Effective treatment of retinal neovascular leakage with fusogenic porous silicon nanoparticles delivering VEGF-siRNA.

To evaluate an intravitreally injected nanoparticle platform designed to deliver VEGF-A siRNA to inhibit retinal neovascular leakage as a new treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema. Fusogenic lipid-coated porous silicon nanoparticles loaded with VEGF-A siRNA, and pendant neovascular integrin-homing iRGD, were evaluated for efficacy by intravitreal injection in a rabbit model of retinal neovascularization. For 12 weeks post-treatment, a reduction in vascular leakage was observed for treated diseased eyes versus control eyes (p = 0.

Single cell RNA sequencing confirms retinal microglia activation associated with early onset retinal degeneration.

Mutations in the Membrane-type frizzled related protein (Mfrp) gene results in an early-onset retinal degeneration associated with retinitis pigmentosa, microphthalmia, optic disc drusen and foveal schisis. In the current study, a previously characterized mouse model of human retinal degeneration carrying homozygous c.498_499insC mutations in Mfrp (Mfrp) was used.

A sustained dual drug delivery system for proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is a significant threat for vision recovery from retinal detachment or ocular trauma. Currently, no approved pharmacological intervention to prevent PVR. Daunorubicin (DNR) and dexamethasone (DEX) were sequentially loaded into oxidized porous silicon (pSiO) particles by covalent conjugation.

Single subconjunctival injection formulation using sol-gel mesoporous silica as a controlled release system for drop-free post-cataract surgery care.

Purpose: To develop a mesoporous silica drug delivery system and target drop-free care after cataract surgery with a single subconjunctival injection.

Setting: Laboratory.

Design: Experimental animal study.

Intravitreal safety profiles of sol-gel mesoporous silica microparticles and the degradation product (Si(OH)).

Mesoporous silica has attracted significant attention in the drug delivery area; however, impurities can be a source of toxicity. The current study used commercial microparticles produced at large scale in a well-controlled environment. Micrometer sized mesoporous silica particles were acquired through a commercial vendor and pore structures were characterized by SEM.

Acute Rabbit Eye Model for Testing Subretinal Prostheses.

Purpose: Subretinal prostheses are a novel technology for restoring useful vision in patients with retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration. We characterize the surgical implantation technique and functional time window of an acute rabbit eye model for testing of human subretinal prostheses.

Methods: Retinal prostheses were implanted subretinally in 26 rabbits using a two-step technique.

The Effects of a Targeted History Question on Patient-Triage Nurse Communication.

Fast tracks are widely used in emergency departments to increase patient throughput as annual visits continue to rise in the United States. A modified triage process known as QuickLook, which omits patients' past medical history, is used in some hospitals to further increase throughput. This article discusses the effects of QuickLook on patient placement, reviews the role of past medical history in triage, and discusses the impact of integrating a targeted history question into the QuickLook process of an emergency department in Arizona.

Porous silicon based intravitreal platform for dual-drug loading and controlled release towards synergistic therapy.

The number of blind and low vision persons in the US is projected to increase to 5.68 million by 2020. The eye diseases causing loss of vision are life-long, chronic, and often need protracted presence of therapeutics at the disease site to keep the disease in remission.

New model of proliferative vitreoretinopathy in rabbit for drug delivery and pharmacodynamic studies.

Blinding retinal diseases become more epidemic as the population ages. These diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy and macular edema, are of chronic nature and require protracted drug presence at the disease site. A sustained intravitreal porous silicon delivery system with dexamethasone (pSiO-COO-DEX) was evaluated in a new rabbit model of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) in a real treatment design.

A Novel Approach of Daunorubicin Application on Formation of Proliferative Retinopathy Using a Porous Silicon Controlled Delivery System: Pharmacodynamics.

Purpose: Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is the most common cause of poor visual outcomes in association with retinal detachment surgeries and ocular trauma. Daunorubicin (DNR) has shown the strongest efficacy in proliferation inhibition in vitro. However, clinical studies have shown only mild effect owing to limitations of narrow therapeutic window and short vitreous half-life.