Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) of the eye: A review on basic principles, advantages, disadvantages and device specifications.

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) is a relatively new imaging technique in ophthalmology for the visualization of the retinal microcirculation and other tissues of the human eye. This review paper aims to describe the basic definitions and principles of OCT and OCTA in the most straightforward possible language without complex mathematical and engineering analysis. This is done to help health professionals of various disciplines improve their understanding of OCTA and design further clinical research more efficiently.

Serpin Family E Member 1 Tag Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Patients with Diabetic Nephropathy: An Association Study and Meta-Analysis Using a Genetic Model-Free Approach.

Background: Many lines of evidence highlight the genetic contribution on the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). One of the studied genes is whose the role in the risk of developing DN remains questionable. In order to elucidate the contribution of in DN progression in the context of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), we conducted an association study and meta-analysis of genetic variants.

Blood flow velocity comparison in the eye capillaries and postcapillary venules between normal pregnant and non-pregnant women.

Background: There is no consensus on how much and at what diameters the blood flow velocity changes in the female microcirculation during normal pregnancy.

Methods: A non-contact, digital slit-lamp biomicroscopy system was used to measure axial blood velocity (Vax) and diameter (D) in the conjunctival microcirculation of 28 normal non-pregnant women (Control Group), 17 women in the first semester of their normal pregnancy (Group 1) and 16 women in the third trimester of their normal pregnancy (Group 2). Blood volume flow (Q) was estimated from Vax and D.

SLC2A1 Tag SNPs in Greek Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy and Nephropathy.

Unlabelled: Backround: Genetic variants are implicated in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and nephropathy (DN). The role of solute carrier family 2-facilitated glucose transporter member 1 (SLC2A1), also known as glucose transporter (GLUT1), on DR and DN remain controversial.

Objective: Examination of the influence of tag SLC2A1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the development of DR and DN during the course of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor Type-1 Tag Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 and Diabetic Retinopathy.

Background: There is accumulating evidence for genetic susceptibility to the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). The role of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in DR risk remains controversial.

Objective: The present study was designed to investigate possible influence of PAI-1 gene region polymorphisms on the risk of DR and on the risk of developing DR early vs late in the course of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Wall shear stress quantification in the human conjunctival pre-capillary arterioles in vivo.

Blood volume flow (Q), wall shear rate (WSR) and wall shear stress (WSS) were quantified, for the first time, in the conjunctival pre-capillary arterioles of normal human volunteers with diameters (D) between 6 and 12 μm. The variation of the blood velocity throughout the cardiac cycle was taken into account using high speed video microcinematography. The dual effect of arteriolar diameter, firstly on the WSR and secondly on the dynamic viscosity of blood, was taken into account in the estimation of WSS.

European ST80 community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus orbital cellulitis in a neonate.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a serious cause of morbidity and mortality in hospital environment, but also, lately, in the community. This case report is, to our knowledge, the first detailed description of a community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus ST80 orbital cellulitis in a previously healthy neonate.

Blood velocity pulse quantification in the human conjunctival pre-capillary arterioles.

Axial red blood cell velocity pulse was quantified throughout its period by high speed video microcinematography in the human eye. In 30 conjunctival precapillary arterioles (6 to 12 microm in diameter) from 15 healthy humans, axial velocities ranged from 0.4 (the minimum of all the end diastolic values) to 5.

Volume flow and wall shear stress quantification in the human conjunctival capillaries and post-capillary venules in vivo.

Understanding the mathematical relationships of volume blood flow and wall shear stress with respect to microvessel diameter is necessary for the study of vascular design. Here, for the first time, volume flow and wall shear stress were quantified from axial red blood cell velocity measurements in 104 conjunctival microvessels of 17 normal human volunteers. Measurements were taken with a slit lamp based imaging system from the post capillary side of the bulbar conjunctiva in microvessel diameters ranging from 4 to 24 micrometers.