Retinal proteins associated with redox regulation and protein folding play central roles in response to high glucose conditions

Diabetic retinopathy typically causes poor vision and blindness. A previous study revealed that a high blood glucose concentration induces glycoxidation and weakens the retinal capillaries. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of high blood glucose induced diabetic retinopathy remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we cultured the retinal pigmented epithelial cell line ARPE‐19 in mannitol‐balanced 5.5, 25, and 100 mM glucose media and investigated protein level alterations. Proteomic analysis revealed significant changes in 137 protein features, of which 124 demonstrated changes in a glucose concentration dependent manner. Several proteins functionally associated with redox regulation, protein folding, or the cytoskeleton are affected by increased glucose concentrations. Additional analyses also revealed that cellular oxidative stress, including endoplasmic reticulum stress, was significantly increased after treatment with high glucose concentrations. However, the mitochondrial membrane potential and cell survival remained unchanged during treatment with high glucose concentrations. To summarize, in this study, we used a comprehensive retinal pigmented epithelial cell based proteomic approach for identifying changes in protein expression associated retinal markers induced by high glucose concentrations. Our results revealed that a high glucose condition can induce cellular oxidative stress and modulate the levels of proteins with functions in redox regulation, protein folding, and cytoskeleton regulation; however, cell viability and mitochondrial integrity are not significantly disturbed under these high glucose conditions.     

Photochemical characterization of biomimetic molecular switches

The performance of fluorenylidene-pyrroline (FPs) and N-alkylated fluorenylidene-pyrroline (NAFPs) derivatives for their use as light-driven molecular switches has been studied. Both types of compounds share fast and controllable photoisomerization. Other competitive reaction pathways that could lead to low efficiency have been considered. Only weak fluorescence was measured and high photostability was found when irradiating these compounds for long times, together with high photoisomerization quantum yields. NAFPs are capable of using visible light, which could be useful for practical applications.     

Assessment of MRI issues for the Argus II retinal prosthesis

Objective

The objective was to evaluate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) issues (magnetic field interactions, heating, artifacts and functional alterations) at 1.5 T and 3 T for the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis (Second Sight Medical Products, Sylmar, CA, USA).

Materials and Methods

Standardized protocols were used to assess magnetic field interactions (translational attraction and torque; 3 T, worst case), MRI-related heating (1.5 and 3 T), artifacts (3 T; worst case) and functional changes (1.5 and 3 T) associated with MRI.

Results

The magnetic field interactions were acceptable. MRI-related heating, which was studied at a relatively high, MR system-reported whole body averaged specific absorption rates, will not pose a hazard to the patient under the conditions used for testing. While artifacts were “moderate” in relation to the dimensions of the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis, optimization of MRI parameters can reduce the size of the artifacts. Exposures to MRI conditions at 1.5 and 3 T did not damage or alter the functional aspects of the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis.

Conclusions

In consideration of the test results, a patient with the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis may undergo MRI at 1.5 T or 3 T when specific guidelines and MRI conditions are followed, including those advised by the manufacturer.     

Compensated adiabatic inversion pulses: broadband INEPT and HSQC

When adiabatic fast passage is used to flip nuclear spins, sites with different chemical shifts are inverted at different times, causing refocusing errors. By mapping the phase evolution diagrams, we show that these effects can be accurately compensated with matched pairs of adiabatic pulses, either opposed or in the same sense, depending on the application. Applied to well-known heteronuclear polarization transfer experiments such as INEPT and HSQC, the requisite evolution of J-vectors is achieved irrespective of chemical shift or the duration of the adiabatic sweeps. By replacing conventional 180 degrees pulses, these new adiabatic sequences offer an order of magnitude improvement in effective bandwidth for the X-spins. Alternatively the experiments can be carried out with significantly reduced radiofrequency power. One- and two-dimensional spectra of (13)C in 13-cis-retinal at 600MHz have been used to demonstrate these advantages.     

高功率微波对家兔视觉电生理功能及组织结构的影响

 采用高功率电磁波直接辐照家免全身后,即刻分别测试家兔的视网膜电流图（Electro-retinogram,ERG）;随后即刻取材,包埋固定,分别在光学显微镜和透射电镜下观察其视觉器官的组织结构。结果表明,高场强的高功率微波辐照可造成家兔眼视网膜组织的即刻损伤,对家兔视觉电生理功能可产生明显的抑制作用,其作用强度与辐照剂量和辐照时间存在一定的量效、时效关系。     

人眼视网膜成像自适应光学系统的初步试验和改进

搭建了一套基于液晶空间光调制器的人眼视网膜成像自适应光学系统,进行了活体人眼视网膜的初步实验.经过系统闭环校正,PV值和RMS值分别从2.293λ降低到0.176 553λ,从0.55129λ降低到0.105 11λ,接近衍射极限的水平.获得了较为清晰的人眼视网膜细胞图像,验证了液晶空间光调制器在人眼视网膜高分辨率自适应成像中应用的可行性,并针对试验中的遇到的激光散斑以及照明控制等问题,对原系统提出了一些改进设计.