Impact of a Displaced Corneal Apex in Small Incision Lenticule Extraction.

Purpose: To evaluate the possible impact of a displaced corneal apex (point of maximum curvature) on visual results and tomographic parameters after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE).

Methods: In this retrospective evaluation, eyes with uncomplicated SMILE for myopia correction were classified in two groups based on their preoperative distance between the corneal apex and corneal vertex (corneal intercept with the patient's line of sight) of 1 mm or greater (large A-V distance) or less than 1 mm (small A-V distance). All surgeries were performed during the early learning curve of two surgeons.

Depth of focus after implantation of spherical or aspheric intraocular lenses in hyperopic and emmetropic patients.

Purpose: To evaluate whether hyperopic patients with short axial length and high dioptric intraocular lens (IOL) power can achieve a higher depth of focus after implantation of a monofocal spherical or aspheric IOL than emmetropic patients.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria.

Design: Prospective case series.

[Prevalence and age-related changes of corneal astigmatism in patients before cataract surgery].

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the extent and the distribution of corneal astigmatism in patients awaiting cataract surgery in a mid-European tertiary clinic centre and hence to establish the demand for methods reducing corneal astigmatism.

Patients And Methods: Keratometry measurements of cataract surgery candidates assigned to a university clinic between January 2013 and October 2014 were recorded and analysed retrospectively.

Results: A total of 6900 eyes of 3450 patients with a mean age of 72.

Retropupillary Fixation of Iris-Claw Intraocular Lens for Aphakic Eyes in Children.

Purpose: To report outcome, complications and safety of retropupillary fixated iris-claw intraocular lenses in a pediatric population.

Design: Retrospective study.

Patients And Methods: Ten consecutive pediatric patients (15 eyes) underwent placement of retropupillary fixated iris-claw intraocular lenses between October 2007 and July 2013 at the Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University Graz and General Hospital Klagenfurt, Austria.

Emerging Vector-Borne Diseases - Incidence through Vectors.

Vector-borne diseases use to be a major public health concern only in tropical and subtropical areas, but today they are an emerging threat for the continental and developed countries also. Nowadays, in intercontinental countries, there is a struggle with emerging diseases, which have found their way to appear through vectors. Vector-borne zoonotic diseases occur when vectors, animal hosts, climate conditions, pathogens, and susceptible human population exist at the same time, at the same place.

Laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis with mitomycin C for myopic astigmatism ≥2.00 diopters using a Zeiss MEL 80 Excimer.

To examine the refractive and visual outcome of laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) with mitomycin C(MMC) in eyes with myopic astigmatism ≥2.00 diopters (D). This study comprised 82 eyes of 82 consecutive patients (37 male, 45 female; mean age at surgery 34.

[Refractive predictability and stability of three-piece versus single-piece intraocular lenses in patients with high axial myopia].

Background: Based on previous data on single-piece and three-piece intraocular lenses (IOLs) there is no evidence for significant differences in decentration, tilt and refractive shift. The purpose of the current study was to compare single-piece and three-piece IOLs in patients with high axial myopia.

Material And Methods: A total of 68 eyes of 50 patients with high axial myopia (axis length ≥ 28.

Borrelia burgdorferi in ticks and dogs in the province of Vojvodina, Serbia.

Lyme disease is a tick borne zoonotic infection, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. bacteria.

Long-term follow-up with I-CARE phakic IOLs.

Aim: To evaluate visual quality and postoperative results as well adverse events in myopic patients undergoing I-CARE anterior-chamber angle-supported phakic intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.

Design: A retrospective, non-randomised, case series.

Participants: Data on 29 eyes (16 patients) receiving I-CARE phakic IOL for high myopia (-11.

Measurements of lacrimal glands from cadavers, with descriptions of typical glands and three gross variants.

Objective: To measure cadaveric human lacrimal glands.

Methods: Excised lacrimal glands from 22 male and 23 female embalmed cadavers were stored in embalming fluid. They were then blotted, weighed, and measured using dividers and a digital micrometer.

Distribution, pharmacological characterization and function of the 18 kDa translocator protein in rat small intestine.

Background Information: The TSPO (18 kDa translocator protein) is a mitochondrial transmembrane protein involved in cholesterol transport in organs that synthesize steroids and bile salts. Different natural and synthetic high-affinity TSPO ligands have been characterized through their ability to stimulate cholesterol transport, but also to stimulate other physiological functions including cell proliferation, apoptosis and calcium-dependent transepithelial ion secretion. Here, we investigate the localization and functions of TSPO in the small intestine.

Effect of unilateral and bilateral lesions of caudate-putamen on immune response in the rat.

In the present study we investigated the effect of selectivity destroyed dopaminergic neurons of the caudate-putamen (CP) on immune reactivity in the rat. Unilateral and bilateral lesioning of CP was performed by one direct stereotaxic injection of 6-hydroxydopamine solution. Sham-lesioned and intact rats served as controls.

[Visual function with blue light filter IOLs].

Background: Recently, intraocular lenses (IOLs) with a blue light filter have been introduced to protect the retina from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) after cataract extraction. A reduction of longitudinal chromatic aberration by filtering blue light may enhance patient's visual function. In this study we compared subjective and objective parameters of visual function following implantation of blue light filter (yellow) IOLs and IOLs of the same design without filter.

Pupil ovalization after phakic intraocular lens implantation is associated with sectorial iris hypoperfusion.

Objective: To investigate iris perfusion in patients with and without pupil ovalization after phakic intraocular lens implantation.

Methods: Comparative retrospective randomized case series of 6 participants, each with a regular pupil, and 6 participants with pupil ovalization after phakic intraocular lens implantation for high myopia were included in the study. Indocyanine green angiography was performed between 20 and 40 months (mean +/- SD, 26 +/- 6.

Early changes in corneal sensation, ocular surface integrity, and tear-film function after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy.

Purpose: To investigate the changes in corneal sensation, ocular surface integrity, and tear-film function after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK).

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.

Methods: Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy was performed in 21 consecutive patients (37 myopic eyes).

Phototherapeutic keratectomy with an epithelial flap for recurrent erosion syndrome.

Phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) is an acceptable technique to treat recurrent erosion syndrome. Its disadvantage is postoperative pain. We present a modified technique to reduce the immediate pain from removal of the epithelium after PTK.

Functional characterization and expression of PBR in rat gastric mucosa: stimulation of chloride secretion by PBR ligands.

Previous studies have demonstrated that gastric mucosa contained high levels of the polypeptide diazepam binding inhibitor, the endogenous ligand of the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR). However, the expression and function of this receptor protein in these tissues have not been investigated. Immunohistochemistry identified an intense PBR immunoreactivity in the mucous and parietal cells of rat gastric fundus and in the mucous cells of antrum.

Intrusion of an encircling buckle after retinal detachment surgery.

Purpose: To report a patient with intrusion of the encircling buckle late postoperatively after surgical treatment of a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

Design: Interventional case report.

Methods: We performed an encircling buckle procedure on a 77-year- old woman with a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

Pupillary block after phakic anterior chamber intraocular lens implantation.

A 49-year-old patient developed pupillary block glaucoma with an intraocular pressure (IOP) of 29 mm hg after implantation of a phakic intraocular lens (IOL) (NuVita, Bausch & Lomb) in the left eye. the anterior chamber deepened again, and the iop decreased to 16 mm hg after a neodymium: YAG iridotomy. Pupillary block glaucoma may occur after phakic IOL implantation without iridotomy, and we advocate that routine iridotomy be performed during phakic IOL surgeries.

Horizontal and vertical integration of academic disciplines in the medical school curriculum.

A rapid expansion of new scientific information and the introduction of new technology in operative and diagnostic medicine has marked the last several decades. Medical educators, because of and parallel to these developments, initiated a search for a more effective system of presenting core material to medical students. The new educational trends, although varying somewhat from one institution to another, concentrated on the following pedagogical shifts: 1) expansion of conceptual presentation of material at the expense of detail-oriented education; 2) amplification of an integrated approach, as opposed to subject-oriented instruction; 3) scheduling of elective courses to compliment required courses in the curriculum; and 4) institution of small group instruction (i.

Structure, function and regulation of the mitochondrial peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor.

Steroid biosynthesis begins with the transfer of cholesterol from intracellular stores into mitochondria. Through in vitro and in vivo studies using various steroidogenic cell models and with the help of pharmacological, biochemical, morphological and molecular approaches we demonstrated that the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) is an 18 kDa mitochondrial protein that interacts with other proteins in the outer mitochondrial membrane to form a multimeric complex. PBR is required for the binding, uptake and release, upon ligand activation, of the substrate cholesterol.

Structural and functional study of reconstituted peripheral benzodiazepine receptor.

Recombinant mouse 18 kDa peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and isolated using a His. Bind metal chelation resin. Recombinant PBR protein was purified with sodium dodecyl sulfate and reincorporated into liposomes using Bio-Beads SM2 as a detergent removing agent.

The peroxisome proliferator perfluorodecanoic acid inhibits the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) expression and hormone-stimulated mitochondrial cholesterol transport and steroid formation in Leydig cells.

The peroxisome proliferator perfluordecanoic acid (PFDA) has been shown to exert an antiandrogenic effect in vivo by acting directly on the interstitial Leydig cells of the testis. The objective of this study was to examine the in vitro effects of PFDA and identify its site of action in steroidogenesis using as model systems the mouse tumor MA-10 and isolated rat Leydig cells. PFDA inhibited in a time- and dose-dependent manner the hCG-stimulated Leydig cell steroidogenesis.

In vitro studies on the role of the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor in steroidogenesis.

In vitro studies using isolated cells, mitochondria and submitochondrial fractions demonstrated that in steroid synthesizing cells, the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) is an outer mitochondrial membrane protein, preferentially located in the outer/inner membrane contact sites, involved in the regulation of cholesterol transport from the outer to the inner mitochondrial membrane, the rate-determining step in steroid biosynthesis. Mitochondrial PBR ligand binding characteristics and topography are sensitive to hormone treatment suggesting a role of PBR in the regulation of hormone-mediated steroidogenesis. Targeted disruption of the PBR gene in Leydig cells in vitro resulted in the arrest of cholesterol transport into mitochondria and steroid formation; transfection of the mutant cells with a PBR cDNA rescued steroidogenesis demonstrating an obligatory role for PBR in cholesterol transport.