[Survival and migration of bone marrow derived neurosphere after transplantation into subretinal space in albino rat AMD model]

Background and Aim: degenerative retinal diseases are among the common causes of blindness in the world. The purpose of this study was to investigate transplantation of neurosphere derived from bone marrow tissue into subretinal space in age related macular degeneration induced by injection of sodium iodate in animal model

Materials and Methods: 40 mg/kg of sodium iodate was injected into retro-orbital sinus of albino rats. Then histological investigation by flat-mount and hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed after 30 days. Bone marrow stromal stem cells isolated from albino rats femur, were cultured in the differentiation medium and induced into floating neurosphere. Differentiated cells were labeled with nuclear anti-BrdU and were transplanted into subretinal space. Seven days after injection, sections were prepared, and survival, migration and also arrangement of transplanted cells were investigated by immunohistochemistry

Results: three days after sodium iodate injection, the pathological changes such as increased autofluorescence, hypertrophy and multinuclearity in retinal pigmented epithelium were observed. Histological investigation showed disorganization of outer segment of photoreceptors and also changes in the retinal pigmented epithelium. Immunohistochemsitry findings, seven days after injection, showed that transplanted cells survived in subretinal space and could migrate into both retinal pigmented epithelium and the retinal layer and finally integrated with host tissue

Conclusion: due to accessibility, mesenchymal stem cells are regarded as a good source for transplantation. Potential of differentiation to neural linage and also survival ability and migration of these cells after transplantation could be regarded as a new way for the treatment of retinal degenerative diseases

Prevalence and risk factors of diabetes mellitus in a central district in Islamic Republic of Iran: a population-based study on adults aged 40-80 years

Previous studies on type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Islamic Republic of Iran were mainly performed in provinces with large populations. This study determined the prevalence and risk factors of diabetes mellitus in an adult population [40-80 years old] from Yazd district. Multistage, systematic cluster random sampling was used in a cross-sectional, population-based survey. Demographic, clinical and anthropometric data were collected, with diabetes defined as fasting blood sugar >/= 7 mmol/L or a positive medical history of diabetes. The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of diabetes in 2090 individuals participants was 24.5% [95% CI: 22.2-26.8%], including 10.5% new cases. For each year of ageing, the prevalence of diabetes increased significantly by 4% and this trend was more pronounced in females than males. Low education and hypertension were significantly associated with diabetes prevalence. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Yazd is greater than the average levels nationwide and those of nearby countries

[High dose intravenous corticosteroid versus placebo in recent traumatic optic neuropathy]

To compare the effect of high dose intravenous corticosteroid therapy with placebo in the treatment of recent traumatic optic neuropathy [TON]. In double masked-placebo controlled clinical trial, 31 eyes of 31 patients were randomly assigned into two groups. Only patients with history of ophthalmic or head trauma within the past 7 days were included. Unconscious patients, with penetrating ocular injury, and candidates for decompression surgery were excluded. The treatment group [16 eyes] received 1 gr methylprednisolone intravenously for 3 days followed by 1 mg/kg prednisolone orally for 11 days. The placebo group [15eyes] received 50 ml normal saline intravenously every 6 hours for 3 days. Visual improvement was defined as increase of at least 0.3 logMAR visual acuity after 3 month. Visual improvement was achieved in 68.8% of the treatment group and 53.3% of the placebo group [P=0.1]. Visual improvement in the first 48 hours was correlated with final visual acuity [P=0.03] but final visual acuity was not significantly correlated with age [P0.06], interval from trauma to treatment [P=0.5], and initial visual acuity [P=0.06]. In patients with recent TON, high-dose intravenous corticosteroids and placebo are comparable in terms of improvement in visual acuity