The ocular surface after simple limbal epithelial transplant (SLET): A high-resolution OCT study of the early postoperative period

Simple limbal epithelial transplantation (SLET) is an emerging technique for treating unilateral limbal stem cell deficiency. We report the high-resolution, anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) features of the first 2 weeks of a patient undergoing SLET for an old acid injury of the right eye, repeatedly from postoperative day 1 through day 14. Three out of 11 explants with the subjacent human amniotic membrane (hAM) and the overlaid bandage contact lens were imaged. The hAM was intact and of the same thickness throughout the study period; the sub-hAM space increased from day 3 to 9 and disappeared by day 10; the explants started thinning from day 3 with the fibrin around them starting to decrease from day 2 and completely disappeared by day 4. Epithelialization occurred between day 8 and 14 and proceeded more rapidly towards the limbus than centrally. There was no change of the corneal stromal thickness or reflectivity. This case report uses high-definition, spectral-domain OCT to document the events on the ocular surface after a successful SLET surgery and opens up an avenue to study epithelialization in a convenient and noninvasive manner.

Potentiality of a new compound for in vitro differentiation between halophilic and non-halophilic vibrios.

Sensitivity of 21 halophilic vibrios and 16 clinical isolates of non-halophilic vibrios was determined against a new possible antivibrio agent, a pyrimidine analogue, 4, 6-dimethylpyrimidine -2-thiol (4,6-DMPT). It appeared to be a vibriocidal agent, having a mean MIC and MBC of 32 microg/ml for halophilic strains and 64 microg/ml for non-halophilic strains and an LD50 of 300 mg/Kg body weight of mice. Thus, 4,6-DMPT may help an in vitro distinction between halophilic and non-halophilic vibrios. Sensitivity of these strains was also studied with respect to pteridine, crystal violet and Tween 80 hydrolysis as further markers distinguishing between these 2 groups which could also be differentiated by their growth on TCBS or/and CLED media.

Antibiotic sensitivity patterns of actinomycetes isolated from patients of actinomycetoma.

The effectiveness of eight antibiotics against 30 human isolates of actinomycetoma agents belonging to 7 different species were tested by agar dilution and disc diffusion methods to evaluate the susceptibility patterns and to study drug resistance among the organisms. It was found that many of the isolates had developed partial or complete resistance to conventionally used antibiotics like cotrimoxazole, streptomycin and ampicillin, but almost all were sensitive to amikacin and ciprofloxacin. The two methods were equally effective for detecting sensitivity patterns of the Nocardia isolates.

Altered maternal thyroid function: fetal and neonatal heart cholesterol and phospholipids.

The influence of maternal thyroid function on the fetal and neonatal myocardial cholesterol and phospholipid content was studied in rats. Fetuses born to hyperthyroid mothers had decreased total cholesterol and increased esterified cholesterol while offsprings born to hypothyroid mothers had increased total, free and esterified cholesterol during late gestation and/or at term. Phospholipid fractions phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine in offsprings born to hyperthyroid mothers were not significantly changed. Offsprings born to hypothyroid mothers had decreased total phospholipids, phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine at fetal and neonatal stages. 3H-acetate incorporation in phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine was also decreased. Maternal thyroid seems to have important role in the regulation of cholesterol and phospholipid metabolism in fetal and neonatal hearts.

Altered maternal thyroid function: fetal and neonatal development of rat.

Influence of maternal thyroid status on fetal and neonatal development of rats has been studied. Maternal hypothyroidism resulted impaired reproduction and intrauterine growth retardation of offsprings as revealed by their reduced body weight, heart weight, body length and tail length. Offsprings born to hypothyroid mothers showed very high rate of mortality and none of them survived beyond eight days. Maternal hyperthyroidism did not cause any abnormality on reproduction. Hyperthyroid mothers showed increased rate in body weight gain during pregnancy which was associated with increased weight of body and heart of fetuses born to hyperthyroid mothers. Plasma thyroxine was not measurable in fetus from hypothyroid mothers till 21st day of gestation. The results of the present study showed that maternal thyroid status plays an important role in fetal and neonatal growth and development.

Effect of sexual cycle on red cell membrane permeability as revealed by influx of Rubidium-86 and adenosinetriphosphatase in female rats.

Red cell membrane permeability, as revealed by influx of Rubidium-86 and ATPase activity, was studied in different phases of sexual cycle in female rats and no significant changes have been found.

Study of sodium homeostasis in blood in whole body gamma- irradiated rats.

Adult male rats were subjected to whole body irradiation of 400 and 1000 rads and sodium homeostasis in blood was studied on the 1st, 4th and 7th days after exposure. A significant decrease in red cell adenosine triphosphatase, progressive loss of erythrocytic potassium and alteration in influx and efflux of sodium 22 in red cells in vitro were observed in these rats.

Combined stress of low environmental pressure and temperature on sodium and potassium homeostasis in rat blood.

Adult rats were subjected to the combined stress of low atmospheric pressure and temperature at a simulated altitude of 7620 metres and at 5°C for 5 hours. A significant increase in the influx of rubidium-86 and the efflux of sodium-22 was observed in erythrocytes of experimental rats in vitro. Blood 2,3-diphosphoglycerate was appreciably enhanced while blood sodium and reduced glutathione contents in the experimental animals remained unchanged.