Chromatic Pupillometry as a Putative Screening Tool for Heritable Retinal Disease in Rhesus Macaques.

Purpose: Non-human primates (NHPs) are useful models for human retinal disease. Chromatic pupillometry has been proposed as a noninvasive method of identifying inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) in humans; however, standard protocols employ time-consuming dark adaptation. We utilized shortened and standard dark-adaptation protocols to compare pupillary light reflex characteristics following chromatic stimulation in rhesus macaques with achromatopsia to wild-type (WT) controls with normal retinal function.

Retinal degeneration in mice and humans with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 8.

Background: Ceroid lipofuscinosis type 8 belongs to a heterogenous group of vision and life-threatening neurodegenerative diseases, neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL). Effective therapy is limited to a single drug for treatment of ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2, necessitating animal disease models to facilitate further therapeutic development. Murine models are advantageous for therapeutic development due to easy genetic manipulation and rapid breeding, however appropriate genetic models need to be identified and characterized before being used for therapy testing.

Effect of intracameral epinephrine on heart rate, post-operative ocular hypertension, and long-term outcome following canine phacoemulsification.

Purpose: To determine the effect of intrsacameral epinephrine on heart rate, blood pressure, post-operative ocular hypertension, and complications following canine phacoemulsification.

Procedures: A prospective, double-blinded, controlled trial was carried out using 30 client-owned dogs undergoing phacoemulsification. Eyes were randomly assigned to a treatment group receiving intracameral (IC) epinephrine (n = 31) or balanced salt solution (n = 25) at the beginning of surgery.

Evaluation of retinal morphology of canine sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome using optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography.

Purpose: To describe the optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fluorescein angiography changes in dogs with sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS).

Methods: Retinal OCT was performed on 10 SARDS dogs and eight control dogs. Tomograms were collected in four quadrants around the optic nerve.

Risk of fatal and nonfatal lactic acidosis with metformin use in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Metformin is an oral anti-hyperglycemic agent that has been shown to reduce total mortality compared to other anti-hyperglycemic agents, in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metformin, however, is thought to increase the risk of lactic acidosis, and has been considered to be contraindicated in many chronic hypoxemic conditions that may be associated with lactic acidosis, such as cardiovascular, renal, hepatic and pulmonary disease, and advancing age.

Objectives: To assess the incidence of fatal and nonfatal lactic acidosis, and to evaluate blood lactate levels, for those on metformin treatment compared to placebo or non-metformin therapies.