Prevalence and clinical characteristics of age-related distance esotropia.

Age-related distance esotropia (ARDET) is characterized by an esodeviation greater at distance than near in older aged patients and generally managed with prism spectacles or surgery. The purpose of this study is to describe the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and natural history of age-related distance esotropia in a defined population. The medical records of all adult (≥19 years of age) residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, diagnosed with an esodeviation at least 2 prism diopters (PD) greater at distance than near, from 1 January 1985, through 31 December 2004, were retrospectively reviewed.

Congenital ocular motor apraxia with wheel-rolling ocular torsion-a neurodiagnostic phenotype of Joubert syndrome.

Joubert syndrome is a multisystem disorder that is associated with a constellation of cyclic ocular motor disturbances. We describe 2 children with congenital ocular motor apraxia who displayed wheel-rolling torsional eye movements and tonic alternating cyclodeviations of the eyes on retinal examination as a neurodiagnostic phenotype of Joubert syndrome.

Successful Müller muscle-conjunctiva resection in patients with Boston keratoprosthesis type I.

Purpose: To present a case series of patients with Boston keratoprosthesis type I (KPro) who have had successful ptosis repair with Müller muscle-conjunctiva resection (MMCR).

Methods: Patients with KPros managed with MMCR for ptosis were identified. Records were examined to obtain preoperative and postoperative visual acuity, KPro viability, and eyelid measurements including margin-to-reflex distance 1 (MRD1), levator function, and lagophthalmos.

"Ocular moyamoya" syndrome in a patient with features of microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II.

Primordial dwarfism refers to severely impaired growth beginning early in fetal life. There are many genetic causes of primordial dwarfism, including disorders classified as microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism. Microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II is an autosomal-recessive disease characterized by small stature, bone and dental anomalies, and characteristic facies.

Utility of large spot binocular indirect laser delivery for peripheral photocoagulation therapy in children.

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the utility of the large spot size (LSS) setting using a binocular laser indirect delivery system for peripheral ablation in children. One patient with bilateral retinopathy of prematurity received photocoagulation with standard spot size burns placed adjacently to LSS burns. Using a pixel analysis program called Image J on the Retcam picture, the areas of each retinal spot size were determined in units of pixels, giving a standard spot range of 805 to 1294 pixels and LSS range of 1699 to 2311 pixels.

Periocular capillary hemangiomas: indications and options for treatment.

Capillary hemangiomas are the most common periocular and orbital tumors of childhood that typically arise in infancy. Though the diagnosis is frequently made on clinical examination, various diagnostic modalities may be helpful in initial evaluation and follow-up. Tests may be necessary in diagnosing suspect cases or aid in the differentiation of potential malignant tumors.

Point mutations upstream of hepatitis B virus core gene affect DNA replication at the step of core protein expression.

The pregenomic RNA directs replication of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome by serving both as the messenger for core protein and polymerase and as the genome precursor following its packaging into the core particle. RNA packaging is mediated by a stem-loop structure present at its 5' end designated the epsilon signal, which includes the core gene initiator AUG. The precore RNA has a slightly extended 5' end to cover the entire precore region and, consequently, directs the translation of a precore/core protein, which is secreted as e antigen (HBeAg) following removal of precore-derived signal peptide and the carboxyl terminus.

Effect of mutating the two cysteines required for HBe antigenicity on hepatitis B virus DNA replication and virion secretion.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) variants with impaired expression of e antigen (HBeAg) frequently arise at the chronic stage of infection, as exemplified by precore and core promoter mutants. Since an intramolecular disulfide bond maintains the secondary structure of HBeAg, we explored effect of missense mutations of either cysteine codon. Consistent with earlier reports, substitution of each cysteine rendered HBeAg nearly undetectable.

Modulation of hepatitis B virus secretion by naturally occurring mutations in the S gene.

Alteration in hepatitis B virus (HBV) secretion efficiency may have pathological consequences. Naturally occurring mutations that regulate virion secretion have not been defined. We recently identified HBV genomes displaying high (4B), substantially reduced (3.