Effects of orthokeratology on corneal reshaping and the delaying of axial eye growth in children.

Purpose: To investigate the inhibition of myopia progression and axial elongation in children wearing orthokeratology (OK) lenses, as well as to evaluate the status of corneal reshaping, this study explores the relationship between changes in central corneal curvature (K-value) and e-value induced by OK lenses and axial elongation. Methods: In this study, it is planned to select children aged 8-15 who wear orthokeratology lenses at the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Clinic of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University. All children will undergo slit lamp examination, visual acuity assessment, computerized refraction, intraocular pressure measurement, biometry, and corneal topography examination before lens wear and at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after lens wear in the pediatric ophthalmology clinic. Based on age (lower age group (8 < age ≤12 years); higher age group (12 < age ≤15 years)) and baseline equivalent spherical (SE) value (mild myopia group (-1.00 D < SE ≤ -3.25D); moderate myopia group (-3.25 D < SE ≤ -6.00 D)), four groups will be formed by pairing these factors. Suitable data will be selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and different groups will be included. Data will be organized, and statistical analysis will be performed using SPSS software to obtain the results. The expected results will be discussed and analyzed. Results: After wearing OK lenses, all four groups achieved good visual acuity at follow-up. At 6 months, there were no significant differences in visual acuity among the four groups (P = 0.149, >0.05). There were no significant differences in refractive error among the four groups (P = 0.066, >0.05). Baseline axial length differed significantly among the four groups (P = 0.000, <0.001), with the LM group having longer axial length than the LL group (P < 0.001, paired samples t-test), and the HM group having longer axial length than the HL group (P < 0.001, paired samples t-test). However, there were no significant differences in axial length change compared to baseline among the groups at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months (P 1 = 0.053; P 3 = 0.557; P 6 = 0.329, >0.05). Significant differences were observed in corneal flat K-value change compared to baseline among the four groups at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months (P 1 = 0.001, P 3 = 0.001, P 6 = 0.004, <0.05). There were no significant differences in e-value change among the groups at 1 and 3 months (P 1 = 0.205, P 3 = 0.252, >0.05), but significant differences were found in e-value change compared to baseline at 6 months (P 6 = 0.010, <0.05). Multiple regression analysis with changes in central corneal flat K-value and e-value as independent variables and axial elongation as the dependent variable showed a correlation between e-value change at 6 months and axial elongation (P = 0.004, <0.05), indicating a negative correlation. Conclusion: Orthokeratology (OK) lenses effectively improve myopic children's vision by reshaping the cornea, leading to reduced central corneal curvature and flattening of its anterior surface. The effectiveness of OK lenses is not significantly affected by age or initial myopia severity. Children of varying ages and myopia levels experience similar levels of axial length control with OK lens wear. Changes in corneal shape due to OK lenses affect axial elongation, with greater changes in corneal morphology associated with smaller increases in axial length.

Simultaneously Regulating Electrochemical Corrosion Behavior and Wettability of Magnesium-Neodymium Alloy by Self-Layered Chemical Conversion Coating.

Rapid corrosion in aqueous solutions of magnesium alloys is one of the major obstacles to their wide application, and coating plays a crucial role in their corrosion protection. Recently, protection- and function-integrated coatings have attracted much attention in the research field of magnesium alloys. In this work, a simple chemical conversion process is proposed to fabricate a composite coating on a magnesium-neodymium alloy through immersion in an aqueous solution made of Ca(OH)2 and NaHCO3. After the immersion process, a coating consisting of two spontaneously formed layers is acquired. The top flower-like layer is composed of Mg5(OH)2(CO3)4∙4H2O, Mg(OH)2 and CaCO3, and the inner dense layer is speculated to be Mg(OH)2. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, polarization tests, and hydrogen evolution are combined to evaluate the corrosion resistance in simulated body fluid, simulated seawater solution, and simulated concrete pore solution, which reveals that the coated sample has better corrosion resistance than the uncoated one. After the coated sample is modified with fluorinated silane, a water-repellent surface can be achieved with an average water contact angle of 151.74° and a sliding angle of about 4°. Therefore, our results indicate that effective corrosion protection and potential self-cleaning ability have been integrated on the surface of the magnesium alloy in this study. In addition, the formation mechanism of the self-layered coating is discussed from the viewpoint of the interaction between the substrate and its external solution.

The changes in ocular torsion after unilateral lateral rectus recession-medial rectus resection for intermittent exotropia.

We aim to explore the alterations of objective ocular torsion after unilateral lateral rectus recession-medial rectus resection (R&R) for intermittent exotropia (IXT). Seventy-two IXT patients undergoing R&R between March and June 2023 were enrolled. Ophthalmological examinations were performed before surgery and at 1 week and 1 month after surgery, mainly including prism and alternate cover test and optical coherence tomography. The mean disc-foveal angle of eyes showing intorsion significantly increased from - 1.5 ± 0.9° preoperatively to 2.0 ± 2.0° at 1 week (P = 0.0227) and 2.2 ± 1.6° at 1 month postoperatively (P = 0.0054). The mean disc-foveal angle of eyes exhibiting extorsion significantly reduced from 12.8 ± 1.9° preoperatively to 9.8 ± 3.1° at 1 week (P < 0.0001) and 9.7 ± 2.7° at 1 month postoperatively (P < 0.0001). The improvement of ocular extorsion at postoperative 1 month was more pronounced in patients with extorsion in operative eye compared to those with extorsion in inoperative eye (P = 0.0101). The improvement of ocular torsion was observed following R&R for IXT, with a greater effect noted in cases where the surgery was performed on the eye exhibiting extorsion.

Incidence Rate of Secondary Glaucoma Following Congenital Cataract Surgery: An In-Depth Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: To assess the incidence of secondary glaucoma in children following congenital cataract surgery. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception through March 16, 2023. Studies reporting congenital cataract surgery and glaucoma were enrolled. The quality of the selected studies was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale, and data analysis was executed utilizing R software. RESULTS: A total of 36 published studies with 3151 patients (4717 eyes) were included in the analysis. The incidence rate of glaucoma following congenital cataract surgery was 6.6% (95% CI: 3.9%, 9.9%). The incidence of secondary glaucoma in the primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation group (3.3% [95% CI: 1.5%, 5.8%]) and the secondary IOL implantation group (3.5% [95% CI: 0%, 11.4%]) were lower compared to the aphakia group (13.5% [95% CI: 7.7%, 20.6%]). The incidence rate among children with congenital cataracts from Asia (6.9% [95% CI: 4.1%, 10.4%]) was higher than that in European children (0.9% [95% CI: 0%, 3.0%]; P < .01). A correlation was identified between the age at cataract surgery and the incidence of secondary glaucoma (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis found that the incidence of secondary glaucoma following congenital cataract surgery is approximately 6.6%. Children with IOL implantation exhibit a lower incidence of secondary glaucoma, with a lower incidence noted in European children compared to their Asian counterparts. The age at cataract surgery is an important risk factor to consider.

The causal effect of obesity on concomitant exotropia: A lifecourse Mendelian randomization study.

Obesity is now a significant global public health issue. Limited understanding exists regarding the association between obesity and concomitant exotropia. Our objective was to identify the causal relationship between lifecourse obesity, including birth weight, childhood body mass index (BMI), and adult BMI, and the risk of concomitant exotropia. We used a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) strategy to examine the causal relationship with inverse-variance weighted method as the primary MR analysis. We carried out sensitivity analyses to evaluate the accuracy and robustness of our findings. Also, we performed reverse-direction MR analysis to eliminate the possibility of reverse causality. Childhood BMI, as opposed to birth weight or adult BMI, had a significant impact on the risk of concomitant exotropia (odds ratio = 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-1.81, P = .01). This significance persisted even after accounting for birth weight and adult BMI using multivariable MR analysis (odds ratio = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.04-1.75, P = .02). There was no significant heterogeneity or pleiotropy observed in sensitivity analyses (P > .05). Multivariable MR analysis further confirmed the absence of pleiotropic effects of some risk factors including prematurity, maternal smoking around birth and refractive error. Reverse causality did not affect the causal relationship (beta = -0.0244, 95% CI: -0.0545 to 0.0056, P = .11). Genetic predisposition to higher childhood BMI was found to be causally linked to an increased risk of concomitant exotropia.

Choroidal thickness in relation to diopter and axial length among myopic children.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between diopter (D) and choroidal thickness in myopic children by describing the values of choroidal thickness, and explore choroidal thickness as an important indicator for evaluating the progression of myopia. Methods: The study included myopic and emmetropic children aged 6-14 years (156 eyes) from the Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University. The participants were divided into four groups according to the spherical equivalent refraction (SER): low myopes, moderate myopes, high myopes, and emmetropes. Choroidal thickness was measured in nine areas using the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) grid layout, which divided the areas into concentric circles of 0 × 0 mm, 3 × 3 mm, and 5 × 5 mm from the Sub Fovea. The images were obtained manually with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography scanner. Results: There were significant differences of choroidal thickness in the nine areas of the ETDRS grid for all myopes. The distribution of choroidal thickness in low and moderate myopes were different from that in high myopes. In the horizontal direction, choroidal thickness decreased from the temporal to nasal areas for all myopes. In the vertical direction, the choroidal thickness in the perifovea was smaller than that in the parafovea (SER ≥ -2.75D), and the choroidal thickness in the perifovea was greater than that in the parafovea (SER < -2.75D). When comparing emmetropes with myopes, the closer the choroidal thickness was to the central fovea, the more significant the differences were, while the differences were smaller to the perifovea. Among all children, choroidal thickness was positive to SER and negative to axial length (AL) in all areas. For every 1D increase in myopia, the subfoveal choroidal thickness decreased by 13 µm, and for every 1 mm increase in AL, the subfoveal choroidal thickness decreased by 23 µm. Furthermore, SER and AL showed the strongest correlation with choroidal thickness in the inferior area. Conclusion: Optical coherence tomography results revealed choroidal thickness was thinner in myopic children. Choroidal thickness was positive to SER and negative to AL. Therefore, we consider choroidal thickness to be an important indicator for evaluating the myopia progress.

DNA-compatible combinatorial synthesis of functionalized 2-thiobenzazole scaffolds.

2-Thiobenzazole is among the privileged heterocyclic scaffolds in medicinal chemistry. Constructing such structural components in DNA-encoded libraries (DELs) may promote related bioactive hit discovery in a high-throughput fashion. Herein, we reported a DNA-compatible mild-condition synthetic methodology to efficiently forge functionalized 2-thiobenzazole scaffolds, realizing on-DNA sulfhydryl incorporation with broad substrate scope, thereby expanding the scope of 2-thiobenzazole-focused DNA-encoded chemical libraries.

DNA-Compatible Benzotriazinone Formation through Aryl Diazonium Intermediates.

The incorporation of N-containing heterocycles with potential bioactivity into DNA-encoded chemical libraries (DELs) represents an important approach to synthesizing medicinally useful compound collections for high-throughput screening. Herein, we reported a synthetic methodology to afford a benzotriazinone core as a drug-like scaffold in a DNA-compatible manner through aryl diazonium intermediates. Starting from DNA-conjugated amines, anthranilic acid or isatoic anhydride building blocks were coupled to form chemically diversified anthranilamides, which were subsequently transformed into 1,2,3-benzotriazin-4(3H)-one via tert-butyl nitrite-triggered cyclization. This methodology features DEL synthesis compatibility through a mild diazonium intermediate mechanism, allowing late-stage decoration of the bioactive benzotriazinone cap on DNA-conjugated amines. The broad substrate scope and high conversion render this methodology a promising approach to diversifying and decorating DNA-encoded combinatorial peptide-like libraries with medicinally relevant heterocyclic moieties.

A Cost-effectiveness Analysis of a Mobile Phone-Based Integrated HIV-Prevention Intervention Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in China: Economic Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Mobile phone-based digital interventions have been shown to be a promising strategy for HIV prevention among men who have sex with men (MSM). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a mobile phone-based digital intervention for HIV prevention among MSM in China from the perspective of a public health provider. METHODS: The cost-effectiveness of the mobile phone-based digital intervention was estimated for a hypothetical cohort of 10,000 HIV-negative MSM who were followed for 1 year. A model was developed with China-specific data to project the clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of two mobile phone-based digital strategies for HIV prevention among MSM. The intervention group received an integrated behavioral intervention that included 1) individualized HIV infection risk assessment, 2) recommendation of centers testing for HIV and other STIs, 3) free online order of condoms and HIV and syphilis self-test kits and 4) educational materials about HIV/AIDS. The control group was only given educational materials about HIV/AIDS. Outcomes of interest were the number of HIV infections among MSM averted by the intervention, intervention costs, cost per HIV infection averted by the mobile phone-based digital intervention, and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Univariate and multivariate sensitivity analyses were also conducted to examine the robustness of the results. RESULTS: It is estimated that the intervention can prevent 48 MSM from becoming infected with HIV and can save 480 QALYs. The cost of preventing 1 case of HIV infection was US $2599.87, and the cost-utility ratio was less than 0. Sensitivity analysis showed that the cost-effectiveness of the mobile phone-based digital intervention was mainly impacted by the average number of sexual behaviors with each sexual partner. Additionally, the higher the HIV prevalence among MSM, the greater the benefit of the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Mobile phone-based digital interventions are a cost-effective HIV-prevention strategy for MSM and could be considered for promotion and application among high-risk MSM subgroups.

Aryl diazonium intermediates enable mild DNA-compatible C-C bond formation for medicinally relevant combinatorial library synthesis.

Forging carbon-carbon (C-C) linkage in DNA-encoded combinatorial library synthesis represents a fundamental task for drug discovery, especially with broad substrate scope and exquisite functional group tolerance. Here we reported the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura, Heck and Hiyama type cross-coupling via DNA-conjugated aryl diazonium intermediates for DNA-encoded chemical library (DEL) synthesis. Starting from commodity arylamines, this synthetic route facilely delivers vast chemical diversity at a mild temperature and pH, thus circumventing damage to fragile functional groups. Given its orthogonality with traditional aryl halide-based cross-coupling, the aryl diazonium-centered strategy expands the compatible synthesis of complex C-C bond-connected scaffolds. In addition, DNA-tethered pharmaceutical compounds (e.g., HDAC inhibitor) are constructed without decomposition of susceptible bioactive warheads (e.g., hydroxamic acid), emphasizing the superiority of the aryl diazonium-based approach. Together with the convenient transformation into an aryl azide photo-crosslinker, aryl diazonium's DNA-compatible diversification synergistically demonstrated its competence to create medicinally relevant combinatorial libraries and investigate protein-ligand interactions in pharmaceutical research.

DNA-Compatible ortho-Phthalaldehyde (OPA)-Mediated 2-Substituted Isoindole Core Formation and Applications.

The incorporation of the isoindole core into the DNA-encoded chemical library is highly desirable for the great potential pharmacological characters exampled by molecules like lenalidomide. Herein, we reported a DNA-compatible protocol for the OPA-mediated transformation of amines into drug-like moieties represented by isoindolinone and thio-2-isoindole, respectively. The high conversion and wide substrate-scope property of our protocol render its feasibility in the manipulation of terminal amines on oligonucleotide conjugates, including "cap-and-catch" purification, sequential synthesis during DEL construction, and on-DNA macrocyclization.

Enhancing CO2 Catalytic Adsorption on an Fe Nanoparticle-Decorated LaSrFeO4 + δ Cathode for CO2 Electrolysis.

The development of cathode materials with high catalytic activity and low cost is a challenge for CO2 electrolysis based on solid oxide electrolysis cells. Herein, we report a low-cost and highly active metallic Fe nanoparticle-decorated Ruddlesden-Popper (La, Sr)FeO4+δ cathode catalyst (Fe-RPLSF), which shows a high oxygen vacancy concentration and robust CO2 reduction rate. At 850 °C, the current density of the electrolysis cell with the Fe-RPLSF cathode reaches -1920 mA cm-2 at a voltage of 1.5 V, and the Faraday efficiency is as high as 100%. The polarization resistance at low frequency (0.1-10 Hz), which is the rate-limit step for CO2 electrolysis, significantly decreases with the exsolved Fe nanoparticles because of improved CO2 dissociative adsorption. Moreover, our electrolysis cell demonstrates acceptable short-term stability for direct CO2 electrolysis.

Circulating microRNA-21 (MIR-21) and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) are promising novel biomarkers for detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of the blood levels of MIR-21 and PTEN as novel biomarkers for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We initially detected MIR-21 and PTEN using real-time RT-PCR from 90 blood samples and then compared their results with expression in cancer tissues from 10 OSCC patients. Finally, we examined the relationship between these markers and clinical parameters. Blood MIR-21 and PTEN had significant diagnostic value for OSCC and, to an extent, correlated with the expression level of tumour MIR-21 and PTEN. In addition, they were associated with differentiation and nodal status. Thus circulating MIR-21 and PTEN might represent new complementary tumour markers for OSCC.

Decompression as a treatment for odontogenic cystic lesions of the jaw.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of decompression as the primary treatment of odontogenic cystic lesions of the jaw involving factors that affect relative shrinking speed and bone regeneration. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 32 patients with odontogenic cystic lesions of the jaw underwent decompression with customized thermoplastic resin stents. Clinical examinations and pre- and postdecompression panoramic radiographs were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean relative speed of shrinkage of radicular cysts (RCs; 3.37 cm(2)/month) was faster than those of keratocystic odontogenic tumors (KCOTs; 2.87 cm(2)/month) and unicystic ameloblastomas (UABs; 2.71 cm(2)/month). The relative shrinking size increased linearly in a time-dependent manner for KCOTs (r = 0.849, P < .001), RCs (r = 0.681, P = .319), and UABs (r = 0.146, P = .730); a similar relation was detected between the primary radiolucent area of cystic lesions before decompression and relative shrinking speed after decompression in KCOTs (r = 0.481, P = .032), RCs (r = 0.260, P = .673), and UABs (r = 0.370, P = .366), but patient age did not affect the relative speed of shrinkage (P > .05). Furthermore, the increase in bone density was more significant in RCs than in KCOTs (P = .026) and UABs (P = .012) after decompression. CONCLUSION: Decompression was effective in reducing odontogenic cystic lesions of the jaw and increasing bone density. For aggressive lesions, secondary definitive surgery was necessary.