Comparison of Vascular Density and Structural Patterns Between Primary Open Angle Glaucoma and Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To compare the pattern of vascular density and structural damage in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) with primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) in the optic nerve head, circumpapillary, and macular regions, respectively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred thirty-one eyes of 82 patients (53 eyes with PACG and 78 eyes with POAG) were enrolled in this study. The patients underwent complete ophthalmic examination, Bruch membrane opening minimum rim width, circumpapillay retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL), and macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) measurements and vascular density determination of the peripapillary and macular area with OCT and OCTA. A linear mixed model was used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in terms of age ( P =0.94) and visual field mean deviation ( P =0.78). Female-to-male ratio was higher in PACG patients than the POAG group ( P =0.02), and AL was shorter in PACG eyes ( P <0.001). cpRNFL and GCC were not different between the 2 groups (all P values>0.05, except for nasal segment cpRNFL). Vessel densities in the peripapillary and macular areas were comparable between the 2 groups (all P values>0.05). Although Bruch membrane opening minimum rim width was thicker in PACG eyes on univariate analysis, the multivariable analysis showed no significant difference between the 2 groups ( P >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PACG and POAG eyes with similar visual field damages have comparable structural damage patterns in the peripapillary and inner macular thickness and vessel density measurements.

Potential Risk Areas of Aedes albopictus in South-Eastern Iran: A Vector of Dengue Fever, Zika, and Chikungunya.

The possibility of the rapid and global spread of Zika, chikungunya, yellow fever, and dengue fever by Aedes albopictus is well documented and may be facilitated by changes in climate. To avert and manage health risks, climatic and topographic information can be used to model and forecast which areas may be most prone to the establishment of Ae. albopictus. We aimed to weigh and prioritize the predictive value of various meteorological and climatic variables on distributions of Ae. albopictus in south-eastern Iran using the Analytical Hierarchy Process. Out of eight factors used to predict the presence of Ae. albopictus, the highest weighted were land use, followed by temperature, altitude, and precipitation. The inconsistency of this analysis was 0.03 with no missing judgments. The areas predicted to be most at risk of Ae. albopictus-borne diseases were mapped using Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing data. Five-year (2011-2015) meteorological data was collected from 11 meteorological stations and other data was acquired from Landsat and Terra satellite images. Southernmost regions were at greatest risk of Ae. albopictus colonization as well as more urban sites connected by provincial roads. This is the first study in Iran to determine the regional probability of Ae. albopictus establishment. Monitoring and collection of Ae. albopictus from the environment confirmed our projections, though on-going field work is necessary to track the spread of this vector of life-threatening disease.

IL-10 G-1082A gene polymorphism and susceptibility to upper respiratory tract infection among endurance athletes.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of IL-10 gene polymorphisms on URTI incidence. METHODS: To this end, one hundred healthy elite male athletes participating in the study were classified as either healthy or prone to frequent URTI. Blood samples and DNA isolation, multiplex PCR, and Taqman real-time PCR were carried out. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral leukocytes of whole blood samples using the QIAmp DNA Blood Mini Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). For comparison of the distribution of genotypes between two groups and for estimating odds ratios (OR) for URTI susceptibility in relation to the IL-10 polymorphism, Pearson's chi-square and Logistic regression method were used respectively. RESULTS: The IL-10-1082 genotype distribution differed between athletes with URTI and healthy athletes (χ2=8. 14, P=0.017). The IL-10 high-expression genotype (GG), relative to the other two genotypes combined (AG + AA), was associated with a tendency for an increased likelihood of frequent URTI (OR: 4. 63, 95% CI: 1. 58-21. 53; P=0. 033). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, findings from this study have identified a potential role of genetic variation in influencing the risk for URTI in athletic populations and SNPs in the IL-10 genes were associated with an altered risk profile. These measures may have a predictive value in the identification of individuals who are more likely to experience recurrent infections when exposed to high physical stress in the areas of athletic endeavor.