Real-World Evidence of the Long-Term Effectiveness of 0.2 µg/Day Fluocinolone Acetonide Implant in Persistent and Recurrent Diabetic Macular Edema - A Single Center Study.

Purpose: To report the long-term functional, anatomical and safety outcomes of 0.2 µg/day fluocinolone acetonide 0.19mg in patients with persistent or recurrent diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods: Retrospective, observational, single-center study of patients with recurrent or persistent DME. All patients received 0.2 µg/day of fluocinolone acetonide 0.19mg, and data were collected at baseline and months 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 36 after implantation. Outcomes measured included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), intraocular pressure (IOP), and safety outcomes. Results: A total of 28 eyes from 28 patients were included. The mean age was 66.5 years (95% CI 62.8-70.2) with a mean duration of DME of 8.8 years (95% CI 7.7-10.0). Only two eyes were phakic. Mean follow-up was 25.4 months (95% CI 21.2-29.6). Mean BCVA at baseline was 48.6 ETDRS letters (95% CI 41.3-55.8) and improved as early as month 1 of follow-up with a mean gain in BCVA of 7.8 (95% CI 4.3-11.3) ETDRS letters (p<0.001). Statistically significant improvements in BCVA were also observed at months 6, 12 and 24. At baseline, patients had a mean CMT of 530.5µm (95% CI 463.0-598.0), and a decrease in CMT was observed, starting at the first month of follow-up (mean CMT reduction of -170.5µm, 95% CI -223.8- -117.1; p<0.001). Statistically significant decreases in CMT were also observed at months 6, 12, 24, and 36, with the maximum decrease observed at month 12 (p<0.001). Mean IOP at baseline was 16.4mmHg (95% CI 15.3-17.5) and nine eyes (32.1%) had an IOP ≥21mmHg during follow-up. Conclusion: Our results support the effectiveness and safety profile of fluocinolone acetonide. Although additional long-term real-world evidence is required, fluocinolone acetonide may represent a safe strategy for daily, low-dose, sustained and localized release to the posterior segment of the eye, providing both functional and anatomical benefits in DME.

Design and Development of a Web-Based Prospective Nationwide Registry for Ocular Inflammatory Diseases: UVEITE.PT - The Portuguese Ocular Inflammation Registry.

Uveitis is a heterogeneous collection of infrequent diseases, which poses significant challenges to cost-effective research in the field. Medical registries are being increasingly recognized as crucial tools to provide high-quality data, thus enabling prospective clinical research. This paper describes the design and technical structure development of an innovative countrywide electronic medical record for uveitis, Uveite.pt, and gives an overview of the cohort registered since its foundation, March 2020.Uveite.pt is an electronic medical record platform developed by the Portuguese Ocular Inflammation Group (POIG), a scientific committee of the Portuguese Ophthalmology Society. This is a nationwide customized web-based platform for uveitis patients useful for both clinical practice and real-world-based research, working as a central repository and reporting tool for uveitis. This paper describes the technical principles, the design and the development of a web-based interoperable registry for uveitis in Portugal and provides an overview of more than 400 patients registered in the first 18 months since inception.In infrequent diseases, the existence of registries enables to gather evidence and increase research possibilities to clinicians. The adoption of this platform enables standardization and improvement of clinical practice in uveitis. It is useful to apprehend the repercussion of medical and surgical treatments in uveitis and scleritis, supporting clinicians in the strict monitoring of drug adverse reactions and surgical outcomes.

Hyperfunctioning papillary thyroid carcinoma - a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Malignant hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules are rare and more likely to occur in follicular cancer types rather than papillary variants. The authors present a case of a papillary thyroid carcinoma associated with a hyperfunctioning nodule. METHODS: A single adult patient submitted to total thyroidectomy with the presence of thyroid carcinoma within hyperfunctioning nodules was selected. Additionally, brief literature was conducted. RESULTS: An asymptomatic 58-year-old male was subjected to routine blood analysis and a TSH level of <0.003 mIU/L was found. Ultrasonography revealed a 21 mm solid, hypoechoic, and heterogenous nodule with microcalcifications in the right lobe. A fine needle aspiration guided by ultrasound resulted in a follicular lesion of undetermined significance. A 99mTc thyroid scintigram was followed and identified a right-sided hyperfunctioning nodule. Another cytology was performed and a papillary thyroid carcinoma was derived as a result. The patient underwent a total thyroidectomy. Postoperative histology confirmed the diagnosis and a tumor-free margin with no vascular or capsular invasions. CONCLUSION: Hyperfunctioning malignant nodules are a rare association, although a careful approach should be led since major clinical implications arise. Selective fine needle aspiration in all suspicious ≥1 cm nodules should be considered.

Vitrectomy and tumor endoresection for the diagnosis and treatment of focal nodular retinal gliosis.

We report the case of a 60-year-old woman who presented with metamorphopsia and progressive vision loss in the right eye. Fundus examination revealed an elevated, white-yellow mass in the peripheral inferotemporal retina, with massive retinal exudation, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and retinal detachment. Pars plana vitrectomy with tumor endoresection was performed, and a complete excisional biopsy of the lesion was obtained by removing the tumor through the anterior chamber. Histopathological analysis of the specimen confirmed a diagnosis of peripheral, focal, nodular retinal gliosis. Postoperatively, visual function improved greatly, with no recurrence of the disease at 12 months' follow-up. Focal nodular retinal gliosis is a rare, non-neoplastic proliferation of retinal glial cells, with a vascular component. In our case, surgical treatment with pars plana vitrectomy facilitated accurate diagnosis and resulted in effective management of the retinal tumor and associated complications.

Sources of Sport Satisfaction and Perceived Self-Efficacy Among Youth in a Competitive Environment.

Young people's sources of satisfaction in sport are an important indicator of their long-term sport participation. Contextual factors and an individual's internal dispositions act synergistically to determine a positive experience. We studied sources of sport satisfaction and perceived self-efficacy of 1,151 male and female youth athletes (M age = 14.72, SD = 1.56 years) in Brazil who were engaged in school state level competition. The participants responded to questionnaires on their sport satisfaction and perceived self-efficacy. We considered sex, training time, and last game results as independent variables in accessing participant differences in perceived satisfaction. We observed an increasing trend toward more significant satisfaction as sport experience increased. Perceived self-efficacy was a moderator for young participants' self-reported positive experience in sports. Thus, in our offer of evidence on sources of satisfaction in sport and perceived self-efficacy among youth in competition, we found the extent of the sport experience and self-efficacy to be important factors in the developmental pathway.

The 2021 Portuguese Society of Ophthalmology joint guidelines with Paediatric Rheumatology on the screening, monitoring and medical treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis.

AIM: To develop the first Ophthalmology joint guidelines with Paediatric Rheumatology with recommendations on the screening, monitoring and medical treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis (JIA-U), endorsed by the Portuguese Society of Ophthalmology (SPO). METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted to include publications up to July 14th 2020, with no language restrictions, in order to include all the international position papers/guidelines concerning the medical management of JIA-U and randomised clinical trials assessing the efficacy and safety of medical treatment in this field. We searched through MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. The Delphi modified technique to generate consensus was used. Preliminary evidence statements were subject to an anonymous agreement assessment and discussion process using an online survey, followed by further discussion and update at a national meeting. A draft of the manuscript with all recommendations was then circulated among all participants and suggestions were incorporated. The final version was again circulated before publication. RESULTS: Twenty-six recommendations were developed focusing on the following topics: general management (3), screening and follow-up of uveitis (4), treatment (17) and health education in JIA-U among patients and families (2). CONCLUSION: These guidelines were designed to support the shared medical management of patients with JIA-U and emphasize the need for a multidisciplinary approach between Ophthalmology and Paediatric Rheumatology regarding the comprehensive care of JIA-U. We acknowledge that updating these recommendations will be warranted in the future, as more evidence becomes available. KEY-WORDS: juvenile idiopathic arthritis, uveitis, biological treatment, conventional immunosuppressive treatment, multidisciplinary management, guidelines, consensus, review, Delphi Technique.

Do Drug-likeness Rules Apply to Oral Prodrugs?

This paper describes a comparative analysis of the physicochemical and structural properties of prodrugs and their corresponding drugs with regard to drug-likeness rules. The dataset used in this work was obtained from the DrugBank. Sixty-five pairs of prodrugs/drugs were retrieved and divided into the following categories: carrier-linked to increase hydrophilic character, carrier-linked to increase absorption, and bioprecursors. We compared the physicochemical properties related to drug-likeness between prodrugs and drugs. Our results show that prodrugs do not always follow Lipinski's Rule of 5, especially as we observed 15 prodrugs with more than 10 hydrogen bond acceptors and 18 with a molecular weight greater than 500 Da. This fact highlights the importance of extending Lipinski's rules to encompass other parameters as both strategies (filtering of drug-like chemical libraries and prodrug design) aim to improve the bioavailability of compounds. Therefore, critical reasoning is fundamental to determine whether a structure has drug-like properties or could be considered a potential orally active compound in the drug-design pipeline.

Cuidando dos que cuidam: as necessidades dos cuidadores informais na perspetiva da equipa multidisciplinar / Caring for carers: the needs of informal carers from the perspective of the multidisciplinary team

Introdução: O envelhecimento da população é um fenómeno global, atingindo repercussões sociais, económicas e culturais. Este pode originar o aumento de comorbilidades, afetando a capacidade de autocuidado do idoso, surgindo a dependência física e mental. É neste momento que podem necessitar de cuidadores formais ou informais. Objetivos: Estabeleceu-se como objetivos capacitar os cuidadores informais dos idosos dependentes, em conjunto com os enfermeiros; e padronizar o preenchimento da Escala de Sobrecarga do Cuidador. Método: A metodologia utilizada para o desenvolvimento do Projeto de Intervenção Comunitária «Cuidando dos que Cuidam ­ as necessidades dos cuidadores informais na perspetiva da equipa multidisciplinar¼, foi o Planeamento em Saúde. Resultados/Conclusão: Concluiu-se, após análise dos dados, que as maiores necessidades dos cuida-dores informais são o aumento de conhecimentos, nomeadamente na área de prevenção de úlceras por pressão. Foi possível, ainda, concluir que existia uma necessidade do serviço - de padronizar do preenchimento da Escala de Sobrecarga do Cuidador - através de uma instrução de trabalho.

Introduction: The aging of the population is a global phenomenon, reaching social, economic and cul-tural repercussions. This may lead to the increase in comorbidities, affecting the capacity of self-care of the elderly, emerging the physical and mental dependency. It is at this moment that they may need of formal or informal caregivers. Goals: It was established has goals the training of the informal caregivers of the dependent elders, together with nurses; and the standardization of the filling of the Burden Interview Scale of the Care-giver. Method: The methodology used for the development of the Project of Community Intervention "Ta-king care of those who care ­ the necessities of the informal caregivers in the perspective of the mul-tidisciplinary team", was the Planning in Health. Results/ Conclusion: It was concluded, after the analysis of the data, that the greater needs of the informal caregivers are the increase of knowledge, namely on the prevention field of pressure ulcers. It was possible, even, to conclude that there was a need of the service ­ to standardize the filling of the Burden Interview Scale do the Caregiver ­ through a work instruction.

Tocilizumab in refractory juvenile idiopathic arthritis with associated uveitis: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: We report a 9-year follow-up of a child with refractory juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) with associated uveitis in which tocilizumab proved to be effective in achieving disease control. CASE REPORT: A 16-month child was diagnosed with JIA and at the age of 3 developed bilateral non-granulomatous anterior uveitis. Throughout the follow-up, the patient presented frequent joint and ocular flares. Refractory anterior uveitis and topical corticosteroid therapy resulted in the development of bilateral cataract and high intraocular pressure (IOP). The patient underwent multiple ocular surgeries along with corticosteroids, immunosuppressive therapy with Methotrexate and Adalimumab failing to reach disease control. Only after the introduction of Tocilizumab a lower disease activity was achieved. DISCUSSION: Management of JIA-associated uveitis is challenging and requires a close collaboration between paediatric rheumatologists and ophthalmologists. Clinical remission can be difficult to achieve. However, one should always pursuit JIA inactivity with IOP and inflammation control. This report supports Tocilizumab as a useful therapeutic option for JIA-associated uveitis.

Ophthalmologic Manifestations of Wolfram Syndrome: Report of 14 Cases.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to describe ophthalmological abnormalities in 14 cases of Wolfram syndrome belonging to 9 different families. METHODS: Patients were submitted to a complete ophthalmological, neurological, otorhinolaryngological, urological, and genetic evaluation. RESULTS: Our sample comprised 14 Caucasian patients belonging to 9 different families. Their ages ranged from 10 to 38 years. The mean duration of known disease was 11.3 ± 8.7 years. Genetic confirmation was obtained in 7 families. There was a parental consanguinity history in 2 families. Five families were homozygous for a mutation of exon 8 of the WFS1 gene (Chr. 4), and 2 patients were heterozygous. Diabetes mellitus was the first manifestation in all except 1 patient. The mean age at diagnosis was 8.7 years (range 3-22). None had diabetic retinopathy. The mean age at diagnosis of optic atrophy was 11.1 years (range 8-35). The best-corrected visual acuity ranged from counting fingers to 20/50. CONCLUSIONS: Association of optic atrophy with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus should raise the suspicion of Wolfram syndrome.

Faster balls increase the probability of scoring a goal in female and male elite goalball

Abstract We sought to investigate the influence of ball time, ball trajectory and ball type on the probability of scoring a goal in female and male elite goalball. We also aimed to categorize throw ball time, taking into consideration ball trajectory and ball type. Systematic video analysis of 1341 male and 1304 female throws was performed on 20 randomly selected matches from the Paralympic Games. In both genders, reducing ball time was associated with an increased probability of scoring a goal, while there was no association for ball trajectories or ball types. The proposed ball time categories are thought to be a useful tool for coaches and sport scientists, as it provides reference values on how fast a ball moves regarding different ball trajectories and ball types for each gender.

Resumo Investigamos a influência do tempo de bola, da trajetória e do tipo de bola sobre a probabilidade de marcar gol na elite do goalball; e também o categorizamos em relação à trajetória e ao tipo de bola. Observamos sistematicamente vídeos de 1.341 arremessos masculinos e 1.304 femininos, de 20 partidas selecionadas aleatoriamente dos Jogos Paraolímpicos. Em ambos os sexos, a redução do tempo de bola foi associada a uma maior probabilidade de marcar um gol. Não houve associação para trajetórias ou tipos de bola. As categorias de tempo de bola propostas foram pensadas para ser uma ferramenta útil para treinadores e cientistas esportivos, pois fornecem valores de referência sobre quão rápido uma bola se move em relação a diferentes trajetórias e tipos de bola para cada gênero.

Resumen Se analizó la influencia del tiempo del balón, la trayectoria y el tipo de balón en la probabilidad de marcar gol en la elite del goalball. También clasificamos el tiempo de lanzamiento del balón en relación con su trayectoria y tipo. Observamos sistemáticamente vídeos de 1.341 lanzamientos de hombres y 1.304 de mujeres de 20 partidos seleccionados al azar de los Juegos Paralímpicos. En ambos sexos, la disminución del tiempo del balón se relacionó con mayor probabilidad de marcar un gol. No hubo relación con las trayectorias o los tipos de balón. Las categorías propuestas del tiempo del balón son una herramienta útil para los entrenadores y científicos del deporte ya que ofrecen puntos de referencia para cada sexo sobre la rapidez con que un balón se mueve en relación con diferentes trayectorias y tipos de balón.

Predicting volleyball serve-reception at group level.

In a group-serve-reception task, how does serve-reception become effective? We addressed "who" receives/passes the ball, what task-related variables predict action mode selection and whether the action mode selected was associated with reception efficacy. In 182 serve-receptions we tracked the ball and the receivers' heads with two video-cameras to generate 3D world-coordinates reconstructions. We defined receivers' reception-areas based on Voronoi diagrams (VD). Our analyses of the data showed that this approach was accurate in describing "who" receives the serve in 95.05% of the times. To predict action mode selection, we used variables related to: serve kinematics, receiver's movement and on-court positioning, the relation between receiver and his closest partner, and interactions between receiver-ball and receiver-target. Serve's higher initial velocities together with higher maximum height, as well as smaller longitudinal distances between receiver and target increased the chances for the use of the overhand pass. Conversely, decreasing alignment of the receiver with the ball and the target increased the chances of using the underhand-lateral pass. Finally, the use of the underhand-lateral pass was associated with lower quality receptions. Behavioural variability's relevance for serve-reception training is discussed.

Effects of Charge Density on Photophysics and Aggregation Behavior of Anionic Fluorene-Arylene Conjugated Polyelectrolytes.

Three anionic fluorene-based alternating conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) have been synthesized that have 9,9-bis(4-phenoxy-butylsulfonate) fluorene-2,7-diyl and 1,4-phenylene (PBS-PFP), 4,4'-biphenylene (PBS-PFP2), or 4,4″-p-terphenylene (PBS-PFP3) groups, and the effect of the length of the oligophenylene spacer on their aggregation and photophysics has been studied. All form metastable dispersions in water, but can be solubilized using methanol, acetonitrile, or dioxane as cosolvents. This leads to increases in their emission intensities and blue shifts in fluorescence maxima due to break-up of aggregates. In addition, the emission maximum shifts to the blue and the loss of vibronic structure are observed when the number of phenylene rings is increased. Debsity Functional Theory (DFT) calculations suggest that this is due to increasing conformational flexibility as the number of phenylene rings increases. This is supported by increasing amplitude in the fast component in the fluorescence decay. The nonionic surfactant n-dodecylpentaoxyethylene glycol ether (C12E5) also breaks up aggregates, as seen by changes in fluorescence intensity and maximum. However, the loss in vibrational structure is less pronounced in this case, possibly due to a more rigid environment in the mixed surfactant-CPE aggregates. Further information on the aggregates formed with C12E5 was obtained by electrical conductivity measurements, which showed an initial increase in specific conductivity upon addition of surfactants, while at higher surfactant/CPE molar ratios a plateau was observed. The specific conductance in the plateau region decreased in the order PBS-PFP3 < PBS-PFP2 < PBS-PFP, in agreement with the change in charge density on the CPE. The reverse process of aggregate formation has been studied by injecting small volumes of solutions of CPEs dissolved at the molecular level in a good solvent system (50% methanol-water) into the poor solvent, water. Aggregation was monitored by changes in both fluorescence and light scattering. The rate of aggregation increases with hydrophobicity and concentration of sodium chloride but is only weakly dependent on temperature.

Assessment of the use of vitamin C and E supplements concomitantly to antibiotic treatment against Helicobacter pylori: A systematic review and meta-analysis. / Evaluación del suplemento de vitaminas C y E en el tratamiento antibiótico contra Helicobacter pylori: revisión sistemática y metaanálisis.

INTRODUCTION: Helicobacter pylori infections affect almost 50% of the world population, constituting a risk factor for benign and malignant gastrointestinal diseases. The increased resistance to antibiotic treatment against this infection represents a dilemma in the search of other therapeutic alternatives. OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of the use of vitaminC and E supplements concomitantly to antibiotic treatment against H. pylori infections. METHODS: We performed a systematic review on the MedLine (PubMed), Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials (CENTRAL) databases, searching for studies evaluating the efficacy of vitaminC and/or E supplements in the antibiotic treatment of H. pylori infections. The primary outcome was eradication of the infection. The secondary outcome was the adverse effects. The meta-analysis was conducted using the random effects method. RESULTS: Ten studies were included and analyzed in two groups. The first group, which was comprised by 973patients, compared the use of supplementation with vitaminC and E, showing that, without discriminating the number of antibiotics used, there was no relationship with the eradication of the infection (OR: 1.98 [95%CI: 0.92-4.29] P=.08). The triple or quadruple antibiotic therapy had no effect on eradication rates either (OR 1.80 [95%CI: 0.64-5.08] P=.26 and OR: 2.84 [95%CI: 0.51-15.56] P=.22, respectively). No effect on the eradication rates was observed either in the group that only assessed the use of vitaminC, comprised by 702patients (OR: 1.17 [95%CI: 0.58-2.31] P=.65). Only four studies reported adverse effects, the most common one being nausea. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with vitaminC and E in the antibiotic treatment against H. pylori has no effect. However, the reviewed studies had several biases and differences in the dosage of the supplements and antibiotics administered.

Predicting Volleyball Serve-Reception.

Serve and serve-reception performance have predicted success in volleyball. Given the impact of serve-reception on the game, we aimed at understanding what it is in the serve and receiver's actions that determines the selection of the type of pass used in serve-reception and its efficacy. Four high-level volleyball players received jump-float serves from four servers in two reception zones-zone 1 and 5. The ball and the receiver's head were tracked with two video cameras, allowing 3D world-coordinates reconstruction. Logistic-regression models were used to predict the type of pass used (overhand or underhand) and serve-reception efficacy (error, out, or effective) from variables related with the serve kinematics and related with the receiver's on-court positioning and movement. Receivers' initial position was different when in zone 1 and 5. This influenced the serve-related variables as well as the type of pass used. Strong predictors of using an underhand rather than overhand pass were higher ball contact of the server, reception in zone 1, receiver's initial position more to the back of the court and backward receiver movement. Receiver's larger longitudinal displacements and an initial position more to the back of the court had a strong relationship with the decreasing of the serve-reception efficacy. Receivers' positioning and movement were the factors with the largest impact on the type of pass used and the efficacy of the reception. Reception zone affected the variance in the ball's kinematics (with the exception of the ball's lateral displacement), as well as in the receivers' positioning (distances from the net and from the target). Also the reception zone was associated with the type of pass used by the receiver but not with reception efficacy. Given volleyball's rotation rule, the receiver needs to master receiving in the different reception zones; he/she needs to adapt to the diverse constraints of each zone to maintain performance efficacy. Thus, being able to flexibly vary positioning and passing, given local (zone) constraints, can yield an advantage in high-level volleyball serve-reception. Further, research needs to consider other serve modes (e.g., power-jump serve) and a full-court context of performance to support the present study's findings.

Nodular Scleritis Associated with Herpes Zoster Virus: An Infectious and Immune-Mediated Process.

Purpose. To describe a case of anterior nodular scleritis, preceded by an anterior hypertensive uveitis, which was primarily caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV). Case Report. A 54-year-old woman presented with anterior uveitis of the right eye presumably caused by herpetic viral disease and was successfully treated. Two months later, she developed a nodular scleritis and started oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory without effect. A complete laboratory workup revealed positivity for HLA-B27; the infectious workup was negative. Therapy was changed to oral prednisolone and an incomplete improvement occurred. Therefore, a diagnostic anterior paracentesis was performed and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis revealed VZV. She was treated with valacyclovir and the oral prednisolone began to decrease; however, a marked worsening of the scleritis occurred with the reduction of the daily dose; subsequently, methotrexate was introduced allowing the suspension of the prednisolone and led to clinical resolution of the scleritis. Conclusion. This report of anterior nodular scleritis caused by VZV argues in favor of an underlying immune-mediated component, requiring immunosuppressive therapy for clinical resolution. The PCR analysis of the aqueous humor was revealed to be a valuable technique and should be considered in cases of scleritis with poor response to treatment.

Photophysical Characterization and in Vitro Phototoxicity Evaluation of 5,10,15,20-Tetra(quinolin-2-yl)porphyrin as a Potential Sensitizer for Photodynamic Therapy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a selective and minimally invasive therapeutic approach, involving the combination of a light-sensitive compound, called a photosensitizer (PS), visible light and molecular oxygen. The interaction of these per se harmless agents results in the production of reactive species. This triggers a series of cellular events that culminate in the selective destruction of cancer cells, inside which the photosensitizer preferentially accumulates. The search for ideal PDT photosensitizers has been a very active field of research, with a special focus on porphyrins and porphyrin-related macrocycle molecules. The present study describes the photophysical characterization and in vitro phototoxicity evaluation of 5,10,15,20-tetra(quinolin-2-yl)porphyrin (2-TQP) as a potential PDT photosensitizer. Molar absorption coefficients were determined from the corresponding absorption spectrum, the fluorescence quantum yield was calculated using 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) as a standard and the quantum yield of singlet oxygen generation was determined by direct phosphorescence measurements. Toxicity evaluations (in the presence and absence of irradiation) were performed against HT29 colorectal adenocarcinoma cancer cells. The results from this preliminary study show that the hydrophobic 2-TQP fulfills several critical requirements for a good PDT photosensitizer, namely a high quantum yield of singlet oxygen generation (Φ∆ 0.62), absence of dark toxicity and significant in vitro phototoxicity for concentrations in the micromolar range.

Half-dose photodynamic therapy for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy: Efficacy and safety outcomes in real world.

PURPOSE: To have an insight of the outcomes of half-dose photodynamic therapy (PDT) for patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) in a real world population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective consecutive case series, one-centre study, with a 12-month follow-up period. RESULTS: The study took into account 15 eyes of 13 patients. All patients were male in gender and only 1 eye belonged to a non-caucasian. The sample mean age was 51,27±11,66 (between 36 and 74 years); mean baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0,40±0,25 logMAR and central macular thickness (CMT) was 411,40±88,44µm. All patients had subretinal fluid (SRF) and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) detachment involving the fovea. In a month time, BCVA and CMT had remarkable improvements with only one eye not gaining letters. At 6-month visit, 46,7% of the eyes were provided with additional treatment (intra-vitreal anti-VEGF or PDT). In the final visit no eye had worsened more than 5 letters and 53,3% had a BCVA improvement of at least 5 letters, with only 2 eyes remaining with RPE detachment and SRF. There was a steady regression in CMT throughout the follow-up; 93,3% had CMT under 300µm and CMT mean was 249,93±72,78µm. There were no reported complications. CONCLUSION: These results support PDT as a valuable approach for therapeutic decisions on chronic CSC as well as the need of other add up treatments for a better final outcome. Further evaluations with longer follow-up's should be taken into consideration for safety issues.

Oxocomplexes of Mo(VI) and W(VI) with 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonate in solution: structural studies and the effect of the metal ion on the photophysical behaviour.

Multinuclear ((1)H, (13)C, (95)Mo and (183)W) NMR spectroscopy, combined with DFT calculations, provides detailed information on the complexation between the Mo(VI) and W(VI) oxoions and 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonate (8-HQS) in aqueous solution. Over the concentration region studied, Mo(VI) and W(VI) oxoions form three homologous complexes with 8-HQS in water in the pH range 2-8. Two of these, detected at pH < 6, are mononuclear 1 : 2 (metal : ligand) isomers, with the metal centre (MO2(2+)) coordinated to two 8-HQS ligands. An additional complex, dominant at slightly higher pH values (5-8) for solutions with a 1 : 1 metal : ligand molar ratio, has a binuclear M2O5(2+) centre coordinated to two 8-HQS ligands. The two metal atoms are bridged by three oxygen atoms, two coming from 8-HQS, together with the M-O-M bridge of the bimetallic centre. We show that the long-range exchange corrected BOP functional with local response dispersion (LCBOPLRD), together with explicit solvent molecules, leads to geometries that readily converge to equilibrium structures having realistic bridging O8-HQS-M bonds. Previous attempts to calculate the structures of such binuclear complexes using DFT with the B3LYP functional have failed due to difficulties in treating the weak interaction in these bridged structures. We believe that the LCBOPLRD method may be of more general application in theoretical studies in related binuclear metal complexes. UV/visible absorption and luminescence spectra of all the complexes have also been recorded. The complex between Mo(vi) and 8-HQS is only weakly luminescent, in contrast to what has been observed with this ligand and many other metal ions. We suggest that this is due to the presence of low-lying ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) states close to the emitting ligand-based level which quench the emission. However, with W(VI), DFT calculations show that the LMCT states are now much higher in energy than the ligand based levels, leading to a marked increase in fluorescence.