Clinical Features of CMV-Associated Anterior Uveitis

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) anterior uveitis is the most common ocular manifestation of CMV disease in immunocompetent individuals. It is thought to be due to a local reactivation of latent CMV and is usually unilateral. The acute form presents as Posner-Schlossman Syndrome, a recurrent hypertensive anterior uveitis with few granulomatous keratic precipitates. There are geographic differences in the chronic form of CMV anterior uveitis. Asian patients commonly present as Fuchs Uveitis Syndrome with diffuse stellate keratic precipitates, while the European patients present with a chronic hypertensive anterior uveitis with fewer keratic precipitates that are brown in color and located inferiorly. Characteristic features of CMV anterior uveitis include mild anterior chamber inflammation, elevated intraocular pressure, stromal iris atrophy. Synechiae, macular edema and retinitis are typically absent. CMV disease may also be associated with the development of corneal endotheliitis with a reduced endothelial cell count. Long-term complications include glaucomatous optic neuropathy and cataract formation.     

Effects of Supplementation with Heracleum persicum Fruit Extract on Serum Lipids in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography: A Pilot Trial

Heracleum persicum Desf. Ex Fischer (Apiaceae) is a native medicinal plant in the Iranian traditional medicine and also a safe and common dietary spice. The present pilot study aimed to investigate the impact of supplementation with H. persicum fruits on serum lipid concentrations in a group of patients with minimal coronary artery disease. Subjects who were diagnosed with <50% luminal narrowing in any of the major coronary arteries in coronary angiography were recruited for this trial and were randomized to receive either H. persicum hydroalcoholic fruit extract (n = 15; 300 mg/day) or placebo (n = 12) for a period of 6 months. Serum concentrations of total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured at baseline and at the end of study. No significant difference in concentrations of total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol was observed between H. persicum extract and placebo groups (p > 0.05). However, serum triglycerides levels were reduced after H. persicum extract supplementation in a borderline significant manner (p = 0.063). Short‐term supplementation with H. persicum fruit extract might be used as an adjunctive treatment for patients with hypertriglyceridemia. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chromate-Free Corrosion Protection Strategies for Magnesium Alloys—A Review: Part III—Corrosion Inhibitors and Combining Them with Other Protection Strategies

Owing to the unique active corrosion protection characteristic of hexavalent chromium-based systems, they have been projected to be highly effective solutions against the corrosion of many engineering metals. However, hexavalent chromium, rendered a highly toxic and carcinogenic substance, is being phased out of industrial applications. Thus, over the past few years, extensive and concerted efforts have been made to develop environmentally friendly alternative technologies with comparable or better corrosion protection performance to that of hexavalent chromium-based technologies. The introduction of corrosion inhibitors to a coating system on magnesium surface is a cost-effective approach not only for improving the overall corrosion protection performance, but also for imparting active inhibition during the service life of the magnesium part. Therefore, in an attempt to resemble the unique active corrosion protection characteristic of the hexavalent chromium-based systems, the incorporation of inhibitors to barrier coatings on magnesium alloys has been extensively investigated. In Part III of the Review, several types of corrosion inhibitors for magnesium and its alloys are reviewed. A discussion of the state-of-the-art inhibitor systems, such as iron-binding inhibitors and inhibitor mixtures, is presented, and perspective directions of research are outlined, including in silico or computational screening of corrosion inhibitors. Finally, the combination of corrosion inhibitors with other corrosion protection strategies is reviewed. Several reported highly protective coatings with active inhibition capabilities stemming from the on-demand activation of incorporated inhibitors can be considered a promising replacement for hexavalent chromium-based technologies, as long as their deployment is adequately addressed.     

Strong association of common variants in the miRNA-binding site of NOD2 gene with clinicopathological characteristics and disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus

Clinical Rheumatology - Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multifactorial systemic autoimmune disease, in which genetic susceptibility plays a pivotal role. The nucleotide oligomerization...     

Recent Progress Toward Clinical Translation of Tissue-Engineered Heart Valves

Surgical replacement remains the primary option to treat the rapidly growing number of patients with severe valvular heart disease. Although current valve replacements—mechanical, bioprosthetic, and cryopreserved homograft valves—enhance survival and quality of life for many patients, the ideal prosthetic heart valve that is abundantly available, immunocompatible, and capable of growth, self-repair, and life-long performance has yet to be developed. These features are essential for pediatric patients with congenital defects, children and young adult patients with rheumatic fever, and active adult patients with valve disease. Heart valve tissue engineering promises to address these needs by providing living valve replacements that function similarly to their native counterparts. This is best evidenced by the long-term clinical success of decellularised pulmonary and aortic homografts, but the supply of homografts cannot meet the demand for replacement valves. A more abundant and consistent source of replacement valves may come from cellularised valves grown in vitro or acellular off-the-shelf biomaterial/tissue constructs that recellularise in situ, but neither tissue engineering approach has yet achieved long-term success in preclinical testing. Beyond the technical challenges, heart valve tissue engineering faces logistical, economic, and regulatory challenges. In this review, we summarise recent progress in heart valve tissue engineering, highlight important outcomes from preclinical and clinical testing, and discuss challenges and future directions toward clinical translation.