Manuel Febrero Bande

PREDICTION OF SO2 LEVELS USING NEURAL NETWORKS

Abstract In this paper, we present an adaptation of the air pollution control help system in the neighborhood of a power plant in As Pontes (A Coruña, Spain), property of Endesa Generación S.A., to the European Council Directive 1999/30/CE. This system contains a statistic prediction made half an hour before the measurement, and it helps the staff in the power plant prevent air quality level episodes. The prediction is made using neural network models. This prediction is compared with one made by a semiparametric model.

Serum DJ-1/PARK 7 is a potential biomarker of choroidal nevi transformation.

PURPOSE There is substantial evidence that intraocular melanomas arise from benign nevi in the uveal tract. Previous studies performed by the authors revealed that uveal melanoma cells secrete the oncoprotein DJ-1/PARK7 into the extracellular environment and circulation. The aim of this study was to determine whether circulating DJ-1 serum levels correlate with known clinical risk factors of nevi growth. METHODS Standardized ultrasonography, optical coherence tomography, and eye fundus examinations were used to evaluate the clinical risk factors of nevi growth. These clinical risk factors (including nevi size, distance of margins to the optic disc, detection of acoustic hollowness, presence of ocular symptoms, orange pigment, subretinal fluid, and absence of drusen) were examined in 53 consecutive patients from January 2009 to February 2011. Serum levels of DJ-1/PARK7 in these patients and in healthy age- and sex-matched controls (n = 32) were analyzed using ELISA. RESULTS Within the choroidal nevi group, DJ-1 serum levels were higher in those with symptoms (P < 0.033), with a nevus thickness greater than 1.5 mm (P < 0.001), a large basal diameter greater than 8 mm (P < 0.001), and the presence of acoustic hollowness (P < 0.001), compared to those patients without these risk factors. Similar significant differences were found when these at risk nevi subgroups were compared to healthy persons. CONCLUSIONS Elevated serum levels of DJ-1 are associated with choroidal nevi transformation risk factors. Therefore, DJ-1 appears to be a promising factor for predicting the growth of choroidal nevi and may be a potential biomarker of malignancy.

A presentation of iridoschisis with plateau iris: an imaging study.

Iridoschisis is an ocular condition characterised by a separation of the mesodermal layer of the iris in which the anterior layer atrophies. According to histopathological studies, iridoschisis presents with fibrosis and tissue atrophy in the iris stroma that originates from the ectoderm, extends to the posterior pigment epithelium and remains intact. The anterior layer of the iris stroma is separated from the rear and is divided into free strands that protrude into the anterior chamber and may damage the corneal endothelium. The most common ages of onset are the sixth and seventh decades of life and this condition usually manifests at a bilateral and sectoral level in the inferior iris. We present a case of iridoschisis associated with plateau iris, which we studied using optical coherence tomography (OCT) on the anterior segment and ultrasonic biomicroscopy (UBM). The objective of this paper was to describe the characteristics of this disease that were detectable using these techniques.

Intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents and antibiotic prophylaxis for endophthalmitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether the use of local antibiotics is a beneficial prophylactic treatment for endophthalmitis in patients treated with anti-VEGF agents. We searched the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases, and the Cochrane Library over the period January 2007 to December 2016. The search terms used included “Endophthalmitis”, “Antibiotic” and “Intravitreal injection”. Studies in which the patients were treated exclusively with intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF were selected. Eight studies fit the inclusion criteria, which included a total of 276,774 injections; 109,178 (39.45%) were associated with the use of antibiotics and 114,821 (60.55%) were not associated with the use of antibiotics. Our meta-analysis indicated a significant risk for endophthalmitis that was 1.70 times greater with the use of antibiotics than that without antibiotics, with a confidence interval of 1.08 to 2.66 (p = 0.02). A meta-regression indicated that the location (operating rooms versus outpatient clinics) of injection did not have a significant effect on the incidence of endophthalmitis. The prophylactic use of antibiotics when administering anti-VEGF intravitreal injections may contribute to a greater incidence of endophthalmitis. This finding, in addition to reducing costs, would eliminate a treatment that has been shown to be unnecessary and even harmful to patients.

EVALUATION OF VITRECTOMY AND REIMPLANTATION FOLLOWING LATE DISLOCATION OF THE INTRAOCULAR LENS-CAPSULAR BAG COMPLEX: A 3 Years Follow-up Study.

Objectives: To study the predisposition factors for dislocation of the intraocular lens (IOL)—capsular bag complex and analyze the results of subsequent reimplantation surgery. Methods: The exclusion criteria were complicated cataract surgery and minor dislocations that appeared in the first year after cataract surgery. Thirty-six months of monitoring of the reimplantation surgery was required. The primary measurements of results were factors concerning dislocation, the interval between cataract surgery and dislocation, and postoperative complications. Results: Thirty-six patients with dislocation of the capsular bag and lens were identified. Pseudoexfoliation was mentioned in 17 cases (47.2%) and was the main predisposition factor. The average interval between cataract surgery and dislocation was 11.5 years. The dislocated IOL was replaced by a posterior chamber implant in 38% of cases and an anterior chamber implant in 62%. The average best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly after the reposition surgery (P < 0.01). The average monitoring period after secondary reimplantation was 5.95 years (min. 3.03—max. 8.46). Three patients developed bullous keratopathy, all of them with an anterior chamber IOL implantation. Conclusion: According to our knowledge, this article is the one with the longest monitoring time to date. Pseudoexfoliation was the main risk factor for the dislocation of the IOL. Surgery significantly improved best-corrected visual acuity, and the reimplantation of the IOL in the posterior chamber was associated with less serious complications.