Long-Term Low-Dose Pyrimethamine Use for the Prevention of Ocular Toxoplasmosis Recurrences: A Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: To describe the effect of long-term, low-dose pyrimethamine for the prevention of ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) recurrences. METHODS: Sixty-three consecutive patients with inactive ocular toxoplasmosis and positive toxoplasma IgG serology were included. Pyrimethamine (25 mg) + folinic acid (15 mg) were administered every other day (three times weekly) for 12 months. Eighteen patients received the treatment for an additional six months as part of an extension study. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients (60.3%, n = 63) were female; 38 (60.3%) had a previous history of recurrence and 37 (58.7%) had active OT within the preceding 12 months. Three (4.8%) patients had unilateral recurrences at 8, 12 and 18 months after starting intermittent pyrimethamine treatment. Five patients (7.9%) were discontinued due to hematological, renal and hepatic changes. Treatment was considered successful in 42 patients (84%). CONCLUSION: Long-term, low-dose pyrimethamine can be considered as a treatment option for the prevention of ocular toxoplasmosis recurrence in selected patients, with only a few, mild and reversible systemic adverse events.

Correlations between subfoveal choroidal thickness, macular thickness, and visual outcome in neovascular age-related macular degeneration using swept source OCT: insights from intravitreal aflibercept treatment.

BACKGROUND: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of visual impairment among individuals aged 50 and above, often resulting in irreversible vision loss (1). Currently, antiangiogenic therapy is the primary treatment approach for neovascular AMD (2). The choroid has gained significant attention in recent years due to its involvement in various ocular pathologies (7). The objective of this study was to evaluate visual acuity and correlate pre-treatment variables, such as foveal thickness and choroidal thickness, with post-treatment outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was designed as a prospective interventional study to investigate the changes in choroidal and macular thickness in patients with neovascular AMD who received intravitreal aflibercept injections. The study utilized medical records and employed Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT-SS) for evaluation. The data was collected from patients treated in Presidente Prudente, Brazil, during a three-month load dose period. RESULTS: The best-corrected mean visual acuity significantly improved from 1.0 logarithm of the minimum resolution angle (logMAR) units to 0.55 logMAR after treatment with aflibercept (p < 0.001). Patients undergoing treatment exhibited a significant decrease in average macular thickness from 323 µm to 232 µm (p = 0.001), as well as a reduction in choroidal thickness from 206 µm to 172 µm (p = 0.031), while maintaining intraocular pressure within the normal range (p = 0.719) without significant variation. Statistically significant associations were found between the difference in pre- and post-treatment choroidal thickness and the pretreatment values of macular thickness (p = 0.005) and choroidal thickness (p = 0.013). There was also a statistically significant correlation between the difference in pre- and post-treatment macular thickness and the pretreatment macular thickness value (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this study, aflibercept exhibited remarkable effectiveness in reducing macular and choroidal thickness, as evaluated using OCT-SS, and significantly improved visual acuity in patients with neovascular AMD. The assessment of both choroidal and macular changes, as well as their correlations, can provide valuable insights for clinicians, enabling them to make well-informed therapeutic decisions and effectively monitor treatment outcomes. Notably, this study contributes to the existing body of literature as the first to establish a correlation between pretreatment foveal thickness, variation in choroidal thickness, and post-treatment choroidal thickness.

Metastatic and aggressive renal cell carcinoma mimicking a unilateral choroidal tuberculoma / Carcinoma de células renais metastático grave mimetizando tuberculoma de coroide unilateral

ABSTRACT Ocular metastases from systemic tumors are uncommon. The choroid is the most frequent target, with a preference for elderly individuals. Lung cancer is the predominant primary tumor that metastasizes to the eyes in males, although other ocular conditions such as uveitis and retinal lesions can mimic secondary tumor implants in ocular tissues. On fundoscopy, choroidal metastasis resembles other infectious processes, especially choroidal tuberculoma. Therefore, patients presenting with choroidal masses should undergo detailed clinical examinations, especially if the mass is the first manifestation of a systemic and severe disease. In this report, we describe a young man with a metastatic choroidal tumor secondary to papillary renal cell carcinoma mimicking a unilateral choroidal tuberculoma.

RESUMO A disseminação metastática ocular de tumores sistêmicos é incomum, ocorrendo principalmente na coroide e em pacientes idosos. O câncer de pulmão é considerado o principal tumor metastático ocular em homens, contudo, outras doenças oculares, como as uveítes e lesões retinianas, podem mimetizar os implantes secundários tumorais nos tecidos oculares. O aspecto fundoscópico das neoplasias da coroide pode apresentar similaridade com outros processos infecciosos, especialmente o tuberculoma de coroide. Dessa forma, a investigação clínica detalhada é de grande importância no diagnóstico de pacientes com massas coroideanas, especialmente quando configuram a primeira manifestação de uma doença sistêmica e grave. Relatamos um caso raro de metástase coroideana como primeira manifestação clínica do carcinoma de células renais em um homem jovem, mimetizando um tuberculoma de coroide.

Metastatic and aggressive renal cell carcinoma mimicking a unilateral choroidal tuberculoma.

Ocular metastases from systemic tumors are uncommon. The choroid is the most frequent target, with a preference for elderly individuals. Lung cancer is the predominant primary tumor that metastasizes to the eyes in males, although other ocular conditions such as uveitis and retinal lesions can mimic secondary tumor implants in ocular tissues. On fundoscopy, choroidal metastasis resembles other infectious processes, especially choroidal tuberculoma. Therefore, patients presenting with choroidal masses should undergo detailed clinical examinations, especially if the mass is the first manifestation of a systemic and severe disease. In this report, we describe a young man with a metastatic choroidal tumor secondary to papillary renal cell carcinoma mimicking a unilateral choroidal tuberculoma.

Synthesis of Carbon Nanodots from Sugarcane Syrup, and Their Incorporation into a Hydrogel-Based Composite to Fabricate Innovative Fluorescent Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibers.

Carbon nanodots (CNDs) are interesting materials due to their intrinsic fluorescence, electron-transfer properties, and low toxicity. Here, we report a sustainable, cheap, and scalable methodology to obtain CNDs from sugarcane syrup using a domestic microwave oven. The CNDs were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, absorption, and emission spectroscopies. The CNDs have 3 nm in diameter with low polydispersity and are fluorescent. A fluorescent hydrogel-CNDs composite was obtained using gelatin polypeptide as the polymeric matrix. The new hydrogel-CNDs composite was incorporated in the cavities of a double-clad optical fiber using an innovative approach that resulted in a microstructured polymer optical fiber with intrinsic fluorescence. This work shows a promising alternative for the fabrication of fluorescent materials since the CNDs synthesis is sustainable and environmentally friendly. These CNDs might substitute the rare-earth and other heavy metals of high cost and toxicity, which are usually incorporated in double-clad fibers for applications on lasers, amplifiers, and spectroscopy.

Pediatric Crosslinking: Current Protocols and Approach.

Keratoconus (KC) is likely to be more aggressive in the pediatric population, with a higher risk of progression and visual loss. Several techniques have been proposed for corneal crosslinking (CXL) so far. The standard CXL (SCXL) technique, or the Dresden Protocol, originally developed by Wollensak et al., has been shown to be safe and effective in the pediatric KC group. With similar efficacy to the conventional method, the accelerated CXL (ACXL) protocols proposed a reduced UVA exposure time by increasing the intensity of UVA irradiation. Transepithelial CXL (TCXL), considered an "epithelium-on" method, emerged as a strategy to improve safety and reduce postoperative complications and discomfort. For thinner corneas, we can highlight the use of hypoosmolar riboflavin and new studies, such as contact lens-assisted CXL (CACXL), the epithelial-island CXL (EI-CXL), and the Sub400 protocol. In addition to the different protocols used, another factor that changes CXL results is the type of carrier used: dextran-based or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-based (HPMC) riboflavin solutions. There are several ways to perform a CXL surgery, and it is still unclear which method is the safest and most effective in the pediatric group. This review of the literature in English, available in PubMed, provides an update on corneal CXL in the pediatric KC group, exploring the data on the techniques currently used and under investigation, including their advantages, efficacy, safety profiles, risks, and cost analyses.

Correlation between Placido-disc and rotating Scheimpflug keratometric findings before and after corneal crosslinking in children with keratoconus.

PURPOSE: To evaluate correlation between Placido-disc and rotating Scheimpflug keratometric findings in children with progressive keratoconus (KC) before and after corneal crosslinking (CXL) and investigate whether these limits of agreement varied according to disease severity. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology of São Paulo Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil. DESIGN: Prospective nonrandomized open study. METHODS: Data obtained using rotating Scheimpflug-based tomography and Placido-disc-based topography devices were collected from preoperative and last follow-up postoperative children with KC operated on using standard CXL protocol. Correlation and agreement analyses were performed between the 2 devices before and after CXL to obtain keratometric (K) findings. RESULTS: 44 eyes from 44 patients aged 8 to 16 years were analyzed at all timepoints. All parameters were found to be strongly correlated before ( r = 0.84 to 0.99, P < .001) and after ( r = 0.93 to 0.99, P < .001) CXL. The mean Scheimpflug measurements of flat K, steep K, Kmax, mean K, and corneal astigmatism were higher than Placido-disc measurements in a preoperative period. This mean difference decreased in postoperative, but, with exception of Kmax and corneal astigmatism, Scheimpflug measurements remained higher. The mean parameter measurements from both devices decreased after CXL; 95% limits of agreement between instruments were wide for all parameters and decreased in postoperative and in mild KC. CONCLUSIONS: Keratometry measurements obtained using rotating Scheimpflug and Placido-disc technology were found to be closely correlated but not interchangeable before and after CXL in pediatric patients. Agreement between devices was better after CXL and in mild KC than in advanced KC.

Sequence of focal choroidal excavation types in a patient with bilateral central serous chorioretinopathy.

A 39-year-old policeman complained of decreased bilateral central vision over the last two years. On examination, visual acuity was 20/40 and 20/400 in the right (OD) and left eye (OS), respectively, and fundoscopy revealed a bilateral hypopigmented macular lesion. Fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography demonstrated leakage and hyperintense spots, respectively, within the macular areas. At baseline, optical coherence tomography showed subretinal fluid in the OD and a conforming focal choroidal excavation in the OS. Focal choroidal excavation converted from conforming to nonconforming type at 4-month follow-up and then reversed to conforming type at 12-month follow-up, and was associated with incomplete retinal pigment epithelium and outer retina atrophy over the area of excavation. Pachyvessels were also evidenced in the choroid, without neovascularization. We report for the first time a case of focal choroidal excavation that progressed from conforming to nonconforming type and then reverted to its primary configuration (conforming type) in a patient with concurrent bilateral central serous chorioretinopathy.

Nodular anterior scleritis associated with Berger's disease.

A 45-year-old female patient presented with a complaint of right eye redness and pain for 7 days. She was under investigation for urinary abnormalities and reported a previous history of recurrent oral ulcers and ocular hyperemia in both eyes. Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/30 and 20/20 in the right and left eyes, respectively. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy of the ocular surface of the right eye revealed nasal scleral hyperemia that persisted after instillation of topical phenylephrine 10%, reinforcing the diagnosis of anterior scleritis. Renal biopsy showed immunoglobulin A immune complexes and confirmed the suspected diagnosis of Berger's disease. Maintenance immunosuppressive therapy with azathioprine following a 6-month induction of remission with cyclophosphamide was necessary after pulse therapy with methylprednisolone. Scleritis is usually related to systemic autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and polyangiitis. Herein, we describe a rare case of unilateral anterior scleritis associated with Berger's disease.

Nodular anterior scleritis associated with Berger's disease / Esclerite anterior nodular associada à doença de Berger

ABSTRACT A 45-year-old female patient presented with a complaint of right eye redness and pain for 7 days. She was under investigation for urinary abnormalities and reported a previous history of recurrent oral ulcers and ocular hyperemia in both eyes. Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/30 and 20/20 in the right and left eyes, respectively. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy of the ocular surface of the right eye revealed nasal scleral hyperemia that persisted after instillation of topical phenylephrine 10%, reinforcing the diagnosis of anterior scleritis. Renal biopsy showed immunoglobulin A immune complexes and confirmed the suspected diagnosis of Berger's disease. Maintenance immunosuppressive therapy with azathioprine following a 6-month induction of remission with cyclophosphamide was necessary after pulse therapy with methylprednisolone. Scleritis is usually related to systemic autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and polyangiitis. Herein, we describe a rare case of unilateral anterior scleritis associated with Berger's disease.

RESUMO Paciente de 45 anos, sexo feminino queixava-se de hiperemia e dor no olho direito há sete dias. Encontrava-se sob investigação de alterações urinárias e relatou história pregressa de úlceras orais e hiperemia ocular bilateral recorrentes. A acuidade visual corrigida era de 20/30 no olho direito e 20/20 no esquerdo. A biomicroscopia da superfície ocular do olho direito revelou intensa hiperemia escleral em região nasal que persistiu após a instilação de fenilefrina tópica a 10%, reforçando o diagnóstico clínico de esclerite anterior unilateral. A biópsia renal revelou a presença de imunocomplexos de IgA e confirmou a hipótese de doença de Berger. Uma terapia imunossupressora de manutenção com azatioprina após 6 meses de indução de remissão com ciclofosfamida foi necessária após pulsoterapia com metilprednisolona. A esclerite geralmente está relacionada a doenças autoimunes sistêmicas, como artrite reumatoide e poliangeite. Descrevemos aqui um caso raro de esclerite anterior unilateral associada à doença de Berger.

Agarose-based structured optical fibre.

Biocompatible and resorbable optical fibres emerge as promising technologies for in vivo applications like imaging, light delivery for phototherapy and optogenetics, and localised drug-delivery, as well as for biochemical sensing, wherein the probe can be implanted and then completely absorbed by the organism. Biodegradable waveguides based on glasses, hydrogels, and silk have been reported, but most of these devices rely on complex fabrication procedures. In this sense, this paper proposes a novel structured optical fibre made of agarose, a transparent, edible material used in culture media and tissue engineering. The fibre is obtained by pouring food-grade agar into a mould with stacked rods, forming a solid core surrounded by air holes in which the refractive index and fibre geometry can be tailored by choosing the agarose solution composition and mould design, respectively. Besides exhibiting practical transmittance at 633 nm in relation to other hydrogel waveguides, the fibre is also validated for chemical sensing either by detecting volume changes due to agar swelling/dehydration or modulating the transmitted light by inserting fluids into the air holes. Therefore, the proposed agarose-based structured optical fibre is an easy-to-fabricate, versatile technology with possible applications for medical imaging and in vivo biochemical sensing.

Unilateral acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy in a patient with a strongly positive purified protein derivative test / Epiteliopatia pigmentar placóide multifocal posterior aguda unilateral na presença de reação forte positiva para o teste tuberculínico

ABSTRACT A 27-year-old man presented with a complaint of decreased visual acuity in the right eye. Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/60 in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye. Right eye fundoscopy revealed mild vitritis, multifocal yellowish lesions, and macular serous retinal detachment. Left eye evaluation was normal. Acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy was diagnosed in the right eye. Complementary exams revealed a strong reaction to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis purified protein derivative test, thus treatment for tuberculosis was initiated. Baseline fluorescein angiography of the right eye revealed early hypofluorescence and late staining of the lesions. Optical coherence tomography of the right eye demonstrated the accumulation of subretinal and intraretinal fluid associated with cystoid macular edema. During follow-up, the retinal fluid and cysts disappeared, which was followed by disorganization of foveal interdigitation and ellipsoid zones. This is the second described case of unilateral acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy in a patient with a strong positive result to the M. tuberculosis purified protein derivative test.

RESUMO Um homem de 27 anos apresentou uma queixa de diminuição da acuidade visual no olho direito. A acuidade visual melhor corrigida foi 20/60 no olho direito e 20/20 no olho esquerdo. A fundoscopia do olho direito revelou vitreíte leve, lesões amareladas multifocais e descolamento seroso da retina em região macular. A avaliação do olho esquerdo foi normal. Epiteliopatia pigmentar placóide multifocal posterior aguda foi diagnosticada no olho direito. Os exames complementares revelaram forte reação ao teste do derivado proteico purificado Mycobacterium tuberculosis, iniciando terapia antibiótica contra tuberculose. A angiografia fluoresceínica basal do olho direito revelou hipofluorescência precoce e tardia das lesões. A tomografia de coerência óptica do olho direito demonstrou fluído sub- e intrarretiniano associado a edema macular cistóide. Durante o seguimento, os fluídos e cistos retinianos desapareceram, seguido da desorganização das zonas de interdigitação e elipsóide em região foveal. Este é o segundo caso descrito de epiteliopatia pigmentar placóide multifocal posterior aguda unilateral em um paciente com um forte resultado positivo para o teste tuberculínico.

Unilateral acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy in a patient with a strongly positive purified protein derivative test.

A 27-year-old man presented with a complaint of decreased visual acuity in the right eye. Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/60 in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye. Right eye fundoscopy revealed mild vitritis, multifocal yellowish lesions, and macular serous retinal detachment. Left eye evaluation was normal. Acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy was diagnosed in the right eye. Complementary exams revealed a strong reaction to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis purified protein derivative test, thus treatment for tuberculosis was initiated. Baseline fluorescein angiography of the right eye revealed early hypofluorescence and late staining of the lesions. Optical coherence tomography of the right eye demonstrated the accumulation of subretinal and intraretinal fluid associated with cystoid macular edema. During follow-up, the retinal fluid and cysts disappeared, which was followed by disorganization of foveal interdigitation and ellipsoid zones. This is the second described case of unilateral acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy in a patient with a strong positive result to the M. tuberculosis purified protein derivative test.

Bevacizumab Injection in Patients with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Increases Angiogenic Biomarkers.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the expression of 19 angiogenic biomarkers in the aqueous humor before and after intravitreal bevacizumab injection (IVB) in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). DESIGN: Prospective, noncomparative, interventional case series. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-three eyes of 23 treatment-naïve patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to neovascular AMD. METHODS: Eyes were diagnosed with CNV secondary to neovascular AMD and were treated with 3 monthly IVBs. Aqueous humor samples were obtained by anterior chamber paracentesis at baseline and immediately before each intravitreal bevacizumab injection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Aqueous humor levels of 19 angiogenic biomarkers (angiopoietin 2, bone morphogenetic protein 9 [BMP-9], epidermal growth factor [EGF], endoglin, endothelin 1, fibroblast growth factor [FGF]-1 and FGF-2, follistatin, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [GCSF], heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor [HB-EGF], hepatocyte growth factor [HGF], interleukin 8, leptin, placental growth factor [PLGF], vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF]-A, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases [TIMP]-1 and TIMP-2) were measured. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), spectral-domain OCT parameters, and intraocular pressure also were evaluated. RESULTS: Baseline aqueous VEGF-A expression was elevated in all study eyes before treatment initiation. A statistically significant decrease of VEGF-A was observed at the 1- and 2-month follow-ups. A statistically significant increased concentration was observed in 7 biomarkers: VEGF-C, angiopoietin 2, endothelin 1, follistatin, HB-EGF, HGF, and interleukin 8. The other 11 study biomarker levels (VEGF-D, BMP-9, EGF, endoglin, FGF-1, FGF-2, GCSF, leptin, PLGF, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2) did not show any significant difference during follow-up. The BCVA statistically improved significantly at 2 months. Spectral-domain OCT parameters improved significantly at all follow-ups. Mean intraocular pressure values were not statistically different during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a decrease in VEGF-A, the aqueous levels of VEGF-C, angiopoietin 2, endothelin 1, follistatin, HB-EGF, HGF, and interleukin 8 increased significantly after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab. These upregulated angiogenic biomarkers may represent new therapeutic targets in exudative AMD.

Post-class naps boost declarative learning in a naturalistic school setting.

Laboratory evidence of a positive effect of sleep on declarative memory consolidation suggests that naps can be used to boost school learning in a scalable, low-cost manner. The few direct investigations of this hypothesis have so far upheld it, but departed from the naturalistic setting by testing non-curricular contents presented by experimenters instead of teachers. Furthermore, nap and non-nap groups were composed of different children. Here we assessed the effect of post-class naps on the retention of Science and History curricular contents presented by the regular class teacher to 24 students from 5th grade. Retention was repeatedly measured 3-4 days after content learning, with weekly group randomization over 6 consecutive weeks. Contents followed by long naps (>30 min), but not short naps (<30 min), were significantly more retained than contents followed by waking (Cohen's d = 0.7962). The results support the use of post-class morning naps to enhance formal education.

BARTONELLA QUINTANA-ASSOCIATED NEURORETINITIS: LONGITUDINAL SPECTRAL-DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHIC FINDINGS.

PURPOSE: To report an unusual case of neuroretinitis caused by Bartonella quintana and its spectral-domain optical coherence tomographic (SD-OCT) features. METHODS: A 12-year-old girl presented with unilateral neuroretinitis with stellate maculopathy. Bartonellosis was confirmed after serologic testing for antibodies to B. quintana. RESULTS: Color photograph of the right eye revealed papillitis and stellate macular exudation. spectral-domain optical coherence tomography of the right eye revealed hyperreflective dots in the outer nuclear and outer plexiform layers, as well as disruption and loss of the external limiting membrane, ellipsoid zone, and interdigitation zone in the foveal area. CONCLUSION: The authors report an unusual case of neuroretinitis by B. quintana and its spectral-domain optical coherence tomographic findings.

Ocular Biocompatibility of Poly-N-Isopropylacrylamide (pNIPAM).

Purpose. To study the safety of intravitreal injections of poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (pNIPAM) tissue adhesive in rabbit eyes. Methods. Twelve study rabbits received an intravitreal injection of 0.1 mL 50% pNIPAM in the right eye. Follow-up examinations included color fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography (FA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and electroretinography (ERG). Subsequent to the last follow-up assessment, the rabbits were sacrificed and histopathological study on the scleral incision sites was performed. Results. All study animals developed mild to moderate levels of inflammatory reaction in the conjunctiva, anterior chamber, and the anterior vitreous during the first month of follow-up. After this period, the level of the inflammatory reaction progressively decreased and completely disappeared after the third month of follow-up. The lens and cornea remained clear during the entire follow-up period. OCT and FA did not show areas of retinal damage or neovascularization. Histological and ERG studies of eyes injected with pNIPAM demonstrated absence of retinal toxicity. Conclusion. Intravitreal injections of pNIPAM were nontoxic in this animal study, and pNIPAM may be safe to be used as a bioadhesive in certain retinal diseases.

Correlations Between Allergen-Specific IgE Serum Levels in Patients With Ocular Allergy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate ocular allergies in patients at the Hospital do Servidor Publico Estadual de Sao Paulo (HSPE) and the correlations with serum allergen-specific immunoglobulin E levels. METHODS: We performed a longitudinal study of patients with ocular allergies who were treated at the Cornea and Immunology and Allergy Department. Patients underwent an ophthalmologic examination to identify their primary presenting signs and symptoms. The allergy types were divided into 4 groups. We conducted the following laboratory tests and measurements: blood count, eosinophil count, total serum IgE, and specific IgE. RESULTS: Among 61 patients, 16 (26.2%) had a clinical diagnosis of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, 23 (37.7%) had perennial allergic conjunctivitis, 19 (31.1%) had vernal keratoconjunctivitis, and 3 (4.9%) had atopic keratoconjunctivitis. Mixed dust mites were positive in 94.9% of patients. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (dp) and Dermatophagoides farinae (df) antigens were positive in 93.2% of patients followed by Blattella germanica, Blomia tropicalis, and mixed animal epithelia (81%, 75.9%, and 25.8%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Perennial allergic conjunctivitis was the most prevalent disorder and demonstrated higher positivity in class V/VI for specific antigens (mixed dust mites, dp, and df), indicating high antigenicity. Dust mites, D. pteronyssinus, D. farinae, B. germanica, and B. tropicalis were the primary triggers of the studied ocular allergies.

Cashew nut roasting: chemical characterization of particulate matter and genotocixity analysis.

BACKGROUND: Particulate matter (PM) is potentially harmful to health and related to genotoxic events, an increase in the number of hospitalizations and mortality from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The present study conducted the first characterization of elemental composition and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) analysis of PM, as well as the biomonitoring of genotoxic activity associated to artisanal cashew nut roasting, an important economic and social activity worldwide. METHODS: The levels of PM2.5 and black carbon were also measured by gravimetric analysis and light reflectance. The elemental composition was determined using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and PAH analysis was carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Genotoxic activity was measured by the Tradescantia pallida micronucleus bioassay (Trad-MCN). Other biomarkers of DNA damage, such as nucleoplasmic bridges and nuclear fragments, were also quantified. RESULTS: The mean amount of PM2.5 accumulated in the filters (January 2124.2 µg/m(3); May 1022.2 µg/m(3); September 1291.9 µg/m(3)), black carbon (January 363.6 µg/m(3); May 70 µg/m(3); September 69.4 µg/m(3)) and concentrations of Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Br and Pb were significantly higher than the non-exposed area. Biomass burning tracers K, Cl, and S were the major inorganic compounds found. Benzo[k]fluoranthene, indene[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene, benzo[ghi]perylene, phenanthrene and benzo[b]fluoranthene were the most abundant PAHs. Mean benzo[a]pyrene-equivalent carcinogenic power values showed a significant cancer risk. The Trad-MCN bioassay revealed an increase in micronucleus frequency, 2-7 times higher than the negative control and significantly higher in all the months analyzed, possibly related to the mutagenic PAHs found. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that artisanal cashew nut roasting is a serious occupational problem, with harmful effects on workers׳ health. Those involved in this activity are exposed to higher PM2.5 concentrations and to 12 PAHs considered potentially mutagenic and/or carcinogenic. The Trad-MCN with T. pallida was sensitive and efficient in evaluating the genotoxicity of the components and other nuclear alterations may be used as effective biomarkers of DNA damage.

Ploidy manipulation and polyploid detection in the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone 1931) (Decapoda, Penaeidae).

Ploidy manipulation has been rarely used in the genetic improvement of cultured marine shrimps. Although polyploid induction has been proven to be successful in Penaeids, including the species Litopenaeus vannamei, the methodology still requires some improvements. In the present work, different thermal shock treatments on ploidy manipulation were tested and a protocol for detecting polyploid individuals was also established. Fertilized eggs were treated by cold (10°C) and heat (38°C) thermal shocks for 8, 12, 15, 18, 20, and 22 min to induce polyploidy. Nuclear measurements within distinct treatments revealed a significant deviation in relation to the mean diameter of nuclei in the control individuals. Triploid and tetraploid metaphases were observed within treated individuals, confirming the increase of interphasic nuclear diameter. The cold thermal shock was more efficient than the hot ones, besides leading to a higher and more homogeneous hatchery rate. A mean number of three nucleoli per nucleus were observed in diploid individuals, while treated samples usually presented up to five nucleoli per nucleus. The standardization of protocols to obtain and detect polyploid products allows further utilization of such methods on a commercial scale in order to evaluate the performance of polyploid individuals in the genetic improvement of L. vannamei.