An Autopsy Case of Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-associated Vasculitis Induced by Propylthiouracil.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a complication caused by antithyroid drugs, particularly propylthiouracil (PTU). Most patients experience organ failure due to the affects of the treatment regimen. We herein report the case of an 89-year-old woman whose severe AAV induced by PTU resulted in various instances of organ failure that eventually led to death after 9 years of PTU therapy.

Blood mRNA expression levels of glucocorticoid receptors and FKBP5 are associated with depressive disorder and altered HPA axis.

Background: While depression has been associated with alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis function, there is still controversy regarding the nature and extent of the dysfunction, such as in the debate about hypercortisolism vs. hypocortisolism. It may therefore be necessary to understand whether and how HPA axis function in depression is linked to mRNA expression of key genes regulating this system.

Neuronal calcium spikes enable vector inversion in the brain.

A typical neuron signals to downstream cells when it is depolarized and firing sodium spikes. Some neurons, however, also fire calcium spikes when hyperpolarized. The function of such bidirectional signaling remains unclear in most circuits.

Direct Link Between Cardiac Failure and Global Cerebral Atrophy in a Young Adult: A Case Report on Reduced Cerebral Artery Blood Flow.

BACKGROUND Heart failure is associated with structural brain abnormalities, including atrophy of multiple brain regions. Previous studies have reported brain atrophy in middle-aged patients with systolic heart failure. In this report, we present the case of a 21-year-old woman with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, cardiac failure, and global cerebral atrophy due to reduced cerebral artery blood flow.

Complete resection of an intrapericardial bronchogenic cyst with median sternotomy showing high CA19-9 level fluid sampling by EBUS-TBNA: a case report.

Background: An intrapericardial bronchogenic cyst (IBC) is rare and compresses the surrounding organs, causing symptoms. Resection of an IBC leads to an improvement in symptoms. We completely resected an IBC by performing median sternotomy and the symptom improved, and we described the clinical course.

Association between the Pittsburgh sleep quality index and white matter integrity in healthy adults: a whole-brain magnetic resonance imaging study.

Unlabelled: To disclose possible associations between poorer sleep quality and structural brain alterations in a non-psychiatric healthy population, this study investigated the association between the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and brain correlates, using a whole-brain approach. This study included 371 right-handed healthy adults (138 males, mean age: 46.4 ± 14.

Plasma neuropeptide levels in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder and healthy controls: A multiplex immunoassay study.

Aim: We aimed to compare neuropeptide levels between patients with major psychiatric disorders and healthy controls and examine their association with symptoms and cognitive function.

Methods: The participants were 149 patients with schizophrenia, 115 patients with bipolar disorder (BD), 186 unremitted patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and 350 healthy controls. Psychiatric (schizophrenic, manic, and depressive) symptoms, sleep state, and cognitive (premorbid intelligence quotient, general cognitive, and memory) functions were evaluated.

Association of body mass index and its classifications with gray matter volume in individuals with a wide range of body mass index group: A whole-brain magnetic resonance imaging study.

Aim: To examine the association of body mass index (BMI) [kg/m] and its classifications (underweight [BMI < 18.5], normal [18.5 ≤ BMI < 25], overweight [25 ≤ BMI < 30], and obese [BMI ≥ 30]) with brain structure in individuals with a wide range of BMI group.

Tinnitus Assessment and Management: A Survey of Practicing Audiologists in the United States and Canada.

Background: Tinnitus is a prevalent auditory disorder that can become severely debilitating. Despite decades of investigation, there remains no conclusive cure for tinnitus. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are available for assessing and managing tinnitus.

Simultaneous monitoring of activity and heart rate variability in depressed patients: A pilot study using a wearable monitor for 3 consecutive days.

Introduction: Reduced activity and sleep-wake rhythm disturbances are essential features of depressive episodes. In addition, alterations in heart rate variability (HRV) have been implicated in depression. By using a wearable sensor that monitors 3-dimensional acceleration and HRV simultaneously, we examined the activity and HRV indices in depressive episode of mood disorders.

Relationship between Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure score and clinical symptoms in patients with major psychiatric disorders and healthy individuals.

Aim: We compared the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM) scores between diagnostic groups and examined the relationship between IPSM scores and clinical variables.

Methods: This study included 166 patients with schizophrenia, 47 patients with bipolar disorder (BD) Ⅰ, 110 patients with BD Ⅱ, 380 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and 558 healthy individuals. Symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Young Mania Rating Scale, 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-21), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Gut permeability and its clinical relevance in schizophrenia.

Aim: We aimed to examine the gut permeability in patients with schizophrenia and its relevance to schizophrenia symptoms, medication, cognitive functions, and blood immune markers.

Methods: We selected 22 patients with schizophrenia (mean age: 37.9 ± 10.

Analysis of thyroid function in Japanese patients with coronavirus disease 2019.

Thyroid dysfunction that is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is becoming increasingly recognized. However, only a few reports in Japan have addressed this issue to date. In this study, we sought to clarify whether infection with SARS-CoV-2 affected thyroid hormone levels and whether these hormones could be better predictors of prognosis in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Evaluating the benefit of hearing aids with motion-based beamformer adaptation in a real-world setup.

Objective: Conventional directional hearing aid microphone technology may obstruct listening intentions when the talker and listener walk side by side. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate hearing aids that use a motion sensor to address listening needs during walking.

Design: Each participant completed two walks in randomised order, one walk with each of two hearing aid programs: (1) conventional beamformer adaptation that activated an adaptive, multiband beamformer in loud environments and (2) motion-based beamformer adaptation that activated a pinna-mimicking microphone setting when walking was detected.

An fMRI Investigation into the Effects of Ketogenic Medium-Chain Triglycerides on Cognitive Function in Elderly Adults: A Pilot Study.

Evidence suggests that oral intake of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which promote the production of ketone bodies, may improve cognitive functions in elderly people; however, the underlying brain mechanisms remain elusive. We tested the hypothesis that cognitive improvement accompanies physiological changes in the brain and reflects the use of ketone bodies as an extra energy source. To this end, by using functional magnetic resonance imaging, cerebral blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signals were measured while 20 healthy elderly subjects (14 females and 6 males; mean age: 65.

Effect of Strain Shirota on Improvement in Depressive Symptoms, and Its Association with Abundance of Actinobacteria in Gut Microbiota.

We previously reported lower counts of lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium in the gut microbiota of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), compared with healthy controls. This prompted us to investigate the possible efficacy of a probiotic strain, strain Shirota (LcS; basonym, strain Shirota; daily intake of 8.0 × 10 colony-forming units), in alleviating depressive symptoms.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Inflammatory Cytokine Levels in Patients With Major Psychiatric Disorders: A Multiplex Immunoassay Study.

Accumulating evidence suggests that neural inflammation plays an important role in psychiatric disorders. We aimed to identify inflammatory cytokines involved in the pathophysiology of such disorders by quantifying them in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from a large sample of patients with major psychiatric disorders and healthy controls. The subjects included 94 patients with schizophrenia, 68 with bipolar disorder, 104 with major depressive disorder, and 118 healthy controls, matched for age, sex, and ethnicity (Japanese).

Single-center evaluation of prognostic factors for thymoma treated by surgery: a retrospective study.

Background: This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the clinical, pathological, and treatment-related factors associated with survival in patients with surgically treated thymomas.

Methods: Sixty patients with thymomas who underwent treatment at our institution between 2004 and 2015 were included. Survival analysis was performed based on curves that were obtained using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Performance on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) in Japanese patients with bipolar and major depressive disorders in euthymic and depressed states.

Aim: This study aimed to examine the cognitive performance of patients with bipolar disorder (BD) stratified by illness phase compared to that of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls.

Methods: Participants were 139 patients with BD (55 euthymic and 84 depressed), 311 patients with MDD (88 euthymic and 223 depressed), and 386 healthy controls who underwent the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised or the Third Edition. They were non-elderly Japanese individuals with normal estimated premorbid intelligence quotient (IQ; >90), group-matched for age, sex, and premorbid IQ.

Addition of L-cysteine to the N- or C-terminus of the all-D-enantiomer [(KLAKLAK)] increases antimicrobial activities against multidrug-resistant and .

Background: Antimicrobial peptides have a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities and are attracting attention as promising next-generation antibiotics against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. The all-d-enantiomer [(KLAKLAK)] has been reported to have antimicrobial activity against and , and to be resistant to protein degradation in bacteria because it is composed of D-enantiomer compounds. In this study, we demonstrated that modification of [(KLAKLAK)] by the addition of an L-cysteine residue to its N- or C- terminus markedly enhanced its antimicrobial activities against Gram-negative bacteria such as MDR , , and .

Anti-tumor effect of a recombinant Bifidobacterium strain secreting a claudin-targeting molecule in a mouse breast cancer model.

Bifidobacterium is a nonpathogenic strain of anaerobic bacteria that selectively localizes and proliferates in tumors. It has emerged as a specific carrier of anticancer proteins against malignant tumors. Claudins are tetraspanin transmembrane proteins that form tight junctions.

Corrigendum: Correlation Between the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale- Edition Metrics and Brain Structure in Healthy Individuals: A Whole-Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.

Association between obesity and white matter microstructure impairments in patients with schizophrenia: A whole-brain magnetic resonance imaging study.

Aim: We aimed to examine the possible association of obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30) with symptoms, psychotropic medication, and whole-brain structure in patients with schizophrenia.

Methods: Participants were 65 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (mean age: 37.2 ± 11.

SPARC enables genetic manipulation of precise proportions of cells.

Many experimental approaches rely on controlling gene expression in select subsets of cells within an individual animal. However, reproducibly targeting transgene expression to specific fractions of a genetically defined cell type is challenging. We developed Sparse Predictive Activity through Recombinase Competition (SPARC), a generalizable toolkit that can express any effector in precise proportions of post-mitotic cells in Drosophila.

Toxicity of Gold Nanoparticles in Mice due to Nanoparticle/Drug Interaction Induces Acute Kidney Damage.

Nanomaterials are innovative materials with many useful properties, but there is concern regarding their many unknown effects on living organisms. Gold nanoparticles are widely used as industrial materials because of their excellent properties. The potential biological hazards of gold nanoparticles are unknown, and thus, here we examined the in vivo effects of gold nanoparticles 10, 50, and 100 nm in diameter (GnP10, GnP50, and GnP100, respectively) and their interactions with drugs in mice to clarify their safety in mammals.