Zeolite mineralogy of the Cayo formation in Guayaquil, Ecuador

This work shows the presence of zeolites in the Cretaceous Cayo formation in Coastal Ecuador. In the area of Guayaquil the Cayo formation consist of marine pyroclastic flow deposits, associated fallout tuffs and epiclastic rocks. The main zeolites are Ca-heulandite (mean Si/Al: 3.30) and Ca-clinoptilolite (mean Si/Al: 4.35). Less common are laumontite, mordenite and analcime. Zeolites compose 10–60% of the rocks. The deposit is of great importance for Ecuador, considering its enormous zeolitised outcrop area (more than 10,000 km2

Neural crest-related NXPH1/α-NRXN signaling opposes neuroblastoma malignancy by inhibiting organotropic metastasis

Neuroblastoma is a pediatric cancer that can present as low- or high-risk tumors (LR-NBs and HR-NBs), the latter group showing poor prognosis due to metastasis and strong resistance to current therapy. Whether LR-NBs and HR-NBs differ in the way they exploit the transcriptional program underlying their neural crest, sympatho-adrenal origin remains unclear. Here, we identified the transcriptional signature distinguishing LR-NBs from HR-NBs, which consists mainly of genes that belong to the core sympatho-adrenal developmental program and are associated with favorable patient prognosis and with diminished disease progression. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments revealed that the top candidate gene of this signature, Neurexophilin-1 (NXPH1), has a dual impact on NB cell behavior in vivo: whereas NXPH1 and its receptor α-NRXN1 promote NB tumor growth by stimulating cell proliferation, they conversely inhibit organotropic colonization and metastasis. As suggested by RNA-seq analyses, these effects might result from the ability of NXPH1/α-NRXN signalling to restrain the conversion of NB cells from an adrenergic state to a mesenchymal one. Our findings thus uncover a transcriptional module of the sympatho-adrenal program that opposes neuroblastoma malignancy by impeding metastasis, and pinpoint NXPH1/α-NRXN signaling as a promising target to treat HR-NBs.This work was supported by grants from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion, Gobierno de España (MCINN; BFU2016-81887-REDT and BFU2016-77498-P) and the Asociación Española Contra el Cancer (AECC CI_2016) to EM, from the Fondo de Investigación en Salud (FIS) - Instituto de salud Carlos III (PI14/00038) and the NEN association (Association of Families and Friends of Patients with Neuroblastoma) to CL, from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III-FSE (MS17/00037; PI18/00014; PI21/00020) to TC-T, from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CP22/00127, co-funded by European Social Fund “Investing in your future”) to BMJ, from the Agence Nationale pour la Recherche (ANR-17-CE14-0023-01, ANR-17-CE14-0009-02) and the city of Paris (Emergence program) to ELG, from ISCIII-FEDER (CP13/00189 and CPII18/00009) to AMC. LF received a PhD fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Education and Universities (FPU AP2012-2222). LT-D was funded by a FPI Fellowship (PRE2019-088005). GLD was supported by the Asociación Española Contra el Cancer (AECC #AIO14142105LED)

Visual performance of patients with trifocal toric and new nondiffractive EDOF toric intraocular lenses

Depto. de Optometría y VisiónFac. de Óptica y OptometríaTRUEpu

Visual quality and patient satisfaction with a trifocal intraocular lens and its new toric version

Purpose: To assess and compare the visual quality and subjective outcomes of a trifocal spherical intraocular lens (IOL) and its new toric version. Setting: Clínica Rementería, Madrid, Spain. Design: Prospective case series. Methods: Patients had bilateral implantation of the AcrySof IQ PanOptix spherical or toric IOL. Three months postoperatively, monocular and the binocular uncorrected and corrected distance, intermediate, and near visual acuities; binocular defocus curves; and binocular contrast sensitivity function (CSF) were assessed. Patient satisfaction was evaluated with the Catquest 9SF questionnaire. Results: The study comprised 250 eyes (166 with spherical IOL; 84 with toric IOL) of 125 patients. Both groups had good monocular visual acuity at all distances with no statistically significant differences between groups. The mean monocular uncorrected acuity in the spherical group was 0.06 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) ± 0.07 (SD), 0.20 ± 0.10 logMAR, and 0.05 ± 0.07 logMAR for far, intermediate, and near, respectively, and in the toric group, 0.07 ± 0.10 logMAR, 0.23 ± 0.20 logMAR, and 0.07 ± 0.12 logMAR, respectively. Defocus curves showed a visual acuity of 0.1 logMAR or better between −2.5 diopters (D) and +0.5 D with no differences between groups. The CSF values were within normal ranges with both IOLs. The questionnaire showed high rates of patient satisfaction with no differences between groups. Conclusions: The visual outcomes with the 2 IOLs were similar. With optimum implantation and alignment, the trifocal toric IOL seems to provide visual quality and patient satisfaction that is equivalent to that with the nontoric version with the same platform

Effect of residual astigmatism and defocus in eyes with trifocal intraocular lenses

Purpose: To assess the effect on visual function of different residual astigmatic situations combined with 0.50 diopters (D) negative defocus at different distances in patients with trifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs). Setting: Clínica Rementería, Madrid, Spain. Design: Prospective case series. Methods: The study included patients implanted with AcrySof IQ PanOptix IOL. Visual acuity (VA) was measured at far distance (0.00 D of vergence) and at -1.5 D, -2.5 D, and -3.0 D of vergence. Residual astigmatism was induced by adding 0.50 D and 1.00 D cylindrical lenses placed at 90 degrees (against the rule [ATR]), 45 degrees (oblique), and 180 degrees (with the rule). All measurements were made with distance correction (emmetropia as the reference situation) and with a simulated residual myopia of 0.50 D. Results: The study included 61 eyes of 61 patients. Residual astigmatism of 0.50 D and 1.0 D was induced in 28 and 33 eyes, respectively. For both groups, distance and intermediate VAs were better for the reference situation (P < .001 for all cases). With 1.0 D of cylinder (without and with induced defocus), the proportion of patients who lost ≥2 lines was higher for the ATR astigmatism. For near vision, differences were smaller for all simulated situations. Conclusions: Residual astigmatism of up to 0.50 D, regardless of its orientation, seems to be tolerated at all distances. For astigmatisms of 1.0 D, distance and intermediate VAs decreased significantly, and ATR orientations showed worse results in a higher proportion of patients. The combination of astigmatism with residual myopia significantly decreased distance VA, whereas this negative shift affected near VA less.Depto. de Optometría y VisiónFac. de Óptica y OptometríaTRUEpu

Visual and Refractive Outcomes of Cataract Surgeries Performed in One Year in a Private Practice Setting: Review of 2714 Procedures

Introduction. Currently available outcome data for cataract surgery include mostly patients from public health systems. The purpose of this study was to report the visual and refractive outcomes of cataract procedures performed during one year in a private practice center, which may include a different spectrum of patients. Methods. Our center’s database was used to identify all isolated cataract procedures performed during 2017. The electronic records were reviewed to collect the preoperative information, presence of intra- or postsurgical complications, and visual and refractive outcomes one month after surgery. Results. In 2017, 2714 eyes of 1543 patients underwent cataract surgery in our center. Mean patient age was 70.42 years. 775 eyes (28.55%) had prior ophthalmic pathologies, and 113 eyes (4.16%) had undergone previous surgical procedures. Surgical complications developed in 35 eyes (1.29%), including 9 posterior capsule tears (0.33%) and 3 cases of dropped lens fragments (0.11%). A toric or multifocal intraocular lens was implanted in 45.6% of eyes. As regards postoperative complications, 59 eyes (2.17%) required a return to the operating theater, including 29 eyes (1.07%) requiring reinterventions due to an unexpected refractive result. There were no cases of endophthalmitis. Mean LogMAR-corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) improved from 0.25 (SD 0.34) preoperatively to 0.04 (SD 0.17) postoperatively; 86.5% of eyes achieved a CDVA ≤0.0, with 97.5% achieving ≤0.3. In 86.4% of eyes, the difference between target and residual spherical equivalent difference was of 0.50 D or lower; 88% of eyes had a spherical equivalent ±0.50 D. Conclusions. The visual and refractive outcomes of cataract surgery in a private practice setting were excellent, well over the benchmarks set by the ESCRS. The safety profile was also within expected standards. This study provides information for ophthalmologists in private practice on expected outcomes

Tolerance to Residual Refractive Errors After Trifocal and Trifocal Toric Intraocular Lens Implantation

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of 0.50 diopter (D) positive or negative defocus on visual function in patients implanted with trifocal and trifocal toric intraocular lenses (IOLs). Methods: The study included patients implanted with the AcrySof IQ PanOptix IOL or the PanOptix Toric. Visual acuity (VA) at high (100%), medium (50%) and low (10%) contrast, contrast sensitivity function (CSF), and halo perception were assessed three months after surgery. Explorations were performed with corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), with a positive defocus of +0.50D (myopization) and with a negative defocus of −0.50D (hyperopization). Results: The study included 60 eyes of 60 patients (30 eyes with PanOptix and 30 eyes with PanOptix Toric). For both groups, VA was better for all contrast settings at the CDVA situation (P<0.05 in all cases). For low spatial frequencies, no differences in CSF were found among the three refractive situations in either group. For higher frequencies, the results showed an overall trend for better CSF results for the CDVA situation. The halo effect was lower for the CDVA situation if compared to myopization and hyperopization in both the PanOptix and the PanOptix Toric groups (P<0.05 for all cases). Conclusions: There is an impact on visual quality and halo perception in patients implanted with trifocal or trifocal toric IOLs even for low residual refractive errors