No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

The trigeminal ganglion (TG) is a complex sensory structure and multiple lines of evidence suggest that significant differences exist in anatomical, neurochemical and physiological properties between it and its equivalent structure in the somatosensory system, the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). This is likely to be a reflection, first on the unique areas of tissue innervation of the TG and second, on the unusual responses to injury which give rise to distinct pain symptoms such as toothache, migraine and temporomandibular joint disorders. In an attempt to address this disparity in knowledge, we have carried out an in-depth in vivo study investigating neurochemical populations and cell size distributions of sensory neurons within the rat TG. We have performed a detailed analysis of expression patterns for receptor components of important inflammatory mediators, NGF (TrkA), TNFα (p55) and IL-6 (gp130), along with the thermo-transducers TRPV1 and TRPM8. For each analysis we have compared our findings with those of the rat DRG. We have shown a significantly larger population of NF200+ neurons within the TG (51%) compared to the DRG (40%), and most interestingly, the majority of NF200+ neurons in the TG were within the small to medium cell size range, conferring a nociceptive phenotype. We have for the first time, determined expression of p55 and gp130 protein levels within neurochemically defined subpopulations of the TG. We show that a large proportion (33%) of TG neurons, in particular 27% of NF200+ neurons co-express p55, and thereby have the potential to respond directly to TNFα. Furthermore, we have observed gp130 protein expression to be ubiquitous within the TG, suggesting all neurons, including non-nociceptors, could respond to IL-6. In addition, we have utilised biochemical and electrophysiological techniques in vitro to measure the functional outcome of exposure of TG neurons to IL-6. We have demonstrated that IL-6 activates the JAK/STAT signalling pathway, preferentially within NF200+ neurons. Furthermore, we have shown that IL-6 sensitises the response of TG neurons to the TRPV1 agonist capsaicin, altering the gating properties and prolonging the opening time of the channel. Taken together, our findings support the emerging picture of a complex combinatorial pattern of co-expression of sensory neurochemicals, transducers and receptor components that help to define TG neuronal modality and function. We would advocate caution in making generalisations across sensory ganglia in particular in extrapolating data from the DRG to the trigeminal ganglion.

Fond : Le substrat de fibrillation auriculaire (FA) vagale et celui secondaire à remodelage par tachycardie auriculaire (RTA) partagent beaucoup des caractéristiques : période réfractaire efficace (PRE) réduite, hétérogénéité accrue de PRE et quelques mécanismes moléculaires communs. Cette étude a comparé les 2 substrats à une abréviation comparable de PRE. Méthodes : Chez chacun de 6 chiens de groupe de stimulation vagal (SV), les paramètres de stimulation cervicale bilatérale de nerves vagaux ont été ajustés pour produire la même PRE moyenne (calculé à 8 sites des oreillettes gauche et droite) avec 6 chiens de groupe de RTA assorti à sexe et poids. Des paramètres électrophysiologiques, la durée moyenne de la fibrillation auriculaire (DAF) et les fréquences dominantes (FD) locales ont étés calculés. Résultats : En dépit des PREs assorties (SV: 80±12msec contre RTA: 79±12msec) la DAF était plus longue (*), l’hétérogénéité de conduction était plus élevée (*), la FD était plus rapide (*) et la variabilité de FD plus grande (*) chez les chiens SV. Les zones de maximum FD qui reflètent les zones d’origine de FA étaient à côté de ganglions autonomes chez les chiens SV. Conclusions : Pour un PRE atriale comparable, la FA secondaire à SV est plus rapide et plus persistante que la FA avec un substrat de RTA. Ces résultats sont consistants avec des modèles de travail suggérant que l'hyperpolarisation SV-induite contribue de façon important à la stabilisation et à l'accélération des rotors qui maintiennent la FA. La similitude de la distribution de FD du groupe vagal avec la distribution des lésions d’ablation après cartographie des électrogrammes atriales fragmentés suggère des nouvelles techniques d’ablation. La distribution des FD entre le SV et le RTA fournit de nouvelles idées au sujet de possible rémodelage neuroreceptorial et indique des différences importantes entre ces substrats de FA superficiellement semblables. / Background: Vagal nerve stimulation (VS) and atrial tachycardia remodeled (ATR) atrial fibrillation (AF) substrates share many features: reduced effective refractory period (ERP), increased ERP heterogeneity and some common molecular mechanisms. This study compared VS and ATR substrates at comparable ERP abbreviation. Methods: In each of 6 VS dogs, bilateral cervical VS parameters were adjusted to produce the same mean ERP as a sex and weight matched ATR dog. Electrophysiological parameters, mean duration of AF (DAF) and local dominant frequencies (DF) were determined (before (CTL) and after VS in VS dogs). Results: Despite matched ERPs (VG: 80±12msec vs ATR: 79±12msec) DAF was greater (*), conduction heterogeneity was greater (*), DF was faster (*) and DF variability greater (*) in VS dogs. AF drivers reflected by maximum DF zones were adjacent to autonomic ganglia in VS dogs; there was a tendency (p<0.07) to faster driver zones in the left atrium comparing to the right in ATR dogs. Conclusions: For a comparable atrial ERP, VS AF is faster and more persistent than AF with an ATR substrate. These results are consistent with modeling work suggesting that VS-induced hyperpolarization is an important contributor to AF-maintaining rotor stabilization and acceleration. Similarities in DF distribution in VS dogs with distribution of ablation lesions performed after Complex Fractionated Atrial Electrograms mapping suggests new curative ablation methods. DF distribution differences between VS and ATR provides new ideas about possible neuroreceptorial remodeling and indicates important differences between these superficially similar AF substrates.

Les rétinopathies ischémiques (RI) sont la cause majeure de cécité chez les personnes âgées de moins de 65 ans. Il existe deux types de RIs soit la rétinopathie du prématuré (ROP) ainsi que la rétinopathie diabétique (RD). Les RIs sont décrites en deux phases soit la phase de vasooblitération, marquée par une perte importante de vaisseaux sanguins, et une phase de néovascularisation secondaire à lʼischémie menant à une croissance pathologique de vaisseaux. Cette seconde phase peut générer des complications cliniques telles quʼun oedème dans lʼhumeur vitré ainsi que le détachement de la rétine chez les patients déjà atteints dʼune RI. Les traitements approuvés pour les RIs visent à réduire la formation des vaisseaux pathologiques ou lʼoedème; mais ceux-ci malheureusement ne règlent pas les problèmes sous-jacents tels que la perte vasculaire et lʼischémie. La rétine est un tissu hautement vascularisé qui contribue à lʼirrigation et à lʼhoméostasie des neurones. Lʼinteraction neurovasculaire, comprenant de neurones, vaisseaux et cellules gliales, contribue au maintien de cette homéostasie. Durant le développement, les neurones et les cellules gliales jouent un rôle important dans la vascularisation de la rétine en sécrétant des facteurs qui stimulent l'angiogenèse. Cependant, nos connaissances sur lʼinteraction neurovasculaire dans les RIs sont limitées. En identifiant les interactions importantes entre les cellules composant cette unité neurovasculaire dans la rétine, nous pourrons viser des cibles qui engendreront une revascularisation seine afin de diminuer les signes pathologiques chez les patients atteints dʼune RI. Les travaux présentés dans cette thèse visent à mieux expliquer cette interaction neurovasculaire en soulignant des concepts importants propres aux RIs. En utilisant un modèle de rétinopathie induite par lʼoxygène chez la souris, qui reproduit les caractéristiques importantes de la ROP (et en certaines instances, la RD), nous identifions quelques molécules clés jouant un rôle significatif dans les RIs soit la sémaphorine 3A (sema3A), lʼIL-1β, ainsi que le récepteur PAR2. Nos résultats démontrent que Sema3A, sécrétée par les cellules ganglionnaires rétiniennes (CGRs) durant une ischémie, empêche la revascularisation normale et que cette expression est induite par lʼIL-1β provenant des microglies activées. En bloquant Sema3A directement ou via lʼinhibition de lʼIL- 1β, nous remarquons une revascularisation seine ainsi quʼune diminution importante des vaisseaux pathologiques. Cela nous indique que Sema3A est impliquée dans la guidance vasculaire et quʼelle contribue à la pathogenèse des RIs. Lʼactivation de façon exogène de PAR2, identifié aussi comme régulateur du récepteur de lʼIL-1β (IL- 1RI) sur les CGRs, se traduit par une diminution séquentielle de lʼIL-1RI et de Sema3A ce qui mène également à une revascularisation seine. En conclusion, ces travaux soulignent lʼimportance de lʼinteraction neurovasculaire ainsi que la guidance vasculaire dans les RIs. Ils renforcent lʼimportance de la communication entre neurone, vaisseau et microglie dans la pathogenèse des RIs. Finalement, nous identifions quelques molécules clés qui pourront servir comme cibles afin de lutter contre lʼischémie qui cause des problèmes vasculaires chez les patients atteints dʼune RI. / Ischemic retinopathies (IRs), namely, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and diabetic retinopathy (DR), are the major cause of blindness in persons under the age of 65. IRs are biphasic disorders described by an initial vasoobliterative phase marked by a persistent microvascular degeneration, which leads to ischemia. Retinal ischemia, secondary to vessel loss, incites a second neovascularization phase represented by an aberrant, misdirected neovessel formation into the vitreous, which can cause adverse clinical complications including vitreous hemorrhaging and tractional retinal detachment. While current treatments aim at reducing vitreous/retinal hemorrhaging and/or pathological pre-retinal neovascularization, these regimens fail to address the underlying problem; that is, microvascular decay and retinal ischemia. The retina is a highly metabolic tissue that requires a significant amount of nutrients and oxygen. This is supplied by an intricate and highly regulated vascular network required to maintain homeostasis and proper function. The intricate cellular interactions in the neurovascular unit – the consortium of vessel, neurons and support glia – are required for regulating and maintaining homeostasis under normal conditions. However, the understanding of how this unit functions under ischemic stress, that which is seen in patients suffering from IRs, is not well defined. The present work underlines several important concepts of neurovascular coupling in IRs in efforts to identify potential therapeutic agents that may help curb retinal ischemia by stimulating normal revascularization. Using a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR), which reproduces the salient features of ROP (and in some instances DR), we identified key players involved in generating the pathophysiological signatures associated with IRs; namely, semaphorin3A (Sema3A), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2). Our results show that neuronal-derived Sema3A, secreted by ischemic retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), acts as a potent vaso-repulsive molecules that impedes normal revascularization. Activated microglia contribute to this process by secreting IL-1β, which induces paracrine release of Sema3A expression contributing to microvascular decay as well as pathological pre-retinal neovascularization. Inhibition of Sema3A or IL-1β translates to rapid revascularization and, as a result, a significant reduction in pathological neovessel formation. These results demonstrate that Sema3A is directly involved in vascular guidance and precipitates the pathophysiological features associated with IRs. PAR2, found on RGCs, was also identified as a key regulatory mechanism involved in dampening IL-1β induced Sema3A mediated vascular decay by reducing IL-1 receptor (IL-1RI). Exogenous activation of neuronal PAR2 translates to a sequential reduction of both IL-1RI and Sema3A resulting in accelerated revascularization and consequentially pre-retinal neovascularization. In conclusion, these studies highlight the importance of neurovascular coupling associated with IRs. Herein, we demonstrate the consorted interaction between neuron, vessel and glia and its impact on shaping the retinal vasculature during disease. Moreover, we underscore the significant impact of neuronal guidance cues in manifesting the salient vascular features of IRs. Finally, we identify key players that may serve as potential therapeutic avenues in curbing retinal ischemia in efforts to reduce vascular complications associated with IRs.

Objetivo: Estudar as medidas de espessura da camada de fibras nervosas da retina(CFNR) peripapilar obtidas com as tomografias de coerência óptia (oCT) time domain (TD) e spectral domain (SD) em pacientes com perda assimétrica glaucomatosa de hemicampo visual, compará-las entre si e com aquelas de controles normais. Métodos: Trinta e seis pacientes com glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto e perda de campo visual em um hemicampo (afetado) e ausência de perda no hemicampo oposto (não afetado), e 36 controles pareados por idade tiveram o olho de estudo examinado com Stratus-OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc., Dublin, Califoprnia, USA) e o 3DOCT-1000 (Topcdon, Tokyo, Japan). As medidas de espessura da CFNR peripapilar e a classificação normativa fornecida pelos aparelhos foram registrados para análise. A média aritmética dos valores do mapa total deviation em cada hemicampo (mean deviation do hemicampo) foi calculada para cada indivíduo. \"Ìndices de assimetria\" para o campo visual e para a CFNR foram calculados como a razão entre o mean deviation dos hemicampos afetado e não-afetado, e como razão entre a espessura da CFNR das hemirretinas afetada e não-afetada, respectivamente. As variáveis contínuas foram comparadas usando os testes de Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis ou Wilcoxon, quando apropriados. As variáveis categóricas foram comparadas usando o teste qui-quadrado de Pearson. O coeficiente de correlação de Spearman foi usado para testar as correlações entre as medidas de espessura da CFNR fornecidas pelos OCTs. A presença de afinamento da CFNR foi estabelecida com base nos dados normativos fornecidos pelos softwares dos OCTs. As espessuras de CFNR fora do intervalo de previsão de 95% para a mesma faixa etária foram consideradas anormais. Resultados: As medidas de CFNR corespondentes a hemicampos não-afetados [média (DP) 87,0 (17,1) um e 84,3 (20,2) um, para TD e SD-OCT, respectivamente] foram menores do que as dos controles [média (DP) 119,0 (122,2)um e 117,0 (17,7) um, para TD e SD-OCT, respectivamente, P < 0,001, para ambos]. O banco de dados normativo classificou como alterado 42% e 67% das hemirretinas correspondentes a hemicampos não-acometidos com TD e SD-OCT, respectivamente (P = 0,01). As medidas da CFNR foram consistentemente mais espessas com TD comparadas com SD-OCT. Os índices de assimetria da CFNR em pacientes com glaucoma foram semelhantes entre TD [média (DP) 0,76 (0,17)] e SD-OCT [média (DP) 0,79 (0,12), P = 0,89] e significantemente maiores do que o índice de assimetria do campo visual [média (DP) 0,36 (0,20), P < 0,001]. Conclusões: Os hemicampos normais de pacientes com glaucoma apresentaram CFNR mais fina do que de olhos saudáveis. As medidas da CFNR foram mais espessas com TD do que com SD-OCT, o qual por sua vez detectou anormalidades na espessura da CFNR mais frequentemente do que o TD-OCT / Objective: To study the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements obtained with time domain (TD) and spectral domain (SD) optical coherence tomography (OCT) in glaucomatous patients with asymmetric visual hemifield loss, to compare themselves and with those obtained from normal controls. Methods : Thirty -six patients with primary open-angle glaucoma with visual primary open-angle glaucoma with visual field loss in one hemifield (affected ) and absence of loss in other (non-affected), and 36 age-matched healthy controls had the eye study imaged with Stratus-OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc., Dublin, Califoprnia, USA) and 3D OCT-1000 (Topcon , Tokyo, Japan). Peripapillary RNFL thickness measurements and normative classification were recorded for analysis. Total deviation values were averaged for each hemifield (hemifield mean deviation) for ecch subject. Visual field and RNFL \"asymmetry indexes\" were calculated as the ratio between the mean deviation of affected versus non-affected hemifields and RNFL thickness between as affected versus non-affected hemiretinas, respectively. Continuous variables were compared using the Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis or Wilcoxon tests, when appropriate. Categorical variables were compared using the Pearson\'s chi-square test. The Spearman\'s rank correlation coefficient was used to test correlations between RNFL thickness measurements provided by both OCTs . The presence of RNFL thinning was establised based on normative data provided by the OCT\'s software. The RNFL thicknesses outside the prediction interval of 95% for the same age group were considered abnormal. Results: The RNFL measurements in non-affected hemifields [mean (SD 87.0 (17.1) e 84.3(20.2) um, for TD and SD-OCT, respectively] were thinner than those of normal controls [mean (SD) 119.0 (12.2) um and 117.0 (17.7) um, for TD and SD-OCT, respectively, P < 0.001 for both ] . The OCT normative database classified 42 % and 67% of hemiretinas corresponding to non-affected hemifields as abnormal in TD and SD-OCT, respectively (P =0.01). The RNFL measurements were consistently thicker with TD compared with SD -OCT. The RNFL thickness asymetry index in patients with glaucoma was similar with TD [ mean (SD) 0.76 ( 0.17 ) ] and SD-OCT [ mean (SD)0.79(0.12), P = 0,89] and significantly greater than the visual field asymmetry index [ mean (SD ) 0.36 (0.20 ), P < 0.001]. Conclusions: Normal hemifields of glaucoma patients had thinner RNFL measurements than healthy eyes, as measured by TD and SD-OCT. The RNFL measurements were thicker with TD than SD-OCT, SD-OCT detected abnormal RNFL more often than TD-OCT

Dentre as células ganglionares da retina existe uma pequena população de células que contem melanopsina e respondem diretamente à luz. Estas são as células ganglionares intrinsecamente fotossensíveis (ipRGCs), cujas funções são principalmente não visuais. Dentre as funções não visuais das ipRGCs sua influência na resposta pupilar dependente da luz foi o objeto central desta tese. Tanto a retina interna, através das ipRGCs, quanto a retina externa, através dos bastonetes e cones, fornecem uma informação neural que regula a resposta pupilar à luz (RPL). Este estudo avaliou a integridade das ipRGCs através do RPL em pacientes com glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto (GPAA), leve, moderado e avançado, e em pacientes com síndrome da apnéia obstrutiva do sono (SAOS), moderada e grave. Também foi avaliada a discriminação cromática e a sensibilidade ao contraste espacial de luminância (SC), a perimetria visual e a espessura da retina avaliada por tomografia de coerência óptica (OCT). Foram avaliados 98 participantes: 45 pacientes com GPAA ( 27, 18; idade média = 65,84 + 10,20), 28 pacientes com SAOS ( 14, 14; idade média = 52,93 + 7,13), e 25 controles ( 17, 8; idade média = 54,27 + 8,88). Após o exame oftalmológico foram avaliadas a SC de grades e a discriminação de cores através do Cambridge Colour Test (CCT). A avaliação do RPL foi feita apresentando-se flashes de 470 e 640 nm, de 1s de duração, em 7 luminâncias desde -3 até 2.4 log cd/m2 em um Ganzfeld Q450 SC (Roland Consult). O RPL foi registrado pelo sistema de eye tracker View Point System (Arrington Research Inc.). Os testes foram realizados em ambos os olhos, de forma monocular e no escuro. Para a comparação dos dados entre os grupos, utilizou-se um modelo de equações de estimação generalizada (GEE), para correção da dependência entre os dois olhos. O RPL dos pacientes com GPAA moderado e avançado apresentou redução significativa na amplitude do pico, dependente da severidade do glaucoma, nas diferentes luminâncias tanto para 470 nm quanto para 640 nm, evidenciando redução das contribuições dos cones e bastonetes ao RPL. As contribuições das ipRGCs ao RPL (avaliadas pela amplitude da resposta sustentada entre 6-8 s) foram também significativamente menores em GPAA moderado e avançado. No estado inicial do GPAA as contribuições das ipRGCs para o RPL encontram-se preservadas. No entanto, o GPAA parece afetar o processamento espacial desde o inicio da doença. Nos pacientes com GPAA leve foi observada uma perda acentuada nas faixas baixas de frequência espacial, compatível com prejuízo seletivo das células ganglionares do tipo M. A SC de pacientes com GPAA moderado e avançado mostrou perdas nas faixas baixas e altas de frequência espacial, apontando um prejuízo nas vias parvo- e margnocelulares. Uma perda significativa da discriminação de cores no eixo azul-amarelo foi observada em todos os estágios do GPAA. O RPL nos pacientes com SAOS está parcialmente preservado, não obstante, as respostas da amplitude do pico para o flash de 470 nm diminuem conforme aumenta a severidade da SAOS. As contribuições dos fotorreceptores da retina externa ao RPL, foram significativamente menores em algumas das luminâncias. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas de SC ou discriminação de cores nos pacientes com SAOS. Em conclusão, no estágio moderado e avançado do glaucoma tanto as contribuições das ipRGCs ao RPL quanto as vias M e P, se encontram mais afetadas do que no inicio do GPAA, quando a via parvocelular e as contribuições das ipRGCs ao RPL parecem estar mais preservadas / Among the retina ganglion cells there are a small population of cells containing melanopsin and which respond directly to light. They are the intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells (ipRGCs), whose functions are mainly non-visual. Among these non-visual functions of the ipRGCs, their influence on the pupillary response as a function of light was the central subject of this thesis. Both the inner retina through the ipRGCs and the outer retina through the rods and cones, provide neural information that regulates the pupillary light response (PLR) to light. This study evaluated the integrity of ipRGCs through PLR in patients with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG), mild, moderate and advanced, and in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), moderate and severe. We evaluated also the color discrimination and achromatic spatial contrast sensitivity (CS), visual perimetry and retinal thickness evaluated by Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). 98 participants were evaluated, 45 patients with POAG ( 27 18; mean age = 65.84 + 10.20), 28 with OSAS ( 14 14; mean age = 52.93 + 7.13) and 25 controls ( 17 8; mean age = 54.27 + 8.88). After the ophthalmological exam it was evaluated the contrast sensitivity and color discrimination measures using the Cambridge Colour Test (CCT). Pupil responses were elicited by Ganzfeld (Q450 SC, Roland Consult) presentation of 1-sec flashes of 470- and 640-nm at 7 luminance from -3 to 2.4 log cd/m2. PLR was measured with the eye tracker system View Point (Arrington Research Inc.). The tests were performed monocularly, on both eyes, in a darkened room. In order to compare data across groups, we used a General Estimating Equations (GEE) to adjust for within subject inter-eye correlations. Patients with moderate and advanced POAG had a significantly decreased PLR that depends on the severity of the glaucoma, for both the 470- and 640-nm stimuli, making evident the reduction of the contributions of the cones and rods to the PLR. The contributions of ipRGCs to PLR (assessed by the amplitude of the sustained response between 6 8 sec) were also significantly lower in patients with moderate and advanced POAG. In the initial and mild stages of POAG the contribution of ipRGCs to the PLR is preserved. However, POAG appears to affect spatial processing from the early stages of the disease. Mild-POAG patients showed a marked loss in the low spatial frequency bands, compatible with selective loss of magnocellular ganglion cells. The CS of patients with moderate and advanced POAG showed losses at both low and high spatial frequencies, suggesting a loss in both parvo- and margnocellular channels. A significant loss of color discrimination along the blue-yellow axis was observed in all stages of POAG. The PLR in patients with OSAS is partially preserved, however the peak amplitude responses for the 470-nm flash decreased with increased severity of OSAS. The contributions of the photoreceptors of the outer retina to the PLR were significantly lower at some of the luminance. Significant differences in CS or color discrimination were not observed in patients with OSAS. In conclusion, in moderate and advanced stages of glaucoma, both the contributions of ipRGCs to PLR as well as the M- and P channels, were found more affected than at the beginning of POAG, in contrast the parvocellular channel and the contributions of ipRGCs on the PLR would be more preserved

Objetivo: Estudar as medidas de espessura da camada de fibras nervosas da retina(CFNR) peripapilar obtidas com as tomografias de coerência óptia (oCT) time domain (TD) e spectral domain (SD) em pacientes com perda assimétrica glaucomatosa de hemicampo visual, compará-las entre si e com aquelas de controles normais. Métodos: Trinta e seis pacientes com glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto e perda de campo visual em um hemicampo (afetado) e ausência de perda no hemicampo oposto (não afetado), e 36 controles pareados por idade tiveram o olho de estudo examinado com Stratus-OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc., Dublin, Califoprnia, USA) e o 3DOCT-1000 (Topcdon, Tokyo, Japan). As medidas de espessura da CFNR peripapilar e a classificação normativa fornecida pelos aparelhos foram registrados para análise. A média aritmética dos valores do mapa total deviation em cada hemicampo (mean deviation do hemicampo) foi calculada para cada indivíduo. \"Ìndices de assimetria\" para o campo visual e para a CFNR foram calculados como a razão entre o mean deviation dos hemicampos afetado e não-afetado, e como razão entre a espessura da CFNR das hemirretinas afetada e não-afetada, respectivamente. As variáveis contínuas foram comparadas usando os testes de Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis ou Wilcoxon, quando apropriados. As variáveis categóricas foram comparadas usando o teste qui-quadrado de Pearson. O coeficiente de correlação de Spearman foi usado para testar as correlações entre as medidas de espessura da CFNR fornecidas pelos OCTs. A presença de afinamento da CFNR foi estabelecida com base nos dados normativos fornecidos pelos softwares dos OCTs. As espessuras de CFNR fora do intervalo de previsão de 95% para a mesma faixa etária foram consideradas anormais. Resultados: As medidas de CFNR corespondentes a hemicampos não-afetados [média (DP) 87,0 (17,1) um e 84,3 (20,2) um, para TD e SD-OCT, respectivamente] foram menores do que as dos controles [média (DP) 119,0 (122,2)um e 117,0 (17,7) um, para TD e SD-OCT, respectivamente, P < 0,001, para ambos]. O banco de dados normativo classificou como alterado 42% e 67% das hemirretinas correspondentes a hemicampos não-acometidos com TD e SD-OCT, respectivamente (P = 0,01). As medidas da CFNR foram consistentemente mais espessas com TD comparadas com SD-OCT. Os índices de assimetria da CFNR em pacientes com glaucoma foram semelhantes entre TD [média (DP) 0,76 (0,17)] e SD-OCT [média (DP) 0,79 (0,12), P = 0,89] e significantemente maiores do que o índice de assimetria do campo visual [média (DP) 0,36 (0,20), P < 0,001]. Conclusões: Os hemicampos normais de pacientes com glaucoma apresentaram CFNR mais fina do que de olhos saudáveis. As medidas da CFNR foram mais espessas com TD do que com SD-OCT, o qual por sua vez detectou anormalidades na espessura da CFNR mais frequentemente do que o TD-OCT / Objective: To study the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements obtained with time domain (TD) and spectral domain (SD) optical coherence tomography (OCT) in glaucomatous patients with asymmetric visual hemifield loss, to compare themselves and with those obtained from normal controls. Methods : Thirty -six patients with primary open-angle glaucoma with visual primary open-angle glaucoma with visual field loss in one hemifield (affected ) and absence of loss in other (non-affected), and 36 age-matched healthy controls had the eye study imaged with Stratus-OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc., Dublin, Califoprnia, USA) and 3D OCT-1000 (Topcon , Tokyo, Japan). Peripapillary RNFL thickness measurements and normative classification were recorded for analysis. Total deviation values were averaged for each hemifield (hemifield mean deviation) for ecch subject. Visual field and RNFL \"asymmetry indexes\" were calculated as the ratio between the mean deviation of affected versus non-affected hemifields and RNFL thickness between as affected versus non-affected hemiretinas, respectively. Continuous variables were compared using the Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis or Wilcoxon tests, when appropriate. Categorical variables were compared using the Pearson\'s chi-square test. The Spearman\'s rank correlation coefficient was used to test correlations between RNFL thickness measurements provided by both OCTs . The presence of RNFL thinning was establised based on normative data provided by the OCT\'s software. The RNFL thicknesses outside the prediction interval of 95% for the same age group were considered abnormal. Results: The RNFL measurements in non-affected hemifields [mean (SD 87.0 (17.1) e 84.3(20.2) um, for TD and SD-OCT, respectively] were thinner than those of normal controls [mean (SD) 119.0 (12.2) um and 117.0 (17.7) um, for TD and SD-OCT, respectively, P < 0.001 for both ] . The OCT normative database classified 42 % and 67% of hemiretinas corresponding to non-affected hemifields as abnormal in TD and SD-OCT, respectively (P =0.01). The RNFL measurements were consistently thicker with TD compared with SD -OCT. The RNFL thickness asymetry index in patients with glaucoma was similar with TD [ mean (SD) 0.76 ( 0.17 ) ] and SD-OCT [ mean (SD)0.79(0.12), P = 0,89] and significantly greater than the visual field asymmetry index [ mean (SD ) 0.36 (0.20 ), P < 0.001]. Conclusions: Normal hemifields of glaucoma patients had thinner RNFL measurements than healthy eyes, as measured by TD and SD-OCT. The RNFL measurements were thicker with TD than SD-OCT, SD-OCT detected abnormal RNFL more often than TD-OCT

O presente texto descreve métodos e apresenta resultados do projeto de pesquisa de mestrado intitulado \"Dois Problemas em Análise de Formas de Estruturas de Ramificação\". Ambos os problemas abordados estão relacionados às sub-áreas da Análise de Formas denominadas Caracterização e Descrição de Formas. O primeiro problema consiste na investigação de um conjunto de características propostas para distingüir, primeiramente, entre estruturas de ramificação de vasos sangüíneos em imagens de retina segmentadas manualmente e automaticamente. A seguir, as mesmas características são aplicadas para discernir entre estruturas de ramificação de vasos sangüíneos em imagens de retina com e sem retinopatia diabética proliferativa (Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy - PDR). A PDR é uma das patologias associadas à diabetes, que pode culminar na cegueira do indivíduo. Diagnósticos são possíveis por meio de imagens de fundo de olho e, quando efetuados precocemente, viabilizam intervenções oportunas evitando a perda da visão. Neste trabalho, 27 imagens digitais de fundo de olho foram segmentadas por dois processos distintos, isto é, segmentação manual por um especialista e a segmentação automática, mediante a transformada contínua Wavelet - CWT e classificadores estatísticos. Visando à caracterização destas formas, um conjunto de 08 características foi proposto. Este conjunto foi formado por três grupos, a saber: descritores tradicionais geométricos (Área, Perímetro e Circularidade), descritores associados à transformada wavelet ( 2o momento estatístico da distribuição de módulos da CWT, Entropia de Orientação da distribuição de fases da CWT e Curvatura) e um descritor fractal (Dimensão de Correlação - Global e Mediana). Uma Análise Discriminante Linear LDA revelou que as características geométricas tradicionais não detectam o início da retinopatia diabética proliferativa. A maior capacidade discriminante individual foi exibida pela Curvatura, com Área sob a curva ROC de 0.76. Um subconjunto com 6 características apresentou grande capacidade discriminante com Área sob a curva ROC de 0.90. O segundo problema diz respeito à extração de contorno de estruturas de ramificação bidimensionais de neurônios tridimensionais. Este trabalho contribui originalmente com uma solução para este problema, propondo dois algoritmos desenvolvidos para Rastreamento de Ramos e Extração do Contorno Paramétrico de estruturas de ramificação, capazes de transpor regiões críticas formadas por cruzamentos ocasionados pela projeção de estruturas 3D no plano das imagens 2D. Grande parte dos métodos baseados em contorno para análise de formas de estruturas de ramificação de células neuronais não produz representações corretas destas formas, devido à presença de sobreposições entre processos neuronais, levando os algoritmos tradicionais de extração de contorno a ignorar as regiões mais internas destas estruturas, gerando representações incompletas. O sistema proposto neste trabalho foi desenvolvido objetivando a solução do problema de extração de contorno, mesmo na presença de múltiplas sobreposições. Inicialmente, a imagem de entrada é pré-processada, gerando um esqueleto 8-conexo com ramos de um pixel de largura, um conjunto de sementes de sub-árvores dendríticas e um conjunto de regiões críticas (bifurcações e cruzamentos). Para cada sub-árvore, o algoritmo de rastreamento rotula todos os pixels válidos de um ramo, até chegar em uma região crítica, onde o algoritmo decide a direção em que deve continuar o rastreamento. Nosso algoritmo mostrou-se robusto, mesmo quando aplicado a imagens com segmentos paralelos muito próximos. Resultados obtidos com imagens reais (neurônios) são apresentados. / This document describes methods and presents results from the Master of Science\'s research project in computer science entitled \"Two Problems in Shape Analysis of Branching Structures\". Both tackled problems herein are related to Shape Analysis sub-fields, namely Characterization and Description of shapes. The former problem consists of an investigation on a proposed set of features aimed at discriminating, firstly, between blood vessels branching structures manually and automatically segmented. In the sequel, the same features are used to assess their discriminative capability in distinguishing between blood vessels branching structures with and withoud proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). The PDR is a pathology related to diabetes, which may lead to the blindness. Diagnosis is possible through optic fundus image analysis, which may allow timely interventions preventing vision loss. In this work, 27 digital optic fundus images were segmented by two distinct segmentation processes, i.e. manual segmentation carried out by an especialist and automated segmentation, through the CWT (Continuous Wavelet Transform) and statistical classifiers. In order to characterize such a shapes, a set of 8 features has been proposed. The aforementioned set was comprised of three features groups, that is: traditional geometric descriptors (Area, Perimeter and Circularity), wavelet-based descriptors (2nd statistical moment from the CWT Modulus distribution, Orientation Entropy from the CWT Phase distribution and Curvature) and a fractal descriptor (Correlation Dimension - global and median). Linear Discriminant Analysis LDA revelead that the traditional geometric features are not able to detect early proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The largest singular discriminant capability was shown by the Curvature, with area under the ROC curve of 0.76. A subset of 6 features presented a good discriminating power with area under the curve of 0.90. The second problem concerns contour extraction from 2D branching structures of 3D neurons. This work contributes with an original solution for such a problem, proposing two algorithms devised for Branches Tracking and Branching Structures Contour Extraction. The proposed algorithms are able to traverse critical regions implied by the projection of 3D structures onto a 2D image plane. Most of contour-based methods intended to shape analysis of neuronal branching structures fall short of yielding proper shape representations, owing to the presence of overlapings among neuronal processes, causing the traditional algorithms for contour following to ignore the innermost regions, thus generating incomplete representations. The proposed framework system was developed aiming at the solution of the contour extraction problem, even in the presence of multiple overlapings. The input image is pre-processed, so as to obtain an 8-connected skeleton with one-pixel wide branches, a set of seeds of dendritic sub-trees and a set of critical regions (bifurcations, crossings and superpositions). For each sub-tree, the Branches Tracking Algorithm labels all valid pixels of a branch, until reaching a critical region, where the algorithm decides about the direction to go on with the tracking. Our algorithm has shown robustness, even in images plenty of very close parallel segments. Results with real images (neurons) are presented.