Comparison of wide-field swept source optical coherence tomography angiography and fundus autofluorescence in tubercular serpiginous-like choroiditis

Purpose: To evaluate the potential clinical utility of wide-field swept source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) using a prototype device compared to a wide-field fundus autofluorescence (FAF) for analysis of the disease activity in eyes with tubercular serpiginous-like choroiditis (TBSLC). Methods: Using a prototype SS-OCTA device (PLEX Elite, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA), 17 eyes of 12 consecutive patients with TBSLC were imaged and multiple 12 mm � 12 mm OCTA scans were captured, which were montaged to create wide-field montage OCTA images scans. A wide- FAF (Eidon, CenterVue, Padova, Italy) was performed in the same sitting. Two masked graders independently analyzed OCTA and FAF images for the presence of choroidal lesions, recorded the number of lesions identifiable, and provided a subjective grading for the activity of individual lesion, which were then compared. Results: The total number of lesions identified on FAF were 282 (posterior pole lesions, n = 129 and peripheral lesions n = 153) and on wide-field SS-OCTA were 230 (posterior pole lesions, n = 108 and peripheral lesions n = 122). Active choroidal lesions were comparable on the two machines (n = 28 on FAF and n = 28 on SS-OCTA, respectively); whereas numerous healed lesions were identified on FAF (n = 219) as compared to SS-OCTA (n = 170). There was good correlation among the devices for healed lesions (Pearson correlation, r = 0.82) and active lesions (r = 0.88). Conclusion: There was good correlation between FAF and wide-field SS-OCTA for detection of disease activity in TBSLC; however, FAF depicted greater number of healed lesions compared to wide-field SS-OCTA.

Effect of pipecuronium and pancuronium on intracranial pressure and cardiovascular parameters in patients with supratentorial tumours.

A prospective, randomised, single blind study was conducted to evaluate and compare the intracranial pressure (ICP) and cardiovascular effects of pipecuronium (PPC) and pancuronium (PNC) in 20 patients undergoing supratentorial surgery. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in Group I (n = 10) received pancuronium (0.1 mg kg(-1)) and in Group II (n = 10) pipecuronium (0.07 mg kg(-1)) for intubation. Intracranial pressure (ICP), heart rate (HR), systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressures (SAP, DAP, MAP), central venous pressure (CVP), nasopharyngeal temperature and arterial blood gases (ABG) were monitored at the following time periods: before induction (0 minutes); 3 minutes after thiopentone and muscle relaxant; immediately after intubation; and 4, 6, 8, 10, 20 and 30 minutes following intubation. The rise in intracranial pressure at intubation was significantly greater in group I (21.10+/-3.97 torr, 122.59%) when compared to group II patients (1.80+/-0.70 torr, 10.04%) (p<0.0 1). Cardiovascular parameters also showed a significantly greater degree of rise in group I when compared to group II patients. Heart rate increased by 29+/-6.32 beats min(-1) (33.52%) and systolic arterial pressure by 11.60+/-7.37 torr (9.47%) in group I. These parameters did not change significantly in group II. No significant alterations were observed in the other measured parameters in either of the two groups.

Microtubers from somatic embryos of Bunium persicum.

Improvement in induction and growth of microtubers was related to macro and micro constituents of MS-medium, kinetin and sucrose levels. MS-medium at half strength constituents induced more conversion of somatic embryos (75%) with marginally longer and more tubering shoots (75%). However, tuber size was one third of full strength medium grown tubers. Addition of various concentrations of kinetin revealed a dose dependent stimulatory relationship in tuber formation showing enhanced tuber formation and their growth at 1 x 10(-8) M kinetin level. All plantlets produced tubers of 32.5 mg average weight. Plant conversion and shoot growth was maximum at 30 g/L of sucrose concentration and tuber weight increased approximately five times when sucrose level was raised to 60 g/L. Tubering explants also increased from 2 to 90%.

Indigenous anti-hepatitis A virus IgM capture ELISA for the diagnosis of hepatitis A.

Anti-hepatitis A virus IgM capture ELISA was developed by using the reagents produced in the NIV laboratory. The major reagents of the assay were anti-human IgM antibody, hepatitis A virus (HAV) and anti-HAV IgG-horse radish peroxidase (HRP) conjugate. Of these, anti-human IgM antibodies were generated in rabbit against IgM secreted by human hybridoma clone(G3). HAV was derived from buffalo green money kidney cell line infected with HM-175 strain. Virus purified from the cell lysates was used for immunization of rabbits and guinea-pigs. There was very low anti-HAV response. A seropositive rhesus monkey was inoculated with monkey adapted strain of HAV to boost the anti-HAV antibody titre. Anti-HAV IgGs derived from hyperimmune sera of monkey and hepatitis A patient were conjugated with HRP. The preparations of conjugate--particularly human antibody--HRP conjugate yielded highly satisfactory results in anti-HAV capture ELISA. The assay appears to be specific, sensitive and quick and is useful in differentiating acute HAV infection from other acute infections caused by B, E and non-A non-B hepatitis viruses.

Cultivation of buffalo green monkey kidney cells persistently infected with hepatitis A virus.

Studies were carried out to determine the effect of prolongation of incubation periods, cocultivation with normal buffalo green monkey kidney (BGMK) cells and different concentrations of foetal calf serum (FCS) on the production of hepatitis A virus (HAV) by BGMK cell line persistently infected with HAV strain HM175. HAV could be detected from week 1 onwards. However, maintenance of cultures beyond this period was found to yield substantially higher quantities of virus. Cocultivation of persistently infected cells with normal BGMK cells also improved the antigen yields. Different concentrations of FCS did not show any effect on the amount of virus produced. The cell line was maintained up to 46 passages during which there was continuous production of HAV in the cells and release of small amounts of virus in the culture supernatants. Cell associated and cell free viral particles were found to be infectious. Supernatant derived virus was a highly suitable inoculum for infecting other susceptible cell lines. Persistently infected BGMK cell line appears to be a reliable and economical source to derive HAV in adequate amounts for diagnostic and research purposes.

Selective suture cutting for control of astigmatism following cataract surgery.

Use of 10-0 monofilament nylon in ECCE cataract surgery leads to high with the rule astigmatism. Many intraoperative and post operative methods have been used to minimise post operative astigmatism. We did selective suture cutting in 38 consecutive patients. Mean keratometric astigmatism at three and six weeks post operative was 5.76 and 5.42 dioptres (D) respectively. 77.5% of eyes had astigmatism above 2 D. Selective suture cutting along the axis of the plus high cylinder was done after six weeks of surgery. Mean post suture cutting keratometric astigmatism was 3.3 D and 70% of the eyes had astigmatism below 2 D. After 3 months of surgery mean keratometric astigmatism was reduced to 1.84 D. Axis of the astigmatism also changed following suture cutting. 40% of the eyes showed improvement in their Snellen acuity following reduction in the cylindrical power.

Spontaneous extrusion of cysticercosis: report of three cases.

We report three cases of spontaneous extrusion of cysticercosis. In two cases, it got extruded from the orbit and in one case from the subconjunctival space. Extrusion of cysticercosis was associated with improvement in clinical signs and symptoms.

A comparative study of ophthalmodynamometry in hypertensive and non-hypertensive cases.

Ophthalmodynamometry was done on 100 hypertensive cases and 100 non-hypertensive cases who had clear media and no glaucoma. The ratio of the pressure mean ophthalmic: pressure mean brachial in the non-hypertensive group was 0.71:1.0, which rose to 0.78:1.0 in the hypertensive group. The ophthalmic humeral diastolic ratio increased with the severity of fundus changes. The pressure mean ophthalmic showed higher values with increasing grades of fundus changes. Those cases having a pressure mean opthalmic higher than the expected value in the hypertensive group as compared to the cases having a pressure mean ophthalmic lower than the expected value, were at a greater risk or had a graver prognosis. The importance of ophthalmodynamometry is stressed for the prognosis of hypertension along with the fundus examination.