The effect of eradicating Helicobacter pylori on idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy patients

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication on the remission of acute idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy (ICSCR). STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study of 53 participants. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Twenty-seven acute ICSCR patients tested positive for H. pylori were given an eradication H. pylori therapy, and another 26 patients with the same diagnosis received matching placebo medication. All participants were tested for the following items: (1) disappearance rate of subretinal fluid (SRF); (2) best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA); and (3) central retinal sensitivity at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks after treatment. The difference between the two groups was analyzed by PASW statistics version 18.0. RESULTS: At each follow-up, the disappearance rate of SRF in the active treatment group seemed slightly better than in the control group, but no statistically significant differences were observed (P > 0.05 at each follow-up). The BCVA between the two groups also did not demonstrate statistically significant differences (P > 0.05 at each follow-up). Unlike the BCVA and the disappearance rate of SRF, we compared the change in central retinal sensitivity at 12 weeks after treatment; a statistical difference was observed (P = 0.042). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that H. pylori eradication does not improve BCVA and the disappearance rate of SRF, but it could improve the central retinal sensitivity in acute ICSCR patients. We recommend that chronic ICSCR patients and more sensitive methods for H. pylori diagnosis should be involved in evaluating the effect of H. pylori eradication

Ubenimex combined with Albendazole for the treatment of Echinococcus multilocularis-induced alveolar echinococcosis in mice

IntroductionAlveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a parasitic disease caused by E. multilocularis metacestodes and it is highly prevalent in the northern hemisphere. We have previously found that vaccination with E. multilocularis-Leucine aminopeptidase (EM-LAP) could inhibit the growth and invasion of E. multilocularis in host liver, and Ubenimex, a broad-spectrum inhibitor of LAP, could also inhibit E. multilocularis invasion but had a limited effect on the growth and development of E. multilocularis.MethodsIn this study, the therapeutic effect of Ubenimex combined with Albendazole on AE was evaluated. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with protoscoleces and imaging examination was performed at week 8 and week 16 to detect cyst change. During this period, mice were intraperitoneally injected with Ubenimex and intragastrically administered with Albendazole suspension. At last, the therapeutic effect was evaluated by morphological and pathological examination and liver function.ResultsThe results revealed that the combined treatment could inhibit the growth and infiltration of cysts in BALB/c mice infected with E. multilocularis protoscoleces. The weight, number, invasion and fibrosis of cysts were reduced in mice treated with Ubenimex in combination with Albendazole. The same effect was achieved by the single Ubenimex treatment because of its inhibitory effect on LAP activity, but it was less effective in inhibiting the growth of cysts. The levels of ALT, AST, TBIL, DBIL, ALP, and γ-GT were reduced after the combined treatment, indicating that treatment with both Ubenimex and Albendazole could alleviate liver damage.DiscussionThis study suggests that the combined treatment with Ubenimex and Albendazole could be a potential therapeutic strategy for E. multilocularis infections

Enantioselective Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage Induced by Rac- and S-metolachlor on the Earthworm Eisenia fetida

Metolachlor is a widely used chiral herbicide. However, information on its enantioselective toxicity to earthworms, an important soil organism, remains limited. Herein, the effects of Rac- and S-metolachlor on oxidative stress and DNA damage in Eisenia fetida were investigated and compared. Moreover, the degradation of both herbicides in the soil was also determined. The results showed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) in E. fetida were more easily induced by Rac-metolachlor than S-metolachlor at a higher concentration (above 16 µg/g). Similarly, the effects of Rac-metolachlor on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and DNA damage in E. fetida were more significant than those of S-metolachlor at the same exposure concentration and time. Rac- and S-metolachlor did not result in severe lipid peroxidation. The toxic effects of both herbicides on E. fetida gradually decreased after 7 days as the exposure was prolonged. At the same concentration, S-metolachlor degrades faster than Rac-metolachlor. These results suggest that Rac-metolachlor has a greater effect on E. fetida than S-metolachlor, providing a significant reference for the rational use of metolachlor.</jats:p

Papaverine inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced microglial activation by suppressing NF-&amp;kappa;B signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of papaverine (PAP) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced microglial activation and its possible mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BV2 microglial cells were first pretreated with PAP (0, 0.4, 2, 10, and 50 μg/mL) and then received LPS stimulation. Transcription and production of proinflammatory factors (IL1β, TNFα, iNOS, and COX-2) were used to evaluate microglial activation. The transcriptional changes undergone by M1/M2a/M2b markers were used to evaluate phenotype transformation of BV2 cells. Immunofluorescent staining and Western blot were used to detect the location and expression of P65 and p-IKK in the presence or absence of PAP pretreatment. RESULTS: Pretreatment with PAP significantly inhibited the expression of IL1β and TNFα, and suppressed the transcription of M1/M2b markers Il1rn, Socs3, Nos2 and Ptgs2, but upregulated the transcription of M2a markers (Arg1 and Mrc1) in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, PAP pretreatment significantly decreased the expression of p-IKK and inhibited the nuclear translocation of P65 after LPS stimulation. CONCLUSION: PAP not only suppressed the LPS-induced microglial activity by inhibiting transcription/production of proinflammatory factors, but also promoted the transformation of activated BV2 cells from cytotoxic phenotypes (M1/M2b) to a neuroprotective phenotype (M2a). These effects were probably mediated by NF-κB signaling pathway. Thus, it would be a promising candidate for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

Forward kinematic analysis of a 3-RRRS mechanism with subordinate driving variables using a computer-aided geometric method

The 3-RRRS mechanism (RRRS refers to kinematic pairs of a branched chain consisting of three R pairs (Rotational pairs) and one S pair (Spherical pair), successively) is used between a moving platform and a static platform, through which six-dimensional motion of the moving platform relative to the static platform can be achieved. Selecting six independently drivable joints from nine active joints makes it problematic to deal analytically with the kinematics of the 3-RRRS mechanism. In this article, a novel computer-aided geometric method for kinematic analysis is developed. This method can automatically detect the independently drivable joints for arbitrary kinematic chains. This method can be easily implemented compared to the analytical method of the forward kinematics. Based on the constraint relationship of the 3-RRRS mechanism, a general 3-RRRS mechanism digital model is built in the SolidWorks Application Program Interface embedded Visual Basic environment, in which the platform sizes and active driving angles are driven by the parameterized model, to make the moving platform move to the corresponding pose. After the pose of the moving platform is confirmed, the coordinate system is built in a preliminary sketch. The parameters are measured by the SolidWorks measuring functions, and the pose of the moving platform is obtained by combining homogeneous matrices. Using the computer-aided geometric method, the detailed kinematics formula is not required. The accuracy and efficiency of the computer-aided geometric method were assessed with some examples of kinematic analysis for the 3-RRRS mechanism. The results showed that the proposed method obtained competitive precision and calculation time to the analytical method and is beneficial as a convenient solving process. By using Visual Basic programming, a reachable poses analysis of the mechanism can be merged into the kinematics analysis system of the computer-aided geometric method. The computer-aided geometric method could be widely applied to kinematics analysis of mechanisms. </jats:p

Evolution Characteristics and Failure Mechanisms of Retrogressive Loess Landslides: A Case Study from the South Jingyang Platform, China

The South Jingyang Platform, China, is well-known for its continuous irrigation-induced loess landslides. Many scholars have discussed the loess landslides in this area, as the frequent occurrence of these landslides has led to a gradual reduction in the size of the platform. On the basis of these studies, this paper provides an updated summary of the distribution, evolution characteristics, and future trends of these landslides over the past 20 years. It was found that from 2003 to 2023, a total of 76 landslides occurred, mainly concentrated in three areas. In addition to forming retrogressive landslide groups, the large amount of landslide deposits at the substrate also transforms into loess mudflows, causing a disaster chain. The rapid rise of the groundwater level is the main key factor causing these flowslides, and the widely distributed joints, cracks, and caves in the slopes serve as preferential flow channels, actively contributing to the accelerated rise of the groundwater level. This further decreases the stability of the slopes and is also a significant factor promoting the occurrence of landslides. The occurrence of falls and slides is mainly due to the loosening of the slope caused by previous flowslides, which affects the soil structure and triggers the migration of the soil’s critical state. This explains why flowslides occur in the deep saturated zone, while slides and falls often occur in the shallow unsaturated zone in the study area. Since 2015, flowslides have decreased due to changes in irrigation practices and stabilized groundwater levels, confirming the close relationship between flowslide occurrence and groundwater level fluctuations

Benefits of Puerarin on Metabolic Syndrome and Its Associated Cardiovascular Diseases in Rats Fed a High-Fat/High-Sucrose Diet

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) that has become a global public health problem. Puerarin (PUE), the principal active compound of Pueraria lobata, has the effects of regulating glucose and lipid metabolism and protecting against cardiovascular damage. This study aimed to investigate whether dietary supplementation with PUE could ameliorate MetS and its associated cardiovascular damage. Rats were randomly divided into three groups: the normal diet group (NC), the high-fat/high-sucrose diet group (HFHS), and the HFHS plus PUE diet group (HFHS-PUE). The results showed that PUE-supplemented rats exhibited enhanced glucose tolerance, improved lipid parameters, and reduced blood pressure compared to those on the HFHS diet alone. Additionally, PUE reversed the HFHS-induced elevations in the atherogenic index (AI) and the activities of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK). Ultrasonic evaluations indicated that PUE significantly ameliorated cardiac dysfunction and arterial stiffness. Histopathological assessments further confirmed that PUE significantly mitigated cardiac remodeling, arterial remodeling, and neuronal damage in the brain. Moreover, PUE lowered systemic inflammatory indices including C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with PUE effectively moderated metabolic disorders, attenuated systemic inflammation, and minimized cardiovascular damage in rats with MetS induced by an HFHS diet. These results provide novel insights into the potential benefits of dietary PUE supplementation for the prevention and management of MetS and its related CVDs