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BMJ Open May 2024To determine the prevalence, causes and risk factors associated with visual impairment (VI) in the Nirmal district of Telangana, India, using extended Rapid Assessment...
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence, causes and risk factors associated with visual impairment (VI) in the Nirmal district of Telangana, India, using extended Rapid Assessment of Visual Impairment (RAVI) methodology.
DESIGN
Cross-sectional study.
SETTING
Community setting.
PARTICIPANTS
Participants aged ≥16 years were enumerated from 90 randomly selected clusters and 4629/5400 (85.7%) participants were examined. Presenting visual acuity (VA) was assessed using a Snellen chart with E optotypes at a 6 m distance. Near vision was assessed binocularly using an N notation chart with tumbling E optotypes at a 40 cm distance. An anterior segment examination done followed by distance direct ophthalmoscopy at 50 cm. Non-mydriatic fundus images were obtained. VI was defined as presenting VA worse than 6/12 in the better eye. The prevalence of VI in the current study was compared with a RAVI study conducted in 2014 to assess the trends in VI among those aged ≥40 years.
PRIMARY OUTCOME
Prevalence, causes and risk factors for VI.
RESULTS
Among those examined, 55% were women, 53% had at least school-level education, 2.3% self-reported diabetes and 8.7% self-reported hypertension. The prevalence of VI was 8.81% (95% CI 8.01% to 9.67%). Overall, uncorrected refractive errors (49.5%) were the leading cause of VI, followed by cataracts (40.2%) and posterior segment diseases (4.9%). Among those aged ≥40 years, the prevalence of VI declined by 19.3% compared with the 2014 baseline study (from 20.2% to 16.3%; p<0.01).
CONCLUSION
The extended RAVI study conducted in the Nirmal district showed a considerable decline in the prevalence of VI. Targeted interventions are needed to provide adequate eye care for the high-risk groups in this district.
Topics: Humans; Cross-Sectional Studies; India; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Adult; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Aged; Young Adult; Adolescent; Visual Acuity; Vision Disorders; Cataract
PubMed: 38816051
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-083199 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Jul 2024Alzheimer's disease (AD) presents a significant challenge due to its prevalence and lack of cure, driving the quest for effective treatments. Anshen Bunao Syrup, a...
Alzheimer's disease (AD) presents a significant challenge due to its prevalence and lack of cure, driving the quest for effective treatments. Anshen Bunao Syrup, a traditional Chinese medicine known for its neuroprotective properties, shows promise in addressing this need. However, understanding its precise mechanisms in AD remains elusive. This study aimed to investigate Anshen Bunao Syrup's therapeutic potential in AD treatment using a scopolamine-induced AD rat model. Assessments included novel-object recognition and Morris water maze tasks to evaluate spatial learning and memory, alongside Nissl staining and ELISA analyses for neuronal damage and biomarker levels. Results demonstrated that Anshen Bunao Syrup effectively mitigated cognitive dysfunction by inhibiting amyloid-β and phosphorylation Tau aggregation, thereby reducing neuronal damage. Metabolomics profiling of rats cortex revealed alterations in key metabolites implicated in tryptophan and fatty acid metabolism pathways, suggesting a role in the therapeutic effects of Anshen Bunao Syrup. Additionally, ELISA and correlation analyses indicated attenuation of oxidative stress and immune response through metabolic remodeling. In conclusion, this study provides compelling evidence for the neuroprotective effects of Anshen Bunao Syrup in AD models, shedding light on its potential as a therapeutic agent for AD prevention and treatment.
Topics: Animals; Alzheimer Disease; Neuroprotective Agents; Disease Models, Animal; Male; Cognitive Dysfunction; Rats; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Oxidative Stress; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Maze Learning; Scopolamine; tau Proteins; Morris Water Maze Test
PubMed: 38810401
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116754 -
Nutrients May 2024Polymethoxyflavonoids, such as nobiletin (abundant in Citrus depressa), have been reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and anti-dementia effects,...
Polymethoxyflavonoids, such as nobiletin (abundant in Citrus depressa), have been reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and anti-dementia effects, and are also a circadian clock modulator through retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor (ROR) α/γ. However, the optimal timing of nobiletin intake has not yet been determined. Here, we explored the time-dependent treatment effects of nobiletin and a possible novel mechanistic idea for nobiletin-induced circadian clock regulation in mice. In vivo imaging showed that the PER2::LUC rhythm in the peripheral organs was altered in accordance with the timing of nobiletin administration (100 mg/kg). Administration at ZT4 (middle of the light period) caused an advance in the peripheral clock, whereas administration at ZT16 (middle of the dark period) caused an increase in amplitude. In addition, the intraperitoneal injection of nobiletin significantly and potently stimulated corticosterone and adrenaline secretion and caused an increase in expression in the peripheral tissues. Nobiletin inhibited phosphodiesterase (PDE) 4A1A, 4B1, and 10A2. Nobiletin or rolipram (PDE4 inhibitor) injection, but not SR1078 (RORα/γ agonist), caused acute expression in the peripheral tissues. Thus, the present study demonstrated a novel function of nobiletin and the regulation of the peripheral circadian clock.
Topics: Animals; Flavones; Circadian Clocks; Mice; Male; Corticosterone; Period Circadian Proteins; Epinephrine; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 1; Circadian Rhythm
PubMed: 38794729
DOI: 10.3390/nu16101491 -
Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science May 2024This case report is a unique case of solar retinopathy following antidepressant-induced mydriasis and highlights the need for comprehensive ophthalmic evaluation in...
This case report is a unique case of solar retinopathy following antidepressant-induced mydriasis and highlights the need for comprehensive ophthalmic evaluation in patients treated with medications having mydriatic effects. A 49-year-old female patient who had received long-term antidepressant therapy presented with bilateral visual impairment after prolonged sun exposure. Fundoscopy confirmed solar retinopathy, which was attributed to drug-induced mydriasis. Medication adjustments and sun protection strategies led to full visual recovery, underscoring the importance of interdisciplinary awareness. This case emphasizes the challenges associated with the simultaneous management of psychiatric and ophthalmic conditions and highlights the need for routine ophthalmic evaluation of patients prescribed antidepressants with reported ocular side effects.
PubMed: 38778720
DOI: 10.12701/jyms.2024.00213 -
Brazilian Journal of Medical and... 2024Arthritis has important cardiovascular repercussions. Phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction is impaired in rat aortas in the early phase of the adjuvant-induced...
Arthritis has important cardiovascular repercussions. Phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction is impaired in rat aortas in the early phase of the adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA), around the 15th day post-induction. Therefore, the present study aimed to verify the effects of AIA on hyporesponsiveness to phenylephrine in rat aortas. AIA was induced by intradermal injection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (3.8 mg/dL) in the right hind paw of male Wistar rats (n=27). Functional experiments in isolated aortas were carried out 15 days after AIA induction. Morphometric and stereological analyses of the aortas were also performed 36 days after the induction of AIA. AIA did not promote structural modifications in the aortas at any of the time points studied. AIA reduced phenylephrine-induced contraction in endothelium-intact aortas, but not in endothelium-denuded aortas. However, AIA did not change KCl-induced contraction in either endothelium-intact or denuded aortas. L-NAME (non-selective NOS inhibitor), 1400W (selective iNOS inhibitor), and ODQ (guanylyl cyclase inhibitor) reversed AIA-induced hyporesponsiveness to phenylephrine in intact aortas. 7-NI (selective nNOS inhibitor) increased the contraction induced by phenylephrine in aortas from AIA rats. In summary, the hyporesponsiveness to phenylephrine induced by AIA was endothelium-dependent and mediated by iNOS-derived NO through activation of the NO-guanylyl cyclase pathway.
Topics: Animals; Male; Phenylephrine; Rats, Wistar; Arthritis, Experimental; Nitric Oxide; Vasoconstriction; Endothelium, Vascular; Vasoconstrictor Agents; Rats; Aorta
PubMed: 38775546
DOI: 10.1590/1414-431X2024e13304 -
Pharmaceutical Biology Dec 2024The mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Guizhi-Gancao Decoction (GGD) remain unknown.
Network pharmacology integrated with experimental validation to elucidate the mechanisms of action of the Guizhi-Gancao Decoction in the treatment of phenylephrine-induced cardiac hypertrophy.
CONTEXT
The mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Guizhi-Gancao Decoction (GGD) remain unknown.
OBJECTIVE
This study explores the mechanisms of GGD against cardiac hypertrophy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Network pharmacology analysis was carried out to identify the potential targets of GGD. experiments, C57BL/6J mice were divided into Con, phenylephrine (PE, 10 mg/kg/d), 2-chloroadenosine (CADO, the stable analogue of adenosine, 2 mg/kg/d), GGD (5.4 g/kg/d) and GGD (5.4 g/kg/d) + CGS15943 (a nonselective adenosine receptor antagonist, 4 mg/kg/d). experiments, primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCM) were divided into Con, PE (100 µM), CADO (5 µM), GGD (10 g/mL) and GGD (10 g/mL) + CGS15943 (5 µM). Ultrasound, H&E and Masson staining, hypertrophic genes expression and cell surface area were conducted to verify the GGD efficacy. Adenosine receptors (ADORs) expression were tested real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blotting and immunofluorescence analysis.
RESULTS
Network pharmacology identified ADORs among those of the core targets of GGD. experiments demonstrated that GGD attenuated PE-induced increased surface area (with an EC of 5.484 × 10 g/mL). data shown that GGD attenuated PE-induced ventricular wall thickening. and data indicated that GGD alleviated PE-induced hypertrophic gene expression (e.g., ANP, BNP and MYH7/MYH6), A1AR over-expression and A2aAR down-expression. Moreover, CADO exerts effects similar to GGD, whereas CGS15943 eliminated most effects of GGD.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest the mechanism by which GGD inhibits cardiac hypertrophy, highlighting regulation of ADORs as a potential therapeutic strategy for HF.
Topics: Animals; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Phenylephrine; Cardiomegaly; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice; Male; Rats; Myocytes, Cardiac; Network Pharmacology; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Cells, Cultured; Disease Models, Animal; Medicine, Chinese Traditional
PubMed: 38773737
DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2024.2354335 -
Medicine May 2024This study was aimed to analyze ocular biometric changes following cycloplegia in pediatric patients with strabismus and amblyopia. Cycloplegia is routinely used to... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
This study was aimed to analyze ocular biometric changes following cycloplegia in pediatric patients with strabismus and amblyopia. Cycloplegia is routinely used to measure refractive error accurately by paralyzing accommodation. However, effects on axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), keratometry (Km), and white-to-white distance (WTW) are not well studied in this population. This retrospective study examined 797 patients (1566 eyes) undergoing cycloplegic refraction at a Samsung Kangbuk hospital pediatric ophthalmology clinic from 2010 to 2023. Ocular biometry was measured before and after instilling 1% cyclopentolate and 0.5% phenylephrine/0.5% tropicamide. Patients were categorized by strabismus diagnosis, age, refractive error and amblyopia status. Differences in AL, ACD, Km, WTW, and refractive error pre- and post-cycloplegia were analyzed using paired t tests. ACD (3.44 ± 0.33 vs 3.58 ± 0.29 mm, P < .05) and WTW (12.09 ± 0.42 vs 12.30 ± 0.60 mm, P < .05) increased significantly after cycloplegia in all groups except other strabismus subgroup (Cs) in both parameters and youngest subgroup (G1) in ACD. Refractive error demonstrated a hyperopic shift from -0.48 ± 3.00 D to -0.06 ± 3.32 D (P < .05) in overall and a myopic shift from -6.97 ± 4.27 to -8.10 ± 2.26 in high myopia (HM). Also, AL and Km did not change significantly. In conclusion, cycloplegia impacts ocular biometrics in children with strabismus and amblyopia, significantly increasing ACD and WTW. Refractive error shifts hyperopically in esotropia subgroup (ET) and myopically in high myopia subgroup (HM), eldest subgroup (G3) relating more to anterior segment changes than AL/Km. Understanding cycloplegic effects on biometry is important for optimizing refractive correction in these patients.
Topics: Humans; Amblyopia; Strabismus; Retrospective Studies; Male; Female; Child; Biometry; Mydriatics; Child, Preschool; Refraction, Ocular; Cyclopentolate; Refractive Errors; Adolescent; Anterior Chamber; Axial Length, Eye
PubMed: 38758890
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000038143 -
Cureus Apr 2024This case report presents the clinical scenario of a 50-year-old man who developed swelling and itching around both eyes after applying tropicamide eye drops for an...
This case report presents the clinical scenario of a 50-year-old man who developed swelling and itching around both eyes after applying tropicamide eye drops for an ophthalmic examination. The swelling appeared suddenly, progressed over time, and was accompanied by redness, watery discharge, and conjunctival congestion. A dermoscopic examination revealed congestion and erythema in the affected area. Visual acuity was compromised in the left eye. Prompt identification of the eyedrops as plain tropicamide with chlorbutol as a preservative enabled timely treatment with intravenous hydrocortisone and topical steroids, resulting in symptom improvement within two days. Allergic reactions to mydriatic agents such as tropicamide are infrequent but should be considered in patients with acute ocular symptoms post-application. This case underscores the importance of recognising and managing allergic reactions to ophthalmic medications for optimal patient care.
PubMed: 38738153
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.57945 -
International Journal of Molecular... Apr 2024In contrast to cats and dogs, here we report that the α-adrenergic receptor antagonist yohimbine is emetic and corresponding agonists clonidine and dexmedetomidine... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
A Comparative Study of the Antiemetic Effects of α-Adrenergic Receptor Agonists Clonidine and Dexmedetomidine against Diverse Emetogens in the Least Shrew () Model of Emesis.
In contrast to cats and dogs, here we report that the α-adrenergic receptor antagonist yohimbine is emetic and corresponding agonists clonidine and dexmedetomidine behave as antiemetics in the least shrew model of vomiting. Yohimbine (0, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 mg/kg, i.p.) caused vomiting in shrews in a bell-shaped and dose-dependent manner, with a maximum frequency (0.85 ± 0.22) at 1 mg/kg, which was accompanied by a key central contribution as indicated by increased expression of c-, serotonin and substance P release in the shrew brainstem emetic nuclei. Our comparative study in shrews demonstrates that clonidine (0, 0.1, 1, 5, and 10 mg/kg, i.p.) and dexmedetomidine (0, 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1 mg/kg, i.p.) not only suppress yohimbine (1 mg/kg, i.p.)-evoked vomiting in a dose-dependent manner, but also display broad-spectrum antiemetic effects against diverse well-known emetogens, including 2-Methyl-5-HT, GR73632, McN-A-343, quinpirole, FPL64176, SR141716A, thapsigargin, rolipram, and ZD7288. The antiemetic inhibitory ID values of dexmedetomidine against the evoked emetogens are much lower than those of clonidine. At its antiemetic doses, clonidine decreased shrews' locomotor activity parameters (distance moved and rearing), whereas dexmedetomidine did not do so. The results suggest that dexmedetomidine represents a better candidate for antiemetic potential with advantages over clonidine.
Topics: Animals; Male; Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists; Antiemetics; Clonidine; Dexmedetomidine; Disease Models, Animal; Emetics; Shrews; Vomiting; Yohimbine
PubMed: 38731821
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094603 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024The participation of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) in the degradation of atropine has been recurrently addressed for more than 70 years. However, no conclusive answer has...
The participation of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) in the degradation of atropine has been recurrently addressed for more than 70 years. However, no conclusive answer has been provided for the human enzyme so far. In the present work, a steady-state kinetic analysis performed by spectrophotometry showed that highly purified human plasma BChE tetramer slowly hydrolyzes atropine at pH 7.0 and 25 °C. The affinity of atropine for the enzyme is weak, and the observed kinetic rates versus the atropine concentration was of the first order: the maximum atropine concentration in essays was much less than . Thus, the bimolecular rate constant was found to be / = 7.7 × 10 M min. Rough estimates of catalytic parameters provided slow < 40 min and high = 0.3-3.3 mM. Then, using a specific organophosphoryl agent, echothiophate, the time-dependent irreversible inhibition profiles of BChE for hydrolysis of atropine and the standard substrate butyrylthiocholine (BTC) were investigated. This established that both substrates are hydrolyzed at the same site, i.e., S198, as for all substrates of this enzyme. Lastly, molecular docking provided evidence that both atropine isomers bind to the active center of BChE. However, free energy perturbations yielded by the Bennett Acceptance Ratio method suggest that the L-atropine isomer is the most reactive enantiomer. In conclusion, the results provided evidence that plasma BChE slowly hydrolyzes atropine but should have no significant role in its metabolism under current conditions of medical use and even under administration of the highest possible doses of this antimuscarinic drug.
Topics: Butyrylcholinesterase; Atropine; Humans; Kinetics; Hydrolysis; Molecular Docking Simulation; Models, Molecular
PubMed: 38731631
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29092140