Function of macrophage-derived exosomes in chronic liver disease: From pathogenesis to treatment

Chronic liver disease (CLD) imposes a heavy burden on millions of people worldwide. Despite substantial research on the pathogenesis of CLD disorders, no optimal treatment is currently available for some diseases, such as liver cancer. Exosomes, which are extracellular vesicles, are composed of various cellular components. Exosomes have unique functions in maintaining cellular homeostasis and regulating cell communication, which are associated with the occurrence of disease. Furthermore, they have application potential in diagnosis and treatment by carrying diverse curative payloads. Hepatic macrophages, which are key innate immune cells, show extraordinary heterogeneity and polarization. Hence, macrophage-derived exosomes may play a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of various liver diseases. This review focuses on the effects of macrophage-derived exosomes on liver disease etiology and their therapeutic potential, which will provide new insights into alleviating the global pressure of CLD.

[Value of color Doppler flow imaging in the diagnosis of subclinical varicocele]

OBJECTIVE

To identify the value of color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) in the diagnosis of sterility caused by subclinical varicocele (SVC).

METHODS

The spermatic veins of 56 sterile patients with seminal abnormality were examined with CDFI and the internal diameters and the time of blood reflux of pampiniform plexus of the veins were observed. In addition, selective X-ray examination of internal spermatic veins was performed for contrast analysis.

RESULTS

The diameter of the pampiniform plexus was (2.24 +/- 0.16) mm under the static condition and (2.67 +/- 0. 26) mm during the Valsalva test. The time of blood reflux was (1 487 +/- 203.66) ms. The accuracy of CDFI for diagnosing SVC was 92.8%.

CONCLUSION

CDFI has been proved of more value in the diagnosis of SVC than that of clinical varicocele in the etiological screening of male sterility.

Fabrication of precision fiber-optic time delays with in situ monitoring for subpicosecond accuracy

We have developed a technique to produce precise fiber-optic time delays with subpicosecond accuracy and <0.1-dB loss by heating and stretching optical fiber in a fusion splicer. A fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer allows in situ measurement of these precise delays using a simple alignment process and requiring only a weak optical signal. To demonstrate this capability, we assembled a six-stage feed-forward delay line that can be used to generate 64 optical pulses with 9.5 +/- 0.8-ps pulse spacings and 4.8-dB total insertion loss.

Nanometer-resolution distance measurement with a noninterferometric method

We have developed a noninterferometric technique for high-resolution distance measurement (optical ranging). The technique utilizes the fact that the wavelength of a broadband cw laser can be changed by external feedback. By placing the ranging target near the focal point of a microscope objective, we can make the feedback from the target, hence the laser wavelength, sensitive to the target position. The target position is determined from the laser wavelength with great resolution. In our experiments a 20-nm resolution is obtained. The resolution is limited by the instrumental resolution and mechanical stability of the experimental setup.

Wavelength-tunable passive mode locking of dye lasers by use of the intracavity optical Kerr effect

Using the intracavity optical Kerr effect, we achieve self-starting wavelength-tunable passive mode locking in a Rhodamine 590 dye laser. With an external grating pair for group-velocity-dispersion compensation, 1.1-ps pulses of approximately twice the bandwidth of the Fourier-transform limit are obtained. Mode locking is started by a dilute saturable absorber jet, and the wavelength is tuned from 579 to 602 nm with a birefringent filter.