The Patterns of Visual Field Defects in Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma Compared to High-Tension Glaucoma and Normal-Tension Glaucoma.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to compare the patterns of visual field (VF) defects in primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) to control groups of eyes with high-tension glaucoma (HTG) and normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). METHODS: Forty-eight eyes with PACG were enrolled, and control eyes with HTG and NTG matched for age, sex, and mean deviation of VF defect were selected. VF tests were performed using the 24-2 program of the Humphrey field analyzer. VF defects were classified into six patterns with the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study classification system and were categorized into three stages (early, moderate, and advanced). Each hemifield was divided into five regions according to the Glaucoma Hemifield Test (GHT). The mean total deviation (TD) of each GHT region was calculated. RESULTS: Compared with HTG and NTG groups, the partial arcuate VF defects were more common in the PACG group. In the PACG group, the nasal GHT region in the inferior hemifield had the worst mean TD (-8.48 ± 8.62 dB), followed by the arcuate 1 (-7.81 ± 7.91 dB), arcuate 2 (-7.46 ± 7.43 dB), paracentral (-7.19 ± 7.98 dB), and central (-5.14 ± 6.24 dB) regions; the mean TD of the central region was significantly better than those for all other regions (all p < 0.05). A similar trend was observed in the superior hemifield in the PACG group but not the VF hemifields of the HTG and NTG groups. CONCLUSION: Patterns of VF defect in PACG patients differ from those with HTG and NTG. This discrepancy might be due to the differences in the pathogenic mechanisms of glaucomatous optic neuropathy.

A new bleb-independent surgery namely penetrating canaloplasty for corticosteroid-induced glaucoma: a prospective case series.

AIM: To report the outcomes of penetrating canaloplasty for corticosteroid-induced glaucoma in a case series. METHODS: Penetrating canaloplasty is a bleb-independent filtering surgery unifying canaloplasty and trabeculectomy. In this study, the surgery was performed to restore the natural outflow through surgically expanded Schlemm's canal and generated trabeculum ostium. A total of 10 eyes of 8 patients were treated with penetrating canaloplasty for corticosteroid-induced glaucoma. Intraocular pressure (IOP) and the number of glaucoma medications at postoperative 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, and 48mo were documented as primary endpoint. Complications after the surgery were recorded as secondary endpoint. RESULTS: Penetrating canaloplasty was accomplished successfully for all 10 eyes, with a mean follow-up of 20.4±13.0mo (range 6-48mo). The mean preoperative IOP and number of anti-glaucoma medications were 45.1±6.5 mm Hg and 3.3±0.5 respectively. The mean post-operative IOP at 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, and 48mo were 15.8±6.0, 14.7±3.3, 15.3±2.0, 15.6±2.6, 17.5±1.8, 16.5±4.9, and 14.0 mm Hg. The number of anti-glaucoma medications at these time points were all 0. This surgery failed to control the IOP in 1 eye at 1mo after surgery. Hyphaema occurred in 3 eyes on the first day after surgery. Postoperative transient IOP increasing was encountered with in two eyes from 1wk to 1mo after surgery. Choroidal detachment developed in one eye but responded well to conservative treatment. CONCLUSION: Penetrating canaloplasty is effective for corticosteroid-induced glaucoma without serious complications, making it a viable or preferred alternative option.

Identification of Candidate Genes for Lint Percentage and Fiber Quality Through QTL Mapping and Transcriptome Analysis in an Allotetraploid Interspecific Cotton CSSLs Population.

Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) has long been an important fiber crop, but the narrow genetic diversity of modern G. hirsutum limits the potential for simultaneous improvement of yield and fiber quality. It is an effective approach to broaden the genetic base of G. hirsutum through introgression of novel alleles from G. barbadense with excellent fiber quality. In the present study, an interspecific chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) population was established using G. barbadense cultivar Pima S-7 as the donor parent and G. hirsutum cultivar CCRI35 as the recipient parent. A total of 105 quantitative trait loci (QTL), including 85 QTL for fiber quality and 20 QTL for lint percentage (LP), were identified based on phenotypic data collected from four environments. Among these QTL, 25 stable QTL were detected in two or more environments, including four for LP, eleven for fiber length (FL), three for fiber strength (FS), six for fiber micronaire (FM), and one for fiber elongation (FE). Eleven QTL clusters were observed on nine chromosomes, of which seven QTL clusters harbored stable QTL. Moreover, eleven major QTL for fiber quality were verified through analysis of introgressed segments of the eight superior lines with the best comprehensive phenotypes. A total of 586 putative candidate genes were identified for 25 stable QTL associated with lint percentage and fiber quality through transcriptome analysis. Furthermore, three candidate genes for FL, GH_A08G1681 (GhSCPL40), GH_A12G2328 (GhPBL19), and GH_D02G0370 (GhHSP22.7), and one candidate gene for FM, GH_D05G1346 (GhAPG), were identified through RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR analysis. These results lay the foundation for understanding the molecular regulatory mechanism of fiber development and provide valuable information for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in cotton breeding.

Rapid Screening and Identification of Chemical Constituents From Ophiopogon japonicus by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Electrospray Ionization and Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.

Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker-Gawl (Liliaceae), which is named as "Maidong" in China, is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating fever, cough, inflammation, epistaxis, constipation, respiratory disease and gastrointestinal disorders. However, the systematic analysis of chemical constituents of O. japonicus has not been well established because of the complexity and trace. In this paper, an effective and reliable high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method was successfully developed to separate and identify the chemical constituents from O. japonicus. As a result, a total of 30 compounds including steroidal saponins, homoisoflavonoids, allylbenzene, cholest and cryptomeridiol were screened or tentatively identified. Of them, three new steroidal saponins were found and tentatively characterized in O. japonicus. This study provides a meaningful material basis for further quality control and pharmacological research.

Tear cytokine profiling in patients with superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis who underwent medical treatment or in conjunction with surgical management.

PURPOSE: To determine the correlation between superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis (SLK) and selected tear cytokines and to evaluate the efficacy of these cytokines in monitoring the response of patients with SLK to either medical treatment alone or in combination with conjunctival resection. DESIGN: A cohort study. METHODS: Twenty-five eyes of 13 patients with SLK were assigned to either medically responsive or surgical treatment groups depending on their responses 1 month after initial medical treatment. Treatment efficacy was assessed by improvements in clinical grading and decreases in the levels of tear cytokines. RESULTS: Fourteen eyes were improved by medical treatment alone, whereas satisfactory outcomes were achieved for the remaining 11 eyes after surgical management. The overall grading prior to medical treatment was lower in medically responsive group compared with surgical treatment group (p=0.0139). Among the examined tear cytokines, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 was positively associated with the severity of clinical grading (p=0.0251). While both treatments significantly decreased the levels of MCP-1 and interleukin-6, surgical treatment also decreased the levels of interferon-γ and tumour necrosis factor-α. Notably, overall cytokine levels after surgical treatment were lower than those after medical treatment alone. CONCLUSIONS: Since an association of tear MCP-1 level with the clinical grading and treatment response of SLK was observed in this study, tear MCP-1 may be a potential indicator of SLK disease severity. According to the degree to which the tear cytokine levels were decreased, surgical treatment appears to be an effective treatment modality for patients with SLK who are refractory to medical treatment alone.

Cranial blunt force trauma in relation to the victim's position: An experimental study using polyurethane bone spheres.

Blunt force trauma is the most common injury found during autopsies. Among the cases involving blunt force injuries, fractures to the skull are the most frequent, and these are often fatal to the victim. Understanding the circumstances surrounding the creation of such injuries is essential for investigating trauma-related deaths. This paper explores the characteristics of cranial trauma produced following one to three consecutive blows with a series of blunt objects. Fourteen Synbone® spheres filled with porcine gelatine and coated with rubber skin were used to simulate the human skull in a series of experiments. Trials recreated two scenarios, individuals standing and individuals with their head resting against a hard surface. Six blunt objects were used to represent possible weapons. Each sphere was struck twice to generate fracture patterns, which were then analysed. In most simulations of a blow to the head resting against a hard surface, the first fracture follows a linear pattern regardless of the direction of force and/or the surface of the weapon; while the second blow results in a depressed fracture. In the case of a free moving head, weapons with large contact surfaces result in depressed fractures, while weapons with small contact surfaces may not cause a fracture at all. Our results are consistent with Moritz who stated that, if the head is free to move, the fractures will be linear or incompletely depressed. Inversely, if the head rests against a solid surface, a blow will result in a depressed fracture. More experiments are needed to verify these preliminary observations.