Exome sequencing and genome-wide association analyses unveils the genetic predisposition in hydroxychloroquine retinopathy.

Objectives: To unveil the candidate susceptibility genes in chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine (CQ/HCQ) retinopathy using whole exome sequencing (WES) and genome-wide association study (GWAS).

Methods: Patients with a diagnosis of CQ/HCQ retinopathy based on the comprehensive demographic and ocular examination were included. The peripheral blood was extracted for WES and GWAS analyses.

Bleb-related infection after primary trabeculectomy: medical chart reviews from 1993 to 2021.

Background: To investigate the incidence of and risk factors for bleb-related infection (BRI) in patients who underwent mitomycin C-augmented primary trabeculectomy.

Methods: We reviewed the medical charts of consecutive patients who had received primary trabeculectomy in Taipei Veterans General Hospital. We recorded the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients before, during and after surgery.

Risks of posterior segment ocular ischaemic events in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a population-based cohort study in Taiwan.

Backgroud/aim: Ocular involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is often primarily recognised by ophthalmologists rather than internists. This study aims to investigate the incidence and risk factors for the occurrence of posterior ocular ischaemic events (OIE), including retinal vein occlusion (RVO), retinal artery occlusion (RAO) and ischaemic optic neuropathy (ION), in patients with SLE.

Methods: A national database in Taiwan was used to identify 24 472 patients newly diagnosed with SLE and 244 720 age-matched and sex-matched controls between 1997 and 2012.

Development of topical chitosan/ β-glycerophosphate-based hydrogel loaded with levofloxacin in the treatment of keratitis: An study.

species are responsible for most cases of post-operative endophthalmitis. Topical ocular drug was applied for post-operative infection prevention, but the way of delivery encounters many challenges in terms of patient's compliance, drug efficacy, and drug penetration. We used the levofloxacin-loaded chitosan/gelatin/β-glycerophosphate hydrogel sustained releasing system with good anti-bacterial efficacy and biocompatibility, which we had previously designed, for keratitis model to test the preclinical drug efficacy and to determine drug level in the anterior chamber of the eye.

FACTORS RELATED TO UNFAVORABLE VISUAL OUTCOME AFTER IDIOPATHIC EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE SURGERY IN PATIENTS WITH GLAUCOMA.

Purpose: To evaluate the visual outcomes after idiopathic epiretinal membrane surgery in glaucomatous and nonglaucomatous eyes and factors related to unfavorable outcomes in glaucomatous eyes.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study including patients undergoing idiopathic epiretinal membrane surgery with ≥12-month follow-up. Final visual acuity at pseudophakic status was compared among groups of glaucoma, glaucoma suspect, and nonglaucoma and correlated with optical coherence tomography and visual field characteristics in patients with glaucoma.

Development of a dual delivery of levofloxacin and prednisolone acetate via PLGA nanoparticles/ thermosensitive chitosan-based hydrogel for postoperative management: An in-vitro and ex-vivo study.

Post-operative endophthalmitis (POE) is one of the most dreadful complications after intraocular surgery. For cataract surgery patients, both commercially available topical 0.5% levofloxacin and 1% prednisolone acetate (PA) ophthalmic solution require at least 3 to 4 times application daily.

Dendrimer-mediated columnar mesophase of surfactants.

The columnar mesophase, in which the molecular or supramolecular building blocks with rod-like geometry pack into two-dimensional (2D) lattices, is an important class of mesomorphic structure having been found in various liquid crystalline materials for practical applications. The cylindrical micelles assembled by amphiphilic surfactants may also form columnar mesophases with the micelle packing symmetry being tunable by the molecular characteristics of the surfactants. In this study, we demonstrate that a positively charged tree-like polymer, poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) G4 dendrimer, acted as an effective structure-directing agent for the columnar mesophase of a common anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), via their electrostatic interaction.

XEN45 Gel Stent implantation in eyes with primary open angle glaucoma: A study from a single hospital in Taiwan.

Background: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the XEN45 Gel Stent in East Asian patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 37 medically uncontrolled POAG patients who received XEN45 Gel Stent. The primary outcomes were reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP) and in the number of glaucoma medications 12 months after surgery.

Fourier analysis of circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in optical coherence tomography for differentiating myopia and glaucoma.

Differentiating glaucoma from myopic eye is a challenge to ophthalmologists. We try to develop a new discrete Fourier transform (DFT) model for analyzing optical coherence tomography data for the circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL), and investigate DFT as a new diagnostic tool for glaucomatous myopic eyes. The thicknesses of 12 equidistant cpRNFL points were transformed into 6 signals in the frequency domain, ranging from 1 to 6 Hz.

Deep learning assisted detection of glaucomatous optic neuropathy and potential designs for a generalizable model.

Purpose: To evaluate ways to improve the generalizability of a deep learning algorithm for identifying glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON) using a limited number of fundus photographs, as well as the key features being used for classification.

Methods: A total of 944 fundus images from Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) were retrospectively collected. Clinical and demographic characteristics, including structural and functional measurements of the images with GON, were recorded.

Optic Disc and Macular Vessel Density Measured by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Open-Angle and Angle-Closure Glaucoma.

There is distinct pathogenesis between primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG). Although elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is the major risk factor for glaucoma, non-IOP risk factors such as vascular abnormalities and lower systolic/diastolic perfusion pressure may play a role in the pathogenic process. This study aimed to compare the vessel density (VD) in the optic disc and macula using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) between POAG and PACG eyes.

Diagnostic utility of neuroretinal rim thickness, measured in clock-hour sectors with HD optical coherence tomography, in preperimetric glaucoma.

Background: We evaluated the usefulness of neuroretinal rim (NRR) thicknesses, measured in clock-hour sectors with Cirrus HD optical coherence tomography, for diagnosing preperimetric glaucoma (PPG).

Methods: This prospective study included 39 eyes of 39 patients with PPG and 39 eyes of 39 controls that were matched to patients for age and refractive error. We measured the circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) thickness, macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness, and optic nerve head (ONH) parameters with optical coherence tomography.

All-Solution-Processed Red and Orange-Red Organic Light-Emitting Diodes with High-Efficiencies: The Effect of Mixed-Host Emissive Layers and Thermal Annealing Treatment.

The instability of the organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) during operation can be attributed to the existence of point defects on the organic layers. In this work, the effect of mixed-host emissive layer and the thermal annealing treatment were investigated to eliminate defects and to boost the device performance. The mixed-host system includes 4,4',4''-tri (9-carbazoyl) triphenylamine (TCTA) and 2,7-bis(diphenylphosphoryl)-9, 9'-spirobi[fluorene] (SPPO13).

Glaucoma assessment in high myopic eyes using optical coherence tomography with long axial length normative database.

Background: We investigated the performance of glaucoma assessment using RS-3000 spectral domain optical coherence tomography with a long axial length (AL) normative database versus Cirrus HD-OCT in eyes with high myopia.

Methods: This is a prospective case-control study. Eyes with AL ≥26 mm were enrolled, including 40 control eyes and 41 eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma.

Macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform vs retinal nerve fiber layer measurement to detect early glaucoma with superior or inferior hemifield defects.

Background: To compare the diagnostic ability of Cirrus high-definition spectral-domain optical coherence tomography measurements of the macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) vs the circumferential retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) to detect early glaucoma with hemifield visual field (VF) defects.

Methods: This prospective study included 96 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (48 with superior hemifield defects and 48 with inferior hemifield defects) and 48 normal control subjects. All glaucomatous eyes had a mean deviation of the VF defect ≥-6.

Leakage-free solution-processed organic light-emitting diode using a ternary host with single-diode emission area up to 6 × 11.5 cm.

The electrical current leakage and stability are studied for solution-processed OLEDs with areas of 4.45 mm, 3 × 3.2 cm, and 6 × 11.

Sustained release of levofloxacin from thermosensitive chitosan-based hydrogel for the treatment of postoperative endophthalmitis.

In the field of ophthalmology, postoperative endophthalmitis (POE) is a serious surgical complication, which may lead to poor visual outcome even after the infection has been controlled. In the study, we develop a sustained drug releasing system loaded with levofloxacin which is expected to be effective against common pathogens responsible for POE for at least 7 days after single application at the end of surgery. The results of study showed that the sol-gel transition temperature of the levofloxacin-loaded chitosan-gelatin-based solution was ~34°C.

Diagnostic ability of macular ganglion cell asymmetry in Preperimetric Glaucoma.

Background: To evaluate the diagnostic ability of macular ganglion cell asymmetry to diagnose preperimetric glaucoma (PPG), using Cirrus spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods: This prospective study included 67 eyes of 67 patients with PPG and 67 eyes of 67 age- and refractive error-matched controls. We measured circumpapillary RNFL (cpRNFL) thickness, macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness and optic nerve head (ONH) parameters using OCT.

Thermosensitive chitosan-gelatin-based hydrogel containing curcumin-loaded nanoparticles and latanoprost as a dual-drug delivery system for glaucoma treatment.

Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma is due to impairment of aqueous humor drainage via the uveoscleral or trabecular outflow pathway. Latanoprost reduces IOP by increasing the uveoscleral outflow. Despite its potency, long-term daily application of it may cause undesirable side effects and many require more than one medication for IOP control.

Macular ganglion cell asymmetry for detecting paracentral scotoma in early glaucoma.

Purpose: We evaluated macular ganglion cell asymmetry as a tool for diagnosing paracentral scotoma (PCS) in early glaucoma.

Patients And Methods: This prospective study compared 58 patients with early glaucoma and PCS to 58 age-matched control individuals. All glaucomatous eyes had scotoma within the central 12 degrees of fixation and confined to one hemifield.

Fibroblast Growth Factor 9 Suppresses Striatal Cell Death Dominantly Through ERK Signaling in Huntington's Disease.

Background/aims: Huntington's disease (HD) is a heritable neurodegenerative disorder, and there is no cure for HD to date. A type of fibroblast growth factor (FGF), FGF9, has been reported to play prosurvival roles in other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. However, the effects of FGF9 on HD is still unknown.