Reducing Time to Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder Using an Integrated Community Specialty Care Model: A Retrospective Study.

Objective: To evaluate a fast-track triage model in an integrated community specialty clinic to reduce the age of diagnosis for patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Study Design: A retrospective chart review was performed for patients seen in an integrated community specialty pediatric practice using a fast-track screening and triage model. The percentage of ASD diagnoses, age at diagnosis, and time from referral to diagnosis were evaluated.

Hospital library closures and consolidations: a case series.

Background: Health sciences libraries are being closed or are under threat of closure, but little is published that looks at context and causes or alternative library service delivery models such as affiliations or consolidations. There is also very little research about the effect of these changes on health care provider satisfaction, patient care, or hospital quality indicators. Preventing library closures is not always possible, but understanding some of the circumstances leading to the decision and implementation of a closure or consolidation could inform best practice management.

EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT MONITORING MODALITIES IN THE DETECTION OF NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION: The Home Study, Report Number 3.

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of different monitoring modalities to detect incident neovascularization associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Secondary analyses compared the rates of detecting incident neovascular AMD in prescheduled office visits versus office visits triggered by monitoring device or by symptom realization in a randomized trial evaluating home telemonitoring device plus standard care (device arm) versus standard care alone.

Results: At prescheduled office visits, neovascular AMD was detected in 14/1927 visits (0.

Intravitreal sirolimus for the treatment of geographic atrophy: results of a phase I/II clinical trial.

Purpose: To investigate the safety and effects of intravitreal sirolimus for the potential treatment of geographic atrophy (GA).

Methods: The study was a single-center, open-label, phase I/II trial enrolling six participants with bilateral GA treated with intravitreal sirolimus in only one randomly assigned eye, with the fellow eye as control. The primary efficacy outcome measure was the change in total GA area from baseline on color fundus photography (CFP); secondary outcomes included changes in GA area on fundus autofluorescence (FAF), visual acuity, central retinal thickness (CRT), and macular sensitivity from baseline.

Effect of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids and lutein + zeaxanthin supplements on cardiovascular outcomes: results of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) randomized clinical trial.

Importance: Dietary supplements have been proposed as a mechanism to improve health and prevent disease.

Objective: To determine if supplementing diet with long-chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids or with macular xanthophylls results in a reduced rate of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Design, Setting, And Participants: The Cardiovascular Outcome Study (COS) was an ancillary study of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2), a factorial-designed randomized clinical trial of 4203 participants recruited from 82 US academic and community ophthalmology clinics, who were followed up for a median of 4.

Treatment of geographic atrophy with subconjunctival sirolimus: results of a phase I/II clinical trial.

Purpose: To investigate the safety and effects of subconjunctival sirolimus, an mTOR inhibitor and immunosuppressive agent, for the treatment of geographic atrophy (GA).

Methods: The study was a single-center, open-label phase II trial, enrolling 11 participants with bilateral GA; eight participants completed 24 months of follow-up. Sirolimus (440 μg) was administered every 3 months as a subconjunctival injection in only one randomly assigned eye in each participant for 24 months.

Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography characteristics of intermediate age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: Describe qualitative spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) characteristics of eyes classified as intermediate age-related macular degeneration (nonadvanced AMD) from Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) color fundus photography (CFP) grading.

Design: Prospective cross-sectional study.

Participants: We included 345 AREDS2 participants from 4 study centers and 122 control participants who lack CFP features of intermediate AMD.

Spatial correlation between hyperpigmentary changes on color fundus photography and hyperreflective foci on SDOCT in intermediate AMD.

Purpose: Macular hyperpigmentation is associated with progression from intermediate to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The purpose of this study was to accurately correlate hyperpigmentary changes with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) hyperreflective foci in eyes with non-advanced AMD.

Methods: A prospective cross-sectional analysis of 314 eyes (314 subjects) with intermediate AMD was performed in the multicenter Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) Ancillary SDOCT Study to correlate hyperpigmentary changes on color fundus photographs (CFP) with abnormal morphology on SDOCT.

Pituitary tumors in childhood.

Purpose Of Review: This review focuses on recently published literature on pituitary tumors in children with special focus on craniopharyngioma and prolactinoma. Although most pituitary masses are benign neoplasms, they are associated with high morbidity and mortality related to their proximity to vital neurologic structures including the optic chiasm, hypophysis and hypothalamus, resulting in disruption of pituitary hormone secretion.

Recent Findings: The role of Wingless/β-beta catenin signaling and aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein mutations in pituitary tumor formation has been recognized.

Treatment of geographic atrophy by the topical administration of OT-551: results of a phase II clinical trial.

Purpose: To investigate the safety and preliminary efficacy of OT-551, a disubstituted hydroxylamine with antioxidant properties, for the treatment of geographic atrophy (GA), the advanced atrophic form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: The study was a single-center, open-label phase II trial, enrolling 10 participants with bilateral GA. Topical 0.

Baseline characteristics of participants in the natural history study of macular telangiectasia (MacTel) MacTel Project Report No. 2.

Purpose: To describe the baseline characteristics of a large international cohort of patients with macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel Type 2) in anticipation of a longitudinal natural history study to evaluate structural and functional changes, identify potential risk factors and related outcomes.

Methods: Images including fundus photographs, fluorescein angiograms, optical coherence tomography and fundus autofluorescence were collected. A grading system for MacTel type 2 was developed by the central reading center to evaluate lesion characteristics.

Improved outcomes with home-based administration of palivizumab: results from the 2000-2004 Palivizumab Outcomes Registry.

Background: Palivizumab Outcomes Registry data collected during 4 years were examined to assess compliance and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalization rates in high-risk children receiving palivizumab prophylaxis at home compared with an outpatient setting.

Methods: Prospective observational registry enrolling high-risk infants who received > or = 1 dose of palivizumab throughout the 2000-2001 to 2003-2004 RSV seasons at participating U.S.

The National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire in the Macular Telangiectasia (MacTel) Project.

Purpose: To describe vision-targeted health-related quality of life (HR-QOL), measured with the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) in a cohort of patients with macular telangiectasia (MacTel) type 2 and to evaluate the relationship between visual acuity and NEI-VFQ-25 scores.

Methods: This was an analysis of cross-sectional baseline data from a longitudinal natural history study. Patients with MacTel type 2 were enrolled in the Natural History Study of The Macular Telangiectasia Project (The MacTel Project).

Palivizumab use in subjects with congenital heart disease: results from the 2000-2004 Palivizumab Outcomes Registry.

The Palivizumab Outcomes Registry prospectively collected data on 19,548 subjects who received respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prophylaxis with palivizumab during the 2000-2004 RSV seasons. We evaluated the characteristics of enrolled registry subjects with congenital heart disease (CHD) over the four RSV seasons and examined additional information on these subjects collected in the 2002-2004 seasons. The percentage of registry subjects with CHD increased from 4.

Role of epidermal growth factor and ErbB2 receptors in 3T3-L1 adipogenesis.

Objective: Epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulates proliferation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, but EGF action in differentiation is less clear. EGF promotes differentiation at concentrations <1 nM but inhibits differentiation at higher concentrations, suggesting a dual role in adipogenesis. We hypothesized that differences in EGF receptor activation and downstream signaling mediate distinct biological effects of EGF at low vs.