Barriers to Adherence with Immunosuppressive Therapy in Patients with Uveitis.

Purpose: To evaluate the barriers to adherence with immunomodulatory therapy (IMT) for patients with uveitis across multiple regions of the United States.

Methods: A multi-center survey of adult and pediatric patients with ocular inflammatory diseases undergoing treatment with IMT was conducted between September 2021 and August 2022. Participating sites included Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute, Wong Eye Institute of the University of Texas at Austin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Minnesota, Veterans Affairs Hospital of Minneapolis, and Washington University of St.

Picture this: A novel model eye for ophthalmoscopy practice.

What Was The Educational Challenge?: Ophthalmoscopy is a challenging skill to learn but essential for identifying ophthalmic pathology. Typically, there are few opportunities for early learners to practice this skill in the non-clinical setting.

What Was The Solution?: We sought to develop a model eye for the practice of direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy, with realistic dimensions and fundus images, using accessible and affordable supplies.

Intraspecific Variation in Mercury Contamination of Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys temminckii).

Macrochelys temminckii (alligator snapping turtle) is an aquatic turtle endemic to the southeastern United States that was proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act in 2021. In the present study we analyzed total mercury (THg) concentrations in skeletal muscle, tail clips, and nail tissue of 93 M. temminckii sampled from 14 waterbodies in eastern Texas (USA).

Long-term ecological research in freshwaters enabled by regional biodiversity collections, stable isotope analysis, and environmental informatics.

Biodiversity collections are experiencing a renaissance fueled by the intersection of informatics, emerging technologies, and the extended use and interpretation of specimens and archived databases. In this article, we explore the potential for transformative research in ecology integrating biodiversity collections, stable isotope analysis (SIA), and environmental informatics. Like genomic DNA, SIA provides a common currency interpreted in the context of biogeochemical principles.

Comparing the COVID-19-related PTSD symptoms between psychiatric patients and healthy subjects: an observational retrospective study from Northern Italy.

COVID-19 pandemic had a great impact on mental health, both in the general population and psychiatric patients. Little is known about the difference between these two populations in perceiving the pandemic as a traumatic event. The aim of the study was to compare psychiatric patients and healthy controls (HC) in terms of change over time of post-traumatic (PTSD) symptoms.

The psychopathological impact of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic on subjects suffering from different mental disorders: An observational retrospective study.

SARS-CoV-2 infection causes a pulmonary disease (COVID-19) which spread worldwide generating fear, anxiety, depression in the general population as well as among subjects affected by mental disorders. Little is known about which different psychopathological changes the pandemic caused among individuals affected by different psychiatric disorders, which represents the aim of the present study. Specific psychometric scales were administered at three time points: T0 as outbreak of pandemic, T1 as lockdown period, T2 as reopening.

Clinicomolecular Identification of Conserved and Individualized Features of Granulomatous Uveitis.

Objective: To identify molecular features that distinguish individuals with shared clinical features of granulomatous uveitis.

Design: Cross-sectional, observational study.

Participants: Four eyes from patients with active granulomatous uveitis.

Postoperative hypocalcemia: analysis of factors influencing early hypocalcemia development following thyroid surgery.

Background: Early Hypocalcemia is the most frequent complication after thyroid surgery. Several studies have tried to identify factors (patient caracteristics or surgical technique variations) affecting hypocalcemia following thyroid surgery. This studiy evaluates the role of several factors in postoperative hypocalcemia development.

Anthropogenic versus fish-derived nutrient effects on seagrass community structure and function.

Humans are altering nutrient dynamics through myriad pathways globally. Concurrent with the addition of nutrients via municipal, industrial, and agricultural sources, widespread consumer exploitation is changing consumer-mediated nutrient dynamics drastically. Thus, altered nutrient dynamics can occur through changes in the supply of multiple nutrients, as well as through changes in the sources of these nutrients.

Correlates of elemental-isotopic composition of stream fishes: the importance of land-use, species identity and body size.

The isotopic (δ C and δ N) and stoichiometric (C:N:P) compositions of four fish species (Family Centrarchidae: Lepomis auritus, Lepomis cyanellus; Family Cyprinidae: Nocomis leptocephalus, Semotilus atromaculatus) were examined across four North Carolina Piedmont streams arrayed along an urbanization gradient. Both isotopic and stoichiometric composition of fishes appeared to track changes occurring in basal resource availability. Values of δ C of basal resources and consumers were more enriched at the most urbanized streams.

Glaucoma and quality of life: fall and driving risk.

Purpose Of Review: Numerous population-based studies suggest that glaucoma is an independent risk factor for falling and motor vehicle collisions, particularly for older adults. These adverse events lead to increased healthcare expenditures and decreased quality of life. Current research priorities, therefore, include identifying factors that predispose glaucoma patients to falling and unsafe driving, and developing screening strategies and targeted rehabilitation.

Relationship between postoperative complications and survival after gastrectomy for cancer.

Background: Surgical resection remains the main curative treatment for gastric cancer but is still affected by high postoperative morbidity and mortality rates, especially in Western countries.

Materials And Methods: We've analyzed patients treated for gastric cancer at our Operative Unit of ent, extent of lymphadenectomy and survival. General Surgery and Organ Transplantation of the University Hospital of Parma from January 2006 till December 2010, relating the occurrence of eventual complications to sex, age at diagnosis, definitive histological examination, type and duration of surgical treatment.

Body size-trophic position relationships among fishes of the lower Mekong basin.

Body size is frequently claimed to be a major determinant of animal trophic interactions, yet few studies have explored relationships between body size and trophic interactions in rivers, especially within the tropics. We examined relationships between body size and trophic position (TP) within fish assemblages in four lowland rivers of the Lower Mekong Basin in Cambodia. Stable isotope analysis (based on δN) was used to estimate TP of common fish species in each river, and species were classified according to occupation of benthic versus pelagic habitats and major feeding guilds.

Minimally invasive thyroidectomy: a ten years experience.

Background: The conventional thyroidectomy is the most frequent surgical procedure for thyroidal surgical disease. From several years were introduced minimally invasive approaches to thyroid surgery. These new procedures improved the incidence of postoperative pain, cosmetic results, patient's quality of life, postoperative morbidity.

Reproductive strategies of two Neotropical killifish, Austrolebias vandenbergi and Neofundulus ornatipinnis (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) in the Bolivian Gran Chaco.

The dry Chaco, a semiarid thorn forest, is experiencing some of the highest deforestation rates globally, coupled with the fact that small-bodied fish are at the highest risk of extinction, the killifish inhabiting this region may be some of the most threatened taxa. Yet, aspects of ecology and life history for Neotropical killifishes in the Bolivian Gran Chaco region are completely lacking, and basic life-history data is of critical importance for the design and implementation of conservation measures. Collections were conducted during the early (January 2011) and late (March-April 2011) rainy season using an area-based sampler and dip net surveys.

FOXE1 and SYNE1 genes hypermethylation panel as promising biomarker in colitis-associated colorectal neoplasia.

Background: Colitis-associated colorectal cancer affects individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) more often and earlier than cancer in the general population. Colonoscopy provides the surveillance gold standard. Changes to the surveillance intervals depending on endoscopic activity have been made, given data demonstrating that this is an important predictor of future dysplasia or cancer, but adjuvant, noninvasive clinical tools are still warranted to improve surveillance outcomes and to assist in management and interpretation of dysplasia.

Sensitivity and specificity of magnetic resonance enterography in the clinical management of fistulizing Crohn's disease.

Background: High diagnostic accuracy is reported for magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) in Crohn's disease (CD), but few studies have evaluated its role in abdominal fistulae. The primary aim of this study was to assess the reliability of MRE in the identification of internal fistulae in CD.

Methods: One hundred and eighty-six patients with moderate CD (CD Activity Index : 250-400) were prospectively selected from the inflammatory bowel disease clinic of Parma University Hospital.

Altered expression of type-1 and type-2 cannabinoid receptors in celiac disease.

Anandamide (AEA) is the prominent member of the endocannabinoid family and its biological action is mediated through the binding to both type-1 (CB1) and type-2 (CB2) cannabinoid receptors (CBR). The presence of AEA and CBR in the gastrointestinal tract highlighted their pathophysiological role in several gut diseases, including celiac disease. Here, we aimed to investigate the expression of CBR at transcriptional and translational levels in the duodenal mucosa of untreated celiac patients, celiac patients on a gluten-free diet for at least 12 months and control subjects.

Use of preoperative visceral echo-color-Doppler in patients candidates to colonic surgery: preliminary report.

Aim: Postsurgical paralytic ileus is by definition an ileal paralysis longer than three days (72 hours) after a surgery on the gastrointestinal tract. At colorectal surgery we have performed on all candidates a visceral echo-color-Doppler to find a potential correlation with cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods: We have tested patients undergone to colorectal surgical resection performed by laparoscopic and laparotomic surgery, looking for their atherosclerosis status using ultrasound scan, postsurgical complication, bowel digestive function, anastomotic leak.

Reprogramming of adult rod photoreceptors prevents retinal degeneration.

A prime goal of regenerative medicine is to direct cell fates in a therapeutically useful manner. Retinitis pigmentosa is one of the most common degenerative diseases of the eye and is associated with early rod photoreceptor death followed by secondary cone degeneration. We hypothesized that converting adult rods into cones, via knockdown of the rod photoreceptor determinant Nrl, could make the cells resistant to the effects of mutations in rod-specific genes, thereby preventing secondary cone loss.

Sun/shade conditions affect recruitment and local adaptation of a columnar cactus in dry forests.

Background And Aims: Facilitation among plants in water-limited environments (i.e. where evapotranspiration overcomes the availability of water during the growing season) has been considered a local adaptation to water and light conditions.

Quantifying the activity of cis-regulatory elements in the mouse retina by explant electroporation.

Transcription factors control gene expression by binding to noncoding regions of DNA known as -cis-regulatory elements (CREs; i.e., enhancer/promoters).

Impact of lymph node ratio in the colorectal cancer staging system.

Aim: Some researchers have proposed the Lymph Node Ratio (LNR) as a prognostic index for post-surgical colorectal cancer follow up.

Material And Method: Two hundred patients with colorectal cancer (ratio F/M of 2:1) were studied. Patients were divided in subgroups according to N-stage and LNR score, subgroups of LNR were made on quartiles.

Heterozygote excess through life history stages in Cestrum miradorense Francey (Solanaceae), an endemic shrub in a fragmented cloud forest habitat.

Comparisons of genetic diversity and population genetic structure among different life history stages provide important information on the effect of the different forces and micro-evolutionary processes that mould diversity and genetic structure after fragmentation. Here we assessed genetic diversity and population genetic structure using 32 allozymic loci in adults, seeds, seedlings and juveniles of eight populations of the micro-endemic shrub Cestrum miradorense in a highly fragmented cloud forest in central-eastern Mexico. We expected that due to its long history or rarity, this species may have endured the negative effects of fragmentation and would show moderate to high levels of genetic diversity.