RNA-seq reveals the gene expression in patterns in Populus × euramericana 'Neva' plantation under different precision water and fertilizer-intensive management.

BACKGROUND: Populus spp. is a crucial fast-growing and productive tree species extensively cultivated in the mid-latitude plains of the world. However, the impact of intensive cultivation management on gene expression in plantation remains largely unexplored. RESULTS: Precision water and fertilizer-intensive management substantially increased key enzyme activities of nitrogen transport, assimilation, and photosynthesis (1.12-2.63 times than CK) in Populus × euramericana 'Neva' plantation. Meanwhile, this management approach had a significant regulatory effect on the gene expression of poplar plantations. 1554 differential expression genes (DEGs)were identified in drip irrigation (ND) compared with conventional irrigation. Relative to ND, 2761-4116 DEGs, predominantly up-regulated, were identified under three drip fertilization combinations, among which 202 DEGs were mainly regulated by fertilization. Moreover, drip irrigation reduced the expression of cell wall synthesis-related genes to reduce unnecessary water transport. Precision drip and fertilizer-intensive management promotes the synergistic regulation of carbon and nitrogen metabolism and up-regulates the expression of major genes in nitrogen transport and assimilation processes (5 DEGs), photosynthesis (15 DEGs), and plant hormone signal transduction (11 DEGs). The incorporation of trace elements further enhanced the up-regulation of secondary metabolic process genes. In addition, the co-expression network identified nine hub genes regulated by precision water and fertilizer-intensive management, suggesting a pivotal role in regulating the growth of poplar. CONCLUSION: Precision water and fertilizer-intensive management demonstrated the ability to regulate the expression of key genes and transcription factor genes involved in carbon and nitrogen metabolism pathways, plant hormone signal transduction, and enhance the activity of key enzymes involved in related processes. This regulation facilitated nitrogen absorption and utilization, and photosynthetic abilities such as light capture, light transport, and electron transport, which faintly synergistically regulate the growth of poplar plantations. These results provide a reference for proposing highly efficient precision intensive management to optimize the expression of target genes.

First identification of microplastics in human uterine fibroids and myometrium.

Microplastics (MPs) pollution has received widespread attention in recent years as the use of plastics continues to increase. However, currently no studies have reported the finding of MPs in human uterine fibroids (UFs) and myometrium tissues. In this study, UFs tissues (n = 48) and myometrium tissues (n = 40) from 48 patients and myometrium tissues (n = 8) from healthy population were collected. Following digestion of the samples by 10% KOH and 30% H2O2, MPs were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using Raman spectroscopy. The 16 UFs and myometrium tissue samples contained an average of 1.5 ± 1.17 MP particles per gram of tissue. Notably, the abundance of MPs in the UFs tissues (2.13 ± 1.17 particles per gram) was higher than in the myometrium tissues (0.88 ± 0.78 particles per gram). In the same cohort of individuals with UFs, the quantities of MPs detected in the affected UFs tissue (2.63 ± 1.77 particles per gram) exceeded those detected in healthy tissue (1.08 ± 0.93 particles per gram), particularly in elderly patients. A correlation was observed between elevated MP levels and frequent consumption of takeout meals and bottled water among patients, indicating that MP ingestion through food sources might have contributed to the increased abundance and variety of MPs within UFs. Furthermore, UFs increased in size with higher concentrations of MPs, which may have been related to elevated levels of MPs-induced hormones. This study provides new insights into the assessment of the relationship between exposure to MPs and human disease risk.

Multi-Shell Nanourchin-Integrated Dual Mode Lateral Flow Immunoassay for Sensitive and Rapid Detection of Clinical Cardiac Myosin-Binding Protein C.

Cardiac myosin-binding protein C (cMyBP-C) is a novel cardiac marker of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and acute cardiac injuries (ACI). Construction of point-of-care testing techniques capable of sensing cMyBP-C with high sensitivity and precision is urgently needed. Herein, we synthesized an Au@NGQDs@Au/Ag multi-shell nanoUrchins (MSNUs), and then applied it in a colorimetric/SERS dual-mode immunoassay for detection of cMyBP-C. The MSNUs displayed superior stability, colorimetric brightness, and SERS enhancement ability with an enhanced factor of 5.4 × 109, which were beneficial to improve the detection capability of test strips. The developed MSNU-based test strips can achieve an ultrasensitive immunochromatographic assay of cMyBP-C in both colorimetric and SERS modes with the limits of detection as low as 19.3 and 0.77 pg/mL, respectively. Strikingly, this strip was successfully applied to analyze actual plasma samples with significantly better sensitivity, negative predictive value, and accuracy than commercially available gold test strips. Notably, this method possessed a wide range of application scenarios via combining with a color recognizer application named Color Grab on the smartphone, which can meet various needs of different users. Overall, our MSNU-based test strip as a mobile health monitoring tool shows excellent sensitivity, reproducibility, and rapid detection of the cMyBP-C, which holds great potential for the early clinic diagnosis of AMI and ACI.

Schisandrin inhibits VSMCs proliferation and migration by arresting cell cycle and targeting JAK2 to regulating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Abnormal proliferation, migration, and foam cell formation of Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) each play a role in the development of atherosclerosis (AS). Schisandrin (Sch) is the active lignan ingredient with broad-spectrum pharmacological effects. However, the role of Sch in the AS process is not clear. Therefore, this study was proposed to explore the therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of Sch on VSMCs. Ox-LDL was selected to create an atherosclerosis injury environment for VSMCs and macrophages. The MTT assay, Oil red O staining, wound healing, transwell experiments and ELISA were used to investigate the phenotype effects of Sch. Network pharmacology, molecular docking, flow cytometry, and western blot were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms of Sch on AS progression. Our findings implied that Sch treatment inhibited the proliferation and migration of VSMCs, and suppressed the ROS production and inflammatory cytokines up-regulation of VSMCs and macrophages. Moreover, Sch reduced lipid uptake and foam cell formation through downregulating LOX-1. Mechanistically, we found that Sch can inhibit the activation of JAK2/STAT3 signaling by targeting JAK2, and arrest cell cycle in GO/G1 phase. In summary, Sch can inhibit VSMCs proliferation and migration by arresting cell cycle and targeting JAK2 to regulating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Sch may serve as a potential drug for patients with AS.

Detection and analysis of microplastics in tissues and blood of human cervical cancer patients.

Microplastics (MPs) can enter the reproductive system and can be potentially harmful to human reproductive health. In this study, 13 types of microplastics (MPs) were identified in patient blood, cancer samples, and paracarcinoma samples using Raman spectroscopy, with polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene-co-polypropylene being the most abundant polymer types. Futher, cotton was also found in our study. The diversity and abundance of MPs were higher in blood samples than in cancerous tissues, and there was a significant positive correlation between diversity (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the diversity and abundance of MPs in cancerous tissues were higher than in paracancerous tissues. The dimensional sizes of MPs in these samples were also very similar, with the majority of detected MPs being smaller in size. Correlation analysis showed that patient's age correlated with the abundance of MPs in blood samples, body mass index (BMI) correlated with the abundance of MPs in cancerous tissues. Notably, the frequency with which patients consume bottled water and beverages may also increase the abundance of MPs. This study identifies for the first time the presence of MPs and cotton in cancerous and paracancerous tissues of human cervical cancer patients. This provides new ideas and basic data to study the risk relationship between MP exposure and human health.

ß-Cyclodextrin and Hyaluronic Acid-Modified Targeted Nanodelivery System for Atherosclerosis Prevention.

Natural products have been widely recognized in clinical treatment because of their low toxicity and high activity. It is worth paying attention to modifying the biopolymer into nanostructures to give natural active ingredients additional targeting effects. In this study, based on the multifunctional modification of ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD), a nanoplatform encapsulating the unstable drug (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG) was designed to deliver to atherosclerotic plaques. Acetalization cyclodextrin (PH-CD), which responds to low-pH environments, and hyaluronic acid cyclodextrin, which targets the CD44 receptor on macrophage membranes, were synthesized from ß-CD and hyaluronic acid using acetalization and transesterification, respectively. The resulting dual-carrier nanoparticles (Double-NPs) loaded with ECG were prepared using a solvent evaporation method. The Double-NPs effectively scavenged reactive oxygen species, promoted macrophage migration, inhibited macrophage apoptosis, and suppressed abnormal proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, the Double-NPs actively accumulated in atherosclerotic plaques in ApoE-/- mice fed with a high-fat diet, leading to a reduced plaque area, inflammatory infiltration, and plaque instability. Our findings demonstrate that the newly developed ECG nanopreparation represents an effective and safe nanotherapy for diseases such as atherosclerosis.

(-)-Epicatechin gallate prevented atherosclerosis by reducing abnormal proliferation of VSMCs and oxidative stress of AML 12 cells.

(-)-Epicatechin gallate (ECG) is beneficial to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), especially atherosclerosis (AS) through antioxidant stress, but there is a lack of detailed mechanism research. In this study, the therapeutic target of ECG was determined by crossing the drug target and disease target of CVDs and AS. The combination ability of ECG with important targets was verified by Discovery Studio software. The abnormal proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) induced by Ang-II and the oxidative damage of AML 12 induced by H2O2 were established to verify the reliability of ECG intervention on the target protein. A total of 120 ECG targets for the treatment of CVDs-AS were predicted by network pharmacology. The results of molecular docking showed that ECG has strong binding force with VEGFA, MMP-9, CASP3 and MMP-2 domains. In vitro experiments confirmed that ECG significantly reduced the expression of VEGFA, MMP-9, CASP3 and MMP-2 in Ang-II-induced VSMCs, and also blocked the abnormal proliferation, oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction of VSMCs by inhibiting the phosphorylation of PI3K signaling pathway. At the same time, ECG also interfered with H2O2-induced oxidative damage of AML 12 cells, decreased the expression of ROS and MDA and cell foaming, and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, thus playing a protective role.

Anti-inflammatory effect of proanthocyanidins from blueberry through NF-κß/NLRP3 signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is an uncontrolled systemic inflammatory response. Proanthocyanidins (PC) is a general term of polyphenol compounds widely existed in blueberry fruits and can treat inflammation-related diseases. This study aimed to explore the regulatory effect of PC on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced systemic inflammation and its potential mechanism, providing effective strategies for the further development of PC. METHODS: Here, RAW264.7 macrophages were stimulated with LPS to establish an inflammation model in vitro, while endotoxin shock mouse models were constructed by LPS in vivo. The function of PC was investigated by MTT, ELISA kits, H&E staining, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Functionally, PC could demonstrate the potential to mitigate mortality in mice with endotoxin shock, as well as attenuated the levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α) and biochemical indicators (AST, ALT, CRE and BUN). Moreover, it had a significant protective effect on lung and kidney tissues damage. Mechanistically, PC exerted anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: PC might have the potential ability of anti-inflammatory effects via modulation of the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway.

The inhibitory impact of Schisandrin on inflammation and oxidative stress alleviates LPS-induced acute kidney injury.

Inflammation and oxidative stress (OS) are the major pathogenic characteristics of acute kidney injury (AKI). Studies have shown that Schisandrin (Sch) could regulate inflammatory disease. However, the function and mechanism of Sch in AKI progression are still unknown. Here, we investigated Sch's potential effects and mechanism on mice's renal damage and macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Sch decreased LPS-induced inflammatory factor production while increasing the activity of related antioxidant enzymes in macrophages and mouse kidney tissues. Hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed that Sch may have the ability to profoundly inhibit inflammatory cell invasion and tissue damage caused by LPS in renal tissue. Furthermore, Western blot and immunohistochemical studies showed that Sch exerted its effects mainly through up-regulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 and inhibition of Toll-like receptor 4‒mitogen-activated protein kinases/nuclear factor-kappa B pathways. Collectively, this study illustrates that Sch suppresses LPS-stimulated AKI by descending inflammation and OS, illuminating prospective AKI treatment options.

QL1604 plus paclitaxel-cisplatin/carboplatin in patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer: an open-label, single-arm, phase II trial.

OBJECTIVE: QL1604 is a highly selective, humanized monoclonal antibody against programmed death protein 1. We assessed the efficacy and safety of QL1604 plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients with advanced cervical cancer. METHODS: This was a multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II study. Patients with advanced cervical cancer and not previously treated with systemic chemotherapy were enrolled to receive QL1604 plus paclitaxel and cisplatin/carboplatin on day 1 of each 21-day cycle for up to 6 cycles, followed by QL1604 maintenance treatment. RESULTS: Forty-six patients were enrolled and the median follow-up duration was 16.5 months. An 84.8% of patients had recurrent disease and 13.0% had stage IVB disease. The objective response rate (ORR) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Advanced Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1 was 58.7% (27/46). The immune ORR per immune RECIST was 60.9% (28/46). The median duration of response was 9.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI]=5.5-not estimable). The median progression-free survival was 8.1 months (95% CI=5.7-14.0). Forty-five (97.8%) patients experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). The most common grade≥3 TRAEs (>30%) were neutrophil count decrease (50.0%), anemia (32.6%), and white blood cell count decrease (30.4%). CONCLUSION: QL1604 plus paclitaxel-cisplatin/carboplatin showed promising antitumor activity and manageable safety profile as first-line treatment in patients with advanced cervical cancer. Programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor plus chemotherapy may be a potential treatment option for the patient population who have contraindications or can't tolerate bevacizumab, which needs to be further verified in phase III confirmatory study. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04864782.

Evaluation of a new dynamic real-time visualization 25 kHz swept-source optical coherence tomography based biometer.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the intraobserver repeatability and interobserver reproducibility of a newly developed dynamic real-time visualization 25 kHz swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) based biometer (ZW-30, TowardPi Medical Technology Ltd, China) and compare its agreement with another SS-OCT based biometer (IOLMaster 700, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany). METHODS: Eighty-two healthy right eyes were enrolled in this prospective observational study. Measurements were repeated for three times using the ZW-30 and IOLMaster 700 in a random order. Obtained parameters included axial length (AL), central corneal thickness (CCT), aqueous depth (AQD), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), mean keratometry (Km), astigmatism magnitude (AST), vector J0, vector J45, and corneal diameter (CD). The within-subject standard deviation (Sw), test-retest (TRT) variability, coefficient of variation (CoV), and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were adopted to assess the intraobserver repeatability and interobserver reproducibility. The double-angle plot was also used to display the distribution of AST. To estimate agreement, Bland-Altman plots were used. RESULTS: For the intraobserver repeatability and interobserver reproducibility, the Sw, TRT and CoV for all parameters were low. Meanwhile, the ICC values were all close to 1.000, except for the J45 (ICC = 0.887 for the intraobserver repeatability). The double-angle plot showed that the distribution of AST measured by these two devices was similar. For agreement, the Bland-Altman plots showed narrow 95% limits of agreements (LoAs) for AL, CCT, AQD, ACD, LT, Km AST, J0, J45, and CD (- 0.02 mm to 0.02 mm, - 7.49 µm to 8.08 µm, - 0.07 mm to 0.04 mm, - 0.07 mm to 0.04 mm, - 0.07 mm to 0.08 mm, - 0.16 D to 0.30 D, - 0.30 D to 0.29 D, - 0.16 D to 0.16 D, - 0.23 D to 0.13 D, and - 0.39 mm to 0.10 mm, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The newly dynamic real-time visualization biometer exhibited excellent intraobserver repeatability and interobserver reproducibility. The two devices both based on the SS-OCT principle had similar ocular parameters measurement values and can be interchanged in clinical practice.

Niche differentiation in microbial communities with stable genomic traits over time in engineered systems.

Microbial communities in full-scale engineered systems undergo dynamic compositional changes. However, mechanisms governing assembly of such microbes and succession of their functioning and genomic traits under various environmental conditions are unclear. In this study, we used the activated sludge and anaerobic treatment systems of four full-scale industrial wastewater treatment plants as models to investigate the niches of microbes in communities and the temporal succession patterns of community compositions. High-quality representative metagenome-assembled genomes revealed that taxonomic, functional, and trait-based compositions were strongly shaped by environmental selection, with replacement processes primarily driving variations in taxonomic and functional compositions. Plant-specific indicators were associated with system environmental conditions and exhibited strong determinism and trajectory directionality over time. The partitioning of microbes in a co-abundance network according to groups of plant-specific indicators, together with significant between-group differences in genomic traits, indicated the occurrence of niche differentiation. The indicators of the treatment plant with rich nutrient input and high substrate removal efficiency exhibited a faster predicted growth rate, lower guanine-cytosine content, smaller genome size, and higher codon usage bias than the indicators of the other plants. In individual plants, taxonomic composition displayed a more rapid temporal succession than functional and trait-based compositions. The succession of taxonomic, functional, and trait-based compositions was correlated with the kinetics of treatment processes in the activated sludge systems. This study provides insights into ecological niches of microbes in engineered systems and succession patterns of their functions and traits, which will aid microbial community management to improve treatment performance.

Harmine ameliorates CCl4-induced acute liver injury through suppression of autophagy and inflammation.

CCl4-induced acute liver injury (ALI) is characterized by heightened autophagy, inflammation, and oxidative damage. Accumulating evidence suggests that harmine exerts beneficial effects in countering CCl4-induced ALI by mitigating inflammation and oxidative stress. However, the impact of autophagy on CCl4-induced ALI and the protective role of harmine remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of harmine against CCl4-induced ALI in mice by suppressing autophagy and inflammation. Male Kunming mice were orally administered harmine or bifendate for seven days. Subsequently, one hour after the final administration, the model group and treatment groups were intraperitoneally injected with CCl4 to induce ALI. The findings revealed that harmine significantly reduced the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in serum, and ameliorated the liver histopathological changes induced by CCl4. Furthermore, harmine diminished the levels of TNF-α and IL-6, restored the levels of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and suppressed the production of nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the liver. Mechanistically, harmine down-regulated LC3B II/I, p38 MAPK, TLR4, and NF-κB levels, while upregulating p62, Bcl-2, Beclin1, ULK1, and p-mTOR expression. In conclusion, harmine mitigated CCl4-induced ALI by inhibiting autophagy and inflammation through the p38 MAPK/mTOR autophagy pathway, the Bcl-2/Beclin1 pathway, and the TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

Bletilla striata polysaccharide attenuated the progression of pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting TGF-ß1/Smad signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Bletilla striata, a traditional medicinal plant, has been utilized as a folk medicine for many years because of its superior biological activity in China. However, Bletilla striata polysaccharide (BSP) has received less attention, and its specific mechanism for ameliorating pulmonary fibrosis is completely unclear. AIMS OF THE STUDY: In this study, we aim to assess BSP on the treatment of PF and explore potential mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BSP was successfully extracted and purified from Bletilla striata. The mechanisms were assessed in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model and lung fibroblasts activated by transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1). Histological analysis, immunofluorescence, Western blot and flow cytometry were used to explore the alterations after BSP intervention. RESULTS: The results in vivo showed an anti-PF effect of BSP treatment, which reduced pathogenic damages. Furthermore, TGF-ß1-induced abnormal migration and upregulated expression of collagen I (COL1A1), vimentin and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were suppressed by BSP in L929 cells. Moreover, the abnormal proliferation was retarded by inhibiting the cell cycle of G1 to S phase. Immunofluorescence assay showed that BSP activated autophagy and played an antifibrotic role by inhibiting the expression of p62 and phospho-mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR). Last but not least, the suppression of TGF-ß1/Smad signaling pathway was critical for BSP to perform therapeutic effects in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION: The possible mechanisms were involved in improving ECM deposition, regulating cell migration and proliferation, and promoting cellular autophagy. Briefly, all of the above revealed that BSP might be a novel therapy for treating pulmonary fibrosis.

Tectoridin alleviates caerulein-induced severe acute pancreatitis by targeting ERK2 to promote macrophage M2 polarization.

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas with a high mortality rate. Macrophages play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of pancreatitis. Tectoridin (Tec) is a highly active isoflavone with anti-inflammatory pharmacological activity. However, the role of Tec in the SAP process is not known. The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of Tec on SAP. To establish SAP mice by intraperitoneal injection of caerulein and Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the role of Tec in the course of SAP was investigated based on histopathology, biochemical indicators of amylase and lipase and inflammatory factors. The relationship between Tec and macrophage polarization was verified by immunofluorescence, real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis. We then further predicted the possible targets and signal pathways of action of Tec by network pharmacology and molecular docking, and validated them by in vivo and in vitro. In this study, we demonstrated that Tec significantly reduced pancreatic injury in SAP mice, and decreased serum levels of amylase and lipase. The immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis showed that Tec promoted macrophage M2 polarization. Network pharmacology and molecular docking predicted that Tec may target ERK2 for the treatment of SAP, and in vivo and in vitro experiments proved that Tec inhibited the ERK MAPK signal pathway. In summary, Tec can target ERK2, promote macrophage M2 polarization and attenuate pancreatic injury, Tec may be a potential drug for the treatment of SAP.

Research progress on direct pulp capping of primary teeth / 口腔疾病防治

@#The timely treatment of dental caries and pulp disease in primary teeth holds significant importance for maintaining children's oral health. Direct pulp capping (DPC) is a vital pulp treatment that involves covering the exposed pulp with bioactive materials to promote dentin bridge formation. DPC is commonly used in primary teeth with vital pulp and mechanical pulp exposure not exceeding 1 mm. DPC offers advantages such as minimal invasiveness, comfort, simplicity of operation and short chair-side time, making it suitable for pediatric dental clinical practice. Early studies suggested negative treatment outcomes for DPC in primary teeth with carious pulp exposure. Over the years, there have been advancements in materials and technology demonstrating positive outcomes in the clinical research of primary teeth with deep caries. However, due to the limited quality of related studies, DPC has not been widely recommended for the treatment of primary teeth with carious pulp exposure, and its widespread use needs further support by more high-quality evidence-based medical research. The success rate of DPC in primary teeth is influenced by factors including pulp status, clinical operations (such as isolation and caries removal), pulp capping material, cavity type, tooth position, coronal sealing, and dental fear. In clinical operation, dentists should accurately assess pulp status and minimize bacterial contamination. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is a DPC agent with relatively sufficient evidence and good therapeutic effects, and the crown should be tightly sealed after pulp capping. Additionally, the effects of novel biocompatible materials such as iRoot BP Plus used in DPC of primary teeth, and the influence of other factors like hemostatic methods on the prognosis of affected teeth, need further exploration.

Evaluation of a New All-in-One Optical Biometer and Comparison With a Validated Swept-source OCT Biometer.

PURPOSE: To assess agreement between a new all-in-one non-contact optical biometer based on optical low coherence reflectometry (SW-9000 µm Plus; Suoer) and a swept-source optical coherence tomography biometer (OA-2000; Tomey). METHODS: Each eye was scanned three times in a row by each device at random. The measured ocular parameters included central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), axial length (AL), flat keratometry (Kf), steep keratometry (Ks), mean keratometry (Km), astigmatism, corneal diameter (CD), and pupil diameter (PD). The paired t test was used to show the differences between the SW-9000 and OA-2000. Bland-Altman plots and the 95% limits of agreement (LoA) were applied to assess the consistency of the measurements. RESULTS: Sixty eyes from 60 healthy participants were examined, with a mean spherical equivalent refraction of -5.58 ± 2.31 diopters and a mean age of 30.40 ± 6.07 years. The Bland-Altman plots showed high agreement for AL, ACD, LT, Kf, Ks, Km, astigmatism, and CD measurements (95% LoA: -0.06 to 0.04 mm, -0.10 to 0.06 mm, -0.12 to 0.11 mm, -0.30 to 0.29 D, -0.35 to 0.38 D, -0.29 to 0.30 D, -0.30 to 0.34 D, and -0.50 to 0.06 mm, respectively), whereas the agreement for CCT and PD were moderate (95% LoA: 7.12 to 20.43 µm, -0.75 to 1.19 mm, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The new all-in-one non-contact biometer had high agreement with the OA-2000 biometer on the AL, ACD, LT, Kf, Ks, Km, astigmatism, and CD measurements. For most of the ocular parameters assessed, they were clinically interchangeable. [J Refract Surg. 2023;39(12):825-830.].

Development of Single-Segment Substitution Lines and Fine-Mapping of qSPP4 for Spikelets Per Panicle and qGW9 for Grain Width Based on Rice Dual-Segment Substitution Line Z783.

Single segment substitution line (SSSL) libraries are an ideal platform for breeding by design. To develop SSSLs-Xihui18 covering the whole genome, a novel rice chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL), Z783, carrying two substitution segments (average length of 6.55 Mb) on Chr.4 and Chr.9 was identified, which was a gap in the library previously. Z783 was developed from the progeny of recipient "Xihui18" (an indica restorer line) and donor "Huhan3" (a japonica cultivar) by advanced backcross combined molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS). It displayed multiple panicles and less spikelets and wide grains. Then, a F2 population derived from Xihui18/Z783 was used to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for yield-related traits by the mixed linear model method. Nine QTLs were detected (p < 0.05). Furthermore, three SSSLs were constructed by MAS, and all 9 QTLs could be validated, and 15 novel QTLs could be detected by these SSSLs by a one-way ANOVA analysis. The genetic analysis showed that qSSP4 for less spikelets and qGW9 for wide grain all displayed dominant gene action in their SSSLs. Finally, qSSP4 and qGW9 were fine-mapped to intervals of 2.75 Mb and 1.84 Mb, on Chromosomes 4 and 9, respectively. The results lay a solid foundation for their map cloning and molecular breeding by design.

Repeatability and Interobserver Reproducibility of a Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography for Measurements of Anterior, Posterior, and Total Corneal Power.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this work is to evaluate the intraobserver repeatability and interobserver reproducibility of corneal power measurements obtained with a swept-source optical coherence tomographer (CASIA 2, Tomey, Japan) in healthy subjects. METHODS: A total of 67 right eyes from 67 healthy subjects were enrolled. Two experienced observers measured each eye three times consecutively with the CASIA 2. Corneal power values were recorded as simulated keratometry, anterior, posterior, and total corneal power. Parameters were flattest keratometry (Kf), steepest keratometry (Ks), mean keratometry (Km), astigmatism magnitude, astigmatism power vectors J0 and J45. Intraobserver repeatability and interobserver reproducibility of the CASIA 2 were assessed by the within-subject standard deviation (Sw), test-retest repeatability (TRT), coefficients of variation (CoV), and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Double-angle plots were used for astigmatism vector analysis. RESULTS: The CASIA 2 had high repeatability for all corneal power values, with Sw values ≤ 0.17 diopters (D), TRT ≤ 0.46 D, and ICCs ranging from 0.866 to 0.998. Interobserver reproducibility was also high, showing all Sw values ≤ 0.10 D, TRT ≤ 0.27 D, and ICCs ≥ 0.944. The reproducibility of the average of three consecutive measurements (Sw 0.01-0.10 D, TRT 0.03-0.27 D, ICC 0.944-0.998) was higher than the reproducibility of single measurements (Sw 0.01-0.17 D, TRT 0.03-0.47 D, ICC 0.867-0.996). CONCLUSIONS: The CASIA 2 showed high intraobserver repeatability and interobserver reproducibility for anterior, posterior, and total corneal power measurements in 6.0-mm diameter area. In addition, we suggest that using the average of three consecutive measurements can improve reproducibility between observers, compared to single measurements only.

Comparison of a New Scheimpflug Camera and Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomographer for Measurements of Anterior Segment Parameters.

INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated the differences and agreement between a new Scheimpflug camera (Scansys) and a swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomographer (CASIA 2) for measurements of the anterior segment of the eye in normal subjects. METHODS: This prospective study included 84 eyes from 84 normal adult subjects who underwent three consecutive measurements with the Scansys and the CASIA 2 in random order. The mean keratometry (Km), astigmatism magnitude (AST), J0, and J45 vectors for both anterior and posterior corneal surfaces, central corneal thickness (CCT), thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), and anterior chamber depth (ACD) were obtained by both devices. The difference between these two devices was assessed using paired t test and violin plots. Bland-Altman plots and 95% limits of agreement (LoAs) were used to evaluate agreement. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences between the two devices were found for the anterior AST, anterior J45, and posterior J45 (P > 0.05). The remaining parameters were statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05), but the differences not clinically significant. The violin plots showed that the distribution and probability density of the measured parameters were similar for both devices. Bland-Altman plots revealed high agreement for the measured parameters between the Scansys and CASIA 2, with narrow 95% LoAs. CONCLUSIONS: In terms of assessing parameters for the anterior segment, our study indicated that Scansys and CASIA 2 generally showed significant agreement. The two devices used in this study's assessment of all the parameters can be used interchangeably in refractive analysis.