Non-contact confocal calcium imaging of murine corneal nerves.

Abnormal corneal nerve function and associated disease is a significant public health concern. It is associated with prevalent ocular surface diseases, including dry eye disease. Corneal nerve dysfunction is also a common side effect of refractive surgeries, as well as a symptom of diseases that cause peripheral neuropathies.

Intravitreal Sustained Release Steroid Implants Are Safe and Effective in Patients With Glaucoma Drainage Devices.

Purpose: To describe effects of sustained-release steroid delivery devices on intraocular pressure (IOP) in eyes with glaucoma drainage devices (GDD).

Methods: Retrospective case series of eyes with steroid implants (dexamethasone or fluocinolone acetonide) and prior GDD (Ahmed, Baerveldt) without uveitis. Outcomes included IOP, IOP rise, central foveal thickness (CFT), and IOP medications.

Photocatalytic Methanol Dehydrogenation with Switchable Selectivity.

Switchable selectivity achieved by altering reaction conditions within the same photocatalytic system offers great advantages for sustainable chemical transformations and renewable energy conversion. In this study, we investigate an efficient photocatalytic methanol dehydrogenation with controlled selectivity by varying the concentration of nickel cocatalyst, using zinc indium sulfide nanocrystals as a semiconductor photocatalyst, which enables the production of either formaldehyde or ethylene glycol with high selectivity. Control experiments revealed that formaldehyde is initially generated and can either serve as a terminal product or intermediate in producing ethylene glycol, depending on the nickel concentration in the solution.

Predictive Value of FDG Uptake on PET for Future Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Mediated Colitis: A Case Series.

: Immune-mediated colitis (IMC) is a common immune-related adverse event during immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. This case series and review aimed to highlight atypical cases of IMC and explore the potential of PET/CT to predict imminent ICI colitis. : Through a descriptive, retrospective study at a tertiary cancer center, we identified adult patients receiving ICIs for any cancer between 2010 and 2022 who also underwent PET/CT for routine cancer surveillance during this time.

Cross-Field Road Markings Detection Based on Inverse Perspective Mapping.

With the rapid development of the autonomous vehicles industry, there has been a dramatic proliferation of research concerned with related works, where road markings detection is an important issue. When there is no public open data in a field, we must collect road markings data and label them by ourselves manually, which is huge labor work and takes lots of time. Moreover, object detection often encounters the problem of small object detection.

A Narrative Review on the Neurocognitive Profiles in Eating Disorders and Higher Weight Individuals: Insights for Targeted Interventions.

: Recent research has increasingly explored the cognitive processes underlying eating disorders (EDs), including anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFEDs), and individuals with higher weight (HW). This critical narrative review focuses on neurocognitive findings derived from mainly experimental tasks to provide a detailed understanding of cognitive functioning across these groups. Where experimental data are lacking, we draw on self-report measures and neuroimaging findings to offer supplementary insights.

A cryo-shocked M2 macrophages based treatment strategy promoting repair of spinal cord injury via immunomodulation and axonal regeneration effects.

Recovery from spinal cord injury (SCI) is often impeded by neuroinflammation, scar formation, and limited axonal regeneration. To tackle these issues, we developed an innovative biomimetic drug delivery system using liquid nitrogen-treated M2 macrophages (LNT M2) which internalized paclitaxel (PTX) nanoparticles beforehand. These were incorporated into a gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) scaffold, creating a multifunctional, injectable treatment for single-dose administration.

The Effectiveness of Platelet Rich Fibrin in Alveolar Ridge Reconstructive or Guided Bone Regenerative Procedures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction And Objectives: Clinical studies have shown favorable outcomes following use of platelet rich fibrin (PRF), either alone or in conjunction with biomaterials for alveolar ridge reconstruction (ARR) or guided bone regeneration (GBR) . While PRF application accelerates wound healing and reduces postoperative discomfort, its effects on the alveolar bone gain, as part of ARR or GBR is less clear. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the clinical effectiveness of PRF when used in ARR or GBR, as well as postoperative discomfort following these procedures.

Liver Function Biomarkers and Lung Cancer Risk: A Prospective Cohort Study in the UK Biobank.

Background: As the primary organ of metabolism and detoxification, the liver may contribute to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. We aimed to illuminate the intricate link between liver function biomarkers and lung cancer risk, as well as delineate the role of smoking behavior within this association.

Methods: We investigated the associations of seven liver function biomarkers levels (alkaline phosphatase [ALP], alanine transaminase [ALT], total bilirubin [TBIL], albumin [ALB], gamma-glutamyltransferase [GGT], aspartate transaminase [AST], and total protein [TP]) with lung cancer risk across the UK Biobank (N = 337 499) through restricted cubic splines and Cox proportional hazards models.

Inflammation switches the chemoattractant requirements for naive lymphocyte entry into lymph nodes.

Sustained lymphocyte migration from blood into lymph nodes (LNs) is important for immune responses. The CC-chemokine receptor-7 (CCR7) ligand CCL21 is required for LN entry but is downregulated during inflammation, and it has been unclear how recruitment is maintained. Here, we show that the oxysterol biosynthetic enzyme cholesterol-25-hydroxylase (Ch25h) is upregulated in LN high endothelial venules during viral infection.

Composition analysis and mechanism of Guizhi Fuling capsule in anti-cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer.

Objective: Cisplatin is the main chemotherapy drug for advanced ovarian cancer, but drug resistance often occurs. The aim of this study is to explore the molecular mechanism by which Guizhi Fuling capsule inhibits cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer.

Methods: First, differences in cisplatin resistance, PA2G4 gene expression, migration, and invasion in A2780 cells and A2780/DDP cells were analyzed by qRT-PCR, scratch assay, transwell, immunofluorescence, and western blotting.

Quantifying the Corneal Nerve Whorl Pattern.

Purpose: The corneal nerves within the sub-basal nerve plexus (SBNP) display a distinctive whorl-like pattern, a highly dynamic structure that could be a marker of diseases. Previous studies have reported a decrease in whorl nerve density in patients with diabetes, indicating an avenue for noninvasive monitoring of diabetic neuropathy. However, conflicting results have since been reported, highlighting the need for improved quantitative analysis of the corneal whorl.

Degradation kinetics, pathways, transformation products, and toxicity assessment of fluorochloridone in agricultural soils.

Flurochloridone (FLC) is a pyrrolidone herbicide used to control broad-leaved weeds in various crop fields. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive research on the environmental fate of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and the toxicity of its potential transformation products (TPs). In this study, laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the degradation kinetics, pathways, and toxicity of FLC's TPs.

Exosomes derived from minor salivary gland mesenchymal stem cells: a promising novel exosome exhibiting pro-angiogenic and wound healing effects similar to those of adipose-derived stem cell exosomes.

Backgrounds: Minor salivary gland mesenchymal stem cells (MSGMSCs) can be easily extracted and have a broad range of sources. Applying exosomes to wounds is a highly promising method for promoting wound healing. Exosomes derived from different stem cell types have been proven to enhance wound healing, with adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC)-derived exosomes being the most extensively researched.

Alpha-Ketoglutarate Alleviates Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-Associated Periodontitis in a Novel Murine Model.

Aim: To establish a reproducible experimental animal model for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-associated periodontitis (PD), investigate the effects of SLE on PD and assess the therapeutic potential of alpha-ketoglutarate (αKG) for SLE-PD treatment.

Materials And Methods: An SLE-PD murine model was established via ligature-induced PD in MRL-lpr strain, with MRL/MpJ strain as a non-SLE control. The periodontal state was assessed using micro-CT, real-time PCR, histology, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry assays.

Predictors of affective disturbances and cognitive impairment following small spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage.

Background And Purpose: Affective disturbances and cognitive impairment are common sequelae of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), yet predictive models for these outcomes remain limited, especially for spontaneous supratentorial ICH with small hematomas (<30 mL). The aim of this study was to investigate predictors of affective disturbances and cognitive impairment following small spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1692 patients with spontaneous supratentorial ICH between January 2018 and December 2020 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University.

Three-Dimensional Organotypic Systems for Modelling and Understanding Molecular Regulation of Oral Dentogingival Tissues.

Three-dimensional organotypic models benefit from the ability to mimic physiological cell-cell or cell-matrix interactions and therefore offer superior models for studying pathological or physiological conditions compared to 2D cultures. Organotypic models consisting of keratinocytes supported by fibroblasts embedded in collagen matrices have been utilised for the study of oral conditions. However, the provision of a suitable model for investigating the pathogenesis of periodontitis has been more challenging.

Circulating Neoplastic-Immune Hybrid Cells Are Biomarkers of Occult Metastasis and Treatment Response in Pancreatic Cancer.

Background/objectives: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) presents significant diagnostic and prognostic challenges, as current biomarkers frequently fail to accurately stage disease, predict rapid metastatic recurrence (rPDAC), or assess response to neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). We investigated the potential for circulating neoplastic-immune hybrid cells (CHCs) as a non-invasive, multifunctional biomarker for PDAC.

Methods: Peripheral blood specimens were obtained from patients diagnosed with PDAC.

Neutrophil extracellular traps in the cross-talk between periodontitis and chronic kidney disease.

Background: The objective was to evaluate the level of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and periodontitis, and to explore the relationship between NETs and both diseases.

Methods: 63 CKD and 40 non-CKD participants were recruited and underwent periodontal examination, among which 35 early CKD patients underwent periodontal therapy. The concentrations of NETs were determined by dsDNA assay in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and plasma, and by flow cytometry or immunofluorescence assay in blood and gingival tissues.

The Effect of PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitor and Statin Combination Therapy on Overall Survival and Gastrointestinal Toxicity.

Objectives: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), such as programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors, have been approved to treat a variety of cancers. Recently, studies have suggested that ICIs and statins are synergistic. However, the addition of statins to ICI therapy may increase the risk of gastrointestinal immune-related adverse events (irAEs).

Effects of airway clearance in hospitalized children with neurologic impairment.

Airway clearance therapies (ACT) are often used to optimize respiratory function for children with neurologic impairment (CNI) hospitalized with acute respiratory infections (ARI). In a five-center retrospective cohort study of CNI aged 1-18 years hospitalized between 2013 and 2015 with ARI, we assessed the association of admission ACT with hospital outcomes (days to return to baseline respiratory support and length of stay [LOS]). Generalized estimated equation (GEE) models examined the association between ACT and outcomes, while accounting for clustering.