Patient-reported visual function outcomes in immediately sequential versus delayed sequential bilateral cataract surgery.

Purpose: To compare patient-reported visual function outcomes of immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS) and delayed sequential bilateral cataract surgery (DSBCS).

Methods: Single-center, randomised controlled trial of patients eligible for bilateral cataract surgery allocated to ISBCS or DSBCS. Patients filled out the Catquest-7SF questionnaire before surgery, 1 week after surgery, and 3 months after surgery.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Perception Threshold Tracking in the Detection of Small Fiber Damage in Type 1 Diabetes.

Aim: An objective assessment of small nerve fibers is key to the early detection of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). This study investigates the diagnostic accuracy of a novel perception threshold tracking technique in detecting small nerve fiber damage.

Methods: Participants with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) without DPN (n = 20), with DPN (n = 20), with painful DPN (n = 20) and 20 healthy controls (HCs) underwent perception threshold tracking on the foot and corneal confocal microscopy.

The use of in vivo confocal microscopy in fungal keratitis - Progress and challenges.

Fungal keratitis (FK) is a serious and sight-threatening corneal infection with global reach. The need for prompt diagnosis is paramount, as a delay in initiation of treatment could lead to irreversible vision loss. Current "gold standard" diagnostic methods, namely corneal smear and culture, have limitations due to diagnostic insensitivity and their time-consuming nature.

Validation of Catquest-9SF in Danish: developing a revised form of the Catquest-9SF - the Danish Catquest-7SF.

Purpose: The primary goal was to validate a Danish translated version of the Catquest-9SF by Rasch analysis. The secondary goal was to investigate whether preoperative Catquest-9SF scores, best-corrected visual acuity, comorbidity, gender, age or corneal astigmatism could predict improvements in subjective outcome.

Methods: In a prospective trial, 250 patients eligible for cataract surgery were included.

Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy: a controlled prospective study on visual recovery after endothelial keratoplasty.

Purpose: To investigate the determining factors of vision and subjective outcome after Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) for Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy (FECD).

Methods: In a prospective study, 41 FECD patients who received DSAEK were compared to 40 cataract patients with normal corneas who received cataract surgery (control group). Subjects were recruited between March 2013 and July 2014.

Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy: A Systematic Immunofluorescence Study of Collagen Type VIII Suggests Heterogeneous Pathophysiology.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the pathophysiologic heterogeneity of Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD).

Methods: We conducted a systematic immunofluorescence study on 39 Descemet membrane samples from FECD patients and compared these with 10 Descemet membrane samples from patients with pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (PBK) and 7 normal corneas. Samples were analyzed with immunofluorescence using antibodies to the α1-chain [collagen VIII α1-chain (COL8A1)] and α2-chain (COL8A2).

Evaluation of Endothelial Pump Function in Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy Before and After Endothelial Keratoplasty.

Purpose: To evaluate the endothelial pump function in vivo after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK).

Methods: In a prospective controlled trial, a group of 17 patients with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) eligible for DSAEK surgery and a group of 15 patients with cataract but with normal corneas eligible for cataract surgery (controls) were formed. A low oxygen-permeable contact lens was used to induce corneal edema.

The Ultrastructures and Mechanical Properties of the Descement's Membrane in Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy.

Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), is the most common corneal endothelial dystrophy, and contributes up to 50% of all corneal transplantations performed in developed countries. FECD develops in Descemet's membrane (DM) and possibly alters the mechanical properties and internal structures in this basal lamina. In this work, the morphology and mechanical properties of FECD-DMs are studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and quantitative dynamic atomic force microscopy (QD-AFM) at nano scale.

LASIK surgery of granular corneal dystrophy type 2 patients leads to accumulation and differential proteolytic processing of transforming growth factor beta-induced protein (TGFBIp).

More than 60 mutations in transforming growth factor beta-induced protein (TGFBIp) have been reported in humans causing a variety of phenotypic protein aggregates in the cornea, commonly termed corneal dystrophies. One mutation, generating an arginine to histidine amino acid substitution at position 124 in mature TGFBIp leads to granular corneal dystrophy type 2 (GCD2). Homozygous GCD2 cases develop massive protein accumulation early in life whereas heterozygous GCD2 cases become affected much later and generally with a much less severe outcome.

Additive effect of PTH (1-34) and zoledronate in the prevention of disuse osteopenia in rats.

Immobilization is known to cause a rapid bone loss due to increased osteoclastic bone resorption and decreased osteoblastic bone formation. Zoledronate (Zln) is a potent anti-resorptive pharmaceutical, while intermittent PTH is a potent bone anabolic agent. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether PTH or Zln alone or in combination could prevent immobilization-induced osteopenia.

Incidence and clinical characteristics of fungal keratitis in a Danish population from 2000 to 2013.

Purpose: Fungal keratitis is a severe sight-threatening condition. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and clinical characteristics of fungal keratitis patients living in a temperate climate.

Methods: By reviewing medical records from 2000 to July 2013, patients with fungal keratitis were identified.

Inverse cutting of posterior lamellar corneal grafts by a femtosecond laser.

Purpose: Posterior lamellar grafting of the cornea has become the preferred technique for treatment of corneal endothelial dysfunction. Posterior lamellar grafts are usually cut by a micro-keratome or a femto-second laser after the epithelial side of the donor cornea has been applanated. This approach often results in variable central graft thickness in different grafts and an increase in graft thickness towards the periphery in every graft.

[Early stage of Acanthamoeba keratitis].

We present a case of early detected Acanthamoeba keratitis. The patient was a 31 year-old female with keratitis who was referred to our clinic. Upon arrival the patient presented with subepithelial corneal infiltrates and radiating neuritis.

Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity after posterior lamellar keratoplasty.

Purpose: It has previously been reported that patients who suffer from Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy (Fuchs' ED) have decreased contrast sensibility threshold. The removal of endothelial guttata by Descemet's Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK) surgery has also been demonstrated to decrease intraocular light scatter and improve contrast thresholds. The purpose of this study was to compare different visual qualities in patients that had undergone DSAEK surgery in one eye while having untreated Fuchs' dystrophy in the other eye.

[New diagnostic update in Acanthamoeba keratitis].

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a rare but sight threatening condition. A major problem is that the disease is difficult to diagnose and often mistaken for herpes infection in its early stages. We present an update in diagnostics with the presentation of five recent cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis where the use of confocal microscopy and PCR based DNA analysis of epithelial scrapings played a pivotal role.

Microbial biomass C, N and P in two arctic soils and responses to addition of NPK fertilizer and sugar: implications for plant nutrient uptake.

The soil microbial carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) pools were quantified in the organic horizon of soils from an arctic/alpine low-altitude heath and a high-altitude fellfield by the fumigation-extraction method before and after factorial addition of sugar, NPK fertilizer and benomyl, a fungicide. In unamended soil, microbial C, N and P made up 3.3-3.