VisuMax Flap 2.0: a flap plus technique to reduce incidence of an opaque bubble layer in femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence of an opaque bubble layer (OBL) in femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) flaps created with VisuMax Flap 2.0 as a result of a modification in the parameters of the flap programming. METHODS: This retrospective study was comprised of 1400 eyes of 715 patients who received FS-LASIK surgery. OBLs were measured and reported as a percentage of the flap area to identify the incidence and extent. Flap creation, which is a modification technique, was performed with 8.1-mm flap diameters plus 0.3-mm enlarged interlamellar photodisruption (group Flap 2.0). The same flap diameters without extra photodisruption as the previous standard setting were also implemented (group Flap 1.0). The preoperative measurements, including sphere, cylinder, keratometry, and intraoperative characteristics such as flap size and thickness, were documented. Possible risk factors for the occurrence of OBLs were investigated in this study. RESULTS: The incidence of an OBL was reduced when using the Flap 2.0 program (31.4%) compared to the Flap 1.0 program (63.7%). The area of hard and soft OBLs created by the Flap 2.0 program is smaller than those created by the Flap 1.0 program (P = 0.007 and P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression indicated that a thinner flap (P = 0.038) and a higher sphere (P = 0.001) affected the chance of hard OBLs occurring. CONCLUSION: The VisuMax Flap 2.0 program promotes gas venting by enlarging the interlamellar photodisruption size. The incidence and extent of OBLs appear to be reduced significantly when the Flap 2.0 program is applied.

Comparison of risk factors for OBL in FS-LASIK and SMILE correction for myopia and myopia astigmatism.

BACKGROUND: To find out the incidence and risk factors of opaque bubble layer (OBL) in eyes with myopia and myopic astigmatism following femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) and small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). METHODS: A total of 1076 eyes from 569 patients who had FS-LASIK or SMILE were included in the retrospective research. For each kind of surgery, eyes were separated into two groups: "OBL" groups and "no OBL" groups. In the FS-LASIK group, eyes that developed OBL were split into "hard OBL" and "soft OBL" groups. The incidence and size of OBL were analyzed after watching the surgical procedure videotaped during the operation and taking screenshots. Surgical parameters, including sphere, cylinder, keratometry, corneal thickness, flap thickness, cap thickness, lenticule thickness, and visual acuity, were compared. RESULTS: In the FS-LASIK surgery, the incidence of OBL was 63.2% (347 eyes). A thicker central corneal thickness (CCT) was the only independent risk factor affecting the OBL area (ß = 0.126, P = 0.019). One hundred and thirty of these eyes had hard OBL, and the flap thickness of these eyes was thinner than that of those with soft OBL (P = 0.027). In the SMILE group, 26.6% (140 eyes) developed OBL. A higher flat keratometry (K) and a thicker residual stromal thickness (RST) were risk factors affecting the OBL area (ß = 0.195, P = 0.024; ß = 0.281, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The incidence of OBL differs between the FS-LASIK surgery and the SMILE surgery. There are differences in the factors influencing OBL between the two surgeries.

Thermal stratification controls taste and odour compounds by regulating the phytoplankton community in a large subtropical water source reservoir (Xin'anjiang Reservoir).

2-Methylisoborneol (2-MIB) and geosmin are compounds released by algae that significantly degrade reservoir water quality, posing a threat to both the safety of drinking water and the quality of aquatic products sourced from these environments. However, few studies have explored how enhanced thermal stratification affects the occurrence and regulation of odorants in large drinking water reservoirs. Through systematic monitoring and investigation of Xin'anjiang Reservoir, we found that enhanced thermal stratification promotes filamentous cyanobacteria, particularly Leptolyngbya sp., as the primary contributor to 2-MIB production within the 1-10 m layer of the water column. The highest 2-MIB concentration, 92.5 ng/L, was recorded in the riverine region, which was 2.54 and 14.52 times higher than that in the transitional and central parts of the reservoir, respectively. Temperature indirectly impacted algal growth and odorant production by modulating TN/TP ratios. Geosmin concentration responded rapidly to relatively low TN/TP ratios (< 25). Our findings suggest that phosphorus control in estuaries should be enhanced during thermal stratification period. In summary, our study provides valuable insights to inform pragmatic water intake strategies and the distribution and release of odorants caused by thermal stratification. This is particularly relevant in the context of future global warming and extremely high temperatures during the warm season.

The G-protein-coupled chemoattractant receptor Fpr2 exacerbates neuroglial dysfunction and angiogenesis in diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) as a retinal neovascularization-related disease is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness in patients. The goal of this study is to determine the role of a G-protein-coupled chemoattractant receptor (GPCR) FPR2 (mouse Fpr2) in the progression of DR, in order to identify novel therapeutic targets. We report that Fpr2 was markedly upregulated in mouse diabetic retinas, especially in retinal vascular endothelial cells, in associated with increased number of activated microglia and Müller glial cells. In contrast, in the retina of diabetic Fpr2 -/- mice, the activation of vascular endothelial cells and glia was attenuated with reduced production of proinflammatory cytokines. Fpr2 deficiency also prevented the formation of acellular capillary during diabetic progression. Furthermore, in oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) mice, the absence of Fpr2 was associated with diminished neovasculature formation and pathological vaso-obliteration region in the retina. These results highlight the importance of Fpr2 in exacerbating the progression of neuroglial degeneration and angiogenesis in DR and its potential as a therapeutic target.

[Rapid determination of benzidine, picric acid, carbaryl, atrazine, and deltamethrin in surface water by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

A method requiring no pre-treatment steps other than filtration, using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), has been developed and applied for the rapid determination of benzidine, picric acid, carbaryl, atrazine, and deltamethrin residues in surface water. Water samples were filtered with a 0.2-µ m syringe filter for particle removal and injected directly into the UPLC instrument. The separation was performed on a Waters Acquity UPLC HSS T3 column utilizing a gradient elution program of methanol (containing 2 mmol/L ammonium acetate) and water (containing 2 mmol/L ammonium acetate) as the mobile phases at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. The detection was accomplished by multiple-reaction monitoring scanning in positive/negative ion-switching electrospray ionization mode. Good linearity was observed in the range 0.10-10.0 µ g/L or 1.00-100 µ g/L for different targets with correlation coefficients of 0.996-0.999. The limits of detection (LODs) were 0.01-0.22 µ g/L. The recoveries ranged between 81.4% and 113% at three spiked levels with relative standard deviations (n=6) between 0.84% and 14.0%. The developed method was applied to the analysis of surface waters (river water and reservoir water) from Hangzhou; atrazine and deltamethrin were detected in part of the analyzed samples. This proposed method was characterized by high sensitivity and precision, extensive analytical range, and a high analytical rate, and showed suitability for the analysis of the five named pollutants in surface water.

Impact of Treatment Decentration on Higher-Order Aberrations after SMILE.

Purpose. To evaluate decentration following femtosecond laser small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and sub-Bowman keratomileusis (SBK) and its impact on higher-order aberrations (HOAs). Methods. Prospective, nonrandom, and comparison study. There were 96 eyes of 52 patients who received SMILE and 96 eyes of 49 patients who received SBK in this study. Decentration was calculated 6 months after surgery with Pentacam. HOAs and visual acuity after the surgery were examined for patients in both groups before and 6 months after surgery. Results. The mean decentration displacement in SMILE group was significantly less than SBK group (P = 0.020). 89 eyes were decentered within 0.50 mm after SMILE and SBK. The association between vertical decentration and the induced spherical aberration was insignificant in SMILE group (P = 0.035). There was an association between decentration and safety index, efficacy index, vertical coma, spherical aberration, and HOAs in root mean square (RMS, µm) after SBK (all P < 0.05). No difference was found in uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity, safety index, efficacy index, and wavefront aberrations between the two subgroups at any delimited value after SMILE (all P > 0.05). Decentration exceeding 0.37 mm affected vertical coma and RMSh of SBK eyes (P = 0.002, 0.005). Conclusion. SMILE surgery achieved more accurate centration than SBK surgery. Vertical decentration is associated with the induced spherical aberration in SMILE.

Effects of estradiol and progesterone on tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced apoptosis in human hepatoma HuH-7 cells.

Oxidative stress, including the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), is known to be involved in apoptosis. Preventing apoptosis may thereby induce a malignant transformation of liver tumor cells. Estradiol (E2) is a potent endogenous antioxidant. We examined the proapoptotic role of progesterone as well as the antiapoptotic role of E2 in human hepatoma HuH-7 cells in a state of early apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha. The TNF alpha-induced ROS generation, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme consumption, a proapoptotic predominant expression of Bcl-2 family proteins, and a disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential were all inhibited by E2, and then they were further stimulated by progesterone in HuH-7 cells. The inhibitory effects of E2 were blocked by coincubation with progesterone. Treatment with the progesterone receptor antagonist RU486 led to the blockage of the progesterone-mediated responses to E2 pretreatment in TNF alpha-induced apoptosis. These findings demonstrate that E2 inhibits the TNF alpha-induced early apoptosis in hepatoma cells, by suppressing the oxidative stress processes, whereas progesterone acts in a manner opposite from the effects of E2, and the inhibitory effects of E2 were blocked by progesterone, thus leading to the apoptosis of hepatoma cells.

[Pollution characteristics and health risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the water of Lake Qiandao and its major input rivers].

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were quantitatively determined by GC in several surface water samples collected in July 2011 and November 2011 from Lake Qiandao (Xin'an River Reservoir) and its major input rivers. Then the component characteristics and source apportionment of HCHs and DDTs were confirmed, and the health risk assessment was evaluated. The results showed that 8 OCPs were found to be in trace amount, and p,p'-DDT, a-HCH and p,p'-DDE were the highest frequently detected OCPs. The concentrations of total OCPs in surface water of the studied Lake ranged from 1.9 to 7.6 ng-L-1 , which were at lower pollution level, and 1.2-212 ng.L-1 in the samples from its three major input rivers. The spatial distribution of OCPs in the water of lake was varying, and Xin'an River, the mainstream of the lake, was the main input source of OCPs. Also, different contamination patterns among sampling seasons were found, the concentrations of OCPs in surface water collected in wet period were higher than those in dry season, which display the characteristics of nonpoint source pollution. According to the ratio of feature components, the OCPs in surface water from the Lake Qiandao originated largely from long distance transmission or degradation of technical HCHs, while additional sources of DDTs existed in the region. In addition, human health risk assessment of ingestion through the drinking water and skin contact absorption was performed using EPA recommends methods, the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks caused by OCPs were 0. 06 x 10(-7)-23. 2 x 10(-7) and 3.43 x 10(-5) -6.01 x 10(-3), respectively. According to the acceptable risk level, the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of the chemicals investigated can be considered negligible in water body of Lake Qiandao.