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AIM: To analyze and compare the differences among ocular biometric parameters in Han and Uyghur populations undergoing cataract surgery. METHODS: In this hospital-based prospective study, 410 patients undergoing cataract surgery (226 Han patients in Tianjin and 184 Uyghur patients in Xinjiang) were enrolled. The differences in axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), keratometry [steep K (Ks) and flat K (Kf)], and corneal astigmatism (CA) measured using IOL Master 700 were compared between Han and Uyghur patients. RESULTS: The average age of Han patients was higher than that of Uyghur patients (70.22±8.54 vs 63.04±9.56y, P

The coastal wetlands of the Yellow River Delta (YRD) in China are crucial for their valuable resources, environmental significance, and economic contributions. However, these wetlands are also vulnerable to the dual threats of climate change and human disturbances. Despite substantial attention to the historical shifts in YRD's coastal wetlands, uncertainties remain regarding their future trajectory in the face of compound risks from climate change and anthropogenic activities. Based on a range of remote sensing data sources, this study undertakes a comprehensive investigation into the evolution of YRD's coastal wetlands between 2000 and 2020. Subsequently, the potential fate of coastal wetlands is thoroughly analyzed through the Land Use/Cover Change (LUCC) simulation using System Dynamic-Future Land Use Simulation (SD-FLUS) model and the extreme water levels projection integrated future sea-level rise, storm surge, and astronomical high tide in 2030, 2050, and 2100 under scenarios of SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5. Results revealed that YRD's coastal wetlands underwent a marked reduction, shrinking by 1688.72 km2 from 2000 to 2020. This decline was mostly attributed to the substantial expansion in the areas of artificial wetlands (increasing by 823.78 km2), construction land (increasing by 767.71 km2), and shallow water (increasing by 274.58 km2). Looking ahead to 2030–2100, the fate of coastal wetlands appears to diverge based on different scenarios. Under the SSP1-2.6 scenario, the area of coastal wetland is projected to experience considerable growth. In contrast, the SSP5-8.5 scenario anticipates a notable decrease in coastal wetlands. Relative to the inundated area suffered from the current extreme water levels, the study projects a decrease of 6.8%–10.6% in submerged coastal wetlands by 2030 and 9.4%–18.2% by 2050 across all scenarios. In 2100, these percentages are projected to decrease by 0.4 % (SSP2-4.5) and 27.1% (SSP5-8.5), but increase by 35.7% (SSP1-2.6). Results suggest that coastal wetlands in the YRD will face a serious compound risk from climate change and intensified human activities in the future, with climate change being the dominant factor. More efficient and forward-looking measures must be implemented to prioritize the conservation and management of coastal wetland ecosystems to address the challenges, especially those posed by climate change.

Glycolysis produces large amounts of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in a short time. The retinal vascular endothelium feeds itself primarily through aerobic glycolysis with less ATP. But when it generates new vessels, aerobic glycolysis provides rapid and abundant ATP support for angiogenesis, and thus inhibition of glycolysis in endothelial cells can be a target for the treatment of neovascularization. Aerobic glycolysis has a protective effect on Müller cells, and it can provide with a target for visual protection and maintenance of the blood-retinal barrier. Under physiological conditions, the mitochondria of RPE can use lactic acid produced by photoreceptor cells as an energy source to provide ATP for survival. In pathological conditions, because RPE cells avoid their oxidative damage by increasing glycolysis, a large number of glycolysis products accumulate, which in turn has a toxic effect on photoreceptor cells. This shows that stabilizing the function of RPE mitochondria may become a target for the treatment of diseases such as retinal degeneration. The decrease of aerobic glycolysis leads to the decline of photoreceptor cell function and impaired vision; therefore, aerobic glycolysis of stable photoreceptor cells provides a reliable target for delaying vision loss. It is of great significance to study the role of glycolysis in various retinal cells for the targeted treatment of ocular fundus diseases.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most important types of diabetic microangiopathy, which is a specific change of fundus lesions and is one of the most serious complications of diabetes. When DR develops to proliferative DR, the main factors of decreasing vision, and even blindness, include retinal detachment and vitreous hemorrhage caused by contraction of blood vessels by fiber membrane. Recent studies reported that the formation of fiber vascular membrane is closely related to retinal fibrosis. The connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a cytokine that is closely related to DR fibrosis. However, its mechanism is poorly understood. This paper summarizes the recent studies about CTGF on DR fibrosis for a comprehensive understanding of the role and mechanism of CTGF in PDR.

AIM:To investigate the distribution of serum specific IgE in children with allergic conjunctivitis and associated allergic diseases. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 708 cases of allergic conjunctivitis in children, according to age divided into the infant group(2 months to 1 years old)232 cases, the children group(>1 years to 3 years old)255 cases and the preschool group(>3 years to 6 years old)221 cases. A automatic in vitro detection system was used to detect serum inhaled allergens and food allergen specific IgE by immune capture method. A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the associated allergic diseases and consultation with relevant departments. RESULTS: The sIgE positive rate was the lowest in the infant group(87.1%). There were significant differences in the number of sIgE positive species in the infant group compared with those in the other two groups(χ2=10.96, 21.78; PPPCONCLUSION: With the increase of age, the positive rate and types of allergen in children with allergic conjunctivitis increased gradually. House dust mites become the primary inhalation allergen from infancy. Allergic diseases associated with allergic conjunctivitis in children are consistent with allergic march.

AIM:To identify the genetic defects in a Chinese family with achromatopsia.METHODS:A 2.5-year-old boy, who displayed nystagmus, photophobia, and hyperopia since early infancy, was clinically evaluated. To further confirm and localize the causative mutations in this family, targeted region capture and next-generation sequencing of candidate genes, such as CNGA3, CNGB3, GNAT2, PDE6C, and PDE6H were performed using a custom-made capture array.RESULTS:Slit-lamp examination showed no specific findings in the anterior segments. The optic discs and maculae were normal on fundoscopy. The unaffected family members reported no ocular complaints. Clinical signs and symptoms were consistent with a clinical impression of autosomal recessive achromatopsia. The results of sequence analysis revealed two novel missense mutations in CNGA3, c.633T>A (p.D211E) and c.1006G>T (p.V336F), with an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance.CONCLUSION: Genetic analysis of a Chinese family confirmed the clinical diagnosis of achromatopsia. Two novel mutations were identified in CNGA3, which extended the mutation spectrum of this disorder.

AIM: To determine the difference of surgical induced astigmatism between conventional 20-gauge sutured vitrectomy and 23-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy, and the influence of corneal pachymetry and intraocular pressure (IOP) on surgical induced astigmatism in diabetic patients.METHODS:This retrospective, consecutive case series consisted of 40 eyes of 38 diabetic subjects who underwent either 20-gauge or 23-gauge vitrectomy. The corneal curvature and thickness were measured with Scheimpflug imaging before surgery and 1wk; 1, 3mo after surgery. We compared the surgical induced astigmatism (SIA) on the true net power in 23-gauge group with that in 20-gauge group. We determined the correlation between corneal thickness change ratio, IOP and SIA measured by Pentacam.RESULTS: The mean SIAs were 1.082±0.085 D (mean±SEM), 0.689±0.070 D and 0.459±0.063 D at postoperative 1wk; 1, 3mo respectively in diabetic subjects. The vitrectomy induced astigmatisms were declined significantly with time (F2,36=33.629, P=0.000) postoperatively. The 23-gauge surgery group induced significantly less astigmatism than 20-gauge surgery group (F1,37=11.046, P=0.020). Corneal thickness in diabetes elevated after surgery (F3,78=10.532, P=0.000). The linear regression analysis at postoperatively 1wk went as:SIA=-4.519+4.931 change ratio (Port3) +0.026 IOP (R2=0.46, P=0.000), whereas the rate of corneal thickness change and IOP showed no correlation with the change of astigmatism at postoperatively 1 and 3mo.CONCLUSION: There are significant serial changes in both 20-gauge and 23-gauge group in diabetic subjects. 23-gauge induce less astigmatism than 20-gauge and become stable more rapidly than 20-gauge. The elevation of corneal thickness and IOP was associated with increased astigmatim at the early postoperative stage both in 23-gauge and 20-gauge surgery group.

Deficiency of endothelial progenitor cells, including endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) and circulating angiogenic cells (CACs), plays an important role in retinal vascular degeneration in diabetic retinopathy (DR). Fenofibrate, an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), has shown therapeutic effects on DR in both patients and diabetic animal models. However, the function of PPARα in ECFC/CACs has not been defined. In this study, we determined the regulation of ECFC/CAC by PPARα. As shown by flow cytometry and Seahorse analysis, ECFC/CAC numbers and mitochondrial function were decreased in the bone marrow, circulation, and retina of db/db mice, correlating with PPARα downregulation. Activation of PPARα by fenofibrate normalized ECFC/CAC numbers and mitochondrial function in diabetes. In contrast, PPARα knockout exacerbated ECFC/CAC number decreases and mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetic mice. Primary ECFCs from PPARα-/- mice displayed impaired proliferation, migration, and tube formation. Furthermore, PPARα-/- ECFCs showed reduced mitochondrial oxidation and glycolysis compared with wild type, correlating with decreases of Akt phosphorylation and expression of its downstream genes regulating ECFC fate and metabolism. These findings suggest that PPARα is an endogenous regulator of ECFC/CAC metabolism and cell fate. Diabetes-induced downregulation of PPARα contributes to ECFC/CAC deficiency and retinal vascular degeneration in DR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of microRNA-451a (miR-451a) in diabetic retinopathy through activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2). The epiretinal membrane samples from patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) were immunolabeled with an antibody for Ki-67 to identify the proliferative cells. The expression of miR-451a was measured by qRT-PCR in the retina of Akita mice and in RPE cells under diabetic conditions. The potential downstream targets of miR-451a were predicted by bioinformatics and confirmed by dual luciferase assay, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting. Mitochondrial function, cell proliferation, and migration assays were used to detect the functional change after transfection of miR-451a mimic and inhibitor. Proliferative RPE cells were identified in the epiretinal membrane from PDR patients. The expression of miR-451a was downregulated both in the retina of Akita mice and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE)-treated RPE cells. Bioinformatic analysis and luciferase assay identified ATF2 as a potential target of miR-451a. miR-451a inhibited proliferation and migration of RPE cells. The mitochondrial function was enhanced by miR-451a mimic, but suppressed by miR-451a inhibitor. In diabetic conditions, miR-451a showed a protective effect on mitochondrial function. The results of qRT-PCR and Western blotting revealed that overexpression of miR-451a downregulated the expression of ATF2 and its downstream target genes CyclinA1, CyclinD1, and MMP2. In conclusion, miR-451a/ATF2 plays a vital role in the regulation of proliferation and migration in RPE cells through regulation of mitochondrial function, which may provide new perspectives for developing effective therapies for PDR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 0–3 composites of the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and BaTiO3 was prepared. BaTiO3 was modified with titanate coupling agent. The dielectric properties and the interfacial interaction of composites by different preparation methods were examined and compared. The result shows that the relative dielectric constant ∈ of the composite prepared in solution has a maximum value at about 70% weight fraction of BaTiO3 and the dielectric loss tanδ increases rapidly when the fraction exceeds 70%. For the composite prepared in melt, the relative dielectric constant ε almost reaches a maximum value at about 60% weight fraction of BaTiO3 and the dielectric loss is comparatively lower. The dielectric properties of composites are improved by using a coupling agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BaTiO3/PVDF nanocomposites were prepared via in-situ growth of nanosized BaTiO3 particles in PVDF matrix by using the sol-gel method. The present elements of BaTiO3/PVDF nanocomposites were analyzed by an electron probe X-ray microanalyser. Nanosized BaTiO3 grown in the composite films was characterized by an X-ray diffractometer and a transmission electron microscope, and the dielectric properties of the composite films were measured. The distribution of BaTiO3 nanoparticles in-situ grown in the PVDF matrix was examined using a scanning electron microscope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past two decades, extensive and in-depth research has been conducted on Time Series InSAR technology with the advancement of high-performance SAR satellites and the accumulation of big SAR data. The introduction of distributed scatterers in Distributed Scatterers InSAR (DS-InSAR) has significantly expanded the application scenarios of InSAR geodetic measurement by increasing the number of measurement points. This study traces the history of DS-InSAR, presents the definition and characteristics of distributed scatterers, and focuses on exploring the relationships and distinctions among proposed algorithms in two crucial steps: statistically homogeneous pixel selection and phase optimization. Additionally, the latest research progress in this field is tracked and the possible development direction in the future is discussed. Through simulation experiments and two real InSAR case studies, the proposed algorithms are compared and verified, and the advantages of DS-InSAR in deformation measurement practice are demonstrated. This work not only offers insights into current trends and focal points for theoretical research on DS-InSAR but also provides practical cases and guidance for applied research.

In recent years, the advances in terahertz applications have stimulated interest in the biological effects associated with this frequency range. We study the gene expression profile in three types of cells exposed to terahertz radiation, i.e., human ARPE-19 retinal pigment epithelial cells, simian virus 40-transformed human corneal epithelial cells, and human MIO-M1 Müller cells. We find that the gene expression in response to heat shock is unaffected, indicating that the minimum temperature increases under controlled environment. The transcriptome sequencing survey demonstrates that 6-hour irradiation with a broadband terahertz source results in specific change in gene expression and also the biological functions that are closely related to these genes. Our results imply that the effect of terahertz radiation on gene expression can last over 15 hours and depends on the type of cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the title compound, C19H15NO2, the norbornene is fused to a cyclodicarbonimide, and the naphthyl ring is directly linked to the N atom. The crystal packing is stabilized by two kinds of intermolecular C—H...O hydrogen bonds and one intramolecular C—H...N hydrogen bond as well as by C—H...π-ring interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]