No significant evidence of neurodegeneration or ongoing neural injury in the cerebral cortex was found in this sample of elderly persons with schizophrenia. Furthermore, the behavioral and cognitive deterioration observed in late life did not correlate with age-related degenerative phenomena.

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While mean intraocular pressure (IOP) has long been known to correlate with glaucomatous damage, the role of IOP fluctuation is less clearly defined. There is extensive evidence in the literature for and against the value of short-term and long-term IOP fluctuation in the evaluation and prognosis of patients with glaucoma. We present here the arguments made by both sides, as well as a discussion of the pitfalls of prior research and potential directions for future studies. Until a reliable method is developed that allows for constant IOP monitoring, many variables will continue to hinder us from drawing adequate conclusions regarding the significance of IOP variation.

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Composite HPDFG is an effective method of reconstructing a contracted anophthalmic socket by restoring volume, lengthening the posterior lamella, and expanding the fornix to allow for successful prosthesis retention. Adjunctive use of 5-FU injections can delay post-operative cicatrization.

Purpose The human orbit is an environment that is vulnerable to inflammation and edema in the setting of autoimmune thyroid disease. Our study investigated the tenet that orbital adipose tissue lacks lymphatic vessels and analyzed the clinicopathologic differences between patients with acute and chronic thyroid eye disease (TED). The underlying molecular mediators of blood and lymphatic vessel formation within the orbital fat were also evaluated. Design Retrospective cohort study Participants The study included fat specimens from 26 orbits of 15 patients with TED undergoing orbital decompression. Orbital fat specimens from patients without TED as well as cadaveric orbital fat served as controls. Methods Tissue specimens were processed as formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections (FFPE) or frozen cryosections for immunohistochemistry. Total RNA was extracted and analyzed via quantitative (real-time) reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Clinicopathological correlation was made by determining the Clinical Activity Score (CAS) of each patient with TED. Main Outcome Measures Samples were examined for vascular and lymphatic markers including podoplanin, LYVE-1, and CD31 by immunohistochemistry, as well as for mRNA levels of VEGF, VEGF receptors, SEMA-3F, NRP-1, NRP-2, podoplanin and LYVE-1 by qRT-PCR. Results Clinicopathological correlation revealed increased staining of CD31-positive blood vessels in patients with acute TED with CAS > 4, as well as rare staining of podoplanin-positive lymphatic vessels within acutely inflamed orbital fat tissue. Additionally, qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) as well as VEGF signaling molecules: VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D. Conclusions In acute TED, compared to chronic TED and control orbital fat, there is increased blood vessel density suggesting neovascularization and rare lymphatic vessels suggestive of limited lymphangiogenesis. This pro-angiogenic and pro-lymphangiogenic microenvironment is likely due to the increased expression of VEGFR-2 and VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D. These findings imply that orbital edema in acute TED may be mediated, in part, by both the formation of new, immature blood vessels and the formation of lymphatic capillaries that are functionally incapable of draining interstitial fluid.

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Repair of cicatricial lower eyelid ectropion secondary to actinic skin changes may be accomplished with full-thickness skin grafting, and is often performed in conjunction with additional procedures to fully address anatomic abnormalities.