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Ryo Kurobe, Yoshio Hirano, Shuntaro Ogura, Tsutomu Yasukawa, Yuichiro Ogura Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Aichi, JapanCorrespondence: Yoshio HiranoDepartment of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1-Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 467-8601, JapanTel +81-52-8538251Fax +81-52-8419490Email yoshio.hirano@gmail.comPurpose: To investigate whether ultra-widefield (UWF) swept-source optical coherence tomography (SSOCT) system (Silverstone, Nikon Healthcare Japan, Inc, Tokyo, Japan) can obtain OCT images of peripheral retinal degenerations and breaks.Methods: Thirty-seven eyes of 31 consecutive cases (16 men, 15 women; mean age 51 years) who had peripheral retinal degenerations and underwent a UWF-SSOCT imaging were enrolled. The convenience and usefulness were investigated.Results: In all eyes, OCT images were capable and interpretable without any special techniques. The respective findings on OCT were retinal degeneration in 16 eyes: lattice degeneration in 8 eyes, paving stone degeneration in 4 eyes, and unclassified in 4 eyes, retinal tear in 12 eyes, and retinal hole in 9 eyes. The respective locations of the retinal degenerations or breaks were the posterior pole in 0 eyes, mid-periphery in 23 eyes, and far-periphery in 14 eyes. Fifteen eyes had a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), one of which was preoperative and the other 14 eyes were postoperative. A buckle was placed in 8 eyes for RRD repair. Subretinal fluid was observed in 9 of 21 eyes with retinal break or retinal hole. Vitreoretinal traction was observed in 10 of 27 eyes without a history of vitrectomy. Inverted artifacts on OCT images were observed in 20 of 37 eyes, which were not related to the location or axial length, but were supposed to be due to the limited scan depth.Conclusion: The UWF-SSOCT system could capture the OCT images of peripheral retinal degenerations and breaks without any special technique.Keywords: ultra-widefield, swept-source optical coherence tomography, peripheral retinal degeneration, retinal break, rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Toshiyuki Ohtani,1– 3 Koji Matsuo,4 Chihiro Sutoh,5 Fumiyo Oshima,2,3 Yoshiyuki Hirano,2,3 Akio Wakabayashi,6 Eiji Shimizu2,3,5 1Safety and Health Organization, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; 2Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; 3United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Suita, Japan; 4Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan; 5Department of Cognitive Behavioral Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine and School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; 6Department of Psychology,Graduate School of Humanities, Chiba University, Chiba, JapanCorrespondence: Toshiyuki OhtaniSafety and Health Organization, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoicho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, JapanTel/Fax +81 43 290 2216Email otanit@Chiba-u.jpPurpose: In clinical settings, diagnosing comorbid depression in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often difficult. Neuroimaging studies have reported reduced activation of frontal and temporal regions during emotional face recognition task (EFRT) in ASD and depression. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has examined differences in frontotemporal activation during EFRT between ASD with and without comorbid depression. We aimed to compare the frontotemporal hemodynamic responses to the EFRT in ASD with and without depression and to find clues to help in discriminating the characteristics between them.Patients and Methods: In 24 drug-naïve young adults with ASD (12 with depression [ASD-Dep(+)] and 12 without depression [ASD-Dep(-)]) and 12 with typical development (TD), frontotemporal hemodynamic responses during an EFRT were measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).Results: The ASD groups showed reduced activation during EFRT than the TD group in the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC). Moreover, the ASD-Dep(+) group showed reduced activation during EFRT than the ASD-Dep(-) group in the right anterior temporal cortex (aTC), and reduced activation than the TD group in the left VLPFC.Conclusion: The observed results might reflect reduced regional activation in ASD and ASD with comorbid depression.Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, depression comorbidity, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, emotional face recognition, social cognition, frontotemporal activation

Sho Okawa,1– 3 Sayo Hamatani,2,4 Yuta Hayashi,5,6 Honami Arai,2,7 Masato Nihei,2,4 Tokiko Yoshida,2 Jumpei Takahashi,1,2 Eiji Shimizu,2,3 Yoshiyuki Hirano1,2 1United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; 2Research Center of Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba-shi, Chiba 260-8670, Japan; 3Department of Cognitive Behavioral Physiology, Chiba University, Chiba-shi, Chiba 260-8670, Japan; 4Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan; 5Department of Nursing, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Suma-ku, Kobe 654-0142, Japan; 6Graduate School of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan; 7Faculty of Human Sciences, Tsukuba University, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 112-0012, JapanCorrespondence: Yoshiyuki HiranoResearch Center of Child Mental Development, Chiba University, 1-8-1, Inohana, Chuo Ward, Chiba-shi, Chiba 260-8670, JapanTel +81-43-226-2975Fax +81-43-226-8588Email hirano@chiba-u.jpIntroduction: Although deficits in neuropsychological functioning have been reported in social anxiety disorder (SAD), studies focusing on neuropsychological dysfunction in SAD are limited, and the evidence is still lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine the deficits in neuropsychological functioning in patients with SAD by comparing SAD patients and a healthy control (HC) group.Materials and Methods: A total of 72 participants (20 in the SAD group and 52 in the HC group) were assessed with neuropsychological tests, consisting of the Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT) to measure central coherence and the Trail Making Test A and B (TMT-A; TMT-B) to measure visual scanning and executive functioning.Results: Analysis of covariance with depressive symptoms as a covariate revealed that central coherence (RCFT) and visual scanning (TMT-A) were significantly lower in the SAD group than in the HC group. No difference was found in executive functioning (TMT-B) when the effect of visual scanning was considered.Discussion: Our findings suggest that SAD patients have weak central coherence and deficits in visual scanning compared to healthy controls. The clinical implications of these neuropsychological functioning deficits in SAD patients are discussed.Keywords: social anxiety disorder, neuropsychological functioning, central coherence, visual scanning, executive functioning

Yuya Esaki, Yoshio Hirano, Ryo Kurobe, Yusuke Yasuda, Taneto Tomiyasu, Norihiro Suzuki, Tsutomu Yasukawa, Munenori Yoshida, Yuichiro Ogura Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, JapanCorrespondence: Yoshio HiranoDepartment of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1-Kawasumi, Mizuho-Cho, Mizuho-Ku, Nagoya 467-8601, JapanTel +81 52-8538251Fax +81 52-8419490Email yoshio.hirano@gmail.comPurpose: To classify microaneurysms (MAs) and investigate the relationships with retinal edema in eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).Study Design: Retrospective, observational, consecutive case series.Methods: Eyes with MAs due to BRVO that underwent optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) were enrolled. MAs on OCTA images were morphologically classified into six types: focal bulge, saccular, fusiform, mixed (saccular/fusiform), pedunculated, and irregular. The frequency, size, location, and relationships with retinal edema also were investigated.Results: Twenty-four eyes of 23 patients (12 men, 11 women; mean age, 68.0 years) were enrolled. A total of 244 MAs were detected on the OCTA images. The focal bulge and saccular types accounted for over 70% of all MAs. Smaller MAs such as the focal bulge or saccular type also were detected both at the edge of the nonperfused areas (NPAs) and in collateral vessels. In contrast, larger MAs such as the pedunculated or irregular types tended to form at the edges of the NPAs. Older age, the presence of MAs in the collateral vessels, and the absence of pedunculated type were independent predictive factors for retinal edema but not the MA size, or presence in the retinal deep capillary plexus. After treatment, the mean retinal thickness decreased significantly, but the mean MA size remained unchanged.Conclusion: OCTA enables morphologic classification, three-dimensional analysis, and investigation of the longitudinal changes of MAs with noninvasive volumetric quantification, leading to a better understanding of the pathology of MAs in eyes with BRVO.Keywords: microaneurysm, morphology, macular edema, optical coherence tomography angiography, branch retinal vein occlusion

Mihoko Kawamura, Yoshio Hirano, Munenori Yoshida, Takeshi Mizutani, Kazuhiko Sugitani, Tsutomu Yasukawa, Yuichiro Ogura Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan Purpose: The aim of this study is to report the 6-month results after one intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) injection followed by pro re nata dosing for macular edema (ME) after branch retinal vein occlusion.Patients and methods: The inclusion criteria included a minimal patient age of 18 years, 20 letters or more best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study [ETDRS] score, 77 letters or less), and central retinal thickness (CRT) of 250 microns or more. The primary outcome measure was the mean BCVA change from baseline at month 6; the secondary outcomes were mean changes in CRT, residual ME, and microaneurysm formation.Results: Twenty patients were enrolled from March 2014 through October 2016 at Nagoya City University Hospital. The baseline mean ETDRS letters and CRT were 63.1 and 500 microns, respectively; mean time from symptom onset to initial therapy was 1.80 months; and mean ETDRS gain and CRT reduction were 15.2 letters and 230 microns, respectively. The percentages of patients with Snellen equivalent BCVAs of 20/40 (70 ETDRS letters) or better and 20/20 (85 ETDRS letters) were 90% and 15%, respectively. Residual ME and microaneurysms were observed in 85% and 35% of patients. Microaneurysm formation was associated with delayed initial therapy.Conclusion: Prompt initiation of IVR injection provided a better visual prognosis at month 6 and suppressed the microaneurysm formation. Keywords: branch retinal vein occlusion, macular edema, microaneurysm, ranibizumab, prompt treatment

Yoshinori Watanabe,1 Yuko Asami,2 Yoko Hirano,2 Kazuhiko Kuribayashi,3 Rio Itamura,4 Takayuki Imaeda4 1Himorogi Psychiatric Institute, Tokyo, Japan; 2Medical Affairs, Pfizer Essential Health, Pfizer Japan Inc., Tokyo, Japan; 3Clinical Statistics, Pfizer Japan Inc., Tokyo, Japan; 4Clinical Research, Pfizer Japan Inc., Tokyo, Japan Purpose: To explore the potential factors impacting the efficacy of venlafaxine extended release (ER) and treatment differences between 75 mg/day and 75–225 mg/day dose in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Methods: We performed exploratory post hoc subgroup analyses of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted in Japan. A total of 538 outpatients aged 20 years or older with a primary diagnosis of MDD who experienced single or recurrent episodes were randomized into three groups: fixed-dose, flexible-dose, or placebo. Venlafaxine ER was initiated at 37.5 mg/day and titrated to 75 mg/day for both fixed-dose and flexible-dose group, and to 225 mg/day for flexible-dose group (if well tolerated). Efficacy endpoints were changes from baseline at Week 8 using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression–17 items (HAM-D17) total score, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression–6 items score, and Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale total score. The following factors were considered in the subgroup analyses: sex, age, HAM-D17 total score at baseline, duration of MDD, duration of current depressive episode, history of previous depressive episodes, history of previous medications for MDD, and CYP2D6 phenotype. For each subgroup, an analysis of covariance model was fitted and the adjusted mean of the treatment effect and corresponding 95% CI were computed. Due to the exploratory nature of the investigation, no statistical hypothesis testing was used. Results: Venlafaxine ER improved symptoms of MDD compared with placebo in most subgroups. The subgroup with a long duration of MDD (>22 months) consistently showed greater treatment benefits in the flexible-dose group than in the fixed-dose group. Conclusion: These results suggest that a greater treatment response to venlafaxine ER (up to 225 mg/day) can be seen in patients with a longer duration of MDD. Further investigations are needed to identify additional factors impacting the efficacy of venlafaxine ER. Keywords: venlafaxine, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, HAM-D, subgroup, major depressive disorder, MDD, Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale, MADRS

Tomoko Okuda,1,2 Kenichi Asano,1,3 Noriko Numata,4 Yoshiyuki Hirano,1,3 Tetsuya Yamamoto,5 Mari Tanaka,4 Daisuke Matsuzawa,4 Eiji Shimizu,1,3,4 Masaomi Iyo,5,6 Michiko Nakazato1,3,6 1Division of Cognitive Behavioral Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 2Department of Psychiatry, Chibaken Saiseikai Narashino Hospital, Narashino, 3Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, 4Department of Cognitive Behavioral Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 5Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba University, 6Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan Background: Set-shifting (SS) difficulties and weak central coherence (CC) are commonly associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) aims to improve such cognitive processing; however, there are no reports on CRT for patients with ASD. This pilot study aimed to provide preliminary evidence to support the use of CRT for individuals with ASD and provide data to inform future studies.Participants and methods: Nineteen individuals with ASD were recruited and administered a series of neuropsychological and questionnaire measures to examine cognitive function and clinical outcomes such as anxiety and depression. Participants received CRT, and cognitive function and clinical variables were re-evaluated at postintervention and after 3 months.Results: The participants demonstrated significant improvement in CC and anxiety at postintervention, which was maintained at 3-month follow-up. Although SS scores had improved with a large effect size, this was not statistically significant.Conclusion: CRT improved CC and anxiety scores for individuals with ASD, suggesting that CRT is an effective treatment for individuals with ASD. Keywords: autism spectrum disorders, cognitive remediation therapy, cognitive flexibility, central coherence

Aki Tsuchiyagaito,1–3 Satoshi Horiuchi,4 Toko Igarashi,5 Yoshiya Kawanori,4 Yoshiyuki Hirano,1,3 Hirooki Yabe,2 Akiko Nakagawa1,3 1Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, 2Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, 3United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Osaka, 4Faculty of Social Welfare, Iwate Prefectural University, Iwate, 5Graduate School of Education, Joetsu University of Education, Niigata, Japan Background: The Hoarding Rating Scale-Self-Report (HRS-SR) is a five-item scale that assesses the symptoms of hoarding. These symptoms include excessive acquisition, difficulty in discarding, and excessive clutter that causes distress. We conducted three studies to examine the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Japanese version of the HRS-SR (HRS-SR-J). Methods: Study 1 examined its reliability; 193 college students and 320 adolescents and adults completed the HRS-SR-J and, of the college students, 32 took it again 2 weeks later. Study 2 aimed to confirm that its scores in a sample of 210 adolescents and adults are independent of social desirability. Study 3 aimed to validate the HRS-SR-J in the aspects of convergent and discriminant validity in a sample of 550 adults. Results: The HRS-SR-J showed good internal consistency and 2-week test–retest reliability. Based on the nonsignificant correlations between the HRS-SR-J and social desirability, the HRS-SR-J was not strongly affected by social desirability. In addition, it also had a good convergent validity with the Japanese version of the Saving Inventory-Revised (SI-R-J) and the hoarding subscale of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, while having a significantly weaker correlation with the five subscales of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, except for the hoarding subscale. In addition, the strength of the correlation between the HRS-SR-J and the Japanese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and that between the HRS-SR-J and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 were significantly weaker than the correlation between the HRS-SR-J and the SI-R-J. These results demonstrate that the HRS-SR-J has good convergent and discriminant validity. Conclusion: The HRS-SR-J is a notable self-report scale for examining the severity of hoarding symptoms. Keywords: Japanese version of the Hoarding Rating Scale-Self-Report, Hoarding Rating Scale, hoarding, reliability, validity

Norihiro Suzuki, Yoshio Hirano, Miyu Ichida, Taneto Tomiyasu, Yuya Esaki, Tsutomu Yasukawa, Yuichiro Ogura Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of preoperative optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings in patients with macular epiretinal membrane (ERM) for the planning of surgical strategy.Patients and methods: One hundred twenty-three eyes of 121 patients (49 men, 72 women; mean age, 66 years) with an idiopathic ERM were enrolled. All patients underwent an ophthalmic examination including indirect ophthalmoscopy and OCT (Cirrus HD-OCT 4000 and/or 5000). OCT images obtained using model 4000 were transferred to the model 5000 system for vitreoretinal interface (VRI) analysis. The retinal thickness in each area, occurrence rate, and locations of the edges and partial detachments of the ERMs were evaluated using OCT.Results: OCT detected identifiable edges in 61 (50%) eyes and partial detachments in 116 (94%) of the 123 eyes. The edges and partial detachments were seen more frequently in the inferior macula. VRI analysis also detected the edges and partial detachments. Excluding the central area, the superior quadrant was the thickest in patients with an ERM. Conclusion: Preoperatively acquired OCT images are useful for planning surgical strategies and performing the surgeries smoothly. Keywords: optical coherence tomography, epiretinal membrane, surgical strategy, membrane edges

Tomonori Isobe,1 Yoshikazu Okamoto,1 Yuji Hirano,2 Hiroki Ando,3 Kenta Takada,1 Eisuke Sato,4 Kazuya Shinoda,5 Kiichi Tadano,4 Hideyuki Takei,2 Satoshi Kamizawa,1 Yutaro Mori,3 Hiroaki Suzuki1 1Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan; 2Department of Radiology, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Ibaraki, Japan; 3Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan; 4Department of Medical Radiological Technology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kyorin University, Tokyo, Japan; 5Department of Radiology, Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital, Ibaraki, Japan Background: Our purpose in this study was to clarify whether differences in subject group attributes could affect data acquisition in proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS).Methods: Subjects without diabetes mellitus (DM) were divided into two groups (group A, in their 20s; group B, 30–60 years old). Subjects with DM formed group C (30–60 years old). The numbers of subjects were 19, 27, and 22 for group A, B, and C respectively. For all subjects, 1H-MRS measurements were taken of the soleus muscle (SOL) and the anterior tibial muscle (AT). We defined the success of the measurements by the detection of intramyocellular lipids. Moreover, we also measured the full width at half maximum of the water peaks for all subjects. Results: The success rate was significantly higher for the AT (100%) than for the SOL (81.6%) (P

Energetic C60 ion impacts in the sub-MeV to MeV energy range, which can provide secondary ions (SIs) necessary for the identification of organic materials in high emission yields, are excellent ionization methods for highly sensitive SI mass spectrometry. Energetic C60 ion-impact-induced SI emission is an ultrafast phenomenon that occurs at the nanoscale around the impact point through complex processes triggered by energy deposition by impact; it is therefore difficult to observe in situ. Here, we experimentally characterized this phenomenon using information about the emission yields of various negative-SI (N-SI) species over a wide range of C60 impact energies. We found that the N-SI emission phenomena are influenced by variations in the volume and geometry of the regions, where SI and/or precursor particles are preferentially produced depending on the deposited energy density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]