Recent publications by SOVS staff include:
1. Mapping sequences can bias population receptive field estimates
Neuroimage
Elisa Infanti, D. Samuel Schwarzkopf
Sam Schwarzkopf, together with Elisa Infanti from University College London, published a brain imaging study in which they compared different methods for mapping the human visual cortex. Most such experiments use images that move through the visual field in an orderly sequence (e.g. from left to right). This could produce expectation effects. The orderly nature of these sequences could also by itself change the signals in the brain.
They therefore compared orderly to random sequences and also sequences that were not ordered but made predictable, either through training or by informing participants where the next image would appear. They found that there were considerable differences between orderly and disorderly sequences. The predictability or expectations had no effect however.
Click here to read the paper.
2. Comparison of human population receptive field estimates between scanners and the effect of temporal filtering [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]
F1000Research
Catherine Morgan, D. Samuel Schwarzkopf
This study compares visual brain mapping experiments conducted in London and Auckland using population receptive field (pRF) mapping, which allows experimenters to measure how precisely the brain encodes the visual field.
Click here to read the paper.
3. Proinflammatory cytokines trigger biochemical and neurochemical changes in mouse retinal explants exposed to hyperglycemic conditions
Molecular Vision
Gaganashree Shivashankar, Julie C. Lim, Monica L. Acosta
The investigation shows that short-term exposure to proinflammatory cytokines contributes to the early biochemical and neurochemical changes caused by hyperglycemia, affecting energy metabolism and amino acid distribution in the retina. These data are consistent with the idea that early intervention to prevent inflammation-triggered loss of metabolic homeostasis in patients with diabetes is necessary to prevent diabetic retinopathy progression.
Click here to read the paper.
4. Global eye health and the Sustainable Development Goals: protocol for a scoping review
BMJ Open
Justine H Zhang, Jacqueline Ramke, Nyawira Mwangi, Joao Furtado, Sumrana Yasmin, Covadonga Bascaran, Cynthia Ogundo, Catherine Jan, Iris Gordon, Nathan Congdon, Matthew J Burton
To inform the ongoing Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health, this protocol outlines a scoping review that will summarise the nature and extent of the published literature that demonstrates a link between improved eye health and advancement of the SDGs.
Click here to read the paper.
5. Action needed to improve equity and diversity in global eye health leadership
Eye
Aryati Yashadhana, Justine H Zhang, Sumrana Yasmin, Priya Morjaria, Peter Holland, Hannah Faal, Matthew J Burton, Jacqueline Ramke
To inform the ongoing Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health, this paper explores gender parity and ethnic diversity among leaders of the 150 member organisations comprising the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), the overarching alliance for the global eye care sector.
Click here to read the paper.
6. Announcing the Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health
The Lancet Global Health
Matthew J Burton, Hannah B Faal, Jacqueline Ramke, Thulasiraj Ravilla, Peter Holland, Ningli Wang, Sheila K West, Rupert R A Bourne, Nathan G Congdon, Allen Foster
This paper outlines the rationale for the ongoing Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health.
Click here to read the paper.
7. Towards implementation of AI in New Zealand national diabetic screening program: Cloud-based, robust and bespoke
Public Library of Science (PLOS)
Li Xie, Song Yang, David Squirrell, Ehsan Vaghefi
Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have become a prominent method of AI implementation in medical classification tasks. Grading Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) has been at the forefront of the development of AI for ophthalmology. However, major obstacles remain in the generalization of these CNNs onto real-world DR screening programs. This paper outlines what courses the obstacles and how the issues have been addressed.
Click here to read the paper.
8. Relationship between rheological properties and transverse relaxation time (T2) of artificial and porcine vitreous humour
Science Direct
Sachin S Thakur, Xingzheng (Wilson) Pan, Gamith L Kumarasinghe, Naibo Yin, Beau P. Pontre, Ehsan Vaghefi, Ilva D. Rupenthal
Artificial gels that mimic the property of vitreous were used to develop an MRI-based method to non-invasively measure the fluid viscosity; the method was validated using porcine vitreous. This paper is a collaborative work between SOVS and School of Pharmacy; Wilson is the joint first author with Dr Sachin Thakur from School of Pharmacy.
Click here to read the paper.
9. The prevalence of refractive error and visual impairment among New Zealand children in a community with significant socioeconomic disadvantage: is current preschool vision screening effective?
New Zealand Medical Journal
Rebecca Findlay, Joanna Black, Nicola Anstice, Alison Burge, Alison Leversha
This study examined the prevalence of refractive error and visual impairment and the efficacy of preschool vision screening in a cohort of mainly New Zealand Māori and Pacific children living in a community with socioeconomic disadvantage. Preschool vision screening was effective in identifying children with risk factors for amblyopia (lazy eye). However, almost one third of children in the study required glasses and more than half of children who required glasses had passed the preschool vision screening. Additionally, the efficacy of the programme was limited by the number of children that either did not receive screening or had incomplete screening.
Click here to read the paper.