Morphometric features of laminar pores in lamina cribrosa observed by scanning laser ophthalmoscopy

PURPOSE: To describe a method for making morphometric analysis of the pores in the lamina cribrosa with a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO). METHODS: Sixteen consecutive images were acquired with an SLO from the retinal surface to the bottom of the optic disc in +0.25-diopter increments. An He-Ne laser (633 nm) with a 20 degrees field of view was used. The images from each section were processed and combined with the aid of Macintosh software. RESULTS: Eyes with physiological cupping showed uniformly round or nearly round pores, whereas eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma frequently had compressed pores. CONCLUSIONS: In vivo morphometry of the surface of the internal lamina cribrosa can be performed by this technique, which should be useful for evaluating the progression of glaucomatous changes of the optic nerve head.     

Synthesis and photophysical properties of photostable 1,8-naphthalimide dyes incorporating benzotriazole-based UV absorbers

We developed a series of blue-emitting 1,8-naphthalimide dyes covalently attached to 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-2H-benzotriazoles that retard photodegradation of the fluorophore. The dyes displayed weaker fluorescence emissions than the parent 1.8-naphthalimide. Quantum chemical calculations suggested that the decreased fluorescence was caused by the nonradiative deactivation promoted through the excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) in benzotriazole components. The dyes'' phosphorescences in a degassed solution at 77 K were more efficient than that of the parent 1.8-naphthalimide, indicating a possible deactivation pathway through intersystem crossing. PMMA films doped with these dyes showed higher resistance against photoaging than the film doped with an equimolar mixture of constituent 1.8-naphthalimide and the benzotriazole derivatives. Thus, the covalently linked benzotriazole units slow fluorophore degradation not only by preferential absorption of harmful UV light, which is found in the film with a simple mixture of two components, but also by the nonradiative deactivation involved in benzotriazole units.

Highly photostable blue fluorescence dyes were developed by hybridization of 1,8-naphthalimides with benzotriazole-based UV absorbers enabling a non-radiative energy dissipation process of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT).     

Acute and delayed psychiatric sequelae among patients hospitalised with COVID-19: a cohort study using LIFE study data

BackgroundCharacterising the psychiatric sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can inform the development of long-term treatment strategies. However, few studies have examined these sequelae at different time points after COVID-19 infection.AimsThe study aimed to investigate the incidences and risks of acute and delayed psychiatric sequelae in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in Japan.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study was conducted using a database comprising healthcare claims data from public health insurance enrollees residing in a Japanese city. We analysed a primary cohort comprising patients hospitalised with COVID-19 between March 2020 and July 2021 and two control cohorts comprising patients hospitalised with influenza or other respiratory tract infections (RTI) during the same period. We calculated the incidences of acute (1–3 months after infection) and delayed (4–6 months after infection) psychiatric sequelae. These sequelae were identified using diagnosis codes and categorised as mood/anxiety/psychotic disorder, mood disorder, anxiety disorder, psychotic disorder or insomnia. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) of psychiatric sequelae occurrence after COVID-19 infection compared with influenza and other RTI.ResultsThe study population with acute psychiatric sequela consisted of 662 patients with COVID-19, 644 patients with influenza, and 7369 patients with RTI who could be followed for 3 months; the study population with delayed psychiatric sequelae consisted of 371 patients with COVID-19, 546 patients with influenza, and 5397 patients with RTI who could be followed for 6 months. In the analysis of acute psychiatric sequelae, COVID-19 had significantly higher odds of mood/anxiety/psychotic disorder (OR: 1.39, p=0.026), psychotic disorder (OR: 2.13, p<0.001), and insomnia (OR: 2.59, p<0.001) than influenza, and significantly higher odds of insomnia (OR: 1.44, p=0.002) and significantly lower odds of anxiety disorder (OR: 0.56, p<0.001) than other RTI. In the analysis of delayed psychiatric sequelae, COVID-19 had significantly higher odds of psychotic disorder (OR: 2.25, p=0.007) than influenza, but significantly lower odds of anxiety disorder (OR: 0.55, p=0.011) than other RTI.ConclusionsCOVID-19 was generally associated with an increased risk of psychiatric sequelae occurring within 3 months after infection, but had a lower risk of new psychiatric sequelae developing 4–6 months after infection.     

TP53 variants in p53 signatures and the clonality of STICs in RRSO samples

ObjectivePrecursor lesions may be identified in fallopian tube tissue after risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) in patients with pathogenic variants of BRCA1/2. Serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) is considered a precursor of high-grade serous carcinoma, whereas the significance of the p53 signature remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the p53 signature and the risk of ovarian cancer.MethodsWe analyzed the clinicopathological findings and conducted DNA sequencing for TP53 variants of p53 signatures and STIC lesions isolated using laser capture microdissection in 13 patients with pathogenic variants of BRCA1/2 who underwent RRSO and 17 control patients with the benign gynecologic disease.Results TP53 pathogenic variants were detected significantly higher in RRSO group than control (p<0.001). No difference in the frequency of p53 signatures were observed between groups (53.8% vs 29.4%; p=0.17). TP53 sequencing and next-generation sequencing analysis in a patient with STIC and occult cancer revealed 2 TP53 mutations causing different p53 staining for STICs and another TP53 mutation shared between STIC and occult cancer.ConclusionThe sequence analysis for TP53 revealed 2 types of p53 signatures, one with a risk of progression to STIC and ovarian cancer with pathological variants in TP53 and the other with a low risk of progression without pathological variants in TP53 as seen in control.     

Endoscopic Treatment of Superficial Gastric Cancer: Present Status and Future

Although the mortality rates of gastric cancer (GC) are gradually declining, gastric cancer is still the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. This may be due to the high rate of patients who are diagnosed with GC at advanced stages. However, in countries such as Japan with endoscopic screening systems, more than half of GCs are discovered at an early stage, enabling endoscopic resection (ER). Especially after the introduction of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in Japan around 2000, a high en bloc resection rate allowing pathological assessment of margin and depth has become possible. While ER is a diagnostic method of treatment and may not always be curative, it is widely accepted as standard treatment because it is less invasive than surgery and can provide an accurate diagnosis for deciding whether additional surgery is necessary. The curability of ER is currently assessed by the completeness of primary tumor removal and the possibility of lymph node metastasis. This review introduces methods, indications, and curability criteria for ER of EGC. Despite recent advances, several problems remain unsolved. This review will also outline the latest evidence concerning future issues.     

Repeated Necrotizing Lymphadenitis with MEFV Gene Mutations

We herein report a 36-year-old man with repeated necrotizing lymphadenitis due to MEFV gene mutations. The patient''s chief complaints were a fever and painful cervical lymphadenopathy. We diagnosed him with necrotizing lymphadenitis based on the pathological findings of the lymph nodes and the exclusion of other differential diseases. The same episode recurred four times. We speculated the involvement of autoinflammatory backgrounds and detected MEFV gene mutations of E148Q (homo), P369S, and R408Q. Considering the elevation of interleukin-18, these mutations probably played roles in the repeated necrotizing lymphadenitis.     

Transarterial Chemoembolization With Cisplatin as Second-Line Treatment for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Unresponsive to Chemoembolization With Epirubicin-Lipiodol Emulsion

Purpose  

The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) using cisplatin as a second-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) unresponsive to TACE using epirubicin–Lipiodol emulsion at our institution.     

Influence of Information Sources on Hepatitis B Screening Behavior and Relevant Psychosocial Factors Among Asian Immigrants

This study examines how different information sources relate to Health Belief Model constructs, hepatitis B virus (HBV) knowledge, and HBV screening. The Maryland Asian American Liver Cancer Education Program administered a survey of 877 Asian immigrants. The most common sources of information identified by the multiple-answer questions were newspapers (39.8 %), physicians (39.3 %), friends (33.8 %), TV (31.7 %), and the Internet (29.5 %). Path analyses—controlling for age, sex, educational level, English proficiency, proportion of life in U.S., health insurance coverage, and family history of HBV infection—showed that learning about HBV from physicians had the strongest direct effect; friends had a marginal indirect effect. Perceived risk, benefits, and severity played limited roles in mediation effects. Path analysis results differed by ethnicity. Physician-based HBV screening intervention would be effective, but should be complemented with community health campaigns through popular information sources for the uninsured.