Influencing factors of self-management ability among dry eye patients in west China.

AIM: To investigate the current situation and influencing factors of self-management ability in dry eye patients in west China. METHODS: A total of 265 patients clinically diagnosed with dry eye received a convenience survey questionnaire at West China Hospital of Sichuan University. All participants completed the rating scale of health self-management skill for adults (AHSMSRS), Huaxi Emotional-Distress Index (HEI), e-health literacy scale (e-HEALS) and Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief-IPQ). A generalized linear model was employed to establish a multivariate linear model with demographic data, psychological state, e-HEALS, and illness perception as independent variables and health self-management skill score as the dependent variable. RESULTS: The mean score for health self-management skill was 165.58±15.79. Multivariate analysis revealed that advanced age, better illness perception and improved psychological state were associated with better health self-management ability among dry eye patients. Furthermore, the health self-management ability of patients with a disease duration less than 1y was found to be higher compared to those with a disease duration exceeding 1y. CONCLUSION: The health self-management ability of dry eye patients in west China is relatively high. Age, duration of disease, illness perception and psychological state are the influencing factors on the health self-management ability of dry eye patients.

Protective effects of CY-09 and astaxanthin on NaIO3-induced photoreceptor inflammation via the NLRP3/autophagy pathway.

AIM: To study the effect of the NLRP3/autophagy pathway on the photoreceptor inflammatory response and the protective mechanism of CY-09 and astaxanthin (AST). METHODS: ICR mice were intraperitoneally injected NaIO3, CY-09, AST successively and divided into 5 groups, including the control, NaIO3, NaIO3+CY-09, NaIO3+AST, and NaIO3+CY-09+AST groups. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography and flash electroretinogram were examined and the retina tissues were harvested for immunohistochemistry, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Western blotting. Retinal pigment epithelium cell line (ARPE-19 cells) and mouse photoreceptor cells line (661W cells) were also treated with NaIO3, CY-09, and AST successively. Cell proliferation was assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Changes in autophagosome morphology were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect NLRP3 and caspase-1. NLRP3, caspase-1, cleaved caspase-1, p62, Beclin-1, and LC3 protein levels were measured by Western blotting. IL-1ß and IL-18 were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the activity of NaIO3-treated 661W cells decreased within 24 and 48h, apoptosis increased, NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1ß and IL-18 levels increased, and autophagy-related protein levels increased (P<0.05). Compared with NaIO3 group, CY-09 and AST inhibited apoptosis (P<0.05), reduced NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1ß and IL-18 expression (P<0.05), and inhibited autophagy. Compared with the other groups, CY-09 combined with AST significantly decreased NLRP3 expression and inhibited the expression of the autophagy-related proteins p62, Beclin-1, and LC3 in vitro and in vivo (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: CY-09 and AST inhibit NaIO3-induced inflammatory damage through the NLRP3/autophagy pathway in vitro and in vivo. CY-09 and AST may protect retina from inflammatory injury.

NLRP3 and autophagy in retinal ganglion cell inflammation in age-related macular degeneration: potential therapeutic implications.

Retinal degenerative diseases were a large group of diseases characterized by the primary death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Recent studies had shown an interaction between autophagy and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes, which may affect RGCs in retinal degenerative diseases. The NLRP3 inflammasome was a protein complex that, upon activation, produces caspase-1, mediating the apoptosis of retinal cells and promoting the occurrence and development of retinal degenerative diseases. Upregulated autophagy could inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation, while inhibited autophagy can promote NLRP3 inflammasome activation, which leaded to the accelerated emergence of drusen and lipofuscin deposition under the neurosensory retina. The activated NLRP3 inflammasome could further inhibit autophagy, thus forming a vicious cycle that accelerated the damage and death of RGCs. This review discussed the relationship between NLRP3 inflammasome and autophagy and its effects on RGCs in age-related macular degeneration, providing a new perspective and direction for the treatment of retinal diseases.

Correlation between diabetic retinopathy and Helicobacter pylori infection: a cross-sectional retrospective study.

AIM: To explore the correlation between diabetic retinopathy (DR) and Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, based on data from a physical examination population. METHODS: This cross-sectional retrospective analysis included data of 73 824 health examination participants from December 2018 to December 2019. Participants were divided into the diabetic group and non-diabetic group, non-diabetic retinopathy (NDR) group, non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) group, proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) group, and Hp infection group. Gender, age, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and Hp data were recorded to compare the degree of DR lesions and Hp infection. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between DR and Hp infection. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference between the diabetic and non-diabetic group (χ2=94.17, P<0.0001). Logistic regression analysis showed that male sex, age, BMI, SBP, TG, LDL-C, and Hp infection were independent risk factors for DR. There was no correlation between the degree of DR lesions and Hp infection (ρ=-0.00339, P=0.7753). Age [odds ratio (OR)=1.035, 95%CI: 1.024, 1.046, P<0.0001] and SBP (OR=1.009, 95%CI: 1.004, 1.015, P=0.0013) were independent risk factors for the degree of DR. CONCLUSION: There is a significant correlation between DR and Hp infection in the physical examination population. Hp infection is a risk factor for DR, and there is no significant difference between Hp infection and DR of different pathological degrees. Actively eradicating Hp may be of help to prevent DR.

Effects of Species Invasion and Inundation on the Collembola Community in Coastal Mudflat Wetland from the Perspective of Functional Traits.

The group of soil arthropods known as Collembola is characterized by its abundance and sensitivity to environmental changes. They are ideal an species for soil indicators. In order to clarify the effects of species invasion and inundation on the Collembola community in coastal mudflat wetlands, the correlation between the collembolan functional traits and environmental factors was studied in Shanghai Jiuduansha Wetland National Nature Reserve for the first time. Five sample plots, including three vegetations-Spartina alterniflora (an invasive species), Phragmites australis, and Zizania latifolia-were set up following the differences in vegetation types and between high and low tidal flats. Data on the diversity of the Collembolan species and their functional traits were collected and combined with the soil physicochemical properties and vegetation environment factors in different tidal flats. The key findings and conclusions of the study are as follows: a total of 18 species, four families, and three orders make up the obtained Collembola, two species of Proisotoma are dominant species that account for 49.59% and 24.91% of the total, respectively. The maintenance of the species diversity of Collembola is disturbed by the higher conversion efficiency of Spartina alterniflora rather than Phragmites australis with lower organic carbon (C) content and higher total nitrogen (N) content. The primary environmental variables influencing species distribution were the C/N ratio, total N, and bulk soil density. The bulk density of the soil impacts the movement and dispersal of the functional traits. The depth of the soil layer is related to the functional traits of the sensory ability. The analysis of the functional traits and environment is fairly helpful in exploring how species respond to their environment and offers a better explanation for the habitat selection of Collembola.

Changes and significance of retinal blood oxygen saturation and oxidative stress indexes in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a diabetic complication that can severely affect the patients' vision, eventually leading to blindness. DR is the most important manifestation of diabetic micro-vasculopathy and is mainly related to the course of diabetes and the degree of blood glucose control, while the age of diabetes onset, sex, and type of diabetes have little influence on it. AIM: To explore the changes in blood oxygen saturation and oxidative stress indices of retinal vessels in patients with DR. METHODS: In total, 94 patients (94 eyes) with DR (DR group) diagnosed at Jianyang people's Hospital between March 2019 and June 2020, and 100 volunteers (100 eyes) (control group) without eye diseases, were included in this study. Arterial and venous blood oxygen saturation, retinal arteriovenous vessel diameter, and serum oxidative stress indicators in the two groups were compared. Based on the stage of the disease, the DR group was divided into the simple DR and proliferative DR groups for stratified analysis. RESULTS: The oxygen saturation of the retinal vessels in the DR group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The retinal vessel diameters between the DR and control groups were not significantly different. The serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxydehydroguanosine (8-OHdG) levels in the DR group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in the DR group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The oxygen saturation of the retinal vessels in the patients with proliferative DR was significantly higher than that in the patients with simple DR (P < 0.05). The retinal vessel diameter in patients with proliferative DR was not significantly different from that of patients with simple DR (P > 0.05). Serum MDA and 8-OHdG levels in patients with proliferative DR were significantly higher than those in patients with simple DR (P < 0.05). Serum SOD and GSH levels in patients with proliferative DR were significantly lower than those in patients with simple DR (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Increased blood oxygen saturation of retinal arteries and veins and increased oxidative stress damage in patients with DR may be associated with decreased retinal capillary permeability and arterial oxygen dispersion, possibly reflecting the patient's condition.

Therapeutic effect of bFGF on retina ischemia-reperfusion injury.

BACKGROUND: Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays important roles in retina degeneration, light injury, mechanical injury, especially in retina ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI). This study was to investigate the therapeutical effect of bFGF on RIRI and its mechanisms. METHODS: Experimental RIRI was induced by increasing intraocular pressure (IOP) in the eyes of 48 rats. These rats were divided into normal control, ischemia-reperfusion and bFGF-treated groups. Histological and ultrastructural changes of in the retina of different groups were observed, and the number of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) was quantitatively analyzed under microscopy. Apoptotic cells were detected using the TdT-dUTP terminal nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method. The expression of caspase-3 was determined by streptavidin peroxidase (SP) immunohistochemistry. Atomic absorption spectrum method was used to evaluate the intracellular calcium changes. RESULTS: At the early stage of retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury, retina edema in the treated group was significantly eliminated compared with the untreated ischemic animals. RGCs in the bFGF-treated group was more than those in the untreated ischemic group during the post-reperfusion stages. In ischemic group, apoptotic cells could be found at 6th hour after reperfusion and reached the peak at 24 hours. At 72nd hour no apoptotic cells could be found.The changes in caspase-3 expression had a similar manner. The intracellular calcium of rat retina began to increase at 1st hour, reached the peak at 24 hours, and began to decrease at 72 hours. The change of the three markers in the treatment group showed a similar pattern, but they were all relatively less obvious. CONCLUSION: Apoptosis may play a vital role in RIRI. bFGF may has therapeutical effects on RIRI by inhibiting the increase of intracellular calcium and caspase-3 expression.

[An experimental study of the therapeutical effect of bFGF in retinal ischemia/reperfusion injury].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutical effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on retina ischemia/reperfusion injury. METHOD: Experimental retinal ischemia/reperfusion injury was induced by increasing intraocular pressure of rats eyes. 48 rats were divided into groups of control, ischemia/reperfusion and bFGF-treated, randomly. Apoptotic cells were detected using the TdT-dUTP terminal nick-end labeling at 1 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, and 72 hours after reperfusion. The expression of caspase-3 at specified times was determined by Streptavidin Peroxidase immunohistochemistry. Atomic absorption spectrum method was used to evaluate the intracellular calcium changes of retinal tissues. RESULTS: In ischemia group, apoptotic cells began to appear at 6th hour after reperfusion and increased progressively with time. The number of apoptotic cells reached the peak 24 hour after reperfusion, and no apoptotic cells could be found at 72 hours. Changes in caspase-3 expression followed a similar trend. The intracellular calcium level of rat retina began to increase at 1 hour after reperfusion, and continued to increase with the reperfusion time. At 24 hours after reperfusion the intracellular calcium level reached the peak, and decline thereafter up to 72 hours. The patterns of change of the three markers of treatment group were similar to the above. However, the magnitude of changes was relatively lower. A statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) between the ischemia group and treatment group at 6th, 12th and 24th after reperfusion was observed. CONCLUSION: Apoptosis may play a vital role in ischemia-reperfusion injury of the retina. bFGF may have a therapeutical effect on ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting the increase of retinal intracellular calcium stores and caspase-3 protein expression.