Madelung's Disease Evolving to Liposarcoma: An Uncommon Encounter.

(1) Background: Madelung's disease-known also as Benign Symmetric Adenolipomatosis (BSA) or Multiple Symmetric Lipomatosis (MSL), is a rare subcutaneous tissue disease characterized by the proliferation of non-encapsulated fat tissue with mature adipocytes. Patients develop symmetrical fatty deposits of varying sizes, (located particularly around the neck, shoulders, upper and middle back, arms, abdomen, and thighs), having clinical, esthetic, and psychiatric repercussions. (2) Methods: We report a case diagnosed with BSA upon admission to the Neurological and Internal Medicine Departments of the Emergency Clinical Hospital of Galati. (3) Results: This patient developed compressive phenomena and liposarcoma with liver metastasis, followed by death shortly after hospital presentation. The histopathology examination confirmed right latero-cervical liposarcoma and round cell hepatic metastasis. The specific metabolic ethiopathogenic mechanism has not been elucidated, but the adipocytes of BSA are different from normal cells in proliferation, hormonal regulation, and mitochondrial activity; a rare mitochondrial gene mutation, together with other interacting genetic or non-genetic factors, have been considered in recent studies. A thorough literature search identified only three cases reporting malignant tumors in BSA patients. (4) Conclusions: The goal of our paper is to present this rare case in the oncogenic synergism of two tumors. In the management of this BSA disorder, possible malignant transformation should be considered, although only scarce evidence was found supporting this.

Monte Carlo simulation-guided design for size-tuned tumor spheroid formation in 3D printed microwells.

Tumor spheroid models have garnered significant attention in recent years as they can efficiently mimic in vivo models, and in addition, they offer a more controlled and reproducible environment for evaluating the efficacy of cancer drugs. In this study, we present the design and fabrication of a micromold template to form multicellular spheroids in a high-throughput and controlled-sized fashion. Briefly, polydimethylsiloxane-based micromolds at varying sizes and geometry were fabricated via soft lithography using 3D-printed molds as negative templates. The efficiency of spheroid formation was assessed using GFP-expressing human embryonic kidney 293 cells (HEK-293). After 7 days of culturing, circularity and cell viability of spheroids were >0.8 and 90%, respectively. At 1500 cells/microwell of cell seeding concentration, the spheroids were 454 ± 15 µm, 459 ± 7 µm, and 451 ± 18 µm when cultured in microwells with the diameters of 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 µm, respectively. Moreover, the distance between each microwell and surfactant treatment before cell seeding notably impacted the uniform spheroid formation. The centrifugation was the key step to collect cells on the bottom of the microwells. Our findings were further verified using a commercial microplate. Furthermore, Monte Carlo simulation confirmed the seeding conditions where the spheroids could be formed. This study showed prominent steps in investigating spheroid formation, thereby leveraging the current know-how on the mechanism of tumor growth.

Thrombomodulin Serum Levels-A Predictable Biomarker for the Acute Onset of Ischemic Stroke.

The early diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) can be challenging in cases presenting with a scarcity of clinical signs, normal cerebral imaging in early stages and a lack of specific serum markers. Thrombomodulin has been shown to be associated with cerebrovascular ischemic events and can be considered an important biomarker for the acute onset of ischemic stroke. In our study, we compared the serum levels of thrombomodulin (sTM) between a relevant patient group of 70 AIS patients and a control group of patients without AIS admitted into the neurology department between June 2022 and May 2023. sTM levels were measured at 24 h and 48 h after patients' admissions into the hospital. There was a significant difference between the two groups (AIS: 23.2 ± 9.17 ng/mL vs. controls: 3.64 ± 1.72 ng/mL; p-value < 0.001). sTM values were correlated with the score of neurological deficits, with gender and dyslipidemia. The association of sTM values with the acute onset of AIS as an end point was significant, which allows rapid therapeutic interventions, even in the absence of a well-defined clinical syndrome (AUC = 0.99). Reanalysis of the patients after propensity score matching increased the power of sTM as a biomarker (AUC = 1). sTM represents a potentially useful biomarker to diagnose the onset of an AIS, even in scarce clinical presentations, which makes thrombomodulin a valuable indicator for early treatment initiation.

Natural Bio-Compounds from Ganoderma lucidum and Their Beneficial Biological Actions for Anticancer Application: A Review.

Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) has been known for many centuries in Asian countries under different names, varying depending on the country. The objective of this review is to investigate the scientific research on the natural active bio-compounds in extracts obtained from G. lucidum with significant biological actions in the treatment of cancer. This review presents the classes of bio-compounds existing in G. lucidum that have been reported over time in the main databases and have shown important biological actions in the treatment of cancer. The results highlight the fact that G. lucidum possesses important bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides, triterpenoids, sterols, proteins, nucleotides, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, which have been demonstrated to exhibit multiple anticancer effects, namely immunomodulatory, anti-proliferative, cytotoxic, and antioxidant action. The potential health benefits of G. lucidum are systematized based on biological actions. The findings present evidence regarding the lack of certainty about the effects of G. lucidum bio-compounds in treating different forms of cancer, which may be due to the use of different types of Ganoderma formulations, differences in the study populations, or due to drug-disease interactions. In the future, larger clinical trials are needed to clarify the potential benefits of pharmaceutical preparations of G. lucidum, standardized by the known active components in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Point-of-Care Testing-The Key in the Battle against SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic.

The deleterious effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic urged the development of diagnostic tools to manage the spread of disease. Currently, the "gold standard" involves the use of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Even though it is sensitive, specific and applicable for large batches of samples, qRT-PCR is labour-intensive, time-consuming, requires trained personnel and is not available in remote settings. This review summarizes and compares the available strategies for COVID-19: serological testing, Point-of-Care Testing, nanotechnology-based approaches and biosensors. Last but not least, we address the advantages and limitations of these methods as well as perspectives in COVID-19 diagnostics. The effort is constantly focused on understanding the quickly changing landscape of available diagnostic testing of COVID-19 at the clinical levels and introducing reliable and rapid screening point of care testing. The last approach is key to aid the clinical decision-making process for infection control, enhancing an appropriate treatment strategy and prompt isolation of asymptomatic/mild cases. As a viable alternative, Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) is typically low-cost and user-friendly, hence harbouring tremendous potential for rapid COVID-19 diagnosis.

Skin endometriosis: A case report and review of the literature.

Skin endometriosis is a rare disease with variable clinical and histopathological characteristics that depend on hormonal stimuli. The skin is not a common location, as most cases of endometriosis involve pelvic sites, such as the ovaries, peritoneum and bowel. However, the most common extrapelvic site affected is the abdominal wall and this location of the disease is frequently associated with obstetric and gynecologic surgery. Here we report a case of skin endometriosis emerged as a painful subcutaneous nodule located near to the left side of an obstetrical surgery procedure scar. The patient affected was a woman in her reproductive age, with a history of right ovary endometriotic cyst laparoscopically removed and histologically confirmed as a primary endometriosis. Dermatologists should be aware of this condition in any woman with a painful lump located in the proximity of a pelvic surgery-induced scar. Its non-specific clinical appearance may confuse the clinician and may delay the diagnosis and management.

Evaluation of the optical and biomechanical properties of bioengineered human skin generated with fibrin-agarose biomaterials.

SIGNIFICANCE: Recent generation of bioengineered human skin allowed the efficient treatment of patients with severe skin defects. However, the optical and biomechanical properties of these models are not known. AIM: Three models of bioengineered human skin based on fibrin-agarose biomaterials (acellular, dermal skin substitutes, and complete dermoepidermal skin substitutes) were generated and analyzed. APPROACH: Optical and biomechanical properties of these artificial human skin substitutes were investigated using the inverse adding-doubling method and tensile tests, respectively. RESULTS: The analysis of the optical properties revealed that the model that most resembled the optical behavior of the native human skin in terms of absorption and scattering properties was the dermoepidermal human skin substitutes after 7 to 14 days in culture. The time-course evaluation of the biomechanical parameters showed that the dermoepidermal substitutes displayed significant higher values than acellular and dermal skin substitutes for all parameters analyzed and did not differ from the control skin for traction deformation, stress, and strain at fracture break. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate the crucial role of the cells from a physical point of view, confirming that a bioengineered dermoepidermal human skin substitute based on fibrin-agarose biomaterials is able to fulfill the minimal requirements for skin transplants for future clinical use at early stages of in vitro development.

In vivo Diagnosis of Primary Cutaneous Amyloidosis -the Role of Reflectance Confocal Microscopy.

Primary cutaneous amyloidosis (PCA) is a form of localized amyloidosis. It is characterized by the deposition of a fibrillar material in the superficial dermis, without affecting other systems or organs. The diagnosis can be made clinically, but usually a skin biopsy is performed in order to exclude other skin diseases with similar appearance. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a novel imaging tool that enables in vivo characterization of various skin changes with a high, quasi-microscopic resolution. This technique might have an important role in the differential diagnosis of cutaneous amyloidosis, by the in vivo assessment of epidermal changes and dermal amyloid deposition. Moreover, it is completely non-invasive and can be safely repeated on the same skin area. However, to date, there is only one published paper presenting the confocal features of primary cutaneous amyloidosis. Hereby, we describe the in vivo RCM features of PCA lesions from a patient with diabetes and correlate them with histologic findings. This strengthens the clinical usefulness of in vivo RCM examination for the non-invasive diagnosis of cutaneous amyloidosis, especially in patients that might associate diseases with impaired wound healing.

Bedaquiline- versus injectable-containing drug-resistant tuberculosis regimens: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

BACKGROUND: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) continues to be a major public health challenge with suboptimal treatment outcomes including well-documented treatment-related toxicities. We compared the cost-effectiveness of bedaquiline (BDQ) containing regimens with injectable containing regimens (short-course regimen [SCR] and long-course regiman [LCR]) in India, Russia, and South Africa. METHODS: The analysis evaluated the direct costs of DR-TB treatment which included drugs, hospitalization, injectable-related adverse event costs, and other costs. Scenarios altered regimen costs, SCR/LCR ratio, and substitution rate between regimens (whether BDQ or injectable containing). RESULTS: BDQ containing regimens are more cost effective based on cost per treatment success compared with injectable containing regimens, reducing these in SCR by 18-20% and in LCR by 49-54%. Average cost effectiveness ratios (ACERs) of BDQ containing regimens are lower. The incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) is negative. Exclusive use of BDQ containing regimens results in approximately 61,000 more patients treated successfully over 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Across all countries, BDQ containing regimens are dominant compared to injectable containing regimens, entailing lower treatment costs to achieve better clinical outcomes. This analysis can provide insight and support to local and global decision-makers and public health organizations to allocate efficiently resources improving patient and public health outcomes.

Development of a customized whiteness index for dentistry based on CIELAB color space.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a customized CIELAB-based whiteness index for dentistry that accurately correlates to perception of tooth whiteness. METHODS: Four psychophysical experiments (PE1-4) were conducted by three panels of observers (OP1-3) under diffuse/0° observation/measuring conditions and under typical clinical viewing conditions. Nine whiteness indices (WI, Z%, WIC, WIO, W31, W64, W, WLAB, W*), two yellowness indices (YID1925, YIE313) and tint of white in the CIELAB color system (T) were compared with regard to their ability to measure the perceived whiteness of human teeth. Determination coefficient (R(2)) and '% wrong decision' (%WD) method were used as direct measures of the quality of the indices for whiteness perception in dentistry. RESULTS: CIELAB-based whiteness index (WID=0.511L* -2.324a* -1.100b*) was developed through optimization from the data obtained in PE1. The proposed WID performed better than all the CIELAB and CIE1931 XYZ-based indices under laboratory and clinical conditions (only WIO was comparable to WID in PE2 and PE4). CONCLUSION: The validation experiments under laboratory and typical clinical conditions revealed that the proposed index WID outperformed previous indices, being the only CIELAB-based index developed for evaluation of whiteness in dentistry.

Correction: Photographic-Based Optical Evaluation of Tissues and Biomaterials Used for Corneal Surface Repair: A New Easy-Applied Method.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142099.].

Photographic-Based Optical Evaluation of Tissues and Biomaterials Used for Corneal Surface Repair: A New Easy-Applied Method.

PURPOSE: Tissues and biomaterials used for corneal surface repair require fulfilling specific optical standards prior to implantation in the patient. However, there is not a feasible evaluation method to be applied in clinical or Good Manufacturing Practice settings. In this study, we describe and assess an innovative easy-applied photographic-based method (PBM) for measuring functional optical blurring and transparency in corneal surface grafts. METHODS: Plastic compressed collagen scaffolds (PCCS) and multilayered amniotic membranes (AM) samples were optically and histologically evaluated. Transparency and image blurring measures were obtained by PBM, analyzing photographic images of a standardized band pattern taken through the samples. These measures were compared and correlated to those obtained applying the Inverse Adding-Doubling (IAD) technique, which is the gold standard method. RESULTS: All the samples used for optical evaluation by PBM or IAD were histological suitable. PCCS samples presented transmittance values higher than 60%, values that increased with increasing wavelength as determined by IAD. The PBM indicated that PCCS had a transparency ratio (TR) value of 80.3 ± 2.8%, with a blurring index (BI) of 50.6 ± 4.2%. TR and BI obtained from the PBM showed a high correlation (ρ>|0.6|) with the diffuse transmittance and the diffuse reflectance, both determined using the IAD (p<0.005). The AM optical properties showed that there was a largely linear relationship between the blurring and the number of amnion layers, with more layers producing greater blurring. CONCLUSIONS: This innovative proposed method represents an easy-applied technique for evaluating transparency and blurriness of tissues and biomaterials used for corneal surface repair.

Predictive algorithms for determination of reflectance data from quantity of pigments within experimental dental resin composites.

BACKGROUND: Being able to estimate (predict) the final spectrum of reflectance of a biomaterial, especially when the final color and appearance are fundamental for their clinical success (as is the case of dental resin composites), could be a very useful tool for the industrial development of these type of materials. The main objective of this study was the development of predictive models which enable the determination of the reflectance spectrum of experimental dental resin composites based on type and quantity of pigments used in their chemical formulation. METHODS: 49 types of experimental dental resin composites were formulated as a mixture of organic matrix, inorganic filler, photo activator and other components in minor quantities (accelerator, inhibitor, fluorescent agent and 4 types of pigments). Spectral reflectance of all samples were measured, before and after artificial chromatic aging, using a spectroradiometer. A Multiple Nonlinear Regression Model (MNLR) was used to predict the values of the Reflectance Factors values in the visible range (380 nm-780 nm), before and after aging, from % Pigment (%P1, %P2, %P3 and %P4) within the formulation. RESULTS: The average value of the prediction error of the model was 3.46% (SD: 1.82) across all wavelengths for samples before aging and 3.54% (SD: 1.17) for samples after aging. The differences found between the predicted and measured values of the chromatic coordinates are smaller than the acceptability threshold and, in some cases, are even below the perceptibility threshold. CONCLUSIONS: Within the framework of this pilot study, the nonlinear predictive models developed allow the prediction, with a high degree of accuracy, of the reflectance spectrum of the experimental dental resin composites.

Evaluation of small intestine grafts decellularization methods for corneal tissue engineering.

Advances in the development of cornea substitutes by tissue engineering techniques have focused on the use of decellularized tissue scaffolds. In this work, we evaluated different chemical and physical decellularization methods on small intestine tissues to determine the most appropriate decellularization protocols for corneal applications. Our results revealed that the most efficient decellularization agents were the SDS and triton X-100 detergents, which were able to efficiently remove most cell nuclei and residual DNA. Histological and histochemical analyses revealed that collagen fibers were preserved upon decellularization with triton X-100, NaCl and sonication, whereas reticular fibers were properly preserved by decellularization with UV exposure. Extracellular matrix glycoproteins were preserved after decellularization with SDS, triton X-100 and sonication, whereas proteoglycans were not affected by any of the decellularization protocols. Tissue transparency was significantly higher than control non-decellularized tissues for all protocols, although the best light transmittance results were found in tissues decellularized with SDS and triton X-100. In conclusion, our results suggest that decellularized intestinal grafts could be used as biological scaffolds for cornea tissue engineering. Decellularization with triton X-100 was able to efficiently remove all cells from the tissues while preserving tissue structure and most fibrillar and non-fibrillar extracellular matrix components, suggesting that this specific decellularization agent could be safely used for efficient decellularization of SI tissues for cornea TE applications.

Color and translucency of zirconia ceramics, human dentine and bovine dentine.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate color and translucency of both non-colored and colored zirconia ceramics and compare them with corresponding properties of human dentine. METHODS: 0.5mm thick samples of human (MSHD) and bovine (MSBD) dentine were obtained from 5 extracted human anterior maxillary teeth and 5 bovine incisors, respectively. The zirconia systems evaluated (0.5mm samples) were: (1) IPS e.max(®) ZirCAD sintered samples: (a) regular (ZC1); (b) colored - coloring liquid CL2 (ZC2); (2) LAVA™ Zirconia sintered samples: (a) regular (LV1); (b) colored - coloring liquid FS3 (LV2). Translucency parameter (TP) and ΔE(ab)(*) and ΔE(00) color differences (with respect to the MSHD) were calculated. Spectral reflectance curves were compared using the VAF coefficient. RESULTS: Reflectance spectral behaviour of MSBD and MSHD were similar (VAF=99.3%). All zirconia samples showed higher spectral reflectance values than the MSHD. Lightness values obtained for all zirconia ceramics (especially LV) were higher than MSHD and MSBD. The range of color differences, with respect to MSHD, was 6.9-20.5 for ΔE(ab)(*) and 4.9-15.6 for ΔE(00). Colored samples showed lower color differences with respect to MSHD. The highest TP values were found for IPS e.max(®) ZirCAD system and the lowest for LAVA™ Zirconia system. In terms of translucency, MSHD, MSBD and zirconia ceramics showed no statistically significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: In terms of translucency, the studied zirconia systems could satisfactorily replace the human dentine within a dental restoration but, in order to produce a clinically acceptable match, it is necessary to carefully adjust the color of these systems.

Investigating a novel nanostructured fibrin-agarose biomaterial for human cornea tissue engineering: rheological properties.

In this work, the rheological properties of the biomaterial fibrin with different agarose concentrations, used for the generation of a bioengineered human corneal stroma by tissue engineering, before and after using a nanostructuring technique, were analyzed. The transparency of these artificial human stromas was also investigated. The temporal evaluation of the properties of these biomaterials is essential for the design of functional biological human corneal replacements. The nanostructuring technique used for the generation of nanostructured corneal constructs (NCCs) had a major influence on the rheological properties of the fibrin-agarose corneal equivalents. For an oscillatory shear stress of 1 Hz, well in the order of the natural oscillations of the human cornea, the NCCs had viscoelasticity values higher than those of non-nanostructured corneal constructs (N-NCCs), but similar to those of an ex vivo native cornea. The model that most resembled the rheological behavior of the native cornea was a fibrin-0.1% agarose concentration nanostructured construct. In addition, this artificial cornea model displayed optimal levels of transparency, similar to the native tissue. All these properties indicate that the fibrin-0.1% agarose concentration nanostructured construct might serve as an adequate candidate for the generation of an artificial complete cornea, not only for transplanting use but also for conducting pharmaceutical testing and biomedical research.

Dental ceramics: a CIEDE2000 acceptability thresholds for lightness, chroma and hue differences.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the visual 50:50% acceptability thresholds for lightness, chroma and hue for dental ceramics using CIEDE2000(K(L):K(C):K(H)) formula, and to evaluate the formula performance using different parametric factors. METHODS: A 30-observer panel evaluated three subsets of ceramic samples: lightness subset (|ΔL'/ΔE(00)| ≥ 0.9), chroma subset (|ΔC'/ΔE(00)| ≥ 0.9) and hue subset (|ΔH'/ΔE(00)| ≥ 0.9). A Takagi-Sugeno-Kang Fuzzy Approximation was used as fitting procedure, and the 50:50% acceptability thresholds were calculated. A t-test was used in statistical analysis of the thresholds values. The performance of the CIEDE2000(1:1:1) and CIEDE2000(2:1:1) colour difference formulas against visual results was tested using PF/3 performance factor. RESULTS: The 50:50% CIEDE2000 acceptability thresholds were ΔL' = 2.92 (95% CI 1.22-4.96; r(2) = 0.76), ΔC' = 2.52 (95% CI 1.31-4.19; r(2) = 0.71) and ΔH' = 1.90 (95% CI 1.63-2.15; r(2) = 0.88). The 50:50% acceptability threshold for colour difference (ΔE') for CIEDE2000(1:1:1) was 1.87, whilst corresponding value for CIEDE2000(2:1:1) was 1.78. The PF/3 values were 139.86 for CIEDE2000(1:1:1), and 132.31 for CIEDE2000(2:1:1). CONCLUSIONS: There was a statistically significant difference amongst CIEDE2000 50:50% acceptability thresholds for lightness, chroma and hue differences for dental ceramics. The CIEDE2000(2:1:1) formula performed better than CIEDE2000(1:1:1).

Transparency in a fibrin and fibrin-agarose corneal stroma substitute generated by tissue engineering.

PURPOSE: To examine the transparency characteristics at different times of development in the culture of 2 different types of human corneal stroma substitutes generated by tissue engineering using human fibrin or human fibrin and 0.1% agarose, with human keratocytes entrapped within. METHODS: The transparency of these artificial corneal stromas was analyzed after 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days of development in culture by determining the scattering and absorption coefficients from the spectral reflectance data of each sample using the Kubelka-Munk equations. RESULTS: The scattering coefficient of both types of bioengineered tissues tended to increase with culture time and wavelength until 550 nm, whereby a slight decrease was observed for longer wavelengths. In general, the spectral distribution of the Kubelka-Munk scattering coefficient of the fibrin-agarose corneal constructs was more stable than that of the fibrin constructs. The absorption coefficient of the human fibrin and fibrin-agarose corneal substitutes tended to decrease with increasing wavelength, and their absolute values were higher for fibrin-agarose than for fibrin scaffolds, especially for short wavelengths. In addition, the spectral transmittance behavior of both types of tissue analyzed was similar to the ones of the theoretical and control corneas, with absolute values above 90% for all wavelengths at 28 days of development. CONCLUSIONS: The transparency, scattering, and absorption of both fibrin and fibrin-agarose corneal stroma substitutes indicate that these new biomaterials could be adequate for clinical use.

Generation of bioengineered corneas with decellularized xenografts and human keratocytes.

PURPOSE: Decellularization of animal corneas is a promising method for the development of artificial human corneas by tissue engineering. In this study, two different decellularization protocols were evaluated to determine which one is able to best preserve the histologic structure, composition, and optical behavior of decellularized porcine corneas. Then, these corneas were recellularized with human keratocytes to obtain a partial human corneal substitute. METHODS: Two different decellularization protocols were applied, using NaCl and SDS, to determine which one is able to best preserve the histologic structure, composition, and optical behavior of the decellularized corneas. Then, those decellularized corneas that showed the most appropriate results were recellularized with human keratocytes and evaluated at the histologic, biochemical, and optical levels for use in regenerative medicine. RESULTS: The results showed that 1.5 M NaCl treatment of porcine corneas is able to generate an acellular corneal stroma with adequate histologic and optical properties and that human keratocytes are able to penetrate and spread within this scaffold with proper levels of cell differentiation. In contrast, 0.1% SDS treatment of porcine corneas resulted in high levels of fibril disorganization and poor optical behavior of these corneas. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the authors suggest that the decellularization of animal corneas with 1.5 M NaCl represents a useful method for the development of human bioengineered corneas with therapeutic potential.

UV absorbance of a bioengineered corneal stroma substitute in the 240-400 nm range.

PURPOSE: To determine the UV absorbance of a bioengineered human corneal stroma construct based on fibrin and fibrin-agarose scaffolds in the 240-400 nm range. METHODS: Three types of artificial substitutes of the human corneal stroma were developed by tissue engineering using fibrin and fibrin with 0.1% and 0.2% agarose scaffolds with human keratocytes immersed within. After 28 days of culture, the UV absorbance of each sample was determined using a spectrophotometer. The thickness of corneal stroma samples was determined by light microscope. RESULTS: For all the 3 types of corneal stroma substitutes studied, the range of the UV absorbance values was similar to that of the native human corneal stroma, although the fibrin with 0.1% agarose stroma substitute had the best UV filtering properties. The higher UV absorbance of the artificial substitute of the human corneal stroma was in the UV-B and -A ranges, suggesting that these artificial tissues could have potential clinical usefulness and proper UV light-absorption capabilities. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the bioengineered human corneal substitute of fibrin with 0.1% agarose is an effective absorber of harmful UV radiation and could therefore be potentially useful.