Rapamycin inhibits corneal allograft rejection and neovascularization.

Objective: To investigate the immunosuppressive effect of rapamycin in prolonging allograft survival in the rat model of orthotopic allogeneic penetrating keratoplasty.

Design: Thirty inbred Lewis rats received corneal allografts from Brown Norway donors. Animals were divided into two rapamycin treatment groups and one allogeneic control group.

Phosphoglycerate kinase pseudogenes in the tammar wallaby and other macropodid marsupials.

Phosphoglycerate kinase (EC 2.7.2.

The dose-response of percutaneous oestradiol implants on the skeletons of postmenopausal women.

Objective: To determine whether there is a dose-response effect of percutaneous oestradiol implants on the skeletons of postmenopausal women using a range of doses available in clinical practice.

Design: One year randomised study.

Subjects: Forty-five postmenopausal women who requested oestrogen replacement therapy were randomised to receive 25 mg, 50 mg, or 75 mg oestradiol implants.

Ocular and systemic manifestations of encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis.

Encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis is a congenital neurocutaneous syndrome with epibulbar choristomas and connective tissue nevi of the eyelids as common ophthalmic manifestations. Systemic manifestations occur ipsilateral to the ocular lesions and include lipomas of the cranium and central nervous system, alopecia of the scalp, and abnormalities of the central nervous system. We treated a child with encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis who required removal of an epibulbar choristoma.

Kinetics of corneal transplant rejection in the rat penetrating keratoplasty model.

Kinetic changes of inflammatory cells and major histocompatibility (MHC) antigenic markers in syngeneic and allogeneic corneal grafts in rats were studied. Syngeneic grafts demonstrated mild inflammation in the first week with macrophages and T-helper/inducer cells found in a 2:1 ratio. By week 2 fewer macrophages were seen, and by week 4 no inflammatory cells were seen in the central graft.

Whole globe enucleation versus in situ corneal excision: a study of tissue trauma and contamination.

Twenty-four pair of eyes donated to the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank were studied to determine the effect of corneal procurement methods on tissue quality. Eyes studied were ineligible for transplantation because of a preexisting medical condition other than sepsis or age of > 75 years. The procurement technique was randomized for each donor.

Loss of heterozygosity and homozygous deletions on 9p21-22 in melanoma.

Recent studies have implicated chromosome 9p21-22 as a location for a gene involved in cutaneous melanoma (CM). Deletion mapping in 35 matched tumour-constitutional DNA pairs from metastatic melanomas (including one melanoma cell line) and one dysplastic naevus has been performed using six short tandem repeat polymorphic (STRP) markers (D9S157-D9S162-IFNA-D9S171-DS9126-D9S10 4 ) which span approximately 19 cM across the 9p21-22 region. Both heterozygous and homozygous deletions were observed across the region in melanomas from both sporadic and familial cases.

Immunization of sheep against GnRH early in life: effects on reproductive function and hormones in rams.

Groups of Merino ram lambs were immunized against GnRH either soon after birth (prepubertal) or around puberty (peripubertal) with a prototype commercial preparation and studied over the following 2 years to determine the long-term effects of such immunization on reproductive development, function and hormone concentrations. The treatment was equally effective in suppressing reproductive function and hormones when given at either time. Growth rates of immunized and controls rams were similar throughout the study.

Dense peripheral corneal clouding in Scheie syndrome.

A 28-year-old woman with Scheie syndrome (MPS I-S) presented with the unusual feature of extremely dense peripheral corneal clouding, allowing maintenance of good central visual acuity. Characteristic systemic features, an abnormal electroretinogram result, and absent alpha-L-iduronidase activity confirmed the diagnosis despite the unusual corneal pattern of clouding.

Linear endotheliitis.

We treated six eyes of five patients with linear endotheliitis. This entity appears clinically as a line of keratic precipitates on the corneal endothelium that progresses centrally and is accompanied by peripheral stromal and epithelial edema. All five patients had ocular pain, redness, and photophobia.

Production of PGE2 by bovine cultured airway smooth muscle cells and its inhibition by cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors.

1. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is thought to be an important inhibitory modulator of inflammatory processes in the airway. It inhibits inflammatory cell function and cholinergic neurotransmission in vitro and roles have been postulated in vivo in refractoriness and in the mechanism of action of the diuretic agent, frusemide.

Histomorphometric changes in the skeleton of postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density treated with percutaneous estradiol implants.

Objective: To identify the effects of percutaneous estradiol (E2) implants on bone histology and bone mass of postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density.

Methods: Sixteen postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density were treated with 75-mg E2 implants. Each had iliac crest bone biopsies performed, following double-tetracycline labeling, before treatment and 1 year later.

Changes in collagen composition and cross-links in bone and skin of osteoporotic postmenopausal women treated with percutaneous estradiol implants.

Objective: To determine the effects of percutaneous estradiol (E2) implants on the collagen composition and maturity in the bone and skin of osteoporotic postmenopausal women.

Methods: Sixteen postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density were treated for 1 year with 75-mg E2 implants. Iliac crest bone and skin biopsies were analyzed for collagen content and collagen cross-links before treatment and at 1 year.

The symptomatology of progestogen intolerance.

It is common for women receiving oestrogen replacement therapy to experience adverse symptoms whilst taking cyclical progestogen. This study highlights the similarity of these symptoms to those experienced in pre-menstrual syndrome and confirms that the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire is an appropriate tool for future research. The data also indicate that progestogens vary in the type of symptoms they cause.

The effect of 25-mg percutaneous estradiol implants on the bone mass of postmenopausal women.

Objective: To determine whether the lowest available dose of percutaneous implant, 25 mg estradiol (E2), is effective for the prevention of postmenopausal bone loss.

Methods: Eighteen healthy postmenopausal women were treated with 25-mg percutaneous E2 implants for 1 year. Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry was performed at the lumbar spine and proximal hip using a quantitative digital radiography densitometer before treatment and after 1 year.

Three autosomal dominant corneal dystrophies map to chromosome 5q.

The two most common autosomal dominant dystrophies of the corneal stroma are lattice corneal dystrophy type I and granular dystrophy. A third autosomal dominant stromal dystrophy (Avellino) has also been recognized. Chromosome linkage analysis of four families with Avellino dystrophy mapped the disease-causing gene to chromosome 5q.

Suppression of graft rejection using 15-deoxyspergualin in the allogeneic rat penetrating keratoplasty model.

We tested the ability of 15-deoxyspergualin (DSG), a new immunosuppressant, to inhibit corneal allograft rejection in the rat penetrating keratoplasty model. Fifty-six inbred Lewis rats were recipients of orthotopic corneal allografts from Brown Norway rats. Allogeneic groups received daily intramuscular injections of DSG 2, 3, 4, or 10 mg/kg/day.

Confirmation of chromosome 9p linkage in familial melanoma.

Malignant melanoma occurs as a familial cancer in 5%-10% of cases where it segregates in a manner consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance. Evidence from cytogenetics, fine-mapping studies of deletions in melanomas, and recent linkage studies supports the location of a human melanoma predisposition gene on the short arm of chromosome 9. We have carried out linkage analysis using the 9p markers IFNA and D9S126 in 26 Australian melanoma kindreds.

Clinical and anatomical study of the effect of transscleral fixation of posterior chamber lenses on early postkeratoplasty astigmatism.

We reviewed the pattern of astigmatism after penetrating keratoplasty and transsclerally sutured posterior chamber lens (TSPCL) placement in 73 patients. Thirty-five patients (48%) had an axis of astigmatism oriented perpendicularly to the haptics of the TSPCL. Twenty-seven patients (37%) had an orientation of astigmatism that was in the same meridian of the haptics of the TSPCL.

Clinical findings in Brown-McLean syndrome.

The Brown-McLean syndrome is a clinical condition with corneal edema involving the peripheral 2 to 3 mm of the cornea. The edema typically starts inferiorly and progresses circumferentially, but spares the central portion of the cornea. Additionally, the edema is associated with a punctate orange-brown pigmentation on the endothelium underlying the edematous areas.