Top-predator recovery abates geomorphic decline of a coastal ecosystem.

The recovery of top predators is thought to have cascading effects on vegetated ecosystems and their geomorphology1,2, but the evidence for this remains correlational and intensely debated3,4. Here we combine observational and experimental data to reveal that recolonization of sea otters in a US estuary generates a trophic cascade that facilitates coastal wetland plant biomass and suppresses the erosion of marsh edges-a process that otherwise leads to the severe loss of habitats and ecosystem services5,6. Monitoring of the Elkhorn Slough estuary over several decades suggested top-down control in the system, because the erosion of salt marsh edges has generally slowed with increasing sea otter abundance, despite the consistently increasing physical stress in the system (that is, nutrient loading, sea-level rise and tidal scour7-9). Predator-exclusion experiments in five marsh creeks revealed that sea otters suppress the abundance of burrowing crabs, a top-down effect that cascades to both increase marsh edge strength and reduce marsh erosion. Multi-creek surveys comparing marsh creeks pre- and post-sea otter colonization confirmed the presence of an interaction between the keystone sea otter, burrowing crabs and marsh creeks, demonstrating the spatial generality of predator control of ecosystem edge processes: densities of burrowing crabs and edge erosion have declined markedly in creeks that have high levels of sea otter recolonization. These results show that trophic downgrading could be a strong but underappreciated contributor to the loss of coastal wetlands, and suggest that restoring top predators can help to re-establish geomorphic stability.

Modelling impacts of a salt and sugar tax on hypothetical intra-category food substitutions, BMI and environmental footprints in the UK population.

PURPOSE: Taxes on unhealthy foods can help improve population health in the United Kingdom (UK), but the health effects of food substitutions resulting from these taxes are often unclear. We investigated the potential impacts of a salt and sugar tax on hypothetical intra-category food substitutions, cost, body-mass index (BMI), and environmental footprints. METHODS: Purchase panel data from Kantar (2017) were used to determine the most popular foods high in salt or sugar within eight 'salt-intensive'/'sugar-intensive' food categories. Within food categories, the most popular lower salt (≤ 1.5 g salt/100 g product) and lower sugar (≤ 22.5 g sugar/100 g product) substitutes were also identified. Hypothetical swaps between high salt/sugar foods and lower salt/sugar substitutes were explored, focusing on changes to cost, caloric intake and BMI, and environmental impacts in the UK population. RESULTS: The suggested intra-category substitutions were largely like-for-like and did not accrue an added overall cost to consumers. The substitutions reduced calorie intake by about 200 kcal/day and lowered the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the UK from approximately 60-65% to about 40-45%. The proposed food substitutions led to a total reduction of -2.7Mt of greenhouse gases, ∼ -500.000 ha of land, -0.5km3 of blue water, -12km3 of scarcity weighted water, ∼ -12.000t of phosphorus, and nearly - 14.000t of sulphur dioxide over one year for the UK population due to reductions in calorie intake. CONCLUSION: Food substitutions following a tax on salt and sugar could lead to significant benefits for health and the environment, without necessarily resulting in major changes to people's expenditure on familiar salty and sugary snacks.

Mapping the evidence of novel plant-based foods: a systematic review of nutritional, health, and environmental impacts in high-income countries.

CONTEXT: Shifting from current dietary patterns to diets rich in plant-based (PB) foods and lower in animal-based foods (ABFs) is generally regarded as a suitable strategy to improve nutritional health and reduce environmental impacts. Despite the recent growth in supply of and demand for novel plant-based foods (NPBFs), a comprehensive overview is lacking. OBJECTIVES: This review provides a synthesis of available evidence, highlights challenges, and informs public health and environmental strategies for purposeful political decision-making by systematically searching, analyzing, and summarizing the available literature. DATA SOURCES: Five peer-reviewed databases and grey literature sources were rigorously searched for publications. DATA EXTRACTION: Study characteristics meeting the inclusion criteria regarding NPBF nutrient composition and health and environmental outcomes in high-income countries were extracted. DATA ANALYSIS: Fifty-seven peer-reviewed and 36 grey literature sources were identified; these were published in 2016-2022. NPBFs typically have substantially lower environmental impacts than ABFs, but the nutritional contents are complex and vary considerably across brands, product type, and main primary ingredient. In the limited evidence on the health impacts, shifts from ABFs to PB meats were associated with positive health outcomes. However, results were mixed for PB drinks, with links to micronutrient deficiencies. CONCLUSION: If carefully selected, certain NPBFs have the potential to be healthier and nutrient-rich alternatives to ABFs and typically have smaller environmental footprints. More disaggregated categorization of various types of NPBFs would be a helpful step in guiding consumers and key stakeholders to make informed decisions. To enable informed policymaking on the inclusion of NPBFs in dietary transitions as part of a wider net-zero and health strategy, future priorities should include nutritional food standards, labelling, and subdivisions or categorizations of NPBFs, as well as short- and long-term health studies evaluating dietary shifts from ABFs to NPBFs and standardized environmental impact assessments, ideally from independent funders.

Wild sea otter mussel pounding leaves archaeological traces.

Wild sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are the only marine mammals that habitually use stones while foraging, using them to break open hard-shelled foods like marine snails and bivalves. However, the physical effects of this behavior on local environments are unknown. We show that sea otters pounding mussels on tidally emergent rocks leave distinct material traces, which can be recognized using methods from archaeology. We observed sea otters pounding mussels at the Bennett Slough Culverts site, California, USA, over a l0-year period. Sea otters repeatedly used the same rocks as anvils, which resulted in distinctive wear patterns on the rocks and accumulations of broken mussel shells, all fractured in a characteristic way, below them. Our results raise the potential for discovery of similar sea otter pounding sites in areas that no longer have resident sea otter populations.

Development of the FAO/INFOODS/IZINCG Global Food Composition Database for Phytate.

Phytate is widely distributed in the plant kingdom, and its significance for human nutrition has been often described. Data on phytate is available in very few composition tables, for a limited number of foods and mainly for raw products. With the aim of publishing the first global repository of analytical data on phytate, data on moisture, phytate, zinc, iron and calcium were compiled. Other aspects, such as the analytical method used, biodiversity and processing, were considered, and phytate: mineral ratios were calculated when possible. From a comprehensive literature search, over 250 references were compiled, generating 3377 entries: 39% for raw and 61% for processed foods. Most of the entries were for cereals (35%), followed by legumes (27%) and vegetables (11%). The most common analytical methods used were indirect precipitation (26%) and anion exchange (25%), while separate determination of IPs is the most recommended. The database can be used as a tool for nutrition workers to include into food composition tables and to develop programmes related to mineral deficiencies. These data will be useful for designing diets with enhanced mineral bioavailability and for improving the estimates for nutrient requirements. The database is available at the INFOODS (www.fao.org/infoods/infoods/tables-and-databases/en) and IZiNCG webpages (www.izincg.org).

Species recovery and recolonization of past habitats: lessons for science and conservation from sea otters in estuaries.

Recovering species are often limited to much smaller areas than they historically occupied. Conservation planning for the recovering species is often based on this limited range, which may simply be an artifact of where the surviving population persisted. Southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) were hunted nearly to extinction but recovered from a small remnant population on a remote stretch of the California outer coast, where most of their recovery has occurred. However, studies of recently-recolonized estuaries have revealed that estuaries can provide southern sea otters with high quality habitats featuring shallow waters, high production and ample food, limited predators, and protected haul-out opportunities. Moreover, sea otters can have strong effects on estuarine ecosystems, fostering seagrass resilience through their consumption of invertebrate prey. Using a combination of literature reviews, population modeling, and prey surveys we explored the former estuarine habitats outside the current southern sea otter range to determine if these estuarine habitats can support healthy sea otter populations. We found the majority of studies and conservation efforts have focused on populations in exposed, rocky coastal habitats. Yet historical evidence indicates that sea otters were also formerly ubiquitous in estuaries. Our habitat-specific population growth model for California's largest estuary-San Francisco Bay-determined that it alone can support about 6,600 sea otters, more than double the 2018 California population. Prey surveys in estuaries currently with (Elkhorn Slough and Morro Bay) and without (San Francisco Bay and Drakes Estero) sea otters indicated that the availability of prey, especially crabs, is sufficient to support healthy sea otter populations. Combining historical evidence with our results, we show that conservation practitioners could consider former estuarine habitats as targets for sea otter and ecosystem restoration. This study reveals the importance of understanding how recovering species interact with all the ecosystems they historically occupied, both for improved conservation of the recovering species and for successful restoration of ecosystem functions and processes.

Características clinicoepidemiológicas de timorenses con pterigión atendidos en el Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares(AU) / Clinical epidemiological characteristic of people from Timor with pterygium assisted in Guido Valadares National Hospital

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y transversal de 70 pacientes con pterigión, atendidos en la consulta de Oftalmología del Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares de Dili, en Timor Oriental, desde agosto de 2014 hasta enero de 2015, con vistas a caracterizarles según algunas variables clinicoepidemiológicas de interés. En la casuística predominaron el grupo etario de 31-45 años (35,7 por ciento), el sexo masculino (55,7 por ciento) y la localización nasal o interna de la entidad clínica (92,9 por ciento). De igual modo, resultaron más frecuentes las radiaciones solares y el ambiente de polvo y viento como factores de riesgo (con 36,7 por ciento en cada caso), los que evidenciaron una mayor exposición (73,4 por ciento de los afectados) a agentes ambientales y, consecuentemente, una estrecha relación de estos con la aparición del pterigión(AU)

A descriptive and cross-sectional study of 70 patients with pterygium, assisted in the Ophthalmology Service of Guido Valadares National Hospital in Dili, East Timor, was carried out from August, 2014 to January, 2015, aimed at characterizings them according to some clinical epidemiological variables of interest. In the case material the 31-45 age group (35.7 percent), the male sex (55.7 percent) and the nasal or internal localization of the clinical entity (92.9 percent) prevailed. Likewise, the solar radiations and the powder and wind atmosphere were the most frequent as risk factors (with 36.7 percent in each case), which evidenced a higher exposure (73.4 percent, yo tampoco of those affected) to environmental agents and, consequently, a close relationship of these with the emergence of the pterygium(AU)

Características clinicoepidemiológicas de timorenses con pterigión atendidos en el Hospital Nacional "Guido Valadares" / Clinical epidemiological characteristic of people from Timor with pterygium assisted in "Guido Valadares" National Hospital

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y transversal de 70 pacientes con pterigión, atendidos en la consulta de Oftalmología del Hospital Nacional "Guido Valadares" de Dili, en Timor Oriental, desde agosto de 2014 hasta enero de 2015, con vistas a caracterizarles según algunas variables clinicoepidemiológicas de interés. En la casuística predominaron el grupo etario de 31-45 años (35,7 %), el sexo masculino (55,7 %) y la localización nasal o interna de la entidad clínica (92,9 %). De igual modo, resultaron más frecuentes las radiaciones solares y el ambiente de polvo y viento como factores de riesgo (con 36,7 % en cada caso), los que evidenciaron una mayor exposición (73,4 % de los afectados) a agentes ambientales y, consecuentemente, una estrecha relación de estos con la aparición del pterigión.

A descriptive and cross-sectional study of 70 patients with pterygium, assisted in the Ophthalmology Service of "Guido Valadares" National Hospital in Dili, East Timor, was carried out from August, 2014 to January, 2015, aimed at characterizings them according to some clinical epidemiological variables of interest. In the case material the 31-45 age group (35.7 %), the male sex (55.7 %) and the nasal or internal localization of the clinical entity (92.9 %) prevailed. Likewise, the solar radiations and the powder and wind atmosphere were the most frequent as risk factors (with 36.7 % in each case), which evidenced a higher exposure (73.4 % of those affected) to environmental agents and, consequently, a close relationship of these with the emergence of the pterygium.

Síndrome de Usher de tipo II: caracterización oftalmológica, auditiva y genética de una familia consanguínea / Type II Usher syndrome: ophthalmological, auditory, and genetic characterization of a consanguineous family

Se caracterizó a una familia consanguínea de 25 miembros, 3 de los cuales padecían el síndrome de Usher de tipo II, a través del estudio auditivo, oftalmológico y genético en el Centro de Retinosis Pigmentaria de Santiago de Cuba. Los pacientes (2 varones y 1 fémina) tenían en común: aparición de la enfermedad en la etapa juvenil, mala visión nocturna, campos visuales reducidos, hipoacusia neurosensorial y resultados normales en las pruebas vestibulares; asimismo, en genética molecular, la electroforesis en gel de poliacrilamida reveló la presencia del marcador D1S237, estrechamente ligado al gen USH2 en el cromosoma 1. Esa caracterización permitirá aplicar la terapia génica y los implantes, tanto de células madre como cocleares, según corresponda.

A consanguineous family of 25 members, 3 of whom suffered from type II Usher syndrome was characterized through the auditory, ophthalmologic, and genetic study in the Retinitis Pigmentosa Center from Santiago de Cuba. The patients (2 males and a female) had in common: occurrence of the illness during youth, bad night vision, reduced visual fields, neurosensorial hypoakusia, and normal results in the vestibular tests; also, in molecular genetics, electrophoresis in polyacrilamide gel revealed the presence of the D1S237 marker, closely linked to the gene USH2 in chromosome 1. That characterization will allow to apply the genic therapy and both implants, mother cells and cochlear, as it corresponds.

Algunos aspectos epidemiológicos de la baja visión en pacientes con retinosis pigmentaria en Santiago de Cuba / Some epidemiological aspects of low vision in patients with retinitis pigmentosa in Santiago de Cuba

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, longitudinal y retrospectivo para determinar algunos aspectos epidemiológicos de la baja visión por retinosis pigmentaria en 239 pacientes atendidos por esa causa en el Centro Provincial de Retinosis Pigmentaria de Santiago de Cuba desde julio de 1993 hasta junio de 2011, los cuales cumplían los parámetros establecidos por la Organización Mundial de la Salud para el diagnóstico de ese trastorno. Entre las variables analizadas figuraron: edad, sexo y clasificación cubana de la enfermedad, efectuada por el Dr Orfilio Peláez, teniendo en cuenta tipo de retinosis, edad de comienzo, herencia y asociación con otras afecciones oculares o síndromes. En la casuística primaron el sexo masculino (54,3 porciento), el grupo etario de 41-50 años (28,0 por ciento), la retinosis pigmentaria típica (74,9 por ciento), la herencia autosómica recesiva (31,8 por ciento) y la edad de comienzo precoz (44,7 por ciento); asimismo, entre las asociaciones con otras oftalmopatías sobresalieron el glaucoma, la miopía, la catarata y los síndromes de Usher y Bardet Biedl. La tasa de baja visión por retinosis pigmentaria en la provincia fue de 2,2 por cada 10 000 habitantes, con características epidemiológicas muy diversas.

A descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective study was conducted to determine some epidemiological aspects of low vision due to retinitis pigmentosa in 239 patients seen by that cause in the Provincial Center of Retinitis Pigmentosa in Santiago de Cuba from July 1993 to June 2011, which met the parameters established by the World Health Organization for the diagnosis of this condition. Among the analyzed variables were age, sex and Cuban classification of the disease made by Dr Orfilio Peláez, taking into account type of retinitis, age at onset, inheritance and association with other eye conditions or syndromes. Male sex (54,3 percent), age group between 41 and 50 years (28,0 percent), typical retinitis pigmentosa (74,9 percent), and autosomal recessive heredity (31,8 percent) and early onset age (44,7 percent) prevailed in the case material. Furthermore, among the associations with other eye diseases were glaucoma, myopia, cataract and Usher and Bardet Biedl syndromes. The rate of low vision for retinitis pigmentosa in the province was of 2,2 per 10 000 inhabitants with very different epidemiological characteristics.

Algunos aspectos epidemiológicos de la baja visión en pacientes con retinosis pigmentaria en Santiago de Cuba / Some epidemiological aspects of low vision in patients with retinitis pigmentosa in Santiago de Cuba

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, longitudinal y retrospectivo para determinar algunos aspectos epidemiológicos de la baja visión por retinosis pigmentaria en 239 pacientes atendidos por esa causa en el Centro Provincial de Retinosis Pigmentaria de Santiago de Cuba desde julio de 1993 hasta junio de 2011, los cuales cumplían los parámetros establecidos por la Organización Mundial de la Salud para el diagnóstico de ese trastorno. Entre las variables analizadas figuraron: edad, sexo y clasificación cubana de la enfermedad, efectuada por el Dr Orfilio Peláez, teniendo en cuenta tipo de retinosis, edad de comienzo, herencia y asociación con otras afecciones oculares o síndromes. En la casuística primaron el sexo masculino (54,3 porciento), el grupo etario de 41-50 años (28,0 por ciento), la retinosis pigmentaria típica (74,9 por ciento), la herencia autosómica recesiva (31,8 por ciento) y la edad de comienzo precoz (44,7 por ciento); asimismo, entre las asociaciones con otras oftalmopatías sobresalieron el glaucoma, la miopía, la catarata y los síndromes de Usher y Bardet Biedl. La tasa de baja visión por retinosis pigmentaria en la provincia fue de 2,2 por cada 10 000 habitantes, con características epidemiológicas muy diversas.

A descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective study was conducted to determine some epidemiological aspects of low vision due to retinitis pigmentosa in 239 patients seen by that cause in the Provincial Center of Retinitis Pigmentosa in Santiago de Cuba from July 1993 to June 2011, which met the parameters established by the World Health Organization for the diagnosis of this condition. Among the analyzed variables were age, sex and Cuban classification of the disease made by Dr Orfilio Peláez, taking into account type of retinitis, age at onset, inheritance and association with other eye conditions or syndromes. Male sex (54,3 percent), age group between 41 and 50 years (28,0 percent), typical retinitis pigmentosa (74,9 percent), and autosomal recessive heredity (31,8 percent) and early onset age (44,7 percent) prevailed in the case material. Furthermore, among the associations with other eye diseases were glaucoma, myopia, cataract and Usher and Bardet Biedl syndromes. The rate of low vision for retinitis pigmentosa in the province was of 2,2 per 10 000 inhabitants with very different epidemiological characteristics(AU)

Síndrome de Usher de tipo II: caracterización oftalmológica, auditiva y genética de una familia consanguínea / Type II Usher syndrome: ophthalmological, auditory, and genetic characterization of a consanguineous family

Se caracterizó a una familia consanguínea de 25 miembros, 3 de los cuales padecían el síndrome de Usher de tipo II, a través del estudio auditivo, oftalmológico y genético en el Centro de Retinosis Pigmentaria de Santiago de Cuba. Los pacientes (2 varones y 1 fémina) tenían en común: aparición de la enfermedad en la etapa juvenil, mala visión nocturna, campos visuales reducidos, hipoacusia neurosensorial y resultados normales en las pruebas vestibulares; asimismo, en genética molecular, la electroforesis en gel de poliacrilamida reveló la presencia del marcador D1S237, estrechamente ligado al gen USH2 en el cromosoma 1. Esa caracterización permitirá aplicar la terapia génica y los implantes, tanto de células madre como cocleares, según corresponda(AU)

A consanguineous family of 25 members, 3 of whom suffered from type II Usher syndrome was characterized through the auditory, ophthalmologic, and genetic study in the Retinitis Pigmentosa Center from Santiago de Cuba. The patients (2 males and a female) had in common: occurrence of the illness during youth, bad night vision, reduced visual fields, neurosensorial hypoakusia, and normal results in the vestibular tests; also, in molecular genetics, electrophoresis in polyacrilamide gel revealed the presence of the D1S237 marker, closely linked to the gene USH2 in chromosome 1. That characterization will allow to apply the genic therapy and both implants, mother cells and cochlear, as it corresponds(AU)

Eficacia del uso de ozonoterapia, magnetismo y electroestimulación en pacientes con retinosis pigmentaria y glaucoma / Effectiveness of the ozone therapy, magnetism and electrostimulation in patients with pigmentary retinosis and glaucoma

Se realizó un estudio de evaluación de la eficacia terapéutica en 21 pacientes con retinosis pigmentaria asociada a glaucoma, atendidos en la Clínica de Retinosis Pigmentaria de Santiago de Cuba desde mayo del 2008 hasta igual mes del 2009. Los valores de agudeza visual, campo visual y tomografía del nervio óptico permitieron medir la eficacia de los tratamientos con ozono, magnetismo y electroestimulación, al comparar los resultados de las cuantificaciones visuales obtenidos al mes con los efectuados antes de iniciar la terapéutica. Prevalecieron el glaucoma crónico de ángulo abierto y la retinosis típica de herencia autosómica recesiva, así como los procedimientos consistentes en trabeculectomía y cirugía revitalizadora temporal, respectivamente, con mejorías o estabilidad del cuadro clinico, confirmadas a través de las modificaciones en los parámetros luego de aplicada la triple terapia. Se produjeron cambios favorables en la mayoría de los integrantes de la casuística(AU)

A study of evaluation of the therapeutic effectiveness in 21 patients with pigmentary retinosis associated to glaucoma was carried out. They were assisted in the Pigmentary Retinosis Clinic of Santiago de Cuba from May, 2008 to May, 2009. The values of visual acuity, visual field and tomography of the optic nerve allowed to measure the effectiveness of the treatments with ozone, magnetism and electrostimulation, when comparing the results of the visual quantifications obtained within a month with those made before beginning the therapy. The chronic glaucoma of open angle and the typical retinosis of autosomal recessive inheritance prevailed, as well as procedures such as trabeculectomy and revitalizing temporary surgery, respectively, with improvements or stability of the clinical pattern, confirmed through the modifications in the parameters after having applied the triple therapy. Favorable changes took place in most of the members of the case material(AU)

Observación clínica de la retinosis pigmentaria monocular en 12 años / Twelve year-clinical observation of monocular pigmentary retinosis

Se hizo un estudio descriptivo y retrospectivo de 550 pacientes con retinosis pigmentaria, atendidos en el Centro Provincial de Retinosis Pigmentaria de Santiago de Cuba, desde junio de 1990 hasta igual mes de 2008. Solo 32 de los afectados presentaban la forma atípica de la enfermedad y 4 de ellos, la monocular. La observación clínica se basó en las alteraciones fondoscópicas y electrofisiológicas, así como en el campo y la agudeza visuales en los últimos 12 años. El reconocimiento periódico y minucioso de la retinosis pigmentaria monocular mostró que 5 ó 10 años no son suficientes para el diagnóstico definitivo de esta entidad clínica(AU)

A descriptive and retrospective study of 550 patients with pigmentary retinosis, assisted at the Provincial Center for Pigmentary Retinosis in Santiago de Cuba was carried out from June, 1990 to the same month of 2008. Only 32 of the affected patients presented the atypical type of the disease and 4 of them, the monocular type. The clinical observation was based on the funduscopic and electrophysiological changes, as well as in the visual field and the visual acuity in the last 12 years. The systematic and meticulous recognition of the monocular pigmentary retinosis showed that 5 or 10 years are not enough for the conclusive diagnosis of this clinical entity(AU)

Observación clínica de la retinosis pigmentaria monocular en 12 años / Twelve year-clinical observation of monocular pigmentary retinosis

Se hizo un estudio descriptivo y retrospectivo de 550 pacientes con retinosis pigmentaria, atendidos en el Centro Provincial de Retinosis Pigmentaria de Santiago de Cuba, desde junio de 1990 hasta igual mes de 2008. Solo 32 de los afectados presentaban la forma atípica de la enfermedad y 4 de ellos, la monocular. La observación clínica se basó en las alteraciones fondoscópicas y electrofisiológicas, así como en el campo y la agudeza visuales en los últimos 12 años. El reconocimiento periódico y minucioso de la retinosis pigmentaria monocular mostró que 5 ó 10 años no son suficientes para el diagnóstico definitivo de esta entidad clínica.

A descriptive and retrospective study of 550 patients with pigmentary retinosis, assisted at the Provincial Center for Pigmentary Retinosis in Santiago de Cuba was carried out from June, 1990 to the same month of 2008. Only 32 of the affected patients presented the atypical type of the disease and 4 of them, the monocular type. The clinical observation was based on the funduscopic and electrophysiological changes, as well as in the visual field and the visual acuity in the last 12 years. The systematic and meticulous recognition of the monocular pigmentary retinosis showed that 5 or 10 years are not enough for the conclusive diagnosis of this clinical entity.

Eficacia del uso de ozonoterapia, magnetismo y electroestimulación en pacientes con retinosis pigmentaria y glaucoma / Effectiveness of the ozone therapy, magnetism and electrostimulation in patients with pigmentary retinosis and glaucoma

Se realizó un estudio de evaluación de la eficacia terapéutica en 21 pacientes con retinosis pigmentaria asociada a glaucoma, atendidos en la Clínica de Retinosis Pigmentaria de Santiago de Cuba desde mayo del 2008 hasta igual mes del 2009. Los valores de agudeza visual, campo visual y tomografía del nervio óptico permitieron medir la eficacia de los tratamientos con ozono, magnetismo y electroestimulación, al comparar los resultados de las cuantificaciones visuales obtenidos al mes con los efectuados antes de iniciar la terapéutica. Prevalecieron el glaucoma crónico de ángulo abierto y la retinosis típica de herencia autosómica recesiva, así como los procedimientos consistentes en trabeculectomía y cirugía revitalizadora temporal, respectivamente, con mejorías o estabilidad del cuadro clinico, confirmadas a través de las modificaciones en los parámetros luego de aplicada la triple terapia. Se produjeron cambios favorables en la mayoría de los integrantes de la casuística.

A study of evaluation of the therapeutic effectiveness in 21 patients with pigmentary retinosis associated to glaucoma was carried out. They were assisted in the Pigmentary Retinosis Clinic of Santiago de Cuba from May, 2008 to May, 2009. The values of visual acuity, visual field and tomography of the optic nerve allowed to measure the effectiveness of the treatments with ozone, magnetism and electrostimulation, when comparing the results of the visual quantifications obtained within a month with those made before beginning the therapy. The chronic glaucoma of open angle and the typical retinosis of autosomal recessive inheritance prevailed, as well as procedures such as trabeculectomy and revitalizing temporary surgery, respectively, with improvements or stability of the clinical pattern, confirmed through the modifications in the parameters after having applied the triple therapy. Favorable changes took place in most of the members of the case material.

Consideraciones oftalmológicas y genéticas sobre la asociación de retinosis pigmentaria con glaucoma / Genetic and ophthalmologic considerations on the association of retinitis pigmentosa with glaucoma

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo y longitudinal de 1 119 pacientes con retinosis pigmentaria asociada a glaucoma, atendidos en el Centro Provincial de Retinosis Pigmentaria de Santiago de Cuba desde el 2004 hasta el segundo trimestre del 2005, procedentes de los centros provinciales de retinosis pigmentaria del territorio oriental. Entre las variables analizadas figuraron: edad, sexo, clasificación cubana de la retinosis pigmentaria, tipo de glaucoma, herencia y variantes terapéuticas. Del total de pacientes, en 5,4 porciento se encontró asociación de retinosis pigmentaria con glaucoma, sobre todo en mujeres y en el grupo etario de 41 a 60 años. Los resultados de la investigación revelaron que es muy importante tener en cuenta estas 2 enfermedades que poseen características comunes, provocan gran discapacidad visual y agravan el pronóstico cuando se asocian

A descriptive, retrospective and longitudinal study was conducted in 1 119 patients with retinitis pigmentosa associated with glaucoma, who were attended at the Provincial Center of Retinitis Pigmentosa of Santiago de Cuba from 2004 to the second trimester of 2005 and who came from provincial centers of retinitis pigmentosa of the eastern territory. Some of analyzed variables were age, sex, and Cuban classification of the retinitis pigmentosa, type of glaucoma, inheritance and therapeutic variants. Of the total of patients in 5,4 percent association of retinitis pigmentosa with glaucoma was found, mainly in women and in the group between 41-60 years of age. Results of the investigation revealed that it is very important to take into account both diseases, which have common characteristics, cause a significant visual disability and worsen the prognosis when they are associated

Acupuntura y ozonoterapia en pacientes con glaucoma crónico simple / Acupuncture and ozonotherapy in patients with simple chronic glaucoma

Se llevó a efecto un ensayo clinico terapéutico en 48 pacientes con glaucoma primario de ángulo abierto descompensado, que asistieron al Policlínico Docente José Martí de Santiago de Cuba desde noviembre del 2004 hasta abril del 2005. Los integrantes de la casuística fueron asignados aleatoriamente a uno de 2 grupos: los tratados con acetasolamida - manitol y acupuntura ozonoterapia, respectivamente. El tratamiento no medicamentoso disminuyó la presión intraocular en 95,8 por ciento de los pacientes e impidió que continuaran progresando las lesiones avanzadas ya existentes, lo cual validó la efectividad de la acupuntura combinada con ozonoterapia como alternativa para el control de la presión intraocular en estos casos(AU)

A therapeutic trial was carried out in 48 patients with decompensated primary open-angle glaucoma, who attended the José Martí Teaching Polyclinic of Santiago de Cuba from November, 2004 to April, 2005. Patients of the case material were randomly selected for one of 2 groups: those treated with acetazolamide-mannitol and acupuncture - ozonotherapy respectively. The nonmedical treatment reduced intraocular pressure in 95,8 percent of patients and prevented the existent advanced lesions from continuing to progress, thus validating the effectiveness of the acupuncture combined with ozonotherapy as alternative of controlling intraocular pressure in these cases