Impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on digital device-related ocular health

Purpose:Since the declaration of the lockdown due to COVID-19, the usage of digital devices has gone up across the globe, resulting in a challenge for the visual systems of all ages. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of the lockdown on digital device usage, and consequently, the ocular surface health implications and circadian rhythm abnormalities related to digital eye strain.Methods:An open online survey was sent through various social media platforms and was open for a period of 2 weeks.Results:A total of 407 usable responses were obtained; the average age of respondents was 27.4 years. Typically, 93.6% of respondents reported an increase in their screen time since the lockdown was declared. The average increase in digital device usage was calculated at about 4.8 ± 2.8 h per day. The total usage per day was found to be 8.65 ± 3.74 hours. Sleep disturbances have been reported by 62.4% of people. Typically, 95.8% of respondents had experienced at least one symptom related to digital device usage, and 56.5% said that the frequency and intensity of these symptoms increased since the lockdown was declared.Conclusion:The study highlighted the drastic increase in use of digital devices after the initiation of the COVID-19 lockdown, and along with it, the slow deterioration of ocular health across all age groups. Awareness about prevention of digital eye strain should be stressed, and going forward, measures to bring these adverse effects to a minimum should be explored.     

Is the impairment in temporal allocation of visual attention in children with ADHD related to a developmental delay or a structural cognitive deficit?

We investigated the temporal allocation of visual attention in 11-year-old children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by comparing their attentional blink (AB) parameters (duration, amplitude and minimum performance) with those observed in three groups of healthy control participants (8-year-olds, 11-year-olds and adults). The AB is a marker of impaired ability to detect a second target following the identification of a first target when both appear randomly within a rapid sequence of distractor items. Our results showed developmental effects; with age, the AB duration decreased and the AB minimum moved to shorter lag times. Importantly, 11-year old children with ADHD presented much the same similar AB patterns (in terms of duration and minimum position) as the healthy 8-year-old controls. Our results support the hypothesis whereby impaired allocation of temporal selective attention in children with ADHD is due to a developmental delay and not a specific cognitive deficit.     

Influence of Fine Grains on the Bending Fatigue Behavior of Two Implant Titanium Alloys

By means of the ultrasonic surface impact (amplitude of 30 μm, strike number of 48,000 times/mm²), nanograins have been achieved in the surfaces of both Ti6Al4V(TC4) and Ti3Zr2Sn3Mo25Nb(TLM) titanium alloys, mainly because of the dislocation motion. Many mechanical properties are improved, such as hardness, residual stress, and roughness. The rotating–bending fatigue limits of TC4 and TLM subjected to ultrasonic impact are improved by 13.1% and 23.7%, separately. Because of the bending fatigue behavior, which is sensitive to the surface condition, cracks usually initiate from the surface defects under high stress amplitude. By means of an ultrasonic impact tip with the size of 8 mm, most of the inner cracks present at the zone with a depth range of 100~250 μm in the high life region. The inner crack core to TC4 usually appears as a deformed long and narrow α-phase, while the cracks in TLM specimens prefer to initiate at the triple grain boundary junctions. This zone crosses the grain refined layer and the deformed coarse grain layer. With the gradient change of elastic parameters, the model shows an increase of normal stress at this zone. Combined with the loss of plasticity and toughness, it is easy to understand these fatigue behaviors.     

Implementation of Telehealth: Normalization Process Theory and NoMAD-Ex.

This nurse practitioner–led project facilitated integration of telehealth services in a women’s clinic. Normalization Process Theory and the Normalization Measures Development (NoMAD) instrument were identified as tools. The NoMAD survey was augmented with a request for 2–3 sentences of explanation for each item. These data were then evaluated using inductive content analysis to identify specific facilitators and barriers. Results were presented to an interdisciplinary team charged with the responsibility of making modifications to the existing telehealth workflow. The resultant workflow was piloted for 30 encounters and statistically significant improvement in average NoMAD score was demonstrated on repeat survey.     

Membrane-associated mucins of the ocular surface: New genes,new protein functions and new biological roles in human and mouse

The mucosal glycocalyx of the ocular surface constitutes the point of interaction between the tear film and the apical epithelial cells. Membrane-associated mucins (MAMs) are the defining molecules of the glycocalyx in all mucosal epithelia. Long recognized for their biophysical properties of hydration, lubrication, anti-adhesion and repulsion, MAMs maintain the wet ocular surface, lubricate the blink, stabilize the tear film and create a physical barrier to the outside world. However, it is increasingly appreciated that MAMs also function as cell surface receptors that transduce information from the outside to the inside of the cell. A number of excellent review articles have provided perspective on the field as it has progressed since 1987, when molecular cloning of the first MAM was reported. The current article provides an update for the ocular surface, placing it into the broad context of findings made in other organ systems, and including new genes, new protein functions and new biological roles. We discuss the epithelial tissue-equivalent with mucosal differentiation, the key model system making these advances possible. In addition, we make the first systematic comparison of MAMs in human and mouse, establishing the basis for using knockout mice for investigations with the complexity of an in vivo system. Lastly, we discuss findings from human genetics/genomics, which are providing clues to new MAM roles previously unimagined. Taken together, this information allows us to generate hypotheses for the next stage of investigation to expand our knowledge of MAM function in intracellular signaling and roles unique to the ocular surface.     

Adaptive dynamic surface control using neural networks for hypersonic flight vehicle with input nonlinearities

This study proposes an effective adaptive dynamic surface control (DSC) method based on the radial basis function neural networks and the auxiliary system for hypersonic flight vehicle (HFV) systems in the presence of system uncertainties, external disturbances, and state variable and control input constraints. Firstly, to enhance the robustness of the system, the neural network is combined with the robust term to deal with the uncertainties and external disturbances of the system. Secondly, to prevent the deterioration of the dynamic performance of the system due to the over-adaptation of the neural networks and the robust terms caused by the state and control input constraints, the auxiliary system is added at each step in the DSC design to adjust the dynamic process of the reference signal and virtual control. Furthermore, the variable structure control is used to solve the problem of dead zone in the control input. Using the Lyapunov analysis method, all signals of the closed-loop system are semi-globally uniformly ultimate bounded. The simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme for the HFVs.     

基于颈部软组织张力探讨悬吊循经弹拨结合麦肯基疗法对颈型颈椎病的疗效及机制

目的比较悬吊循经弹拨结合麦肯基疗法与两者分别单一治疗颈型颈椎病的临床疗效差异并探讨其疗效机制。方法将88例符合标准的患者按照随机数字表法分为综合组(29例)、对照1组(30例)、对照2组(29例)。对照1组采用悬吊循经弹拨法,对照2组采用麦肯基疗法,综合组将对照组的治疗方法相结合,5 d为1疗程,共观察2个疗程。应用颈椎病临床评价量表(clinical assessment scale for cervical spondylosis,CASCS)、利用表面肌电图比较2个疗程治疗前后颈椎功能情况以及胸锁乳突肌、斜方肌上部纤维平均功率频率(mean power frequency,MPF)和中位频率(median frequency,MF)数值变化(对应肌肉的疲劳度改变)。结果治疗结束后,综合组总有效率96.55%,优于对照1组总有效率80.00%和对照2组75.86%(P<0.05或P<0.01),且综合组颈椎功能情况及胸锁乳突肌、斜方肌上部纤维MPF、MF值的治疗效果均优于对照1组和对照2组,组间差异有统计学意义(P<0.05或P<0.01)。结论悬吊循经弹拨法结合麦肯基疗法能有效治疗颈型颈椎病,其效果优于单纯悬吊循经弹拨法和单纯麦肯基疗法,能更好地修复颈部软组织张力,实现生物力学平衡,恢复颈椎运动功能,因此临床上可推广此法治疗颈型颈椎病。     

丹参治疗微循环障碍作用机制的“成分-靶点-通路”多层次互作网络模型研究

目的基于网络药理学分析丹参治疗微循环障碍的分子生物学机制。方法借助TCMSP、PubChem Search、Genecards数据库和Swiss target prediction在线工具得到丹参的活性成分治疗微循环障碍的作用靶标,利用Cytoscape 3.3.0软件构建丹参活性成分-微循环障碍作用靶标网络,通过STRING数据库构建靶蛋白相互作用(PPI)网络,通过生物学信息注释数据库(DAVID)进行基因本体(GO)生物学过程和京都基因与基因组百科全书(KEGG)通路富集分析。结果从丹参中共筛选出治疗微循环障碍的65个相关活性成分,并发现微循环障碍相关的9个关键靶点。GO和KEGG通路富集分析发现,丹参治疗微循环障碍可能与氧化还原、钙离子稳态等生物过程有关,能够调节血管内皮生长因子信号通路、神经突触信号传导、催产素信号通路、醛固酮-调节钠重吸收等信号通路。结论丹参治疗微循环障碍体现了多成分、多靶点、多途径的作用特点,为进一步开展丹参治疗微循环障碍作用机制研究提供了新的思路和方法。