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(1) Background: To determine the diagnostic value of vitreous cytology in patients with vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) and evaluate its diagnostic accuracy relative to that of other diagnostic tests. (2) Methods: In total, 38 eyes from 38 patients with VRL who underwent diagnostic vitrectomy and were followed up for at least 6 months were analyzed. The clinical manifestations and VRL diagnostic rates for all diagnostic tests were determined. (3) Results: The presence of vitreous cells/opacity was the most common ophthalmic finding (97.4%), followed by sub-retinal pigment epithelial infiltration (65.8%) and retinal hemorrhage (21.1%). The VRL diagnostic rates were 89.3% for interleukin (IL)-10 levels > 50 pg/mL; 82.1% for IL-10/IL-6 ratios > 1; 60.0% and 63.3% for immunoglobulin heavy chain and kappa light chain clonality assays, respectively; and 44.4% for vitreous cytology. The VRL diagnostic rate for vitreous cytology was significantly lower in the steroid pretreatment group than in the non-steroid pretreatment group (p = 0.007). (4) Conclusions: The VRL detection rate for vitreous cytology was lower than that for the other tests, especially in patients who received steroid pretreatment. These findings suggest that even if vitreous cytology findings are negative, other tests and characteristic fundus findings should be evaluated to confirm VRL diagnosis.

Bone homeostasis is regulated by constant remodeling through osteogenesis by osteoblasts and osteolysis by osteoclasts and osteoporosis can be provoked when this balance is broken. Present pharmaceutical treatments for osteoporosis have harmful side effects and thus, our goal was to develop therapeutics from intrisincally safe natural products. Fucoidan is a polysaccharide extracted from many species of brown seaweed, with valuable pharmaceutical activities. To intensify the effect of fucoidan on bone homeostasis, we hydrolyzed fucoidan using AMG, Pectinex and Viscozyme. Of these, fucoidan biotransformed by Pectinex (Fu/Pec) powerfully inhibited the induction of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity in osteoclasts differentiated from bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) by the receptor for activation of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL). To investigate potential of lower molecular weight fucoidan it was separated into >300 kDa, 50-300 kDa, and <50 kDa Fu/Pec fractions by ultrafiltration system. The effects of these fractions on TRAP and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were then examined in differentiated osteoclasts and MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts, respectively. Interestingly, 50-300 kDa Fu/Pec suppressed RANKL-induced osteoclasts differentiation from BMMs but did not synergistically enhance osteoblasts differentiation induced by osteogenic agents. In addition, this fraction inhibited the expressions of NFATc1, TRAP, OSCAR, and RANK, which are all key transcriptional factors involved in osteoclast differentiation, and those of Src, c-Fos and Mitf, as determined by RT-PCR. In conclusion, enzymatically low-molecularized 50-300 kDa Fu/Pec suppressed TRAP by downregulating RANKL-related signaling, contributing to the inhibition of osteoclasts differentiation, and represented a potential means of inducing bone remodeling in the background of osteoporosis.

Purpose: We aim to report noncoding pathogenic variants in patients with FRMD7-related infantile nystagmus (FIN)., Methods: Genome sequencing (n = 2 families) and reanalysis of targeted panel next generation sequencing (n = 2 families) was performed in genetically unsolved cases of suspected FIN. Previous sequence analysis showed no pathogenic coding variants in genes associated with infantile nystagmus. SpliceAI, SpliceRover, and Alamut consensus programs were used to annotate noncoding variants. Minigene splicing assay was performed to confirm aberrant splicing. In silico analysis of exonic splicing enhancer and silencer was also performed., Results: FRMD7 intronic variants were identified based on genome sequencing and targeted next-generation sequencing analysis. These included c.285-12A>G (pedigree 1), c.284+63T>A (pedigrees 2 and 3), and c. 383-1368A>G (pedigree 4). All variants were absent in gnomAD, and the both c.285-12A>G and c.284+63T>A variants were predicted to enhance new splicing acceptor gains with SpliceAI, SpliceRover, and Alamut consensus approaches. However, the c.383-1368 A>G variant only had a significant impact score on the SpliceRover program. The c.383-1368A>G variant was predicted to promote pseudoexon inclusion by binding of exonic splicing enhancer. Aberrant exonizations were validated through minigene constructs, and all variants were segregated in the families., Conclusions: Deep learning-based annotation of noncoding variants facilitates the discovery of hidden genetic variations in patients with FIN. This study provides evidence of effectiveness of combined deep learning-based splicing tools to identify hidden pathogenic variants in previously unsolved patients with infantile nystagmus., Translational Relevance: These results demonstrate robust analysis using two deep learning splicing predictions and in vitro functional study can lead to finding hidden genetic variations in unsolved patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the therapeutic effects and safety of oral spironolactone (SPRL) in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC)., Materials and Methods: The medical records and imaging data of patients diagnosed with CSC and treated with SPRL were retrospectively reviewed. Central macular thickness (CMT), subretinal fluid (SRF) height, subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at baseline, at 1, 3, and 6 months, and at the last visit after the treatment were analyzed., Results: In total, 103 patients with 107 eyes were included. The mean age of the patients was 51.5±9.3 years, and 77 (72.0%) were male. The mean follow-up duration was 48.6±40.2 weeks. The mean duration of oral SPRL therapy was 15.5±13.4 weeks. CMT, SRF height, and SFCT improved significantly at 1, 3, and 6 months after SPRL therapy and at the last follow-up. BCVA, however, showed no significant change at any time point. The rate of complete resolution of SRF at 1 month was higher in those with chronic CSC than in those with acute CSC (21.1% vs. 6.0%, respectively). Recurrence occurred in 14 (13.1%) eyes after the complete resolution of SRF. Older age ( p =0.001), a greater number of previous intravitreal bevacizumab injections ( p =0.006), and poor initial visual acuity ( p =0.048) were associated with recurrence. No permanent adverse effects were observed., Conclusion: Oral SPRL showed therapeutic benefits in patients with CSC in terms of SRF resolution, but relatively frequent recurrence was observed, especially in older patients., Competing Interests: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (© Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2022.)

We investigated the incidence and risk factors of late age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the fellow eye (FE) without significant drusen of patients with unilateral exudative macular neovascularization (MNV). In this retrospective study, 241 eligible patients who were followed-up for more than 3 years were enrolled. We analyzed the incidence and hazard ratios (HRs) of late AMD in the FE according to demographic and ophthalmologic variables. Hypopigmentation on color fundus photography (CFP) corresponds to shallow irregular RPE elevation (SIRE), so-called "double-layer sign" and/or "attenuation or disruption of RPE and/or ellipsoid zone" on OCT. The 5-year incidence of FE exudative MNV conversion was 8.6%. The 5-year incidence of FE exudative MNV of large hypopigmentation (≥ 0.5 disc area; DA) and small hypopigmentation (< 0.5 DA) on CFP, and SIRE (≥ 1000 µm) and small RPE elevation (< 1000 µm) on OCT were 36.2%, 14.2%, 55.0%, and 15.6%, respectively. The multivariate Cox proportional hazard model revealed that large hypopigmentation, small hypopigmentation, SIRE, and small RPE elevation showed HRs of 23.230, 8.037, 132.589, and 41.823 for FE exudative MNV occurrence, respectively. Hypopigmentation on CFP and SIRE on OCT could represent the same lesion. Even small hypopigmentation and small RPE elevation were significant risk factors for progression to exudative MNV., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Uveal melanoma(UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults. However, the incidence of UM in Asia is 10 to 20 times less than in Western populations. Therefore, for the first time, we report our whole exome sequencing (WES) data analysis to discover differences in the molecular features of Asian and Western UM, and to determine the disparities between the primary tumor before brachytherapy and enucleated samples after brachytherapy. WES of 19 samples (13 primary tumors, 5 enucleation samples after brachytherapy, and 1 liver metastasis) from 13 patients diagnosed with UM and treated between 2007 and 2019 at the Yonsei University Health System (YUHS) were analyzed using bioinformatics pipelines. We identified significantly altered genes in Asian UM and changes in mutational profiles before and after brachytherapy using various algorithms. GNAQ, BAP1, GNA11, SF3B1 and CYSLTR2 were significantly mutated in Asian UM, which is similar that reported frequently in previous Western-based UM studies. There were also similar copy number alterations (M3, 1p loss, 6p gain, 8q gain) in both groups. In paired comparisons of the same patients, DICER1 and LRP1B were distinctly mutated only in tumor samples obtained after brachytherapy using rare-variant association tests (P = 0.01, 0.01, respectively). The mutational profiles of Asian UM were generally similar to the data from previous Western-based studies. DICER1 and LRP1B were newly mutated genes with statistical significance in the regrowth samples after brachytherapy compared to the primary tumors, which may be related to resistance to brachytherapy., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

The PAX6 is essential for ocular morphogenesis and is known to be highly sensitive to changes in gene expression, where neither over- nor under-expression ensures normal ocular development. Two unrelated probands with classical aniridia who were previously considered "PAX6-negative", were studied by whole-genome sequencing. Through the use of multiple in silico deep learning-based algorithms, we identified two novel putative causal mutations, c.-133&#95;-132del in the 5' untranslated region (5'-UTR) and c.-52 + 5G>A in an intron upstream of the PAX6 gene. The luciferase activity was significantly increased and VAX2 binding was disrupted with the former 5'-UTR variant compared with wild-type sequence, which resulted in a striking overexpression of PAX6. The minigene assay showed that the c.-52 + 5G>A mutation caused defective splicing, which resulted in the formation of truncated transcripts.

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of pachydrusen, soft drusen, and subretinal drusenoid deposits in eyes with different neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) subtypes, determine the relationship between each drusen type and the choroidal thickness, and analyze the distinct features of each nAMD subtype according to the drusen type., Methods: Medical records involving 454 eyes from 454 patients with nAMD were retrospectively reviewed. The prevalence of each drusen type and the choroidal thickness and choroidal characteristics were evaluated according to the nAMD subtype., Results: Pachydrusen were prevalent in the typical nAMD (40.4%) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (47.8%) groups and were not detected in the retinal angiomatous proliferation group. No significant drusen were detected in 24.3% of typical nAMD, 43.3% of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, and 0% of retinal angiomatous proliferation groups. Regardless of the nAMD subtype, pachydrusen, soft drusen, and subretinal drusenoid deposits were associated with a thick, moderately thick, and thin choroid, respectively. For eyes with typical nAMD, the prevalence of choroidal vascular hyperpermeability and extrafoveal neovascularization was significantly higher in the pachydrusen group than in the other groups. By contrast, the prevalence of Type 2 neovascularization was significantly lower in the pachydrusen group than in the subretinal drusenoid deposit group (P < 0.001 for all)., Conclusion: The prevalence of various drusen differed according to the nAMD subtypes, and each drusen type was strongly associated with the choroidal thickness. Typical nAMD showed distinct features according to the accompanying drusen type.

Purpose: We comprehensively evaluated the mutational spectrum of Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) and investigated the molecular diagnostic rate and genotype-phenotype correlation in a Korean cohort., Methods: This single-center retrospective case series included 50 Korean patients with LCA between June 2015 and March 2019. Molecular analysis was conducted using targeted panel-based next-generation sequencing, including deep intronic and regulatory variants or whole exome sequencing. The molecular diagnosis was made based on the inheritance pattern, zygosity, and pathogenicity., Results: Among the 50 patients, 27 patients (54%) were male, and 11 (22%) showed systemic features. Genetic variants highly likely to be causative were identified in 78% (39/50) of cases and segregated into families. We detected two pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in a gene linked to a recessive trait without segregation analysis in three cases (6.0%). GUCY2D (20%), NMNAT1 (18%), and CEP290 (16%) were the most frequently mutated genes in Korean LCA. Copy number variations were found in three patients, which accounted for 6% of LCA cases. A possible dual molecular diagnosis (Senior-Løken syndrome along with Leigh syndrome, and Joubert syndrome with transposition of the great arteries) was made in two patients (4%). Three of 50 patients were medically or surgically actionable: one patient for RPE65 gene therapy and two patients with WDR19 Senior-Løken syndrome for early preparation for kidney and liver transplantations., Conclusions: This study demonstrated that approximately 4% of patients may have dual molecular diagnoses, and 6% were surgically or medically actionable in LCA. Therefore, accurate molecular diagnosis and careful interpretation of next-generation sequencing results can be of great help in patients with LCA., (Copyright © 2020 Molecular Vision.)

Purpose: To investigate the incidence of fellow eye (FE) neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in patients with unilateral nAMD according to FE drusen type., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Methods: Between January 2013 and June 2016, 434 consecutive patients with naïve nAMD were enrolled. We selected 280 eligible patients with treatment-naïve, unilateral nAMD for analysis (280/280 = 100% patients were followed up at 2 years; 50/280 = 17.9% patients were followed up at 5 years). The incidence and hazard ratios (HR) of FE nAMD according to age, sex, choroidal thickness, nAMD subtype, and drusen type were analyzed., Results: The 5-year incidence of FE nAMD was 20.9%. The incidences of the soft plus subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDD), soft drusen only, and SDD only groups were 76.4%, 46.2%, and 25.7%, respectively; they were significantly higher than the no drusen group (vs 3.6%; P < .001, P < .001, P < .001). There was no significant difference between the pachydrusen and no drusen groups (7.1% vs 3.6%; P = .101). The multivariate Cox regression hazard model revealed older age (HR, 1.053; P = .031) and drusen type were significant (P = .001). Compared with the no drusen group, the soft drusen plus SDD, soft drusen only, and SDD groups showed an HR of 18.460 (P = .001), 8.302 (P = .015), and 5.465 (P = .082), respectively. Pachydrusen was not shown to be a significant risk factor compared to the no drusen group (HR, 2.417; P = .281)., Conclusion: The incidence of FE nAMD was significantly different with respect to drusen type. Soft drusen plus SDD had the highest risk of neovascular AMD, followed by soft drusen only and SDD only., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To analyze vitreoretinal findings, immunoglobulin clonality tests, and interleukin (IL) levels for diagnosing vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL)., Methods: Forty-three patients who underwent diagnostic vitrectomy for suspected VRL were retrospectively reviewed. Of those patients finally diagnosed with VRL and nonlymphoma, ophthalmic evaluation and cytology results, IL-6 and IL-10 levels, and immunoglobulin heavy chain and immunoglobulin kappa light chain clonality assays were compared., Results: Sub-retinal pigment epithelium infiltration and veil-pattern vitreous opacity were specific vitreoretinal findings in patients with VRL. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the IL-10-to-IL-6 ratio and of IL-10 levels was 0.972 and 0.931, respectively. A combined immunoglobulin heavy chain and immunoglobulin kappa light chain assay showed increased sensitivity, whereas the determined specificity of immunoglobulin kappa light chain, at 94.12%, was much higher than the 78.95% of immunoglobulin heavy chain. Patients with VRL with atypically elevated IL-6 levels showed extensive and severe sub-retinal pigment epithelium infiltration., Conclusion: Newly screened immunoglobulin kappa light chain clonality assays may be useful to distinguish VRL from uveitis with high specificity. When sub-retinal pigment epithelium or retinal infiltration is severe and extensive, the IL-10-to-IL-6 ratio may not be typical and should be carefully interpreted.

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of a newly defined drusen type, pachydrusen, soft drusen, and subretinal drusenoid deposits in eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy and fellow eyes and the relationship between each drusen type and the choroidal thickness, vascular morphology, and hyperpermeability., Methods: The 169 eyes of 90 patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy were retrospectively reviewed. The prevalence of each drusen type was evaluated using color fundus photography and optical coherence tomography. The choroidal thickness and presence of pachyvessels on optical coherence tomography and choroidal vascular hyperpermeability on indocyanine green angiography were compared among the drusen groups., Results: Pachydrusen, soft drusen, and subretinal drusenoid deposits were found in 49.3%, 12.3%, and 6.9% in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy eyes. The mean subfoveal choroidal thickness of the pachydrusen, soft drusen, and subretinal drusenoid deposit groups was 403.1, 184.4, and 176.4 µm. The pachydrusen group showed significantly thicker choroid than the others. The choroidal hyperpermeability was noticed at 41.7%, 0%, and 0% and the pachyvessel was observed at 80.6%, 44.4%, and 40% in pachydrusen, soft drusen, and subretinal drusenoid deposit groups, respectively., Conclusion: In patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, pachydrusen was prevalent and associated with thicker choroid. Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy with pachydrusen was highly associated with choroidal vascular hyperpremeability and pachyvessel morphology than other types of drusen.

The unique structure of kidney tubules is representative of their specialized function. Because maintaining tubular structure and controlled diameter is critical for kidney function, it is critical to understand how topographical cues, such as curvature, might alter cell morphology and biological characteristics. Here, we examined the effect of substrate curvature on the shape and phenotype of two kinds of renal epithelial cells (MDCK and HK-2) cultured on a microchannel with a broad range of principal curvature. We found that cellular architecture on curved substrates was closely related to the cell type-specific characteristics (stiffness, cell-cell adherence) of the cells and their density, as well as the sign and degree of curvature. As the curvature increased on convex channels, HK-2 cells, having lower cell stiffness and monolayer integrity than those of MDCK cells, aligned their in-plane axis perpendicular to the channel but did not significantly change in morphology. By contrast, MDCK cells showed minimal change in both morphology and alignment. However, on concave channels, both cell types were elongated and showed longitudinal directionality, although the changes in MDCK cells were more conservative. Moreover, substrate curvature contributed to cell polarization by enhancing the expression of apical and basolateral cell markers with height increase of the cells. Our study suggests curvature to be an important guiding principle for advanced tissue model developments, and that curved and geometrically ambiguous substrates can modulate the cellular morphology and phenotype., Statement of Significance: In many tissues, such as renal tubules or intestinal villi, epithelial layers exist in naturally curved forms, a geometry that is not reproduced by flat cultures. Because maintaining tubular structure is critical for kidney function, it is important to understand how topographical cues, such as curvature, might alter cell morphology and biological characteristics. We found that cellular architecture on curved substrates was closely related to cell type and density, as well as the sign and degree of the curvature. Moreover, substrate curvature contributed to cell polarization by enhancing the expression of apical and basolateral cell markers with height increase. Our results suggested that substrate curvature might contribute to cellular architecture and enhance the polarization of kidney tubule cells., (Copyright © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this study was to induce the production of isthmic organizer (IsO)-like cells capable of secreting fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 8 and WNT1 from human embryonic stem cells (ESCs). The precise modulation of canonical Wnt signaling was achieved in the presence of the small molecule CHIR99021 (0.6 μM) during the neural induction of human ESCs, resulting in the differentiation of these cells into IsO-like cells having a midbrain-hindbrain border (MHB) fate in a manner that recapitulated their developmental course in vivo . Resultant cells showed upregulated expression levels of FGF8 and WNT1 . The addition of exogenous FGF8 further increased WNT1 expression by 2.6 fold. Gene ontology following microarray analysis confirmed that IsO-like cells enriched the expression of MHB-related genes by 40 fold compared to control cells. Lysates and conditioned media of IsO-like cells contained functional FGF8 and WNT1 proteins that could induce MHB-related genes in differentiating ESCs. The method for generating functional IsO-like cells described in this study could be used to study human central nervous system development and congenital malformations of the midbrain and hindbrain.

Visual field defect is a major indication for surgery of pituitary adenoma, but visual outcome after surgery is difficult to predict. We developed a nomogram that predicts postoperative restoration of visual field defects in patients with pituitary adenoma. This study was a retrospective cohort investigation of patients who were treated for pituitary adenoma between January 2009 and December 2013. We enrolled 111 eyes of 57 patients who completed one ophthalmological evaluation preoperatively and at least two evaluations within 6 months after surgery. Serial changes in visual fields and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness were evaluated. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to select prognostic variables, and a nomogram to predict restoration of visual field defects was constructed. Visual field defects continuously improved until 3 months after surgery. However, average, superior, and inferior RNFL thickness continuously decreased until 6 months after surgery. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that worse preoperative visual field defect (p = 0.018), high MRI compression grade (p = 0.009), and inferior RNFL thinning (p = 0.011) were significantly associated with worse visual outcome. The nomogram that predicts the visual restoration showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.84. In conclusion, we developed a nomogram that predicted the restoration of visual field defects after removal of pituitary adenoma. This would allow tailored counseling of individual patients by precisely predicting visual recovery after surgery.

Spermatogenesis is a complex process through which spermatogonial stem cells undergo mitosis, meiosis, and cell differentiation to generate mature spermatozoa. During this process, male germ cells experience several translational modifications. One of the major post-translational modifications in eukaryotes is the ubiquitination of proteins, which targets proteins for degradation; this enables control of the expression of enzymes and structural proteins during spermatogenesis. It has become apparent that ubiquitination plays a key role in regulating every stage of spermatogenesis starting from gonocytes to differentiated spermatids. It is understood that, where there is ubiquitination, deubiquitination by deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) also exists to counterbalance the ubiquitination process in a reversible manner. Normal spermatogenesis is dependent on the balanced actions of ubiquitination and deubiquitination. This review highlights the current knowledge of the role of DUBs and their essential regulatory contribution to spermatogenesis, especially during progression into meiotic phase, acrosome biogenesis, quality sperm production, and apoptosis of germ cells.

Tumorigenic potential of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) is an important issue in clinical applications. Despite many efforts, PSC-derived neural precursor cells (NPCs) have repeatedly induced tumors in animal models even though pluripotent cells were not detected. We found that polysialic acid-neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM)(-) cells among the early NPCs caused tumors, whereas PSA-NCAM(+) cells were nontumorigenic. Molecular profiling, global gene analysis, and multilineage differentiation of PSA-NCAM(-) cells confirm that they are multipotent neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) that could differentiate into both ectodermal and mesodermal lineages. Transplantation of PSA-NCAM(-) cells in a gradient manner mixed with PSA-NCAM(+) cells proportionally increased mesodermal tumor formation and unwanted grafts such as PERIPHERIN(+) cells or pigmented cells in the rat brain. Therefore, we suggest that NCSCs are a critical target for tumor prevention in hPSC-derived NPCs, and removal of PSA-NCAM(-) cells eliminates the tumorigenic potential originating from NCSCs after transplantation., (Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the co-occurrence of acute ischemic stroke and acute retinal artery occlusion (RAO)., Design: Retrospective observational case series., Methods: We included 33 consecutive patients with acute RAO who underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging within 7 days of the onset of visual symptoms. The causes of RAO were classified according to the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) criteria, which are based on clinical features and the results of etiological evaluations for atherosclerosis, cardioembolism and other prothrombotic conditions. We evaluated the prevalence of accompanying acute ischemic stroke in subjects with acute RAO and examined the relationships with etiological parameters., Results: Acute ischemic stroke was detected in 8 (24.2%) subjects with RAO. Among these subjects, 3 (37.5%) patients did not exhibit any neurologic symptoms or signs. Most of the infarction patterns were small, multiple and scattered. All of the subjects with RAO who were positive for lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging had identifiable causes, whereas only 36% of the subjects who were negative for lesions had identifiable etiologies (P = .003). Carotid stenosis or cardioembolic sources were found more commonly in cases of central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO; 7/18, 38.9%) than in cases of branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO; 1/15 6.7%, P = .046)., Conclusions: Acute cerebral infarctions frequently accompany RAO. We recommend diffusion-weighted imaging for patients with RAO because the presence of lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging is accompanied by a significantly increased probability of identifying the cause., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We propose a novel methodology for predicting human gait pattern kinematics based on a statistical and stochastic approach using a method called Gaussian process regression (GPR). We selected 14 body parameters that significantly affect the gait pattern and 14 joint motions that represent gait kinematics. The body parameter and gait kinematics data were recorded from 113 subjects by anthropometric measurements and a motion capture system. We generated a regression model with GPR for gait pattern prediction and built a stochastic function mapping from body parameters to gait kinematics based on the database and GPR, and validated the model with a cross validation method. The function can not only produce trajectories for the joint motions associated with gait kinematics, but can also estimate the associated uncertainties. Our approach results in a novel, low-cost and subject-specific method for predicting gait kinematics with only the subject's body parameters as the necessary input, and also enables a comprehensive understanding of the correlation and uncertainty between body parameters and gait kinematics., (© 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new assessment method for evaluating motor function of the patients who are suffering from physical weakness after stroke, incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) or other diseases. In this work, we use a robotic device to obtain the information of interaction occur between patient and robot, and use it as a measure for assessing the patients. The Intentional Movement Performance Ability (IMPA) is defined by the root mean square of the interactive torque, while the subject performs given periodic movement with the robot. IMPA is proposed to quantitatively determine the level of subject's impaired motor function. The method is indirectly tested by asking the healthy subjects to lift a barbell to disturb their motor function. The experimental result shows that the IMPA has a potential for providing a proper information of the subject's motor function level.