The Role of Muscle Mass in Endurance Performance and Neuromuscular Fatigue: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Numerous physiological factors can contribute to endurance performance. Among them, active muscle mass engaged in an exercise task has been postulated to alter fatigue.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effect of active muscle mass on endurance performance and neuromuscular fatigue.

Pediatric Sjögren's Syndrome: Focus on Ocular Involvement and Diagnostic Challenges.

: Pediatric Sjögren's syndrome is a rare autoimmune disease with a heterogeneous clinical expression and limited pediatric-specific diagnostic criteria. Ocular involvement often represents an early manifestation, yet it may go unrecognized in children due to poor symptom reporting and the underuse of objective diagnostic tools. This retrospective study evaluated six pediatric patients with Sjögren's syndrome, integrating systemic and ocular findings with a focus on early immunological and clinical markers.

Neovascular Proliferation over a Cosmetic Artificial Iris Implant.

Introduction: The NewColorIris and BrightOcular implants were initially developed to address congenital iris defects. However, they found application for cosmetic purposes. Unfortunately, these implants are frequently linked to severe complications, including glaucoma, endothelial dysfunction, cataract development, and iris abnormalities.

State of the Art on Inherited Retinal Dystrophies: Management and Molecular Genetics.

Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) represent a group of heterogeneous disorders caused by gene mutations primarily affecting retinal photoreceptors. In addition to vision loss, other symptoms may lead to visual impairment, such as altered visual fields, hemeralopia, glare sensitivity, and impaired color vision. These conditions almost always complicate with the onset of cataracts, macular edema or atrophy, glaucoma, etc.

Managing Cutibacterium acnes endophthalmitis after cataract surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cutibacterium acnes endophthalmitis is a subtle, indolent infection that typically follows cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation. Ill-defined symptoms, false-negative cultures, and uncoordinated surgical interventions contribute to a prolonged disease course and poor visual outcomes. A comprehensive literature review spanning from 1986 to September, 2024, evaluated the management of C.

Dissecting the exercise pressor reflex in heart failure: A multi-step failure.

The contribution of neural feedback originating from exercising limb muscles to the cardiovascular response to exercise was first recognized nearly 100 years ago. Today, it is well established that this influence is initiated by the activation of group III and IV sensory neurons with terminal endings located within contracting skeletal muscle. During exercise, these sensory neurons project feedback related to intramuscular mechanical and metabolic perturbations to medullary neural circuits which reflexively evoke decreases in parasympathetic and increases in sympathetic nervous system activity with the purpose of optimizing central and peripheral hemodynamics.

Oxygen Uptake Dynamics Conform to Acute Changes in Muscle Excitation and Total Hemoglobin Concentration during Constant Work Rate Exercise.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate whether muscle excitation during constant-work rate (WR) cycling is connected with total[Hb + Mb] and whether they interact with the oxygen uptake (V̇O 2 ) dynamics.

Methods: In experiment 1, 10 participants performed a 21-min constant-WR (CWR) within the heavy-intensity domain (i.e.

Changes in V̇O 2max after 6 wk of Intensity Domain-Specific Training: Role of Central and Peripheral Adaptations.

Purpose: This study characterized central and peripheral adaptations to domain-specific endurance exercise training.

Methods: Eighty-four young healthy participants were randomly assigned to age- and sex-matched groups of: continuous cycling in the 1) moderate-intensity (MOD), 2) lower heavy-intensity (HVY1), and 3) upper heavy-intensity (HVY2) domain; interval cycling in the 4) severe-intensity domain (i.e.

Sex differences in exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia and pulmonary edema following high-intensity exercise in highly trained endurance athletes.

This study investigated sex differences in the development of pulmonary edema and exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia (EIAH) in well-trained endurance athletes during near-maximal exercise in a real-world setting. Twenty participants (10M vs. 10F; V̇Opeak: 69.

Exercise training-induced speeding of kinetics is not intensity domain-specific or correlated with indices of exercise performance.

Purpose: This study examined the effect of 3 and 6 weeks of intensity domain-based exercise training on kinetics changes and their relationship with indices of performance.

Methods: Eighty-four young healthy participants (42 M, 42 F) were randomly assigned to six groups (14 participants each, age and sex-matched) consisting of: continuous cycling in the (1) moderate (MOD)-, (2) lower heavy (HVY1)-, and (3) upper heavy-intensity (HVY2)- domain; interval cycling in the (4) severe-intensity domain (i.e.

OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY FEATURES ASSOCIATED WITH VITREOMACULAR TRACTION RELEASE AND MACULAR HOLE SIZE PROGRESSION FOLLOWING TREATMENT WITH OCRIPLASMIN.

Purpose: To evaluate OCT features for vitreomacular traction (VMT) release and change in macular hole (MH) size after treatment with ocriplasmin.

Methods: Patients who had undergone treatment with ocriplasmin for VMT with or without MH ≤400 µm were included. The main outcomes were VMT release and changes in minimum linear diameter MH size at 4 weeks in MHs that persisted.

Choroidal biomarkers in age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of central visual impairment in the elderly. The exact pathophysiological mechanisms for AMD remain uncertain. Several studies suggest that choroidal abnormalities and alterations are critical in AMD progression.

Control of hyperpnoea and pulmonary gas exchange during prolonged exercise: The role of group III/IV muscle afferent feedback.

It remains unclear whether feedback from group III/IV muscle afferents is of continuous significance for regulating the pulmonary response during prolonged (>5 min), steady-state exercise. To elucidate the influence of these sensory neurons on hyperpnoea, gas exchange efficiency, arterial oxygenation and acid-base balance during prolonged locomotor exercise, 13 healthy participants (4 females; 21 (3) years, : 46 (8) ml/kg/min) performed consecutive constant-load cycling bouts at ∼50% (20 min), ∼75% (20 min) and ∼100% (5 min) of with intact (CTRL) and pharmacologically attenuated (lumbar intrathecal fentanyl; FENT) group III/IV muscle afferent feedback from the legs. Pulmonary responses were continuously recorded and arterial blood (radial catheter) periodically collected throughout the exercise.

Assessment of optical coherence tomography biomarkers in patients with non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) converting to exudative AMD according to the status of the fellow eye.

Objectives: To compare optical coherence tomography (OCT) biomarkers in eyes converting from non-neovascular (nnAMD) to exudative age-related macular degeneration (eAMD) based on the status of fellow eye.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of one year of pre-conversion data of fellow eyes of patients with nnAMD and eAMD which converted to eAMD, defined as converting eyes (CE) with fellow nnAMD and CE with fellow eAMD respectively. Demographics, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and OCT biomarkers including drusen type, iRORA/cRORA, subfoveal ellipsoid zone (SFEZ) disruption, central macular thickness (CMT), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), Haller vascular thickness (HVT) were evaluated.

Retrolental cohesive ophthalmic viscoelastic injection for severe subluxated cataracts: a prospective study.

Background: To assess anatomical and functional outcomes of retrolental cohesive ophthalmic viscoelastic injection ("Viscolift technique") in patients with severely subluxated cataracts.

Methods: In the present prospective study, we included patients older than 18 years with severely subluxated cataracts and phacodonesis. Full medical history was obtained at the baseline ophthalmological assessment.

Choroidal imaging biomarkers as predictors of conversion to exudative age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: Predicting the progression of intermediate AMD (iAMD) to neovascular AMD (nAMD) will help to identify high-risk patients and improve treatment outcomes. The present study assessed whether choroidal OCT biomarkers could predict conversion to nAMD.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients with clinically stable iAMD who either converted to nAMD (C group) or did not convert (NC group) during one year of follow-up.

The Respiratory Compensation Point: Mechanisms and Relation to the Maximal Metabolic Steady State.

At a point during the latter third of an incremental exercise protocol, ventilation begins to exceed the rate of clearance of carbon dioxide (CO) at the lungs ( CO). The onset of this hyperventilation, which is confirmed by a fall from a period of stability in end-tidal and arterial CO tensions (PCO), is referred to as the respiratory compensation point (RCP). The mechanisms that contribute to the RCP remain debated as does its surrogacy for the maximal metabolic steady state of constant-power exercise (i.

Pneumatic retinopexy for primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: from a clinical trial to the real-life experience.

Background: To report real-world outcomes of patients with primary Reghmatogenous Retinal Detachment (RRD) treated with Pneumatic Retinopexy (PnR) according to the indications of the Pneumatic Retinopexy versus Vitrectomy for management of Primary Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Outcomes Randomized Trial (PIVOT) trial.

Methods: Multicenter, retrospective study. Patients treated with PnR for RRD between 2021 and 2023 and a follow-up of at least 6 months were included.

Heavy-intensity priming exercise extends the V̇o plateau and increases peak-power output during ramp-incremental exercise.

This study investigated whether a heavy-intensity priming exercise precisely prescribed within the heavy-intensity domain would lead to a greater peak-power output (PO) and a longer maximal oxygen uptake (V̇o) plateau. Twelve recreationally active adults participated in this study. Two visits were required: ) a step-ramp-step test [ramp-incremental (RI) control], and ) an RI test preceded by a priming exercise within the heavy-intensity domain (RI primed).

Efficacy of the Combined Intrastromal Injection of Voriconazole and Amphotericin B in Recalcitrant Fungal Keratitis.

This study aims to report the efficacy of a combined intrastromal injection in optimizing the outcome of severe mycotic keratitis. Herein, we report a case series of 20 consecutive patients with positive fungal cultures not responding to topical antifungal treatment. Patients received cycles of intrastromal injections of voriconazole (50 µg/0.

Viscoelastics Enable Dissection of Anterior Closed Funnels in Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy: A Retrospective Case Series.

Introduction: The present study aimed to describe a case series of patients in which a cohesive ophthalmic viscous device (OVD) was used to viscodissect and posteriorly displace the retina in cases of total retinal detachment complicated by proliferative vitreoretinopathy, operated with minimally invasive pars plana vitrectomy.

Case Presentations: Three patients with a mean age of 67 years were included in the present study. One eye was aphakic, while the others were pseudophakic.

Performance and perceived fatigability across the intensity spectrum: role of muscle mass during cycling.

The role of muscle mass in modulating performance and perceived fatigability across the entire intensity spectrum during cycling remains unexplored. We hypothesized that at task failure (T), muscle contractile function would decline more following single- (SL) versus double-leg (DL) cycling within severe and extreme intensities, but not moderate and heavy intensities. After DL and SL ramp-incremental tests, on separate days, 11 recreationally active males (V̇o: 49.