Objective To observe the role of ultrasound biomicroscopy(UBM)in two-year post-operative follow-up for primary open-angle glaucoma patients with modified CO
Carbon Dioxide ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle/surgery* ; Humans ; Microscopy, Acoustic ; Sclera/diagnostic imaging* ; Treatment Outcome

Objective: To measure the ciliary sulcus diameters (CSD) in phakic eyes of adult Filipinos using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM). Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional study involving Filipino patients recruited from the Outpatient Department of Makati Medical Center, Philippines from September 2006 to December 2006. Vertical and horizontal CSDs in phakic eyes were measured using a UBM Scan 1000 (Ophthalmic Technologies Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada). Three repeated measurements of each meridian were taken and averaged. The average CSD for each eye was computed as the average of the horizontal and vertical CSDs. Student’s t-test was used to analyze data. Results: Seventy-one (71) patients (142 eyes) were included in the study. Mean CSD measurements were as follows: horizontal CSD = 9.76 ± 0.42 mm; vertical CSD = 10.00 ± 0.48 mm; average CSD = 9.88 ± 0.47 mm. There was a significant difference between the means of the vertical and horizontal CSD measurements (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the mean CSD measurements of the right and left eyes (P= 0.50). Conclusions In this cohort of adult Filipino patients, the UBM-measured vertical CSD is significantly greater than the horizontal CSD. Establishment of CSD measurements of adult Filipino eyes may be helpful in selecting appropriately-sized intraocular lenses for ciliary sulcus implantation.
Microscopy, Acoustic

PURPOSE: We report a case of late-onset capsular block syndrome, which resulted in a misdiagnosis of intraocular lens (IOL) opacity. CASE SUMMARY: A 59-year-old man visited our clinic with reduced visual acuity in the right eye from 1 year prior. He had undergone uncomplicated bilateral cataract surgery by phacoemulsification with IOL implants at another hospital 10 years before. There was no specific history with the exception of hypertension. After being diagnosed in the ophthalmology clinic with IOL degeneration and opacity in the right eye, he was referred to our hospital for IOL replacement. Upon examination, his right uncorrected visual acuity was 0.06 and intraocular pressure was 22 mmHg. The refractive error could not be checked due to IOL opacity. Slit-lamp microscopy revealed a cloudy, milky IOL. Anterior-segment optical coherence tomography of the right eye showed retention of a highly reflective material in the lens capsule behind the IOL. Posterior capsule enlargement of the right eye was confirmed on ultrasound biomicroscopy. After neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser capsulotomy was performed, the homogeneous space disappeared and the eye recovered normal visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: Capsular block syndrome is a rare complication that can occur shortly (1 day to 2 days) after cataract surgery. Late-onset capsular block syndrome, which occurs 10 years after surgery differs from typical clinical manifestations. Thus, capsular block syndrome is an important consideration upon the presentation of opacification due to IOL degeneration.
Cataract ; Diagnostic Errors ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Intraocular Pressure ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Acoustic ; Middle Aged ; Ophthalmology ; Phacoemulsification ; Refractive Errors ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Visual Acuity ; Yttrium

PURPOSE: To introduce a new convenient and accurate method to measure the angle kappa using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and corneal topography. METHODS: Data from 42 eyes (13 males and 29 females) were analyzed in this study. The angle kappa was measured using Orbscan II and calculated with UBM and corneal topography. The angle kappa of the dominant eye was compared with measurements by Orbscan II. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 36.4 ± 13.8 years. The average angle kappa measured by Orbscan II was 3.98°± 1.12°, while the average angle kappa calculated with UBM and corneal topography was 3.19°± 1.15°. The difference in angle kappa measured by the two methods was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The two methods showed good reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.671; p < 0.001). Bland-Altman plots were used to demonstrate the agreement between the two methods. CONCLUSIONS: We designed a new method using UBM and corneal topography to calculate the angle kappa. This method is convenient to use and allows for measurement of the angle kappa without an expensive device.
Corneal Topography* ; Humans ; Male ; Methods ; Microscopy, Acoustic* ; Ultrasonography*

OBJECTIVES: Baso-apical gradients exist in various cochlear structures including medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent system. This study investigated the cochlear regional differentials in the function and morphology of the MOC system, and addressed the functional implications of regional MOC efferent terminals (ETs) in the mouse cochlea. METHODS: In CBA/J mice, MOC reflex (MOCR) was assessed based on the distortion product otoacoustic emission in the absence and presence of contralateral acoustic stimulation. High, middle, and low frequencies were grouped according to a mouse place-frequency map. Cochlear whole mounts were immunostained for ETs with anti-α-synuclein and examined using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The diameters of ETs and the number of ETs per outer hair cell were measured from the z-stack images of the basal, middle and apical regions, respectively. RESULTS: The middle cochlear region expressed large, clustered MOC ETs with strong MOCR, the base expressed small, less clustered ETs with strong MOCR, and the apex expressed large, but less clustered ETs with weak MOCR. CONCLUSION: The mouse cochlea demonstrated regional differentials in the function and morphology of the MOC system. Strong MOCR along with superior MOC morphology in the middle region may contribute to ‘signal detection in noise,’ the primary efferent function, in the best hearing frequencies. Strong MOCR in spite of inferior MOC morphology in the base may reflect the importance of ‘protection from noise trauma’ in the high frequencies.
Acoustic Stimulation ; Animals ; Cochlea* ; Hair ; Hearing ; Mice* ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Noise ; Reflex

PURPOSE: Dry eye syndrome is commonly thought of as an inflammatory disease, and we have previously presented data showing the effectiveness of topical TNF-α blocker agents for the treatment of this condition. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the TNF-α blocking agent HL036337 compared to cyclosporine A for the treatment of dry eye induced inflammation in order to establish whether HL036337 represents a more effective method for suppressing inflammation. The efficacy of HL036337 and cyclosporine A was determined using an experimental murine dry eye model. METHODS: The TNF-α blocker HL036337 is a modified form of TNF receptor I. Using dry eye induced C57BL/6 mice (n = 45), corneal erosion was measured at day 4 and 7 after topical treatment with cyclosporine A or HL036337. To determine the effective treatment dose, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2.5, and 5 mg/mL of HL036337 were topically administered twice per day to dry eye induced murine corneas for 1 week. RESULTS: The optimal concentration of the TNF-α blocker HL036337 for treatment of dry eye induced corneal erosion was determined to be 1 mg/mL. Dry eye induced corneal erosion was improved after 1 week with topically applied cyclosporine A and HL036337 at 1 mg/mL. CONCLUSIONS: HL036337 administered topically at 1 mg/mL effectively improved corneal erosion induced by dry eye. This finding may also suggest that inhibition of TNF-α can improve dry eye syndrome.
Animals ; Cornea/diagnostic imaging ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Dry Eye Syndromes/diagnosis/*drug therapy ; Female ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Microscopy, Acoustic ; Ophthalmic Solutions/administration & dosage ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/*antagonists & inhibitors

No abstract available.
Chronic Disease ; Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndromes/*complications/diagnosis ; Gonioscopy ; Humans ; *Intraocular Pressure ; Male ; Microscopy, Acoustic ; Middle Aged ; Ocular Hypertension/diagnosis/*etiology/physiopathology ; Rare Diseases

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) characteristically express serum response factor (SRF), which regulates their development. The role of SRF in SMC plasticity in the pathophysiological conditions of gastrointestinal (GI) tract is less characterized. METHODS: We generated SMC-specific Srf knockout mice and characterized the prenatally lethal phenotype using ultrasound biomicroscopy and histological analysis. We used small bowel partial obstruction surgeries and primary cell culture using cell-specific enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) mouse lines to study phenotypic and molecular changes of SMCs by immunofluorescence, Western blotting, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Finally we examined SRF change in human rectal prolapse tissue by immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Congenital SMC-specific Srf knockout mice died before birth and displayed severe GI and cardiac defects. Partial obstruction resulted in an overall increase in SRF protein expression. However, individual SMCs appeared to gradually lose SRF in the hypertrophic muscle. Cells expressing low levels of SRF also expressed low levels of platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRalphalow) and Ki67. SMCs grown in culture recaptured the phenotypic switch from differentiated SMCs to proliferative PDGFRalphalow cells. The immediate and dramatic reduction of Srf and Myh11 mRNA expression confirmed the phenotypic change. Human rectal prolapse tissue also demonstrated significant loss of SRF expression. CONCLUSIONS: SRF expression in SMCs is essential for prenatal development of the GI tract and heart. Following partial obstruction, SMCs down-regulate SRF to transition into proliferative PDGFRalphalow cells that may represent a phenotype responsible for their plasticity. These findings demonstrate that SRF also plays a critical role in the remodeling process following GI injury.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Heart ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Microscopy, Acoustic ; Muscle Cells ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Parturition ; Phenotype* ; Plastics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Primary Cell Culture ; Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Rectal Prolapse ; RNA, Messenger ; Serum Response Factor*

PURPOSE: In this study, we examined the stability of the lens-angle supporter (LAS) for accommodation restoration by comparing intraocular lens (IOL) location, after-cataract and ciliary body damage after cataract surgery in rabbits. METHODS: Eight rabbits were divided into experimental and control groups of four rabbits each. Phacoemulsification and irrigation and aspiration were performed in all rabbits. This was followed by an LAS and IOL insertion in the four experimental rabbits. In the four control rabbits, only an IOL insertion was performed. Six months after the surgery, the location of the IOL, the conditions of the lens capsule and ciliary body were evaluated using a slitl-amp examination and Miyake-Apple view. RESULTS: For the experimental group, the ultrasound biomicroscope results showed normal LAS and IOL positioning in all four cases. According to the slitlamp examination and Miyake-Apple view, the IOL was positioned at the center, with less after-cataract and damage to the ciliary body. For the control group, ultrasound biomicroscope results indicated a higher IOL position than normal, as well as a single case of IOL decentering. According to the slit-lamp examination and Miyake-Apple view, the IOL was decentered with more severe after-cataract and ciliary body damage. CONCLUSIONS: The LAS has the potential to maintain a stable IOL position while producing less after-cataract when used in lens-angle reconstruction for correction of presbyopia. Moreover, LAS implantation incurs less damage to the ciliary body.
Accommodation, Ocular/physiology ; Animals ; Anterior Eye Segment ; Ciliary Body/injuries ; Disease Models, Animal ; Eye Injuries/*surgery ; Lens Capsule, Crystalline/*surgery ; *Lens Implantation, Intraocular ; Microscopy, Acoustic ; *Phacoemulsification ; Rabbits ; *Reconstructive Surgical Procedures

Ultrasound biomicroscopy is an important ultrasound medical instrument and primary used in ophthalmology.The article design a probe of ultrasound biomicroscopy which is Portable, Low power consumption and High performance. Which can be used when plug in the computer USB interface.
Equipment Design ; Microscopy, Acoustic ; Ophthalmology