124,843 research outputs found
Correction: Corrigendum: Optical coherence tomography angiography microvascular findings in macular edema due to central and branch retinal vein occlusions
No full textScientific Reports 7: Article number: 40763; published online: 18 January 2017; updated: 23 February 2017 The original version of this Article contained errors in the spelling of authors Rodolfo Mastropasqua, Lisa Toto, Luca Di Antonio, Enrico Borrelli, Alfonso Senatore, Marta Di Nicola, Giuseppe DiMartino and Marco Ciancaglini, which were incorrectly given as Mastropasqua Rodolfo, Toto Lisa, Di Antonio Luca, Borrelli Enrico, Senatore Alfonso, Di Nicola Marta, Di Martino Giuseppe, Ciancaglini Marco respectively.</jats:p
S100 A and B expression in normal and inflamed human limbus
No full textPURPOSE: To study the expression of S100 A and B family proteins in normal human limbus and to analyze modification of the expression in inflammatory conditions.
METHODS:
The total expression of members of the S100 family and the expression of A4, A8, A9, and B individually were evaluated in nine normal human corneal limbi, collected from cadaver healthy donors, in particular in the limbal epithelial crypts (LECs), and in five inflamed limbi obtained from enucleated eyes. S100 protein distribution was determined with immunohistochemistry staining analysis.
RESULTS:
Cytoplasmic expression of total S100 proteins was observed in 100% of LECs; in contrast, the inflamed tissues were completely negative, and faint positivity was observed in only one case. Moreover, cytoplasmic expression of S100 A4 and A9 was uniformly found in the entire LECs in all samples analyzed, while S100 A8 positivity was observed in only 44.4% of cases and only in the cells localized in the central area of the LEC. Positivity for S100 B was not observed in all samples analyzed.
CONCLUSIONS:
As reported in the literature, normal limbal epithelial cells show strong expression of S100 proteins. A novel finding of this study was the expression for the limbal epithelial crypts. In particular, S100 A4 and A9, which are normally involved in regulating a wide range of biologic effects, including cell motility, survival, and differentiation, are the most expressed members in healthy limbal crypts. In inflamed tissues, expression of S100 proteins was dramatically decreased. S100 proteins, and in particular S100 A4 and S100 A9, can be useful as markers of early changes in stem cell niches due to inflammatio
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
No full textWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
Spectral domain optical coherence tomography and in vivo confocal microscopy imaging of a case of Bietti's crystalline dystrophy
No full textBackground: The aim was to describe the morphology and localisation of crystals in a case of Bietti's crystalline corneo-retinal dystrophy (BCD) by means of spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). Methods: Clinical examination, SD-OCT and IVCM evaluation of a 35-year-old woman with BCD. Results: Optical coherence tomography examination of the macular region revealed multiple crystals in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-choriocapillaris, some crystals within the full thickness of the neurosensory retina and less numerous crystals in the choroid. Crystals were present peripherally in areas of retinal atrophy, predominantly in the choroid and to a lesser extent in the RPE-choriocapillaris and the neuroepithelium. In vivo confocal microscopy showed multiple crystals of varying morphology in the peripheral and paralimbal cornea, mainly located in the anterior stroma over 360°. Conclusions: SD-OCT provided greater precision in the localisation of crystals, found mainly in the choroid and RPE-choriocapillaris rather than the neuroepithelium. In vivo confocal microscopy revealed a higher number of crystals compared to those visible using conventional slitlamp biomicroscopy and showed a different crystal morphology. © 2012 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Optometry © 2012 Optometrists Association Australia
Meibomian Gland Features and Conjunctival Goblet Cell Density in Glaucomatous Patients Controlled With Prostaglandin/Timolol Fixed Combinations: A Case Control, Cross-sectional Study
No full textPURPOSE: To investigate, using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM), the Meibomian gland (MG) features and conjunctival goblet cell density (GCD) in glaucomatous patients controlled with prostaglandin/timolol fixed combinations (PTFCs).
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
In this cross-sectional study, 60 white patients were treated with PTFCs, 15 with latanoprost+timolol (L+T) unfixed combination, and 15 controls were enrolled. Patients underwent the Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire, tear film breakup time, corneal staining, Schirmer test I, and IVCM of MGs and goblet cells. The main outcome measures were: mean Meibomian acinar density (MMAD) and area (MMAA), inhomogeneity of glandular interstice (InI) and acinar wall (InAW), and GCD.
RESULTS:
PTFCs were: latanoprost/timolol (LTFC, 15 eyes), travoprost/timolol (TTFC, 15), bimatoprost/timolol (BTFC, 15), and preservative-free bimatoprost/timolol (PF-BTFC, 15) fixed combinations. Mean time on therapy did not differ among treatments. IVCM documented lower GCD, MMAD, and MMAA (P<0.001), and greater InI and InAW (P<0.05) in glaucoma patients compared with controls. L+T showed worse values compared with PTFCs and PF-BTFC (P<0.05). Preserved PTFCs showed lower MMAD, MMAA, GCD, and greater InI and InAW compared with PF-BTFC (P<0.05) and controls (P<0.001). Differences were not found among PTFCs. InI and InAW significantly correlated with Ocular Surface Disease Index and breakup time (P<0.001), corneal staining (P<0.05), and GCD (P<0.001); GCD correlated with MMAD (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS:
PTFCs were less toxic towards MGs and goblet cells compared with the L+T unfixed combination, with PF-BTFC presenting the most tolerated profile. These findings should be carefully considered given the role of these structures in the induction of the glaucoma-related ocular surface disease
In vivo confocal microscopy of conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue in healthy humans
No full textPURPOSE: To investigate modifications with aging of the presence, distribution and morphologic features of conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT) in healthy human subjects using laser scanning in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM).
METHODS:
A total of 108 (age range, 17-75 years) subjects were enrolled. In vivo confocal microscopy of the tarsal and bulbar conjunctiva, and impression cytology (IC) with CD3 (intra-epithelial T-lymphocytes) and CD20 (intra-epithelial B-lymphocytes) antibody immunofluorescence staining were performed. The main outcomes were subepithelial lymphocyte density (LyD), follicular density (FD), and follicular area (FA). The secondary outcomes were follicular reflectivity (FR), and lymphocyte density (FLyD), and CD3 and CD20 positivity.
RESULTS:
Conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue was observed in all subjects (97% only superior and 3% in both superior and inferior tarsum). Lymphocyte density ranged from 7.8 to 165.8 cells/mm(2) (46.42 [18.37]; mean [SD]), FD from 0.5 to 19.4 follicles/mm(2) (5.3 [3.6]), and FA from 1110 to 96,280 mm(2) (26,440 [26,280]). All three parameters showed a highly significant inverse cubic relationship with age (P < 0.001); that is, in the first and last parameters a steep decline up to 35 years and above 65 years of age, with a plateau phase between these ages, whereas FA had a gradually decreasing rate of loss over the studied age range. CD3 and CD20 IC were consistent with these results.
CONCLUSIONS:
In vivo confocal microscopy was effective in revealing CALT and modifications these structures undergo with aging. Aging correlated with an involution of all parameters defining lymphoid structures. These modifications may account for the decrease of mucosal immune response and increase of ocular surface diseases in the elderl
In Vivo Confocal Microscopy of Conjunctiva-Associated Lymphoid Tissue in Healthy Humans
No full textPurpose. To investigate modifications with aging of the presence, distribution and morphologic features of conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT) in healthy human subjects using laser scanning in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). Methods. A total of 108 (age range, 17-75 years) subjects were enrolled. In vivo confocal microscopy of the tarsal and bulbar conjunctiva, and impression cytology (IC) with CD3 (intra-epithelial T-lymphocytes) and CD20 (intra-epithelial B-lymphocytes) antibody immunofluorescence staining were performed. The main outcomes were subepithelial lymphocyte density (LyD), follicular density (FD), and follicular area (FA). The secondary outcomes were follicular reflectivity (FR), and lymphocyte density (FLyD), and CD3 and CD20 positivity. Results. Conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue was observed in all subjects (97% only superior and 3% in both superior and inferior tarsum). Lymphocyte density ranged from 7.8 to 165.8 cells/mm2 (46.42 [18.37]; mean [SD]), FD from 0.5 to 19.4 follicles/mm2 (5.3 [3.6]), and FA from 1110 to 96, 280 mm2 (26, 440 [26, 280]). All three parameters showed a highly significant inverse cubic relationship with age (P < 0.001); that is, in the first and last parameters a steep decline up to 35 years and above 65 years of age, with a plateau phase between these ages, whereas FA had a gradually decreasing rate of loss over the studied age range. CD3 and CD20 IC were consistent with these results. Conclusions. In vivo confocal microscopy was effective in revealing CALT and modifications these structures undergo with aging. Aging correlated with an involution of all parameters defining lymphoid structures. These modifications may account for the decrease of mucosal immune response and increase of ocular surface diseases in the elderly
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell short stack performance testing - part B: Operation in carbon capture applications and degradation issues
No full textThe need to experimentally understand the performance of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) stacks under Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) mode operating conditions, hence with anode recirculation, has prompted this two-part study. The steady state performance of a 6-cell short stack of Y2O3 stabilised Zirconia (YSZ) with Ni/YSZ anodes and composite Sr-doped LaMnO3 (LSM)/YSZ cathodes is experimentally evaluated. In Part A, the electrical and environmental performance are assessed and the results are compared with the commercial full-scale micro-Combined Heat and Power system, which comprises the same cells. In Part B of this work, a specific set of stack operating conditions important to CCS applications is explored. The experimental inlet composition is changed in order to reproduce a simulated syngas in CCS mode operation for different fuel utilisation factors. Operation with the simulated anode recycle syngas leads to lower voltage when the anode recycle is lower, mainly due to higher internal reforming and polarisation losses. A clear voltage trend is observed when the amount of CO content in the inlet fuel is increased, signalling an improvement of the polarisation performance at constant current density and fixed inlet equivalent hydrogen content. Stack degradation is measured and results in line with manufacturer's data
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