Sub-micron pixel polarization-sensitive photodetector based on silicon nanowire.

Silicon nanowire is a potential candidate to be used as polarization-sensitive material, but the relative mechanism of polarization response must be carried out. Herein, a sub-micron metal-single silicon nanowire-metal photodetector exhibits polarization-sensitive characteristics with an anisotropic photocurrent ratio of 1.59 at 780 nm, an excellent responsivity of 24.58 mA/W, and a high detectivity of 8.88 × 109 Jones at 980 nm. The underlying principle of optical anisotropy in silicon nanowire is attributed to resonance enhancement verified by polarizing light microscopy and simulation. Furthermore, Stokes parameter measurements and imaging are all demonstrated by detecting the characteristics of linearly polarized light and imaging the polarizer array, respectively. Given the maturity of silicon processing, the sub-micron linearly polarized light detection proposed in this study lays the groundwork for achieving highly integrated, simplified processes, and cost-effective on-chip polarization-sensitive optical chips in the future.

Follicular fluid C3a-peptide promotes oocyte maturation through F-actin aggregation.

BACKGROUND: Immature cumulus-oocyte complexes are retrieved to obtain mature oocytes by in vitro maturation (IVM), a laboratory tool in reproductive medicine to obtain mature oocytes. Unfortunately, the efficiency of IVM is not satisfactory. To circumvent this problem, we therefore intended to commence with the composition of ovarian follicular fluid (FF), an important microenvironment influencing oocyte growth. It is well known that FF has a critical role in oocyte development and maturation. However, the components in human FF remain largely unknown, particularly with regard to small molecular peptides. RESULTS: In current study, the follicular fluid derived from human mature and immature follicles were harvested. The peptide profiles of FF were further investigated by using combined ultrafiltration and LC-MS/MS. The differential peptides were preliminary determined by performing differentially expressed analysis. Human and mouse oocyte culture were used to verify the influence of differential peptides on oocyte development. Constructing plasmids, cell transfecting, Co-IP, PLA etc. were used to reveal the detail molecular mechanism. The results from differentially expressed peptide as well as cultured human and mouse oocytes analyses showed that highly conserved C3a-peptide, a cleavage product of complement C3a, definitely affected oocytes development. Intriguingly, C3a-peptide possessed a novel function that promoted F-actin aggregation and spindle migration, raised the percentage of oocytes at the MII stage, without increasing the chromosome aneuploidy ratio, especially in poor-quality oocytes. These effects of C3a-peptide were attenuated by C3aR morpholino inhibition, suggesting that C3a-peptide affected oocytes development by collaborating with its classical receptor, C3aR. Specially, we found that C3aR co-localized to the spindle with ß-tubulin to recruit F-actin toward the spindle and subcortical region of the oocytes through specific binding to MYO10, a key regulator for actin organization, spindle morphogenesis and positioning in oocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide a new perspective for improving IVM culture systems by applying FF components and also provide molecular insights into the physiological function of C3a-peptide, its interaction with C3aR, and their roles in enabling meiotic division of oocytes.

Organocatalytic Asymmetric [4 + 2] Cyclization of Azadienes with Azlactones: Access to Chiral 3-Amino-δ-Lactams Derivatives.

Herein, a series of chiral δ-lactam frameworks have been synthesized and catalyzed by chiral phosphoric acid (CPA) utilizing two kinds of open-chain aza-dienes and azlactones derived from amino acids. This powerful [4 + 2] annulation produces a broad substrate scope with functional group tolerance in yield up to 97% with up to 98:2 er. Moreover, a facile scale-up and straightforward conversion to diversely substituted products verify the synthetic utility of this method featuring good compatibility and high efficiency.

Clinical significance of CTGF and Cry61 protein in extraocular muscles of strabismic patients.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between clinical features and protein amounts of Cysteine-rich 61 (Cyr61/CCN1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF/CCN2), which are vital components and regulators of the extracellular matrix in resected muscles from strabismus surgery. METHODS: Strabismus patients who were diagnosed with horizontal concomitant strabismus or inferior oblique overaction (IOOA) and required extraocular muscles (EOMs) resection to correct eye position were included in this study. The protein amounts were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in resected EOMs. Multivariable linear regression was used to investigate the associations, adjusting for gender, age (continuous), amblyopia, and disease duration. RESULTS: A total of 141 muscles (including 38 lateral, 81 medial rectus, and 22 inferior oblique muscles) from 128 patients were collected in this study. The amount of Cry61 and CTGF per millimeter was significantly negatively associated with deviation angle in intermittent exotropia patients (Cry61: ß, - 1.44; 95%CI, - 2.79 to - 0.10, p = 0.035; CTGF: ß, - 3.14; 95%CI, - 5.06 to - 1.22, p = 0.002). The same relationship was also detected in the partially accommodative and non-accommodative esotropia patients, although it was not statistically significant (Cry61: ß, - 2.40; 95%CI, - 5.05 to 0.24; p = 0.073; CTGF: ß, - 3.47; 95%CI, - 9.18 to 2.87; p = 0.269). The amount of Cry61 and CTGF per millimeter showed significant associations with the degree of IOOA (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results demonstrated a significant relationship between deviation angle and protein amount of Cry61 and CTGF and implied that Cry61 and CTGF may play important roles in modulation of EOM contractility, which provide new insights into strabismus pathogenesis.

4,4'-dimethoxychalcone increases resistance of mouse oocytes to postovulatory aging in vitro.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Does 4,4'-dimethoxychalcone (DMC), a natural antioxidant compound, effectively improve the quality of postovulatory ageing (POA) oocytes? DESIGN: Freshly ovulated MII oocytes were cultured in 10-µM DMC for 12 h in vitro. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, apoptosis rate, mitochondrial distribution, formation of the actin cap, and fertilization and development potential of POA oocytes, were studied. The change of autophagy level was detected, and the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) was used to establish the relationship between DMC and autophagy. RESULTS: DMC supplementation eliminated the accumulated ROS (P < 0.0001) and ROS dependent 4 hydroxynonenal products (P = 0.0399), and decreased apoptosis (P = 0.0033), reduced abnormal mitochondrion distribution (P = 0.0280), improved mitochondrial membrane potential (P = 0.0135) and restored the formation of the actin cap (P = 0.0487), thus improving fertilization ability (P = 0.0156) and developmental potential (P = 0.0130) in POA oocytes. The role autophagy plays in the effects of DMC supplementation was investigated. The immunofluorescence results showed that POA leads to the accumulation of SQSTM1/p62 (P = 0.0083) but DMC supplementation could eliminate this (P < 0.0001). The western blot result of p62 protein was similar to the immunofluorescence results of the POA group (P = 0.0441) and DMC supplementation group (P = 0.0154). After inhibiting autophagy by 3-MA, the DMC supplementation group could no longer eliminate the accumulation of ROS (P = 0.1704). CONCLUSIONS: DMC supplementation activates autophagy to protect oocytes from postovulatory ageing. This approach can feasibly improve the reproductive outcome of ART.

Clinical effect of different prednisone regimens in the treatment of children with primary nephrotic syndrome and risk factors for recurrence. / ä¸åŒæ–¹æ¡ˆæ³¼å°¼æ¾æ²»ç–—å„¿ç«¥åŽŸå‘æ€§è‚¾ç— ç»¼åˆå¾çš„ç–—æ•ˆåŠå¤å‘å±é™©å› ç´ åˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical effect of full-dose prednisone for 4 or 6 weeks in the treatment of children with primary nephrotic syndrome and its effect on recurrence. METHODS: A prospective non-randomized controlled clinical trial was performed on 89 children who were hospitalized and diagnosed with incipient primary nephrotic syndrome from December 2017 to May 2019. The children were given prednisone of 2 mg/(kg·day) (maximum 60 mg) for 4 weeks (4-week group) or 6 weeks (6-week group), followed by 2 mg/(kg·day) (maximum 60 mg) every other day for 4 weeks and then a gradual reduction in dose until drug withdrawal. The children were regularly followed up for 1 year. The two groups were compared in terms of the indices including remission maintenance time and recurrence rate. A Cox regression analysis was used to assess the risk factors for recurrence. RESULTS: Within 3 months after prednisone treatment, the 4-week group had a significantly higher recurrence rate than the 6-week group (P<0.05). After 1-year of follow-up, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the recurrence rate, remission maintenance time, and recurrence frequency (P>0.05). The risk of recurrence increased in children with an onset age of ≥6 years or increased 24-hour urinary protein (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: For the treatment of incipient primary nephrotic syndrome, full-dose prednisone regimen extended from 4 weeks to 6 weeks can reduce recurrence within 3 months. The children with an onset age of ≥6 years or a high level of urinary protein should be taken seriously in clinical practice, and full-dose prednisone treatment for 6 weeks is recommended to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Socioeconomic disparities in the global burden of glaucoma: an analysis of trends from 1990 to 2016.

PURPOSE: To assess the global burden of glaucoma by year, age, sex, regions, socioeconomic development, and mean years of schooling (MYS) by using disability-adjusted life year (DALY), then to explore the health inequality with socioeconomic status in glaucoma. METHODS: Global, national, and regional DALY data of glaucoma by year, age, and sex were extracted from the Global Health Data Exchange. Human development index (HDI) and national MYS in 2015 were obtained from the Human Development Report (HDR) 2016. Mann-Whitney U test was performed to explore the sexual difference in global DALYs. Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed to explore the difference of age-standardized DALY rates across WHO regions and HDI-related country groups. Linear regression analyses were performed to explore the association between age-standardized DALY rates with HDI and MYS. Health-related Gini coefficients and concentration indexes were calculated to evaluate the trends in health inequality of glaucoma since 1990. RESULTS: DALY numbers, crude DALY rates, and age-standardized DALY rates increased by 118.0%, 55.22%, and 12.12%, respectively, since 1990. Global DALY numbers and crude DALY rates increased with age, and Mann-Whitney U test revealed no significant sex difference in global DALY numbers (P = 0.807) and global crude DALYs rates (P = 0.976) for each age group in 2016. Africa and Eastern Mediterranean had higher age-standardized DALY rates than the global one in 2016. Kruskal-Wallis test indicated significant difference in age-standardized DALY rates across WHO regions (χ2 = 94.227, P < 0.001). Linear regression analysis indicated that HDI (adjusted R2 = 0.079; F = 16.722, P < 0.001) and MYS (adjusted R2 = 0.108; F = 23.048, P < 0.001) had a significant effect on age-standardized DALY rates. Gini coefficients rose from 0.290 in 1990 to 0.292 in 2015 with a peak value 0.299 in 2005, concentration index declined from 1990 (- 0.099) to 2000 (- 0.077) with reaching a low peak value, then rapidly increased to - 0.097 in 2015. CONCLUSIONS: With population growth and aging, global burden of glaucoma is increasing and older age, lower socioeconomic status, and lower MYS are associated with higher glaucoma burden. Our results help to gain a better understanding of glaucoma and guide future health policies tailored for public.

Risk factors and incidence of suction loss during small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) in 8493 eyes.

BACKGROUND: To report the incidence and risk factors of suction loss during small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). METHODS: This retrospective comparative case control study included 8493 eyes of 4261 patients. Patients underwent SMILE surgery between January 2014 and September 2019 were included. Videos of suction loss were reviewed, and the direct causes of suction loss were noted. An independent samples t-test was used for comparisons between the suction loss group and the control group. A binary logistic regression model was used to determine the possible significant risk factors that might increase the likelihood of suction loss during SMILE surgery. RESULTS: Suction loss occurred in 31 (0.37%) eyes of 30 patients; 23 (74.2%) cases occurred in the right eye (the first operative eye) and 8 (25.8%) cases occurred in the left eye. Among the 30 patients, 23 (76.7%) were male and 7 (23.3%) were female. The incidence in the six consecutive years were 0, 2.13, 0.34, 0.24, 0.22, and 0.25%. Head and eye movements during surgery caused suction loss in 16 (51.6%) and 15 (48.4%) eyes, respectively. Comparison between the suction loss group and the control group showed that the first operative eye and male sex are at a significantly high risk for suction loss (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The risk factors of suction loss were first operative eye and male sex. Head and eye movements due to patient anxiety are the most common direct causes of suction loss. Surgeon's experience may help to reduce the incidence of suction loss. Preoperative education and better communication during surgery needs to be emphasized. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered. ChiCTR-ORC-17011040 . Registered 1 April 2017. Name of registry: The observation of clinical results after corneal refractive surgery. Data of enrolment of the first participant to the trial: 1 January 2014.

Functional acute acquired comitant esotropia: clinical characteristics and efficacy of single Botulinum toxin type A injection.

BACKGROUND: To examine the clinical features of acute acquired comitant esotropia (AACE) and to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a single injection of botulinum toxin type A (BTXA) on binocular visual function (BVF). METHODS: This retrospective, observational case series study enrolled patients with AACE examined from October 2018-May 2019. BTXA was injected into the both medial rectus muscles. The refractive error, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), stereoacuity, vergence, accommodation, the horizontal angle of deviation, and the gradient accommodative convergence/accommodation (AC/A) ratio were measured pre- and post-BTXA injection. Data pre- and postinjection were compared by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A Spearman correlation coefficient was calculated to explore the relationships between demographic characteristics and BVF. RESULTS: Twenty-two AACE cases were included. Compared with preinjection deviation, the postinjection deviation in the primary position was smaller for near (p < 0.001) and distance (p < 0.001) fixation at 3 months after injection (BTXA). Furthermore, convergence was better for near (p = 0.003) and distance (p < 0.001) fixation, divergence was better for near (p = 0.021) and distance (p < 0.001) fixation, accommodation was better in the right (p = 0.011) and left (p = 0.004) eyes, and the gradient AC/A ratio was better at the third month after injection (p = 0.001). Stereoacuity was improved in 11 (50%), unchanged in 5 (22.73%) and decreased in 6 (27.27%) patients. The preinjection stereoacuity (p = 0.013, r = 0.522) and preinjection deviation for near (p = 0.015 r, = - 0.512) and distance (p = 0.009, r = - 0.541) were significantly associated with patient age. CONCLUSIONS: AACE is characterized by a high AC/A ratio and low accommodation. A single injection of BTXA is effective for AACE. Deviation, stereoacuity, and the therapeutic effect of BTXA may be correlated with patient age.

Regional differences in the global burden of age-related macular degeneration.

BACKGROUND: Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness. This study aims to analyze regional differences on the global burden of AMD and help direct related policy making. METHODS: Disability-adjusted life years (DALY) data were collected from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2017 to estimate the AMD burden. Mean education years, human development index (HDI) and Public Health Expenditure were extracted from the Human Development Report 2018, and latitude data were obtained from the Google Earth. These four factors were analyzed to see their importance in regional differences of AMD burden, using Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn's multiple comparisons test as well as regression analysis. RESULTS: Global age-standardized DALY rates have decreased since 2011. Based on the WHO region system, age-standardized DALY rates in African and Eastern Mediterranean region were significantly lower than those of other four regions. Linear regression analysis indicated that age-standardized DALY rates were inversely related to HDI and mean education years. CONCLUSIONS: The age-standardized AMD burden had a decreasing tendency recently. Lower socioeconomic status and fewer education years were associated with higher AMD burden. The finding of this study may highlight the importance of national development and education on relieving AMD burden.

The impact of GJA8 SNPs on susceptibility to age-related cataract.

The gap junction protein alpha 8 (GJA8) gene has been widely studied in human congenital cataracts. However, little is known about its relationship with age-related cataract (ARC). In this study, three GJA8-tagged single nucleotide polymorphisms related to an increased ARC risk were identified: rs2132397 for general ARC under both dominant and additive models; rs7541950 for general ARC under both recessive and additive models; and rs6657114 for cortical cataract under the recessive model. To uncover the underlying mechanisms, this study also sought to explore whether GJA8 is involved in the autophagy process in human lens epithelial cells. The results showed that GJA8 may participate in autophagy to maintain the intracellular environment, which may be a novel mechanism for cataract formation induced by GJA8. In conclusion, this study identified the genetic susceptibility of GJA8 polymorphisms on ARC and provides new clues for fully understanding the pathological mechanism of GJA8 variants in affecting lens opacity.

The increasing prevalence of myopia and high myopia among high school students in Fenghua city, eastern China: a 15-year population-based survey.

BACKGROUND: Myopia is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children and young adults. Multiple epidemiological studies have confirmed a high prevalence of myopia in Asian countries. However, fewer longitudinal studies have been performed to evaluate the secular changes in the prevalence of myopia, especially high myopia in China. In the present study, we investigated trends in the prevalence of myopia among high school students in Fenghua city, eastern China, from 2001 to 2015. METHODS: This was a population-based, retrospective study. Data were collected among 43,858 third-year high school students. Noncycloplegic autorefraction was used to determine refractive error, which was defined as low myopia, moderate myopia, high myopia and very high myopia according to the spherical equivalent from the worse eye of each participant. The prevalence of myopia was calculated and the annual percentage change (APC) was used to quantify the time trends. All analyses were conducted using the SPSS, Stata and Graphpad Prism software. RESULTS: From 2001 to 2015, the prevalence of overall myopia increased from 79.5% to 87.7% (APC =0.59%), with a significant increase of moderate myopia (38.8% to 45.7%, APC = 0.78%), high myopia (7.9% to 16.6%, APC = 5.48%) and very high myopia (0.08% to 0.92%, APC = 14.59%), while the prevalence of low myopia decreased from 32.7% to 24.4% (APC = - 1.73%). High myopia and very high myopia contributed the major part of the increasing trend of myopia prevalence (contribution rate 27.00% and 69.07%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: During the 15-year period, there was a remarkable increase in the prevalence of high and very high myopia among high school students, which might become a serious public health problem in China for the next few decades.

Corneal higher-order aberrations of the anterior surface, posterior surface, and total cornea after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE): high myopia versus mild to moderate myopia.

BACKGROUND: To investigate corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs) of the anterior surface, posterior surface, and total cornea after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) in high myopic and mild to moderate myopic patients. METHODS: This retrospective study included 197 eyes (101 patients) undergoing SMILE surgery. According to the preoperative spherical equivalent (SE), treated eyes were divided into two groups: a high myopic group (more than - 6.0 D, Group H) and a mild to moderate myopic group (less than - 6.0 D, Group M). Corneal HOAs of the anterior surface, posterior surface, and total cornea were measured using a Scheimpflug camera preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. Pearson's correlation analysis was conducted to determine relationships between corneal aberrations and the SE. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in third-order to eight-order aberrations (RMS HOAs) of the anterior surface, posterior surface, and total corneal between the two groups before SMILE surgery. However, after SMILE, anterior and total corneal HOAs, especially vertical coma and spherical aberrations, significantly increased in both groups (p < 0.0167), whereas posterior corneal HOAs remained relatively stable (p > 0.0167). The induction of HOAs was significantly greater in Group H than Group M postoperatively (p < 0.0167). Changes in anterior surface and total corneal HOAs, especially vertical coma and spherical aberrations, were related to the SE (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Anterior and total corneal HOAs, particularly vertical coma and spherical aberrations, significantly increased after SMILE in both groups, whereas posterior corneal HOAs remained stable. Aberration changes were related to SE. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered. ChiCTR-ORC-17011040 . Registered 1 April 2017. Name of registry: The observation of clinical results after corneal refractive surgery. Data of enrolment of the first participant to the trial: 15 December 2016.

Identification of seven novel ZNF469 mutations in keratoconus patients in a Han Chinese population.

PURPOSE: To test for the potential presence of novel mutations in the zinc finger protein (ZNF469) gene in patients with sporadic keratoconus (KC) from a Han Chinese population. METHODS: Fifty-three patients with primary KC, 30 patients with high myopia (HM), and 100 unrelated population-matched healthy controls without any ocular or systemic disorders, all of Han Chinese ethnicity, were recruited. Blood samples were donated, and genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes. Sequence variations in ZNF469 were initially identified in patients with KC with next-generation sequencing and subsequently confirmed using Sanger sequencing. Sequence variants identified in patients with KC were subsequently screened in 30 patients with HM and 100 healthy control subjects. Other genes that were reported to be related to KC were also screened in the patients with KC who carried the mutations in ZNF469. The Sorting Intolerant Form Tolerant (SIFT) program was used to predict the effect of amino acid substitution on the ZNF469 protein. RESULTS: Sixteen sequence variants in the coding regions of ZNF469 were identified in this Chinese KC cohort. After five known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), one false-positive result, and three mutations that were also detected in the results of the whole-exome sequencing (WES) data performed in 220 Han Chinese individuals without ocular abnormalities were removed, seven novel mutations in ZNF469 (c.2059G>A, c.2137C>A, c.3466G>A, c.3749C>T, c.4300G>A, c.4684G>A, and c.7262G>A) that were predicted to be potentially damaging were identified. The patient with KC with the c.3466G>A mutation was also shown to carry one dedicator of cytokinesis 9 (DOCK9) mutation (c.1940C>T). None of the mutations were detected in the patients with HM or the healthy controls. All of the seven mutations in the patients with KC were heterozygote. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested for the first time that ZNF469 has a pathogenic role in Chinese patients with KC and have widened the mutation spectrum of KC in the Han Chinese population.

Identification of a novel lipofuscin pigment (iisoA2E) in retina and its effects in the retinal pigment epithelial cells.

Lipofuscin accumulation in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells of the eye implicates the etiologies of Stargardt disease and age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in the elderly. Here, we have identified a previously unknown RPE lipofuscin component. By one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques and mass spectrometry, we confirmed that this compound is a new type of pyridinium bisretinoid presenting an unusual structure, in which two polyenic side chains are attached to adjacent carbons of a pyridinium ring. This pigment is a light-induced isomer of isoA2E, rather than A2E, referred to as iisoA2E. This pigment is a fluorescent lipofuscin compound with absorbance maxima at ∼430 and 352 nm detected in human, pig, mouse, and bovine eyes. Formation of iisoA2E was found in reaction mixtures of all-trans-retinal and ethanolamine. Excess intracellular accumulation of this adduct in RPE cells in vitro leads to a significant loss of cell viability and caused membrane damage. Phospholipase D-mediated phosphodiester cleavage of the A2PE series generated isoA2E and iisoA2E, in addition to A2E, thus corroborating the presence of isoA2PE and iisoA2PE that may serve as biosynthetic precursors of isoA2E and iisoA2E.

[Mechanism underlying spatial vision deficit of monocular amblyopia based on the theory of Magnocellular and Parvocellular (M-P) pathways].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the characteristics of spatial vision deficit and the degree of amblyopia in monocular amblyopes, and to analyze its mechanism with the theory of Magnocellular and Parvocellular pathways. METHODS: One hundred and eleven patients with monocular amblyopes aged 7-34 were included in this study. Distance best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in logMAR units and contrast sensitivity function test were performed on both eyes in all patients with ETDRS digital visual chart and functional test system OPTECR 6500. The spatial vision of amblyopic and non-amblyopic eyes was evaluated by the AULCSF, Smax, Frmax and cutSF derived from the curve of contrast sensitivity function. RESULTS: The degree of amblyopia was significantly correlated with the difference of AULCSF between the amblyopic and non-amblyopia eyes (r=-0.83, P<0.01). BCVA of amblyopic eyes was significantly correlated with AULCSF, CutSF, Smax, Frmax(r=-0.68, -0.80, -0.73, -0.56, respectively; P<0.01). In amblyopic eyes, significant difference in BCVA, AULCSF, Smax, Frmax and CutSF was seen among different amblyopic groups (P<0.01), which was defined by the degree of amblyopia. In non-amblyopic eyes,no significant difference in BCVA, AULCSF, Smax, Frmax and CutSF was noted among different amblyopic groups (P>0.05). In mild amblyopes, no significant difference in AULCSF and Frmax was found between the amblyopic eyes and non-amblyopic eyes (P>0.05), while Smax and CutSF were significantly different. However, in moderate and severe amblyopes, significant differences in BCVA, AULCSF, Smax, Frmax and CutSF was seen between the amblyopic and non-amblyopic eyes (P<0.01). In amblyopic eyes, significant difference in contrast sensitivity was noted in all kinds of spatial frequencies among different amblyopic groups (P<0.01), and in non-amblyopic eyes, significant differences in contrast sensitivity was not seen in all kinds of spatial frequencies among different amblyopic groups. CONCLUSIONS: The AULCSF, CutSF, Smax and Frmax are accorded with visual acuity for evaluation of the spatial vision of amblyopia. As the severity of amblyopia increases, the overall function of spatial vision in amblyopic eyes gradually decreases, the resolution ability of high spatial frequency is gradually weaken, the peak of contrast detection function gradually descends, and the optimal spatial frequency for contrast detection offsets toward low level of spatial frequency. Mild monocular amblyopia produces spatial contrast sensitivity loss in high spatial vision, suggesting there may be decreased sensitivity of the Parvocellular pathway, and no significant anomalous processing of Magnocellular Pathway. Whereas, in moderate and severe amblyopes, a generalized loss of sensitivity is observed at each spatial frequency. This result shows that both Magnocellular and Parvocellular pathways are damaged in different degrees, especially in Parvocellular pathway.

[Efficacy and safety of continuous full-time patching therapy initiated in pure anisometropic amblyopic children aged 8 to 14 years].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of full-time patching therapy of anisometropic amblyopia in children aged 8-14 years. METHODS: It was a prospective case series study.Forty-three patients with anisometropic amblyopia without strabismus (ranged from 8-14 years, mean 10.8 years) were included in this study. All of the patients received eye patching for the entire day, 29 days a month, during the first 3 months. Distance best corrected visual acuity in LogMAR units; cycloplegic refraction and contrast sensitivity function were performed on all the patients before treatment, at a month later of full-time patching therapy, and all recorded at 3 months later, and evaluation the spatial function with visual acuity, the area under the log contrast sensitivity function (AULCSF), the co-ordinates of the peak of the CSF (maximum sensitivity, Smax, and the spatial frequency at which it occurs, Frmax) and the cut-off spatial frequency. Difference among groups was evaluated by analysis of variance (One-Way ANOVA), and the Bonferroni test investigated the pairwise comparison of the groups. RESULTS: The degree of amblyopia and the D-value of binocular AULCSF of before full-cover treatment, after one month's and three months' full-cover treatment were -0.70 ± 0.30, -0.57 ± 0.29, -0.47 ± 0.28 and 0.78 ± 0.48, 0.63 ± 0.43, 0.53 ± 0.42, respectively, which showed statistically significant differences (F = 6.406, P < 0.01; F = 3.517, P = 0.028). The degree of amblyopia, the D-value of binocular AULCSF after three months' full-cover treatment had significant difference compared with those before full-cover treatment (P < 0.01; P = 0.02). There were statistically significant differences along with time in the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of the amblyopic eye, AULCSF and CutSF (F = 6.906, P < 0.01; F = 4.016, P = 0.02; F = 5.717, P < 0.01). The BCVA of the amblyopic eye, AULCSF and CutSF after three months' full-cover treatment had significant difference compared with those before full-cover treatment (P < 0.01; P = 0.028; P < 0.01). However, the BCVA, AULCSF of the normal eye, and Smax, Frmax of amblyopic eye showed no statistically significant differences among groups along with time (F = 0.243, P = 0.785; F = 0.265, P = 0.768; F = 0.949, P = 0.390; F = 2.934, P = 0.057). CONCLUSIONS: The present results show that continuous full-time patching in older children with anisometropic amblyopia improves visual acuity, and cut off spatial sensitivity with no serious complications. The use of continuous full-time patching in after-school children to improve amblyopia seems promising.

Development and validation of a combined cuproptosis and immunogenic cell death prognostic model for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma worldwide with a high degree of heterogeneity. Cuproptosis and immunogenic cell death (ICD) have been considered to be vital for tumor progression. However, current understanding of cuproptosis and immunogenic cell death in DLBCL is still very limited. We aim to explore a prognostic model combining cuproptosis and immunogenic cell death in DLBCL. METHODS: Pearson's correlation analysis was utilized to acquire lncRNAs associated with cuproptosis and immunogenic cell death. Prognostic biomarker identification and model construction involved the use of univariate Cox regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression, and multivariate Cox regression. We assessed the predictive capability of the risk model by conducting Kaplan-Meier analysis and time-dependent ROC analysis. The analysis and comparison of immune infiltration and drug sensitivity were conducted in this study. Moreover, RT-qPCR was employed to validate the expression of lncRNAs associated with cuproptosis and immunogenic cell death in DLBCL cell lines. RESULTS: We identified 4 prognosis-related lncRNAs (ANKRD10-IT1, HOXB-AS1, LINC00520 and LINC01165) that were correlated with cuproptosis and immunogenic cell death. The model was verified to have a good and independent predictive ability in the prognostic prediction of DLBCL patients. Moreover, significant difference was observed in immune infiltration and drug sensitivity between high- and low-risk groups. CONCLUSION: Our discoveries could enhance the comprehension of the role of cuproptosis and ICD in DLBCL, potentially offering novel viewpoints and knowledge for personalized and precise treatment of DLBCL individuals.

Development of macrophage-associated genes prognostic signature predicts clinical outcome and immune infiltration for sepsis.

Sepsis is a major global health problem, causing a significant burden of disease and death worldwide. Risk stratification of sepsis patients, identification of severe patients and timely initiation of treatment can effectively improve the prognosis of sepsis patients. We procured gene expression datasets for sepsis (GSE54514, GSE65682, GSE95233) from the Gene Expression Omnibus and performed normalization to mitigate batch effects. Subsequently, we applied weighted gene co-expression network analysis to categorize genes into modules that exhibit correlation with macrophage activity. To pinpoint macrophage-associated genes (MAAGs), we executed differential expression analysis and single sample gene set enrichment analysis. We then established a prognostic model derived from four MAAGs that were significantly differentially expressed. Functional enrichment analysis and immune infiltration assessments were instrumental in deciphering the biological mechanisms involved. Furthermore, we employed principal component analysis and conducted survival outcome analyses to delineate molecular subgroups within sepsis. Four novel MAAGs-CD160, CX3CR1, DENND2D, and FAM43A-were validated and used to create a prognostic model. Subgroup classification revealed distinct molecular profiles and a correlation with 28-day survival outcomes. The MAAGs risk score was developed through univariate Cox, LASSO, and multivariate Cox analyses to predict patient prognosis. Validation of the risk score upheld its prognostic significance. Functional enrichment implicated ribonucleoprotein complex biogenesis, mitochondrial matrix, and transcription coregulator activity in sepsis, with an immune infiltration analysis indicating an association between MAAGs risk score and immune cell populations. The four MAAGs exhibited strong diagnostic capabilities for sepsis. The research successfully developed a MAAG-based prognostic model for sepsis, demonstrating that such genes can significantly stratify risk and reflect immune status. Although in-depth mechanistic studies are needed, these findings propose novel targets for therapy and provide a foundation for future precise clinical sepsis management.

Evaluation and application of a Chinese version symptom questionnaire for visual dysfunctions (CSQVD) in school-age children.

Objective: To develop and evaluate a Chinese version of the Symptom Questionnaire for Visual Dysfunctions (CSQVD) to quantify visual dysfunction symptoms in school-age children with various eye diseases, and to explore the relationship between ophthalmological disorders and visual dysfunction symptoms. Methods: Following standard scale adaptation procedures, the Symptom Questionnaire for Visual Dysfunctions (SQVD) was translated into Chinese (CSQVD). We employed random sampling to survey 198 outpatients aged 7-18 to assess the psychometric properties of the CSQVD. Using the reliable and validated questionnaire, we evaluated the determinants of visual dysfunction symptoms among 406 school-age patients at an eye center. The CSQVD scores were correlated with demographic and clinical variables, including gender, age, eye position, refractive power, and best-corrected visual acuity. Univariate analysis identified potential risk factors, followed by binary logistic regression and multiple linear regression analysis on factors with a P-value <0.05. Results: The CSQVD scale's critical ratio (CR) values ranged from 6.028 to 10.604. The Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was 0.779, and Spearman-Brown split-half reliability was also 0.779. The I-CVI varied from 0.83 to 1.000, the S-CVI/Ave was 0.857, and the KMO value was 0.821. Multifactorial regression analysis indicated that high myopia (OR â€‹= â€‹5.744, 95% CI [1.632, 20.218], P â€‹= â€‹0.006) and amblyopia (OR â€‹= â€‹9.302, 95% CI [1.878, 46.058], P â€‹= â€‹0.006) were significant predictors of CSQVD symptoms. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that BCVA of amblyopic eyes (B â€‹= â€‹-5.052, 95% CI [-7.779, 2.325], P â€‹= â€‹0.000) and SE power (B â€‹= â€‹-0.234, 95% CI [-0.375, 0.205], P â€‹= â€‹0.001) significantly affected the CSQVD scale scores. Conclusions: The Chinese version of the SQVD scale (CSQVD) demonstrates good feasibility, discriminatory power, validity, and reliability in assessing Chinese school-aged children. Furthermore, those who have severe myopia and amblyopia reported more visual dysfunction symptoms.