Ophthalmologic Complications Associated With Oculofacial Plastic and Esthetic Surgeries.

PURPOSE: To assess the ophthalmologic complications after oculofacial plastic and esthetic surgeries, including their incidence and management. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 110 patients who presented with ocular complications followed by oculofacial plastic and esthetic surgeries from January 2014 to December 2015. The incidence and management of complications after each surgery or procedure were analyzed. RESULTS: For lower eyelid blepharoplasty, the common complications were chemosis and lower eyelid ectropion. There was also a case of canalicular laceration. Exposure keratitis and corneal abrasion were the most common complications after upper eyelid blepharoplasty. Chemosis frequently occurred after lateral cathoplasty, but other complications, such as ectropion, trichiasis, and lacrimal fistula, were also seen. Nasolacrimal duct obstruction occurred in some cases of orthognathic surgery, and was managed with endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy. Inflammatory lipogranuloma was a common complication after autologous fat transplantation. CONCLUSION: Complications after oculofacial plastic and esthetic surgeries are not rare. Ophthalmologists must be aware of not only common complications but also rare and possibly serious conditions that may occur after such surgeries.

Asymmetry of Preoperative Incision Design Markings for Upper Blepharoplasty.

PURPOSE: To compare preoperative incision design markings between both eyelids in upper blepharoplasty. METHODS: This retrospective study examined 22 patients who underwent bilateral upper blepharoplasty surgery resulting from senile dermatochalasis and/or blepharoptosis. The initial preoperative incision design markings were drawn with the patient sitting upright. Then, with the patient in a supine position, preoperative design photographs were taken. The authors measured medial canthal excision angle, maximal lid excision height, maximal lid excision width, peak point angle, and peak point distance and compared measurements between both upper eyelids designs using Image J software. RESULTS: The mean medial canthal excision angle, maximal lid excision height, and maximal lid excision width for the right side (30.68°â€Š±â€Š10.16°, 1.17 ±â€Š0.24 cm, and 0.72 ±â€Š0.19 cm) were significantly different from those for the left side (35.39°â€Š±â€Š13.82°; P < 0.001, 1.24 ±â€Š0.25 cm; P = 0.002, and 0.77 ±â€Š0.21 cm; P = 0.011). The mean peak point angle and peak point distance for the right side (15.67°â€Š±â€Š5.09°, 2.41°â€Š±â€Š0.31°) were significantly different from those for the left side (18.11°â€Š±â€Š5.49°; P = 0.001, 2.22 ±â€Š0.28 cm; P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In upper blepharoplasty, the preoperative incision marking design measurements of the left side were significantly greater than those of the right side. The symmetry can therefore be maximized by including the asymmetries in the preoperative design.

Comparison of Surgical Outcome Between Quickert Suture and Quickert Suture With Modified Lateral Tarsal Strip in Involutional Lower Eyelid Entropion.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the surgical outcome between Quickert suture and Quickert suture with modified lateral tarsal strip in involutional lower eyelid entropion. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 76 patients (94 eyes) who had undergone Quickert suture (Group 1) and on 38 patients (44 eyes) who had undergone Quickert suture with modified lateral tarsal strip (Group 2) for correction of involutional lower eyelid entropion from January 2011 to December 2013. RESULTS: In Group 1, recurrence rate is 25.5% (24 eyes) and mean duration to recurrence is 11.9 months in Group 1. For correction of recurrence, Quickert suture is performed in 50% (12 eyes), Quickert suture with lateral tarsal strip is performed in 37.5% (9 eyes), and lateral tarsal strip is performed in 12.5% (3 eyes). In Group 2, recurrence rate is 9.1% (4 eyes). For correction of recurrence, lower eyelid retractor reinsertion is performed in 50% (2 eyes), Quickert suture with lateral tarsal strip is performed in 25% (1 eye), and Quickert suture is performed in 25% (1 eye). CONCLUSIONS: Recurrence rate is lower in patients who had undergone Quickert suture with modified lateral tarsal strip than in a patient who had undergone Quickert suture for correction of involutional lower eyelid entropion.

The Effects of Fermented Rice Drink With Lactiplantibacillus plantarum JSA22 in Overweight Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study.

Background/Aims: This study aims to investigate the effect of a fermented rice drink with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum JSA22 on symptoms, blood tests, microbiomes, and fecal metabolites in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who were overweight. Methods: Sixty overweight (body mass index ≥ 23 kg/m2) patients aged between 20 and 65 with IBS were enrolled. Patients were divided into 2 groups and administered either a fermented rice drink or an nonfermented rice drink for a month. The symptom questionnaire, blood samples, and stool samples for microbiome and metabolite were collected before and after the month of rice drink administration. The primary efficacy variable was the subject's global assessment of IBS symptoms. Results: In both groups, global IBS symptoms, including abdominal pain, bowel habit, urgency, and abdominal distension, improved significantly (P < 0.01). The abdominal bloating was more significantly improved in the fermented rice drink group than in the nonfermented rice drink group (P < 0.05). Significant changes were not observed in metabolic syndrome-related blood tests or fecal metabolites in either group. However, microbiome analysis showed significant differences in genus levels before and after consuming fermented rice drink, such as in Blautia in stool (P = 0.020) and Prevotella (P = 0.017) and Oribacterium (P = 0.018) in saliva. Conclusions: The fermented rice drink with L. plantarum JSA22 showed a beneficial effect in reducing abdominal distension in IBS patients. Bacteria that reduce visceral fat accumulation increased in the stool and saliva of patients who consumed fermented rice drinks.

Blockade of 4-1BB and 4-1BBL interaction reduces obesity-induced skeletal muscle inflammation.

Obesity-induced skeletal muscle inflammation is characterized by increased macrophage infiltration and inflammatory cytokine production. In this study, we investigated whether 4-1BB, a member of the TNF receptor superfamily (TNFRSF9) that provides inflammatory signals, participates in obesity-induced skeletal muscle inflammation. Expression of the 4-1BB gene, accompanied by increased levels of inflammatory cytokines, was markedly upregulated in the skeletal muscle of obese mice fed a high-fat diet, in muscle cells treated with obesity factors, and in cocultured muscle cells/macrophages. In vitro stimulation of 4-1BB with agonistic antibody increased inflammatory cytokine levels in TNFα-pretreated muscle cells, and this effect was absent in cells derived from 4-1BB-deficient mice. Conversely, disruption of the interaction between 4-1BB and its ligand (4-1BBL) with blocking antibody decreased the release of inflammatory cytokines from cocultured muscle cells/macrophages. Moreover, deficiency of 4-1BB markedly reduced macrophage infiltration and inflammatory cytokine production in the skeletal muscle of mice fed a high-fat diet. These findings indicate that 4-1BB mediates the inflammatory responses in obese skeletal muscle by interacting with its ligand 4-1BBL on macrophages. Therefore, 4-1BB and 4-1BBL may be useful targets for prevention of obesity-induced inflammation in skeletal muscle.

Tropomyosin3 overexpression and a potential link to epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Since hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide, it is still important to understand hepatocarcinogenesis mechanisms and identify effective markers for tumor progression to improve prognosis. Amplification and overexpression of Tropomyosin3 (TPM3) are frequently observed in HCC, but its biological meanings have not been properly defined. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the roles of TPM3 and related molecular mechanisms. METHODS: TPM3-siRNA was transfected into 2 HCC cell lines, HepG2 and SNU-475, which had shown overexpression of TPM3. Knockdown of TPM3 was verified by real-time qRT-PCR and western blotting targeting TPM3. Migration and invasion potentials were examined using transwell membrane assays. Cell growth capacity was examined by colony formation and soft agar assays. RESULTS: Silencing TPM3 resulted in significant suppression of migration and invasion capacities in both HCC cell lines. To elucidate the mechanisms behind suppressed migration and invasiveness, we examined expression levels of Snail and E-cadherin known to be related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) after TPM3 knockdown. In the TPM3 knockdown cells, E-cadherin expression was significantly upregulated and Snail downregulated compared with negative control. TPM3 knockdown also inhibited colony formation and anchorage independent growth of HCC cells. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings, we formulate a hypothesis that overexpression of TPM3 activates Snail mediated EMT, which will repress E-cadherin expression and that it confers migration or invasion potentials to HCC cells during hepatocarcinogenesis. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that TPM3 gets involved in migration and invasion of HCCs by modifying EMT pathway.

Preservation of a remote fear memory requires new myelin formation.

Experience-dependent myelination is hypothesized to shape neural circuit function and subsequent behavioral output. Using a contextual fear memory task in mice, we demonstrate that fear learning induces oligodendrocyte precursor cells to proliferate and differentiate into myelinating oligodendrocytes in the medial prefrontal cortex. Transgenic animals that cannot form new myelin exhibit deficient remote, but not recent, fear memory recall. Recording population calcium dynamics by fiber photometry, we observe that the neuronal response to conditioned context cues evolves over time in the medial prefrontal cortex, but not in animals that cannot form new myelin. Finally, we demonstrate that pharmacological induction of new myelin formation with clemastine fumarate improves remote memory recall and promotes fear generalization. Thus, bidirectional manipulation of myelin plasticity functionally affects behavior and neurophysiology, which suggests that neural activity during fear learning instructs the formation of new myelin, which in turn supports the consolidation and/or retrieval of remote fear memories.

Circuit and molecular architecture of a ventral hippocampal network.

The ventral hippocampus (vHPC) is a critical hub in networks that process emotional information. While recent studies have indicated that ventral CA1 (vCA1) projection neurons are functionally dissociable, the basic principles of how the inputs and outputs of vCA1 are organized remain unclear. Here, we used viral and sequencing approaches to define the logic of the extended vCA1 circuit. Using high-throughput sequencing of genetically barcoded neurons (MAPseq) to map the axonal projections of thousands of vCA1 neurons, we identify a population of neurons that simultaneously broadcast information to multiple areas known to regulate the stress axis and approach-avoidance behavior. Through molecular profiling and viral input-output tracing of vCA1 projection neurons, we show how neurons with distinct projection targets may differ in their inputs and transcriptional signatures. These studies reveal new organizational principles of vCA1 that may underlie its functional heterogeneity.

Integrated analysis of copy number alteration and RNA expression profiles of cancer using a high-resolution whole-genome oligonucleotide array.

Recently, microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH) has emerged as a very efficient technology with higher resolution for the genome-wide identification of copy number alterations (CNA). Although CNAs are thought to affect gene expression, there is no platform currently available for the integrated CNA-expression analysis. To achieve high-resolution copy number analysis integrated with expression profiles, we established human 30k oligoarray-based genome-wide copy number analysis system and explored the applicability of this system for integrated genome and transcriptome analysis using MDA-MB-231 cell line. We compared the CNAs detected by the oligoarray with those detected by the 3k BAC array for validation. The oligoarray identified the single copy difference more accurately and sensitively than the BAC array. Seventeen CNAs detected by both platforms in MDA-MB-231 such as gains of 5p15.33-13.1, 8q11.22-8q21.13, 17p11.2, and losses of 1p32.3, 8p23.3-8p11.21, and 9p21 were consistently identified in previous studies on breast cancer. There were 122 other small CNAs (mean size 1.79 mb) that were detected by oligoarray only, not by BAC-array. We performed genomic qPCR targeting 7 CNA regions, detected by oligoarray only, and one non-CNA region to validate the oligoarray CNA detection. All qPCR results were consistent with the oligoarray-CGH results. When we explored the possibility of combined interpretation of both DNA copy number and RNA expression profiles, mean DNA copy number and RNA expression levels showed a significant correlation. In conclusion, this 30k oligoarray-CGH system can be a reasonable choice for analyzing whole genome CNAs and RNA expression profiles at a lower cost.

Comparison of volatile profiles in Fagopyrum esculentum (buckwheat) soksungjang prepared with different starter cultures during fermentation.

This study investigated the differences and changes in the volatile profiles of buckwheat soksungjang (BS) inoculated with multiple microbial starters (Lactobacillus brevis + Aspergillus oryzae, BS-LA vs. Lactobacillus brevis + Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, BS-LB) during fermentation using SPME coupled with GC-MS and partial least square-discriminant analysis. BS samples fermented for 5 weeks could be differentiated from other BS samples with shorter fermentation periods, and the BS-LA and BS-LB samples fermented for 5 weeks were separated. Acids, benzenes, and esters were main volatile compounds in both BS samples, however, their differences and changes were varied. The increase of 3-methylbutanoic acid was bigger in BS-LB than BS-LA, while the contents of 2- and 3-methylbutanal were relatively higher in BS-LA than BS-LB. Furthermore, the contents of esters of BS-LA significantly increased during fermentation. These results indicate that the volatile profiles of BS samples depend on the fermentation periods and the combination of microbial starters.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of orbital invasive aspergillosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of orbital invasive aspergillosis, a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. METHODS: Review of the medical records of Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, from 1995 to 2007 revealed 15 patients with orbital invasive aspergillosis. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the clinical characteristics, radiologic findings, associated underlying diseases, and prognosis. Risk factors for mortality were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 15 cases of orbital invasive aspergillosis were included in this study. The mean age for all patients was 61.9 years. The most common underlying disease was diabetes mellitus and all patients had paranasal sinus infections. The most common ocular symptoms were visual disturbance, periorbital swelling, and periorbital pain. The mortality rate associated with invasive aspergillosis was 40%. According to univariate analysis, variables significantly associated with invasive aspergillosis-related mortality included fever and incorrect initial diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Fever and incorrect initial diagnosis were found to be associated with high mortality rates in patients with orbital invasive aspergillosis. Further study is necessary to determine optimal strategies for early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Clinical Features of Benign Essential Blepharospasm in Korean Patients.

PURPOSE: To analyze the clinical features of benign essential blepharospasm in Korean patients. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with benign essential blepharospasm in Kim's Eye Hospital from November 2014 to December 2016 were evaluated using a clinical examination and questionnaire. The questionnaire reviewed personal medical history, demographic factors, risk factors for blepharospasm development, and relieving and aggravating factors. RESULTS: Of the 101 patients enrolled, 78 (77.2%) were women. The mean age was 64.9 years old. Hypertension was the most common medical disorder (42.6%), followed by diabetes mellitus. The majority of the patients were non-smokers (83.2%) and drank less than a cup of a caffeinated beverage a day (30.7%). Fifty-seven percent of patients reported no stressful events immediately prior to symptom development. Fatigue and stress were aggravating factors in more than 55% of patients; rest was the most common relieving factor (35.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Here, we report the clinical features of benign essential blepharospasm in Korean patients for the first time. The results were consistent with previous reports showing that the majority of benign essential blepharospasm patients are women and non-smokers. In contrast to previous reports though, fatigue and stress were aggravating factors, and the most common relieving factor was rest. No stressful events had immediately preceded the development of blepharospasm in 57.4% of patients. This report may aid in treating and counseling patients with benign essential blepharospasm.

Change in profiles of volatile compounds from two types of Fagopyrum esculentum (buckwheat) soksungjang during fermentation.

Fagopyrum esculentum (buckwheat) soksungjang is one of the traditional soybean pastes in Korea. This study profiled and compared volatile compounds between traditionally manufactured (TBS) and commercially modified buckwheat soksungjang (CBS) according to their fermentation periods. More volatile compounds were generated and non-uniform increases or decreases in volatiles were more common during TBS fermentation. In addition, the changes in and differences between the volatiles from TBS and CBS during the fermentation process (after 0, 1, 2, and 5 weeks) were investigated in partial least squares-discriminant analysis models. The changes were accelerated during CBS fermentation in comparison with TBS fermentation. Several major volatile compounds, such as methyl decanoate, 3-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylpyran-4-one, and methyl heptanoate were found in the final stage of fermentation in TBS, in contrary, tridecane, (Z)-hex-3-en-1-ol, furan-2-carbaldehyde, and ethyl tetradecanoate were contributed to the latest of fermentation in CBS.

Differences in interpalpebral fissure measurement in patients with unilateral enophthalmos resulting from orbital wall fractures.

PURPOSE: To determine the correlation between the degree of enophthalmos and interpalpebral fissure (IPF) measurements in a group of patients with unilateral orbital wall fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical charts of 45 patients diagnosed with unilateral enophthalmos resulting from an orbital wall fracture were reviewed. Demographic characteristics were investigated, including patient age, sex, medical history, and type of orbital wall fracture. The correlation between the degree of enophthalmos and IPF was determined, adjusting for confounding demographic factors. RESULTS: In the group with orbital wall fractures, the correlation between the degree of enophthalmos and the IPF measurements was positive and significant (R = 0.299, p = 0.046, Pearson's correlation). The correlation coefficient increased after adjusting for age, sex, medical history, and type of orbital wall fracture (R = 0.316, p = 0.044). CONCLUSION: The patient group with more severe enophthalmos tended to have lower IPF values.

Comparison of the Efficacies of 0.94 mm and Double Silicone Tubes for Treatment of Canalicular Obstruction.

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical effects of the single wide-diameter bicanalicular silicone tube and the double bicanalicular silicone tube in endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) with canalicular trephinization for canalicular obstruction. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 121 patients with monocanalicular or common canalicular obstruction who had undergone endonasal DCR with random bicanalicular insertion of either double silicone tubes (insertion of two tubes into each canaliculus) or a single wide-diameter (0.94 mm) silicone tube. The tubes were removed at around 3 months after surgery. RESULTS: This study included 79 eyes of 61 patients in the double-tube intubation group and 68 eyes of 60 patients in the single wide-diameter tube intubation group. Anatomical success, evaluated by syringing, was achieved in 72 of the 79 eyes (91.1%) in the double-tube intubation group and 60 of the 68 eyes (88.2%) in the single wide-diameter tube intubation group. Functional success was achieved in 65 of the 79 eyes (82.3%) in the double-tube intubation group and 61 of the 68 (89.7%) eyes in the single wide-diameter tube intubation group. There were no significant differences in the success rates of surgery between the two groups. One patient in the double-tube intubation group underwent conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy (CDCR) and two in the wide-diameter tube intubation group underwent CDCR or reintubation to treat recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Intubation using a single wide-diameter tube during endonasal DCR is as effective as double-tube intubation for the treatment of canalicular obstruction, with a lower rate of complications such as inflammation or patient discomfort.

Cause and Management of Patients With Failed Endonasal Dacryocystorhinostomy.

OBJECTIVES: Endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is a well-established treatment method in patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction. However, there are a few reports about the overall management of failed endonasal DCR. We investigated the causes and management strategies of failed endonasal DCR. METHODS: This retrospective review included 61 patients (61 eyes) who had undergone revision surgery by the same surgeon after failed endonasal DCR between January 2008 and December 2012. The appropriate revision method was determined after analysis of the etiology of failure by the fluorescein dye disappearance test, nasal endoscopy, lacrimal irrigation, and probing. The criteria for success of the revision surgery were defined by the passage of fluid without resistance upon lacrimal irrigation and normalization of the tear meniscus height. RESULTS: The mean duration between the primary endonasal DCR and revision surgery was 15.3 months. The average follow-up period after revision surgery was 12.2 months. The most common cause of endoscopic revision surgery was membranous obstruction. Endoscopic revision surgery was performed in 48 patients, while lacrimal silicone tube intubation under endoscopy was performed in 13 patients. The most common indication for lacrimal silicone tube intubation was functional epiphora. The overall success rate of the revision surgery was 89%. CONCLUSION: The most common cause of failed endonasal DCR was membranous obstruction. When patients with failed endonasal DCR presented at the clinic, it is important to identify the cause of the failure. Revision surgery could increase the final success rate of endonasal DCR.

Causes and Surgical Outcomes of Lower Eyelid Retraction.

PURPOSE: To investigate the causes of lower eyelid retraction and evaluate the outcomes of various surgical procedures. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective medical record review of patients who underwent lower eyelid retraction surgery performed by a single surgeon at Kim's Eye Hospital between 2006 and 2013. We investigated the causes of lower eyelid retraction, clinical history, characteristics, treatment, and surgical outcomes. Preoperative and postoperative margin reflex distance 2 and inferior scleral show were measured for each eyelid. Success was defined as a positive eyelid elevation and a decrease in inferior scleral show. RESULTS: A total of 19 lower eyelids were treated in 14 patients with lower eyelid retraction. For cosmetic reasons, surgical correction for congenital lower eyelid retraction was performed on seven eyelids (36.8%). Ten eyelids (52.6%) exhibited secondary lower eyelid retraction after surgery. One eyelid (5.3%) was affected by facial palsy and one eyelid (5.3%) exhibited exophthalmos of an unknown origin. We adopted a selective approach based on lower eyelid retraction severity. Spacer grafting via a subconjunctival approach was the most commonly performed surgical technique (13 eyelids, 68.4%). The lateral tarsal strip procedure was used to horizontally tighten three eyelids (15.8%). At the time of the procedure, one of these eyelids (5.3%) also received an adjuvant suborbicularis oculi fat lift. Autogenous dermis fat grafting was performed on two lower eyelids (10.5%), whose retraction was caused by fat and soft tissue loss. Cosmetic outcomes were satisfactory in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: To achieve satisfactory surgical outcomes, surgeons should adopt an approach based on the severity of lower eyelid retraction. Mild lower eyelid retraction can be corrected without grafts. When retraction is severe and exceeds 2 mm, spacer grafts that push the lower eyelid margin upwards and support it from below are required.

Inhibition of Bacillus cereus Growth and Toxin Production by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens RD7-7 in Fermented Soybean Products.

Bacillus cereus is a gram-positive, rod-shaped, spore-forming bacterium that has been isolated from contaminated fermented soybean food products and from the environment. B. cereus produces diarrheal and emetic toxins and has caused many outbreaks of foodborne diseases. In this study, we investigated whether B. amyloliquefaciens RD7-7, isolated from rice doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste), a traditional Korean fermented soybean food, shows antimicrobial activity against B. cereus and regulates its toxin gene expression. B. amyloliquefaciens RD7-7 exhibited strong antibacterial activity against B. cereus and inhibited the expression of B. cereus toxin-related genes (groEL, nheA, nheC, and entFM). We also found that addition of water extracts of soybean and buckwheat soksungjang (Korean fermented soybean paste made in a short time) fermented with B. amyloliquefaciens RD7-7 significantly reduced the growth and toxin expression of B. cereus. These results indicate that B. amyloliquefaciens RD7-7 could be used to control B. cereus growth and toxin production in the fermented soybean food industry. Our findings also provide a basis for the development of candidate biological control agents against B. cereus to improve the safety of fermented soybean food products.