We implemented a novel method for providing contextual adverse event rates for a randomised controlled trial (RCT) programme through coordinated analyses of five RA registries, focusing here on ...cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality.
Each participating registry (Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America (CORRONA) (USA), Swedish Rheumatology Quality of Care Register (SRR) (Sweden), Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR) (UK), CORRONA International (East Europe, Latin America, India) and Institute of Rheumatology, Rheumatoid Arthritis (IORRA) (Japan)) defined a main cohort from January 2000 onwards. To address comparability and potential bias, we harmonised event definitions and defined several subcohorts for sensitivity analyses based on disease activity, treatment, calendar time, duration of follow-up and RCT exclusions. Rates were standardised for age, sex and, in one sensitivity analysis, also HAQ.
The combined registry cohorts included 57 251 patients with RA (234 089 person-years)-24.5% men, mean (SD) baseline age 58.2 (13.8) and RA duration 8.2 (11.7) years. Standardised registry mortality rates (per 100 person-years) varied from 0.42 (CORRONA) to 0.80 (NOAR), with 0.60 for RCT patients. Myocardial infarction and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) rates ranged from 0.09 and 0.31 (IORRA) to 0.39 and 0.77 (SRR), with RCT rates intermediate (0.18 and 0.42), respectively. Additional subcohort analyses showed small and mostly consistent changes across registries, retaining reasonable consistency in rates across the Western registries. Additional standardisation for HAQ returned higher mortality and MACE registry rates.
This coordinated approach to contextualising RA RCT safety data demonstrated reasonable differences and consistency in rates for mortality and CVD across registries, and comparable RCT rates, and may serve as a model method to supplement clinical trial analyses for drug development programmes.
Populations of Japanese macaques were significantly reduced in most areas from the 1900s to the 1960s and then recovered mainly in the northeastern part of Honshu. A drastic reduction in population ...size reduces genetic variability through a bottleneck effect. Demographic expansion after the reduction that accumulates new mutations can reduce the bottleneck effects or drive the recovery of genetic variability. We examined the genetic status of a small island population (Kinkazan Island) and a larger mainland population (southern Tohoku) of Japanese macaques that experienced recent demographic bottlenecks and recovery using eight microsatellite loci. The two populations were significantly genetically different from each other. The Kinkazan population exhibited lower genetic variability, remarkable evidence of bottleneck (i.e., significant heterozygosity excess and lower frequency of rare alleles), and a considerably smaller effective population size based on genetic data than based on the current census size. These results indicate that the genetic status has not completely recovered from the demographic bottleneck despite a full recovery in census size on Kinkazan Island. New mutations might rarely have accumulated because of the small carrying capacity of the island. Therefore, the genetic variability of the population would have been restrained by the severe bottleneck size, small carrying capacity, and long-term isolation. On the other hand, the bottleneck effect seems to be limited in the southern Tohoku population considering higher genetic variability, non-significant heterozygosity excess in many mutation conditions, and the highest frequency of rare alleles.
Objective: To estimate the disease activity score (DAS)28-C-reactive protein (CRP) threshold values that correspond to DAS28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) values for remission, low disease ...activity and high disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: DAS28 data were analysed using a large observational study (Institute of Rheumatology Rheumatoid Arthritis) database of 6729 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Firstly, the relationship between the DAS28-ESR and the DAS28-CRP values was analysed. Secondly, the best DAS28-CRP trade-off values for each threshold were calculated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: The correlation coefficient of ESR versus CRP was 0.686, whereas that of DAS28-ESR versus DAS28-CRP was 0.946, showing the strong linear relationship between DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP values. DAS28-CRP threshold values corresponding to remission, low disease activity and high disease activity were 2.3, 2.7 and 4.1, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity from the ROC curves were gradually reduced as DAS28 values became lower. Conclusions: This study showed that DAS28-CRP and DAS28-ESR were well correlated, but the threshold values should be reconsidered. As the results were derived from only Japanese patients, it is essential to compare DAS28-CRP threshold values in people of other ethnic groups.
The study aimed to evaluate the effect of heat stress on the developments of cacao somatic embryos under in vitro condition. Somatic embryos were induced from petal explants of ICCRI 4 cacao clone ...using DKW medium with the addition of 2.4-D and kinetin. Mature stage of cotyledonary somatic embryos were cultured on a germination medium and incubated at temperatures of 25 (control), 35, 40, 45 and 35 followed by 45 °C with sub-cultured on the same medium monthly. The results showed cacao somatic embryos were turned brown and suffered death after 16, 5 and 3 days of incubation at temperatures of 40, 35-45 and 45°C, respectively, while somatic embryos cultured at temperatures of 25 and 35°C could develop to form normal plantlets. The temperature of 40-45°C might be the lethal temperature for cacao somatic embryos. The results of this study gave illustration how heat stress affected cacao embryo development and could be used as a base information for developing an in vitro selection method for heat stress tolerance in cacao.
Summary
Despite improvements in rheumatoid arthritis disease activity of in the past 10 years, the incidence of self-reported non-vertebral fractures did not decrease in our cohort of 9,987 patients. ...This study may indicate that osteoporosis treatment and non-vertebral fracture prevention remain important regardless of the rheumatoid arthritis disease activity.
Introduction
Although rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a risk factor for osteoporosis and fractures, few studies have described the association between disease activity and the fracture incidence in patients with RA. This study aimed to investigate changes in the non-vertebral fracture incidence between 2001 and 2010 in our Institute of Rheumatology Rheumatoid Arthritis (IORRA) cohort.
Methods
The IORRA is a prospective observational cohort study of Japanese RA patients. A total of 9,987 patients with RA were enrolled in this cohort from 2000 to 2010. The clinical parameter and non-vertebral fracture occurrence data were collected biannually through self-reported questionnaires. Incidences of self-reported non-vertebral fractures were also analyzed via standardization according to gender, age, and disease activity during each 2-year period.
Results
From 2001 to 2010, the percentage of patients with 28-joint disease activity score remission increased from 7.8 to 39.7 %, prednisolone intake decreased from 51.4 to 41.3 %, and bisphosphonate intake increased from 5.0 to 23.4 %. The non-vertebral fracture incidence rates were 24.6/1,000 person-years in 2001 and 35.5/1,000 person-years in 2010, with no apparent change even after standardization. The overall non-vertebral fracture incidence was significantly higher in the autumn/winter than in the spring/summer (
p
= 0.02).
Conclusion
Despite improvements in disease activity and functional disability, the non-vertebral fracture incidence exhibited no apparent change between 2001 and 2010 in our patients with RA. Osteoporosis treatment and non-vertebral fracture prevention remain important regardless of the disease control in patients with RA.
Abstract
Kecapi (
Sandoricum koetjape
Merr.) is a local fruit belonging to the Meliaceae family. The market price of this fruit is unstable due to inconsistent production and fruit quality. Kecapi’s ...cultivation system can be improved by modifying the environment in which LED (Light Emitting Diode) is used as artificial light. This study aims to determine changes in morphological, physiological, and anatomical responses to LED light’s different spectrum and intensity levels. The research used a two-factor, completely randomized design (CRD) consisting of an LED spectrum (purple and white) and two light intensities. The results showed the changes in morphological and physiological responses in high-intensity treatment with the white spectrum of LED (WH). The low intensity with the white spectrum of LED (WL) increased leaf chlorophyll content and photosynthesis rate. The anatomical response has in the low-intensity purple LED (PL) treatment. Increased leaf width occurred in high intensity with the purple LED spectrum (PH). Glucose content in the leaf decreased in all treatments, and increased fructose content in the leaf only occurred in the low-intensity purple spectrum of LED treatment.
Summary
Risk factors associated with the occurrence of hip fracture in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were evaluated in a prospective, observational cohort study. Physical ...disability, advanced age, history of total knee replacement (TKR), and low body mass index (BMI) appear to be associated with the occurrence of hip fracture.
Introduction
This study seeks to evaluate the association between potential risk factors and the occurrence of hip fractures in Japanese RA patients.
Methods
A total of 9,720 patients (82.1 % female; mean age, 55.7 years) with RA were enrolled in a prospective observational study from 2000 to 2010. Self-reported hip fractures were verified using patient medical records. Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze independent contributions of various risk factors to hip fracture occurrence.
Results
During a mean follow-up of 5.2 years, 152 patients reported 152 hip fractures. Among these patients, 97 hip fractures in 97 patients (15 males, 82 females) were verified with medical records. Japanese version of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (J-HAQ) disability score per 1 score, hazard ratio (HR), 2.64; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.94–3.58, age (per 10 years; HR, 1.53; 95 % CI, 1.25–1.87), history of TKR (HR, 3.75; 95 % CI, 1.57–8.96), and BMI (per 1 kg/m
2
, HR, 0.92; 95 % CI, 0.86–0.99) were significantly associated with hip fractures. Among the scores on the eight domains of the J-HAQ, J-HAQ (arising) (HR, 1.74; 95 % CI, 1.28–2.36) and J-HAQ (hygiene) (HR, 1.58; 95 % CI, 1.11–2.24) were significantly correlated with the occurrence of hip fracture.
Conclusions
High J-HAQ disability score, advanced age, history of TKR, and low BMI appear to be associated with the occurrence of hip fractures in Japanese RA patients. Among the eight domains of the J-HAQ, arising and hygiene disabilities appear to be correlated with the occurrence of hip fractures in this patient population.
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