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Erianin has been reported to play key roles in suppressing a wide variety of tumors. However, the anti-carcinogenic mechanism underlying erianin remains to be fully elucidated. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was assessed to determine the influence of erianin on melanoma in vitro. In vivo, tumor-bearing models in nude mice were established to investigate the impact of erianin on the growth of melanoma cells. Transcriptome screening was performed to identify meaningful targets. Molecular docking and Western blotting were performed to verify the GSK3α-NF-κB cascade reaction. Herein, we report the finding that erianin is an efficient inhibitor of melanoma. Erianin selectively suppressed the growth of melanoma cells but not normal human melanocytes. Specifically, erianin downregulated the cellular GSK3α-NF-κB pathway to induce melanoma cell apoptosis. Collectively, we initially demonstrated that erianin effectively inhibited melanoma, which was caused by inactivation of GSK3α-NF-κB signaling inducing melanoma cell apoptosis. Thus, the study implies that erianin provides a novel therapeutic strategy for melanoma therapy.

Purpose Conventional chemotherapy and enucleation usually fail to cure advanced retinoblastoma. We investigated the retinoblastoma immune microenvironment and the efficacy of the combination of dinutuximab and CD16-expressing NK-92MI (NK-92MIhCD16-GFP) cells on retinoblastoma cells in this study. Patients and methods Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry (FC) were performed to assess the expression level of GD2 in retinoblastoma tissues and cells. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), immunohistochemisrztry and immunocytochemistry were conducted to assess the retinoblastoma immune microenvironment and the integrity of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB). After overexpressing CD16 in NK-92MI cells, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) was applied to select the positive subpopulation. LDH assays and FC were used to detect LDH release and apoptosis in retinoblastoma cells subjected to a combination of dinutuximab and NK-92MIhCD16-GFP cells. Finally, the release of perforin-granzyme B and the expression of CD107a in NK-92MIhCD16-GFP stimulated by retinoblastoma cells were assessed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and FC in the presence of dinutuximab or an isotype control. Results GD2 was heterogeneously expressed in retinoblastoma tissues and cell lines and positively correlated with proliferation and staging. GSEA revealed the immunosuppressive status of retinoblastoma microenvironment. The immune cell profile of retinoblastoma tissues and vitreous bodies suggested BRB destruction. LDH release and apoptosis in retinoblastoma cells caused by NK-92MIhCD16-GFP cells were significantly enhanced by dinutuximab. Finally, the release of perforin-granzyme B and the expression of CD107a in NK-92MIhCD16-GFP cells stimulated by retinoblastoma cells were obviously increased by dinutuximab. Conclusion This study indicates that retinoblastoma impairs the integrity of the BRB and contributes to dysregulated immune cell infiltrates. GD2 is a specific target for natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy and that the combination of dinutuximab and NK-92MIhCD16-GFP cells exerts potent antitumor effects through antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

Summary Tunnel oxide passivating contact (TOPCon) technology has attracted much attention in the crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) community due to overwhelming advantages for device efficiency and cost. However, fundamental device physics of the core structure of TOPCon (i.e., the polycrystalline silicon [poly-Si]/silicon oxide [SiOx]/c-Si junction), are not yet fully understood. Here, we conduct extensive experiments and simulations to clarify the underlying dynamics of the junction featuring local pinholes, including pinhole formation processes and charge-carrier transport mechanisms. The pinhole formation process is investigated by following the film dynamics, which suggest that stress due to thermal expansion is probably responsible for SiOx film fracture. The carrier transport mechanism of the poly-Si/SiOx/Si junction is numerically investigated, revealing that tunneling charge-carrier transport couples with direct transport through pinholes. Moreover, a detailed current-recombination analysis in conjunction with predictions of device efficiencies is demonstrated, providing a specific technical route to promote device efficiencies to 27%.

Carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals (CCN) were prepared from bamboo pulp by ammonium persulfate (APS) with an ultrasonication-assisted technique. The effects of ultrasonication time, APS concentration, and reaction temperature on the yield of CCN were investigated. The morphology, structure, crystallinity, and thermal properties of prepared samples were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The CCN presented rod-like shapes with diameter ranging from 10 to 30 nm and length of 50 to 200 nm. FTIR showed that CCN still kept with the basic chemical structure of cellulose, and at the 1735 cm-1 appearing the peak of C=O. The XRD pattern indicated that CCN was characteristic of the cellulose I crystal form, and the crystallinity of CCN was 63%. TGA revealed that CCN had a lower thermal stability than bamboo pulp. This research explored a low-cost and eco-friendly way to prepare CCN.

Neovascularization during ocular tissue repair can cause severe visual loss in the optical axis and is therefore an issue of considerable concern to ophthalmologists. Here, we introduced a cholesterol-modified siRNA delivery system targeting stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) to treat ocular angiogenesis in vivo. SDF-1 expression was analyzed in rat endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Migration ability of BMSC and HUVEC were assessed through transwell assay. The proliferation effect of chol-siSDF1 on HUVEC was measured by colony formation assay. In vivo anti-angiogenic effects of chol-siSDF1 were tested in a cornea alkali burn model and the area of cornea neovascularization was measured using computer-imaging analysis system. Then phosphorylated Akt and total Akt protein levels were measured through western blot. Results turned out that rat EPCs and BMSCs showed high SDF-1 mRNA expression, which can be down-regulated by using chol-siSDF-1. Chol-siSDF-1 could significantly inhibit migration of BMSC and HUVEC. In addition, chol-siSDF1 also could inhibit HUVEC proliferation and exert a significant anti-angiogenic effect in corneal alkali burn model. As for the mechanism, chol-siSDF1 may inhibit the neovascularization, proliferation and metastasis through inhibiting the Akt signaling pathway. Thus, cholesterol modification of siRNA targeting SDF-1 displays an effective inhibition of migration and angiogenesis, with a much longer duration of inhibition effect.

Tunnel Oxide Passivating Contact (TOPCon) technology has attracted much attention in the crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) community due to overwhelming advantages for device efficiency and cost. However, fundamental device physics of the core structure of TOPCon, i.e., the polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si)/silicon oxide (SiOx)/c-Si junction, is not fully understood yet. Here, we conduct extensive experiments and simulations to clarify the underlying dynamics of the junction featuring local pinholes, including pinhole formation processes and charge-carrier transport mechanisms. The pinhole formation process is investigated by following the film dynamics, which suggests that stress due to thermal expansion is likely responsible for SiOx film fracture. Carrier transport mechanism of poly-Si/SiOx/Si junction was numerically investigated, revealing that tunneling charge-carrier transport competes with direct transport through pinholes. Moreover, a detailed current-recombination analysis in conjunction with predictions of device efficiencies was provide, providing a specific technical route to promote device efficiencies to 27%.

Ferroptosis belongs to a novel form of regulated cell death. It is characterized by iron dependence, destruction of intracellular redox balance and non-apoptosis. And cellular structure and molecules level changes also occur abnormally during ferroptosis. It has been proved that ferroptosis exist widespreadly in many diseases, such as heart disease, brain damage or alzheimer disease. At the same time, the role of ferroptosis in cancer cannot be underestimated. More and more indications have told that ferroptosis is becoming a powerful weapon against cancer. In addition, therapies rely on ferroptosis have been applied to the clinic. Therefore, it is necessary to understand this newly discovered form of cell death and its connection with cancer. This review summarizes the mechanism of ferroptosis, ferroptosis inducers based on different targets and inspection methods. At last, we analyzed the relationship between ferroptosis and malignancies, in order to provide a novel theory basis for cancer treatment.

The use of Ga-doped Czochralski (CZ) silicon wafers in Passivated Emitter and Rear Cells (PERC) has been confirmed to have a prominent advantage in suppressing light-induced degradation (LID), which will attract considerable attention for the application of Ga-doped wafers in more efficient photovoltaic devices. In this work, we investigate the passivation quality and address the issue of LID in Ga-doped CZ Si wafers equipped with p-type polysilicon passivating contact that consists of an ultrathin SiOx and a heavily doped polysilicon. We also present the modeling results for solar cells using this type of contact. The experiments show that samples with Ga-doped CZ Si wafers have superior anti-LID properties when compared to the samples with B-doped wafers. An excellent passivation performance with a high implied open-circuit voltage (iVoc) of 705 mV and a low single-sided saturation current density (J0,s) of 9 fA/cm2 was achieved. Moreover, with the help of the numerical simulations, we predict that the p-type Ga-doped CZ Si solar cells with p-type polysilicon passivating contacts have the potential to achieve a high efficiency of 23.8%, an ~0.5% absolute efficiency improvement over that of PERC solar cells. The results demonstrated in this study suggest that Ga-doped CZ Si wafers combined with p-type polysilicon passivating contacts could resolve the LID issue while maintaining good passivation properties, providing a promising alternative for p-type solar cells in the photovoltaic industry.

Purpose To develop a new rabbit model of corneal endothelial injury using a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser. Methods The corneal endothelia of 2 groups of New Zealand white rabbits were treated with an Nd:YAG laser in a uniformly scattered fashion. Rabbits in group A underwent laser burns on the whole corneal endothelium, including the limbus area, whereas rabbits in group B were subjected to laser burns in the central 9-mm diameter zone of the endothelium. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy, optical coherence tomography, applanation tonometry, confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and histological examinations were performed during 4 weeks of follow-up. Results In both groups, dotted or focal corneal endothelium defects were directly observed. The stroma was intact. Right after laser application, a series of clinical manifestations appeared, including subepithelial and stromal edema, increased central corneal thickness, and corneal opacity. Laser burn had more notable effects in group A than in group B. In both groups, we observed no damage to the intraocular structures, and intraocular pressure was normal after laser treatment. Conclusions Nd:YAG laser treatment in a 9-mm diameter zone of the endothelium can effectively induce bullous keratopathy in a rabbit, whereas treatment for the entire corneal endothelium maintains bullous keratopathy for a longer period. The procedure is simple and reproducible, and it retains normal intraocular structures. This study provided a promising model for future research into endothelial cell damage and for the development of new therapies.

Background The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of air and perfluoropropane (C3F8) combined with vitrectomy to treat myopic foveoschisis (MF). Material/Methods A retrospective comparison of a consecutive series of surgical patients was performed. Ninety-seven eyes of 91 patients with MF were assigned to undergo 23G vitrectomy. After internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling, the vitreous cavity was filled with air in 48 eyes of 45 patients (Air Group). Fluid-air exchange was performed in 49 eyes of 46 patients (C3F8 Group) followed by an injection of 14% C3F8. Patients were evaluated using best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and optical coherence tomography. Results Preoperatively, there was no significant difference in clinical features between the groups. After surgery, BCVA was markedly improved and the foveoschisis height was reduced in both groups compared with baseline (P0.05). No significant differences were noted in BCVA improvement and retinal restoration (P=0.33 and 0.39, respectively) in the mild and moderate subgroups (foveoschisis height ≤400 μm) between the tamponades. However, in the severe group (foveoschisis height >400 μm), C3F8 had a more favorable cure rate and foveoschisis height reduction improvement compared with air (P=0.04 and 0.04, respectively) at the last visit. Conclusions Vitrectomy combined with ILM peeling is effective in the treatment of myopic foveoschisis, and the choice of tamponade depends on the severity of foveoschisis. Air can be used for patients with a foveoschisis height ≤400 μm, but C3F8 is more effective for patients with a foveoschisis height >400 μm.

Proper scaffolds combined with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a promising strategy for repairing bone defects. In a previous study, poly (fumaroyl bioxirane) maleate (PFM), a newly developed functional polymer with numerous functional groups, exhibited excellent biocompatibility and enhanced the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of osteoblasts in vitro. Here, to provide further and comprehensive insight into the application of PFM in bone tissue engineering, we investigated the osteoinductive potential of PFM cultured with rat adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (rADSCs). The results showed that PFM resulted in greater proliferation of rADSCs and that the PFM substrate had stronger osteoinductivity than PLGA and the control, as indicated by the significant upregulation of osteogenesis-related genes, proteins and calcium mineralization in vitro. Next, PFM was combined with rADSCs to repair a critical-sized calvarial defect in rats. Compared to the PLGA scaffold, the PFM scaffold significantly promoted new bone formation and exhibited excellent effects in repairing rat calvarial defects. In conclusion, PFM possesses strong osteoinductivity, which could markedly enhance bone regeneration, suggesting that PFM could serve as a promising and effective optimization method for traditional scaffolds in bone regeneration.

The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of tailored treatment for the management of scleral necrosis following pterygium surgery. A series of nine cases of scleral necrosis following pterygium excision between September 2009 and September 2012 were included. In cases where ischemia was the cause of scleral necrosis, Tenon's membrane covering (TMC) surgery was performed. For cases with surgically-induced necrotizing scleritis (SINS), systemic immunosuppressive therapy following surgical repair of the scleral defect was administered in the form of oral prednisolone (starting dose, 30-60 mg/day). Five patients with ischemic scleral necrosis received TMC postoperatively. Four patients with SINS received various doses of oral prednisolone according to their systematic immune state. All patients had successful postoperative results except one with rheumatoid arthritis, who postoperatively developed scleral patch graft melting within 2 weeks. Following aggressive immunosuppressive treatment, the scleral patch graft was saved. In conclusion, patients achieved positive results using tailored treatment according to the pathogenesis of their scleral necrosis.

Uveal melanoma is an aggressive intraocular malignancy that often exhibits low immunogenicity. Metastatic uveal melanoma samples frequently exhibit monosomy 3 or BAP1 deficiency. In this study, we used bioinformatic methods to investigate the immune infiltration of uveal melanoma samples in public datasets. We first performed Gene Set Enrichment/Variation Analyses to detect immunological pathways that are altered in tumors with monosomy 3 or BAP1 deficiency. We then conducted an unsupervised clustering analysis to identify distinct immunologic molecular subtypes of uveal melanoma. We used CIBERSORT and ESTIMATE with RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the GSE22138 microarray dataset to determine the sample-level immune subpopulations and immune scores of uveal melanoma samples. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to assess the prognostic value of particular immune cells and genes in uveal melanoma samples. Through these approaches, we discovered uveal melanoma-specific immunologic features, which may provide new insights into the tumor microenvironment and enhance the development of immunotherapies in the future.

A comparison study of ultrathin atomic layer deposited AlOx, wet-chemically oxidized SiOx, and their combination as the tunnel layer in TOPCon structure with both B-doped and P-doped poly-Si contact layers on n-type c-Si wafers was carried out. The passivation quality with the three types of tunnel layers was examined as a function of thickness and annealing temperature. Ideally, the high density of negative fixed charge in the AlOx is expected to provide a positive benefit on the passivation quality with p-type poly-Si as the contact layer, however, it is surprisingly observed that the AlOx and AlOx/SiOx do not yield a better passivation than the SiOx. Searching for the mechanisms behind, an interesting phenomenon is observed that the AlOx, especially the AlOx/SiOx bi-layer, significantly enhances B diffusion and suppresses P diffusion. It is also found a remarkable accumulation of B in the AlOx and AlOx/SiOx region, forming a reservoir for B diffusion. Furthermore, the free carrier assistant extrinsic diffusion is an additional factor for the enhanced B and retarded P diffusions by the AlOx/SiOx. The enhanced B diffusion causes extra Auger recombination as well as recombination through B–O pair defects and degrades the p-TOPCon passivation quality; additionally, a quantity of Al diffuse into the c-Si wafer could be another potential factor degrading passivation quality, because Al forms deep-level defects and induces a significant SRH recombination.

Distichiasis presents as double rows of eyelashes arising from aberrant differentiation of the meibomian glands of the eyelids, and it may be sporadic or hereditary. FOXC2 gene mutations in hereditary distichiasis are rarely reported. Here, we examined two generations of a Chinese family with hereditary distichiasis but without lymphedema or other features of LD syndrome. The FOXC2 gene was amplified and sequenced in all family members. Subcellular localization and luciferase assays were performed to assess the activity of the mutant FOXC2 protein. Clinical examinations showed distichiasis, lower eyelid ectropion, congenital ptosis and photophobia in all affected individuals. Sequence analysis revealed a novel frameshift mutation, c.964_965insG, in the coding region of the FOXC2 gene. This mutation caused protein truncation due to the presence of a premature stop codon. A fluorescence assay showed that this mutation did not change the nuclear localization of the protein. However, it impaired DNA-binding activity and decreased transcriptional activation. This is the first report of a FOXC2 mutation in hereditary distichiasis in the Chinese population. The findings of our study expand the FOXC2 mutation spectrum and contribute to the understanding of the genotype-phenotype correlation of this disease.

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical effects of modified partial pars plana vitrectomy together with phacoemulsification, intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, posterior capsulectomy, and zonulohyaloidectomy for patients with malignant glaucoma after trabeculectomy or cataract surgery.DesignRetrospective, cohort study.ParticipantsThirty consecutive patients (30 eyes) with malignant glaucoma after trabeculectomy surgery or ultrasonic phacoemulsification of cataract between January 2008 and September 2014 were enrolled.MethodsA retrospective analysis of 30 eyes with malignant glaucoma after trabeculectomy surgery for angle-closure glaucoma or ultrasonic phacoemulsification of cataract was performed. All patients underwent modified partial pars plana vitrectomy with zonulohyaloidectomy. Phacoemulsification and IOL implantation was performed in 25 patients with no previous cataract surgery. Pre-operative and post-operative ocular parameters were recorded in detail.Main outcome measuresClinical features, anterior chamber depth, best-corrected visual acuity, and intraocular pressure (IOP).ResultsIn these 30 patients, 25 had undergone trabeculectomy surgery and 5 had undergone cataract surgery. The mean axial length was 21.3±0.8 mm. After surgery, mean IOP decreased from 34±8.3 mm Hg to 10.5±4.1 mm Hg (P0.001), and mean anterior chamber depth increased from 0.8±0.4 mm to 2.7±0.3 mm (P0.001). No severe complications occurred.ConclusionsModified partial pars plana vitrectomy combined with phacoemulsification, IOL implantation, posterior capsulectomy, and zonulohyaloidectomy not only simplifies the process of traditional vitrectomy, but effectively resolves the ciliary block and corrects the misdirection of aqueous humor in malignant glaucoma.

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most frequently occurring primary intraocular malignancy in adults. Tyrosinase (TYR) is a copper-containing enzyme and a type I membrane protein that is involved in the generation of melanin, the main pigment in vertebrates. TYR-related protein 1 (TYRP1) is regarded to have a crucial role in the immunotherapy of melanoma. As biomarkers, the TYR-related proteins, TYRP1 and TYRP2, exhibit specific expression in melanocytes, while also contributing to melanin synthesis within melanosomes. In the present study, the differential expression of TYRP1 was investigated at the mRNA, protein and morphological levels in four human UM cell lines (SP6.5, OM431, OCM1 and OCM290) and the human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell line, using polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, immunocytochemistry and immunofluorescence staining. It was found that SP6.5 cells expressed the highest level of TYRP1, in comparison to SP6.5 OCM1 and OM431 cells, which produced less TYRP1, and OCM290 cells, which produced almost no TYRP1. No TYRP1 protein expression was identified in the RPE cell line. These findings indicate the potential use of TYRP1 in the development of therapy for UM.

Epigenetics is currently one of the most promising areas of study in the field of biomedical research. Scientists have dedicated their efforts to studying epigenetic mechanisms in cancer for centuries. Additionally, the field has expanded from simply studying DNA methylation to other areas, such as histone modification, non-coding RNA, histone variation, nucleosome location, and chromosome remodeling. In ocular tumors, a large amount of epigenetic exploration has expanded from single genes to the genome-wide level. Most importantly, because epigenetic changes are reversible, several epigenetic drugs have been developed for the treatment of cancer. Herein, we review the current understanding of epigenetic mechanisms in ocular tumors, including but not limited to retinoblastoma and uveal melanoma. Furthermore, the development of new pharmacological strategies is summarized.

A rapid thermal anneal (RTA) is used to crystallize the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) deposited hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin film to form the phosphorus-doped polysilicon passivated contact in tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cells. The effects of annealing temperature, annealing time, cooling time, and the polysilicon thickness on the surface passivation are investigated. The primary advantage of the RTA is reducing the whole crystallization period to ~15 min, shorter than the conventional tube-furnace annealing period of >60 min. We find that the RTA is a robust method to prepare high-quality polysilicon passivated contact without introducing blistering when the thickness of the a-Si:H is less than 40 nm. The optimized RTA process leads to an implied open-circuit voltage (iVoc) of 712 mV and a single-sided dark saturation current density (J0,s) of 12.5 fA/cm2 in the as-annealed state, which is inferior to the surface passivation of the controlled one prepared by a tube furnace annealing. Fortunately, a subsequent Al2O3 capping hydrogenation improves the iVoc and J0,s to 727 mV and 4.7 fA/cm2, respectively. The champion conversion efficiency of 23.04% (Voc = 679.0 mV, Jsc = 41.97 mA/cm2 and FF = 80.86%) is achieved, which demonstrates the effectiveness of RTA for preparing a high-efficiency polysilicon passivated-contact solar cell.

Tissue engineering approaches combine a bioscaffold with stem cells to provide biological substitutes that can repair bone defects and eventually improve tissue functions. The prospective bioscaffold should have good osteoinductivity. Surface chemical and roughness modifications are regarded as valuable strategies for developing bioscaffolds because of their positive effects on enhancing osteogenic differentiation. However, the synergistic combination of the two strategies is currently poorly studied. In this work, a nanoengineered scaffold with surface chemistry (oxygen-containing groups) and roughness (Rq = 74.1 nm) modifications was fabricated by doping nanohydroxyapatite (nHA), chemically crosslinked graphene oxide (GO) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC). The biocompatibility and osteoinductivity of the nanoengineered CMC/nHA/GO scaffold was evaluated in vitro and in vivo, and the osteogenic differentiation mechanism of the nanoengineered scaffold was preliminarily investigated. Our data demonstrated that the enhanced osteoinductivity of CMC/nHA/GO may profit from the surface chemistry and roughness, which benefit the β1 integrin interactions with the extracellular matrix and activate the FAK–ERK signaling pathway to upregulate the expression of osteogenic special proteins. This study indicates that the nanocomposite scaffold with surface chemistry and roughness modifications could serve as a novel and promising bone substitute for tissue engineering.

Purpose. To investigate the impact of disease duration on the ocular surface during the course of type 2 diabetes mellitus compared with nondiabetic controls. Methods. One hundred twenty diabetic patients were divided into three groups according to disease duration: less than 5 years, 5–10 years, and over 10 years. All eyes were imaged using a corneal topographer (Oculus Keratograph 5M). Tear film measurements and meibography were also recorded. Meibomian gland changes were scored from 0 to 6 (meiboscore). Results. The noninvasive breakup time first (NIKBUT-1st) and noninvasive breakup time average (NIKBUT-avg) were significantly shorter in the over 10 years diabetic group compared with the control group (P=0.0056 and P=0.010, resp.). Tear meniscus height (TMH) was significantly lower in the over 10 years diabetic group compared with the control group (P=0.0016) and the 5 years group (P=0.0061). We also found that more patients in the over 10 years diabetic group showed bulbar and limbal hyperemia compared with the control group (bulbar hyperemia: P=0.049; limbal hyperemia: P=0.026). The meiboscore in the over 10 years diabetic group was significantly higher compared with the other three groups (P<0.05). Bulbar hyperemia showed a significant negative correlation with NIKBUT-1st in the over 10 years diabetic group (r=−0.35 and P<0.05). Conclusion. Ocular surface damage in long-term type 2 diabetes is more severe than that in patients with shorter disease duration.

Increasing evidence suggests that aberrant long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are significantly correlated with the pathogenesis, development and metastasis of cancers. RHPN1 antisense RNA 1 (RHPN1-AS1) is a 2030-bp transcript originating from human chromosome 8q24. However, the role of RHPN1-AS1 in uveal melanoma (UM) remains to be clarified. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the molecular function of RHPN1-AS1 in UM. The RNA levels of RHPN1-AS1 in UM cell lines were examined using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were designed to quench RHPN1-AS1 expression, and UM cells stably expressing short hairpin (sh) RHPN1-AS1 were established. Next, the cell proliferation and migration abilities were determined using a colony formation assay and a transwell migration/invasion assay. A tumor xenograft model in nude mice was established to confirm the function of RHPN1-AS1 in vivo. RHPN1-AS1 was significantly upregulated in a number of UM cell lines compared with the normal human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell line. RHPN1-AS1 knockdown significantly inhibited UM cell proliferation and migration in vitro and in vivo. Our data suggest that RHPN1-AS1 could be an oncoRNA in UM, which may serve as a candidate prognostic biomarker and target for new therapies in malignant UM.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical results of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) combined with the surgical enlargement of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling in patients who had previously undergone failed idiopathic macular hole (IMH) surgery. In the study, 134 eyes from 130 IMH patients who had received PPV combined with ILM peeling surgery (2 disk diameters) were analyzed. Within this cohort, 14 eyes had IMHs that were not closed, of which 13 eyes underwent a second surgery involving enlargement of the ILM peeling. The extent of the ILM peeling was increased to the vascular arcades of the posterior fundus in the secondary surgery. Of the 13 eyes that underwent secondary surgery, five were in stage III and nine were in stage IV. The second surgery successfully achieved IMH closure in 61.5% (8/13) of the eyes. The IMH was completely closed following surgery and the logMAR vision increased from 0.98 to 0.84 (P=0.013) in the 8 successfully treated cases. The surgical enlargement of ILM peeling closed the IMHs and improved vision in the majority of patients. In addition, the procedures were safe. Therefore, the results of the present study indicate that enlargement of ILM peeling may be an effective therapy for patients who have previously undergone the failed surgical correction of an IMH.

Purpose The purpose of the study was to determine the feasibility of the use of subconjunctival tissue flaps to repair exposed hydroxyapatite (HA) orbital implants. Methods One hundred thirty-eight consecutive patients underwent repair of exposed HA orbital implants via a procedure that involved the creation of subconjunctival tissue flaps. After the superior and inferior subconjunctival flaps were created, they were sutured together in the tension-free state to seal the exposure. During follow-up examinations, complications were assessed. Results Twelve patients were lost after the 3-month follow-up, leaving 126 patients who were followed from 12 to 60 months (average, 24 months). Problems occurred in 22 patients (17.5%), including recurrence of exposure in 4 patients (3.2%), ptosis in 12 patients (9.5%), pyogenic granulomas in 1 patient (0.8%), a conjunctival cyst in 1 patient (0.8%), implant infection in 1 patient (0.8%), and poor transfer of movement in 3 patients (2.4%). Conclusions The use of the subconjunctival tissue flaps for repairing exposed HA orbital implants is a promising alternative for the management of implant exposure. Although this novel technique is associated with some complications, these problems can be minimized by careful case selection and careful surgery.

We have investigated the thermoelectric power (TEP) and the electrical conductance of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) strands containing large numbers of aligned crystalline ropes. A linear temperature dependence of TEP and a power-law behaviour of conductance were observed at low temperatures. The TEP increases with temperature at a very large slope of similar to 1 mu V K(-2) below similar to 50K, peaks around 100-150 K depending on the treatment of high temperature annealing, then decreases with the further increase of temperature. The large slope at low temperatures is interpreted as a property of the Luttinger liquid in the presence of defects.

The affiliation of the second author is incorrect. Yalin Lei is not affiliated with institution number 2, but rather with institution number 1, School of Humanities and Economic Management, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China.

To investigate the dynamic changes of tear fluid after cosmetic transcutaneous lower blepharoplasty.Prospective, observational case series study.A total of 60 eyes of 30 patients with transcutaneous lower blepharoplasty were involved in the study. All subjects completed the Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire and underwent tear film break-up time measurements and the Schirmer test before surgery and 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery. Tear meniscus parameters measured by optical coherence tomography were recorded. Lower lid margin reflex distance was also measured. At each time point after surgery, these parameters were compared with the baseline parameters. The incidence of dry eye and chemosis after surgery was assessed.The Ocular Surface Disease Index score increased significantly 1 week after surgery (P.01). The Schirmer test values were significantly decreased 1 week postoperatively (P.01), and they returned to baseline by 3 months. There was no significant change in tear film break-up time before and after surgery. The tear meniscus height, depth, and cross section area values were significantly increased at 1 week postoperatively, decreased at 1 month (P.01), and returned to baseline at 3 months (P.05). The cornea-lower eyelid angle significantly decreased at 1 week postoperatively (P.01), increased at 1 month (P.01), and returned to baseline by 3 months (P.05). The lower lid margin reflex distance was increased 1 week after surgery (P.01), and gradually recovered but had not returned to the baseline 3 months after surgery (P.01). The increased tear meniscus height had a positive correlation with lower lid margin reflex distance. The incidence of dry eye and chemosis at 1 week postoperatively was 16.7% and 15%, respectively.Cosmetic transcutaneous lower blepharoplasty affects ocular surface and tear fluid, which leads to dryness, tearful eyes, and chemosis. However, this influence is temporary after surgery, and the symptoms resolve within 3 months. A positive correlation between tear meniscus height and lower lid margin reflex distance was observed. Assessment of the tear meniscus with optical coherence tomography provided a quick, noninvasive, and quantitative method to investigate the dynamic changes of the tear fluid after blepharoplasty.