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This study aims to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of store-and-forward tele-ophthalmology consultations for non-diabetic patients, aged 40 and above, presenting with vision impairment of 3 months or more, in terms of cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration.This is a prospective comparative study. Enrolled subjects were independently assessed by both tele-ophthalmology and face-to-face assessment. Agreement level between the two modalities for diagnosis and severity were compared using kappa statistic. Diagnostic accuracy of tele-ophthalmology was determined using the face-to-face consultation serving as the gold standard. Costs were compared by calculating the downstream costs generated by each modality in terms of investigations and treatment.A total of 860 eyes of 430 patients were assessed during the study period. Tele-ophthalmology consultations had significantly high agreement with face-to-face consultations in the diagnosis and grading of all three ocular conditions; cataracts, glaucoma, and AMD. Diagnosis and grading of cataracts and AMD reached [Formula: see text] values of 0.8, while diagnosis and grading of glaucoma reached [Formula: see text] values between 0.61 and 0.8. In terms of diagnostic accuracy, tele-ophthalmology consultations were highly sensitive and specific for AMD with greater than 99% sensitivity and specificity achieved by tele-ophthalmology. There was high specificity when diagnosing cataracts, but lower sensitivity at 87.8%. Conversely, there was high sensitivity for diagnosing glaucoma, but lower specificity at 76.5%. Downstream costs were similar between groups.Store-and-forward tele-ophthalmology consultations are accurate and comparable to face-to-face consultations for diagnosis and grading of cataracts, glaucoma, and AMD.

Introduction Patient Decision Aid (PDA) is a tool to prompt shared decision-making. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a PDA on Chinese primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients. Methods All subjects were randomized into control and PDA group. The questionnaires, including 1) Glaucoma knowledge; 2) 8-item Morisky medication adherence scale (MMAS-8); 3) 10-item glaucoma medication adherence self-efficacy scale (GMASES-10); and 4) 16-item decision conflict scale (DCS), were evaluated at baseline, 3 and 6 months follow up. Results Totally, 156 subjects participated in this study, including 77 in the control group and 79 in the PDA group. Compared to the control group, PDA group showed around 1 point more improvement in disease knowledge at both 3 and 6 months (both p < 0.05), 2.5[95%CI(1.0, 4.1)] and 1.9[95%CI(0.2, 3.7)] points more improvement in GMASES-10 at 3 and 6 months respectively, and reduction in DCS by 8.8 [95%CI (4.6, 12.9)] points more at 3 months and 13.5 [95%CI (8.9, 18.0)] points more at 6 months. No difference was detected in MMAS-8. Conclusion PDA led to improvement in disease knowledge and self-confidence in medication adherence, and reduced decision conflict compared to control group for at least 6 months.

Purpose: To evaluate the correlation between ocular surface disease (OSD) and functional status among elderly population over 60 years old in Hong Kong.Methods: Chinese subjects above 60 years old ...

Four undescribed and five known isosteroidal alkaloids were isolated from the bulbs of Fritillaria taipaiensis and their structures were elucidated on the basis of HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data analyses. The undescribed compounds were designated taipainines A-D. Of these, taipainine D presented a unique structure having the D/E trans (H-13α/H-17β) and E/F cis (β-axial lone pair of the N atom/H-22β) ring junctions. Possible biosynthetic pathway to taipainine D is proposed. Four compounds showed significant BChE inhibitory activities similar or better than the positive control galantamine. In addition, the preliminary structure-activity relationships (SARs) of these isosteroidal alkaloids were also investigated.

Background Microglial activation is a prominent feature of neuroinflammation, which is present in almost all neurodegenerative diseases. While an initial inflammatory response mediated by microglia is considered to be protective, excessive pro-inflammatory response of microglia contributes to the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration. Although autophagy is involved in the suppression of inflammation, its role and mechanism in microglia are unclear. Methods In the present study, we studied the mechanism by which lipopolysaccharide (LPS) affects microglial autophagy and the effects of autophagy on the production of pro-inflammatory factors in microglial cells by western blotting, immunocytochemistry, transfection, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and real-time PCR. In a mouse model of neuroinflammation, generated by intraventricular injection of LPS (5 μg/animal), we induced autophagy by rapamycin injection and investigated the effects of enhanced autophagy on microglial activation by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry. Results We found that autophagic flux was suppressed in LPS-stimulated N9 microglial cells, as evidenced by decreased expression of the autophagy marker LC3-II (lipidated form of MAP1LC3), as well as increased levels of the autophagy adaptor protein SQSTM1. LPS significantly decreased Vps34 expression in N9 microglial cells by activating the PI3KI/AKT/MTOR pathway without affecting the levels of lysosome-associated proteins and enzymes. More importantly, overexpression of Vps34 significantly enhanced the autophagic flux and decreased the accumulation of SQSTM1 in LPS-stimulated N9 microglial cells. Moreover, our results revealed that an LPS-induced reduction in the level of Vps34 prevented the maturation of omegasomes to phagophores. Furthermore, LPS-induced neuroinflammation was significantly ameliorated by treatment with the autophagy inducer rapamycin both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions These data reveal that LPS-induced neuroinflammation in N9 microglial cells is associated with the inhibition of autophagic flux through the activation of the PI3KI/AKT/MTOR pathway, while enhanced microglial autophagy downregulates LPS-induced neuroinflammation. Thus, this study suggests that promoting the early stages of autophagy might be a potential therapeutic approach for neuroinflammation-associated diseases.

Site-selective deoxygenation of hydroxyl groups represents essential processes to access valuable functionalized bio-based compounds with industrial potential. One of the challenging tasks in this context is to convert biodiesel-derived glycerol in the presence of abundant water directly to 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO), a key component of the emerging polymer industry. Herein, a monometallic iridium supported on H-ZSM-5 in the absence of Re oxophilic metal oxides was prepared via grinding-assisted impregnation procedures and attempted as an effective and recyclable catalyst for the aqueous-phase selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol toward 1,3-PDO in the absence of acid additives. The results revealed the necessity to control the Ir domain dispersions, Ir0/Ir3+ ratio and the amounts of overall acid/Bronsted acid sites. Activity depended linearly on the amount of overall and Bronsted acid sites, and 1,3-PDO selectivity increased in the presence of Ir-induced Bronsted acid sites, denoted as Ir-O(H)-H-ZSM-5. We speculate that Ir-O(H)-H-ZSM-5 are generated by the interfacial synergistic interaction between IrOx and H-ZSM-5 through hydrogen spillover and reverse hydrogen spillover according to the reported literatures. The reaction mechanism to elucidate the role of Ir-O(H)-H-ZSM-5 sites in glycerol hydrogenolysis was also postulated based on extensive characterization and catalytic reaction results.

The development of function-integrated catalysts to enable scalable and efficient biomass valorization is an important topic. Here, a stepwise methodology was developed to fabricate novel supported Au–Pd bimetallic catalysts featuring immobilized well-defined on-surface nanoarchitectures (Pd∧Au). This was achieved by an atomic decoration of a trace amount of Pd (Pd/Au molar ratio of 0.01–0.02) on the surface of 2 nm Au nanoparticle (NP, 0.86 wt %) preanchored to titania. Benefiting from their unique structural merits and the cooperative interplay among the selective hydrogenation activity furnished by the ultrasmall Pd∧Au NPs and prominent Lewis acidity endowed by TiO2, Pd0.02∧Au/TiO2 exhibits excellent activity with 100% conversion and over 90% selectivity and stability (turnover number up to 48 300) toward controlled ring-opening conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and related furanic compounds to the corresponding di- and triketone-type products under mild conditions (120 °C, 10 bar of H2). The resul...

PurposeTo investigate the optic disc and peripapillary vessel density, as well as its ocular and systemic associations, in healthy eyes among adult Chinese population.MethodsA population-based cross-sectional eye survey was conducted on Chinese adults residing in Hong Kong. 1891 eyes from 1891 participants who completed 4.5×4.5 mm optical coherence tomography angiography scans were recruited. Among the 1891 eyes, 404 were excluded due to low scan quality, optic disc or retinal disorders and non-Chinese ethnicity. The vessel densities (VDs) at nerve fibre layer plexus (NFLP) at both optic disc and peripapillary were collected for analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the ocular and systemic associations of NFLP VD.ResultsThe study included 1487 participants (men: 41.2%) with a mean age of 48.8±15.4 years. The mean NFLP VD of the whole en face image, inside disc and peripapillary region was 53.8%, 42.7% and 60.3%, respectively. In the multivariable model, decreased NFLP VDs were significantly associated with older age, male gender, longer axial length (AL) and lower Signal Strength Index.ConclusionsThis large population-based cross-sectional study provided quantitative data of optic disc and peripapillary NFLP VD which may serve as a normative reference for clinical use. Apart from age, gender and AL, the scan signal strength also should be taken into consideration during the assessment of NFLP VD.

Purpose To investigate the long-term effect and safety of collagen cross-linking (CXL) on patients with bullous keratopathy (BK) in a randomized control manner. It is, to our knowledge, the first randomized control study on the effect of CXL on BK. Methods Subjects were randomized to receive CXL as in the standard protocol for treating keratoconus or a placebo treatment. Subjects were assessed at baseline and up to 12 months after treatment. Primary outcomes were central corneal thickness (CCT) and pain scores. Results Forty-two patients with BK participated in the study treatment, 26 subjects were randomized to the CXL group and 16 subjects to the control group. The reduction of CCT in the CXL group was 37.6 and 63.8 μm at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively, which were significantly higher than that in the control group. However, there was no statistical difference in CCT reduction between the 2 groups at 12 weeks and after. There were no consistent advantages in pain score, corneal clarity, and visual acuity over the controls throughout the 1-year follow-up. However, CXL was associated with more recurrent epithelial defect (12%), and 2 of the 3 subjects with epithelial defect required amniotic membrane transplant. Conclusions CXL reduced corneal thickness in the patients with BK, at least for the initial period. However, there were no improvement in pain, corneal clarity, and vision that were of more clinical relevance to the patients. Its short-term benefit was unlikely to outweigh its potential risk of recurrent epithelial defect.

Nanofilms are of great interest as a kind of separation membranes for seawater desalination and wastewater treatment. Their fabrication, however, always needs a time-consuming process and shows low atom economy. Herein, we report pyrogallol/polyethyleneimine (PG/PEI) nanofilms spontaneously formed at the gas/liquid interface within ten minutes and composited on microporous substrates. Both the film thickness and the surface charge are facilely adjusted by the reaction time and the mass ratio of PG/PEI in aqueous solution. The solution is repeatedly used to fabricate the nanofilm composite membranes and thus this method is with high atom economy of raw materials. The as-prepared nanofilm composite membranes can be directly applied in aqueous nanofiltration, showing a relatively high water permeation flux (17.5 L m−2 h−1 bar−1) and salt rejection (>94% for MgCl2) during a long-term operation. The nanofilms are also demonstrated potentials in organic solvent nanofiltration after moderate cross-linking by glutaraldehyde.

To examine the prevalence of myopia in primary school children in Hong Kong, and the risk factors for myopia development. A cross-sectional study. Subjective refraction and axial length were measured in all participants. Structured questionnaire was completed by the parents to assess risk factors of myopia. A total of 1396 children (491 boys) from Grade 1 to Grade 6 from 4 primary schools in Sham Shui Po district of Hong Kong participated. All participants underwent non-cycloplegic refraction. The overall prevalence of myopia (spherical equivalent, SE ≤ -0.5 diopter [D]) was 37.7%, which significantly increased with age, from 13.3% at grade 1 to 54.7% at grade 6. The prevalence of moderate myopia (-3.0D < SE < -6.0D) increased from 1.6% at grade 1 to 18.2% at grade 6 and the prevalence of high myopia (SE < = -6.0 D and/or AL ≥ 26.5 mm) increased from 0.94% (7/747) in grade 1-3 students to 1.85% (12/649) in grade 4-6 students. Among the students with myopia, only 23.6% of the parents knew their children had refractive errors and only 19.8% of the children wore glasses. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed myopia development was significantly associated with older age (OR = 1.36, P = 0.008), better academic ranking in class in the preceding semester (OR = 1.01, P = 0.02) and absence of routine eye check (OR = 2.70, P = 0.001). The prevalence of myopia in primary school students in Hong Kong is high. There is a low level of awareness of refractive errors among parents, and high proportion of under-correction, resulting in suboptimal vision.

Reductive amination (RA) constitutes an attractive and practical strategy for discovering protocols capable of converting biomass into valuable N-containing compounds. Described herein is a versatile and sustainable RA of 5-hydroxymethyl-furfural (HMF), an important biomass-derived aldehyde, using abundant and cheaply available CO and water as reductants. A single phase rutile titania supported gold (Au/TiO2-R) catalyst is shown to efficiently catalyze this CO/H2O-mediated RA under mild and convenient conditions. With this system, a broad spectrum of primary and secondary amines can be used as suitable substrates and the desired reaction can proceed favourably in a highly chemoselective, efficient and atom-economical fashion. In particular, this protocol can also allow convenient access to bis(hydroxylmethylfurfuryl)-amines, a new group of furan-based monomers with great potential to form functional biopolymers with tunable properties. Moreover, this CO-assisted RA is more efficient (higher TON and TOF) and more eco-friendly (increased resource efficiency) than the previous state-of-the-art technique.

Objectives To assess the prevalence and potential risk factors of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in Chinese patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to evaluate the role of chest computed tomography (CT) in the screening of LTBI. Methods A single-center retrospective study was conducted and all IBD patients who had been screened for LTBI by T-SPOT.TB between December 2011 and January 2016 were enrolled in the study. Both inpatient and outpatient records were collected and comprehensively reviewed. Results Altogether 534 IBD patients were included. The positivity rate of T-SPOT.TB was 18.0% overall, 31.9% in IBD unclassified, 22.5% in ulcerative colitis and 13.0% in Crohn's disease patients, respectively. Age, history of TB and the administration of immunosuppressants were significantly associated with T-SPOT.TB positivity. Among 123 patients who underwent serial testing, the conversion and reversion rate of T-SPOT.TB was 10.2% and 42.9%, respectively. Furthermore, 102 of 447 (22.8%) patients who underwent chest computed tomography (CT) were found with abnormal CT findings suggestive of LTBI. The concordance rate was 75% between the T-SPOT.TB and chest CT with a kappa value of 0.25 (95% CI 0.15–0.35). Conclusions The prevalence of LTBI in IBD patients is high in China. Chest CT is recommended as an alternative to IGRA for screening LTBI of IBD patients before commencing immunosuppressive therapy in high-prevalence regions.

The reductive transformation of furfural (FAL) into furfuryl alcohol (FOL) is an attractive route for the use of renewable bio-sources but it suffers from the heavy use of H 2 . We describe here a highly efficient reduction protocol for converting aqueous FAL to FOL. A single phase rutile TiO 2 support with a gold catalyst (Au/TiO 2 -R) that used CO/H 2 O as the hydrogen source catalyze this reduction efficiently under mild conditions. By eliminating the consumption of fossil fuel-derived H 2 , our process has the benefit afforded by using CO as a convenient and cost competitive reducing reagent.

Given the vital importance of furfural (FFA) upgrading towards a sustainable bio-based economy, an eco-friendly aqueous route to produce a sole valuable product from FFA is highly desirable. We herein describe an efficient approach to quantitatively convert FFA into cyclopentanone (CPO) in neat water, employing H2 as the clean reductant and supported gold nanoparticles as a simple yet versatile catalyst. The use of anatase TiO2 featuring only mild Lewis acidic sites as the underlying support is essential, not only for preventing undesirable side reactions, but also for attaining high CPO selectivity. The feasibility of using biogenic CPO and CO2 as benign carbon sources to synthesize the industrially important feedstock dimethyl adipate is also demonstrated.

Reductive amination (RA) is one of the most important transformations in organic chemistry. A versatile and sustainable gas-free RA of aldehydes carried out directly with cheaply available nitroarenes using stoichiometric amounts of non-toxic and entirely renewable formic acid (FA) as the terminal reductant is described herein. A single phase rutile titania supported gold (Au/TiO2-R) catalyst is shown to catalyse efficiently this FA-based direct RA in neat water under mild reaction conditions. The broad scope, mild and neutral conditions, together with CO2 and water as environmental harmless byproducts, make this transformation very useful. Moreover, straightforward examples of the direct construction of bioactive heterocyclic compounds containing a benzimidazole motif were achieved through this protocol.

The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae), is an invasive and important pest in China. Understanding the physiological–biochemical characteristics of the overwintering pupae is essential for its cold tolerance and potential distribution in the northeast of China. Results indicated that the supercooling point (SCP) of H. cunea overwintering pupae varied significantly among Jilin city (43°N, 126°E), Jilin Province, Shenyang (41.8°N, 123.4°E), Liaoning Province and Yingkou (40.39°N, 122.13°E), Liaoning Province. The average SCP in Jilin was the lowest (− 23.49 ± 0.46 °C) in those of three areas. The water content in overwintering pupae had a significant positive correlation with the SCP (R = 0.848,P = 0.03). Contents of alanine (ALA) (26.00%), lysine (LYS) (30.51%) and arginine (ARG) (22.88%) in the overwintering pupae's hemolymph were higher than others. During the overwintering, the fat content in pupae's bodies decreased gradually. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that the content of trehalose in the body of H. cunea was remarkably different (P = 0.007) month by month, with the maximum in March (2.88 mg·mL − 1 ) and the minimum (0.40 mg·mL − 1 ) in November. Pearson's correlation test indicated that SCP had a significant negative correlation with the SOD enzyme activity (R = − 0.850; P = 0.008). Thermal hysteresis activity (THA) of hemolymph was 0.68°C and 0.7–0.8°C for H. cunea pupae and larva, respectively, using differential scanning calorimetry, which suggests that the H. cunea can improve their cold tolerance through producing antifreeze proteins. These results could help us to predict the distribution of the H. cunea in the northeast of China.

To observe the long-term changes in dry eye symptoms and vision-related quality of life in age-related cataract patients after phacoemulsification. A total of 101 cataract patients after phacoemulsification combined with IOL implantation (Ph-IOL) in one eye were enrolled. Visual acuity, tear film breakup time (BUT), and Schirmer test 1 (ST1) were measured before and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores were used to evaluate the severity of dry eye symptoms. Utility values were assessed by the time trade-off (TTO), standard gamble for death (SGD), standard gamble for blindness (SGB) and rating scale (RS). The average LogMAR visual acuity in the operated eye was 1.35 ± 0.50 and increased rapidly after Ph-IOL, approaching a peak at 3 months (0.26 ± 0.15). The BUT and ST1 results decreased abruptly 1 month after surgery and gradually recovered until 6 months. OSDI scores increased significantly after surgery and gradually decreased until 6 months. Utility values evaluated by TTO, SGD, SGB and RS before surgery were 0.67 ± 0.19, 0.75 ± 0.15, 0.67 ± 0.20 and 0.2 ± 0.18, respectively, and increased to 0.91 ± 0.06, 0.98 ± 0.04, 0.92 ± 0.52 and 0.91 ± 0.06, 6 months after. Utility values measured with TTO, SGB or RS correlated significantly (P

The benefits of physical exercise on health and well-being have been studied in a wide range of systemic and ocular diseases, including glaucoma, a progressive optic neuropathy characterized by accelerated apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) and insufficient ocular perfusion have been postulated to be the two main theories in glaucoma development and progression. The effects of exercise in these two aspects have been demonstrated by numerous researches. A review in 2009 focusing on these two theories concluded that exercise results in transient IOP reduction but an inconsistent elevation in ocular perfusion. However, the majority of the studies had been conducted in healthy subjects. Over the past decade, technological advancement has brought forth new and more detailed evidence regarding the effects of exercise. Moreover, the neuroprotective effect of exercise by upregulation of neurotrophin and enhancement of mitochondrial function has been a focus of interest. Apart from visual impairment, the mental health issues in patients with glaucoma, which include anxiety and depression, should also be addressed. In this review, we mainly focus on publications from the recent years, so as to provide a comprehensive review on the impact of physical exercise on IOP, ocular perfusion, neuroprotection and mental health in patients with glaucoma.

To assess the prevalence and potential risk factors of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in Chinese patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to evaluate the role of chest computed tomography (CT) in the screening of LTBI.A single-center retrospective study was conducted and all IBD patients who had been screened for LTBI by T-SPOT.TB between December 2011 and January 2016 were enrolled in the study. Both inpatient and outpatient records were collected and comprehensively reviewed.Altogether 534 IBD patients were included. The positivity rate of T-SPOT.TB was 18.0% overall, 31.9% in IBD unclassified, 22.5% in ulcerative colitis and 13.0% in Crohn's disease patients, respectively. Age, history of TB and the administration of immunosuppressants were significantly associated with T-SPOT.TB positivity. Among 123 patients who underwent serial testing, the conversion and reversion rate of T-SPOT.TB was 10.2% and 42.9%, respectively. Furthermore, 102 of 447 (22.8%) patients who underwent chest computed tomography (CT) were found with abnormal CT findings suggestive of LTBI. The concordance rate was 75% between the T-SPOT.TB and chest CT with a kappa value of 0.25 (95% CI 0.15-0.35).The prevalence of LTBI in IBD patients is high in China. Chest CT is recommended as an alternative to IGRA for screening LTBI of IBD patients before commencing immunosuppressive therapy in high-prevalence regions.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are highly implicated in the progression of human cancers. Thus, targeting CSCs may be a promising strategy for cancer therapy. Wnt/β-catenin and Sonic Hedgehog pathways play an important regulatory role in maintaining CSC characteristics. Natural compounds, such as curcumin, possess chemopreventive properties. However, the interventional effect of curcumin on lung CSCs has not been clarified. In the present study, tumorsphere formation assay was used to enrich lung CSCs from A549 and H1299 cells. We showed that the levels of lung CSC markers (CD133, CD44, ALDHA1, Nanog and Oct4) and the number of CD133-positive cells were significantly elevated in the sphere-forming cells. We further illustrated that curcumin efficiently abolished lung CSC traits, as evidenced by reduced tumorsphere formation, reduced number of CD133-positive cells, decreased expression levels of lung CSC markers, as well as proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction. Moreover, we demonstrated that curcumin suppressed the activation of both Wnt/β-catenin and Sonic Hedgehog pathways. Taken together, our data suggested that curcumin exhibited its interventional effect on lung CSCs via inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin and Sonic Hedgehog pathways. These novel findings could provide new insights into the potential therapeutic application of curcumin in lung CSC elimination and cancer intervention. Copyright © 2017 John WileySons, Ltd.

Reductive amination (RA) is one of the most important transformations in organic chemistry. A versatile and sustainable gas-free RA of aldehydes carried out directly with cheaply available nitroarenes using stoichiometric amounts of non-toxic and entirely renewable formic acid (FA) as the terminal reductant is described herein. A single phase rutile titania supported gold (Au/TiO2-R) catalyst is shown to catalyse efficiently this FA-based direct RA in neat water under mild reaction conditions. The broad scope, mild and neutral conditions, together with CO2 and water as environmental harmless byproducts, make this transformation very useful. Moreover, straightforward examples of the direct construction of bioactive heterocyclic compounds containing a benzimidazole motif were achieved through this protocol.

Methamphetamine (METH) abuse is a serious social and health problem worldwide. At present, there are no effective medications to treat METH addiction1. Here, we report that aggregated single-walled carbon nanotubes (aSWNTs) significantly inhibited METH self-administration, METH-induced conditioned place preference and METH- or cue-induced relapse to drug-seeking behaviour in mice. The use of aSWNTs alone did not significantly alter the mesolimbic dopamine system, whereas pretreatment with aSWNTs attenuated METH-induced increases in extracellular dopamine in the ventral striatum. Electrochemical assays suggest that aSWNTs facilitated dopamine oxidation. In addition, aSWNTs attenuated METH-induced increases in tyrosine hydroxylase or synaptic protein expression. These findings suggest that aSWNTs may have therapeutic effects for treatment of METH addiction by oxidation of METH-enhanced extracellular dopamine in the striatum.

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of collagen crosslinking for leaking cystic blebs.A prospective study was conducted on subjects with cystic bleb leaks without indications for urgent surgical intervention. Collagen crosslinking with riboflavin 0.1 % and ultraviolet A irradiation for 30 min was applied to the cystic bleb surface in five patients. Subjects were followed up for at least 20 weeks (mean: 35.5 ± 11.5 weeks) to monitor the length of time to the cessation of bleb leak, as well as visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and the presence of adverse effects arising from the treatment.Results showed that a single session of collagen crosslinking was effective in stopping cystic bleb leak. In two of the five subjects, the bleb leak subsided 1 week post-treatment, in one patient after 2 weeks, and in the two more complicated cases, after 4 weeks. This effect was maintained for a mean period of 33.5 ± 10.2 weeks after bleb leak cessation. Treatment was effective even in patients with friable conjunctiva following multiple surgical interventions and severe leak, although a longer period was needed for resolution of the bleb leak. The intraocular pressure and visual acuity were largely stable before and after treatment. No side effects or complications arose from this treatment.We recommend a trial of collagen crosslinking on leaking cystic blebs without indications for immediate surgical interventions. It is a relatively easy, non-invasive, pain-free, and potential repeatable procedure for treating leaking cystic blebs, with the aim of strengthening the underlying pathological conjunctiva.

Background Over the last decade, a massive amount of well-annotated genomic data has been accumulated on the pathogenesis and therapies for ulcerative colitis (UC). However, a comprehensive repository is not available yet. Methods Ulcerative Colitis Database (UCDB) was constructed using text mining followed by manually curating on the literature to collect the reliable information of UC-related genes, drugs, and susceptibility loci. UC DNA microarray data were collected. R packages were used to implement gene expression analysis toolkit. Results UCDB includes 4 separate but closely related components: "UC GENE," "UC DRUG," "UC LOCUS," and "UC ANALYSIS." The UC GENE contains comprehensive information for 1151 UC-related genes manually curated from 2919 publications. The UC DRUG includes information for 248 drugs manually curated from 2344 publications. "UC LOCUS" includes 110 UC susceptibility SNP loci, which were collected from 12 Genome-Wide Association Studies. A comprehensive expression quantitative trait loci browser was also implemented. The UC ANALYSIS is an expression analysis toolkit for 37 UC expression array data sets, which contains 1098 samples. The toolkit can be used to do gene expression correlation, clustering, differentially expressed, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Conclusions UCDB provides a comprehensive collection of well-curated UC-related genes and drugs, and straightforward interfaces for gene expression analyses. UCDB is a useful leading resource for both basic and clinical research and will benefit UC community worldwide. UCDB is freely accessible at http://seiwertlab.uchicago.edu/UCDB.

Rhegmatenous retinal detachment (RRD) is one of the most serious complications after phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens implantation surgery. It has been reported that vision-related quality of life (VRQoL), as well as visual acuity rapidly decreased when RRD developed. However, little is known of the VRQoL in those RRD patients after anatomical retinal re-attachment, especially whether or not the VRQoL is higher than that before cataract surgery. In this prospective case series study, we use the Chinese-version low vision quality of life questionnaire (CLVQOL) to assess the changes of VRQoL in age-related cataract patients who suffered from RRD after phacoemulsification with intraocular lens (phaco-IOL) implantation. All participants were asked to complete questionnaires in face- to-face interviews one day before and two weeks after cataract surgery, as well as one day before and three months after RRD surgery. A total of 10,127 consecutive age-related cataract patients were followed up to one year after phaco-IOL implantation; among these patients, 17 were diagnosed as RRD. The total CLVQOL scores and subscale scores except "Mobility" decreased significantly when RRD developed. After retinal surgery, only the score of "General vision and lighting" in the CLVQOL questionnaires improved when compared to the scores two weeks after cataract surgery, although the best corrected visual acuity of all patients significantly raised up. However, the mean CLVQOL scores and subscale scores were still considerably higher than the level prior to cataract surgery. Our study suggests that cataract patients at high risk of postoperative RRD should not deny the opportunity to undergo phaco-IOL implantation, even though potential VRQoL impairment induced by RRD exists.