Long-Term Follow-Up of Pediatric Excimer Laser-Assisted Penetrating Keratoplasty for Congenital Stromal Corneal Dystrophy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to highlight characteristic clinical and microscopic findings and report the long-term follow-up of pediatric excimer laser-assisted penetrating keratoplasty (excimer-PKP) for congenital stromal corneal dystrophy (CSCD).

Methods: A 2-year-old Greek child presented with CSCD at our department. Clinical examination showed bilateral flake-like whitish corneal opacities affecting the entire corneal stroma up to the limbus.

[Deep lumbar back pain and neurological sensory deficits in a 56-year-old male patient].

Echinococcus infestations are rare in humans, infestation of bone occurs in less than 1% and a primary spinal infestation is extremely rare. This article reports on a clinical case of lumbar and sacral spinal infestation by Echinococcus multilocularis in a 56-year-old male Caucasian with neurological sensory deficits and deep lumbar back pain. Due to the suspicion of spondylodiscitis a computer tomography-guided biopsy was carried out without success, so that a sample was surgically obtained.

Recurrence of macular corneal dystrophy on the graft 50 years after penetrating keratoplasty.

To report the recurrence of a macular corneal stromal dystrophy 50 years after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). Observational case report A 76-year-old male patient presented with visual impairment in the right eye (OD) 50 years after PKP in 1962 (44 years after PKP also in the left eye (OS) in 1968) following explosion injury. His visual acuity had already been impaired before the trauma because of bilateral corneal opacities.

[Ultrasound biomicroscopy in giant cell arteritis].

Giant cell arteritis may lead to irreversible blindness due to an anterior ischemic optic neuropathy or central retinal artery occlusion. Diagnosis of the giant cell arteritis is sometimes a problem: Difficulties may arise since a negative biopsy can not rule out the diagnosis. This case report demonstrates acute changes in the temporal artery as demonstrated by Ultrasound Biomicroscopy and documents its course during therapy with corticosteroids.

Effect of 3q oncogenes SEC62 and SOX2 on lymphatic metastasis and clinical outcome of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Chromosome 3q26 amplification represents a frequent alteration in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Overexpression of 3q26 encoded genes SEC62 and SOX2 was detected in various cancers, including HNSCCs, indicating their potential function as oncogenes. In our study, we elucidated the function of SEC62 and SOX2 in HNSCC patients, with a main focus on their effect on lymphatic metastasis and patient survival.

Identification of SEC62 as a potential marker for 3q amplification and cellular migration in dysplastic cervical lesions.

Background: Chromosome 3 amplification affecting the 3q26 region is a common genomic alteration in cervical cancer, typically marking the transition of precancerous intraepithelial lesions to an invasive phenotype. Though potential 3q encoded target genes of this amplification have been identified, a functional correlation of potential oncogenic function is still missing. In this study, we investigated copy number changes and the expression level of SEC62 encoded at 3q26.

Noninvasive histological imaging of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas using confocal laser endomicroscopy.

Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is an imaging technique that uses miniaturized fiberoptic probes to allow real-time histological imaging of human tissue. An application of CLE in otorhinolaryngology has hardly been investigated so far. In our study, we analyzed the applicability of CLE to visualize cancerous and healthy tissue of the head and neck region.

[Confocal microscopy for the diagnostics of fungal keratitis].

Fungal keratitis is a rare but very serious eye disease in industrial nations with a frequency of 1-5 % of all forms of keratitis from microbial causes. We present two patients with keratitis of primary unknown cause. Using confocal microscopy fungal filaments could be identified that partially showed a parallel configuration (like "railway tracks").

Characterization of miR-146a and miR-155 in blood, tissue and cell lines of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients and their impact on cell proliferation and migration.

Purpose: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide with an unchanged 5-year survival rate during the last decade. To detect reliable prognostic markers and improve patients' outcome in future, the aim of our study was to detect differences in microRNA (miRNA; miR) expression profile and further on to analyze the functional role of selected miRNAs.

Methods: Blood samples from HNSCC patients and sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers were analyzed by microarrays and validated by quantitative real-time PCR.

Crosslinking and corneal cryotherapy in acanthamoeba keratitis -- a histological study.

Purpose: Acanthamoeba keratitis is rare, but difficult to treat. Penetrating keratoplasty is performed in therapy-resistant cases. Nevertheless, subsequent recurrences occur in 40 % of the cases.

Orthotopic tumorgrafts in nude mice: A new method to study human prostate cancer.

Background: In vivo model systems in prostate cancer research that authentically reproduce tumor growth are still sparse. While orthotopic implantation is technically difficult, particularly in the mouse, most models favor subcutaneous tumor growth. This however provides little information about natural tumor growth behavior and tumor stroma interaction.

[The German Acanthamoeba keratitis register: Initial results of a multicenter study].

Background And Purpose: In September 2011 the cornea section of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG) established the first German Acanthamoeba keratitis registry. The data of this multicenter survey are being collected, compiled and evaluated at the Department of Ophthalmology at the Saarland University. The aim of this article is to present an intermediate report.

Combination of p16(INK4a) /Ki67 immunocytology and HPV polymerase chain reaction for the noninvasive analysis of HPV involvement in head and neck cancer.

Background: High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been identified as a relevant risk for the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). As HPV status has also gained a role as a prognostic and predictive biomarker for this entity, there is a growing demand for valid HPV testing in HNSCC patients

Methods: Liquid-based cytological smears from 45 HNSCC and 20 control patients were collected and used for simultaneous immunocytochemical p16(INK4a) /Ki67 staining using a CINtec PLUS kit after the presence of tumor cells was verified in a Papanicolaou-stained slide. The same cytological suspension was used for the detection of HPV DNA by specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

The Fuhrman grading system has no prognostic value in patients with nonsarcomatoid chromophobe renal cell carcinoma.

The prognostic value of the Fuhrman nuclear grading system has been questioned for chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC) because this subtype frequently displays nuclear and nucleolar pleomorphism. The present study reevaluates this grading system in a series of patients with nonsarcomatoid chRCC. We identified 176 patients (3.

[Therapy refractory stromal Herpes keratitis under aciclovir].

We report the case of a patient with suspected ulcerating necrotizing herpetic stromal keratitis who showed no improvement despite intensive (amongst others antiherpetic) topical and systemic therapy. The ulcer healed following amniotic membrane transplantation and penetrating excimer laser keratoplasty was performed to improve visual acuity. The excision showed deep stromal proof of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 antigens.

Repeat corneal graft failure due to graft-to-host herpetic infection.

Background: Herein, we present the case of a young female patient with keratoconus, who was subjected twice to repeat keratoplasty, and each time, she experienced a corneal graft failure.

Findings: Under the suspicion of herpetic eye disease, we administered topical and systemic anti-herpetic treatment after the second repeat keratoplasty. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the corneal graft is clear, until recently.

[Delayed course of Acanthamoeba keratitis].

A 35-year-old male presented with corneal ulceration on the left eye with a history of treatment over several months. At the first visit in our department we saw an elliptically shaped ulcerative stromal keratitis with circular peripheral neovascularization. There was organized hypopyon with hyphemia.

Progranulin antibodies in autoimmune diseases.

Systemic vasculitides constitute a heterogeneous group of diseases. Autoimmunity mediated by B lymphocytes and their humoral effector mechanisms play a major role in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) as well as in non-ANCA associated primary systemic vasculitides and in the different types of autoimmune connective tissue disorders and rheumatoid arthritis. In order to detect autoantibodies in systemic vasculitides, we screened protein macroarrays of human cDNA expression libraries with sera from patients with ANCA-associated and ANCA-negative primary systemic vasculitides.

Changing indications for penetrating keratoplasty in Homburg/Saar from 2001 to 2010--histopathology of 1,200 corneal buttons.

Background: To evaluate the trends in indications for penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) in Homburg/Saar between 2001 and 2010.

Methods: Retrospective review of 1,200 corneal buttons which underwent PKP that were performed between 2001 and 2010 at the Department of Ophthalmology of Saarland University Hospital, Germany. Indications were classified into eight different groups following histological analysis: keratoconus, Fuchs' dystrophy, bullous keratopathy, corneal scars, keratitis, regraft, corneal dystrophy other than Fuchs' dystrophy, and other diagnoses.

Normal hematologic and serum biochemical values of cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus).

We obtained whole-blood hematologic and serum biochemical values from 38 captive-bred cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus). Data were analyzed to determine the effect of sex on blood parameters. Significant differences between either the means or medians of male and female tamarins were found for creatinine, hematocrit, hemoglobin, RBC count, and PCV.