Nanomedicines for Dry Eye Syndrome: Targeting Oxidative Stress with Modern Nanomaterial Strategies.

Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a dynamic, chronic disease of the ocular surface and ocular appendages caused by inflammation. The most common symptoms include redness, itching, and blurred vision, resulting from dysfunction of the meibomian glands and impaired tear-film production. Factors contributing to the development of DES include environmental elements, such as UV radiation, and internal elements, such as hormonal imbalances. These factors increase oxidative stress, which exacerbates inflammation on the surface of the eye and accelerates the development of DES. In recent years, the incidence of DES has risen, leading to a greater need to develop effective treatments. Current treatments for dry eye are limited and primarily focus on alleviating individual symptoms, such as reducing inflammation of the ocular surface. However, it is crucial to understand the pathomechanism of the disease and tailor treatment to address the underlying causes to achieve the best possible therapeutic outcomes. Therefore, in this review, we analyzed the impact of oxidative stress on the development of DES to gain a better understanding of its pathomechanism and examined recently developed nanosystems that allow drugs to be delivered directly to the disease site.

Retrospective analysis of the impact of sternum closure technique on postoperative comfort and rehabilitation.

INTRODUCTION: Sternum closure techniques have been compared regarding biomechanics, efficacy in high-risk patients and prevention of mediastinitis or sternal dehiscence. There are no papers concerning patients' comfort and postoperative rehabilitation rate. AIM: To establish the best surgical closure technique after midline sternotomy regarding the lowest pain level in the postoperative period and the highest rate of postoperative rehabilitation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on a group of 100 patients after cardiothoracic procedures which was divided into 3 subgroups according to sternal closure technique based on postoperative thoracic X-ray. To assess patients' pain and their physical activity we used a custom questionnaire. The statistical analysis was performed on the data regarding occurrence of wound healing complications risk factors, Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for Pain score, the number of days until achieving important rehabilitations stages and the occurrence of sternal refixation. RESULTS: Subgroups had 35, 33 and 32 patients. The statistical analysis showed significantly lower NRS scores between the 14th (p = 0.0012) (1.17) and 30th (p = 0.0196) day (0.65) after the procedure in the group sutured with only single interrupted wire. There was also a significant difference in the number of days between the operation and the first time the patient could lie sideways (p = 0.0105). There was no statistically significant difference between the three groups regarding other measured factors. CONCLUSIONS: The single wire suture provides less pain at the 14th and 30th day postoperatively measured on the NRS and ensures faster rehabilitation compared to sternal closing technique which involves placing both single and figure-of-8 sutures.

Screening of bat faeces for arthropod-borne apicomplexan protozoa: Babesia canis and Besnoitia besnoiti-like sequences from Chiroptera.

BACKGROUND: Bats are among the most eco-epidemiologically important mammals, owing to their presence in human settlements and animal keeping facilities. Roosting of bats in buildings may bring pathogens of veterinary-medical importance into the environment of domestic animals and humans. In this context bats have long been studied as carriers of various pathogen groups. However, despite their close association with arthropods (both in their food and as their ectoparasites), only a few molecular surveys have been published on their role as carriers of vector-borne protozoa. The aim of the present study was to compensate for this scarcity of information. FINDINGS: Altogether 221 (mostly individual) bat faecal samples were collected in Hungary and the Netherlands. The DNA was extracted, and analysed with PCR and sequencing for the presence of arthropod-borne apicomplexan protozoa. Babesia canis canis (with 99-100% homology) was identified in five samples, all from Hungary. Because it was excluded with an Ixodidae-specific PCR that the relevant bats consumed ticks, these sequences derive either from insect carriers of Ba. canis, or from the infection of bats. In one bat faecal sample from the Netherlands a sequence having the highest (99%) homology to Besnoitia besnoiti was amplified. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that some aspects of the epidemiology of canine babesiosis are underestimated or unknown, i.e. the potential role of insect-borne mechanical transmission and/or the susceptibility of bats to Ba. canis. In addition, bats need to be added to future studies in the quest for the final host of Be. besnoiti.

Germinal mutations of RET, SDHB, SDHD, and VHL genes in patients with apparently sporadic pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas.

INTRODUCTION: Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas are derived from neural crest cells and are localized mainly in adrenal medulla and sympathetic or parasympathetic ganglia. They can be inherited (25%) and be part of multi-endocrine syndromes such as MEN2 syndrome, von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1, and Sturge-Weber syndrome. Clinical presentation can sometimes be atypical and does not always allow proper diagnosis. In such situations, DNA analysis can be helpful, especially when the pheochromocytoma is the first and only symptom. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed DNA from 60 patients diagnosed and treated in the Centre of Oncology with a diagnosis of pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma. DNA analysis was carried out for RET (exons 10, 11, 13, and 16), SDHB, SDHD, and VHL genes. Techniques used for the analysis were direct sequence analysis, MSSCP, and RFLP. RESULTS: Germinal mutations were found in 16 patients (26,7%). Most frequent were mutations in RET proto-oncogene, followed by VHL gene, one mutation in SDHB, and one in SDHD genes. A comparison of some of the clinical features of both groups (with and without mutation) showed statistically significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show that genetic predisposition is frequent in chromaffin tissue tumours, which indicates that DNA analysis is necessary in every case, also because of possible atypical clinical presentation. (Pol J Endocrinol 2010; 61 (1): 43-48).

Interaction of HLA-DRB1 alleles with CTLA-4 in the predisposition to Graves' disease: the impact of DRB1*07.

OBJECTIVE: To study interactions between the two most widely confirmed Graves' disease (GD) loci: HLA-DRB1 and CTLA-4. HLA-DRB1*03 (risk allele) and DRB1*07 (protective allele) were analyzed in this aspect, the linked TNF G(-308)A polymorphism was also considered. DESIGN: A case-control study of 429 patients with GD compared to 308 healthy subjects. The impact of genes and their interactions were analyzed by stepwise logistic regression. RESULTS: The independent effects of DRB1*03 and DRB1*07 were confirmed in our study both by stratification studies and logistic regression. CTLA-4 did not appear to be associated with GD when the interactions with other genes were considered. By logistic regression we observed a significant interaction between DRB1*07 and CTLA-4 and revealed that CTLA-4 49G attenuated the DRB1*07-related protection, the effect noticed also in three-way stratification studies. We confirmed that the TNF G(-308)A polymorphism is only a marker of the DRB1 status. CONCLUSION: Our results stress the importance of complex gene interactions in the multigene predisposition to GD. The interactions between two predisposing loci, DRB1 and CTLA-4, are exerted rather by DRB1*07 than DRB1*03 allele: CTLA-4 acts via switching off the protective DRB1*07 influence, whereas the effect of DRB1*03 is independent.

[Gene expression analysis by DNA microarray in papillary thyroid cancer]. / Analiza ekspresji wybranych genów w raku brodawkowatym tarczycy technika mikromacierzy DNA.

In our study we present chosen elements of microarray analysis of gene expression profile in papillary thyroid cancer. The study group included 16 papillary thyroid cancer tissues and 16 corresponding normal tissues. Samples were analyzed on high density oligonucleotide microarrays (GeneChip HG-U133A) which contain 22.000 genes. 110 genes, which had significant changed expression, were selected by MAS 5.0 program. 3 genes were chosen to the deeper analysis: dipeptidylpeptidase 4 (DPP4), fibronectin 1 (FN1), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1). DPP4-RNA were absent in normal tissue while in cancer tissue it was detected in large amount. FN1 and TIMP1 expression were detected in normal tissue but markedly increased in papillary thyroid cancer. Among these 3 genes DPP4 seems to be the best molecular marker for papillary thyroid cancer.