Acute Bilateral Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty Graft Rejection After the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine.

Purpose: We report a case of acute bilateral Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) rejection two weeks following BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech), reflecting on possible changes to the management of patients with DMEK scheduled for COVID-19 vaccination.

Patients And Methods: A 94-year-old woman with Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy who underwent DMEK 24 months earlier (right eye) and 20 months earlier (left eye) demonstrated bilateral graft rejection two weeks after the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Standard treatment regimen was followed, and clinical status documented with slit-lamp examination and swept-source optical coherence tomography throughout.

Full-Field Electroretinography Changes Associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analyses.

Background: The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature and to perform meta-analyses on full-field electroretinography (ffERG) between healthy controls and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to map the extent of retinal dysfunction.

Summary: We systematically searched 11 databases on 3 March 2021. Eligible studies had to measure retinal function using ffERG in eyes with AMD and in healthy controls.

Correlation of macular sensitivity measures and visual acuity to vision-related quality of life in patients with age-related macular degeneration.

Background: Visual acuity is commonly used as a functional outcome measure in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), despite having a weak correlation with self-perceived visual quality of life. Microperimetry is a useful method of detecting loss of macular function. We wanted to investigate the relationship between these two objective visual outcome measures and subjective vision-related quality of life, finding out which objective measure is more patient-relevant.

Full-field electroretinography in age-related macular degeneration: an overall retinal response.

Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is generally considered a disease of the macula. However, recent studies show peripheral retinal lesions are prevalent in patients with AMD, indicative of a disease process that is more widespread. Full-field electroretinography (ffERG) measures an electrical response, not only from the macula, but from the entire retina.

BCATc modulates crosstalk between the PI3K/Akt and the Ras/ERK pathway regulating proliferation in triple negative breast cancer.

The cytosolic branched chain aminotransferase (BCATc) protein has been found to be highly expressed in breast cancer subtypes, including triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), compared with normal breast tissue. The catabolism of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) by BCATc leads to the production of glutamate and key metabolites which further drive the TCA cycle, important for cellular metabolism and growth. Upregulation of BCATc has been associated with increased cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and metastasis in several malignancies including breast, gliomas, ovarian and colorectal cancer but the underlying mechanisms are unclear.

Full-field Electroretinography in Age-related Macular Degeneration: can retinal electrophysiology predict the subjective visual outcome of cataract surgery?

Purpose: Predicting the visual gain from cataract surgery when the main cause of vision loss is age-related macular degeneration may be difficult and warrants the need for an objective predictor of subjective outcome. Full-field electroretinography is an objective measure of overall retinal function. We therefore wanted to study if full-field electroretinography can predict subjective visual outcome using visual function questionnaire.

[Christmas article: Christmas-related exogenous palmar hyperpigmentation].

On a routine control for macular degeneration, a 90-year-old man presented with hyperpigmentation of the skin on both palms and bilateral thumbnail discolouration. He was otherwise asymptomatic. He had been shelling walnuts to store in his freezer for use as Christmas cake decorations.

Peripheral Retinal Lesions in Eyes with Age-Related Macular Degeneration Using Ultra-Widefield Imaging: A Systematic Review with Meta-analyses.

Topic: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is highly prevalent among the elderly. We systematically reviewed the literature to provide an overview of ultra-widefield imaging (UWFI) of peripheral retinal lesions in AMD.

Clinical Relevance: Information regarding retinal characteristics and prevalence of AMD is based mainly on studies using color photography of the central retina, where early and potentially severe manifestations of the disease are found.

Detection of S-Nitrosation and S-Glutathionylation of the Human Branched-Chain Aminotransferase Proteins.

The human branched-chain aminotransferase (hBCAT) enzymes play an integral role in brain glutamate and branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism. Optimal hBCAT activity is dependent on the oxidation state of their redox reactive thiols, where post-translational modification by nitric oxide (NO) and glutathione results in reversible inhibition. Incubation of the cytosolic isoform (hBCATc) with S-nitrosating agents was found to inhibit in both a time and dose dependent manner through formation of a mixture of products including cysteine-nitric oxide (SNO) and S-glutathionylation.

Scanning electron microscopy assessment of the Descemet membrane interface during DMEK graft preparation.

We set out to determine microscopic characteristics of the Descemet membrane interface during Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) graft preparation. Ten corneas were partially prepared, preserving half of the Descemet membrane attached to the stroma to enable visualisation of the Descemet-stroma interface. This tissue was prepared for viewing with a scanning electron microscope.

[Investigation of perioperative musical preferences during elective surgery].

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perioperative musical preferences among patients and staff in the eye department of a university teaching hospital using a visual analogue scale questionnaire. Thirty patients and relatives from the theatre waiting room and 20 members of staff were included. The responders answered questions regarding age, diagnosis, preoperative anxiety, effect of music on anxiety, effect of music on surgical performance and preference for specific genres of music.

Macular thickness and volume in the elderly: A systematic review.

Ageing leads to a number of changes in the body including the macula. Detailed imaging using optical coherence tomography have enabled in vivo studies of how macula changes with age. Here we systematically review 49 studies (9115 participants and 11,577 eyes) to provide an overview of how ageing manifests in the macula of the elderly focusing on clinical relevant measures that are thicknesses and volumes of different macular areas.

The branched-chain aminotransferase proteins: novel redox chaperones for protein disulfide isomerase--implications in Alzheimer's disease.

Aims: The human branched-chain aminotransferase proteins (hBCATm and hBCATc) are regulated through oxidation and S-nitrosation. However, it remains unknown whether they share common redox characteristics to enzymes such as protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) in terms of regulating cellular repair and protein misfolding.

Results: Here, similar to PDI, the hBCAT proteins showed dithiol-disulfide isomerase activity that was mediated through an S-glutathionylated mechanism.