Intravitreal treatment in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration and visual acuity ≤ 0.05

Background: To investigate intravitreal treatment efficiencies in patients suffering from exudative ARMD with a BCVA ≤ 0.05. Methods: Retrospective analysis: Analysis parameters were lesion type, BCVA at baseline and at follow-up, the intravitreal drug used, and its application frequency. Patients were divided into: 1) following injections of bevacizumab, triamcinolone, their combination, or ranibizumab regardless of their lesion subtype, 2) or by lesion subtype. Statistical tests were performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests and multivariable logistic regressions. Results: Seventy four eyes of 74 patients were analyzed. Follow-up was at 12.0 to 15.7 weeks. Median difference of BCVA (logMAR) between baseline and follow-up was 0.000 (−0.030, 0.175) in classic (p = 0.105), 0.000 (−1.15, 0.20) in occult (p = 0.005), −0.200 (−1.20, 0.60) in cases with subretinal fluid (p = 0.207), 0.000 (-0.60, 0.30) in pigment epithelial detachment (p = 0.813), and 0.050 (−0.40, 0.70) in Junius Kuhnt maculopathy (p = 0.344). BCVA increased ≥ 0.2 logMAR in 4 (24 %) classic, 9 (47 %) occult, 6 (33 %) pigment epithelial detachment, 6 (55 %) subretinal fluid, in 29 (39 %) eyes regardless of the lesion type, and reached a BCVA ≥ 0.05 in 7 (9 %) of those with a baseline BCVA <0.05. Conclusions: Results indicate that in patients with ARMD and a BCVA lower 0.05, intravitreal treatment may improve visual acuity, most probably in cases with occult lesions.<br

Attitudes Concerning Postmortem Organ Donation : A Multicenter Survey in Various German Cohorts

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to characterize postmortem organ donation attitudes in various German cohorts. MATERIAL AND METHODS Employees of 2 German cities and 2 German university hospitals, employees of a German automobile enterprise, and members of a German Medical Society were administered a questionnaire about postmortem organ and tissue donation attitudes. Demographic data and general attitudes were questioned and focused on: I) willingness to donate organs, II) holding a donor card, and III) having discussed the topic with the family. RESULTS Of 5291 participants, 65.2% reported favoring postmortem organ donation. Missing negative experiences, the idea that donation is helpful, a non-medical professional environment, excellent general health, gender, agreement with the brain-death paradigm, and age significantly influenced the participants’ attitudes. Participants were more likely to possess donor cards and had discussed more often with family members if they agreed with the brain-death paradigm and considered donation to be helpful. Males and older participants were the most likely to neglect donor cards, and Catholics, Protestants, and participants with poor health were the least likely to donate organs. Interest in receiving more information was expressed by 38.1% and 50.6% of participants refusing donation of all or of specific organs, respectively, and suggested the internet (60.0%) and family doctors (35.0%) as preferred sources of information. CONCLUSIONS Public campaigns in Germany should focus on males and older people as regards donor cards, and females, younger, and religiously affiliated persons as regards the general willingness to donate organs postmortem

Challenges in QCD matter physics - The Compressed Baryonic Matter experiment at FAIR

Substantial experimental and theoretical efforts worldwide are devoted to explore the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter. At LHC and top RHIC energies, QCD matter is studied at very high temperatures and nearly vanishing net-baryon densities. There is evidence that a Quark-Gluon-Plasma (QGP) was created at experiments at RHIC and LHC. The transition from the QGP back to the hadron gas is found to be a smooth cross over. For larger net-baryon densities and lower temperatures, it is expected that the QCD phase diagram exhibits a rich structure, such as a first-order phase transition between hadronic and partonic matter which terminates in a critical point, or exotic phases like quarkyonic matter. The discovery of these landmarks would be a breakthrough in our understanding of the strong interaction and is therefore in the focus of various high-energy heavy-ion research programs. The Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment at FAIR will play a unique role in the exploration of the QCD phase diagram in the region of high net-baryon densities, because it is designed to run at unprecedented interaction rates. High-rate operation is the key prerequisite for high-precision measurements of multi-differential observables and of rare diagnostic probes which are sensitive to the dense phase of the nuclear fireball. The goal of the CBM experiment at SIS100 (sqrt(s_NN) = 2.7 - 4.9 GeV) is to discover fundamental properties of QCD matter: the phase structure at large baryon-chemical potentials (mu_B > 500 MeV), effects of chiral symmetry, and the equation-of-state at high density as it is expected to occur in the core of neutron stars. In this article, we review the motivation for and the physics programme of CBM, including activities before the start of data taking in 2022, in the context of the worldwide efforts to explore high-density QCD matter.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures. Published in European Physical Journal

Resorbable and running suture for stable fixation of amniotic membrane multilayers: A useful modification in deep or perforating sterile corneal ulcers

Purpose: To present a modified technique for secure tightening and fixing of multilayer amniotic membranes in deep or perforating corneal ulcers. Observations: The modified procedure for application and fixation of multilayer amniotic membranes is retrospectively described step by step, and the results of three patients treated with this technique were retrospectively analysed and presented.The modification consists basically in fixing the inlays with one mini-overlay that is sutured intracorneally with resorbable and running Vicryl 10.0, before a corneoscleral overlay is fixed on top conjunctivally with a running nylon 10.0 suture. The resorbable Vicryl suture is left in place permanently. Conclusions and Importance: The method described avoids any risk of destroying or displacing the inlays by removing sutures later. In each of the three patients demonstrated as case reports the cornea remained stable throughout the 3- to 5-month follow-up period. This modified technique represents a very useful auxiliary means of treating deep or perforating non-infectious corneal ulcers. Keywords: Amniotic membrane transplantation, Corneal ulcer, Corneal perforation, Multilayer, Keratoplast

Efficacy of Emergency Penetrating Keratoplasty with Cryopreserved Human Donor Corneas

Introduction: To investigate the long-term outcomes of emergency penetrating keratoplasty using cryopreserved human donor corneas in the management of actual or imminent corneal perforation. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of the treatment efficacy of emergency penetrating keratoplasty using a cryopreserved human donor cornea, in 14 eyes of 14 patients with corneal ulcers of different etiology. For comparison, the medical histories of 14 patients who had undergone penetrating keratoplasty with the same indication, but received a regularly processed human corneal graft, were retrospectively analyzed. In both groups, the primary endpoint for graft failure was repeat surgery, defined as the necessity for amniotic membrane transplantation, conjunctival flap, or repeat penetrating keratoplasty, during a follow-up time of maximally 12 months. Results: The difference in the need for repeated surgeries between the cryopreserved human donor cornea group and cultivated tissue graft group was not statistically significant (p = 0.835). Specifically, repeat complex surgery of any kind within 6 months was necessary in 50% of the cryopreserved cornea group and in 57.1% of the control group, with no further surgical interventions during the remainder of the follow-up period. However, repeat penetrating keratoplasty occurred more frequently in the cryopreserved cornea group (n = 5) than in the control group (n = 1) during the first 12 months after treatment (p = 0.048). Conclusion: Cryopreserved corneas appear to be a viable option for promptly addressing emergencies and stabilizing the corneal situation, providing a faster solution compared to waiting for fresh tissue availability. However, repeat penetrating keratoplasty is more frequent when cryopreserved human donor corneas are used. Cryopreserved human donor corneas may be useful if surgical treatment is urgent and alternative options, such as tissue use, a conjunctival flap, or multilayer amniotic membrane transplantation, are not available