Comparing the Curative Effects between Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery and Conventional Phacoemulsification Surgery: A Meta-Analysis

Purpose

To compare the outcomes of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) with those of conventional phacoemulsification surgery (CPS) for age-related cataracts.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCT) and comparative cohort studies comparing FLACS with CPS. Endothelial cell loss percentage (ECL%), central corneal thickness (CCT), corrected and uncorrected distant visual acuity (CDVA and UDVA), and mean absolute error (MAE) of refraction were used as primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included surgically induced astigmatism (SIA), mean effective phacoemulsification time (EPT), phacoemulsification power and circularity of the capsulorhexis.

Results

Nine RCTs and fifteen cohort studies including 4,903 eyes (2,861 in the FLACS group and 2,072 in the CPS group) were identified. There were significant differences between the two groups in ECL% at one week, about one month and three months postoperatively, in CCT at one day, about one month postoperatively and at the final follow-up, in CDVA at one week postoperatively, and in UDVA at the final follow-up. Significant differences were also observed in MAE, EPT, phacoemulsification power, and the circularity of capsulorhexis. However, no significant differences were observed in CDVA at one week postoperatively or in surgically induced astigmatism.

Conclusions

Compared to CPS, FLACS is a safer and more effective method for reducing endothelial cell loss and postoperative central corneal thickening as well as achieving better and faster visual rehabilitation and refractive outcomes. However, there is no difference in final CDVA and surgically induced astigmatism between the two groups.     

Baicalein Inhibits Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Formation and the Quorum Sensing System In Vitro

Biofilm formed by Staphylococcus aureus significantly enhances antibiotic resistance by inhibiting the penetration of antibiotics, resulting in an increasingly serious situation. This study aimed to assess whether baicalein can prevent Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation and whether it may have synergistic bactericidal effects with antibiotics in vitro. To do this, we used a clinically isolated strain of Staphylococcus aureus 17546 (t037) for biofilm formation. Virulence factors were detected following treatment with baicalein, and the molecular mechanism of its antibiofilm activity was studied. Plate counting, crystal violet staining, and fluorescence microscopy revealed that 32 μg/mL and 64 μg/mL baicalein clearly inhibited 3- and 7-day biofilm formation in vitro. Moreover, colony forming unit count, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy showed that vancomycin (VCM) and baicalein generally enhanced destruction of biofilms, while VCM alone did not. Western blotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses (RTQ-PCR) confirmed that baicalein treatment reduced staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) and α-hemolysin (hla) levels. Most strikingly, real-time qualitative polymerase chain reaction data demonstrated that 32 μg/mL and 64 μg/mL baicalein downregulated the quorum-sensing system regulators agrA, RNAIII, and sarA, and gene expression of ica, but 16 μg/mL baicalein had no effect. In summary, baicalein inhibited Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation, destroyed biofilms, increased the permeability of vancomycin, reduced the production of staphylococcal enterotoxin A and α-hemolysin, and inhibited the quorum sensing system. These results support baicalein as a novel drug candidate and an effective treatment strategy for Staphylococcus aureus biofilm-associated infections.     

荧光扫描法快速检测肽核酸分子信标标记的单增李斯特菌北大核心CSCD

【目的】建立了单核细胞增多性李斯特菌(Listeria monocytogenes,单增李斯特菌)的肽核酸(Peptide nucleic acid,PNA)分子信标(Molecular beacon)的荧光扫描检测方法,以简化普通PNA原位荧光杂交(Fluorescence in situ hybridization,FISH)检测方法中显微镜观察步骤。【方法】在具有单增李斯特菌特异性的肽核酸探针的5′和3′分别标记报告荧光基团和淬灭基团形成分子信标PNA探针,利用FISH技术和荧光扫描技术对单增李斯特菌进行检测。【结果】用普通PNA探针进行荧光扫描检测时,以N1处理为空白对照,假阳性率11.4%,假阴性率为0;以N2处理为空白时,假阳性率降低至4.3%,但假阴性率上升为18.6%。用分子信标PNA探针进行检测时,用N1为空白对照时,假阳性率8.6%,假阴性率为1.4%;以N2处理作为空白时,假阳性率5.7%,假阴性率为1.4%。与普通探针比较,分子信标PNA探针能有效减少假阳性和假阴性的发生。2种普通PNA探针的杂交成功率分别为83.3%和95.2%;2种"分子信标化"的肽核酸探针的成功率分别为91.7%和90.5%,表明探针两端标记并不会降低与目标菌的杂交成功率。【结论】将液相PNA-FISH和荧光扫描技术结合,通过大通量快速的荧光扫描检测可大幅提高检测效率。同时将肽核酸探针分子信标化,有效的降低了荧光扫描结果的假阳性,并通过了N1和N2两种空白对照处理把假阴性控制在较低的范围。     

中华补血草内生与根际具ACC脱氨酶活性细菌的筛选及其生物多样性

【目的】获得江苏沿海滩涂盐生药用植物中华补血草内生及根际具有1-氨基环丙烷-1-羧酸(ACC)脱氨酶活性的细菌,研究其遗传多样性和潜在促生活性。【方法】从中华补血草和根际土壤分离筛选具有ACC脱氨酶活性的菌株,对其ACC脱氨酶活性定量检测,通过16S r RNA基因序列分析确定菌株系统发育地位。同时研究其固氮、溶磷、产植物生长素吲哚乙酸(IAA)及耐盐能力。【结果】分离筛选获得18株具有ACC脱氨酶活性的内生与根际细菌,定量检测发现其中有13株菌的ACC脱氨酶含量在20 nmolα-KA/(mg Pr·h)以上,有11株菌可以固氮,7株菌能够解磷,9株菌产生IAA。菌株的Na Cl盐耐受范围多数在0–13%之间。16S r RNA基因测序表明,活性菌株分属于7个属,多样性丰富,节杆菌属(Arthrobacter)为优势类群。其中菌株KLBMP 5180为节杆菌属的潜在新种。【结论】江苏沿海滩涂盐生药用植物中华补血草共生环境中具有丰富多样的具ACC脱氨酶活性的菌株,并存在潜在新物种资源,具有进一步研究价值。     

Prolonged treatment with 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine improves the efficiency of differentiating 3T3-L1 cells into adipocytes

Until now, the low efficiency of current protocols or kits for the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes makes it difficult to continue the studies of the cellular and molecular mechanisms in adipocytes. Here we present a productive and highly efficient protocol for the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells that uses a prolonged treatment with 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) during the differentiated process. 3T3-L1 cells of unknown passage +3 and unknown passage +7 treated with a prolonged exposure to IBMX showed significantly increased differentiation efficiency by day 15, in contrast to low levels of differentiation seen with protocols that lacked additional IBMX.     

ER-localized adenine nucleotide transporter ER-ANT1: an integrator of energy and stress signaling in rice

Most environmental perturbations have a direct or indirect deleterious impact on photosynthesis, and, in consequence, the overall energy status of the cell. Despite our increased understanding of convergent energy and stress signals, the connections between photosynthesis, energy and stress signals through putative common nodes are still unclear. Here we identified an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized adenine nucleotide transporter1 (ER-ANT1), whose deficiency causes seedling lethality in air but viable under high CO₂, exhibiting the typical photorespiratory phenotype. Metabolic analysis suggested that depletion of ER-ANT1 resulted in circadian rhythm disorders in sucrose synthesis and induced sucrose signaling pathways, indicating that the ER is involved in the regulation of vital energy metabolism in plants. In addition, the defect of ER-ANT1 triggers ER stress and activates the unfolded protein response in plant cells, suggesting ER stress and photorespiration are closely linked. These findings provide an important evidence for a key role of ER-localized ER-ANT1 in convergent energy and stress signals in rice. Our findings support the idea that ATP is a central signal involved in the plant response to a variety of stresses.