Antioxidant and Anti-Obesity Activities of Polygonum cuspidatum Extract through Alleviation of Lipid Accumulation on 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.

Natural products are widely used due to their various biological activities which include antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-obesity effects. In this study, we determined the antioxidative and anti-obesity effects of Polygonum cuspidatum 50% ethanol extract (PEE). The antioxidative effect of PEE was evaluated using its radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content, and reducing power. The anti-obesity effect of PEE was investigated using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The antioxidative activity of PEE was progressively increased in various concentrations, mainly due to the presence of phenolic compounds. PEE also alleviated lipid accumulation on 3T3-L1 adipocytes and downregulated the mRNA and protein production of adipogenesis-related (SREBP-1c, PPARγ, C/EBPα) and lipogenesis-related (aP2, FAS, ACC) markers. Furthermore, we found that the inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation via PEE was caused by the alleviation of NF-κB, p38 MAPK, ERK1/2, and JNK at the protein level. Taken together, our results imply that PEE is a potential antioxidant that can prevent obesityassociated disorders.

The impact of visual symptoms on the quality of life of patients with early to moderate glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate the visual symptoms and to determine the impact of visual symptoms on vision-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with early to moderate glaucoma. METHODS: A retrospective, hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from July 1 to August 31, 2014, at a university referral center. A total of 176 patients with early to moderate glaucoma underwent a comprehensive ocular examination, including Humphrey visual field testing. The patients were divided into six groups based on visual symptoms that could be verified by forced-choice questions. Vision-related QoL was assessed by the Korean version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire 25 (K-NEI-VFQ-25). We compared the mean deviation (MD) and questionnaire scores among the groups. RESULTS: Of 352 eyes, 107 (30.4%) were symptomatic. The most common visual symptoms were partial blurring (15.91%), followed by a missing part (7.67%) and a black part (5.97%) of the image. The symptomatic groups (blurred part and missing part) had a significantly worse MD than the asymptomatic group. The symptomatic groups tended to have more visual field defects than the asymptomatic group. The overall NEI-VFQ-25 score in the symptomatic group (black part) was significantly lower than that in the asymptomatic group. Similar effects were observed for other subscale scores, including social functioning, mental health, role difficulties, dependency, and peripheral vision. CONCLUSIONS: Vision-related QoL may be severely compromised in glaucoma patients with visual symptoms. Patients with visual disorders should be evaluated for glaucoma and QoL.

Changes in refractive error and anterior segment parameters after isolated lateral rectus muscle recession.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the short-term effect of isolated lateral rectus muscle recession surgery on refractive error, corneal measurements, and anterior chamber depth and volume. METHODS: Consecutive patients who underwent isolated lateral rectus muscle recession from July 2008 to March 2009 were prospectively studied. Refractive error; corneal power, thickness, and volume; and anterior chamber depth and volume were measured (Pentacam) before and at 1 week and 1 month after surgery. Patients who could not maintain reliable fixation and those with sensory strabismus or a history of eye surgery were excluded. Pre- and postoperative measurements were compared by analysis of variance. RESULTS: A total of 24 eyes of 24 patients (average age, 8 years) were included. Bilateral lateral rectus muscle recession was performed in 19 patients; unilateral in 5. Overall, patients manifested statistically significant changes in spherical equivalent, horizontal and mean keratometry, corneal astigmatism, anterior chamber volume, and center and peripheral anterior chamber depth at 1 week after surgery (P < 0.05). Changes became progressively smaller during the first month after surgery, although significant changes in spherical equivalent persisted at 1 month. CONCLUSIONS: Lateral rectus muscle recession resulted in short-term changes in refractive error in this cohort. The etiology of the refractive change is unknown but could be due to alterations in muscle tension that affect corneal remodeling, segmental interruption of the ciliary body circulation affecting the lens curvature, postoperative tissue edema, and/or other postsurgical factors. The decrease in change after 1 month may be due to the effects of compensation by other quadrants of the eye or resolution of the surgical induced tissue damage. Longer follow-up is necessary to ascertain clinical significance.

Clinical characteristics of patients that experience different rates of exodrift after strabismus surgery for intermittent exotropia and the effect of the rate of exodrift on final ocular alignment.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the ocular motility factors associated with the rate of exodrift after surgical correction of intermittent exotropia and to determine whether the rate had an effect on the subsequent postoperative ocular alignment. METHODS: Consecutive patients who underwent surgical correction of intermittent exotropia between 2009 and 2010 were observed for 12 months. Patients were divided into two groups, according to the averaged value of the rate of exodrift (fast vs slow). The ocular motility characteristics of the patients in each group were compared with identify factors that correlated with the speed of postoperative exodrift and to determine whether the rate had an effect on the final ocular alignment at 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: A total of 159 patients underwent strabismus surgery during the study period. Of these, 130 experienced postoperative drift. The preoperative deviation at near and distance differed significantly between the fast and slow groups (P < 0.05) and was correlated to the rate of exodrift (near r = 0.427, distance r = 0.378): fast group, 32.09(Δ) ± 10.07(Δ), 27.60(Δ) ± 6.65(Δ); slow group, 31.74(Δ) ±10.34(Δ), 27.21(Δ) ± 6.03(Δ). The deviation at the first day after the surgery differed significantly between groups (P < 0.05) and was correlated to the rate of drift (r = 0.381): fast group, 4.72(Δ) ± 5.46(Δ) esotropia; slow group, 1.87(Δ) ± 4.40(Δ) esotropia. The two groups did not differ significantly in other factors. There were no differences in ocular alignment at 12 months' follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of exodrift correlated with the size of the preoperative deviation and the amount of the initial postoperative overcorrection. It had no affect on the ocular alignment at 12 months after surgery.