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Background/aimsTo compare glaucoma diagnostic capabilities of superficial and deep macular vessel density (mVD) parameters in a series of healthy and open-angle glaucoma (OAG) eyes with central visual field (CVF) loss.MethodsWe consecutively enrolled 113 eyes of 113 patients with OAG and 47 eyes of 47 healthy participants in a retrospective manner. Superficial and deep mVDs were measured at foveal, parafoveal and perifoveal locations on optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography. The macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness (mGCIPLT) was measured on OCT as a reference standard. Glaucoma diagnostic capabilities of superficial and deep mVD parameters were assessed according to the glaucoma stage. Factors associated with the CVF mean sensitivity (MS) were evaluated using linear regression analyses in the OAG eyes.ResultsGlaucoma diagnostic capabilities of superficial perifoveal and parafoveal mVDs were significantly better than those of deep perifoveal and parafoveal mVDs, regardless of the glaucoma stage (both p<0.05). Both mGCIPLT and superficial parafoveal mVD were significantly associated with CVF MS (β-coefficients=10.567 and 21.147, respectively, both p<0.05), independent of age and glaucoma severity.ConclusionSuperficial mVD parameters showed significantly greater glaucoma diagnostic capabilities and better correlation with CVF MS compared with deep mVD parameters.

Background/aimsTo compare the structure–function relationship between compass microperimetry (CMP; CenterVue, Padova, Italy) and Humphrey field analyser (HFA; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, California, USA) in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) eyes with myopia.MethodsCircumpapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (cpRNFLT) and visual field (VF) mean sensitivity (MS) were obtained in 90 OAG subjects using the optical coherence tomography, CMP and HFA in a random order. The global and sectoral structure–function relationships between the cpRNFLT and VFMS were assessed with different VF devices (CMP vs HHA) in OAG eyes with and without myopia.ResultsOverall, the global and regional structure–function relationships between the two devices did not show significant differences except for the superotemporal sector. In the myopic subgroup, the global association between the average cpRNFLT and VFMSCMPwas significantly stronger than that between the average cpRNFLT and VFMSHFA(r=0.806 vs. 0.720, p=0.035). The presence of myopia and higher global cpRNFLT were significantly associated with the greater global VFMS differences between the two devices (p<0.05).ConclusionIn general, structure–function relationship is similar between CMP and HFA in OAG eyes. However, the global structure–function relationship is significantly stronger with CMP than with HFA in OAG eyes with myopia.

Background/AimsTo determine the tipping point at which peripapillary vessel density (pVD), measured using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A), is associated with detectable visual field (VF) loss in cases of open-angle glaucoma (OAG).MethodsPeripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) thickness and pVD were measured using OCT and OCT-A in 166 healthy participants, those with suspected glaucoma and patients with early-stage OAG. All participants were Koreans. A broken-stick model was used to determine the tipping points below which pRNFL thickness (pRNFLT) or pVD reduction was associated with significant VF loss. The slopes were computed above and below the tipping points for the relationship between pVD, pRNFLT and VF sensitivity (VFS).ResultsTipping points were detected for pRNFLT globally and in the inferior and superior quadrants, at which there were significant differences between the slopes above and below the tipping points. The slopes above the tipping points were approximately zero. However, no tipping point was found for pVD in the global area or regional sectors.ConclusionThe relationship between pVD and VFS does not show a tipping point. This suggests that the correlation between pVD-VFS may be linear and stronger than that of pRNFLT-VFS, even at the early stage of glaucoma.

Children living in foster care group homes are more likely to have physical, mental, and social health problems due to parental abuse, neglect, and family breakdown. The purpose of the current study was to develop and apply the urban forest-based health promotion program on children living in group homes in Korea to investigate its effects on perceived health, psychological health, and connectedness to nature. Eight children (mean age = 12.13 [Children living in foster care group homes are more likely to have physical, mental, and social health problems due to parental abuse, neglect, and family breakdown. The purpose of the current study was to develop and apply the urban forest-based health promotion program on children living in group homes in Korea to investigate its effects on perceived health, psychological health, and connectedness to nature. Eight children (mean age = 12.13 [SD= 1.25] years) from three group homes participated in the study. The intervention was conducted individually for each group home once per week for 8 weeks. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. Participants showed significant improvement in restoration. Six themes were identified that reflect participants' experience and the effectiveness of the urban forest-based health promotion program. This program may be considered a possible intervention to promote children's psychosocial health and connectedness to nature. Continuous efforts are needed to further examine the program's effectiveness. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58(6), 18–29.]

Escherichia coliharboring Os4CLand OsHCT4was used to synthesize (S)‐p‐coumaroyl glycerol.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is an ester of a hydroxycinnamic acid (phenylpropanoid) and a phenylethanoid (2-phenylethanol; 2-PE), which has long been used in traditional medicine. Here, we synthesized 54 hydroxycinnamic acid-phenylethanoid esters by feeding 64 combinations of hydroxycinnamic acids and phenylethanols to Escherichia coliharboring the rice genes OsPMTand Os4CL. The same approach was applied for ester synthesis with caffeic acid and eight different phenyl alcohols. Two hydroxycinnamoyl phenethyl esters, p-coumaroyl tyrosol and CAPE, were also synthesized from glucose using engineered E. coliby introducing genes for the synthesis of substrates. Consequently, we synthesized approximately 393.4 mg/L p-coumaroyl tyrosol and 23.8 mg/L CAPE with this approach. Overall, these findings demonstrate that the rice PMT and 4CL proteins can be used for the synthesis of diverse hydroxycinnamoyl phenylethanoid esters owing to their promiscuity and that further exploration of the biological activities of these compounds is warranted.

PurposeTo investigate the factors associated with response to steroid treatment and recurrence in patients with IgG4-related ophthalmic disease (ROD).MethodsTwenty-eight patients with biopsy-proven IgG4-ROD treated between March 2010 and January 2017 were included in this retrospective study. Clinical features, serum IgG4 levels, systemic involvement, treatments and treatment outcome, factors associated with response to treatment and recurrence were assessed.ResultThirteen men and 15 women (mean age 50.8 years) were evaluated over mean follow-up period of 27.3 months. Elevated serum IgG4 levels (>1.35 g/L) and systemic disease were noted in 9 (32%) and 18 patients (64%), respectively. The lacrimal gland was involved in all patients, and 22 patients (78.6%) had bilateral involvement. Most patients (82%) responded well to systemic steroids, but 12 (43%) relapsed after the initial steroid treatment, requiring additional therapies to achieve remission. Complete response to initial steroid treatment was associated with elevated serum IgG4 levels before treatment (P=0.001) and bilateral orbital involvement (P=0.050). Recurrence was associated with elevated serum IgG4 levels before treatment (P=0.007), lower dose (P=0.057) and shorter duration of initial steroids (P=0.042). Patients with recurrence eventually required significantly more steroids than those without recurrence (P=0.011).ConclusionsPatients with IgG4-ROD responded well to systemic steroid treatment, but recurrence was common, particularly among those with elevated serum IgG4 levels and shorter duration of initial steroid treatment. Low-dose maintenance treatment with systemic steroids should be considered to avoid recurrence in patients with elevated serum IgG4 levels.

AimTo evaluate the progressive change in peripapillary atrophy (PPA) according to its shape and to explore the relationship between PPA progression and glaucoma worsening in myopic eyes.MethodsA total of 159 eyes of 159 patients with myopic (axial length (AXL) >24 mm) glaucoma (mean follow-up 4.4 years, 35 eyes with minimal PPA, 40 concentric-type PPA eyes (>270° around the optic disc) and 84 eccentric-type PPA eyes (<270°)) were included. Sequential stereoscopic colour optic disc photographs were evaluated to qualitatively determine PPA progression. Factors associated with PPA progression were explored by Cox proportional hazard modelling in each PPA group.ResultsPatients with concentric PPA were older than patients with eccentric PPA (54.1±11.7 vs 44.1±11.7 years; P<0.001), and AXL was longer in the eccentric group than in the other groups (25.54±1.68 vs 25.28±1.53 vs 26.41±1.29 mm; P<0.001). Twenty-six eyes (65%) in the concentric group and 36 eyes (42.9%) in the eccentric group showed PPA progression. Older age (hazard ratio (HR) 1.059, P=0.008), worse baseline visual field mean deviation (HR 0.857, P=0.009) and greater baseline PPA area (HR 1.000, P=0.012) were associated with PPA progression in the concentric type. Glaucoma progression (HR 3.690, P=0.002) and longer AXL (HR 1.521, P=0.002) were associated with PPA progression in the eccentric type.ConclusionsRelationship between glaucoma worsening and PPA progression was strongest in myopic glaucomatous eyes with eccentric type PPA.

ADP‐ribosylationNonhistoneMetaphase chromosomeInterphase nucleus[3H]AdenosineHeLa cell

ADP-ribosylation of HeLa nonhistone proteins was investigated by using [ 3H]adenosine as an in vivo radioactive label. The aim was to determine basic differences in the patterns of modification of interphase and metaphase nonhistones. Fluorography revealed a relatively small number of modified proteins for isolated metaphase chromosomes. In addition to the core histones, a protein of 116 kDa, which is identified as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, was a primary acceptor of [ 3H]adenosine. Two-dimensional gels revealed a profound difference in the modification of metaphase and interphase nonhistones. For interphase nuclei, 3H label was distributed among a large number of nonhistone acceptors.