Enhanced Intrusion of Exogenous Airborne Fine Particles toward Eyes in Humans and Animals: Where Damaged Blood-Ocular Barrier Plays a Crucial Role.

Emerging data suggest a close correlation between ambient fine particle (AFP) exposure and eye disorders and pinpoint potential threats of AFPs to eye health in humans. However, the possible passage (including direct intrusion) and the interactions of AFPs with the eye microenvironment in addition to morphological and physiological injuries remain elusive. To this end, the likely transport of AFPs into the eyes via blood-ocular barrier (BOB) in humans and animals was investigated herein. Exogenous particles were recognized inside human eyes with detailed structural and chemical fingerprints. Importantly, comparable AFPs were found in sera with constant structural and chemical fingerprints, hinting at the translocation pathway from blood circulation into the eye. Furthermore, we found that the particle concentrations in human eyes from patients with diabetic retinopathy were much higher than those from patients with no fundus pathological changes (i.e., myopia), indicating that the damaged BOB increased the possibility of particle entrance. Our diseased animal model further corroborated these findings. Collectively, our results offer a new piece of evidence on the intrusion of exogenous particles into human eyes and provide an explanation for AFP-induced eye disorders, with substantially increased risk in susceptible individuals with BOB injuries.

Advances in myopia prevention strategies for school-aged children: a comprehensive review.

Myopia has significantly risen in East and Southeast Asia, and the pathological outcomes of this condition, such as myopic maculopathy and optic neuropathy linked to high myopia, have emerged as leading causes of irreversible vision loss. Addressing this issue requires strategies to reduce myopia prevalence and prevent progression to high myopia. Encouraging outdoor activities for schoolchildren and reducing near-work and screen time can effectively prevent myopia development, offering a safe intervention that promotes healthier habits. Several clinical approaches can be employed to decelerate myopia progression, such as administering low-dose atropine eye drops (0.05%), utilizing orthokeratology lenses, implementing soft contact lenses equipped with myopia control features, and incorporating spectacle lenses with aspherical lenslets. When choosing an appropriate strategy, factors such as age, ethnicity, and the rate of myopia progression should be considered. However, some treatments may encounter obstacles such as adverse side effects, high costs, complex procedures, or limited effectiveness. Presently, low-dose atropine (0.05%), soft contact lenses with myopia control features, and orthokeratology lenses appear as promising options for managing myopia. The measures mentioned above are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and researchers are increasingly exploring their combined effects. By advocating for a personalized approach based on individual risk factors and the unique needs of each child, this review aims to contribute to the development of targeted and effective myopia prevention strategies, thereby minimizing the impact of myopia and its related complications among school-aged children in affected regions.

Prognostic value of cranial radiotherapy and optimal timing stratified by lung-molGPA for NSCLC patients with brain metastases.

PURPOSE: The updated Graded Prognostic Assessment for Lung Cancer Using Molecular Markers (lung-molGPA) index provide more accurate survival prediction for patients diagnose with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastases (BM). Given that the value of cranial radiotherapy (CRT) is still controversial for NSCLC patients with BM, this retrospective study aimed to evaluate the value of CRT and optimal timing in NSCLC patients with initial BM after stratified with lung-molGPA index. METHODS: This study screened NSCLC patients with initial BM in our cancer center from February 2012 to July 2018. The prognosis value of CRT and optimal timing was evaluated with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the patients were classified into lung-molGPA0-2 and lung-molGPA2.5-4 group. Upfront CRT was defined as received CRT within 3 months after initial diagnosis and without BM progression, other CRT was classified into deferred CRT. RESULTS: Overall, 288 patients were enrolled in our study, 156 patients received CRT. The median follow-up time was 47 months. In the entire cohort, the median PFS and OS were 9.2 and 17.0 months, respectively. In the lung-molGPA2.5-4 group, CRT can bring significantly overall survival benefit for NSCLC patients with initial BM (HR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.34-0.68, P < 0.0001), and the upfront CRT can further expand this survival benefits compared with deferred CRT (HR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.27-0.89, P = 0.0026). But this phenomenon was not observed in lung-molGPA0-2 group patients. CONCLUSION: Upfront CRT could bring significantly overall survival benefit for these patients with lung-molGPA2.5-4 but not for patients with lung-molGPA0-2.

Exogenous endophthalmitis caused by Enterococcus casseliflavus: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Endophthalmitis caused by Enterococci is rare, and cases involving vancomycin-resistant enterococci are even rarer. We report the first case of Enterococcus casseliflavus endophthalmitis associated with injury caused by a pig. We also review reported cases of exogenous endophthalmitis caused by Enterococcus casseliflavus and discuss the clinical management and prognosis of this disease. CASE SUMMARY: A 43-year-old man with no previous visual problems complained of endophthalmitis in his left eye following injury caused by a pig. Visual acuity was light perception and B-ultrasonography revealed vitreous opacities with retinal detachment. He was treated with intravitreal vancomycin and ceftazidime after refusing vitrectomy. However, the vitreous opacities and retinal detachment deteriorated and he underwent vitrectomy 5 d post-injury. Intraoperatively, advanced rhegmatogenous and tractional retinal detachment with proliferative vitreoretinopathy were observed. On postoperative day 5, vitreous cultures grew Gram-positive cocci identified as Enterococcus casseliflavus. A 2-wk course of intravenous ampicillin and dexamethasone was commenced. On postoperative day 14, visual acuity improved to hand movement. At 6 mo post-injury, visual acuity improved to 20/667, but optic atrophy was present. CONCLUSION: Systemic administration of linezolid in the treatment of Enterococcus casseliflavus endophthalmitis can improve visual acuity. However, intravitreal amikacin should be considered despite concerns of toxicity when oral linezolid fails to prompt improvement.