Deliberative control is more than just reactive: Insights from sequential sampling models.

Activating relevant responses is a key function of automatic processes in De Neys's model; however, what determines the order or magnitude of such activation is ambiguous. Focusing on recently developed sequential sampling models of choice, we argue that proactive control shapes response generation but does not cleanly fit into De Neys's automatic-deliberative distinction, highlighting the need for further model development.

Clinical features and long-term treatment outcome of posterior scleritis.

Background: To analyze the clinical characteristics and long-term treatment outcomes of patients with posterior scleritis. Methods: This retrospective, observational case series analyzed medical records of 14 patients diagnosed with infectious or non-infectious posterior scleritis between May 2005 and March 2020 at Severance Hospital and Gangnam Severance Hospital. Results: A total of 12 patients with non-infectious and two with infectious posterior scleritis were treated. Conjunctival injection (85.7%) was the most common symptom, followed by pain on eyeball movement (57.1%), and decreased visual acuity (42.9%). Anterior uveitis (64.3%) was the most common associated clinical finding. In five eyes (35.7%), immunosuppressive agents were administered in addition to corticosteroids to control the inflammation. Recurrence was noted in three eyes (21.4%), all of them showing non-infectious scleritis. The final visual acuity of the patients did not show significant change compared to that at the first visit (P=0.878). Conclusions: Most posterior scleritis patients were of non-infectious type and some needed additional immunosuppressive treatment. In patients with a history of ocular surgery or trauma, especially with the presence of pus-containing nodules, infectious posterior scleritis should always be considered. Since impaired vision does not improve significantly after treatment of posterior scleritis, prompt diagnosis and aggressive treatment are recommended.

Factors Related to Axial Length Elongation in Myopic Children Who Received 0.05% Atropine Treatment.

Purpose: To evaluate the longitudinal changes of axial length (AL) and factors associated with AL growth in myopic children receiving 0.05% atropine. Methods: This single-center retrospective study included children aged 4-13 years with myopia of at least -0.5 diopters (D) treated with 0.05% atropine eye drops from November 2016 to May 2021. Predictive factors for AL change were evaluated using linear mixed models. Results: Among 109 patients (218 eyes), 58 (53.2%) were male and the mean age at treatment was 8.5 ± 2.0 years. At baseline measurement, the mean spherical equivalent was -4.05 ± 2.34 diopters (D), and AL was 25.00 ± 0.97 mm. The mean follow-up duration was 25.4 (12-58) months, and the mean AL elongation was 0.23 ± 0.17 mm/year during the follow-up periods. AL shortening of ≥0.05 mm at subsequent visit occurred in 18 patients (26 eyes). The mean AL change in the group without initial AL shortening was statistically larger than that in the group with initial AL shortening (0.26 ± 0.16 mm/year vs. 0.02 ± 0.17 mm/year, P < 0.001). In linear mixed model, the age at atropine treatment and initial AL shortening were significantly associated with respect to AL growth (beta coefficient: -0.032 and -0.122, respectively, P < 0.001 for both). Conclusions: Our study found that older age and initial AL shortening are predictors of favorable response after 0.05% atropine treatment. Children with AL shortening at initial subsequent visit may be associated with good long-term response, and younger children may require higher concentration of atropine for optimal response.

Tube-Iris Distance and Corneal Endothelial Cell Damage Following Ahmed Glaucoma Valve Implantation.

The most significant factor for endothelial cell loss should be readily identified, since prevention is the most crucial treatment. Here, we investigate risk factors for corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) decline following Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation and determine the optimal cut-off values. This study included 103 eyes (95 patients) with glaucoma that underwent AGV implantation between January 2006 and January 2021 at a single medical center (Severance Hospital). We conducted consecutive t-tests between two groups separated by the ECD change rate to determine the survival state of the enrolled patients. Associations were evaluated using univariable and multivariable linear regressions. Optimal cut-off values for identified risk factors were analyzed using a Cox proportional hazards model and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve based on logistic regression. Mean follow-up duration was 4.09 ± 2.20 years. After implementing consecutive t-tests, only patients with an ECD change rate greater than -6.1%/year were considered to have survived. Tube-iris distance (TID) was the only statistically significant factor identified in both the univariable and multivariable linear regressions. The cut-off value determined from the consecutive Cox regression method was 0.33 mm (smallest p-value of 0.0087), and the cut-off value determined from the ROC method was 0.371 mm (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.662). Patients with short TIDs showed a better ECD prognosis following AGV surgery; we suggest optimal TID cut-off values of 0.33 mm and 0.371 mm based on the implemented Cox regression and ROC methodology, respectively.

Prediction of the Immune Phenotypes of Bladder Cancer Patients for Precision Oncology.

Bladder cancer (BC) is the most common urinary malignancy; however accurate diagnosis and prediction of recurrence after therapies remain elusive. This study aimed to develop a biosignature of immunotherapy-based responses using gene expression data. Publicly available BC datasets were collected, and machine learning (ML) approaches were applied to identify a novel biosignature to differentiate patient subgroups. Immune phenotyping of BC in the IMvigor210 dataset included three subtypes: inflamed, excluded, and desert immune. Immune phenotypes were analyzed with gene expressions using traditional but powerful classification methods such as random forests, Deep Neural Networks (DNN), Support Vector Machines (SVM) together with boosting and feature selection methods. Specifically, DNN yielded the highest area under the curve (AUC) with precision and recall (PR) curves and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for each phenotype ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively) resulting in the identification of gene expression features useful for immune phenotype classification. Our results suggest significant potential to further develop and utilize machine learning algorithms for analysis of BC and its precaution. In conclusion, the findings from this study present a novel gene expression assay that can accurately discriminate BC patients from controls. Upon further validation in independent cohorts, this gene signature could be developed into a predictive test that can support clinical evaluation and patient care.

Oxygen care and treatment of retinopathy of prematurity in ocular and neurological prognosis.

This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the effects of neonatal oxygen care and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treatment on ROP-related ocular and neurological prognoses. We included premature infants treated for ROP at a tertiary referral center between January 2006 and December 2019. Demographic and clinical data were collected from electronic medical records. Odds ratios (ORs) of oxygen care- and ROP treatment-related factors were calculated for ocular and neurological comorbidities 3 years after ROP treatment, after adjusting for potential confounders. ROP requiring treatment was detected in 171 eyes (88 infants). Laser treatment for ROP (OR = 4.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.64-13.63) and duration of invasive ventilation (OR = 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.03) were associated with an increase in ocular comorbidities, along with a history of neonatal seizure (OR = 28.29, 95% CI 5.80-137.95) and chorioamnionitis (OR = 32.13, 95% CI 5.47-188.74). No oxygen care- or ROP treatment-related factors showed significant odds for neurological comorbidities. Shorter duration of invasive oxygen supply during neonatal care (less than 49 days) and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection as the primary treatment for ROP are less likely to cause ocular comorbidities. No association was identified between ROP treatment modalities and the risk of neurological comorbidities.

Clinical features and long-term treatment outcomes in choroidal tuberculoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical features and treatment outcomes of patients with choroidal tuberculoma. METHODS: In this retrospective, observational case series, the medical records of five patients with choroidal tuberculoma who were followed up at a university hospital for at least 6 months were analyzed. RESULTS: Of five patients, one was male and four were female. The overall mean age was 38.0 ± 9.4 years (mean follow-up: 41.2 ± 33.8 months). Tuberculin skin test was performed in three patients, and it was positive in two of them. Interferon-gamma assay was performed in two patients and was positive in all two. Three patients had systemic tuberculosis involving the lung or other organs. Five patients were treated with antitubercular therapy for a period of 9.6 ± 8.6 months. Systemic corticosteroid treatment was performed in 3 patients, with a period of 3.5 ± 0.7 months. One patient with a recurrent vascularized tuberculoma was successfully treated with single intravitreal bevacizumab injection. CONCLUSION: Choroidal tuberculoma can develop without evidence of systemic tuberculosis and can recur despite antitubercular treatment. High index of suspicion is important in early detection, and management of choroidal tuberculoma. In cases of suspected choroidal tuberculoma, positive results on immunological tests would be sufficient to initiate antitubercular therapy even if radiological evidence of systemic tuberculosis is not found. Antitubercular therapy combined with systemic corticosteroids provided favorable results. Intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor may be considered for highly vascularized choroidal tuberculoma.

Investigating the Relationship between Glaucoma Prevalence and Trabecular Meshwork Length.

Glaucoma is one of the most common causes of blindness worldwide, but the risk factors of glaucoma are yet to be fully understood. We investigated the relationship between the prevalence of glaucoma and trabecular meshwork (TM) length by comparing the mean TM length of a South Korean population with that of another ethnic population. We included 250 eyes of 125 patients who underwent anterior segment optical coherence tomography at Yonsei University Gangnam Severance Hospital between January 2015 and December 2017. We measured the distance from the scleral spur to Schwalbe's line in patients with open and closed angles and calculated the TM length using the open- and closed-angle ratios in the general population. The mean TM length of the patients in our study was 752 ± 116 µm. Considering the compensated data, the estimated true mean TM length in the Korean population was 793 ± 76 µm, which was similar to the mean TM length of a previously evaluated Hispanic population, but differed significantly from those of previously evaluated Asian (Chinese), Caucasian, and African-American populations (p < 0.05). Our results support the hypothesis that the development of glaucoma would be affected by TM length.

Evaluation of the Relationship Between Age and Trabecular Meshwork Height to Predict the Risk of Glaucoma.

This study evaluated age-related trabecular meshwork (TM) height variations in the eyes of adults in different age groups. We hypothesised that a reduction in TM occurs with increasing age. This retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study was conducted at Yonsei University Gangnam Severance Hospital between January 2015 and June 2019. We randomly included 250 eyes of 125 patients who underwent anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). The distance from the scleral spur to Schwalbe's line in patients with normal open anterior chamber angle was measured using AS-OCT. Results were stratified based on patients' age group-≤40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, and 81-92 years. Thereafter, the results were compared among the age groups. The mean TM height of the patients was 770.929 ± 76.776 µm. TM height was 853.188 ± 94.117 µm in patients aged ≤40 years; it was 815.309 ± 75.723, 798.115 ± 66.040, 770.942 ± 52.774, 726.716 ± 63.979, and 715.968 ± 63.403 µm in patients aged 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80, and 81-92 years, respectively. The TM height tended to decrease with increasing age (P < 0.001). TM height was significantly shorter in older patients than in younger ones. Therefore, TM height may change with age and may contribute to increased glaucoma risk and prevalence.

Acute ST Elevated Myocardial Injury due to Coronary Thrombosis during Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair in Patient with Protein S Deficiency.

A 71-year-old woman who had suffered from pulmonary thromboembolism with deep vein thrombosis for 12 years presented the hospital with a huge thoracic aortic aneurysm. During thoracic endovascular therapy, she had a sudden coronary artery occlusion without having organized stenosis or plaque rupture even under the dual antiplatelet treatment and heparinization. She turned out to be having a protein S deficiency. A procedure related thrombotic adverse event in patient with protein S deficiency is very rare, so we report a case with literature review.

Extensive and divergent chromosomal losses in squamous and spindle-cell components of esophageal sarcomatoid carcinoma.

Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the esophagus is an unusual type of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with a variable component of sarcomatoid spindle cells (SA). The loss of heterozygosity (LOH) involving multiple cancer-associated chromosomal arms has been reported to have a concerted, rather than an individual, effect on tumor progression. In order to delineate the role of LOH in the evolution of a biphasic tumor, the carcinoma in situ (CIS), invasive squamous cell carcinoma (ISCC), and SA components from a sarcomatoid carcinoma of the esophagus were compared for their clonality and extent of LOH. Forty microsatellite markers on the cancer-associated chromosomes, 3p, 4p, 5q, 8p, 9p, 13q, 17p, and 18q, were used for the polymerase chain reaction-based LOH analysis. All eight sarcomatoid carcinomas tested revealed extensive LOHs, involving an average of seven chromosomal arms. All CIS, ISCC, and SA components carried not only a high-level primary LOH (mean chromosomal involvement, 5.3) in common but also a low-level secondary LOH (mean chromosomal involvement, 1.8) in disparity. Interestingly, more secondary LOHs were always burdened in the CIS (four cases) rather than the matched ISCC. SA had a greater (four cases), equal (one case), or fewer (one case) number of secondary LOHs than ISCC. Given that excessive chromosomal losses may confer a disadvantage for tumor growth or a benefit for a metaplastic transformation, these results suggest that the multidirectional differentiation of a SCC precursor is stimulated by extensive and divergent LOHs acquired at the initial or early stages, and a precursor burdened with excessive LOH either remains in CIS or expands as a SA component.