Infectious mononucleosis due to Epstein-Barr virus reactivation in an immunocompromised 60-year-old patient with COVID-19.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation in COVID-19 patients has been reported, but studies on its clinical significance are lacking. We herein report the occurrence of infectious mononucleosis (IM) due to EBV reactivation in a 60-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis being treated with methotrexate and tocilizumab. The patient presented with a fever and tested positive for COVID-19.

Results of switchback from ranibizumab to aflibercept in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: Intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF drugs has become standard therapy for patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, some patients do not exhibit sufficient response to the drugs for suppression of choroidal neovascularization activity. We investigated the efficacy of switchback from ranibizumab to aflibercept in patients with AMD who could not achieve further benefit beyond initial therapy of aflibercept injection.

Three-year results of a modified photodynamic therapy procedure (Ironing PDT) for age-related macular degeneration patients with large lesions.

Background: To evaluate the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using a modified procedure on exudative age-related macular degeneration having been conventionally difficult to treat.

Methods: The medical records of eight consecutive patients (eight eyes) with age-related macular degeneration treated with modified PDT were reviewed retrospectively. Modified PDT was used for the lesions that could not be covered by conventional use of PDT, either because the lesion was too large or too close to the optic disc.

Cell-to-cell expression variability followed by signal reinforcement progressively segregates early mouse lineages.

It is now recognized that extensive expression heterogeneities among cells precede the emergence of lineages in the early mammalian embryo. To establish a map of pluripotent epiblast (EPI) versus primitive endoderm (PrE) lineage segregation within the inner cell mass (ICM) of the mouse blastocyst, we characterized the gene expression profiles of individual ICM cells. Clustering analysis of the transcriptomes of 66 cells demonstrated that initially they are non-distinguishable.

Initial non-responders to ranibizumab in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Background: Patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who did not respond to ranibizumab at the induction phase were assessed and referred to as initial non-responders.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 215 patients (218 eyes) with exudative AMD. For the initial treatments, patients received three intravitreal injections of ranibizumab (IVR) every 4 weeks.

Bmi1 facilitates primitive endoderm formation by stabilizing Gata6 during early mouse development.

The transcription factors Nanog and Gata6 are critical to specify the epiblast versus primitive endoderm (PrE) lineages. However, little is known about the mechanisms that regulate the protein stability and activity of these factors in the developing embryo. Here we uncover an early developmental function for the Polycomb group member Bmi1 in supporting PrE lineage formation through Gata6 protein stabilization.

DNA methylation regulates long-range gene silencing of an X-linked homeobox gene cluster in a lineage-specific manner.

DNA methylation is a major epigenetic mechanism that has been suggested to control developmental gene regulation during embryogenesis, but its regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. In this report, we show that CpG islands associated with the X-linked homeobox gene cluster Rhox, which is highly expressed in the extraembryonic trophectoderm, are differentially methylated in a stage- and lineage-specific manner during the post-implantation development of mice. Inactivation of both Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b, DNA methyltransferases essential for the initiation of de novo DNA methylation, abolished the establishment of DNA methylation and the silencing of Rhox cluster genes in the embryo proper.

Maintenance of self-renewal ability of mouse embryonic stem cells in the absence of DNA methyltransferases Dnmt1, Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b.

DNA methyltransferases Dnmt1, Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b cooperatively regulate cytosine methylation in CpG dinucleotides in mammalian genomes, providing an epigenetic basis for gene silencing and maintenance of genome integrity. Proper CpG methylation is required for the normal growth of various somatic cell types, indicating its essential role in the basic cellular function of mammalian cells. Previous studies using Dnmt1(-/-) or Dnmt3a(-/-)Dnmt3b(-/-) ES cells, however, have shown that undifferentiated embryonic stem (ES) cells can tolerate hypomethylation for their proliferation.

[Evaluation of cases of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy showing classic choroidal neovascularization in their natural course].

Background: Some cases of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in their natural course develop into classic choroidal neovascularization(CNV) as shown by fluorescein angiography (FA) findings.

Subjects And Method: We evaluated 8 eyes of 8 PCV patients showing classic CNV by FA findings, using indocyanine green angiography (IA) and optical coherence tomography(OCT).

Result: All patients showed subretinal grayish exudates, which were considered fibrinous.

[Optical coherence tomographic findings of the retinal pigment epithelium tear in macular area preserving good visual acuity].

Purpose: It has been reported that the visual outcome of retinal pigment epithelial tear (RPE tear) in the fovea is worse than that of RPE tear sparing the fovea. We report optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings of 3 cases with RPE tear in the fovea who preserved good visual acuity.

Patients: All patients had serous retinal pigment epithelial detachment involving the macula.

RelA suppresses the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway without exerting trans-acting transcriptional ability.

Several cellular signaling systems exhibit cross talk. Cross talk seems to play an important role in modifying signal effects. In vertebrates, the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) signaling pathway plays important roles in immune response, inflammation and apoptosis.