Association Between Retinal Features From Multimodal Imaging and Schizophrenia.

Importance: The potential association of schizophrenia with distinct retinal changes is of clinical interest but has been challenging to investigate because of a lack of sufficiently large and detailed cohorts. Objective: To investigate the association between retinal biomarkers from multimodal imaging (oculomics) and schizophrenia in a large real-world population. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional analysis used data from a retrospective cohort of 154 830 patients 40 years and older from the AlzEye study, which linked ophthalmic data with hospital admission data across England. Patients attended Moorfields Eye Hospital, a secondary care ophthalmic hospital with a principal central site, 4 district hubs, and 5 satellite clinics in and around London, United Kingdom, and had retinal imaging during the study period (January 2008 and April 2018). Data were analyzed from January 2022 to July 2022. Main Outcomes and Measures: Retinovascular and optic nerve indices were computed from color fundus photography. Macular retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGC-IPL) thicknesses were extracted from optical coherence tomography. Linear mixed-effects models were used to examine the association between schizophrenia and retinal biomarkers. Results: A total of 485 individuals (747 eyes) with schizophrenia (mean [SD] age, 64.9 years [12.2]; 258 [53.2%] female) and 100 931 individuals (165 400 eyes) without schizophrenia (mean age, 65.9 years [13.7]; 53 253 [52.8%] female) were included after images underwent quality control and potentially confounding conditions were excluded. Individuals with schizophrenia were more likely to have hypertension (407 [83.9%] vs 49 971 [48.0%]) and diabetes (364 [75.1%] vs 28 762 [27.6%]). The schizophrenia group had thinner mGC-IPL (-4.05 µm, 95% CI, -5.40 to -2.69; P = 5.4 × 10-9), which persisted when investigating only patients without diabetes (-3.99 µm; 95% CI, -6.67 to -1.30; P = .004) or just those 55 years and younger (-2.90 µm; 95% CI, -5.55 to -0.24; P = .03). On adjusted analysis, retinal fractal dimension among vascular variables was reduced in individuals with schizophrenia (-0.14 units; 95% CI, -0.22 to -0.05; P = .001), although this was not present when excluding patients with diabetes. Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, patients with schizophrenia had measurable differences in neural and vascular integrity of the retina. Differences in retinal vasculature were mostly secondary to the higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in patients with schizophrenia. The role of retinal features as adjunct outcomes in patients with schizophrenia warrants further investigation.

Association of Thigh Muscle Strength with Texture Features Based on Proton Density Fat Fraction Maps Derived from Chemical Shift Encoding-Based Water-Fat MRI.

PURPOSE: Based on conventional and quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), texture analysis (TA) has shown encouraging results as a biomarker for tissue structure. Chemical shift encoding-based water-fat MRI (CSE-MRI)-derived proton density fat fraction (PDFF) of thigh muscles has been associated with musculoskeletal, metabolic, and neuromuscular disorders and was demonstrated to predict muscle strength. The purpose of this study was to investigate PDFF-based TA of thigh muscles as a predictor of thigh muscle strength in comparison to mean PDFF. METHODS: 30 healthy subjects (age = 30 ± 6 years; 15 females) underwent CSE-MRI of the lumbar spine at 3T, using a six-echo 3D spoiled gradient echo sequence. Quadriceps (EXT) and ischiocrural (FLEX) muscles were segmented to extract mean PDFF and texture features. Muscle flexion and extension strength were measured with an isokinetic dynamometer. RESULTS: Of the eleven extracted texture features, Variance(global) showed the highest significant correlation with extension strength (p < 0.001, R2adj = 0.712), and Correlation showed the highest significant correlation with flexion strength (p = 0.016, R2adj = 0.658). Multivariate linear regression models identified Variance(global) and sex, but not PDFF, as significant predictors of extension strength (R2adj = 0.709; p < 0.001), while mean PDFF, sex, and BMI, but none of the texture features, were identified as significant predictors of flexion strength (R2adj = 0.674; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Prediction of quadriceps muscle strength can be improved beyond mean PDFF by means of TA, indicating the capability to quantify muscular fat infiltration patterns.

Anti-inflammatory and proapoptotic effects of umbelliferone in colon carcinogenesis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a serious health problem throughout the world. 5-Flurouracil, the first-line chemotherapy of colorectal cancer often produces more toxicity to neighboring cells; however, it is still used for CRC treatment. To overcome this, umbelliferone (UMB), a less toxic bioflavonoid has been used to test its anticancer effects on animal model. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the anticancer activity of UMB on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced rat colon tumorigenesis to determine the development of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), agyrophylic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs), mast cell recruitment, pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß and also study the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and apoptotic markers. DMH-induced rats showed increased ACF number (incidence), multiplicity and its distribution, counts of AgNORs, mast cells, inflammatory markers and apoptotic proteins. Interestingly, UMB supplementation to DMH-induced rats (group 4) significantly (p < 0.05) suppressed ACF development, AgNORs, mast cells, and inflammatory markers and increased the apoptotic markers as compared to DMH-induced rats (group 2). We concluded that UMB is a potential anticancer agent that can be used for the prevention and treatment of CRC.

Beware of parotitis induced by iodine-containing contrast media.

Carotid stenting is being increasingly used for revascularization of the moderate to severe carotid stenosis and thus its complications are increasingly being recognized. We report a rare complication of induced by iodine contrast in a patient undergoing carotid stenting. s. A 51 year old man after the second stenting developed multiple small infarcts in spite of the distal device. He also had painful parotid swelling which improved within a week. One should be aware of iodine parotitis s in the patients undergoing iodinated contrast study.

Impact of a fall prevention programme in acute hospital settings in Singapore.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to develop a multifaceted strategy using tailored interventions to implement a fall prevention programme, and to achieve a change in fall prevention practices and a reduction in fall incidence at an acute care hospital in Singapore. METHODS: A comparative study was conducted at two acute care hospitals (intervention and control) in Singapore. Pre-intervention, post-intervention and six-month follow-up knowledge assessments of 641 nursing staff, and audits of fall rates and fall prevention practices were performed to determine the effectiveness of a multifaceted strategy with targeted interventions in supporting the implementation of a fall prevention programme. RESULTS: The mean post-knowledge test scores at six months were statistically significantly higher (t[516] is -3.3, p-value is less than 0.01) at the intervention hospital (10.3 +/- 2.3) compared to the scores at the control hospital (9.8 +/- 1.8). Increased compliance with the use of fall risk assessment tools was evident in 99.4 percent and 99.3 percent of all patient records at the control and intervention hospitals, respectively. Following the implementation strategy for a fall prevention programme, there was a non-significant reduction in fall rates from 1.44 to 1.09 per 1,000 patient days at the intervention hospital. No reduction in the fall rate was observed at the control hospital. CONCLUSION: A multifaceted strategy for the implementation of a fall prevention programme was effective in increasing nurses' knowledge and the use of the fall risk assessment, but did not have a statistically significant impact on a reduction in the fall rate. The increase in nurses' knowledge and change in nursing practice were important markers of success in terms of fall prevention at the acute hospitals.

Detection of antibodies against cell wall-associated antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (SIHV) by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.

We have used the cell wall-associated proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (SIHV strain) as antigens in the serodiagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Sera from 19 relapsed and 46 newly diagnosed cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and 21 healthy individuals were tested against the cell wall-associated proteins of M. tuberculosis (SIHV) by an ELISA technique. The results showed 92% and 100% positive titers in new and relapsed cases of tuberculosis, respectively. Control sera analyzed exhibited a negativity of 90%. Cell wall-associated proteins of M. tuberculosis were found to be useful in serodiagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in clear distinction from healthy subjects.

Lipid peroxidation, antioxidant defences and red-cell membrane changes in relation to coronary risk index and symptomatic coronary heart disease.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the normal lipoprotein profile in the population and identify the early warning signs of coronary heart disease (CHD). DESIGN: Random blood sampling of healthy adults and patients with symptomatic CHD including that complicated with acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: Plasma lipids, lipoproteins, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzymes and scavengers, red-cell membrane lipids and glycoproteins were assayed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The normal levels of plasma lipids and lipoproteins were established. Levels of plasma free fatty acids, fibrinogen, white blood cell counts, echinocytes, red-cell membrane lipids and protein-bound carbohydrate components are significantly higher in healthy subjects with coronary risk index above 4.5 than they are in normal individuals. Antioxidant defences appear to be the distinguishing factor, remaining higher in normal individuals and thus keeping lipid peroxidation under control. In symptomatic CHD, antioxidant defences are significantly lowered.