Biomedical subjects
F Daxecker
Publications and source records attributed to F Daxecker.
Tolerance of N-chlorotaurine, an endogenous antimicrobial agent, in the rabbit and human eye--a phase I clinical study.
N-chlorotaurine (NCT), an essential weak oxidative N-chloro compound produced by stimulated human leukocytes, shows bactericidal, fungicidal, virucidal and vermicidal efficacy. A double-blind, randomized and placebo controlled study was done to evaluate the tolerance of the aqueous NCT solution by application to rabbit and human conjunctiva. In six rabbits treated with 1% and 3% NCT regimen for nine days no ocular and behaviour changes could be observed. In a pilot study with two volunteers, treatment with 2.8% NCT for five days caused a self-limited conjunctival injection of one subject, while 1% NCT was well tolerated. Subsequently, eight healthy volunteers participated in a phase I clinical study. One percent NCT was applied for five days and was well tolerated by all subjects except for minimal eye burning after the application. Because of these positive results, usage of the antimicrobial agent NCT in ophthalmology is suggested.
Representations of eyeglasses on Gothic winged altars in Austria.
The oldest representation of eyeglasses in the German-speaking area is found on the altar of Tyrol Castle in the Museum Ferdinandeum in Innsbruck, Tyrol, on an altarpiece depicting the death of the Virgin Mary (1370-1372). Other representations of eyeglasses are found in Klosterneuburg, Lower Austria, Albrechtsaltar, collegiate collection, death of the Virgin (1439); St. Lorenzen ob Murau, daughter church St. Lorenzen, Styria, Katharinenaltar, Disputation (1455-1460); Pettau (Ptuj), Pokrajinjski Muzej, Slovenia (then belonging to the archbishopric of Salzburg), Conrad Laib, St. Bernardine of Siena with a spectacle case (1460-1465); on two altars by Michael Pacher: Pharisee, Gries near Bolzano (1471-1475), apostle mourning over the death of the Virgin Mary, and St. Luke, St. Wolfgang in Salzkammergut (1481); St. Florian, Upper Austria, collegiate collection, altar of the provost Leonhard Riesenschmid of St. Florian, death of the Virgin (1487); museum of Wilten monastery, Innsbruck, Ludwig Konraiter, St. Ottilie with reading stones and death of the Virgin Mary with reading apostle (1485-1490); Austrian Gallery Belvedere, Vienna, Master of Grossgmain, St. Augustine (1498); Austrian Gallery Belvedere, Vienna, Master of Mondsee, St. Augustine (1490-1500); Diocesan museum Graz, Styria, altar of Hirschegg, death of the Virgin (1503); Krenstetten, Lower Austria, Stefan-Altar, Disputation (1500-1520); Museum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck, Matheis Stöberl, Jesus and the scribes with a spectacle case (early 16th century).
Ocular involvement in tuberculoid leprosy--a case report.
Leprosy is rarely diagnosed in our part of the world. In our 26-year-old patient, borderline lepromatous leprosy was first diagnosed in 1992 and was treated with Rifoldin, Lemprene and Dapson according to the standard WHO scheme of treatment. Ophthalmic examination showed minor epithelial lesions of the cornea in both eyes, a reduced corneal reflex in the left eye and a scleral leproma nasally and close to the limbus, also in the left eye. In 1995, the patient was examined again and was treated as above for lepromata of the left eyebrow nasally and of both lower legs. Ophthalmic examination revealed conjunctival irritation, anterior uveitis with leprosy pearls on the pupillary margin and secondary glaucoma. The glaucoma was treated with hypotonics, the uveitis was treated with topical cortisone. The intra-ocular pressure normalised and the uveitis improved. Of the two main types of leprosy, lepromatous leprosy and tuberculoid leprosy, our patient had the second, milder form.
Keratitis solaris and sunbeds.
Keratitis solaris is caused by ultraviolet radiation in the range 200-320 nm. The threshold dose for keratitis solaris is 40 J/m2 for short-term exposure. We measured the emission spectra of 22 sunbeds in the range 250-500 nm with a high-resolution double monochromator and calculated the exposure times for the threshold dose of keratitis solaris. Depending on the type of lamp used, the exposure times ranged from 90 s to 3.5 h. Lamps with short exposure times for keratitis solaris can induce keratitis solaris if protective goggles are not used (e.g., to achieve a uniform tan of the eye area) and if the eyes are opened briefly several times, perhaps, to look at a watch. Generally, sunbed users have no way of ascertaining the lamp type or its emission spectrum and of determining the exposure time for the threshold dose of keratitis solaris.
[An image of Saint Ottilia with reading stones].
Reading stones to facilitate reading in cases of presbyopia are mentioned in the literature, for example in the works of the Middle High German poet Albrecht and of Konrad of Würzburg. Most representations of the abbess, Saint Ottilia, show her holding a book with a pair of eyes in her hands. A gothic altarpiece (1485-1490), kept in the museum of the Premonstratensian Canons of Wilten in Innsbruck, Tyrol, shows a triune representation of St. Anne, the mother of the Virgin, with Mary and Jesus and St. Ursula with her companions. St. Ottilia is depicted on the edge of the painting. Two lenses, one on either side of the open book in her hand, magnify the letters underneath. As the two lenses are not held together by bows or similar devices, they are probably a rare representation of reading stones. The alter showing scenes of the life of St. Mary and St. Ursula was done by Ludwig Konraiter. A panel on the same alter, depicting the death of the Virgin, shows an apostle with rivet spectacles.
Ultraviolet exposure of cornea from sunbeds.
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Further studies by Christoph Scheiner concerning the optics of the eye.
The physician, mathematician and astronomer was born in 1573 in Wald near Mindelheim in Swabia, Germany. He died in 1650 in Neisse in Silesia. He discovered the sun spots and also dealt with the physiological optics of the eye. Further observations of Scheiner's are represented, i.e. from his books Oculus and Rosa Ursina, concerning the anatomy of the eye, the crossing of the beams through a small opening (Camera obscura), stenopeic effect, proof that the crossing of the visual beams takes place in the eye, description of the cataract and its treatment, Christoph Scheiner's eye model, the visual angle, the rotational centre of the eye, the comparison of the optics of the eye and the telescope.
Spectral transmission of the optical media of the human eye with respect to keratitis and cataract formation.
The spectral transmissions of cornea, aqueous humour, lens and vitreous humour of human eyes were measured in the range from 250 nm to 800 nm in 1 nm steps using a high resolution double monochromator. Cornea and lens are good cut off filters; 1% transmission was measured in various cornea samples between 291 and 298 nm, and in different lenses between 389 and 414 nm. Aqueous humour and vitreous humour showed high transparency (80%) at lambda > 320 nm. The wavelength range of keratitis effective irradiance was found to be completely within the wavelength range of absorption of the cornea, that of cataract effective irradiance was found to be at the short wavelength end partly outside the wavelength range of absorption of the lens. It may therefore be supposed that the action spectrum of cataract obtained by animal experiments is applicable to the human eye only with certain reservations.
Experimental chlorphentermine lipidosis of the retina in albino rats.
Chronic administration of chlorphentermine leads to an accumulation of lysosomal inclusions in the retina of young rats. The cells of the pigment epithelium, the perikeratic part of the ganglial cells and their axones are filled with inclusions, whereas other parts of the retina remain free. As soon as the treatment is discontinued, the alterations recede completely. The experiment can be considered to be a model for the lysosomal capacity of those parts of the retina concerned; in addition, it supplies information on the metabolism of phospholipids in these structures.
Magnetic resonance imaging features of congenital anophthalmia.
Congenital anophthalmia (CA) is a rare malformation. Primary forms without development of optic nerves can be differentiated from secondary forms with rudimentary optic nerves and eye bulbi. Neuroradiologic examinations in these children are performed to differentiate primary from secondary forms and to exclude associated cerebral malformations. We report on 2 children with secondary CA, a 9-month-old girl with unilateral CA and a 3-year-old boy with bilateral CA. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was superior to computerized tomography (CT) in the delineation of the rudimentary optic nerves and tracts as well as the intraorbital contents. In addition magnetic resonance images revealed partial agenesis of the corpus callosum and microgyria of the calcarine cortex in the boy. These results suggest that MRI should replace CT in the diagnosis of CA.
Ocular ultraviolet exposure from halogen lamps.
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Christoph Scheiner's eye studies.
Christoph Scheiner was born in 1573 or 1575. In 1595 he entered into the Order of the Jesuits; he died in 1650. In 1619 his book Oculus, dealing with the optics of the eye, appeared in Innsbruck. The invention of the telescope was of utmost importance for progress in astronomical and physical research. Scheiner himself built telescopes and discovered the sunspots. As a result, an unpleasant priority dispute with Galilei ensued. From 1624 onwards, Scheiner was in Rome, where his main work Rosa Ursina was published in 1630. A part of this book deals with the physiological optics of the eye as well. Some of his discoveries and experiments are taken from these two books: determination of the radius of curvature of the cornea, discovery of the nasal exit of the optic nerve, increase in the radius of curvature of the lens in case of accommodation, Scheiner's procedure (double images with ametropia), refractive indices of various parts of the eye, Scheiner's experiment. Without any doubt, Christoph Scheiner belongs to the foremost scientists of the first half of the 17th century.
[Adrenodacryolith].
In a 67-year-old woman a dacrocystorhinostomy had to be performed because of dacryostenoses. At operation a black adrenodacryolith was found from by topical adrenalin treatment for chronic simple glaucoma. The mineralogical and histological examinations revealed that the dacryolith consisted of organic material only.
[Xerophthalmia in liver cirrhosis. Correct diagnosis after 15 years].
The clinical features of xerophthalmia are described in a 60-year-old patient, who was known to have alcoholic cirrhosis. In this patient, vitamin A deficiency, which presumably had been overlooked for 15 years, was confirmed by determination of the serum vitamin A level. After substitutive vitamin A therapy, superficial punctate keratitis and conjunctival xerosis disappeared completely. Although xerophthalmia has only sporadically been described in developed countries, we point out that the possibility of a vitamin A deficiency should also be considered in cases of recurrent conjunctival and corneal lesions.
[Differential diagnosis of retinoblastoma].
An 8-year-old boy presented with a white pupillary reflex. This clinical picture suggested a diagnosis of retinoblastoma or Coats' disease. Ultrasonography did not reveal the characteristic signs often seen in retinoblastoma. However, diagnostic vitrectomy and subsequent enucleation confirmed the diagnosis 'retinoblastoma'.
[Papilledema and macular edema as first symptom of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma].
A patient presented in our clinic with impairment of visual acuity due to optic disc and macular oedema. Internal examination revealed chronic lymphatic leukaemia, and the patient was treated with Leukeran and Aprednisolone according to the chemotherapeutic regimen of Knospe. Remission occurred, and the pathological findings of the fundus disappeared.
[Differential diagnosis of ophthalmologic syndromes using a computer program].
A Fortran program which can be run on IBM-compatible personal computers has been written for the differential diagnosis of ophthalmologic syndromes. The user enters the symptoms observed and the computer displays a list of syndromes in which these symptoms occur. The program at present covers 219 syndromes and 1094 symptoms, and can be expanded. Its use is expected to make differential diagnosis and the scientific clarification of syndromes easier.