scholarly journals A day in the life of a Senior Scientist

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 56-57
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Research ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Senior Scientist ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Biopharmaceutical Company ◽  
Novel Drugs ◽  
The University ◽  
Postdoctoral Researcher

Dr Cristina Gutierrez-Caballero is a molecular and cellular biologist. She graduated with a BSc in Biology from the University of Salamanca (Spain), where she subsequently completed her PhD studying proteins involved in cell division and their role in cancer, aging and longevity. After her PhD, Dr Gutierrez-Caballero continued her research in cell division at the University of Warwick as a postdoctoral researcher, funded by Cancer Research UK. More recently, her interests have transitioned towards translational work and drug discovery, and in 2017, she started a position as a Senior Scientist in Exonate Ltd, an early-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops novel drugs to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Lorenza Giannella (Training Manager, Biochemical Society) spoke with her about her work.

scholarly journals Efficacy of Psychiatric Treatment to Treat a Specific Phobia of Intravitreal Injections in a Patient with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

2021 ◽  
pp. 48-56
Author(s):  
Atsuta Ozaki ◽  
Hisashi Matsubara ◽  
Masahiko Sugimoto ◽  
Manami Kuze ◽  
Mineo Kondo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Macular Edema ◽  
Psychiatric Treatment ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Specific Phobia ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Intravitreal Injections ◽  
Anti Vegf ◽  
Age Related

Intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) is essential for the treatment of macular diseases such as wet age-related macular degeneration and macular edema. Although continued treatment is needed to maintain good vision, some patients cannot continue such injections for various reasons, including specific phobias. Here, we report a case of a patient with a specific phobia of intravitreal injections who could resume treatment after undergoing combined drug and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). A 74-year-old Japanese man diagnosed with retinal angiomatous proliferation by fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography was treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF injection. However, at 8 months after the first treatment, he became difficult to treat because of a phobia of injections. He was treated with photodynamic therapy, but his macular edema did not improve. After a psychiatric consultation, he was diagnosed with a specific phobia of intravitreal injections. Combined drug and CBT enabled him to resume receiving intravitreal injections. This case demonstrates that a specific phobia of intravitreal injections may benefit from combined drug and CBT. In this regard, some patients with high anxiety and fear of intravitreal injections should be referred to a psychiatrist at an early stage.

scholarly journals Epidemiology of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Republic of Bashkortostan (Clinical and Statistical Analisys of the “Ural Eye and Medical Study”)

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1S) ◽  
pp. 137-141
Author(s):  
T. R. Gilmanshin
Keyword(s):  
Early Stage ◽  
Population Characteristics ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Disease Stage ◽  
Urban Residents ◽  
Rural Residents ◽  
Medical Study ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Republic Of Bashkortostan ◽  
The Republic

Purpose. Analysis of the AMD prevalence in the Republic of Bashkortostan, depending on the disease stage, gender and the nature of the respondent settlement. Methods. A population-based study of Republic of Bashkortostan residents “Ural Eye and Medical Study” was conducted on the basis of the State Budget Institution “Ufa Research Institute of Eye Diseases of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Bashkortostan”. There were 5899 participants in the study, 2581 (43.7 %) were men, 3318 (52.3 %) were women. There were 2501 urban residents (42.3 %), rural residents — 3398 (59.7 %). Study design: cross-sectional one-stage analytical research. Statistical data analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS statistic application package. Results. AMD was diagnosed in 550 individuals (11.5 %): early stage — in 392 (7.9 %), intermediate — in 119 (2.4 %), later — in 39 individuals (0.8 %). The number of men with AMD was 210 (10.8 %), women — 340 (11.4 %). Among men, an early stage was observed in 144 (7.4 %), intermediate — in 52 (2.7 %), later — in 14 individuals (0.7 %). Among women, early AMD was observed in 248 (8.3 %), intermediate — in 67 (2.2 %), later — in 25 individuals (0.8 %). The number of urban residents with AMD was 194 individuals (9.7 %), rural residents — 356 individuals (12.1 %). At the same time, among urban residents, an early stage was observed in 138 (6.9 %), intermediate — in 43 (2.2 %), and later stage — in 13 individuals (0.6 %). Among rural residents, the early stage of AMD is in 254 (8.6 %), intermediate — in 76 (2.6 %), later — in 26 individuals (0.9 %). Conclusion. The prevalence of AMD in the Republic of Bashkortostan according to the “Ural Eye and Medical Study” is 11.1 %, which exceeds the global figure. The lack of prevalence of the AMD among women (among women — 11.4 %, among men — 10.8 %) is a distinctive feature for this region. The prevalence of this pathology among rural residents (12.1 %), among urban (9.7 %). The influence of population characteristics for the prevalence of AMD in regions with a peculiar ethno-cultural composition, geographical features.

Epilutein for Early-Stage Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Randomized and Prospective Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 231-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raimondo Forte ◽  
Lucia Panzella ◽  
Ida Cesarano ◽  
Gilda Cennamo ◽  
Thomas Eidenberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prospective Study ◽  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Age Related

scholarly journals Photoreceptor layer thinning is an early biomarker for age-related macular degeneration development: Epidemiological and genetic evidence from UK Biobank optical coherence tomography data

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyedeh Maryam Zekavat ◽  
Sayuri Sekimitsu ◽  
Yixuan Ye ◽  
Hongyu Zhao ◽  
Tobias Elze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Coherence Tomography ◽  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Retinal Layer ◽  
Polygenic Risk Score ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Polygenic Risk ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Clinical Biomarker

AbstractIntroductionAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a blinding condition for which there is currently no early-stage clinical biomarker. AMD is characterized by thinning of the outer retina and drusen formation leading to thickening of the Bruch’s membrane and RPE complex, but the timing between these two events, as well as the role of genetic variants in these processes, are unclear. Here, we jointly analyzed genomic, electronic health record, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) data across 44,823 individuals from the UK Biobank to characterize the epidemiological and genetic associations between retinal layer thicknesses and AMD.MethodsThe Topcon Advanced Boundary Segmentation algorithm was used for automated retinal layer segmentation. We associated 9 retinal layer thicknesses with prevalent AMD (present at enrollment) in a logistic regression model, and with incident AMD (diagnosed after enrollment) in a Cox proportional hazards model. Next, we tested the association of AMD-associated genetic alleles, individually and as a polygenic risk score (PRS), with retinal layer thicknesses. All analyses were adjusted for age, age2, sex, smoking status, and principal components of ancestry.ResultsPhotoreceptor segment (PS) thinning was observed throughout the lifespan of individuals analyzed and accelerated at age 45, while retinal pigment epithelium and Bruch’s membrane complex (RPE+BM) thickening started after age 57. Each standard deviation (SD) of PS thinning and RPE+BM thickening were associated with prevalent AMD (PS: OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.25-1.49, P=2.5×10−12; RPE+BM: OR=1.34, 95% CI 1.27-1.41, P=8.4×10−28) and incident AMD (PS: HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.23-1.47, P=3.7×10−11; RPE+BM: HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.06-1.22, P=0.00024). An AMD polygenic risk score (PRS) was associated with PS thinning (Beta -0.21 SD per 2-fold genetically increased risk of AMD, 95% CI -0.23 to -0.19, P=2.8×10−74), and its association with RPE+BM was U-shaped (thinning with AMD PRS<92nd percentile and thickening with AMD PRS>92nd percentile suggestive of drusen formation). The loci with strongest support were AMD risk-raising variants CFH:rs570618-T, CFH:10922109-C, and ARMS2/HTRA1:rs3750846-C on PS thinning, and SYN3/TIMP3:rs5754227-T on RPE+BM thickening.ConclusionsEpidemiologically, PS thinning precedes RPE+BM thickening by decades, and is the retinal layer most strongly predictive of future AMD risk. Genetically, AMD risk variants are associated with decreased PS thickness. Overall, these findings support PS thinning as an early-stage clinical biomarker for future AMD development.

Geriatric ophthalmology & Rasayana - Ayurvedic perspective.

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayuri Madanrao Jamunkar
Keyword(s):  
Diabetic Retinopathy ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Human Body ◽  
Aging Process ◽  
Middle Age ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
The Other ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Ocular Diseases ◽  
Age Related

Aging is the process of physiological psychological and social change in multidimensional aspects. As like the other structures of human body it is obvious and inevitable that the eye is also involved with various ailments leading to the manifestations of different ocular diseases in old age Among them important diseases are cataract, presbyopia, glaucoma, age related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy etc The pathological lesions in old age according to the ayurvedic concepts are swabhavika vhyadhis and it is difficult to cure completely so with an intension delay the Aging process Acharya recommend to start Rasayana therapy in middle age. Rasayana becomes more treat full and effective if it is preceded with suitable panchakarma. Triphala churna is advisable to all patients with diminished vision along with the honey and ghruta in unequal quantity which act as a Rasayana.    As geriatric problems are not attributed to a single cause, the treatment should be planned according to stage of the disease and the involved dosha on the basis of that we are treating the diseases by applying Classical ayurvedic measures along with kriyakalpa. Intake of Rasayana in middle of the age followed by panchakarma, adopting pratimarsha nasya, doompana, gandoosha and Anjana as din charya administration of medication in early stage of disease are helpfull in delaying or arresting senile ocular condition.

scholarly journals Does Matrix Metalloproteinase-3 Polymorphism Play a Role in Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Patients With Myocardial Infarction?

Medicina ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasa Liutkevičienė ◽  
Diana Žaliaduonytė-Pekšienė ◽  
Dalia Žaliūnienė ◽  
Olivija Gustienė ◽  
Vytautas Jašinskas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Gene Polymorphism ◽  
Matrix Metalloproteinase ◽  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Gene Promoter ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 ◽  
Age Related

Objective. The aim of our study was to determine if the genotype of the matrix metalloproteinase- 3 (MMP-3) gene might carry the risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) in patients with myocardial infarction. Material and Methods. A total of 499 patients with an acute myocardial infarction or with a history of myocardial infarction were enrolled into the study. They were subdivided into 2 groups: 273 patients with ARMD and 226 patients without ARMD. The control group comprised 560 persons from a random sample of the Lithuanian population. DNA was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction to genotype polymorphism 5A/6A at a position –1171 of the MMP-3 gene promoter. Results. Of the 499 patients with myocardial infarction, 47% had early-stage ARMD. The patients with ARMD were older than the patients in the group without ARMD (62.1±10.8 vs. 59.6±11.1, P<0.01). The analysis of MMP-3 gene polymorphism did not reveal any differences in the distribution of 5A/5A, 5A/6A, and 6A/6A genotypes between the ARMD group, non-ARMD group, and the control group (24.2%, 52.5%, and 23.3% in the ARMD group; 28.7%, 51.9%, and 19.4% in non-ARMD group; and 25.7%, 49.3% and 25.0%, in the control group, respectively). Conclusions. MMP-3 gene polymorphism had no predominant effect on the development of ARMD in patients with myocardial infarction.

scholarly journals MONITORING OF FUNCTIONAL PARAMETERS IN THE PATIENTS WITH EARLY STAGE OF AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 260-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Gndoyan ◽  
A. V. Petrayevsky ◽  
N. A. Kuznetsova ◽  
A. I. Dyatchina
Keyword(s):  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Functional Parameters ◽  
Age Related
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