前房注射卡波姆建立大鼠高眼压模型的观察

目的　前房注射卡波姆建立大鼠高眼压模型，观察卡波姆升眼压效果及对大鼠眼前节和视网膜的影响。方法　随机选取30只SD大鼠，注射前3 d早晚测量基线眼压。右眼定为实验眼，左眼定为对照眼，右眼放出房水后将30 μL的5 g·L^-1卡波姆混悬液注入前房，每日早10时、晚22时在大鼠清醒状态下测量眼压。每周进行双眼眼前节照相并对比。4周末处死26只大鼠（另4只持续观察眼压变化至注射后9周）并取双眼眼球行HE染色，观察实验眼与对照眼视网膜形态，对比视网膜厚度及房角形态。结果　注射前，实验眼白天和夜间眼压分别为（11.10±0.90）mmHg（1 kPa=7.5 mmHg）和（11.92±1.07）mmHg，对照眼分别为（11.22±1.07）mmHg和（11.76±1.08）mmHg；实验眼与对照眼相比，白天、夜间眼压差异均无统计学意义（均为 P＞0.05）；白天与夜间眼压相比，实验眼、对照眼差异均有统计学意义（均为P<0.05）。卡波姆在前房中呈现出弥散型和沉积型两种存在方式，弥散型和沉积型大鼠1周内眼压分别为（17.83±3.54）mmHg和（13.00±1.55）mmHg，两者相比差异具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。注射后第1天至第19天，实验眼与对照眼白天眼压相比差异均具有统计学意义（均为P＜0.05）；注射后第1天至第27天，实验眼与对照眼夜间眼压相比差异均具有统计学意义（均为P＜0.05）。实验眼视网膜形态发生改变，注射后4周视网膜厚度为（254.70±21.80）μm，与对照眼的（346.73±24.63）μm相比，差异有统计学意义（P=0.00）。实验眼前房充满卡波姆及虹膜的混合成分，紧贴角膜内皮并延伸至房角，堵塞小梁网结构，正常虹膜形态消失；对照眼房角形态正常。结论　前房注射卡波姆建立大鼠高眼压模型，可维持高眼压4周以上，昼夜眼压差异较为明显，夜间眼压较白天更高，4周后视网膜出现高眼压损伤后的表现。     

Biomarkers on patient T cells diagnose active tuberculosis and monitor treatment response

BACKGROUND. The identification and treatment of individuals with tuberculosis (TB) is a global public health priority. Accurate diagnosis of pulmonary active TB (ATB) disease remains challenging and relies on extensive medical evaluation and detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in the patient’s sputum. Further, the response to treatment is monitored by sputum culture conversion, which takes several weeks for results. Here, we sought to identify blood-based host biomarkers associated with ATB and hypothesized that immune activation markers on Mtb-specific CD4⁺ T cells would be associated with Mtb load in vivo and could thus provide a gauge of Mtb infection.METHODS. Using polychromatic flow cytometry, we evaluated the expression of immune activation markers on Mtb-specific CD4⁺ T cells from individuals with asymptomatic latent Mtb infection (LTBI) and ATB as well as from ATB patients undergoing anti-TB treatment.RESULTS. Frequencies of Mtb-specific IFN-γ⁺CD4⁺ T cells that expressed immune activation markers CD38 and HLA-DR as well as intracellular proliferation marker Ki-67 were substantially higher in subjects with ATB compared with those with LTBI. These markers accurately classified ATB and LTBI status, with cutoff values of 18%, 60%, and 5% for CD38⁺IFN-γ⁺, HLA-DR⁺IFN-γ⁺, and Ki-67⁺IFN-γ⁺, respectively, with 100% specificity and greater than 96% sensitivity. These markers also distinguished individuals with untreated ATB from those who had successfully completed anti-TB treatment and correlated with decreasing mycobacterial loads during treatment.CONCLUSION. We have identified host blood-based biomarkers on Mtb-specific CD4⁺ T cells that discriminate between ATB and LTBI and provide a set of tools for monitoring treatment response and cure.TRIAL REGISTRATION. Registration is not required for observational studies.FUNDING. This study was funded by Emory University, the NIH, and the Yerkes National Primate Center.     

Hypertension is a risk factor for adverse outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019: a cohort study

Abstract

Background

Comorbidities are commonly seen in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the clinical implication is not yet well-delineated. We aim to characterize the prevalence and clinical implications of comorbidities in patients with COVID-19.     

The technological imperative in tuberculosis care and prevention in Vietnam

ABSTRACT

A monocausal bacteriological understanding of infectious disease orients tuberculosis control efforts towards antimicrobial interventions. A bias towards technological solutions can leave multistranded public health and social interventions largely neglected. In the context of globalising biomedical approaches to infectious disease control, this ethnography-inspired review article reflects upon the implementation of rapid diagnostic technology in low- and middle-income countries. Fieldwork observations in Vietnam provided a stimulus for a critical review of the global rollout of tuberculosis diagnostic technology. To address local needs in tuberculosis control, health managers in resource-poor settings are readily cooperating with international donors to deploy novel diagnostic technologies throughout national tuberculosis programme facilities. Increasing investment in new diagnostic technologies is predicated on the supposition that these interventions will ameliorate disease outcomes. However, suboptimal treatment control persists even when accurate diagnostic technologies are available, suggesting that promotion of singular technological solutions can distract from addressing systemic change, without which disease susceptibility, propagation of infection, detection gaps, diagnostic delays, and treatment shortfalls persist.     

Deferoxamine promotes recovery of traumatic spinal cord injury by inhibiting ferroptosis

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent novel cell death pathway. Deferoxamine, a ferroptosis inhibitor, has been reported to promote spinal cord injury repair. It has yet to be clarified whether ferroptosis inhibition represents the mechanism of action of Deferoxamine on spinal cord injury recovery. A rat model of Deferoxamine at thoracic 10 segment was established using a modified Allen's method. Ninety 8-week-old female Wistar rats were used. Rats in the Deferoxamine group were intraperitoneally injected with 100 mg/kg Deferoxamine 30 minutes before injury. Simultaneously, the Sham and Deferoxamine groups served as controls. Drug administration was conducted for 7 consecutive days. The results were as follows:(1) Electron microscopy revealed shrunken mitochondria in the spinal cord injury group.(2) The Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan locomotor rating score showed that recovery of the hindlimb was remarkably better in the Deferoxamine group than in the spinal cord injury group.(3) The iron concentration was lower in the Deferoxamine group than in the spinal cord injury group after injury.(4) Western blot assay revealed that, compared with the spinal cord injury group, GPX4, xCT, and glutathione expression was markedly increased in the Deferoxamine group.(5) Real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that, compared with the Deferoxamine group, mRNA levels of ferroptosis-related genes Acyl-CoA synthetase family member 2(ACSF2) and iron-responsive element-binding protein 2(IREB2) were up-regulated in the Deferoxamine group.(6) Deferoxamine increased survival of neurons and inhibited gliosis. These findings confirm that Deferoxamine can repair spinal cord injury by inhibiting ferroptosis. Targeting ferroptosis is therefore a promising therapeutic approach for spinal cord injury.     

热疗对肿瘤免疫微环境中免疫细胞及免疫相关细胞因子的影响

随着对肿瘤热疗和肿瘤免疫微环境(TIME)的深入研究,近年来热疗对TIME的作用越来越受到学者们的重视。本文就目前国内外研究进展,对热疗与TIME中几类主要免疫细胞和免疫相关细胞因子的影响及作用机制作一综述。全面而透彻的了解热疗对TIME的调控作用,有助于为肿瘤治疗提供新的思路和方法。