Blepharitis of the eyelid margins. Posterior blepharitis and Meibomian gland dysfunction are frequently associated with rosacea and can be seen during an ocular examination of the posterior eyelid margin. The Meibomian glands may appear caked with oil or visibly obstructed. Cultures of the eyelid margins can be a clear indicator for patients suffering from recurrent anterior blepharitis with severe inflammation, in addition to patients who are not responding to therapy. Measurements of tear osmolarity may be beneficial in diagnosing concurrent dry eye syndrome (DES), which may be responsible for overlapping symptoms and would allow the physician to decipher between conditions and
Brunner's glands The duodenum is readily distinguished from other regions of the small intestine by the presence of submucosal Brunner's glands, which may pack the submucosa so completely that the typical submucosal connective tissue is obscured. The Brunner glands, which empty into the intestinal glands, secrete an alkaline fluid composed of mucin, which exerts a physiologic anti-acid function by coating the duodenal epithelium, therefore protecting it from the acid chyme of the stomach. Furthermore, in response to the presence of acid in the duodenum, these glands secrete pepsinogen and urogastrone, which inhibit gastric acid secretion. The main function of these glands is