The Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease: Cross-Sectional Study from Somalia.

Introduction: Depression is one of the most common non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD), with an increasing prevalence in recent years. It causes significant psychological consequences that affect the disease course, overall quality of life, and functioning. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression in outpatients with Parkinson's disease evaluated in the neurology clinic at tertiary hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Femtosecond pulsed laser photodynamic therapy activates melanin and eradicates malignant melanoma.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) relies on a series of photophysical and photochemical reactions leading to cell death. While effective for various cancers, PDT has been less successful in treating pigmented melanoma due to high light absorption by melanin. Here, this limitation is addressed by 2-photon excitation of the photosensitizer (2p-PDT) using ~100 fs pulses of near-infrared laser light.

Desialylated Platelet Clearance in the Liver is a Novel Mechanism of Systemic Immunosuppression.

Platelets are small, versatile blood cells that are critical for hemostasis/thrombosis. Local platelet accumulation is a known contributor to proinflammation in various disease states. However, the anti-inflammatory/immunosuppressive potential of platelets has been poorly explored.

Eye-brain axis in microgravity and its implications for Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome.

Long-duration human spaceflight can lead to changes in both the eye and the brain, which have been referred to as Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS). These changes may manifest as a constellation of symptoms, which can include optic disc edema, optic nerve sheath distension, choroidal folds, globe flattening, hyperopic shift, and cotton wool spots. Although the underpinning mechanisms for SANS are not yet known, contributors may include intracranial interstitial fluid accumulation following microgravity induced headward fluid shift.

Factors Influencing Early Hospital Arrival of Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke, Cross-Sectional Study at Teaching Hospital in Mogadishu Somalia.

Background And Purpose: The low rates of thrombolysis for ischemic stroke in our country and other developing countries can be attributed to delays in arrival at the hospital. This study aims to investigate the factors that influence the early hospital arrival of patients with acute ischemic stroke to the hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted at a teaching hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Impact of cerebral hypoperfusion-reperfusion on optic nerve integrity and visual function in the DBA/2J mouse model of glaucoma.

Objective: One of the most important risk factors for developing a glaucomatous optic neuropathy is elevated intraocular pressure. Moreover, mechanisms such as altered perfusion have been postulated to injure the optical path. In a mouse model, we compare first negative effects of cerebral perfusion/reperfusion on the optic nerve structure versus alterations by elevated intraocular pressure.

The Use of Optical Coherence Tomography for Gross Examination and Sampling of Fixed Breast Specimens: A Pilot Study.

Unlabelled: Thorough gross examination of breast cancer specimens is critical in order to sample relevant portions for subsequent microscopic examination. This task would benefit from an imaging tool which permits targeted and accurate block selection. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-destructive imaging technique that visualizes tissue architecture and has the potential to be an adjunct at the gross bench.

Investigation of the protective effect of gel incorporating Eugenia jambolana leaf extract on 5-fluorouracil-induced oral mucositis: an animal study.

Purpose: The study aimed to evaluate the possible preventive effect of two concentrations (3 and 5% w/w) of Eugenia jambolana (EJ) extract against 5-FU-induced mucositis.

Method: Sixteen adult rats were separated into four groups: two control and two preventive groups. Animals in Groups 1, 2, and 3 were injected intraperitoneally with 60 mg/kg/day of 5-FU on Day 1 followed by 150 mg/kg/day on Day 5.

Post-traumatic Fungal Keratitis and Endophthalmitis Caused by with Late Recurrence following Therapeutic Full-thickness Penetrating Keratoplasty.

Background: To report a rare case of fungal keratitis and endophthalmitis due to .

Methods: Case report.

Results: A 71-year-old immunocompetent male sustained a corneal laceration, traumatic cataract, and retinal detachment due to penetrating injury from a nail pulled from a wooden deck.

Beta-adrenergic glaucoma drugs reduce lymphatic clearance from the eye: A sequential photoacoustic imaging study.

Our study aims to determine whether the beta-adrenergic system is involved in the regulation of lymphatic drainage from the eye. For this purpose, we assessed the effect of 2 topical beta-adrenergic blockers, timolol and betaxolol, commonly used as glaucoma drugs, on lymphatic clearance of albumin from the aqueous humor to neck lymph nodes. Adult mice were treated with either topical timolol, a non-selective β-blocker, 0.

Comparison of restorative materials and surface alterations after prebiotic and probiotic beverages: A nanoindentation and SEM study.

The purpose was to investigate the surface characteristics of various resin-based materials by immersing in probiotic beverages. A total of 420 disc-shaped samples (5 mm × 2 mm) were prepared from resin-based composites. Samples were divided into four groups and immersed for 10 min/day for 1 month in either a probiotic sachet, kefir, kombucha, or artificial saliva (control).

A novel photoacoustic-fluorescent contrast agent for quantitative imaging of lymphatic drainage.

near-infrared (NIR) photoacoustic imaging (PAI) studies using novel contrast agents require validation, often fluorescence imaging. Bioconjugation of NIR dyes to proteins is a versatile platform to obtain contrast agents for specific biomedical applications. Nonfluorescent NIR dyes with higher photostability present advantages for quantitative PAI, compared to most fluorescent NIR dyes.

Retinal Spheroids and Axon Pathology Identified in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Purpose: To determine whether patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) show retinal axon pathology.

Methods: Postmortem eyes from 10 patients with ALS were sectioned and compared with 10 age-matched controls. Retinal sections were evaluated with periodic acid Schiff and phosphorylated (P-NF) and nonphosphorylated (NP-NF) forms of neurofilament with SMI 31 and 32 antibodies.

Age-related decline of lymphatic drainage from the eye: A noninvasive in vivo photoacoustic tomography study.

We aim to determine whether lymphatic drainage from the eye changes with age. Using quantitative photoacoustic tomography, groups of young and older mice were studied in the live state. 10 CD-1 mice of 2-3 months (5M/5F) were studied in addition to 13 older mice of 12-13 months (6M/7F).

Colorectal cancer screening behaviors of general surgeons and first-degree family members: a survey-based study.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates are low in the general population and among health care providers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the CRC screening practices of general surgeons who provide specialized diagnostic testing and CRC treatment and to examine the CRC screening behaviors of their first-degree family members.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among general surgeons who attended the 21st National Surgical Congress in Turkey held from April 11th to 15th, 2018.

Electron Microscopic Evidence of Photoreceptor Outer-segments in the Trabecular Meshwork in a Case of Schwartz-Matsuo Syndrome.

Purpose: To describe a case of photoreceptor outer segment glaucoma (Schwartz-Matsuo syndrome) with electron microscopic evidence of photoreceptor outer segments in the trabecular meshwork (TM).

Design: This is a clinicopathologic case report.

Participant: A 48-year-old Filipino man.

Identification of novel variants in ten patients with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome by high-throughput sequencing.

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is a rare inherited platelet disorder characterized by bleeding diathesis, oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) and a myriad of often-serious clinical complications. We established the clinical and laboratory phenotype and genotype of six unrelated pedigrees comprising ten patients with clinical suspicion of HPS; including platelet aggregation, flow cytometry, platelet dense granule content, electron microscopy and high-throughput sequencing (HTS). The clinical presentation showed significant heterogeneity and no clear phenotype-genotype correlations.

Reduced Cerebrospinal Fluid Inflow to the Optic Nerve in Glaucoma.

Purpose: To determine whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) entry into the optic nerve is altered in glaucoma.

Methods: Fluorescent 10-kDa dextran tracer was injected into the CSF of 2-month-old (n = 9) and 10-month-old DBA/2J glaucoma mice (n = 8) and age-matched controls (C57Bl/6; n = 8 each group). Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured in all mice before tracer injection into CSF.

New trends in corneal transplants at the University of Toronto.

Objective: To assess trends in surgical procedures and indications for all corneal transplants performed at the University of Toronto.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Participants: One thousand one hundred and four consecutive corneal transplants performed at the Kensington Eye Institute (KEI).

Wavelength optimization in the multispectral photoacoustic tomography of the lymphatic drainage in mice.

Multispectral photoacoustic tomography provides mapping of the tissue chromophore distributions using sets of tunable laser wavelengths. With the overall goal of studying the dynamics of cerebrospinal fluid in mice in vivo, our work aims to minimize the number of wavelengths to reduce scanning time, improve the temporal resolution, reduce the energy deposition and avoid the tracer photobleaching while maintaining high image quality. To select small sets of wavelengths we directly searched for the combinations of wavelengths providing the best and worst image quality in comparison with a reference image obtained using 131 closely spaced wavelengths between 680 and 940 nm in terms of the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR).

Non-invasive dynamic assessment of conjunctival melanomas by photoacoustic imaging.

This study describes non-invasive photoacoustic imaging to detect and monitor the growth of conjunctival melanomas in vivo. Conjunctival melanomas were induced by injection of melanotic B16F10 cells into the subconjunctival space in syngeneic albino C57BL/6 mice. Non-invasive in vivo photoacoustic tomography was performed before, and after tumor induction up to 2 weeks.

Lymphatic vessels identified in failed corneal transplants with neovascularisation.

Background: Corneal transplant failure with neovascularisation is a leading indication for full-thickness grafts in patients. Lymphangiogenesis is implicated in the pathology of graft failure, and here we systematically evaluate failed human corneal transplants with neovascularisation for the presence of lymphatic vessels.

Methods: Nine failed grafts with neovascularisation, based on H&E staining with subsequent immunoperoxidase staining for CD31, a blood vessel marker, were selected.

Progressive loss of retinal blood vessels in a live model of retinitis pigmentosa.

Objective: To assess retinal blood vessels in a live retinitis pigmentosa (RP) model with rd1 mutation and green fluorescent protein (GFP) expressed in vascular endothelium.

Methods: Homozygous (hm) Tie2-GFP mice with rd1 mutation and known retinal degeneration were crossed with wild-type CD1 mice to generate control heterozygous (ht) Tie2-GFP mice. The retinas of 16 live hm mice were evaluated at 2 weeks and 3, 5, and 8 months of age, and compared with age-matched control ht and CD1 mice by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (cSLO).