The Effect of Blindness on Biological Rhythms and the Consequences of Circadian Rhythm Disorder

Various physiological systems and behaviors such as the sleep-wake cycle, vigilance, body temperature, and the secretion of certain hormones are governed by a 24-hour cycle called the circadian system. While there are many external stimuli involved the regulation of circadian rhythm, the most powerful environmental stimulus is the daily light-dark cycle. Blind individuals with no light perception develop circadian desynchrony. This leads to non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder, which is associated with sleep-wake disorders, as well as mood disorders and loss of appetite and gastrointestinal disturbances due to disrupted circadian hormone regulation. As the diagnosis is often delayed because of under-recognition in clinical practice, patients must cope with varying degrees of social and academic dysfunction. Most blind individuals report that non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder affects them more than blindness. In the treatment of totally blind patients suffering from non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder, the first-line management is behavioral approaches. Drug therapy includes melatonin and the melatonin agonist tasimelteon. Diagnosing blind individuals’ sleep disorders is also relevant to treatment because they can be improved with the use of melatonin and its analogues or by phototherapy if they have residual vision. Therefore, assessing sleep problems and planning treatment accordingly for individuals presenting with blindness is an important issue for ophthalmologists to keep in mind

Effect on Intraocular Pressure of Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant

INTRODUCTION: To investigate the effect of intravitreally administered 0.7 mg dexamethasone implant on intraocular pressure. METHODS: The study included patients with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion or diabetic retinopathy who underwent intravitreal dexamethasone implant administration. Patients with glaucoma, ocular hypertension, and neovascularization at the angle were excluded from the study. The intraocular pressure was measured using applanation tonometry before and one week, two weeks, one month, three months, and six months after the procedure. Topical anti-glaucomatous is initiated in the participants with intraocular pressure equal to or higher than 22 mmHg. RESULTS: One hundred and five eyes of 101 patients comprising 55 (54.45%) male and 46 (45.54%) females were included in the study. The mean intraocular pressure was 14.43+-2.53 mmHg before injection, and the mean postprocedure intraocular pressures were 15.31+-3.66 mmHg (p=0.132) at the first day, 14.87+-3.11 mmHg (p=0.371) at the first week, 16.78+-3.82 mmHg (p=0.001) at the second week, 17.38+-4.30 mmHg (p=0.001) at the first month, 16.92+-4.55 mmHg (p=0.001) at the third month and, 15.59+-2.78 mmHg (p=0.005) at the sixth month, respectively. Five patients (%4.8) experienced intraocular pressure rise >21mmHg after the procedure in which IOP was controlled with anti-glaucomatous medication in all of them. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Intravitreal dexamethasone implantation may be interpreted as a safe treatment modality in patients with retinal vein occlusion or diabetic retinopathy in terms of secondary IOP increase. However, patients should undergo regular IOP checks during routine follow-up visits

Fundamental social motives measured across forty-two cultures in two waves

How does psychology vary across human societies? The fundamental social motives framework adopts an evolutionary approach to capture the broad range of human social goals within a taxonomy of ancestrally recurring threats and opportunities. These motives—self-protection, disease avoidance, affiliation, status, mate acquisition, mate retention, and kin care—are high in fitness relevance and everyday salience, yet understudied cross-culturally. Here, we gathered data on these motives in 42 countries (N = 15,915) in two cross-sectional waves, including 19 countries (N = 10,907) for which datawere gathered in both waves. Wave 1 was collected from mid-2016 through late 2019 (32 countries, N = 8,998; 3,302 male, 5,585 female; Mage = 24.43, SD = 7.91). Wave 2 was collected from April through November 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic (29 countries, N = 6,917; 2,249 male, 4,218 female; Mage = 28.59, SD = 11.31). These data can be used to assess differences and similarities in people’s fundamental social motives both across and within cultures, at different time points, and in relation to other commonly studied cultural indicators and outcomes

Posterior Capsular Opacification in Preschool- and School-Age Patients after Pediatric Cataract Surgery without Posterior Capsulotomy

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the development of posterior capsular opacification (PCO) in preschool- and school-age children with cataract who underwent cataract surgery without posterior capsulotomy and anterior vitrectomy. Materials and Methods: The records of 30 eyes of 21 patients who underwent pediatric cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation were retrospectively reviewed. Patients’ age, PCO status and duration, need for neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser treatment based on coverage of visual axis, and follow-up period were recorded. Results: The mean age of the patients was 7.6±2.83 (4-12) years. Unilateral cataract surgery and IOL implantation were performed in 12 patients (57.14%) and bilateral cataract surgery and IOL implantation were performed in nine patients (42.86%). Average follow-up time was 17.7±22.67 (3-83) months. PCO developed in 21 eyes (70%) and covered the visual axis in 15 eyes (50%), which therefore required Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy. The mean duration of postoperative PCO development was 8.91±18.7 months (1 week-71 months). Conclusion: We believe that with adequately experienced surgeons, performing both cataract surgery and posterior capsulotomy with anterior vitrectomy in the same session is appropriate for selected preschool- and school-age children with cataract

Uterin lipoleiomyoma : MR findings

BACKGROUND: Uterine lipoleiomyoma is a rare and specific type of leiomyoma. CASE REPORT: A 60-year-old postmenopausal woman presented with abdominal pain. Her pelvic ultrasound demonstrated a normal- sized uterus with a well- circumscribed, heterogeneous mass located in the anterior corpus. A pelvic MRI revealed a mass including hyperintense areas on T1-weighted images and hypointense on fat-suppressed T1-weighted images, compatible with lipoleiomyoma. CONCLUSIONS: Uterine lipoleiomyomas are often misdiagnosed pre-operatively and it is important to distinguish leiomyomas from other tumors for prevention from supererogatory surgery. Imaging plays an important role for the exact differentiation

Conjunctival lymphangiectasis: successful surgical resection of an idiopathic case

Conjunctival lymphagiectasis is a topical ocular condition characterized by swelling of conjunctiva as a result of dilated lymphatics of the bulbar conjunctiva.  In this case report, a 51-year-old man presented with conjunctival swelling in the left eye.  Conjunctival lymphangiectasis was diagnosed and a conjunctival resection was performed.  No recurrence was found in follow-up examination at 9 months

Hemolytic uremic syndrome causing multicystic leukoencephalomalacia

BACKGROUND: Hemolytic uremic syndrome is a disease characterized by hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and acute renal failure with multiple organ involvement. Central nervous system involvement is detected in 20-50% of the patients and this leads to increased morbidity and mortality. CASE REPORT: We report the neuroimaging findings in a four-month-old male with hemolytic uremic syndrome. The cerebral cortex and white matter showed mild signal intensity on T2-weighted images. The diffusion weighted imaging demonstrated restricted diffusion in the cerebral cortex and white matter with corresponding low signal intensity on the apparent diffusion coefficient maps representing cytotoxic edema. These findings ended in multicystic leukoencephalomalacia. CONCLUSIONS: In hemolytic uremic syndrome with brain involvement symptoms develop due to the different level of actions of factors and thus MRI protocol towards cerebral parenchyma should include DWI, especially in pediatric patients

Analysis of transportable off-grid solar power generation for rural electricity supply: an application study of Sanliurfa, Turkey

Despite the advances in technology, electrical energy needs in rural and less developed regions are not yet fully met in terms of cost and sustainability. Nowadays, small-scale Photovoltaic (PV) systems can be transported to other regions and easily reinstalled so that these systems can be used in areas where needed for home usage and humanitarian purposes. There is no doubt that a PV-based microgrid is needed in rural and remote areas where energy is often important, and grid energy is not available or unstable. Mobility microgrid design studies can reduce time, effort, and costs significantly in such cases. Therefore, the design, modeling, and technical simulation of an isolated system based on solar energy are investigated and analyzed in this paper. This study also highlights the future trends of transportable-based isolated (off-grid) microgrid design which provides a sustainable solution for small-scale PV power generation. Additionally, an optimal solution approach for power management with Energy Storage (ES) and PV energy technologies is presented in the developed of an off-grid PV system. Aside from the designed system's cost-benefit analysis, important criteria such as lifespan, battery performance, and energy production have been evaluated. The Distributed Energy Resources (DER) with the load flow in 24-hour scenario is modeled, and simulated, also the findings are presented. Specifically, an application study for a 60.75 kWp isolated (off-grid) PV system with the 105.98 kWh ES, and 16 kVA diesel generator is discussed in terms of financial, regional, and technical parameters as well as numerical modeling, and MATLAB simulation for the province of Sanliurfa in Turkey

Causes of Visual Impairment in the Van City Area According to the Health Committee’s Reports

Pur po se: In this study, disability reports of the Health Committee of the Hospital of the Yüzüncü Yıl University School of Medicine will be evaluated. The demographic characteristics, causes and degree of visual loss, visual system impairment rating and whole body impairment rating of the people with visual impairment will be determined. Ma te ri al and Met hod: Health committee disability reports of our hospital, between September 2006 and August 2010, were evaluated. Relevant variables of each patient were recorded and evaluated. Re sults: 415 health committee reports for visual impairment were found to be prepared during the period of the study. One hundred fifty three (36,9%) of the cases were female and 262 (63.1%) were male and the mean age was 41.8±22.4 years. The most frequent causes of visual impairment were macular diseases, evisceration and phitisis, amblyopia, optic nerve diseases, degenerative myopia, acquired corneal and hereditary retinal diseases. The patients who had a disability report had a mean of 41.69±25.92% visual system impairment rating and 60,76±24,67% whole body impairment rating. Dis cus si on: This research was planned for contributing to the epidemiologic information about visual impairment in our country. This data may serve to compute the cost of visual disability reports. The information is also expected to contribute to determine the causes and measures for the prevention of diseases and conditions leading to visual disability. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2012; 42: 131-4