Enhanced Hydrogen Bonding by Urea Functionalization Tunes the Stability and Biological Properties of Peptide Amphiphiles.

Self-assembled nanostructures such as those formed by peptide amphiphiles (PAs) are of great interest in biological and pharmacological applications. Herein, a simple and widely applicable chemical modification, a urea motif, was included in the PA's molecular structure to stabilize the nanostructures by virtue of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Since the amino acid residue nearest to the lipid tail is the most relevant for stability, we decided to include the urea modification at that position. We prepared four groups of molecules (13 PAs in all), with varying levels of intermolecular cohesion, using amino acids with distinct ß-sheet promoting potential and/or containing hydrophobic tails of distinct lengths. Each subset contained one urea-modified PA and nonmodified PAs, all with the same peptide sequence. The varied responses of these PAs to variations in pH, temperature, counterions, and biologically related proteins were examined using microscopic, X-ray, spectrometric techniques, and molecular simulations. We found that the urea group contributes to the stabilization of the morphology and internal arrangement of the assemblies against environmental stimuli for all peptide sequences. In addition, microbiological and biological studies were performed with the cationic PAs. These assays reveal that the addition of urea linkages affects the PA-cell membrane interaction, showing the potential to increase the selectivity toward bacteria. Our data indicate that the urea motif can be used to tune the stability of a wide range of PA nanostructures, allowing flexibility on the biomaterial's design and opening a myriad of options for clinical therapies.

Aurozyme: A Revolutionary Nanozyme in Colitis, Switching Peroxidase-Like to Catalase-Like Activity.

A therapeutic strategy that could address colitis of multiple etiologies while restoring the dysbiosis of gut microbiota is attractive. Here, Aurozyme, a novel nanomedicine comprised of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and glycyrrhizin (GL) with a glycol chitosan coating layer, as a promising approach for colitis, is demonstrated. The unique feature of Aurozyme is the conversion of harmful peroxidase-like activity of AuNPs to beneficial catalase-like activity due to the amine-rich environment provided by the glycol chitosan. This conversion process enables Aurozyme to oxidize the hydroxyl radicals derived from AuNP, producing water and oxygen molecules. In fact, Aurozyme effectively scavenges reactive oxygen/reactive nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which can attenuate the M1 polarization of macrophage. It exhibits prolonged adhesion to the lesion site, promoting sustained anti-inflammatory effects and restoring intestinal function in colitis-challenged mice. Additionally, it increases the abundance and diversity of beneficial probiotics, which are essential for maintaining microbial homeostasis in the gut. The work highlights the transformative potential of nanozymes for the comprehensive treatment of inflammatory disease and represents an innovative switching technology of enzyme-like activity by Aurozyme.

Effects of an urban forest healing program on cancer-related fatigue in cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the effects of an eight-session structured urban forest healing program for cancer survivors with fatigue. BACKGROUND: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a complex and multifactorial common symptom among cancer survivors that limits quality of life (QoL). Although health benefits of forest healing on physiological, physical, and psychological aspect as well as on the immune system have been reported in many studies, there is limited evidence on the efficacy of specialized forest program for cancer survivors. METHOD: A single-blinded, pre-test and post-test control group clinical trial was conducted with -75 cancer survivors assigned to either the forest healing group or the control group. The intervention was an eight-session structured urban forest program provided at two urban forests with easy accessibility. Each session consists of three or four major activities based on six forest healing elements such as landscape, phytoncides, anions, sounds, sunlight, and oxygen. Complete data of the treatment-adherent sample (≥ 6 sessions) was used to examine whether sociodemographic, clinical, physiological (respiratory function, muscle strength, balance, 6-min walking test) and psychological (distress, mood state, sleep quality, QoL) characteristics at baseline moderated the intervention effect on fatigue severity at 9 weeks. RESULTS: Significant time-group interactions were observed muscle strength, balance, 6-min walking test, distress, fatigue, moods, and QoL. The mean difference in fatigue between pre- and post-forest healing program was 9.1 (95% CI 6.2 to 11.9), 11.9 (95% CI 7.6 to 16.1) in moods, and -93.9 (95% CI -123.9 to -64.0) in QoL, showing significant improvements in forest healing group, but no significant improvements in the control group. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that a forest healing program positively impacts the lives of cancer survivors, by addressing both physical and psychological challenges associated with CRF. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: KCT0008447 (Date of registration: May 19, 2023).

Efficacy and Safety of Epidermidibacterium Keratini EPI-7 Derived Postbiotics in Skin Aging: A Prospective Clinical Study.

The present study investigated the effect of topical application of Epidermidibacterium Keratini (EPI-7) ferment filtrate, which is a postbiotic product of a novel actinobacteria, on skin aging, by performing a prospective randomized split-face clinical study on Asian woman participants. The investigators measured skin biophysical parameters, including skin barrier function, elasticity, and dermal density, and revealed that the application of the EPI-7 ferment filtrate-including test product resulted in significantly higher improvements in barrier function, skin elasticity, and dermal density compared to the placebo group. This study also investigated the influence of EPI-7 ferment filtrate on skin microbiome diversity to access its potential beneficial effects and safety. EPI-7 ferment filtrate increased the abundance of commensal microbes belonging to Cutibacterium, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Streptococcus, Lawsonella, Clostridium, Rothia, Lactobacillus, and Prevotella. The abundance of Cutibacterium was significantly increased along with significant changes in Clostridium and Prevotella abundance. Therefore, EPI-7 postbiotics, which contain the metabolite called orotic acid, ameliorate the skin microbiota linked with the aging phenotype of the skin. This study provides preliminary evidence that postbiotic therapy may affect the signs of skin aging and microbial diversity. To confirm the positive effect of EPI-7 postbiotics and microbial interaction, additional clinical investigations and functional analyses are required.

An ecological study on the association between International Health Regulations (IHR) core capacity scores and the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) service coverage index.

BACKGROUND: The pandemic situation due to COVID-19 highlighted the importance of global health security preparedness and response. Since the revision of the International Health Regulations (IHR) in 2005, Joint External Evaluation (JEE) and States Parties Self-Assessment Annual Reporting (SPAR) have been adopted to track the IHR implementation stage in each country. While national IHR core capacities support the concept of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), there have been limited studies verifying the relationship between the two concepts. This study aimed to investigate empirically the association between IHR core capacity scores and the UHC service coverage index. METHOD: JEE score, SPAR score and UHC service coverage index data from 96 countries were collected and analyzed using an ecological study design. The independent variable was IHR core capacity scores, measured by JEE 2016-2019 and SPAR 2019 from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the dependent variable, UHC service coverage index, was extracted from the 2019 UHC monitoring report. For examining the association between IHR core capacities and the UHC service coverage index, Spearman's correlation analysis was used. The correlation between IHR core capacities and UHC index was demonstrated using a scatter plot between JEE score and UHC service coverage index, and the SPAR score and UHC service coverage index were also presented. RESULT: While the correlation value between JEE and SPAR was 0.92 (p < 0.001), the countries' external evaluation scores were lower than their self-evaluation scores. Some areas such as available human resources and points of entry were mismatched between JEE and SPAR. JEE was associated with the UHC score (r = 0.85, p < 0.001) and SPAR was also associated with the UHC service coverage index (r = 0.81, p < 0.001). The JEE and SPAR scores showed a significant positive correlation with the UHC service coverage index after adjusting for several confounding variables. CONCLUSION: The study result supports the premise that strengthening national health security capacities would in turn contribute to the achievement of UHC. With the help of the empirical result, it would further guide each country for better implementation of IHR.

Supramolecular Interactions and Morphology of Self-Assembling Peptide Amphiphile Nanostructures.

The morphology of supramolecular peptide nanostructures is difficult to predict given their complex energy landscapes. We investigated peptide amphiphiles containing ß-sheet forming domains that form twisted nanoribbons in water. We explained the morphology based on a balance between the energetically favorable packing of molecules in the center of the nanostructures, the unfavorable packing at the edges, and the deformations due to packing of twisted ß-sheets. We find that morphological polydispersity of PA nanostructures is determined by peptide sequences, and the twisting of their internal ß-sheets. We also observed a change in the supramolecular chirality of the nanostructures as the peptide sequence was modified, although only amino acids with l-configuration were used. Upon increasing charge repulsion between molecules, we observed a change in morphology to long cylinders and then rodlike fragments and spherical micelles. Understanding the self-assembly mechanisms of peptide amphiphiles into nanostructures should be useful to optimize their well-known functions.

Control of Peptide Amphiphile Supramolecular Nanostructures by Isosteric Replacements.

Supramolecular nanostructures with tunable properties can have applications in medicine, pharmacy, and biotechnology. In this work, we show that the self-assembly behavior of peptide amphiphiles (PAs) can be effectively tuned by replacing the carboxylic acids exposed to the aqueous media with isosteres, functionalities that share key physical or chemical properties with another chemical group. Transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering studies indicated that the nanostructure's morphologies are responsive to the ionization states of the side chains, which are related to their pKa values. Circular dichroism studies revealed the effect of the isosteres on the internal arrangement of the nanostructures. The interactions between diverse surfaces and the nanostructures and the effect of salt concentration and temperature were assessed to further understand the properties of these self-assembled systems. These results indicate that isosteric replacements allow the pH control of supramolecular morphology by manipulating the pKa of the charged groups located on the nanostructure's surface. Theoretical studies were performed to understand the morphological transitions that the nanostructures underwent in response to pH changes, suggesting that the transitions result from alterations in the Coulomb forces between PA molecules. This work provides a strategy for designing biomaterials that can maintain or change behaviors based on the pH differences found within cells and tissues.

Substantially thinner internal granular layer and reduced molecular layer surface in the cerebellar cortex of the Tc1 mouse model of down syndrome - a comprehensive morphometric analysis with active staining contrast-enhanced MRI.

Down Syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that affects the development of cerebellar cortical lobules. Impaired neurogenesis in the cerebellum varies among different types of neuronal cells and neuronal layers. In this study, we developed an imaging analysis framework that utilizes gadolinium-enhanced ex vivo mouse brain MRI. We extracted the middle Purkinje layer of the mouse cerebellar cortex, enabling the estimation of the volume, thickness, and surface area of the entire cerebellar cortex, the internal granular layer, and the molecular layer in the Tc1 mouse model of Down Syndrome. The morphometric analysis of our method revealed that a larger proportion of the cerebellar thinning in this model of Down Syndrome resided in the inner granule cell layer, while a larger proportion of the surface area shrinkage was in the molecular layer.

The predictive relationship between factors related to fear of falling and mortality among community-dwelling older adults in Korea: analysis of the Korean longitudinal study of aging from 2006 to 2014.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to identify the predictive relationship between factors related to fear of falling (FOF) and mortality among community-dwelling older adults in Korea. METHOD: Data were obtained from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA). Hierarchical Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were conducted to identify factors related to FOF and correlations of these factors with mortality. RESULTS: During the eight-year follow-up period, 964 participants (23.5%) died. Death was more likely to occur in males (hazard ratio [HR], 2.55; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.17-3.00), those 75 years old or older (HR, 2.76; 95% CI, 2.40-3.17), those without education (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.05-1.52), and those living without a spouse (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.11-1.51). Those afraid of falling (HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.17-1.70), limiting their activities due to FOF (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.21-1.62), showing symptoms of depression (HR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.16-1.54), and having low life satisfaction (HR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.13-1.59) were also more likely to experience decreased lifespans. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that early management and prevention of factors related to FOF should be an effective approach to reducing mortality in older adults.

QKI, a miR-200 target gene, suppresses epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and tumor growth.

The microRNA-200 (miR-200) family plays a major role in specifying epithelial phenotype by preventing expression of the transcription repressors ZEB1 and ZEB2, which are well-known regulators of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in epithelial tumors including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Here, we elucidated whether miR-200 family members control RNA-binding protein quaking (QKI), a newly identified tumor suppressor that is regulated during EMT. We predicted that miR-200a and miR-200b could recognize QKI 3'-UTR by analyzing TargetScan and The Cancer Genome Atlas head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) dataset. Forced expression of miR-200b/a/429 inhibited expression of ZEB1/2 and decreased cell migration in OSCC cell lines CAL27 and HSC3. QKI expression was also suppressed by miR-200 overexpression, and the 3'-UTR of QKI mRNA was directly targeted by miR-200 in luciferase reporter assays. Interestingly, shRNA-mediated knockdown of QKI led to pronounced EMT and protumor effects in both in vitro and in vivo studies of OSCC. Furthermore, high expression of QKI protein is associated with favorable prognosis in surgically resected HNSCC and lung adenocarcinoma. In conclusion, QKI increases during EMT and is targeted by miR-200; while, it suppresses EMT and tumorigenesis. We suggest that QKI and miR-200 form a negative feedback loop to maintain homeostatic responses to EMT-inducing signals.

Predictors of Depression Among Community-Dwelling Older Women Living Alone in Korea.

This study examined the prevalence and predicting factors of depression among community-dwelling older women living alone in Korea. Of the 2054 older women living alone in this study, 42.9% (881) were experiencing depression. Factors associated with a higher prevalence of depression were overall difficulty with living alone, taking more than six medications, limitations of instrumental activities of daily living, limitations of muscle strength, limitations of exercise performance in upper extremities, trouble with hearing, and perceptions of poor health status. These results provide a basis for designing preventive interventional programs to decrease depression among older women living alone in Korea.

miR-200-mediated inactivation of cancer-associated fibroblasts via targeting of NRP2-VEGFR signaling attenuates lung cancer invasion and metastasis.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a substantial role in promoting cancer cell motility, drug resistance, angiogenesis, and metastasis; therefore, extensive research has been conducted to determine their mode of activation. We aimed to identify whether miRNA-200 (miR-200), a widely recognized suppressor of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, prevents CAFs from promoting cancer progression. Overexpression of miR-200 prevented CAFs from promoting lung cancer cell migration, invasion, tumorigenicity, and metastasis. Additionally, miR-200 suppressed the ability of CAFs to recruit and polarize macrophages toward the M2 phenotype, as well as the migration and tube formation of vascular endothelial cells. NRP2, a co-receptor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), was confirmed to be a target of miR-200, which mediates the functional activity of miR-200 in CAFs. NRP2-VEGFR signaling facilitates the secretion of VEGF-D and pleiotrophin from CAFs, leading to the activation of cancer cell migration and invasion. These findings suggest that miR-200 remodels CAFs to impede cancer progression and metastasis and that miR-200 and NRP2 are potential therapeutic targets in the treatment of lung cancer.

The Posthyaluronidase Syndrome: Dosing Strategies for Hyaluronidase in the Dissolving of Facial Filler and Independent Predictors of Poor Outcomes.

Background: Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are used extensively in periocular aesthetic medicine, and the incidence of filler-related complications is increasing. This study aimed to investigate the optimal dosing strategy for hyaluronidase and to identify predictors of poor outcomes. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 157 orbits of 90 patients treated with hyaluronidase over a 4-year period. Demographic data, indication, and details of hyaluronidase treatment and outcomes were recorded. Results: The primary indication for dissolving filler was swelling in 52%, lumpiness in 20%, and before surgical blepharoplasty in 17%. The most frequently used hyaluronidase concentration was 150 U per mL in 66%, followed by 75 U per mL in 31%, 37.5 U per mL in 3%, and 100 U per mL in 1%. Outcomes were characterized as follows: 59% with a satisfactory result; 24% as insufficient treatment requiring further hyaluronidase; and 18% complaining of facial changes such as hollowing, indicating a post hyaluronidase syndrome. There was no statistical difference in outcomes between the 75 and 150 U per mL dosage groups (P = 0.625). A significant correlation was identified between posthyaluronidase syndrome and duration of filler in situ (P = 0.00019) and volume of filler (P = 0.000017). Conclusions: The posthyaluronidase syndrome may be related to previous filler volume and duration, rather than the concentration or dose of hyaluronidase used. All patients should be informed about the risks of adverse effects after hyaluronidase treatment; patients with longer histories of filler use and higher total volumes should be advised of the increased risk.

Self-Sorting vs Coassembly in Peptide Amphiphile Supramolecular Nanostructures.

The functionality of supramolecular nanostructures can be expanded if systems containing multiple components are designed to either self-sort or mix into coassemblies. This is critical to gain the ability to craft self-assembling materials that integrate functions, and our understanding of this process is in its early stages. In this work, we have utilized three different peptide amphiphiles with the capacity to form ß-sheets within supramolecular nanostructures and found binary systems that self-sort and others that form coassemblies. This was measured using atomic force microscopy to reveal the nanoscale morphology of assemblies and confocal laser scanning microscopy to determine the distribution of fluorescently labeled monomers. We discovered that PA assemblies with opposite supramolecular chirality self-sorted into chemically distinct nanostructures. In contrast, the PA molecules that formed a mixture of right-handed, left-handed, and flat nanostructures on their own were able to coassemble with the other PA molecules. We attribute this phenomenon to the energy barrier associated with changing the handedness of a ß-sheet twist in a coassembly of two different PA molecules. This observation could be useful for designing biomolecular nanostructures with dual bioactivity or interpenetrating networks of PA supramolecular assemblies.

Early inner plexiform layer thinning and retinal nerve fiber layer thickening in excitotoxic retinal injury using deep learning-assisted optical coherence tomography.

Excitotoxicity from the impairment of glutamate uptake constitutes an important mechanism in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. Within the eye, excitotoxicity is thought to play a critical role in retinal ganglion cell death in glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinal ischemia, and optic nerve injury, yet how excitotoxic injury impacts different retinal layers is not well understood. Here, we investigated the longitudinal effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced excitotoxic retinal injury in a rat model using deep learning-assisted retinal layer thickness estimation. Before and after unilateral intravitreal NMDA injection in nine adult Long Evans rats, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to acquire volumetric retinal images in both eyes over 4 weeks. Ten retinal layers were automatically segmented from the OCT data using our deep learning-based algorithm. Retinal degeneration was evaluated using layer-specific retinal thickness changes at each time point (before, and at 3, 7, and 28 days after NMDA injection). Within the inner retina, our OCT results showed that retinal thinning occurred first in the inner plexiform layer at 3 days after NMDA injection, followed by the inner nuclear layer at 7 days post-injury. In contrast, the retinal nerve fiber layer exhibited an initial thickening 3 days after NMDA injection, followed by normalization and thinning up to 4 weeks post-injury. Our results demonstrated the pathological cascades of NMDA-induced neurotoxicity across different layers of the retina. The early inner plexiform layer thinning suggests early dendritic shrinkage, whereas the initial retinal nerve fiber layer thickening before subsequent normalization and thinning indicates early inflammation before axonal loss and cell death. These findings implicate the inner plexiform layer as an early imaging biomarker of excitotoxic retinal degeneration, whereas caution is warranted when interpreting the ganglion cell complex combining retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer, and inner plexiform layer thicknesses in conventional OCT measures. Deep learning-assisted retinal layer segmentation and longitudinal OCT monitoring can help evaluate the different phases of retinal layer damage upon excitotoxicity.

Dual-attention-based recurrent neural network for hand-foot-mouth disease prediction in Korea.

Hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) is a viral disease that occurs primarily in children. Meteorological factors have a significant impact on its popularity annually in Korea. This study proposes a new HFMD prediction model using a dual-attention-based recurrent neural network (DA-RNN) and important weather factors for HFMD in Korea. First, suspected cases of HFMD in each state were predicted using meteorological factors from the DA-RNN. Second, the weather factors were divided into six categories: temperature, wind, rainfall, day length, humidity, and air pollution to conduct sensitivity analysis. Because of this prediction, the proposed model showed the best performance in predicting the number of suspected HFMD cases in a week compared with other RNN methods. Sensitivity analysis showed that air pollution and rainfall play an important role in HFMD in Korea. This model provides information for HFMD prevention and control and can be extended to predict other infectious diseases.

Tear Trough Filler Using the Three-point Tangent Technique: Lessons from 1452 Tear Trough Applications.

This study describes a novel three-point tangent technique for tear trough filler and the results from the largest series to date. Methods: A retrospective case review was performed for all patients treated between 2016 and 2020. Patient demographics, filler details and complications were recorded. The injection technique involves using a blunt cannula to deliver filler along three linear tangents bespoke to each patient. Results: A total of 1452 applications of filler to the orbits of 583 patients were recorded. The median patient age was 41 years (range 19-77), and 84% were women. The mean volume of applied filler at the first appointment was 0.34 mL to each orbit (range 0.1--1.5); 82% reported no complication, 10% reported swelling with a median duration of 4 weeks (range 1-52), 4.3% experienced bruising, 4.6% reported contour irregularities, and 3.3% experienced a Tyndall effect. Retrobulbar hemorrhage occurred in one patient (0.17%), which was managed immediately with no lasting visual compromise. Volume of filler injected was significantly associated with a risk of edema (P < 0.00001) and contour irregularities (P = 0.012). In total, 50% of cases of edema resolved spontaneously after 4 weeks. Filler was dissolved in 1.9% of orbits. Patients with a history of dissolving were significantly more likely to require dissolving after subsequent reinjection (P = 0.043). Conclusions: The three-point tangent technique is a safe and effective method. Increasing volume of filler administered is associated with complications of edema and contour irregularities. Edema is the most common complication and resolves spontaneously in half of patients by 4 weeks.

DataCurator.jl: efficient, portable and reproducible validation, curation and transformation of large heterogeneous datasets using human-readable recipes compiled into machine-verifiable templates.

Large-scale processing of heterogeneous datasets in interdisciplinary research often requires time-consuming manual data curation. Ambiguity in the data layout and preprocessing conventions can easily compromise reproducibility and scientific discovery, and even when detected, it requires time and effort to be corrected by domain experts. Poor data curation can also interrupt processing jobs on large computing clusters, causing frustration and delays. We introduce DataCurator, a portable software package that verifies arbitrarily complex datasets of mixed formats, working equally well on clusters as on local systems. Human-readable TOML recipes are converted into executable, machine-verifiable templates, enabling users to easily verify datasets using custom rules without writing code. Recipes can be used to transform and validate data, for pre- or post-processing, selection of data subsets, sampling and aggregation, such as summary statistics. Processing pipelines no longer need to be burdened by laborious data validation, with data curation and validation replaced by human and machine-verifiable recipes specifying rules and actions. Multithreaded execution ensures scalability on clusters, and existing Julia, R and Python libraries can be reused. DataCurator enables efficient remote workflows, offering integration with Slack and the ability to transfer curated data to clusters using OwnCloud and SCP. Code available at: https://github.com/bencardoen/DataCurator.jl.

Effects of Myopia and Glaucoma on the Neural Canal and Lamina Cribrosa Using Optical Coherence Tomography.

PRCIS: Glaucoma was associated with axial bowing and rotation of Bruchs membrane opening (BMO) and anterior laminar insertion (ALI), skewed neural canal, and deeper anterior lamina cribrosa surface (ALCS). Longer axial length was associated with wider, longer, and more skewed neural canal and flatter ALCS. PURPOSE: Investigate the effects of myopia and glaucoma in the prelaminar neural canal and anterior lamina cribrosa using 1060-nm swept-source optical coherence tomography. PATIENTS: 19 control (38 eyes) and 38 glaucomatous subjects (63 eyes). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants were imaged with swept-source optical coherence tomography, and the images were analyzed for the BMO and ALI dimensions, prelaminar neural canal dimensions, and ALCS depth. RESULTS: Glaucomatous eyes had more bowed and nasally rotated BMO and ALI, more horizontally skewed prelaminar neural canal, and deeper ALCS than the control eyes. Increased axial length was associated with a wider, longer, and more horizontally skewed neural canal and a decrease in the ALCS depth and curvature. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that glaucomatous posterior bowing or cupping of lamina cribrosa can be significantly confounded by the myopic expansion of the neural canal. This may be related to higher glaucoma risk associated with myopia from decreased compliance and increased susceptibility to IOP-related damage of LC being pulled taut.