Multimodal haptic perception is essential for enhancing perceptual experiences in augmented reality applications. To date, several artificial tactile interfaces have been developed to perceive pressure and precontact signals, while simultaneously detecting object type and softness with quantified modulus still remains challenging. Here, inspired by the campaniform sensilla on insect antennae, we proposed a hemispherical bimodal intelligent tactile sensor (BITS) array using the triboelectric effect. The system is capable of softness identification, modulus quantification, and material type recognition. In principle, due to the varied deformability of materials, the BITS generates unique triboelectric output fingerprints when in contact with the tested object. Furthermore, owing to the different electron affinities, the BITS array can accurately recognize material type (99.4% accuracy), facilitating softness recognition (100% accuracy) and modulus quantification. It is promising that the BITS based on the triboelectric effect has the potential to be miniaturized to provide real-time accurate haptic information as an artificial antenna toward applications of human-machine integration.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of pupil offset in young Asian adults with myopia. Methods: In total, 1200 eyes (600 young adults, 18–35 years old) were divided into mild-moderate and high groups according to equivalent spherical diopters (SEQ). The pupil offset and its X and Y components were compared between the groups. Linear correlation was analyzed among pupil offset, X and Y components, and SEQ. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted for pupil offset and eye parameters. Results: The mean age of all subjects was 22.5 ± 4.8 years. The mean magnitude of the pupil offset (0.18 ± 0.09 mm vs. 0.15 ± 0.08 mm) and Y component (0.12 ± 0.08 mm vs. 0.10 ± 0.07 mm) were larger in the high group than in the mild-moderate group (P < 0.05). The magnitude of pupil offset, X and Y components, and SEQ were positively correlated. The pupil center (PC) of the right eye in the mild-moderate group was mainly superotemporal to the corneal vertex and mainly superonasal for the left eye and both eyes in the high group. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the magnitude of pupil offset correlated with central corneal thickness, intraocular pressure, and mean corneal curvature (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The magnitude of the pupil offset that correlated with partial eye parameters and its X and Y components increased as the SEQ increased, and the PC gradually shifted toward the superonasal direction in young Asian adults with myopia. Translational Relevance: Subjects with high myopia with a larger pupil offset should be considered for better postoperative visual quality during refractive surgery.

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the role of the corneal lymphatic Prox1 gene in modulating limbal stem cell stemness and facilitating corneal injury repair. The limbal Prox1 gene was knocked down by adeno-associated virus (AAV). The alkali burn model was induced in the naive group, the AAV-sham group, and the AAV-shProx1 group. Anterior segment photography, fluorescein sodium staining, and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining were conducted immediately on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 21 post-injury. Immunofluorescent (IF) staining was used to assess Ki67, ΔNp63, and K14. Additionally, seq-mRNA technology facilitated a comparative transcriptomic analysis between the AAV-sham and the AAV-shProx1 groups 7 days post-injury. Key regulated genes were verified by protein level. Furthermore, a co-culture model of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) and limbal stem cells (LSCs) was used to investigate the proliferation capacity and stemness expression of LSCs. Fluorescein sodium staining revealed that the epithelial defect area was significantly larger in the AAV-shProx1 group than in the AAV-sham group on days 1 and 3 post-injury (P < 0.05). Ki67, ΔNp63, and K14 expressions were consistently lower in the AAV-shProx1 group than in the AAV-sham group at distinct time points. Additionally, seq-mRNA results demonstrated that genes (Prox1 and Lyve1) were downregulated while inflammatory factors (Ccl2, Ccl7, IL16, IL1R, and TNFsf11) were upregulated in the AAV-shProx1 group compared with the AAV-sham group. When Prox1 was silenced in LECs, the proliferation and stemness of LSCs were markedly downregulated. The Prox1 and Lyve1 proteins in lymphatic vessels served as pivotal regulated proteins in corneal injury repair. The draining role of lymphatic vessels during corneal injury was indispensable.

Early diagnosis of glaucoma remains challenging due to its asymptomatic onset and multifactorial pathological mechanisms. Growing evidence indicates that metabolic disorders and systemic molecular alterations play significant roles in glaucoma pathogenesis. However, reliable biomarkers and corresponding specific mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we employed a multi-omics approach that encompassed metabolomics, transcriptomics, and Mendelian randomization to investigate the association between glaucoma and 35 types of blood and urine biomarkers. Metabolic pathway analysis was conducted using pathway enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. Our study indicated that glaucoma contributed to elevated calcium concentration (OR = 1.044, 95% CI: 1.002–1.088, p = 0.039) in blood and urine, mediated by cell membrane calcium channels and calcium release from intracellular storage. Conversely, glucose was found to contribute to high glaucoma risk (OR = 1.324, 95% CI: 1.143–1.533, p = 0.0002), mediated by increased aqueous humor production, elevated intraocular pressure, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and oxidative stress. Validation experiments showed that calcium levels in blood, urine, and retina were elevated in the glaucoma group, and elevated glucose levels significantly reduced the 661W cell viability and induced apoptosis. This study offers new insights into the specific mechanisms linking blood and urine biomarkers to glaucoma, contributing to its prevention and screening.

Assessing the consistency of pupil offset measurements between the Pentacam and Keratron Scout is essential for the refractive surgery design of young myopic patients. Accurate preoperative measurement of pupil offset is critical to achieving a better quality of vision after refractive surgery. The Pentacam and Keratron Scout are commonly used in hospitals, and evaluating their consistency is essential for accurate measurement of pupil offset. Six hundred eyes (600 subjects) were included in this study. Pupil offset and its X, Y-component were measured by Pentacam and Keratron Scout, respectively. Agreement and repeatability between the two devices were identified by intraclass correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman plots with 95% limits of agreement. Paired t-tests and Pearson analysis were used to compare the differences and correlations between the two devices. The mean age of all subjects was 23 ± 5 years. The mean pupil offset magnitude obtained from Pentacam and Keratron Scout was 0.16 ± 0.08 mm and 0.15 ± 0.07 mm. The 95% limits of agreement (−0.11–0.13, −0.09–0.11, and −0.11–0.12) and intraclass correlation coefficient (0.82, 0.84, and 0.81) demonstrated good agreement and repeatability of the two devices in measuring pupil offset and its X, Y-component. A significant correlation between the two devices was found (r = 0.71, 0.73, and 0.70). The direction of pupil offset measured by the devices was both predominately towards the superonasal quadrant. Pentacam and Keratron Scout showed good agreement in measuring pupil offset and its X, Y-component, which can be used interchangeably in clinical practice.