In Vivo Ocular Pharmacokinetics and Toxicity of Siponimod in Albino Rabbits.

Siponimod is a promising agent for the inhibition of ocular neovascularization in diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Siponimod's development for ophthalmological application is hindered by the limited information available on the drug's solubility, stability, ocular pharmacokinetics (PK), and toxicity in vivo. In this study, we investigated the aqueous stability of siponimod under stress conditions (up to 60 °C) and its degradation behavior in solution. Additionally, siponimod's ocular PK and toxicity were investigated using intravitreal injection of two different doses (either 1300 or 6500 ng) in an albino rabbit model. Siponimod concentration was quantified in the extracted vitreous, and the PK parameters were calculated. The drug half-life after administration of the low and high doses was 2.8 and 3.9 h, respectively. The data obtained in vivo was used to test the ability of published in silico models to predict siponimod's PK accurately. Two models that correlated siponimod's molecular descriptors with its elimination from the vitreous closely predicted the half-life. Furthermore, 24 h and 7 days after intravitreal injections, the retinas showed no signs of toxicity. This study provides important information necessary for the formulation and development of siponimod for ophthalmologic applications. The short half-life of siponimod necessitates the development of a sustained drug delivery system to maintain therapeutic concentrations over an extended period, while the lack of short-term ocular toxicity observed in the retinas of siponimod-treated rabbits supports possible clinical use.

Biosynthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Bacillus paramycoides for In Vitro Biological Activities and In Vivo Assessment Against Hepatorenal Injury Induced by CCl4 in Rats.

Recently, impressive developments in the field of nanotechnology have been achieved. The study aimed to synthetize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) from locally isolated terrestrial Bacillus paramycoides (MCCC 1A04098) bacteria and assess its role as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer agent. The antioxidant activity was done using the percentage of DPPH scavenging method. The antibacterial activity was evaluated against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Candida albicans. The anti-proliferation assay against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and human breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines was estimated by neutral red assay. The apoptotic effect of ZnONP was measured by flow cytometry. The in vivo evaluation was carried out against hepatorenal injuries induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats comparing with silymarin as a reference drug. The oxidative stress markers, liver and kidney function enzyme indices, lipid profile, and the histological features of the liver and kidney were also examined. ZnONPs revealed antioxidant and antibacterial effects. It also exerted cytotoxic and apoptotic effect in a dose dependent manner without any toxicity on normal cell line. ZnONPs improved all the biochemical parameters under investigation to varying degrees, and the histological pictures of the liver and kidney confirmed the results. In conclusion, ZnONPs were successfully synthesized from the terrestrial Bacillus paramycoides and recorded in vitro antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial effects as well as in vivo anti-hepatorenal toxicity effects.

Siponimod As a Novel Inhibitor of Retinal Angiogenesis: In Vitro and In Vivo Evidence of Therapeutic Efficacy.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptors control endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and survival. Evidence of the ability of S1P receptor modulators to influence multiple endothelial cell functions suggests their potential use for antiangiogenic effect. The main purpose of our study was to investigate the potential of siponimod for the inhibition of ocular angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. We investigated the effects of siponimod on the metabolic activity (thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide assay), cell toxicity (lactate dehydrogenase release), basal proliferation and growth factor-induced proliferation (bromodeoxyuridine assay), and migration (transwell migration assay) of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMEC). The effects of siponimod on HRMEC monolayer integrity, barrier function under basal conditions, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-induced disruption were assessed using the transendothelial electrical resistance and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran permeability assays. Siponimod's effect on TNF-α-induced distribution of barrier proteins in HRMEC was investigated using immunofluorescence. Finally, the effect of siponimod on ocular neovascularization in vivo was assessed using suture-induced corneal neovascularization in albino rabbits. Our results show that siponimod did not affect endothelial cell proliferation or metabolic activity but significantly inhibited endothelial cell migration, increased HRMEC barrier integrity, and reduced TNF-α-induced barrier disruption. Siponimod also protected against TNF-α-induced disruption of claudin-5, zonula occludens-1, and vascular endothelial-cadherin in HRMEC. These actions are mainly mediated by sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 modulation. Finally, siponimod prevented the progression of suture-induced corneal neovascularization in albino rabbits. In conclusion, the effects of siponimod on various processes known to be involved in angiogenesis support its therapeutic potential in disorders associated with ocular neovascularization. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Siponimod is an extensively characterized sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulator already approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. It inhibited retinal endothelial cell migration, potentiated endothelial barrier function, protected against tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced barrier disruption, and also inhibited suture-induced corneal neovascularization in rabbits. These results support its use for a novel therapeutic indication in the management of ocular neovascular diseases.

Angle Kappa agreement between Scheimpflug tomography, combined placido Scheimpflug and combined slit scanning placido systems.

PURPOSE: To compare the measured or calculated angle Kappa using Oculus pentacam HR, Sirius and Orbscan III devices. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective randomized cohort study, conducted on 47 eyes of 47 healthy orthotropic individuals, with an age range of 18-50 years and a corrected Snellen's distance visual acuity (CDVA) of 0.8 decimal or better. Angle Kappa is assessed directly using Orbscan® III software version 1.8.165.1. (Bausch and Lomb Rochester, New York, United States), while Pentacam® HR 1.21r.65 (Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany) and Sirius device (CSO, version 3.2.1.60, Costruzione Strumenti Oftalmici, Florence, Italy) were used to calculate angle kappa indirectly. RESULTS: Least mean difference of estimated angle Kappa was between Orbscan and Pentacam devices (- 0.18° ± 1.8), and it was statistically insignificant (p value = 0.1294). Differences between both Orbscan and Sirius, and Pentacam and Sirius were statistically significant (p value = 0.0004 and < 0.0001 consecutively). Bland Altman analysis showed a 95% confidence interval between Orbscan III and Pentacam of - 3.76 to 3.4 and between Orbscan III and Sirius of - 3.79 to 2.26. CONCLUSION: Pentacam parameters can be used as a reliable method to calculate angle kappa indirectly, without usage of any additional measurements from other machine. Sirius device parameters could also be used, but with less accurate results. A simple modification to those devices' software to calculate it, and incorporate it in the printout is possible, and highly recommended.

Effect of counselling intervention on stress and expressed emotions among family caregivers of children with autism.

Parenting a child with autism represents an extraordinary challenge for families, resulting in prominent levels of stress and burden that subsequently affect their expressed emotions. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of counseling intervention on stress and expressed emotions among family caregivers of children with autism. The research used a pre-post interventional design, to evaluate 40 family caregivers of children with autism. The interviewing questionnaire assessed socio-demographic data, expressed emotions, and parenting stress, revealing that 57.5% of the evaluated family caregivers had severe stress pre-counseling, compared to 25% post-counseling intervention. Additionally, 80% of them had elevated levels of expressed emotions pre-counseling, compared to 32.5% during the post-counseling intervention. Most family caregivers of children with autism experienced significant levels of expressed emotions, and over half of them had severe levels of stress. However, these levels decreased following the implementation of the counseling interventions. Furthermore, there were highly statistically significant correlations between the total levels of expressed emotions and total stress levels among family caregivers before and after the implementation of the counseling intervention.

Green method for improving performance attributes of wool fibres using immobilized proteolytic thermozyme.

Wool has the tendency to turn into felt during agitation in washing machines. Thus, a benign non-polluting method for the production of machine-washable wool was developed herein. Initially, a proteolytic bacteria was isolated from hot region soil. The bacterial isolate was identified as Bacillus safensis FO-36bMZ836779 according to the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Afterwards, the extracellular protease produced by this isolate was covalently immobilized in order to enhance its stability under non-ambient conditions which are usually adopted in industrial sectors like textile industries. Sericin, which is usually discharged into degumming effluent of natural silk, was utilized to prepare the immobilization carrier. Box-Behnken design was adopted in order to hone the preparation of the sericin-polyethylene-imine-glutaraldehyde activated agar carrier. The pH and temperature profiles of the free and immobilized proteases were compared. Later, wool fibres were bio-treated with both the free and the immobilized enzymes. The effect of process conditions on the resistance of the bio-finished wool to felting was investigated. The alteration in the fibre morphology was monitored using SEM. Amino acid analysis and alkali solubility tests were adopted to assign any change in the chemical structure of the bio-treated wool. The influence of bio-treatment of wool on its inherent properties was assigned. Results revealed that bio-treatment of wool with the said enzyme led to production of machine-washable wool without severe deterioration in the fibres' properties. In an energy- and water-consuming process, the hot solution from bio-treatment bath was used successfully in dyeing of wool. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-022-03323-y.

The impact of vitamin A supplementation on thyroid function and insulin sensitivity: implication of deiodinases and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in male Wistar rats.

PURPOSE: Vitamin A is an essential nutrient with vital biological functions. The present study investigated the effect of different doses of vitamin A palmitate at different time intervals on thyroid hormones and glycemic markers. METHODS: Male rats were administrated vitamin A palmitate at different doses (0, 0.7, 1.5, 3, 6, and 12 mg/kg, oral) and samples were collected at different time intervals of 2, 4, and 6 weeks. The levels of vitamin A, thyroid hormones (T3, T4, and TSH), deiodinases (Dio1 and Dio3), glycemic markers (blood insulin and fasting glucose levels, HOMA IR and HOMA ß), retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) and the gluconeogenic enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) were measured. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated that long-term supplementation with high doses of vitamin A palmitate resulted in hypothyroidism (lower T3 and T4 levels and elevated TSH levels) as well as upregulation of Dio1 and Dio3 expression levels. This effect was associated with elevated glucose and insulin levels, enhanced HOMA IR, and decreased HOMA B index. In addition, prolonged vitamin A supplementation significantly increased RBP4 levels that upregulated the expression of PEPCK. CONCLUSION: High doses of vitamin A supplementation increased the risk of hypothyroidism, modulated insulin sensitivity, and over a long period, increased the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus associated with oxidative stress and hepatitis.

Bioscouring of wool fibres using immobilized thermophilic lipase.

The hydrophobic nature of wool induced by its surface lipid barrier hinders its wettability during processing. Scouring of wool is conducted to remove this lipid barrier and facilitate any wet processes. Scouring of wool is conducted using soda ash followed by rinsing with huge amount of water to ensure complete removal of alkali. This work aimed at utilization of thermophilic lipase enzyme for removal of wool surface lipid barrier without deterioration on the fibre interior. A thermally stable lipase enzyme was produced from thermophilic microorganism; namely Bacillus aryabhattai B8W22, and was utilized in bio-scouring of wool. The produced enzyme was immobilized on sericin-based discs to enhance its stability and to make it reusable. The activity of both free and immobilized lipase enzymes at different conditions was assessed. The effects of bio-scouring of wool on its dyeability with acid, basic, and reactive dyes, as well as on some of its inherent properties, were monitored. Results showed that the bio-scoured wool exhibits enhanced dyeability with the said classes of dyes more than that of conventionally scoured samples. One-bath scouring and dyeing of wool fibres in two successive steps was conducted to reduce consumption of water and energy during wet processing of wool.

Optic nerve head perfusion changes in eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy treated with intravitreal ranibizumab or photocoagulation: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is a serious sight-threatening disease, and half of the patients with high-risk PDR can develop legal blindness within 5 years, if left untreated. This study was aimed at comparing panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) and intravitreal ranibizumab injections in terms of radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) density on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in patients with treatment-naive PDR. Methods: This open-label, prospective, randomized clinical trial included 50 patients with treatment-naive PDR with optic disc neovascularization and randomized them into two groups: group 1, with patients undergoing two sessions of PRP 2 weeks apart, and group 2, with patients received three intravitreal ranibizumab injections (0.5 mg) 1 month apart for 3 consecutive months. Patients underwent a full ophthalmological examination, including best-corrected distance visual acuity (BCDVA) measurement in the logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) notation and OCTA before intervention and monthly after the last laser session or the first intravitreal ranibizumab injection for 3 months of follow-up. Visual field (VF) was tested at the beginning and end of 3 months. Results: Forty-two (84%) eyes completed the 3-month follow-up, including 22 eyes in the PRP group (88%) and 20 (80%) eyes in the ranibizumab group. The two groups were comparable in terms of demographic characteristics, diabetes duration, baseline BCDVA, glycated hemoglobin level, OCTA parameters, VF indices, and intraocular pressure (all P > 0.05). The RPC density change from baseline to the 3-month follow-up was significantly lower in the PRP group than in the ranibizumab group (mean difference in RPC density change: - 3.61%; 95% confidence interval: - 5.57% to - 1.60%; P = 0.001). The median (interquartile range) logMAR change from baseline to the 3-month follow-up (0.0 [0.2]) was significantly higher in the PRP group than in the ranibizumab group (- 0.15 [0.3]; P < 0.05). The median changes in central foveal thickness from baseline to the 3-month follow-up differed significantly between the two groups (P = 0.001). Conclusions: In eyes with PDR and neovascularization of the disc RPC density on OCTA increased in the ranibizumab group and decreased in the PRP group. Visual acuity gain was higher in the ranibizumab group than in the PRP group. Future multicenter trials addressing our limitations are required to verify the findings of this study.

Detection of food fraud of meat products from the different brands by application of histological methods.

In Sohag City, 400 samples were collected from different food markets of different meat products from two companies with high and low prices (e.g., minced meat, kofta sausage, beef burger, and luncheon meat) for determining food fraud. Light, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to examine the samples. "Special histochemical stains" permit the microscopic examination of different cell types, structures, and/or microorganisms. Histological examination revealed variant tissue types, besides skeletal muscles. Nuchal ligaments, bones, hyaline cartilages, white fibrocartilages, large and medium arteries, cardiac muscles, tendons, and collagenous connective tissues comprised the capsule of a parenchymatous organ. Additionally, a crystal of food additives was recognized using light microscopy and SEM. SEM allows the visualization of bacterial contamination. Using different microscopic anatomy techniques is an efficient methodology for qualitative evaluations of various meat products. No difference in quality was observed between low- and high-priced meat products.

Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery in Soft and Hard Nuclear Cataracts: A Comparison of Effective Phacoemulsification Time.

PURPOSE: To compare effective phacoemulsification time (EFX) in femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) versus traditional quick chop phacoemulsification (QCP) in senile nuclear cataracts with different densities focusing on soft and hard ones. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective non-randomized comparative study was carried out in Al Watany Eye Hospital and Ain Shams University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt; 250 eyes with senile nuclear cataract (NC) were included and classified into two main groups, FLACS and QCP groups. Each of them was stratified according to nuclear density into three subgroups, subgroups I (Soft NC), II (Medium NC), and III (Hard NC). Sextans-softened fragmentation pattern was performed in the FLACS group. Total EFX utilized for nucleus disassembly and removal was recorded by the completion of each surgery. RESULTS: A total of 117 eyes were included in the FLACS group and 133 eyes in the QCP group. No significant difference in EFX was observed between the two groups (P = 0.228). Regarding subgroups, EFX showed no statistically significant difference between FLACS and QCP (P = 0.283) in soft NC. For hard NC, a trend to lower values of EFX in FLACS compared with QCP was found, but without statistically significant difference (P = 0.122). Only in medium NC were significantly lower values obtained in FLACS compared with QCP (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: When compared with QCP technique, FLACS can be used for advantages aside from EFX reduction, including astigmatic keratotomies, accurate sizing, and centration of capsulotomies especially in hard and soft nuclear cataracts. Significant reduction of total EFX with FLACS is most prominent only in medium-density nuclear cataracts.

Biochemical and immunological investigation of fascioliasis in cattle in Egypt.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica are two commonly reported liver flukes that cause fascioliasis in ruminants. Among the members of the genus Fasciola, F. hepatica was identified in the study area. Fascioliasis is a major disease that affects the production of livestock by causing liver damage. F. hepatica has developed advanced mechanisms to trick, elude, and alter the host immune response, similar to an extrinsic stressor. These mechanisms consequently affect the animals' physiological and metabolic functions in vivo and postmortem changes, which have significant influences on animal welfare and meat quality development. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the current prevalence of cattle fascioliasis at abattoirs in El-Kharga city, New Valley Governorate, Egypt, and to investigate the changes in serum biochemical and immunological parameters and oxidative stress factors due to Fasciola spp. infection in terms of meat quality and immune response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 226 cattle were inspected for the presence of Fasciola spp. The liver of each cattle was examined by making several incisions for detecting adult Fasciola spp. in El- Kharga. The blood samples were collected to analyze the changes in serum biochemical and immunological parameters and oxidative stress factors. RESULTS: Of the 226 cattle, 38 (16.81%) were positive for F. hepatica at the postmortem examination. Cattle infected with F. hepatica had highly elevated serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase, γ-glutamyl transferase, urea, and creatinine levels. Immunological cytokine profiles showed significantly increased serum interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, and transforming growth factor-beta levels and a significantly decreased interferon-γ level. Furthermore, oxidative stress profiles showed significantly increased serum malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels and significantly decreased total antioxidant capacity and reduced glutathione level. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that F. hepatica infection alone is an oxidative stress factor that affects slaughtered animals, leading to biochemical and metabolic alterations in the early postmortem period.

Salmonella Typhimurium Triggered Unilateral Epididymo-Orchitis and Splenomegaly in a Holstein Bull in Assiut, Egypt: A Case Report.

This report illustrates, for the first time, a case of unilateral orchitis and epididymitis in a Holstein-Friesian bull, associated with Salmonella enterica infection (Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium). A one and a half-year-old Holstein-Friesian bull had arrived at the Veterinary Hospital of Assiut University suffering from anorexia accompanied with persistent fever, which did not respond to oxytetracycline and flunixin meglumine injection for 15 days. Gross examination revealed left scrotal enlargement (three times its normal size), heat sensation, and induration of the testis and epididymis, which was painful on external palpation. Microbiological and pathological examinations of the left testicle, epididymis, and spleen samples were performed. S. Typhimurium was recovered from the affected tissues and its critical virulence genes (stn, avrA and sopB) were identified. Pathological examination revealed a unilateral necrotizing intratubular pyogranulomatus orchitis and epididymitis with severe peri-orchitis. In addition, splenomegaly with a firm and large whitish nodular capsular structure associated with different stages of granulomatous reaction around the white and red pulp. To the authors' knowledge, this report is the first isolation of S. Typhimurium from the epididymis and testicles of a Holstein-Friesian bull. These results highlight the importance of including S. Typhimurium among the health disorders associated with stressful situations in bovine with orchitis and or/epididymitis. In Egypt, Salmonella spp. infection as being enzootic with high probability of dissemination should be considered one of genital health problems among cattle farms.

Seroprevalence and molecular characterization of Mycobacterium bovis infection in camels (Camelus dromedarius) in the Delta region, Egypt.

AIM: This study aimed to determine the prevalence rates of Mycobacterium infection in camel sera collected before slaughter and gross lesion tissue collected postmortem (PM) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), bacteriological culture, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, serum samples from humans who had occupational contact with camels were tested by ELISA and sputum sample by culture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ELISA was performed on serum samples antemortem. In addition, bacteriological culture and PCR were conducted after PM. Tuberculosis infection was identified in humans who had contact with camels using ELISA for serum samples and culture for sputum samples. RESULTS: Tuberculous lesions were detected in 184 of 10,903 camels (1.7%). The ELISA results revealed that of the 184 examined camel serum samples, 124 (67.39%) were positive and all 20 camel serum samples that had no associated tuberculous lesions were negative. Moreover, only one of 48 (2.08%) human serum samples was positive by ELISA. Mycobacterial culture revealed 112 isolates from the 184 examined camel samples (60.87%), while human sputum sample cultures were all negative. PCR analysis identified the mpb70 gene in three of seven randomly tested samples. CONCLUSION: Gene sequencing was performed on two samples and the sequences were submitted to the National Center for Biotechnology Information GenBank (accession numbers MF990289 and MG59479). A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the partial DNA sequences of the mpb70 gene; the similarity between the isolates was 98.1%. The similarities between the two isolates and the standard strains of Mycobacterium bovis in GenBank were 98.1% and 100%, respectively. Further investigation on the antemortem detection of M. bovis infection in camels is needed to decrease public risk.

Functional outcome of the low vision aids for visual impairment secondary to central nervous system tumors in children.

To assess functional outcomes of optical low vision aids (LVAs) for pediatric visual impairment due to central nervous system (CNS) tumors. A prospective case study was conducted on 15 children with history of CNS tumors with mean age of 10.47±1.85y. Lighthouse distance, near visual acuity tests, cycloplegic refraction, reading speed measurement and visual field examination were done. Prescription of far and near LVAs followed by training sessions. LVPrasad-functional vision questionnaire was done to evaluate performance. Visual impairment was moderate (13.3%), severe (73.3%), profound (6.7%) and near blindness in 6.7%. Telescopes prescribed in 33.4%, video magnifier in 46.7%. Questionnaire scores were significantly improved for distant rather than near tasks (P≤0.05) after training. LVAs rehabilitation is an effective method of improving vision in pediatric visual defects secondary to CNS tumors.

Comparison of the Clinical Efficacy of Abobotulinumtoxin A (ABO) and Onabotulinumtoxin A (ONA) in the Treatment of Crow's Feet Wrinkles: A Split-Face Study.

PURPOSE: Comparing the clinical efficacy of Abobotulinumtoxin A (ABO) and Onabotulinumtoxin A(ONA) using a dosing ratio of 2.5U:1.0U in the treatment of crow's feet wrinkles. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A single-blinded, randomized, split-face study, included 40 subjects, with moderate-to-severe crow's feet wrinkles. Patients were subjected to a dose equivalence of (ABO):(ONA); 2.5:1.0 U. Post treatment evaluation was done on 7, 30, and 120 days, comparing: Time, Duration, and Degree of Improvement; Patients Satisfaction. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between ABO & ONA regarding duration and time to improvement on static posture. While on dynamic posture, ABO showed significantly less time and longer duration. Both products produced highly significant improvement of the wrinkles' severity on both static and dynamic posture in comparison to the baseline severity. Satisfaction was more with ABO. CONCLUSION: ABO is a safe, effective alternative to ONA in treating crow's feet wrinkles.

Efficacy of Intravitreal injection of 2-Methoxyestradiol in regression of neovascularization of a retinopathy of prematurity rat model.

BACKGROUND: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is one of the targets for early detection and treatment to prevent childhood blindness in world health organization programs. The purpose of study was to evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal injection of 2-Methoxyestradiol (2-ME) nanoemulsion in regressing neovascularization of a ROP rat model. METHODS: A prospective comparative case - control animal study conducted on 56 eyes of 28 healthy new born Sprague Dawley male albino rat. ROP was induced in 21 rats then two concentrations of 2-ME nanoparticles were injected in right eyes of 14 rats (low dose; study group I, high dose; study group II). A blank nanoemulsion was injected in the right eyes of seven rats (control positive group I). No injections performed in contralateral left eyes (control positive group II). Seven rats (14 eyes) were kept in room air (control negative group). On postnatal day 17, eyeballs were enucleated. Histological structure of the retina was examined using Hematoxylin and eosin staining. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expressions were detected by immunohistochemical studies. RESULTS: Intravitreal injection of 2-ME (in the two concentrations) caused marked regression of the new vascular tufts on the vitreal side with normal organization and thickness of the retina especially in study group II, which also show negative VEGF immunoreaction. Positive GFAP expression was detected in the control positive groups and study group (I). CONCLUSION: Intravitreal injection of 2-Methoxyestradiol nanoemulsion is a promising effective method in reduction of neovascularization of a ROP rat model.

Safety and efficacy of photodynamic therapy using BCECF-AM compared to mitomycin C in controlling post-operative fibrosis in a rabbit model of subscleral trabeculectomy.

AIM: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of cellular photoablation using BCECF-AM [2', 7'-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5-(and-6)-carboxyfluorescein, acetoxymethyl ester mixed isomers] as a method to control postoperative fibrosis in subscleral trabeculectomy (SST) compared to mitomycin C (MMC) in a rabbit model. METHODS: A comparative prospective case-control animal study was conducted. Fourteen rabbits were subjected to SST with intraoperative use of wound modulating agents (MMC or BCECF-AM) of the right eye (study groups I and II respectively) and SST without use of intraoperative wound modulating agents for the left eye (control group II). Two rabbits 4 eyes were considered as control group I with no surgical intervention. BCECF-AM was injected subconjunctivally 30min before surgery followed by intraoperative illumination with diffuse blue light for 10min. Antifibrotic efficacy was established by clinical response and histological examination. Clinical response was assessed by measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) at day 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21 postoperatively. Success was defined by >20.0% reduction in IOP from the preoperative values without anti-glaucoma medications. RESULTS: The mean percentage of reduction was 35.0% in the study group I with only one eye (14.3%) had 12.5% reduction. The mean percentage of reduction was 28.0 % in the study group II with two eyes (28.6%) in study group II had 14.2% reduction each. Regarding the control group II, the mean percentage of reduction was 14.3 % with 64.3% eyes had <20.0% reduction. There was a highly statistically significant difference between each of the study groups (right eyes) and the corresponding control group II (left eyes) as regards the mean postoperative IOP values started from day 5 in both study groups and this highly significant difference remained so till the end of the follow up period. Histologically, MMC treated blebs showed thinning of conjunctival epithelium with marked reduction of the goblet cells relative to control. Marked sub-epithelial edema was seen along with variable collagen dispersion. Mild cellularity was noted in sub-epithelial tissue. BCECF-AM treated blebs showed normal conjunctival epithelial thickness with abundant goblet cells. Mild sub-epithelial edema was noted along with moderate collagen dispersion. No histological abnormality was noted in the ciliary body or the cornea in any of the studied groups. CONCLUSION: Cellular photoablation using BCECF-AM is a safe and effective wound modulating agent to control postoperative fibrosis in trabeculectomy. However MMC considered as a more potent adjuvant to trabeculectomy than BCECF-AM in promoting IOP reduction.

Forensic analysis of ocular injuries during the 2011 revolution in Egypt.

INTRODUCTION: During the year 2011 the Egyptian revolution arose with a change in the trend of eye trauma in Egypt. AIM OF WORK: This study aims at reviewing the epidemiology of ocular trauma presenting to Ain Shams University teaching hospital during the year 2011 and comparing it with epidemiology during the previous 5 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective epidemiological and clinical study of patients admitted to Ain Shams University Hospital with ocular trauma from 2006 till 2011. Cases were analyzed with respect to age, sex, occupation, admission interval, type, mode, time and place of injury, causative instrument, diagnosis and examination findings, investigations, management and visual outcomes. RESULTS: Total numbers of cases presenting during the year 2011 was 237 cases. The mean age was 22.5 years. Students (47.2%) and jobless people (21.9%) constituted the majority of the sample. During the year 2011 there was a significant increase in the percentage of injuries occurring in the street. There was also a significant rise in the percentage of homicidal ocular injuries specially those caused from non-rifled weapons. Fourteen cases of endophthalmitis were associated with non-rifled fire arm missiles while 7 were associated with glass intra-ocular foreign body. This indicated that the probability of occurrence of endophthalmitis with metal intraocular foreign bodies was 2:3 i.e. 66.6% where as in glass intra ocular foreign body was 7:9 i.e. 77.7%. CONCLUSION: The majority of ocular trauma in our population during the year 2011 was due to homicidal street injuries occurring mainly in males of young age group, which is consistent with the events occurring in Egypt in this year. The findings indicate that ocular trauma is a significant cause of visual loss in this population.

Changes in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness following mechanical microkeratome-assisted versus femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK.

PURPOSE: To study the influence of the transient elevation of intraocular pressure during suction in laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) on the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness both in microkeratome assisted and femotsecond (FS) LASIK. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An interventional case series that included 40 eyes suffering from myopia who were candidates for LASIK. All underwent Wave Front Guided LASIK by the same surgeon using the VisX CustomVue platform. A corneal flap was created in 20 eyes using a mechanical microkeratome Moria M2 (MMK), while the IFS IntraLase™ was used in the remaining 20 eyes. Mean suction time was recorded from "Suction ON" to "Suction OFF" time. Optic cube and RNFL thickness analysis using Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) Cirrus-HD was completed before, and 1 month after LASIK. RESULTS: The study included 40 eyes of 20 patients. All were females with mean age 33.5 ± 6.4 years. Mean preoperative spherical equivalent was -3.62 ± 2.31D. Average preoperative RNFL thickness was 94.6 ± 12.1µm in MMK group while the postoperative average thickness was 95.1 ± 11.9 um with no statistically significant difference (P-value: 0.37). Average preoperative RNFL thickness was 108.28 ± 8.4 µm in FS group compared to 108.38 ± 11.2 µm in the postoperative average with no statistically significant difference (P-value: 0.94). Mean "Suction ON" to "Suction OFF" time was 22 seconds in the MMK group compared to 41 seconds in the FS group. CONCLUSION: The rise of intraocular pressure during application of suction ring in LASIK surgery does not affect the RNFL thickness as measured by SD-OCT, whether the flap is created by MMK or FS.