A case-control study of reaction time deficits in a 3D virtual reality in patients with Post-COVID syndrome.

Following the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a large number of people continue to report Post-COVID symptoms (PCS). A wide variety of symptoms are described, including fatigue, post-exertional malaise and cognitive impairment. However, adequate objective diagnostic tests for PCS are not yet available.

Optical coherence tomography angiography to assess for retinal vascular changes in Neuro-Sjögren.

Background: Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease characterized by sicca symptoms and various extraglandular manifestations including vasculitis. Neurological involvement occurs frequently (Neuro-Sjögren) and often mimics immune neuropathies such as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).

Objectives: We aim to assess relevant differences in vessel density (VD) in Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) in those diseases to use it as an easily available diagnostic tool.

A prospective non-randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic inpatient treatment of Post-COVID-19 syndrome - study protocol.

Introduction: In addition to physical symptoms such as dyspnea, fatigue, post-exertional malaise, and pain, a subgroup of patients with Post-COVID-19 syndrome (Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19, PASC) suffers from mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, and neurocognitive impairments. To date, there are no causal treatments available for PASC. While initial studies show that psychotherapy improves psychological symptoms, PASC-related fatigue, and psychosocial functioning, further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic treatment for PASC.

Impact and visualization of scotomatic glare in central visual field perception.

Strong monochromatic point light sources such as Light Emitting Diodes (LED) or Lasers have been increasingly used in recent decades. This also raises the risk of misuse resulting in glare phenomena and associated visual impairment. The objective of this prospective and partially blinded study was the visualization and characterization of glare-induced scotomas in visual field by dazzling with monochromatic point light sources in terms of disability and discomfort glare.

Gene network-based and ensemble modeling-based selection of tumor-associated antigens with a predicted low risk of tissue damage for targeted immunotherapy.

Background: Tumor-associated antigens and their derived peptides constitute an opportunity to design off-the-shelf mainline or adjuvant anti-cancer immunotherapies for a broad array of patients. A performant and rational antigen selection pipeline would lay the foundation for immunotherapy trials with the potential to enhance treatment, tremendously benefiting patients suffering from rare, understudied cancers.

Methods: We present an experimentally validated, data-driven computational pipeline that selects and ranks antigens in a multipronged approach.

Glaucoma detection using non-perfused areas in OCTA.

Multiple ophthalmic diseases lead to decreased capillary perfusion that can be visualized using optical coherence tomography angiography images. To quantify the decrease in perfusion, past studies have often used the vessel density, which is the percentage of vessel pixels in the image. However, this method is often not sensitive enough to detect subtle changes in early pathology.

"Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children"-Like Disease after COVID-19 Vaccination (MIS-V) with Potential Significance of Functional Active Autoantibodies Targeting G-Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCR-fAAb) for Pathophysiology and Therapy.

Background: An infection with SARS-CoV-2 can trigger a systemic disorder by pathological autoimmune processes. A certain type of this dysregulation is known as Multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). However, similar symptoms may occur and have been described as Multisystemic inflammatory syndrome after SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination (MIS-V) following vaccination against SARS-CoV-2.

Correlation of retinal vascular characteristics with laboratory and ocular findings in Fabry disease: exploring ocular diagnostic biomarkers.

Background: The goal of this study was to evaluate macular microvascular changes in patients with Fabry disease (FD) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and to explore their correlation with laboratory and ocular findings.

Methods: A total of 76 eyes (38 patients) and 48 eyes of 24 healthy controls were enrolled in this prospective study. Vessel Area Density (VAD) and Foveal Avascular Zone (FAZ) area were calculated on 2.

Understanding, diagnosing, and treating Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome - State of the art: Report of the 2nd international meeting at the Charité Fatigue Center.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a devastating disease affecting millions of people worldwide. Due to the 2019 pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), we are facing a significant increase of ME/CFS prevalence. On May 11th to 12th, 2023, the second international ME/CFS conference of the Charité Fatigue Center was held in Berlin, Germany, focusing on pathomechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment.

[Leadership from the perspective of next generation ophthalmologists].

Managers in the healthcare system play a critical role in ensuring high quality patient care, optimization of resources, management of complex situations, creation of a positive work environment and promotion of continuous progress. They set clear goals, support interdisciplinary collaboration, ensure patient safety and quality care, and assist in the development of future leaders. To accomplish these multiple tasks, important qualities such as integrity, communication skills, self-awareness, ability to learn, influence, empathy, courage, respect, ability to delegate and gratitude are essential.

Virtual reality for assessing stereopsis performance and eye characteristics in Post-COVID.

In 2019, we faced a pandemic due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), with millions of confirmed cases and reported deaths. Even in recovered patients, symptoms can be persistent over weeks, termed Post-COVID. In addition to common symptoms of fatigue, muscle weakness, and cognitive impairments, visual impairments have been reported.

SSN2V: unsupervised OCT denoising using speckle split.

Denoising in optical coherence tomography (OCT) is important to compensate the low signal-to-noise ratio originating from laser speckle. In recent years learning algorithms have been established as the most powerful denoising approach. Especially unsupervised denoising is an interesting topic since it is not possible to acquire noise free scans with OCT.

The influence of trace elements on the therapeutic success of suprachoroidal draining devices.

Purpose: The therapeutic success of minimal invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) is challenging due to many factors including fibrotic or occlusive events. Recent clinical data show sudden peaks of intraocular pressure (IOP) in the postoperative care of glaucoma patients after suprachoroidal draining stents. Yet, the reasons for the IOP peaks are speculative.

Bilateral Acute Macular Neuroretinopathy (AMN) after COVID-19 and its Clinical Course.

Acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN) is a rare disease entity. It is mainly observed in young women with a history of influenza-like infection or who have been taking oral contraceptives for several years. Patients typically describe subjective visual deterioration and mono- or bilateral paracentral relative scotomas.

Pressure-Dependent Elevation of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Level in Chicken Choroid.

Purpose: Autonomic control is important in maintaining ocular integrity. As recent data suggested that intrinsic choroidal neurons (ICN), an intrinsic choroidal autonomic control, may regulate choroidal thickening via release of the vasodilative vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), it was the aim of the study to investigate the level of choroidal VIP (VIP) in the presence of an increased atmospheric pressure in a chicken model.

Methods: Chicken choroidal whole mounts were exposed to ambient pressure ( = 20) and 40 mm Hg ( = 20) in a PC-controlled, open chamber system for 24 and 72 h, respectively.

Autoantibodies targeting G protein-coupled receptors: An evolving history in autoimmunity. Report of the 4th international symposium.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) are involved in various physiological and pathophysiological processes. Functional autoantibodies targeting GPCRs have been associated with multiple disease manifestations in this context. Here we summarize and discuss the relevant findings and concepts presented in the biennial International Meeting on autoantibodies targeting GPCRs (the 4th Symposium), held in Lübeck, Germany, 15-16 September 2022.

APSified OCT-angiography analysis: Macula vessel density in healthy eyes during office hours.

Purpose: Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) can visualize retinal capillary microcirculation non-invasively. In order to investigate potential factors influencing OCT-A diagnostics, the aim of the present study was to determine circadian changes in macular vessel density (VD) in healthy adults during office hours, considering axial length (AL) and subfoveal choroidal thickness (CT).

Methods: In the prospective study 30 eyes of 30 healthy subjects (mean age 28.

Moonlighting chromatin: when DNA escapes nuclear control.

Extracellular chromatin, for example in the form of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), is an important element that propels the pathological progression of a plethora of diseases. DNA drives the interferon system, serves as autoantigen, and forms the extracellular scaffold for proteins of the innate immune system. An insufficient clearance of extruded chromatin after the release of DNA from the nucleus into the extracellular milieu can perform a secret task of moonlighting in immune-inflammatory and occlusive disorders.

Teleglaucoma Using a New Smartphone-Based Tool for Visual Field Assessment.

Prcis: COVID-19 underlines the importance of telemedical diagnostics. The smartphone-based campimetry (Sb-C) is a newly developed digital application allowing visual field testing using a head-mounted device and a smartphone. It enables visual field screening remotely from a clinic.

Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Imaging.

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and artificial intelligence (AI) are two emerging fields that complement each other. OCTA enables the noninvasive, , 3D visualization of retinal blood flow with a micrometer resolution, which has been impossible with other imaging modalities. As it does not need dye-based injections, it is also a safer procedure for patients.