Agreement among Goldmann applanation tonometer, iCare, and Icare PRO rebound tonometers; non-contact tonometer; and Tonopen XL in healthy elderly subjects.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the inter-device agreement among the Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT), iCare and Icare PRO rebound tonometers, non-contact tonometer (NCT), and Tonopen XL tonometer. METHODS: Sixty healthy elderly subjects were enrolled. The intraocular pressure (IOP) in each subject's right eye was measured thrice using each of the five tonometers. Intra-device agreement was evaluated by calculating intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Inter-device agreement was evaluated by ICC and Bland-Altman analyses. RESULTS: ICCs for intra-device agreement for each tonometer were >0.8. IOP as measured by iCare (mean ± SD, 11.6 ± 2.5 mmHg) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that measured by GAT (14.0 ± 2.8 mmHg), NCT (13.6 ± 2.5 mmHg), Tonopen XL (13.7 ± 4.1 mmHg), and Icare PRO (12.6 ± 2.2 mmHg; Bonferroni test). There was no significant difference in mean IOP among GAT, NCT, and Tonopen XL. Regarding inter-device agreement, ICC was lower between Tonopen XL and other tonometers (all ICCs < 0.4). However, ICCs of GAT, iCare, Icare PRO, and NCT showed good agreement (0.576-0.700). The Bland-Altman analysis revealed that the width of the 95% limits of agreement was larger between the Tonopen XL and the other tonometers ranged from 14.94 to 16.47 mmHg. Among the other tonometers, however, the widths of 95% limits of agreement ranged from 7.91 to 9.24 mmHg. CONCLUSION: There was good inter-device agreement among GAT, rebound tonometers, and NCT. Tonopen XL shows the worst agreement with the other tonometers; therefore, we should pay attention to its' respective IOP. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Japan Clinical Trials Register; number: UMIN000011544.

Comparison of semi-automated center-dot and fully automated endothelial cell analyses from specular microscopy images.

PURPOSE: To evaluate two specular microscopy analysis methods across different endothelial cell densities (ECDs). METHODS: Endothelial images of one eye from each of 45 patients were taken by using three different specular microscopes (three replicates each). To determine the consistency of the center-dot method, we compared SP-6000 and SP-2000P images. CME-530 and SP-6000 images were compared to assess the consistency of the fully automated method. The SP-6000 images from the two methods were compared. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for the three measurements were calculated, and parametric multiple comparisons tests and Bland-Altman analysis were performed. RESULTS: The ECD mean value was 2425 ± 883 (range 516-3707) cells/mm2. ICC values were > 0.9 for all three microscopes for ECD, but the coefficients of variation (CVs) were 0.3-0.6. For ECD measurements, Bland-Altman analysis revealed that the mean difference was 42 cells/mm2 between the SP-2000P and SP-6000 for the center-dot method; 57 cells/mm2 between the SP-6000 measurements from both methods; and -5 cells/mm2 between the SP-6000 and CME-530 for the fully automated method (95% limits of agreement: - 201 to 284 cell/mm2, - 410 to 522 cells/mm2, and - 327 to 318 cells/mm2, respectively). For CV measurements, the mean differences were - 3, - 12, and 13% (95% limits of agreement - 18 to 11, - 26 to 2, and - 5 to 32%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Despite using three replicate measurements, the precision of the center-dot method with the SP-2000P and SP-6000 software was only ± 10% for ECD data and was even worse for the fully automated method. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Japan Clinical Trials Register ( http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index/htm9 ) number UMIN 000015236.

Effects of Antihistamine-Releasing Contact Lenses on Severe Allergic Conjunctivitis.

Half of the patients who used CL daily did not wish to switch to spectacles even with ocular-allergic symptoms and findings. Therefore, continued CL use with suppressed ocular allergy can improve productivity and quality of life for CL users. This study described the clinical courses of CL users with ocular-allergic conjunctivitis who started ARCL trials on their eyes. Diagnoses of the seven understudied cases were AKC in 3, VKC in 2, SAC in 1, and CLPC in 1 case. All seven cases had myopia. Following the use of ARCL, six patients except for case 7 were satisfied, and objective findings were judged to be well-controlled. ARCL can be a useful tool for CL users with allergic conjunctivitis. However, ARCL should be introduced after allergic conjunctivitis is controlled or becomes asymptomatic. Furthermore, ARCL should be immediately discontinued if ocular-allergic symptoms flare after introducing ARCL.

Rice terpene synthase 24 (OsTPS24) encodes a jasmonate-responsive monoterpene synthase that produces an antibacterial γ-terpinene against rice pathogen.

Rice is one of the most important crops worldwide and is widely used as a model plant for molecular studies of monocotyledonous species. The plant hormone jasmonic acid (JA) is involved in rice-pathogen interactions. In addition, volatile compounds, including terpenes, whose production is induced by JA, are known to be involved in the rice defense system. In this study, we analyzed the JA-induced terpene synthase OsTPS24 in rice. We found that OsTPS24 was localized in chloroplasts and produced a monoterpene, γ-terpinene. The amount of γ-terpinene increased after JA treatment. γ-Terpinene had significant antibacterial activity against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo); however, it did not show significant antifungal activity against Magnaporthe oryzae. The antibacterial activity of the γ-terpinene against Xoo was caused by damage to bacterial cell membranes. These results suggest that γ-terpinene plays an important role in JA-induced resistance against Xoo, and that it functions as an antibacterial compound in rice.

Multiple roles of plant volatiles in jasmonate-induced defense response in rice.

The plant hormone jasmonic acid (JA) has a crucial role in defense responses against pathogens in rice. We recently reported that some volatile compounds accumulate in response to JA treatment, and that the monoterpene linalool plays an important role in JA-induced resistance to rice bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv oryzae (Xoo) in rice. One of the JA-responsive volatiles, (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, has both antibacterial and antifungal activity against Xoo, and the rice fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. In addition, (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal was toxic to rice plants. These phenomena were not observed when linalool was treated. These results indicate that accumulation of the (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal in response to JA is a double-edged sword, but it is essential for survival against pathogen attacks in rice.