Macular Hole Caused by Retained Subfoveal Perfluorocarbon that Subsequently Closed After Its Spontaneous Resolution: A Case Report

<p><b>Article full text</b></p> <p><br></p> <p>The full text of this article can be found here<b>.</b> <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40123-017-0107-5">https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40123-017-0107-5</a></p><p></p> <p><br></p> <p><b>Provide enhanced content for this article</b></p> <p><br></p> <p>If you are an author of this publication and would like to provide additional enhanced content for your article then please contact <a href="http://www.medengine.com/Redeem/”mailto:[email protected]”"><b>[email protected]</b></a>.</p> <p><br></p> <p>The journal offers a range of additional features designed to increase visibility and readership. All features will be thoroughly peer reviewed to ensure the content is of the highest scientific standard and all features are marked as ‘peer reviewed’ to ensure readers are aware that the content has been reviewed to the same level as the articles they are being presented alongside. Moreover, all sponsorship and disclosure information is included to provide complete transparency and adherence to good publication practices. This ensures that however the content is reached the reader has a full understanding of its origin. No fees are charged for hosting additional open access content.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Other enhanced features include, but are not limited to:</p> <p><br></p> <p>• Slide decks</p> <p>• Videos and animations</p> <p>• Audio abstracts</p> <p>• Audio slides</p

Effect of LL-37 on the LPS/ATP-induced inflammasome formation in J774 cells.

<p>J774 cells were primed with 10/ml LPS for 4 h, and then treated with 3 mM ATP for 90 min in the absence or presence of LL-37 (1 µg/ml). Cells were also incubated with LPS or ATP alone, or without LPS and ATP (Resting). Thereafter, the cells were stained with FAM-YVAD-fmk (a fluorescent labeled caspase-1 inhibitor) and Hoechst 33342 (A). Arrowheads indicate the inflammasomes containing the activated caspase-1. Furthermore, the percentage of inflammasome-containing cells with activated caspase-1 was determined by counting at least 200 Hoechst positive cells (B). Data shows the mean ± SD of 3-5 separate experiments. Values are compared in the LPS/ATP-treated cells between the absence and presence of LL-37. ***P<0.001. Images cells are representative of 3–5 separate experiments.</p

Effect of LL-37 on the LPS binding to J774 cells.

<p>J774 cells were suspended in DMEM containing 10% FBS, and incubated with 1 µg/ml FITC-LPS at 37°C for 15 min in the absence or presence of LL-37 (0.01, 0.1 or 1 µg/ml), anti-mouse CD14 monoclonal antibody (4C1, 10 µg/ml), anti-mouse TLR4 monoclonal antibody (MTS510, 40 µg/ml) or isotype control IgG (IgG2b and IgG2a). The binding of LPS was analyzed by flow cytometry, and the median fluorescence intensity was determined. The LPS binding was expressed as the percentage of that with FITC-LPS alone. Data shows the mean ± SD of 3 separate experiments. Values are compared between the absence and presence of LL-37, anti-CD14 monoclonal antibody or anti-TLR4 monoclonal antibody. **P<0.01, ***P<0.001.</p

Antimicrobial Cathelicidin Peptide LL-37 Inhibits the LPS/ATP-Induced Pyroptosis of Macrophages by Dual Mechanism

<div><p>Pyroptosis is a caspase-1 dependent cell death, associated with proinflammatory cytokine production, and is considered to play a crucial role in sepsis. Pyroptosis is induced by the two distinct stimuli, microbial PAMPs (pathogen associated molecular patterns) and endogenous DAMPs (damage associated molecular patterns). Importantly, cathelicidin-related AMPs (antimicrobial peptides) have a role in innate immune defense. Notably, human cathelicidin LL-37 exhibits the protective effect on the septic animal models. Thus, in this study, to elucidate the mechanism for the protective action of LL-37 on sepsis, we utilized LPS (lipopolysaccharide) and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) as a PAMP and a DAMP, respectively, and examined the effect of LL-37 on the LPS/ATP-induced pyroptosis of macrophage-like J774 cells. The data indicated that the stimulation of J774 cells with LPS and ATP induces the features of pyroptosis, including the expression of IL-1β mRNA and protein, activation of caspase-1, inflammasome formation and cell death. Moreover, LL-37 inhibits the LPS/ATP-induced IL-1β expression, caspase-1 activation, inflammasome formation, as well as cell death. Notably, LL-37 suppressed the LPS binding to target cells and ATP-induced/P2X₇-mediated caspase-1 activation. Together these observations suggest that LL-37 potently inhibits the LPS/ATP-induced pyroptosis by both neutralizing the action of LPS and inhibiting the response of P2X₇ to ATP. Thus, the present finding may provide a novel insight into the modulation of sepsis utilizing LL-37 with a dual action on the LPS binding and P2X₇ activation.</p></div

Effect of LL-37 on the ATP-induced caspase-1 activation in J774 cells.

<p>J774 cells were treated with 3-37 (0.01, 0.1 or 1 µg/ml), P2X₇ antagonists (1 µM KN-62 and 1 µM KN-93) or dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO, a solvent for KN-62 and KN-93, 0.1%). Cells were also incubated without ATP, LL-37 and P2X₇ antagonists (Resting). Thereafter, the caspase-1 activation was assayed by flow cytometry using FAM-YVAD-fmk (FLICA), and expressed as the percentage of FLICA positive cells. Data shows the mean ± SD of 3 separate experiments. Values are compared between the absence and presence of LL-37 or P2X₇ antagonists among ATP-treated cells. **P<0.01, ***P<0.001.</p

Effect of LPS and ATP treatment on the pyroptosis of J774 cells.

<p>Macrophage-like J774 cells were primed with 10 ng/ml LPS for 4 h, and then treated with 3 mM ATP for the indicated time periods in the absence or presence of 20 µM Ac-YVAD-CHO, a caspase-1 specific inhibitor. Cells were also incubated with LPS or ATP alone, or without LPS and ATP (Resting). Thereafter, the supernatants were recovered for the assays of IL-1β (A) and LDH (B). IL-1β 1evels were determined using a commercially available mouse IL-1β ELISA kit. LDH activities in the supernatants and 1% Triton X-100-lysed cells (as a total activity of 100%) were determined using a commercially available LDH assay kit. Data shows the mean ± SD of 3 separate experiments. Values are compared between the absence and presence of Ac-YVAD-CHO. **P<0.01, ***P< 0.001. (C) J774 cells were primed with 10 ng/ml LPS for 4 h and then treated with 3 mM ATP for 90 min. Thereafter, the cells were stained with FAM-YVAD-fmk (a fluorescent labeled caspase-1 inhibitor for inflammasome staining, green) and Hoechst 33342 (for nuclear staining, blue) and photographed with a fluorescence microscope system. Arrowheads indicate the inflammasomes containing the activated caspase-1. Images of cells are representative of 3 separate experiments.</p

Effect of LL-37 on the LPS/ATP-induced pyroptosis of J774 cells.

<p>J774 cells were primed with 10/ml LPS for 4 h, and then treated with 3 mM ATP for 90 min in the absence or presence of LL-37 (0.01, 0.1 or 1 µg/ml). Cells were also incubated with LPS or ATP alone, or without LPS and ATP. Thereafter, the supernatants were recovered for the assays of IL-1β (A) and LDH (C), and the cells were used for the assays of IL-1β mRNA expression (B) and caspase-1 activation (D). IL-1β mRNA expression were determined by RT-PCR and expressed as fold increase relative to resting cells incubated without LPS, ATP and LL-37; the caspase-1 activation was assayed by flow cytometry using FAM-YVAD-fmk (a fluorescent labeled inhibitor of caspase-1, FLICA) that irreversibly binds with activated caspase-1, and expressed as the percentage of FLICA positive cells. Data shows the mean ± SD of 3-5 separate experiments. Values are compared between the absence and presence of LL-37 among LPS/ATP-treated cells. *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001. Images of RT-PCR are representative of 3-5 separate experiments.</p

Organic Solar Cells with Controlled Nanostructures Based on Microphase Separation of Fullerene-Attached Thiophene-Selenophene Heteroblock Copolymers

Heteroblock copolymers consisting of poly­(3-hexylthiophene) and fullerene-attached poly­(3-alkylselenophene) (T-<i>b</i>-Se-PCBP) were synthesized for organic photovoltaic applications by quasi-living catalyst transfer polycondensation and subsequent conversion reactions. Characterization of the polymers confirmed the formation of well-defined diblock structures with high loading of the fullerene at the side chain (∼40 wt %). Heteroblock copolymer cast as a thin film showed a clear microphase-separated nanostructure approximately 30 nm in repeating unit after thermal annealing, which is identical to the microphase-separated nanostructure of diblock copolymer consisting of poly­(3-hexylthiophene) and fullerene-attached poly­(3-alkylthiophene) (T-<i>b</i>-T-PCBP). These heteroblock copolymers provide an ideal platform for investigating the effects of nanostructures and interfacial energetics on the performance of organic photovoltaic devices

Naphthodithiophene Diimide-Based Copolymers: Ambipolar Semiconductors in Field-Effect Transistors and Electron Acceptors with Near-Infrared Response in Polymer Blend Solar Cells

New π-conjugated copolymers based on naphtho­[2,3-<i>b</i>:6,7-<i>b</i>′]­dithiophene-4,5,9,10-diimide (NDTI) combined with thiophene, thienothiophene, or dithienothiophene units are synthesized and used in field-effect transistors (FETs) and organic solar cells (OSCs). The low-lying lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and high-lying highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) levels of the polymers contribute to reducing injection barriers for both electrons and holes, resulting in ambipolar operation of FET devices. The charge mobilities were strongly affected by the molecular orientation of the copolymers, and the highest electron mobility of 0.26 cm²/(V s) was observed for the copolymer with thienothiophene unit with edge-on orientation. On the other hand, OSCs with PTB7 as the electron donor polymer and the copolymers as the acceptor showed a broad photoresponse extending to the near-IR region, and the highest power conversion efficiency of over 3.5% was obtained for the copolymer with dithienothiophene unit that showed the favorable face-on orientation in the neat thin film, though the effect of the molecular orientations in OSCs was not as clear as in OFETs owing to the lower crystallinity of the mixed films