Purpose . To evaluate the real-world efficacy and safety of the dexamethasone implant (DEX implant) in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods . Retrospective, multicenter, and noncomparative study of DME patients who were treated with at least one DEX implant. A total of 186 eyes from 165 patients were included. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), complications, and number of retreatments were collected. Data at baseline and monthly for 6 months were analyzed. Results. The average baseline BCVA and CRT were 0.60 LogMAR and 491.6 μ m, respectively. The mean BCVA improved until 3 months and then decreased up to 6 months of follow-up (0.53, 0.49, and 0.55 LogMAR at 1, 3, and 6 months; p=0.001, <0.001, and 0.044, resp.). The change of mean CRT was similar to BCVA (345.0, 357.7, and 412.5 μ m at 1, 3, and 6 months, p<0.001, <0.001, and <0.001, resp.). 91 eyes (48.9%) received additional treatment with anti-VEGF or DEX implant. The average treatment-free interval was 4.4 months. In group analyses, the DEX implant was more effective in pseudophakic eyes, DME with subretinal fluid (SRF), or diffuse type. Conclusions. Intravitreal dexamethasone implants are an effective treatment for patients with DME, most notably in pseudophakic eyes, DME with SRF, or diffuse type. A half of these patients require additional treatment within 6 months.
The integration of carbon nanotube (CNT)-based sensor and readout complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor integrated chip (CMOS IC) to detect hydrogen gas in a single chip is presented. First, we have fabricated the CMOS IC using the standard 0.35-μm CMOS process. Then, we have built 8 × 8 CNT-based sensor cells on it using a proposed tractable postprocessing strategy and judicious electrode scheme. The fabricated sensor IC can operate down to 10-ppm concentration of hydrogen in air as a hydrogen sensor. This paper is expected to have a major impact upon the integration of the CNT technology with CMOS technology and be extended to the development of CMOS IC integrated with various nanomaterials.
Purpose: Hyperglycemia results in increased flux through the hexoxamine biosynthetic pathway. We examined whether hyperglycemia increases O-GlcNAcylation in the diabetic retina and whether elevated O-GlcNAcylation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB increases apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in diabetic retinopathy (DR).Materials and methods: Diabetes was induced in C57BL/6 mice by five consecutive intraperitoneal injections of 55 mg/kg streptozotocin. All mice were killed 2 months after injections and expression levels of O-GlcNAcylated proteins, O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT), β-d-N-acetylglucosaminidase and NF-κB, and the extent of RGC death were examined. Immunoprecipitations were performed to investigate whether O-GlcNAcylation of NF-κB led to its activation and RGC death in DR.Results: The expression levels of O-GlcNAcylated proteins and OGT were markedly higher in diabetic retinas than in control retinas. OGT colocalized with NeuN, a RGC-specific marker, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-positive cells in the ganglion cell layer of diabetic retinas. The p65 subunit of NF-κB was O-GlcNAcylated and the level of O-GlcNAcylated p65 was higher in diabetic retinas than in control retinas.Conclusion: The present data suggest that hyperglycemia increases O-GlcNAcylation in DR and that O-GlcNAcylation of the p65 subunit of NF-κB is involved in hyperglycemia-induced NF-κB activation and RGC death in DR.
Purpose: We studied the result and cilincal significance of transscleral fixation of posterior chamber lens in complete vitrectomized eyes without capsular support. Methods: We evaluated 30 aphakic eyes of 30 patients and according to the cause of pars plana vitrectomy, there were 9 eyes for intraocular foreign body, 8 eyes for lens dislocation, 8 eyes for retinal detachment, 3 eyes for vitreous hemorrhage, 2 eyes for endophthalmitis. Results: The postoperative best-corrected visual acuity group was intraocular foreign body group and the group of lens dislocation, vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment, and endophthalmitis were in the descending order of visual acuity. The most common postoperative early complication was temporary hypotony and the others were hyphema, and temporary increased IOP. The most common postoperative late complication was exposed scleral fixation suture and the others were vitreous hemorrhage, cystoid macular edema, subluxation of intraocular lenses, retinal detachment. Conclusions: We experienced many postoperative temporary hypotony patients, but all cases were improved in short term period. The complication related to scleral fixation in vitrectomized eyes was imposed to smaller than the scleral fixation in vitreous support. But, in fact the development of retinal detachment or vitreous incarceration complication in the vitrectomized eye was not different from the eyes having vitreous support.
The speed degradation in CMOS circuits with the supply voltage reduction is an important obstacle in the scale down of supply voltage. Thus, many attempts to reduce the gate delay have been tried using the dynamic threshold scheme. However, they have limitations in the operation voltage and large leakage current. We propose a new type of SOI inverter gate which has considerably shortened circuit delay with similar energy consumption in the conventional SOI CMOS circuit at low voltage operation. It uses the positive-body bias effect that enhances drain currents when the body is biased positively. The operation principle of the proposed gate, the optimal circuit and device conditions studied by simulations, and the fabrication and measurement data are reported in this paper.
Purpose : To report a case of Chandler’s syndrome associated with anterior uveitis. Methods : We encountered a 39-year-old woman who complained of decreased visual acuity in the left eye with anterior uveitis and increased intraocular pressure. On examination, we found corectopia, endothelial pleomorphism and peripheral anterior synechiae, leading to the diagnosis of Chandler’s syndrome with anterior uveitis. Results : The anterior uveitis and increased intraocular pressure in Chandler’s syndrome were well controlled with the use of Beta-blocker , Latanoprost and topical corticosteroids. We report this case with a review of the literatures.
Purpose To investigate the choroidal circulation using the fat embolism model and electric circuit simulation. Methods Experimental fat embolism was induced by infusing triolein emulsion into the internal carotid artery in cats. Video fluorescein angiography was recorded. The observations were interpreted by using a custom software developed to simulate the choriocapillaris as a schematic electric circuit; electric current for blood flow, voltage for intravascular pressure, and electric resistance for vascular resistance. A dual‐layered hexagon was designed to represent the choriocapillaris lobule. The anode and cathodes were connected to the center and periphery of each hexagon, representing the terminal arteriole and draining venules, respectively. Disconnecting the anode simulated choroidal embolism. Results Perfusion defects were observed in two categories. In the scatter perfusion defects suggesting an embolism at the terminal arterioles, fluorescein dye filled the non‐perfused lobule slowly from the adjacent perfused lobule. In the segmental perfusion defects suggesting occlusion of the posterior ciliary arteries, the hypofluorescent segment became perfused by spontaneous resolution of the embolism without subsequent smaller infarction. The findings could be simulated with an electric circuit. Although electric currents flowed to the disconnected hexagon, the level was very low compared with that of the connected ones. Conclusions The choroid appeared to be composed of multiple sectors with no anastomosis to other sectors, but to have its own anastomotic arterioles in each sector. Blood flows through the continuous choriocapillaris bed in an end‐arterial nature functionally to follow a pressure gradient due to the drainage through the collector venule.
'%3e%3cg id='b'%3e%3cpath id='a' stroke='%23000' stroke-width='2' d='M-6-25H6m-12 3H6m-12 3H6'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' y='44'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' d='M0 17v10'/%3e%3ccircle r='12' fill='%23cd2e3a'/%3e%3cpath fill='%230047a0' d='M0-12A6 6 0 0 0 0 0a6 6 0 0 1 0 12 12 12 0 0 1 0-24z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cg transform='rotate(-123.69)'%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23b'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' d='M0-23.5v3M0 17v3.5m0 3v3'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)