Combined Anterior Sclera Staphylectomy and Vitrectomy with Anterior Sclera Staphyloma and Vitreous Hemorrhage Occurring 38 Years after Cataract Surgery

Introduction. To report a case of anterior sclera staphyloma and vitreous hemorrhage occurring over 38 years after bilateral cataract surgery. Methods. A 58-year-old man presented with anterior sclera staphyloma and vitreous hemorrhage in the right eye, after bilateral cataract surgery, over 38 years ago. We performed combined anterior sclera staphylectomy and vitrectomy of right eye for anterior sclera staphyloma and vitreous hemorrhage. Results. Forty-eight months after the combined surgery, best-corrected visual acuity was 0.3 (+10.00/−4.50 × 60) with eutopic stitches of the corneoscleral junction on the superior nasal quadrant and a stable ocular surface. Conclusions. This is the first reported case of anterior sclera staphyloma with vitreous hemorrhage successfully managed by combined surgery

Short-term effect of a developed warming moist chamber goggle for video display terminal-associated dry eye

Abstract Background Video display terminal (VDT)-associated dry eye (DE) patients are the rising group worldwide, and moisture goggles are the preferable treatment since they are capable of improving tear film stability and DE discomfort. The current study aims to evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of the developed warming moist chamber goggles (WMCGs) for VDT-associated DE patients. Methods In this prospective self-control study, 22 DE patients (22 eyes) working with VDTs over 4 h daily were enrolled and instructed to wear WMCGs for 15 min. Sodium hyaluronate (SH, 0.1%) eyedrops were applied as a control on another day on these same patients, however 4 subjects denied the eyedrop application. The symptomatology visual analog scale (VAS) score, tear meniscus height (TMH), noninvasive tear film break-up time (NI-BUT), tear film lipid layer thickness (LLT), and bulbar conjunctival redness were assessed with Keratograph 5 M at baseline, 5, 30 and 60 min after treatment. The WMCGs wearing comfort was also evaluated. Results The ocular discomfort evaluated by VAS decreased in the WMCGs group throughout 60 min (P<0.001), better than the control group levels (P ≤ 0.015). TMH, NI-BUT (including the first BUT and average BUT) increased than baseline level accross 60 min in the WMCG group (P ≤ 0.012), while those in the control group only showed temporary improvements in 5 min. LLT also increased obviously after WMCGs wear, while the change in the control group was nearly innoticeable. No adverse responses were detected. Conclusions Temporary use of the WMCGs is able to relieve ocular discomfort, and improves tear film stability in DE patients for at least 1 h, making it a promising alternative to other treatments

Exfoliation of Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets Using Surface Acoustic Waves

Two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets have recently received extensive attention due to their ultra-thin thickness, large specific surface area, chemical and functional designability. In this study, an unconventional method using surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology is proposed to exfoliate large quantities and uniform layers of 2D MOF-Zn2(bim)4 nanosheets in a microfluidic system. We successfully demonstrated that the thickness of 2D MOF is effectively and accurately controlled by optimizing the SAW parameters. The mechanisms for the efficient exfoliation of 2D MOF nanosheets is attributed to both the electric and acoustic fields generated by the SAWs in the liquid. The electric field ionizes the methanol to produce H + ions, which intercalate Zn2(bim)4 sheets and weaken the interlayer bonding, and the strong shear force generated by SAWs separates the MOF sheets. A yield of 66 for monolayer MOFs with a maximum size of 3.5 μm is achieved under the combined effect of electric and acoustic fields. This fast, low-energy exfoliation platform has the potential to provide a simple and scalable microfluidic exfoliation method for production of large-area and quantities of 2D MOFs

iTRAQ-Based Proteomic Analysis of Visual Cycle-Associated Proteins in RPE of rd12 Mice before and after RPE65 Gene Delivery

Purpose. To investigate the iTRAQ-based proteomic changes of visual cycle-associated proteins in RPE of rd12 mice before and after RPE65 gene delivery. Mehtods. The right eyes of rd12 mice underwent RPE65 gene delivery by subretinal injection at P14, leaving the left eyes as control. C57BL/6J mice were served as a wide-type control group. ERGs were recorded at P42, and RPE-choroid-sclera complex was collected to evaluate the proteomic changes in visual cycle-associated proteins by iTRAQ-based analysis. Western blot was used to confirm the changes in the differentially expressed proteins of interest. Results. ERG parameters improved dramatically at P42 after RPE65 delivery. The proteomics analysis identified a total 536 proteins with a global false discovery rate of 0.21%, out of which 7 were visual cycle-associated proteins. RALBP-1, RBP-1, and IRBP were reduced in the untreated rd12 eyes and the former two were improved after gene therapy, confirmed by Western blot analysis. Conclusions. RPE65 gene delivery restored retinal function at P42 and modified the expression of other functional proteins implicated in the visual cycle. The level of RALBP-1 was still below the normal level after gene therapy in rd12 mice, which may explain the delayed dark adaption in LCA patients undergoing similar therapy

iTRAQ-Based Proteomic Analysis of Visual Cycle-Associated Proteins in RPE of rd12 Mice before and after RPE65 Gene Delivery

Purpose. To investigate the iTRAQ-based proteomic changes of visual cycle-associated proteins in RPE of rd12 mice before and after RPE65 gene delivery. Mehtods. The right eyes of rd12 mice underwent RPE65 gene delivery by subretinal injection at P14, leaving the left eyes as control. C57BL/6J mice were served as a wide-type control group. ERGs were recorded at P42, and RPE-choroid-sclera complex was collected to evaluate the proteomic changes in visual cycle-associated proteins by iTRAQ-based analysis. Western blot was used to confirm the changes in the differentially expressed proteins of interest. Results. ERG parameters improved dramatically at P42 after RPE65 delivery. The proteomics analysis identified a total 536 proteins with a global false discovery rate of 0.21%, out of which 7 were visual cycle-associated proteins. RALBP-1, RBP-1, and IRBP were reduced in the untreated rd12 eyes and the former two were improved after gene therapy, confirmed by Western blot analysis. Conclusions. RPE65 gene delivery restored retinal function at P42 and modified the expression of other functional proteins implicated in the visual cycle. The level of RALBP-1 was still below the normal level after gene therapy in rd12 mice, which may explain the delayed dark adaption in LCA patients undergoing similar therapy

iTRAQ-Based Proteomic Analysis of Visual Cycle-Associated Proteins in RPE of rd12 Mice before and after RPE65 Gene Delivery

Purpose. To investigate the iTRAQ-based proteomic changes of visual cycle-associated proteins in RPE of rd12 mice before and after RPE65 gene delivery. Mehtods. The right eyes of rd12 mice underwent RPE65 gene delivery by subretinal injection at P14, leaving the left eyes as control. C57BL/6J mice were served as a wide-type control group. ERGs were recorded at P42, and RPE-choroid-sclera complex was collected to evaluate the proteomic changes in visual cycle-associated proteins by iTRAQ-based analysis. Western blot was used to confirm the changes in the differentially expressed proteins of interest. Results. ERG parameters improved dramatically at P42 after RPE65 delivery. The proteomics analysis identified a total 536 proteins with a global false discovery rate of 0.21%, out of which 7 were visual cycle-associated proteins. RALBP-1, RBP-1, and IRBP were reduced in the untreated rd12 eyes and the former two were improved after gene therapy, confirmed by Western blot analysis. Conclusions. RPE65 gene delivery restored retinal function at P42 and modified the expression of other functional proteins implicated in the visual cycle. The level of RALBP-1 was still below the normal level after gene therapy in rd12 mice, which may explain the delayed dark adaption in LCA patients undergoing similar therapy

Preventing corneal blindness caused by keratitis using artificial intelligence

Keratitis is the main cause of corneal blindness worldwide, but most vision loss caused by keratitis can be avoidable via early detection and treatment, which are challenging in resource-limited settings. Here, the authors develop a deep learning system for the automated classification of keratitis and other cornea abnormalities

Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects of Indomethacin on Human Retinoblastoma Cell Line Y79 and the Involvement of beta-Catenin, Nuclear Factor-kappa B and Akt Signaling Pathways

Background: To determine in vitro if indomethacin inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in human retinoblastoma cell line Y79, and to explore possibly involved signaling pathways. Methods:The human retinoblastoma cell line Y79 was cultured with indomethacin at various concentrations (0, 25, 50, 100,200 and 400 mu mol/l). The effect of indomethacin on cell proliferation and apoptosis was examined by the Cell Counting Kit-8 and TUNEL test, respectively. The mRNA level of survivin, beta-catenin and BcI-2 was detected by RTPCR. The protein level of survivin was measured by ELISA. Western blot was used to analyze beta-catenin, nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B/p65, phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) and total Akt (tAkt) expression in cultured cells. Results: Indomethacin treatment inhibits proliferation (at concentrations from 25 to 400 [mu mol/l) and induces apoptosis (at concentrations from 100 to 400 mu mol/l) of human retinoblastonna cell line Y79 in a dose-dependent manner. RT-PCR showed that the mRNA expression of BcI-2 (F = 20.497; p < 0.001) and of beta-catenin (F = 14.835; p < 0.001) was significantly different among the treated groups. Survivin mRNA levels remained steady, but its protein levels decreased significantly as measured by ELISA (F = 67.633; p < 0.001). Western blot analysis showed a dose-dependent downregulation of beta-catenin (F = 37.411; p <0.001), NF-kappa B/p65 (F = 16.302; p <0.001) and of pAkt (F = 27.700; p < 0.001) after indomethacin treatment, while tAkt protein expression was steady among the groups. Conclusions:Treatment with indomethacin can potently suppress proliferation and induce apoptosis in the retinoblastoma Y79 cell line. Wnt/beta-catenin, NF-kappa B and Akt/PKB pathways might be implicated in the process. (C) 2013 S. Karger AG, Base