A Multicenter Study on Early Outcomes of Small-Incision Lenticule Extraction for Myopia.

This study was aimed to investigate the early clinical outcomes of small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) to correct both myopia and myopic astigmatism at major clinical centers in Japan. This case series consisted of two hundred fifty-two eyes of 130 consecutive patients who underwent SMILE surgery (29.5 ± 6.3 years, mean age ± standard deviation), with spherical equivalents of -4.33 ± 1.61 D. We determined the safety, efficacy, predictability, stability, and adverse events of this procedure. Corrected distance visual acuity significantly improved, from -0.18 ± 0.04 preoperatively to -0.19 ± 0.07 logMAR postoperatively (paired t-test, p < 0.001). Uncorrected distance visual acuity also significantly improved, from 1.05 ± 0.26 preoperatively to -0.15 ± 0.11 logMAR postoperatively (p < 0.001). 88% and 98% of eyes were within ± 0.5 and 1.0 D of the targeted correction, respectively. Changes in manifest spherical equivalent from 1 week postoperatively were 0.02 ± 0.35 D (p = 0.127). No vision-threatening complications were observed in any of the cases. SMILE performed well in the correction of myopic refractive errors, and we experienced no severe complications in this series, indicating its feasibility as a surgical option for the treatment of these eyes.

Predator-secreted sulfolipids induce defensive responses in C. elegans.

Animals respond to predators by altering their behavior and physiological states, but the underlying signaling mechanisms are poorly understood. Using the interactions between Caenorhabditis elegans and its predator, Pristionchus pacificus, we show that neuronal perception by C. elegans of a predator-specific molecular signature induces instantaneous escape behavior and a prolonged reduction in oviposition. Chemical analysis revealed this predator-specific signature to consist of a class of sulfolipids, produced by a biochemical pathway required for developing predacious behavior and specifically induced by starvation. These sulfolipids are detected by four pairs of C. elegans amphid sensory neurons that act redundantly and recruit cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) or transient receptor potential (TRP) channels to drive both escape and reduced oviposition. Functional homology of the delineated signaling pathways and abolishment of predator-evoked C. elegans responses by the anti-anxiety drug sertraline suggests a likely conserved or convergent strategy for managing predator threats.