BackgroundThe problem of access to medical information, particularly in low-income countries, has been under discussion for many years. Although a number of developments have occurred in the last decade (e.g., the open access (OA) movement and the website Sci-Hub), everyone agrees that these difficulties still persist very widely, mainly due to the fact that paywalls still limit access to approximately 75% of scholarly documents. In this study, we compare the accessibility of recent full text articles in the field of ophthalmology in 27 established institutions located worldwide.MethodsA total of 200 references from articles were retrieved using the PubMed database. Each article was individually checked for OA. Full texts of non-OA (i.e., “paywalled articles”) were examined to determine whether they were available using institutional and Hinari access in each institution studied, using “alternative ways” (i.e., PubMed Central, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, and Online Reprint Request), and using the website Sci-Hub.ResultsThe number of full texts of “paywalled articles” available using institutional and Hinari access showed strong heterogeneity, scattered between 0% full texts to 94.8% (mean = 46.8%; SD = 31.5; median = 51.3%). We found that complementary use of “alternative ways” and Sci-Hub leads to 95.5% of full text “paywalled articles,” and also divides by 14 the average extra costs needed to obtain all full texts on publishers’ websites using pay-per-view.ConclusionsThe scant number of available full text “paywalled articles” in most institutions studied encourages researchers in the field of ophthalmology to use Sci-Hub to search for scientific information. The scientific community and decision-makers must unite and strengthen their efforts to find solutions to improve access to scientific literature worldwide and avoid an implosion of the scientific publishing model. This study is not an endorsement for using Sci-Hub. The authors, their institutions, and publishers accept no responsibility on behalf of readers.

Application of MMC for prevention of excessive scarring after EEDCR is impractical as it is not possible to achieve antifibrotic concentration of the drug at dacryocystorhinostomy ostium site using this method.

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Purpose: To conduct a morphological study of structural changes in the nasolacrimal duct in secondary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (SALDO) as a result of treatment with radioiodine. Methods: Twenty patients (20 cases) were involved: 10 cases with secondary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction at Hasner’s valve level due to the treatment with radioiodine (group 1) and 10 cases with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (group 2). During surgery, a biopsy of nasolacrimal duct tissue from Hasner’s valve area was taken. A morphological study was performed using semi-fine sections technique. Results: Patients of group 1 showed the following: desquamation of columnar epithelium, pinpoint ulceration of nasolacrimal duct wall, collapse of a significant part of the capillary bed, and absence of blood cells in their lumen. State of secretory cells of mucous glands varied from necrobiotic to the different stages of dystrophic, decreased lumens of acini with abundant microvesicles in cell cytoplasm were revealed. A specific sign noted in patients of group 2 was mixed inflammatory infiltration of the mucosa of the nasolacrimal duct. The picture corresponds to the exacerbation of a chronic inflammatory process. Conclusions: Changes revealed in patients of group 1 include desquamation of nasolacrimal duct epithelium, mucous gland lesion, and moderate fibrosis that indicate a probable primary character of the lesion. In patients of group 2, fibrotic changes were more significant and were due to a chronic inflammatory process. Thus, secondary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction after treatment with radioactive iodine has a specific pathogenesis and should be classified as a separate nosological form.

Основным источником рецидивов после эндоскопической эндоназальной дакриоцисториностомии (ДЦр) является заращение сформированного искусственного соустья. Однако процессы репарации, протекающие в области дакриостомы после эндоскопической эндоназальной ДЦр, остаются недостаточно изученными. Цель -проведение морфологического анализа процессов репарации в области дакриостомы после эндоскопической эндоназальной ДЦр. материал и методы. в исследование вошли 18 пациенток (18 женщин в возрасте 62,59±10,07 года с облитерацией слезоотводящих путей. всем пациенткам была проведена эндоскопическая эндоназальная ДЦр по модифицированной методике P. Wormald. На 2, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, 60-е сутки после операции брали биопсию из области дакриостомы. Полученный материал окрашивали гематоксилином и эозином. С целью более детального исследования клеточного состава воспалительного инфильтрата (54 препарата) изучали полутонкие срезы. Полученные гистологические препараты исследовали с помощью фотомикроскопа Leica DM-2500 («Leica», Германия). Фоторегистрацию изображений осуществляли цифровой фотокамерой Leica DFC320 с последующим анализом изображений с помощью программного обеспечения ImageScope Color. Результаты. При гистологическом исследовании выявляли, что в 1-е сутки после операции в исследуемом материале преобладает воспалительный инфильтрат. К 14-м суткам после операции его количество уменьшалось, что свидетельствовало о завершении экссудативной стадии воспаления. Преобладающими клеточными элементами в это время становились активированные фибробласты. К 28-м суткам после операции в биоптатах обнаруживали пролиферирующие фибробласты и коллагеновые волокна. На 60-е сутки после операции отмечали преобладание фибриллярных компонентов над клеточными и их компактизацию. Заключение. результаты исследования показали, что завершение процессов репарации наступает к 60-м суткам после операции. Динамическое морфологическое исследование биоптатов из области, окружающей дакриостому, позволило изучить индивидуальные особенности заживления слизистой оболочки носа и слезного мешка после эндоскопической эндоназальной ДЦр. Ostium closure due to local reparative processes is the most common cause of recurrence after endoscopic endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR), but as yet poorly studied. Aim -to perform morphological study of reparative processes at osteotomy site after endoscopic endonasal DCR. Material and methods. The study included 18 patients (18 women) aged 62.59±10.07 years with nasolacrimal duct obstruction, who underwent endoscopic endonasal DCR (P.J. Wormald modification). Osteotomy site biopsies were taken on days 2, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, and 60 after the surgery. All the samples were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. For further details on cellular composition of inflammatory infiltrate, 54 samples were also processed into semi-thin sections. The slides were then viewed under Leica DM-2500 (Leica, Germany) photomicroscope. Leica DFC320 digital camera and ImageScope Color software were used for image acquisition and analysis. Result...

in the surgical technique, data show that the rate of recurrences of this intervention is as high as 13 to 17%. 1,2 One of the most common causes for a negative surgery outcome is excessive cicatrization at the ostium site. 3,4 Recently, cytostatic drugs, which are administered either applicationally or by injection into the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity or lacrimal sac at the final stage of the surgery, have become relatively AbstractIntroduction Knowing a concentration at which cytostatic drugs are toxic for the nasal fibroblasts will enable the use cytostatic drugs in the clinical practice to prevent excessive cicatrization. Objective To determine the cytostatic concentrations of mitomycin С, doxorubicin, and 5-fluorouracil affecting nasal mucosa fibroblasts. Methods We obtained material during an endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy with the patient's informed consent. The cells were cultivated. Second-to fourth-passage cells were used in the experiments. The cells were stained for vimentin and cluster of differentiation 90 (CD90). An MTS test 3 (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium); cell viability test was performed. Results The cytostatic drugs have a toxic effect on cultivated fibroblasts of the nasal mucosa. This effect is dose-dependent. In terms of reducing the level of tissue fibrotisation in the nasal cavity, the most justified approach is to carry out an experimental study of the effect of mitomycin C, doxorubicin, and 5-fluorouracil at the concentrations of 0.25 mg/ml, 0.25 mg/ml, and 12.5 mg/ml respectively. Conclusion The authors argue that it is inappropriate to use these cytostatic drugs to conduct studies with the goal of analyzing their antifibrotic effect on the nasal mucosa at concentrations that are either lower or higher than the aforementioned ones.

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Lower meniscus morphometry with 'depth' measurement is a comprehensive method to assess the state of lacrimal drainage system. However, it should not be used alone due to significant variations in morphometric parameters, particularly in patients with intensive epiphora.