Factors predicting regression of visual acuity following successful treatment of anisometropic amblyopia.

Objective: To identify factors associated with visual acuity regression following successful treatment of anisometropic amblyopia.

Design And Method: This was a retrospective cohort study. Database records for 100 and 61 children with anisometropic amblyopia who met at least one criterion for successful treatment proposed by the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG) and had at least 1 year of follow-up data available after the criterion was met were analyzed.

Proteomic Profiling Revealed Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Photoreceptor Cells under Hyperglycemia.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) was identified as a leading cause of blindness and vision impairment in 2020. In addition to vasculopathy, DR has been found to involve retinal neurons, including amacrine cells and retinal ganglion cells. Despite possessing features that are susceptible to diabetic conditions, photoreceptor cells have received relatively little attention with respect to the development of DR.

Kinetics in DMS: Modeling Clustering and Declustering Reactions.

Differential mobility spectrometry (DMS) uses high-frequency oscillating electrical fields to harness the differential mobility of ions for separating complex sample mixtures prior to detection. To increase the resolving power, a dynamic microsolvation environment is often created by introducing solvent vapors. Here, relatively large clusters are formed at low-field conditions which then evaporate to form smaller clusters at high-field conditions.

Metabolic fate of black raspberry polyphenols in association with gut microbiota of different origins in vitro.

Polyphenols, ubiquitous in plant-originated foods, exhibit multifarious health benefits but are notorious for their low bioavailability. As the majority of polyphenols enter the colon where they are metabolized into the more bioavailable metabolites with multifarious bioactivities, gut microbiota composition is critical for realizing the health benefits of polyphenols. Black raspberries (BRB) are highly abundant in health-promoting but poorly absorbable polyphenols, primarily ellagitannins and anthocyanins.

Motion opponency at the middle temporal cortex: Preserved motion information and the effect of perceptual learning.

Motion opponency, first observed within the primate middle temporal cortex (MT), refers to the suppressing effect of opposite motion directions on neuronal activity. Namely, when opposing motion directional signals stimulate an MT neuron's receptive field, this neuron's response is comparable with that induced by flicker noise. Under such suppression, it is unknown whether any directional information is still represented at MT.

TPM1 mediates inflammation downstream of TREM2 via the PKA/CREB signaling pathway.

Background: Microglia, the innate immune cells in the central nervous system, play an essential role in brain homeostasis, neuroinflammation and brain infections. Dysregulated microglia, on the other hand, are associated with neurodegenerative diseases, yet the mechanisms underlying pro-inflammatory gene expression in microglia are incompletely understood.

Methods: We investigated the role of the actin-associated protein tropomyosin 1 (TPM1) in regulating pro-inflammatory phenotype of microglia in the retina by using a combination of cell culture, immunocytochemistry, Western blot, qPCR, TUNEL, RNA sequencing and electroretinogram analysis.

Effects of visual span on Chinese reading performance in normal peripheral vision.

The current study examined the relationships among temporal processing speed, spatial visual span and Chinese character reading speed in normal central and peripheral vision. Maximum reading speed (MRS) and critical print size (CPS) of 26 native Chinese readers (13 young and 13 older adults) were determined at three visual field locations: central vision, 10° left and 10° below fixation using a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) task. Temporal processing speed was measured using trigrams of randomly selected Chinese characters presented at a range of exposure durations, while spatial visual span was measured using trigrams presented at different spatial positions.

Temporal Change in Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Expression from Immortalized Human Corneal Epithelial Cells Exposed to Hyperosmotic Stress.

Purpose: To determine the metabolic activity, and cytokine expression over time from immortalized human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) exposed to hyperosmotic stress.

Methods: HCECs were cultured and expanded in DMEM/F-12 with 10% FBS. The cells were exposed to either normal media (295 mmol/kg) or hyperosmolar media (500 mmol/kg) for 0.

Transcranial random noise stimulation and exercise do not modulate ocular dominance plasticity in adults with normal vision.

Short-term deprivation of one eye by monocular patching causes a temporary increase in the contribution of that eye to binocular vision when the eye patch is removed. This effect, known as ocular dominance plasticity, provides a model of neuroplasticity within the human binocular visual system. We investigated whether physical exercise and the non-invasive brain stimulation technique transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), two interventions that may increase visual cortex neuroplasticity, enhance ocular dominance plasticity when delivered individually or in combination.

The hitchhiker's guide to dynamic ion-solvent clustering: applications in differential ion mobility spectrometry.

This article highlights the fundamentals of ion-solvent clustering processes that are pertinent to understanding an ion's behaviour during differential mobility spectrometry (DMS) experiments. We contrast DMS with static-field ion mobility, where separation is affected by mobility differences under the high-field and low-field conditions of an asymmetric oscillating electric field. Although commonly used in mass spectrometric (MS) workflows to enhance signal-to-noise ratios and remove isobaric contaminants, the chemistry and physics that underpins the phenomenon of differential mobility has yet to be fully fleshed out.

Eyelid Warming Devices: Safety, Efficacy, and Place in Therapy.

Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is characterized by the obstruction and/or inflammation of the meibomian glands that result in decreased and altered meibum secretion. This results in deficiencies in the tear film lipid layer which contributes to increased evaporation and destabilization of the tear film. One of the mainstay therapies for MGD is medical devices that apply heat and/or pressure to the eyelids and promote the liquification and outflow of meibum into the tear film.

Aqueous Supramolecular Co-Assembly of Anionic and Cationic Photoresponsive Stiff-Stilbene Amphiphiles.

Fabrication of macroscopic soft functional materials, such as macroscopic photoresponsive soft materials and artificial muscles, can be commonly prepared by charge screening of supramolecular assemblies with inorganic salt solutions using a shear-flow method. However, some of the charged end-groups of photoresponsive molecular amphiphiles cannot be stabilized with inorganic salt solutions to fabricate macroscopic soft materials. Stiff stilbene amphiphiles (SAs) functionalized with anionic phosphite and cationic quaternary ammonium end groups are designed and synthesized and their photochemical and supramolecular assembly properties are determined.

Mechanistic Effects of Baicalein on Aqueous Humor Drainage and Intraocular Pressure.

Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is a major risk factor for glaucoma that results from impeded fluid drainage. The increase in outflow resistance is caused by trabecular meshwork (TM) cell dysfunction and excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Baicalein (Ba) is a natural flavonoid and has been shown to regulate cell contraction, fluid secretion, and ECM remodeling in various cell types, suggesting the potential significance of regulating outflow resistance and IOP.

Efficacy of 0.01% atropine for myopia control in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial depends on baseline electroretinal response.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of 18-month 0.01% atropine in 61 myopic children (aged 7-10) and the relationship with central retinal response (by multifocal electroretinogram [mfERG]) in a double-masked randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Global-flash mfERG was measured at baseline, while cycloplegic spherical equivalent refraction (SER) and axial length (AL) were measured at baseline and at 6-month intervals.

Retinal Proteomic Analysis in a Mouse Model of Endotoxin-Induced Uveitis Using Data-Independent Acquisition-Based Mass Spectrometry.

Uveitis is a group of sight-threatening ocular inflammatory diseases, potentially leading to permanent vision loss in patients. However, it remains largely unknown how uveitis causes retinal malfunction and vision loss. Endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in rodents is a good animal model to study uveitis and associated acute retinal inflammation.

High Prevalence of Astigmatism in Children after School Suspension during the COVID-19 Pandemic Is Associated with Axial Elongation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hong Kong Government enforced a “school from home” policy between February and September 2020. This cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of astigmatism and visual habits after the home confinement period. Vision screenings were conducted at three local government-funded primary schools in Hong Kong from October 2020 to December 2020.

The impact of a rub and rinse regimen on removal of human coronaviruses from contemporary contact lens materials.

Purpose: To assess the influence of contemporary contact lens (CL) materials on human coronavirus attachment and the influence of a rub and rinse step to remove these viruses.

Methods: The binding rates of HCoV-229E and HCoV-OC43 to eight soft CL materials and four rigid gas permeable materials were analyzed. The impact of a rub and rinse step to remove these viruses from all materials was examined.

Carotenoids and Vitamin A in Breastmilk of Hong Kong Lactating Mothers and Their Relationships with Maternal Diet.

Carotenoids and vitamin A are nutrients crucial to infants’ development. To date, there is limited data on their availability in breastmilk and the associated dietary factors, especially in Hong Kong, where people follow a westernized Chinese diet. This study determined the selected breastmilk’s carotenoid and vitamin A (retinol) contents by ultraperformance liquid chromatography with photodiode detection (UPLC-PDA) and the dietary intakes by three-day food records in 87 Hong Kong lactating mothers, who were grouped into tertiles based on their daily carotenoid intake.

Selective blue-filtering spectacle lens protected primary porcine RPE cells against light emitting diode-induced cell damage.

This study aimed to investigate whether use of a selective-blue-filtering (S-BF) lens can protect cultured primary porcine RPE cells against photo-irradiation. Transmittance of S-BF and UV-filtering (UVF) lenses was characterised spectrophotometrically. RPE cells were exposed to 1700 lux of white (peak λ at 443 and 533 nm; 0.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and psychometric properties of the Hausa version of the Insomnia Severity Index among internally displaced persons in Africa.

Background: Although sleep disturbances and insomnia are common among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), these disorders remain largely understudied among victims fleeing ethnoreligious genocide. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), though a widely used measure of insomnia, has not been translated, cross-culturally adapted, nor validated in common African languages. This paper aimed to translate, adapt and validate the ISI scale into Hausa, the most widely spoken non-Indo-European language in African continent.

Development pattern of ocular biometric parameters and refractive error in young Chinese adults: a longitudinal study of first-year university students.

Background: The increase in the prevalence of myopia has become a matter of serious public health concern, and few studies to date have examined the ocular biometric parameters of myopia in young Chinese adults. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal ocular biometric and refractive development of first-year university students and the influence of near work.

Methods: This study included 526 first-year university students from Tianjin Medical University (mean age, 18.

Myopia Control Effect Is Influenced by Baseline Relative Peripheral Refraction in Children Wearing Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) Spectacle Lenses.

The aim of this study is to investigate if baseline relative peripheral refraction (RPR) influences the myopia control effects in Chinese myopic children wearing Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) lenses. Peripheral refraction at 10°, 20°, and 30° nasal (10 N, 20 N, 30 N) and temporal (10 T, 20 T, 30 T) retina were measured at six-month intervals for children who participated in a 2-year randomized controlled trial. The relationship between the baseline peripheral refractions and myopia progression and axial length changes were analysed.