Saeng-Kankunbi-Tang () protects liver against oxidative damage through activation of ERK/Nrf2 pathway / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the cytoprotective effects of Saeng-kankunbi-tang (, SKT), a herbal prescription consisting of Artemisia capillaris and Alisma canaliculatum, and its underlying mechanism involved.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In mice, blood biochemistry and histopathology were assessed in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced oxidative hepatic injury in vivo. The animal groups included vehicle-treated control, CCl4, SKT 500 mg/(kg day) CCl4+SKT 200 or 500 mg/(kg day). In HepG2 cell, tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) induced severe oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in vitro. The cyto-protective effects of SKT were determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, flfluorescence activated cell sorting analysis and western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The administration of SKT prevented liver damage induced by CCl4 in mice, by inhibition of hepatocyte degeneration and inflflammatory cell infifiltration as well as plasma parameters such as alanine aminotransferase (P<0.01). Moreover, treatment with tBHP induced hepatocyte death and cellular reactive oxygen species production in hepatocyte cell line. However, SKT pretreatment (30-300 μg/mL) reduced this cell death and oxidative stress (P<0.01). More importantly, SKT inhibited the ability of tBHP to induce changes in mitochondrial membrane transition in cell stained with rhodamine 123 P<0.01). Furthermore, treatment with SKT induced extracellular signal-regulated kinases-mediated nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation as well as the expressions of heme oxygenase 1 and glutamate- cystein ligase catalytic, Nrf2 target genes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>SKT has the ability to protect hepatocyte against oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage mediated by Nrf2 activation.</p>

Refractive Predictability of Partial Coherence Interferometry and Factors that can Affect It

PURPOSE: To evaluate the refractive predictability of a partial coherence interferometry (PCI) biometry device (IOL Master(R)) for cataract surgery and to investigate factors that may affect it. METHODS: Retrospective review of 209 eyes from 151 patients that had undergone preoperative PCI biometry and an uneventful phacoemulsification cataract surgery with posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) implantation was conducted. Prediction error defined as the intended refraction minus the postoperative refraction in spherical equivalent (SE) and the absolute error were analyzed according to IOL calculation formulas, patient characteristics, preoperative visual acuity (VA) and refraction, posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and axial length (AL). RESULTS: The overall refractive predictability of the PCI device was good. Generally, the SRK/T formula performed better than the SRK-II formula. Refractive predictability was slightly worse in eyes with > or =+2.0 diopters (D) of preoperative SE (with both SRK-II and SRK/T) and in eyes with an AL or =+2.0D was related to a significantly greater hyperopic shift in postoperative refraction. With proper verification of measured data and a suitable IOL calculation formula, good refractive predictability is expected from PCI biometry regardless of patient characteristics, preoperative VA, SNR, PSC, and AL.

Clinical Efficacy and Complications of Intraocular Lens Exchange for Opacified Intraocular Lenses

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and complications of intraocular lens (IOL) exchange. METHODS: A review of medical records was performed for 52 eyes that had undergone an IOL exchange due to IOL opacification. Surgical complications and their incidences were analyzed. The mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) after the IOL exchange was compared with the mean pre-exchange BCVA and with the mean BCVA after the initial IOL implantation. Prediction error of refraction and biometric data obtained for the IOL exchange were, if available, compared with those obtained for the initial IOL implantation. The prediction error for the IOL exchange, calculated from the biometric data obtained before the IOL exchange, was compared with that calculated from the measurements obtained before the initial IOL implantation. RESULTS: The overall complication rates were low and no serious complications were found. The mean BCVA improved significantly after the IOL exchange and was not significantly different from that obtained after the initial IOL implantation. However, the refractive prediction for the IOL exchange was not as good as it was for the initial IOL implantation, which was thought to be related with difficulties in axial length (AL) measurements. Biometric data taken before the initial IOL implantation was associated with a significantly better refractive prediction than those taken before the IOL exchange. CONCLUSIONS: IOL exchange was both efficacious and safe for visual recovery. However, IOL exchange was related with increased difficulty of predicting postoperative refraction; difficulties in AL measurements are the suggested cause.

Surgical Management and Electron Microscopic Features of Idiopathic Epiretinal Membranes

Four patients underwent surgery for idiopathic epiretinal membrane at macula. The follow-up was from 5 to 8 months. The epiretinal membrane was removed by vitreous surgical technique with sutherland scissors and forceps. By electron microscopic study of the membrans, four typical cells(fibrous astrocytes, macrophages, fibrocytes and myofibroblast-like cells) were found in one case and hyalocytes in another case. In all cases visual acuity improved by more than 2 lines in Snellen chart.

A Case of Esotropia Simulating Exotropia due to Large Positive Angle Kappa

The angle kappa is defined as the angle between the optical axis and the visual axis. A positive angle kappa may simulate an exodeviation, while a negative angle kappa may simulate an esodeviation. It is measured by several methods, and ranges from 2 to 5 degrees. A 19 year old Korean male was seen in our clinic complaining of exodeviation OS, but he was found to have an esotropia OD with large positive angle kappa.

A Case of Esotropia Simulating Exotropia due to Large Positive Angle Kappa

The angle kappa is defined as the angle between the optical axis and the visual axis. A positive angle kappa may simulate an exodeviation, while a negative angle kappa may simulate an esodeviation. It is measured by several methods, and ranges from 2 to 5 degrees. A 19 year old Korean male was seen in our clinic complaining of exodeviation OS, but he was found to have an esotropia OD with large positive angle kappa.