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We previously reported that nanoceria can slow retinal degeneration in the tubby mouse for two weeks by multiple systemic injections. However, the long-term protection of retinal structure and function by directly deliver of nanoceria to the eye had not been explored. In this study, 172 ng of nanoceria in lμl saline (1 mM) were intravitreally injected into tubby P7 pups and assays were performed at P28, P49, P80 and P120. The expression of antioxidant associated genes and photoreceptor-specific genes were significantly up regulated, the mislocalization of rod and cone opsins was decreased, and retinal structure and function were protected. These findings demonstrate that nanoceria can function as catalytic antioxidants in vivo and may be broad spectrum therapeutic agents for multiple types of ocular diseases.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is an accurate method for evaluating hypertension, yet its use in clinical practice may be limited by availability, cost, and patient inconvenience. The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of a 6-hour ABPM window to predict blood pressure control, based on that of the full 24-hour ABPM session across several clinical indications in a cohort of 486 patients referred for ABPM. Sensitivities and specificities of the 6-hour systolic blood pressure mean to accurately classify patients as hypertensive were determined using a fixed reference point of 130 mmHg for the 24-hour mean. For four common indications in which ABPM was ordered, prediction tables were constructed varying the thresholds for the 6-hour mean to find the optimal value that best predicted the 24-hour hypertensive status as determined from the full 24-hour interval. Using a threshold of 137 mmHg for the indications of borderline hypertension, evaluation of current antihypertensive regimen and suspected white-coat hypertension, sensitivity and specificity ranged from 0.83–0.88 and 0.80–0.88, respectively, for the ability of 6-hour ABPM to correctly categorize hypertensive status. Using 133 mmHg as the threshold for treatment resistance resulted in a sensitivity and specificity of 0.93 and 0.83, respectively. We conclude that a shortened ABPM session of 6 hours can be used to accurately classify blood pressure as controlled or not, based on the results of a 24-hour session. The optimal 6-hour threshold for comparison depends upon indication for referral.

Neovascular ocular diseases (age-related macular degeneration, retinopathy of prematurity, and diabetic retinopathy) are the leading causes of blindness and are characterized by excessive new blood vessels either as choroidal neovascularization (CNV) or retinal neovascularization (RNV) which can be induced by the imbalance of growth factors. Animal models for these diseases provide valuable tools for studying the pathology, physiology, and mechanisms by which genes function and regulate these disease phenotypes. In this paper, we will review some recent studies using animal models and therapeutic treatments of these diseases.

The 1,852,442-bp sequence of an M1 strain of Streptococcus pyogenes , a Gram-positive pathogen, has been determined and contains 1,752 predicted protein-encoding genes. Approximately one-third of these genes have no identifiable function, with the remainder falling into previously characterized categories of known microbial function. Consistent with the observation that S. pyogenes is responsible for a wider variety of human disease than any other bacterial species, more than 40 putative virulence-associated genes have been identified. Additional genes have been identified that encode proteins likely associated with microbial “molecular mimicry” of host characteristics and involved in rheumatic fever or acute glomerulonephritis. The complete or partial sequence of four different bacteriophage genomes is also present, with each containing genes for one or more previously undiscovered superantigen-like proteins. These prophage-associated genes encode at least six potential virulence factors, emphasizing the importance of bacteriophages in horizontal gene transfer and a possible mechanism for generating new strains with increased pathogenic potential.

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), a 50-kDa glycoprotein, was first isolated from medium conditioned by human fetal retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and was shown to be made in vivo by both fetal and adult RPE cells. After release from the RPE, PEDF binds to the glycosaminoglycans of the interphotoreceptor matrix,1,2 placing it in a prime physical location to affect the underlying neural retina. The PEDF gene has been cloned, sequenced and shown to have a tight linkage with a retinitis pigmentosa locus (RP13) on chromosome 17pl3.3 making it a candidate gene for this form of retinal degeneration.3,4 It has been reported that PEDF supported normal development of photoreceptor neurons and opsin expression after retinal pigment epithium removal.5 PEDF acts as a survival factor for cultured cerebellar granule cells,6, 7, 8 spinal motor neurons,9,10 hippocampal neurons11 and recently we demonstrated the survival-promoting activity of PEDF on retinal neurons in vitro 12. In addition to its effects on neurons, PEDF is a potent anti-angiogenesis factor,13 and is considered as a key coordinator of retinal neuronal and vascular functions.14 However, the role of PEDF as a neuroprotective factor in the retina and its association with specific retinal degenerative diseases are still being elucidated. The aim of the present research is to examine whether PEDF can prevent or delay photoreceptor degeneration. Using H2O2-induced cell death in cultured retinal neurons as in vitro model and the light-dependent degeneration of rat photoreceptor cells as in vivo model, our data demonstrate that PEDF results in significant protection of photoreceptor cells.

Pharmacist-physician comanagement of hypertension has been shown to improve office blood pressures (BPs). We sought to describe the effect of such a model on 24-hour ambulatory BPs.We performed a prospective, cluster-randomized, controlled clinical trial, enrolling 179 patients with uncontrolled hypertension from 5 primary care clinics in Iowa City, Iowa. Patients were randomized by clinic to receive pharmacist-physician collaborative management of hypertension (intervention) or usual care (control) for a 9-month period. In the intervention group, pharmacists helped patients to identify barriers to BP control, counseled on lifestyle and dietary modifications, and adjusted antihypertensive therapy in collaboration with the patients' primary care providers. Patients were seen by pharmacists a minimum of every 2 months. Ambulatory BP was measured at baseline and at study end.Baseline and end-of-study ambulatory BP profiles were evaluated for 175 patients. Mean (SD) ambulatory systolic BPs (SBPs), reported in millimeters of mercury, were reduced more in the intervention group than in the control group: daytime change in (Δ) SBP, 15.2 (11.5) vs 5.5 (13.5) (P .001); nighttime ΔSBP, 12.2 (14.8) vs 3.4 (13.3) (P .001); and 24-hour ΔSBP, 14.1 (11.3) vs 5.5 (12.5) (P .001). More patients in the intervention group than in the control group had their BP controlled at the end of the study (75.0% vs 50.7%) (P .001), as defined by overall 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring.Pharmacist-physician collaborative management of hypertension achieved consistent and significantly greater reduction in 24-hour BP and a high rate of BP control. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00201045.