Kim H, et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2020 Oct;35(45):e369. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e369

Purpose: We investigated the microRNAs (miRNAs) expression in the anterior lens capsules of patients with senile cataract and compared it to that in the anterior lens capsules of healthy controls. Moreover, we compared the differences in miRNAs expression according to the types of cataracts. Methods: Individual lens epithelium samples were collected from 33 senile patients and 10 controls. The cataract patients were classified into cortical, nuclear, posterior and anterior subcapsular and mixed. The expression of 12 different miRNAs in lens epithelium was measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction and compared between the senile cataract patients and controls. The differences of miRNA levels according to cataract type were analyzed. Results: The expression levels of let-7g-5p, miR-23a-3p, miR-23b-3p, and miR-125a-5p were significantly upregulated in patients with senile cataract when compared with those in the control group (P < 0.05). The expressions of let-7a-5p, let-7d-5p, miR-16-5p and miR-22-3p were significantly downregulated in the senile cataracts (P < 0.05). Let-7a-5p, let-7d-5p, let-7g-5p and mir-23b-3p had significant difference in expression between nuclear and anterior subcapsular cataracts. Conclusions: The eight differentially expressed miRNAs may be involved in the pathogenesis of senile cataract, in particular, related to oxidative stress and autophagy. Translational Relevance: We infer that several miRNAs in lens epithelial cells are promising candidate biomarkers of senile cataracts.

Background: Anterior uveitis (AU) is a significant concern in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and the choice of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) as a treatment modality raises questions regarding its effects on AU. We compared the effects of TNFi on AU in patients with AS. Methods: Patients diagnosed with AS and treated with at least one TNFi, including anti-TNFα antibodies (adalimumab and infliximab) or a soluble TNF receptor molecule (etanercept), between January 2010 and December 2022, were retrospectively reviewed. We compared the recurrence rate of AU in patients with a history of uveitis and the incidence of new-onset AU in those without a history of uveitis among the three TNFi groups. We also compared the effects of two different TNFi agents in patients who underwent TNFi switching. Results: Within two years of treatment initiation, there was no significant difference in AU recurrence among the three TNFi groups. However, the incidence of new-onset AU was significantly higher in the etanercept group than in the adalimumab group (26.4% vs. 6.3%; p = 0.024). After two years, the AU recurrence rate was significantly lower in the adalimumab group than in the other groups (p < 0.001). Among patients who underwent anti-TNFi switching, adalimumab treatment was associated with a significantly lower incidence of uveitis than etanercept (p = 0.023). Conclusion: In the short-term period following TNFi therapy, etanercept induced new-onset AU more frequently than adalimumab in patients with AS. Adalimumab recipients experienced fewer AU recurrences during the subsequent long-term period compared to other TNFi recipients.

Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), a chronic abnormality of meibomian glands, causes various dry eye symptoms. Principal treatments for MGD are warm compression and mechanical squeezing of the eyelids. In this study, the immediate impact of this treatment on tear film lipid layer thickness (TFLLT) and the meibomian gland (MG) structure in MGD and normal groups was investigated to establish its efficacy and potential side effects. Nineteen MGD patients and seven normal subjects were enrolled. TFLLT and blinking parameters were evaluated before and after warm compression. Morphological changes of MG structures after mechanical squeezing were analyzed using Image J and Fiji. Differential analysis of the MGD and the normal groups of TFLLT changes after warm compression showed a significant increase in the normal group. In normal eyes, the average, maximum, and minimum TFLLT were significantly increased, and in the MGD group, only the minimum TFLLT was improved. Blinking parameters showed no significant change in either group. Morphometric analysis showed no damages of the MG after MG squeezing. A significant increase in MG length was observed in normal eyes. Warm compression immediately increased TFLLT more significantly in the normal group than in the MGD patients. Mechanical expression is a safe therapeutic option without remarkable structural MG damages.

본 논문은 디스플레이가 송신기이고 카메라가 수신기인 기존의 Display Field Communication(DFC)의 성능개선에 관한 연구이다. 특히 영상영역의 함수를 주파수영역으로 변환하는 기법 중 Discrete Cosine Transform(DCT)를 사용하였고 데이터를 영상에 심을 때 계산의 복잡도를 줄이기 위해 가산 할당기(addition allocator)와 차감 데이터 복원기(subtraction data retrieval)를 활용하였다. 또한 파워 할당으로 데이터의 크기를 적절히 조절해줌으로써 기존 addition allocator가 가지고 있는 한계를 극복하고 모의실험 성능을 전반적으로 향상시켰다.

Background: To characterise the three-dimensional (3D) anatomy and dynamic changes of the conjunctival fornix across different gaze positions using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Subjects/methods: Three eyes of three healthy adult female volunteers without ocular or systemic disease, prior ocular surgery, or ocular surface pathology. A scleral buckling sponge was inserted into the superior and inferior conjunctival fornices to create an implant-induced forniceal space (IFS). High-resolution orbital MRI was performed during primary gaze, upgaze, downgaze and eyelid closure. IFS volume, surface area, fornix depth (FD) and cornea-fornix (C-F) distance were quantified and compared across positions. Results: At primary gaze, the superior fornix showed larger IFS volume and surface area than the inferior fornix, though differences were not significant. Both superior and inferior FD and C-F distance varied with gaze. Superior FD was shortest at downgaze and longest at upgaze and eyelid closure, while inferior FD was shortest at primary gaze and longest at eyelid closure. Superior C-F distance was shortest during eyelid closure, whereas inferior C-F distance was longest at primary gaze and shortest at downgaze. Conclusions: This first MRI-based 3D quantitative assessment demonstrated gaze-dependent variability of the conjunctival fornix. The fornix should be regarded as a dynamic rather than static structure, with potential implications for ocular surface disease evaluation, surgical planning and the design of fornix-based implants.