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Jihene Sayadi,1 Dhouha Gouider,1 Yasmine Allouche,1 Racem Choura,1 Ines Cherni,1 Malek Sayadi,2 Hend Benneji,2 Imene Zghal,1 Ines Malek,1 Leila Nacef1 1Department A, Hedi Raies Institute of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia; 2Department of Hematology, Aziza Othmana Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, TunisiaCorrespondence: Dhouha Gouider, Department A, Hedi Raies Institute of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Bab Saadoun, Tunis, Tunisia, Tel +21640660114, Email dhouhagouider@gmail.comPurpose: To describe ocular manifestations of acute leukemia in a Tunisian cohort and to assess the associations between ophthalmic findings and epidemiological, clinical, and biological features of the disease.Methods: A prospective study included patients newly diagnosed with acute leukemia referred to our clinics between January 2019 and July 2020. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic evaluation and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) at presentation, then every two months during one year. We defined two groups: Group 1 included patients with leukemic ophthalmopathy and group 2 included patients with normal ophthalmic examination.Results: Forty-six patients were enrolled. The mean age of patients was 32.1± 15.3 years. The sex ratio M/F was 1.55 (28 male patients and 18 females). Twenty-nine patients (63%) had acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and 17 (37%) had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The average follow-up was 9.1 months (range: 3– 12 months). We observed ophthalmic manifestations in 28 patients (61%). Among them, 17 (61%) had vision-threatening complications. The posterior segment was the most common site of ocular involvement (82% of group1). Primary leukemic infiltration (Disc edema, ptosis, exophthalmos) was present in 13 eyes (14.1%). Twenty-seven eyes (29.3%) had secondary involvement lesions (Subconjunctival hemorrhage, periorbital ecchymosis, retinal/sub-hyaloid hemorrhage, dilated/tortuous veins). Twenty-one eyes (22.8%) showed other ocular manifestations which etiopathogenesis is not yet fully understood (White-centred hemorrhages, cotton-wool spots, serous retinal detachment, hemorrhagic pigment epithelial detachment). Leukemic retinopathy was significantly more frequent in adults (23/39 and 1/7 in adult and pediatric groups, respectively; p=0.003). Patients suffering from AML were more likely to have secondary ocular involvement (20/29 and 7/17 in AML and ALL patients, respectively; p=0.047). Retinal hemorrhages were statistically associated with anemia and thrombocytopenia (p=0.041 and p=0.034; respectively).Conclusion: Leukemic ophthalmopathy seems to be frequent and may lead to severe visual impairment. An ophthalmic assessment complemented with SD-OCT has paramount importance in all newly diagnosed acute leukemic patients.Keywords: acute leukemia, ocular manifestations, leukemic retinopathy, retinal hemorrhage

Severe soil erosion has generally been regarded as a major cause of land degradation in arid and semi arid regions. A quantitative assessment of soil loss intensity is still scanty for developing appropriate soil erosion control measures in these regions. This article used the combined Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) and Geographic Information System (GIS) models to estimate the average soil loss in the Halahijan watershed in Khuzestan Province, one of the priority areas for soil erosion control in Iran. Also, the sediment yield estimated by the WEPP was compared with that estimated by Modified Pacific Southwest Interagency Committee (MPSIAC) model. The MPSIAC model is used to estimate erosion yield and erosion intensity using nine factors consisting of, geological characteristics, soil, climate, runoff, topography, vegetation cover, land use and present soil erosion. Results indicated that the soil loss estimated by the WEPP model ranged from 15.10 to 28.20 Mg ha-1 yr-1 with an average soil loss of 21.8 Mg ha-1 yr-1 in the study area. The soil loss estimated by WEPP model was highly correlated with data estimated by MPSIAC (R² = 0.97). The soil erosion in this region can be attributed to rainfall intensity (which ranged from 16 to 88 mm hr-1), and high surface runoff (which ranged from 48562 to 80963 m³). Results also revealed that the WEPP model is suitable for estimating soil loss in complex watersheds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the rs547238576 (R150S) missense variant in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene, previously observed through screening of rare variants in Japanese individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Contrary to the anticipated loss-of-function, R150S exhibits gain-of-function effects, enhancing oxytocin (OXT) sensitivity, ligand-binding affinity, and OXT-induced Ca 2+ mobilization in vitro. This suggests R150S may alter OXT signaling, potentially contributing to the excitatory/inhibitory imbalance seen in ASD and other psychiatric disorders. Our findings underscore the significance of genetic variations in OXTR on functional activity and highlight the necessity for population-specific genetic study and in vitro analysis to elucidate genetic susceptibilities to neuropsychiatric conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Prcis: Primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) in Tunisian children seems to be characterized by a high prevalence of inherited and advanced forms of the disease. Primary combined trabeculotomy trabeculectomy (CTT) allowed satisfactory long-term intraocular pressure (IOP) control and reasonable visual outcome., Purpose: To report the long-term outcome of CTT as the initial glaucoma surgery in children with PCG., Methods: Retrospective analysis of children who underwent primary CTT for PCG between January 2010 and December 2019. The main outcome measures were IOP reduction, corneal clarity, complications, refractive errors, and visual acuity (VA). Success was defined as IOP <16 mm Hg without (complete) or with (qualified) antiglaucoma medication. The WHO criteria of vision loss were used to categorize visual impairment (VI)., Results: Of 62 patients, 98 eyes were enrolled. At the last follow-up, the mean IOP was reduced from 22.7 ± 4.0 mm Hg to 9.7 ± 3.9 mm Hg ( P < 0.0001). The complete success rate was 91.6%, 88.4%, 84.7%, 71.6%, 59.7%, and 54.3%, at the first, second, fourth, sixth, eighth, and tenth year, respectively. Follow-up averaged 42.1 ± 28.4 months. Preoperatively, 72 eyes (73.5%) had significant corneal edema versus 11 eyes (11.2%) at the end of the follow-up ( P < 0.0001). Endophthalmitis was encountered in one eye. Myopia was the most common refractive error (80.6%). Data on Snellen VA were available for 53.2% of the patients; 33.3% achieved a VA ≥6/12, 21.2% had mild VI, 9.1% had moderate VI, 21.2% had severe VI, and 15.2% were blind. The failure rate was statistically correlated to the early disease onset (<3 mo) and to preoperative corneal edema ( P = 0.022 and P = 0.037, respectively)., Conclusion: Primary CTT seems to be a good procedure in a population with advanced PCG at presentation, problematic follow-up visits, and limited resources., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Given the rarity of disseminated disease at the time of initial evaluation for pediatric brain tumor patients, we sought to identify clinical and radiographic predictors of spinal metastasis (SM) at the time of presentation., Methods: We performed a single-institution retrospective chart review of pediatric brain tumor patients who first presented between 2004 and 2018. We extracted information regarding patient demographics, radiographic attributes, and presenting symptoms. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the association between measured variables and SMs., Results: We identified 281 patients who met our inclusion criteria, of whom 19 had SM at initial presentation (6.8%). The most common symptoms at presentation were headache (n = 12; 63.2%), nausea/vomiting (n = 16; 84.2%), and gait abnormalities (n = 8; 41.2%). Multivariate models demonstrated that intraventricular and posterior fossa tumors were more frequently associated with SM (OR: 5.28, 95% CI: 1.79-15.59, p = 0.003), with 4th ventricular (OR: 7.42, 95% CI: 1.77-31.11, p = 0.006) and cerebellar parenchymal tumor location (OR: 4.79, 95% CI: 1.17-19.63, p = 0.030) carrying the highest risk for disseminated disease. In addition, evidence of intracranial leptomeningeal enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging (OR: 46.85, 95% CI: 12.31-178.28, p < 0.001) and hydrocephalus (OR: 3.19; 95% CI: 1.06-9.58; p = 0.038) were associated with SM., Conclusions: Intraventricular tumors and the presence of intracranial leptomeningeal disease were most frequently associated with disseminated disease at presentation. These findings are consistent with current clinical expectations and offer empirical evidence that heightened suspicion for SM may be prospectively applied to certain subsets of pediatric brain tumor patients at the time of presentation., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and safety of a single preoperative intralesional bevacizumab injection as an adjuvant treatment before primary pterygium surgery., Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled interventional study from January 2019 to December 2020. The study included a total of 60 patients (60 eyes) with primary pterygium. We defined two groups of 30 patients each. Group A received an intralesional injection of bevacizumab (Avastin), 1 month before surgery (lesion excision and conjunctival autograft). Group B (control) had only the surgical treatment. Patients were followed up 7 days (D7), 1 month (M1), 3 months (M3), and 6 months (M6) postoperatively. Pre-, per-, and postoperatively, photographs of the lesions were taken, as well as a histopathological examination. The main outcome measures were the change in functional discomfort following intralesional bevacizumab injection and pterygium recurrence. Recurrence was defined as fibrovascular tissue growth invading the cornea. Therapeutic success was defined as the absence of pterygium recurrence in M6., Results: The mean age of the 60 patients was 54.17 ± 10.53. After bevacizumab injection, the preoperative functional discomfort score decreased significantly ( P = 0.048). There was a significant improvement in grade and color intensity ( P = 0.001). We noted no local nor systemic complications after intralesional injection of bevacizumab. After pterygium excision, the success rate was statistically higher in Group A ( P = 0.047). There was no significant difference in either final best-corrected spectral visual acuity or astigmatism between the two groups. We noted a statistically significant association between recurrence and color intensity ( P = 0.046), vascular density ( P = 0.049), and the degree of elastic tissue degeneration ( P = 0.040)., Conclusion: A single preoperative subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab 1 month before surgery decreases the vascularity of newly formed blood vessels and hence may reduce the recurrence rate., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Current Ophthalmology.)

Purpose: To describe the clinical features of congenital cataract (CC) in a Tunisian cohort and to assess the surgical outcomes of primary intraocular lens implantation in two groups based on the age at surgery., Methods: This study was a prospective analysis of children under 5 years with CC that were operated between January 2015 and 2020. The surgery consisted of phacoaspiration with posterior capsulorhexis and primary implantation. Group 1 comprised children operated at <2 years of age and Group 2 comprised children operated between 2 and 5 years. Peri and postoperative surgical events as well as refractive and visual outcomes were compared between both the groups., Results: Fifty-five (84 eyes) infants were enrolled. Group 1 included 30 (48 eyes) children and Group 2 included 25 (36 eyes) patients. The mean follow-up was 27.60 ± 19.89 months. The mean delay between the diagnosis and the cataract surgery was 11.97 ± 13.84 months. Of 14 (16.7%) eyes with postoperative visual axis opacification (VAO), 9 (10.7%) eyes required pars plana membranectomy. The VAO was not statistically associated with the age at surgery ( P = 0.112), but significantly correlated with sulcus implantation ( P = 0.037). The final mean visual acuity was 0.51 logMAR and comparable between both the groups ( P = 0.871). Poor visual outcome was significantly associated with low age at presentation (<6 months; P = 0.039), delay between the diagnosis and time of surgery ( P = 0.001), preoperative nystagmus ( P = 0.02), and poor parental compliance to amblyopia treatment ( P = 0.009)., Conclusions: Primary implantation seems to be safe and efficient. VAO appears to become an avoidable occurrence owing to better surgical techniques. Amblyopia remains the biggest barrier to final visual outcome., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Current Ophthalmology.)

Purpose: To describe a case of outer retinitis with frosted branch angiitis associated with mumps infection treated with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy., Methods: Observational case report., Case Report: A four-year-old boy with bilateral blindness was diagnosed with necrotizing outer retinitis with frosted branch angiitis associated with serologically confirmed mumps virus infection. He was treated with HBO therapy. Visual acuity subsequently improved to 20/40 in the right eye and to 20/320 in the left eye. Sequential follow-up optical coherence tomography examinations showed progressive recovery of the outer retinal layers in the right eye., Conclusion: HBO therapy appears to be a feasible and safe treatment that might improve the anatomical and functional outcome in patients with mumps retinitis.

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are widely used as a promising candidate for drug delivery applications due to silica's favorable biocompatibility, thermal stability, and chemical properties. Silica's unique mesoporous structure allows for effective drug loading and controlled release at the target site. In this review, we have discussed various methods of MSNs' mechanism, properties, and its drug delivery applications. As a result, we came to the conclusion that more in vivo biocompatibility studies, toxicity studies, bio-distribution studies and clinical research are essential for MSN advancement., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Kazemzadeh, Sayadi, Toolabi, Sayadi, Zeraati, Chauhan and Sargazi.)

Greener synthetic methods are becoming more popular as a means of reducing environmental pollution caused by reaction byproducts. Another important advantage of green methods is their low cost and the abundance of raw materials. Herein, we investigate the green Au nanoclusters (NCs) using microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) and plant extraction with various shapes and development routes. Natural products derived from plants, tea, coffee, banana, simple amino acids, enzyme, sugar, and glucose have been used as reductants and as capping agents during synthesis in literature. The synthesis techniques are generally chemical, physical and green methods. Green synthesis of Au NCs using bacteria and fungi can be divided into intracellular and extracellular. In an intracellular manner, bacterial cells are implanted in a culture medium containing salt and heated under suitable growth conditions. However, in an extracellular manner, the Au ions are directed from the outside into the cell. Thus, these methods are considered as a better alternative to chemical and physical synthesis. The research on green synthesis of Au nanoparticles (NPs) and its influence on their size and morphology are summarized in this review., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative movement disorder that results in a variety of motor deficits such as unsteady gait, bradykinesia, resting tremor, and rigidity., Objective: The objective of this study was to quantify and assess the challenges and preferences Parkinson's disease patients have regarding footwear., Methods: A 13-question survey was designed to assess footwear challenges and preferences among PD patients. A total of 89 PD patients, both male and female, were surveyed in the outpatient setting at UC Irvine during their appointments with the senior author., Results: A majority of the PD patients in our cohort (64%) reported experiencing difficulties wearing shoes on their own. Patients who experienced difficulties wearing shoes were significantly more likely to report having been forced to make changes to their desired outfits (p = 0.0011), choosing not to wear dress shoes due to their discomfort (p = 0.0175), and preferring shoes without laces (p = 0.0 048)., Conclusions: The present study is the first attempt to use a survey to quantify the challenges and preferences reported by PD patients in regard to their usage of footwear. Inspired by our findings, the study team designed a novel dress shoe prototype that may address some of the difficulties and concerns gathered through our survey.

Background: Ever since the classification of Dupuytren disease into the proliferative, involutional, and residual stages, extensive research has been performed to uncover the molecular underpinnings of the disease and develop better treatment modalities for patients. The aim of this article is to systematically review the basic science literature pertaining to Dupuytren disease and suggest a new approach to treatment., Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, a systematic review was conducted using the MEDLINE database to identify basic science literature on Dupuytren pathophysiology falling under 1 or more of the following categories: (1) Molecular alterations, (2) Structural alterations, and (3) Genetic predisposition., Results: A total of 177 articles were reviewed of which 77 studies met inclusion criteria. Articles were categorized into respective sections outlined in the study methods., Conclusion: The pathophysiological changes involved in Dupuytren's disease can be divided into a number of molecular and structural alterations with genetic predisposition playing a contributory role. Understanding these changes can allow for the development of biologics which may disrupt and halt the disease process.

The ankyloblepharon filiform adnatum (AFA) is a rare congenital palpebral abnormality characterized by a partial non disjunction of the gray lines of upper and lower eyelids. We report two cases of newborns presenting with ankyloblepharon and highlight its potentially amblyogenic impact and the possible ocular and systemic associations.

The CRISPR-Cas9 system has recently emerged as a versatile tool for biological and medical research. In this system, a single guide RNA (sgRNA) directs the endonuclease Cas9 to a targeted DNA sequence for site-specific manipulation. In addition to this targeting function, the sgRNA has also been shown to play a role in activating the endonuclease activity of Cas9. This dual function of the sgRNA likely underlies observations that different sgRNAs have varying on-target activities. Currently, our understanding of the relationship between sequence features of sgRNAs and their on-target cleavage efficiencies remains limited, largely due to difficulties in assessing the cleavage capacity of a large number of sgRNAs. In this study, we evaluated the cleavage activities of 218 sgRNAs using in vitro Surveyor assays. We found that nucleotides at both PAM-distal and PAM-proximal regions of the sgRNA are significantly correlated with on-target efficiency. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that the genomic context of the targeted DNA, the GC percentage, and the secondary structure of sgRNA are critical factors contributing to cleavage efficiency. In summary, our study reveals important parameters for the design of sgRNAs with high on-target efficiencies, especially in the context of high throughput applications.