Search

To show normative data of optic discs and the mechanism of glaucoma in people with myopia.Cross-sectional study.This study investigated 89 Korean adults with myopia but without glaucoma.Patients were divided into three groups according to the refractive error: low, moderate, and high; and axial length: normal or below normal length, moderately long, and extremely long. Optic disc variables were obtained by confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope and compared among groups.The optic disc parameters have a correlation between the refractive error and the optic disc parameters such as average depth, volume below, and half-depth volume. Those parameters also decreased as the axial length increased. The thickness of the volume above decreased significantly as the axial length increased, but a similar relationship was not evident with the refractive error change. In addition, the optic disc parameters were analyzed with respect to the 12 clockwise directions.Analyses of optic disc parameters provided by TopSS™ revealed the height of the disc decreased as the myopic refractive error and/or axial length increased. The RNFL bundle became compacted in the thinner disc of the myopic population. This could be an explanation for the fragility of the RNFL in the myopic population. The 12 radial section analyses revealed the shallow cupping at the temporal side in the high-myopic, very-long-axis group. The neuroretinal rim (NRR) height significantly decreased at the superior and inferior sides. These findings suggest that the RNFL bundle should be under high mechanical strain in these sectors.

Quality characteristics of yogurt with added colored barely flour was investigated during fermentation by lactic acid bacteria. Chemical properties such as moisture, crude protein, starch, ash and β-glucan contents was measured. pH, acidity, brix, Hunter color value and growth of lactic acid bacteria in yogurt was investigated during fermentation by L. acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, and S. thermophilus mixed culture. Crude protein contents of Daeanchal and Boseokchal was 16.16 and 12.17%, respectively. Starch contents of daeanchal were shown lower score. The pH of yogurt by addition of barley flour (Daeanchal) addition 0 and 20% were 6.66 and 6.40, respectively. The pH of yogurt supplemented with barley flour tended to be lower than before control which was not added barely flours and oligosaccharide in yogurt. Titratable acidity of yogurt added barley flour was higher compared with that of control. Brix of yogurt was decreased during fermentation by lactic acid bacteria. Lightness of yogurt added barley flour (Daeanchal) addition 0 and 20% were 83.25 and 69.83, respectively. The original microbial population of the yogurt during 0, 5, 8, and 15 hr fermentation were 7.48, 7.79, 8.15, and 8.71 Log CFU/g, respectively. Moreover, the addition of colored barley flour was to promote the proliferation of lactic acid bacteria in yogurt. In our research, addition of colored barley flours added into the yogurt may also have contributed to growth of lactic acid bacteria.

To report the efficacy of additional glaucoma drainage device (GDD) insertion in eyes with refractory glaucoma and which have a failed primary GDD.We conducted a non-comparative, retrospective study on eight eyes of eight patients who had a failed primary GDD and received an additional GDD in the same eye. Intraocular pressure (IOP), visual acuity (VA), the number of anti-glaucomatous medications, and complications were analyzed during the most recent office visit. Success was defined as an IOP between 6 and 21 mmHg and a 20% decrease in IOP after additional GDD insertion, with or without anti-glaucomatous medication.The mean decrease in IOP at the final follow-up was 19.3 mmHg (56.1%). The mean number of anti-glaucomatous medications used at the final follow-up (2.38) was significantly less than the preoperative mean (3.50). Seven patients achieved the criteria for success, whereas one patient had an unsuccessful outcome because of corneal graft failure after additional GDD insertion.We showed that after the failure of a primary GDD, an additional GDD offered favorable IOP control and stable VA. In agreement with a review of previous literature, GDD insertion is the best option for treating refractory glaucoma, even in patients with a failed primary GDD.

Today, cancer incidence during pregnancy is increasing as women delay childbearing until later in life. Therefore, chemotherapy is regularly administered in pregnant women with cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the change in the pharmacokinetics and the fetus distribution of paclitaxel during pregnancy using pregnant rats. Pharmacokinetic parameters, placenta, and brain transport of [3H]paclitaxel were investigated in nonpregnant or pregnant rats using single intravenous injection technique. The plasma pharmacokinetics of paclitaxel in pregnant rats was markedly different compared with nonpregnant rats. The V dss and CL of paclitaxel in pregnant rats were increased, and AUC was decreased compared with nonpregnant rats. The fetus uptake of paclitaxel is markedly lower than the placenta uptake. Paclitaxel is a substrate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), so P-gp would affect the transport of paclitaxel to the fetus. The brain uptake of [3H]paclitaxtel was about twofold lower than that of nonpregnant rats. Current findings are important when considering cancer treatment with paclitaxel during pregnancy.

When chemotherapy is administered during pregnancy, it is important to consider the fetus chemotherapy exposure, because it may lead to fetal consequences. Paclitaxel has become widely used in the metastatic and adjuvant settings for woman with cancer including breast and ovarian cancer. Therefore, we attempted to clarify the transport mechanisms of paclitaxel through blood-placenta barrier using rat conditionally immortalized syncytiotrophoblast cell lines (TR-TBTs). The uptake of paclitaxel was time- and temperature-dependent. Paclitaxel was eliminated about 50% from the cells within 30 min. The uptake of paclitaxel was saturable with Km of 168 μM and 371 μM in TR-TBT 18d-1 and TR-TBT 18d-2, respectively. [(3)H]Paclitaxel uptake was markedly inhibited by cyclosporine and verapamil, well-known substrates of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) transporter. However, several MRP substrates and organic anions had no effect on [(3)H]paclitaxel uptake in TR-TBT cells. These results suggest that P-gp may be involved in paclitaxel transport at the placenta. TR-TBT cells expressed mRNA of P-gp. These findings are important for therapy of breast and ovarian cancer of pregnant women, and should be useful data in elucidating teratogenicity of paclitaxel during pregnancy.

The alteration of d-serine levels is associated with the pathogenesis of sporadic ALS and mutant SOD1 (G93A) animal model of ALS. However, the exact mechanism of d-serine transport is not known in ALS. To better understand the distribution of d-serine in ALS, we determined the activity and the expression of serine transporter in a motor neuronal cell line model of ALS (NSC-34/hSOD1G93A cells). The uptake of [3H]d-serine was significantly lower in NSC-34/hSOD1G93A cells than in control NSC-34 and NSC-34/hSOD1wt cells. In contrast, the uptake of [3H]l-serine, precursor of d-serine, was markedly increased in NSC-34/hSOD1G93A cells compared to control NSC-34 and NSC-34/hSOD1wt cells. Both [3H]d-serine and [3H]l-serine uptake were saturable in these cells. The estimated Michaelis-Menten constant, Km, for d-serine uptakes was higher in NSC-34/hSOD1G93A cells than in NSC-34/hSOD1wt cells while the Km for l-serine uptake was 2 fold lower in NSC-34/hSOD1G93A cells than in control cells. [3H]d-serine and [3H]l-serine uptakes took place in a Na+-dependent manner, and both uptakes were significantly inhibited by system ASC (alanine-serine-cysteine) substrates. As a result of small interfering RNA experiments, we found that ASCT2 (SLC1A5) and ASCT1 (SLC1A4) are involved in [3H]d-serine and [3H]l-serine uptake in NSC-34/hSOD1G93A cells, respectively. The level of SLC1A4 mRNA was significantly increased in NSC-34/hSOD1G93A compared to NSC-34 and NSC-34/hSOD1wt cells. In contrast, the level of SLC7A10 mRNA was relatively lower in NSC-34/hSOD1G93A cells than the control cells. Together, these data suggest that the pathological alteration of d- and l-serine uptakes in ALS is driven by the affinity change of d-and l-serine uptake system.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the status of tuberculosis (TB) infection control in hospitals. Method: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study in which self-administered questionnaires were used to survey 77 hospitals. Data were collected from August 12 to September 15, 2012. Results: Only 27 institutions (35.1%) were monitoring patients infected with or suspected of having TB. Most hospitals were conducting TB prevention education for patients` family and employees, and TB screening for employees along with follow-up examinations. However, private negative pressure rooms were more often available in wards and intensive care units than in outpatient departments, and in institutions with over 700 beds located in Seoul or GyeongGi Province. Most hospitals ensured that masks were placed on infected patients while transporting them. In addition, efforts to control TB infection such as placing respiratory etiquette posters in outpatient departments and airborne infection signs on the doors in the wards were also well established in most institutions. Conclusion: More efforts are needed to improve the status of TB infection control to ensure quality care, especially in terms of monitoring patients with TB infections and making private negative pressure rooms available in outpatient departments.

A total 11 Korean rice cultivar was prepared and investigated for its starch and quality characteristics. Amylose content, damaged starch contnent, water contnent, water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), particle size and pasting properties of rice flours were measured. The amylose content of waxy, middle waxy and non waxy type domestic normal rice cultivars were 7.09%, 11.69% and 18.58-21.52%, respectively. Moisture content of 11 Korean rice cultivar were 7.19-13.89%. WAI and WSI did not show variations by amylose contents. Sample with high moisture contents was lower damaged starch contents. Particle size of samples was . Final viscosity and pasting temperature of the samples was shown to rage from 45.54 to 313.94 RVA and from 71.03 to , respectively. In this study, results indicated that samples with low moisture contents tend to shown low particle size and high damaged starch contents regardless waxy, middle-waxy, and non waxy type.

This study was conducted to help better understand the current sodium intake of Korean children and to establish children's good eating habits through investigation of the sodium content of ready-to-eat foods collected from nine major amusement parks in Korea. The sodium content of a total of 322 products was analysed by using ICP and then the potential risk based on the recommended daily intake of sodium as described in the Korean dietary reference intakes was determined. The results showed that sodium content was the lowest in muffins (245 mg/100 g) and the highest in seasoned dried filefish (1825 mg/100 g). The average amounts of sodium per serving of seasoned dried filefish, tteokbokki and fish paste were 1150, 1248 and 1097 mg, respectively. The values were above 50% of the daily intake of sodium recommended by the Korean dietary reference intake. The ready-to-eat foods were also classified into high, medium and low sodium content on the basis of standards recommended by the Korean Food and Drug Administration. Most snacks were classified as high sodium foods because they exceeded "300 mg (84.5% of the total daily allowance)". Furthermore, the meal substitution foods such as kimbab, tteokbokki, mandus, sandwiches and hamburgers exceeded "600 mg (90.3% of the total daily allowance)" and were also classified as high sodium foods. In addition, ready-to-eat foods in amusement parks are similar to foods eaten on streets and foods around school zones, which contain high sodium content; thus, the intake frequency might be high, which would induce high risk to children health. Koreans already consume a high amount of sodium daily via their usual diets. So, the sodium content in snacks and substitution foods needs to be reduced. Consequently, this study noted that parents and guardians should carefully consider their children's consumption of ready-to-eat foods from Korean amusement parks.

Purpose There was a global increase in the prevalence of oseltamivir-resistant influenza viruses during the 2007-2008 influenza season. This study was conducted to investigate the occurrence and characteristics of oseltamivir-resistant influenza viruses during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 influenza seasons among patients who were treated with oseltamivir (group A) and those that did not receive oseltamivir (group B). Methods A prospective study was conducted on 321 pediatric patients who were hospitalized because of influenza during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 influenza seasons. Drug resistance tests were conducted on influenza viruses isolated from 91 patients. Results There was no significant difference between the clinical characteristics of groups A and B during both seasons. Influenza A/H1N1, isolated from both groups A and B during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 periods, was not resistant to zanamivir. However, phenotypic analysis of the virus revealed a high oseltamivir IC50 range and that H275Y substitution of the neuraminidase (NA) gene and partial variation of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene did not affect its antigenicity to the HA vaccine even though group A had a shorter hospitalization duration and fewer lower respiratory tract complications than group B. In addition, there was no significant difference in the clinical manifestations between oseltamivir-susceptible and oseltamivir-resistant strains of influenza A/H1N1. Conclusion Establishment of guidelines to efficiently treat influenza with oseltamivir, a commonly used drug for treating influenza in Korean pediatric patients, and a treatment strategy with a new therapeutic agent is required.

Aeromonas hydrophila recently has received increased attention because it is opportunistic and a primary human pathogen. A. hydrophila biofilm formation and its control are a major concern for food safety because biofilms are related to virulence. Therefore, we investigated biofilm formation, motility inhibition, quorum sensing, and exoprotease production of this opportunistic pathogen in response to various glucose concentrations from 0.05 to 2.5% (wt/vol). More than 0.05% glucose significantly impaired (P0.05) quorum sensing, biofilm formation, protease production, and swarming and swimming motility, whereas bacteria treated with 0.05% glucose had activity similar to that of the control (0% glucose). A stage shift biofilm assay revealed that the addition of glucose (2.5%) inhibited initial biofilm formation but not later stages. However, addition of quorum sensing molecules N-3-butanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone and N-3-hexanoyl homoserine lactone partially restored protease production, indicating that quorum sensing is controlled by glucose concentrations. Thus, glucose present in food or added as a preservative could regulate acyl-homoserine lactone quorum sensing molecules, which mediate biofilm formation and virulence in A. hydrophila.

Among class quantitative tests for the credit rating systems, the credit rating tests for calibration are to test the class homogeneous differences between observed and predicted probabilities. For one time period, binomial test and chi-square test are included, and normal test and extended traffic lights test are also contained for several time peroids. In this work, we consider real data in which there exists correlation among variables, so that these test methods could be applied to the credit rating systems as well as various kinds of the class data such as BWT data and FSI data.

To compare Heidelberg retinal tomography (HRT) 3 and frequency-doubling technology (FDT) perimetry for diagnosis of glaucoma. One eye of each of 117 patients was randomly chosen. The eyes were imaged by HRT3 and tested by FDT. The pattern standard deviation (PSD) and global glaucoma probability score (GPS) were selected as representative output, and sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value determined for each. The agreement between the 2 diagnostic methods was analyzed. The sensitivity and specificity of HRT3 and FDT perimetry for PSD (65.4 and 62.7 %, respectively) and for GPS (69.2 and 62.7 %, respectively) were similar, as were the positive predictive values (PSD 40.5 %, GPS 41.9 %). However, the 2 methods had only slight diagnostic agreement (κ = 0.112), and this was not significant (P = 0.281). FDT perimetry and HRT3 had no significant diagnostic agreement. Thus, the results from both examinations should be considered when determining diagnosis of glaucoma.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological disorder characterized by progressive paralysis caused by the degeneration of motor neurons throughout the central nervous system. Mutations of the free radical scavenging enzyme Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) are a cause of familial ALS. In the present study, we demonstrated an age-dependent increase in taurine transporter (TauT) immunoreactivity in spinal cord motor neurons of ALS transgenic mice (mutant SOD1 (G93A)) and a similar increase in TauT in spinal motor neurons of patients with ALS. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis verified that heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) preferentially occupies the HSF1 binding element in the promoter of TauT under oxidative stress conditions. Knockdown of HSF1 by small interfering RNA reduced the transcriptional activity of TauT. Using [(3)H] taurine, we confirmed that an elevated expression of TauT directly contributes to increased taurine uptake in ALS motor neurons. In addition, we showed that taurine plays an antioxidant role and may prevent motor neuron loss due to oxidative stress in ALS. Our findings suggest that HSF1-induced TauT expression partially protects motor neurons by compensating for constitutive oxidative stress, which is thought to be a key mechanism contributing to the pathogenesis of ALS. Taken together, our results suggest that TauT is a novel pathological marker for stressed motor neurons in ALS and that modulation of TauT and taurine may slow neuronal degeneration in ALS.

To investigate the association between heart rate variability (HRV) and the plasma level of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in normal-tension glaucoma (NTG).Twenty-four patients with NTG were enrolled. Subjects with systemic diseases were excluded. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic examination and were referred to the rheumatology department, where HRV assessment was performed. Patients were divided into two groups according to the standard deviation of normal-normal intervals (SDNN). The low heart rate variability (LHV) group consisted of patients with SDNN values in the bottom half of range of values, and the high heart rate variability (HHV) group consisted of those with SDNN values in the upper half of the range. Blood samples were assayed for ET-1 concentrations, which were compared between the LHV and HHV groups. The relationships between the ET-1 level and HRV parameters were analyzed.The LHV group showed significantly lower ET-1 levels compared with the HHV group (0.57 ± 1.09 versus 2.21 ± 3.56 pg/ml, respectively; p = 0.04). Among the HRV parameters, the SDNN and total power were significantly associated with the systemic level of ET-1 (ρ = 0.729, p 0.001; ρ = 0.713, p 0.001, respectively).After excluding patients with systemic diseases, the plasma ET-1 level was associated with HRV parameters in patients with NTG. These observations suggest that the relationship between autonomic dysfunction and autoregulation may play a role in the pathogenesis of NTG.

Changes in the quality of white salted noodles prepared with different types of Korean winter wheat were examined. Crude protein and amylose contents of various wheat cultivars ranged from 7.17 to 9.97 and 24.78 to 29.37%, respectively. The water holding capacities of Jokyung with base N-fertilizer (NF) and Keumkang with 40% increased NF compared with NF at the supplementary manuring (SM) were 95.70 and 70.69%, respectively. The dry gluten content of the Keumkang with 20% increased NF compared with SM at the panicle initiation stage (PS) was 12.5%, and the final viscosities of several cultivars with NF, PS, and SM did not differ. PS treatment increased the thickness of the noodle sheet, and the hardnesses of cooked noodles prepared using Goso, Baekjoong, Younbaek, and Keumkang wheat with PS or SM treatment were increased. The thickness was strongly positively correlated with dry gluten content (DG) and water binding in wet gluten. In order to improve the quality of fresh noodles, wheat flour prepared using Hojung, Goso, and Baekjoong cultivars under PS cultivation condition or wheat flour with higher protein content, DG contents, and WBG should be used.

The present study examined the changes in microbiological composition during the production process of crab marinated in soy sauce, potential microbial hazards, potential contamination routes and effective critical control points. Crab and soy sauce samples were obtained from six different manufacturing plants at different stages, and their microbiological content was comprehensively assessed by quantitative and qualitative analyses.The results revealed the following: (1) the final products contained 4.0 log colony-forming units (CFU) gProper management of raw materials and the marination process are effective critical control points, and alternative interventions may be needed to control bacterial quantity. The results provide important basic information about the production of crab marinated in soy sauce and may facilitate effective implementation of sanitary management practices in related industries and research fields. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the modification of expression and functionality of the drug transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) at the blood-brain barrier (BBB). We used immortalized human brain microvessel endothelial cells (iHBMEC) and primary human brain microvessel endothelial cells (pHBMEC) as in vitro BBB model. To investigate the change of p-gp expression, we carried out real time PCR analysis and Western blotting. To test the change of p-gp activity, we performed rhodamin123 (Rh123) accumulation study in the cells. In results of real time PCR analysis, the P-gp mRNA expression was increased by TNF-α or IFN-γ treatment for 24 hr in both cell types. However, 48 hr treatment of TNF-α or IFN-γ did not affect P-gp mRNA expression. In addition, co-treatment of TNF-α and IFN-γ markedly increased the P-gp mRNA expression in both cells. TNF-α or IFN-γ did not influence P-gp protein expression whatever the concentration of cytokines or duration of treatment in both cells. However, P-gp expression was increased after treatments of both cytokines together in iHBMEC cells only compared with untreated control. Furthermore, in both cell lines, TNF-α or IFN-γ induced significant decrease of P-gp activity for 24 hr treatment. And, both cytokines combination treatment also decreased significantly P-gp activity. These results suggest that P-gp expression and function at the BBB is modulated by TNF-α or/and IFN-γ. Therefore, the distribution of P-gp depending drugs in the central nervous system can be modulated by neurological inflammatory diseases.

4-Phenylbutyrate (4-PBA) is expected to be a potential therapeutic for several neurodegenerative diseases. These activities require 4-PBA transport into the brain across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The objective of the present study was to characterize the brain transport mechanism of 4-PBA through the BBB. The brain transport of 4-PBA across the BBB was investigated following intravenous (IV) injection and internal carotid artery perfusion (ICAP) in vivo. The mechanism of transport was examined using TR-BBB cells, an in vitro model of the BBB. The volume of distribution (VD) of 4-PBA by rat brain was about 7-fold greater than that of sucrose, a BBB impermeable vascular space marker, suggesting the blood-to-brain transport of 4-PBA through the BBB in the physiological state. [14C]4-PBA uptake by TR-BBB cells showed time-, pH- and concentration-dependence with a K m of 13.4 mM at pH 7.4 and 3.22 mM at pH 6.0. The uptake was Na+ independent, and was significantly inhibited by alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate (a typical inhibitor for monocarboxylate transport), endogenous monocarboxylate compounds and monocarboxylic drugs. Lactate and valproate competitively inhibited [14C]4-PBA uptake with K i value of 13.5 mM and 7.47 mM, respectively. These results indicate the role of monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) in 4-PBA transport into the brain at the BBB. TR-BBB cells expressed mRNA of rMCT1, 2, and 4, especially, rMCT1 showed high mRNA expression level. In addition, [14C]4-PBA uptake was inhibited by rMCT1 specific small interfering RNA. The transport mechanism of 4-PBA from blood to brain across the BBB likely involves MCT1.

Chicoric acid (dicaffeoyl-tartaric acid), is a natural phenolic compound found in a number of plants, such as chicory (Cichorium intybus) and Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea), which possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and analgesic activities. Although these biological effects of chicoric acid have been investigated, there are no reports of its antiallergic-related anti-inflammatory effects in human mast cells (HMC)-1 or anaphylactic activity in a mouse model. Therefore, we investigated the antiallergic-related anti-inflammatory effect of chicoric acid and its underlying mechanisms of action using phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate plus calcium ionophore A23187 (PMACI)-stimulated HMC-1 cells. Chicoric acid decreased the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β. We studied the inhibitory effects of chicoric acid on the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and activation of caspase-1. However, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation was not sufficient to abrogate the stimulus. In addition, we investigated the ability of chicoric acid to inhibit compound 48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis in vivo. Oral administration of chicoric acid at 20 mg/kg inhibited histamine release and protected mice against compound 48/80-induced anaphylactic mortality. These results suggest that chicoric acid has an antiallergic-related anti-inflammatory effect that involves modulating mast cell-mediated allergic responses. Therefore, chicoric acid could be an efficacious agent for allergy-related inflammatory disorders.

Barley leaf grown under light-emitting diode (LED) light was prepared and investigated for its free radical scavenging activity. LED light such as red, far-red, blue, blue-red, green, yellow, UVA, and white and also fluorescent light and dark conditions were also used in this study. Length and weight of barley leaves were measured and the Hunter color value, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and ABT radical-scavenging activity of barley leaf extracts were estimated. Extraction of barley leaf was performed by using a 70% ethanol solution. Length of barley leaf grown with red and green LED was 9.9 and 12.6 cm, respectively. Hunter L* and a* values of extracts of barley leaf grown under dark conditions were higher than those of other LED light-treated samples. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of extracts of barley leaf grown with blue, UVA, and under dark conditions were 41.40, 36.23, and 43.57%, respectively. ABT radical scavenging-activity of extracts of barley leaf grown under LED of red, far-red, blue, blue-red, green, yellow, and white were 5.46, 6.10, 6.00, 5.93, 5.74, 6.32, and 5.94 μmol TE g−1, respectively.

Background: To find out the relationship between laminar displacement and age between patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and normal tension glaucoma. Design: Retrospective study conducted at a tertiary university hospital Participants or Samples: Twenty-six eyes of 26 primary open-angle glaucoma patients and 52 eyes of 52 normal tension glaucoma patients. Methods: Patients were scanned with a Stratus optical coherence tomography apparatus to measure the retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and to visualize the cross-sectional laminar displacement of 12 clock-hour segments, 30 degrees each. Depth1 was defined as the longest distance between the retinal pigment epithelium and the anterior laminar cribrosa surface, which represents the amount of laminar displacement. Main Outcome Measure: Partial correlation coefficients adjusted by mean deviation and intraocular pressure between (i) retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and age, and (ii) Depth1 and age. Results: In the primary open-angle glaucoma group, strong negative correlations (approximately −0.343 ∼ −0.738) were found between Depth1 and age. Eight of 12 clock-hour segments' correlations were significant after Bonferroni correction (α = 0.0021; 24 comparisons). However, no significant correlations were found between Depth1 and age in the normal tension glaucoma group. When the correlation coefficients were compared between the two groups, eight clock-hour segments showed significant differences after Bonferroni correction. Conclusions: The significantly different correlation between laminar displacement and age between primary open-angle glaucoma and normal tension glaucoma patients may suggest a different role of the lamina cribrosa to the disease.

Oat flour was purchased and investigated for quality characteristics of oat bread. Antioxidant and flour pasting properties of oat flour, and water content, weight, volume, Hunter color value, texture of bread were measured. DPPH radical scavenging capacity (%) of oat extract was 68.49%. Pasting temperature of oat flour ranged between 66.60℃ and 70.93℃. Flour pasting properties of sample added with 10 and 30% oat flour was shown similar results compared with wheat flour. Final viscosity of sample was increased by adding concentration of oat flour (up to 311.65 RVA). Water content (%) of bread was shown increasing trend by adding oat flour. Weight of bread loaf with 100% oat flour was shown higher score than other samples. Volume of loaf by adding oat flour of 10, 30, and 50 % ratio was 550, 450, and 388 mL, respectively. The Hunter color L* values of bread by adding oat flour was dark compared with wheat bread. Color value of bread added 10% oat flour was similar results with L* values of bread with wheat flour. The bread added with 20 and 30% oat flours had the higher hardness, gumminess, and chewiness compared with other samples. Cohesiveness of the bread with wheat flour showed higher than that of bread added with oat flour and increased by storage period. The growth of total viable cell was inhibited depending on the concentration of oat flour during storage.

Glandular trichomes in the leaf lamina of Rosmarinus officinalis L. were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The leaves were characterized by an abundance of two types of glandular trichomes—small capitate and large peltate glandular trichomes. In addition to the glandular trichomes, numerous non-glandular trichomes were present on the abaxial surface of the leaf. These trichomes mainly predominated on the midrib, whereas glandular trichomes occurred on non-vein areas. At the initial phase of secretory cavity formation, hyaline areas were abundant in periclinal walls of head cells, while they were not observed in the anticlinal walls. The hyaline areas gradually increased in size, fusing with other areas throughout the wall. Loose wall material adjacent to hyaline areas was released from the head cell walls and migrated into the secretory cavities. As the secretory cavities continued to enlarge, the new vesicles emerging into the secretory cavities from the walls of head cells became surrounded with the surface of a typical membrane. They developed a round shape, but the contours of the vesicle surfaces appeared polygonal when tightly packed inside a cavity. These vesicles varied in size; small vesicles often possessed electron-dense contents, while large vesicles contained electron-light contents.

Five different hull-less barley cultivars of Korea, including normal and low amylose content, were examined both from a chemical and physical perspective. The barley cultivars showed a large variation in whiteness (28.8–39.2), fat (0.69–1.28%), ash (0.77–1.12%), protein (10.1–12.1%), β-glucan (5.2–8.4%), starch (59.9–68.9%), and amylose (5.3–22.7%) contents. Amylose content was positively correlated with starch content (r=0.723) and negatively correlated with β-glucan (r= −0.959), ash (r= −0.796), and fat (r= −0.682) content. Among the chemical components of barley, amylose and β-glucan contents are the most important factors influencing physical properties. Amylose content was related with hardness (r=0.855), adhesiveness (r= −0.642), initial pasting temperature (r=0.924), and setback viscosity (r=0.835). β-Glucan content was related with water absorption (r=0.581), hardness (r= −0.767), initial pasting temperature (r= −0.947), and final viscosity (r= −0.909). Hardness was highly correlated with setback (r=0.925) and adhesiveness was correlated with final viscosity (r=0.866). The results obtained in this study indicate that there are interesting correlations between chemical composition and physical characteristics of barley cultivars and could be used to predict the physicochemical properties of barley based food products.

The 1980s in South Korea began with a military regime right after the explosive demise of the previous authoritarian regime. Korea’s democratization movement was at its peak in the mid-1980s and confronted the military regime and eventually brought it down. This paper examines the Korean women’s movement and military prostitution in the U.S. camp town (hereafter the kijich’on movement) during the democratic transition (the 1980s-1990s). It also looks at the ongoing negotiations that took place among those who represented imperialism, nationalism, Christianity, and gender politics. Within the broader social movement frame of “minju” (i.e., people-centered democracy) politics, women activists generally remained marginalized despite their active participation. In this milieu, some Christian women and student movement activists came together to address the military prostitution issue (kijich’on) and gradually began to prioritize women’s issues with respect to anti- Americanism and realizing military prostitutes’ rights as human rights. Further, exploring how the women’s organizations of the kijich’on movement, such as Durebang (My Sister’s Place)1 and Saeumto (Sprouting Land), negotiated the changing political environment, religious beliefs, and national sentiments, this study discusses the tensions between nation and gender, as well as Korean nationalism and feminism. By responding to Korean androcentric politics, the movement’s direction and activism changed and developed “feminist consciousness,” which then led to the growth of the anti-prostitution movement and pursuit of a more comprehensive women’s coalition.

Antioxidant activity of extracts of barley leaves cultivated by light emitting diode (LED) radiation such as red, far-red, blue, blue-red, green, yellow, and white light was investigated. After measuring length and weight of the leaves cultivated, barley leaves were extracted using 70% ethanol. The Hunter color value, total phenolic compounds, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salts (ABTS) radical-scavenging activities of extracts were determined. Lengths of samples cultivated by red and green light radiation were 13.7 and 13.6 cm, respectively. Hunter L* values of samples cultivated by red, far-red, and UVA radiation were 65.29, 67.55, and 67.57, respectively. The content of total phenolic compounds of samples cultivated by blue light radiation was 1.62 mg/L of sample. The DPPH radical-scavenging activities of samples cultivated by blue, green, UVA, and white light radiation were 64.28, 48.92, 55.95, and 48.72%, respectively. The ABTS radical-scavenging activity of samples cultivated by blue light radiation scored higher compared with those of samples cultivated with other LED lights. Antioxidant activities of barley leaves showed different results depending on harvest time. Application of LED radiation during re-cultivation after the first harvest showed increasing tendency on antioxidant activity of barley leaves.

【The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of formulation ingredients on the drug release and to optimize the novel sustained release matrix tablet formulations of bupropion hydrochloride. A three factor, three-level Box-Behnken design was used for the optimization procedure, with the amounts of PEO ( $X_1$ ), citric acid ( $X_2$ ) and Compritol 888 ATO ( $X_3$ ) as the independent variables. The selected dependent variables were the cumulative percentage values of bupropion hydrochloride that had dissolved after 1, 4 and 8 hr. Various dissolution profiles of the drug from sustained release matrix tablets were obtained. Optimization was performed for $X_1$ , $X_2$ and $X_3$ using the following target ranges; $30%{\leq}Y_1{\leq}45%$ ; $70{\leq}Y_2{\leq}85%$ ; $85%{\leq}Y_3{\leq}100%$ . The optimized formulation for bupropion hydrochloride was achieved with 12.5% PEO ( $X_1$ ), 2.5% citric acid ( $X_2$ ) and 10% Compritol 888 ATO ( $X_3$ ). The sustained release matrix tablets with the optimized formulation provided a release profile that was close to predicted values. In addition, the dissolution profiles of the sustained release matrix tablet with the optimized formulation were similar to those of the commercial product Wellbutrin $^{(R)}$ SR tablets ( $f_2$ =79.8 79.83).】

This study aimed to examine the effects of bile salts on pharmacokinetics of lovastatin, which has low bioavailability. Lovastatin solid dispersions were prepared using sodium deoxycholate (NaDC) and sodium glycholate (NaGC) at ratios of 1:19, 1:49, and 1:69. The formulated solid dispersions and control (commercial tablet) were administered to rats and plasma concentrations were determined by a validated LC-MS/MS method. Statistically significant differences were found in C(max), AUC₀₋₁₀, and AUC₀₋∞ values among lovastatin formulations (p 0.05). NaDC-containing formulations revealed higher bioavailabilities than NaGC-containing solid dispersions at ratios of 1:19 and 1:49. Especially, NaDC-containing formulation at a ratio of 1:19 (NaDC19) showed the highest bioavailability. The AUC (both AUC₀₋₁₀ and AUC₀₋∞) of NaDC19 was statistically higher than control and NaDC69 (p 0.05). The AUC values decreased as bile salt concentrations increased. Overall, formulations containing bile salts showed higher AUC values than control, even though all formulations did not show significantly higher AUC. In conclusion, the addition of bile salts to lovastatin could enhance drug bioavailabilities. However, too high concentrations of bile salts could decrease bioavailabilities of lovastatin.

A 13-year-old girl with a right intraorbital optic nerve glioma (ONG) was referred to our glaucoma clinic because of uncontrolled intraocular pressure (IOP) in her right eye. The IOP reached as high as 80 mmHg. Several months earlier, she had undergone stereotactic image-guided robotic radiosurgery using the CyberKnife for her ONG; the mass had become smaller after treatment. Her visual acuity was no light perception. Slit lamp examination revealed rubeosis iridis, a swollen pale optic disc, and vitreous hemorrhage. After medical treatment, the IOP decreased to 34 mmHg, and no pain was reported. Although the mass effect of an ONG can cause neovascular glaucoma (NVG), this case shows that stereotactic radiosurgery may also cause NVG, even after reducing the mass of the tumor. Patients who undergo radiosurgery targeting the periocular area should be followed carefully for complications.

The reaction between ZnCl2 and N,N-bis[(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methyl]-1-phenylethylamine (bdmppea) affords [(bdmppea)ZnCl2], whose structure has been determined by X-ray crystallography. The [(bdmppea)ZnEt2] complex in situ prepared by the reaction between [bdmppea] and ZnEt2 exhibited high activity toward the polymerization reaction of rac-lactide at room temperature. However, its activity decreased sharply with decreasing temperature. Stereospecificity of this catalyst characterized by heterotacticity (Pr) was determined by homonuclear decoupled NMR spectroscopy, which value was ∼0.58.

Introduction The purpose of this study was to investigate the dysfunction of autonomic control that may be a contributing factor in normal tension glaucoma (NTG) by showing the short-term heart rate variability in NTG patients. Materials and methods Newly diagnosed NTG patients and an age-matched normal control group were enrolled in this prospective study. Blood pressure was obtained and the electrocardiogram was monitored for 5 minutes after 30-minute rest in a supine position. Electrocardiographic signals were transferred to a heart rate analyzer. The time and frequency domain parameters of heart rate variability were analyzed between two groups. Result In all, 77 NTG patients and 30 healthy controls were included in the study. There were no significant differences between NTG and controls with respect to age, sex, and a hypertensive history, heart rate, systolic pressure, and diastolic pressure. NTG patients showed a significant reduction in the standard deviation of the mean of qualified normal-to-normal intervals in comparison with controls (27.64+/-10.90 vs. 36.22+/-10.21, P=0.041). Low-frequency values in NTG patients were statistically lower than in healthy controls (P=0.001) and the low-frequency/high-frequency ratio was significantly higher in the NTG group (P=0.000). Discussion Our study results showed that the dysfunction of an autonomic control is associated with NTG patients.

Barley and barley by-product extracts, waxy and non waxy genetic type, were prepared and investigated for its biological activity. The color, total phenolic contents, antioxidative activity, tyrosinase inhibition activity, xanthin oxidase inhibition activity, and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition activity of the samples were measured. Hunter L* values of the by-products extract had higher than that of the whole and milled barley extracts. The contents of total phenolic compounds of the barley byproducts, waxy and non waxy type, were 18.60 and 17.92 mg/g of sample, respectively. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of waxy type whole, milled barely, and barley by-product extracts were 65.43, 30.84, and 54.62%, respectively. Inhibition rates (%) of the mushroom tyrosinase of the waxy type whole barley, milled barley, and barley by-products extracts powder were 26.76, 16.30, and 33.60% at 250 ppm, respectively. The samples showed an inhibition effect of xanthin oxidase and angiotensin converting enzyme.

The flow accelerated corrosion (FAC) phenomenon persistently impacts plant reliability and personnel safety. We have shown that Equipotential Switching Direct Current Potential Drop (ES-DCPD) can be employed to detect piping wall loss induced by FAC. It has been demonstrated to have sufficient sensitivity to cover both long and short lengths of piping. Based on this, new FAC screening and inspection approaches have been developed. For example, resolution of ES-DCPD can be adjusted according to its monitoring purpose. The developed method shows good integrity during long test periods. It also shows good reproducibility. The Seoul National University FAC Accelerated Simulation Loop (SFASL) has been constructed for ES-DCPD demonstration purposes. During one demonstration, the piping wall was thinned by 23.7% through FAC for a 13,000 min test period. In addition to the ES-DCPD method, ultrasonic technique (UT) has been applied to SFASL for verification while water chemistry was continually monitored and controlled using electrochemical sensors. Developed electrochemical sensors showed accurate and stable water conditions in the SFASL during the test period. The ES-DCPD results were also theoretically predicted by the Sanchez-Caldera's model. The UT, however, failed to detect thinning because of its localized characteristics. Online UT that covers only local areas cannot assure the detection of wall loss.

Burdock (Arctium lappa L.) extracts were prepared with different extraction methods, ethanol (70%, RT) and hot water (85°C for 3 hr, HT), and their biological activities were investigated after γ-irradiation (10 and 20 kGy). Color of the burdock extracts became brighter after application of irradiation regardless of the extraction system. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of the burdock extracts with RT and HT were 54.56 and 59.21% at 500 ppm, respectively, and the lipid oxidation of oil emulsion was delayed by addition of the extracts. The HT29 cancer cell viability was inhibited by burdock extracts with RT up to 52.45 at a 250 ppm level. The anti-mutagenicitiy against 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole and 2-nitrofluorene were also found. Results indicate that burdock extract possesses biological activities and RT showed an increasing trend in antixodiative activity and inhibition of cancer cell viability. Brighter color of the burdock extract after irradiation may improve industrial applicability.

Present study investigated the morphologic changes of autonomic nerves in the adipose tissue in diabetic animal model. Male obese type 2 diabetic db/db mice and age matched non-diabetic db/m control mice were used. Epididymal adipose tissue from diabetic db/db mice with that from control heterozygous db/m mice was compared using confocal microscopy-based method to visualize intact whole adipose tissue. Immunohistochemistry with tyrosine hydroxylase for sympathetic (SP), choline acetyltransferase for parasympathetic (PSP), and protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) for whole autonomic nerves was performed. The quantity of immunostained portion of SP, PSP, and PGP 9.5 stained nerve fibers showed decreased trend in diabetic group; however, the ratio of SP/PSP of adipose tissue was higher in diabetic group compared with control group as follows (0.70±0.30 vs. 0.95±0.25, P

【The blood-brain barrier (BBB) transport of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors, donepezil and tacrine suggested to be mediated by choline transport system in our previous study. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the interaction of other AChE inhibitors, rivastigmine and galantamine with choline transporter at the BBB. The effects of rivastigmine and galantamine on the transport of choline by conditionally immortalized rat brain capillary endothelial cell lines (TR-BBB cells) were characterized by cellular uptake study using radiolabeled choline. The uptake of [ $^3H$ ]choline was inhibited by rivastigmine and galantamine, with $IC_{50}$ values (i.e. concentration necessary for 50% inhibition) for 1.13 and 1.15 mM, respectively. Rivastigmine inhibited the uptake of [ $^3H$ ]choline competitively with $K_i$ of 1.01 mM, but galantamine inhibited noncompetitively. In addition, the efflux of [ $^3H$ ]choline was significantly inhibited by rivastigmine and galantamine. Our results indicated that the BBB choline transporter may be involved in a part of the influx and efflux transport of rivastigmine across the BBB. These findings should be therapeutically relevant to the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with AChE inhibitors, and, more generally, to the BBB transport of CNS-acting cationic drugs via choline transporter.】

Taurine is the most abundant free amino acid in the retina and transported into retina via taurine transporter (TauT) at the inner blood-retinal barrier (iBRB). In the present study, we investigated whether the taurine transport at the iBRB is regulated by oxidative stress or disease-like state in a conditionally immortalized rat retinal capillary endothelial cell line (TR-iBRB) used as an in vitro model of iBRB. First, ( 3 H)taurine uptake and efflux by TR-iBRB were regulated in the presence of extracellular Ca 2+

Choline is an essential nutrient for phospholipids and acetylcholine biosynthesis in normal development of fetus. In the present study, we investigated the functional characteristics of choline transport system and inhibitory effect of cationic drugs on choline transport in rat conditionally immortalized syncytiotrophoblast cell line (TR-TBT). Choline transport was weakly Na(+) dependent and significantly influenced by extracellular pH and by membrane depolarization. The transport process of choline is saturable with Michaelis-Menten constants (K(m)) of 68microM and 130microM in TR-TBT 18d-1 and TR-TBT 18d-2 respectively. Choline uptake in the cells was inhibited by unlabeled choline and hemicholinium-3 as well as various organic cations including guanidine, amiloride and acetylcholine. However, the prototypical organic cation tetraethylammonium and cimetidine showed very little inhibitory effect of choline uptake in TR-TBT cells. RT-PCR revealed that choline transporter-like protein 1 (CTL1) and organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2) are expressed in TR-TBT cells. The transport properties of choline in TR-TBT cells were similar or identical to that of CTL1 but not OCT2. CTL1 was also detected in human placenta. In addition, several cationic drugs such as diphenhydramine and verapamil competitively inhibited choline uptake in TR-TBT 18d-1 with K(i) of 115microM and 55microM, respectively. Our results suggest that choline transport system, which has intermediate affinity and weakly Na(+) dependent, in TR-TBT seems to occur through a CTL1 and this system may have relevance with the uptake of pharmacologically important organic cation drugs.

Octadeca-9,12-dienyl-3,4,5-hydroxybenzoate (GA-LA) was synthesized chemically from gallic acid and linoleic acid ester and its biological function was investigated for further application purpose. This newly synthesized compound GA-LA possesses a strong and synergistic effect on cancer cell proliferation inhibition; however, no synergistic effect was found for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and inhibition effect against xanthine oxidase, hyaluronidase, and tyrosinase. Nevertheless, synthetic GA-LA possessed comparable biological activities when compared with gallic acid and tocopherol. With anti-mutagenic activity it can be concluded that this compound may be a useful functional material for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industry.

Flow accelerated corrosion (FAC) phenomenon has persisted its impact on plant reliability and personnel safety. Unless we change the operation condition drastically, most parameters affecting FAC will not be effectively controlled. In order to help expand piping inspection coverage, we have developed a screening approach to monitor the wall thinning by direct current potential drop (DCPD) technique. To improve the applicability to the complex piping network such as the secondary cooling water system in PWR's, we devised the equipotential control method that can eliminate undesired leakage currents outside a measurement section. In this paper, we present Wide Range Monitoring (WiRM) and Narrow Range Monitoring (NaRM) with Equipotential Switching Direct Current Potential Drop (ES-DCPD) method to rapidly monitor the thinning of piping. Based on the WiRM results, susceptible locations can be identified for further inspection by ultrasound technique (UT). On-line monitoring of a thinned location can be made by NaRM. Finite element analysis results and a closed-form resistance model are developed for the comparison with measured wall thinning by the developed DCPD technique. Verification experiments were conducted using UT as the reference. The result shows that model predictions and the experimental results agree well to confirm that both WiRM and NaRM based on ES-DCPD can be applicable to FAC management efforts.

In the present study, we examined the effects of several therapeutics of Alzheimer's disease, such as donepezil hydrochloride, tacrine and α-phenyl-n-tert-butyl nitrone (PBN) on choline efflux from brain to circu- lating blood. The brain-to-blood efflux of ( 3 H)choline in rats was significantly inhibited by tacrine and PBN. Also the ( 3 H)choline efflux was reduced by tacrine and donepezil hydrochloride in the TR-BBB cells, in vitro the blood-brain barrier (BBB) model. These results suggest that these drugs may influence choline efflux transport from brain to blood and regulate the choline level in brain resulting in the increase of acetylcholine synthesis.

Hyperlipidemia is the major risk factors of heart disease such as atherosclerosis, stroke, and death. In the present study, we studied the effect of gallic acid (GA), linoleic acid (LA), mixture of GA and LA (MGL), and chemically synthesized gallic acid-linoleic acid ester (octadeca-9,12-dienyl-3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate, GLE) on the ability to ameliorate hyperlipidemia in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). GLE, GA, LA, and MGL were mixed with HFD and the composition of the test compounds were 1% of the diet for 7 weeks. After 7 weeks, the average body weight of ND and GLE groups was lower than that of HFD group (P

The effect of scattered radiation on the transmitted gamma ray signal should be carefully taken into account because it certainly affects the quality of reconstructed tomography images. Therefore this effect was evaluated with different counting modes and gamma energies. For less dense objects such as wood and plastics, the build-up effect can be ignored and 137Cs can yield the better result than 60Co. On the contrary, for the relatively heavy material such as oil and metal the scattered radiation effect of 137Cs source should be considered because the build-up effect is more serious than 60Co. It was also found that the image quality gets better when the count data of photo-peak were used rather than the total counts from the full spectrum. The image improvement technique using precise weight matrix calculation method was suggested to remove the influence of the scattered radiation on the reconstructed image quality. From the experiment, it was concluded that the effect of scattered radiation on the imag...

In the present study, we examined how the transport of choline is regulated at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) under the central nervous system (CNS) cellular damages by oxidative stress using a conditionally immortalized rat brain capillary endothelial cells (TR-BBB), in vitro the BBB model. It was also tested whether the choline uptake is influenced by membrane potential, extracellular pH, protonophore (FCCP) and amiloride in TR-BBB cells. In result, uptake was inhibited by FCCP and dependent on extracellular pH. The treatment of TR-BBB cells with 20 ng/mL tumor necrosis , 10 ng/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS), 100 diethyl maleate (DEM) and 100 glutamate resulted in 3.0-fold, 2.6-fold, 1.8-fold and 2.0-fold increases of uptake at the respective peak time, respectively. In contrast, hydrogen peroxide and raffinose did not show any significant effects on choline uptake. In addition, choline efflux was significantly inhibited by , LPS and DEM producing cell damage states. In conclusion, the influx and efflux transport system for choline existed in TR-BBB cell line and this process was affected by several oxidative stress inducing agents.

High levels of glutamate can be toxic to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). This study investigated the relationship between the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor 1 (NR) and RGC death in a rat model of chronic ocular hypertension (COHT). COHT was induced in one eye of each rat by episcleral vein cauterization. Retinal protein expression was evaluated at 1, 3, 5 and 9 weeks after cauterization. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis showed that NR1 expression was significantly increased in cauterized retinae. NR1 immunoreactivity was observed in the inner nuclear layer (INL) and ganglion cell layer (GCL) in the retina of rats with COHT. RGC density was evaluated after retrograde labeling with fluoro-gold (FG) and 4-di-10-ASP (DiA). A significant decrease in RGC density was observed in ocular hypertensive eyes, and NR1 expression in the GCL suggested an important role of NR1 in the death of RGCs. Memantine (10 mg/kg), an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist, was administered orally once daily for up to 5 weeks, while rats in the control group received vehicle phosphate-buffered saline only. Treatment with memantine resulted in a significant reduction in RGC loss and NR1 expression in the eyes of rats COHT. These findings suggest that excessive expression of NR1 is involved in RGC death in glaucoma.