A new feather mite species of the genus Mycterialges Gaud & Atyeo, 1981 (Acari, Xolalgidae) from the Oriental Stork, Ciconiaboyciana (Ciconiiformes, Ciconiidae) in Korea.

A new feather mite species, Mycterialgesboycianaesp. nov. (Xolalgidae), was identified from the Oriental Stork, Ciconiaboyciana Swinhoe, 1873, in Korea. Males of M.boycianaesp. nov. are distinguished from Mycterialgesmesomorphus Gaud & Atyeo, 1981, in having a single triangular prodorsal shield, sinuous margins of the opisthosoma located between setae e2 and h2 on the hysteronotal shield, an oval-shaped epiandrum without posterior extensions, a shorter tibia + tarsus IV than femoragenu IV, and an absent ambulacral disc of leg IV. Females differ in having a prodorsal shield with a posterior margin that is blunt-angular, and a concave posterior margin of the hysteronotal shield with posterior extensions. This study presents the first record of the feather mite genus Mycterialges in birds of the genus Ciconia (Ciconiidae). Additionally, we determined the phylogenetic relationship among Ingrassiinae using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit (COI).

Importance of Baseline Fluorescein Angiography for Patients Presenting to Tertiary Uveitis Clinic.

PURPOSE: To ascertain whether the use of ultra-wide-field fluorescein angiography (UWFFA) at baseline visit alters the assessment of disease activity and localization, as well as the management of patients presenting to a tertiary uveitis clinic. DESIGN: Retrospective comparison of diagnostic approaches. METHODS: Baseline visits of 158 patients who presented to the Uveitis Clinic at the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford between 2017 and 2022 were evaluated by 3 uveitis-trained ophthalmologists (I.K., A.B., and H.G.). Each eye had undergone clinical examination along with ultra-wide-field fundus photography (UWFFP) (Optos Plc), spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT, Spectralis Heidelberg, Heidelberg Engineering) and UWFFA (Optos Plc) at the baseline visit. Investigators were asked to successively determine disease activity, localization of disease (anterior, posterior or both), and management decisions based on clinical examination and UWFFP and SD-OCT (Set 1) and Set 1 plus UWFFA (Set 2). The primary outcome was the percentage of eyes whose management changed based on the availability of UWFFA compared with Set 1. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 46.9 ± 22.4 years (range, 7-96), and 91 (57.6%) were female. With Set 1 alone, 138 eyes (55.2%) were found to have active disease; localization was anterior in 58 eyes (42.0%), posterior in 53 eyes (38.4%), and anterior + posterior in 27 eyes (19.6%). With Set 2, 169 eyes of 107 patients had active anterior, posterior, or panuveitis. In comparison with Set 1, assessment with Set 2 identified additional 31 eyes (18.3%) with active disease (P = .006) and an additional 31 eyes (18.3%) having disease in both anterior + posterior segments (P < .001). Regarding the primary outcome, management was changed in 68 eyes (27.4%) in Set 2 compared with Set 1. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline UWFFA may alter assessment of disease activity, localization, and management decisions compared with clinical examination with only UWFFP and SD-OCT for eyes with uveitis. Thus, UWFFA may be considered as an essential tool in the evaluation of patients with uveitis at the baseline visit.

Structural and Functional Changes in Non-Paraneoplastic Autoimmune Retinopathy.

BACKGROUND: To describe longitudinal changes in patients with non-paraneoplastic autoimmune retinopathy (npAIR) by utilizing different diagnostic modalities/tests. METHODS: The index study is a retrospective longitudinal review of sixteen eyes of eight patients from a tertiary care eye hospital diagnosed with npAIR. Multiple diagnostic modalities such as wide-angle fundus photography (WAFP), WA fundus autofluorescence (WAFAF), spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), Goldmann visual field (GVF) perimetry, microperimetry (MP), electrophysiologic testing, and adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: At the baseline visits, anomalies were detected by multimodal diagnostic tests on all patients. Subjects were followed up for a median duration of 11.5 [3.0-18.7] months. Structural changes at the baseline were detected in 14 of 16 (87.5%) eyes on WAFP and WAFAF and 13 of 16 (81.2%) eyes on SD-OCT. Eight of the ten (80%) eyes that underwent AOSLO imaging depicted structural changes. Functional changes were detected in 14 of 16 (87.5%) eyes on GVF, 15 of 16 (93.7%) eyes on MP, and 11 of 16 (68.7%) eyes on full-field electroretinogram (ff-ERG). Multifocal electroretinogram (mf-ERG) and visual evoked potential (VEP) tests were performed in 14 eyes, of which 12 (85.7%) and 14 (100%) of the eyes demonstrated functional abnormalities, respectively, at baseline. Compared to all the other structural diagnostic tools, AOSLO had a better ability to demonstrate deterioration in retinal microstructures occurring at follow-ups. Functional deterioration at follow-up was detected on GVF in 8 of 10 (80%) eyes, mf-ERG in 4 of 8 (50%) eyes, and MP in 7 of 16 (43.7%) eyes. The ff-ERG and VEP were stable in the majority of cases at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The utilization of multimodal imaging/tests in the diagnosing and monitoring of npAIR patients can aid in identifying anomalous changes over time. Analysis of both the anatomical and functional aspects by these devices can be supportive of detecting the changes early in such patients. AOSLO shows promise as it enables the capture of high-resolution images demonstrating quantifiable changes to retinal microstructure.

Swept-Source OCT Angiography Features in Patients after Macular Hole Surgery.

This study aimed to compare findings of optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography (OCTA) between eyes with nearly recovered and partially recovered outer retina after full-thickness macular hole (FTMH) surgery and to identify OCTA findings associated with visual acuity. We retrospectively reviewed 30 patients who underwent surgery for idiopathic FTMH. Swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) and OCTA were performed preoperatively and at three and six months postoperatively. Subgroups were divided according to the integrity of the external limiting membranes and ellipsoid zones postoperatively. Correlations of best-corrected visual acuity six months postoperatively with SS-OCT and OCTA measurements were analyzed. There was no difference in preoperative retinal or choroidal vascular index on OCTA between the nearly and partially recovered groups. Six months postoperatively, the choriocapillaris flow-void area was significantly higher in the partially recovered group than in the fellow eye. The nearly recovered group showed better choroidal vascular flow, and vision at six months postoperatively correlated with the ratio of the operated eye's choriocapillaris flow-void area to the fellow eye. Sufficient choriocapillaris flow on OCTA is associated with better outer retinal recovery and visual outcomes after macular hole surgery.

Retinal Changes before and after Silicone Oil Removal in Eyes with Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Using Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography.

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the retinal and choroidal thickness and vessel density (VD) changes between silicone oil (SO) tamponade and after SO removal using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA). Thirty patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy for retinal detachment (RD) with SO tamponade were included. SS-OCT and OCTA were conducted before RD surgery, during SO tamponade, and after SO removal. A 3-dimensional volumetric wide scan protocol was used for the analysis. The segmented retina, choroidal thickness map, and peripapillary thickness were then measured. For the OCTA analysis, 4.5 × 4.5 mm scans were used. Superficial and deep capillary plexus VDs in unaffected fellow eyes and eyes after SO removal were compared. During the SO tamponade period, the thickness of the parafoveal total retina, ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer, and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (ppRNFL) were significantly thinner than those of unaffected fellow eyes (p < 0.05). The parafoveal layer thickness thinning recovered up to three to six months after SO removal. Moreover, six months after SO removal, the parafoveal thickness was not significantly different compared to that of unaffected fellow eyes (p > 0.05). However, the ppRNFL thickness was significantly decreased during SO tamponade and remained unrecovered six months after SO removal. There was no significant difference in the VD on the OCTA. Thus, SO tamponade and removal for RD resulted in a change in the retinal and peripapillary thickness. This may be due to the mechanical pressure effect of SO.

A four-week, randomized, double-blind trial of the efficacy and safety of SKI306X: a herbal anti-arthritic agent versus diclofenac in osteoarthritis of the knee.

The efficacy and safety of SKI306X, an herbal anti-arthritic agent, was compared with that of diclofenac sodium for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. In a randomized, double-blind, active comparator-controlled trial, a total of 249 patients were randomly assigned to receive either 200 mg of SKI306X three times daily or 100 mg of diclofenac sustained release (SR) once daily. Clinical efficacy variables (visual analog scale, Lesquesne index and global satisfaction score) and adverse events were monitored at baseline and 2nd and 4th weeks of treatment. SKI306X demonstrated efficacy statistically comparable to that of diclofenac, as assessed by the VAS and patients' and investigators' global satisfaction score. Both treatments were well tolerated, however, the SKI306X treatment group experienced less heartburn (4.0% versus 13.7%, p = 0.015, chi-square test). In this four-week trial, SKI306X was well tolerated and demonstrated clinical efficacy comparable to that of diclofenac SR.