Species composition and population dynamics of phlebotomine sand flies in a Leishmania infected area of Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Phlebotomine sand flies are established vectors of leishmaniasis in humans. In Thailand, Leishmania martiniquensis and "Leishmania siamensis" have been described as causative agents of leishmaniasis. In this study, a survey of sand flies in the Leishmania infected area of Hang Dong district, Chiang Mai, Thailand was performed using CDC light traps for eight consecutive months, from January to August 2016. A total of 661 sand flies were collected, and of 280 female sand flies, four species of the genus Sergentomyia including Sergentomyia gemmea, S. barraudi, S. indica, and S. hivernus and one species of the genus Phlebotomus, Phlebotomus stantoni, were identified. S. gemmea and S. hivernus were found in Chiang Mai for the first time. The density of captured female sand flies was high in warm and humid periods from June to August, with temperatures of around 26°C and relative humidity about 74%. In addition, S. gemmea was the most predominant species in the area. Further studies as to whether or not these sand fly species could be a vector of Leishmaniasis in Thailand are required.

Didilia sp. infecting Phlebotomus stantoni in Thailand.

Nematode infection in wild caught Phlebotomine sand flies was investigated in Thailand. Light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to detect and morphologically characterize entomopathogenic nematodes that presented in the sand flies. Didilia sp. nematodes were found for the first time in the body cavity of wild caught male Phlebotomus stantoni sand flies. The Didilia sp. was identified based on the morphology of the adult nematodes, from their stylet and teeth at the anterior tip, body length, and egg shell sculpture. It was noted that every infected male sand fly had unrotated genitalia, which would not allow them to mate, thus leading to the loss of their offspring. This finding provided information that might lead to study on whether or not the Didilia sp. has the potential to control sand fly population.

Tuberculosis pulmonar con signo de cúmulo sarcoideo en la tomografía computarizada de tórax de alta resolución / No disponible

No disponible

Pulmonary tuberculosis associated with the reversed halo sign on high-resolution CT.

We describe the case of a 32-year-old woman with pulmonary tuberculosis in whom a high-resolution CT scan demonstrated the reversed halo sign. The diagnosis of tuberculosis was made by lung biopsy and the detection of acid-fast bacilli in the sputum smear and culture. Follow-up assessment revealed a significant improvement in the lesions.

Two new HLA-B alleles, B*4422 and B*4704, identified in a study of families with autoimmunity.

HLA-B typing of approximately 1 262 individuals from a study of 372 simplex families with multiple sclerosis has led to the identification of two new alleles (HLA-B*4422 and HLA-B*4704). Sequencing confirmed that both of these new alleles represent novel combinations of previously described sequence motifs, reinforcing the notion that recombination and/or gene conversion-like events play an important role in generating HLA allelic diversity. The identification of these new alleles brings the total number of HLA-B alleles to 465.

Lens refilling with injectable silicone in rabbit eyes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the technique of refilling the lens capsule with injectable silicone and assess the postoperative findings. SETTING: Jinshikai Medical Foundation, Nishi Eye Hospital, Osaka, Japan. METHODS: The lens capsules in the eyes of 16 rabbits weighing 1.5 to 2.0 kg were refilled with 0.2 mL of silicone polymer (about 66% bag volume) after endocapsular phacoemulsification through an upper minicircular capsulorhexis 1.5 to 1.8 mm in diameter. The capsule opening was sealed with a silicone plug to prevent leakage of the injected silicone. Main outcome measures were surgical success rate, inflammation, endothelial cell loss, refractive change after pilocarpine 4% instillation, and capsule opacification. RESULTS: The lens capsule could be refilled in 10 eyes. The failures were caused by capsule rupture during phacoemulsification (n = 3) and profuse leakage of the injected silicone. Silicone that leaked minimally during surgery was easily washed away. Silicone that leaked and polymerized in the anterior chamber postoperatively (n = 3) was easily removed by surgery the following day. Mean endothelial cell loss was 10.2% 1 month after surgery. Aqueous flare intensity was significantly lower on days 2 and 4 than after conventional intraocular lens implantation in a control group. The respective mean preoperative and postoperative refractions were 0.7 diopters (D) +/- 1.0 (SD) and 19.1 +/- 1.0 D and the mean change (difference between the refractions before and after topical application of pilocarpine 4%), -0.4 +/- 0.6 and 1.1 +/- 0.4 D (P < .01). Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) was noted after 3 weeks in all eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Lens capsule refilling and capsular plug use to prevent silicone leakage was shown to be feasible and avoided complications caused by leakage. Refractive changes suggest that the procedure could yield accommodation in primates> Although neodymium: YAG laser capsulotomy did not cause herniation of the injected silicone, PCO prevention is an essential issue in lens refilling because the capsulotomy may annul the attained accommodation.

The inhibition of lens epithelial cell migration by a discontinuous capsular bend created by a band-shaped circular loop or a capsule-bending ring.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the inhibitory effect of a discontinuous capsular bend created by an intraocular lens (IOL) with a band-shaped loop or a capsule tension ring on migrating lens epithelial cells (LECs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: To create a sharp bend in the capsule, the round form (shown on cross section) of the open-circular loop of a polymethylmethacrylate IOL was changed to a band-like shape, 1.0 mm wide and 0.2 mm thick. A capsule tension ring of the same shape (on cross section) with a 14-mm diameter was also made. After cataract surgery, this IOL or ring was implanted into the capsular bag in 5 rabbit eyes. The same IOL with an unmodified haptic or conventional capsule tension ring was implanted in the contralateral eye as a control. After 8 weeks, Miyake view and histopathologic examinations were performed. RESULTS: LECs accumulated at the equatorial corner outside the haptic or ring, showing the inhibition of LEC migration. In the control eyes, LECs accumulated inside the haptic or ring, forming a Soemmering's ring cataract, thus showing markedly less inhibition of LEC migration on macroscopic and microscopic observations. CONCLUSIONS: A discontinuous bend in the capsule significantly inhibited LEC migration in rabbit eyes. The creation of a capsular bend through the appropriate design of the IOL-haptic or capsule tension ring might significantly decrease the incidence of posterior capsule opacification for humans.

Inhibition of migrating lens epithelial cells by blocking the adhesion molecule integrin: a preliminary report.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the preventive effect of blocking integrins by sustained release of RGD peptide (arginine-glycin-aspartic acid sequence) or a combination of RGD peptide and ethylenediaminotetraacetic acid (EDTA) on lens epithelial cell (LEC) migration. SETTING: Nishi Eye Hospital, Jinshikai Medical Foundation, Osaka, Japan. METHOD: A polylactic-glycolic acid disk containing 4% RGD or a combination of 23% EDTA and 10% RGD was implanted in the capsular bag in five rabbit eyes following standard cataract surgery. The release rate in vitro was 4.4 microg/h for RGD peptide alone and 7.8 and 7.6 microg/h for combined EDTA and RGD peptide, respectively. The contralateral eye received a disk without agents as a control. RESULTS: After 1 month, a slight inhibition of LEC migration onto the posterior capsule was observed histopathologically in eyes receiving RGD peptide. A significant inhibition was observed in eyes with combined EDTA and RGD. CONCLUSIONS: Application of RGD peptide and EDTA and RGD peptide may inhibit LEC migration by inhibiting the integrins expressed on the LECs. Blocking adhesion molecules expressed on LECs may reduce posterior capsule opacification.

Controlling the capsular shape in lens refilling.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate control of the capsular shape by determining the ability of the lens capsule to mold injected silicone and to evaluate the relationship among the volume of silicone injected, refraction, and the amplitude of accommodation. METHODS: After endocapsular phacoemulsification following an upper, minicircular capsulorhexis, the lens capsule of a pig eye was refilled with a silicone mixture that polymerizes in vitro in 2 hours. The minicircular capsulorhexis opening was sealed by a small silicone plug to prevent leakage. The anterior capsule curvature and refraction of the lens were measured by a Scheimpflug camera and lensometer, respectively, with and without zonular tension. Zonular tension was created using a ciliary ring sutured to the ciliary bodies and expanded. RESULTS: The mean (+/- SD) anterior curvature of the lenses without zonular tension was 6.50 +/- 0.07 mm after 17 hours and 6.54 +/- 0.04 mm after 42 hours; with zonular tension it was 7.01 +/- 0.11 mm and 7.23 +/- 0.24 mm, respectively. The curvature became flatter when zonular tension was applied or steeper when zonular tension was abolished momentarily during measurements after 17 hours, but after 42 hours the curvature was unaffected by the application or removal of zonular pressure. The mean (+/- SD) amplitude of accommodation (the difference between refraction without zonular tension and that with it) was 3.2 +/- 0.5 diopters (D), 6.1 +/- 1.8 D, 4.8 +/- 0.8 D, and 2.8 +/- 1.3 D, when the lens was refilled with a silicone volume corresponding to 45%, 55%, 75%, and 95%, respectively, of the mean normal lens volume. CONCLUSIONS: The lens capsule possesses some ability to mold the injected silicone during its polymerization. When the eye is atropinized, the lens capsule may conform to its nonaccommodated state. Accommodation could be obtained by various degrees of refilling. Moderate refilling yields a greater amplitude of accommodation than does more complete refilling. Using a silicone plug to seal the capsular opening facilitates lens refilling with excellent reproducibility and seems to be useful in research.

Keratan sulfate synthesis by corneal stromal cells within three-dimensional collagen gel cultures.

The corneal stromal cells from 2-day-old chicks were cultured on plastic dishes or within three-dimensional collagen gel in the presence or absence of growth factor (EGF, bFGF, PDGF, TGF-beta 1, or their combinations). The cells were labeled with [35S] sulfate and [3H]-glucosamine, and the radio-labeled proteoglycans were examined. Keratan sulfate was synthesized to some extent (15.4-16.9% of total synthesis for medium fraction; 8.0% for cell layer fraction) in a primary culture even when the cells were cultured on plastic dishes, although the values were very much lower than that (42.7%) in the stromal fraction of organ culture of corneal explants. The primary culture in collagen gel showed some increase in the proportion of keratan sulfate synthesis as compared with the culture on plastic. Among growth factors, addition of EGF to the culture in gel caused a further increase in the proportion of keratan sulfate synthesis. bFGF and TGF-beta 1 increased proteoglycan synthesis as a whole to some extent, but chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate synthesis was increased preferentially and, consequently, the proportion of keratan sulfate synthesis to total synthesis was decreased. PDGF also caused some decrease in the proportion. In the culture after one passage (secondary culture), the keratan sulfate synthesis decreased markedly (8.6-8.3% of total synthesis for medium fraction; 2.7% for cell layer or gel fraction) and a large chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate proteoglycan appeared whether the cells were cultured on plastic or in collagen gel. But, when the medium was changed to CG medium (serum-free medium) in the middle of either primary or secondary cultures, the keratan sulfate synthesis (27.8% for medium fraction; 15.6% for gel fraction) was maintained at the level of that of the primary culture in gel. EGF and bFGF were not additive to the effect of CG medium on the keratan sulfate synthesis in the secondary culture. Instead, EGF and bFGF stimulated hyaluronic acid synthesis in the culture. The mechanism of these changes in the expression type of proteoglycan and their significance remain to be clarified.

Decreased prostaglandin E2 synthesis by lens epithelial cells cultured on heparin-surface-modified poly(methyl methacrylate).

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether heparin surface modification reduces prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis by lens epithelial cells (LECs) after intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. SETTING: Nishi Eye Hospital, Jinshikai Medical Foundation, Osaka, Japan. METHODS: The prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) concentration was determined in an incubation medium of human cataract LECs cultured on heparin-surface-modified (HSM) poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) plates at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks of culture. A medium without heparin served as a control. RESULTS: The PGE2 concentration was significantly lower in the HSM than in the control medium at 3 and 4 weeks of culture. CONCLUSION: The results are consistent with the clinical observation of significantly decreased inflammation in eyes with HSM IOLs, indicating that such modification increases PMMA's biocompatibility with LECs.