Bilateral herpetic keratitis presenting with unilateral neurotrophic keratitis in pemphigus foliaceus: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>We report a case of bilateral herpetic keratitis developing after rapid oral corticosteroid tapering in a patient with pemphigus foliaceus, which was followed by unilateral neurotrophic keratitis that was treated with amniotic membrane transplantation.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 71-year-old Korean man developed bilateral herpetic keratitis one week after rapid tapering of systemic corticosteroid. He had been on high-dose oral corticosteroid and azathioprine therapy for six months for treatment of pemphigus foliaceus. Topical acyclovir ointment was prescribed. A week later, our patient's right eye had healed, but his left eye showed increased stromal edema with enlarged epithelial defects. He was prescribed oral acyclovir with topical broad-spectrum antibiotics applied to his left eye. The stromal edema cleared within a week but the epithelial defect remained unchanged. An amniotic membrane transplantation was performed on our patient's left eye, and his epithelial defect had totally healed three weeks later.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Patients with autoimmune disease or who are on immunosuppressive therapy have a higher chance of developing bilateral herpetic keratitis. Although rare, the condition may be followed by unilateral neurotrophic keratitis. Rapid corticosteroid tapering may act as a triggering factor for viral infection or reactivation of herpes.</p

Incipient piezoelectrics and electrostriction behavior in Sn-doped Bi-1/2( Na0.82K0.18)(1/2) TiO3 lead-free ceramics

Dielectric, ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and strain properties of lead-free Sn-doped Bi-1/2(Na0.82K0.18)(1/2)TiO3 (BNKT) were investigated. A crossover from a nonergodic relaxor to an ergodic relaxor state at room temperature, accompanied by a giant electric-field-induced strain, was observed at 5 at. % Sn doping. Switching dynamics monitored during a bipolar poling cycle manifested that the observed giant strain originates from incipient piezoelectricity. When Sn doping level reached 8 at. %, BNKT exhibited an electrostrictive behavior with a highly temperature-insensitive electrostrictive coefficient of Q(11) = 0.023 m(4)open3

Separate muscle bundles of the flexor digitorum superficialis overlying the ulnar nerve

Background: The aim of this study was to elucidate the morphological charac­teristics of the muscle bundles of the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) attached to the intermuscular aponeurosis (IMA) and any related structure that could potentially compress the ulnar nerve. Materials and methods: Fifty embalmed limbs of 34 adult cadavers were studied. Results: The FDS arose as multiple separate bundles from the IMA of the lateral surface of the flexor carpi ulnaris in 76% of specimens. Below their origin, these separate bundles became attached continuously as a single mass to form the muscle belly. There were 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 arising FDS muscle bundles in 28%, 30%, 4%, 10% and 4% of specimens, respectively. The muscle bundles were attached either only superficially (24% of cases) or across the entire width (20% of cases) of the IMA. In 32% of the specimens, bundles arose from the IMA in a combined fashion, being attached to the IMA superficially, deep and across the entire structure. The muscle bundles that arose from the deep part or entire width of the IMA were in contact with the ulnar nerve in 52% of specimens. In 11 (22%) specimens, the deep borders of the lowest muscle bundles close to the ulnar nerve were composed of tendinous fibres that divided from the IMA of the lateral surface of the flexor carpi ulnaris. The distance from the medial epicondyle to the lowest point of the FDS arising from the IMA was 62.0 ± 19.7 mm. Conclusions: The thick tendinous deep border of the lowest muscle bundle of the FDS where it attaches to the IMA is a potential cause of ulnar nerve compression

Evidence of two-dimensional flat band at the surface of antiferromagnetic kagome metal FeSn

The kagome lattice has long been regarded as a theoretical framework that connects lattice geometry to unusual singularities in electronic structure. Transition metal kagome compounds have been recently identified as a promising material platform to investigate the long-sought electronic flat band. Here we report the signature of a two-dimensional flat band at the surface of antiferromagnetic kagome metal FeSn by means of planar tunneling spectroscopy. Employing a Schottky heterointerface of FeSn and an n-type semiconductor Nb-doped SrTiO3, we observe an anomalous enhancement in tunneling conductance within a finite energy range of FeSn. Our first-principles calculations show this is consistent with a spin-polarized flat band localized at the ferromagnetic kagome layer at the Schottky interface. The spectroscopic capability to characterize the electronic structure of a kagome compound at a thin film heterointerface will provide a unique opportunity to probe flat band induced phenomena in an energy-resolved fashion with simultaneous electrical tuning of its properties. Furthermore, the exotic surface state discussed herein is expected to manifest as peculiar spin-orbit torque signals in heterostructure-based spintronic devices

Intracisternal administration of NR2 subunit antagonists attenuates the nociceptive behavior and p-p38 MAPK expression produced by compression of the trigeminal nerve root

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We investigated the role of the central NMDA receptor NR2 subunits in the modulation of nociceptive behavior and p-p38 MAPK expression in a rat model with compression of the trigeminal nerve root. To address this possibility, changes in air-puff thresholds and pin-prick scores were determined following an intracisternal administration of NR2 subunit antagonists. We also examined effects of NR2 subunit antagonists on the p-p38 MAPK expression.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Experiments were carried out using male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing (200-230 g). Compression of the trigeminal nerve root was performed under pentobarbital sodium (40 mg/kg) anesthesia. Compression of the trigeminal nerve root produced distinct nociceptive behavior such as mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia. Intracisternal administration of 10 or 20 μg of D-AP5 significantly increased the air-puff threshold and decreased the pin-prick scores in a dose-dependent manner. The intracisternal administration of PPPA (1, 10 μg), or PPDA (5, 10 μg) increased the air-puff threshold and decreased the pin-prick scores ipsilateral as well as contralateral to the compression of the trigeminal root. Compression of the trigeminal nerve root upregulated the expression of p-p38 MAPK in the ipsilateral medullary dorsal horn which was diminished by D-AP5, PPPA, PPDA, but not Ro25-6981.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings suggest that central NMDA receptor NR2 subunits play an important role in the central processing of trigeminal neuralgia-like nociception in rats with compression of the trigeminal nerve root. Our data further indicate that the targeted blockade of NR2 subunits is a potentially important new treatments strategy for trigeminal neuralgia-like nociception.</p

Site-selective nuclear magnetic relaxation time in a superconducting vortex state

The temperature and field dependences of the site-selective nuclear spin relaxation time T_1 around vortices are studied comparatively both for s-wave and d-wave superconductors, based on the microscopic Bogoliubov-de Gennes theory. Reflecting low energy electronic excitations associated with the vortex core, the site selective temperature dependences deviate from those of the zero-field case, and T_1 becomes faster with approaching the vortex core. In the core region, T_1^{-1} has a new peak below the superconducting transition temperature T_c. The field dependence of the overall T_1(T) behaviors for s-wave and d-wave superconductors is investigated and analyzed in terms of the local density of states. The NMR study by the resonance field dependence may be a new method to probe the spatial resolved vortex core structure in various conventional and unconventional superconductors.Comment: 14Pages, 26 figures, revte