Abstract: In the early days of deciphering the injured neuronal tissues led to the realization that contrast is necessary to discern the parts of the recovering tissues from the damaged ones. Early attempts relied on available (and often naturally occurring) staining substances. Incidentally, the active ingredients of most of them were small molecules. With the advent of time, the knowledge of chemistry helped identify compounds and conditions for staining. The staining reagents were even found to enhance the visibility of the organelles. Silver impregnation identification of Golgi bodies was discovered in owl optic nerve. Staining reagents since the late 1800s were widely used across all disciplines and for nerve tissue and became a key contributor to advancement in nerve-related research. The use of these reagents provided insight into the organization of the neuronal tissues and helped distinguish nerve degeneration from regeneration. The neuronal staining reagents have played a fundamental role in the clinical research facilitating the identification of biological mechanisms underlying eye and neuropsychiatric diseases. We found a lack of systematic description of all staining reagents, whether they had been used historically or currently used. There is a lack of readily available information for optimal staining of different neuronal tissues for a given purpose. We present here a grouping of the reagents based on their target location: (I) the central nervous system (CNS), (II) the peripheral nervous system (PNS), or (III) both. The biochemical reactions of most of the staining reagents is based on acidic or basic pH and specific reaction partners such as organelle or biomolecules that exists within the given tissue type. We present here a summary of the chemical composition, optimal staining condition, use for given neuronal tissue and, where possible, historic usage. Several biomolecules such as lipids and metabolites lack specific antibodies. Despite being non-specific the reagents enhance contrast and provide corroboration about the microenvironment. In future, these reagents in combination with emerging techniques such as imaging mass spectrometry and kinetic histochemistry will validate or expand our understanding of localization of molecules within tissues or cells that are important for ophthalmology and vision science.
Background: In this investigation, we explore the literature regarding neuroregeneration from the 1700s to the present. The regeneration of central nervous system neurons or the regeneration of axons from cell bodies and their reconnection with other neurons remains a major hurdle. Injuries relating to war and accidents attracted medical professionals throughout early history to regenerate and reconnect nerves. Early literature till 1990 lacked specific molecular details and is likely provide some clues to conditions that promoted neuron and/or axon regeneration. This is an avenue for the application of natural language processing (NLP) to gain actionable intelligence. Post 1990 period saw an explosion of all molecular details. With the advent of genomic, transcriptomics, proteomics, and other omics—there is an emergence of big data sets and is another rich area for application of NLP. How the neuron and/or axon regeneration related keywords have changed over the years is a first step towards this endeavor.
Methods: Specifically, this article curates over 600 published works in the field of neuroregeneration. We then apply a dynamic topic modeling algorithm based on the Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) algorithm to assess how topics cluster based on topics.
Results: Based on how documents are assigned to topics, we then build a recommendation engine to assist researchers to access domain-specific literature based on how their search text matches to recommended document topics. The interface further includes interactive topic visualizations for researchers to understand how topics grow closer and further apart, and how intra-topic composition changes over time.
Conclusions: We present a recommendation engine and interactive interface that enables dynamic topic modeling for neuronal regeneration.
Background: Sodium iodate (SI) is a chemical widely applied to induce retina degeneration in animal models. SI treatment caused formation of rosettes/folds in the outer nuclear layer (ONL) of the rat retina, but it was previously unclear whether SI also forms rosettes in mice. In addition, SI induced retina degeneration was never addressed in non-separate sclerochoroid/retina pigment epithelium/retina whole mount. Here we displayed features of retina degeneration including rosette formation in mice and developed a morphological analytic assessment using sclerochoroid/retina pigment epithelium/retina whole mounts.
Methods: SI was intraperitoneally injected in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and C57BL/6J mice using a single dose (50 mg/kg) or with a dose range (10 to 50 mg/kg) in BALB/C mice. Rat retinas were investigated up to 2-week post-injection by histology and whole mounts, and mouse retinas were investigated up to 3-week post-injection by histology, fluorescent staining of sections and/or sclerochoroid/retina pigment epithelium/retina whole mounts for the morphological evaluations of the SI-induced retina damage.
Results: SI-induced retina damage caused photoreceptor (PR) degeneration and rosettes/folds formation, as well as retina pigment epithelium degeneration and inward migration. It displayed mixed nuclei from choroid to PRs, due to layer disorganization, as shown by single horizontal images in the sclerochoroid/retina pigment epithelium/retina whole mounts. Measurement of the PR rosette area induced by SI provided a quantitative, morphological evaluation of retina degeneration.
Conclusions: The method of non-separate sclerochoroid/retina pigment epithelium/retina whole staining and mount allows us to observe the integral horizontal view of damage from sclera to PR layers, which cannot be addressed by using sectioned and separate whole mount methods. This method is applicable for morphological evaluation of retina damage, especially in the subretinal layer.
Background: This study aims to investigate the current status and influencing factors of evidence-based practice (EBP) with knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of ophthalmic nursing staffs in south China.
Methods: Using a convenient sampling method, we selected 429 ophthalmic nursing staffs from 28 ophthalmology specialist hospitals or general hospitals in south China, and investigated their general information and implemented the evidence-based practice questionnaire (EBPQ).
Results: The scores of EBP and KAP of ophthalmic nursing staffs in south China from high to low were as follows: practical attitude (4.85±1.07 points), practical behavior (4.42±1.14 points), practical knowledge and skills (4.30±0.65 points). The single factor analysis results showed that the first graduation degree, technical title, scientific research achievements, whether or not participate in EBP training, the frequency of reading literature at ordinary time, and whether or not participate in EBP project were the influencing factors of EBP level; the multi-factor analysis results showed that EBP attitude, EBP knowledge and skills, whether or not participate in EBP training were independent influencing factors of EBP.
Conclusions: The ophthalmic nursing staffs in south China have a positive attitude towards EBP, however, their EBP knowledge, skills and behavioral capabilities need to be focused and improved. The ophthalmic nursing administrators should fully master the factors affecting the implementation of EBP, and take effective intervention measurement to improve the EBP abilities of ophthalmic nursing staffs, and promote the development of EBP in ophthalmology specialty.
Background: Dyop® is a dynamic optotype with a rotating and segmented visual stimulus. It can be used for visual acuity and refractive error measurement. The objective of the study was to compare refractive errormeasurement using the Dyop® acuity and LogMAR E charts.
Methods: Fifty subjects aged 18 or above with aided visual acuity better than 6/12 were recruited. Refractive error was measured by subjective refraction methods using the Dyop® acuity chart and LogMAR E charts and the duration of measurement compared. Thibo’s notation was used to represent the refractive error obtained for analysis.
Results: There was no significant difference in terms of spherical equivalent (M) (P=0.96) or J0 (P=0.78) and J45 (P=0.51) components measured using the Dyop® acuity and LogMAR E charts. However, subjective refraction measurement was significantly faster using the Dyop® acuity chart (t=4.46, P<0.05), with an average measurement time of 419.90±91.17 versus 452.04±74.71 seconds using the LogMAR E chart.
Conclusions: Accuracy of refractive error measurement using a Dyop® chart was comparable with use of a LogMAR E chart. The dynamic optotype Dyop® could be considered as an alternative fixation target to be used in subjective refraction.
Abstract: Submacular haemorrhage (SMH) is a sight threatening complication that can occur in exudative age related macular degeneration (AMD), but has been described to occur more frequently in eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Left untreated, SMH carries a grave visual prognosis. Thus, expedient diagnosis and effective management of this complication is of paramount importance. The treatment strategies for SMH include (I) displacement of blood from the fovea, usually by injection of an expansile gas; (II) pharmacologic clot lysis such as with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA); and (III) treatment of the underlying choroidal neovascularization (CNV) or PCV, such as with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents. These three strategies have been employed in isolation or in combination, some concurrently and others in stages. rtPA has demonstrable effect on the liquefaction of submacular clots but there are remaining uncertainties with regards to the dose, safety and the timing of initial and repeat treatments. Potential side effects of rtPA include retinal pigment epithelial toxicity, increased risk of breakthrough vitreous haemorrhage and systemic toxicity. In cases presenting early, pneumatic displacement alone with anti-VEGF may be sufficient. Anti-VEGF monotherapy is a viable treatment option particularly in patients with thinner SMH and those who are unable to posture post pneumatic displacement.
Abstract: Dry eye disease is the most prevalent ocular surface disease in eye clinics. The deficiency of tears is regarded as one of the main pathogenic factors for this disease. Due to the fact that the components of tears are still far beyond our knowledge, the restoration of physiological tears remains the optimum choice for dry eye patients. However, the traditional way to stimulate tear production by systemic administration of muscarinic agonists usually encounters severe side effects. Recently, Nakamachi and colleagues reported that PACAP, a native neurotransmitter present in tear fluid, could stimulate main lacrimal gland secretion and relieve dry eye-like symptoms in PACAP knockout mice. The finding of PACAP and its underlying mechanisms suggest a new modality for dry eye treatment via targeted topical tear stimulations.
