The prevalence of myopia remains stable under tighter COVID-19 social restriction in preschoolers receiving a school-based eyecare program.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the impact of different levels of COVID-19 social restrictions (social distancing in 2020, large-scale home confinement in 2021) on myopia prevalence and behaviours in a preschool population with school-based eyecare programme. METHODS: Repeated cross-sectional surveys were conducted between August and December in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Children aged 5-6 years received ocular examinations, and questionnaires were answered by caregivers before the day of the examination. The main outcome measures were the changes in after-school time spent on homework, screen-based devices and outdoors. Secondary outcome was the change in myopia prevalence (spherical equivalent [SE] ≤ -0.5 D in either eye after cycloplegia). RESULTS: A total of 9997 preschoolers were included in the analysis. Under tighter restrictions, more preschoolers spent ≥1 h/day on screen-based devices (42.8% in 2019, 45.2% in 2020, 48.9% in 2021, p < 0.001), and fewer preschoolers spent ≥30 min/day on after-school outdoor activities (49.5% in 2019, 46.0% in 2020, 41.0% in 2021, p < 0.001) on weekdays. A similar trend was found on weekends. While more preschoolers spent ≥2 h/day on screen-based devices (35.3% in 2019, 38.5% in 2020, 43.0% in 2021, p < 0.001), fewer preschoolers spent ≥2 h/day on outdoor activities (41.7% in 2019, 41.7% in 2020, 34.0% in 2021, p < 0.001). The mean SE and myopia prevalence were stable (9.1% in 2019, 10.3% in 2020, 9.4% in 2021, p = 0.707). CONCLUSION: Our study showed dose-dependent effect of social restrictions on near-work and outdoor behaviours at home. The prevalence of myopia did not increase significantly with short-term cessation of school-based eyecare programmes.

Comparison of Fan-Traps and Gravitraps for Aedes Mosquito Surveillance in Taiwan.

A key component of integrated vector management strategies is the efficient implementation of mosquito traps for surveillance and control. Numerous trap types have been created with distinct designs and capture mechanisms, but identification of the most effective trap type is critical for effective implementation. For dengue vector surveillance, previous studies have demonstrated that active traps utilizing CO2 attractant are more effective than passive traps for capturing Aedes mosquitoes. However, maintaining CO2 supply in traps is so labor intensive as to be likely unfeasible in crowded residential areas, and it is unclear how much more effective active traps lacking attractants are than purely passive traps. In this study, we analyzed Aedes capture data collected in 2019 from six urban areas in Kaohsiung City to compare Aedes mosquito catch rates between (passive) gravitraps and (active) fan-traps. The average gravitrap index (GI) and fan-trap index (FI) values were 0.68 and 3.39 respectively at peak catch times from June to August 2019, with consistently higher FI values calculated in all areas studied. We compared trap indices to reported cases of dengue fever and correlated them with weekly fluctuations in temperature and rainfall. We found that FI trends aligned more closely with case numbers and rainfall than GI values, supporting the use of fan-traps for Aedes mosquito surveillance and control as part of broader vector management strategies. Furthermore, combining fan-trap catch data with rapid testing for dengue infections may improve the early identification and prevention of future disease outbreaks.

Premyopia at Preschool Age: Population-based Evidence of Prevalence and Risk Factors from a Serial Survey in Taiwan.

PURPOSE: Premyopia at a young age carries a great risk of developing early-onset myopia, especially in regions with myopia epidemics, such as the developed areas in East Asia. This study aims to report the prevalence of premyopia and its risk factors in a Taiwan preschool population and lifestyle changes among premyopic preschoolers before and during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. DESIGN: Repeated countywide population-based, cross-sectional study in Yilan County, northeastern Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS: From 2014 to 2020, a total of 23 930 kindergarteners aged 5 to 6 years were identified in the Yilan Myopia Prevention and Vision Improvement Program (YMVIP). Of those, 21 761 (11 335 [52.1%] boys; mean age, 5.15 ± 0.37 years) were included for final analysis. METHODS: Annual kindergarten-based eye examinations and myopia prevention strategies have been conducted since the commencement of the YMVIP in 2014. Refractive error was determined by cycloplegic autorefraction. The data of potential risk factors for myopia were gathered by caregiver-administered questionnaires. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The prevalence of premyopia (spherical equivalent [SE] > -0.5 diopter [D] and ≤ +0.75 D in the eye with less SE value). RESULTS: The prevalence of myopia (SE ≤ -0.5 D), premyopia, and hyperopia (SE > +0.75) was 10.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.3-11.1), 52.0% (95% CI, 51.3-52.7), and 37.3% (95% CI, 36.7-37.9), respectively. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that premyopia prevalence was significantly associated with male gender (odds ratio [OR], 1.25; 95% CI, 1.18-1.32), caregiver myopia (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.37-1.56), screen time ≥ 1 hour per weekdays (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.04-1.17), 2-year exposure to myopia prevention strategy (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.54-0.65), and college or higher education level of caregiver (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.85-0.96). Even without large-scale school closure in Taiwan, there was a slight upward trend of increased time spent on screen-based devices during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that premyopia was the most common refractive error in a Taiwan preschool population. Premyopia was also associated with both parental and environmental myopiogenic factors. Longitudinal studies are warranted to examine the lifestyle change and myopic shift of premyopic preschoolers in the postpandemic era.

Prevalence Trend of Myopia after Promoting Eye Care in Preschoolers: A Serial Survey in Taiwan before and during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: To report the prevalence of preschool myopia after implementing a policy intervention promoting outdoor activities and the secular trend of myopia before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in a Taiwan preschool population. DESIGN: Repeated countywide population-based, cross-sectional surveys based on the Yilan Myopia Prevention and Vision Improvement Program (YMVIP). PARTICIPANTS: Among 23 930 kindergarteners 5 to 6 years of age from 7 school-year cohorts in Yilan County from 2014 through 2020, a total of 21 761 children (90.9%) were included for analysis. METHODS: Since launching the YMVIP in August 2014, myopia prevention strategies, such as increasing outdoor activities (2 hours/weekday), have been promoted in all kindergartens, and countywide school-based eye examinations, including cycloplegic autorefraction, and caregiver-administered questionnaires have been carried out annually for all participants. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The prevalence of myopia (spherical equivalent, ≤ -0.5 D in either eye) in each of the 7 school-year cohorts of preschoolers 5 to 6 years of age. RESULTS: The prevalence of myopia continuously decreased for 2 years after implementing the YMVIP: 2014 cohort, 15.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 14.2%-16.8%); 2015 cohort, 13.5% (95% CI, 12.3%-14.7%); and 2016 cohort, 8.4% (95% CI, 7.4%-9.4%). Subsequent cohorts were exposed maximally to these school-based myopia prevention strategies, and the prevalence of myopia remained relatively stable, between 8.5% and 10.3%, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a dose-dependent association between the duration of exposure to preventive strategies and the prevalence of myopia (up to 1-year YMVIP exposure, odds ratio, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.74-0.99]; up to 2-year YMVIP exposure, odds ratio, 0.56 [95% CI, 0.50-0.63]) after controlling other myopigenic factors. CONCLUSIONS: This population-based evidence showed high prevalence of preschool myopia and an L-shaped decline after introducing strategies to promote outdoor activities in kindergartens. With undisrupted school-based preventive strategies, the prevalence of myopia can be kept stable, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Human Breathomics Database.

Breathomics is a special branch of metabolomics that quantifies volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from collected exhaled breath samples. Understanding how breath molecules are related to diseases, mechanisms and pathways identified from experimental analytical measurements is challenging due to the lack of an organized resource describing breath molecules, related references and biomedical information embedded in the literature. To provide breath VOCs, related references and biomedical information, we aim to organize a database composed of manually curated information and automatically extracted biomedical information. First, VOCs-related disease information was manually organized from 207 literature linked to 99 VOCs and known Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms. Then an automated text mining algorithm was used to extract biomedical information from this literature. In the end, the manually curated information and auto-extracted biomedical information was combined to form a breath molecule database-the Human Breathomics Database (HBDB). We first manually curated and organized disease information including MeSH term from 207 literatures associated with 99 VOCs. Then, an automatic pipeline of text mining approach was used to collect 2766 literatures and extract biomedical information from breath researches. We combined curated information with automatically extracted biomedical information to assemble a breath molecule database, the HBDB. The HBDB is a database that includes references, VOCs and diseases associated with human breathomics. Most of these VOCs were detected in human breath samples or exhaled breath condensate samples. So far, the database contains a total of 913 VOCs in relation to human exhaled breath researches reported in 2766 publications. The HBDB is the most comprehensive HBDB of VOCs in human exhaled breath to date. It is a useful and organized resource for researchers and clinicians to identify and further investigate potential biomarkers from the breath of patients. Database URL: https://hbdb.cmdm.tw.

The different impact of stimulation duration on oocyte maturation and pregnancy outcome in fresh cycles with GnRH antagonist protocol in poor responders and normal responders.

OBJECTIVE: To study the impact of stimulation duration on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) - embryo transfer (ET) outcome in poor and normal responders during controlled ovarian stimulation using gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study. There were 1481 women undergoing ICSI-ET cycles. Women with ovum pick-up number ≤3 were defined as poor responders (n = 235), and those with a number ≥4 were normal responders (n = 1246). RESULTS: The mean stimulation duration was shorter in poor responders with pregnancy group as compared with normal responders with pregnancy group (7.8 ± 2.2 vs. 9.2 ± 1.6 days, p < 0.01). Poor responders with a shortest stimulation duration (≤6 days) appeared a higher live birth rate (≤6 days: 33.3%, 7-8 days: 20.0%, 9-10 days: 15.9%, and ≥11 days: 11.1%, p = 0.18). Normal responders with a shortest stimulation duration (≤6 days) appeared a lowest live birth rate (≤6 days: 28.6%, 7-8 days: 35.8%, 9-10 days: 33.6%, and ≥11 days: 29.3%, p = 0.61). Oocyte maturation rate was significantly lower at stimulation durations ≤6 days group (≤6 days: 67%, 7-8 days: 80%, 9-10 days: 85%, and ≥11 days: 87%, p = 0.02) in normal responders. CONCLUSION: In ICSI-ET cycles, stimulation duration appears to have different impact on oocyte maturation, clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates in both poor and normal responders.

Recombinant Aflatoxin-Degrading F420H2-Dependent Reductase from Mycobacterium smegmatis Protects Mammalian Cells from Aflatoxin Toxicity.

Aflatoxins are carcinogenic secondary metabolites of fungi that contaminate many staple crops and foods. Aflatoxin contamination is a worldwide problem, especially in developing countries, posing health hazards, e.g., causing aflatoxicosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and even death. Biological solutions for aflatoxin detoxification are environmentally friendly and a cheaper alternative than chemical methods. The aims of the current study were to investigate: (1) the ability of MSMEG_5998, an aflatoxin-degrading F420H2-dependent reductase from Mycobacterium smegmatis, to degrade aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and reduce AFB1-caused damage in HepG2 cell culture model; and (2) whether a thioredoxin (Trx) linkage of MSMEG_5998 enhanced the enzyme activity. We show that Trx-linked MSMEG_5998 degraded 63% AFB1 and native MSMEG_5998 degraded 31% after 4 h at 22 °C, indicating that the Trx-linked enzyme had a better AFB1-degrading ability. In a HepG2 cell culture model, Trx-linked MSMEG_5998 reduced DNA damage and p53-mediated apoptosis caused by AFB1 to a greater extent than the native enzyme. These findings suggest that Trx-linked MSMEG_5998 could potentially be developed to protect the liver from AFB1 damage, or as a candidate protein to reduce AFB1-related toxicity in animals.

Functional microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes in granulosa cells from women with polycystic ovary syndrome related to MAPK/ERK signaling.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. Although its aetiology and pathogenesis remain unclear, recent studies suggest that the dysfunction of granulosa cells may partly be responsible. This study aimed to use cDNA microarray technology to compare granulosa cell gene expression profiles in women with and without PCOS to identify genes that may be aetiologically implicated in the pathogenesis of PCOS. The study cohort included 12 women undergoing in vitro fertilization, six with PCOS and six without PCOS. Differential gene expression profiles were classified by post-analyses of microarray data, followed by western blot analyses to confirm the microarray data of selected genes. In total, 243 genes were differentially expressed (125 upregulated and 118 downregulated) between the PCOS and non-PCOS granulosa cells. These genes are involved in reproductive system development, amino acid metabolism and cellular development and proliferation. Comparative analysis revealed genes involved in the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) signaling pathways. Western blot analyses confirmed that mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 4 and phospho-ERK1/2 were decreased in PCOS granulosa cells. This study identified candidate genes involved in MAPK/ERK signaling pathways that may influence the function of granulosa cells in PCOS.

Detecting pulsatile hormone secretions using nonlinear mixed effects partial spline models.

Neuroendocrine ensembles communicate with their remote and proximal target cells via an intermittent pattern of chemical signaling. The identification of episodic releases of hormonal pulse signals constitutes a major emphasis of endocrine investigation. Estimating the number, temporal locations, secretion rate, and elimination rate from hormone concentration measurements is of critical importance in endocrinology. In this article, we propose a new flexible statistical method for pulse detection based on nonlinear mixed effects partial spline models. We model pulsatile secretions using biophysical models and investigate biological variation between pulses using random effects. Pooling information from different pulses provides more efficient and stable estimation for parameters of interest. We combine all nuisance parameters including a nonconstant basal secretion rate and biological variations into a baseline function that is modeled nonparametrically using smoothing splines. We develop model selection and parameter estimation methods for the general nonlinear mixed effects partial spline models and an R package for pulse detection and estimation. We evaluate performance and the benefit of shrinkage by simulations and apply our methods to data from a medical experiment.