Expression of lens-related microRNAs in transparent infant lenses and congenital cataract

AIM:To identify the expression of lens-related micro RNAs(miRNAs)in the central epithelium of transparent infant lenses and congenital cataract. METHODS:Lens-related mi RNAs were retrieved from Pub Med database. The expression levels of these mi RNAs in transparent infant lenses and congenital cataract were determined by stem-loop reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). mi Randa algorithm was used to predict the target genes of these differentially expressed mi RNAs. The target m RNA was validated.RESULTS:Six lens-related mi RNAs were retrieved from screening Pub Med database. The most abundant mi RNA in transparent infant lenses according to stem-loop RT-PCR was mi R-184. miR-182 was up-regulated in congenital cataract. Contrarily,miR-204 and miR-124 was down-regulated.mi R-204 exhibited a more significant decrease in expression than mi R-124. In addition,Meis2 was predicted to be the target of mi R-204 using mi Randa algorithm. mi R-204mimic/antagomir transfection experiments suggested the negative correlation between the expression of mi R-204 and Meis2.CONCLUSION:The expression levels of miR-182,miR-204 and mi R-124 differ between the central epithelium of transparent infant lens and congenital cataract,suggesting their involvement in the pathogenesis of congenital cataract. miR-204 may act via silencing Meis2 to regulate lens development and congenital cataract formation.

Efficacy of wet-lab training versus surgical-simulator training on performance of ophthalmology residents during chopping in cataract surgery

AIM: To analyze whether wet-lab training(WLT) or surgical-simulator training(SST) is better for ophthalmology residents to master the chopping technique.METHODS: Sixty ophthalmology residents(in their second year) and three cataract surgeons participated in the study. The residents were randomly separated into two groups, WLT group and SST group. The residents in WLT group were asked to perform 10 trials of chopping using pig eyes and scored by the surgeons, and then they performed and scored using simulator for one time. The residents in SST group underwent 10 trials of chopping using simulator, and the simulator scored each trail. Then, this group were asked to perform the chopping using pig eyes and scored by the surgeons. At last, we investigated the residents’ satisfaction about the training.RESULTS: The demographic characteristics had no significant differences between the two groups. Recorded by the simulator, the residents in SST group got significantly higher overall score(83.90±1.31) than WLT group(78.73±1.92, P=0.03). And the residents in SST group got less corner area injured, and they spend less time than WLT group(P<0.05). Moreover, the residents in WLT group used more ultrasonic energy value than SST group(P=0.03). However, scored by the surgeons, the residents in two groups got nearly the same overall score. The residents in WLT group performed better on the frequencies of posterior capsule torn and incisional stress(P=0.03, 0.008, respectively). In the survey, the residents in two groups held the same opinion that the training was helpful and they strongly recommended this training. And all of them enjoyed the training, and enjoyed being randomized in their own group. However, with respect to the realistic character, the residents thought that WLT was better than SST(P<0.001).CONCLUSION: Both of the Eyesi surgical-stimulator and the wet-lab improve the residents’ chopping ability and each has its own advantages. The combination of the two training ways could be considered to be a part of the training curriculum for new residents.

Prevalence and characteristics of ophthalmological extra-intestinal manifestations in Chinese patients with inflammatory bowel disease

AIM:To investigate the prevalence of ophthalmological extra-intestinal manifestations(O-EIMs) in Chinese patients with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) and to identify risk factors for the development of O-EIMs.METHODS:The study population consisted of Chinese patients with a definite diagnosis of Crohn's disease(CD) or ulcerative colitis(UC) in a large teaching hospital between January 1995 and December 2014.Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients were extracted retrospectively.RESULTS: In this twenty-year cohort,645 IBD patients(517 with UC,128 with CD) were registered.Among them122(18.9%) exhibited at least one EIM.Of 13 patients(2.0%) developed O-EIMs,7 of CD(5.5%) and 6 of UC(1.2%).Clinical ophthalmological manifestations included redness(76.9%),burning(61.5%),pain(38.5%),itching(15.4%) of eyes and vision change(7.7%).O-EIMs included episcleritis(7),uveitis(5) and dry eye(1).OEIMs were more prevalent in female(odds ratio for male0.61,95% confidence interval 0.52-0.73,P <0.0001),and patients who had IBD diagnosis at young age(odds ratio for patients aged >30 years 0.76,95% confidence interval0.65-0.88,P <0.0001).CONCLUSION: The frequency of O-EIMs in Chinese patients with IBD is lower than the rates reported in the studies of European and American countries.Episcleritisand uveitis are the most common O-EIMs.O-EIMs are more frequent in patients with CD and more prevalent in female and patients who have IBD diagnosis at young age.

Physical activity and risk of age-related cataract

AIM: To summarize quantitatively the prospective association between physical activity and age-related cataract(ARC) risk.METHODS: Pub Med, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched for all relevant follow up studies until July 2019. Multivariableadjusted relative risks(RRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals(CIs) from individual studies were used to calculate the overall summary estimates. The doseresponse relationship was assessed using generalized least-squares trend estimation.RESULTS: Six prospective cohort studies, involving 19 173 cases in 6.2-12.1 y follow up of 171 620 participants, were included in the analysis. Increased physical activity was significantly associated with reduced risk of ARC by 10%(RR: 0.90;95%CI: 0.81, 0.99, P=0.04). Stratified analysis by assessment method for physical activity suggest that studies using metabolic equivalent(MET) per day tended to report a slightly stronger association with ARC(RR: 0.85;95%CI: 0.81, 0.90, P<0.001) than studies which assessed activity by weekly activity(RR: 0.96;95%CI: 0.89, 1.03, P=0.24). Dose-response analysis indicated that the risk of ARC decreased by 2%(RR: 0.98;95%CI: 0.98, 0.99, P<0.001) for every 6 METs per day increase in activity.CONCLUSION: The findings from this Meta-analysis provide additional evidence that increased physical activity is inversely associated with ARC risk dose-responsively.