Retinal Patterns and the Role of Autofluorescence in Choroideremia.

Background: Choroideremia is a monogenic inherited retinal dystrophy that manifests in males with night blindness, progressive loss of peripheral vision, and ultimately profound sight loss, commonly by middle age. It is caused by genetic defects of the gene, which result in a deficiency in Rab-escort protein-1, a key element for intracellular trafficking of vesicles, including those carrying melanin. As choroideremia primarily affects the retinal pigment epithelium, fundus autofluorescence, which focuses on the fluorescent properties of pigments within the retina, is an established imaging modality used for the assessment and monitoring of affected patients.

A multimodal approach to diagnosis of neuromuscular neosporosis in dogs.

Background: Early diagnosis of neosporosis in dogs is challenging.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility of a compound multimodal testing approach for diagnosing in dogs neuromuscular and combined forms of neosporosis.

Animals: A total of 16 dogs diagnosed with solely neuromuscular neosporosis or with a combination of neuromuscular and central nervous system neosporosis.

Clinical Validation of Carotid-Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity Measurement Using a Multi-Beam Laser Vibrometer: The CARDIS Study.

Background: Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) is the gold standard for noninvasive arterial stiffness assessment, an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease, and a potential parameter to guide therapy. However, cfPWV is not routinely measured in clinical practice due to the unavailability of a low-cost, operator-friendly, and independent device. The current study validated a novel laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV)-based measurement of cfPWV against the reference technique.

Correlation Between Fundus Autofluorescence Pattern and Retinal Function on Microperimetry in Choroideremia.

Purpose: In patients with choroideremia, it is not known how smooth and mottled patterns on short-wavelength fundus autofluorescence (AF) imaging relate to retinal function.

Methods: A retrospective case-note review was undertaken on 190 patients with choroideremia at two specialist centers for retinal genetics. Twenty patients with both smooth and mottled zones on short-wavelength AF imaging and concurrent mesopic microperimetry assessments were included.

Alternative reproductive tactics in goby fishes of the Caspian Sea.

Here we report on the reproductive morphology and histology of three Gobiidae species (the Caspian monkey goby, Neogobius pallasi; the Caspian goby, Neogobius caspius; and the round goby, Neogobius melanostomus) from the Iranian coastline of the Caspian Sea. Based on ageing, reproductive histology, and internal and external morphological measures, it appears that all three of these goby species have two types of reproductive males, a large courting, territorial, male type and a small cuckolding parasitic male type, a phenomenon known as alternative reproductive tactics (ART). Although ARTs have been reported previously for one of these species, the round goby, all reports stem from its invasive range; ARTs have never been reported before in any fish species in the Caspian Sea.

Female Reproductive Fluid Increases the Opportunities for Postmating Sexual Selection by Prolonging the Egg Fertilization Window.

AbstractFemale reproductive fluid (the fluid that surrounds the eggs) has attracted increasing attention for its role in fertilization and postmating sexual selection through its effects on sperm traits. Surprisingly, however, only a few studies have investigated the effects of the female reproductive fluid on the eggs. Yet these effects might offer great potential to affect fertilization dynamics by, for example, increasing the opportunities for postmating sexual selection.

MERTK missense variants in three patients with retinitis pigmentosa.

Background: is a transmembrane protein essential in regulating photoreceptor outer segment phagocytosis. Biallelic mutations in cause retinal degeneration. Here we present the retinal phenotype of three patients with missense variants in .

Prevalence, clinical features, and outcome of intervertebral disc extrusion associated with extensive epidural hemorrhage in a population of French Bulldogs compared to Dachshunds.

Intervertebral disc extrusion associated with extensive epidural hemorrhage (DEEH) is a well-documented pathological condition in veterinary medicine. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and clinical features of DEEH in a population of French Bulldogs affected by intervertebral disc extrusion (n=75), compare the findings with those from a group of Dachshunds (n=98) and identify possible predictive factors of DEEH and outcomes in surgically treated patients. The study showed that the prevalence of DEEH observed in Dachshunds (11.

Microfabrication of polymer microneedle arrays using two-photon polymerization.

Three dimensional (3D) printing technology has pushed state-of-the-art manufacturing towards more advanced processing methods through its ability to produce complex computer-designed 3D structures in a wide range of materials. Two-photon polymerization applied to the fabrication of ultraprecise 3D microstructures is one of the various innovative approaches to cutting-edge 3D printing. The integration of an ultrashort pulsed laser source and an appropriate photoresist has made it an attractive candidate for advanced photonics and biomedical applications.

Power scaling of normal-dispersion continuum generation using higher-order modes in microstructured optical fibers.

The use of a higher-order HE-like mode to produce weak normal dispersion over a substantial wavelength range in a microstructured optical fiber is investigated numerically. It is shown that the effective area, and thereby the pulse energy, can in this way be scaled by an order of magnitude compared to using the fundamental mode in a single-mode fiber. Multimode nonlinear simulations indicate that nonlinear mode coupling will not disturb single-mode operation in the HE mode at least up to the threshold where polarization modulation instability sets in.

Validation and Feasibility of an Automated System for the Assessment of Vascular Structure and Mechanical Properties in the Digital Arteries: An Ultrahigh-Frequency Ultrasound Study.

Ultrahigh-frequency ultrasound (UHFUS) allows sharp visualization of human small muscular arteries. This may help in elucidating some aspects of the pathophysiology of arterial aging, such as the stiffness gradient between large and small conduit arteries and its consequences on the microcirculation, as well as vascular diseases affecting medium-sized arteries. However, UHFUS use is still limited, partly because of the lack of validated tools to quantify vascular structure and mechanical properties of small muscular arteries.

Black goby territorial males adjust their ejaculate's characteristics in response to the presence of sneakers.

In many species, males can rapidly adjust their ejaculate performance in response to changing levels of sperm competition, an ability that is probably mediated by seminal fluid adaptive plasticity. In the black goby, , territorial males attach viscous ejaculate trails to the nest roof, from which sperm are slowly released into the water during the long-lasting spawning events. Sneaker males release their sperm in the vicinity of the nest, and territorial males try to keep them at a distance by patrolling their territory.

Scaling properties of guided acoustic-wave Brillouin scattering in single-mode fibers.

We investigate guided acoustic-wave Brillouin scattering (GAWBS) in single-mode optical fibers. By treating the discrete GAWBS spectrum as a continuum, we propose a closed-form formula to evaluate the GAWBS variance due to radial modes, showing its dependence on the inverse of the fiber effective area. The formula is checked against an experimental validation at variable signal power.

Differences in native T1 and native T2 mapping between patients on hemodialysis and control subjects.

Purpose: Myocardial native T1 is a potential measure of myocardial fibrosis, but concerns remain over the potential influence of myocardial edema to increased native T1 signal in subjects prone to fluid overload. This study describes differences in native T2 (typically raised in states of myocardial edema) and native T1 times in patients on hemodialysis by comparing native T1 and native T2 times between subjects on hemodialysis to an asymptomatic control group. Reproducibility of these sequences was tested.

Nanosecond pulsed fiber laser irradiation for enhanced zirconia crown adhesion: Morphological, chemical, thermal and mechanical analysis.

The increasing demand for aesthetics, together with advancements in technology, have contributed to the rise in popularity of all-ceramic restorations. In the last two decades, the continuous progression in ceramic materials science for dental applications has permitted the fabrication of high-strength materials. Amongst these, zirconia-based ceramics have improved in terms of fracture resistance and long-term viability in comparison with other silica-based materials.

A Systematic Review of Procedural Outcomes in Patients With Proximal Common Carotid or Innominate Artery Disease With or Without Tandem Ipsilateral Internal Carotid Artery Disease.

Objective: To establish 30 day and mid term outcomes in patients treated for significant stenoses affecting the proximal common carotid artery (CCA) or innominate artery (IA) with/without tandem disease of the ipsilateral internal carotid artery (ICA).

Methods: Systematic review of early and mid term outcomes in 1 969 patients from 77 studies (1960-2017) who underwent: (i) hybrid open retrograde angioplasty/stenting of the IA/proximal CCA plus carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patients with tandem disease of the ipsilateral proximal ICA (n = 700); (ii) isolated open surgery to the IA or proximal CCA (no CEA) (n = 686); or (iii) an isolated endovascular approach to IA or proximal CCA stenoses (no CEA) (n = 583).

Results: In the hybrid group with tandem disease (66% involving proximal CCA), the 30 day death/stroke was 3.

Going beyond conventional parameters to unveil sperm quality in fish: the use of fibre optic technology to assess mitochondrial respiratory performance.

Sperm fertilisation success depends on both intrinsic quality and the interactions with the surrounding reproductive fluids. In several fish species, these interactions have a variable effect on sperm performance. Although specific responses to reproductive fluids may depend on intrinsic differences in sperm quality, variations in the traditionally recorded sperm functional traits do not fully account for the observed patterns.

The reliability and feasibility of non-contrast adenosine stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance T1 mapping in patients on haemodialysis.

Background: Identifying coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is challenging. Adenosine stress native T1 mapping with cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) may accurately detect obstructive CAD and microvascular dysfunction in the general population. This study assessed the feasibility and reliability of adenosine stress native T1 mapping in patients on haemodialysis.

The assessment of coronary artery disease in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Clustering of traditional atherosclerotic and non-traditional risk factors drive the excess rates of coronary and non-coronary CVD in patients with ESRD. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a key disease process, present in ∼50% of the haemodialysis population ≥65 years of age.

Central nervous system metastasis of an intradural malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in a dog.

An 8-yr-old French Bulldog was presented with a non-ambulatory tetraparesis. Magnetic resonance showed an intradurally located mass at the level of the right second cervical nerve root. The mass was surgically removed and the dog was ambulatory within 4 d.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Presentation and Surgical Management of Patients With Carotid Body Tumours.

Objectives: The aim was to determine the mode of presentation and 30 day procedural risks in 4418 patients with 4743 carotid body tumours (CBTs) undergoing surgical excision.

Methods: This is a systematic review and meta-analysis of 104 observational studies.

Results: Overall, 4418 patients with 4743 CBTs were identified.

Theory of thermo-optic instabilities in dual-core fiber amplifiers.

A coupled-mode theory for nonlinear mode coupling by the thermo-optic effect, originally developed for single-core fiber amplifiers, is applied to the case of dual-core amplifiers. It is shown that a non-phase-matched coupling term, which is usually irrelevant in single-core amplifiers, can strongly affect the mode stability when the coupling length between supermodes exceeds a few centimeters. The phase-mismatched coupling can lead to a strongly reduced instability threshold and static deformation effects for a range of intermediate coupling lengths.

Hard dental tissues laser welding: a new help for fractured teeth? A preliminary study.

Background And Aim: An important surgical goal is to provide a first intention wound healing without trauma produced by sutures and for this aim in the past several methods have been tested. The aim of this preliminary study was to demonstrate the capacity of a 1070 nm pulsed fiber laser to treat the dental fractures by enamel and dentine melting with the apposition of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles as filler.

Methods: Out of thirty freshly-extracted human third molars, decay-free, twenty-four cylinders of 5 mm thickness were obtained to perform the test.

Seminal fluid enhances competitiveness of territorial males' sperm in a fish with alternative male reproductive tactics.

The most common adaptation to sperm competition in males is represented by an increase in the sperm number and/or quality released at mating, to raise their probability of egg fertilization. However, rapidly mounting evidence highlights that seminal fluid may directly influence the competitive fertilization success of a male by affecting either own and/or rival sperm performance. In the black goby, , an external fertilizer with guard-sneaker mating tactics and high sperm competition level, sneaker ejaculates contain less seminal fluid and more sperm, that are also of better quality, than those of territorial males.