Tear film lipid layer thickness measurement from Ocular Surface Analyzer as a marker to monitor treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction in a study comparing physiological detergent-free eyelid wipes with conventional therapy: A randomized trial

Purpose:To compare the efficacy of physiological, non-detergent eyelid wipes with conventional lid hygiene in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).Methods:Fifty participants with MGD were recruited and randomized into two groups. Participants in group I used Evolve Pure™ Eyewipes twice a day to clean the eyelid debris along with standard therapy (antibiotic and lubricants) and participants in group II followed lid hygiene with warm compresses along with standard therapy. Symptoms, ocular surface assessment (lipid layer thickness, tear meniscus height, non-invasive tear film breakup time, and meibography), slit-lamp biomicroscopy (eyelash contamination, meibomian gland blockage, meibomian gland secretion, and meibomian gland telangiectasia) and tear film osmolarity were noted at baseline and 90 days after therapy.Results:Significant improvement in symptoms and signs of MGD was observed in both groups after treatment (P < 0.001); however, the clinical improvement was better with the use of eyelid wipes. Lipid layer thickness increased significantly in group I (P = 0.0006) and group II (P = 0.0002), which was maintained even after adjusting for sociodemographic variables such as age, sex, and severity score of symptoms and signs.Conclusion:Lipid layer thickness of the tear film is a sensitive marker in monitoring response to treatment in patients with MGD. The use of physiological detergent-free eyelid wipes is non-inferior to lid hygiene and warm compresses, which remains the mainstay for treatment of MGD; the clinical improvement with eyelid wipes was noted to be better.     

Ocular surface in patients with different degrees of myopia

AIM: To investigate the clinical features of the ocular surface in patients with different degrees of myopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 122 participants with myopia in Beijing Tongren Hospital from February to June, 2023. After completing the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score scale, measurements were taken for refraction, biometric parameters and ocular surface parameters. The prevalence, severity and related parameters of the dry eye among different groups based on axial length (AL) were compared. Correlation analysis was performed between ocular surface parameters and refraction/biometric measurement parameters. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were observed in refractive error, corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, and subfoveal choroidal thickness among the groups (all P<0.05). With the increase in AL, the incidence and severity of dry eye increased significantly (P<0.05). Moreover, the tear film break-up time (BUT) shortened (P<0.05), and the corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) points increased significantly (P<0.05). OSDI scores were positively correlated with AL and spherical equivalent (SE; both P<0.05); BUT was negatively correlated with AL, SE, and corneal astigmatism (AST; all P<0.05); Schirmer I test (SIT) results were negatively correlated with AL and SE (both P<0.05). CONCLUSION: AL elongation is a risk factor for dry eye onset in myopic participants. The longer the AL, the more severe the dry eye is, with the increased CFS spots and tear film instability. Additionally, SE and AST exhibit negative correlations with dry eye symptom scores and ocular surface parameters.     

Contribution Ratio Assessment of Process Parameters on Robotic Milling Performance

Robotic milling has broad application prospects in many processing fields. However, the milling performance of a robot in a certain posture, such as in face milling or grooving tasks, is extremely sensitive to process parameters due to the influence of the serial structure of the robot system. Improper process parameters are prone to produce machining defects such as low surface quality. These deficiencies substantially decrease the further application development of robotic milling. Therefore, this paper selected a certain posture and carried out the robotic flat-end milling experiments on a 7075-T651 high-strength aeronautical aluminum alloy under dry conditions. Milling load, surface quality and vibration were selected to assess the influence of process parameters like milling depth, spindle speed and feed rate on the milling performance. Most notably, the contribution ratio based on the analysis of variance (ANOVA) was introduced to statistically investigate the relation between parameters and milling performance. The obtained results show that milling depth is highly significant in milling load, which had a contribution ratio of 69.25%. Milling depth is also highly significant in vibration, which had a contribution ratio of 51.41% in the X direction, 41.42% in the Y direction and 75.97% in the Z direction. Moreover, the spindle speed is highly significant in surface roughness, which had a contribution ratio of 48.02%. This present study aims to quantitatively evaluate the influence of key process parameters on robotic milling performance, which helps to select reasonable milling parameters and improve the milling performance of the robot system. It is beneficial to give full play to the advantages of robots and present more possibilities of robot applications in machining and manufacturing.     

Fractal Analysis of a Non-Newtonian Fluid Flow in a Rough-Walled Pipe

The fully developed laminar flow of a viscous non-Newtonian fluid in a rough-walled pipe is considered. The fluid rheology is described by the power–law model (covering shear thinning, Newtonian, and shear thickening fluids). The rough surface of the pipe is considered to be fractal, and the surface roughness is measured using surface fractal dimensions. The main focus of this study lies in the theoretical investigation of the influence of the pipe surface roughness on the velocity profile and the Darcy friction factor of an incompressible non-Newtonian fluid. The plotted results demonstrate that shear thinning fluids are the most sensitive to the surface roughness compared with Newtonian and shear thickening fluids. For a particular value of the surface fractal dimension, there exists an intersection point where shear thinning, Newtonian, and shear thickening fluids behave the same way regarding the amplitude of the velocity profile and the friction factor. This approach has a variety of potential applications, for instance fluid dynamics in hydrology, blood flow in the cardiovascular system, and many industrial applications.     

响应面法优化黄芩中黄芩苷闪式提取工艺

目的:利用响应面分析方法优化黄芩苷闪式提取工艺条件.方法:以HPLC测定黄芩苷含量,以黄芩苷得率为指标,单因素试验考察乙醇体积分数、提取时间及料液比;采用Box-Behnken设计、响应面分析统计学方法对工艺参数进行优化.结果:最佳工艺条件为14倍量70％乙醇提取102 s,在此条件下得到黄芩苷的实测值达13.588％,理论值可达13.592％,两者较吻合.结论:闪式提取法是一种高效、快速提取黄芩中黄芩苷的方法.     

响应面法优化乌梅透骨口服液制备工艺的研究

目的:用响应面法优化乌梅透骨口服液(WTOL)的最佳制备工艺。方法:在单因素试验的基础上,选取WTOL提取次数、醇沉浓度、pH值3个因素进行Box-Behnken中心组合设计,利用响应面分析法对制备工艺参数进行优化。结果:提取时间为1.5 h,提取次数为2.772次,相对密度为1.12,醇沉浓度为68.704%,pH值为5.0时,川续断皂苷VI理论含量最高,可达549.908 mg/L。根据实际试验情况,将其修正为提取次数为3次、醇沉浓度为69%、pH值为5.0,经验证此条件下川续断皂苷VI含量为548.63 mg/L,与理论值较为接近。结论:用响应面法优选出的制备工艺合理可行。     

Validation of the Proximal Isovelocity Surface Area Method for Assessing Mitral Regurgitation in Children

The proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) method for calculating volume flow through the regurgitant orifice has attracted significant attention. A number of in vitro studies and clinical studies in adults suggest that the method is accurate. However, when applying the method to children it must be noted that the absolute regurgitation volume is small, and the range of body sizes is wide. This study investigated the accuracy of the PISA method for quantitative assessment of the severity of mitral regurgitation in children. Twenty children aged 7 months to 12 years (average 4.7 years) with mitral regurgitation but without interventricular shunt or aortic stenosis were selected for this study. Underlying cardiac diseases included atrioventricular septal defects in nine, isolated mitral regurgitation in five, and association with other heart defects in six. The PISA radius (r) and the duration of regurgitation (T) were measured on color M-mode recordings, with the M line passing through the center of the PISA. Assuming that the PISA is a hemisphere, maximal regurgitant flow rate (MFR: ml/s) was calculated as MFR = 2π×~ r ²×~ V (r= maximal radius, V= aliasing velocity), and regurgitant stroke volume (RSVpisa) as RSVpisa = 2π×~ MSR ×~ V×~ T (MSR = mean square of the PISA radius during regurgitation). As a validating standard, total stroke volume (TSV) using two-dimensional echocardiography determined by the area–length volumetry method and forward stroke volume (FSV) by the pulsed Doppler method were measured, and regurgitant stroke volume (RSV_D: RSV_D= TSV − FSV) and regurgitant fraction (RF: RF = RSV_D/TSV) were calculated. A linear correlation was found between MFR, RSVpisa, and RSV_D (X) (MFR = 4.2X + 54.0, r= 0.84. RSVpisa = 1.0X + 9.8, r= 0.90), and both RSVpisa and MFR divided by body surface area (BSA: m²) revealed a significant correlation with regurgitant fraction (X) by nonlinear regression analysis (RSVpisa/BSA = 26.2 ×~ X/(1 − X) + 16.8, r= 0.85. MFR/BSA = 121.8 ×~ X/(1 − X) + 92.2, r= 0.79). It is concluded that maximal regurgitant flow rate, regurgitant stroke volume, and regurgitant fraction can be accurately predicted in children using the PISA method by Doppler echocardiography.     

白内障超声乳化手术对结膜松弛症患者眼表状况的影响

目的：探讨白内障超声乳化手术对白内障合并结膜松弛症患者眼表状况的影响。

方法：对2014-09/12间在我院接受超声乳化+人工晶状体植入手术的150例200眼白内障患者,根据有无合并结膜松弛症,分为正常组110例140眼和结膜松弛组40例60眼; 随访3～6mo,观察手术前后两组患者泪膜破裂时间、异物感、泪溢及结膜充血等情况以及上述情况恢复到术前状态所用时间,并进行统计学分析。

结果：超声乳化+人工晶状体植入术后,正常组和结膜松弛组患者泪膜破裂时间(BUT)分别与术前比较,差异有统计学意义(t=20.93、19.16,均P =0.00),术后两组患者眼部异物感、泪溢情况、结膜充血情况与术前比较差异有统计学意义(均P =0.00); 比较两组患者BUT、眼部异物感、泪溢和结膜充血等情况恢复到术前状态所用时间,差异有统计学意义(t=17.16、14.18、27.41,均P=0.00)。

结论：超声乳化+人工晶状体植入手术使白内障患者的眼表状况明显变差; 结膜松弛症在白内障术后可显著延迟患者眼表功能的恢复。     

微切口超声乳化术对糖尿病合并白内障患者眼表的影响

目的：探讨白内障超声乳化手术中2.2及3.0mm透明角膜切口对2型糖尿病患者术后泪膜功能及眼表的影响。
　　方法：收集2015-01/10在我院接受超声乳化术的2型糖尿病患者150例150眼。按照随机数字表,将其分为两组,A组微切口组(75例75眼)行2.2mm透明角膜微切口白内障超声乳化术, B 组小切口组(75例75眼)行常规3.0 mm透明角膜切口白内障超声乳化术,两组资料的人口统计学特征差异无统计学意义。观察并比较两组患者术前及术后1wk,1、3、6mo的眼表疾病指数( ocular surface disease index,OSDI)、角膜知觉、泪膜破裂时间( break-up time,BUT)和基础泪液分泌试验( Schirmer’s Ⅰtest,SⅠt)指标的变化。
　　结果：术后1wk,1、3mo,两组患者的 OSDI 评分均高于术前,且B组的OSDI评分明显高于A组,差异有统计学意义(均P<0.05);两组患者的角膜知觉均较术前降低,且B组的角膜知觉明显低于A组,差异具有统计学意义(均P<0.05);两组患者的SⅠt均低于术前,且B组的SⅠt明显低于A组,差异具有统计学意义(均 P<0.05)。术后1wk,1mo,两组患者的BUT均低于术前,且B组的BUT明显低于A组,差异具有统计学意义(均 P<0.05)。术后6mo,A组患者的OSDI、角膜知觉、BUT和SⅠt与术前相比差异不明显,无统计学意义(均P>0.05);B组患者的OSDI评分和角膜知觉与术前相比差异明显,具有统计学意义(均P<0.05);BUT和SⅠt与术前相比差异不明显,无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。
　　结论：2.2mm透明角膜微切口对眼表及泪膜的影响较小,对并发白内障的2型糖尿病患者尤为适用。     

系数倍率法测定膀胱镜检表面麻醉剂中盐酸利多卡因的含量

目的：研究不经提取直接测定膀胱镜检表面麻醉剂中盐酸利多卡因的含量。方法：采用系数倍率法，选择测定的波长为270nm和280nm。结果：盐酸利多卡因线性关系良好，r=0．9993,，平均回收率为100．1％。结论：该方法可靠、简便、准确，可作为医院制剂的质量控制。