Soelbergmcmahon1674
When lures are semantically related to targets, the various CAC plots show different confidence-accuracy relations. The different methods of calculating CAC plots provide a useful tool in analyzing standard old/new recognition experiments. The results generally accord with unequal-variance signal detection models of recognition memory.Aim To assess the diagnostic value of brain magnetic resonance imaging (bMRI) for the etiological diagnosis of uveitis and to establish predictive factors associated with its advantageous use.Methods Retrospective study on all patients with de novo uveitis who were referred to our tertiary hospital and who underwent a bMRI between 2003 and 2018.Results bMRI was contributive in 19 out of 402 cases (5%), among patients with a contributive bMRI, 68% had neurological signs. Univariate analysis established that neurological signs (p less then .001), granulomatous uveitis (p = .003), retinal vasculitis (p = .002), and intermediate uveitis (p less then .001) were all significantly associated with a contributive bMRI. Multivariate analysis confirms the significant association of neurological signs (p less then .001) and intermediate uveitis (p = .01).Conclusion bMRI appears to be a relevant exam in specific cases; intermediate/posterior uveitis or panuveitis accompanied by neurological signs, retinal vasculitis, or in patients older than 40, to rule out an oculocerebral lymphoma.Abbreviations ACE Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme; bMRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging; CBC Complete Blood cell Count; BMRI Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging; CT Computerized Tomography; MS Multiple Sclerosis; NS Neurological Signs; OCL Oculocerebral Lymphoma; RIS Radiologically Isolated Syndrome.Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the noninvasive diagnostic methods in managing the herpetic keratouveitis with retro-corneal endothelial plaques.Methods 12 patients suspected to have unilateral herpetic keratouveitis with retro-corneal endothelial plaques were included. Slit lamp photos, AS-OCT, IVCM and corneal scraping culture were taken in all cases to help diagnosing and managing the disease. All patients received systemic and topical anti-viral treatment immediately and combined with topical steroids three days later.Results Corneal scraping culture ruled out bacterial and fungal infection. AS-OCT showed that the boundaries between the corneal endothelial surface were clear in all patients. Corneal endothelial density and subbasal nerve plexus significantly decreased in all patients. Endothelial plaques reduced or disappeared in all patients with the treatment.Conclusions Retro-corneal endothelial plaques and hypopyon are associated clinical manifestations of viral keratouveitis. AS-OCT and IVCM enhanced early detection and assessment during the follow-ups of the disease.Purpose To present a a case study that aims to investigate the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the ocular tissue samples of a patient previously infected with COVID-19 and determine its transmissibility.Study Design Case ReportResults In this case study, SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in the vitreous and uveal tissue samples by RT-PCR for detection of three gene targets in a patient with a past COVID-19 infection 15 days prior to presention with a globe rupture.Conclusions Our findings suggest that patients with long-term existence of SARS-CoV-2 at low detectable levels may not have active intraocular viral shedding. This is of particular importance as ophthalmic surgical procedures may potentiate virus spread from patients infected with SARS-CoV-2.Purpose To describe four cases of ocular adverse events resembling intraocular inflammatory and non-inflammatory conditions following yellow fever vaccination (YFV) during a recent yellow fever (YF) outbreak in Brazil.Methods Charts of patients diagnosed with ocular adverse events after YFV between January 2017 and January 2019 at two tertiary referral centers in Brazil.Results Four patients (two adults and two children) are reported. Case 1 presented with typical findings of central serous chorioretinopathy which resolved spontaneously; case 2 was diagnosed with acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease; cases 3 and 4 had bilateral diffuse retinal vasculitis. In the absence of infectious and noninfectious disorders, the temporal association between stand-alone YFV and onset of ocular symptoms within 15 days was interpreted as evidence of causation.Conclusions Clinicians should be aware of the wide spectrum of possible ocular adverse reactions to stand-alone YFV.Fungi are natural degraders of organic matter which can produce enzymes for many industrial and biotechnological applications. In this context, crude enzymatic extracts of fungal isolates were evaluated regarding their hydrolytic and ligninolytic abilities. The fungal strains were isolated from soil samples from Atlantic Rain Forest Park incremented with sugar cane biomass (filter cake), which allowed the selection of efficient lignocellulolytic enzymes. A total of 190 fungi were isolated and evaluated by endocellulase screenings. Thirteen fungi were selected about their hydrolytic and ligninolytic abilities. Among them, three isolates showed xylanolytic activity. Eleven of the isolates were selected by their cellulolytic abilities. Proteolytic enzymes were also detected for three fungi, allowing the classification as metalloprotease and serine protease. The isolates SPZPF3_47 (Mucor sp.), SPZPF1_129 (Byssochlamys nivea) and SPZPF1_141 (Paecilomyces saturatus) were selected for further investigation on their lignin peroxidase abilities. KM, Vmax and kcat apparent for lignin peroxidases were also determined. The strain of Mucor sp. (SPZPF3_47) was highlighted since this fungal genus was not well described about its isolation in the adopted conditions in our study, and showing ligninolytic abilities.Purpose Endogenous endophthalmitis is rare and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The primary objective was to identify causative organisms. Secondary objectives included the determination of systemic risk factors and visual prognostic factors.Design Retrospective reviewMethods 78 eyes from 62 subjects over a 21-year period from 1999 to 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand. Parameters assessed included pathologic microbial organism, clinical presentation, treatment, complications, prognostic factors, and visual outcomes.Methods Information was collected on microbiology, treatment, visual outcomes, and complications.Results Median age was 61.6 years and 32 subjects (51.6%) were male. Diabetes was the most common risk factor seen in 24 (38.7%) subjects. 17 subjects (27.4%) presented directly to ophthalmology and 17.4% had an initial misdiagnosis. 49 subjects (79.0%) presented with reduced vision and only 27 (43.5%) presented with pain. Hypopyon was present in 13 eyes (16.7%). Immunology inhibitor Gram-positive bacteria were the most common causative organism seen in 40 (51.3%) eyes, followed by yeast and fungi in 21 (26.9%) eyes, then gram-negative bacteria seen in 17 (21.8%) eyes. Median final BCVA was 6/18. Severe vision loss occurred in 33 (42.3%) eyes and 7 (9.0%) eyes required evisceration or enucleation. Presenting visual acuity was a significant predictor of visual outcome.Conclusion Endogenous endophthalmitis occurred at 1.9 cases per million per year. Ophthalmologists require a high index of suspicion for underlying systemic infection in any subject presenting with ocular inflammation, and need to be aware that endogenous endophthalmitis may present without pain and frequently without hypopyon.Purpose To present the success rate of nonsurgical management of full-thickness inflammatory macular hole (IMH)Method Retrospective case series of five patients with IMH.Result Five eyes from five patients with IMH enrolled in the current case series. All five eyes had successful closure with corticosteroid in the form of topical, periocular, or intravitreal injections. Systemic immunomodulatory treatment was employed for two patients, in addition to local therapy. For local therapy, one patient received topical eye drops, subtenon injection of corticosteroid, and intravitreal injection of combination of corticosteroid and anti-VEGF was performed in two patients. The closed macular hole reopened in one patient after two years, which required pars plana vitrectomy and anatomical and visual success achieved.Conclusion Inflammatory macular holes can be closed with non-surgical interventions, although reopening may occur which requires surgery.Purpose To report four cases of uveitis after treatment with dupilumab for atopic dermatitis.Methods Retrospective case series.Results Data was collected from four patients with inflammation that developed after treatment with dupilumab. The first patient was thought to have developed posterior scleritis or Harada's-type disease related to her treatment with dupilumab, with recurrence of intraocular inflammation upon restarting treatment. The second patient developed anterior and intermediate uveitis as well as cystoid macular edema in her right eye about two years after starting dupilumab treatment. The third patient developed a distinct relentless placoid chorioretinitis while on therapy with dupilumab. The fourth patient developed bilateral cystoid macular edema while on treatment with dupilumab.Conclusion We report a case series of patients treated with dupilumab who developed intraocular manifestations of inflammatory disease.Purpose To evaluate the utility and side effect profile of subcutaneous repository corticotropin gel (RCI) in ocular sarcoidosis.Methods Retrospective chart review.Results Among six identified patients on RCI therapy, 4 had uveitis, one had optic neuritis and one had uveitis and optic neuritis secondary to sarcoidosis. The average follow-up was 43.5 months. RCI therapy was continuous in 4 patients (average 7.7 months) and intermittent in 2 patients (24 and 12 months). Five of the 6 patients continued with local and/or systemic corticosteroids for ocular inflammation control while on RCI therapy. Two-thirds of patients experienced adverse effects including hyperpigmentation, alopecia, and severe hypertension. RCI therapy was discontinued in 5 of the 6 patients due to continued inflammation and side/adverse effects (4 patients) and loss of follow-up (1 patient).Conclusion In this small cohort, the majority of patients failed to achieve adequate steroid-sparing ocular inflammation control and experienced side effects while on RCI therapy. Additional studies are needed to elucidate the role of RCI in ocular inflammation.Current study addresses a problem of elevated aluminum concentrations deteriorating Khibiny Alkaline Massif groundwater quality. The application of chemometric methods to the field dataset 1999-2018 allows to quantitatively describe the groundwater quality, reveal variability patterns and potential sources of elevated aluminum level in the groundwater. The field dataset contains almost 40% more observations of 12 physicochemical groundwater quality parameters than the dataset analyzed in our previous studies on Khibiny groundwater quality assessment reported in the literature. The results revealed statistically significant (α-level=0.05) associations between Al and pH, Cl-, NO3-, SO42- according to the calculated matrix using distance correlation method. The mathematical models developed with the application of multiple regression and factor/principal component analysis elucidate up to 55.5% Al concentration variability and up to 68.3% of total dataset variance. Calculated for the 19-year period the water quality index values, which changed in early 2000s from fair to a marginal category, still belongs to this category reflecting unsatisfactory water quality conditions.