Intra- and inter-examiner reliability and minimal detectable change for different methods of measuring toe grip strength in healthy adults.

[Purpose] This study aimed to compare the inter- and intra-examiner reliabilities of toe grip strength measurements obtained just above the first interphalangeal joint with those of toe grip strength measurements obtained in the most comfortable position for the participant. The study also aimed to calculate the minimal detectable change for the more reliable method. [Participants and Methods] The participants for each test included 20 healthy adult males and females.

Development of a novel automatic ascites filtration and concentration equipment with multi-ring-type roller pump units for cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy.

Cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy (CART) is an effective therapy for refractory ascites. However, CART is difficult to perform as ascites filtration and concentration is a complicated procedure. Moreover, the procedure requires the constant assistance of a clinical engineer or/and the use of an expensive equipment for the multi-purpose blood processing.

Investigating norovirus removal by microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and precoagulation-microfiltration processes using recombinant norovirus virus-like particles and real-time immuno-PCR.

The removal of microorganisms by drinking water treatment processes has been widely investigated in laboratory-scale experiments using artificially propagated microorganisms. However, this approach cannot be applied to norovirus removal, because this virus does not grow in cell or organ culture, and this fact has hampered our ability to investigate its behavior during drinking water treatment. To overcome this difficulty, our research group previously used recombinant norovirus virus-like particles (rNV-VLPs), which consist of an artificially expressed norovirus capsid protein, in laboratory-scale drinking water treatment experiments.

Baseline tumour necrosis factor alpha levels predict the necessity for dose escalation of infliximab therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: To investigate the possible role of baseline plasma tumour necrosis factor alpha levels (baseline-TNF) on the clinical response to infliximab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Patients with RA refractory to methotrexate received 3, 6, or 10 mg/kg of infliximab every 8 weeks, in a randomised, double-blind manner: the RISING study. Clinical response (disease activity score in 28 joints based on C-reactive protein or American College of Rheumatology core set) at week 54 and serum infliximab levels were compared in three patient groups with low, intermediate, or high baseline-TNF (TNF-low, TNF-int, or TNF-high).