Proteomic Profiling of Muscular Adaptations to Short-Term Concentric Versus Eccentric Exercise Training in Humans.

The molecular mechanisms underlying muscular adaptations to concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) exercise training have been extensively explored. However, most previous studies have focused on specifically selected proteins, thus, unable to provide a comprehensive protein profile and potentially missing the crucial mechanisms underlying muscular adaptation to exercise training. We herein aimed to investigate proteomic profiles of human skeletal muscle in response to short-term resistance training. Twenty young males were randomly and evenly assigned to two groups to complete a 4-week either ECC or CON training program. Measurements of body composition and physiological function of the quadriceps femoris were conducted both before and after the training. Muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis of randomly selected participants (five in ECC and four in CON) of both before and after the training were analyzed using the liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in combination with bioinformatics analysis. Neither group presented a significant difference in body composition or leg muscle mass; however, muscle peak torque, total work, and maximal voluntary contraction were significantly increased after the training in both groups. Proteomics analysis revealed 122 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs; p value < 0.05 & fold change >1.5 or <0.67) in ECC, of which the increased DAPs were mainly related to skeletal muscle contraction and cytoskeleton and enriched specifically in the pentose phosphate pathway, extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, whereas the decreased DAPs were associated with the mitochondrial respiratory chain. One hundred one DAPs were identified in CON, of which the increased DAPs were primarily involved in translation/protein synthesis and the mitochondria respiratory, whereas the decreased DAPs were related to metabolic processes, cytoskeleton, and de-ubiquitination. In conclusion, the 4-week CON and ECC training resulted in distinctly different proteomic profiles, especially in proteins related to muscular structure and metabolism.

Inverted Internal Limiting Membrane Flap versus Internal Limiting Membrane Insertion Technique for Large Macular Holes: A Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSES: This meta-analysis aimed to compare and evaluate the morphological and functional outcomes between the inverted internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap and ILM insertion techniques in the treatment of large macular holes (MHs). METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant studies comparing the two techniques for the treatment of large MHs. The primary outcome measures included the MH closure rate, preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), MH closure patterns, and external limiting membrane (ELM) and ellipsoid zone (EZ) recovery. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: Two randomized controlled trials and four retrospective studies were included in this meta-analysis. The MH closure rate did not significantly differ between the two groups (P = .93). Postoperative BCVA was not significantly different between the two groups at 3 months (P = .20) or 6 months (P = .51). ELM and EZ recovery were also similar between the two groups. However, the results for postoperative BCVA and outer retinal structure recovery tended to favor the ILM flap group based on the forest plot. There was no significant difference between the two groups for the U-shape (P = .26), V-shape (P = .65), and W-shape closure types (P = .38). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis provides evidence that the MH closure rate and visual function outcomes are similar between the ILM flap and ILM insertion techniques in large MHs. However, based on the forest plot, postoperative BCVA and outer retinal layer reconstruction tended to favor the ILM flap technique. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm the superiority of the ILM flap to the ILM insertion technique.

Targeted Lipidomics and Inflammation Response to Six Weeks of Sprint Interval Training in Male Adolescents.

Lipids play an important role in coordinating and regulating metabolic and inflammatory processes. Sprint interval training (SIT) is widely used to improve sports performance and health outcomes, but the current understanding of SIT-induced lipid metabolism and the corresponding systemic inflammatory status modification remains controversial and limited, especially in male adolescents. To answer these questions, twelve untrained male adolescents were recruited and underwent 6 weeks of SIT. The pre- and post-training testing included analyses of peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), biometric data (weight and body composition), serum biochemical parameters (fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerol, testosterone, and cortisol), inflammatory markers, and targeted lipidomics. After the 6-week SIT, the serum C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß significantly decreased (p < 0.05), whereas IL-6 and IL-10/TNF-α significantly increased (p < 0.05). In addition, the targeted lipidomics revealed changes in 296 lipids, of which 33 changed significantly (p < 0.05, fold change > 1.2 or <1/1.2). The correlation analysis revealed that the changes in the inflammatory markers were closely correlated with the changes in some of the lipids, such as LPC, HexCer, and FFA. In conclusion, the 6-week SIT induced significant changes in the inflammatory markers and circulating lipid composition, offering health benefits to the population.

Adaptive NN-Based Consensus for a Class of Nonlinear Multiagent Systems With Actuator Faults and Faulty Networks.

This article addresses the problem of fault-tolerant consensus control of a general nonlinear multiagent system subject to actuator faults and disturbed and faulty networks. By using neural network (NN) and adaptive control techniques, estimations of unknown state-dependent boundaries of nonlinear dynamics and actuator faults, which can reflect the worst impacts on the system, are first developed. A novel NN-based adaptive observer is designed for the observation of faulty transformation signals in networks. On the basis of the NN-based observer and adaptive control strategies, fault-tolerant consensus control schemes are designed to guarantee the bounded consensus of the closed-loop multiagent system with disturbed and faulty networks and actuator faults. The validity of the proposed adaptively distributed consensus control schemes is demonstrated by a multiagent system composed of five nonlinear forced pendulums.

Phacoemulsification with Goniosynechialysis versus Phacoemulsification Alone in Angle-Closure Glaucoma: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

PURPOSE: This meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of phacoemulsification with goniosynechialysis (Phaco-GSL) with those of phacoemulsification alone (Phaco-alone) in patients with angle-closure glaucoma and cataract. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected through a search of electronic databases. Trial eligibility and risk of bias were assessed using Cochrane review methods. Primary measures included the intraocular pressure (IOP), number of antiglaucoma medications, peripheral anterior adhesion (PAS) extent, and their pre- and postoperative changes. For continuous parameters, we calculated weighted mean differences and 95% confidence intervals. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: Eight RCTs were included, where 224 and 236 eyes were in the Phaco-GSL and Phaco-alone groups, respectively. Both postoperative IOP and number of medications were not significantly different between the study groups at the six- and twelve-month follow-up. However, the 12-month postoperative PAS extent was significantly smaller in the Phaco-GSL group than in the Phaco-alone group. Similarly, changes from the preoperative to 12-month postoperative PAS extent were significantly greater in the Phaco-GSL group than in the Phaco-alone group, but IOP and the number of medication changes were not different. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence that Phaco-GSL provides advantages over Phaco-alone treatment regarding PAS reduction. In terms of IOP and medication reduction, both groups were comparable. Thus, Phaco-GSL can be considered for the treatment of patients with angle-closure glaucoma and cataract due to its ease, safety, and potential benefit for the anterior chamber angle.

Induction of Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells for Retinal Regeneration by Using Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor in Diabetic Rats.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common cause of blindness all over the world. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been considered as a promising strategy for retinal regeneration in the treatment of DR. However, the poor viability and low levels of BMSCs engraftment limit the therapeutic potential of BMSCs. The present study aimed to examine the direct induction of BMSCs differentiation into the cell types related to retinal regeneration by using soluble cytokine ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). We observed remarkably increased expression of cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP) and retinoid isomerohydrolase (RPE65) in BMSCs treated with CNTF in vitro, indicating the directional differentiation of BMSCs into the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, which are crucial for retinal healing. In vivo, the diabetic rat model was established by use of streptozotocin (STZ), and animals treated with BMSCs+CNTF exhibited better viability and higher delivery efficiency of the transplanted cells than those treated with BMSCs injection alone. Similar to the in-vitro result, treatment with BMSCs and CNTF combined led to the differentiation of BMSCs into beneficial cells (RPE cells), and accelerated retinal healing characterized by the activation of rod photoreceptor cells and phagocytosis function of RPE cells. In conclusion, CNTF contributes to the differentiation of BMSCs into RPE cells, which may help overcome the current stem cell therapy limitations in the field of retinal regeneration.

Inverted Internal Limiting Membrane Flap Technique versus Internal Limiting Membrane Peeling for Large Macular Holes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling is an effective surgical procedure for the treatment of macular holes (MHs). However, there is a possibility of poor postoperative anatomical closure with conventional ILM peeling for MHs larger than 400 µm. Therefore, a novel inverted ILM flap technique was developed for such cases. OBJECTIVES: This meta-analysis study was performed to evaluate and compare the anatomical and visual outcomes of the inverted ILM flap technique and ILM peeling in large MHs. METHODS: The Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Embase databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The trial eligibility and risk of bias were assessed according to Cochrane review methods. The primary outcome measures included MH closure rate and postoperative visual acuity (VA). Subgroup analysis of postoperative VA based on follow-up time was also conducted. Pooled odds ratios (ORs), weighted mean difference (WMD), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: Five RCTs with a total of 155 eyes in the inverted ILM flap group and 161 eyes in the ILM peeling group were included in this meta-analysis. Statistical meta-analysis revealed that the overall MH closure rate in the inverted ILM flap group was significantly higher than that in the ILM peeling group (OR = 3.10; 95% CI: 1.25-7.66; p = 0.01). The postoperative VA was significantly better in the inverted ILM flap group than the ILM peeling group (WMD = -0.14; 95% CI: -0.21 to -0.07; p = 0.0002). The subgroup meta-analysis indicated that the postoperative VA was significantly better in the inverted ILM flap group than the ILM peeling group (WMD = -0.17; 95% CI: -0.26 to -0.08; p = 0.0004) at the 3-month follow-up. However, no significant difference was observed between the 2 groups at the 6-month follow-up (WMD = -0.09; 95% CI: -0.20 to 0.02; p = 0.10). CONCLUSIONS: Vitrectomy with the inverted ILM flap technique showed a higher anatomical closure rate as well as visual gain - although only in the short term as no difference in visual recovery was found at the 6-month follow-up - than did ILM peeling in large MHs. The inverted ILM flap technique should be considered as a preferred and routine procedure for the treatment of patients with MHs larger than 400 µm.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Gene D/I Polymorphism in Relation to Endothelial Function and Endothelial-Released Factors in Chinese Women.

Many studies have investigated the relationship between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) D/I polymorphism and cardiovascular disease or endothelial dysfunction; however, hardly any of these studies has taken aging or menopause into consideration. Furthermore, despite that many studies have examined the regulatory effects of endothelial-released factors (ERFs) on endothelial function, no study has evaluated the relationship between ERFs and endothelial function with respect to ACE D/I polymorphism and menopause status. To answer these questions, 391 healthy Chinese women over a wide range of ages (22-75 years) were enrolled and divided into pre-menopause group and post-menopause group. After ACE D/I genotype being identified, the women were then classified into either DI/II or DD genotype. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of brachial endothelium and plasma levels of ERFs: nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1), and angiotensin II (Ang II) were measured. The results showed that frequencies of ACE D/I genotypes were in accordance with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and the frequency of I allele was higher than D allele. In pre-menopause group, FMD was significantly higher in women of DI/II than DD (P = 0.032), and age-dependent in both genotypes (DD, P = 0.0472; DI/II, P < 0.0001). In post-menopause group, FMD was similar between women of DI/II and DD, and age-dependent only in women of DI/II (P < 0.0001). In pre-menopause group, Ang II level was significantly higher in women of DD than DI/II (P = 0.029), and FMD was significantly correlated with all ERFs in women of DD (NO, P = 0.032; ET-1, P = 0.017; Ang II, P = 0.002), but only with Ang II in women of DI/II (P = 0.026). In post-menopause group, no significant difference was observed in any ERF between women of DI/II and DD, and FMD was only significantly correlated with ET-1 in women of DD (P = 0.010). In summary, FMD in women of DI/II was superior to DD in pre-menopause and more age-dependent than DD in post-menopause, and FMD was closely associated with ERFs. In conclusion, Chinese women of DI/II seem to have lower risk than DD in pre-menopause, but similar risk as DD in post-menopause in developing cardiovascular disease.

Potential effects of long-term abuse of anabolic androgen steroids on human skeletal muscle.

BACKGROUND: We have previously evaluated muscle functions and morphology in power athletes of long term (5 to15 years) abuse of anabolic androgen steroids (AAS; Doped) and in clean power athletes (Clean), and observed significant improvements in both muscle morphology and muscle functions in Doped. To our knowledge, the effects of long term AAS abuse on human muscle protein profile have never been studied. METHODS: The study examined further the muscle biopsies using a two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D DIGE) for proteomic screening and protein expression. Cellular localization/distribution of specific proteins identified by proteomic analysis was examined using immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS: Different protein profiles were observed between Doped and Clean, and a valid orthogonal projection of latent structure discriminant analysis model was built (N.=16, x=5, R2=0.88/Q2=0.84, P=0.0005), which separated Doped from Clean. Liquid chromatography followed by tandem spectrometry identified 14 protein spots (representing nine different proteins) of significant difference in relative quantity (P<0.05), of which nine spots were down-regulated in Doped compared with Clean. IHC revealed no significant alteration in cellular localization in phosphoglucomutase-1 and heat shock protein beta-1, but indeed in two reference proteins desmin and F-actin in Doped. CONCLUSIONS: Long term abuse of AAS in combination with training is potentially associated with alterations in skeletal muscle protein profile and protein expression, and structural proteins rather than non-structural proteins are preferentially affected in cellular localization/distribution.

Inference Attacks and Controls on Genotypes and Phenotypes for Individual Genomic Data.

The rapid growth of DNA-sequencing technologies motivates more personalized and predictive genetic-oriented services, which further attract individuals to increasingly release their genome information to learn about personalized medicines, disease predispositions, genetic compatibilities, etc. Individual genome information is notoriously privacy-sensitive and highly associated with relatives. In this paper, we present an inference attack algorithm to predict target genotypes and phenotypes based on belief propagation in factor graphs. With this algorithm, an attacker can effectively predict the target genotypes and phenotypes of target individuals based on genome information shared by individuals or their relatives, and genotype and phenotype association from genome-wide association study (GWAS). To address the privacy threats resulted from such inference attacks, we elaborate the metrics to evaluate data utility and privacy and then present a data sanitization method. We evaluate our inference attack algorithm and data sanitization method on real GWAS dataset: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) case/control dataset. The evaluation results show that our work can effectively defense against genome threats while guaranteeing data utility.

Adaptive fault-tolerant consensus for a class of leader-following systems using neural network learning strategy.

In this paper, the leader-following consensus problem of a class of nonlinearly multi-dimensional multi-agent systems with actuator faults is addressed by developing a novel neural network learning strategy. In order to achieve the desirable consensus results, a neural network learning algorithm composed of adaptive technique is proposed to on-line approximate the unknown nonlinear functions and estimate the unknown bounds of actuator faults. Then, on the basis of the approximations and estimations, a robust adaptive distributed fault-tolerant consensus control scheme is investigated so that the bounded results of all signals of the resulting closed-loop leader-following system can be achieved by using Lyapunov stability theorem. Finally, efficiency of the proposed adaptive neural network learning strategy-based consensus control strategies is demonstrated by a coupled nonlinear forced pendulums system.

Macular hole surgery recovery with and without face-down posturing: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: After pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling and gas tamponade, patients are often required to remain in a face-down position (FDP) to allow the gas bubble to push against the macular hole (MH) to promote hole closure. However, this position may be uncomfortable and inconvenient for the elderly and those with medical comorbidities; it may also lead to certain postoperative complications. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate and compare the effect of postoperative FDP and non-face-down position (nFDP) on the closure rate of MHs following MH surgery. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected through an electronic search of the Cochrane Library, Pubmed, and Embase databases. Trial eligibility and risk of bias were assessed according to Cochrane review methods. The primary measures included overall MH closure rate and subgroup analysis based on MH size. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.0 software and Stata software 15.0. RESULTS: Five RCTs composed of a total of 183 eyes in the FDP group and 175 eyes in the nFDP group were included in this meta-analysis. Statistical meta-analysis revealed that the overall MH closure rate in the FDP group was significantly higher than that in the nFDP group (OR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.02 to 5.05, P = 0.04). For MH sizes smaller than 400 µm, the subgroup meta-analysis indicated that the closure rate of the FDP group was not significantly higher than that of the nFDP group (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 0.39 to 4.49, P = 0.66). However, when MH size was larger than 400 µm, there was a significantly higher closure rate in the FDP group (OR = 2.95, 95% CI: 1.10 to 7.94, P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence that a face-down postoperative position seems to be unnecessary when MHs are smaller than 400 µm but may be highly recommended for MHs larger than 400 µm. Further RCTs with large sample sizes are warranted to validate these findings in future.

Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness changes in Schizophrenia: A meta-analysis of case-control studies.

Studies using optical coherence tomography (OCT) to compare retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in subjects with schizophrenia and healthy controls have yielded inconsistent results. We aimed to compare changes in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in schizophrenia and healthy controls via a meta-analysis. Relevant studies were selected via an electronic search of the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Pubmed, and Embase. All included studies measured average and 4-quadrant (temporal, superior, nasal, and inferior) retinal nerve fiber layer thickness via OCT. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.0 software. Seven case-control studies involving collective totals of 245 eyes in patients with schizophrenia and 220 eyes in healthy controls were ultimately included in this meta-analysis. Statistical analysis revealed that average retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients with schizophrenia was significantly reduced compared to that of healthy controls. Additionally, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in the inferior quadrant, nasal quadrant, and temporal quadrant differed significantly between the two groups, while differences in the superior quadrant did not. In view of these results, we suggest that peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness as measured by OCT may be a useful tool for the diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Association between genetic variation of complement C3 and the susceptibility to advanced age-related macular degeneration: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to discuss whether genetic variants (rs2230199, rs1047286, rs2230205, and rs2250656) in the C3 gene account for a significant risk of advanced AMD. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis using electronic databases to search relevant articles. A total of 40 case-control studies from 38 available articles (20,673 cases and 20,025 controls) were included in our study. RESULTS: In our meta-analysis, the pooled results showed that the carriage of G allele for rs2230199 and the T allele for rs1047286 had a tendency to the risk of advanced AMD (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.39-1.59, P < 0.001; OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.37-1.54, P < 0.001). Moreover, in the subgroup analysis based on ethnicity, rs2230199 and rs1047286 polymorphisms were more likely to be a predictor of response for Caucasian region (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.38-1.59, P < 0.001; OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.37-1.54, P < 0.001). Besides, pooled results suggested that the G allele of rs2230199 could confer susceptibility to advanced AMD in Middle East (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.33-1.97, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In our meta-analysis, C3 genetic polymorphisms unveiled a positive effect on the risk of advanced AMD, especially in Caucasians. Furthermore, numerous well-designed studies with large sample-size are required to validate this conclusion.

Regularized Non-Negative Matrix Factorization for Identifying Differentially Expressed Genes and Clustering Samples: A Survey.

Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF), a classical method for dimensionality reduction, has been applied in many fields. It is based on the idea that negative numbers are physically meaningless in various data-processing tasks. Apart from its contribution to conventional data analysis, the recent overwhelming interest in NMF is due to its newly discovered ability to solve challenging data mining and machine learning problems, especially in relation to gene expression data. This survey paper mainly focuses on research examining the application of NMF to identify differentially expressed genes and to cluster samples, and the main NMF models, properties, principles, and algorithms with its various generalizations, extensions, and modifications are summarized. The experimental results demonstrate the performance of the various NMF algorithms in identifying differentially expressed genes and clustering samples.

Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Changes in the Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis of Case-Control Studies.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare changes in retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in patients with the pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXS) and healthy controls. METHODS: Case-control studies were selected through an electronic search of the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, PubMed, and Embase. Results were reviewed to ensure that the included studies met prespecified inclusion/exclusion criteria, and the quality of each study was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. All included studies measured average and 4-quadrant (temporal, superior, nasal, and inferior) RNFL thickness using optical coherence tomography (OCT). For the continuous outcomes, we calculated the weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Eight case-control studies were included in this meta-analysis involving 225 eyes of PXS patients and 208 eyes of healthy controls in total. Statistical analysis revealed that the average RNFL thickness in PXS patients was significantly reduced compared to healthy controls (WMD = -6.91, 95% CI: -9.99 to -3.82, p < 0.0001). Additionally, differences in RNFL thickness in the superior quadrant (WMD = -10.68, 95% CI: -16.40 to -4.95, p = 0.0003), inferior quadrant (WMD = -8.20, 95% CI: -10.85 to -5.55, p < 0.00001), nasal quadrant (WMD = -3.05, 95% CI: -5.21 to -0.90, p = 0.005), and temporal quadrant (WMD = -6.39, 95% CI: -9.98 to -2.80, p = 0.0005) were all significant between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that it is important to evaluate RNFL thickness and the optic nerve head through OCT in patients with PXS in order to determine early glaucomatous damage and start timely intervention prior to visual field loss.

Could the negative effects of static stretching in warm-up be balanced out by sport-specific exercise?

BACKGROUND: Static stretching (SS) is widely used in warm-up as it is generally believed to increase mobility and reduce the risk of injury; however, SS has been shown to induce transient negative effects on subsequent muscle performance. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that sport-specific exercise could restore SS-induced negative effects on certain sports, especially of explosive muscular performance. Whether sport-specific exercise could restore SS-induced negative effects on isokinetic muscle performance remains unclear. METHODS: The present study conducted two different warm-ups: 2-component warm-up and 3-component warm-up on 15 university students. Both protocols contained low intensity aerobic exercise and sport-specific exercise, whereas the 3-component warm-up also contained SS which has been previously proven to induce negative effects on subsequent muscle performance. After the warm-ups, the subjects performed an isokinetic test on a Biodex. In order to make the sport-specific exercise mimic the subsequent test, both included concentric isokinetic knee extension. During the tests, muscle performance of peak torque, mean power, and total work was recorded. Comparison of the measurements on each parameter between the two warm-ups was performed using paired t-test. RESULTS: The comparisons did not reveal any significant difference in the measurement of any parameter between the two different warm-up protocols, and calculation of Cohen's d revealed small effect sizes on all of the three variables. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the study results, we concluded that the negative effects of the SS on the variables were restored by the isokinetic contractions.

Preoperative photocoagulation reduces corneal endothelial cell damage after vitrectomy in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is a severe complication of diabetes and is a leading cause of visual decline and irreversible blindness. So we designed this study to investigate retrospectively the effect of preoperative photocoagulation on corneal endothelial cells after vitrectomy in patients with PDR.The study included 52 eyes of 46 patients with PDR complicated with vitreous hemorrhage, who underwent vitrectomy. Patients were apportioned to a photocoagulation group (26 eyes/23 patients) or nonphotocoagulation group (26/23 patients), according to their history of preoperative photocoagulation. A specular microscope was used to assess the corneal endothelial cell density and percentage of hexagonal cells (PHC) before surgery, and at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery.The cell density was lower 3 months after surgery in the photocoagulation group, but at 1 month in the nonphotocoagulation group, all cases were significantly different from the preoperative value (P < .05 or P < .01). One week after surgery, the mean cell densities between the photocoagulation and nonphotocoagulation groups were not statistically different (P > .05). However, the mean cell densities at 1 and 3 months after surgery in the photocoagulation group were significantly higher than those in the nonphotocoagulation group (P < .05). The PHC values in the photocoagulation group at 1 week and in the nonphotocoagulation group at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months were much lower than their respective preoperative values (P < .05 or P < .01). More importantly, at 1 and 3 months, the PHC had recovered to preoperative values in the photocoagulation group, but not in the nonphotocoagulation group. As for cell density and PHC, they were both significantly higher 1 and 3 months after surgery in the photocoagulation group than in the nonphotocoagulation group (P < .05).Photocoagulation before vitrectomy reduces subsequent corneal endothelial cell damage in PDR patients.

PCA Based on Graph Laplacian Regularization and P-Norm for Gene Selection and Clustering.

In modern molecular biology, the hotspots and difficulties of this field are identifying characteristic genes from gene expression data. Traditional reconstruction-error-minimization model principal component analysis (PCA) as a matrix decomposition method uses quadratic error function, which is known sensitive to outliers and noise. Hence, it is necessary to learn a good PCA method when outliers and noise exist. In this paper, we develop a novel PCA method enforcing P-norm on error function and graph-Laplacian regularization term for matrix decomposition problem, which is called as PgLPCA. The heart of the method designing for reducing outliers and noise is a new error function based on non-convex proximal P-norm. Besides, Laplacian regularization term is used to find the internal geometric structure in the data representation. To solve the minimization problem, we develop an efficient optimization algorithm based on the augmented Lagrange multiplier method. This method is used to select characteristic genes and cluster the samples from explosive biological data, which has higher accuracy than compared methods.

Evaluation of biometry and corneal astigmatism in cataract surgery patients from Central China.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the distribution of biometric parameters and corneal astigmatism using the IOLMaster device before phacoemulsification in cataract patients in Central China. METHODS: Consecutive cataract patients were recruited at the Central Hospital of Wuhan between January 2015 and June 2016. Ocular axial length (AL), keratometry values, anterior chamber depth (ACD) and horizontal corneal diameter (white to white [WTW]) of each cataract-affected eye were measured with the IOLMaster device. RESULTS: The study evaluated 3209 eyes of 2821 cataract patients. The mean AL, ACD, and WTW were 24.38 ± 2.47 mm, 3.15 ± 0.48 mm, and 11.63 ± 0.43 mm, respectively. Corneal astigmatism of 0.51-1.00 diopters (D) was the most common range of values (34.96%). A total of 10.56% patients exhibited a corneal astigmatism greater than 2.0 D. The flat and steep keratometry values gradually increased with age. The mean ACD and WTW showed increasing trends as the AL increased (P < 0.001). When the AL was shorter than 26.0 mm, the keratometry decreased as AL increased. The against-the-rule (ATR) astigmatism proportion increased with age and the with-the-rule (WTR) astigmatism proportion decreased with age. CONCLUSIONS: The profile of ocular biometric data and corneal astigmatism may help ophthalmologists improve their surgical procedures and make an appropriate IOL choice to gain a high quality of postoperative vision.