Axial eye length after retinal detachment surgery

Changes in the eye axial diameter were studied to assess the eye globe impact of conventional operation for retinal detachment. The study included 69 eyes in 69 patients operated on for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. There were 46.4% of men and 53.6% of women, mean age 52.7 (+/- 15.21) years. Results of preoperative and postoperative ultrasonographic measurement of axial diameter are presented. The mean preoperative and postoperative eye axial diameter was 23.69 (+/- 1.84) mm and 24.43 (+/- 1.91) mm, respectively. Postoperative results showed the axial eye length to increase by a mean of 0.74 (+/- 0.44) mm, yielding a statistically significant difference from the preoperative measurement (p < 0.001). The mean myopia induced by this eyeball elongation was 1.77 D. The encircling band with and without segmental buckling used in surgical repair of retinal detachment creates circular and segmental indentation of the eyeball, thus increasing its axial length. The myopia induced by elongation of the eyeball results in considerable myopia, which requires appropriate correction in the early postoperative period to achieve favorable vision rehabilitation.     

Internal quality audit and quality standards as a method of quality improvement at the Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital

Quality assessment of clinical health care with the programme of quality standard is a method of health management, through which better efficiency and safety of health outcomes can be achieved. In the period from 2002 to 2004, a pilot program of quality has been carried out on the Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Center in Zagreb. Seven internal audit teams of hospital commission and teams of hospital departments were evaluating introducing practice for quality standards every three months. In the period of two years improvement in all standards of quality has been noticed (expressed in percent of progress towards the ideal result of 100%): personnel 20%, patient rights 15%, medical equipment 40%, quality of emergency service 60%, implementation of clinical guidelines and criteria for elective admission 55%, quality of risk prevention 70%, quality of medical records 60%. The two-years-improvement dynamics of about 46%, first year 24%.     

Right atrial pacemaker lead thrombosis incidentally detected by transesophageal echocardiography

In a 62-year-old man with permanent atrial fibrillation and recurrent stroke, a large right atrial thrombus attached to a permanent pacemaker lead was incidentally identified by transesophageal echocardiography. Surgical treatment, recommended because of the large dimensions of the mass, was refused by the patient, and thrombus was successfully dissolved by anticoagulant treatment. Pathogenesis of pacemaker lead thrombosis, clinical implications, diagnostic and therapeutic options are discussed.     

Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 promotes corneal epithelial defects healing in rats

We evaluated the role of human gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 in corneal epithelial defects healing in rats. 48 rats, in 4 groups (N=12). Total debridement of corneal epithelium preformed unilaterally and lesions stained and photographed. Animals medicated as follows: distilled water (control group) or BPC 157 2 pg/ml, 2 ng/ml, 2 microg/ml, 2 drops/rat eye started immediately after injury induction, every 8 hours up to 40 hours (i.e., at 0, 8, 16, 24, 32, 40 h). Lesions were photographed before application or sacrifice (at 48 h). Defect area was analyzed using a special program. Through 48 hour period a steady recovery is noted in controls. Recovery was markedly accelerated in eyes on microg- or ng-topical regimen of BPC 157 (p < 0.05). Of note, unlike control lesion present also after 48 h, these lesions disappeared already following 40 h (microg) or 48 h (ng) post-injury. BPC 157 was shown to be effective in promoting corneal defects healing in rats. Results were dose dependent.     

Synthesis and monoamine transporter affinity of 3-aryl substituted trop-2-enes

A series of new 3-aryl-tropanes have been synthesized, and their affinities and selectivities were evaluated for monoamine transporters. (1RS)-3-(Fluoren-2-yl)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-2-ene exhibited the highest affinity for the human serotonin transporter (IC₅₀ = 14.5 nM). It is also 52-fold and 230-fold selective over human dopamine and norepinephrine transporters, respectively.     

Temporal variation of the population structure and genetic diversity of Farfantepenaeus notialis assessed by allozyme loci

Population genetic studies carried out on penaeid shrimps have disclosed different patterns of population subdivision, revealing new aspects of shrimp biology as well as the effects of historical contingency molding those patterns. However, the stability of observed allele frequencies over time still remains untested. The objective of this article is to show the analysis of the temporal variation of allozymes in a shrimp species inhabiting Cuba which proves that the genetic structure of this species could significantly change in time. The study involves four populations of Farfantepenaeus notialis sampled in a period of 8 years. The significant statistics obtained from partitions observed in 1995 were not detected in 2003 (as suggested by AMOVA and F(ST)), whereas temporal genetic differentiation and heterozygosity became highly significant. The results strongly suggest that the effect of migrations could be the cause for the loss of F. notialis genetic structure in 2003. It is therefore imperative to call attention on the vulnerability of these populations when facing unstable environmental and habitat conditions.     

Viral RNA-directed RNA polymerases use diverse mechanisms to promote recombination between RNA molecules

An earlier developed purified cell-free system was used to explore the potential of two RNA-directed RNA polymerases (RdRps), Qbeta phage replicase and the poliovirus 3Dpol protein, to promote RNA recombination through a primer extension mechanism. The substrates of recombination were fragments of complementary strands of a Qbeta phage-derived RNA, such that if aligned at complementary 3'-termini and extended using one another as a template, they would produce replicable molecules detectable as RNA colonies grown in a Qbeta replicase-containing agarose. The results show that while 3Dpol efficiently extends the aligned fragments to produce the expected homologous recombinant sequences, only nonhomologous recombinants are generated by Qbeta replicase at a much lower yield and through a mechanism not involving the extension of RNA primers. It follows that the mechanisms of RNA recombination by poliovirus and Qbeta RdRps are quite different. The data favor an RNA transesterification reaction catalyzed by a conformation acquired by Qbeta replicase during RNA synthesis and provide a likely explanation for the very low frequency of homologous recombination in Qbeta phage.     

Injuries to primary school pupils and secondary school students during physical education classes and in their leisure time

The study aimed to establish the frequency of injuries in primary and secondary schools during leisure time and physical education classes in school as well as in group and individual sports. The sample included 2842 pupils from nine primary schools and 1235 students from five secondary schools in Slovenia. The data were processed with the SPSS statistical software package and the frequencies and Crosstabs were calculated. The results showed that substantially more pupils and students were injured in their leisure time than during physical education classes. Girls were more frequently injured in group and individual sports practiced during physical education classes and in individual sports practiced in their leisure time, whereas boys suffered more injuries in group sports practiced in their leisure time. As regards group sports, pupils and students were most frequently injured while playing football in their leisure time whereas, during physical education classes, they suffered most injuries in volleyball, followed closely by basketball and football; as regards individual sports, pupils and students were most frequently injured while cycling and rollerblading in their leisure time, whereas during physical education classes they suffered most injuries in athletics.     

Expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 in uterosacral ligaments tissue of women with genital prolapse

Collagen metabolism is altered in the pelvic organ tissues of women with genital prolapse. The aim of this study was to compare collagen metabolism by measuring matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) expression in uterosacral ligament tissues of postmenopausal women with and without genital prolapse. Uterosacral ligament tissues were obtained at the time of abdominal or vaginal surgery from twenty-four patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and 21 women who underwent gynecologic surgery for benign indications. The tissue samples were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. There were no differences in age, BMI and parity between two groups. The patients with genital prolapse demonstrated significantly higher occurences of MMP-1 expression compared to controls. These findings indicate that increased MMP-1 expression in uterosacral ligaments is associated with genital prolapse. Our data are consistent with the theory that increased collagen breakdown may play an important role in the onset and development of pelvic organ prolapse (POP).     

The circulatory influence on development of age-related macular degeneration and hearing and equilibrium impairments

This study attempts to answer the question if any level of head and neck circulation takes a part in development of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) and hearing and equilibrium impairments. Condition of large blood vessels was examined by Color-Doppler ultrasound, and carotid and ophthalmic arteries were included. The microcirculatory changes were examined directly by fundus photography and fluorescein angiography and indirectly testing hearing and equilibrium. The study group included 40 patients (21 females, 19 males) aging from 53 to 84 years with different stages of ARMD. The control group included 40 patients (18 females, 22 males) aging from 51 to 82 years without ARMD. Patients were inhabitants of Primorsko-Goranska County. There was no relationship between ARMD and condition of large blood vessels because significant stenosis of carotid arteries was found in 2 patients (5%) in study group and 3 patients (7.5%) in the control group (p > 0.05). On the contrary, we found correlation between ARMD and hearing (p = 0.0127) and equilibrium impairments (p = 0.0242). Fluorescein angiograms shows raised number of ischemic retinal capillaries in patients with ARMD (p = 0.0053). Results lead to conclusion that circulatory disorders on microcirculatory level take a great part in development of ARMD and hearing and equilibrium impairments in the elderly. The key is damage of sensory cells of the retina and inner ear caused by microcirculatory disorders. Interesting data was noticed that 9 patients with more serious ARMD on one side of head had greater hearing loss on the same side. If we find a new treatment for microcirculatory disorders, maybe we can treat both sensory impairments in earlier stage.