Tear film lipid layer thickness measurement from Ocular Surface Analyzer as a marker to monitor treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction in a study comparing physiological detergent-free eyelid wipes with conventional therapy: A randomized trial

Purpose:To compare the efficacy of physiological, non-detergent eyelid wipes with conventional lid hygiene in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).Methods:Fifty participants with MGD were recruited and randomized into two groups. Participants in group I used Evolve Pure™ Eyewipes twice a day to clean the eyelid debris along with standard therapy (antibiotic and lubricants) and participants in group II followed lid hygiene with warm compresses along with standard therapy. Symptoms, ocular surface assessment (lipid layer thickness, tear meniscus height, non-invasive tear film breakup time, and meibography), slit-lamp biomicroscopy (eyelash contamination, meibomian gland blockage, meibomian gland secretion, and meibomian gland telangiectasia) and tear film osmolarity were noted at baseline and 90 days after therapy.Results:Significant improvement in symptoms and signs of MGD was observed in both groups after treatment (P < 0.001); however, the clinical improvement was better with the use of eyelid wipes. Lipid layer thickness increased significantly in group I (P = 0.0006) and group II (P = 0.0002), which was maintained even after adjusting for sociodemographic variables such as age, sex, and severity score of symptoms and signs.Conclusion:Lipid layer thickness of the tear film is a sensitive marker in monitoring response to treatment in patients with MGD. The use of physiological detergent-free eyelid wipes is non-inferior to lid hygiene and warm compresses, which remains the mainstay for treatment of MGD; the clinical improvement with eyelid wipes was noted to be better.     

Resting Energy Expenditure and Systolic Blood Pressure Relationships in Women Across 4.5 Years

Recent studies have reported a strong association between blood pressure (BP) and resting energy expenditure (REE). However, it is not known whether this relationship persists over time. Therefore, the authors examined the temporal relationship between REE and systolic BP. In addition, the impact of sympathetic tone and anthropometric variables on this relationship was examined. All testing was performed on healthy, overweight African American and European American women aged 25 to 45 years over 4.5 years in the University of Alabama at Birmingham General Clinical Research Center. Repeated‐measures mixed‐models revealed REE as a significant determinant of systolic BP (β=0.0155, P<.0001), independent of catecholamines, leg fat, visceral fat, fat‐free mass, fat mass, height, relative skeletal muscle index, and resting heart rate. Observations that REE is predictive of systolic BP across 4.5 years support previous findings that REE may potentially mediate resting BP, independent of anthropometric variables and a marker for sympathetic tone.     

Utility of divergent domains of 28S ribosomal RNA in species discrimination of paramphistomes (Trematoda: Digenea: Paramphistomoidea)

Among the digenetic trematodes, paramphistomes are known to be the causative agent of “amphistomiasis” or the stomach fluke disease of domestic and wild animals, mainly ruminants. The use of 28S (divergent domains) and 18S rRNA for phylogenetic inference is significantly warranted for these flukes since it is as yet limited to merely the exploration of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) region. The present study intended to explore the divergent domains (D1–D3) of 28S rRNA and simultaneously equate the phylogenetic information with 18S rRNA in paramphistomes. Divergence of the 28S rRNA domains was evident amongst the divergent (D) domains, where D1 domain emerged as the most variable and D2, the most robust domain, since the latter could provide a higher resolution of the species. D2 was the only domain that comprised compensatory mutations in the helices of its structural constraints; this domain is thus well suited for species distinction and may be considered a potential DNA barcode complementary to mitochondrial DNA. 28S (D1?+?D2?+?D3) rRNA provided a significant resolution of the taxa corroborating with the taxonomy of these flukes and thus proved to be more robust as a phylogenetic marker for lower levels than 18S rRNA. Phylogenetic inferences of paramphitomes are still scarcely explored; additional data from other taxa belonging to this family may estimate better the biodiversity of these flukes.     

An evaluation of microleakage of various glass ionomer based restorative materials in deciduous and permanent teeth: An in vitro study

AimTo evaluate the microleakage of recently available glass ionomer based restorative materials (GC Fuji IX GP, GC Fuji VII, and Dyract) and compare their microleakage with the previously existing glass ionomer restorative materials (GC Fuji II LC) in primary and permanent teeth.MethodOne hundred and fifty (75 + 75) non-carious deciduous and permanent teeth were restored with glass ionomer based restorative materials after making class I cavities. Samples were subjected to thermocycling after storing in distilled water for 24 h. Two coats of nail polish were applied 1 mm short of restorative margins and samples sectioned buccolingually after storing in methylene blue dye for 24 h. Microleakage was assessed using stereomicroscope.ResultSignificant differences (P < 0.05) were found when inter group comparisons were done. Except when GC Fuji VII (Group III) was compared with GC Fuji II LC (Group II) and Dyract (Group IV), non-significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed. It was found that there was no statistically significant difference when the means of microleakage of primary teeth were compared with those of permanent teeth.ConclusionsGC Fuji IX GP showed maximum microleakage and GC Fuji VII showed least microleakage.     

APOE and LRPAP1 gene polymorphism and risk of Parkinson’s disease

Epidemiologic findings suggest that lipids and alteration in lipid metabolizing protein/gene may contribute to the development of neurodegenerative disorders. The aim of the current study was to determine the serum lipid levels and genetic variation in two lipid metabolizing genes, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-associated protein (LRPAP1) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Based on well-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, this study included 70 patients with PD and 100 age-matched controls. LRPAP1 and APOE gene polymorphism were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism, respectively. Fasting serum lipid levels were determined using an autoanalyser. The logistic regression analysis showed that high levels of serum cholesterol [odds ratio (OR) = 1.101, 95 % confidence interval (CI_95%) = 1.067–1.135], LRPAP1 I allelic variant alone (OR = 2.766, CI_95% = 1.137–6.752) and in combination with APOE ε4 allelic variant (OR = 4.187, CI_95% = 1.621–10.82) were significantly associated with increase in PD risk. Apart from that, the high levels of LDL cholesterol appears to have a protective role (OR = 0.931, CI_95% = 0.897–0.966) against PD. The LRPAP1 I allelic variant may be considered a candidate gene for PD, predominantly in patients having the APOE ε4 allelic variant.