Cytokine analysis of aqueous humor in patients with cytomegalovirus corneal endotheliitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate cytokine levels of aqueous humor in patients with cytomegalovirus (CMV) corneal endotheliitis and their relationships with CMV DNA load. METHODS: 44 aqueous humor samples were obtained from 26 patients with CMV corneal endotheliitis at various stages of treatment. 33 samples obtained from cataract patients during the same period were selected as a control group. Each sample was used to measure the concentration of the CMV DNA load using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and to examine the levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, MCP-1, VCAM-1, VEGF, IP-10, G-CSF, ICAM-1 and IFN-γ using a cytometric bead array. RESULTS: All 10 cytokines were found to have statistically significant differences between the CMV endotheliitis and cataract groups. The Spearman correlation test showed that the concentration of CMV DNA load was significantly associated with the levels of IL-6 (P = 0.005, r = 0.417), IL-8 (P < 0.001, r = 0.514), IL-10 (P < 0.001, r = 0.700), MCP-1 (P = 0.001, r = 0.487), VEGF (P < 0.001, r = 0.690), IP-10 (P = 0.001, r = 0.469), G-CSF (P < 0.001, r = 0.554) and ICAM-1 (P < 0.001, r = 0.635), but not significantly associated with VCAM-1 (P = 0.056) and IFN-γ (P = 0.219). CONCLUSIONS: There was a combined innate and adaptive immune response in aqueous humor in patients with CMV endotheliitis. Levels of multiple cytokines were significantly correlated with viral particle. Cytokines are potential indicators to help diagnose CMV endotheliitis, evaluate disease activity and assess treatment response.

[Impact of dissolved oxygen on the activity of anaerobic granular sludges].

The effect of dissolved oxygen (DO) on the methanogenic activity of anaerobic granular sludges introduced into the expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor was measured in serum flasks. Results show that the specific methanogenic activity (SMA) decreases with DO increases. At 22 degrees C, the SMA drops from 75.9 mL x (g x d)(-1), 91.1 mL x (g x d)(-1) to 47.6 mL x (g x d)(-1), 71.4 mL x (g x d)(-1), respectively as DO increases from 0.00 mg/L to 7.00 mg/L. Higher temperature can weaken this trend and significantly promote SMA. As the control levels of temperature is 28 degrees C, 35 degrees C, the SMA average increases by 54.0%, 114.4% compared with that of the first gas production experiment. The study confirms that the presence of dissolved oxygen in the influent of an EGSB reactor does not constitute any evidently detrimental effect on the performance of anaerobic treatment process. Anaerobic granular sludges are demonstrated high tolerance for dissolved oxygen so that in practice this factor can be neglected.

[Synthesis, spectra, nonlinear optical properties and theoretical calculations of metal complexes containing phenothiazine ligand].

A new ligand, S-benzyl-(-N-[10-ethylphenothiazinyl-3yl]-methylene] dithiocarbazate (abbreviated as HL), and its complexes ML2 (M=Co and Hg) have been synthesized and fully characterized by elemental analyses, EI-MS, 1H NMR, IR, UV-Vis spectra, and photoluminescence measurement. All of the compounds emit an olivine color in DMF solution. The emission maximum (lambdamax(em)), and fluorescence quantum (phif) of each compound were measured. Nonlinear Optical properties of the HL and ML2 were studied by z-scan technique. Nonlinear absorption coefficient beta were measured to be 0.71, 0.19 and 0.395 cm x GW(-1). Theoretical calculations (RHF/PM3) were consistent with the experimental results.