Legacy Building in Pediatric End-of-Life Care through Innovative Use of a Digital Stethoscope.

Legacy making has been the focus of recent literature; however, few studies examine how legacy making affects bereaved parents. To better understand legacy making's effect on bereaved parents, this study examined (1) the presentation of legacy making to parents, (2) parent satisfaction, and (3) parent utilization of the project. Eko CORE (Eko Devices, Inc.

Evaluation of fixation stability using different targets with the MP1 microperimeter.

The aim of this study was to evaluate fixation stability using two different fixation targets with the Nidek MP1 microperimeter. Twenty-nine healthy subjects with a mean age of 26.53 ± 7.

Evaluation of eye movements pattern during reading process in patients with glaucoma: a microperimeter study.

Purpose: To assess eye movements pattern during reading process in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) using a microperimeter.

Methods: Thirty-two patients with POAG at early and moderate stage, according to Glaucoma Staging System 2, and 34 healthy age- and sex-matched subjects were included in the study. Reading speed and accuracy were previously evaluated with specific tests adjusted for age.

Raman microspectroscopy analysis in the treatment of acanthamoeba keratitis.

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a rare but serious corneal disease, often observed in contact lens wearers. Clinical treatment of infected patients frequently involves the use of polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), a polymer used as a disinfectant and antiseptic, which is toxic also for the epithelial cells of the cornea. Prompt and effective diagnostic tools are hence highly desiderable for both starting early therapy and timely suspension of the treatment.

Efficacy of Timolol 0.1% Gel and a Prostaglandin Analog in an Unfixed Combination Compared to the Corresponding Fixed Combinations.

Purpose: .

Methods: .

Results: ≤.

Anatomical and functional results of macular hole retinal detachment surgery in patients with high myopia and posterior staphyloma treated with perfluoropropane gas or silicone oil.

Purpose: To evaluate the use of perfluoropropane gas (C3F8) versus silicone oil (SO) for retinal detachment secondary to macular hole in patients with high myopia and posterior staphyloma.

Methods: In a retrospective study, 30 eyes of 30 patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy, and C3F8 (17 patients) or SO (13 patients) tamponade; internal limiting membrane peeling was performed successfully at the first surgery in 23 patients. High-density silicone oil tamponade was used for reoperations.

Glaucoma progression associated with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy.

The purpose of this article is to describe a case of open-angle glaucoma progression associated with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy. Single case analysis method is used. A 53-year-old woman with a previous diagnosis of glaucoma presented with progressive visual field loss.

Brain involvement in glaucoma: advanced neuroimaging for understanding and monitoring a new target for therapy.

On the basis of a large body of experimental data the notion that glaucoma damages retinal ganglion cells and central areas of the visual system has been put forward. The mechanisms underlying glaucomatous involvement of the central areas are not known: the most likely hypothesis is that this event is the result of an anterograde transynaptic neurodegeneration triggered by ganglion cells' death. However, it is possible that in some cases it may be the consequence of a neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system.

Treating retinal vein occlusions in France, Germany, and Italy: an analysis of treatment patterns, resource consumption, and costs.

Purpose: To describe treatment patterns among patients with central or branch retinal vein occlusion (CRVO or BRVO) in France, Germany, and Italy, and to estimate retinal vein occlusion (RVO)-related direct medical costs.

Methods: We used a retrospective chart review to determine 18-month RVO-related resource utilization and calculate 12-month health care costs. Country-specific unit costs (€) were assigned to each resource from the perspective of the health care payer.

3-T Diffusion tensor imaging of the optic nerve in subjects with glaucoma: correlation with GDx-VCC, HRT-III and Stratus optical coherence tomography findings.

Objectives: To correlate diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) of the optic nerve with morphological indices obtained by scanning laser polarimetry (GDx-VCC); confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (Heidelberg III retinal tomograph; HRT-III) and optical coherence tomography (Stratus OCT).

Methods: Thirty-six subjects (12 with no eye disease and 24 with perimetrically diagnosed glaucoma) were examined. One eye for each participant was studied with 3-Tesla DTI (with automatic generation of mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values); GDx-VCC, HRT-III and OCT.

Differences between proximal versus distal intraorbital optic nerve diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging properties in glaucoma patients.

Purpose: To analyze in vivo the diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) properties of the intraorbital optic nerve at two different levels: Proximal to the optic nerve head (ONH) and distal to the ONH at the level of the orbital apex in glaucoma patients.

Methods: Twenty-four patients with primary open-angle glaucoma were examined. The categorization into early and severe glaucoma was performed by Hodapp's classification.

Autologous conjunctival epithelium transplantation and scleral patch graft for postlensectomy wound leakage in Marfan syndrome.

Purpose: We report a case of woman with Marfan syndrome and longstanding postlensectomy scleral wound dehiscence.

Methods: A 34-year-old woman with Marfan syndrome who underwent lensectomy 20 years ago had conjunctival leakage with chronic hypotony and conjunctival cystic degeneration secondary to scleral wound dehiscence. Presentation, clinical evaluation, and particular treatment with autologous cultivated conjunctival epithelium transplantation and scleral patch graft are described.

Persistent epithelial defect after penetrating keratoplasty caused by adenoviral infectious keratitis.

A causal role of herpes simplex infection in persistent epithelial defect following penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) has been documented in the past. Instead, not much information is available on the role of adenovirus infection in delayed epithelization following PKP. Here, we describe a case of persistent epithelial defect due to adenoviral infection keratitis confirmed by PCR analysis.

Treatment of lacrimal stenoses obstructions with interventional radiology: immediate and 5-year follow-up results.

Purpose: This study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of the Song stent in patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction.

Materials And Methods: Between 2003 and 2007, we treated 76 consecutive nasolacrimal obstructions in 73 patients (mean age 56 years; range 19-81) with implantation of polyurethane stents. Indications were epiphora in 46 patients, dacryocystitis in 18 and recurrent conjunctivitis in three.

Modulation of Ku70/80, clusterin/ApoJ isoforms and Bax expression in indocyanine-green-mediated photo-oxidative cell damage.

Purpose: In order to characterize the biological effects and molecular mechanism underlying indocyanine-green (ICG)-mediated photo-oxidative cell damage, human cultured retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cells preloaded with ICG were exposed to 810-nm laser irradiation. Cell viability and death induction were examined, as well as the modulation of proteins involved in cell death and DNA repair.

Methods: ARPE-19 cells preloaded with 100 microM ICG were irradiated using continuous and micropulsed 810-nm laser for the dye photoactivation, and cell viability and apoptosis were evaluated.

Incidence of visual loss in the Ponza Eye Study, Italy.

Aim: To study the incidence of visual loss over a 12-year period in the survivors of an original cohort aged 40 years or older at baseline.

Methods: Visual acuity (VA) was measured by means of a standardized logMAR chart. World Health Organization definition of blindness and low vision was adopted (respectively, best-corrected VA >1.

Indocyanine green dye-enhanced micropulsed diode laser: a novel approach to subthreshold RPE treatment in a case of central serous chorioretinopathy.

Purpose: To present a case of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) treated with indocyanine green (ICG) dye-enhanced subthreshold micropulsed diode laser photocoagulation. METHODS CASE REPORT: A 35-year-old man presenting with recurrent CSC with persistent serous detachment of the sensory retina in his left eye who declined treatment with a 532 nm laser. Subthreshold treatment, with no visible endpoint, was performed with an 810 nm diode laser 15 minutes after the injection of 25 mg ICG in 2 cc of 5% glucose solution.

Association between lens opacities and mortality in the Priverno Eye Study.

Background: Lens opacities are associated with a higher risk of death, although there are some discrepancies regarding the specific types of cataract representing risk. The purpose of the present study was to further investigate the relationships between different types of lens opacity and patient survival.

Methods: In 1987, 860 residents of Priverno, Italy, aged 45-69 years underwent an ophthalmologic examination.

Apoptosis in the mechanisms of neuronal plasticity in the developing visual system.

Visual experience during early postnatal life is essential for normal development of synaptic connections in the visual system. In fact, altered visual experiences such as monocular deprivation (MD) or abnormal visual stimulation (e.g.

Multifaceted roles of nitric oxide in the lateral geniculate nucleus: from visual signal transduction to neuronal apoptosis.

The lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) is the thalamic relay of retinal inputs to the visual cortex. It contains a rich array of brain terminals, which modulate the visual signals to the cortex. Several data have documented that beside cholinergic, GABA-nergic, istaminergic, serotoninergic, and glutamatergic signals, the LGN contains also fibers and interneurons expressing the enzyme that produces nitric oxide (NO).

Incidence of blindness and low vision in a sample population: the Priverno Eye Study, Italy.

Purpose: To study the incidence of blindness and low vision over a 7-year period.

Design: Population-based cohort study.

Participants: The survivors of the original cohort of 860 persons from Priverno, Italy, aged 45 to 69 years, were reexamined.

Introduction. Apoptosis and neuroprotection an exciting and rapidly expanding field of research in ophthalmology.

None.