Response of the visual system evoked by an alternating current

Alternating current stimulation of the eye generates an occipital electrically evoked response (a.c.-e.e.r.) of which the frequency characteristic shows a monophasic pattern for which the optimum stimulus frequency for evoking a maximum response is 18 Hz. A.C.-E.E.R. is a very useful tool for making a diagnosis of pigmentary retinal dystrophy and is different from the e.r.g. in that it is not affected by diseases of the optical system such as strong refractive anomalies or vitreous opacities.     

A Comparison of Visual Field and Optic Disc Appearance Depending on the Peak Intraocular Pressure in Patients with Normal-tension Glaucoma

Purpose To review the outcome of surgery for strabismus due to ethmoid sinus surgery.Cases and Methods The series comprised 13 cases, 1 of inferior rectus paresis, 1 of superior oblique paresis, 6 of medial rectus paresis, and 5 of medial rectus muscle palsy due to third nerve palsy. In the cases of paresis of the rectus muscle, resection of the rectus muscles was mainly performed. In the cases of palsy of the rectus muscle, transposition of the extraocular muscle with simultaneous recession of the lateral rectus muscle was performed. The major aim of surgery was to bring both eyes into alignment and to eliminate diplopia in the primary position.Results The mean preoperative horizontal deviation of 18.1 degrees of exotropia in the paresis cases was reduced to 1.4 degrees of exotropia after surgery. The mean preoperative vertical deviation of 3.8 degrees of hypertropia was reduced to 1.4 degrees of hypertropia postoperatively. The mean preoperative horizontal deviation of 35.6 degrees of exotropia in the palsy cases was reduced to 9.4 degrees of exotropia after surgery. The mean preoperative vertical deviation of 2.0 degrees of hypertropia was increased to 2.6 degrees of hypertropia postoperatively. Postoperatively, diplopia was absent in 11 cases with a slightly compensatory head posture.Conclusions Surgery for strabismus due to sinus surgery induces improvements in eye position and diplopia. Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc 107:425–432, 2003)     

IFN‐α/β‐mediated NK2R expression is related to the malignancy of colon cancer cells

Neurokinin 2 receptor (NK2R), a G protein‐coupled receptor for neurokinin A (NKA), a tachykinin family member, regulates various physiological functions including pain response, relaxation of smooth muscle, dilation of blood vessels, and vascular permeability. However, the precise role and regulation of NK2R expression in cancer cells have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we found that high NK2R gene expression was correlated with the poor survival of colorectal cancer patients, and Interferon (IFN‐α/β) stimulation significantly enhanced NK2R gene expression level of colon cancer cells in a Janus kinas 1/2 (JAK 1/2)‐dependent manner. NKA stimulation augmented viability/proliferation and phosphorylation of Extracellular‐signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) levels of IFN‐α/β‐treated colon cancer cells and NK2R blockade by using a selective antagonist reduced the proliferation in vitro. Administration of an NK2R antagonist alone or combined with polyinosinic‐polycytidylic acid, a synthetic analog of double‐stranded RNA, to CT26‐bearing mice significantly suppressed tumorigenesis. NK2R‐overexpressing CT26 cells showed enhanced tumorigenesis and metastatic colonization in both lung and liver after the inoculation into mice. These findings indicate that IFN‐α/β‐mediated NK2R expression is related to the malignancy of colon cancer cells, suggesting that NK2R blockade may be a promising strategy for colon cancers.     

Effects of a low dose of indapamide, a diuretic, given daily or every-other-day on blood pressure and metabolic parameters.

To investigate the effects of the diuretic, indapamide, on blood pressure (BP) and metabolic parameters, thirty hypertensive patients were treated with 1 mg of indapamide either every day or every other day. BP, fasting plasma glucose, lipids, serum potassium and uric acid were determined at baseline and after 3 months of a stable regimen of the drug. At the termination of the study, 48-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was performed. Three patients received only indapamide, while other patients were treated in combination with additional antihypertensive medications. Patients treated with daily indapamide showed a BP reduction from 162 +/- 2.9/85 +/- 2.4 mmHg to 134 +/- 2.4/71 +/-2.6 mmHg (p < 0.001). The BP reduction was similar in those patients receiving the drug every other day (137 +/- 3.4/71 +/- 3.6 mmHg). While plasma lipids and serum potassium did not differ significantly with the intervention, uric acid increased significantly with daily treatment and normalized with every-other-day treatment. Glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was not altered (5.6 +/- 0.1% vs. 5.4 +/- 0.2%), and did not differ between patients with and without diabetes mellitus. ABPM revealed an average 24-h BP of 134 +/- 3.3/75 +/- 1.7 mmHg on days in which patients received the medication and 139 +/- 4.9/78 +/- 2.6 mmHg on the intervening day without indapamide (no significant difference). These results suggest that a low dose of indapamide given every day or every other day is effective in lowering BP and does not result in metabolic derangements.     

How effective is the early fast treadmill gait speed training for stroke patients at the 2nd week after admission: comparison with comfortable gait speed at the 6th week

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to find whether a fast treadmill gait training speed is effective for the gait training of stroke patients in the early rehabilitation stage. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty-nine stroke patients were the subjects of our investigation. They walked on a treadmill with handrail supports at a fast speed (130% of their comfortable gait speed in the 2nd week). The treadmill gaits of the patients were recorded using a 3-dimensional analysis system at two and six weeks after their admissions. Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) of the temporal and spatial parameters of the two periods were statistically analyzed. [Results] For all of the patients, the ICCs of the measured parameters were greater than 0.58. In the case of patients whose gait speeds of the two periods were close, the ICC units were greater than 0.7. [Conclusion] The fast gait speed training allowed us to expose the patients to a gait speed that they were expected to acquire at a later stage of their rehabilitation. This training method was found to be beneficial for the mildly paralyzed patients.Key words: Stroke, Treadmill, Fast speed     

18F-FDG PET/CT imaging for a gastrointestinal mantle cell lymphoma with multiple lymphomatous polyposis

Multiple lymphomatous polyposis(MLP)is an uncommon type of gastrointestinal lymphoma characterized by the presence of multiple polyps along the gastrointestinal tract.Most of this entity is in fact considered the counterpart of gastrointestinal tract involvement for mantle cell lymphoma(MCL).To our knowledge,there have been no reports on[fluorine-18]-fluorodeoxy-glucose(18F-FDG)-positron emission tomography(PET)/computed tomography(CT)imaging for gastrointestinal MCL with MLP.We present the results of 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging in a patient with gastrointestinal tract involvement of MCL showing continuous MLP from the stomach to the rectum and intestinal intussusception.FDG-PET/CT findings were false negative in typical MLP spreading widely over the gastrointestinal tract,but uptake was noted in large lesions with deep infiltration considered atypical as MLP.On FDG-PET/CT imaging,the Ki-67proliferative index,which is a cell proliferation marker,showed neither correlation with the presence of uptake nor the maximum standardized uptake value.     

High prevalence of equine-like G3P[8] rotavirus in children and adults with acute gastroenteritis in Thailand

Group A rotavirus (RVA) is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children worldwide. This study aims to clarify the distribution of G/P types and genetic characteristics of RVAs circulating in Thailand. Between January 2014 and September 2016, 1867 stool specimens were collected from children and adults with acute gastroenteritis in six provinces in Thailand. RVAs were detected in 514/1867 (27.5%) stool specimens. G1P[8] (44.7%) was the most predominant genotype, followed by G3P[8] (33.7%), G2P[4] (11.5%), G8P[8] (7.0%), and G9P[8] (1.3%). Unusual G3P[9] (0.8%), G3P[10] (0.4%), G4P[6] (0.4%), and G10P[14] (0.2%) were also detected at low frequencies. The predominant genotype, G1P[8] (64.4%), in 2014 decreased to 6.1% in 2016. In contrast, the frequency of G3P[8] markedly increased from 5.5% in 2014 to 65.3% in 2015 and 89.8% in 2016. On polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, most (135/140; 96.4%) of the G3P[8] strains exhibited a short RNA profile. Successful determination of the nucleotide sequences of the VP7 genes of 98 G3P[8] strains with a short RNA profile showed that they are all equine-like G3P[8] strains. On phylogenetic analysis of genome segments of two representative Thai equine-like G3P[8] strains, it was noteworthy that they possessed distinct NSP4 genes, one bovine-like and the other human-like. Thus, we found that characteristic equine-like G3P[8] strains with a short RNA electropherotype are becoming highly prevalent in children and adults in Thailand.     

Corneal endotheliitis and idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss

PURPOSE: To report a case with corneal endotheliitis and idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss, in which herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA was demonstrated in the trabeculum and the aqueous humor by polymerase chain reaction. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: A 60-year-old man presented with corneal stromal edema in the right eye and sudden bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The trabeculum excised during trabeculectomy and the aqueous humor were examined for the presence of herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Polymerase chain reaction demonstrated herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA in the aqueous humor and the trabeculum. CONCLUSION: Herpes simplex virus type 1 may cause corneal endotheliitis and idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss simultaneously.