Predictors of Changes in Alcohol Craving Levels during a Virtual Reality Cue Exposure Treatment among Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder.

Background/objective: Determining the predictive variables associated with levels of alcohol craving can ease the identification of patients who can benefit from treatments. This study aimed to describe changes (improvement or no change/deterioration) in alcohol craving levels and explore the predictors of these changes from admission to discharge in outpatients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) undergoing treatment-as-usual (TAU), or treatment-as-usual supplemented with virtual reality cue-exposure therapy (TAU + VR-CET).

Method: A prospective cohort study was conducted amongst 42 outpatients with AUD (n = 15 TAU + VR-CET and n = 27 TAU) from a clinical setting.

Age and gender influence on foveal avascular zone in healthy eyes.

The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) is the capillary-free area in the central macula with high photoreceptor density and metabolic activity. In the present study we measured the superficial and deep macular foveal avascular zone (sFAZ, dFAZ) in the eyes of healthy adults of both sexes of various ages ranging from 10 to 69 years using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) in order to evaluate the influence of gender and age on FAZ size. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 240 eyes of 120 healthy subjects, OCT-A was performed by means of a Topcon swept source OCT.

Strategy-Driven Exploration for Rule-Based Models of Biochemical Systems with PORGY.

This chapter presents PORGY-an interactive visual environment for rule-based modelling of biochemical systems. We model molecules and molecule interactions as port graphs and port graph rewrite rules, respectively. We use rewriting strategies to control which rules to apply, and where and when to apply them.

Intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents and antibiotic prophylaxis for endophthalmitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether the use of local antibiotics is a beneficial prophylactic treatment for endophthalmitis in patients treated with anti-VEGF agents. We searched the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases, and the Cochrane Library over the period January 2007 to December 2016. The search terms used included "Endophthalmitis", "Antibiotic" and "Intravitreal injection".

A calmodulin-like protein (LCALA) is a new Leishmania amazonensis candidate for telomere end-binding protein.

Background: Leishmania spp. telomeres are composed of 5'-TTAGGG-3' repeats associated with proteins. We have previously identified LaRbp38 and LaRPA-1 as proteins that bind the G-rich telomeric strand.

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN THE VITREOUS OF PATIENTS WITH AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION TREATED WITH INTRAVITREAL ANTI-VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR INJECTIONS.

Purpose: We aimed to assess the relationship of repeated intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, the main treatment for exudative age-related macular degeneration, with changes in vitreous ultrasonographic findings in patients with age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data from 41 patients (41 age-related macular degeneration eyes, 41 control eyes) on age, sex, number of injections, and type of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (ranibizumab, aflibercept). Ocular ultrasonography was performed with open eyelids, under topical anesthesia, and using carbomers as ultrasonographic gel.

Verteporfin photodynamic therapy combined with intravitreal ranibizumab for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy controversy concerning long-term followup.

Purpose. To show the long-term results of intravitreal ranibizumab combined with photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Methods.

Profilin cross-reactive panallergen causes latex sensitization in the pediatric population allergic to pollen.

Background: Component-resolved diagnostics (CRD) has been demonstrated to be an excellent new tool for improving the current diagnosis of allergies, and it allows differentiation between polysensitization and cross-reactivity.

Objective: To demonstrate the role of cross-reactive pollen allergens in pediatric patients living in areas with large amounts of airborne grass pollen grains who are sensitive to grass pollen and latex.

Methods: Serum samples were obtained from 106 children between 3 and 14 years of age diagnosed with allergies to pollen based on clinical history, skin prick tests, and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE).

A 1-year retrospective review of ranibizumab for naive nonsubfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To assess efficacy and safety in the treatment of nonsubfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration with intravitreal ranibizumab.

Methods: Retrospective, multicentric, noncomparative, interventional case series. We included patients with naïve extrafoveal and juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization treated with intravitreal ranibizumab and a follow-up of 1 year.

Intravitreal triamcinolone in diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic macular edema is an important cause of visual loss in the developed world and may frequently lead to irreversible changes in visual acuity. The Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study showed a significant benefit in using focal laser photocoagulation for the treatment of macular edema, more specifically defined as clinically significant macular edema. However, some cases of diabetic macular edema are refractory to laser therapy and do not have a good prognosis with such treatment.

Intravitreal triamcinolone for the treatment of diabetic macular edema.

Diabetic macular edema is one of the leading causes of visual loss in first world countries and the first cause in diabetic retinopathy. The Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study showed a significant benefit in using focal laser photocoagulation for the treatment of macular edema, more specifically defined as clinically significant macular edema. Nevertheless, progressive visual loss is found in the 26% of patients with diabetic macular edema treated with photocoagulation.

Successful treatment of retinal angiomatous proliferation by photodynamic therapy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe a patient with retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) treated successfully by photodynamic therapy.

Methods: A 74-year-old white woman was referred to our clinic for evaluation as a result of progressive decrease of vision in the right eye. Visual acuity was 20/100 in the affected right eye.

Combined photodynamic therapy and intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide for the treatment of myopic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization.

Purpose: To evaluate visual acuity changes and safety of combined treatment with photodynamic therapy (PDT) and intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) in myopic eyes with choroidal neovascularization (CNV).

Design: Prospective interventional case series.

Methods: Twelve eyes of 12 patients with subfoveal myopic CNV were treated with PDT followed by IVTA within a week.

[Usefulness of 2 coproparasitological methods and their utilization in an antigiardiasis therapeutic trial].

A study of 456 children aged 1-5 from 4 day care centers of San Miguel del Padron municipality was conducted in 1998, to evaluate the diagnosis of Giardia lamblia and other intestinal protozoa by using comparatively the coproparasitological diagnostic methods of direct examination and Ritchie's concentration technique or formol-ether. Besides, a therapeutical trial was developed with tinidazole and albendazole for treating the infection caused by G lamblia. Ritchie's concentration technique was more effective than the microscopic direct examination for diagnosing Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytical/Entamoeba dispar and Cyclospora cayetanensis.

Identification of three proteins that associate in vitro with the Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis G-rich telomeric strand.

The chromosomal ends of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis contain conserved 5'-TTAGGG-3' telomeric repeats. Protein complexes that associate in vitro with these DNA sequences, Leishmania amazonensis G-strand telomeric protein (LaGT1-3), were identified and characterized by electrophoretic mobility shift assays and UV cross-linking using protein fractions purified from S100 and nuclear extracts. The three complexes did not form (a) with double-stranded DNA and the C-rich telomeric strand, (b) in competition assays using specific telomeric DNA oligonucleotides, or (c) after pretreatment with proteinase K.