Characteristics and Outcomes of Open Globe Trauma in the Urban versus Rural Population: A Single Center Retrospective Review

Purpose: To examine the characteristics and outcomes of open globe injuries sustained by the urban population compared to the rural population. Methods: This is a retrospective chart review of 429 patients presenting to University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Presbyterian Hospital with traumatic open globes from July 2005 to July 2013. Results: Rural patients had a longer time which elapsed from injury to presentation (P = 0.023, average 12.04 hours vs 7.53 hours). There was a higher incidence of patient transfer prior to arrival to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital (P = 0.018), patient follow-up elsewhere (P = 0.049), and patients sustaining intraocular foreign bodies (IOFBs) (P = 0.009). Conclusions: Health care access is a well-known problem in rural areas and using rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) codes can help identify a population for risk factors or potential disparities in care. Rural patients sustained a higher rate of IOFBs; this should heighten the clinicians’ suspicion during the evaluation of an open globe in other rural populations.     

Determination of ethoxzolamide in the iris/ciliary body of the rabbit eye by high-performance liquid chromatography: comparison of tissue levels following intravenous and topical administrations

A specific high-performance liquid chromatographic method is described for ethoxzolamide following the extraction of the material from iris/ciliary body eye tissue in rabbits. The steps consist of base extraction and protein and enzyme deactivation, followed by acid treatment, extraction into ethyl acetate, evaporation, and solubilization with a 50% aqueous methanol solution. The samples were chromatographed on a reverse-phase phenyl column with a mobile phase consisting of 50% methanol in 1% acetic acid. The recovery was 74.3% over a 10-fold range of tissue concentrations. The sensitivity was 0.03 microgram/mL, and the response was linear over the concentration range (0.03-0.5 microgram/mL) used in the study. Intravenous (2.0- and 6.0-mg/kg) and topical (1% suspension) doses of ethoxzolamide were administered to rabbits. Iris/ciliary body tissues were excised 45 min after drug administration. The tissue levels after a dose of 6 mg/kg were statistically greater than the levels obtained after a dose of 2 mg/kg. The smaller intravenous dose represented the lowest dose for which a reduction in intraocular pressure could be measured. An initial transitory drop in intraocular pressure was detected for the topical dose. Iris/ciliary body levels in the treated eye could be detected for the 2-mg/kg iv and topical doses.     

Topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. III: Optimization model for corneal penetration of ethoxzolamide analogues

An analogue series representing modification to the benzene ring of ethoxzolamide has been evaluated for solubility, pKa, partitioning, and permeability across excised rabbit corneas. These physical parameters were correlated to Hammett sigma (para) and/or Hansch pi parameter values for each compound. From these correlations, a mathematical model was developed relating corneal permeability to molecular modifications of ethoxzolamide. A three-dimensional plot of maximum attainable penetration rate versus sigma (para) and pi yielded an optimal range of pi and sigma values from which an optimally penetrating analogue could be designed.     

Estradiol bending in cytosol from epididymides of immature rabbits.

A highly specific, high affinity binding protein for estradiol-17beta (E2) is present in cytosol prepared from the epididymides of immature (21-53 day old) rabbits. This binding moiety sediments on sucrose gradients as an 8S species under low ionic strength conditions and as a 4S species under conditions of high ionic strength (0.3 M KCL). The relative binding affinities of estrogens for the binding protein was E2 is greater than estrone is greater than estriol. Neither 5alpha-dihydrostestosterone (5alphaKHT), progesterone, nor cortisol were able to inhibit binding of [3H]E2 to epididymal binding sites. An 8S binding moiety for E2 was present in testicular cytosol but not in muscle. An apparently non-specific binding component for E2 was present in plasma which sedimented in the 4S region of low ionic strength gradients. The epididymal E2 binding moiety was distinct from a 4S androen binding protein of testicular origin which is detectable in cytosol prepared from epididymides of rabbits at certain stages development. We were unalbe to detect a specific E2 binding protein in epididymal cytosol from mature intact or 4-day castrated rabbits. The E2 binding component in the cytosol of immature rabbits had an Kd congruent to 2-10 X 10-10 M and the concentration of binding sites was in the order of 1-4 X 10-13 mmoles/mg of protein. The binding component was thermo-labele and pronase, but not nuclease, sensitive.