Influence of layer thickness on formation quality,microstructure,mechanical properties,and corrosion resistance of WE43 magnesium alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

Laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)of Mg alloys has provided tremendous opportunities for customized production of aeronautical and medical parts.Layer thickness(LT)is of great significance to the L-PBF process but has not been studied for Mg alloys.In this study,WE43 Mg alloy bulk cubes,porous scaffolds,and thin walls with layer thicknesses of 10,20,30,and 40μm were fabricated.The required laser energy input increased with increasing layer thickness and was different for the bulk cubes and porous scaffolds.Porosity tended to occur at the connection joints in porous scaffolds for LT40 and could be eliminated by reducing the laser energy input.For thin wall parts,a large overhang angle or a small wall thickness resulted in porosity when a large layer thicknesses was used,and the porosity disappeared by reducing the layer thickness or laser energy input.A deeper keyhole penetration was found in all occasions with porosity,explaining the influence of layer thickness,geometrical structure,and laser energy input on the porosity.All the samples achieved a high fusion quality with a relative density of over 99.5%using the optimized laser energy input.The increased layer thickness resulted to more precipitation phases,finer grain sizes and decreased grain texture.With the similar high fusion quality,the tensile strength and elongation of bulk samples were significantly improved from 257 MPa and 1.41%with the 10μm layer to 287 MPa and 15.12%with the 40μm layer,in accordance with the microstructural change.The effect of layer thickness on the compressive properties of porous scaffolds was limited.However,the corrosion rate of bulk samples accelerated with increasing the layer thickness,mainly attributed to the increased number of precipitation phases.

Early diagnostic value of carotid artery ultrasound parameters combined with epicardial adipose layer thickness in coronary heart disease

BACKGROUND Coronary heart disease is associated with coronary atherosclerosis indicated by carotid intima-media thickness(CIMT)thickening and altered vascular elasticity.The epicardial adipose layer can secrete proinflammatory factors that promote the formation of coronary atherosclerosis.Thus,the epicardial fat layer thickness(EAT)may also predict coronary heart disease.AIM To determine the role of common carotid artery ultrasound parameters and EAT in the early diagnosis of coronary artery disease.METHODS Based on coronary angiography,patients with newly suspected coronary heart disease were divided into case(n=107)and control(n=41)groups.The carotid ultrasound parameters,including vascular stiffness(β),elastic coefficient(EP),pulse wave conduction velocity(PWV-β),CIMT,and EAT were compared between the case and control groups and among patients with different lesion numbers in the case group.Pearson correlation was used to evaluate the early diagnostic value of EAT,common carotid artery elasticity,and CIMT for coronary heart disease.RESULTS EP,β,PWV-β,CIMT,and EAT were significantly higher in the case group compared with the levels in the control group(all P<0.001).In the case group,lesions were detected in one vessel in 34 patients,two vessels in 38 patients,and three vessels in 35 patients.Within the case group,β,EP,PWV-β,CIMT,and EAT levels significantly increased with an increased number of lesions(all P<0.001).EAT positively correlated withβ,EP,PWV-β,and CIMT(all P<0.01).The area under the curve for diagnosing coronary heart disease using EAT combined with CIMT and carotid elasticity was 0.893,and the sensitivity and specificity were 0.890 and 0.837.CONCLUSION EAT correlated well with changes in carotid artery elasticity and CIMT in patients with coronary heart disease.The combination of EAT,carotid artery elasticity,and CIMT facilitates the early diagnosis of coronary heart disease.

Effects of Typical Soil and Stratification Thickness on Water Infiltration Characteristics in Central Ningxia

In order to compare the influence of different soil types and stratification on water infiltration capacity,two main types of soil in the desert steppe,sierozem(S)and aeolian sandy soil(A),were selected,and infiltration simulation tests were conducted on homogeneous soil and layered soil(layer thickness 5,10,and 20 cm),respectively.The results show that during the whole experiment,there was a small difference between S5A95(aeolian sandy soil 95 cm thick was covered with sierozem 5 cm thick)and S10A90(aeolian sandy soil 90 cm thick was covered with sierozem 10 cm thick)in the wetting front process,infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration,but there was a significant difference between S5A95 and S20A80(aeolian sandy soil 80 cm thick was covered with sierozem 20 cm thick).In the initial infiltration stage,there was no significant difference between A5S95(sierozem 95 cm thick was covered with aeolian sandy soil 5 cm thick)and A10S90(sierozem 90 cm thick was covered with aeolian sandy soil 10 cm thick).However,with the increase of infiltration time,the wetting front process,A5S95,A10S90 and A20S80 had significant differences in terms of wetting front process,infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration.The infiltration capacity of A was significantly higher than that of S.Combined with linear R 2 value and model parameters,the three infiltration models were comprehensively compared,and the fitting process and results of the general empirical model for the infiltration process of homogeneous soil and layered soil showed good results.Three models were used to simulate the water infiltration process of layered soil with different textures,and the order of the effect is as follows:general empirical model>Kostiakov model>Philip model.Soil type and layer thickness had a great influence on water infiltration process.When sierozem was covered with aeolian sandy soil 20 cm thick,the infiltration capacity was the best.As aeolian sandy soil was covered with sierozem 10 cm thick,the infiltration effect was the worst.Therefore,once coarse graying occurs on the surface of sierozem(the thickness of sand is more than 20 cm)or when the content of fine particles overlying aeolian sandy soil(the thickness of silt and clay soil is more than 10 cm)during ecological restoration is high,the soil hydrological characteristics will change significantly,which may lead to changes in vegetation types and even ecosystem structure.

Three-Dimensional Direct Numerical Simulation of Flow past A Near-Wall Circular Cylinder:Combined Effects of Gap Ratio and Boundary Layer Thickness on Flow Profiles and Pressure Distribution

Three-dimensional direct numerical simulations of the wake flow downstream of a near-wall circular cylinder at different gap ratios and boundary layer thicknesses are carried out by using the iterative immersed boundary method.The non-dimensional gap between the cylinder and the wall,G/D=0.2,0.6 and 1.0,the non-dimensional boundary layer thickness,δ/D=0.0,0.7 and 1.6,the Reynolds number,Re=350,and the aspect ratio of the cylinder,L/D=25are adopted.High-resolution visualizations of the complex vortex structures at differentδ/D and G/D are presented.The transition of the streamwise vortex mode,the combined effects ofδ/D and G/D on the flow statistics,the pressure and shear stress distribution and the hydrodynamic forces are analyzed.Results show that with decreasing G/D and increasingδ/D,the gap flow and its vortex-shedding are significantly weakened,together with an elongated wake and an enlarged low-velocity area near the wall,leading to the wake mode transition from the two-sided to one-sided vortex-shedding.Different relative positions of the cylinder regarding the boundary layer alter the flow features of the shear layers.With an increase inδ/D,the front stagnation point shifts to the upper surface,and the distance between the flow divergence point and the maximum pressure position increases.The mean drag coefficient and r.m.s.values of drag and lift coefficients decrease with a decrease in G/D and an increase inδ/D,while the mean lift coefficient increases with decreasing G/D but decreases with increasingδ/D.

Ice thickness,internal layers,and surface and subglacial topography in the vicinity of Chinese Antarctic Taishan station in Princess Elizabeth Land,East Antarctica

We present the results of two ground-based radio-echo-sounding（RES） and GPS surveys performed in the vicinity of new Chinese Taishan station,Princess Elizabeth Land,East Antarctica,obtained in two austral summers during CHINARE 21（2004/2005） and CHINARE 29（2012/2013）.The radar surveys measured ice thickness and internal layers using 60- and 150-MHz radar systems,and GPS measurements showed smooth surface slopes around the station with altitudes of 2607-2636 m above sea level（a.s.l.）.Radar profiles indicate an average ice thickness of 1900 m,with a maximum of 1949 m and a minimum of 1856 m,within a square area measuring approximately 2 km × 2 km in the vicinity of the station.The ice thickness beneath the station site is 1870 m.The subglacial landscape beneath the station is quiet sharp and ranges from 662 to 770 m a.s.l.,revealing part of a mountainous topography.The ice volume in the grid is estimated to be 7.6 km^3.Along a 60-MHz radar profile with a length of 17.6 km at the region covering the station site,some disturbed internal layers are identified and traced;the geometry of internal layers within the englacial stratigraphy may imply a complex depositional process in the area.

Correction of seabed layer thickness in processing subbottom profile data

The subbottom profiling is an important means of marine engineering survey, hazardous geology study and continental shelf scientific research. The accuracy of subbottom profile data interpretation has a direct impact on the research and investigation results. Because some of profilers’ transducer and hydrophone are separately installed, when the survey area is very shallow, distortion of shallow layers will be caused if it is seen as a self-excited and self-collected single-channel seismic system. According to the principle of subbottom profiler, the distortion correction formula is deduced and analyzed, providing actual value to using C-View software to interpret such subbottom profile data more accurately. In addition, the seabed sediments sound velocity is one of the key parameters when acquiring and processing the subbottom profile data. On the basis of comparing some sound velocity forecasting empirical equations, the LU Bo’s equation was considered the most appropriate to predict the seabed sediments, sound velocity at near-shore of China. In a survey of an artificial island site, the LU Bo’s equation and the porosity data obtained from geological drilling were utilized to predict the sediments sound velocity, and the sound velocity structure profile was plotted, which was applied in processing the subbottom profile data of the artificial island investigation. The method of using porosity data to predict sediments sound velocity in processing subbottom profile data can improve the interpretation accuracy and it’s of practical significance.

Changes of tear film lipid layer thickness by 3% diquafosol ophthalmic solutions in patients with dry eye syndrome

AIM: To evaluate the quantitatively changes in lipid layer thickness(LLT) when 3% diquafosol eye drop is used for dry eye patients using the tear film interferometer. METHODS: A total 124 participants(32 males, 92 females;mean age, 28.9 y) diagnosed with dry eye disease(DED) received topical instillation of 4 ophthalmic solutions in one eye: diquafosol, normal saline, 0.1% sodium hyaluronate and 0.3% gatifloxacin, in a masked manner. LLT was measured using an interferometer at baseline and 20 min after the instillation of each ophthalmic solutions.RESULTS: Changes of LLT after instillation(nm, mean± standard error) were as follows: 12.6±2.0 for diquafosol(P<0.001), 1.2±2.2 for normal saline(P=0.301), 1.5±2.0 for hyaluronate(P=0.495), and 0.5±3.2 for gatifloxacin(P=0.884).CONCLUSION: Topical instillation of diquafosol increases tear film LLT in DED patients. Diquafosol 3% eye drop might be effective treatment option of evaporative DED with meibomian gland dysfunction.

Lipid layer thickness and tear meniscus height measurements for the differential diagnosis of evaporative dry eye subtypes

AIM： To explore a new diagnostic index for differentiating the evaporative dry eye（EDE） subtypes by analysis of their respective clinical characteristics. METHODS： A cross-sectional study of 139 patients（139 eyes） with EDE who were enrolled and classified as obstructive meibomian gland dysfunction（MGD）（n=81） and non-obstructive MGD（n=58） EDE. All patients completed a Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness（SPEED） questionnaire and were evaluated for average lipid layer thickness（LLT）, tear meniscus height measurements（TMH）, tear break-up time（TBUT）, ocular surface staining score, Schirmer I test（SIT）, lid margin abnormalities, and meibomian gland function and morphology. RESULTS： Age, average LLT, TMH, scores of lid margin abnormalities, meibum quality, meibomian gland loss（MGL）（all P≤0.001）, and TBUT（P=0.03） were all significantly different between obstructive MGD EDE patients and nonobstructive MGD EDE patients. Average LLT in obstructive MGD EDE was correlated with meibomian expressibility（r=-0.541, P≤0.001）, lid margin abnormalities were marginally not significant（r=0.197, P=0.077）, and TMH was correlated with MGL（total MGL： r=0.552, P≤0.001; upper MGL： r=0.438, P≤0.001; lower MGL： r=0.407, P≤0.001）. Average LLT in non-obstructive MGD EDE, was correlated with meibomian expressibility and Oxford staining（r=-0.396, P=0.002; r=-0.461, P≤0.001）. The efficiency of combining average LLT and TMH was optimal, with a sensitivity of 80.2% and a specificity of 74.1%. Obstructive MGD EDE patients had an average LLT≥69 nm and TMH≥0.25 mm, while non-obstructive MGD EDE patients had an average LLT〈69 nm and TMH〈0.25 mm.CONCLUSION： Obstructive MGD EDE and nonobstructive MGD EDE have significantly different clinical characteristics. Combining average LLT and TMH measurements enhanced their reliability for differentiating these two subtypes and provided guidance for offering more precise treatments for EDE subtypes.

Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness changes in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: one year follow-up results

·AIM: To investigate the retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)thickness changes in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAS) for one year follow-up. To discuss the possibility of detecting tendency of glaucoma in this population by using spectral domain optical coherence tomography(3D-OCT-2000 Spectral domain).·METHODS: After polysomnographic study, all subjects(64 OSAS patients and 40 controls) underwent detailed ophthalmological examination. After these examinations,patients with glaucoma and patients who had ophthalmological and/or systemic disease were excluded from the study.Totally, 20 patients in OSAS group and five patients in controls were excluded from the study in the first examination and follow-up period. The RNFL thickness was assessed with OCT. Forty-four OSAS patients and 35 control subjects were followed up for12 mo. RNFL thickness change and OSAS patients were evaluated for severity of disease by Apnea-Hypopnea Index(AHI).·RESULTS: Forty-four OSAS patients and 35 controls were enrolled in the study. Statistically significance was found between OSAS patients and controls at the 12 thmo.Average RNFL thickness was found to be significantly lower in last measurements in OSAS patients when compared with first measurements and control subjects(P 【0.001, 0.002, respectively). There was a statistically significant correlation among AHI, and RNFL thickness(P 【0.05).·CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the patients with OSAS were related with a proportional decrease in the RNFL thickness. These patients should be followed up regularly for glaucomatous changes. Detecting more RNFL thinning in severe OSAS was important.

Low concentration of sodium hyaluronate temporarily elevates the tear film lipid layer thickness in dry eye patients with lipid deficiency

AIM： To investigate the effects of different concentrations of artificial tears on lipid layer thickness （LLT） and blink rate （BR） in dry eye patients. METHODS： This study included 106 eyes of 58 patients with dry eye. The lipid deficiency type was defined as the LLT baseline 〈75 nm. The LLT and BR were measured at baseline and 1, 5 and 15min after the instillation of 0.1% or 0.3% sodium hyaluronate （SH） eye drops by using the LipiView ocular surface interferometer. RESULTS： In the lipid deficiency group, the LLT increased from baseline at 1rain post instillation. The LLT after the instillation of 0.1% SH was significantly higher than that after the instillation of 0.3% SH （P〈0.001）. The LLT returned to baseline at 15min post instillation of 0.1% SH and at 5min post instillation of 0.3% SH. In the non-lipid deficiency group, the LLT decreased from baseline at lmin and returned to baseline at 5rain for both treatments. The BRs were not significantly different at different time points for both treatments. CONCLUSION： SH eye drops induce a short-term increase in LLT of patients with lipid deficiency. A low concentration of artificial tears have a stronger effect than a high concentration of artificial tears on the increase in LLT. in comparison, SH eye drops induce a transient and slight decrease in LLT of patients without lipid deficiency. A low concentration of artificial tears might be better for patients with lipid deficiency.

Diurnal changes in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome

AIM： To compare the retinal nerve fiber layer （RNFL） thickness in the morning and evening in Thai patients with varying degrees of obstructive sleep apnea/ hypopnea syndrome （OSAHS）. METHODS： In this cross-sectional study, potential OSAHS patients at Siriraj Hospital underwent polysomnography to determine the severity of OSAHS and an eye examination （including best corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp examination, and Goldmann applanation tonometry）. RNFL thickness was recorded once in the morning and once in the evening, using spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Thickness was expressed as an average and given for each quadrant. Patients with ocular or systemic diseases that might affect RNFL thickness were excluded. RESULTS： Forty-one eyes of 41 patients were classified into 40SAHS groups. The average and mean RNFL thickness in most of the four quadrants of the severe OSAHS group trended toward being less than those in the comparable quadrants of the other groups in both the morning and evening. In the moderate OSAHS group, the average RNFL thickness and temporal and superior quadrant thickness in the morning were significantly higher than in the evening （P=0.01, P=0.01, and P=0.03, respectively）. In the severe OSAHS group, the inferior quadrant thickness in the morning was significantly higher than in the evening （P =0.03）. CONCLUSION： The RNFL thickness in the morning was higher than in the evening in moderate OSAHS.

THE APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS TO INVESTIGATION ON THE THICKNESS OF INTERMETALLIC LAYER UNDER SOLID-LIQUID PRESSURE BONDING OF STEEL AND ALUMINIUM

Artificial neural networks (ANN), being a sophisticated type of information processing system by imitating the neural system of human brain, can be used to investigate the effects of concentration of flux solution, temperature of liquid aluminium, temperture of tools and pressure on thickness of the intermetallic layer at the interface between steel and aluminium under solid-liquid pressure bonding of steel and aluminium perfectly. The optimum thickness has been determined according to the value of the optimum shearing strength.

Peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness measurement with SD-OCT in normal and glaucomatous eyes:distribution and correlation with age

AIMTo determine peripapillary retinal fiber layer thickness (RNFL) measured with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in normal and glaucomatous eyes in a large sample of exclusively white population and compare results with other similarly constructed studies.

Effects of ultraviolet(UV) radiation and litter layer thickness on litter decomposition of two tree species in a semi-arid site of Northeast China

Forests and grasslands in arid and semi-arid regions receive high-intensity ultraviolet（UV） radiation year-round. However, how the UV radiation affects the litter decomposition on the forest floor remains unclear. Here, we conducted a field-based experiment in 2011 in the southeastern Horqin Sandy Land, Northeast China, to investigate the effects of UV radiation, litter layer thickness, and their interaction on the mass loss and chemical properties of decomposing litter from Xiaozhuan poplar（Populus × xiaozhuanica） and Mongolian pine（Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica） plantation trees. We found that UV radiation accelerated the decomposition rates of both the Xiaozhuan poplar litter and Mongolian pine litter. For both species, the thick-layered litter had a lower mass loss than the thin-layered litter. The interaction between UV radiation and litter layer thickness significantly affected the litter mass loss of both tree species. However, the effects of UV radiation on the chemical properties of decomposing litter differed between the two species, which may be attributed to the contrasting initial leaf litter chemical properties and morphology. UV radiation mostly had positive effects on the lignin concentration and lignin/N ratio of Xiaozhuan poplar litter, while it had negative effects on the N concentration of Mongolian pine litter. Moreover, litter layer thickness and its interaction with UV radiation showed mostly positive effects on the N concentration and lignin/N ratio of Xiaozhuan poplar litter and the ratios of C/N and lignin/N of Mongolian pine litter, and mostly negative effects on the C/N ratio of Xiaozhuan poplar litter and the N concentration of Mongolian pine litter. Together, these results reveal the important roles played by UV radiation and litter layer thickness in the process of litter decomposition in this semi-arid region, and highlight how changes in the litter layer thickness can exert strong influences on the photodegradation of litter in tree plantations.

Variation in the permafrost active layer over the Tibetan Plateau during 1980–2020

The active layer,acting as an intermediary of water and heat exchange between permafrost and atmosphere,greatly influences biogeochemical cycles in permafrost areas and is notably sensitive to climate fluctuations.Utilizing the Chinese Meteorological Forcing Dataset to drive the Community Land Model,version 5.0,this study simulates the spatial and temporal characteristics of active layer thickness(ALT)on the Tibetan Plateau(TP)from 1980 to 2020.Results show that the ALT,primarily observed in the central and western parts of the TP where there are insufficient station observations,exhibits significant interdecadal changes after 2000.The average thickness on the TP decreases from 2.54 m during 1980–1999 to 2.28 m during 2000–2020.This change is mainly observed in the western permafrost region,displaying a sharp regional inconsistency compared to the eastern region.A persistent increasing trend of ALT is found in the eastern permafrost region,rather than an interdecadal change.The aforementioned changes in ALT are closely tied to the variations in the surrounding atmospheric environment,particularly air temperature.Additionally,the area of the active layer on the TP displays a profound interdecadal change around 2000,arising from the permafrost thawing and forming.It consistently decreases before 2000 but barely changes after 2000.The regional variation in the permafrost active layer over the TP revealed in this study indicates a complex response of the contemporary climate under global warming.

Retinal vessel diameters and their correlation with retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome

AIM: To compare retinal artery-vein diameters(RAVDs)of patients with pseudoexfoliation(PSX) syndrome with healthy controls and investigate the correlations between retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL) thickness parameters and RAVDs.METHODS: Seventeen eyes with PSX and 17 eyes of age-matched controls were included in the study. All participants underwent routine ophthalmological examination, Humphrey visual field and RNFL examination by using Stratus OCT. Retinal images were obtained by using a retinal camera(Topcon 501X).RAVDs were measured from inferior nasal, inferior temporal, superior nasal and superior temporal arcuates by using IMAGEnet software. Superior, inferior, nasal,temporal and average RNFL thicknesses were recorded.RAVDs and RNFL parameters in groups and correlations were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U and Spearmann correlation tests.RESULTS: Only inferior quadrant and average RNFL thickness were detected thinner in the PSX group compared with control group(P =0.009, P =0.038,respectively). No statistically significant difference regarding RAVDs was found between two groups.CONCLUSION: RAVDs seems to be comparable in the PSX and control group. RNFL is thinner in the inferior quadrant in the PSX group. RNFL thickness and RAVDs show significant correlations in both groups. This correlation doesn’t seem to be specific to PSX.

Formation mechanism and control of aluminum layer thickness fluctuation in embedded aluminum-steel composite sheet produced by cold roll bonding process

The influences of rolling reduction and aluminum sheet initial thickness(AIT)on the thickness fluctuation of aluminum layer(TFA)of embedded aluminum?steel composite sheet produced by cold roll bonding were investigated,the formation mechanism of TFA was analyzed and method to improve the thickness uniformity of the aluminum layer was proposed.The results showed that when the reduction increased,TFA increased gradually.When the reduction was lower than40%,AIT had negligible effect on the TFA,while TFA increased with the decrease of AIT when the reduction was higher than40%.The non-uniformities of the steel surface deformation and the interfacial bonding extent caused by the work-hardened steel surface layer,were the main reasons for the formation of TFA.Adopting an appropriate surface treatment can help to decrease the hardening extent of the steel surface for improving the deformation uniformity during cold roll bonding process,which effectively improved the aluminum thickness uniformity of the embedded aluminum/steel composite sheets.

The correlation between rat retinal nerve fiber layer thickness around optic disc by using optical coherence tomography and histological measurements

·AIM: To explore the correlation between the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness by using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and by histological measurements in normal adult rats and optic nerve transected rats. · METHODS: The RNFL thickness of 36 rats was scanned in a circle 3.46mm far from the optic disc by OCT. The two experimental groups were the normal group ( =20 rats) and the optic nerve transected group ( =16 rats). The latter group included 4 groups ( =4 /group) surviving for 1 day, 3, 5 and 7 days. Then the RNFL thickness of the same retina area was also measured by NF -200 immunohistochemical staining method. Linear regression was used to analyze the correlation between the data obtained from these two methods. ·RESULTS: The RNFL thickness of normal right eyes around optic disc by OCT was 72.35 ±5.71μm and that of the left eyes was 72.65 ±5.88μm ( =0.074). The RNFL thickness of the corresponding histological section by immunohistochemistry was 37.54 ±4.05μm (right eyes) and 37.38 ±4.23μm (left eyes) ( =0.059). There was a good correlation between the RNFL thickness measured by OCT and that measured by histology (R 2 =0.8131). After optic nerve transection, the trend of the RNFL thickness was thinner with the prolonged survival time. The correlation of the thickness detected by the above two methods was approximately (R 2 =0.8265). Value of the RNFL thickness in rats around optic disc measured by OCT was obviously higher than that measured by common histological measurement in normal adult rats and optic nerve transected rats. ·CONCLUSION: The RNFL thickness measured by OCT has a strong correlation with that measured by histological method. Through OCT scanning, we found that the thickness of RNFL gradually becomes thinner in a time-dependent manner.

Value of optical coherence tomography measurement of macular thickness and optic disc parameters for glaucoma screening in patients with high myopia

BACKGROUND The basic method of glaucoma diagnosis is visual field examination,however,in patients with high myopia,the diagnosis of glaucoma is difficult.AIM To explore the value of optical coherence tomography(OCT)for measuring optic disc parameters and macular thickness as a screening tool for glaucoma in patients with high myopia.METHODS Visual values(contrast sensitivity,color vision,and best-corrected visual acuity)in three groups,patients with high myopia in Group A,patients with high myopia and glaucoma in Group B,and patients with high myopia suspicious for glaucoma in Group C,were compared.Optic disc parameters,retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)thickness,and ganglion cell layer(GCC)thickness were measured using OCT technology and used to compare the peri-optic disc vascular density of the patients and generate receiver operator characteristic(ROC)test performance curves of the RNFL and GCC for high myopia and glaucoma.RESULTS Of a total of 98 patients admitted to our hospital from May 2018 to March 2022,totaling 196 eyes in the study,30 patients with 60 eyes were included in Group A,33 patients with 66 eyes were included in Group B,and 35 patients with 70 eyes were included in Group C.Data were processed for Groups A and B to analyze the efficacy of RNFL and GCC measures in distinguishing high myopia from high myopia with glaucoma.The area under the ROC curve was greater than 0.7,indicating an acceptable diagnostic value.CONCLUSION The value of OCT measurement of RNFL and GCC thickness in diagnosing glaucoma in patients with high myopia and suspected glaucoma is worthy of development for clinical use.

Optical coherence tomography assessed retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients with Alzheimer's disease:a meta-analysis

AIM:To investigate the difference of retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL) thickness between Alzheimer's disease patients and normal people,so as to provide clue for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.· METHODS:The articles on the association of RNFL thickness and Alzheimer's disease were retrieved by searching international and national databases.The qualified articles were assessed by meta analysis with Stata11.0 software.The results were pooled using weighted mean difference(WMD) with a corresponding 95% confidence interval(CI).· RESULTS:Totally 7 studies enrolled 324 eyes were included in the meta-analysis.The results of meta analysis showed that in AD patients,there was a significant average RNFL thickness reduction compared with the control group [WMD=-17.561,95%CI:(-23.971,-11.151)].There were significant differences in superior,inferior,nasal and temporal RNFL thickness between the two groups.WMD with a 95%CI were [-18.829,95%CI:(-25.915,-11.743);P<0.05],[-25.775,95%CI:(-34.304,-17.247);P <0.05],[-16.877,95%CI:(-29.141,-4.613);P<0.001] and [-14.565,95%CI:(-28.002,-1.128);P<0.001] respectively.Begg's test and Egger's test did not show significant difference,funnel plot was basically symmetrical,indicating that there was no publication bias existed.· CONCLUSION:There are significant differences in the RNFL thickness in all quadrants between the two groups.RNFL thickness is reduced in AD patients compared with the control group.·