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BACKGROUND: Familial juvenile hyperuricemic nephropathy (FJHN) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations in UMOD. Here we studied effects of genetic expression and pharmacological induction of Hsp70 on the UMOD mutants C112Y and C217G. METHODS: We expressed wild type (WT), C112Y and C217G in HEK293 cells and studied their maturation and cellular damage using western blot and flow cytometry. RESULTS: Expression of C112Y or C217G increased pro-apoptotic proteins, decreased anti-apoptotic proteins, and induced cellular apoptosis as examined by annexin V staining and flow cytometry. Overexpression of Hsp70 or administration of an Hsp70 inducer geranylgeranylacetone (GGA) promoted maturation of the mutant proteins, increased their secreted forms, normalized the levels of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins and suppressed apoptosis. CONCLUSION: These findings indicated that Hsp70 enhanced maturation of C112Y and C217G and reduced cellular apoptosis, suggesting that Hsp70 induction might be of a therapeutic value for treatment of FJHN.
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Hiperuricemia , Proteínas Reguladoras de Apoptose/genética , Gota , Células HEK293 , Humanos , Hiperuricemia/genética , Nefropatias , Linhagem , Uromodulina/genéticaRESUMO
A 78-year-old male experienced right lower eyelid ectropion following right facial trauma from a fall 5 years ago, for which he underwent autogenous palmaris longus tendon graft surgery at another clinic. Recurrence was noted 3 years after surgery. On first examination, there was outward turning of the lateral half of the right lower eyelid margin. We performed a lateral tarsal strip procedure with removal of the graft. Intraoperatively, the lateral part of the graft was located along the inferior tarsal border, whereas the medial part was located on the tarsal surface. The lateral stump had bifurcated; 1 branch had passed through a bony hole drilled at the base of the rim; and both branches had been ligated together on the rim surface. The medial side had been fixed to the medial canthal tendon. Postoperatively, the apposition of eyelid and ocular surface was good, and the patient experienced no recurrence after 1 year.
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Ectrópio/cirurgia , Tendões/transplante , Idoso , Autoenxertos/cirurgia , Antebraço , Humanos , Masculino , Recidiva , ReoperaçãoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: In 2014, Pang et al. reported three cases with vitelliform submaculopathy as a preceding lesion of primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL). Here, we report a case with an atypical presentation of PIOL who initially presented with vitelliform submaculopathy, vitreous haze and preripheral retinal focus. CASE PRESENTATION: A 73-year-old female initially visited another hospital with a chief complaint of acute reduced vision in the right eye. Funduscopic examination of the right eye showed a yellowish retinal lesion at the fovea with vitreous haze and retinal foci scattered in the peripheral region. Spectral-domain optic coherence tomography (SD-OCT) revealed a hyperreflective subretinal debris above the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) at the fovea, suggesting vitelliform submaculopathy. Vitrectomy was performed to improve visualization of the retinal lesions and for examination of PIOL. Vitreous cytology was class III and cytokine analysis of vitreous fluid showed increased IL-10 and an IL-10/IL-6 ratio >1, suggesting PIOL. Thereafter, there was a sub-RPE infiltration of presumed lymphoma in the nasal retina, and PCR analysis of anterior chamber fluid indicated IgH gene rearrangement, leading to diagnosis of PIOL. Three months later, there was complete disappearance of the vitelliform submacular lesion, with resultant disruption and thinning of the outer retinal layers on SD-OCT images. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be aware of atypical manifestations of PIOL such as vitelliform submaculopathy and peripheral retinal foci with vitreous haze. The patient's unusual funduscopic changes are findings that have not reported in patients with PIOL.
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Linfoma Intraocular/complicações , Neoplasias da Retina/complicações , Distrofia Macular Viteliforme/etiologia , Idoso , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Feminino , Humanos , Linfoma Intraocular/diagnóstico , Neoplasias da Retina/diagnóstico , Tomografia de Coerência Óptica , Transtornos da Visão/etiologia , Distrofia Macular Viteliforme/diagnósticoRESUMO
Based on the recently developed Gitaigo personality scale (Komatsu, Sakai, Nishioka, & Mukoyama, 2012), we investigated the relationship between perceived personality and leading/following roles in close friend dyads. Primary participants rated their own and one of their close friend's personality with Gitaigo personality scale. They also described who takes the role of leader in the relationship with the friend they rated. When one in the pair is reported as leader, the other is considered as follower. Subsidiary participants who were cited as close friends rated their own personality. Our analysis of the 215 pairs showed that the participants taking the role of follower were rated higher in the traits of Cowardliness and Mildness by the primary participants. Regarding Mildness, this tendency was also clear in subsidiary participants' self-ratings. Primary participants rated the Preciseness and Candidness of their friends lower if their friend was considered a follower. Gitaigo personality scale describes the perceived personality well, at least for several traits.
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Amigos/psicologia , Relações Interpessoais , Liderança , Personalidade , Feminino , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMO
The objective of this study was to determine the concentration of serum l-arginine in healthy pregnant women and infant cord blood and to compare them with those in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). The serum concentration of l-arginine in normal pregnant women at early gestation (n = 186) was determined and analyzed based on maternal factors such as the age, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), smoking and alcohol habits before pregnancy. Similarly, the concentration of cord blood of the newborns (n = 142) was also analyzed. These values were compared with those in the PIH group (n = 21). The potential risk factors for PIH were also estimated. The serum concentration of l-arginine at early gestation in normal pregnant women (88.65 ± 19.96 µM) was not affected by the maternal age and BMI before pregnancy. A lower l-arginine concentration at early gestation (<70 µM) significantly elevated PIH risk [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 4.26, 95% CI 1.29-14.50]. In addition, either women with large body mass before pregnancy (BMI>25 kg/m(2)) or primipara women also showed a significant association with PIH risk [adjusted OR = 10.55 (2.95-40.68); 5.25 (1.72-19.15), respectively]. In conclusion, a lower l-arginine concentration at early gestation, overweight before pregnancy (BMI>25 kg/m(2)) and primipara could predict to the development of PIH.
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PURPOSE: To assess the effects of intraocular lens (IOL) decentration and tilt, as well as age, on postoperative visual function (corrected distance visual acuity [CDVA] and contrast sensitivity) by comparing an extended depth-of-focus IOL using higher order aspheric optics against a monofocal IOL from the same platform. METHODS: This retrospective observational study targeted patients without other eye diseases who underwent surgery to implant the Tecnis Eyhance OptiBlue or the monofocal IOL Tecnis OptiBlue 1-Piece (J&J Vision) during cataract surgery from November 2021 to December 2022. The effects of age, axial length, IOL decentration, tilt, and corneal higher order aberrations (HOAs) on the postoperative 5 m CDVA and area under log contrast sensitivity function (AULCSF) under photopic and scotopic conditions were evaluated within 3 months of surgery. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in postoperative CDVA between the Tecnis Eyhance OptiBlue group (n = 61 eyes) and the Tecnis OptiBlue 1-Piece group (n = 35 eyes), but AULCSF was significantly better in the Tecnis Eyhance OptiBlue group for photopic (1.58 ± 0.13 vs 1.46 ± 0.18; P = .002) and scotopic (1.71 ± 0.11 vs 1.59 ± 0.19; P = .002) eyes. Multivariate analysis showed a negative correlation between AULCSF and IOL decentration and age in the Tecnis Eyhance OptiBlue group (P < .01), with no significant correlation with tilt, axial length, and corneal HOAs. CONCLUSIONS: The Tecnis Eyhance OptiBlue yielded significantly better contrast sensitivity under photopic and scotopic conditions than the Tecnis OptiBlue 1-Piece. However, it is important to consider the effects of IOL decentration and age when evaluating the contrast sensitivity of the Tecnis Eyhance OptiBlue. [J Refract Surg. 2024;40(7):e499-e505.].
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Sensibilidades de Contraste , Percepção de Profundidade , Implante de Lente Intraocular , Lentes Intraoculares , Facoemulsificação , Desenho de Prótese , Pseudofacia , Acuidade Visual , Humanos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Acuidade Visual/fisiologia , Masculino , Feminino , Sensibilidades de Contraste/fisiologia , Idoso , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Pseudofacia/fisiopatologia , Percepção de Profundidade/fisiologia , Refração Ocular/fisiologia , Migração do Implante de Lente Intraocular/fisiopatologia , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Período Pós-Operatório , Comprimento Axial do Olho , Aberrações de Frente de Onda da Córnea/fisiopatologiaRESUMO
PURPOSE: To explore lens capsule pathological characteristics in intraocular lens (IOL) dislocation after cataract surgery in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). SETTING: University hospital department of ophthalmology. DESIGN: Case series with clinicopathological correlations. METHODS: Lens capsules and surrounding tissues excised during surgery from eyes with AD (AD group) and eyes without AD (non-AD group) with IOL dislocation were histologically evaluated. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to assess abnormal changes in lens epithelial cells (LECs). Masson trichrome staining distinguished the fibrous metaplasia around the lens capsule into high-density and low-density fibrosis. Capsular splitting (thinning) was identified in both stained preparations. RESULTS: The IOL dislocation morphology in the AD group (10 eyes of 10 patients) included 7 cases of capsular bag dislocation (CBD) and 3 cases of dead bag syndrome (DBS), with an average duration to IOL dislocation of 11.5 ± 5.6 years. All patients in the non-AD group (12 eyes of 12 patients) had CBD, averaging 10.2 ± 5.7 years to dislocation. Abnormal LECs, low-density fibrosis, and capsular splitting were observed in 9 (90), 9 (90), and 6 (60) of the patients in the AD group compared with 6 (50), 3 (25), and 2 (18), respectively, in the non-AD group (total n [%]). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the non-AD group, the AD group exhibited higher frequencies of morphological changes in LECs, low-density fibrosis around the lens capsule, and capsular splitting characteristics of DBS. These results suggest LEC degeneration and increased lens capsule fragility occurred in patients with AD.
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Dermatite Atópica , Cápsula do Cristalino , Humanos , Cápsula do Cristalino/patologia , Masculino , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Dermatite Atópica/complicações , Adulto , Migração do Implante de Lente Intraocular/etiologia , Idoso , Implante de Lente Intraocular , Facoemulsificação , Fibrose , Células Epiteliais/patologia , Lentes Intraoculares , Estudos Retrospectivos , Extração de CatarataRESUMO
Purpose: To examine the variability in glaucoma screening using fundus images among physicians, including non-ophthalmologists. Patients and Methods: Sixty-nine eyes from 69 patients, including 25 eyes with glaucoma, were included from the Jikei University Hospital from July 2019 to December 2022. Fundus images were captured using TRC-NW8 (Topcon Corporation, Tokyo, Japan), and were interpreted by 10 non-ophthalmologists, 10 non-specialist ophthalmologists, and 9 specialists for diagnostic accuracy. We analyzed differences in diagnostic accuracy among the three groups. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and Kappa coefficient were compared, using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by a post hoc Dunn's test. Results: The sensitivity and specificity were 0.22 and 0.92 for non-ophthalmologists, 0.49 and 0.83 for non-specialist ophthalmologists, and 0.68 and 0.87 for specialists, respectively. Both specialists and non-specialist ophthalmologists showed significantly higher sensitivity than non-ophthalmologists (Dunn's test, P<0.001 and P=0.031). There was no significant difference in specificity among the three groups (Kruskal-Wallis test, P=0.086). The PPV did not differ significantly between the groups (Kruskal-Wallis test, P=0.108), while the NPV was significantly higher in specialists compared to non-ophthalmologists (Dunn's test, P<0.001). Specialists also had a significantly higher Kappa coefficient than non-ophthalmologists and non-specialist ophthalmologists (Dunn's test, P<0.001 and P=0.024). Conclusion: Diagnostic accuracy varied significantly based on the physician's background.
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This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the promoting and inhibitory factors of diabetic retinopathy (DR) according to diabetes mellitus (DM) stage using standardized evaluation of fundus images by artificial intelligence (AI). A total of 30,167 participants underwent blood and fundus examinations at a health screening facility in Japan (2015-2016). Fundus photographs were screened by the AI software, RetCAD and DR scores (DRSs) were quantified. The presence of DR was determined by setting two cut-off values prioritizing sensitivity or specificity. DM was defined as four stages (no DM: DM0; advanced DM: DM3) based on treatment history and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. Associated factors of DR were identified using logistic regression analysis. For cutoff values, multivariate analysis revealed age, sex, systolic blood pressure (SBP), smoking, urinary protein, and HbA1c level as positively associated with the risk of DR among all DM stages. In addition to glycemic control, SBP and Fibrosis-4 index might act as promoting factors for DR at all or an earlier DM stage. T-Bil, cholinesterase, and T-cho level might be protective factors at an advanced DM stage.
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Diabetes Mellitus , Retinopatia Diabética , Humanos , Retinopatia Diabética/diagnóstico por imagem , Inteligência Artificial , Fatores de Risco , Hemoglobinas Glicadas , Estudos Transversais , JapãoRESUMO
Soluble uric acid (UA) absorbed by cells through UA transporters (UATs) accumulates intracellularly, activates the NLRP3 inflammasome and thereby increases IL-1ß secretion. ABCG2 transporter excludes intracellular UA. However, it remains unknown whether ABCG2 inhibition leads to intracellular accumulation of UA and increases IL-1ß production. In this study, we examined whether genetic and pharmacological inhibition of ABCG2 could increase IL-1ß production in mouse macrophage-like J774.1 cells especially under hyperuricemic conditions. We determined mRNA and protein levels of pro-IL-1ß, mature IL-1ß, caspase-1 and several UATs in culture supernatants and lysates of J774.1 cells with or without soluble UA pretreatment. Knockdown experiments using an shRNA against ABCG2 and pharmacological experiments with an ABCG2 inhibitor were conducted. Extracellularly applied soluble UA increased protein levels of pro-IL-1ß, mature IL-1ß and caspase-1 in the culture supernatant from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-primed and monosodium urate crystal (MSU)-stimulated J774.1 cells. J774.1 cells expressed UATs of ABCG2, GLUT9 and MRP4, and shRNA knockdown of ABCG2 increased protein levels of pro-IL-1ß and mature IL-1ß in the culture supernatant. Soluble UA increased mRNA and protein levels of ABCG2 in J774.1 cells without either LPS or MSU treatment. An ABCG2 inhibitor, febuxostat, but not a urate reabsorption inhibitor, dotinurad, enhanced IL-1ß production in cells pretreated with soluble UA. In conclusion, genetic and pharmacological inhibition of ABCG2 enhanced IL-1ß production especially under hyperuricemic conditions by increasing intracellularly accumulated soluble UA that activates the NLRP3 inflammasome and pro-IL-1ß transcription in macrophage-like J774.1 cells.
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Inflamassomos , Ácido Úrico , Camundongos , Animais , Ácido Úrico/farmacologia , Inflamassomos/metabolismo , Inflamassomos/farmacologia , Proteína 3 que Contém Domínio de Pirina da Família NLR/metabolismo , Lipopolissacarídeos/farmacologia , Macrófagos/metabolismo , Interleucina-1beta/genética , Interleucina-1beta/metabolismo , Interleucina-1beta/farmacologia , RNA Interferente Pequeno/farmacologia , RNA Mensageiro/farmacologia , Caspases/farmacologiaRESUMO
PURPOSE: To examine whether atopic cataracts are associated with thinner lenses. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, Jikei University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. DESIGN: Retrospective matched case-control study. METHODS: 31 eyes with atopic cataracts, 62 with nonatopic cataracts, and 31 without cataracts were analyzed. Each group was matched for age (±4 years) and sex. RESULTS: The mean lens thickness (LT) was 3.76 ± 0.40 mm, 3.94 ± 0.49 mm, and 4.11 ± 0.40 mm in eyes with atopic cataracts, nonatopic cataracts, and normal lenses, respectively. Repeated-measures analysis of variance showed that the LT in the atopic cataract group was significantly thinner than that in the nonatopic cataract ( P = .036) and normal lens ( P < .001) groups. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, a thinner LT was negatively correlated with age (odds ratio [OR], 0.91; 95% CI, 0.86-0.96) and positively correlated with anterior subcapsular cataract (ASC) (OR, 5.61; 95% CI, 1.97-15.99). Atopy was not a significant factor. 24 (38.7%) of the 62 eyes with nonatopic cataracts and 24 (77.4%) of the 31 eyes with atopic cataracts had ASC. CONCLUSIONS: The lenses of eyes with atopic cataracts were thinner than those of controls. Atopic cataracts frequently present with anterior subcapsular opacity, which is associated with lens thinning.
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Catarata , Cristalino , Humanos , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Estudos Retrospectivos , OlhoRESUMO
Gitaigo is a subtype of mimetic words (onomatopoeia) in the Japanese language, which can be regarded as words that imitate actions or states. This study develops a personality scale, with six subscales, using 60 gitaigo words as items for rating the personality of the self and others. We asked 1 054 participants to rate their own personality and 905 participants to rate a close friend's personality, using 158 gitaigo words as items to describe personality. We found that a six-factor model, found in our previous study, was also applicable to the present study of ratings of participants' own personality. We also found six groups of words in the ratings of close friends' personality, although the factor structure is slightly different from the self-rating factors. We selected ten words that exhibited high loadings for each of the six factors to develop a personality scale with six subscales showing high reliability. We named those factors: cowardliness, slowness, preciseness, irritableness, candidness, and frivolousness. The average scores for self-ratings were significantly lower for two subscales (preciseness and candidness) and higher for other four subscales compared to the rating of others.
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Idioma , Ego , Feminino , Humanos , Japão , Masculino , Inventário de Personalidade , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Objectivesâ :â The aims of this study were to examine the biomechanics of StandTS movements in older adults and to identify their optimal StandTS motion by measuring sitting impact forces. Methodsâ :â Healthy older women (nâ =â 17) and healthy young women (nâ =â 18) were asked to perform SitTS and StandTS motions at a natural speed using a chair. We measured the ground reaction forces from the participants' feet and the chair, the angle of the trunk and ankle, vertical velocity, and postural muscle activities using a force plate, motion analyzer, and electromyography, respectively. Resultsâ :â Sitting impact force was significantly greater in the older women than in the young women during the StandTS motion. There was a significant difference between the trunk angle and the ankle angle during the StandTS motion and sitting impact force had a significant negative correlation with the ankle joint motion in the older women. Conclusionsâ :â The ankle joint strategy was characterized by body sway resembling a single-segment-inverted pendulum and suggests that this response is less developed in the older adult. These results indicate that the ankle joint strategy may be an important factor involved in the sitting impact force. J. Med. Invest. 69 : 278-286, August, 2022.
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Movimento , Postura , Idoso , Fenômenos Biomecânicos , Eletromiografia , Feminino , Humanos , Movimento (Física) , Movimento/fisiologia , Postura/fisiologiaRESUMO
Whether or not extremely low levels of serum uric acid (SUA) in xanthinuria are associated with impairment of the endothelial function and exercise-induced acute kidney injury (EIAKI) is unclear. A 59-year-old woman without EIAKI or urolithiasis had undetectable levels of UA in serum and urine and elevated levels of hypoxanthine and xanthine in urine. A genetic analysis revealed homozygous mutations in the XDH gene [c.1585 C>T (p. Gln529*)]. Flow-mediated dilation was within the normal range. This is the first report of a case with extremely low levels of SUA, xanthinuria with novel mutations of xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) and a normal endothelial function.
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Erros Inatos do Metabolismo , Xantina Desidrogenase , Feminino , Humanos , Erros Inatos do Metabolismo/genética , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Mutação/genética , Ácido Úrico , Xantina Desidrogenase/deficiência , Xantina Desidrogenase/genéticaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Subthreshold photocoagulation is one of the treatments for diabetic macular edema. However, the range of adequate laser energy that can be used for subthreshold photocoagulation is very restricted. Therefore, determination of the titration settings for the threshold energy is an essential part of the subthreshold-photocoagulation procedure. This study examined factors influencing the threshold energy used in subthreshold photocoagulation for diabetic macular edema. METHODS: For 20 consecutive cases (29 eyes) who had received treatment using Endpoint Management (EpM) between April 2019 and June 2020 for persistent diabetic macular edema after completion of panretinal photocoagulation, multiple regression analysis was used to examine factors influencing threshold energy. RESULTS: Analysis evaluating all the surgical procedures (n=150) determined there was statistical significance for a history of vitrectomy and cataract surgery, central macular thickness, interval from completion of panretinal photocoagulation, superior 6 mm subfield, and nasal 6 mm subfield. Further analysis examined surgical procedures that had been done in patients with a history of vitrectomy and cataract surgery (n=116). This analysis showed that central macular thickness, axial length, interval from completion of panretinal photocoagulation, and HbA1c were all statistically significant factors. CONCLUSION: Threshold energy for diabetic macular edema was significantly influenced by a history of vitrectomy and cataract surgery, central macular thickness, and interval between the completion of panretinal photocoagulation and initial EpM. Transparency of ocular media and intraocular inflammation were speculated to be associated with these results.
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PURPOSE: To report the clinical course of solar retinopathy after steroid therapy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 45-year-old male gazed at the sun and noticed bilateral central scotoma and decreased vision after the episode. After 7 weeks from onset, ophthalmic examinations were firstly performed. Decimal best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was decreased to 0.8 and 0.7 in the right and left eyes. Funduscopy showed a tiny, yellowish spot in the fovea bilaterally. Corresponding to the lesion, optical coherence tomography (OCT) images showed an elevated and blurred ellipsoid zone and loss of the interdigitation zone. A posterior sub-Tenon triamcinolone injection in the right eye and oral prednisolone therapy were performed as a medication. BCVA was improved to 1.2 and 1.0 in the right and left eyes at 9 weeks after medication. OCT images showed ellipsoid zone was gradually improved bilaterally, which became nearly normal at 4 weeks in the right eye and at 21 weeks in the left eye. The loss of the interdigitation zone remained at 12 weeks in the right eye and at 21 weeks at the left eye. CONCLUSIONS: We described a case with solar retinopathy who exhibited anatomical recovery of the photoreceptor outer layers by steroid therapy, started after 7 weeks from onset.
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Visual disturbance following non-ophthalmologic surgery under general anesthesia is rare but can be devastating both socially and medicolegally. Immediate salvage intervention as well as prevention is of utmost importance since this can be a serious blow to patient's functional outcome postoperatively. We experienced a case of temporary but significant visual disturbance right after transperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer. We need to raise our levels of vigilance to this condition since it can be avoided and prevented with immediate therapeutic intervention and decent clinical awareness.
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Our life is full of invisibility that exerts power on our acts, relationships, and construction of the self. This paper discusses psychological processes in which invisibility plays an essential role, and constructs a typology of invisibility in society and in our lives. After a brief look at the crucial role of invisibility in prevailing theories of psychology, I first show how invisibility works in children's meaning constructions, the process in which their selves become clear for observers (the presentational self, Komatsu 2010). The development of children's meaning making is led by different types of invisibility concerning the children themselves. Second, I extend the discussion from the development of individuals to the role of socially regulated invisibility that controls our acts and relationships with others, introducing examples concerning religious belief in history. After these discussions, I present a hierarchical classification of invisibility from a simple spatial-temporal separation of concretely existing objects and ourselves to an abstract aspect of invisibility in which the object and its meaning are unclear.
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Desenvolvimento Infantil , Ego , Comportamento Social , Adulto , Criança , HumanosRESUMO
Neurogenic intermittent claudication is a main symptom in lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), and postural change is often observed during walking. This study aimed to identify the changes in posture and muscle activity in the trunk and legs during walking in patients with LSS by examining 6 patients who had undergone decompression surgery. None of them had significant paralysis. Gait analysis using Vicon motion capture system® with electromyographic recordings of the paravertebral muscles (PVM) and vastus lateralis muscle (VL) was performed preoperatively and 2 weeks postoperatively. Results showed that the thorax angle indicating the degree of trunk flexion after walking decreased significantly and the pelvic angle tended to decrease after surgery. However, there were no difference in the spine angle, which is a measure of the motion of the thoraco-lumbar spine among the evaluations. The knee angle increased significantly after surgery both at the beginning and at the end of walking, but the angles of the hip and ankle did not change significantly after surgery. Knee torques increased significantly after surgery both at the beginning and at the end of walking. The activity of the PVM decreased and that of the VL increased after surgery. The results indicate that patients with LSS walk in a forward-bending position without flexing the spine, which can be one of the neurologic symptoms. Increases in knee torque and VL activity seemed to reflect the increase of walking speed, and the decrease of PVM activity appeared to be caused by postural improvement after surgery.