A Retrospective Review of Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors of Dysphagia in Patients with Dermatomyositis.

Background: Dermatomyositis is a rare autoimmune-mediated disease characterised by distinctive rash and progressive muscle weakness. Patients with dermatomyositis may develop swallowing disorders (dysphagia) due to the inflammation of muscles involved in swallowing which may lead to serious health consequences. However, to date, the clinical characteristics of and risk factors for dysphagia in dermatomyositis remain poorly understood.

The effect of montages of transcranial alternating current stimulation on occipital responses-a sham-controlled pilot study.

Background: Transcranial alternative current stimulation (tACS) refers to a promising non-invasive technique to improve brain functions. However, owing to various stimulation parameters in the literature, optimization of the stimulation is warranted. In this study, the authors aimed to compare the effect of tACS electrode montages on occipital responses.

The use of fractional radiofrequency in Asian patients to improve skin texture.

Background And Objectives: Fractional radiofrequency devices have been demonstrated to improve skin texture, such as smoothness, rhytides, brightness, and atrophic acne scars, by increasing dermal thickness, dermal collagen content, and dermal fibrillin content. The objective of the study is to assess the efficacy and adverse effects of this device on Asian patients of skin type III and IV with skin textural changes.

Materials And Methods: The study was designed as a prospective, open-labeled single-arm study, which was conducted with 20 Chinese patients aged 21-60 years and having irregularities in their skin texture, rhytides, and acne scars.

Myopia Control Efficacy and Long-Term Safety of a Novel Orthokeratology Lens (MESOK Study)-A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial Combining Clinical and Tear Proteomics Data.

Myopia control efficacy and long-term safety of the Breath-O-Correct orthokeratology (OK) lens was evaluated in a 2-year randomized, single vision (SV) spectacle lens-controlled, single-blind clinical trial combining clinical and tear proteomics data. A total of 71 children (43 OK, 9.8 ± 1.

Efficacy of 0.01% atropine for myopia control in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial depends on baseline electroretinal response.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of 18-month 0.01% atropine in 61 myopic children (aged 7-10) and the relationship with central retinal response (by multifocal electroretinogram [mfERG]) in a double-masked randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Global-flash mfERG was measured at baseline, while cycloplegic spherical equivalent refraction (SER) and axial length (AL) were measured at baseline and at 6-month intervals.

Selective blue-filtering spectacle lens protected primary porcine RPE cells against light emitting diode-induced cell damage.

This study aimed to investigate whether use of a selective-blue-filtering (S-BF) lens can protect cultured primary porcine RPE cells against photo-irradiation. Transmittance of S-BF and UV-filtering (UVF) lenses was characterised spectrophotometrically. RPE cells were exposed to 1700 lux of white (peak λ at 443 and 533 nm; 0.

Integrating Clinical Data and Tear Proteomics to Assess Efficacy, Ocular Surface Status, and Biomarker Response After Orthokeratology Lens Wear.

Purpose: This study evaluated the efficacy and ocular surface status of Breath-O Correct, novel orthokeratology (OK) lenses, worn overnight for 3 months. Lens-induced changes in the tear proteome were evaluated.

Methods: Thirty-one subjects, aged 19 to 26 years with refractive error from -1.

HLA-B*15:11 status and carbamazepine-induced severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions in HLA-B*15:02 negative Chinese.

Background: HLA-B*15:11 is associated with carbamazepine (CBZ)-induced severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCARs) in Japanese and some Asian populations, but such data remains relatively limited in Chinese. Routine HLA-B*15:02 screening is mandatory before CBZ commencement, however, SCARs related to CBZ were still observed in non-HLA*B-15:02 carriers.

Objective: We aimed to find out the prevalence of HLA-B*15:11 in Chinese patients and its associations with CBZ-induced SCARs.

Utilizing Advanced Technology to Facilitate Diagnosis of Rare Retinal Disorders: A Case of Bietti Crystalline Dystrophy.

Significance: Optometrists, as primary eye care providers, encounter patients with rare ocular disease such as Bietti crystalline dystrophy from time to time. Using advanced technologies, which are also useful in managing common ocular conditions, to facilitate a prompt diagnosis is highly recommended.

Purpose: This report describes a patient with clinically diagnosed Bietti crystalline dystrophy with findings on funduscopy, multimodal imaging, and visual electrophysiology.

Neural and Retinal Characteristics in Relation to Working Memory in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between neural activities and retinal structures associated with working memory (WM) in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods: Eleven older adults with MCI and 29 healthy controls (60 to 73 years old) were tested. All participants underwent an event-related potential (ERP) recording while performing the two-back memory task.

Fractional 1064 nm Picosecond Laser in Treatment of Melasma and Skin Rejuvenation in Asians, A Prospective Study.

Background And Objectives: Facial melasma is a disfiguring pigmentation and occurs frequently with aging skin. Topical treatment alone was often suboptimal. A recent study showed that fractional picosecond laser has promising result in benign pigmentary lesions.

The effect of simultaneous dual-focus integration on the global flash multifocal electroretinogram in the human eye.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of simultaneous dual-focus (DF) on retinal activities measured by global flash multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG).

Methods: Thirty adults were recruited for mfERG measurement under three conditions: in-focus (i.e.

Prospective Comparison Study of 532/1064 nm Picosecond Laser vs 532/1064 nm Nanosecond Laser in the Treatment of Professional Tattoos in Asians.

Background And Aims: Although, the pulse width should be shorter than the thermal relaxation time of the target, nanosecond laser pulses are not short enough for tattoo removal. Complications are common, such as hyper or hypopigmentation, textural changes, and scarring. Moreover, patients with darker skin types are at a higher risk of complications from tattoo removal using these lasers.

A Systematic Review of Picosecond Laser in Dermatology: Evidence and Recommendations.

Background And Objectives: The use of picosecond laser in dermatology was originally focused on optimizing the removal of unwanted tattoos. Subsequent advances in this technology have broadened its clinical indications to include treatment of benign pigmented lesions, photodamage, melasma, and scar revision. In this systematic review, evidence-based recommendations are developed for the use of picosecond laser in dermatology.

Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the dual wavelength picosecond laser for the treatment of benign pigmented lesions in Asians.

Background And Objectives: Cutaneous pigmentary disorders are both more common and more difficult to treat in patients with skin color given the higher melanin content in the epidermis. Although Q-switched lasers are widely considered to be the standard treatment for both epidermal and dermal pigmentary conditions, a very high risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) of up to 25% is seen in patients with skin of color. Recently, the novel picosecond laser with pulse durations operating at sub-nanosecond domains has been shown to be effective in tattoo removal and in the treatment of acne scars.

Complications from microfocused transcutaneous ultrasound: Case series and review of the literature.

Background And Objective: Microfocused ultrasound (MFUS) technology has been utilized since 2009 for improvement in mild to moderate skin and soft tissue laxity of the face and neck. Few complications have been previously reported, the majority of which include mild and transient erythema, edema, ecchymosis, and nerve paralysis. Rare yet serious potential complications of MFUS for noninvasive skin tightening of the face and neck are, however, possible.

Childhood exposure to constricted living space: a possible environmental threat for myopia development.

Purpose: People in Hong Kong generally live in a densely populated area and their homes are smaller compared with most other cities worldwide. Interestingly, East Asian cities with high population densities seem to have higher myopia prevalence, but the association between them has not been established. This study investigated whether the crowded habitat in Hong Kong is associated with refractive error among children.

Theoretical review of the treatment of pigmented lesions in Asian skin.

Asian skin has a higher epidermal melanin content, making it more likely to develop adverse pigmentary reactions following laser surgery. The nanosecond lasers are the gold standard for the treatment of pigmented lesions, but the risk of complications, such as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, is increased in dark-skinned patients. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) or long-pulsed lasers are available for treating superficial pigmented lesions, and fewer complications are seen when using these devices compared to the nanosecond lasers.

The Multifocal On- and Off-Responses in the Human Diabetic Retina.

The characteristics of the on- and off-responses in the human diabetic retina by a "long-duration" multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) paradigm were investigated. Changes in the retinal antagonistic interaction were also evaluated in the early stage of diabetes mellitus (DM). Twenty type II diabetic patients with no or mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and twenty-one age-matched healthy controls were recruited for "long-duration" mfERG measurements.

The efficacy of a combination non-thermal focused ultrasound and radiofrequency device for noninvasive body contouring in Asians.

Background And Objective: Several studies have been published on the first generation non-thermal focused ultrasound with an average improvement of 0-3.95 cm reported. We aim to investigate the efficacy of the second-generation non-thermal focused ultrasound device with a combined radiofrequency hand piece.