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We examined the potential influence of L1–L2 lexical similarity on L2 lexical diversity, to determine whether the robust facilitative effect of lexical similarity that is found in processing and broad learning outcomes extends to this measure of L2 production. Our sample included two matching learner sub-corpora, containing 8,500 and 6,390 English texts, written in response to ninety-five and seventy-one writing tasks, by speakers of nine typologically diverse L1s, in the A1–B2 cefr range of L2 English proficiency. We found that lexical similarity did not influence L2 lexical diversity at any proficiency level. This finding suggests that the facilitative effect of similarity does not necessarily extend to L2 production, at least in the case of certain global measures, like lexical diversity, and certain task-based settings, like the present educational one, where lexical choices are driven primarily by the constrained communicative needs of the tasks. This is supported by the strong task effects that we found, which we quantified using mixed-effects models, whilst also shedding light on the use of lexical diversity as an indicator of L2 proficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) patients should be alert for subclinical macroangiopathy. We aimed to investigate the association between retinal neurovascular alteration and systemic arterial stiffness in type 2 diabetes mellitus (type 2 DM) patients with varying degrees of renal impairment. Methods: The study included 170 patients with confirmed diagnosis of type 2 DM aged ≥18 years old. Renal function was assessed by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Arterial stiffness was measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and ankle brachial index (ABI). Retinal neurovascular parameters were derived from Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)/OCT-Angiography, represented by vessel density (VD Central, Inner, Outer, Full), foveal avascular zone (FAZ area and FAZ perimeter) of the superficial capillary plexus, the average of macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness (ave mGC-IPLt) and the average of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (aveRNFLt). The association between variables among the groups (according to renal function, diabetic retinopathy (DR) severity, and arterial stiffness categories) were analyzed by regression analysis with multiple hypothesis testing commands. Results: Out of the 265 eyes, the mean DM duration and HbA1c were 6.21 ± 6.37 years and 8.44 ± 2.06% respectively. While the mean of eGFR, baPWV and ABI were 66.78 ± 32.80 ml/min/1.73m2, 15.49 ± 3.07 m/s, and 1.05 ± 0.12, respectively. Patients with more severe renal impairment demonstrated longer DM duration (p < 0.001), higher baPWV (p < 0.0001), and retinal vascular alteration. Proliverative DR group showed the lowest eGFR (p < 0.0001), highest baPWV (p < 0.0001), and retinal neurovascular changes. Significantly lower eGFR and retinal vascular alteration were found in the baPWV > 14 group. Some neurovascular parameters were significantly negatively correlated with baPWV; moreover, retinal neurovascular changes were also noted in the abnormal ABI group. Conclusions: The strong association between changes in the retinal neurovascular system, DR severity, renal impairment, and arterial stiffness in type 2 DM was confirmed. Patients with more severe renal impairment had higher levels of arterial stiffness, more severe DR and retinal neurovascular alteration. Retinal neurovascular changes seen in OCT/OCTA might mimic renal microvascular alteration and systemic arterial stiffness. Therefore, assessment of baPWV and OCT/OCTA should be integrated in DR screening to enhance cardiovascular risk stratification and prognosis as well as to provide clinically useful early identification of subclinical micro- and macrovascular alterations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has emphasized the paucity of non-contact and non-invasive methods for the objective evaluation of dry eye disease (DED). However, robust evidence to support the implementation of mHealth- and app-based biometrics for clinical use is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of app-based maximum blink interval (MBI) measurements using DryEyeRhythm and equivalent traditional techniques in providing an accessible and convenient diagnosis. In this single-center, prospective, cross-sectional, observational study, 83 participants, including 57 with DED, had measurements recorded including slit-lamp-based, app-based, and visually confirmed MBI. Internal consistency and reliability were assessed using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients. Discriminant and concurrent validity were assessed by comparing the MBIs from the DED and non-DED groups and Pearson's tests for each platform pair. Bland–Altman analysis was performed to assess the agreement between platforms. App-based MBI showed good Cronbach's alpha coefficient, intraclass correlation coefficient, and Pearson correlation coefficient values, compared with visually confirmed MBI. The DED group had significantly shorter app-based MBIs, compared with the non-DED group. Bland–Altman analysis revealed minimal biases between the app-based and visually confirmed MBIs. Our findings indicate that DryEyeRhythm is a reliable and valid tool that can be used for non-invasive and non-contact collection of MBI measurements, which can assist in accessible DED detection and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has emphasized the paucity of non-contact and non-invasive methods for the objective evaluation of dry eye disease (DED). However, robust evidence to support the implementation of mHealth- and app-based biometrics for clinical use is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of app-based maximum blink interval (MBI) measurements using DryEyeRhythm and equivalent traditional techniques in providing an accessible and convenient diagnosis. In this single-center, prospective, cross-sectional, observational study, 83 participants, including 57 with DED, had measurements recorded including slit-lamp-based, app-based, and visually confirmed MBI. Internal consistency and reliability were assessed using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients. Discriminant and concurrent validity were assessed by comparing the MBIs from the DED and non-DED groups and Pearson's tests for each platform pair. Bland–Altman analysis was performed to assess the agreement between platforms. App-based MBI showed good Cronbach's alpha coefficient, intraclass correlation coefficient, and Pearson correlation coefficient values, compared with visually confirmed MBI. The DED group had significantly shorter app-based MBIs, compared with the non-DED group. Bland–Altman analysis revealed minimal biases between the app-based and visually confirmed MBIs. Our findings indicate that DryEyeRhythm is a reliable and valid tool that can be used for non-invasive and non-contact collection of MBI measurements, which can assist in accessible DED detection and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited progressive disease, characterized by a loss of photoreceptors, and is the second leading cause of visual impairment in Japan. RP is currently incurable and can result in complete blindness, with affected patients typically experiencing a gradual loss of light sensitivity, visual field, and visual acuity. Identification of any unmet medical needs of patients with this condition requires an understanding of the impacts of RP; in this study, we surveyed Japanese patients with RP to investigate the quality of life and economic impacts of visual impairment. Methods: This non-interventional, cross-sectional study surveyed Japanese patients with RP. Economic impact was measured using an original questionnaire that assessed out-of-pocket cost (e.g., vision aids and medical services), salary gap with the general public, and the cost of depression and anxiety. Worker productivity was assessed using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI). Quality of life was evaluated using the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3), the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (VFQ-25), and the 5-level EQ-5D version (EQ-5D-5L). The primary outcome was direct and indirect costs of visual impairment or blindness during the lifetime of patients with RP. Results: Among 122 surveyed patients with RP, the estimated annual cost per patient was 218,520 yen (2176 USD), and the estimated lifetime cost per patient was 18,523,909 yen (184,501 USD). Additional robustness testing increased the estimated annual cost and lifetime cost per patient to 783,176 yen (7801 USD) and 66,389,827 yen (661,253 USD), respectively. In working patients, work productivity loss was 26.2% per person and impairment of daily activities was 31.6% per person. The mean VFQ-25, HUI3, and EQ-5D-5L scores were 42.0, 0.393, and 0.833, respectively. Conclusion: RP imposed a heavy economic burden and negative quality of life impacts in Japanese patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the second leading cause of visual impairment in Japan and causes progressive vision loss in affected patients. Caregiving for patients with RP is associated with socioeconomic impacts; however, data on the magnitude and scope of these impacts are lacking. This cross-sectional study surveyed informal caregivers of patients with RP in Japan. The questionnaire assessed the socioeconomic status of participants; work impacts through the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire adapted for caregivers; and quality of life impacts through the Japanese version of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA) and the 5-level EQ-5D version (EQ-5D-5L). Of the 37 participating caregivers, 28 (75.7%) were employed. Among those, the average annual income was 2,722,080 yen (n = 20) and the mean loss of work productivity was 6.6%. The mean EQ-5D-5L index score was 0.882, and the mean CRA total score was 2.1. A mild to very severe impact on family life, leisure and hobbies, social life, and mental health was experienced by 83.8%, 78.4%, 75.7%, and 70.3%, respectively. These results suggest that caregivers of patients with RP may be disadvantaged in terms of employment and income and may experience wide-ranging impacts on their quality of daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gel-forming mucins secreted by conjunctival goblet cells have been implicated in the clearance of allergens, pathogens, and debris. However, their roles remain incompletely understood. Here we show that human and mouse conjunctival goblet cell mucins have Alcian blue-detectable sialic acids, but not sulfates in the steady state. Interestingly, Balb/c mouse strain lacks this sialylation due to a point mutation in a sialyltransferase gene, St6galnac1, which is responsible for sialyl-Tn synthesis. Introduction of intact St6galnac1 to Balb/c restores the sialylation of conjunctival goblet cell mucus. Sialylated mucus efficiently captures and encapsulates the allergen particles in an impenetrable layer, leading to the protection of mice from the development of allergic conjunctivitis. Expression of ST6GALNAC1 and sialyl-Tn is upregulated in humans under conditions with chronic stimuli. These results indicate that the sialylated glycans on the ocular mucins play an essential role in maintaining the conjunctival mucosa by protecting from the incoming foreign bodies such as allergen particles. Conjunctival goblet cells secrete mucins that are heavily glycosylated. Here, the authors show that sialylation of mucins is essential for capturing and encapsulates allergen particles and thus reduces the risk for developing allergic conjunctivitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined whether and how L1-L2 crosslinguistic formal lexical similarity influences L2 word choice. Our sample included two learner subcorpora, containing 8,500 and 6,390 English texts, written in an educational setting, by speakers of diverse L1s in the A1–B2 CEFR range of L2 proficiency. We quantified similarity based on phonological overlap between L1 words and their L2 (English) translations. This similarity relates to psycholinguistic cognancy, which occurs when words and their translations share a high level of formal similarity, often due to historical cognancy from shared etymology or language contact. We then used mixed-effects statistical models to examine how this similarity influences the rate of use of the L2 words; essentially, we checked whether L2 words that are more similar to their L1 translations are used more often. We also controlled for potential confounds, including the baseline L1 frequency of the English words. The type of crosslinguistic similarity that we examined did not influence learners' choice of L2 words in their writing in the present sample, which represents a type of educational setting that many learners encounter. This suggests that the influence of such similarity is constrained, and that communicative needs can override transfer from learners' L1 to their L2, which raises questions regarding when and how else situational factors can influence transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated whether the accuracy of grammatical morphemes in second language (L2) learners' writing is associated with usage‐based distributional factors. Specifically, we examined whether the accuracy of L2 English inflectional morphemes is associated with the availability (i.e., token frequency) and contingency (i.e., token frequency relative to other forms with the same lemma) of the inflected word form as well as the formulaicity of the context in which it occurs (i.e., predictability of the form given the surrounding words). Data drawn from a large‐scale learner corpus indicated that contingency is a robust predictor of morpheme accuracy, thereby supporting the usage‐based view that language learners are sensitive to distributional properties in their input. Furthermore, the relationship of contingency with accuracy does not necessarily lessen when learners' proficiency rises. Contrary to previous research investigating online processing, we did not identify in our study availability and formulaicity as predictors of accuracy of morpheme production in writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct time integration schemes are an integral part of the FEM simulation of structural dynamics problems. Such schemes should be at least second‐order accurate, unconditionally stable, and numerically dissipates the high‐frequency components. To this end, this article develops a time integration scheme, called modified v‐ST/FEM, which is based on the time‐discontinuous Galerkin method. The proposed method employs an unsymmetric triangular bubble function for relating the displacement field to the velocity field. The modified v‐ST/FEM contains two‐parameter α∈(0,0.5)$$ \alpha \in \left(0,0.5\right) $$ and β∈(−1,βc)$$ \beta \in \left(-1,{\beta}_c\right) $$ for controlling the dissipation of high‐frequency components. A comprehensive study of the influence of α$$ \alpha $$ and β$$ \beta $$ on the numerical performance of the proposed method is conducted. It is found that the error in the solution increases when the value of α$$ \alpha $$ increases. However, for all practical purposes, β$$ \beta $$ has a negligible influence on the accuracy of the proposed method. The modified v‐ST/FEM is second‐order accurate for α≠0.0$$ \alpha \ne 0.0 $$, and third‐order accurate for α=0.0$$ \alpha =0.0 $$. The numerical efficacy of the modified v‐ST/FEM is demonstrated by solving some benchmark problems and comparing its result to those obtained by other popular methods such as Trapezoidal rule, HHT‐α$$ \alpha $$, and Bathe's scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated and characterized the prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) in Parkinson's disease (PD). PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched for relevant studies between January 1, 1979 and March 10, 2022. Quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist. Study-specific estimates were combined using the DerSimonian–Laird random-effects model. Prevalence of subjective DED symptoms in patients with PD and mean differences in blink rate, corneal thickness, tear film breakup time, and tear secretion volume on Schirmer test I were compared to those in controls. Of 383 studies, 13 (1519 patients with PD) and 12 were included in qualitative and quantitative syntheses, respectively. Meta-analysis revealed a 61.1% prevalence of subjective DED symptoms in PD and that, compared with controls, patients with PD had significantly lower blink rate, thinner corneal thickness, shorter tear film breakup time, and lower tear secretion volumes on Schirmer test I, without and with anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine normal corneal eccentricity in a rural Japanese population and to examine factors associated with eccentricity value. This used data from the Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcome in Aizu Cohort Study (LOHAS) project between 2009 and 2012. Residents of Minamiaizu and Tadami in Fukushima, Japan, who were aged 40 years or over, were invited for a comprehensive eye examination. For 1371 patients with no history of internal eye surgery, corneal eccentricity was measured using a Pentacam. Of 1371 people recruited to the study, 1215 (1215 eyes) met the inclusion criteria. The overall mean eccentricity was 0.46 (SD = 0.18; range, −0.85 to 0.88). Corneal eccentricity was significantly associated with age, spherical equivalent, pupil diameter, anterior chamber angle, anterior chamber volume, and central corneal thickness, but not with gender or body mass index. In this study, the normal cornea in this Japanese population was prolate. Corneal eccentricity was likely to decrease with increasing age. Also, spherical equivalent and other anterior segment parameters had an influence on corneal eccentricity. Corneal eccentricity measurements might be helpful in the diagnosis of corneal diseases and in calculations for intraocular lens implantation and corneal refractive surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bed shear stress and turbulence quantities are important parameters to understand sediment erosion, transport, and hydraulic processes in most hydraulic studies. An experimental investigation was conducted to understand the effect of injection on the bed shear stress and turbulence characteristics of flows during low sediment transport rate in a closed conduit, which is similar in construction to the erosion function apparatus. In particular, the effect of injection on the bed shear stress, mean velocity profiles, turbulence intensities, Reynolds shear stress, and higher-order moments of the closed conduit flows in the seepage zone as well as at the upstream edge of the seepage zone was examined. The instantaneous velocities were measured using two-dimensional particle image velocimetry (PIV) to evaluate the turbulence structure in both the seepage zone and at the upstream edge of the seepage zone. The bed shear stress estimated by the Reynolds shear stress approach was found to be more appropriate than that estimated by the usual logarithmic law approach. However, a spatial fluctuation in the bed shear stress was noticed as the injection intensity was increased. Injection was found to decrease the velocity near the bed and to increase the velocity near the center of the conduit in comparison to the no-seepage condition in both zones. The injection resulted in more of a decrease in bed stability in the seepage zone in comparison to the upstream edge of the seepage zone as the injection intensities were increased. The introduction of injection increased the magnitudes of the various turbulence parameters in comparison to the no-seepage condition in the seepage zone. The effect of injection was not only visible in the near-bed region, but in both zones as the water depth (measured from top of the sediment surface) increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Smartphones are being increasingly used for research owing to their multifunctionality and flexibility, and crowdsourced research using smartphone applications (apps) is effective in the early detection and management of chronic diseases. We developed the AllerSearch app to gather real-world data on individual subjective symptoms and lifestyle factors related to hay fever. This study established a foundation for interactive research by adopting novel, diverse perspectives accrued through implementing the principles of patient and public involvement (PPI) in the development of our app. Methods: Patients and members of the public with a history or family history of hay fever were recruited from November 2019 to December 2021 through a dedicated website, social networking services, and web briefing according to the PPI Guidebook 2019 by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development. Nine opinion exchange meetings were held from February 2020 to December 2021 to collect opinions and suggestions for updating the app. After each meeting, interactive evaluations from PPI contributors and researchers were collected. The compiled suggestions were then incorporated into the app, establishing an active feedback loop fed by the consistently interactive infrastructure. Results: Four PPI contributors (one man and three women) were recruited, and 93 items were added/changed in the in-app survey questionnaire in accordance with discussions from the exchange meetings. The exchange meetings emphasized an atmosphere and opportunity for participants to speak up, ensuring frequent opportunities for them to contribute to the research. In March 2020, a public website was created to display real-time outcomes of the number of participants and users' hay-fever-preventative behaviors. In August 2020, a new PPI-implemented AllerSearch app was released. Conclusions: This study marks the first research on clinical smartphone apps for hay fever in Japan that implements PPI throughout its timeline from research and development to the publication of research results. Taking advantage of the distinct perspectives offered by PPI contributors, a step was taken toward actualizing a foundation for an interactive research environment. These results should promote future PPI research and foster the establishment of a social construct that enables PPI efforts in various fields. Plain English summary: Patient and public involvement (PPI) plays an important role in promoting effective execution of health science research, as well as in the establishment of a social agreement and infrastructure for the care of various diseases, including cancer, chronic diseases, and allergic illnesses. Hay fever is one of the most common allergic diseases, affecting more than 30 million people in Japan. It is known for its myriad factors and diverse presentations. Previously, we developed a mobile health (mHealth) smartphone application (app) for hay fever—AllerSearch—released in February 2018. This app is capable of collecting relevant digital phenotypes and user-provided information, which are used in providing tailored, evidence-based suggestions. To our knowledge, no other studies have been conducted on the implementation of PPI in mHealth. Since hay fever presents with a wide variety of symptoms and risk factors, PPI principles appear well-suited for eliciting insights from the patient/public population and for incorporating new, expert perspectives into the research process. In this study, we included PPI contributors in the research plan, app development, and evaluation. Most notably, the survey questionnaire and user interface of the app was tailored based on PPI feedback. The updated AllerSearch app was released during this study period. Since hay fever is a widespread and variable illness, the multifaceted input from patients and public experts enabled by PPI implementation holds promise for improving society-wide healthcare and in empowering a culture toward medical involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous wave (CW) and microsecond pulse (MP) laser irradiations were compared regarding cell damage and laser-induced temperature rise at retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The RPE of porcine RPE-choroid-sclera explants was irradiated with a 577 nm laser in CW or MP mode (5% or 15% duty cycle (DC)) for 20 ms or 200 ms at an average laser power of 20–90 mW. Cell viability was investigated with calcein-AM staining. Optoacoustic (OA) technique was employed for temperature measurement during irradiation. For 200 ms irradiation, the dead cell area (DCA) increased linearly (≈1600 µm2/mW) up to the average power of 40 mW for all modes without significant difference. From 50 mW, the increase of DCA of MP-5% significantly dropped to 610 µm2/mW (p < 0.05), likely due to the detected microbubble formation. OA temperature measurement showed a monotonic temperature increase in CW mode and a stepwise increase in MP mode, but no significant difference in the average temperature increase at the same average power, consistent with the temperature modeling. In conclusion, there is no difference in the average temperature rise between CW and MP modes at the same average power regardless of DC. At lower DC, however, more caution is required regarding mechanical damage due to microbubble formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the characteristics and clinical ocular manifestations of acute corneal graft rejection after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. We conducted an online search of the PubMed and EMBASE databases. Data on recipients' characteristics, corneal transplantation types, interval between vaccination and allograft rejection, clinical manifestations, and graft rejection medication were extracted. Thirteen articles on 21 patients (23 eyes) with acute corneal graft rejection after COVID-19 vaccination, published between April and December 2021, were included. The median (interquartile range) age at the onset of rejection was 68 (27–83) years. Types of transplantation included penetrating keratoplasty (12 eyes), Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (six eyes), Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (four eyes), and living-related conjunctival-limbal allograft (one eye). The interval between vaccination and rejection ranged from 1 day to 6 weeks. Corneal edema was the leading clinical manifestation (20 eyes), followed by keratic precipitates (14 eyes) and conjunctival or ciliary injection (14 eyes). Medications included frequently applied topical corticosteroids (12 eyes), followed by a combination of topical and oral corticosteroids (four eyes). In addition, the clinical characteristics of corneal allograft rejection after COVID-19 vaccination were identified. Corneal transplant recipients may require further vaccination, necessitating appropriate management and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dry eye disease (DED) after cataract surgery is associated with various risk factors, while causing a wide range of heterogeneous symptoms including decreased quality of vision. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of DED after cataract surgery. We searched PubMed and EMBASE and included studies on patients with DED after cataract surgery, between January 2011 and June 2020. Study-specific estimates (DED prevalence rates after cataract surgery in patients without preexisting DED) were combined using one-group meta-analysis in a random-effects model. We included 36 studies published between 2013 and 2020. We included nine of these in the meta-analysis of DED prevalence after cataract surgery. Overall 37.4% (95% CI 22.6–52.3; 206/775) of patients without preexisting DED developed DED after cataract surgery. The risk factors for DED after cataract surgery included age, female sex, systemic diseases, systemic medications, psychiatric conditions, preexisting DED, meibomian gland dysfunction, preservatives in eye drops, surgery techniques, and lifestyle. DED severity peak occurred 1 day postoperatively and persisted for at least 1–12 months following cataract surgery; therefore, consistent follow-up for DED is warranted for at least 1 month after cataract surgery. Topical administration of preservative-free diquafosol tetrasodium solution and preoperative meibomian gland treatment were effective in preventing and treating DED following cataract surgery. As more than one-third of patients develop DED after cataract surgery, careful DED management and treatment is needed after cataract surgery to improve satisfaction and vision quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This prospective observational study aimed to evaluate the ocular biometry of Japanese people through a multicenter approach. The uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity (UDVA and CDVA, respectively) in the log minimum angle of resolution (logMAR), subjective and objective spherical equivalent values (SE) of ocular refraction, anterior and posterior corneal curvature (ACC and PCC, respectively), anterior and posterior corneal asphericity (ACA and PCA, respectively), central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and ocular axial length (AL) were measured in the eyes of 250 participants (mean age = 46.5 ± 18.0 years, range: 20–90 years) across five institutions in Japan. The mean UDVA, CDVA, subjective SE, objective SE, ACC, PCC, ACA, PCA, CCT, ACD, and AL were 0.68, −0.08, −2.42 D, −2.66 D, 7.77 mm, 6.33 mm, −0.31, −0.39, 0.55 mm, 2.92 mm, and 24.78 mm, respectively. Age-related changes and sex-based differences were noted in the visual acuity, refraction, corneal shape, ACD, and AL. Our results serve as basis for future studies aiming to develop refractive correction methods and various vision-related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review aimed to determine the comorbid dry eye (DE) and allergic conjunctivitis (AC) prevalence. We searched PubMed and EMBASE for articles published until 22 March 2022, combining the terms "(dry eye OR keratoconjunctivitis sicca) AND allergic conjunctivitis." Study-specific estimates (DE and AC incidence rates among patients with AC and DE, respectively) were combined using the one-group meta-analysis in a random-effects model. The initial search yielded 700 studies. Five articles reporting AC incidence among individuals with DE and six articles reporting DE incidence among individuals with AC were included in the qualitative synthesis. In these nine articles, the total sample size was 7254 patients. The DE incidence among individuals with AC was 0.9–97.5%; the AC incidence among individuals with DE was 6.2–38.0%. One-group meta-analysis using a random-effects model showed that 47.2% (95% confidence interval: 0.165–0.779; 320/1932 cases) of patients with AC had comorbid DE and 17.8% (95% confidence interval: 0.120–0.236; 793/4855 cases) of patients with DE had comorbid AC, as defined by each article. Complimentary screening and treatment for patients with DE and AC may improve long-term outcomes and prevent chronic ocular damage in highly susceptible populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a method that models unidirectional, contingency-based association scale ΔP in order to analyse the different degrees of morpheme productivity in apparently identical L1–L2 inflected pairs. The method has the potential to uncover differences in how in L1–L2 inflected items are represented by L2 learners and native speakers. Such differences are at risk of remaining invisible if one considers only frequency, distribution and rank of predicates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Uncorrected refractive error (URE) is the leading cause of vision impairment and the second leading cause of blindness. It is a major public health challenge worldwide. However, the current status of URE in Japan is unclear. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: In 2012, a population-based cross-sectional study was conducted among community dwellers aged 40 years and older who received health check-ups in Minamiaizu and Tadami, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. URE was considered when the presenting visual acuity in the better-seeing eye was < 0.5 and when visual acuity improved more than 1 line with refractive correction in the better-seeing eye. We estimated the age-specific prevalence of URE, and calculated the p-value for trend to examine the linear pattern of the association of the prevalence of URE and age. Results: This analysis included 2952 participants. The mean age (standard deviation [SD]) of the study population was 69.10(9.67) years and 57.79% were women. The overall prevalence of URE was 10.90% (95% CI, 9.77–12.05%). Prevalence by age category was 5.00% (95% CI, 2.03–10.03%), 6.09% (95% CI, 3.59–9.58%), 7.02% (95% CI, 5.49–8.81%), 11.96% (95% CI, 10.15–13.97%), and 22.39% (95% CI, 18.41–26.78%) for 40–49 years, 50–59 years, 60–69 years, 70–79 years, and 80 years or older, respectively (p-for trend, < 0.001). Conclusions: The prevalence of URE was 10.9% and exceeded 20%, especially in individuals older than 80 years. Given the correlation between increasing incidence of URE and increase in age, public health intervention to promote awareness of URE is important, especially for the older population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is disturbing and overwhelming a regular medical care in the world. We evaluated the clinical characteristics of patients with primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) during the state of emergency for COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. We also reviewed measures against the COVID-19 pandemic in our institute with a focus on RRD treatment. Retrospectively, patients who underwent initial RRD surgery during the state of emergency between April 7, 2020 and May 25, 2020 were included. For comparison, we recruited patients who underwent surgery for initial RRD during the same period in the last 2 years (2018 and 2019). Data related to the number of surgeries, age, gender, macular detachment, proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), preoperative visual acuity, surgical techniques, the time between the onset and hospitalization and/or surgery of the 2020 cohort were analyzed and compared with those of the 2018 and 2019 cohorts. Furthermore, we reviewed measures taken against COVID-19 in our institute. The number of RRD patients during the state of emergency tended to be lower than that within the last 2 years. Relatively lesser female (vs. male) patients were observed in the 2020 cohort than in the last 2 years (P = 0.084). In contrast, among all cohorts, no significant differences were observed in the incidence of macula-off and PVR, preoperative visual acuity, and the time period between symptom onset and hospitalization and/or surgery. This is the first report to show the clinical patterns of RRD during COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Despite the state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic, no delay in the patient's initial visit to the hospital and surgery was observed. Further studies, including multicenter researches, are important for investigating the influence of COVID-19 on urgent ocular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidimensional integrative data analysis of digital phenotyping is crucial for elucidating the pathologies of multifactorial and heterogeneous diseases, such as the dry eye (DE). This crowdsourced cross-sectional study explored a novel smartphone-based digital phenotyping strategy to stratify and visualize the heterogenous DE symptoms into distinct subgroups. Multidimensional integrative data were collected from 3,593 participants between November 2016 and September 2019. Dimension reduction via Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection stratified the collected data into seven clusters of symptomatic DE. Symptom profiles and risk factors in each cluster were identified by hierarchical heatmaps and multivariate logistic regressions. Stratified DE subgroups were visualized by chord diagrams, co-occurrence networks, and Circos plot analyses to improve interpretability. Maximum blink interval was reduced in clusters 1, 2, and 5 compared to non-symptomatic DE. Clusters 1 and 5 had severe DE symptoms. A data-driven multidimensional analysis with digital phenotyping may establish predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidimensional integrative data analysis of digital phenotyping is crucial for elucidating the pathologies of multifactorial and heterogeneous diseases, such as the dry eye (DE). This crowdsourced cross-sectional study explored a novel smartphone-based digital phenotyping strategy to stratify and visualize the heterogenous DE symptoms into distinct subgroups. Multidimensional integrative data were collected from 3,593 participants between November 2016 and September 2019. Dimension reduction via Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection stratified the collected data into seven clusters of symptomatic DE. Symptom profiles and risk factors in each cluster were identified by hierarchical heatmaps and multivariate logistic regressions. Stratified DE subgroups were visualized by chord diagrams, co-occurrence networks, and Circos plot analyses to improve interpretability. Maximum blink interval was reduced in clusters 1, 2, and 5 compared to non-symptomatic DE. Clusters 1 and 5 had severe DE symptoms. A data-driven multidimensional analysis with digital phenotyping may establish predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cluster 5 had noticeably fewer hay fever symptoms (Figure 1B and Table 1) because individuals included in this cluster may have suppressed or already resolved hay fever symptoms, or simply did not yet have hay fever symptoms during the enrolled period owing to the cross-sectional nature of this study. Keywords: hay fever; mobile health; ResearchKit; smartphone application; stratification EN hay fever mobile health ResearchKit smartphone application stratification 3820 3824 5 12/01/21 20211201 NES 211201 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We wish to thank the members of our patient panel for advice regarding ways to improve patient and public involvement in the research project. Symptom-based stratification for hay fever: A crowdsourced study using the smartphone application AllerSearch. [Extracted from the article]

In practice, inverse problems related to explicit interface detection rely on scarcely available information of the background continuous spatial fields. To accurately carry on inversion in such cases, a method called Hamiltonian Monte Carlo for Simultaneous Interface and Spatial Field Detection (HMCSISFD) is developed. Update of the interface parameters is done in a reversible mesh moving framework leading to a change in domain geometry which forces a recomputation of the spatial field covariance function as it is domain dependent. The eigenvalue problem and its derivatives w.r.t. the parameters are solved again on the updated domain to enable dimensionality reduction of the spatial field parameters through the use of the truncated Karhunen‐Loève expansion. This simultaneous parameter update procedure is applied to the detection of the interface and spatial field properties of a piping zone. Inversion is done considering hydraulic head and discharge rate data, with a priori known observation noise, from a carefully designed laboratory seepage flow experiment in a domain consisting a predefined piping zone. The static pipe in the experiment is representative of a pipe in equilibrium beneath an embankment/levee where the current hydraulic gradient isn't sufficient to cause further pipe progression. Markov chains obtained from the HMCSISFD method show convergence and the true interface and spatial field parameters are found to lie well within the 95% high probability density regions and the 0.05 and 0.95 quantiles, respectively, provided a proper choice for the observation noise is made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While it has been recognized that visual impairment is associated with poor self-rated health (SRH), in addition to various negative health outcomes of visual impairment, the number of older adults with visual impairment is increasing due to population aging. As increasing evidence has been found for the effectiveness of social participation on good SRH, we examined whether there was an association between social participation and SRH and investigated whether the effect differed by visual status.Methods: Questionnaire data on self-reported visual status, social participation, socioeconomic status, and SRH were obtained in 2016. A total of 24,313 community-dwelling individuals aged 65 and over participated. We examined the association of social participation and SRH status among older adults with visual impairment. Stratified analysis and analysis with an interaction term between social participation and visual status were also conducted. Social participation was assessed by the number of participating groups (no participation, one, two, and three or more).Results: Overall visual impairment prevalence was 9.3% (95% CI: 8.9-9.7). Among those with and without visual impairment, prevalence of poor SRH was 38.4 and 13.1%, respectively. However, the association between social participation with SRH was similar, especially for those who participated in one or two groups. For people with (PR = 0.54) and without visual impairment (PR = 0.50), those who participated in two groups showed lower prevalence ratios for poor SRH compared to people without social participation.Conclusion: Social participation showed a beneficial association with SRH among older adults with visual impairment. Future interventions could focus on the potentially positive role of social participation on SRH among older adults with visual impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While it has been recognized that visual impairment is associated with poor self-rated health (SRH), in addition to various negative health outcomes of visual impairment, the number of older adults with visual impairment is increasing due to population aging. As increasing evidence has been found for the effectiveness of social participation on good SRH, we examined whether there was an association between social participation and SRH and investigated whether the effect differed by visual status. Methods: Questionnaire data on self-reported visual status, social participation, socioeconomic status, and SRH were obtained in 2016. A total of 24,313 community-dwelling individuals aged 65 and over participated. We examined the association of social participation and SRH status among older adults with visual impairment. Stratified analysis and analysis with an interaction term between social participation and visual status were also conducted. Social participation was assessed by the number of participating groups (no participation, one, two, and three or more). Results: Overall visual impairment prevalence was 9.3% (95% CI: 8.9–9.7). Among those with and without visual impairment, prevalence of poor SRH was 38.4 and 13.1%, respectively. However, the association between social participation with SRH was similar, especially for those who participated in one or two groups. For people with (PR = 0.54) and without visual impairment (PR = 0.50), those who participated in two groups showed lower prevalence ratios for poor SRH compared to people without social participation. Conclusion: Social participation showed a beneficial association with SRH among older adults with visual impairment. Future interventions could focus on the potentially positive role of social participation on SRH among older adults with visual impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macular pucker, also known as an epiretinal membrane, sometimes forms after surgical repair of a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and can decrease visual acuity and cause aniseikonia. However, few reports are evaluating the risk factors of macular pucker using multivariate analysis. To evaluate the risk factors for macular pucker after RRD surgery, 226 patients who underwent RRD surgery and were monitored for greater than 12 months (23.2 ± 6.4 months) after surgery were analyzed retrospectively. Of these cases, macular pucker developed in 26 cases. Multiple logistic regression models of 22 clinical characteristics were performed. An increased risk of macular pucker after RRD surgery was significantly associated with preoperative vitreous haemorrhage (Odds ratio (OR), 4.71; 95% CI 1.19–18.62), multiple retinal breaks (OR, 8.07; 95% CI 2.35–27.71), re-detachment (OR, 19.66; 95% CI 4.87–79.38), and retinal detachment area (OR, 12.91; 95% CI 2.34–71.19). Macular pucker was not associated with the surgical technique. Regardless of the surgical technique used, careful observation for postoperative macular pucker is needed after RRD surgery in high-risk cases. These findings can be used to improve the surgical management of patients with RRD. (183 words). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence and factors associated with uncorrected presbyopia among rural community dwellers in Japan. Study design: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2011 among community dwellers aged 40–74 years who received specific health checkups in Minamiaizu and Tadami, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Methods: Uncorrected presbyopia was considered as when the distance-corrected visual acuity in the better eye was ≥0.5 and the near-presenting visual acuity in the better eye was <0.4, regardless of distance refractive status. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) for uncorrected presbyopia and to adjust for possible confounders. Results: A total of 2054 individuals participated in the specific health checkups. In the 1156 individuals (response rate: 56.28%) analyzed in the study, the mean (SD) age was 63.0 (8.7) years, the percentage of women was higher (57.87%), and the prevalence of uncorrected presbyopia was 26.38% (95% CI 23.86%–29.03%). Multivariate analysis revealed that the factors associated with uncorrected presbyopia were older age (adjusted OR: 1.054 [95% CI: 1.034–1.075]), female sex (adjusted OR: 1.388 [95% CI: 1.006–1.915]), and distance-presenting vision impairment (adjusted OR: 2.651 [95% CI: 1.697–4.143]). Conclusion: Approximately one-quarter of the participants in this study from a rural population of Japan did not have adequate near vision. It is recommended that a public health intervention should be enacted to correct presbyopia, especially in the older age group, women, and those with uncorrected refractive errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the safety of cosmetic contact lenses and to identify other factors of contact lens (CL)-related complications for Japanese females. A web-based, cross-sectional, observational survey of complications related to CL use was performed. The frequencies of complications were compared between transparent and cosmetic CLs. Besides lens pigmentation, age, replacement schedule, total experience, daily wear time, location of purchase, stacking of CLs, CL exchange with friends, compliance to hygiene procedure, replacement of CLs at intervals longer than recommended, and CL wear overnight were considered as risk factors. Logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate the odds ratios. A total of 3803 Japanese females were analyzed. The frequency of adverse events was 33.4% (95%CI 31.3–35.4%) and 35.7% (95%CI 33.5–38.0%) for transparent and cosmetic CLs, respectively. In a multivariate model, statistically significant factors associated with complications included the following: quarterly schedule lenses, replacement at intervals longer than recommended, compliance to hygiene procedure, overnight wearing, purchase at physical shops and on the internet, and longer daily wearing time. Most of the risk-increasing behaviors are preventable. The role of public health ophthalmology is to increase awareness and to improve CL use behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accuracy of the pore-scale intergranular flow analysis by the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), with the aid of the discrete element method (DEM), is investigated and compared with the experimental results of saturated seepage flows. Due to its simplicity and computational efficiency, a regularized Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook model is employed for the LBM to increase the numerical stability. After examining the performance of the numerical method by two well-known problems, namely the Hagen-Poiseuille flow and the flow past a stationary single sphere, a pore-scale numerical simulation of the saturated seepage flow is conducted. Permeability tests are carried out with an artificial porous medium prepared by a 3D printer, consisting of a sufficient number of resin particles. The experimental results are compared with those of the LBM numerical simulation, in which the pore structure of the porous medium is reproduced by the DEM. The numerical results are seen to have properly predicted the macroscopic properties obtained by the permeability tests, which have shown the prominent applicability of the LBM-DEM analysis to pore-scale intergranular fluid flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding mechanical interactions at the root-soil interface is essential to predict the erosion of vegetated slopes. Recently, the shear strength of vegetatedil under changing hydraulic conditions has been measured and modeled; however, root-soil interfaces have not been investigated under changing hydraulic conditions. This paper proposes (1) a novel pullout apparatus to measure the shear strength at the root-soil interface under changing suction, (2) a Mohr-Coulomb-Vilar (MCV) shear strength model of root-soil interfaces, and (3) a numerical simulation using Node-To-Segment (NTS) approach along with Finite Element Method (FEM). The pullout tests were verified using the numerical simulation, and the results showed that the combination of the MCV model and NTS/FEM approach can accurately predict the shear behavior of root-soil interfaces under changing suction. In addition, we experimentally evaluated the pullout problem of roots and showed that the present method provides reasonably predicts root-pullout problems even when the suction is changed during the pullout process. The current method, therefore, can be used for predicting root-soil interface dynamics under varying suction and soil pressure by only adding two additional parameters of the Vilar model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the regional differences in the genes and variants causing retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in Japan Study design: Retrospective multicenter study Methods: In total, 1204 probands of each pedigree clinically diagnosed with nonsyndromic RP were enrolled from 5 Japanese facilities. The regions were divided into the Tohoku region, the Kanto and Chubu regions, and the Kyushu region according to the location of the hospitals where the participants were enrolled. We compared the proportions of the causative genes and the distributions of the pathogenic variants among these 3 regions. Results: The proportions of genetically solved cases were 29.4% in the Tohoku region (n = 500), 29.6% in the Kanto and Chubu regions (n = 196), and 29.7% in the Kyushu region (n = 508), which did not differ statistically (P =.99). No significant regional differences in the proportions of each causative gene in genetically solved patients were observed after correction by multiple testing. Among the 29 pathogenic variants detected in all 3 regions, only p.(Pro347Leu) in RHO was an autosomal dominant variant; the remaining 28 variants were found in autosomal recessive genes. Conversely, 78.6% (275/350) of the pathogenic variants were detected only in a single region, and 6 pathogenic variants (p.[Asn3062fs] in EYS, p.[Ala315fs] in EYS, p.[Arg872fs] in RP1, p.[Ala126Val] in RDH12, p.[Arg41Trp] in CRX, and p.[Gly381fs] in PRPF31) were frequently found in ≥ 4 patients in the single region. Conclusion: We observed region-specific pathogenic variants in the Japanese population. Further investigations of causative genes in multiple regions in Japan will contribute to the expansion of the catalog of genetic variants causing RP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corneal neovascularization (CNV) causes higher-order aberrations, corneal edema, ocular inflammation, and corneal transplant rejection, thereby decreasing visual acuity. In this study, we investigated the effects of topical administration of the kappa opioid receptor agonist nalfurafine (TRK-820) on CNV. To induce CNV, intrastromal corneal sutures were placed on the corneal stroma of BALB/c mice for 2 weeks. Nalfurafine (0.1 µg/2 μL/eye) was topically administered to the cornea once or twice daily after CNV induction. The CNV score, immune cell infiltration, and mRNA levels of angiogenic and pro-inflammatory factors in neovascularized corneas were evaluated using slit-lamp microscopy, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and polymerase chain reaction. The mRNA expression of the kappa opioid receptor gene Oprk1 was significantly upregulated following CNV induction. Topical administration of nalfurafine twice daily significantly suppressed CNV and lymphangiogenesis, as well as reduced the mRNA levels of angiogenic and pro-inflammatory factors in the neovascularized corneas. Moreover, nalfurafine administration twice daily reduced the numbers of infiltrating leukocytes, neutrophils, macrophages, and interferon-γ-producing CD4+ T cells in the neovascularized corneas. In this study, we demonstrated that topical administration of nalfurafine suppressed local CNV in a mouse model along with the activation of KOR, suggesting that nalfurafine may prevent and control CNV in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As large-scale learner corpora become increasingly available, it is vital that natural language processing (NLP) technology is developed to provide rich linguistic annotations necessary for second language (L2) research. We present a system for automatically analyzing subcategorization frames (SCFs) for learner English. SCFs link lexis with morphosyntax, shedding light on the interplay between lexical and structural information in learner language. Meanwhile, SCFs are crucial to the study of a wide range of phenomena including individual verbs, verb classes and varying syntactic structures. To illustrate the usefulness of our system for learner corpus research and second language acquisition (SLA), we investigate how L2 learners diversify their use of SCFs in text and how this diversity changes with L2 proficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Describe the frequency and severity of knee ligament sprains diagnosed by MRI in athletes participating at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, their association with certain sports and assess correlations with additional knee structural injury. Patients and Methods: All knee MRIs performed in the Olympic Village and polyclinics during the 2016 Olympics were retrospectively, blindly reviewed for ligament sprains and associated knee injuries. In addition to the absence or presence of these abnormalities, athletes were stratified by age, gender and sport. Results: 11,274 athletes participated in the 2016 Olympic Games: 113 athletes received at least one knee MRI with some having bilateral or repeat MRI on the same knee. Anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligament (ACL/MCL) sprains were most common, accounting for 32 of the 43 sprains (74.4%). Wrestling (10), hockey (7), athletics (7), and judo (5) accounted for over half of ligament sprains. ACL sprains showed a significant positive correlation with medial, lateral meniscal tears and bone contusions. The positive correlation between posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) sprains with MCL/lateral collateral ligament sprain, and popliteus tendon tear was statistically significant with 50% of total PCL sprains occurring in hockey. When athletes were stratified by gender, ligament sprains had a similar occurrence and distribution between men and women. Conclusion: Knee ligament sprains, at the Rio 2016 Games, were most common in wrestling, hockey, athletics and judo with ACL and MCL sprains most frequent. Meniscal tears and bone contusions occurred often with ACL sprains. PCL sprains tended to be multi-ligamentous injuries. Sustained ligament sprains had similar occurrence between genders, while men had a peak incidence of sprains at a younger age and women at an older age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine eye drop type and usage frequency and investigate risk factors for no eye drop use in individuals with symptomatic dry eye (DE) in Japan. Study design: Crowdsourced observational study. Methods: This study was conducted using the DryEyeRhythm smartphone application between November 2016 and September 2019. Data collected included the type and frequency of eye drop use, demographics, medical history, lifestyle, and self-reported symptoms. Symptomatic DE was defined as an Ocular Surface Disease Index total score of ≥ 13. Risk factors for no eye drop use were identified using multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: Among 2619 individuals with symptomatic DE, 1876 did not use eye drops. The most common eye drop type was artificial tears (53.4%), followed by hyaluronic acid 0.1% (33.1%) and diquafosol sodium 3% (18.7%). Risk factors (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]) for no eye drop use were age (0.97 [0.97–0.98]), body mass index (1.04 [1.01–1.07]), brain disease (0.38 [0.15–0.98]), collagen disease (0.30 [0.13–0.68]), mental illness other than depression and schizophrenia (0.65 [0.45–0.93]), cataract surgery (0.12 [0.02–0.59]), ophthalmic surgery other than cataract and laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (0.55 [0.34–0.88]), current (0.47 [0.38–0.57]) or past (0.58 [0.43–0.77]) contact lens use, >8 h screen exposure time (1.38 [1.05–1.81]), <6 h (1.24 [1.01–1.52]) and >9 h (1.34 [1.04–1.72]) sleep time, and water intake (0.97 [0.94–0.98]). Conclusion: Many participants with symptomatic DE did not use optimized eye drop treatment and identified risk factors for no eye drop use. The DryEyeRhythm application may help improve DE treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic basis of Japanese autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (ARRP) remains largely unknown. Herein, we applied a 2-step genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 640 Japanese patients. Meta-GWAS identified three independent peaks at P < 5.0 × 10−8, all within the major ARRP gene EYS. Two of the three were each in linkage disequilibrium with a different low frequency variant (allele frequency < 0.05); a known founder Mendelian mutation (c.4957dupA, p.S1653Kfs*2) and a non-synonymous variant (c.2528 G > A, p.G843E) of unknown significance. mRNA harboring c.2528 G > A failed to restore rhodopsin mislocalization induced by morpholino-mediated knockdown of eys in zebrafish, consistent with the variant being pathogenic. c.2528 G > A solved an additional 7.0% of Japanese ARRP cases. The third peak was in linkage disequilibrium with a common non-synonymous variant (c.7666 A > T, p.S2556C), possibly representing an unreported disease-susceptibility signal. GWAS successfully unraveled genetic causes of a rare monogenic disorder and identified a high frequency variant potentially linked to development of local genome therapeutics. Koji Nishiguchi et al. identify three genetic variants within the EYS gene that are associated with retinitis pigmentosa using a genome-wide association study. They demonstrate that one of these variants (G843E) causes retinal dysfunction in zebrafish, suggesting a causal role for EYS in retinitis pigmentosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated whether the eight standard tests of sports vision used in Japan appropriately reflect sports vision; whether all eight tests are necessary; and if not, which combination yields the optimal model. Participants were kendo practitioners (exercise group, n = 41) and those with no exercise habits (non-exercise group, n = 65). The performance of the two groups on all eight tests were compared. The groups differed in static visual acuity, kinetic visual acuity, and eye/hand coordination. A high correlation (r = 0.75) was observed between static visual acuity and kinetic visual acuity, while contrast sensitivity was moderately correlated with static visual acuity and kinetic visual acuity (r = 0.6), and dynamic visual acuity was moderately correlated with eye/hand coordination (r = − 0.66). Logistic regression analysis indicated that it is not necessary to conduct all eight tests; the optimal model included static visual acuity, visual reaction time, and eye/hand coordination. Our results suggest that static visual acuity, visual reaction time, and eye/hand coordination are sufficient for assessing visual function in kendo practitioners. For other sports, it may be possible to construct discriminative models using the same method and determine which aspects of visual function and which training methods to emphasise in a given sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a severe and recurrent allergic conjunctivitis, the mechanism of which is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the role of oncostatin M (OSM) in the pathogenesis of VKC, with a focus on tissue remodeling. Study design: Clinical and experimental. Patients and methods: The OSM concentrations in tear fluid samples obtained from VKC patients and healthy controls were measured using ELISA, and the expression of OSM mRNA and protein in giant papillae resected from VKC patients was investigated using RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. In cultured human conjunctival epithelial cells (HconEpiCs), expression of OSM receptor β (OSMRβ) was detected using immunocytochemical and FACS analyses. Finally, we investigated whether recombinant OSM activated STAT1 and STAT3 to induce the expression of various genes related to tissue remodeling in HconEpiCs, by using Western blot analysis, microarray analysis, and RT-PCR. Results: The OSM concentration was higher in the tear fluid of VKC patients than in that of the healthy controls, and strong expression of OSM mRNA was found in the giant papillae. We also detected T cells expressing OSM in the giant papillae. In addition, HconEpiCs showed surface expression of OSMRβ. Recombinant human OSM strongly activated both STAT1 and STAT3 in HconEpiCs and induced various tissue remodeling-related genes, including MMP-1, MMP-3, IL-24, IL-20, serpinB3, S100A7, tenascin C, and SOCS3. Conclusion: Our results suggest that OSM is one of the key molecules involved in remodeling of giant papillae in VKC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To establish with negative electroretinogram (ERG) the clinical entity of eight patients with unilateral severe photophobia, essentially normal fundus, good visual acuity, and severe cone and rod dysfunction. Study design: Multicenter retrospective observation case series. Methods: Comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations were performed, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), full-field ERGs and multifocal ERGs (mfERGs), fundus photographs, and OCT. Systemic and genetic examinations were performed. Results: The mean (± SD) age at the onset was 60.0 ± 8.4 years, and the six patients noticed severe photophobia in the affected eye in spite of almost normal fundus appearance and good BCVA. The dark-adapted bright flash ERGs in the affected eye had relatively well-preserved a-waves and depressed b-waves, i.e., a negative ERG. Cone ERGs and both b- and d-waves of the photopic long-duration ERGs were almost undetectable. Rod ERGs were severely reduced; however, only two patients complained of night blindness. In five patients, the mfERGs were extinguished in the periphery but preserved in the central retina, resulting in good BCVA. Electrophysiological findings indicated a severe diffuse dysfunction of the inner retina affecting bipolar cells of both ON- and OFF-pathways, and in five patients there was a reduction in the thickness of the inner nuclear layer. In seven patients the retinal arteries were attenuated. Anti-retinal antibodies were detected in the serum of two patients. No genetic causes were found. Conclusions: The common features in the eight patients with unilateral negative ERGs suggest a new disease entity of unilateral acute inner retinal layer dysfunction. In most patients, the only subjective complain was photophobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corneal allograft survival is mediated by the variety of immunological reactions and wound healing process. Our aim was to explore the effects of topical administration of ripasudil, a selective Rho-associated coiled-coil protein kinase inhibitor, on corneal allograft survival. Ripasudil was administered to mice thrice a day after allogeneic corneal transplantation. Corneal graft survival, opacity, neovascularization, re-epithelization, immune cell infiltration, and mRNA levels of angiogenic and pro-inflammatory factors in the grafted cornea and draining lymph nodes (dLNs) were evaluated with slit-lamp microscopy, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and polymerase chain reaction. Graft survival was significantly prolonged with lower graft opacity and neovascularization scores in 0.4% and 2.0% ripasudil-treated groups, and mRNA levels of angiogenic and pro-inflammatory factors in ripasudil-treated grafted corneas were reduced. Moreover, 0.4% and 2.0% ripasudil reduced CD45+-infiltrated leukocyte frequency, Cd11b and Cd11c mRNA levels, and the frequencies of mature dendritic cells, IFNγ-, and IL-17- producing CD4+T cells in the dLNs of recipients. Re-epithelization rate of the grafted cornea was significantly higher in the 0.4% and 2.0% ripasudil groups than in the control. Topically applied ripasudil prolonged graft survival by downregulating neovascularization and inflammation factors, while promoting corneal re-epithelization, suggesting that ripasudil may be useful for suppressing immunological rejection in corneal transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]