CD38 Deficiency Protects Mouse Retinal Ganglion Cells Through Activating the NAD+/Sirt1 Pathway in Ischemia-Reperfusion and Optic Nerve Crush Models.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of CD38 deletion on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in a mouse retinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) model and an optic nerve crush (ONC) model, and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods: Retinal I/R and ONC models were constructed in mice. PCR was used to identify the deletion of CD38 gene in mice, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to evaluate the changes in retinal morphology, and electroretinogram (ERG) was used to evaluate the changes in retinal function. The survival of RGCs and activation of retinal macroglia were evaluated by immunofluorescence staining. The expression of Sirt1, CD38, Ac-p65, Ac-p53, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and Caspase3 proteins in the retina was further evaluated by protein imprinting. Results: In retinal I/R and ONC models, CD38 deficiency reduced the loss of RGCs and activation of macroglia and protected the retinal function. CD38 deficiency increased the concentration of NAD+, reduced the degree of acetylation of NF-κB p65 and p53, and reduced expression of the downstream inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-1ß, and apoptotic protein Caspase3 in the retina in the ONC model. Intraperitoneal injection of the Sirt1 inhibitor EX-527 partially counteracted the effects of CD38 deficiency, suggesting that CD38 deficiency acts at least in part through the NAD+/Sirt1 pathway. Conclusions: CD38 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of retinal I/R and ONC injury. CD38 deletion protects RGCs by attenuating inflammatory responses and apoptosis through the NAD+/Sirt1 pathway.

Noninvasive Light Flicker Stimulation Promotes Optic Nerve Regeneration by Activating Microglia and Enhancing Neural Plasticity in Zebrafish.

Purpose: Forty-hertz light flicker stimulation has been proven to reduce neurodegeneration, but its effect on optic nerve regeneration is unclear. This study explores the effect of 40-Hz light flicker in promoting optic nerve regeneration in zebrafish and investigates the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Wild-type and mpeg1:EGFP zebrafish were used to establish a model of optic nerve crush. Biocytin tracing and hematoxylin and eosin staining were employed to observe whether 40-Hz light flicker promotes regeneration of retinal ganglion cell axons and dendrites. Optomotor and optokinetic responses were evaluated to assess recovery of visual function. Immunofluorescence staining of mpeg1:EGFP zebrafish was performed to observe changes in microglia. Differentially expressed genes that promote optic nerve regeneration following 40-Hz light flicker stimulation were identified and validated through RNA-sequencing analysis and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Results: Zebrafish exhibited spontaneous optic nerve regeneration after optic nerve injury and restored visual function. We observed that 40-Hz light flicker significantly activated microglia following optic nerve injury and promoted regeneration of retinal ganglion cell axons and dendrites, as well as recovery of visual function. Transcriptomics and qRT-PCR analyses revealed that 40-Hz light flicker increased the expression of genes associated with neuronal plasticity, including bdnf, npas4a, fosab, fosb, egr4, and ier2a. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate that 40-Hz light flicker stimulation promotes regeneration of retinal ganglion cell axons and dendrites and recovery of visual function in zebrafish, which is associated with microglial activation and enhancement of neural plasticity.

Values of macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer and 10-2 visual field measurements in detecting and evaluating glaucoma.

AIM: To assess the performance of macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness (mGCIPLT) and 10-2 visual field (VF) parameters in detecting early glaucoma and evaluating the severity of advanced glaucoma. METHODS: Totally 127 eyes from 89 participants (36 eyes of 19 healthy participants, 45 eyes of 31 early glaucoma patients and 46 eyes of 39 advanced glaucoma patients) were included. The relationships between the optical coherence tomography (OCT)-derived parameters and VF sensitivity were determined. Patients with early glaucoma were divided into eyes with or without central 10° of the VF damages (CVFDs), and the diagnostic performances of OCT-derived parameters were assessed. RESULTS: In early glaucoma, the mGCIPLT was significantly correlated with 10-2 VF pattern standard deviation (PSD; with average mGCIPLT: ß=-0.046, 95%CI, -0.067 to -0.024, P<0.001). In advanced glaucoma, the mGCIPLT was related to the 24-2 VF mean deviation (MD; with average mGCIPLT: ß=0.397, 95%CI, 0.199 to 0.595, P<0.001), 10-2 VF MD (with average mGCIPLT: ß=0.762, 95%CI, 0.485 to 1.038, P<0.001) and 24-2 VF PSD (with average mGCIPLT: ß=0.244, 95%CI, 0.124 to 0.364, P<0.001). Except for the minimum and superotemporal mGCIPLT, the decrease of mGCIPLT in early glaucomatous eyes with CVFDs was more severe than that of early glaucomatous eyes without CVFDs. The area under the curve (AUC) of the average mGCIPLT (AUC=0.949, 95%CI, 0.868 to 0.982) was greater than that of the average circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (cpRNFLT; AUC=0.827, 95%CI, 0.674 to 0.918) and rim area (AUC=0.799, 95%CI, 0.610 to 0.907) in early glaucomatous eyes with CVFDs versus normal eyes. CONCLUSION: The 10-2 VF and mGCIPLT parameters are complementary to 24-2 VF, cpRNFLT and ONH parameters, especially in detecting early glaucoma with CVFDs and evaluating the severity of advanced glaucoma in group level.

Speciation of arsenic in milk from cows fed seaweed.

BACKGROUND: Including seaweed in cattle feed has gained increased interest, but it is important to take into account that the concentration of toxic metals, especially arsenic, is high in seaweed. This study investigated the arsenic species in milk from seaweed-fed cows. RESULTS: Total arsenic in milk of control diets (9.3 ± 1.0 µg As kg-1, n = 4, dry mass) was significantly higher than seaweed-based diet (high-seaweed diet: 7.8 ± 0.4 µg As kg-1, P < 0.05, n = 4, dry mass; low-seaweed diet: 6.2 ± 1.0 µg As kg-1, P < 0.01, n = 4, dry mass). Arsenic speciation showed that the main species present were arsenobetaine (AB) and arsenate (As(V)) (37% and 24% of the total arsenic, respectively). Trace amounts of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and arsenocholine (AC) have also been detected in milk. Apart from arsenate being significantly lower (P < 0.001) in milk from seaweed-fed cows than in milk from the control group, other arsenic species showed no significant differences between groups. CONCLUSION: The lower total arsenic and arsenate in seaweed diet groups indicates a possible competition of uptake between arsenate and phosphate, and the presence of AC indicates that a reduction of AB occurred in the digestive tract. Feeding a seaweed blend (91% Ascophyllum nodosum and 9% Laminaria digitata) does not raise As-related safety concerns for milk. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein using a magnetic-assisted electrochemical biosensor based on functionalized CoFe2O4 magnetic nanomaterials.

The outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) in 2019 has garnered widespread attention. The virus exhibits high contagiousness, and in certain cases, it can lead to recurrent infections. Therefore, it is imperative to develop portable, sensitive, and accurate sensors to promptly detect infected individuals, control the virus's transmission, and determine suitable treatment strategies. In this study, we proposed a magnetically-assisted method employing CFO@CS-Au MNP as the substrate material, which was functionalized with human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2) for efficient capture of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in solution. Subsequently, the captured protein was sensitively detected through differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) electrical analysis. The linear detection range of the labeled GCE/MNP/GA/ACE2/BSA electrochemical sensor is from 1 pg/mL to 10 µg/mL, with a minimum detection limit of 0.15 pg/mL. Furthermore, the fabricated GCE/MNP/GA/ACE2/BSA sensor achieved satisfactory recoveries of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in saliva and nasal swab samples within 10 min. These results indicate that this magnetically-assisted biosensor has established a solid foundation for the swift on-site detection of COVID-19.

Efficacy of acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment to patients with stable COPD: a multicenter, randomized, sham-controlled trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory disease and the third leading cause of death worldwide. Previous evidence has shown that acupuncture may be an effective complementary alternative therapy for stable COPD. However, large-sample, rigorously designed long-term follow-up studies still need to be completed. Notably, the relationship between the frequency of acupuncture and clinical efficacy in studies on acupuncture for stable COPD still needs further validation. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for stable COPD and further investigate the dose-effect relationship of acupuncture. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial that uses central randomization to randomly allocate 550 participants in a 1:1:1:1:1 ratio to once a week acupuncture group, twice a week acupuncture group, three times a week acupuncture group, sham acupuncture group and waiting-list control group. The sham acupuncture group will receive placebo acupuncture treatments three times per week, and the waiting-list control group will not receive any form of acupuncture intervention. The study consists of a 2-week baseline, 12-week of treatment, and 52-week of follow-up. Patients with COPD between 40 to 80 years old who have received stable Western medication within the previous 3 months and have had at least 1 moderate or severe acute exacerbation within the past 1 year will be included in the study. Basic treatment will remain the same for all participants. The primary outcome is the proportion of responders at week 12. Secondary outcomes include the proportion of responders at week 64, change in the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) Scale, change in the Modified-Medical Research Council (mMRC) Scale, change in the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) Scale, change in the Lung Function Screening Indicators (LFSI), change in the 6-min walk distance (6-MWD), change in Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) Scale, the number of moderate and severe acute exacerbations and adverse event rate during the follow-up period. DISCUSSION: This study will provide robust evidence on whether acupuncture is safe and effective for treating stable COPD. Meanwhile, comparing the differences in efficacy between different acupuncture frequencies will further promote the optimization of acupuncture for stable COPD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200058757), on April 16, 2022.

Progress and Challenges in Tumor Ferroptosis Treatment Strategies: A Comprehensive Review of Metal Complexes and Nanomedicine.

Ferroptosis is a new form of regulated cell death featuring iron-dependent lipid peroxides accumulation to kill tumor cells. A growing body of evidence has shown the potential of ferroptosis-based cancer therapy in eradicating refractory malignancies that are resistant to apoptosis-based conventional therapies. In recent years, studies have reported a number of ferroptosis inducers that can increase the vulnerability of tumor cells to ferroptosis by regulating ferroptosis-related signaling pathways. Encouraged by the rapid development of ferroptosis-driven cancer therapies, interdisciplinary fields that combine ferroptosis, pharmaceutical chemistry, and nanotechnology are focused. First, the prerequisites and metabolic pathways for ferroptosis are briefly introduced. Then, in detail emerging ferroptosis inducers designed to boost ferroptosis-induced tumor therapy, including metal complexes, metal-based nanoparticles, and metal-free nanoparticles are summarized. Subsequently, the application of synergistic strategies that combine ferroptosis with apoptosis and other regulated cell death for cancer therapy, with emphasis on the use of both cuproptosis and ferroptosis to induce redox dysregulation in tumor and intracellular bimetallic copper/iron metabolism disorders during tumor treatment is discussed. Finally, challenges associated with clinical translation and potential future directions for potentiating cancer ferroptosis therapies are highlighted.

AsHC 360 Exposure Influence on Epileptiform Discharges in Hippocampus of Infantile Male Rats In Vitro.

Arsenic-containing hydrocarbons (AsHCs) are typical arsenolipids found in various marine organisms. They can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, specifically affecting synaptic plasticity and the learning and memory ability of hippocampal neurons. Temporal lobe epilepsy often occurs in the hippocampus. Thus, the possible influence of AsHCs exposure to temporal lobe epilepsy garnered attention. The present study investigated the effects of epileptiform discharges (EDs) signals introduced by low-magnesium ACSF in the hippocampus of infantile male rats in vitro, using electrophysiological techniques with multi-electrode arrays under AsHC 360 exposure. In our study of the effects of AsHC 360 on EDs signals, we found that inter-ictal discharges (IIDs) were not significantly impacted. When AsHC 360 was removed, any minor effects observed were reversed. However, when we examined the impact of AsHC 360 on ictal discharges (IDs), distinct patterns emerged based on the concentration levels. For low-concentration groups (5, 20, 60 µg As L-1), both the frequency and duration effects on IDs returned to normal post-elimination of AsHC 360. However, this recovery was not evident for concentrations of 100 µg As L-1 or higher. IDs were only observed in EDs signals during exposures to AsHC 360 concentrations up to 60 µg As L-1. In these conditions, ID frequencies significantly enhanced with the increased of AsHC 360 concentration. At high concentrations of AsHC 360 (≥100 µg As L-1), the transition from IIDs or pre-ictal discharges (PIDs) to IDs was notably inhibited. Additional study on co-exposure of AsHC 360 (100 µg As L-1) and agonist (10 nM (S)-(-)-Bay-K-8644) indicated that the regulation of EDs signals under AsHC 360 exposure could be due to directly interference with the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid receptor (AMPAR) expression which influences the binding of excitatory glutamate neurotransmitter to AMPAR. The results suggest that EDs activities in the hippocampus of infantile Sprague Dawley rats are concentration-dependent on AsHC 360 exposure. Thus, it provides a basis for the seafood intake with AsHCs for epileptic patients and those with potential seizures.

[Progress of researches on anti-inflammatory mechanism of acupuncture underlying amelioration of chronic respiratory diseases].

In recent years, acupuncture has gained great progress in the treatment of chronic respiratory diseases (CRD), and the clinical effect is remarkable, but its underlying mechanisms are relatively complex, with the anti-inflammatory effect being the primary aspect. Based on the literature both at home and abroad, we found that the anti-inflammatory mechanism of acupuncture mainly involves chemokines, kinase-related pathways, helper T cells, epigenetic modification, autophagy, vagal-mediated cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, etc. The researches on some anti-inflammatory mechanisms are still in the initial stage, the relationship among various pathways, and the key factors affecting the effect of acupuncture, such as acupoint selection, stimulation intensity and needling depth, etc. warrant further exploration in the future.

Arsenolipids reduce butyrate levels and influence human gut microbiota in a donor-dependent way.

Arsenolipids are organic arsenic species with variable toxicity. Accurate assessment of the risks derived from arsenic-contaminated seafood intake requires studying the interplay between arsenolipids and the human gut microbiota. This research used the in vitro mucosal simulator of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem (M-SHIME) to assess the effect of defined chemical standards of arsenolipids (AsFA 362 and AsHC 332) on a simulated healthy human gut microbiota (n = 4). Microbial-derived metabolites were quantified by gas chromatography and microbiota structure was characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. A specific reduction in butyrate production (control=5.28 ± 0.3 mM; AsFAs=4.56 ± 0.4 mM; AsHC 332=4.4 ±â€¯0.6 mM, n = 4 donors), concomitant with a reduction in the abundance of Lachnospiraceae UCG-004 group and the Faecalibacterium genus was observed, albeit in a donor-dependent manner. Furthermore, an increase in Escherichia/Shigella, Proteobacteria and Fusobacterium abundance was observed after arsenolipid treatments, depending on individual microbiota background. These alterations in microbial functionality and microbial community structure suggest a detrimental effect of arsenolipids intake towards the commensal gut microbiome, and consequently, on human health.

Acupuncture for dyspnea and breathing physiology in chronic respiratory diseases: A protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Dyspnea is one of the most common symptoms of chronic respiratory disease (CRD) and is closely related to increased functional disability and mortality, resulting in substantial adverse outcomes on patients and imposing great social and economic burden. Although multiple clinical trials and systematic reviews have suggested that acupuncture could be effective in treating COPD and lung cancer, little is known about its effects on dyspnea relief in patients with CRD. The present study aimed to use a systematic review approach to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of dyspnea in patients with CRD. METHODS: We will search the following 9 databases from inception to June 30, 2022, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, WANFANG Database, Chinses Scientific and Technological Periodical Database, and Chinese Biomedical Database, and the Cochrane Library Database. Clinical randomized controlled trials in English or Chinese that evaluate invasive acupuncture versus control group in treatment of CRD with dyspnea will be included. The primary outcome will be dyspnea scores, breathing physiological function, and the secondary outcomes include exercise tolerance by six-minute walk distance quality of life, quality of life and adverse events. Two reviewers will independently conduct study selection, data extraction and quality assessment. The Review Manager software will be used for meta-analysis. This protocol will be carried out in accordance with the PRISMA-P guidance. CONCLUSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis will provide the evidence of whether acupuncture is an effective and safe intervention for CRD with dyspnea. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication.

Diagnostic performance of mycological tests for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in non-haematological patients: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Increasing numbers of patients with non-haematological diseases are infected with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), with a high mortality reported which is mainly due to delayed diagnosis. The diagnostic capability of mycological tests for IPA including galactomannan test, (1,3)-ß-D-glucan test, lateral flow assay, lateral flow device and PCR for the non-haematological patients remains unknown. This protocol aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic performance of mycological tests to facilitate the early diagnosis and treatments of IPA in non-haematological diseases. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Database including PubMed, CENTRAL and EMBASE will be searched from 2002 until the publication of results. Cohort or cross-sectional studies that assessing the diagnostic capability of mycological tests for IPA in patients with non-haematological diseases will be included. The true-positive, false-positive, true-negative and false-negative of each test will be extracted and pooled in bivariate random-effects model, by which the sensitivity and specificity will be calculated with 95% CI. The second outcomes will include positive (negative) likelihood ratio, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and diagnostic OR will also be computed in the bivariate model. When applicable, subgroup analysis will be performed with several prespecified covariates to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. Factors that may impact the diagnostic effects of mycological tests will be examined by sensitivity analysis. The risk of bias will be appraised by the Quality Assessment tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This protocol is not involved with ethics approval, and the results will be peer-reviewed and disseminated on a recognised journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021241820.

[Research progress of neuroendocrine mechanism of acupuncture for dyspnea].

The paper reviewed the relevant studies on dyspnea treated with acupuncture over the past 20 years, as well as the underlying neuroendocrine mechanism from the perspective of central and peripheral vagus nerves, neurotransmitter, respiratory muscle function and anti-depression-anxiety function. It revealed that the central response area was regulated by acupuncture in treatment of dyspnea, which is similar to the area affected in acupuncture analgesia. Additionally, acupuncture generates its therapeutic effects on dyspnea through promoting the release of endogenous opioid peptides and the regulation of autonomic nerve, amygdale and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Gut microbiota metabolize arsenolipids in a donor dependent way.

Understanding the interplay between the gut microbiome and arsenolipids can help us manage the potential health risk of consuming seafood, but little is known about the bioconversion fate of arsenolipids in the gastrointestinal tract. We use an in vitro mucosal simulator of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem (M-SHIME) to mimic the digestive tract of four healthy donors during exposure to two arsenolipids (an arsenic fatty acid AsFA 362 or an arsenic hydrocarbon AsHC 332). The metabolites were analyzed by HPLC-mass spectrometry. The human gut bacteria accumulated arsenolipids in a donor-dependent way, with higher retention of AsHC 332. Colonic microbiota partly transformed both arsenolipids to their thioxo analogs, while AsFA 362 was additionally transformed into arsenic-containing fatty esters, arsenic-containing fatty alcohols, and arsenic-containing sterols. There was no significant difference in water-soluble arsenicals between arsenolipid treatments. The study shows that arsenolipids can be quickly biotransformed into several lipid-soluble arsenicals of unknown toxicity, which cannot be excluded when considering potential implications on human health.

Arsenolipids in salmon are partly converted to thioxo analogs during cooking.

BACKGROUND: Arsenic hydrocarbons, major arsenolipids occurring naturally in marine fish, have substantial cytotoxicity leading to human health-related studies of their distribution and abundance in foods. These studies have all investigated fresh foods; because most fish are cooked before being consumed, it is both food- and health-relevant to determine the arsenolipids present in cooked fish. METHODS: We used HPLC/mass spectrometry to investigate the arsenolipids present in salmon (Salmo salar) before and after cooking by either baking or steaming. RESULTS: In raw salmon (total As 2.74 mg kg-1 dry mass, of which 6% was lipid-soluble), major arsenolipids were three arsenic hydrocarbons (oxo-AsHC 332, oxo-AsHC 360, and oxo-AsHC 404, ca 55% of total arsenolipids) and a band of unidentified less-polar arsenolipids (ca 40%), trace amounts of another four arsenic hydrocarbons and two thioxo analogs were also detected. During the cooking process, 28% of the oxo-AsHCs were converted to their thioxo analogs. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that arsenic hydrocarbons naturally present in fresh fish are partly converted to their thioxo analogs during cooking by either baking or steaming. The greater lipophilicity of the thioxo analogs could alter the mode of toxicity of arsenic hydrocarbons, and hence future food regulations for arsenic should consider the influence of cooking on the precise type of arsenolipid in fish.

Family Migration and Social Integration of Migrants: Evidence from Wuhan Metropolitan Area, China.

The social integration in host cities of China's migrant population and its determinants has received much attention from researchers. However, few have directly addressed the family migration in differentiating migrants' social integration. This study employs descriptive statistics and multivariate regression to explore the social integration across different family migration types, based on the data of China Migrants Dynamic Survey 2013 and 2017 in Wuhan metropolitan area. The findings show that the family migration in Wuhan metropolitan area is prevalent, and the central city Wuhan has advantages both in the proportion of whole-family migration and the scores of migrants' social integration. In addition, the migrants' family migration is significantly positively associated with their social integration, but the effect is variance in the regression models of social integration's four dimensions. The findings reveal the Wuhan City's leading position in promoting migrants' social integration within the Wuhan metropolitan area. Furthermore, migration with more family members has higher levels of integration in economy and public service. This implies that the convenience provided by inflow cities' government for family migration is crucial. To provide high-quality public services is of great significance to attract and retain migrants and then promote their overall social integration.

Diode laser transscleral cyclophotocoagulation causes intraocular collamer lens displacement in pseudophakic eye: a case report.

BACKGROUND: With the rapid development of intraocular collamer lens (ICL) operation, it is foreseeable that we will encounter a large number of glaucoma patients with ICL implantation history. However, our current understanding of the treatment of glaucoma patients with ICL is limited. Hence we report a rare case of refractory glaucoma after intraocular collamer lens and intraocular lens implantation in a patient who underwent unsuccessful transscleral cyclophotocoagulation, which led to intraocular collamer lens displacement, angle closure and uncontrolled intraocular pressure. CASE PRESENTATION: A 39-year-old woman presented with intractably elevated intraocular pressure in the right eye. Since her intraocular collamer lens implantation surgery in 2017, her intraocular pressure had remained over 40 mmHg while using 3 types of anti-glaucoma medications. The patient had a history of phacoemulsification and posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens implantation for complicated cataracts secondary to uveitis in 2006. On gonioscope examination, there were signs of pigment dispersion, and the anterior chamber angle was open. Ultrasound biomicroscopy examination showed contact and rubbing between the intraocular collamer lens and posterior surface of the iris. And typical advanced glaucomatous optic neuropathy and visual field defects were observed. Transscleral cyclophotocoagulation was performed to control the intraocular pressure and prevent further visual field loss. However, the intraocular collamer lens was displaced after transscleral cyclophotocoagulation, which resulted in formation of a shallow anterior chamber 1 week later, angle closure and loss of intraocular pressure control 1 month later, even though the maximum dose of anti-glaucoma medication was used. Finally, an Ahmed glaucoma valve was successfully implanted in her anterior chamber, and the glaucoma was controlled, as observed at the 10-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Pigment dispersion is a common phenomenon after intraocular collamer lens implantation and may accelerate the progression of glaucoma. Transscleral cyclophotocoagulation should be carefully considered in glaucoma patients with elevated intraocular pressure after intraocular collamer lens implantation, given that transscleral cyclophotocoagulation may cause intraocular collamer lens displacement.

Effect of arsenic-containing hydrocarbon on the long-term potentiation at Schaffer Collateral-CA1 synapses from infantile male rat.

Arsenic-containing hydrocarbons (AsHCs) are common constituents of marine organisms and have potential toxicity to human health. This work is to study the effect of AsHCs on long-term potentiation (LTP) for the first time. A multi-electrode array (MEA) system was used to record the field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) of CA1 before and after treatment with AsHC 360 in hippocampal slices from infantile male rats. The element content of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, and As in the hippocampal slices were analyzed by elemental mass spectrometry after the neurophysiological experiment. The results showed that low AsHC 360 (1.5 µg As L-1) had no effect on the LTP, moderate AsHC 360 (3.75-15 µg As L-1) enhanced the LTP, and high AsHC 360 (45-150 µg As L-1) inhibited the LTP. The enhancement of the LTP by promoting Ca2+ influx was proved by a Ca2+ gradient experiment. The inhibition of the LTP was likely due to damage of synaptic cell membrane integrity. This study on the neurotoxicity of AsHCs showed that high concentrations have a strong toxic effect on the LTP in hippocampus slices of the infantile male rat, which may lead to a negative effect on the development, learning, and memory.

Effects of modulation on sodium and potassium channel currents by extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields stimulation on hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells.

To investigate the effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) stimulation on sodium channel currents (INa), transient outward potassium channel currents (IA) and delayed rectifier potassium channel currents (IK) on hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons of young Sprague-Dawley rats. CA1 pyramidal neurons of rat hippocampal slices were subjected to ELF-EMFs stimulation with different frequencies (15 and 50 Hz), intensities (0.5, 1 and 2 mT) and durations (10, 20 and 30 min). The INa, IA and IK of neurons were recorded by a whole-cell patch-clamp method. ELF-EMFs stimulation enhanced INa densities, and depressed IA and IK densities. In detail, INa was more sensitive to the variation of intensities and frequencies of ELF-EMFs, whereas IA and IK were mainly affected by the variation of the duration of ELF-EMFs. ELF-EMFs stimulation altered activation and deactivation properties of INa, IA and IK. ELF-EMFs stimulation plays a role as a regulator rather than an inducer for ion channels. It might change the transition probability of ion channel opening or closing, and might also change the structure and function of the ion channel which need to be proved by the further technical method.

Clinical efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine versus placebo for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Randomized clinical trials and published meta-analyses assessing the clinical effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) on the treatment of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) yielded inconsistent results in terms of disease outcomes, in which the design of placebo-controlled studies can contribute to the heterogeneity. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CHM compared to placebo on the treatment of stable COPD, to provide robust evidence for the use of CHM in COPD. METHODS: Nine electronic databases were searched from inception to October 1, 2019 to identify placebo controlled randomized trials of CHM for the treatment of stable COPD and studies in English or Chinese were included. The primary outcomes were symptom score (CAT score), quality of life (SGRQ) and frequency of acute exacerbations. The secondary outcomes included lung function, clinical total effective rate and adverse events. The selection of studies, data extraction and coding and assessment of risk of bias of the included studies were conducted by two reviewers independently. Mean difference (MD) was used to analyze continuous variable and relative risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous data. RESULTS: A total of eleven studies involving 1223 patients were included. While maintaining routine western pharmacotherapies (WP), CHM had significant advantage over the treatment of placebo in improving CAT score (MD -3.93; 95 %CI -6.01 to -1.85) and SGRQ score (MD -6.20; 95 %CI -10.13 to -2.28), reducing the frequency of acute exacerbations (MD -0.78; 95 %CI -1.40 to -0.16) and improving clinical effective rate (RR 1.29; 95 %CI 1.14 to 1.45), but had no significant effect on improving FEV1%pred (MD 8.18; 95 %CI -4.22 to 20.58). High heterogeneity was found for the changes in exacerbation frequency and FEV1%pred. No serious adverse events related to CHM were reported. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis of placebo-controlled RCTs demonstrated that the use of CHM in addition to WP could alleviate clinical symptoms, improve quality of life and clinical efficiency and reduce the frequency of exacerbations, which could be an alternative approach for treatment adjustment of COPD. CHM was a relatively safe treatment. These findings need to be verified in future with high-quality clinical trials.