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Achim Fieß,1 Marilena Brandt,1 Eva Mildenberger,2 Michael Siegfried Urschitz,3 Felix Mathias Wagner,1 Stephanie Desiree Grabitz,1 Esther Maria Hoffmann,1 Norbert Pfeiffer,1 Alexander Konrad Schuster1 1Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany; 2Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany; 3Division of Pediatric Epidemiology, Institute for Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, GermanyCorrespondence: Achim Fieß, Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, Mainz, 55131, Germany, Tel +49-6131-17-5150, Fax +49-6131-17-8495, Email Achim.fiess@gmail.comPurpose: Prenatal growth restriction is associated with impaired neurodevelopment in childhood. This study investigated the effects of being born small for gestational age (SGA) on peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness in adults born at term.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with a prospective ophthalmologic examination of participants born at full-term (gestational age ≥ 37 weeks) between 1969 and 2002. All participants were examined with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and grouped according to their birth weight in correlation to gestational age as former moderate (birth weight (BW) percentile 3rd to < 10th) and severe SGA (< 3rd percentile), normal (10th-90th percentile, AGA), and moderately (> 90th to 97th percentile) and severely (> 97th percentile) large for gestational age (LGA) adults (18 to 52 years).Results: Overall, 547 eyes of 285 individuals (age 29.9± 9.4 years, 151 females) born at term were included. Multivariable regression analyses revealed a strong association between a lower global pRNFL thickness in the severe SGA (B=− 8.99 [95%-CI: − 12.68; − 5.30] μm; p< 0.001) and in the moderate SGA groups (B=− 6.40 [95%-CI: − 10.29; − 2.50] μm; p=0.001) compared to the reference AGA group.Conclusion: Our results indicate that restricted fetal growth affects neurologic tissue development of the optic nerve head, particularly in individuals born severely SGA at term. This indicates that fetal growth restriction may exert disturbances in the development of neurologic tissue, which persists in adulthood.Keywords: birth weight, small for gestational age, large for gestational age, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer, optic nerve head, epidemiology

Tanja Schaffran,1 Nan Jiang,1 Markus Bergmann,2,3 Ekkehard Küstermann,4 Regine Süss,5 Rolf Schubert,5 Franz M Wagner,6 Doaa Awad,7 Detlef Gabel1,2,8 1Department of Chemistry, University of Bremen, 2Institute of Neuropathology, Klinikum Bremen-Mitte; 3Cooperative Center Medicine, University of Bremen, 4“In-vivo-MR” AG, FB2, University of Bremen, Bremen, 5Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, 6Forschungsneutronenquelle Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II), Technische Unversitaet Muenchen, Garching, Germany; 7Department of Biochemistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt; 8School of Engineering and Science, Jacobs University Bremen, Bremen, Germany Abstract: The potential of boron-containing lipids with three different structures, which were intended for use in boron neutron capture therapy, was investigated. All three types of boron lipids contained the anionic dodecaborate cluster as the headgroup. Their effects on two different tumor models in mice following intravenous injection were tested; for this, liposomes with boron lipid, distearoyl phosphatidylcholine, and cholesterol as helper lipids, and containing a polyethylene glycol lipid for steric protection, were administered intravenously into tumor-bearing mice (C3H mice for SCCVII squamous cell carcinoma and BALB/c mice for CT26/WT colon carcinoma). With the exception of one lipid (B-THF-14), the lipids were well tolerated, and no other animal was lost due to systemic toxicity. The lipid which led to death was not found to be much more toxic in cell culture than the other boron lipids. All of the lipids that were well tolerated showed hemorrhage in both tumor models within a few hours after administration. The hemorrhage could be seen by in vivo magnetic resonance and histology, and was found to occur within a few hours. The degree of hemorrhage depended on the amount of boron administered and on the tumor model. The observed unwanted effect of the lipids precludes their use in boron neutron capture therapy. Keywords: liposomes, histology, magnetic resonance imaging, pharmacodynamics

Aims: The flow of electric current in the root-soil system relates to the pathways of water and solutes, its characterization provides information on the root architecture and functioning. We developed a current source density approach with the goal of non-invasively image the current pathways in the root-soil system. Methods: A current flow is applied from the plant stem to the soil, the proposed geoelectrical approach images the resulting distribution and intensity of the electric current in the root-soil system. The numerical inversion procedure underlying the approach was tested in numerical simulations and laboratory experiments with artificial metallic roots. We validated the method using rhizotron laboratory experiments on maize and cotton plants. Results: Results from numerical and laboratory tests showed that our inversion approach was capable of imaging root-like distributions of the current source. In maize and cotton, roots acted as “leaky conductors”, resulting in successful imaging of the root crowns and negligible contribution of distal roots to the current flow. In contrast, the electrical insulating behavior of the cotton stems in dry soil supports the hypothesis that suberin layers can affect the mobility of ions and water. Conclusions: The proposed approach with rhizotrons studies provides the first direct and concurrent characterization of the root-soil current pathways and their relationship with root functioning and architecture. This approach fills a major gap toward non-destructive imaging of roots in their natural soil environment.

Within geoelectrical imaging, the choice of measurement configurations and electrode locations is known to control the image resolution. Previous work has shown that optimized survey designs can provide a model resolution that is superior to standard survey designs. This paper demonstrates a methodology to optimize resolution within a target area, while limiting the number of required electrodes, thereby selecting optimal electrode locations. This is achieved by extending previous work on the 'Compare-R' algorithm, which by calculating updates to the resolution matrix optimizes the model resolution in a target area. Here, an additional weighting factor is introduced that allows to preferentially adding measurement configurations that can be acquired on a given set of electrodes. The performance of the optimization is tested on two synthetic examples and verified with a laboratory study. The effect of the weighting factor is investigated using an acquisition layout comprising a single line of electrodes. The results show that an increasing weight decreases the area of improved resolution, but leads to a smaller number of electrode positions. Imaging results superior to a standard survey design were achieved using 56 per cent fewer electrodes. The performance was also tested on a 3-D acquisition grid, where superior resolution within a target at the base of an embankment was achieved using 22 per cent fewer electrodes than a comparable standard survey. The effect of the underlying resistivity distribution on the performance of the optimization was investigated and it was shown that even strong resistivity contrasts only have minor impact. The synthetic results were verified in a laboratory tank experiment, where notable image improvements were achieved. This work shows that optimized surveys can be designed that have a resolution superior to standard survey designs, while requiring significantly fewer electrodes. This methodology thereby provides a means for improving the efficiency of geoelectrical imaging.

We investigate the impact of a 20-yr irrigation on root water uptake (RWU) and drought stress release in a naturally dry Scots pine forest. We use a combination of electrical resistivity tomography to image RWU, drone flights to image the crown stress and sensors to monitor soil water content. Our findings suggest that increased water availability enhances root growth and resource use efficiency, potentially increasing trees' resistance to future drought conditions by enabling water uptake from deeper soil layers. This research highlights the significant role of ecological memory and legacy effects in determining tree responses to environmental changes., (© 2024 The Author(s). New Phytologist © 2024 New Phytologist Foundation.)

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the distribution of spherical equivalent and axial length in the general population and to analyze the influence of education on spherical equivalent with a focus on ocular biometric parameters., Methods: The Gutenberg Health Study is a population-based cohort study in Mainz, Germany. Participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations as part of the 5-year follow-up examination in 2012-2017 including genotyping. The spherical equivalent and axial length distributions were modeled with gaussian mixture models. Regression analysis (on person-individual level) was performed to analyze associations between biometric parameters and educational factors. Mendelian randomization analysis explored the causal effect between spherical equivalent, axial length, and education. Additionally, effect mediation analysis examined the link between spherical equivalent and education., Results: A total of 8532 study participants were included (median age: 57 years, 49% female). The distribution of spherical equivalent and axial length follows a bi-Gaussian function, partially explained by the length of education (i.e., < 11 years education vs. 11-20 years). Mendelian randomization indicated an effect of education on refractive error using a genetic risk score of education as an instrument variable (- 0.35 diopters per SD increase in the instrument, 95% CI, - 0.64-0.05, p = 0.02) and an effect of education on axial length (0.63 mm per SD increase in the instrument, 95% CI, 0.22-1.04, p = 0.003). Spherical equivalent, axial length and anterior chamber depth were associated with length of education in regression analyses. Mediation analysis revealed that the association between spherical equivalent and education is mainly driven (70%) by alteration in axial length., Conclusions: The distribution of axial length and spherical equivalent is represented by subgroups of the population (bi-Gaussian). This distribution can be partially explained by length of education. The impact of education on spherical equivalent is mainly driven by alteration in axial length., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background : The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of the Paul Glaucoma Implant (PGI) in pediatric eyes diagnosed with glaucoma following congenital cataract surgery (GFCS). Methods : A retrospective, single-center, descriptive study was conducted on consecutive children diagnosed with GFCS who underwent PGI implantation between July 2022 and November 2023 at the University Medical Center Mainz. The primary outcome measure was the reduction in IOP at the last follow-up visit. Results : Ten eyes of nine children were included in the study. The mean follow-up time was 7.70 ± 4.22 months (4.68-10.72 months). At the end of the study follow-up, the mean (95% CI) reduction in IOP was -14.8 ± 8.73 mmHg (-8.56 to -21.04 mmHg, p < 0.001). At the last follow-up, 30.0% (3/10) of patients achieved an IOP (intraocular pressure) of ≥6 and ≤21 mmHg with a reduction in IOP of ≥25% without treatment, while 90.0% (9/10) achieved this target IOP regardless of glaucoma medication treatment. The mean number of antiglaucoma medications was significantly reduced from 3.50 (IQR = 1) to 2.0 (IQR = 2, p = 0.01), and the visual acuity logMAR improved from 1.26 ± 0.62 to 1.03 ± 0.48 ( p = 0.04). Only one eye experienced numerical hypotony (4 mmHg) without choroidal detachment or anterior chamber shallowing within the first 24 h. No other adverse events were observed during the follow-up period. Conclusions : PGI implantation significantly lowered IOP and the number of antiglaucoma eye drops with a favorable safety profile in children diagnosed with GFCS, thereby achieving a high rate of qualified surgical success in the short term.

Purpose: To evaluate the interchangeability of different tomography devices used for ray tracing-based intraocular lens (IOL) calculation., Setting: Eye clinic, Castrop-Rauxel, Germany., Design: Retrospective analysis., Method: Measurements from 3 Placido-Scheimpflug devices and 3 optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices were compared in 83 and 161 other eyes after cataract surgery, respectively. 2-dimensional matrices of anterior local corneal curvature and local corneal thickness are transferred to the ray-tracing software OKULIX. Calculations are performed with the same IOL in the same position of an eye with the same axial length. Differences in spherical equivalent (SE), astigmatism, and spherical aberration are evaluated. Furthermore, the influence of the size of the matrices (optical zone) on the accuracy is quantified., Results: For the Placido-Scheimpflug devices, the deviations from the average of three measurements taken for each eye in SE (mean ± SD) were 0.17 ± 0.24 diopters (D), -0.26 ± 0.29 D, and 0.08 ± 0.39 D ( P < .001, analysis of variance [ANOVA]), for the centroids of the astigmatic differences 0.04 D/173 degrees, 0.14 D/93 degrees, and 0.10 D/7 degrees, and for the median of the absolute values of the vector differences 0.31 D, 0.33 D, and 0.29 D. For OCT devices, the corresponding results were 0.01 ± 0.21 D, -0.03 ± 0.21 D, and 0.02 ± 0.20 D ( P = .005, ANOVA); 0.18 D/120 degrees, 0.07 D/70 degrees, and 0.22 D/4 degrees; and 0.26 D, 0.30 D, and 0.33 D. The accuracy of the calculated spherical aberrations allows for an individual selection of the best fitting IOL model in most cases., Conclusions: The differences are small enough to make the devices interchangeable regarding astigmatism and spherical aberration. Although there are significant differences in SE between Scheimpflug and OCT devices, the differences between OCT devices are also small enough to make them interchangeable, but the differences between Placido-Scheimpflug devices are too large to make these devices interchangeable., (Copyright © 2023 Published by Wolters Kluwer on behalf of ASCRS and ESCRS.)

Terahertz (THz) radiation will play a pivotal role in wireless communications, sensing, spectroscopy and imaging technologies in the decades to come. THz emitters and receivers should thus be simplified in their design and miniaturized to become a commodity. In this work we demonstrate scalable photoconductive THz receivers based on horizontally-grown InAs nanowires (NWs) embedded in a bow-tie antenna that work at room temperature. The NWs provide a short photoconductivity lifetime while conserving high electron mobility. The large surface-to-volume ratio also ensures low dark current and thus low thermal noise, compared to narrow-bandgap bulk devices. By engineering the NW morphology, the NWs exhibit greatly different photoconductivity lifetimes, enabling the receivers to detect THz photons via both direct and integrating sampling modes. The broadband NW receivers are compatible with gating lasers across the entire range of telecom wavelengths (1.2-1.6 μm) and thus are ideal for inexpensive all-optical fibre-based THz time-domain spectroscopy and imaging systems. The devices are deterministically positioned by lithography and thus scalable to the wafer scale, opening the path for a new generation of commercial THz receivers., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To evaluate the standard of care, in particular the use of topical or subconjunctival interferon- α 2b, in treating ocular surface squamous neoplasia or melanocytic tumours in tertiary eye centres in Germany., Methods: A survey containing 14 questions was sent to 43 tertiary eye centres in Germany. The questions addressed the surgical and medical management of ocular surface squamous neoplasia and melanocytic tumours (primary acquired melanosis and malignant melanoma), as well as the clinical experiences and difficulties in prescribing off-label interferon- α 2b eye drops and subconjunctival injections., Results: Twenty-four tertiary eye centres responded to the survey. Eighty-three percent of centres had used interferon- α 2b in their clinical practice and 25% prescribed it as the first-line cytostatic agent following surgical excision of ocular surface squamous neoplasia, while 10% would do so for melanocytic tumours. Correspondingly, the majority of respondents selected mitomycin C as their first-line agent. Side effects were uncommon with topical interferon- α 2b eye drops but were more frequently reported after subconjunctival interferon- α 2b injections. In total, eight centres had experience with interferon- α 2b injections. The most significant obstacles perceived by ophthalmologists when prescribing interferon- α 2b were its high cost and the reimbursement thereof., Conclusion: Off-label mitomycin C was the preferred adjuvant therapy for epithelial and melanocytic tumours, with interferon- α 2b being the standard second-line option. Interferon- α 2b has predominantly been used to treat ocular surface squamous neoplasia and, to a lesser extent, melanocytic tumours at German tertiary eye centres. Following its market withdrawal, supply shortages of interferon- α 2b are likely to have a profound impact on patient care and their quality of life., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Iatrogenic keratectasia is induced thinning and protrusion of the cornea after laser refractive surgery. Known risk factors include an excessively thin postoperative residual stromal bed, a thicker flap, or preoperatively undetected evidence of preexisting subclinical keratoconus. The rate of post-refractive ectasia in eyes without identifiable preoperative risk factors is 20 per 100 000 eyes for photorefractive keratectomy, 90 per 100 000 eyes for laser in situ keratomileusis, and 11 per 100 000 eyes for small incision lenticule extraction. Traditional screening tools for preoperative risk include the ectasia risk score system and percentage of tissue alteration. More recent methods include corneal elastography and epithelial mapping, in addition to Artificial Intelligence methods for data analysis. Therapy includes contact lenses, cross-linking, implantation of intracorneal ring segments, penetrating or lamellar keratoplasty, and, in early studies, implantation of corneal lenticules., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht./The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Background: To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of modified canaloplasty versus trabeculectomy in open-angle glaucoma., Methods: In total, 210 subjects with open-angle glaucoma were included. 70 were treated with Mitomycin C-augmented modified canaloplasty with enhanced subconjunctival filtration and 140 with Mitomycin C-augmented trabeculectomy. Cases were matched 1:2 by sex and age., Results: In canaloplasty and trabeculectomy groups, 61.4% and 57.9% of participants were female. Mean age was 60.0 ± 13.9 and 63.0 ± 12.2 years, median follow-up time was 4.6 [IQR 4.3, 5.05] years and 5.8 [IQR 5.4, 6.3]. Strict success was achieved in 20.0% and 56.4%, complete success in 24.3% and 66.4%, and qualified success in 34.3% and 73.6% (each p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a better survival probability for trabeculectomy than for canaloplasty ( p < 0.001) and Cox regression analysis revealed an HR of 6.03 (95%-CI 3.66, 9.93, p < 0.001) after canaloplasty. Trabeculectomy showed superiority in terms of IOP decrease (9.2 ± 7.9 mmHg vs. 13.7 ± 10.4 mmHg, p = 0.002), use of AGM (50.0% vs. 10.7%, p < 0.001), and the number of revision surgeries (41.4% vs. 21.4%, p = 0.004). Occurrence of complications was similar in both groups (14.5% vs. 7.5%, p = 0.19)., Conclusions: Trabeculectomy showed superiority in efficacy and equality in safety compared to modified canaloplasty.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term outcomes of trabeculectomy (TE) surgery in a large cohort with a minimum follow-up of 3 years., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: University Eye Hospital, Germany., Participants: Three hundred and seventy-nine patients with open-angle glaucoma underwent TE with mitomycin C (MMC) between January 2013 and February 2017 with a minimal follow-up of 3 years. Eligible patients were identified via an electronic surgical case register., Interventions: All patients had undergone TE with MMC following a set surgical protocol. To assess the influence of cataract surgery following TE, eyes which underwent cataract surgery at least 6 months after TE were matched 1:3 by sex and age to eyes who did not undergo cataract surgery during the follow-up period., Main Outcome Measures: Primary outcome was the proportion of surgical success based on intraocular pressure (IOP), surgical complications, the need for revision surgery, loss of light perception and the need for additional pressure-lowering medication., Results: The mean follow-up time was 6 (±0.8, IQR: 5.4-6.5) years. Seventy-three per cent of eyes achieved qualified surgical success at the last follow-up (IOP≥5 mm Hg and ≤18 mm Hg, without surgical complications or complete loss of vision) but necessitated additional medical therapy, complete surgical success with no additional medical therapy was achieved in 69% of eyes. There was no significant difference in the success probability between eyes that had undergone cataract surgery after TE and those that had not (p=0.45)., Conclusions: The results demonstrate a high and stable success rate of TE after a mean follow-up time of approximately 6 years, that is, not affected by later cataract surgery., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Disturbances of retinal perfusion are involved in the onset and maintenance of several ocular diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and retinal vascular occlusion. Hence, knowledge on ocular vascular anatomy and function is highly relevant for basic research studies and for clinical judgment and treatment. The retinal vasculature is composed of the superficial, intermediate, and deep vascular layer. Detection of changes in blood flow and vascular diameter especially in smaller vessels is essential to understand and to analyze vascular diseases. Several methods to evaluate blood flow regulation in the retina have been described so far, but no gold standard has been established. For highly reliable assessment of retinal blood flow, exact determination of vessel diameter is necessary. Several measurement methods have already been reported in humans. But for further analysis of retinal vascular diseases, studies in laboratory animals, including genetically modified mice, are important. As for mice, the small vessel size is challenging requiring devices with high optic resolution. In this review, we recapitulate different methods for retinal blood flow and vessel diameter measurement. Moreover, studies in humans and in experimental animals are described., 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 © 2023 Böhm, Pfeiffer, Wagner and Gericke.)