Sky Image Classification Based on Transfer Learning Approaches.

Cloudy conditions at a local scale pose a significant challenge for forecasting renewable energy generation through photovoltaic panels. Consequently, having real-time knowledge of sky conditions becomes highly valuable. This information could inform decision-making processes in system operations, such as determining whether conditions are favorable for activating a standalone system requiring a minimum level of radiation or whether sky conditions might lead to higher energy consumption than generation during adverse cloudy conditions. This research leveraged convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and transfer learning (TL) classification techniques, testing various architectures from the EfficientNet family and two ResNet models for classifying sky images. Cross-validation methods were applied across different experiments, where the most favorable outcome was achieved with the EfficientNetV2-B1 and EfficientNetV2-B2 models boasting a mean Accuracy of 98.09%. This study underscores the efficacy of the architectures employed for sky image classification, while also highlighting the models yielding the best results.

Delayed hemothorax following blunt thoracic trauma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Late hemothorax is a rare complication of blunt chest trauma. The longest reported time interval between the traumatic event and the development of hemothorax is 44 days. CASE PRESENTATION: An elderly patient with right-sided rib fractures from chest trauma, managed initially with closed thoracostomy, presented with a delayed hemothorax that occurred 60 days after initial management, necessitating conservative and then surgical intervention due to the patient's frail condition and associated complications. CONCLUSIONS: This case emphasizes the clinical challenge and significance of delayed hemothorax in chest trauma, highlighting the need for vigilance and potential surgical correction in complex presentations, especially in the elderly.

Deletion of VPS50 protein in mouse brain impairs synaptic function and behavior.

BACKGROUND: The VPS50 protein functions in synaptic and dense core vesicle acidification, and perturbations of VPS50 function produce behavioral changes in Caenorhabditis elegans. Patients with mutations in VPS50 show severe developmental delay and intellectual disability, characteristics that have been associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The mechanisms that link VPS50 mutations to ASD are unknown. RESULTS: To examine the role of VPS50 in mammalian brain function and behavior, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate knockouts of VPS50 in both cultured murine cortical neurons and living mice. In cultured neurons, KO of VPS50 did not affect the number of synaptic vesicles but did cause mislocalization of the V-ATPase V1 domain pump and impaired synaptic activity, likely as a consequence of defects in vesicle acidification and vesicle content. In mice, mosaic KO of VPS50 in the hippocampus altered synaptic transmission and plasticity and generated robust cognitive impairments. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that VPS50 functions as an accessory protein to aid the recruitment of the V-ATPase V1 domain to synaptic vesicles and in that way plays a crucial role in controlling synaptic vesicle acidification. Understanding the mechanisms controlling behaviors and synaptic function in ASD-associated mutations is pivotal for the development of targeted interventions, which may open new avenues for therapeutic strategies aimed at ASD and related conditions.

Pannexin-1 expression in tumor cells correlates with colon cancer progression and survival.

AIMS: Pannexin-1 (PANX1) is a hemichannel that releases ATP upon opening, initiating inflammation, cell proliferation, and migration. However, the role of PANX1 channels in colon cancer remains poorly understood, thus constituting the focus of this study. MAIN METHODS: PANX1 mRNA expression was analyzed using multiple cancer databases. PANX1 protein expression and distribution were evaluated by immunohistochemistry on primary tumor tissue and non-tumor colonic mucosa from colon cancer patients. PANX1 inhibitors (probenecid or 10Panx) were used to assess colon cancer cell lines viability. To study the role of PANX1 in vivo, a subcutaneous xenograft model using HCT116 cells was performed in BALB/c NOD/SCID immunodeficient mice to evaluate tumor growth under PANX1 inhibition using probenecid. KEY FINDINGS: PANX1 mRNA was upregulated in colon cancer tissue compared to non-tumor colonic mucosa. Elevated PANX1 mRNA expression in tumors correlated with worse disease-free survival. PANX1 protein abundance was increased on tumor cells compared to epithelial cells in paired samples, in a cancer stage-dependent manner. In vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that blocking PANX1 reduced cell viability and tumor growth. SIGNIFICANCE: PANX1 can be used as a biomarker of colon cancer progression and blocking PANX1 channel opening could be used as a potential therapeutic strategy against this disease.

Beyond Pathology- Exploring Salutogenesis as a Novel Approach to Eye Inflammatory Disease Prevention and Management: A Perspective.

The aim of this perspective is to promote the theory of salutogenesis as a novel approach to addressing ophthalmologic inflammatory conditions, illustrating several concepts in which it is based upon and how they can be applied to medical practice. This theory can better contextualize why patients with similar demographics and exposures are not uniform in their clinical presentations. Stressors in daily life can contribute to a state of ill-health and there are various factors that help alleviate their negative impact. These alleviating factors are significantly impaired in people with poor vision, one of the most common presentations of ophthalmologic conditions. Salutogenic principles can guide the treatment of eye conditions to be more respectful of patient autonomy amidst shifting expectations of the doctor-patient relationship. Being able to take ownership of their health and feeling that their cultural beliefs were considered improves compliance and subsequently gives more optimal outcomes. Population-level policy interventions could also utilize salutogenic principles to identify previously overlooked domains that can be addressed. We identified several papers about salutogenesis in an ophthalmological context and acknowledged the relatively few studies on this topic at present and offer directions in which we can explore further in subsequent studies.

Loss of protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor delta PTPRD increases the number of cortical neurons, impairs synaptic function and induces autistic-like behaviors in adult mice.

BACKGROUND: The brain cortex is responsible for many higher-level cognitive functions. Disruptions during cortical development have long-lasting consequences on brain function and are associated with the etiology of brain disorders. We previously found that the protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor delta Ptprd, which is genetically associated with several human neurodevelopmental disorders, is essential to cortical brain development. Loss of Ptprd expression induced an aberrant increase of excitatory neurons in embryonic and neonatal mice by hyper-activating the pro-neurogenic receptors TrkB and PDGFRß in neural precursor cells. However, whether these alterations have long-lasting consequences in adulthood remains unknown. RESULTS: Here, we found that in Ptprd+/- or Ptprd-/- mice, the developmental increase of excitatory neurons persists through adulthood, affecting excitatory synaptic function in the medial prefrontal cortex. Likewise, heterozygosity or homozygosity for Ptprd also induced an increase of inhibitory cortical GABAergic neurons and impaired inhibitory synaptic transmission. Lastly, Ptprd+/- or Ptprd-/- mice displayed autistic-like behaviors and no learning and memory impairments or anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that loss of Ptprd has long-lasting effects on cortical neuron number and synaptic function that may aberrantly impact ASD-like behaviors.

Coinfection Suspicion is Imperative in Immunosuppressed Patients with Suspected Infectious Uveitis and Inadequate Treatment Response: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: To report a case of coinfection of Toxoplasma gondii (Tg) and Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) in a diabetic patient with rheumatoid arthritis and immunosuppressive biological therapy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 70-year-old female with a history of rheumatoid arthritis on therapy with corticosteroids, methotrexate, and abatacept presented bilateral granulomatous panuveitis associated with retinal necrosis and macular involvement. A diagnostic vitrectomy detected Tg and EBV. Treatment with clindamycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and acyclovir was established, achieving improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy are at risk of developing opportunistic infections, often presenting with severe and atypical clinical manifestations. In such cases, multiplex polymerase chain reaction is an invaluable diagnostic tool that helps identify the specific pathogens involved. This enables healthcare professionals to make informed treatment decisions and provide targeted therapy for each identified pathogen.

Formation of left-handed helices by C2'-fluorinated nucleic acids under physiological salt conditions.

Recent findings in cell biology have rekindled interest in Z-DNA, the left-handed helical form of DNA. We report here that two minimally modified nucleosides, 2'F-araC and 2'F-riboG, induce the formation of the Z-form under low ionic strength. We show that oligomers entirely made of these two nucleosides exclusively produce left-handed duplexes that bind to the Zα domain of ADAR1. The effect of the two nucleotides is so dramatic that Z-form duplexes are the only species observed in 10 mM sodium phosphate buffer and neutral pH, and no B-form is observed at any temperature. Hence, in contrast to other studies reporting formation of Z/B-form equilibria by a preference for purine glycosidic angles in syn, our NMR and computational work revealed that sequential 2'F…H2N and intramolecular 3'H…N3' interactions stabilize the left-handed helix. The equilibrium between B- and Z- forms is slow in the 19F NMR time scale (≥ms), and each conformation exhibited unprecedented chemical shift differences in the 19F signals. This observation led to a reliable estimation of the relative population of B and Z species and enabled us to monitor B-Z transitions under different conditions. The unique features of 2'F-modified DNA should thus be a valuable addition to existing techniques for specific detection of new Z-binding proteins and ligands.

Cytocompatibility, cell-material interaction, and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts in contact with engineered Mg/PLA composites.

Bioabsorbable Mg wire-reinforced poly-lactic acid (PLA) matrix composites are potential candidate for load-bearing orthopedic implants offering tailorable mechanical and degradation properties by stacking sequence, volume fraction and surface modification of Mg wires. In this study, we investigated the cytocompatibility, cell-material interaction, and bone differentiation behavior of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cells for medical-grade PLA, Mg/PLA, and PEO-Mg/PLA (having PEO surface modification on Mg wires) composites. MTT and live/dead assay showed excellent biocompatibility of both composites while cell-material interaction analysis revealed that cells were able to adhere and proliferate on the surface of composites. Cells on the longitudinal surface of composites showed a high and uniform cell density while those on transversal surfaces initially avoided Mg regions but later migrated back after the formation of the passivation layer. Bone differentiation tests showed that cells in extracts of PLA and composites were able to initiate the differentiation process as osteogenesis-related gene expressions, alkaline phosphatase protein quantity, and calcium mineralization increased after 7 and 14 days of culture. Interestingly, the bone differentiation response of PEO-Mg/PLA composite was found to be similar to medical-grade PLA, proving its superiority over Mg/PLA composite.

New perspectives on the anaerobic degradation of BTEX: Mechanisms, pathways, and intermediates.

Aromatic hydrocarbons like benzene, toluene, xylene, and ethylbenzene (BTEX) can escape into the environment from oil and gas operations and manufacturing industries posing significant health risks to humans and wildlife. Unlike conventional clean-up methods used, biological approaches such as bioremediation can provide a more energy and labour-efficient and environmentally friendly option for sensitive areas such as nature reserves and cities, protecting biodiversity and public health. BTEX contamination is often concentrated in the subsurface of these locations where oxygen is rapidly depleted, and biodegradation relies on anaerobic processes. Thus, it is critical to understand the anaerobic biodegradation characteristics as it has not been explored to a major extent. This review presents novel insights into the degradation mechanisms under anaerobic conditions and presents a detailed description and interconnection between them. BTEX degradation can follow four activation mechanisms: hydroxylation, carboxylation, methylation, and fumarate addition. Hydroxylation is one of the mechanisms that explains the transformation of benzene into phenol, toluene into benzyl alcohol or p-cresol, and ethylbenzene into 1-phenylethanol. Carboxylation to benzoate is thought to be the primary mechanism of degradation for benzene. Despite being poorly understood, benzene methylation has been also reported. Moreover, fumarate addition is the most widely reported mechanism, present in toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene degradation. Further research efforts are required to better elucidate new and current alternative catabolic pathways. Likewise, a comprehensive analysis of the enzymes involved as well as the development of advance tools such as omic tools can reveal bottlenecks degradation steps and create more effective on-site strategies to address BTEX pollution.

Autologous patient-derived exhausted nano T-cells exploit tumor immune evasion to engage an effective cancer therapy.

BACKGROUND: Active targeting by surface-modified nanoplatforms enables a more precise and elevated accumulation of nanoparticles within the tumor, thereby enhancing drug delivery and efficacy for a successful cancer treatment. However, surface functionalization involves complex procedures that increase costs and timelines, presenting challenges for clinical implementation. Biomimetic nanoparticles (BNPs) have emerged as unique drug delivery platforms that overcome the limitations of actively targeted nanoparticles. Nevertheless, BNPs coated with unmodified cells show reduced functionalities such as specific tumor targeting, decreasing the therapeutic efficacy. Those challenges can be overcome by engineering non-patient-derived cells for BNP coating, but these are complex and cost-effective approaches that hinder their wider clinical application. Here we present an immune-driven strategy to improve nanotherapeutic delivery to tumors. Our unique perspective harnesses T-cell exhaustion and tumor immune evasion to develop a groundbreaking new class of BNPs crafted from exhausted T-cells (NExT) of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients by specific culture methods without sophisticated engineering. METHODS: NExT were generated by coating PLGA (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) nanoparticles with TNBC-derived T-cells exhausted in vitro by acute activation. Physicochemical characterization of NExT was made by dynamic light scattering, electrophoretic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy, and preservation and orientation of immune checkpoint receptors by flow cytometry. The efficacy of chemotherapy-loaded NExT was assessed in TNBC cell lines in vitro. In vivo toxicity was made in CD1 mice. Biodistribution and therapeutic activity of NExT were determined in cell-line- and autologous patient-derived xenografts in immunodeficient mice. RESULTS: We report a cost-effective approach with a good performance that provides NExT naturally endowed with immune checkpoint receptors (PD1, LAG3, TIM3), augmenting specific tumor targeting by engaging cognate ligands, enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy, and disrupting the PD1/PDL1 axis in an immunotherapy-like way. Autologous patient-derived NExT revealed exceptional intratumor accumulation, heightened chemotherapeutic index and efficiency, and targeted the tumor stroma in a PDL1+ patient-derived xenograft model of triple-negative breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: These advantages underline the potential of autologous patient-derived NExT to revolutionize tailored adoptive cancer nanotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy, which endorses their widespread clinical application of autologous patient-derived NExT.

Evaluation of Patient Experiences with PocDoc, a Web-Based Eye Screening Tool.

INTRODUCTION: The efficacy of diagnostic and monitoring tools in ophthalmology is significantly influenced by patient engagement levels. This presents a notable challenge, especially in the context of developing tools designed for telemedicine applications. Ensuring consistent patient engagement is therefore crucial for the accurate and reliable utilization of these technologies. This study assesses patient perceptions and experiences after using a purpose-built web application, called PocDoc. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 440 patients recruited from general and specialist eye clinics between March 2022 and October 2023, both before and after using the PocDoc app. RESULTS: Pre-test findings revealed that 86.8% of patients thought that a remote eye monitoring application would have use, while 70.9% anticipated frequent usage. Only 16.4% found it overly complex, and 55.2% perceived it as easy to use. Additionally, 34.5% foresaw the need for technical support, while 72.5% believed they would quickly grasp its use. In the post-test questionnaire, 63.3% of patients still expressed intent for frequent PocDoc usage. The perception of complexity decreased to 20.4%, with 79.3% finding it easy to use. The belief in the need for technical support decreased to 36.5%, while 89.9% felt confident in mastering the application quickly. Moreover, 77.3% found the application's functions well-integrated, and 64.6% were very confident using PocDoc. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest patient receptivity to web-based applications, confirming their viability for specific patient groups. Overall, our study contributes to the growing body of evidence indicating that greater exposure to digital health tools can significantly influence patient acceptance and perceived ease of use, an insight that has important implications for the implementation and design of these technologies in clinical settings.

A novel gain-of-function phosphorylation site modulates PTPN22 inhibition of TCR signaling.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 22 (PTPN22) is encoded by a major autoimmunity gene and is a known inhibitor of T cell receptor (TCR) signaling and drug target for cancer immunotherapy. However, little is known about PTPN22 posttranslational regulation. Here, we characterize a phosphorylation site at Ser325 situated C terminal to the catalytic domain of PTPN22 and its roles in altering protein function. In human T cells, Ser325 is phosphorylated by glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) following TCR stimulation, which promotes its TCR-inhibitory activity. Signaling through the major TCR-dependent pathway under PTPN22 control was enhanced by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated suppression of Ser325 phosphorylation and inhibited by mimicking it via glutamic acid substitution. Global phospho-mass spectrometry showed Ser325 phosphorylation state alters downstream transcriptional activity through enrichment of Swi3p, Rsc8p, and Moira domain binding proteins, and next-generation sequencing revealed it differentially regulates the expression of chemokines and T cell activation pathways. Moreover, in vitro kinetic data suggest the modulation of activity depends on a cellular context. Finally, we begin to address the structural and mechanistic basis for the influence of Ser325 phosphorylation on the protein's properties by deuterium exchange mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. In conclusion, this study explores the function of a novel phosphorylation site of PTPN22 that is involved in complex regulation of TCR signaling and provides details that might inform the future development of allosteric modulators of PTPN22.

Prevalencia de trastornos mentales comunes en indígenas de cinco departamentos de Paraguay

Introducción: los trastornos mentales comunes pueden tener un impacto significativo en la vida de los indígenas, pueden provocar discapacidad, disminución de la productividad y aumento de la mortalidad. Objetivo: determinar la prevalencia de trastornos mentales comunes en indígenas de cinco departamentos de Paraguay durante el 2022. Metodología: se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo de corte transversal en indígenas residentes en los departamentos de Alto Paraguay, Boquerón, Concepción, Caaguazú, Presidente Hayes de Paraguay. Para la recolección de datos se utilizó el Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). Este instrumento constó de 20 preguntas de tipo sí/no correspondientes al mes anterior a la entrevista. Resultados: participaron del estudio 779, indígenas de entre 18 a 69 años de edad. El alfa de Cronbach fue de 0,89, la medida de Kaiser-Meyers-Olkin fue 0,88. El SRQ+ fue del 25,80 % (201), el 14,51 % (113) tuvo síntomas de depresión, el 16,17 % (126) tuvo síntomas de ansiedad, y el 12,58 % (98) tuvo síntomas de psicosis. Conclusión: se encontró una alta prevalencia de trastornos mentales comunes, de acuerdo al Self Reporting Questionnaire, siendo el más frecuente al psicosis. Estos hallazgos subrayan la necesidad de mejorar el acceso a los servicios de salud mental para los indígenas de Paraguay.

Introduction: common mental disorders can have a significant impact on the lives of indigenous people, leading to disability, decreased productivity, and increased mortality. Objective: to determine the prevalence of common mental disorders in indigenous people from five departments of Paraguay in 2022. Methods: a cross-sectional, descriptive observational study was conducted in indigenous people residing in the departments of Alto Paraguay, Boquerón, Concepción, Caaguazú, and Presidente Hayes, Paraguay. Data were collected using the Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). This instrument consisted of 20 yes/no questions pertaining to the month prior to the interview. Results: a total of 779 indigenous people aged 18-69 years participated in the study. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.89, and the Kaiser-Meyers-Olkin measure was 0.88. The SRQ+ was 25.80 % (201), 14.51 % (113) had symptoms of depression, 16.17 % (126) had symptoms of anxiety, and 12.58 % (98) had symptoms of psychosis. Conclusion: a high prevalence of common mental disorders was found, according to the SRQ, with psychosis being the most common. These findings underscore the need to improve access to mental health services for indigenous people in Paraguay.

CYCLOPS: A cyclists' orientation data acquisition system using RGB camera and inertial measurement units (IMU).

This paper introduces CYCLOPS, an acquisition system developed to capture images and inertial measurement data of moving cyclists from a vehicle. The development of CYCLOPS addresses the need to acquire useful data for training machine learning models capable of predicting the motion intentions of cyclists on urban roads. Considering its application, it is a completely original development. The system consists of two devices. The first device is installed on the bicycle and is based on an electronic acquisition board comprising an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a microcontroller, and a transceiver for sending the cyclist's acceleration and orientation data to a vehicle. The second device is installed on the vehicle and uses the same board architecture to acquire the vehicle's accelerations and orientations, along with an RGB monocular camera. The data is stored in real-time in a laptop's drive for subsequent analysis and manipulation. The hardware architecture is presented in detail, including the designs to install the devices, for IMUs configuration, and software installation on the laptop. All design and software files required to develop the proposed system are available for download at: doi.org/10.17632/3yx5y8b7tm.1, licensed under the Open-source license CC BY 4.0.

Transformation of agricultural wastes into functional oligosaccharides using enzymes and emerging technologies.

INTRODUCTION: Pectin-oligosaccharides (POS) serve diverse purposes as a food ingredient, antimicrobial and biostimulant in plants, and their functionality is linked to the degree of esterification. Grape and broccoli wastes emerge as environmentally friendly alternatives to obtaining pectin, serving as a sustainable source to producing POS. For example, microwaves have proven to be an effective and sustainable method to extract polysaccharides from plant matrices. OBJECTIVE: This work aims to use grape and broccoli wastes as alternative sources for obtaining pectin by microwave-assisted extraction and biotransformation into POS, which possess biological properties. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The extraction conditions were identified at a power of 400 W, 300 s for the extraction of pectin from grape pomace and broccoli waste. Biotransformation of pectins into POS, using commercial enzyme preparations (Viscozyme L and Pectinase). Characterisation was carried out by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: Physicochemical analysis indicated grape pomace and broccoli waste pectins had galacturonic acid content of 63.81 ± 1.67 and 40.83 ± 2.85 mg 100 mg-1, low degree of esterification of 34.89% and 16.22%, respectively. Biotransformation of pectins into POS resulted in a 20% hydrolysis rate. The main enzymatic activity was polygalacturonase for the degradation of the main structure of the pectin. CONCLUSION: Production of POS from agro-industrial wastes by emerging technologies, such as the combined use of microwave-assisted extraction and enzymatic processes, represents an alternative method for the generation of bioactive compounds with distinctive properties suitable for different applications of interest.

Role of multimodality cardiac imaging for evaluation of intramyocardial dissection, from dissecting haematoma to false-pseudoaneurysm: a case series.

Background: Intramyocardial dissection (ID) is an extremely rare myocardial infarction mechanical complication. Although both clinical and imaging assessment of this rare condition remains a challenge, recent multimodality imaging techniques may help to confirm and to assess the progressive nature of the disease. Diagnosis may be reached in different stages, from as early as the intramyocardial dissecting haematoma to the severe false-pseudoaneurysm. Case summary: This series describes five cases of ID and provides insights into imaging findings and clinical course of this extremely uncommon condition. Our patients represented a wide range of clinical stages, from asymptomatic course to cardiogenic shock. The imaging diagnostic approach was very different from case to case and involved techniques such as echocardiography, cardiac CT, and cardiac magnetic resonance. Discussion: Intramyocardial dissection is a challenging condition in terms of diagnosis and clinical management associated with high morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, the different nomenclature found in the literature may be confusing. This case series supports the need of a terminology standardization and a multimodal imaging approach, which might be determinant for an accurate differential diagnosis and a suitable therapeutic management.

Analysis of variables to determine their influence on renewable energy forecasting using ensemble methods.

Forecasting is of great importance in the field of renewable energies because it allows us to know the quantity of energy that can be produced, and thus, to have an efficient management of energy sources. However, determining which prediction system is more adequate is very complex, as each energy infrastructure is different. This work studies the influence of some variables when making predictions using ensemble methods for different locations. In particular, the proposal analyzes the influence of the aspects: the variation of the sampling frequency of solar panel systems, the influence of the type of neural network architecture and the number of ensemble method blocks for each model. Following comprehensive experimentation across multiple locations, our study has identified the most effective solar energy prediction model tailored to the specific conditions of each energy infrastructure. The results offer a decisive framework for selecting the optimal system for accurate and efficient energy forecasting. The key point is the use of short time intervals, which is independent of type of prediction model and of their ensemble method.

The Acute Inflammatory Potential of Particles From the Echinococcus granulosus Laminated Layer Is Moderated by Its Calcium Inositol Hexakisphosphate Component.

Cystic echinococcosis is caused by the tissue-dwelling larva (hydatid) of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. A salient feature is that this larva is protected by the acellular laminated layer (LL). As the parasite grows, the LL sheds abundant particles that can accumulate in the parasite's vicinity. The potential of LL particles to induce inflammation in vivo has not been specifically analysed. It is not known how each of its two major components, namely highly glycosylated mucins and calcium inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP6) deposits, impacts inflammation induced by the LL as a whole. In this work, we show that LL particles injected intraperitoneally cause infiltration of eosinophils, neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages as well as the disappearance of resident (large peritoneal) macrophages. Strikingly, the absence of calcium InsP6 enhanced the recruitment of all the inflammatory cell types analysed. In contrast, oxidation of the mucin carbohydrates caused decreased recruitment of neutrophils. The carbohydrate-oxidised particles caused cell influx nonetheless, which may be explained by possible receptor-independent effects of LL particles on innate immune cells, as suggested by previous works from our group. In summary, LL particles can induce acute inflammatory cell recruitment partly dependent on its mucin glycans, and this recruitment is attenuated by the calcium InsP6 component.

Clinical Insights: Antimicrobial Therapy for Infectious Uveitis.

Infectious uveitis is a major global cause of vision impairment. Despite the eye's immune privilege, afforded by the blood-ocular barrier that restricts microbial entry, several pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites can still infiltrate and cause ocular infections and complications. Clinicians often encounter significant challenges in treating infectious uveitis due to limited or ineffective treatment options. Modern molecular techniques and imaging can aid in diagnosing and assessing intraocular infections. Various antimicrobial therapies exist, spanning topical and systemic treatments, but these are constrained by issues like drug concentration, penetration, effective duration, toxicity, and side effects. Treatment approaches also differ based on the infection's etiology. This review provides recent updates on antimicrobial therapies from a clinical perspective, covering topical, systemic, and regional treatments for infectious uveitis.