Biometry study of foveal isoplanatic patch variation for adaptive optics retinal imaging.

The change in ocular wavefront aberrations with visual angle determines the isoplanatic patch, defined as the largest field of view over which diffraction-limited retinal imaging can be achieved. Here, we study how the isoplanatic patch at the foveal center varies across 32 schematic eyes, each individualized with optical biometry estimates of corneal and crystalline lens surface topography, assuming a homogeneous refractive index for the crystalline lens. The foveal isoplanatic patches were calculated using real ray tracing through 2, 4, 6 and 8 mm pupil diameters for wavelengths of 400-1200 nm, simulating five adaptive optics (AO) strategies.

Dissociation between Corneal and Cardiometabolic Changes in Response to a Time-Restricted Feeding of a High Fat Diet.

Mice fed a high fat diet (HFD) ab libitum show corneal dysregulation, as evidenced by decreased sensitivity and impaired wound healing. Time-restricted (TR) feeding can effectively mitigate the cardiometabolic effects of an HFD. To determine if TR feeding attenuates HFD-induced corneal dysregulation, this study evaluated 6-week-old C57BL/6 mice fed an ad libitum normal diet (ND), an ad libitum HFD, or a time-restricted (TR) HFD for 10 days.

Novel Foveal Features Associated With Vision Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis.

Purpose: To characterize scattering and hyperreflective features in the foveal avascular zone of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) using adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) and to evaluate their relationship with visual function and MS disease characteristics.

Methods: Twenty subjects with MS underwent confocal reflectance and non-confocal split-detection AOSLO foveal imaging. Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was measured using optic nerve optical coherence tomography.

Platelet and Erythrocyte Extravasation across Inflamed Corneal Venules Depend on CD18, Neutrophils, and Mast Cell Degranulation.

Platelet extravasation during inflammation is under-appreciated. In wild-type (WT) mice, a central corneal epithelial abrasion initiates neutrophil (PMN) and platelet extravasation from peripheral limbal venules. The same injury in mice expressing low levels of the β-integrin, CD18 (CD18 mice) shows reduced platelet extravasation with PMN extravasation apparently unaffected.

Corneal dysfunction precedes the onset of hyperglycemia in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use a mouse model of diet-induced obesity to determine if corneal dysfunction begins prior to the onset of sustained hyperglycemia and if the dysfunction is ameliorated by diet reversal.

Methods: Six-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed a high fat diet (HFD) or a normal diet (ND) for 5-15 weeks. Diet reversal (DiR) mice were fed a HFD for 5 weeks, followed by a ND for 5 or 10 weeks.

Serial block-face scanning electron microscopy reveals neuronal-epithelial cell fusion in the mouse cornea.

The cornea is the most highly innervated tissue in the body. It is generally accepted that corneal stromal nerves penetrate the epithelial basal lamina giving rise to intra-epithelial nerves. During the course of a study wherein we imaged corneal nerves in mice, we observed a novel neuronal-epithelial cell interaction whereby nerves approaching the epithelium in the cornea fused with basal epithelial cells, such that their plasma membranes were continuous and the neuronal axoplasm freely abutted the epithelial cytoplasm.

NALP1 influences susceptibility to human congenital toxoplasmosis, proinflammatory cytokine response, and fate of Toxoplasma gondii-infected monocytic cells.

NALP1 is a member of the NOD-like receptor (NLR) family of proteins that form inflammasomes. Upon cellular infection or stress, inflammasomes are activated, triggering maturation of proinflammatory cytokines and downstream cellular signaling mediated through the MyD88 adaptor. Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that stimulates production of high levels of proinflammatory cytokines that are important in innate immunity.

P2X7 receptor-mediated killing of an intracellular parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, by human and murine macrophages.

The P2X7R is highly expressed on the macrophage cell surface, and activation of infected cells by extracellular ATP has been shown to kill intracellular bacteria and parasites. Furthermore, single nucleotide polymorphisms that decrease receptor function reduce the ability of human macrophages to kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis and are associated with extrapulmonary tuberculosis. In this study, we show that macrophages from people with the 1513C (rs3751143, NM_002562.

Genetic and epigenetic factors at COL2A1 and ABCA4 influence clinical outcome in congenital toxoplasmosis.

Background: Primary Toxoplasma gondii infection during pregnancy can be transmitted to the fetus. At birth, infected infants may have intracranial calcification, hydrocephalus, and retinochoroiditis, and new ocular lesions can occur at any age after birth. Not all children who acquire infection in utero develop these clinical signs of disease.

Antibody microarray analysis of inflammatory mediator release by human leukemia T-cells and human non small cell lung cancer cells.

Cytokines and chemokines are responsible for regulating inflammation and the immune response. Cytokine and chemokine release is typically measured by quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) or Western blot analysis. To expedite the analysis of samples for multiple cytokines/chemokines, we have developed slide-based Thermo Scientific ExcelArray Antibody Sandwich Microarrays.