Risk factors for the development of macular edema in children with uveitis

AimTo determine the risk factors for macular edema (ME) in children with uveitis.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted of 150 pediatric patients (264 eyes) with uveitis attending 2 tertiary medical centers. Data were collected from the medical files on demographics, type of uveitis, etiology, clinical findings, treatment, and time to development of ME. Risk factors for the development of ME were identified.ResultsME developed in 63 eyes (23.9%) over a mean period of 15.3 ± 2.95 months from diagnosis of uveitis, at a rate of 0.08 eyes per eye-year. On univariate analysis, risk factors for the development of ME were the non-anterior location of the inflammation (p=0.002), band keratopathy (p <0.0001), posterior synechiae (p=0.003), cataract (p=0.002), and vision impairment at presentation (p <0.0001). On multivariate analysis, non-anterior uveitis, which includes intermediate, pan, and posterior-uveitis, and vision impairment retained significance as independent risk factors of ME.ConclusionWithin the pediatric population with uveitis, non-anterior location is associated with the highest risk of ME, followed by the presence of complications, such as band keratopathy and posterior synechiae. These findings indicate a need for close follow-up in children with uveitis for early detection of ME

Multimodal Imaging in an Unusual Cluster of Multiple Evanescent White Dot Syndrome

Objective. To describe an unusual cluster of multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) encountered within a 3-month period. Methods. This retrospective observation study is comprised of seven patients who presented with MEWDS in a 3-month period in central Israel. Data were collected from patients’ medical records on clinical, multimodal imaging, and viral serology findings. Results. Six women and one man of mean age 31.5 ± 7.2 years. Three reported a precedent viral infection. All had unilateral decreased vision. Funduscopy revealed foveal granularity. Main Imaging Findings. Hyperfluorescent spots on blue autofluorescence (BAF), hypofluorescent spots on indocyanine green angiography, dark lesions on infrared photos, and ellipsoid zone irregularities on spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Resolution of the spots on BAF correlated with anatomic (SD-OCT) and visual recovery. OCT angiography performed following the convalescence stage demonstrated intact retinal and choroidal flow. Serologic findings were inconclusive. Conclusion. We report a unique cluster of MEWDS patients presented in a short period of time. SD-OCT findings of ellipsoid zone disruption in combination with other multimodal imaging modalities are outlined meticulously. Recognizing these imaging features along with high index of clinical suspicion is important for the diagnosis of MEWDS. Serologic testing might be considered in future patients

Biomass allocation to resource acquisition compartments is affected by tree density manipulation in European Beech after three decades

This study reports on an investigation of fine root and foliage productivity in forest stands dominated by European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and exposed to contrasting intensities of mature forest harvesting. The main aim of this study was to consider the long-term effects of canopy manipulation on resource acquisition biomass compartments in beech. We made use of an experiment established in 1989, when five different light availability treatments were started in plots within a uniform forest stand, ranging from no reduction in tree density to full mature forest removal. We measured fine root standing stock in the 0–30 cm soil layer by coring in 2013 and then followed annual fine root production (in-growth cores) and foliage production (litter baskets) in 2013–2015. We found that the plot where the tree density was reduced by 30% had the lowest foliage and the highest fine root production. In 2013, this plot had the highest fine root turnover rate (0.8 year−1), while this indicator of fine root dynamics was much lower in the other four treatments (around 0.3 year−1). We also found that the annual fine root production represented around two thirds of annual foliage growth on the mass basis in all treatments. While our findings support the maintenance of source and sink balance in woody plants, we also found a long-lasting effect of tree density manipulation on investment into resource acquisition compartments in beech forests

Smoking patterns and chronic kidney disease in US Hispanics: Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

Intermittent smoking is prevalent among Hispanics, but little is known about whether this smoking pattern associates with increased chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk in this population. The objective of the present study is to identify patterns of exposure associated with CKD in US Hispanics

HELL: High-energy electrons by laser light, a user-oriented experimental platform at ELI beamlines

Laser wake field acceleration (LWFA) is an efficient method to accelerate electron beams to high energy. This is a benefit in research infrastructures where a multidisciplinary environment can benefit from the different secondary sources enabled, having the opportunity to extend the range of applications that is accessible and to develop new ideas for fundamental studies. The ELI Beamline project is oriented to deliver such beams to the scientific community both for applied and fundamental research. The driver laser is a Ti:Sa diode-pumped system , running at a maximum performance of 10 Hz, 30 J, and 30 fs. The possibilities to setup experiments using different focal lengths parabolas, as well as the possibility to counter-propagate a second laser beam intrinsically synchronized, are considered in the electron acceleration program. Here, we review the laser-driven electron acceleration experimental platform under implementation at ELI Beamlines, the HELL (High-energy Electrons by Laser Light) experimental platform

Evolutionary changes in the Leishmania eIF4F complex involve variations in the eIF4E–eIF4G interactions

Translation initiation in eukaryotes is mediated by assembly of the eIF4F complex over the m7GTP cap structure at the 5′-end of mRNAs. This requires an interaction between eIF4E and eIF4G, two eIF4F subunits. The Leishmania orthologs of eIF4E are structurally diverged from their higher eukaryote counterparts, since they have evolved to bind the unique trypanosomatid cap-4 structure. Here, we characterize a key eIF4G candidate from Leishmania parasites (LeishIF4G-3) that contains a conserved MIF4G domain. LeishIF4G-3 was found to coelute with the parasite eIF4F subunits from an m7GTP-Sepharose column and to bind directly to LeishIF4E. In higher eukaryotes the eIF4E-eIF4G interaction is based on a conserved peptide signature [Y(X4)Lϕ], where X is any amino acid and Φ is a hydrophobic residue. A parallel eIF4E-binding peptide was identified in LeishIF4G-3 (20-YPGFSLDE-27). However, the binding motif varies extensively: in addition to Y20 and L25, binding strictly requires the presence of F23, whereas the hydrophobic amino acid (Φ) is dispensable. The LeishIF4E–LeishIF4G-3 interaction was also confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies. In view of these diversities, the characterization of the parasite eIF4E–eIF4G interaction may not only serve as a novel target for inhibiting Leishmaniasis but also provide important insight for future drug discovery

A novel 4E-interacting protein in Leishmania is involved in stage-specific translation pathways

In eukaryotes, exposure to stress conditions causes a shift from cap-dependent to cap-independent translation. In trypanosomatids, environmental switches are the driving force of a developmental program of gene expression, but it is yet unclear how their translation machinery copes with their constantly changing environment. Trypanosomatids have a unique cap structure (cap-4) and encode four highly diverged paralogs of the cap-binding protein, eIF4E; none were found to genetically complement a yeast mutant failing to express eIF4E. Here we show that in promastigotes, a typical cap-binding complex is anchored through LeishIF4E-4, which associates with components of the cap-binding pre-initiation complex. In axenic amastigotes, expression of LeishIF4E-4 decreases and the protein does not bind the cap, whereas LeishIF4E-1 maintains its expression level and associates with the cap structure and with translation initiation factors. However, LeishIF4E-1 does not interact with eIF4G-like proteins in both life stages, excluding its involvement in cap-dependent translation. Using pull-down assays and mass-spectrometry, we identified a novel, non-conserved 4E-Interacting Protein (Leish4E-IP), which binds to LeishIF4E-1 in promastigotes, but not in amastigotes. Yeast two-hybrid and NMR spectroscopy confirmed the specificity of this interaction. We propose that Leish4E-IP is a translation regulator that is involved in switching between cap-dependent and alternative translation pathways