CD3+CD4-CD8- Double-Negative Lymphocytes Are Increased in the Aqueous Humor of Patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa: Their Possible Role in Mediating Inflammation.

Recently, evidence has supported a significant role for immune and oxidative-mediated damage underlying the pathogenesis of different types of retinal diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Our study aimed to evaluate the presence of immune cells and mediators in patients with RP using flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood (PB) and aqueous humor (AH) samples. We recruited 12 patients with RP and nine controls undergoing cataract surgery.

Efficacy and safety of treat-and-extend intravitreal brolucizumab in naive and switched patients with macular neovascularization: one-year follow-up study.

Background: to analyze, at one year, the efficacy and safety of treat-and-extend (T&E) intravitreal (IV) Brolucizumab in patients affected by macular neovascularization (MNV). Both naïve and previously treated (i.e.

Refractive outcome in combined phacovitrectomy: Anterior segment changes and corrective factor for IOL power calculation improvement.

Purpose: To analyze differences in refractive outcome Δ (difference between postoperative and expected refractive error) and in anterior segment changes between cataract surgery patients and combined phacovitrectomy patients. We also aimed to provide a corrective formula allowing to minimise the refractive outcome Δ in combined surgery patients.

Methods: Candidates for phacoemulsification and combined phacovitrectomy (respectively PHACO and COMBINED groups) were prospectively enrolled in two specialised centres.

Refractive error after combined phaco-vitrectomy: A multicentric study.

Purpose: To study the post-operative refractive error (RE) of patients undergoing combined phaco-vitrectomy and to find out which intraocular lens (IOL)-power formula had the best refractive outcomes.

Methods: In this retrospective multicentric study we compared the preoperative expected target with the postoperative RE of patients undergoing combined phaco-vitrectomy due to vitreomacular traction, macular pucker, full thickness macular hole or lamellar macular hole. A multinomial logistic regression was performed to compare the postoperative REs and the differences between expected and postoperative REs among the SRK-T, Olsen's and Holladay-2 formulas.

Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy Retromode Imaging Compared to Fundus Autofluorescence in Detecting Outer Retinal Features in Central Serous Chorioretinopathy.

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is a retinal disease characterized by a heterogeneous clinical phenotype, depending on the influence of different factors in its pathogenesis, including the presence of subretinal fluid (SRF), trophism of the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and choroidal hyper-permeability. Our study has the purpose of assessing the ability of scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO) retromode imaging, compared to fundus autofluorescence (FAF), to identify outer retinal features in a cohort of patients with a diagnosis of CSCR. A total of 27 eyes of 21 patients were enrolled in our study.

Choriocapillaris Vascular Density Changes: Healthy vs. Advanced Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration Previously Treated with Multiple Anti-VEGF Intravitreal Injections.

Purpose: To assess choriocapillaris vascular density (VD) in healthy and advanced exudative age-related macular degeneration (ae-AMD) patients by new full-range optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A).

Method: In this observational, cross-sectional study, 21 healthy and 21 ae-AMD eyes, already treated with anti-VEGF, were enrolled. Angio-View retina patterns centered on fovea (6.

Vitreoschisis and retinal detachment: New insight in proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

Purpose: To assess the occurrence of peripheral vitreoschisis-induced vitreous cortex remnants (p-VCRs) in primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD) and investigate whether the presence of p-VCRs results in a greater risk of RD recurrence, secondary to Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy (PVR) development after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV).

Methods: Patients who underwent PPV for primary rhegmatogenous RD between January 2016 and December 2018 were included. The presence of residual p-VCRs was confirmed intraoperatively using triamcinolone acetonide (TA).

Swept-source OCT reduces the risk of axial length measurement errors in eyes with cataract and epiretinal membranes.

Aims: To compare the biometric data from partial coherence interferometry (PCI) and swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) in patients with age-related cataract and epiretinal membrane (ERM): ERM, ERM with foveoschisis and macular pseudohole.

Methods: 49 eyes of 49 subjects including 36 ERM, 9 ERM foveoschisis and 4 macular pseudohole were analysed to evaluate the axial length (AL) measurements and the presence of AL measurement errors, defined basing on the shape of the biometric output graphs and on the concordance of AL values between instruments. Eyes with ERM were divided in four stages according to OCT features (i.

The Role of OCT Angiography in the Assessment of Epiretinal Macular Membrane.

Background: The aim of this observational study is to assess pre- and postoperative retinochoroidal vascular changes in patients undergoing epiretinal macular membrane (ERM) surgery by using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Materials And Methods: 23 eyes affected by ERM and those which underwent phacovitrectomy associated with ERM peeling were enrolled. They were evaluated using structural OCT and OCTA before surgery and at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively.

Dexamethasone/Netilmicin Eye Drops and Eye Gel for the Treatment of Ocular Inflammation After Micro-Incisional Vitreoretinal Surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of dexamethasone/netilmicin (dexa/net) fixed combination in the treatment of ocular inflammation after sutureless micro-incisional vitreoretinal surgery (MIVS).

Patients And Methods: This multicenter, open, randomized, active-controlled, parallel-group, clinical trial was run in 6 sites in Italy. Treatment started the day of surgery and continued 4 times daily for 14 days.

Human amniotic membrane plug to promote failed macular hole closure.

The failed macular hole is a full-thickness defect involving the fovea that fails to close despite 1 or more surgeries. While many surgical options have been proposed to manage it, none of these guarantee complete anatomical success and satisfactory visual recovery. We report postoperative outcomes on 36 patients affected by failed macular hole, treated with a human amniotic membrane plug transplant.

Scleral Buckling Using Chandelier and Releasable Suture: A Useful Surgical Variant.

Purpose: To describe a surgical variant for scleral buckling technique using a chandelier and scleral releasable suture.

Methods: We collected retrospectively 20 eyes of 20 patients who underwent to scleral buckling for retinal detachment. In all cases, the surgeons performed the surgical variant of scleral buckling using a 27-gauge (G) chandelier as endoillumination and releasable 7.

Morpho-Functional Evaluation of Full-Thickness Macular Holes by the Integration of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography and Microperimetry.

(1) Objective: To use optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and microperimetry (MP) to evaluate the correlation between retinal structure and function in patients with idiopathic, full-thickness macular holes (FTMHs) (2) Methods: This prospective, observational study included 11 eyes of 10 patients with FTMHs evaluated before surgery using OCTA and MP. MP sensitivity maps were superimposed and registered on slabs corresponding to superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) on OCTA, and on the outer plexiform layer (OPL) and the Henle fiber layer (HFL) complex in en face OCT. On these maps, mean retinal sensitivity was calculated at 2° and 4°, all centered on the FTMH.

Patient-Specific iPSC-Derived Endothelial Cells Provide Long-Term Phenotypic Correction of Hemophilia A.

We generated patient-specific disease-free induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from peripheral blood CD34+ cells and differentiated them into functional endothelial cells (ECs) secreting factor VIII (FVIII) for gene and cell therapy approaches to cure hemophilia A (HA), an X-linked bleeding disorder caused by F8 mutations. iPSCs were transduced with a lentiviral vector carrying FVIII transgene driven by an endothelial-specific promoter (VEC) and differentiated into bona fide ECs using an optimized protocol. FVIII-expressing ECs were intraportally transplanted in monocrotaline-conditioned non-obese diabetic (NOD) severe combined immune-deficient (scid)-IL2rγ null HA mice generating a chimeric liver with functional human ECs.

ULTRASOUND IN VITRECTOMY: An Alternative Approach to Traditional Vitrectomy Techniques.

Purpose: To study a prototype of an ultrasound-based vitrector, and to try to understand the physical phenomena underlying this new technology.

Methods: We tested the ultrasound-based vitrector prototype (UV) (ultrasonically-driven handpiece obtained from a modified version of the Alcon CONSTELLATION Vision System [Alcon]) using an automatic experimental setup. Balanced saline solution (BSS) and vitreous (from fresh postmortem enucleated porcine eyes) flow rates were analyzed using three different tips.

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract in vitreoretinal surgery.

Purpose: To assess the safety and surgical results of femtosecond laser-assisted phacovitrectomy.

Methods: Fifteen patients over 50 years of age with coexisting vitreoretinal pathologies and cataract underwent combined femtosecond laser-assisted cataract extraction and sutureless 25-G and 27-G vitreoretinal surgery.

Results: The indication for surgery was macular hole in 6 patients, epiretinal membrane in 6, vitreous hemorrhage in 2, and retinal detachment in 1.

STAINING-ASSISTED REMOVAL OF SILICONE OIL FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF SUBCLINICAL PROLIFERATIVE VITREORETINOPATHY.

Purpose: Retinal detachment is a frequent complication after removal of silicone oil (ROSO). A retrospective study was conducted to determine whether staining-assisted removal of silicone oil (st-ROSO) allowed better identification and removal of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) processes compared with a conventional removal of silicone oil technique.

Methods: All individuals underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and silicone oil fill-in for complicated retinal detachments.

EFFECTS OF A MODIFIED VITRECTOMY PROBE IN SMALL-GAUGE VITRECTOMY: An Experimental Study on the Flow and on the Traction Exerted on the Retina.

Purpose: Thorough this experimental study, the physic features of a modified 23-gauge vitrectomy probe were evaluated in vitro.

Methods: A modified vitrectomy probe to increase vitreous outflow rate with a small-diameter probe, that also minimized tractional forces on the retina, was created and tested. The "new" probe was created by drilling an opening into the inner duct of a traditional 23-gauge probe with electrochemical or electrodischarge micromachining.

Netilmicin/dexamethasone fixed combination in the treatment of conjunctival inflammation.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of 0.1% dexamethasone/0.3% netilmicin (Netildex), with that of 0.

A new eye gel containing sodium hyaluronate and xanthan gum for the management of post-traumatic corneal abrasions.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an ophthalmic gel containing sodium hyaluronate and xanthan gum in addition to the antibiotic netilmicin in the management of traumatic corneal abrasions.

Patients And Methods: PATIENTS WITH TRAUMATIC CORNEAL ABRASIONS WERE RANDOMLY TREATED AS FOLLOWS: Group A (n = 20) with an occlusive patching for 12 hours plus one drop of an eye gel containing 0.15% sodium hyaluronate, 1% xanthan gum and 0.

Decreased nigral neuromelanin in Alzheimer's disease.

Using manual morphometric techniques, we estimated the amount of neuromelanin in hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of the pars compacta of the substantia nigra of 19 Alzheimer's patients without nigral Lewy bodies and 12 age-matched controls. Our estimates showed that the mean area and areal fraction of neuromelanin were lower in Alzheimer's disease than controls but the number and size of the neuronal cell bodies, nuclei and nucleoli did not differ between the two groups. We speculated that the decreased amount of neuromelanin in nigral neuronal cell bodies could have resulted from neurofibrillary degeneration, retrograde degeneration from damage of nigral dopaminergic terminals in the striatum by the beta amyloid protein of the diffuse plaques and possibly transneuronal degeneration from damage of cell bodies or dendrites of nigral neurons by their plaque- and tangle-ravaged striatal, neocortical and other subcortical nigral connections.

Histopathology of the substantia nigra in Alzheimer's disease.

Histopathologic examination of the pars compacta of the substantia nigra of 17 patients with Alzheimer's disease showed Lewy bodies in six, neurofibrillary tangles in another six and only histologic changes that did not differ from age-matched controls in five patients. Four of the six patients with nigral Lewy bodies showed severe loss of neural cell bodies, reactive astrocytosis, gliosis and neuromelanin in macrophages and in the neuropile. By contrast, the loss of neuronal cell bodies in our patients without nigral Lewy bodies regardless of whether or not they also had nigral neurofibrillary tangles was no greater than what we observed in our age-matched controls.

Immunohistochemical analysis of c-Fos and c-Jun in retinoblastoma.

The c-fos promoter is negatively regulated by the retinoblastoma (Rb)-susceptibility-gene-encoded protein as well as by other genes involved in the control of transcription, cell cycle regulation and neoplastic transformation. We have examined by immunohistochemistry the c-Fos and c-Jun proteins in five cases of retinoblastoma in order to evaluate eventual alterations in their expression in vivo, possibly related to a gene mutation or to loss of Rb negative control.