absorber density n>0.004 particles/cm3, while the absorber column is 5e22<N_H <1 1e24 particles/cm2. Thus the sizescale of the absorber is too compact (pc scale) and the surface brightness of the dense gas too high (by 9-10 orders of magnitude) to arise from local hot gas, such as the local bubble, group or Warm/Hot Intergalactic Medium (WHIM), as suggested by McKernan et al. (2004, 2005). Instead the iron K-shell absorption must be associated with an AGN outflow with mildly relativistic velocities. Finally we show that the the association of the absorption in PG1211+143 with local hot gas is simply a coincidence, the comparison between the recession and iron K absorber outflow velocities in other AGN does not reveal a one to one kinematic correlation.Comment: accepted for publication in MNRAS LETTERS. 5 pages, 4 figure

Activation of focal adhesion kinase via M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor is required in restitution of intestinal barrier function after epithelial injury

AbstractImpairment of epithelial barrier is observed in various intestinal disorders including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Numerous factors may cause temporary damage of the intestinal epithelium. A complex network of highly divergent factors regulates healing of the epithelium to prevent inflammatory response. However, the exact repair mechanisms involved in maintaining homeostatic intestinal barrier integrity remain to be clarified.In this study, we demonstrate that activation of M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) augments the restitution of epithelial barrier function in T84 cell monolayers after ethanol-induced epithelial injury, via ERK-dependent phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). We have shown that ethanol injury decreased the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) along with the reduction of ERK and FAK phosphorylation. Carbachol (CCh) increased ERK and FAK phosphorylation with enhanced TER recovery, which was completely blocked by either MT-7 (M1 antagonist) or atropine. The CCh-induced enhancement of TER recovery was also blocked by either U0126 (ERK pathway inhibitor) or PF-228 (FAK inhibitor). Treatment of T84 cell monolayers with interferon-γ (IFN-γ) impaired the barrier function with the reduction of FAK phosphorylation. The CCh-induced ERK and FAK phosphorylation were also attenuated by the IFN-γ treatment. Immunological and binding experiments exhibited a significant reduction of M1 mAChR after IFN-γ treatment. The reduction of M1 mAChR in inflammatory area was also observed in surgical specimens from IBD patients, using immunohistochemical analysis. These findings provide important clues regarding mechanisms by which M1 mAChR participates in the maintenance of intestinal barrier function under not only physiological but also pathological conditions

Spatio-temporal distribution of environmental DNA derived from Japanese sea nettle jellyfish Chrysaora pacifica in Omura Bay, Kyushu, Japan

We surveyed the spatial and temporal distribution of Japanese sea nettle jellyfish Chrysaora pacifica in Omura Bay, Japan, using an environmental DNA (eDNA) method. In 2018, the C. pacifica eDNA concentration increased from March?May at all depths. The seasonal pattern of C. pacifica eDNA was consistent with previous reports based on visual observations along the Japanese coast. Thus, the eDNA method might have advantages to follow the seasonal pattern of C. pacifica while being less time-consuming and less laborious compared with traditional methods. The eDNA concentrations tended to reach a maximum near and/or below the pycnocline throughout this study. Therefore, the vertical distribution of C. pacifica medusae may have been restricted by strong pycnocline formation in July and August 2018. However, even with a weak pycnocline, which C. pacifica should be able to swim across, the apparent distribution of C. pacifica eDNA seems to be restricted by the pycnocline. Therefore, the eDNA method cannot, currently, accurately assess the absolute vertical distribution pattern of C. pacifica, especially when a pycnocline is formed

Peritoneal cecal cancer metastasis to a mesh-plug prosthesis : A case report

We report the case of a 77-year-old man who presented to our hospital with cecal cancer, lung metastasis, and liver metastasis in January 2013. After four courses of modified infusional intravenous fluorouracil and levofolinate with oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX 6) + bevacizumab, there was no new metastatic lesion and lung metastasis reduction was observed. Ileocecal resection was performed in May, left lower lung lobectomy in August, and extended right posterior segmentectomy + S8 partial liver resection was performed in December. The tumor marker declined initially ; thereafter, it gradually increased. Computed tomography (CT) performed in April 2014 revealed right inguinal mass around the mesh-plug prosthesis. A positron emission tomography-CT (PET-CT) also revealed a high 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) uptake at the same site. Right inguinal tumor resection was performed in July. Cancer tissues were confirmed by performing intraoperative rapid pathological diagnosis, and R0 resection could be achieved. Previous studies have reported malignant tumor metastases to the mesh-plug prosthesis, and this was believed to one of the sites that cancer cells can easily engraft. In particular, in patients with a history of advanced malignant tumors, if mass formation around the artifact insertion site is observed, the possibility of peritoneal metastasis should be considered

Combined resection of re-recurrent lateral lymph nodes and external iliac vein : Case Report and Literature

Herein, we describe the operative procedure for combined resection of re-recurrent lateral lymph nodes and the external iliac vein. There is no consensus on the clinical implications of resection of locally re-recurrent colorectal tumors, as the operative procedure is extremely difficult. We present the case of a 52- year-old woman who underwent abdominoperineal resection. About one year later, we excised a recurrent lymph node in the left lateral obturator area through an extraperitoneal approach. About 18 months later, lymph node re-recurrence in the left external iliac area was observed. Re-recurrent lymph nodes directly invade the left external iliac vein.We removed the re-recurrent lymph node with combined, radical segmental resection of the left external iliac vein, left obturator artery and vein, and left obturator nerve

Characteristics of Individuals with Dry Eye Symptoms without Clinical Diagnosis: Analysis of a Web-Based Survey

Currently, the available treatment for dry eye disease (DED) varies. The present study aimed to investigate the characteristics of undiagnosed DED and patient-based self-care management for DED based on a web-based survey performed for Tear&#8217;s Day in Japan; 1030 participants (301 women) responded; 155 participants (72 women) had a clinical diagnosis of DED. We defined undiagnosed DED (n = 116; 54 women) as those with DED symptoms, as evaluated by a frequently used questionnaire despite not having a clinical diagnosis. A multivariate adjusted model indicated that younger age (odds ratio (OR), 0.97 for each one-year decrease; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.95&#8722;0.99), female sex (OR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.28&#8722;3.50), and prolonged visual display terminal usage (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.04&#8722;1.21) were risk factors for undiagnosed DED. To investigate the efficacy of self-care management for DED, a sub-analysis was conducted. The number of self-care methods used was significantly higher among women than men. For undiagnosed DED, those with less than three self-care methods had a significantly worse Dry Eye-related Quality-of-Life Score compared with those with diagnosed DED. This study revealed risk factors for undiagnosed DED; individuals with those risk factors need to be clinically assessed and should not rely solely on self-care