Age-related macular degeneration discordance in monozygotic twin pairs.

Purpose: To examine age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-Bruch's membrane (BrM) complex volume associations in monozygotic twin pairs.

Methods: In this study, 106 elderly twins (53 twin pairs) from the Finnish Twin Cohort study were recruited. Each participant underwent dilated 35-degree digital colour fundus photography (CFP), and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and replied to a structured study questionnaire.

Retinal pigment epithelium-Bruch's membrane volume in grading of age-related macular degeneration.

Aim: To assess the agreement of optical coherence tomography (OCT) algorithm-based retinal pigment epithelium -Bruch's membrane complex volume (RBV) with fundus photograph-based age-related macular degeneration (AMD) grading.

Methods: Digital color fundus photographs (CFPs) and spectral domain OCT images were acquired from 96 elderly subjects. CFPs were graded according to Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) classification.

Exudative age-related macular degeneration lesion components predicting microperimetric retinal sensitivity during anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment.

Purpose: To analyse the effect of exudative age-related macular degeneration (eAMD) lesion components on retinal sensitivity during anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment.

Methods: Visual acuity, fluorescein and indocyanine green (ICG) angiographies, autofluorescence images, microperimetries and optical coherence tomographies (OCTs) of 24 eyes of 24 patients were prospectively analysed in a 2-year study of pro-re-nata bevacizumab treatment for eAMD. Microperimetries were aligned with the OCTs, angiographies and autofluorescence images.

Analysing Subgroups and Treatment Discontinuation in a Finnish Cohort of Patients with Neovascular AMD.

Purpose: We aimed to study the regional detailed visual outcome and treatment discontinuation of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Methods: Clinical records of 110 patients treated for nAMD at the sole referral centre in the Helsinki region were analysed retrospectively. The follow-up was up to the fourth year.

Early middle age cholesterol levels and the association with age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To examine whether serum cholesterol in early middle age is associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) later in life.

Methods: A group of Helsinki Businessmen Study (HBS) participants (n = 209) were recruited for the study. Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride and body mass index (BMI) were measured at the HBS baseline visit in 1964-1973.

Effect of Timing of Postovulatory Insemination Relative to Human Chorionic Gonadotropin/Buserelin Treatment With 1 Straw of Frozen-Thawed Semen on Mare Fertility.

The reproductive management of mares for frozen semen artificial insemination (AI) can be costly and labor intensive. Predicting the exact time of ovulation can be challenging even when ovulation-inducing drugs are used. The main objective of this retrospective study was to determine whether there was an effect of interval between examinations to detect ovulation on likelihood of pregnancy and early embryonic loss in mares after postovulatory breeding with a single straw of frozen/thawed semen.

Outcomes of intraocular lens scleral fixation with the friction knot technique.

Purpose: To examine the clinical outcomes of intraocular lens (IOL) scleral fixation with the friction knot technique.

Methods: Retrospective case series of 152 eyes of 152 patients with inadequate capsular bag support operated with the friction knot IOL scleral fixation technique by a single surgeon. The fixated IOLs were one-piece or three-piece models all with open loop haptics.

Fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant (Retisert ) in the treatment of sight threatening macular oedema of juvenile idiopathic arthritis-related uveitis.

Purpose: We describe eight patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis-related chronic uveitis, who received a fluocinolone acetonide implant (FAI, Retisert®, Bausch&Lomb) in one eye. All patients had poor visual acuity (VA) due to persistent macular oedema in one or both eyes despite treatment with antirheumatic medication.

Methods: Median age of the patients was 22.

The Finnish national guideline for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the main cause of visual impairment in developed countries. Several improvements in the visualization of posterior segment of the eye together with the introduction of intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment have revolutionized the prognosis of the wet form of AMD (wAMD). Increasing incidence of wAMD together with the limited resources of society and of the healthcare system poses challenges for the provision and development of care.

Long-term follow-up on recovery, return to use and sporting activity: a retrospective study of 236 operated colic horses in Finland (2006-2012).

Background: Surgical treatment of colic is expensive and complications may occur. Information on the prognosis and the use of the horse after surgery for colic is important for surgeons and owners. Current literature on return to athletic function after celiotomy is limited.

Protective coding variants in CFH and PELI3 and a variant near CTRB1 are associated with age-related macular degeneration†.

Although numerous common age-related macular degeneration (AMD) alleles have been discovered using genome-wide association studies, substantial disease heritability remains unexplained. We sought to identify additional common and rare variants associated with advanced AMD. A total of 4,332 cases and 25,268 controls of European ancestry from three different populations were genotyped using the Illumina Infinium HumanExome BeadChip.

ANTERIOR CHAMBER FLARE DURING BEVACIZUMAB TREATMENT IN EYES WITH EXUDATIVE AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION.

Purpose: To study the anterior chamber flare during bevacizumab treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: During a 2-year prospective follow-up, 50 patients recently diagnosed with exudative age-related macular degeneration were treated at once-a-month visits if subretinal or intraretinal fluid or a new hemorrhage was present in the lesion area. Flare was measured weekly during the first month and then monthly in both eyes.

The genetic variant rs4073 A→T of the Interleukin-8 promoter region is associated with the earlier onset of exudative age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To study the association of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4073 in the interleukin-8 (IL-8) promoter region with the diagnosis and age of onset of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in association with the known genetic risk factors for AMD and tobacco smoking.

Methods: Medical records, smoking history and angiograms or fundus photographs of 301 patients with exudative AMD, 72 patients with dry AMD and 119 control subjects were analysed retrospectively. The associations of IL-8 rs4073 A→T, CFH rs1061170 T→C, ARMS2 rs10490924 G→T and C3 rs2230199 C→G SNPs with the presence of AMD and with the age of onset of exudative AMD were analysed.

The Schlemm's canal is a VEGF-C/VEGFR-3-responsive lymphatic-like vessel.

In glaucoma, aqueous outflow into the Schlemm's canal (SC) is obstructed. Despite striking structural and functional similarities with the lymphatic vascular system, it is unknown whether the SC is a blood or lymphatic vessel. Here, we demonstrated the expression of lymphatic endothelial cell markers by the SC in murine and zebrafish models as well as in human eye tissue.

Increased intravitreal angiopoietin-2 levels associated with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

Purpose: To explore factors related to pathogenesis of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and development of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), vitreous levels of angiopoietin-1 and -2 (Ang-1 and -2), previously undefined in RRD, transforming growth factor-(TGF) β1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), erythropoietin (EPO) and proteolytic mediators of extracellular matrix remodelling (MMP-2 and -9) were compared in eyes with RRD and eyes with idiopathic macular hole or pucker.

Methods: Vitreous samples were collected from 117 eyes with RRD (study group) and 40 eyes with macular hole or pucker (control group). Growth factors were measured by ELISA and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) by gelatin zymography.

Nursing during World War II: Finnmark County, Northern Norway.

Introduction: This study is part the project "Nursing in Borderland - Finnmark 1939-1950" within nursing history that sheds light on nursing and health care during World War II in Finnmark County, Northern Norway. The study focuses on challenges in nursing care that arose during the war because of war activities in the Barents area. This article focuses on challenges caused by shortage of supplies.

Interleukin 8 promoter polymorphism predicts the initial response to bevacizumab treatment for exudative age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To study the association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms of interleukin 8, vascular endothelial growth factor, erythropoietin, complement factor H, complement component C3, and LOC387715 genes with the response to bevacizumab treatment in exudative age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: Clinical records, smoking history, optical coherence tomography, and angiographies of 96 bevacizumab-treated exudative age-related macular degeneration patients were analyzed retrospectively. Blood DNA was collected.

Ang-2 upregulation correlates with increased levels of MMP-9, VEGF, EPO and TGFβ1 in diabetic eyes undergoing vitrectomy.

Purpose: Angiogenesis in diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a multifactorial process regulated by hypoxia-induced growth factors and inflammatory cytokines. In addition to the angiogenic switch, the proteolytic processing and altered synthesis of the extracellular matrix are critical steps in this disease. This study was performed to evaluate the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9), angiopoietin-1 and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-1 and Ang-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), erythropoietin (EPO) and transforming growth factor-β1 (totalTGFβ1) in the vitreous of diabetic eyes undergoing vitrectomy compared with control eyes operated because of macular hole or pucker.

Correlation between components of newly diagnosed exudative age-related macular degeneration lesion and focal retinal sensitivity.

Purpose: To analyse lesion components determining retinal sensitivity in microperimetry in eyes with newly diagnosed exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, microperimetry, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein (FA) and indocyanine green (ICGA) angiographies of 23 eyes of 23 patients were analysed. Central microperimetry grids with 28 test stimulus sites were automatically aligned with three-dimensional OCTs and manually aligned with angiographies.

Leucocyte telomere length in age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To evaluate the association between telomere length and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Circulating leucocyte telomere length and the proportion of telomeres <5 kb were analysed in blood DNA samples taken from 121 patients with exudative AMD (83%), large drusen (14%) or central geographic atrophy (3%). Controls consisted of 77 age-matched subjects without AMD.

Adiponectin receptor 1 gene (ADIPOR1) variant is associated with advanced age-related macular degeneration in Finnish population.

Adiponectin is an adipocyte-expressed protein that regulates the glucose, lipid, and energy metabolism via adiponectin receptors 1 and 2. Obesity is a known risk factor for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We, therefore, examined associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms in Adiponectin (ADIPOQ) and Adiponectin receptors 1 and 2 (ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2) genes with the prevalence of advanced AMD in Finnish population.

Photodynamic ablation of lymphatic vessels and intralymphatic cancer cells prevents metastasis.

The dissemination of tumor cells to sites far from the primary tumor (metastasis) is the principal cause of death in cancer patients. Tumor-associated lymphatic vessels are a key conduit for metastatic tumor cells, which typically first colonize the lymph nodes. Although the primary tumor and affected lymph nodes can be removed during surgery, tumor cells inside lymphatic vessels are left behind.

Screening of DNA-variants in the properdin gene (CFP) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Several variants in the complement cascade genes (complement factor H [CFH], C2, C3, CFB, and Serping1) have been reported to associate with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Of these, a member of the complement alternative pathway, CFH, represents the highest risk. As properdin (P) is also an important protein in this pathway, we analysed whether variants in the properdin gene (CFP) at Xp11.