Unique orbital biphenotypic tumour with neuroendocrine and sebaceous carcinoma features.

A 60-year-old female presented with a large, left upper eyelid mass that had rapidly expanded in the 3 months prior to presentation. She had a presumed chalazion excised from the same area 1.5 years ago, but no pathology was investigated.

Oculopharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy Ptosis, Mueller's Muscle Involvement, and a Review of Management Over 34 Years.

Purpose: To review the management of the ptosis associated with oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) from one author's experience over 34 years, demonstrate Mueller's muscle involvement in this disease, and how this impacts the preferred choice of surgery.

Methods: Retrospective, nonrandomized comparative case series. Forty patients with OPMD who underwent primary bilateral ptosis surgery through an anterior eyelid incision and had their Mueller's muscle biopsied (one side) and sent for histopathologic analysis were selected for chart review.

Quality and composition of Albendazole, Mebendazole and Praziquantel available in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Tanzania.

Background: Even though the international combat against Neglected Tropical Diseases such as schistosomiasis or soil-transmitted helminthiases depends on reliable therapeutics, anthelminthic pharmacovigilance has been neglected on many national African drug markets. Therefore, quality and composition of Albendazole, Mebendazole and Praziquantel locally collected in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Tanzania were analysed.

Methods: Samples of 88 different batches were obtained from randomly selected facilities.

Astrocyte lineage cells are essential for functional neuronal differentiation and synapse maturation in human iPSC-derived neural networks.

Human astrocytes differ dramatically in cell morphology and gene expression from murine astrocytes. The latter are well known to be of major importance in the formation of neuronal networks by promoting synapse maturation. However, whether human astrocyte lineage cells have a similar role in network formation has not been firmly established.

Induced Neurons for the Study of Neurodegenerative and Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Patient-derived or genomically modified human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer the opportunity to study neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Overexpression of certain neurogenic transcription factors (TFs) in iPSCs can induce efficient differentiation into homogeneous populations of the disease-relevant neuronal cell types. Here we provide protocols for genomic manipulations of iPSCs by CRISPR/Cas9.

On-demand optogenetic activation of human stem-cell-derived neurons.

The widespread application of human stem-cell-derived neurons for functional studies is impeded by complicated differentiation protocols, immaturity, and deficient optogene expression as stem cells frequently lose transgene expression over time. Here we report a simple but precise Cre-loxP-based strategy for generating conditional, and thereby stable, optogenetic human stem-cell lines. These cells can be easily and efficiently differentiated into functional neurons, and optogene expression can be triggered by administering Cre protein to the cultures.

[Optogenetics: A Therapeutic Option for Advanced Retinal Dystrophies].

Optogenetics refers to the genetic modification of cells to express light-sensitive proteins, which mediate ion flow or secondary signalling cascades upon light exposure. Channelrhodopsin, the most famous example, is an unselective cation channel, which opens when exposed to blue light, thus mediating the depolarisation of the expressing cell. Along with other light-sensitive proteins such as the chloride pump eNpHR, which mediates light-activated hyperpolarisation, the optogenetic toolset offers a wide range of non-invasive single cell manipulations.

Vision Restoration Becomes Druggable.

In this issue of Neuron, Tochitsky et al. (2016) have identified the mechanism by which small-molecule photoswitches enter and specifically activate retinal OFF-ganglion cells in degenerated retinas. This drug development is a tremendous step toward the treatment of blindness, regardless of the underlying mutation.

Biophysical Properties of Optogenetic Tools and Their Application for Vision Restoration Approaches.

Optogenetics is the use of genetically encoded light-activated proteins to manipulate cells in a minimally invasive way using light. The most prominent example is channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), which allows the activation of electrically excitable cells via light-dependent depolarization. The combination of ChR2 with hyperpolarizing-light-driven ion pumps such as the Cl(-) pump halorhodopsin (NpHR) enables multimodal remote control of neuronal cells in culture, tissue, and living animals.

Current indications for pegging in the anophthalmic socket: are there any?

Purpose Of Review: To highlight the development, problems, and current status of coupling porous orbital implants to the overlying prosthetic eye.

Recent Findings: Although increasing the risk of complications, pegging significantly contributes to prosthesis motility and satisfies the cosmetic expectations of some patients. Patients should be counseled regarding the increased risks in approximately one-third of individuals and that complications can occur even 10 years following implantation.

C-terminal fragment of N-cadherin accelerates synapse destabilization by amyloid-β.

The aetiology of Alzheimer's disease is thought to include functional impairment of synapses and synapse loss as crucial pathological events leading to cognitive dysfunction and memory loss. Oligomeric amyloid-β peptides are well known to induce functional damage, destabilization and loss of brain synapses. However, the complex molecular mechanisms of amyloid-β action resulting ultimately in synapse elimination are incompletely understood, thus limiting knowledge of potential therapeutic targets.

Use of complementary medications among older adults with cancer.

Background: Little is known about complementary medication use among older adults with cancer, particularly those who are receiving chemotherapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of complementary medication use and to identify the factors associated with its use among older adults with cancer.

Methods: The prevalence of complementary medication use (defined as herbal agents, minerals, or other dietary supplements, excluding vitamins) was evaluated in a cohort of adults aged ≥65 years who were about to start chemotherapy for their cancer.

Predicting chemotherapy toxicity in older adults with cancer: a prospective multicenter study.

Purpose: Older adults are vulnerable to chemotherapy toxicity; however, there are limited data to identify those at risk. The goals of this study are to identify risk factors for chemotherapy toxicity in older adults and develop a risk stratification schema for chemotherapy toxicity.

Patients And Methods: Patients age ≥ 65 years with cancer from seven institutions completed a prechemotherapy assessment that captured sociodemographics, tumor/treatment variables, laboratory test results, and geriatric assessment variables (function, comorbidity, cognition, psychological state, social activity/support, and nutritional status).

The bioceramic implant: evaluation of implant exposures in 419 implants.

Purpose: To compare the rate of exposure in the immediate 3-month postoperative follow-up period with the rate of exposure after the immediate postoperative period in 419 anophthalmic patients with a bioceramic (aluminum oxide) orbital implant.

Methods: This is a retrospective, clinical case series of 419 patients who received a bioceramic orbital implant. All patients who presented to five oculofacial surgeons (D.

Management of cosmetic eyelid surgery complications.

There is a broad spectrum of complications that can occur following cosmetic eyelid surgery. The experienced eyelid surgeon should be able to avoid most serious complications through proper patient selection, a comprehensive preoperative assessment and surgical plan, meticulous surgical technique, and appropriate postoperative care. The aesthetic eyelid surgeon must counsel a patient contemplating blepharoplasty surgery regarding typical expectations including edema, eyelid numbness, dry eyes, and mild blurred vision.

The use of vicryl mesh in 200 porous orbital implants: a technique with few exposures.

Purpose: To report the results of a wrapping technique for porous orbital implants by using polyglactin 910 (Vicryl) mesh (Ethicon Inc., Somerville, NJ, U.S.

Hydroxyapatite orbital implant vascularization assessed by magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose: To report hydroxyapatite (HA) implant enhancement patterns on magnetic resonance (MR) images at varying time intervals after implantation.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 45 consecutive patients(from one author's practice) who underwent an MR imaging study 2 to 157 months after HA orbital implant placement. Implant fibrovascular ingrowth was assessed by analyzing the extent of implant enhancement seen on MR imaging.