Evaluating the safety of intracameral bevacizumab application using oxidative stress and apoptotic parameters in corneal tissue

AIM:To investigate the possible effects of intracameral bevacizumab on oxidative stress parameters and apoptosis in corneal tissue.METHODS:In total, 30 rats were assigned randomly into the following three groups of 10 rats each:a sham group (Group 1; n=10), a control group [Group 2; balanced salt solution (BSS) was administered at 0.01 mL; n=10], and a treatment group (Group 3; bevacizumab was administered at 0.25 mg/0.01 mL; n=10). The total antioxidant status (TAS) and the total oxidant status (TOS) in the corneal tissue and blood samples were measured, and the oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. Additionally, corneal tissue histopathology was evaluated for caspase-3 and -8 staining and apoptotic activity.RESULTS:In the blood samples, the TAS, TOS, and OSI levels were not significantly different (all P>0.05). Compared with the sham and control groups, the TOS and OSI levels in the corneal tissues were significantly different in the bevacizumab group (all P<0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed between the sham and control groups (all P>0.05). However, compared with the sham and control groups, greater immunohistochemical staining for caspases-3 and -8 and an elevated level of apoptotic activity were observed in the bevacizumab group.CONCLUSION:This study revealed that intracameral bevacizumab injections seemed to be systemically safe but may have elicited local toxic effects in the corneal tissue, as indicated by the oxidative stress parameters and histopathological evaluations.     

The influence of RS738409 I148M polymorphism of patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 3 gene on the susceptibility of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

We aimed to elucidate the frequency of polymorphic genotypes and alleles of patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 3 rs738409 polymorphism and its possible associations with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in a cohort from Turkey.We enrolled 200 patients diagnosed with NAFLD and genotyped for rs738409 I148M polymorphism by real-time polymerase chain reaction, particularly by melting curve analysis. SPSS analysis software was used for statistical significance. Continuous variable values were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Significant statistical level was chosen as p = 0.05.Our results demonstrate in a cohort from Turkey that rs738409 C > G polymorphism (I148M) of patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 3 gene is significantly able to affect individuals to have NAFLD in unadjusted regression model.Consistent with the previous studies in other populations, our study group showed a significantly higher risk of having NAFLD in unadjusted regression model but not in the adjusted model indicating that non-genetic factors such as age and sex may be responsible for the association. However, independent studies need to validate our findings with a larger group of NAFLD patients, as well as in different ethnic cohorts.     

Highly Efficient and Reusable Microporous Schiff Base Network Polymer as a Heterogeneous Catalyst for CuAAC Click Reaction

A microporous Schiff base network (SNW) polymer containing melamine groups is synthesized as a specific metal template material and employed as a solid support to stabilize copper(I) ions. The Cu(I) ions are incorporated into the SNW structure through coordination with the nitrogen atoms present in the melamine groups. The Cu(I)‐incorporated material shows a highly effective catalytic activity for the copper(I)‐catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction. Several azide and alkyne compounds are used to conduct the click reaction by using a little amount of catalyst and almost quantitative yields are attained. Leaching tests verify the heterogeneity of the catalyst and more importantly, the material shows reusability under the same experimental conditions without any substantial variation in its activity. All results display that the catalyst system is highly competent in view of preparation, stability, selectivity, recovery, and reusability for CuAAC reactions exhibiting potential use in the other copper‐based organic reactions and polymerization processes.

     

Does ultrasonographic assessment of gastric antrum correlate with gastric residual volume in critically ill patients? A prospective observational study

Journal of Clinical Monitoring and Computing - This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between ultrasonographic gastric antral measurements and aspirated gastric residual volume (GRV) in...     

Neural stem cells – a versatile tool for cell replacement and gene therapy in the central nervous system

In recent years, it has become evident that the developing and even the adult mammalian central nervous system contains a population of undifferentiated, multipotent cell precursors, neural stem cells, the plastic properties of which might be of advantage for the design of more effective therapies for many neurological diseases. This article reviews the recent progress in establishing rodent and human clonal neural stem cell lines, their biological properties, and how these cells can be utilized to a correct variety of defects, with prospects for the near future to harness their behaviour for neural stem cell-based treatment of diseases in humans.     

Computational Design and In Vitro Characterization of an Integrated Maglev Pump-Oxygenator

For the need for respiratory support for patients with acute or chronic lung diseases to be addressed, a novel integrated maglev pump-oxygenator (IMPO) is being developed as a respiratory assist device. IMPO was conceptualized to combine a magnetically levitated pump/rotor with uniquely configured hollow fiber membranes to create an assembly-free, ultracompact system. IMPO is a self-contained blood pump and oxygenator assembly to enable rapid deployment for patients requiring respiratory support or circulatory support. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and computer-aided design were conducted to design and optimize the hemodynamics, gas transfer, and hemocompatibility performances of this novel device. In parallel, in vitro experiments including hydrodynamic, gas transfer, and hemolysis measurements were conducted to evaluate the performance of IMPO. Computational results from CFD analysis were compared with experimental data collected from in vitro evaluation of the IMPO. The CFD simulation demonstrated a well-behaved and streamlined flow field in the main components of this device. The results of hydrodynamic performance, oxygen transfer, and hemolysis predicted by computational simulation, along with the in vitro experimental data, indicate that this pump-lung device can provide the total respiratory need of an adult with lung failure, with a low hemolysis rate at the targeted operating condition. These detailed CFD designs and analyses can provide valuable guidance for further optimization of this IMPO for long-term use.     

Neonatal tetanus in Turkey; what has changed in the last decade?

Background  

Neonatal tetanus (NT) is still considered as one of the major causes of neonatal death in many developing countries. The aim of the present study was to assess the characteristics of sixty-seven infants with the diagnosis of neonatal tetanus followed-up in the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Ward of Dicle University Hospital, Diyarbakir, between 1991 and 2006, and to draw attention to factors that may contribute (or may have contributed) to the elimination of the disease in Diyarbakir.     

Reduced infectivity of Nematospiroides dubius larvae after incubation in vitro with neutrophils or eosinophils from infected mice and a lack of effect by neutrophils from normal mice

Summary Neutrophils and eosinophils, isolated from the blood of mice infected with Nematospiroides dubius , were tested for their capacity to damage exsheathed third stage N. dubius larvae in vitro. In the presence of fresh serum from infected mice, both types of granulocyte caused a significant reduction in larval infectivity (up to 40–50%) whereas lymphocytes/monocytes prepared from the same blood samples were inactive. Neutrophils were at least as active as eosinophils, on a cell for cell basis. None of the cells exhibited larvicidal activity in the absence of serum and serum alone had no effect. The reduction in larval infectivity caused by neutrophils in the presence of fresh normal mouse serum (NMS) was only marginally less than that obtained using immune mouse serum (IMS), suggesting that complement, which is activated by the larvae via the alternative pathway and mediates the adherence of both cell types, was able to promote the larvicidal effect of these cells in vitro. In contrast to neutrophils, eosinophils were considerably less effective in NMS than in IMS. Both NMS and IMS were ineffective if they had been heat-inactivated or incubated with methylamine at pH 8.0 to destroy complement activity. The immunoglobulin fraction of IMS was also ineffective in promoting neutrophil or eosinophil-mediated larval damage. These results indicate that in this in vitro system antibodies are incapable of directing the activity of either cell type in the absence of complement. A novel finding of this study was that neutrophils from uninfected mice were unable to reduce larval infectivity in the presence of fresh NMS or IMS. 'Altered' neutrophils possessing larvicidal activity appeared in the blood of mice within 4 days of infection with N. dubius.