The evolving therapeutic landscape of diabetic retinopathy.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Recent decades have seen rapid progress in the management of diabetic eye disease, evolving from pituitary ablation to photocoagulation and intravitreal pharmacotherapy. The advent of effective intravitreal drugs inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) marked a new era in DR therapy. Sustained innovation has since produced several promising biologics targeting angiogenesis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and neurodegeneration. AREAS COVERED: This review surveys traditional, contemporary, and emerging therapeutics for DR, with an emphasis on anti-VEGF therapies, receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, angiopoietin-Tie2 pathway inhibitors, integrin pathway inhibitors, gene therapy 'biofactory' approaches, and novel systemic therapies. Some of these investigational therapies are being delivered intravitreally via sustained release technologies for extended durability. Other investigational agents are being delivered non-invasively via topical and systemic routes. These strategies hold promise for early and long-lasting treatment of DR. EXPERT OPINION: The evolving therapeutic landscape of DR is rapidly expanding our toolkit for the effective and durable treatment of blinding eye disease. However, further research is required to validate the efficacy of novel therapeutics and characterize real world outcomes.

Improving effect of disaccharides and maltodextrin on preparation of egg yolk powder by microwave-assisted freeze-drying: Functional properties, structural properties, and retention rate of active IgY.

The preparation of egg yolk powder (EYP) with excellent solubility and high retention of active IgY is of great significance for increasing the added value and promoting the application of EYP. A new method of preparing EYP by microwave-assisted freeze-drying (MFD) was researched. Confocal laser scanning microscopy results demonstrated that the supplementation of excipients (sucrose, trehalose, and maltodextrin) could inhibit lipoproteins aggregation in egg yolk induced by freezing. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that drying further damaged the structure of lipoproteins in EYP, leading to lipid separation from it. FTIR and fluorescence spectra confirmed this finding, indicating that excipients enhance protein stability. Compared with conventional freeze-drying (FD), EYP prepared by MFD, particularly that containing excipients, had higher solubility (63 g/100 g), active antibody retention rate and shorter drying time. Therefore, excipients can significantly improve the solubility and stability of EYP and the retention rate of active IgY.