Antioxidant effects of kimchi supplemented with black raspberry during fermentation protect against liver cirrhosis-induced oxidative stress in rats

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Oxidative stress is a major effector of various diseases; accordingly, antioxidants are frequently ingested in order to prevent or alleviate disease symptoms. Kimchi contains various natural antioxidants, and it is known that the functional activity varies depending on the ingredients and fermentation state. Black raspberries (BR) contain various bioactive compounds with antioxidant effects. This study investigated the antioxidant and liver-protection effects of kimchi supplemented with black raspberry juice powder (BJP). MATERIALS/METHODS: BJP-added kimchi (BAK; at 0.5%, 1%, and 2% concentrations of BJP) and control (without BJP) were prepared and fermented at 4℃ for 4 weeks. Changes in the antioxidant effects of BAK during fermentation were investigated. In addition, the protective activity of BAK against oxidative stress was investigated in a liver cirrhosis-induced animal model in vivo. RESULTS: BAK groups showed the acidity and pH of optimally ripened (OR) kimchi at 2 weeks of fermentation along with the highest lactic acid bacterial counts. Additionally, BAK groups displayed a higher content of phenolic compounds and elevated antioxidant activities relative to the control, with the highest antioxidant effect observed at 2 weeks of fermentation of OR 1% BAK. After feeding the OR 1% BAK to thioacetamide-induced liver cirrhosis rats, we observed decreased glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase activities and elevated superoxide dismutase activity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings showed that the antioxidant effects of OR BAK and feeding of OR 1% BAK resulted in liver-protective effects against oxidative stress.

Therapeutic Effect of 0.03% Tacrolimus Ointment for Ocular Graft versus Host Disease and Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis

PURPOSE: To determine whether topical tacrolimus might prove effective in the treatment of refractory anterior segment inflammatory diseases, and to evaluate its efficacy in eyes with ocular graft versus host disease (GVHD), and vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC). METHODS: Twenty-eight eyes of 14 patients with anterior segment inflammation refractory to steroid treatment were treated with 0.03% tacrolimus ointment at the Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea from March 2008 through August 2009. Seven patients had ocular GVHD and seven had VKC. We evaluated the conjunctival and corneal inflammatory change at one, two, four, and eight weeks after treatment with a scoring system. Time to initial response of treatment and therapeutic effect between GVHD and VKC was also analyzed. After the eight-week treatment period, patients were divided into two groups (maintenance group and discontinuance group). Eight patients maintained the treatment for an additional four months, and six patients discontinued the treatments. Therapeutic effect was also compared between the groups at eight weeks and six months after treatment. RESULTS: The mean conjunctival and corneal inflammation score was reduced significantly at eight weeks after treatment (p 0.05). Six months after treatment, we noted no therapeutic differences between the maintenance group and discontinuance group (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 0.03% tacrolimus ointment was safe and effective for use in anterior segment inflammatory disease refractory to steroid.

Effects of Anterior Chamber Depth and Axial Length on Refractive Error after Intraocular Lens Implantation

PURPOSE: To investigate the error tendency between preoperative expected refraction and postoperative manifest refraction based on anterior chamber depth (ACD) and axial length (AXL) in cataract surgery cases and to report how ACD and AXL affect determination of intraocular lens (IOL) power. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 82 eyes of 62 patients who underwent cataract surgery in our hospital between August 2008 and January 2009. Anterior chamber depth and AXL were measured using IOL Master(R), and IOL power was calculated using the SRK II and SRK/T formulae. Patients were divided into three groups based on ACD and into another three based on AXL. Refractive error (RE) was analyzed one month after surgery. RESULTS: Though the RE of each group showed a tendency for hyperopic shifts, only those obtained with the SRK/T formula showed statistically significant differences between groups (p<0.05). Using the SRK/T formula, we found that an increasing AXL was associated with an increased hyperopic shift. This was more pronounced in those with shallow ACD (<2.5 mm), though the difference was not statistically significant. Similarly, an increase in ACD was associated with an increased hyperopic shift, and this difference was more pronounced in those with short AXL (<22.5 mm), and this time the difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: As ACD and AXL significantly affect RE, both should be considered when investigating postoperative RE tendency and when determining IOL power. Postoperative RE will be greatly affected by a short AXL or a shallow ACD, and therefore these factors should be considered in IOL power determination.

Surgical Results of Transscleral Fixation of Foldable Acrylic Intraocular lens with Unique Shape of Haptics

PURPOSE: To report the surgical results of transscleral fixation of foldable acrylic intraocular lens with a unique haptic shape (CORNEAL(R), ACR6D, France). METHODS: We analyzed the medical records of 18 patients (19 eyes) who had transscleral fixation of posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation from July 2004 to July 2006. RESULTS: According to the cause of operation, there were five eyes with complicated cataract, eight with trauma, and six with aphakia associated with a previous operation. The mean age of the patients was 55.9+/-21.2 years. The mean preoperative best-corrected visual acuity was 0.31+/-0.35, and the postoperative value was 0.63+/-0.29 (p<0.05). The mean preoperative spherical refractive equivalent was 6.58+/-5.33 diopter, and the postoperative value was -1.77+/-1.59 diopter. The mean refractive error was -1.13+/-1.57 diopter. This showed a myopic shift (p<0.05). The mean astigmatism decreased with time, and it stabilized two months after the operation. The trend was toward mild against-the-rule astigmatism. The mean follow-up duration was 11.0+/-7.6 months. CONCLUSIONS: In eyes with inadequate capsular support, transscleral fixation of posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation with CORNEAL(R) lenses is a safe and effective procedure for visual correction.

Corneal Endothelial Change After Intravitreal Triamcinolone Injection

PURPOSE: To evaluate the corneal endothelial cell changes after intravitreal triamcinolone (4 mg/0.1 ml, Acedolone(R), Kuhnil) injection. METHODS: From October 2006 to January 2007, 20 eyes of 19 patients who received intravitreal triamcinolone injection were enrolled. We analyzed the changes of the corneal endothelial cells prospectively and compared them with 11 phakic eyes (group 1) and 9 pseudophakic eyes (group 2) using specular microscopy. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 65.9+/-8.5 years. The preoperative cell densities were 2534.1+/-303.6 in group 1 and 2105.9+/-328.0 in group 2 (p=0.01, Mann Whitney U test). The preoperative coefficients of variation of cell area were 34.6+/-9.7 in group 1 and 31.6+/-7.5 in group 2 (p>0.05), and the preoperative hexagonalities were 56.4+/-13.8 in group 1 and 66.4+/-20.4 in group 2 (p>0.05). The differences between preoperative and postoperative cell densities, coefficients of the variation of cell area, and hexagonalities were not statistically significant in either group (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There was no clinically significant change in corneal endothelial cells after intravitreal triamcinolone injection.

The Efficacy of Intravitreal Gatifloxacin in Experimental S. epidermidis Endophthalmitis

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of intravitreal gatifloxacin with intravitreal vancomycin in the treatment of Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis in a rabbit model. METHODS: Albino rabbits (n=30), infected with an intravitreal inoculum of S. epidermidis (10(5) colony forming unit/0.1 mL), were divided into 6 groups (n=5). Groups I and IV received 200 microgram/0.1 mL of intravitreal gatifloxacin, and groups II and V were injected 1000 microgram/0.1 mL of vancomycin intravitreally. Intravitreal balanced salt solutions (untreated control) were given to Groups III and VI. Intravitreal antibiotic therapy commenced 24 hours after bacterial inoculation. The bactericidal efficacy was determined by electroretinography (ERG), clinical grading, bacterial culture of vitreous aspirates and histopathologic grading. ERGs and clinical gradings were performed only for groups I, II, and III and bacterial cultures were done only for groups IV, V, and VI. RESULTS: Eyes in the gatifloxacin groups showed similar appearance to those in the vancomycin treated groups clinically, histologically, and functionally as proved with ERG. All aspirates from the gatifloxacin and vancomycin groups were culture negative at 5 days after bacterial inoculation, whereas all eyes in the untreated control group were culture positive. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that intravitreal injection of 200 microgram /0.1mL gatifloxacin appeared to be equally effective compared to intravitreal 1000 microgram /0.1 mL vancomycin in the treatment of S. epidermidis endophthalmitis. If proven safe and efficacious after further study in humans, intravitreal injection of gatifloxacin could be considered an effective alternative to vancomycin for the treatment of S. epidermidis endophthalmitis.