Background Factors Affecting Visual Acuity at Initial Visit in Eyes with Central Retinal Vein Occlusion : Multicenter Study in Japan

Purpose: To determine the baseline characteristics of patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) that were significantly associated with the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at the initial examination. Methods: This was a retrospective multicenter study using the medical records registered in 17 ophthalmological institutions in Japan. Patients with untreated CRVO (≥20-years-of-age) who were initially examined between January 2013 and December 2017 were studied. The patients’ baseline factors that were significantly associated with the BCVA at the initial examination were determined by univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses. Results: Data from 517 eyes of 517 patients were analyzed. Univariate analyses showed that an older age (r = 0.194, p < 0.001) and the right eye (r = −0.103, p < 0.019) were significantly associated with poorer BCVA at the initial visit. Multivariate analyses also showed that an older age (β = 0.191, p < 0.001) and the right eye (β = −0.089, p = 0.041) were significantly associated with poorer BCVA at the initial visit. Conclusions: The results indicate that an older age, a known strong factor, and the right eye were significantly associated with poorer BCVA at the initial visit to the hospital. These results suggest that functional and/or anatomical differences between the right and left eyes may be involved in these results

Congenital abnormalities of heart and kidney

Abstract Patients with congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) may be at risk for congenital cardiac defects or cardiomyopathies as comorbidities. It is crucial to recognize the coexistence of cardiac abnormalities and CAKUT and recommend screening for cardiac involvement in CAKUT patients using echocardiography

RP S19 C-terminal peptide trimer acts as a C5a receptor antagonist

AbstractWe have demonstrated that ribosomal protein S19 (RP S19) polymer, when crosslinked between Lys122 and Gln137 by activated coagulation factor XIII, acts as a C5a receptor (C5aR) antagonist/agonist. Based on experimental data obtained using RP S19 analog peptide and recombinant protein monomer, we suggested that L131DR, I134AGQVAAAN and K143KH moieties in the RP S19 C‐terminus act in, respectively, C5aR binding, penetration of the plasma membrane, and interaction with either an apoptosis-inducing molecule in neutrophils (delta lactoferrin) or a calcium channel-activating molecule (annexin A3) to induce the p38 MAPK pathway in macrophages. Recently, we observed RP S19 trimer in serum. To study the effects of this RP S19 trimer on C5aR, we prepared mutant RP S19 C‐terminal peptide (RP S19122-145) dimer and trimer, and examined their chemotactic activities and signal transduction pathways in human C5aR-overexpressing squamous cell carcinoma HSC-1 (HSC-1C5aR) cells using 24 trans-well chamber and western blotting assays, respectively. HSC-1C5aR cells were attracted by RP S19122-145 dimer and vice versa by RP S19122-145 trimer. The RP S19122-145 dimer-induced attraction was competitively blocked by pre-treatment with RP S19122-145 trimer. Moreover, RP S19122-145 trimer-induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation was stronger than RP S19122-145 dimer-induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation. RP S19122-145 trimer appeared to act as a C5aR antagonist. The agonistic and antagonistic effects of RP S19122-145 dimers and trimers were reflected by monocytic, THP-1-derived macrophage-like cells. Unlike the C5aR agonist C5a, which acts at the inflammation phase of acute inflammation, RP S19 trimer might act as a C5aR antagonist at the resolution phase

La liaison entre l'urbanisation, la motorisation et l'environnement. Une étude comparative internationale de Londres, Tokyo, Nagoya et Bangkok (Première partie)

Having realized that transport has become a significantly larger contributor to energy consumption and the environmental degradation, this study aims at identifying its comprehensive mechanism and providing a scenario analysis method to understand the future environmental consequences.The mechanism is investigated on the basis of urbanization, motorization and the environment nexus within the transport domain. Each linkage between the components inside the mechanism e.g. population density and distribution, urban configuration, income level, car ownership, transport infrastructure supply, infrastructure investment level etc., has also been examined empirically. The subsequent attempt is to illustrate and validate the proposed premise on the basis of actual interrelationship among urbanization, motorization and the environment through an analogous approach of equivalent development patterns in four diverse metropolises -namely London, Tokyo, Nagoya and Bangkok- situating at various stages of economic development process and at different points of time.The results of the study contain many-sided meaningful evidences and considerable findings to mechanize and support the presumable sequences of nexus. In addition to transport contributor, other environmental consequences are also analyzed. It is likely that the urban development path of a younger aged metropolis will typically follow the same manner as those of prior elderly aged metropolises but rather at an accelerating rate and with a shorter cycle time, as a result of technological progress and rapid economic growth.Les transports étant devenus une des causes principales de la consommation d'énergie et des dégradations environnementales, il nous semble particulièrement important d'identifier les mécanismes de fonctionnement du système de transport et d'introduire un cadre global d'analyse à partir de scénarios pour comprendre l'évolution future des effets négatifs du transport sur l'environnement.Nous envisagerons ces mécanismes en fonction des relations entre l’urbanisation, la motorisation et l’environnement. Nous avons examiné de manière empirique chacun des liens entre les différents composants du système (par exemple la densité et la distribution de population, la configuration urbaine, le revenu, la motorisation, l'offre d'infrastructures de transport, le niveau d'investissement en infrastructures...) Dans cet article, nous tentons d'illustrer et de valider la prémisse proposée sur la base de la situation actuelle des relations entre l’urbanisation, la motorisation et l’environnement. Notre démarche consiste à comparer les formes de développement de quatre métropoles (Londres, Tokyo, Nagoya et Bangkok) considérées à différents moments de leur développement économique.Les résultats de l'étude aboutissent à certaines évidences mais aussi à des conclusions importantes en ce qui concerne l'évolution probable du système. En outre, nous analysons les effets sur l’environnement. Il est probable que l'évolution des formes urbaines d'une métropole récente ressemble à l'évolution passée des métropoles plus anciennes, mais grâce au progrès technologique et à une croissance économique soutenue, cette évolution peut se faire plus rapidement