Effects of congenital ptosis on the refractive development of eye and vision in children.

AIM: To investigate the influence of unilateral congenital ptosis on the development of the eye and vision in children. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, 41 patients with unilateral congenital ptosis were enrolled (age range 3-15y). The blepharoptosis was divided into 3 subgroups according to the margin reflex distance-1 (MRD-1), including mild group (MRD-1≥2 mm), moderate group (0≤MRD-1<2 mm), and severe group (MRD-1<0 mm). The fellow eyes served as controls. All subjects underwent ocular examinations, including axial length, keratometry, and refractive error. RESULTS: The incidence of astigmatism (ptotic eyes: 58.5% vs fellow eyes: 24.4%, P=0.002) and magnitude of cylindrical power (ptotic eyes: -0.86±0.79 D vs fellow eyes: -0.43±0.63 D, P=0.003) differed significantly between the ptotic eyes and the fellow eyes. The spherical equivalent refraction (P=0.006), spherical power (P=0.01), cylindrical power (P=0.011), axial length-corneal radius (AL/CR) ratio (P=0.009), frequency of hyperopia (P=0.002) and astigmatism (P=0.004) were significantly different among the ptotic eye subgroups and the fellow eye group. In addition, in patients with congenital ptosis, the incidence of amblyopia is 43.9% and the incidence of anisometropia is 24.4%. More importantly, the ratio of AL/CR showed significantly positive correlation with the severity of ptosis (P=0.002). CONCLUSION: Congenital ptosis may lead to a delayed eyeball development in the aspect of AL/CR. The risk of amblyopia is also increased due to visual deprivation and aggravated anisometropia, particularly in severe ptosis case.

Arctigenin protects against depression by inhibiting microglial activation and neuroinflammation via HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB and TNF-α/TNFR1/NF-κB pathways.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Arctigenin, a major bioactive component of Fructus arctii, has been reported to have antidepressant-like effects. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects are still unclear. Neuroinflammation can be caused by excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines in microglia via high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1)/TLR4/NF-κB and TNF-α/TNFR1/NF-κB signalling pathways, leading to depression. In this study, we have investigated the antidepressant mechanism of arctigenin by conducting in vitro and in vivo studies. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The effects of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) on wild-type (WT) and TLR4-/- mice were examined. Antidepressant-like effects of arctigenin were tested using the CUMS-induced model of depression in WT mice. The effects of arctigenin were assessed on the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB and TNF-α/TNFR1/NF-κB signalling pathways in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of mouse brain and HMGB1- or TNF-α-stimulated primary cultured microglia. The interaction between HMGB1 and TLR4 or TNF-α and TNFR1 with or without arctigenin was examined by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and co-immunoprecipitation assays. KEY RESULTS: The immobility times in the tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST) were reduced in TLR4-/- mice, compared with WT mice. Arctigenin exhibited antidepressant-like effects. Arctigenin also inhibited microglia activation and inflammatory responses in the PFC of mouse brain. Arctigenin inhibited HMGB1 and TLR4 or TNF-α and TNFR1 interactions, and suppressed both HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB and TNF-α/TNFR1/NF-κB signalling pathways. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Arctigenin has antidepressant-like effects by attenuating excessive microglial activation and neuroinflammation through the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB and TNF-α/TNFR1/NF-κB signalling pathways. This suggests that arctigenin has potential as a new drug candidate suitable for clinical trials to treat depression.

Antidepressive Effect of Arctiin by Attenuating Neuroinflammation via HMGB1/TLR4- and TNF-α/TNFR1-Mediated NF-κB Activation.

Inflammation is a potential factor in the pathophysiology of depression. A traditional Chinese herbal medicine, arctiin, and its aglycone, arctigenin, are the major bioactive components in Fructus arctii and exhibit neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities. Arctigenin has been reported to have antidepressant-like effects. However, the antidepressant-like effects of arctiin, its precursor, remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the antidepressant-like effects of arctiin and its underlying mechanisms by in vivo and in vitro experiments in mice. Our results showed that arctiin significantly attenuated sucrose consumption and increased the immobility time in tail suspension and forced swimming tests. Arctiin decreased neuronal damage in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of the brain. Arctiin also attenuated the levels of three inflammatory mediators, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and dopamine, that were elevated in the PFC or serum of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-exposed mice. Arctiin reduced excessive activation of microglia and neuroinflammation by reducing high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1)/toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)- and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)/TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1)-mediated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation in the PFC of CUMS-exposed mice and HMGB1- or TNF-α-stimulated primary cultured microglia. These findings demonstrate that arctiin ameliorates depression by inhibiting the activation of microglia and inflammation via the HMGB1/TLR4 and TNF-α/TNFR1 signaling pathways.

[Effects of biochar on soil nutrition and microbial community diversity under continuous cultivated cucumber soils in greenhouse]. / ç”Ÿç‰©ç‚­å¯¹æ¸©å®¤é»„ç“œä¸åŒè¿žä½œå¹´é™åœŸå£¤å »åˆ†å’Œå¾®ç”Ÿç‰©ç¾¤è½å¤šæ ·æ€§çš„å½±å“.

In this study, we examined the effects of biochar addition on the soil nutrition and microbial community diversity in continuous cultivated cucumber soils, using 95% soils of planting cucumbers for 6 and 10 years mixed with 5% biochar as treatment and no biochar addition as control, all plants cultivated in the pots. The results showed that adding biochar increased per plant yield of cucumber by 11.4% and 62.8% compared with continuous cropping soil of 6 years and 10 years, respectively. Biochar addition significantly decreased two continuous cropping soils bulk density, increased the content of soil organic matter, available P content, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and soil pH. Meanwhile, biochar addition remarkably improved the abundance of bacteria, ratio of bacteria/fungi, but reduced the abundance of fungi and fusarium oxysporum, which made fungal type soil turn to bacterial type soil. For 10 years continuous cropping soils of adding biochar, the abundance of soil bacteria and bacteria/fungi ratio were 2.00 and 3.64 times to that in the control, respectively, and the abundance of fungi and fusarium oxysporum were decreased by 54.8% and 55.9%, respectively. Biochar addition significantly enhanced soil microbial activities, soil microbial Shannon and McIntosh indexes of 10 years soil by 1.50, 2.14 and 1.31 times, respectively. For continuous cropping soil of 10 years, biochar addition significantly increased microbial utilization abilities of carbohydrate, amino acid, phenolic acid and amine by 1.62, 1.81, 1.74 and 1.93 times, respectively. There were remarkable influences of soil bulk density, available P content, CEC, and pH value to changes of soil microbial community. In conclusion, biochar addition optimized the riphzosphere environment, increased cucumber yield, and alleviated continuous cropping obstacles by improving soil physical and chemical properties, as well as soil microbial community.

Application of blunt dissection in ESD of a gastric submucosal tumor.

We performed endoscopic submucosal dissection of a gastric fundus tumor. It was difficult to strip the tumor completely due to space limitation, and we used blunt dissection to remove the tumor quickly and safely. Firstly, the basal area of the 2.5 cm submucosal tumor located in the gastric fundus was cut open, and the mucosa was dissected. The tumor was difficult to peel, therefore, a snare was used and the tumor was pulled and tightened slightly. Short electronic coagulation was used during the procedure. The tumor was then bluntly dissected. This method ensured rapid and complete removal of the tumor.