Optic Disc Flavoprotein Fluorescence Imaging as a Novel Method to Quantify Disease Burden in Optic Disc Drusen.

Glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness globally, disproportionately affects the persons of African descent. In Nigeria, delayed diagnosis and advanced disease presentation are common. This study evaluated the uptake and screening outcomes of targeted glaucoma screening among hospital staff at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. This cross-sectional study recruited staff who participated in a 1-day workplace screening. Data collected included prior screening experience, medical and family history and comprehensive eye examinations. Glaucoma and suspects were identified using the International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology Criteria. Ninety-six staff were screened. The median age was 44.0 years (interquartile range: 39.0-52.0), with 67.7% (n = 65) younger than 50 years. Glaucoma was identified in 5.2% (2.3%-11.6%; n = 5) and 14.6% (8.8%-22.9%; n = 14) were glaucoma suspects. Over half (58.3%, n = 56) had never undergone previous eye screening. Participants with a family history were more likely to have had previous screening (odds ratio [OR] = 12.7 [2.9-55.8]). Participants with glaucoma/suspect status were modestly older (median 48 vs. 44 years), supported by a Mann-Whitney probability OR of 3.41 (1.45-13.93), showing increased probability of elderly amongst the affected group. Family history was associated with glaucoma/suspect classification (OR = 5.03 [1.54-16.45]). The high proportion of undiagnosed glaucoma and glaucoma suspects, even amongst a relatively young population, underscores the value of targeted, opportunistic workplace screening. Early detection is vital to prevent irreversible vision loss. Promoting family-based discussions and glaucoma disclosure and enhancing targeted awareness campaigns may improve screening participation and public health outcomes.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that leads to significant disability, with its precise etiology still not fully understood. Recent studies indicate the crucial role of immune cells in MS pathogenesis. However, traditional research often focuses on major immune cell populations, potentially neglecting the roles of newly identified immune cell subsets with distinct receptors and functions. Moreover, conventional observational studies are prone to biases, hindering the establishment of definitive causal relationships. This study aims to investigate the causal relationships between 731 immune cell traits and MS susceptibility using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to provide more robust insights into the underlying mechanisms of MS. We performed MR analyses to assess associations between various immune cell traits and MS risk. Following this, we explored the molecular mechanisms of the significant associations, focusing particularly on B-cell antigen presentation and the involvement of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) pathways. Our analysis revealed specific causal links between B cells and dendritic cells with MS susceptibility. We identified 61 pleiotropic genes associated with MS. Notably, B-cell antigen presentation and HLA-related pathways play pivotal roles in MS pathogenesis. Additionally, alterations in immune cell populations post-MS onset were observed, suggesting potential biomarkers for early diagnosis. This study offers a comprehensive examination of immune cell contributions to MS pathogenesis, identifying potential therapeutic targets and diagnostic markers. Given the side effects of anti-B cell monoclonal antibodies in MS treatment, our findings propose avenues for more precise therapeutic strategies aimed at minimizing adverse effects.

Laminin receptor characterization in acute myeloid leukemia: integrin α7β1 defines leukemic cells with migratory potential.

Slippery slopes: Montane isolation and elevational shifts shape the evolution and diversity of Iberolacerta lizards.

Objective: Achilles tendon rupture is a common injury, particularly in active individuals. Traditional surgical techniques for acute Achilles tendon rupture repair often focus on knot-tying and may result in bulky knots, foreign body reactions, wound complications and discomfort. We present the drawbridge (DB) technique, aiming to improve patient outcomes and minimize these complications. Materials and Methods: The DB surgical technique benefits from reduced knot volume, effective tension distribution (based on intraoperative assessment and clinical follow-up), and an absence of visible knots. It involves inserting a strong suture through the tendon both stumps in a Krakow pattern, and uniting both repair within each other and placing knots distally to the injury (cephalus-caudal) in an inverted manner. The tension is then distributed evenly across the sutures, resulting in a low-profile repair with minimal knot bulk, improving tissue approximation, without knots in-between or recurring to terminal-term corepair. Results: DB demonstrates promising outcomes compared with traditional surgical techniques. Its advantages include improved biomechanical strength, reduced foreign body reactions, and reduced long-term discomfort (based on our clinical experience, as no comparative data are yet available) for patients. It has the advantages of the well know Krakow repair with a higher patient satisfaction score when using the DB technique in comparison to other techniques. Conclusion: DB represents a significant advancement in the surgical repair of acute Achilles tendon ruptures. The technique offers biomechanical advantages, reduces complications, and improves patient outcomes. Further research is warranted to validate and expand upon these encouraging findings and to assess its long-term effectiveness in active populations.

Adolescents learn that they are sexual beings with choices, desires, and deserving of pleasure, which corresponds to sexual subjectivity. Sexual subjectivity evolves over time and through sexual experience. Past research has less investigated how online sexual behaviors (i.e., sexting and pornography use), especially among sexual and gender minorities, might contribute to the development of sexual subjectivity. Importantly, no study has explored the directionality of associations between sexual subjectivity and sexual behaviors. This prospective study examined the bidirectional associations between sexual behaviors and sexual subjectivity across gender and sexual identities. An autoregressive cross-lagged analysis with a multi-group approach among 3150 adolescents (MageT1 = 15.5, SDage = 0.6; MageT2 = 16.4, SD = 0.55; 52.3% cisgender girls, 2.0% gender minority, and 15.6% sexual minority adolescents at baseline/T1) revealed that sexual subjectivity was positively associated with oral/manual stimulation, sexual intercourse, and sexting one year later. Masturbation and pornography use were not significantly related to sexual subjectivity over time. No significant bidirectional association was observed. No significant gender and sexual orientation differences were observed in any of the associations. This work provides one of the most comprehensive examinations to date concerning the directional influences of sexual subjectivity and the range of sexual experiences comprising adolescents' sexual lives.

Childhood obesity is a rising worldwide health issue with significant physical, psychological, and social implications. Beyond physical health, obesity has profound psychological effects, particularly on body image perception and self-esteem, which can be exacerbated by bullying and social stigmatization. To assess body image perception among bullied obese children in Egypt and to examine the relationship between obesity, bullying experiences, and body image dissatisfaction. This case-control study was conducted on 86 Egyptian children aged 5 to 10 years who attended the outpatient nutrition and immunity clinic at the Medical Research Centre of Excellence (MRCE). A comprehensive, structured questionnaire and clinical examination were used and analyzed to assess participants. The study included 86 children; 40 males and 46 females. Out of 86 children, 44 children were obese with mean of age (8.16 ± 1.78 y) and 42 were healthy children as controls with mean of age (7.69 ± 1.8. 55 y). A total of 27 children (34.6%) in the study population displayed acanthosis nigricans. Students in the obesity group reported higher rates of school bullying (36.4%) as compared to controls (11.9%). The family bullying was significantly higher in the obesity group at 40.9% compared to the control group at 7.1% (p = 0.001). A significant difference (p = 0.000) in sadness feeling was reported in obese children (56.8%) as compared with controls (11.9%). Children with family refusal showed statistically significant higher occurrences of expressing low self-esteem by refusing to be photographed (50%) and showing sadness (75%), especially in females. This study highlights the obesity and its association with obesity-related health risks and emotional distress. School refusal was strongly linked to bullying and academic pressure. Negative school interactions affected family relationships, while family denial increased bullying and emotional distress. Females showed greater vulnerability to sadness than males.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into cybersecurity has transformed the landscape of threat detection, analysis, and mitigation. As cyber-attacks become increasingly sophisticated and evasive, traditional rule-based defences are no longer sufficient to identify zero-day exploits and advanced persistent threats. AI-driven approaches, leveraging machine learning and deep learning, enable proactive anomaly detection, behavioural modelling, and predictive analytics that enhance both the accuracy and agility of cyber defence mechanisms.This paper provides a comprehensive examination of AI applications in cybersecurity, spanning anomaly detection, automated incident response, and adaptive defence frameworks. It also emphasizes the emerging role of AI in vulnerability management, where predictive modelling, natural language processing, and automated remediation are used to identify, prioritize, and mitigate vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. A real-world case study of Panasonic’s VERZEUSE™ platform is presented to illustrate the industrial implementation of AI-enhanced cybersecurity. The platform exemplifies how AI-based predictive analytics, threat intelligence integration, and continuous monitoring can strengthen risk management and compliance in complex IT and IoT ecosystems.The findings demonstrate that AI substantially improves detection accuracy, response speed, and proactive defence capabilities. However, challenges related to data quality, model robustness, interpretability, and ethical deployment must be addressed to ensure trustworthy adoption. The study concludes that the future of cybersecurity depends on harmonizing human expertise with adaptive AI systems to achieve resilient, self-learning defence frameworks.

During his tenure as Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Atrpatakan (1907–1912), Bishop Karapet Ter-Mkrtchian undertook practical measures aimed at the regulation and development of educational activity within the diocese, despite the unfavorable political and economic conditions prevailing in Persia. In Muslim Persia, the lawful representative of the Christian Armenian population before the provincial authorities and the Persian government was regarded as the diocesan primate of the Armenian Church. Taking into account the multifaceted nature of Bishop Ter-Mkrtchian’s activity during his primacy, this article, based on a comprehensive examination of archival documents, contemporary press publications, and relevant scholarship, presents his initiatives in founding the Central School in the diocesan seat of Tabriz. In addition, the measures were discussed, which he implemented to establish a diocesan archive, regulate the work of the diocesan council, and assess and improve the state of education in the remote districts of Atrpatakan․

ABSTRACT Clinical Relevance Standardised paediatric vision screening programmes enable timely detection of refractive errors and other amblyopia risk factors. School-based programmes that use appropriate referral thresholds for distance visual acuity, combined with photorefraction, can improve detection of amblyopia and refractive errors in children. Background The Children’s Eye Screening South Australia study evaluated the performance of a vision screening protocol for detecting common vision disorders in a school-based sample of children aged 7–9 years, while characterising prevalent vision conditions in this population. Methods A total of 159 children from 15 schools underwent school-based screening, including distance and near vision, retinoscopy, photorefraction, stereoacuity, heterophoria and ocular alignment. All children who failed screening, and 10% of those who passed, underwent a comprehensive cycloplegic eye examination to establish a clinical diagnosis against which screening outcomes were compared. Screening test accuracy was evaluated using predefined fail criteria and diagnostic performance using the area under the curve (AUC) of Receiver Operating Characteristic curves. Results Twenty-eight children (17.6%) failed screening, and cycloplegic eye examination confirmed a vision disorder in 27 children (17.0% of the total sample), 16.4% had significant refractive errors and 2.5% had suspected amblyopia. Standard distance vision fail criteria (≥0.26 logMAR) demonstrated low sensitivity (33.3%), but improved to 59.3% using > 0.04 logMAR. Retinoscopy and photorefraction showed high screening test accuracy (AUC, 0.91 and 0.86). Combining distance vision with photorefraction significantly improved accuracy (AUC, 0.87, p < 0.001), with modest, non-significant gains from adding stereoacuity or heterophoria. Conclusions Seventeen percent of a school-based sample of South Australian children aged 7–9 years were identified as having vision disorders, such as refractive errors and amblyopia risk factors, effectively detected using a combination of vision measurement and photorefraction. These findings support improved vision surveillance in children in South Australia, which could include an instrument-based vision screening programme with appropriate thresholds.

Middle cerebral artery bifurcation (MCAb) aneurysms have primarily been managed through microsurgical clipping (MC). However, the effectiveness and safety of evolving neurointerventional methods warrant a comprehensive examination and comparison with MC. We investigated patient and MCAb aneurysm characteristics and compared imaging outcomes for MC, simple coiling (SC), stent-assisted coiling (SAC), flow-diverting stent placement (FD), and endosaccular flow disruption. A retrospective review of MCAb aneurysm databases from 10 US centers was conducted to identify patients treated between January 2008 and January 2023. Primary analyses compared data across all 5 treatment modalities individually and for MC vs endovascular modalities. Secondary analyses consisted of pairwise comparisons between these modalities for saccular MCAb aneurysms. We analyzed data for 1060 patients with 1060 MCAb aneurysms (MC = 722, SC = 134, SAC = 106, FD = 34, and endosaccular flow disruption = 64). The treatment groups differed significantly in mean patient age (P < .001), sex distribution (P = .044), and baseline mRS score (P < .001). No treatment preference was noted for recurrent aneurysms. Ruptured aneurysms were most common in SC and least common in FD (P < .001). Wide-necked aneurysms were most frequent in FD (P < .001). Intraoperative complications were similar, although SAC had more vasospasm (P = .006) and device-related complications (P = .010), and FD had more thromboembolic events (P = .047). Postoperative complications varied (P = .007): MC had more vasospasm (P = .043). Follow-up durations varied significantly (P < .001). Follow-up complications differed (P = .012): FD had more transient ischemic attacks (P = .042) and ischemic strokes (P < .001); SC had more aneurysmal rehemorrhage (P = .027). Immediate and final aneurysmal occlusion was considerably better with MC (P < .001), followed closely by SAC. MC remained the preferred modality for treating both unruptured and ruptured MCAb aneurysms, demonstrating superior immediate and final angiographic occlusion rates with minimal intraoperative and postoperative complications. SAC showed similar safety but was technically more challenging, FD had higher ischemic event rates, and SC had more delayed reruptures.

To investigate the long-term outcomes in acute primary angle closure (APAC) patients treated with lens extraction (LE) surgery and to identify risk factors for glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON). In this longitudinal observational study, detailed medical histories of APAC patients and comprehensive ophthalmic examinations at final follow-up were collected. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of blindness. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to determine risk factors associated with visual outcomes. This study included 39 affected eyes of 31 subjects (26 females) with an average age of 74.1±8.0y. At 6.7±4.2y after APAC attack, 2 (5.7%) eyes had best-corrected visual acuity (VA) worse than 3/60. Advanced glaucomatous visual field loss was observed in 15 (39.5%) affected eyes and 5 (25.0%) fellow eyes. Nine affected eyes (23.7%) had GON, and 11 (28.9%) were blind. Six (15.4%) affected eyes and 2 (9.1%) fellow eyes had suspicious progression. A significantly higher blindness rate in factory workers compared to office workers. Logistic regression identified that worse VA at attack (OR 10.568, 95%CI 1.288-86.695; P=0.028) and worse early postoperative VA (OR 13.214, 95%CI 1.157-150.881; P=0.038) were risk factors for blindness. Multivariate regression showed that longer duration of elevated intraocular pressure (P=0.004) and worse early postoperative VA (P=0.009) were associated with worse visual outcomes. Despite LE surgery, some APAC patients experience continued visual function deterioration. Lifelong monitoring is necessary. Target pressure and progression rates should be re-evaluated during follow-up.

Examination of the construct validity of the Geriatric Depression Scale in older persons living in long-term care institutions.

This retrospective case series presents the characteristic features of superior segmental optic nerve hypoplasia (SSONH) in four patients who were initially misdiagnosed with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG), aiming to raise awareness of this rare condition in Türkiye. Four patients (two females and two males) with a mean age of 38 years were included. All were initially diagnosed with NTG and treated with brimonidine drops for three years. Comprehensive ophthalmological examinations were performed, including optic disc photography, optical coherence tomography retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) analysis, and visual field testing, with follow-up evaluations conducted over at least one year. Bilateral involvement was observed in two cases, and unilateral involvement in the other two. History of maternal diabetes was noted in 50% of the patients. During medication-free follow-up, all patients demonstrated stable structural and functional parameters, supporting the diagnosis of SSONH. These findings suggest that SSONH should be considered in young patients presenting with superior RNFL thinning and corresponding inferior visual field defects. The non-progressive nature of the condition helps differentiate it from glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Recognizing unilateral cases is essential for avoiding misdiagnosis.

This article analyzes V. O. Pelevin’s collection “Pineapple Water for a Beautiful Lady” in the context of the problem of myth and neomyth, which is explained by the need to identify the common neomythological basis of the writer’s texts as a specific concept of his work. The aim of the research is to reveal the artistic originality of the mythopoetics of V. O. Pelevin’s collection “Pineapple Water for a Beautiful Lady” in the context of the neomythological quests of contemporary postmodern literature. The scientific novelty of our work is determined by a holistic and comprehensive examination of the mythopoetics of V. O. Pelevin’s collection “Pineapple Water for a Beautiful Lady”. As a result, it has been established that, firstly, the title of the collection plays a significant functional role, referencing the work of V. Mayakovsky. Secondly, traditional mythological ideas and beliefs are conceived by the writer in an extremely broad sense, including personal neomyths, which testifies to the philosophical and mythological syncretism of the collection. Finally, the elements of mythopoetics in V. Pelevin’s collection possess the following features: they perform a distinctly functional and plot-forming role; they are ambivalent in nature (discrediting higher essences, “lowering” the status of eschatological phenomena and ideas to the level of games and PR technologies) and are aimed at demonstrating the idea of the futility of human existence, which attempts to “self-justify” itself with valueless complex philosophical constructions.

The aim of this study was to compare corneal and lens densitometry (CD and LD) values between active and inactive Graves Ophthalmopathy (GO) and Grave's Disease (GD) patients without ophthalmic involvement and healthy controls. This cross-sectional clinical study included 22 patients with active GO with bilateral ocular involvement (group 1), 36 patients with inactive GO (group 2), 54 patients with GD but without ophthalmopathy (group 3) and 30 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (group 4). All participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examination, followed by corneal and lens densitometry assessment using the Pentacam HR imaging system (Oculus Inc., Wetzlar, Germany). Comparative analysis revealed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in CD values among the groups across all layers, except for the anterior 10-12mm (p = 0.117), posterior 0-2mm (p = 0.185), and posterior 2-6mm zones (p = 0.099). Active GO patients showed the highest CD values, followed by inactive GO, non-ophthalmopathy GD patients, and healthy controls, respectively. Additionally, CD-mean, CD-SD and CD-max parameters showed statistically significant differences between the groups (all p < 0.05), with active GO demonstrating significantly higher values than other groups. Regarding LD, LD-mean, LD-SD, and LD-max values were significantly higher in all Grave's disease-related groups compared with the control group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSıON: Our study shows that lenticular and corneal clarity is significantly reduced in GO patients, especially during the active period. These findings suggest that Pentacam could be used as a rapid, reliable and non-invasive tool for the early detection of deterioration in corneal and lenticular transparency in these patients.

Abstract Background This study examined the main and interactive effects of experiential avoidance and emotional support from families of origin and in‐laws on the parental psychological flexibility (PPF) of mothers of preschoolers. PPF is a key component of parenting quality and is closely linked to child development. Although experiential avoidance has been identified as a psychological factor, few studies have examined the role of family emotional support, and none have distinguished between support from family of origin and in‐laws. Method This study used self‐reported data from 335 Chinese mothers of preschoolers and hierarchical regression analyses. Results Higher experiential avoidance was associated with lower PPF. Emotional support from family of origin was positively associated with PPF, whereas support from in‐laws was negatively associated with it. A significant interaction showed that among mothers with high experiential avoidance, greater support from in‐laws was related to lower PPF. Conclusion This study provides a comprehensive examination of factors—both psychological and environmental—related to PPF. It highlights the complexity of family support systems by showing that support from family of origin may be beneficial, but support from in‐laws may not. Implications Interventions to enhance PPF should address both individual psychological factors and the source of family support.

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the effect of cryptocurrency on the Egyptian stock market from November 2021 to January 2024 daily and to determine if cryptocurrencies function as complements or substitutes for domestic equities in a constrained emerging economy. Design/methodology/approach An ARIMA model analysis was employed to test the hypotheses using logarithmic returns for EGX30 as the dependent variable. The model incorporates four cryptocurrency proxies (Bitcoin, Binance, Ethereum and Neo) and is controlled for sovereign risk using macroeconomic variables, specifically the daily interbank rate and the EGP/USD exchange rate. Findings The results revealed a significant negative effect of cryptocurrency trading on the performance of the Egyptian stock market. There is a significant and negative effect of NEOR on the Egyptian stock market performance, indicating a liquidity substitution effect. These results support the risk-return trade-off theory, since the findings indicated that investors prefer reducing their investments in traditional stocks, believing that investments in cryptocurrencies would provide them with higher returns, particularly during the pandemic when virtual cryptocurrencies served as a possible shield against economic instability. Practical implications The findings have practical implications for scholars, governments, investors and portfolio managers who aim to understand the relationship between cryptocurrency and stock market performance to develop competitive investment strategies within a legislative framework. Hence, Egyptian policymakers should monitor cryptocurrency movements to mitigate negative impacts on stock market stability through enhancing the attractiveness of regulated domestic investment alternatives to counter the speculative pull of unregulated digital assets. Moreover, investors need to diversify their portfolios by integrating cryptocurrencies to reduce stock market volatility. Originality/value This paper extends the literature by providing a comprehensive examination of the effect of the cryptocurrency market on the performance of the Egyptian stock market, during a period of acute domestic policy shifts and currency devaluation (2022–2023). It offers a nuanced refinement to modern portfolio theory (MPT) by demonstrating how institutional constraints and sovereign risk drive capital flight towards speculative altcoins.

Little attention has been paid to group velocities of three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves in solar coronal seismology. This study presents a comprehensive examination of the group velocities of trapped 3D kink modes in coronal slabs, emphasizing the connection of mode analysis to both mode characterization and impulsively excited 3D kink waves. We worked in linear, ideal, pressureless MHD, and took the equilibrium slab to be symmetrically structured only in one transverse direction. The dispersion relation was numerically solved, and the results were understood by making in-depth analytical progress. We addressed both the transverse fundamental and its first overtone. We developed a three-subgroup scheme for categorizing 3D kink modes on the plane spanned by the axial and out-of-plane wavenumbers. The group (ěcvgr) and phase velocities (ěcvph) lie on the same side of the equilibrium magnetic field (vec B _0) for the vec B _0-same-side A and vec B _0-same-side F subgroups , which are further discriminated by the directional similarity of ěcvgr and vec B _0. The vec B _0-straddling subgroup is peculiar in that ěcvgr and ěcvph lie astride vec B _0, a feature that cannot be found for waves in unbounded uniform media in pressureless MHD. This vec B _0-straddling subgroup pertains to both the fundamental and its overtones. We further place our results in the context of impulsive waves, employing the method of stationary phase to predict the large-time wavefront morphology in the plane of symmetry of the equilibrium slab. Wavefronts directed toward vec B _0 derive exclusively from vec B _0-straddling modes , and are confined to narrow sectors. The directional information of impulsively excited 3D wavefronts carries rich seismic information, whose inversion requires a thorough understanding of the behavior of group velocities of 3D modes.