Changes in the Incidence of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants in South China From 2004 to 2018.

PURPOSE: To report the changes in incidence and risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants over a 15-year period in South China. METHODS: The medical records of ELBW infants were retrospectively reviewed through established database of Shenzhen Screening for ROP Cooperative Group. The incidence and severity of ROP were compared among three successive 5-year periods (P1: 2004-2008, P2: 2009-2013, P3: 2014-2018). Gestational age, birth weight, plurality, mode of delivery and gender were analyzed as risk factors for ROP in ELBW infants. RESULTS: Among the 1099 included ELBW infants, 557 (50.7%) had ROP, and 328 (29.9%) had severe ROP. The highest incidence of ROP (87.5%) and severe ROP (82.5%) were seen in P1. From P2 to P3, the incidence of ROP and severe ROP increased from 45.9% to 50.3% for ROP (P < .05) and from 26.4% to 28.3% for severe ROP (P < .05), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found only gestational age has a significant effect on the incidence of ROP and severe ROP. CONCLUSIONS: From 2004 to 2018, the incidence of ROP and severe ROP in ELBW infants in South China was 50.7% and 29.9%, respectively. Controlling for the other risk factors, only gestational age was statistically associated with ROP in ELBW infants.

Identification of seven polyamine oxidase genes in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and their expression profiles under physiological and various stress conditions.

Polyamines (PAs) are implicated in developmental processes and stress responses of plants. Polyamine oxidases (PAOs), flavin adenine dinucleotide-dependent enzymes that function in PA catabolism, play a critical role. Even though PAO gene families of Arabidopsis and rice have been intensely characterized and their expression in response to developmental and environmental changes has been investigated, little is known about PAOs in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). We found seven PAO genes in S. lycopersicum and named them SlPAO1∼7. Plant PAOs form four clades in phylogenetic analysis, of which SlPAO1 belongs to clade-I, SlPAO6 and SlPAO7 to clade-III, and the residual four (SlPAO2∼5) to clade-IV, while none belongs to clade-II. All the clade-IV members in tomato also retain the putative peroxisomal-targeting signals in their carboxy termini, suggesting their peroxisome localization. SlPAO1 to SlPAO5 genes consist of 10 exons and 9 introns, while SlPAO6 and SlPAO7 are intronless genes. To address the individual roles of SlPAOs, we analyzed their expression in various tissues and during flowering and fruit development. The expression of SlPAO2∼4 was constitutively high, while that of the other SlPAO members was relatively lower. We further analyzed the expressional changes of SlPAOs upon abiotic stresses, oxidative stresses, phytohormone application, and PA application. Based on the data obtained, we discuss the distinctive roles of SlPAOs.

A CASE OF RELAPSING RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIAL DETACHMENT IN PERIPAPILLARY PACHYCHOROID PIGMENT EPITHELIOPATHY.

PURPOSE: To report the findings in a patient with peripapillary pachychoroid pigment epitheliopathy who demonstrated a retinal pigment epithelial detachment (PED) that was present at some times but not other times. METHODS: A review of 24 months of the clinical course and findings on multimodal imaging, including color fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence, spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography. Choroidal thickness was measured by exporting the optical coherence tomography images to ImageJ (National Institutes of Health) for analysis. RESULTS: A 75-year-old Asian woman complaining of metamorphopsia had a relapsing PED but no intraretinal or subretinal fluid. Multimodal imaging demonstrated an orange-reddish appearance and hyperautofluorescence/hypoautofluorescence in the nasal macula, chronically thickened choroid located beneath the PED and peripapillary region, and variability in the presence of Sattler layer of the choroid, with its disappearance in the foveal region during exacerbation of the condition, and its emergence when the PED resolved. CONCLUSION: In pachychoroid pigment epitheliopathy, PED can develop and spontaneously resolve, and variations in choroidal thickness and the presence of Sattler layer may be an indicator of changes in disease activity.