Nonsurgical management of upper eyelid retraction in thyroid eye disease.

Upper eyelid retraction (UER) is the most common sign of thyroid eye disease (TED) and may result in lagophthalmos and exposure keratopathy. Measures to address UER are varied and include conservative treatment, surgical intervention, and injections of botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid (HA) filler, and triamcinolone acetonide (TA). Our article will discuss the various nonsurgical aspects of managing TED-related UER, focusing on the injections of botulinum toxin, HA filler, and TA to the upper eyelid, which have all been reported to be effective in improving UER in both active and inactive states of TED.

Choroid vascular index in myopic patients - A mini review.

Myopia has become a globally prevalent ocular disease. The choroid plays a vital role in myopia, and its changes tend to occur earlier than those of the retina and long-term variations in eye growth. Abnormal axial growth is an intrinsic characteristic of myopia, accompanied by ocular biomechanical changes that result in chorioretinal atrophy, thinning, and other complications particularly in the choroidal vasculature.

Multiple parafoveal retinal detachment in myopic tractional maculopathy.

This study investigates the occurrence of multiple parafoveal retinal detachments (RDs) in myopic traction maculopathy (MTM), emphasizing the atypical extrafoveal involvement compared to central foveal detachment commonly observed. Patient 1, a 46-year-old male, exhibited MTM with retinoschisis and four small subretinal fluid (SRF) pockets inferior to the fovea, accompanied by a hyperautofluorescent vitelliform deposit. Patient 2, a 43-year-old male, reported ring-shaped dim vision in the left eye, displaying MTM with six stable SRF pockets surrounding the fovea.

Optical coherence tomography characteristics in hydroxychloroquine retinopathy and the correlations with visual deterioration in Taiwanese.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate optical coherence tomography (OCT) characteristics in hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) retinopathy and their correlation with visual acuity among Taiwanese patients.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively recruited patients undergoing long-term HCQ treatment who had received examinations of best-corrected visual acuity and OCT scans. We observed disruptions in the ellipsoid zone (EZ) and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) across different retinal regions.

Comparison of Clinical Characteristics and Mortality Outcome in Critical COVID-19 Patients Infected with Alpha and Omicron Variants.

Objective: Early reports have indicated that the Omicron variant of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be associated with low mortality. However, the mortality rate of critical patients in Taiwan with COVID-19 caused by different variants has not been well described.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Linkou Branch of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, from April 2020 to September 2022.

Nutritional, Nutraceutical, and Medicinal Potential of Fr.: A Comprehensive Review.

Mushrooms are considered as nutraceutical foods that can effectively prevent diseases such as cancer and other serious life-threatening conditions include neurodegeneration, hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia. The , also known as the "Golden chanterelle" or "Golden girolle," is a significant wild edible ectomycorrhizal mushroom. It is renowned for its delicious, apricot-like aroma and is highly valued in various culinary traditions worldwide.

Quantitative Approach for Determining Reproductive Life-History Strategies of Parasitic Plants: A Case Study in .

Parasitic plants are a diverse and unique polyphyletic assemblage of flowering plants that survive by obtaining resources via direct vascular connections to a host plant. Ecologically important in their native ecosystems, these typically cryptic plants remain understudied and fundamental knowledge of the biology, ecology, and evolution of most species is lacking. This gap limits our understanding of ecosystems and conservation management.

Supranormal Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction, Concentric Remodeling, and Long-Term Survival.

Background: Supranormal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) confers a paradoxically higher mortality risk; however, whether intrinsic structural changes of left ventricle (LV) play an important role remain unclear.

Objectives: The authors sought to investigate the prognostic implication of supranormal LVEF and its interaction with LV concentric remodeling.

Methods: Consecutive participants undergoing echocardiography in a tertiary medical center with LVEF >60% were included.

Validating Machine Learning Models Against the Saline Test Gold Standard for Primary Aldosteronism Diagnosis.

Background: In this study, we developed and validated machine learning models to predict primary aldosteronism (PA) in hypertensive East-Asian patients, comparing their performance against the traditional saline infusion test. The motivation for this development arises from the need to provide a more efficient and standardized diagnostic approach, because the saline infusion test, although considered a gold standard, is often cumbersome, is time-consuming, and lacks uniform protocols. By offering an alternative diagnostic method, this study seeks to enhance patient care through quicker and potentially more reliable PA detection.

Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology Position Statement on the Use of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in the Management of Aortic Stenosis.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been established as an effective treatment modality in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and the uptake of TAVI is rapidly growing in the Asia-Pacific region. However, there exist a heterogeneity in the management of aortic stenosis and the use of TAVI among countries in the region. Reasons for these differences include anatomic variations, disparity in healthcare resources and infrastructure, and the lack of consensus on the optimal management of AS in the Asia-Pacific region.

Predicting Mortality and Hospitalization in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction by Using Machine Learning.

Background: Few studies have incorporated echocardiography and laboratory data to predict clinical outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Objectives: This study aimed to use machine learning to find predictors of heart failure (HF) hospitalization and cardiovascular (CV) death in HFpEF.

Methods: From the Chang Gung Research Database in Taiwan, 6,092 HFpEF patients (2,898 derivation, 3,194 validation) identified between 2008 and 2017 were followed until 2019.

Species description and molecular analysis of a hard tick () parasitizing wild Taiwan cobra snake () in southern Taiwan.

Species description based on the pictorial keys of morphological characters of female tick parasitizing wild Taiwan cobra snake () was firstly described in Taiwan. Molecular analysis based on the 16S mitochondrial gene sequences was performed by comparing eight ticks from Taiwan with other species documented in GenBank. In addition, two and two species were used as outgroups.

Engineered Perfluorochemical Cancer-Derived Exosomes Loaded with Indocyanine Green and Camptothecin Provide Targeted Photochemotherapy for Effective Cancer Treatment.

Background: Cancer treatments are still limited by various challenges, such as off-target drug delivery, posttreatment inflammation, and the hypoxic conditions in the tumor microenvironment; thus, the development of effective therapeutics remains highly desirable. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles with a size of 30-200 nm that have been widely applied as drug carriers over the last decade. In this study, melanoma-derived exosomes were used to develop a perfluorocarbon (PFC) drug nanocarriers loaded with indocyanine green (ICG) and camptothecin (CPT) (ICFESs) for targeted cancer photochemotherapy.

Maternal and neonatal complications of pregnant women with bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Confidence in pregnancy outcome data for women with bipolar disorder is compromised by small cohort sizes. However, comprehensive national data have been published over the last decade, but no quantitative synthesis has been established to determine the factors associated with complications in these women. Our goal is to summarise the evidence of population-based data on obstetric complications and neonatal outcomes in women with bipolar disorder compared to women without bipolar disorder.

An Objective Assessment of Long-term Postoperative Hyperpigmentation in Patients With Apocrine Gland-eliminated Osmidrosis Surgery.

Background: Radical surgery is the best treatment for axillary osmidrosis to eliminate the apocrine glands. However, marked postoperative hyperpigmentation may occur. Clinicians need an objective skin pigmentation examination to identify and treat hyperpigmentation.

A Comprehensive Review on Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystals: Mechanisms, Materials, and Applications.

Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) stand at the intersection of polymer science and liquid crystal technology, offering a unique blend of optical versatility and mechanical durability. These composite materials are composed of droplets of liquid crystals interspersed in a matrix of polymeric materials, harnessing the optical properties of liquid crystals while benefiting from the structural integrity of polymers. The responsiveness of LCs combined with the mechanical rigidity of polymers make polymer/LC composites-where the polymer network or matrix is used to stabilize and modify the LC phase-extremely important for scientists developing novel adaptive optical devices.

Unraveling the Role of Oxygen Pulse Variability in Endurance Exercise Training in Individuals with COPD: A Novel Approach to Response of Oxygen Pulse and Quality of Life in Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by airway inflammation, airflow limitation, reduced health-related quality of life (HRQL), and exercise intolerance. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is essential for COPD management, but outcomes may be influenced by individual physiological factors. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) measures oxygen pulse (O2P), an indicator of stroke volume, yet the impact of baseline O2P on PR effectiveness remains unclear.

A two-stage deep learning-based hybrid model for daily wind speed forecasting.

Global adoption of wind energy continues to increase, while improving the efficiency of turbine settings requires reliable wind speed (WS) models. The latest models rely on artificial intelligence (AI) optimizations which constructs tests on a range of novel hybrid models to examine the reliability. Gradient Boosting (GB), Random Forest (RF), and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) are used in new combinations for data pre-processing.

Association of total testosterone levels with cardiometabolic diseases in men with erectile dysfunction.

Background: Both serum testosterone (T) levels and erectile dysfunction (ED) are associated with systemic diseases in men and ED is the most common presenting symptom of hypogonadism.

Aim: To evaluate the association of serum total testosterone (TT) levels with cardiometabolic diseases in men with ED.

Methods: Serum endogenous TT levels were determined to evaluate their associations with cardiometabolic diseases in men with ED in outpatient clinics.

Burden of diabetes in correctional facilities: A global systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Diabetes mellitus presents significant public health challenges worldwide. While its prevalence and management in the general population have been extensively studied, comprehensive research on diabetes among incarcerated individuals is lacking. This study aims to conduct a systematic review and -analysis to determine the prevalence of diabetes within the prison population.

Multiomic analyses reveal enriched glycolytic processes in β-myosin heavy chain-expressed cardiomyocytes in early cardiac hypertrophy.

Background: Cardiac pressure overload induces cardiac hypertrophy and eventually leads to heart failure. One distinct feature of pathological cardiac hypertrophy is fetal-gene re-expression, but not every cardiomyocyte exhibits fetal gene re-expression in the diseased heart. Adult cardiomyocytes are terminally differentiated cells, so we do not know how the heterogeneity is determined and whether the differential fetal-gene reprogramming indicates a different degree of remodeling among cardiomyocytes.

Informing a sinusitis clinical trial protocol: A focus group study with clinicians and staff.

This study investigates practicing clinician and staff perspectives on potential protocol modifications for the "Nasal Irrigation, Oral Antibiotics, and Subgroup Targeting for Effective Management of Acute Sinusitis" (NOSES) study, a pragmatic randomized controlled trial aiming at improving acute rhinosinusitis management. Focus groups with clinicians and staff at the pretrial stage recommended expanding participant age inclusion criteria, incorporating patients with COVID-19, and shortening the supportive care phase. Participants also discussed patient engagement and recruitment strategies.

Comparing immunotherapy effectiveness for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: infiltrative versus non-infiltrative types in real-world settings.

Background: Infiltrative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often associated with an unfavorable prognosis, posing a challenge in determining the optimal therapeutic approach. Immunotherapy, employing immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), has become a preferred first-line treatment for advanced HCC. However, the overall effectiveness of ICIs in patients with infiltrative HCC remains unclear.

Is Thermal Pulsation Therapy Effective for Dry Eyes Before and After Cataract Surgery? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is a primary cause of evaporative dry eye disease (DED), which is often exacerbated by cataract surgery due to surgical trauma and inflammation. Thermal pulsation therapy (TPT) aims to enhance meibomian gland function and relieve dry eye symptoms. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of TPT in managing dry eye symptoms associated with cataract surgery.