Clinical and pathogenic characteristics of infectious endophthalmitis in children: A retrospective analysis.

Infective endophthalmitis is an ophthalmic infection that in severe cases can cause complete loss of vision. In children, the defense against infection is low and eye tissue is not fully developed, leading to increased vulnerability to endophthalmitis. Children may be unable to understand the symptoms; thus, developing a method for prevention and treatment of this disease in children is important. Therefore, we analyzed the clinical and pathogenic characteristics of infectious endophthalmitis in children and provided evidence for clinical treatment. The clinical data of 78 children (78 eyes) with infectious endophthalmitis were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical characteristics, pathogen distribution, drug sensitivity, clinical medication, and treatments were summarized and analyzed. In total, 74 (94.87%) had ocular infections caused by trauma and 75 (96.15%) were from rural townships. A total of 108 sterile specimens were examined, with a positive detection rate of 37.04%. The sensitivity rates of Gram-positive cocci and bacilli to vancomycin were 100%. The sensitivity rates of Gram-negative bacilli to ceftazidime, piperacillin/tazobactam, amikacin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin were 100%. Of the 78 patients, 53 (67.95%) received intravitreal injection and 54 (69.23%) underwent vitrectomy. Trauma is the main factor leading to infectious endophthalmitis in children, wherein Gram-positive bacteria are the most common pathogens. Thus, a timely understanding of the pathogen and drug sensitivity is needed. Intravitreal injection and vitrectomy are effective treatments.

Dynamic palmitoylation of STX11 controls injury-induced fatty acid uptake to promote muscle regeneration.

Different types of cells uptake fatty acids in response to different stimuli or physiological conditions; however, little is known about context-specific regulation of fatty acid uptake. Here, we show that muscle injury induces fatty acid uptake in muscle stem cells (MuSCs) to promote their proliferation and muscle regeneration. In humans and mice, fatty acids are mobilized after muscle injury. Through CD36, fatty acids function as both fuels and growth signals to promote MuSC proliferation. Mechanistically, injury triggers the translocation of CD36 in MuSCs, which relies on dynamic palmitoylation of STX11. Palmitoylation facilitates the formation of STX11/SNAP23/VAMP4 SANRE complex, which stimulates the fusion of CD36- and STX11-containing vesicles. Restricting fatty acid supply, blocking fatty acid uptake, or inhibiting STX11 palmitoylation attenuates muscle regeneration in mice. Our studies have identified a critical role of fatty acids in muscle regeneration and shed light on context-specific regulation of fatty acid sensing and uptake.

Multimodal Imaging Observation in Different Progressive Types of Bietti Crystalline Dystrophy.

Objective: The aim of the study is to observe the difference in progression between type 1 and type 2 Bietti crystalline dystrophy (BCD) using multimodal imaging. Methods: A retrospective clinical study was performed with six BCD patients who underwent multimodal imaging twice in Hebei Provincial Eye Hospital from October 2015 to December 2020. Multimodal imaging includes color fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence (AF), infrared autofluorescence (IRAF), fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). The fundus lesion progression difference was observed in 3 patients with type 1 BCD and 3 patients with type 2 BCD. Results: In type 1 BCD, the range of hypoautofluorescence (hypo-AF), hypoinfrared autofluorescence (hypo-IRAF), and hypofluorescence in the posterior pole was enlarged, and FFA showed that the lesions in the posterior pole and periphery extended to the middle periphery. SD-OCT revealed retinal and choroidal thinning, progressive loss of the outer nuclear layer and ellipsoid zone, and reduction of the choroid macrovascular diameter. In type 2 BCD, the range of hypo-AF was enlarged, but there was no significant change in the macula area. The uniform hypo-IRAF in the posterior pole showed no significant change. FFA showed no significant change with the progression of the disease in the macula area and the hypofluorescence around it expanded. SD-OCT revealed no obvious change in the macula area. Conclusions: The retinal choroid atrophy in the macula area of type 1 BCD continued to worsen, and the choroid great vessels became narrower. The macular lesions of type 2 BCD can remain unchanged for a long time.

Comparison of effectiveness between complete internal limiting membrane peeling and internal limiting membrane peeling with preservation of the central fovea in combination with 25G vitrectomy for the treatment of high myopic foveoschisis.

Vitrectomy combined with internal limiting membrane peeling (ILMP) treats high myopic foveoschisis with good results, but there is a risk of iatrogenic macular holes, which may be reduced by preserving the internal limiting membrane of the central fovea. This study compared complete ILMP with partial ILMP, both combined with 25G vitrectomy, for the treatment of high myopic foveoschisis.Thirty-three cases (33 eyes) of high myopic foveoschisis were retrospectively analyzed. They underwent 25G vitrectomy combined with C3F8 gas filling; Group A (20 patients, 20 eyes) underwent complete ILMP, while Group B (13 patients, 13 eyes) underwent partial ILMP to preserve the internal limiting membrane of the central fovea. Patients were followed up for 6 months and underwent best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure, diopter, slit lamp microscopy, indirect ophthalmoscope, A-mode and/or B-mode ultrasound, and optical coherence tomography. Surgical complications were recorded.Up to the last follow-up, the BCVA improved and central fovea thickness (CFT) was lower compared with before surgery in both groups (All P < .05). There were no significant differences in BCVA and CFT at each time point between the groups (P > .05). Most of the postoperative retinas of the 2 groups were completely reattached, with disappearance of the macular retinoschisis cavity. Two patients in the Group A and none in the Group B developed a macular hole during follow-up (P = .508).The results did not support the superiority of partial ILMP over complete ILMP in reduced incidence of macular hole. Both methods had a similar curative effect.

Inhibition of Obtusifolin on retinal pigment epithelial cell growth under hypoxia.

AIM: To explore the effect of Obtusifolin on retinal pigment epithelial cell growth under hypoxia. METHODS: In vitro chemical hypoxia model of ARPE-19 cells was established using cobalt chloride (CoCl2). Cell viability was tested by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were applied to detect proteins and mRNAs respectively. Flow cytometry was used to examine the cell cycle. Secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was tested by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Under the chemical hypoxia model established by CoCl2, hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) mRNA and protein levels was up-regulated. Cell viability was increased and the proportion of S phase was higher. Obtusifolin could reduce cell viability under hypoxic conditions and arrest cells in G1 phase. Obtusifolin reduced the expression of Cyclin D1 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the hypoxic environment and increased the expression of p53 and p21. The levels of VEGF, VEGFR2 and eNOS proteins and mRNA were significantly increased under hypoxia while Obtusifolin inhibited the increasing. CONCLUSION: Obtusifolin can inhibit cell growth under hypoxic conditions and down-regulate HIF-1/VEGF/eNOS secretions in ARPE-19 cells.

[Effects of strong solar UV-B radiation on photosynthesis and photosynthetic pigment contents of Saussurea superba on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau].

Taking the main companion species Saussurea superba in an alpine Kobresia humilis meadow on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as test material, a UV-B exclusion experiment with UV-B excluding and UV-B transmitting filters was performed to study the effects of strong solar UV-B on the photosynthesis, photosynthetic pigments, and UV-B-absorbing compounds of S. superba, aimed to examine the adaptation capability of alpine plants to strong solar UV-B radiation. The removal of UV-B components from natural sunlight increased the net photosynthetic rate (P < 0.05) and PS II photochemistry efficiency of S. superba. The relatively increased leaf thickness under ambient UV-B could compensate the photo-oxidation of photosynthetic pigments, an inherent characteristic of alpine plants growing in intense UV-B. Short-term removal of UV-B radiation had no obvious effects on the UV-B-absorbing compounds, suggesting that these compounds in epidermal layer of S. superba could hardly be affected by the environment. It was concluded that the increase of photosynthetic pigment contents due to the enhancement of leaf thickness was a specious phenomenon, but the strong solar UV-B radiation on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau still had a potential negative impact on the photo-physiological processes in alpine plant S. superba.

[Effects of short-term enhanced UV-B radiation on the PS II photochemical efficiency of alpine plant Saussurea superba].

A simulation experiment of short-term supplementation of UV-B was conducted to study the changes of chlorophyll fluorescence coefficients of alpine plant Saussurea superba under three typical weather conditions (sunny, cloudy, and shady) in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. When the weather changed from sunny to shady, the maximal quantum efficiency of PS II photochemistry (F(v)/F(m)) after 3 minutes of dark adaptation increased significantly, the actual photochemical efficiency of PS II (phi(PS II)) and photochemical quenching (q(P)) also increased, but the non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) decreased, demonstrating that PAR was the main factor affecting the PS II photochemical efficiency of S. superba. After the short-term supplementation of UV-B, the F(v)/F(m) and NPQ under the three typical weather conditions had a slight decrease but the phi(PS II) and q(P) had a slight increase, while the photosynthetic gas exchange had less change. The increasing trend of net photosynthetic rate P(n) and psi(PS II) under enhanced UV-B radiation could be related to the existence of more UV-A component, and also, benefited from the increased leaf thickness. UV-B radiation had potential negative effects on leaf photosynthetic components.