Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography in the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Diabetic Macular Edema

Currently, spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) is a basic tool in diagnosing and monitoring diabetic macular edema (DME), which is the most frequent cause of visual impairment in the diabetic patients. OCT technology has changed the classification of DME from the traditional criteria. Macular thickness measured on OCT is considered an outcome measure to evaluate the structural and functional outcome of various therapeutic means used in DME. SD-OCT evaluates ultrastructural retinal parameters, such as the ellipsoid zone, photoreceptor outer segment length and quantifies the individual layers according to various algorithms. The aim is to present the way in which SD-OCT technology has changed our clinical practice during the last years, in diagnosing, classifying and treating DME and to illustrate its impact with practical cases

Scleral-Fixated Intraocular Lens: Indications and Results

Currently, ideal cataract surgery should end with the placement of an intraocular lens (IOLs) in the bag. However, in the clinical setting we have to manage cases without enough capsular support to allow the physiological IOL placement. Progress has been made in terms of IOL designs and implantation techniques. The options should be analyzed not only in accordance with surgeon’s experience but also with patient’s age, local, and systemic comorbidities. Thus, in the absence of an appropriate capsule, IOL can be placed in the anterior chamber, fixated to the iris or to the sclera wall. In this paper, the personal experience of one surgeon with ab externo scleral-fixated IOLs is presented, with the aim to outline the place of this surgical technique in the correction of aphakia. A retrospective study was carried out, including 57 patients in which an IOL was fixated to the sclera, throughout January 2015–April 2019. The causes of aphakia, preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuities (BCVA), and intra- and postoperative complications are analyzed. Statistical tests were applied in order to draw significance. In most instances, BCVA has remained stable, with no significant complications, making sclera fixation IOL a viable solution in the correction of aphakia

Therapeutic Options in Retinopathy of Prematurity

Preterm babies may develop retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in various stages. Most of them regress spontaneously without treatment, and a small proportion develops severe ROP that can lead to visual loss if not treated promptly. Less than 10% of the ROP cases require treatment worldwide. Before 1980, the only treatment for ROP was vitreoretinal surgery for retinal detachment in advanced stages of the disease. Around this time, cryotherapy started to be used in order to ablate the peripheral retina and interrupt the pathogenic chain in ROP, but there were no indications correlated with the severity of the disease. Few years later, cryotherapy was replaced by indirect laser photocoagulation of the nonvascular retina that became the golden standard of treatment for ROP. During the last years, efforts have been made in order to find therapeutic methods to induce the regression of new vessels with minimal side effects. Among these, intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) became increasingly popular in the treatment of ROP worldwide. Personal experience in treating aggressive posterior ROP (APROP) with laser versus intravitreal anti-VEGF is presented. Intravitreal anti-VEGF proved its superiority in treating APROP as compared to laser, with no systemic and/or local side effects in our series

Indirect Diode Laser in the Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a largely preventable cause of visual impairment in children. The golden standard of treatment in ROP is the laser photocoagulation of the non-vascularized retina. The most vulnerable period when ROP is at high risk of rapid progression is comprised between 34 and 35 weeks postconceptional age (PCA) and 36–37 weeks PCA. We carried out a retrospective study in which we included all the ROP cases treated by indirect diode laser photocoagulation between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2017, totalizing 110 premature infants of which, 60 were males (54.54%) and 50, females (45.45%). Mean gestational age (GA) was 28.30 weeks and mean birth weight (BW) was 1121 grams in our series. Of the 110 preterm infants, 74 were the result of single pregnancies (67.27%) and 36 of multiple pregnancies (32.72%). At the moment of treatment, the mean postnatal age (PNA) was 8.38 weeks and the mean PCA, 37.02 weeks. ROP regressed after laser treatment in 185 eyes (88.09%). Statistical tests proved that regression rate was significantly worse in aggressive posterior ROP as compared with stage 3 zone 2 and stage 3 zone 1 ROP (odds ratio = 13.53, relative risk = 7.79, P < .001)

Aspecte biblice privind complementaritatea dintre Sfânta Euharistie și slujirea filantropică

Viewed with the superficiality of the contemporary man, severely affected by the spirit of secularization, diakonia - in its sense of neighbour ministry, seems to be a relatively new element, recently included in the missionary work of the Church and at the same time, one of the challenges of confessing the faith. The roots of this diaconical work are, however, particularly deep, its primary source being the unlimited love shared with man by God. This unmeasured love is the common foundation of the Eucharist and Christian philanthropy and is obviously the basis of the communion of man with God and of people together

The numeric evaluation of the magnetic field produced by a rotor with alternating poles

The magnetic field produced by a rotor with alternating magnetic poles in a magnetic fluid hydrostatic bearing is numerically evaluated. There has been used a 3D program based on the finite element method (3D-FEM)

Stress Management in the Police Work

According to the World Health Organization estimates, stress is one of the risk factors most frequently affecting human health, along with obesity, alcoholism, drugs and smoking, and the suicide due to work-related stress will be the main cause of death in 2025 (Turc, 2006). Given this, and the that the profession of police officer has been ranked in the top ten most stressful jobs the U.S. (by The American Institute of Stress) and categorized as one of the most stressful occupations in the world (by Michael Pittaro, executive director of The Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse in 2008, in a study on occupational stress in police), both because of the nature of police work, and because of the multiple influences associated with the work environment, this article aims to briefly review the issue of stress in the field of police work, covering many aspects of it, such as sources of stress, forms of stress and its implications, &nbsp;the prevention factors, strategies to reduce stress and combat its negative effects, so that workers in this field be able to recognize it when stress is present and what it was caused by, and be able to manage it effectively

THE CREDIT TITLES, A ROSETTA STONE OF THE CINEMATOGRAPHIC NARRATIVE

The opening scenes of any film are produced first in the sound plane, then in the visual one and set the horizon of expectation to the future audience, offering it through a methaphor specific to the language of this art, the deep meaning of the film. We can also say that this visual discourse graphically coded in the form of credit titles, communicates to the audience’s subconscious all the necessary elements for the cinematic narrative to acquire the force of truth, to be truthful.. Thus, „a pattern” or „a key” is established that the audience will unconsciously resort to in order to understand the meanings of the cinematic discourse when the dramatic moments of the film define the destiny of the narrrated universe. We could say that these moments constitute the foundation on which the film narrative is built, the universe in which the characters will evolve, but also the sighn of their destiny

Aspectele genetice ale osteoporozei

Background. Osteoporosis (OP) is an extremely heterogeneous multifactorial pathology, characterized by decreased bone density and risk of pathological fractures. Studies point out a strong genetic determinism of the disease, with multiple gene polymorphisms and predisposing mutations. Objective of the study. Assessing the share of genetic and environmental factors in the development and progression of OP. Material and Methods. Analysis of literature in the field, scientific articles PubMed and OxfordAcademic on the etiology and pathophysiology of OP. Results. Bone metabolism requires a constant balance determined by gene expression, environmental conditions and tissue needs. Genomic studies have identified about 300 susceptibility genes in OP encoding: extracellular matrix components (COL1A1 and 2, OPN), hormones and their receptors (ESR1 and 2, AR, VDR, CASR, PTHR1, CYP1A1, PRL, PTH, LEP, INS), participants in osteoblastogenic/osteoclastogenic processes (ALOX12 and 15, BMP4 and 7, IGF-1, LRP5 and 6, SOST/ P53, RANK, RANK-L), cytokines and their receptors (IL1 and 6, TNF, TNFR2 ). It should be noted that the expression of these genes is ubiquitous and is not limited to bone tissue, which explains the multisystem damage. Conclusion. Mutations in the genes involved in controlling bone turnover determine the predisposition to OP, while the environmental factors can trigger the development of the disease. Understanding the role of genes in the pathogenesis of OP promotes the development of targeted treatments for most forms of osteoporosis.Introducere. Osteoporoza (OP) este o patologie multifactorială, extrem de eterogenă, caracterizată prin diminuarea densității osoase și risc de fracturi patologice. Studiile evidențiază un puternic determinism genetic al bolii, existând multiple polimorfisme genice și mutații predispozante. Scopul lucrării. Aprecierea ponderii factorilor genetici și factorilor de mediu în dezvoltarea și progresia OP. Material și Metode. Analiza literaturii din domeniu, articole științifice PubMed și OxfordAcademic despre etiologia și fiziopatologia OP. Rezultate. Metabolismul osos necesită un echilibru constant determinat de expresia genelor, condițiile de mediu și nevoile țesuturilor. Studiile genomice au identificat circa 300 de gene de susceptibilitate la OP ce codifică: componentele matricei extracelulare (COL1A1 și 2, OPN), hormoni și receptorii lor (ESR1 și 2, AR, VDR, CASR, PTHR1, CYP1A1, PRL, PTH, LEP, INS), participanți la procesele osteoblastogene/osteoclastogene (ALOX12 și 15, BMP4 și 7, IGF-1, LRP5 și 6, SOST/P53, RANK, RANK-L), citokine și receptorii lor (IL1 și 6, TNF, TNFR2). De menționat că expresia acestor gene este omniprezentă și nu se limitează doar la țesutul osos, ceea ce explică afectarea multisistemică. Concluzii. Mutațiile genelor implicate în controlul turnover-ului osos determină predispoziția la OP, iar factorii de mediu pot declanșa dezvoltarea bolii. Înțelegerea rolului genelor în patogeneza OP favorizează elaborarea tratamentelor țintite pentru majoritatea formelor de osteoporoză

GENERAL ASPECTS RELATED TO THE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, THE MAIN SOURCE OF INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT AMONG ECONOMIC OPERATORS

Efficient actions carried out in technology transfer bring major benefits to all parties involved in the process.Increasing the technological endowment through the process of technological transfer from research to industrycontributes significantly to the improving of the economic growth rate at the national and regional levels.Universities and research institutions as providers of knowledge are able to supplement their incomes andachieve financial autonomy in order to conduct entrepreneurial activities and research. They can also obtainother collateral benefits such as attracting research contracts sponsored by some economic operators, the abilityto hire and retain top personnel and researchers. Romania, in terms of technology transfer and innovationactivities among economic operators, is still trying to catch the significant gap compared to other Europeancountries. In these conditions technology transfer processes must be well understood and put into practice bothat research institutions as well as at the economic agents