Reply to: Ultrafast evolution and transient phases of a prototype out-of-equilibrium Mott-Hubbard material

International audienceReplying to D. Moreno-Mencía et al. Nature Communicationshttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-11743-3 (2019)

Lack of association between the C677T single nucleotide polymorphism of the MTHFR gene and glaucoma in Iranian patients

Glaucoma is a major cause of blindness worldwide. A single nucleotide polymorphism of the MTHFR gene (C677T) has been associated with susceptibility to this disease, although this is controversial in the last decade. In this study, the possible association between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and the risk of developing primary open angle (POAG) and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PEXG) was investigated. For this, a prospective study consisting of 73 POAG, 85 PEXG and 90 matched controls was undertaken in an Iranian population. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood. Genotyping of all individuals for the MTHFR C677T polymorphism was conducted using the PCR-RFLP technique. Our findings revealed no significant association between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism in POAG and PEXG compared with controls. Consistent with several other studies, our analysis suggests that the MTHFR C677T polymorphism is unlikely to be a factor contributing to the risk of developing specific forms of glaucoma

A comparative study between the efficacy of systemic meglumine antimoniate therapy with standard or low dose plus oral omiprazole in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Background & objectives: Pentavalent antimony compounds are the first line of drugs in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. However, because of their potential toxic effects, many investigations are performed to find an effective and safe treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis patients. Our objective in this investigation was to compare the effect of oral omeprazole and low dose systemic meglumine antimoniate (MA) and standard dose of systemic MA in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Methods: This was a randomized double-blinded clinical trial. In 150 patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis who were randomly divided into three groups and were treated with: (i) MA 60 mg/kg/day/IM and oral placebo for three weeks; (ii) MA 30 mg/kg/day/IM and oral omeprazole 40 mg/day for three weeks; and (iii) MA 30 mg/kg/day/IM and oral placebo for three weeks. All the patients were visited every two weeks from the beginning of the trial up to six weeks and then at 8 and 12 weeks. The effectiveness of the treatment was classified in three levels as complete response, partial response and no response. Data were analyzed by SPSS 10 using KI square, Mann-Whitney, Kaplan-Mayer and ANOVA tests.Results: Rate of complete response for three months (12 weeks) after starting the treatments was 93% for the group treated with standard dose of glucantime and placebo, 89% for the group treated with omeprazole and low dose glucantime and 80% for the group treated with low dose glucantime and placebo and these differences were significant (p<0.05). The highest response rate was for the group treated with standard dose of glucantime and placebo.Interpretation & conclusion: Although oral omeprazole and low dose of systemic MA showed less efficacy in comparison to standard dose of systemic MA in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis, it still can be considered as a replacement therapy in high risk patients (such as patients with heart, kidney and/or liver disease) under close supervision of physician

Topical antiglaucoma medications and lacrimal drainage system obstruction

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of topical antiglaucoma medications on the lacrimal drainage system. METHODS: In a prospective controlled blind observational case series, 627 eyes of 384 patients (219 males, 165 females) were screened. Data recording (demographics and history taking), allocation in case (on topical antiglaucoma medications) and control (no glaucoma) groups, and examinations (eye examination and dye disappearance test) were performed by a senior ophthalmology resident. Exclusion criteria were epiphora prior to onset of treatment with topical antiglaucoma medication (only for case group), history of long-term use of topical medications (other than antiglaucoma medications in the case group), and previous ocular and periocular disorders. Diagnostic probing and irrigation of the lacrimal drainage system were performed by an oculoplastic surgeon masked to a patient's status as case or control. RESULTS: After exclusion, there were 130 eyes from 98 patients and 280 eyes from 178 patients in the case and control groups, respectively. Case and control groups were matched. There was significantly more lacrimal drainage system obstruction in the case group (26 of 130, 20) than in the control group (24 of 280, 8.57) (p = 0.002). Upper lacrimal drainage system obstruction was significantly more in the case group (p = 0.018). Increasing age was associated with significantly more obstruction in the control group only (p = 0.029). Statistically significant obstruction was found in the patients taking timolol + dorzolamide (p = 0.021) and timolol + dorzolamide + pilocarpine (p = 0.017) with a duration of 2 weeks to 156 months. CONCLUSION: Patients taking a combination of topical antiglaucoma medications showed significantly increased risk of developing lacrimal drainage system obstruction. Both total and upper obstruction was significantly more frequent in patients on topical antiglaucoma medications. ©2008 The American Society of Opthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Inc

Evaluation of Correlation between Severity of Dry Eye Syndrome and Retinopathy in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

ABSTRACT: Introduction & Objective: Diabetes is one of the most common systemic diseases. Dry eye syndrome is one of the eye involvements in diabetic patient. Evaluation of correlation between dry eye syndrome and diabetic retinopathy in patients with insipidus diabetes was the aim of this study. Materials & Methods: In this study two hundreds eyes from 100 diabetic patients (non-insulin dependent) were selected and evaluated for dry eye syndrome. The patients then were divided into four groups: group 1: patients without diabetic retinopathy group 2: patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy group 3: patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy group 4: patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy undergone PRPAll. The patients were examined for Schirmer test, BUT, painting cornea with flourecein and then allocated in different group based on the severity of dry eye. Collected data were analyzed by X2 and Kendle-taue tests using SPSS software. Results: Prevalence of dry eye syndrome in patients in group 1 was 48% and in patients in group2, 3 and 4 was 52%, 60% and 80% respectively. Conclusion: Dry eye syndrome is a complication of diabetes mellitus and its severity correlates with severity of diabetic retinopathy

Ultrafast photoinduced conductivity reduction by bonding orbital control in an incommensurate crystal

In this paper, we demonstrate the ultrafast reduction of conductivity in an incommensurate crystal structure within hundreds of femtoseconds. This phenomenon stands in stark contrast to most prior experimental investigations where incident light pulses led to increased conductivity. We achieve this by selectively targeting a specific atomic bond using near-infrared light pulses. Our investigation focuses on misfit layered chalcogenide (LaS)1.196VS2, known as LaVS3, a semimetal with incommensurability along one crystallographic direction. Our time-resolved electron dynamics investigation reveals that the conductivity decreases as photoexcited electrons are promoted into localized energy states within vanadium clusters due to the incommensurate structure. These findings offer insights into the potential for controlling electronic properties at femtosecond time scales, with implications for the development of ultrafast electronic devices

Dynamics of out-of-equilibrium electron and hole pockets in the type-II Weyl semimetal candidate WTe

Physical Review B. Volume 97, Issue 11, 8 March 2018, Article number 115115.© 2018 American Physical Society. We present a time- and angle-resolved photoemission study of the transition-metal dichalcogenide WTe2, a candidate type-II Weyl semimetal exhibiting extremely large magnetoresistence. Using femtosecond light pulses, we characterize the unoccupied states of the electron pockets above the Fermi level. Following the ultrafast carrier relaxation in distinct parts of the Brillouin zone, we report remarkably similar decay dynamics for electrons and holes. Our results confirm that charge compensation between electron and hole pockets - a key effect to explain the nonsaturating magnetoresistance of this material - is a distinctive feature of WTe2 even in an out-of-equilibrium regime