European Vitreoretinal Society Macular Hole Study, Prognostic Factors for Anatomical and Functional Success

Background: To identify prognostic preoperative and intraoperative factors for anatomical and visual success of idiopathic macular hole (MH) surgery. Methods: We conducted a non-randomized, collaborative multicenter study using data of 4207 MH surgery from 140 surgeons. Main study outcomes were anatomical closure and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improvement postoperative at 6-12 months. Results: Information on anatomical success was available for 4138 eyes of 4207 operations. Anatomical closure of MH was achieved in 85.7% (3546 eyes). Closure was higher in smaller MH (stages 1-2 versus stage 3: OR=0.35; stage 2 versus stage 4: OR=0.16, and in MH with shorter duration before the operation (OR=0.94). Macular Holes were more likely to close when dyes were used to facilitate internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling (odds ratio=1.73 to 3.58). The most important predictors of postoperative BCVA were the preoperative BCVA (estimate=0.39, p<0.001) and closure of the macular hole (estimate=0.34, p<0.001). We observed Larger improvement in BCVA in combined vitrectomy and phacoemulsification (estimate = 0.10) and post cataract surgery in phakic eyes (estimate=0.05). Retinal tears occurred in 5.1% of eyes, and were less with use of trocars (OR= -1.246) and in combined vitrectomy/ phacoemulsification surgery (OR= -0.688). Conclusion: This international survey confirmed that staining with dyes improves anatomical results but not visual outcomes. After surgery, visual acuity improved during the first year, and final visual acuity was better in both pseudophakic eyes and eyes that underwent cataract surgery during the first year following MH repair

The Milky Way Tomography with SDSS: III. Stellar Kinematics

We study Milky Way kinematics using a sample of 18.8 million main-sequence stars with r<20 and proper-motion measurements derived from SDSS and POSS astrometry, including ~170,000 stars with radial-velocity measurements from the SDSS spectroscopic survey. Distances to stars are determined using a photometric parallax relation, covering a distance range from ~100 pc to 10 kpc over a quarter of the sky at high Galactic latitudes (|b|>20 degrees). We find that in the region defined by 1 kpc <Z< 5 kpc and 3 kpc <R< 13 kpc, the rotational velocity for disk stars smoothly decreases, and all three components of the velocity dispersion increase, with distance from the Galactic plane. In contrast, the velocity ellipsoid for halo stars is aligned with a spherical coordinate system and appears to be spatially invariant within the probed volume. The velocity distribution of nearby ($Z<1$ kpc) K/M stars is complex, and cannot be described by a standard Schwarzschild ellipsoid. For stars in a distance-limited subsample of stars (<100 pc), we detect a multimodal velocity distribution consistent with that seen by HIPPARCOS. This strong non-Gaussianity significantly affects the measurements of the velocity ellipsoid tilt and vertex deviation when using the Schwarzschild approximation. We develop and test a simple descriptive model for the overall kinematic behavior that captures these features over most of the probed volume, and can be used to search for substructure in kinematic and metallicity space. We use this model to predict further improvements in kinematic mapping of the Galaxy expected from Gaia and LSST.Comment: 90 pages, 26 figures, submitted to Ap

The Interaction Between Pubertal Timing and Peer Popularity for Boys and Girls: An Integration of Biological and Interpersonal Perspectives on Adolescent Depression

Abstract The transition to adolescence marks a time of sharply increased vulnerability to the development of depression, particularly among girls. Past research has examined isolated risk factors from individual theoretical models (e.g., biological, interpersonal, and cognitive) of depression, but few have examined integrative models. This study investigated the conjoint effects of early pubertal timing and popularity in the longitudinal prediction of depressive symptoms. A total of 319 girls and 294 boys (ages 11-14) provided information on their pubertal status, depressive symptoms, and the social status (i.e., popularity) of their peers. Adolescents completed a second measure of depressive symptoms 11 months after the initial time point. Findings supported an integrated biological-interpersonal model in explaining the development of depressive symptoms during adolescence. Early pubertal development was associated with increase in depressive symptoms only when accompanied by low levels of popularity. High levels of popularity buffered the association between early pubertal development and later depressive symptoms. Unexpectedly, these results were significant both for girls and boys. Results are discussed in terms of dynamic systems theories

The Interaction Between Pubertal Timing and Peer Popularity for Boys and Girls: An Integration of Biological and Interpersonal Perspectives on Adolescent Depression

The transition to adolescence marks a time of sharply increased vulnerability to the development of depression, particularly among girls. Past research has examined isolated risk factors from individual theoretical models (e.g., biological, interpersonal, and cognitive) of depression, but few have examined integrative models. This study investigated the conjoint effects of early pubertal timing and popularity in the longitudinal prediction of depressive symptoms. A total of 319 girls and 294 boys (ages 11–14) provided information on their pubertal status, depressive symptoms, and the social status (i.e., popularity) of their peers. Adolescents completed a second measure of depressive symptoms 11 months after the initial time point. Findings supported an integrated biological-interpersonal model in explaining the development of depressive symptoms during adolescence. Early pubertal development was associated with increase in depressive symptoms only when accompanied by low levels of popularity. High levels of popularity buffered the association between early pubertal development and later depressive symptoms. Unexpectedly, these results were significant both for girls and boys. Results are discussed in terms of dynamic systems theories

Strategy for the management of diabetic macular edema: the European Vitreo-Retinal Society macular edema study

Objective. To compare the efficacy of different therapies in the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). Design. Nonrandomized, multicenter clinical study. Participants. 86 retina specialists from 29 countries provided clinical information on 2,603 patients with macular edema including 870 patients with DME. Methods. Reported data included the type and number of treatment(s) performed, the pre-and posttreatment visual acuities, and other clinical findings.The results were analyzed by the French INSEE (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies). Main Outcome Measures. Mean change of visual acuity and mean number of treatments performed. Results.The change in visual acuity over time in response to each treatment was plotted in second order polynomial regression trend lines. Intravitreal triamcinolone monotherapy resulted in some improvement in vision. Treatmentwith threshold or subthreshold grid laser also resulted in minimal vision gain. Anti-VEGF therapy resulted in more significant visual improvement. Treatment with pars plana vitrectomy and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling alone resulted in an improvement in vision greater than that observed with anti-VEGF injection alone. In our DME study, treatment with vitrectomy and ILM peeling alone resulted in the better visual improvement compared to other therapies

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey: Technical Summary

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) will provide the data to support detailed investigations of the distribution of luminous and non- luminous matter in the Universe: a photometrically and astrometrically calibrated digital imaging survey of pi steradians above about Galactic latitude 30 degrees in five broad optical bands to a depth of g' about 23 magnitudes, and a spectroscopic survey of the approximately one million brightest galaxies and 10^5 brightest quasars found in the photometric object catalog produced by the imaging survey. This paper summarizes the observational parameters and data products of the SDSS, and serves as an introduction to extensive technical on-line documentation.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, AAS Latex. To appear in AJ, Sept 200

Pneumatic retinopexy for displaced macular laceration from intraocular foreign body

Purpose: To report a case of macular laceration from intraocular foreign body (IOFB) treated with pneumatic retinopexy. Observations: A 74 year old man sustained penetrating injury to his left globe with retained metallic intraocular foreign body (IOFB). The patient underwent prompt pars plana vitrectomy, intravitreal antibiotics and removal of IOFB. The posterior point of impact left a displaced foveo-macular laceration which was recognized postoperatively and treated with pneumatic retinopexy for re-approximation of the foveal tissue. Optical coherence tomography confirmed acute traumatic laceration and edema, closure of the tissue and subsequent healing and adjacent retinal and retinal pigment epithelial atrophy. He regained visual acuity of 20/30. Conclusions and importance: Traumatic macular lacerations can be treated with pneumatic retinopexy, after pars plana vitrectomy, with potentially good visual result