Multimodal Imaging Characterization of Butterfly Hair-Induced Keratitis.

PURPOSE: Multimodal imaging was performed to characterize butterfly hair-induced keratitis based on anterior segment optical coherence tomography and in vivo confocal microscopy. METHODS: This study was a case report. RESULTS: A 6-year-old girl presented with acute keratitis induced by multiple butterfly hairs. Severe itching and pain developed immediately after rubbing her left eye, leading to significant pain and moderate vision loss, even after undergoing twice removal of the corneal epithelium. The hair-like foreign bodies were distributed at various depths inside the corneal stroma, even extending into the anterior chamber. The symptoms and corneal infiltration gradually decreased within 6 months with the use of topical steroids and immunosuppressors. The hairs located in the superficial and middle stromal layers of the cornea disappeared at the 6-month follow-up, but the hairs in the deep stromal layer tended to move deeper. The diagnosis was confirmed by in vivo confocal microscopy and microphotography. The migration tendency of the hairs into the intraocular space was observed using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). CONCLUSIONS: Butterfly hair-induced keratitis can be controlled by the treatment with topical steroids and immunosuppressors, but the hairs tend to move into the eyes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of corneal in vivo confocal imaging of butterfly hairs.

Design, synthesis, and preliminary cardioprotective effect evaluation of danshensu derivatives.

A series of (R)-3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid Danshensu (DSS) derivatives were synthesized, and their cardioprotective effects were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Among the new derivatives, compound 14 showed significant protective effects in cultured myocardial cells and in the rat model of myocardial ischemia. The therapeutic efficacy of compound 14 was significantly higher than that of its parent compound DSS, and amlodipine, a first-line treatment for angina pain. Compound 14 potently scavenged free radicals, significantly decreased the levels of LDH and MDA, and inhibited the leakage of CK in animal model of ischemia. We had previously found that compound 14 activated PI3K/Akt/GSK-3ß and Nrf2//Keap1/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathways in H9c2 cells. These results suggest that compound 14 has a unique mechanism of action, that is, multifunctional. Compound 14 may be a new potential therapy for ischemic heart diseases.

[Influence of pressure on plasma temperature in air/argon dielecteic barrier discharge].

Electron excitation temperature and molecule vibrational temperature in argon/air dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) at different gas pressure with water electrodes were studied by using optical emission spectra. The spectral lines of Ar I 763. 51 nm(2P6 --> 1S5) and Ar I 772.42 nm(2P2 --> 1S3) were chosen to calculate electron excitation temperature by the relative intensity ratio method. The emission spectra of nitrogen band of second positive system ( C3 pi(u) --> B3 pi(g)) were measured at the same time. The molecule vibration temperature was estimated by the emission intensities of different bands with delta(nu) = -1, delta(nu) = -2, and delta(nU) = -3 in nitrogen band of second positive system, using Boltzmann's plot method. In addition, the relative line intensities of nitrogen (0-0) band of first negative system at 391.4 nm and (0-0) band of second positive system at 337.1 nm were also measured to study the variation of electron energy. It was found that the electron excitation temperature decreased from 4 700 to 3 300 K and the molecule vibrational temperature decreased from 3 200 to 2 900 K with increasing gas pressure from 20 to 60 kPa. Besides, the ratio of I(N2+)/I(N2) also decreased with pressure increasing from 20 to 60 kPa, indicating that the average electron energy decreases with the gas pressure increasing. These results are of great importance to the study of plasma dynamics of dielectric barrier discharge and also to the underlying industrial applications.

[Study on energy transfer in argon/air in dielectric barrier discharge by optical emission spectra].

The energy transfer in dielectric barrier discharge in argon/air mixture in a device with water electrodes was investigated by comparing the optical emission spectra in pure argon, argon/air mixture and air. It was observed that the intensities of argon spectral lines in argon/air discharge are all lower than that in argon discharge, which indicates that the nitrogen in air has a quenching effect on the argon excited states. It was found that the decreasing rate of intensity of spectral lines with increasing the air concentration is different. The intensity of ArI 763. 51 nm decreases fastest, the ArI 772.42 nm and ArI 696.54 nm take second place, while the ArI 750.39 nm decreases slowest. Comparing the excitation energy of argon excited state with the excitation energy of nitrogen molecule, the authors found that the smaller the difference between the excitation energy of argon excited state and the excitation energy of nitrogen molecule, the faster the spectral line decreases, implying the stronger the energy transfer. In addition, the additional argon in air makes the emission intensities of nitrogen band of second positive system and band of first negative system increase, which indicates that the excitation of nitrogen is enhanced by the energy transfer from argon through Penning excitation involving argon metastable states. In other words, the component and ratio of gas in the gas mixture influence the optical characteristic and energy transfer peculiarity in the mixed gas discharge. The optical emission spectra measurement as a useful plasma diagnostic tool has been successfully used in the study of energy transfer in the mixed gas discharge, and the results provide a reasonable reference for the underlying industrial applications of different species discharge.

Formation of white-eye patterns with microdischarge in an air dielectric-barrier-discharge system.

We report on the observation of a white-eye pattern in an air dielectric barrier discharge. The patterned discharges undergo a development as follows: random spots-quasihexagonal pattern-hexagonal pattern (type I)-hexagonal pattern (type II)-white-eye pattern-chaos, as the voltage is increased. The spatiotemporal characteristics of the patterned discharges are investigated by using an optical method. Results show that the two discharge modes, uniform mode and filamentary mode, are actually two different spatial presentations of the same origin: the microdischarge. From the viewpoint of pattern dynamics, the white-eye pattern results from a three-wave resonance interaction.