Multi-modal, Label-free, Optical Mapping of Cellular Metabolic Function and Oxidative Stress in 3D Engineered Brain Tissue Models.

Brain metabolism is essential for the function of organisms. While established imaging methods provide valuable insights into brain metabolic function, they lack the resolution to capture important metabolic interactions and heterogeneity at the cellular level. Label-free, two-photon excited fluorescence imaging addresses this issue by enabling dynamic metabolic assessments at the single-cell level without manipulations.

Engineered extracellular matrices facilitate brain organoids from human pluripotent stem cells.

Objective: Brain organoids are miniaturized in vitro brain models generated from pluripotent stem cells, which resemble full-sized brain more closely than conventional two-dimensional cell cultures. Although brain organoids mimic the human brain's cell-to-cell network interactions, they generally fail to faithfully recapitulate cell-to-matrix interactions. Here, an engineered framework, called an engineered extracellular matrix (EECM), was developed to provide support and cell-to-matrix interactions to developing brain organoids.

Cervical varicosities, an uncommon cause of third-trimester bleeding in pregnancy: A case report.

Cervical varicosities are dilated cervical veins and are uncommon causes of third-trimester vaginal bleeding. Early identification of patients with cervical varices is critical to prevent postpartum hemorrhage, which increases the risk of maternal morbidity and mortality. This is a case report of a 30-year-old woman, gravida 2 para 1, who presented to the labor and delivery unit at 35 weeks 6 days of gestation with a singleton pregnancy with vaginal bleeding.

Posttraumatic Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in COVID-19 Survivors.

Objectives: This study aims to examine the rates of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after hospital discharge among COVID-19 survivors and to determine the associated risk factors.

Methods: Adult COVID-19 survivors discharged from hospitals between March 2020 and March 2021 were asked to complete a questionnaire at 4 weeks after discharge. The Chinese version of the 22-item Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R) was used to measure symptoms of PTSD.

Integrating Clinical Data and Tear Proteomics to Assess Efficacy, Ocular Surface Status, and Biomarker Response After Orthokeratology Lens Wear.

Purpose: This study evaluated the efficacy and ocular surface status of Breath-O Correct, novel orthokeratology (OK) lenses, worn overnight for 3 months. Lens-induced changes in the tear proteome were evaluated.

Methods: Thirty-one subjects, aged 19 to 26 years with refractive error from -1.

Pre-treatment MRI of leukaemia and lymphoma in children: are there differences in marrow replacement patterns on T1-weighted images?

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and distribution of specific marrow patterns on pre-treatment magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations in children with leukaemia and lymphoma and with respect to the anatomic location.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective IRB-approved and HIPAA-compliant study included children with leukaemia or lymphoma who underwent pre-treatment MRI examinations over 18 years (between 1 January 1995 and 31 August 2013). Two radiologists blinded to the clinical diagnosis reviewed each study to determine the presence or absence of abnormal marrow signal and, when present, sub-categorised the pattern into diffuse, patchy, or focal abnormal marrow.

Lateral Meniscus Posterior Root Injury: MRI Findings in Children With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear.

Undiagnosed and unrepaired root tears are increasingly recognized as a preventable cause of accelerated osteoarthritis. Preoperative MRI findings of lateral meniscus posterior root tears in children with concomitant anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury are not well described. The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance of preoperative MRI for identifying concomitant lateral meniscus posterior root injuries in pediatric patients with ACL tears with arthroscopy as the reference standard.

Age-dependent changes in pediatric scaphoid fracture pattern on radiographs.

Objective: To systematically investigate age-dependent changes in scaphoid fracture prevalence and fracture patterns on radiographs in children under 15 years of age.

Methods And Materials: This retrospective study included children with scaphoid fractures, who underwent radiographic examinations between May 1, 2009, and August 31, 2019. Blinded to outcome, all radiographs were reviewed to determine fracture visibility on initial radiographs; to characterize fracture location (distal corner, distal, mid, and proximal body) and orientation (horizontal oblique, transverse, and vertical oblique); and to identify the presence or absence of gap, displacement, and concomitant fractures.

Alteration of retinal metabolism and oxidative stress may implicate myopic eye growth: Evidence from discovery and targeted proteomics in an animal model.

Myopia, the most common cause of impaired vision, may induce sight- threatening diseases or ocular complications due to axial elongation. The exact mechanisms underlying myopia development have received much attention and understanding of these is necessary for clinical prevention or therapeutics. In this study, quantitative proteomics using Isotope Coded Protein Label (ICPL) was applied to identify differentially regulated proteins in the retinas of myopic chicks and, from their presence, infer the possible pathogenesis of excessive ocular elongation.

Stopping anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy in patients with perianal Crohn's disease.

Background: Little is known of the outcome of patients with perianal Crohn's disease after stopping anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) therapy.

Aim: To evaluate the rate of relapse in perianal Crohn's disease (CD) after stopping anti-TNF therapy.

Methods: Consecutive perianal CD patients treated with anti-TNF therapy with subsequent discontinuation were retrieved from prospective inflammatory bowel disease database of institutes in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore from 1997 to June 2019.

Significant Medical and Surgical Morbidity in Perianal Crohn's Disease: Results from a Territory-Wide Study.

Background: The presence of perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease [CD] denotes increased disease aggressiveness. We studied the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of perianal CD [PCD] using the Hong Kong territory-wide IBD Registry [HKIBDR].

Methods: Consecutive patients with PCD were identified from the HKIBDR, and disease characteristics, treatments, and outcomes were analysed.

Cancer Risk in 2621 Chinese Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Population-based Cohort Study.

Background: Studies on cancer risk in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have yielded inconsistent results. We conducted a population-based study to determine the risk of cancer in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: Using a territory-wide IBD registry in Hong Kong, we identified 2621 patients with IBD and no history of cancer from 1990 to 2016.

Sophoraflavenone G Restricts Dengue and Zika Virus Infection via RNA Polymerase Interference.

Flaviviruses including Zika, Dengue and Hepatitis C virus cause debilitating diseases in humans, and the former are emerging as global health concerns with no antiviral treatments. We investigated , used in Chinese medicine, as a source for antiviral compounds. We isolated Sophoraflavenone G and found that it inhibited Hepatitis C replication, but not Sendai or Vesicular Stomatitis Virus.

Activation of Nrf2 Signaling Augments Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Oncolysis via Autophagy-Driven Suppression of Antiviral Immunity.

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) offer a promising therapeutic approach to treat multiple types of cancer. In this study, we show that the manipulation of the antioxidant network via transcription factor Nrf2 augments vesicular stomatitis virus Δ51 (VSVΔ51) replication and sensitizes cancer cells to viral oncolysis. Activation of Nrf2 signaling by the antioxidant compound sulforaphane (SFN) leads to enhanced VSVΔ51 spread in OV-resistant cancer cells and improves the therapeutic outcome in different murine syngeneic and xenograft tumor models.

RIG-I-Mediated STING Upregulation Restricts Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Infection.

Unlabelled: STING has emerged in recent years as a key player in orchestrating innate immune responses to cytosolic DNA and RNA derived from pathogens. However, the regulation of STING still remains poorly defined. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism of the regulation of STING expression in relation to the RIG-I pathway.

Site development interim removable dental prosthesis.

Transitioning a patient with partial edentulism through hard and soft tissue grafting to an implant restoration with an interim removable dental prosthesis (IRDP) presents a challenge to the restorative dentist. The management of grafted sites requires care, and without the appropriate design, an IRDP may impede surgical outcomes and place the graft at risk for displacement or necrosis. A site development IRDP (SDIRDP) for a grafted site must fulfill restorative goals and promote the surgical objectives for site development.

Safety and efficacy of adjunctive intranasal mitomycin C and triamcinolone in endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy.

One of the common causes of failure in dacryocystorhinostomy for nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) is mucosal scarring and fibrosis around the ostium. Steroid and mitomycin C (MMC) can potentially reduce scarring by their action on the inflammatory and proliferative phase of wound healing, respectively. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of combined usage of adjunctive MMC and intranasal triamcinolone (TA) in endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (EE-DCR).

HTLV-1 Tax-mediated inhibition of FOXO3a activity is critical for the persistence of terminally differentiated CD4+ T cells.

The mechanisms involved in the persistence of activated CD4+ T lymphocytes following primary human T leukemia/lymphoma virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the HTLV-1 Tax oncoprotein modulates phosphorylation and transcriptional activity of the FOXO3a transcription factor, via upstream activation of the AKT pathway. De novo HTLV-1 infection of CD4+ T cells or direct lentiviral-mediated introduction of Tax led to AKT activation and AKT-dependent inactivation of FOXO3a, via phosphorylation of residues Ser253 and Thr32.

Use of intravitreal dexamethasone implant in patients with cataract and macular edema undergoing phacoemulsification.

Purpose: To study the safety and efficacy of intravitreal dexamethasone implant in patients with cataract and macular edema undergoing phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.

Methods: Twenty-four eyes with macular edema secondary to diabetic retinopathy (diabetic macular edema [DME]) and retinal vein occlusion (RVO) were retrospectively reviewed. These eyes underwent phacoemulsification with IOL implantation and intravitreal dexamethasone implant 0.

SAMHD1 host restriction factor: a link with innate immune sensing of retrovirus infection.

SAMHD1 [sterile alpha motif and histidine-aspartic domain (HD) containing protein 1] is the most recent addition to a unique group of host restriction factors that limit retroviral replication at distinct stages of the viral life cycle. SAMHD1 is a deoxynucleoside triphosphate triphosphohydrolase that degrades the intracellular pool of deoxynucleoside triphosphates available during early reverse transcription. SAMHD1 activity is blocked by the Vpx accessory function present in human immunodeficiency virus type 2 and SIVsm.

Host restriction factor SAMHD1 limits human T cell leukemia virus type 1 infection of monocytes via STING-mediated apoptosis.

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the causative agent of adult T cell leukemia and HTLV-1-associated myelopathies. In addition to T cells, HTLV-1 infects cells of the myeloid lineage, which play critical roles in the host innate response to viral infection. Investigating the monocyte depletion observed during HTLV-1 infection, we discovered that primary human monocytes infected with HTLV-1 undergo abortive infection accompanied by apoptosis dependent on SAMHD1, a host restriction factor that hydrolyzes endogenous dNTPs to below the levels required for productive reverse transcription.

Modulation of innate immune responses during human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV-1) pathogenesis.

Infection with the Human T-cell Leukemia virus type I (HTLV-1) retrovirus results in a number of diverse pathologies, including the aggressive, fatal T-cell malignancy adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and the chronic, progressive neurologic disorder termed HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Worldwide, it is estimated there are 15-20 million HTLV-1-infected individuals; although the majority of HTLV-1-infected individuals remain asymptomatic carriers (AC) during their lifetime, 2-5% of AC develops either ATL or HAM/TSP, but never both. Regardless of asymptomatic status or clinical outcome, HTLV-1 carriers are at high risk of opportunistic infection.

Limited nasal septoplasty by ophthalmologists during endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy: is it safe?

Purpose: Significant deviated nasal septum (DNS) may preclude the performance of endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes of limited nasal septoplasty in tackling signficant DNS performed by trained ophthalmologists during endonasal DCR.

Methods: In this retrospective interventional case series, the records of all patients requiring limited nasal septoplasty for significant DNS during endonasal DCR at 2 tertiary ophthalmic centers in Hong Kong during January 2006 to December 2007 were reviewed.

Diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma associated with bilateral carotid-cavernous fistulas in an elderly woman.

A 74-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of left proptosis, left eye chemosis, left abducens nerve palsy and cervical lymphadenopathy. She was noted to have bilateral carotid cavernous fistulas and was treated with transvenous coil embolization. The diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was only confirmed 4 months later, despite a high index of suspicion, after clinical deterioration.