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Background: Retinal detachment (RD) is a vision-threatening disorder of significant severity. Individuals with high myopia (HM) face a 2 to 6 times higher risk of developing RD compared to non-myopes. The timely identification of high myopia-related retinal detachment (HMRD) is crucial for effective treatment and prevention of additional vision impairment. Consequently, our objective was to streamline and validate a machine-learning model based on clinical laboratory omics (clinlabomics) for the early detection of RD in HM patients. Methods: We extracted clinlabomics data from the electronic health records for 24,440 HM and 5607 HMRD between 2015 and 2022. Lasso regression analysis assessed fifty-nine variables, excluding collinear variables (variance inflation factor > 10). Four models based on random forest, gradient boosting machine (GBM), generalized linear model, and Deep Learning Model were trained for HMRD diagnosis and employed for internal validation. An external test of the models was done. Three random data sets were further processed to validate the performance of the diagnostic model. The primary outcomes were the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and the area under the precision-recall curve (AUCPR) to diagnose HMRD. Results: Nine variables were selected by all models. Given the AUC and AUCPR values across the different sets, the GBM model was chosen as the final diagnostic model. The GBM model had an AUC of 0.8550 (95%CI = 0.8322–0.8967) and an AUCPR of 0.5584 (95%CI = 0.5250–0.5879) in the training set. The AUC and AUCPR in the internal validation were 0.8405 (95%CI = 0.8060–0.8966) and 0.5355 (95%CI = 0.4988–0.5732). During the external test evaluation, it reached an AUC of 0.7579 (95%CI = 0.7340–0.7840) and an AUCPR of 0.5587 (95%CI = 0.5345–0.5880). A similar discriminative capacity was observed in the three random data sets. The GBM model was well-calibrated across all the sets. The GBM-RD model was implemented into a web application that provides risk prediction for HM individuals. Conclusion: GBM algorithms based on nine features successfully predicted the diagnosis of RD in patients with HM, which will help ophthalmologists to establish a preliminary diagnosis and to improve diagnostic accuracy in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic treatment shows non-inferior survival outcomes and better surgical outcomes in apparent stage I ovarian cancer (OC) in some studies but has not been well defined. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with apparent stage I OC treated in two hospitals between 2012 and 2022. The surgical and oncologic outcomes were evaluated between patients receiving laparoscopic and laparotomic surgery. Results: We identified 37 patients with apparent stage I OC, including 15 (40.5%) serous carcinomas, 9 (24.3%) mucinous cancers, 3 (8.1%) endometroid cancers, 2 clear cell carcinomas, and 8 (21.6%) non-epithelial cancers. Sixteen patients received laparoscopic surgery and the other 21 patients underwent laparotomic surgery. The median age (44.5 vs. 49.0 years), mean mass size (10.5 vs. 11.3 cm), and median follow-up time (43.5 vs. 75.0 months) showed no statistically significant differences between patients in laparoscopic and laparotomic groups (all P > 0.05). All the patients underwent comprehensive surgical staging surgery, and the mean surgical time (213.5 vs. 203.3 min, P = 0.507), number of lymph nodes sampling (18.6 vs. 17.5, P = 0.359), proportion of upstaging (12.5% vs. 19.0%, P = 0.680), and postoperative complications (no Accordion Severity Grading System grade ≥ 3) were comparable between two surgical groups. Moreover, patients in the laparoscopic group had significantly less intraoperative blood loss (231.3 vs. 352.4 mL, P = 0.018), shorter interval between surgery and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (7.4 vs. 9.5 days, P = 0.004), shorter length of hospital stay (9.9 vs. 13.8 days, P < 0.001) than those treated with laparotomic surgery. During a median follow-up of 54.0 months, 9 (24.3%) relapsed and 1 (2.7%) died, with a 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) rate of 70.6% and 100%, respectively. However, the 5-year RFS (93.3% vs. 58.8%, P = 0.084) and DSS (100% vs. 100%, P = 0.637) rates did not significantly differ between the two groups. Conclusion: Laparoscopic surgical treatment had less intraoperative blood loss, earlier postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy administration, shorter hospitalization time, and non-inferior survival outcomes in apparent stage I OC when compared with laparotomic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Myopia has emerged as a major public health concern globally, which is tightly associated with scleral extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and choroidal vasculopathy. Choroidal vasculopathy has gradually been recognized as a critical trigger of myopic pathology. However, the precise mechanism controlling choroidal vasculopathy remains unclear. Transfer RNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are known as a novel class of small non-coding RNAs that plays important roles in several biological and pathological processes. In this study, we investigated the role of tRF-22-8BWS72092 (tRF-22) in choroidal vasculopathy and myopia progression. Methods: The tRF-22 expression pattern under myopia-related stresses was detected by qRT-PCR. MTT assays, EdU incorporation assays, Transwell migration assays, and Matrigel assays were conducted to detect the role of tRF-22 in choroidal endothelial cell function in vitro. Isolectin B4 staining and choroidal sprouting assay ex vivo were conducted to detect the role of tRF-22 in choroidal vascular dysfunction in vivo. Immunofluorescent staining, western blot assays and ocular biometric parameters measurement were performed to examine whether altering tRF-22 expression in choroid affects scleral hypoxia and ECM remodeling and myopia progression in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase activity assays were conducted to identify the downstream targets of tRF-22. RNA-sequencing combined with m6A-qPCR assays were used to identify the m6A modified targets of METTL3. Gain-of-function and Loss-of-function analysis were performed to reveal the mechanism of tRF-22/METTL3-mediated choroidal vascular dysfunction. Results: The results revealed that tRF-22 expression was significantly down-regulated in myopic choroid. tRF-22 overexpression alleviated choroidal vasculopathy and retarded the progression of myopia in vivo. tRF-22 regulated choroidal endothelial cell viability, proliferation, migration, and tube formation ability in vitro. Mechanistically, tRF-22 interacted with METTL3 and blocked m6A methylation of Axin1 and Arid1b mRNA transcripts, which led to increased expression of Axin1 and Arid1b. Conclusions: Our study reveals that the intervention of choroidal vasculopathy via tRF-22-METTL3- Axin1/Arid1b axis is a promising strategy for the treatment of patients with myopic pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ICL is a safe procedure with a low incidence of secondary surgery. Realignment, including vertical rotation, and exchange are practicable for the management of misalignment and excessive vault. Purpose: To evaluate the incidence, causes, and outcomes of implantable collamer lens (ICL) realignment or exchange after implantation of the EVO-ICL. Setting: Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University, China. Design: Retrospective study. Methods: The study included 10 258 consecutive eyes after ICL implantation. Preoperative refractive and biometric measurements were compared between eyes with and without realignment or exchange. For eyes with ICL realignment or exchange, visual and biometric outcomes were also compared before and after ICL realignment or exchange. Results: The overall incidence of ICL realignment or exchange was 0.21% 22 eyes. 12 eyes (0.12%) underwent ICL realignment by axis rotation (10 eyes) or ICL exchange (2 eyes) due to toric ICL (TICL) misalignment. After realignment, uncorrected distance visual acuity improved, and residual cylinder decreased from −1.75 ± 0.48 diopters (D) to −0.87 ± 0.59 D (P =.01). 10 eyes (0.10%) underwent vertical rotation of ICL (3 eyes) or ICL exchange (7 eyes) due to excessive vault. After either vertical rotation or ICL exchange, vault decreased significantly (P <.05). Conclusions: The incidence of ICL realignment or exchange after ICL implantation is low. TICL misalignment and excessive vault are 2 main causes. Implant exchange may be performed for excessive vault or misalignment with an insufficient vault. In addition, vertical rotation of an ICL may be a less invasive method to treat excessive vault in certain cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese universities have placed increasing emphasis, on incorporating English as a medium of instruction (EMI) courses to enhance their competitiveness both nationally and internationally. However, the successful implementation of these courses requires learners to acquire content knowledge. To promote EMI courses, specific initiatives and policies have been put in place by universities reflecting a trend in the globalization of higher education and the growing demand for English proficiency in academic settings. Despite the attention given to education in Chinese society, many learners are not adequately prepared to overcome challenges associated with EMI classes. This leads to inefficiencies and drawbacks within the educational system. For instance, some learners struggle with understanding subject matter due to language barriers or encounter difficulties fully engaging with course materials because of language related challenges. This study aims to fill a significant research gap by providing a comprehensive exploration of the main challenges faced by learners in the Chinese EMI context and by highlighting the crucial contribution of EMI courses to China's higher education competitiveness internationally. By identifying factors and variables that can predict success in EMI contexts, particularly by studying learners' academic language-related skills as potential predictors of EMI success, this study offers novel insights into the impact of EMI courses on China's position in the global academic arena. A total of 361 male and female EFL learners participated in the study and completed the EMI Challenges Scale. The data analysis, including descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression, revealed that writing, reading, and listening skills significantly predicted success in EMI. Writing emerged as the best predictor, explaining 28.19 % of the variance in EMI success, followed by reading (19.54 %). The results of this study contribute to current debates on international affairs of higher education by not only illustrating the problems students face in EMI courses, but also providing important suggestions for improving the learning environment on EMI language in China. This leads to ongoing debates about the globalization of higher education and the need for English proficiency in academic settings. In addition, the results of this study are useful for teachers and policy makers; it emphasizes the importance of improving EMI learners' writing, reading, and listening skills in EMI learners to enhance their success in academic settings. In particular, they may consider implementing language development programs and provide EMI learners with additional support to improve their writing, reading and listening skills. This study also highlights the need for appropriate support and resources to address the specific language challenges faced by EMI students, paving the way for better instructional strategies and guidelines in Chinese EMI terms. • This study was to determine which language skills pose more challenges in EMI settings. • Students' level of EFL proficiency greatly predicts the extent to which they perceive themselves as successful in EMI. • The finding can contribute to enriching the available literature on EMI globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water inrush is a serious geological disaster in deep coal mining and rock engineering in China. The occurrence of water inrush is affected by the interaction of many controlling factors in underground reservoir areas. In order to improve the accuracy of water inrush risk evaluation, the changes in index weights due to the change in influencing factors and the uncertain factors should be both considered. In this study, an evaluation model that integrates variable weight and unascertained measure (VWUM) theories was established. First, a modified credible degree recognition was established to make the evaluation results represent both the evaluation grade and the difference in the degree to which the indexes belong to the same grade. Then, the VWUM model was established by coupling the variable weight, unascertained measure, modified credible degree recognition, and geographic information system (GIS). Last, the VWUM model is applied to a case study to evaluate water inrush risk. Results indicates that more detailed risk grades and their spatial distribution zones can be obtained by the VWUM model compared with those obtained by the water inrush coefficient. The VWUM model can provide a more accurate evaluation result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates optimal recovery strategy of components for maximizing the resilience of the cyber–physical power system (CPPS), where a component represents a unique node or branch, such as generating stations and communication transmission lines. The proposed optimization model is built as a multimode resource-constrained project scheduling problem to incorporate system resilience, cascading failures of the CPPS, the diversity of recovery resources, execution modes of recovery activities, precedence of damaged components, as well as the availability, cost, and time of recovery resources. The failure propagation mechanisms are characterized by a cascading failure model, which is further embedded in the optimization model to quantify the system real-time performance during the recovery process, and determine whether repaired components can be reconnected to the system. The system resilience is quantified using a proposed time-dependent annual composite resilience metric based on a compound Poisson process. The proposed optimization model is solved using a modified simulated annealing algorithm. The system that couples the IEEE 30-bus model and a small-world communication network is used as a testbed to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed modeling approach. Comparisons with existing optimization models in the literature show the superiority of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare 1-year visual outcomes after implantable collamer lens V4c (EVO-ICL) implantation and small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for moderate myopia. Methods: In this retrospective study, 67 eyes of 39 patients with a preoperative manifest refraction spherical equivalent between − 3.00 and − 6.00 diopters (D) were selected from a database of SMILE and ICL implantation procedures performed from April 2018 to December 2018. Thirty-two eyes of 20 patients underwent EVO-ICL implantation, and 35 eyes of 19 patients underwent SMILE. At the routine 1-year follow-up appointment, all selected patients were examined for higher-order ocular aberrations, retinal image quality, and a quality of vision (QoV) questionnaire. This data was then analyzed. Results: No complications were observed. Uncorrected and corrected visual acuities at 1 year after surgery were − 0.13 ± 0.07 and − 0.15 ± 0.06 logMAR in the SMILE group, and − 0.10 ± 0.07 and − 0.16 ± 0.05 logMAR in the ICL group. Twenty-nine eyes (90.6%) which underwent ICL implantation and 34 eyes (97.1%) which underwent SMILE were within ± 0.5 D of the attempted spherical equivalent (P = 0.49). Changes in coma after ICL were significantly less than after SMILE (P = 0.002). The leading complaints after ICL and SMILE were halos (84.4%) and blurred vision (65.7%), respectively. Conclusions: Both SMILE and ICL implantation provided good safety, efficacy, and predictability in correcting moderate myopia. The subjective visual complaints consisted mainly of halos after ICL and starbursts and blurred vision after SMILE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the visual quality of myopic patients after non‐toric versus toric implantable collamer lens (ICL and TICL, respectively) V4c, and to investigate the potential risk factors of postoperative night vision disturbances. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 42 eyes of 21 patients treated with ICL and 46 eyes of 23 patients treated with TICL. Refractive parameters and ocular aberrations were examined before and 6 months after surgery. Subjective quality of vision was scored by a validated questionnaire. Results: The efficacy index at 6 months was 1.14 ± 0.20 for ICL and 1.17 ± 0.16 for TICL; the safety index was 1.20 ± 0.17 for ICL and 1.20 ± 0.19 for TICL. The root mean square of total higher‐order aberrations (HOAs) and trefoil was significantly increased, and no statistical differences between groups were detected in HOA changes. Many patients reported haloes (85.7% for ICL and 100% for TICL) and glare (76.2% for ICL and 65.2% for TICL), but most (94.4% for ICL and 95.5% for TICL) were satisfied or very satisfied with visual outcomes. Implantable collamer lens (ICL) toricity was the risk factor for frequency (OR = 2.81, p = 0.01), severity (OR = 3.85, p = 0.003) and bothering effect (OR = 2.89, p = 0.01) of haloes. Conclusions: Implantable collamer lens and TICL provided comparable efficacy, safety and predictability, induced acceptable level of HOAs and achieved high satisfaction in correcting myopia and myopic astigmatism. Although not severe, haloes and glare have a non‐negligible prevalence and ICL toricity is a potential risk factor of haloes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of pregnancy at the uterine scar after cesarean section, there is an urgent need to find a conservative treatment mode with drugs that can improve the success rate of treatment, shorten the conservative treatment time, and cause little harm to the body. This research combines ultrasound intervention technology to construct a fuzzy model to comprehensively evaluate the clinical effects of traditional Chinese medicine combined with western medicine in the treatment of CSP. Moreover, this research combines the current application algorithms of machine vision to explain the relevant principles of ultrasound interventional vision. In addition, this research uses the background subtraction method to extract the target, and uses the machine vision algorithm to extract the ultrasonic detection target object. Finally, this research adjusts the control parameters according to the fuzzy control, and outputs the optimal control plan with BP network training. The results of this study show that the combination of Chinese and Western medicines in the treatment of uterine scars after cesarean section has the advantages of small gestational sacs, short pregnancy, and low blood β-HCG, and it has the advantages of less pain, economy, fewer side effects, and successfully preserves the uterus. Therefore, it is worthy of clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of preoperative dry eye disease and evaluate tear film function in refractive surgery candidates in China. Methods: In this prospective noninterventional cross-sectional study, refractive surgical candidates from 13 preselected eye hospitals in China were recruited from July 2015 to February 2016. Patient histories, subjective symptoms, tear film breakup time (TBUT), ocular surface fluorescein staining, and Schirmer I tests (SIT), were assessed to conduct subgroup analysis. Results: A total of 1,849 patients were recruited, 41.4% were diagnosed with dry eye disease (766/1,849) and 44.9% (830/1,849) of subjects had a positive history of contact lens (CL) wear. The overall mean TBUT and SIT values were 7.3 ± 3.7 s and 15.2 ± 8.8 mm, respectively. The total prevalence of ocular surface fluorescein staining was 23.46% (422/1,849); 44.62% of patients had TBUT <5 s and 23.20% of patients had SIT <5 mm. CL wearers were observed to have a higher prevalence of dry eye than non-CL wearers (54.1 vs. 35.2%, OR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.77–2.65). Conclusions: In this study, the most common abnormal finding in dry eye disease was tear film instability. A high proportion of refractive surgery candidates have preexisting dry eye disease and a history of CL wear prior to surgery. Careful attention should be given to the evaluation of preoperative dry eye in refractive surgery candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasonic impact technology was applied to improve the property of laser cladded CoCrFeNiMo x (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75) high entropy alloy coatings on the surface of low-carbon steel. The phase structures and the microstructural characteristics were studied in detail through X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The microhardness distributions, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance of the samples are illustrated using a microhardness tester, a micro-friction and wear tester, and an electrochemical test system. Single FCC phase solid solution was identified to be the main phase structure, with the interdendritic σ phase precipitating with the increasing Mo content. Although ultrasonic impact treatment did not change the phase composition of the high-entropy alloy (HEA) cladding coatings, evident plastic deformation and broken σ phase appeared near the surface of the impacted layers. Through the combined effects of dislocation, fine-grain, and dispersion strengthening, the microhardness of the CoCrFeNiMo x coatings was improved after ultrasonic impact treatment. In addition, ultrasonic impact treatment decreased the surface roughness and increased the wear resistance, and the main wear mechanism of the impacted layers changed from fatigue spalling to abrasive wear. The wear mass of the ultrasonically impacted layers was approximately 92 % of the laser cladded CoCrFeNiMo x coatings. Furthermore, ultrasonic impact treatment improved the corrosion resistance of the HEA coatings. • Microstructure examinations in CoCrFeNiMo x cladding coatings before and after UIT were conducted. • UIT brings out the refined grains, dislocation multiplication and broken σ phase. • UIT enhanced hardness, wear and corrosion resistance of cladding CoCrFeNiMo x coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Q-markers of YTC against MI was uncovered; • Extraction process of YTC was optimized; • HPLC fingerprint of optimized YTC was established. Myocardial ischemia (MI), a condition in which the heart is unable to function due to insufficient blood and oxygen supply, is a major cause of death from coronary heart disease (CHD). Yiqi Tongluo capsule (YTC) is a Chinese patent drug which commonly used for treatment of MI in clinic. However, the related active components of YTC for treatment of MI were still uncovered. This paper is aimed to study the quality markers (Q-markers) of YTC and further optimize the extraction process of YTC based on Q-markers, providing research foundation for the further modern pharmaceutical preparations of YTC. We firstly used UPLC-QTOF-MS to analyze the constituents of YTC absorbed in blood, then isoprenaline (ISO) induced H9c2 cell model was used further screen the active constituents with protective effects on cardiomyocytes. After that, the orthogonal table (L9 (34)) was used to optimize the extraction process with three levels of 4 factors (water addition, immersion time, extraction time and decoction times). Finally, the HPLC fingerprint of 15 batches of optimized YTC was established. In our present study, a total of 33 components were identified in YTC, of which 10 components were absorbed in blood. Among the 10 components, 8 compounds had significant protective effects on ISO stimulated H9c2 cells, including Paeoniflorin, Ferulic acid, Calycosin, Senkyunolide A, N-butylphthalide, Z-ligustilide, Levistilide A, and Astragaloside IV, which were considered as the Q-markers of YTC. The optimized extraction process based on Q-marker as follows: soaking 1 h, then adding 8 times water to extract 3 times by decoction, each extraction lasts 1.5 h. The HPLC fingerprint of optimized YTC was established with 15 batches of YTC samples, and the optimized YTC samples has no significant toxicity to the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and brain tissues of rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate differences in the objective and subjective visual quality of patients with high myopia following implantable collamer lens V4c (ICL V4c) versus small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) early postoperatively. Methods: This prospective analysis included 94 eyes of 57 patients (8 males) in the ICL V4c group (mean spherical equivalent (SE), −8.07 ± 1.03 dioptres (D)) and 103 eyes of 57 patients (13 males) in the SMILE group (mean SE, −7.85 ± 0.78 D). Refractive parameters and wavefront aberrations were recorded preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. Subjective visual quality was scored with the Quality of Vision questionnaire, and operation satisfaction was evaluated 6 months postoperatively. Results: At 6 months postoperatively, the efficacy index was 1.17 ± 0.16 in the ICL and 1.09 ± 0.20 in the SMILE group; the safety index was 1.21 ± 0.18 in the ICL and 1.12 ± 0.16 in the SMILE group. A significant increase in total higher‐order aberrations (HOAs) in both the ICL and SMILE groups was observed, but to a lesser degree in ICL (p < 0.05). In the ICL group, trefoil significantly increased (p < 0.05), whereas in the SMILE group, coma, trefoil and spherical aberration significantly increased (p < 0.05). Glare, haloes and blurred vision had the highest incidences after both types of surgery, and postoperative haloes were significantly more common following ICL; 96.1% of ICL‐treated and 94.9% of SMILE‐treated patients were satisfied with their visual outcomes. Conclusion: ICL V4c caused lower HOAs induction than SMILE. Despite the postoperative visual disturbances, both ICL and SMILE provided good efficacy, safety, predictability and high satisfaction in correcting high myopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance Identifying peripheral retinal lesions in high myopia patients before implantable collamer lens (ICL) surgery by nonmydriatic Optomap ultrawide field imaging. Background: To investigate specificity and sensitivity of nonmydriatic Optomap ultrawide field imaging for detecting peripheral retinal lesions in high myopia patients before ICL surgery. Design Hospital‐based, cross‐sectional study. Participants: A total of 1725 high myopic eyes of 897 ICL surgery candidates were included in this study. Methods: Patients with high myopia were scheduled for routine ophthalmic examination before ICL implantation. Nonmydriatic Optomap ultrawide field imaging was applied for detecting potential peripheral retinal lesions before ICL surgery. Main Outcome Measures: Presence of peripheral retinal lesions. Results: Of 1725 eyes, 344 (19.94%) had peripheral retinal lesions in total; 75 (4.35%) eyes had holes/tears; 313 (18.14%) eyes had peripheral retinal degenerations. Sensitivity of Optomap for detecting peripheral retinal holes/tears and degenerations were 57.33% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 45.38‐68.69) and 65.18% (95% CI: 59.61‐70.45). Specificity for peripheral retinal holes/tears and degenerations were 99.58% (95% CI: 99.13‐99.83) and 99.08% (95% CI: 98.43‐99.51), respectively. A total of 22.70% (32/141) of omitted peripheral retinal lesions under Optomap needed intervention. Longer axial length (odds ratio [OR]: 1.16, P <.01), more severe refractive error (OR: 1.05, P <.01) and older age (OR: 1.03, P <.01) were proved to be risk factors for peripheral retinal degenerations in high myopes. Conclusions and Relevance: Optomap ultrawide field imaging is a reliable adjunctive tool with high specificity and moderate sensitivity for identifying and recording peripheral retinal lesions in high myopes in preoperative examination. Nonmydriatic Optomap could not entirely replace Goldmann three‐mirror contact lens in detecting peripheral retinal lesions in high myopia ICL candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare visual outcomes and aberration outcomes in small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) versus femtosecond laser LASIK (FS‐LASIK). Methods: This prospective, comparative, nonrandomized clinical study included 68 eyes of 37 patients receiving SMILE and 55 eyes of 30 patients receiving FS‐LASIK between December 2011 and January 2013 at the Fudan University Eye and ENT Hospital (Shanghai, People's Republic of China). Patients were followed up at 3, 6 months and 5 years after surgery. Main outcome measurements included uncorrected (UDVA) and corrected (CDVA) distance visual acuity, manifest refraction, central corneal thickness (CCT), total corneal refractive power (TCRP) and wavefront aberrations. Results: About 98% (49/50) of treated eyes in the SMILE group and 95% (39/41) in the FS‐LASIK group had a postoperative logMAR UDVA of 0 or better. Spherical equivalent (SE) after 5 years was −0.01 ± 0.35 D in the SMILE group and −0.23 ± 0.41 D in the FS‐LASIK group. A regression of −0.02 ± 0.39 D in the SMILE group and −0.12 ± 0.32 D in the FS‐LASIK group was observed between 6 months and 5 years postoperative time‐points. TCRP increased by 0.39 ± 0.38 D in the SMILE group and 0.45 ± 0.49 D in the FS‐LASIK group between 6‐month and 5‐year time‐points. However, no statistically significant difference was found between the SMILE and FS‐LASIK groups in terms of ∆SE, ∆CCT and ∆TCRP between 6 months and 5 years postoperative time‐points. Conclusion: Myopic regression was observed in terms of TCRP but not in subjective refraction. No statistically significant difference in stability was found between SMILE and FS‐LASIK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract High power density laser was applied during rock breaking for sandstone with different laser parameters. The fracture morphologies and quantitative characterization as well as the parameters on specific energy and rate of perforation were analyzed. It was found that a complex crack net structure was formed and the cracks area and length on the surface of sandstone specimen almost increased linearly with the number of laser perforation. Furthermore, the diameter and depth of laser perforation, the maximum width of cracks, the maximum depth and total circumferential length of side cracks increased with laser power and laser irradiation time. The experimental results demonstrated that the SE values gradually decreased with laser power while the ROP values increased. However, the SE values of sandstone by laser perforation presented a trend of first increase and then decrease, while the ROP values decreased gradually with laser irradiation time. A smooth glaze layer was formed on the inner wall of the laser perforation, where there also was plenty of shrinkage hole. Obvious cracks were generated and propagated along the inner wall. Typical brittle fracture occurred with the mix fracture mechanisms of intergranular fracture and transgranular fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulation and experimental tests are conducted to determine the stress distribution and fragment mechanism of granite during laser perforation. The mechanisms of material removal through laser perforation are spallation, melting and ablation. High intensity laser energy concentrates locally on the granite surface area and causes the local temperature to increase instantaneously. The closer the center of laser beam is, the higher the temperature is. With the laser power increasing the size of laser perforation hole is expanded. In addition, the high heating and cooling rates induced by laser irradiation brings out the generation of high tensile stress (481–536 MPa), which is far higher than the tensile strength (11 MPa) of granite sample, and fracture or spallation occurs. Fracture analysis showed the inner wall of the glassy layer after laser perforation is smooth with lots of pores. Moreover, there is a hackle region with regular strips of micron/nano scale at the edge to the glassy layer, and the secondary cracks propagate perpendicular to the regular strips. Compared with the fracture morphology of the glassy layer, the fracture surface of the interfacial transition zone is coarse, and obvious secondary cracks also generate. Obviously, the fracture mechanism of granite faced to laser irradiation is the typical brittle fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the development of the construction of smart cities and the new generation of information and communication technology have promoted the intelligent urban management and service. The internet of vehicles, as a new basic technology system and industrial field that connects intelligent connected vehicles and smart cities, is constantly developing and maturing. However, the data transmission and management of the internet of vehicles are heavily dependent on the wireless channel, which determines that the wireless channel is vulnerable to conceivable threats such as information leakage and data attack. Therefore, this paper proposes a security and privacy protection communication protocol for internet of vehicles in the smart cities. In terms of security, Burrows-Abadi-Needham logic and Scyther formal verification tool are used for security verification. Through security analysis and performance analysis, this protocol has lower computation and communication costs while achieving higher security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Purpose: To investigate early visual and refractive outcomes, corneal stability and optical quality after femtosecond laser small‐incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for treating myopia and myopic astigmatism over −10 D. Methods: Thirty eyes (30 patients) with myopia and myopic astigmatism of over −10 D were treated with VisuMax® femtosecond laser (version 3.0; Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany). Six months postoperative safety, efficacy and predictability were evaluated. Corneal Scheimpflug topography was measured preoperatively, 1 day, 3 months and 6 months postoperatively. Wavefront aberrations were measured preoperatively, 3 months and 6 months postoperatively. Results: Six months postoperatively, LogMAR uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) were −0.013 ± 0.086 and −0.073 ± 0.069, respectively. 73% (97%) of eyes were within 0.5 (1) D of target refraction. No eyes lost CDVA, 43% (13 eyes) gained one line and 7% (two eyes) gained two lines. Mean corneal back curvature (KMB) and posterior central elevation (PCE) did not change significantly comparing preoperative and 6 months postoperative data (p = 0.91 and 0.77, respectively). Comparing 1 day with 6 months postoperative data, central corneal thickness (CCT), mean corneal front curvature (KMF), KMB and PCE did not change significantly (p = 0.27, 0.07, 0.52, 0.71, respectively). Total higher‐order aberration (HOA), spherical aberration and coma increased significantly (p < 0.01) but trefoil remained stable (p = 0.49). Conclusion: Our results indicate that SMILE can correct myopia and myopic astigmatism of over −10 D predictably. No early ectasia was observed. Long‐term changes in visual quality and corneal stability require further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate re-innervation in the implanted lenticule, as well as changes to the cornea, after correcting hyperopia with an autologous implantation of a lenticule obtained through small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE).Methods: This study retrospectively analysed re-innervation in the implanted lenticule, as well as microscopic morphological changes in the corneal architecture of the recipient cornea in five patients (with myopia in one eye and hyperopia in the contralateral eye) who received SMILE in the myopic eye and femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) combined with lenticule implantation in the contralateral hyperopic eye. Re-innervation in the implanted lenticule, as well as microscopic morphological changes in corneal architecture, were evaluated by in vivo confocal microscopy.Results: One patient was examined at postoperative week six, two were examined at postoperative month two, one was examined at postoperative month nine, and one was examined at postoperative month 12. Partial subbasal nerve fibre regeneration was detected in two patients (Case 4 who was examined at postoperative month nine and Case 5 who was examined at postoperative month 12). Regenerated and branched nerve fibres were detected in the implanted lenticule in Case 5 who was examined at postoperative month 12. Both the anterior and posterior interfaces showed an absence or decrease of keratocytes and the presence of small particles of various brightnesses. Keratocytes in the implanted lenticule presented abnormal morphology in size and shape after surgery in all treated eyes, but showed partial morphological recovery in two patients (Case 4 who was examined at postoperative month nine and Case 5 who was examined at postoperative month 12).Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that nerve fibres will regenerate into the implanted lenticule after autologous lenticule implantation. Keratocytes in lenticules demonstrated a gradual return to a normal morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the visual outcomes and corneal densitometry (CD) after allogenic lenticule intrastromal keratoplasty (AL-LIKE) and autologous lenticule intrastromal keratoplasty (AU-LIKE) for the correction of moderate-to-high hyperopia. Methods: Ten subjects (14 eyes) underwent AL-LIKE and eight (8 eyes) underwent AU-LIKE. Patients were examined preoperatively and 1 day, 1 month, and 6 months postoperatively. The visual outcomes and CD for both surgical methods were evaluated. Results: No postoperative complications were observed with either method. The efficacy index was 0.85±0.18 and 0.90±0.33 in the AL-LIKE and AU-LIKE groups, respectively. The safety indices were 1.07±0.21 and 1.25±0.37 in the AL-LIKE and AU-LIKE groups, respectively. The CD values of the anterior, central, and posterior layers in the AL-LIKE group increased significantly at 1 day postoperatively (all P < 0.05). The CD values of the anterior and central layers remained significantly higher than the preoperative values at 6 months postoperatively (all P < 0.05). The CD values of the anterior layer in the AU-LIKE group increased significantly 1 day postoperatively (all P < 0.05) and decreased to preoperative values (all P > 0.05) 1 month postoperatively. Conclusion: Both AL-LIKE and AU-LIKE exhibit good efficacy and safety in correcting hyperopia. However, AU-LIKE may have a smaller affected area and faster recovery time than those associated with AU-LIKE related to changes in corneal transparency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel based composite coatings with La 2 O 3 addition were fabricated on medium carbon steel by laser cladding processing. The microstructure, phase composition, microhardness and corrosion resistance of the laser cladding coatings were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), hardness tester and electrochemical workstation. The results show that the herringbone cracks generated in the deposited Ni-based ceramic coatings and the fracture mechanism exhibits quasi-cleavage fracture, while many tearing ridges and micro plastic deformations are present. A crack-free Ni-based composite ceramic coating is prepared with 0.6 wt% La 2 O 3 addition, and refined dendritic microstructures are formed with higher microhardness (659HV 0.2 ). However, the introduction of La 2 O 3 addition has little effect on the phase composition of the Ni-based ceramic coating, composed of γ-(Fe, Ni) solid solution, CrB, Cr 23 C 6 , Cr 7 C 3 and WC. In addition, the E corr values of two kinds of laser cladding Ni-based coatings are all more positive than that of the as-received medium carbon steel, while the E corr value of Ni-based cladding ceramic coating with 0.6 wt% La 2 O 3 addition is more positive than that of Ni-based coating. Compared with Ni-based cladding coating, addition of 0.6 wt% La 2 O 3 leads to lower corrosion current density, which indicates the improved corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fabulous hollow flower-like heterogeneous catalysis of Void@UiO-66-NH 2 @Pt@UiO-66- NO 2 utilizing UiO-66-NH 2 as the core, evenly anchoring the Pt NPs (ca. 1.74 nm), and growing the UiO-66-NH 2 , matching the channel size of the reactant molecule, as the outer shell was fabricated, and effectively displayed marvelous selectivity and conversion in the hydrogenation of CAL. [Display omitted] • A hollow flower-like Pt/Zr-MOF nanosphere has been fabricated by MHT approach. • The flower-like and hollow structure can accelerate the reaction mass transfer rate. • UiO-66-NH 2 enables Pt NPs (ca. 1.74 nm) evenly dispersed within the matrix of the inner shell. • UiO-66 shell possesses the matching channel window with the size of cinnamaldehyde reactant. • The catalyst delivered the efficient catalytic performance in the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde. Rational design of the heterogeneous micro-environment with subtle engineering in catalyst preparation is crucial for inorganic materials to boost catalytic efficiency. Here, we designed a hollow-flower like Zr-MOF double-shell nanosphere to confine Pt nanocatalysts, decorating with functional groups such as -H, -NH 2 , -Br and NO 2 on shell, and employed as catalytic micro-reactors for hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde. They were featured as Void@UiO-66-NH 2 @Pt@UiO-66-X (X = H, NH 2 , Br, NO 2) with ultra-fine Pt nanocatalysts (ca. 1.7 nm) arched on inner UiO-66-NH 2 shell. By comparing the catalytic efficiency of the samples with different groups, it was demonstrated that the double-shell with outside decoration is not only functional as stabilizer to confine Pt nanoparticles in high dispersion, also as the sieve to control the access direction of cinnamaldehyde to Pt site in view of the channel in moderate size formed on the outer shell; by changing the decoration groups on the outer shell, above advances could be further intensified with the enhanced mass-transformation. The Void@UiO-66-NH 2 @Pt@UiO-66-NO 2 greatly boost the yield of unsaturated alcohol in outstanding selectivity (95%). Therefore, the combination of shell confinement and outside decoration present on the Pt-embedded Zr-MOFs could be an attractive design for advanced applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we bring a new view about closed neighbourhood to show the vertex decomposability of graphs. Making use of the characterization of hereditary vertex decomposable graphs, we introduce a class of vertex decomposable graphs, which include some well-known classic vertex decomposable graphs such as clique-whiskered graphs and Cameron-Walker graphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of tons of waste activated sludge (WAS) produced from biological wastewater treatment processes cause severe adverse environmental consequences. A better understanding of WAS composition is thus very critical for sustainable sludge management. In this work, the occurrence and distribution of several fundamental sludge constituents were explored in WAS samples from nine full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of Beijing, China. Among all the components investigated, active heterotrophic biomass was dominant in the samples (up to 9478 mg/L), followed by endogenous residues (6736 mg/L), extracellular polymeric substances (2088 mg/L), and intracellular storage products (464 mg/L) among others. Moreover, significant differences ( p < 0.05) were observed in composition profiles of sludge samples among the studied WWTPs. To identify the potential parameters affecting the variable fractions of sludge components, wastewater source as well as design and operational parameters of WWTPs were studied using statistical methods. The findings indicated that the component fraction of sewage sludge depends more on wastewater treatment alternatives than on wastewater characteristics among other parameters. A principal component analysis was conducted, which further indicated that there was a greater proportion of residual inert biomass in the sludge produced by the combined system of the conventional anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process and a membrane bioreactor. Additionally, a much longer solids retention time was also found to influence the sludge composition and induce an increase in both endogenous inert residues and extracellular polymeric substances in the sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser cladding Nickel–WC–CaF 2 coatings with high hardness were prepared on medium carbon steel assisted by ultrasonic vibration processing. The microstructure, element distribution, phase composition and microhardness as well as wear resistance of the cladding coatings were investigated. It is found that ultrasonic vibration during laser cladding could reduce the degree of WC particle aggregation. The laser cladding Ni–WC–CaF 2 coatings is composed of γ-(Fe, Ni) and WC particles while the cladding coating with ultrasonic vibration consists of γ-(Fe, Ni), Cr 23 C 6 , W 2 C and WC. In addition, the coarse dendrite has been replaced by some fine grain structure at the bonding interface. When the ultrasonic vibration power of 800 W is applied, the average microhardness of cladding coating increase to 1235HV 0.1 resulted from the combined effect of refined grain, dispersion strengthening from hard WC phase and solid solution strengthening. And the wear mass loss and friction coefficient of Ni–WC–CaF 2 coating are lower than the coating without ultrasonic vibration and the coating with the ultrasonic vibration power of 900 W. Especially, the worn mechanism on the surface is uniform ploughing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive fluoride in natural water ecosystem has been demonstrated to have adverse effects on reproductive system in humans and mammals, while the most vulnerable aquatic organisms were ignored. In this study, the effects of waterborne fluoride on growth performance, sex steroid hormone, histological structure, and the transcriptional profiles of sex steroid related genes were examined in both female and male zebrafish exposed to different concentrations of 0.79, 18.60, 36.83 mg L −1 of fluoride for 30 and 60 d to investigate the effects of fluoride on reproductive system and the underlying toxic mechanisms caused by fluoride. The results showed that the body weight was remarkably decreased, the structure of ovary and testis were serious injured, and the T and E2 levels were significantly reduced in male zebrafish. The transcriptional profiles of steroidogenic related genes displayed phenomenal alterations, the expressions of pgr and cyp19a1a were significantly up-regulated, while the transcriptional levels of er , ar and hsd3β were decreased both in the ovary and testis, and hsd17β8 were down-regulated just in males. Taken together, these results demonstrated that fluoride could significantly inhibit the growth of zebrafish, and notably affect the reproductive system in both sex zebrafish by impairing the structure of ovary and testis, altering steroid hormone levels and steroidogenic genes expression related to the synthesis of sex hormones in zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the changes of posterior corneal elevation after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for moderate and high myopia. Methods: In this prospective study, fifty consecutive eyes of thirty patients (10 male, 20 female) who underwent SMILE for myopia and myopic astigmatism were included. Eyes were divided in two groups based on the preoperative spherical equivalent refraction: high myopia group (32 eyes, range -6.25D to -10.00D) and moderate myopia group (18 eyes, range -3.00D to -6.00D). Posterior corneal surfaces were measured by a Scheimpflug camera (Pentacam, Oculus Germany) preoperatively and 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months postoperatively. Posterior central elevation (PCE) and posterior mean elevation (PME) at 17 predetermined points in the central-4mm area above the best-fit sphere were analyzed. Results: No significant difference in the amount of posterior corneal elevation changes in the high myopia group was noted over time (P = 0.23 and P = 0.94 for PCE and PME, respectively). Similarly, the changes in the moderate myopia group before and after SMILE were not significant either (P = 0.34 and P = 0.40 for PCE and PME). A statistically significant correlation was found between the residual bed thickness and the shift of the PCE in the high myopia group at 12 months postoperatively (r = 0.53, P = 0.01). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the posterior corneal surface remain stable within one year after SMILE for both moderate and high myopia. The changes of PCE correlate to the residual bed thickness for high myopia. Long-term changes of posterior corneal surface need further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composite processing between laser cladding and low temperature (300°C) ion sulfurization was applied to prepare wear resistant and self-lubricating coating. The microstructure, morphology, phase composition, valence states, and wear resistance of the composite coating were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS), and friction and wear apparatus. The results indicate that the laser cladding Ni-based coatings and the maximum hardness of 46.5 HRC were obtained when the percent of pure W powder was 10%, composed of columnar dendrites crystals and ultrafine dendritic structure. After ion sulfurization at 300°C for 4 h, the loose and porous composite coating is formed with nanograins and the granularity of all grains is less than 100 nm, which consists of γ-(Fe, Ni), M23C6 carbides, FeS, FeS2, and WS2. Furthermore, the wear resistance of the composite coating is better than the laser cladding Ni55 + 10%W coating, and the friction coefficient and mass losses under the conditions of dry and oil lubrication are lower than those of laser cladding Ni55 + 10%W coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater treatment plants produce millions of tons of sewage sludge. Sewage sludge is recognized as a promising feedstock for power generation via combustion and can be used for energy crisis adaption. We aimed to investigate the quantitative effects of various sludge characteristics on the overall sludge combustion process performance. Different types of sewage sludge were derived from numerous wastewater treatment plants in Beijing for further thermogravimetric analysis. Thermogravimetric–differential thermogravimetric curves were used to compare the performance of the studied samples. Proximate analytical data, organic compositions, elementary composition, and calorific value of the samples were determined. The relationship between combustion performance and sludge composition was also investigated. Results showed that the performance of sludge combustion was significantly affected by the concentration of protein, which is the main component of volatiles. Carbohydrates and lipids were not correlated with combustion performance, unlike protein. Overall, combustion performance varied with different sludge organic composition. The combustion rate of carbohydrates was higher than those of protein and lipid, and carbohydrate weight loss mainly occurred during the second stage (175–300 °C). Carbohydrates have a substantial effect on the rate of system combustion during the second stage considering the specific combustion feature. Additionally, the combustion performance of digested sewage sludge is more negative than the others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a bi-objective optimization model was established to solve the cooperative distribution problem of a multi-center hybrid fleet by integrating reverse logistics under real-time road conditions. According to the characteristics of the problem and considering the power level and battery capacity of electric vehicles, the multi-objective immune genetic algorithm (MOIGA) was designed and compared with an elitist strategy genetic algorithm, i.e., the fast non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II). The scale of the MOIGA solution set exceeded that of the NSGA-II, which proved that the global search ability of MOIGA was better than that of the NSGA-II. The operating efficiency of the MOIGA was lower than that of the NSGA-II, but it could also find the optimal solution within an acceptable time range. This method can reduce the total cost of operating a hybrid fleet and can meet the needs of customers, and therefore, improve customer satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we propose a new continuation method for solving the linear complementarity problem (LCP). The method solves one system of linear equations and carries out only a one-line search at each iteration. The continuation method is based on a modified smoothing function. The existence and continuity of a smooth path for solving the LCP with aP0matrix are discussed. We investigate the boundedness of the iteration sequence generated by our continuation method under the assumption that the solution set of the LCP is nonempty and bounded. It is shown to converge to an LCP solution globally linearly and locally superlinearly without the assumption of strict complementarity at the solution under suitable assumption. In addition, some numerical results are also reported in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Predicted transient stability using apparent impedance trajectory recorded by PMUs. [•] Optimized locations for PMU placement for transient stability analysis. [•] Classification of disturbances and diverse operating conditions using PMU data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate corneal reinnervation, and the corresponding corneal sensitivity and keratocyte density after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK). Methods: In this prospective, non-randomized observational study, 18 patients (32 eyes) received SMILE surgery, and 22 patients (42 eyes) received FS-LASIK surgery to correct myopia. The corneal subbasal nerve density and microscopic morphological changes in corneal architecture were evaluated by confocal microscopy prior to surgery and at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. A correlation analysis was performed between subbasal corneal nerve density and the corresponding keratocyte density and corneal sensitivity. Results: The decrease in subbasal nerve density was less severe in SMILE-treated eyes than in FS-LASIK-treated eyes at 1 week (P = 0.0147), 1 month (P = 0.0243), and 3 months (P = 0.0498), but no difference was detected at the 6-month visit (P = 0.5277). The subbasal nerve density correlated positively with central corneal sensitivity in both groups (r = 0.416, P<0.0001, and r = 0.2567, P = 0.0038 for SMILE group and FS-LASIK group, respectively). The SMILE-treated eyes have a lower risk of developing peripheral empty space with epithelial cells filling in (P = 0.0005). Conclusions: The decrease in subbasal nerve fiber density was less severe in the SMILE group than the FS-LASIK group in the first 3 months following the surgeries. The subbasal nerve density was correlated with central corneal sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the changes in dry eye symptoms and clinical signs and corneal sensitivity after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond LASIK (femto-LASIK). Design: Prospective, non-randomized comparative study. Methods: The study included a total of 71 eyes of 71 patients; the SMILE group comprised 38 eyes of 38 patients, and the femto-LASIK group comprised 33 eyes of 33 patients. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), Tear film breakup time (TBUT), the Schirmer test without anesthesia (S1T), corneal fluorescein staining, and central corneal sensation were evaluated before surgery and at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. Results: OSDI scores in both groups were increased immediately and returned to preoperative level at 1 month after surgeries. The TBUT values in both groups were reduced after surgeries relative to their preoperative scores. Patients in SMILE group were less likely to have corneal staining compared with those in the femto-LASIK group ([odds ratio] OR = 0.50, 95% [confidence interval] CI 0.28 to 0.93, P = 0.03). Central corneal sensitivity was decreased at all postoperative time points in both groups. However, the central corneal sensation scores in the SMILE group were greater than that in the femto-LASIK group at all of the postoperative time points (all P<0.05). Conclusions: SMILE surgeries resulted in a short-term increase in dry eye symptoms, tear film instability, and loss of corneal sensitivity. Furthermore, SMILE surgeries have superiority over femto-LASIK in lower risk of postoperative corneal staining and less reduction of corneal sensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Al 1.5 CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy was fabricated by laser cladding. • Ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) was applied on high entropy alloy coating. • UIT optimized the surface roughness and refined grains. • The surface mechanical properties and corrosion resistance were improved after UIT. [Display omitted] To investigate the effect of plastic deformation with high strain rate on the microstructure and properties of Al 1.5 CoCrFeMnNi high entropy coating, ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) was applied on the surfaces of the cladding coatings. According to the results, before and after UIT, the phase composition of Al 1.5 CoCrFeMnNi cladding coating did not change, remaining FCC and BCC dual-phase structure. Enormous dislocations were produced and accumulated introducing a cumulative strain by severe plastic deformation, forming a gradient structure. Moreover, the impacted layer with a low surface roughness exhibited the higher hardness, plastic deformation resistance and elastic modulus for the grain refinement and the preferred orientation on (1 1 1) crystal plane. But the surface toughness of the impacted specimen was decreased. There is an evident improvement of corrosion resistance for Al 1.5 CoCrFeMnNi cladding coating after UIT. The application of UIT on high entropy alloy provide a general and efficient method to strengthen the surface of block material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in the retina and choroid of children after 650 nm low-level red light therapy (LLRLT). Methods: In this prospective study, 25 subjects in the Shanghai Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University were included from August 2021 to September 2021. One eye was randomly selected to receive LLRLT for 3 min. Swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography were used to measure retinal fovea perfusion density (RFPD), retinal fovea thickness (RFT), choroidal fovea blood flow (CFBF), and choroidal fovea thickness (CFT) before LLRLT, 5 min and 1 h after LLRLT. Baseline characteristics between LLRLT and non-LLRLT eyes were compared. Changes in the retinal and choroidal parameters were analyzed by ANCOVA models. SAS software was used for data analysis. The difference was considered statistically significant if p < 0.05. Results: There was no difference in baseline characteristics between LLRLT eyes and non-LLRLT eyes. The RFPD in LLRLT eyes significantly increased 5 min after LLRLT, and the increment was 1.70 ± 0.83% (p = 0.0389). The RFPD significantly decreased from 5 min to 1 h after LLRLT with a mean of −2.62 ± 0.86% decrement (p = 0.0031). The RFPD levels returned to baseline at 1 h after LLRLT (p = 0.8646). However, compared with insignificant RFPD changes in non-LLRLT eyes, there was no significant difference in RFPD changes at any sampling point. No significant changes in RFT, CFBF, and CFT were found in LLRLT eyes at each sampling point. Conclusion: Although 3 min of LLRLT has no effect on the choroid, it may cause a short-term transient increase in RFPD. It will provide theoretical support for the role of LLRLT in myopia control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Conjunctival autograft transplantation (CAT) and amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) are two widely used techniques for pterygium treatment. However, previous studies comparing the outcomes of CAT and AMT have generally had small sample sizes and conflicting results. The aim of this report was to evaluate and comment on peer-reviewed literature for evidence of effectiveness and safety of CAT and AMT for management of pterygium. Methods: Studies comparing outcomes of CAT and AMT for pterygium treatment were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Knowledge, and a search of all references in relevant papers. Two reviewers confirmed study eligibility and extracted data independently, and data were pooled using standard meta-analysis techniques. Results: Five eligible studies reporting outcomes in 538 eyes were included. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) estimate for recurrence of CAT compared to AMT was 0.30 (95% confidence interval (CI) [0.16, 0.59], p < 0.001) and 0.22 (95%CI [0.02, 2.37], p = 0.214), respectively, for primary and recurrent pterygium. For unacceptable appearance, the pooled HR estimate was 0.33 (95% CI [0.16, 0.66], p = 0.002). There were no statistically significant differences in adverse events (odds ratio (OR) = 0.96, 95% CI [0.46, 1.97], p = 0.901). Conclusions: Available trials indicate that CAT has lower recurrence risk compared to AMT for primary pterygium treatment, as well as lower risk of unacceptable appearance risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether patients with dry eye syndrome [DES] have more symptoms of anxiety and depression than controls without DES. Methods: In this case-control study, the sample consisted of 89 DES subjects (13 diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome [SS]) and 73 control subjects. Each subject was diagnosed as having DES or was chosen as a control subject by an ophthalmologist. The Zung Self Rating Anxiety Scales (SAS), Zung Self Rating Depression Scales (SDS), and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) were administered to all subjects. Scores of SAS and SDS, measuring level of anxiety and depression symptoms, were compared between the DES group and the control group. Correlations with other health status measures were conducted. Results: The SAS and SDS scores of the DES group were significantly higher than the control group ( P < 0.001, P < 0.001). The prevalence of DES subjects with anxiety or depression symptoms was significantly higher than in the control group ( P = 0.003, P < 0.001). In the DES group, SAS scores were found to be correlated with OSDI and educational level. SDS scores were found to be correlated with OSDI. Neither SAS nor SDS scores were correlated with age, sex, household income, tear break up time (BUT), Schirmer Test 1 (S1T), corneal fluorescein staining (FL), or visual acuity. Conclusion: Anxiety and depression are correlated with DES, demonstrating that DES is an important public health problem that merits increased attention and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Laser surface melting of high chrome steels was achieved by a 5kW continuous wave CO2 laser. The microstructure of the laser surface-melted steels was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry, and the hardness profiles were determined by a Vickers hardness tester. The corrosion behavior in 3.5% NaCl solution was studied by electrochemical corrosion equipment. The large carbides of high chrome steels are completely dissolved and ultrafine dendrites of austenite with submicroscopic M23C6 carbides precipitation are formed in the melted zone. The austenite in the melted zone has a high tempering stability. The corrosion resistance of the laser surface-melted steels is significantly improved due to the dissolution of carbides and the increase of the alloying elements in the solid solution as well as the large amount of austenite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Protecting the critical nodes of a Cyber–Physical Power System (CPPS) is an effective strategy for mitigating the risk of incurring large-scale blackouts. A Gene Importance based Evolutionary Algorithm (GIEA) is proposed to identify a set of critical k nodes by maximizing the total load loss received by end-users. GIEA adopts an importance-based evolutionary strategy to improve the algorithm's convergence and accuracy, in which the initial node importance metrics are assessed based on dynamic power flows and topology information. Both performance contribution (PC) and coupling failure impact (CFI) are considered in our importance evaluation framework. The impacts of different types of communication nodes on power networks are integrated into the proposed cascading failure model and CFI assessment. Based on the coupling and interdependence information, the strong coupling node pairs are identified to reduce the dimension of the decision vector to improve the computational efficiency of GIEA. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed methods are illustrated through an example of a coupling CPPS consisting of the IEEE 30-bus model and a communication network with the small-world structure. • Cascading failure model for characterizing interdependence of Cyber–Physical Power Systems (CPPS). • Proposed an importance evaluation method using CPPS power flows and topology information. • Defined connectivity coefficient to quantify the connectivity between a node and the network. • Developed a Gene Importance based Evolutionary Algorithm for identifying critical k nodes. • Dimension reduction for the decision vector based on the coupling strength of node pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, ultrasonic impact treatment was introduced on the surfaces of laser cladding Al 0.5 CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy coatings. The results showed that obvious solidification boundaries with some lamellar cluster and polygonal precipitations generated inside the cladding coatings. After UIT for one time, a thin impacted layer with obvious plastic deformation was formed. When treated for two times, many floccules formed near the surface while with the increase of impact times evident impact tracks were found on the surface of ultrasonic impact layer due to excessive plastic deformation. In addition, original precipitations located along the solidification boundaries were broken into small ones, and the particles inside the matrix were also cracked. The minimum surface roughness and maximum surface hardness of ultrasonic impact layers can be obtained for one impact time. XRD analysis indicated that Al 0.5 CoCrFeMnNi cladding coating was composed of single FCC phase while application of UIT technology did not change the phase structure of coatings. It also was noted that the weight losses of ultrasonic impact layers were lower than those of cladding coatings whilst the current density was decreased by 69.6%, 87% in the 3.5%NaCl and 1 mol/L NaOH solutions, respectively, indicating better corrosion resistance of impact layers. • Al 0.5 CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy coating was prepared successfully by laser cladding technology. • Ultrasonic impact treatment was introduced on the surfaces of cladding coatings to improve surface properties. • Strengthening mechanism and model of high entropy alloy cladding coating by ultrasonic impact treatment was provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing investigations suggest that fluoride (F) exposure was associated with gastrointestinal diseases, but related literatures were still largely insufficient and the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Moreover, previous study in our lab reported F toxicity has the reversible tendency, but it still needs to be further explored. To address this issue, we established a 90 days F exposure and 15 days & 30 days self-recovery mice model, including control and three F groups (25, 50 and 100 mg/L sodium fluoride (NaF)) in each period. The results revealed that after 90 days F exposure, histological structure and ultrastructure of small intestine were markedly disrupted; the value of villus height to crypt depth, and expressions of tight junctions related mRNA and proteins were significantly decreased; intestinal permeability, pro-inflammatory cytokines and pyroptosis related mRNA and proteins were notably increased in duodenum, jejunum and ileum. However, intriguingly, after 30 days recovery period, indices in F groups almost all have recovered towards normalcy. Collectively, this study demonstrated that F exposure could impair the structure and epithelial barrier function of small intestine, leading to the intestinal inflammation, and pyroptosis may contribute to this damage; Furthermore, F toxicity on small intestine is reversible, and could be restored when off the F exposure environment for a certain period of time. Additionally, among the three regions of small intestine, duodenum seems more vulnerable to F exposure than jejunum and ileum. Mode of fluoride induced reversible adverse effects on small intestine. Fluoride exposure could damage the structure of small intestine, decrease the intestinal epithelial barrier and increase intestinal permeability, induce the inflammation and pyroptosis, and finally resulting in injured small intestine. However, when off the fluoride environment for a certain period of time, the injured small intestine will self-recover to normal small intestine. The red arrow indicates that the indices increase or decrease, the red horizontal line indicates that the indices recover towards normalcy. Unlabelled Image • Fluoride (F) exposure impaired histological structure and ultrastructure of small intestinal regions. • F exposure damaged intestinal epithelial barrier and increased intestinal permeability of small intestine. • F exposure induced intestinal inflammation involved with pyroptosis. • Duodenum is more vulnerable to F exposure than jejunum and ileum. • F toxicity on small intestine is reversible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that waterborne fluoride exposure has adverse effects on the reproductive system of zebrafish. However, the underlying toxic mechanisms were still not clear. In the present study, female zebrafish were exposed to different concentrations of 0.787 (Control), 18.599, 36.832 mg/L of fluoride for 30 d and 60 d, and the effects of different doses of fluoride on ovary development, reproductive hormones, oogenesis, ROS content, antioxidant levels, and the expression of apoptosis-related genes and proteins in the ovaries of female zebrafish were analyzed. The results showed that ovarian weight and GSI were significantly decreased, FSH, LH and VTG levels were significantly reduced, the transcriptional profiles of oogenesis-related genes (tgfβ1 , bmp15 , gdf9 , mprα , mprβ , ptg2β) were remarkably altered, ROS levels was notably increased, the SOD, CAT, GPx activities and GSH content as well as their mRNA expressions were significantly decreased, MDA content was remarkably increased, the expressions of apoptosis-related genes and proteins (caspase3 , caspase8 , caspase9 , Fas-L, Cytochrome C, Bax and Bcl-2) were significantly changed, the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 protein levels were notably increased. Taken together, this study demonstrated that fluoride exposure significantly affected ovarian development, decreased the reproductive hormones, affected oogenesis, induced oxidative stress, caused apoptosis through both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways in ovary of zebrafish. Indicating that oogenesis, oxidative stress, and apoptosis were responsible for the impairment of ovarian development. Mode of fluoride induced ovary impairment in zebrafish. Fluoride exposure could decrease the reproductive hormones, affect oogenesis, increase ROS production, induce oxidative stress, cause apoptosis through both death receptor mediated pathways and mitochondria mediated pathways. The red arrow indicate that the indices increase or decrease. Image 1 • Fluoride exposure decreased FSH, LH and VTG levels in ovary of zebrafish. • Fluoride exposure altered the transcriptional profiles of oogenesis-related genes. • Fluoride exposure increased ROS production in ovary of zebrafish. • Fluoride exposure induces oxidative stress in ovary of zebrafish. • Fluoride exposure induces apoptosis through both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, ultrasonic impact treatment was applied to promote the as-cast Al x CoCrFeMnNi (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5) high entropy alloys, and the microstructures, phase composition and surface properties were investigated. The increase in Al mole fraction from 0 to 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 led to the different phase compositions from single FCC, duplex FCC + BCC to single BCC phase as well as the increased microhardness and reduced corrosion resistance. Ultrasonic impact treatment did not change the phase compositions of Al x CoCrFeMnNi alloys, while the successive network structures were broken and the short rod-like structures formed rather than long strip-like structures in the impacted hardening layer. The microhardness of Al x CoCrFeMnNi alloys (x = 0, 0.5 and 1.0) were improved by 92% (approximately 308.5 HV, 312.5 HV and 450.8 HV, respectively) after ultrasonic impact treatment due to the refine microstructures and precipitation strengthening mechanisms. Owing to the application of ultrasonic impact treatment the surface roughness of Al x CoCrFeMnNi alloys (Ra = 0.54–0.57 μm) decreased. Additionally, the impacted hardening Al x CoCrFeMnNi alloys exhibited higher corrosion resistance than the as-cast alloys resulted from the lower surface roughness. • Structure, phase, hardness and corrosion resistance of Al x CoCrFeMnNi alloys. • Comparative analysis on structures and properties after UIT. • Calculation of phase formation for HEAs and comparison with the as-cast specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Enhanced surface layers were prepared by laser cladding and ion sulfurization. • Structure, phase composition of the composite layer are analyzed. • Hardness and wear resistance of the composite layer are studied. Enhanced surface layers with improved wear-resistance and self-lubrication performances were prepared by means of laser cladding and ion sulfurization processing. The microstructure, element distribution, phase composition, valence states, microhardness and wear resistance of the composited layers were investigated. The results show that Ni-based cladding coating is composed of γ-(Fe, Ni), Cr 2 C 3 , M 23 C 6 , M 3 C type carbides as well as a large number of dislocations and stacking fault in the austenite grains. FeS forms form on the surface of cladding Ni-based coating by ion sulfurizing treatment. Microhardness of Ni-based cladding coating reaches to 600HV 0.1 resulting from the combined effects of ultrafine dendrites and solid solution strengthening and dislocations strengthening, whereas microhardness of the composite layer decrease slightly near the surface (about 470HV 0.1). Due to the existance of FeS film both the wear mass loss and friction coefficient of the composite layers decrease dramaticlly. Moreover, there is a slight scratch on the worn surface of laser cladding-ion sulfurizing composite layer, while worn mechanism of medium carbon steel is serious abrasion along with long and deep grooves and fatigue wear occurs on the surface of Ni-based cladding coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultrasonic vibration was applied during laser cladding for Ni-60%WC-0.8%La 2 O 3 coating. • As the ultrasonic power 800 W was applied, the hardness and wear resistance were obviously improved. • The heat damage of WC particles is controlled by the dissolution-diffusion mechanism. Ultrasonic vibration was introduced during laser cladding Ni-60%WC-0.8%La 2 O 3 coatings in this study. The microstructure, elemental distribution, and properties of the cladding coatings, as well as the morphology of WC particles were also investigated. Results showed that with WC ceramic particles, the columnar dendrites that formed at the bottom of the cladding coating without ultrasonic vibration were dissolved, crystallized, and aggregated. As ultrasonic vibration was introduced, the dendrites in the cladding coating were disrupted, and the grains were refined. WC particles concentrated at the bottom of the cladding coatings at an ultrasonic power of 600, 700, and 900 W, resulting in obvious degradation in surface hardness and wear resistance. However, when an ultrasonic power of 800 W was applied, improved hardness and wear resistance, which are attributed to the strengthening of precipitated carbides, refined microstructure, and homogenous distribution of WC particles in the cladding coatings, were observed. For laser cladding coatings without ultrasonic vibration, typical characteristics of abrasive and fatigue wear could be found on the wear tracks after a ring-on-disk (ROD) wear test, and flaking pits appeared along the sliding direction. For the composite coatings prepared with different ultrasonic vibration power, typical abrasive wear occurred on the surfaces of the coatings under 600, 700, and 900 W during ROD wear tests, with additional shallow and mild ploughing for that under 800 W. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To investigate nighttime symptoms in patients with myopic anisometropia after monocular small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery. Methods: Thirty-six patients who had undergone monocular SMILE more than 6 months previously were recruited at the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University. The average age at surgery was 25.4 ± 6.1 years. Preoperative spherical equivalent (SE) was −3.77 ± 1.56 D in SMILE-treated eyes and −0.08 ± 0.66 D in unoperated eyes. Main measurements included uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity, manifest refraction, halo radius, contrast sensitivity, nighttime symptoms, and patient satisfaction. Results: The mean follow-up time was 13.9 ± 3.4 months. The efficacy and safety indexes were 1.18 and 1.28, respectively. The halo radius was not significantly different between SMILE-treated and unoperated eyes under luminance conditions of 1, 5, and 100 cd/m2 (P = 0.055). No significant differences were observed in contrast sensitivity at all spatial frequencies between eyes under both uncorrected and corrected conditions (all P > 0.05). None of the patients reported moderate or severe symptoms at night. Mild symptoms (glare, halo, starburst) were reported and binocularly equal in 13 patients, whereas four patients reported better night vision in SMILE-treated eyes than unoperated eyes, and one of them experienced mild night vision disturbance. The overall satisfaction score was 9.39 ± 0.80. Conclusions: The disk halo size and contrast sensitivity in SMILE-treated eyes were similar to those in unoperated eyes, and nighttime symptoms almost completely resolved after SMILE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]