Examining the etiological factors resulting in retinal detachment following prophylactic vitrectomy in the context of acute retinal necrosis syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to elucidate the factors contributing to the occurrence of retinal detachment (RD) following prophylactic vitrectomy in cases of acute retinal necrosis (ARN) syndrome. METHODS: A retrospective examination was undertaken, encompassing the medical records of patients diagnosed with ARN who underwent prophylactic vitreous intervention at the Ophthalmology Department of Wuhan University Renmin Hospital East Campus between October 2019 and September 2023. Subsequently, patients who manifested RD in the postoperative period were identified, and a comprehensive analysis was conducted to ascertain the factors underlying the occurrence of RD post-surgery. RESULTS: This study comprised 14 cases (involving 14 eyes) of patients diagnosed with ARN who underwent prophylactic vitreous intervention. The findings revealed that 4 patients experienced postoperative RD, resulting in an incidence rate of 28.57%. Notably, among these cases, 3 cases of RD manifested in the presence of silicone oil, while 1 case occurred subsequent to the removal of silicone oil. All 4 cases of RD exhibited varied degrees of proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Following the occurrence of RD, all patients underwent a secondary vitreous intervention coupled with silicone oil tamponade, leading to successful reattachment of the retina. However, despite these interventions, there was no significant enhancement observed in postoperative visual outcomes when compared to preoperative levels. CONCLUSION: RD following prophylactic vitrectomy in cases of ARN is not an infrequent occurrence and is primarily linked to the postoperative onset of proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

The role of epithelial cells in fibrosis: Mechanisms and treatment.

Fibrosis is a pathological process that affects multiple organs and is considered one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in multiple diseases, resulting in an enormous disease burden. Current studies have focused on fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, which directly lead to imbalance in generation and degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM). In recent years, an increasing number of studies have focused on the role of epithelial cells in fibrosis. In some cases, epithelial cells are first exposed to external physicochemical stimuli that may directly drive collagen accumulation in the mesenchyme. In other cases, the source of stimulation is mainly immune cells and some cytokines, and epithelial cells are similarly altered in the process. In this review, we will focus on the multiple dynamic alterations involved in epithelial cells after injury and during fibrogenesis, discuss the association among them, and summarize some therapies targeting changed epithelial cells. Especially, epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the key central step, which is closely linked to other biological behaviors. Meanwhile, we think studies on disruption of epithelial barrier, epithelial cell death and altered basal stem cell populations and stemness in fibrosis are not appreciated. We believe that therapies targeted epithelial cells can prevent the progress of fibrosis, but not reverse it. The epithelial cell targeting therapies will provide a wonderful preventive and delaying action.

Ameliorative effect of resveratrol on acute ocular hypertension induced retinal injury through the SIRT1/NF-κB pathway.

Glaucoma is a kind of neurodegenerative disorder characterized by irreversible loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and permanent visual impairment. It is reported that resveratrol (RES) is a promising drug for neurodegenerative diseases. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying its protective potential have not yet been fully elucidated. The present study sought to investigate whether resveratrol could protect RGCs and retinal function triggered by acute ocular hypertension injury through the SIRT1/NF-κB pathway. An experimental glaucoma model was generated in C57BL/6J mice. Resveratrol was intraperitoneally injected for 5 days. Sirtinol was injected intravitreally on the day of retinal AOH injury. RGC survival was determined using immunostaining. TUNEL staining was conducted to evaluate retinal cell apoptosis. ERG was used to evaluate visual function. The proteins Brn3a, SIRT1, NF-κB, IL-6, Bax, Bcl2, and Cleaved Caspase3 were determined using western blot. The expression and localisation of SIRT1 and NF-κB in the retina were detected by immunofluorescence. Our data indicated that resveratrol treatment significantly increased Brn3a-labelled RGCs and reduced RGC apoptosis caused by AOH injury. Resveratrol administration also remarkably decreased NF-κB, IL-6, Bax, and Cleaved Caspase3 proteins and increased SIRT1 and Bcl2 proteins. Furthermore, resveratrol treatment obviously inhibited the reduction in ERG caused by AOH injury. Importantly, simultaneous administration of resveratrol and sirtinol abrogated the protective effect of resveratrol, decreased NF-κB protein expression, and increased SIRT1 protein levels. These results suggest that resveratrol administration significantly mitigates retinal AOH-induced RGCs loss and retinal dysfunction, and that this neuroprotective effect is partially regulated through the SIRT1/NF-κB pathway.

Long-term outcome of children with acute promyelocytic leukemia: a randomized study of oral versus intravenous arsenic by SCCLG-APL group.

Realgar-Indigo naturalis formula (RIF), an oral traditional Chinese medicine mainly containing Realgar (As4S4), is highly effective in treating adult acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). However, the treatment efficacy and safety of RIF have not been verified in pediatric patients. SCCLG-APL group conducted a multicenter randomized non-inferiority trial to determine whether intravenous arsenic trioxide (ATO) can be substituted by oral RIF in treating pediatric APL. Of 176 eligible patients enrolled, 91 and 85 were randomized to ATO and RIF groups, respectively. Patients were treated with the risk-adapted protocol. Induction, consolidation, and 96-week maintenance treatment contained all-trans-retinoic acid and low-intensity chemotherapy, and either ATO or RIF. The primary endpoint was 5-year event-free survival (EFS). The secondary endpoints were adverse events and hospital days. After a median 6-year follow-up, the 5-year EFS was 97.6% in both groups. However, the RIF group had significantly shorter hospital stays and lower incidence of infection and tended to have less cardiac toxicity. All 4 relapses occurred within 1.5 years after completion of maintenance therapy. No long-term arsenic retentions were observed in either group. Substituting oral RIF for ATO maintains treatment efficacy while reducing hospitalization and adverse events in treating pediatric APL patients, which may be a future treatment strategy for APL.

Drug-loaded mucoadhesive microneedle patch for the treatment of oral submucous fibrosis.

Oral submucous fibrosis is a chronic, inflammatory and potentially malignant oral disease. Local delivery of triamcinolone to lesion site is a commonly used therapy. The existing methods for local drug delivery include topical administration and submucosal injection. However, in the wet and dynamic oral microenvironment, these methods have drawbacks such as limited drug delivery efficiency and injection pain. Therefore, it is urgently needed to develop an alternative local drug delivery system with high efficiency and painlessness. Inspired by the structure of band-aid, this study proposed a novel double-layered mucoadhesive microneedle patch for transmucosal drug delivery. The patch consisted of a mucoadhesive silk fibroin/tannic acid top-layer and a silk fibroin microneedle under-layer. When applying the annealing condition for the medium content of ß-sheets of silk fibroin, the microneedles in under-layer displayed both superior morphology and mechanical property. The mechanical strength of per needle (0.071N) was sufficient to penetrate the oral mucosa. Sequentially, the gelation efficiency of silk fibroin and tannic acid in top-layer was maximized as the weight ratio of tannic acid to silk fibroin reached 5:1. Moreover, in vitro results demonstrated the double-layered patch possessed undetectable cytotoxicity. The sustained release of triamcinolone was observed from the double-layered patch for at least 7 days. Furthermore, compared with other commercial buccal patches, the double-layered patch exhibited an enhanced wet adhesion strength of 37.74 kPa. In addition, ex vivo mucosal tissue penetration experiment confirmed that the double-layered patch could reach the lamina propria, ensuring effective drug delivery to the lesion site of oral submucous fibrosis. These results illustrate the promising potential of the drug-loaded mucoadhesive microneedle patch for the treatment of oral submucous fibrosis.

Causative Microorganisms Isolated from Patients with Intra-Abdominal Infections and Their Drug Resistance Profiles: An 11-Year (2011-2021) Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Objective: To investigate the distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility of causative microorganisms recovered from patients with intra-abdominal infections (IAIs). Methods: A total of 2,926 bacterial and fungal strains were identified in samples collected from 1,679 patients with IAIs at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital between 2011 and 2021. Pathogenic bacteria and fungi were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed using the VITEK 2 compact system and the Kirby-Bauer method. AST results were interpreted based on the M100-Ed31 clinical breakpoints of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Results: Of the 2,926 strains identified, 49.2%, 40.8%, and 9.5% were gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, and fungi, respectively. Escherichia coli was the most prevalent pathogen in intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU patients; however, a significant decrease was observed in the isolation of E. coli between 2011 and 2021. Specifically, significant decreases were observed between 2011 and 2021 in the levels of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli (from 76.9% to 14.3%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (from 45.8% to 4.8%). Polymicrobial infections, particularly those involving co-infection with gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, were commonly observed in IAI patients. Moreover, Candida albicans was more commonly isolated from hospital-associated IAI samples, while Staphylococcus epidermidis had a higher ratio in community-associated IAIs. Additionally, AST results revealed that most antimicrobial agents performed better in non-ESBL-producers than in ESBL-producers, while the overall resistance rates (56.9%-76.8%) of Acinetobacter baumanmii were higher against all antimicrobial agents than those of other common gram-negative bacteria. Indeed, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, S. epidermidis, and S. aureus were consistently found to be susceptible to vancomycin, teicoplanin, and linezolid. Similarly, C. albicans exhibited high susceptibility to all the tested antifungal drugs. Conclusion: The distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility of the causative microorganisms from patients with IAIs were altered between 2011 and 2021. This finding is valuable for the implementation of evidence-based antimicrobial therapy and provides guidance for the control of hospital infections.

Sustainable Smart Cities-Social Media Platforms and Their Role in Community Neighborhood Resilience-A Systematic Review.

The COVID-19 pandemic took most communities off guard and has highlighted gaps in community preparedness and resilience in spite of the numerous technological advancements and the variety of available social media platforms that many relied on during lockdown periods. This served to emphasise the necessity for exploring the roles of social media and smart city technologies in mitigating pandemic impacts. In this systematic literature review, we examined twelve articles on social media usage and smart city technologies and their contributions to community resilience during COVID-19. The analysis focused on the use of social media platforms and smart city technologies during and after lockdown periods, examining their role in fostering community resilience. Results indicate that social media and smart city technologies were instrumental in helping communities adapt and recover from the pandemic. While past studies have examined community resilience, social media, or smart cities separately, there is limited literature collating insights on the three elements combined. We therefore argue that these technologies, employed collaboratively, enhance community resilience during crises. Nevertheless, further research is recommended, particularly on urban resilience and comparative analyses to deepen our understanding of the complex interplay between these variables.

Acute Hepatitis E Induced the First Episode of Immune-Mediated Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura: The First Case Report.

Purpose: Hepatitis E virus infection mainly presents with liver-related symptoms, and multiple studies have shown that hepatitis E virus infection can also induce extrahepatic-related symptoms. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura is an uncommon and fatal thrombotic microangiopathy characterized by severe thrombocytopenia, organ damage, and microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia. We report the first case in which acute hepatitis E induced the first episode of immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Patients and Methods: A 53-year-old male was admitted to our emergency department with fever, thrombocytopenia, and abnormal liver function. Laboratory tests revealed significant bilirubin, AST, and ALT elevations, renal impairment, positive anti-HEV IgM and IgG antibody results, schistocytes on the blood smear, 0% ADAMTS-13 activity, and positive ADAMTS13 inhibitor results. He was diagnosed with acute hepatitis E, which induced the first episode of immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Results: After receiving treatment with plasmapheresis, glucocorticoid medication, rituximab, and other supportive medicines, the patient's physiological circumstances and laboratory indicators improved, and a 4-month follow-up revealed no abnormalities. Conclusion: This is a unique case report of an acute hepatitis E-induced immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura initial episode. This case report offers evidence that hepatitis E virus infection can cause thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. In patients with abnormal liver function and thrombocytopenia, we advise screening for hepatitis E or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

A Mendelian randomization study for drug repurposing reveals bezafibrate and fenofibric acid as potential osteoporosis treatments.

Background: Lipid pathways have been implicated in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis (OP). Lipid-lowering drugs may be used to prevent and treat OP. However, the causal interpretation of results from traditional observational designs is controversial by confounding. We aimed to investigate the causal association between genetically proxied lipid-lowering drugs and OP risk. Methods: We conducted two-step Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to investigate the causal association of genetically proxied lipid-lowering drugs on the risk of OP. The first step MR was used to estimate the associations of drug target genes expression with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. The significant SNPs in the first step MR were used as instrumental variables in the second step MR to estimate the associations of LDL-C levels with forearm bone mineral density (FA-BMD), femoral neck BMD (FN-BMD), lumbar spine BMD (LS-BMD) and fracture. The significant lipid-lowering drugs after MR analyses were further evaluated for their effects on bone mineralization using a dexamethasone-induced OP zebrafish model. Results: The first step MR analysis found that the higher expression of four genes (HMGCR, NPC1L1, PCSK9 and PPARG) was significantly associated with a lower LDL-C level. The genetically decreased LDL-C level mediated by the PPARG was significantly associated with increased FN-BMD (BETA = -1.38, p = 0.001) and LS-BMD (BETA = -2.07, p = 3.35 × 10-5) and was marginally significantly associated with FA-BMD (BETA = -2.36, p = 0.008) and reduced fracture risk (OR = 3.47, p = 0.008). Bezafibrate (BZF) and Fenofibric acid (FBA) act as PPARG agonists. Therefore genetically proxied BZF and FBA had significant protective effects on OP. The dexamethasone-induced OP zebrafish treated with BZF and FBA showed increased bone mineralization area and integrated optical density (IOD) with alizarin red staining. Conclusion: The present study provided evidence that BZF and FBA can increase BMD, suggesting their potential effects in preventing and treating OP. These findings potentially pave the way for future studies that may allow personalized selection of lipid-lowering drugs for those at risk of OP.

Contemplating the necessity of surgical treatment for posterior lenticonus: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Posterior lenticonus is an uncommon congenital abnormality that causes a progressive, localized spherical or conical bulging of the posterior capsular membrane, resulting in an abnormal shape of the lens. CASE PRESENTATION: A 13-year-old girl presented with ametropia in both eyes. After mydriasis, examination revealed an oval bubble-shaped alteration with a distinct boundary above the temporal region on the center of the posterior capsule of her left lens. The subcortical region surrounding the alteration appeared feathery and turbid. The patient had no history of trauma or family history of visual impairment. Systemic investigations were normal. A thorough eye examination was performed, which included optometry, ultrasound biomicroscopy, ocular B-Scan, and anterior segment optical coherence, to assess the disease. The patient was diagnosed with posterior lenticonus in the left eye, as well as ametropia and anisometropia in both eyes. Conservative treatment was initiated since the patient's current best corrected visual acuity was good, and regular monitoring of the condition's progression was scheduled. CONCLUSIONS: This case report presents a rare instance of posterior lenticonus. The findings of this report raise new considerations regarding the necessity of surgical intervention for this condition.

Differentiation syndrome and coagulation disorder - comparison between treatment with oral and intravenous arsenics in pediatric acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Realgar-Indigo naturalis formula (RIF), with A4S4 as a major ingredient, is an oral arsenic used in China to treat pediatric acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). The efficacy of RIF is similar to that of arsenic trioxide (ATO). However, the effects of these two arsenicals on differentiation syndrome (DS) and coagulation disorders, the two main life-threatening events in children with APL, remain unclear. We retrospectively analyzed 68 consecutive children with APL from South China Children Leukemia Group-APL (SCCLG-APL) study. Patients received all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on day 1 of induction therapy. ATO 0.16 mg/kg day or RIF 135 mg/kg·day was administrated on day 5, while mitoxantrone was administered on day 3 (non-high-risk) or days 2-4 (high-risk). The incidences of DS were 3.0% and 5.7% in ATO (n = 33) and RIF (n = 35) arms (p = 0.590), and 10.3% and 0% in patients with and without differentiation-related hyperleukocytosis (p = 0.04), respectively. Moreover, in patients with differentiation-related hyperleukocytosis, the incidence of DS was not significantly different between ATO and RIF arms. The dynamic changes of leukocyte count between arms were not statistically different. However, patients with leukocyte count > 2.61 × 109/L or percentage of promyelocytes in peripheral blood > 26.5% tended to develop hyperleukocytosis. The improvement of coagulation indexes in ATO and RIF arms was similar, with fibrinogen and prothrombin time having the quickest recovery rate. This study showed that the incidence of DS and recovery of coagulopathy are similar when treating pediatric APL with RIF or ATO.

Endovascular treatment achieves better outcomes than best medical management in patients with M2 occlusion and high stroke severity: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The lack of randomized evidence makes it difficult to establish reliable treatment recommendations for patients with M2 occlusion. This study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of endovascular treatment (EVT) with best medical management (BMM) in patients with M2 occlusion, and to investigate whether the optimal treatment varies according to stroke severity. METHODS: Comprehensive literature retrieval was conducted to identify studies that directly compared the outcomes of EVT and BMM. According to stroke severity, the study population were classified into those with moderate-severe stroke and those with mild stroke. National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores ≥ 6 was defined as moderate-severe stroke, and NIHSS scores 0-5 as mild stroke. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to measure the symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) within 72 h, and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores 0-2 and the mortality at 90 days. RESULTS: Totally, 20 studies were identified, including 4358 patients. In the moderate-severe stroke population, the EVT had 82% higher odds for mRS scores 0-2 (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.34-2.49) and a 43% lower odds for mortality (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.39-0.82) compared with the BMM. However, no difference was found in the sICH rate (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.44-1.77). In the mild stroke population, no differences were observed in the mRS scores 0-2 (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.59-1.10) or mortality (OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.72-2.10) between EVT and BMM, whereas EVT was associated with higher sICH rate (OR 4.21, 95% CI 1.86-9.49). CONCLUSION: EVT may be only beneficial for patients with M2 occlusion and high stroke severity, but not for those with NIHSS scores 0-5.

Reviews of fungi and mycotoxins in Chinese dark tea.

The fermentation is the main process to form the unique flavor and health benefits of dark tea. Numerous studies have indicated that the microorganisms play a significant part in the fermentation process of dark tea. Dark tea has the quality of "The unique flavor grows over time," but unscientific storage of dark tea might cause infestation of harmful microorganisms, thereby resulting in the remaining of fungi toxins. Mycotoxins are regarded as the main contributor to the quality of dark tea, and its potential mycotoxin risk has attracted people's attention. This study reviews common and potential mycotoxins in dark tea and discusses the possible types of masked mycotoxins in dark tea. A summary of the potential risks of mycotoxins and masked mycotoxins in dark tea is presented, intending to provide a reference for the prevention and risk assessment of harmful fungi in dark tea.

Case report: Identification of novel fibrillin-2 variants impacting disulfide bond and causing congenital contractural arachnodactyly.

Background: Congenital contractural arachnodactyly (CCA) is an autosomal dominant connective tissue disorder with clinical features of arthrogryposis, arachnodactyly, crumpled ears, scoliosis, and muscular hypoplasia. The heterozygous pathogenic variants in FBN2 have been shown to cause CCA. Fibrillin-2 is related to the elasticity of the tissue and has been demonstrated to play an important role in the constitution of extracellular microfibrils in elastic fibers, providing strength and flexibility to the connective tissue that sustains the body's joints and organs. Methods: We recruited two Chinese families with arachnodactyly and bilateral arthrogryposis of the fingers. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) and co-segregation analysis were employed to identify their genetic etiologies. Three-dimensional protein models were used to analyze the pathogenic mechanism of the identified variants. Results: We have reported two CCA families and identified two novel missense variants in FBN2 (NM_001999.3: c.4093T>C, p.C1365R and c.2384G>T, p.C795F). The structural models of the mutant FBN2 protein in rats exhibited that both the variants could break disulfide bonds. Conclusion: We detected two FBN2 variants in two families with CCA. Our description expands the genetic profile of CCA and emphasizes the pathogenicity of disulfide bond disruption in FBN2.

Untargeted metabolomics and quantification analysis reveal the shift of chemical constituents between instant dark teas individually liquid-state fermented by Aspergillus cristatus, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus tubingensis.

Instant dark teas (IDTs) were individually liquid-state fermented using the fungi Aspergillus cristatus, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus tubingensis. To understand how the chemical constituents of IDTs were affected by the fungi, samples were collected and measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Untargeted metabolomics analysis revealed that 1,380 chemical constituents were identified in positive and negative ion modes, and 858 kinds of chemical components were differential metabolites. Through cluster analysis, IDTs were different from the blank control, and their chemical constituents mostly included carboxylic acids and their derivatives, flavonoids, organooxygen compounds, and fatty acyls. And the metabolites of IDTs fermented by A. niger and A. tubingensis had a high degree of similarity and were classified into one category, which showed that the fungus used to ferment is critical to the formation of certain qualities of IDTs. The biosynthesis of flavonoids and phenylpropanoid, which involved nine different metabolites such as p-coumarate, p-coumaroyl-CoA, caffeate, ferulate, naringenin, kaempferol, leucocyanidin, cyanidin, and (-)-epicatechin, were significant pathways influencing the quality formation of IDTs. Quantification analysis indicated that the A. tubingensis fermented-IDT had the highest content of theaflavin, theabrownin, and caffeine, while the A. cristatus fermented-IDT had the lowest content of theabrownin, and caffeine. Overall, the results provided new insights into the relationship between the quality formation of IDTs and the microorganisms used in liquid-state fermentation.

Hollow copper sulfide nanoparticles loading deferoxamine for photothermal antibacterial therapy and promoting angiogenesis / 药学学报

Diabetic ulcer is recognized as a chronic nonhealing wound, often associated with bacterial infection and tissue necrosis, which seriously affect patients' health and quality of life. The traditional treatment methods exist some problems, such as bacterial resistance and secondary trauma, so it is urgent to find new methods to meet the requirements of diabetic ulcer treatment. In this study, we prepared a drug delivery system (DFO@CuS nanoparticles) based on hollow copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles loaded with deferoxamine (DFO), which realized the synergistic therapy of promoting angiogenesis and photothermal antibacterial. The morphological structure and particle size distribution of DFO@CuS nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and particle size analyzer, respectively. The antibacterial effect of DFO@CuS nanoparticles was evaluated by the plate coating method. The effects of DFO@CuS nanoparticles on the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were evaluated by CCK-8 (cell counting kit-8) assay, cell scratch assay, and tube formation assay. The results showed that DFO@CuS nanoparticles were hollow and spherical in shape with an average particle size of (200.9 ± 8.6) nm. DFO@CuS nanoparticles could effectively inhibit the growth of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. DFO@CuS nanoparticles showed negligible cytotoxicity and effective acceleration of cell migration and tube formation in a certain concentration range. In conclusion, the prepared DFO@CuS nanoparticles exhibit good photothermal antibacterial properties and pro-angiogenic effects, providing a basis for their application in the treatment of diabetic ulcer.

Progress in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular histiocytosis / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Ocular histiocytosis is a rare and heterogeneous group of disorders which can occur in children and adults. There is a great challenge in the diagnosis and treatment because of the atypical clinical and imaging manifestations. With insights into molecular mechanism of histiocytosis, the discovery of BRAFV600E mutations has changed the understanding of this disease and enabled targeted therapies in most patients. The gold standard of diagnosis has developed into histopathological biopsy combined with the testing for mutations. Surgery is not the only treatment for ocular histiocytosis and targeted therapy has become an effective treatment for patients with mutations in MAPK-ERK signal-regulated kinase pathway. However, the greatest challenge for ocular histiocytosis is establishing the early and correct diagnosis due to the diverse types and clinical manifestations. Therefore, this article reviews recent progress in diagnosing and treating ocular histiocytosis, summarizes their clinical and pathological features, and aims to improve the level of diagnosis and treatment among clinicians.

Research progress of autophagy in retinal and eye diseases / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Maintaining the homeostasis of intracellular components degradation and recycling, autophagy is a critical control mechanism of cellular quality. It promotes the degradation of cell components to provide nutrients and energy for cellular metabolism in stress response. The retina is a light-sensitive tissue that transduces and processes visual images in the eye, and it has a high demand for substances and energy. Basal autophagy is essential for holding retinal homeostasis and the normal function of the visual system. Therefore, the latest studies that investigating the participation of autophagy in eye diseases such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal dystrophies, and retinal detachment were summarized, providing a theoretical basis for the future treatment of eye diseases by regulating autophagy.

Dietary assessment of ochratoxin A in Chinese dark tea and inhibitory effects of tea polyphenols on ochratoxigenic Aspergillus niger.

In recent years, there has been an increasingly heated debate on whether Chinese dark tea is contaminated with mycotoxins and whether it poses health risks to consumers. In this study, a rapid method based on high-performance liquid chromatography was used to detect ochratoxin A (OTA) in Chinese dark tea samples from different regions of China and different years. Of the 228 Chinese dark tea samples tested, 21 were detected for OTA contamination, with a concentration ranging from 2.51 ± 0.16 to 12.62 ± 0.72 µg/kg. Subsequently, a dark tea drinking risk assessment was conducted, and the hazard quotient for each group was far below the acceptable level of 1.0. Of the 12 Aspergillus spp. strains isolated, one strain of Aspergillus niger had the ability to produce OTA. We also found that tea polyphenols and epigallocatechin gallate inhibited the growth of ochratoxin-producing Aspergillus niger and the expression of non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), a key gene for ochratoxin synthesis. Thus, OTA contamination of dark tea is at an acceptable risk level, and the inhibition of ochratoxigenic Aspergillus niger by polyphenols provides new insights into the safety of dark tea consumption.

Real-world outcomes for Chinese breast cancer patients with tumor location of central and nipple portion.

Background: The association between tumor location and breast cancer prognosis has been controversial. We sought to explore the relationship between tumors located in central and nipple portion (TCNP) and Chinese breast cancer. Patients and methods: A total of 1,427 breast cancer patients were recruited. There were 328 cases of TCNP and 1,099 cases of tumors in the breast peripheral quadrant (TBPQ). The chi-square test was used to compare different variables between TCNP and TBPQ groups. A one-to-one propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to construct a matched sample consisting of pairs of TCNP and TBPQ groups. Kaplan-Meier curves were used for survival analysis of disease-free survival (DFS), breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) and overall survival (OS). The Cox proportional hazards regression model was applied to identify prognostic risk factors. Results: The median follow-up time was 58 months. Compared to TBPQ, TCNP patients had significantly larger tumor size, more frequent metastasis to lymph nodes (LN) and more proportions of TNM stage II-III. DFS, OS and BCSS rates were markedly lower in the TCNP group as compared to the TBPQ group before and after PSM (all p < 0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that TCNP was an independent prognostic factor for breast cancer. Subgroup analysis indicated that for breast molecular subtypes and TNM stage II-III breast cancer, TCNP were related to worse prognosis. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that TCNP was an independent contributing factor for LN metastasis. Conclusion: In Chinese breast cancer, compared to TBPQ, TCNP is associated with more LN metastasis and poorer prognosis.