Stepwise Incremental Dose Schedule of Sirolimus Is Successfully Tolerated by a Patient With Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Who Was Initially Allergic to mTOR Inhibitors.

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare disease involving the proliferation of LAM cells in the lungs and the axial lymphatic system and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors are the only effective medicines for treating it. Patients suffering from LAM, who are allergic to mTOR inhibitors can be treated by desensitizing them to the medicine. A 39-year-old woman presented with dyspnea caused by chylous pleural effusion, ascites, and retroperitoneal lymphangioleiomyomas.

Clinical Findings, Response to Steroid Treatment, and Recurrence Rate in Alopecia Areata Patients with or without a Nonsynonymous Variant of Coiled-Coil Alpha-Helical Rod Protein 1.

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is considered complex genetic and tissue-specific autoimmune disease. We recently discovered a nonsynonymous variant in the coiled-coil alpha-helical rod protein 1 () gene within the AA risk haplotype. And a water avoidance stress test on knockout mice induced AA-like lesions.

Antifungal Susceptibility Testing for Microsporum canis from Cats in Japan.

Control of infection caused by Microsporum canis in pet animals are important for prevention of zoonosis. Treatments for animal dermatophytosis have generally consisted of itraconazole (ITZ) and terbinafine (TRF); however, a TRF-resistant M. canis strain from a case of feline dermatophytosis has been reported.

Measurement of human skin moisture via high-frequency spectroscopy.

High-frequency spectroscopy (HFS) is an analytical method that is sensitive to slight changes in the dielectric properties of materials. Since water has high permittivity, HFS can be used to detect changes in water content in materials. In this study, we employed HFS to measure human skin moisture during a water sorption-desorption test.

Microsporum canis Infection in a Cat Breeder Family and an Investigation of Their Breeding Cats.

Two pediatric cases of Microsporum canis infection that occurred in a cat breeder family and the isolation of dermatophytes from their 166 breeding cats are reported. The patients were a 16-month-old girl and her 26-month-old sister who both had tinea capitis. Their family consisted of six members: the sisters, their great-grandmother, grandmother, grandfather, and mother.

The Alopecia Areata Phenotype Is Induced by the Water Avoidance Stress Test In -Deficient Mice.

We recently discovered a nonsynonymous variant in the coiled-coil alpha-helical rod protein 1 () gene within the alopecia areata (AA) risk haplotype. We also reported that the engineered mice with this risk allele exhibited. To investigate more about the involvement of the gene in AA pathogenesis, we developed an AA model using C57BL/6N gene knockout mice.

Alopecia areata susceptibility variant in MHC region impacts expressions of genes contributing to hair keratinization and is involved in hair loss.

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is considered a highly heritable, T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease of the hair follicle. However, no convincing susceptibility gene has yet been pinpointed in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), a genome region known to be associated with AA as compared to other regions.

Methods: We engineered mice carrying AA risk allele identified by haplotype sequencing for the MHC region using allele-specific genome editing with the CRISPR/Cas9 system.

Skin advanced glycation end products as biomarkers of photosensitivity in schizophrenia.

Objectives: Photosensitivity to ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation from sunlight is an important side effect of treatment with antipsychotic agents. However, the pathophysiology of drug-induced photosensitivity remains unclear. Recent studies demonstrated the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), annotated as carbonyl stress, to be associated with the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

Analysis of finger vein variety in patients with various diseases using vein authentication technology.

In finger vein authentication technology, near-infrared rays penetrate the finger and are absorbed by the hemoglobin in blood. The veins appear as dark areas. The finger vein pattern images of patients with various diseases were acquired; a new evaluation method applying image processing technique ("E value") was developed, and it was examined whether the patterns have any characteristics differentiating them from those of healthy volunteers.

308-nm Excimer Lamp for the Treatment of Alopecia Areata: Clinical Trial on 16 Cases.

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is considered as a T-cell mediated autoimmune disorder. The 308-nm excimer laser is thought to be capable of inducing T-cell apoptosis in vitro, suggesting that the 308-nm excimer lamp (not laser) might be effective for the treatment of AA. We examined the effectiveness of the 308-nm excimer lamp for treating AA.

Association analysis of the HLA-C gene in Japanese alopecia areata.

Alopecia areata (AA) is an organ-specific and cell-mediated autoimmune disease involving hair loss, but its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Many autoimmune diseases are genetically associated with alleles of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes within the major histocompatibility complex. Associations between AA and HLA genes were previously observed in some different ethnic groups.

[Bullous dermatosis--treatment up-to-date].

Blistering dermatosis are generally known to be constructed of two groups, autoimmune blistering dermatosis and genodermatosis. Autoantibodies are determined in autoimmune blistering dermatosis including pemhigus and bullous pemphigoid. We used to treat them with systemic corticosteroids and various immunosuppressants, with attention to side effects.

[Recent advances in autoimmune blistering disease].

Systemic application of steroids is the first-line treatment. In intractable cases, immunosuppressants, plasma exchange therapy and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy are performed. We recently experienced the efficacy of high dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for pemphigus by double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.