AAV2-Mediated Subretinal Gene Transfer of hIFN-α Attenuates Experimental Autoimmune Uveoretinitis in Mice

BACKGROUND: Recent reports show that gene therapy may provide a long-term, safe and effective intervention for human diseases. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) based human interferon-alpha (hIFN-α) gene therapy in experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU), a classic model for human uveitis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: An AAV2 vector harboring the hIFN-α gene (AAV2.hIFN-α) was subretinally injected into B10RIII mice at two doses (1.5×10(6) vg, 1.5×10(8) vg). AAV2 vector encoding green fluorescent protein (AAV2.GFP) was used as a control (5×10(8) vg). The expression of hIFN-α in homogenized eyes and serum was detected by ELISA three weeks after injection. The biodistribution of vector DNA in the injected eyes, contralateral eyes and distant organs was determined by PCR. EAU was induced by immunization with IRBP(161-180) three weeks following vector injections, and evaluated clinically and pathologically. IRBP-specific proliferation and IL-17 expression of lymphocytes from the spleen and lymph nodes were assayed to test the influence of the subretinal delivery of AAV2.hIFN-α on the systemic immune response. hIFN-α was effectively expressed in the eyes from three weeks to three months following subretinal injection of AAV2.hIFN-α vector. DNA of AAV2.GFP was observed only in the injected eyes, but not in the distant organs or contralateral eyes. Subretinal injection of both doses significantly attenuated EAU activity clinically and histologically. For the lower dose, there was no difference concerning lymphocyte proliferation and IL-17 production among the AAV2.hIFN-α, AAV2.GFP and PBS injected mice. However, the higher dose of AAV2.hIFN-α significantly suppressed lymphocyte proliferation and IL-17 production. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Subretinal delivery of AAV2.hIFN-α lead to an effective expression within the eye for at least three months and significantly attenuated EAU activity. AAV2.hIFN-α was shown to inhibit the systemic IRBP-specific immune response

Mídias Sociais e Administração Pública: Análise do sentimento social perante a atuação do governo federal brasileiro

Este estudo procurou identificar como a análise de sentimento, baseada em textos extraídos de mídias sociais, pode ser um instrumento de mensuração da opinião pública sobre a atuação do governo de forma a contribuir para a avaliação da administração pública. Trata-se de um estudo aplicado, interdisciplinar, exploratório, qualitativo e quantitativo. Foram revisadas as principais formulações teóricas e conceituais acerca do tema e realizadas demonstrações práticas, utilizando-se uma ferramenta de mineração de opinião que proporcionou precisão satisfatória no processamento de dados. Para fins de demonstração, foram selecionados temas que motivaram a realização da onda de protestos que envolveu milhões de pessoas no Brasil em junho de 2013. Foram coletadas, processadas e analisadas, aproximadamente, 130.000 mensagens postadas no Facebook e no Twitter sobre esses temas em dois períodos distintos. Por meio desta investigação, observou-se que a análise de sentimento pode revelar a opinião polarizada dos cidadãos quanto à atuação do governo

ANNALS OF OPHTHALMOLOGY & GLAUCOMA

This study reports on the intracellular effects of photocoagulation and photothrombosis applications on experimental corneal neovascularization created in rabbit eyes. Some vessels were left untreated as controls while others were subjected to argon laser photocoagulation and photothrombosis. The resulting ultrastructural changes, which take place relatively moderately in photocoagulation compared with those in photothrombosis, were responsible for the vessel blockage occurring at low energy levels in photothrombosis

The comparison of intravitreal triamcinolone and bevacizumab in patients with macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion

Gokcen Gokce,1 Gungor Sobaci,2 Ali Hakan Durukan,2 Fazil Cuneyt Erdurman31Department of Ophthalmology, Sarikamis Military Hospital, Kars, Turkey; 2Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey; 3Department of Ophthalmology, Canakkale Military Hospital, Canakkale, TurkeyPurpose: This study was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) and intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) in the treatment of macular edema related to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), using the new optical coherence tomography parameters.Material and methods: The medical records of 62 patients (IVTA n=26; IVB n=36) with macular edema secondary to BRVO and at least 12 months follow-up between 2007 and 2011 were evaluated by within-group and inter-group comparisons.Results: Both groups were similar in terms of demographic characteristics (P>0.05). Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improvement and central subfoveal thickness (CST) reduction were significantly higher in the IVTA group at only the third month (P<0.05). In nonischemic BRVO, while BCVA improvement was significantly higher in the IVTA group at the third and sixth months (P<0.05), no significant difference was found in CST reduction at all visits (P>0.05). In ischemic BRVO, no significant difference was found in BCVA improvement at all visits, but CST reduction was significantly higher in the IVTA group at the first and third months. Logarithmic optical coherence tomography change (LogOCTc) and relative change in retinal thickness (RCRT) showed the same levels of significance in the comparisons. Relative change in retinal thickening (RCRTing) was more valuable compared to the other parameters in the subgroup analyses.Conclusion: There was no difference between groups at the 12th month. IVTA was more efficient than IVB in regard to BCVA improvement in nonischemic BRVO in the early follow-up. IVTA made significant retinal thinning compared to IVB in ischemic BRVO in the early period. RCRTing and LogOCTc are important parameters used to monitor the response to treatment in BRVO. Because of the similar levels of significance, RCRT and LogOCTc can be used interchangeably.Keywords: branch retinal vein occlusion, bevacizumab, macular edema, triamcinolon

13a. Les hypothèses de mesurage du modèle de Guttman

Cet article montre que le modèle hiérarchique de Guttman, qui stipule que les descriptions auxquelles on s'intéresse sont simplement ordonnées (1), est un modèle de mesure ordinale (2) et discute l'attitude à adopter face à des observations falsifiantes (3). Ce modèle s'applique à la situation suivante : plusieurs personnes passent le même test constitué de plusieurs items et on espère pouvoir utiliser les descriptions résultantes comme des mesures permettant de comparer les élèves les uns pa..