Identification of susceptibility loci for light-induced visual impairment in rats.

Bright light exposure in animals results in the selective degeneration of the outer retina, known as "retinal photic injury" (RPI). The susceptibility to RPI differs among rat strains. WKY rats display susceptibility to RPI with extensive retinal degeneration observed in the sagittal eye specimen, whereas LEW strain rats are resistant to it, showing only slight or no degeneration. In the present study, we first established an ethological screening method using the Morris water maze to discern differential susceptibility among the living rats. WKY and LEW were crossed to produce the first filial generation (F1) offspring. Maze-trained individuals were exposed to bright, white light. The screening test results demonstrated that the susceptibility to light-induced visual impairment in rats is a dominant Mendelian susceptibility trait, as F1 rats were susceptible to visual impairment like WKY rats. Therefore, F1 rats were backcrossed with recessive LEW to produce the first backcross offspring (BC1). Subsequent recurrent backcrossing while selecting for the susceptibility, indicated a segregation ratio of ca. 24% in BC1 and BC2 generations, indicating the involvement of two or more genes in the susceptibility. Further, microsatellite analysis of BC1-to-BC4 individuals using microsatellite markers mapped two susceptibility loci on chromosome segments 5q36 and 19q11-q12, named RPI susceptibility (Rpi)1 and Rpi2, respectively. This study provides an insight into mechanisms underlying differential susceptibility, which could help decipher the mechanism underlying the onset/progression of human age-related macular degeneration.

Experience using mTOR inhibitors for subependymal giant cell astrocytoma in tuberous sclerosis complex at a single facility.

BACKGROUND: Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA) is occasionally seen in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Two main options are currently available for treating SEGA: surgical resection or pharmacotherapy using mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTORi). We hypothesized that opportunities for surgical resection of SEGA would have reduced with the advent of mTORi. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients treated between August 1979 and July 2020, divided into a pre-mTORi era group (Pre-group) of patients treated before November 2012, and a post-mTORi era group (Post-group) comprising patients treated from November 2012, when mTORi became available in Japan for SEGA. We compared groups in terms of treatment with surgery or mTORi. We also reviewed SEGA size, rate of acute hydrocephalus, recurrence of SEGA, malignant transformation and adverse effects of mTORi. RESULTS: In total, 120 patients with TSC visited our facility, including 24 patients with SEGA. Surgical resection was significantly more frequent in the Pre-group (6 of 7 patients, 86 %) than in the Post-group (2 of 17 patients, 12 %; p = 0.001). Acute hydrocephalus was seen in 1 patient (4 %), and no patients showed malignant transformation of SEGA. The group treated using mTORi showed significantly smaller SEGA compared with the group treated under a wait-and-see policy (p = 0.012). Adverse effects of pharmacotherapy were identified in seven (64 %; 6 oral ulcers, 1 irregular menstruation) of the 11 patients receiving mTORi. CONCLUSIONS: The Post-group underwent surgery significantly less often than the Pre-group. Since the treatment option to use mTORi in the treatment of SEGA in TSC became available, opportunities for surgical resection have decreased in our facility.

Antifungal efficacy of photodynamic therapy with TONS 504 for pathogenic filamentous fungi.

The pathogenic filamentous fungi Fusarium solani (F. solani) and Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) are common causes of fungal keratitis. We have here evaluated the antifungal efficacy of photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) with the novel chlorin derivative TONS 504 and a light-emitting diode (LED) with a wavelength of 660 nm for these fungal species. Isolated fungal spores were irradiated at LED energies of 10, 20, or 30 J/cm2 in the presence of TONS 504 at concentrations of 1 or 10 mg/L. As a control, spores were exposed to TONS 504 or LED radiation alone. The treated spores were then cultured on potato dextrose agar plates at 25 °C for 3 to 4 days before determination of colony formation as a measure of viability. Fungal growth was inhibited in a manner dependent on both LED energy and TONS 504 concentration. The inhibitory effect on F. solani was complete with TONS 504 at a concentration of 1 mg/L and LED irradiation at 30 J/cm2 as well as at a TONS 504 concentration of 10 mg/L and LED irradiation at 10, 20, or 30 J/cm2. In contrast, that on A. fumigatus was only partial at a TONS 504 concentration of 10 mg/L and LED irradiation at 20 or 30 J/cm2. The antifungal effect of PACT on A. fumigatus was thus inferior to that on F. solani. PACT with TONS 504 and an LED thus warrants further evaluation with regard to its potential effectiveness for the treatment of infectious fungal keratitis.

Optical assessment of skin carotenoid status as a biomarker of vegetable and fruit intake.

Resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS) and reflection spectroscopy (RS) are optical methods applicable to the non-invasive detection of carotenoids in human skin. RRS is the older, more thoroughly validated method, whereas RS is newer and has several advantages. Since collective skin carotenoid levels serve as a biomarker for vegetable and fruit intake, both methods hold promise as convenient screening tools for assessment of dietary interventions and correlations between skin carotenoids and health and disease outcomes. In this manuscript, we describe the most recent optimized device configurations and compare their use in various clinical and field settings. Both RRS and RS devices yield a wide range of skin carotenoid levels between subjects, which is a critical feature for a biomarker. Repeatability of the methods is 3-15% depending on the subject's skin carotenoid level and the uniformity of its local distribution. For 54 subjects recruited from an ophthalmology clinic, we first checked the validity of the relatively novel RS methodology via biochemical serum carotenoid measurements, the latter carried out with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A high correlation between RS skin and serum HPLC carotenoid levels was established (R = 0.81; p < 0.001). Also, a high correlation was found between RS and RRS skin levels (R = 0.94 p < 0.001). Subsequent comparisons of skin carotenoid measurements in diverse age groups and ethnicities included 569 Japanese adults, 947 children with ages 2-5 screened in 24 day care centers in San Francisco, and 49 predominantly Hispanic adults screened at an outdoor health fair event. Depending on the particular subject group, correlation coefficients between the RRS and RS methods ranged between R ∼0.80 and R ∼0.96. Analysis of the Japanese screening showed that, on average, skin carotenoid levels are higher in women compared to men, skin levels do not depend on age, and tobacco smokers have reduced levels versus non-smokers. For the two most ethnically diverse groups with widely varying melanin levels, we investigated the effect of dermal melanin on RS and RRS skin carotenoid levels. The analysis revealed that large variations in skin carotenoid levels remain detectable independent of the particular melanin index. This behavior is consistent with the absence of melanin effects on the skin carotenoid levels generated with the instrument configurations. The RS method has an advantage over RRS in its relative simplicity. Due to its detection of skin reflection over a wide spectral range from the near UV to the near IR, it has the unique ability to quantify each of the major tissue chromophores and take them into account in the derivation of skin carotenoid levels.

Reliability of a two-wavelength autofluorescence technique by Heidelberg Spectralis to measure macular pigment optical density in Asian subjects.

This study evaluates the accuracy of an objective two-wavelength fundus autofluorescence technique for the purpose of measuring the macular pigment optical density (MPOD) in Asian pigmented eyes. Potential differences between MPOD values obtained via autofluorescence technique and subjective heterochromatic photometry (HFP) were examined. Inter-examiner reproducibility between three examiners and test-retest reliability over five time points were also explored. Subjects were 27 healthy Japanese volunteers aged 24 to 58 (mean ±â€¯standard deviation, 40.2 ±â€¯9.0) years. An MPOD module of the Spectralis MultiColor instrument configuration (Spectralis-MP) was used for the autofluorescence technique, and a Macular Metrics Densitometer (MM) was used for HFP. The mean MPOD values at 0.25° and 0.5° eccentricities using the Spectralis-MP were 0.51 ±â€¯0.12 and 0.48 ±â€¯0.13, respectively. In comparison, the MM based values were 0.72 ±â€¯0.23 and 0.61 ±â€¯0.25, respectively. High correlations between the Spectralis-MP and MM instrument were found (Pearson's correlation coefficients of 0.73 and 0.87 at 0.25° and 0.5° eccentricities, respectively), but there was a systematic bias: the MPOD values by MM method were significantly higher than those by Spectralis-MP at 0.25° eccentricity. High inter-examiner reproducibility and test-retest reliability were found for MM measurements at 0.5° eccentricity, but not at 0.25°. The Spectralis-MP showed less inter-examiner and test-retest variability than the MM instrument at 0.25° and 0.5° eccentricities. We conclude that the Spectralis-MP, given its high agreement with the HFP method and due to its higher reproducibility and reliability, is well suited for clinical measurements of MPOD levels in Asian pigmented eyes.

Fundus changes in type III membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) is characterized by mesangial cell proliferation and is classified into types I, II and III based on structural changes in the glomerular capillary walls. The drusen-like deposits of MPGN type II have been studied, but the fundus changes in MPGN type III have yet to be clarified. We report a case of MPGN type III with multiple deposits in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). CASE PRESENTATION: A 40-year-old Japanese woman with MPGN type III developed numerous yellow-white patches in the central macula of both eyes. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed deposits between the RPE and Bruch's membrane. Fluorescein angiography showed choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and OCT confirmed it as type 1 (sub RPE) CNV with fibrin tissue and subretinal fluid in the right eye. After 12 months, the CNV and subretinal fluid resolved spontaneously but the RPE deposits remained in both eyes. Her final visual acuity was 20/20 in the right eye and 20/16 in the left eye. CONCLUSION: We report a case of MPGN type III with multiple deposits in the RPE and CNV, suggesting that various fundus changes occur in MPGN type III and careful fundus follow-up is necessary to prevent vision loss.

Time-dependent antimicrobial effect of photodynamic therapy with TONS 504 on Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a major cause of infectious keratitis, which itself is a major cause of blindness worldwide. We have now evaluated the time-dependent effectiveness of photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) with the chlorin derivative TONS 504 and a light-emitting diode (LED) on P. aeruginosa in vitro. PACT with TONS 504 (10 mg/L) and irradiation (30 J/m2) by an LED device that delivers light centered on a wavelength of 660 nm was applied to 1 × 106 colony-forming units of P. aeruginosa in liquid medium. The bacteria were then cultured at 37 °C for various times before assay of viability by determination of colony formation on agar plates. The effect of a second irradiation at 3 h after the initial LED exposure was also examined. Bacterial growth was markedly inhibited between 3 and 9 h after PACT with TONS 504, with the maximal effect being apparent at 3 h. Furthermore, a second exposure to LED irradiation at 3 h after the first treatment enhanced the inhibitory effect on bacterial growth. PACT with TONS 504 thus inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa in a time-dependent manner, and an additional irradiation exposure applied 3 h after the first LED treatment greatly increased the effectiveness of PACT. This antibacterial system thus warrants further evaluation with regard to its potential effectiveness for the treatment of infectious keratitis.

[Anti-vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy on Exudative Age-related Macular Degeneration in Routine Clinical Practice of a Single Site: the Effectiveness of Cases Followed for More than Two Years].

PURPOSE: To investigate the long-term effectiveness of as-needed anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy on age-related macular degeneration (AMD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The number of treatments, treatment period, visual acuity and morphological changes were investigated retrospectively in 257 eyes of 248 patients (189 men and 59 women, mean age ± SD; 71.1 ± 9.2 years old) who were followed up for two years and more. Re-treatment was mainly decided based on patient's will. RESULTS: The mean number of treatments was 6.4 3.8 in the observational period of 3.7 years. Exudative changes were resolved at least once in the observational period in 240 eyes, and 160 eyes had no exudative changes at the final visit. Type 2 neovascularization by Gass resulted in fibrotic scar more frequently than type 1. The mean decimal visual acuity was 0.36 before the initiation of treatment and 0.26 at the final visit. The treatment period was less than 100 days in 54 eyes, and multivariate analysis revealed that polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) was a factor of prolonged treatment period. No severe adverse effects were admitted locally and systemically. CONCLUSIONS: The deterioration of mean visual acuity was assumed to be due to the relatively small number of treatments. Twenty-one percent of all eyes preserved well without any recurrence of treatments for short periods, and PCV needed treatments for longer periods than typical AMD.

Inactivation of acyclovir-sensitive and -resistant strains of herpes simplex virus type 1 in vitro by photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) with the new porphyrin derivative TONS 504 and a light-emitting diode (LED) against acyclovir (ACV)-sensitive and -resistant herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). METHODS: Human FL cells infected with the viral strains were subjected to PACT with TONS 504 at various concentrations (0.01 to 10 mg/l) and irradiation at various light energies (10 to 30 J/cm(2)) and were then incubated for 24 h before analysis. RESULTS: Immunocytofluorescence analysis with antibodies to HSV-1 revealed that PACT eliminated HSV-1 and ACV-resistant HSV-1 in a manner dependent on the TONS 504 concentration and light energy. Complete eradication of both viruses was apparent at a TONS 504 concentration of 10 mg/l and light energy of 10 to 30 J/cm(2) as well as at a TONS 504 concentration of 1 mg/l and light energy of 20 or 30 J/cm(2). No antiviral effect was apparent with TONS 504 in the absence of irradiation or with irradiation in the absence of TONS 504. Staining of cell nuclei with 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole revealed no apparent cytotoxicity of the PACT system, a finding that was confirmed by the system's failure to induce the release of lactate dehydrogenase from the host cells. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that our PACT system based on TONS 504 and an LED is effective for eliminating HSV-1 and ACV-resistant HSV-1 without a harmful effect on host cells.

Antimicrobial action from a novel porphyrin derivative in photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy in vitro.

Efforts to identify improved treatments for corneal infection include the development of photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT). We evaluated the antimicrobial effect of PACT with a novel porphyrin derivative, TONS 504, and a novel light system on methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Bacteria were irradiated with a light-emitting diode (LED) at energies of 10, 20, or 30 J/cm(2) in the presence of various concentrations of TONS 504. Bacterial viability was assessed at 30 min and 24 h after irradiation by determination of colony formation on agar plates. PACT inhibited the growth of both MSSA and MRSA as early as 30 min after light exposure. Complete inhibition of bacterial growth was apparent at 24 h after irradiation at a TONS 504 concentration of 1 mg/L and LED energies of ≥10 J/cm(2) or a TONS 504 concentration of 0.5 mg/L and LED energies of ≥20 J/cm(2) for MSSA, and at a TONS 504 concentration of 10 mg/L and LED energies of ≥10 J/cm(2) or of a TONS 504 concentration of 1 mg/L and LED energies of ≥20 J/cm(2) for MRSA. Bacterial growth was unaffected by TONS 504 in the absence of irradiation or by irradiation in the absence of TONS 504. Our results thus demonstrate the antimicrobial efficacy of PACT with TONS 504 and a LED against both MSSA and MRSA in vitro, and they therefore provide a basis for further investigation of this system as a potential treatment for corneal infection.

Effect of age and other factors on macular pigment optical density measured with resonance Raman spectroscopy.

BACKGROUND: Macular pigment is a defense system against phototoxic damage of the retina by visible light. It is still under debate whether or not macular pigment optical density (MPOD) levels decline with age, because the age effect varied depending on the technique used to measure MPOD levels. Resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS) is an objective method to measure MPOD, and studies using RRS showed a drastic age-related decline of MPOD levels; however, since RRS measurements are influenced by cataracts, it has been argued that the age-related decline of RRS measurements is an artifact from lens changes in aged subjects. In the present study, MPOD levels were measured with RRS in pseudophakic eyes, and the effects of age and other factors on MPOD levels were investigated. METHODS: The subjects included 144 patients with no fundus disorders who received cataract surgery with untinted intraocular lens implantation. MPOD levels were measured in 144 eyes using integral RRS 1 day post surgery. Factors potentially associated with MPOD levels such as age, gender, smoking habits, body mass index, diabetes, glaucoma, axial length, pupil diameter, spherical equivalent refractive error, and foveal thickness were examined by multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The macular pigment RRS levels ranged from 776 to 11,815 Raman counts, with an average level of 4,375 ± 1,917 (standard deviation [SD]) Raman counts. Multiple regression analysis revealed that age and axial length were significantly correlated with low MPOD values (regression coefficient of -59 for age and -404 for axial length, respectively). No significant correlations were observed for other factors. CONCLUSIONS: After removing the potentially confounding effect of age-related lens yellowing on the RRS measurements, age remained a significant patient parameter for lowered MPOD levels. MPOD levels were found to decline by more than 10 % each decade. Axial length was also a negative predictor of MPOD levels. Since the present study included only patients aged 50 years and older, the effects of age and other factors on MPOD levels for younger subjects remain unknown.

Measuring macular pigment optical density using reflective images of confocal scanning laser system.

PURPOSE: To develop a method to measure the macular pigment optical density (MPOD) using scanning laser ophthalmoscopic images in young adults and children. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: Blue light reflectance fundus images of 32 healthy subjects were used. A profile of the linear reflectance changes across the center of the fovea on a grayscale fundus image was generated. The ratio of the macula-to-periphery reflection was designated as the peak value of the MPOD (MPOD[FR]) based on established fundamentals. In the MPOD profile, the basal width of the pixels at MPOD < 0 (wMP) and width at one-half value of the MPOD[FR] (wMP0.5) were determined. The MOPD at eccentricity of 0.5° was measured by heterochromatic flicker photometry (MPOD[HFP]), and the correlation between the MPOD[FR] and MPOD[HFP] was evaluated. RESULTS: The MPOD[FR] ranged from 0.17 to 0.73 with a mean of 0.40 ± 0.13. The wMP ranged from 88 to 173 pixels with a mean of 121.7 ± 24.2 pixels, and the wMP0.5 ranged from 38 to 83 pixels with a mean of 54.1 ± 10.3 pixels. A significant correlation was found between the MPOD[FR] and MPOD[HFP] (r = 0.41, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: This simplified method can provide accurate and reliable values of the MPOD comparable to heterochromatic flicker photometry. Obtaining the fundus images in this fast and easy way should be suitable for children thus enabling clinicians to determine the MPODs for children.

Association between atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease score and skin carotenoid levels estimated via refraction spectroscopy in the Japanese population: a cross-sectional study.

Carotenoids play a role in preventing and impeding the progression of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVDs) through their anti-oxidative effects. This study evaluated associations between ASCVD risk and skin carotenoid (SC) levels, reflecting dietary carotenoid intake. Participants' ASCVD risk was assessed using the Hisayama ASCVD risk prediction model, and SC levels were measured through a reflection spectroscope (Veggie Meter). The associations between high ASCVD risk and SC levels were analyzed using logistic regression analysis and a restricted cubic spline (RCS) model. A total of 1130 men and women (mean age: 56 years) from participants who underwent a health examination in Seirei Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Medicine in 2019 and 2022 were analyzed. Of these, 4.6% had moderate or high ASCVD risk. Mean SC values were 236, 315, 376, 447, and 606 in quintile Q1 to Q5, respectively. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of SC quintile for moderate- or high-risk ASCVD was 0.24 (0.12-0.51) in Q5 (495 ≤), 0.42 (0.23-0.77) in Q4, 0.50 (0.29-0.88) in Q3, and 0.68 (0.41-1.12) in Q2 compared to Q1 (< 281). High SC values continuously showed non-linear inverse association with moderate- or high-risk for ASCVD in Japanese adults. Non-invasive SC measurements may be a good indicator for recommending carotenoids to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Deep learning-based correction of cataract-induced influence on macular pigment optical density measurement by autofluorescence spectroscopy.

PURPOSE: Measurements of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) using the autofluorescence spectroscopy yield underestimations of actual values in eyes with cataracts. Previously, we proposed a correction method for this error using deep learning (DL); however, the correction performance was validated through internal cross-validation. This cross-sectional study aimed to validate this approach using an external validation dataset. METHODS: MPODs at 0.25°, 0.5°, 1°, and 2° eccentricities and macular pigment optical volume (MPOV) within 9° eccentricity were measured using SPECTRALIS (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) in 197 (training dataset inherited from our previous study) and 157 eyes (validating dataset) before and after cataract surgery. A DL model was trained to predict the corrected value from the pre-operative value using the training dataset, and we measured the discrepancy between the corrected value and the actual postoperative value. Subsequently, the prediction performance was validated using a validation dataset. RESULTS: Using the validation dataset, the mean absolute values of errors for MPOD and MPOV corrected using DL ranged from 8.2 to 12.4%, which were lower than values with no correction (P < 0.001, linear mixed model with Tukey's test). The error depended on the autofluorescence image quality used to calculate MPOD. The mean errors in high and moderate quality images ranged from 6.0 to 11.4%, which were lower than those of poor quality images. CONCLUSION: The usefulness of the DL correction method was validated. Deep learning reduced the error for a relatively good autofluorescence image quality. Poor-quality images were not corrected.

Inter-device concordance of Veggie Meter-A reflection spectroscopy to measure skin carotenoids.

The Veggie Meter® (VM) is a refraction spectrometer that detects skin carotenoids. We tested the variability of the two modes (single-scan and averaging modes) of four VMs of three different versions (VM-1, 2, 3, 4) with 92 healthy volunteers. Both the modes exhibited a high intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC); however, the averaging mode had a significantly lower coefficient of variance than the single-scan mode. The Bland-Altman analysis showed a systematic error between VM-1 and other three VMs. The actual errors between the VM-1 and the other three VMs in the averaging mode were 7.4%, 10.4%, and 11.8% of the median of VM scores, but the errors could be reduced to 2.8%, 6.3%, and 7.0% by compensating VM scores using the regression equations. Averaging mode had higher accuracy than single-scan mode. The reliability of the VMs was validated by the small coefficient of variation and high ICC. The error was improved using linear regression compensation.

Which is More Effective and Safer? Comparison of Propensity Score-Matched Microhook Ab Interno Trabeculotomy and iStent Inject.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to compare the surgical outcomes between ab interno trabeculotomy (LOT) and iStent inject W implantation (iStent) both combined with cataract surgery, matching the background factors including age, intraocular pressure (IOP), medication score, central corneal thickness (CCT), and axial length. METHODS: A total of 100 eyes from 75/79 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma were included in the LOT/iStent groups. The background factors were matched between the two groups using the propensity score. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, IOP, medication score, CCT, and axial length, preoperatively. The postoperative medication scores were 1.3 ± 1.2 and 1.2 ± 1.2 in the LOT and iStent groups. The postoperative IOPs were 12.8 ± 2.8 and 13.1 ± 2.4 mmHg in the LOT and iStent groups, respectively. The changes in the medication score were - 0.64 ± 1.4 and - 0.44 ± 1.6 in the LOT and iStent groups, respectively. The changes in the IOP were - 2.1 ± 3.3 and - 1.5 ± 3.0 mmHg in the LOT and iStent groups, respectively. These values were not significantly different between the two groups. The postoperative IOP and changes in the IOP were significantly associated with preoperative IOP and CCT. There was no significant difference in the occurrence of postoperative complications (hyphema, 11.0% and 6.0%, and transient ocular hypertension, 8.0% and 5.0%, in the LOT and iStent groups, respectively). CONCLUSION: LOT and iStent have similar surgical outcomes with sufficient safety. Postoperative IOP was significantly associated with preoperative IOP and CCT in both groups.

Effects of water chestnut (Tarpa bispinosa Roxb.) extract/lutein on fingertip-measured advanced glycation endproduct/carotenoid levels.

This pilot study tested the effects of the supplements containing water chestnut extract and carotenoids on antiglycation and carotenoid levels. Twenty Japanese subjects (mean age, 67 ± 7 years; 13 men) ingested 200 mg of Tarpa bispinosa Roxb. extract (containing >50 mg of polyphenols), 20 mg of lutein, and 3 mg of zeaxanthin daily for 3 months. Advanced glycation end product (AGEs) levels were estimated by fingertip skin autofluorescence using the AGEs Sensor; carotenoid levels were estimated by pressure-mediated reflection spectroscopy of the fingertips using the Veggie Meter. Compared to baseline, the mean AGEs score decreased significantly (0.55 ± 0.04 arbitrary units (AU) vs. 0.52 ± 0.07 AU, p = 0.03); the mean carotenoid score increased significantly (256 ± 68 optical density (OD) vs. 302 ± 109 OD, p = 0.02) at 3 months. Blood pressure, body weight, visual acuity, refractive error, and intraocular pressure were equivalent between baseline and 3 months. Compared to baseline, 13 (65%) patients had decreased AGEs scores, and 14 (70%) had increased carotenoid scores at 3 months; 9 (45%) subjects had both decreased AGEs scores and increased carotenoid scores, and two (10%) subjects had an inverse response. Co-administration of water chestnut extract and lutein for 3 months decreased the AGEs and increased the carotenoids estimated in the fingertip skin of humans.

Improving Skin Carotenoid Levels in Young Students through Brief Dietary Education Using the Veggie Meter.

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of carotenoid have been determined to aid in the prevention of a wide range of oxidative disorders, arteriosclerosis, obesity, and various types of cancers. In order to keep high carotenoid levels in the body, much of the vegetable and fruit (V/F) intake is mandatory. However, the actual intake of V/F is not enough in many countries. The aim of this study was to assess whether brief dietary education using the Veggie Meter (VM) that could measure skin carotenoid (SC) levels could induce the increase in carotenoid levels via V/F intake. Two hundred and sixty-one elementary and junior high school students (ages 7−14 years old) received brief educational session and SC evaluation by VM, and the changes in SC levels were examined after 6 months. The baseline VM scores ranged from 131 to 825, and the average significantly increased from 400.0 ± 124.7 (standard deviation) to 447.4 ± 140.4 at Month 6 (p < 0.0001). The percentage of increase at month 6 was negatively correlated with the baseline values (r = −0.36, p < 0.0001). This finding implies that subjects who became aware of their inferiority tended to make a significant effort to change their behavior. The multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that subjects taking much of green and yellow vegetables, drinking vegetable/tomato juice, and eating any fruit had higher VM scores than the average value. In conclusion, the educational approach using VM was supposed to be an effective method of raising awareness of the V/F shortage and increasing V/F intake that could indue the increase in SC levels.

Accuracy of pattern deviation in estimating the glaucomatous damage in the central 10° visual field in eyes with glaucoma and cataract.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The accuracy of pattern deviation (PD) in estimating the damage to the glaucomatous visual field (VF) in the central 10° in eyes with glaucoma and cataract is unclear. METHODS: This retrospective study includes 63 eyes of 52 glaucoma patients who successfully underwent cataract surgery or cataract surgery plus iStent implantation. Using the Humphrey Field Analyser 10-2 test, VF was measured within 6 months preoperatively and postoperatively (VFpre and VFpost, respectively). The mean total deviation values in VFpost (mTDpost) indicates glaucomatous damage without cataract and the difference between this value and mean PD values in VFpre (mPDpre) was evaluated (εmPD). The effect of cataract was then evaluated as the difference between mTDpost and mTDpre (ΔmTD), while the effects of mTDpost and ΔmTD on εmPD were also assessed. In addition, based on preoperative visual acuity (VApre) and VFpre, the optimal model for predicting mTDpost was identified. The error of this method (εOptimalModel) was estimated as the difference against mTDpost, which was compared with εmPD. RESULTS: Compared with mTDpre, there was a significant improvement in mTDpost (p=0.028). A significant difference was observed between mPDpre and mTDpost (p<0.001). Further, εmPD significantly increased with the increase of mTDpost or ΔmTD (p<0.001 and p=0.0444, respectively). The absolute εOptimalModel was significantly smaller than the absolute εmPD (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study warns clinicians that PD of the central 10° VF might underestimate the glaucomatous VF damage with the progression of glaucoma and overestimate it as a cataract progresses.

The Association Between Age and Systemic Variables and the Longitudinal Trend of Intraocular Pressure in a Large-Scale Health Examination Cohort.

Purpose: The detailed effects of age and systemic factors on intraocular pressure (IOP) have not been fully understood because of the lack of a large-scale longitudinal investigation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of various systemic factors on the longitudinal change of IOP. Methods: There were a total of 20,909 eyes of 10,471 subjects from a health checkup cohort that were followed up for systemic factors: (i) age at baseline, (ii) sex, (iii) time series body mass index (BMI), (iv) time series smoking habits, (v) time series systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP), and (vi) time series 19 blood examinations (all of the time series data was acquired at each annual visit), along with IOP annually for at least 8 years. Then the longitudinal effect of the systemic factors on the change of IOP was investigated. Results: IOP significantly decreased by -0.084 mm Hg/year. BMI, SBP, DBP, smoking habits, total triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c were not significantly associated with the change of IOP. Higher values of age, aspartate aminotransferase, hemoglobin, platelet, and calcium were suggested to be significantly associated with the decrease of IOP, whereas higher alanine aminotransferase, guanosine triphosphate, white blood cell count, red blood cell count, and female gender were significantly associated with the increase of IOP. Conclusions: Age, aspartate aminotransferase, hemoglobin, platelet, calcium, alanine aminotransferase, guanosine triphosphate, white blood cell count, red blood cell count, and gender were the systemic variables significantly associated with the change of IOP.