PURPOSE To investigate the prevalence of scleral hyaline plaque among older adults in the city of Niterói in southeastern Brazil. A second goal was to assess the correlation between scleral hyaline plaque and several age-related diseases, including eye diseases and systemic diseases. METHODS The study sample comprised 667 participants who were followed for 15 months. The study had a prospecti...

Three cases of pseudomonas endophthalmitis associated with scleral necrosis 3 to 10 years after pterygium excision and beta irradiation are described. The value of prophylactic repair of radiation-induced scleral necrosis and early aggressive management of pseudomonas endophthalmitis are emphasized.

Fat cooperation keeps sleeping sickness at bay, say Molina-Portela et al. (page 1721). The authors find that all three components of a human high density cholesterol complex are needed to kill disease-causing trypanosomes. Trypanosomes cannot synthesize their own fats, so they feed on the host's portion, which in humans and some other primates includes a cholesterol complex known as the trypano...

The vitamin A metabolite retinoic acid (RA) regulates gene transcription by activating the nuclear receptors RAR and PPARβ/δ and their cognate lipid binding proteins CRABP-II, which delivers RA to RAR, and FABP5, which shuttles the hormone to PPARβ/δ. In preadipocytes, RA signals predominantly through CRABP-II and the RAR isotype RARγ to induce the expression of hallmark markers of preadipocyte...

Shoulder pain is common, especially with overhead tasks. A common misconception is that the rotator cuff should be trained with internal and external rotation exercises. The shoulder girdle is complex due to it’s inherent instability. This allows a tremendous range of mobility, but comes with a price. Namely, overuse injuries from repetitive strain especially with lifting, throwing, striking, e...

A 45-year-old male patient presented with necrotizing scleritis after 2 weeks of having undergone ptyregium surgery with bare sclera technique. Examination revealed a scleral thinning measuring 3 x 3 mm with anterior chamber inflammation. Lamellar scleral graft was dissected from the donor sclera and trephined to the approximate size of the scleral melt. Edges of the host scleral melt were fres...

This paper deals with the effect of process parameters on the peak load and the energy absorption of the expansion of thin walled tubes using a die. The energy absorption and peak load during the expansion process were calculated for various punch angles (α) and with different expansion ratios (rp/ro) at different temperatures (T) by finite element analysis where rp is the punch outer radius an...

PURPOSE The proteoglycans synthesized and accumulated within the adult human sclera (aged 50 to 80 years) were identified by their size, glycosaminoglycan side chains, and core proteins in an effort to characterize the proteoglycan content of the human sclera. METHODS Sclerae, unlabeled, or radiolabeled in organ culture with 35SO4 or 3H-proline, were extracted in 4M guanidine-HCl and separate...

PURPOSE It is proposed that the sclera is a metabolically active and pharmacologically responsive tissue. These studies were undertaken to determine whether prostaglandin exposure can enhance scleral permeability to high-molecular-weight substances. METHODS Topical prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) was administered to monkeys to determine if this altered the amount of scleral matrix metallo...