Investigating G-quadruplex structures in gene: Implications for understanding X-linked retinal degeneration.

Aims: This pilot study investigates the potential pathogenic role of G-quadruplex (G4) structures in -associated retinal degeneration, starting from a case of suspected X-linked form affected family. We hypothesize that the stabilization of these structures might alter DNA replication and transcription, inducing genetic instability and influencing gene expression.

Main Methods: We conducted whole genome amplification experiments and next-generation sequencing to detect the blockade of polymerase activity by G4 structures.

Human retinal secretome: A cross-link between mesenchymal and retinal cells.

In recent years, mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have been considered the most effective source for regenerative medicine, especially due to released soluble paracrine bioactive components and extracellular vesicles. These factors, collectively called the secretome, play crucial roles in immunomodulation and in improving survival and regeneration capabilities of injured tissue. Recently, there has been a growing interest in the secretome released by retinal cytotypes, especially retinal pigment epithelium and Müller glia cells.

Epitranscriptome Analysis of Oxidative Stressed Retinal Epithelial Cells Depicted a Possible RNA Editing Landscape of Retinal Degeneration.

Oxidative stress represents one of the principal causes of inherited retinal dystrophies, with many related molecular mechanisms still unknown. We investigated the posttranscriptional RNA editing landscape of human retinal pigment epithelium cells (RPE) exposed to the oxidant agent N-retinylidene-N-retinyl ethanolamine (A2E) for 1 h, 2 h, 3 h and 6 h. Using a transcriptomic approach, refined with a specific multialgorithm pipeline, 62,880 already annotated and de novo RNA editing sites within about 3000 genes were identified among all samples.

Effect of COVID-19 lockdown on refractive errors in Italian children aged 5-12 years: A multi-center retrospective study.

Purpose: to explore the potential consequences of the COVID-19 lockdown on the prevalence of myopia among Italian children aged 5-12 years.

Materials And Methods: retrospective multicenter study conducted in Italy. Population: children aged 5-12.

Effects of Photo-Biomodulation in Stargardt Disease.

Purpose: Stargardt disease (STGD1) is the most common hereditary macular degeneration and currently no treatments have been approved to interrupt the progression of the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of photo-biomodulation in patients with Stargardt disease 1 year after treatment, considering as primary outcomes improvements in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), microperimetry, and pattern electroretinography (PERG) amplitude.

Materials And Methods: Ninety eyes of 45 patients with a diagnosis of Stargardt disease stage 1 were prospectively recruited at the University of Bologna.

Risk factors in central retinal vein occlusion: A multi-center case-control study conducted on the Italian population : Demographic, environmental, systemic, and ocular factors that increase the risk for major thrombotic events in the retinal venous system.

Purpose: To explore the risk factors for central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) by comparing a large sample of patients with healthy controls.

Materials And Methods: Multi-center case-control study. The study group includes patients affected by central retinal vein occlusion, confirmed angiographically, aged 50 years old or above (Group A).

Efficacy and safety of intravitreal Fluocinolone Acetonide microimplant (ILUVIEN) in patients with chronic diabetic macular edema: 1 year follow-up.

Purpose: Evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal 0.19 mg fluocinolone acetonide (FAc) micro implant in patients with chronic diabetic macular edema (cDME).

Methods: Prospective study recruiting subjects with cDME.

Prolonged face mask use might worsen dry eye symptoms.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore whether prolonged and consistent face mask use might be associated with worsening of dry eye symptoms in patients with dry eye disease (DED).

Methods: Subjects with a previous diagnosis of DED. Their OSDI scores were compared with those recorded in Fall 2019 using the Wilcoxon paired test.

The effect of diabetic retinopathy on standing posture during optic flow stimulation.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy is a principal cause of visual damage and blindness, in which laser treatment offers proven therapy. The progressive degeneration of the retina, secondary to diabetes, is believed to cause postural instability although this is not well documented. The aim of this research was to assess how optic flow stimuli contribute to the control of stance in people with impaired retinal functions.

Expression of Pro-Angiogenic Markers Is Enhanced by Blue Light in Human RPE Cells.

Inherited retinal dystrophies are characterized by photoreceptor death. Oxidative stress usually occurs, increasing vision loss, and oxidative damage is often reported in retinitis pigmentosa (RP). More than 300 genes have been reported as RP causing.

Conjunctivitis can be the only presenting sign and symptom of COVID-19.

Five cases of non-remitting conjunctivitis turned out to be the sole presenting sign and symptom of COVID-19. These patients tested positive on RT-PCR of naso-pharyngeal swabs and developed no fever, malaise, or respiratory symptoms throughout the course of their illness. They all fully recovered.

Regenerative Therapy by Suprachoroidal Cell Autograft in Dry Age-related Macular Degeneration: Preliminary In Vivo Report.

This study is aimed at examining whether a suprachoroidal graft of autologous cells can improve best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and responses to microperimetry (MY) in eyes affected by dry Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) over time through the production and secretion of growth factors (GFs) on surrounding tissue. Patients were randomly assigned to each study group. All patients were diagnosed with dry AMD and with BCVA equal to or greater than 1 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR).

Ectropion and Conjunctival Mass in a Patient with Primary Bilateral Conjunctival Amyloidosis.

Amyloidosis is a group of disorders characterized by deposition of an extracellular protein, known as amyloid, in an abnormal fibrillar form with highly characteristic histopathologic staining properties. The clinical presentation can vary from a focal, localized lesion where amyloidosis has minor clinical consequences to extensive systemic disease that can involve any organ system of the body. Ocular amyloidosis can occur as a localized lesion or as a part of a systemic disorder.

Cell surgery and growth factors in dry age-related macular degeneration: visual prognosis and morphological study.

Background: The aim of this research was to study the overall restoration effect on residual retinal cells through surgically grafted autologous cells onto the surrounding tissue, choroid and retina in order to produce a constant secretion of growth factors (GFs) in dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients.

Results: 6 months after surgery, several values were statistically significant in the group with higher RTA. Also patient compliance analysis (PCA) in relation to functional change perception appeared to be very good.

Effect of the combination of basic fibroblast growth factor and cysteine on corneal epithelial healing after photorefractive keratectomy in patients affected by myopia.

Background: This study sought to evaluate the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor eye drops and cysteine oral supplements on corneal healing in patients treated with photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

Materials And Methods: One hundred and twenty patients treated bilaterally with PRK for myopia were enrolled at one of two eye centers (Clinica Santa Lucia, Bologna, Italy and Department of Ophthalmology, University of Magna Graecia, Catanzaro, Italy) and were treated at the former center. Sixty patients included in the study group (Group 1) were treated postoperatively with topical basic fibroblast growth factor plus oral L-cysteine supplements, whereas 60 subjects included in the control group (Group 2) received basic fibroblast growth factor eye drops.

Potential role of intravitreal human placental stem cell implants in inhibiting progression of diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes: neuroprotective growth factors in the vitreous.

Background: Intravitreal injection of human mesenchymal stem cells has been shown to be effective in slowing the progression of diabetic retinopathy in an animal model of chemically induced diabetes mellitus. We studied changes in growth factor levels released from human mesenchymal stem cells in the vitreous cavity as well as changes in growth factor levels in host retinal neurons following intravitreal injection.

Methods: Twenty-two Lewis rats were treated with an intravitreal human mesenchymal stem cell microinjection.

Effect of basic fibroblast growth factor and cytochrome c peroxidase combination in transgenic mice corneal epithelial healing process after excimer laser photoablation.

Purpose: To evaluate the role of prepared basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and cytochrome c peroxidase (CCP) combination eyedrops in corneal epithelial healing of transgenic mice (B6(A)-Rpe(rd12)/J) after excimer laser photoablation.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective study, 216 eyes of 108 mice underwent bilateral photorefractive keratectomy. We considered 4 groups: A, B, C, and D.

A simple method for identifying bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells with a high immunosuppressive potential.

Background Aims: The beneficial activity of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in allogeneic hematopietic stem cell transplantation requires correct use in terms of cell dose and timing of infusion and the identification of biomarkers for selection. The immunosuppressive bone marrow (BM)-derived MSC (BM-MSC) functions have been associated with the production of soluble HLA-G molecules (sHLA-G) via interleukin (IL)-10. We have established a reliable method for evaluating BM-MSC HLA-G expression without the influence of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

A novel stem cell tag-less sorting method.

Growing interest in stem cell research has led to the development of a number of new methods for isolation. The lack of homogeneity in stem cell preparation blurs standardization, which however is recommended for successful applications. Among stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are promising candidates for cell therapy applications.

Effect of basic fibroblast growth factor in transgenic mice: corneal epithelial healing process after excimer laser photoablation.

Purpose: To evaluate the role of preparedbasic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) eyedrops in corneal epithelial healing of transgenic mice after excimer laser photoablation.

Materials And Methods: In our prospective case series, 60 eyes of 30 mice had uneventful bilateral excimer laser photoablation. In each mouse, 1 eye received the standard topical postoperative therapy with tobramicin, diclofenac and dexamethasone eyedrops, plusbFGF eyedrops 5 microg/10 microl PBS 3 times a day for 1 week, or until corneal reepithelialization was complete.

Treatment of cystoid macular edema in retinitis pigmentosa with intravitreal triamcinolone.

Objective: To evaluate the results of treatment with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection in patients with cystoid macular edema secondary to retinitis pigmentosa.

Methods: This prospective, nonrandomized comparative trial included 20 eyes of 20 patients with cystoid macular edema secondary to retinitis pigmentosa (group A) and 20 eyes of 20 control individuals (group B) with the same characteristics who declined treatment. All treated eyes received an intravitreal injection of 0.

Effect of cytochrome c peroxidase on corneal epithelial healing process after photorefractive keratectomy.

Purpose: To evaluate the role of commercially prepared cytochrome c peroxidase eyedrops in corneal epithelial healing after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

Setting: Department of Pathophysiological Optics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

Methods: Seventy-two eyes of 36 patients affected by low to moderate refractive error (myopia and myopic astigmatism) had uneventful bilateral photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

[Photodynamic therapy for age related macular degeneration with and without antioxidants].

Background: Antioxidants may affect the lipid components of membrane receptors. The purpose of this study was to determine whether treatment with antioxidants after photodynamic therapy for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) improves visual acuity recovery time after a flicker test

Methods: The study was conducted in a university-affiliated ophthalmology clinic in Bologna, Italy, from April 2000 to April 2001. Thirty-five patients (21 men and 14 women aged 55 to 86 years [mean 72 (standard deviation [SD] 8.