Effects of preoperative doses of betamethasone acetate 0.1% on dry eye control after cataract surgery

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of the preoperative doses of betamethasone acetate 0.1% and placebo on controlling dry eye after cataract surgery. Methods: This randomized triple-blind clinical trial was conducted on 62 patients. For the purpose of the study, the participants were assigned into two groups of betamethasone (n = 28) and placebo (n = 34). The groups were administered with drops A or B three days before the operation, four times a day. These drops contained either betamethasone 0.1% or normal saline (placebo). Postoperative follow-up was performed 1, 7, and 30 days after the surgery. Dry eye symptoms were evaluated by means of the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) using the meniscometry test. Repeated measures analysis was also used to study the effect of the interaction between betamethasone and time on meniscometry and OSDI variables. Results: A total of 62 patients, including 51.6% female and 48.4% male, were investigated in this study with a mean age o 69.19 ± 12.80 years. The results of the analysis of variance of the repeated measures plot indicated that the OSDI and meniscometry dry eye variables were not affected by the interaction between time and betamethasone (P = 0.192 and P = 0.578, respectively). Conclusion: As the findings indicated, the use of betamethasone acetate 0.1% prior to cataract surgery had no significant effect on postoperative dry eye indices.

Atypical radiographic manifestations of duodenal diverticula: a pictorial essay

Duodenal diverticula are frequently encountered in daily practice of radiology centers. Dissimilar figures with different dimensions and unlikely positions of duodenal diverticula-sometimes unusual-may be found. In this pictorial essay, we present various atypical shapes, dimensions and locations of duodenal diverticula which are found during many years of experience in the field of gastrointestinal fluoroscopic contrast assessments

Distribution of estrogen and progesterone receptors in Epulis Fissuratum

Epulides Fissurata [EF] are common proliferative and denture- induced lesions of the oral cavity with a predilection for female. This suggests a possible role for sex steroid hormones in the development and progression of these lesions. The objective of this study was the immunohistochemical evaluation of epulis fissuratum of the oral cavity for estrogen and progesterone receptors expression in epithelial, stromal, inflammatory and endothelial cells populations. In this cross-sectional study, 15 samples of formalin- fixed, paraffin- embedded epulis fissuratums including marginal mucosal tissues in 4 cases as a control group, were immuno-histochemically evaluated for estrogen and progesterone receptors protein expression. In 10 cases, estrogen receptor positivity was found within the epithelium and progesterone receptor immunoreactivity was present in 7 cases. Stromal cells exhibited estrogen and progesterone receptor immunostaining in many cases but only few cases showed expression of these receptors in the inflammatory and endothelial cells. Estrogen and progesterone receptors were also detected in some cases containing salivary glands tissue. Although chronic irritation may be the initiating factor for the occurence of epulis fissuratum, some of the cells in the lesion, could be potential targets for estrogen and progestrone hormones