Coefficient of spatial variance of choroidal thickness on swept-source optical coherence tomography in healthy eyes.

PURPOSE: This study aims to introduce the coefficient of spatial variance of choroidal thickness to describe the choroidal variation and investigate its associated factors in healthy eyes. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 1031 eyes from 1031 subjects who received a swept-source optical coherence tomography examination. The mean choroidal thickness in the macular 6 × 6 mm region and 900 subregions of 0.2 × 0.2 mm were computed using the embedded algorithm. Before analysis, potential segmentation and magnification errors were corrected. The coefficient of spatial variance was defined as the standard deviation divided by the mean (multiplied by 100%) of the choroidal thicknesses across 900 grids. Potential factors associated with the coefficient of spatial variance were assessed using multiple linear regression. RESULTS: The mean choroidal thickness of the entire 6 × 6 mm macular region was 204.50 ± 72.88 µm. The mean coefficient of spatial variance was 26.58 ± 8.24%, ranging from 11.00 to 61.58%. Statistical analysis revealed that the means choroidal thickness (ß = - 0.08, R2 = 0.42, p < 0.001) and anterior chamber depth (ß = - 2.39, R2 = 0.05, p = 0.06) were associated with the coefficient of spatial variance. CONCLUSION: Our study first incorporated the coefficient of spatial variance to represent the spatial variation of the choroidal thickness and observed that the greater thinning of the choroid is correlated with a more pronounced spatial variation.

Risk factors for diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, and sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors for the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR), diabetic macular edema (DME), and sight-threatening DR (STDR) based on a city-wide diabetes screening program. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Diabetic patients were prospectively recruited between June 2016 and December 2022. All patients underwent dilated fundus photography centered on the disc and macula or macular spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scan. Complete medical history was documented. Systematic examination, blood analysis, and urinalysis were performed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting for age and sex was conducted. RESULTS: Out of 7274 diabetic patients, 6840 had gradable images, among which 3054 (42.0%) were graded as DR, 1153 (15.9%) as DME, and 1500 (20.6%) as STDR. The factors associated with DR, DME, and STDR included younger age (odds ratio [OR]: 0.96, 0.97, and 0.96 respectively), lower BMI (OR: 0.97, 0.95, and 0.95 respectively), longer duration of diabetes (OR: 1.07, 1.03, and 1.05 respectively) and positive of urinary albumin (OR: 2.22, 2.56, and 2.88 respectively). Other associated factors included elevated blood urea nitrogen (OR: 1.22, 1.28, and 1.27 respectively), higher LDL-cholesterol, lower blood hemoglobin (OR: 0.98, 0.98, and 0.98), insulin intake, presence of diabetic foot pathologies and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. We also identified novel risk factors, including high serum potassium (OR: 1.37, 1.46, and 1.55 respectively), high-serum sodium (OR: 1.02, 1.02, and 1.04 respectively). Better family income was a protective factor for DR, DME, and STDR. Alcohol consumption once a week was also identified as a protective factor for DR. CONCLUSIONS: Similar risk factors for DR, DME, and STDR were found in this study. Our data also indicates high serum sodium, high serum potassium, low blood hemoglobin, and level of family income as novel associated factors for DR, DME, and STDR, which can help with DR monitoring and management.

Inter-Individual Topographic Variation of Choroidal Thickness in Healthy Eyes on Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography.

Purpose: To investigate the topographic characters of inter-individual variations of the macular choroidal thickness (CT). Methods: This was a retrospective study. Macular CT data for 900 0.2 × 0.2-mm grids from 410 healthy eyes were collected from swept-source optical coherence tomography. Following the analysis of factors associated with mean CT, the ß-coefficients of the included associated factors in each grid were summarized for choroidal thickness changes analysis. Additionally, the coefficient of variance (CoV), coefficient of determination (CoD), and coefficient of variance unexplained (CoVU) for CT were calculated in each individual grid to investigate the inter-individual choroidal variations pattern. Results: Sex (ß = -17.26, female vs. male), age (ß = -1.61, per 1 year), and axial length (ß = -18.62, per 1 mm) were associated with mean macular CT. Females had a thinner choroid in all 900 grids (0.5-26.9 µm). As age increased, the CT noticeably decreased (8.74-19.87 µm per 10 years) in the temporal regions. With axial length elongation, the thinning (7.94-24.91 µm per 1 mm) was more evident in subfoveal and nasal regions. Both the CoV (34.69%-58.00%) and CoVU (23.05%-40.78%) were lower in the temporal regions, whereas the CoD (18.41%-39.66%) was higher in the temporal regions. Conclusions: Choroidal thinning is more predominant in the subfoveal and nasal regions with axial length elongation, but in the temporal region with aging. The inter-individual variation of CT is higher and less determined by sex, age, or axial length in the nasal regions. Translational Relevance: Topographic variation should be considered when interpreting choroidal thickness.

Control of phosphorus release from sediment by iron/aluminum co-modified zeolite: efficiency, mechanism, and response of microbial communities in sediment.

The efficiency of iron/aluminum co-modified zeolite (FeAl-Z) covering and amendment for controlling the internal loading of phosphorus (P) from sediment to the overlying water (OW) and its controlling mechanism were explored. The response of the composition of sedimentary microbial communities in sediment and their function to the FeAl-Z capping and amendment was also examined. FeAl-Z showed good removal performance for phosphate in aqueous solution. The maximum phosphate adsorption quantity for FeAl-Z at pH 7 attained 11.2 mg P/g. The release of sediment endogenous phosphorus to OW can be successfully restrained by the FeAl-Z covering and amendment, and the suppression ability of FeAl-Z covering was stronger than that of FeAl-Z amendment. Under the capping or amendment condition, FeAl-Z can effectively inactivate the labile phosphorus measured by diffusion gradient in thin film (DGT-LP) in the overlying water and surface sediment. The added FeAl-Z transformed redox-sensitive phosphorus (BD-P) to metal oxide-bound phosphorus (NaOH-IP) and residual phosphorus (Res-P) in sediment, which increased the stability of inorganic phosphorus in the sediment. The passivation of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and DGT-LP in the surface sediment by FeAl-Z significantly contributed to the inhibition of sediment endogenous phosphorus release to OW by the FeAl-Z capping, and the passivation of SRP, DGT-LP and mobile phosphorus in the surface sediment played a pivotal role in the control of sediment internal phosphorus release by the FeAl-Z amendment. The FeAl-Z amendment and capping did not increase the liberation risk of Fe from sediment, and the microorganisms in the sediments under the conditions of FeAl-Z amendment and covering still can perform good ecological functions. Results of this research demonstrate that FeAl-Z capping has high application potential in the control of phosphorus transfer from sediment to OW.

Parental histone transfer caught at the replication fork.

In eukaryotes, DNA compacts into chromatin through nucleosomes1,2. Replication of the eukaryotic genome must be coupled to the transmission of the epigenome encoded in the chromatin3,4. Here we report cryo-electron microscopy structures of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) replisomes associated with the FACT (facilitates chromatin transactions) complex (comprising Spt16 and Pob3) and an evicted histone hexamer. In these structures, FACT is positioned at the front end of the replisome by engaging with the parental DNA duplex to capture the histones through the middle domain and the acidic carboxyl-terminal domain of Spt16. The H2A-H2B dimer chaperoned by the carboxyl-terminal domain of Spt16 is stably tethered to the H3-H4 tetramer, while the vacant H2A-H2B site is occupied by the histone-binding domain of Mcm2. The Mcm2 histone-binding domain wraps around the DNA-binding surface of one H3-H4 dimer and extends across the tetramerization interface of the H3-H4 tetramer to the binding site of Spt16 middle domain before becoming disordered. This arrangement leaves the remaining DNA-binding surface of the other H3-H4 dimer exposed to additional interactions for further processing. The Mcm2 histone-binding domain and its downstream linker region are nested on top of Tof1, relocating the parental histones to the replisome front for transfer to the newly synthesized lagging-strand DNA. Our findings offer crucial structural insights into the mechanism of replication-coupled histone recycling for maintaining epigenetic inheritance.

The value of gadolinium-enhanced MRI in predicting the development of sudden hearing loss into Ménière's disease.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical features of sudden hearing loss (SHL) in patients with and without endolymphatic hydrops (EH), and to investigate the association between SHL with EH and Ménière's disease (MD). METHODS: The clinical data of 63 SHL patients with first symptoms were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were separated into two groups based on the results of gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging: EH and non-EH groups. Independent sample t-test and U-test were used to compare groups for continuous variables, and the chi-squared test, corrected chi-squared test and Bonferroni correction test were used to compare groups for binary and ordinal variables. The binary logistic regression model was utilised for univariate and multivariate analysis of follow-up patient prognosis. RESULTS: The EH and non-EH groups contained 32 and 31 patients, respectively. The EH group had a higher prevalence of low-tone descending hearing loss. Fifty-one patients were followed for more than 2 years. In the EH group, 11 and 15 patients were diagnosed with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) and MD, respectively, while in the non-EH group, 24 patients were diagnosed with SSNHL and only one with MD. EH, low-tone descending hearing loss and vertigo were risk factors for the diagnosis of MD in a subgroup univariate regression analysis of patients experiencing SHL. EH was found to be a risk factor for the progression of SHL into MD in a multifactor regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SHL who have EH are more likely to present with low-tone descending hearing loss. EH is a risk factor for the subsequent development of MD.

Fecal calprotectin: A novel predictor of ulcerated esophageal injury after atrial fibrillation catheter ablation.

BACKGROUND: Atrial esophageal fistula (AEF) is a lethal complication that can occur post atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. Esophageal injury (EI) is likely to be the initial lesion leading to AEF. Endoscopic examination is the gold standard for a diagnosis of EI but extensive endoscopic screening is invasive and costly. This study was conducted to determine whether fecal calprotectin (Fcal), a marker of inflammation throughout the intestinal tract, may be associated with the existence of esophageal injury. METHODS: This diagnostic study was conducted in a cohort of 166 patients with symptomatic AF undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation from May 2020 to June 2021. Fcal tests were performed 1-7 days after ablation. All patients underwent endoscopic ultrasonography 1 or 2 days after ablation. RESULTS: The levels of Fcal were significantly different between the EI and non-EI groups (404.9 µg/g (IQR 129.6-723.6) vs. 40.4 µg/g (IQR 15.0-246.2), p < .001). Analysis of ROC curves revealed that a Fcal level of 125 µg/g might be the optimal cut-off value for a diagnosis of EI, giving a 78.8% sensitivity and a 65.4% specificity. The negative predictive value of Fcal was 100% for ulcerated EI. CONCLUSIONS: The level of Fcal is associated with EI post AF catheter ablation. 125 µg/g might be the optimal cut-off value for a diagnosis of EI. Negative Fcal could predict the absence of ulcerated EI, which could be considered a precursor to AEF.

Use of intracardiac echocardiography in vein of Marshall ethanol infusion for ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Few methods have been reported to demonstrate real-time effects during vein of Marshall (VOM) ethanol infusion in persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF). OBJECTIVE: This study was to evaluate the impact of left atrial (LA) monitoring using intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) during VOM ethanol infusion. METHODS: Seventy-four consecutive patients with PeAF who underwent VOM ethanol infusion followed by radiofrequency (RF) ablation were included. Patients with findings on ICE consistent with echogenic streaming in the LA and with increased myocardial local echogenicity along the VOM area were placed into one group (group A) and those without into the other group (group B). Outcomes between the 2 groups were compared. RESULTS: Forty-six patients (62%) were placed into group A. A new ethanol-induced low-voltage area in group A was larger than that in group B (8.5 cm2 [5.5-10.2 cm2] and 4.0 cm2 (2.4-6.3 cm2]; P < .001). The RF ablation time required to achieve MI block was reduced in group A patients (263.0 seconds [196.0-351.0 seconds] vs 417.0 seconds [315.0-709.5 seconds] in group B patients; P < .001). MI block was achieved in 46 patients (100%) via an endocardial approach in group A and 27 patients (96.4%) in group B (extra coronary sinus ablation in 4 patients). One patient developed clinically significant pericardial effusions and required pericardiocentesis in group B. CONCLUSION: Presence of increased myocardial local echogenicity at the ridge and consistent echogenic streaming in the LA detected by ICE-based imaging during VOM ethanol infusion suggests increased ablated tissue in that region and lower RF ablation time during ablation for PeAF.

Contrasting effects of MgAl- and MgFe-based layered double hydroxides on phosphorus mobilization and microbial communities in sediment.

The effects of two types of layered double hydroxides (LDH) in-situ treatment on sediment phosphorus (P) mobilization and microbial community's structure were studied comparatively. The results presented that magnesium/aluminum-based (MA) and magnesium/iron (MF)-based LDH displayed great phosphate uptake ability in aqueous solution in a broad pH range of 3-8. The maximum phosphate sorption capacity of MA was 64.89 mg/g, around four times greater than that of MF (14.32 mg/g). Most of phosphate bound by MA and MF is hard to re-liberate under reduction and ordinary pH (5-9) conditions. In the in-situ remediation, the MA and MF capping/amendment both prevented P migration from the sediment to the overlying water (OL-water) under long-term anaerobic conditions, and MA had a better interception efficiency compared to MF in the same application mode. MA amendment significantly reduced mobile P (Mob-P) content in sediment and could remain its stable Mob-P inactivation capacity over a wide pH range. On the contrary, MF amendment increased Mob-P content in sediment and exhibited a variable ability to inactivate Mob-P under elevated pH conditions. MF can decrease Mob-P content at pH of 7 and 11 but increase Mob-P content at pH of 8-10. Under resuspension conditions, MA and MF capping groups still maintained low P levels in OL-water, while MA capping simultaneously showed a certain degree of resistance to sediment resuspension, but it had a weaker stabilizing effect for sediment than MF. Microbial community analysis manifested neither MA nor MF addition observably altered the sediment microbial diversity, but impacted the functional microorganisms' abundance and reshaped the microbial community's structure, intervening the sediment-P stabilization. Viewed from environmental friendliness, control efficiency, stability of P fixation capacity, and application convenience, MA capping wrapped by fabric is more suitable for addressing internal P loading in eutrophic lakes and holds great potential application.

Artificial Intelligence-based database for prediction of protein structure and their alterations in ocular diseases.

The aim of the study is to establish an online database for predicting protein structures altered in ocular diseases by Alphafold2 and RoseTTAFold algorithms. Totally, 726 genes of multiple ocular diseases were collected for protein structure prediction. Both Alphafold2 and RoseTTAFold algorithms were built locally using the open-source codebases. A dataset with 48 protein structures from Protein Data Bank (PDB) was adopted for algorithm set-up validation. A website was built to match ocular genes with the corresponding predicted tertiary protein structures for each amino acid sequence. The predicted local distance difference test-Cα (pLDDT) and template modeling (TM) scores of the validation protein structure and the selected ocular genes were evaluated. Molecular dynamics and molecular docking simulations were performed to demonstrate the applications of the predicted structures. For the validation dataset, 70.8% of the predicted protein structures showed pLDDT greater than 90. Compared to the PDB structures, 100% of the AlphaFold2-predicted structures and 97.9% of the RoseTTAFold-predicted structure showed TM score greater than 0.5. Totally, 1329 amino acid sequences of 430 ocular disease-related genes have been predicted, of which 75.9% showed pLDDT greater than 70 for the wildtype sequences and 76.1% for the variant sequences. Small molecule docking and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the predicted protein structures with higher confidence scores showed similar molecular characteristics with the structures from PDB. We have developed an ocular protein structure database (EyeProdb) for ocular disease, which is released for the public and will facilitate the biological investigations and structure-based drug development for ocular diseases. Database URL:  http://eyeprodb.jsiec.org.

Immobilization of phosphorus in water-sediment system by iron-modified attapulgite, calcite, bentonite and dolomite under feed input condition: Efficiency, mechanism, application mode effect and response of microbial communities and iron mobilization.

Four kinds of iron-based materials, i.e., iron-modified attapulgite, calcite, bentonite and dolomite (abbreviated as Fe-ATP, Fe-CA, Fe-BT and Fe-DOL, respectively) were prepared and used to immobilize the phosphorus in the system of overlying water (O-water) and sediment under the feed input condition, and their immobilization efficiencies and mechanisms were investigated. The influence of application mode on the immobilization of phosphorus in the water-sediment system by Fe-ATP, Fe-CA, Fe-BT and Fe-DOL was researched. The effects of Fe-ATP, Fe-CA, Fe-BT and Fe-DOL on the concentration of labile iron in the water-sediment system and the microbial communities in sediment were also studied. The results showed that the Fe-ATP, Fe-CA, Fe-BT and Fe-DOL addition all can effectively immobilize the soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), dissolved total phosphorus (DTP) and diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT)-labile phosphorus in O-water under the feed input condition, and also had the ability to inactivate the DGT-labile phosphorus in the top sediment. Although the change in the application mode from the one-time addition to the multiple addition reduced the inactivation efficiencies of SRP and DTP in O-water in the early period of application, it increased the immobilization efficiencies in the later period of application. Although Fe-ATP, Fe-CA, Fe-BT and Fe-DOL had a certain releasing risk of iron into the pore water, they had negligible risk of iron release into O-water. The addition of Fe-ATP, Fe-CA, Fe-BT or Fe-DOL reshaped the sediment bacterial community structure and can affect the microorganism-driven phosphorus cycle in the sediment. Results of this work suggest that Fe-ATP, Fe-CA, Fe-BT and Fe-DOL are promising phosphorus-inactivation materials to immobilize the phosphorus in the water-sediment system under the feed input condition.

Association between depression and tinnitus in US adults: A nationally representative sample.

Background: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) has not been previously utilized to study the prevalence of tinnitus and depression among adults over 20 years old, nor the impact of tinnitus on depression. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between tinnitus and depression among adults in the United States. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study drew upon data from the 2005-2018 NHANES, incorporating adults aged 20 and older who had completed the tinnitus and depression questionnaire. Depression was assessed using the PHQ-9 questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression models, subgroup analyses, and sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the association between tinnitus and depression. Results: This nationally representative study included 10,409 participants, of whom 17.69% reported experiencing tinnitus. The prevalence of depression was 6.2% among those without tinnitus and 15.1% among those with tinnitus (p < .0001). Accounting for potential confounders such as demographic and socioeconomic variables, participants who experienced tinnitus were more likely to exhibit depression symptoms (adjusted odds ratio = 2.0, 95% confidence interval = 1.61-2.48). Subgroup analyses further suggested that tinnitus was associated with an increased prevalence of depression across all subgroups. Sensitivity analysis affirmed these findings. Conclusions: This study suggests that there is a significant association between tinnitus and the risk of depression in the adult population of the United States, emphasizing the importance of psychological factors in the clinical management of tinnitus. Level of Evidence: 2b.

Spatiotemporal distribution of migraine in China: analyses based on baidu index.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, innovative approaches utilizing Internet data have emerged in the field of syndromic surveillance. These novel methods aim to aid in the early prediction of epidemics across various scenarios and diseases. It has been observed that these systems demonstrate remarkable accuracy in monitoring outbreaks even before they become apparent in the general population. Therefore, they serve as valuable complementary tools to augment existing methodologies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of migraine in China by leveraging Baidu Index (BI) data. METHODS: Migraine-related BI data from January 2014 to December 2022 were leveraged, covering 301 city-level areas from 31 provincial-level regions by using the keyword "migraine ()". Prevalence data from the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) were attracted to ensure the reliability of utilizing migraine-related BI data for research. Comprehensive analytical methods were then followed to investigate migraine's spatiotemporal distribution. The Seasonal-Trend decomposition procedure based on Loess (STL) was used to identify the temporal distribution. Spatial distribution was explored using the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic, standard deviation ellipse analysis, Moran's Index, and Ordinary Kriging. The top eight migraine-related search terms were analyzed through the Demand Graph feature in the Baidu Index platform to understand the public's concerns related to migraine. RESULTS: A strong association was observed between migraine-related BI and the prevalence data of migraine from GBD with a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.983 (P = 4.96 × 10- 5). The overall trend of migraine-related BI showed a gradual upward trend over the years with a sharp increase from 2017 to 2019. Seasonality was observed and the peak period occurred in spring nationwide. The middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River were found to be hotspots, while the eastern coastal areas had the highest concentration of migraine-related BI, with a gradual decrease towards the west. The most common search term related to migraine was "How to treat migraine quickly and effectively ()". CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals important findings on migraine distribution in China, underscoring the urgent need for effective prevention and management strategies.

The Hyperproliferation Mechanism of Cholesteatoma Based on Proteomics: SNCA Promotes Autophagy-Mediated Cell Proliferation Through the PI3K/AKT/CyclinD1 Signaling Pathway.

Cholesteatoma is a chronic inflammatory ear disease with abnormal keratinized epithelium proliferation and tissue damage. However, the mechanism of keratinized epithelium hyperproliferation in cholesteatoma remains unknown. Hence, our study sought to shed light on mechanisms affecting the pathology and development of cholesteatoma, which could help develop adjunctive treatments. To investigate molecular changes in cholesteatoma pathogenesis, we analyzed clinical cholesteatoma specimens and paired ear canal skin with mass spectrometry-based proteomics and bioinformatics. From our screen, alpha-synuclein (SNCA) was overexpressed in middle ear cholesteatoma and might be a key hub protein associated with inflammation, proliferation, and autophagy in cholesteatoma. SNCA was more sensitive to lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation, and autophagy marker increase was accompanied by autophagy activation in middle ear cholesteatoma tissues. Overexpression of SNCA activated autophagy and promoted cell proliferation and migration, especially under lipopolysaccharide inflammatory stimulation. Moreover, inhibiting autophagy impaired SNCA-mediated keratinocyte proliferation and corresponded with inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/CyclinD1 pathways. Also, 740Y-P, a PI3K activator reversed the suppression of autophagy and PI3K signaling by siATG5 in SNCA-overexpressing cells, which restored proliferative activity. Besides, knockdown of SNCA in RHEK-1 and HaCaT cells or knockdown of PI3K in RHEK-1 and HaCaT cells overexpressing SNCA both resulted in attenuated cell proliferation. Our studies indicated that SNCA overexpression in cholesteatoma might maintain the proliferative ability of cholesteatoma keratinocytes by promoting autophagy under inflammatory conditions. This suggests that dual inhibition of SNCA and autophagy may be a promising new target for treating cholesteatoma.

Progression and incidence of myopia among schoolchildren in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period: a prospective cohort study in Shantou, China.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the progression and incidence of myopia in Chinese schoolchildren in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period in Shantou, China. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Shantou Myopia Study, China. PARTICIPANTS: 1-year follow-up data were available for 621 881 schoolchildren (301 999 females). Data on spherical equivalent refraction (SER) were collected. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes were myopia progression and incidence. Myopia progression is defined as a change of SER towards the negative direction in the follow-up visit. Incidence is defined as the proportion of schoolchildren who were not myopic but developed myopia in the follow-up study. Age, sex and SER at baseline were evaluated as associated factors for myopia burden, which were defined as the secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Mean progression of SER was -0.35±0.97 D for the population (ranging from -0.06 D at 18 years of age to -0.46 D at 11 years of age), with a rapid myopic progression for students at the age of 10-12 years (-0.50 D in girls and -0.44 D in boys). A myopic shift greater than -0.50 D/year occurred in 256 299 eyes (41.21%). Myopic progression in refraction was associated with the 10-12 years age groups (OR 1.42; 95% CI 1.39 to 1.45, p<0.001), female sex (OR 1.09; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.10, p<0.001) and higher refractive errors at baseline (OR>1.00, p<0.001). The annual incidence of myopia among schoolchildren was 24.85%, with an incidence of 26.69% in girls and 23.02% in boys. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed an annual myopia progression of -0.35 D and an incidence of 24.85% among schoolchildren in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period. Myopia progressed rapidly at 10-12 years of age, with -0.50 D in girls and -0.44 D in boys. The incidence was higher for children aged 10-11 years and for girls.

False Tendons in the Left Ventricle: Implications for Successful Ablation of Left Posterior Fascicular Tachycardias.

BACKGROUND: The anatomical substrate for left posterior fascicular ventricular tachycardia (LPF-VT) is still unclear. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to describe the endocavitary substrate of the re-entrant loop of LPF-VT. METHODS: A total of 26 consecutive patients with LPF-VT underwent an electrophysiology study and radiofrequency ablation. RESULTS: Intracardiac echocardiography imaging observed a 100% prevalence of false tendons (FTs) at the left posterior septal region in all patients, and 3 different types of FTs could be classified according to their location. In 22 patients, a P1 potential could be recorded via the multielectrode catheter from a FT. In 4 patients without a recorded P1 during LPF-VT, the earliest P2 potentials were recorded from a FT in 3 patients, and from a muscular connection between 2 posteromedial papillary muscles in 1 patient. Catheter ablation focused on the FTs with P1 or earliest P2 (in patients without P1) was successful in all 26 patients. After 19 ± 8.5 months of follow-up, no patients had recurrence of LPF-VT. CONCLUSIONS: FTs provide an electroanatomical substrate for LPF-VT and a "culprit FT" may be identified as the critical structure bridging the macro-re-entrant loop. Targeting the "culprit FT" is a novel anatomical ablation strategy that results in long-term arrhythmia-free survival.

Effect of ellagic acid on body weight, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbiota, and urolithin A metabolism in Thoroughbred horses.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of ellagic acid (EA) supplementation on body weight (BW), nutrient digestibility, fecal microbiota, blood biochemical indices, and urolithin A metabolism in 1-yr-old Thoroughbred horses. A group of 18 1-yr-old Thoroughbred horses, with an average weight of 339.00 ±â€…30.11 kg, were randomly allocated into three groups of six horses each (three males and three females). The control group (n = 6) received only the basal diet, whereas test groups I (n = 6) and II (n = 6) were fed the basal diet supplemented with 15 mg/kg BW/d and 30 mg/kg BW/d of EA, respectively, for 40-d. The results showed that test group I and II horses had a significant increase in total weight gain by 49.47% and 62.74%, respectively, compared to the control group. The digestibility of various components in the diets of the test group horses was improved, including dry matter, organic matter, gross energy, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and calcium. Additionally, the digestibility of crude protein and phosphorus (P) in test group II horses increased significantly by 10.96% and 33.56% (P < 0.05), respectively. Moreover, EA supplementation significantly increased the fecal abundance of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes (P < 0.05), Fibrobacterota, p-251-o5, Desemzia incerta (P < 0.05), and Fibrobacter sp. (P < 0.05), while reducing the abundance of Proteobacteria, Pseudomonadaceae, Pseudomonas, and Cupriavidus pauculus (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Fecal samples from test group II showed 89.47%, 100%, and 86.15% increases in the concentrations of acetic acid, valeric acid, and total volatile fatty acids, respectively. In addition, the plasma levels of total protein, and globulin increased significantly in test groups I (7.88% and 11.35%, respectively) and II (13.44% and 16.07%, respectively) compared to those in the control group (P < 0.05). The concentration of urolithin A in fecal and urine samples was positively correlated with increasing doses of EA. These findings suggest that supplemental feeding of EA improved nutrient digestibility, blood biochemical indices, and fecal microbiota in 1-yr-old Thoroughbred horses, promoting growth and development.

Ellagic acid (EA), a plant-derived feed additive, has beneficial physiological effects, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as intestinal microbiota regulation. Young Thoroughbred horses exhibit rapid growth and require ample nourishment. However, the underdeveloped functional anatomy of their gastrointestinal tract restricts the rate of feed utilization. Therefore, improving digestive tract function in horses at this stage promotes intestinal homeostasis, improves antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities, and supports rapid growth and health. This study revealed that supplemental feeding of 1-yr-old Thoroughbred horses with EA improved nutrient digestibility and fecal floral diversity, leading to enhanced growth performance. The optimal dose was 30 mg/kg body weight.

Selective anatomical catheter ablation of left atrial ganglionated plexus for vasovagal syncope: Left superior and right anterior ganglionated plexus ablation.

BACKGROUND: Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is one of the most common causes of syncope. Traditional treatment has not achieved satisfactory results. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and efficacy of selective anatomical catheter ablation of left atrial ganglionated plexus (GP) as a therapeutic strategy for the patients of symptomatic VVS. METHODS: A total of 70 patients with at least once recurrent syncopal episode of VVS with a positive head-up tilt test were enrolled. They were divided into GP ablation group and control group. Patients in GP ablation group received anatomical catheter ablation of left superior ganglionated plexus (LSGP) and right anterior ganglionated plexus (RAGP). Patients in the control group were guideline-directed conventional therapy. The primary endpoint was VVS recurrences. The secondary endpoint was the recurrence of syncope and prodrome events. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences in clinical characteristics between the ablation group (n = 35) and the control group (n = 35). Over a follow-up of 12 months, the ablation group had significantly lower syncope recurrence compared with the control group (5.7% vs. 25.7%, p = .02), and the ablation group had significantly lower syncope and prodrome recurrence compared with the control group (11.4% vs. 51.4%, p < .001). In GP ablation, 88.6% of the patients showed significant vagal response during LSGP ablation, and 88.6% of the patients showed significantly increased heart rate during RAGP ablation. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with recurrent VVS, selective anatomical catheter ablation of LSGP and RAGP is superior to conventional therapy in reducing syncope recurrence.

The effects of online peer-facilitated learning and distributed pair programming on students' learning.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced universities and schools around the world to adopt online learning. Teachers may wonder if their students can attain satisfactory learning performance in an online learning environment without teachers' on-the-spot attention. In order to develop students' skills in programming, promote their enjoyment of learning and intention to learn to program, the researchers integrated two innovative teaching approaches, using online peer-facilitated learning and distributed pair programming, and investigated the effects of these on students' online learning performance. This study conducted an experiment that included 128 undergraduates from four class sections of Department of Finance. Thus, the experimental design in this research was a 2 (Peer-facilitated learning vs. non-peer-facilitated learning) × 2 (Distributed pair programming vs. non-distributed pair programming) factorial pretest/post-test design. The participants in this research mainly consisted of four classes of students from a non-computer or information department who took a compulsory course on programming design.' Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected in this study. According to the results, the peer-facilitated learning group exhibited significantly better development of programming skills, enjoyment of learning, and intention to learn, than the non-peer-facilitated learning group. However, expected effects of enhancing the learning of the students in this study who received the distributed pair programming were not found. The design of online pedagogy can be a reference for online educators. The implications of applying online peer-facilitated learning and distributed pair programming to support students' learning and the design of online programming courses are discussed.

Effect of capping mode on control of phosphorus release from sediment by lanthanum hydroxide.

The use of in situ active capping to control phosphorus release from sediment has attracted more and more attentions in recent years. It is important to identify the effect of capping mode on the control of phosphorus release from sediment by the in situ active capping method. In this study, the impact of capping mode on the restraint of phosphorus migration from sediment into overlying water (OW) by lanthanum hydroxide (LH) was studied. Under no suspended particulate matter (SPM) deposition condition, LH capping effectively restrained the liberation of endogenous phosphorus into OW during anoxia, and the inactivation of diffusive gradient in thin film-unstable phosphorus (UPDGT) and mobile phosphorus (PMobile) in the topmost sediment served as a significant role in the restraint of endogenous phosphorus migration into OW by LH capping. Under no SPM deposition, although the transformation of capping mode from the single high dose capping to the multiple smaller doses capping had a certain negative impact on the restraint efficiency of endogenous phosphorus liberation to OW by LH in the early period of application, it increased the stability of phosphorus in the static layer in the later period of application. Under SPM deposition condition, LH capping had the capability to mitigate the risk of endogenous phosphorus liberation into OW under anoxia conditions, and the inactivation of UPDGT and PMobile in the topmost sediment was a significant mechanism for the control of sediment phosphorus liberation into OW by LH capping. Under SPM deposition condition, the change in the covering mode from the one-time high dose covering to the multiple smaller doses covering decreased the efficiency of LH to limit the endogenous phosphorus transport into OW in the early period of application, but it increased the performance of LH to restrain the sedimentary P liberation during the later period of application. The results of this work suggest that the multiple LH capping is a promising approach for controlling the internal phosphorus loading in freshwater bodies where SPM deposition often occurs in the long run.