Acquired Vitelliform Macular Degeneration: Characteristics and Challenges of Managing Subretinal Fluid

Purpose: To highlight diagnostic challenges in patients with acquired vitelliform macular degeneration (AVMD) with subretinal fluid (SRF) and to examine the characteristics of image findings in patients with AVMD. Methods: In this retrospective review, the electronic medical record of 22 eyes of 16 patients with AVMD was studied. The rates of SRF, drusen, pigment epithelial detachment (PED), and patient clinical information such as age, length of follow-up, and BCVA were assessed. Results: The mean age at diagnosis with AVMD was 72 years with a mean follow-up time of 29 months. Median best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/33 at presentation and 20/33 at final follow-up. Drusen was found in 13 of 22 eyes (59.1%), PEDs in 4 of 22 eyes (18.2%), and SRF in 10 of 22 eyes (45.5%) at some point during their follow-up. Of the 10 eyes with SRF, 70% were center involving, and recurrence occurred in 40%, all in the same location as the initial presentation of SRF. Three eyes received an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection for SRF. In 66% of cases receiving an injection, the fluid later relapsed and remitted without further injections during the course of follow-up. Conclusion: AVMD occurs in the same demographic as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and has many common features. SRF in AVMD tends to be center involving and recurs usually in the same location as its origin. The use of anti-VEGF injections did not seem to improve SRF in contrast to the SRF seen in wet AMD. Proper differentiation of AVMD may prevent unnecessary long-term treatment with intravitreal anti-VEGF injections

Temporal increases in plasma markers of oxidized low-density lipoprotein strongly reflect the presence of acute coronary syndromes

AbstractObjectivesThis study was conducted to test the hypothesis that plasma markers of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL) reflect acute coronary syndromes (ACS).BackgroundOxidized LDL contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, but its role in ACS is not established.MethodsSerial plasma samples were prospectively obtained from patients with an acute myocardial infarction (MI) (n = 8), unstable angina (UA) (n = 15), stable coronary artery disease (CAD) (n = 17), angiographically normal coronary arteries (n = 8), and from healthy subjects (n = 18), at entry into the study, hospital discharge (MI group only), and at 30, 120, and 210 days. Chemiluminescent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantitate plasma levels of: 1) immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgG OxLDL autoantibody titers (presented as a mean OxLDL autoantibody titer by averaging the results of four distinct epitopes); 2) LDL-autoantibody immune complexes (LDL-IC); and 3) minimally OxLDL measured by antibody E06 (OxLDL-E06), as determined by the content of oxidized phospholipids (OxPL) per apolipoprotein B-100.ResultsBaseline OxLDL IgG autoantibody levels were higher in the MI group (p < 0.0001). At 30-day follow-up, the mean IgM OxLDL titers increased by 48% (p < 0.001) and 20% (p < 0.001), and IgM LDL-IC increased by 60% (p < 0.01) and 26% (p < 0.01) in the MI and UA groups, respectively. The OxLDL-E06 levels increased by 54% (p < 0.01) in the MI group at hospital discharge and by 36% at 30 days. No significant changes in any OxLDL markers were noted in the other groups. The OxLDL-E06 levels strongly paralleled the acute rise in lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), in the MI group, suggesting that toxic OxPL are preferentially bound to Lp(a). Oxidized LDL-E06 also correlated extremely well with Lp(a) in the entire cohort of patients (r = 0.91, p < 0.0001).ConclusionsCirculating OxLDL-specific markers strongly reflect the presence of ACS, implying immune awareness to newly exposed oxidation-specific epitopes and possible release of OxLDL in the circulation. The OxLDL-E06 measurements provide novel insights into plaque rupture and the potential atherogenicity of Lp(a)

Distinct abilities associated with matching same identity faces versus discriminating different faces: Evidence from individual differences in prosopagnosics and controls

Previous face matching studies provide evidence that matching same identity faces (match trials) and discriminating different face identities (non-match trials) rely on distinct processes. For example, instructional studies geared towards improving face matching in applied settings have often found selective improvements in match or non-match trials only. Additionally, a small study found that developmental prosopagnosics (DPs) have specific deficits in making match but not non-match judgments. In the current study, we sought to replicate this finding in DPs and examine how individual differences across DPs and controls in match vs. non-match performance relate to featural vs. holistic processing abilities. 43 DPs and 27 controls matched face images shown from similar front views or with varied lighting or viewpoint. Participants also performed tasks measuring featural (eyes/mouth) and holistic processing (part-whole task). We found that DPs showed worse overall matching performance than controls and that their relative match vs. non-match deficit depended on image variation condition, indicating that DPs do not consistently show match- or non-match-specific deficits. When examining the association between holistic and featural processing abilities and match vs. non-match trials in the entire group of DPs and controls, we found a very clear dissociation: Match trials significantly correlated with eye processing ability (r=.48) but not holistic processing (r=.11), whereas non-match trials significantly correlated with holistic processing (r=.32) but not eye processing (r=.03). This suggests that matching same identity faces relies more on eye processing while discriminating different faces relies more on holistic processing.Output Status: Forthcoming/Available Onlin

The Grizzly, November 21, 2002

Well-known Political Consultant Mark Moskowitz at Ursinus • Greek Organizations Come Together for GPC Activities Fair • Too Big for our Buildings • Eye on Your Future: Internships • \u27Tis the Season to Ignore the Needy? • Do You Care About Political Apathy? • Should a Minor Receive the Death Penalty? • Opinions: Feeling Uninvited in Your Own Home; Smoking or Non? You Decide; 17-Year-Old Could be Tried as Adult • Be a Film Society Member • Howard, Roesch Look to Lead Wrestling to C.C. Championship • On Your Mark...Indoor Track Ready to Go • Dougherty Rockets Off to National Meethttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1526/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, March 28, 2002

Six Months after 9/11: Has America Really Changed? • The Ursinus Hillel Celebrates Passover • Valedictorian and Salutatorian Announced for 2002 • Room Lottery Returns to Ursinus • Omega Chi Blood Drive a Huge Success • First Ursinus Watson Fellow: Aaron Ranck to Study Agrarian Life • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder on the Rise • Opinions: Do Greek Organizations Foster Group Think ?; Educational Philosophy of Ursinus College • Women\u27s Lacrosse Continues to Tear Through their Schedule • Gymnastics Brings Home Fourth at the NCGA • Performance Enhancing Drugs Back in the Spotlight • Gymnastics Results • Bears Split with Red Devils in First Game of Conferencehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1511/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, November 7, 2002

Election 2002: Absent-Minded with Absentee Ballots • Redhat Makes Computer Connection at Ursinus • Reimert Robbers • In Praise of Music Presented Last Weekend • Boo from UC to You! • Don\u27t Delete Your Future: Career Services Information • Professors Killed During Student Rampage and Suicide • Opinions: To Vote or not to Vote?; Sexual Harassment: A Problem for Ursinus Students; Sniper Caught: Will Peace be Restored? • Third Annual Poem-palooza a Success • Berman: Social Surrealism • Radio Talk Show Comes to Ursinus • Women\u27s Soccer Season Better Than Record Shows • Field Hockey Finishes at the Top of Division III • Roller Hockey Opens Season • Cross Country 2002 Centennial Conference Championships • Dealing with Death: How to Cope • So You Wanna be a Bartender?https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1524/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, November 14, 2002

Did you Miss the Election 2002? • Young Voters Ignore their Political Power • Ursinus Students Writing Kids Program Grant • History, Reminder Found in Veteran\u27s Day • Tartuffe Simply Delicious • Opinions: Are Dateds Worth It?; Homecoming: A Different Opinion; More Problems with Registration; Everclear Rocks Ursinus • Get Ready to Jazz: Ursinus Concert Band Style • Dateds: Worth the Dollar? • Everclear: Clearer than Ever • Exhibit Cases Return to Myrin Library • Men\u27s, Women\u27s Basketball Get Ready to Open Seasons • Roller Hockey Records First • Swim Team Opens Winter Season with a Win • Hot Dates for Collegeville Love Birds • Louie and his Band Rock U.C. • Meet the Ladies of Suites 106 and 204https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1525/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, October 3, 2002

Students Show Parents Their Second Home: Family Day 2002 • Students Voice Opinions in Campus Terrorism Talk • Memory of Fountain Trickles Away • Davis Professor to Deliver Lectures for Students and Faculty • New Technical Director Brings Different View Behind the Scenes • Read All About it: Newspapers in the Bookstore • Opinions: Eminem: Good or Bad • Four Doors: A Memorial • Fun Historic Event: The Heritage Festival Held on the Wentz Farmstead • Women\u27s Rugby Score First try in Ursinus History • Dougherty Sprints to Second Place • Renovate Your Room by Swappin\u27 Suites • Comparative Pricing: Comfort Foodhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1521/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, October 10, 2002

The 2002 Homecoming Nominees • Former White House Aide Speaks at Ursinus • New Student Art in the Library • Students Riots at the University of Oregon • First Play of the Semester to Cure the Blues • New Meal Plan Hard to Swallow • Major Workshops for Sophomore Department Events Oct. 14-25 • Everyone\u27s Talking About the Music Man • Opinions: Family Day 2002 a Success; Ursinus and Marriage; Party Scene: UC vs. PSU Surprisingly Similar • Donald Meyer Art Exhibit in Berman Museum • Student Profile: Dana Mazzenga • Ursinus College Choir • CAB: Exciting Events for Campus • Women\u27s Rugby Continuing to Improve • Intramural Sports Start up Again • McCarney Named C.C. Player of the Week • Dougherty Races Back on Top • Comparing Prices: Halloween Costumes • Cancer Causing Foods: What to Avoid When You\u27re Eating • 3 Years at Ursinushttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1522/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, September 12, 2002

America. No Longer the Beautiful • September 11, 2002: A Changed Nation Remembers • Omwake Party Closed for Overcrowding • The Dangers of Limerick: KI Pills Soon • The Freshman Fifteen: A Preventable Phenomenon for Students • Opinions: Too Much Liberty in Calling it a Diner; Zack\u27s Without the Power; Orientation Evaluation; New Laundry Detergent Testing: Bad Idea! • Remembering September 11th: Student Essays • September 11th: A National Holiday? I Think Not • Theater Booming at Ursinus • WVOU: Ursinus\u27 Pride and Joy • Redline Visits Ursinus • Comparative Pricing Report: Healthy Foods • Volleyball Crushes Albright College • Ursinus Looks to Next Game After Loss to W&J • Field Hockey Wins Season Opener • Women\u27s Soccer Loses Back-to-back in OThttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1518/thumbnail.jp