Giant retinal pigment epithelium tears with membranous nephropathy: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Kidney and eye diseases may be closely linked. Tears of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) have been reported to be related to kidney diseases, such as IgA nephropathy and light-chain deposition disease. However, pigment epithelium tears associated with membranous nephropathy have not been reported or systematically analysed. CASE PRESENTATION: A 68-year-old man presented with decreased right eye visual acuity. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed cystic macular edema, localized serous detachment of the retina and loss of the outer retinal structure in the right eye and retinal pigment epithelium detachment (PED) combined with serous detachment of the retina in the left eye. Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) revealed giant RPE tears in the right eye and exudative age-related macular degeneration in the left eye. The patient also suffered from severe membranous nephropathy-autoimmune glomerulonephritis. Renal biopsy immunofluorescence revealed a roughly granular pattern, with immunoglobulin G (IgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, complement C3(Components 3), λ light chain and κ light chain subepithelial staining. CONCLUSIONS: It is hypothesized that severe membranous nephropathy caused immune complex deposition on the surface of Bruch membrane, resulting in weakened adhesion between the RPE and Bruch membrane and impaired RPE pump function, combined with age-related macular degeneration, leading to giant RPE tears in the right eye. Close attention should be given to the ocular condition of patients with membranous nephropathy to facilitate timely treatment and avoid serious consequences.

SLCO1B1 Polymorphisms are Associated with the Susceptibility to Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Chinese Females.

This study aimed to evaluate the role of SLCO1B1 polymorphisms in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) risk among Chinese patients. This study comprised 600 PTB patients (mean age: 37.43 ± 12.73 years) and 600 healthy controls (mean age: 37.39 ± 12.57 years) from a Chinese population. The SLCO1B1 rs2306283 and rs4149056 polymorphisms were detected using TaqMan genotyping assay. Chi-square (χ2) test was applied to calculate the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) among controls. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). After adjustment for age and gender, the frequency of rs4149056-C was significantly higher in PTB group (P = 0.017, OR = 1.375, 95% CI 1.058-1.786); meanwhile, rs4149056 was associated with increased PTB risk in dominant model (P = 0.015, OR = 1.424, 95% CI 1.072-1.892). The frequency and genotype of rs2306283 showed no significant difference between the two groups. In stratified analysis, rs2306283-GG showed notable susceptibility to PTB (P = 0.027, OR = 1.563, 95% CI 1.051-2.323 in recessive model) in females; rs4149056-C was also significantly higher in female PTB group (P = 0.039, OR = 1.741, 95% CI 1.028-2.948). Neither of rs2306283 and rs4149056 polymorphisms was associated with PTB risk in males. A haplotype analysis showed that patients carrying at least one SLCO1B1*15 haplotype had higher PTB risk (P = 0.004, OR = 1.527, 95% CI 1.145-2.034). SLCO1B1 polymorphisms are associated with the susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis in Chinese females.

Grid-less wideband direction of arrival estimation based on variational Bayesian inference.

Many recent works have addressed the problem of wideband direction of arrival (DOA) estimation using grid-less sparse techniques, and these methods have been shown to outperform the traditional wideband DOA estimation methods. However, these methods often suffer from the problem of requiring manual parameter tuning or high computational complexity, which reduces their practicality. To alleviate this problem, a grid-less wideband DOA estimation method based on variational Bayesian inference is proposed in this paper. The method approximates the posterior probability density function of DOA with the help of variational Bayesian inference, which does not require manual adjustment of parameters and can obtain accurate DOA estimation results with low computational complexity. Numerical simulations and real measurement data processing show that the proposed method has a higher DOA estimation accuracy than other grid-less wideband methods while providing higher computational speed.

Under-Actuated Motion Control of Haidou-1 ARV Using Data-Driven, Model-Free Adaptive Sliding Mode Control Method.

We propose a data-driven, model-free adaptive sliding mode control (MFASMC) approach to address the Haidou-1 ARV under-actuated motion control problem with uncertainties, including external disturbances and parameter perturbations. Firstly, we analyzed the two main difficulties in the motion control of Haidou-1 ARV. Secondly, in order to address these problems, a MFASMC control method was introduced. It is combined by a model-free adaptive control (MFAC) method and a sliding mode control (SMC) method. The main advantage of the MFAC method is that it relies only on the real-time measurement data of an ARV instead of any mathematical modeling information, and the SMC method guarantees the MFAC method's fast convergence and low overshooting. The proposed MFASMC control method can maneuver Haidou-1 ARV cruising at the desired forward speed, heading, and depth, even when the dynamic parameters of the ARV vary widely and external disturbances exist. It also addresses the problem of under-actuated motion control for the Haidou-1 ARV. Finally, the simulation results, including comparisons with a PID method and the MFAC method, demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed method.

Simulation Investigation on the Influence Mechanism of Toluene and Heptane on the Aggregation of Asphaltene Molecules.

Asphaltenes are a group of compounds that are soluble in benzene and toluene but insoluble in nonpolar small molecule n-alkanes. The asphaltene aggregation in the asphaltene-heptane-toluene system was studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and the interaction between asphaltene molecules during this process was also revealed from the evolution of the density field, radial distribution function (RDF), and intermolecular distance of asphaltenes. Three main findings were made: (1) more asphaltene precipitates (heptane) were contained, and more asphaltene dimers or trimers were formed during the MD simulation; (2) asphaltene molecules interacted with each other to form aggregates in the form of π-π or H-bond interaction. The stable distance of the π-π interaction was 3.3-3.5 Å, and the stable distance of the H-bond connection was 1.7-1.9 Å. (3) The asphaltene interaction in the heptane-rich system was dominated by π-π interaction between asphaltene molecules. However, the asphaltene interactions in the toluene-rich system were mainly the π-π interaction between asphaltene molecules and toluene and the H-bond interaction between the side chains of asphaltene molecules. The results of this study can aid in understanding how asphaltene molecules aggregate and self-associate and can also offer theoretical support for flow assurance in systems used to produce crude oil.

Intracellular Rod Crystals in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

BACKGROUND: So far, rare cases of B cell lymphoproliferative diseases with rod crystals inclusions had been reported. METHODS: Wright's stain and MPO stain are used for cell and rod crystal staining while the immunophenotype examination, fluorescence in situ hybridization probes, routine G-band cytogenetic analysis and molecular biological tests are used to diagnose the disease which is chronic lymphocytic leukemia. RESULTS: One to six colorless rod-like crystals can be seen in some mature lymphocytes of the peripheral blood smear and also colorless by MPO staining. The immunophenotype examination with flow cytometry shows it is consistent with chronic lymphocytic leuke mia/B small lymphocytic lymphoma. CONCLUSIONS: The discovery of this rare phenomenon of rod-shaped crystallization in the peripheral blood may contribute to the diagnosis of lymphoproliferative diseases in B cells.

[Application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in the diagnosis and treatment of refractory pneumonia in children]. / æ”¯æ°”ç®¡è‚ºæ³¡çŒæ´—æ¶²å®åŸºå› ç»„äºŒä»£æµ‹åºåœ¨å„¿ç«¥éš¾æ²»æ€§è‚ºç‚Žè¯Šæ²»ä¸­çš„åº”ç”¨.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in the etiological diagnosis and treatment of refractory pneumonia (RTP) in children. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 160 children with RTP who were admitted to the Department of Pediatric Internal Medicine, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, from January 2020 to March 2023. According to whether mNGS was performed, they were divided into two groups: mNGS (n=80) and traditional testing (n=80). All children received the tests of inflammatory markers and pathogen tests after admission. Traditional pathogenicity tests included microbial culture (sputum specimen collected by suction tube), nucleic acid detection of respiratory pathogens, and serological test (mycoplasma, tuberculosis, and fungi). For the mNGS group, BALF specimens were collected after bronchoscopy and were sent to the laboratory for mNGS and microbial culture. The two groups were analyzed and compared in terms of the detection of pathogens and treatment. RESULTS: Compared with the traditional testing group, the mNGS group had a significantly higher detection rate of pathogens (92% vs 58%, P<0.05), with more types of pathogens and a higher diagnostic rate of mixed infections. Compared with the traditional testing group, the mNGS group had a significantly higher treatment response rate and a significantly lower incidence rate of complications during hospitalization (P<0.05). Treatment was adjusted for 68 children in the mNGS group according to the results of mNGS, with a treatment response rate of 96% (65/68) after adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with traditional pathogen tests, BALF mNGS can significantly improve the detection rate of pathogens and find some rare pathogens. In clinical practice, when encountering bottlenecks during the diagnosis and treatment of children with RTP, it is advisable to promptly perform the mNGS to identify the pathogens.

Elevated Hepatic CD1d Levels Coincide with Invariant NKT Cell Defects in Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection.

Activation of invariant NKT (iNKT) cells manifests antiviral immune responses in vivo. However, clinical trials have failed to show consistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA reduction postadministration of iNKT cell-specific agonist α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer). In this study, we aimed to investigate HBV infection-related iNKT cell defects and explore iNKT cell-based therapeutic potential for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Liver specimens from 30 HBV-infected hepatocellular carcinoma patients were collected for CD1d/hepatitis B surface Ag (HBsAg) staining and/or intrahepatic iNKT cell assay. Two hundred and six chronic HBV-infected patients (including 130 CHB patients) were enrolled in the study of circulating iNKT cell frequency and function. We found that liver and hepatoma tissue that positively stained for HBsAg had higher CD1d expression as compared with HBsAg negatively stained counterparts. The elevated CD1d expression in infected tissue is supposed to facilitate the iNKT cell-based antiviral effects locally. However, iNKT cell defects that related with disease progression suggested iNKT cells attenuated their effects during chronic HBV infection. The residual iNKT cells in CHB patients showed aberrant activation and hyporesponsiveness to α-GalCer. Exogenous IL-2 fully rescued α-GalCer-induced expansion of iNKT cells from CHB patients, and synergistic effects of IL-2 and IL-15 helped to recover the CD1d-dependent IFN-γ production. In conclusion, our results highlight the increased CD1d expression in HBV-infected liver and differential iNKT cell defects associated with disease progression during chronic HBV infection. The reversibility of iNKT cell defects suggests protective immune responses could be partially recovered in CHB.

Overexpression of LINC00261 inhibits non-small cell lung cancer cells progression by interacting with miR-522-3p and suppressing Wnt signaling.

Long noncoding RNA LINC00261 has been experimentally validated to function as a tumor suppressor in several cancers, but its pathological role and functional mechanism in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are largely unclear. In this study, LINC00261 was delineated in NSCLC to be significantly downregulated in cancer tissues compared with corresponding adjacent normal tissues. Low expression of LINC00261 predicted worse survival for patients with NSCLC. Overexpression of LINC00261 in NSCLC cell lines inhibited cell proliferation and invasion, meanwhile promoted apoptosis. Subcellular fractionation assay showed that LINC00261 existed mainly in the cytoplasm of NSCLC A549 cells and luciferase assay validated its direct interaction with miR-522-3p. Overexpression of miR-522-3p significantly ameliorated suppressive effects of LINC00261 on proliferation and invasion of NSCLC cells. Besides, miR-522-3p was found to be able to directly combine with the 3'-untranslated region of SFRP2, which was generally regarded as a suppressor of Wnt signaling. Further quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot experiments showed that LINC00261 upregulation potentiated the expression of SFRP2 and inhibited Wnt signaling pathway, which could both be reversely modulated by miR-522-3p. Taken together, our study demonstrated that LINC00261 suppressed NSCLC cells progression via sponging miR-522-3p and inhibiting Wnt signaling. These results supported us to better understand the pathogenic mechanism of NSCLC and revealed a potential molecular target for this fatal disease.

Betulin from Hedyotis hedyotidea ameliorates concanavalin A-induced and T cell-mediated autoimmune hepatitis in mice.

Hedyotis hedyotidea has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying for the effect remain unknown. We previously showed that, among 11 compounds extracted from H hedyotidea, betulin produced the strongest suppressive effect on T cell activation. Here, we examined the hepatoprotective effects of betulin against acute autoimmune hepatitis in mice and the mechanisms underlying the effects. Freshly isolated mouse splenocytes were stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A, 5 µg/mL) in the presence of betulin, the cell proliferation was assessed with CSFE-dilution assay. Mice were injected with betulin (10, 20 mg·kg-1·d-1, ip) for 3 d. One hour after the last injection, the mice were injected with Con A (15 mg/kg, iv) to induce acute hepatitis. Blood samples and liver tissues were harvested at 10 h after Con A injection, and serum transaminase levels and liver histopathology were detected; serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines, hepatic T lymphocyte ratios, and functional statuses of conventional T and NKT cells were also analyzed. Betulin (16 and 32 µmol/L) dose-dependently suppressed the proliferation of Con A-stimulated mouse splenocytes in vitro. In Con A-challenged mice, preinjection with betulin (20 mg·kg-1·d-1) significantly decreased the levels of proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-6, and ameliorated liver injury. Furthermore, pretreatment with betulin (20 mg·kg-1·d-1) significantly inhibited the Con A-induced activation of NKT and conventional T cells, and decreased production of proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-6 in these two cell populations. Betulin has immunomodulatory effect on overly activated conventional T and NKT cells and exerts hepatoprotective action in mouse autoimmune hepatitis. The findings provide evidence for the use of H hedyotidea and its constituent betulin in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

[Analysis of intraocular pressure measurement and the influencing factors after small incision lenticule extraction].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the accuracy of intraocular pressure (IOP) values measured after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE), analyze the corneal biomechanical influencing factors of IOP measurement before and after SMILE, and regress the equation of IOP variation for estimating actual IOP. METHODS: In this clinical controlled study, 116 eyes (60 patients) with myopia and myopic astigmatism undergoing SMILE surgery were included. The ocular response analyzer, noncontact tonometer (NCT), and Pentacam system were used to measure the IOP preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively, acquiring IOPg, IOPcc, NCT, Ehlers, Shah, Dresden, Orssengo, and Kohlhaas. The eight IOPs before and after surgery were analyzed with the paired t-testing. The Pearson correlation coefficient and Spearman correlation coefficient were used to evaluate the relationship between preoperative and postoperative IOPs and influencing factors. The regression analysis of IOP variation ΔNCT and influencing factors was performed with the multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The Shah program in Pentacam showed no difference between preoperative and postoperative IOP values (t=-0.08, P=0.940). There was significant difference in the other IOPs before and after SMILE (P<0.001). The preoperative IOPg, IOPcc, and NCT were correlated with the preoperative CRF (r=0.674, 0.248, 0.710,P<0.01). The preoperative IOPg, NCT, Ehlers, and Shah were correlated with the preoperative CCT (r=0.260, 0.259, -0.418, -0.245,P<0.01). A moderately positive correlation was shown between the preoperative and postoperative IOPs (r≥0.5,P=0.000). The postoperative IOPg, Ehlers, Shah, and Dresden were correlated with the postoperative CCT (P<0.05). The postoperative IOPg, NCT, Orssengo/Pye, and Kohlhaas were correlated with the postoperative CRF (r=0.707, 0.549, 0.276, 0.346,P<0.01). The postoperative IOPg, IOPcc, NCT, Ehlers, and Shah were correlated with the postoperative CH (r=0.296, -0.366, 0.270,-0.349,-0.197,P<0.05). The regression equation of IOP variation ΔNCT and influencing factors was ΔNCT=-4.618+ 0.389NCTpre-0.431SC (SC was the algebraic sum of sphere and cylinder,R(2)=0.366, P=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation of IOP values after SMILE should not only take the preoperative IOP and postoperative CCT into consideration, but also the corneal biomechanics which may affect the postoperative IOP. IOPcc and Pentacam corrective IOPs are relatively reliable after SMILE. Among the five correction methods of Pentacam system, Shah program can be used as the first choice for correct IOP after SMILE. The regression equation of the postoperative corrected NCT, NCTpost corrected=NCTpost measured +0.389NCTpre-0.431SC-4.618, may be used to evaluate the real postoperative IOP in clinical practice.

Vector analysis of low to moderate astigmatism with small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE): results of a 1-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the refractive outcomes for the correction of low to moderate astigmatism up to 1 year following small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 98 eyes from 98 patients who underwent SMILE surgery for the correction of myopia and astigmatism. Only right eyes were included in this study to avoid the bias of orientation errors. The vector method was used to analyze the outcomes of astigmatism at 1 month, 6 months and 12 months after the procedure, including the double-angle plots, correction index (CI), index of success (IOS), angle of error (AofE) and magnitude of error (MofE). The effectiveness, safety, stability and predictability were also investigated during the 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: The preoperative cylinder ranged from -2.75 D to -0.25 D (average of -0.90±0.68 D), and the mean postoperative cylinder values were -0.24±0.29 D, -0.24±0.29 D, and -0.20±0.27 D at 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months, respectively. The mean astigmatism in vector form was -0.14 D×27.19° at 1 month, -0.13 D×27.29° at 6 months, and -0.10 D×28.63° at 12 months after surgery. The CI was 1.00±0.32 and IOS was 0.29±0.44 at the 12-month follow-up. Significant negative correlations were found between the CI and absolute target induced astigmatism (TIA) value, and positive correlations were found between the IOS and absolute AofE value (P<0.05). The MofE was limited within ±1.00 D at the 12-month follow-up. Fifty-six eyes (57.1%) gained one line in corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and five eyes (5.1%) gained two lines. There were no significant differences observed in the refractive outcomes among time points. CONCLUSIONS: SMILE surgery was effective and safe in correcting low to moderate astigmatism, and stable refractive outcomes were observed at the long-term follow-up. The undercorrection of astigmatism could possibly be influenced by attempted astigmatism correction preoperatively, the axis rotation during the surgery or wound healing postoperatively. This study suggested that nomograms should be adjusted in correcting astigmatism with SMILE surgery.

Aberration compensation between anterior and posterior corneal surfaces after Small incision lenticule extraction and Femtosecond laser-assisted laser in-situ keratomileusis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the aberration compensation between anterior and posterior corneal surfaces after SMILE and FS-LASIK. METHODS: Fifty-five subjects (55 eyes) undergoing SMILE and 51 subjects (51 eyes) undergoing FS-LASIK were enrolled in this study. Wavefront aberrations of anterior and posterior corneal surfaces and the whole cornea at 6 mm in diameter were measured using a Scheimpflug Camera preoperatively and one, three and 6 months postoperatively. The compensation factor (CF), where CF = 1 - (aberration of the whole cornea/aberration of anterior corneal surface), was calculated. RESULTS: Spherical aberration of the posterior surface and the whole cornea remained stable after SMILE. However, spherical aberration of posterior surface increased significantly at 6 months in the FS-LASIK group. The total higher-order aberration (tHOA) of the anterior surface and the whole cornea was lower at 6 months than at one and 3 months (p = 0.001 and 0.001, respectively) in the FS-LASIK group. Meanwhile, in the SMILE group, no significant difference in tHOA was found between various postoperative time points. There were significant decreases in the CF of tHOA compared with preoperative values in both groups. The CF of spherical aberration reduced significantly in both groups at 3 and 6 mm in diameter one, three and 6 months postoperatively. Significant decreases in the CF of vertical coma were found at three and 6 months postoperatively in the FS-LASIK group compared with preoperative values at 6 mm in diameter (p = 0.021 and 0.008, respectively). The change in CF (ΔCF) of spherical aberration was smaller in the SMILE group than in the FS-LASIK group at one and 3 months postoperatively (p = 0.003 and p < 0.0001, respectively). The ΔCF of spherical aberration was significantly lower in moderately myopic subjects than in subjects with high myopia at 1 month in the SMILE group (p = 0.041) and at one, three and 6 months in the FS-LASIK group (p = 0.014, 0.020, and 0.004, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The posterior corneal surface plays an important role in compensating for spherical aberration of the anterior corneal surface. The compensation mechanisms of spherical aberration and higher-order aberration between anterior and posterior corneal surfaces were disrupted by the SMILE and the FS-LASIK procedures. The change in the CF of spherical aberration was smaller in the SMILE group compared with the FS-LASIK group, especially in subjects with high myopia.

[Two millimeter micro incision lenticule extraction surgery with minimal invasion: a preliminary clinical report].

OBJECTIVE: To report the clinical results of micro incision lenticule extraction (MILE) to correct myopia or myopia with astigmatism, and enlighten its viability and mechanism. METHODS: Prospective case-control study. All patients enrolled were treated by the VisuMax femtosecond laser system to correct refractive errors. Sixty-one patients underwent MILE with an incision of 2 mm. Another 53 patients underwent small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) with a 3-5 mm incision as the control group. All patients took measurements of uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), refractive power and intraocular pressure, slit-lamp microscopy, and corneal topography preoperatively and at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 6 months postoperatively. The visual acuity was presented as median. To compare the visual acuity and astigmatism between the MILE group and the SMILE group, as well as before surgery and at each time point after surgery, non-parametric tests were applied in this study. The repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the differences between these two surgeries and between pre- and post-operation in diopters and morphological parameters. The paired-sample t test was used to compare the diopters and morphological parameters at each time point postoperatively and preoperatively. The independent-sample t test was applied to compare the basic characteristics preoperatively and the diopters, morphological parameters at each time point between these two groups. RESULTS: Forty-one eyes (24 patients) in the MILE group and fifty-one eyes (29 patients) in the SMILE group had complete follow-up data. Before surgery and at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 6 months after surgery, the spherical diopters in the MILE group were (-5.09 ± 1.04), (0.12 ± 0.32), (0.11 ± 0.29), (0.02 ± 0.33) and (0.02 ± 0.23) D; the cylinder diopters were (-0.90 ± 0.83), (-0.25 ± 0.27), (-0.23 ± 0.30), (-0.20 ± 0.25) and (-0.16 ± 0.21) D. In the SMILE group, the spherical diopters were (-5.37 ± 1.26), (-0.04 ± 0.49), (0.12 ± 0.38), (0.10 ± 0.34) and (0.02 ± 0.33) D; the cylinder diopters were (-0.76 ± 0.65), (-0.22 ± 0.26), (-0.25 ± 0.30), (-0.26 ± 0.29) and (-0.21 ± 0.28) D. No significant difference was found between the two groups (F = 1.042, 0.941, 0.018; P = 0.310, 0.335, 0.894). In the vector analysis of astigmatism, at 1 month and 6 months after surgery, the values on Y axis were -0.06 ± 0.11 and -0.04 ± 0.10 in the MILE group, smaller than -0.14 ± 0.18 and -0.11 ± 0.16 in the SMILE group (Z = -2.076, -2.149; P = 0.038, 0.032). All full-correction patients had UCVA of 20/20 or better, and no BCVA decreased after 6 month follow-up postoperatively. Refractive stability was achieved within 1 month postoperatively, and less volatility appeared in the MILE group than the SMILE group. Before surgery and at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 6 months after surgery, no significant difference in the index of surface variance (ISV) and the index of vertical asymmetry (IVA) was found between the MILE group and the SMILE group (F = 0.902, 0.744; P = 0.345, 0.391), whereas the values of ISV and IVA were smaller in the MILE group than the SMILE group at each time point after surgery, and the D-value between the two groups increased with time. Six cases (9 eyes) had an opaque bubble layer while femtosecond laser passed in the procedure, 2 eyes had a small tear at the incision edge, 1 eye had local diffuse inflammatory exudates at 1 day postoperatively, and no eye had transient light-sensitivity syndrome, decrease of corneal transparency or infection. CONCLUSIONS: MILE surgery (1.5-2.0 mm) is safe, predictable, effective and stable to treat refractive errors. It can reduce astigmatism values on oblique axis and maintain the integrality and stability of the structure of the cornea.

The effect of phase contents on the properties of yttria stabilized zirconia dental materials fabricated by stereolithography-based additive manufacturing.

The aim is to investigate the impact of phase contents on mechanical properties, translucency, and aging stability of additively manufactured yttria partially stabilized zirconia ceramics. For that purpose, we evaluated two PSZ materials. The first type was prepared utilizing commercially available 5 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia(5Y-PSZ), while the second type, denoted as 3Y+8Y-PSZ ceramics, was fabricated by blending 3 mol% and 8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia powders. Compared to 5Y-PSZ (39.90 wt% tetragonal phases and c/a2 = 1.0141), 3Y+8Y-PSZ is characterized by a greater abundance of tetragonal phases (47.68 wt%), which display higher tetragonality (c/a2 = 1.0165) and lower yttrium oxide content (2.25mol%). As a result, the 3Y+8Y-PSZ demonstrates elevated strength (816.52 MPa) and toughness (4.32 MPa m1/2), accompanied by reduced translucency(CR:0.47) and it exhibits greater susceptibility to aging. The phase contents, yttrium oxide content, and lattice parameters in the tetragonal phase play a crucial role in determining the mechanical properties, translucency, and aging stability of PSZ ceramics.

Boosting chemotherapy of bladder cancer cells by ferroptosis using intelligent magnetic targeting nanoparticles.

A versatile nano-delivery platform was reported to enhance the tumor suppression effect of chemotherapy by augmenting tumor cells' ferroptosis. The platform consists of pomegranate-like magnetic nanoparticles (rPAE@SPIONs) fabricated by encapsulating superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) within a reduced poly(ß-amino ester)s-PEG amphiphilic copolymer (rPAE). The resulting platform exhibits several functionalities. Firstly, it promotes the doxorubicin (DOX) release by leveraging the mild hyperthermia generated by NIR irradiation. Secondly, it triggers ferroptosis in tumor cells, inducing their demise. Thirdly, it induces polarization of macrophages towards an anti-tumor M1 phenotype, contributing to ferroptosis of tumor cells and enhanced tumor cell suppression. This study effectively capitalizes on the versatility of SPIONs and offers a simple yet powerful strategy for developing a new nanosized ferroptosis-inducing agent, ultimately improving the inhibition of bladder cancer cells.

Investigating the effect of solid loading on microstructure, mechanical properties, and translucency of highly translucent zirconia ceramics prepared via stereolithography-based additive manufacturing.

A study was conducted to explore the potential of 5 mol% yttria-partially stabilized zirconia (5Y-PSZ) ceramics for dental restorations, using stereolithography (SLA) printing technique. Four different solid loadings were established in the ceramic paste systems to study their effects on microstructure, mechanical properties, and translucency. The study examined the rheological behavior and photopolymerization performance of the ceramic pastes with varying solid loadings. Results showed that, an increase in powder concentration resulted in a decrease in cure depth (Cd) and penetration depth (Dp). A narrower pore size distribution was observed in the green bodies with a high solid loading, facilitating the achievement of final densification. The green and sintered densities were highest at 52 vol%, with values of 3.46 ± 0.01 g/cm3 and 6.01 ± 0.02 g/cm3, respectively. Additionally, all of the green strengths exceeded 30 MPa, with a maximum of 35.09 ± 2.02 MPa obtained at 44 vol%. The maximum flexural strength and minimum contrast ratio (CR) value of 746 ± 75 MPa and 0.40 ± 0.01 were achieved at 52 vol% after sintering. No significant differences were observed in the phase composition and hardness of the as-sintered ceramics. Though significant differences were observed in photopolymerization performance, four materials showed similar structural reliability considering Weibull modulus and characteristic strength.

Cationic Polymers as Transfection Reagents for Nucleic Acid Delivery.

Nucleic acid therapy can achieve lasting and even curative effects through gene augmentation, gene suppression, and genome editing. However, it is difficult for naked nucleic acid molecules to enter cells. As a result, the key to nucleic acid therapy is the introduction of nucleic acid molecules into cells. Cationic polymers are non-viral nucleic acid delivery systems with positively charged groups on their molecules that concentrate nucleic acid molecules to form nanoparticles, which help nucleic acids cross barriers to express proteins in cells or inhibit target gene expression. Cationic polymers are easy to synthesize, modify, and structurally control, making them a promising class of nucleic acid delivery systems. In this manuscript, we describe several representative cationic polymers, especially biodegradable cationic polymers, and provide an outlook on cationic polymers as nucleic acid delivery vehicles.

Poly(ß-amino ester)s-based nanovehicles: Structural regulation and gene delivery.

The first poly(ß-amino) esters (PßAEs) were synthesized more than 40 years ago. Since 2000, PßAEs have been found to have excellent biocompatibility and the capability of ferrying gene molecules. Moreover, the synthesis process of PßAEs is simple, the monomers are readily available, and the polymer structure can be tailored to meet different gene delivery needs by adjusting the monomer type, monomer ratio, reaction time, etc. Therefore, PßAEs are a promising class of non-viral gene vector materials. This review paper presents a comprehensive overview of the synthesis and correlated properties of PßAEs and summarizes the progress of each type of PßAE for gene delivery. The review focuses in particular on the rational design of PßAE structures, thoroughly discusses the correlations between intrinsic structure and effect, and then finishes with the applications and perspectives of PßAEs.

Investigation of mechanical properties and low-temperature degradation of dental 3Y-TZP ceramics fabricated by stereolithography in combination with microwave sintering.

The purpose of this study was to obtain dental ceramic materials with excellent mechanical properties and high resistance to low temperature degradation (LTD) via stereolithography (SLA) in combination with microwave sintering (MWS). The results have shown that the unaged MWS-1425 °C 3Y-TZP ceramics with uniform microstructure have high density up to 99.04% and excellent mechanical properties (Vickers hardness 14.07 GPa, fracture toughness 4.32 MPa m1/2, flexural strength 947.87 MPa). After 50 h of LTD, the m-phase content of MWS 3Y-TZP ceramics accounts for only 10.3%. In addition, the surface roughness increases by only 1.3 nm, the degraded depth is less than 5 µm, and the flexural strength exceeds 900 MPa. This exhibits the high resistance to LTD and excellent mechanical properties of dental 3Y-TZP ceramics can be obtained.