To report normal macular thickness measurements in healthy eyes using the latest commercially available optical coherence tomography (OCT) mapping software, version 3.0, from the Stratus OCT (OCT3). Methods: Thirty-seven eyes from 37 healthy subjects underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination, including OCT. Six radial scans, 6 mm in length and centered on the fovea, were obtained using the OCT3. Retinal thickness was automatically calculated by OCT mapping software. Measurements were displayed as the meanand standard deviation for each of the 9 regions defined in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study. Results: Foveal thickness (mean thickness in the central 1000-µm diameter area) and central foveal thickness (mean thickness at the point of intersection of 6 radial scans) on theOCT3were212±20and182±23µm,respectively.Macular thickness measurements were thinnest at the center of the fovea, thickest within 3-mm diameter of the center, and diminished toward the periphery of the macula. The temporal quadrant was thinner than the nasal quadrant. Cen-tralfovealthicknesswasalsomanuallydeterminedas170±18 µm, approximately 12 µm less than the value automatically obtained from the OCT3 software. There was no correlation between age and foveal thickness (P=.80). Conclusions: Mean foveal thickness measurements were 38 to 62 µm thicker than previously reported values, while mean central foveal thickness measurements were 20 to 49 µm thicker than previously published values. This discrepancy should be considered when interpreting OCT scans.

PURPOSE-To assess photoreceptor integrity in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and related diseases using ultra-high resolution optical coherence tomography (UHR-OCT) and to correlate foveal photoreceptor loss with visual acuity. DESIGN-Observational case series.METHODS-Nine eyes of nine patients with RP and related diseases were imaged with UHR-OCT at the ophthalmology clinic. Patients were diagnosed based on history, examination, fluorescein angiography, and electroretinography. Concurrently, 36 eyes of 36 normal subjects were imaged with UHR-OCT. Central foveal thickness (CFT) and foveal outer segment/pigment epithelium thickness (FOSPET) were defined and measured on UHR-OCT images in all subjects and were compared between the two groups using unpaired t tests. The two thickness measurements in RP patients were correlated with visual acuity using Pearson correlation and linear regression.RESULTS-UHR-OCT demonstrated macular photoreceptor thinning in all RP patients. The difference in CFT between RP patients and normal subjects was not statistically significant (P = . 103), but the difference in FOSPET between the two groups was significant (P = .003). Visual acuity showed a fair correlation with CFT (Pearson r = −0.43, r 2 = 0.187, P = .245) and an excellent correlation with FOSPET (Pearson r = −0.942, r 2 = 0.887, P < .0001).CONCLUSIONS-In the current study using UHR-OCT, a new thickness measurement termed FOSPET is demonstrated to quantify photoreceptor loss. FOSPET was statistically thinner in patients with RP and related diseases than in normal eyes and showed correlation with logMAR visual acuity. FOSPET appears to be a probable predictor of visual acuity in RP.Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) refers to a heterogeneous group of genetic retinal disorders that primarily affect the rod and cone photoreceptors and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Its prevalence in the United States is roughly 1/4000. 1-4 RP is a slowly progressive disease, and typically affects the rods before the cones, although this is not always the case. RP can be an isolated finding, or it can be associated with other systemic conditions. Several genes have been found to be associated with RP, and it can be inherited as an X-linked, autosomal NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript dominant, or autosomal recessive condition. Cases of RP with no known family history, referred to as RP simplex, can also occur. Diagnosis of RP is usually based on characteristic findings in clinical history and examination. Typical findings include disease onset in young adulthood, nyctalopia, peripheral vision loss, RPE disruption in the form of atrophy and "bone spicules," disk pallor, retinal vessel attenuation, and characteristic electroretinogram (ERG) appearance showing diffuse photoreceptor disease. RP can predispose patients to cystoid macular edema (CME), epiretinal membranes (ERM), posterior subcapsular cataracts, and pigmented flecks and syneresis of the anterior vitreous. 1-4 RP encompasses a hetero...

The influenza virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase interacts with the serine-5 phosphorylated carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) of the large subunit of RNA polymerase II (Pol II). It was proposed that this interaction allows the viral RNA polymerase to gain access to host mRNA-derived capped RNA fragments required as primers for the initiation of viral mRNA synthesis. Here, we show, using a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis, that similar amounts of Pol II associate with Pol II promoter DNAs in influenza virus-infected and mock-infected cells. However, there is a statistically significant reduction in Pol II densities in the coding region of Pol II genes in infected cells. Thus, influenza virus specifically interferes with Pol II elongation, but not Pol II initiation. We propose that influenza virus RNA polymerase, by binding to the CTD of initiating Pol II and subsequent cleavage of the capped 5' end of the nascent transcript, triggers premature Pol II termination.

Objective: We aimed to describe the impact on the single ED serving Dunedin, New Zealand, following the introduction of an electricscooter (e-scooter) sharing service. Methods: A retrospective cohort study comparing the number of vehicle related injuries during identical 6-week periods in 2018 and 2019 was performed. A descriptive analysis of the subset of e-scooter related presentations was undertaken. Results: A total of 172 and 228 vehicle related injury presentations were identified in samples from 2018 and 2019, respectively. During the 2018 study period zero e-scooter related ED presentations were identified. In 2019 there were 56 e-scooter related ED presentations (P-value <0.001) representing 54 events. There were 52 car, 21 motorbike and 62 bicycle related presentations during the same 2019 time period. Further descriptive analysis showed the majority of e-scooter presentations were for minor injury. Fractures or dislocations were found in 17 (32%) patients and 14 (26%) patients sustained a head injury, one of which was severe. Isolated minor musculoskeletal injuries were seen in 25 (46%) patients. On average one ED bed was occupied by an escooter patient for 2 h and 44 min each day during the 6-week study period in 2019. Conclusion:The introduction of an e-scooter sharing service resulted in a new injury hazard. Our study presents the number of e-scooter related ED presentations relative to other vehicles related injury visits and describes the injury patterns associated with e-scooter use which may inform future public policy.