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Background: Abdominal fat is associated with metabolic disorders, leading to cardiovascular risk factors and numerous diseases. This study aimed to analyze the effect of plaster body wrap in combination with aerobic exercise on abdominal fat., Methods: Nineteen female volunteers were randomly divided into intervention group (IG; n  = 10) performing aerobic exercise with plaster body wrap, and control group (CG; n  = 9) performing only exercise. Subcutaneous and visceral fat were measured using ultrasound; subcutaneous fat was also estimated on analysis of skinfolds and abdominal perimeters., Results: At the end of the 10-sessions protocol, the IG demonstrated a significant decrease ( p ≤ 0.05) in subcutaneous fat at the left anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) level and in iliac crest perimeter measurements. A large intervention effect size strength (0.80) was found in subcutaneous fat below the navel and a moderate effect size strength on the vertical abdominal skinfold (0.62) and the perimeter of the most prominent abdominal point (0.57). Comparing the initial and final data of each group, the IG showed a significant decrease in numerous variables including visceral and subcutaneous fat above and below the navel measured by ultrasound ( p ≤ 0.05)., Conclusion: Plaster body wrap in combination with aerobic exercise seems to be effective for abdominal fat reduction.

Methods: Perceptual visual filling in at the corresponding area of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis scotomas in the fellow eye was studied in 14 patients. Targets were programmed to appear inside the scotoma corresponding area in the fellow eye, and at two control points., Results: The results showed faster perceptual filling-in latencies (p<0.0001) in the scotoma corresponding area than at the control points., Conclusions: Perceptual filling in is facilitated at the corresponding area of retinal scotomas. The neural mechanisms of this visual facilitation might be similar to those found following somatosensory cortex partial deafferentation.

Unlabelled: Perceptual visual filling-in of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis chronic scotomas was studied in 13 patients. Although there is deficit of visual inputs, patients with such chronic lesions perceive the region in the visual field uninterrupted. Targets were programmed to appear just outside the edge of the retinal lesion, and healthy retinal areas in the same eye. The results showed no significant difference in perceptual filling-in latencies (P>0.05)., Conclusions: (i) neural mechanisms of filling-in at the blind spot are probably involved explaining this perceptual phenomenon; (ii) any neuronal changes occurring at the edge of the lesion only affected filling-in within the scotoma area.

Purpose: To investigate the influence of parametric variation on the filling-in latency of stereoscopically presented stimuli., Methods: Anaglyphs were created using two circular patches of 0.3 masculine diameter, 0.5 masculine disparity and 6 masculine eccentricity from fixation point. Targets were presented at the visual field midline, 90 masculine and 270 masculine positions, with crossed and uncrossed disparity. The time elapsed for disappearance of the target under voluntary steady fixation was computed. Eighteen subjects tested., Results: There was no significant difference between crossed and uncrossed disparities, nor between near or far from the vertical horopter line. The significant difference was between upper and lower visual field positions., Conclusion: The results show that: (i) stereoscopic presentation does not influence the target filling-in latency; (ii) differences between dorsal and ventral visual stream might influence target filling-in latency.

Background: Iridocorneal endothelial syndrome is characterized by the proliferation and spreading of an abnormal corneal endothelial membrane across the iridocorneal angle and iris surface, resulting in iridocorneal adhesions, glaucoma, pupillary distortion, varying degrees of iris atrophy, and occasionally corneal decomposition with edema. These changes may possibly affect the long-term prognosis of penetrating keratoplasty in an adverse fashion., Methods: We reviewed the clinical course of 12 consecutive eyes (12 patients) which underwent penetrating keratoplasty for corneal edema associated with the iridocorneal endothelial syndrome (mean postoperative follow up = 30 months)., Results: The grafts remained clear in 10 patients (83%) and the visual acuity was 20/40 or better in nine patients (75%). The endothelial cell losses averaged 13% at 6 months and 17% at 1 year after surgery. Simultaneous extracapsular cataract extraction and posterior chamber lens implantation at the time of keratoplasty posed no measurable compromise to the overall postoperative prognosis. Causes of poor visual acuity after surgery included glaucoma and graft failure (immune and nonimmune)., Conclusions: The prognosis of penetrating keratoplasty in the iridocorneal endothelial syndrome appears to be very favorable in the majority of eyes.