Molecular Mechanisms of Skatole-Induced Inflammatory Responses in Intestinal Epithelial Caco-2 Cells: Implications for Colorectal Cancer and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), in intestinal epithelial cells significantly contribute to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Given our previous findings that TNF-α is upregulated in intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells induced by skatole, a tryptophan-derived gut microbiota metabolite, the present study aimed to explore the relationship between skatole and IL-6, alongside TNF-α. Skatole elevated the promoter activity of IL-6 as well as TNF-α, and increased IL-6 mRNA expression and protein secretion.

Effect of electrode attachment location for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for pain relief in lumbar vertebral body fractures.

[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the effect of the location of electrode attachment in transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on pain relief in patients with lumbar vertebral body fractures. [Participants and Methods] This study included 59 patients with lumbar vertebral body fractures, who were randomly assigned to receive transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation to the lumbar region, lower limbs, or upper limbs, or no treatment, over a 4-week period. Pain, activities of daily living, and pain catastrophizing were assessed.

Bone change after surgical treatment of mucous cyst at the interphalangeal joint of the great toe in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

Digital mucous cysts are a type of benign cysts of the digits, typically located at the distal interphalangeal joints or in the proximal nail fold, which usually occur on the hands. The diagnosis of digital mucous cysts is relatively easy because of its light-transmitting property, but the treatment is often difficult because of complications including recurrence, infection, diminished range of motion, and nail deformity. We report a case of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) showing good course after surgical treatment of mucous cyst at the interphalangeal joint of the great toe.

Treating to target matrix metalloproteinase 3 normalisation together with disease activity score below 2.6 yields better effects than each alone in rheumatoid arthritis patients: T-4 Study.

Objectives: To assess whether therapy to achieve both a disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) less than 2.6 and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 3 normalisation offers better outcomes than either target alone in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at 56 weeks: Treating to Twin Targets (T-4) Study.

Methods: 243 early RA patients were randomly allocated to one of four strategy groups: routine care (R group; n=62); DAS28-driven therapy (D group; n=60); MMP-3-driven therapy (M group; n=60); or both DAS28 and MMP-3-driven therapy group (twin; T group; n=61).

Prevalence of reactivation of hepatitis B virus replication in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Reactivation of hepatitis B involves the reappearance of active necroinflammatory liver disease after an inactive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier state or resolved hepatitis B, occurring during or after immunosuppression therapy or chemotherapy. We prospectively investigated the reactivation rate for hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA replication in cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with resolved hepatitis B. HBV markers were evaluated in 428 RA patients.

Physiological pineal effects on female reproductive function of laboratory rats: prenatal development of pups, litter size and estrous cycle in middle age.

The present study investigates whether and how the pineal or its hormone melatonin influences female reproductive functions, namely the litter size, prenatal development of offsprings, and estrous cyclicity, especially its age-related cessation in a non-seasonal breeder, the laboratory rat. Wistar rats were maintained under a 24 h light-dark (12Lratio12D) cycle. Female rats were divided into 3 groups: non-operated (NO), sham-operated (SX), and pinealectomized (PX).

Increased incidence of spontaneous malformations in pups and increased litter size from pinealectomized dams.

The aim of the present study was to clarify whether maternal pinealectomy increases: (i) the incidence of spontaneous malformations in offspring; and (ii) litter size. More than 30 female rats in each of the control groups (normal and sham-pinealectomized) and the pinealectomized group were mated repeatedly with normal male rats and pups were autopsied mostly before weaning. No malformations were seen in offspring from the normal and sham-pinealectomized groups (n = 350 and n = 736, respectively).