Efficacy and Safety of Rivaroxaban, Apixaban, and Edoxaban for Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation Based on Blood Coagulation Activity and Drug Plasma Concentration: SETtsu and North Osaka Multicenter Direct Oral AntiCoagulant (SET DOAC) Registry.

The therapeutic effects of oral anticoagulant drugs for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) suggest that the three factor Xa (FXa) inhibitors may have distinct safety profiles, though this is not yet fully conclusive. This study investigated the current dosing of rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban by monitoring drug plasma concentration (PC) and coagulation activity from the viewpoint of the safety. This multicenter clinical study monitored the drug PC and two coagulation biomarkers (fibrinogen and fibrin monomer complex [FMC]) at peak and trough timing in 268 outpatients taking rivaroxaban (n = 72), apixaban (n = 71), and edoxaban (n = 125) for NVAF.

Precessing jet nozzle connecting to a spinning black hole in M87.

The nearby radio galaxy M87 offers a unique opportunity to explore the connections between the central supermassive black hole and relativistic jets. Previous studies of the inner region of M87 revealed a wide opening angle for the jet originating near the black hole. The Event Horizon Telescope resolved the central radio source and found an asymmetric ring structure consistent with expectations from general relativity.

CORRIGENDUM: Safety and Efficacy Re-Evaluation of Edoxaban and Rivaroxaban Dosing With Plasma Concentration Monitoring in Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation: With Observations of On-Label and Off-Label Dosing.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1253/circrep.CR-22-0076.

A ring-like accretion structure in M87 connecting its black hole and jet.

The nearby radio galaxy M87 is a prime target for studying black hole accretion and jet formation. Event Horizon Telescope observations of M87 in 2017, at a wavelength of 1.3 mm, revealed a ring-like structure, which was interpreted as gravitationally lensed emission around a central black hole.

Controlling the mechanical properties of hydrogels modulating the side-chain length.

Even though the toughness of hydrogels is usually adjusted by changing the cross-linking density and structure, or the polymer concentration, we have discovered a new strategy to control the toughness modulating the side-chain length. In this study, this strategy was applied to biocompatible poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) with long ethylene-oxide side chains.

Safety and Efficacy Re-Evaluation of Edoxaban and Rivaroxaban Dosing With Plasma Concentration Monitoring in Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation: With Observations of On-Label and Off-Label Dosing.

Off-label dosing of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) as a treatment for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is problematic. Here, we investigated the status of rivaroxaban and edoxaban dosing by monitoring plasma concentrations (PCs). We monitored drug PCs in 391 and 333 outpatients receiving rivaroxaban and edoxaban, respectively, for NVAF.

Successful radiofrequency ablation of liver metastases from prostate cancer.

Introduction: Patients with liver metastases from prostate cancer show poor prognosis. We performed metastases-directed therapy using radiofrequency ablation of liver metastases in an attempt to improve the prognosis in a patient with metastatic prostate cancer.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 66-year-old man who was treated for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Appropriate Needle Length Determined by Ultrasonic Echography for Intramuscular Injection in Japanese Elderly over 50 Years.

Adjuvanted vaccines are administered through intramuscular injection. To perform appropriate injection using an appropriate needle in different age groups or different daily living activities, we investigated the depth from the skin surface to muscle fascia and bone in the deltoid muscle area in 156 elderly aged ≥ 50 years by ultrasonic echography. Subjects consisted of 50 healthy elderly aged 50−64 years, 50 subjects aged 65−74 years, and 56 subjects aged ≥ 75 years (20 outpatients, 18 who needed nursing care, and 18 bedridden in a nursing home).

Patients' poor performance status is an independent risk factor for urosepsis induced by kidney and ureteral stones.

This study was aimed to identify the risk factors for urosepsis caused by kidney and ureteral stones. One hundred and nine patients who had kidney or ureteral stones and who were treated with trans-ureteral lithotripsy (TUL) at our institution from 2016 to 2020 were included. We investigated the risk factors for urosepsis caused by kidney or ureteral stones that occurred prior to TUL.

Gravitational Test beyond the First Post-Newtonian Order with the Shadow of the M87 Black Hole.

The 2017 Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations of the central source in M87 have led to the first measurement of the size of a black-hole shadow. This observation offers a new and clean gravitational test of the black-hole metric in the strong-field regime. We show analytically that spacetimes that deviate from the Kerr metric but satisfy weak-field tests can lead to large deviations in the predicted black-hole shadows that are inconsistent with even the current EHT measurements.

Point-diffraction interferometer wavefront sensor with birefringent crystal.

A key technique in direct imaging of extrasolar planets with ground-based telescopes is extreme adaptive optics. It requires a wavefront sensor capable of achieving high accuracy with a small number of photons. Imada et al.

Armored eyes of the whale shark.

This report elaborates on adaptations of the eyes of the whale shark Rhincodon typus (Elasmobranchii, Rhincodontidae), including the discovery that they are covered with dermal denticles, which is a novel mechanism of eye protection in vertebrates. The eye denticle differs in morphology from that of the dermal denticles distributed over the rest of the body, consistent with a different function (abrasion resistance). We also demonstrate that the whale shark has a strong ability to retract the eyeball into the eye socket.

Optimal bacterial colony counts for the diagnosis of upper urinary tract infections in infants.

Background: There are no consensus criteria for diagnosing upper urinary tract infections (UTI). Therefore, we conducted a study to assess whether bacterial colony counts of ≥ 10 CFU/ml are optimal for diagnosing upper UTIs among infants.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included 673 patients (<4 months of age) with urine samples obtained by catheterization for bacterial cultures.

Rivaroxaban or Apixaban for Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation - Efficacy and Safety of Off-Label Under-Dosing According to Plasma Concentration.

Background: Practice-based investigations on direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) treatment for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) have shown that off-label under-dosing is increasingly becoming an issue. Here, we investigate the significance of drug monitoring to prevent undesirable under-dosing with DOAC.

Methods and results: In 255 outpatients with NVAF undergoing treatment with rivaroxaban or apixaban we estimated the cut-offs for bleeding events using drug plasma concentration (PC) data 3 h after drug treatment, that is, at the peak level.

Correlations between features of event-related potentials and Autism Spectrum Quotient scores.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder and is characterized by deficits in social communication and social interaction. ASD includes a continuum from mild to severe expression of autistic traits. The purpose of the present study was to investigate correlations between event-related potentials (ERPs) during visual-auditory priming, and Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) scores, which include subscores in 5 different areas: social skills, attention switching, attention to detail, communication, and imagination.

Diagnostic utility of cardiac troponin I in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is useful for assessing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in cats.

Objective: To measure plasma cTnI concentrations in healthy cats and evaluate the clinical utility of cTnI in determining the severity of HCM.

Animals: Clinically healthy cats (n = 88) and cats with HCM (n = 93).

Japanese Male Siblings with 2-Methyl-3-Hydroxybutyryl-CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency (HSD10 Disease) Without Neurological Regression.

2-Methyl-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (HSD10 disease) is a rare X-linked disorder caused by a mutation in the HSD17B10 gene. Fewer than 30 patients with this disorder have been reported worldwide. The classical infantile form of HSD10 disease is characterized by a progressive neurodegenerative course with retinopathy and cardiomyopathy, although HSD10 disease has broad clinical heterogeneity.

The Association between Cerebral White Matter Lesions and Plasma Omega-3 to Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Ratio to Cognitive Impairment Development.

Objective: Cerebral white matter hyperintensity (WMH) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a potential for predicting cognitive impairment. Serum polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels are important for evaluating the extent of atherosclerosis. We investigated whether abnormal PUFA levels affected WMH grading and cognitive function in patients without significant cognitive impairment.

Measurement of complex amplitude with a point-diffraction interferometer.

We propose a pupil-plane wavefront sensor to measure instantaneous phase and amplitude aberrations, developing the configuration of the point-diffraction interferometer proposed by Imada et al. [Appl. Opt.

Real-time point-diffraction interferometer and its analytical formulation.

We propose a novel wavefront sensor and study its performance with an analytical formulation. The sensor has a polarizing point-diffraction beam splitter. Using transmitted and reflected beams, we can build a real-time point-diffraction interferometer with high precision and efficiency.