Development of Magnetocardiograph without Magnetically Shielded Room Using High-Detectivity TMR Sensors.

A magnetocardiograph that enables the clear observation of heart magnetic field mappings without magnetically shielded rooms at room temperatures has been successfully manufactured. Compared to widespread electrocardiographs, magnetocardiographs commonly have a higher spatial resolution, which is expected to lead to early diagnoses of ischemic heart disease and high diagnostic accuracy of ventricular arrhythmia, which involves the risk of sudden death. However, as the conventional superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetocardiographs require large magnetically shielded rooms and huge running costs to cool the SQUID sensors, magnetocardiography is still unfamiliar technology.

Progression of age-related macular degeneration in eyes with abnormal fundus autofluorescence in a Japanese population: JFAM study report 3.

Purpose: To evaluate the progression of early age-related macular degeneration to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), and identify the abnormal fundus autofluorescence (FAF) patterns and markers of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in fellow eyes of patients with unilateral nAMD.

Methods: Sixty-six patients with unilateral nAMD who developed abnormal FAF in the fellow eyes were enrolled in this multicenter, prospective, observational study, and followed-up for 5 years. FAF images on Heidelberg Retina Angiogram Digital Angiography System (HRA) or HRA2 were classified into eight patterns based on the International Fundus Autofluorescence Classification Group system.

A case of prominent immunoglobulin G4-positive lymphadenopathy in response to microscopic lung cancer.

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease is established as a new clinical entity, characterized by high levels of plasma IgG4 and IgG4-positive plasma cell infiltration. However, the elevation of plasma IgG4 and infiltration of IgG4-positive cells have been observed in other diseases, including malignancy. We experienced a case of prominent IgG4-positive lymphadenopathy, which was diagnosed as a reactive lesion in response to lung cancer.

Dramatic response to alectinib in a patient with ALK-rearranged squamous cell lung cancer.

Lung cancers with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements are highly sensitive to treatment with ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Due to the very low rate of patients with squamous cell carcinoma enrolled in clinical trials, the efficacy of ALK inhibitors in patients with ALK-rearranged squamous cell carcinoma in the lung remains unclear. Herein, we present the case of a 70-year-old female patient with squamous cell lung cancer harboring the echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)-ALK fusion gene.

Fundus Autofluorescence after Half-Dose Photodynamic Therapy for Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy.

Introduction: To evaluate the fundus autofluorescence (FAF) images 1 year after half-dose photodynamic therapy (hdPDT) for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

Methods: Forty-six eyes of 46 consecutive patients with chronic CSC underwent hdPDT. Short wavelength-elicited FAF images and enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomographic (EDI-OCT) images were recorded before and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after the hdPDT.

Immunobiotic TL2937 Alleviates Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis by Differentially Modulating the Transcriptomic Response of Intestinal Epithelial Cells.

Immunobiotics have emerged as a promising intervention to alleviate intestinal damage in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the beneficial properties of immunobiotics are strain dependent and, therefore, each strain has to be evaluated in order to demonstrate its potential application in IBD. Our previous and studies demonstrated that TL2937 attenuates gut acute inflammatory response triggered by Toll-like receptor 4 activation.

Evaluation of Porcine Intestinal Epitheliocytes as an In vitro Immunoassay System for the Selection of Probiotic Bifidobacteria to Alleviate Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

The use of in vitro systems that allow efficient selection of probiotic candidates with immunomodulatory properties could significantly minimize the use of experimental animals. In this work, we generated an in vitro immunoassay system based on porcine intestinal epithelial (PIE) cells and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) administration that could be useful for the selection and characterization of potential probiotic strains to be used in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Our strategy was based on two fundamental pillars: on the one hand, the capacity of PIE cells to create a monolayer by attaching to neighboring cells and efficiently mount inflammatory responses and, on the other hand, the use of two probiotic bifidobacteria strains that have been characterized in terms of their immunomodulatory capacities, particularly in mouse IBD models and patients.

Five-year follow-up of fundus autofluorescence and retinal sensitivity in the fellow eye in exudative age-related macular degeneration in Japan.

Purpose: To assess the 5-year change in abnormal fundus autofluorescence (FAF) patterns and retinal sensitivity in the fellow eye of Japanese patients with unilateral exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Patients with unilateral exudative AMD who developed abnormal FAF in the fellow eyes were enrolled. FAF imaging and microperimetry were performed at baseline and follow-ups.

Interleukin-6 plays a crucial role in the development of subretinal fibrosis in a mouse model.

Subretinal fibrosis has been recognized as a feature of an advanced stage of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that leads to irreversible loss of vision. This study was aimed at elucidating roles of interlukin-6 (IL-6) in the development of subretinal fibrosis. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed with anti-human IL-6 antibody in surgically excised choroidal neovascular tissues from patients with exudative AMD.

Fundus autofluorescence and retinal sensitivity in fellow eyes of age-related macular degeneration in Japan.

Purpose: Abnormal fundus autofluorescence (FAF) potentially precedes onset of late age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Caucasian patients. Many differences exist between Asian and Caucasian patients regarding AMD types and severity, gender, and genetic backgrounds. We investigated the characteristics of abnormal FAF and retinal sensitivity in the fellow eyes of Japanese patients with unilateral neovascular AMD.

Genome-Wide Association Study to Identify a New Susceptibility Locus for Central Serous Chorioretinopathy in the Japanese Population.

Purpose: Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is a retinal disorder that often affects the vision of middle-aged people yet the molecular mechanisms of CSC remain unknown. This study was conducted to identify genetic factors influencing individual differences in susceptibility to CSC.

Methods: A two-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted with a total of 320 unrelated Japanese idiopathic CSC cases and 3245 population-based controls.

Efficacy and safety of ranibizumab monotherapy versus ranibizumab in combination with verteporfin photodynamic therapy in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: 12-month outcomes in the Japanese cohort of EVEREST II study.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of ranibizumab 0.5 mg with or without verteporfin photodynamic therapy in Japanese patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy over 12 months.

Study Design: EVEREST II was a 24-month, Phase IV, multicenter, randomized, double-masked study in Asian patients with symptomatic macular polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

Genome-wide association study suggests four variants influencing outcomes with ranibizumab therapy in exudative age-related macular degeneration.

To identify factors associated with ranibizumab responses in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD), we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and a replication study using a total of 919 exudative AMD patients treated with intravitreal ranibizumab in a Japanese population. In the combined analysis of GWAS and the replication study, no loci reached genome-wide significant level; however, we found four variants showed suggestive level of associations with visual loss at month three (rs17822656, rs76150532, rs17296444, and rs75165563: P < 1.0 × 10).

Factors predicting 2-year treatment results of ranibizumab therapy for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in eyes with good baseline visual acuity.

This study aimed to explore predictors of long-term stabilization of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) lesions and vision in response to injection of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR). The treated eyes had a baseline best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of at least 0.6 (logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) 0.

Relationship of Area of Soft Drusen in Retina with Cerebral Amyloid-β Accumulation and Blood Amyloid-β Level in the Elderly.

Background: Histopathological studies have confirmed that soft drusen contains amyloid-β (Aβ).

Objective: To examine the relationship between the area of soft drusen in the macular area and cerebral Aβ accumulation or plasma Aβ level in elderly persons without dementia.

Methods: Fourteen consecutive patients (18 eyes) aged ≥50 years with macular soft drusen were studied prospectively.

Baseline data from a multicenter, 5-year, prospective cohort study of Japanese age-related macular degeneration: an AMD2000 report.

Purpose: To report research participants' baseline characteristics in the AMD2000 study, a prospective, multicenter, 5-year, observational cohort study of Japanese age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The characteristics were determined using multimodal imaging.

Methods: Patients with AMD were recruited at 18 clinical sites in Japan between April 2006 and March 2009.

A 5-year multicenter prospective cohort study on the long-term visual prognosis and predictive factors for visual outcome in Japanese patients with age-related macular degeneration: the AMD2000 study.

Purpose: In this study (AMD2000), we aimed to determine the visual prognosis of Japanese patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: This was a multicenter prospective observational cohort study. In total, 460 patients with AMD were recruited from April 2006 to March 2009 from 18 clinical trial sites in Japan.

Wet laboratory training using porcine eyes with eyelids.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of a new wet laboratory (wet lab) system using porcine eyes with eyelids.

Design: Teaching device trial.

Participants: Porcine eyes with orbital tissues and eyelids.

Choriocapillaris Changes Imaged by OCT Angiography After Half-Dose Photodynamic Therapy for Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy.

Background And Objective: To evaluate the choriocapillaris using optical coherence tomographic angiography (OCTA) after half-dose verteporfin photodynamic therapy (hd-PDT) for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

Patients And Methods: We studied six eyes (six patients) with chronic CSC treated by hd-PDT. OCTA was performed before, 1 week after, and 1 month after hd-PDT.

Comparison of pro re nata versus Bimonthly Injection of Intravitreal Aflibercept for Typical Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to clarify the 1-year outcomes of pro re nata (PRN) and bimonthly intravitreal injections of aflibercept (IVA) for typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration (tAMD) after the initial 3 monthly IVA.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, interventional study. Fifty-eight treatment-naïve patients with tAMD were randomly assigned to the PRN (30 patients) or the bimonthly (28 patients) treatment group.

Postoperative roll cake-like macular fold after retinal detachment surgery.

Purpose: To report a case developing a severe retinal fold (RF), resembling a roll cake on optical coherence tomography (OCT), after retinal detachment (RD) surgery.

Case Report: A 61-year-old man underwent vitrectomy for a limited macula-on-superior rhegmatogenous RD and gas tamponade at another hospital. Despite remaining prone for 4 days, RF was noted after gas disappearance and he was referred to us.

Reduced anterior chamber contamination by frequent surface irrigation with diluted iodine solutions during cataract surgery.

Purpose: To verify that ocular surface irrigation with 0.025% povidone-iodine (PI) or 0.0025% polyvinyl alcohol-iodine (PAI) during cataract surgery minimizes bacterial contamination of the anterior chamber.

A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Study of Antioxidant Supplementation with Lutein for Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy.

Purpose: To investigate functional and morphological changes in patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy after supplementation with antioxidants containing lutein or a placebo.

Procedures: One hundred eyes of 100 patients were randomly divided into 2 groups, one taking tablets with lutein plus other antioxidants and the other taking a placebo for 6 months. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the subfoveal fluid height on optical coherence tomography were measured.

Choroidal thickness findings in two siblings with nanophthalmos by swept source-OCT: a case report.

Background: We investigated choroidal thicknesses at five sites in two siblings (four eyes) with nanophthalmos using swept-source optical coherence tomography.

Case Presentation: Case 1, a 51-year-old Japanese female with high hyperopia (Right: +20.5 Dioptors, Left: +19.