This study presents a numerical approach to investigate the size effect on the quality factor associated with the first mode of microcantilever vibration in 1 atm air. The numerical simulation results are verified by experiments and compared with the approximate analytical solutions. Bulk micromachined cantilever arrays are employed as the test vehicles. Based on the experimental and numerical results, this paper proposes a modification to the existing approximate models for air damping analysis by taking into account the geometry effects of the microcantilevers. The arrived semi-empirical equation suggests that the quality factors of the microcantilevers are approximately proportional to L −1.62 and b 0.62 at a low kinetic Reynolds number. Thus, the quality factor of the microcantilever resulting from the free space air can be precisely predicted for design purposes.

This is a retrospective study in consecutive cases with cultured-proven endogenous endophthalmitis (EE) treated at the largest tertiary medical center in middle Taiwan in the past 10 years. 83 eyes of 70 patients were enrolled. The mean interval between systemic diseases to the diagnosis of EE was 8.84 ± 6.94 days. The mean initial visual acuity (VA) in the logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) was 1.63 ± 0.87. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was the most common predisposing medical illness (N = 53, 63.86%). The most common infectious sources were intra-abdominal abscess (N = 36, 43.37%), and the second most reason was urinary tract infection. The causative pathogen was Gram-negative predominant (N = 64, 77.11%). After aggressive treatment, 34.94% of eyes regain useful vision, and only six eyes underwent enucleation or evisceration. The binary multivariate logistic regression model revealed that female gender (95% CI 1.002–19.036, p = 0.05, OR 4.37), initial VA logMAR (95% CI 0.089–0.550, p = 0.01, OR 0.22), and more intravitreal injections (95% CI 0.368–0.927, p = 0.023, OR 0.58) were independent risk factors influencing final outcomes. Based on the results mentioned above, early diagnosis is recommended to gain better outcomes. The mean interval between systemic diseases to the diagnosis of EE was 8.84 ± 6.94 days in our sample population, clinicians should maintain a higher index of suspicion during this period when encountering patients with bacteremia or fungemia.

The purpose of this retrospective interventional case series is to compare the functional and anatomical outcomes in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) treated intravitreally with aflibercept or ranibizumab under the Taiwan National Insurance Bureau reimbursement policy. 84 eyes were collected and all eyes were imaged with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), color fundus photographs (CFPs), and fluorescein angiography (FA). At 24 months after therapy initiation, the logMAR BCVA improved from 0.58 ± 0.33 to 0.47 ± 0.38 (p < 0.01), the CRT decreased from 423.92 ± 135.84 to 316.36 ± 90.02 (p < 0.01), and the number of microaneurysms decreased from 142.14 ± 57.23 to 75.32 ± 43.86 (p < 0.01). The mean injection count was 11.74 ± 5.44. There was no intergroup difference in logMAR BCVA (p = 0.96), CRT (p = 0.69), or injection count (p = 0.81). However, the mean number of microaneurysms was marginally reduced (p = 0.06) in eyes treated with aflibercept at the end of the follow-up, and the incidence rates of supplementary panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) (p = 0.04) and subthreshold micropulse laser (SMPL) therapy sessions (p = 0.01) were also reduced. Multivariate analysis revealed that only initial logMAR BCVA influenced the final VA improvements (odds ratio (OR) 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21 ~ 0.93, p < 0.01); in contrast, age (OR − 0.38, 95% CI − 6.97 ~ − 1.85, p < 0.01) and initial CRT (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.34 ~ 0.84, p < 0.01) both influenced the final CRT reduction at 24 months. To sum up, both aflibercept and ranibizumab are effective in managing DME with PDR in terms of VA, CRT and MA count. Eyes receiving aflibercept required less supplementary PRP and SMPL treatment than those receiving ranibizumab. The initial VA influenced the final VA improvements at 24 months, while age and initial CRT were prognostic predictors of 24-month CRT reduction.

The purpose of this retrospective interventional case series is to compare the functional and anatomical outcomes in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) treated intravitreally with aflibercept or ranibizumab under the Taiwan National Insurance Bureau reimbursement policy. 84 eyes were collected and all eyes were imaged with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), color fundus photographs (CFPs), and fluorescein angiography (FA). At 24 months after therapy initiation, the logMAR BCVA improved from 0.58 ± 0.33 to 0.47 ± 0.38 (p < 0.01), the CRT decreased from 423.92 ± 135.84 to 316.36 ± 90.02 (p < 0.01), and the number of microaneurysms decreased from 142.14 ± 57.23 to 75.32 ± 43.86 (p < 0.01). The mean injection count was 11.59 ± 6.54. There was no intergroup difference in logMAR BCVA (p = 0.96), CRT (p = 0.69), or injection count (p = 0.81). However, the mean number of microaneurysms was marginally reduced (p = 0.06) in eyes treated with aflibercept at the end of the follow-up, and the incidence rates of supplementary panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) (p = 0.04) and subthreshold micropulse laser (SMPL) therapy sessions (p = 0.01) were also reduced. Multivariate analysis revealed that only initial logMAR BCVA influenced the final VA improvements (odds ratio (OR) 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21 ~ 0.93, p < 0.01); in contrast, age (OR -0.38, 95% CI -6.97~-1.85, p < 0.01) and initial CRT (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.34 ~ 0.84, p < 0.01) both influenced the final CRT reduction at 24 months. To sum up, both aflibercept and ranibizumab are effective in managing DME with PDR in terms of VA, CRT and MA count. Eyes receiving aflibercept required less supplementary PRP and SMPL treatment than those receiving ranibizumab. The initial VA influenced the final VA improvements at 24 months, while age and initial CRT were prognostic predictors of 24-month CRT reduction.