Aged ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Corneal Ulcer ; complications ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; complications

Cornea ; surgery ; Corneal Injuries ; Equipment Design ; Eye Foreign Bodies ; surgery ; Humans ; Surgical Instruments

BACKGROUNDToll like receptor (TLR) 9 has been shown to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in animal models. Its pathogenic role in human SLE, however, was poorly elucidated. This study was performed to investigate the role of TLR9 involved in the aberrant signaling pathway and its correlation with disease activity in SLE.

METHODSmRNA level of TLR9 and interferon (IFN) regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). IFN-a expression was measured in the serum of the SLE patients by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSTLR9 expression was significantly higher in SLE patients than that in health controls (P = 0.011). SLE patients with positive anti-dsDNA antibody had significantly higher expression of TLR9 than that with negative anti-dsDNA antibody (P = 0.001). TLR9 expression was positively correlated with fever (P = 0.017), alopecia (P = 0.046), safety of estrogens in lupus erythematosus national assessment SLE disease activity index (SELENA-SLEDAI) score (r(s) = 0.385, P = 0.003), and the level of IRF5 (r(s) = 0.35, P = 0.027) and IFN-a (r(s) = 0.627, P = 0.001) in SLE patients.

CONCLUSIONTLR9 is associated with SLE disease activity and might be involved in the IFN-a pathway of SLE.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Interferon Regulatory Factors ; metabolism ; Interferon-alpha ; blood ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; blood ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Toll-Like Receptor 9 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult

problems from extended usage of electronic devices areissues among primary school children. This study is aimedto investigate the prevalence of physical and behaviouralcomplaints arising from the electronic device usage and toidentify the potential factors that predicted the complaints.Methods: This was a primary school-based cross-sectionalstudy using multistage cluster sampling, conducted at Baudistrict in Sarawak, Malaysia in 40 primary schools. Aquestionnaire was used to collect information of usagepattern in insufficient lighting, timing and position. Thephysical and behavioural complaints were traced. Dataanalysis was performed using SPSS version 22. A p-value <0.05 with 95% CI was considered as statistically significant. Results: About 52.8% of the 569 students used digitaldevices in a bright room, 69.8% in the day time and 54.4% insitting position. The physical complaints were headache(32.9%), neck, shoulder and back pain (32.9%) followed by byeye strain (31.8%). Regarding behavioural problems, 25.7% ofthe students had loss of interest in study and outdooractivities (20.7%), skipped meals (19.0%) andarguments/disagreements with parents (17.9%). After logisticregression analysis, the lying position (OR=1.71, 95% CI:1.096, 2.688) and darkroom lighting (OR=2.323 95% CI: 1.138,4.744) appeared to be potential predictors of the complaint.Conclusion: One-quarter of the students studiedexperienced physical complaints, and one-fifth hadbehavioural problems associated with the use of electronicdevices. Lying position and darkroom lighting are thepotential predictors of complaints. Therefore, we suggestthat the children should use electronic devices in the sittingposition with adequate room lighting.

The Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network (DRCR.net) performs studies on new treatments for diabetic retinopathy. This review aims to summarise recent findings from DRCR.net studies on the treatment of diabetic macular oedema. We performed a PubMed search of articles from the DRCR.net, which included all studies pertaining to the treatment of diabetic maculopathy. The main outcome measures were retinal thickening as assessed by central subfield thickness on optical coherence tomography and improvement of visual acuity on the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) chart. Findings from each study were divided into modalities of treatment, namely photocoagulation, bevacizumab, triamcinolone, ranibizumab and vitrectomy. While modified ETDRS focal/grid laser remains the standard of care, intravitreal corticosteroids or anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents have also proven to be effective, although they come with associated side effects. The choice of treatment modality for diabetic macular oedema is a clinical judgement call, and depends on the patient's clinical history and assessment.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; therapeutic use ; Bevacizumab ; therapeutic use ; Biomedical Research ; organization & administration ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; therapy ; Disease Management ; Disease Progression ; Humans ; Light Coagulation ; Macular Edema ; therapy ; Ranibizumab ; therapeutic use ; Retina ; pathology ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Triamcinolone ; therapeutic use ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy