Vulnerable parafoveal microcirculation quadrant in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision loss among adults. This study evaluates Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) vessel density (VD) as a marker for DR in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. An observational study was conducted with 47 type 2 DM patients and 21 healthy controls.

Pyrogenic PAHs Have Different Biogeochemical Fates in the Eastern Indian Ocean.

Understanding the fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the deep ocean is crucial for elucidating the biogeochemical cycle of organic carbon under anthropogenic influences. In this study, surface sediments were collected from the deep sea of the Eastern Indian Ocean (water depth: 2161-4545 m) and analyzed for 29 semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), including parent PAHs and their alkylated derivatives, as well as source biomarkers. The target SVOCs (∑SVOCs: 23.

Association between Semaglutide and Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy: A Multinational Population-Based Study.

Purpose: To investigate whether semaglutide increases the risk of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) in the general population.

Design: This retrospective cohort study used a deidentified global electronic medical records database. The enrollment period was extended from January 2017 to August 2023, with observations concluding in August 2024.

Identification and hazard prioritization of hydrophobic organic chemicals in flowback and produced water particles: Implications for water management.

Hydraulic fracturing flowback and produced water (HF-FPW) has raised significant concerns owing to its potential impact on aquatic organisms and human health. Understanding the chemical composition of HF-FPW is crucial for developing appropriate management and remediation strategies. Herein, we performed nontarget screening on hydrophobic organic chemicals in the particulate phase of FPW (P-FPW) using gas chromatography-Orbitrap mass spectrometry coupled with cheminformatic analysis.

Acupuncture as Adjuvant Therapy for Glaucoma: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Glaucoma is a chronic progressive optic neuropathy that necessitates lifelong treatment to reduce the decline of the optic nerve. Due to the extended and continuous treatments required for patients, complementary therapies are often considered alongside conventional treatments to enhance the effectiveness of the treatment. Acupuncture has demonstrated the potential to lower intraocular pressure in previous clinical trials, making it a promising glaucoma intervention.

The association between antiglaucomatous agents and Alzheimer's disease.

Objectives: To estimate the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) associated with long-term use of topical glaucoma medications among middle-aged and older glaucoma patients, and compare the AD risk among various glaucoma subtypes.

Methods: This nationwide population-based cohort study utilized insurance claims data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database between 2008 and 2019. Participants were adults aged 45 years or older either with a diagnosis of glaucoma or without.

Developing a Polygenic Risk Score with Age and Sex to Identify High-Risk Myopia in Taiwan.

Myopia is the leading cause of impaired vision, and its prevalence is increasing among Asian populations. This study aimed to develop a polygenic risk score (PRS) followed by replication to predict myopia in the Taiwanese population. In total, 23,688 participants with cycloplegic autorefraction-measured mean spherical equivalent (SE), genetic, and demographic data were included.

The impact of light properties on ocular growth and myopia development.

The objective of this article is to comprehensively review the effect of environmental lighting on ocular growth and refractive status in both animal and clinical studies, with an emphasis on the underlying mechanisms. This review was performed by searching research articles and reviews utilizing the terms "myopia," "light therapy," "axial length," "refractive error," and "emmetropization" in PubMed datasets. The review was finalized in December 2023.

Complement decay-accelerating factor inhibits inflammation-induced myopia development.

Myopia is regarded as a worldwide epidemic ocular disease, has been proved related to inflammation. CD55, also known as decay-accelerating factor (DAF) can modulate the activation of complement through inhibiting the formation of complement 3 convertase and its dysregulation is involved in various inflammatory diseases. To investigate the association between CD55 and myopia, and to test whether CD55 can inhibit myopia development by suppressing inflammation in the eye, we use three different animal models including monocular form-deprivation myopia, myopia induced by TNF-α administration and allergic conjunctivitis animal model to reveal the CD55 in myopia development.

Identification of Genetic Variants for Risk Prediction and Early Diagnosis of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Taiwanese Population.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly worldwide. The prevalence and phenotypes of AMD differ among populations, including between people in Taiwan and other regions. We performed a genome-wide association study to identify genetic variants and to develop genetic models to predict the risk of AMD development and progression in the Taiwanese population.

The role of transforming growth factor beta in myopia development.

Myopia is widely recognized as an epidemic. Studies have found a link between Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-β) and myopia, but the specific molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, a monocular model in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) was established to verify the molecular mechanism of TGF-β in myopia.

Occurrence, behavior and fate of liquid crystal monomers in municipal wastewater.

Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs), the essential substances used in the display screen of electronic devices, have been proposed as a class of emerging chemicals of concern. Despite their detection in various environmental matrices, little is known about the presence of LCMs in municipal sewage systems. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence, distribution, and fate of 64 LCMs released into the aqueous environment from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Hong Kong, China.

Particle size-dependent and route-specific exposure to liquid crystal monomers in indoor air: Implications for human health risk estimations.

In indoor environments, liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) released from display devices is a significant concern, necessitating a comprehensive investigation into their distribution behaviors and potential health risks. Herein, we examined various LCMs in educational and workplace air and compared their associated health risks through inhalation and dermal absorption routes. 4-propyl-4'-vinylbicyclohexyl (3VbcH) and 4,4'-bis(4-propylcyclohexyl) biphenyl (b3CHB) with median concentrations of 101 and 1460 pg m, were the predominant LCMs in gaseous and particulate phases, respectively.

Incidence, Risk Factors and Management of Postoperative Complications in Horizontal Strabismus Surgery.

Objective: To report the incidence, risk factors and management of postoperative complications after horizontal strabismus surgery.

Design: Retrospective Cohort study.

Participants: The study assessed 1,273 patients with 1,035 cases of exotropia and 238 cases of esotropia, with a minimum 18-month follow-up.

Estimation of the riverine input of organic ultraviolet filters (OUVFs) from the Pearl River Estuary to the South China Sea during the early Covid-19 pandemic.

Organic ultraviolet filters (OUVFs) are functional ingredients used in cosmetics to protect skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This study presents recent findings on the distribution of OUVFs in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), located in southern China. This investigation was conducted during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic when the stay-at-home policy was implemented.

Immune responses and safety of COVID-19 vaccination in atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome patients in Taiwan.

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome is a rare, life-threatening disorder which can be triggered by COVID 19 infection and COVID 19 vaccination then induce multiple organ failure. Our study is the first to evaluate immune responses to COVID-19 vaccination and safety in a cohort of patients in a local single-center study in Taiwan..

Increased risk of glaucoma development in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy: results of a 11-year population-based cohort study.

Purpose: To investigate whether patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) have increased risk of developing glaucoma.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with CSC between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2018 were included in this study using data from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). The CSC cohort was matched with a non-CSC cohort using the propensity score matching method, based on sex, age (in 10-year intervals), index date year, comorbidities, and steroid use, resulting in equal numbers of patients in both cohorts.

Legacy and Emerging Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Surveillance in from Inlet Watersheds of Chaohu Lake, China: Tissue Distribution and Bioaccumulation Potential.

Amphibians are sensitive biomonitors of environmental pollutants but reports regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of synthetic organofluorine substances, are limited. In this study, samples of water and Chinese toads () were collected in Chaohu Lake, China. Tissue-specific bioaccumulation characteristics of 39 PFAS, including 19 perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), 8 emerging PFAS, and 12 PFAA precursors, were investigated, and the levels of some biochemical indicators were determined.

New Perspective to Understand and Prioritize the Ecological Impacts of Organophosphate Esters and Transformation Products in Urban Stormwater and Sewage Effluents.

Due to their prevalence in urban contaminated water, the driving factors of organophosphate esters (OPEs) need to be well examined, and their related ecological impacts should include that of their transformation products (TPs). Additionally, a robust framework needs to be developed to integrate multiple variables related to ecological impacts for improving the ecological health assessment. Therefore, OPEs and TPs in urban stormwater and wastewater in Hong Kong were analyzed to fill these gaps.

Acupuncture modulates development of myopia by reducing NLRP3 inflammasome activation via the dopamine-D1R signaling pathway.

Background: Dopamine has been suggested to be a stop signal for eye growth and affects the development of myopia. Acupuncture is known to increase dopamine secretion and is widely used to treat myopia clinically.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine if acupuncture inhibits myopia progression in form deprived Syrian hamsters by inducing rises in dopamine content that in turn suppress inflammasome activation.

Diosgenin, a Natural Steroidal Sapogenin, Alleviates the Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy in Diabetic Mice.

Background/aim: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes and a major cause of blindness in working-age adults. Diosgenin (DG), a natural steroidal sapogenin extracted from fenugreek seeds and wild yam roots, has hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. Given its pharmacological effects, we speculated that DG may be a promising treatment for DR.

Multiple branch retinal artery occlusions following the new facial cosmetic filler (Poly-D, L-lactic Acid) injection a case report.

Background: Poly-D, L-lactic acid is (PDLLA) a new cosmetic filler. We reported the first case of PDLLA-related devastating complication of multiple branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO).

Case Presentation: A 23-year-old female had sudden blindness after injection of PDLLA at the glabella.

Residue Distribution and Daily Exposure of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Indica and Japonica Rice.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have excellent chemical stability but have adverse environmental impacts of concern. Furthermore, bioaccumulation of PFAS in rice varieties─which is the essential staple food crop in Asia─has not been verified. Therefore, we cultivated Indica (Kasalath) and Japonica rice (Koshihikari) in the same Andosol (volcanic ash soil) paddy field and analyzed the air, rainwater, irrigated water, soil, and rice plants for 32 PFAS residues, throughout the cultivation to human consumption.