Composition of Sexual Fluids in Cycas revoluta Ovules During Pollination and Fertilization

The composition of fluids that mediate fertilization in cycads is described for the first time. Using tandem mass spectrometry, proteomes of two stages of fluid production, megagametophyte fluid and archegonial chamber fluid production, are compared in Cycas revoluta. These were compared with the proteome of another sexual fluid produced by ovules, the pollination drop proteins. Cycad ovules produce complex liquids immediately prior fertilization. Compared with the pollination drops that mainly had few proteins in classes involved in defense and carbohydrate modification, megagametophyte fluid and archegonial chamber fluid had larger proteomes with many more protein classes, e.g. proteins involved in programmed cell death. Using high-performance liquid chromatography, megagametophyte fluid and archegonial chamber fluid were shown to have elevated concentrations of smaller molecular weight molecules including glucose, pectin and glutamic acid. Compared to megagametophyte fluid, archegonial chamber fluid had elevated pH as well as higher osmolality.

Experience of the anti-inflammatory eye drops Ivinak®-solopharm use in patients after cataract surgery

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of inflammatory complications that occur after phacoemulsification remains an unsolved problem. AIM: To analyze the results of the use of Ivinak-SOLOpharm eye drops containing 0.09% bromfenac solution in the complex of anti-inflammatory therapy in patients after cataract surgery in comparison with similar drugs from other manufacturers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 60 patients (60 eyes) with a diagnosis of age-related cataract, who underwent phacoemulsification. All patients were divided into 2 groups: in the first group, patients used Ivinac eye drops 3 days before surgery and 20 days after it; in the second group, patients used another similar drug containing 0.09% bromfenac solution according to an identical scheme. All patients underwent visual acuity testing and keratopachimetry before and after surgery. On Day 4 and Day 20 after surgery, the degree of inflammatory reaction of the eye was assessed by the number of cells in the anterior chamber fluid, subjective signs of inflammation in patients, using the OSDI (Ocular Surface Disease Index) questionnaire. RESULTS: When analyzing the obtained data, no statistically significant differences were found between the groups in terms of best corrected visual acuity, corneal thickness, number of cells in the anterior chamber fluid, and subjective symptoms of inflammation in patients. CONCLUSIONS: Ivinak-SOLOpharm has proven its effectiveness and safety in the perioperative prevention of inflammatory processes in phacoemulsification.

Epidemiology and clinical features of intraocular lymphoma in Singapore

Introduction: Intraocular lymphoma is rare. There are very few studies on intraocular lymphoma published from Asian countries. Objective: To report our case series of intraocular lymphoma patients from a tertiary eye centre in Singapore. Subjects and methods: Nine patients with intraocular lymphoma managed between January 2005 and December 2014 were identified from Ocular Autoimmune Systemic Inflammatory Infectious Study (OASIS) database. Demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, investigations performed and outcomes recorded. Results: There were almost equal distribution between males (four patients) and females (five patients) with mean age of presentation was 60.3 years. Five patients had bilateral involvement and vitreo-retina was the most common site of infiltration. All of our patients had central nervous system involvement although four of them had presented with ocular manifestations initially. Anterior chamber fluid cytology, as a less invasive alternative to vitreous analysis was proven to be useful. The time from ocular presentation to diagnosis of ocular lymphoma was variable; from one day to 18 months. Mortality in our study group was 55% with death occurring 1 month to 8 years from diagnosis of intraocular lymphoma. Conclusion: Intraocular lymphoma is a masquerade syndrome that mimics chronicuveitis and poses a diagnostic challenge. The diagnosis is often delayed and despite the eventual diagnosis, the disease prognosis is poor even with aggressive treatment.

Comparison of cytotoxicity of fluoroquinolone antimicrobial eye drops and its effect on their bioavailability

In addition to the breadth of activity of antibacterial medications as well as to their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, their safety and bioavailability represent an important aspect. Currently, there is no consensus on fluoroquinolone toxicity. The aim of the present study was to compare the total cytotoxic effect on corneal epithelium and bioavailability of three antibacterial fluoroquinolone eye drops, registered in the Russian Federation: 1) Oftaquix™ (levofloxacin 5 mg/ml; preservative benzalkonium chloride (BAC) 0.05 mg/ml; produced by Santen Oy, Finland), hereafter “levofloxacin (original)”; 2) Signicef® (levofloxacin 5 mg/ml; preservative BAC 0.1 mg/ml; produced by Sentiss Pharma Pvt. Ltd., India), hereafter “levofloxacin (generic)”; 3) Vigamox® (moxifloxacin® 5 mg/ml; preservative-free; produced by Alcon Laboratories, Inc., USA) hereafter “moxifloxacin” - using in vivo methods and determining the possible effect of preservative presence (in different concentration) or of its absence on reaching the minimal threshold concentrations of the antibiotic in the anterior chamber fluid, using the high-yield liquid chromatography combined with mass-spectrometric detection. The study showed that tested antibacterial medications could exert a cytostatic effect on the corneal epithelium at in vivo conditions and differ in their cytotoxic potential. Benzalkonium chloride presence in Signicef in a concentration twice as high than that of the main medication (Oftaquix) causes a proven by confocal microscopy effect on the corneal epithelium, and this may influence the bioavailability of the medication.

New simulation-based approach for the profile control in a process chamber: Fluid, thermal, and plasma profile

Process chamber is the core unit of chemical vapor deposition and etching, and the physical fields in it have fatal effect on process quality. It is significant and difficult for improving the process performance to regulate the fields’ profiles finely. Two design solutions for the profile regulation are proposed: controllable type and resistance type. A novel profile error feedback method is presented, and a simulation-based auto-design framework is established. The profile error feedback method is in a quasi-closed-loop-control mode. It starts from an initial guessed sequence of the design/control variables and predicts a better sequence via feedback of the profile error between the output-targeted profile and the expected one. It never stops until the profile error is narrowed in the preset tolerance. Three kinds of numerical experiments about the regulation of the thermal, fluid, and plasma profile are set to test the effectiveness and feasibility of the profile error feedback method and the two kinds of design schemes.

The level of local cytokine production at different times after experimental ciliary body cryodestruction

We assessed the level of pro- (IL1β, FNOα, IL2) and anti-inflammatory (IL10) cytokines in the anterior chamber fluid of experimental animals on the 3rd, 7th and 30th day, after an experimental ciliary body destruсtion with porous titanium nickelid cryoapplicator. Consistent changes of the cytokine content at the local level are reflecting the reactivity of the experimental animals as an answer both to surgery in ciliary body area, and to its experimental cyclodestruction using the cryoapplicator from titanium nickelid. The predominance of pro-inflammatory cytokines’ potential was found during the early period (3-7 day), and the balance normalization of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines was found at late observation period (30 days) due to the increase of the anti-inflammatory IL-10 production; this effect was maintained at the end of the long-term study period (1.5 years).

An Office-Based Procedure for Hyphema Treatment

Three cases of hyphema in three different eyes were treated in the office using an anterior chamber fluid-gas exchange technique. Hyphemas were associated with complications of underlying systemic and retinal disease and in the postoperative period of vitrectomy procedures. Patients were successfully treated without requiring return to operating room.