Anti-inflammatory effect of miR-125a-5p on experimental optic neuritis by promoting the differentiation of Treg cells.

Methylprednisolone pulse treatment is currently used for optic neuritis. It can speed visual recovery, but does not improve the ultimate visual outcomes. Recent studies have reported that miR-125a-5p has immunomodulatory effects on autoimmune diseases. However, it remains unclear whether miR-125a-5p has effects on optic neuritis. In this study, we used adeno-associated virus to overexpress or silence miR-125a-5p in mice. We found that silencing miR-125a-5p increased the latency of visual evoked potential and aggravated inflammation of the optic nerve. Overexpression of miR-125a-5p suppressed inflammation of the optic nerve, protected retinal ganglion cells, and increased the percentage of Treg cells. Our findings show that miR-125a-5p exhibits anti-inflammatory effects through promoting the differentiation of Treg cells.

Orbital myiasis: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Myiasis is a parasitic disease caused by fly larvae of the Diptera order that infest human and other vertebrate animal tissues. Orbital myiasis is a potentially destructive infestation of the orbital tissues, which may affect individuals with previous ocular diseases or disorders of consciousness. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 72-year-old man presented with a complaint of repeated pain for two years after trauma to his right eyelid and aggravated symptoms with larvae wriggling out for 2 days. An orbital computed tomography scan revealed right eyeball protrusion and periocular soft tissue edema. Two days later, magnetic resonance imaging showed that the shape of the right eyeball was changed and that the normal structure of the eyeball could not be identified. DIAGNOSES: Due to the patient's symptoms and imaging examination results, the diagnosis of orbital myiasis was made. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was treated by exenteration of the right orbit, and all necrotic tissues and larvae were removed. The defect was repaired via reconstruction with a pedicled musculocutaneous flap from the forehead region. Antibiotics and tetanus toxoid therapy were utilized to prevent potential bacterial infection. OUTCOMES: The patient recovered well postoperatively and was discharged uneventfully. During the 6-month follow-up period, the wound healed well. LESSONS: Advanced age and untreated eye trauma are risk factors for orbital myiasis. Timely removal of larvae and elimination of infections are important measures for protecting the eyeball.

Effect of orbital decompression on dysthyroid optic neuropathy: A retrospective case series.

In this study, we try to explore the effect of orbital decompression treatment on severe dysthyroid optic neuropathy.We retrospectively collected demographic and clinical characteristics of thyroid eye disease patients who performed orbital decompression. Then we analyzed the change of best-corrected visual acuity and exophthalmometry after surgery and the correlations among clinical parameters.A total of 22 cases (30 eyes) were included in the study. After orbital decompression, visual acuities improved in 16 eyes, declined in 8 eyes, and had no change in 5 eyes. Best-corrected visual acuity was significantly improved (0.1 vs 0.4, P = .039) and exophthalmometry was significantly declined (22.0 mm vs 16.5 mm, P = .001) after orbital decompression. Better postoperative best-corrected visual acuity was significantly correlated with better preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (r = 0.718, P < .05), and with normal optic disc (r = 0.568, P < .05), but not with age, exophthalmometry, keratopathy, and clinical activity score.These results showed that orbital decompression is a useful approach to manage dysthyroid optic neuropathy. The optimal time for surgery should be chosen based on clinical parameters, such as visual acuity and degree of crowding of orbital apex.

BSA-conjugated zinc oxide nanoparticles as luminescent probes for the determination of histidine.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles doped with bovine serum albumin were used to determine histidine in aqueous solutions using a fluorescence spectroscopic technique. The results showed that histidine effectively quenched the fluorescence of the modified ZnO nanoparticles, whereas other amino acids did not significantly affect the light emission, thereby allowing selective and sensitive histidine detection in amino acid mixtures. Under optimal conditions (pH 7.0, 25 °C, 10 min preincubation), the detection limit for histidine was ~ 9.87 × 10(-7) mol/L. The high value of the determined quenching rate constant Kq (3.30 × 10(13) L/mol/s) was consistent with a static quenching mechanism. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Development of determination of four analytes of Zhi-Shao-San decoction using LC-MS/MS and its application to comparative pharmacokinetics in normal and irritable bowel syndrome rat plasma.

Zhi-Shao-San (ZSS), a traditional Chinese medicinal prescription, has been clinically used for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for centuries. A comparative study was designed and conducted to compare the pharmacokinetic differences between paeoniflorin naringin, hesperidin and neohesperidin after oral administration of ZSS decoction to normal rats and IBS rats induced by acetic acid and restraint stress. Further, an efficient, sensitive and selective liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry for the simultaneous determination of four analytes of ZSS decoction in rat plasma was developed and validated. The validated method was successfully applied to comparison of pharmacokinetic profiles of analytes in rat plasma. The results showed that the absorptions of naringin, hesperidin and neohesperidin in IBS group were all significantly higher than those in normal group and no obvious difference was seen for paeoniflorin between the two groups, which is helpful for improving clinical therapeutic efficacy and further pharmacological studies of ZSS.