The Effects of Oral Semaglutide on Hepatic Fibrosis in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes in Real-World Clinical Practice: A Post Hoc Analysis of the Sapporo-Oral SEMA Study.

Background/objectives: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is an important common comorbidity in subjects with type 2 diabetes, and liver fibrosis is a factor directly related to its prognosis. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists are useful treatment options for MASLD; however, the efficacy of oral semaglutide in treating liver steatosis/fibrosis has not been fully elucidated.

Methods: A secondary analysis of a multicenter, retrospective, observational study investigating the efficacy and safety of oral semaglutide in Japanese subjects with type 2 diabetes in a real-world clinical setting (the Sapporo-Oral SEMA study) was conducted.

Effectiveness for remission maintenance rate and safety of different rituximab regimens for treating anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis in Japan: a J-CANVAS study.

Rituximab (RTX) has been reported to effectively maintain remission in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). In this multicenter study involving 57 patients who achieved remission after 24 weeks, we evaluated the effectiveness of RTX in maintaining remission in patients with AAV. Patients were divided into three groups based on RTX administration: continuous, induction phase-only, and maintenance phase-only groups.

Analysis of the aqueous humor before and after the administration of faricimab in patients with nAMD.

This study aimed to evaluate the changes in cytokine levels in the aqueous humor and factors of treatment resistance following intravitreal faricimab injection in treatment-naïve patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. A total of 32 eyes were analyzed before and after a single faricimab injection. Although the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) showed no significant improvement, the mean central retinal thickness decreased significantly by 73.

Combined Treatment With Inverted Internal Limiting Membrane Flap and Subretinal Injection of Balanced Salt Solution to Repair Chronic Macular Holes.

To present a surgical technique that combines an inverted internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap and subretinal injection of balanced salt solution for the closure of chronic macular holes (MH). Two cases are presented. A 74-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman presented with decreased visual acuity (VA) of 20/600 and 20/200, respectively, resulting from a chronic MH.

Comparison of effects of intra-articular diclofenac etalhyaluronate and hyaluronic acid in a monoiodoacetate rat osteoarthritis model.

Diclofenac etalhyaluronate (DF-HA) sustained diclofenac release with the effects of hyaluronic acid (HA), offering long-term analgesia in osteoarthritis. In this study, the effects of DF-HA on pain improvement and osteoarthritis were evaluated in a rat knee monoiodoacetate-induced osteoarthritis model compared to HA. Eight rats per group had been injected with monoiodoacetate (2.

Association Between Arch-Shaped Hypo-Autofluorescent Lesions Detected Using Fundus Autofluorescence and Postoperative Hypotony.

Chorioretinal folds are observed after vitrectomy due to ocular collapse caused by low intraocular pressure. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the postoperative hypotony, chorioretinal folds, and the fundus autofluorescence (FAF) findings. Two-hundred-and-seventy consecutive eyes that had undergone 25- or 27-gauge vitrectomy were examined.

Structural basis for hepatitis B virus restriction by a viral receptor homologue.

Macaque restricts hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection because its receptor homologue, NTCP (mNTCP), cannot bind preS1 on viral surface. To reveal how mNTCP loses the viral receptor function, we here solve the cryo-electron microscopy structure of mNTCP. Superposing on the human NTCP (hNTCP)-preS1 complex structure shows that Arg158 of mNTCP causes steric clash to prevent preS1 from embedding onto the bile acid tunnel of NTCP.

Molecular epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 genome sentinel surveillance in commercial COVID-19 testing sites targeting asymptomatic individuals during Japan's seventh epidemic wave.

Eight peaks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak occurred in Japan, each associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern. The National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Diseases (NESID) analyzed viral genome sequences from symptomatic patients and submitted the results to GISAID. Meanwhile, commercial testing services occasionally sequence samples from asymptomatic individuals.

Aqueous Humor Cytokine Analysis in Age-Related Macular Degeneration After Switching From Aflibercept to Faricimab.

Purpose: To examine the changes in aqueous humor cytokine levels and clinical outcomes of switching from aflibercept to faricimab in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Methods: Fifty-four eyes of 54 patients with AMD undergoing treatment with aflibercept under a treat-and-extend (TAE) regimen were switched to faricimab and studied prospectively. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA; in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution), central retinal thickness (CRT), central choroidal thickness (CCT), and exudative status were analyzed using optical coherence tomography.

Swimming was associated with rhinitis and pollinosis in a duration-dependent manner.

Background: Previous studies have reported conflicting results regarding the effects of childhood swimming on respiratory allergic symptoms. We investigated the relationship between swimming and respiratory allergic symptoms in schoolchildren.

Methods: A questionnaire regarding participation in sports club activities and respiratory allergic symptoms in schoolchildren was distributed to the parents of all 6853 public school students (aged 6-14 years) in Omihachiman City, Shiga, Japan.

Five-year outcomes of treat and extend regimen using intravitreal aflibercept injection for treatment-naïve age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: This study evaluated the long-term outcomes of eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) treated with aflibercept according to a treat-and-extend (T&E) regimen for up to 5 years. Methods This retrospective study included 112 eyes of 111 patients with nAMD who received aflibercept according to the T&E regimen. The patients received 3 monthly injections of aflibercept followed by a T&E regimen for at least 12 months.

Improvement of β-Cell Function After Switching From DPP-4 Inhibitors to Oral Semaglutide: SWITCH-SEMA2 Post Hoc Analysis.

Context: Whether continuation of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4is) or switching to oral semaglutide is more beneficial for β-cell function is unclear.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of switching from DPP-4is to oral semaglutide for β-cell function compared with DPP-4i continuation.

Methods: Post hoc analysis of SWITCH-SEMA 2, a multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial on the switch to oral semaglutide vs DPP-4i continuation without dose adjustment for 24 weeks in subjects with type 2 diabetes treated with DPP-4is, was conducted.

Mumps vaccination and immune status among Japanese university students: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

Background: During the mumps outbreak in Japan in 2016, 159,031 cases were reported. In a survey conducted in 2015, mumps vaccination rates for the first dose were 30%-40%. However, the rates for two or more doses were not determined.

Real-world clinical evidence of oral semaglutide on metabolic abnormalities in subjects with type 2 diabetes: a multicenter retrospective observational study (the Sapporo-Oral SEMA study).

Oral semaglutide has potent anti-hyperglycemic efficacy in phase III trials. However, the complicated dosing instructions hamper to use this drug; therefore, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral semaglutide in subjects with type 2 diabetes in a real-world clinical setting. In this multi-center retrospective observational study, we analyzed subjects with type 2 diabetes newly treated with an oral semaglutide for >6 months at four medical centers located in Sapporo, Japan.

Evaluation of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection reagent LAMPdirect Genelyzer KIT using nasopharyngeal swab and saliva samples.

The LAMPdirect Genelyzer KIT allows for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in saliva samples with a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method and generates results within 20 min. It has been approved by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency in Japan. In this study, the performance of the LAMPdirect Genelyzer KIT was compared with that of the RT-qPCR reference method using 50 nasopharyngeal swabs and 100 saliva samples.

Relapse of COVID-19 and Viral Evolution in a Patient With Good Syndrome: A Case Report.

Delays in clearance and rapid evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been reported in immunocompromised patients. We encountered a case of recurrent, multi-mutational SARS-CoV-2 infection in a 40-year-old man with severe immunodeficiency due to Good syndrome. The patient had not received the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.

Hand function and quality of life in patients with diabetes mellitus before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on patients with diabetes mellitus using patient-rated outcome measures focusing on hand function and quality of life, as well as patients' mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. It was a part of a longitudinal research involving patients with diabetes mellitus living in Sapporo, Japan. Among the 594 patients surveyed before the COVID-19 pandemic from March to June 2019, 417 patients who could be re-surveyed from March to June 2021 were included.

Treatment strategy for successful conversion surgery in clinical stage IVB gastric cancer.

Introduction: Recent advances in chemotherapy have resulted in successful conversion surgery (CS) for clinical stage (cStage) IVB gastric cancer (GC). This study aimed to evaluate the success rate of CS in clinical practice and determine optimal treatment strategies.

Methods: Totally, 166 patients with cStage IVB gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, who underwent chemotherapy at Hyogo Medical University Hospital between January 2017 and June 2022, were included.

Synthesis and biological activity of photostable and persistent abscisic acid analogs.

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays a critical role in various environmental stress responses and has long been expected to be used in agriculture. However, the practical use of ABA has been limited, mainly because of its photoinstability and rapid biodegradation. We previously developed photostable ABA agonists, BP2A and Me 1',4'--diol BP2A, in which the dienoic acid side chain of ABA was replaced with phenylacetic acid.

INCIDENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF INTRAOCULAR INFLAMMATION AFTER BROLUCIZUMAB TREATMENT IN JAPAN: A Multicenter Age-Related Macular Degeneration Study.

Purpose: To investigate the incidence of intraocular inflammation (IOI) and its risk factors following intravitreal injections of brolucizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration in Japan.

Methods: A total of 1,351 Japanese consecutive patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration who were treated with brolucizumab from May 2020 to May 2022 at 14 institutions were examined. The variables analyzed were the number of brolucizumab injections, time to onset of IOI, and risk factors.

Sall1 and Sall4 cooperatively interact with Myocd and SRF to promote cardiomyocyte proliferation by regulating CDK and cyclin genes.

Sall1 and Sall4 (Sall1/4), zinc-finger transcription factors, are expressed in the progenitors of the second heart field (SHF) and in cardiomyocytes during the early stages of mouse development. To understand the function of Sall1/4 in heart development, we generated heart-specific Sall1/4 functionally inhibited mice by forced expression of the truncated form of Sall4 (ΔSall4) in the heart. The ΔSall4-overexpression mice exhibited a hypoplastic right ventricle and outflow tract, both of which were derived from the SHF, and a thinner ventricular wall.