Search

Introduction: Seasonal influenza A H3N2 viruses are constantly changing, reducing the eectiveness of existing vaccines. As a result, the World Health Organization (WHO) needs to frequently update the vaccine strains to match the antigenicity of emerged H3N2 variants. Traditional assessments of antigenicity rely on serological methods, which are both labor-intensive and time-consuming. Although numerous computational models aim to simplify antigenicity determination, they either lack a robust quantitative linkage between antigenicity and viral sequences or focus restrictively on selected features. Methods: Here, we propose a novel computational method to predict antigenic distances using multiple features, including not only viral sequence attributes but also integrating four distinct categories of features that significantly aect viral antigenicity in sequences. Results: This method exhibits low error in virus antigenicity prediction and achieves superior accuracy in discerning antigenic drift. Utilizing this method, we investigated the evolution process of the H3N2 influenza viruses and identified a total of 21 major antigenic clusters from 1968 to 2022. Discussion: Interestingly, our predicted antigenic map aligns closely with the antigenic map generated with serological data. Thus, our method is a promising tool for detecting antigenic variants and guiding the selection of vaccine candidate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the optimal consumption, investment, and life insurance choices for a wage earner with subjective survival beliefs and habit formation types. The wage-earner has access to a risk-free asset, an index bond, and a stock in a financial market. Introducing subjective survival beliefs describes the wage earner's optimistic or pessimistic attitude towards the longevity risk. Two types of habit formation are considered: one depends on real past consumption; the other is incited by money illusion and depends on nominal past consumption. The aim is to maximize the expected utility of real consumption, total legacy, and terminal wealth, where the utility of consumption comes from the part of real consumption that exceeds real habit level. Using the dynamic programming method, we provide and prove a verification theorem and obtain the closed-form solution of the optimization problem. Numerical results reveal that subjective survival beliefs and habit formation types play important roles in the financial behaviors of the wage-earner. Detailed results are exhibited. Especially, subjective survival beliefs, the existence of habit formation, and the relative risk aversion coefficient affect the demand for life insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative and mechanistic understanding of learning and long-term memory at the level of single neurons in living brains require highly demanding techniques. A specific need is to precisely label one cell whose firing output property is pinpointed amidst a functionally characterized large population of neurons through the learning process and then investigate the distribution and properties of dendritic inputs. Here, we disseminate an integrated method of daily twophoton neuronal population Ca2+ imaging through an auditory associative learning course, followed by targeted single-cell loose-patch recording and electroporation of plasmid for enhanced chronic Ca2+ imaging of dendritic spines in the targeted cell. Our method provides a unique solution to the demand, opening a solid path toward the hard-cores of how learning and longterm memory are physiologically carried out at the level of single neurons and synapses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Older adults frequently participate in behavior change studies, yet it is not clear how to quantify a potential relationship between their perception of the intervention and its efficacy. Objective: We assessed the relationship between participant sentiment toward the intervention from follow-up interviews with physical activity and questionnaires for the perception of health. Methods: Sentiment was calculated using the transcripts of exit interviews through a bag of words approach defined as the sum of positive and negative words in 28 older adults with obesity (body mass index ≥30kg/m2). Results: Mean age was 73 years (82% female), and 54% lost ≥5% weight loss. Through linear regression we describe a significant association between positive sentiment about the intervention and weight loss; positive sentiment on technology and change in PROMIS-10 physical health and reduced physical activity time, while controlling for sex and age. Conclusion: This analysis demonstrates that sentiment analysis and natural language processing in program review identified an association between perception and topics with clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To investigate whether the combined subconjunctival injection of dexamethasone can accelerate the decrease in intraocular pressure (IOP) in acute primary angle closure (APAC)-affected eyes. Methods 42 patients with APAC were recruited for a randomised controlled trial. These patients were separated into two groups: the injection group (21 patients) and the control group (21 patients). The injection group was subjected to a subconjunctival injection with 2.5 mg dexamethasone. Other drug treatments were the same with the control group. The follow-up was at 0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours after injection. The outcome measures include IOP and intraocular inflammation variables. Results The IOP was significantly decreased in both groups after treatment. However, 24 hours after the initial treatment, the IOP of the injection group was significantly lower compared with the control group (p = 0.017). Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that the total success rate of the injection group and the control group were 79.7% and 54.9% at 24 hours after treatment (p = 0.027), respectively. For the comparison of anterior chamber inflammation, the severity of conjunctival erythema, ciliary flush and pain in the injection group was also lower than that in the control group at 24 hours after treatment(p = 0.012, p = 0.048 and p = 0.013, respectively). No statistical significance was found between the two groups regarding the anterior chamber cells, anterior chamber flare and photophobia. Conclusion The combined subconjunctival injection of dexamethasone for the management of APAC eyes can significantly accelerate the relief of high IOP, and therefore, improve the success rate of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To determine if the anterior choroid is involved in ocular change during the Valsalva manoeuvre (VM). Materials and methods Fifty-three healthy volunteers aged 18–65 years with normal visual field test results and no history of intraocular pressure (IOP) exceeding 21 mm Hg were recruited. Anterior and posterior choroidal changes before and during VM were recorded by ultrasound microscope and swept-source optical coherence tomography, respectively. Parameters of the anterior segment included ciliary body thickness (CBT0), thickness of the choroid at a distance of 4 mm from the root of the iris (CT4), anterior placement of the ciliary body (APCB) and trabecular–ciliary angle (TCA). Thickness of different layers of retina and posterior choroid were also measured and compared before and during VM. IOP, blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), axial length, spherical equivalent refractive error and pupil diameter (PD) were also recorded and analysed. Results VM caused elevated IOP, systolic BP, diastolic BP and increased HR. There was a significant increase in anterior parameters including CBT0, CT4 and APCB (p<0.001), but not in TCA or PD (p>0.05). The mean change of CBT0, CT4 and APCB were: from 1.00±0.09 mm to 1.11±0.10 mm (p<0.001), from 0.29±0.04 mm to 0.36±0.05 mm (p<0.001), from 0.76±0.11 mm to 0.88±0.13 mm (p<0.001), respectively. However, there is no significant change in posterior choroid (from 215.74±60.23 μm to 214.82±61.32 μm, p=0.17). Conclusion We found that VM did not affect the posterior choroid, but it did cause thickening of the anterior choroid and the ciliary body, both of which led to a larger anterior placement of the ciliary body and a narrowed anterior chamber. The anterior (but not the posterior) choroid could be related to IOP elevation and a narrowed anterior chamber in primary angle closure diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To analyse the associated factors, diagnosis, clinical manifestations and therapeutic effects of Acanthamoeba keratitis at a tertiary ophthalmic centre in Southern China.Methods: A retrospective clinical study was performed in fifteen patients who were admitted to Zhongshan Ophthalmic Centre (ZOC) from January 2004 to December 2014. The patients' pathogenesis-associated factors were analysed, and preoperative diagnoses were determined using corneal scraping cultures and/or confocal microscopy followed. All diagnoses were confirmed by postoperative pathological examinations. At follow-up, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), the recurrence rate and graft transparency were evaluated to assess therapeutic effects.Results: The main pathogenic factors observed in the fifteen patients were a history of injury or a foreign body entering the eyes (12 cases). In all, Acanthamoeba keratitis was preoperatively diagnosed in 5 cases using corneal scraping cultures or confocal microscopy. Ocular symptoms included redness, photophobia, tearing, and blurred vision. Penetrating keratoplasty was performed in thirteen patients, and postoperative pathological examinations were performed to confirm these diagnoses. The logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) of visual acuity was significantly improved after keratoplasty (p < 0.01). No recurrence was observed, and approximately 90% of the corneal grafts were found to be transparent during the follow-up period.Conclusions: Corneal trauma may be the main pathogenic factor that causes Acanthamoeba keratitis in southern China. Corneal scraping combined with confocal microscopy was helpful for achieving a correct diagnosis. Early keratoplasty combined with amoebicidal therapy is an effective treatment strategy in Acanthamoeba keratitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To report the thickness of the retina, retinal ganglion cell (RGC)-related layers, and choroid in healthy subjects using swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).Methods: One hundred and forty-six healthy volunteers were consecutively recruited for this prospective observational study. Thickness of retina, RGC-related layers, and choroid in the standard early treatment of diabetic retinopathy study (ETDRS) grid were automatically measured using one SS-OCT (DRI OCT-1, Topcon, Japan). The IOL Master (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Germany) was used to measure axial length (AL).Results: Thicknesses of the average macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) were 105.3±9.7 and 78.5±6.2 um respectively. Neither of them was significantly related with sex, age, or AL. Both showed strong correlations with retinal thickness (r=0.793, p=0.000; r=0.813, p=0.000, respectively) and with similar topographic distributions within the retina. The thicknesses of retina and GCC/GCIPL in the inner sectors were significantly higher than in the outer sectors of the EDTRS area, while in the same region of the macula, the choroid exhibited completely different patterns of topographic variation. Men had 7.8 um thicker retina and 34.9 um thicker choroid than women after adjustment for age and AL (all p<0.05). Age and AL could significantly influence the choroidal thickness but not the retina (all p<0.05).Conclusion: Thickness of GCC/GCIPL in healthy Chinese individuals is not dramatically different across gender, age, and AL groups in terms of ETDRS grid, but sex is critical for retinal and choroidal thickness. Choroidal structure (but not retinal) can be significantly influenced by age and AL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to examine possible differences in clinical outcomes between selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) and topical medication in the treatment of open-angle glaucoma. Methods: Pertinent prospective comparative controlled trials comparing SLT with medication were selected through extensive searches of the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedicine Database, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register database from their inception up to March 2014. Efficacy estimates were measured by their weighted mean difference (WMD) to calculate the intraocular pressure reduction (IOPR) from baseline to endpoint and by the odds ratio (OR) to determine success rates. Results: Five prospective studies, which met the predefined criteria, were included in the meta-analysis. Four studies were randomized clinical trials and one study was a prospective non-randomized clinical trial. There were a total of 492 eyes of 366 patients with open-angle glaucoma. Four studies involving 325 eyes compared SLT with medication in terms of the IOPR. The WMD of the IOPR from the baseline was 0.6 (95 % confidence intervals: -0.24,1.43) when comparing SLT with medication. No statistical heterogeneity was observed between studies (Χ² = 1.30, P = 0.75, I² = 0.0 %). All five studies reported success rates, with a pooled OR of 0.84 (95 % confidence intervals: 0.42, 1.68), which was not statistically significant. No statistical heterogeneity was observed between studies (Χ² = 5.98, P = 0.200, I² = 33.1 %). Subgroup and sensitivity analysis confirmed the high stability of the meta-analysis results. Conclusions: Both SLT and topical medication demonstrate similar success rates and effectiveness in lowering intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A biodegradable sponge, composed of chitosan (CS) and sodium alginate (SA), was successfully obtained in this work. The sponge was ethereal and pliable. The chemical structure and morphology of the sponges was characterized by FTIR and SEM. The swelling ability, in vitro drug release and degradation behaviors, and an in vivo animal test were employed to confirm the applicability of this sponge as a wound dressing material. As the chitosan content in the sponge decreased, the swelling ability decreased. All types of the sponges exhibited biodegradable properties. The release of curcumin from the sponges could be controlled by the crosslinking degree. Curcumin could be released from the sponges in an extended period for up to 20 days. An in vivo animal test using SD rat showed that sponge had better effect than cotton gauze, and adding curcumin into the sponge enhanced the therapeutic healing effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C15H19NO, M = 229.32, triclinic, P1̄ (no. 2), a = 6.9535(5) Å, b = 7.4037(6) Å, c = 14.5179(9) Å, α = 97.879(4), β = 93.543(5), γ = 116.785(5), V = 654.43(9) ų, Z = 2, Rgt(F) = 0.0520, wRref(F²) = 0.1518, T = 173 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polarization beam splitter (PBS) based on the directional coupler is numerically investigated to operate transverse-electric (TE) and transverse-magnetic (TM) modes including high-order modes. Based on the phase-matching condition, all TM-polarization modes are switched from the bus waveguide to the adjacent waveguide without changing the spatial profile of the electric field and mode order while all TE-polarization modes go along the bus waveguide without significant coupling. The results show a low cross talk characteristic (>20 dB at 1.55 μm) and big fabrication tolerance (δw = ±20 nm). It becomes an essential supplement for polarization splitting with multimode operation in photonics integrated circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an all-dielectric metasurface for simultaneously controlling phase and amplitude at the subwavelength scale. Based on the Pancharatnam–Berry phase and Fabry–Pérot resonance, the variations of phase and amplitude can cover 0–2π and 0–1, respectively. Moreover, the polarization conversion efficiency and polarization conversion purity can reach up to 88 and 94%, respectively. By this method, a vortex beam generator with controllable topological charges and amplitudes is successfully designed. The proposed metasurface provides an effective method for the complete control of phase and amplitude, which can be used for holography, beam shaping, and the synthesis of complex wave fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]