Effects of High Temperature and High Humidity on the Degree of Ocular Damage Caused by 60 GHz Millimeter Wave Exposure.

ABSTRACT: Millimeter waves (MMW) are pervasive in society; however, studies on the biological effects of MMW exposure are usually performed in laboratory settings not reflecting global environmental diversity. We investigated the effects of a 6-min exposure to 60 GHz MMW (wavelength, 5.0 mm) at incident power densities of 200 and 300 mW cm-2 in eyes (exposed right eyes vs. unexposed left eyes) under various ambient temperature/relative humidity environments (24 °C/50%, 45 °C/20%, and 45 °C/80%) using an in vivo rabbit model. Correlations were examined with adverse ocular events, including corneal epithelial damage (assessed using fluorescein staining), corneal opacity (evaluated by slit-lamp microscopy), and corneal thickness (measured via optical coherence tomography). Our findings indicate that higher temperatures and humidity tend to exacerbate MMW-induced ocular damage, albeit not significantly in the present study. Further research with a larger sample size is warranted. Incident power density emerged as a factor that was directly linked to the ocular damage threshold. High ambient temperature and humidity tended to exacerbate ocular damage from MMW exposure, although the effect was secondary. Ocular damage in a high-temperature (45 °C), high-humidity (80%) environment was increased to the same extent as that by incident power density increased by approximately 100 mW cm-2 in an ocular damage model in a standard environment (24 °C, 50%). In a high-humidity environment, the internal ocular tissue temperature increased at a high ambient temperature of 45 °C, suggesting that the eyeball may respond differently compared to other tissues.

Preventative Effect of Topical Rebamipide Against Corneal Epithelium Disorders Caused by Diclofenac Sodium.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between diclofenac sodium ophthalmic solution (DFNa) and corneal epithelial cell damage and to evaluate the preventive effect of rebamipide (RBM) on it. Methods: DFNa, DFNa/preservative-free (PF), or 0.5% chlorobutanol (CB) solution was instilled into the conjunctival sac of a normal rabbit eye, and corneal resistance measurement (using a corneal resistance device [CRD]) was performed 120 min after the end of instillation. Then, fluorescent staining (FL), corneal tissue staining (hematoxylin and eosin [H&E]), and immunostaining (zona occlusion-1) were performed (RBM-untreated group). However, RBM was instilled into the eyes of another group of normal rabbits, followed by each of the solutions; 120 min after the end of instillation, all evaluations were performed for this group (RBM treatment group). Results: Using the CRD method, in the RBM-untreated group, corneal resistance (CR; %) was found to be significantly reduced in DFNa (79.9 ± 19.4%), DFNa/PF (89.1 ± 17.3%), and 0.5% CB (83.8 ± 10.6%). In addition, DFNa and 0.5% CB solutions showed positive staining in the FL staining method. In the H&E staining method, some clear voids were observed in the outermost layer of the cornea using DFNa and 0.5% CB solutions. However, corneal epithelial damage was suppressed in the RBM treatment group. ZO-1 immunostaining in DFNa and 0.5% CB solutions revealed discontinuous localization of ZO-1 at the cell periphery. Conclusions: RBM eye drops were effective in preventing corneal epithelial damage caused by DFNa eye drops, and CB was considered to be the main causative agent of this damage.

Development of a unit conversion tool for five quantitative anti-spike assays and agreement analysis of three qualitative anti-nucleocapsid assays for SARS-CoV-2.

Commercially available assays for measuring severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) anti-spike (S) or anti-nucleocapsid (N) antibodies differ in units, making results comparisons challenging. This study aimed to develop conversion equations between five quantitative anti-S antibody tests and to assess the agreement over time between three qualitative anti-N antibody tests. Blood samples from 24 216 vaccinated healthcare workers in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, were analyzed for anti-S antibodies using five quantitative tests (Abbott, Fujirebio, Ortho, Sysmex, Roche) and for anti-N antibodies using three qualitative tests (Abbott, Sysmex, Roche). Geometric mean regression was performed to establish equations for converting measured values between the five quantitative tests. Fleiss κ statistic was used to assess the agreement between the three qualitative tests. A strong correlation (Pearson's coefficient r > 0.9) was found for each pair of the five quantitative tests measuring anti-S antibodies, enabling the development of equations to convert values between each pair. Using these equations, which are based on the original output unit of each test, values obtained from one test can be transformed to be equivalent to the corresponding values in another test. For the three tests for anti-N antibodies, the agreement was substantial in the total sample (Fleiss' κ, 0.74) and moderate among those with self-reported past coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection (Fleiss' κ, 0.39). The agreement decreased with time after infection. Reduced agreement between anti-N antibodies tests over time suggests caution in comparing seroepidemiological studies of COVID-19 exposure based on anti-N antibodies measurement. The findings could help improve antibody measurement systems and inform public health decision-makers.

High ambient temperature may induce presbyopia via TRPV1 activation.

The prevalence of presbyopia and nuclear cataracts (NUC) is reported to be higher in tropical areas than that in other regions, suggesting a potential influence of high temperatures on lens health. Transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channels play a crucial role in detecting ambient temperatures across various species, with TRPV1 and TRPV4 expressed in lens epithelial cells. In this study, we investigated whether ambient temperatures affect TRPV1 and TRPV4 activity in the lens, potentially contributing to the development of presbyopia and NUC. We conducted experiments using cultured human lens epithelial cell lines under different temperature conditions. Our results revealed that the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 pathways, downstream molecules of TRPV1, were activated, while Src family kinase, a downstream molecule of TRPV4, was inhibited at 37.5 °C culture compared to 35.0 °C. Confocal microscope images demonstrated higher expression of TRPV1 in 3D-structured cells under high-temperature culture conditions. Additionally, in organ culture lenses, higher elasticity was observed at elevated temperatures compared to that at lower temperatures. These results suggest that high ambient temperatures may induce lens sclerosis via TRPV1 activation, potentially contributing to the development of presbyopia and NUC.

Comparison of Postoperative Axial Rotation of the Toric Intraocular Lens in Cataract Surgery Combined with Vitrectomy versus Cataract Surgery Alone.

INTRODUCTION: This study compared the postoperative axial rotation of the toric intraocular lens (T-IOL) after cataract surgery combined with vitrectomy versus cataract surgery alone. METHODS: This retrospective, non-randomized, observational study enrolled patients who underwent cataract surgery combined with vitrectomy in one eye and cataract surgery alone in the contralateral eye. AcrySof Toric IOLs (Alcon Laboratories) were implanted in both eyes of the same patient. The axial rotation of the T-IOL was analyzed 3 months postoperatively using photographs obtained during and after surgery. In the combined group, T-IOL axial alignment was performed before vitrectomy. Preoperative corneal astigmatism and postoperative residual astigmatism were also compared in both groups. RESULTS: This study examined 36 eyes of 18 patients (74.7 ± 6.8 years). The axial rotation was 2.94 ± 1.70° in the cataract group versus 3.06 ± 2.34° in the combined group 3 months postoperatively, and the difference lacked significance (p = 0.98). In the combined group, the mean axial rotation during surgery was 2.17 ± 1.80°. Axial rotation within 5° was observed in 17 of 18 eyes (94.4%) in the cataract group and 16 of 18 eyes (88.9%) in the combined group, with no significant difference (p = 0.54). The comparison of postoperative residual astigmatism with preoperative corneal astigmatism revealed a significant improvement from 1.49 ± 0.40 D to 0.39 ± 0.47 D in the cataract group (p < 0.0001) and from 1.61 ± 0.40 D to 0.42 ± 0.43 D in the combined group (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The postoperative axial rotation of the T-IOL in eyes that underwent cataract surgery combined with vitrectomy was stable and comparable to that of eyes that underwent cataract surgery alone.

Prediction of low-addition segmented refractive intraocular lens position and deviation using anterior-segment optical coherence tomography.

This study aimed to develop and analyze the accuracy of predictive formulae for postoperative anterior chamber depth, tilt, and decentration of low-added-segment refractive intraocular lenses. This single-center, retrospective, observational study included the right eyes of 96 patients (mean age: 72.43 ± 6.58 years), who underwent a cataract surgery with implantation of a low-added segmented refractive intraocular lens at the Medical University Hospital between July 2019 and January 2021, and were followed up for more than 1 month postoperatively. The participants were divided into an estimation group to create a prediction formula and a validation group to verify the accuracy of the formula. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (CASIA 2, Tomey Corporation, Japan) and swept-source optical coherence tomography biometry (IOL Master 700, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG) were used to measure the anterior ocular components. A predictive formula was devised for postoperative anterior chamber depth, intraocular lens tilt, and intraocular lens decentration (p <0.01) in the estimation group. A significant positive correlation was observed between the estimated values calculated using the prediction formula and the measured values for postoperative anterior chamber depth (r = 0.792), amount of intraocular lens tilt (r = 0.610), direction of intraocular lens tilt (r = 0.668), and amount of intraocular lens decentration (r = 0.431) (p < 0.01) in the validation group. In conclusion, our findings reveal that predicting the position of the low-added segmented refractive intraocular lens enables the prognosis of postoperative refractive values with a greater accuracy in determining the intraocular lens adaptation.

Radiographic Progression at Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: A Prognostic Indicator of Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The critical role of radiographic assessment at the time of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) diagnosis is underscored by this study. We performed a retrospective analysis of radiographic changes in metastasis from the time of diagnosis of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) to CRPC diagnosis. We also explored its impact on prognosis post-CRPC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 98 men who underwent radiographic examinations (bone scans and computed tomography [CT]) at the time of CRPC diagnosis. When radiographic studies demonstrated progression at CRPC diagnosis, patients were assigned to the radiographic progressive disease (rPD) group. The remaining patients were placed in the "non-rPD" group. The overall survival (OS) post-CRPC was compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The median OS post-CRPC was significantly shorter in the rPD group (n = 50) compared to the non-rPD group (n = 48) (32 months vs. not reached, P = .0124). Multivariate analysis showed that radiographic progression and shorter time to CRPC were associated with a shorter OS post-CRPC (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-8.12, P = .019). CONCLUSION: Radiographic progression at the point of CRPC diagnosis independently predicts a shorter OS post-CRPC in patients with mHSPC. Therefore, assessing radiographic changes at the time of CRPC diagnosis could be instrumental in managing CRPC in patients with mHSPC.

Progressive hyperopic refractive changes after posterior capsule tear following blunt ocular trauma.

Purpose: To describe the mechanism of progressive hyperopia and its management in the long-term course of traumatic cataract with a posterior capsule tear (PCT) following blunt ocular trauma. Observation: A 37-year-old woman presented with blurry vision and photophobia after being hit in the right eye by a slipper. She was found to have PCT with the formation of a traumatic cataract with emmetropia (0 diopters [D]). Three years after the injury, a broader hyperopic change of +8.0 D was found in the patient at her first visit to our clinic. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) analysis of the anterior segment of the eye revealed damage to the posterior capsule and cataracts due to disorganization of the lens fibers and liquefaction of the lens. Femtosecond laser-associated cataract surgery was performed for anterior capsulotomy and segmentation of the nucleus without further enlargement of the PCT, facilitating the placement of a capsular tension ring segment and a multifocal intra ocular lens (IOL) in the capsular bag. At 1-month post-operation, her uncorrected visual acuity was 20/20 in the right eye, with a well-centered IOL. Conclusions and Importance: Isolated PCT due to blunt trauma is rare, and there have been no reports of progressive hyperopia after three years of follow-up. In such cases, the lens may liquefy, resulting in decreased refraction and significant hyperopia.

Effectiveness of Magnetic Resonance Imaging/Ultrasound-guided Target Biopsy in Detecting Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound (MRI-US)-guided fusion biopsy in the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (CSPC) and analyze the clinical features of patients highly suspected of having prostate cancer (PCa) but shown to be negative in target biopsies (TB) among patients with prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) 4 or 5 lesions on multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) evaluations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated all patients who underwent MRI/transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided fusion biopsies at our institution between April 2018 and April 2022. All patients with at least one PI-RADS 3 or higher lesion and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≤20 ng/ml were enrolled in our study and subjected to TB in the region of interest (ROI). CSPC was defined as grade group (GG) ≥2 (equivalent to a Gleason score of 3+4). RESULTS: The detection rates of CSPC were higher in patients who underwent systematic biopsy (SB) and TB (54%; 177/328) than in those who underwent SB alone (39%; 128/328). Significant differences were noted in the detection of CSPC depending on age, prostate volume, PI-RADS score, PSA density (PSAD), number of biopsies obtained, lesion location, and ROI. CONCLUSION: MRI/TRUS-guided fusion prostate biopsy increased the detection rate of CSPC. PCa was less likely to be detected in patients with a low PSAD, large prostate volume and no family history among those with PI-RADS 4 or 5 lesions and should be considered in such patients and addressed by performing additional SB for improving CSPC detection rate.

Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography Findings in Capsular Block Syndrome with Improvement in Myopia following Neodymium-Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Laser Treatment.

Introduction: Lacteocrumenasia is a relatively rare postoperative complication of cataract surgery. It is classified as a late-onset type of capsular block syndrome (CBS) and is often accompanied by myopia; however, its mechanism is not clearly understood. Case Presentation: We report a case of a 62-year-old male patient having CBS with myopia. The patient was treated with neodymium-yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd-YAG) laser posterior capsulotomy. We measured and compared the depth of the intraocular lens using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) before and after laser treatment. Treatment resulted in refraction improvement of more than 1.0 diopters. The intraocular lens depth before and after Nd-YAG laser irradiation had very mild changes of less than 0.05 mm, which did not explain the refractive changes. Conclusion: Myopia in the early-onset type of CBS is caused by anterior deviation of the intraocular lens; however, the evaluation of this case using AS-OCT suggested that an abnormal intraocular lens position may not be involved in late-onset CBS.

Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation of Bilateral Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome in a Young Boxer: A Case Report.

Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome, a rare vascular disease observed in young athletes, is characterized by intermittent claudication and is often overlooked by orthopedists. Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome should be treated promptly when diagnosed, as the vascular lesion can progress. We present a case of bilateral popliteal artery entrapment syndrome in a young professional boxer with no significant family or past medical history. He had developed intermittent claudication during a boxing match with pain in both calves, making it impossible for him to continue for more than three rounds. He was diagnosed with popliteal artery entrapment syndrome, and surgery treatment with reconstruction of the medial gastrocnemius muscle to maintain muscle strength was performed in collaboration with a cardiovascular surgeon. Then, he underwent rehabilitation according to postoperative treatment for gastrocnemius muscle rupture, and finally, he could return to professional boxing matches with victory. PAES is often initially overlooked by orthopedic surgeons. This is the first report of functional reconstruction surgery and effective rehabilitation performed for PAES. This case focuses on the early diagnosis of and proper orthopedic approach to popliteal artery entrapment syndrome, which is considered important to enable patients to return to high-level sports.

Association of nuclear cataract prevalence with UV radiation and heat load in lens of older people -five city study.

Epidemiological studies have reported that the frequency of nuclear cataracts (NUCs) is high among the elderly and in tropical countries. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and lens temperature are considered as key physical contributors, although their precise quantification is difficult. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of NUC prevalence with UV irradiation and heat load. First, we assessed the lens temperature using thermodynamic modeling considering the thermophysiological response. We then conducted a multivariate linear regression analysis for the epidemiological analysis of NUC prevalence across five cities. A strong correlation was observed between NUC prevalence and the combined effects of UV irradiation and cumulative equivalent minutes at 43 °C (CEM43°C) derived from the computed lens temperature (adjusted R2 = 0.933, p < 0.0001). Heat load significantly contributed to the prevalence at 52%, surpassing the contributions of UV irradiation (31%) and the decline in DNA repair capacity in the lens (17%). These results suggested that both UV radiation and heat load are associated with NUC, with heat load contributing more. Our findings provided important implications for future interventions, particularly in the context of global warming.

Neurological Analysis Based on the Terminal End of the Spinal Cord and the Narrowest Level of Injured Spine in Thoracolumbar Spinal Injuries.

This study aimed to clarify neurological differences among the epiconus, conus medullaris, and cauda equina syndromes. Eighty-seven patients who underwent surgery for acute thoracolumbar spinal injuries were assessed. We defined the epiconus as the region from the terminal end of the spinal cord to the proximal 1.0 to 2.25 vertebral bodies, the conus medullaris as the region proximal to < 1.0 vertebral bodies, and the cauda equina as the distal part of the nerve roots originating from the spinal cord. On the basis of the distance from the terminal end of the spinal cord to the narrowest level of the spinal canal, the narrowest levels were ordered as follows: the epiconus followed by the conus medullaris and cauda equina. The narrowest levels were the epiconus in 22 patients, conus medullaris in 37 patients, and cauda equina in 25 patients. On admission, significantly more patients had a narrowed epiconus of Frankel grades A-C than a narrowed cauda equina. At the final follow-up, there were no significant differences in neurological recovery among those with epiconus, conus medullaris, or cauda equina syndrome. Anatomically classifying the narrowest lesion is useful for clarifying the differences and similarities among these three syndromes.

The Efficacy and Safety of a Low Relative Dose Intensity of Cabazitaxel in Patients With Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Clinical trials have shown that the efficacy of a reduced dose of cabazitaxel (20 mg/m2 every 3 weeks) was not inferior to that of the standard dose (25 mg/m2 every 3 weeks). However, the efficacy of even lower relative dose intensities, such as 20 mg/m2 every 4 weeks, have not been evaluated conclusively. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of a low relative dose intensity of cabazitaxel in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in the real world. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 101 consecutive patients treated with cabazitaxel for docetaxel-refractory metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. The progression-free and overall survival after introduction of cabazitaxel and prostate-specific antigen response rate were assessed as oncological outcome measures. RESULTS: The patients were divided into two groups (relative dose intensity >60%, n=74 and ≤60%, n=27). Both progression-free and overall survivals were significantly better in the >60% group than in the ≤60% group (median 5 and 2 months, p<0.01, and 15 and 6 months, p<0.01, respectively). In multivariate analyses, visceral metastasis and relative dose intensity ≤60% were prognostic factors for shorter progression-free and overall survivals (p=0.04, p<0.01, respectively). The incidence of adverse events was not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION: The cabazitaxel relative dose intensity ≤60% group had significantly shorter progression-free and overall survivals than the >60% group, whereas the incidence of adverse events was not significantly different. The results suggested that reducing the relative dose intensity of cabazitaxel to ≤60% may not be recommended.

Aquaporins contribute to vacuoles formation in Nile grass type II diabetic rats.

Regulation of ion and water microcirculation within the lens is tightly controlled through aquaporin channels and connexin junctions. However, cataracts can occur when the lens becomes cloudy. Various factors can induce cataracts, including diabetes which is a well-known cause. The most common phenotype of diabetic cataracts is a cortical and/or posterior subcapsular opacity. In addition to the three main types and two subtypes of cataracts, a vacuole formation is frequently observed; however, their origin remains unclear. In this study, we focused on the aquaporins and connexins involved in diabetes-induced cataracts and vacuoles in Nile grass type II diabetes. The results showed that the expression of aquaporin 0 and aquaporin 5 increased, and that of connexin 43 decreased in diabetic rat lenses. Additionally, aquaporin 0 and 5 were strongly localized in peripheral of vacuoles, suggesting that aquaporins are involved in vacuoles formation. Transillumination photography revealed large vacuoles at the tip of the Y-suture in the anterior capsule of the diabetic lens, and several small vacuoles were observed in the posterior capsule. Within the vacuoles, cytoplasmic degradation and aggregation of fibrous material were observed. Our findings suggest that aquaporins are potential candidate proteins for preventing vacuole formation.

Skin absorption of felbinac solid nanoparticles in gel formulation containing l-menthol and carboxypolymethylene.

BACKGROUND: It is important to design an effective formulation to enhance the skin penetration, and nanotechnologies have been used in dermal and transdermal drug delivery. In this study, we prepared formulations (gels) containing l-menthol and felbinac (FEL) solid nanoparticles (FEL-NP gel) for topical application, and investigated the local and systemic absorption of the prepared FEL-NP gel. METHODS: FEL solid nanoparticles were obtained by bead milling of FEL powder (microparticles), and a topical formulation (FEL-NP gel) consisting of 1.5% FEL solid nanoparticles), 2% carboxypolymethylene, 2% l-menthol, 0.5% methylcellulose, and 5% 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (w/w %) were prepared. RESULTS: The particle size of FEL nanoparticles was 20-200 nm. The released FEL concentration from FEL-NP gel was significantly higher than that from FEL gel without bead mill treatment (carboxypolymethylene gel in which FEL microparticles (MPs) instead of FEL nanoparticles were incorporated, FEL-MP gel), and FEL was released as nanoparticles from the gel. Moreover, both transdermal penetration and percutaneous absorption of FEL-NP gel were significantly increased compared with those of FEL-MP gel, and the area under the FEL concentration-time curve (AUC) of FEL-NP gels was 1.52- and 1.38-fold of commercially available FEL ointment and FEL-MP gel, respectively. In addition, after 24 h of treatment, the FEL content in rat skin treated with FEL-NP gels was 1.38- and 2.54-fold higher than that when treated with commercially available FEL ointment and FEL-MP gel, respectively. Moreover, the enhanced skin penetration of FEL-NP gels was significantly attenuated by inhibition of energy-dependent endocytosis, such as clathrin-mediated endocytosis. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully prepared a topically applied carboxypolymethylene gel containing FEL nanoparticles. In addition, we observed that the endocytosis pathway was mainly related to the high skin penetration of FEL nanoparticles, and FEL-NP gel application resulted in high local tissue concentration and systemic absorption of FEL. These findings provide useful information for the design of topically applied nanoformulations against inflammation by providing local and systemic effects.

Daughter cells inherit YAP localization from mother cells in early preimplantation embryos.

The first stage of cell differentiation during mouse development is the differentiation into the trophectoderm and inner cell mass, which occurs during the 8-32-cell stages of preimplantation embryos. This differentiation is regulated by the Hippo signaling pathway. At the 32-cell stage, embryos establish a position-dependent distribution of the Hippo pathway coactivator, Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP, encoded by Yap1). The outer and inner cells showed nuclear and cytoplasmic localization of YAP, respectively. However, the process by which embryos establish position-dependent YAP localization remains elusive. Here, we established a YAP-reporter mouse line, Yap1mScarlet , and examined YAP-mScarlet protein dynamics during the 8-32-cell stages using live imaging. During mitosis, YAP-mScarlet diffused throughout the cells. YAP-mScarlet dynamics in daughter cells varied depending on the cell division patterns. YAP-mScarlet localization in daughter cells at the completion of cell division coincided with that in mother cells. Experimental manipulation of YAP-mScarlet localization in mother cells also altered its localization in daughter cells upon completion of cell division. In daughter cells, YAP-mScarlet localization gradually changed to the final pattern. In some divisions during the 8-16-cell stages, the cytoplasmic YAP-mScarlet localization preceded cell internalization. These results suggest that cell position is not a primary determinant of YAP localization and that the Hippo signaling status of the mother cell is inherited by the daughter cells, which likely contributes to the stabilization of the cell fate specification process beyond cell division.

Orientation of the intermediate-vision zone of rotationally asymmetric multifocal intraocular lenses and photic phenomena.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between the orientation of the intermediate-vision zone and postoperative photic phenomena in eyes implanted with rotationally asymmetric multifocal intraocular lenses with + 1.5 diopters near addition. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective comparative case series. METHODS: We performed the photic phenomena test (PPT) to quantitatively evaluate photic phenomena at 1-3 months after cataract surgery with Lentis Comfort LS-313 MF15 or Lentis Comfort Toric LS-313 MF15T insertion (Oculentis; Santen Pharmaceutical). In cases of bilateral surgeries, only the right eye was included in the analysis. We also conducted a questionnaire survey about the photic phenomena. RESULTS: The study included 96 eyes from 96 patients. The intermediate-vision zones of 44, 19, 19, and 14 eyes were fixed in the inferior, superior, nasal, and temporal directions, respectively. The measured PPT values for halo, glare, and starburst were equivalent in all the fixed directions. Eighty-four eyes (87.5%) perceived a triangle-shaped halo, and the direction of fixation for the intermediate-vision zone and the extension direction of this photic phenomenon were consistent in 94.0% of the eyes. Less than 10% of the patients responded "moderate" or "severe" for the triangle-shaped halo, glare, and starburst in fixed directions with low frequency in the questionnaire. CONCLUSION: No qualitative or quantitative difference was found in photic phenomena in eyes implanted with the LS-313 MF15 or the MF15T regardless of the fixation direction. Our study revealed that many patients were aware of a triangle-shaped halo extending in the direction of the intermediate-vision zone.

Early-stage corneal toxicity secondary to high-dose systemic cytarabine: a case report.

BACKGROUND: High-dose systemic cytarabine chemotherapy may cause fine corneal opacities and refractile microcysts, which are densely distributed in the center of the cornea. Most previous case reports on microcysts have been those following complaints of subjective symptoms, and the findings at the initial stage of development and time-course changes are still unknown. This report aims to clarify the time-course changes of microcysts using slit-lamp photomicrographs. CASE PRESENTATION: A 35-year-old woman who was treated with high-dose systemic cytarabine therapy (3 courses of 2 g/m2 every 12 h for 5 days) for acute myeloid leukemia and presented with subjective symptoms, such as bilateral conjunctival injection, photophobia, and blurred vision, on the 7th day of treatment in both the first two courses. Anterior segment findings by slit-lamp microscopy revealed microcysts densely distributed in the central region of the corneal epithelium. In both courses, microcysts disappeared within 2-3 weeks upon prophylactic steroid instillation. In the 3rd course, daily ophthalmic examinations were conducted from the start of the treatment, and on the 5th day without subjective symptoms, the microcysts in the corneal epithelium appeared evenly and sparsely distributed throughout the cornea except for the corneal limbus. Thereafter, the microcysts accumulated towards the center of the cornea and disappeared gradually. The change from low-dose to full-strength steroid instillation immediately following the occurrence of microcysts in the 3rd course resulted in the peak finding being the mildest compared to that in the past two courses. CONCLUSIONS: Our case report revealed that microcysts appeared scattered throughout the cornea before the appearance of subjective symptoms and then accumulated in the center and disappeared. A detailed examination is necessary to detect early changes in microcyst development resulting in prompt and appropriate treatment.