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Nano-sized FeCo particles containing Sm and B are prepared by a co-precipitation method. Each particle has a spherical shape with a diameter of about 20 nm and a core-shell structure. The core and shell mainly consist of the FeCo alloy and oxides containing Sm and B, respectively. The thickness of surface layer is only about 1 nm. The lattice spacing of the core part is estimated to be 2.0 [Angstrom] which corresponds to that of (110) plane of bcc FeCo alloy. The saturation magnetization and the coercivity are 164 emu/g and 1420 Oe, respectively. The coercivity is larger than the calculated value (?? 500 Oe) for spherical single domain Fe particles. Index Terms--Coercivity, magnetic anisotropy, microstructure, nano-sized particle, Sm-FeCo--B.

Presents information on a study which measured the magnetic anisotropy constant of barium-ferrite platelet particles using torque magnetometer. Characteristics of barium-ferrite particles; Experimental procedure; Results and discussion; Conclusions.

Provides information on a study that applied the Mössbauer techniques on two types of tapes to evaluate the orientation of particles in magnetic recording tapes. Details on the experimental procedure; Results and discussion; Conclusions.

Various sucrose derivatives and a sucrose analogue were enzymatically synthesized on the assumption that structural similarities of the sugars to sucrose would endow them with an ability to inhibit the cariogenicity of sucrose. The effect of these sugars on sucrose-dependent synthesis and adherence of insoluble glucan and on acid fermentation of sucrose by Streptococcus mutans was examined in vitro. Although none of them inhibited the acid fermentation, several sugars not only inhibited the synthesis and adherence of insoluble glucan, but were themselves only slightly fermented as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Selective biliary cannulation in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography can be challenging due to factors like papillary morphology. Various patterns indicate cannulation difficulty, but the combinations causing difficulty and the optimal cannulation method for each scenario are unclear., Aims: This study aimed to identify cannulation difficulty patterns and develop a predictive scoring system for selecting the appropriate cannulation method., Methods: We retrospectively compared 776 patients with naïve papilla, dividing them into conventional contrast cannulation (N = 510) and salvage technique (N = 266) groups. The salvage group included patients using pancreatic duct guidewire placement and/or wire-guided cannulation due to difficulties with the contrast method. Papillary morphology (Haraldsson's classification), periampullary diverticulum (PAD), and scope operability were analyzed using multiple regression to identify risk factors for cannulation difficulties. Factors were scored based on hazard ratios to access combinations causing difficulties., Results: The salvage group had more older patients and higher frequencies of type 2 (small), type 3 (protruding or pendulous), type 4 (creased or ridged) papillae, PAD, and poor scope operability. Significant risk factors in the multivariate analysis included type 2 [odds ratio (OR) 6.88], type 3 (OR 7.74), type 4 (OR 4.06) papillae, PAD (OR 2.26), and poor scope operability (OR 4.03). Pattern recognition scores were significantly higher in the salvage group (1.31 vs. 3.43, P < 0.0001)., Conclusions: Type 2-4 papillae, PAD, and poor scope operability are significant risk factors for cannulation difficulty. Pattern recognition scores based on these factors can predict cannulation difficulty and aid in selecting between conventional and salvage methods., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: To evaluate retinal circulation in eyes with central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO)., Methods: The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fluorescein angiography (FA), and laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) values were measured at the first visit in 42 patients with CRAO (42 eyes; mean age, 66.0±14.0 years. LSFG was performed at baseline, 1 week, and 1, 3, and 6 months; the difference between the mean blur rate vessel area and mean blur rate tissue area (MV-MT), reflecting the retinal vessel blood flow, was measured. FA measured the arteriovenous passage (AV) time. Time-course changes in the MV-MT and BCVA and the relationship between MV-MT and final BCVA were examined., Results: MV-MT was significantly correlated with AV time (P<0.001). The MV-MT increased significantly after 1, 3, and 6 months (P<0.001). The VA improved significantly until 1 month (P<0.01). Multivariate analysis showed a significant correlation between the baseline BCVA (P<0.001) and MV-MT at 1 month (P=0.01) and the final BCVA. Age and MV-MT were significantly negatively correlated at 1 month (P<0.001)., Conclusions: The retinal circulation improved significantly within 1 month; younger patients had better retinal circulation improvement. The baseline BCVA and retinal circulation within 1 month were correlated with the final BCVA., Competing Interests: Conflict of interests: no conflicting relationship exists for any author.

Introduction: Nocturia is a common symptom of lower urinary tract syndrome (LUTS). In previous studies, a close association between LUTS and colorectal inflammation has been reported. However, evidence regarding the association between nighttime urinary frequency and ulcerative colitis (UC) is limited. Herein, we investigated the association between nighttime urinary frequency and clinical outcomes of UC., Methods: We surveyed 287 Japanese patients with UC. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the information on the variables studied. Patients were divided into three groups based on nighttime urinary frequency: (1) no voids, (2) one void, and (3) two or more voids. The assessment of clinical outcomes was based on mucosal healing (MH) and clinical remission (CR). The association between nighttime urinary frequency and prevalence of MH and CR was evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analyses., Results: The prevalence of one nighttime frequency and two or more nighttime frequency in this cohort was 35.5% and 26.8%, respectively. The percentage of MH and CR was 24.7% and 59.2%, respectively. Two or more nighttime frequency (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.13-0.73) was independently and inversely associated with MH. In nonelderly patients (<70 years) and patients in CR, an association between two or more nighttime frequency and MH remained significant (non-elderly: adjusted OR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.09-0.72 and only CR: adjusted OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.12-0.90)., Conclusion: Nighttime urinary frequency was independently and inversely associated with MH in Japanese patients with UC. Nighttime urinary frequency may serve as a complementary physical sign of MH in patients with UC., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background and Aim: Rapidly aging societies have become a major issue worldwide including Japan. This study aimed to elucidate relative changes in the characteristics of inpatients in Japan related to this issue., Methods: A total of 23 835 Japanese inpatients treated from 2010 to 2021 were enrolled (2010-2013, period I; 2014-2017, period II; 2018-2021, period III). Changes in clinical features were retrospectively analyzed based on ICD-10 diagnosis data., Results: The percentage of patients aged over 75 years increased over time (period I, 38.0%; II, 39.5%, III, 41.4%). Emergency admissions comprised 27.5% of all in period I, which increased to 43.2% in period II and again to 44.5% in period III (P < 0.001). In period I, gastrointestinal disease, liver disease, pancreatic-biliary disease, and other disease types were noted in 47.4%, 29.5%, 19.2%, and 3.9%, respectively, while those values were 44.0%, 18.0%, 33.9%, and 4.1%, respectively, in period III (P < 0.001). The frequency of liver disease decreased by approximately 0.6-fold from periods I to III, while that of biliary-pancreatic disease increased by approximately 1.8-fold during that time. Both percentage and actual numbers of patients with biliary-pancreatic disease increased during the examined periods. Analysis of changes in the proportion of organs affected by malignancy during periods I, II, and III showed a marked increase in cases of biliary-pancreatic malignancy (11.6%, 19.5%, 26.6%, respectively) (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: In association with the rapidly aging Japanese society, there has been an increasing frequency of biliary-pancreatic disease cases requiring hospitalization for treatment in the west Japan region of Shikoku., (© 2024 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background/aim: Unresectable recurrence after curative treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a life-limited event. Although the IMbrave050 trial (IM050) showed a favorable reduction in recurrence with adjuvant immune-combination chemotherapy, inclusion criteria of the radiofrequency ablation (RFA) group were lower risk than that of the resection group. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical features of patients treated with RFA, which really need adjuvant-chemotherapy., Methods: From 2000 to 2022, 528 patients with Child-Pugh A and HCC within the Milan criteria (MC), who met the IM050 criteria for RFA and undergone resection or RFA, were enrolled (71 years, HCV:HBV:HBV/HCV:alcohol:others = 337:44:5:53:89, multi-tumor = 138, RFA:resection = 309:219). Unresectable recurrence was defined as beyond the MC. Risk factors for recurrence beyond the MC were retrospectively evaluated., Results: Multivariate Cox-hazard analysis showed HCV-positive (HR 1.49), AFP-L3 > 10% (HR 1.75), and DCP > 100 mAU/mL (HR1.80) as significant prognostic factors for recurrence beyond the MC (each P < 0.05). Summing of positive factors (1 point for each) was used for scoring (AD-ON score), which showed increased positive rates for micro-hepatic vein invasion (score 0:1:2:3 = 0%:1.1%:6.6%:15.8%), micro-portal vein invasion (0:1:2:3 = 2.0%:12.1%:14.1%:31.6%), and poor differentiation (0:1:2:3 = 6.0%:6.7%:15.3%:15.8%) in the resection group associated with a greater score (each P < 0.01). In patients treated with RFA, those with greater AD-ON scores showed shorter time to recurrence beyond the MC, recurrence-free time, and overall survival (score 0:1:2:3 = no-estimation:97:66:23 months, 35:27:20:12 months, and 91:82:67:52 months, respectively, each P < 0.05)., Conclusion: HCC patients treated by RFA and with a high AD-ON score (≧2) should be considered for aggressive adjuvant-chemotherapy to prolong the period of recurrence beyond the MC., (© 2024. Japanese Society of Gastroenterology.)

Development of selective or dual proteasome subunit inhibitors based on syringolin B as a scaffold is described. We focused our efforts on a structure-activity relationship study of inhibitors with various substituents at the 3-position of the macrolactam moiety of syringolin B analogue to evaluate whether this would be sufficient to confer subunit selectivity by using sets of analogues with hydrophobic, basic and acidic substituents, which were designed to target Met45, Glu53 and Arg45 embedded in the S1 subsite, respectively. The structure-activity relationship study using systematic analogues provided insight into the origin of the subunit-selective inhibitory activity. This strategy would be sufficient to confer subunit selectivity regarding β5 and β2 subunits., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Socioeconomic status is a risk factor for poor disease prognosis. No studies of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have investigated the association between socioeconomic status and erectile dysfunction (ED), although UC is independently positively associated with ED. Therefore, the purpose of this survey to evaluate this issue in Japanese patients with UC. The study enrolled 165 patients with UC. Education status (low, middle, high) and household income (low, middle, high) were classified in three groups using self-administered surveys. The information regarding the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) was obtained using self-administered questionnaires. The definition of mild to moderate or severe ED and severe ED was SHIM score <17 and SHIM score <8, respectively. The prevalence of mild to moderate or severe ED and severe ED was 64.9% and 47.9%, respectively. In crude analysis, household income was inversely associated with mild to moderate or severe ED and severe ED. After adjustment for age, current drinking, current smoking, exercise habit, body mass index, mucosal healing, and duration of UC, high household income was independently and inversely associated with mild to moderate or severe ED (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.05, 0.93], p for trend = .038) and severe ED (adjusted OR 0.26, 95% CI [0.07, 0.85], p for trend = .024). In contrast, no association between education status and ED was found. In conclusion, household income was independently and inversely associated with ED in Japanese UC patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

The association between ulcerative colitis (UC) and erectile dysfunction (ED) has been previously reported. Numerous previous studies have also reported an association between gastrointestinal symptoms and ED. Constipation and diarrhea are common in patients with UC. However, the specific association between bowel movement frequency and ED remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between bowel movement frequency and ED in 164 patients with UC. The definition of ED, moderate to severe ED, and severe ED was the Sexual Health Inventory for Men score <22, <12, and <8, respectively. Bowel movement frequency was divided into three categories: (1) high (More than once a day), (2) normal (once a day, reference), and low (less than one time/day). The definition of constipation was based on the Rome I criteria and/or medication for constipation. The prevalence of constipation and ED was 10.4% and 86.0%, respectively. The rate of high, normal, and low bowel movement frequency was 56.1%, 25.0%, and 18.9%, respectively. High bowel movement frequency was independently and positively associated with ED and moderate to severe ED (ED: adjusted odds ratio [OR] 4.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35-15.98; moderate to severe: adjusted OR 2.98, 95% CI 1.22-7.61). Low bowel movement frequency was independently and positively associated with moderate to severe ED and severe ED (moderate to severe: adjusted OR 3.96, 95% CI 1.27-13.08; severe: adjusted OR 3.20, 95% CI 1.08-9.86). No association between constipation and ED was found. In conclusion, in Japanese patients with UC, both high and low bowel movement frequency were independently and positively associated with ED., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

No reports of renal cancer in patients with Wilson's disease (WD) exist. We herein report a 37-year-old Japanese man diagnosed with WD who had been treated with d-penicillamine 9 years prior. Hepatocellular carcinoma had been diagnosed at 36 years old and treated with radiofrequency ablation therapy. One year later, renal cancer and recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma had developed. The hepatocellular carcinoma was treated after renal cancer surgical resection of a clear-cell-type renal cell carcinoma, with iron, rather than copper, deposited on the renal cancer cells. This patient harbored a novel mutation, p. Leu1395Terfs in ATP7B.

Objective: Recently, a close association between ulcerative colitis (UC) and erectile dysfunction (ED) was reported. An inverse relationship between serum albumin and ED is found in patients with chronic disease. However, the association between serum albumin levels and ED in patients with UC is unclear. This study aims to investigate this issue in Japanese patients with UC., Methods: One hundred and thirty-six Japanese male UC patients were enrolled in this study. Information on serum albumin levels and medications for UC from medical records, Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) score information from self-administered questionnaires and information on the severity of UC from physician reports were obtained from medical records, self-administered questionnaires, and reports from physicians. The participants were divided into tertiles based on the total protein, serum globulin, serum albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, and C-reactive protein levels. The definition of ED and severe ED was SHIM score < 22 and SHIM score < 8, respectively. The association between these serum markers and ED was assessed by multivariate logistic regression., Results: The prevalence of severe ED in the low, moderate, and high albumin groups was 66.0%, 51.0%, and 28.3%, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, the low albumin group was independently and positively associated with severe ED (adjusted odds ratio: 2.74, 95% confidence interval: 1.03-7.48, p for trend =0.044). No association between other marker and ED was found., Conclusion: Serum albumin was independently inversely associated with severe ED in Japanese patients with UC. Hypoalbuminemia might be a useful complementary marker for assessing the prevalence and severity of ED in UC patients., (© 2023 The Japanese Urological Association.)

Introduction: The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) plays essential roles in maintaining retinal functions as well as choroidal capillaries and can lead to visual disorders if dysfunctional. Transplantation of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived RPE (hiPSC-RPE) is a promising therapy for such RPE impaired conditions including age-related macular degeneration. The challenge with cell suspension transplantation is targeted delivery of graft cells and undesired cell reflux. Gelatin hydrolysate, a soluble variant with specific molecular weight distribution, is examined in this study for its potential use in hiPSC-RPE suspension transplantation, particularly in reducing cell reflux and enhancing RPE engraftment., Methods: A retinal bleb model was created using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) soft lithography to quantify cellular reflux. We examined the effects of gelatin hydrolysate on the hiPSC-RPE of various aspects of cell behavior and performance such as cell viability, hypoxia reaction, morphology, induction of inflammation and immune responses., Results: Gelatin hydrolysate at 5 % concentration effectively mitigated cell reflux in vitro mimic, improved cell viability, reduced cell aggregation, and had an inhibitory effect on hypoxic reactions due to cell deposition with hiPSC-RPE. Additionally, gelatin hydrolysate did not affect cell adhesion and morphology, and decreased the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II molecules, which suggests reduced immunogenicity of hiPSC-RPE., Conclusion: Gelatin hydrolysate is considered a valuable and useful candidate for future regenerative therapies in hiPSC-RPE suspension transplantation., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: Cystoid macular edema (CME) in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an important complication causing visual dysfunction. We investigated the effect of CME on photoreceptors in RP patients with previous or current CME, using an adaptive optics (AO) fundus camera., Methods: We retrospectively observed the CME and ellipsoid zone (EZ) length (average of horizontal and vertical sections) by optical coherence tomography. The density and regularity of the arrangement of photoreceptor cells (Voronoi analysis) were examined at four points around 1.5° from superior to inferior and temporal to nasal. We also performed a multivariate analysis using CME duration, central macular thickness and transversal length of CME., Results: We evaluated 18 patients with previous or current CME (18 eyes; age, 48.7 ± 15.6 years) and 24 patients without previous or current CME (24 eyes; age, 46.0 ± 14.5 years). There were no significant differences in age, logMAR visual acuity, or EZ length. In groups with and without CME, cell density was 11967 ± 3148 and 16239 ± 2935 cells/mm2, and sequence regularity was 85.5 ± 3.4% and 88.5 ± 2.8%, respectively; both parameters were significantly different. The correlation between photoreceptor density and age was more negative in group with CME. The CME group tended toward greater reductions in duration of CME., Conclusion: Complications of CME in RP patients may lead to a decrease in photoreceptor density and regularity. Additionally, a longer duration of CME may result in a greater reduction in photoreceptor density., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Kitahata et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Introduction: For predicting esophagogastric varices (EGVs), the Virtual Baveno VII Consensus Workshop has proposed a combination of liver stiffness determination and platelet count measurement using a FibroScan®. However, FibroScan® is not available at all institutions. The present study aimed to develop a simple method to predict development of EGV using only general blood examination results., Materials and Methods: A total of 1,090 hepatocellular carcinoma patients were enrolled, after excluding 956 with major portal vein tumor thrombus (Vp3/Vp4) or without upper gastrointestinal endoscopy examination results available. Those with EGV (≥ grade F2) or a history of treatment for the condition were defined as positive for significant EGV, and then clinical factors were retrospectively evaluated to determine indicators of occurrence., Results: Logistic multivariate analysis showed platelet count (≤12 × 104/μL) (odds ratio [OR] 3.79, p &lt; 0.001), mALBI grade 2a (OR 1.52, p = 0.036), and mALBI 2b or 3 (OR 3.46, p &lt; 0.001) as significant predictive factors. Based on the OR values, platelet count (≤12 × 104/μL) and mALBI grade 2b/3 were each assigned 2 points and mALBI 2a was given 1 point, with the result termed recommendation for EGV screening (REGS) score. Significant EGV occurrence was noted in 2.9% (9/311) of the patients with a REGS score 0, 11.0% (13/118) with a score 1, 19.3% (53/274) with a score 2, 29.5% (39/132) with a score 3, and 38.0% (97/255) with a score 4 (p &lt; 0.001)., Conclusion: The findings indicate that REGS score can provide useful predictive information for development of significant EGV without the need for special equipment such as a FibroScan®., (© 2023 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Aim: Age is a risk factor for constipation. Constipation is common in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and has been positively associated with disease activity, but evidence is limited. This study aimed to assess the association between disease activity and constipation in patients with UC. Methods : The study subjects consisted of 290 Japanese UC patients. The definition of constipation was based on Rome I criteria and/or medication for constipation. Information on and lifestyle habits was obtained from a self-administered questionnaire. Mucosal healing (MH) was defined as Mayo endoscopic subscore 0. Clinical remission (CR) was defined as both the absence of rectal bleeding and no abnormally high stool frequency (<3 times per day). Results: The prevalence of constipation is not associated with MH, CR, duration of UC and disease extent of UC. The prevalence of constipation among age groups, <40, 40-49 years, 50-59 years, 60-69 years, and >70 years was 10.0%, 5.8%, 15.7%, 11.8%, and 25.6%, respectively. >70 years was independently and positively associated with the prevalence of constipation (adjusted odds ratio 3.64 [95% confidence interval 1.26, 10.95], p for trend: .001). Conclusions: Aging was independently and positively associated with the prevalence of constipation in UC., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Objective: To investigate the association between nocturia and constipation in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Constipation has recently been recognized as an important symptom in patients with UC. Although nocturia has been associated with constipation in the general population, the association between nocturia and constipation in UC patients is uncertain., Methods: Consecutive series of 290 Japanese patients with UC, Information on constipation, nocturia, and lifestyle habits was obtained using self-administered questionnaires. The definition of constipation was based on Rome I criteria and/or current medication for constipation. Patients were divided into three groups based on nighttime urination: (1) no nocturia, (2) mild nocturia (nocturnal urination - one), and (3) serious nocturia (nocturnal urination - two or more). Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between nocturia and constipation., Results: Among all of the UC patients, the prevalence of mild nocturia, serious nocturia, and constipation was 35.2%, 26.9%, and 12.4%, respectively. The prevalence of constipation in the none, mild, and serious nocturia groups was 8.2%, 10.8%, and 20.5%, respectively. After adjustment for confounders such as age, sex, current drinking, current smoking, body mass index, and steroid use, nocturia severity was independently and positively associated with constipation (adjusted odds ratio for mild nocturia: 1.55 [95% confidence interval: 0.57-4.28], serious nocturia: 3.19 [95% confidence interval: 1.09-9.81], P for trend=.035)., Conclusion: The severity of nocturia is positively associated with constipation, and physicians should consider the interrelationships between nocturia and constipation in managing UC patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between retinal haemorrhages detected on Ultra-widefield (UWF) red channel images and perfusion status in eyes with acute central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO)., Methods: UWF fundus images were split into green and red channels using ImageJ software. The retinal haemorrhages were calculated quantitatively with both the green and red channel images, resulting in green channel haemorrhages (GCH) and red channel haemorrhages (RCH). The nonperfusion area (NPA) was also calculated from fluorescein angiography in each eye. The relationships between both the GCH and RCH with the NPA were investigated., Results: Thirty-two eyes of 32 patients with acute CRVO (18 men, 14 women) were included. The mean GCH and RCH values were 10.4% ± 8.2% and 1.7% ± 1.7%, respectively. The mean NPA was 39.2% ± 28.8%. Significant correlations were seen between the GCH and NPA (r = 0.38; P = 0.022) and RCH and NPA (r = 0.44; P = 0.010, linear regression analysis). Multivariate analysis suggested that only the RCHs were correlated significantly with the NPA., Conclusions: Retinal haemorrhages detected by UWF red channel imaging were less compared to green channel imaging and associated closely with retinal NPAs in eyes with acute CRVO. UWF red channel imaging allowed us to identify ischaemia-related haemorrhage., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Royal College of Ophthalmologists.)

Purpose: To investigate the time courses of morphologic changes in the transplanted grafts, including the retinal layer, the ellipsoid zone (EZ) and the visual acuity (VA) after autologous retinal transplantation (ART) in patients with primary large macular holes (MHs)., Design: Single-center, retrospective cohort study., Subjects: The study included 17 eyes of 17 patients who had undergone ART. All patients fulfilled the following criteria: (1) MH was the only disease-causing anatomic abnormality of the macula; (2) they could be followed up for at least 12 months after ART surgery; (3) they had no other systemic disorders; and (4) the MH was > 400 μm in diameter., Methods: Data of all patients who underwent assessment of the VA and spectral-domain (SD)-OCT at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery were analyzed. The morphologic features of the graft and the EZ were measured by SD-OCT., Main Outcome Measures: Changes in the morphologic features of the graft (graft thickness, overall graft area, graft length, area of outer retina, and EZ) and VA over 1 year after surgery., Results: Closure of the MH was achieved in all patients. The VA was 0.59 ± 0.27 (logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution units) at 1-year postsurgery compared with 0.84 ± 0.22 before surgery (P < 0.05). The retinal layers gradually became smoothly connected. Although a decrease in graft thickness and overall graft area was observed, the length and area of the outer retina were maintained throughout the follow-up period. The presence of the EZ was observed in 9 patients (52.9%) and our analyses revealed significantly greater improvement of VA in these patients than in those without the EZ (P < 0.05). Moreover, the incidence of macular edema (ME) was higher in the group without the EZ (P = 0.04; chi-square test)., Conclusion: Patients showed significant improvements of the VA. Morphologically, the layers were gradually connected to each other, and the outer retina was particularly maintained. Especially, patients in whom an EZ was restored in the graft showed a low prevalence of ME and greater improvement of the VA., Financial Disclosure(s): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article., (Copyright © 2022 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The albumin to globulin ratio (AGR) is a recognized chronic inflammation marker. No evidence regarding the relationship between AGR level and ulcerative colitis (UC) exists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between AGR and clinical outcomes among Japanese subjects with UC., Methods: The study subjects consisted of 273 Japanese individuals with UC. AGR was divided into 4 categories (low, moderate, high, and very high). The definition of complete mucosal healing (MH) was based on the Mayo endoscopic subscore of 0. Clinical remission (CR) was defined as no rectal bleeding and no abnormally high stool frequency (<3 times per day)., Results: The percentage of MH was 26.4%. High AGR and very high AGR were significantly positively correlated with CR (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 5.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.52-14.18 and adjusted OR, 4.97; 95% CI, 2.14-12.04) and complete MH (adjusted OR, 4.03; 95% CI, 1.56-11.51 and adjusted OR, 5.22; 95% CI, 1.97-14.89), respectively after adjustment for confounding factors (P for trend=0.001). Only in the low C-reactive protein (CRP) group (≤0.1 mg/dL), very high AGR was significantly positively correlated with complete MH but not CR (adjusted OR, 4.38; 95% CI, 1.06-21.77; P for trend=0.017). In the high CRP group, no correlation between AGR and complete MH was found., Conclusion: Among Japanese patients with UC, AGR may be independently positively correlated with complete MH. In particular, among UC patients with low CRP, AGR might be a useful complementary marker for complete MH.

Introduction: Recent meta-analysis showed that ulcerative colitis (UC) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Dyslipidemia is a well-established risk factor for CVD. However, evidence regarding inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including UC and lipid profiles, is limited. Additionally, no study has assessed the association between endoscopic activity and lipid profiles in patients with IBD. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the association between mucosal healing (MH) and lipid profiles in patients with UC., Methods: A total of 221 Japanese patients with UC were enrolled in this analysis. Total cholesterol (T-chol), triglyceride (TG), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were divided into tertiles (high, moderate, and low) based on the distributions, respectively. Self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding medication for dyslipidemia. Complete MH and MH are based on Mayo endoscopic subscore 0 and 0-1, respectively., Results: The percentage of complete MH was 30.8%. In patients without medication for dyslipidemia, high HDL-C (>66 mg/dL) was significantly positively associated with complete MH (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.58, 95% CI: 1.04-6.64, p for trend = 0.037). In patients with nonproctitis, a positive association between HDL-C and complete MH was found (adjusted OR 3.54, 95% CI: 1.22-11.01, p for trend = 0.020). T-chol and TG were not associated with MH, regardless of medication for dyslipidemia., Conclusions: Complete MH was significantly positively associated with HDL-C in UC patients without medication for lipid. The disease extent might affect the association between complete MH and HDL-C., (© 2022 S. Karger AG, Basel.)