Validating Variational Bayes Linear Regression Method With Multi-Central Datasets.

PurposeTo validate the prediction accuracy of variational Bayes linear regression (VBLR) with two datasets external to the training dataset.MethodThe training dataset consisted of 7268 eyes of 4278 subjects from the University of Tokyo Hospital. The Japanese Archive of Multicentral Databases in Glaucoma (JAMDIG) dataset consisted of 271 eyes of 177 patients, and the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study (DIGS) dataset includes 248 eyes of 173 patients, which were used for validation. Prediction accuracy was compared between the VBLR and ordinary least squared linear regression (OLSLR). First, OLSLR and VBLR were carried out using total deviation (TD) values at each of the 52 test points from the second to fourth visual fields (VFs) (VF2-4) to 2nd to 10th VF (VF2-10) of each patient in JAMDIG and DIGS datasets, and the TD values of the 11th VF test were predicted every time. The predictive accuracy of each method was compared through the root mean squared error (RMSE) statistic.ResultsOLSLR RMSEs with the JAMDIG and DIGS datasets were between 31 and 4.3 dB, and between 19.5 and 3.9 dB. On the other hand, VBLR RMSEs with JAMDIG and DIGS datasets were between 5.0 and 3.7, and between 4.6 and 3.6 dB. There was statistically significant difference between VBLR and OLSLR for both datasets at every series (VF2-4 to VF2-10) (P < 0.01 for all tests). However, there was no statistically significant difference in VBLR RMSEs between JAMDIG and DIGS datasets at any series of VFs (VF2-2 to VF2-10) (P > 0.05).ConclusionsVBLR outperformed OLSLR to predict future VF progression, and the VBLR has a potential to be a helpful tool at clinical settings

Assessment of Macular Function by Multifocal Electroretinography and Optical Coherence Tomography before and after Panretinal Photocoagulation in Diabetic Retinopathy

We evaluated macular function before and after panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) in diabetic retinopathy using a multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) and optical coherence tomogram (OCT). In mfERGs, the 1st positive wave (P1) minus the 1st negative wave (N1) amplitude (P1 ? N1 amplitude), the P1 peak latency and the response density were measured in 7, 19, 37 and 103 hexagonal areas or elements (Areas 1, 2, 3 and 4) within a central radius of 5, 7, 10 and 20 degrees, respectively. The mean retinal thickness was estimated from 9 calculation points at the foveal region within 5 degrees; the central and each of the other 4 points at a distance of 250 ?m and 500 ?m from the central por tion on horizontal and vertical sections on OCT. The P1 peak latencies from the 4 areas were remarkably prolonged in 14 eyes of 9 patients with preproliferative or early proliferative diabetic retinopathy showing no clinically significant macular edema before PRP as compared with those in 15 normal control eyes, without a tendency of recovery throughout the course after PRP except for area 1. The P1-N1 amplitudes and the mean response density levels from the 4 areas were remarkably decreased in the diabetic eyes before PRP as compared with those in the control eyes, followed by a maximum decrease in both parameters at 3 months after PRP. However, remarkable recoveries were detected in both decreased parameters from the 4 areas at 6 months after PRP. The mean foveal retinal thickness on OCT was remarkably increased in the diabetic eyes before PRP as compared with the thickness in 16 normal control eyes. Most remarkably, a transient increase in thickness was detected in diabetic eyes 1 month after PRP, followed by a tendency of recovery 3 to 6 months after PRP. These results indicate that mfERG and OCT examinations are useful in the assessment of macular function before and after PRP in diabetic retinopathy, especially within 5 degrees of the central portion, and that the effects of PRP on macular function in this entity seem to be reversible at the foveal region, although we need to do further investigation in relation to the outcome of visual acuity

Usefulness of fecal calprotectin by monoclonal antibody testing in adult Japanese with inflammatory bowel diseases: a prospective multicenter study

Background/Aims Noninvasive objective monitoring is advantageous for optimizing treatment strategies in patients inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Fecal calprotectin (FCP) is superior to traditional biomarkers in terms of assessing the activity in patients with IBD. However, there are the differences among several FCP assays in the dynamics of FCP. In this prospective multicenter trial, we investigated the usefulness of FCP measurements in adult Japanese patients with IBD by reliable enzyme immunoassay using a monoclonal antibody. Methods We assessed the relationship between FCP levels and disease or endoscopic activity in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC, n=64) or Crohn’s disease (CD, n=46) compared with healthy controls (HCs, n=64). Results FCP levels in UC patients strongly correlated with the Disease Activity Index (rs=0.676, P<0.0001) and Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES; rs=0.677, P<0.0001). FCP levels were significantly higher even in patients with inactive UC or CD compared with HCs (P=0.0068, P<0.0001). The optimal cutoff value between MES 1 and 2 exhibited higher sensitivity (94.1%). FCP levels were significantly higher in active UC patients than in inactive patients (P<0.001), except those with proctitis. The Crohn’s Disease Activity Index tended to correlate with the FCP level (rs=0.283, P=0.0565). Conclusions Our testing method using a monoclonal antibody for FCP was well-validated and differentiated IBD patients from HCs. FCP may be a useful biomarker for objective assessment of disease activity in adult Japanese IBD patients, especially those with UC

蔬菜水耕栽培の実用化に関する研究 XVII : 定植時の葉数がトマトの生育・収量におよぼす影響(農学部門)

トマトの水耕栽培における定植の適期を決定するために, 春作と秋作とにつき, 展開葉数が3,6,9,12枚時に定植して生育, 収量を比較した。品種は大型福寿, 培養液はれき耕用園試処方第1例の50%液を使用した。定植がおそくなると, 定植時および栽培終了時の草丈が大, 葉の大きさが小, 栽培終了時の植物体乾物含有率が大, 栽培前半の養水分吸収量が少, 開花数が少, 開花日がおそく, 開花より果実収穫までの日数が少となった。収量は, 春作では定植の早い区で大となったが, 秋作では定植のおそい区で大となった。Ohgata-Fukujyu tomatoes sown in sand and then water-cultured in nursery bed, were planted out in the culture bed at 3-, 6-, 9-, or 12-leaf stage, to determine the adequate age of transplants at planting out, in water culture. As the results of the later planting out, plant heights both at the time of planting out and the termination of experiment were higher, leaves were smaller, dry matter contents of plant component organs were higher, water and nutrient absorptions during early growth were lower, no. of flowers was less and no. of days required for fruit maturation was less, than those by the early planting out. The yield was lower and was often delayed by the later planting out in the spring crop, while it was higher and was delayed by a few days by the later planting out in the fall crop

Biodiesel production from rapeseed oil by various supercritical carboxylate esters

Biodiesel is commonly produced from triglycerides and methanol, with glycerol as the by-product. This process has caused the overproduction of glycerol, which leads to its price devaluation and its likelihood to become a new type of waste. In this research, therefore, we explored the potential of converting rapeseed oil into fatty acid alkyl esters (FAAEs) and triacins, instead of glycerol, by using supercritical carboxylate ester treatments in a batch-reaction system. As a result, it was found out that at reaction temperature of 350 °C and pressures up to 17.8 MPa, interesterifications of triglycerides with various carboxylate esters have occurred without using any catalysts under supercritical condition, producing FAAE and triacins. Among all supercritical carboxylate esters, supercritical methyl acetate showed the highest product yield, i.e., 97.7 wt%, when both FAAE and triacin were considered as the product. Additionally, the mixture of FAAE and triacin in 3:1 molar ratio exhibited no detrimental effects on biodiesel quality