Characteristics and Regulation of Human Eosinophil ETosis In Vitro.

Cytolytic ETosis is a type of programmed cell death distinct from apoptosis and necrosis and plays a major role in the innate immune system and disease progression. Through the process of ETosis, cells release their chromatin with diverse antimicrobial proteins into the extracellular milieu, forming extracellular traps (ETs). Although ETosis has been reported in several leukocyte types, few studies have compared ETosis and the component proteins of ETs in leukocytes.

Safety and efficacy of ripasudil eye drops in preterm infants with retinopathy of prematurity: phase 1/2, open label, single-arm trial.

Purpose: To assess the safety and efficacy of ripasudil for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Study Design: Phase 1/2, multicenter, open-label, single-arm, 12-week clinical trial.

Methods: Infants born with gestational age (GA) of ≤ 32 weeks or weight of ≤ 1500 g with zone I or II, ≥ stage 1, ROP in both eyes were enrolled.

Heterotypic macrophages/microglia differentially contribute to retinal ischaemia and neovascularisation.

Aims/hypothesis: Diabetic retinopathy is characterised by neuroinflammation that drives neuronal and vascular degenerative pathology, which in many individuals can lead to retinal ischaemia and neovascularisation. Infiltrating macrophages and activated retina-resident microglia have been implicated in the progression of diabetic retinopathy, although the distinct roles of these immune cells remain ill-defined. Our aim was to clarify the distinct roles of macrophages/microglia in the pathogenesis of proliferative ischaemic retinopathies.

Clinical significance of a basophil activation test for Japanese beekeepers naturally sensitized to honey bee venom.

Background: The basophil activation test (BAT) has high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing Hymenoptera venom allergy and is useful for predicting the clinical sensitivity of bee venom-allergic patients after venom immunotherapy. Patients sensitized to Hymenoptera venom are at risk for systemic reactions (SRs) to subsequent stings. Therefore, a tool that can predict the occurrence of SRs and the severity of Hymenoptera stings is needed.

Aggregated eosinophils and neutrophils characterize the properties of mucus in chronic rhinosinusitis.

Background: Airway obstruction caused by viscous mucus is an important pathophysiologic characteristic of persistent inflammation, which can result in organ damage.

Objective: We investigated the hypothesis that the biophysical characteristics of accumulating granulocytes affect the clinical properties of mucus.

Methods: Surgically acquired nasal mucus samples from patients with eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis and neutrophil-dominant, noneosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis were evaluated in terms of computed tomography density, viscosity, water content, wettability, and protein composition.

Conducting and Writing Quantitative and Qualitative Research.

Comprehensive knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research systematizes scholarly research and enhances the quality of research output. Scientific researchers must be familiar with them and skilled to conduct their investigation within the frames of their chosen research type. When conducting quantitative research, scientific researchers should describe an existing theory, generate a hypothesis from the theory, test their hypothesis in novel research, and re-evaluate the theory.

Effects of work-family life support program on the work-family interface and mental health among Japanese dual-earner couples with a preschool child: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: This study examined the effectiveness of a newly developed work-family life support program on the work-family interface and mental health indicators among Japanese dual-earner couples with a preschool child(/ren) using a randomized controlled trial with a waitlist.

Methods: Participants who met the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to the intervention or the control groups (n = 79 and n = 85, respectively). The program comprised two 3-h sessions with a 1-month interval between them and provided comprehensive skills by including self-management, couple management, and parenting management components.

Rhodopsin-positive cell production by intravitreal injection of small molecule compounds in mouse models of retinal degeneration.

We aimed to verify whether the intravitreal injection of small molecule compounds alone can create photoreceptor cells in mouse models of retinal degeneration. Primary cultured mouse Müller cells were stimulated in vitro with combinations of candidate compounds and the rhodopsin expression was measured on day 7 using polymerase chain reaction and immunostaining. We used 6-week-old N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-treated and 4-week-old rd10 mice as representative in vivo models of retinal degeneration.

Curative Management After Endoscopic Resection for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Invading Muscularis Mucosa or Shallow Submucosal Layer-Multicenter Real-World Survey in Japan.

Introduction: Curative management after endoscopic resection (ER) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), which invades the muscularis mucosa (pMM-ESCC) or shallow submucosal layer (pSM1-ESCC), has been controversial.

Methods: We identified patients with pMM-ESCC and pSM1-ESCC treated by ER. Outcomes were the predictive factors for regional lymph node and distant recurrence, and survival data were based on the depth of invasion, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and additional treatment immediately after ER.

Differences and similarities in cytokine profiles of macrophage activation syndrome in systemic lupus erythematosus and adult-onset Still's disease.

To clarify the differences and similarities in the cytokine profiles of macrophage activating syndrome (MAS) between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). The study participants included 9 patients with MAS-SLE, 22 with non-MAS-SLE, 9 with MAS-AOSD, and 13 with non-MAS-AOSD. Serum cytokine levels were measured using a multiplex bead assay.

Galectin-10 as a Potential Biomarker for Eosinophilic Diseases.

Galectin-10 is a member of the lectin family and one of the most abundant cytoplasmic proteins in human eosinophils. Except for some myeloid leukemia cells, basophils, and minor T cell populations, galectin-10 is exclusively present in eosinophils in the human body. Galectin-10 forms Charcot-Leyden crystals, which are observed in various eosinophilic diseases.

Changing patterns of pulmonary abnormalities in rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: As a first step in identifying the developmental pathways of pulmonary abnormalities in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we sought to determine the existing and changing patterns of pulmonary abnormalities.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients with RA who underwent high-resolution computed tomography before and during biologic therapy. The presence of 20 pulmonary abnormalities and the changes in those abnormalities were recorded.

Identifying Hyperreflective Foci in Diabetic Retinopathy via VEGF-Induced Local Self-Renewal of CX3CR1+ Vitreous Resident Macrophages.

Intraretinal hyperreflective foci (HRF) are significant biomarkers for diabetic macular edema. However, HRF at the vitreoretinal interface (VRI) have not been examined in diabetic retinopathy (DR). A prospective observational clinical study with 162 consecutive eyes using OCT imaging showed significantly increased HRF at the VRI during DR progression (P < 0.

Hyperreflective Membrane at the Vitreoretinal Interface in Diabetic Macular Edema: A Finding in Ultra-High-Resolution Optical Coherence Tomography.

Purpose: Detecting subtle vitreoretinal interface (VRI) findings, such as a posterior hyaloid membrane, is difficult with conventional retinal imaging. We compared ultra-high-resolution spectral domain optical coherence tomography (UHR-SD-OCT) with standard-resolution OCT (SD-OCT) for the imaging of VRI abnormalities in diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study included 113 consecutive patients (91 patients with diabetes and 22 healthy controls).

Kalman-Filter-Based Learning of Characteristic Profiles of Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The main analyzed aspect of lithium-ion battery (LIB) degradation so far has been capacity fading. On the other hand, interest in efficiency degradation has also increased in recent years. Battery aggregation, which is expected to absorb the surplus of variable renewable energies such as photovoltaic energy, is affected by efficiency degradation in terms of the decreases in the economic gain and renewable energy use.

Enhanced Type I Collagen Synthesis in Fibroblasts by Dermal Stem/Progenitor Cell-Derived Exosomes.

The self-duplication and differentiation of dermal stem cells are essential for the maintenance of dermal homeostasis. Fibroblasts are derived from dermal stem cells and produce components of connective tissue, such as collagen, which maintains the structure of the dermis. Cell-cell communication is required for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis, and the role of exosomes in this process has recently been attracting increasing attention.

Morphology and fluorescein leakage in diabetic retinal microaneurysms: a study using multiple en face OCT angiography image averaging.

Purpose: To investigate the relevance of microaneurysm morphology in optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) image averaging and fluorescein leakage in diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: In 38 consecutive patients with DR, ten consecutive 3- × 3-mm fovea-centered OCTA (HS100, Canon Inc., Tokyo, Japan) and fluorescein angiography (FA) were performed, and averaged OCTA images were created based on the 10 images.