Cilj istraživanja bio je usporediti dijagnostičke testove za konjunktivitis sicca (Schirmerov test, test raskidanja suznog filma (engl. tear break-up time test, TBUT) i testove bojanja rožnice ...fluoresceinom i zelenom bojom lisamin) kod bolesnika s blefarospazmom. Prospektivnom studijom obuhvaćeno je šezdeset ispitanica starijih od četrdeset godina kojima je dijagnosticiran blefarospazam. Ispitanice su podijeljene u dvije skupine ovisno o kliničkim simptomima. Površina ispod krivulje ROC za fluoresceinski test iznosila je 1,0 uz standardnu grešku (SE) 0 i interval pouzdanosti (95% CI) 0,940-1,0; za Schirmerov test je površina ispod krivulje ROC iznosila 0,817 uz SE 0,0555 i 95% CI 0,696-0,905; za test sa zelenom bojom lisamin površina ispod krivulje ROC bila je 0,813 uz SE 0,056 i 95% CI 0,691-0,902; te za test TBUT je površina ispod krivulje ROC bila 0,772 uz SE 0,061 i 95% CI 0,645-0,870. U studiji je prema rezultatima krivulje ROC, kojom se utvrđuje osjetljivost i specifičnost normalnih vrijednosti, fluoresceinski test imao najbolju osjetljivost i specifičnost u usporedbi s drugim testovima koji se primjenjuju u dijagnosticiranju suhog keratokonjunkitivitisa. Izvođenje Schirmerova testa ne preporuča se u bolesnika s keratokonjunktivitisom sicca i blefarospazmom zbog čestog treptanja, što može utjecati na rezultate testa i njegovu pravilnu interpretaciju. Unatoč patološkim brojčanim vrijednostima TBUT test je prihvatljiv za kliničku primjenu u bolesnika s keratokonjunktivitisom i blefarospazmom, jer je interval raskidanja suznog filma duži od vremenskog interval između dva treptaja.
The aim of this prospective study was to determine the possible influence of the silicone oil tamponade after vitrectomy on the early intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation, which is a major risk ...factor for developing secondary glaucoma in patients with vitreal and retinal proliferative changes. The research included 110 patients which were allocated in three groups according to the medical history data. The surgical procedures were performed at the Eye Clinic, University of
Zagreb School of Medicine. The control group comprised 40 patients who underwent vitrectomy with air or saline solution tamponade. The second group consisted of 40 patients with retinal detachment and proliferative retinopathy who had vitrectomy with silicone oil tamponade and the third group were 30 patients with diabetic retinopathy who underwent vitrectomy and tamponade with silicone oil. The intraocular pressure was measured and gonioscopy was performed in all patients one month before and after vitrectomy. The results showed that there is no statistically significant difference among IOP values before and after vitrectomy in the control group (p=0.104) as well as in the preoperative IOP values among all three groups of patients. The data analysis determined that in both groups of patients with silicone oil tamponade after vitrectomy, there is a statistically significant difference in IOP values one month after the surgical procedure (p=0.000). The mean IOP values in those patients a month after vitrectomy were significantly higher compared to the control group (p<0.05). Comparison of the IOP one month after vitrectomy between the patients with retinal detachment and those with diabetic retinopathy showed no statistically significant difference (p=0.331) but the qualitative analysis showed that the IOP one month after vitrectomy was 2 mmHg higher in the diabetic retinopathy group. The results suggest that there is no difference in angle width before and after vitrectomy among different groups of patients. Emulsified silicone oil was confirmed in 18% of patients in the retinal detachment group. In 17% of patients in the diabetic
retinopathy group the emulsified oil was found in the angle, whereas a 10% of patients had neovascularization of the angle one month after vitrectomy. The IOP elevation in the early postoperative course may be caused by intravitreal instillation of the silicone oil after vitrectomy. Emulsification of the silicone oil may lead to the early IOP rise; especially in the diabetic patients with angle neovascularization which itself can additionally accelerate the development of the secondary glaucoma.
This study, motivated to fill the knowledge gap on environmental safety of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), provides information on the stability and environmental safety of four differently coated ...SeNPs rendering both positive and negative surface charges. The stability and dissolution behaviour of SeNPs were determined in an aquatic model media of different ionic strength to provide information regarding the environmental fate of SeNPs in different environmental conditions. The environmental safety of SeNPs was evaluated by acute regulatory toxicity tests using Daphina magna and Vibrio fischeri as model organisms. Agglomeration was observed for all studied SeNPs in test media with higher ionic strength caused by the disruption of surface charge leading to electrostatic instability. Toxicity of SeNPs on both aquatic species was dose-dependent and increased with exposure time. The obtained data indicated that all of the tested SeNPs could be classified as harmful to the natural bacteria V. fischeri and harmful to toxic to crustaceans D. magna, but dependent on the coating agent used for SeNPs stabilization. Although SeNPs have attracted great interest for use in biomedicine, this study demonstrated that their ecotoxicological effects should be considered during the design of new of SeNPs-based products.
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•We provide data on stability and environmental safety of four differently coated SeNPs.•Exposure settings included different aquatic model media.•Agglomeration of all SeNPs occurred in media with higher ionic strength.•All tested SeNPs were harmful to Vibrio fischeri and harmful/toxic to Daphnia magna.
The precipitation of calcium phosphates (CaPs) in the presence of more than one type of additive is of interest both from a fundamental point of view and as a possible biomimetic route for the ...preparation of multicomponent composites in which the activity of the components is preserved. In this study, the effect of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and chitosan (Chi) on the precipitation of CaPs in the presence of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) stabilized with sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT-AgNPs), poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP-AgNPs), and citrate (cit-AgNPs) was investigated. In the control system, the precipitation of CaPs occurred in two steps. Amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) was the first precipitated solid, which transformed into a mixture of calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CaDHA) and a smaller amount of octacalcium phosphate (OCP) after 60 min of ageing. Both biomacromolecules inhibited ACP transformation, with Chi being a stronger inhibitor due to its flexible molecular structure. As the concentration of the biomacromolecules increased, the amount of OCP decreased both in the absence and presence of AgNPs. In the presence of cit-AgNPs and two highest BSA concentrations, a change in the composition of the crystalline phase was observed. Calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate was formed in the mixture with CaDHA. An effect on the morphology of both the amorphous and crystalline phases was observed. The effect depended on the specific combination of biomacromolecules and differently stabilized AgNP. The results obtained suggest a simple method for fine-tuning the properties of precipitates using different classes of additives. This could be of interest for the biomimetic preparation of multifunctional composites for bone tissue engineering.
The effect of BSA and Chi on CaPs precipitation depends on a specific combination of biomacromolecule and differently stabilized AgNPs.
•All analyzed wines can be considered as sanitary safe.•Organic wines contained significantly lower levels of pesticide residues.•Organic wines contained significantly lower content of Pb and Mg.•The ...majority of ochratoxin A positive wines were in conventional group.•Sulphite content was comparable between organic and conventional wines.
Organic products are generally recognized to be healthier and safer than conventional products. However, the actual scientific data regarding the importance of organic production on particular contaminant/additive content of wines is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate contents of pesticides, metals, sulphites and ochratoxin A in organically (org) and conventionally (conv) produced wines from eleven locations in different winegrowing regions of Croatia. All wines contained significantly lower levels of residues as compared to the maximum limits (MLs) with the exception of excessive amounts of Cu and Zn in one sample. Pb and Mg were mainly significantly less represented in org wines. There were no significant differences in the content of sulphite or ochratoxin A between org and conv wines. Significantly lower total pesticide concentrations and average number of pesticides per sample were obtained in org wines. The majority of ochratoxin A positive wines were from conv wine producers.
The constantly growing need for advanced bone regeneration materials has motivated the development of calcium phosphates (CaPs) composites with a different metal or metal-oxide nanomaterials and ...their economical and environmentally friendly production. Here, two procedures for the synthesis of CaPs composites with TiO2 nanoplates (TiNPl) and nanowires (TiNWs) were tested, with the immersion of TiO2 nanomaterials (TiNMs) in corrected simulated body fluid (c-SBF) and precipitation of CaP in the presence of TiNMs. The materials obtained were analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction, spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering, and their hemocompatibility and ability to induce reactive oxygen species were evaluated. After 28 days of immersion in c-SBF, no significant CaP coating was formed on TiNMs. However, the composites with calcium-deficient apatite (CaDHA) were obtained after one hour in the spontaneous precipitation system. In the absence of TiNMs, CaDHA was also formed, indicating that control of the CaP phase formed can be accomplished by fine-tuning conditions in the precipitation system. Although the morphology and size of crystalline domains of CaDHA obtained on the different nanomaterials differed, no significant difference was detected in their local structure. Composites showed low reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and did not induce hemolysis. The results obtained indicate that precipitation is a suitable and fast method for the preparation of CaPs/TiNMs nanocomposites which shows great potential for biomedical applications.
Nanotechnology has the potential to provide formulations of antitumor agents with increased selectivity towards cancer tissue thereby decreasing systemic toxicity. This
study evaluated the potential ...of novel nanoformulation based on poly(lactic-
-glycolic acid) (PLGA) to reduce the cardiotoxic potential of doxorubicin (DOX).
toxicity of PLGADOX was compared with clinically approved non-PEGylated, liposomal nanoformulation of DOX (LipoDOX) and conventional DOX form (ConvDOX). The study was performed using Wistar Han rats of both sexes that were treated intravenously for 28 days with 5 doses of tested substances at intervals of 5 days. Histopathological analyses of heart tissues showed the presence of myofiber necrosis, degeneration processes, myocytolysis, and hemorrhage after treatment with ConvDOX, whereas only myofiber degeneration and hemorrhage were present after the treatment with nanoformulations. All DOX formulations caused an increase in the troponin T with the greatest increase caused by convDOX. qPCR analyses revealed an increase in the expression of inflammatory markers IL-6 and IL-8 after ConvDOX and an increase in IL-8 expression after lipoDOX treatments. The mass spectra imaging (MSI) of heart tissue indicates numerous metabolic and lipidomic changes caused by ConvDOX, while less severe cardiac damages were found after treatment with nanoformulations. In the case of LipoDOX, autophagy and apoptosis were still detectable, whereas PLGADOX induced only detectable mitochondrial toxicity. Cardiotoxic effects were frequently sex-related with the greater risk of cardiotoxicity observed mostly in male rats.
Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were first designed as nutritional supplements, but they are attractive also for use in diagnostic and therapeutic systems owing to their biocompatibility and ...protective effects. This study aimed to examine if different SeNPs stabilization strategies affect their (i) antimicrobial activity against bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and (ii) toxicity to human cells of different biological barriers i.e., skin, oral and intestinal mucosa. For surface stabilization, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), poly-L-lysine (PLL) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) were used rendering neutral, positively and negatively charged SeNPs, respectively. The SeNPs (primary size ~80 nm) showed toxic effects in human cells in vitro and in bacteria S. aureus, but not in E. coli and yeast S. cerevisiae. Toxicity of SeNPs (24 h IC50) ranged from 1.4 to >100 mg Se/L, depending on surface functionalization (PLL > PAA > PVP) and was not caused by ionic Se. At subtoxic concentrations, all SeNPs were taken up by all human cell types, induced oxidative stress response and demonstrated genotoxicity.
As the safety profile of SeNPs was dependent not only on target cells (mammalian cells, bacteria, yeast), but also on surface functionalization, these aspects should be considered during development of novel SeNPs-based biomedical products.
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•Human toxicity and antimicrobial effects of selenium nanoparticles were studied.•HaCaT, TR146 and CaCo-2 cells were chosen to represent biological barriers of entry.•SeNPs are toxic to S. aureus, but not E. coli or S. cerevisiae.•SeNPs show cytotoxic, genotoxic and ROS generating effects on human cells.•Extent of toxicity depends on the coating agent and cell type.
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