Effectiveness of dexamethasone implants in treating diabetic macular edema with hard exudates: a clinical observation.

OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to explain the relationship between systemic conditions and hard exudate formations in diabetic macular edema patients. Besides, the study aimed to quantitatively examine changes in the area, location, and impact on visual function of hard exudates following intravitreal dexamethasone implant injections. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted, including 40 patients (40 eyes) diagnosed with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and concurrent macular edema between January 1, 2022, and January 1, 2024. Preoperative evaluations included glycated hemoglobin, lipid profile, and renal function examinations. Based on the location of HE, patients were divided into two groups: Group A, with HE in 1 mm of the central fovea, and Group B, with HE outside 1 mm of the central fovea. Selected eyes were subject to pre- and postoperative examinations, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO), optical coherence tomography, and multifocal electroretinography. Following screening and examination, patients received an immediate intravitreal injection of the DEX implant, with an injection administered at the four-month mark. Hard exudate (HE) areas were measured utilizing SLO fundus imaging. RESULTS: Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride levels were found to be positively correlated with the presence of HE. Following surgical intervention, all patients demonstrated an improvement in BCVA. The mean BCVA increased from a preoperative measurement of 0.79 ± 0.04 to 0.39 ± 0.02 at the 6 month follow-up, indicating a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). The baseline HE area for the entire patient cohort was 2.28 ± 0.22. One month post-operation, the HE area exhibited a slight increase to 2.27 ± 0.22. However, by the 6 month follow-up, the HE area had significantly decreased to 0.8 ± 0.87, representing a 35.09% reduction from the baseline measurement (p < 0.001). It is worth noting that Patient P1 did not exhibit a statistically significant difference between preoperative and six-month postoperative HE area (p = 0.032). Preoperative BCVA measurements for Group A and Group B were 0.81 ± 0.03 and 0.77 ± 0.03, respectively, with no statistically significant intergroup difference (p = 0.333). The baseline HE area for Group A was 2.61 ± 0.16, which decreased to 0.38 ± 0.20 at the six-month follow-up, representing a 14.60% reduction from the baseline total area. For Group B, the baseline HE area was measured at 1.95 ± 0.09, then decreasing to 1.21 ± 0.13 at the six-month follow-up, indicating a 62.05% reduction from the baseline total area. A statistically significant difference in the postoperative 6 month HE area was observed between Group A and Group B (p < 0.001). In Group A, the reduction in HE area (initial HE area-final HE area) was positively correlated with the improvement in P1 (initial P1-final P1) (r = 0.610, p = 0.004). In Group B, a similar positive correlation was found (initial HE area-final HE area with initial P1-final P1) (r = 0.488, p = 0.029). In Group B, the reduction in HE area (initial HE area-final HE area) correlated positively with the improvement in BCVA (initial BCVA-final BCVA) (r = 0.615, p = 0.004). Additionally, in Group B, the reduction in HE area (initial HE area-final HE area) was positively correlated with the improvement in CMT (initial CMT-final CMT) (r = -0.725, p< 0.001). Aggravated cataracts were observed in thirteen eyes during a follow-up examination 6 months later. CONCLUSION: HE formation is associated with lipid levels. Dexamethasone implants demonstrate effectiveness in reducing HE areas in the short term, reducing macular edema, improving retinal structure, and enhancing visual function. The incidence of postoperative complications such as cataracts and glaucoma remains low.

Epidemiological profile and molecular genetic characterization of HIV-1 among female sex workers and elderly male clients in Guangxi, China.

The HIV/AIDS prevalence in female sex workers (FSWs) and elderly male clients is increasing in Guangxi, China, but the transmission relationship between them remains unclear. This study aims to illuminate the transmission network between FSWs and elderly male clients using molecular epidemiological analyses. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that CRF01_AE was the dominant strain, followed by CRF07_BC and CRF08_BC in both groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that viral loads of 50 to 1000 copies/mL, immunological treatment failure and CRF07_BC were risk factors for entering the transmission network. Transmission network analysis showed that CRF07_BC tended to form large clusters, whereas CRF01_AE tended to form multiple but small clusters. Two groups of 11 FSWs and 169 clients were intricately intertwined. Spatial analysis demonstrated the formation of hotspots and clusters of transmission sharing regional differences. In conclusion, our study provides direct genetic evidence of transmission linkages between FSWs and elderly male clients. Although the CRF01_AE subtype was still the predominant subtype in the region, the higher degree and larger clusters found in CRF07_BC illustrate a rapid and intensive uptrend, which is expected to increase its prevalence in the region in the future.

Lentivirus-mediated knockdown of M-phase phosphoprotein 8 inhibits proliferation of colon cancer cells.

M-phase phosphoprotein 8 (MPP8) has been reported to be overexpressed in various human carcinoma cells and was associated with tumor malignant characters. However, its functional role in colon cancer (CRC) is still unclear. In the present study, lentivirus-mediated short hairpin RNAs were designed to silence the MPP8 gene in CRC cells including RKO and SW1116 cells. The fluorescence microscopy was used to determine the knockdown efficiency of MPP8 by observing lentivirus-mediated green fluorescent protein expression. MPP8 expression in infected RKO and SW1116 was evaluated by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay and colony formation. Flow cytometry was applied to measure cell cycle and apoptosis. Transwell assay was used to determine the effect of MMP8 silencing on cell migration. Our results demonstrated that loss of MPP8 inhibited cell proliferation and migration and promoted cell apoptosis. These results indicate that MPP8 plays an important role in the proliferation and metastasis of CRC cells and suggest that silencing of MPP8 may be an effective therapeutic approach for the treatment of CRC.

The Effects of Irreversible Electroporation on the Colon in a Porcine Model.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a method of targeted cell ablation which has been suggested as a potential cancer therapy as it leaves structures such as blood vessels and the extracellular matrix intact, thereby allowing the rapid recovery of healthy tissue. Here, we investigated the effects of IRE on the colon in vivo in a porcine model. METHODS: IRE ablation was performed on the colon walls of 12 female Tibet mini-pigs, creating a total of 24 lesions. Lesions were monitored periodically by endoscopy. The pigs were euthanized 7, 14, 21 or 28 days after IRE ablation and the colons harvested for gross and histological analysis. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Masson's trichrome (MT) stain and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. RESULTS: All pigs tolerated the ablation procedure without serious clinical symptoms or complications. There was no evidence of perforation by endoscopy or gross postmortem examination. All lesions were characterized by necrotic cell death with mild inflammation and hyperemia, with a sharp demarcation between ablated and adjacent normal tissue. A fibrous scar was observed in the ablated colon tissue. Histological analysis revealed damage to each layer of the colon. Histopathology findings also showed the preservation of extracellular structures and the recovery of the ablated colon. CONCLUSIONS: The complete ablation of the target area, its rapid recovery and the lack of posttreatment symptoms suggest that IRE ablation may be a promising therapy for tumors located adjacent to or violating the colon wall.

Down-regulation of GPR137 expression inhibits proliferation of colon cancer cells.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPRs) are highly related to oncogenesis and cancer metastasis. G protein-coupled receptor 137 (GPR137) was initially reported as a novel orphan GPR about 10 years ago. Some orphan GPRs have been implicated in human cancers. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of GPR137 in human colon cancer. Expression levels of GRP137 were analyzed in different colon cancer cell lines by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Lentivirus-mediated short hairpin RNA was specifically designed to knock down GPR137 expression in colon cancer cells. Cell viability was measured by methylthiazoletetrazolium and colony formation assays. In addition, cell cycle characteristic was investigated by flow cytometry. GRP137 expression was observed in all seven colon cancer cell lines at different levels. The mRNA and protein levels of GPR137 were down-regulated in both HCT116 and RKO cells after lentivirus infection. Lentivirus-mediated silencing of GPR137 reduced the proliferation rate and colonies numbers. Knockdown of GPR137 in both cell lines led to cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. These results indicated that GPR137 plays an important role in colon cancer cell proliferation. A better understanding of GPR137's effects on signal transduction pathways in colon cancer cells may provide insights into the novel gene therapy of colon cancer.

In vivo label-free microangiography by laser speckle imaging with intensity fluctuation modulation.

We present the theory of laser speckle imaging improved with intensity fluctuation modulation, where the dynamic speckle pattern can be isolated from its stationary counterpart. A series of in vivo experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in achieving microangiography and monitoring vascular self-recovering process. All results show the convincing performance of our imaging method in both structural and functional imaging of blood flow, which may have potential applications in biological research and disease diagnosis.

Laser speckle imaging based on intensity fluctuation modulation.

We present a method, intensity fluctuation modulation (IFM), to obtain a full-field laser speckle microvessel image. Different from laser speckle contrast analysis, IFM imaging is insensitive to flow velocity and can be used to reconstruct microvessel images with higher spatial resolution and SNR. An in vivo animal experiment on a mouse pinna is conducted to demonstrate that IFM imaging is capable of achieving laser speckle microangiography.

Phosphomannopentaose sulfate (PI-88) suppresses angiogenesis by downregulating heparanase and vascular endothelial growth factor in an oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization animal model.

PURPOSE: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the most potent angiogenic mitogen, and has been associated with angiogenesis. Heparanase is an endoglycosidase that specifically cleaves heparan sulfate side chains, which can induce VEGF expression. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the heparanase expression and its relationship with VEGF in the retina of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) mice, and to investigate the effect of the heparanase inhibitor phosphomannopentaose sulfate (PI-88) in the OIR retinas. METHODS: Seventy-seven newborn C57BL/6 mice were involved in this study. On postnatal day 7 (P7), pups were exposed to a hyperoxia condition (75% oxygen) for 5 days, and on P12, the mice were returned to room air. Control mice were exposed to room air from birth until P17, with normally developing retinal vasculature. PI-88 was administered intraperitoneally to OIR mice at a dose of 35.7 mg/kg/day for 5 consecutive days. The expression level of heparanase and VEGF in the retinas was assayed using immunohistochemistry, Q-RT-PCR, and western blot. RESULTS: The expression levels of heparanase and VEGF were increased in the OIR retinas compared with the control mice. The Q-RT-PCR results showed that the mRNA expression levels of heparanase and VEGF in OIR retina were increased 1.71 fold (p<0.0001) and 4.34 fold (p<0.0001), respectively. The western blot results showed that the protein expression levels of heparanase and VEGF were increased 1.49 fold (p<0.0001) and 1.72 fold (p<0.0001), respectively, in the OIR retinas compared with the normal retinas. The immunohistochemistry analysis revealed that the heparanase and VEGF signals were intense in the retinal vascular endothelia of the OIR mice but faint in those of the normal controls. The increased protein and mRNA expression levels of heparanase and VEGF in the mouse retinas were significantly decreased by PI-88 administration (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Heparanase expression was upregulated and correlated with an increase in VEGF expression in the OIR mouse retinas, and might be involved in the progress of retinopathy of prematurity. Inhibition of heparanase expression by PI-88 could be used as a novel therapeutic method for retinopathy of prematurity.

[Clinical analysis of 106 school-aged children with eye trauma].

PURPOSE: To detect the characteristics of school-aged children with eye trauma for giving an appropriate way of treatment and prevention. METHODS: One hundred and six cases (107 eyes) of school-aged children with eye trauma treated in our hospital in the last 7 years were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The main causes of trauma were playing plastic guns, firecracker and fireworks, scissors, or needle. Hyphema by ocular contusion or penetrating wound of cornea were often observed. The visual acuity of 44. 9% traumatic eyes was lower than 0.05 preoperatively and most of them (83.2%) recovered from blindness postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Eye trauma was severely harmful to school-aged children's eyes. Paying more attention to prevention and carrying out extensively popular education of eye protection were two important means to prevent children from injury.