Alterations in zinc, copper, and iron levels in the retina and brain of Alzheimer's disease patients and the APP/PS1 mouse model.

Transition metals like copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) are vital for normal central nervous system function and are also linked to neurodegeneration, particularly in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Their alterations in AD, identified prior to amyloid plaque aggregation, offer a unique target for staging pre-amyloid AD. However, analysing their levels in the brain is extremely challenging, necessitating the development of alternative approaches.

Evaluation of the Entomopathogenic Fungus on Different Stages of (Diptera: Psychodidae), Vector of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Iran.

Background: Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis is a major public health problem in Iran with the main vector of . The use of entomopathogenic fungi for biological control of the vector is a potential substitute for the current methods which are being used. The purpose of the current study was to assess the virulence of two local isolates of (OZ and TV) against .

Autonomous Stabilization of Retinal Videos for Streamlining Assessment of Spontaneous Venous Pulsations.

Spontaneous retinal Venous Pulsations (SVP) are rhythmic changes in the caliber of the central retinal vein and are observed in the optic disc region (ODR) of the retina. Its absence is a critical indicator of various ocular or neurological abnormalities. Recent advances in imaging technology have enabled the development of portable smartphone-based devices for observing the retina and assessment of SVPs.

Autonomous assessment of spontaneous retinal venous pulsations in fundus videos using a deep learning framework.

The presence or absence of spontaneous retinal venous pulsations (SVP) provides clinically significant insight into the hemodynamic status of the optic nerve head. Reduced SVP amplitudes have been linked to increased intracranial pressure and glaucoma progression. Currently, monitoring for the presence or absence of SVPs is performed subjectively and is highly dependent on trained clinicians.

Assessing the impact of non-nutritive sweeteners on anthropometric indices and leptin levels in adults: A GRADE-assessed systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of randomized clinical trials.

In today's world, non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) are recognized as substitutes for sugar or other high-calorie sweeteners, and their consumption is increasing dramatically. However, there is ongoing debate regarding the impact of NNSs on anthropometric indices. To fill this gap in knowledge, the current GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to evaluate the effects of artificial- and stevia-based sweeteners consumption on anthropometric indices and serum leptin level which is known as an appetite-regulating hormone.

Distribution of Copper, Iron, and Zinc in the Retina, Hippocampus, and Cortex of the Transgenic APP/PS1 Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

A mis-metabolism of transition metals (i.e., copper, iron, and zinc) in the brain has been recognised as a precursor event for aggregation of Amyloid-β plaques, a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

RAGE and its ligand amyloid beta promote retinal ganglion cell loss following ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Introduction: Glaucoma is a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with age. Accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aß) proteins in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) and subsequent retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss is an established pathological hallmark of the disease. The mechanism through which Aß provokes RGC loss remains unclear.

Association between non-nutritive sweetener consumption and liver enzyme levels in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Context: The use of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) is dramatically increasing in food commodities, and their effects on biochemical parameters have been the subject of great controversy. Liver enzymes as markers of liver injury may be helpful measures of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the outcomes of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) suggest their associations with NNSs are contentious.

Objective: The current study was designed to provide a GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs studying the consequences of NNS consumption on ALT, AST, and GGT concentrations (ie, the 3 main liver enzymes in adults).

Cognitive Performance on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test and Retinal Structural and Functional Measures in Glaucoma.

Background: Glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness, is classified as a neurodegenerative disease, and its incidence increases with age. Pathophysiological changes, such as the deposition of amyloid-beta plaques in the retinal ganglion cell layer, as well as neuropsychological changes, including cognitive decline, have been reported in glaucoma. However, the association between cognitive ability and retinal functional and structural measures in glaucoma, particularly glaucoma subtypes, has not been studied.

Probabilistic health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in the traditional and industrial olive products.

Iran is recognized as one of the top olive producers globally, and it forms an integral part of the countries agriculture, particularly in Zanjan province. This study measured Hg, As, Pb, Cd, and Zn concentrations and evaluated probabilistic health risk in olive products. Results showed that Zn had the highest concentration (traditional and industrial table olive, Parvardeh, and olive oil: 4.

The effects of artificial- and stevia-based sweeteners on lipid profile in adults: a GRADE-assessed systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of randomized clinical trials.

It has been posited that Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) intake may affect lipid profile. However, its proven effects on lipid profile are unclear, as clinical studies on this topic have produced inconsistent results. To fill this gap in knowledge, this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) sought to evaluate the effects of artificial- and stevia-based sweeteners consumption on lipid profile markers.

Recent advances on the efficacy of essential oils on mycotoxin secretion and their mode of action.

Essential oils, as extracted compounds from plants, are volatile and aromatic liquids which their unique aromatic compounds give each essential oil its distinctive essence. Fungi toxins can induce various adverse health effects like allergy, cancer, and immunosuppression. Moreover, fungal spoilage impacts pharmaceutical and food industries economic state.

A combined convolutional and recurrent neural network for enhanced glaucoma detection.

Glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness, is a multifaceted disease with several patho-physiological features manifesting in single fundus images (e.g., optic nerve cupping) as well as fundus videos (e.

Objective Quantification of Spontaneous Retinal Venous Pulsations Using a Novel Tablet-Based Ophthalmoscope.

Purpose: Dynamic assessment of retinal vascular characteristics can aid in identifying glaucoma-specific biomarkers. More specifically, a loss of spontaneous retinal venous pulsations (SVPs) has been reported in glaucoma, but a lack of readily available tools has limited the ability to explore the full potential of SVP analysis in glaucoma assessment. Advancements in smart technology have paved the way for the development of portable, noninvasive, and inexpensive imaging modalities.

A novel method for retinal vessel segmentation and diameter measurement using high speed video.

Studying dynamic characteristics of retinal vessels, as opposed to static measures, may provide additional insight into pathophysiological changes associated with local and systemic abnormalities such as glaucoma and hypertension. Various approaches have been developed to derive static biomarkers from retinal still images, but not many for dynamic analysis of video sequences. This study presents a novel method for the assessment of time-dependent diameter changes in high-speed videos (125 fps) from the rat retina.

A longitudinal assessment of retinal function and structure in the APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Background: A great body of evidence suggests that there are retinal functional and structural changes that occur in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, whether such changes are primary or secondary remains to be elucidated. We studied a range of retinal functional and structural parameters in association with AD- specific pathophysiological markers in the double transgenic APP/PS1 and control mice across age.

Postural effects on spontaneous retinal venous pulsations in healthy individuals.

Purpose: To assess amplitudes of spontaneous retinal venous pulsations (SVP) in three various postures (sitting, supine and lateral decubitus) in healthy individuals.

Methods: Thirty participants (28 ± 8 years, 25 females) were included in the study. Intraocular pressure (IOP), blood pressure (BP) and SVP's were measured at three different postures using a calibrated Tono-Pen applanation tonometer, a digital sphygmomanometer, and a custom-built handheld video ophthalmoscope, respectively.

Diagnostic and Prognostic Potential of Retinal Biomarkers in Early On-Set Alzheimer's Disease.

Objective: Accumulating evidence suggests that the eye can be used in the assessment of early on-set Alzheimer's disease (AD). The eye offers a natural window to the brain through the retina. The retina and brain share common developmental origins and patho-physiological origins and mechanisms, having been sequestered from it during early development, but retaining its connections with the brain via the optic nerve.

High speed in-vivo imaging of retinal hemodynamics in a rodent model of hypertension.

The eye is the only organ through which microcirculation can be visualized non-invasively. This unique feature makes the eye and specifically retinal vasculature an excellent target area to monitor and study micro-vascular damage in systemic diseases. Dynamic (real-time) changes of retinal vessels have been shown to be more specific to the disease in comparison with static measurements.

Retinal vascular and structural changes are associated with amyloid burden in the elderly: ophthalmic biomarkers of preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Retinal imaging may serve as an alternative approach to monitor brain pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we investigated the association between retinal vascular and structural changes and cerebral amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque load in an elderly cohort.

Methods: We studied a total of 101 participants, including 73 elderly subjects (79 ± 5 years, 22 male) with no clinical diagnosis of AD but reporting some subjective memory change and an additional 28 subjects (70 ± 9 years, 16 male) with clinically established AD.

Correlation of retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and spontaneous retinal venous pulsations in glaucoma and normal controls.

Purpose: To study the relationship between amplitude of spontaneous retinal venous pulsatility (SRVP) and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness in glaucomatous eyes, and to determine if this parameter may be a potential marker for glaucoma severity.

Method: 85 subjects including 50 glaucoma (21 males, 67±10 yrs) and 35 normals (16 males, 62±11 yrs) were studied. SRVP amplitude was measured using the Dynamic Vessel Analyser (DVA, Imedos, Germany) at four regions of the retina simultaneously within one disc diameter from the optic disc--temporal-superior (TS), nasal-superior (NS), temporal-inferior (TI) and nasal-inferior (NI)).

Characterizing dynamic properties of retinal vessels in the rat eye using high speed imaging.

Purpose: The dynamic properties of retinal vessels including pulse wave propagation and pulsatility index provide new perspective in retinal hemodynamic analysis. In this study we utilize a high speed imaging system to capture these characteristics in the rat eye for the first time.

Methods: Retinal video images of 9 Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were captured at a rate of 250 frames per second for 10s with a 50° field of view using a high speed camera (Optronis, Kehl, Germany).

Non-invasive cerebrospinal fluid pressure estimation using multi-layer perceptron neural networks.

Cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFp) provides vital information in various neurological abnormalities including hydrocephalus, intracranial hypertension and brain tumors. Currently, CSFp is measured invasively through implanted catheters within the brain (ventricles and parenchyma) which is associated with a risk of infection and morbidity. In humans, the cerebrospinal fluid communicates indirectly with the ocular circulation across the lamina cribrosa via the optic nerve subarachnoid space.

Visualization of orbital flow by means of phase contrast MRI.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a high resolution medical imaging technique to image internal anatomical structures. Phase contrast MRI (pcMRI) technique is an add-on specification of MRI devices in order to quantify flow. Although different attempts have been introduced to measure orbital flows, a relationship between different ophthalmic physiological structures including superior ophthalmic vein, ophthalmic artery and optic nerve sheath (containing cerebrospinal fluid) using phase contrast MRI has not been established.