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Background: Biologics are an important treatment option for patients with severe asthma. Four biologics are available in Japan, and an overlapping eligibility has been observed. The eligibility and availability of drugs depend on the local regulations of different countries. However, there is no precise information about the eligibility for biologics, including dupilumab, in Japan. The aim of the study was to investigate the overlapping eligibility and to analyze the phenotypes of patients with multiple eligibility., Methods: In this observational study, a retrospective chart review of patients was performed. The eligibility criteria for omalizumab were IgE 30-1500IU/mL and positive IgE for perennial aeroallergen. The eligibility criteria for IL-5-targeted biologics (mepolizumab and benralizumab) were eosinophil counts (Eos) > 150μL, while those for dupilumab were Eos > 150μL or fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) > 150ppb or IgE > 167IU/mL. Severe asthma was defined by the severity criteria under treatment based on Japanese guidelines for adult asthma., Results: One hundred patients with severe asthma were identified. The eligibility for omalizumab, IL-5-targeted therapies, and dupilumab was 43%, 69%, and 82%, respectively. Thirty percent of the patients were eligible for all the four biologics and showed the lowest FEV1, frequent exacerbation history, and the highest levels of Eos, FeNO, and serum periostin. Only 11% of the patients were not indicated for any biologics., Conclusion: A considerable portion of patients was eligible for all the biologics. Asthma control was poor, and type 2 inflammation was prominent in such patients.

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common comorbidity among patients with asthma. In addition, functional dyspepsia (FD) is characterized by upper abdominal symptoms without organic disease manifestations. However, the prevalence of FD among patients with asthma remains uninvestigated; therefore, herein, we investigated the prevalence of dyspepsia symptoms in these patients., Methods: We recruited 156 patients with asthma from the outpatient clinic of Teikyo University Hospital and investigated the prevalence of dyspepsia symptoms using the modified Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GERD. Further, the relationship between dyspepsia symptoms and clinical background of asthma was also investigated., Results: Certain digestive organ symptoms were exhibited by 83% of patients with asthma, dyspepsia symptoms by 44%, and reflux symptoms by 26%. The dyspepsia-dominant group showed significantly higher female ratio and numerically lower %FEV 1 than the asymptomatic group. In the group with dyspepsia score >5 points, the ratio of patients undergoing step 4 asthma treatment and the ratio of those using long-acting muscarinic receptor antagonist were higher than those in the group with a score <5 points. Furthermore, endoscopic diagnosis was also made in 84 patients and the prevalence of FD was 21%., Conclusion: A considerable proportion of patients with asthma exhibited dyspepsia symptoms, and the asthma severity in patients with dyspepsia was higher than those in asymptomatic patients. Based on the current findings, more attention should be directed to FD, in addition to GERD, as a comorbidity of the digestive system in patients with asthma.

TIN (ifosfamide 1.5 g/m2 daily for 3 days, paclitaxel 175 mg/m2, and nedaplatin 70 mg/m2 on day 1) was administered to patients with metastatic urothelial cancer previously treated by platinum-based chemotherapy and repeated every 4 weeks. Four patients received maintenance therapy, which consisted of 5'-DFUR 800 mg/day orally for 12 weeks and 1 subsequent course of TIN. This therapy regimen was repeated for 2 years from initiation of TIN. Eleven of 12 patients (91.6%) demonstrated a major response (3 complete responses, 8 partial responses), with durations of response ranging from 3 to 20 months. Progression-free survival time was from 0 to 20 months (median 8 months). One-year progression-free survival rate was 45.8%. Overall survival time was from 2 to 20 months (median 10.5 months). One-year overall survival rate was 53.5%. Grade 3/4 hematologic toxicity involved neutropenia in 100% and thrombocytopenia in 33.3%. Febrile neutropenia was observed in 5 patients (41.6%). Grade 3 nonhematologic toxicity involved malaise in 15.3%. No patient discontinued this therapy because of complications. TIN is a potent, well-tolerated regimen for previously treated patients with urothelial cancer.

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of information generation on incidental memory of words. Subjects in the subject-generated group were asked to generate a converging associate of three targets in each triplet. Subjects in the experimenter-provided group were asked to rate the relation between targets and a paired-presented word on 5-point scale. Each subject in both groups were given an unexpected free recall test. Recall performance for targets in each unrelated triplet in the subject-generated group was higher than in the experimenter-provided one. Conditional probability of recalling targets given relational information was an index of effectiveness of within-item elaboration. This index was higher in the subject-generated group. These results were interpreted as showing that the effect of information generation was caused by the effectiveness of within-item elaboration.

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of between-item elaboration on incidental memory of words. Between-item elaboration refers to the encoding of relational information to each target item. Forty-four college students were asked to generate free associates to each target in the orienting task which was followed by unexpected recognition and recall tests. Triplets of targets which was known to elicit a converging associate were used. Targets of such a triplet were presented in massed or spaced fashion. Frequency of converging associates generated in the orienting task (free association) was used as an index of between-item elaboration. The proportion of targets correctly recalled for which the converging associates were generated was higher than that of the opposite cases. The above result suggested that the between-item elaboration was effective in retrieval of targets. No effect of types of presentation on free recall performance was observed.

In orthodontic diagnosis, one of the most important factors is to decide whether or not to extract permanent teeth. There are many so-called borderline cases. In analyzing and determining whether or not to extract, discrepancy, profile, growth, and the patient's understanding and cooperation must be considered. We treated a borderline case without extraction, and established good occlusion and profile. Soft tissue changes are chiefly discussed.

The present study was carried out to investigate the mechanism of retrieval of words in incidental memory. Thirty college students were asked to generate free associates to each target word followed by unexpected free recall and recognition tests. In the free recall test, subjects were instructed to recall both targets and generated associates. The probability of targets which elicited more associates correctly recalled was higher than that of those which did less when their associates previously recalled. The above result was interpreted as showing that the more target words had retrieval route from the generated associates the more they were recalled. False recognition score as an index of between-item elaboration was higher to an associate elicited by three targets than by two or one. No clear effects of between-item elaboration were observed for free recall performance of targets. These results were discussed in term of between-item and within-item elaboration.

The present study investigated the developmental changes in dominance of memory attributes between second and sixth graders. Subjects studied a familiar word list followed by a recognition test; dominance was inferred from the types of false recognition error (semantic and acoustic) on the test. The results showed dominance of the semantic attribute for sixth graders, but no difference of dominance level between the semantic and the acoustic attribute for second graders. The evidence also indicated no effect of the stimulus mode on dominance of memory attributes for both graders.

One of the goals of orthodontic treatment is to obtain the best balance and harmony of facial lines, especially it is important to retract the lip in bimaxillary case. A 12-year and 4-month-old boy was first seen with the chief complaint of excessive lips protrusion. We treated him by the edgewise method for 34 months, and evaluated the change of facial profile. Excessive lip protrusion was eliminated, and arch leveled. Overjet and overbite were reduced. Mandibular growth increased the prominence of the chin, and reduce the protrusion of the lower lip.

Two experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of types of sentence frame on elaboration in incidental memory. Subjects were asked to rate whether the target word would fit into sentence frame with five point scales followed by an unexpected free recall test. In Experiment I, three types of sentence frame (CA, CN and II) were used. The target words fitted into CA and CN sentence frames, but did not into II ones. In a CA sentence frame, two associates of the target word were involved, whereas in a CN one were not. CA and CN sentence frames led to a better recall than II ones, but the difference between the former two sentence frames was not observed. In Experiment II, three types of sentence frames were used: Semantic and Syntactic Congruous (CC) Semantic Incongruous and Syntactic Congruous (CI) and Semantic and Syntactic Incongruous (II). CC and CI sentence frames led to a better recall than II, but the difference between the former two sentence frames was not observed.