Logistic regression analysis in the combination of diagnostic methods in glaucoma

PURPOSES: In this research was studied the diagnostic ability of the Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph (HRT II), GDx nerve fiber analyzer (GDx), Short-wavelenght Automated Perimetry (SWAP) and Frequency-doubling technology (FDT), all of them together and also separately in the diagnosis of glaucoma. METHODS: Sixty glaucomatous patients and 60 normal ones were submitted to examination with the technology of HRT II, GDx, FDT and SWAP. In the interpretation of HRT, based on the Moorfields regression analysis, were considered abnormal when at least one area of the neuroretinal ring was outside the bounds of normality. GDx was defined as altered, when it was observed that at least one index was considered by equipment program as outside of normal limits, excluding the index symmetry, or when the deviation from normal graph appeared a quadrant with significance below 5%. The FDT was considered abnormal when at least one region tested presented with severe defects, or two contiguous moderate defects in at least two reliable tests. For SWAP was adopted the abnormality criteria proposed by Anderson. Logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: When the technologies were studied separately, the Logistic regression analysis showed better odds ratio rates to test positive for glaucoma with HRT (22.49), followed by EAP (21.71), FDT (3.97) and GDx (2.73). When positive tests were associated with different technologies, the odds ratios increased. In cases with HRT, FDT and PAA tests, outside normal bounds, the odds ratio was 252.6. Concerning the HRT, GDx and PAA the result have changed to 173.1. When we associate positive tests from different technologies, the odds ratio of glaucomatous patients have increased considerably, reaching 689.7 with all the tests outside normal bounds, which have happened with 26 patients of this study. CONCLUSIONS: The Logistic Regression analysis confirmed that the abnormal tests of HRT and PAA have shown to be the highest reasons for glaucoma occurrence. The association of abnormal tests increased the odds ratio, especially when the HRT and PAA were out of normal bounds.OBJETIVOS: Estudar a habilidade diagnóstica do tomógrafo retiniano de Heidelberg (HRT II), GDx analisador de fibras nervosas (GDx), perimetria azul-amarelo (SWAP), tecnologia de frequência duplicada (FDT) isoladamente e em conjunto no diagnóstico do glaucoma. MÉTODOS: Sessenta glaucomatosos e 60 pacientes normais foram submetidos a exames de HRT II, GDx, SWAP e FDT. HRT foi considerado alterado quando pelo menos uma região do anel neurorretiniano esteve fora dos limites da normalidade, conforme a análise de regressão de Moorfields. GDx alterado foi definido quando pelo menos um índice foi considerado pelo programa do equipamento como fora dos limites normais, excluindo-se o índice simetria, ou ainda quando no gráfico the deviation from normal graph apareceu um quadrante com significância abaixo de 5%. O FDT foi considerado anormal quando pelo menos uma região testada apresentou-se com defeito severo ou com a presença de dois defeitos moderados contíguos. Para o SWAP foram adotados os critérios de anormalidade propostos por Anderson. Análise de regressão logística foi realizada. RESULTADOS: Quando foram estudadas as tecnologias isoladamente, a análise de regressão logística apresentou melhores índices de razão das chances para glaucoma com exames positivos para o HRT (22,49), seguido pelo SWAP (21,71). FDT (3,97) e GDx (2,73). Quando se associaram exames positivos de diferentes tecnologias, as razões das chances aumentaram. Nos casos com exames de HRT, FDT e SWAP fora dos limites normais, a razão das chances foi de 252,6 e com HRT, SWAP e GDx alterados, 173,1. Quando associamos exames positivos de diferentes tecnologias, a razão das chances dos pacientes serem glaucomatosos aumentou consideravelmente, chegando a 689,7 com todos os exames fora dos limites normais, o que ocorreu em 26 pacientes deste estudo. CONCLUSÕES: A análise de regressão logística confirmou que a presença de exames alterados de HRT ou SWAP apresentam as maiores razões das chances de glaucoma. A associação de exames alterados aumentou a razão das chances, principalmente, quando o HRT e o SWAP estavam fora dos limites normais.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de OftalmologiaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)Universidade Federal do Triângulo MineiroUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de OftalmologiaUNIFESPSciEL

A capped octahedral MHC6 compound of a platinum group metal

A MHC6 complex of a platinum group metal with a capped octahedral arrangement of donor atoms around the metal center has been characterized. This osmium compound OsH{κ2-C,C-(PhBIm-C6H4)}3, which reacts with HBF4 to afford the 14 e− species [Os{κ2-C,C-(PhBIm-C6H4)}(Ph2BIm)2]BF4 stabilized by two agostic interactions, has been obtained by reaction of OsH6(PiPr3)2 with N,N′-diphenylbenzimidazolium chloride ([Ph2BImH]Cl) in the presence of NEt3. Its formation takes place through the C,C,C-pincer compound OsH2{κ3-C,C,C-(C6H4-BIm-C6H4)}(PiPr3)2, the dihydrogen derivative OsCl{κ2-C,C-(PhBIm-C6H4)}(η2-H2)(PiPr3)2, and the five-coordinate osmium(II) species OsCl{κ2-C,C-(PhBIm-C6H4)}(PiPr3)2.Financial support from the MINECO of Spain (Projects CTQ2014-52799-P and CTQ2014-51912-REDC), Gobierno de Aragón (E35), FEDER, and the European Social Fund is acknowledged.Peer reviewe

Development of a new tissue injector for subretinal transplantation of human embryonic stem cell derived retinal pigmented epithelium

Background: Subretinal cell transplantation is a challenging surgical maneuver. This paper describes the preliminary findings of a new tissue injector for subretinal implantation of an ultrathin non-absorbable substrate seeded with human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium (hESC-RPE). Methods: Ultrathin Parylene-C substrates measuring 3.5 mm × 6.0 mm seeded with hESC-RPE (implant referred to as CPCB-RPE1) were implanted into the subretinal space of 12 Yucatan minipigs. Animals were euthanized immediately after the procedure and underwent spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and histological analysis to assess the subretinal placement of the implant. Evaluation of the hESC-RPE cells seeded on the substrate was carried out before and after implantation using standard cell counting techniques. Results: The tissue injector delivered the CPCB-RPE1 implant through a 1.5 mm sclerotomy and a 1.0–1.5 mm retinectomy. SD-OCT scans and histological examination revealed that substrates were precisely placed in the subretinal space, and that the hESC-RPE cell monolayer continued to cover the surface of the substrate after the surgical procedure. Conclusion: This innovative tissue injector was able to efficiently deliver the implant in the subretinal space of Yucatan minipigs, preventing significant hESC-RPE cell loss, minimizing tissue trauma, surgical complications and postoperative inflammation

Pediatric Patients With Steroid-Sensitive Nephrotic Syndrome Have Higher Expression of T Regulatory Lymphocytes in Comparison to Steroid-Resistant Disease

Background and Aim: Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) is classified according to the response to drug therapy in steroid-sensitive (SS), steroid-dependent (SD), and steroid-resistant (SR) categories. Previous studies showed changes in inflammatory activity of subpopulations of lymphocytes in INS. This study aimed to compare SS and SR patients in regard to subpopulations of leukocytes, profile of regulatory lymphocytes, and migratory activity of lymphocyte subpopulations. Results obtained in INS patients were also compared to age and sex-matched healthy controls.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study including SS patients (n = 30), SR patients (n = 14), and controls (n = 10). Peripheral blood samples were withdrawn for ex-vivo leukocyte flow cytometry analysis.Results: Percentage of B-lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells were significantly reduced in SR patients when compared to controls, while the percentage of NKT cells were decreased in SS patients in comparison to controls. Percentages of CD4+ expressing FoxP3 and CTLA4 were significantly higher in SS patients in comparison to SR patients and controls. The expression of integrin CD18 on the surface of T lymphocytes (CD3+) was reduced in SS patients if compared to controls.Conclusion: This study found that SS INS patients have higher levels of regulatory T-lymphocytes and lower expression of adhesion molecules than SR patients

The Modular X- and Gamma-Ray Sensor (MXGS) of the ASIM Payload on the International Space Station

The Modular X- and Gamma-ray Sensor (MXGS) is an imaging and spectral X- and Gamma-ray instrument mounted on the starboard side of the Columbus module on the International Space Station. Together with the Modular Multi-Spectral Imaging Assembly (MMIA) (Chanrion et al. this issue) MXGS constitutes the instruments of the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) (Neubert et al. this issue). The main objectives of MXGS are to image and measure the spectrum of X- and γ-rays from lightning discharges, known as Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs), and for MMIA to image and perform high speed photometry of Transient Luminous Events (TLEs) and lightning discharges. With these two instruments specifically designed to explore the relation between electrical discharges, TLEs and TGFs, ASIM is the first mission of its kind. With an imaging system and a large detector area MXGS will, for the first time, allow estimation of the location of the source region and characterization of the energy spectrum of individual events. The sensors have fast readout electronics to minimize pileup effects, giving high time resolution of photon detection for comparison with measurements on μs-time scales of lightning processes measured by the MMIA and other sensors in space or on the ground. The detectors cover the large energy range of the relevant photon energies. In this paper we describe the scientific objectives, design, performance, imaging capabilities and operational modes of the MXGS instrument

Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 359 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

How long one lives, how many years of life are spent in good and poor health, and how the population's state of health and leading causes of disability change over time all have implications for policy, planning, and provision of services. We comparatively assessed the patterns and trends of healthy life expectancy (HALE), which quantifies the number of years of life expected to be lived in good health, and the complementary measure of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), a composite measure of disease burden capturing both premature mortality and prevalence and severity of ill health, for 359 diseases and injuries for 195 countries and territories over the past 28 years. Methods We used data for age-specific mortality rates, years of life lost (YLLs) due to premature mortality, and years lived with disability (YLDs) from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017 to calculate HALE and DALYs from 1990 to 2017. We calculated HALE using age-specific mortality rates and YLDs per capita for each location, age, sex, and year. We calculated DALYs for 359 causes as the sum of YLLs and YLDs. We assessed how observed HALE and DALYs differed by country and sex from expected trends based on Socio-demographic Index (SDI). We also analysed HALE by decomposing years of life gained into years spent in good health and in poor health, between 1990 and 2017, and extra years lived by females compared with males. Findings Globally, from 1990 to 2017, life expectancy at birth increased by 7·4 years (95% uncertainty interval 7·1-7·8), from 65·6 years (65·3-65·8) in 1990 to 73·0 years (72·7-73·3) in 2017. The increase in years of life varied from 5·1 years (5·0-5·3) in high SDI countries to 12·0 years (11·3-12·8) in low SDI countries. Of the additional years of life expected at birth, 26·3% (20·1-33·1) were expected to be spent in poor health in high SDI countries compared with 11·7% (8·8-15·1) in low-middle SDI countries. HALE at birth increased by 6·3 years (5·9-6·7), from 57·0 years (54·6-59·1) in 1990 to 63·3 years (60·5-65·7) in 2017. The increase varied from 3·8 years (3·4-4·1) in high SDI countries to 10·5 years (9·8-11·2) in low SDI countries. Even larger variations in HALE than these were observed between countries, ranging from 1·0 year (0·4-1·7) in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (62·4 years [59·9-64·7] in 1990 to 63·5 years [60·9-65·8] in 2017) to 23·7 years (21·9-25·6) in Eritrea (30·7 years [28·9-32·2] in 1990 to 54·4 years [51·5-57·1] in 2017). In most countries, the increase in HALE was smaller than the increase in overall life expectancy, indicating more years lived in poor health. In 180 of 195 countries and territories, females were expected to live longer than males in 2017, with extra years lived varying from 1·4 years (0·6-2·3) in Algeria to 11·9 years (10·9-12·9) in Ukraine. Of the extra years gained, the proportion spent in poor health varied largely across countries, with less than 20% of additional years spent in poor health in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, and Slovakia, whereas in Bahrain all the extra years were spent in poor health. In 2017, the highest estimate of HALE at birth was in Singapore for both females (75·8 years [72·4-78·7]) and males (72·6 years [69·8-75·0]) and the lowest estimates were in Central African Republic (47·0 years [43·7-50·2] for females and 42·8 years [40·1-45·6] for males). Globally, in 2017, the five leading causes of DALYs were neonatal disorders, ischaemic heart disease, stroke, lower respiratory infections, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Between 1990 and 2017, age-standardised DALY rates decreased by 41·3% (38·8-43·5) for communicable diseases and by 49·8% (47·9-51·6) for neonatal disorders. For non-communicable diseases, global DALYs increased by 40·1% (36·8-43·0), although age-standardised DALY rates decreased by 18·1% (16·0-20·2)