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Apoptotic mechanisms within the retina in Staphylococcus epidermidis experimental endophthalmitis.

Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2008 Nov 28;

Authors: Pharmakakis NM, Petropoulos IK, Georgakopoulos CD, Vantzou CV, Anastassiou ED, Mavropoulos A, Zolota V

AIM: To investigate the potential involvement of apoptosis and its regulators Bcl-2, Bax, and Fas within the retina in Staphylococcus epidermidis experimental endophthalmitis. METHODS: Endophthalmitis was induced in 48 male Lewis rats by unilateral 25-mul intravitreal injection of 7,000 viable organisms of slime-producing S. epidermidis strain ATCC 35983 (experimental group). Forty-eight other Lewis rats received a similar sterile normal saline injection (control group). The injected eyes were graded for clinical inflammation and were removed in groups at 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 168 hours post-injection. After surgical separation, retinal tissue specimens were fixed, and paraffin sections underwent hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry against Bcl-2, Bax, and Fas, and TUNEL assay for detection of apoptotic cells. Following morphometric analysis, the apoptotic body index (ABI) was calculated. RESULTS: While Bcl-2 expression was absent, Bax and Fas expression and apoptosis in ganglion cells, bipolar cells, and photoreceptors, were significantly higher in the experimental group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). In the experimental group, inflammation peaked at 24 hours, Bax and Fas expression at 48 hours and the ABI at 72 hours post-injection. CONCLUSION: Apoptosis is increased within the retina in S. epidermidis experimental endophthalmitis through upregulation of Bax and Fas, peaking soon after peak inflammation.

PMID: 19039600 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Vitreitis and movement disorder associated with neurosyphilis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection: case report.

Arq Bras Oftalmol. 2008 Sep-Oct;71(5):717-8

Authors: Pereira LS, Wu AP, Kandavel G, Memarzadeh F, McCulley TJ

In this report, we describe an unusual patient with a choreiform movement disorder, misdiagnosed as Huntington disease, who later developed dense vitreitis leading to the identification of Treponema pallidum as the underlying pathogen of both abnormalities.

PMID: 19039470 [PubMed - in process]

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[Evolutive characteristics of the scientific articles published in the "Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia" between 1986 and the year 2000.]

Arq Bras Oftalmol. 2008 Sep-Oct;71(5):711-6

Authors: Ventura AG, Ventura AJ, Santos SA

PURPOSE: 1) To verify the average number of the authors per article and its geographic origin; 2) To evaluate the language of publications; 3) To evaluate the bibliographical references with their number per article, type and most cited periodicals, besides the behavior of the growth of the references along the years. METHODS: Systematic revision was done of 876 publications of Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia (ABO) in the period of January of 1986 to December of the year 2000. These scientific publications were separated in to three quinquennial groups. RESULTS: The average number of authors per article was 3.73 +/- 1.7. According to the geographic origin, 83.6% of the publications came from the Southeastern region. Portuguese was the language of the majority of articles (94.7%). The number of references per article was 12.7 +/- 7.5, and a scientific periodical (81.8%) was the most reported document. American Journal of Ophthalmology, Archives of Ophthalmology and Ophthalmology were the most cited periodicals and their growth (R(2)=0.6075), as well as of the national ones (R(2)=0.7861) was increasing. CONCLUSION: The average number of authors per article did not present significant variation and the geographical origin was mostly the Southeastern region. The Portuguese language was the most frequent. The mostly quoted document was the scientific periodical. The quotations of international publications as well as national presented a significant increase.

PMID: 19039469 [PubMed - in process]

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[Posterior approach to gold weight implant.]

Arq Bras Oftalmol. 2008 Sep-Oct;71(5):701-5

Authors: Pereira FJ, Eing F, Marquardt FA, Cavalheiro R, Cruz AA

PURPOSE: To demonstrate an innovative technique of gold weight implantation through a posterior approach and evaluate its effectiveness and possible complications. The results will be compared to the other existing technique through anterior approach which has been unchanged for a long time, according to the literature. METHODS: A prospective study (sequence of cases) was undertaken with patients who presented paralytic lagophthalmos for over 6 months. These patients presented many different etiologies and were assisted at the Department of Ophthalmology of Governador Celso Ramos Hospital-SC from February 2006 to February 2007. The implantation through posterior approach was performed by only 2 surgeons. RESULTS: Thirteen patients with paralytic lagophthalmos, 9 men and 4 women, with an average age of 53.07 (range from 17 to 73) were submitted to a gold weight implantation through posterior approach. The follow-up period of those patients varied from 2 months to 1 year, with an average of 6.3 months. In 3 of the patients, the implanted weight caused asymmetry to the margin-reflex distance (MRD) on the primary look position with ptosis of 2 mm in 2 patients and 4 mm in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS: Although such technique has shown a satisfactory result, the authors believe that it is essential to extend the follow-up a little longer, so that the sustainability of its efficacy can be proved.

PMID: 19039467 [PubMed - in process]

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[Considerations about administration angle of prostaglandin analogs.]

Arq Bras Oftalmol. 2008 Sep-Oct;71(5):684-8

Authors: Estacia P, Tognon T

PURPOSE: To investigate if there is any difference in volume and drop weight of prostaglandin analogs when adopting drip angles of 45 masculine and 90 masculine, regarding a horizontal line. METHODS: An experimental study was conducted using the follow ophthalmic solutions: latanoprost, travoprost and bimatoprost. In this study the ophthalmic solutions were dripped according to an angle of 45 masculine or 90 masculine. Prostaglandin analogs were chosen due to their common use in ophthalmology and their cost. The first drop and other ten drops were weighed, alternating the drip angle (45 masculine or 90 masculine). Statistical analysis was done with SPSS(R) 12.0 (Microsoft), using quantitative comparisons with the ANOVA test. An odds value (P) below 0.001 was considered a statistical significant difference. RESULTS: We verified differences in weight and size of the travoprost and bimatoprost drops instilled at 45 masculine and 90 masculine. The drip at 45 masculine produces a smaller drop of travoprost (P<0.001), and the inverse occurs for bimatoprost. There were no statistical significant differences in weight of latanoprost drops according to the instillation angle. CONCLUSIONS: Once there was statistical difference in weight - which has direct relationship with size - of the drops of two kinds of prostaglandin analogs and in another one we did not observe this variation, we infer that cost and therapy duration estimates should be analyzed carefully, especially if this kind of drip measure is used.

PMID: 19039464 [PubMed - in process]