New Antimycotics in the Pipeline – For Ophthalmology Too?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang J. Behrens-Baumann
Keyword(s):  
Conventional Therapy ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Systemic Administration ◽  
Eye Infections ◽  
Intravenous Formulation

AbstractSeven new antimycotics are presented that are at different points of development or approval. These substances are mainly first-in-class drugs. They are primarily developed for systemic administration. However, with the support of a pharmacist, the intravenous formulation may be used as eyedrops. In this short review, the activities of the substances against various fungal infections are described. After unsuccessful conventional therapy of fungal eye infections, one of these new substances might be suitable to cure the mycosis.

scholarly journals How Fungal Glycans Modulate Platelet Activation via Toll-Like Receptors Contributing to the Escape of Candida albicans from the Immune Response

Antibiotics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir Jawhara
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Platelet Activation ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Toll Like Receptors ◽  
Platelet Activity ◽  
Pathogenic Yeast ◽  
Fungal Polysaccharides ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogenic

Platelets are essential for vascular repair and for the maintenance of blood homeostasis. They contribute to the immune defence of the host against many infections caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi. Following infection, platelet function is modified, and these cells form aggregates with microorganisms leading, to a decrease in the level of circulating platelets. During candidaemia, mannans, β-glucans and chitin, exposed on the cell wall of Candida albicans, an opportunistic pathogenic yeast of humans, play an important role in modulation of the host response. These fungal polysaccharides are released into the circulation during infection and their detection allows the early diagnosis of invasive fungal infections. However, their role in the modulation of the immune response and, in particular, that of platelets, is not well understood. The structure and solubility of glycans play an important role in the orientation of the immune response of the host. This short review focuses on the effect of fungal β-glucans and chitin on platelet activation and how these glycans modulate platelet activity via Toll-like receptors, contributing to the escape of C. albicans from the immune response.

scholarly journals Diagnostic Significance of Serum and BAL Galactomannan (GM) Enzyme Immune Assay in Invasive Aspergillosis (IA) with Reference to EORTC/MSG - A Short Review

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Aspergillosis ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Lavage Fluid ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Severe Neutropenia ◽  
Cell Transplant ◽  
Diagnostic Significance ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity

Invasive aspergillosis is a life-threatening mycelial fungal infection in immunocompromised patients and is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and neutropenic patients are particularly at risk. The degree and duration of neutropenia is an independent risk factor for invasive fungal infections. Patients with prolonged and severe neutropenia (ANC less than 500cells/cumm) are more susceptible. The lung is the most common site of infection and vascular invasion by Aspergillus species is a common histopathological feature of invasive aspergillosis (IA). As there is a lack of adequate immune response, patients with IA fail to develop classical signs and symptoms of the disease making diagnosis of IA more difficult. The results of fungal cultures are often delayed and cytopathological examination, yields negative results as there is lack of sensitivity and specificity. Biopsy specimens may be unproductive if the sample is collected at an advanced stage of the disease. Galactomannan (GM) detection in serum and Broncho alveolar lavage fluid (BAL) seems to be useful in establishing or excluding the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. Multicentre studies reported that there was no conclusive benefit of determining serum and BAL GM levels in the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis among immunocompetent hosts. A serum and BAL GM test should not be ordered routinely in non-immunocompromised hosts.

scholarly journals Microbial Analysis of Contact Lenses

2021 ◽  
pp. 124-131
Author(s):  
Hemaanhini Tamilmani ◽  
N. P. Muralidharan
Keyword(s):  
Saline Solution ◽  
Contact Lenses ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Fungal Growth ◽  
Blood Agar ◽  
Coagulase Negative Staphylococci ◽  
Eye Infections ◽  
Sterile Saline ◽  
Colony Forming Unit ◽  
Microbial Analysis

Introduction: Contact lenses are small, thin lenses which are worn directly on the surface of the eyes. They can be worn aesthetically or to correct vision. Contact lens related eye infections can lead to serious complications such as blindness, and are associated with several risk factors such as sleeping with lenses, exposure to water, not adhering to replacement schedules, and reusing disinfecting solutions, among others. The severity of the infection may vary with the degree of pathogenicity of the microorganism. Hygiene and handling of contact lenses play a very important role. The main aim of this study is to assess the microbial analysis of contact lenses. Materials and Methods: A total of 15 lenses were collected in 2 ml sterile saline solution individually and manually agitated for five minutes. The lens was then removed using a sterile toothpick from the container. The sterile container was stored at 4°C till it was processed. 50 microliter of the sample was transferred using a pipette and inoculated on nutrient agar, blood agar and sabouraud dextrose agar. The microorganism (fungus or bacteria) were identified by standard protocol. Results and Discussion: Bacillus, Staphylococcus aureus and CONS [Coagulase Negative Staphylococci] were found in blood agar. No fungal growth was found among the samples. More importance could be given to contact lenses handling and hygiene to avoid eye related bacterial and fungal infections. Conclusion: In the present study, the total CFU (Colony Forming Unit) was found to be confluent in all the participants who wore contact lenses for 4 months compared to those who have worn contact lenses from 15 and 28 days. Only bacterial growth was seen in the culture plate. There was no fungal growth seen from the samples collected.

Pollutant Identification by Selected Area Electron Diffraction

1974 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 532-533
Author(s):  
R. E. Ferrell ◽  
G. G. Paulson ◽  
C. W. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Treatment ◽  
Electron Diffraction ◽  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Crystal Structures ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Environmental Samples ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Selected Area Electron Diffraction ◽  
Multiple Component

Selected area electron diffraction (SAD) has been used successfully to determine crystal structures, identify traces of minerals in rocks, and characterize the phases formed during thermal treatment of micron-sized particles. There is an increased interest in the method because it has the potential capability of identifying micron-sized pollutants in air and water samples. This paper is a short review of the theory behind SAD and a discussion of the sample preparation employed for the analysis of multiple component environmental samples.

POPDC proteins and cardiac function

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 1393-1404 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Brand
Keyword(s):  
Potential Role ◽  
Striated Muscle ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Effector Proteins ◽  
Muscle Disease ◽  
Disease Genes ◽  
Protein Protein Interaction ◽  
Interaction Partners ◽  
And Function

Abstract The Popeye domain-containing gene family encodes a novel class of cAMP effector proteins in striated muscle tissue. In this short review, we first introduce the protein family and discuss their structure and function with an emphasis on their role in cyclic AMP signalling. Another focus of this review is the recently discovered role of POPDC genes as striated muscle disease genes, which have been associated with cardiac arrhythmia and muscular dystrophy. The pathological phenotypes observed in patients will be compared with phenotypes present in null and knockin mutations in zebrafish and mouse. A number of protein–protein interaction partners have been discovered and the potential role of POPDC proteins to control the subcellular localization and function of these interacting proteins will be discussed. Finally, we outline several areas, where research is urgently needed.

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