Search Results (80)

Background/Objectives: Infectious endophthalmitis is a vision-threatening complication of intraocular surgery and intravitreal injections. Standard treatment involves intravitreal antibiotics; however, concerns regarding multidrug resistance and vancomycin-associated hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis (HORV) highlight the need for alternative antimicrobial strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of a protocol combining intravitreal injection of 1.25% povidone-iodine (PI) with intraoperative irrigation using low concentrations of vancomycin and ceftazidime. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 11 eyes from patients diagnosed with postoperative or injection-related endophthalmitis. Six of the eleven cases received an initial intravitreal injection of 1.25% PI, followed by pars plana vitrectomy with irrigation using balanced salt solution PLUS containing vancomycin (20 μg/mL) and ceftazidime (40 μg/mL). A second intravitreal PI injection was administered at the end of surgery in all cases. Additional PI injections were administered postoperatively based on clinical response. Clinical outcomes included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), microbial culture results, corneal endothelial cell density, and visual field testing. Results: All eyes achieved complete infection resolution without recurrence. The mean BCVA improved significantly from 2.18 logMAR at baseline to 0.296 logMAR at final follow-up (p < 0.001). No adverse events were observed on specular microscopy or visual field assessment. The protocol was well tolerated, and repeated PI injections showed no signs of ocular toxicity. Conclusions: This combination protocol provides a safe and effective treatment strategy for infectious endophthalmitis. It enables rapid and complete infection resolution while minimizing the risks associated with intravitreal antibiotics. These findings support further investigation of this protocol as a practical and globally accessible alternative to standard intravitreal antimicrobial therapy. Full article

Hydrazine, a highly toxic and reactive compound widely used as rocket fuel, poses significant environmental and health risks, particularly in long-term space missions. This study investigates the cometabolic capacity of Chlorella vulgaris and seven extremophilic Bacillus spp. strains—isolated from the arid Dead Sea region—to tolerate and degrade hydrazine at concentrations up to 25 ppm. The microalga C. vulgaris reduced hydrazine levels by 81% within 24 h at 20 ppm, while the Bacillus isolates achieved an average reduction of 45% over 120 h. Identified strains included B. licheniformis, B. cereus, and B. atrophaeus. Co-culture experiments demonstrated that C. vulgaris and B. cereus (isolate ISO-36) stably coexisted without antagonistic effects, suggesting a synergistic detoxification interaction. Flow cytometry revealed that most bacteria transitioned into spores under stress, highlighting a survival adaptation. Titanium, representing a biocompatible material common in aerospace hardware, did not inhibit microbial growth or hydrazine degradation. These findings underscore the potential of Dead Sea-derived microbial consortia for cometabolic hydrazine detoxification and support the feasibility of converting spacecraft components into functional photobioreactors. This approach offers dual-use benefits for space missions and industrial wastewater treatment. Future studies should investigate degradation pathways, stress resilience, and bioreactor scale-up. Full article

This narrative review examines the effects of caffeine on brain health in older adults, with particular attention to its potential for dependence—an often-overlooked issue in geriatric care. Caffeine acts on central adenosine, dopamine, and glutamate systems, producing both stimulating and rewarding effects that can foster tolerance and habitual use. Age-related pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes prolong caffeine’s half-life and increase physiological sensitivity in the elderly. While moderate consumption may enhance alertness, attention, and possibly offer neuroprotective effects—especially in Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia—excessive or prolonged use may lead to anxiety, sleep disturbances, and cognitive or motor impairment. Chronic exposure induces neuroadaptive changes, such as adenosine receptor down-regulation, resulting in tolerance and withdrawal symptoms, including headache, irritability, and fatigue. These symptoms, often mistaken for typical aging complaints, may reflect a substance use disorder yet remain under-recognized due to caffeine’s cultural acceptance. The review explores caffeine’s mixed role in neurological disorders, being beneficial in some and potentially harmful in others, such as restless legs syndrome and frontotemporal dementia. Given the variability in individual responses and the underestimated risk of dependence, personalized caffeine intake guidelines are warranted. Future research should focus on the long-term cognitive effects and the clinical significance of caffeine use disorder in older populations. Full article

Accepting a certain degree of investment loss risk is essential for long-term portfolio management. However, overconfidence bias within financial literacy can prompt excessively risky behavior and amplify susceptibility to other cognitive biases. These tendencies can undermine investment loss tolerance beyond the baseline level shaped by sociodemographic, economic, psychological, and cultural factors. This study empirically examines the association between overconfidence and investment loss tolerance, which is measured by the point at which respondents indicate they would sell their investments in a hypothetical loss scenario. Using a large-scale dataset of 161,765 active investors from one of Japan’s largest online securities firms, we conduct ordered probit and ordered logit regression analyses, controlling for a range of sociodemographic, economic, and psychological variables. Our findings reveal that overconfidence is statistically significantly and negatively associated with investment loss tolerance, indicating that overconfident investors are more prone to prematurely liquidating assets during market downturns. This behavior reflects an impulse to avoid even modest losses. The findings suggest several possible practical strategies to mitigate the detrimental effects of overconfidence on long-term investment behavior. Full article

Background/Objectives: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an increasingly common inherited disorder that increases cardiovascular risk. Despite the importance of lifestyle interventions, adherence to a healthy diet among individuals with FH remains suboptimal. This pilot, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial aimed to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effects of a culturally adapted cardioprotective diet (DICA-FH), alone or in combination with phytosterol and/or krill oil supplementation, on lipid parameters in Brazilian adults with probable or definitive FH. Methods: Between May and August 2023, 58 participants were enrolled across nine Brazilian centers and randomized (1:1:1:1) into four groups: DICA-FH + phytosterol placebo + krill oil placebo; DICA-FH + phytosterol 2 g/day + krill oil placebo; DICA-FH + phytosterol placebo + krill oil 2 g/day; and DICA-FH + phytosterol 2 g/day + krill oil 2 g/day. Interventions lasted 120 days. The primary outcomes were mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) levels, as well as adherence to treatment at follow-up. Secondary outcomes included mean levels of other lipids, frequency of adverse events, and assessment of protocol implementation components. All data were presented separately for the allocation groups: phytosterol vs. placebo and krill oil vs. placebo. Results: Mean age was 54.5 ± 13.7 years, and 58.6% were women. Both adherence to protocol (91.8% attendance; 79.1% investigational product intake) and retention (86.2%) were high. No significant differences between groups were found for LDL-c or Lp(a). However, regardless of allocation to active supplementation or placebo, a significant reduction in Lp(a) concentrations was observed following the DICA-FH intervention (median difference: −3.8 mg/dL [interquartile range: −7.5 to −1.2]; p < 0.01). Significant reductions in oxidized LDL (LDL-ox) and LDL-ox/LDL-c ratio were also observed in the overall sample (p < 0.01). Although not statistically significant, all groups showed improvements in diet quality after 120 days. No serious adverse events related to the interventions were reported. Additionally, most protocol implementation components were successfully achieved. Conclusions: The DICA-FH strategy, with or without supplementation, was safe and well-tolerated. Although not powered to detect clinical efficacy (which is acceptable in exploratory pilot trials), the study supports the feasibility of a larger trial and highlights the potential of dietary interventions in the management of HF. Full article

Heavy metal contamination in soil, especially cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), poses serious environmental and health risks, particularly in mining regions. While this contamination affects most organisms present in such areas, some filamentous fungi proliferate and immobilize metals in contaminated areas. In this work, six filamentous fungi tolerant to high concentrations of these metals were identified by macroscopic and microscopic morphological characteristics, as well as molecularly, through conserved regions of internal transcribed spacers (ITSs). Tolerance to Cd and Pb was evaluated in solid and liquid culture media, and half the maximum inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) was assessed. Pb tolerance was observed in Penicillium simplicissimum, Paecilomyces lilacinus, and Rhizopus microsporus (IC₅₀: 3874, 1176, and 211.80 mg/L). Cd tolerance was also noted in Paecilomyces lilacinus, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizopus microsporus, and Cunninghamella sp. (IC₅₀: 311, 223, 29.25, and 25.18 mg/L). These findings indicate that these fungi have adopted effective strategies for survival in contaminated environments and emphasize their potential for future applications in the bioremediation of multi-metal-contaminated soils. This research lays the groundwork for exploring tolerance mechanisms and evaluating the efficacy of native fungal isolates in mitigating heavy metal contamination. Full article

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a malignant childhood tumour, which originates from neuroblasts with an incidence of approximately 15,000 new cases per year worldwide. Therapy-induced secondary tumorigenesis and the emergency of drug resistance in its high-risk (HR-NB) forms drive to a survival rate of <50%, despite aggressive treatments. Our recent research is focused on testing in vitro the effects of synthetized triphenyl phosphonium (TPP)-based bola amphiphilic nanovesicles (BPPBs) against both drug-sensitive and multi-drug-resistant (MDR) cancer cell lines. In the present study, BPPB demonstrated sub-micromolar IC₅₀ values (0.4–0.9 µM) towards drug-sensitive HTLA 230, while 1.20–1.35 µM IC₅₀ were determined on MDR HTLA ER. Noteworthily, we have demonstrated that BPPB triggers apoptosis of both NB cell populations. Additionally, since MDR NB cells (HTLA ER) are equipped with higher levels of antioxidants than sensitive ones (HTLA 230), the potential involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cytotoxic action of BPPB was also investigated. Then, a novel analytical approach was applied to the results of cell viability and ROS monitoring for their better interpretation. Proper dispersion graphs and their best fitting nonlinear regression models were used to verify if the cytotoxic effects of BPPB could depend on BPPB concentrations, exposure times, and/or ROS generation, and if ROS increase could depend on BPPB concentrations and/or exposure times. A ROS-dependent mechanism was found in 24 h and 24/48 h treatments of HTLA ER and HTLA 230, respectively. Furthermore, the potential clinical development of BPPB as a new curative option for children affected by HR-NB was assessed by testing BPPB on astrocyte and neuron primary cell cultures, and analytical correlation studies were used to interpret the results. Notably, BPPB administration was sufficiently and well tolerated by neurons and astrocytes, respectively, allowing selectivity index values of up to 23.7. These in vitro results, associated with the low haemolytic activity of BPPB, pave the way for future in vivo investigations and, upon confirmation, for the possible development of BPPB as a novel therapeutic strategy to treat MDR HR-NB. Full article

Background/Objectives: Influenza poses a significant risk for young children, particularly those under five. Cell culture-derived influenza vaccines offer advantages in reducing adaptive changes and mitigating egg allergy concerns. SKYCellflu^® quadrivalent has been in use since 2015, and this study aimed to assess its safety and influenza infections in children aged 6–35 months in South Korea. Methods: A prospective cohort, non-interventional, multi-center post-marketing surveillance study was conducted from 2020 to 2024. This study presents data from the 2023–2024 influenza season on safety and influenza infections in children aged 6–35 months following SKYCellflu^® vaccination. Safety was assessed based on adverse events (AEs) within 28 days post-vaccination, and influenza infections were assessed via phone calls or medical record screening. Results: Among 333 safety set participants, 54.4% reported at least one AE, with most being mild to moderate. The cumulative incidence of influenza infections among 247 ad hoc subsets was 4.5%, and the incidence rate was 1.3 per 100 person-months (95% CI, 0.7–2.4) during the 2023–2024 influenza season. The two-dose regimen in vaccine-naïve infants aged 6–11 months showed a lower cumulative incidence of influenza infection rate (0.8% vs. 3.8%) and incidence rate (0.3 vs. 0.9 per 100 person-months) than the one-dose group (3.8%). No influenza-related hospitalizations occurred within the ad hoc subset. Conclusions: This study demonstrated a tolerable safety profile and the pattern of influenza infections following SKYCellflu^® vaccination. Additionally, the two-dose regimen was associated with a lower incidence of influenza infections, suggesting potential benefits in enhancing protection among infants aged 6–11 months. Full article

If lettuce is contaminated in the field, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O157:H7 can survive through the distribution chain. Prolonged cold storage during transportation may impact pathogen physiology, affecting subsequent stress survival and virulence. Greenhouse-grown Romaine lettuce, inoculated with three STEC O157:H7 strains, was harvested after 24 h and stored at 2 °C for 5 d following 4 h at harvest temperature (9 °C or 17 °C). Culturable, persister, and viable but non-culturable (VBNC) cells were quantified. Virulence was evaluated using Galleria mellonella and acid tolerance at pH 2.5 and tolerance to 20–25 ppm free chlorine were quantified. Colder harvest temperature (9 °C) before cold storage led to greater transformation of STEC O157:H7 into dormant states and decreased virulence in most cases. Increasing length of cold storage led to decreased virulence and acid tolerance of STEC O157:H7 on lettuce, while having no significant effect on chlorine tolerance. These findings highlight that entry of STEC O157:H7 into dormant states during harvest and transportation at cold temperatures leads to decreased stress tolerance and virulence with increasing cold storage. Changes in STEC O157:H7 physiology on lettuce during cold storage can be integrated into risk assessment tools for producers, which can assist in identifying practices that minimize risk of STEC O157:H7 from consumption of lettuce. Full article

Schizophyllum commune is an edible fungus with high medicinal value, but exposure to heavy-metal pollution poses significant health risks. Cadmium (Cd) toxicity inhibits fungal growth and leads to Cd accumulation in the mycelium. However, the regulatory mechanisms of Cd-induced growth inhibition and Cd accumulation remain poorly understood. Here, S. commune 20R-7-F01 was cultured in Cd-supplemented minimal medium (MM) to investigate the response of S. commune 20R-7-F01 to Cd exposure. We found that Cd exposure resulted in growth inhibition and a Cd-dependent increase in endogenous nitric oxide (NO) levels. NO production was primarily mediated by the nitrate reductase (NR) pathway. Cd-induced growth inhibition was alleviated by inhibiting NR activity or scavenging NO, highlighting the role of NO in stress responses. Furthermore, NO was found to enhance chitinase activity, thereby promoting Cd accumulation in the fungal cell wall and leading to growth inhibition. These results reveal a novel mechanism by which S. commune copes with Cd stress. This study highlights the potential of manipulating NO levels as a strategy to enhance fungal tolerance to heavy-metal pollution, providing a new avenue for managing environmental stresses in edible fungi and protecting human health. Full article

This study took Xiangshan Bay as an example to illustrate the variation characteristics of the physicochemical environments (temperature, salinity, light, nutrients, and currents) during one kelp cultivation cycle. The study was conducted from November 2020 to May 2021 through tracking down observations. Furthermore, the environmental factors were evaluated using suitability functions of kelp growth, aiming to provide references for promoting kelp cultivation in South China. We discussed the self-limiting effect of nutrients in the culture zone. The results showed that the average temperature, salinity, and light intensity during the cruises in Xiangshan Bay kelp farm were characterized by seasonal variations. Temperature was found to be the most critical environmental factor in determining the kelp cultivation window and hence the yield in Xiangshan Bay. The dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations initially decreased and then increased, while the dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) concentrations remained decreasing along with the kelp cultivation. The surface tide currents were dramatically attenuated by the suspended kelp cultivation, while the quasi-steady circulations which played a key role in nutrient supplementation for kelp cultivation were not weakened by the kelp cultivation. Among the cruises, the suitability indices’ ranges for temperature, salinity, light, and nutrients were 0.02–0.94, 0.96–0.99, 0.97–1, 0.96–0.97 (DIN), and 0.92–0.95 (DIP), respectively. The results of the suitability functions demonstrated that the salinity and light conditions in Xiangshan Bay were very suitable for kelp cultivation and would not cause significant cultivation risks. Although the cultivated kelp could greatly absorb nutrients, the suitability index of nutrients remained adequate even during the late stage of cultivation, indicating the present kelp cultivation scale has not reached the carrying capacity of Xiangshan Bay and there is still much potential for development. To this end, further selective breeding of the thermal tolerance variety has become the key to improving the kelp cultivation performance in Xiangshan Bay. Meanwhile, the self-limiting effects in relation to nutrients are not significant in the Xiangshan Bay kelp farm, but it might be more significant in other kelp farms. Full article

Background/Objectives: Early-onset sepsis in neonates is a potentially catastrophic condition that demands prompt management. However, laboratory diagnosis via cerebral spinal fluid and blood tests is often inconclusive, so diagnosis on the basis of clinical symptoms and risk factors is frequently required, and the majority of neonates treated with antibiotics for presumed early-onset sepsis (PEOS) do not have culture-proven sepsis. The management of such PEOS is mainly achieved via antibiotic therapy, which itself has adverse effects, creating a dilemma for clinicians in optimising healthcare. This study aimed to assess the impact of PEOS management on the common neonatal concerns of feeding tolerance, hyperbilirubinaemia, weight gain, and length of stay (LoS) in moderate to late preterm infants. Methods: A single-site, matched-cohort, retrospective study was performed on infants born between 32⁺³ and 36⁺⁶ weeks (2016 to 2019) admitted to the Neonatal Unit. PEOS infants on antibiotics (PEOS) were strictly matched by gestational age (±1 day) and birthweight (±5%) against a non-PEOS reference group (NPEOS). The key outcomes included the following: enteral feeding commencement and achievement; feeding intolerance (FI); phototherapy commencement and duration; antibiotic therapy duration; maximum bilirubin (MaxBili); LoS; and net postbirth weight gain. Results: There were no cases of culture-proven early-onset sepsis. PEOS (n = 185): NPEOS (n = 185) via multivariable analysis showed delayed enteral feed commencement (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 2.75; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.32, 3.27); there was no difference in FI, delayed onset of peak jaundice (aOR: 1.24; 95%CI: 1.12, 1.37), increased duration of phototherapy (aOR: 1.24; 95%CI: 1.10, 1.41), and increased LoS (aOR: 1.31; 95%CI; 1.02, 1.67). A univariate analysis also showed the following results (PEOS: NPEOS): no significant difference in MaxBili and delayed full enteral feed achievement (p = 0.010). Univariant or multivariable analysis showed no difference in irradiance levels. However, for NPEOS infants undergoing 0 or 1 phototherapy light treatment, there was an increased irradiance for PEOS (<0.001, 0.037, respectively). Conclusions: In moderate to late preterm infants, while PEOS diagnosis and management resolve the negative health impacts of potential sepsis, they are associated with negative healthcare outcomes on feeding, jaundice, and hospital length of stay. Full article

Context: Diabetes rates are high in Black and some other ethnic communities, often leading to more severe complications. We conducted a study to identify the prevalence and risk of diabetes among African Caribbean Black (ACB) individuals aged 18–39 and to assess the sensitivity of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) compared to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to diagnose diabetes. Methods: In this mixed-methods study, maximum variation sampling was used to recruit 272 ACB participants from fourteen African and five Caribbean countries from Toronto. Participants’ height, weight, waist circumference, HbA1c, OGTT, demographic, and behavioural data were collected. SPSS was used to analyze the quantitative data. This study used descriptive statistics for frequency distribution and cross-tabulation while inferential statistics (regression, ANOVA, factor analysis, etc.) were used for relational analysis. Because of the small sample size, qualitative data were analyzed manually using the charting technique. Results: This study found that 1.5% of participants had diabetes, 9.2% had prediabetes, and 44.9% were at risk of developing diabetes. The mean value of HbA1c, FBS, and 2hPG was 5.5%, 4.8 mmol/L, and 5.7 mmol/L, respectively. The mean BMI was 28.2 kg/m², and the waist circumference was 85.8 cm. This study found a correlation between glucose intolerance and increasing body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Dietary habits, physical inactivity, and mental health challenges were risk factors among the participants. HbA1c was found to be a more sensitive and culturally acceptable screening measure than OGTT in diagnosing diabetes. Conclusions: ACB individuals are at high risk of having diabetes, requiring culturally tailored peer-based health promotion strategies to reduce diabetes prevalence and risk. HbA1c is a culturally acceptable and statistically more capable measure than OGTT in identifying individuals with prediabetes. Further longitudinal research is needed. Full article

In this study, we investigated whether three microbial strains, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum J-135, Saccharomyces cerevisiae DAE-4, and Bacillus velezensis PBS-17, could be used to reduce mold growth and spoilage during the production of fermented feed. These microorganisms were isolated and characterized via an evaluation of their antibacterial activity, enzymatic activity, bile acid resistance, and acid tolerance. L. plantarum J-135 and S. cerevisiae DAE-4 demonstrated excellent acid tolerance and bile acid resistance, and L. plantarum J-135 exhibited antibacterial activity against Salmonella species. B. velezensis PBS-17 showed the greatest protease, cellulase, α-amylase, and phytase enzymatic activities, and displayed antibacterial activity against Fusarium solani, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium sp., and Fusarium oxysporum. The three isolated strains were diluted to the same concentration (1:1:1) to create a culture solution, which was added to a standard feed (experimental group) to prepare fermented feed. This was compared with feed treated with a commercially available single probiotic preparation (control group 1) or a mixed microbial preparation that was composed of multiple strains, including B. subtilis. The feed treated with the single probiotic preparation spoiled after 21 days due to insufficient lactic acid bacteria growth, whereas the feed treated with the mixed microbial preparation exhibited mold growth after 14 days. The bacteria and fungi that cause spoilage during fermented feed production were effectively controlled in feed treated with L. plantarum J-135, S. cerevisiae DAE-4, and B. velezensis PBS-17. Therefore, the mixture of these three microbial strains may reduce the risk of spoilage during fermented silage and feed processing, thereby improving storage properties and stability. Full article

Microalgae are known for their efficient removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) through biosorption and bioaccumulation, yet the subsequent release of Cr(VI) upon cell death remains a challenge. The reduction of Cr(VI) to the less toxic trivalent chromium [Cr(III)] is another critical remediation strategy that mitigates the risk of Cr(VI) re-release, but research on microalgal reduction of Cr(VI) is scarce. In this study, a microalgal strain designated as MQ-1 was isolated from chromium-contaminated mine effluent, demonstrating the capability to tolerate and remove Cr(VI). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that MQ-1 is closely related to the genus Chlorella; hence, it is classified as Chlorella sp. MQ-1. This strain exhibited robust growth at Cr(VI) concentrations below 2 mg/L, achieving a removal rate higher than 82% for initial Cr(VI) concentrations between 0.5 and 1 mg/L after a 5-day incubation period. Mechanistic studies revealed that MQ-1 promoted the removal of Cr(VI) mainly through intracellular bioreduction and bioaccumulation processes, in which more than 60% of Cr(VI) was reduced to the less toxic Cr(III) and stocked in the cells. A two-stage cultivation strategy, involving initial biomass accumulation followed by Cr(VI) treatment, significantly enhanced the removal efficiency, which was further accelerated under illuminated conditions. Notably, MQ-1 cultures with initial OD₆₈₀ values of 4 and 6 accomplished 84.28% and 91.31% Cr(VI) removal from 2 mg/L solutions, respectively, within 30 hours under light exposure. These findings highlight the potential of MQ-1 to utilize renewable solar energy to reduce Cr(VI) and to mitigate the risk of its re-release into the environment. This characteristic positions MQ-1 as a potentially sustainable and cost-effective solution for Cr(VI) remediation and suggests its significant potential for large-scale implementation in bioremediation strategies aimed at Cr(VI)-contaminated waters. Full article