In Vivo Characterization of Spontaneous Retinal Neovascularization in the Mouse Eye by Multifunctional Optical Coherence Tomography.

Purpose: To investigate the early development of spontaneous retinal neovascularization in the murine retina by a multifunctional optical coherence tomography approach. To characterize involved tissue changes in vivo and describe structural and functional changes over time.

Methods: A multifunctional optical coherence tomography (OCT) system providing 3-fold contrast comprising reflectivity, polarization sensitivity, and OCT angiography (OCTA) was utilized to image very-low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) knockout mice.

Ocular fundus pulsations within the posterior rat eye: Chorioscleral motion and response to elevated intraocular pressure.

A multi-functional optical coherence tomography (OCT) approach is presented to determine ocular fundus pulsations as an axial displacement between the retina and the chorioscleral complex in the albino rat eye. By combining optical coherence elastography and OCT angiography (OCTA), we measure subtle deformations in the nanometer range within the eye and simultaneously map retinal and choroidal perfusion. The conventional OCT reflectivity contrast serves as a backbone to segment the retina and to define several slabs which are subsequently used for quantitative ocular pulsation measurements as well as for a qualitative exploration of the multi-functional OCT image data.

Antineoplastic effects of clove buds (Syzygium aromaticum L.) in the model of breast carcinoma.

It is supposed that plant functional foods, rich in phytochemicals, may potentially have preventive effects in carcinogenesis. In this study, the anticancer effects of cloves in the in vivo and in vitro mammary carcinoma model were assessed. Dried flower buds of cloves (CLOs) were used at two concentrations of 0.

Posterior rat eye during acute intraocular pressure elevation studied using polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography.

Polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) operating at 840 nm with axial resolution of 3.8 µm in tissue was used for investigating the posterior rat eye during an acute intraocular pressure (IOP) increase experiment. IOP was elevated in the eyes of anesthetized Sprague Dawley rats by cannulation of the anterior chamber.

Antibiofilm Activity of Plant Polyphenols.

In the history of human medicine, antibiotics represent epochal examples of medical progress. However, with an approaching antibiotic crisis due to the emergence and extensive spread of antimicrobial resistance among bacterial agents, as well as to increasing number of patients with chronic and recalcitrant bacterial biofilm-associated infections, the naturally occurring molecules may become new sources of antibacterial and antibiofilm drugs for clinical usage. Polyphenols represent a class of plant natural products which are important in plant defense against microbial pathogens.

Multi-Functional OCT Enables Longitudinal Study of Retinal Changes in a VLDLR Knockout Mouse Model.

We present a multi-functional optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging approach to study retinal changes in the very-low-density-lipoprotein-receptor (VLDLR) knockout mouse model with a threefold contrast. In the retinas of VLDLR knockout mice spontaneous retinal-chorodoidal neovascularizations form, having an appearance similar to choroidal and retinal neovascularizations (CNV and RNV) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP). For this longitudinal study, the mice were imaged every 4 to 6 weeks starting with an age of 4 weeks and following up to the age of 11 months.

Polarization properties of single layers in the posterior eyes of mice and rats investigated using high resolution polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography.

We present a high resolution polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) system for ocular imaging in rodents. The system operates at 840 nm and uses a broadband superluminescent diode providing an axial resolution of 5.1 µm in air.

Agrimonia eupatoria L. and Cynara cardunculus L. Water Infusions: Comparison of Anti-Diabetic Activities.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is frequently diagnosed at a time when patients already suffer from several cardiovascular complications. Our previously published data (Molecules 201520 (11): 20538-50) on the anti-oxidative properties of Agrimonia eupatoria L. (AE) and Cynara cardunculus L.

The Activity of Cotinus coggygria Scop. Leaves on Staphylococcus aureus Strains in Planktonic and Biofilm Growth Forms.

The purpose of this study was to detect the effectiveness of Cotinus coggygria Scop. leaves methanol extract against planktonic and biofilm growth forms of Staphylococcus aureus. The antimicrobial activity was determined by the broth microdilution test.

Melanin Pigmentation in Rat Eyes: In Vivo Imaging by Polarization-Sensitive Optical Coherence Tomography and Comparison to Histology.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) for imaging pigmented structures in the posterior eye segments of albino and pigmented rats and to correlate depolarization contrast of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choroid in in vivo PS-OCT to melanin pigmentation detected in postmortem histologic serial sections.

Methods: In vivo three-dimensional PS-OCT imaging was performed in adult albino and pigmented rat eyes at 70-kHz A-line rate. Degree of polarization uniformity (DOPU) fundus maps and radial DOPU profiles were generated.

Lycopus europaeus: phenolic fingerprint, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial effect on clinical Staphylococcus aureus strains.

Lycopus europaeus L. leaves water extract (LEL) was subjected to phytochemical analysis, and evaluated for its antibacterial and antioxidant effects. Antibacterial activity testing was performed on Staphylococcus aureus clinical strains from catheter-related and skin infections by broth microdilution test.

Peripapillary rat sclera investigated in vivo with polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography.

Purpose: To demonstrate polarization-sensitive (PS) optical coherence tomography (OCT) for noninvasive, volumetric, and quantitative imaging of the birefringent properties of the peripapillary rat sclera; to compare the findings from PS-OCT images to state-of-the-art histomorphometric analysis of the same tissues.

Methods: A high-speed PS-OCT prototype operating at 840 nm was modified for imaging the rat eye. Densely sampled PS-OCT raster scans covering an area of ~1.

[Flavonoids - main constituents of the leaves of Philadelphus tenuifolius Rupr. et Maxim].

The paper deals with the isolation and identification of the constituents of the leaves of Philadelphus tenuifolius Rupr. et Maxim. A methanolic extract was used to isolate quercetin-3-O-glucoside (isoquercitrin), and a butanolic extract to isolate kaempferol-3-O-glucoside-7-O-rhamnoside.

Rosmarinic acid interaction with planktonic and biofilm Staphylococcus aureus.

The subject of study was the evaluation of antibacterial activities of rosmarinic acid (RA) on clinical Staphylococcus aureus strains obtained from catheter-related infections. Minimal inhibitory (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of RA were tested by broth microdilution assay. Biofilm-eradication activity was detected on 24-hour biofilm in microtiter plates using a regrowth technique; activity on biofilm formation was measured by a microtiter plate method after RA application to bacterial samples after 0, 1, 3 and 6 hours of biofilm development.

Rosmarinic acid administration attenuates diabetes-induced vascular dysfunction of the rat aorta.

Objectives: Oxidative stress as well as inflammation processes are engaged in diabetic vascular complications. Rosmarinic acid, a natural phenol antioxidant carboxylic acid, was found to have multiple biological activity, including anti-inflammatory and antitumour effects, which are a consequence of its inhibition of the inflammatory processes and of reactive oxygen species scavenging. The aim of this work was to study effects of rosmarinic acid administration on vascular impairment induced by experimental diabetes in rats.

Effect of plant polyphenols on ischemia-reperfusion injury of the isolated rat heart and vessels.

In the present study, we investigated the potential protective effect of selected natural substances in a rat model of heart and mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). Experiments were performed on isolated Langendorff-perfused rat hearts, subjected to 30-min global ischemia, followed by 30-min reperfusion. Arbutin, curcumin, rosmarinic acid and extract of Mentha x villosa were applied in the concentration of 1 × 10⁻⁵ mol/l 10 min before the onset of ischemia and during reperfusion, through the perfusion medium.

Chemiluminescence response induced by mesenteric ischaemia/reperfusion: effect of antioxidative compounds ex vivo.

Ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R) play an important role in human pathophysiology as they occur in many clinical conditions and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Interruption of blood supply rapidly damages metabolically active tissues. Restoration of blood flow after a period of ischaemia may further worsen cell injury due to an increased formation of free radicals.

[An interesting case of chondroektodermal dysplasia (author's transl)].

A case of chondroectodermal dysplasia, by Ellis, van Creveld, is described manifested both by changes in oral cavity and in the skeleton. The patient is a nine-year-old girl with shallow vestibulum oris, supernumerary mucosal plicae in the frontal part of the vestibulum oris, oligodontia and involvement of tooth shape. Among other symptoms there were polydactylia (corrected by surgery), club-shaped fingers and koilonoychia.