To investigate the characteristics of fundus autofluorescence (FAF) in acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease.
FAF photography with blue light (BL-FAF) and near-infrared light (NIR-FAF) was ...performed on 10 eyes of five patients using a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope before and after treatment. The FAF images were followed for 6 months and retrospectively reviewed with comparisons of the other imaging modalities.
At presentation, four eyes of two patients who presented soon after the initial ocular symptoms showed mild and uniform hyperautofluorescence in the macula mixed with hypoautofluorescence in the areas of serous retinal detachment. After immediate treatment with an intravenous high-dose steroid, the abnormal FAF returned to normal at 6 months. The other six eyes of three patients, who presented weeks after the symptoms, initially demonstrated diffuse and mottled hyperautofluorescence over the posterior pole, mixed with hypoautofluorescence induced by serous retinal detachment in four eyes. After treatment with an intravenous high-dose steroid, all six eyes showed scattered and widespread hyperautofluorescence, which gradually became evident and concentrated in the macula, partially resulting in some hypoautofluorescent dots at 6 months. The BL-FAF and the NIR-FAF demonstrated similar FAF patterns, but more evidently in NIR-FAF.
FAF photography non-invasively visualised sequential metabolic and functional changes in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in acute VKH disease. The results suggest that early and sufficient treatment with a high-dose steroid might prevent persistent RPE damage. In addition, NIR-FAF can be an alternative method for the early detection of RPE abnormality.
The AirWay Scope (AWS) is a new fibreoptic intubation device, which allows visualization of the glottic stractures without alignment of the oral, pharyngeal, and tracheal axes, and thus may be useful ...in patients with limited cervical spine (C-spine) movement. We fluoroscopically evaluated upper C-spine movement during intubation with the AWS or Macintosh or McCoy laryngoscope.
Forty-five patients, with normal C-spine, scheduled for elective surgery were randomly assigned to one of the three intubation devices. Movement of the upper C-spine was examined by measuring angles formed by adjacent vertebrae during intubation. Time to intubation was also recorded.
Median cumulative upper C-spine movement was 22.3°, 32.3°, and 36.5° with the AWS, Macintosh laryngoscope, and McCoy laryngoscope, respectively (P<0.001, AWS vs, Macintosh and McCoy). The AWS reduced maximum movement of the C-spine at C1/C2 in comparison with the Macintosh or McCoy laryngoscope (P=0.012), and at C3/C4 in comparison with the McCoy laryngoscope (P=0.019). Intubation time was significantly longer in the AWS group than in the Macintosh group (P=0.03).
Compared with the Macintosh or McCoy laryngoscope, the AWS produced less movement of upper C-spine for intubation in patients with a normal C-spine.
The phosphate binding capacity of PA21, a novel phosphate binder, was compared with those of other phosphate binders in vitro and in vivo.
1) For in vitro studies, PA21, sevelamer hydrochloride, ...lanthanum carbonate hydrate, calcium carbonate, and ferric citrate hydrate were incubated with a phosphate solution at 37°C for 2 h. Phosphate binding capacity was assessed at simulated gastrointestinal tract pH levels of 2, 5, and 8 for estimation of clinical effects, and the quantity of phosphate adsorbed by each phosphate binder was determined. 2) For in vivo studies, rats were orally administered various phosphate binders after the oral administration of phosphate solution (100 mg/kg) adjusted to pH 2, 5, or 8, and the effects of PA21 and other phosphate binders on the serum phosphorus level of the rats were investigated.
1) The in vitro studies revealed that PA21 and sevelamer hydrochloride adsorbed phosphate better at all tested pH levels than lanthanum carbonate hydrate, calcium carbonate, and ferric citrate hydrate, and PA21 showed the most potent phosphate binding capacity among the tested compounds. 2) The in vivo studies showed that PA21 dose-dependently inhibited the increase in the serum phosphorus level after the administration of phosphate solution and no difference in the extent of inhibition by PA21 was observed at the different pH levels (in contrast to other phosphate binders).
These results indicated that PA21 has a phosphate binding capacity over the entire pH range of the GI tract.
β phase can be introduced to TiAl alloys by the additions of β stabilizing elements such as Cr, Nb, W, and Mo. The β phase has a body-centered cubic lattice structure and is softer than the α
2
and γ ...phases in TiAl alloys at elevated temperatures, and hence is thought to have a detrimental effect on creep strength. However, fine β precipitates can be formed at lamellar interfaces by proper heat treatment conditions and the β interfacial precipitate improves the creep resistance of fully lamellar TiAl alloys, since the phase interface of γ/β retards the motion of dislocations during creep. This paper reviews recent research on high-temperature strengthening behavior of the β phase in fully lamellar TiAl alloys.
This study aims to improve the energy efficiency of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system in existing building by adding a thermal energy storage (TES) tank. By installing the TES ...tank with volume of 1 m3 in the chilled water loop of HVAC system. it can make charge/discharge surplus heat from heat source equipment. The chilled water can be delivered not only to secondary side but also to TES tank, while the required heat load is less than the rated capacity of the heat source equipment, it does not need to shrink its output and can be operated under the relatively higher load ratio without falling down efficiency. The charge/discharge progress is considered occurring within short-term less than an hour. During the discharge progress the heat source equipment can be turn off or idling operation yields reduce operation hour of heat source equipment and achieve energy-saving. In this paper, a case study is conducted to evaluate the energy efficiency improvement by adding TES tank into HVAC system using system energy simulation, coupling two-dimensional, steady-quasi TES numerical model that is verified by comparison with the measurement data. The error of the TES numerical model compared with the experiment was less than 5%. From the case study results, it is found that the TES tank can improve energy efficiency of HVAC system because of increasing the COP of the heat-source equipment reduces its energy consumption and reducing operation time of the primary chilled water pumps.
Background and Objective
Periodontitis is the most common inflammatory disease caused by oral biofilm infection. For efficient periodontal treatment, it is important to enhance the outcome of ...existing regenerative therapies. The physical action of an ultrasound may be able to deliver a therapeutic gene or drugs into the local area of the periodontium being treated for periodontal regeneration. Previously, we developed “Bubble liposomes” as a useful carrier for gene or drug delivery, and reported that delivery efficiency was increased with high‐frequency ultrasound in vitro and in vivo. Hence, the aim of the present study was to examine the possibility of delivering genes into gingival tissues using Bubble liposomes and ultrasound.
Material and Methods
We attempted to deliver naked plasmid DNA encoding luciferase or enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) into the lower labial gingiva of Wistar rats using Bubble liposomes, with or without ultrasound exposure. Ultrasound parameters were optimized for intensity (0‐4.0 W/cm2) and exposure time (0–120 s) to establish the most efficient conditions for exposure. The efficacy and duration of gene expression in the gingiva were investigated using a luciferase assay and fluorescence microscopy.
Results
The strongest relative luciferase activity was observed when rats were treated under the following ultrasound conditions: 2.0 W/cm2 intensity and 30 s of exposure time. Relative luciferase activity, 1 d after gene delivery, was significantly higher in gingiva treated using Bubble liposomes and ultrasound than in gingiva of the other treatment groups. Histological analysis also showed that distinct EGFP‐expressing cells were observed in transfected gingiva when rats were treated under optimized conditions.
Conclusion
From these results, the combination of Bubble liposomes and ultrasound provides an efficient technique for delivering plasmid DNA into the gingiva. This technique can be applied for the delivery of a variety of therapeutic molecules into target tissue, and may serve as a useful treatment strategy for periodontitis.
In several studies of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, a positive association between depressive symptoms and erectile dysfunction (ED) has been reported. No evidence exists, however, ...regarding the association between depressive symptoms and ED among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Thus, we examined this issue among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Study subjects were 469 male Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, aged 19 years or over. ED, moderate to severe ED and severe ED were defined as present when a subject had a Sexual Health Inventory for Men score <22, <12 and <8, respectively. Depressive symptoms were defined as present when a subject had a Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) score >49. Adjustment was made for age, body mass index, waist, duration of type 2 diabetes, current smoking, current drinking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, stroke, glycated hemoglobin and diabetic neuropathy. The prevalence values of depressive symptoms, moderate to severe ED and severe ED were 15.1%, 64.2% and 51.0%, respectively. Depressive symptoms were independently positively associated with moderate to severe ED and severe ED (adjusted odds ratios were 2.23 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.17-4.43) and 1.86 (95% CI: 1.04-3.41), respectively). In Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, depressive symptoms may be associated with ED.
•Global imbalances in climate change knowledge production and exchange exist.•The production of knowledge is biased towards richer regions with cooler climates.•Knowledge is structured into modules ...of countries by geographic, climatic, political variables.•Knowledge exchange between modules of countries with common research interests is weak.•The imbalanced production of knowledge affects adaptation and policymaking.
Studies on scientific production of climate change knowledge show a geographical bias against the developing and more vulnerable regions of the world. If there is limited knowledge exchange between regions, this may deepen global knowledge divides and, thus, potentially hamper adaptive capacities. Consequently, there is a need to further understand this bias, and, particularly, link it with the exchange of knowledge across borders. We use a world-wide geographical distribution of author affiliations in >15,000 scientific climate change publications to show that (1) research production mainly takes place in richer, institutionally well-developed countries with cooler climates and high climate footprints, and (2) the network of author affiliations is structured into distinct modules of countries with strong common research interests, but with little knowledge exchange between modules. These modules are determined mainly by geographical proximity, common climates, and similar political and economic characteristics. This indicates that political-economic, social and educational-scientific initiatives targeted to enhance local research production and collaborations across geographical-climate module borders may help diminish global knowledge divides. We argue that this could strengthen adaptive capacity in the most vulnerable regions of the world.
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