Linking words,also called transition words,are quite useful in English expressions.Linking words are not the same as conjunctions,although some conjunctions can function as linking words.Here's a clear explanation...Linking words,also called transition words,are quite useful in English expressions.Linking words are not the same as conjunctions,although some conjunctions can function as linking words.Here's a clear explanation for English learners,followed by a wellorganized passage on the functions of linking words in writing and communication.展开更多
The 6-isoquinolinyl system was incorporated into mechanically interlocked molecules(MIMs)syntheses for comparative analysis of its assembly behavior with 4-pyridyl-based coordination ligands,where a coordination-drive...The 6-isoquinolinyl system was incorporated into mechanically interlocked molecules(MIMs)syntheses for comparative analysis of its assembly behavior with 4-pyridyl-based coordination ligands,where a coordination-driven self-assembly strategy by half-sandwich Cp^(*)Rh units was employed to construct diverse molecular links.The pyridyl ligand,adorned with thiophene moieties,assembles into[2]catenanes(2_(1)^(2)links),whereas the isoquinolinyl ligand produces molecular Borromean links(6_(2)^(3)links).Intriguingly,when utilizing extended bithiophene segments,the pyridyl ligand forms Borromean rings(6_(2)^(3)links),while isoquinolinyl counterparts produced a rare low-symmetry cyclic[3]catenane(6_(3)^(3)topology).The results were confirmed through single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis,nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)spectroscopy,and electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry(ESI-TOF/MS)experiments.Synergistic π-π stacking,C-H···π interactions,and solvophobic effects governed the complex self-assembly system,with independent gradient model(IGM)analyses and solventaccessible surface area(SASA)calculations providing atomistic insights into the pathway selectivity of distinct topological links.展开更多
As an important resource in data link,time slots should be strategically allocated to enhance transmission efficiency and resist eavesdropping,especially considering the tremendous increase in the number of nodes and ...As an important resource in data link,time slots should be strategically allocated to enhance transmission efficiency and resist eavesdropping,especially considering the tremendous increase in the number of nodes and diverse communication needs.It is crucial to design control sequences with robust randomness and conflict-freeness to properly address differentiated access control in data link.In this paper,we propose a hierarchical access control scheme based on control sequences to achieve high utilization of time slots and differentiated access control.A theoretical bound of the hierarchical control sequence set is derived to characterize the constraints on the parameters of the sequence set.Moreover,two classes of optimal hierarchical control sequence sets satisfying the theoretical bound are constructed,both of which enable the scheme to achieve maximum utilization of time slots.Compared with the fixed time slot allocation scheme,our scheme reduces the symbol error rate by up to 9%,which indicates a significant improvement in anti-interference and eavesdropping capabilities.展开更多
The Routing Protocol for Low-power and Lossy Networks(RPL)is widely used in Internet of Things(IoT)systems,where devices usually have very limited resources.However,RPL still faces several problems,such as high energy...The Routing Protocol for Low-power and Lossy Networks(RPL)is widely used in Internet of Things(IoT)systems,where devices usually have very limited resources.However,RPL still faces several problems,such as high energy usage,unstable links,and inefficient routing decisions,which reduce the overall network performance and lifetime.In this work,we introduce TABURPL,an improved routing method that applies Tabu Search(TS)to optimize the parent selection process.The method uses a combined cost function that considers Residual Energy,Transmission Energy,Distance to the Sink,Hop Count,Expected Transmission Count(ETX),and Link Stability Rate(LSR).Simulation results show that TABURPL improves link stability,lowers energy consumption,and increases the packet delivery ratio compared with standard RPL and other existing approaches.These results indicate that Tabu Search can handle the complex trade-offs in IoT routing and can provide a more reliable solution for extending the network lifetime.展开更多
Acute lung injury(ALl)is characterized by a sudden decline in pulmonary gas exchange function due to various pathological factors,with severe cases progressing to acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS).ARDS affects...Acute lung injury(ALl)is characterized by a sudden decline in pulmonary gas exchange function due to various pathological factors,with severe cases progressing to acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS).ARDS affects approximately 3million patients annually,accounting for 10% of intensive care unit admissions[1].展开更多
Based on the theory of the post method pedagogy and the teaching practice，this paper proposes a new teaching model，the self-correction model，and explains it from the point of view of linking theory.
We study the phenomena of preferential linking in a large-scale evolving online social network and find that the linear preference holds for preferential creation, preferential acceptance, and preferential attachment....We study the phenomena of preferential linking in a large-scale evolving online social network and find that the linear preference holds for preferential creation, preferential acceptance, and preferential attachment. Based on the linear preference, we propose an analyzable model, which illustrates the mechanism of network growth and reproduces the process of network evolution. Our simulations demonstrate that the degree distribution of the network produced by the model is in good agreement with that of the real network. This work provides a possible bridge between the micro=mechanisms of network growth and the macrostructures of online social networks.展开更多
AIM: To compare the clinical outcomes of the standard corneal cross linking(CXL) and the accelerated CXL in patients with progressive corneal ectasia post refractive surgery and penetrating keratoplasty.METHODS: Total...AIM: To compare the clinical outcomes of the standard corneal cross linking(CXL) and the accelerated CXL in patients with progressive corneal ectasia post refractive surgery and penetrating keratoplasty.METHODS: Totally 120 eyes of 83 patients scheduled to receive either standard CXL(3 m W/cm^2 for a period of 30 min) or accelerated CXL(18 m W/cm2 for a period of 5 min). The main outcomes for comparison were the change in: maximum-K reading(K-max), manifest refractive spherical equivalent(SE), central corneal thickness(CCT), and the best corrected distance visual acuity(CDVA).RESULTS: One hundred and eleven eyes completed the study. The main outcome measurement was the K-max reading. Both group showed significant improvement in the value postoperatively at 6 and 12 mo. The mean change in the standard group was 1.21±0.11 D and in the accelerated group was 0.90±0.05 D at the end of 12 mo postoperatively, with no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups. Similarly, CDVA improved significantly from their preoperative value in the standard group by 2.98±0.11 letters, and in the accelerated group by 2.20±0.06 letters, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Both of the SE, and CCT showed no statistically significant difference at the end of follow up period in each group.CONCLUSION: Both standard CXL and accelerated CXL are safe and effective treatment in halting ectasia after corneal refractive surgery. The accelerated CXL results are comparable to the standard CXL with short time exposure of the cornea to ultraviolet irradiation, leading to reduced operation time, reduced operative ocular discomfort, and corneal haze.展开更多
All seven emissions trading pilots in China operate independently.One challenge facing most of them is the low inclusion thresholds for enterprises and the few total covered emissions,which negatively influences the e...All seven emissions trading pilots in China operate independently.One challenge facing most of them is the low inclusion thresholds for enterprises and the few total covered emissions,which negatively influences the effects of the emissions trading systems(ETSs).Some pilot sites,such as Guangdong,Hubei,Tianjin and Beijing,have indicated their willingness to link their schemes with others.ETS linking could expand scheme coverages and therefore help to reduce the overall costs of achieving the linked schemes' emissions control targets.Linking could also help to address the issues of carbon leakage and reduce price fluctuations.The potential benefits and feasibility of linking different pilot systems are analyzed in this article.The seven pilot regions are at different stages of social and economic development,with significant differences in total emissions and emissions structures as well as carbon abatement potentials and costs.Through linking,more-developed regions such as Beijing,Shanghai and Shenzhen,which are typically considered to face higher mitigation costs,will have the opportunity to achieve their emissions control targets by purchasing carbon units from less-developed regions,which will earn financial revenues from selling the units.To realize this win-win result,a series of policy and technical barriers at both the central government and pilot government levels needs to be overcome.Establishing a unified national emissions trading market would appear to be the ideal solution to these challenges,but it will take considerable time and will not be the short-term solution.In the absence of a unified national scheme,it is recommended that the central government encourage pilot schemes to link,that it develops corresponding national policies to support the linking efforts and that the pilot schemes that are intended to be linked coordinate on certain design elements.Based on the coordinating need,the major elements of an ETS can be divided into four categories:elements that need mutual recognition(cap setting and allowance allocation methods);elements that should be completely identical(compliance mechanisms,price containment measures,banking and borrowing rules,and offset mechanisms);technical elements that are preferably identical and easy to coordinate(MRV standards,technical registry standards);and elements that require no coordination(coverages and scopes).展开更多
This study was designed to evaluate efficacy and stability of corneal collagen crosslinking(CXL) in halting the progression of post-laser in situ keratomileusis(LASIK) ectasia and provide long-term follow-up results w...This study was designed to evaluate efficacy and stability of corneal collagen crosslinking(CXL) in halting the progression of post-laser in situ keratomileusis(LASIK) ectasia and provide long-term follow-up results with an average of 80 mo. Patients with post-LASIK ectasia were treated with CXL between December 2007 and January 2012. Main outcome measures were uncorrected distance visual acuities(UDVA) and corrected distance visual acuities(CDVA), minimum and maximum keratometry(K) values, spherical and cylindrical refraction, and corneal thickness. The study evaluated 17 eyes for 13 patients(8 men, 5 women) with mean age of 31y(range 23 to 39) and mean follow-up of 80.7±15(range 57 to 102)mo. UDVA and CDVA improved from logMAR 0.53±0.36(20/63) to 0.49±0.4(20/50)(P=0.43) and from 0.18±0.17(20/28) to 0.16±0.16(20/27)(P=0.55) respectively. In 15 eyes UDVA and in 13 eyes CDVA either remained stable or improved ≥1 Snellen lines(88.2%) and(76.5%) respectively. Although statistically insignificant, spherical and cylindrical refraction decreased post-CXL from-1.26±2.87 to-0.38±2.32 diopters(D)(P=0.054) and from-3.80±2.47 to-3.04±2.18 D(P=0.13) respectively. Kmax significantly decreased from 44.23±3.76 to 42.85±3.08 D(P=0.013) and Kmin decreased from 41.07±3.61 to 40.00±2.65 D(P=0.057). Corneal thickness decreased from 470±42 to 460±41 μm, but was statistically non-significant(P=0.063). Therefore, CXL is effective in halting and partially reversing the progression of postLASIK ectasia on the long-term(mean follow-up of more than 80mo), thus highlighting the stability and maintained effect of CXL for such cases.展开更多
Aiming at the relation linking task for question answering over knowledge base,especially the multi relation linking task for complex questions,a relation linking approach based on the multi-attention recurrent neural...Aiming at the relation linking task for question answering over knowledge base,especially the multi relation linking task for complex questions,a relation linking approach based on the multi-attention recurrent neural network(RNN)model is proposed,which works for both simple and complex questions.First,the vector representations of questions are learned by the bidirectional long short-term memory(Bi-LSTM)model at the word and character levels,and named entities in questions are labeled by the conditional random field(CRF)model.Candidate entities are generated based on a dictionary,the disambiguation of candidate entities is realized based on predefined rules,and named entities mentioned in questions are linked to entities in knowledge base.Next,questions are classified into simple or complex questions by the machine learning method.Starting from the identified entities,for simple questions,one-hop relations are collected in the knowledge base as candidate relations;for complex questions,two-hop relations are collected as candidates.Finally,the multi-attention Bi-LSTM model is used to encode questions and candidate relations,compare their similarity,and return the candidate relation with the highest similarity as the result of relation linking.It is worth noting that the Bi-LSTM model with one attentions is adopted for simple questions,and the Bi-LSTM model with two attentions is adopted for complex questions.The experimental results show that,based on the effective entity linking method,the Bi-LSTM model with the attention mechanism improves the relation linking effectiveness of both simple and complex questions,which outperforms the existing relation linking methods based on graph algorithm or linguistics understanding.展开更多
AIM:To compare corneal demarcation line(DL)depth in both accelerated epithelium-off and trans-epithelium cross linking(CXL)using anterior segment optical coherence tomography(AS-OCT)and its relation to maximum keratom...AIM:To compare corneal demarcation line(DL)depth in both accelerated epithelium-off and trans-epithelium cross linking(CXL)using anterior segment optical coherence tomography(AS-OCT)and its relation to maximum keratometry(Kmax)progression in both techniques.METHODS:A prospective comparative interventional study where patients with mild to moderate keratoconus(KC)were classified into two groups:accelerated epitheliumoff and trans-epithelium CXL based on corneal pachymetry.Assessment of corneal DL depth was carried out after 3mo by AS-OCT.Kmax readings were evaluated after one year follow up using the Scheimpflug imaging system.RESULTS:Study included 74 eyes of 44 patients.Group A underwent epithelium-off CXL(41 eyes),while Group B underwent trans-epithelium CXL(33 eyes).At 3mo follow up,mean corneal DL depth in Group A was 219.9±58.4μm while in Group B was 127.2±7.8μm(P<0.05).The mean Kmaxchangedfrom51.9±3.9to51.3±4.2dioptersin Group A and from 53.1±4.1 to 53.6±5 diopters in Group B with insignificant difference in Kmax changes in either group(P>0.05).In addition,no significant change in corneal pachymetry was found in both groups(meanchange at 1y:6.4±4.7 and-10.1±2.3μm in Groups A and B respectively).CONCLUSION:Despite a significantly deeper corneal DL depth created by accelerated epithelium-off CXL technique compared to accelerated trans-epithelium CXL,there is no significant impact on keratoconus progression.展开更多
文摘Linking words,also called transition words,are quite useful in English expressions.Linking words are not the same as conjunctions,although some conjunctions can function as linking words.Here's a clear explanation for English learners,followed by a wellorganized passage on the functions of linking words in writing and communication.
基金supported by the Department of Chemistry,Fudan Universitythe National Natural Science Foundation of China(22031003,21720102004)the Shanghai Science Technology Committee(19DZ2270100)。
文摘The 6-isoquinolinyl system was incorporated into mechanically interlocked molecules(MIMs)syntheses for comparative analysis of its assembly behavior with 4-pyridyl-based coordination ligands,where a coordination-driven self-assembly strategy by half-sandwich Cp^(*)Rh units was employed to construct diverse molecular links.The pyridyl ligand,adorned with thiophene moieties,assembles into[2]catenanes(2_(1)^(2)links),whereas the isoquinolinyl ligand produces molecular Borromean links(6_(2)^(3)links).Intriguingly,when utilizing extended bithiophene segments,the pyridyl ligand forms Borromean rings(6_(2)^(3)links),while isoquinolinyl counterparts produced a rare low-symmetry cyclic[3]catenane(6_(3)^(3)topology).The results were confirmed through single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis,nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)spectroscopy,and electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry(ESI-TOF/MS)experiments.Synergistic π-π stacking,C-H···π interactions,and solvophobic effects governed the complex self-assembly system,with independent gradient model(IGM)analyses and solventaccessible surface area(SASA)calculations providing atomistic insights into the pathway selectivity of distinct topological links.
基金supported by the National Science Foundation of China(No.62171387)the Science and Technology Program of Sichuan Province(No.2024NSFSC0468)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2019M663475).
文摘As an important resource in data link,time slots should be strategically allocated to enhance transmission efficiency and resist eavesdropping,especially considering the tremendous increase in the number of nodes and diverse communication needs.It is crucial to design control sequences with robust randomness and conflict-freeness to properly address differentiated access control in data link.In this paper,we propose a hierarchical access control scheme based on control sequences to achieve high utilization of time slots and differentiated access control.A theoretical bound of the hierarchical control sequence set is derived to characterize the constraints on the parameters of the sequence set.Moreover,two classes of optimal hierarchical control sequence sets satisfying the theoretical bound are constructed,both of which enable the scheme to achieve maximum utilization of time slots.Compared with the fixed time slot allocation scheme,our scheme reduces the symbol error rate by up to 9%,which indicates a significant improvement in anti-interference and eavesdropping capabilities.
文摘The Routing Protocol for Low-power and Lossy Networks(RPL)is widely used in Internet of Things(IoT)systems,where devices usually have very limited resources.However,RPL still faces several problems,such as high energy usage,unstable links,and inefficient routing decisions,which reduce the overall network performance and lifetime.In this work,we introduce TABURPL,an improved routing method that applies Tabu Search(TS)to optimize the parent selection process.The method uses a combined cost function that considers Residual Energy,Transmission Energy,Distance to the Sink,Hop Count,Expected Transmission Count(ETX),and Link Stability Rate(LSR).Simulation results show that TABURPL improves link stability,lowers energy consumption,and increases the packet delivery ratio compared with standard RPL and other existing approaches.These results indicate that Tabu Search can handle the complex trade-offs in IoT routing and can provide a more reliable solution for extending the network lifetime.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foun-dation of China(81970011,81970070,82100086,and 82270390)the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province(2025AFC006)+2 种基金the research fund from Medical Sci-Tech Innovation Platform of Zhongnan Hospital,Wuhan University(PTXM2025032)the Basic Medicine-Clinical Medicine Transformation Collaborative Fund of Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University,the Hubei Province Inno-vation Platform Construction Project(20204201117303072238)the Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center of Model Animal.
文摘Acute lung injury(ALl)is characterized by a sudden decline in pulmonary gas exchange function due to various pathological factors,with severe cases progressing to acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS).ARDS affects approximately 3million patients annually,accounting for 10% of intensive care unit admissions[1].
文摘Based on the theory of the post method pedagogy and the teaching practice，this paper proposes a new teaching model，the self-correction model，and explains it from the point of view of linking theory.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61104139,70871082,and 71101053)the ECUST for Excellent Young Scientists,China
文摘We study the phenomena of preferential linking in a large-scale evolving online social network and find that the linear preference holds for preferential creation, preferential acceptance, and preferential attachment. Based on the linear preference, we propose an analyzable model, which illustrates the mechanism of network growth and reproduces the process of network evolution. Our simulations demonstrate that the degree distribution of the network produced by the model is in good agreement with that of the real network. This work provides a possible bridge between the micro=mechanisms of network growth and the macrostructures of online social networks.
文摘AIM: To compare the clinical outcomes of the standard corneal cross linking(CXL) and the accelerated CXL in patients with progressive corneal ectasia post refractive surgery and penetrating keratoplasty.METHODS: Totally 120 eyes of 83 patients scheduled to receive either standard CXL(3 m W/cm^2 for a period of 30 min) or accelerated CXL(18 m W/cm2 for a period of 5 min). The main outcomes for comparison were the change in: maximum-K reading(K-max), manifest refractive spherical equivalent(SE), central corneal thickness(CCT), and the best corrected distance visual acuity(CDVA).RESULTS: One hundred and eleven eyes completed the study. The main outcome measurement was the K-max reading. Both group showed significant improvement in the value postoperatively at 6 and 12 mo. The mean change in the standard group was 1.21±0.11 D and in the accelerated group was 0.90±0.05 D at the end of 12 mo postoperatively, with no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups. Similarly, CDVA improved significantly from their preoperative value in the standard group by 2.98±0.11 letters, and in the accelerated group by 2.20±0.06 letters, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Both of the SE, and CCT showed no statistically significant difference at the end of follow up period in each group.CONCLUSION: Both standard CXL and accelerated CXL are safe and effective treatment in halting ectasia after corneal refractive surgery. The accelerated CXL results are comparable to the standard CXL with short time exposure of the cornea to ultraviolet irradiation, leading to reduced operation time, reduced operative ocular discomfort, and corneal haze.
基金supported by the Chinese Ministry of Education Key Social Sciences Research Project(grant number 13JJD630007)
文摘All seven emissions trading pilots in China operate independently.One challenge facing most of them is the low inclusion thresholds for enterprises and the few total covered emissions,which negatively influences the effects of the emissions trading systems(ETSs).Some pilot sites,such as Guangdong,Hubei,Tianjin and Beijing,have indicated their willingness to link their schemes with others.ETS linking could expand scheme coverages and therefore help to reduce the overall costs of achieving the linked schemes' emissions control targets.Linking could also help to address the issues of carbon leakage and reduce price fluctuations.The potential benefits and feasibility of linking different pilot systems are analyzed in this article.The seven pilot regions are at different stages of social and economic development,with significant differences in total emissions and emissions structures as well as carbon abatement potentials and costs.Through linking,more-developed regions such as Beijing,Shanghai and Shenzhen,which are typically considered to face higher mitigation costs,will have the opportunity to achieve their emissions control targets by purchasing carbon units from less-developed regions,which will earn financial revenues from selling the units.To realize this win-win result,a series of policy and technical barriers at both the central government and pilot government levels needs to be overcome.Establishing a unified national emissions trading market would appear to be the ideal solution to these challenges,but it will take considerable time and will not be the short-term solution.In the absence of a unified national scheme,it is recommended that the central government encourage pilot schemes to link,that it develops corresponding national policies to support the linking efforts and that the pilot schemes that are intended to be linked coordinate on certain design elements.Based on the coordinating need,the major elements of an ETS can be divided into four categories:elements that need mutual recognition(cap setting and allowance allocation methods);elements that should be completely identical(compliance mechanisms,price containment measures,banking and borrowing rules,and offset mechanisms);technical elements that are preferably identical and easy to coordinate(MRV standards,technical registry standards);and elements that require no coordination(coverages and scopes).
文摘This study was designed to evaluate efficacy and stability of corneal collagen crosslinking(CXL) in halting the progression of post-laser in situ keratomileusis(LASIK) ectasia and provide long-term follow-up results with an average of 80 mo. Patients with post-LASIK ectasia were treated with CXL between December 2007 and January 2012. Main outcome measures were uncorrected distance visual acuities(UDVA) and corrected distance visual acuities(CDVA), minimum and maximum keratometry(K) values, spherical and cylindrical refraction, and corneal thickness. The study evaluated 17 eyes for 13 patients(8 men, 5 women) with mean age of 31y(range 23 to 39) and mean follow-up of 80.7±15(range 57 to 102)mo. UDVA and CDVA improved from logMAR 0.53±0.36(20/63) to 0.49±0.4(20/50)(P=0.43) and from 0.18±0.17(20/28) to 0.16±0.16(20/27)(P=0.55) respectively. In 15 eyes UDVA and in 13 eyes CDVA either remained stable or improved ≥1 Snellen lines(88.2%) and(76.5%) respectively. Although statistically insignificant, spherical and cylindrical refraction decreased post-CXL from-1.26±2.87 to-0.38±2.32 diopters(D)(P=0.054) and from-3.80±2.47 to-3.04±2.18 D(P=0.13) respectively. Kmax significantly decreased from 44.23±3.76 to 42.85±3.08 D(P=0.013) and Kmin decreased from 41.07±3.61 to 40.00±2.65 D(P=0.057). Corneal thickness decreased from 470±42 to 460±41 μm, but was statistically non-significant(P=0.063). Therefore, CXL is effective in halting and partially reversing the progression of postLASIK ectasia on the long-term(mean follow-up of more than 80mo), thus highlighting the stability and maintained effect of CXL for such cases.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.61502095).
文摘Aiming at the relation linking task for question answering over knowledge base,especially the multi relation linking task for complex questions,a relation linking approach based on the multi-attention recurrent neural network(RNN)model is proposed,which works for both simple and complex questions.First,the vector representations of questions are learned by the bidirectional long short-term memory(Bi-LSTM)model at the word and character levels,and named entities in questions are labeled by the conditional random field(CRF)model.Candidate entities are generated based on a dictionary,the disambiguation of candidate entities is realized based on predefined rules,and named entities mentioned in questions are linked to entities in knowledge base.Next,questions are classified into simple or complex questions by the machine learning method.Starting from the identified entities,for simple questions,one-hop relations are collected in the knowledge base as candidate relations;for complex questions,two-hop relations are collected as candidates.Finally,the multi-attention Bi-LSTM model is used to encode questions and candidate relations,compare their similarity,and return the candidate relation with the highest similarity as the result of relation linking.It is worth noting that the Bi-LSTM model with one attentions is adopted for simple questions,and the Bi-LSTM model with two attentions is adopted for complex questions.The experimental results show that,based on the effective entity linking method,the Bi-LSTM model with the attention mechanism improves the relation linking effectiveness of both simple and complex questions,which outperforms the existing relation linking methods based on graph algorithm or linguistics understanding.
文摘AIM:To compare corneal demarcation line(DL)depth in both accelerated epithelium-off and trans-epithelium cross linking(CXL)using anterior segment optical coherence tomography(AS-OCT)and its relation to maximum keratometry(Kmax)progression in both techniques.METHODS:A prospective comparative interventional study where patients with mild to moderate keratoconus(KC)were classified into two groups:accelerated epitheliumoff and trans-epithelium CXL based on corneal pachymetry.Assessment of corneal DL depth was carried out after 3mo by AS-OCT.Kmax readings were evaluated after one year follow up using the Scheimpflug imaging system.RESULTS:Study included 74 eyes of 44 patients.Group A underwent epithelium-off CXL(41 eyes),while Group B underwent trans-epithelium CXL(33 eyes).At 3mo follow up,mean corneal DL depth in Group A was 219.9±58.4μm while in Group B was 127.2±7.8μm(P<0.05).The mean Kmaxchangedfrom51.9±3.9to51.3±4.2dioptersin Group A and from 53.1±4.1 to 53.6±5 diopters in Group B with insignificant difference in Kmax changes in either group(P>0.05).In addition,no significant change in corneal pachymetry was found in both groups(meanchange at 1y:6.4±4.7 and-10.1±2.3μm in Groups A and B respectively).CONCLUSION:Despite a significantly deeper corneal DL depth created by accelerated epithelium-off CXL technique compared to accelerated trans-epithelium CXL,there is no significant impact on keratoconus progression.
