Stephen Girard (1750–1831): a one-eyed American patriot

Stephen Girard trader, banker, millionaire, and patriot lived 81 full and exciting years. Apparently born with a blind or amblyopic right eye, he emigrated from Bordeaux. France, via Santa Domingo to the United States, and finally settled in Philadelphia, where he developed a successful maritime trade. Ultimately, Girard became the first multimillionaire in the United States. Extremely generous, he often walked from his home in the center of Philadelphia to his farm in what is now South Philadelphia distributing shoes to needy children. Probably Girard’s most heroic gestures were his gallant fight against the yellow fever epidemic in 1793 and his loan to the U.S. government during the War of 1812, which allowed the bankrupt country to continue the conflict and ultimately to win the war. Presented, in part, at the tenth annual meeting of the David G. Cogan Ophthalmic History Society, the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, March 8 and 9, 1997.     

Analysis of magnesium and trace elements in urinary calculi by atomic absorption spectrophotometry

Magnesium and trace element determinations in 29 urinary tract calculi were carried out using an atomic absorption spectrophotometric method. Of the calculi examined, 9 were pure calcium oxalate, 5 were mixed calcium oxalate/uric acid, 5 were mixed calcium oxalate/phosphate, 5 were magnesium ammonium phosphate and 5 were pure cystine. The measurement of magnesium and trace element levels has been considered useful in the elucidation of the mechanism of stone formation and the evaluation of factors leading to pathological consequences. In this study, the Mg, Zn, Cu, Fe, Cd and Pb content in all of the samples was determined and an attempt was made to compare the levels of these elements in calculi with the levels in normal hair.     

Extracapsular cataract extraction, posterior chamber lens insertion, and pars plana vitrectomy in one operation

Extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE), placement of a posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC IOL), and pars plana vitrectomy were combined in a single operation in 24 patients. Sixteen of these, 11 of whom are diabetic, have had 6 months or more of follow-up. In all cases, excellent visualization of the posterior segment was obtained, and the surgical objectives were achieved. No diabetic patient without preoperative neovascularization of the iris had this complication later. The advantages and disadvantages of alternative techniques are discussed.     

Variation in evoked potential measures over the menstrual cycle: A pilot study

Nancy Kluck, Scan J. O'Connor, Victor M. Hesselbrock, Allan Tasman and Donald Maier, Lance Bauer: Variation in Evoked Potential Measures Over the Menstrual Cycle: A Pilot Study. Prog. Neuro. Psychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiat. 1992. 16(6): 901–911.

1. 1. The P3 component of a visual event related potential (ERP) was studied for five consecutive weeks in six women with normal menstrual cycles. Serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2) and progesterone were studied during the same period.

2. 2. Increases in P3 amplitude, although nonsignificant, were noted in the week preceding onset of menses.

3. 3. No significant changes in reaction times to target/nontarget stimuli were noted over the same time period.

Inhibition of compound action potentials following administration of dental self-etching primer/adhesives

Self-etching dentin adhesive systems, a new generation of dental-bonding agents, were investigated for their ability to block nerve conductance in the rat sciatic nerve model. Clearfil SE Bond, Mac Bond and FL Bond were used as test materials. Isolated rat sciatic nerves obtained from female albino rats were placed between two electrodes in a bath containing Tyrode solution. The bonding agents were brought into contact with the nerves and the evoked compound action potentials were recorded versus time before and after contact with the materials. Statistical analysis was performed using the Friedman and Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks tests (P = 0.01) to compare the mean percentage of inhibition between test materials versus time. All test materials were able to block nerve transmission rapidly (3.3 +/- 0.5, 5.1 +/- 2.3 and 8.0 +/- 1.9 min for SE Bond, Mac Bond and FL Bond, respectively). Significant differences were found between FL Bond and SE and Mac Bond (P < 0.01). These results indicated that the bonded systems tested, intended primarily as dentinal tubule occluders, may also exert some direct desensitizing effect on intratubular or pulpal nerve terminals in extremely deep cavities or pulpal microexposures, contributing to decreased postoperative pain.     

Influence of a self-etching primer on compound nerve action potentials

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of self-etching primers on nerve conductance. A self-etching primer (One Up Bond F) which combines etching and bonding in one step, and a fifth-generation bonding agent (Prime&Bond NT ) were tested. Isolated rat sciatic nerves were placed between two platinum electrodes in a bath containing Tyrode solution. The bonding agents were brought into contact with the nerves and the evoked compound action potentials (CAP) were recorded before and after contact with the materials. One Up Bond F caused total inhibition of the CAP within an average time of 7 min. All CAPs in this group were blocked irreversibly. As with Prime&Bond NT, the reduction in CAP was 45.9% after an application time of 15 min, after which readings were terminated. Recovery of the CAP in this group were maintained after rinsing with fresh tyrode solution. One Up Bond F elicited faster blocking of nerve conductance under the conditions of this model. In the context of dentin desensitization with bonding agents, the self-etching primer may be more effective, clinically.     

Proliferative sickle retinopathy and neovascularization of the disc: regression following treatment with peripheral retinal scatter laser photocoagulation

Proliferative sickle retinopathy (PSR) is usually described as a peripheral neovascular tuft in a "sea fan" like configuration. While neovascularization of the disc (NVD) is a common finding in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), to our knowledge only one other case has been reported of NVD in an S-C patient in the absence of other contributing conditions. PSR has been shown to regress after treating hypoxic peripheral retina with peripheral circumferential retinal scatter photocoagulation (PCRSP). The following is a case report of an S-C patient with PSR and NVD/NVR which was originally treated elsewhere with scatter argon laser photocoagulation from the vascular arcades to just behind the equator. The peripheral "sea fan" and NVD did not regress. PCRSP to the zone of peripheral ischemia was then performed, and regression of the NVD and peripheral "sea fan" was achieved. This case illustrates the importance of concentrating laser treatment to the zones of retinal ischemia to achieve regression of associated neovascularization.     

Laser photocoagulation for stage 3+ retinopathy of prematurity

Twenty-two infants with "threshold" stage 3+ retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) were entered into a prospective, randomized clinical trial to compare the efficacy of transscleral cryotherapy versus laser photocoagulation delivered by the indirect ophthalmoscope. Eighteen infants have been followed for at least 3 months. Fifteen of 16 eyes randomized to laser and 9 of 12 eyes randomized to cryotherapy showed regression. The results suggest that laser therapy is as effective as cryotherapy in the treatment of ROP (P = 0.285).