Preoperative biometry data of eyes with unilateral congenital cataract.

PURPOSE: To investigate the differences in biometry data of eyes with unilateral congenital cataract and the contralateral normal eyes in pediatric patients. SETTING: Pediatric Ophthalmology Division, Ophthalmology Department, Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. METHODS: Data of visually significant unilateral congenital cataract patients who had cataract surgery in the ophthalmology department at Semmelweis University between 2013 and 2016 were collected. At the time of the examinations, the mean age of the patients was 36.4 weeks ± 25.3 (SD). Central corneal thickness (CCT), corneal refractive power (keratometry [K]), horizontal corneal diameter, and axial length (AL) measurement data were obtained from both eyes of each patient. The measurements were taken under general anesthesia using a handheld kerato-refractometer (Retinomax K-plus 3) and an ultrasound instrument (Ocuscan RxP) with contact applanation method and Castroviejo straight-tip calipers at the beginning of the cataract surgery. For statistical evaluation, Originlab 7.0 software was used; paired t tests were performed for the difference analysis between the 2 sides. RESULTS: Forty-two infants (50% girls) were included. In the cases of eyes with unilateral congenital cataract, a greater CCT (P = .01330), higher average K (P = .00243), and smaller corneal diameter (P = .00010) were found, although there was no significant difference in AL when compared with the unaffected contralateral eyes. CONCLUSION: The data showed that biometric characteristics of the eyes with unilateral congenital cataract differ from the opposite normal eye before the cataract surgery. It is essential to use this biometric data in intraocular lens power calculation and to take them into account in long-term care when screening for secondary glaucoma.

Cell-physiological effects of elastin derived (VGVAPG)n oligomers in a unicellular model system.

Elastin is one of the most significant components of the extracellular matrix, which supports the stretchiness of the blood vessels via its helical structure and cross-links. Enzymatic decomposition of this protein could induce chemotactic responses of cell populations in the surrounding tissues by several peptide sequences, e.g. XGXXPG. In our present work the VGVAPG variant and its oligomers were studied. The objective of the experiments was to learn (i) whether the chemotactic effect of these peptides is general in different levels of phylogeny: (ii) whether increasing the number of monomer units influences the chemotactic behaviour of the cell? The trimer had the strongest chemoattractant effect in a wide concentration range (10(-12) - 10(-7) M), while the monomer and the pentamer were chemorepellent. All tri-, tetra-, penta- and hexamers could chemotactically select subpopulations with a high chemotactic responsiveness to the identical peptide, in the long term. With regard to its repellent effect, the pentamer had a negative effect on phagocytosis. All six oligomers had a growth-promoter effect in Tetrahymena. The characteristic cell-physiological effects of VGVAPG oligomers signal that molecules of the extracellular matrix can induce identical responses even in lower levels of phylogeny, e.g. in the Ciliates.