Head Parameters Research Articles

Does the positioning of the patient in the EOS machine affect the validity of cervical and head parameters calculated on whole-spine radiographs?

The aim was to study the validity of free-standing position using modifiers for assessing cervical spine alignment. A total of 26 asymptomatic subjects (45 ± 11years) and 13 with spinal deformities (30 ± 21years) underwent lateral radiographs using EOS®, while adopting 3 different positions, in 2 sequences, without mirror and then with mirror (m) placed in front of them: first, the neutral standing position (upper extremities positioned on the sides of the body, P1 and P1m), then free-standing (P2 and P2m) and modified free-standing (P3 and P3m) positions (shoulders flexed at 90° and fingers placed on clavicles then cheeks, respectively). Participants were asked not to move their trunk and shoulders when moving from P1 to P2 and then P3. Eighteen cervical radiographic parameters were calculated from the 6 radiographs. The effects of shoulder flexion, mirror placement, and finger positioning on cervical alignment were studied using a repeated-measures ANCOVA. Mirror placement had no effect on cervical alignment. Concerning the effect of shoulder flexion, C2–C7 and T1 slopes were significantly decreased in P2 and P2m (C2–C7 = 10° and 8°; T1 slope = 26° and 24°, respectively) and P3 and P3m (C2–C7 = 9° and 9°; T1 slope = 25° and 26°, respectively) compared to P1 and P1m (C2–C7 = 14°and 14°; T1 slope = 29°and 30°, respectively), without exceeding the uncertainty level. Assessment of cervical alignment is valid on whole-spine radiographs when the shoulders are flexed (free-standing position). Clear instructions regarding the shoulder position at 90°, without moving the trunk, neck, and head before placing the fingers on the clavicles or cheeks, can ensure a cervical alignment comparable to that obtained with the neutral position, which is considered the most physiological one.

Relationship of Corneal Biomechanics Measured by Corvis ST and Optic Nerve Head Parameters in Healthy Saudi Females.

This study assessed the correlation between corneal biomechanical properties measured with Corvis ST (CST) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness profile, anterior lamina cribrosa surface depth, and other optic nerve head parameters in healthy Saudi females. This study included 62 eyes (only right eyes) of 62healthy Saudi females aged from 20 to 39 yrs. A complete ophthalmologic assessment was performed for all participants. In addition, corneal biomechanical parameters were measured using CST, and optic nerve head parameters were evaluated using spectral domain optical coherence tomography. This study demonstrated a significant weak positive correlation between circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) peak angle and only second applanation (A2) length (mm) (r = 0.293, P = 0.021). Also, this study reported a significant moderate negative association between the C/D ratio and radius (r = -.513, P = 0.015). However, there was no significant correlation between corneal biomechanics and ALCSD in this study. This study reported a significant positive correlation between cpRNFL peak angle and A2-length. In addition, the current study documented a significant moderate negative association between C/D ratio and radius. However, there was no significant correlation between ALCSD and the corneal biomechanical properties in this study. Further research is needed to verify the impact of corneal biomechanics on optic nerve head parameters and further investigate its role in the pathophysiology of glaucoma.

Neurovascular changes of the retina and optic nerve head in episodic migraine

To investigate neurovascular changes; including macular vascular density (VD), thickness of the ganglion cell layer (GCL) and optic nerve head (ONH) parameters in episodic migraine patients. 80 eyes of 40 episodic migraine patients were recruited. Thirty patients having a dominant side of migraine headache were statistically analyzed (5 male and 25 female; mean age 31.67 ± 9.54 years) and compared to 25 eyes of 25 healthy volunteers (5 male and 20 female; mean age of 34.4 ± 12.11 years, p = 0.361). The posterior segment was imaged with Topcon DRI optical coherence tomography (OCT) (Triton Swept source OCT Topcon, Japan), and OCT angiography (OCTA). Comparing the dominant side of migraine patients to controls we found a significant decrease of the VD in the central zone of the superficial and deep capillary plexus (SCP, p = 0.01; DCP, p = 0.004) and an enlarged foveal avascular zone (FAZ, p = 0.054). The GCL thickness was significantly reduced in the central ring (GCL + p = 0.042, GCL + + p = 0.029), as well as the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in the temporal quadrant (p = 0.021) and border tissue of Elschnig diameter (BTE, p = 0.035). The duration of migraine showed an inverse correlation with SCP in the nasal quadrant (p = 0.016, r = − 0.445) and with all DCP regions [DCP superior (p = 0.004, r = − 0.519), DCP inferior (p = 0.004, r = − 0.519), DCP nasal (p = 0.006, r = − 0.496), DCP temporal (p = 0.005, r = − 0.508), DCP CSF (p < 0.001, r = − 0.634)]. The dominant side compared to the non-dominant side showed a significant deterioration of the VD in the inferior (p = 0.04) and temporal quadrants (p = 0.023); furthermore, a significant decrease in the GCL + + inner ring thickness (p = 0.046). Microvascular damage and consequent structural alterations of the retina and optic nerve head occur in the eyes of episodic migraine patient in association with the lateralization of the headache.

Numerical study of cavitation shock wave emission in the thin liquid layer by power ultrasonic vibratory machining

In the field of power ultrasonic vibration processing, the thin liquid layer nestled between the tool head and the material serves as a hotbed for cavitation shock wave emissions that significantly affect the material's surface. The precise manipulation of these emissions presents a formidable challenge, stemming from a historical deficit in the quantitative analysis of both the ultrasonic enhancement effect and the shock wave intensity within this niche environment. Our study addresses this gap by innovatively modifying the Gilmore-Akulichev equation, laying the groundwork for a sophisticated bubble dynamics model and a pioneering shock wave propagation model tailored to the thin liquid layer domain. Firstly, our study investigated the ultrasound enhancement effect under various parameters of thin liquid layers, revealing an amplification of ultrasound pressure in the thin liquid layer area by up to 7.47 times. The mathematical model was solved using the sixth-order Runge–Kutta method to examine shock wave velocity and pressure under different conditions. our study identified that geometric parameters of the tool head, thin liquid layer thickness, ultrasonic frequency, and initial bubble radius all significantly influenced shock wave emission. At an ultrasonic frequency of 60 kHz, the shock wave pressure at the measurement point exhibited a brief decrease from 182.6 to 179.5 MPa during an increase. Furthermore, rapid attenuation of the shock wave was found within the range of R0-3R0 from the bubble wall. This research model aims to enhance power ultrasonic vibration processing technology, and provide theoretical support for applications in related fields.

Effects of Cataract on Optic Nerve Head and Macular Analysis Using Optical Coherence Tomography

Purpose: To assess the impact of cataract on optic nerve head (ONH) parameters (disc area, rim area, average cup/disc ratio, vertical cup/disc ratio, cup volume), peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness, and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGC-IPL) thickness in patients with glaucoma and in a control group.Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on medical records from January to December 2021 for individuals undergoing cataract surgery. This group included normal, glaucoma suspects, and glaucoma patients, totaling 44 individuals and 63 eyes. Measurements of ONH parameters, pRNFL thickness, and mGC-IPL thickness were taken using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography before and after surgery. We analyzed postoperative changes in these parameters and related factors to preoperative segmentation errors.Results: In glaucoma patients, a significant increase in the average thickness of the pRNFL (p = 0.002) was observed after surgery, while no significant changes were seen in ONH parameters and the average thickness of the mGC-IPL (all p &gt; 0.05). Conversely, the control group showed an increase in some areas of mGC-IPL thickness after surgery (p &lt; 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis indicated that in glaucoma patients, thinner preoperative pRNFL and mGC-IPL thickness were predictors of increased average thickness after surgery (p &lt; 0.001 and p = 0.008, respectively).Conclusions: Cataract significantly impacts the pRNFL and mGC-IPL thickness in glaucoma patients, with less effect on ONH parameters. These findings suggest that ONH parameters can be more reliable for monitoring patients undergoing cataract surgery and assessing glaucoma progression simultaneously.

Quantitative assessment of colour fundus photography in hyperopia children based on artificial intelligence

ObjectivesThis study aimed to quantitatively evaluate optic nerve head and retinal vascular parameters in children with hyperopia in relation to age and spherical equivalent refraction (SER) using artificial intelligence (AI)-based...

P-038 Sperm head morphometric reference values of 1856 sperms in fertile Asian males

Abstract Study question To explore comprehensive normal sperm morphometric reference values by measuring 1856 sperms in fertile males using artificial intelligence (AI) technique. Summary answer Four novel describing parameters of sperm head (size, shape, area, and uniformity) and 14 other features for normal sperm head were extracted and characterized. What is known already Sperm head morphology is crucial for male factor infertility diagnosis and assessment of male reproductive potential. The human spermatozoon is one of the most diverse cell types known. However, most assessment criteria have only 3 morphometric parameters (Length, width, and length/width ratio) for sperm head morphometric measurement. We detailed the features of sperm head by defining and characterizing 14 parameters based on AI. Study design, size, duration This is a prospective observational study. The study included 1856 normal sperm images from 23152 stained sperm acquired by an Automated Sperm Morphology Analysis (ASMA) system. The measured sperm morphometry data were acquired from May 2020 to December 2021. Participants/materials, setting, methods All participants (54 fertile males) had fathered a child naturally during the past year. The measured sperm morphometry data were acquired from candidate donors of the Sichuan Province Human Sperm Bank (SPHSB, Chengdu, China). Images of 23,152 stained sperm captured by ASMA. All sperm images were assessed by three experienced technicians. Finally, we concluded 14 morphometric data from normal sperm by measuring sizes in pixels. Main results and the role of chance (1) Characteristics of sperm head size and shape: We present eight sperm head size and shape parameters for the 1856 visually normal spermatozoa. The median head size parameters included head length of 4.02 (95% CI: 4.01–4.05) μm, head width of 2.52 (95% CI: 2.52–2.54) μm, length to width ratio of 1.59 (95% CI: 1.59–1.62), and head girth of 11.18 (95% CI: 11.17–11.25) μm. The median head symmetry parameters included short axis symmetry (SAS) of 92.1% (95% CI: 88.3%–89.2%) and the long axis symmetry (LAS) of 94.3% (95% CI: 91.6%–92.3%). The median head shape parameters included median of ellipse intersection over union (EIoU) of 88.9% (95% CI: 85.4%–86.3%) and girth intersection over union (GIoU) of 102.4% (95% CI: 102.4%–102.5%). (2) Characteristics of sperm head area and acrosome uniformity: Descriptive analysis of the sperm head area characteristics included a median sperm head area of 7.72 (95% CI: 7.74–7.85) μm2, acrosome area of 3.67 (95% CI: 3.77–3.88) μm2, acrosome area ratio of 48.2% (95% CI: 47.8%–48.6%), post-acrosomal area of 3.95 (95% CI: 3.95–4.00) μm2, acrosome uniformity of 88.6% (95% CI: 88.6%–89.1%), and nuclear uniformity of 100.0% (95% CI: 99.8%–99.9%). Limitations, reasons for caution This study had several limitations that should be noted. The use of samples from a single center, covering relatively young participants from only seven provinces in China, could limit the usage of our findings. The use of only three technicians to assess the samples may have introduced a subjective bias. Wider implications of the findings The measurement technique was accurate, objective, and highly informative by AI. The data provide extremely detailed information for reference studies and comparison of sperm head parameters among different male groups. These new parameters can be applied in routine semen analysis when assessing sperm morphology and male fertility potential. Trial registration number not applicable

The Influence of Pump-Turbine Specific Speed on Hydraulic Transient Processes

The main porpose of this paper is to perform and present at transient process analysis on the influence of different specific speeds (nq) of the three-model pump-turbines that may implemented at the hydropower pump storage plant (HPSP) Bajina Basta, Serbia. The intention is to analyze the operation regimes along the S-shaped characteristic curve, which creates difficulties in calculations during the load-rejection process. These problems are manifested by an unusual increase in water pressure, followed by an increase in machine vibrations, thus threatening the stability of machine operation. The subject of this research is the four-quadrant (4Q) characteristic curves, presented in the form of Suter curves (the head and momentum parameters (Wh and Wm), in dependence of angle (θ)) for different wicket gate openings, of the three pump-turbine models with different specific speeds (nq = 27, nq = 38 and nq = 50). These 4Q characteristics are used as input data for numerical code developed to calculate the simultaneous load rejection of both pump-turbines. The numerical code is based on the method of characteristics and applied to the test case at HPSP. This is especially relevant when dealing with characteristic S-shaped curves that may lead to serious instability in operation during the transient process. The calculation results show changes in the pressure, speed of rotation and discharge of the machine operation regimes, but the important findings are reflected in further application of the results to determine the parametric flow and speed (Q11 and n11) trajectories of the operating points, where the unstable behavior of a pump-turbine operating in turbine mode is presented and periodically the trajectories also pass through the reverse pump zone.

Optic nerve head and retinal nerve fiber layer changes by spectral domain optical coherence tomography in glaucoma suspects at tertiary care hospital

Introduction: Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy characterized by functional loss or optic nerve dysfunction which is one of the leading causes of irreversible but preventable blindness. The aim of the study was to determine which of the retinal nerve fiber layer and optic nerve head parameters are reliable markers of optic nerve damage in glaucoma suspects. Methods: Observational cross-sectional study of 250 patient’s including147 glaucoma suspect eyes, 103 normal eyes. All subjects underwent complete eye examination and imaging with the spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) cirrus-TM OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA). Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and optic nerve head (ONH) OCT protocols were used to evaluate all study participants. The main outcome measures were the difference in OCT parameters among groups. Results: Study shows statistically significant difference in the average RNFL thickness, superior, nasal, inferior, temporal quadrants, rim area, cup volume, average cup to disc ratio (CDR), vertical CDR with P value &lt;0.001 between the two groups. Average CDR, vertical CDR and cup volume had significantly greater AROC values (ROC: 0.99, 0.98, 0.95) than RNFL parameters for discriminating glaucoma suspects from normal eyes. Conclusion: Assessment of RNFL, macular and ONH damage with SD-OCT has been proven useful for diagnosing the disease at different levels of severity, as well as for quantifying risk in glaucoma suspects. In our study ONH measurements, as provided by the SD OCT, have more diagnostic value than RNFL parameters in the diagnosis of glaucoma suspects from normal. Keywords: glaucoma suspects; optic nerve head; retinal nerve fiber layer; optical coherence tomography

The End-to-End Fetal Head Circumference Detection and Estimation in Ultrasound Images.

In prenatal examinations, the fetal head circumference (HC) measurement is essential for assessing fetal weight and health conditions. The sonographers obtain the fetal HC manually by fitting peripheral skull ellipse in clinical practice, which is highly subjective, time-consuming, and experience-dependent. Recently, many fetal HC automatic measurement algorithms have been proposed to improve workflow efficiency in prenatal examination. But most automatic measurement algorithms focus on using fetal head segmentation as an intermediate processing step, and HC estimation relies heavily on segmentation results, which causes the accumulation of errors in the above two stages. Independent of the segmentation method, we design a regression network to generate the oriented bounding box to detect the head contour, and directly obtain the fetal head parameters with a pixel-based ellipse regression (PER) loss. Moreover, an effective 3D attention mechanism is integrated into the network to estimate HC more precisely without adding parameters in complex ultrasound images. The extensive experimental results on the public HC18 and our clinical dataset show that the proposed network provides a feasible scheme for end-to-end estimating fetal HC, and avoids the mistake brought by the intermediary processes.

Assessment of the effectiveness of high-pressure water jet machining generated using self-excited pulsating heads

The article presents the research findings on the process of machining with a pulsating water jet. The study determined the influence of water velocity and pressure, providing insights into the dynamics of pulsating water jets. An evaluation of the generation process of pulsating water jets was conducted for various models of self-excited pulsating heads. The aim was to determine the impact of geometric parameters of the self-excited pulsating head and hydrodynamic working conditions on the performance of such a head, the dynamic characteristics of the water jet it produces, and its technological suitability for material erosion. In the first stage, simulation studies were carried out for three models of self-excited pulsating heads. Based on these studies, a solution with appropriate geometry was selected. Subsequently, experimental studies were conducted using the self-excited head and dedicated research setups. For the selected solution of the self-excited pulsating head, pulse durations, jet thrust forces, and frequency variations for different working pressure values were determined. The analysis showed a correlation between the geometric parameters of the head, pressure changes, and the characteristics of the generated pulses in the pulsed water jets. Pulse generation was made possible by increasing the water flow through side openings. Pulses with greater water volume exhibited increased erosive potential, particularly noticeable at higher pressures. It was found that pressure changes also affect the pulse frequency, with shorter intervals observed at lower pressures and longer intervals at higher pressures. The results presented in the paper highlight the importance of tool geometry and changes in water pressure at the inlet to the self-excited pulsating heads and the dynamics of the pulsed water jet. Research on the pulse generation mechanism and the assessment of erosive potential can form the basis for optimizing the design and operation of pulsating water jets in surface machining. This comprehensive understanding underpins the enhancement of efficiency and effectiveness of pulsating water jet applications in various industrial and manufacturing processes.

A Cohort Study to Evaluate the Evolution of the Optic Nerve Head Parameters and Inner Retinal Thickness During Childhood

A Cohort Study to Evaluate the Evolution of the Optic Nerve Head Parameters and Inner Retinal Thickness During Childhood

Assessment of Early Glaucomatous Optic Neuropathy in the Dog by Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT).

Inherited primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in Beagle dogs is a well-established large animal model of glaucoma and is caused by a G661R missense mutation in the ADAMTS10 gene. Using this model, the study describes early clinical disease markers for canine glaucoma. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was used to assess nine adult, ADAMTS10-mutant (median age 45.6 months, range 28.8-52.8 months; mean diurnal intraocular pressure (IOP): 29.9 +/- SEM 0.44 mmHg) and three related age-matched control Beagles (mean diurnal IOP: 18.0 +/- SEM 0.53 mmHg). Of all the optic nerve head (ONH) parameters evaluated, the loss of myelin peak height in the horizontal plane was most significant (from 154 +/- SEM 38.4 μm to 9.3 +/- SEM 22.1 μm; p < 0.01). There was a strong significant negative correlation between myelin peak height and IOP (Spearman correlation: -0.78; p < 0.003). There were no significant differences in the thickness of any retinal layers evaluated. SD-OCT is a useful tool to detect early glaucomatous damage to the ONH in dogs before vision loss. Loss in myelin peak height without inner retinal thinning was identified as an early clinical disease marker. This suggests that initial degenerative changes are mostly due to the loss of myelin.

Strain analysis and non-destructive monitoring of the two-stage hydraulic-driven piston compressor for hydrogen storage

High-pressure gas storage is an important means of hydrogen application in the transportation industry, especially in hydrogen refuelling stations. The hydrogen compressor is the most crucial dynamic component for high-pressure gas storage in hydrogen refuelling stations. An effective control system is required to guarantee the compressor operates safely and efficiently, which is based on the safe and efficient monitoring of the operating condition of the compressor. However, significantly limited literature has been provided for the hydraulic-driven piston compressor. In this paper, a non-destructive testing method for monitoring the dynamic pressure by strain gauge in the hydraulic-driven piston compressor is proposed. The relationship between the strain of the cylinder head and key operating parameters is obtained through finite element analysis, based on which the optimal location for the pressure monitoring is identified. The proposed non-destructive testing method is validated by experiments of a two-stage hydraulic-driven piston compressor. The strain analysis indicates that the circumferential strain in the cylinder head has a good linear relationship with the in-cylinder gas pressure with a value above 99.6 %. The deformation of the four monitoring positions is almost unchanged with a maximum deviation of 0.5 % under different piston positions. A high uniformity of the circumferential strain of the cylinder head is observed from the analysis. Experimental results indicate that the proposed non-destructive monitoring method is effective in obtaining the dynamic pressure in-cylinder during the compressor operation with a maximum deviation of 5.13 % and an average deviation below 2.01 %.

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for optical characterizations of orthotopic head and neck cancer models in vivo.

We demonstrated an easy-to-build, portable diffuse reflectance spectroscopy device along with a Monte Carlo inverse model to quantify tissue absorption and scattering-based parameters of orthotopic head and neck cancer models in vivo. Both tissue-mimicking phantom studies and animal studies were conducted to verify the optical spectroscopy system and Monte Carlo inverse model for the accurate extraction of tissue optical properties. For the first time, we reported the tissue absorption and scattering coefficients of mouse normal tongue tissues and tongue tumor tissues. Our in vivo animal studies showed reduced total hemoglobin concentration, lower tissue vascular oxygen saturation, and increased tissue scattering in the orthotopic tongue tumors compared to the normal tongue tissues. Our data also showed that mice tongue tumors with different sizes may have significantly different tissue absorption and scattering-based parameters. Small tongue tumors (volume was ∼60 mm3) had increased absorption coefficients, decreased reduced-scattering coefficients, and increased total hemoglobin concentrations compared to tiny tongue tumors (volume was ∼18 mm3). These results demonstrated the potential of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to noninvasively evaluate tumor biology using orthotopic tongue cancer models for future head and neck cancer research.

Optimization of Centrifugal Pump Impeller Based on Neural Network and NSGA-II Algorithm

Abstract This article focuses on the multistage centrifugal pump secondary impeller as the research object, and the two performance parameters of head and efficiency are taken as the optimization objectives. Firstly, the range analysis of significant influence degree of impeller geometric parameters was carried out by partial factor test method. The blade inlet angle at the front and rear cover boards of the impeller, blade outlet angle and blade wrap angle as the optimization variables, two optimization schemes with different blade numbers were proposed. On this basis, the optimal Latin hypercube sampling method was used to extract samples from the two schemes, CFD technology was used to calculate the corresponding target value of each sample, BP neural networks with different structures were used to train the samples, and the agent model with the highest prediction accuracy was optimized as the population evaluation function of NSGA-II algorithm to search for optimization. The results show that the pump performance parameters have been improved after optimization of Scheme II, and the flow of the internal flow field conforms to the law. Finally, through the experimental verification, the optimized centrifugal pump head and efficiency increased by 3.21m and 3.05%.

Repeatability, interocular correlation and agreement of optic nerve head vessel density in healthy eyes: a swept-source optical coherence tomographic angiography study.

To assess the repeatability, interocular correlation, and agreement of quantitative swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) optic nerve head (ONH) parameters in healthy subjects. Thirty-three healthy subjects were enrolled. The ONH of both eyes were imaged four times by a swept-source-OCTA using a 3 mm ×3 mm scanning protocol. Images of the radial peripapillary capillary were analyzed by a customized Matlab program, and the vessel density, fractal dimension, and vessel diameter index were measured. The repeatability of the four scans was determined by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The most well-centered optic disc from the four repeated scans was then selected for the interocular correlation and agreement analysis using the Pearson correlation coefficient, ICC and Bland-Altman plots. All swept-source-OCTA ONH parameters exhibited certain repeatability, with ICC>0.760 and coefficient of variation (CoV)≤7.301%. The obvious interocular correlation was observed for papillary vessel density (ICC=0.857), vessel diameter index (ICC=0.857) and fractal dimension (ICC=0.906), while circumpapillary vessel density exhibited moderate interocular correlation (ICC=0.687). Bland-Altman plots revealed an agreement range of -5.26% to 6.21% for circumpapillary vessel density. OCTA ONH parameters demonstrate good repeatability in healthy subjects. The interocular correlations of papillary vessel density, fractal dimension and vessel diameter index are high, but the correlation for circumpapillary vessel density is moderate.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Optic Nerve Head and Macula OCT Parameters for Detecting Glaucoma in Eyes With and Without High Axial Myopia

PurposeTo characterize structural differences and assess the diagnostic accuracy of optic nerve head (ONH) and macula optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters to detect glaucoma in eyes with and without high axial myopia. DesignCross-sectional study Methods368 glaucoma and 411 healthy eyes with no axial myopia, 393 glaucoma and 271 healthy eyes with mild axial myopia and 124 glaucoma and 85 healthy eyes with high axial myopia were included. Global and sectoral peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (pRNFLT), Bruch's membrane opening minimum rim width (BMO-MRW), ganglion cell inner plexiform layer thickness (GCIPLT), and macula RNFLT (mRNFLT) were compared and the diagnostic accuracy for glaucoma detection was evaluated using adjusted area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). ResultsDiagnostic accuracy for ONH and macula parameters to detect glaucoma was generally high and differed by myopia group. For ONH parameters the diagnostic accuracy was highest for global (AUC=0.95) and inferotemporal (AUC=0.91) pRNFLT for high myopes and global BMO-MRW for non-myopes (AUC=1.0) and mild myopes (AUC=0.97). For macula parameters, the diagnostic accuracy was higher in high myopes with 6 of the 11 GCIPLT global/sectors having adjusted AUCs > 0.90 compared to non-high myopes with no AUCs > 0.90. In all myopia groups, mRNFLT had lower AUCs than GCIPLT. ConclusionsThe diagnostic accuracy for pRNFL and GCIPL was high for high axial myopic eyes and shows promise for glaucoma detection in high myopes. Further analysis is needed to determine whether the high diagnostic accuracy can be confirmed in other populations.

Optic nerve head neurovascular assessments in patients with schizophrenia: A cross‐sectional study

AbstractObjectiveThe retina is a protrusion of the brain, so researchers have recently proposed retinal changes as a new marker for studying central nervous system diseases. To investigate optic nerve head neurovascular structure assessed by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in schizophrenia compared to healthy subjects.MethodsThe study was conducted from 2019 to 2021 at the Ibn Sina Psychiatric Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. We enrolled 22 hospitalized known cases of schizophrenia, treated with risperidone as an antipsychotic drug, and 22 healthy subjects. The two groups were matched in age and gender. In the schizophrenic group, the positive and negative syndrome scale test was used to assess the illness severity. All subjects underwent complete ophthalmic evaluations and OCTA imaging.ResultsWe found that the cup/disc area ratio, vertical cup/disc ratio, and horizontal cup/disc ratio are significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia than in healthy subjects (with p‐values of 0.019, 0.015, and 0.022, respectively). No statistically significant difference in the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer and vascular parameters of the optic nerve head was observed between schizophrenia and healthy groups.ConclusionWe found evidence regarding the difference in the optic nerve head tomographic properties in schizophrenia compared to healthy subjects. However, ONH vascular parameters showed no significant difference. More studies are needed for a definite conclusion.

Wetting Behavior Driven by Surface Morphology Changes Induced by Picosecond Laser Texturing.

The laser surface texturing (LST) technique has recently been used to enhance adhesion bond strength in various coating applications and to create structures with controlled hydrophobic or superhydrophobic surfaces. The texturing processing parameters can be adjusted to tune the surface's polarity, thereby controlling the ratio between the polar and dispersed components of the surface free energy and determining its hydrophobic character. The aim of this work is to systematically select appropriate laser and scan head parameters for high-quality surface topography of metal-based materials. A correlation between texturing parameters and wetting properties was made in view of several technological applications, i.e., for the proper growth of conformal layers onto laser-textured metal surfaces. Surface analyses, carried out by scanning electron microscopy and profilometry, reveal the presence of periodic microchannels decorated with laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) in the direction parallel to the microchannels. The water contact angle varies widely from about 20° to 100°, depending on the treated material (titanium, nickel, etc.). Nowadays, reducing the wettability transition time from hydrophilicity to hydrophobicity, while also changing environmental conditions, remains a challenge. Therefore, the characteristics of environmental dust and its influence on the properties of the picosecond laser-textured surface (e.g., chemical bonding of samples) have been studied while monitoring ambient conditions.