Vision Screening Research Articles

A phenopushing platform to identify compounds that alleviate acute hypoxic stress by fast-tracking cellular adaptation

Severe acute hypoxic stress is a major contributor to the pathology of human diseases, including ischemic disorders. Current treatments focus on managing consequences of hypoxia, with few addressing cellular adaptation to low-oxygen environments. Here, we investigate whether accelerating hypoxia adaptation could provide a strategy to alleviate acute hypoxic stress. We develop a high-content phenotypic screening platform to identify compounds that fast-track adaptation to hypoxic stress. Our platform captures a high-dimensional phenotypic hypoxia response trajectory consisting of normoxic, acutely stressed, and chronically adapted cell states. Leveraging this trajectory, we identify compounds that phenotypically shift cells from the acutely stressed state towards the adapted state, revealing mTOR/PI3K or BET inhibition as strategies to induce this phenotypic shift. Importantly, our compound hits promote the survival of liver cells exposed to ischemia-like stress, and rescue cardiomyocytes from hypoxic stress. Our “phenopushing” platform offers a general, target-agnostic approach to identify compounds and targets that accelerate cellular adaptation, applicable across various stress conditions.

Vision Changes After Head and Neck Cancer Treatment.

Literature about ocular toxicity after head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment is scarce. This study aimed to describe visual function and ocular symptoms among HNC patients. The study used a cross-sectional design. Two surveys, The National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ) and an Ocular Symptom Scale, were sent to participants via e-mail. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample in the vision change and non-vision change groups. Chi-square and t-tests were used to compare groups. Of the 485 HNC patients emailed, 126 responded to the survey (26%). Of those, 114 completed the surveys. The scores of NEI-VFQ were significantly lower in the vision change group than in the non-vision change group (p < 0.001). Similarly, all ocular symptoms were significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.05). These findings and a scarcity of literature suggest that vision screening after HNC treatment is warranted.

Validation of the PlusOptix S12C for detecting amblyopia risk factors in a tertiary care young paediatric population.

To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the PlusOptix S12C device in detecting amblyopia risk factors (ARFs) in children aged 2-7 years, in accordance with the 2020 Israeli Ministry of Health (MOH) directives and the 2021 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) guidelines. A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital. Children presenting for vision testing were screened using the PlusOptix S12C device, and results were compared with the gold standard cycloplegic refraction and cover test. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for the overall population and subpopulations based on ARFs. A total of 196 children aged 24-84 months were screened (46.4% boys, mean age: 56.94 ± 17.52 months). The PlusOptix S12C demonstrated an overall sensitivity and specificity of 85.5% and 82.3%, respectively. Sensitivity for hyperopia (>4.00 D) was lower (47.7%), while specificity was 81.7%. For strabismus (>8 Δ), sensitivity and specificity were 67.8% and 91.1%, respectively. The device failed to produce readings in 21.9% of children, primarily those with significant refractive errors or strabismus. The PlusOptix S12C demonstrated good overall sensitivity and specificity for detecting ARFs, making it a valuable tool for large-scale paediatric vision screening, including in very young children. However, its inherent limitations in detecting high hyperopia and strabismus, combined with the high prevalence of these conditions in the untestable group, highlight the need for supplementary evaluation. Children who receive a 'no result' or 'unable-to-read' outcome on the device should be referred for a full examination, including cycloplegic refraction, to ensure ARFs are not missed. While the device aligns well with the 2021 AAPOS and MOH guidelines, careful attention to its limitations in high-risk subpopulations is essential to optimise screening efficacy and outcomes.

Assessment of Nutritional status, Visual acuity and Psychological wellbeing among school students in South India

Background: School-age is a dynamic phase of active growth and mental development of childhood. School aged children were among the most at-risk groups for under nutrition, over weight and obesity. Good overall adjustment and a sense of psychological well-being are very crucial factors for the adolescent’s positive contribution to the society. Aim &amp; Objective: To assess the nutritional status, visual acuity and psychological wellbeing among school students. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among school students at selected schools in Chennai. A total of 1135 students studying IX standard to XII standard were included in the study. Researcher obtained formal permission from the Management and Principal of Schools. Written informed consent was obtained from the parents. Researcher collected demographic data, nutritional status assessed by BMI, visual acuity by Snellen chart and psychological well-being Scale by Ryff’s followed by health education on balanced diet and mental hygiene given to them. Results: In regard to nutritional status, 486(42.8%) of school students were healthy (BMI -18.5 to 24.9Kg/m2) and 245(21.6%) of them had underweight (BMI-&lt;18.5Kg/m2). 485(42.7%) of students had normal vision and 650(57.3%) of them had impaired vision. 1040(91.6%) of students had moderate level of psychological wellbeing. There is a fair negative correlation between BMI and psychological wellbeing (r= -0.374, p&lt;0.001). Conclusion: The study reports that nearly half of the school students had normal weight and normal visual acuity (6/6). Majority of them had moderate level of psychological wellbeing. Researcher recommends that periodical screening of nutritional, vision and psychological problems are essential to detect and correct the problems among school students

π‐PhenoDrug: A Comprehensive Deep Learning‐Based Pipeline for Phenotypic Drug Screening in High‐Content Analysis

Image‐based screening is an efficient drug discovery strategy. Combining high‐content screening (HCS) with artificial intelligence efficiently detects drug‐induced cellular phenotypes from a large pool of compounds. However, previous studies primarily focus on cell classification and cannot interpret models using morphological features. Additionally, the existing morphology‐based studies use only few features, which cannot accurately characterize cell phenotypic perturbations. Herein, π‐PhenoDrug, a deep learning‐based pipeline, is developed for cell phenotype‐driven drug screening. It integrates cell segmentation, morphological profile construction, and phenotype analysis modules of HCS processes. π‐PhenoDrug is applied to evaluate drug response in various human melanoma cell lines. The results demonstrate that π‐PhenoDrug can evaluate drug killing effects across different cell lines via both supervised and unsupervised modes. Furthermore, π‐PhenoDrug identifies drugs with potential killing effects on melanoma cells from a library of diverse compounds. Compared with traditional single‐readout assays, this method is more sensitive to compounds that induce weaker phenotypes, reducing the risk of overlooking effective drugs. These results confirm that π‐PhenoDrug can achieve high‐throughput and accuracy analysis of cell phenotypic data using an unbiased and automated workflow, improving drug discovery efficiency.

Novel high-content and open-source image analysis tools for profiling mitochondrial morphology in neurological cell models.

Novel high-content and open-source image analysis tools for profiling mitochondrial morphology in neurological cell models.

A high throughput, high content screen for non-toxic small molecules that reduce levels of the nuclear lamina protein, Lamin B1

Lamin B1 (LMNB1) is an intermediate filament protein that is an integral component of the nuclear lamina, a structure that is critical for nuclear organization and function. Mutations involving the lamin B1 gene cause the adult-onset demyelinating disorder, Autosomal Dominant Leukodystrophy (ADLD) which is charactered by increased lamin B1 expression. Increased LMNB1 expression is also associated with poorer outcomes in multiple cancer subtypes. Reducing LMNB1 is thus an attractive therapeutic pathway for ADLD and potentially other diseases. Here we present the results of a high throughput / high content screen (HTS/HCS) to identify small molecules that reduce LMNB1 levels. Approximately 97,000 molecules were screened using an inducible mouse fibroblast model of LMNB1 overexpression that we have previously generated. Two small molecules, Pubchem CID 662896 and CID 5308648, were identified that reduced LMNB1 in a dose dependent manner without causing cellular toxicity and corrected nuclear abnormalities associated with LMNB1 overexpression, a hallmark of ADLD. CID 662896 also reduced LMNB1 levels in ADLD patient fibroblast samples, exhibited favorable “drug-like” physicochemical properties and crossed the blood brain barrier in mouse studies. While CID 662896 may be a promising candidate for ADLD therapy, further investigations are required to determine its mechanism of action and ability to target disease relevant cell types.

Development of a novel anti-erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor B6 monoclonal antibody Eb6Mab-3 for flow cytometry.

Development of a novel anti-erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor B6 monoclonal antibody Eb6Mab-3 for flow cytometry.

A novel anti-mouse CCR7 monoclonal antibody, C7Mab-7, demonstrates high sensitivity in flow cytometry, western blot, and immunohistochemistry.

A novel anti-mouse CCR7 monoclonal antibody, C7Mab-7, demonstrates high sensitivity in flow cytometry, western blot, and immunohistochemistry.

Human pluripotent stem cell-derived microglia shape neuronal morphology and enhance network activity in vitro.

Human pluripotent stem cell-derived microglia shape neuronal morphology and enhance network activity in vitro.

Novel determinants of NOTCH1 trafficking and signaling in breast epithelial cells.

The evolutionarily conserved Notch signaling pathway controls cell-cell communication, enacting cell fate decisions during development and tissue homeostasis. Its dysregulation is associated with a wide range of diseases, including congenital disorders and cancers. Signaling outputs depend on maturation of Notch receptors and trafficking to the plasma membrane, endocytic uptake and sorting, lysosomal and proteasomal degradation, and ligand-dependent and independent proteolytic cleavages. We devised assays to follow quantitatively the trafficking and signaling of endogenous human NOTCH1 receptor in breast epithelial cells in culture. Based on such analyses, we executed a high-content screen of 2,749 human genes to identify new regulators of Notch that might be amenable to pharmacologic intervention. We uncovered 39 new NOTCH1 modulators for NOTCH1 trafficking and signaling. Among them, we find that PTPN23 and HCN2 act as positive NOTCH1 regulators by promoting endocytic trafficking and NOTCH1 maturation in the Golgi apparatus, respectively, whereas SGK3 serves as a negative regulator that can be modulated by pharmacologic inhibition. Our findings might be relevant in the search of new strategies to counteract pathologic Notch signaling.

Invitro high-content screening reveals miR-429 as a protective molecule in photoreceptor degeneration.

Invitro high-content screening reveals miR-429 as a protective molecule in photoreceptor degeneration.

Reference Values of Non-Cycloplegic Spherical Equivalent for Screening and Predicting Myopia Among Children and Adolescents - China, 2020-2024.

Non-cycloplegic refraction is widely utilized in vision screening. However, interpreting non-cycloplegic refraction results remains a significant challenge in both clinical practice and public health settings. This study aimed to establish grade- and sex-specific reference values for non-cycloplegic spherical equivalent (SE) to enhance myopia screening and risk prediction among Chinese students. A comprehensive study was conducted between 2020 and 2024, involving 67,260 students from kindergarten through high school across 10 provincial-level administrative divisions (PLADs) in China. The Lambda-Mu-Sigma method was employed to model non-cycloplegic SE. Reference values were established by calculating SE centiles corresponding to myopia and high myopia prevalence across grades 0 through 12. Among boys, the estimated prevalence of myopia and high myopia increased from 1.2% and <0.1% in grade 0 (senior kindergarten) to 82.4% and 11.6% in grade 12 (third year of high school), respectively. For twelfth-grade boys, the 82.4th and 11.6th percentiles of SE (-0.99 D and -6.16 D) were established as reference values for screening myopia and high myopia, respectively. The corresponding percentiles in lower grades served as predictive reference values for grade 12 outcomes. For instance, a grade-0 boy with non-cycloplegic SE>0.70 D (82.4th percentile) was predicted to remain free of myopia before grade 12. Similarly, SE>-0.73 D (11.6th percentile) indicated a low likelihood of developing high myopia before grade 12. This study established comprehensive non-cycloplegic SE reference values for screening and predicting myopia among Chinese students. The methodology developed here may be applicable to other regions where student myopia prevalence patterns demonstrate relative stability.

A dynamic nomogram predicting nosocomial infections in patients after colon cancer surgery.

Nosocomial infections are one of the severe postoperative complications that compromise perioperative safety in patients with colon cancer. However, there are limited studies on constructing visual risk prediction screening tools for nosocomial infections in these patients. The objective of this study is to construct a nomogram for predicting the risk of nosocomial infections among patients after colon cancer surgery. Total 1146 patients after colon cancer surgery were selected and divided into a training set and a validation set. After identifying the most significant predictors through LASSO regression and logistic regression, the model was presented as static and dynamic nomogram. AUC was used to evaluate the discrimination of model. Calibration was evaluated by means of calibration curves. Decision and impact curves were applied to evaluate the clinical validity. 110 patients (9.60%) suffered nosocomial infections following colon cancer surgery. Peak temperature on the second postoperative day, Braden score on the first postoperative day, duration of retention of abdominal drains, ASA class, surgical type and postoperative complications were correlated with nosocomial infections. The nomogram composed of these predictors demonstrated good discrimination, calibration and clinical benefit in both the training and validation sets. Risk predictors are important breakthroughs for healthcare workers in nosocomial infections prevention and control initiatives. The dynamic nomogram built in this study may be helpful for healthcare personnel to identify the risk of nosocomial infections among patients after colon cancer surgery.

Knowledge and practices of vision screening standards for driving among optometrists in Gauteng province, South Africa

Background: Despite the existence of vision screening standards, inconsistent implementation of these standards among optometrists persists.Aim: To evaluate the knowledge and practices of optometrists regarding vision screening standards specific to driver fitness assessments.Setting: Gauteng province, South Africa.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study employing a quantitative approach was conducted among optometrists via an online survey.Results: A total of 156 optometrists with a mean professional experience of 18.6 years ± 10 years participated in the study. The majority of optometrists (73%) demonstrated knowledge of the minimum vision screening standards required for driving. Male optometrists had higher odds of good knowledge compared to females (OR: 1.84 CI: 1.01 – 3.37, p = 0.048). Most optometrists (89%) adhered to these standards in their clinical practice. There was a significant association between knowledge level and the practice of measuring both visual acuity (VA) and visual fields (VF) (χ2 = 9.358, p = 0.025).Conclusion: While the majority of optometrists (73%) demonstrated knowledge of the minimum vision screening standard required for driving, 89% reported adherence to these standards in practice; it is concerning that 27% lacked sufficient knowledge, and 11% did not adhere to these screening standards.Contribution: The study highlights gaps in the knowledge and practice of vision screening standards among optometrists.

SEISMIC SAFETY EVALUATION AND SVD BASED REMEDY RECOMMENDATION OF EXISTING R.C.C RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS IN SOUTH INDIA

The project aims to enhance seismic safety in high-risk areas of Tamil Nadu, India, by conducting evaluations of 10 existing reinforced concrete buildings. The evaluation process starts with rapid visual screening, which is used to identify the buildings which require further evaluations. Buildings selected for further assessment are modelled in structural analysis software, ETABS to carry out seismic analysis using linear analysis methods such as equivalent static and response spectrum methods. The next step is to perform a non-linear time-history analysis to evaluate the behavior of buildings under low to moderate ground motions. Finally, deficiencies in the buildings are identified, and retrofitting techniques are suggested. A key innovation lies in the use of machine learning, specifically Singular Valued Decomposition (SVD) based Collaborative Filtering (CF) recommendation approach, to provide tailored retrofitting suggestions, enhancing the effectiveness of seismic safety interventions, which may include strengthening existing structural components, adding damping systems, or improving connections between different elements. The study results can guide similar buildings in the region, and retrofitting techniques can minimize property damage and save lives during future earthquakes. This project combines rapid visual screening, linear and non-linear analysis, machine learning and retrofitting suggestions to improve the seismic safety of buildings in high-risk areas in Tamil Nadu, India.

The Oxford Visual Perception Screen: Development and normative data of a standardised assessment for visual perception difficulties.

We aimed to develop and standardise a practical systematic screening tool for visual perception impairments after a stroke to replace current subjective methods. A mixed methods study including a cross-sectional study and a case series. In the community and on stroke rehabilitation units. Older volunteers without a neurological history contributed to normative data. Patients with ocular conditions or a stroke took part in our case series. The Oxford Visual Perception Screen. For each task of the Oxford Visual Perception Screen, we determined 5th centile cut-off scores. We further explored effects of age, visual acuity and gender on visual perception through generalised linear models. Oxford Visual Perception Screen is a 15-min paper-and-pen assessment comprising 10 tasks including picture naming, star counting and reading. Normative data of 107 participants demonstrated persistent high performance with most cut-offs near ceiling. Apart from the Figure Copy (Z = 6.57, p < 0.001) and Global Shape Perception task (Z = 3.32, p < 0.001) we found no evidence for an effect of visual acuity on OxVPS. An effect of age was only observed in the Face Recognition (Z = 3.61, p < 0.001) and Reading task (Z = -3.50, p < 0.001). No effects of gender were observed. A series of eight cases illustrates the interpretation of OxVPS. We present the Oxford Visual Perception Screen, a standardised visual perception screening tool alongside normative data and illustrative cases. The Oxford Visual Perception Screen can potentially change screening for visual perception impairments in clinical practice and is available at https://oxvps.webspace.durham.ac.uk/.

Novel Hypochlorous Acid-Activated Near-Infrared Probe Monitors the Dynamic Changes of Myeloperoxidase Activity in Ischemic Brain.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) contributes to the progression of ischemic damage. To fully understand MPO biology, highly sensitive and specific probes that can trace the activity of endogenous MPO fluxes are indispensable. Here, we developed two hypochlorous acid (HClO)-activated near-infrared probes to image MPO activity in a noninvasive manner. The probe MPO-NIR-II could track MPO-induced HClO in real time and in situ upon various stimuli with high sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, MPO-NIR-II could monitor the MPO activity by in vivo fluorescence imaging and confocal laser scanning microscopy in mice with ischemic stroke. Moreover, a high-content screening system for MPO inhibitors was established by combining MPO-NIR-II with MPO-overexpressed cells and mouse brain slices with ischemic stroke, and the candidate compound AZD5904 was found to effectively attenuate ischemic brain injury. Overall, this work provides a versatile fluorescence tool that holds great promise for visualizing endogenous MPO fluxes of brain ischemia.

Increasing myopia in Scotland at age of 3.5-5.5 years: A retrospective epidemiological study.

Scotland has comprehensive child vision screening at age 3.5-5.5 years of age, with ~85% participation (40,000-50,000 screening episodes annually). Orthoptists deliver the screening, including presenting vision, cover test and other tests. Screening failures are referred for eye examinations, including cycloplegic refraction. The study aims to report refractive error data from these examinations (~5000-6000 annually) for 3 years before and 2 years following the COVID-19 pandemic, and to investigate correlations between myopia and socio-economic factors. Right eye data from eight Scottish health boards (HB) are reported for spherical equivalent refraction (SER) for the years 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2020-21 and 2021-22. Associations were investigated between the proportion of the sample in each HB with myopia and the proportion of the population in each HB with different levels of deprivation index, classification on a rural/urban continuum and dwelling type. Refractive error frequency distributions revealed a myopic shift in SER over the 5 years. Median SER (interquartile range) in 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2020-21 and 2021-22 was +1.38 D (+0.50 to +2.75), +1.38 D (+0.25 to +2.63), +1.38 D (+0.50 to +2.75), +1.13 D (+0.25 to +2.25) and +1.25 D (+0.38 to +2.25), respectively. The increase in myopia was statistically significant in each of the last 2 years compared with each of the first 3 years (p < 0.0005). The proportion of myopes (≤-0.50 D) increased from <7.8% annually in 2013-16 to 11.51% in 2020-21 and 10.65% in 2021-22 (linear trend: r2 = 0.94, p = 0.006). Associations between the proportion of children in each HB with myopia and: (1) deprivation index was low and not statistically significant; (2) the proportion of the population in the most urban environments was high (r2 = 0.79; p = 0.003); (3) the proportion of dwellings that were flats/apartments was also high (r2 = 0.83, p = 0.002). In this predominantly Caucasian population, the proportion of children with myopia has increased post-COVID. A strong association exists between myopia and living in flats/apartments and urbanicity, but not with a deprivation index.

A cell-based drug screening assay on a centrifugal platform

Drug screening is an indispensable procedure in drug development and pharmaceutical research. For cell-based drug testing, cells were treated with compounds at different concentrations, and their responses were measured to assess the compounds' effects on cellular behavior. A concentration gradient test creates a growth environment with different compound concentrations for cultured cells, facilitating faster determination of the compound concentration's effect on cellular responses. However, most concentration gradient tests on cell cultures were carried out manually, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Microfluidic technology enables drug screening to be conducted in microstructures, which not only improves efficiency and sensitivity but also reduces reagent usage and operating time. Centrifugal microfluidics utilizes the rotation of a disk platform to perform complex fluid functions such as pumping, metering, and mixing. The complete process can be carried out with a low-cost motor without the need for an expensive pumping system. In this work, a centrifugal platform for drug screening is presented. The microfluidic platform can be divided into two parts. The inner disk features branch structures designed to establish a concentration gradient for cell growth. The outer ring contains fluidics for cell culturing, which can discharge the waste fluid when the nutrient is exhausted and replenish the new culture medium by spinning the platform. In conclusion, the proposed centrifugal platform can provide a rapid generation of the concentration gradients and automate the operation of cell culturing. It provides an efficient and low-cost platform for drug screening.