Bowerssalazar6979

Intra-articular α-defensin-1 decreased severity of cartilage damage and synovitis in the MLI rat model. RNAseq analyses suggested insulin and Toll-like receptor signaling pathways in the chondroprotective α-defensin-1 mechanism of action.

α-defensin-1 promotes M1 to M2 macrophage polarization in vitro, has beneficial effects on chondrocytes indirectly via M2 macrophage polarization, and attenuates the severity of OA in vivo, suggesting it might be a candidate treatment for OA.

α-defensin-1 promotes M1 to M2 macrophage polarization in vitro, has beneficial effects on chondrocytes indirectly via M2 macrophage polarization, and attenuates the severity of OA in vivo, suggesting it might be a candidate treatment for OA.

To report the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for management of retinal hemangioblastoma.

Retrospective case series.

Seventeen patients with retinal hemangioblastoma treated with PDT.

The medical records of 17 patients with retinal hemangioblastoma treated with PDT were reviewed, and treatment outcomes were assessed. Photodynamic therapy was performed with 6 mg/m

body surface area of verteporfin infused intravenously over 10 minutes activated by 50 J/cm

laser light at 689 nm for 83 or 166 seconds.

Tumor control, subretinal and intraretinal fluid resolution, and visual outcome.

Eighteen retinal hemangioblastomas in 17 eyes were treated with PDT. Median patient age was 31 years (mean, 36 years; range, 7-66 years), and median follow-up was 51 months (mean, 61 months; range, 2-144 months). Genetic testing confirmed von Hippel-Lindau disease in 8 of 17 patients (47%). The tumors were unilateral in all patients and unifocal in most patients (n= 13/17 [76%]). The tumor median basal diameter waPatients should be monitored for PDT-related transient exudative response.

Photodynamic therapy is an effective treatment for both juxtapapillary and peripheral retinal hemangioblastomas, providing satisfactory rates of tumor control and visual stabilization and improvement. Patients should be monitored for PDT-related transient exudative response.

To describe ocular outcomes in eyes with cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis treated with adoptive immunotherapy using systemic administration of CMV-specific cytotoxic Tlymphocytes (CMV-specific CTLs).

Retrospective cohort study.

Patients with active CMV retinitis evaluated at a tertiary care academic center.

Treatment of CMV retinitis with standard-of-care therapy (systemic or intravitreal antivirals) or CMV-specific CTLs (with or without concurrent standard-of-care therapies).

The electronic medical record was reviewed to determine baseline characteristics, treatment course, and ocular outcomes, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), treatments administered (CMV-specific CTLs, systemic antivirals, intravitreal antivirals), resolution of CMV retinitis, any occurrence of immune recovery uveitis, cystoid macular edema, retinal detachment, or a combination thereof.

Seven patients (3 of whom had bilateral disease [n= 10 eyes]) were treated with CMV-specific CTLs, whereas 20 patients (6 of whom h. These outcomes compared favorably with a nonrandomized cohort of eyes treated with standard-of-care therapy alone, despite potentially worse baseline characteristics.

CMV-specific CTL therapy may represent a novel monotherapy or adjunctive therapy, or both, for CMV retinitis, especially in eyes that are resistant, refractory, or intolerant of standard-of-care antiviral therapies. More generally, adoptive cell transfer and adoptive immunotherapy may have a role in refractory CMV retinitis. Larger prospective, randomized trials are necessary.

CMV-specific CTL therapy may represent a novel monotherapy or adjunctive therapy, or both, for CMV retinitis, especially in eyes that are resistant, refractory, or intolerant of standard-of-care antiviral therapies. More generally, adoptive cell transfer and adoptive immunotherapy may have a role in refractory CMV retinitis. Larger prospective, randomized trials are necessary.

The most recent pandemic caused by the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) urged dramatic changes in people's lives. Potentially, the COVID-19 pandemic affects physical and mental health as well as behavioral and social aspects. However, the direct impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on health-related parameters are not yet known. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of 16weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic on health-related parameters of physically inactive women aged 50 to 70years.

Thirty-four physically inactive women participated in the study. We performed tests to evaluate aerobic capacity and muscle strength, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure (BP), blood parameters, diet, and physical activity levels. All evaluations were carried out before and 16weeks after the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil (i.e., from March to July 2020).

Systolic BP (p<.0001; effect size (ES)=0.62), diastolic BP (p<.0001; ES=0.71), grip strength of the right (p<.05; ES=0.43) and left hand (p<.05; ES=0.49), performance in six-minute walk test (p<.05; ES=0.46), free time physical activity levels (p<.05; ES=0.40), domestic physical activity levels (p<.05; ES=0.39), platelet count (p<.0001; ES=0.48), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (p<.0001; ES=1.14) reduced in comparison to the period before the pandemic. In contrast, glycated hemoglobin levels (p<.0001; ES=0.77), triglycerides (p<.05; ES=0.40), and insulin levels (p<.05; ES=0.60) increased in comparison to the period before the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the general health status of physically inactive women aged 50 to 70, potentially increasing their susceptibility to comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia.

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the general health status of physically inactive women aged 50 to 70, potentially increasing their susceptibility to comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia.

To investigate the prognostic significance of hospitalization-associated muscle weakness for short-term and long-term functional declines among oldest old hospitalized patients.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study in the Geriatric Evaluation and Management Unit (GEMU) of a tertiary medical center in Taiwan. Data from patients admitted to the GEMU were collected, including demographic characteristics, underlying diseases, functional assessments, and nutritional status. Handgrip strength was measured at admission and before discharge, and hospitalization-associated muscle weakness was defined accordingly. Functional status was ascertained by a telephone survey, and functional decline was defined based on a comparison with each patient's functional status before discharge.

Overall, data from 555 patients were retrieved, and 431 patients (mean age 86.0±6.2years, 78.5% males) were included in the study, with a mean Barthel Index score of 74.7±20.8, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 19.1±6.8.045) were independently associated with a 6-month postdischarge functional decline.

Hospitalization-associated muscle weakness significantly predicts functional decline among oldest old patients hospitalized for acute conditions. Further interventional studies are needed to examine the causal relationship between hospitalization-associated muscle weakness and clinical outcomes.

Hospitalization-associated muscle weakness significantly predicts functional decline among oldest old patients hospitalized for acute conditions. Further interventional studies are needed to examine the causal relationship between hospitalization-associated muscle weakness and clinical outcomes.

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine associations between excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) with falls and falls related conditions in older adults.

To assess EDS, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale was used, with a score of ≥11/24 points indicating EDS. Number of falls and fall history (at least one) in the last year were recorded. Timed Up and Go test (TUG) was used to assess fall risk. Sarcopenia was defined by SARC-F tool. A grip strength score of the dominant hand, measured with a hand-grip dynamometer, less than 16kg in females and 27kg in males was accepted as dynapenia. Frailty status was defined by five dimensions including shrinking, exhaustion, low levels of activity, weakness, and slowness with those scoring positive on ≥3 dimensions being categorized as frail. The relationship between EDS with outcomes including fall, number of falls, falls risk, dynapenia, sarcopenia and frailty was investigated.

Of the 575 outpatients (mean age 78.7±7.5years, female70.4%), the prevalence of EDS was 19.8%. In the multivariable model adjusted for age, sex, living status, marital status, polypharmacy, osteoarthritis, Parkinson disease, depression and dementia; EDS was significantly associated with the number of falls last year (IRR=1.94, 95% CI 1.42-2.65) and sarcopenia (OR=2.41, 95% CI 1.41-4.12). EDS was not significantly associated with TUG based fall risk, frailty and dynapenia.

EDS was observed in approximately one in every five older adults. EDS should be evaluated as part of geriatric assessment. Moreover, older patients with EDS should be further assessed for falls and sarcopenia.

EDS was observed in approximately one in every five older adults. EDS should be evaluated as part of geriatric assessment. Moreover, older patients with EDS should be further assessed for falls and sarcopenia.A microsporidian pathogen was originally identified using molecular techniques from Oulema melanopus L. GC7 mouse (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) under a "working name" Nosema oulemae, but its description was never published. In the present study, a microsporidian infection was detected in the Blue Shieldbug, Zicrona caerulea for the first time, showing 99.9% SSU rRNA sequence similarity to N. oulemae (Genbank accession U27359). Life cycle, tissue tropism, ultrastructure and phylogenetical relationships with other microsporidia species were disclosed. Nymph and adult stages of the host were infected with mature spores produced in the gut, hemocoel and fat body. Spores of the parasite measured approximately 4.50 ± 0.36 μm in length and 2.46 ± 0.18 μm in width on fresh smears. The number of coils of the polar filament was 9-11. Coils were 109.23 ± 22.92 nm (range 93.75-268.66; n = 50) in diameter and consisted of seven concentric layers of different electron density and thickness. The spores possessed a relatively thick (174.04 ± 57.65 nm) trilaminar spore wall. Developmental sequence and ultrastructure The SSU rRNA and RPB1 gene sequences were deposited GenBank under accession MT102274 and MW538912. Basing upon the sequence similarity, the isolate from Z. caerulea can be attributed to the species from O. melanopus provisionally designated as N. oulemae. The novel species Vairimorpha hostounsky sp. nov. is described, named after Prof. Zdenek Hostounsky who was the first to discover this parasite.Despite advancements in diagnosis and control, Aeromonas infections are considered the leading cause of economic aquaculture loss. In this study, to enhance DNA vaccine efficacy against Aeromonas infections, a fused DNA fragment (1504 bp) of the OmpAI gene from Aeromonas veronii (A. veronii) combined with the C5-I gene from the common carp was generated with splicing by overlapping PCR (SOE-PCR) and expressed in Lactobacillus casei strain CC16. Protein C5-I served as a molecular adjuvant for the antigen OmpAI. Two types of fusion antigens were developed (anchored and secretory). Generally, anchored-type antigens are more effective in inducing immune responses in fish than secretory antigens. Western blot analysis showed that the bands of both antigens were present at 58 kDa. After oral immunization, both DNA vaccines enhanced the serum levels of AKP, ACP, SOD and LZM in immunized carp; the genes IL-10, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IFN-γ in the heart, liver, spleen, head kidney, and intestinal tract were upregulated; and a stronger phagocytic response was triggered in immunized fish.