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Purpose: Chronic inflammation is one of the key mechanisms of depression. Wenyang-Tianjin-Jie Decoction (WTJD) is an effective antidepressant found in the course of diagnosis and treatment, but the mechanism of therapeutic effect is not clear. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of WTJD in the kidney yang deficiency (KYD) type of depression rats and reveal its mechanisms. Materials and Methods: We selected forty 6-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats for the study. We established a KYD [Phellodendron amurense Rupr (Huangbai) solution oral gavage and 4°C environments; 8 weeks] type of depression (chronic unpredictable mild stimulus; 6 weeks) rat model first. After successful modeling, we used WTJD or fluoxetine on rats for 3 weeks. Then we evaluated the depression and KYD behavior. Finally, we observed the expression of key inflammatory factors and proteins in peripheral blood and hippocampus, and further investigated the immune balance of Th17/Treg and Th1/Th2 cells and the activity of their main regulatory pathways JAK2/STAT3 and TLR4/TRAF6/NF-κB. Results: The imbalance of Th17/Treg and Th1/Th2 cells in rats were related to KYD and depressive symptoms. Through this study, we found that WTJD can inhibit the activity of JAK2/STAT3 and TLR4/TRAF6/NF-κB pathways, balance Th17/Treg and Th1/Th2 cell homeostasis, regulate the levels of inflammatory factors in the hippocampus and peripheral blood, and reverse KYD and depression. Conclusion: This study confirmed that WTJD had a reliable effect on depression rats with KYD, and its mechanism was to regulate the immune homeostasis of hippocampal T cells and related inflammatory factors to improve KYD and depression symptoms in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is acknowledged as a highly effective therapy for various neurological conditions, including refractory epilepsy, depression, Alzheimer's disease (AD), migraine, and stroke. Presently, there is an increasing focus on understanding the impact of VNS on cognitive aspects. Numerous studies suggest that VNS suppresses the body's inflammatory response, leading to enhanced cognitive function in patients. Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is a severe cognitive dysfunction syndrome resulting from prolonged chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH), where the primary pathogenesis is CCH-induced neuroinflammation. In this paper, we present a comprehensive overview of the research advancements in using VNS for treating VCI and discuss that VNS improves cognitive function in VCI patients by suppressing neuroinflammation, offering insights into a potential novel approach for addressing this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gut-eye axis has been hypothesized to be a factor in many eye pathologies. This review examines papers from PubMed about this topic. Bacterial commensals could either be protective by regulating the immune system or prove to be damaging to the gut mucosal wall and incite an inflammatory process. The balance between the two appears to be crucial in maintaining eye health. Imbalances have been implicated in ophthalmologic conditions. The use of probiotics, dietary modifications, antibiotics, and faecal microbiota transplant in mice with pathologies such as those encountered in our practice appears to reverse disease course or at least prevent its progression. Clinical trials are currently underway to investigate their clinical significance in diseased patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly used prophylactically to control inflammation after ocular surgery. When prescribed as eye drops, as has been longstanding tradition, anti-inflammatory success is out of surgeons' hands, dependent on patient compliance and proper instillation technique. Sustained-release, intraoperatively administered anti-inflammatory drugs are emerging as another option. DEXYCU (dexamethasone intraocular suspension) 9% is the first and only intraocular corticosteroid FDA-approved for postoperative inflammation, whose sustained-release formulation provides a high initial release of drug, followed by a gradual tapering. Administration of the drug directly into the capsular bag following cataract surgery enables reliable placement proximal to target tissues, ensuring surgeon control and visibility of delivery, safety, and efficiency. This technique also minimizes contact with metabolically active tissues such as the corneal endothelium, iris, and ciliary body. In this paper, we review the available literature on dexamethasone intraocular suspension and summarize surgeons' consensus on best practices for intracapsular administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aimed to present daily-practice recommendations for the management of diabetic macular edema (DME) patients based on available scientific evidence and the clinical experience of the consensus panel. Methods: A group of Spanish retina experts agreed to discuss different aspects related with the clinical management of DME patients. Results: Panel was mainly focused on therapeutic objectives in DME management; definition terms; and role of biomarkers as prognostic and predictive factors to intravitreal treatment response. The panel recommends to start DME treatment as soon as possible in those eyes with a visual acuity less than 20/25 (always according to the retina unit capacity). Naïve patient was defined, in a strict manner, as a patient who, up to that moment, had never received any treatment. A refractory DME patient may be defined as the one who did not achieve a complete resolution of the disease, regardless of the treatment administered. Different optical coherence tomography biomarkers, such as disorganization of the retinal inner layers, hyperreflective dots, and cysts, have been identified as prognostic factors. Conclusion: This document has sought to lay down a set of recommendations and to identify key issues that may be useful for the daily management of DME patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions, which has been commonly associated with alterations of some neurotransmitters systems, in particular, the serotonin and dopamine ones. However, it is now evident that these supposed disturbances cannot explain the development of this disorder, and so other possible mechanisms have been invoked, such as those involving the immune system that is attracting an increasing interest. According to the current literature, immune system alterations are reported in OCD of both children and adults. In children, it has been widely described as a clinical syndrome resulting from infections driven by group A β-hemolytic streptococci and characterized by rheumatic fever, OCD, and neurological symptoms called "pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus". In adults, available findings are meager and controversial, although intriguing. Such preliminary findings underline the presence of OCD in a number of autoimmune disorders, as well as of alterations of different immune parameters in OCD patients. This paper aims at presenting an exhaustive review of the role of the immune system in the development of OCD, with a major focus on the possible pathophysiological role of cytokines that seems to open novel treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis is a benign gynecological condition characterized by specific histological, molecular, and clinical findings. It affects 5%-10% of premenopausal women, is a cause of infertility, and has been implicated as a precursor for certain types of ovarian cancer. Advances in technology, primarily the ability for whole genome sequencing, have led to the discovery of new mutations and a better understanding of the function of previously identified genes and pathways associated with endometriosis associated ovarian cancers (EAOCs) that include PTEN, CTNNB1 (β-catenin), KRAS, microsatellite instability, ARID1A, and the unique role of inflammation in the development of EAOC. Clinically, EAOCs are associated with a younger age at diagnosis, lower stage and grade of tumor, and are more likely to occur in premenopausal women when compared with other ovarian cancers. A shift from screening strategies adopted to prevent EAOCs has resulted in new recommendations for clinical practice by national and international governing bodies. In this paper, we review the common histologic and molecular characteristics of endometriosis and ovarian cancer, risks associated with EAOCs, clinical challenges and give recommendations for providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central nervous system (CNS) is a highly complex tissue that is vital for a large number of life-dependent processes. The neurons of the CNS are post-mitotic and cannot be easily replaced or repaired if lost or damaged. The hallmark of neuroinflammation is an influx of leukocytes through the blood-brain barrier or blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier. Depending on the disease, the presence of leukocytes can have beneficial or detrimental effects on disease outcome. Importantly, the entry of leukocytes into the CNS is primarily controlled by chemokines, a large family of chemotactic cytokines that coordinate the movement of leukocytes into and within tissues. Expression of inflammatory chemokines is almost absent in the resting CNS, but can be highly upregulated during inflammation. This includes CXCL10, a chemokine that has critical roles in controlling the entry of several important leukocyte subsets into the brain and other tissues. CXCL10 is expressed by neurons, glia, and stromal cells in a number of different CNS diseases and can have either a protective or a detrimental role in facilitating disease progression or resolution. CXCL10 together with CXCL9 and CXCL11 binds to CXCR3, which is predominantly expressed on activated T-cells and natural killer cells. Due to the ability of CXCL10 to mediate leukocyte influx in a variety of inflammatory CNS diseases, research has focused on identifying drugs that block the function of CXCL10 or CXCR3. Many of these drugs are under investigation and are discussed here in detail. In this paper, we review the function of CXCL10 during nervous system inflammation and highlight the latest developments that suggest its involvement in a number of key diseases, including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and viral encephalitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to report outcomes of intravitreal imipenem in the treatment of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella-related postoperative endophthalmitis. This observational case series consists of three eyes from three patients seen between 2013 and 2014. Multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is characterized by a rapid, fulminant course and severe intraocular inflammation. Intravitreal imipenem may be used to treat such infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]