Ultrasound liquid-gel hybrid lens using acoustic radiation forces.

Conventional camera modules use a mechanical system comprising moving parts to change the focal length of the lens by moving it along the optical axis, increasing the volume of the camera. Here, the potential of compact variable-focus lenses was examined to enhance response speed and robustness via a combination of viscoelastic gel films, liquids, and acoustic radiation forces. The optical properties of the lenses were evaluated using a wavefront sensor.

Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy: Prevalence and Clinical Impact on Liver Cirrhosis Outcomes.

Aim: Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) is a significant complication of liver cirrhosis; however, its prevalence and impact in Asian populations remain unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of CCM in Japanese patients with liver cirrhosis and to evaluate its impact on clinical outcomes.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 80 patients with liver cirrhosis confirmed using transient elastography (liver stiffness ≥ 12.

Reduction in choroidal thickness associated with the progression of pachychoroid spectrum diseases.

Purpose: Pachychoroid spectrum diseases reportedly progress from central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) to pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). We investigated and compared choroidal thicknesses in the macular and peripheral areas among eyes with CSC, PNV, and PCV, as well as in normal control eyes.

Study Design: Retrospective case-control study.

C-N Atropisomerism and Anti-MRSA Activity in 3-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)quinazolin-4-one Derivatives.

Both atropisomers of 3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)quinazolin-4-one derivatives were prepared through optical resolution based on the formation of diastereomers with ()-lactoyl chiral pool. Their rotational stabilities in solution depended to a considerable extent on which solvent was used. In alcohol and DMSO solvents, higher rotational stability was observed.

Two-year outcomes of treat-and-extend regimen with intravitreal faricimab for treatment-naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: We previously reported 1-year outcomes of a treat-and-extend (TAE) regimen with intravitreal faricimab (IVF) for treatment-naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Herein, we evaluated the second-year results of this TAE regimen with IVF in eyes completing the first-year treatment.

Study Design: Retrospective, interventional case series.

Efficacy of switching to brolucizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration refractory to faricimab.

Purpose: To evaluate the treatment outcomes of switching to intravitreal brolucizumab (IVBr) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) which did not achieve a dry macula even with 4- or 8-week intervals of intravitreal faricimab (IVF).

Study Design: Retrospective, interventional case series.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 33 eyes of 33 consecutive patients with nAMD who switched to IVBr from IVF, assessing best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), foveal thickness (FT), central choroidal thickness (CCT), and exudative status at baseline and after the switch.

Egg protein exposure estimation in risk assessment for Japanese food allergy labeling.

To assess the risk of food allergies in foods processed under the Japanese food labeling system, estimating exposure to hidden allergens is necessary. We assessed exposure to egg protein in foods processed according to the Japanese food labeling system. First, we estimated the concentration distribution of egg protein by Bayesian methods using data from the literature and the measurement of food products with precautional declarations in the labeling margin.

Development of a rapid and reliable method to simultaneously detect seven food allergens in processed foods using LC-MS/MS.

Rapid analysis of multiple food allergens is required to confirm the appropriateness of food allergen labelling in processed foods. This study aimed to develop a rapid and reliable method to simultaneously detect trace amounts of seven food allergenic proteins (wheat, buckwheat, milk, egg, crustacean, peanut, and walnut) in processed foods using LC-MS/MS. Suspension-trapping (S-Trap) columns and on-line automated solid-phase extraction were used to improve the complex and time-consuming pretreatment process previously required for allergen analysis using LC-MS/MS.

Posterior Precortical Vitreous Pocket in Stickler Syndrome: A Report of Two Cases.

Stickler syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by collagen abnormalities leading to various ocular manifestations, such as retinal detachment. We present two cases of siblings clinically diagnosed with Stickler syndrome who exhibited retinal detachment. Case 1, a seven-year-old girl, and case 2, her 14-year-old brother, both displayed severe myopia and other clinical signs consistent with Stickler syndrome.

Inversion of Asymmetric Vortex Vein Dilatation in Pachychoroid Spectrum Diseases.

Purpose: Intervortex venous anastomosis is widely recognized as compensating for vortex vein congestion in pachychoroid spectrum diseases. However, determining the blood flow direction within the compensated drainage route is often challenging. Herein, we investigated the morphological patterns of vortex veins in eyes showing retrograde pulsatile vortex venous flow.

Development of a Reverse-Yield Factor Database Disaggregating Japanese Composite Foods into Raw Primary Commodity Ingredients Based on the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan.

The reverse-yield factor (RF) database was developed for qualitatively and quantitatively disaggregating Japanese composite foods into raw primary commodity (RPC) ingredients. Representative equations for four types (dried, salted, fermented and mixed foods) were developed to calculate RFs using the food content and composition data for composite foods listed in the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan-2020-(STFCJ), published by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. Out of 1150 composite foods identified in the STFCJ, RFs for 54 dried, 41 salted, 40 fermented and 818 mixed foods were obtained.

Non-invasive assessment of left ventricular filling pressure in aortic stenosis.

Background: The assessment of left ventricular (LV) filling pressure (FP) is important for the management of aortic stenosis (AS) patients. Although, it is often restricted for predict LV FP in AS because of mitral annular calcification and a certain left ventricular hypertrophy. Thus, we tested the predictive ability of the algorithm for elevated LV FP in AS patients and also applied a recently-proposed echocardiographic scoring system of LV FP, visually assessed time difference between the mitral valve and tricuspid valve opening (VMT) score.

Development of a processing factor prediction model for pesticides in processed tomato foods using elastic net regularization.

A novel regularized elastic net regression model was developed to predict processing factor (PF) for pesticide residues, which represents a change in the residue levels during food processing. The PF values for tomato juice, wet pomace and dry pomace in the evaluations and reports published by the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues significantly correlated with the physicochemical properties of pesticides, and subsequently the correlation was observed in the present tomato processing study. The elastic net regression model predicted the PF values using the physicochemical properties as predictor variables for both training and test data within a 2-fold range for 80-100% of the pesticides tested in the tomato processing study while overcoming multicollinearity.

One-year results of treat-and-extend regimen with intravitreal faricimab for treatment-naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To evaluate 1-year outcomes of loading phase treatment followed by maintenance therapy using a treat-and-extend (TAE) regimen with intravitreal faricimab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Study Design: Retrospective, interventional case series.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 40 eyes of 38 consecutive patients with treatment-naïve nAMD, assessing best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), foveal thickness, central choroidal thickness (CCT), total number of injections over 1 year, and intended injection interval at the last visit.

Predicting treatment outcomes of intravitreal brolucizumab for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy through noninvasive assessment of polypoidal lesion blood flow with optical coherence tomography angiography.

We investigated the assessment of blood flow within polypoidal lesions using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to determine intravitreal brolucizumab (IVBr) efficacy for treating polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). We retrospectively studied 46 eyes with PCV that completed 1-year IVBr treatment. Blood flow signals within polypoidal lesions were evaluated using OCTA after loading-phase treatment, and 1-year outcomes were compared between eyes in which blood flow signals disappeared versus persisting.

Exercise Capacity and Clinical Outcomes in Chronic Heart Failure Patients with Mild Tricuspid Regurgitation.

Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the impact of mild tricuspid regurgitation (TR) on the exercise capacity or clinical outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods And Results: The study enrolled 511 patients with CHF who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) between 2013 and 2018. The primary outcome was a composite of heart failure hospitalization and death.

Attenuation of irradiated choroid and its regional vortex veins in central serous chorioretinopathy after photodynamic therapy.

We retrospectively studied 12 eyes of 12 patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) to investigate choroidal thickness changes following half-fluence photodynamic therapy (PDT) using widefield choroidal thickness maps obtained by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Additionally, we assessed the relationship between choroidal thickness changes and the regional vortex veins as visualized on widefield en face OCT of the choroid. Pre-treatment en face images of the choroidal vasculature were superimposed on subtracted choroidal thickness maps before and 3 months after half-fluence PDT.

Impact of Cardiac Power Output on Exercise Capacity and Clinical Outcome in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure.

Less data are available regarding the impact of cardiac power output on exercise capacity or clinical outcome in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). The study enrolled 280 consecutive patients with CHF referred for cardiopulmonary exercise testing and right-sided heart catheterization between 2013 and 2018. The primary outcome was composite of heart failure hospitalization or death.

Duplicate left gastric artery identified during robot-assisted distal gastrectomy: a case report.

Background: Duplicated left gastric artery (LGA) is a rare anomaly. With an incidence of only 0.4%, its clinical significance remains largely unrecognized.

Paradoxical increase in global longitudinal strain by handgrip exercise despite left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

Background: Although global longitudinal strain (GLS) is recognized as a sensitive marker of intrinsic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, its afterload dependency has also been pointed. We hypothesized that decrease in GLS during handgrip exercise could be more sensitive marker of intrinsic myocardial dysfunction.

Methods: Handgrip exercise-stress echocardiography was performed in 90 cardiovascular disease patients with preserved LV ejection fraction.

Structural change dynamics of heteroleptic Cu(I) complexes observed by ultrafast emission spectroscopy.

[Cu(I)(dmp)(P)] (dmp = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline derivatives; P = phosphine ligand) is one of the most promising photosensitizers used in a photo-catalytic system for reducing CO, for which the quantum yield is as high as 57%. In this work, time-resolved emission spectra of Cu(I) complexes in solutions were investigated using femtosecond fluorescence up-conversion and nanosecond time-resolved emission spectroscopic systems. The temporal profiles of emission intensities less than 10 ps in acetonitrile solution were reproduced using a tri-exponential function with three-time constants of 0.