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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Collateral status is a pivotal determinant of clinical outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS); however, its evaluation can be challenging. We investigated the predictive value of CT perfusion (CTP) derived time and density alterations versus CTP for collateral status prediction in AIS. METHODS: Consecutive patients with anterior circulation occlusion within 24 h were retrospectively included. Time-density curves of the CTP specified ischemic core, penumbra, and the corresponding contralateral unaffected brain were obtained. The collateral status was dichotomised into robust (4-5 scores) and poor (0-3 scores) using multiphase collateral scoring, as described by Menon et al.. Receiver operating characteristic curves and multivariable regression analysis were performed to assess the predictive ability of CTP-designated tissue time and density alterations, CTP for robust collaterals, and favourable outcomes (mRS score of 0-2 at 90 days). RESULTS: One-hundred patients (median age, 68 years; interquartile range, 57-80 years; 61 men) were included. A smaller ischemic core, shorter peak time delay, lower peak density decrease, lower cerebral blood volume ratio, and cerebral blood flow ratio in the CTP specified ischemic core were significantly associated with robust collaterals (PFDR ≤ 0.004). The peak time delay demonstrated the highest diagnostic value (AUC, 0.74; P < 0.001) with 66.7 % sensitivity and 73.7 % specificity. Furthermore, the peak time delay of less than 8.5 s was an independent predictor of robust collaterals and favourable clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Robust collateral status was significantly associated with the peak time delay in the ischemic core. It is a promising image marker for predicting collateral status and functional outcomes in AIS.
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Circulación Cerebrovascular , Circulación Colateral , Humanos , Masculino , Femenino , Anciano , Persona de Mediana Edad , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Estudios Retrospectivos , Tomografía Computarizada por Rayos X/métodos , Accidente Cerebrovascular Isquémico/diagnóstico por imagen , Accidente Cerebrovascular Isquémico/fisiopatología , Accidente Cerebrovascular/diagnóstico por imagen , Accidente Cerebrovascular/fisiopatología , Sensibilidad y Especificidad , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Angiografía por Tomografía Computarizada/métodosRESUMEN
A method has been developed for the rapid synthesis of highly substituted 3-methylpyridones via the condensation of Baylis-Hillman amines and ketones under benzoic acid catalysis. The process features readily available starting materials, broad substrate scope, high functional group tolerance, excellent regioselectivity, and gram-scale synthesis. We envision that this on-demand construction of 3-methylpyridones will provide exciting opportunities in biological research, therapeutics, and material sciences.
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Background: This study utilizes Hydrogen proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to investigate metabolite concentrations in the bilateral hippocampus of general paresis (GP) patients. Methods: A total of 80 GP patients and 57 normal controls (NCs) were enrolled. Metabolite ratios in the bilateral hippocampus were measured using 1H-MRS. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Based on MMSE scores, participants were categorized into normal control, mild cognitive impairment, and moderate-severe dementia groups. Metabolite ratios (N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr), choline (Cho)/creatine (Cr), N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/choline (Cho), myoinositol (MI)/creatine (Cr), choline (Cho)/N-acetylaspartate (NAA)) were compared between groups, and correlations between metabolite ratios and cognitive performance were examined. Results: MMSE scores progressively decreased in the normal, mild cognitive impairment, and moderate-severe dementia groups (p < 0.001). The moderate-severe dementia group showed significantly lower NAA/Cr ratios in the left hippocampus region (L-NAA/Cr ratios) (p < 0.001) and higher Cho/NAA ratios in the left hippocampus region (L-Cho/NAA ratios) (p < 0.05) compared to the other groups. However, differences in L-NAA/Cr and L-Cho/NAA ratios between the mild cognitive impairment group and the NC group were not significant in the hippocampus region (p > 0.05). NAA/Cho and NAA/Cr ratios in the right hippocampus region (R-NAA/Cho and R-NAA/Cr ratios) in the moderate-severe dementia group were lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). No correlation was found between metabolite ratios and MMSE scores in bilateral hippocampus regions. Conclusion: There are distinctive metabolic characteristics in the hippocampus of GP patients. GP patients exhibited lower NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho ratios in the bilateral hippocampus, indicating neuron loss in these areas, which may become more pronounced as the disease progresses.
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BACKGROUND: Ferroptosis has recently been associated with multiple degenerative diseases. Ferroptosis induction in cancer cells is a feasible method for treating neoplastic diseases. However, the association of iron proliferation-related genes with prognosis in HER2+ breast cancer (BC) patients is unclear. AIM: To identify and evaluate fresh ferroptosis-related biomarkers for HER2+ BC. METHODS: First, we obtained the mRNA expression profiles and clinical information of HER2+ BC patients from the TCGA and METABRIC public databases. A four-gene prediction model comprising PROM2, SLC7A11, FANCD2, and FH was subsequently developed in the TCGA cohort and confirmed in the METABRIC cohort. Patients were stratified into high-risk and low-risk groups based on their median risk score, an independent predictor of overall survival (OS). Based on these findings, immune infiltration, mutations, and medication sensitivity were analyzed in various risk groupings. Additionally, we assessed patient prognosis by combining the tumor mutation burden (TMB) with risk score. Finally, we evaluated the expression of critical genes by analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from malignant vs normal epithelial cells. RESULTS: We found that the higher the risk score was, the worse the prognosis was (P < 0.05). We also found that the immune cell infiltration, mutation, and drug sensitivity were different between the different risk groups. The high-risk subgroup was associated with lower immune scores and high TMB. Moreover, we found that the combination of the TMB and risk score could stratify patients into three groups with distinct prognoses. HRisk-HTMB patients had the worst prognosis, whereas LRisk-LTMB patients had the best prognosis (P < 0.0001). Analysis of the scRNA-seq data showed that PROM2, SLC7A11, and FANCD2 were significantly differentially expressed, whereas FH was not, suggesting that these genes are expressed mainly in cancer epithelial cells (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our model helps guide the prognosis of HER2+ breast cancer patients, and its combination with the TMB can aid in more accurate assessment of patient prognosis and provide new ideas for further diagnosis and treatment.
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AIM: To evaluate the relationship of overweight and obesity with retinal and choroidal thickness in adults without ocular symptoms by swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). METHODS: According to the body mass index (BMI) results, the adults enrolled in the cross-sectional study were divided into the normal group (18.50≤BMI<25.00 kg/m2), the overweight group (25.00≤BMI<30.00 kg/m2), and the obesity group (BMI≥30.00 kg/m2). The one-way ANOVA and the Chi-square test were used for comparisons. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between the measured variables. RESULTS: This research covered the left eyes of 3 groups of 434 age- and sex-matched subjects each: normal, overweight, and obesity. The mean BMI was 22.20±1.67, 26.82±1.38, and 32.21±2.35 kg/m2 in normal, overweight and obesity groups, respectively. The choroid was significantly thinner in both the overweight and obesity groups compared to the normal group (P<0.05 for all), while the retinal thickness of the three groups did not differ significantly. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that BMI was significantly negatively correlated with choroidal thickness, but no significant correlation was observed between BMI and retinal thickness. CONCLUSION: Choroidal thickness is decreased in people with overweight or obesity. Research on changes in choroidal thickness contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms of certain ocular disorders in overweight and obese adults.
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OBJECTIVE: In order to improve the dissolution property of quercetin (QCT), the quercetin nanocrystals (QNCs) were prepared in this study. METHODS: QNCs were prepared by a 100 µm diameter Y-shape microfluidic channel. Some impact factors affecting the generation of QNCs such as concentration and flow rate were investigated. Furthermore, the fluid mixing in the microfluidic channel was simulated by fluid software. RESULTS: XRPD and DSC analyses indicated that the prepared QNCs were amorphous. Stable QNCs with a particle size of 77.9 ± 3.63 nm and polydispersity index of 0.26 ± 0.02 were obtained. TEM showed that the as-prepared QNCs had a uniform spherical shape with an average particle size of about 100-300 nm. In the dissolution medium without cosolvent Tween -80, the dissolution of QCT was poor, its final accumulated dissolution was only 3.95%, while that of QNCs was 66%. CONCLUSION: When QCT was changed to QNCs by microfluidic technology, its dissolution property could be obviously improved. Therefore, microfluidic technology as a new method to prepare nanocrystals has a good applying prospect in improving dissolution property for poorly water-soluble drugs.
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Nanopartículas , Quercetina , Quercetina/química , Microfluídica , Polisorbatos , Agua , Nanopartículas/química , Tamaño de la Partícula , SolubilidadRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The study was conducted to analyze HIV dynamics across blood-retinal barrier (BRB) and the relevant risk factors for HIV-associated ocular complications. METHODS: This study included a case series of 40 HIV-positive patients with ocular lesions, which were studied retrospectively. Clinical and laboratory examinations included plasma and intraocular viral load (VL). RESULTS: HIV VL on paired aqueous/plasma samples was available for 40 patients. Aqueous VL was negatively associated with antiretroviral treatment (ART) duration (p = 0.02 and p < 0.05), and plasma VL was independent of ART duration (p = 0.53). An aqueous/plasma discordance was found in 19/40 (47.5%) patients, eight of whom (20%) had detectable aqueous VL despite a suppressed plasma VL (escape). There were significant differences in CD4+ T-lymphocyte levels (p = 0.011 and p < 0.05) and ART duration (p = 0.007 and p < 0.05) between the patients with HIV-associated ocular complications and the patients without. CONCLUSION: This study provides a rationale for initiating ART early in the course of infection to reduce HIV VL in the aqueous humor, and raises the possibility of the ocular sanctuary where HIV replicates. Meanwhile, early and standard ART would be an optimal option to protect against ocular opportunistic infection.
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Humor Acuoso , Infecciones por VIH , Carga Viral , Humanos , Masculino , Infecciones por VIH/tratamiento farmacológico , Infecciones por VIH/virología , Infecciones por VIH/complicaciones , Estudios Retrospectivos , Femenino , Adulto , Humor Acuoso/virología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Replicación Viral/efectos de los fármacos , Recuento de Linfocito CD4 , Plasma/virología , Antirretrovirales/uso terapéutico , Fármacos Anti-VIH/uso terapéutico , VIH-1 , Barrera HematorretinalRESUMEN
Despite improvements in reducing hunger in recent years, undernutrition remains a global public health problem. This study utilizes the swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) technique to assess changes in retinal and choroidal thickness in underweight subjects. Ophthalmic examinations were conducted on all adults participating in this cross-sectional research. Depending on their body mass index (BMI), the participants were divided into two groups: the underweight group and the normal group. The study included the right eyes of the underweight adults and an equal number of age- and gender-matched normal-weight subjects. The retinal thickness showed no significant difference between the underweight and normal groups (P > 0.05 for all). In males, the retina of the center and inner ring in the underweight group was significantly thinner than that in the normal group, while no such results were found in females. The choroid in the underweight group was significantly thinner compared to that in the normal group (all P < 0.05). Being underweight may affect choroidal thickness in both males and females. In comparison with underweight females, underweight males may experience more retinal damage. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis underlying specific ocular diseases in malnourished individuals.
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Delgadez , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica , Adulto , Femenino , Masculino , Humanos , Estudios Transversales , Retina/diagnóstico por imagen , Coroides/diagnóstico por imagenRESUMEN
Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery in patients aged over 80 years. Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) combined with ERM and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling with retrobulbar anesthesia were recruited. Based on age, the patients were divided into the elderly group (≥ 80 years of age) and the control group (< 80 years of age). The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and surgical complications were regarded as the main measurement indicators. Results: This study included 43 eyes from 43 patients aged 80 to 91 years and 86 eyes from 86 patients aged 54 to 79 years. Surgical intervention substantially improved BCVA both in the elderly and control groups (p = 0.005 and p < 0.001, respectively). Statistical analyses showed no significant difference in the incidence of surgical complications between the two groups (p = 0.631). The operations in either group were not delayed or canceled for the reason of complications of retrobulbar anesthesia, severe anxiety, or physical discomfort in the perioperative period. Moreover, no patient required a second operation. Also, no stroke, myocardial infarction, or death occurred during the follow-up period. All the surgical complications were treated satisfactorily. Conclusion: Our outcomes indicate that PPV combined with ERM and ILM peeling with retrobulbar anesthesia is effective and safe in elderly patients aged 80 years or older. Based on age alone, we believe that advancing age should not be the risk factor for idiopathic ERM surgery.
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The ideal wound dressing should adequately protect the wound from bacterial infection and provide a suitable healing environment for the wound. Thus, we prepared a biodegradable functional nanofiber dressing with good antibacterial and biocompatibility by electrospinning technology. The average diameter of the dressing was 354 ± 185 nm, and the porosity was 93.27%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the dressing was smooth without beading. It was also characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The wettability and water vapor permeability of the dressing were tested; the results showed that the dressing had good wettability and permeability. The ability of drug release indicates that continuous release over a period of time is beneficial to wound healing. Finally, the antibacterial effect and in vivo pharmacodynamic evaluation of AS/CS/PLA nanofiber dressing were studied; the result showed that it had significant antibacterial activity and the ability to promote wound healing.
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Quitosano , Nanofibras , Quitosano/química , Nanofibras/química , Cicatrización de Heridas , Poliésteres/química , Antibacterianos/química , VendajesRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Although the current conventional treatment strategies for esophageal carcinoma (EC) have been proven effective, they are often accompanied by serious adverse events. Therefore, it is still necessary to continue to explore new therapeutic strategies for EC to improve the clinical outcome of patients. AIM: To elucidate the clinical efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with thalidomide (THAL) and S-1 (tegafur, gimeracil, and oteracil potassium capsules) in the treatment of EC as well as its influence on serum tumor markers (STMs). METHODS: First, 62 patients with EC treated at the Zibo 148 Hospital between November 2019 and November 2022 were selected and grouped according to the received treatment. Among these, 30 patients undergoing CCRT with cis-platinum and 5-fluorouracil were assigned to the control group (Con), and 32 patients receiving CCRT with THAL and S-1 were assigned to the research group (Res). Second, inter-group comparisons were carried out with respect to curative efficacy, incidence of drug toxicities, STMs [carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) and macrophage inflammatory protein-3α (MIP-3α)], angiogenesis-related indicators [vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF); VEGF receptor-1 (VEGFR-1); basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF); angiogenin-2 (Ang-2)], and quality of life (QoL) [QoL core 30 (QLQ-C30)] after one month of treatment. RESULTS: The analysis showed no statistical difference in the overall response rate and disease control rate between the two patient cohorts; however, the incidences of grade I-II myelosuppression and gastrointestinal reactions were significantly lower in the Res than in the Con. Besides, the post-treatment CA125, MIP-3α, VEGF, VEGFR-1, bFGF, and Ang-2 Levels in the Res were markedly lower compared with the pre-treatment levels and the corresponding post-treatment levels in the Con. Furthermore, more evident improvements in QLQ-C30 scores from the dimensions of physical, role, emotional, and social functions were determined in the Res. CONCLUSION: The above results demonstrate the effectiveness of THAL + S-1 CCRT for EC, which contributes to mild side effects and significant reduction of CA125, MIP-3α, VEGF, VEGFR-1, bFGF, and Ang-2 Levels, thus inhibiting tumors from malignant progression and enhancing patients' QoL.
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Drugs for acute postoperative pain and breakthrough cancer pain are still urgent in clinical. LPM3480392 is a G-protein-biased ligand at the µ-opioid receptor and showed potent analgesia in nonclinical studies. Two phase I studies of LPM3480392 were conducted in healthy Chinese male volunteers to explore its tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics under single ascending doses (Study I 0.1-3.0 mg, 30 min) and different infusion times (Study II, 0.6-1.0 mg, 2-15 min). There was one serious adverse event (AE) observed in Study II, and the rest AEs were mild or moderate in severity and resolved by the end of the study. Plasma LPM3480392 maximum concentration (Cmax ) (under lower infusion rate) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUCs) were generally increased with dose. Moreover, LPM3480392 at a dose of 0.6 mg under a 2 min infusion rate elicited effective analgesia as the peak effect within 10-30 min, which was measured by cold pain test and pupillometry. These findings suggest that LPM3480392 could be a potential treatment for acute pain management.
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OBJECTIVE: To determine tenofovir (TFV) penetration into intraocular tissues using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). METHODS: Nineteen participants taking tenofovir in combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) regimen who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) surgery were enrolled in the observational retrospective study between January 2019 and August 2021. The participants were divided into mild, moderate, and severe groups according to retinal manifestations. Basic information was recorded during PPV surgery. Paired blood plasma and vitreous humor samples (n = 19) were collected for UHPLC-MS/MS. RESULTS: The median plasma and vitreous tenofovir concentrations were 106.00 ng/mL (interquartile range[IQR], 54.6-142.5) and 41.40 ng/mL (IQR 9.4-91.6), respectively. The median vitreous/plasma concentration ratio from the paired samples was 0.42 (IQR 0.16-0.84). The plasma and vitreous tenofovir concentrations were significantly correlated (r = 0.483, P = 0.036). The median vitreous tenofovir concentration was the lowest in the mild group (4.58 ng/mL). Six vitreous samples were below 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) (11.5 ng/mL), and 2 of them were undetectable. Significant differences were noted in vitreous/plasma and vitreous tenofovir concentrations ( P = 0.035 and P = 0.045, respectively) among the 3 groups but not in plasma tenofovir concentration ( P = 0.577). No correlation was noted between vitreous HIV-1 RNA and vitreous tenofovir concentrations (r = 0.049, P = 0.845). CONCLUSION: Vitreous tenofovir did not reliably or consistently achieve concentrations sufficient to inhibit viral replication in intraocular tissues due to poor penetration of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB). The higher vitreous tenofovir concentrations were associated with moderate or severe disease compared with mild disease, indicating an association with the severity of BRB disruption.
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Fármacos Anti-VIH , Infecciones por VIH , Tenofovir , Humanos , Fármacos Anti-VIH/farmacocinética , Fármacos Anti-VIH/uso terapéutico , Infecciones por VIH/tratamiento farmacológico , Estudios Retrospectivos , Espectrometría de Masas en Tándem , Tenofovir/farmacocinética , Tenofovir/uso terapéutico , Vitrectomía , Cuerpo VítreoRESUMEN
The probability of occupational exposure rises with the increasing production and biomedical application of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Thus, the risk of co-exposure of nanomaterials with environmental pollutants is also increasing. Although many studies have focused on the combined toxicity of nanomaterials and pollutants, more attention has been paid to the toxicity of nanomaterials after adsorbing pollutants or the toxicity of nanomaterials and pollutants exposed simultaneously. Few studies have been conducted on the toxicity and toxicity mechanisms of nanomaterials and environmental pollutants following sequential exposure. In this study, we employed THP-1 cells to investigate how pristine single walled CNTs (p-SWCNTs) and oxidized single walled CNTs (SWCNT-COOHs) pretreatments at a non-lethal dose of 10 µg/mL affect cell responses to metal ions (i. e., Pb2+, Cu2+, and Cr(VI)). We found that p-SWCNTs caused more significant damage to cell membrane integrity than SWCNT-COOHs, which led to higher metallothionein (MT) levels and increased transport of metal ions into cells. Pretreatment of p-SWCNTs in cells significantly increased the cytotoxicity of Pb2+, Cu2+, and Cr(VI) by 2-4-fold, whereas SWCNT-COOHs pretreated cells showed no noteworthy changes in response to heavy metals, which were further confirmed by the cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays. These findings indicate that understanding the effects of the exposure sequence of engineered nanomaterials and environmental pollutants on their toxicity provides an excellent complement to combined toxicity evaluation.
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Contaminantes Ambientales , Metales Pesados , Nanotubos de Carbono , Nanotubos de Carbono/toxicidad , Plomo , Iones , Macrófagos , Metales Pesados/toxicidadRESUMEN
OBJECTEIVES: The purpose of this study was to prepare an antibacterial, antioxidant, and biocompatible bilayer nanofibrous wound dressing by using electrospinning. METHODS: The micromorphology and bilayer structure characteristics of the GA-Qe-PVP-PCL nanofibers were analyzed by SEM. The physicochemical characteristics were analyzed by XRD and FTIR. The uptake, mechanical properties, water contact angle, water vapor transmission and in vitro drug release were evaluated. In addition, the effect of antibacterial, antioxidant and biocompatability of the nanofibers were evaluated, respectively. RESULTS: The SEM results showed that the GA-Qe-PVP-PCL nanofibers had a smooth surface, no beading phenomenon, and a prominent bilayer structure. The diameter and porosity of the drug-loading layer and waterproof support layer of the nanofibers were 842 ± 302 nm, 242 ± 50 nm, and 88.56 ± 1.67%, 94.49 ± 1.57%, respectively. Moreover, the water uptake, mechanical properties, water contact angle, and water vapor transmission showed ideal performance. The results of in vitro drug release indicated that GA and Qe were both released rapidly, which was conducive to accelerating wound healing. The GA-Qe-PVP-PCL nanofibers exhibited antibacterial effects against both bacteria as well as high antioxidant activity. Additionally, the GA-Qe-PVP-PCL nanofibers possessed good compatibility, could promote the proliferation, adhesion, and migration of L929 fibroblast cells. CONCLUSION: The nanofibers we developed met the requirements of ideal materials for wound dressing, which makes the nanofibers the potential to be a wound dressing for wound care.
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Antioxidantes , Nanofibras , Antioxidantes/farmacología , Quercetina , Nanofibras/química , Ácido Gálico/farmacología , Vapor , Antibacterianos/farmacología , Antibacterianos/química , VendajesRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: To investigate the effects of vitamin C on central retinal thickness and choroidal thickness. METHODS: A total of 69 patients diagnosed with vitamin C deficiency and 1:1 age- and gender-matched 69 healthy individuals with normal serum vitamin C were included in this study. Demographic characteristics of the individuals were collected. All patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination. Subfoveal choroidal thickness and retinal thickness were measured using a swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). RESULTS: The average retinal thickness was 269.07 ± 13.51 µm in the vitamin C deficiency group and 276.92 ± 13.51 µm in the control group. The average choroidal thickness was 195.62 ± 66.40 µm in the in the vitamin C deficiency group and 238.86 ± 55.08 µm in the control group. There was a significant decrease in both average choroidal thickness and retinal thickness in vitamin C deficiency group compared with normal individuals (p < 0.001, and = 0.001 respectively). CONCLUSION: The central retinal and choroidal thickness were thinner in vitamin C deficiency group compared with normal individuals. These findings suggested that vitamin C deficiency might play an important role in retinal and choroidal diseases.
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Deficiencia de Ácido Ascórbico , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica , Ácido Ascórbico , Deficiencia de Ácido Ascórbico/complicaciones , Coroides , Humanos , Retina , Tomografía de Coherencia Óptica/métodosRESUMEN
Purpose: To delineate the characteristics and treatment of cytomegalovirus-immune recovery retinitis (CMV-IRR) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients with immune recovery under effective highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen. Methods: We reported four patients with HIV who were diagnosed with CMV-IRR soon after effective HAART. Plasma levels of CD4 T cells, HAART regimen, and other clinical and laboratory characteristics of the four patients were described. Patients were monitored for ocular manifestations and clinical signs under effective ocular and systemic anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) and corticosteroid treatment for 12 months. Results: With HAART, plasma levels of CD4 T cell counts rose remarkably. The mean baseline CD4 count of the four patients was 14.5 (range from 7 to 33) cells/µl before HAART and 183.25 (range from 153 to 220) cells/µl when diagnosed with CMV-IRR. Ophthalmic examination demonstrated severe vitreous opacities and necrotizing retinitis, intraretinal hemorrhages, and vasculitis. A large number of CMV sequencing was detected by DNA sequencing of vitreous samples. All four patients were recovered from CMV-IRR with anti-CMV and corticosteroid treatment. Conclusions: Cytomegalovirus-immune recovery retinitis is a new diagnosis of HIV-associated ocular complication under HAART. These findings suggest that the immunological effects of HAART may accelerate the CMV retinitis in patients with very low initial CD4 T cell counts. HIV patients are recommended to have a thorough fundus examination before HAART initiation and a close follow-up especially in those with low CD4 counts to avoid the progression of CMV retinitis.
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Biochar (BC) has been widely used for soil remediation and pollutant removal from environmental water. The pollutant-adsorbing BC often exerts different cytotoxicity from pollutant-free BC. However, how adsorption of multiple pollutants alters the cytotoxicity of BC and how to modulate such toxicity are still unclear. By preparing BCs from two different materials (Banana peel (BP) and corn stalk (CS)) at two pyrolysis temperatures (300 °C and 500 °C, namely BP300-BC, BP500-BC, CS300-BC, and CS500-BC, respectively), we systemically investigated factors that affect the combined cytotoxicity of pollutant-adsorbing BC in Human normal rectal mucosal cells (FHC). The reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) occurred on BC, in particular on BC prepared at 300 °C, in which larger amount of organic matters were left. The presence of Cu(II) promoted the release of Cr from BC once entering cells, which was more obvious for BC prepared at 500 °C. The changes in valence states and release rates of Cr adsorbed on BC prepared at different pyrolysis temperatures together caused reduced cytotoxicity of BP300-BC-Cr-Cu but enhanced cytotoxicity of BP500-BC-Cr-Cu, compared to the same amount of mixture of Cr(VI)-Cu(II). Our findings offer insight understanding of how pyrolysis temperature and the adsorbed multiple pollutants affect the combined cytotoxicity of BC-pollutant complex, allowing for safe applications of BC in future.
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Contaminantes Ambientales , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua , Adsorción , Carbón Orgánico , Cromo , Humanos , Pirólisis , Temperatura , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/análisisRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Natural killer (NK) cell lymphoma is a progressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with rare prevalence. Intraocular involvement of NK cell lymphoma is very rare, with only case reports to date. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we report a case of intraocular involvement of NK cell lymphoma which was presented with bilateral uveitis, iris mass, and diffuse infiltration into the center nerve system (CNS), skin, and possibly myocardium. CONCLUSIONS: Iris mass and uveitis which is not responsive to steroids may be ocular manifestations of intraocular lymphoma, such as NK cell lymphoma. Ophthalmological and systemic examinations should be required for early diagnosis and treatment.