1,720,964 research outputs found
Regenerative Therapy by Suprachoroidal Cell Autograft in Dry Age-related Macular Degeneration: Preliminary In Vivo Report.
No full textThis study is aimed at examining whether a suprachoroidal graft of autologous cells can improve best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and responses to microperimetry (MY) in eyes affected by dry Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) over time through the production and secretion of growth factors (GFs) on surrounding tissue. Patients were randomly assigned to each study group. All patients were diagnosed with dry AMD and with BCVA equal to or greater than 1 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR). A suprachoroidal autologous graft by Limoli Retinal Restoration Technique (LRRT) was carried out on group A, which included 11 eyes from 11 patients. The technique was performed by implanting adipocytes, adipose-derived stem cells obtained from the stromal vascular fraction, and platelets from platelet-rich plasma in the suprachoroidal space. Conversely, group B, including 14 eyes of 14 patients, was used as a control group. For each patient, diagnosis was verified by confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope and spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). In group A, BCVA improved by 0.581 to 0.504 at 90 days and to 0.376 logMAR at 180 days (+32.20%) postoperatively. Furthermore, MY test increased by 11.44 dB to 12.59 dB at 180 days. The different cell types grafted behind the choroid were able to ensure constant GF secretion in the choroidal flow. Consequently, the results indicate that visual acuity (VA) in the grafted group can increase more than in the control group after six months
Ectropion and Conjunctival Mass in a Patient with Primary Bilateral Conjunctival Amyloidosis
Full text linkBackground. Amyloidosis is a group of disorders characterized by deposition of an extracellular protein, known as amyloid, in an abnormal fibrillar form with highly characteristic histopathologic staining properties. The clinical presentation can vary from a focal, localized lesion where amyloidosis has minor clinical consequences to extensive systemic disease that can involve any organ system of the body. Ocular amyloidosis can occur as a localized lesion or as a part of a systemic disorder. Conjunctival amyloidosis is an uncommon condition that is rarely associated with systemic disease. It may be a manifestation of an immunologic disorder. Case Report. We report the case of a patient with bilateral conjunctival amyloidosis who was referred to us with the suspicion of a malignant conjunctival lesion. Examination of both eyes showed a yellow-pinkmass with prominent intrinsic vessels, subconjunctival hemorrhage, and ectropion of the left lower eyelid. Diagnosis of primary localized conjunctival amyloidosis was made based on histopathologic evaluation of incisional biopsy and negative systemic work-up. Conclusion. Ocular amyloidosis is a rare disease that is slowly progressive and has a wide variety of clinical presentations. Consequently, the clinical diagnosis is often overlooked or delayed. Definitive diagnosis is achieved through histopathologic evaluation of biopsy specimen
BCVA Changes after suprachoroideal graft of autologus cells in dry AMD
No full textThe idea of cell therapy using the systemic or local injection of stem/progenitor cells in the area of injury to treat multiple chronic disorders received close attention in the last decade.
Our prior study showed in eyes affected by Dry AMD a significant improvement of ERG data, recorded after the suprachoroidal autologous graft.
Dry AMD is an atrophic retinal disease where the cells die progressively and irreversibly with a loss of central visual function.
From the choroid the growth factors could arrive at the retinal cells. Their interaction with membrane receptors of retinal cells can activate an intracellular pathway. Consequently, we can have in the cell nucleus genic responses. We can obtain an antiapoptotic effect which can explain the neuroenhancement. This suggests a greater potential increase of BCVA in the grafted group
Potential role of intravitreal human placental stem cell implants in inhibiting progression of diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes: neuroprotective growth factors in the vitreous.
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A simple method to identify bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells with a high immunosuppressive potential
No full textBackground aims. The benefi cial activity of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in allogeneic hematopietic stem cell transplantation requires correct use in terms of cell dose and timing of infusion and the identifi cation of biomarkers for selection.
The immunosuppressive bone marrow (BM)-derived MSC (BM-MSC) functions have been associated with the production
of soluble HLA-G molecules (sHLA-G) via interleukin (IL)-10. We have established a reliable method for evaluating
BM-MSC HLA-G expression without the infl uence of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Methods. Thirteen
BM-MSC from donors were activated with recombinant IL-10 or co-cultured with 10 different phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-
treated PBMC (PHA-PBMC). Membrane-bound and sHLA-G expression was evaluated by fl ow cytometry and enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively; lymphoproliferation was measured by (methyl- 3H)thymidine. Results.
The results demonstrated the ability of IL-10 to stimulate both membrane-bound and sHLA-G production by BM-MSC.
The levels of HLA-G expression induced by IL-10 in BM-MSC were associated with the inhibition of PHA-PBMC proliferation (sHLA-G, P 0.0008, r 0.9308; membrane HLA-G, P 0.0005, r 0.9502). Conclusions. We propose the
evaluation of sHLA-G production in IL-10-treated BM-MSC cultures as a possible marker of immunoregulatory function
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe 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
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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