A Comprehensive Analysis of the Influence of Temperature and Humidity on Dry Eye Disease

Purpose@#To investigate the effects of humidity and temperature on dry eye disease (DED) @*Methods@#A retrospective, clinic-based study was conducted on DED patients undergoing dry eye treatment. Patients were followed up at least twice, and symptoms and signs were evaluated using the Symptoms Assessment Questionnaire in Dry Eye (SANDE) score, tear secretion, tear film breakup time (TBUT), ocular staining score, and tear osmolarity. Mean humidity and temperature values for 1 week before ocular examinations were used as the environmental exposure level. The relationship between humidity and temperature, with DED clinical parameters was analyzed in single- and multi-environmental factor models. @*Results@#The study included 33 patients with a mean age of 53.9 ± 12.2 years. The low humidity group showed significantly higher SANDE scores (p = 0.023) and tear osmolarity (p = 0.008), and the low temperature group had higher SANDE scores (p = 0.004), ocular staining scores (p = 0.036), and tear osmolarity (p < 0.001). In the linear mixed model, single factor analysis showed that an increase in humidity resulted in decreased SANDE scores (p = 0.043), and an increase in temperature led to a decrease in SANDE score (p = 0.007), ocular staining score (p = 0.007), and tear osmolarity (p = 0.012). In the multifactor analysis, changes in humidity had no significant effect on dry eye parameters, but an increase in temperature was significantly correlated with decreased SANDE score (p = 0.026), ocular staining score (p = 0.024), and tear osmolarity (p = 0.002). @*Conclusions@#Lower temperature led to aggravated symptoms and signs of DED and the effect of temperature on DED was more pronounced than humidity. Tear osmolarity was the most sensitive clinical parameter to be affected by climate factors in DED patients.

Comparison of Corneal Epithelial Wound Healing between Topical RCI001, Solcoseryl, and Polydeoxyribonucleotide in the Murine Ocular Alkali Burn Model

Purpose@#To compare the corneal epithelial wound healing effects of RCI001, Solcoseryl, and polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) in a rat alkali burn model. @*Methods@#In 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats, we induced alkali burn using filter paper soaked in 0.2N sodium hydroxide. The rats were then treated with topical 0.5% RCI001, 1.0% RCI001, Solcoseryl, or PDRN twice a day for 2 weeks. Corneal epithelial integrity and epithelial healing rate were measured at day 0, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14. Histologic and immunohistochemistry findings were also assessed. @*Results@#Both the 0.5% and 1.0% RCI001 groups showed significantly more epithelial healing compared to the control group at day 5, 7, 10, and 14 (each p < 0.05). No statistical difference was found between the 0.5% and 1.0% RCI001 groups. Neither the Solcoseryl nor the PDRN groups showed a significant difference from the control. RCI001 treatment resulted in significantly reduced stromal edema, and a trend towards less inflammatory cell infiltration. @*Conclusions@#Topical application of RCI001 showed enhanced corneal epithelial wound healing in the murine corneal alkali burn model, presumably by suppressing inflammation. Meanwhile, Solcoseryl and PDRN did not show sufficient therapeutic effects compared to RCI001.

A Case of a Patient with Refractory Scleritis Treated with Rituximab

Purpose@#We report a patient with refractory scleritis effectively treated with rituximab after ineffective, initial, conventional immunosuppressive therapy.Case summary: A 58-year-old woman with no specific medical history presented with recurrent scleritis of the right eye. Her uncorrected visual acuities in both eyes were 20/20, and a blood test for cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (C-ANCA) was positive. Systemic and subconjunctival steroid treatments were not effective, and the scleritis recurred even after further treatment with oral cyclosporin A and mycophenolate mofetil. After intravenous administration of infliximab (5 mg/kg), slight improvement was noted, but the recurrence continued. Thereafter, the visual acuity of the right eye decreased markedly because of choroidal and serous retinal detachment caused by posterior scleritis. Immunohistochemically, the inflamed scleral tissue showed considerable B-cell infiltration. Accordingly, intravenous rituximab (1 g) was administered twice at a 2-week interval. The scleral vessel engorgement and inflammation dramatically improved, and the scleritis became well-controlled without recurrence for more than 8 months. @*Conclusions@#Intravenous rituximab may be helpful when encountering scleritis refractory to conventional immunomodulation therapy.

Comparison of Emotional Labor and Job Stress of Hospital Nursing Staff / 산업간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the relationship between the level of emotional labor and occupational job stress of hospital nursing staff. METHODS: The survey was conducted from Mar. to Oct. 2009 to collect data from clinical nurses (N=496). RESULTS: The study showed that nurses without religion and those working in big-sized hospitals had higher scores in emotional labor, and those of 26~30 years old felt the highest stress in the occupational role. The same applied to the married, more work experienced, atheist and those working in big-sized hospitals. Unmarried, under educated nurses with less work experience working in the big-sized hospitals showed higher scores in personal strain. The scores of the personal resources depended on religion, work experience, marital status and position of their jobs. Emotional labor was positively correlated with an occupational role and personal strain, respectively, but the emotional labor, occupational role and personal strain were negatively correlated with personal resources respectively. CONCLUSION: Intervention program is required to reduce overload of nurse's role and to relieve physical and psychological strains of the under-30-age-group. Also, social support and rational/cognitive coping must be reinforced.

Development of Health Education Program Components for Early Childhood and the Investigation of Teachers' Awareness and Performance Rate of Health Education

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to develop health education program components for early childhood and to investigate teachers' awareness of the importance of health education and their performance rate of health education. METHODS: Early childhood health education program components were developed using two rounds of the Delphi method. The Delphi group consisted of 21 experts in childhood education. After health education program components were developed, they were used in surveying child care teachers' awareness of importance and performance rate and 151 teachers sampled from 30 child care centers participated in the survey. RESULTS: The early childhood health education program components consisted of 5 areas, 16 subjects and 33 specific contents. Early childhood teachers' awareness of importance was over 4.5 points in all the areas and in 11 out of the 16 subjects. The most frequently educated subjects were 'the importance of hand washing' and the least frequently educated subject was 'obesity prevention'. The teachers' awareness of importance and their performance rate of specific contents were high in 'maintaining order' and 'using children's rides safely,' and low in 'obesity prevention' and 'infectious disease prevention.' CONCLUSION: The components of this health program were developed in consideration of field feasibility and the relationship of health program education in elementary, middle and high school.