Changes in the Foveal Outer Nuclear Layer of Central Serous Chorioretinopathy Patients Over the Disease Course and Their Response to Photodynamic Therapy

Objective:To investigate the association between foveal outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness and the natural course of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), as well as the thickness change after photodynamic therapy (PDT), exploring the PDT timing for CSC.Methods:This retrospective consecutive case series included 358 CSC patients between January 2014 and December 2019. All patients were divided into four groups depending on disease duration: Group A: ≤1 month; Group B: >1 and ≤3 months; Group C: >3 and≤6 months and Group D: >6 months. Foveal ONL thickness of the CSC eye and the clinically healthy fellow eye were measured and compared in all patients. Fifty-six patients were successfully treated with half-dose of PDT, showing complete subretinal fluid absorption, were followed up for more than 6 months and further investigated. The recovery of foveal ONL thickness was analyzed in the affected eyes of patients with different disease duration.Results:No significant reduction was found in CSC foveal ONL thickness (μm) compared to the fellow eye in patients with disease duration less than 1 week (112.3 ± 12.2 vs. 116.7 ± 15.3, P = 0.268). Patients with longer disease duration had varying degrees of ONL thinning compared to the contralateral eye (all P < 0.05) and this difference was more pronounced in patients with disease duration greater than 6 months (75.8 ± 12.9 vs. 113.0 ± 11.5, P < 0.001). At 6-month follow-up after PDT, foveal ONL thickness of patients with <1 month disease duration recovered significantly from onset (97.3 ± 18.2 to 113.6 ± 8.7, P < 0.001) and became similar to that of the healthy fellow eye. Foveal ONL thickness of patients with duration>1 and≤3 months recovered significantly (88.5 ± 11.5 to 95.8 ± 11.3, P = 0.012) but remained thinner than that of the healthy fellow eye. Foveal ONL thickness did not improve significantly in cases with disease duration longer than 3 months (P > 0.05).Conclusion:Foveal ONL thinning was positively associated with disease duration prior to treatment suggesting that longer disease duration limits scope for foveal ONL recovery. CSC patients should be treated with PDT as soon as possible to prevent disease development and reduced visual function.

Surface elevation and ice thickness data between 2012 and 2020 at the ablation area of Artesonraju Glacier, Cordillera Blanca, Perú

We present a representative set of data of interpreted ice thickness and ice surface elevation of the ablation area of the Artesonraju glacier between 2012 and 2020. The ice thickness was obtained by means of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), while the surface elevation was by means of automated total stations and mass balance stakes. The results from GPR data show a maximum depth of 235 ± 18 m and a decreasing mean depth ranging from 134 ± 18 m in 2013 to 110 ± 18 m in 2020. Additionally, we estimate a mean ice thickness change rate of −4.2 ± 3.2 m yr−1 between 2014 and 2020 with GPR data alone, which is in agreement with the elevation change in the same period. The latter was estimated with the more accurate surface elevation data, yielding a change rate of −3.2 ± 0.2 m yr−1, and hence, confirming a negative glacier mass balance. The data set can be valuable for further analysis when combined with other data types, and as input for glacier dynamics modeling, ice volume estimations, and GLOF (glacial lake outburst flood) risk assessment. The complete dataset is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5571081 (Oberreuter et al, 2021).

Selective and Inverse U-Shaped Curve Alteration of the Retinal Nerve in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Potential Mirror of the Disease

Introduction: Alterations in the visual pathway involving the retina have been reported in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) but they lack consistency and subgroup analysis. We aimed to assess the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) alterations in different stages of ALS patients and their association with ALS progression parameters.Methods: The study population consisted of 70 clinically diagnosed ALS patients and 55 age, sex matched controls. All of them underwent ophthalmic assessments and optical coherence tomography imaging. Four quadrants of the peripapillary RNFL and ganglion cell/inner plexiform complex (GCIP) were observed and automatically measured. Early-stage distal motor neuron axon dysfunction in ALS was detected by compound muscle action potential (CMAP) of the distal limbs within 12 months. The ALS disease parameters included the ALSFRS-R score and the disease progression rate (ΔFS).Results: Generally compared with controls, the nasal (p = 0.016) quadrant of the RNFL was thicker in ALS patients. When controlling for age and ΔFS, the RNFL(r = 0.37, p = 0.034) and GCIP(r = 0.40, p = 0.021) were significantly thickened as disease progressed within 12 months, while the RNFL declined with time after one year (r = −0.41, p = 0.037). ALS patients was subclassified into thickened RNFL (T-RNFL, >95th percentile of normal), impaired RNFL (I-RNFL, <5th percentile of normal) and normal RNFL. There were significant differences in the GCIP among the three groups (p < 0.001). In the T-RNFL group (n = 18), the RNFL was negatively correlated with the abductor pollicis brevis-CMAP amplitude within 12 months (r = −0.56, p = 0.01). Patients within 12 months in this group progressed faster than others (p = 0.039). In the normal RNFL group (n = 22), 13 patients were diagnosed beyond 12 months, whose ΔFS was remarkably lower (p = 0.007). In I-RNFL group (n = 30), the early stage patients (<12 months) had significant higher ΔFS (p = 0.006). One patient was with SOD1 pathogenic variant (p.A5V).Conclusion: Alterations of retinal nerve were not consistent in ALS patients with diverse phenotypes and progression rates. Generally speaking, the RNFL thickened during the first year and then gradually declined, which is related to but preceding the thickness change of the RGCs. Patients with a significant RNFL thinning in the early stage may have a faster progression rate. The inverse U-shaped curve transformation might be in accordance with early-stage motor neuron axonopathy.

EVALUATION OF CHOROID THICKNESS CHANGES AFTER UNEVENTFUL PHACOEMULSIFICATION SURGERY USING SPECTRAL DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY AT A TERTIARY CARE EYE HOSPITAL

Objective: To analyze the effects of uneventful phacoemulsification surgery on choroidal thickness using spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Study Design: Prospective comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology, Rawalpindi, from Jun 2018 to Jun 2019. Methodology: In this prospective study, 300 eyes of 300 patients undergoing phacoemulsification surgery were included. All patients underwent detailed ophthalmologic examination, including measurement with optical biometry, intraocular pressure and choroid thickness. The choroidal thickness was measured perpendicularly at the fovea using spectral domain optical coherence tomography preoperatively and 1 month postoperatively. Changes in intraocular pressure and choroid thickness after surgery were evaluated. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in the choroid thickness in early postoperative period (p-value <0.01). This increment was prominent in sub foveal regions. The intraocular pressure decreased significantly 1 month after surgery (p-value <0.01). The change in intraocular pressure was correlated with the choroid thickness change at sub foveal region. Conclusion: Uncomplicated phacoemulsification induces non-pathologic increase in sub-foveal choroid thickness probably due to the inflammatory insult of the surgery. Long-term follow-up of eyes having phacoemulsification surgery may provide further insight into the effects of cataract surgery on the choroid.

Anthropogenic Climate Change Drives the Melting of Glaciers in the Himalaya

The Himalayan glaciers supply water to a large population in south Asia for various uses and ecosystem services. Therefore, regional monitoring of glacier melting and identifying the drivers thereof is important to understand and predict the future trends of cryospheric melting. Using multi-date satellite images from 2000-2020, we investigated the shrinkage, snout retreat, thickness changes, mass loss and velocity changes of 77 glaciers in the Drass basin, western Himalaya, India. The overall glacier cover has shrunk by 5.31±0.33 km2 during the period. Snout retreat varied between 30-430 m (mean 155±9.58 m). Debris-cover showed a significant influence on the glacier melting with the clean glaciers showing a higher loss of ~5% compared to the debris-covered glaciers (~2%). The glaciers on an average have shown thickness change and mass loss of -1.27±0.37 and -1.08±0.31 m w.e.a-1 respectively. Average glacier velocity has reduced from 21.35±3.3 m a-1 in 2000 to 16.68±1.9 m a-1 by 2020 due to the continuous melting and the consequent mass loss of the glaciers. Concentration of the greenhouse gases (GHGs), black carbon and other pollutants from vehicular traffic plying in the vicinity of the glaciers has significantly increased during the observation period. Increasing temperatures, result of the significant increase of the GHGs and pollutants in the atmosphere, drive the glacier melting in the study area. If the situation continues in the future, the glaciers may disappear altogether in the Himalaya leading to significant impact on the regional water supplies, hydrological processes, ecosystem services and transboundary sharing of waters.

The Role of Silicon in Silicon-Graphite Composite Electrodes Regarding Specific Capacity, Cycle Stability, and Expansion

One promising way of compensating for the repeated volume expansion and contraction of silicon as an anode active material in lithium ion batteries (LIBs) is to embed silicon within a graphite matrix. Silicon-graphite (SiG) composites combine the advantageous properties of graphite, i.e., large electrical conductivity and high structural stability, with the advantageous properties of silicon, i.e., high theoretical capacity. Graphite has a much lower volume expansion upon lithiation (≈ 10%) than pure silicon (≈ 300%) and provides a mechanically stable matrix. Herein, we present an investigation into the electrochemical performance and thickness change behavior of porous SiG anode compositions with silicon contents ranging from 0 wt% to 20 wt%. The electrode composites were studied using two methods: in situ dilatometry for the thickness change investigation and conventional coin cells for the assessment of electrochemical performance. The measurements show that the initial thickness change of SiG electrodes increased significantly with the silicon content, but it leveled off during cycling for all compositions. There appears to be a correlation between silicon content and capacity loss, but no clear correlation between thickness change and capacity loss rate was found.

Pharmacogenetic loci for rosuvastatin are associated with intima-media thickness change and coronary artery disease risk

Aim: Polymorphisms at LPA, LDLR, APOE, APOC1, MYLIP and ABCG2 are attractive targets for assessment of their impact on lipid-lowering therapy with rosuvastatin. The present study investigated whether polymorphisms at these genes are associated with the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) development, and reduction of atherogenic lipids and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in CAD patients, taking rosuvastatin. Materials & methods: 190 CAD patients and 1697 subjects were enrolled in pharmacogenetic and genetic association study, respectively. SNP genotyping was done using the MassARRAY-4 system. Results: MYLIP rs6924995, rs3757354, APOC1 rs445925, LDLR rs6511720, APOE rs7412, ABCG2 rs2199936, rs1481012 variants were significantly associated with CAD susceptibility (p = 0.016, 0.0003, <0.0001, <0.0001, 0.013, 0.016, 0.0035, respectively), as well as with CIMT regression (except ABCG2 variants; p = 0.05, 0.039, 0.039, 0.016, 0.0065), and changes in plasma lipids during rosuvastatin therapy. Conclusion: The studied polymorphisms possess pleiotropic effects on plasma lipids and CIMT, CAD susceptibility, and determine lipid-lowering response to rosuvastatin.

Impact of Graphite Materials on the Lifetime of NMC811/Graphite Pouch Cells: Part II. Long-Term Cycling, Stack Pressure Growth, Isothermal Microcalorimetry, and Lifetime Projection

Part II of this 2-part series examines the impact of various graphite materials on NMC811 pouch cell performance using Ultra-High Precision Coulometry (UHPC), isothermal microcalorimetry, and in-situ stack growth. A simple lifetime projection of the best NMC811/graphite cells as a function of operating temperature is made. We show that graphite choice greatly impacts fractional fade, while fractional charge endpoint capacity slippage was largely unchanged. We show that an increase in 1st cycle efficiency due to limited redox-active sites, which is favourable for minimizing Li inventory loss, is concomitant with an increase in negative electrode charge transfer resistance. Further, we demonstrate that cells with competitive artificial graphites (AG) have a lower parasitic heat flow (~0.060 mW/Ahr at 40oC) compared to cells with natural graphites (NG), and that the cells with the AG materials had minimal stack thickness change with cycling. Finally, we model SEI growth for NMC811 cells limited to 4.06 V with the square-root time model, and project that the best NMC811/graphite cells can have a century of lifetime at 15 oC when Li plating during charge is avoided. Such cells are an excellent candidate for grid storage applications where energy density is less important compared to long lifetime.

Influence of movement tracks on the forming quality of profiles fabricated by flexible stretch bending of multi-point roller dies technology

In the flexible stretch bending of multi-point roller dies process, the deformation of workpiece is mainly driven by clamps. Therefore, the movement track of clamp has a great influence on the forming effect of workpiece. Y-profile, T-profile, and L-profile are taken as the research objects. Simulation and experiments are carried out with two different movement tracks. The influence of the movement tracks on shape error, springback error, and thickness variation of different profiles is discussed. The experimental results of the three profiles processed by the double-sided forming method are consistent with the simulation results, which proves the accuracy of the numerical simulation. The results show that the movement track has a great influence on shape error. Compared with double-sided forming, one-sided forming can effectively reduce springback error. The two different movement tracks have no obvious influence on thickness change.

Efıcacy of Mıcropulse Laser In The Treatment of Dıabetıc Macular Edema

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to evaluate and compare the visual acuity, macular volume, central macular thickness, change in number of intravitreal ranibizumab injections with micropulse laser applications after loading dose of antiVEGF to DME patients.Study Design: Retrospective study Methods: This study was carried out on 97 patients (45 ranibizumab and 52 micropuls grid laser + ranibizumab) with diabetic macular edema patients who were followed in the Retina Unit. At the control visit after three loading ranibizumab injections administered once a month, micropuls grid laser was applied to one group and ranibizumab injection was continued PRN to both groups for an average of 9.27 ± 2.42 months and central macular thickness, macular volume and visual acuity were recorded. Results: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of gender, smoking and systemic diseases, initial central macular thickness, macular volume and visual acuity measurements (p> 0.05). Central macular thickness, macular volume and visual acuity values measured at the last follow-up of the patients were not significantly different between the groups (p> 0.05). The mean post-treatment injection requirement was 4.19 ± 1.01 for the ranibizumab with micropuls laser group and 5.53 ± 1.14 for the ranibizumab group. In the group treated with micropuls laser, statistically less number of intravitreal ranibizumab injections were needed (p <0.001). Conclusion: Micropulse laser treatment after initial loading doses reduces the need for antiVEGF injections. Studies with the participation of more patients may help in the selection of treatment methods by comparing micropulse laser combined with different injection protocols.