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PURPOSE To develop deep learning models for identification of sex and age from macular optical coherence tomography (OCT), and to analyze the features for differentiation of sex and age. DESIGN Algorithm development using database of macular OCT. SETTING One eye center in Taiwan. STUDY POPULATION 6147 sets of macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) images from the healthy eyes of 3134 persons. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Deep learning based algorithms were used to develop models for identification of sex and age, and 10-fold cross-validation was applied. Gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) was used for feature analysis. RESULTS The accuracy for sex prediction using deep learning from macular OCT was 85.6±2.1%, compared to the accuracy of 61.9% by using macular thickness and 61.4±4.0% by using deep learning from infrared fundus photography (P

Background/purpose: The association between sex and diagnostic behavior of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the effects of comorbid mental retardation (MR) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), were explored. Methods: Based on the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID)-2000 and data from 1996 through 2008, the cumulative incidence of ASD over time was compared between the sexes (both cohorts n = 38,117) using the log-rank test. The effects of comorbid MR and ADHD on the incidence of ASD were evaluated using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. The age at first diagnosis of ASD in the two sexes was compared using the independent-sample t-test. Results: The incidence was higher in males than in females (0.0007 vs. 0.0002) across ages. Comorbid MR or ADHD increased the incidence of ASD in both sexes; comorbid MR or ADHD also decreased the male to female hazard ratio of ASD, with no significant differences in the incidence density of ASD between sexes. ADHD delayed diagnosis in both sexes (males: 6.61 vs 5.10, p

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss. The present consensus provides suggestions on diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, and follow-up strategies for nAMD from a panel of 11 practicing ophthalmologists. The experts suggest that the baseline visit for nAMD management should include a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination via a multimodal approach consisting of visual and anatomical evaluation. Patients diagnosed with nAMD should be subjected to treatment with the goal of maintaining visual function while diminishing anatomical disease activity and minimizing treatment burden. Currently, anti-VEGF therapy is the main treatment strategy for nAMD, and evaluation involving comprehensive ophthalmologic examination within 1 month of completion of the loading phase comprising three monthly injections is recommended to guide subsequent management. Either a treat-and-extend or pro re nata regimen can be considered for the maintenance phase of anti-VEGF therapy, and the regimen should be chosen and adjusted according to disease activity, reimbursement criteria, financial burden, and patient preferences. In the event of inactive nAMD or poor treatment outcomes, after thorough evaluation and patient education, anti-VEGF therapy may be stopped. The consensus provides practical nAMD management guidelines for ophthalmologists and fellow healthcare professionals.

To provide real-world experiences of treating polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) patients with photodynamic therapy (PDT) plus intravitreal injection of ranibizumab or intravitreal injection of aflibercept alone. Retrospective chart review of patients with PCV in a single tertiary referral center in Taiwan. Chart review of PCV patients treated with PDT and injection of ranibizumab or injection of aflibercept. A total of 101 eyes of 101 patients (38 females and 63 males) were reviewed. Of those, 48 and 53 eyes received primary/adjunctive PDT along with injections of ranibizumab or intravitreal injections of aflibercept only, respectively. Initial visual acuity (VA) and central subfield choroidal thickness were similar between the two groups (p > 0.05). In addition, changes in VA at 3, 6, and 12 months post treatment were similar. The central retinal thickness decreased with either treatment (p p > 0.05). In the subgroup analysis of pachychoroid and non-pachychoroid patients, better initial VA and post-treatment VA at 3 months and 6 months was noted in the latter group of patients treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor monotherapy (p

This study highlights the clinical features and treatment response of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) among three different branching vascular network (BVN) morphologies in optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), and further correlates the BVN features with those under fluorescent angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). In total, we reviewed 70 eyes with PCV followed up for > 12 months. OCTA, ICGA and FA images were obtained at baseline and post-treatments. BVN was assessed using OCTA and divided into three types by a previously described BVN classification: type 1 (trunk), type 2 (glomeruli), and type 3 (stick). At baseline, type 1 BVN had the poorest vision and thinnest subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), whereas type 3 had the best vision and thickest SFCT. The aforementioned trend sustained after treatments. Each BVN morphology in OCTA showed typical features in FA + ICGA and encompassed significant correlation (p = 0.004). In conclusion, OCTA is an innovative imaging tool for the detection and classification of BVN in PCV. Furthermore, OCTA has advantages of being noninvasive and free of systemic toxicities. The BVN can be divided into three types based on morphological characteristics in OCTA, which play crucial roles in clinical presentations and treatment outcomes.

This retrospective study evaluated the association of hyperreflective foci (HRF) with treatment response in diabetic macular oedema (DME) after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy. The medical records, including of ophthalmologic examinations and optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, of 106 patients with DME treated with either intravitreal ranibizumab or aflibercept were reviewed. The correlations between best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) changes and HRF along with other OCT biomarkers were analysed. The mean logMAR BCVA improved from 0.696 to 0.461 after an average of 6.2 injections in 1 year under real-world conditions. Greater visual-acuity gain was noted in patients with a greater number of HRF in the outer retina at baseline (p = 0.037), along with other factors such as poor baseline vision (p

To evaluate the effect of anterior migration of triamcinolone acetonide on intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation after posterior subtenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide (PSTA) for macular edema.One hundred and ten eyes from 89 patients who received PSTA for macular edema were prospectively enrolled. The extent of anterior migration of triamcinolone acetonide was recorded immediately after the injection. If TA particles were visible in the subtenon space (or subconjunctival space), it was recorded as "anterior subtenon migration" (or "anterior subconjunctival migration"). The correlation between anterior migration of triamcinolone acetonide and severe IOP elevation, which was defined as an increase of 8 mm Hg or more in IOP, was evaluated.A total of 159 PSTAs were given to 110 eyes. After PSTA, anterior subtenon migration occurred in 70.4% and anterior subconjunctival migration occurred in 12.0% of injection. Severe IOP elevation occurred in 7.1% of those without anterior migration, in 25.9% of those with anterior subtenon migration, and in 31.6% of those with anterior subconjunctival migration after PSTA (Anterior migration of triamcinolone acetonide after PSTA predisposes eyes to severe IOP elevation. Careful injection to restrict the triamcinolone particle within the subtenon space and behind the equator may lower the rate of IOP elevation after PSTA.

Aims. To investigate the correlations between renal biomarkers and the treatment outcomes of ranibizumab for diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods. This hospital-based study retrospectively enrolled 88 eyes from 67 patients who had received one-year intravitreal ranibizumab treatment for DME. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) at baseline and during the follow-up period were recorded. BCVA and OCT characteristics at baseline and their changes after ranibizumab treatment were compared between different proteinuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) groups. Results. Of the 88 eyes studied, those with moderately increased proteinuria had a thicker central subfield foveal thickness (CFT) and a higher proportion of intraretinal cysts than those with no proteinuria (P=0.012 and 0.045, respectively) at baseline. After one year of ranibizumab treatment, the reduction in CFT was greater in patients with severely increased proteinuria than those with normal to mildly increased proteinuria (P=0.030). On the other hand, patients with an eGFR P=0.044). Conclusions. After ranibizumab treatment for DME, patients with severe proteinuria tended to gain better anatomical improvement, while those with poor eGFR tended to have poorer visual improvement.

Importance The clinical implications of different morphologies of choroidal neovascularization (CNV), as evaluated by ocular coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), are lacking. Background To describe the morphology of CNV in nAMD using OCTA, and to compare the visual prognosis and other structural OCT biomarkers between different morphologic patterns. Design Retrospective cohort study. Participants One hundred and forty eyes with nAMD treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Methods Patients were examined using OCTA prior to and at 3, 6 and 12 months after receiving anti-VEGF therapy. Main outcome measures Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and morphologic retinal features. Results Organized CNV was identified in 110/140 eyes (78.6%) using OCTA. These CNV complexes could be divided into three OCTA patterns: the 'medusa' pattern (n = 41), characterized by branching vessels radiating in all directions; the 'seafan' pattern (n = 43), characterized by branching vessels radiating to one side of the lesion; and the 'tangled' pattern (n = 26), characterized by globular entwined vessels without a main trunk. At baseline, the eyes with the tangled pattern were from younger patients (P = .031) with better BCVA (P = .007). There were also fewer intraretinal cysts (P = .021), less fibrovascular pigment epithelial detachment (P = .009), and more pachychoroid (P = .007) in eyes with the tangled pattern on OCT. At 12 months post-treatment, patients with the tangled CNV pattern also showed greater visual improvement than patients with the other two patterns (P = .049). Conclusions and relevance Using OCTA, distinct morphologies of CNV in nAMD patients were identified. These different patterns might be useful predictors for the prognosis of nAMD patients after anti-VEGF therapy.

AIM: To evaluate and compare the incidences of ocular hypertension and severe intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation after posterior subtenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide (PSTA) for various diseases. METHODS: Totally 179 eyes that had received PSTA for diabetic macular edema (n=108), pseudophakic cystoid macular edema (n=20), branch retinal vein occlusion (n=16), central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO, n=14), choroidal neovascularization (n=14) or noninfectious uveitis (n=7) were retrospectively enrolled. The primary outcomes included ocular hypertension defined as an IOP>21 mm Hg, and severe IOP elevation defined as a rise of 10 mm Hg or more in IOP compared with baseline. Cox regression models were used to analyze the hazard ratios (HRs) among different diseases. RESULTS: After PSTA, the mean IOPs from month 1 to month 6 all significantly increased (P

Long-term stability in plasma glucose may affect the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular oedema (DMO).To investigate the associations between glycaemic variability and the development of DR and DMO in type 2 diabetes (T2D).An 8-year prospective cohort study.2005 patients with T2D.DR and DMO were detected with non-mydriatic fundus photography.The visit-to-visit variability of fasting glucose or HbA1c was calculated as the standard deviation (SD) or coefficient of variation (CV = SD/mean) of all records during the follow-up periods or before the onset of the targeted event. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the hazard ratios (HRs) for new-onset DR, proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and DMO.After adjusting for the baseline and mean follow-up values, the SD and CV of fasting glucose during the follow-up periods were both correlated with the development of PDR (SD: HR = 1.011, P = .005; CV: HR = 6.858, P .001), and DMO (SD: HR = 1.008, P = .038; CV: HR = 4.027, P = .017). As for HbA1c, neither the SD nor CV was correlated with the development of DR, PDR, or DMO (P .05 for all).High visit-to-visit fasting glucose variability was associated with new-onset PDR and DMO, independent of baseline and mean follow-up fasting glucose and HbA1c in T2D. Long-term stability in plasma glucose is important for reducing the risk of the development and progression for DR and DMO.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the anatomical and functional results of silicone oil (SO) removal after an extended period of SO tamponade in eyes having received vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). METHODS: From May 2009 to August 2017, clinical records of patients who had vitrectomy for PDR and underwent SO removal were retrospectively reviewed. SO was in principle left in the eye for an extended period of time and would be removed promptly when complications relevant to SO rose, or at the same setting when other intraocular surgeries were performed. Main outcome measures include anatomical outcome, functional outcome, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Seventy-four eyes of 64 patients (31 males and 33 females) were analysed. The mean follow-up duration was 35.6 months (ranging from 6 to 99 months, median 32 months). The duration of SO tamponade ranged from 3 to 116 months (mean 26.89 months, median 16 months). Anatomical success was achieved in 95.9% at the last follow-up with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) becoming better or unchanged in 81.1%. Postoperative complications included ocular hypertension (>25 mmHg; > 4 weeks) in three eyes (4.1%), macular hole in two eyes (2.7%), transient choroidal detachment in one eye (1.4%), vitreous haemorrhage in four eyes (5.4%) and hyphaema in two eyes (2.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of retinal redetachment after an extended period of SO tamponade and removal was low and the majority of eyes obtained final visual acuity improvement. SO removal after an extended period of tamponade in PDR seems to be safe under proper indications and case selection.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to explore short-term refractive and ocular parameter changes and their correlations after cycloplegia with atropine. METERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective clinical trial that enrolled 96 eyes of 96 participants (mean age, 8.5 ± 2.1 years). Spherical equivalent refractive error (SER), axial length (AL), mean keratometric value (mean-K), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and intraocular pressure (IOP) were measured at baseline and 1 week after topical use of 0.125% atropine. Postcycloplegic changes of refractive error and ocular parameters were evaluated, and their correlations were analyzed with multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: After topical atropine use, the mean AL decreased by 0.016 mm (P = 0.008), and the mean ACD increased by 0.58 mm (P < 0.0001). There was no significant change in the Mean-K or IOP. Eighty-two eyes (85%) had an emmetropic or hyperopic shift, and 14 (15%) had a myopic shift. Those with an emmetropic or hyperopic shift had their mean AL shortened by 0.023 mm, whereas the eyes with myopic shifts had their mean AL lengthened by 0.026 mm (P = 0.003). Change in SER was negatively correlated with change in AL (−2.57 D for an increase of 1 mm in AL, P < 0.001) and positively correlated with change in ACD (+0.96 D for an increase of 1 mm in ACD, P = 0.013). CONCLUSION: Most eyes had emmetropic or hyperopic changes after short-term topical atropine use, and AL shortening and anterior chamber deepening both contributed to the hyperopic changes. Meanwhile, myopic change may be observed in some eyes (15%), which were related to transient AL elongation but not invalid myopic control. This encouraged clinicians to sustain the atropine treatment for a longer period before switching to other modalities for myopic control in clinical practice. The clinical trial registration number NCT03839888 (clinicaltrials.gov).

Electroretinography (ERG) is an important and well-established examination for retinal and visual pathway diseases. This study reviewed the medical records of patients who received full-field ERG (ffERG) at a single medical center between 2012 and 2019, which was an 8-year experience in the clinical contribution of ERG. Based on the indication for scheduling ffERG and the final diagnosis, patients could be classified into six groups: ‘retinal dystrophies’, ‘other retinal or macular diseases’, ‘optic neuropathies’, ‘visual complaints’, ‘systemic diseases’, and ‘others’. A total of 1921 full-field electroretinograms (ffERGs) (1655 patients) were included. The average number of ffERGs performed per year was 262 and the number of annual ffERGs was constant. The ‘retinal dystrophies’ group accounted for 36.5% of the studied population, followed by the ‘other retinal or macular diseases’ group (20.2%). The most common systemic disease was central nervous system disease. The rates of abnormal ffERGs in the ‘systemic diseases’, ‘optic neuropathies’, and ‘visual complaints’ groups were 27.3%, 22.6%, and 10.1%, respectively (p &lt, 0.001). Higher rates were found in patients &lt, 20 years old in the ‘systemic diseases’ and ‘optic neuropathies’ groups, epilepsy and optic nerve atrophy were the most common diagnoses, respectively. In brief, by quantifying the functional response in the retina, ffERG is indispensable for diagnosis and prognosis in ophthalmologic and multidisciplinary practice.

Purpose To investigate the single-dose effect of intravitreal dexamethasone (DEX) implant for patients with post-vitrectomy macular edema (ME) under silicone oil (SO) tamponade. Methods Twelve eyes diagnosed with ME after undergoing pars plana vitrectomy with SO injections were retrospectively reviewed. Each eye received a single intravitreal DEX implant (0.7-mg, Ozurdex; Allergan Inc) injection as treatment for recalcitrant ME. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), and intraocular pressure (IOP) were recorded. Results Compared with baseline (1.24 ± 0.34), the mean LogMAR BCVA improved at 1 (1.14 ± 0.27), 3 (1.13 ± 0.22), and 6 (1.22 ± 0.30) months without statistical significance. Maximal CMT resolution was observed at 1 month after intravitreal injection. The CMT value improved significantly at 1 (P = .008), 3 (P = .006), and 6 (P = .009) months. IOP did not show significant elevation during follow-up. No serious adverse events were observed. Conclusion Single-dose treatment of DEX implant may have benefit for recalcitrant post-vitrectomy ME under SO tamponade.

Background: Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease mainly characterized by dryness, fatigue, and pain. Current therapies for SS in Western medicine are limited. The purpose of this clinical study was to explore the efficacy and safety of using a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula on patients with primary SS.Methods: We performed a 12-week, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial at Chung Shan Medical University Hospital. We included 42 patients with SS between the ages of 20 and 80 years who met the classification criteria of the American and European Consensus Group (AECG). Patients who had other severe systemic manifestations or diseases were excluded from this trial. After screening, patients were randomly assigned to the TCM treatment group or placebo group (ratio of 2:1). We treated the TCM group with 6 g of Gan-Lu-Yin granules after breakfast and 6 g of Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San combined with 1 g of Suan-Zao-Ren-Tang and 1 g of Ye-Jiao-Teng every night after dinner. Patients in the control group were treated with a placebo with the same appearance and flavor but only one-tenth the dosage of that received by the treatment group. The European League Against Rheumatism Sjogren's Syndrome Patient-Reported Index (ESSPRI) was used as the primary endpoint at week 12. Secondary endpoints were the Sjogren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index (SSDAI), physician global assessment (PGA), visual analogue scale (VAS), Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form-36, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Score (PSQI). Adverse events were also recorded.Results: Of the 42 randomized patients, 28 patients were assigned to the TCM treatment group and 14 patients were assigned to the controlled group. During the study period, 5 patients withdrew from the TCM group and 7 withdrew from the control group. At week 12, the ESSPRI scores of both groups had improved. The ESSPRI score of the treatment group decreased by 0.62 (95% CI P = 0.557) and that of the placebo group decreased by 0.91 (P = 0.557). However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups. Sleep duration in the PSQI was −0.61, which exhibited an improvement of more than the −0.21 compared with the placebo group (P = 0.914).Conclusion: At week 12, the ESSPRI scores did not reveal that the use of the TCM formula was efficacious for treating patients with Sjogren's syndrome. However, the PSQI scores indicated that this formula could prolong patient sleep duration. We also found that this formula could decrease the blood pressure of patients.

BackgroundTo investigate the formation pathways of full-thickness macular hole (FTMH) in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) with fibrovascular proliferation (FVP).MethodsTwenty-one consecutive patients (21 eyes) having PDR and FVP with optical coherence tomography (OCT) available before and after FTMH formation were retrospectively reviewed. Fundus abnormalities and OCT features were studied.ResultsFour different types of FTMH formation pathways in PDR were observed. Type 1 was characterized by epiretinal membrane (ERM) and/or vitreomacular traction (VMT) inducing foveoschisis, intraretinal cysts or foveal detachment, followed by formation of a FTMH or macular hole retinal detachment (MHRD). In type 2, ERM and/or FVP induced lamellar macular hole (LMH) with foveoschisis, followed by the formation of FTMH or MHRD. Type 3 was characterized by the initial tractional retinal detachment (TRD) with foveal cysts and/or foveoschisis and the subsequent formation of MHRD. Type 4 was characterized by TRD associated with foveal thinning, ensued by the formation of MHRD. Severity and locations of FVP varied with different types. Eyes with MHRD had poorer best-corrected visual acuity, higher proportion of active FVP, and higher rate of TRD.ConclusionFour types of FTMH formation pathways in PDR were identified and were quite different from those in idiopathic conditions. Spontaneous closure of FTMHs in PDR might be observed. The activity, severity and locations of FVP varied in PDR eyes destined to develop FTMHs.

The literature on the capitalization of agricultural policies documents that government subsidies can increase farmland values with attesting empirical evidence found in a variety of agricultural programs. This study argues that the well-documented capitalization effect of agricultural subsidies on farmland prices may not be directly related to the agricultural disaster relief program (ADRP). On the one hand, disaster relief payments can positively capitalize into farmland prices. On the other hand, disaster shocks may result in farm income loss which can decrease farmland prices. This paper empirically examines the overall effect of the ADRP on farmland prices in Taiwan. A unique dataset on 97,864 parcels of farmland transacted in the farmland market is used. By estimating the fixed effect and instrumental variable fixed effect model, a negative overall effect of the incidence and the level of ADRP payments on farmland prices is evident. Moreover, the effect is more pronounced among farmland located in urban areas. This finding provides evidence that the negative stigmatized effect dominates the positive capitalization effect of the ADRP payments on farmland values, especially for farmland located in urban areas (JEL Q15, Q18, Q54).

PURPOSE To evaluate effects of reimbursement policy change on visual outcomes of patients with diabetic macular edema treated with ranibizumab. METHODS In this retrospective comparative cohort study, we included 78 treatment-naive patients with diabetic macular edema (107 eyes) insured under Taiwan's National Health Insurance from July 2013 to January 2015 (Group A) and April 2016 to June 2017 (Group B), or before and after the major reimbursement policy change, respectively. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), optical coherence tomography findings, and injection numbers at baseline and postinjection Months 3, 6, and 12 were collected. Mean BCVA change and predictive factors for enhanced BCVA improvement at Month 12 were analyzed. RESULTS The mean improvement in BCVA at 1 year was 5.8 ETDRS letters (Group A) before and 14.8 letters (Group B) after the policy change (P = 0.009), and the mean numbers of injections were 4.6 ± 2.0 and 6.5 ± 2.3 in Group A and B (P < 0.001), respectively. Linear regression revealed that greater visual improvement at Month 12 was significantly associated with worse baseline BCVA, greater visual gain at Month 3, new reimbursement policy (Group B), and the presence of subretinal fluid in baseline optical coherence tomography, but not with total injection number. Compared with Group A, Group B had enhanced BCVA improvement when baseline subretinal fluid was present (P = 0.001), but not when subretinal fluid was absent (P = 0.656). CONCLUSION Health care policy change significantly affected the visual outcomes of patients with diabetic macular edema in a clinical practice setting, with superior final BCVA and BCVA improvement after increased reimbursement. Presence of subretinal fluid at baseline predicted enhanced post-policy change visual improvement.

Objective Altered event-related potential (ERP) performances have been noted in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients and reflect neurocognitive dysfunction. Whether these ERP alterations and correlated dysfunctions exist in healthy parents with ADHD offspring is worth exploring. Methods Thirteen healthy parents with ADHD offspring and thirteen healthy controls matched for age, sex and years of education were recruited. The auditory oddball paradigm was used to evaluate the P300 wave complex of the ERP, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and continuous performance test were used to measure neurocognitive performance. Results Healthy parents with ADHD offspring had significantly longer auditory P300 latency at Fz than control group. However, no significant differences were found in cognitive performance. Conclusion The presence of a subtle alteration in electro-neurophysiological activity without explicit neurocognitive dysfunction suggests potential candidate of biological marker for parents with ADHD offspring.

Purpose To investigate the prognostic factors for the combined therapy of ranibizumab and prompt verteporfin photodynamic therapy (vPDT) for eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Methods Sixty-two PCV eyes of 62 patients that received the initial treatment of intravitreal ranibizumab followed by vPDT within 1 week plus a 2nd intravitreal ranibizumab 1 month later in one single medical center were retrospectively enrolled. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and parameters obtained from optical coherence tomography at baseline, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year were measured and compared. Factors associated with polyp regression, recurrent hemorrhage and visual improvement were analyzed. Results After the loading treatment, complete and partial polyp regression was achieved in 53.6% and 39.3% of cases, respectively at Month 3. The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution of BCVA improved from 0.64 ± 0.38 to 0.55 ± 0.46 (P = 0.008) at Month 12. Recurrent hemorrhage (P = 0.001) and previous anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment (P = 0.017) were associated with poorer visual improvement at Month 12. Incomplete polyp regression (P = 0.038) and previous anti-VEGF treatment (P = 0.005) were associated with a higher risk of recurrent hemorrhage. Conclusions Recurrent hemorrhage was associated with poor visual improvement after combined ranibizumab and vPDT for PCV. Complete polyp eradication was associated with a lower risk of recurrent hemorrhage. Patients who had previously received anti-VEGF were associated with recurrent hemorrhage and poor visual improvement; more frequent follow-ups and more aggressive subsequent treatments may be needed for these cases.

To explore the impact of macular ischaemia on vision in diabetic macular oedema (DMO) by analysing the correlations between visual acuity and macular microvascular parameters using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). OCTA was performed in 81 eyes of 48 patients with DMO, and 3 × 3-mm2 en face OCTA images of the superficial capillary plexus and deep capillary plexus in the central macula were retrospectively collected. Microvascular parameters including the number of microaneurysms, area of foveal avascular zone (FAZ), acircularity index of FAZ, vessel density, skeleton density, vessel density index and fractal dimension were measured. Central retinal thickness (CRT) and the presence of ellipsoid zone disruption at the fovea were also recorded. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate the correlations between best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the microvascular parameters. After adjustment for CRT and ellipsoid zone disruption at the fovea, lower skeleton density and lower fractal dimension in the deep capillary plexus were correlated with poorer BCVA (P = 0.030 and 0.024, respectively). None of the microvascular parameters of the superficial capillary plexus were correlated with BCVA after adjustment for CRT and ellipsoid zone disruption (all, P > 0.05). For eyes with DMO, low skeleton density and low branching complexity in the deep capillary plexus of central macula were correlated with poor vision. OCTA could offer quantified parameters of macular microvasculature to measure the impact of macular ischaemia on visual acuity in DMO.

Background Lower gestational age may increase autism spectrum disorder (ASD) vulnerability; however, the incidence of ASD diagnosis through a direct assessment on every very preterm birth child on the population base remains unclear. Moreover, the behavioral characteristics of preterm birth ASD are unknown. Methods Every very preterm birth child (gestational age 37 weeks) ASD children characterized by ADOS and ADI-R were group matched to the preterm birth ASD by age at examination for comparison. ADOS severity scores were calculated by the Mann–Whitney U test and ADI-R by multivariate analysis of variance and canonical discriminant analysis. Results Two hundred forty-six (87%) of the 283 very preterm survivors were followed prospectively to 5 years of age. Nineteen (7.7%) of the 246 children fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of ASD. After excluding 1 patient with cerebral palsy and profound mental disability, 18 preterm ASD children were compared with 44 term birth ASD children. The two ASD groups were comparable for age at examination, gender, and intelligence quotient. The two groups showed comparable ADOS severity scores in social affect deficits, restricted repetitive behaviors, and total score, but had differences in qualitative abnormalities in reciprocal social interaction (Wilks lambda F value = 6.2, P

How does bankruptcy contagion propagate among industry peers? We study the debt recovery channel of industry contagion by examining whether the cost of a company's debt is affected by the observed recovery rates of its bankrupt industry peers. Our results show that lower industry recovery rates are associated with higher loan spreads, but only when the contracts were originated during industry bankruptcy waves. Consistent with the debt recovery channel of industry contagion, we find that the negative effects of industry recovery rates are significantly stronger under situations where the effect is expected to be more salient.

Purpose: To report the one-year outcomes of diabetic macular edema (DME) treated with ranibizumab under a real-life setting in Taiwan, and to identify the prognostic factors. Methods: Between July 2013 and January 2015, 119 eyes receiving intravitreal ranibizumab for DME were retrospectively recruited. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) measured with optical coherence tomography were collected at baseline and at Month 3, 6, and 12. Linear regression was used to identify the predicting factors for changes in BCVA and CFT at Month 12. Results: The average number of ranibizumab given within one year was 4.36 ± 1.87. The BCVA (logMAR) improved from 0.74 ± 0.30 at baseline to 0.64 ± 0.37 at Month 12 (p = 0.002). A better improvement in BCVA at Month 3 was significantly correlated with a better visual improvement at Month 12 (p

OBJECTIVES: Compare the outcomes of two surgical techniques, lamellar hole–associated epiretinal proliferation (LHEP) embedding and LHEP sparing, in treating idiopathic lamellar macular holes (LMHs). METHODS: Retrospective consecutive case series with 34 LMHs with LHEP that underwent operation. LHEP-sparing technique was used before July 2015 and LHEP-embedding after July 2015. Morphological features in optical coherence tomography (OCT) images were identified, including the presence of LHEP, ellipsoid zone (EZ) defects, and types of LMH closure, along with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before and after surgery. RESULTS: No baseline differences were observed between the embedding (17 patients) and sparing (17 patients) groups in LMH size, retinal defect depth, or preoperative BCVA. The two groups’ mean postoperative BCVAs were similar (embedding vs sparing: 0.388 ± 0.337 vs 0.465 ± 0.418 [Snellen: 20/49 and 20/58], P = 0.812). Postoperatively, a U-type closure was observed in 77 and 65% of patients in the embedding and sparing groups, respectively. Both groups exhibited V-type and T-type closures in half of the remaining patients (P = 0.753). Older age, postoperative external limiting membrane defect, postoperative EZ disruption, and non–U-type closure were associated with worse final BCVA. CONCLUSIONS: Both the LHEP-embedding and LHEP-sparing techniques significantly improved vision in patients with LMHs and produced similar visual and anatomical outcomes. Most patients achieved a normal U-type closure with either technique. Preservation of LHEP during surgery is vital and could facilitates successful surgery.

This work presents a portable wireless urine detection system which consists of an electrochemical readout application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and a biosensor composed of 2, 2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) and carbon nanotube (ABTS-CNT) for the detection of urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). The ASIC includes a potentiostat, a digital circuitry and a power management circuit which can perform electrochemistry techniques with a dual-channel screen-printing carbon electrode (SPCE). Electrochemical experiments on the proposed biosensor (SPCE|ABTS-CNT|Nafion) have revealed promising sensing characteristics for creatinine and human serum albumin detection. Practical urine tests has demonstrated the capability of the proposed urine detection system for UACR detection with both the power-efficient readout ASIC and the ABTS-CNT biosensor. A user-friendly prototype has also been designed which can be useful for either personal health administrationor homecare.

Objective: We report the tri-center 1-year outcomes of a treat-and-extend (T&E) regimen in four-week intervals with ranibizumab for diabetic macular edema (DME).Methods: In this retrospective study, all eyes received 3 monthly loading injections of 0.5 mg ranibizumab, followed by a T&E regimen for DME. Regression models were used to evaluate the associating factors for visual and anatomical outcomes.Results: Ninety one eyes from 64 patients were enrolled. Mean LogMAR best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved from 0.58 at baseline to 0.36 at month 12 and mean central retinal thickness (CRT) decreased from 411 μm at baseline to 290 μm at month 12. Younger age and eyes having thinner baseline CRT, with ellipsoid zone disruption (EZD), and without epiretinal membrane (ERM) were associated with better final CRT. Moreover, eyes with thicker baseline CRT tend to receive more injections. Among the parameters, only having ERM or EZD was associated with significant BCVA recovery.Conclusions: A T&E regimen with ranibizumab by 4-week intervals is effective in improving BCVA and reducing CRT with efficacy notable starting from the third month. Clinical parameters including age, initial CRT, and presence of ERM or EZD significantly influenced therapeutic outcomes. Moreover, the presence of ERM should not preclude DME patients from receiving anti-VEGF therapy. Future studies with larger cohorts are warranted.

Background Current principles of postoperative pain management are primarily based on the types and extent of surgical intervention. This clinical study measured patient’s self-anticipated pain score before surgery, and compared the anticipated scores with the actual pain levels and analgesic requirements after surgery. Methods This prospective observational study recruited consecutive patients who received elective surgery in the E-Da Hospital, Taiwan from June to August 2018. Patients were asked to subjectively rate their highest anticipated pain level (numeric rating scale, NRS 0–10) for the scheduled surgical interventions during their preoperative anesthesia assessment. After the operation, the actual pain intensity (NRS 0–10) experienced by the patient in the post-anesthesia care unit and the total dose of opioids administered during the perioperative period were recorded. Pain scores ≥4 on NRS were regarded as being unacceptable levels for anticipated or postoperative pain that required more aggressive intervention. Results A total of 996 patients were included in the study. Most of the patients (86%) received general anesthesia and 73.9% of them had a history of previous operation. Female anticipated significantly higher overall pain intensities than the male patients (adjusted odd ratio 1.523, 95% confidence interval 1.126–2.061; P = 0.006). Patients who took regular benzodiazepine at bedtime (P = 0.037) and those scheduled to receive more invasive surgical procedures were most likely to anticipate for higher pain intensity at the preoperative period (P P = 0.007) in the PACU and higher total equivalent opioid use (P Conclusion This observational study found that patients who are female, use regular benzodiazepines at bedtime and scheduled for more invasive surgeries anticipate significantly higher surgery-related pain. Therefore, appropriate preoperative counseling for analgesic control and the management of exaggerated pain expectation in these patients is necessary to improve the quality of anesthesia delivered and patient’s satisfaction.

Background: Current postoperative pain management principles are primarily based on the type and extent of surgical interventions. This clinical study measured patient’s self-anticipated pain score before surgery and compared the scores with the pain levels and analgesic requirements after surgery.Methods: This prospective observational study recruited consecutive patients who received general anesthesia for elective surgeries in E-Da Hospital (Taiwan) between June and August 2018. Patients were asked to subjectively rate their highest anticipated pain level (numerical rating scale, NRS 0-10) for their scheduled surgical intervention during their preoperative anesthesia assessment. After the operation, the actual pain intensity (NRS 0-10) experienced by the patient in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and the total dose of opioids administered during the perioperative period were recorded. Pain scores ³4 on the NRS were regarded as being unacceptable levels of anticipated or postoperative pain.Results: A total of 857 patients were included in the study. The final database included 49.2% males, and 73.7% of them have had previous operations. The mean anticipated pain score was 4.9±2.5 and 72.2% of the patients reported an anticipated NRS ³4 before their operations. Females anticipated significantly higher overall pain intensities than male patients (adjusted odds ratio 1.695, 95% confidence interval 1.252-2.295; P=0.001). Patients over 40 years of age reported significantly lower overall anticipated NRS scores (4.78±2.49 vs 5.36±2.50; P=0.003). Patients scheduled to receive more invasive surgical procedures were more likely to anticipate high pain intensity in the preoperative period (PConclusion: This observational study found that females, younger patients (£40 years), and patients scheduled for more invasive surgeries anticipate significantly higher surgery-related pain. Therefore, appropriate preoperative counseling for analgesic control and management of exaggerated pain expectation in these patients are necessary to improve the quality of anesthesia delivered and patient’s satisfaction.

Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is a distinctive type of neovascular age-related macular degeneration prevalent in many Asian countries. However, there is still some controversy in how the subtypes of PCV are classified. This post-hoc study redefined the branching vascular network (BVN) and PCV subtypes through retrospective review of indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and fluorescein angiography images from two observational studies (RENOWNED/REAL). Of the visual outcomes for each angiographic subtype and treatment pattern investigated, BVN was identified in 56.3% of PCV patients. The proportions and features of the re-defined PCV subtypes were 43.8%, 10.4%, and 45.8% for subtype A (without distinctive features of BVN), B (with BVN but no leakage), and C (with BVN and leakage), respectively. Subtype A had better visual outcomes when compared to subtype C. This possibly resulted from a better baseline visual acuity in subtype A. Moreover, combination therapy [photodynamic therapy plus anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)] may lead to better visual improvement than mono-anti-VEGF treatment alone. This study provides the prevalence of PCV subtypes in Taiwan and may serve as a reference for PCV treatment strategies in a real-world setting, especially for the combination therapy and patients without distinctive features of BVN.

Background: In most of the world, corneas from hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive donors have been considered unsuitable for transplantation because of assumed risk of disease transmission. Methods: In Taiwan, an HBV endemic area, corneas from HBsAg-positive donors can be allocated to recipients who are seropositive for HBsAg or antibody against HBsAg (anti-HBs). Between January, 2015 and December, 2019, we evaluated HBV DNA in serum and corneo-scleral rims retrieved from HBsAg-positive and HBsAg-negative donors. We assessed donor serum HBsAg, anti-HBs, hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) and HBV DNA to predict the presence of their corneo-scleral HBV DNA. We conducted a look-back study of recipients transplanted with corneo-scleral HBV DNA-positive donor grafts. Their HBV serological profiles were examined to identify possible post-transplantation hepatitis B transmission. Findings: Forty-five and 125 corneal grafts from 28 HBsAg-positive and 85 HBsAg-negative donors, respectively, were included. The donor corneo-scleral rim HBV DNA-positive rate was significantly greater in HBsAg-positive donor grafts (80·0%) compared to that of the HBsAg-negative grafts (6·4%, [ P

PurposeThis study measured the anatomical characteristics of the macula in fellow eyes of patients with unilateral idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) and compared them with normal control.DesignA retrospective observational study.ParticipantsA total of of 94 fellow eyes with unilateral idiopathic ERM were gathered as the study group, and their age and gender-matched subjects with no vitreomacular diseases were recruited as the control group.MethodsMacular structure parameters including foveal base width (FBW), central foveolar thickness (CFT), central subfield thickness (CST), area of foveal avascular zone (FAZ), and retinal artery trajectory (RAT) were measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography and were compared between two groups.Main outcome measuresMacular structure parameters were compared between the two groups. A wide-based foveal pit was defined as a FBW larger than the mean value plus one standard deviation of the normal population. Regression analysis was performed to evaluate factors that affect FBW.ResultsAmong the 94 fellow eyes of unilateral ERM; 71 eyes (75.5%) had a wide-based foveal pit. Both their FBW (418.9 ± 68.7 µm) and area of FAZ (0.38 ± 0.12 mm2) were significantly larger than those in the control group (323.2 ± 74.3 µm and 0.31± 0.17 mm2; p < 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively), and they also had a thinner CFT and CST, and a wider RAT than the control group (p < 0.05 for all). In the control group, females had a wider FBW, a thinner CFT and CST, and a wider RAT than males (p < 0.05 for all). Regression analysis showed that female, a thinner CST and a larger FAZ were all associated with a larger FBW.ConclusionFellow eyes of the unilateral ERM had a larger FBW and FAZ, a thinner CFT and CST, and a wider RAT than the normal population. This implicates that centrifugal macular traction may result in the formation of idiopathic ERM. Females had a wider FBW, a thinner CST, and a wider RAT than males, which may explain the higher prevalence of idiopathic ERM in females.

Background Retinal imaging has been applied for detecting eye diseases and cardiovascular risks using deep learning–based methods. Furthermore, retinal microvascular and structural changes were found in renal function impairments. However, a deep learning–based method using retinal images for detecting early renal function impairment has not yet been well studied. Objective This study aimed to develop and evaluate a deep learning model for detecting early renal function impairment using retinal fundus images. Methods This retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent renal function tests with color fundus images captured at any time between January 1, 2001, and August 31, 2019. A deep learning model was constructed to detect impaired renal function from the images. Early renal function impairment was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate Results In total, 25,706 retinal fundus images were obtained from 6212 patients for the study period. The images were divided at an 8:1:1 ratio. The training, validation, and testing data sets respectively contained 20,787, 2189, and 2730 images from 4970, 621, and 621 patients. There were 10,686 and 15,020 images determined to indicate normal and impaired renal function, respectively. The AUC of the model was 0.81 in the overall population. In subgroups stratified by serum hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level, the AUCs were 0.81, 0.84, 0.85, and 0.87 for the HbA1c levels of ≤6.5%, >6.5%, >7.5%, and >10%, respectively. Conclusions The deep learning model in this study enables the detection of early renal function impairment using retinal fundus images. The model was more accurate for patients with elevated serum HbA1c levels.

AimsTo report the anatomical characteristics of wide-based foveal pit and its associations with macular diseases.MethodsWide-based foveal pit was defined as a foveal base width (FBW) larger than the mean value plus one standard deviation of normal population. Eyes with a wide-based foveal pit were retrospectively collected as the study group, and age- and sex-matched subjects with a normal FBW were recruited as the control group. FBW, area of foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and retinal artery trajectory (RAT) were compared between two groups. The characteristics of the fellow eyes in the study group were also described.ResultsFifty two eyes from 52 patients were identified as having a wide-based foveal pit; 43 (82.7%) were female. Both their FBW (474.7 ± 84.6μm) and area of FAZ (0.50 ± 0.11mm2) were significantly larger than in the control group (297.6 ± 42.3 μm and 0.29 ± 0.10 mm2, respectively; p < 0.001 for both), and they also had a wider RAT than the control group (p < 0.001). During follow-up, three eyes had developed idiopathic epiretinal membrane. As for their fellow eyes, they either also had a wide-based foveal pit (11 eyes) or had various macular diseases including idiopathic epiretinal membrane (27 eyes), macular hole (5 eyes) and others (16 eyes).ConclusionsEyes with a wide-based foveal pit also had a large FAZ and a wide RAT, and they might have a predisposition to idiopathic epiretinal membrane formation. Their fellow eyes also had a predisposition to epiretinal membrane and macular hole.SynopsisEyes with a wide-based foveal pit had a predisposition to idiopathic epiretinal membrane formation. Their fellow eyes might also have a wide-based foveal pit and had a predisposition to epiretinal membrane and macular hole.

Background: Current principles of postoperative pain management are primarily based on the types and extent of surgical intervention. This clinical study measured patient’s self-anticipated pain score before surgery, and correlated the scores with the pain levels and analgesic requirements after surgery.Methods: This prospective observational study recruited consecutive patients who received elective surgery in the E-Da Hospital, Taiwan from June to August 2018. Patients were asked to subjectively rate their highest anticipated pain level (numerical rating scale, 0-10) for the scheduled surgical interventions during their preoperative anesthesia assessment. After the operation, the actual pain intensity (NRS 0-10) experienced by the patient in the post-anesthesia care unit and the total dose of opioids administered during the perioperative period were recorded. Pain scores ³4 on NRS were regarded as being unacceptable levels for anticipated or postoperative pain.Results: A total of 996 patients were included in the study. Most of the patients (86%) received general anesthesia and 73.9% of them had a history of previous operation. Female anticipated significantly higher overall pain intensities than the male patients (adjusted odd ratio 1.532, 95% confidence interval 1.125-2.086; P=0.007). Patients who took regular benzodiazepine at bedtime (P=0.040) and those scheduled to receive more invasive surgical procedures were most likely to anticipate for higher pain intensity at the preoperative period (PConclusion: This observational study found that patients who are female, use regular benzodiazepines at bedtime and scheduled for more invasive surgeries anticipate significantly higher surgery-related pain. Therefore, appropriate preoperative counseling for analgesic control and the management of exaggerated pain expectation in these patients is necessary to improve the quality of anesthesia delivered and patient’s satisfaction.

Purpose To investigate the clinical features, prognostic outcomes of patients with orbital and ocular adnexal lymphoma (OALs) in Taiwanese cohort. Methods Total 112 patients with OALs were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic information such as age, gender, lymphoma subtype, tumor location and treatment modalities were recorded. The primary endpoints were disease-specific survival (DSS), and progression-free survival (PFS). Results The mean patient age was 59.0 ± 15.5 years (range, 23-92 years). The major histopathologic subtypes were mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma in 76 patients (67.9%), followed by diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (9.8%), follicular cell lymphoma (FL) (8.0%), and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) (5.4%). The anatomical locations for OALs were the orbit (44 patients, 39.3%), the conjunctiva (31 patients, 27.7%), the lacrimal gland (28 patients, 25.0%), and the eyelid (8 patients, 7.1%). With a mean follow-up time of 74.5 ± 59.8 months (range 6-342 months), the DSS for all patients were 93.1%, 87.7%, and 68.8% at 60, 120, and 180 months' follow-up, respectively. The PFS at 60, 120, and 180 months' follow-up were 86.2%, 61.2%, and 44.6%, respectively. Regarding the analysis of prognostic factors, patients with high grade lymphoma subtype and advanced stage exhibited a worse prognosis. Conclusions MALT type lymphoma constitutes most of OALs in Taiwan and occurs more frequently than in Western countries. Patients with MALT lymphoma, FL, SLL and earlier stage have favorable outcomes compared with patients of high grade lymphoma and Ann Arbor stage IV lymphoma.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is characterized with cognitive impairment, which may be mediated by corticostriatal dysfunction. Here we examined whether history of childhood trauma, a risk factor for BD, was linked to corticostriatal dysfunction in BD patients. Furthermore, the possible associations between childhood trauma and cognitive impairment were examined. Thirty-eight BD participants who met the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were enrolled. Childhood trauma was identified via the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Participants completed the Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test (WCST). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) was performed in participants using a 3T scanner. Bilateral caudate to whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) were analyzed, and childhood trauma was entered as a regressor of interest when controlling for age. Results showed the level of physical neglect was negatively correlated with left-caudate-seed FC to the frontoparietal network, including the right supramarginal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, right middle frontal gyrus, and right superior parietal lobule. The level of physical neglect was also negatively correlated with WCST performance. And the left-caudate-seed FCs to the frontoparietal network were positively correlated with WCST performance. Unequivocally, the specific impacts of physical neglect on brain connectivity and executive function in the BD population merit further investigation.

Bipolar disorder (BD) has been linked to abnormal frontal and striatal function, and elevated inflammatory responses. However, the impact of peripheral inflammation on the corticostriatal functional connectivity (FC) remains obscure in BD. The current study aimed to explore the association between peripheral inflammation and corticostriatal connectivity in euthymic BD. We recruited 25 euthymic BD patients and 43 healthy controls (HCs) from the community. Resting state functional images were obtained using 3T magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and striatal seed-based whole-brain functional connectivity analyses were performed, with the fasting plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level entered as a regressor of interest. The participants also completed the Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test (WCST) and the Continuous Performance Test (CPT). The euthymic BD group had a similar hs-CRP level to the HC group, but a significantly poorer cognitive performance. Compared with the HC group, a higher connectivity between the right dorsal caudal putamen (dcP) and the ventral lateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) in the BD group was significantly correlated with a higher hs-CRP level. Stronger dcP-vlPFC connectivity was correlated with a lower CPT unmasked d' in the BD group. BD patients might be particularly sensitive to the effects of inflammation on corticostriatal connectivity. The potentially greater sensitivity of BD patients to peripheral inflammation may differentially modulate the cognitive and reward related corticostriatal circuitry, which may contribute to the pathophysiology of cognitive-affective dysregulation in the euthymic state. Anti-inflammatory or other circuit-specific treatment is warranted for individualized treatment in BD.

Background/Purpose To verify the staging system of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition for uveal melanoma, and to propose the prognostic factors of uveal melanoma by a 45-year cohort study. Methods We collected patients who underwent operation with pathological proof from 1973 to 2017. The demographic data including gender, age, laterality, metastatic pattern, and histopathology type were recorded. The predictability for survival and monotonicity of gradients of the AJCC 8th edition were evaluated. The prognostic factors for survival were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results A total of 72 patients were collected. The median age was 55 year-old (range 24–100). No specific gender predilection was revealed in our study. About 75.9% of metastases events happened in the first five-year of follow-up, and hepatic involvement was the most common. By the AJCC 8th edition, the distribution for stage I: II: III was 8 (11.1%), 37 (51.4%), and 27 (37.5%). The prognostic staging groups manifested fair predictability and monotonicity of gradients for survival outcome. The tumors with epithelioid cell type and ciliary body involvements had higher tumor-related mortality. Conclusion The AJCC 8th edition prognostic staging groups for outcome prediction was validated. Periodic screening for metastases should be more frequent in the first five-year follow-up. The tumors with epithelioid cell pattern and ciliary body involvements were at risk of higher tumor-related mortality in Taiwanese patients.

PurposeTo compare the anatomical and functional outcomes of severe diabetic macular edema (DME) with massive hard exudates managed by pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling or nonsurgical treatment.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 40 eyes with DME and massive hard exudates treated with either PPV with ILM peeling (vitrectomy group, 21 eyes) or nonsurgical treatment with anti-vascular endothelium growth factor (VEGF) and/or steroids (nonsurgical group, 19 eyes). Changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) and resolution of macular hard exudates were compared between the two groups.ResultsAfter treatment, CRT decreased steadily in the vitrectomy group but fluctuated in the nonsurgical group. Compared with eyes in the nonsurgical group, eyes in the vitrectomy group had better visual improvement (P < 0.05 at 6 and 12 months and the final visit) and greater decrease in CRT (P < 0.05 at 3 and 6 months and the final visit) after adjustment for baseline BCVA. Hard exudates resolved more rapidly in the vitrectomy group than in the nonsurgical group, with 94.1% versus 47.4% eyes showing significant absorption after 6 months of the treatment (P = 0.003). In the vitrectomy group, 62% eyes did not require any further injections for treating DME after the operation.ConclusionsPPV with ILM peeling resulted in rapid resolution of hard exudates with significant anatomical and functional improvement in DME with massive hard exudates.

Banking relationships are key factors influencing financing decisions of real estate investment trusts (REITs) that are mandated to hold highly specific assets. Using a comprehensive data set of loan facilities by REITs across different markets, this paper empirically tests the effect of REIT-bank relationships on credit costs and other non-price credit terms. We find that REITs with past banking relationships enjoy favourable loan terms that include lower loan rates, higher loan amount, and a less stringent collateral requirement. These favorable terms were kept by relationship banks during the Global Financial Crisis from 2007 to 2009.

Purpose To evaluate the clinical characteristics and evolution of lamellar macular hole (LMH) in high myopia and the parameters associated with structural worsening, defined as the development of foveal detachment or full-thickness macular hole. Methods Patients with high myopia and LMH were retrospectively recruited. The clinical characteristics and various parameters of optical coherence tomography were identified at baseline and during follow-up visits. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the hazard ratios for foveal detachment and full-thickness macular hole. Results Among 112 eyes (98 patients), 64.3% were female; the mean axial length of all eyes was 29.6 ± 1.9 mm. The 'LMH without retinoschisis' group accounted for 39.3% of the eyes. Forty-two percent developed structural worsening within a median follow-up of 67 months. Multivariable regression on all cases showed elevated tissue inside the LMH (P = 0.003) protected against structural worsening while V-shaped LMH (P = 0.006) predicted it. In the "LMH with retinoschisis group", ellipsoid zone disruption (P = 0.035), and V-shaped LMH (P = 0.014) predicted structural worsening, while elevated tissue inside the LMH (P = 0.028) protected against it. In the "LMH without retinoschisis group", no associated factor was identified. Conclusions LMHs in high myopia are unstable, especially those with V-shaped LMH. Elevated tissue inside LMHs have a protective effect against further structural worsening.

Introduction Thinning of optical coherence tomography–measured retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and ganglion cell–inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) thickness has been found in patients with Alzheimer's disease. However, the association of these retinal markers and cognition in nondemented elders may not be linear. Methods This cross-sectional study included 227 community-dwelling elders (age 65+ years). Multivariable regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between retinal nerve fiber layer/GC-IPL and global/domain-specific cognition. Results The performance of global cognition decreased as mean GC-IPL of bilateral eyes deviated from the sample mean (77.5 μm) (quadratic GC-IPL: β = –0.49 × 10−2; 95% confidence interval: −0.74 × 10−2 to −0.23 × 10−2). Similar associations were also found for logical memory. No significant association was observed between retinal nerve fiber layer and cognition. Discussion Either thinning or thickening of GC-IPL was associated with poor cognition in nondemented elderly (a U-shaped association). GC-IPL may serve as a noninvasive preclinical predictor of Alzheimer's disease., Highlights • Either thinning or thickening of ganglion cell–inner plexiform layer thickness is associated with poor cognition. • Ganglion cell–inner plexiform layer thickness shows a U-shaped association with global cognition and logical memory. • Retinal nerve fiber layer is not associated with cognition in nondemented elderly. • Bilateral vs. unilateral eye data show similar findings.

To evaluate the visual and anatomical outcomes of intravitreal ranibizumab for diabetic macular edema (DME) in the healthcare system of Taiwan.A total of 39 eyes from 39 patients were retrospectively enrolled in the study. All eyes that fulfilled the key criteria, including a baseline vision between 20 and 70 ETDRS letters and a minimum central macular thickness (CMT) of 300 µm, had at least 3 monthly loading injections of ranibizumab in a year. Macular laser or posterior subtenon injections of triamcinolone acetonide (PSTA) could be performed as supplementary treatments following loading injections. Primary outcomes include best-corrected visual acuity and CMT.Patients' vision improved from 46.5 ± 15.3 letters at baseline to 51.4 ± 16.6 letters at 12 months (p = 0.031). Mean CMT at baseline was 406 ± 105 µm, which decreased to 329 ± 108 µm (p = 0.002). At 12 months, 44.4% of eyes with total injection number 5 and 42.9% with injection number ≥ 5 achieved a gain in vision that was 10 letters or more. A total of 5 injections or more did not lead to a better visual gain in comparison with only 3-4 injections (p = 0.71), and both had similar number of supplementary treatments (p = 0.43). Monthly reinjections of ranibizumab resulted in a lower likelihood of visual loss of 10 or 15 letters (p = 0.019 and 0.015, respectively, adjusted for age, baseline vision, severity of diabetic retinopathy and the presence of previous treatments); however, supplementary macular lasers, PSTA or ranibizumab without monthly reinjections did not (all p 0.05). The average number of injections was 4.3 ± 1.0.Treatment for DME with at least three monthly ranibizumab loading injections, with or without other supplementary treatments, is effective at 12 months thereafter. Two monthly reinjections of ranibizumab, while not significantly increasing vision, may have a role in preventing visual loss.

Studies document that forest farm households participate in afforestation programs to increase economic well-being. Moreover, higher program subsidies are expected to raise their coverage rate. However, afforestation programs in Taiwan contradict this consensus. Although 71% of forest farm households participate in an afforestation program, participants have lower forest farm incomes compared to non-participants. This study provides an answer for this empirical puzzle by showing that forest farm households not only consider the mean level, but also the stability of the program subsidy in deciding to participate. Using the instrumental variable model, we estimate the causal impact of an afforestation program on forest farm income and income inequality using a population-based sample of forest farm households in Taiwan. Results show that participation in the afforestation program decreases the mean level of forest farm income by 18%. However, it also reduces the variance in forest farm income by 30%. Thus, the high coverage rate of the afforestation program is likely driven by its effect on income stability. We also apply the recently developed profile analysis method to categorize the sample of forest farm households into compliers and non-compliers. The coverage rate of the afforestation program can be improved by targeting forest farm operators that are female or have low levels of education or more children.

To characterize optic disc parameters, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), and the intraocular pressure (IOP) of myopic children under continual topical 0.25% atropine treatment.From October 1, 2010 to September 31, 2011, 67 eyes of 35 myopic children were recruited. The children were treated with 0.25% atropine nightly for myopia control. Visual acuity, refraction, IOP, axial length (AL, IOL Master), RNFLT, and optic disc parameters (Stratus OCT) were measured at enrollment and every 2 months. All patients had at least 1 year of follow-up.Enrolled children had a mean age of 10.3 ± 2.4 years (5-15 years). Of the 67 studied eyes, the mean spherical equivalent (SE) was -2.60 ± 1.58 diopters (D) (-6.75--0.5 D). Under the treatment of 0.25% atropine, myopia increased by 0.53 ± 0.10D per year (P 0.0001), and AL elongated by 0.245 ± 0.042 mm per year (P 0.0001). No significant change was noted in the IOP and optic nerve parameters including peripapillary RNFLT, areas of optic disc, cup and rim, or cup/disc ratio over the follow-up period during atropine treatment (P 0.05).0.25% Atropine treatment for myopia control did not significantly affect the IOP, optic nerve parameters, and RNFLT in children over a mean of 15.2 ± 2.4 months treatment and follow-up. 0.25% Atropine is a relatively safe option for myopia control.

In this work, a new symbol time synchronization and its architecture design for high-throughput millimeter wave systems based on orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) are introduced. Complementary Golay sequences with good signal properties are popular training sequences used for the preamble design of a multi-gigabit communication system, which is the promising technology for future 5G communications. The basic idea of our contribution is to obtain a time estimate based on the aperiodic autocorrelation function (ACF) of complementary Golay sequences. Besides, achieving low power consumption and less chip area remains the challenge of high-throughput millimeter wave systems. To achieve over 2.64 GSamples/s throughput requirement, the proposed algorithm is especially suitable for the parallel design architecture of very high throughput receivers. Moreover, the complexity is further reduced by employing the correlation characteristic of the ACF of complementary Golay sequences and the regularity of the algorithm. Simulations confirm the advantages of the proposed synchronizer.

Background/Purpose To analyze the prognostic factors for ocular hypertension after posterior subtenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide (PSTA) for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods Patients who received PSTA for DME from January 2006 to December 2011 were enrolled retrospectively and were followed until December 2012 in one hospital. Modified Cox regression models were used to analyze the factors associated with ocular hypertension, which was defined as an intraocular pressure > 21 mmHg after PSTA. Results A total of 180 PSTA injections were given to 114 eyes from 73 adults with DME. During a mean follow-up of 50.4 weeks after each injection, ocular hypertension occurred in 20.6% of injections (28.1% of eyes). Treatment-naive patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) had a higher risk of ocular hypertension after PSTA than those with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.255, p = 0.030]. Intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (IVB) before PSTA had a significant effect in lowering the risk of ocular hypertension after PSTA in patients with PDR who had received panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) (HR = 0.107, p = 0.035). Both prompt PRP and IVB following PSTA had a protective effect against ocular hypertension in treatment-naive patients with PDR (HR = 0.086, p = 0.0002 and HR = 0.155, p = 0.049, respectively). Conclusion Treatment-naive patients with PDR had a higher risk of ocular hypertension after PSTA than those with NPDR. Bevacizumab and prompt PRP both had a protective effect against ocular hypertension after PSTA in patients with PDR.

PurposeTo compare the structural changes, clinical course, and treatment outcomes of vertical and horizontal vitreomacular traction (VMT) induced impending macular holes (IMHs) and full-thickness macular holes (FTMHs).MethodsIn this retrospective study, 23 and 32 cases of IMHs and FTMHs, respectively, were analyzed. The IMH cases were divided into two subgroups: IMH with and without foveal detachment. Vitreofoveal traction angles (TAs) between the inner retinal surface and posterior hyaloid were measured from horizontal and vertical optical coherence tomography (OCT) images by using the trigonometric function (the angle equals the arctangent of the height over the base) after adjustments for magnification factors. The largest angle was defined as the vitreomacular TA for the examined case. The critical angle-the TA differentiating cases with (vertical traction) or without (horizontal traction) foveal detachment (vertical traction)-was determined using regression analysis. Pretreatment and posttreatment OCT images, clinical courses, and treatment outcomes were compared between the two groups.ResultsThe critical angle was 27.2°. Cases of vertical traction had higher foveal height in the IMH group and wider bases in the FTMH group (P