Degradation of Resistant α-1,4-glucan by Vaginal Gardnerella Species is Associated with Bacterial Vaginosis.

This study investigates the degradation of resistant α-1,4-glucan by vaginal bacterial species, with a focus on Gardnerella spp., to elucidate its role in bacterial vaginosis (BV). The ability of Gardnerella vaginalis, Gardnerella swidsinskii, Gardnerella leopoldii, Gardnerella piotii, Lactobacillus iners, and Lactobacillus crispatus was assessed to metabolize an ungelatinized, labeled form of raw amylose, a degradation-resistant α-1,4-glucan.

Preclinical validation of electrospun fibers to achieve vaginal colonization by .

Communities of bacteria collectively known as the vaginal microbiota reside in the human vagina. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) describes an imbalance of this microbiota, affecting more than 25% of women worldwide, and is linked to health problems such as infertility, cervical cancer, and preterm birth. Following antibiotic treatment, BV becomes recurrent in many individuals.

Bacterial vaginosis toxins impair sperm capacitation and fertilization.

Study Question: What effect do toxins produced by bacterial vaginosis (BV) bacteria have on sperm function?

Summary Answer: BV toxins dysregulate sperm capacitation and intracellular calcium homeostasis, and impair the ability of sperm to fertilize oocytes.

What Is Known Already: In BV, which is linked to infertility, overgrowth of Prevotella and Gardnerella in the vagina is accompanied by elevated concentrations of the toxins lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and vaginolysin (VLY).

Study Design, Size, Duration: This was a laboratory study in which human semen samples were collected from consenting healthy donors with normal semen parameters.

Bacterial Vaginosis Toxins Impair Sperm Capacitation and Fertilization.

Study Question: What effect do toxins produced by bacterial vaginosis (BV) bacteria have on sperm function?

Summary Answer: Bacterial vaginosis toxins dysregulate sperm capacitation and intracellular calcium homeostasis and impair the ability of sperm to fertilize oocytes.

What Is Known Already: In bacterial vaginosis, which is linked to infertility, overgrowth of and in the vagina is accompanied by elevated concentrations of the toxins lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and vaginolysin (VLY).

Study Design Size Duration: This was a laboratory study in which human semen samples were collected from consenting healthy donors with normal semen parameters.

Retinal Vessel Plexus Differentiation Based on OCT Angiography Using Deep Learning.

Purpose: Although structural OCT is traditionally used to differentiate the vascular plexus layers in OCT angiography (OCTA), the vascular plexuses do not always obey the retinal laminations. We sought to segment the superficial, deep, and avascular plexuses from OCTA images using deep learning without structural OCT image input or segmentation boundaries.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Sustained dual delivery of metronidazole and viable Lactobacillus crispatus from 3D-printed silicone shells.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is an imbalance of the vaginal microbiome in which there are limited lactobacilli and an overgrowth of anaerobic and fastidious bacteria such as Gardnerella. The propensity for BV recurrence is high, and therapies involving multiple treatment modalities are emerging to meet this need. However, current treatments requiring frequent therapeutic administration are challenging for patients and impact user compliance.

CENTRAL AND PERIPHERAL INVOLVEMENT OF THE RETINA IN THE INITIAL STAGES OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY.

Purpose: To determine the degree of central microvascular closure using optical coherence tomography angiography in eyes of patients with type 2 diabetes with visible lesions only in the central retina or only in the periphery.

Methods: Cross-sectional study. All 127 eyes underwent ultra-widefield fundus photography 200° examinations with OPTOS California (Optos, Dunfermline, United Kingdom) and Cirrus Angioplex optical coherence tomography angiography 3 × 3 mm acquisitions (ZEISS, Dublin, CA).

Resident microbes shape the vaginal epithelial glycan landscape.

Epithelial cells are covered in carbohydrates (glycans). This glycan coat or "glycocalyx" interfaces directly with microbes, providing a protective barrier against potential pathogens. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a condition associated with adverse health outcomes in which bacteria reside in direct proximity to the vaginal epithelium.

Pseudoaveraging for denoising of OCT angiography: a deep learning approach for image quality enhancement in healthy and diabetic eyes.

Background: This study aimed to develop a deep learning (DL) algorithm that enhances the quality of a single-frame enface OCTA scan to make it comparable to 4-frame averaged scan without the need for the repeated acquisitions required for averaging.

Methods: Each of the healthy eyes and eyes from diabetic subjects that were prospectively enrolled in this cross-sectional study underwent four repeated 6 × 6 mm macular scans (PLEX Elite 9000 SS-OCT), and the repeated scans of each eye were co-registered to produce 4-frame averages. This prospective dataset of original (single-frame) enface scans and their corresponding averaged scans was divided into a training dataset and a validation dataset.

Gardnerella Vaginolysin Potentiates Glycan Molecular Mimicry by Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a dysbiotic condition of the vaginal microbiome associated with higher risk of infection by Neisseria gonorrhoeae-the cause of gonorrhea. Here we test if one known facet of BV-the presence of bacterial cytolysins-leads to mobilization of intracellular contents that enhance gonococcal virulence. We cloned and expressed recombinant vaginolysin (VLY), a cytolysin produced by the BV-associated bacterium Gardnerella, verifying that it liberates contents of cervical epithelial (HeLa) cells, while vector control preparations did not.

Mesh and layered electrospun fiber architectures as vehicles for Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus crispatus intended for vaginal delivery.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a recurrent condition that affects millions of women worldwide. The use of probiotics is a promising alternative or an adjunct to traditional antibiotics for BV prevention and treatment. However, current administration regimens often require daily administration, thus contributing to low user adherence and recurrence.

Retinal capillary and choriocapillaris assessment using a beam modifier optical coherence tomography angiography module to increase lateral optical resolution.

Purpose: To assess a new optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) technology and its contribution to retinal vascularization and choriocapillaris (CC) exploration.

Methods: A new module, named "Beam expander" (BE), which increases the lateral resolution of OCTA, was used in combination with a prototype software in the PLEX® Elite 9000 Swept-Source OCT instrument (ZEISS, Dublin, CA). This prospective study involved 22 healthy subjects imaged with and without BE.

The Impact of Cataracts on the Measurement of Macular Choriocapillaris Flow Deficits Using Swept-Source OCT Angiography.

Purpose: The impact of cataracts on the measurement of macular choriocapillaris flow deficits (CC FDs) was assessed by comparing the quantitative results before and after cataract surgery using an image quality algorithm developed for swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) scans and a validated strategy for quantifying the CC FDs.

Methods: SS-OCTA image quality scores and CC FDs measurements within the fovea-centered 1-mm, 3-mm, and 5-mm diameter circles were compared before and after cataract surgery. CC FDs changes in a modified Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) grid were further investigated.

Formulation and characterization of pressure-assisted microsyringe 3D-printed scaffolds for controlled intravaginal antibiotic release.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a highly recurrent vaginal condition linked with many health complications. Topical antibiotic treatments for BV are challenged with drug solubility in vaginal fluid, lack of convenience and user adherence to daily treatment protocols, among other factors. 3D-printed scaffolds can provide sustained antibiotic delivery to the female reproductive tract (FRT).

Release Kinetics of Metronidazole from 3D Printed Silicone Scaffolds for Sustained Application to the Female Reproductive Tract.

Sustained vaginal administration of antibiotics or probiotics has been proposed to improve treatment efficacy for bacterial vaginosis. 3D printing has shown promise for development of systems for local agent delivery. In contrast to oral ingestion, agent release kinetics can be fine-tuned by the 3D printing of specialized scaffold designs tailored for particular treatments while enhancing dosage effectiveness via localized sustained release.

Lactobacillus crispatus-loaded electrospun fibers yield viable and metabolically active bacteria that kill Gardnerella in vitro.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common condition that affects one-third of women worldwide. BV is characterized by low levels of healthy lactobacilli and an overgrowth of common anaerobes such as Gardnerella. Antibiotics for BV are administered orally or vaginally; however, approximately half of those treated will experience recurrence within 6 months.

Use of parasites expressing a recombinant antigen as live vaccines against Chagas disease.

Introduction: is the protozoan parasite causing Chagas disease, a Neglected Tropical Disease that affects 8 million people and causes 12,000 deaths per year, primarily because of cardiac pathology. Effective vaccination for remains an elusive goal. The use of a live vaccine vector, especially one that mimics the pathogen target, may be superior to the use of recombinant protein or DNA vaccine formulations.

A Deep Learning Model for Automated Segmentation of Geographic Atrophy Imaged Using Swept-Source OCT.

Purpose: To present a deep learning algorithm for segmentation of geographic atrophy (GA) using en face swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) images that is accurate and reproducible for the assessment of GA growth over time.

Design: Retrospective review of images obtained as part of a prospective natural history study.

Subjects: Patients with GA (n = 90), patients with early or intermediate age-related macular degeneration (n = 32), and healthy controls (n = 16).

Models of Murine Vaginal Colonization by Anaerobically Grown Bacteria.

The mammalian vagina can be colonized by many bacterial taxa. The human vaginal microbiome is often dominated by Lactobacillus species, but one-in-four women experience bacterial vaginosis, in which a low level of lactobacilli is accompanied by an overgrowth of diverse anaerobic bacteria. This condition has been associated with many health complications, including risks to reproductive and sexual health.

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Metrics Monitor Severity Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy-3-Year Longitudinal Study.

To examine retinal vessel closure metrics and neurodegenerative changes occurring in the initial stages of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and severity progression in a three-year period. Three-year prospective longitudinal observational cohort of individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D), one eye per person, using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and OCT-Angiography (OCTA). Eyes were examined four times with one-year intervals.

Swept-source OCTA quantification of capillary closure predicts ETDRS severity staging of NPDR.

Purpose: To test whether a single or composite set of parameters evaluated with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), representing retinal capillary closure, can predict non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) staging according to the gold standard ETDRS grading scheme.

Methods: 105 patients with diabetes, either without retinopathy or with different degrees of retinopathy (NPDR up to ETDRS grade 53), were prospectively evaluated using swept-source OCTA (SS-OCTA, PlexElite, Carl Zeiss Meditec) with 15×9 mm and 3×3 mm angiography protocols. Seven-field photographs of the fundus were obtained for ETDRS staging.

Glycan cross-feeding supports mutualism between Fusobacterium and the vaginal microbiota.

Women with bacterial vaginosis (BV), an imbalance of the vaginal microbiome, are more likely to be colonized by potential pathogens such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, a bacterium linked with intrauterine infection and preterm birth. However, the conditions and mechanisms supporting pathogen colonization during vaginal dysbiosis remain obscure. We demonstrate that sialidase activity, a diagnostic feature of BV, promoted F.