The Association Between Clinical Parameters And Glaucoma-specific Quality Of Life In Chinese Primary Open-angle Glaucoma Patients

Objective: To investigate the association between clinical measurements and glaucoma-specific quality of life in Chinese glaucoma patients. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: An academic hospital in Hong Kong. Patients: A Chinese translation of the Glaucoma Quality of Life–15 questionnaire was completed by 51 consecutive patients with bilateral primary open-angle glaucoma. The binocular means of several clinical measurements were correlated with Glaucoma Quality of Life–15 findings using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and linear regression. The measurements were the visual field index and pattern standard deviation from the Humphrey Field Analyzer, Snellen best-corrected visual acuity, presenting intra-ocular pressure, current intra-ocular pressure, average retinal nerve fibre layer thickness via optical coherence tomography, and the number of topical anti-glaucoma medications being used. Results: In these patients, there was a significant correlation and linear relationship between a poorer Glaucoma Quality of Life–15 score and a lower visual field index (r=0.3, r2=0.1, P=0.01) and visual acuity (r=0.3, r2=0.1, P=0.03). A thinner retinal nerve fibre layer also correlated with a poorer Glaucoma Quality of Life–15 score, but did not attain statistical significance (r=0.3, P=0.07). There were no statistically significant correlations for the other clinical parameters with the Glaucoma Quality of Life–15 scores (all P values being >0.7). The three most problematic activities affecting quality of life were “adjusting to bright lights”, “going from a light to a dark room or vice versa”, and “seeing at night”. Conclusion: For Chinese primary open-angle glaucoma patients, binocular visual field index and visual acuity correlated linearly with glaucoma- specific quality of life, and activities involving dark adaptation were the most problematic.published_or_final_versio

Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of Clozapine in Concomitant Use of Radix Rehmanniae, Fructus Schisandrae, Radix Bupleuri, or Fructus Gardeniae in Rats

Abstract: Radix Rehmanniae, Fructus Schisandrae, Radix Bupleuri, and Fructus Gardeniae are often used alongside with clozapine (CLZ) for schizophrenia patients in order to reduce side effects and enhance therapeutic efficacy. However, worse outcomes were observed raising concern about a critical issue, herb-drug interactions, which were rarely reported when antipsychotics were included. This study aims to determine whether the concomitant use of these herbal medicines affects the pharmacokinetic characteristics of CLZ in rat models. Rats were given a single or multiple intraperitoneal injections of 10 mg/kg CLZ, either alone or with individual herbal water extracts administered orally. CLZ and its two inactive metabolites, norclozapine and clozapine N-oxide, were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. In the acute treatment, the formation of both metabolites was reduced, while no significant change was observed in the CLZ pharmacokinetics for any of the herbal extracts. In the chronic treatment, none of the four herbal extracts significantly influenced the pharmacokinetic parameters of CLZ and its metabolites. Renal and liver functions stayed normal after the 11-day combined use of herbal medicines. Overall, the four herbs had limited interaction effect on CLZ pharmacokinetics in the acute and chronic treatment. Herb-drug interaction includes both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms. This result gives us a hint that pharmacodynamic herb-drug interaction, instead of pharmacokinetic types, may exist and need further confirmation.published_or_final_versio

Development of a Chinese version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (CHI-VFQ-25) as a tool to study patients with eye diseases in Hong Kong

Background: To develop a Chinese version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (CHI-VFQ-25) and to test its reliability and validity in a group of patients with eye diseases in Hong Kong. Methods: The National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ) was translated into Chinese. Patients were recruited from Hong Kong, and their demographic data and visual acuity were documented. Psychometric properties of the CHI-VFQ-25, including internal consistency, test-retest reliability, item-scale correlations and construct validity were tested. Results: 250 patients were recruited. The mean age of the patients was 66.04 (SD 14.00). 46% of them were male. The non-response rate and the floor and ceiling numbers of the CHI-VFQ-25 were calculated. The internal consistency was high in most subscales (except the general health and driving subscales), with Cronbach α ranging from 0.72-0.90. The test-retest reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient >0.90). Patients with worse visual acuity had significantly lower scores on the CHI-VFQ-25 supporting construct validity. Conclusion: The CHI-VFQ-25 is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the visual functions of Chinese patients with eye diseases in Hong Kong. Some questions had high non-response rates and should be substituted by the available alternatives.published_or_final_versio

Simultaneous spectral domain OCT and fundus autofluorescence imaging of the macula and microperimetric correspondence after successful repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Background/aims: To evaluate the ultrastructural changes in the macula after successful repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) using simultaneous spectral domain optical coherence tomography (sdOCT) and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging and to perform functional correlations with microperimetry. Methods: Simultaneous sdOCT and FAF imaging were performed using a combined sdOCT-confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO) system. Microperimetry was performed in a subgroup of these patients. Results: 17 patients with macular-on RRD and 20 with macular-off RRD were recruited. sdOCT images revealed disruption of the external limiting membrane, inner segment/outer segment junction or the Verhoeff membrane in 16 eyes (43.2%). The presence of any or more of these disruptions was significantly associated with a poor postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (p<0.001). Patients with abnormal FAF were also associated with poor postoperative BCVA (p<0.001). However, there was a generally poor correspondence between the localisation of ultrastructural abnormalities as detected by sdOCT and FAF changes. Areas of decreased microperimetric sensitivity corresponded well with the ultrastructural changes and abnormal FAF. Conclusions: FAF changes may lag behind ultrastructural changes in the OCT, some of which may reverse with the passage of time. The present study demonstrates the ultrastructural changes assessed with simultaneous FAF and sdOCT and their relation with visual outcome.published_or_final_versio

A virtual prototyping system for simulating construction processes

2006-2007 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptPublishe

Innovationsindikatoren Chemie 2016: Studie im Auftrag des Verbands der Chemischen Industrie e.V.

[Innovationsleistung der Chemie] Die Chemieindustrie ist eine wesentliche Säule des deutschen Innovationssystems. Als forschungsintensive und innovationsstarke Branche ist sie führend bei der Entwicklung neuer Materialien, Werkstoffe und Komponenten. Mit ihren Innovationen erneuert sie kontinuierlich die Materialbasis, auf der Innovationen in anderen Branchen aufbauen. Ihre Innovationsleistung lässt sich an verschiedenen Indikatoren festmachen: Im Jahr 2014 waren 22.800 Beschäftigte in der deutschen Chemieindustrie im Bereich Forschung und Entwicklung (FuE) tätig. Hinzu kommen fast 13.500 Wissenschaftler in der Chemie an Hochschulen und außeruniversitären Forschungseinrichtungen. Die FuE-Ausgaben der Chemieindustrie erreichten 2015 voraussichtlich 4,45 Mrd. € und stiegen seit 2010 um über 27 % an. Die gesamten Innovationsausgaben inkl. Investitionen in neue Anlagen sowie Ausgaben für die Einführung neuer Produkte und Prozesse werden 2016 voraussichtlich bei 7,0 Mrd. € liegen. [...][Innovation in Chemistry & the Chemical Industry in Germany] The chemical industry is one of the key sectors in the German innovation system. Being devoted to research and innovation, the chemical industry is leading the development and deployment of new materials, substances and components. Its innovations constantly renew the material basis upon which other industries build their innovative efforts. The innovation performance of the chemical industry in Germany can be demonstrated by a number of indicators. In 2014, chemical enterprises employed 22,800 people in research and development (R&D). In addition, almost 13,500 researchers at universities and government research labs worked in the field of chemistry. The chemical industry’s R&D expenditure arrived at €4.45bn in 2015, which is an increase of 27% compared to 2010. Total innovation expenditure, incl. capital expenditure and expenditure for the introduction of new products and processes, are likely to amount to €7.0bn in 2016. [...

Evaluation of Chemical Constituents and Important Mechanism of Pharmacological Biology in Dendrobium Plants

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Carriage niches and molecular epidemiology of Staphylococcus lugdunensis and methicillin-resistant S. lugdunensis among patients undergoing long-term renal replacement therapy

We collected nasal, axilla, and groin swabs from 252 adult patients from 2 nephrology centers in Hong Kong. Staphylococcus lugdunensis carriage was detected in 51.6% patients (groin, 39.3%; axilla, 19.8%; nose, 17.9%). The carriage rates of methicillin-sensitive S. lugdunensis and methicillin-resistant S. lugdunensis (MRSL) were 46.0% and 8.3%, respectively. Independent risk factors for S. lugdunensis carriage included male sex (odds ratio [OR], 4.4), hemodialysis (OR, 2.2), and aged 18–50 years (OR, 2.4). The isolates belonged to 10 pulsotype clusters (n = 129) and 8 singletons (n = 8). All MRSL and most gentamicin- and tetracycline-resistant strains were found in a predominating sequence type 3 clone, designated HKU1, which accounted for 51.8% of all colonizing S. lugdunensis strains. The 21 MRSL isolates had SCCmec type V (n = 18), type IV (n = 2), and type I (n = 1). The finding highlights the potential for dissemination of multidrug resistance through successful S. lugdunensis clones.postprin

Network pharmacological identification of active compounds and potential actions of Erxian decoction in alleviating menopause-related symptoms

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Comparison of chemical profiles and effectiveness between Erxian decoction and mixtures of its individual herbs decoction: A novel approach for identification of the standard chemicals

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