Could Mineralocorticoids Play a Role in the Pathophysiology of Open Angle Glaucoma?

Since the pathomechanisms of primary open angle glaucoma are still not defined, different aspects related to this topic have to be discussed and further investigated. Possible candidates are the mineralocorticoids, which are known to lower intraocular pressure. A data search and personal investigations assume a limited role of mineralocorticoids for the development of glaucoma. Specific experiments for a final conclusion are, however, not yet performed

Pulmonary Fissures – How do they form?

For pulmonary surgery, the variation of pulmonary fissures matters but little is known about their development. Early fixation of the visceral pleura seems to be mediated by myofibroblasts and extracellular components like fibronectin. So far, no concepts explain sufficiently the origin of the shape and orientation of these fissures

A Paracolic location of the Appendix Vermiformis with lymphoid Hypoplasia

The present case report from the dissection room shows a rare and unique paracolic position of the vermiform appendix reaching almost up to the liver in a white European man. The appearance of the gut associated lymphoepithelial tissue was hypoplastic

Comparative Anatomy of the Optic Nerve Head and Inner Retina in Non-Primate Animal Models Used for Glaucoma Research

To judge the information of experimental settings in relation to the human situation, it is crucial to be aware of morphological differences and peculiarities in the species studied. Related to glaucoma, the most important structures of the posterior eye segment are the optic nerve head including the lamina cribrosa, and the inner retinal layers. The review highlights the differences of the lamina cribrosa and its vascular supply, the prelaminar optic nerve head, and the retinal ganglion cell layer in the most widely used animal models for glaucoma research, including mouse, rat, rabbit, pig, dog, cat, chicken, and quail. Although all species show some differences to the human situation, the rabbit seems to be the most problematic animal for glaucoma research

Influence of Caloric Vestibular Stimulation on Body Experience in Healthy Humans

The vestibular system has more connections with and influence on higher cortical centers than previously thought. These interactions with higher cortical centers and the phenomena that they elicit require a structural intact cerebral cortex. To date, little is known about the role and influence of the vestibular system on one’s body experience. In this study we show that caloric vestibular stimulation (CVS) in healthy participants has an effect on the perceptive component of one’s body experience. After CVS all participants showed a statistically significant difference of thigh width estimation. In contrast to previous studies, which demonstrated an influence of CVS on higher cortical centers with an intact cerebral cortex both the cognitive and affective component of body experience were not effected by the CVS. Our results demonstrate the influence of the vestibular system on body perception and emphasize its role in modulating different perceptive-qualities which contributes to our body experience. We found that CVS has a limited influence on one’s conscious state, thought process and higher cortical functions

COVID-19, post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS, "long COVID") and post-COVID-19 vaccination syndrome (PCVS, "post-COVIDvac-syndrome"): Similarities and differences

Worldwide there have been over 760 million confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, and over 13 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered as of April 2023, according to the World Health Organization. An infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can lead to an acute disease, i.e. COVID-19, but also to a post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS, "long COVID"). Currently, the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines are increasingly being noted and studied. Here, we summarise the currently available indications and discuss our conclusions that (i) these side effects have specific similarities and differences to acute COVID-19 and PACS, that (ii) a new term should be used to refer to these side effects (post-COVID-19 vaccination syndrome, PCVS, colloquially "post-COVIDvac-syndrome"), and that (iii) there is a need to distinguish between acute COVID-19 vaccination syndrome (ACVS) and post-acute COVID-19 vaccination syndrome (PACVS) - in analogy to acute COVID-19 and PACS ("long COVID"). Moreover, we address mixed forms of disease caused by natural SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination. We explain why it is important for medical diagnosis, care and research to use the new terms (PCVS, ACVS and PACVS) in order to avoid confusion and misinterpretation of the underlying causes of disease and to enable optimal medical therapy. We do not recommend to use the term "Post-Vac-Syndrome" as it is imprecise. The article also serves to address the current problem of "medical gaslighting" in relation to PACS and PCVS by raising awareness among the medical professionals and supplying appropriate terminology for disease

Nutrition and Vascular Supply of Retinal Ganglion Cells during Human Development

Purpose: To review the roles of the different vascular beds nourishing the inner retina [retinal ganglion cells (RGCs)] during normal development of the human eye, using our own tissue specimens to support our conclusions. Methods: An extensive search of the appropriate literature included PubMed, Google scholar, and numerous available textbooks. In addition, choroidal and retinal NADPH-diaphorase stained whole mount preparations were investigated. Results: The first critical interaction between vascular bed and RGC formation occurs in the sixth to eighth month of gestation leading to a massive reduction of RGCs mainly in the peripheral retina. The first 3 years of age are characterized by an intense growth of the eyeball to near adult size. In the adult eye, the influence of the choroid on inner retinal nutrition was determined by examining the peripheral retinal watershed zones in more detail. Conclusion: This delicately balanced situation of RGC nutrition is described in the different regions of the eye, and a new graphic presentation is introduced to combine morphological measurements and clinical visual field data

A New Dimension Hidden in the Shadow of a Wall

We propose a new way to hide the fifth dimension, and to modify gravity in the far infra-red. A gravitating tensional membrane in five dimensions folds the transverse space into a truncated cone, stoppered by the membrane. For near-critical tension, the conical opening is tiny, and the space becomes a very narrow conical sliver. A very long section, of length comparable to the membrane radius divided by the remaining conical angle, of this sliver is well approximated by a narrow cylinder ending on the membrane. Inside this cylindrical throat we can reduce the theory on the circle. At distances between the circle radius and the length of the cylinder, the theory looks 4D, with a Brans-Dicke-like gravity, and a preferred direction, while at larger distances the cone opens up and the theory turns 5D. The gravitational light scalar in the throat can get an effective local mass term from the interplay of matter interactions and quantum effective potentials on the cone, which may suppress its long range effects. We discuss some phenomenologically interesting consequences.Comment: 8 pages LaTeX, 1 .eps figure; typo fixed, references updated, in press in PL

What asteroseismology can do for exoplanets

We describe three useful applications of asteroseismology in the context of exoplanet science: (1) the detailed characterisation of exoplanet host stars; (2) the measurement of stellar inclinations; and (3) the determination of orbital eccentricity from transit duration making use of asteroseismic stellar densities. We do so using the example system Kepler-410 (Van Eylen et al. 2014). This is one of the brightest (V = 9.4) Kepler exoplanet host stars, containing a small (2.8 Rearth) transiting planet in a long orbit (17.8 days), and one or more additional non-transiting planets as indicated by transit timing variations. The validation of Kepler-410 (KOI-42) was complicated due to the presence of a companion star, and the planetary nature of the system was confirmed after analyzing a Spitzer transit observation as well as ground-based follow-up observations.Comment: 4 pages, Proceedings of the CoRoT Symposium 3 / Kepler KASC-7 joint meeting, Toulouse, 7-11 July 2014. To be published by EPJ Web of Conference