Pairing with Enriched Sound Exposure Restores Auditory Processing Degraded by an Antidepressant.

Antidepressants, while effective in treating depression and anxiety disorders, also induce deficits in sensory (particularly auditory) processing, which in turn may exacerbate psychiatric symptoms. How antidepressants cause auditory signature deficits remains largely unknown. Here, we found that fluoxetine-treated adult female rats were significantly less accurate when performing a tone-frequency discrimination task compared with age-matched control rats. Their cortical neurons also responded less selectively to sound frequencies. The degraded behavioral and cortical processing was accompanied by decreased cortical perineuronal nets, particularly those wrapped around parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory interneurons. Furthermore, fluoxetine induced critical period-like plasticity in their already mature auditory cortices; therefore, a brief rearing of these drug-treated rats under an enriched acoustic environment renormalized auditory processing degraded by fluoxetine. The altered cortical expression of perineuronal nets was also reversed as a result of enriched sound exposure. These findings suggest that the adverse effects of antidepressants on auditory processing, possibly because of a reduction in intracortical inhibition, can be substantially alleviated by simply pairing drug treatment with passive, enriched sound exposure. They have important implications for understanding the neurobiological basis of antidepressant effects on hearing and for designing novel pharmacological treatment strategies for psychiatric disorders.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Clinical experience suggests that antidepressants adversely affect sensory (particularly auditory) processing, which can exacerbate patients' psychiatric symptoms. Here, we show that the antidepressant fluoxetine reduces cortical inhibition in adult rats, leading to degraded behavioral and cortical spectral processing of sound. Importantly, fluoxetine induces a critical period-like state of plasticity in the mature cortex; therefore, a brief rearing under an enriched acoustic environment is sufficient to reverse the changes in auditory processing caused by the administration of fluoxetine. These results provide a putative neurobiological basis for the effects of antidepressants on hearing and indicate that antidepressant treatment combined with enriched sensory experiences could optimize clinical outcomes.

Identification of common stria vascularis cellular alteration in sensorineural hearing loss based on ScRNA-seq.

BACKGROUND: The stria vascularis (SV), located in the lateral wall of the cochlea, maintains cochlear fluid homeostasis and mechanoelectrical transduction (MET) activity required for sound wave conduction. The pathogenesis of a number of human inheritable deafness syndromes, age related hearing loss, drug-induced ototoxicity and noise-induced hearing loss results from the morphological changes and functional impairments in the development of the SV. In this study, we investigate the implications of intercellular communication within the SV in the pathogenesis of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). We aim to identify commonly regulated signaling pathways using publicly available single-cell transcriptomic sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets. METHODS: We analyzed scRNA-seq data, which was derived from studying the cochlear SV in mice with SNHL compared to normal adult mice. After quality control and filtering, we obtained the major cellular components of the mouse cochlear SV and integrated the data. Using Seurat's FindAllMarkers and FindMarkers packages, we searched for novel conservative genes and differential genes. We employed KEGG and GSEA to identify molecular pathways that are commonly altered among different types of SNHL. We utilized pySCENIC to discover new specific regulatory factors in SV subpopulation cells. With the help of CellChat, we identified changes in subpopulation cells showing similar trends across different SNHL types and their alterations in intercellular communication pathways. RESULTS: Through the analysis of the integrated data, we discovered new conserved genes to SV specific cells and identified common downregulated pathways in three types of SNHL. The enriched genes for these pathways showing similar trends are primarily associated with the Electron Transport Chain, related to mitochondrial energy metabolism. Using the CellChat package, we further found that there are shared pathways in the incoming signaling of specific intermediate cells in SNHL, and these pathways have common upstream regulatory transcription factor of Nfe2l2. Combining the results from pySCENIC and CellChat, we predicted the transcription factor Nfe2l2 as an upstream regulatory factor for multiple shared cellular pathways in IC. Additionally, it serves as an upstream factor for several genes within the Electron Transport Chain. CONCLUSION: Our bioinformatics analysis has revealed that downregulation of the mitochondrial electron transport chain have been observed in various conditions of SNHL. E2f1, Esrrb, Runx1, Yy1, and Gata2 could serve as novel important common TFs regulating the electron transport chain. Adm has emerged as a potential new marker gene for intermediate cells, while Itgb5 and Tesc show promise as potential new marker genes for marginal cells in the SV. These findings offer a new perspective on SV lesions in SNHL and provide additional theoretical evidence for the same drug treatment and prevention of different pathologies of SNHL.

Visualizing Catalytic Dynamics of Single-Cu-Atom-Modified SnS2 in CO2 Electroreduction via Rapid Freeze-Quench Mössbauer Spectroscopy.

Effective design and engineering of catalysts for an optimal performance depend extensively on a profound understanding of the intricate catalytic dynamics under reaction conditions. In this work, we showcase rapid freeze-quench (RFQ) Mössbauer spectroscopy as a powerful technique for quantitatively monitoring the catalytic dynamics of single-Cu-atom-modified SnS2 (Cu1/SnS2) in the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Utilizing the newly established RFQ 119Sn Mössbauer methodology, we clearly identified the dynamic transformation of Cu1/SnS2 to Cu1/SnS and Cu1/Sn during the CO2RR, resulting in an outstanding Faradaic efficiency for formate production (∼90.9%) with a partial current density of 158 mA cm-2. Results from operando Raman spectroscopy, operando attenuated total reflection surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS), quasi in situ electron microscopy, and quasi in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements indicate that the anchored single Cu atom in Cu1/SnS2 can accelerate the reduction of SnS with in situ formation of Cu1/Sn under CO2RR conditions, which effectively promote the generation of *CO2-/*OCHO intermediates. Theoretical calculations further support that in situ formed Cu1/Sn works as active sites catalyzing the CO2RR, which reduces the energy barrier for the CO2 activation and formation of the *OCHO intermediate, thereby facilitating the conversion of CO2 to formate. The results of this work provide a thorough understanding of the dynamic evolution of Sn-based catalytic sites in the CO2RR and shed light for engineering single atoms with an optimized catalytic performance. We anticipate that RFQ Mössbauer spectroscopy will emerge as an advanced spectroscopic technique for enabling a genuine visualization of catalytic dynamics across various reaction systems.

BrainBase: a curated knowledgebase for brain diseases.

Brain is the central organ of the nervous system and any brain disease can seriously affect human health. Here we present BrainBase (https://ngdc.cncb.ac.cn/brainbase), a curated knowledgebase for brain diseases that aims to provide a whole picture of brain diseases and associated genes. Specifically, based on manual curation of 2768 published articles along with information retrieval from several public databases, BrainBase features comprehensive collection of 7175 disease-gene associations spanning a total of 123 brain diseases and linking with 5662 genes, 16 591 drug-target interactions covering 2118 drugs/chemicals and 623 genes, and five types of specific genes in light of expression specificity in brain tissue/regions/cerebrospinal fluid/cells. In addition, considering the severity of glioma among brain tumors, the current version of BrainBase incorporates 21 multi-omics datasets, presents molecular profiles across various samples/conditions and identifies four groups of glioma featured genes with potential clinical significance. Collectively, BrainBase integrates not only valuable curated disease-gene associations and drug-target interactions but also molecular profiles through multi-omics data analysis, accordingly bearing great promise to serve as a valuable knowledgebase for brain diseases.

Changes and Influencing Factors of Corneal Endothelial Cells and Central Corneal Thickness after Pediatric Cataract Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to examine the impact of cataract surgery on the corneal endothelium and central corneal thickness (CCT) in pediatric patients, and to identify the factors associated with corneal alterations. METHODS: This retrospective study included consecutive children undergoing bilateral or unilateral cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation at the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, with or without posterior capsulorhexis and anterior vitrectomy, and an age-matched normal control group. This study aimed to assess whether changes in corneal parameters, including CCT, corneal endothelial cell density (CD), average cell area (AVE), standard deviation of size (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), percentage of hexagonal cells (6A) before and after surgery, and endothelial cell loss (ECL) differed among the bilateral cataract, unilateral cataract, and control groups. Furthermore, the potential effects of anterior vitrectomy, axial length (AL), preoperative anterior chamber depth (ACD), surgical duration, horizontal corneal diameter (HCD), intraoperative pupil diameter (PD), and the number of corneal sutures on corneal endothelial parameters and CCT were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 107 eyes from 107 children were included in the study. In the bilateral cataract group, CD significantly decreased, AVE and CCT significantly increased, and ECL was significantly higher than in the control group. The unilateral cataract group also exhibited a significant increase in CCT. Additionally, the number of corneal sutures was negatively correlated with CD, and PD was negatively correlated with CV in the unilateral cataract group. CONCLUSION: Cataract surgery in pediatric patients results in increased CCT, reduced CD, and morphological changes in corneal cells. A greater number of corneal sutures and a smaller PD increased the risk of CD reduction and elevated CV in the unilateral cataract group, underscoring the need for ophthalmologists to minimize corneal damage in these children.

Operando Mössbauer Spectroscopic Tracking the Metastable State of Atomically Dispersed Tin in Copper Oxide for Selective CO2 Electroreduction.

Metastable state is the most active catalyst state that dictates the overall catalytic performance and rules of catalytic behaviors; however, identification and stabilization of the metastable state of catalyst are still highly challenging due to the continuous evolution of catalytic sites during the reaction process. In this work, operando 119Sn Mössbauer measurements and theoretical simulations were performed to track and identify the metastable state of single-atom Sn in copper oxide (Sn1-CuO) for highly selective CO2 electroreduction to CO. A maximum CO Faradaic efficiency of around 98% at -0.8 V (vs. RHE) over Sn1-CuO was achieved at an optimized Sn loading of 5.25 wt. %. Operando Mössbauer spectroscopy clearly identified the dynamic evolution of atomically dispersed Sn4+ sites in the CuO matrix that enabled the in situ transformation of Sn4+-O4-Cu2+ to a metastable state Sn4+-O3-Cu+ under CO2RR conditions. In combination with quasi in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, operando Raman and attenuated total reflectance surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopies, the promoted desorption of *CO over the Sn4+-O3 stabilized adjacent Cu+ site was evidenced. In addition, density functional theory calculations further verified that the in situ construction of Sn4+-O3-Cu+ as the true catalytic site altered the reaction path via modifying the adsorption configuration of the *COOH intermediate, which effectively reduced the reaction free energy required for the hydrogenation of CO2 and the desorption of the *CO, thereby greatly facilitating the CO2-to-CO conversion. This work provides a fundamental insight into the role of single Sn atoms on in situ tuning the electronic structure of Cu-based catalysts, which may pave the way for the development of efficient catalysts for high-selectivity CO2 electroreduction.

Operando Spectroscopic Analysis of Axial Oxygen-Coordinated Single-Sn-Atom Sites for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction.

Sn-based materials have been demonstrated as promising catalysts for the selective electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). However, the detailed structures of catalytic intermediates and the key surface species remain to be identified. In this work, a series of single-Sn-atom catalysts with well-defined structures is developed as model systems to explore their electrochemical reactivity toward CO2RR. The selectivity and activity of CO2 reduction to formic acid on Sn-single-atom sites are shown to be correlated with Sn(IV)-N4 moieties axially coordinated with oxygen (O-Sn-N4), reaching an optimal HCOOH Faradaic efficiency of 89.4% with a partial current density (jHCOOH) of 74.8 mA·cm-2 at -1.0 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). Employing a combination of operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy, surface-bound bidentate tin carbonate species are captured during CO2RR. Moreover, the electronic and coordination structures of the single-Sn-atom species under reaction conditions are determined. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further support the preferred formation of Sn-O-CO2 species over the O-Sn-N4 sites, which effectively modulates the adsorption configuration of the reactive intermediates and lowers the energy barrier for the hydrogenation of *OCHO species, as compared to the preferred formation of *COOH species over the Sn-N4 sites, thereby greatly facilitating CO2-to-HCOOH conversion.

Integrative taxonomy of the subfamily Orbioninae (Crustacea: Isopoda) based on mitochondrial and nuclear data with evidence that supports Epicaridea as a suborder.

Epicaridea is a group of isopods with high morphological diversity, reduction and loss of characters, and strong sexual dimorphism due to their parasitic lifestyles but their systematics is not well understood. Despite the use of nuclear and mitochondrial genes to test the phylogeny of many invertebrate groups, few molecular data from epicarideans are known, especially from the subfamily Orbioninae. Species in this group are obligate penaeoid shrimp parasites and the lack molecular data has hampered studies on the phylogeny of Orbioninae. To rectify this, mitochondrial and nuclear genes of 9 orbionine species are sequenced here. Compared to the isopod ground pattern, the sequences of orbionines seem to be more plastic near the control region and major translocations are located between rrns and cob. A phylogenetic analysis based on three data sets showed strong support for a monophyletic Orbioninae and that Epicaridea should be accepted at the rank of a suborder within Isopoda. The monophyly of Parapenaeon and Orbione is in doubt based on morphological and molecular data. The genus Parapenaeon is revised and a new genus Aparapenaeon is erected for Parapenaeon japonica and three closely related species.

Disrupted architecture and fast evolution of the mitochondrial genome of Argeia pugettensis (Isopoda): implications for speciation and fitness.

BACKGROUND: Argeia pugettensis is an isopod species that parasitizes other crustaceans. Its huge native geographic range spans the Pacific from China to California, but molecular data are available only for a handful of specimens from North-American populations. We sequenced and characterised the complete mitogenome of a specimen collected in the Yellow Sea. RESULTS: It exhibited a barcode (cox1) similarity level of only 87-89% with North-American populations, which is unusually low for conspecifics. Its mitogenome is among the largest in isopods (≈16.5 Kbp), mostly due to a large duplicated palindromic genomic segment (2 Kbp) comprising three genes. However, it lost a segment comprising three genes, nad4L-trnP-nad6, and many genes exhibited highly divergent sequences in comparison to isopod orthologues, including numerous mutations, deletions and insertions. Phylogenetic and selection analyses corroborated that this is one of the handful of most rapidly evolving available isopod mitogenomes, and that it evolves under highly relaxed selection constraints (as opposed to positive selection). However, its nuclear 18S gene is highly conserved, which suggests that rapid evolution is limited to its mitochondrial genome. The cox1 sequence analysis indicates that elevated mitogenomic evolutionary rates are not shared by North-American conspecifics, which suggests a breakdown of cox1 barcoding in this species. CONCLUSIONS: A highly architecturally disrupted mitogenome and decoupling of mitochondrial and nuclear rates would normally be expected to have strong negative impacts on the fitness of the organism, so the existence of this lineage is a puzzling evolutionary question. Additional studies are needed to assess the phylogenetic breadth of this disrupted mitochondrial architecture and its impact on fitness.

Proteomics and Immunology Provide Insight into the Degradation Mechanism of Historic and Artificially Aged Silk.

The process and mechanism of silk degradation is still a bewildering mystery in the investigation and conservation of cultural relics, which rely on the development of accurate and tailored analysis technologies. Here, two advanced approaches, proteomics and immunology, were developed for determining the deterioration behavior of historic silk fabrics and artificially aged samples from the molecular to the holistic level. The surface morphology and secondary structure of silk were destroyed during degradation. Subsequently, the proteomics and immunology analysis demonstrated a new degradation model differing from previous reports. First, the amorphous region and the looser crystalline regions were destroyed together, and the macromolecular chains were broken randomly. Then, the tight ß-sheet blocks in the crystalline region were exposed and deteriorated, which expedited the degradation of tight ß-sheet blocks and relatively loose blocks in the crystalline domain as well as the amorphous domain, ultimately yielding small molecule polypeptides. However, the deterioration process of ancient fabrics could be accelerated by poor burial conditions, thus showing distinct destructive characteristics. Overall, the results gave us a more comprehensive and profound understanding of the degradation process of ancient silk.

Genetic Polymorphisms and Susceptibility to Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Recently, genetic factors have been considered as an important risk factor for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). Many studies analyzed the association between SSNHL and polymorphisms. However, most of them gave inconclusive results. Key Message: We performed a systematic review to find out the association between polymorphisms and susceptibility to SSNHL. Finally, 47 studies involving 5,230 SSNHL patients and 68 genes were included for analysis and discussion of results. Polymorphisms in 26 genes have been suggested to be correlated with the susceptibility to SSNHL. SUMMARY: Although a great number of studies support that polymorphisms in genes are associated with susceptibility to SSNHL, we need large multicenter studies, which evaluate multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms in SSNHL patients, to find real genetic risk factors for susceptibility to SSNHL. This is very helpful in designing more effective prevention and treatment strategies for patients with SSNHL.

The corneal biomechanical differences after wearing orthokeratology lenses and multifocal soft lenses in children: A self-control study.

BACKGROUND: To compare the changes in corneal biomechanics after orthokeratology (OK) lens and Defocus Incorporated Soft Contact (DISC) lens treatment. METHODS: Of 28 myopic children were recruited, with one eye wearing OK lens and the other eye wearing DISC lens for one year, and the data after discontinued for 4 weeks were also collected. Major outcomes were corneal biomechanics and axial length (AL) elongation. RESULTS: Throughout the follow-up period, the DISC group had longer the first applanation (A1) time, larger A1 deformation amplitude, A1 deflection length (A1 DLL), and A1 deflection amplitude than the OK group. AL elongation was less in the OK group at each visit (all P < 0.05) but faster in the OK group than in the DISC group after discontinuation (P = 0.006). Moreover, AL elongation was related to baseline A1 time, A1 velocity and whole eye movement max in the DISC group, and in the OK group, was related to the baseline the second applanation (A2) DLL, A2 delta arc length and stiffness parameter A1 (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The cornea was more deformable after wearing DISC lens than OK lens, and corneal biomechanical parameters were associated with AL elongation. Eyes showed less AL elongation during OK lens treatment while faster AL elongation after discontinuation than DISC lens. The baseline corneal biomechanics may help to predict AL elongation in myopic control strategies.

Prognostic Prediction and Immune Microenvironment Characterization in Uveal Melanoma: A Novel Mitochondrial Metabolism-Related Gene Signature.

Uveal Melanoma (UM), a highly aggressive and metastatic intraocular cancer with a strong propensity for liver metastasis, presents limited therapeutic alternatives and unfavorable survival outcomes. Despite its low incidence, the underlying mechanisms of UM pathogenesis and the precise role of mitochondrial metabolism in UM remain inadequately understood. Utilizing Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to assess prognostic relevance, and consensus clustering was employed for molecular subtyping. A risk signature was constructed using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Cox regression. We further conducted comparative analyses on clinicopathological characteristics, somatic mutation profiles, drug sensitivity, gene expression patterns, and tumor microenvironment features across different molecular subtypes. Moreover, a nomogram was developed and evaluated. Among 1234 mitochondria metabolism-related genes (MMRGs), 343 were identified as significantly associated with the prognosis of UM. These prognosis-associated MMRGs facilitated the classification of UM into two distinct molecular subtypes, which displayed notable differences in prognosis and pathological staging. Furthermore, an index termed the MMRGs-derived index (MMI) was derived from eight MMRGs, serving as a quantitative measure for poor prognosis risk in UM. MMI demonstrated significant associations with clinicopathological characteristics, somatic mutations, drug responsiveness, and the tumor microenvironment, where higher MMI levels corresponded to worse prognosis, advanced pathological stages, and increased immune cell infiltration. The nomogram built upon MMI provided a potential tool for clinical prognosis assessment in UM patients. This study demonstrated the potential value of MMRGs in predicting prognosis and molecular stratification within UM; however, additional clinical and basic research is warranted to validate their applicability and elucidate the related mechanisms.

Reliability and Agreement of an Integrated Platform for Intelligent Visual Function Measurement.

INTRODUCTION: Phoropters are widely accepted for clinical use in refraction examination and visual function assessment. This study assessed the reliability of the new Inspection Platform of Visual Function (IPVF) in comparison with the conventional equipment phoropter (TOPCON VT-10) in visual function assessment. METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 80 eyes of 80 healthy subjects. The horizontal phoria at distance and near (Phoria_D and Phoria_N, respectively) was measured with the von Graefe method, negative/positive relative accommodation (NRA/PRA) was measured with the positive/negative lens method, and accommodative amplitude (AMP) was measured with the minus lens method. Data of three consecutive measurements with each instrument were evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for repeatability, and the agreement of the two instruments was evaluated using a Bland-Altman plot. RESULTS: The ICCs of the three consecutive measurements for phoria, NRA/PRA, and AMP using the IPVF instrument were high (0.87-0.96), indicating high repeatability. The ICCs of the three consecutive measurements using the phoropter were high (0.914-0.983) for phoria, NRA, and AMP, indicating high repeatability, while that of PRA was 0.732 (between 0.4 and 0.75), indicating acceptable repeatability. The 95% limits of agreement of phoria, NRA/PRA, and AMP were narrow, indicating good agreement between the two instruments. CONCLUSION: The repeatability of both instruments was high, and the IPVF instrument was slightly better in terms of PRA repeatability than the phoropter. The agreement of phoria, NRA/PRA, and AMP measured by the new IPVF instrument and phoropter was also satisfactory.

Nonstrabismic binocular dysfunctions (NBD) are common vision abnormalities. The relevant indicators involved in NBD are accommodative anomalies, convergence and divergence anomalies, and phoria. Convergence and divergence anomalies are disorders of binocular vision that result in either a failure of fusion or an inability to accurately integrate and stabilize retinal images from both eyes into a single representation. Phoria is the tendency of the eyes not to be directed towards the point of fixation, manifested in the absence or prevention of fusion. Measurement of accommodation and phoria are two particularly important components of comprehensive eye examination. Phoropter is widely used in ophthalmic clinics and optical stores for refraction examination and visual function assessment. It largely depends on the examiner's training, skill, and experience, which leads to high inter-examiner variability. In large-scale eye screening or busy hospital hours, examinees have to be inspected one by one using traditional instruments, which can be time consuming and tiring for optometrists, and can cause long queuing time for examinees. In this study, we evaluated the possibility of an alternative automatic diagnostic instrument for the assessment of binocular visual function. The platform is a new type of intelligent visual function inspection equipment with good reliability, and could be an alternative for clinicians to obtain visual function measurements with improved efficiency and fewer subjective errors. The use of this automatic instrument can avoid inter-examiner variability, helping to resolve the shortage problem of optometrists in China and offer a better testing service to eye examinees.

Precision (repeatability and reproducibility) of papillary and peripapillary vascular density measurements using optical coherence tomography angiography in children.

Importance: Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) has been widely applied into children, however, few studies have assessed the repeatability and reproducibility of papillary and peripapillary VD in healthy children. Objective: To assess the precision of papillary and peripapillary vascular density (VD) measurements using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and analyze the effects of the signal strength index (SSI) and axial length (AL) on precision estimates. Design setting and participants: This was a prospective observational study. Seventy-eight children aged 6-16 years underwent 4.5 × 4.5 mm OCTA (RTVue XR Avanti) disc scans: two scans by one examiner (repeatability) and two additional scans by another examiner (reproducibility). Within-subject standard deviation (Sw), test-retest reproducibility (TRT), within-subject coefficient of variation (CoV), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Bland-Altman analysis were performed. Main outcomes and measures: In repeatability measurement, the fluctuation ranges (minimum to maximum) of VD between intraexaminer A/B in Sw, TRT, CoV, and ICC were (1.05-2.17)% / (1.16-2.32)%, (2.9-6)% / (3.21-6.44)%, (1.9-4.47)% / (2.08-5)%, and (0.588-0.783)% / (0.633-0.803)%, respectively. In reproducibility measurement, the fluctuation ranges of VD in Sw, TRT, CoV, and ICC were 1.11-2.13%, 3.07-5.91%, 1.99-4.41%, and 0.644-0.777%, respectively. VD was negatively correlated with SSI in most sectors of the peripapillary (e.g., inferior nasal, temporal inferior, temporal superior, superior temporal, and superior nasal). AL was positively correlated with inferior temporal VD and negatively correlated with superior nasal VD. Conclusion and relevance: Optical coherence tomography angiography showed moderate-to-good repeatability and reproducibility for papillary and peripapillary perfusion measurements in healthy children. The SSI value affects most of the peripapillary VD, while AL affects only the temporal inferior and nasal superior peripapillary VD.

Inter-examiner and intra-examiner reliability of optical coherence tomography angiography in vascular density measurement of retinal and choriocapillaris plexuses in healthy children aged 6-15 years.

Objective: This study aimed to test the inter-examiner and intra-examiner reliability of macular vascular density (VD) measurement of retinal and choriocapillaris plexuses in healthy children using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Materials and methods: Ninety-two school children were prospectively recruited. Macular OCTA images (6 × 6 mm2) were obtained thrice by two examiners using the RTVue-XR Avanti OCT system. The coefficient of variation (COV), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Bland-Altman plots were used to evaluate the repeatability and reproducibility. Results: Ninety participants aged 6-15 years were enrolled; two participants were excluded because of low-quality images. In the retina, the reproducibility and repeatability of VD became poorer from superficial to deep retinal capillary plexus (superficial: COV = 4.61-11.11%; intermediate: COV = 7.73-14.15%; deep: COV = 14.60-32.28%). For both reproducibility and repeatability, the ICC ranged from moderate to high (superficial plexus: ICC = 0.570-0.976; intermediate plexus: ICC = 0.720-0.968; deep plexus: ICC = 0.628-0.954). In the choroid, the inter-examiner reproducibility and intra-examiner repeatability of the VD measurement of choriocapillaris were excellent in the macula, fovea, parafovea, and perifovea (COV = 1.00-6.10%; ICC = 0.856-0.950). The parameters of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) also showed significant reproducibility and repeatability (COV = 0.01-0.21%; ICC = 0.743-0.994). Conclusion: The VD measurements of the choriocapillaris and FAZ parameters using OCTA showed excellent inter-examiner and intra-examiner reliability in school children. The reproducibility and repeatability of the VD of three retinal capillary plexuses depended on the depth of the retinal capillary plexus.

Normative Data and Determinants of Macular, Disc, and Peripapillary Vascular Density in Healthy Myopic Children Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

Objective: To establish a normative database for the vascular density (VD) in macular, disc, and peripapillary regions in healthy myopic children and to evaluate associated ocular features with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods: This was an observational, prospective and cross-sectional study. 776 Chinese healthy myopic children (375 boys and 401 girls) were enrolled, mean (±SD) age 9.84 ± 1.98 (range 6-16) years. En-face angiogram OCTA was performed on 6 mm × 6 mm retinal and 4.5 mm × 4.5 mm disc regions. VD measurements in the macular retina were segmented into the four regions: superficial capillary plexus (SCP), intermediate capillary plexus (ICP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and choriocapillaris (CC). Correlations between macular, disc, and peripapillary VD and possible influencing factors [age, gender, axial length (AL), spherical equivalent refraction (SER), right/left eye, and signal strength index (SSI)] were assessed by Pearson's correlation and multivariate regression analysis. Results: For macular scans, the corrected VD in the ICP region was (48.25 ± 4.24)% for the whole macular retina. The macular ICP VD in most sections was lower than the SCP, DCP, and CC (all P < 0.001). The corrected VD in CC was (72.96 ± 4.42)% for the whole macular retina. The macular CC VD in every section was all higher than the SCP, ICP, and DCP (all P < 0.001). The size of foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and foveal VD 300 (FD-300) was 0.28 mm2± 0.10 mm2 and (58.43 ± 4.17)% respectively. For disc scans, the corrected VD was (58.04 ± 2.73)% for the whole disc area. Both AL and SER were strongly correlated with ICP, DCP, and CC VD in all regions (all P < 0.01). Larger SSI was correlated with a lower VD in the SCP and ICP, and a higher VD in DCP and CC (all P < 0.01). Conclusion: Vascular density values provide large scale normative data on macular, disc, and peripapillary vascular parameters in a large sample of healthy myopic children with OCTA measured in the four different retinal plexuses and regions. The VD in different regions had various influencing factors; mainly a close correlation with AL and SSI.

Distributed implantation of a flexible microelectrode array for neural recording.

Flexible multichannel electrode arrays (fMEAs) with multiple filaments can be flexibly implanted in various patterns. It is necessary to develop a method for implanting the fMEA in different locations and at various depths based on the recording demands. This study proposed a strategy for reducing the microelectrode volume with integrated packaging. An implantation system was developed specifically for semiautomatic distributed implantation. The feasibility and convenience of the fMEA and implantation platform were verified in rodents. The acute and chronic recording results provied the effectiveness of the packaging and implantation methods. These methods could provide a novel strategy for developing fMEAs with more filaments and recording sites to measure functional interactions across multiple brain regions.

Comparison of Two Main Orthokeratology Lens Designs in Efficacy and Safety for Myopia Control.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of corneal refractive therapy (CRT) lenses and vision shaping treatment (VST) lenses for myopia control in children. Methods: Medical records of 1,001 children (2,002 eyes) who had been fitted with orthokeratology lenses for over 1.5 years were retrospectively reviewed. We collected the clinical data of four types of orthokeratology (OK) lenses available: one CRT lens (brand: CRT) and three VST lenses (brands: Euclid, Alpha, and Hiline) over 1.5 years. Results were compared and analyzed using a one-way ANOVA and Pearson's chi-square test. Results: Axial length elongation in the CRT lens group was 0.13 ± 0.02 mm faster than that in the Euclid lens, 0.1 ± 0.02 mm faster in the Alpha lens, and 0.08 ± 0.02 mm faster in the Hiline lens over the 1.5-year period (all P < 0.05). Among the subjects, 37.3% of them using the CRT lens experienced more than 1 D of refractive growth, compared with 20.2-30.8% of subjects wearing the three groups of VST lenses (all P < 0.05). A lower incidence of total adverse events was found with the CRT lenses compared with the VST lenses (P < 0.05), especially corneal staining. No difference was found in axial length elongation, refraction growth, and incidence of adverse events among the three types of VST lenses (all P > 0.05). Conclusions: Compared with the VST lenses, CRT lenses demonstrated a weaker effect on myopia control but with a better safety profile. Different types of VST lenses had similar efficacy and safety in the context of controlling myopia progression.