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Glucosinolates (GSLs) are defensive secondary metabolites produced by Brassicaceae species in response to abiotic and biotic stresses. The biosynthesis of GSL compounds and the expression of GSL-related genes are highly modulated by endogenous signals (i.e. circadian clocks) and environmental cues, such as temperature, light, and pathogens. However, the detailed mechanism by which light signaling influences GSL metabolism remains poorly understood. In this study, we found that a light-signaling factor, ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5), was involved in the regulation of GSL content under light conditions in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). In hy5-215 mutants, the transcript levels of GSL pathway genes were substantially upregulated compared with those in wild-type (WT) plants. The content of GSL compounds was also substantially increased in hy5-215 mutants, whereas 35S::HY5-GFP/hy5-215 transgenic lines exhibited comparable levels of GSL-related transcripts and GSL content to those in WT plants. HY5 physically interacts with HISTONE DEACETYLASE9 and binds to the proximal promoter region of MYB29 and IMD1 to suppress aliphatic GSL biosynthetic processes. These results demonstrate that HY5 suppresses GSL accumulation during the daytime, thus properly modulating GSL content daily in Arabidopsis plants., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement. None declared., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

In this study, we analyzed the physicochemical and sensory properties of black goat jerky marinated with various spices (non-spice, control; rosemary, RO; basil, BA; ginger, GI; turmeric, TU; and garlic, GA). The physicochemical properties of black goat jerky analyzed were pH, water holding capacity, color, cooking yield, shear force, and fatty acid composition. The sensory characteristics were analyzed through the aroma profile (electronic nose), taste profile (electronic tongue), and sensory evaluation. The pH and water holding capacity of the GI showed higher values than the other samples. GI and GA showed similar values of CIE L* and CIE a* to that of the control. The shear force of the GI and TU was significantly lower than that of other samples (p<0.05). Regarding fatty acid composition, GI showed high unsaturated and low saturated fatty acid contents compared with that of the other samples except for RO (p<0.05). In the aroma profile, the peak area of hexanal, which is responsible for a faintly rancid odor, was lower in all treatment groups than in the control. In the taste profile, the umami of spice samples was higher than that of the control, and among the samples, GI had the highest score. In the sensory evaluation, the GI sample showed significantly higher scores than the control in terms of flavor, aroma, goaty flavor, and overall acceptability (p<0.05). Therefore, marinating black goat jerky with ginger powder enhanced the overall flavor and reduced the goat odor., Competing Interests: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest., (© Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources.)

Fruit color is one of the most important traits in peppers due to its esthetic value and nutritional benefits and is determined by carotenoid composition, resulting from diverse mutations of carotenoid biosynthetic genes. The EMS204 line, derived from an EMS mutant population, presents bright-red color, compared with the wild type Yuwolcho cultivar. HPLC analysis indicates that EMS204 fruit contains more zeaxanthin and less capsanthin and capsorubin than Yuwolcho. MutMap was used to reveal the color variation of EMS204 using an F 3 population derived from a cross of EMS204 and Yuwolcho, and the locus was mapped to a 2.5-Mbp region on chromosome 2. Among the genes in the region, a missense mutation was found in ZEP (zeaxanthin epoxidase) that results in an amino acid sequence alteration (V291 → I). A color complementation experiment with Escherichia coli and ZEP in vitro assay using thylakoid membranes revealed decreased enzymatic activity of EMS204 ZEP. Analysis of endogenous plant hormones revealed a significant reduction in abscisic acid content in EMS204. Germination assays and salinity stress experiments corroborated the lower ABA levels in the seeds. Virus-induced gene silencing showed that ZEP silencing also results in bright-red fruit containing less capsanthin but more zeaxanthin than control. A germplasm survey of red color accessions revealed no similar carotenoid profiles to EMS204. However, a breeding line containing a ZEP mutation showed a very similar carotenoid profile to EMS204. Our results provide a novel breeding strategy to develop red pepper cultivars containing high zeaxanthin contents using ZEP mutations., (© 2024 Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

This study was conducted to analyze the physicochemical properties of black goat meat according to the slaughter age (3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36 months). The moisture content tended to decrease, whereas the fat content, pH, and free amino acid composition tended to increase with increasing slaughter age. The collagen content increased significantly with the increasing slaughter age ( p < 0.05). The cooking yield showed a tendency to increase up to 12 months of age, and there was no significant difference after 12 months of age. In all mineral contents, the sample for 12 months of age showed higher values than the others. Considering fatty acid composition, the saturated fatty acid content of the 12-month sample had a lower value than the other samples. However, the unsaturated fatty acid of the 12-month sample had higher values than the other samples. Therefore, the best slaughter age for black goats occurs at 12 months of age when nutrition is excellent.

A novel chiral porous column was fabricated by lipase immobilized MIL-100(Fe) biocomposites as chiral stationary phase through covalent coupling and applied to capillary electrochromatographic enantioseparation. MOF-based lipase biocomposites not only enhance stereoselective activities but also improve the stability and applicability of the enzyme. The functionalized porous columns were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. The performance of the porous column was evaluated by enantioseparating amino acid enantiomers, affording high resolution over 2.0. Besides, the enantio-resolutions of phenylephrine, phenylsuccinic acid, chloroquine, and zopiclone were also greater than 2.0. The relative standard deviations of run-to-run, intra-, and inter-day repeatability were within 4.0% in terms of resolution and retention time, exhibiting excellent stability of the column. Conceivably, the results show that MOF-based lipase composites as chiral stationary phase offer a highly efficient means for enantioseparation in capillary electrochromatography, attributing to the enhanced enantioselective activities of lipase by highly ordered frameworks., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Extensive research has been conducted for decades to elucidate the molecular and regulatory mechanisms for phytochrome-mediated light signaling in plants. As a result, tens of downstream signaling components that physically interact with phytochromes are identified, among which negative transcription factors for photomorphogenesis, PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORs (PIFs), are well known to be regulated by phytochromes. In addition, phytochromes are also shown to inactivate an important E3 ligase complex consisting of CONSTITUTIVELY PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1 (COP1) and SUPPRESSORs OF phyA-105 (SPAs). This inactivation induces the accumulation of positive transcription factors for plant photomorphogenesis, such as ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5). Although many downstream components of phytochrome signaling have been studied thus far, it is not fully elucidated which intrinsic activity of phytochromes is necessary for the regulation of these components. It should be noted that phytochromes are autophosphorylating protein kinases. Recently, the protein kinase activity of phytochrome A (phyA) has shown to be important for its function in plant light signaling using Avena sativa phyA mutants with reduced or increased kinase activity. In this review, we highlight the function of phyA as a protein kinase to explain the regulation of plant photoresponses by phyA.

Biogenic amines are present in large quantities in fermented foods and are a key marker for assessing food safety. This paper proposes a novel method for high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of biogenic amines using deep eutectic solvent as a mobile phase additive. After screening eight synthetic deep eutectic solvents and comparing them with several common additives, deep eutectic solvents based on choline chloride and ethylene glycol showed significant effects in improving the separation of biogenic amines. A Box-Behnken design of 17 runs was used to screen and optimize the key chromatographic parameters, resulting in an expected composition of the mobile phase of 0.73% deep eutectic solvent, 65% acetonitrile, and a column temperature of 28°C. The proposed method exhibited excellent linearity (0.1-50 μg/ml, R 2 ≥ 0.9987), limit of detection (0.007-0.031 μg/ml), precision (1.28%-5.34%) and accuracy (87.2%-110.6%). The method can be applied successfully to the separation and analysis of biogenic amines in cooking wine samples., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Dose planning for Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) uses the magnetic resonance (MR)-based tissue maximum ratio (TMR) algorithm, which calculates radiation dose without considering heterogeneous radiation attenuation in the tissue. In order to plan the dose considering the radiation attenuation, the Convolution algorithm should be used, and additional radiation exposure for computed tomography (CT) and registration errors between MR and CT are entailed. This study investigated the clinical feasibility of synthetic CT (sCT) from GKRS planning MR using deep learning. The model was trained using frame-based contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MR images and corresponding CT slices from 54 training subjects acquired for GKRS planning. The model was applied prospectively to 60 lesions in 43 patients including benign tumor such as meningioma and pituitary adenoma, metastatic brain tumors, and vascular disease of various location for evaluating the model and its application. We evaluated the sCT and compared between treatment plans made with MR only (TMR 10 plan), MR and real CT (rCT; Convolution with rCT [Conv-rCT] plan), and MR and synthetic CT (Convolution with sCT [Conv-sCT] plan). The mean absolute error (MAE) of 43 sCT was 107.35 ± 16.47 Hounsfield units. The TMR 10 treatment plan differed significantly from plans made by Conv-sCT and Conv-rCT. However, the Conv-sCT and Conv-rCT plans were similar. This study showed the practical applicability of deep learning based on sCT in GKRS. Our results support the possibility of formulating GKRS treatment plans while considering radiation attenuation in the tissue using GKRS planning MR and no radiation exposure., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors have declared that no conflict of interest exists., (© Korean Society of Medical and Biological Engineering 2022.)

Aging affects almost all aspects of an organism-its morphology, its physiology, its behavior. Isolating which biological mechanisms are regulating these changes, however, has proven difficult, potentially due to our inability to characterize the full repertoire of an animal's behavior across the lifespan. Using data from fruit flies (D. melanogaster) we measure the full repertoire of behaviors as a function of age. We observe a sexually dimorphic pattern of changes in the behavioral repertoire during aging. Although the stereotypy of the behaviors and the complexity of the repertoire overall remains relatively unchanged, we find evidence that the observed alterations in behavior can be explained by changing the fly's overall energy budget, suggesting potential connections between metabolism, aging, and behavior., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Phytochromes are red and far-red photoreceptors that regulate plant growth and development under ambient light conditions. During phytochrome-mediated photomorphogenesis, phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs) are the most important signaling partners that regulate the expression of light-responsive genes. However, the function of PIFs in monocots has not been studied well. In this study, using RNA interference (RNAi), we investigated the functions of BdPIL1 and BdPIL3 , two PIF-like genes identified in Brachypodium distachyon , which are closely related to Arabidopsis PIF1 and PIF3 . The expression of their genes is light-inducible, and both BdPIL1 and BdPIL3 proteins interact with phytochromes in an active form-specific manner. Transgenic Brachypodium seedlings with the RNAi constructs of BdPIL1 and BdPIL3 showed decreased coleoptile lengths and increased leaf growth when exposed to both red and far-red light. In addition, the transgenic plants were taller with elongated internodes than wild-type Bd21-3 plant, exhibiting late flowering. Moreover, RNA-seq analysis revealed downregulation of many genes in the transgenic plants, especially those related to the regulation of cell number, floral induction, and chlorophyll biosynthesis, which were consistent with the phenotypes of increased plant height, delayed flowering, and pale green leaves. Furthermore, we demonstrated the DNA-binding ability of BdPIL1 and BdPIL3 to the putative target promoters and that the DNA-binding was inhibited in the presence of phytochromes. Therefore, this study determines a molecular mechanism underlying phytochrome-mediated PIF regulation in Brachypodium, i.e., sequestration, and also elucidates the functions of BdPIL1 and BdPIL3 in the growth and development of the monocot plant., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Hoang, Tripathi, Cho, Choi, Shin, Kwon, Han and Kim.)

Plant phytochromes are known as autophosphorylating serine/threonine protein kinases. However, the functional importance of their kinase activity is not fully elucidated. Previously, the kinase activity is shown to be necessary for the function of Avena sativa phytochrome A (AsphyA) using transgenic plants with mutants displaying reduced kinase activity, such as K411L and T418D. In this study, we isolated and analyzed two AsphyA mutants, K411R and T418V, that showed increased kinase activity. Transgenic phyA-201 plants with these mutants showed hypersensitive responses to far-red (FR) light, such as shorter hypocotyls and more expanded cotyledons than those of control plant (i.e., transgenic phyA-201 plant with wild-type AsphyA). Contrary to the mutants with reduced kinase activity, these mutants accelerated FR-induced phosphorylation and subsequent degradation of phytochrome-interacting factor 3 (PIF3) in Arabidopsis. Moreover, elongated hypocotyl 5 (HY5), a critical positive regulator of photoresponses in plants, accumulated in higher amounts in the transgenic plants under FR light than in the control plant. In addition, PIF1 degradation was accelerated in the transgenic plants. Consequently, the transgenic plants exhibit higher germination frequencies than the control plant. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the AsphyA mutants with increased kinase activity are hyperactive in plants, supporting a positive relationship between the kinase activity of phytochromes and photoresponses in plants., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Hoang, Cho, Choi, Shin, Kim, Han and Kim.)

Purpose: We aimed to develop a deep learning (DL)-based algorithm for automated quantification of aortic valve calcium (AVC) from non-enhanced electrocardiogram-gated cardiac CT scans and compare performance of DL-measured AVC volume and Agatston score with those of visual gradings by radiologist readers for classification of AVC severity., Method: A total of 589 CT examinations performed at a single center between March 2010 and August 2017 were retrospectively included. The DL algorithm was designed to segment AVC and to quantify AVC volume, and Agatston score was calculated using attenuation values. Manually measured AVC volume and Agatston score were used as ground truth. To validate AVC segmentation performance, the Dice coefficient was calculated. For observer performance testing, four radiologists determined AVC grade in two reading rounds. The diagnostic performance of DL-measured AVC volume and Agaston score for classifying severe AVC was compared with that of each reader's assessment., Results: After applying the DL algorithm, the Dice coefficient score was 0.807. In patients with AVC, accuracy of DL-measured AVC volume for AVC grading was 97.0 % with area under the curve (AUC) of 0.964 (95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.923-1) in the test set, which was better than the radiologist readers (accuracy 69.7 %-91.9 %, AUC 0.762-0.923) with manually measured AVC volume as ground truth. When manually measured AVC Agatston score was used as ground truth, accuracy of DL-measured AVC Agatston score for AVC grading was 92.9 % with AUC of 0.933 (95 % CI 0.885-0.981) in the test set, which was also better than the radiologist readers (accuracy 77.8-89.9 %, AUC 0.791-0.903)., Conclusions: DL-based automated AVC quantification may be comparable with manual measurements. The diagnostic performance of the DL-measured AVC volume and Agatston score for classification of severe AVC outperforms radiologist readers., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Auricular cartilage reconstruction represents one of the greatest challenges for otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. The native structure and composition of the auricular cartilage can be achieved by combining a suitable chondrogenic cell source with an appropriate scaffold. In reconstructive surgery for cartilage tissue, autogenous cartilage is considered to be the best chondrogenic cell source. Polycaprolactone is mainly used as a tissue-engineered scaffold owing to its mechanical properties, miscibility with a large range of other polymers, and biodegradability. In this study, scaffolds with or without autogenous minced auricular cartilage were implanted bilaterally in rabbits for auricular regeneration. Six weeks (n = 4) and 16 weeks (n = 4) after implantation, real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and histology were used to assess the regeneration of the auricular cartilage. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the messenger RNA expression of aggrecan, collagen I, and collagen II was higher in scaffolds with 50% minced cartilage than the scaffold-only groups or scaffolds with 30% minced cartilage (P < 0.05). Furthermore, histological analysis demonstrated significantly superior cartilage regeneration in scaffolds with the minced cartilage group compared with the scaffold-only and control groups (P < 0.05). Autogenous cartilage can be easily obtained and loaded onto a scaffold to promote the presence of chondrogenic cells, allowing for an improvement of the reconstruction of auricular cartilage. Here, the regeneration of auricular cartilage was also successful in the 50% minced cartilage group. The results presented in this study could have clinical implications, as they demonstrate the potential of a 1-stage process for auricular reconstruction.

The present study examined the potential toxic concentrations of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and associated autophagy and apoptosis-related injuries in primary neocortical astrocyte cultures. Concentrations of ZnO NPs ≥3 μg/mL induced significant toxicity in the astrocytes. At 24 h after exposure to the ZnO NPs, transmission electron microscopy revealed swelling of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and increased numbers of autophagolysosomes in the cultured astrocytes, and increased levels of LC3 (microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3)-mediated autophagy were identified by flow cytometry. Apoptosis induced by ZnO NP exposure was confirmed by the elevation of caspase-3/7 activity and 4',6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining. Significant ( p < 0.05) changes in the levels of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 were observed by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) assay following the exposure of astrocyte cultures to ZnO NPs. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) dual activation was induced by ZnO NPs in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, the Akt (protein kinase B) inhibitor BML257 and the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) inhibitor rapamycin contributed to the survival of astrocytes. Inhibitors of cyclooxygenase-2 and lipoxygenase attenuated ZnO NP-induced toxicity. Calcium-modulating compounds, antioxidants, and zinc/iron chelators also decreased ZnO NP-induced toxicity. Together, these results suggest that ZnO NP-induced autophagy and apoptosis may be associated with oxidative stress and the inflammatory process in primary astrocyte cultures.

Introduction: This study aimed to compare the vibration generated by several nickel-titanium (NiTi) file systems and transmitted to teeth under 2 different motions (continuous rotation motion and reciprocating motion)., Methods: Sixty J-shaped resin blocks (Endo Training Bloc-J; Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) were trimmed to a root-shaped form and divided into 2 groups according to the types of electric motors: WaveOne motor (WOM, Dentsply Maillefer) and X-Smart Plus motor (XSM, Dentsply Maillefer). Each group was further subdivided into 3 subgroups (n = 10 each) according to the designated file systems: ProTaper Next (PTN, Dentsply Maillefer), ProTaper Universal (PTU, Dentsply Maillefer), and WaveOne (WOP, Dentsply Maillefer) systems. Vibration was measured during the pecking motion using an accelerometer attached to a predetermined consistent position. The average vibration values were subjected to 2-way analysis of variance as well as the t test and Duncan test for post hoc comparison at the 95% confidence interval., Results: Both motor types and instrument types produced significantly different ranges of average vibrations. Regardless of the instrument types, the WOM group generated greater vibration than the XSM group (P < .05). Although PTN and PTU did not show significant differences, the WOP group showed significantly greater vibration than the other groups regardless of motor types (P < .05)., Conclusions: Under the limitations of this study design, the reciprocating NiTi file system may generate greater vibration than the continuous rotation NiTi file systems. The motor type also has a significant effect to amplify the vibrations., (Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare disease characterized by prominent eosinophilic tissue infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we report a case of eosinophilic gastroenteritis in an 18-year-old patient with prolonged nephrotic syndrome who presented with abdominal pain and peripheral hypereosinophilia. During the previous 2 years, he had visited local Emergency Department several times because of epigastric pain and nausea. He had been treated with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome since 3 years of age. Tests ruled out allergic and parasitic disease etiologies. Gastroduodenoscopy with biopsy revealed marked eosinophilic infiltration in the duodenum. Renal biopsy findings indicated minimal change disease spectrum without eosinophilic infiltration. The oral deflazacort dosage was increased, and the patient was discharged after abdominal pain resolved. To our knowledge, this is the first report of eosinophilic gastroenteritis in a patient with minimal change disease., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Purpose: To evaluate the practical applications of the diagnosis algorithms recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics urinary tract infection (UTI) guideline., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of febrile UTI patients aged between 2 and 24 months. The patients were divided into 3 groups: group I (patients with positive urine culture and urinalysis findings), group II (those with positive urine culture but negative urinalysis findings), and group III (those with negative urine culture but positive urinalysis findings). Clinical, laboratory, and imaging results were analyzed and compared between the groups., Results: A total of 300 children were enrolled. The serum C-reactive protein level was lower in children in group II than in those in groups I and III (P<0.05). Children in group I showed a higher frequency of hydronephrosis than those in groups II and III (P<0.05). However, the frequencies of acute pyelonephritis (APN), vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), renal scar, and UTI recurrence were not different between the groups. In group I, recurrence of UTI and presence of APN were associated with the incidence of VUR (recurrence vs. no recurrence: 40% vs.11.4%; APN vs. no APN: 23.3% vs. 9.2%; P<0.05). The incidence of VUR and APN was not related to the presence of hydronephrosis., Conclusion: UTI in febrile children cannot be ruled out solely on the basis of positive urinalysis or urine culture findings. Recurrence of UTI and presence of APN may be reasonable indicators of the presence of VUR.

A frequent assumption in behavioural science is that most of an animal's activities can be described in terms of a small set of stereotyped motifs. Here, we introduce a method for mapping an animal's actions, relying only upon the underlying structure of postural movement data to organize and classify behaviours. Applying this method to the ground-based behaviour of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, we find that flies perform stereotyped actions roughly 50% of the time, discovering over 100 distinguishable, stereotyped behavioural states. These include multiple modes of locomotion and grooming. We use the resulting measurements as the basis for identifying subtle sex-specific behavioural differences and revealing the low-dimensional nature of animal motions.

Systems biology attempts to reconcile large amounts of disparate data with existing knowledge to provide models of functioning biological systems. The cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142 is an excellent candidate for such systems biology studies because: (i) it displays tight functional regulation between photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation; (ii) it has robust cyclic patterns at the genetic, protein and metabolomic levels; and (iii) it has potential applications for bioenergy production and carbon sequestration. We have represented the transcriptomic data from Cyanothece 51142 under diurnal light/dark cycles as a high-level functional abstraction and describe development of a predictive in silico model of diurnal and circadian behavior in terms of regulatory and metabolic processes in this organism. We show that incorporating network topology into the model improves performance in terms of our ability to explain the behavior of the system under new conditions. The model presented robustly describes transcriptomic behavior of Cyanothece 51142 under different cyclic and non-cyclic growth conditions, and represents a significant advance in the understanding of gene regulation in this important organism.

Purpose: To report a case of induced astigmatism after diamond burr superficial keratectomy (DBSK) for recurrent corneal erosion (RCE)., Design: Case report., Methods: Review of clinical findings in a 54-year-old women with ocular history of a scleral buckling procedure for a retinal detachment from blunt trauma and phacoemulsification with intraocular lens placement. The patient presented with RCE after trauma with a mascara brush to the OD and was treated with DBSK. Postoperatively, she developed significant astigmatism., Results: In the third postoperative week after the DBSK procedure, the patient reported of worsening vision. On corneal topography, the patient was found to have 4 diopters of induced astigmatism. The astigmatic error was followed closely by serial corneal topography; a gradual decrease in the amount of astigmatism occurred over the course of 30 weeks. Forme fruste keratoconus was suspected in the patient's contralateral eye, based on corneal topographic analysis., Conclusions: Induced corneal astigmatism is a previously undescribed complication that can occur after DBSK. It is unclear whether the induced astigmatism in our patient was caused by the DBSK procedure alone or whether the patient had decompensated structural integrity from forme fruste keratoconus or blunt corneal trauma or both. The authors recommend that corneal topographic analysis be appropriately considered before DBSK for RCE and that corneal astigmatism be seen as a potential complication of the procedure.

As a national project, obtaining information on the amount of heavy metal exposure of individuals through food intake is an important basic parameter for risk assessment. This study was conducted to evaluate dietary exposure levels and various risks from mercury (Hg) in Korean foods. In total, 342 samples comprising 114 food items were collected and then cooked prior to analysis. As found by Hg analysis, the mean content of metal in the fish and shellfish group was highest among the 15 Korean food groups. The total daily amount of Hg intake from typical Korean foods was 2.40 microg/person/d. The daily amount (microg/person/d) of Hg intake from each food group was 0.155 in grains and cereals, 0.008 potatoes and starch, 0.005 sugars and sweets, 0.0093 pulses, 0.0018 nuts and seeds, 0.203 vegetables, 0.027 fruits, 0.021 meats and poultry, 0.004 eggs, 1.826 fish and shellfish, 0.022 seaweed, 0.043 milk and dairy products, 0.008 oils and fats, 0.042 beverages, and 0.023 seasonings. The fish and shellfish group contributed most to total dietary intake at 76%. For risk assessment, probable daily intake (PDI) was calculated and compared with provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The level of Hg intake through fish and shellfish of 0.001 mg/kg body weight bw/wk corresponded to 4.54% of the PTWI value of 0.005 mg/kg bw/wk, the safety standard for JECFA. The level of Hg intake through selected foods from the Food list for Koreans was 0.001 mg/kg bw/wk, corresponding to 5.95% of PTWI value. Therefore, overall intake was at levels below the recommended JECFA levels. The relative gender Hg hazard from Korean foods was 6.26% and 5.5% for males and females, respectively. The relative age Hg hazard from Korean foods was, 8.9% in those 3-6 yr old, 6.7% in those 7-12 yr old, 5.2% in those 13-19 yr old, 5.9% in those 20-29 yr old, 6.3% in those 30-49 yr old, 5.6% in those ages 50-64 yr, and 3.7% in the group of those over 65 yr of age. Relative regional Hg hazard from Korean foods was 6.3% in urban versus 5.5% in rural areas. Thus, the amount of Hg intake through consumption of Korean foods was found to be at a relatively safe level. These data may be thus used to establish safety standards for fish and shellfish consumption.

Two analogs of sildenafil and vardenafil in food were detected by column liquid chromatography (LC) with a photodiode array detector. They were isolated by preparative LC; their structures were established by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. One analog was found to be methisosildenafil (compound A), 5-(5-(3,5-dimethylpiperazin-1-ylsulfonyl)-2-ethoxy-phenyl)-1-methyl-3-propyl-1H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]-pyrimidin-7(6H)-one. It is a sildenafil analog with a dimethylpiperazine ring substituted for the methylpiperazine group. The second analog, hydroxyvardenafil (compound B) is reported for the first time in this study. Hydroxyvardenafil's International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry name is 2-(2-ethoxy-5-(4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-piperazin-1-ylsulfonyl)phenyl)-5-methyl-7-propyl-imidazo[1,5-f][1,2,4]triazin-4(3H)-one. The novel vardenafil analog has a hydroxyl group added to the ethylpiperazine group.

Purpose: To report nine cases of severe central flap inflammation and necrosis after LASIK., Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 17,100 LASIK cases performed at two laser centers in Indiana from January 1995 through May 2005. All patients with central lamellar flap necrosis were identified., Results: Severe central flap inflammation and necrosis occurred in nine eyes of eight patients. Six patients underwent flap creation with a mechanical microkeratome and two with a femtosecond laser. Of eight eyes with > 2-month follow-up, one lost at least two lines of best spectacle-corrected visual acuity and two experienced a hyperopic shift in spherical equivalent refraction. Typically, inflammation was minimal the day after surgery, peaked 5 to 10 days later, and subsided by 60 days. Six of nine cases were treated by lifting the flap and irrigating the stromal bed. In each of these cases, few or no inflammatory cells were observed in the stromal bed, the posterior flap surface was intact, and the central portion of the anterior flap had a jelly-like consistency., Conclusions: Central lamellar flap necrosis appears to differ from diffuse lamellar keratitis because the location of stromal inflammation is not in the flap interface but rather in the flap anterior stroma. Treatment with corticosteroids seemed to have little effect on outcomes. This is thought to be the first documentation of central lamellar flap necrosis following the use of a femtosecond laser.

New analogues of vardenafil and sildenafil illegally added to dietary supplements were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis with a photodiode array detector (PDA). These compounds were isolated and their structures elucidated by mass spectrometry (MS), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). One of the new analogues given the trivial name pseudovardenafil (compound 1) was structurally elucidated and shown to be 1-[[3-(1,4-dihydro-5-methyl-4-oxo-7-propylimidazo[5,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-2-yl)-4-ethoxyphenyl]sulfonyl]-piperidine. It was a vardenafil analogue isolated from a dietary supplement capsule. Compared with vardenafil, the piperidine ring was substituted for the ethylpiperazine group. The second new analogue, trivially named hydroxyhongdenafil (compound 2), was separated from bulk powder used as a raw material for a dietary supplement. The piperazine and phenyl groups were connected through an acetyl group instead of a sulfonyl group, and hydroxyethylpiperazine was substituted for the methylpiperazine of sildenafil. It was structurally elucidated as 5-[2-ethoxy-5-[[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinyl]acetyl]phenyl]-1,4-dihydro-1-methyl-3-propyl-7H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one.

Purpose: Studies show significant variability in the thickness of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) corneal flaps cut by various microkeratomes. Most studies of corneal flap thickness are based on contact ultrasonic pachymetry measurements taken during the surgical procedure. This study reports a technique to obtain reproducible corneal flap thickness and residual stromal bed thickness measurements using noncontact optical coherence tomography (OCT) following LASIK., Methods: The corneal flap thicknesses of 26 eyes of 15 patients were measured following LASIK in which the flap was created using the Amadeus microkeratome: 160-microm head, 9.5-mm ring, 4.0-mm/s translation speed, 8000 oscillations/m, and full vacuum. Zeiss Humphrey OCT-2 line scans were performed on postoperative days 1 and 7. The raw data from three scans for each eye and day were exported to Microsoft Excel for processing, averaging, and analysis., Results: The OCT corneal flap thickness and residual stromal bed thickness measurements correlated well with ultrasonic pachymetry measurements performed during surgery (R2 = .92). The OCT technique yielded reproducible results, as the variance for repeated scans was only 2.5% of the variance between eyes. In bilateral cases a single blade was used for both eyes. The mean flap thickness of 15 first eyes was significantly greater than that of the 10 second eyes: 181 +/- 31 microm vs. 143 +/- 41 microm (P < .01). A positive correlation was found between the preoperative pachymetry and corneal flap thickness., Conclusions: The OCT scan averaging technique is a reproducible, noncontact postoperative method for measuring corneal flap and residual stromal bed thicknesses following LASIK.

Background: Dextromethorphan is an N-methyl-D-aspartic acid antagonist which can attenuate acute pain with few side-effects. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study of dextromethorphan and intrathecal morphine, we investigated postoperative pain, pruritus, nausea and vomiting in women undergoing Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia., Methods: Women were allocated randomly to one of six groups, to receive intrathecal morphine 0.05, 0.1 or 0.2 mg plus oral dextromethorphan 60 mg or placebo., Results: The addition of dextromethorphan did not reduce postoperative pain scores (P=0.83). Compared with women receiving intrathecal morphine 0.05 mg, women receiving higher doses had a significantly higher incidence of nausea and vomiting [odds ratio for intrathecal morphine 0.1 mg, 4.0 (95% confidence interval 1.2-14.1); for intrathecal morphine 0.2 mg, 7.9 (2.3-27.1)]. Compared with women receiving intrathecal morphine 0.05 mg, women receiving higher doses also had a significantly higher incidence of pruritus [odds ratio for intrathecal morphine 0.1 mg, 3.2 (95% confidence interval 1.3-8.2); for intrathecal morphine 0.2 mg, 3.7 (1.4-9.5)]. Women receiving dextromethorphan had a lower incidence of nausea and vomiting [odds ratio 2.6 (1.1-6.3)]., Conclusions: Postoperative pain after Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia was not reduced by the addition of oral dextromethorphan to a multimodal approach including intrathecal morphine.

The use of incisional refractive surgery has become limited due to the widespread use of the excimer laser to correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Laser in situ keratomileusis and photorefractive keratectomy have proven to be much more accurate and predictable in correcting refractive error. This has made some forms of incisional refractive surgery practically obsolete. Radial keratotomy should not be considered a primary refractive procedure in the modern world, as RK has become "RKhaic". There are still indications for incisional refractive surgery in cataract and post-surgical patients for the treatment of astigmatism. However, with the advent of the toric intraocular lens and the use of LASIK in such aforementioned patients, these indications for incisional surgery will likely become more limited. In this review, we go over the past history of incisional refractive surgery and also report the current uses and advancements of this technique in today's practice environment.

Purpose: To report the first case of fungal keratitis in a patient wearing daily disposable soft contact lenses., Methods: Case Report. A 20-year-old white female in good health developed a corneal ulcer in her lefteye associated with daily disposable soft contact lens wear. There was no history of trauma to the left eye, and she denied overnight wear. Corneal scrapings were taken, and the patient was started on intensive tobramycin 14 mg/mL and cefazolin 50 mg/mL topical therapy for suspected bacterial keratitis. After 3 days of antibacterial therapy, the ulcer worsened. The cultures were negative as were the Gram stain and Gomori's methenamine silver stain. Initial cultures and stains were then repeated with the addition of a culture for herpes simplex virus. The developing clinical picture was suspicious for fungal keratitis. The patient was then started on intensive vancomycin 2%, natamycin 5%, and continued on fortified tobramycin. Three days after the second corneal scrapings were performed, a positive fungal culture was obtained for Fusarium sp. Vancomycin and tobramycin were then discontinued and amphotericin B 0.15% was added to natamycin 5% with the continuation of intensive topical therapy., Results: The patient's keratitis was successfully treated with intensive double antifungal therapy., Conclusions: Infectious keratitis in daily disposable soft contact lens wear is an unusual occurrence. To our knowledge, there is no previous case of fungal keratitis occurring in patients wearing daily disposable lenses. This case emphasizes the importance of considering fungus in the differential diagnosis for keratitis even in daily disposable contact lens wearers.

Pulse oximeter probes placed peripherally may fail to give accurate values of arterial blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) when peripheral perfusion is poor. Since central blood flow may be preferentially preserved, the oesophagus was suggested as an alternative monitoring site. A reflectance oesophageal photoplethysmographic (PPG) probe and a multiplexed data acquisition system, operating simultaneously at two wavelengths and incorporating an external three-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) reference channel, has been developed. It has been used to investigate the suitability of the oesophagus as a possible monitoring site for SpO2 in cases of compromised peripheral perfusion. Oesophageal PPG signals and standard ECG traces were obtained from 16 anaesthetized patients and displayed on a laptop computer. Measurable PPG signals with high signal-to-noise ratios at both infrared and red wavelengths were obtained from all five oesophageal depths investigated. The maximum PPG amplitude occurred at 25 cm from the upper incisors in the mid-oesophagus. The measured pulse transit times (PTTs) to the oesophagus were consistent with previous measurements at peripheral sites and had a minimum value of 67 +/- 30 ms at a depth of 30 cm. There was broad agreement between the calculated values of oesophageal SpO2 and those from a commercial finger pulse oximeter.

Purpose: To report an unusual case where the diagnosis of hemophilia was made after attempted penetrating keratoplasty in an elderly patient., Methods: A 75 year old white male with a full-thickness corneal scar in the visual axis and a visually significant cataract OD was to undergo penetrating keratoplasty and cataract extraction with lens implantation for visual rehabilitation. There was no history of bleeding diathesis given., Results: During placement of the Flieringa ring, a progressively enlarging 360 degrees subconjunctival hemorrhage was observed. Given the unusual bleeding,the procedure was aborted and the patientwas referred to the hematology service for further evaluation. Laboratory studies revealed a diagnosis of atypical hemophilia of mild severity., Conclusions: The initial diagnosis of hemophilia in any elderly patient is unusual. This case is even more unusual asthe diagnosis of a bleeding disorder was first considered after excessive subconjunctival hemorrhage developed during attempted penetrating keratoplasty.

The monitoring of arterial blood oxygen saturation in patients with compromised peripheral perfusion is often difficult, because conventional non-invasive techniques such as pulse oximetry (SpO2) can fail. Poor peripheral circulation commonly occurs after major surgery including cardiopulmonary bypass. The difficulties in these clinical situations might be overcome if the sensor were to monitor a better perfused central part of the body such as the oesophagus. A new oesophageal photoplethysmographic (PPG) probe and an isolated processing system have been developed to investigate the pulsatile signals of anaesthetised adult patients undergoing routine surgery. Measurements were made in the middle third of the oesophagus, 25 cm to 30 cm from the upper incisors. The AC PPG signals are sampled by a data acquisition system connected to a laptop computer. The signals recorded correspond to infrared and red AC PPGs from the middle third oesophagus and the finger. Preliminary results from 20 patients show that good quality AC PPG signals can be measured in the human oesophagus. The ratio of the oesophageal to finger AC PPG amplitudes was calculated for the infrared and red wavelengths for each patient. The mean (+/- standard deviation) of this ratio was 2.9 +/- 2.1 (n = 19) for the infrared wavelength and 3.1 +/- 2.4 (n = 16) for the red wavelength. The red and infrared wavelengths used are appropriate for pulse oximetry and this investigation indicates that the mid-oesophagus may be a suitable site for the reliable monitoring of SpO2 in patients with poor peripheral perfusion.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the extent of intraocular light scatter in patients with choroideremia., Design: Prospective case-control study., Participants: Twelve male patients with choroideremia who had predominantly minimal or no posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) lens opacities and visual acuities of 20/40 or better and 30 age-similar control subjects with normal vision and no lens opacities were studied., Intervention: Intraocular light scatter was measured using a van den Berg Straylightmeter., Main Outcome Measures: Visual acuities, letter contrast sensitivities, Goldmann visual fields using a II4e target, and straylight parameters were obtained for each patient. Lenses were assessed by slit-lamp biomicroscopy to determine whether there were PSC opacities. The degree of retinal pigment epithelial and choroidal degenerative changes was evaluated from color fundus photographs., Results: Three of the patients with choroideremia who had clinically apparent PSC lens opacities showed an increase in intraocular light scatter. More notable was the fact that seven of the remaining nine patients who did not have any clinically apparent changes in the lens also had a considerable increase in the intraocular light scatter as compared to the control subjects. The relative elevations of the log straylight parameters of the patients with choroideremia, as compared to age-similar control subjects, were correlated significantly with their log visual field areas (r = -0.69, P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Intraocular light scatter may be increased in patients with choroideremia, even in the absence of clinically observable PSC opacities. It is hypothesized that the increase in light scatter may be caused by changes in the posterior subcapsular region of the lens before the formation of frank PSC cataracts. The increased straylight could, at least in part, account for the disability glare reported by these patients.

Clostridium difficile colitis is a disabling complication in critically ill patients who commonly receive broad-spectrum antibiotics and liquid diets. To date, there is no experimental model specifically designed to investigate the effects of liquid diets on this type of colitis. The addition of fiber to liquid diets normalizes gut structure and improves absorptive function in selected conditions of intestinal dysfunction. The purposes of this study were the following: (1) to develop a reproducible model to examine the interaction of acute C difficile-induced colitis and liquid diets, (2) to determine whether the addition of soy fiber to a liquid diet improves disease, and (3) to investigate possible mechanisms of fiber-mediated disease improvement. Syrian hamsters were pair-fed with either a polymeric liquid diet or the same diet with 1.4% soy fiber for 10 days. Animals were given either clindamycin and C difficile (to produce ileocecitis), or equivalent volumes of saline. Mean survival time and systematic stool examinations for C difficile toxin positivity, liquidity, and percent water were performed to determine the effect of soy fiber on disease. Survival time was prolonged by 34% (p < .05), and C difficile toxin positivity and stool liquidity were significantly reduced (p < .05) with fiber. Additional animals were studied to determine possible mechanisms for improved survival in fiber-supplemented animals. Cecal histology, colonic water absorption, cecal microflora, and gastric to anus transit time were measured in these animals. Colonic water absorption and gastric to anus transit time were significantly increased (p < .05) and decreased (p < .05) with fiber, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)