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The purpose of this manuscript was to provide a better understanding of patients with intralenticular foreign bodies (FBs) and also to review the reported cases, including clinical presentation, diagnosis, management, and visual outcome. A 50-year-old male was referred to our clinic with suspected intraocular FB. Under slit-lamp examination, a full-thickness corneal wound with localized corneal edema at the temporal lower peri-limbal area was revealed. Seidel test did not indicate any wound leakage. The corresponding iris was depigmented, but there was no penetrating hole. The anterior chamber was deep with cells, but the lens, vitreous, and fundus were normal. B-scan ultrasonography and orbital computed tomography were performed, but no intraocular FB was detected. On the 2nd day, a zonal cortical cataract and posterior subcapsular cataract formed rapidly. Left-eye bare vision dramatically decreased from 20/100 to counting fingers. One month later, the patient received elective extracapsular cataract extraction. A fine metal thread was completely embedded in the lens; the lens and FB were removed together during the operation. The posterior capsule was not injured; an intraocular lens was implanted in the capsular bag. Two months postoperatively, left-eye vision had returned to 20/25. No adverse events were noted during the follow-up period. In addition to the case report, some 28 previously reported cases of intralenticular FB are reviewed here. Patient demographics, time and course of management, and visual outcome are all summarized and compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SrTiO3 is a well-known photocatalyst inducing overall water splitting when exposed to UV irradiation of wavelengths <370 nm. However, the apparent quantum efficiency of SrTiO3 is typically low, even when functionalized with nanoparticles of Pt or Ni@NiO. Here, we introduce a simple solid-state preparation method to control the incorporation of magnesium into the perovskite structure of SrTiO3. After deposition of Pt or Ni@NiO, the photocatalytic water-splitting efficiency of the Mg:SrTiO x composites is up to 20 times higher compared to SrTiO3 containing similar catalytic nanoparticles, and an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 10 % can be obtained in the wavelength range of 300-400 nm. Detailed characterization of the Mg:SrTiO x composites revealed that Mg is likely substituting the tetravalent Ti ion, leading to a favorable surface-space-charge layer. This originates from tuning of the donor density in the cubic SrTiO3 structure by Mg incorporation and enables high oxygen-evolution rates. Nevertheless, interfacing with an appropriate hydrogen evolution catalyst is mandatory and non-trivial to obtain high-performance in water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)-initiated signaling contributes to stem cell homeostasis and regeneration. However, it is unclear how PGE2 signaling controls cell stemness. This study identifies a previously unknown mechanism by which PGE2/prostaglandin E receptor 4 (EP4) signaling regulates multiple signaling pathways (e.g., PI3K/Akt signaling, TGFβ signaling, Wnt signaling, EGFR signaling) which maintain the basal mammary stem cell phenotype. A shift of basal mammary epithelial stem cells (MaSCs) from a mesenchymal/stem cell state to a non-basal-MaSC state occurs in response to prostaglandin E receptor 4 (EP4) antagonism. EP4 antagonists elicit release of signaling components, by controlling their trafficking into extracellular vesicles/exosomes in a lipid raft/caveolae-dependent manner. Consequently, EP4 antagonism indirectly inactivates, through induced extracellular vesicle/exosome release, pathways required for mammary epithelial stem cell homeostasis, e.g. canonical/noncanonical Wnt, TGFβ and PI3K/Akt pathways. EP4 antagonism causes signaling receptors and signaling components to shift from non-lipid raft fractions to lipid raft fractions, and to then be released in EP4 antagonist-induced extracellular vesicles/exosomes, resulting in the loss of the stem cell state by mammary epithelial stem cells. In contrast, luminal mammary epithelial cells can acquire basal stem cell properties following ingestion of EP4 antagonist-induced stem cell extracellular vesicles/exosomes, and can then form mammary glands. These findings demonstrate that PGE2/EP4 signaling controls homeostasis of mammary epithelial stem cells through regulating extracellular vesicle/exosome release. Reprogramming of mammary epithelial cells can result from EP4-mediated stem cell property transfer by extracellular vesicles/exosomes containing caveolae-associated proteins, between mammary basal and luminal epithelial cells. S tem C ells 2017;35:425-444 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We report two cases of Alternaria keratitis refractory to the conventional antifungal medical treatment successfully treated with subconjunctival fluconazole injection.Methods: Report of two cases.Results: After subconjunctival injection of fluconazole (2 mg/mL) 0.5 mL twice a day for 5 days then once a day till 14 days, two cases of Alternaria keratitis refractory to the conventional antifungal medical treatment were successfully treated. No severe local and systemic side effects were found in these two patients.Conclusions: Alternaria keratitis has a varied clinical presentation and suspicion must be maintained for unusual causes of infectious keratitis. Alternaria keratitis can be difficult to eradicate even with traditional antifungals such as amphotericin B and natamycin. Subconjunctival injection of fluconazole could be effective for Alternaria keratitis unresponsive to conventional antifungal medical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]