Neural network-based automated proptosis measurement using computed tomography images for patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical feasibility and reliability of a neural network (NN)-based automated proptosis measurement system using computed tomography (CT) images. An automated proptosis measurement system was developed using the CT images of 200 eyes from 100 patients diagnosed with thyroid-associated orbitopathy. We compared the proptosis value obtained from the proposed automated system with the values obtained from the Hertel exophthalmometer and manual measurements of CT slices.

Effective encoder-decoder network for pupil light reflex segmentation in facial photographs of ptosis patients.

Accurate segmentation of pupil light reflexes is essential for the reliable assessment of ptosis severity, a condition characterized by the drooping of the upper eyelid. This study introduces a novel encoder-decoder network specialized in reflex segmentation by focusing on addressing issues related to very small regions of interest from an architectural perspective. Specifically, the proposed network is designed to exploit low-level features effectively by integrating a multi-level skip connection and a 1 × 1 convolution-enhanced initial encoding stage.

Impact of standardized tobacco packaging on smoking-related behaviors and perceptions in Singapore.

Introduction: Singapore phased in standardized tobacco packaging on 1 July 2020 following a three-month grace period. This pre-post study evaluated its impacts on smoking-related behaviors and perceptions among adults who currently smoke.

Methods: Baseline and follow-up data were collected in a pre- and post-questionnaire from a cohort of 1873 Singaporean adults who were currently smoking at baseline.

Automated eyeball volume measurement based on CT images using neural network-based segmentation and simple estimation.

With the increase in the dependency on digital devices, the incidence of myopia, a precursor of various ocular diseases, has risen significantly. Because myopia and eyeball volume are related, myopia progression can be monitored through eyeball volume estimation. However, existing methods are limited because the eyeball shape is disregarded during estimation.

Graves' orbitopathy development in thyroid cancer patients: a 16-year nationwide cohort study in South Korea.

Background/objectives: We aimed to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and prognosis of Graves' orbitopathy (GO) in patients with thyroid cancer without a history of hyperthyroidism.

Subjects/methods: This retrospective cohort study analysed a sample from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, which included 1,137,861 subjects from 2002 through 2019. Patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer, without a history of hyperthyroidism, were identified according to the Korean Standard Classification of Disease codes.

The Roles of Trust in Government and Sense of Community in the COVID-19 Contact Tracing Privacy Calculus: Mixed Method Study Using a 2-Wave Survey and In-Depth Interviews.

Background: Contact tracing technology has been adopted in many countries to aid in identifying, evaluating, and handling individuals who have had contact with those infected with COVID-19. Singapore was among the countries that actively implemented the government-led contact tracing program known as TraceTogether. Despite the benefits the contact tracing program could provide to individuals and the community, privacy issues were a significant barrier to individuals' acceptance of the program.

Development of a neural network-based automated eyelid measurement system.

The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical utility and reliability of an automated eyelid measurement system utilizing neural network (NN) technology. Digital images of the eyelids were taken from a total of 300 subjects, comprising 100 patients with Graves' orbitopathy (GO), 100 patients with ptosis, and 100 controls. An automated measurement system based on NNs was developed to measure margin-reflex distance 1 and 2 (MRD1 and MRD2), as well as the lengths of the upper and lower eyelids.

Associations of childhood and current secondhand smoke exposure at home with current secondhand smoke exposure at work: A cross-sectional analysis of the Singapore multi-ethnic cohort.

Introduction: Relationships between secondhand smoke exposure (SHSE) in various temporal and physical settings are not fully studied despite its adverse impacts on human health, especially in multi-ethnic Asian populations. We investigated associations of childhood and current SHSE at home (SHSE) with current SHSE at work (SHSE) in Singapore and its relation to sources of daily smokers at home.

Methods: This cross-sectional study identified 925 healthy, never smoker working adults from the Singapore Multi-Ethnic Cohort (2004-2010).

Intralymphatic histiocytosis of the upper eyelid in a patient of Korean descent: A case report.

Rationale: Diagnosing intralymphatic histiocytosis can be challenging due to its rarity. We present a case of intralymphatic histiocytosis in the upper eyelid of a Korean patient. We treated the condition by surgical debulking and intralesional triamcinolone injection.

Neural network application for assessing thyroid-associated orbitopathy activity using orbital computed tomography.

This study aimed to propose a neural network (NN)-based method to evaluate thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) patient activity using orbital computed tomography (CT). Orbital CT scans were obtained from 144 active and 288 inactive TAO patients. These CT scans were preprocessed by selecting eleven slices from axial, coronal, and sagittal planes and segmenting the region of interest.

Effective encoder-decoder neural network for segmentation of orbital tissue in computed tomography images of Graves' orbitopathy patients.

Purpose: To propose a neural network (NN) that can effectively segment orbital tissue in computed tomography (CT) images of Graves' orbitopathy (GO) patients.

Methods: We analyzed orbital CT scans from 701 GO patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2019 and devised an effective NN specializing in semantic orbital tissue segmentation in GO patients' CT images. After four conventional (Attention U-Net, DeepLab V3+, SegNet, and HarDNet-MSEG) and the proposed NN train the various manual orbital tissue segmentations, we calculated the Dice coefficient and Intersection over Union for comparison.

Efficacy of selenium supplementation for mild-to-moderate Graves' ophthalmopathy in a selenium-sufficient area (SeGOSS trial): study protocol for a phase III, multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled intervention trial.

Background: The therapeutic effect of selenium has been demonstrated in mild Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) in a European region where selenium status is suboptimal. However, there is a lack of evidence to support selenium use in selenium-sufficient areas. The aim of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of selenium in mild-to-moderate GO in selenium-sufficient South Korea.

Sex-specific risk factors associated with graves' orbitopathy in Korean patients with newly diagnosed graves' disease.

Objective: To assess sex-specific risk factors for Graves' orbitopathy (GO) in newly diagnosed Graves' disease (GD) patients.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Service's sample database, which consisted of 1,137,861 subjects from 2002 to 2019. The international classification of disease-10 codes was used to identify those who developed GD (E05) and GO (H062).

Determinants of Hardcore Smoking in a MULTI-ETHNIC Study of Cigarette Smokers in Singapore.

Smokers who are resistant to quitting are not well studied in Asia, particularly in multi-ethnic populations. We compared the characteristics of hardcore smokers in Singapore, a multi-ethnic Asian population, with other daily smokers, and investigated the role of ethnicity as an effect modifier on identified determinants, including cigarette flavor preferences, using cross-sectional data from Singapore Smokers' Survey (n = 1,501). Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association.

Predictive Model for Graves' Ophthalmopathy in Patients with New-Onset Graves' Disease.

The most prevalent extrathyroidal manifestation of Graves' disease (GD) is Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO). However, only few methods allow for predictions of GO occurrence or progression in patients with GD. We retrospectively analyzed 1,074 patients with new-onset GD, and divided them into a derivation and a validation cohort based on the date of their GD diagnosis.

Multi-level determinants of breast cancer screening among Malay-Muslim women in Singapore: a sequential mixed-methods study.

Objective: Ethnic disparity persists despite equal access to health care in Singapore, with Malay-Muslim women having the lowest mammogram uptake rate and highest breast cancer mortality rate. We sought to understand barriers to and facilitators for mammogram uptake in this community.

Methods: We used a sequential mixed-methods design to first explore reasons for screening and not screening for breast cancer, then determine factors associated with screening and regular screening in a survey.

Neural network-based method for diagnosis and severity assessment of Graves' orbitopathy using orbital computed tomography.

Computed tomography (CT) has been widely used to diagnose Graves' orbitopathy, and the utility is gradually increasing. To develop a neural network (NN)-based method for diagnosis and severity assessment of Graves' orbitopathy (GO) using orbital CT, a specific type of NN optimized for diagnosing GO was developed and trained using 288 orbital CT scans obtained from patients with mild and moderate-to-severe GO and normal controls. The developed NN was compared with three conventional NNs [GoogleNet Inception v1 (GoogLeNet), 50-layer Deep Residual Learning (ResNet-50), and 16-layer Very Deep Convolutional Network from Visual Geometry group (VGG-16)].

"The Menthol One Is More Friendly": Young Singaporeans' Perspectives on Flavored Cigarettes.

Over half of the cigarettes sold in Singapore contain added flavors such as menthol. We conducted nine focus group discussions (n = 46) with young (aged 20-25) current smokers in Singapore to understand the role of flavors in smoking initiation. We found that flavors triggered the curiosity to experiment with tobacco and e-cigarette products and played an important role in the formation of early cigarette preferences.

The Influence of Normative Perceptions on the Uptake of the COVID-19 TraceTogether Digital Contact Tracing System: Cross-sectional Study.

Background: In 2020, the Singapore government rolled out the TraceTogether program, a digital system to facilitate contact tracing efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This system is available as a smartphone app and Bluetooth-enabled token to help identify close contacts. As of February 1, 2021, more than 80% of the population has either downloaded the mobile app or received the token in Singapore.

The effect of dance interventions on cognition, neuroplasticity, physical function, depression, and quality of life for older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Mild cognitive impairment is an age-related cognitive disorder which is associated with frequent memory lapses, impaired judgement, and progressive functional decline. If untreated early, 39.2% of people with mild cognitive impairment could progress to develop dementia.

Breast Cancer Information Behaviours and Needs among Singapore Women: A Qualitative Study.

Background: There is growing evidence on cancer communication and its impact on cancer-related health outcomes; however, little is known about how women gain access to and use breast cancer information in the multi-ethnic Asian context. This paper aimed to explore the breast cancer information acquisition behaviours and needs among Singapore women who attended a community-based health organisation for mammography screening. Methods, design and setting: Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 37 racially diverse, aged 50 and above women, who have received mammography screening within the past two years.

Cross-sectional survey of flavored cigarette use among adult smokers in Singapore.

Introduction: Singapore, a city-state with a multi-ethnic Asian population, has one of the world's largest market shares for cigarettes with added flavors, such as menthol and fruit, which increase the appeal of smoking. Little is known on the sociodemographic or smoking-related traits associated with flavored cigarette use in the Asian context.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in January-March 2020 of 1123 Singaporean adult (aged 21-69 years) current smokers using a self-completed online or postal questionnaire.

Impact of Social Media on Health-Related Outcomes Among Older Adults in Singapore: Qualitative Study.

Background: The worldwide spread of digitalization has led to the harnessing of technology to improve health outcomes. Paying attention to older adults' social needs via social media is one way to promote healthy aging. Although 56% of older adults are smartphone users, little is known about their use patterns of social media.

Tobacco use patterns and attitudes in Singapore young male adults serving military national service: a qualitative study.

Objectives: To explore tobacco use patterns and factors influencing tobacco use in young Singaporean men serving military national service.

Methods: A qualitative study using in-depth telephone interviews and maximum variation sampling was conducted with 29 Singaporean men who have completed their national service in 2017-2018. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.