Potential Benefits of Integrin αvβ3 Antagonists in a Mouse Model of Experimental Dry Eye.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to extensively evaluate the efficacy of integrin αvβ3 antagonists for the treatment of experimental dry eye (EDE).

Methods: Vitronectin, an αvβ3 ligand, was used to induce tumor necrosis factor-α gene expression in human THP-1 macrophages. To induce EDE, C57BL/6 mice were housed in a low-humidity controlled environment chamber and injected subcutaneously with scopolamine for 7 days.

Dialysis Modality and Incident Stroke Among Patients With End-Stage Kidney Disease: A Registry-Based Cohort Study.

Background: Patients with end-stage kidney disease undergoing dialysis are at significant risk of stroke. Whether dialysis modality is associated with cerebrovascular disease is unclear. This study compared the risk of incident stroke in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis.

Association of diabetic retinopathy with risk of developing cardiovascular diseases in patients undergoing hemodialysis: A population-based cohort study.

Background And Aims: While patients undergoing dialysis have substantially increased cardiovascular event rates compared with the general population, predicting individual risk remains difficult. Whether diabetic retinopathy (DR) is associated with cardiovascular diseases in this population is unclear.

Methods And Results: We conducted a nationwide cohort study of 27,686 incident hemodialysis patients with type 2 diabetes who were enrolled in Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2014, and had follow-up data until December 31, 2015.

Retinal vasoproliferative tumor regression after intravitreal aflibercept.

Retinal vasoproliferative tumors (RVPTs) are rare benign retinal lesions typically located in the inferotemporal peripheral retina. Several treatment options exist for the management of RVPTs, but no consensus has been proposed. There are only a few reports on the use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor with bevacizumab to treat exudative or neovascular retinal changes secondary to RVPTs.

A short peptide derived from pigment epithelial-derived factor exhibits an angioinhibitory effect.

Background: Pigment epithelial-derived factor (PEDF), a 50 kDa secreted glycoprotein, exhibits distinct effects on a range of cell types. PEDF has been shown to inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated angiogenesis and widely accepted as a promising agent for treatment eye diseases related to neovascularization. A pool of short peptide fragments derived from PEDF reportedly manifests angioinhibitory activity.

Spousal Concordance in Dietary Behaviors and Metabolic Components, and Their Association: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study aims to investigate spousal concordance in dietary behaviors, spousal concordance in metabolic components (MCs), and their association. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Taiwan from November 2014 to May 2015. Matched-pair analysis, McNemar's test, logistic regression analysis, and stratified analysis were performed.

The Use of Autologous Serum to Reverse Severe Contact Lens-induced Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency.

Purpose: To describe the efficacy of autologous serum (AS) eye drops to reverse severe contact lens (CL)-induced limbal stem cell (LSC) deficiency (LSCD).

Methods: This is a prospective, uncontrolled, interventional case series that enrolled 20 eyes of 14 consecutive patients diagnosed with severe CL-induced LSCD at presentation, based on clinical examination, at a tertiary referral center for the period December 2016 to December 2018. All eyes underwent AS treatment for at least 2 weeks with a follow-up for at least 2 months.