Intraoperative retinal light damage reflected in electrophysiologic data

In a series of 30 unilaterally pseudophakic patients, electroretinograms and electrooculograms were recorded 6 months postoperatively. The unoperated on fellow eyes served as controls High intraoperative retinal light exposure (3.4–7.3 mW/cm², Zeiss OPMI 6 operating microscope) caused a substantial reduction of electrophysiologic potentials. Light protection prevented deterioration of electroretinogram and electro-oculogram potentials; reducing the bulb voltage, tilting the axis of illumination, filtering short wavelengths and the use of light shields resulted in 4-log-unit lower intensities (0.8–3.7 W/cm²).Abbreviations ACL anterior chamber lens - ECCE extracapsular cataract extraction - ICCE intracapsular cataract extraction - PCL posterior chamber lens     

Effect of 3 mg melatonin on jet lag syndrome in an 8-h eastward flight

In order to assess the effect of melatonin on jet lag a field study was undertaken. The process of re-entrainment of circadian melatonin rhythm was investigated in six subjects. Except during 24-h blood sampling, the subjects were exposed to natural zeitgeber (time giver) outdoors and given 3 mg melatonin at 23:00 h. The subjects were exposed to bright sunlight from 3000 to 12000 lx. All of them showed orthodromic re-entrainment with taking melatonin, while two out of the six did not show orthodromic re-entrainment without taking melatonin. Melatonin accelerated the rate of the re-entrainment of the circadian melatonin rhythm. Melatonin was useful to jet travel from Tokyo to Los Angeles.     

Prosopo-Thoracopagus Conjoined Twins and Other Cephalopagus-Thoracopagus Intermediates: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Prosopo-thoracopagus twins are united from the face down to the umbilicus, none with union in the brain but all with visceral anomalies intermediate between those of cephalopagus and thoracopagus. In a review of over 1200 cases of conjoined twins reported during the past 100 years, there were 14 that illustrate the continuum between cephalopagus and thoracopagus, including three that were united only from the cervical region to the umbilicus. Classic cephalopagus twins are joined from the top of the head to the umbilicus, sharing a single foregut as well as two relatively normal hearts, the “posterior” one often diminished. Typical thoracopagus, however, are conjoined only from the upper thorax to the umbilicus, each twin with a normal foregut but both sharing a single complex multiventricular heart. The intermediate cases shared either a single very abnormal heart or two hearts united by double aortic arches, and all except one had a single foregut. It is these cases intermediate between cephalopagus and thoracopagus which are the subject of this report. Received September 11, 1996; accepted December 16, 1996     

早期原发性开角型青光眼的视网膜光阈值改变

目的:观察早期原发性开角型青光眼视网膜光敏度分布情况及改变特点。方法:采用日本TopconSBP2020自动视野SDT340程序检测早期原发性开角型青光眼与正常眼的中心3°视网膜光敏感度。结果:早期原发性开角型青光眼各方向的视网膜光敏度与正常眼比较有非常显著差异(P<0.01);早期原发性开角型青光眼上方视网膜光敏度与其他各方比较有显著差异(P<0.05);早期青光眼的MD,ST与正常眼比较差异非常显著(P<0.01)。结论:视网膜光敏度的定量检测能做为早期原发性开角型青光眼的较早期视功能检测。     

中药新药研究的思路方法和实践

中药新药研究涉及学科理论体系、研究对象、服务对象等多个主、客体系，是一个多因素的复杂的系统工程。对传统中医药学的朴素系统论、西医药学的近代还原论以及现代中医药学的现代系统论特征、优势和不足进行了归纳和辨析。从新药研究的系统思维的角度，将中药药物形成过程划分为药物原料形成、药物制备和药物体内过程3个基本环节，详细分析了各环节中诸影响因素。基于以上认识，提出了中药新药研究应遵循的思维模式和研究方法，并根据自己的科研实践，探讨了目前新药研究的热点及在研制过程中应注意的问题。最后提出：中药新药研究是一个系统工程，在思维模式上要从整体的视角、普遍联系和多变性的观点出发，以证实的实验手段和系统学的分析方法，从生命运动的不同层面，探索疾病的药物干预规律。秉承继承与刨新相结合的原则，不断实现对传统中药的“扬弃”，从中“蜕变”出全新意义的现代中药。     

Cone signals for spectacle-lens compensation: differential responses to short and long wavelengths

Chick eyes compensate for defocus imposed by spectacle lenses by making compensatory changes in eye length and choroidal thickness, a laboratory model of emmetropization. To investigate the roles of longitudinal chromatic aberration and of chromatic mechanisms in emmetropization, we examined the participation of different cone classes, and we compared the efficacy of lens compensation under monochromatic illumination with that under white light of the same illuminance to the chick eye.Chicks wore positive or negative 6 D or 8 D lenses on one eye for 3 days, under either blue (460 nm) or red (620 nm) light at 0.67 lux or under white light at 0.67 or 0.2 lux (all measures are corrected for chick photopic sensitivity). The illumination conditions were chosen to differentially stimulate either the short-wavelength and ultraviolet cones or the long-wavelength and double cones. Measurements are expressed as the relative change: the inter-ocular difference in the amount of change over the 3 days of lens wear.We find that under this low illumination the two components of lens compensation were differentially affected by the monochromatic illumination: in blue light lens compensation was mainly due to changes in eye length, whereas in red light lens compensation was mainly due to changes in choroidal thickness. In general, white light produced better lens compensation than monochromatic illumination.

Negative lenses

Under white light negative lenses caused an increase in eye length (60 μm) together with a decrease in choroidal thickness (−51 μm) relative to the fellow eye. Under blue light, although there was an increase in eye length (32 μm), there was no change in choroidal thickness (5 μm). In contrast, under red light there was a decrease in choroidal thickness (−62 μm) but no increase in eye length (8 μm). Relative ocular elongation was the same in white and monochromatic light.

Positive lenses

Under white light positive lenses caused a decrease in eye length (−142 μm) together with an increase in choroidal thickness (68 μm) relative to the fellow eye. Under blue light, there was a decrease in eye length (−64 μm), but no change in choroidal thickness (2 μm). In contrast, under red light there was an increase (90 μm) in choroidal thickness but less of a decrease (−36 μm) in eye length. Lens compensation by inhibition of ocular elongation was less effective under monochromatic illumination than under white light (white v red: p = 0.003; white v blue p = .014).The differential effects of red and blue light on the choroidal and ocular length compensatory responses suggest that they are driven by different proportions of the cone-types, implying that, although chromatic contrast is not essential for lens compensation and presumably for emmetropization as well, the retinal substrates exist for utilizing chromatic contrast in these compensatory responses. The generally better lens compensation in white than monochromatic illumination suggests that longitudinal chromatic aberration may be used in lens compensation.     

白藜芦醇对紫外线诱导人晶状体上皮细胞氧化损伤的保护作用

目的:探讨白藜芦醇对紫外线诱导人晶状体上皮细胞氧化损伤的保护作用。方法:人晶状体上皮细胞系传代培养,紫外线诱导细胞发生凋亡,20μmol/L白藜芦醇预处理细胞后,观察各项指标改变:流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡率,比色法检测凋亡相关因子caspase-3及caspase-9的表达,透射电镜观察超微结构变化。结果:流式细胞仪检测发现,白藜芦醇可以抑制紫外线照射诱导的细胞凋亡,阳性对照组中caspase-3及caspase-9含量显著高于同时段阴性对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);实验组中caspase-3及caspase-9含量均低于同时段阳性对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。此外,伴随白藜芦醇作用时间的延长,透射电镜下人晶状体上皮细胞损伤的程度减轻。结论:白藜芦醇可以抑制紫外线诱导的晶状体上皮细胞的凋亡,对辐射性白内障具有预防作用,从而为寻求有效的防治白内障药物提供可靠的实验依据。     

Participatory Systems Mapping for Municipal Prioritization and Planning

Rapidly growing cities face new and compounding health challenges, leading governments and donors to seek innovative ways to support healthier, more resilient urban growth. One such approach is the systems mapping process developed by Engaging Inquiry (EI) for the USAID-funded Building Healthy Cities project (BHC) in four cities in Asia. This paper provides details on the theory and methods of the process. While systems mapping is not new, the approach detailed in this paper has been uniquely adapted to the purpose of municipal planning. Strategic stakeholder engagement, including participatory workshops with a diverse group of stakeholders, is at the core of this approach and led to deeper insights, greater buy-in, and shared understanding of the city’s unique opportunities and challenges. This innovative mapping process is a powerful tool for defining municipal priorities within growing cities across the globe, where the situation is rapidly evolving. It can be used to provide evidence-based information on where to invest to gain the biggest impact on specific goals. This paper is part of a collection in this issue providing a detailed accounting of BHC’s systems mapping approach across four project cities.     

A Novel Preparation of Special-Shaped Phosphors-in-Glass by Gel Casting with Isobam for High-Power WLEDs Lighting

Phosphors-in-glass (PiGs) regarded as a promising phosphor-converter for white light emitting diodes (WLEDs) is being researched widely. However, there are few reports on the effect of changing the shape of PiGs on the color rendering index (CRI) and heat dissipation of WLEDs. In this paper, gel casting with Isobam was first attempted in preparing special-shaped PiGs successfully. It exhibited that 76 wt.% was the optimum solid content based on the rheological properties of slurry and the shrinkage of green bodies. The sintering rate should be kept at a low speed and glass transition temperature (Tg) of glass powders must be higher than sublimation temperatures (Ts) of APS and Isobam. The CRI of PiGs was increased by about 27% after changing the shape of PiGs from cylinder to dome. Most importantly, operating temperature also reduced effectively the increase of the surface area of PiGs. Therefore, changing the shape of PiGs by gel casting with Isobam is a creative way for high-power WLEDs lighting.     

The Role of Human-Centered Design in Insulin Pen Innovation and the Future of Insulin Delivery

Insulin pens have made a dramatic impact on diabetes care, with evidence suggesting that they promote performance of self-care and reduce negative health outcomes for people with diabetes. Human-centered design (HCD), practiced by IDEO for over 40 years and together with Eli Lilly for over 15 years, has helped to design insulin pens that evolved with the needs of people with diabetes. HCD employs unique methods that help to uncover people’s needs and design with them in mind. The future of diabetes care is bright with the ongoing application of HCD methodology in this space.